Going...Going...Going!

Weeeeee!!!! Knitsters, I'm on vacation!

No alarm clock! No work clothes!

No pager. Sweet Alice Starmore. No. Pager.

Can you tell that makes me happy?!

So, I am off to lovely St. Catharines, Ontario to visit my sister and sister-in-law (Finnegan's Moms!). This has become a yearly tradition since they moved out there. It's about an hour and a half from Toronto, in the Niagara region, famous for it's orchards and wineries (ooooo baby!). The tradition? Celebrating my birthday on Saturday. Someone asked me if I mind people asking my age? Not at all - I turn a young 38. I always view my age as something to be proud of - and something to celebrate. Which I do. Heartily! My sister is an excellent cook, and always makes the most wonderful meals. This year is my first birthday since being diagnosed with Celiac Disease, and she's even searched the 'net for a gluten free chocolate cake recipe!

Awwww, shucks!

Brigitte admits to another WIP...

I had the best of intentions, rumaging through my embarassing stash to look for some yarn for some volunteer knitting I'll be doing for the Annex Cat Rescue.

When I came across this:


Oh. Hello.

This would be "Lush", from Kim Hargreaves. Started last December when I was still in my old apartment next door.

I packed her away in one of my yarn bins. And promptly forgot her.

*sigh*

I guess I got caught up with the move, and unpacking. But no more!! I will make it up to her. She's not difficult, or a bore either. It's knit cuff to cuff on 4.5mm (huge needles for me!), with short rows (why do I always gravitate to WIP's with short rows?) and neckline shaping, so it's never dull. And the Rowan Kid Classic? Love it! The colour, Crushed Velvet, is actually much deeper than it shows up in my picture above. The colour on Kim's site (the link above, nudge nudge) is actually much closer to the actual.

Stay tuned.

What I Will Do On My Late Summer Vacation

My poor, neglected Western Seas. Lorraine has warned me that I will go batty with one WIP.

Thanks Hammy. You know me well... But, I will do my best! Thanks to Hurricane Ernesto, it will be nothing but cold rain the entire long weekend, while not a bad thing, will mean a lot of knitting time. It's perfect for movie knitting. And Not-My-Turn Scrabble knitting.

Must. Finish. Western Seas.

Above you see my progress thus far. Closer to 10", and I have a total of 12 before starting the gussets. Less than I thought, but we'll see how I do.

Wish me luck. Think of me.

The Little Dudes

HiMomHiMomHiMomIloveyoudoyoulovemeOK

byeWeeeeWeeeeWeeeeTackleAtticusWatchme

watchmewatchmeyouwatchingmeOhlooklintplay

playplayrunmaniacpsychokittenWeeeWeeeWeee

lookatmeHiMomHiMomByeMomplayplayplay

WeeeWeeeWeeeLookat...*clunk* *zzzzzzzzzzzz*

*honkshu, honkshu*

Yup. Kittens. One minute tearing the place apart. The next. Out like a light.

"Finally, some peace and freakin' quiet..."

The life of a cat.












"For cryin' out loud, that kid's a hellion. Man, I'm bushed..."

Enjoy the long weekend Knitsters! I'll be back on Thursday, hopefully more relaxed and with much more Western Seas to show off.

Clawing Away At Too Many WIP's!

Dear Marina:

I had my Mom take this picture to show you that Western Seas is still getting a lot of attention (but not as much as me!). Here I am trying to smooth it out so that it looks nice. *Ehn!* There we go, doesn't she look great?

I'm a big help.

Love, Gandalf



Thanks to the little man and his maneuvering to help get it into proper photographing state!

I always do this to myself. You know, get into one of those "organizing" frenzies where all I want to do is catalogue my knitting magazines and bookshelves, and alphabetize my fridge (it's a Virgo thing - hey, guess who gets to wear a silly birthday hat in a week!? No, not Atticus. Or Mae.). Eventually, I get to my WIP's, and I get overwhelmed.

Arrrrgh...

If it kills me...

1. Ophelia
2. Western Seas (I'm going to bring her over to my sister's next weekend)
3. Amphora

These are the priority! I hate having these seemingly unloved WIP's around (but they're not unloved!). If I tire of Sleeve Island on Ophelia, I'll finish Amphora's body, and de-Ophelia my brain for a bit.

Arangenser, my poor lovely Aran, will be next. I hope I'm not being overly confident when I say she should go fairly quickly.

I sound like a broken record! Haven't I moaned about this to you all before? Well, Diva was in the mix, so let's say it's an update.
Gandalf reminds me that when you get in the way of a kitten and his pouncing, you run the risk of becoming a casualty.

I'd forgotten how funny those little Psycho Kitten episodes can be, you know when they go all whacko on the pillows and whatever else gets in the way. Right now, his favourite thing to play with is a toilet paper roll. Hey, it's cheap, and he's happy.

And everyone is still getting along nicely, and I've only seen Mae assert her dominance with him. In a nice, cat-language sort of way. So far, I haven't seen Atticus do so. Although... he does clean Gandalf's head, and holds him down while doing so. I believe that's one of their methods. Ah, the mysterious world of kitties. It's so funny to watch them interact. Mae can be quite cute with him, cuddling him and cleaning his...areas...and swating him upside the head when he gets annoying. Atticus just continues to be the big goofy Big Brother.

Right, I'm off for a high-fat, high-calorie but oh-so-yummy breakfast, so - have a great weekend Knitsters!

All Sorts of Stuff

Well, meow there, all my new friends in Blogland! My Mom says I need to be a polite Little Dude and thank you all for your nice comments about me! It hasn't gone to my cute little fuzzy kitten head... Although I've pretty much taken over the coveted Chair-Next-To-The-Sunny-Window spot from my big brother. I just look cute and he caves in...

