April 1, 2021

12 plus years since I last blogged.  So much has happened since then.  Where does one start?  Or does one just start?

A New Year?

Well its been a year since I last blogged. Well just about. A year since my father died (well just about) and I missed him everyday and probably will continue to do so.

Life has changed dramatically in the Gagnon house hold. Richard (the youngest) moved out. Pierce the university student moved in for the summer holidays and worked at the mine. Just when he was about to leave John's oldest daughther, Danielle and our two grandchildren...girls aged 7 and 8 moved in. Rebecca finished her nursing school and found a job in beautiful Victoria and she, Bronson and Kyle relocated.

Having the girls here is both stimulating and trying at the same time. They bring so much joy to our lives...however you have to remember we aren't used to living with a 7 and an 8 year old and our little cottage is only 900 sq feet. I'm sure Danielle feels the same way as well. Kids seem to be adaptable and don't notice the chaos so much.

I've taught them all to knit though. And my stash is being reduced at an alarming rate, into holey scarves, doll blankets, afghan squares etc.

On the other hand I have been going thru life each day pretty much the same. Work, cook, knit, cook, sleep, shower, cook, work, cook, knit, cook, sleep, shower, cook, work....etc.

I was on a knitting deadline..which I hate but yesterday...yes 3 days late, finished my last two Christmas gifts. Socks for Kyle out of Kroy and a lovely pair of Wood Hollow Mittens by Thru the loops out of stashed cascade 220 and lined with some soft angora.

For my birthday in December, John bought me a satellite that will bring me high speed. that is what encouraged me to begin blogging again. Finally I can upload pictures a little faster and it won't drive me nuts and fail all the time.

My Dad - Feb 2, 1938 - Jan 21, 2009

Are you a Canadian Knit Blogger?

I got this link from my Friend Eulanda and thought it would work for knitting blogs as well. Therefore if you are a Canadian (or live in Canada) and have a knitting blog email me with your Name and I'll add you to my sidebar under the heading "Canadian Knit Blogs".

Be sure to include your name and location as well as a link to your blog. Please help me out and pass the word around as well so I can get a comprehensive list going.

thanks for the help


Judith

Downloading and Babble (Thanks Meghan)

Here I sit waiting for my Dishcloths to download. I don't know why...maybe it is the monthly dishcloth KAL but I am crazy for dishcloth patterns. No, I haven't made one yet... but I did order all the peaches and Creme cotton to do the complete year long KAL. Hmmm I hope I knit them otherwise I might as well pick up another plastic bin to stash the cotton in.

Although I've been thinking..I've never said it aloud ...I'm going to cut back on my yarn buying this year... I did receive two glorious bumps (?) of pencil roving in the mail yesterday. (Surely it can not count as yarn....yet). The color ways are Masquerade and Black Coffee from Fiber Optic Yarns. I've never used pencil roving before and had to go on to Ravelry and asked Meghan from the Stitch It podcast some questions before I started with it. But let me tell you it is glorious stuff. However Meghan tells me thaqt with pencil roving you don't have to draft it...you can just start spinning it. Now I am tempted to take my spindle with me to town.... I don't think I'll do lace weight though...so maybe I'll put it on the wheel. Listen to me...it sounds like I know what weight will come off the wheel! Ha! It is always a guessing game what gauge it will knit up to, until it has been spun, plied, washed and "thwacked"!

Speaking of trying to learn something I did something spontaneous the other day. I got an email from Sweet Georgia Brown and in it they listed the classes they were offering. I must be honest I didn't realize that they were Canadian, let alone only 6 hours down the road in Vancouver, so what does a beginner spinner with any common sense do....sign up for a 3 hour "Spinning Sock Yarn" course of course! I'm glad I did it. I may not be when I have to drive to Vancouver in March, but right now I'm happy. I make enough $ that I should be able to take any spinning course I want, but I never have. So I deserve it. Plus I may learn something, not to mention meet some other spinners! Just think of the info I may be able to glean! So I'm excited.

