Sunday, October 21, 2007

100 posts - and some rules for me

This would have happened a lot sooner if I didn't have to go to work or parent or pay bills or sleep or eat or anything.
It's an interesting point in my life. (my computer is reading 4:56 pm and I just put the gurlz to bed and dinner was over and hour ago and - guess we are on Alberta time?)

What has been happening?
Thursday night, I turned off the computer to go to sleep and remembered the parcel that was in the mail. Because we had company coming for dinner, I just carried everything inside and started dinner. Did I wait until morning to open it? NOPE
Thank you SP. I have Scarf Style from Interweave Press. 3, maybe 7 projects picked out already. There is some gorgeous Knit Pick - just a minute must go find it and feel/I mean properly describe it for you.
ah hem: It is Knit Picks Shimmer, 70% Baby Alpaca, 30% Silk, in Turquoise Splendor. Gorgeous light to dark turquoise all in 2 skeins. I'm thinking perhaps a Scarf Style pattern or there are a couple cute ones in the Holiday Gifts by Interweave Knits. Glad I only picked up one as I see my pal picked one up for herself. You should see the bear in it - OI is it ever cute.
AH hem. Yes yes, back to the treasures from my SP. A gorgeous (handmade?) bracelet in gold and red hues. loverly!!!! Cookie Cutters in pumpkin and bat shapes (with stencil guides for decorating) which found themselves put to excellent use Saturday morning, when I realized the cake from Thursday was at the house we visited on Friday and not available for the company coming that morning. So I quick baked some cookies. (note - the dough for these cookies was patiently chilling out in the freezer since around April 29th, when it was found to be unnecessary for big gurlz birthday). There was some delightful Lindt Milk Chocolate for me (still is about half - what control) and Kinder Eggs for the gurlz (also still one each somewhere, however have not actually seen them so they may be no more).
Thank you so much my SP! You've really made me feel special.
And then..
On Friday, it was very foggy and gray on the way to work. I was feeling a little bit gray myself, until I saw the slice of a rainbow in the sky. In the midst of the gray and heavy clouds, there was just an inch sized slice of rainbow (bigger likely up close, but in my world it covered about and inch). Lifted me out of the doldrums a little.
I have knitted a little. The stole is at row 130 - I have to check now...no it is 143 - so I think it goes to 168 - 24 more rows. Not bad - I plan to get at least 10? done tonight.
Big gurl's socks are both cast on, but there is a bit of a design element issue as when i use provisional cast on, sometimes it creates "live loops" and sometimes just an edge to knit into. The first sock had the latter - and it looks like a seam line - lovely. The second has the former and it also looks lovely. one is ready to begin the gusset and the other is about an inch away. What to do ? I'm bettin I frog the first and go for the invisible seam (problem is it's all in the way I pick up my first row of loops into the chain and I never remember which is which. These socks may be returning to time out.
I finished my first ever pair of Fetchings (knitty) and I am disappointed. I have small hands so I only picked up one ball of the yarn and it was enough to make them , however I (for my personal brain wellbeing) need another inch of cable at the fingers. However I have about a yard of yarn left. But - the store where big gurl left her sweater The Needle Emporium has that colour (if not the dye lot) and I have to go back there sometime.
Mom's first sock is done and the second is waiting for the needle that the big gurls socks are on. (they are on two circs as I catch the second (or maybe the first) up to the other and then I will just use the extra long circ to do both at once).
I threw out the vest UFO from some time ago. I would have frogged but it was not froggable and kept catching and pulling. The yarn may turn into something from Scarf Style as I have enough.
The baby blanket and sweater that was supposed to be for little gurl are (hopefully) going to be completed for grandchild #10 for my parents (NO - NOT ME). The kids already going to get shafted as there is a big brother and sister involved. The Moeibus head scarf is progressing in inches - slow going as it it just a 2 by 2 rib with icord edging. Not the most exciting of works.
Big Gurl's quilt - well, I have to clean my room up again in order to work on it and there are a couple of other things pressing in too.
My Harvest Sock Swap - Love the I love Gansey pattern. however feeling a little meh about the colour as it is more oceanic than harvestic and so... however, maybe I could include some autumnal yarn in the package. I had brought a deep red that was kind of apple harvesty, however the yarn doesn't knit well (for me) to the pattern, so it is not suitable.
Anything else on the needles - not yet, but need to make a chapeau for the little gurl as she does not have a mommy made one and the big gurl could use a poncho with a little more warmth to it. This may be sewn rather than knitted.
What did I do today?
I went to a Craft show and sale. Wow, there is some lovely stuff out there. The one display of handknits was gorgeous - I felt guilty for not buying anything, but the one thing that really bowled me over was not my size. I got some construction paper and felt cutouts - fairytale for the paper and Christmas for the felt. Hopefully a good rainy day filler. A pair of earrings for Mom (I think) and some delightful dip mix that was just delicious.
Then I made some more awesome tomato sauce (from Finny Knits) and here we are.
What needs to be done?
1. The church books - organize and bind them up with a pretty bow for the new guy. Should be doing it now, however i have this thing about working on Sundays.
2. Clean house - not the sweep and dust but the throw things out and give away and organize.
3. Finish hint 2 and 3 of the stole.
4. Get that I love Gansey sock figured out. If the current one on the needles is not going to work, put it aside and try one of the other yarns. Denise shouldn't have to wait forever.
5. Fix up the bathroom, front wall, front yard and get the air conditioner out of the window... I may have to take a day or two off of work in order to really get at it.
6. Buy the new mattress and dishwasher. Just do it.
7. Stop spending money on yarn until next year. (only exception would be - tee hee already - the yarn for the Fetchings and if buying any for SP or swap pals and the Robyn's Nest month by month kits) and.... Okay - I solemnly swear to try really really really really really hard to use stash yarn (oh also doesn't count Lucky Lurker Club - already paid for; and Yarn Pirate - that is the sock club).
8. Make the Christmas gifts this year. (or use stuff purchased over the last 20 years to create gift packages or crafts for others to do).
9. Be a better more patient mother to my beautiful gurlz.

Well, I had best get busy cause there are a lot of things to be done.
may just pop over to a couple of favourite shops - I mean the yarn moratorium doesn't start until tomorrow ... right?

edited to add - I don't have the patience to figure out my camera right now. I have promised my Harvest Swap pal some pics of the yarn and socks, so I have to do it this week, but the pics are just not coming along. i promise lots of pics once I get everything back to normal.
I did figure out my screen so I don't have to scroll sideways through the blogs in order to read.
Baby Steps for me when it comes to technology.

4 comments:

ms. pixie riot said...

thanks so much for the good wishes! -hugs- and a girl could get her hands on some spooky girlfriend by asking for some! i can put up a reserved sale at etsy no problem.

Miss Me said...

the needle emporium in ancaster? i LOVE that place! i think big gurlz get extra points for forcing a re-visit. : )

sp11 spoiler

Denise Bein Kroll said...

Never fear, I am not an impatient person and if I remember the swap rules, you have plenty of time left! I'll look forward to the pictures when you can put them up.

peaknits said...

Can't wait for a peek at the Harvest Pal Socks - I had to frog mine, better get moving on it. BTW - loved your comment that "sock clubs don't count" - like that way of thinking!!:)