I got it-I got it!!!

Okay-enough whining here-I got me some loot! And without further ado, may I present............the BOX!
Okay-it came in a beautifully wrapped box,, and each thing was wrapped up in differently coloured tissue-it was really lovely-but, well, I was, um, anxious! So I ripped it all open before I took a picture of it!!!! Inside-a lovely felted bag, some hand dyed (hand dyed!!!) yarn with a nice challenging pattern (toe up AND 2 circs), a little knitted goodie bag with a shell inside, a couple of little boxes-with some cool stitch markers and a Florida tag-and a journal. Now, my pal said she had a special note for me-hmmmmmm-must have forgotten it, hmmmmmm-look around a bit-oh here it is-IN the journal. OMG. This is what was in the note-
A gift certificate-for my own LEGGY CREATIONS! Yessirree- my secret pal was none other than Becky, from http://knitting-interrupted.com/ She is the person I have been telling you about with those awesome sock blockers. Go and see her store at http://leggycreations.com/ It is worth the visit!!!!!! Thank you, Becky-it was well worth the wait!!!!!!! You done spoiled this old girl. Me happy.

What to do while you are still waiting...........

Edit: added later in the day:
It came! It came! I am a happy girl!!!!!!!
I will put pictures in tomorrow's blog-but let's just say-I have been spoiled !


Still waiting for that parcel to arrive- I thought for sure yesterday....now I am resigned to the fact that it will come-well, sometime. No amount of throwing up my fist to the sky and cursing the postal system, or doing the strange, contorted "package bringing" dance out on the lawn (and terrifying the neighbour's kids in the process) will help me at this point.
And so, I digress.
As some may know, I am quite interested in designing things. I do not fit easily into commercial patterns (for starters, my top half and my bottom half are of different sizes) I am also of, well, generous proportions. (I have two rather petite sisters-and when I was 15, I asked my dad, "What happened here????????" He said, "Well, you were made fast, and you were made in the dark." OMG. Never asked the man another thing again in my life!!!!!!!!!!) So I am used to adjusting patterns, or just starting from scratch. As well, math is not a challenge for me, so playing with the numbers is manageable. I often help others alter patterns (usually making the pattern bigger) But I had never designed for the general public. Enter http://knitty.com Excellent bunch of people. AND they are okay with people who want to design, but have never taken the schooling to be "a designer". I had an idea (it seems AGES ago) for a baby bikini. Out of Cascade Fixation. And in leopard print. With frills on the bum. The wee babe up the street was my model. Enter Knitty . They published the pattern. And that started me on designing other things. Coats, sweaters, Hawaiian costumes, whatever could be imagined and knit.
And now I have another pattern in the works-the editors want me to write my bio-100 words or less-so I had better get cracking and get that done.
While waiting for the mailman.

I think I've got it....

The Funky Scarf thing- NOT the parcel thing (had a dream last night that today was the day the package came) (We'll see) . This is taking up a fair bit of time-I think because I have no idea what is truly funky. No clue.
Anyhow- the scarf thing-my partner (the giftee, not the giver) said that if her job was different, she would like to have pink hair. Okay-------getting a picture here-this is a girl who likes to take calculated risks. So- I was checking out Jane Thornley (you can see her stuff here http://www.janethornley.com/journal_knitters.php ). She uses a main idea- like a colour, or a picture, or something from her garden, to focus in her work, then knits something. She has a very interesting stash, methinks, judging by the mix of things she uses. So I thought- hey-I could do that! I started with a colour family (purples and pinks) and gathered up all the bits that I had that would work together-then arranged it all in a grouping so I could look at it for awhile (gotta make sure the light wasn't giving me a false reading of colour). I have been walking past it for 2 days now- so far so good. I think I need to add a colour-it will probably be that acidic green in very small quantities. Then I will try to set up the beading.(Jane says she just doesn't do plain) I think we might have a winner here.
If I get up off my lazy b--- today, I just might take a picture of my grouping- let me know if you even want to see it.

AAAAARRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH.

It's still not here. I can't even talk about it.
As promised- here is the picture of the other attempt at a funky scarf- this was based on a description (and a pattern, as I recall) from an Interweave Knits magazine- about using the pooling tendency of variegated yarns to your advantage, and making a sort of IKAT design. So this is what came up with (I think it is Little Lola- except that I probably called it Anne yesterday). It is interesting, yes, but...? I can't say I am truly wild about it. So- back to the think tank it goes (or brain drain, depending on the day)

In yesterday's blog, I linked to the Interweave scarf gallery, and got a comment from one very talented Mandy (http://yarnageddon.com/) and she agreed with me about the general design of the submissions being "interesting, but..." except for one- the "Me and My Shadow" idea. She refers to it as "Brilliant"- and when you sit and think about it- it truly, truly is. (Go and see it- check out yesterday's blog for a link) If I had made a shadow of myself, and then wrapped it round and round my neck- yes, I would be very very warm. But the whole idea of shaping something to represent "x" and then using it in such a way so that no one really knows what it is (other than a scarf) -very intriguing.
I just got an email saying I have to write a 100 word bio of myself. Geesh. What to say? What NOT to say? Any ideas?

Still waiting..................

And now, instead of wasting my time thinking up things for Mr. Postman (whom I don't truly hate- it is more the system that anything else that is annoying me) (why can't we just beam things around, like on Star Trek???)-I am thinking up things for my next secret swap- the Funky Scarf Swap.
At first, I thought I would try something from "Scarf Style"- I went here for some inspiration- http://www.interweave.com/knit/events/scarfstyle/scarfstyle_winners.asp. Then I asked friends for some of their ideas. I won't say what they were, because when I asked Becky (http://knitting-interrupted.com/) what she thought, she confirmed my definition of tacky. And that's about as far as I am going to go with that!
Soooooooo- I started this one- from "Scarf Style" I adore this scarf. I don't have the tons and tons of Paternayan yarn that is called for in this pattern. But I DO have quite a bit of odds and ends of Starmore yarns. (mostly Campion) But what I need is a brighter palette from which to choose. To make the scarf really "sizzle". Then I played around a bit with some Anne yarn (by Schaeffer)-I will have to add that picture later, since blogger won't do it right now. And tossed that in the "not quite right" pile. And I ended up with something that I think will be very sharp-and I will reveal it when the time is right!

Anticipation.................

Edit: I hate Mr. Postman. I really really do. My apologies to Posties everywhere.