Of course I'll have to take the volkwagen down. I am not driving the truck to Vancouver and I doubt I'll have my car by then. Its good to have a mechanic for a hubby and it is good that he is frugel... but when second-hand-car-shopping a frugel mechanic is not really what you need when you just want a car.

We saw a perfectly good 1997 Ford Escort..yes I know, but it was in beautiful shape, perfect paint, clean inside, one driver, etc etc...it only had 51,000 km on it. I would have bought it on the spot (probably for the $4200.00 they were asking) but John says he wouldn't pay more than $3000.00 for it (on the high side) and the dealership wouldn't go lower then $3700.00. So we left the dealership. I must confess its been on my mind though..and I even asked again this am (as I get ready to take the truck into town and think of filling it up with gas) if I should just go in and buy the car and again he says no. Does he have some mechanic-ly reason or is it just principle now? I'm not really sure, but he has never led me astray before... so I guess I'll wait it out. Frustrating though not having a vehicle I can call MINE and do whatever I please whenever I want.

I'm sure the car prices will continue to fall considering the economic conditions. I certainly don't want to buy new, considering the main purpose for this car is to travel the 13 km on gravel roads to and from work. But I do what it to be reliable and not nickle and dime me to death. The last two I had (R.I.P.) both did me very well and I am sorry I totaled them. The thing with older cars you do pay alot of insurance for them and then when you wreck them you get so very little. Apparently that was John's issue with the little ford. He knew if I totaled it on the way home, regardless of how few KM were on it the insurance company wouldn't even cover half the cost of it just due to the age.

OK I'm off to town. I'll get pics in over the weekend of what i've been up too and the pencil roving. I have to take dear little Midge to the spa for 9 AM and the boy shopping for some new shirts, one pair of jeans and some skate shoes. (He added the jeans and skate shoes I thought it was shirts only) then to Janelle for new nails for me! (And I may go by the bead store as for some reason I cast on the Mystery sock at 10PM last night (tired maybe) and apparently the pattern calls for beads.

The Year Begins..I'm not so sure its a good start but it has started regardless

Did I mention the bar in Likely has closed for 3 months? Did I mention that my husband had a hobby up until three weeks ago and that was going to the bar.

Now my husband doesn't have a hobby so he is looking for others to entertain him. It has made for some long days and nights and very little knitting has been accomplished.

When I realized I was going to have 4 days off in a row, I thought about all the things I could knit. I even thought that I was going to be able to perhaps cast on AND finish a sweater in those 4 days. I mean it is worsted weight after all...but no. I just, just this AM before our second trip into Williams Lake in so many days, cast on for the lovely Cabledown Pullover from patternfish. Now that John and Richard are attempting to put together a new futon base for Richard's gaming room..I may have a few minutes to do a few rounds. Poor Richard...I just keep telling him to smile and nod. Boy I sure hope there is a Canucks game tonight.

Talking about 2 trips into Williams Lake in two days has anyone else ever heard of Wrestling Day? Apparently it started in the 1930's in Williams Lake and it is the day after new years day (Jan 2nd) and all the stores, etc are closed. Who'd a thunk it in this day and age. I mean we've been in Likely for 8 years (on and off) but I have never heard of Wrestling Day before and didn't think for a minute that we wouldn't be able to shop! On the good side, we managed to go thru Big Lake at 4 PM, which happens to be the exact time their bar opens, so John invited me in for dinner..along with a beer or two for him. That took the edge off the evening anyway.

Welcome 2009

Ahhhh... the morning dawns with a beautiful soft snow falling. Can't beat living in the woods in Likely in January. I'm in good spirits not only because of the gorgeous day but also because Betty and I convinced ourselves we don't have to go in to work on Saturday after all (we'll stay late Monday and Tuesday) so we will have 4 days off in a row. Plus John is off work this week as well so it will be glorious!




My darling daughter bought me a new travel mug for my birthday...she took my favorite saying and had it engraved and put on to the mug. I doubt it is politically correct but it makes me laugh.

I'm glad to see that they finally realized that I have a serious problem and should start to feed my habit and enable me. I think they may be off to a good start.

