Wednesday, October 10

more spinning

Superwash Merino with Angelina (which i got at the Kitchener show from The Black Lamb), plied with 55% cashmere, 45% silk (from Colourmart):


(a shot with an unplied ball... i will get around to it asap):

100% Merino from an Etsy shop:

another Black Lamb batt (100% wool with red yellow and blue thread bits)... drop spindle made by my father (isn't he freakin' awesome!?):


and a gratuitous new kitty shot... say hi to Summer, aka Freakazoid:

Monday, October 1

a few photos...

not of knitting though... well... not mine anyway ;)

this is from Corinna's wedding on September 29th :) we didn't get many good photos... i'll have to snag some from the peeps on Facebook.

we clean up nicely don't we. these photos were taken at my parents' house before the big event (my mum took quite a few... we don't dress up often):



the beautiful bride, my friend Corinna:


me, trying to figure out how to bustle Corinna's gown. see that shawl? Sharon knit that. it's freakin' beautiful!!! and i was totally honest when people asked if i had knit it. it's a sign of true friendship when you trust someone with such a beautiful creation!

Monday, September 24

may i borrow....?

i'm going to that wedding i was dress shopping for this Saturday. i have a dress (not one of the ones i posted about here, but similar). problem? i procrastinated and then got into spinning... the shawl i was planning on knitting to wear with the dress is not done. it's barely started. i think i'm about 8 rows into it. i'll never finish it on time.

i need a shawl or something to wear with this dress.

help? do any of you have one in burgundy, deep purple, black or beige/white i can borrow? please? :)

Friday, September 14

second spinning attempt


it's turning out much more consistent than the yarn i showed you all the other day. i split the roving in two (almost) equal parts and am spinning two balls from it. the first ball turned out quite blue and the second has a lot of purple in it. i think it will look nice when it's plied.

and i'm on a freakin' roll... i just can't stop buying more fiber!! exhibit one. exhibit two. exhibit three. and i am coveting this one in such a bad way. i need more $ in my paypal. i hate how that account seems to empty so fast. ;)

we gave Burban a lovely funeral. she's buried just under our kitchen window so she's still nice and close to us.



Monday, September 10

hallelujah! i have found the camera...

and it was hidden in one of the cubbies on the coffee table. finding working batteries wasn't quite as easy, but i was up to the task.

so here's what i've been up to (other than unpacking and settling in... i will show pics of the new place as soon as it's decent enough to share on the internet):

the "stash busting" blankets:


and lookie! i made yarn!! this is my first successful attempt. i'm sure to spinners who have more experience it looks so "beginner", but damn, i am proud! it's made from the Fleece Artist merino sliver i bought at the Kitchener Waterloo Knitter's Fair on Saturday. it turned out chunky, with thick and thin spots, but that's okay. i knit up a swatch on size US 15 needles:


a shot with the flash, because it makes the colours pop:

(and aren't the new living room floors so much nicer than the generic parquet we had at the last place?)

Sunday, September 9

spin spin spin!

i went to the Kitchener/Waterloo Knitter's Fair yesterday with a friend, Sharon, and had a blast! well worth the drive. and next year i'm going to bring more money!! we met with two other gals from the Orangeville knitting group and i was really glad to see them again. Tracy is looking absolutely FABULOUS! and she wore a beautiful knit tank. and Cindy cracked me up as usual. love her!

i bought a drop spindle and a bunch of batts/roving (whatever the terms are... i haven't learned the lingo yet). so i've been practicing. the first round... yikes. suckage city!! luckily i got a little freebie bag of batting and that was what got wrecked. today i broke out the Fleece Artist roving, even though i'm not at all good yet... i just couldn't resist it. so far the spinning of that isn't going as terrible as the first tries yesterday evening. i have one little ball. i'm going to spin another and try plying it. and now i just want more more more batts/roving!! i took a quick look on Etsy and am very tempted, especially by some of the funky batts with freaky fibers in them like Angelina and Firestar (seriously... i'm like a magpie, attracted to the sparkly things!).

i really want to show you some pictures. but it's dark here now. and i have no idea where the camera is. so... tomorrow.

yes... tomorrow. i will be back. i will get back to blogging because i miss it!! now that we're more settled i'll have more time for the things i've been missing.

i have been knitting. i'm working on two afghans (why do i dislike that word so much?) to use up old/novelty yarns. well, that was the idea, but i found some really funky yarns on sale at Woolly's for $2 a ball... $2 a ball!! i couldn't resist!! so instead of strictly using up stash, i added to it.

