Kitten Knits Yarn

Something To Keep Little Feet Warm

2011-07-14T14:26:00.000-03:00

Size 2-4 socks

I've had these finished for a few weeks now, but just never got around to posting a pic.

I used the flash in the picture, so the colours don't like quite right. They are deeper and darker in "real life".

The yearn is Patons Kroy Socks (stripes) in the "Mulberry Stripes" colourway. I was unsure at first if I would like this colour combination (well, at least with the brown thrown into the mix), but I think they look quite nice.

The stripes don't match up - they are fraternal twins, but that's OK too. I just hope whoever gets them doesn't mind! I will be adding these to my collection of knits that will go on the church mitten tree at Christmas.

I've started in on another pair of socks (same pattern and size). I'm only on the first sock yet, and I'm just about to start on the heel flap. I haven't really been in the knitting mood much, but from time to time I will knit a couple of rows. I've been feeling like knitting something else though - not sure what though. I've thought of doing yet another hat, but haven't started it. Thought using larger needles and bigger yarn would be nice after working on the socks.

I've also been thinking about knitting a shawl, but to be honest, that scares me. It would be small yarn again and lace - which I wouldn't be able to work on in front of the TV (which is where I tend to do most of my knitting). I've marked a few patterns on Ravelry that I'd like to try, so maybe I'll at least attempt it. I was thinking of making a shawl as a gift, and of course, one for me. I'd also be scared that I wouldn't get it finished for a long time. I don't know. I see so many beautiful shawls on Ravelry and on blogs, and I would like to try one...maybe I should just bite the bullet and start one and see how it goes.

What are you currently working on? Let me know in the comments!

Knitting With Julia Roberts

2011-07-13T12:54:00.000-03:00

Saw this on Facebook (via Knit Picks) and just had to share!

Head Coverings

2011-05-09T15:14:00.000-03:00

I was getting tired of writing "Hats" or "More Hats" for titles, so I switched it up a little and went with Head Coverings...because that's what hats are!

The one on the right is the same pattern I used for one in the previous post - the Vyridia Fair Isle Hat. I switched the colours around so that pink was the main colour and used the navy for the pattern.

When I finished that hat Saturday night, I still had yarn left over for both colours and decided to make a third hat. This one is just a simple navy and pink striped hat with both colours used in the pompom. For both hats I cast on 80 stitches and used a 4.5mm circular needle (switching to DPNs when it got smaller near the crown (from decreasing).

I still have some of each colour left, but not enough for a hat. Might be enough to add a few rows to a multi-coloured hat. I should look up my left over Astra yarn and see if there if the colours would work together. I don't think I have a lot of this yarn though, and I don't want to buy any more yarn until I use up more of my stash...and besides, I need to save my money since I'm not getting a lot of work.

I don't know what I'll work on next. This seems to be the year of the hat for me, but I want to work at something else as well. I've got lots of patterns queued up in Ravelry, so I might check that and see if anything speaks to me.

Some of the things I might work on are:

socks (children's)
baby blanket
baby sweater
more hats ;o)
mittens
stuffed toys

It's hard to say what I'll work on next. I think I might start a pair of children's socks, as I had thought while working on my first Vyridia Fair Isle hat that I would do the socks next. I guess you'll have to tune in to the next post to see what the chosen next project turned out to be!

What do you have planned to knit in the future?

More Knitting & Crocheting

2011-05-04T17:27:00.000-03:00

In my last post, I showed you a photo of the baby blanket (and wash cloths and bibs) I had made for my friend, Colleen, in Australia.

She has since received the package, and I'm happy to report that she loved the blanket (though she didn't mention anything about the bibs and wash cloths) and said that anyone who sees it loves it as well! That made me feel good!

Since then, I've finished some more items. As you can see in the photo to the left, there are three hats (knitted) and two wash cloths (crocheted). The link for the washcloths is in the previous post.

The hat in the middle was actually finished when I had done the previous post, as was one of the wash cloths, but I forgot to take a photo of it and mention it in the blog.

The hat to the left is the Vyridia Fair Isle Hat by Tina Edgar. The link to the Ravelry pattern can be found here. This is a very easy and quick knit, and I will definitely be making it again, only I will reverse the colours. In the hat I made, I used Patons Astra in navy (main colour) and dark pink. I'll use the pink as the main colour in the next one.

The other two hats used Bernat Mosaic, but I have thrown out the ballband so I don't remember the colourway.

What have you been working on lately?

Dedicated To Krissy

2011-04-07T21:41:00.000-03:00

My best friend gave me heck this past Sunday for not updating this knitting blog for awhile, so Krissy, this post is dedicated to you!

Ok, so since the time of my last post, I have been busy making some baby items for a friend's first baby. She had the baby a couple of weeks ago, but I've just been slow in finishing things up and mailing it off.

I wanted to make a baby blanket, so I started crocheting (my favourite way of doing baby blankets) a giant granny square blanket in yellow and green. It looked fine (I need to photograph it and post it to show you), but I thought afterwards that I'd like something a little different than that. So, I proceeded to do another one, also with yellow and green. At the time I she was still pregnant and I didn't know what she was having, so I wanted to play it safe with the colour choice. Unfortunately, that blanket didn't turn out.

Oh, I should mention that I had also started knitting a blanket first (pictured a post or so ago...the one with the book in it), but I somehow ended up knitting it backwards - don't ask me how that happened! I figured it would have taken too long for me to start knitting a new one with this particular yarn as it was a light worsted weight. The yarn I chose for the other blankets was a lot thicker, and was easier to work up.

Above is a photo of the completed blanket I finished crocheting using Bernat Baby Bubbles yarn (from my stash, and I haven't seen it on shelves for awhile so I don't know if it's even available anymore), in the Pretty Bubbles colourway. I used a 5.5mm hook. The pattern is pretty easy and uses double crochet for the entire blanket.

I also decided to knit up a few bibs (to the left) using the Grandmother's Favourite Baby Bib pattern (on Ravelry). It's pretty much the dishcloth pattern and then you bind off until there are five stitches left, and then do the strap. Very easy!

The bib in the middle (yellow one) is made with Cotton Tots, and the other two are made with Bernat Cotton that's used for dishcloths.

The last pattern (below) I made was the Oh So Soft Baby Washcloths found on Ravelry as well. These were made with Cottontots, and is done in crochet. Again, this is a very easy pattern and crochets up quickly!

I'll try to get a photo up soon of the granny square blanket I mentioned earlier. Aside from all these baby items I've been working on, I haven't done much else in knitting. I do have another bib on the needles, and I'll make more of those as well. These will go with the items I make for the mitten tree at church.

Ok, well, that's all for now. Happy knitting!

Yarn Along Wednesday

2011-03-02T20:46:00.000-04:00

So I finally remembered to do a post for the Yarn Along (after visiting Kelly's blog).

The link to yarn along can be found by clicking HERE.

The book in the photo is called 90 Minutes In Heaven by Don Piper. I haven't actually started reading this book just yet, but I will be in the next couple of days.

This book is "a true story of death and life". Don was on his way home from a conference for pastors when he was in a serious car accident - his car was crushed by a semi truck! Medical personnel declared that he died instantly. While he was dead, he "experienced the glories of heaven, awed by its beauty and music."

Here's part of what the back of the book says:

"Ninety minutes after the wreck, while a minister prayed for him, Piper miraculously returned to life on earth with only the memory of inexpressible heavenly bliss. His faith in God was severely tested as he faced an uncertain and grueling recovery. Now he shares his life-changing story with you."

Don Piper spoke at the Christian university here last fall, as well as at a local church. My BFF was in the audience at the university and said it was an awesome talk. She said Mr. Piper focused more on what happened before and after his heavenly experience, and chose to not focus on Heaven. I had friends who heard him speak at the church, and they were in awe. The book actually belongs to my BFF, and she has read it and enjoyed it. I'm really looking forward to reading this - will try to let you know how it is!

As for the knitting, I'm working on a baby blanket for a friend who is expecting her first baby this month. I need to get cracking on it, as I'm not even 1/3 of the way through! The pattern I'm using is on the yarn label, so there is no real name for it. I'm using Bernat Baby Coordinates yarn in the "natural" colourway. The pattern is easy - 4 rows repeated for the entire blanket. The pattern is knit on the first and third rows, the second row is purled, and the fourth is knit. No doubt I'll have better photos of the finished product posted on here at a later date!

Well, must go work on the blanket now. Happy knitting!

Plain Jane Vanilla

2011-02-18T16:59:00.000-04:00

Are you surprised? I've knit 3 more hats since the last post!

First off, let me say (again) that this picture was taken using the flash because it's kind of a dark and dreary day today. We're getting rain, instead of snow...but that's a story for another time.

The hat in the middle was made with leftover purple yarn from one of the purple hats I made previously (shown a couple of posts ago). The hat on the left and right was made from the same skein of Bernat Mosaic in the Ninja colourway. This yarn reminded me a little of Noro Kuryeon, where there are pieces of the strand that weren't tightly spun.

I didn't mind using this yarn, but there were a couple of times when I was casting on where the yarn pulled apart because it wasn't spun in that particular area. The second hat I had cast on 90 stitches and decided that it would be too loose. I unraveled the yarn to cast on 80 stitches instead. As I was unravelling, I got to a spot that had one of those areas that isn't spun (I know there is a name for that, but I can't think of it), and it pulled apart on me. Thankfully, it didn't waste much yarn. Aside from that, I didn't mind this yarn.

Since the picture was taken, I added a pompom to the hat with the rolled brim (the one on the right). My mom expressed an interest in it to use when she goes out to shovel the walk (and no, she doesn't do this much, but when I'm sick or my back is acting up, she will shovel; otherwise I shovel the walk. We have someone plow out our driveway, so neither of us has to shovel the driveway, thankfully). Previously she would use a hood from a coat, but she didn't like it as it was too big and came down around her face too much (when it was tied). So, I told her if she wanted the hat she could have it. She tried it on and thought it looked OK but thought maybe it should have a pompom so it wouldn't look so flat on her head.

I'm debating on what to knit next, but I think it might be...surprise!!!....another hat. I just find they knit up quickly and I don't have to pay too much attention to the knitting - it's mindless really. I might do up some more kids socks or a scarf soon though...no promises though, LOL!

Do you have a favourite hat pattern to knit or crochet?

Little Swags Hat

2011-02-07T16:53:00.001-04:00

Little Swags Hat

I did it! I created my own hat pattern...well, one of two.

This is the first one I finished. I knit up the white one first a little while back, and just finished the pink and white one today.

The white hat is quite large and loose on my head. I suppose someone with a bigger head, or lots of hair would be able to use it. I was following another hat pattern for sizing and for the yarn I used (Bernat Satin), I probably should have either used smaller needles or knit less rows.

The pink and white one fits my head better as I made adjustments from the white one. I knit less rows, and with the decreasing I started with a different number of stitches at the beginning.

At first I wasn't sure if I was going to like the way the white swags were going to look with the pink background, but as I continued knitting and finished, it grew on me and I think I like it. So, this hat can be knit in a solid colour, or two colours.

Close up of the Little Swags Hat

The stitch pattern I used is from "400 Knitting Stitches" fro mPotter Craft. It's called the Stamen Stitch, and is on page 142. It was written for using two needles, so I had to play with it a bit to rework it for circular needles. It took a few times because, quite frankly, I'm not all that great at those sorts of things (or creating patterns). I can't look at a pattern and immediately know what to do or how to change it.

I did enjoy coming up with this, and figuring out how to make the adjustments. The pattern itself is very easy, and doesn't take too long to make.

I've decided to post the pattern here on my blog, for anyone wishing to make the hat. I don't have sizes for kids, but I'm sure a more experienced knitter will know what to do to adjust for that. I'm more than willing to accept help in that sort of thing...though really, I'm sure if you just use the sizing for other patterns (kind of like what I did for this one), it would work out OK.

Also, if you try this pattern, I would love to hear back if there are any errors, etc. Also, if you use different yarns you will probably have to adjust the amount to cast on, etc. I created this pattern using ther Bernat Satin, and have not tested it in other brands or thicknesses.

Edited to add needle sizes in the pattern.
I would also love to see any hats you make, so please feel free to leave a link in the comments so I can see. So, without further ado, here is the pattern for the hat:

Little Swags

Cast on 90 stitches with smaller needles (4mm)

Knit 10 rows of K2, P2 ribbing

Switch to larger needles (5mm) and follow the stitch pattern:

Stitch Pattern:

Row 1: K all stitches using MC

Row 2: sl 1 purlwise with yarn in front, P1; repeat around

Row 3: K all stitches using MC

Row 4: P1, sl 1 plurwise with yarn in front; repeat around

Continue the above stitch pattern for 40 rows

Row 41: K2, K2tog around. There should be about 68 stitches left.

Start decreases as following, with all decreases done on knitted rows:

1. K9, K2tog; repeat around. There will be extra stitches at the end, just knit those.

2. Follow Row 2 of the stitch pattern

3. K8, K2tog; repeat around. Again, there will be extra stitches at the end to knit

4. Follow Row 4 of the stitch pattern

Continue in this manner, decreasing one more stitch on each knitted row, making sure to follow the pattern with row 2 & 4 alternating. Do this until there are about 12 stitches left; snip yarn and pull through remaining stitches.

Honeycomb Hat

2011-01-28T16:17:00.000-04:00

I finally finished the purple hat I was working on (see previous post). It's not difficult, but the particular stitch I did took longer for me to work at. It's an easy stitch, but for some reason I was just slow at knitting it.

The picture isn't the best, and I had to use the flash on the camera. I've adjusted the photo some in Photo Shop Elements, but the colour of yarn in the photo is pretty close to the actual colour.

Honeycomb Hat

As previously mentioned, I used Patons Classic Merino in Royal Purple. The needles were 5.0 mm circs. In all honesty, I don't really know what the sizing would be, other than to say the hat doesn't fit my head - and I don't think my head is big...maybe average sized. I suppose this hat could fit an older child, I don't really know. I'll have to take this with me to church on Sunday and get my BFF's daughter (who is a month away from being 11 years old), and see if it fits her.

I got a gift certificate to Chapters for Christmas, and used it to buy the book "400 knitting stitches, A Complete Dictionary of Essential Stitch Patterns" by Potter Craft. The stitch for my Honeycomb Hat is found in there. I haven't typed up the pattern yet, and in all honesty it's probably not the best pattern. I just sort of made it up as I went along.

For starters, the number of stitches I cast on may not have been the correct amount, as there "left overs" as I began my decreasing rows for the crown. For example, if I was decreasing 8 stitches and then knitting 2 together, I might end up with 5 stitches left over. I would just knit those with no decreases. I don't know if that made a difference or anything, but it may have been camoflauged because they were done only every other row (in between patterned rows). Hopefully the way I worded it makes sense. At any rate, by the time I got to k4, k2tog, I was OK with the number of stitches matching up to the decreasing.

Close-up of Pattern

I've never created my own hat pattern before, so I took some measurements from another "established" pattern. I cast on what I thought would be the right amount (I wanted to make it a little larger than the other hats I made, so I cast on more than those ones (but not by much). The type of decrease I used was the same as in the other pattern, but I didn't know how many to start decreasing with. I think it turned out OK in the end though, but maybe if someone else looks at the pattern (when I get it posted), she might be able to tell and help make proper adjustments - even if it's just casting on a different amount of stitches instead of what I used.

I'm going to attempt to make another hat of the other pattern I mentioned in a previous post and see if it works out again as well. It's a quicker knit so it shouldn't take me too long to knit up another one. I'm going to try it using two colours and see how that looks. I'll post pics when I get the other one done, and possible share the pattern as well.

Until then, happy knitting!

Yarn Along

2011-01-26T17:44:00.001-04:00

I just discovered this "along", and thought I would take part. Ginny, over at Small Things is hosting the yarn along, and you still have time to take part as well. Click the title of her blog to check it out. She's offering a skein of yarn as a prize!

So, for the yarn along, we have to post a photo of our current knitting project and book that we are reading. Here is mine:

The knitting project is a hat I am currently working on (designing it myself...or attempting to). I'm using Patons Classic Wool Merino in the Royal Purple colourway. I hope, if it turns out (might have to do another one just to make sure the pattern works) I just may share the pattern.

The book I'm currently reading, as you can see, is Someone to Blame by C. S. Lakin. Click the name of the book to read a review.

Scroll down for the first post I made today, showcasing my latest knitted FOs I've made since the beginning of 2011.

Happy New Year!

2011-01-26T14:13:00.000-04:00

Ok, so I've been AWOL since before New Year's. The reason is because of problems with an outlet that wasn't working (which the computer and router were plugged into), and my laptop hard drive decided to die on me.

So, since I didn't have computer access for awhile (about a month), I was busy catching up on my knitting! All photos on this post are of items completed since January 1st.

The first photo of 5 hats are a variety of patterns. The blue hat with pompom and the pink hat beside it were pretty much the same pattern (adapted from a child's hat pattern using the measurements from one pattern), the third hat on the top row is another Fixie Hat, and the two on the bottom are the same hat ("54") in two different sizes. After I finished the green one, I wondered why it was so small. I realized after looking over the pattern, I had used 4mm needles instead of the required 5mm. The blue hat is using 5mm needles and is adult sized.

The second photo is the pattern (the Two Colour Infant Hat) I used the measurements from for the hats mentioned above (the blue pompom and the pink). I made a hat using this pattern the Christmas before last (for the church mitten tree). I love this pattern - easy and quick to make! I decided to add a pompom on the blue/black hat, and used both colours of yarn for it. I must admit that I'm not the best at making pompoms, but then I'm just learning. They turned out OK, but I'm sure they'll get better with practice.

These two hats, to the left, are creations of my own, based on the hat above. I admit the patterns aren't all that great or interesting, but I was mostly just playing around.

I used a bright blue and navy Paton's Astra yarn for these two hats, and sized 4mm circs.

I think I'd like to try to come up with some interesting patterns to make hats like these - better designs than the ones in the photo, but that probably won't happen for awhile. I think I need to be in the mood for that. For now, I'll probably stick to patterns/designs I find online.

Though I've mostly been knitting hats (I have another one I created that I have to test again before posting the photo and possibly pattern, and a second pattern I'm working on, and will probably do another testing for that as well), I also managed to get a couple pair of kids socks knit.

These will probably fit a 2 year old, maybe a 3 or 4 year old...not totally sure. The green pair of socks was made with some sock yarn in my stash. I lost the band for it, and all I remember was that I had won it in a contest a few years ago. It was nice to work with, and I have enough left that I might be able to get another pair the same size made with it - either that or a pair or two of baby socks.

The other pair of socks (same size as the green ones) was made with some Patons Kroy Socks Stripes yarn that I got on sale not too long ago. The colourway is mexicala stripes, and I must say I like the colours used! I would never have though of putting orange and pink and purple together, but I think they look great. I'm not sure if I have enough left for a pair of baby socks, but I might be able to get one baby sock made that could be used as an ornament on the Christmas tree next year. For now, that left over yarn will probably just stay in my stash. I've been thinking of making one of those mitred sock yarn blankets, but that would take a long time to make so I don't know if it's something that will get done just yet. Hard to say.

Well, that's all the knitting I've done for now. As I mentioned above, I've got a couple of other "in progress" hats that I'm working on and hope to post about soon. I also may or may not have patterns to go with them! Maybe if someone is interested in the pattern, I may post it. We'll see.

What have you been up to with your knitting?

More Hats

2010-12-11T17:19:00.001-04:00

For the last couple of weeks, I have been busy working on a few more baby hats to add to the church's mitten tree. I took the previous items I had made last week and added it to the items that were already put on/under the tree. Actually, there are two trees and a manger. I'll try to take a picture of it to post at a later date.

The pattern I used for the hats posted here is the Fixie Hat (this is a free Ravelry download). I really enjoyed knitting these hats! They are very quick and easy to make. The one to the right was made using left over yarn from my Newfoundland mittens, and took only a day to finish - though I wasn't knitting at every single minute of the day.

