Out for Dinner

We were invited for Dinner to an Italian restaurant this evening. It was really nice and everything tasted great. And it was a treat. Can it get any better? Yes, it can! My friend C. was wearing the sweater I made for her, and it's always terrific when people actually wear what you knit for them. If I had known I would have brought my camera. Ah, well, there'll be a next time.

I have only about a third of the front of the vest done...good thing I have a second present for Rolf since Tuesday is only three nights and two days away. I don't feel too bad about it 'cause he is still giving me a hard time "I'm not gonna wear it"-style.

Facts of life vol.1: Caffeine

I found something out about me last night. Or should I say the "ongoing night" - it's five a.m. for cryin' out loud!! I found out that I am not immune to caffeine after all. I, who is well known for her sleeping capacity, i.e. falling asleep in minutes and sleeping for very long hours, am incapable of going back to sleep after waking up ca. 55 min. or so ago. It must be the "I am too old for this"-thing. I usually don't have trouble going back to sleep no matter when I wake up. Note to self: don't ingest a large latte after 7 p.m. or pay the price...come to think of it, I believe I did have the same problem the last time after my little knit outing. Hm...I guess this qualifies me as a slow learner.

I got to have a look at Jo's Clapotis last night. It's very soft and cuddly. And the colour is really nice, too. I am very tempted to start one myself...

Not that I need enabling when it comes to buying yarn, fondling swatches of a mixture of alpaca and silk makes it even easier - it's just my budget that keeps me from doing so. Darn. Maybe I should have another look at the job offers today...

Later that day:
It must be the after effect of sleep deprivation (or maybe the subtle hints my husband gave me) that made me do it. You want to now what makes me pull my hair? I put in a job application. Not that I haven't done it before, so far it was just to no avail. This time I actually think I have a chance and that scares me. What do I need a 40 hour job for? When I was joking about the job offers this morning I certainly wasn't thinking of really doing something about it - at least not in the 40 hours range. And so it goes...

Stitch and bitch

I was looking for a better title but it's late and I can't think of one. I just came home from another knit meetup. And today we were joined by a man. By accident, but since he was there and interested in our group he came over and pulled out his knitting, too. Love that. We are meeting more often now. Love that, too.

I finished the back of the vest. Maybe I will make it till Tuesday after all.

Organizing

That's what I am trying to do. I am having a hard time letting go of things. Especially books. I was crazy enough to bring my childhood book collection with me from Germany (there was a lot of space in the container, what can I say?) I have thrown out some over the last couple of months, but there are more. Most of them I won't read again. Some of them I really want to keep. Where to draw the line?

I need to make room - how I don't know yet. We live in an one bedroom apartment - there's not a lot of space that comes with it. My "everything knitting" collection grows steadily so letting go of stuff is high on my "what-I-have-to-learn-list". I am still a beginner. Though I know from experience that I can live sans le bagage I think necessary now.

When space is precious you have to be ruthless with your posessions. I am still much too kind...

Knitting news: The vest is growing much too slowly. I decided that I have to concentrate on it because it is (was...) supposed to be finished next Tuesday. I am not sure about the shoulder part yet...short rows, cast-off, three-way-bind-off...way too many choices...

Fashion of the 80s

As promised yesterday, get in the mood for the 80s:

I managed to save some knitting magazines from my teenage years. I did it mainly because I haven't got any photos of me wearing all the creations we (my Mom and I) knitted and sewed from them. I can't believe it's been 20 years...



First up is a pullover in Cotton flammé yarn, from the 1984 April edition of "Nicole" - one of my favourite magazine edition ever (even now):


I had to have it - layering was really "in" in those days. It seemed to be two parts but it was only one, at least in the magazine. I kept them separate because I wanted to wear the cream colored thingy with other tops, too.

The following was a surprise Christmas gift my Mom managed to keep secret from me, she was (and is) really good at surprises.


Yes, I got to have this and I loved my "Samurai"-sweater - I wore it then and even would wear it now.

Next up is a sweater I fell in love with so much my Mom just couldn't let me suffer any more and knitted it for my 15th birthday in 1985:


I still like it, though this boxy style is really not the best for me nowadays!

