A Coffee Extravaganza

Well, let me just say that I am one lucky lady! Once again I've been given a wonderful generous swap partner. This time it was Roe for the Spring Fling Coffee and Yarn Swap. I got the card in the mailbox on Friday night, but of course wasn't around when the post office was open to go pick it up. That is, until yesterday. On a day where I truly felt like one of those little cartoon characters who walk around with a thunder cloud over their head. Boy was I in need of cheering up, and Roe's parcel was just the thing to do it!

I didn't get a chance to open my parcel until well into the evening. After meeting with my lawyer, after meeting with a real estate agent (both appointments serving to make me crankier by the minute by the way) I finally could dive into the heavy box sent from New York!

I opened the box to find a treasure trove of goodies packed inside. Coffee like I've never seen before; Cinnamon, Pecan Torte, Swiss Chocolate, and Hazelnut Cream. Treats such as chocolate covered coffee beans, biscotti, Walker's shortbread and a delectable box of chocolate "coffee cups" - I am picturing a mocha flavoured mousse in those! Then there were the mugs. Yes. I said mugs. A fantastic New York mug and then a great (it's purple... how could it not be great?) travel mug that has a filter that attaches so I can make coffee on the go. Oh and I can't forget the bath type stuff (for lack of a better category). Two summery lip balms, a coffee bath bomb and then the prettiest soaps ever - made by Roe herself I may add! Roe also sent me two skeins of Koigu - I lurve Koigu - and a skein of Vicki Howell's "Love" bamboo yarn, which is as soft as butter! She also included some patterns; Pomatomous - too funny given I've been itching to make that one as of late - another sock pattern that looks great and then a tulip patterned cloth. (Roe - you've noticed my love of tulips I see!)

So a HUGE thank you goes out to Roe for sending me a fantastic Coffee Swap parcel. Roe - you are a swapper extraordinaire!

In knitting news, I finished my purple Artichoke socks last Friday. I've just not been near the computer long enough to post the picture of them! I really like them - the fit is great and the pattern was so quick and easy. They only took a week to knit the pair. What more could a girl ask for?

I also did some work on my sleeves of my Gathered Pullover. A very little bit. I'm feeling somewhat guilty, because instead of staying strong and resisting the urge to start another project, I quickly put aside the sleeves of greyness for something light and summery. I fell victim to my Jade Bamboo and the Josephine Top pattern from last summer's Interweave Knits. I wasn't going to, but Saturday was so sunny and warm, it kept calling to me and I couldn't hold out any longer!

On the sewing front (you'll remember I was all talk not too long ago about the fact that I was going to get sewing like a fiend?) well - it hit a snag. My machine was on it's last legs. It was on death's doorstep. It would hardly go at all. Old faithful friend of 18 years, it just was too tired to continue. So - I retired it and bought a new one. Just a plain, simple Singer machine. Nothing fancy, no bells, no whistles. But hopefully it will last me as long as my last Singer did. 18 years of hard work and overuse is nothing to be sneezed at. However, new machines make me nervous. You have to get to know them, learn their quirks, settle into a relationship with them. And I've not had the right frame of mind to do so yet. So my sewing has sat untouched for days now. Maybe this weekend. We'll see.

Busily patting myself on the back for productivity!

The other being Friday and therefore "Knit Night" I was able to do quite a bit of knitting. Not on any of my ongoing works in progress, but on an entirely new project and one that I wasn't even contemplating in my Ravelry queue list. So what happened? Well - my fickle self happened. I was going through my knitting files at work on Friday - yes. I do have a knitting file on my computer at work. Why you ask? Well in the winter when it's too cold to sit outside I take my break and lunch at my desk and obsessively search for patterns. Honest, just on my breaks. I swear. Ahem...

Anyways...

So I stumbled upon Artichoke Socks in my file and I thought what the heck are those? (I always delete the pictures when I'm copying and pasting into word from the Internet to print something) So I googled it and this is what I came up with. Meg's Artichoke Socks. And then I remembered seeing them on Knittywhipped. Go ahead click on the link to her blog. She has a definate way with words, which is what got me saving Artichoke in the first place.

So too make a long story short, I started Artichoke Friday morning on my coffee break and got the whole first sock done by mid-afternoon yesterday. I am a third of the way into the second sock today. This is one fast pattern. It's super easy to memorize and seems to speed along nicely. My only complaint (and nothing to do with the pattern at all!) is my yarn. Now maybe it's just me, or maybe this is the way the yarn is supposed to be, but all of a sudden after turning the heel the colour of the yarn changed for about an inch and a half, then went back to being it's pretty purple self. I'm telling my self it's ok. No one will notice. If they're that close to my foot, well then that's their problem, but still. It's annoying and bugs my obsessive compulsive self. Not enough to rip it all out and start again or anything, but just enough to be kind of like a mosquito buzzing in your ear. Is this common for this yarn? It's JoJoland Superwash. Anyone had any experience with this? But the long and the short of it is, the pattern is super easy. The fit is great and what the heck, they still look pretty if I don't look at the weird splotch on the foot.

This weekend I also finished Summerlin. I'm so happy how the turned out! I LURVE them! The little girls got them yesterday and of course the mommies changed them right away to snap a picture. Poor Alex was drowning in her dress. I promised to make her a smaller size so she can wear hers this summer (rather than wait until she's about 10!) She's apparently alot tinier than I figured on. But the babies' dresses fit perfectly. So here's the three little cousins in their brand new dresses!

I also sat down at the ol' sewing machine to start working on my dresses. I've cut both out and had I not run out of brown thread - 300 spools of thread in this house and nary a brown one - I would have had a new frock to wear to work tomorrow, but alas... maybe in a couple of days!