Friday, August 3

we're moved.

but not done unpacking.

and the story of the move... gah! when i have more time i'll tell you all the insanity of the van breaking down with the whole family in it (cat and hamsters included), boxes stacked to the ceiling, on our laps, in between seats... and mattresses strapped to the roof. we felt like the Beverly Hillbillies being illegally towed by a friend and his massive pick-up truck.

... and then things got a little crazy because we had some trouble getting back into Orangeville to finish things up there...

i am SO GLAD this move is done. lemme tell you, if i can help it, i won't live in co-op housing ever again. yes... there are some lovely people in co-op housing. but unfortunately they are out-numbered by gossipy in-your-business people. i'm so glad to be away from those people!!

i still have lots of unpacking to do. it's pretty slow-going because of the heat. but so far living here hasn't been bad. i know one woman who works at the post office and she's been lovely about helping me get our mail even though we don't have a key to the post office box (we're getting a copy asap). the main level of the house stays cool enough (the ceilings are really high and the house is brick), so even though it's insanely hot outside, it's not too bad inside. the kitchen may have been built in the 60's, but there is room to walk around in it, unlike the tiny kitchen we had in Orangeville. the kids have already met the neighbour to the right of us... the boy who lives there is 10, and they're welcome to play anytime with him on the huge trampoline they have in the backyard. when we were moving the washer, dryer and dishwasher in the neighbour across the back lane came rushing over to help carry them into the house. so friendly!

and i'm really enjoying the big old clawfoot tub... at the end of the day when i'm all sticky and sweaty and generally gross feeling because of the heat it's so lovely to run a cool bath and soak in it for a while!

when i have things around here a little more organized i'll post some pictures :)

Thursday, July 5

shopping for a dress to wear to a wedding...

isn't all it's cracked up to be.

other weddings i've been invited to i've just sort of thrown together what i've had. at my cousin's wedding i even wore my doc boots (it was snowing after all).

but this upcoming wedding? it's special. this girl used to be my best friend (we just sort of grew apart, but still love each other to death. we just don't talk nearly as often as we used to). she's been waiting to find the right guy and get married forEVER. she's in her 30's, this is her first marriage and i know she is over the moon.

so i want to find something nice to wear.

i found this dress on Amazon and am very tempted:


it's so flirty and fun! but it'll go out of style pretty quickly and i probably won't get to wear it again.

then i found this dress:



i think i could wear it more than once because it's a little more classic... and i could make it more me with my choice of accessories.

and then there is this one:

but there's the trendy-going-to-go-out-of-style issues again.

so...

which one do you like?? please?

(you can see more about them here)

Tuesday, July 3

just to prove i have a head ;)


she's done! but not blocked.


front:


back:

side so you can see where i did some short rows to make the bust area higher in the front (the puckering is because i knit an elastic through with the picot edge to make it feel a little more secure):

and me modeling it... please pardon the photos. no, i'm not a tiny girl. yes, i know the new cami is slightly crooked, and yep, i'm headless (that's what i get for dressing quickly and getting kids to take the photos) (and wow... i need a self esteem boost, don't i!):

Friday, June 29

moving along nicely!


i can't believe how exciting it is to see that my knitting is getting somewhere! i just started into the third ball of cotton. i'm not sure how much taller i'll go before i start the bust area. i guess making it a little longer than usual because i have a little more belly than usual that needs covering. (how long can i continue calling it the "post baby belly"?)