The hats to the left were also made this week. The one on the right was made last weekend, though I only worked on it very little Saturday evening and finished it up Sunday afternoon while visiting with my BFF. The hat on the left took longer as I only worked on it off and on throughout the week (i.e. a few rows here and there). I finished it up this afternoon.

The yarn I used for the two hats on the left is Bernat Satin in the Luxury Ombre (left) and Empress (right) colourways. The needle size was US 8 (which I think is 5 mm), though I probably should have gone with the US 7 (4.5 mm) recommended in the pattern. To be honest, I don't think I have 4.5 mm straight needles...though I might and just can't find them. I don't think they turned out too badly with the size I did use though, particularly for the hat in the first picture.

In both photos, the colours aren't exact as I had to use the flash. Also in the first photo, you can see a little of the tail that I hadn't sewed in when I took the photo. I only noticed it after, but thankfully it was before I took them to church.

I think I'll work at my thrummed mittens next. I haven't worked on them since I started them as I was wanting to get some items knit up for the mitten tree. Now that I have, I can continue with the thrumming, and hopefully my experience with them will be a good one!

What are you currently working on?

Strawberry Smoothie

2010-12-03T09:48:00.000-04:00

I know I said in my previous post that I was going to work on some thrummed mittens. Well, I did cast on and began to work on the cuff, but I felt guilty.

I've had this scarf on the needles for some time (probably since the beginning of this year, or spring at the latest), and thought that I should really finish it up before this winter came and went.

The pattern is the One Row Handspun Scarf by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, aka "The Yarn Harlot". The yarn I used was Lamb's Pride from the Brown Sheep Company, in the Strawberry Smoothie colourway (at least I think that is the colourway according to their website...I lost the band some time ago so I can't say for sure, but it does look like what they show for that colourway). I just used one skein, so it's not an overly long scarf, but should be fine. Also, I haven't blocked it yet, so it will probably gain some length then.

I've made this particular scarf two or three times before, and enjoy knitting it. It is VERY easy to make, and is basically mindless knitting. It's also a quick knit - well, quick if you don't put it down and wait for long periods of time before picking it up again! I know I'll make this pattern again at some point because of the easiness and the quickness for knitting it (hmm, does that last sentence even make sense? I "quickness" even a word?).

I am putting this scarf with the other items I'm putting on the church's Mitten Tree this Christmas. It should be going up soon, though I'm not sure when. I was looking at the items I've made this year, and there isn't much to donate - 2 scarves, 1 baby hat, and 3 pairs of baby/toddler socks. I suppose every little bit helps, though. Maybe I'll try to quickly make a pair of kids mittens, or couple pairs of baby mittens to add to the pile - or maybe another baby hat.

At any rate, I haven't really been doing any knitting lately (let alone this year) because I haven't been in the mood I guess. Hopefully that will change and it will pick up - especially with the colder weather and snow we'll get this winter. That might be what I need to get me going. We did have a little snow a couple weekends ago, and it did stick around for awhile. Today, however, it's gone - melted from some warm temperatures and a little rain. According to the weather forcast the day before yesterday, they are calling for more snow this coming week (though that could change of course).

Ok, I think I'll end this post here and go choose the yarn and pattern for the next child or baby item to make so I can add to the donation pile!

What's on your needles?

Get Thrummed!

2010-10-30T19:54:00.000-03:00

When I grow up, I want to be thrummed!

Ok, so I've been bad and haven't done much knitting. I did start a shawl (a simple garter stitch) that I'm thinking of giving to one of the elderly ladies at church - that is if I get it finished before winter is over! I forgot to take a photo of it when I had the camera out a bit ago. I don't have much done on it though, so it would be pretty boring.

Remember in one of my earlier posts I had mentioned that I wanted to knit a pair of thrummed mittens? Well, the other day I made my way to an LYS and bought some yarn & fibre to start said pair of mittens (see photo to the right).

I bought 2 bags of the fibre - the emerald green (or is it kelly green?), and some saphire coloured blue. The yarn you see in the photo (with a pretty piece of green fibre to look like a bow) is Lett-Lopi. I've never used this kind of yarn before, so I hope it's a good one.

As you can see, I've just started the mittens - one row knitted so far. I'm not sure if these will be for me or if I'll gift them or donate them. I picked the green fibre just in case I decided to keep my first ever pair of thrummed mittens that I made. That way, they'd go with the new red winter coat I bought about a month ago.

Well, I'm in the knitting mood - I'm anxious to get thrumming! I'll try to post some photos along the way, unless I get them finished before pulling the camera out. Until then, happy knitting!

Hats Off To You!

2010-09-19T14:54:00.000-03:00

Preemie Hat

I had this little hat on the needles for awhile. I was just waiting to get DPNs in the proper size. As it is, the ones I did get were the next size up because I couldn't get the right size. I don't think it affected the pattern or size too much though. I tried to knit tighter, so I think that helped a bit.

The picture's not great, but I don't have anything to put a hat on for a good photo. For this one, I had my mom stick her hand inside and hold hit up that way. I also had to use the flash, so the colours are a little lighter than what the yarn actually is.

The pattern I used was Preemie Hats for Charity by Carissa Knits. I've used this pattern before - it's quick (because it's so small), and an easy knit. There are about 4 different alternatives on this pattern print-out - Heart Version, Diamond Version, Striped Version, Ribbed Version. I followed the pattern for the Striped Version, except I kept using the same yearn and didn't alternate with another colour.

This hat will be going in with my other items for the mitten tree at church. I'll definitely be making more of these for the mitten tree.

I've also been working on my scarf some. I had originally gotten 3 skeins of yarn for the scarf, but since it's made from wool, I think I might just use 2 and then block it to create some length. It's definitely going to need blocking, because the sides curl under. Hopefully it won't take too much longer to get the scarf finished, and blocked, and then get some photos of it up here.

What is your favourite item to knit/crochet/craft? Let me know in the comments!

Newfoundland Mittens - Completed!

2010-09-16T10:18:00.000-03:00

Finished Newfoundland Mittens

So, for about the last week, I've only had the thumb on the second of the Newfoundland mittens to finish. Every single day I would think about knitting that thumb. Every single day I would pull my knitting bag out and keep in the living room, handy, for when I had the urge to knit. And hoping Tinker Belle wouldn't get into the yarn or pull out a mitten to play with. She loves wool!

This past week, however, I didn't knit. I wanted to knit. But, I just didn't have the energy to do so - even for something as small and simple as finishing the thumb of a second mitten. Something that wouldn't take too long to do.

Tinker Belle & the mittens

I've been tired all week. That's because school started up last week - well, nine days ago now - and I've been getting up at 6:00 every morning, just in case I get a call to teach that day (I want to be prepared so that I won't have to rush and try to shower, dry my hair, and get make-up on with minimal amounts of time. I can't do it. I'm not wired to do it. And that's my story, and I'm stickin' to it). Typically in the run of the day I end up needing (yes, needing) a nap; and those naps can end up being two or two and a half hours! Already today, I've been up close to four hours, and I am dragging and need to go back to bed - and I will at some point.

Last night, while I watched the season premier of Survivor (only the second season I've every watched) with my mom, I pulled out the mittens, the pattern, the required yarn, scissors and tapestry needle, and I knit that thumb. And I finished that thumb! The mittens are now completed!

I used Patons Canadiana yarn in black (main colour) and...well, I'm not sure of the other colour as the wrapper seems to have been discarded. Anyway, that second colour is a nice jewel toned shade, with blue, green, purple, pink repeated. I went to the Patons website to see if I could find it, but didn't see it shown. The pattern for these Newfoundland Mittens was very easy and quite quick to knit. I enjoyed the time spent knitting these, and will more than likely make more pairs in the future. The Ravelry link for them can be found here.

I really love how these turned out!

With the Patons yarn, I think I used 4.0mm needles (really need to measure them again so that I'll know), and the result was a nice snug fit. I adjusted the thumb a little by picking up stitches to total 22 (including the 7 that were on the holder), knit four rows, then decreased to 18 stitches and finished the thumb.

Up next? I'm not totally sure. I was thinking more mittens (for a child this time), or socks (again for a child - or even more baby/toddler socks). I was also thinking I should finish the scarf I'd started earlier this year, which will no doubt be for me know since I somehow managed to lose my favourite scarf I'd worn for a couple of winters (the one my Scarf Exchange Pal knit for me). I really have no idea where it went to. I had it at school one day in the spring when it was still cold, put it in my bag and by the time I got home, it was missing. I think it must have fallen out - either that or one of the kids stole it. I hate to say that, but with this particular school (a middle school), it's quite possible. So, I will need a new scarf to wear this winter. The pattern is easy, so if I stick to it and not lose my knitting mojo again, I should have it finished in no time. It's already half (or a little more than half) finished.

I'd love for you to leave me a comment and let me know what you are currently working on, or your most recent finished item. Feel free to leave a link to your blog so I can check out your FOs!

Things I Want To Make

2010-09-04T06:31:00.001-03:00

I want to make thrummed mittens! I have thought about this type of mitten for a long while, and never felt like I'd be able to make them. Well, after surfing the web and Ravelry, and finding patterns and lots of pics of these mittens, I've decided to make some in the future - like maybe this fall.

I need to wait until I start working again (supply teaching) to get some money as I need to get roving for them. I have one day of teaching booked so far - the second day of school! From what I've been told in the past, the first few weeks of school are pretty slow for supply teachers...not much work. Hopefully I'll get more soon as I am getting low in funds!

Inside of thrummed mitten

Both of the photos on this post were taken from this Ravelry link from the Yarn Harlot. Stephanie's pattern for these cool...or should I say warm...mittens can be found on her blog (scroll down for the pattern).

I will be knitting up some mittens soon, possibly for myself, but we'll see. I'll be doing Newfoundland Mitts by Creative Whimsy. I've go the yarn ready and waiting, now just need to cast on - hopefully later today!

Second One Done

2010-08-30T17:25:00.000-03:00

Got the second baby/toddler sock finished a short while ago, so I thought I'd get the photo posted while I had the opportunity. The picture's not the greatest, but I was just getting a quick shot of the socks.

These will go in my bin of items for the mitten tree at church this Christmas. I don't have much in there right now, so I'll have to get cracking and work on some mittens, more socks, hats, etc. I've got a baby hat in the works (need to find my matching DPNs to finish it off), and a couple of scarves on the needles, though one of the scarves will probably be mine. Sadly, I lost my scarf somewhere when I was teaching this past winter (late in the season), so I'll probably keep one of them for myself - unless I actually get another one finished for myself.

One Down, One To Go

2010-08-29T18:05:00.000-03:00

Ok, so I finally got one little item done - and technically it's not done yet. I only have one so far, and I need the matching one to make the pair complete. I'll be starting the next in a little while, and hopefully I'll either have the mojo to finish it tonight, or tomorrow at the latest.

I'm using the pattern mentioned two posts ago (the usual pattern I use for baby/toddler socks). I'm using Paton's Kroy yarn in a dark charcoal colour. In the photo, it looks like light grey, but it's not. It's actually looks closer to black.

Well, back to the other sock. I'm watching, "You've Got Mail" for the umpteenth time, so I have ample opportunity to work at it.

What are you working on? Let me know in the comment section!

Been A Long Time

2010-08-26T12:41:00.000-03:00

Wow, has it ever been a long time since I've been on my knitting blog!

I lost my knitting mojo for such a long time. I would pick it up and try to knit, but was lucky if I'd get a couple of rows/rounds on a project...even the small, instant gratification type projects. Then, I ended up with sciatic problems and it got quite bad. I ended up pretty much only being able to be pain free by lying down - sitting and standing, and for a little while, even walking, hurt.

In early July, it finally got so bad (after being to the doctor twice and waiting for an MRI and to be referred to an orthopedic surgeon). I couldn't move without having excruciating pain, so had to call an ambulance to take me to the hospital. They gave me three injections (vallium, a liquid form of ibuprofen/pain releiver, and a muscle relaxer), and within half an hour I was able to move around. I also had prescriptions for some some meds to take at home to help - pretty much the same things as the injections (except the vallium), only in pill form. I'm fine now and don't have any pain - though sometimes a little stiffness and can feel the muscles tensing up at times.

The last few days I have felt my knitting mojo slowly coming back. I haven't pick up any of my projects yet, but I've got some baby/toddler socks (like the ones in the previous post) beside me today that I'll work on today. I've still got plenty of WIPs waiting in the wings as well.

Hopefully I'll get something done and photographed to post on here again soon.

More Baby to Toddler Sized Socks

2010-02-27T17:22:00.001-04:00

I finally finished another pair of Baby to Toddler Sized Socks by Miriam L. Felton. I used the same yarn I did in the post a couple prior to this one. I still have tons of the yarn left over and I think I'll probably make a hat or two from the remainder. However, I might retire the yarn into my stash for awhile and make some more of these socks at a later date.

The childrens pair of socks I mentioned in a previous post are still in the works. I am nearly finished with the first sock, but decided to work on this pair first. I worked all week (except Friday because schools were closed to what had been an impending storm), so I didn't work on them a lot this week, just off and on.

I have also been scanning different patterns on Ravelry and printed out several over the last few days. Mostly the items were for children or babies, though I did print off a few hat and sock patterns for adults as well.

Up next, I'll probably slowly work at the child's socks that are currently on the needles, and I found a nice baby blanket pattern I might start as well...either that or work on some hats. Not entirely sure what I will work on though.

Happy knitting!

Another Two Weeknights With Warrick

2010-02-17T12:45:00.001-04:00

On Friday, just moments before the cauldron was light at the 2010 Olympic games in Vancouver, I finished binding off the Two Weeknights With Warrick scarf I had been working on.

This is actually the third scarf I've made from this pattern. It's super easy and quick to knit. I was telling a friend of my mom's that I was knitting this scarf, and told her that it's the same pattern I used for Mom's scarf (her friend had previously mentioned that she liked Mom's scarf), and she asked how to make it. I briefly told her, but I don't know if she'll remember how to make it or not. So, I figured what I would do is give her the copy I had printed out and used. I can always get it off Ravelry again if I make another one of these scarves.

I used two skeins of Paton's SWS in the Natural Raisin colourway (yarn I had in my stash); needle size was 4.0 mm. I'm going to add this to the items I will put on the mitten tree at church next Christmas.

I've also been working, on and off, on another pair of baby/toddler socks and children's socks (pattern links in the previous couple of posts). I've just started the ribbing on the first of a pair of the baby/toddler ones, and I'm on the foot of the child's socks. There's no real rush for these, so I'm just knitting a few rows every now and then. When I'm finished, I'll post pics.

More Socks!

2010-02-06T15:48:00.000-04:00

I was a knitting machine this week! I completed two more pairs of socks - one toddler pair, and one child (size 2-4)!

The first picture is of the toddler socks I made. It only took me a couple of days to complete them because I wasn't constantly working on them every minute. The yarn I used was Bernat Sox, but I seem to have thrown out or misplaced the wrapper so I'm not sure of the colourway. The pattern I used was the same as in the previous post. The yarn you see in the background of the photo is the beginning of the child's socks I finished today.

For the child's socks, I used Knit Picks Parade. I had this yarn in my stash for a few years now. I'm not sure of the size of needles, but I think they are about 3.0mm or 3.25mm. I couldn't find my needle gauge that measures the size of the needles.

The little girl I made the child's socks for is not quite two years old. The size are supposed to be 2-4, so they will be big on her, but she can grow into them at least. I hope her parents like them!

As for what I will knit next, I'm not really sure. I might continute to make some more baby/toddler socks, or child's socks because the Bernat yarn still has lots left - it is/was a 100g ball I believe. I can definitely make lots more baby/toddler socks with what is left! I do have the scarf I've been slowly working at for the past year. It would probably be wise to finish that project up!

Other than knitting, I haven't been doing a whole lot. This past November I graduated from university with my Bachelor of Education and got my teaching license. I've been doing some supply teaching since then, but unfortunately I'm not getting a whole lot of work yet. I did get one and a half days this past week, which is the most I've had in awhile. Some weeks I get a day or a half a day, and there have been a couple of weeks where I had no work. I also applied for a part time job doing ESL work for 3 hours a week. That was about three weeks ago. A week after my interview I hadn't heard anything so I emailed the man who did my interview and he said they still had some interviews the following week but they would let everyone know that weekend. I didn't hear anything that week, and that Friday there had been a snow storm so I thought maybe they had to cancel interviews for that day and maybe they'd have them this past week and decide this current weekend on who they wanted to hire. If I don't hear anything this weekend, I am going to assume I didn't get the job. I'm leaving it all up to God though; He's got a plan for me, even if I don't know what it is. I just need to trust Him!

Well, heading off to relax now, and maybe do some more knitting - though I don't know what I'll work at yet. I'll find something! Happy knitting!

First FO of 2010!

2010-02-01T19:42:00.000-04:00

Finally, I finished a knitting project! I just haven't had much of a knitting mojo for awhile, though from time to time I did do some knitting - just not much.

I started these last week. The first sock I started but had set aside until Friday. I started and finished the second sock on Saturday. The pattern I used was the one I've used in the past to make some baby/toddler socks. It is the Baby to Toddler Sized Socks by Miriam L. Felton (www.mimknits.com). I LOVE this pattern - it's so easy and quick to knit!

Yarn used: Paton's Kroy
Colourway: I believe it's charcoal or charcoal gray
Needle size: bamboo 2.0 or 2.25 mm (I got the needles when I was in Korea and it says 2, but they seem a smidgen bigger than 2.0)

I have enough yarn left to make at least one more pair of these socks, and maybe a second pair. However, I set that yarn aside and picked up something more colourful (I believe it's Bernat Sox, but I don't remember offhand) and started on another pair this size. I'm to the point of decreasing at the toe area, then I'll kitchener stitch them closed and start the second sock. I might have a chance to even get to it tonight!

I gifted these socks to a friend from church. She and her husband just had their third child - a little boy, born this past Christmas day! They are a big on him, but that's OK. She's going to use them over other thinner socks he has to keep his little feet warm. She also asked if I had time if I could knit another pair up for her daughter (she's nearly two). I made her daughter and oldes son each a pair last year, but she lost one of the socks belonging to her daughter. I have to find the right size needles before I can start, but I'm hoping to do those this week.

Well, I think I will head off and work on those other baby socks and/or search for the needles to make the bigger socks while I have some knitting mojo! Hopefully I'll get them done soon, and when I do, I'll be sure to post pictures.

Happy knitting!

Oops!

2010-01-20T21:13:00.000-04:00

Wow, it's been awhile since I posted here. To be honest, I haven't done much knitting lately. I've worked some on a scarf that I still haven't decided whether or not it will go to a friend or into next year's accumulation for the mitten tree at church. I've nearly finished a baby hat, but need to find my DPNs in the corresponding size it's being knitting with on circs, and I cast on for the first sock for a child. Other than that I just haven't been feeling like doing any knitting - or much of anything else for that matter.

I'm not giving up on knitting, or posting to this blog, and I promise as soon as I get some knitting done I will post a picture...though I suppose I could post pics of the WIPs...

Anyway, hope to be back posting here soon. Feel free to check out my other blogs - links are on my sidebar.

Happy knitting!

Baby Mittens

2009-11-30T14:11:00.000-04:00

I knit these thumbless baby mittens up over the weekend. I used the same yarn & needles as I did for the mittens in the previous post. The pattern can be found here, and instead of an i cord, I just crochet a long chain (maybe a little too long, but at least it can be tied to shorten it - better too long than too short) so the mittens won't be lost. Hopefully the chain will stay attached!

This pattern is done on two needles and sewn up the sides, however I just used my DPNs. Wherever the pattern called for purling, I just did knitting. These are a quick knit and I will be making more - especially since I still have more of this yarn left!

