Slaving Away April

Its THAT time again - tax season! I do like tax, in fact I LOVE beating the TaxMan out of a nickel or two every year! But I hate the last minute rush, working all hours & tearing those tractor-feed piles into single sheets!! Sorting bags of receipts folded into one inch squares - why DO men do that anyway?? - has to be the ultimate horrible job but tearing piles of linked sheets into singles must be a close second!!

Despite all the aggravation, I've finished another pair of socks for myself! My pal Gail gave me this Regia for my birthday a year or two ago & I meant to knit it up sooner or later . . . And, thanx to Laura, I thought I'd put something different on for the toe!! I had planned bright pink but I've become rather predictable lately, sooooooo, here it is with a YELLOW toe for a change!!!

It's always fun to break into a new ball of yarn & see what kind of pattern it will make. This pair of short socks is knit in Opal & it certainly didn't imply it would become a dainty pattern between broad yellow stripes! It's actually been fun to see how it will turn out. I have yellow, which I think is too bright; turquoise, which may turn out to be just right; green, which I'm not liking much and lastly, white might be a good contender for the toes. I'll just finish turning the second heel & decide from there. This may end up as a committee choice! I figure I'll have enough Opal left to make a second pair of socks with a slightly different look . . . . .

No time to spin these days but if I get my butt in gear & finish all the returns piled up in my office, I may be able to spend next Saturday communing with my spinning wheel & the rest of the Arvik fleece. Gail says she's figured out that I will never finish anything for myself out of my handspun! Will too!! I just get too many projects going at once & tend to finish the smaller ones first. It just takes a hellova lot of knitting time to cover my Very Ample Self these days & I tend to lose interest when the next ball of sock yarn enters the house . . . . .

Easter Sunday

And its raining again. I remember Easter Sunday when I was a child. It was one of the few times my mother would actually get dressed up & attend the local church where we all went to Sunday School! Everyone would arrive in new clothes & Easter bonnets covered with flowers & ribbons. After church, we'd go Easter Egg hunting in the local park & then head home for a mid afternoon dinner of Ham, scalloped potatoes & home made pie with real whipped cream. Mom always cooked ham for Easter. And only she knew how to set the automatic, self-timing oven.

And what will I cook for dinner??? Probably stir fry over rice. I was given a turkey & I bought a ham but the turkey is in Ronn's nephew's freezer while the ham got cut into several big pieces since I'm on my own for Easter. Maybe I'll simmer up the bone today since a rich soup with lentils would taste good in the damp weather . . . maybe I'll cut up some small yams to throw into the soup as well. Hmmmmm

Haven't had the time to spin much of anything but I've been plowing along on my socks. I hope to finish the toes sometime this weekend - I'm going to use the yellow by the way - and then I want to start on the new Opal socks for Laura. Managed to get another row onto the crocheted afghan in the dark denim color last nite while watching tv while the printer printed off the latest batch of tax returns.

Good Friday in the Sunshine

It's been a very busy tax season so far and, wonder of wonders, the BT's disability company has actually sent a first payment! My bank account has been on empty for so long, I can't quite get used to having money at the end of the bills!! And, I was also given 5, brand new $100 bills to buy myself something for my birthday!!! He actually said "Curves or Clothes, its up to you"! Curves proved to be just too expensive for my taste so I bought some clothes! And now I may be able to purchase a folding spinning wheel . . . . I tell you, Money isn't EVERYTHING but you can't do ANYTHING without it in this day & age!!


So, what else am I doing with all my new found riches??? Well, I bought some Opal - 4 balls of it. Lynne, our travelling Socklady, brought some of her stash & I glommed onto several balls. The red, purple & multicolored balls will be for me while the yellow will be for the BT's mom who will probably match it up with her tan or brown outfits. I didn't buy anything MANLY but I still have several balls of the Sock-it-to-Me yarn from Elann which the BT's dad likes so I'm okay for birthday & Christmas. The BT has a dozen pairs of socks & can wait, dammit!


Speaking of the BT, he'll be moving in the next couple of months & I decided to finally make the afghan I promised him a couple of years ago. I bought several one-pound balls of Bernat acrylic in different shades of Denim blue. All are in faded shades, which I thought would look really nice together. Since I hate sewing things together, I'm crocheting it as one giant granny square. I could've made it into a giant rectangle but didn't think of it in time so he's getting a giant square instead. He won't care, he already loves the colors & can't wait to use it.




I've actually turned the heels on my latest socks which got abandoned for a while in the rush to make squares for Blankets4Canada. These are for me - I love the bright colors & won't ever change!! Laura, from the Wednesday Nite Nitters found a great blue & a yellow in Kroy which would make great toes for these socks although I thought a pink would work as well. Since I'm always choosing pink or red, I think I may just use the yellow for a change!

The next sock project is already in my knitting bag. Laura, from the Wednesday Nite Nitters, bought a ball of Opal in yellow with a little blue, green & white in it. She bought 2 balls of Kroy & 2 of Sisu in co-ordinating colors for the toes - I get to pick since I offered to knit the socks for her. Laura crochets & does some basic - real basic - knitting & I don't think we'll ever get her into socks. I do love to knit socks & can't wait to see what kind of pattern each colored ball makes - I must be crazy!!

Sunshine At Last!!


