Knit on!

Fantastic week... very rainy but knitting has happened. That is a good thing!

My knitting is moving forward, and I keep adding to my pile. Startisis? I am not sure.... I am not just adding random things. I am knitting small gifts and finishing projects that I have had sitting as I mentiond in my last post. I plan on having more progress on my projects this week too. I am looking forward to completing gifts for family and friends, so much that I keep casting on these gifts.  Here is a neck cowl, only missing the buttons.

So I don't seem to have other images of the projects on the go. I think I shared them all last post. I will tke more for the next update.

A good fall weekend

Hello... I just keep wondering how it got to be the middle of November! So much to do and only so many hours to do it in. I am very certian that I am not alone in this! LOL


I have been considering a few things lately and I think that I will be giving myself a personal challenge this December. I have been pretty slothly on the 100 Ball challenge so you you may wonder why I would consider a new challenge. Not that I haven't been knitting for that challenge. I never seem to record it. I try to wait until a project is finished before I actually add it to my tally and several big projects like my CPH sweater and a baby blanket are progressing a bit slowly, so I have a really low count so far. It is a bit discouraging. I think that I will take this challenge on again in 2010, but with a modification on my record keeping. Stickers or something in my daytimer I think... not really sure yet. Any way the challenge I am going to set for myself this December includes all aspects of my crafting. I have to say that I kinda keep thinking about Toni's method of working through a project that she has on the go until her WIP's are gone. She bagged them, and pulls a new one out each month. Congrats Toni on being 4 project away from your goal!!


So I took my own steps..

Say hello to my WIP's bin. All kinds of things from knitting to embroidery. Looks pretty packed huh.. but it isn't really. Some things are a bit bulky, like the extra dog bed I am making. My December goals will include working through this bin. Now... I am not excluding working on new projects in December, and gift knitting will be happening as well. I just don't want them hiding in my wardrobe, or some corner of my room.. until I totally forget that I ever started them. I want to work on them. I spend my money on crafting supplies, and sometimes I never get around to the project. I want to make sure that I am making use of, and creating the thing that I have been inspire to, not to wast money on a project I will never get around to. So working through my stash of WIP's is going to help with that. I do want them done by the end of december... and if I start now, maybe that will happen.

Some knitting I am currently working on is the Magic Yarn ball project. It's a bit akward. I gotta admit, I unrolled the ball and got all the goodies out....... because the stuff kept getting caught and snagging me mid-stitch! MMMM chocolate.

I am knitting an Yvaine but I have no idea how much yarn it's going to take up. Luckily there are two skeins of the Araucania... so I can choose later. So far I really like the look of it! Seems simple doesn't it... but there is some garter and some stocking sts in there too.

So that is in the works, which I think will be ideal work knitting... easy to put down and pickup.

I also started a Minimalist Cardigan and a new pair of Endpaper Mitts. The cardigan is for me... I am knitting the body in one piece, back and forth... as I have totally relised my seaming dislike! LOL Next sweater... maybe back to steeking! The mitts are a gift. I see myself making a few more pairs again this year for those who didn't get them last year. At leas it's fast. I am rocking on mitt number two and I have really only been working on them a couple of nights this week... good progress. Having the pair done by tonight or tomorrow would be great!

Oh and I did a bit more dyeing. With koolaid. The picture really isn't exciting. I am knitting a gift with that so I will update you when there is progress. I did get up to one thing yesterday morning that I totally reccomend, Pumpkin Muffins. The recipe is from the Stitch It podcast blog. I did not add the fruit or nuts... I may try next time, but I usually don't like that in my muffins. I also did not make the glaze...... but the muffins were yummy! Funny thing though.... in Canada Pumpkin comes in 14 oz. or 19oz........ oh well. no 150z can for me! Happy weekend everyone, and bake something yummy!

A Time of Remembrance

Remembrance Day, to Canadains

Vetrans Day, to Americans

Armistice Day, to UK folk

A time for remembrance......

Lest we forget.

Some pics and Happy Thanksgiving!

It is a lovely fall Thanksgiving day! the sun has been shining all weekend, so I have taken some pictures of recent stuff for you!As you can see I have made some stash enhancement. The two dark skeins at the bottom were purchased at the Thanksgiving sale at 88 Stitches.. another LYS. Berroco ultra Alpalca Fine and Malabrigo Lace in Purple Mystery.

