Socks Again, I'm Happy To Say :)

Since the finishing of the sets of Cat Hats and Mitts, I have been sick as a dog. What a great reason to cast on a new project! I have been fussing about what yarn to use for the socks I have decided to make from the Sock Knitter's Anonymous group that I *barely* belong to. I choose not to participate in the forums for purely personal reasons. I have lots to share in chats such as these, however, I have worked very hard to keep my internet wasting browsing time to a minimum. This means on and off Ravelry and other *OMG I've been here for two hours!* websites. As for the wonderful contests that go along with being part of that group... Well let's just say I don't knit fast enough and/or don't want to try to knit fast enough to guarantee that my projects will be done in time and posted for the deadline that goes with the contests. The group however is marvellous! The ideas for each month's theme are very inspiring. This is where I was inspired to do the January Mystery Sock pattern, called Bláthnat (free pattern on ravelry)
 I really do enjoy Mystery Patterns. Usually the clues occur at a regular interval, in this case once a week. Each week you get a part of the pattern, the clue, that builds on the last part you received. There (usually) are no pictures, so if you need to see a picture to knit it, this is not for you. And you don't know ahead of time what it will look like, and sometimes not even what it will be when it's done! This one however is a sock. The designer usually will give you a list of supplies needed to complete the project and sometimes also a hint or two. In this case, the Irish designer suggested to use a solid or semi solid yarn so as not to obscure the stitch pattern! BINGO! It's LACE! What better do I need while I am sick, to keep me down and mending, but a juicy bit of lace to knit! I finally decided on a solid green yarn from my yarn stash for this Irish design and went to town knitting like crazy while being cozy in the big black chair, and covered in my Husby's afghan. (Crocheted a number of years ago for him by me) My companions, a wastepaper basket and several boxes of Kleenex, were quiet and respectful of the fact that I do indeed need to count stitches every once in a while. It snowed some on and off during the week and a half I was flu-ey as well as miserable with my cold and I could watch it through the big window from where I sat. I spent as much time as I could enjoying the peace and quiet, the soothing rhythmic click of the knitting needles, and the flow of sock yarn through my fingers, as my socks started to take shape. I'm not quite finished them yet, almost at the toe of one, and working down the foot of the other, but soon they will be done. What a great way to convalesce if not in being able to dabble in the hobby you love.

Finished Something!

Black Tabby Cat Set
welsh sheep wool/black alpaca/silk

So I have a couple knit fo's (finished objects). I haven't been able to say that in quite a while! I am excited to knit again. I haven't been able to say that in quite a while either! This bout with a bad cold, had kept me very house bound and I have been taking advantage of that by knitting as much as I can. I started a triple dose of kitty earflap hat and mitts sets that have now been completed. My learning and growing experiment in blending my fibres, spinning the yarn, and knitting the projects, to my specs was very rewarding. All recipient's as well as the creator, myself, were very satisfied with the finish products. Finished are Daughter's Black Cat set, Other Daughter's Hello Kitty set, and Son's GF's Grey Tabby Cat set.

 I don't have all the pictures yet but I do have permission from Other Daughter to post the one of her wearing her Hello Kitty set. :)

Other Daughter modelling her Hello Kitty Set
wool/white alpaca/silk

Another Busy Weekend

The weekends are the best time of all. For example, at this exact moment in time, my two wonderful, well mostly wonderful, grandchildren are here beside me, one older boy, and one a bit younger girl, is giving and complaining about getting the worst thing there is in the world for a child. COOTIES! Specifically BOY COOTIES! and giggling madly. You do know they fight at home and yes they fight here too. They are brother and sister, and what else are brother and sisters to do with themselves if not fight? I am enjoying the noise now from the other room as I wind down for the evening. Dinner and dishes are done and soon it will be pajama time. I am so looking forward to that! My  pajamas I mean! Oh and the kids too of course LOL. I was up early again, no sleeping in for me today. I had the most wonderful, enjoyable, and educational morning that I've had in a long time. Spinning class called Wrap It Up with Jillian Moreno ( of Knittyspin fame) We learned several different ways to work with cores and wraps, using several different cores and several differently prepared fibres for the wraps. I have several mini skeins of Corespun yarn that if very HORRIBLY made! BUT! I learned so much and just need more practice. I plan to practice soon and try to get it where I am producing some fun and exciting corespun yarns before too long. At least I hope so. I have spent way to long away from my wheel. After the class, I needed to pay for my class. There was a huge line up at the cash register of other knitters and spinners needing to  do the same as me. I wasn't in much of a mood to be patient in a long line up however, so I was forced *shudder* to browse and shop the yarn store! I am very pleased to say, I came away like a happy bunny with one one but two of the hugely coveted and desperately craved varieties of ORANGE sock yarn. Doesn't everyone NEED to have bright orange handknit socks? I know I do! 