Can I tell you? I adore my big brother Atticus! He's so nice to me, shows me how to do stuff like not bonk my head against the window, and use the litter box (I don't think Mom liked me using a corner of the couch), and he lets me chase him and sleep next to him and we do all sorts of neat stuff together! And, I gave him kitty head-butts today, and he cleaned my head! (Mom note: Awwwww....!)


Here we are eating. I'm eating the Big Cat food, no more of that kitten crap for me! It's the big time, baby!
(Mom note: uh, no.)

*sigh* Life is good!

I even love my sister Mae too, although she pretends not to like me. She let me nap next to her this morning, but then she decided I was getting annoying, and jumped up on the table where I couldn't reach her. Oh well, she's a softie, even if she won't admit it.


See? She may look like "Gawd, he's still here?? Man...", but she lets me snuggle with her at night!

I don't think there's an area of the apartment I have explored!

Guys, life ROCKS at my new home! Thanks again for welcoming me, even though this knitting thing isn't something my Mom is too tolerant about me learning... Dunno...


Knitting - it really does happen!

I have to say, Gandalf and his siblings have adjusted wonderfully! Pretty much within 24 hours.

So, I got back into doing some serious knitting -

Ophelia's first arm is at the cuff stage! Wheeee!!! I would have probably had the cuff done and the stitches of the 2nd arm picked up if it weren't for Gandalf and his Flying Walendas maneuvres on me. She's coming along well, if I do say so. I did one less peree repeat just before the cuff began. I have freakishly short arms...

*Have you seen the Whiskas commercial where they do scenarios with grown men in the cat roles? There's one for Hank the Kitten? Yeah, well, that's Gandalf, jumping from one thing to the other, including yarn... I'm pretty sure I've seen the commercial on both Canadian and US channels. The commercials are very original and well done, not to mention hilarious.*

And although I did say I wouldn't start anything new (what? Cynthia does it too!) I caved... But look at what I'm cheating with!

It's "Elizabeth I" from Alice Starmore's Tudor Roses. I joined Marji's Tudor Roses KAL, and after a brief stint thinking I had sufficient yarn for "Katherine Howard" (nope), I decided I would work on Liz instead. It is what I originally bought the yarn for (2-ply Hebridean from Virtual Yarns).

I am really enjoying this knit. The attention to detail - short row hemline, darts, and the delicate centre pattern make for a beautiful design. The 2-ply yarn, and I've never used AS' 2-ply for anything other than Fair Isle, makes an incredibly supple fabric, which suits the design perfectly. I've only just started the centre pattern, but check out Marji's amazing progress on her "Elizabeth I"!

So, it's been a busy time Knitsters!

A lot of you have nifty buttons - I'm hoping to load them soon! Keep 'em coming.

Gandalf

*Note to Self: Do not visit friend with foster kitten.
* 2nd Note to Self: Do not pick up and play with said foster kitten.

Well, lookie here!

GANDALF!

Welcome Little Dude!

He is a 12 week old little kitten we (although at this time Atticus and Mae are suitably unimpressed I forged their names on the adoption papers) adopted from a wonderful organization here in Toronto - the Annex Cat Rescue.

At this time, his big brother and sister are just not gettin' it.


Mae is watching from afar. I think she's starting to be all - "great, I'm the middle child now", although she should be - "hey, I'm no longer the youngest...cool."










Atticus has his WT...? look on his face. He's been hilarious - I think he'll come around before Mae does, he's so good natured.

He's actually a bit taken aback, and although he may deny it, afraid of wee Gandalf! He'll get hissed and growled at by Gandalf, and is totally perplexed by it.

"Huh? Wha...? Uh, *hiss back*?"

There was a cute little moment this morning when they touched noses. Then Gandalf remembered - hey, wait a minute, I'm not supposed to be cool with you just yet... *hiss!*.

Atticus and Mae just aren't getting it yet. But, as I mentioned both are very good natured, and pretty easy-going. This is just the sizing up stage (I hope). Anyone out in knitting land have any experience with bringing a new kitty to live with adult cats? How long roughly 'til they stop hissing and growling at each other?

When Mae was a baby and came to live with us, Atticus was pretty much the way he is now - curious. He was very gentle and patient with her. They did have their hissing matches, but that was a while ago, and I seem to remember it didn't go on for too long. Still, it would be nice to hear of others' experiences.

Gandalf was the "runt" of his litter, yet now that he's out of his foster home, he's showing that he's really not afraid to take on anything. He also has these very un-catlike, mysterious little mannerisms. When he lies down, he actually "claps" his front paws together! It's too cute, I've never seen that before. He's very sweet - he fell asleep last night with his paw on my arm and his head on my hand. Awwww! The name "Gandalf" suits him.

Hey, it just occured to me that Chaos now has a real-live Mini-Me!

Knitting ('cause this is a knitting blog after all!)

Lorraine was mentioning about having a bit of knitting ennui of late... I was in that funk last week - could barely do a round on Ophelia's arm without messing up. I have 100 stitches, and yet each round is taking about as long as a round for the body would take! I then moved on to the Seaweed Scarf - which is going really well, btw (!) - and I messed up pretty much every repeat. I was even dropping stitches when I tried to work on Western Seas...*sigh*. I suppose it's not ennui as much as being a space knitting cadet. All thumbs...

Atticus would like me to thank you all for all your kind comments and cyber-noogies! Although he loves being the centre of attention, he's not likely to want to go through and overnighter at the V-E-T to get them.

He's not going to like Saturday morning when he heads back for his checkup...


