Looking back, forging ahead

I've been thinking a lot about the knitting year that was 2007. Far and away my most prolific knitting year ever.

I learned to knit as a child, trying my hand at a few things through high school, but I don't think I ever really finished anything. When I was in university my one of my roommates wanted to knit, taught herself, and when we weren't studying, we knit. I think I did about 3 sweaters for myself. Since then (I graduated in 1996) I've been a sporatic knitter, always with A project on the go that takes awhile to complete because my mojo would ebb and flow. These projects would be knit from the pattern, adding length to the body and sleeves as the only modifications. Not that I'm saying I make more mods now, but I digress. And they would have been made of Patons something or other, acrylic or a blend. I could do cables, I could do colourwork. I was pretty confident in my abilities, I even knit a Philosophers Wool cardigan (~2001) that my mom bought for herself (for me to knit) and steeked it, and I didn't even know that it was called a Steek. Still scared the bejeezus out of me though.

Enter January 2007. I decided I wanted to knit myself a scarf, so I decided I would look on the internet for a pattern. There had to be a pattern on the internet. I found Knitty, and the scarf pattern I wanted to knit. I bought some Patons SWS (which is far to itchy for a scarf, don't do it) and knit myself a scarf.

I also found the Yarn Harlot around the time she was making some Fiber Trends felted clogs. So I bought myself a pattern and have since made 8 pairs of them, and I wear mine (the first pair) every day. From reading that blog, I decided to try knitting socks, what was the big deal anyway? In April, I knit my first pair. Now I get it.

In 2007 I discovered knitting blogland. So many blogs to read, then just look in the side bar of any one of those and find many more blogs to read. I love it. I've kept a blog about my life at livejournal since March 2002, but then I started this one, because I didn't think my friends over there wanted to hear me prattling on about sticks and string. I have learned so much from these blogs. My yarn choices have changed completely, I am a yarn snob now. I have a ball winder. I have a STASH! It's a sock yarn stash, which apparently doesn't count, but it's prolific if not diverse. I still can't buy a sweaters worth of yarn just because it's pretty and not have any reason to use it. That's just not me. I have been inspired by these blogs. I find myself wanting to knit things that I never before would have imagined wanting to knit. Like socks. Like lace, but Anne Hanson, wow, she makes me want to knit lace. And I will, when I finsh what I'm doing.

Then, in July, there was Ravelry. I love Ravelry. I want Ravelry to be around forever. What a great resource it is.

So here I sit in 2008, amazed at what I have accomplished in 2007 and excited about what I want to do in 2008. I knit everyday, I have a little tendonitis in my right wrist, but a tensor helps that, so I can knit everyday. I miss it if I don't.

I still love to decorate cakes, but when it's not your job, it's not really something you can do everyday. Especially since I don't really have a desire to weigh 300 pounds. I do want to get better at making flowers though, so a gumpaste course may be in order. At the end of January I will be starting a photography course at the local college. I love my D50 and want to learn how to use it to full advantage. I'm also (gulp) going to take a Pilates instructor course over a weekend in February, this scares me a little because it could turn into an actual job.

So that's that. I've been thinking about all that, so I wanted to get it out. I'm not much of a writer so please forgive my poor sentence structure and jumbled thoughts. My counter says that I'm 2 visits shy of my 200th visitor! Which, quite frankly surprises me. Do I have any regular readers or are you just popping in from my link on Ravelry? Whoever you are, thanks.

Happy 2008!

A New Year

Happy New Year everyone!

We had a very nice Christmas, and although I have been horribly sick since Christmas day we have managed to complete all of the family/friend obligations and now I get a few days to rest. Ha! Right. The husband is back at work and there are 3 children here all.day.

My 2008 has started with some squishy yarn mail that I was waiting for! First, yesterday came both my December Booty Club package AND my purchase from the Yarn Pirates Etsy update she did shortly before Christmas.

The December yarn is a Merino/Tencel blend called Icicle. I'm sure that one day I will get to it, but since I'm just now knitting with the August shipment, it's not going to be anytime soon.