Thursday, June 28

taking a small break from the Harmony shawl...

i started something new last night. i had some left over cotton yarn and really needed a break from the Harmony shawl. so i cast on for... i'm not sure yet.

the pattern i'm "using" is the Krista tee from White Lies Designs. but i don't think i'll move on to the second lace pattern. i like the first lace pattern too much.

when the piece gets long enough i'll probably switch to stockinette, perhaps even the second lace pattern, to cover the bust area. and i doubt she'll turn into a tee. probably a cami or tube top.

i'm working her in the round, in one piece. i left a strip of 4 (or is it 5?) stockinette stitches at what will be the back of the piece... i'm planning on adding sweet buttons to that to make it appear it needs to be done up. you can spy that in the last photo, to the right.




this is a nice change from the shawl. i actually feel like i'm getting somewhere! i can see the progress! with the shawl a row takes so long it feels like i'm knitting into oblivion with little results.

Wednesday, June 27

i have a problem...

i'm having a hard time NOT wearing make-up today.

there's no point. it's hot, it'll just melt off my face. and i'm not planning on going anywhere... and nobody is supposed to come by here.

and yet i just keep thinking that i'm "naked". i'm so used to wearing make-up. maybe i'll just put on a little mascara to appease my make-up psychosis because i'm starting to feel anxious about the fact that i'm not wearing any.

dudes... imagine what i'm like when i'm UNmedicated!!

Juliet was kind enough to pose with the Harmony shawl-in-progress for me a little while ago (click to make bigger).


we took the photo at the front door, because, sadly, it's the least messy place in the house at the moment...

... ugh. yeah. moving. blech. i'm already missing the books that were on that shelf... and they only left the house yesterday.

Tuesday, June 26

holy crap...

i went to Elann early this afternoon to buy some of the Silk City Supramerino wool they got in stock today. i couldn't pass up approx. 7500 yards of lace weight merino wool for $20!! i figured i could get the lightest colour ("buttercup") and dye it.

when i got there my choice was... magenta. ONE cone of magenta was left. and it sold before my eyes. people. this yarn only came out TODAY.

as Jake has been saying far too often lately... you snooze, you lose!

what a bummer. knitters shop fast.

thanks for the suggestions about the shawl edging :) i would like to continue knitting in the direction i am, that way i don't have to attach anything and it's done when it's done, kwim?

i was thinking a ruffly sort of edge myself, but was hesitant because it might be too much with the colours/pattern. i think a picot edging is what i'll go with :D thank you!

in other news... Pop Rocks is gone. she's off at her new home... near Marsville. Sharon came to pick her up today and bring her home. the kids were happy Pop Rocks was going to live with Sharon, they gave her some "tips", packed up the kitten's favourite toy and said goodbye. it was all good until Sharon opened the front door with Pop Rocks in the carrier... and Pop Rocks meowed...

and Juliet started crying.

Jake held it in until Sharon was out of sight. then he cried too.

but they know Sharon and her family will love Pop Rocks and she'll be happy there.

.phew. i'm going to miss the wee little bugger, but i'm glad it's done before we fell more in love with her.

Monday, June 25

shawl edging... ?


i'm trying to decide what sort of edging (if any) i should use for my Harmony Feather and Fan shawl.

... it's going to be a bit larger than i was planning. i'll definitely have enough yarn for any type of edging.

see... i had four balls of the Harmony wool. i was going to use two for the shawl and leave the remaining two for some future project. well... i went to bed last night in a bit of a rush (a migraine struck AGAIN), and left a ball of it on the sofa.

... within the kitten's reach.

the temptation was too much for her because i found it this afternoon. mostly in the basement. part of it in a tangled mess going down the stairs... some of it wadded it up in a bunch near the kitty litter... much of it wrapped around the legs of the mini trampoline, the remainder in what resembled the last bits of the ball near the laundry.

it was really hard to be mad at her. and i just left it there for her to play with tonight, since it's so tangled it's not worth the trouble to try to salvage it.

so i figured i might as well continue into the third ball of Harmony with the Feather and Fan shawl... use it for some sort of edging.

but what shall i do? suggestions?

here's an old photo of it if that helps... you can really see the pattern in this one, unlike the recent photo above where it looks like a lump of pastels:

Friday, June 22

why is it so hard...

to GIVE AWAY a kitten?!

pet stores have no trouble SELLING them. but try to give one away, free, no charge... gah!

is it some psychological thing... if it has no monetary value attached to it's not worth anything or there must be something wrong with it...?

yes, i am a little frustrated. the longer poor Pop Rocks stays with us, the more attached to her we become, the harder it is going to be to see her go to a new home. frankly, the whole situation sucks :(

maybe i should just put her up for sale... maybe the $ value attached to her will make her "worth" something?