I leave you with this little gem.

Atticus and Gandalf, sizing each other up.









"Dude. Man, you're small. Um, that's my spot, by the way..."

Poor Little Dude...

"Really, do you always need to follow me around with that thing? Go 'way..."

Poor little Dude... Atticus has just returned from an overnighter at the V-E-T.

And he's not a happy camper. Suffice it to say peeing in the box...wasn't happening. He has problems with crystals, this one probably left over from a bad bout he had in the winter. And he's had a bad kidney infection, so at the first *ahem* sign of straining, he goes to the V-E-T. And getting a 20lbs male cat into the carrier? Think about it.

Being all male-kitty, he never shows his Mom when he's in pain... :( So, Iwatch him like a hawk.

He's home now, and all is forgiven. Mae, after moping around with him not being around, hissed at him and batted at his head, thanks to his funny Woodbine Animal Clinic smells. Poor guy, just can't catch a break these days...

So, not much in the way of knitting these last few days. Although I am pleased to report that I am 6cm away from starting the gusset on Western Seas! And, once that begins, it'a mere 32 rows to the underarm! Good times.

Now if you'll excuse me Atticus would like to lift him to the couch and feed him popcorn and Havarti cheese.

Comfortably Numb

I learned something new yesterday. Despite the Knitting Urban Legend you may have heard about, going one day without knitting will not cause you to loose mobility in either of your hands, and the Little Yarn Gnomes will not steal from your stash while you're not looking. You may feel "off", or wonder "I feel like I've forgotten something...", but nothing whacked-out will occur.

Case in point.


Say hello to the "Comfortably Numb" (well, as I've christened her anyway). Moored at Toronto's Outer Harbour Marina (on Lake Ontario, of course), she's a lovely 23ft. sailboat, and where I spent most of my Saturday.









The Captain, readying the sails.

We could not have asked for a better day. Knitsters, if summer could always be 27C, no humidity and practically no smog - I wouldn't whine so much about how lousy summer can be in Toronto. We didn't have a great amount of wind; top speed with the sails was a scant 4 knots (Marji - not the best, but when you're out on the water, sometimes it just doesn't matter, right?!).



A lovely view of the Toronto skyline. Hey, that would be me steering while The Captain lowered the front sail (and it has a name, everything on a sailboat has a name, damned if I can remember what it is though), and snapping a picture at the same time. We are getting ready to sail through the gap between the Toronto shoreline, and the Island Airport. You can only pass through on motor power, and stay well away from the buoys surrounding the approach to the Island...something about the planes (and this is just a small regional airport) getting a little bothered by sailboat masts in their view as they're trying to land... And a $10K fine for sailing withing the buoys. We then sailed off to Centre Island, and a cold one.

Despite slathering myself with sunscreen, I'm still as red as Christmas. Owwie! My crap SPF 30 sunscreen (for sensitive skin, my ass) did not live up to it's name. The one spot on my back where The Captain slathered on some of his No Name SPF45 - looking just fine. You can see where it ends, and the SPF30 begins.

And get this. When we were coming in, at around 7:30pm - Knitsters, I was COLD!!! Yes, cold. When the sun goes down on the water, it gets quite chilly. But, it was the perfect ending to a perfect day.


A lovely shot of the Toronto skyline at sunset...










So, wow. I survived at day without knitting. By the time I got home, I was so pooped I could barely feed the Little Dudes. But I did. Something about the "I will jump on your sunburn in the middle of the night. Oh yes. I will." look that Atticus gave me...

And - in the morning before all of this... I met up with Lorraine and family at the St. Lawrence Market for a little breakfast and produce shopping. How great a day was that!?

I hope your Saturday was equally as wonderful!

Knitted Brow

*sigh*

Maybe it's the heat. Maybe it's lying in bed, unable to sleep because of the heat. Regardless of the why, I 've found myself lately thinking about my knitting direction - the Why-I-Do-The-Things-I-Do.

I have a confession to make. Twice in the last couple of weeks I've started projects doomed not to be completed. The What's aren't important - they are no more, now in the pile of other discarded items. I'm not sure why I do that, start a project that is relatively simple, and find it dull, and not worth my time. I should be content to simply realize that fact, and move on; however a part of me still needs to actually go through the casting-on motions before realizing that it just ain't my cup of tea, Knitsters. Why must I stubbornly stick my hand in the fire, and say to myself - hey, you're burning - before pulling it out? Perhaps only knitters can understand when I say that this remnant of an old knitting life pisses me off to no end! This is probably why I've made the commitment to de-stash my stash, as it were.

I know that my interests are squarely in the realm of the traditional. The timeless works of Fair Isle art, the complexity of the Aran twists and turns, and the unique, original designs that I know incorporate traditional materials and techniques worthy of my time.

Does that make me a yarn/knit snob?

Quite frankly, I could not care less if that's how it's labeled. It's what I like, it's what is worthwhile, it's what gives me pleasure and a sense of true pride in accomplishment.

I'm a Virgo. We think too much.

I suppose in my mind I was rationalizing why I can't focus on something that falls outside of that box. Some would say - aren't you narrow-minded in your knit focus? No, because the possibilities within that huge box are endless. Level of difficulty is irrelevant to me. I rarely pay any attention to the rating. I'm confident enough in my abilities not to be scared off by the prospect of trying something new within the framework of the tradional old.

I applaud anyone who picks up two sticks and a ball of yarn, and attempts to turn it into something wonderful. So long as you remember your own "raison d'etre", and are doing what gives you true satisfaction - you're creating your own little work of art.

I think I have it completely out of my system now. I've taken a good, long look at my WIP's - and will concentrate solely on them. They seem to be all I gravitate towards, so why waste my time on something I'll never finish?

