HOW many days

until Christmas? And don't forget that some gifts will be wrapped and opened early ...

Progressing nicely on the items being made for gifts. Now for the wrapping.

Winter seems to have arrived, as evidenced by the ice on Lake Scugog and the hundreds of geese that flew by this morning complaining of that fact. Have you ever heard a LARGE flock of geese? The noises they make is absolutely incredible. The vision was certainly worth being delayed for work over.

Now ... only five days until JEFFREY arrives for a visit! Yahoo! The big question, of course, is whether he will arrive on the scheduled flight, with luggage in hand. Or what adventures will befall him on his appointed travels? It's always an adventure.

Knitting news -- Just making progress. Will show pictures after the holidays. I figure I'll have it figured out by then!

A second project

So ... I have once again started a second project. At the urging of my son's honey and with the encouragement of C. Does she know what she's done?! How can I finish her sweater when I am working on another?!

One stitch at a time. One stitch at a time.

Going Home

Oh boy! One more hour of work and then ... I'm going home for the holidays! Thanksgiving in Muskegon! I'm SO excited.

The sweater for C. is one of those projects that I've learned to hate. Shaker rib -- bleah!! But I do (finally) have most of the back completed. Onward and upward from here.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Pattern difficuties

So yesterday I tried to start C's new sweater. Decided to do a swatch. Couldn't figure out the pattern. Supposed to be a rib effect, but the directions didn't really sound like a rib. So ... posted on Knit'n'Chat. Where someone was kind enough to spell it out for me. Duh. Knit into the stitch below. So I started.

I **HATE** it!

The picture shows the sweater with a distinct rib. This pattern is not gonna produce a rib effect. And it's difficult to do, simply because it is so boring.

So then I tried another concept -- K1B, P1. Followed by K 1 row. This produces a nice rib effect, without the firmness of a regular rib. Even D. likes it better than the original concept.

So ripped out the sweater AGAIN (all 6 rows) and started again. Already I hate this sweater.

Miracles Continue

I have finally finished the Scarf for my darling daughter, C. She squealed with delight, jumped up and down, snatched it from my hands, and immediately tried it on.

Gotta love 'em when that happens.

Now I am working on the socks that I had started during the scarf extravaganza. Another pair of hand-knit socks. Yum!

Have confirmed that the church will indeed be sending mittens up north again. This means that another skein of stash will disappear into more mittens. Possibly more than one skein ...

We are getting the upstairs bedroom nicely outfitted to be the parental retreat. Which means that I will have another little cozy corner to sit and knit. Or do mending. Or read. Whatever. Nice to be making some progress on the house.

And it's All Saints Day. So many people this year to be added to the list -- Mom, Jackie, Katherine. All greatly missed.

Miracles

Well, just to let you know that yes, indeedy, miracles do happen.

I now have two projects on needles at the same time. Yes, you read that correctly. Two of 'em!

First is the scarf for C. After two and a bit skeins, it isn't as long as she'd like. Lucky for me, I have more of the same dye lot available. So we just keep going until it is long enough.

And, while my knitting was traveling about with D. on his expedition to search for a new car, I started another sock. You see, I just couldn't suffer from SSS (second sock syndrome) any longer, especially since I had received the matching yarn.

So there you have it. Two projects on needles at the same time. And both progressing. Go figure!

Adventures in Knitting

So C. asked for a scarf. Suggested I use up some of that alpaca yarn I've got stashed. I explained that she'd have to settle for a "regular" acrylic scarf and practice ownership ... you know, EARN the alpaca. 'Cuz if she damaged the alpaca scarf I'd have no alternative but to kill her.

Amazing. She understood the reasoning.

Started the acrylic scarf. Simple twisted garter stitch pattern. Lasted about all of 10 rows. Yuck. Ripped it.

Started a new scarf with a shaker rib. Got 4 feet done -- over half way done. Too curly. Ripped it.

Started one with a pattern called "Saxon Braid" from a learn-to-knit booklet. Looking good! 16 rows of pattern and am now on the third repeat. Yippee! Looking great!

So much for needing a set-in-stone pattern for making things. :-)

Wednesday

And I have survived another half-week. Whew. And from here it's a downhill shot towards the LONG weekend! Yippee.

On knitting news ... the yarn I ordered from Redbird Knits arrived. It matches both orphan balls of sock yarn! Yippee. So now I can finish one pair of socks and make two more pair. I am so happy!

Mittens are chugging along. I have started the second mitten of pair #7. The darn pink yarn doesn't end! I am guessing that I'll get pair #8 out of this colour as well.

