Knitting or rather..not

Well, we are back from the sunny Dominican and I have to tell you I am a hot house flower. I bloomed while we were there and detect a distinct wilting since we got home.
I experienced every knitters worst nightmare. Two thousand plus miles from home and I have the wrong sized knitting needle! I had to medicate myself with 30 degree (Celsius) sunshine, white sand and a delicious beverage called a "Silver Clark." After all this was my holiday and I had looked forward to trying out a new lace pattern from "Wrapped in Lace.". Not so fellow knitters. The needle was too fine.
I kept trying as if the needle would have swollen in the sunshine..sigh ... I gave up and went to the pool bar, which by the way was behind a little waterfall. It's hard to see but trust me there is water falling in front of the bar.

Before we left I managed to finish and block the aforementioned slouch hat. Finally a gift finished in advance of the occasion.

Susan Pandorf, one of my favourite designers, has a new KAL, IN DREAMS, starting next week. It is in her Lord of the Ring series. I have been haunting the LOTR group on Ravelry. There are so many beautiful knitters out there. Ravelry is a wonderful place to chat with people who understand your passion. Last June I bought some of Blue Moon Fibers Silk Thread II for the Evenstar project. Everyone was so far into the project I fizzled and the silk has languished in the cedar chest. That is until Thursday night when I whipped up this swatch on a 3mm needle.

 I fear it is a pinch too small so I am doing another one with a 3.25mm. As the luck of the Irish would have it the ocean green beads are a perfect match to the blue green highlights in this colour way. Which by the by is called "Thraven." The In Dreams KAL has 5000 beads. That alone means I have to knit this. Susan P is making hers with Unique Sheep's Eos in their "unique" gradiance colour treatment. Unique sheep also offer  a 100% silk lace yarn called Marici. AND Laura will custom dye a colour way for you. You do see where this is going don't you? It all started with a colour way called "Galadriel's Crown" and ended up with "Feyrhi Wings"

Yup, that's mine and I named it. Too yummy for words. Now I have to find beads.
Then I went to Earthfaire to look for beads. I usually deal with Bead FX online but heard so much about Earthfaire I went to check them out. It turns out that they have exclusive colour ways from Unique Sheep.
Cue the drama music.
In March Unique Sheep has a KAL starting.  The Little Mermaid KAL and Earthfaire has this colourway called Dragon Fire....and they have the whole deal, sign up, beads, yarn ... you get the idea.
O.K. right moving on.
Julia and I spent a day Spinning.

 I am so rusty I can't believe it, well, yes I can. It is like riding a bike, a little wobbly but smoothing out. I plan on doing more today. Julia took to it like she should have with all those nice fibre genes in her DNA.

She took the Ashford home and tells me she has filled two bobbins and is ready for plying. Her stool was a little too low at picture taking but she got the right height chair when she got home. Now we need a niddy noddy.
It is snowing out there..yukky

W. I. P.

 It is a good thing my granddaughter doesn't haunt here. This is her Birthday Slouch Hat. I had considered this yarn for a lace shawlette but the colour changes were too dramatic. Drama is excellent for this hat with, of course, beads. This hand dyed loveliness, aptly named "Shock Wave," comes from my favourite yarn artist, "The Knitman," I should have this finished today.

This was going to be for Christmas. As that didn't happen I will finish it and set it aside in the "gift" box. I like to have a few things at the ready. The lace design gets lost in the colours but I still like it. Be daring with your knitting. Like this......

 My dear Mom would have been the first to say that these colours do not go together. I give you the Linen Stitch Scarf. If you like a light woven texture then I recommend this stitch. There is a slouch hat coming to match. If I get the Shock Wave finished today as planned then I am on to this slouch hat tomorrow. The ribbing is done I want to get back into this stitch. Once you get the rhythm it is quite enjoyable.

All of the above yarns are one from the Knitman's Kitchen .
Back to the needles!!

Why I will NOT be buying yarn in 2011....

 Well, rather, shouldn't be buying yarn in 2011.....