I'm feeling great about how much I got done this weekend. Of course my house still looks a fright and there is clutter on every available flat surface in the house, but I got loads done creative wise, five loads of laundry washed and folded, and even took time to make a roast beef dinner complete with yorkshire puddings for supper tonight. I am queen of my world this weekend I tell you! Tomorrow reality shall hit and I'll once again be just a mere little cog in the machine that is called work, but for now, I shall relish in my accomplishments!

One project down, three more to go

Of the boring projects that is! Well, ok. They're not bad projects, I'm just bored with them because it's the same old stitch over and over. I need something with interest, something fun...

Last Friday night I valiantly tried to finish my socks, but you know it's time to put them down, when you're actually catching yourself dozing off mid-stitch. I managed to get all the way to half way through the toe decreases, so figured I'd earned the time off to sleep by then anyways! Saturday morning I was up bright and early and managed to finish off the socks, darn in the ends and wear them that day! Oh happy me! They are so comfy in my shoes. Lovin' them! :)

Sunday morning I decided I should have a little reward for being so good about finishing my socks, so I cast on for the first of what is to be three Summerlin. Let me tell you this is an awesome pattern and if you have a little girl to knit for and you posess any basic sewing skills, go cast on now. You won't regret it. It takes no time at all! I decreased the 1 year old size in equal increments to create a 6 month old size, then again to create a 3 month old size. I finished the baby bodices on Sunday and the bigger one on Monday.
I also did a couple more inches on my Montego Bay Scarf and at SnB, Wednesday night, I worked on the sleeves of my Gathered Pullover! I feel good that I've been so productive! I may switch gears for a bit though and focus on some sewing, but we'll see. I do seem to always revert back to my obsession with string and sticks no matter what intentions I have for fabric and thread. That being said, this week I did buy some lovely fabric for a little summer frock, and some black and cream satin for a bit of a fancier dress. I should also get my hiney in gear and make G and new national vest for the Mid-Canada Competition next month. I've had the velvet for it going on two years now. Although I suppose that's really nothing. I've had the velvet for a new highland jacket for her for about four years. Ahem. Procrastination perhaps?

Oh! As promised, I thought I'd share a picture of G and her dance teacher, Lor(who also happens to be (BF)G's neice)and baby Emilie. Emilie got all sorts of lovely comments that day on her outfit. I'm sure my head was quite swollen from all the praise and I'm surprised it actually fit through the door by the time I got back home!

Friday, sweet Friday

How I love Fridays!!!! I'm not talking about during the day, while I'm still at work. I'm talking about starting at 4pm. When I walk out the front door here at work. I can feel the tension of the week melting away bit by bit with each step I take towards the parking lot. Friday night is what I like to think of in my little world as "Knit Night". I know I've mentioned this before in previous posts, and if you're reading this chances are you're a knitter and therefore will understand my complete joy at sitting at home on a Friday night curled up on the couch with my knitting at hand. I love nothing better than a "Knit Night".

Today promises to be no exception. Everything should go according to plan. (BF)G is making supper tonight - BBQ Chicken and home-made fries, so I don't even have to think about that. My only diversions away from my knitting tonight are the alarm guys are coming to install an extra key pad for us sometime between 5pm and 8pm and I have to remember to pick G up from her part time job at McDonalds at 8pm. Other than that the night is mine.

(BF)G and I always try to keep Friday nights as free nights. We don't go out, we don't have people over, we simply don't make plans (and we're always somewhat cranky if something does crop up that we can't get out of). It's our only night off that we can spend together. And tonight the kids are home from their dad's so it's even better. Our house will be filled with laughter and noise! Every second week the kids are with their dad and "switch over" is Friday before supper, so while I still enjoy those evenings, both (BF)G and I like it best on the weeks the kids come back home!

Tonight's knitting will be my second sock. I'm really liking knitting with the "On Your Toes" in bamboo. There's something about the texture that almost massages my fingers as I work with it. It's also super soft, but gives the impression of being really strong too. My only complaint is that sometimes the threads are kind of splitty so I have to be a bit careful, but other than that, I'm really liking it!

I have a plan. I'm making myself finish at least one of what I'm thinking of as my now boring WIP first before I will allow myself to cast on for something new (and therefore exciting). I figure the socks are the easiest to finish. Then my Montego Bay (I've only about 20 inches at most left to go, which sounds like a lot, but really it's fast moving when I'm not inadvertently pulling all the stitches off the needle! Last but not least will be the sleeves of my Gathered Pullover. I really have no motivation for that one. It's a winter sweater after all and my heart (and hands) long for something summery.

Of course this plan is not written in stone. If you've read any of my other posts, you'll know that I'm very fickle! What seems like a perfectly logical well laid out plan for success can be tossed out on a moment's whim upon sight of a new pattern or new yarn.

So here's hoping all goes according to plan and that the gods of free time allow me my one evening of the week to do as I please! To all else who plan to do the same as myself, may you have a happy, fun and productive "Knit Night" of your own!

Coffee Swap Assignment #6

We'll go free form this week - Post about your WIPs, post about your package, post about the weather where you are - just be sure to include that the post is for the Spring Fling Weekly Topic somewhere inside it when you tell us it's there! I'd love to hear how folks are enjoying the goodies they received, if they have, or how much fun you had shopping for your pal!

Where to begin for this one. I know. A popular subject today here in my prairie home town... the weather. So much for spring. I know I mentioned "snow showers" in my last posting as well, but I figure this deserves another mention. It's what makes us prairie-folk hardy (or crazy, not sure which really). Yesterday it snowed. It snowed to beat the band. In fact as I was driving over to the other end of town for the highland dance competition it was snowing so fiercely it looked like December 4th not May 4th! Luckily, for the sake of all those annoyed by the white stuff, it was for the most part melting as it hit the ground, but seriously folks. This is just about enough. The weather forecast was calling for +19C yesterday not snow!!!!!!!!!! If one can believe the forecast - and the aforementioned statement about what the weather was supposed to be like yesterday should make you all realize what folly that can prove to be - it is to be sunny the rest of the week. We shall see...

