Once a Month

Well I guess I'm down to blogging once a month. I thought I would do it more often, but...I am on dial up. We just got off Party lines a few years ago so I don't know if our small town will ever have high speed! But this is good relaxing time. I'll make a pot of coffee, have a dishcloth on the needles and we'll call it relaxing while I wait to download my new pictures.

So we went to the car show. Here is the 57 Monarch we took.

But here is the one we liked. The owner actually made his little sleeper.

The weather was fantastic, the company better, and the hotel to die for. We had a great time. (I made booties and the Tree Elf Hat for Grandbaby). I was able to get away on Saturday afternoon for a couple of hours and picked up new yarn for my mother's request for a red cabled sweater. I chose Peer Gynt in this red (she asked for Tomato red..I hope this is it) and I'm using size 3.5 mm. This project has caused some difficulties for me as I wasn't able to find the pattern I really liked. I wanted to do it all in the round with lots of fabulous cables, but eventually I realized I wasn't going to find it and have created my own pattern. Its fun and believe it or not quite relaxing to knit. This is the second attempt. I started one a while back with Knitpicks Wool of the Andes, but found the yarn to heavy for what I wanted to make. So hopefully this one will pass the test. I've got too much "fun" stuff to do so I can't be bothered doing something I don't like. Of course everything is difficult now as the light bulb from my ott light has gotten broken ("Mom, the dog knocked over your ott light!") and we had to order another from Ontario. So at night when I am knitting cables, or knitting amethyst lace and my eyeballs are bugging out of my head and I'm leaning forward off the couch into the light..I can have the tendency to be a little cranky!

I've been busy with work. Getting the Employee and Family Assistance Program set up and meeting with all the employees about it. I'm helping to organize this year's Mine Rescue Competition (to be held in Williams Lake, June 7, 8 9 2007...Shameless self promotion), and I just got word that I can take some on-line courses towards my Certification for Human Resources and Labour Relations. (Paid by the company) So that is good news, I'm excited but I'll have to work! And of course, boys, girls (goes without saying when you have boys around) babies (no, no grandbaby yet, but soon) dogs, and husband.

I've joined yet another group. This time the monthly KAL for Dishcloths. (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MonthlyDishcloths) So nice to have mindless knitting on the needles as well. For those time when I have a chatty husband around or we are travelling into town for groceries etc and there is so much to see. The leaves are changing, the deer are gathering for the rut, the salmon are spawning and the bears are feeding, the swans and geese are migrating. I don't want to miss any of it. Or drop a stitch. So you can see where the lowly dishcloth comes in handy.I've made two, out of stuff I had about, but there are so many nice patterns in the group files, I can see I'll have to buy a ball or two of new stuff in the "right colors". I HAVE to. Who can resist an orange pumpkin dishcloth this close to Halloween?

So my darling husband does listen! Look at what I got. Yes its an IPOD so I can download all the knitting podcasts I want and still walk the dogs. Of course don't even try calling this house as the phone line will be busy as i download hours of info. I'm thinking I'll take the ipod to work and use the laptop and the company's satellite to make short work of it. But I can't wait until Monday.

Of course a new IPOD called for a new IPOD sweater and I quickly whipped this up on my first walk while listening to the lasted PODCAST of Cast-on. (www.cast-on.com) Ain't technology great! I'll have to make a cord for it so I can hang it around my neck while walking.

Late last night....(11ish?) I decided I had to make two socks at once and cast on with some lovely hand painted Lisa Souza. Here they are. Its fun so far, although I'm sure the novelty will wear off eventually. Yes they are two different colors, but I didn't want to get confused my first time out. (and yes they are in baby size). I guess doing them in two different colors really doesn't help the SSS (second sock syndrome) but its good practice for me.

And of course a lovely little "chunky baby sweater" from www.sweaterbabe.com for the new'un. I chose Limeade, (Lambs Pride Bulky) because I thought it would be fun. (For me, of course) Exact reason why I chose the chunky knit. One can only knit tiny baby things at a tiny gauge for so long. And since my backside was making a dent in the couch I had to do something fast!

Lastly here is a pic of our house with the new deck. Husband is finished vacation and has headed back to work. It was a long 21 days off. I got up every morning while he lie sleeping. It was difficult especially now that it is dark in the mornings. But he is back to work and I still have 160 hours of vacation remaining! Ha!

For Patricia: we just bought a new light for the front door so that white one is GOING! Today!

Spindle

Well I did it! I actually created yarn with my drop spindle, plied it, washed it, dried it and knit with it. I created these simple booties for...you guessed it, new grandbaby to be. But all and all I am quite pleased. The white is stuff I did first and it is quite uneven, but the blue worked out alright. Probably a little too fine in some places, but still. I'm pleased. Its quite addicting. But I don't know if if could do enough by hand to make a sweater, or shawl. But I guess that is where a wheel comes into play. First though i want an IPOD (or similar) for all the knitting podcasts out there. Who knew.

