Row 112, Part E Finished

It is getting difficult to spread it out. I have 780 stitches on a 47" Addi turbo . I am pleased with the results so far.

I am really enjoying knitting with Opera 10. The down size is it is very drying on the hands. It is the same as when you do a lot of quilting the cotton seems to dry out the finger tips. I usually knit with wool and don't have this problem. I have bottles of non sticky hand lotion next to every spot I sit to knit..*smile

I was "window" shopping on ColourMart. Dumm dee dumm dumm. O.K. so it was an incredible buy even I could afford. Even with the money order it was around $40 Canadian for TWO cones of merino cobweight -2plies- 1 ply cobweb weight ...are you ready for this???????? The colour is "starry sky" Not Black. Not Navy. But the darkest deep blue. Stunning!! The Queen pattern hasn't arrived yet!..sigh It will be two weeks (Tomorrow) that he said he mailed it out to me. I am gifting it to "Self."

She has had a bad month and I promised to be nicer her.

(Works for me)

Confession time. I have "90 -%-eye-tis." Read it phonetically. I did the same thing with the red coat and now Matt's sweater is sitting her waiting for me to sew it up. I got wrapped up in the tea cloth. Procrastination gallops through my family. I commit to finishing the skull BEFORE I even test swatch the new wool. I am so strong. Stand in awe of my resolve.

~MuM

My stash acquisitions

Sandy brought to my attention at one point that everyone at the Knitter's Frolic was happy, it had to be the yarn. I think she was right. I'm not sure if it was being surrounded in a cocoon of fibres, or that we all share the same obsession with sticks and string. I gabbed with complete strangers like they were neighbors, we all spoke the same language. Terms like frogged, tinked, tension, gauge were local dialect we all understood. It was wonderful.

I was very proud of my restraint. Trick is to bring cash and leave ALL plastic cards at home. I could have done some serious injury to my bank account. LOL

There is some bright yellow green sock yarn I'm planning to make knee socks out of. My next purchase will be Cookie A's sock book. The lace weight is actually not this purple, it's much closer to a wine colour and I LOVE it. Now I'm on the hunt for the perfect pattern to go with it. There was also another couple balls of sock yarn that I got for a swap I'm involved in on Ravelry. They aren't pictured here because I don't want to ruin the surprise for my swapee.

As mum mentioned before, this is my necklace. It looks like a vintage WWII sock poster that reads "Our boys need SOX. Knit your bit." It's the knit your bit that got me. LOL

What I forgot to tell you...

I almost made an ass of myself on Saturday. Corinne and I were looking at sock yarn when I made the comment "Oh, this is what Stephanie (The Yarn Harlot) was talking about the other day."
Corinne said, "Speaking off..." and I looked up and there she was in the booth next to us. I almost blurted something out when I caught myself just in time. Whew. Just because I read her blog every morning, have all her books ( except this one and new one) and her calendar is on my office desk and have come to feel as if I know her and her family she doesn't know who the hell I am! Anyone who gets over 200 comments on a blog post must get accosted all the time. Anyway it was nice to see her there and to know we both shop at Wellington Fibres.

Update: the 47" Addi I bought has made all the difference in knitting the Tea Cloth. I expect to finish Part E tonight after work. Then I will take a picture. It is not going to be finished this month unless I quit work..lol I have so many stitches on the needle now and it takes so long to do one round I think setting my birthday (May 31) as a finish date is doable. This has been Olympic training for knitting the "Queen" or as I plan on calling it "The Tzarina." Do to my automobile expenses...grrr...the required yarn purchase will have to wait till the end of May. It would be nice to cast on that project as a present to myself.

~MuM

Knitters Frolic 2009

Well, I finally made it. Three trips to the car rental place to pick up a car (what a fiasco) and I was off to Milton to pick up Sandy and Corinne.
After the disastrous Thursday evening I was a little nervy about driving in Toronto but everything went extremely well with Corinne navigating from the back seat.
What an incredible show. Absolutely tons on vendors.This is one corner of one room.

First purchase was my Addi lace 2mm needle for the Heirloom Lace pattern which I expect, to arrive, this week from England. Later I found a 47" 2.75mm for the Welsh tea cloth. Two things on my list!

After reading all the spinning posts over the last couple of months and with summer approaching I have been feeling the spinning bug. The sight of Julie's berry yarn has had me itching to have another go. It has been years since I sat at the wheel and I am looking forward to peaceful miles of new wool. I have never seen so much roving in one place. I fell into a bag of Shetland/Romney to die for and bought all Hopeful Shetlands had of that particular blend.

Corinne was wearing her smart bolero jacket, pattern from Spun, and was stopped every two feet by admiring comments. She spent time directing everyone to their booth until I told her to get some cards and pass them out. The intarsia design is of her own making and is around here somewhere.
Which reminds me...I am going to print out our "free patterns" to pdf format and put them in the side panel to make it easier for you to download. More on that later.


Even Sandy has been bitten by the lace bug. I accept all blame Ernie, she couldn't help herself there were so many gorgeous patterns from Needle Arts Book Shop to choose from.

Speaking of Sandy watch for a link to her blog, "The Geezer and the Vintage Bitch."
Coming to your computer anytime soon!
On the subject of vintage Corinne and I picked up glass vintage knitting pendants at Main St Yarns, Sandy's LYS in Milton. I almost had a stroke when I found this.


Be still my beating heart. It is almost impossible to find anything Welsh and Knitting. I was very happy. Corinne's is vintage WWII knitting sox for soldiers and sports the naughty phrase,"Knit your bit." Too funny she couldn't resist. Grampy would have loved it.
Back to Needle Arts Books I glammed onto a copy of "Heirloom Knitting" by Sharon Miller. This was on my birthday list last year. I computed the exchange from pounds to Can$$ added the fee for the postal order and the customs duty and decided buying it now was an economic decision in my favour. I can rationalize just about anything when it comes to knitting...heheh


Whilst wandering around I came across Wellington Fibres. Now, I have been planning a trip here "when the nice weather comes." Oh, I will be going for sure now that I have seen their roving. This would be a great picnic outing the next time I have the grand daughters for the weekend and it would be a treat if Corinne and her girls could meet us. We will have to work on that. Anyway I bought this box of 50% mohair and 50% wool roving. Colour "sandstone" positively silky I will practise on the Shetland/Romney first. I have lots of that to work on before I spin this beauty.




We were heading out the door when I realized I had not bought one ball of yarn. Roving to be sure but I can't go home without any wool. Be serious! I had looked at every colour of this merino and silk lace weight. Corinne ruled out the coral as "Pepto bismol pink" I still think it was coral. The greys were too much like my hair..lol...I settled on this aubergine and with 1400m on 100gm I am sure there is a shawl lurking in there.

I kept trying to remember a pattern a had seen on Knitty that required beads and couldn't think of it till now. It is the "Shipwrecked Shawl."
I was looking at the 8mm Toho beads trying to remember what I wanted 5000 beads for. Oh well that will have to wait for later anyway.


You have to love the sisterhood of knitters that one came along just as we were setting up for a picture and insisted that we be together for the photo. She even included our shopping. Now I call that a discerning eye! Thank you, "fellow fibre person," where ever you are. So here we are Tired and Broke but very satisfied with our day!



The only thing that would have made the day perfect would have been having Julia there with us...
~MuM

Dress The Dogs

Here is Otis (Black Dog) with his finished sweater. Maple is modeling the sweater unfinished and was upset that it was not for her.

I just used an I-cord for the edging. He likes to run alot. I steam lined the pattern to avoid him catching himself. Easy fun and practical.

~Daughter #2

I had a scathingly brilliant idea!

I do so love a good bargoon. Whilst in the mall last week I spied this bunny. She is huge. Childsize even and soft and silky. 60% off what a deal. I thought how cute she would look with some leg warmers and maybe a sweater and a headband.

Then I complied a "goose pile" reminiscent of my favourite picture of the Crown Princesses.

Now my idea is x4. Don't tell them! This will be my summer project for Christmas Time. I need something "light" when I need a break from the "lace." Designing the outfits will be as much fun as the knitting. I already have some ideas. I want to personalize them as much as possible~MuM
P.S.We have "followers box" now, please sign in we would love to know who you are!

No one is more shocked then me.

Hubby: Hey how come you don't knit those things I can wash dishes with anymore?
Me: A dishcloth?
Hubby: Yes whatever. I liked those.
Me: They got smelly.
Hubby: Can't you just knit a new one? You used to make those things in no time.

And so started this weird 'thing' with dishcloths. I picked up some cheepy Bernat cotton and figured I would whip one up.... Do you know there are monthly dishcloth groups? KALs even? I found one with a football on it...and then one with a bottle of wine and a glass, and another that says 'I *heart* Knitting! Suddenly, I find myself wanting to knit nothing but dishcloths. Bright colours, funky designs. You know if I knit up about 32 I could sew them all together and make a picnic blanket.