I spent most of today in the car, on the road & in and out of Starbucks. Its tax season again. I'm running all over town picking up, delivering & dropping off tax stuff. I have envelopes, boxes, bags & binders in my home office. I have a deep pile of printed tax returns in front of the printer waiting to be put together & stuffed into envelopes for Revenue Canada. I'm so glad it was sunny today! I actually stayed outside & soaked up some extra rays when I finally got home - I'll see how many rays in the morning when I see what color my face is . . . . .

I have 8 new squares in the Blankets4Canada basket. They're all in the rose/turquoise/green/yellow combo yarn from Bernat that I found in the stash. I decided to just knit it all up into squares for now & then find some nice grey or black in a compatible weight to make the rest of the blanket. I'll sprinkle the colored squares around so they show off like jewels in the solid background. This is getting to be fun!

And - I've traded my little white car for a loaded Safari Van. I confess my little car has developed some problems which need to be fixed but I don't have any money. Since ICBC STILL hasn't paid my partner ANYTHING for rehab, drugs, wage loss or medical treatments in almost TWO YEARS, we live day to day. Needless to say, my car has suffered. I broke a spring on the Pattulo bridge a couple of weeks ago - the curb lane is full of potholes which can't be dodged!! and the exhaust manifold is venting into my car because it's cracked. One of my clients offered me this van at a price I couldn't refuse - FREE. It has some minor problems but no one has to lay on the wet or cold ground to pull a tranny to fix these ones. Now I'll just have to learn to parallel park a van again . . . And now I have plenty of room to haul around a couple of spinning wheels, baggage & comfy chairs for several spinners . . . Whoooooeeeeee!

You Asked For It!


My Purple Glasses are here at last - I can read very, very well, I can watch tv very, very well but I can't walk very, very well with them. I have the progressives from the old prescription, which hasn't changed all that much but I can't read the fine print at all. Seems I need a much bigger lens to properly place everything but a bigger lens is waaaay too heavy & has too much peripheral distortion. As a result, I'm reduced to plain bifocals. So, I'll wear my old glasses to drive & use the new ones to watch tv & knit.

And I now have my new Denise needles!! I just love them! They're so light & warm! I've been using circular needles for years because they're easier on my hands & shoulders. I thought they were light but the Denise ones are so much lighter I can't believe it. I have two projects on the go where I've changed to the Denise needles as you can see. I love the fact that I can just add another extension or take one away as I need them. Too bad they don't come in the smaller sizes but I guess I'll cope!!

I've started knitting squares on my Denise needles - everything is so smoothly finished that the yarn moves really nicely - who knows, I may be working on strips before too long! Three down & one more on the needles - who says it takes a long time to knit a blanket??? These don't take any time at all in the Bernat worsted yarn on Denise needles! I'm using the old ball-band washcloth pattern knit from corner to corner on the diagonal. And, I'm using the 5mm needles so the fabric is a little thicker than I would make if it were an afghan for snuggling on the couch but the folks at Blankets4 Canada asked for a firmer fabric so I decided to use the smaller needle. I'd like to find one of the colors in the square or maybe even black to make the rest of the blanket. I think I have enough of this color to make about a dozen squares which I'd like to scatter here & there like jewels with the rest in a solid color. This is soooooo much fun!!

ITS RAINING CATS & DOGS


Woke up on Saturday to this pounding rain storm that has continued more or less for the whole weekend. Good time to stay home, make soup, do the laundry, finish my latest pair of socks & get started on the pile of tax returns in my office. It is now Sunday afternoon & the rain is STILL coming down! But, I finished my latest pair of socks. Aren't they great with the red toe???

I dug around in my stash baskets & found tons of old Bernat acrylic yarns - I used to make afghans for all my pals when they moved into new homes & have lots of odds & ends left over. I seem to have bought at least 3 one pound balls of red too! Wonder what I was going to do with that??? I have 2 one pound balls of shades of blue & 1 two pound ball of denim blue - I know that one was to make an afghan for my BoyToy when he moved to his new place but he hasn't moved yet . . . . I also found some nice balls of children's yarns in the same weight - I always have those on hand for kid's gifts but I guess they will soon become squares or strips for Blankets4Canada. Why not?? They've been in the basket for almost 9 years now . . . .

And then, there's all those nice creamy skeins spun out of Brown Sheep roving. Whatever to do with them??? I'm thinking of spinning up at least 10 of them & then dyeing them at the same time so I have enough in the same colors to actually make something for me. I may use them in a felted bag project - I still love Gail's Booga Bag. I'd love to have one bag for my wallet, keys, reading glasses & knitting!!

So, Saturday nite, I spent my time adding another skein to the giant bobbin on my spinner! I find spinning sooooo soothing & relaxing after a long day pounding on the computer!!

Oh by the way, the Purple Glasses are here at last but they won't photograph as purple!! I'm still trying to get used to them too. Its been a long time since I wore bifocals & I'd forgotten about stairs. If you aren't falling UP, you're falling DOWN!!

I can't believe its almost Wednesday!


The time is really speeding by these days - have you noticed its still light at 6PM??? And it was 17 outside this afternoon!! It was actually warmer outside the warehouse where I was working than inside today. I think spring is almost sprung, or trying its best. Remember my clematis?? Here's a little reminder of spring to come.