I remember having this pullover in an apple green, well, a bright green cotton. My grandma knitted it for me - and a lot of other sweaters I sadly don't have pictures from.



I was quite adventurous when it came to fashion, these creations only scrape the surface of the crazy things I used to wear. Actually, they are all very timid! The following jacket from 1986 I had in black/white/mustard (My Mom made three halves!). It was fun changing the parts of it - though I remember wearing mostly the black and white halves.



Last but not least:


The blouse on the left and the grey tunic on the right were a welcome addition to my wardrobe when I was 14, too. I helped sewing them and they are from the same "Nicole" edition I mentioned earlier.

I enjoyed this trip into the past immensely, maybe it's not such a bad thing the 80's are kind of back! What'dya think?

Glorious weather!

This


is the view from my living room. And today is yet another day where I can't get enough of good old Mont Royal. It's sunny, slightly windy and the sky is really blue. Yes, it is - even though my camera played a trick on me and it seems white.

Here's the proof:


The two spots are birds - a bit hard to tell, but they were there.

This is one of the days to savour, to remember, to think of when winter sets in and everything is snow covered and come February you desperately wait for spring. I "missed" spring this year. One day I looked out of the window and there were leaves on all the trees. They must have grown overnight. I can't explain it otherwise. 'Cause I never miss when the trees lose their leaves in fall.

Tomorrow I plan on giving you a little 80s fashion show. Interested? Then check in again!

TGIF, right?

I've thought about it and I figure "'cause I wanted it" is a good enough reason to buy a skirt. At least for me - and that's what's important.

I was wondering about knit-alongs and the fact that a lot of people seem to knit the same things. You most probably won't find them here. There are different reasons for that:

I don't like working under pressure. And knitting along with a lot of other people on the same thing creates that pressure for me and ruins the fun.

I don't live under a stone, I do buy IK and sometimes Vogue Knitting but I don't have to have each and every issue of all the knitting magazines that are out there. I rarely like FCEK and most of the time I find Knitter's boring. I am sure that I have seen a Rebecca Magazine before, but I can't remember looking at a Rowan issue. You see, it's pure self-preservation. The more I see, the more I like, the more I want. Not looking at things keeps me from wanting too much.

There are so many knitting ideas floating around in my head that I need to attend to. I want at least half of them done. And half of them are still too many. And somehow they are never the things that turn up in a knit-along.

Another reason might be that I rarely knit for myself anymore. I am unsure what design (knitted) is best for me, a lot of the things I made for me are not really flattering. That's why I am reluctant to pay a lot of money for great yarn for a sweater that will probably end up sitting in the closet.

The more I think about it the more I am sure: for me it's about the knitting itself not really about the finished project. Finishing is still something I have troubles with - it takes me forever. Though it is nice when you can present your latest creation when it's done, no doubt about it.

When I was fifteen I stopped wearing Jeans for two years in a row. I decided I didn't want to wear what everyone was wearing and made my own pants. Maybe this is another reason why I don't do knit-alongs. A leftover from puberty (how grown-up is that...). Though I yet have to meet another person that knitted exactly the same thing I did.

Talking about the 80s: They are back! The colors (pink, red, white, black...), the styles...I am not sure if I should celebrate my youth and go with it or just ignore the whole thing since it will go away soon anyhow - or will it?

TGIF and so I have the whole weekend to ponder over this...

Shaping armholes, socks, pants and a skirt

I have figured out how to decrease on the armholes of the "I-won't-wear-it"-vest. Finally. Not that it is hard to do, it's just that I am too lazy.

I also have started yet another project: a new pair of socks. Socks with cables. You maybe can't tell it from the pic but I have used the two strand tubular cast-on, a first for me. I like how it looks, and it's really stretchy.


I'm feeling a bit restless. Not sure why. Like I should do something or be somewhere and I can't figure out what or where. The result: I indulged in a new pair of pants and a skirt. It's been a while since I've bought a skirt and now I wonder what shoes to wear with it. And what pantyhose. I dislike pantyhose. It's already too cold to go without, guess I have to buy some. I have to buy some because I'm a real specialist at ruining pantyhose when putting it on. 99% of all time I am a pants person, why on earth did I buy a skirt? Will let you know the answer when I can come up with something better than "'cause I wanted it!".