The top three were dyed, and in the case of the pink/red overdyed the other night with some friends... who knew a dyepot party could be so fun! mow all I want to do is buy more white to dye it! LOL. The pink is Orangi Filati Merion Oro. The pink wasn't me, I bought it to match the Hanami stole pattern, but that is a mistake huh... never buy the yarn colour the pattern is in unless it is flattering! LOL

The other two are a Patons Classic Merino and another Berroco Ultra ALpalce Fine. They turned out very bright... but I love them. The flashes of white, and the pop of purple. Fantastic!!

This has been my easy "on the road "project but it is at the end so I am moving on soon. The was an experiment in log cabin. I made it off centre, but I am unsure if it was succesful or not. Glad I tried it though.

I also have a Multnoma shawl on the go in a green skein of West Coast Colours dyed by the owner of Knitopia the other lys. I was planning on making socks or a baby jacket, but the colours are a bit more suited to this project. This shawl has been a bit of a hit on Ravelry and I think that I would make more, maybe with some modification. I do really like it though. The begining is all garter stitch with increases that are very easy to follow. I think that I have been knitting this in the car and at work primarily in the last week, because it is really so easy. The Manic Purl Podcast has been talking about it too. The host has made two, in a larger size. Check hers out.

So a pal of mine has mentioned that a group she is in in Ravelry are having a finishing month. No new projects, just completion. I like the idea, but I won't comit to it, I really am trying to finish off all the outstanding projects on my needles, but what fun is it if you can't cast on something new when you feel like it! LOL

I suppose, because I have been frogging and einishing fairly wel; recently, I am really not too worried about this. I will be completing finishing on a few projects this week for sure, and that is always a nice thing. to use the items, or pass them on tho the rightful recipient.

Hope fall is treating you well and you are cozy with a pot of tea and some great knitting... maybe a book too. Have a great week and a holiday for those of us up in Canada. Take time to be thankful! I know I am!

So what's up?

What happens in your life that tears you away from your blogging life? LOL
Real life!

So I have had a busy summer, visiting, working, canning and some knitting. A bit of drawing too.
It's been great and I think that this season of the harvest will be just as busy. When the hubby is working on a Saturday, I have been canning with friends, or my Mom. Jars of pie filling, jams, pickles and jalapeno jelly line the pantry, and boy does that feel great. There is more to do though, my parents have some great grape vines in their yard, and two apple trees that always give fruit. This year they are all full! So more pie filing and preserves are coming up!

Someone at work asked me if my sister was as "domestic" as I am. I was stuck a bit, but being as I didn't really want to get into it.... I said "not really"

My sister I think is more domestic, she has a child and a group of ladies she sees on a regular basis. She is a great mom already, and I love her to bits.
I guess I always saw my hobbies as self-sufficency, not the dread domesticity. Why I dread it I cannot say at the moment... suffice to theorize that it has something to do with the second wave of feminism that I was exposed to before I could really understand it.You know the idea. They didn't like knitting either. So I guess as a third-wave feminist, I am embracing the things that give me pleasure and make me feel connected to the earth and self-sufficent. I knit, I can fruit, I jam,, I raise a veggie and herb garden, I bake (occasionally but, not from scratch yet.)
I also practice archery, target shooting and am going to hunt this year with my husband. I have a bachelors' degree in art and love the ideas that go along with that.

So is that domestic? If so I am a domestic goddess.... I embrace it all.

Next on my list.... learning to roast a chicken well..... and maybe talk the hubby into getting me a bee hive this spring ;) I also think that running is something I should take up... or rowing.

Hope all is well with you and you are doing things away from work that make you happy.
To friends I haven't seen in a while, I will try to drop you a line for dinner or breakfast soon. Hope your autumn is shaping up nicely gang. I realllllly do want to show off some FO's and almost FO's. That is the next blog goal. Comments and thoughts are awelcome and encouraged. Talk to you soon.

Dear lord I missed two months!

Hello, I am well, and knitting... I have been having a bus summer as I am sure most of you did as well. I will update more this weekend!

With pics!

Hope you are all well. I will check in soon!