I got my new Denise Needles on Monday. I had to rush home after work to cast-on a dishcloth just so I could try them out. I like them. The joins are smooth. Other than being afraid I'll break them, I have no problems with the connectors, buttons or ends. Too bad the cord is too thick for needles smaller than the 3.25mm - I'd like to have these for socks too!
But, I very cleverly found sets of bamboo DPs in sizes 2, thru 3.25 on Ebay for 99 cents US + shipping. So, for 6 bucks US, I got four sizes with 5 needles in each. They look an awful lot like my Brittany's which cost me $10 for one size. So, I went back & bought the same four sizes in 40" circs as well for $15 US including shipping. I do like to knit some things on small needles & these seemed too much like a bargain to me.

The heels are turned on both of my new socks! This is the one that looked very pink in the photo but you can see its actually red. And it will have a red toe!

And it looks like I've joined Blankets 4 Canada. Seems like a very worthwhile cause to me. Contributors knit squares or strips which are joined together into blankets which are donated to shelters & places where people need warmth & comfort. What a great way to contribute to a fellow human's comfort, don't you think??? Just think of all the times you knit up a swatch. Make that swatch an 8" square & send it to me. I'll find it a good home!

So??? I've been busy, dammit!


Remember the Heatbeat sweater I was lusting after???

Well, I ordered it & started knitting on it right away! I had an idea for a light summer sweater in a yarn I had found in the Baby yarn department at Zeller's or Wallmart. I bought a couple of balls in several colors intending to make something for a friend who was pregnant. I ended up doing something different & I had these balls of Bernat Baby in the stash. I particularly liked the lavender & thought it might work for this sweater which was designed for a poly/cotton. I wanted something very light & drapey because I'm making a LARGE sized sweater!!! TADAAA It's actually a very simple, garter design that can be adapted to any yarn, any needle & any size! Jill designed a real winner in this sweater! Go to Http://www.justonemorerow.com and look under patterns! Jill has a lot of interesting bags, a hat or two & lots of specialty yarns designed for her creations. I love the fact that her sweaters come in multi-sizes & include small to MYsize!

I've also been working on my next pair of socks out of some of the bargain yarn I got from Elann. I've finished the heel increases on one sock & am now doing them on the other. You know how I like to work both socks at the same time!!! Not sure if these will actually go on my feet or if they'll go into the box of socks for charity. Maybe I should just do what Gail does & have a big box of socks knit up & let the recipient choose the ones they want! I have a great solid red that goes with this yarn to make up the toes! Yes, this is not pink, its RED.



Speaking of socks - Gail gave me a nice 100 gm ball of yarn for my birthday last year. I've wound it up into two balls - thank gawd for ball winders - & found the perfect hot pink for the toes too. The pink is a little brighter than actual in this picture - hey, I don't pretend to be a photographer!! - I know a lot of people think I'm weird after seeing some of my color choices. But, the camera lies!

And, speaking of lies - I haven't even got dressed yet & its almost noon. I lied to a client this morning - I croaked, coughed, sniffled & pinched my nose to simulate a condition I don't actually have - well, not that bad anyway. I did wake up sneezing, snuffling & blowing but I think its actually paper dust from all the stuff I'm working on. Its tax season. Let the fun begin!!

A Change in Store

I looked out the door this morning as the cat ventured forth, to a bright & much improved day. The barometer must be moving towards the DRY setting because my hands don't ache this morning. Is that actually a patch of blue???? Holy Crap!!

So I scurried around, found both pairs of the Retirement Socks & took quick pictures! No matter what the packages say, rechargable battery packages LIE!! The package said they were made for cameras but they're always low when you want to shoot a picture. I'm lucky I got these!!

So, here they are. The Retirement socks at last! Just in time for the official Retirement on Friday!! I think he'll be so pleased. These are both knit with the "Sock it to Me" yarn from Elann. I got one of her bags of 10 balls at a VERY good price with my Christmas bonus money & I'm busy spreading it around!!

My next pair of socks will also be knit from this yarn with a RED toe - Just for me!! I'm not sure what this yarn will look like when its knit up - I guess that's half the fun with this computer dyed yarn - I've rarely been disappointed. Have you noticed how 'Mystery' yarn always knits up faster than 'Plain' yarn??? And dark solid colors take the longest??? I have a 100 gm ball of Regia in hot pinks, blues, turquoise etc given to me last year that I intend to knit up for myself with Hot Pink Toes next. YUMMMM

A Closet full of Empty

I was looking in my closet this morning & wondering where all my clothes have gone. I can't remember the last time I bought anything other than underwear or sweats - well, I did buy some wild, turquoise, floral cropped pants last summer but I don't have anything to wear with them so I guess they don't really count. I've been so busy knitting socks for everyone in the immediate family that I haven't done anything for myself. Ooops. Time to get out the sewing machine & serger! I know I have some bright fuschia cotton/lycra in one of my bins which would make terrific cropped pants & might even match that wild pink merino I spun up for a shrug.

The Retirement socks are finished. Both pairs. He retires on Friday. I'll take him out for breakfast & present his socks over coffee. God, wouldn't it be nice to be retiring?? To stay home with my spinning wheel, sewing machine & serger for a couple of months. To be able to go to all the retreats, sales & classes. Wow.