From the Etsy shop, I bought her Christmas colourway, Hawthorne, for some Christmas socks for next year and an overdye called Prehistoric which I love! I pulled it out of the envelope and my 4 year old said "It looks like a dinosaur!"



Then today, I got my sock yarn shipment from Sundara's Season Yarn club. My season is Autumn and the December yarn is called Mossy. It's even prettier than the pictures I snuck peeks at on Ravelry.


To close out the FO 2007 file, I realized that you have not yet seen the lovely Anemoi. I would totally make another pair of these mittens, my first ever mittens actually. They were such fun to knit, and they are warm and cozy and match both my coats perfectly! (one green, one brown)




And, pair #3 of the IL socks are also done and in the hands of the grateful recipient. They are Retro Rib Socks from Favorite socks knit in Socks That Rock mediumweight colour, Mystic Kelp. They did some strange striping and pooling, but turned out nicely.


And my favourite parts, the bottoms!


Plans for 2008, well first I have to finish the last 2 IL socks, they are another pair of Monkeys and another Retro Rib. A matching pair of slippers for my Dearest, a second pair of slippers requested by my SIL. I'm going to TRY to somewhat keep up with the Rockin' Sock Club, but I don't know. Avast needs to be finished (this sweater is haunting me!) and my Tangled Yoke needs to be finished, the sleeves are done. Sounds like enough doesn't it! But what I really want to do in 2008 is a lace project, something from Anne Hanson of Knitspot. But I must finish the lingering projects first!

What about you, do you have big knitting plans for 2008?

Winter storm

That is A LOT of snow! It's been snowing all day, seems to be slowing down a bit now (5pm) and there is at least 30 cm out there. I'm thinking there will probably be a snow day tomorrow. Good thing I bought that gingerbread house kit last week, it will be a good activity if I have boys home tomorrow. Anyhow, the knitting. I forgot to show one of my FO's from a few weeks ago, a nice warm hat for the Baby Girl (OK, she'll be 2 in January, but she's MY baby). It's a pattern I've wanted to do since I bought the book, Zoe Mellors Double Knits. So, I ordered some Knit Picks Swish Superwash and I did the Inca Hat.



However, it's too big and is living comfortably in a box in the basement with the coat I bought at The Gap on clearance for next year. I stuck to the pattern, except that I did a single crochet edging instead of pick up and knit. I just wasn't in a pick up and knit frame of mind that night and this was quick and easy. If I were to do this pattern again, and I think I would, I would do it in the round. Colourwork and purling isn't a whole lot of fun.

I've also finished my SIL's black slippers. I gave them to her last Sunday and she felted them on Monday, wore them on Wednesday. Loves them. I negelected to take a picture of the big floppy black slippers, so, use your imagination. With the leftover black, I decided to try and make a pair of Dashing for the small boy's Kindergarten teacher. One is done and it looks good, but I'm worried about having enough of the black to make the second. I really don't want to have to run out and buy another ball. If there isn't enough, I guess he won't get them.

Otherwise, I'm still working on the same old things. My longer needle is still backordered at JBW so I might try this week to work Avast on the shorter one, I'm tired of this project, the heel is turned and I'm done the gusset decreases on the second Retro Rib sock, Tangled Yoke sleeve #1 is done. Time to start finishing things if I want to start my first big lace project in January. And no, I don't know what it's going to be yet, but that's the plan.

Cold

Well, winter dumped on us this week. Cold, snow, and more snow and more cold.

My small boy has a birthday next week, and we had a little family party last weekend. Of course, I made a cake. He had originally wanted a Rocketship cake which I was familiar with, since big boy also wanted a rocketship cake for his 4th birthday. But changed his mind and wanted a chocolate cake with race cars on it. Done.

I just love the folded anticipatory hands of an almost 4 year old in the background!