Anyone who knows me knows that I really hate to wait. Like at Christmas, for example-I hate to wait! I always try to get just one thing opened-like, maybe my stocking, or something already under the tree(not from Santa-after all-we have an 8 year old believer!) And I usually get shot down. And now- I am waiting for my KSKSwap (the Knit Sock Kit Swap) to arrive. I sent my kit out early-had a riot doing it. And the one who is giving to me-she writes wonderful emails (I look forward to hearing from her), has given me some hints (like she has sent FLORIDA in the package? All I can think is that there is some sand in it!), and emailed me to say she sent the package on Monday. Air mail. Thinks it would take 4 or 5 days. OH THE AGONY. I thought maybe yesterday- I flew out of the house, to our mega box set up, hands shaking in anticipation, sweat on my upper lip, oh my oh my,.......and......and.......and........uh, no. Now, our regular mail carrier is on holiday this week, so the replacement doesn't come at the expected times. (yet another stress). So I will go through it all again today. And probably next week as well (we do not get weekend mail-I guess some Americans do?)
In the meantime, I have other things to occupy me-like the Funky Scarf Swap. I have gotten some hints from the person I am giving to-and now I have to narrow down my ideas (I have two very clear, strong ideas, and one sort of there idea). Tell me-dear readers- what would you want to get if you were going to get a funky scarf? More of a winter thing to brighten up the season? Or a decorative "inside the house" piece? Or a piece of art type? Any strong ideas of something you would love to get? Help me out here! Keep my mind off chasing the mailman in his cute little truck down the street!!!!!(Now there's a picture for you!)

What I think is funky....

This funky scarf swap that I am involved in is way cool-and the one answer I hadn't submitted was---Post a picture of what I think is funky. Fair enough-----here goes.....
First- a web site-of fairy doors. http://urban-fairies.com/locations.html I guess it is both cool AND funky. Go see. You know ya wanna. I will wait.
And here are some pictures of cool and funky-

Left to right- the first two are La Lana pieces- love them! And the third pic is, of course, Koigu (from their site) And number 4 is a Kersti piece (from the Needles and Pins website- great store!)
I love the colour, the shapes, the way the whole is much MUCH more than the parts.
And finally- truly funky-the airplane my husband built with his high school class..........

See that little stool-that's how I hoist myself into the thing-bum leg and all.
Now-does that explain what I think is funky???????????????

Funky scarf questionnaire.....

And here it is....... I will put in my answers in colour:
Let’s get the allergy part out of the way. Are you allergic to any fibers? Nope
Do you prefer any fibers over others?I do prefer natural fibres- wool, silk, sea silk, bamboo, mohair, alpaca (these are all about the same-no order of preference) over the "fakes" (like polyester and acrylic)
Thinking back to Scout’s post about what funky means to you, post an image of something that you think is funky! This one needs me to think upon it a bit- so this will come later)
Would you prefer funky yarn or a funky pattern?Depends- as long as it is used effectively, either can work
What are your favorite colors?Pinks, lime greens (and slime greens), purples, burgundy, golds and oranges, black,-just not beige or brown. Not wild about sky blue, either, but can live with some royal blue
What is your favorite piece of art?More an artist- Gustav Klimt
What colors would you never have up close to your pretty face?Never beige. Never sky blue
Would you prefer an actual scarf or a cowl?Scarf, please
When you wear a scarf do you prefer a wider/shorter scarf or a thin/long scarf?It depends on the scarf and its weight-I even wear lightweight shawls all wrapped up around my neck in the winter! Since I am tall and *ahem* fluffy- I think longer, medium width scarves look better -on me.
What is the climate like where you live? We have 4 very definite seasons-summer is warm and humid, fall is cool and windy (and often rainy), winter can be cold and snowy (although we didn't get as much snow last winter), and spring is windy, sometimes damp and chilly (I AM a Canadian, after all!)
Would you prefer a functional scarf (to keep you warm) or one just to funk-up your wardrobe?Oh hell- if someone could teach me how to funkify my wardrobe, I'd be eternally grateful!!!!! So either would do.
What else would you like your partner to know about you? I am 47, a wife and mom (to an 8 year old), but I feel like my aging/development stopped somewhere around the age of 26. Except for my knees (I recently had to have a total knee replacement) (years of mis- spent youth and an ex rugby player). I design (have had some of my stuff published), I write (some of that has been published), I paint, and I am an elementary teacher (Grade 7s mostly). I am inspired by many things, enthralled by others, and generally surprised (still) by some. And- I am open to questions!
I will search around for something I think of as "funky"-and post pictures shortly.
How's that?

Me and My Fly Guy

Husband took me on a hot date yesterday(Sunday)-At 8:00 a. m. , we climbed aboard the airplane he built (yeah- my knees were shaking a bit) (just the two of us, as it only has two seats- the little one was with Nana) -and off we went!
First, a leisurely tour of Kingston and the area-with special attention to some of the fabulous properties on Amherst Island. The off to Picton for a fly-in breakfast (the group at the local airport is quite active- they host these things regularly). So- hot coffee, bacon, eggs, toast, homefries-all cooked while you watched- topped off with homemade raspberry muffins! (no pictures, since I never know how people respond to having their pic on the web). The interesting part was that as soon as we landed, the airplane was surrounded by about a dozen guys-all wanting to know all about this engine and that body and and and......... It was nice to see Sean getting some recognition for his work. After we ate and chatted with people, off we went again-this time to tour Picton and area by air. It was loads of fun.
Saturday was spent at the Sheep Dog Trials-lots of people, beautiful weather, absolutely gorgeous dogs (especially the litter of 4 five-month old sheep dog puppies). In the trials, there was one handler (from the States) who was 84 years old!!!! And the little sheep (each dog had a 4-sheep "herd" to maneuver and manipulate)-so sweet! There was one mini herd made up of three very obedient sheep, and one, who had either "gone stupid", or was a "rebel without a cause". Every chance he got, he would duck out away from the dog, or run straight at the dog (poor dog just looked at it- as if to say, "What the f...?")-once he even stayed with the herd rather unexpectedly)- confused the poor dog to no end!!!!! Finally, after the herding was completed, the other three sheep just turned their backs on the "rebel".
He kept on butting them in the behind (Aw c'mon, I was just having some fun....) but no go- they weren't interested! I also started a new project (damn that fall Interweave Knits magazine- lots of nice things in it!) This one is called "Breton Jacket", and I am making it out of some stash yarn. It is something I got from Robyn over at Red Bird Knits. Aran weight Wensleydale Longwool, dyed by the Fleece Artist gang especially for Red Bird Knits. The colour is a tonal, mottled moss-I adore it! It almost feels like it has mohair in it- due to the Wensleydale Lomgwool. Nice and soft, with good body. The gauge is a bit off, so I have to play with it a bit, and I don't plan on knitting a belt-I will either put a button on it, or else I will wear a leather belt with it- not yet decided. Since I lost 25 pounds (the all pain, have a knee replacement diet)-my clothes fit differently. So I am shaping this to fit well-on me, that means smaller in the hips than in the bust, with some short row shaping at the bust. This patterns lends itself well to that, since there are stocking stitch panels on either side. So far, so good!



Isn't it purty????????

contest winnings

A few weeks ago, Shelley, over at http://funknits.blogspot.com/ had a contest. She had designed a scrawl, and wanted to know if anyone knew how she came up with the name. I had a guess, turned out I was right-so my name was put in the bin-turns out I was a runner up! So I got two balls of a lovely sock yarn-



It is Gedifra Sportivo-lovely and soft-similar colouration to the Trekking XXL. The scrawl is actually made out of this yarn. But she tossed in a little surprise for me- a tiny tiny ball of Opal-I took the picture with a pen beside it for scale. Isn't it cute???
Anyhow-you, too, can own these lovely gifts-by ordering from Shelley's on line business! (Just go to her blog, the links are there). She has a shop on Quadra Island, B.C.-I would LOVE to go and see it-it looks like such a lovely place to shop! I even ordered some Fun Knits sock yarn (a custom dye by Lorna's Laces). I also wanted the Quadra Island dye job-but...maybe next time. Another blogfriend (Peg, from http://peg-woolinmysoup.blogspot.com/) has apparently been there. I guess I will just put it on my list of things to do, places to go, people to meet. Hmmm- I wonder what else I should put on my list????? Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Thursday morning.....

Not much to report. We went up to Ottawa yesterday (my husband had to drop off some paperwork to the Ministry of Transport-the airplane stuff). I knit on Big Blue- think I might reknit the sleeves- I would like a tighter gauge. This sweater has been knit and reknit so often that it is starting to seem like I have knit two sweaters! We stopped off and had lunch at the inlaws in Kemptville. AND got our Christmas present (last Christmas)-a hand made quilt! Wait until you see it-it is absolutely stunning. I will take a picture of it and post it. The background is black-and the centre part is mitred squares with a bit of metallic in the fabrics. Stunning. We also spent some time in the Ottawa IKEA. Geesh I love that store-and if we had a local one, I know where I would spend my money! We didn't buy a whole lot (space issues in the SUV). The biggest purchase was a folding stool for my classroom (I need to look like I am still standing, but I need to sit-hence-tall stool). We did get a stuffed rat for the Boufmeister- he stayed with Nana, and has started to expect gifts when he is left on his own. He liked it- snuggled it last night in bed (yeah- we have a spoiled pooch-but I believe that if you are going to get a dog, then treat it like a family member-nothing gets me more riled up than when a family gets a dog and then ties it up outside all day-sometimes all night, too) (and then says that the dog prefers it that way) (for the love of Mike)-Must run- A. is having a friend over for a splash in the pool-must go help her tidy up her room a bit in case of rain-Ta!

My name is Deb and I have a problem-it is STARTITIS in the worst way. And, to compound the issue, I also have the nowannafinishits. (careful) I get all jazzed about a project, and get the yarn, and do the swatch, and knit and knit, and then, well, something happens. I want to start something new. I might be, oh-half a sleeve away from the end, and I just can't get the thrill of something new out my head. I have three sweaters that just need an hour or two to finish them up. I just can't seem to get the mental discipline together to make it happen. I know- I just have to tell myself to get going, and do it.
Right now, I am close to finishing up Big Blue. I did finish the baby lambie suit-but that was just small. And now I am eyeing a cardigan from a new book (Knit-Handmade Style-there is some info on it here-http://www.murdochbooks.com.au/handmadeknit.htm) -it is basically a large rectangle, knit out of 2 colours of dk, with a shaped sleeve. It looks like the cuff of the sleeve is knit first, and then the stitches are picked up from that. The instructions say that the secret of a good fit is to make the back only as wide as you are across the shoulders. As well, there is a note that says the finished garment can be pressed to size to create a looser fit. The it goes on to say "A row tension of 36 rows to 10 cm(4 in) in the finished garment can be blocked to 26 rows to 10 cm (4 in)" I'm going to have to play with that one, methinks.
The book, by the way, was only $14.95 Cdn. at the local Chapters. There are some great looking slippers, as well as info on how to dye yarn with Jell-o, some wire-knitting necklaces, lots of good stuff. Worth a look.

Is this cool or what?

Okay- a couple of very very cool things have crossed my computer screen this weekend. The first is actually something that was made for a friend of mine. it is a needle tree-check it out! It is basically a piece of a tree, that has been sanded and finished, and has had holes drilled into it to hold the needles (Ruby has some pretty fancy needles, so this is for her special ones). The other way cool thing is from here http://knitting-interrupted.com/ She has started a business (Leggy Creations) and she makes custom sock stretchers. Oh go on- go see them- I'll wait. Are they not the coolest things?
Wow.
Once again- absolute awe for people who are so completely talented.
Onto knitting news- the lambie suit is done-baby is coming tomorrow (scheduled C-section) and blocking as we speak. Pics when it is dry.
Big Blue has been resurrected- I am on the final part- the last sleeve. So this will be something to toss on over a shirt and pants for school. Perfect!
Happy long weekend, fellow Canadians! (The neighbours took Missie A. to the beach-hubby is off flying airplane- I am at home lounging in my pjs and drinking coffee-I often tell people, when they ask what I am up to, that I am lying around in bed, drinking gin, smoking cigars and reading smut. I sometimes wonder, judging by the looks, if people really do think I have the time to do that kind of crap. Makes for a good line, though. Wonder how it would look on my business cards.Hmmmmmm)

And the winner is..............

The answer to the contest is... Brian Mulroney! (He grew up in a house down the street from where I grew up). And, of the people who answered correctly........I am now putting all of their names in a hat........my daughter is now drawing the name.........and the winner is!!!!!!!!!!!!!ESTHER!!!!!!!!!
Thank you to all who entered-Esther- please email me your mailing address and I will send you the scarf yarn.

There is also a prize for the speediest person-that would be RUBY! She will be getting some sock yarn.
Have a good weekend!

Progress and Prizes

Contest still on- I will draw tomorrow at 4:00 ish (okay-I am an "ish" kind of person). There are two prizes- one for the first right answer,(and since that is someone I know-it will be sock yarn) and the other to be drawn from all the right answers. Here is that prize-

One beautiful skein of Artful Yarns Portrait- a wonderfully soft haze of colour-the label has a "One Skein Scarf" on it. I don't know-maybe it is because I am a fallen away Catholic chick-or maybe I just doubt everything-but I bought TWO balls of the stuff. But ya know-one skein scarves are generally made out of, yes, you guessed it-ONE SKEIN! (should have caught onto that). It made a lovely gift for my daughter's teacher-and the scarf came in at about 7 inches wide by about 43 or 44 inches. And it was very pretty. And this is its twin. In a ball.

Next up- my progress on the lambie suit -Loving this lambie (although my hubby thinks it is kind of dog like at this point-maybe if I sew the ears down a bit?) I still have one arm and one tail (yes- it even has a tail-like how sweet is THAT?) At this point, it does look a little odd and lopsided-but trust me- this is going to be one cute baby-so he needs a nice suit.

I also did something to the sleeve that I would highly recommend-once I knit to the shoulder (in this pattern, you knit the mitt first, then up the arm). I counted my stitches (64) and then, with another circular needle and another ball of yarn, I picked up 64 stitches around the armhole. Then-a three needle bind off was performed while watching old reruns of Stargate (yeah- a little addicted to that show lately). So neat! So tailored and finished looking! I love it! And so easy! No pinning the pieces together, no swear words, no nuthin'! Seeeeeeeeeeeee- Isn't that neat? Love it. Love it.LOVE IT.
Gotta go finish this suit- the little man is due to make a planned entry by C-section on August 8th.
Stay cool.

Contest still on

Hi there-pictures tomorrow-I am knitting on the lambie suit-but just a quick note to tell you that I have chosen the prize for the contest-will reveal that tomorrow as well. But the contest is still open-until Friday-and the question to answer is........
I grew up in Baie Comeau, Quebec, but I didn't vote for him.
Who is the "him" I am talking about?
Email me (debDOTseanATsympaticoDOTca) and I will enter you in the draw!!!!

We're okay, but warm. Oh and a contest!

Holy Cow! Can you said-it's HOT? It's damn HOT? The forecast today says that it will go up to 35 degrees Celsius, and that there is a Humidex and smog warning, which will take us up to 42 or more!!!! That is about 108 degrees Fahrenheit! (apparently, might break records) For those of you who don't know me, I grew up in Baie Comeau, Quebec (yeah, but I didn't vote for him) (do you know who "him" might be?) Hey- that sounds like a contest-if you know who I am talking about(of whom I speak?), send me an email (debDOTseanATsympaticoDOTca)-just put in the right punctuations instead of the words-and I will draw on Friday from the right answers. The prize? Sock yarn, or something from my stash. Anyhow-I am used to waking up and needing a sweater in July. Or only swimming outside for about 2 weeks in the summer, because my legs turn blue in the water. Or being carried off by black flies. But this kind of heat and humidity??? Nah.
And tonight-we are the snack parents at our daughter's soccer game-so we can't even skip out of that!!!!!!!
Oh the humanity..........................................................

Help!

A knit pal has written to me with a request for help-she is about 20 yards short of finishing a project out of Fleece Artist Silk Stream in (I think) the Origin colourway. She sent the picture. And when Blogger lets me upload another, I will.
Can anyone help out with about 20 yards worth?
Let me know!

Knee news....and, I'VE ARRIVED!

Went to see the doctor (surgeon) about my knee- he says- good news- bone looks good, prosthesis looks good. He looked for hairline cracks and for inflammation from infection. Thankfully did not find either. Bad news-not sure what is wrong. Could be a case of scar tissue that has ripped and made the knee mad. Also- long term pain in the knee could be affecting it now. Soooooo-I am now on a med to increase circulation in my legs (gotta watch if I stand up too fast-I can go down just as fast from the spins), as well as a heavy duty NSAID-non steroidal anti-inflammatory. AND-more bad news- this may affect my return to work-I may not be able to go back full time as I had planned. Blah.
Now- there had to be a good thing, right? About 6 weeks ago, I submitted the pattern and the finished item for an upcoming book. (still kinda hush hush) BUT- a very important person in the Interweave company emailed me to say she thought it was luscious! Can you believe it! When I can, I will tell you who said it. But LUSCIOUS! High praise indeed.

Alien Alert

This is a public safety message-aliens have been spotted making the rounds of neighbourhood houses. They do not seem to want to cause harm to humans. Please direct them to the nearest swimming pool should they land at your front door. And now back to the regularly scheduled programming.
Here's a conundrum. I have received emails from my secret pal in the Knit Sock Kit Swap (the one who is giving to me) and the first email apparently was not from her! I have contacted the organizers, but they don't have an explanation, since they have no record of 2 people with y address. ODD, HMMMH?
I go and see the doc tomorrow about my knee-he has xrays ordered, so we will get a peek at what is going on. I am a bit worried about my leg. And, true to form, the insurance company feels they know more about my knee than the doctors here do. Must be nice to be all seeing.
I continue to work on the lambie suit-man is it cute! I will get a picture of it when there is more to it-like arms, maybe. This will be one well dressed baboo.
Catch you later-

this is a knitting blog, right...?

Before I start with the knitting part of today's entry-this is my cane (my constant companion). I have used a cane for years, and it was getting rather grungy looking. So- I decide to "refresh" it-one night when I was at a party. My mother had these fabulous printed napkins. So I "liberated" a couple of them. I split the layers until I was only dealing with the top printed part, then cut out all of the individual flowers. In the meantime, my husband had whipped up to Canadian Tire (we are within 10 minutes drive to Canadian Tire, Home Depot, the airport-you can see how this would please my husband), bought some ivory spray paint (I had sent him with a tiny little square from the napkin in the colour I wanted) and painted the cane. Then I shellac-ed all of the napkin bits in place. Couple of coats of shellac later-badaboom, badabing. I am amazed at how many people have talked to me about this cane! I even had offers of $$! Maybe I will buy a few canes and decorate them-say in sailing motif, or dogs, or cats.....or even back to flowers. I wonder how much I should sell them for?
Now the knitting part...........
I have been working on the Trekking XXL sock-man this is beautiful yarn.It has great body to the yarn-a nice firm twist-and the colours! Oh my. Each stretch of colour has three strands of colour-then one changes and the whole look of the tweed changes. This particular one has greens, yellows, some reds, oranges and aquas, with some dark blue and black thrown in. I think they will make a spectacular pair of socks, but I almost wish I had saved this for gloves!



I started the little lambie suit-OMG- too cute for words. And, true to form, Debbie Bliss has built in excellent shaping. The little feet have a seam along the sole, and shaping around the toe and the heel. The front has a long button band (garter stitch), and the mitts are attached. The hood has ears, and the bottom has-what else-a tail! Too sweet. There is also a bunny pattern in the collection. I have some supersoft cream alpaca-maybe I will make a little lamb to go along with this baby gift. The Csection is scheduled for August 8th!

Knees

For years, I have had knee problems-some of which from beating them up as a younger person, the other part from a deformity inside the knee. I have had MANY surgeries-lateral releases, patellar-tendon transfer, etc., etc., and, most recently, a total knee replacement. I am 47, and I chose the replacement because I could no longer do the things I wanted to do. I also have an 8 year old daughter, so I need to keep active. I had researched the total knee, had talked to people, asked lots of questions-I thought it would be okay. Initially, it was great-I really thought this was going to work out. But then something happened to it. I went to physio, tried a new machine-told the physio it hurt-and, whether this was coincidence or not, that point marked the beginning of a downward trend.
The doctor looked at it, drained it, thought I probably had a bit of a bleed into the joint (he didn't seem too excited about it, so I wasn't), said off you go, should be fine. Nope. Wasn't that easy. So-next thought-was it an infection? No. blood tests came back negative. A few scenarios were bandied about-most recent being the possibility of circulation problems. A new drug. So far, still too early to tell. In the meantime, I have to stay quiet, not get too active, can't do physio until this is resolved, getting both bored and frustrated (as you know, if you have been reading this blog for a while-A mind like mine at rest is not pretty to watch. Then, as if it couldn't get much worse-the insurance company (for my disability) emails me (not even the courtesy of a letter or call) to tell me that I am no longer going to receive benefits, since their doctors feel recovery from a knee replacement is 3 months. Only. I had given them copies of a note from the surgeon that said, due to long term issues with both knees, I will not be eligible to return to work until September 1. But this isn't good enough-apparently, the person who made this decision says that he wrote that because I am a teacher and don't want to work in the summer. When I questioned this comment, I was told I am welcome to get more information to them. From the surgeon they already don't believe. Yeah,that's going to help.
Soooooo. Here I sit, pain in the knee, thinking about pain in the ass people. (and, since I have been up since 4:07 a.m., because my knee hurt, I considered calling this Frances person to talk to her about her decision. Good thing I don't have her home number).

Gee I love new babies........

My friend's daughter is having a baby-like SOON-and I haven't even knit anything for the poor tyke yet! Soooooo- I grabbed "Old Faithful"- a Debbie Bliss book extraordinaire-

Flipped through it (I always find something I like in it) and found a gorgeous little lamb suit for the baby . It is truly the sweetest thing ever. Of course I had to go and buy more yarn. I had some soft grey wool in the stash for the body, but my husband said, "No baby wants to be the grey lamb. Make it like the picture." Bless his fuzzy little heart- off I went to my LYS.

I bought a new yarn (to me anyway) it is made by Scheepjes and called Donna- half wool, half acrylic. But the hand on this stuff-like it is part silk! Absolutely stunning stuff. It is dk weight (just a titch heavier) and would make a gorgeous shirt style sweater to wear with a skirt or pants. But I digress. The feet and hands and ears will be dark brown (the grey was like a blue grey-too light IMHO), and the body a warm ivory. Way cool.

AND in other news-my secret pal got her Knit Sock Kit from me (at long last!) (Maybe the mail gods heard me grousing about the slow service). She seems to like it- go and see here what she has to say- http://somewhereknitting.blogspot.com/

Have a good weekend, hug a tree or a kid-or both.

Canada Post

What IS it about the mail service? I recently got involved in a Knit Sock Kit Swap. The deal is- you had to make a bag, fill it up with sock making goodies, and send it off to your secret partner. And someone else was chosen to do the same to you. Okay- sounds like fun. I had a riot getting the stuff together for my "pal" in Florida. Although the deadline for getting stuff out is in August, I decided sooner was better. So I mailed everything off on the 12th. Of July. Supposed to take 8 or 9 days. When I go to their "computerized tracking", I see that the package is in the Toronto area, and has been since the 14th! What gives? I paid the 15 bucks to mail it (it wasn't a big nor a heavy package) and thought that it would be reasonable to expect it at its destination in a timely fashion? Or am I living in the land of the deluded? (However a happy place that might be)
Onto other news-I won something! Yeah- ME! Shelley, over at Fun Knits (http://funknits.blogspot.com/) had a contest about a Scrawl-as in-it was something she designed, could someone tell her what it was and how the name was derived. And a bunch of us got it right-including me- and I was a runner up! Yeah Shelley!!!!!! I get two balls of lovely sock yarn (just what I needed, although my husband has differing views on that point!)

the Blue Sweater (or, "Big Blue")

Big Blue is coming along. I should explain the flash of pink at the neck-I made one of the diamonds at the top of the back in Ottawa (a yarn by HandMaiden-I guess the one who runs HandMaiden is the daughter of the Fleece Artist owner) (? I think). (No, I haven't BEEN to Ottawa lately) The website is here- http://handmaiden.ca/yarn.html The Ottawa is in the dragonfly colourway-mostly pink with some purples and bronzes and a bit of blue. I also put little diamonds along the bottom hem in the Ottawa (pictures on another day-hubby has the camera). I plan on making a scarf/wrap in the Ottawa to wear with-yes, you guessed it-the jacket. I just hope the effect isn't too overwhelming.
Had another thunderstorm last night. The pooch is now resting comfortably, thank you very much.
The airplane flies today! Watch for a big yellow bird way up in the sky if you are in the Kingston area!

Knitting, More Knitting, and a Plane

First of all, God bless air conditioners everywhere-they just keep on doing their jobs, keeping people like me who can't seem to tolerate the heat anymore nice and cool so we can knit!


The mostly blue modular sweater is coming along-I took the pinky Ottawa off the collar, made a more dignified narrow shawl collar for it, then edged the fronts on 3 stitch I-cord edging for the button bands, and 5 stitch I-cord edging for the collar. The new skein of Silk Stream I got was not, in fact, in the Mermaid colourway, but in the Woodland colourway. The colours are identical-the proportions are not. So I am using it for edgings and for sleeves. I think it will work.




I have also been working on my Trekking XXL sock- I swear it is like a drug-you just can't get enough of it-watching the colours change. (I know I know- I need to get out more)


And this is the airplane my husband built with his classes, and in which he will (hopefully) be flying to Oshkosh, Wisconsin, for a huge home built airplane show. (the show is huge-not necessarily the airplanes) This weekend. To get there for next week.

It's really yellow, don't you think?

(By the way- I spent our anniversary being taught how to edge, tape and paper a surface to be painted, and then proceeded to do same to this airplane. My husband now owes me till the end of time.)

A present? For ME?

I make my family totally crazy at Christmas time. Because I consider it my God given duty to find out what at least 50% of my gifts are BEFORE I open them up on "the day. I also think I should be allowed to open "just one" on Christmas Eve (as a special "thank, we appreciate all the gourmet treats, the beautiful wrapping, the tree decorating, the getting away from the staff party early, and all the other things you do to make this fun for the rest of us" kind of a gift) I, however, am the only one who sees it this way. Anyhow- they are entitled to their opinion, I suppose-but I digress. I am a part of a "sock kit swap" thingee-I have never been involved in a swap before-and I can hardly wait to see what might be winging its way to me in the mail as we speak. My kit has been lovingly prepared and sent (before the deadline of,um, the 19th- I think) I really hope the recipient is happy with the things I put into the kit. I have been cruising the swap blog (you can check it out here-http://ksks.scoutj.com/), seeing all the lovely, lovely bags and sock yarns- and I can hardly wait! The suspense is just about killing me! I suppose my "gifter" (I am the "giftee") will probably be from the US- so that means even longer waiting time!!!! Oh the agony! Oh I haven't even gotten a clue as to what might be coming! Oh- it is just killing me!

We survived!!!!!

We survived that thunderstorm. The poor little guy-he gets this "hunted" look in his eyes, and then he gets frantic and tries to squish himself under the bed (he doesn't fit under there). Forecast is for more rain today-maybe thunder-Prozac,I can hear you calllliiiinnnnggggggg.
I should really talk about knitting here-I have a decision to make about a sweater that is very nearly done. It is made out of those GORGEOUS mixed purpley shades of Manos wool. I love the stitch (a variation of a tweedy stitch)-it breaks up the colours nicely-but the shape is really boxy-not 100% flattering. The Big Girl Knits has made me really want to rethink the shaping of my knits. I am "top heavy"-and have what is called a "high hip" (means minimal waist, really). I also have long thin arms. (Yeah-aren't you thinking I am cute now?) So-to avoid looking like a potato with arms, I have to figure out how to make the illusion of a waist into my sweaters. Too short-the sweater looks like a sausage casing. Too long-preggo city, since it falls from the bust. Unless I add a waist in somehow. I think I am going to go into my Jackets book-the Jean Frost one- and try to match the yarn with a shape. There IS one that has a leather belt that looks interesting. Of course, I could just re-design the sweater I already knit and go with that. Hmmmmmm. Anyone know of a great pattern for heavy worsted with a bit of variegation?