:(

Thursday, June 21

hrmm... where'd my yarn "budget" go?

not on yarn, not on the kids... not on groceries, paint, moving essentials... none of that...

but it did go to something i didn't really *need*... but something i was pretty sick of living without...

importantly, it's not the piece of shit rusty, too-big, blue, ugly, heavy, shock-less, squeaky men's bike that i've been using...



so, no yarn for me this month because most of my CCTB went to treating myself to a new, comfy, better looking Cruiser/Mountain-type bike for this summer (it's got the comfort factor of a Cruiser and loads of lovely gears like a Mountain bike, does that make it a hybrid bike?) my only "regret" is the colour... i wish it were a sexy deep red with flames and maybe a leopard print seat... like this lovely. or black with funky pink flames... (wow... i really wish the Electra bikes didn't cost so much) sigh. i suppose i could have it painted...

the head has been okay since i last posted *crosses fingers*. i've been very careful not to let myself get too hungry/thirsty, etc. but i really think it's the weather... the humidity gets me every time. thank you for your comments :)

Wednesday, June 20

i just haven't felt up to blogging.

i've been having a lot of migraines the last couple of weeks. they've almost settled into a routine. i wake up every morning feeling fine, great, let's do this day. by 3pm i start feeling "off". by 5pm i have a headache. by 7pm i'm in bed early with a full blown migraine.

it hasn't happened every day, but every second/third day is more than enough.

i've been taking stock of what i've been eating, drinking, doing to try to figure out what's causing the freakin' migraines.

i think it's either the weather changing so much, or the stress of moving. or both. either way, i wish it would stop, i've had enough now.

i did get the Addi Lace needles. they are DIVINE. love them so much i ordered another two pair. the Harmony Feather and Fan shawl is coming along a little faster now that i'm not messing around with dull needle points ;)

Thursday, June 14

so i walked into Wal-Mart...

totally expecting to find nothing. nada. zip. zilch. zero.

and i was totally...

wrong.

i found a strapless bra... for $20. sweeeeet. it's not the best, but it holds what it needs to in place and doesn't look completely ridiculous.

i feel like i can go out and buy all those tanks/camis i keep seeing that i love, but never buy because i had no bra to wear under them. it's probably a good thing i have no more $ until next week ;)

that just made my day :D it's even almost making me forget that the Addi Lace needles still haven't arrived.

ouch. bra shopping.

i need a new bra. and not just any bra... a strapless bra (to wear under my tank tops this summer since all of my other bras have super strength wider-than-the-road-to-hell size straps).

so, since i'm waiting for my hair colour to set, i thought i'd do a quick google search.

you know, it's painful enough to buy normal everyday strappy bras when you're not a B or C cup... but when you're a DD looking for a strapless bra, you better have some mood-altering substance nearby. (side note: you wouldn't know i had a breast reduction years ago and was that most coveted bra size, a 36C... i could just pick bras off the rack - you know, the kind you find at LaSenza, the cheap shiney/lacey/interesting details/sexy/etc/etc/etc type bras- forget trying them on, buy them CHEAP, take them home and they'd fit like a charm. i *really* miss those days!)

just from my quick google search i can see this isn't going to be easy, or fun. and i can forget ordering online. but where in this town can i possibly go to try on decent full support strapless bras? Wal-Mart? Zellers?

i think i'm out of luck before i've even really started. unless John miraculously has a day off work and is willing to do a "bra crawl"... yeah... see, even you cringed at the thought of driving from store to store to do bra shopping, i don't see how i'm going to convince him.

i suppose before i ask i'll run around checking out the dreaded big box stores that are within walking distance.

oh boobs... i love thee. but i hate the designers/sellers/prices of the bras you need.