My oldest son (Pierce) and my (daughter) Rebecca bought me a nice new lace weight spindle. I do have a wheel and a heavier spindle, but wanted a laceweight one as well. Its fun to take along when ever I go somewhere that I can't take a wheel. I think she made a beautiful choice...I think its bloodwood?

The gorgous burgandy roving is from Fleece Artist (MY FAVORITE) and the colorway is BEET and that is exactly the color. Just imagine. As you know my photography skills aren't the best!

Note the "Christmas Green" Glittery fingernails! Not reallly my style but fun for Christmas.

I printed out a couple of new patterns yesterday... I'm trying to figure out what I should make next. I've got malabrigo for Marta, I also bought some elann Highland wool to make Snowwhite and Tang, but I don't like the hand of the fabric when I get gauge with it. So I'm thinking of something from ChicKnits like Ribby Pully or Cassidy. I'll swatch today. I still have tons and tons of different reds to do mom a cabled pullover, and although I've started so many different patterns I just can't find one that I like!

As I mentioned earlier this is an attempt of trying to blog my often. So they will be short and sweet posts. (Unless something unusual happens!)

Happy new year to all.

New Year Resolutions?

Well how 'bout that...its been almost a year and let me tell you its been quite a year. I wrecked another car, the squatter got his drivers license, Rebecca's almost ready to graduate as a LPN, Pierce maintains a 4.0 gpa, Bronson turns two and is talking, we've added a new kitten to the bunch... and I got fake nails and i love them and my dads having a romance via the internet!

I won't go bit by bit thru the last year but I am going to try to maintain this blog a little better than I have been. Considering I haven't maintained it at all last year..but there are some people who actually read this and have been asking about it so here goes.

As usual I continue to spin and knit. I am seriously going to try and curb my yarn buying this year. i was on a free for all last year and though I continue to put stuff in my shopping cart I always come to my senses just before check out. Well with the exception of the 4 skeins of malabrigo sock...but come on it was malabrigo sock. I made some mitts (gallus mitts) out of the african violet color way. I made some knotty gloves for my mom out of boccelli red, (I made sme for me out of Fleece Artist Casbah (or is that Handmaiden?)and I still have a green and a chocolate brown...but I don't know what I'll do with them yet. I can't see them being socks as I don't know h0w well the malibrigo will hold up.

I didn't do much Christmas knitting...just some rattlesnake creek socks for my mom

I knit Rudy the Reindeer (still needs eyes). Be careful they are addicting and I have a bag of reindeer parts as I speak. I also did these three Santa ornaments. Adorable aren't they? and of course I started the sock blankie as did so many others.

well that is all I will bore you with for this post. I'm Judith on ravelry if you want to see more projects they are listed over there. I will try to post monthly. Wish me luck.

Moose Trouble

Soooo Monday wasn't the best day I've ever had. I hit a moose when I was on my way home from work. Not too much damage but had to get the windshield replaced etc. Thank goodness my "work" car is a beater. The windshield guys also suctioned cupped out the dent she left in the hood as best they could and buffed off the scuff marks...so I'm good to go. For all you who are wondering the moose is fine, I was going fairly slow when I hit her (actually brakes were on and by the time she slid off the hood and onto the ground I was stopped....of course nothing like a huge moose stopping you) She got up and continued on down the road in front of me and I could see she wasn't damaged externally at all! Whats this got to do with Knitting? Well I had to take the car into town on Friday and therefore couldn't knit. I did take the Charade Socks and knit them while I was waiting but all that time I spent driving and I could have been knitting.

I'm sick of the charade socks anyway. They are the ones I always have "on hand" when I am out and about and to be honest its time they were finished. I guess it seems this way as I was knitting them on 2 mm and eventually had to be honest with myself, realize they were going to be too tight and frog them, so I am just now back to where I was before I frogged. It doesn't help that I got a bunch of new yarns from Red Bird Knits yesterday.