Here they are, my long suffering WIP's:

1. Ophelia
2. Amphora
3. Western Seas
4. Arangenser
5. Seaweed scarf

Of Ophelia, Amphora, and Western Seas - I've shown pictures before. So, here is a shot of the lovely Arangenser, from the stunning Norsk Strikkedesign:


She has been neglected of late, simply because she's particularly heavy, worked on 5.5mm needles. The lower hip sections are worked separately, and joined. The rest of the body is worked completely in the round until the armholes, when it is then worked back and forth. I've done approx. 8 rounds of the body, and it is not a difficult knit. I'm looking forward to starting back on her... but not when it's 35C, merci beaucoup.

I will admit to having started something else, however I have every intention of finishing this one as I'm enjoying the pattern immensely.

This is the Seaweed Scarf, from Alice Starmore.

What's that? Lace? (Damn, I'm even sarcastic with myself). Hey, for every repeat of 12 rows you see, there are at least 4 frogged rows. Must...pay...attention... I want this scarf to wear with my winter coat, which is why I'm starting now. There are 50 repeats. I've done 4.

But, I'm getting the knack of this lace thing, and the results are stunning. I'm going to make some kind of hat with the Selkie shade as well, not sure what (no eyelets...that's just plain dumb in a Canadian winter). I'm thinking a bucket hat, worked double stranded throughout. I should have more than enough Selkie, having traded a bunch of Machair for some Selkie with Lorraine.

Well, thanks for sticking with me through this post. We all have an opinion - let me know what yours is on the issue of staying true to your knitting styles.

Oh. And socks don't count!

Out of The Bag

So, the secret's out! I promised on pain of loosing my 2-ply Shetland stash that I would not let the cat out of the bag, but it's out now and running around like a hyper kitten! I was recruited to be Lorraine's Secret Model for Delphine...have a look on her site.

It was a LOT of fun. It was a casual, easy going day, despite the heat. Luckily, being by Lake Ontario did cool it down considerably - for about 10 minutes. By the time the "shoot" was over, Hammy was literally peeling Delphine off of me. Ugh!

What I couldn't mention in my previous post - the little detour to the lakeshore in Oakville for Delphine's photo shoot...

And as a thank you - lookie!


All sorts of cool stuff, including some yummies for the Little Dudes! Isn't the picture of the cat on the notepad just the funniest?

And all the compliments on Lorraine's site? Well, you have me blushing, and I thank you for them! But it really is the loveliness of Lorraine's design, and her keen eye for colouring and staging the shoot that made the picture; and Kirk the Photo Guy knew just how to take the right shot. I just showed up and demanded no brown Smarties (uh, no M&M's, please). *kidding...*

I believe Delphine will be available at She Ewe Knits sometime this month, so make sure you check it out! And thanks again!

How To Make A Monday Better


You get a very lovely package from Scotland, complete with 3-ply yarn in Clover and Fulmar, and a copy of Jade Starmore's Sand Dance pattern. Once again, stellar service from Virtual Yarns, this took all of 5 business days to get to me!

At this time - a little too hot for anything. Including wool...

This heat is insane. And mentioning it is really like beating a poor horse - it's the same everywhere. The news just announced the heat at 34C, and at one point this afternoon, the humidity made it "feel" like 43C (109F)... I can cool down, but the Little Dudes? It's tough for them, I have no A/C here. I worry about how they are handling it during the day when I'm not there to keep their water cool and shoo them to the cool part of the apartment... *sigh* :(

'Nuff said. But - I'll say this again - stay cool and relaxed (your pets too) wherever you are Knitsters!

A Hammy Day

What a great time! Yesterday, I got to hang out with Lorraine, out at her house in Mississauga. Despite the overwhelming temptation, I did no leave with any of her Starmore books, shade cards, or her nifty swift either (I think they would have noticed that...). Or any of her finished Twisted Tradition designs either... (Hi, family? Got my Christmas list alllll made out!). Which look even better up close, by the way. And I got some of the wonder cheapo DPN's!

I also saw what real pain in the ass is by seeing a large size of AS' Eriskay from Fisherman's Sweaters. I have no more complaints about Western Seas and knitting from gansey yarn.

I got to meet her 2 kids (hi Laura!), we yapped, had lunch, and drove into Toronto for a yarn crawl. Actually, we only hit Romni Wools ...which was enough. It was actually not too bad this time around. For any Toronto readers who've been in there - you know what I mean when I say that this store is rather, uh, disorganized... It's a huge, cavernous place, with stuff piled everywhere, and if you don't build little yarn inukshuks to mark a spot...good luck Dude. Yarn. Everywhere. And, apart from brand, and the odd yarn type placement, there is absolutely no organization to this place. None. Sock yarn...sorta down the end of this aisle. Noro? Sorta here, but not really all out. Wool? Uh, well. It's sorta kinda everywhere. I did see the Lamb's Pride all together though. Oh, and the Rowan is usually in one corner, although that's becoming a Search and Rescue mission finding one type. Together.

Still - it is Romni, so you know it's a crap shoot everytime you go in! And hey, did I mention they have a 20% off sale for the month of July?? Good thing it's the 29th...


I picked up a few things - a Knitscene mag (which is pretty good, btw), some rubber stitch markers, a short circular, and some Noro for socks. And at 20% off...coooool...

A VERY cool day! Thanks Lorraine! And, if you have me over again, I promise not to run off with Kitten-Chow (who is just as fluffy and adorable in person) or Casey... Although if they choose to come home with me... Just sayin'.


An Embarassment of Riches...