Just one of those weeks


I didn't want to go to work this week & now I know why - its been one of those 'Anything that can go wrong will go wrong' kind of weeks. Nothing really went the way it should've. I forgot to close the sun roof in my car & got to SIT on my newspaper instead of reading it in order to avoid the wet spot. That horrible squeal under my hood that wouldn't go away even when I soaped the belt, turned out to be the belt below the one that I soaped & it charged my battery. I found this out when it tore itself off going around a corner! At least the car is quiet now . . . I couldn't stand the sticky, upsidedown deadbolt on my front door one more second(after nine years) so I tore the whole thing apart & tried to install a new one. Seems MY door is a half inch wider than the standard door! So I had to reinstall my old one - now I have to get used to locking my door in the right direction all over again. I think the only thing happy to see me at work this week was the Snake in my client's office. And now I have an overdue overdraft notice. I should've stayed in bed with the covers over my head!!

One thing about waiting around- you get to knit a row or two. And I've just about finished the promised Retirement Socks - two pairs of them! He retires on Friday, the 23rd. And I'll be ready! I've found some dark blue for the toes & you'll see them here first! I've even picked out the yarn for the next pair of socks. These will be for ME.

Gung Hay Fat Choi everyone - I think I'll just forget about this week & celebrate the start of a New Year with dumplings, BBQ pork & Banana rolls.

Monday morning & I don't want to work


I'm writing another missive to the joys of fibre crafts in order to avoid getting dressed for work. I have a day's worth of data entry, bank recs & manual adjustments to a year end & I just don't want to get started. It's the lethargy before the panic I guess since tax season has officially begun. I won't have time to knit or spin for a couple of months . . . well, officially that is. I mean, a fibre junky has to have her fix!

While spending yesterday quietly with a very painful chest from that allergy attack - I took up my knitting again & have started the shaping for the heels on my Retirement Socks2. The Queen's method for heels has freed me from the drudgery of picking up stitches that I can't always see along the heel flap. This method lets me make the gusset with yarn-over increases on either side of the slip 1, knit 1 heel in the middle. It's turned with short rows with a knit 2 together or purl 2 together at one end. The colored rubber bands mark the ends of each short row on the increase side & will be taken off on the short row decrease side. This heel is also nice & deep with a cushy bottom that all the friends seem to like. In fact, I like this heel to wear a lot more than the old one. You CAN teach an old sock a new trick!

And here is the fruit of my Saturday spinning!

The lump is what it looked like before I started! This wool is so very wonderful to spin - soft, just like butter with all the natural oils remaining.And no little dry fibres in the air to give me an asthma attack!!! It doesn't require any washing after spinning. I just soaked it to set the spin & hung to dry outside after beating it against the post a few times to separate the strands. I'm thinking of dyeing this yarn when I get 4 or 5 skeins. I'll probably use cyan, magenta & a little black & nuke it in the microwave to set the dye. I'm thinking about a shawlette to wear to work to stave off the chill that I get in some of my offices. I go in after hours or on the days when they're closed to find the heat turned down low. Sometimes it can be really cool & I don't want to heat the whole building just for me. I'm lucky though, at least I don't have to knit fingerless gloves to wear in my office like Gail.

A cool grey Sunday morning . . . .


I looked outside to find a pile of junk parked in the 'other' parking spot beside my driveway this morning. It looked about how I feel today. Yesterday the sun was shining, the sky was blue & I intended to spend the whole day of it indoors - SPINNING. With company of course!. After a whole day of spinning, food, good wine & laughter yesterday, I felt a little let down this morning when I looked out & saw that cool, grey day & the pile of junk. Yeah, I know who the junk belongs to but it would've been really nice if Someone(the BT) had bothered to ASK before depositing his buddy's car there. The buddy is moving to take a new job - with two weeks notice, poor guy - on the Island. Seems I now get to store the car till he gets back in March. And the BT totally doesn't understand why I'm just a little pissy . . . .

Speaking of Spinning - we really did have a good time yesterday!! As Gail mentioned, we really haven't done a lot of spinning lately. Well, I DID spend New Year's Eve & Day spinning instead of partying. But, we don't get a lot of time to get together & spin anymore. We decided we have to do it more often. Gail has the perfect house - nice woodburning stove, comfy furniture, kitties soaking up the heat on the wood floor & a view of the forest from all windows.
Karen came over from PoCo with muffins, I arrived with wine & bread while Gail cooked up low fat ravioli & smokies stuffed with spinach & feta! We toasted each other with my home made Shiraz & all was well in the world! Each of us spun up something different & we all decided processed fibre was our favorite. We dug into that big bag - 15 pounds of Brown Sheep Mill ends - & sent Karen home with some to try out while Gail & I divided the rest of the bag. I've come to prefer the 'egg' shaped lumps of wool to the mohair/wool blend simply because they're softer. That mohair blend is like spinning silk - it just flows off the fingers with little effort & spins into a beautiful even stream of yarn. I guess thats the problem - its just too damned perfect!

And I never even thought to take the camera.

Its Tax Time Again!!!


I truly love battling the TaxMan. I love the complexities of tax & the sheer silliness of it too. Tax is like a puzzle with fuzzy pieces, sometimes they don't fit together even when they look like they should & sometimes the magic happens & they fit into place when they shouldn't. It's all a game of 'whatcha callit'. Maybe it's just the challenge. I dunno. Maybe it's just that I learn something every year.