Getting in the mood

In the mood for finishing, that is. I am trying, really I am. Doesn't get me nowhere. At the moment I find it lots more interesting to figure out a solution for the V-neck of the TTT with a twist.

And I've been lurking on other knitting-blogs to check out what they have to report from Rhinebeck. Read a lot about how fun it was. I amazes me again and again how tight-knit (no pun intended) the knit-blog-community seems. Everyone knows everybody. I only know them from stalking their blogs. Look at At my knits end for example. I enjoy reading her blog and her take on the world immensely. Then the Yarn Harlot. Her posts are also very entertaining. But you probably know all that already. I just recently discovered her and lots of other people who help make my day.

I wouldn't describe myself as shy but I am a bit reluctant to leave comments on other people sites, though I am very excited about every comment I get because it means someone actually reads what I am rambling on about. So many thanks to the three people who let me know that they were here!

Procrastination is my second name...

It's sitting there. It's sitting there and laughing at me. At least that's what I figure it does. I am talking of the Two-Tone-Top in Geisha, which is finished - the knitting, that is. It's calling out loud, it shouts: "I could be finished. C'mon, it doesn't take that long to block my sleeves and sew them in and close the seams!" But I am really good at ignoring these blatant attempts to get my attention. I've been doing so for weeks. There is a good reason why I can claim to be the queen of procrastination. Anyone out there who wants to challenge me for the title?

Life in the frog pond

Why, for cryin' out loud, would I want to design a sleeve that looks like this:



You don't know?? Me neither. Trustingly I followed the given instruction only to find out that I would end up with this crap.

I want a sleeve that looks like this:



To achieve above shown I have to frog. Oh, how I hate ripping out the effort of days...

Well, lesson learned. Hindsight is 20/20. In future will check out instructions for sleeves thoroughly before I start knitting.

I have a new winter coat - and a scarf to go with it

This is my new winter coat. I really like it. (Of course, why else would I have bought it?) And two hours ago I finished the scarf I started with the Noro. Okay, I haven't been posting here about it because I wasn't sure if I would finish it. And because I was still kind of p.o. about the lack of yarn for the originally planned project and didn't want to stress over it. Now that it's done I think it's going well with my coat, though I don't know if I will buy Noro again. It kind of feels like "been there, done that". I guess they would have to come up with a colour combination I couldn't resist...never say never, right?



If anyone is interested in the pattern here's a close up:



I used 6mm needles to give it a softer texture, and the pattern shows better with larger needles.

A lot of people seem to be off to Rhinebeck - heck, would've liked to go, too, but "you can't always get what you want"!

16 Years and appropriate behaviour in the Métro

I am very pleased to announce that 16 years ago to the day my husband and I had our first date. If I hadn't invited myself to his house I figure we wouldn't have ended up together, but since I am straighforward girl who knows what she wants (most of the time, that is) I went for it and look what it got me!


Yup, that's Rolf and me. And, please don't ask why he is sticking out his tongue...for some reason he thinks it's funny and he does it ALL THE TIME when he is photographed. Annoying, isn't it?

And now to much less pleasing things: This morning I had an experience in the Métro I'd rather not have repeated. In my opinion there are things that are suitable to be done on a Métro-ride and then there are those who aren't. I do knit on the Métro (suitable!) but I count personal grooming to the latter. Some guy was actually cutting his nails with one of those clickety-click nailclippers. At first I couldn't believe what I was hearing. But it was true. Ack! How disgusting is that?

By the way, my knittingbook is safely back (YAY!), though the library was closed due to vaccination action going on, i.e. no restacking of shelves possible.

Oh, so you say this is a knitting blog and I should write something about knitting, too? Don't have any interesting progress to blab about, sorry!

P.S. - it's around 5.30 p.m. and I thought this funny:

You appear to be a Knitting Guru. You love knitting
and do it all the time. While finishing a piece
is the plan, you still love the process, and
can't imagine a day going by without giving
some time to your yarn. Packing for vacation
involves leaving ample space for the stash and
supplies. It can be hard to tell where the yarn
ends and you begin.
http://marniemaclean.com


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Who would've thought!!