This is the parts of the stash I'm looking to de-stash. Those are 2 old computer desktop boxes (uh, so pretty large), and one mail bag...

I don't even know where to start... I have stuff I didn't even know I had. And if it's there, it's gotta find new homes. Soon, before I loose my nerve too.

I haven't listed it yet...but if there's something you're looking for...chances are I have it!


Heat Alert!
Although not as bad as it has been for my poor Dipsy and Chris, it's going to be a brutal few days here in Toronto. One ray of hope is that the weather is ever changing, so I live with the hope that it won't be as bad...

The rain and thunderstorms have been pretty good this year, although Atticus and Mae have differing opinions:

That would be Atticus, huddled at the bottom of the stairs. All wimpy 20lbs of him...










Make...it...stop... Hey, catnip on the floor. Cool.


And Mae, just happy that she gets free reign over the food dish... Not in the least bit bothered by rain or thunder.

If this were the vacuum...well, the roles would be reversed. Atticus couldn't care less. Mae? I just need to pull it out of the closet and she's gone.



What's the big deal? Sheesh. Dude...

They do want to send a big snuggly Hello to Lorraine! They enjoyed meeting her, even though Mae made herself scarce, and Atticus wet himself when we got a brief thunderstorm.

Stay cool Knitsters! August is around the corner, and then, it's only a matter of time...

Dear Lorraine...

Please Hammy, can I have some of your wonder cheapo DPN's?

I don't like mine, the Brittany ones. I tried the wax paper trick, and all that did was make the Little Dudes think Ophelia was fair game by jumping on me to get to the rustling paper. I nearly took out Atticus' noggin. I can't make any decent progress because they stick and won't let me get into a good rhythm. I think I'll use them to prop up my pansies on the deck. Or as swivel sticks for cocktails.

So please, can I have some? I don't have a Wal-Mart in my area so I can't pick any up; my only other option is to whore myself by going to "that place". You wouldn't want me to do that either, would you?

Love,

Brigitte
Atticus and Mae
xxoo
P.S. Kitty noogies to Kitten-Chow, and snuggles to Casey too!

For the love of Pete, let her have some...

I'm giving you a fluffy, cute look so that you will agree to help my Mom...

*sigh*

Reason #49 Why I Shouldn't Attempt Lace

*sigh*

Trust me. I suck.

The picture is kinda wonky, but there are dropped stitches, yo's when there shouldn't be, and the pattern does not line up.

I was on the streetcar home yesterday, thinking I'd have a nice ride home, working on this feather and fan thingy-bob, look how clever I am! Instead, I got mushed next to some stretch working his damn Soduku puzzle OUT LOUD, messing up my sock, ready to hurl it across the streetcar, complete with profanities. I guess this will be stocking stitch for now... I don't know what it is about lace... I can do a simple eyelet, and some relatively simple patterns that are clearly mapped out (even that's a crap shoot...this one was!), but I guarantee I'll drop or forget or have too many stitches on most rows. It makes my head hurt... And yet, I have no issues with following an Aran chart, with twists and turns and other wacky things. But will I attempt it again. Oh yeah.

So, what else is new?

Oooo....lookie here!

Lovely Alice Starmore Hebridean yarn samples! I sent an e-mail to Virtual Yarns, asking for some colour combination ideas for Sand Dance. I made one a couple of years ago for a gift, and have always wanted to make another one for myself. I thought I'd get a few ideas that I could look up on the site, but I ended up with more than a few ideas, a very nice e-mail, AND some samples!

Good customer service is everything to me. I've worked in customer service myself and I can appreciate what it does for the customer.

So, I like the red combination, but the Clover (the one at the top of the picture) with a lighter contrast shade is also looking good... Any ideas?

And, Proof of Life that Western Seas is moving along:


The pin marks where I was when I started.

Oh, the excitement.

I've been plugging along on Ophelia's arms as well, but I seem to be all thumbs. The wood needles I bought are driving me batty! Time to take the waxed paper to them, it's like working with an emery board. But, my tension is holding up nicely, so I'm pleased with that. I will post a picture next time around.

And I'm also not sure what day it is... I worked another all-nighter last night/this morning on another implementation at work. Supposed to be over at 4am-ish...went past 7am. Was on a conference call with all the Techs and System Admins for nearly 4 hours. Dudes - I may work for a telecommunications company - but I am no phone person... That is easily the longest freakin' call of my life. Up all night and no empty bottles to show for it... *sigh*

So, that's it! Tomorrow's Friday - and Bi-Weekly Liquid Lunch day with the friends at work... Can't come soon enough Knitsters!

2-Ply Shetland in July

Ta. Da.

Madame la Diva has been washed and blocked, and is now suitably presentable! (And me, gazing longingly at my coffee...)

I brought Diva into work in order to be photographed... Something about trying on 2-ply Shetland in July, in my apartment with no A/C ...um, not so good.

You know, Wendy knits shawls for the office? Well, it's now official: I will be able to wear my sweaters year-round in this place. It's about 15C in here, and Diva's feeling mighty comfortable right about now. Oh, and the A/C temp? No complaints from me!

I didn't have a mirror in which to line it up properly, but you get the idea. Obviously I didn't get the "pink-floral-skirt-clashes-with-stripes" memo, but hey, I've always marched to the beat of my own drum.

Hee hee! I'm soooo thrilled with her! Oh, gotta say it - yay me!!! Yay Hanne Falkenberg!!!!

I Oughta Wash My Mouth Out With Soap!

Dudes. Shame on me!

I quote me, last post:

"Western Seas doesn't count...blah blah blah..."

For. Shame.

So, Marina pointed this out to me - by asking "so why doesn't Western Seas count?".