Toasty Hands

2009-11-28T11:57:00.000-04:00

I finally finished the kids mittens I had been working on. It's not that the pattern is difficult or anything like that, I just kept putting it off or when I wanted to knit, I would get a call to go in and teach that morning for a full day. I could have taken them with me to work on at lunch or recess, but to be honest, when I'd get a call in the morning while getting ready "just in case", taking my knitting along was the last thing on my mind.

At any rate, these are finally finished - hooray! In the photo I used the flash, so the colour appears lighter/brighter than they actually are. They are more darker in reality (the flashless photo didn't turn out too well). I used 4.0mm DPN needles (or are they 4.5?), and the yarn is Phentex Dynasty (100% acrylic), worsted weight, in the Dark Aqua colourway. This yarn was something I had in my stash from some time back, and I wanted to get it used up.

These are going on the mitten tree at the church. So far it's the only pair of mittens I have knit up for the tree, but I do have the other scarves and hats I made as well. I've just printed out another pattern from Ravelry that has some baby, toddler and other size mittens as well, and since I've got more yarn left over, thought I might make some of the infant/toddler size for the mitten tree as well. Hopefully I'll finish these ones quicker than I did the ones in the photo!

Happy knitting!

Tissue Packet Sweater

2009-11-09T12:05:00.002-04:00

I started a pair of mittens (child's size) not long after I finished the hat in the previous post. However, I have not finished them yet. I have one mitten done, and nearly all the cuff on the second one. They don't take too long once I get past the ribbing, so you would think I'd just sit and work on them. I'll be sure to post a photo of them when I finished knitting them.

Last night I started a sweater for a tissue packet. I used the pattern here and found it to be very quick and easy to make. It was late when I started it, so I finished it a little while ago.

Here is my finished product. I used left over yarn (some that I bought when I was in Australia) from the hat I finished not long ago.

A quick, easy, and cute project that I recommend making. I'm actually thinking of making a few of these as little "gifts" for friends, though not necessarily for Christmas.

Two Colour Infant Hat

2009-10-22T15:56:00.001-03:00

I enjoyed making this hat, and it didn't take too long when I sat down and worked at it. I messed up the bottom pattern, but I think it looks kind of cool anyway. I'll definitely be making more of these hats in the future (and hopefully get the bottom part of the pattern right)!

I used Patons Astra in Black and School Bus Yellow and size 4mm circs and DPNs. The pattern I used was from this blog. I'll be adding this to the items for the mitten tree at church this year.

Another Hat

2009-10-19T15:15:00.000-03:00

Here is the latest hat I just finished knitting up this afternoon. I made it with the yarn mentioned in the previous post. The pattern I used was the Family Rolled Brim Hat, but I just added ribbing instead. I was making the 18 month size, but I think due to the yarn and needles I used (it did seem a little loose, but nothing too major), it ended up being larger. I tried it on, and it fits me - though it is a little big on me even. So, I guess this turned into an adult hat! I'm going to add it to what I have designated for the mitten tree at church.

Up next will more than likely be another hat - childs/baby hat made with Paton's Astra. I found a pattern when I got the one I used for this hat, and it's a fair isle type hat. I have two skeins of the Paton's Astra from when I was going to do a different hat earlier on this year, so I think I'll use this new pattern I printed out and see how it turns out. Since I have the right yarn, this hat should work out to the right size! I also want to start some mittens. I was out the other day and the temperature was just right for a pair of mittens (not too cold, but cold enough that I wanted something on my hands). Of course, the mittens I'll make will also be donated to the mitten tree and will be a child's size. I just need to get them made! I want to have some mittens to put on the tree, and not just hats and a couple of scarves!

Well, off to do some more knitting (and maybe work on editing some photos for my photography blog)

Baby Hat #3 & New Yarn

2009-10-08T16:17:00.000-03:00

This is my latest baby hat. It's a simple rolled brim hat and I followed the pattern I mentioned in the previous post. It's made with the same yarn as the previous two hats, and there is very little of it left now. I think the hat is cute, and I hope some little head will be warm this winter. It will be added to what I've made for the mitten tree at church this year.

My next hat will be for a small child I think. When I was in Australia, I went to a market and bought a couple of different hanks of yarn. However, I never thought to buy two of this particular yarn because I was thinking of using it for socks. I had asked if it was enough for a pair of socks, and the lady told me yes. Upon further inspection when I got back "home", I saw that it is 8 ply, DK weight and I would probably need two to make a pair of socks. So, I decided I would use it to make a hat for a child. I searched on Ravelry and found a pattern (I'll post the link after I get the hat made and post the picture here on my blog). I should have enough for an 18 month old child. I'll let you know how it goes.

The pattern is another rolled brim hat, but I think I might alter it an use a ribbed cuff...I haven't decided yet. Since the yarn is varigated, I don't think a pattern would show up too well so it will just be a plain knitted hat. I've included two pics of the yarn - in hank form, and in center-pull ball.

The photo on the left is with the flash on, and the one on the right is without the flash. The yarn is Hawthorne Cottage Yarns (100% Australian wool); it is English Leicester longwool & corridale. It's a "lustrous worsted yarn", 8 ply, DK weight, uses 4mm (US 6) size needles, and the tension is 22.5 sts = 10 cm/3.9 in. The hank is 3.5 oz/100g and is approximately 189 yds/174 m.

Baby Hat #2

2009-10-07T13:01:00.000-03:00

I finished this little baby hat Monday night and only got to take a picture of it this morning. I think it's a cute little hat.

I used the same yarn from the hat in the previous post, and I'm making a third hat (another baby one) with the remaining yarn. I don't have much left to do on the third hat, so hopefully I'll get a photo of it and post within the next day or two.

The yarn I used in this, again, is Lamb's Pride worsted (85% wool, 15% mohair) in the Royal Purple Flutter colourway. I used a 4.0 mm circular needle, and 4.0 mm DPNs for the decrease. The pattern I used can be found here. The pattern is for premies, but because of the size of yarn I used, I think it would fit a full-term sized baby.

This hat will be added to the rest of my items to be put on/under my church's mitten tree - everything is donated to various organizations in my city.

Baby Hat

2009-09-24T15:15:00.000-03:00

Please forgive the terrible photos of this hat. I had to use the flash. The colour is much darker and richer than it appears in this photo. I also don't have anything to model the hat on, so I laid it flat in the first picture, and put it around a tin can of almonds in the second.

The pattern I used was the Sunday Dulaan Cupcake Recipe (Ravelry link). It's supposed to be made with a bulky yarn, but I only used worsted weight. I used Lamb's Pride (85% wool, 15% mohair) in the royal Purple Flutter colourway. I got this yarn either last fall or this past spring.

I'd say this hat (at least with the size of yarn I used) would fit a baby/small toddler. Also, I don't think it's supposed to have the little pointy stem at the top, but that's the way mine turned out. The pics with the pattern show a flatter top; I'd say I didn't do the decreased exactly the way I was supposed to. Oh well.

This was a quick and easy knit and I have enough yarn left over to make another couple of hats or maybe a pair of mittens to go with the hat. I might use it to make a different baby/toddler/small child hat.

Not sure what I'll work on next. I'm still working (now and then) on a scarf, but I want to make more children's items for the mitten tree at church at Christmas. This hat will be added to the few items I have already. I think I should probably make a couple of pairs of mittens as well. We'll see what I get done between now and then. I still have a couple of months, but the way I've been going with my knitting lately, I might not get much more done. That's why I am concentrating on small items - to get them done quickly so I'll have something to donate this year. Every little bit helps!

I forgot to take a photo of a second Tubey scarf I had made prior to going to Australia. I need to weave to sew the ends closed on that one yet, but other than that it's all done. I just made it out of some old acrylic I had lying around and wanted to use up. It's bright and colourful, so hopefully some child will like it. I'll try to get a photo of that sometime soon to share.

Until then, happy kniting!

P.S. Check out the photos I've been taking over on my photography blog, Shutterbug. Would love to hear your comments!

Peek-A-Boo!

2009-09-17T13:46:00.000-03:00

I am still here, believe it or not! It has been far too long since I've posted to the ol' knitting blog. I had meant to while in Australia (read about my adventures here, though you'll have to scroll back), but sadly, I never got around to it.

Actually, I haven't been doing much knitting. I did do some while in Australia, though. I bought some needles and yarn while there (I'll try to take a photo of the yarn for the next post), as well as a couple of knitting magazines.

I completed a drop stitch scarf, done mostly from arriving at the school early and needing to wait for my host teacher to arrive and unlock the classroom for the day to begin. I would sit in the teacher's lounge (no kids allowed in there), beside the heater (it was cold let me tell you), and with a coffee to sip. I would work on the scarf and the teachers coming and going would always comment on it. They'd either admire the scarf, the colours, or comment on me knitting (never anything bad or rude though). Once I finished that, I started a pair of socks...which I should pull out and continue working on. I will also take a photo of those very soon. I don't have a whole lot done on them though. The yarn is in shades of purple, and is one with a self striping type of pattern. I also started another drop stitch sarf (mindless knitting) that I worked on some while I was in Australia. I had bought some cheap rosewood needles (I think that's the type of wood), and sadly when we had been taken on a long excursion, I was getting back into the car and my knitting slid behind me as I was sitting down and I snapped the end off. Thankfully it's not the pointed end, so I just have to wrap an elastic or something similar around the end to keep the yarn from falling off. I'll also post a pic of that WIP soon.

The second image shows you the scarf; I had to use the flash though, so it's a little brighter than the actual yarn. I also need to sew in some ends on it still. The yarn was a mohair/acrylic blend, and it was Australian made. I'll have to see if I can find the band with the details. I may also block it (more than likely, esp. to get more length), and either gift it for a friend at Christmas, or put it on/under the mitten tree at church.

I also have been more into photography lately, particularly since purchasing Photoshop Elements 7 last week. I've started a photography blog to show some of my pics. I'm still quite new to photography, particularly digital photography, so my shots might not be the best; I am learning though. Also, I am just learning PSE so I don't know how to use it to its full advantage yet, so the photo editing might not be the best either. Anyway, feel free to check it out and leave a comment there. It's called Shutterbug, and you can find it here.

Well, going to head off and possibly work on some knitting (a scarf that I had started before going to Australia). This one also might be for a Christmas gift, so I'd like to at least get it closer to being finished. Happy knitting!

No New Knitting

2009-06-25T11:36:00.002-03:00

I've worked a little on knitting recently - but not much. I've done a little work on the Russett scarf, but that requires me to pay attention. I've also been working now and then on Stephanie Pearl McPhee's One Row Scarf. This is the third one I've made, and it will join the ranks of charity items for the church's mitten tree at Christmas. I'll post pictures at another time.

Just wanted to wish everyone a great summer. I'm off to Australia in less than two weeks to finish my teaching internship. I'll be there for July and August. I'll take some knitting along, but I don't know if I'll get any done while I'm there. I had anticipated getting lots done when I was in Korea, but that wasn't the case.

I'll be bringing my laptop and camera along with me and posting pictures. These will be on Facebook and probably my other blog, Confirm The Work of Our Hands. I'll let you know when I post some pictures so you can check it out then.

Must go get ready to do some running around for the trip. Happy knitting!

Stamping Blog Candy Contest

2009-06-12T20:12:00.002-03:00

Mudmaven Designs is giving away some blog candy! Pop on over here and check it out. Also, scroll down to see the amazing card's she has made. She's one awesome card-maker! She's drawing the winner on Wednesday, June 17th.

Here I Am!

2009-06-06T20:07:00.007-03:00

Well, I think it's high time I post to this blog! I haven't been doing a whole lot of crafty things lately, so i suppose that's why I haven't done much here for a little while. Anyway, I've got a couple of pics to share with you of some knitting.

Up first is another "Tubey" scarf. I only worked at this off and on since probably February or March. I finished it a couple of weeks ago and just got around to taking the picture this evening.

This is made from some brightly coloured acrylic yarn (I had it in my stash from awhile back and thought I'd use it up). Boy does it feel different knitting with acrylic yarn after using wools, bamboos, and alpacas! All I have left to do for this is sew the ends together. This is for a child, and will be added to my charity work that I'll put on/under the mitten tree at church next Christmas.

I've started on another scarf. This one is Russet pattern and it's very easy - just a repeat of 12 rows. I'm using Paton's Shetland Chunky Tweeds in the Sea Ice colourway. I really like this scarf, and the yarn is nice to work with (though it's partially acrylic as well). It's knitting up fairly quickly - that is when I actually sit down and work on it. Even though the pattern is super easy, I find I need to focus on it or I'll get lost or make a mistake.

Anyway, I haven't decided who will be the recipient. It will either be a friend, or go on/under the mitten tree at church.

I have a lot more patterns queued up on Ravelry that I want to make. I've also printed some off, and hope to work on them. My knitting mojo (or craft mojo for that matter) hasn't been up to par for a while now. I think it's because I am tired when I get home from doing my internship and don't feel like doing a lot. I am really hoping that it will come back soon.

School ends June 19, and next week is my final week of doing all the teaching. The following week my host teacher picks up and does it. I'll have two weeks off to get ready to head down to Melbourne, Australia! There are 10 of us from school who are heading down to do the second half of our internship there. We'll be there for July and August, and when I get back, I will be able to start teaching. Firstly, however, I do need to take an information session about supply teaching first. No doubt I'll have to be a supply teacher for a bit, but I'm praying that the Lord will work His hands and I'll have a full time job quickly!

Well, I must head off now. I'm actually feeling like doing some knitting. I think I'll work at a pair of socks or something that doesn't require a lot of concentration, and put in one of my Stargate SG- DVDs to watch. Hope you all have a fantastic day/evening/rest of weekend!

Stamping Blog Candy

2009-05-12T20:25:00.001-03:00

What a great contest going on over at Passion For Crafts. Check it out! I sure wouldn't mind winning!

Look...An Actual Post!

2009-05-02T16:48:00.009-03:00

Hi! How've you all been? I'm finally here to make a post on this lonely ol' blog. I have a couple of pictures of the scarf I made my Ravelry Scarf Exchange Pal, as well as two cards I made this afternoon.

First up is the scarf I made for my RSE pal. I sent this to her in early April and she received it. Unfortunately I was so busy I didn't get a chance to post a picture of it until now. I used Patons Silk-Bamboo yarn (I think that's what it's called. I forgot to save the band, but it is made with silk and bamboo). The pattern I used was the Diagonal Lace Scarf. It was so easy to make and had I been able to sit for longer periods of time to work on it, it wouldn't have taken me so long to make. I highly recommend this pattern. It can be made with any weight yarn, too.

Next up is the first of two cards I made this afternoon. It's just a simple card, but I think it looks OK.

I don't know what brand my papers are; they are just ones I have bought here and there. I know a lot of card makers can tell you what kind of paper they used (or colour name) because they buy theirs from companys such as Stampin' Up. I haven't bought any from there yet, but they sure have some gorgeous colours and patterns available!

I used two stamps. The hummingbird is one I've had for awhile. I believe I bought it from Michael's. The quote is from a the Refuge and Strength set from Stampin' Up. I got this set last month when Jodi became a rep.

The second card is, again, made with random pieces I have. I decided to experiment with the colours to see how they'd look. I know black and yellow go together, but I didn't know how it would look on a card. The image is from the set I won awhile back, and the quote is from the Refuge and Strength Stampin' Up set. On the inside, I stamped a flower pot with some tulips and coloured them in.

The black looked plain to me, so I thought I'd glue some little yellow buttons on. Unfortunately, they are brighter than the paper I used, so I don't know if they look OK or not. But, since this was a practice card (more than anything), I can use it as a reference and next time try to find buttons or something a little closer to the colour of paper I use.

Well, going to head off now. I still have a table full of card making supplies and stamps to clean up, and it's time for supper as well.

I hope it won't be too long before I post again!

Stamping Blog Candy

2009-04-22T19:45:00.002-03:00

I've got a post coming up soon...I promise!

Until then, check out the awesome blog candy available to be won - for stamping/card making/scrapping.

New Goodies!

2009-03-14T15:24:00.006-03:00

On Thursday I received my package from my Ravelry Scarf Exchange pal, and the scarf is gorgeous! I did take a closeup of the scarf, unfortunately the picture came out really blurry. I wanted to show the little beads she had in it. To the right you can see the contents of the package she sent: the lovely scarf, which I'm looking forward to wearing, a postcard, 2 balls of silk yarn she also used in the scarf, a cute pin cushion, some lavender soap, and some chocolate! Startare, who is from France, had my name in the exchange. Thanks so much for the scarf and other items - I love it all! You did a wonderful job on the scarf!

In stamping news, a few weeks ago I entered a contest and won a set of stamps (minus the blocks)! I visited several different stamping blogs and left comments to be entered into draws for a set of stamps. The company donating them (I forget offhand, but will have to find the link to post) had several different ladies demonstrate various sets by making cards with them. Anyway, the set I won was my favourite out of all of them! How cool is that! Diana was the one who chose my name since she was the one using this particular set. She did the whole random generator thing and my name was drawn. Thanks Diana!

My mom's birthday is coming up this week - St. Patrick's Day to be exact. I'm hoping I'll have enough time between now and then to make her a card using this set I won. She loves flowers and is into gardening so I thought this would be a great set to use for her. She's seen the set as well and commented on how pretty it was.

Well, better head off and try and get some homework done. Happy knitting, stamping and crafting!

More Stamp Blog Candy!

2009-03-12T19:30:00.002-03:00

Jes is having a contest on her blog. You have until March 15th to enter. Go check it out!

Frustration!

2009-03-08T16:53:00.002-03:00

I am so frustrated! I was working on the scarf for my Ravelry Scarf Exchange partner last night when I noticed a mistake. Well, this isn't the type of pattern that is easily corrected - at least in my opinion. Anyway, I had to frog back a few rows, and somewhere along the line I've lost/dropped about 4 or 5 stitches and I don't know where in the pattern they are. I don't know if I should rip back another row or two or not.

The thing is, I need to finish this up by the end of the month and get it sent off to her. I had debated just tossing it aside and starting another scarf in an easier, quicker pattern (though this one is easy as well). The only thing is, I don't know if I started over if I would get the scarf finished in time to send it out or not. My pal doesn't want anything too thick, so I want to be conscious of that.

I think I'll try to fix up this scarf and continue. I just don't want the mistakes to be noticeable if I can't fix it, and I have a feeling they would be noticeable...

I'll keep you updated, and when my pal receives the scarf, I'll post pictures for you.

Happy knitting & stamping & crafting!

More Card Related Blog Candy

2009-03-06T23:09:00.001-04:00

There's a contest going on here at Three Clover Designs to win a great prize. All you do is guess how many Hershey's Kisses are in the jar.

Stamping Blog Candy

2009-03-03T12:32:00.003-04:00

Over at Starving Artistamps there is some super cute Easter blog candy up for grabs! Why not check it out! Let them know I sent you :o).

Cards Again

2009-03-02T10:49:00.007-04:00

On Friday I made two more cards. I just wish mine would turn out as good as the ones I've been seeing in the stamping/card making blogsphere. I just don't have the supplies these ladies have, so I'm limited in what I can do. Also, they have TONS of cute rubber stamps. I have some nice ones, but they seem to pale in comparison. Oh well, once I'm working and have an income, then I can buy some supplies - and more yarn of course, lol.

The first card I made is, as you can see, a birthday card. It's quite plain. I was trying to follow an example in one of the card/scrapbook magazines I have, but it didn't turn out anywhere near as nice. I had an image in my mind of how I wanted it to look, but of course the finished product didn't come anywhere near as close.

I went to Michael's after doing my observation at the grade two class on Friday and bought a few supplies that were on sale. I did get a stamp, but didn't use it for these cards - it is a cute one though. Anyway, the background paper was part of a pad of such papers that I found. I got another pad of different patterns and colours as well, and I'm anxious to use them. The card stock is some that I have on hand - from a package of bulk card stock in different size squares and rectangles. The stamp (which has just 2 balloons on it) is one I got a few years ago at Wal-Mart.