There has been some knitting going on, but everything just feels really stalled right now. I'm waiting on a longer needle to finish Avast, the tangled mess is in time out. I got it untangled and wound, but I can't look at it right now. It's destiny is a hat for big boy (who has FINALLY lost his 2 front teeth!). I've finished the first of my SIL's socks, AKA the socks that never end and my other SIL brought the Classic Merino over last weekend for me to make her 2 pairs of felted clogs so I have pretty much finished the black pair of those, just need to attach the second outer sole and sew up the seam. We're having supper with them on Sunday, I think she'll be pleasantly surprised to have a pair of slippers one week after bringing me the yarn! I was a bad girl and cast on the Tangled Yoke Cardigan too, I was itching to knit something for me and my big project (Avast) is waiting, so I have done one sleeve, I'm going to like this sweater if the sleeve is any indication. So I will leave you with a couple of pics of the Sock That Never Ends and some boring black slippers. Aren't you glad you dropped in today? And I see that someone is reading, so if you are just checking me out, thanks for reading and if you keep coming back, thank you too. And let me know who you are and I'll return the favour.

Retro Rib Socks from Favorite Socks (it's so hard not to put a 'u' in there!) in Socks that Rock mediumweight Mystic Kelp


Fiber Trends Felted clogs, black Patons Classic Merino

3 hrs and counting

This is not the part of knitting I enjoy. This was meant to be a 5 minute task while the little ones ate lunch. Supper's just about ready now.

I'm a bad blogger

Forgive me, for I have not blogged in 18 days! Wow, where does the time go. Well, knitting and 3 kids, that's where it goes.

It's been a somewhat productive 18 days. I did decide to rip back the Yarn Pirate Rum Runner Monkeys (did I mention that?). I added another repeat to the leg and did a flap instead of short row heel. They fit SO much better now.



I also finished the Waving Lace Socks for my MIL. I didn't really like knitting the socks, but I am very happy with the way they turned out. She's going to be very happy, I hope. Hopefully happy enough that she will come watch my kids for when I have to go for JURY DUTY!!!! Yep, I've been summoned. Yay.



Waving Lace Socks from Favorite Socks



The yarn is Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks that Rock Lightweight in January One



I've also finished one sleeve of Avast and I'm halfways through the second, soon it will be time to cram all the stitches onto one needle and do the yoke. I hope to have it finished by Christmas, but we'll see. My afternoon nap knitting time will soon be taken up by the painting of the dining room.

Have a great week to any that are reading, and I'll post more, I promise.

Sugar crash

The day after Halloween, the kids are crashing. The 3.5 year old is a mess today, the boy needs some sleep. Fortunately there is no school tomorrow and he can sleep in. I hope. Boy 1 lost tooth number 5 yesterday, Superman looks pretty funny missing one of his front teeth I tell you. And the Girl, she's just funny, trying to say everything she hears. She quite enjoyed the trick or treating last night and is quite posessive of her bag of goodies.

Anyway, a knittng update. I finished the "Just like yours" socks last week and presented them to my SIL on the weekend, she loves them. Yay!


I'm cruising along on the MIL's Waving Lace Socks, halfway down the foot of sock #1


Avast, is a big grey sweater. I'm done the increases on sleeve one, and now I just have to make it long enough for Mr. Monkey Arms.

Anemoi, j'adore. Almost done, good thing, the mornings are getting rather chilly.

A sad revelation

I came to a very sad revelation yesterday. One I think I really knew all along, but yesterday made me face it. I wore my Rum Running Monkeys for the first time, and they just don't fit right. I love them so much, but I know that I won't wear them in the state that they are in. So, I have decided, I'm going to pull them back to the leg, add a repeat, do a flap heel (they're currently short row) and finish them.

It makes me sad and happy all at the same time.

She gets it

My SIL gets it. She's a non-knitter (but thinking about learning) and she totally gets it.

She was here on Friday night, to felt her slippers and decided on a sock pattern for her STR, and we were looking in the sock yarn bin and I was showing her my lovelies and the STR that they ordered. She squeezed and petted and rubbed them on her cheek, no prompting. Not even a flinch or a weird look when I said I was thinking of keeping one of the sock yarns as a pet.