I was out digging in my potted garden this afternoon - trimming dead things, pruning, pulling out weeds that have sprouted & throwing out the peanuts that the local squirrel keeps burying in my pots! The dirty little Rodent got into my big, hanging, succulent basket & dug up several Hen & Chicks in its search for a spot of soft dirt. I really have to watch out when I plant everything in the spring because it will take advantage of the handy loose dirt to bury new treasures. And, when I find out which neighbor supplies the intruder with said nuts, the fur will fly! It's not like that squirrel ever eats those damned nuts or even comes back to get them, it just wants to bury them in MY baskets & pots. Does anyone have a BB gun for sale???

I found my first hole in a hand knit sock the other day. I couldn't believe it. But then, I sat there thinking about how long ago I actually knit that sock - it was more than 3 years ago, that's for sure. It might've been as long as 7 or 8 years ago that I knit that pair & they were one of the first I'd ever knit for myself. I knit for my husband, my father, boyfriend's & friend's kids but not for me. I knit my first couple of pairs in Invicta that I bought on-line from Red Bird Knits. The nearest yarn store that I knew of - other than acrylic or kitchen cotton - was in Vancouver or close to Metrotown. And the Metrotown store didn't sell sock yarns. So, I looked on line & found Red Bird. And ordered my first sock yarns. Funny how the time flies . . . . . now I can name half a dozen shops within an hour of my home that sell sock yarns.

And speaking of socks - the next pair of Retirement Socks are down to the heel shaping. I will have these ones done before he retires on the 23rd!! That's a promise.

I've always wanted Purple Glasses



I know you think I'm nutz but I've always wanted purple glasses. Not just purple frames but purple lenses. When I was really young, I loved RED. Bright red, blue red, blood red, orange red - didn't matter, as long as it was red, I bought it, wore it, dyed my hair with it, RED. I loved purple in the same way but it wasn't easy to find in the way that red was. As I entered my late twenties, I realized PURPLE was actually my color but I'd buried it under all that RED. So I started wearing purple & shades of pink. I actually had glasses with purple tinted lenses but couldn't find purple frames anywhere. And, just last week I found my purple frames. They're a lovely blueish purple, translucent & small & make me look less bitchy than my black ones. My horoscope says that the bad luck that's been following me for the past 10 years is over & that 2007 is MY year to succeed if I get off my ass I go for it. I think my Purple glasses are a step in the right direction . . . . .

My ex retires at the end of this month. He hated being forced out of his job at 65 & fought to stay. He hated holidays, had no real hobbies other than home, garage & Volkswagon Bugs. His friends had mostly moved away or died & he didn't make new ones easily. So he had his work. But, lately he's been complaining a lot so he figured it was time to "Do the Dirty Deed" & just retire. I'm sure some of the younger men will cheer & throw a party when his full time shift comes up for grabs!! He asked for socks for his retirement present. Seems I haven't knit any for him in years - well, that's true but since he wears a size 13WWW shoe, it's not an easy job!! It takes 3 balls to knit a pair for him when it only takes 2 for anyone else. I've decided to knit them a little shorter on the leg & do the foot for as long as the ball will go & just finish off with solid color. He doesn't care what color they are - smart man!!!! And here's the first pair of Retirement Socks

I've been forced to move . . . .


I am now on the NEW Blog. I was forced to move today. I just hope everything is still in its place as on the OLD blog - I worked bloody hard to learn HTML to put those buttons in place . . . .

And speaking of moving - I think I've moved the BT OUT of the little roomette next door! One of our buddies offered his basement suite to me but it's a little too small for me & I'd have to fight for street parking so I turned it down. But, I suggested he talk to Ronn who lives in what was once the master bedroom of my suite. Its a VERY large double room with fridge, kitchenette(very ette) with a full size bathroom & two large storage closets. Ideal for a guy who's not home much but horrible when you're home a lot & the kids upstairs are fighting, jumping, screaming & swearing before & after school. The new spot has a large kitchen/sitting room with two small bright bedrooms against the side of a hill but there's laminate floors, a great patio area outside thats private, two other quiet techie guys living there & it comes with heat, light, cable, internet & laundry built in. Who could ask for more!! I'll miss him but he HAS promised to look after OUR cat when I go to spinning retreats . . . .


I've finished the second pair of socks for 2007. I ended up putting grey toes on them because I ran out of yarn - I only had one ball & a bit, but it really went a looooooong way. I do love that Confetti yarn!! It has great yardage & does fluff when washed the first time. And I think they turned out pretty darned good in the end.

Presenting - socks #3 - the heel increases are already done on one sock & the other is in progress - I'll probably put solid toes on these just to tone them down a little although I have one 11 year old who thinks they're wonderful!! I thought I was buying "manly" yarn from the internet photo at Elann but they're pretty busy & bright!!! They remind me of my first Regia pair in purples & greys. I suspect they'll get a solid grey or blue toe because its impossible to match that green.


I think I'm just about ready to swatch for my Arvik sweater. If all else fails, I'll knit a plain garter sweater all in one piece from the neck down on circs although I'm still in love with the garter sweater knit in three pieces from Knitter's magazine. My second favorite from Cast On magazine is nice too but knit in Kureyon which is much heavier than my handspun but who knows, it may work up into a similar gauge. Its all up to the gauge swatch. My big basket is full of Arvik skeins & balls plus there's another couple hanging on my skein rack so I may just have enough to get started, hahahahah My Arvik is really overshadowed by that great skein of Aurelia merino in Hibiscus isn't it?? Gawd how I love that color & may have to send for another bag just so I have TWO skeins on the rack to brighten the place up . . . . Gail thinks I should knit a shrug for spring in the merino but I think its just tooooo pretty to fiddle with. Dammit.