She does! Me sorry. I feel like I've just sassed Alice herself *hanging head in shame* .

See, I got it into my mind that because Western Seas had been relegated to MLC status, I was only obligated to work one night a week on her. But - why?

And further to this point? Elizabeth of York in the 2-ply Witchflower shade does not do the overall design justice, she really needs to be worked in a light coloured yarn to best show off the detail. She has been retired...*sob*. So, with superhuman strength, I will TRY not to start another non-stranded project before the weather cooperates and lets me work on Arangenser. Except for Fulmar. Huh? Who said that?!

It'll be all Western Seas, almost all the non-stranded time.

For poops and giggles, I thought I'd show you my sophisticated method of keeping track of decreases/short rows/ridges in Diva:


Pen - left shawl portion.
Pencil - right shawl portion.

Heh.










Southern Ontario Knitsters take heart! I have a migraine that would fell an elephant, meaning only one thing - cold front! Thunderstorms! Cooler weather!

Freakish human barometer that I am...

What is This?

So, wow everyone, summer sucks sometimes. You know, when you wake up thinking - "hey, doesn't the Canadian government give people monetary incentives to move up to Nunavut?" - it's pretty clear you're not a summer person. I have never claimed to be one. Love the sun, and the nice, cool 25C days... This business of 34C and humidity? Uh, no. I have no A/C in the apartment. I have fans, but an A/C unit is out of the question in this old house. And considering I'd need it for max. 6 weeks out of the year, it's not an expense I can justify (oh, but dropping $150 on 2-ply Shetland is. So don't sass me about it.).

What's this?
Why, it's a second ball of sock yarn. Finally found last week, behind my mini-filing cabinet. Seems Atticus managed to scale the keyboard, over 2 PC desktops, a stack of books, and a smashed motherboard to somehow loose his grip on said yarn, and drop it into an abyss of dust and other crud. Unless that was his plan all along... She seems relatively unharmed, albeit a bit dusty.






What's this?
Coffee, and a snapped bamboo needle. A nice, clean break right at the join... While working on Western Seas (yes, I'm doing my one night a week...), I went to spread out my stitches on the needle and she just popped right out. Had a SUPER time trying not to lose those DARK BLUE stitches while trying to figure out how to hold on to them. Thanks to some safety pins and my trusty 2.5mm crochet hook, they survived while I transfered the whole thing to an Addi. I guess working with the bamboo in this weather has the yarn sticking to the needle a bit more, resulting in me tugging on it a bit more than I needed to. I'm pretty sure a tiny drop of Crazy Glue ought to make her good as new, as it's a clean break. Can not have too many 3mm's you know...

What's this?
I would have you guess, but the picture sucks.

So, before I tell you what it is, let me justify it. See, Ophelia is at the arm stage, and it's a tad too warm to have her sitting in my lap right now. Amphora is just fine, she is moving along and will be workable as I'm still on the body. Arangenser is just too damn heavy to work on in this weather. Western Seas doesn't count. So, now that Diva is finished, I needed a non-colour work project as well as my Fair Isles to have on the go. It's my usual routine, honest!


Care to guess? I do have to say I haven't seen or heard her mentioned in any of the blogs, and she's not posted on VY either... She's from Tudor Roses... A design I've wanted to make since I first bought the book. Oh, and she's not on my Starmore To-Do list I mentioned in an ealier post either. No, not Elizabeth I. The other Elizabeth... Elizabeth of York. I swatched her in 2-ply Hebridean (Witchflower shade) awhile ago (yes, swatch. I confess it's something I do only if I'm substituting and even then only if I'm not familiar with the original yarn. My name is Brigitte and I don't swatch...), and she'll work out just fine... The yarn was purchased for Elizabeth I, but I'm thinking I'd like to work her in red anyway. Eventually. In this lifetime.

What's this?

That would be Atticus, doing his morning calisthenics. As you can see, he's devoted to exercise and clean living.

He sends a big kitty "Hey" to Kitten-Chow and Chaos, and a "Hey Baby" to Lucy.

Mae on the other hand is a smart girl, and seeks out the cool areas in which to do her morning rituals. I have no clue where that is, but it must be good.



I was to be off to the St. Lawrence Market to do my shopping this morning, but a train derailment yesterday in the west end of Toronto has left the commuter trains rather chaotic, even this morning. I'm in the other end of the city, and technically my service shouldn't be affected, but service is still irregular, so I'd rather not take the chance of being stuck downtown. I could take the subway or a streetcar I suppose, but...no. I'm lazy and the GO Train would get me there in 9 minutes vs. 40 on the subway. There's the A/C on the train to...subway is hit and miss with A/C. So, I'll be heading elsewhere this morning.

Keep cool Knitsters, and have a great weekend!

Diva. I Love You.

Hot. Damn.

* "Diva" in colour combination #4 (turquoise and blueberry), by Hanne Falkenberg, purchased from Cucumberpatch, in the UK.
* 2 ply Shetland wool, knit on 3.25mm needles
* Changes - 0.

Pain in the Ass Factor - 8 out of 10.
FO Satisfaction Factor - 10 out of 10.

This is an amazing design. She is by no means a difficult knit - however what makes the Pain in the Ass Factor so high is that the sweater body, including the shawl collar, is knit in one piece. Therefore, you knit the back section, increasing to 5 bazillion stitches, and once you're thoroughly demoralized, the next step has you continue for the fronts. Knit on the bias. Increasing/decreasing/changing colours. Then the other front. Then the bodice. Then you hurl as you realize that you have the upper body to do, and the shawl. With short rows. And decreases. On both sides. Then the cuffs. And then the arms. Oh...the arms. I was literally counting down the stitches once I hit Arm #2.