My husbands sister, she rocks.

AND! Her neighbours cleaning lady raises Alpacas, has them shorn twice a year and pays some one to spin it. She sells some (basically to cover the cost of making it) and donates some to McMaster Childrens Hospital for volunteers to make blankets for the premies that they can take home. So, Jenn is going to get me some and I will make a blanket for a tiny baby. A warm soft cozy blanket, an alpaca blanket. I'm very excited about this. Now I just need to figure out what pattern to do...

Mitten love

One of the projects, I've cut down quite a bit, finished a lot waiting for the STR.

I love the Anemoi, love them. Here they are, right mitt in progress. I just realized today that I have never made full mittens before. I did a pair of Fetching last winter, but never fully fingered mitts. I'm happy. My stranding is kind of hot and cold, they will need a good blocking for sure.



And! I have about and inch left of the 16 Avast inches. YAY!

It feels more like fall today. Grey, rainy, and 12 degrees. I have finshed both the clogs for my SIL, she just needs to come hang out so we can felt them, AND I finished the Cable Rib Socks too. I will probably do these again, quick, easy, and cozy. I love STR. I've said before that I'm not a big fan of this colourway, I like the dark purple and the grey, but not with the green and yellow. The socks turned out nicely and I hope she likes them.


And the cable


Just in time too, I got squishy mail today...

Hot. Too hot.

After 3 very very rainy days, the sun is out today. It's too hot, 30 degrees and humid. It's just crazy. All my boys are outside raking leaves, working up a sweat and getting dirty. The girl is sleeping.

I'm cruising along on the cable rib socks for Emily, STR lightweight, Scottish Highlands. Not my favourite colourway, but she likes it. They should be making their way to Reno by the end of the week.


I'm very tempted to cast on for some little Rum Running Monkey's for the girl tonight, but I love my Anemoi Mittens. I'm really enjoying knitting them and they are turning out just as I had hoped. This is of course after multiple attempts to get the wrist big enough to actually fit over my hand! I'm knitting them Magic Loop (first time!), I wasn't sure how my tension would be trying to do stranded colourwork AND wrangle the DPNs.

Still waiting on my BMFA mail, good thing I have stuff to keep me busy!

Ooops

I did a bad thing. And I think, because of it, I am self-banning from (trying) to sign up for the Rockin' Sock Club 2008.

Because I read the lovely Tiennie's blog, and enjoy it so, I clicked a link. A link that lead me to a new yarn club, with yummy treats I haven't yet tried, but have looked at the colours and thought hmmmmmmmm. I was too late for Petals, but I am now a part of Sundara's Season's Yarn Club. I chose Autumn. It is very expensive, but I did the math and it's totally worth it. And I'm getting silk, hand dyed silk yarn people. I'm in trouble.

Socktoberfest

Wow, has it been a week already?

Well, those darn Rum Running Monkeys are finished. A little short in the leg, but they're awesome. I love the colours so very much.



Next in line for completion are Emily's cable ribbed socks, I'm about halfway down the leg on sock #2. They are a nice quick knit which is nice. They need to be finished before Customs decides to let go of the BMFA yarn that all the IL ladies ordered 3 weeks ago. According to tracking they arrived in Canada on the 28th, and there they sit. I've said it before, I'll say it again. It's YARN people!

I very sadly had to rip out all my progess on the Anemoi Mittens I started this week, the cuff and 14 rows of pattern. The cuff was just too tight. They are so nice, just what I wanted. The colours are perfect.

Let Socktoberfest continue! Even if the socks were actually started in September.

I'm in a funk

I'm in a funk today. Not sure why, but I just want to knit and be left alone. That's it.

I've been surprisingly monogamous in my knitting this week. Well, not monogamous really, but only two projects for the most part. Most of my time has been spent on the Rum Running Monkeys


One is finished, and I turned the heel on the second this afternoon. I've been focusing on these because they are easy and quick and I don't need the pattern anymore. So, five foot repeats and a toe and I have another pair of socks. I really like these, I'm glad I frogged the first pattern I tried and did these instead. In addition to the Monkey's I've been trying to do at least 5 rows of Avast everyday, that takes close to an hour but, also adds almost an inch to the length. It's growing, slowly but growing.