Here we have Trekking XXL colourway 487

Here we have Spud and Chloe Fine Sock in colourway 7802. 

OOOOOOOO...... AHHHHH..... ORANGE! 

You know orange is the new green right... ???

I'm dealing with my head, or trying to...

The weather is constantly changing here it seems. Mid November is usually leaning a little more toward the winter type weather but it keeps getting mild again. Don't get me wrong, I am so NOT a winter fan, and I am really NOT trying to encourage it along. Problem is unsettled weather unsettles my body aches and pains. It makes me more in the mood to relax with a heating pad in front of the tv instead of the up and down's of sewing and quilting. Since I am trying to concentrate on quilting projects that need to be done, it makes for an interesting conflict between my head and the rest of my body. In the project I am currently working on, I am at the point of semi-constructed. In this project, I need to do a lot of the work before I can see the results of that work. It's not an overly large time eater the way the last pieced project was, but it's not instant gratification either! The way I've been feeling, with the aches and pains pretty much constant, I find I am second guessing the whole concept of what I thought was going to be a totally awesome project... I know, 'Stop Thinking Lyz!' LOL I think thinking is my worst enemy. No worries though I am going to slog it through, if it comes to having to slog it (but I don't think I will) What can I say, I just want to see the finished product NOW! long before it's finished!
 
 

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Speechless

Or would that be tongue tied? It sounded like a great idea yesterday, to take up my blog and be faithful again. Today, however I already don't have words to fill the space! It's been a long time since the last time I blogged. I don't really want to play catch up. That seems so yesterday! and I know in the course of regular writings a lot of it will come out anyways. What was today like? Yes lets stick with the present. Work of course. After that a dentist appointment. Only for a cleaning but it put my feet to shaking in my boots! Fortunately, I have learned how to not shake all over just for a cleaning, I save that nifty trick for fillings and more major work. Not to be outdone by the dentist, the Cable guy came and fixed my almost two week long battle over one little tv that didn't want to work right. Seems my fixitup was the correct, however and the Cable guy simply, after checking out everything inside and out, changed the cable box to another one! Imagine that! I already did that once... It took three cable boxes to find a good one that worked! Shall I tell you what I think of refurbished cable boxes? Ok nevermind, you get the idea. On to my free time tonight! I spend some time on the computer doing some relaxing fun stuff and then spent a couple hours sewing. I have started quilting about a year, maybe a bit more, ago. I really enjoy it! But why wouldn't I? I learned to sew when I was a girl so it's like going back to my roots. The present project is not too far in and I'm not sure where it's going yet. I have a plan for it but who knows if it will turn out the way I am planning now. Is it not my prerogative as a female to change my mind whenever the mood suits me?

For now however, it's time to pack it in for the night. Morning comes awful early when I am on this shift. 

In the mean time, for your viewing pleasure, and my experimenting with email blog posts, a  Kenaf flower. The stalks that grow these pretty flowers can be dried and used for spinning. 

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Just Testing

Due to my lack of geekiness, I have to test this to see if it works. Thanks to my best friend, who happens to be overflowing with geekiness and doesn't mind sharing, I feel confident it will actually post to my blog!


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A New Day

A friend is trying very hard and pretty much succeeding at returning to her blog and doing it faithfully every day. I have enjoyed reading about all of her exploits, even though I get a 'more' than daily report on it all. We are best friends. I get the nitty and the gritty as well as all the details ! I wouldn't have it any other way! Having said that, however, I have to admit, it's fun, and sometimes educational, to read her blog and get the 'public' view point. I think I know what's coming when I read her blog, because I have already been there, done that... right? ... Well not really. She always manages to entertain, and/or surprise me with some details or bits of story that I wasn't anticipating. She comments sometimes that journaling her 'boring' life, as she feels it is sometimes, is just that... boring... I tell her that her posts are enjoyable, because that is what they are. I am seeing first hand through someone else's eyes, their life, and realize that it's time again for me to see my life through someone else's eyes too.. those of the blogger! I can't say I am going to be faithful to my blog, but I can try. I can't say I am going to post award winning writings, but I can try! LOL I guarantee it will be from it! I can again write about my mundane and boring life, as I see it sometimes, but not to a journal, or diary as many people see blogs as being, but written to a public domain. I will therefore try to take the boring and mundane out of *my* life and see it through other eyes. This, will be an excursive in a change of attitude, outlook and lots of positive thinking. How well I will do with this, I don't know but, I can try....

not kitting- what's with that?

It's been a busy time even though i haven't been knitting.

but i still love the sheep!