Although I have sold a bunch of yarn on eBay, and thank you ladies and gents for that, I am still feeling the fiscal restraint brought on my unemployment. The dole has not yet started and at this rate I will probably get my first cheque about the time I am recalled to work. Thanks heaps for all the years I paid into this and what do I get? Bupkis!
Just because I love lists and will sign up to just about anything I have joined 11 in 2011 on Ravelry, more fool I. If I get a third done I will be surprised. but what is life if we do not have a challenge?
In all fairness to me I didn't buy all the yarn in the picture. Some of it was gifted. Obvious what my favourite colours are eh? The orange is a bit of a departure but will spice up my knitting.
The first project is going to be the Valentine Scarf with The Knitman's hand dyed pink and black fingering weight with  #6 pink AB crystal TOHO beads  for my grand daughter's birthday in February.
Today, I will watch movies and knit on my Aran Coat and maybe do some Christmas baking after I download some audio books on my ipod.

Emerging from the stash...

One expects that the loyal followers will have fled to more productive areas over the last thirty days. I have been driven to sort the stash as it were. Sales, though not exactly brisk, have been satisfying. Feel free to dash over to My eBay and avail yourself of my offerings.
Up side to the destashing was the emergence of the "Aran Sweater." Totally deserving of the quotation marks.

The pattern was given to me in photo copied form back when I had the store. I have no idea what book it came from other than it was a Patons design. A friend of a customer came in one day wearing the original and I was overcome with admiration. She "gifted" me with a copy of the pattern which I have hoarded lo these 7-8 years.
Fast forward to 2007 when I purchased the wool to make same. I cast on for a size small and when the knitting "shrank" on the needles (or I got bigger) knitting came to a screaming halt.
Finally, reaching the bottom of the cedar chest, I unearthed a layer of heather beige wool and the knitting in progress. It is every bit as lovely as I remembered. Unfortunately, no pattern. Let me tell you I photo copy patterns like my mother clipped recipes.
Ever confident that I would locate it easily, I went through this lot ....

and then I went through these...

this is ridiculous saith I, as I went through this pile....

I spent and hour on Ravelry, searching, bobbles, honey comb, popcorn, trellis, aran etc... nada
Then I remembered!! In the last folder of the last file in the bottom of the drawer of the cedar chest. I found it.

One day I am going to regret killing of so many brain cells fussing about this. However demented I will be I will be cozy in my Aran jacket. I am already thinking of modifying the collar and I will have to make it shorter. A finished length of 36" aka 3 feet would only leave me 2 feet and a bit left over for the rest of me to function. 
Last night I completed one pattern repeat and as I am temporarily laid off from my employment I foresee a day of knitting and a "Lark Rise to Candleford"  marathon.
Finally completed the Linen Stitch scarf. Love it! All the texture of a woven piece but knitted. Wonderful.

San Marco Byzantine Scarf

Knit in three hand dyed colour ways from the Knitman's Kitchen.

Stash Busting

Estelle 100% silk 10 balls

 Time to do some stash clean out. I have posted these yarns on Kijiji/Ontario.
Search for "yarn," ignore the free stuff.
I didn't see very much there so that either means no one sells yarn on Kijiji or yarn sells quickly. Time will tell. If there is no action then I will have to switch to eBay. This is a fraction of what I have...sigh My daughter told me yesterday if I keep buying yarn I am going to need an "intervention."...lol
If this goes well I could make enough to pay for my January holiday in Punta Cana. Now, wouldn't that be nice?

Rowan Tapestry 8 balls

Elspeth Lavold Silky Wool  6 hanks

RY Classic Silk Wool DK 10 balls

Elspeth Lavold Silky Wool  9 hanks

Mulbery and Merino, Diagonal Border Cardigan

The mossy mobius baskets are quick and fun to make. Using freedom wool with a strand of eyelash brings this progect to life. Four packets of Ice Blue Koolaid in a cup of water give this basket a misty effect with electric green hairs. Before felting this basket measures a foot in diameter. Hot water and agitation will shrink it to half its size. Fun and a unique way of magicaly twisting the handle while winding around to the bowl with no seams.

From Diamond yarn with Mulberry and Merino. I love this sweater, cant wait to get both of them done. The paterns are simple and well writen.

The royal blue is for mum and knit with smaller size needle makes the weight of a jacket. I have the emerald green, adjustments to the length have been made and with the suggested tension.

I have this walnut, hand crafted wood product from canada. I like this sweater being so versatile with many ways to dress it up. I do find the yarn has a slight twist and can tangle with other stitches but love the smooth, silky texture.


Daughter #2

"Colour" should be my middle name!