I really need to go to Ancaster. Maybe I'll go Monday, I'll be dragging Kid Monkey's with me. Pleh, the husband just came in here and said "You're not buying yarn are you? You're cut off from yarn right now!" So maybe I won't go on Monday. Meanie.

A Tuesday update

I'm cruising along. We went away with some friends (no kids!) this weekend and I got some good car knitting done with Avast. It takes me almost 10 minutes to do a row so it feels like it's taking forever, but it's almost 12 inches long now, so I'm feeling pretty good about getting it done fairly soon.

I finished one Rum Runner Monkey last night and I'm waiting for Emily to get back to me with the size of her foot, I need that crucial bit of information before I continue.

I would love to get to the yarn store in Ancaster sometime soon to pick up some Felted Tweed for the Tangled Yoke. And, more than likely, some other things too.

Mmmm. I got my squishy Yarn Pirate mail today, my shop order, still waiting on the club shipment. Look for it on Ravelry (greenerknits) sometime soon. Now, I shall Monkey.

Operation: Knit Quickly

So really, not much of anything is getting done around here. Just the necessities, food, clothing, school, and I knit when children are sleeping. Usually, I share that time between knitting and accomplishing householdy type things. Now I'm trying to knock off a couple of projects before the sock yarn arrives and the IL's start saying "How's my sock coming along?". And if I do that, then maybe I can start my TYC. Who am I kidding, I have to get at least two of those socks done before I start that. And there is going to be the quilt wrap too... Oy, what have I done.

Here is todays project, the Cable Rib Sock from Favorite socks

I've really done it this time

I have now officially over-extended myself.

The family was here for Cameron's birthday on Sunday and two SIL's and the MIL made a sock order from Blue Moon while they were here. Between the three of them they ordered 5 hanks of yarn, the $20 shipping cost is much more tolerable for 5 hanks instead of just one. So, that is 5 pairs of socks. Plus Jer's, plus mine, plus Emily's (not actually started yet), plus Avast, plus the Modern Quilt Wrap yarn I ordered last week (it's backordered, I can wait). It saddens me, but I'm pretty sure that my Tangled Yoke will be waiting until after Christmas.

It's good to knit for other people. It is. It really is.

I did it

I watched a 3 minute clip on YouTube and learned how to magic loop. I'm not sure if it's going to be my prefered method, but it's working nicely for the toddler sleeve thus far.

Not excited

My knitting isn't exiciting me much at the momment. I have 12 inches of stocking stitch over 218 stitches on Avast, it's long and tedious, but the yarn is SO SO SO SO SO nice. My SIL (Jen) has requested a pair of felted slippers so I'm halfway through them, quick and easy but for some reason I'm not enjoying them very much (they are pretty though), I haven't taken any pictures. My MIL has also asked my to do a pair for her MIL (Jer's grandma), they are going to be some weird looking slippers I tell you. Her feet are very swollen from lymph node removal 30 years ago, one more so than the other so these slippers are going to be highly modified. Not my strong suit as I haven't ever really modified a pattern before, except for adding length so we'll see what sort of freakish footwear we end up with. The other project is Jer's socks, I'm so slow, but I have to finish them.

I started a pair of Monkeys with the July Booty Club yarn and I'm really glad I frogged the first pattern because I like this so much more. I've done 2 and a half repeats on the leg and I'm stopping until I get my Knit Picks order, the needles I'm using are not anywhere near pointy enough and I can't seem to locate another pair of 2.75mm needles, although I'm sure I have some.

And, my other SIL was here the other day looking at my Pink Granite Monkeys and loved them, she wants some. So I gave her the URL and she proceed to try and order them and SHIPPING TO CANADA COST TWENTY DOLLARS!!!!!!! The yarn itself costs $20, I really don't understand how they find it acceptable to charge people $20 for shipping. There has to be another way. I'm going to email them.