Wednesday, June 13

maybe tomorrow...

maybe then my Addi Lace needles will arrive. yeeesh. wonder what's takin' 'em so long! i have a shawl that's getting out of hand on my current Addi Turbos that needs sharper points and a much longer cord already!

Tuesday, June 12

Colourmart.com silk




not a colour i'd normally choose. i'm planning on using it for a lacey shawl for my mum. if i can get my act together when it comes to lace, that is. i think i'm going to go back to Colourmart and order a cone of the dark navy blue for myself. it shipped faster from the UK than the Addi Lace circulars i'm waiting for from Elann (which is in Canada)!

bummer...

the camera batteries are dead and i just got the silk lace weight i ordered from ColourMart!

quick harmony shawl update...

squished photos of the crumpled up shawl. but i'm posting them anyway to show that i am still working on it ;) i'm still waiting for my Addi Lace needles to arrive so i can transfer to shawl onto them for (hopefully) faster knitting and better photos :)


Monday, June 11

glad i'm not the middle finger ;)




You Are a Ring Finger



You are romantic, expressive, and hopeful. You see the best in everything.

You are very artistic, and you see the world as your canvas. You are also drawn to the written word.

Inventive and unique, you are often away in your own inner world.



You get along well with: The Pinky



Stay away from: The Index Finger

What Finger Are You?

(what's up with those nails? yikes!)

Wednesday, June 6

i'm back :)

wooooot!

the whole problem was that we let the landline phone go. no point in paying for something we don't use, right? well, duh, we have Sympatico internet... we need some sort of phone line for it. John finally had some time to call up (remember, i don't do phones) and got it sorted out. we have a "dry line" phone line now. no actual service, no phone number, just what they need to run the internet in.

yaaay!

in other news, the shawl is still coming along nicely. it's really hard to take photos of because it's getting rather squished on the needles. i ordered some longer addi circulars to finish it on. their new lace needles. we'll see if they're really any sharper than the regular addi turbos :) they should arrive by the end of the week, early next week. so, sorry, no shawl photos until then :(

and in other other news. we're moving. the official day is July 31st. but we'll be moving slowly before then and want to have everything out a week before that so we can come back and do repairs/paint in an empty house. it's so much easier than trying to paint around furniture!

i am so stressed about this move though. i have felt nauseas every time i think about it.

we're moving into my MILs.

she has a duplex, so we will have our own space. but it'll always be over our heads that it's HER house, kwim? and i have quite a colourful history with the woman. oh lordy. please let it work out.

on the bright side, the main floor is much bigger than our current place. and we'll have four bedrooms instead of three (which means John will have his own room again... yaaay!). any renovations we do she's willing to take off the rent. maybe i can get a part time job at the local yarn store.

we'll be heading over there this weekend to do a little painting before we start moving stuff in. Juliet's room has no "real" flooring... just wood slats painted white, and she's been given permission to do what she wants with that. so she wants to paint it. no, not a solid colour (it's white right now), she wants to paint vines and flowers. and John has to do some minor renovations in order to open up the fourth bedroom to our side of the house and close it off to her side of the house (it was awesome of her to offer that extra room for no extra rent).

one big downside... Pop Rocks can't come with us. :( MIL's allergic in a BAD way to cats. she's fine with us bringing Burban, because we've had Burbs for years and she is such a part of the family; she's willing to put up with any cat issues that sneak over to her side of the house because she knows how much family pets mean to people, having had quite a few of them herself (on a side note, when she's rented to non-family she doesn't allow ANY pets at all. so we're lucky to be able to bring Burbs). she's really nervous about Pops because the more cats, the more dander, the more litter... etc, etc. i am pretty upset. i think we should find her a new home asap before we become even more attached to her :(

sorry this got so long. i'll leave you with two photos. one of Juliet with her pink streaks (she was opening a birthday gift from her aunt). and one of Jake during homeschooling time... he had a rough night and during our daily reading time he passed out (on his book) with the kitten: