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Knitting Up A Storm!Friday, September 29, 2006 Wowza people - I can't believe it has been a week since I last posted. I guess I don't have much to show/say. The knitting has been quite slow around these parts mainly because of this tired feeling that hangs over my head. Plus my knitting mojo is gone, you heard me gone my friends. Like most knitters we all go through this stage from time to time, and frankly I am okay with it. Once the mojo returns, my love of knitting will as well and I'll enjoy the whole process again. Right now though, I don't enjoy the process all that much. C'est La Vie! I did join the Fall Cable Along today and thankfully there isn't a deadline, because believe me, I'd sail right by it. Even though my knitting isn't working out that great for me, I've started a few new projects. One involves cables from a pattern in last year's Sandra magazine, which works out quite nicely for this KAL. Can't find a link at the moment, but will take pics soon. It is a big chunky cable cardi, perfect for colder days and sitting in a cold rink watching J play hockey. I have also finished the first sock for my friend and hoping to find the energy to start the second. Maybe this will be the project that gets me off my ass. One can hope, right? Have a great weekend.
posted by Lisa @ 1:45 p.m.
Thursday, September 21, 2006 |Wednesday, September 20, 2006 What do we have here and why is it so damn special to me? Because it is my first 'real' professional looking handspun that I knit into a hat:  It feels pretty darn good to know I spun this and knit it. I will wear it with pride, well, when the weather gets a bit colder. Have a good day.
posted by Lisa @ 6:13 p.m.
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Attention all Toronto East End Knitters - Stitch n Bitch tonight at: The Second Cup 2102 Queen Street East at Wineva HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!
posted by Lisa @ 2:16 p.m.
I often wonder why I have so much stash, and I think I've boiled it down to the fact I buy yarn for a specific project, knit it, don't like it and then frog it. This whole concept of knitting something, then ripping it out continues on until I have so much yarn that I don't know how to reduce it. The knit to do list is quite large and all jumbled up inside my head. I have an excel spreadsheet which tracks so much knitting information it is quite sickening how organized on paper I appear. In reality though, I am not sure what to knit next nor sure which UFO I should finish first. Looking at the list for ideas, and reviewing the UFO list prompts me to rip Orangina folks. The lacey pattern is not prominent with the variegated yarn and I'm not loving it at all. I only used this yarn because it was in the stash and thought it might work. It doesn't, so off it flies from the needles. I am looking forward to a finished Orangina, but it will have to be knit with a different yarn. Maybe the one that is recommended. Hey now - there is an idea - stop substituting yarn, and the project just might work out! It also appears I am frogging more projects than I've produced lately. If I take the whole glass is half full approach - I don't have knits that I won't wear and I can use the yarn to make something I really like. Maybe one day I can live up to the name of my blog, Knitting Up A Storm!
posted by Lisa @ 12:07 p.m.
Monday, September 18, 2006 Forget my last post/request. I have decided to rip out the top down wrap cardi. I am not loving knitting it and frankly it I doubt I would wear it much. Not because of the style, I love the wrap style, but because of the wool. It would be way too hot and I doubt I would get too much wear out of it. I will need to think of something else to do with the 1100 yarns of 100% wool. I am sure I will find some use for it. Have a good day.
posted by Lisa @ 1:14 p.m.
Needed - Peruvian Highland Wool in Dried Herb!!The saying "There is always a first time" really sucks, especially when for the first time, I will run out of yarn to finish a sweater. Usually there are at least 2 balls left, but not this time baby. Not only has the Top Down Wrap Cardi monopolized my time, but I won't have enough yarn to finish the sucker. Bummer. So I placed my order this morning at elann.com for 3 more balls of the Peruvian Highland Wool in Dried Herb. I should be happy right? WRONG! The yarn will come, however in a different dye lot. IF ANYONE HAS DYE LOT 492 IN THE Dried Herb colour (#1557) and you don't need it - please, please, please (did I say please) let me know so I can buy it from you. Thanks.
posted by Lisa @ 9:24 a.m.
Friday, September 15, 2006 I finished the body of the top down wrap cardi! Yeah. Except it is about 1.5" too long. Man, now that sucks. Tonight I'll rip back and then have it officially done. I think my problem with measuring the length was I used too short of a circular needle and all 240 stitches were bunched up giving the illusion it was shorter. I really can't win. This sweater will most likely be one of my favorites so I want to make it fit perfectly. My wrists are in so much pain right now from knitting this top down sweater and again, I think it has to do with the size of circular needle I used. The stitches were so bunched up, I was gripping the needles and yarn more tightly than normal, causing my wrists to work over time. So now, I have those wrist tensor things on them to ease the pain. It appears our weather is improving for two days, so I will be outside enjoying the last of the summer. Have a good weekend.
posted by Lisa @ 9:31 a.m.
Wednesday, September 13, 2006 Last night I stopped in at The Naked Sheep before heading up to the SnB and was so happy I did because I was lucky enough to see Lorena, the owner of the store! It has been such a long time since I have seen her and the store, and can't believe how jammed packed the store is with yarn, needles, books. Man it was so spectacular to see her and everything she has to offer us knitters. I couldn't resist buying this bag:  It is just so darn cute and can't wait to put it into action. My friend Teresa's sock is already in there, so when the top down wrap cardi I'm knitting is too big to tote around with me, that little bag will be my next carry around project. Anyway, there isn't much on the knitting front other than trying to finish the body of the sweater, which makes for really boring posts. Soon, I'll have something more exciting to show.
posted by Lisa @ 9:34 a.m.
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Attention all Toronto East End Knitters - Stitch n Bitch tonight at: The Second Cup 2102 Queen Street East at Wineva HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!
posted by Lisa @ 9:38 a.m.
Monday, September 11, 2006 I was flipping around Bloglines and noticed I have two feeds that people subscribe to and wondering how they can be combined? Is this something I can do? Does my question make sense? I also wonder if both feeds get updated when I post - well I guess I'm about to find out. Can anyone help this poor lost girl?
posted by Lisa @ 3:32 p.m.
I decided I wasn't going to give the FBS the satisfaction of winning, so I figured out which row I was on and just started knitting. I have now completed 6 repeats and half way through the 7th. I have a system to ensure I stay on track and for the most part it is working. I count 3 stitches at a time, therefore taking each step in smaller chunks. I also count how many stitches I have before and after the centre stitch to ensure they are the same. This prevents me from having to rip out a purl and knit row to fix one little mistake. I am also knitting a few rows at a time, as I get a bit tired working on this shawl. I am very determined to finish this, and not because I want to wear it (I doubt I'll hardly wear it), but because I want the satisfaction of knowing I finished my first lace project. All in all, I think I am enjoying this a bit more than I have with the first 4 repeats, which is good news. It keeps me going. My blog might be boring for a bit because of the projects I am working on. I was on a roll of finishing things in July and August, but things are slowing down due to the very slow nature of my WIPs and a busy life. This working thing, having to organize a ton of stuff in the evenings for the girls and myself for the next day and finding time for knitting - man, there really isn't enough hours in the day. BTW - I going to the Beach SnB tomorrow night. If anyone is interested in joining us, we will be at the Second Cup, Queen Street East and Wineva Avenue. Hope to see you there.
posted by Lisa @ 9:46 a.m.