Yesterday was good. My cake was done at a decent hour on Friday night and delivered to the party house in the morning. I was happy with it, and everyone else seemed to be as well.



The Knitters Fair was bigger than I thought it would be. So many interesting things to look at, touch, squeeze and buy. My completely unorganized path here there and everywhere intersected with the Yarn Harlot a number of times. Cool. I bought a ball winder, which I love whole-heartedly and 2 skeins of sock yarn - Smooshy and Cherry Tree Hill. I also bought 2 skeins of Koigu to make myself a syncopated cap. And I met Angela from Red Corset designs to buy my awesome DPN holder. And that's it, no one really brought any Rowan with them that I was able to see, so I didn't get yarn for my sweater or my mom's wrap (still kind of thinking about that one). I have enough on my plate right now, include 2 slipper orders from family so maybe I'll wait a bit.

I want

I really want to do the Modern Quilt Wrap for my Mom. She is a quilter and I think she would really like it. You can get 2 wraps out of 1 purchase they say, but would I really knit this twice. Maybe.

I've just finished the cake for the baby shower tomorrow, and the MIL has the Baby Surprise Jacket to put with the car seat that we group purchased. I hope Kirsten likes both of them.

Now I'm going to knit (something) and then go to bed. Big day at the Knitters Fair tomorrow! Then the shower after that. Ahhhh, a kid free day. Mostly.

There

It took me about 20 minutes, but I just moved all of my posts from my knitting blog on Vox over to here. I can't put my finger on it, but I just don't like it there.

It's late now, but maybe this weekend I'll add the pictures and the rest of the tags. Until then, good night.

If you stumble across this, by Ravelry name is greenerknits, and my LJ name is greener. Creative aren't I?

Wednesday

Finishing things feels good sometimes.

I (finally) finished the Ella Sweater and gave it to Jen last night. Perfect timing, she is seeing Matt and Tanya and the baby today. I really hope they like it. The BSJ is ABB. Don't you love acronyms that you don't understand. All but buttons, I bought buttons this afternoon, and will sew them on tonight and block it, hopefully it will be dry enough to take to my MIL's on Friday so she can put it with the car seat that we bought off the registry.

Now I'm back to Avast. I measured Jer last night and I'l be knitting the L (44 in) for him and probably adding a little bit of extra length, we'll see. I'll need to pick of 3 more balls of the Silkroad Tweed.

And where am I going to get this yarn from? Well, I'm going to try and control myself at the Knitter's Fair on Saturday. I NEED to pick up the Silkroad, and the Felted Tweed for MY Tangled Yoke Cardigan. There was a scarf/stole pattern on the Knitting Daily email the other day that I'm thinking about doing for my mom, it sort of whispered MOM! to me when I looked at the picture so I may get that too, depending on prices and everything of course. And there will more than likely be sock stash enhancement, how can I not. It's going to be a dangerous place.

It's nice to not have to worry about getting the BSJ done, since I have the cake to do on Friday too. I'll have an assitant for the baking process. I'm looking after my friends 5 yr old while Mom drives Dad to his vasectomy. Good thing she likes to bake.

Maybe I'll find something else to finish. I'm sure there is something.

Or maybe not..

So, after some post office stalking on Thursday afternoon, I got my BMFA order. I got a little done on Friday, a lot done yesterday, and somewhere inbetween today. The BSJ is so fun, and the STR is fabulous as usual, the colour is very cute. I actually like a little bit of pooling with my varigated yarn, so I'm missing that a little.

So that's really my main focus right now, I haven't the heart to frog anything yet, but I'm sure it's coming. Damn socks.

The Waterloo County Knitters Fair is on Saturday. Anyone want to come with me? My friend (that knits) will be nursing her post-vasectomy day 1 husband, and my mom will be on her way to Chicago. So that leaves.....no one, I guess I'm going by myself then on to the shower with my pretty little BSJ. I may have to buy some yarn to drown my lonely sorrows, for a Tangled Yoke cardigan maybe?