This is the Knitman's Hand Dyed Sock Yarn. Colours: Mosel (upper), Lagoon (right) and Firebird (left)
 4mm needle, it's the Linen Stitch Scarf. All for me. This remind me of the mosaic ceilings in the church of San Marco, Venice....sigh
Every row comes out a little different than the repeat before.The scarf will be about 5 inches wide..thereabouts.
 I finally have all the wool for Marc's sweater and will get that on the needles next week. We are going away for the weekend to visit with family. I will take this scarf to work on. In the meantime I am content to sit in the quiet and watch the pattern unfold. Both sides of this scarf are simply stunning!

Hairy Hats and Humming Alpacas

Chemo Caps: Mindless knitting of the hat variety has been about all I have accomplished this month. I have so many projects in the air the juggling act is getting ridiculous. I have yarn to knit about 6 more of these and then I am done, at least for the time being. On the charity knitting front I also have a baby all-in-one for St Luke's Mission Hospital. That deserves a post all it's own. More on that one later.

This is my Aphelandra ( Zebra Plant). The spikes were bright yellow they have now turned green and as everything outside the window is turning brown this is an ongoing source of pleasure.

Woodstock Fleece Festival: Look at this orphan baby alpaca, 5 weeks old. What a sweety. Everyone was getting a kick out of the black one behind her. The humming was so loud. When everyone laughed the black one would then hum all the louder.

The llamas were intently listening to Julia. They seemed oblivious to the fact it was raining. I told Todd he was a trooper for putting up with two women with a fiber obsession.

This is Billy (angora goat). He kept smacking his head into the rails in typical male goat fashion.

and then there was Sammy the Angora bunny.

Julia would have taken him home in a second.

There were twice as many vendors this year which was very good. I spoke with the girl's from Spun (Corinne's LYS) and they said it was a very good show. Julia won the last door prize of the day and everyone made a fuss over her name. It was all very exciting. I showed a great deal of restraint. I did purchase 2 pounds of fleece dyed in the most delicious colours and I found someone who services old spinning wheels. My little castle wheel needs some TLC. I think I may get it out tonight and have a go at some spinning. It has been ages but I think it is probably like riding a bike. Once you learn you never forget.

Knitting Karma

I admit I have a habit of starting a bunch of projects at the same time, and many of them are never finished. But, after a phone call the other day from a friend I have a very good reason to start and finish a few new pretties.

A friend of mine called me the other day and told me that her niece has been diagnosed with breast cancer and is facing a mastectomy. A terrifying situation to face no matter what age you are but to have to make such a difficult decision in your 20's breaks my heart. But, the real reason for her call is that she wanted to know what 'p2tog' meant.
She and her daughters are knitting chemo caps for Mount Sinai Hospital and could I help them and would I be willing to knit some too?

I was on Ravelry as soon as I got home and digging through my stash minutes after that. I started a cap but then ripped it out. I mean, it looked like something my granny would wear and cancer doesn't discriminate according to age. So, I've found some funky patterns and yarns that would appeal to a younger age group. I need to have as many finished as possibly by the end of the month. As soon as their done I'll take a picture of them.

My first project is an Aviator style cap I found on the Head Huggers website. Great site with lots of patterns for all different crafters.

~Daughter #1

Light turquoise cotton sweater.

This sweater was knit about 10 years ago. That says a lot about the yarn. This is a worsted weight cotton from Greece. When I knit this cardigan the yarn was being sold as Intermezzo Aran by Elann. The pattern was a Leisure Arts leaflet.....which I am looking for.

I have tossed it in the washer and dryer. Once I spilt coffee all over one sleeve and it still washes up like new. It actually fits me again!

The pattern was for a sleeveless top. I used Ann Budd's wonderful sweater book to knit a dropped shoulder sleeve. I stuck 3 repeats of lace down the middle of the sleeve. I am thinking I would like to make another one for spring. The stash has lots and lots of this cotton just crying out to be knit. Now, where did I see that leaflet last...Hmmmm????? The pattern is out of print now. So WHEN I find it if anyone else wants to have a go just send me an email. I would be happy to share.
Later the same evening: I found the photo copy I knit from, somewhere hides the original. It is Leisure Arts leaflet 868. I have all my notations and the sleeve pattern.
It is moments like this when I justify keeping every pattern I have ever knit...basking in the glow.

Just for the heck of it I "googled" the pattern and look what I found? For sale on Etsy!!! I bought it. Just in case I can't find my original. I love it when everything comes together..sqeeeeee