Today is going to be a might crazy.....

I have a little dog, who is usually a gentle-natured, pleasant little fur person, who is terrified of thunderstorms. I don't mean the "gee I am feeling a bit tense" kind of nervous. I mean the rabid, chewing at his fur, frothing at the mouth, shivering uncontrollably kind of fear. Mind- he wasn't always this way. It all started back when A. was about 5 and discovered that if one put a balloon onto the neck of a balloon pump and pumped furiously, a loud sound would be emitted. And then she would laugh uproariously. Not so the fur guy. He has become this quaking, wild eyed little beast, who would chew through anything to get away from "the sound"-be it fireworks, firecrackers, balloons popping, thunder, cars back-firing- you get the drift. Soooooo- today has a 70% chance of boomers. Boy Howdy. Sounds like fun. (And yes, the vet has suggested Prozac- I figure on good days- he gets one, and on bad days, we share)

My Sock Kit Swap

This is what I am sending to my secret pal for the sock kit- I hope it is okay. The bag has a green lining, and there is a pair of scissors on a ribbon inside it. The purple thing in the front is a package of Canadian wildflower seeds embedded in a piece of handmade paper. (I thought I would use it as a card). There is an organic chocolate bar, some Harry Potter jelly beans (some of them are quite nasty!!-but fun!) and some moose droppings. Oh- and some magnets to hold her pattern in a safe spot (the colours match her dishes) As well, there are some stitch markers and a treat for her son. I wonder if it is ok? I have never done one of these before- let me know if I have left anything out.

Trust me....

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. - George Carlin (stolen from Zeneedle) (thanks!)

Today is one of those kinds of summer days.

Trust me.

How come.......?

How is it that a child can stay in a pool for hours and hours and hours, having a great old time, but needs to be chased to get into a tub and take a proper bath????????

I wonder if I add a little shampoo to the chlorine? Hmmmmmmm.

PS: The 11 year old schnoodle has been rejuvenated -he still doesn't swim very well (I have had to go into the water to save him more than a couple of times over the years)-but he does love a good splash. The more kids in the pool, the better.

Didn't get a whole lot of knitting done today, however. Maybe I can show pictures of my Kit for my Sock Kit Swap-stay tuned.

Trekking XXL

Oh my.Trekking XXL, colourway 100. Enough said.(Except- yes, Ruby, yours is coming)

My Littlest Pets

The kidlet is way addicted to them. And they are kinda cute in a wobbly necked sort of way. See?

She has all these games and scenarios that surround these guys. Some of them are "streeters" (they don't have houses- they live on the street) and some have mates. There is a daily vote as to who is the reigning King and Queen (and, interestingly enough, sometimes the Queen has absolute power, and sometimes not). The pic shows a parade of mate choosing (matching by colour and species). And they all have to play in the playground. And go to the doctor. And get fed. I kinda like the mice and the hamsters, although the little lizards and crabs are kinda cute. She wants a butterfly and a skunk-but I haven't been able to find them around here. Anyone have a good source?

Happy July 4th

A very Happy July 4th to our American neighbours. We celebrated today by dragging out A.'s pool and splashing around. The wee beastie (the dog) figured out how to slide in and out, so he is also happy.
I know- we all celebrate in our own ways!

What shall I do?

I have about 1.5 skeins of Ottawa (a Hand Maiden/Fleece Artist confection- go and see it here- http://handmaiden.ca/yarn.html ) in the dragonfly colourway. I was thinking of knitting up this little puppy- Ilga Leja's design (Lady of the Forest, I think). The yarn is oh so soft and pretty. I imagine I would have enough in 1.5 skeins- it comes to about 900 metres (or about 990 yards). Hmm- with a nice tassel at the point? The yarn is hot pink and blue with bits of purple and bronze. Yummy

12 years today........

To the man I dated for two weeks, got engaged to, married 6 months after that......
To the daddy of our little girl......
To the guy who loves animals, airplanes, and a good beef barbeque...........
To the fellow who drives me batty one minute, then endears me the next........

I love you.
Happy Anniversary.

Happy Canada Day!!!!!!!

We Canucks celebrate July 1st as our National Holiday-parades, no work, fireworks, you get the idea! Around our home town, there is also something called Fanfayr- a juried arts and crafts show and sale (all held outdoors) that runs until tonight. We went down yesterday. I got tie-dyed t-shirts for my husband (no, he is not a "Dead Head", he is a lover of "groovy clothes") (Still wears the same style of Levi's that he started to wear as a teen-ager)(Okay- a bit bigger now, but... same style). I also got a lovely bowl for my mother-in-law for Christmas. Her kitchen is way cool-tiled in purple-so I try to get her purple things to match it. This one is by Ashburn Pottery in Baltimore, Ontario. They also had some stunning really high mugs I would have liked.
But didn't get. Also met a lady who sells yarn. Hmmm-more on that later!!!!
Have a safe and happy Canada Day, whatever you do!

Later.......
Before I forget- I DO have something truly Canadian looking to wear- CANADA SOCKS! (they are actually Opal sock yarn, from Fun Knits in BC) (Photo courtesy of my 8 year old, since I can't take a good picture of my own feet if my life depended on it !)

End of the year

Well, today is the day-my A. is finishing up Grade 2. I think she has mixed feelings about it-on one hand, she is excited about the holidays. On the other hand, she will miss her friends. Since we don't live in the school cachement area, she doesn't live near her classmates. Soooo- drive drive drive is the way we live. Oh well.
I DID get one present made-the one for one of my educational aides (SSSHHHH- I am almost afraid to say I had two full time aides this year in my classroom-it is basically unheard of-but that was the nature of my class). It is a scarf out of Patagonia cotton-a hand dyed, thick and thin confection. I would LOVE a whole sweater made out of this stuff, let me tell you.

And, just because I am amazed at what my husband can do-this is a pic of his class project (he teaches tech. at a high school)

That's right-high school, NOT college. Cool, eh?

Pinwheel go round and round

Okay- the sleeves are now in the jacket. Since I am of a more generous size, let's just say, I added more rows before the armholes. I just went round and round until I had 35 stitches between increases and crossed my fingers it would be right. You see, the thing is, when I measure from arm hole to armhole across my back, I get a very similar measurement to the pattern. However, if I measure from the centre of my back to the centre of my chest, I need more fabric. So- I counted on say, 4 inches of ease across the back, the armholes will be correspondingly bigger, and then I need to add the same amount on the front. I suppose I could add even more on the front-but it will also be longer (as the piece is actually a full circle). The provisional cast on is slick and easy (once one can visualize it), and the fabric lays flat (not wavy)
. The picture shows the armhole as it sits now.

