Blow the Horn, Ring the cowbells...Finished!!

Click on the picture to see the detail.

Love my "lady bug" tape measure!!

The Men just won a GOLD in Curling!

Something Different

Over on the other blog "Myfanwy" I had determined that I would not go to Little Red Mitten after work. Well, the evening stretched before me and I thought what the heck the weather isn't that bad and getting out will do me a world of good. So I gathered up my Olympic Knitting and grabbed a pattern book and off I went. I stayed for the knitting get together but I had to leave after half an hour. Can't explain how I felt but I had to come home. Nuff said. Maybe another time.
The book in the picture below is the one my mother bought when she was expecting me. It cost a whopping 50 cents. Which was a substantial amount in 1947. Yeah, well now you know old I am, so be it.

The wool is called "Sublime." Ready for this? Merino, cashmere and silk. It is enough to give you a reason to get up in the morning.
I just felt like I wanted to knit something different next. I like to have a baby "something" on hand and in the cedar chest. My mother went through this book and added postie note comments on many of the patterns. This one says, "Dad made you this one." He made this for me again, when I was expecting Corinne. (Thirty-nine years ago) All my babies wore it. It was green.
I have told the story before how my mother bought 2 oz of pink wool, needles and the book. My father had her teach him how to cast on, knit and purl and away he went.
So, with all this nostalgia I am going through I decided to knit the sweater pictured above.

Olympic Update ..going for the GOLD

Nupps out..Beads in...I am very happy with the result. I am using #6 blue lined topaz. The camera flash doesn't do it justice. The beads lend a lovely sparkle. When finished I will attempt a picture outside in natural light. This 100 % soybean yarn is very nice to knit with. Some of the residual dye has come off on my fingers but I will rinse it in vinegar when I am finished.

I am going to go into another ball to finish the edging...nuts I was hoping to get this out of one skein. 13 rows to go!!!!

Executing an Olympian move....

O.K. as I previously mentioned I have too many stitches. Going back is not an option. If I maneuver in 3 more stitches on each side of the center stitch I can add two more motifs for the this section and keep going forward. It is do able. It is what the Olympics is all about. Creative license. The clock is ticking.

"later in the day" OK that worked ... except it turned out to be four stitches. This yarn is not suitable for "nupps" they are sloppy and I don't like them I will switch to beads instead. See "creative license."

First Quarter Semi Finals

On track......

edit... Oh no I overshot

I have 210 sts

instead of 195

yikes

Faster, Higher, Stronger

I signed up for the Knitting Olympics over at the Yarn Harlot. It felt like a good idea and will give me something to work for. This is as close as I am ever going to get to the Olympics as I am allergic to exercise and have bragged for years that my idea of strenuous exercise was to read War and Peace again.
My venue will be the Swallow Tail Shawl on 3.75 needles with 100% soybean yarn. Hand dyed in Mississauga, Ontario by Dye Version, Hand Dyed Fibres. Must have Canadian Content!


I swatched in training mode. Supplies on hand: chocolate, hand lotion, stitch markers, row counter (with accompanying stunning neck cord, executed by moi) and lip balm for the tense moments when I lick my lips to much....pattern, scissors, yarn wound and I should be good to go. Yes, that is my Crown Royal bag full of Addi turbo's. More precious than rubies. I started during the opening ceremony but failed in the preliminary start. My event is about to start....again
I have 3 teddies ready for stuffing and a fourth on the needles. They are on the side lines until the torch goes out.
Let the games begin.....and as my son would say, "Maple Leaf Forever"

Finishing a couple little projects

I'm feeling very proud of myself these days. I'm finishing projects rather then simply starting more.

These are my fingerless mitts. A pattern by Danielle Kessner called Veritas, Equatas (rav-link). I love them and happen to be wearing them as I type this. :) Tapestry crochet is very enjoyable and not as daunting as it may look. This won't be my last project that's for certain. Danielle has another pattern called Cloister that I love and think will be my next project.

The Gymnast is on a sock monkey kick and asked if I could make her a hat. Needless to say she LOVES it! Luckily I got this picture of it when I finished it because it hasn't left her head since. Now the Fey-Goth wants to have one as well. So I'm going to pick up a ball of gray today and make another one. The pattern is supa easy and it's done out of bulky so they whip up really quick.

So much for not starting any more projects...

