Catchin' Up

I don't know why I am having such a hard time updating this blog. I used to love sitting down and writing up something, usually only of interest to me. But lately? well, there seems to be other things to take over my time.

On to other news- Easter was fun. At school, on Thursday, we hid Kinder eggs in the classroom and let the kids find their "one egg each". This is Grade 6/7, and you would have thought I had given them gold. They ate their chocolate right away, and then built their toys. And then the trading began! What a hoot! My daughter does not believe in the big bunny, but we still get a giggle over the "Clue Hunt of Ahab the Bun Rab". You see, the deal is, Mommy hides little prizes all over the house, late Saturday evening. Then the notes begin. The first one is outside her bedroom door in a basket, giving her a clue as to where to look. The second clue is attached to that first gift/surprise she has found, and on and on..... I originally started it as one more way to get her to love reading, when she was about 7 or 8, and now, well, Annie says it is tradition! It is fun to see her roar around, I must admit. On Friday night, we went to the block Easter Egg Hunt/Potluck supper that a neighbour hosts. She has been doing this for years, so, again, an Easter TRADITION. And Annie is all about traditions- she loves to keep doing things the same way, year after year, building up her own traditions, often based on some wacky thing I thought I would like to try. Hmm. That might be how traditions start anyway.

Last night was another potluck/BBQ to welcome back some neighbours who have moved to Newfoundland. They are here on a visit, but I suspect they might be returning to the area (they've been gone a year, but I don't thinks things turned out as well as they had hoped).

And now for some knitting pictures-I truly HAVE been knitting!!!!

Let's see- I will be teaching an entrelac workshop at Wool Tyme (in Kingston, Ontario) this weekend. So I thought I had better make something to leave as an original pattern. Sooo- enter a gorgeous skein of yarn- Impulse of Delight's BFL, fingering weight, in "Mountain Sunset No. 2". Oh my, she is one talented lady with her dyeing. (just see the list of blogs on my sidebar for contacts). Anyhow, this will be a soft cowl, in entrelac, with lace inserts in the top squares of the cowl. Hmmmm. Somewhat industrious, yes, but I think it will be quite pretty. It will also be a wonderful way to use a beautiful skein of yarn, when you don't want to make socks.

Mom's shawl is nearly done. Because she turned 80, the shawl has 80 squares in it (domino knitting, not entrelac). I used Noro Silk Garden Lite, 9 skeins for a reasonable size. The edging is next- I am going to use is Lana Grossa Meilenweit (fingering, part wool, silk, polyamid and cashmere) in a light grey, almost a silver. I want to do a few rows of eyelets and then a garter stitch saw toothed edge. I think it will look quite smart.

And now for yet another project- this is my knitting bag (felted Lopi). (I made it years ago- it was actually my first felting project-I couldn't believe how much I had to knit! It was like a slipcover for a car!)

Open it up and see all my ends of sock yarns- mostly mine, some from friends, some from Mom- but I am using the same concepts from Mom's shawl and making a rectangle- sort of a lap robe/afghan- depending on how much yarn I have and how much momentum I will have.

This is where I am at, so far- it's a travelling project, for now. The good thing- it isn't a heavy afghan that turns into a sure fire way to get tennis elbow, and can be folded up. The down side- this is either going to be really neat, or it will be an eyesore. Don't know yet.

And my February Lady Sweater is coming along. I LOVE it. I am making it out of Araucania Nature Wool in a striated indigo (very posh looking). The buttons are a gift from my friend , Ruby- they are hand made glass- and too stunning to believe.

And that's about it- except I just got a call from my SIL-my nephew (Grade 7) had a bad accident- he was out skateboarding and fell, and drove his finger into the gears of his buddy's bike. OW. Surgery, stitches, a pin and a tendon reattachment- looks good now.

BE CAREFUL OUT THERE!!!!!