Monday Morning.......

These are pics of a purse I made (2 years ago, as a matter of fact) from some Rowan denim and some un-named off white cotton. I used some old OLD jeans to trim it, some hemp cord as the handle, and lined it with some cotton. It went to a niece. (and I have written down the pattern somewhere, but there is no place to find it at this time) Brings up the question- there are tons of purse patterns out there- the felted ones, the knit ones, the crochet ones-as well as fabric ones (my younger sister makes fabulous purses)-Is there a trend to make and actually USE these purses? I see people making them all over the blogs- but are they USING them? Or do they still look too "home- made-y" (yes, made up a word). I like things to look polished, professional, and some of those purses just do not. If you go and check out http://www.youknitwhat.blogspot.com/ you will see all kinds of things that probably looked great in a designer's mind, but, Holy Cow- not great in reality. I like this little purse I made, would probably have used it if it hadn't been a gift. But tell me, all 3 or 4 readers of this blog- do you use the purses you have made? I am currently involved in a sock kit swap, and I certainly hope the person getting the kit I have put together likes the bag I have made. It was originally a purse pattern, but it looked more like a knitting bag to me. I just hope she likes it enough to use it.

Sand dollars and little girls and what to do with a sleeve

Remember when you were a kid and finding a sand dollar on the beach meant magical things? My daughter had never found one, but had read about them and thought they were just the coolest things around. Enter a good friend of mine- she heard about A's love of seashells and sand dollars and such- so she gave A not one but TWO sand dollars. A. slipped them into bed with her last night (she is 8, remember) and, disaster struck! This morning, one of her lovely treasures was in pieces. And, of course, her heart was broken. Luckily, one of the sand dollars is whole. But the poor little kid.

I have been working like mad on my Secret Pal Sock Kit Swap. The bag is, oh, about 75% completed. I am quite pleased with it. The sock yarn is on order. I have some ideas for other things to put in the bag-any suggestions for things you have gotten (or given) that worked out really well?

I am also working away on my blue sweater. I tried the pink Ottawa for the sleeves. Unh-unh. No go. Looks like the circus stopped for a visit and they lost a clown. Sooooooo-ebay to the rescue. Found the same colour of Silk Stream, on a "Buy It Now"- good enough! So the sleeves will be blue. Now I have to decide whether they will be plain knit or modular diamonds. I am leaning toward the plain, but we'll see.

Tonight is my staff party. As well, the boss is retiring, so it doubles as a retirement party. I was asked to paint a picture (watercolour) of the school as one of his gifts. So- that is done-out to be framed-looking forward to seeing what he says about it.

Have a good weekend!

Cardboard Boats

My husband is a tech teacher, and today, one of his classes (Grade 10, maybe?) will be launching these boats they have made out of cardboard, into the Napanee River. I hope to bring pics back with me. Stay tuned.........................

The knee problem has been solved!

For those of you who know me, I have had knee problems for years. So- last March-I had a total knee replacement. I am young to have one, but, as the doctor said, "You got yourself 90 year old knees." Initially, I had some trouble, then it was doing really well. Up until about two weeks ago. First they thought I had blown a clot. That was negative. Then what? Finally, the knee was drained a cortisone shot was administered-today, it doesn't feel half bad. Aparently, doc felt this was a bleed into the joint, caused by....exercise. Because I was doing well, the physio, as trained, increased the load and the reps on my knee exercises (I don't blame her- she was doing the right thing) Unfortunately, the knee could not take it. So- back to slow down, take it easy, keep it up, ice it, walk with the cane again.
Blah. Blah. Triple blah.
So...I will leave you with a picture of my knitting buddy, my market boy(went to the open air market yesterday), my constant companion, on this first day of summer.

Sock Kit swap

This is so so cool. I signed up for this sock kit swap(see the questionnaire from the weekend)- you have to make a special bag, and then you fill it up with yarn and pattern and treats and whatever! The person who is giving to me has contacted me and sounds very nice. I have emailed my person, and ditto on the very nice. But I can't believe how excited I am!!!!!! It's like Christmas in July! (or June, depending on whether or not everything happens this month). Now- the person giving to me reads this blog- let's see if I can enlighten her a bit about me........
Hmmmmmmmm. Heavily into modular knitting lately. Design my own patterns mostly. Love dogs and kids and monkeys. I LOVE white chocolate (can't eat the brown kind- I should have specified when I said I can't eat chocolate). When I was in Belgium (my one and only trip to Europe in 1991- I was teaching, actually, and den mother to 80 Grade 12 and OAC kids from Canada)-I fell in love with these truffles- they were soft and creamy white chocolate on the inside, and rich white chocolate or crushed pistachios on the outside. (OOps- just have to wipe some drool off the monitor here). Hmmmm-what else? Well- anyone who knows me- leave something in the comments that my secret pal can use, okay? Thanks!

this can't be right

You Are Mystique

Sneaky and duplicitous, you're likely to use your powers for evil. You're eternally young looking, people don't realize how old you really are! Powers: Shapeshifting - you can impersonate other people or become a monster

Which of the X-Men Are You?

I'm just not that sexy

Sock Kit Swap Questionnaire

Questionnaire for Knit Sock Kit Swap:
What are your favorite colors? Almost any thing with the exception of beige and cream.(Translation- I do like me some colour!)
Are you a new sock knitter? No
How long have you been knitting socks?Over 10 years
Do you prefer solid or multicolored yarn?Multi-colored (of course!)
What fibers do you prefer in sock yarn? Wool, silk- but please! no acrylic (yucky sweaty feet in acrylic), have found that I don't like hand knit cotton socks much
Where do you usually knit socks? Wherever is appropriate- in the car (as a passenger, of course), in front of the tube, while proctoring exams at school (I am a teacher), wherever!
How do you usually carry/store small projects? funky bags that I can wear across my body or hang on one shoulder
What are your favorite sock knitting patterns? Top down .
What are your favorite sock knitting techniques?Pretty well open to anything- from the sublime to the ridiculous
What new techniques would you like to try? Those afterthought heels
Do you prefer circulars or dpns for sock knitting? DPNs, unless I am using my special very short, size 2.5mm Addi circular (but I have to do the toes on dpns)
What are some of your favorite yarns? I love unique, one of a kind yarns from small businesses. Otherwise, Koigu, Lorna's Laces, Fleece Artist, Apple Laine
What yarn do you totally covet? Art Yarns (borrowed that from ZeNeedle)
Any pattern you would love to make if money and time were no object? Money and time are to be considered???????
Favorite kind of needles (brand, materials, straights or circs, etc)? My little Addi circs, or metal dpns
If you were a specific kind of yarn, which brand and kind of yarn would you be? Probably be wildly coloured, but may have a whole bunch of knots and snarls in it (but be unexpectedly soft)
Do you have a favorite candy or mail-able snack? I cannot eat chocolate, but most other things work for me-sweet or salty
What’s your favorite animal? Dogs and monkeys
Do you have pets? Yes
What are their species/names/ages?Mr. Boufu Butterscotch is a schnoodle (part schnauzer, part poodle) and he is 11
If you were a color what color would you be? Pink- the colour of my neck during my early menopause!!!!!!! (Now that sounds like too much information!)
Describe your favorite shirt (yours or someone else’s). It is a shirt of my husband's- fine Egyptian cotton, cream and blue stripes, very very long, I have to roll the sleeves up when I wear it, button down collar, extra buttons in the cuff (mother of pearl buttons)
What is your most inspiring image, flower, or object in nature? Wild water, calm water, deep water, trickling water, thunderstorms, early spring rains
Tell me the best quote you've ever heard or read. If you can't say something nice, shhh say nothing.
Do you have a wishlist?No.