The days just flash by . . . .


I can't believe its been almost two weeks since I wrote anything!!! Of course I finished the first pair of socks of the year fairly quickly but the BT put them on before I could get a pic!!! I'll remedy that later. Socks #2 are more than halfway done - I found a ball of blue, green & grey mottled yarn & decided to knit it up as far as it would go & then add something on for the remainder of the foot & toe. You know how much I like contrasting toes!!! And the yarn for Socks #3 is already chosen. I think #2 will go into the 'Red Cross' donation box.

I've got some ideas for some Frankensocks which also might go into the 'donation' box - hopefully, they'll be acceptable to the general public!!

I've also been knitting up some of my handspun dye experiment yarns into 8" squares. Most of the colors don't go together but I think they'd be okay if they were joined together with a black border - I'm thinking of crocheting them together into an afghan. Some of the squares are spun from Koolaid dye experiments, some are from a purple, beige & turquoise topknot I bought from Aurelia at last year's FibreFest & some are from splotch dyed yarns from my first acid dyes. So, the colors are all over the spectrum from purple to oranges to hot pinks & greens. I think they'd make a great 'granny square' type afghan as long as I use a one color border to join them. What else do you make with your "first" experiments????

More progress on the Arvik fleece - Two more fat, fluffy skeins - I've lost count of how many I actually have in the BIG basket!!! I'm beginning to think I should start knitting soon since I may even have enough yarn already spun for the basic sweater I have in mind. I found a sweater - actually a pullover but easy to make into a cardigan - that's made up of strips of knitting. The strips can be made as narrow or wide as desired. They can be knit in lace patterns, made like a sampler in squares or alternated in plain & garter if desired. The strips can be made as long or short as desired too. My kind of sweater in some ways because it can be knit in small sections - easy on the sore hands & portable!! But then, it has to be sewed together!! Sewing things together is not always my strong point!!
And, of course, I have the simple garter stitch sweater knit in three pieces that I found. Soooooo many sweaters, sooooo little time . . . . .

And Here We Go Again


The BoyToy had an appointment at the UBC Hospital at 9:00 AM yesterday. It was made by the Disability Insurance company in Ontario without consulting us or giving us time to change anything. And then it snowed. Just enough to ice up all the hills. We left Surrey at 7:06 AM knowing the route to the Alex Fraser Bridge & the EastWest Connector was a parking lot. We thought we'd sneak thru our backroads, go over the Patullo Bridge & go the old route down Marine drive. It took us an hour & a half to get TO the Bridge & another 20 minutes to get past the traffic trying to get to the Connector from New Westminster. Once we hit Marine Drive, the snow disappeared, the sun came out & we flew into the University only a half hour late. The Doctor was surprised to see us!!! I got the heel increases done on one sock while I waited in the $3.00 an hour parking spot! Eventually we got home. I took two aspirins & went to bed for a nap.

All of this cut into my knitting & spinning time but, who knows??? Maybe the Insurance company will finally bite the bullet & PAY! Then I can choose the travelling wheel I want. I've finished the Indian Sweater & the touques. I've started socks number ONE for the year but been too busy to finish them. I've been spinning Arvik hoping to start on that sweater & now I really, really want to get into that 15 pound bag of goodies!! I want to win the Lotto!! I want my fibre time back . . . .

New Batteries Make a Difference


I've had an education in batteries in the past couple of days. Seems the obsequeous digital camera has special needs when it comes to batteries! It absoluely, positively won't work with rechargables says the Guy who sold it to me. NOPE. NO WAY! Can't be, says me. Well, it DOES work for a couple of seconds on a newly charged, kickass GREEN battery! And I refuse to keep buying those 'Throw Away' batteries. So I got me some new NiMh Duracell rechargables to try. They cost a little more than the ordinary batteries but come with the charger!! And they work like a Hot Damn!!! Seeeeeeee - you CAN run a digital camera on rechargables! Now I can take photos again.

So the skein of Hybiscus merino is now in living color. I haven't got the color quite right - someday I'll learn about lighting - but it's close! And, yes, the picture is sideways . . . .



And my cotton/polyester fluff experiment?? Yeah, I took a pic of it too! This is the stuff the hairdresser tucks around your hairline when you're getting a perm.

The first sock of the year - still in production!!! this is knit from the Black Stonewash from ELANN in Richmond. I ordered a bag & 4 extra balls in Blue Stonewash & Black Stonewash. The BT doesn't like socks that're too colorful - hey, I got him out of WHITE socks!!! He prefers the blue or black splotchy Confetti but I thought he might like the Stonewash colors so I ordered them for him. If they're too colorful, his dad will grab them, that I know!!! I may just mention his dad to make him wear them . . . . .

