Knittingupastorm: December 2005

Friday, December 30, 2005

You would think I had time to blog considering I have been lazing around for the past week or so. But no way - it is time consuming to sit and knit and well do nothing. I have been arranging play dates for my kids the last couple of days which keeps them busy and frees up my time a lot. The bottom line is - they are happy and so am I.

I reached my two knit related goals this vacation and they were to finish the shrug part of Tubey and finish one of the cable/rib socks. Woo Hoo people. That means I can cast on for the SnB Nation Newsboy cable hat - which I did this morning. I'm about to start the first of three pattern repeats. Not bad, not bad.

So now I am off to knit some more on Tubey.

Have a good one folks.

posted by Lisa @ 12:44 p.m.

Monday, December 26, 2005

What a great Christmas my family and I had. I hope yours was fantastic as well. Ours was nice and fun and not at all stressful. For those of you who know me well, I am not being my usual sarcastic self. This year was fantastic. I loved watching my little girls open their gifts.

I finished Klaralund in time to give to my mom:

Not the best photo (still have to find a way to upload clearer pics to my blog - any suggestions?) but you get the idea. My mom LOVED the sweater. She immediately put it on, and thankfully it fit her perfectly. I did a great job if I do say so myself.

Chris and the girls bought me The Knit Stitch and Purl Stitch books, and Stephanie's first book. Oh and he also bought me yarn. I do believe he is the one that is increasing my stash. In the last two months he has bought me about 30 balls of yarn - yeah HE IS SO the culprit. Have to blame someone other than myself, eh?

I thought I would share one of the gifts I gave Chris - a popcorn maker:

The machine took awhile to start popping the kernels, but once it gets going, oh man it doesn't stop until you pull the plug. It was quite funny with all the popcorn flying all over the place. I believe we made just a tad too much.

Knitting update - I am in the home stretch to finish the first sleeve of Tubey, past the heel decrease of the rib/cable sock and finished one sock for my BIL. For some strange reason, I screwed up on my BIL's sock and it looks hideous. Not sure why. This is the fourth pair I have made using the same wool, so you would think it would be easy peasy. I guess I should think again.

Enjoy the rest of your holidays.

posted by Lisa @ 1:07 p.m.

Thursday, December 22, 2005

Well what have I have been doing this week on my vacation? Wrapping freaking presents. I believe I went a tad overboard this year with the gift buying. The number of items on the excel list didn't look long, but man, when you have to wrap them, boy is there a lot. OH well. My family will be happy this year.

I have also finished two projects. On Tuesday I finally finished Flora for M's Teacher:

I used Debbie Bliss Cotton something or another. Quite soft. I like it quite a bit so there might be another one for me. I also finished the YO/K2TOG wrappie thingie:

I really like this thing. I have also started the seaming of Klaralund today, so maybe, just maybe I'll have another FO soon.

posted by Lisa @ 8:13 p.m.

Monday, December 19, 2005

I am off for two weeks from work to prepare for the usual Christmas festivities, so my posts might be far and few in between. But we will see.

Knitting update - I started the 6th ball of the wrappie thingie. Not bad, almost there. Knitting this damn thing is nearly killing my thumbs though. I also started a pair of socks for my BIL with the stash addition from elann.com, so really, this purchase doesn't count especially when I will be finished them before Christmas. I shouldn't have even added the 3 balls to the list. Kind of a waste of time, don't you think?

I did not knit as much this weekend due to having house guests from Friday - Sunday, throwing a party for 40 plus people, hockey game/practice for the older girl and attending a dance recital to see my 4 year old dance with her class. It is ever so cute seeing little girls dressed in their Sunday best dancing the routine they have been practicing.

For the first time ever, I scheduled the 5 days before Christmas as vacation. I'm planning to wrap presents, buy the items for the dinner and get the house ready. Man, I have to tell you, it feels so good knowing I don't have to rush around after the kids go to bed. This time of year is usually not stressful for me, (sorry folks) and then add in the extra 5 days before, well, I'll be taking a nice hot bath with a glass of wine! Woo hoo. I shouldn't talk to quickly, my husband works from home and my kids are still in school. Enough said.

Have a good one folks.

posted by Lisa @ 11:05 a.m.