This next card is my favourite of the two. It's pretty simple, but yet elegant - at least I think so. Let me start by apologizing for the blurry photo. The paper, the little border in the middle and the paisley image are all from a "punch out" pad from, I think, Deja Vu. It's really cool - it has papers in the back and several different punch out designs (flowers, tags, alphabet, etc.), and they all match.

The only stamping I did on this card is the sentiment in the lower right corner, which says, "Thank you so much for your thoughtfulness." I also added the three brads at the top because that area just looked so empty.

I'm on March Break this week, and I hope to get more cards made, and more knitting done. But, I do have enough homework to keep me busy too. So, I'm going to head off and attempt to work at the homework so I don't have to try and get it all done at the last minute. Next weekend is booked with photography and a stamping workshop (both depending on the weather), so I'll need to have the homework finished during the week!

Happy knitting and card making!

Knitting Content - Sort Of...

2009-02-28T19:22:00.008-04:00

I received my final package from my SP13 pal yesterday. I have been spoiled by Kelly of The Vagabond Weaver. She's in the process, from what I see on her blog, of transferring her old posts into the new server she's with. It's been a real pleasure getting spoiled by her and I hope to get to know her better now that the Secret Pal 13 has run its course.

Here are the goodies she sent me this time - I love them all!! I got some yarny goodness - some Opal sock yarn (I think it's from the Rainforest collection because it has a picture of a toucan on it), some really soft 100% baby alpaca from Blue Sky Alpacas (Tinker Belle loved this. She tried to get at it numerous times). The colour number is 800. There are some really cute sandstone buttons in the picture too. I took a close-up of them so you could see the detail. She had everything wrapped up in super cute Easter bags. She wanted to celebrate Easter a little early since there's been so much snow lately...it was certainly a bright spot in the day!

Not only did Kelly send these items, but she had a cute tote bag included as well! It's nice and environmentally friendly - I can tote my yarn around in it, or I can take it to the grocery store and use it there.

I'm on March Break now, as of yesterday, and will have the next week off. Unfortunately, I have homework to keep me busy. I did a little of it last night but got stuck, so I'll wait to do the rest of it. I do plan on doing some relaxing this week though; things have been a little hectic at school the last couple of weeks. I plan on getting the scarf done for my Ravelry Scarf Exchange pal. I'm also supposed to make something for a couple of friends. We're having a little gift exchange of something handmade (it can't be food) and I haven't started yet - been so busy. We were going to have the exchange on St. Patrick's Day, but we moved it to April Fools Day. I have a month, but depending on what I make, and how much free time I have...I don't know if I'll get their gifts done on time...might have to extend the time on it. Hopefully I'll get something done for them on time though.

I made a couple of cards again today and I'll post those in a separate post...hopefully tomorrow. One of them is plain, but bright. The other I am quite fond of, though it's "plain" to a degree. I used some pattered paper and a little "border" and a cutout - a limited amount of supplies, but I'm happy with how it turned out. Anyway, I'll discuss those in the post tomorrow.

Happy knitting/crafting!

Two More Cards

2009-02-21T11:20:00.005-04:00

So sorry for the lack of knitting content lately. However, I did originally set up this particular blog to show any crafts I happen to do. It turned into a knitting blog because that was my main craft. But, from time to time something else might pop up, as is the case with this post (and the one from a couple of posts ago).

I made both of these cards the other evening (Thursday I believe), but didn't get a chance to take pictures and post about them until today. Most scrappers and card makers (or any type of paper crafter) can typically tell you the names of the papers they used, the specific colourways (much like yarnaholics can do) and which set/company they got their rubber stamps from. I've picked that up from reading several paper craft blogs recently. I, on the other hand, cannot do that just yet. The reason being is that what paper I do have I bought at Michael's in those "grab bag" type of packages - and 99% of the paper I do have is cardstock. The rest might be patterned paper such as the background in the next card.

When I made this card, I wasn't paying close enough attention to stamping the lighthouse, and it ended up a little crooked (is that how you spell that?). The stamp is actually one piece with the words to the left on the card, actually appearing below the lighthouse. It says, "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path" and comes from Psalm 119. I used my watercolour pencils to colour the image. I must add that I'm not all that great with colour combinations, LOL, but I thought they might look nice together. Also, the words could be up a little higher in that area...or maybe I could find some kind of embellishment to put there...

This next card I used some striped scrapbook background paper (one of those 12 x 12 sheets) and tried to get the solid cardstock colours to be as close a match to the stripes as I could. I think they were pretty well close to being the same. Sorry the picture is a little dark. for the upper right corner, I cute a triangle of the blue cardstock using some scissors with a patterned edge. I used the same scissor to cut out the red and blue circle as well.

The words in the triangle area say "Thinking of you is a nice thing to do" and the little mouse in the circle is holding a little flower. I got this set from Stampin' Up a few years ago. Again, I used my watercolour pencils to colour the mouse and flower. Unfortunately I don't think it shows up too well since the cardstock is a little dark. I only have the watercolour pencils and some chalk (from Stampin' Up) to colour my cards with, so I'm limited. Someday when I have a job (and I'm not in school), I may be able to get some of the markers and other items many of the papercrafters 'out there' have! But, until then, I am limited to what I have to work with...unless I get together for a day of card making with some friends and they have items they are willing to let me use...

Well, just wanted to post the pictures of the cards. Must get back to the tons of homework I have for the weekend - a 6 lesson unit plan (this one is a group thing but in total we have to have 6 lessons...I've got to get mine done for Monday so the others who need it to work from can use it), 2 lesson plans for my math class, go over my stuff (and gather the supplies) for my little mini presentation in phys. ed. for Monday evening, work on a resource binder for phys. ed., work on my wellness portfolio for phys. ed., work on my teaching portfolio, and an assignment using a new marking program we got the other day in one of my classes. Tons to do, and most of it due this week...

So, happy knitting and/or happy stamping to you!

Butterfly Award

2009-02-20T18:11:00.005-04:00

My friend Jodi gave me an award! Thanks so much Jodi!

I choose to give the award to:

Kelly at Celtic Cast On
Robyn at Knit and Purl Mama
Janice at Willow Way Knitting
Monica at Monica Knits...a lot!
Rhonda at Home of the Stitching Nut
Carol at An Island Girl

Why not pass on the love? Here is what to do: 1) Post the award’s logo on your blog 2) Add the link to the person who nominated you 3) Nominate at least 6 others & post their links.

*****

Been doing a little knitting on the scarf for my Ravelry Exchange Pal. I really want to show a picture, but she wants to be surprised and she might stop by the blog some time. I wouldn't want to ruin the surprise for her.

I also made a couple more cards last night. I like these results better than the two from the previous post. I don't have the pictures of them yet - hopefully tomorrow though. I will post them when I get the pictures taken.

Until then, I'm heading out for supper in about half an hour so I must go get ready.

Making Cards

2009-02-14T21:10:00.008-04:00

I haven't been getting much knitting in lately, though I have done some work on the scarf for my Ravelry Scarf Exchange pal. I'd like to post a picture, but she wants to be surprised with it and she might visit the blog. I will post a picture though once she has received the scarf (we have to mail it out by the first week of April...have to check on the date for sure though).

This past week I've been getting the itch to make some cards again. I haven't done this since before I went to South Korea. I've seen some really gorgeous cards online recently, and borrowed Jodi's Stampin' Up catalogue last Thursday as well. I don't have a lot of the pretty papers and things (or a lot of really cute stamps), so my cards are turning out kind of plain and boring.

This evening I made two cards. The first one I am not very happy with. It's plain and boring. I'm sure there is something I could do to make it look nicer, however I was just trying something. Actually, the first idea I had for it didn't quite work out, but I think it would have been plain and boring as well. I'm not sure if clicking on the image will enlargen it or not. However, on the dark blue background I used the Versamark ink pad and a stamp that had some little tiny hearts and dots on it (it's more of a background stamp). On the red I have the one black heart that you can see, but also used the Versamark ink pad to put some other hearts around it. I attached a little tag that says "all my love" to the right. Like I said, it's plain and boring. I'll have to try this again using different papers or something...

The second card I made is a little more to my liking, though it is quite plain as well. This one I used some pink and yellow striped paper, though the yellow seems to look a little white (probably because I had to use the flash). I attached a pink sheet of paper, stamped a flower vase and the verse "May God's love brighten your day!" at the top. As well, on both sides of the vase I used the Versamark ink pad and the corner of the little heart & dot background (the same that is in the card above). I coloured in the flowers and vase using my watercolour pencil crayons. Like I said, though, this is still quite plain. Someday I'll learn how to make really nice cards - just need to have a better supply of paper and stuff onhand I think...

Anyway, I just wanted to share some of the other crafts I enjoy doing - even if I don't do so well at them just yet.

So, other thank knitting, do you have any other crafts you enjoy doing (even if you don't have the time)? If so, let me know what they are in the comment section!

Happy crafting!

Flutterbye Dreams

2009-02-09T11:39:00.002-04:00

My friend, Jodi, from school is into crafts. I knew she somewhat did crafty things like making cards and scrapbooking, however, I just discovered on the weekend that she is into more than that. She even has an Etsy shop! It's called Flutterbye Dreams and she has some really cute things there. I saw pictures of some of her other crafts that she doesn't have listed, and let me tell you, she makes some pretty cool things!

So, I just wanted to help advertise her shop and hopefully send some customers her way. Go check out her blog and her shop - tell her Shelley sent you! And before you can ask, no I'm not getting any kind of commission for this; I'm just doing a good deed.

Time To Knit?

2009-02-04T19:56:00.003-04:00

Well, between not having any knitting mojo and school work, I've got hardly any knitting done since the beginning of 2009! I am starting too feel the withdrawls now and feel the need to knit!

So, this afternoon (after my classes) I went and got some yarn for my Ravelry Scarf Exchange pal's scarf. I do hope it will be one she likes. I also got some Bernat cotton to make a couple of dishcloths. I figured maybe a quick knit from time to time might help get the knitting mojo back!

Today I had a group presentation for one of my classes. We had to talk about and discuss Gender Separated classes. I'm glad that one is over. My next presentation is in a couple of weeks, so my group will have to get together soon to decide what we're going to do and how we will present it.

We got more snow last night - another storm. Schools were cancelled today, even though by early this morning it wasn't snowing, the roads were plowed, and it really wasn't too bad out there. Sigh, I can't wait until I'm a teacher and can get snow days too, LOL!

Ok, just wanted to put a little update on here and let you all know I'm still around. I'd better head off and get some knitting done before the motivation and mojo disappear again!

Happy knitting!

P.S. I have turned comments moderation on because I've noticed sometimes lately I am getting spam in the comments section (I have the filter apparently on, so the spammers are now being done by 'live' people...). It's so annoying that the spam is happening again, but hopefully this will catch it. If I wanted to advertise on my blog, then it would be set up that way. I hate spam!

SP Package 2

2009-01-24T13:41:00.009-04:00

On Thursday I came home between my last two classes because I was tired and thought some fresh air and change of scenery might help wake me up. Boy am I glad I did! I came home to find a package from my Secret Pal! Look what she sent me:

She had a really cute birthday card with a kitten and yarn on the front, a package of two DP Wip Tubes (which I really needed), a beautiful suncatcher, and some gorgeous, soft, yummy Fleece Artist Trail Socks yarn in the Seafoam colourway!

Thanks so much Secret Pal - I love it all!

Look how gorgeous the suncatcher is held up to the back window...sooooo pretty!

I've used Fleece Artist once before and find the socks to be nice and soft, especially after washing them. I have another hank of Fleece Artist wound into a ball (I had it with me when I went to South Korea), but haven't knit it up yet. I have the pattern for it (one from Monica), but I was waiting on the size 0 needles. I now have size 0, so all I need to do is get knitting.

I've got a presentation coming up this week, on Thursday, for the Social Studies Education class I'm in. It's a group project, and we are actually going to do a few activities in our lesson which we learned last semester when some of our class went to the Wetlands Center not too far from here. That was actually for our science class, but we chose to do this presentation for a grade 4 class, and in that curriculum there is a section on how humans affect rivers, lakes, oceans, etc. We talked it over with our prof (she also taught us the science class last semester) and she gave us the go-ahead to do it. She didn't get to go to the workshop with us, so she said she's anxious to see what we learned there. I'm sure it's going to go well. We've got another meeting or two this week to put things all together to make sure it falls into place.

A few months ago I got a new camera (Pentax K200D). A few weeks ago my friend, Michelle, invited me over to her place to help me learn some hints and tips for taking pics. I've used a 35mm SLR camera (Pentax as well), but I don't remember all that I had learned for using it. Besides, things are a little different with digitals...but the basics like aperture, f-stops, etc. are still the same. Anyway, we got some flowers at one of the grocery shops and did some macro shots. I've got about half a dozen up on my other blog, Confirm The Work of Our Hands, if anyone is interested in seeing them. I can't seem to get the posts to link, but they are the first two posts listed (would be the second and third if I manage to get a post made there before someone has a chance to visit).

I'll leave you all with a nice close-up of Tinker Belle. I had to snap quickly because she wouldn't stay still too long!

Happy knitting!

Keeping Busy With School

2009-01-21T19:13:00.004-04:00

Just a quick update...

Haven't been working on any knitting lately - well, that's somewhat of a lie...I did do a few rounds on a couple of scarves I've got on the needles. They will be going on next year's mitten tree at the church, so there is no hurry for them.

I did join the scarf exchange over at Ravelry and we got assigned our people to knit for the other day. Have to check with my downstream (I think that's the right term) person and see if she wants this to remain "secret" or not. As for me, if my upstream pal sees this - I don't mind if this is not secret. Have to start looking for a good pattern and nice yarn to make the scarf. We have to send our packages out by the middle of April (I think it's the middle, though I have to double check on it again).

My birthday was yesterday and it was nice. In one of my classes, they all sang me Happy Birthday and one of the girls sitting at my table laughed and told me I was turning red, lol. My mom made me a cherry cheesecake and gave me some money, and the fellow I've been seeing since early December took me out to dinner at Swiss Challet (it was my choice of where I wanted to go, and Swiss Challet is my favourite).

Well, just wanted to post a quick update. Need to get back to the homework. I'm working on a rough copy of my bio-resume for one of my classes. I have a lot of it written out already so I just need to type it up and finish the parts I don't have completed - and tweak things up somewhat. I've also got some other homework to do as well, though I think tonight will be "light" for homework.

Anyway, happy knitting to you all!

A Meme

2009-01-09T15:33:00.003-04:00

Found this on another blog and thought it sounded like it might be fun, so I did it as well. Feel free to do this meme as well, and let me know. I'd love to see which things you've done!

Copy, paste, and bold what you have done!

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Gone rollerskating
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse (lunar eclipse)
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise - Does a Nile dinner cruise count?
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Acted in a play or performed on stage
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa - Egypt in Feb. 2008
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies - It's Girl Guides in Canada, but same thing
62. Gone whale watching (not yet, but hopefully this year)
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book - not a whole book yet, but a short story in an anthology, as well as a chapter in a book by several authors.
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Won money
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous - Lou Diamond Phillips
92. Joined a book club
93. Had to put someone you love in Hospice Care
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day

Happy New Year!

2009-01-01T12:42:00.005-04:00

I hope you all had a safe and fun-filled New Year's Eve last night. I got to spend the evening with Richard Dean Anderson (sigh)...mind you he was on the screen of my laptop while I enjoyed viewing him on Stargate SG-1! I also did a little knitting while watching the DVD.

Well, I had wanted to get my mittens finished before midnight, you know, so I could add them to my list of completed items for 2008. However, such was not the case. I did get a lot of the second one done last night, though. I'm not overly satisfied with the way I chose to close the top though (Kitchener Stitch). I should have just pulled the yarn through like the pattern called for. However, I didn't particularly want them coming to a point either. Also, somehow one mitten is a little roomier than the other. I think I must have knit it with a looser stitch...

The pattern I used was Mittens for Children & Adults (pattern #NN106) from Sandy's Needle Nook. I made the Ladies size using Briggs & Little Heritage yarn, and 4.0mm DPNs.

I got up today and found it was storming. It started through the night (the snow started up around 9:00 or 10:00 pm) and it continues as I type. It's definitely a good day to stay in, wrap up and keep warm and do some reading and/or knitting - or watching RDA some more ;o).

So, this morning I finished off the second mitten and had my mom pose for them outside. She wanted to get the front walk shovelled off, and I offered to do it but she declined. She didn't want me to hurt my back again. However, she's not as young as she used to be so if it's too heavy, I don't let her do it (even if it means putting out my back again). She said if she got too tired that she would stop and have me finish it. Thankfully, the entire walk wasn't drifted in. Towards the driveway, there was little to no snow; it all seemed to be mostly around the front step area.

I finished work on Monday and have the rest of the week to myself. I started on another Tube Scarf (see the previous post) while at work, but haven't worked on it since. I may pick it up later on and work on it, or I might start something new. Maybe I'll see if I can find a nice scarf pattern on Ravelry to use with my Malabrigo my SP13 spoiler gave me! I can't wait to knit that up - the colours are soooo pretty, and the yarn is so soft!

Well, just wanted to give a quick little update. I wish you all the best for 2009, with

Happy Three Days After Christmas!

2008-12-28T20:32:00.009-04:00

Well, throughout the Christmas holidays...well, really beginning on the 24th...I worked on a quick scarf. I got the pattern from a lady at work last week (the week before Christmas week, that is). Since then, she's been frequently asking me if I was going to make a scarf from that pattern. She brought one in that her mom had made her a few years ago as an example. The directions sound odd, so she wanted to show me the final product.

Don't get me wrong, the pattern is super easy, but they just sound odd. As you can see to the right, this is the finished product. I finished it this evening. It didn't take long to complete either - which is always nice.

I used less than 1 ball/skein of Bernat Satin yarn (from the stash) in the sage colourway, and 5mm DPNs.

There is no name given on the instructions, aside from saying "Scarf" at the top, so I would like to name it The Tube Scarf. Why, might you ask? Well, it's because you knit the scarf on 3 DPNs. I have no idea where the pattern originated (the lady didn't say), so there could be a name for it already, as well as directions somewhere on the net. However, I'm going to be nice and include the copy of directions I have:

The Tube Scarf

Cast on 24 stitches and divide evenly on three DPNs.

Knit all around for 6 rows.

Row 7: YO, K1 all the way around (48 stitches on needles at this point)

Continue knitting all stitches until you reach desired length (approx. 20-21 inches).

Next Row: Drop 1 stitch, K1, drop 1, K1 entire way around (24 stitches on needles at this point).

Knit these 24 stitches for 6 rows.

Bind off.

Carefully pull so that the dropped stitches "fall" to the bottom of the scarf. This should cause your scarf to double in length.

Sew ends and add fringe.

Here is a closeup of the stitches after they've been pulled:

The scarf, as I said, is very easy to knit. I didn't see how dropping the stitches at the end and then pulling the scarf would cause the length to double, but it did. The only thing I can think of, is that by pulling the yarn it is stretching it which would cause it to double in length. It's simply amazing - at least to me it is. I knit for about the 20 inches, and didn't use up the entire ball of yarn...though I probably should have so I wouldn't have the remainder lying around the house.

So, aside from this scarf, I've been working on a pair of mittens for myself out of Briggs & Little yarn. I'm on the second mitten (been working on these at breaks and lunch at work), but they don't take too long. Hopefully I'll have them finished before the end of the month so I can add them to my "Finished in '08" list.

Not much else going on. Christmas was quiet, but didn't seem quite the same without Dad being here. We made it through fine though. My younger brother and his family didn't make it up because he had to work Christmas Eve and Boxing Day. They live about three hours away and didn't want to make the trip in one day, especially in case there was some bad weather - he didn't want to end up getting stuck here and not be able to make it to work. My other brother and his wife were here for supper, and Mom invited an old friend of hers and her husband. So, things went pretty well, which I'm glad for.

In case I don't get to post before New Years, I hope you all have a safe and joyous 2009 - and lots of knitting, too!

