OH I am too excited........................

Okay- I am really excited over this one. As some of you know, I have tried my hand at designing sweaters and such, and the last design (that I got paid for) was in the "No Sheep For You" book (by Amy Singer). I did a silk bathrobe in that one. I initially specified a silk and cotton blend, thinking that no one would even pay for a blend for a housecoat. But Amy was adamant that it had to be this absolutely decadent 100% shiny silk-and so, that was the end result. I loved it, but wondered who would ever make it. I got an email from Ann Budd (major player in Interweave) saying that she really liked it, and so I felt I had "arrived". Anyhow, today, I got my copy of Spring/Summer Vogue Knitting. In the Books section, right there on page 26, was a write up of the "No Sheep For You" book (and a very nice one, at that). I read along, happy that "the people in the know" liked the book. Then I got to the last couple of sentences-and there it was- in black and white........"You'll also be treated to a batch of modern designs for shimmering silks-you'll want to wear Deb White's silk bathrobe to the opera-...." The Vogue people mentioned me BY NAME! And they didn't talk about any other design! Oh my. I am so pleased.
By the way- I wore Big Blue today- got lots of compliments on it. I will try to get a picture-later.

Edited later..................
This is Big Blue laid out on the bed.

I also decided against buttons, so I used a lovely pewter and wood shawl pin (by Perl Grey) I got the pin at Grand River Yarns (see sidebar for link)


Gratuitous shot of Bear...."This is me, Bear, with all of my toys. I need someone to play with me. Anyone? Please? You can even pick first."

The time has come,I decided, to paint the chair. Yeah, the one I talked about in my last post. The one that has been in my basement for about three weeks. Yeah- that one. Sooooooooooo....This is what I started with, my "blank slate", so to speak................


Add my inspiration-a Van Gogh print, "Starry Night", and two hours later.......a start.........

I still have another couple, three hours left-but it is coming. The group will put a clear coat finish on top of the paint.

IN the meantime, I have this old, beat up chair in the family room- and Bear has claimed it as his own-I mean, hey- what's not to love? A couple of old blankets, a perfect view out the sliding door into his own backyard, and a way to keep an eye on the rest of the family......

So this is Bear, keeping watch, to make sure I didn't paint anything weird (please excuse the faded and torn upholstery-what can I say? Bear likes it).

And finally- proof positive that my wee Annie is growing up- she now can make poached eggs on toast, without any help- and will even take orders in the morning!!!!!!!

My next project(s)

Yup-projectSSSSSSSSSS. I can't seem to commit to one thing lately. I want to work on the sweater from the Knitty surprise. It is stunning. AND I have reworked the pattern to incorporate a light worsted weight gauge instead of the fingering weight (mind you, it would be tres stunning in a fingering weight). And I also have the Fleece Artist vest on the needles (see Dec. 28 post). The yarn is Scotia Silk (half silk, half merino) and is very yummy. The knitting part is side to side-you knit one row, slide the stitches back to your starting point on the circular (or swing needles, should you have sprung for them), pick up the second ball of yarn, knit for awhile with that, eventually turn the piece and knit with the first yarn again. Makes for a great way to cut up the variegation so as to avoid pooling and weird jags.

AAAAAAAnd- do you recall Big Blue? She's back out from the marination chamber. I was going to go with no sleeves and make it a vest. Then sleeves. Then no sleeves. Now we are back to sleeves. So I am knitting away on the final sleeve (one is attached, ready to go). By the way. I attached the sleeve into the armhole by picking up exactly the same number of stitches (as the top of sleeve) around the shoulder socket. Then I lined it all up and do a three needle bind off on the inside of the sleeve. Now, I suppose I could do the three needle bind off on the outside- and I would get a much different look-sort of a designer ridge. But when you do it on the inside, you get a tailored, nicely finished edge, and no puckering or silly pinning on the sleeve.

What to do first? Hmmmmmmmmm.

Edited later.........

What do you get when you take a major snowy day, such as this

and add a big goofy four footer?

You get THIS ! (Doesn't Bear have a great smile?)

Click for BIG

First Project of 2007!

But first of all- a picture of the back drop I painted for the school's Winter Concert. Initially, the principal wanted me to make a backdrop with penguins all over it. I talked her out of it, because 1) the landscape around penguins is pretty bleak- no trees or anything and 2) I would have to make the penguins about 4 feet tall to match the size of the backdrop, and at that point, they would look like sort of scary little children. So she let me do my own thing. So I did some Northern Lights and some typical "north of Kingston" landscape. She was happy.