Thursday, December 15, 2005

Not much to report on the knitting front. I went to SnB last night and worked on three of the five projects I have on the go. For some strange reason the wrappie thingie holds my attention much more than any of the others. I feel like I am in a race to finish it - how long will it take me to join a new ball to the project? (And of course reduce the stash count). I work on this sucker in the morning before work and at night after the kids go to bed. I have knit about 500 yards so far, and assume another 300 yards and it will be at the right length. That will leave me with 2 balls of this ribbon stuff with no idea what to do with them. Maybe a belt? Doubt it, I haven't worn a belt in eons. What else? Any ideas?

My other addiction is, now wait for it my friends - cleaning the little guinea pig poo pellets from her cage. Call me crazy - but every day I make a sweep for poo, and can never seem to clean it all out. I understand it is a fruitless exercise, but damn, am I determined to succeed. I feel this way now, because she is fairly new to the house, but eventually, I know, I will have to get over the fact that I will NOT be able to rid the cage of everything. When I think I got it all, I look again and there is freaking more of it.

Starting Friday afternoon, I will start my two week vacation! Woo Hoo! I can't wait. I do hope to have some FOs to share, but with the wrapping, buying food and getting the house ready for the big man in red, I might be counting my chickens before they are hatched. I will however have at least two - because they are Christmas gifts and I have no choice but to finish them.

posted by Lisa @ 9:34 a.m.

Wednesday, December 14, 2005

I wanted to try and hide this purchase until I reached 200 balls of yarn in the stash, but I can't any longer. I broke down and bought 13 balls of elann.com Peruvian Highland Wool. 3 balls to make socks for my BIL, and 10 balls to make another ribby cardi. Oh the shame. But don't think me too weak, because I blame this purchase (weakness) on Tanya.

Yes folks, I am placing the blame on someone else. Tanya sent an innocent email out to the SnB gang asking if anyone was going to buy yarn from elann.com, and if so, please add to your order, ONE ball of periwinkle she needs to finish her ribby. Simple request.

So, I took a look around on the site and decided it would be nice to have another ribby cardi, knit in one colour, and before you know it, 10 balls of the dried herb colour popped into my shopping basket. Then my BIL informed me, his mother (my MIL) shrunk one pair of the socks I made him in May and would like another pair. So 3 balls of the rust/burgundy popped in the cart too.

BTW - the socks my MIL shrunk, now fit her perfectly.

Even though, my stash count went up by 13, it will even out and the increase will not even be noticed. The 10 balls for a ribby added, to the 10 balls subtracted for the wrappie/thingie, evens everything out. So really, I only added 3 balls to the stash, and might be able to get the total under 200 in a few weeks.

Yeah I know, whatever helps you get through the day. My thoughts exactly.

Have a good one.

posted by Lisa @ 10:48 a.m.

Tuesday, December 13, 2005

Meet the newest addition to our family - Fluffy, the Guinea Pig. Pretty original name eh? And I bet you 10 bucks you can guess who named it.

Even the cat and dog welcomed Fluffy into the house. I think Meeko (the cat) wants to eat it, and Akasha (the dog) wants to play with it. I have never seen two animals so excited in my life. I had a feeling the cat would be interested, but not that dog.

Because the cat sits in front of the cage and terrorizes Fluffy we have to keep J's room door closed. We try to remember but it isn't always easy. I actually caught the cat sitting ON TOP of the cage eyeing Fluffy from above. Poor thing.

Have a good one.

posted by Lisa @ 10:21 a.m.

Monday, December 12, 2005

Why build an ice rink in your back yard if your friends can't enjoy it with you? We had our first of many skating parties on Saturday. Looks like they are having lots of fun, eh?

(Click here for a clear picture)

My friend and I watched these crazies from inside, which was fine with me. I got time to knit some more on the YO/K2TOG wrappie thingie. I am almost at the half way point - ball 5 of 10 will be worked on tonight. I am pleased as punch with myself - Yippee Kye Yeah!

Have a good one.

posted by Lisa @ 10:15 a.m.

Thursday, December 08, 2005

Last night my SnB group went to the BookBookBookII launch held at the Museum of Textiles. Stephanie is so entertaining and witty. I quite enjoyed listening to her. I bought her book and she signed it for me. I wish I could have spent more time with her, but alas there were others that wanted their copy signed.