SP13 Gift!

2008-12-13T10:35:00.010-04:00

I got my gift from my SP13 pal, and it is awesome! Yesterday was a gloomy, foggy, heavy rainy day that started out with ice and snow everywhere, making it slushy in most places. I was afraid to drive until I hit the highway where one lane was pretty clear...though there was probably some black ice. It wasn't as bad as they had said it would be the night before. However, the temperatures quickly rose to double digits and the rain came...I don't think I've seen it rain that hard in a long time.

So, when I got home from work (no problems driving, except for the wind so that was a little difficult driving down the highway), the box waiting for me was a bright spot to the day! Thank you so much, SP for my gift!

Needless to say, I couldn't wait to open it. Here's what I got:

A nice card, a cute snowman tin with a cute kitty ornament and knitted catnip mouse (for Tinker Belle), some chocolates (yummy!), and 2 skeins (or are those called hanks...I'm never sure) of Malabrigo yarn in the Carribbean colourway! It's so gorgeous and skooshy! I have never knit with this yarn, and it's been on my wishlist. I don't know what I will make with it yet...any suggestions??

Thank you so much SP!! I love it all! And Tinker Belle...well, she absolutely LOVED the mouse. She wouldn't put it down after I gave it to her. I had to take it back momentariliy to get a picture, and she kept meowing and pawing at my arm wanting me to give it back to her. She went nuts over it! I'll close with a pic of her enjoying her new mouse.

"Puuurrrr. Meow meow meow, meeeeooww!"*

* translation: Thanks Mommy's Secret Pal, I LOVE it!"

Gettin' Ziggy With It

2008-12-01T22:00:00.008-04:00

Late Saturday night I finished my Get Ziggy. It's for my best friend's sister's soon-to-be baby boy (due some time in December). The baby shower was yesterday, however I unfortunately couldn't go due to the ton of school work I had to do. I did take the gift (the sweater plus a couple other things) to church with me and gave it to my friend to take to the shower for me.

Forgive the terrible picture, but it was late at night and I wanted to make sure I got a couple pics before sending it off to the recipient. I had artificial light, as you can tell, so the colour is off.

The sweater was a breeze to knit - well, once I frogged back to fix the mistake I had made. I only realized after knitting the first 16 rows of the cable section. Oh well, at least I didn't have the entire thing done and notice it! Other than that mistake (my own I might add, and not the pattern), I had no problems.

I used Lion Brand Cotton Ease (recommended by someone on Ravelry) and found it knit up well. The colourway is called Lilac, but to me it looks more blue than lilac. I got some more of this yarn in a different colour to make another one of these (for a girl) at some other point. The size I knit was for 3 months, and had a little yarn left over from 2 skeins. I'll probably make another 3 month sweater in the other colourway, unless it calls for the same amount for the 6 month size...not entirely sure on that point off hand.

The pic to the right was taken with the flash and is lighter than the actual colour, but again, I was trying to take a half decent shot considering the conditions I was working with. If I had been able to, I'd have waited until the next day to take a pic of Ziggy, but that wasn't possible. The picture down below of the close-up of the cable is not an accurate colour either.

I should mention that I've neglected my blog for the past week or so due to the amount of school work I've had. We're on our last full week of classes before Christmas break (next Monday is the last day) and it's a busy one. This week consists of 2 presentations, a book talk (3 minute presentation) on a kids book, a resource binder to fill for music class, an article critique, plus an assignment. I'm looking forward to this break so I can have time when I don't have to worry about needing to get school work done.

As it is, I did some work up tonight for tomorrow's classes. I should be working on the book talk for Wednesday (we need to make a poster for it as well), but I'm not. I'm feeling tired tonight and since I did up tomorrow's homework, I thought I'd relax and go to bed early tonight. I finish class at 2:45 tomorrow afternoon, so I'll have time to work on the book talk tomorrow. I just hope it doesn't take too long to do! Wednesday will be a busy afternoon and evening as well since I have to do an article critique and finish up the presentation I have for Thursday (the presentation is a 2 person one so I'm not doing all the work).

Going to end for now and hope you are all doing well! Happy Knitting!

Little Update

2008-11-19T22:49:00.004-04:00

Sorry guys, no pics this time. I've been somewhat busy with school work and haven't had much time to take pics or even do a lot of knitting.

I've been working on Get Ziggy, and have the majority of it finished (it's a quick knit), but I need to finish it completely before the 30th. The sweater is for my best friend's sister who is having a baby in December, and her babyshower is on the 30th. I have no doubts in my mind that it will be finished before then - possibly even by this weekend.

Today we had our first snow of the season. There wasn't much at first and it was only sticking on the grass. However, it was windy and cold too. The snow was a wet sticky one, so it wasn't the nicest really. The day was quite blustery, and even tonight it's the same. I have a feeling the roads are probably somewhat slippery out there. The salt trucks haven't been around yet, but I'm sure they will be by morning. Thankfully we have someone come and plow out our driveway, so we just have to do the front step (2 steps) and the walkway...and the end of the driveway if the plow goes by after buddy has already plowed the driveway.

So, I realized I needed some protection on my hands. It was mightly cold cleaning off the car - even though it didn't take too long. I started a pair of mittens for myself using sock yarn. I know they might not be the warmest, but they will suffice for now. I only got a few rows knit on the first one this morning, however. Then I had to go to class. Hopefully it won't take me long to make these puppies!

Well, it's been a bit since I've posted and just wanted to d o a little update. Hope to have some pics of my WIPs to show you soon!

Happy knitting!

SP13 Questionnaire

2008-11-09T15:56:00.007-04:00

The questionnaire is up for SP13 and thought I'd post my answers. I'll have to get back to this again soon and update some things. For the most part, my answers are below...

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?

I like most yarns, though I don't care for acrylics at all. Even though my current WIP (or one of them) is in acrylic, I don't particularly like working with them. I've become a yarn snob!

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?

I have a small needle holder for DPNs.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?

I have been knitting pretty much since 2001/2002. I learned to do the knit and purl stitch as a young child in brownies, but that was all. I eventually taught myself to knit with a bit of help from a friend. I would consider myself an intermediate knitter.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?

I have a Loopy Ewe wish list on the side bar.

5. What's your favorite scent?

Love fruit flavour scents. I am allergic to many flowery type scents.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?

I definitely have a sweet tooth! I love milk chocolate (don't care for dark or white) and I love Swedish Berries and most things chocolate or sweet, sour patch kids.

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?

I can crochet, I am into making cards and I can spin a little, though I haven't worked on it in a year (couldn't fit it in my suitcase when I went to Korea for a year, and haven't had the opportunity to work on it since coming back). I have a drop spindle, and not a wheel.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)

I mostly listen to Christian/Worship music. My computer can play mp3 (I think) and I do have an mp3 player.

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?

Fav colour is purple but I also like blues, greens, varigated, pastels, jewel tones. Don't care for browns, rusts, neon colours, not too fond of orange (though some mixed in with other colours is nice sometimes).

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?

I'm single (waahhh!) and I have a cat named Tinker Belle.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?

I wear scarves, mittens, gloves...no hats (my hair if fine and gets extremely staticy in winter) and no ponchos. I do like to knit hats though.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?

socks, baby items, hats, scarves

13. What are you knitting right now?

a scarf, socks, baby sweater (Get Ziggy to be exact)

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?

yes

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?

I like both straight and circular, though I prefer circular for hats. I like bamboo, aluminum...not plastic though. I do have a couple pairs of plastic needles and they are ok, but not my favourites to use.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?

I have a newly purchased yarn winder (no swift though).

17. How old is your oldest UFO?

gosh...I'm not sure...maybe a year and a half to two years?

18. What is your favorite holiday? What winter holiday do you observe?

Fav. holiday is Christmas, followed by my birthday (see below), and I observe Christmas. Not sure what other winter holidays are out there...lol

19. Is there anything that you collect?

yarn (of course, lol), cats

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?

No subscriptions to any magazines, though I love many of them (not too fussy with the magazines). Many books, yarns, needles, patterns I'm yearning for. Keep checking back and I'll try to update this a little more. There are so many new yarns out there that I'd like (see my Loopy Ewe wish list in the side bar), Malabrigo sounds great and I'd like to try that, as well as STR. Patterns...again, so many to choose from!

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?

Always wanting to learn new techniques. I want to learn to knit socks on 2 circs at the same time. I have a DVD that shows how...just need to sit down and watch it!

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?

Definitely a sock knitter. I have a US size 8 foot (well, two of them actually, lol).

23. When is your birthday?

January 20

24. Are you on Ravelry? If so, what's your ID?

Yes, I'm on Ravelry. My ID is Tabby2004 (at least I think that's what it is...that's what I use to sign on with. Hmm...feeling quite computer illiterate right about now...think I must have lost some brain cells along the way...hehehe.

So, Secret Pal, if you have any other questions, please feel free to ask! Looking forward to getting to know you!

Under Construction

2008-11-09T09:49:00.003-04:00

As you can see, I've changed my background (again). I'm still tweeking it and trying to figure out how to make the font in the sidebar darker so as to make it easier to read. I realize that in the body of the post I will have to make things bold and dark so it shows up pretty good.

At any rate, I may be playing around with it some so what you see might not necessarily be the final product!

In knitting news, not much has been going on. I've been slowly working at the scarf I started a couple of weeks ago. I've been busy with school work so I haven't had as much time to do any knitting. Oh, and I got a ball winder the other day (finally!) and that makes me a happy camper!

Just keeping this brief and will hopefully be back soon with more of an update!

Yup, You Guessed It...

2008-11-01T13:25:00.012-03:00

I finished another hat the other night. This one is the Lace Lieutenant by Kimberley of Woven 'n Spun. I enjoyed making this hat, and it was easy and quick (when I could sit down and work at it). I really must apologize for the terrible pictures of this hat. The yarn was quite difficult to photograph, and the pics came out blurry. Also, I don't have a model for hats (and they look terrible on me so that's not even an option) so I'm stuck using the corner of pillows or laying them flat.

Specs:

Yarn: Peruvian Pure Alpaca

Purchased from: Elann.com

Colourway: 784 (a sort of rust/brown colour)

Needle size: 4.0 mm (I think)

Yardage: a little less than 50g

This is a cute hat, and I can see myself making this pattern

again using other yarns. Sorry again for the terrible pics. I'll be adding this hat to my items for the mitten tree at the church.

I've since started another scarf (last night actually), but don't have enough worthy to be photographed just yet. I was watching season 7 of Stargate SG-1 last night and wanted something to work on. I didn't feel like working on socks and thought a simple scarf would do the trick. However, I couldn't find one that wouldn't require me to pay attention to, so I continued working on the second baby frilled hat (like the one in the previous post).

This morning when I got up, I surfed through Ravelry to find something and came across one and started it. It uses Rowan Tapestry, and I just happened to have a ball of that in my stash (from when I bought it while in Seoul one day last winter). The pattern calls for size 6.0mm needles, but I couldn't find mine. My stuff is all packed away from being in Korea (stuff as in my knitting things, books, etc.) and I don't know where everything is. I did happen across some 5.5mm plastic or acrylic type needles, so I'm using those instead. Hopefully I'll have some pictures of the scarf soon. I don't anticipate it taking a long time to knit since it only uses one skein/ball and it's a repeat of two rows. It's perfect for knitting on when watching TV...I think. I'll be working on it tonight when I watch more of Stargate tonight.

In other news...ok, it's not really news, but whatever, lol. Last night was Halloween. I was kind of looking forward to it this year - seeing the kids all dressed up - since this is something that isn't celebrated in South Korea. I talked about it with my classes some last year, and even brought some candy in for them. However, it just wasn't the same. Anyway, all we had come to the door was a total of 21 kids, and 1 adult who was collecting food for the food bank.

Actually, the one collecting for the food bank goes to the university I'm attending (for my B.Ed.). I had seen signs posted around the school about their food drive, so I prepared for that just in case. I don't live too far from the school, so I figured they would probably be in my area. I had packed some canned goods in a shopping bag and left that by the door just in case. Poor guy, he barely got the words out of his mouth and I was telling him I figured they'd be around and had got some stuff prepared for them. He laughed and seemed thankful it didn't take him long at the door. See, I didn't want to have to make anyone wait in the cold (it wasn't freezing, but it was a little cold last night) while I ran up to the cupboard looking for something to give, so I wanted to be prepared. I hope they got a lot of items for the food bank last night!

Ok, well I'm going to head off now and attempt to work on some school work, or maybe take a nap or knit...or all of the above. Happy Knitting!

Hats Off To You!

2008-10-27T10:25:00.010-03:00

I seem to be on a hat making spree. Last week I finished the hat I was working on, but hadn't taken any pictures until a little while ago. The edge is suppose to ruffle, but mine didn't. Maybe it's something you have to do yourself though, like pinching the edges of pie crust to get that ruffled looking edge...

This is the Ruffle Hat from Bernat. I got the pattern from the yarn wrapper, but I think you can also get it for free online (like possibly Ravelry). You can see, on the left side, the seam that has to be sewn. I wasn't paying much attention when I took the pic I guess, otherwise I wouldn't have had the seam showing.

This cute litte hat is sized 6-12 months (I think), and is knit on two straight needles, and is easy. I think, however, that I prefer knitting hats on circulars. I used 4.0 mm bamboo needles, and the yarn is Bernat Baby Jaquards in the Berries and Cream colourway. There is way more yarn left over, and I've started another one of these hats as well. I might also make some little baby booties as well (maybe more than one pair) as I am sure there will still be lots of yarn left over after the second hat is finished.

I tried to resize the picture here after I posted it, but I think it turned out a little lop sided or something. Please excuse the awkwardness if it doesn't look "quite right."

I also make a little sock for my friend's baby to try on her yesterday. I finished the sock on Saturday so that when I saw her at church I could try it on to get an idea as for the right size. The smallest one I had (I have 2 pairs made previously that will go on the mitten tree at church for Christmas) was a little tight on her chubby ankle, the medium sized one fit ok with the exception that it was long in the foot. And, the third one was a little long in the foot and might have been a tad bit big around her foot. However, she's a baby and her feet will grow. I think I will keep them the length in the foot (toe area) that they are because she can use them several times over the winter. My friend wants them basically to keep her daughter's feet warm inside her snowsuit. She (the baby) can't walk yet, so that isn't a problem.

I've also started another hat. This one is adult sized and I don't have enough of it done yet to really take a pic. I'm using some yarn I had in my stash that I had made a scarf with a couple of winters ago. The pattern calls for 1 50g ball, so I should have enough; if I don't, I still have some left over that I didn't need for the scarf. Hopefully I'll get more done on the hat and can post a pic next time...even better, hopefully I'll be finished knitting it!

On the weekend, I ordered Get Ziggy from Anny Purls and I'd like to order Duck Soup as well, I think. Get Ziggy calls for aran weight yarn, but I can't seem to find yarn in that size. The nearest thing I can find for a description is that it is a yarn weight in Great Britain and it falls between worsted and a bulky weight.

Does anyone have any good ideas or suggestions on yarns I can use for this pattern? Duck Soup uses a chunky yarn, so that shouldn't be too difficult to find something for that - when I actually order the pattern. However, I'd like to make Get Ziggy for my best friend's sister who is having a baby in January.

Little Hats

2008-10-21T23:28:00.008-03:00

I've been quite busy the last week and a half with school work. I had a ton of stuff to do - two unit plans, a quiz, two presentations, and two article critiques all due in the last week and a half. Oh, and I have an art response type of paper due on Thursday. I'll be so glad when this week is over. But then, I also have a presentation next week as well. Thankfully next week isn't too busy.

Along the way I finished the second tomato baby hat. Lest anyone think I'm taking credit for two hats and only making one, here's the proof (well, to the left):

Like I've been saying all along, this is a cute hat and fast and easy to make. I can see more being made in the future - just not sure when though. I've got some patterns (like I'm sure many knitters do) of other fruit hats that I'd like to make at some point as well.

I've begun another little hat. It's from the wrapper of some Bernat Jacquards baby yarn and I thought it was so cute. I haven't been able to work at it in the last several days and I want to be able to sit down and finish it. This one is done on two needles, and while I don't mind that (aside from having to seam it up after), I think I now prefer to knit the hats in the round. This little hat is knit from the top down, and will have a little frill around the edge. I can't wait to see it completed (hopefully sometime this weekend.

I know Bernat is acrylic (wow, I just heard millions of yarn snobs gasping - and yeah, I gasped too cause I've turned into one too).

In other news, have you heard that SP13 has started up? Deadline to sign up is October 31. I've signed up for this round. I haven't been able to take part in the last two since I was in Korea and have extremely limited access to the post office (never opened past 4:30 and that was the time I got out of work, and never opened on the weekend). Anyway, now that I'm back in Canada I wanted to be able to take part in it again. I was surprised at the $5 sign up fee, but that goes towards angel packages, so I don't have a problem with paying it. I'm so excited for SP13 and I can't wait to get my spoilee!

Well, I'd better head off and get ready for bed. I only got about three hours of sleep last night because I was up late working on the science unit plan that was due today. I ended up doing the unit plan and 6 lesson plans. I thought that was what we were supposed to do. Turns out we didn't have to actually do the lesson plans - just the unit plan that included the six lessons for the unit we chose (I chose grade 5 weather). All that work for nothing. Oh well, at least I have a 6 lesson unit plan prepared for when I start teaching...

Anyhow, I had a nearly two hour nap when I got home from school this afternoon, but I'm feeling tired again. I think I'll head off to bed and make up for lost sleep.

Happy knitting!

Little Hat

2008-10-16T20:17:00.006-03:00

Last night I managed to complete a baby hat - in about four hours. I was looking for something simple to knit while watching some episodes of Stargate SG-1 (I have the box set). I've been feeling a little stressed for several days due to presentations and whatnot at school, so I wanted to take a little break and relax.

Isn't it cute? It's the Tomato Baby Beanie. I used some Knit Picks Merino Style yarn in Strawberry and asperagus that I had in my stash. I've still got someleft and will be making another one of these tonight (or at least starting it).
I start my teaching observation tomorrow. I'll be in a grade two class and I'm excited about going. I just have to basically observe, make some notes about it and write up a "report" about the different things I've observed, like classroom management, the methods used by the teacher, etc. I'll be there the whole day - well actually, I get to leave when the students do. If the teachers stay past that time (the kids get out about 1:50 I think), I'm not required to stay unless I want to in order to help the teacher if she needs it - like with marking anything, setting up for something the next day, etc. My observation will be 72 hours, and I only go on Fridays because I have classes the rest of the week.

Well, going to head off now and resume my search for some background on a Canadian painting. For my art class I have to do this and do some research on the artist as well and then write a paper about it (two to three pages). Our prof is looking for certain things, like influences, etc. and not triva like when the artist was born and died or stuff like that. I really don't know how I'm going to do this because what I've chosen (the prof said the artist I wanted to choose is great) doesn't give me much detail as to what was going on in the artist's life at the time or why he painted the subject the way he did...might end up having to change it. The paper is due next Thursday, but I've also got a group unit plan due on Wednesday, an individual unit plan due on Tuesday, a critique paper due on Tuesday...and I think, other than that and the art paper, that's it.

I tell you, I can't wait until this week is over. The stress with regard to school will decrease dramatically as I have the bulk of work done already. I chose to get a lot of it over with during the first part of the semester so I wouldn't have everything due all at once towards the end.

So, happy knitting to you all!

Latest FO

2008-10-13T14:04:00.008-03:00

I finished my second 2 Weeknights With Warrick scarf by Karin Bole. I started this on October 3rd when I went with my mom to visit some relatives. The women were playing cards and the men were sitting around watching a little TV and talking. I decided to knit and chose something easy that wouldn't require too much concentration.

I used size 4.0mm bamboo needles and Patons SWS in the Natural Plum colourway. I liked working with this yarn and found it to knit up pretty darn good.