I won't put up the six skeins of Cascade 220 (my first, btw) but I will show you the Fleece Artist Somoko in popsicle, the two (2!) Skeins of Schaeffer Anne,














1 skein of Collinette Jitterbug in the colorway Lobster Pinch...being from the east coast I just couldn't pass up that colorway! (LOVE IT), and I got Robyn (from Red Bird Knits) to kit up the Lativian Sock Kit from February (07) Sock of the Month Club. Just had to have it. And I've been holding off since Feb 07. So here it is.

So you can see why the English paper has been put on hold...(what was I thinking signing up for that class???) While I frantically knit on my Pretty as a Peacock Shawl (Row 119 of 218 WOOT!) As you can see the lace is at it's "Cat Yak" stage. I'm hoping it will open up nicely once its blocked. (Gauge swatch? .... Huh? Who me?) and the Charade socks and try to get somewhere so I can can on something new. Of course you realize that I "normally" would cast on something new any time I want but as I have been listening to the knitting podcast and reading blogs the theme this year seems to be "finish". (Knit from your stash was so last year!)


Although Sharon from She-knits suggests ripping out is very freeing and counts as finishing I don't dislike my projects enough to rip them out...yet. And it seems to be a waste considering how far along I am now.


I am planning on finishing the hillswick Lumbar AND mom's red cables this year as well!


One other note: I wanted to show a pic of the new Knitting bag I got for Christmas! Its a Haiku bag and my mom ordered it from Scouts Swag. I love it. When I went to town yesterday I put my Charade socks (in their own project bag from Piddlee) and I packed in my Peacock Shawl along with Chart, reading glasses, notions bag...(also from piddlee) , pens (2) memo book, 2 toddler books I had to mail to Bronson, 1 movie I had to take back, my wallet and still had room to spare. Very, Very nice and handy. More roomy then one would suspect. Although it may take me a couple of days to find everything I put in all the pockets!

Oh and I did a bit of spinning. Tried to spin fine enough so I could do 3-ply and still have a light fingering weight. I did get this. But still need some practice as when I was plying it the singles broke quite often. (very frustrating btw) Even though when I was spinning the singles I was sure I was over spinning them. Oh well. Practice, Practice, Practice!

First Finished Project of 2008

Does it count if I started it in 2007? i hope so 'cause here it is done. Gwen is finished. It was a relatively easy knit. But I didn't really enjoy it because of the color. Actually the pictures look more pink. This Shell is definately red, Red, RED! I'm not a red person. But I did promise it to mom. Now for the new year I hope to finish up some of my other UFO's or WIP's and that includes another red cabled sweater - with sleeves! I hope to just power thru it. Of course I did cast on my "Pretty as a Peacock" shawl today (I got my pattern at the Loopy Ewe) and will work on that along with the other unfinished stuff and working out of my stash as well. Its going to be a good year.

I have taken the week off from work and have been knitting like a fiend while watching past seasons of the Soprano's. I always wanted to see it however didn't want to jump in midway thru. So I've gone thru season 1 - 4 this week. Maybe 5 and 6 over the weekend? maybe I'll ge the Pretty as a Peacock shawl done while I'm watching? Project 2 down?

MIDGE SAYS: HAPPY 2008 TO ALL!

Homespun and Hot Waffles

Well I got my fiber order in from Dragon Fibers I got 4 oz of Merino/Bamboo roving in Solar Flames and Merino/Tussah Silk (4oz) in Purple Storm. I spun up the Merino Bamboo before I took a pic of the roving, but beleive me it was beautiful. My pictures sure don't do it justice. I decided to knit up a pair of mitts with the homespun as I didn't want to waste it, but it really isn't the best yarn. But its a start I guess. It may have been the bamboo but it plied up into a quite sturdy yarn. Probably will be hard wearing as well. I don't know if I can throw them in the machine to clean them or not. I double bamboo will shrink but maybe the merino will. the pattern is a modification of the pattern from Knit Spot and its called Hot Waffle Mitts. The pattern is actually for fingerless mitts, but I opted for addding a couple of repeats and making mittens.

I made a pair of these for Jackie earlier in the week and loved the pattern. It may become a staple mitten pattern, although the patterned colorways doesn't do the pattern justice and I have some Cascade 220 on the way in solid colors and I am sure they will be beautiful.

I also added to the yarn stash.

sKNITches in Barn colorway...this is really pretty. I thought it would be really red, but it is quite pink. But I like it...alot.

2 Skeins of Osmosis by Red Corset Designs...I got mine on line from Pick Up Sticks. One in tangelo and one in Wheatgrass. (The wheatgrass is actually brighter then this photo. The tangelo is pretty close to the real color

1 Skein of Claudia Hand Painted Yarn in Black Walnut. Again bad photo. The color is gorgeous. Black, browns and rusts. Unfortunally when I bought this from the Loopy Ewe I didn't realize that they were sold in 175 yd skeins and I only got one. I see a hat or mitts or socks for Bronson. (Only the best for the boy!)

1 Skein of Handmaiden's Casbah sock yarn in Pumpkin. This was actually a gift exchange gift and it is decadent. I don't think I can make socks from it. Maybe something from Victorian Lace Today.

Finished Object

I just finished these. I put them on Ravelry so thought while I had the pictue out I might as well add them to my blog as well. They are the Hot Waffle Mitts by Anne Hanson. True they would have been better in a solid coloured yarn so you could actually se the pattern but I had the Schaeffer Lola in the correct weight so this is what it is. They are lined with Fleece Artist Peter Rabbit Angora - Gorgeous!

I got 2 - count them - two - Elizabeth Zimmerman DVD's for my birthday from my mother - God love her! I've wanted them for a while however since I already "knew" how to knit I couldn't justify buying them, but they were on my wish list and Mom grabbed them. How have I gone so long without them. I love the glossary and although I have been knitting for 30 plus years I have already learned some new techniques and garnered some new ideas.

I haven't been spinning much strictly due to Christmas knitting and work. But planning on taking some time off. I was going to be off from Christmas Eve until Jan 7, 2007 but have to go in to the office on the 27th, but then I'll be off! And I'm going to spin! Although I haven't been spinning it hasn't stopped me from buying lots of yummy fibers which I hope will arrive prior to my days off and John going back to work!

In the interim I will continue to work on Gwen and hopefully get that finished up for mom.

!

Joy oh Joy

No matter what say below. Bronson is the true JOY in my life! And who can blame me? Look at those baby blues!

Firstly I want to post a pic of my Christmas gift to myself. It was evident I was never going to knit thru my stash and therefore John was never going to buy me a new wheel. I have been "trying" them out and the minute I sat behind this wheel at Birkeland Bros I knew it was going to be mine. Sure I've tried other wheels and the Ashford Traveller came awful close...but the Joy it was. John had no trouble encouraging me either considering he wasn't paying for it!

I've been busy doing the proverbial Christmas knitting. 4 pairs of Fleece Artist "Soft Mittens" They are made with one strand of DK BFL and 1 Strand of Fleece Artist Mo. Very, very nice. Quick and easy too! Here is one pair. This is in the colorway Earth - this photo doesn't do it justice. You can't beat the Fleece Artist's Colorways.

These are Malibrigo worsted weight mittens. I bought the Malibrigo as I have heard so much about it and had never worked with it. I don't usually use worsted weight. But it is nice and soft and knits up quickly using a pattern from Anne Budd's Book of Knitting Patterns.

Some regular- and inexpensive, when compared to the others- worsted in Turquoise and Cream. Knit from Anna Zilboorg Magnificent Mittens. I like knitting mittens with pattern. I just didn't have time to do them all in pattern. Still even though they are probably the cheapest they're my favorite. (John hates the color but I like it!)

These are Fleece Artist Woolie Silk in Hercules Colorway.

Fleece artist again. Cashlana and Peter Rabbit in Rose. These are gorgeous in real life. Soft and fuzzy. Very pretty. These are my next favorite next to the color work pair2 pairs of socks, the Ice Queen (from this months Knitty) for the girls from work. We did the Christmas exchange on the 13th so I didn't get the pics done, considering I just finished blocked the Ice Queen on the AM of the 13th. Darn though, she was a beauty. Easy too. IT was obviously meant to be as for whatever reason when I ordered the yarn from Loopy Ewe for my Modern Quilt Wrap for whatever reason I ordered 2 balls of Kid Silk Haze in Heavenly. Huh! Grace was looking down on me!

I've spun up some stuff I've had around that I had initially bought for the spindle, including Merino from Spunky Eclectic, and some stuff from Lisa Souza (both gorgeous roving's or really tops) I was told when I was spindling that I should use the best stuff I could afford even for practice and you know I think that is good advise. SO I still have about 4 bumps left in my fiber holder and I just ordered MORE from a couple of sellers on Etsy. CJ Kopec Creations and Dragonfire. I love etsy. Just can't keep away. I found both of these sellers thru one of the spinning groups on Ravelry. (Also love Ravelry)

I was so disappointed as I spun up POPSICLE colorway and it was so pretty. But - here you go newbie mistake, when I plied it I plied in the same direction that I had spun the roving! Shucks. I tried to reply it in the opposite direction, however I lost my love for it and I know I'll never knit it. I can barely stand to look at it. (It isn't balanced and even though I wet set it to set the twist it still has a slight wave in it!)

Anyway all I want to do is spin, spin, spin, however life keeps getting in the way! I bought the wheel then I had to do all those mitts etc for work so squeezed some spinning in between life and knitting, now when I have finished all the Christmas knitting my mother asks me about Gwen.! So now I'm knitting Gwen and not spinning! ARGH! If you are going to knit something for your mother it is best you don't tell her or else she'll hold you accountable.

Mom has wanted a red cabled sweater for ions. I started doing one for her last year, thinking I was going to give it to her for her birthday in Nov 2006. Of course Nov 2007 has passed and she still doesn't have it. I realized that may be a lost cause, but discovered Gwen and thought I could do it in the Louet Gems sport weight in red and it is a shell and therefore quick and easy (no sleeves you know). I last knit on it on Nov 4, 2007! However I was crazy enough to tell my mother I was making it and even sent her a picture. Now she wants it and is holding my nose to the grindstone.

I picked it up last knit and unfortunatly I wasn't as far as I thought I was. Only about 4 inches done and have to do 13 before I can start some armhole shaping! Eeek! Oh well. I'll knit only it for a bit and hopefully will get it done fairly quickly so I can spin. My youngest son has gone to Cranbrook for the Christmas Holidays and Rebecca, Bronson and Pierce won't be here until the 26th or so. I took vacation from Dec 27 to Jan 7 and really planned on having some "me" time as John goes back to work on the 26th too. So hopefully I won't have the red cables holding me back from spinning. (oh I wish I had bought her slippers from LLBean like I did for my Dad and his wife!)

Should I or Shouldn't I

I'm debating whether or not I want to join the Secret of the Stole. Well thats not correct I joined ages ago. When I was just finished the Mystery Stole 3. I have yarn in my stash, I don't have any beads I can use and when I went to Williams lake I was told the bead store was closed and would remain closed for 2 weeks as the owner is on vacation....gotta love small towns. I traisped around town including the dollarama but couldn't find beads to match the jaggerspun I have upstairs. However I did receive some lovely Rowan Pure Wool Dk in the mail, enough to make a lovely cabled aran for Bronson, and when i went into work last week there was a present on my desk. Massive amounts of worsed Weight wool! I was given over 800 yds of the stuff. Its cream color with flecks of browns and golds. Beautiful. One of my co-workers went to Wales and brought it back for me. I've been searching ravelry to see what I can do with it, and probably will settle on a cabled vest or T-Shirt. 800 yds just isn't enough to do sleeves! But I feel I must knit it up and wear it to work soon. Therefore the SOTS goes by the wayside. Of course it is only clue one and I could probably whip it up in a few hours.