In terms of knitting, I finished my sock on Saturday night! Managed to get myself completely obsessed with the lure of finishing it that I stayed up way too late as a matter of fact and then found it hard to be all bright eyed and bushy tailed for the morning competition, but I just blamed it on the weather. Not the fact that I was silly and obsessed with a sock. Many wouldn't have understood. Last night I jumped right into starting the second sock in effort to ward off second sock syndrome.

Of course the Montego Bay scarf and Gathered Pullover still sit, untouched (but not unloved) for the time being. Actually - Montego Bay was going to get some loving attention yesterday during the comptetion, but when I pulled it out of the bag, much to my horror I pulled the wrong needle and half the stitches came off and I was too saddened by the resulting dropped stitch mess that I just picked up the stitches as I could without thinking too much and tucked it quietly back in the bag.

As for the coffee swap, I am a little behind in my mailing goals. I had hoped to have it sent off already, but unfortunately hit a wee snag in whole business. The snag being that between being away last weekend and having to worry about finalizing competition registration this past week I've not had time to get to the handmade portion of the parcel. Now - I realize the fact that I had time to finish my sock makes it sound kind of lame that I was too busy for the other project, but let's just say the other project doesn't involve yarn and instead involves a different kind of craft which is too loud to be done late at night, when the rest of the household is trying to sleep. But the remainder of the parcel is already to go and I am really excited about it! I really, really hope my partner likes it too!

An outfit for a wee highland lassie

I actually finished this last week before heading out to Toronto, but haven't had any time to upload the picture until now! When little Emilie was born a couple of weeks ago, I suddenly took a notion into my head that it would be really cute to make her a little highland outfit for a shower gift. I'd made a blanket for her already (gave that to her at the hospital as you may recall), so wanted something completely different. I remembered the old pattern I had of Grandma's that was for little "Mary-Jane" booties and thought it would suit perfectly for a pair of wee ghillies. Eliminate the ankle strap, add a length of ribbon and bob's your uncle. The wee kilt was supposed to be in the same tartan as G's national outfit, which is a beautiful Dress Red Cunningham, but could I find the left over fabric anywhere in my house??? NO! Of course I couldn't. Oh well. I'm not sure what the tartan is that I ended up using. If someone knows please let me know, but I think it's pretty anyways.

Of course I wasn't at the shower to see the reaction to the outfit as I was enroute back home from Toronto, but by all accounts it was well received. Mommy Lorraine hopes to put the outfit on baby girl on Sunday to wear while she "cheers" G on at the provincial championships. She says it doesn't matter if it's too big - it's the perfect day to wear it! Perhaps next week I'll have a picture of our highland lassies together to show off!

In other knitting news, I finally had picked up my Clemetine Shawlette again only to realize it was so full of mistakes there was no point in continuing. I frogged it back to the beginning and packed it to take to Toronto. Five starts... I kid you not! Five times I tried and five times I failed. I failed to get past about row 10 without mistakes. So it's back in the frog pond to be looked at later, when I'm not bitter.

I am thoroughly bored with my Gathered Pullover's sleeves and I've got about 12 more inches to go at least. Ho hum. No interest in it what so ever. My Montego Bay scarf has suffered the same fate. I guess I can only do the same repeat of rows for so long before my brain begs for something different, so it's on hiatus too. I think it'll be a good SnB project. I can chat away and not notice the miles and miles of the same stitch over and over again!

So... And you knew this was coming! I started a new project in Toronto. Just a pair of socks, but they're soft and pretty. I am using On Your Toes Bamboo in a greyish-blue with hints of pink colourway. So far I'm really liking them, although I see the potential for Second Sock Syndrome given that they're just stocking stitch except for the top band of lacy-ness.

Coffee Swap Assignment #5

You know with Spring the famous saying goes "April Showers, bring May flowers", please tell us what you like to do when those April Showers are pouring down on you. Do you like to curl up with your knitting, take in a movie or crawl back in bed?

What are April Showers? I am unfamiliar with this concept unless you mean April SNOW showers! ha ha!

I'm sorry - you just have to laugh about it otherwise it would drive you slowly mad living here! Last week we had beautiful sunshine-y weather. The yard was finally drying up and it felt like spring was in the air. Then it got cooler and cooler all week long until Thursday when the mercury plummeted and we got a snow storm. Yes, you did read that correctly. A SNOW STORM. Now fortunately we weren't as badly off as Calgary with their horrendous amounts of snow, but chances are, they've warmed up now and here we sit in, well not quite cold enough to be called a deep freeze, let's just call it a fridge. Brrrr. Hope "springs" eternal though and it is suppose to be sunny all week long and by the end of the week they're calling for 14C. Keep your fingers and toes crossed for me will you?

Anyways, onto matters at hand... I love rainy days when I have the luxury of keeping cozy warm inside the house. I love to wear my sweats and hoodie, and a pair of cozy wool socks, put the kettle on and park myself on the couch and knit to my heart's content. Of course first I've made something hearty and warming (soup, chili, or stew) in the crock pot for supper. More often though, I'm grabbing my rain jacket, and umbrella if I can find it and heading out to where ever I have to be at that particular moment.