While I was working away on it, I got plenty of compliments on the pattern and the colour. The next day my mom said she thought that would look really nice with her new winter coat she had just bought the day before. Well, the coat is black so pretty much anything will go with it. I held what I had done to that point up to to the coat, and it looked really good. So, I told her that if she wanted it I would give it to her. Well, she decided that she would like to have it, so when I finished it up last night I showed her and gave it to her...though I had to borrow it today for a little photo shoot.

Yesterday after church, one of my friends asked me if I could knit up some socks for her baby girl. I think the baby is about six months, though I'm not totally sure because she was born while I was over in Korea. She said that last year her son's feet (he's around twoish) got cold in his snow suite and she doesn't want that to happen to her daughter. She also said her mother-in-law usually makes things like that for the kids, but apparently her MIL isn't too pleased with them currently...don't know why, and I don't really care because it's none of my business. Anyway I said I'd try to get some done for both kids. She's going to let me know what size shoe her son takes so I can make them to fit better than just guessing. I'll probably make toddler size for the baby...maybe ones a little smaller than that. Hopefully if I have the time, and before it snows and gets too cld, I can get a couple pairs done for her to try on the baby to see if they fit and if I'd need to adjust the size...same with her son.

So, I think on tap next is to work on the socks for my friend's kids. I have another friend who has hinted that she wants me to make her some socks as a gift for Christmas (there are three of us who usually exchange home made gifts at Christmas), but the only problem is that I have no idea what size to make. I do know she takes a bigger size shoe (maybe a 10), but her foot is also quite big all around. I would have to know her measurements, but if I get her to do that then she will know what her gift is. The other problem I have is that a couple years ago I knit her a really pretty bag (felted it too) which she raved about. She never once used it. Never. Ever. I don't want to make someone something if they aren't going to use it. It's a waste of my time. I guess I'll have to think about it a little more. I'd like for the socks to be a "surprise", even though she hinted at them. I can always fool her into thinking I'm not making them or I'm making her something else, just to throw her off track (she'd fall for it I think, lol) and then make them, but without knowing measurements, I wouldn't like to make them for a size 10 foot and end up having them not fit her around the gusset area. What to do, what to do...

Things are busy this week and next. I've got two presentations, an article critique, a couple of small quizzes, and a unit plan all due in the next two weeks. I'd better go work at the stuff due for the next couple of days so I'm not up til all hours trying to get things done.

Happy thanksgiving to all Canadians!

Another Hat

2008-10-06T10:58:00.005-03:00

I really love the pattern for the Spring Cap, so I decided to use my last ball of Fiance yarn (used in the previous hat and scarf) and make another one - this time in the medium size.

Here you see Tinker Belle checking it out. Sorry for the poor colouring of the pic - it was taken inside on the table with the light on and the blinds open. Anyway, I can't stop praising this pattern! It's so easy and quick to make - I just LOVE it!

I also started another Two Weeknights With Warrick scarf this past Friday. I went with my mom to visit some relatives that evening (we went out for supper with them first), and while the men sat around and talked, the ladies played canasta. I decided to pring my knitting so I wanted something that wouldn't need my full attention. I don't have any pics of it at the moment, but it's looking nice. I'll hopefully have a picture for my next post.

This morning there was frost/ice on the windows of the car and I had to scrape it off - I guess it's time to drag out the winter accessories! I'll have to get cracking and get some mittens done up for the mitten tree. I was thinking of doing some fingerless gloves or something for driving on the cold mornings (until I need fuller mittens/gloves). I'll have to look through my stash and see what I have and find a nice pattern to do up.

Well, just a short post today. I should go and get some reading done for my class this afternoon. Happy knitting!

Another Completed Item!

2008-10-01T12:04:00.007-03:00

I'm on a roll - sort of! I was able to finish the Spring Cap a little while ago. I didn't add a pompom or anything though, but you don't have to. I think it turned out pretty cute! I made the small size using size 4mm circulars, and then DPNs to finish it off. Well, I think they were 4mm...I couldn't find my thingy (don't you love the technical term?) to measure it with.

At any rate, this is going in the pile to donate and will go on the mitten tree at church for Christmas. I think it will fit a teenager possibly. I'd like to try this pattern with a worsted weight yarn (I don't think that's what this yarn is) or something a little bigger, to see how it turns out...

I highly recommend this pattern - it's so easy and quick to make.

In other news, the storm I mentioned in the previous post didn't hit us, thankfully. We had a little wind (nothing too strong in my area) and rain. I guess it was supposed to hit NB around two in the morning, but it ended up changing directions and hit NS.

I got back the 4 page assignment for my literacy class today. We had to write our literacy memoirs - experiences with reading, writing, speaking - and hand it in about three weeks ago. I was unsure if mine was done the way it should have been, even though I tried my best to follow the rubric he gave us. Well, I must have done it right, because I got 40/40 on it! He was checking everything from the way it flowed, to spelling and grammar, and if we used personal experiences as examples...a whole lot of things. So, I'm very satisfied with that mark!

Well, I'd better get going now. I have a class in about an hour and I need to eat lunch before I go. Happy knitting!

It Is Finished...And Something Else Started

2008-09-28T17:45:00.007-03:00

Well, I got the scarf finished. I haven't blocked it yet - not really sure if I will or not. It's on the shortish side as I only used two balls of the yarn, but I thought that if I do block it that might stretch it out a little. It's still a good size now though.

I really enjoyed this pattern (links to Ravelry), and will make it again for sure.

In other knitting news, I've started a hat using the same yarn I did for the scarf. I had debated on making a feather & fan type hat to match the scarf, but decided against it.

I decided on the Spring Cap by Woolly Wormhead (don't you just love that name?!) and I must say I am really enjoying the pattern. It's easy and it's knitting up quickly. I am making the smallest size and I don't know if it will fit an adult or a teenager. My yarn is different than what is in the pattern and I have no idea if it's the same size of yarn or not. Since my yarn is from Korea (or Japan) there is no indication of the size of yarn that I can see. So, to me it doesn't really matter because I'm not making the hat for me. It will join the mitten tree at church to be donated to charity. I'm going to put a note with it I think, as this hat isn't thick enough (especially with the "lace" work in it) for winter...in my opinion. It's more for spring (as the name would probably indicate) or fall. Regardless, I'm sure someone will enjoy having a nice hat to wear on a chilly day.

I'm just about ready to start the crown shaping, so I don't anticipate it taking a lot longer to finish knitting wise. What will interrupt the knitting will be school work. I've got my first presentation (it's a group one) on Tuesday and of course trying to keep on top of the other work so I'm not doing things up a day or two before things are due. I'm trying to use my knitting as a reward - work awhile then do some knitting to relax. The only problem is that I am enjoying this pattern (as I did with the scarf) and want to work at it until it's done!

In other news, hurricane Kyle is heading our way. I think on the weather network they said it's downgraded to a tropical storm, but I'm not totally sure on that. Regardless, they showed it heading straight for our city but it could hit west of us as well. They say that we are expected to get something like 50-100 mm of rain by Monday (tomorrow) morning, and winds will be in excess of 63km/hour. Sorry for those who don't know the metric system - I'm not sure what they convert to...though I think with kilometers and miles you double the kilometer (roughly), though I'm not really sure. It's supposed to hit just before dawn tomorrow.

We don't often get hurricanes but we have gotten tail winds from them and tropical storms. I know Halifax got hit by hurricane Juan about three years ago, and they say that this storm will hit three years to the day that hurrican hit.

It's getting dark out (has been for a little while) so I expect the storm is on its way. It's not raining yet but that will come too. Hopefully things won't be too bad! I'd better head off now and get some more school work done. Happy knitting!

Half Way Point

2008-09-17T20:55:00.005-03:00

I've reached the half way mark on the scarf. Roughly. I think. I'll have to wait and decide if it's long enough when I'm finished the second ball of yarn. Though these aren't generally colours I care for (at least the browns), I think the scarf is looking pretty darn good! I like the way the colours are blending together.

I was a little stupid though, and just grabbed one of the balls (I have a total of 3) before starting the scarf, and it started with the orangish-red. The other two balls I have start with the browns. Now that I've started the second ball, you can easily notice where it starts because the first one also ended with the orangish-red colour. There is no blending between the two balls, and it's not following the colour pattern. I'm not overly concerned about this, however, as all the colours will still be present - just in a different order now. Also, the part with the drastic colour change (where ball two joins) will be at the back of the neck anyway so that shouldn't be too noticeable (if it will at all).

I'm not sure if I'll block the scarf or not. So far it's looking pretty good so far. I'm afraid if I do block it, it will be wider than what it is currently - though maybe I could stretch the length and not the width...anyway, I'll wait until I'm done to decide if I'll block or not.

As I said, I have a 3rd ball in waiting. If I don't use it for the scarf, I might see if I can get a hat knit from it - even if it's only a child's hat. It doesn't necessarily have to go with the scarf - mostly because I don't know if there is a hat pattern with a feather and fan design or not. So, I'll just make any ol' hat. As I said, it doesn't have to go with the scarf. I'm thinking about donating these items to the mitten tree at church at Christmas, so the hat might end up getting put with the scarf anyway, but like I said, it doesn't matter to me if it does or not.

I should be finished the scarf this weekend. I have only been knitting on it here and there (usually no more than a half hour at a time - maybe the odd hour) because I've been busy with school work. Since this is a quick and easy knit (pattern is easily memorized), it shouldn't be too long before I'm finished with it. I'll definitely post a picture when it's completed.

Well, better be off and get some more reading for class done. Tomorrow I have three classes, and then none on Friday - which reminds me, I need to check my email to see if they've got me placed at a school yet to do the observation part of my teacher's training...

Happy knitting!

A New Knit

2008-09-14T19:02:00.008-03:00

Edited to add: Want to check out great books you might be interested in reading? Check out the book reviews I have at my writing blog: Ink Scrawls. Click here to read all about lots of fabulous books! Oh, and please leave some comments there too :o).

Now, on to the knitting content...

I did a lot of homework yesterday - mostly reading, trying to keep on top of things so I don't get too bogged down later on. So, as a little reward to myself, I picked up my knitting needles and some yarn. I felt like working on something for the mitten tree at church (which will be up towards the end of November) and wanted something that was somewhat mindless and quick - you know, instant gratification and whatnot.

What I chose was this (see above). It's the Two Weeknights With Warrick Worsted Wave Scarf by Karin Bole. The link will take you to the pattern at Ravelry.

The yarn I'm using is some that I got when I was in Korea. It's called Finance and reminds me of Noro Kuryeon. The colourway is number 176 and is 45g/115m. It recommends to use 4.0mm - 4.5mm needles, so I'm using 4.0mm on my scarf. I made a little change in the pattern in that I cast on 38 stitches instead of the 26 called for, since I thought it would look a little too narrow with the 26.

The pattern is super duper easy and is going quite quickly. I'm sure if I used 4.5mm or even 5.0mm needles it would fly by even quicker. What you see is what I got done in probably a total of two hours...maybe a tad bit more time, but not too much.

The other day I also purchased a couple of knitting magazines. One in particular (the Vogue Knitting one)I was wanting to get because of this post at Brooklyn Tweed. These mittens look so cool! Apparently they aren't a quick knit - and one can tell from just looking at the picture they aren't - but I wanted to give them a try at some point - hopefully sometime in the not too distant future!

But, for now I'd better get back to working on some homework so I can reward myself later on with a little knitting on the scarf again. Happy knitting!

Stash Enhancers

2008-09-10T11:30:00.011-03:00

The other day when I posted about the toddler socks, I forgot to mention my latest stash enhancers. Can't believe I did that! So, here is a little post just for that!

First up, I have my August purchase from the Robyn's Nest sock club. The yarn is a reddish colour (I honestly had trouble deciding if it was a dark pink or red. Some of the yarn looks closer to pink, while some looks red...regardless of how you'd classify the colour, I think it's pretty). It's from Tanis Fiber Arts, is hand dyed and feels nice and soft and squishy. The pattern is called Mathematical Equation, and was designed by Robyn herself! Looks like a great pattern Robyn, good job on designing it! There are also 2 stitch markers included as well (in red to match the yarn).

The next item to show is 2 balls of Reynolds Fusion, colour #22. It's a blend of mohair, acrylic, and wool. I think this will more than likely become a scarf. Also, there were two patterns, one for socks and the other for the Pea Pod baby set. There was a cute little cow (which I forgot to include in the picture...silly me) and some lollipop suckers which I love and were long gone before I got the picture taken. This was my prize from Robyn's contest she had a little while back - guess the number of meat balls on the plate. Thanks so much for the wonderful prize Robyn!

I haven't been doing much knitting lately. I have a feeling my knitting may suffer (again) this year. Though school has just started and we haven't done a whole lot yet, things will start to get busy soon. I have the first assignment due tomorrow and then nothing until Monday, but then soon after that, things will start happening. There is also going to be group work, so other than one class, we haven't been put into our groups yet. With the group work will come meetings and what not to get our presentations and lesson plans done up, so that will eat up time as well.

I have no classes on Fridays, but that will be the day I'll do the observation part of my training. I will be starting that soon - it could take a week, or a month or somewhere in between to get placed so that could start as early as next week. Once I finish that, I'll have to start the teaching part of the training. I will more than likely be doing that Fridays next semester as well because I don't have classes then either.

But, I know I'll need to take some down time here and there so I don't crack. I am hoping that knitting will be a part of that and that it won't be just sitting or lying in front of the tv all the time. I find knitting relaxing, so hopefully I will do that to relax.

Anyway, must head off and get some lunch now. My next class starts in about an hour so I need to eat and change (did I mention I have four hours between my two classes on Wednesdays? I just come home for that time...but I'm sure there will be times I have to get together with a group or something at some point) so I won't be late. Thankfully, I don't live to far away from the school so I don't have to deal with a lot of traffic!

Happy Knitting!

Hello Again!

2008-09-06T19:55:00.011-03:00

Hello again! I am back. Thank you for your condolences on the death of my father. It's still hard to believe he is gone. I have been pretty good, but have had some moments lately where I feel quite saddened by his death. I'm sure it will be some time before things will seem "normal" again - or at least we'll have o create a new "normal" now.

I have done a little bit of knitting, though in all honesty, not too much. While my dad was in the hospital, I got a pair of baby socks knit and a pair of toddler socks as well. There was a problem with the baby socks, however. I think I either knit one tighter than the other, or I accidentally skipped a few rows in the foot of the sock, because one of them is slightly bigger than the other. When I put them together, it's noticeable so I will either have to make 2 more socks to match, or just use the others as Christmas tree ornaments or something. Because I was too ashamed of this gross error (or not so gross), I didn't bother to take a picture of those ones.

For these toddler socks, I used my 2.7mm bamboo needles I bought in when I was in South Korea with Knit Picks yarn (oh my gosh, I'm having a senior's moment or something - can't recall the name of the yarn!) and the colourway, I believe is called "Crayon". I've had this yarn in my stash for a couple of years now and decided to use it once I got back home to Canada. The pattern is the Baby to Toddler Sized Socks by Miriam L. Felton (I love this pattern!). The pattern is linked to the one on Ravelry.

In the last couple of weeks, I've worked on another pair of toddler socks in the same yarn as the first pair, since I had enough left over from the skein of the first pair. I finally finished the second of those socks last night. These may look like the first pair (making it seem like I'm counting the same pair twice), but rest assured, they are different.

The first pair I made, I gifted to my cousin for her little fellow. She loved them (as did her mom and her grandmother, my aunt). My aunt was telling me last night that my cousin's son was sitting on the floor trying to put them on (he's not quite 2 yet) and wasn't getting angry, but just couldn't figure out how on earth to put these things on! Hopefully they'll fit him. My cousin said they would, though. The second pair I am planning on putting on the "mitten" tree at church this Christmas. Which reminds me, I need to get cracking and make some more socks and mittens, etc. since I don't really have anything (other than a pair of baby socks and a pair of toddler socks) as I haven't been knitting for that while in Korea.

Well, university started up this week and it looks like I'm going to have a pretty full plate this time around. I'm taking six courses each semester, and I'll be starting my observation in a classroom next month (I think). I have no courses on Friday's so I think that is when I'll choose to do my observation and teacher training. I'm also hoping (providing I have the finances) to take part in their program where I will be able to do part of my teacher training here, and part of it in Australia! I need to find out more about it, however - particularly how much it's going to cost. Also with school, we have a lot of group work, presentations, lesson plans, etc. to do and that will take up a lot of my time. I hope I'll have some down time so I can knit and read and whatnot!

Well, I'd better go and start on some homework. For my literacy class we have to write a 4-5 page essay/report on our own literacy memoirs. The prof said it is due next class, but the syllabus says it's due Sept. 15. I have this class on Monday, and I want to get it done for then just in case. If I get to class and find out we don't need it done that day, then I can go over it and revise it (if need be) for the actual due date. If I don't need to, then that is one assignment I will have done and won't have to worry about.

I'll leave you with a picture I took of one of my mom's dahlias (I really love this particular flower). She's got some gorgeous flowers growing in her garden. Her and dad have been into growing dahlias for the last several years and I think they are so beautiful.

Grieving

2008-08-20T09:31:00.002-03:00

I will not be posting for a little while (maybe only a week or two) due to my father's death. His death as expected, but not quite this soon. In the end he passed quickly with family by his side.

I will be back sometime in the next few weeks.

Leaving On A Jet Plane

2008-08-08T20:39:00.002-03:00

I'm coming home early! I was able to leave and book a ticket to come home tomorrow, Sunday the 10th. I'll arrive the same day in my hometown, but I'll have been travelling nearly 24 hours. Gotta love time zones!

My dad is doing a little better. They've got his kidney situation straightened out for now and he's been keeping his food down...though he's just on liquids right now. Some times, before, he couldn't even keep those down. The nurse told my brother that part of the reason Dad might not have been keeping food down was because of so much fluid build-up.

Anyway, must go finish getting ready. I am heading out to Seoul today for some last minute shopping. I'm staying there over night because it's much closer to the airport, and since my flight leaves in the morning I wouldn't be able to get transportation from my town to the airport early enough.

The next time I write, I'll be back in Canada! See/Talk to you then!!

Quick Post

2008-08-06T05:24:00.002-03:00

Just a quick post. Things aren't going so well for me lately. I've been under a lot of stress the last 22 hours or so.

Earlier this year my dad was diagnosed with cancer of the esophagus. He's undergone radiation and chemo for it, and we thought things were getting better. I've written a little update over on my other blog, Confirm The Work Of Our Hands. Please click the link and read (it takes you right to the post). I'd appreciate any and all prayers.

Not Much Happening - Really...

2008-07-23T23:12:00.008-03:00

The weather here in Yesan has become a little hotter with each passing day - and quite humid as well. Pretty soon it will get unbearable hot - at least for a pale western girl like myself. Thankfully my apartment has air conditioning, otherwise I might melt.

This week we've had some hot, humid days, but we've also had several rainy days. Last Saturday I ventured out to Seoul with a friend. My express purpose was to buy some souvenirs for family members for when I return back to Canada in a little over a month. Unfortunately, the day was rather rainy. When we got to Insadong (keep in mind that while I've been hear nearly a year now, I still don't know how to spell the names of places correctly in English...it's so confusing, especially when you see various spellings for them) which is a popular tourist place in Seoul. Usually they have vendors outside with their wares on tables in front of their stores. You can look and buy stuff from the tables, or go inside to buy things as well. Not on Saturday, however. Saturday it was POURING rain. There weren't too many people in the area, so that was good that I didn't have to fight crowds. I got some lovely things which I should take some pictures of...I haven't right now, though (and some of the things were gift wrapped so I have to wait if I want to take pics of those things).

Also it poured rain on Sunday, though earlier in the day it wasn't as bad. I went with a couple of friends out for smoothies. We got soaked. Literally. And we had umbrellas. However, the reason we got so wet was that it was also very windy. The wind picked up after we got part way down the street though. We're not sure but we think maybe it could have been the tail end of a hurricane or typhoon passing in the area (they don't typically get hit by these things, just tail ends). As we were going into the building - ok, I managed to get into the building but my friends were a little behind me and were still outside - there was this loud banging sound and we weren't quite sure what it was. I thought maybe lightning had struck the building or something (not that we had seen any), but it turns out that a tree had either been rooted up or a big branch had broken away from the tree and crashed into the building.