Teddies for Tragedies

The news is full of heartache and terror in Haiti these days. When the immediate need of medical, food, water and shelter has been answered then the healing can begin.
If you are not aware of Teddies for Tragedies then please follow the link. It only takes an evening to knit one of these little bears.
I have been trying to find a knitting charity for this year. "A little charity knitting is good for the soul,"my mother used to say.
Previously I knit the Pneumonia Prevention Vests. The side bar link, under "Free Patterns," will take you to the pattern on this blog. This post receives the most hits on our blog and I hope many vests have been donated as a result.

Back to the Teddies. The web site link will take you to the pattern page. They are very simple to knit as they are primarily garter stitch. For the following bear I used 2 strands of 4 ply Shetland wool, left over from Michael's Heritage Vest and a 3.75mm Addi needle. The knitting needs to be dense so the stuffing won't show. The following is a pictorial representation of the written instructions.:


Knit two legs separately
Knit across the tops of both legs and continue for the top of the pants.
Change to the colours of your choice and knit the body.
Back to the teddy colour and in Stocking stitch knit the head (I knit 18 rows)
Now reverse the process and knit the "back."
Fold in half and Sew up the side seams of the head and pick up the sleeve stitches. Knit the arms.
Stitch across the "corners" of the head for the ears. these will not be stuffed.
Now, knit the other arm. sew up the seams leaving an opening for stuffing. The directions suggest leaving an opening at the inner leg. I find the outer leg seam easier to sew up after stuffing. Embroider the face and you are done.
I will post a picture of the finished guy as soon as I can get out to get some poly stuffing. Great ways to use up left over sock yarn!!
If you are in the London, St Thomas area of Ontario, the bears can be dropped off at Little Red Mitten.

The world's most awesome mug!

Mum and I both got one of these mugs from Matt & Sophia. Aren't they the sweetest. It saves a lot of time and energy. Instead of trying to explain that you are in the middle of a difficult pattern or counting rows you can simply lift your mug and the intruder gets the hint. LOL
If you would like you own here's the link.
This picture is a bit of a twofer. One, it shows off my uber-awesome mug. Two, it shows my newest project. I'm on a crochet kick right now after taking the Jacquard (tapestry) crochet class last weekend.

When I finished my thummed cowl (picture below), I had yarn left over so I'm tackling another of Danielle Kassner's Patterns. A pair of fingerless mitts called Veritas, Equatas (rav-link). After working on the cowl where I was balancing 2 strands of yarn and pencil roving, this glove is almost easy. LOL Also I've been able to use up some left over fingering from a couple old projects.

I'm very happy with the way my cowl turned out. It's really warm as well, perfect since the temperature here has taken a nasty downwards turn again.

~Daughter #1

Guaranteed Knitting Time

Things have been very sad here in Nantyglo. We have not had a good start to year 2010. My wonderful Mother and adored Granny Ann has passed from this world.
She used to say that her "Mam" used to say, "These things are sent to try us." Well, I have been well and truly "tried" over the last 8 days. Enough that the emotional me got beat up now the physical is hurting as well. If I heard once I heard 50 times, from her friends, "Oh your the knitter." She wore every sweater I knit her with pride and she told everyone where it came from. I was the luckiest daughter in the world to have her.
Friday evening I had a nasty fall in the side hall. It is a miracle I didn't fall down the basement stairs. Turns out it is not broken but badly sprained. Too bad really a brake heals in a given time a sprain lingers on and on....crap.
Once you have one of these (above) no one expects you to do anything other than knit.
My mother always said, " There is a silver lining to every cloud." I find knitting soothes my mind and my body.

Doncha love my jammies? My grand daughters picked them out for me because and I quote," I am the funnest Grami."

So this is the "Lovely Sophia Sweater" finally on the needles and progressing nicely. Zara is like knitting with butter. Soft Mmm I love it. I have one complaint. Get with the program people ...50 gm balls??? I mean come on. I would like to petition for a 200 gm ball.
I am just about at the end of the first ball. Do you know how many ends that is going to be?
Above the knitting you will see the new toy I got from my friend Sandy. It is by Clover and is the greatest counter I have ever had. I took a few moments at Christmas and made my self a snazzy cord so it hangs around my neck and the numbers face up toward me. Wonderful I love it. (I know it is lime green, but no, Corinne you can't have it).

In the "Welshwomen Who came Before" I give you the following picture, which my brother came across in my mothers papers.

The little girl is my grandmother's sister Mary Ann, on her right is Granny Jones, (you can't be welsh unless you have a Granny Jones, lol), on her left is her grandmother Sarah Rosser and behind her is her mother Hannah Hale. Four generations before my mother. Just a bit of trivia I thought I would share.