In other news, I'm back from a brief trip to Toronto. I had a "field trip" to the university and it was absolutely fantastic! I really did feel like the little country bumpkin gone to the big city, but not for any reason other than the sheer size of the library there. Previously, when I first started my library career I worked at one of the largest highschools in the province, so it stood to reason that our library was very large (or so I thought). Then I transferred here to the university and I work in the largest library in our system and I remember being amazed at the size of it. So here was little me under the assumption that Dafoe was huge. Then I went to the Robarts library on Friday at the U of T. All 14 floors of it!!!!! WOW! I have to say, I was lagging a little in my enthusiasm for library work as of late, but seeing U of T and talking "shop" with the people I met down there has sort of given my enthusiasm the "jolt" it needed to get back in my groove.

Toronto is fun for other reasons too, of course besides their large library! I met a few knitters there that gave me directions to Romni Wools! I guess alot of things are just bigger there because I've never seen such a large wool shop in all my life! I was overwhelmed. I roamed the aisles over and over upstairs and down. In the end I bought a couple of patterns and a few skeins of yarn, but really couldn't even focus on what I wanted! Apparently I was hitting TO at a good time too, as they were having a fibre festival. It was going to be tight timing, but I was busily making plans to sneek over to that before heading out to Oakville on Saturday evening for a BBQ with my friend. Then the TTC went on strike and put a halt to that. I didn't figure I'd be able to easily get a cab for love or money, and with transit down, there was no way to get to the festival, so I settled for walking to Kensington Market to Lettuce Knits for a little peruse around their shop. All in all a good "knitterly" time!

Coffee Swap Assignment #4

Let's pretend for a minute we all live in the home of our dreams, have land, and don't have to work so time is unlimited! It's Spring planting season! What would you grow? A little veggie garden? A bed of bright spring blooms? Or is your thumb so far from green that the only thing you'd be planting is your tushy into a nice chair on the porch to get some knitting or crocheting done in the nice breeze?

I would definately have a veggie garden and a flower bed! Growing up, my mom always planted at least two huge (and by huge I mean bigger than the space of my entire lot here in the city) gardens. One year she actually had three. I miss the fun of planting a garden and the opportunity to decide I want beans for supper and just run outside to pick some! In my veggie garden you would find tomatoes, radishes, lettuce, beans and peas. Oh and potatoes. There's nothing as good as baby potatoes! I forgot the onions and chives too. Oh and throw in a zucchini plant as well, because even though as a kid I dreaded the always bumper crop of zucchini, in adulthood I've grown fond of it and almost choke every time I spend money on buying a teeny tiny one at the grocery store. Of course I'd also like to have the rows of strawberry plants and rasberry bushes Mom used to have as well!

As for flowers, well there I'd follow my Great Aunt Flora's lead and have lavender and bee balm, clemantis and daisies. I'd also want some petunias, bachelor buttons and lillies in there as well. And hostas. Lots of hostas!

I'd fill flower boxes and planters all along my verandah - you did say it was the house of my dreams, right? If it is then there is a verandah along the entire front of the house. And when the summer sun is high in the sky, the breeze is blowing the scent of the flowers in the air, I could sit on my wicker chair on the verandah and knit to my heart's content surrounded by bright colours!

Sigh... now off to check the Environment Canada's website again to see if they've cancelled our "Winter Storm Warning" that is in effect for today and tomorrow...

Ramblings from a tired mind...

It's Monday and I'm tired. Not sure why I'm so tired, just am. So please excuse any strange ramblings today. I'll try to stay focused, I just can't promise it!

So, on Friday night I had to drive G up to the Interlake to her dance camp. It was a beautiful night for a drive. The sun shining, the temperatures warm, spring definately in the air. I got her up there in good time and was promptly dismissed - "Ok - see ya Sunday afternoon, Mom." - and she was off!

So I got back in the van about five minutes after getting out of it and began the just over an hour trek back to the city. Since it was such a lovely evening I decided to take a detour and head back towards the lake for a few minutes.

Spring time on Lake Winnipeg near Camp Morton

Closer view of the lake after a somewhat slippery trek down a muddy hill

After taking some pictures and frightening a flock of birds off the water I got back in the van and headed back out to the highway. Along my way I came across something that caused me to pull off the road and take another picture. There was just something so odd about the sight.

For Sale? For Sail?

Boat in farmer's field near Gimli, MB.

It had a for sale sign, so I guess that explains the reason for the boat in the farmer's field. As I said, it just struck me as a strange place for a boat to be!

When I got home I decided it would be a good time to start knitting Clue 1 of the Mystery Lace KAL that I signed up for. Here's the result. I think it's quite pretty!

Clue 1 (Rows 1-20) Mystery Lace KAL

Knit in Malabrigo Lace

Coffee Swap Assignment # 3 and an FO!

Part One: The Assignment

Tell us how you started drinking coffee. Were you in high school or college and making it through all nighters? Did you get it from a family member? What drives your love of the bean?

Although I always loved the smell of coffee I was primarily a tea drinker until I was in my late twenties! In fact I remember going with my dad to the school he taught at once when I would have been about 14 or 15 and being given a cup of coffee. I could hardly choke it down even with the four or five packets of sugar and creamer that I put in it.

It wasn't until I was about 27 and having a terrible time with my first serious asthma attack that I started what has become an addiction to coffee! I'd was taking my inhalers about once every two hours (as prescribed) and going back to the dr. for treatment each morning and yet I was still not able to get any relief from the coughing that is my main symptom of my asthma. I was staying with my Mom at the time because I'd come into visit and the dr. told me not to drive the 2 1/2 hours back to the town I lived in as he was worried I'd not make it there with all the stubble burning in the fields at the time.

Mom started giving me hot coffee as a way to soothe the cough (she'd read somewhere that it was a good home remedy) and kept giving it to me when we noticed it was having some helpful effects. I must have drank cup after cup in desperation that week! Ten years later, I drink coffee every morning and still rely on it when my breathing starts getting really bad!