The rest of my hand-knitting yarn came home from storage. I didn't realize that I had so much alpaca yarn. Hanks and hanks and hanks of it. Now to find a really nice pattern for it.

And I'm remembering that I also have two alpaca ponchos stored away. Now that they are stylish again, I will get them out and wear them. Possibly C. will too. One never knows!

Went to an alpaca farm over the weekend. The alpacas were tired of meeting people and consequently not very friendly. But they are absolutely adorable. The literature I picked up says that this farm does boarding of alpacas ... hmm ... I'm seriously tempted, to say the least. In any event, I now have found a place to purchase alpaca yarn! Yippee!

And only two weeks until the Sewing & Needlecraft show in Toronto!

Tuesday

Sat and knitted last night for ... quite a long time. Am ALMOST finished with D.'s dickie. We tried it on to test for length ... he doesn't like turtlenecks so we are both a bit apprehensive. He says he thinks it's long enough.

Apparently, I didn't phrase the question right. I should've said "You want it long enough to come up over your nose, right?" which would've meant that I could go purchase another pair of Addi turbos.

Unfortunately, he says it's long enough. So no more Addis. Grr.

Then it's on to mittens for church.

One of the bloggers that I read announce that she would no longer be thinking of titles for her posts. Mmm. That might be a good idea! Wonder if I can adopt that policy.

OK. I do understand why people have more than one project going at a time. I really do. But can I do it? It's so difficult.

Did I mention today that I hate my job? For plenty of reasons. The latest -- the lawyer has refused to authorize a raise for his secretary that just completed probation. He didn't want to take her off probation because she hasn't really proven herself. Well, that's not her fault that he took most of the summer off! What a jerk!

If I didn't have to work, I could do lots more knitting.

Wednesday

Man, what a day. Here's hoping I win the lottery tonight and I can quit my day job. It really sucks. The workplace is toxic ... I can't make any meaningful improvements ... and, in fact, I've become infected by the poison. I want out! So today I sent out a resume. This after sending one out yesterday. Here's hoping for good things.

Still working on D.'s windcheater. OK. So now I begin to understand why people have multiple projects on the go. Ribbing is BORING! I wanna knit something more exciting!

On that note ... I have found the yarn that matches what I already have and even ordered it. Tomorrow I send in the cheque and then I can start waiting (im)patiently by my mailbox. Guess I'm not done making socks!

Here's hoping that tomorrow is a better day.

Doctor's visits

Today was a recheck for a multitude of sins. Good news -- I'm still breathing. Bad news? Well, the blood pressure is higher than she'd like, and that's with the medicine. Too much stress. Not enough knitting I guess.

Am putting the edges on the windcheater. Interesting. Corners.

Stopped at Michael's looking for yarn for C.'s sweater. No go. I can't believe that I've been to three stores and can't find enough yarn to make a sweater. Grumble!

Can't wait for October and the big yarn show.

Monday -- ack!

Monday ... well, at least the sun was shining today.

Grizzly day at work, doing bank rec. Looking forward to a bit of time in my rocking chair and my knitting. D.'s windcheater is coming along nicely. Except that I've shortened it both front and back, which means I had to redo the math for how many stitches to pick up for the edging. Not too bad, really. BUT ... since I shortened the front, will the head-opening be large enough for the head to fit through? THAT is the million dollar question. And add to it the fact that he doesn't like turtlenecks anyway ... I do hope he wears it. Am thinking that possibly I will just make a button placket on the shoulder and up the collar and avoid the "not fitting" syndrome.

On another note ... visited Wool Queen in Oshawa on Saturday. Rather a disappointment. All that waiting and dreaming ... small yarn shop, limited selection. Makes that one in Ann Arbor look mighty inviting.

Took C. with me Saturday, hoping to pick out some yarn for another sweater for her. Found a couple that she likes ... not enough in stock to make a sweater. Of course, she can order it for me ... rather difficult to tell when I'm gonna be able to get back in there ... I passed.

Waiting with bated breath for October 16.

What a day!

What a day. And again, what a day.

After months of anticipation, I visited the Wool Queen in Oshawa. Can you say disappointment? Can you say let-down? Can you say not as advertised? All of the above. Small, limited selection, and not enough yarn for the sweater I wanted to make. And I tried three different yarns, and she couldn't do it. Not once. Grumble.

This means that my current favorite yarn store is still in Ann Arbor -- 4.5 hours of driving. Rather far, I'd say. Not o mention that I'd have to pay import duty and that stuff.

Grrrrr.