Friday, September 08, 2006 I have two unfinished projects waiting in the knitting basket that I want to finish - Orangina and the Flower Basket Shawl. Funny how both projects are lace and both are not done. I don't think I have the focus to finish lace projects. I need to be in a quite place without distractions to knit lace and I don't like knitting all alone. With that said, I do want to finish both projects because I will love them when they are done, but don't have the motivation to pick it up. I messed up on the FBS at some point and ripped out a bunch of rows and for the life of me can't figure out which row I am on. Last night I was so freaking tempted to rip it out and start over, but I have about 1/4 done and would hate to start over. If this is the case, I just might not begin again. I think I put Orangina down because I messed up on that one too and don't even want to look at it to see if I'm right. The front is done but I think it is too short, so I'll have to add rows to that one too and man, that sucks. Lace - beautiful when done but man what a pain in my ass. Have a good one folks.
posted by Lisa @ 9:57 a.m.
Thursday, September 07, 2006 My girls went off to school on Tuesday without a hitch, but the younger one is having a bit of problems letting go of daddy at the door of her classroom. Poor thing, but she is quite an actress and can turn it on when she wants to, so I am sure she will get comfortable with her new routine shortly. Of course you couldn't tell she was nervous in this picture:
If option B is your final answer, you are RIGHT. The sweater is beautiful, however it doesn't suit my short waist body. I LOVE the yarn which is the Alpaca I bought at this years MW&SF, LOVE the style, but unfortunately the style doesn't love me. It would look fabulous on long waisted gals, but not on me. On the positive side of things, I have 1300 yards of a lovely dark plum Alpaca yarn to make another sweater with, so all is not lost. Now I wonder what I can make with this yarn? I have enough of the stuff and would love to wear it this year, but then my knit to do list is quite long and added something else would mean I have to remove something else. Ah.....The decisions us knitters need to make. BTW - my technical support person, A.K.A. my husband Chris is in the process of changing the look of my blog. Hey hon, how is it coming along? The main reason I want a change is, I'm getting bored with the sheep up at the top, and the colour and well, I'm bored. I need a change. Normally I cut my hair for a change, but I want to grow it out so it is much longer than what I have now. So the blog is what is in need of changing. Have a good day.
posted by Lisa @ 11:08 a.m.
Wednesday, September 06, 2006 I am back from vacation and had a wonderful time camping with my family. This is the first year we could set up and take down everything without the girls interrupting us. Man, what a change from the first year of camping with a 9 month old butt crawling in the mud! My little one crawled on her butt until she learned to walk, and let me tell you it was so freaking funny. She would move her butt cheeks up and down like how we walk on feet! Hee hee. In previous years, one of us would entertain the kids while the other one set up/took down items. This year was so different - they rode around on their bikes and played with other kids in the park. Wow - having the girls that much more independent makes all the difference in the world. During this camping trip my soon to be 5 year old learned to ride a two wheeler:
posted by Lisa @ 10:11 a.m.
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This was taken on Tuesday morning right before we headed out to take them to their first day of school. Ah, so cute. Like most parents, I am sure pictures are taken of their kids before going off to school and I am so happy we do it. I love looking back at past first days and see how much they have grown and changed. They both picked out their clothes for the first day - how different they are!
Man, she is so happy, she could hardly contain the smile. She is riding her sister's bike, so that means we needed to get J a new bike: 
And while we were at Canadian Tire, Chris bought a well deserved bike (his was stolen from our house a few years back): 
I must be doing something right brining up my girls, because the younger one wasn't remotely upset that she has a used bike and her sister has a shiny new one - she is just happy to have her own bike without training wheels. Yeah M!
I finished the first sock of the yellow big bird sock, which I'm ripping out to the heel flap because the thing is too freaking wide. I re-read my instructions I wrote out for Fleece Artist sock kits, and missed one crucial part - change to 2.25 mm (from 2.5mm) after the heel flap is done. DUH! Oh well. I don't find this FA sock kit very nice to knit with - the first pair I made, the yarn was squishy and soft, but this one is kind of scratchy . Maybe it is the dye they used? 
I started a pair of socks for my friend Teresa using Tess Design Sock yarn:
Teresa is the friend I travel to the MW&SF with for the last two years and told her I would make socks for her. Thankfully she only wants a 2x2 rib, short cuff pair, so these are pretty easy, let me tell you!