Due to the deep cold Toronto is experiencing, we now have our ice rink up and running. The process starts around the beginning of November with preparing the ground. This year is the largest rink he has built to date. It is 32'x42':

Once the boards are up, Chris monitors the weather channel for a streak of cold weather below zero. Then the obsessing starts. Truth by told, I think it really starts when the cold weather starts, but hey that is just my opinion. He is securing the tarp and preparing the water hose and various other tools:

We can almost skate, but not quite. Looks ready, but we are waiting for the water to freeze:

And then - the first night of skating:

It is too bad I wasn't there last night, but alas, I was amongst my knitting friends. Tonight will be my first skate of the season in the back yard. I can not wait.

posted by Lisa @ 11:48 a.m.

Wednesday, December 07, 2005

This post is for you Chris, here are the titles of the two books I would LOVE to receive for Christmas:

The Knitting Experience: Book I: The Knit Stitch

The Knitting Experience: Book 2: The Purl Stitch

I understand I have already told you a gazillon times, but we both know how good your memory is.

posted by Lisa @ 3:25 p.m.

Tuesday, December 06, 2005

I don't want to brag, but, well yes I do! Hold on to your hats folks, I have FINISHED my Christmas shopping. Woo Freaking Hoo. I am so ahead of schedule that I could just jump for joy. Don;t worry though, my balloon will burst once my high comes down and realize I still have to wrap all these gifts. But let me have it for now, k?

Other great news? Have you seen Tubey? WOWZA. I love this sweater. I have some great GGH Bali in orange that is awesome for this sweater. I am sure you are wondering how much of this yarn I have, considering I'm using it for the ESS. Well wonder no longer, I'm ripping the ESS and using that yarn for Tubey. I think this sweater will look awesome in orange. I really wasn't feeling the love the for the ESS, so I feel good knowing it is going to a happy home.

I do plan on making the ESS sometime in the future with some chocolate coloured Shelridge Farm yarn, so all is not lost. I do love the ESS and know it will be worn often, but I just can't get into knitting from the top down. I might feel differently once it is done, so who am I to talk?

I am about to start the heel of the Cable/Rib sock, but quickly tossed it aside to work on the YO/K2TOG stole. Yes sir, I have knit 2 out of the 10 balls of ribbon yarn. Not bad my friends, not bad if I do say so myself.

That is all for now folks - over and out.

posted by Lisa @ 9:18 a.m.

Friday, December 02, 2005

Apparently I'm experiencing issues knitting hats. The helmet hat shown two posts ago, is too big, and the Newsboy cap from SnB nation - HUGE. I will start the cap over again this weekend with much smaller needles, and hope it will be okay. It is difficult to tell if the hat is too big when you are using 16" circulars, all the stitches are so scrunched up. I really can't tell until the moment hits me - you have knit too much.

I have been knitting and think I'm making progress on the various items on the go.

The Flower Basket Shawl is well into the 3rd of 7 repeats. Not bad, not bad. Quite happy I am starting to memorize each row, so that makes it go oh so much faster.

The YO, K2tog stole is coming along. I'm using some kind of ribbon yarn, which BTW, looks so much better on large than the called for needles. I would like to wear this on New Year's Eve with my nice strapless dress, so I better get cracking.

The Rib/Cable socks are at the 2nd repeat of 5.

The ESS is not coming along, but then again I can't really tell. Knitting from the top down is a slow process. I am not sure how Wendy at Knit and Tonic knits her top downs so quickly.

Bob - just sitting in the WIP basket. Not really sure this is a WIP, considering I only cast on the required stitches.

And you know the story of the Newsboy cap.

I hope to have the 1st cable/rib sock at the heel this weekend, but we will see. I usually don't have alot of time to knit on the weekend. Too busy being a chauffeur to my girls. I knew this day was coming, but I thought they would be like, 10 and 8 years old before it started. Guess I was wrong.

Have a good one.

posted by Lisa @ 9:18 a.m.

Thursday, December 01, 2005

I always thought my cat thinks she is a dog and Sunday night confirmed my suspicion. Meeko growled loudly and puffed up all her hair at Chris walking through the door. It was dark, he was quiet and Meeko was protecting her home. Nutso.

Never seen/heard a cat do that before. Other suspicious acts by Meeko, include prancing around in the snow like a dog, you know - the way dogs throw snow up in the air and then chase it? She does that. Weird, weird cat.

Just thought I would share and I am sure you know why - no knitting updates to share.

Have a good one.

posted by Lisa @ 2:24 p.m.

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