Whew - I was working on the computer in PoCo when that wind just slammed into the building making all the lights flicker!! We thought at first that a truck had slammed into the building!!! Within minutes we could hear sirens & the lights at the corner - McLean & Kingsway - flew across the street as the wires came down with the next blast!!! We shut the place down & left early, hoping to avoid a major mess out there. I was lucky, only had the usual Bridge traffic jam & managed to get home safely with only one other intersection without power!!! I noticed the Port Mann bridge traffic backed up on the north side going west as usual. I've never figured that one out. The traffic jam should be on the south side going east at this time of day . . . .

Another Winter Surprise


The Cat has to be first out the door in the morning. She's still looking for the Door into Summer and was NOT a happy camper this morning. She demanded I open the door this morning but shifted into reverse very quickly & backed between my legs in her haste to get back to her warm spot. I, on the other hand, had to get out of the warm spot, go out, get cold, brush off the snow & drive to meet someone across town. Cats are definitely smarter than us.

I was rooting thru the bags of stuff I have piled up in a very large wicker basket & came across a few yards of fluff I got from my hairdresser. You know the cottony stuff they put around your hairline before a perm or color??? It looks like cotton balls by the yard??? Its actually a polyester/cotton blend - mostly poly I think - & I wondered if I could spin it. So I got a sample & finally spun it up on New Years Day as I watched the Holmes on Homes marathon. It was interesting. It spun inchworm style in a thick & thin yarn for a bit, then into a lovely smooth yarn before going back to lumpy & bumpy. I haven't set the spin, knit a sample or dyed it yet but it does feel lovely. I'm thinking about checking out the hairdresser price of this stuff . . . .

I also spun up a 100 gm bag of Hybiscus merino from Aurelia fibres. I took it to Show & Tell when it was still damp but Gail counted the yards & there was 420 in sock weight yarn. She suggested I knit a shawlette on big needles since its in that wonderful shade of blued pink that suits me so well. Now to find a pattern!

I treated myself to a bag of sock yarn from ELANN. I wanted some 'manly' colors & this was just too good a deal to pass up. I got 12 balls of self patterning yarn - reminds me of Confetti - for just under $50 - including tax & shipping!! I've already cast on the first of many pairs to come this year!! I promised to knit some for the Red Cross Loan Cupboard last year but didn't have time so they're first on the list this year. The Red Cross sells handmade stuff & uses the money for equipment which they loan out. Walkers are the most requested item.

The Indian Sweater is complete & is being worn as I type. I picked up stitches around the neck & knit a hood to top it off. The recipient had pneumonia over the holidays - AGAIN, so she was very happy to have a really warm sweater. I may have to make a couple of vests for two others now but they're a lot quicker to make! Since I hate sewing things together, I knit it all in one piece but that makes it really heavy! Knitting the sleeves in the round on an already heavy sweater is REALLY heavy going!! But, other than crocheting in the occasional end, there's NO FINISHING!! And I hate finishing.

As the Year Turns


I'll be sooo glad when all the Holiday Hoopla ends. When you're single,(separated is good enough!) have no close family & childless, its a tough & lonely time of year.

Ronn & I used to host the Orphan's Christmas Dinner for our orphaned friends who had nowhere to go. He'd cook the dinner, supply the tree & the dishwasher!!! I shopped, wrapped & supplied gifts & got to clean up the damed kitchen afterwards. They'd eat, drink, make a mess, fall asleep & leave with goody bags of leftovers that we didn't have to eat. After a few years we realized the orphans were all gone & there was just US left. And I just wanted time to spin. Not a good year for the BT.

So I'm hoping to shift him off for this New Year's evening to celebrate with a bunch of guys who just want to drink, play cards, blow off steam & yahoo into the wee hours with no women around to laugh at them. I want to spend the evening with my spinning wheel! And Arvik.

I ordered a new pattern from Just One More Row!! I love the neckline of this sweater, its easy to knit & I'm hoping to knit it out of my handspun. It goes up to a size XXXL if I remember correctly - which is 62" & all sizes are in the pattern. So, if you & your much larger or smaller friend both love it - you can both use it!!! I love Jill's patterns, they're inexpensive, easy to knit & the customer service is great. Jill is a one woman company. And, most of the designs DON'T have to be sewn together, they're knit in one piece with minimal finishing . . . . She also has some really interesting bag patterns which can be bought as a kit or just by the pattern. She's worth checking out.

So, I'm hoping the New Year will be better financially for me - the BT has been off for 19 months since his car accident & it looks like he has a permanent disability. We are NOT happy about that. ICBC & the Disability company STILL haven't paid wage loss or rehab. We've learned that paying for insurance doesn't necessarily mean you'll get it if you NEED it. A Lotto win over $100,000 would be appreciated. My Horoscope does say my financial situation will improve in 2007. Bout time.

The Aftermath


Another Christmas with its guilt, excuses, complaints & excesses is over! I ignored the whole thing, stayed home, fondled Arvik & watched all the oldies on tv. Had a great day. I delivered presents hither, thither & yon but otherwise avoided the obligitory 'family' gatherings. I'm getting much better at this as I age . . . . .

And what did I get for Christmas??? Peace, quiet, a box of sock yarn from Elann & some LUSH goodies I ordered on line! Oh yeah, & my half of that 15 pounds of mill ends from Brown Sheep. The BT wants to buy me the most expensive, elaborate spinning wheel made by man but I keep trying to talk him into something plain, small & portable . . . . he can buy it when I find it!!