I love the taste, the smell, the warmth of it! Hmmm... think I'll have to go get myself a cup!

Part Two: The FO

As previously mentioned in my last post, I caved into the pressure of G's desire for a Two-Toned Fitted Shrug. I'm really glad that I did! I finished it last night and she was thoroughly surprised! I only had a few rows left to go so was sitting in the kitchen trying to finish it up while she was in the other room watching TV. At one point N came through the kitchen and inquired, "Whatcha knitting this time mom?" See? A 13 year old boy notices when I'm doing a different project! Not so for "G the Oblivious"! She wandered into the kitchen and started chatting away. I figured the jig was up and she was going to for sure realize what it was. But nope. She wandered away and then came back as I was casting off the last stitch. "Whatcha knitting mom? Is it a Robbie sweater?" "Nope," I replied. "Is it an Emilie Jennifer sweater?" "Nope," I replied and then held up the finished product for her to see. With a squeal of delight, "Is it a Gwennie sweater?!?!?!" "Yep!!" I said. She put it on and wore it the rest of the evening!

Two-Toned Fitted Shrug from Fitted Knits

So here's the specs.

Yarn: One ball each of black and heather grey Paton's Decor (total cost $8.40!)

Size: Smallest - 13" from shoulder to shoulder

Started: April 7/08 Finished: April 14/08 (Knit on the sly for the most part when G wasn't around so really a very quick knit!)

Mods: None what so ever! I loved this pattern for her!

Drum roll please...

The baby blanket is done! I think it looks cute. It's big and cuddly.

So in a matter of days I've knocked two WIP onto the FO list! I'm feeling mighty pleased with myself about the whole business! And to top it off, unlike two months ago or so when I was in an absolute scramble to finish the baby hoodie mere moments before leaving for the shower, the baby blanket is done ahead of time! I'm feeling somewhat smug, but really has nothing to do with me and everything to do with the fact that baby hasn't been born yet. Well - it's a first baby, due date was only yesterday, but the main thing is... I'm DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Quick update! Between typing this post and actually getting around to taking the pic and posting to my blog, baby has now been born. Welcome to the world baby girl! Hope you like your blankie!)

Emilie Jennifer

Back to the project details now.  I'm trying to be good about including specs now when I show a finished project as I always appreciate that from others so here goes:

Pattern: Knitted Angel Blanket
Yarn: 3 balls of Red Heart Baby Clouds in Seaspray (I think)

I knit the pattern as written, right down to the size.

Despite my trying to be stern and make myself finish my current WIP before starting something new, I failed miserably yet again. You see my downfall came when G was looking through my patterns last Friday and came across the Two-Toned Fitted Shrug from Fitted Knits. "Oh Mom! I love that! Oh I'd totally wear that all the time. It would be so great with my tanks. Then I could wear a tank top to school, but still have something covering my shoulders (requirement of rarely enforced dress code). I'd like in in black and grey." Well suffice it to say I folded like a cheap shirt and the next day was off to Ram Wools where they were having a sale. I decided to use Paton's Decor, which normally I wouldn't choose, but it'll be washable and the price was right. $8.40 got me the two balls required for this project. It's coming along quite quickly. No complaints so far. Maybe I can get it done by the end of the weekend for her! Then I'll go back to you my Gathered Pullover. Promise.

Coffee Swap Assignment 2

Since some of us is beginning to see glimpse of Spring, while others are still getting snow have you change what projects are working on? Have you put away the hats, scarfs and mittens, and brought out the cute tank top sweater projects and lacy wraps? Have you change yarn to something more lighter and cooler, not so heavy and bulky?

Well I hesitate to say it on the off chance it will jinx it, so I'll just say it very, very quietly. Sssshhhhh... I think that spring is finally arriving. Of course, I could be wrong, because this is the prairies afterall and in the last five years at least once it snowed in May. I remember the date even. May 11/04. I remember it because the next day was the first snow day of the year that staff did not have to report to school the next day. Which was stupid because it was blizzarding to beat the band on the afternoon of the 11th as I made the long horredous drive back to the city, but by the morning of May 12th when they cancelled classes and told us that we didn't need to report the snow had pretty much melted on the highways. But whatever. I remember it was kind of a fun day. And to further my point about the prairies and not trusting spring is here until it's actually summer is that just on Friday night, when I peaked out the window at 11:00pm it was snowing like December out there. So there you go. One never knows. But if I'm to trust the weather forecasters, this week seems pretty spring like to me. Here's hoping.

Anyways onto matters at hand. I'm still knitting scarves and sweaters and blankets. But the scarf is in luxurious Fleece Artist Sea Silk so it's light and airy and so lovely to knit with! The sweater is in a dull flannel grey (see yesterday's post)but all I've left to do is the sleeves so it would seem a shame to put it away now. At least this way I have half a chance of having it ready for the cooler temps in the fall! And the blanket, well that's a baby gift for a baby whose due date is tomorrow, so there's no choice but to finish it. Besides. After last night's efforts I only have 10 rows left to go and then weave in the ends and "Bob's your uncle, Fanny's your aunt", I'll be done. I did of course take a break from the wintery wear last week and knit my Tiny Tulip Socks as a ode to the birth of spring!

This of course is not to say that I've not been dreaming of switching it up and knitting summery delights! A couple of things right now at the top of my list are the Josephine Top from Interweave Knits and Lanaknits Lacy Little Top.

But first things first. I need to at least finish the baby blanket!!!!

Fastest sock pattern ever!

I am so happy to tell you that I finished my Tiny Tulip socks yesterday!!!