Nothing big on the knitting scene this week. Working away on my Rogue Hoodie from www.girlfromauntie.com. I love the pattern, not sure about it in this purple, but fun to knit, lots of mindless knitting when watching the home improvement shows on the telly. But enough cables to keep it interesting. Especially doing them on the "wrong side". New for me. This is a project I take out and work on for a bit, then put away etc.

New ball of yarn from C-eye-ber. This is part of the PS color. This must be September. I belong to so many groups I can't keep them all straight. But I like getting the yarn on a monthly basis. Just sent in my color choices for the Shawl Club. Done in Jaggerspun Zephyer. My personal favorite for shawls.
We are heading to Chase next weekend for a Car Show. We are taking some car...i don't know what down. John will really enjoy it and I'll probably get lots of knitting done. John has been busy working on the deck. New railings etc. He had to jack up the deck in places as apparently it was not level AT ALL. I'll take pics when its done. Coming along nicely. Makes a real difference to the look of the house. Not quite so log cabin-y now. I don't know if that is good or not. I'll probably just have to get used to it.

Finally...

I know its been forever but my computer was sick and I had to wait a long time to get it fixed. Lots has happened. I've discovered that my new Grandbaby is a boy! So I guess I'm knitting boy colors from now on. I've finished the Mystery Shawl KAL #4, I've been to the fiber festival in Gibson's Landing and I've learned to use a spindle and am spinning my own yarn. Can a spinning wheel be far behind? A son has graduated, a pet has died, summer has flown by and I've got more stuff on the needles than I can count! (Not really...I'm trying to finish everything up.) However there is no use dwelling on the past. I can only hope I'll post more regularly now that the computer is up and running...if only I had high speed. Anyway...here is the baby that I know all of you are dying to see. I'm sure he has changed lots already as he was only a 26 week old fetus in this picture.

and of course the new sweaters that go along with him....

I'm working on one (although I bought several patterns) now called "Ruby" by Bee's Knees. (www.beeskneesknits.ca) Her patterns are well written, up-to-date and unisex, not to mention fun to knit. I should get the second sleeve completed today and start on the hood.

I've finished the pomatomus sock, and wore it salmon fishing when in Campbell River...as they are fish scales you know. I did have a fish on...but didn't get him in the boat...so are they still considered lucky? I don't know. No pic of this right now as they are in the wash and I didn't want to show you socks that were all out of shape.

I also finished a pair done in Lisa Souza merino in the colorway Wild Things. I loved working with this yarn and love the color. These look a bit wacky too, but I did wash and dry them in the dryer (I know thats a faux pas) but they fit nicely and are comfortable. In fact I have two skeins of this colorway put aside for the "Seraphim Shawl" and several more skeins (in different colors) for socks or baby sweater or whatever.

I've unravelled the Lorna Laces "bittersweet" socks that were for my neice as I never did get her foot size and couldn't waste that beautiful yarn. But I have my opal dream catcher "walking socks" on needles. So called because I walk everyday and need a small portable project to walk with and this is it. These will eventually go to one of my co-workers.

And of course the mystery Shawl KAL 4. This was done with Kidlin Pixie. I hated working with this yarn, but once blocked it is beautiful to touch and wear. I was hoping this shawl would be going to my new grand baby, however since we've discovered its a boy, it will probably stay with me. Its been cool in the AM and I've been wearing it every morning while knitting, before the sun comes up. I don't want to close the windows as it won't be long before snow falls and I'll have to keep them closed. Sorry this is a bad pic. It looks nice when all stretched out, however it is early moring and its cold outside and I had to take it off to take this picture.

I do belong to the "shawl club" and have received my yarn and pattern for July. I've wound the skein into a giant ball, however haven't cast on yet, although I'm dying to...always like to have a shawl on the needles (The ongoing shawl from Knitpicks doesn't count as its not in laceweight) but have decided to wait until I make room in my knitting basket.

I did cast on for Chicknits lace cardigan in Fleece Artist's baby kid, but then unravelled as I knew I was fooling myself with only 900 M. To bad as it was beautiful to knit with. Maybe it will become a blanket for Grandbaby "Bronson Hayes"...but it is gorgeous stuff so if I can get something for me out of it I'll probably do that. In the meantime it sits in my bedroom with the other skeins I'm going to use soon.

Been thinking alot about the many balls of "tomato red" I have from knitpicks. This will become a nice Aran for my mother. I really wanted her to have it for fall, but I've so busy and focused on baby sweaters it may be next fall. To bad though she is making a pilgramage to Nova Scotia and I could just see her wearing it on the craggy coast. Oh well. Deadlines!