And the BGPH (aka Big Giant Poodle Head) (aka Bear) (aka Forest)-he loves the snow. Or rather, LOVED it- now we have a deluge of rain. And I know it has been raining all night- three of my neighbours have their sump pumps on maximum (luckily, we are dry) (for now) (well, except for that leak in the hot water heater)(just started this week)(gotta do something about that).

And my first structural failure of 2007- My PURSE! I really like this purse- it is a good vinyl, but it looked nice. And it had a failure. Right in the middle of a mall!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And now the project- it isn't finished yet- but it is way cool- Trendsetter Yarns Dali, 100%cashmere, steel grey (this season's "IN" colour). My design- a ruffle on the ends, a big cable up the middle (well, actually two, turned in opposite directions, with a purl stitch up the middle), and 1x1 rib on the edges. It is a commissioned piece-I got the cashmere from the Destash blog-and had thought to make something for me. BUT- grey did very, very little for my colouring. So-the new owner is a strawberry blonde, who dresses impeccably. So- a match.

And now to finish the darn thing. I want to knit on my own stuff, dammit.

Oh- before I forget- the cable pattern came from a new book- "Cables Untangled"- that I got for Christmas. Can you feel the cable love???????MMMMMMMMMMMMMM.

Pictures to ring in the new year!

First things first-my mother-in-law is a very talented quilter, and we have been getting a quilt or a wall hanging as a Christmas present. But this year? Well, she outdid herself. I will get a better picture when I have this hanging up in my own house, but this is a shot of it when I opened it. This amazing piece is made up of about 1700 tiny squares of grey or white or patterned fabric (each square the size of your little fingernail) that has been put together as a picture-and it is Annie's class picture from Grade Two. When I first opened it, I was looking at it close up, and could not figure out what the heck it was. But a little distance, and voila-the picture cleared. Isn't it amazing????? She said that each square is glued down with a glue stick, and then a fine tulle is put over the top, then quilted. Then a fabric frame is sewn around it. Amazing, really. And I love it.

And next, we have what happens when you mix the Bear with a little bit of snow and a measure of sunshine. He loves to play, this big old puppy of mine.

And he has also learned to pull Annie on her sled-we attached the ropes of the sled to the harness (it is a lovely fur lined harness- we use it to help him sit securely in the car-the seat belt slides through a part of it and then he can be safe)

Doesn't he look like he is having fun? (and no, he didn't do that all afternoon-he mainly ran around, eating snow and dancing). I swear he is a part of the River Dance chorus line!!!!!!!!!

Have a lovely day, all of you. We had planned to go for a flight over the city(our traditional way to welcome in the New Year) and then a chili lunch at the Kingston Flying Club, but I suspect the weather will ground the airplane. We shall have to wait and see!

Happy New Year!

Poodle Is as Poodle Does.......

We have decided that we need to rename our sweet poodle. He has had quite a history with names. His first name, from his first owner, was TUG. Hmm I said- how's that? Apparently, this owner was hearing impaired,and she had hoped that this guy would be a helper for him, and, as the story goes, that little puppy tugged at her heart strings, so Tug he became. But alas, she got very very sick, was unable to care for him any longer (or for herself, apparently) and Tug had to move on (at the ripe old age of 10 months). The next owner wished for Tug to become her helper (she was disabled) and so his name needed to be changed- because Tug is a command that is used doors need to be opened, or cupboards or whatever. So he became Bear-actually Care Bear-and learned to answer to that one, sort of. I guess he stayed in a kennel for 2 months. And then we got him (at the age of 13 months). He was a bit wild, not quite house trained, but truly loving and beautiful. At the time, Sean and I both felt Care Bear wasn't quite the right name for him, but felt unsure about changing his name on him again. So we shortened it to Bear (actually, we call him Bear Bear when we want to get his attention). But now that we know the beastie better, and he has become much more comfortable with us (that took quite awhile)-we have discovered that he has the personality of Forest Gump. Yup, my big white poodlehead is a Gumpster. And when he runs- legs akimbo, truly determined, as fast as the wind-he reminds me of that scene when Forest loses his leg braces. And he shares many of the other characteristics. He is guileless. And sweet. And gentle.

Life is just a box of chocolates.

I have been working on my Christmas knitting, and a wee bit on my own personal knitting (I just couldn't help myself!!!!) And painting the stage set for the Winter Concert, or Holiday Celebration, or whatever they are calling the Christmas concert these days. And also managing the building of about 27 gingerbread houses (my class project). Yeah, should have rethought that maybe.