Knitting notes MIA

I am in a slight panic mode since yesterday afternoon when I discovered the book I am writing patterns and anything else regarding knitting in, missing.

See, I am working as a volunteer in a school library. Said library moved this summer to another room which is at the moment in state of disarray - to say the least. Yesterday I went there to meet other volunteers and get the bookshelves up and ready again. I was the first to arrive and thought it would be a good idea to make a to-do list (I am making lists for everything, I am a listmaniac) so I took out my book to get some paper...and that's all I remember. I bet I just left my precious book on the table and hope no one will touch it until tomorrow morning when I volunteer again. If I'd had the time I would have gone today to pick it up (it's got to be there, any other possibility is none!) but since that is out of the question I just have to sit it out.

The early bird catches...bla, bla, bla

The only reason why I am up this early is that I have to be places soon...

Spent once again a nice evening with fellow-knitters, even met a couple of new ones. Well, not exactly, turns out I had already stumbled over the blog of J. and was lucky enough to get to meet her in person yesterday. I love to meet people who have been virtually stalked by me for some time. It feels like you kind of know them, and of course you don't, but when it just happens without any expectations whatsoever it's plain cool. I still say how lucky am I to have met only very pleasant knitter personalities, let's not hope for otherwise.

Coffee, anyone?

I saw something on TV yesterday that really cracked me up. And it's not even knit-related. Do you know the "in the Kraft kitchen" ads? Yesterday I caught the ad about making "good coffee" with Kayla or whoever. She suggested using "half a cup of coffee ground" for 12(!) cups of coffee!! At that point I started giggling helplessly. If for you nothing is wrong in this picture, well, then you just might not be the coffee afficionado I took you for...as for me, I wouldn't want to be caught dead with that brew in my cup and I figure all, ok, most of the Starbucks and Second Cup customers would agree.

Off now to drink my second cup of the day...

Thanksgiving

No Turkey for us but only because we don't want to eat Turkey for two weeks or so (and it wouldn't fit in the oven). I guess a chicken will have to do. There are things I am thankful for this year - though it's not the root canal I need or not not finding a family doctor, to only name a couple.

"Romni" called back with bad news. No "Noro" No. 146 left. It's not that I don't know where to get one or two more balls 146 it's just that I am not sure if it is a good idea buying it online without actually seeing it. Scarf project is put on ice for now - and so is my rambling on about it.

No solution yet, of course not

Still waiting for "Romni" to call me back. Have been working on my other projects but keep obsessing about Noro No. 146. I am wondering if another dyelot would make such a big difference, after all I need just one more ball. This is what you get when you play cheap and buy just three balls of pricey yarn....argh.

Should I rip it out and think of something else? But I don't want to....*wail* (this is getting embarrassing...)

And once again procrastination got me: went to the post office yesterday to pick up a package from elann I have been waiting for (never got that notice you are supposed to get when you're not home and the postman comes!)- it was just after 5.30 p.m. and that's when they close. No one to blame but me! That's what you get when you think you just sit tight and wait till the yarn shop calls back...and tomorrow is Canadian Thanksgiving and the PO is closed.

Think I should stop whining and get a grip since the PO will be open on Tuesday and a solution for "Noro" will come up, too? You got it, will try...

Dabbling along...

Not that I don't have enough WIPs already, but who can resist "Noro Kureyon"? Once you start swatching you just can't stop knitting because the colour changes sneak up on you and then of course you want to know how the next colour turns out...and then the next - and next you know you used up one ball and find out that you won't have enough for the project you carefully planned!

Called "Romni" as soon as I figured three balls won't be enough but so far no luck with colour No. 146, Lot A. They promised to check their stash once again and call me back, very good customer service, I must say.

The front of the TTT with a twist is coming along nicely, the vest needs decreasing (have to figure out the numbers first, not in the mood for that today). This evening mindless knit one row, purl one row is program - I just hope there's something more interesting on TV!

Fancy Scarf - finally finished

I finally managed to take some pictures of the Fancy Scarf made from the Brillant my Mom brought me. To be honest, I would never buy yarn like this, I am not a novelty yarn fan. I was painfully remembered why. Knitting with this yarn is no fun. But, you know, since my Mom gave it to me and I never made anything like this I thought "why not".