Its Thanksgiving weekend in Canada John has to work, Richard has a couple of friends over, I did all my house cleaning yesterday so I should be free to sit and knit all three days...well with the exception of putting in the turkey and peeling some potatoes! and of course the English Essay for my course can wait ( I did apply for an extension after all so I must have lots of time) (Oh yes and walking the dogs). So I really don't have any excuses...well except I have to go upstairs to get the Jaggerspun out of the stash. I really don't know if I want to go upstairs as I will get a glimspe of Richards room and probably have a breakdown! Maybe i'll wait until he gets up and get him to bring down the rubbermaid container that "contains" my laceweight!

I really wanted to do pics this go around, but can't seem to put my hands on my camera today. I'm hoping that we left it in the truck from the trip to Kelowna last weekend. I must have it for next weekend as we are headed to Vancouver for Bronson's 1st birthday! I haven't seen him in ages and can hardly weight. I would have went this weekend, however the weather was conspiring against me and since I haven't driver the new car yet I was nervous. Next weekend John can go with me. (He can drive the new car and I can knit...it works!)

So yeah we did pick up a new car (well new to us) to replace the one dear son #2 crashed for us in August! It's exactly the same color etc, however this one is a diesel and has leather interior and it has a manual transmission. Its shifts quite differently from the truck but it will just take me a couple of trips around the parking lot to get the feel. I drove with John the other day and he keep telling me "no! no! Put it in neutal! No now you are in 5th! You can't go up the hill in 3rd! So I felt it would be better for me to go out on my own!

Argh! I also started toe up on circ's. I cast both on and knitted away. I followed directions from cat Bordhi's book "new Pathways" however I find them WAY to big, even though my gauge was correct. Do people wear their socks that loose? Maybe I just wear mine quite snugly compared to. Anyway i ripped out the needles and cast

Well must run. Richard and I are going to watch a movie before the others get up.

Weight Watchers

Well I've done it. Joined Weight Watchers. I'm sick of the "baby fat" I gained when I had my last child. Now that I have grandchildren I figure its time to lose it! Ha! I just started yesterday but am using this blog to track the loss and hopefully it will hold me accountable. Now if I can just figure out how to add another tracker thing like I have for Bronson.

As far as knitting goes I finished a little hat for Bronson to go with the Little Viking sweater I knit him. I didn't bother doing a chart just some garter stripes of colors. I think I'll move on to socks now.

Weekend Work

I didn't have a chance to post this weekend mainly because John was home and that means I must entertain him. We ended up going to town on Friday so I was only able to knit Friday evening and a bit while we were driving to town and back. Saturday the paddlefest was going on here in Likely so I knit a bit in the AM and then a bit in the evening, but did go down to the pub for the Paddlefest party and didn't get home until Midnight! Today though, John read some old Westerns, it was raining and I knit like a fiend. I was able to start and complete this little sweater for Bronson.

Pattern: Little Viking - from Top Down for Toddlers book. Pattern by Megan Lacey

Yarn: Elann Luxury Merino Superwash (4 balls navy, partial skeins of camel, cream and red)

Needles: Size 3.5 circulars for the sweater and 3 1/4 's for doing the sleeves in the round.

Size 2

Made for my grandson Bronson

The sweater is a simple knit all done in one piece, neck down, knit sleeves when you get to them then continue down. The only downside is doing the pattern back and forth. I'm not a fan of purling with 2 colors. But it was only for a short time so was able to manage it without pulling my hair out.

Just joined the KAL for the She-Knits bowling bag. Its an adorable pattern and will be fun to knit along with everyone else. I had to get busy and get the yarn ordered. Cal from www.shuttleworks.com . Hopefully he'll have the colors I want in stock and I won't have to wait to long. Its great doing business with shuttleworks, their customer service is great, plus they are Canadian.

Good news the insurance company is going to pay for the Volkswagen Yes they wrote it off. we were worried since Richard didn't have his drivers license when he took it out for a ride. (what was he thinking?)

Well must run, work tomorrow and I want to work on my Cat Bordhi socks before I have to go to bed.