It's also been raining the last couple of days, but not as bad. Yesterday evening there was a reprieve and I got to go out for awhile to pick up something to eat for supper. It's still looking rainy today, though I don't know if it's raining now or not. The two pictures above are taken out of the only window in my apartment. Not much of a view. The second picture is a little blurry on the left due to the screen and the angle of the camera.

So, a couple of weeks ago I got what will be my last yarny purchase while I'm here in Korea. I ordered it from the Loopy Ewe, naturally. All my future purchases (though there won't be many in the next year since I'm going back to school and won't be working, neither will I have a student loan - I'm footing the bill this time so money will be scarce) will be sent to me in Canada.

Anyway, I got two patterns: Maple Leaves Scarf and Circle of Friendship Socks, both by HeartStrings. I have had my eye on the Circle of Friendship Socks for a long time and finally decided to get them. I think I might make them as a gift for someone - and of course for myself.

The yarn I got is Chameleon ColourWorks Bambino in the black cherry colourway (same colourway as the baby socks in the previous post, only this yarn isn't the Evolution) and Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in the Georgetown colourway (another colourway I've had my eye on forever).

I haven't done much in the way of knitting lately. I just haven't felt like it. I hope the mojo comes back soon though. I've been doing some writing on the novel I've been working on, so that could be where all my creativity has been going. I have worked more on the sock I've been working on. It seems to have turned into one of those socks you work on now and then. I'm not too far from the toe decreaces though. You'd think being that close to the end I would just plug away at it and then start the second one. I'd like to get the pair done before I leave Korea though.

Well, this has turned into one of those long posts that really talks about nothing, so I'd better end here. Hope everyone is enjoying their summer and getting lots more knitting done than I am!

Quickest FO

2008-06-22T08:22:00.006-03:00

Tonight I finished my quickest FO ever...I think. I started a pair of baby socks on Friday and finished it up earlier this evening. Gotta love these quick knit projects!

To the right you will see a picture of the finished product. They are acutally a little darker than the picture because it was dark outside when I took the photo and didn't have natural light. In other words, I had to use the flash.

OK, here are the stats:

Pattern: Baby to Toddler Sized Socks by Miriam L. Felton (pattern on Ravelry)

Yarn: Chamelion Colorworks Evolution

Colourway: Black Cherry

Needles: Crystal Palace 2.0 mm (US 0) bamboo DPNs

Time taken to knit: 2 days

This pattern is so quick and easy to knit, and I'll definitely be using it again! I also loved working with this yarn. It's so very soft! I'll be using this yarn again in the future as well.

I took a break from the other socks I was working on to knit these baby socks. I do have more of it done though, and am about to start the heel flap on it. I am still on the first sock though, so not a whole lot of progress on that one yet.

Not much else to say. School is finished the 18th of July, then we have a week off before we do a week of Summer Camp. Still don't know if I'll be working the first week or so of school when it starts up in August or not. I guess I'll find out the closer it gets to the time.

Heading off now. Happy knitting, all!

P.S. Ten weeks from today I'll be flying home! Woot!!

It's All About The Socks

2008-06-15T02:48:00.010-03:00

Finally, I finished the Wollmeise Socks I'd been working on. I really enjoyed the pattern and the results. I would definitely make this pattern again! It's a very simple pattern, and very easy to memorize. Please ignore the laundry basket in the picture with the sweater hanging over the side. This was the first time I'd used the timer on my camera and had no idea it was in the shot. But, I suppose it was bound to be since I'm in the little laundry area of my apartment. It's not very wide, and not very big. But, since I wanted some natural light for my picture, this was the only place to go since this is where the only windows in the apartment are. To the right of the picture is the set of doors going into my apartment.

About ten days ago, the first graders (and their teachers) at the middle school I teach at had a field trip to one of the theme parks in Seoul. It's the same one we went to last semester with the second graders at the school. At this time, however, the second graders were on a three day field trip down towards the southern part of the country. As well, the third graders were at another theme park. Anyway, the park we went to is called Seoulland. It's ok, but nothing to brag about in my opinion.

On the bus ride to and from Seoulland, I started (and worked on) another sock. I didn't take the Wollmeise socks because I didn't want to mess up the pattern - and trust me, with thirty odd number of boys on the bus, that would be highly possible. Anyway, here's the new sock I've begun:

It's just a simple, plain knitted sock because I wanted some mindless knitting to do on the bus. The yarn I'm using is Lorna's Laces in the Flamingo Stripe colourway. So far I'm enjoying this yarn, and find it nice and soft to work with. I wasn't sure what to expect with the stripes, and must admit that I thought they'd be wider. I'm totally fine with it being single row stripes though.

I haven't been doing much knitting for awhile because my left shoulder/neck has been bothering me. It had felt like I got a kink in it that wouldn't go away. I think it was the muscle though, and it was bothering me for about nine days when I decided that maybe I should try the accupuncture again. Some of the other teachers were mentioning that it might help. Now, I had accupuncture on my lower back when I first got here and didn't have any problems with it (aside from discovering through it somehow that I was allergic to the "heat" patches I'd been using...you know, the kind with adhesive on the back that you put on like a bandaid and it has stuff in it that "heats" up the location where you place it), so I thought I'd give it another go. I went twice and it did seem to help - the entire procedure though, not just the accupuncture.

First I had the accupuncture done, and they stuck about 15 pins/needles (not sure what you call them) in my back/shoulder area, as well as 4 in my right hand in various places, and one in my right foot. Then they attached some kind of electrical impulse thing to some of them and put the heat lamp (or ultraviolet lamp) on the area. After about 20 minutes they took them out and then I had a very hot pad type thing wrapped on the area. That helped to soothe and relax the muscles. After that they hooked up little suction things for about 5 minutes. There were tubes and they would suck the air out of them with this little contraption. I' don't remember the name of the procedure, but apparently is sucks the "bad blood" out....umm, ok. After they took them off, I was left with about 4 or 5 hickey-like marks on my shoulder blade and up towards my shoulder. My favourite part came last. They attached little suction cup things to the area and turned it on - it was a massage! I don't know what is in it - it if is some sort of little prongs, or water, or what...but it was soooooooooooo relaxing!

Anyway, my shoulder/neck area is feeling a lot better, though since I did some knitting and computer work today, I'm starting to feel the area tighten up. I'll have to apply some heat or something to it to loosen up the muscles again. It's not bad, but if I'm not careful, it might end up that way. I don't want to take any chances.

So, I'm off now to do some writing and work on lesson plans for this week. There are only about 5 weeks of school left now, and the last two are after exams. I really don't know why, but they make the kids go to school for 2 weeks AFTER they finish writing their final exams. Makes no sense to me. Oh well.

Happy Knitting!!

Not Much...

2008-05-29T07:01:00.003-03:00

...going on here in South Korea at the moment. I've been slowly working on the second of the Wollmeise socks and have just finished the gusset and about to start the foot. Other than that, I've not done any knitting.

Since Saturday, I've managed to come down with a cold - par for the course for me. I also managed to lose my voice and woke up yesterday morning with none at all. I got to school and went to tell one of my coteachers (who I'd been teaching with that morning) and she went and got permission for me to go back home to rest. I also stayed home today to rest my voice (and myself). I have a bit more of my voice back, but it's cutting in and out.

I keep looking at my recent yarn purchases. I want so much to pull out all the new yarn and start new socks...but I'm limited with my needles here so I can't really do that...unless I make just one sock from each skein from different patterns and then go back later and do the second sock...but I don't want to do that. I also want to start in on the shawl pattern I ordered from the Loopy Ewe in one of my last orders...but I'm holding off because I don't have the right size needles the pattern calls for...I think my knitting has suffered because I don't have my trusty rocking chair to sit in and knit. That is where I do all my knitting when I'm at home in Canada - my rocking chair. I've really missed that since I've been here. I really don't know how I've managed this long without one. I'm soooo looking forward to being able to sit and rock when I get back!

Well, I have just a little over three months til I head back home to Canada. I think some of my yarn will pad my suitcase nicely so that if I have any breakables it should help to cushion them, lol. I will be going home with a lot more yarn than I arrived with...but isn't that the life of a knitter/yarnaholic? My friend Sarah and I are planning a little excursion to Japan (our friend Lorie might go with us too) some time before we leave for Canada, maybe in July or August. I'm really hoping to find a yarn shop when there and get some yarn to pad my suitcase with as well.

So, like I said, there isn't much going on here at the moment. The boys at school are driving me insane and I swear under all this dye, my hair must be totally grey from the stress they give me. I'm convinced they take a class in how to annoy and not respect your foreign English teacher...they are little hellions (well, not all of them, but the majority of them) quite often. But, I will not worry about that; I will focus on the fact that school is nearly done and then I'll have a week or so of summer camps to teach and then some time off and then head home!

Not much else to say, other than I'm looking forward to starting my B.Ed. courses in the fall when I get back home. It will be a lot of work though, but I'm sure I'm being prepared for that with this current job in Korea.

Happy Knitting!

One Plus One...

2008-05-17T08:18:00.006-03:00

...does not always equal two!

This past Thursday I finished the first of my Wollmeise socks, and I must say I am quite pleased with it. Even though it is loose on the sock blocker and looked like it might be rather loose on my foot/leg, it seemed to fit fine...though maybe when I wear them it will be different. But, I'm not worried; I just might have to pull them up a little more often. I have enjoyed working on this sock, and really can't wait til I finish the second one - but that requires to at least start the second one. No, lest you think I am suffering (or about to suffer) from the dreaded SSS - or second sock syndrome - no, that is not the case. I will be casting on for the other sock tomorrow, hopefully.

I had also started (about the same time as I started the Wollmeise socks) a pair of Ainsley Socks (my pattern). They are baby socks. Well, I finished the first one this afternoon and part of it looks great. I discovered a mistake in the pattern which seemed to work fine the first time around, but this time there was one extra stitch in the pattern for the top of the foot. Half of the foot pattern looks fine, the rest doesn't quite match up. So, for the second sock I will not put that one stitch in and see how it looks. I don't think it's too bad though...at any rate, I'll have to go back to my pattern on here after I finish the second one (just to make sure I hadn't made a mistake on this particular sock) and correct the pattern.

One thing I noticed, is that with the size of the sock and the pattern, the colours tended to "pool" (for lack of a better word...though it's not really pooling). Part of the colours (mostly the blue and pink) are on the back of the leg, while the other ones (the greenish/yellowish and blue) tended to be on the front. Doesn't look overly bad though, but it would have been nicer to have had more of a mix throughout.

Anyway, I've been working on my writing some today after finishing the first of the Ainsely socks. I had started working on a novel before I left Canada but haven't done much since arriving in Korea. It's not that I haven't had the time because, believe me, I have. I've just been lazy with it. Well, that and being tired a lot doesn't help either. So, today I decided to pull it out and work on it some more. I found 3 sheets of handwritten pages I had done last semester and typed them onto my new lap top. The rest of my novel is on the old lap top and I need to charge it up and copy it onto my USB key (or whatever those things are called).

Going to head off for now. Hope you all have a great weekend, and happy knitting!

Yarny Goodness

2008-05-06T07:48:00.010-03:00

Yup...today is one of those yarny goodness days. I got yarn in the mail - mind you, it's all yarn I ordered from the Loopy Ewe, but that's besides the point.

The two orders I mentioned in my last post came in the mail last week. I get my orders sent to the school I work at because it's much easier to do that. I'm not home during the day when the mailman comes and since the packages are bigger than the little mailboxes we have, I'd have to make an extra trip to the post office. While normally I wouldn't mind going to the post office, the thing about over here in Korea is that the post office (among other places such as the bank) are closed by 4:30...though from what I understand the post office might close by 5:30, but that only leaves me half an hour to get home and get to the post office before it closes, and...well, to make a long story short, the overall best solution is to simply have the packages sent to the school address.

So, the picture to the right shows my loot. This is a combination of both orders. In the back you can see the lovely Loopy Ewe tote I received for becoming a Loopy Groupie. I also got a keychain, some yummy peppermint candies (one in each order), yarn and patterns. The patterns I got are as follows: Pretty As A Peacock by Some Knitting Required (a beautiful shawl), Snapdragon Toe-up Socks by Wendy D. Johnson, Chestnut Hill Socks by Lisa Parker (Wildhorse Farm Designs), Grid Lock Socks by Lisa Parker (Wildhorse Farm Designs), and Lacy Pillars Socks A Loopy Groupie Sock Pattern designed by Debbie O'Neill (which I guess I got for becoming a Loopy Groupie - sorry can't find a link for it).

The yarn is as follows: Chameleon Color Works Evolution in black cherry (somehow I messed up my order and only ordered 1 skein instead of 2 so I will make something small with it - or some baby/toddler socks - 2nd from right), Baby Boo by Numma Numma in the apricots with mixed fruit colourway (3rd from left), Superwash Me - Sock by J. Knits in the colourway ac#124 (2nd from left), my second skein of Alpaca with a Twist Fino in the same colourway and lot number as the skein in the previous post (this is the second one I needed so I could make the Pretty As A Peacock shawl) (1st on the left), Fannie's Fingering Weight in the Rhapsody colourway (1st on the right), and finally I love whomever it was who cancelled her order the day they were packing mine up. I had ordered Chameleon color Works Bambino in the Purple Rain colourway (3rd from right). I was originally told (via email) that they were sold out but put the colourway on my wishlist. I was fine with that. Then a day or so later I received another email saying that someone had cancelled her order and so they adjusted mine to include the Purple Rain! Woot!

Forgive the horrible picture above, but that's me holding the Purple Rain. It looks like I have no makeup on and I'm as pale as a ghost...however, I do have makeup on, though it's probably worn off since this picture was taken after I got home from work. As far as paleness goes - well, that's just natural, lol. Again, sorry for the horrible pic!

So, in other news, I'm still working on the Wollmeise socks. They are knitting up fast when I can find the time to work on them. I'm also doing them on size 2.7 (odd size but they are needles I got in Seoul and they didn't have the standard sizes on them...I think it's the closest to a 2.75 size though). The sock is turning out a little loose I think, but that's ok. I really like this pattern and it's knitting up nicely. I really like the way it looks in this colourway too. Currently, I'm on the foot of the first sock, nearly half way to the toe. I'll also include a closeup of how the pattern is looking.

I gotta hand it to Monica, she's got some pretty awesome patterns created! I don't know how she does it, but way to go, Monica!

New Sock

2008-04-27T08:07:00.007-03:00

I have begun my latest sock. Ok, actually I have begun two of them. One I forgot to take a picture of, but with my left over Fleece Artist yarn from the pair in my previous post, I thought I might have enough for a pair of baby socks, so I am working on my Ainsley Sock pattern with that.

For me, however, I have started in on Monica's Wollmeise Sock pattern. I am using the Trekking yarn I got not long ago from the Loopy Ewe, as I thought that might look good with this pattern. So far, I must say, I do like the yarn and the pattern. The pattern is real simple and easy to knit.

So far, I have the cuff and about 4 repeats of the pattern. In the picture I don't have quite that much done though. The cuff was knit yesterday on the train to Seoul, and the first two repeats were done on the way back from Seoul today. It didn't take the entire trip to do the two repeats, but I was a little tired so I put the knitting away and dozed off some.

Seoul was great this weekend. My friend Tamara and I went with our other friend Sarah because she was going to the James Blunt concert at the Olympic Park stadium. Sarah didn't want to navigate the subways alone, and since Tamara knows them fairly well, we went along. Tamara and I were going to head back to Yesan after Sarah went to the concert, but when Sarah was getting her ticket, we checked and there were still seats left. So, impulsively, Tamara and I bought tickets too. The funny thing is, Sarah had ordered hers a week or two ago online and got in one section and ours was, naturally, in another section. Well, turns out the put Sarah in our section as well (for some reason they said it's the same section, but it isn't...oh well). The funny part, is that Tamara's and my seats were about 3 rows in front of Sarah. Poor Sarah is a huge James Blunt fan and we got closer than her. Tamara likes his music too, and I've actually only heard one song (Beautiful). They convinced me to go saying his music is great. I took their word for it and went.

Well, I really enjoyed the concert. I really enjoy his music. I bought both his CDs after the concert. I. Am. A. Fan. And, oohhh those eyes! And, oohhh that accent! I'm really glad I was impulsive and bought a ticket. We ended up not coming back to Yesan until this afternoon, but that wasn't a problem. We got a half decently priced and clean hotel in Seoul and took the 12:40 train back. Unfortunately we lost out on the tickets we had purchased yesterday for our return last night, but oh well.

Anyway, better head off. Still have to do up a lesson plan for tomorrow. Happy knitting!

Latest FO and More Yarn

2008-04-22T08:03:00.010-03:00

I finally completed my latest socks this past Sunday, but didn't get
around to taking the picture until today. These are made with Fleece Artist yarn, though I don't know the colourway. I bought the yarn from London-Wul last year, sometime before I left for Korea (quite possibly in the late spring or early summer). Anyway, there was no colour name on the label, and I don't know if there was a number associated with it or not. Sorry about the picture. I had to use the flash so the colours look a little washed out.

I really enjoyed using the Fleece Artist and look forward to knitting with it again. I have another ball in my stash, here in Korea, and can't wait to use it. I have it assigned to one of Monica's patterns I got from the Loopy Ewe late last year. I just need to dig through my stuff and see if I brought my smaller cable needle with me and if not will have to try to find one here. Then I can start that pattern.

I want so much to be a Loopy Groupie so I had to put another order in as I'm almost there...I think I have just one more to go and I achieve that status. Why do I want to be a Loopy Groupie? All the cool kids are doing it and I so desire to be a cool kid!

Anyway, the yarn I got in this order from the Loopy Ewe consists of 2 skeins of Lorna's Laces in the Apple Hill (#108) and a skein (or is it a hank? I never know the difference between the two) of Fino by Alpaca with a Twist (70% baby alpaca/30% silk) in the Coral Gables (#5011) colourway. I have decided I want to make a shawl and that is what I decided to use with it. This isn't a colour I'm usually drawn to, but I think it will look nice in a shawl. The colour in the picture is a little lighter, due to the flash. I've since put in an order (again at the Loopy Ewe) for a couple patterns and had to order another skein/hank of this same yarn (hoping Sheri still has one with the same dye lot) because the shawl pattern I ordered in this next order requires 1000 yards, and this one skein/hank is only 875. I also ordered a couple of sock patterns because a girl (or guy) can never have too many sock patterns!

Here's another pic of the yarn using some natural light. I took the pic on my washing machine with my new (as of last Wednesday) African violet. The colours still lok a little light, though they are much closer to the actual colours. In the Lorna's Laces, what looks to be a dark pink is actually closer to a reddish colour. I have no idea if this yarn will produce a striped pattern or not, so I'm anxious to see how it knits up.

Tomorrow at school there is an English competition for the students. I was told today after work, while waiting for my drive, that I am to be a judge at the competition. That's right...told. Not asked. I really don't mind doing it, but the polite thing would be to ask me if I would be willing to help out, not tell me I have to. I mean, what if I had an appointment or had plans made and couldn't do it...then they'd be stuck. I assume the Korean English teachers will be doing judging too - I don't think I'm the only one, but who knows. When my co-teacher mentioned this to me (she was telling me someone else was going to drive me home because, "I'm very busy preparing for the English competition tomorrow afternoon. You're one of the referees."), I told her that this was the first I'd heard of this. She chuckled and said she should have told me earlier but she had forgot. Hey, not I'm just as guilty as the next person for forgetting things so I can't get mad about that. However, to tell me that I am a "referee" without my prior knowledge of this is just a little too...hmm, what's the word...assumptive(if that is even a word)? At least they didn't tell me last minute like has happened in different situations before (like 15 minutes before a class starts, which previously I had none scheduled, telling me I have a class that was switched with another teacher the week previously and that it was rescheduled to that day...and then leaving me totally unprepared to teach because I had no idea that was when it was rescheduled for...). And, I really don't mind doing it...just don't care for the way they went about recruiting me...