But, I kept going back - the design is so brilliant, you can not help but be absolutely bowled over by the genius of it, and be curious as to the "how to" of the next step, no matter the eventual pain. Every word of instruction has a purpose, and every step that seems unnecessary turns out to make perfect sense in the end. There were a couple of "huh?" sections, but just trust Hanne - she knows EXACTLY what she is doing.

And the finished product - divine! I am beyond thrilled. She has not yet been blocked, but I have tried her on, and she fits PERFECTLY. I will include a model pose in an upcoming post. I'll probably take her into work early next week to photograph, as it will be over 30C and GROSS over the weekend. Not 2-ply Shetland weather...

Would I recommend the design? Yes. Just know that she needs a lot of attention, and patience. But the finished product is worth it! Would I knit another one? I'd consider it if Zinedine Zidane (yum) agreed to be my "poolboy". And I don't have a pool. (Uh, have you seen the man?!)

On the other hand, she has heard every potty-mouthed word you can think of (in french and english), so she can take it, if you feel the need to dish it out.

So - what do you think?!!

Trunk Show. Of Sorts.

Good Morning!!

I suppose I could show you pictures of Ophelia with DPN's sticking painfully out of her one arm, or a one-armed Diva (that last arm? Never. Ends). However, I thought I'd bring out some actual finished Alice/Jade Starmore projects to show. It was our Lorraine's idea - while yapping on the phone with her yesterday, she made the suggestion.

St. Brigid

My favourite... I was almost mugged by Lorraine and Anne at a DKC meeting in the spring wearing it. I take that as a compliment!

She is from "Aran Knitting", knit in AS' 3-ply Hebridean yarn in the Limpet shade.

The only change I made was to not work the ribbed section above the cable border at the neckline. I simply didn't like the way it looked, so I ripped it back. I like the look of it the way it is.



Butterfly

My lovely "Butterfly" vest, designed by Jade Starmore, and purchased through the Virtual Yarns site, using 2-ply Hebridean.

This is my most comfy vest. I omitted the button band. Boobage got in the way... But I like it this way; she has a very "Nehru" look, and goes with ANYTHING!

Ain't she a beaut?!




Heart Bag


My almost-everyday bag in the winter time. Design is from Alice Starmore, purchased through Virtual Yarns. It's worked using 2 strands of 3-ply Hebridean yarn held together, and knit tightly.

The result is a very sturdy bag!






Oriental Flower


This design is from Jade, purchased through Virtual Yarns. It's a stranded design, with a pocket in front. I ended up felting the finished bag as I didn't work it tight enough. It would sag down to the ground once I put my stuff into it. I love the look, and it's a lot sturdier.

It's such a cheery bag, and I use it a lot in the winter to brighten up my blah black winter coat.




Not bad, huh? Not pictured - Sand Dance by Jade, and Scalpay by Alice. Both were gifts, so I don't have pictures of them. I do plan on making Sand Dance again though for myself...

OK - so what Starmore projects do I have waiting in the wings? These are the ones that have yarn and patterns, therefore are ready to start:

* Henry VIII
* Mary Tudor
* Rosarie vest
* Fulmar (still undecided on the yarn though...)
* Valtos (started, but frogged because I messed up...bad. May or may not re-do.)
* St. Columba (the colour I ordered is lovely, but not suitable I think.)
* Birdsfoot Scarf (love the colour I ordered, but not the best shade for the scarf detail)

I also plan on working Elizabeth I, and AS' VK Winter 1994 cardigan. And, there are many others I'd like to work on too...

*sigh*

We won't even get into my Poetry in Stitches and Norskstrikedesign projects... Or the J&S ones either... Or Lorraine's...

Oh, and the quilt? Christmas pressie from my way-cool sister Renee. She is very talented, and creative!

De-stashing

Seeing as I'm pretty comfortable in the knowledge that I've found my niche in knitting, I'm now left with a pile of yarn, although lovely, I will probably never use. Once I get my act together, I'm going to list it all, and post it in our "E-Mail News" at work. We're a national company, so hopefully it'll get good exposure. Good stuff too - Debbie Bliss, Noro, Rowan (including cotton...*shudder* I am NO FAN of cotton...what the hell was I thinking), Karabella Aurora, some Zara... What's scary is that I'm sure to have some I didn't even realize I had.

So, what's a good mark-down to charge on the original price? It's all in excellent condition, the Little Dudes haven't been near any of it, and no smoke either. I want to get rid of it, but not give it away.

I'm keeping the AS and J&S (duh), any Aran weight, some Noro and Mission Falls, the Briggs and Little, Lopi, and the Fleece Artist/HandMaiden.

Let me know what your suggestion would be!!!

Have a wonderful, relaxing Sunday Knitsters!

GO FRANCE!!!

Uh, Didn't I Have Two?

So, while on the GO Train coming home, knitting away on my socks, I started thinking of some of the sock yarn I could use for the some of the neat sock patterns from the latest Knitty. I remembered I had some Lorna's Laces already wound up and ready to go, somewhere on one of my bookshelves. Cool, says I.

What's so funky about this picture? No, I'm not showing off part of my knitting book collection (which includes a SIGNED copy of Wendy Knits courtesy of my buddy Rachel H., thank you very much).

What's funky is that there is only ONE. And there should be TWO.






Coincidence??







Methinks Monsieur Atticus has been surfing the 'net while I'm away at work, learning from his mentor, Chaos on how to best use yarn as a tool for revenge for the attention it takes away from Mom.