Any other questions you need answered, secret pal- just ask!

so far......

These are the two colourways I have together. They are both Fleece Artist (love that stuff). The blue is Silk Stream (half silk half wool) in Mermaid, and the other is Ottawa (wool with just a bit of viscose) in Dragonfly. The colours are similar-just in different proportions. So they work. Right? They do. I think.
I am a little further ahead now-the shawl collar is done, and everything is edged in the blue. Now for the sleeves. I have a ton of Ottawa left-not much of the Silk Stream-so the sleeves will be pinky by default. I just hope this doesn't look like a clown suit when I am done. I am thinking of doing little triangles in blue around the cuff(oh- I forgot- I also have little diamonds in the pink at the junction of the blue diamonds at the bottom hem-they are about half the size of the blue ones). Any suggestions? Oh- before I forget- please wear sunscreen if you are anywhere near here- the UV index is 9 or very high. Holy cow!

Edit- I forgot to add- for those who know me-I have been in and out of the hospital this week- doc thought I have a blood clot (I had a total knee replacement done in March). The emerg doctor was someone I knew- he said he was willing to bet $$ that it was a clot, and was surprised when none was found. He also said my knee looks weird. Must be some new doctor talk. I have to keep it elevated until I see my surgeon.

Do you think this is way bigger than the vision of Virgin Mary on a piece of toast

This morning, Bouf (the resident fur boy) (he doesn't like to admit it, but he is a D-O-G) left me this little reminder of silly in his food dish this morning..........

Now turn your head sideways (this is an interactive kind of thing here) and can you see the resemblance?

He's such a happy guy, that pooch of mine.

(And no- I did not manipulate the kibble in any way)

Knitalongs and buggy mitts

So it's a go- I am now part of a knitalong- the pinwheel sweater one, hosted by Anny Purls. I have no idea how to get the buttons and make the columns and anything else like that (I operate on a need to know basis- if I didn't need to know something- out it goes) Anyone out there can help me? Let me know in the comments and I will get back to you-
Now- the bug mitts- to die for? from the Morehouse book. AND a free pattern- go and see- you know you wanna- http://www.randomhouse.com/crown/pottercraftnews/jun06/index.html
Gotta go and help my pooch- the thunder just started, and he is on his way to panic mode.........
Edit- crisis averted- the dog is fine- only one clap of thunder. My physio wants me to take it very easy- no exercises at all this week, minimal everything. Blah. I'm getting bored.

This is a knee post. For those of you who do not know me-I have had knee problems for years. I have had many many knee surgeries. And, last March 24th (my mom's birthday in fact) I had a total knee replacement. Yeah, I know-everyone celebrates their mother's birthday in different ways. Anyhow, for the last week or so, the knee (which had been doing fairly well, I thought) went for a bit of a dump. Hurts. Stiff. Swollen(foot and leg, too). I had an "assessment" at the physio therapist's yesterday- and she felt I needed a couple of days of "going really really easy" on the leg. Using my cane all the time. Resting it. Dialing back on my exercises. And she'll see me on Monday. So- that means sitting around when there is all kinds of stuff to do. And tidy. And fix. And garden. Bleh. Double bleh. I might post again this weekend. Stay tuned for a truly boring post. Like this one.
Colour me bummed.

And this is why I get up every morning.......A couple of weekends ago, we went to a family wedding and this is what my husband and daughter looked like all duded up. Doncha just LOVE the shades??????? I just realized my daughter has a little of that "off the shoulder" action going on with her dress (a dress, by the way HAND MADE and HAND SMOCKED by my sister) (way cool).
On to knitting news-I am still waiting for the arrival of an ebay purchase-so that I will know, if the new yarn is NOT a match (it has the same colours, but in very different proportions) then I will know how to finish this puppy up. The seller is a friend of mine-she sells under the name musthaveyarn. Go over to ebay and see what treasures she has up for sale- but no over bidding on my stuff-ya hear????? I'm serious now- don't do it!

This is what is taking up all my time these days-it will be a rather loose jacket, made up of diamonds, and with contrasting lapels and cuffs (and perhaps smaller contrasting diamonds in the edging).

But this is the progress so far.......out on my sunny back deck.....on my Muskoka chair......overlooking my garden.....(okay- that could be why there is limited progress)

And I am having trouble with my internet connection-more later (if I can!)

It is now done!!!!! "It" being something quite interesting for the new book by Amy and Jillian (the one that is made up of designs that do not use wool). It was a really fun project- mostly because of the choice of yarn-this absolutely decadent silk!!!!!! I can hardly wait to see the book!!!!!!!!
Now- on to other things- this time for me. I am in the process of knitting a jacket for myself- out of Fleece Artist yarns. It is modular-with lapels/fronts knit out a different yarn. I think it is going to be something quite interesting- I will try to get pics when it looks more like what I have in my head!!!!!
To end- and to borrow from a blogging friend-(http://www.curiousgeorgeknits.typepad.com/my_weblog/)-
I really like...............................
-watching my little girl sleep
-feeling Fleece Artist yarns (and Handmaiden yarns)
-homemade blueberry pancakes
-on the topic of food-turkey dinner with all the trimmings (my mom always makes me that for my birthday-with graham cracker crumb cake with raspberry jam filling and seafoam icing) oh my!
-dappled light and shade in the woods
-swimming
-snuggling in bed with a really good book (okay- and a warm husband!!!!!!!!)
-my wedding ring (it is a design called "Water Ring", handcrafted in gold by Kim Snyder-because water, like love, should have no beginning and no end, as in a full circle)
-hand knit socks
-just about anything my dog, Boufie, does when he comes in from the rain

Catch you tomorrow!

I have a copy of the Starburst sweater pattern from Knitpicks, and every time I look at it, I start itching to make it. I have some beautiful Rowan Wool Cotton in a mahogany red colour-it would make a great sweater to wear teaching. I can see it with pants, a dress, a skirt-very cute. Has anybody made it? Any comments about it?

On to other news- the sweater that I knit for Big Girl Knits is now at Wool Tyme, in Kingston. The owner, Anne, is featuring the book, and showing my sweater at the same time. It is sort of cool. Speaking of cool- did anyone see the winningpattern in the elann contest? It is a "sleeves in the pi" type of design-striped-out of aran weight. AND- knit and designed by a Canadian- the "Fun Knits" lady. Way to go!!!!!!!