Pattern: Tiny Tulips
Yarn: Merino Tencel Blend - custom dyed by Lizzie's Wonderland 350 yds I think, but there's oodles left over making this a great one skein pair of socks!
Started: 9:00pm Saturday, March 29th Finished: 4:30pm Saturday, April 5th Making these the fastest sock pattern ever!!!
Notes: Only one mod - when I started the foot of the sock instead of knitting two stitches at the end of needle two, I k2tog so that I would have a symetrical reapeat of pattern - not necessary to the sock - just to my obsessive compulsive brain. I love this pattern! It fits absolutely perfectly! I always find that my hand knit socks end up a bit snug at the leg and a bit sloppy on the foot, but these ones turned out as if the pattern was written exactly for me! I can hardly wait to wear them today! :)


In other knitting news, I was working away on the baby blanket last night - baby's due any day, but I just found out the shower will be on April 27th so I've got some time. I'm 2/3 done and have suddenly in the last row dropped a stitch somewhere. Urrgghhh. It's going to be a challenge to spot it I think with this yarn! It's so fluffy. So this morning rather than face the search of the drop stitch I picked up my gathered pullover again. I only had a few rows to go to finish off the back, so off I went. Being stocking stitch my mind began to wander and when it stopped wandering I measured how much further I needed to go. I should really pay closer attention to what I'm doing because it ended up about four rows to much. So rip, rip, rip I went and then was able to quickly finish it off, seam it up and darn in all the ends. Now I just have the sleeves to do and the edging around the neckline. I tried it on with much trepidation because it looked sort of short and squat, but wouldn't you know it, apparently my upper body is also short and squat. It fits like a dream so far. We'll see what I manage to do to the fit once the sleeves are in, but so far so good!

Until next time... happy knitting!

Coffee Swap Assignment

So this is the first week of the Coffee Swap and we have been given the following assignment:

"Browse around some of the other blogs of participants, and find one person who enjoys a similar roast coffee to you - share something interesting about them that you find on THEIR blog, and tell us what you've been working on knitting or crochet-wise this week!"

I set to work scoping out other participants blogs and found that Gaylen likes a lighter roast coffee just like I do. But what really caught my eye was her sewing. Having a background in pattern making and design it immediately got my attention. I loved the skirts and tops she just made recently! When I went back to look at her blog again today I had to laugh, because she mentioned my name in her assignment! Great minds think alike perhaps? ha ha!

In terms of what's on my needles, I have the following:
- baby blanket for (BF)G's neice's baby (thankfully not born yet although her due date is in one week, so I really need to get cracking on that one!)
- Gathered Pullover, which I've grown bored of now that I'm hoping for spring to arrive
- Clementine shawl - although really, I'm not sure that I can count that as I've not worked on it since sitting on the lumpy bed, while icing my very swollen ankle, in my room in Huanchaco, Peru.
- Montego Bay scarf - which I was so completely excited about last week until I got the last parcel from Darcy which contained the loveliest sock yarn and pattern (do you see where this might be going???)
- and last but not least, I have just this morning cast on for the second sock of Tiny Tulip socks. They are my newest love. Take a look why!Isn't it pretty! It's the perfect spring sock, even on a bed of snow! I'll model them when I've got the pair done! :)

A banner week for mail deliveries and a FO

First off, let me say what a lucky, lucky girl I am. I am the luckiest of lucky people!

Wednesday was a bad day. A grumpy, nothing goes right kind of day. Then I phoned home and (BF)G told me I had a parcel waiting for me. Instantly I felt a little of the grumpiness slip away, a little bit of the stress of the day dissipate, a tinge of excitement taking over. Then he said, "Hmmm. It says it contains tea and chocolate." My ears perked up. What? Tea and chocolate? Well, that's not what I'm expecting! For you see, my dear Longing for Spring pal, Darcy had emailed me to say that my custom dyed yarn should be arriving from the UK any day now and I assumed that's what the parcel would be.

I got home and when straight for the parcel! It was from my downstream pal, Charlotte who'd had to wait a ridiculously long time for her swap parcel from me (so long in fact that we both gave up hope and I sent her a replacement parcel which wouldn't you know it only took about 5 days to get to her and arrived right along side the presumably lost parcel. Go figure!) Anyways, Charlotte, dear Charlotte, knowing my penchant for Newbery's Chocolate Tea - which try as I might, I can't get it here in Canada - sent me a box of tea bags, and a tin of loose tea. She also sent me a organic chocolate bar (orange flavoured - yummy!) and Chocolate Orange Jaffa cakes. Yum Yum Yum. Charlotte, you are wonderful and kind and I thank you so much for sending such a lovely surprise!
I went to work on Thursday knowing nothing could be as bad as Wednesday because after all I was armed with chocolate tea for that moment when the day's pressures got to feel like they were getting to heavy. (It works a treat I tell you! Nothing can seem that bad when there's chocolate tea to be had!)

Arriving at home on Thursday there was another parcel waiting for me on the kitchen table! With great excitement I ripped it open to find three prettily wrapped packages inside and a notecard telling me they were from Darcy. Let me tell you, she's done it again. That woman is simply amazing! She collaborated with Lizzie's Wonderland to create the loveliest shade of green yarn to go along with the pattern for Tiny Tulip Socks. Oh and there was also a sweet little matching green stitch marker and a huge, wonderful bar of chocolate. (Do these ladies know me well or what???) So once again, Darcy, I owe you a huge thank you! You are fabulous and amazing, and I swear that somehow you are right inside my head because you've sent me the perfect gifts once again!

See? I told you I was very lucky!

Now on to the FO. FINALLY the dullest pair of socks on earth are done! I thought I would never finish them, but last Friday I sat down and knit persistently until I finished. I refused to let them get the better of me and I refused to become victim of the second sock syndrome. They are done and have already been washed and worn a few times. Despite my hesitation at the Dutch Heel and it's potential to be annoying to the wearer, I'm told they are exceptionally comfortable, and exceptionally cozy. They're made from plain old grey Regia, but they'll wear well, and (BF)G is very pleased with them, so although I wanted to poke my own eyeballs out with my bamboo 2.25mm dpns on more than one occasion just as a diversion from the boredom, I am glad I made them for him afterall.