Call me the queen of procrastination! The scarf has been finished for more than a week, it just took me so long to weave in the two(!) ends - especially when it says on the lable "secure with thread"...What? Even more work I don't like? OK, I have to admit, it looks quite good. And now follows an instruction for the two objects on the photo:



Knitted from only one ball the length of the scarf is not that much, so take a ring (half precious stone) and fancyfully secure the fancy scarf by pulling the ends through the fancy ring...uh, it's getting a bit silly here....



Apart from my poor attempts to drape the thing as appealing as possible, it looks pretty snazzy, if I may say so myself. I like the colours and am sure I will be wearing it sometime soon.

Pattern and yarn issues

If you have been reading my blog you've seen the swatch I made for the vest. It is a simple rib pattern, like this:

k--kkk--k--kkk--k
k--kkk--k--kkk--k
kk--k--kkk--k--kk
kk--k--kkk--k--kk

k = knit, - = purl

Looks easy, doesn't it? Duh, either it is the dark yarn that makes it difficult or I am excessively dense, there is not a row I knit where I discover a mistake later on which I haven't realized while knitting it. My biggest fear is finishing the garment and then discovering one of my "knit-instead-of-purl" or vice versa on it. Ever had the same problem?

A totally other issue is my being such a yarn snob. Last year I bought some "Paton's Decor" which was supposed to become a child's sweater (you know, being able to wash it in the machine etc). I started said sweater but left it to itself too long and then my godchild had outgrown the pattern. Okay, I thought, let's knit a simple ribbed sweater for my husband - no loss there. I bought two more skeins, started it about three times and ended up ripping it out each time. It's not what I knit, it's the yarn that makes me dislike it so much. I'd rather knit my hands raw with pure, scratchy wool than knit with this kind of acrylic (and it has actually 25% wool in it) again. My point is, I don't even want it in my knitting basket anymore...eBay here we come. Doesn't that sound very snobby to you?

One-knitter-household again

My Mom has left for Germany today. I know I will miss her but that's just how it is when you live a continent away from the rest of your family. After all, I am 34 years old, I don't need my Mommy around but it would be nice to see her more often. Actually, I know I couldn't live with her on a daily basis, it would drive me nuts (and her, too!).

Come tomorrow I will be able to knit, knit, knit all day long if I choose so, maybe I can post huge progress on all my projects soon. Ah, well, who am I kidding...but, Rolf's birthday is coming up and I plan to finish the "I-won't-wear-it"-vest til then. My taste can't be too bad after all because yesterday I bought a shirt for him and he really likes it. And, I can start knitting on my Mom's TTT with a twist again, that has been sitting in the closet for the last 16 days and will be happy to see the sun once more...

My Mom knits, too

First of all a belated pic of the Vermont Sheep and Wool Festival in Essex Junction.
I really don't know what I thought when I took the photo because who would center (almost) a stupid garbage can? I think I wanted to capture the yarns of "Ellen's 1/2 pint farm" because I really like them....

Now let me show you what my Mom knitted since Saturday when she started this pullover with the Classic Elite 03 Tweed (this in lieu of my own knitting progress):



She has more done than me on the vest, and she is happily knitting away right know. I knew writing a blog would cut into my knitting time! This might be the only picture you ever get to see from the pullover she knits for my brother, but I can tell you it'll turn out just fine.

The "I-won't-wear-it"-vest

That's what I get when I talk about the vest I am knitting for my husband: "I will try it on but I won't wear it." I haven't given up hope yet and keep working on it. It's just that I think that it would really look nice on him, how can I give up knitting it? I also could call it the "I-won't-give-up"-vest but the deed is done and we'll see how it turns out!

I yet have to talk about my Mom's and my trip to Essex Junction, Vermont, where we visited the annual "Wool and Sheep Festival". Lots of nice yarn and lots of smelly sheep, lamas and angora rabbits, too. I bought two large skeins of a alpaca/wool mix, don't know what to do with it yet. And I bought some roving. I would like to learn how to spin with a drop spindle - I just have to buy one first. So many projects and so little time...