Oh my dear goddess what has happened to me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The knitter's frolic can't come soon enough! I need to renew my yarn snobbery.

~Daughter #1

Long time no post

Hi, I am taking a rest from the needles, but I have still managed to start projects. I will post upon completion.

~Daughter #2

I like it too.

I am happy with the new look. Just thought I would give you a little background on the "Title" bar. If you have an ounce of Welsh in you then somewhere in your past you will have a Granny Jones. My Granny Jones would be my great-great grandmother. Her name was Catherine and although this is not an actual picture of her in her Sunday best. I like to think this is representative of her. The larger picture shows her knitting resting in her lap..probably a sock on the "go". The ball of yarn is hooked to her skirt pocket. There is a "generation" photo with her in it somewhere. I must ask Corinne to go album diving. When it is found we will post it.

We are of hardy Welsh stock, humble and hard working. Our palatial home a white washed thatched cottage.

When Corinne was 10 she and I crossed these stones to reach the castle ruins at Ogmore. Our Auntie Kate ( Granny Ann's Aunt and named after the aforementioned Catherine) had told me how they used to have a days outing at Ogmore when she was a girl.

Lastly one of the many sheep to be seen "up the valleys"...specifically the Rhondda Valley.

So there you go. Welcome to our bit of Nantyglo DNA.......

~MuM

Bear with me...

As much as I like the old template it wasn't that user friendly. I am in the process of changeover.
The links will be back..all in due time.
~MuM

I hate crappy needles...

I discovered a few years back that not only am I a yarn snob (kinda) but I am addicted to GOOD tools. Case in point. I am knitting on the Tea cloth with a needle that has an annoying transition from the nylon to the needle. Of course it is not an Addi! Silly question. I was trying to be frugal. You put over 600 stitches on a 32" needle and see how long frugality lasts! I drove to the other side of the city to go to London Yarns to pick up a 47" Addi. Damn blast me I should have called first..they were out BUT she let me buy the 32" and will exchange it when the longer ones come in. At least I won't have to put up with the "hiccup" (as she describes it)( I liken it more to a "hangnail"). Check the concentration on my face..counting or what? Lordy, I had no idea I frowned so much. The stitches are sluggish but I can survive another week..maybe. The Knitters Frolic looms. (Strawberry fruit wine ...blech!)
Here is a close up from a couple of days ago. I give you round 99! Ta Dah!! Knitting in the sunshine, "sing a little sunshine song!!"

Daughter #3 is on sabbatical from the blog. We will miss her over the summer months. Hey kiddo, Stop by an say hi in the comments when you get a chance!
~MuM

Round 75

Just to give you an idea of progress. The first half is the fastest....
~MuM

Just when things were going well....

It is 7:30 in the morning and I am sitting in bed cranking out a couple of rows on my knitting and having my morning coffee. Idyllic senario. Then the coffee mug fell off the end table INTO my knitting bag! Need I remind you I am knitting with cotton? I yelled jumped and dropped my knitting...you guessed it..into the knitting bag. Which by the way happens to be a heavy clear PLASTIC tote.

"the culprit"
I am screaming at this point as I dash to the bathroom and plunge everything into the bathroom sink and turn on the cold water. Wailing all the time..."I just finished round 58!" Carl in his wisdom remains silent.

"The whole soggying mass. "

Yes, that is a brand new ball of cotton that I just put into the bag last night.

"sniff"

It does not appear to be stained by the coffee. I flushed all that out..sigh..I wonder if the ball will ever dry out. I wonder if I use the hair dryer.... on low..... Hmmm?????

~MuM

(edit) knitting has resumed...a might dampish...I used the hairdryer...sigh...I also started a new ball of cotton...the others will be days drying out. What a mess.

April is daffodil month.

I am enjoying knitting with the coats Opera 10 and a 2.75mm. It feels very springy. I am up to row 45 of 168. At least I am finished with the 6 double points and just got all the stitches onto a 24"needle. That alone is an accomplishment. When I severely block out a section the stitches line up quite smartly. The Addi Turbo lace needles have me spoiled. These seem very blunt by comparison. By the time we go to the Frolic I will be ready to change needle size again. A new needle will be on my shopping list. I am tempted to work on this again today but I only have one side of the neck left to knit on Matt's sweater and the sewing up will commence.

April is Cancer Awareness month and as we know the daffodil is the symbol they use. I was thinking how nice it would be if I got this finished this month. Practically speaking I don't think I can but I am going to give it a try.