But on a lighter note ... The windcheater I am making for D. has a completed back (sans edgings) and a good start on the front. Hurray! The yarn is Galway -- an Irish worsted knitting wool, 100% wool. Just absolutely delightful wool. Truly a delight to work with.

Ah ... Friday at last!

Spent an enjoyable evening knitting with my Addi turbos and that wonderful Galway wool. The windcheater dimensions are HUGE! Showed D. how large it would be and we agreed that it should be scaled back a bit. OK. Can do!

Just love those Addis. Have demonstrated to both D. and C. how to read my new knitting book and see what needles I have. Just so that they don't duplicate needles, ya know?

Feeling blue today. For what reason I have no idea. Didn't clue in to the anniversary of 9/11, so that's not it. Really am not distressed that the firm didn't implode last night, so that's not it. Have a job, so that's not it. Wish I could figure it out. I HATE feeling like I'm gonna cry all the time.

Thursday ... Raining again!

Well, it's Thursday morning, and it is pouring. Not just raining. Pouring. As if we haven't had enough rain! And, even worse, I have to get up and go to work. At least it's payday. And that means only one more day until the weekend!

Finished the straps on daughter's tube top. Tonight I'll get pictures and post in my photo album. Started husband's Windcheater ... otherwise known as a dickie for us Yankees. Thank goodness I get to use my second pair of Addi turbos! They are so wonderful.

I made a point of showing C. where my new knitting book is, and how to use it. There's a page where I list the Addi turbos that I actually own. So that she can see what size to get me next. Also, I told her that there will be pages in there for projects I want to make, as well as notations on the projects I actually complete. All this right under D.'s nose so that he, too, will be able to figure out what to get me. Sometimes tact isn't enough.

The windcheater is made from a lovely 4-ply yarn imported from Ireland. 100% wool, and a light sage green. More details later, of course. D. was muttering something about not knowing if he'd actually wear it. He better -- or let me wear it skiing. One or the other. Or else! Anyway, it's a 4-ply knitting worsted weight, knit on size 3 (American) needles. Can you say tight-knit? But not painful. Interesting. It'll be great. I'm kinda hoping he doesn't want to wear it!

September 7

Yippee! I finished the last sock ... well, for a bit anyway. Still waiting for a package in the mail with two more balls of sock yarn ... so that I can make um ... three more socks! Then what to do with the leftovers? I am wondering if I could squeeze some baby socks out of the remainders ...

Which means my needles are trying to be empty! Fat chance! I am going to be putting straps on the tube top I made for my daughter. (Shadow, made with Rowan Calmer) Don't know how it got to be too large, especially since my gauge was slightly tighter than suggested. But now I will just pick up stitches at the top of the cables and carry them up and over the shoulders. Shouldn't take too long ... I hope.

The more I read blogs and Knit 'n Chat (at Delphi forums), the more I realize that I am strange. It really bugs me to have more than one project on the go. I wonder why that is.

Friday -- at last!

And what a relief it is!!! And it's a long weekend! Can't get any better than this!

This weekend is the Fall Fun Days for the Cottage Owners Association. Ball game, horseshoe tournament, dances, corn roast, pancake breakfast ... so much to do and so little time to do it all in. Have to be selective.

Started the last sock last night -- half the ribbing completed. Yahoo!

Gorgeous day here -- sunny and warm. Why couldn't it have been like this in the summer time?

Another day ... another dollar

Here it is, halfway through another day at work. Boring as all get out. Looking forward to going home tonight and having dinner with the family ... watching movies with the girls (step-daughter is visiting today) and knitting. I'm just starting sock #4 of the last colorway of sock yarns! Yippee.

Next on my to-do list is to make straps for the Rowan Calmer top I made for my daughter. It is too loose to stay up and she wants the straps. I knew she would ... just couldn't convince her. I figure it'll take me an evening or so and then that'll be done too.

After that ... need to decide if it's mittens for church or the windcheater (dickie for you Americans!) for my husband's skiing adventures.

Interesting thing I've noted about myself. It really drives me absolutely BATTY to have more than one project going at a time. Wonder why that is ... especially since I'm an ADD child. You'd think I'd need multiple projects.

First steps

First steps ... new beginnings. September first seems like a good day to start something new. So here I am.

Am ordering two more balls of sock yarn so that I can finish up all the wild socks I've been making. Gotta be more careful when trying to match up yarns is the lesson to learn here. And then I hope to be done with my "sock fetish" as my daughter calls it.

Then it's on to the mittens for the mitten tree at church. Such a good cause ... and such a wonderful way to use up cheap acrylic yarn!

Followed by ... the never-ending list of things I WANT to make!