So, now if you'll excuse me, I am itching to cast on for the Tiny Tulips... And before you mention it, yes. I do fully realize I should be finishing the baby blanket, the gathered pullover and the Montego Bay scarf, but the call of the sock yarn is just too strong.

A big thank you to Darcy!

Darcy has been such an incredible swap partner in the Longing for Spring Swap. Right as the swap was beginning she went to have what was to be a fairly standard (from what I understand) surgery. What it ended up being was an experience anything but standard including a horrific and frightening sounding trip by ambulance to emergency. Darcy has been trying to recover from all this while looking after her little ones and yet she has still found time to spoil me in a spectacular manner! Relying on online shopping she has sent me two wonderful treasures so far and promises a third (customized just for me - like her other two gifts have been!) parcel is on it's way in the next week!

I was going to wait until I had all three parcels to show, but then decided I'd like to show off my gifts now because they are just to wonderful not to!

Parcel number one contained stitch markers. Not just any old stitch markers but yellow tulip stitch markers!! Tulips are my very favourite flower of all time and yellow ones are especially wonderful in my mind!

They are absolutely awesome! I LOVE them!!!

Yesterday's post had an equally special treat in it for me too! I got home to find this:

Which is an antique wooden crochet hook. I had mentioned that I want to really get into crocheting but all my hooks are old and bent up (they were a donation to me from a co-worker and although lovely of her to give them to me, let's just say they don't inspire me very much!) Let me tell you though, I think this is going to be the hook that gets me hooked so to speak! I love wood knitting needles - and I know I'm going to love this hook. It's smooth and feels well worn and wonderful in my hand - and I love the stories I've been making up in my head about it's past. I think it's grand fun to imagine the previous owner making blankets for her family - or as Darcy mentioned, maybe it could be used for rugs. Whatever the case I love things with a history and this fits me perfectly!

I have to wonder if Darcy is somehow living in my head? She is so incredibly thoughtful and awesome!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you Darcy!!!!!

Some knitting in progress...

I'm trying to be disciplined. Really. I am.

So far I've puttered away at my second sock:

I've spent some time giving my Gathered pullover attention - sorry no picture - couldn't get a good one yet

I busily worked on the baby blanket:

And best of all, I finished N's hat:

But while I've been doing all this knitting I've also been dreaming and scheming about more knitting projects. I'm now feeling the call of the following patterns. (and yes I realize that just a few short days ago the patterns calling my name were different, but now you can understand how my brain works and why I have trouble focusing on things!) In my own defense, these projects would be from my stash...

Montego Bay Scarf - using Sea Silk in the Ocean colourway - Ok to be honest between typing this and taking the pictures for the above mentioned projects so that I could post this, I actually succumbed to the call of Montego Bay... well the scarf anyways... and I am about 10 inches into it now. I am, by the way, completely in love with Sea Silk. I would marry it and live happily ever after with it if I could. It is so soft, so silky, so pretty, so wonderful!

Josephine Top - using Jade Bamboo

Answers to the Coffee Swap Questionaire (a little ahead of the game!)

Coffee

1. What is your preference? Whole beans or ground? I love whole bean coffee - there's just something about that amazing smell of coffee you've just ground!

2. What kind of coffees do you enjoy? A rich, bold roast; a light, fresh one, or something in between? Leaded or non? Although I should stick to decaf, I really prefer fully leaded! Usually a lighter roast suits me well!

3. If you were headed out right now to buy some coffee for the house, what would you be picking up? Well - I'd probably head to Starbucks for a Skinny Cinnamon Dolce Latte

4. Do you drink for caffeine, pleasure, or both? Depends on the time of day! ha ha! I guess both!

5. Do you enjoy flavored coffees? How about add-ins or flavored creamers? Mmmmm... love flavoured coffees. Don't do so well with the flavoured creamers though.

6. A large, lovely mug or a small, dainty cup? Oh give me a great big latte bowl and I'm a happy girl!

7. Describe your perfect cup - not JUST the coffee, but how you'd enjoy it! A frothy flavoured latte in a big mug or bowl and I'd be sipping it slowly while sitting on my back deck on a lawn chair with the sun shining and the birds chirping and it should be on a weekend so I don't have to think about going to work in a few minutes!

8. You're sitting down to enjoy a nice cup in the local coffee shop, knitting bag in hand, iPod all tuned up - or maybe you're there with a few friends for knit night! What treat do you pick up to enjoy with your coffee? A sweet, rich brownie, or something more healthy? How about a salty treat? What goes best with that great cup and company? I think something sweet goes perfectly with coffee. Probably a muffin or a scone. Maybe a piece of pie or cake if I'm feeling decadent.

Yarn

1. Do you knit or crochet? Knit a lot and just beginning to crochet

2. What are your favorite types of yarns to work with? Natural fibres - right now I'm excited about hemp and linen

3. What do you have on the needles (or hook!) right now? A very dull pair of socks, a pullover for myself, a hat for my son, the Clemetine Shawl, and a baby blanket (as of today anyways - who knows tomorrow - I lack focus these days and keep starting new projects)

4. What are your favorite colors in yarns? What about those that you'd never find in your stash? I am a bit weird in that I don't think I have a favourite colour as such - I like anything from pinks and purples to blues and greens to oranges and browns. Just not a big fan of neons (I overdosed on it as a teenager in the 80s I think) and pastels aren't usually my cup of tea either.