Knitsters, I cannot find the friggin' yarn. ANYWHERE. I've looked everywhere imaginable in this place - under the fridge, the couch, in the litter box even. It has disappeared. Probably ate it. I've a few other "not in a million years" locations I can search, but I will tip my hat to the little Dude if he did manage to stash it there. W. T. F.

And, I'm also thinking - how the hell did he even GET to the skein in the first place?? I do not want to think about it...

Madame la Hanne Falkenberg's Diva

You really have to check out these latest Fair Isle wonders:

Marina's Grant Avenue! She added arms, and it looks fabulous! I love the choice of main colours on the main body and arms. Blue and gold are a perfect combination. I LOVE it, Marina!

And Wendy, that most prolific and mondo-cool of knitters, has completed Mara. I'm normally not a fan of V-neck cardigans, but I really love the look of this one.

Looking at those two FO's really motivates me to get my ass in gear and finish up Ophelia. I have arms to complete, but - for now I'm knittin' like it's 1999 so that I can finish up "Diva" (above). The body - done. Sleeves - one down, one to go. And wouldn't you know it, I've totally forgotten how to knit! Only restarted the damn cuff on the 2nd sleeve 8 TIMES because I kept forgetting what a YO is. Spaz. Hey, and you know what? I tried it on - and she FITS perfectly!!!

'Cause guess what I discovered?!?!

I've been using the wrong needle size this whole bloody time. Brigitte...geez... It's suppose to be a 3mm, and oh lookie - it's a 3.25mm! Great!

I don't even know how that happened. But, it does work. And thanking the Knit Goddess that it does.

It is never dull here at Chez les Cats...

Hyperventilating

Breathe in...breathe out...breathe in...breathe out...

Oh. So, just a quick note to let you know that the Garnstudio site is now back up and running!

And I double checked - yes, the freebies are still there.

I just noticed they have a section for Norwegian patterns *breathing into paper bag*... The Ladies section has a ton of patterns, so you may have to scroll through a few pages. They even have Arans *passes out, thunk*!

Knitsters, I love me a free knit pattern, but I'm loving these free FAIR ISLE / NORWEGIAN / ARAN patterns even more.

I'm not crapping you either. The goods that never go out of style. Free.

Dudes. I'm going to lie down.

Happy Things

It's a lovely, lazy Sunday here in Toronto! How are things where you are? The Little Dudes have this lazy thing down pat. Atticus - a squishy pose just for you Lorraine - looking a little too well-fed, wouldn't you say?! He's about 18lbs, and could stand to lose a couple, but he's still a big cat. Baby Mae, equally squishy, but in a squish-me-I'm-so-soft-and-cute way, is much more restrained when it comes to food. That message their stomachs send their brains saying - I'm full, thank you very much? Pretty much lost on Atticus.

I'm Ready For My Closeup, Mr. DeMille...

What's this?! Well, hello there Ophelia neckline!

She requested to be photographed lounging in my wee deck garden in the early morning light, before the sun became a bit too toasty for her. Her shoulders are grafted, stitches picked up, and her neckband knitted up! Yay me! Am I being too anal Virgo, or does the neckband look a bit loose?

I am very pleased at how she is turning out. Next up - she gets arms! From what I'm reading, I seem to be in the minority when it comes to using DPN's for the neckband and arms. I actually prefer using DPN's over a short circular. Something about the crappy joins driving me batty. I've never had a problem adjusting my tension when going from circular to DPN's...and I find I can "grip" the piece better. It feels more secure in my hands. Or maybe I'm just weird...

So, I think I will pay some much deserved attention on Amphora today, and finish up HF's Diva. Yes, you heard it - finish up. I have a small portion of the right side shawl collar and one arm remaining to knit. Then. Complete. Sweet mother of purl.

It was a quiet Canada Day here yesterday. A BBQ, and mojitos and beer (can't do this drinking thing anymore), and natural fireworks courtesy of Mother Nature! I love me a good thunderstorm! Atticus? Not so much. He tends to find a corner and scrunch himself up in a ball. Mae? Couldn't care less. She'll sit next to the open window, and take it all in. When it comes to the vacuum cleaner - all I need to do is take it out of the closet and she's gone. Doesn't bother Atticus in the least. Oh, but he's afraid of the Swiffer. Mae just laughs at him... She is very sweet towards him when he tenses up when it rains or storms - she'll cuddle up next to him and clean his face.

Anyone who thinks that animals do not have feelings or personalities...don't want to know you. The Little Dudes have more personality than, well, than some people.

From the Whoa File!

Hey, how's this for impressive?! Go check out Cynthia's blog! Not only is she putting together a fabulous Fair Isle, but she is knitting up a sweater from yarn she is spinning from a DROP SPINDLE. Dude. I salute you! And it looks GREAT! Now that's an example of stocking stitch I could handle. Just knitting away on my own handspun...so cool.

And our Hammy is putting out yet another beautiful design - Delphine. I'm sold. I love the colours, and the motifs are so clean. Wow!

Right - how is it I never knew about this? Garnstudio (the site seems to be down now though), that most generous of Norwegian companies, have a bazillion of their patterns posted. For. Free. What makes it so cool is that they have a lot of Fair Isle / Norwegian stranded patterns - and NICE ones - up there too. So, if you go to the "Women's Patterns", and sort by tension, you'll get the good stuff first. Some of them are worked in cotton/silk tweed, but, oh well. They can easily be converted to Shetland, I'm sure. I barely scratched the surface before their server imploded (or maybe they just cut me off!)... Unfortunately, I can't read Norwegian (duh), so I can't tell what the server error message is.

I will never be able to knit everything I want...but dammit I can try!

In a couple of days, it's July 4, so Happy 4th of July to all my American friends from myself and the Little Dudes!!