~MuM

Regia Exotics...Kaffe Fassett Design Line

Wow, followed by OMG. You won't believe what this yarn knits like. I saw a sample and I was done in. It waves and pools and zig zags,,,and the colours..deelish!! Next week work for me will be at a display at the mall and the boss came right out and said I could knit if I got bored. Oh yes!! I figured I can talk and knit socks at the same time. I'll get the toes done this weekend so I will be ready to go come Monday morning.

Exotic turquoise ..... above

Exotic pool ..... below

Oooing and Ahhhing

~MuM

I'm on a roll

***humming 'Another One Bites The Dust'***

I had a rather serious case of startitus a while back. I kept seeing these interesting patterns that I figured wouldn't take long to knit up. Valid reasoning...if I hadn't started so many of them!

I finished this yesterday. Why they are called "Lacy Wrist Warmers" I'm not sure, since they reach almost to the elbow? Made them from Paton's Stretchy Sock yarn which is a great idea because the stretch helps keep the arm up. (Hey Julia! Finish yours up so we can see them too!)

Claire is doing another sock KAL over at Alive & Knitting, so now I can cast on that with out feeling too much guilt ;o) Also there is Sock Wars starting in a couple weeks...and I want to finish my second sock from the Sock Roulette I was in...

At least my knitting bag is nice and full....did I mention that I cast on Hubby's sweater last night.....

~Daughter #1

It's in the mail

I envy people who blithly travel through life oblivious to the petty little things I run across everyday. Then again I am sure my life is a damn site more interesting. See blog post Who knew?
The order is in the mail for the Queen Shawl and I am drooling over the Heirloom site's cashmere and silk and the Colourmart wool . Sigh... If there isn't any gossamer wool at the Frolic I will have to go through the money order thing again.
This evening the plan is to finish the knitting on the "Skull" sweater. Then it will be sewing up and the neck. Woo Hoo. It is very ...dare I say it...Rad...lolol

Just a itsy-bitsy contribution

All done! Hurrah!

It was fun to make I will admit but it will be a long time before I make anything else this tiny. It's hard because you really have to look at every stitch as you do them. No watching tv and knitting. Also I needed really good light and an alert mind to sew it up. Then cable is only on the front, I tried to put on on the hat as well but it just didn't work out. For something so small, I frogged quite a few parts of it.

It's interesting to learn what works on normal size knitting really doesn't when working on something this small. For example, I originally did the garter stitch at the top in the same brown as the ribbing. (I should have taken a picture for comparison.) Trust me it looked way to heavy. I'm much happier with the look now.

~daughter #1

Proof there there is nowhere, I won't knit.

Taken last week at the Great Wolf Lodge in Niagara. I can't be the only person who has ever knit at a waterpark? Got a few weird looks but I ignored them. As much as I love water and waterparks, even I have my limits. This was our last morning and the girls wanted to get as much time in as possible before we left. Me...I just wanted to have a coffee and relax. So I did. I'm working on Reverie from Knitty, the yarn is superwash so I wasn't concerned if it got a bit wet. Which it didn't.

Finished it up yesterday and here it is in a rare moment of sunshine!



~daughter #1

The Ultimate Challenge.

I just have to get an international money order in Pounds Sterling and this will be in the mail.
~MuM

How I keep out of trouble.

It is officially "next" month so I have cast on ( strike that) knit on Jacki's "Ballet Examiner's Shawl." I am using the Vernal Equinox pattern again, I like it so much, with two strands of Fiddlesticks Zephyr wool silk and a 3.5mm Addi turbo lace needle. I am very satisfied with the result. The two stands will give it a little more body, for serviceability, without decreasing the lacy look. Beautiful to knit with......wool and the needle.

The nephew sweater progresses nicely. Back and sleeves are finished and I am on to the interesting bit.

I give you CHIN........

and TEETH

and Nose (or lack thereof)

tonight I hope to get to the brain.

Corinne's socks are also progressing steadily toward the heel. The pattern I am using is called "Falling Water" a freebie on Ravelry. However as the pattern was written top down and I am knitting toe up..I refer to them as the "Geyser Socks" I will insert a picture tonight. (edit to add picture)




and I may get a chance to swatch out the first graph for the Children of the Earth Scarf. That is if I give up eating and sleeping and working.
The car has been repaired ( see whining on the other blog) and I am committed to stash diving for the next two months while I pay Carl back for bailing me out. He is the sweetest guy. EVER.

The Red Mohair Coat is finished! Thank you Julia for all your help! It will be perfect for spring. (edit to add picture)

>

~MuM