5. What sort of needles or hooks do you enjoy using? Any you just detest? I'm crazy about bamboo needles

6. Are there any particular notions you absolute do NOT need? Some of us swap a lot - are you sure that you have enough tape measures to last your lifetime? Enough stitch markers to mark every stitch of a 10 foot wide afghan? I can always use tape measures and stitch markers, but would love one of those click-y type stitch counters someday.

7. You walk into the yarn shop and have exactly and only enough money to purchase 2 skeins of yarn in their 2 for 20 special they have going..The choices are a soft, thick cotton/viscose blend in your favorite colors, slightly variegated..a beautiful sock yarn that's just squishy and sproingy in your hands.. a soft, worsted weight wool like malabrigo.. and a lovely bamboo blend with colors to just die for. Which do you walk out the door with? Oh my goodness... probably the sock yarn (I am a complete sucker for squishy sproingy sock yarn!) although I'd be scraping the bottom of my purse to see if I could scrounge up enough for the bamboo blend too! ha ha!

Spring

1. We're starting sign-ups on the first day of Spring - is it already truly Spring-like where you are? I wish... although it's not bad for Winnipeg. By the end of March I still need a gloves and a winter jacket though.

2. What's your favorite spring flower? Do you have one? Tulips. I LOVE tulips (but have sadly never managed to ever get the bulbs I plant to grow.)

3. What do you most look forward to about springtime? Warm air, sunshine, green grass that feeling that everything is coming alive again after winter.

4. They've predicted a gorgeous day tomorrow - Sunny and about 65 with a nice breeze - how do you spend your day? Outside!!!! I don't care what I'm doing, just don't make me sit at my desk in my office!

5. The day after, it's going to be cooler and pouring down rain - does that impact your mood? How do you spend that day? what helps cheer you up? If it insists on raining so be it - I'll stay indoors and catch up the housework I neglected yesterday and probably curl up in the living room and knit. (Or if I'm at work I'll secretly be cheering that it's raining so I'm not missing out on any good outside time!)

Odds n Ends

1. Do you collect anything BESIDES yarn and needles? My family tell me I have a slight addiction to snowmen. Not spring like indeed - but you asked! :) Other than that, I have a collection of buttons I am very fond of. (Buttons for sewing not for pinning on a jacket)

2. Are you allergic to anything? Nothing that should affect me in this swap

3. Do you have pets? I have a whole menagerie. Two golden retrievers - Guinness and Lucky (11 months old), Sola, (5 year old himalayan), Hollycat (11 year old black and white short haired cat), Milo the rat, and many fish

4. Is this your first swap, or are you an old pro? What are the last 2 swaps you participated in? I've done lots of swaps over the past year or so - the most recent two are the "Longing for Spring Swap" and the Valentine Swap on Knitty.com.

5. List 3 of your favorite blogs - craft related or not - and tell us why you love them.
Three blogs I love are as follows in no particular order:
Yarn Harlot's because she's funny, down to earth and I always enjoy her antics whether they be accidently locking herself outside of her hotel room in her scivvies or knitting the most tedious, incredible socks for someone because although she wouldn't ever wear them, she knows her friend would love them.
Bespoke by Bruhaha because Kristina is zany and irreverant, and knits like a fiend! She posts every day and you just never know what she's going to present you with next. Plus she's just a darn great gal - last year she heard my cry for help when I lost one of my favourite sock needles on the transit bus and within days I had a extra set of the same needles waiting for me in my mailbox from her.
Knittywhipped is a great blog! She's also really funny - I love her captions under the photos she posts, and she always gives loads of information for any modifications she's done to patterns she's made. I love the details!

The coffee swap's a-comin'

In just 15 more days sign ups start for the Spring Fling Coffee and Yarn Swap. I plan to be in on it this time!!! I did a couple of them and then seem to just miss the deadline the next time. I have to tell you though, if you like coffee and knitting, this is a really fun swap to do! Go see for yourself! Check it out! I promise you'll have fun! :)

The lack of focus on current projects worsens...

Well, as of the last posting, my yarn from my Etsy purchase arrived in the mail (actually arrived that day!) and yesterday my patterns arrived! I'm absolutely thrilled with the yarn by the way! The colours are gorgeous and the yarn is soft and squooshy! Now I really want to be done with my Gentleman's Plain (emphasis on the plain... yawn) Winter socks so that I can dive into another more exciting pair with my new pretty wool!

The patterns are causing me to want to ditch other current projects as well. Especially the hemp summer top! I can barely restrain myself from unabashedly ordering yarn from Elann for it. The only thing stopping me is the latest bill from my divorce lawyer that also arrived in the mail yesterday. (As an aside, how on earth can my divorce have cost me about $4000.00 so far and yet I don't have even so much as a legal separation in place? How? Do these lawyers not realize what they are doing to my budget - yarn and otherwise???) But I digress. Back to happier knitty type thoughts...

I have progressed nicely on my gathered pullover - I'm actually almost done up to the end of the right front. This sweater is knit in the round up until the armholes and then divided (obviously!) so having almost finished the right front is actually much better than it sounds. Really. It is.

I've done precious little on my sock of dullness.

*Note to self - Don't use plain grey yarn on a plain dull sock pattern it will drive you to distraction with boredom thereby greatly increasing the risk of "second sock syndrome"*

(BF)G wonders when he'll ever see it done and occasionally wistfully mentions it. I am trying to get motivated which is why I refuse to give into the call of my beautiful new sock yarn. If I give in all hope will be lost on his second sock. All this being said, while I waited for G to be done her shift at work on Saturday evening, I did do a couple of rows. I might even have a whole inch done on the cuff. (I'm not measuring though. Not yet. I prefer to allow myself the delusion that I have progressed somewhat on it!).

Maybe today I will work on the sock. It will depend on how long my wait at the doctor's office is. We'll see.