So, other than work, there hasn't been too much going on. I'm bored and am looking forward to going back home at the beginning of September. It's not that I dislike it here in Korea, it's just things I miss (aside from family and friends) like conveniences, name brands I'm used to, food I like and can eat, clothes that will actually fit me and not be made for a really tiny person with no curves whatsoever...things like that. I know when I go back there will be people I miss and even some parts of the country and culture, but in all honesty, I'm really looking forward to getting back to what I know.

And on the plus side of coming home....cheaper shipping rates, quicker receiving of packages, and being able to shop at my LYS (and the new one that just opened up before I left and didn't get a chance to shop at)!

Must go for now. Happy knitting to all!

Edited to add: The sock blockers in the first picture with the socks are also a purchase from the Loopy Ewe in the order with the Lorna's Laces and Alpaca with a Twist...forgot to mention that before.

One Out of One McDreamies Approve...

2008-04-05T05:58:00.014-03:00

Ok, so just within the last couple of months, I have become addicted to Grey's Anatomy. I just finished watching season 2. You see, the cable I have here in Korea is weird. It's not like the cable the others have. My cable comes through the internet and everything (movies and tv shows) seem to be downloaded from DVDs or something. I'm not totally sure how it works, but I can't find any "normal" cable channels like CNN or BBC. Yes, the majority of the tv shows would be Korean, but there are some English ones on. So, as I said, I just finished watching season 2 of Grey's. I think it takes awhile for them to get the shows on because they are putting Korean subtitles at the bottom. I'm now waiting for them to get season 3 of Grey's, season 3 of Stargate SG-1, and season 3 of House.

So, back to the title of the post. McDreamy (hubba hubba) has approved my latest sock - the Fleece Artist one I've been working on. I finished the first sock today and started into the cuff of the second. He's seen the sock, and he definitely approves. Want to see the proof? Ok, look at that pitcture...see that smile? He definitely approves of the sock!

Ok, so Robyn asked about the Claudia socks as to whether or not I ran out of yarn or had to make them smaller. I forgot to mention this crucial info in my last post, and since I bought the yarn from her shop, I should mention it so she'll know and pass on the info to her customers.

I did make the socks about an inch or two shorter than I normally make them (about 7 inches from the bottom of the heel to the top of the cuff normally). I didn't want to run out of yarn, especially since I typically do my socks from the cuff down, so I thought I'd play it safe and make them a little shorter. I had some yarn left over for each sock...about enought I could have made it another inch longer possibly - maybe half an inch, but definitely no more than an inch. I've worn the socks twice already since making them and I love them. They fit pretty good and the yarn feels great on my feet. I will definitely use Claudia Hand Painted yarns again in the future.

I forgot to show you in my last post some yarn I bought at the yarn shop here in Yesan, South Korea. It's called Fiance and I think it's by Nak Yang. It's top dyed wool (75%) & kid mohair (25%), and is 45g/115m. I got four balls of it but I'm not sure what I'll make. I was thinking something like a scarf, mittens or a hat. It reminds me of Noro Kureyon (or however you spell it, lol). Anyone have any ideas and/or patterns I could try with this yarn? Please let me know in the comments. Also, if anyone has tried this yarn let me know what you thought of it as well.

Well, have to go and work on some lesson plans. We have to have stuff to email one of the teachers in charge of the Saturday classes that begin on the 19th, as they are making up a workbook for the kids to use. I'm focusing on the writing aspect this time (there are four of us, and one is taking reading, one writing, one speaking, and one listening), so I need to get some work done as the deadline to email the teacher is Monday. Plus, I have my regular lesson for the week to do up, plus three other lessons for my extra classes. Thankfully I've got a bit of that all done, and still have tomorrow to work on it too. But, I should go and do some more.

Happy Knitting!

More Yarn

2008-03-28T11:17:00.006-03:00

Well, I had to put in another order for sock yarn with The Loopy Ewe. I felt the need to get more and build up my stash here in Korea. So, since I also needed to get some size 2.0mm (US 0) DPNs, I thought I'd get yarn while I was at it. None of this yarn, well with the exception of one of them, I have used before. The one I have used is Trekking. Well, I should say that I started on a pair of socks with some Trekking before I left for Korea and didn't get them finished. The Trekking is in the upper right, and it is colour 159. I think it might look good with a small cable pattern, but I could be wrong.

The yarn to the left is Araucania ranco Multi, in the Peacock colourway (colour number 304). Not sure what kind of pattern I will use with this though. The third skein/hank of yarn in the middle is Lime & Violet Sasquatch Sock in the Buster Keaton colourway.

The needles are Crystal Palace bamboo, size 2.0mm (US 0). There were also some Hershey's kisses included in my order...mmmm, chocolate!

Like I said, I haven't used these yarns (except Trekking) before, and I haven't heard anyone's thoughts or experiences with them. I do hope they are good yarns to work with. I'm looking forward to knitting them up.

Here is my progress on the latest sock I'm working on. It's just a plain knitted sock in Fleece Artist. I like the colours in it, and it's knitting up nicely. I'm up to the heel at the moment (first sock). I had knit the heel, but realized the pattern I was following to do the heel had less stitches and it didn't turn out right; needless to say I ripped it out and am just waiting to do the heel and move on to the gusset. The colours are a little darker than the picture shows, and the blues are a little more dominant than the pinks and whites.

I have been sick, yet again, here in Korea. It seems ever since I got here I've had a cold every single month except January. The current cold has been dragging on for 2 weeks now and twice it felt like it was starting to go away only to come back a little worse. Well, last night it started to get a little worse again, and by this morning (into my second class) I was feeling a lot worse. I was stuffed up, my nose was running, I was sneezing, coughing, had a headache, and ended up with a fever and chills. My co-teacher had said that if I wanted, she'd take me to the doctor. Well, with the schedule I had today (and hers) that turned out to be impossible. I had 6 classes to teach, plus a meeting after school. About 20 minutes before lunch was over, my co-teacher comes over to me and says that we have a class to teach after lunch. Normally I don't have a class that period, but this was rescheduled from last week. Well, I wish I had some notice because I didn't have anything prepared for it. I already taught this class earlier in the week so I couldn't do this weeks lesson again with them.

Well, to make a long story short, after we got to the class and I had asked the kids how they were doing, she walked over to me and said if I wanted, she'd do the class by herself and I could go back to my desk because I didn't look very well. Duh! I'm barely functioning and you all know I'm really sick today...but I couldn't have gone home even if i wanted to. For some strange reason, the Koreans don't seem to like to miss work and are always there. They expect everyone else to be there too. But in all honesty, they should have told me to go home. If I had asked, no doubt they wouldn't have allowed it because they need someone to teach my classes. I don't think the coteachers would have wanted to unless they had to...like if I had lost my voice (like what happened last November or December). Oh well. I came home with a fever and went right to bed and slept until nearly 10pm tonight. I'm still feeling a little crappy, and my sinuses are really hurting...my head is starting to ache again, particularly when I cough. Thankfully though, I don't feel like I have the fever anymore.

I do hope I get over this soon. I'm really sick and tired of getting sick every month. It makes me want to go home now. I'm never sick this often back home in Canada. I'm convinced it's the different germs and viruses that I'm not used to.

Anyway, I'll stop ranting like a raving lunatic now. Happy knitting!

A New Pair of Socks

2008-03-17T09:24:00.008-03:00

Yep, I have a new pair of socks. I finished them yesterday while watching a couple of movies. I had hoped they would have been done last weekend, but sadly they weren't. Oh well, the important thing is that they are finished now. The picture to the left is a little dark...obviously...since it was taken in front of the window. I got this cool thing at one of the stores here (the kind of store that sells things for the home like dishes, cleaning things, towels, etc.) and you hook it over a rod and it has little "arms" that hang off it (about 6 or 8) with plastic clothes pins on the end. You use it to hang your fine delicates up to dry. I thought it might come in hand to hang the socks up for a picture. I think I'll take it home with me when I go back to Canada in the fall and use it to hang my knitted socks up to dry in the winter. The lighter picture below is with natural light coming in the window with the socks laying on top of my washer. What I hate about doing laundry here is that there are no dryers (very few people have them and I think they are only small anyway). I have a pair of jeans I bought new before I came here and they are big on me now (I've lost about 10 lbs since coming to Korea) and I would love a dryer to dry them in so they'd shrink a little bit. Oh welll, I digress.

Ok, so back to the knitting and yarn. These are the plain knit socks I made with the Claudia Hand Painted. I liked using this yarn and found it to be soft. There was no splitting or knots in the yarn, and I always enjoy that. The only thing I found was one skein (the right sock in the picture of the socks on the washer) was a little darker than the other. It's not a big deal and won't stop me from wearing them. But, I would definitely use this kind of yarn again!

I've started another pair of socks with some Fleece Artist (don't know what colourway it is) that I brought with me from Canada. I got this last spring or summer I think...maybe the winter. I have only got the cuff and about 3 or 4 rows of knitting done so far, so not really picture worthy yet. I think these are going to be mindless knitting socks again - just a plain knitted sock. My problem (well one of many, lol) is that I don't have a printer here. There is one the five of us foreign teachers use in the building (we have to share it...and the one who currently has had it for a few months is never around), but it's just such a hassel and I don't know if it will work with my computer since it's from Canada, and the printer is from Korea...I'm not technologically inclined so I have no idea...it might though. Anyway, in order for me to get some sock patterns I'd have to print them out, and the only printer I use mostly is at school...don't think they'd enjoy me printing out the patterns there. Oh welll, I might try it sometime. But for now, with this new sock, it'll just be a mindless knit.

Here's one of my pictures from Egypt. This is Abu Simbel and was built by Ramses II...I think. I totally forget, lol. This temple was closer to Lake Nasser, but in the '60s (I think), it was moved back so that it wasn't so close to the edge of the lake. In the process, the statue 2nd front the left lost it's head - it fell off. That's me in front of the temple, but don't look too close...I'll probably scare you.

Anyway, we had to get up at 3:00 AM to go to this place. It was about a three to three and a half hour drive from where we were in Aswan. One of the reasons they do the tours so early is because it gets rather hot during the afternoon; that and tons of tourists visit it so the earlier in the day you go, the better. Unfortunately, you're not allowed to take pictures inside.

For those of you not on Facebook to see my current profile picture, here it is. This is me all bundled up (knee high tights, a pair of my hand knit wool socks, leggins, jeans, 2 tshirts, a sweater, my winter coat, a scarf around my neck (inside my coat), ear muffs, a pashmina/scarf around my head, and a winter scarf around my neck and head...oh, and gloves...and up on the mountain I was wrapped up in a blanket as well) to climb Mount Sinai at 2:30 AM. I went half way up on camel, then the last half you have to actually climb yourself. It is all steps. Uneven, different sized, stone steps. Hard. Unless you are in tip top physical shape (unlike myself), this is a difficult climb. I had to stop 4 or 5 times to catch my breath, but I made it to the top. It was FREEZING up there!

This is turning into a longer post than I had thought, but I will leave you with one last picture from atop Mount Sinai.

Swing Of Things

2008-03-04T02:47:00.010-04:00

I guess I am getting back into the swing of things here in Korea. This past week, since I've been back from Egypt, I haven't been doing a whole lot, but I am gradually getting there.

You see, I've been suffering from jet lag quite a bit. It didn't bother me while I was in Egypt (I'm told that usually you are affected by it more so with your return flight), but this past week I have been hard hit. From what the others are saying, they too have been having a hard time dealing with it as well. I just can't sleep at my normal time - even if I feel tired. I usually end up falling asleep anywhere from 3:00 am til 7:00 am. Then, I might get only a few hours of sleep and then be wide awake and have to take a nap some time in the afternoon, and that usually turns into sleeping for a couple of hours at least.

Last night I went to bed around midnight. I felt tired. I managed to get to sleep before 12:30 but I woke up around 1:15 and was wide awake. So, I got up (after tossing and turning awhile) and had a snack of strawberries and crackers because I was feeling hungry. While I ate that, I watched an episode of Stargate SG-1 (man, that Richard Dean Anderson is HOT!) and went back to bed. I think I fell asleep around 3:30 and woke up at 10:30 when my alarm went off.

The thing is, I start back to work tomorrow. I'm worried that I won't be able to sleep tonight and then suffer at work tomorrow. I guess I'll have to make sure I have lots of coffee with me to help keep me awake...

On the knitting front, since I've been back I've been working on the sock I started before I left for my trip. I had to rip out part of the gusset because I wasn't thinking when I did it (I had this done before leaving) and started doing the toe decrease by mistake. I only noticed after I had knit about 10-15 rows. I didn't want to take out the needles and rip back because I figured I wouldn't get the stitches lined up properly and I'd probably end up dropping some stitches as well. So, I sat and tinked back the required number of rows and started knitting it correctly this time. I'm into the foot part already. Karen informed me that the yarn I'm using (Claudia Hand Painted) doesn't have a lot of yardage as other skeins do, so I shouldn't make the sock as long as I would normally do so. I made the leg 1-2 inches shorter than normal, so I hope I'll end up with enough yarn to finish. I think I have about 2 1/2 - 3 inches left before starting the toe decreases...I think.

I am slowly making my way back to reading the blogs I usually frequent. I've got a new laptop, so I will have to go on the one the school lent me, for use while I'm here, and copy down the list of links to the ones I had listed under my "favourites" section so I can add them on here (or rather add them to the list of links on my sidebar). It's great seeing what everyone is working on and the progress they are making. Lots of cute items and gorgeous yarns being used! So, if I haven't been to your blog yet, I'm slowly making my way there and trying to get caught up on the posts I've missed.

As for me, I still have tons of pictures to post up on Face Book and I still haven't added any posts/pictures to my other blog yet. Hopefully soon. I'll let you know when that happens so you can go see them if you want.

Well, off I go to surf the net some more (maybe catch up at Ravelry) and find something to watch and knit to. Happy knitting to you all!

I'm Back!

2008-02-28T11:36:00.007-04:00

Well, I am finally back from my awesome trip to Egypt. We flew in on Monday evening and I've been trying to get reaccustomed to the Korean time zone, which is seven hours ahead of the Egyptian time zone.

I had a great time, and never imagined that I would ever visit Egypt. I think of the whole trip my two favourite places we visted were the pyramids and sphinx in Giza, and climbing to the top of Mount Sinai. Here is one of the pyramids in Giza. It was so amazing to actually be standing in front of something I had only ever seen in magazines or on TV. I got a couple of pictures where I am standing on one of the rocks used in the the pyramids. Let me tell you, those things are HUGE!

We decided to visit the pyramids/sphinx via camel. What an experience that was! I actually enjoyed this even though it was rather awkward at first. It's much easier when they are walking on the sand than when they were walking on pavement (we had to go from the camel renting place down a couple of small roads before we got to the entry way to the desert to go to the pyramids).

There is so much to tell about this trip that I don't know where to begin or what to say. I will be blogging about it on my other blog soon though and will try to put other pictures there too. I'll also be posting all (or the majority) of the nearly 500 pictures I took on facebook, so if you are on there you can see them as well (if you are on facebook, feel free to add me as a friend and just let me know who you are).

I didn't take any knitting with me because I didn't want to take the chance at not being allowed to bring it on the plane. I had checked out the website for the airline we flew on (Emirates Air) but there was nothing I could find that said yes or no to bringing knitting needles on the plane. It's been so long since I picked up my knitting - since way back in January - and as soon as I am rested up I'll pick them up again. The only problem is school starts back up on Monday...

Ok...this is just a little tease of a post. As I said, more pics are up on Facebook, and I'll be blogging about the trip more in detail on my other blog...just give me a day or so to start doing that (will try to do this tomorrow). I'm actually starting to feel tired now and I want to go to bed so I can try to get myself back on schedule so I won't be up all night and try to teach the next day without sleep. I'll be back again very soon to tell you a little more about the trip.

Just For Fun

2008-01-16T02:40:00.000-04:00

I got this off one of the writing blogs I visit. I'm sure it's made its rounds in the knittingsphere as well though. If you decide to do this meme, please let me know in the comments so I can visit your blog and read your answers!

You. Can. Only. Type. One. Word. (not as easy as you might think!)

1. Where is your cell phone? purse
2. Your significant other? non-existant
3. Your hair? straight
4. Your mother? caring
5. Your father? kind
6. Your favorite thing? laptop
7. Your dream last night? boring
8. Your favorite drink? Pepsi
9. Your dream/goal? marriage/motherhood
10. The room you're in? small
11. Your ex? gone
12. Your fear? alone
13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? successful
14. Where were you last night? home
15. What you're not? thin
16. Muffins? cranberry-lemon
17. One of your wish list items? ball-winder
18. Where you grew up? Ontario
19. The last thing you did? blog
20. What are you wearing? clothes
21. Your TV? House
22. Your pets? cat
23. Your computer? borrowed
24. Your life? boring
25. Your mood? good
26. Missing someone? family
27. Your car? sold
28. Something you're not wearing? shoes
29. Favorite Store? yarn
30. Your summer? hot
31. Like someone? dunno
32. Your favorite color? purple
33. When is the last time you laughed? today
34. Last time you cried? dunno
35. Your favorite animal? cat
36. Last thing you ate? soup
37. Dream vacation spot? Scotland

Sorry no new knitting content...other than to say I've started a pair of plain stocking stitch socks to do in front of the tv so I don't make any mistakes. I'm using the Claudia's Hand Painted in the Pink Cloud colourway.

Finished Socks

2008-01-13T08:07:00.001-04:00

Well, I finally have the Yukon Leaves Socks finished! I finished knitting them up this afternoon, and had been working on them the past few days.

I used the KPPPM yarn and size 2.75 mm bamboo needles. I didn't modify the pattern any. I did make these socks about an inch shorter than normal because I was afraid I might run out of yarn. I have yarn left over though, so I probably could have done at least one more repeat of the pattern in the legs.

I like this colourway (sorry, can't remember the number) and it's not one I would normally gravitate towards. I'm glad I bought it though because I like the way it knit up.

On the second sock, I think I messed up the heel a little bit because it doesn't fit quite right. I'll have to just pull it a bit to make it feel right though, and it shouldn't be too uncomfortable to wear. I might take these socks with me to Egypt to wear on the climb up Mt. Sinai because we do that at night so we are at the top to watch the sunrise. Apparently it can get cold up there at night, so these should hopefully keep my feet warm.

I've started on another pair of socks. This one is the November sock club kit from Robyn's Nest sock club. The pattern is Jolene and it looks really nice. The yarn is nice and bright (there is a picture of it a few posts down), and while I've only got the cuff done on the first sock so far, I like the colours and the way it is knitting up. The only thing that gave me disappointment while winding the yarn into a ball was the fact that I came across two knots in the yarn. Hopefully they won't end up on the bottom of the feet of the socks...

I haven't been working on the Seafoam Scarf lately because I've been focusing on the Yukon Leaves socks, wanting to get those completed. I also think I'm going to have to head to the yarn store here and see if they have any more of the yarn I'm using left. I don't expect there to be any problem because it's just a small store and they don't seem to look like they are too busy. I could be wrong though, but I am hoping I'll be able to get one more ball, which is all I should need. I hope to get a picture of the scarf soon to show; didn't think to take one today when I took the pics of the socks.

Well, just wanted to post a little update. Need to look into seeing if the airline we are flying to Egypt on will allow knitting needles on the plane or not. I do hope so because we are going to have a rather long flight. I just hope my back doesn't act up like it was on the flight here to Korea (though my back was sore before getting on the plane, however I think it was aggrivated by having to sit so long). Anyway, I hope to get more written here soon. Hope you all have a fantastic day. Happy knitting!