I spent Christmas eve & most of the Day spinning Arvik - I have two more big, fat, fluffy skeins . . . and I'm working on a third one while I watch the Home & Garden channel tonite. I was going to dribble some Astro Blaster Blue Koolaid on a bump or two from the big bag of mill ends today but got involved in other fibery things & forgot - too bad I have to work tomorrow!!! But, who knows, I may just do it tonite before bed because it'll take days to dry!! One thing about dyeing with Koolaid - you don't need any vinegar & its not totally necessary to wet the whole thing. I can inject the dye into the centre of the 'egg' & just let it dry. The fun will come when I pull out the centre & spin it up. I've got a request for a touque so this might be an interesting way to liven it up.

And of course, I've been yakking about the neat sweater I found for Arvik. It was designed for silk waste but I think it would be ideal for Arvik's lovely range of greys. Its knit in garter stitch with an elongated stitch between every couple of garter rows. Each of the three pieces is knit in a different direction with an asymmetrical front - hopefully it looks as good on someone WITH boobs as it does on someone WITHOUT!!







Geeze, did I say BOOBS?? Sweaters are hard to knit when you have em gang. And then add a belly as well . . . . . Can you say "fitting problems"???? Oh well, I'm going to give this one a try, after all, it may work out. And, what have I got to lose anyway?

Two Days Before Christmas & all Thru the House . . . .

The BumBags are all packed

and by the door they are stacked!

Stuffed with goodies, snacks & socks

even toothbrushs & paste all in a box.

The BT's small orange box filled with loot

became a crate of surprises, oh what a hoot!!

I've packed up boxes for his nephew & son

and knit socks for his dad & his mom.

I hear there's a turkey & a ham

waiting to come here & get in the pan.

So, I'm buying milk, triscuits & dip

locking the doors & no, its not a fit

I'm spending the holidays totally shut in

and communing with fibre while I spin!!


Speaking of Goodies - here's a picture of the three handpainted skeins I won for the 'OOPS' story I sent to Canspin. Joanne, of Homespun Angoras Fibre Co, did all the work for our Secret Santa exchange AND supplied the prize for the story contest!! The skeins are wonderfull!! She sent along a slipper pattern, can you imagine???? But they're much too nice for SLIPPERS!!!!! A Hat would be more like it. Or a nice long scarf or even a Hoodie Scarf - you know the kind - you make an extra long scarf, fold it in half & sew a short seam up the centre so it makes a hood & then you wrap the ends around your neck. We use to make them when I was a kid for skating. They stayed on your head & around your neck better than just a scarf. And the back of your head was warm too.


And Speaking of Secret Santa . . . Here's a pic of the lovely painted SILK my SS sent me! Its from Legacy Studios in Alberta . . . I just love looking at it!!!! I have some plain hankies that I wanted to dribble dye & some wild colored silk waste that I bought last year at Fibre Fest . . . . I wonder if I can pick up the colors somewhat & dye the hankies so they'd bridge the gap between the colors in this & the waste . . . . . hmmmmmm. I also dug out an old shawl I spun & crocheted up in the 70s. I was so dumb I never set the spin in the yarn. So, I pulled it apart, including the fringe - hey, there's two bricks of silk in that thing!!!


And then there's Arvik to finish spinning. I love Arvik. She has such variation in color in her grey fleece which is soooooo soft. Linda Wendelboe keeps Arvik for me, LOL. I've finished another two fat skeins for my sweater & intend to finish spinning up the smaller Arvik fleece over the holidays - yes, I'm keeping my hands off the BIG BAG until this fleece is done!! I want to wear this ARVIK sweater sometime this winter!!! The actual sweater will be simple to knit, comes in three pieces with an asymmetrical front & is found in INKnitting, the Fall, 2005 issue.

So much fibre, sooooo little time!! I have so much fibre hanging round here these days that I'm planning on adding a codicil to my will so I can leave it to some other Fibre Fanatic when I die!!

How the Time Flies When Yer Having Fun!!



I suddenly realized I haven't blogged for ages. I've got new things on the go, too many places yet to go, less time to go & its almost time for the country to shut down for Christmas!! But, I suppose there's still time to hock our souls to the Gods of Guilt, Tradition & Commerce . . . Do I have the "Christmas Spirit"?? Hell NO! Bah Humbug & all that.
I see all the families telling their sad stories to the newspapers so they can get a hamper & toys for the kids - what about their struggle to survive the rest of the year??? And, what about all the people who have no one? Its lonely enough for some but this constant barrage makes it even worse. Is there Really ANY Christmas Spirit out there??? I wonder.


Speaking of commercial stuff - I got my 15 pound bag of Brown Sheep mill ends!!!! Actually, I've been spinning, dyeing & knitting up samples - couldn't keep my fingers out of it!!!! It came about 3 weeks after ordering, no duty or GST & the box expanded nicely when I opened it!!! About a third of the bag is wool/mohair in lovely roving. The mohair blend always has a pink line thru it to identify it which rinses out easily. This pic shows it as it comes out of the bag! I am just thrilled with the quality of fibre in the bag!!! It ended up costing $150.58 for 15 pounds. Gail & I are splitting this one so I guess we'll be spinning for some time to come. We've already talked about having a dyeing party in the summer . . . . .

The rest of the ends look like large, firm, oval eggs - the wool pulls out from the centre of each weird egg so I'm figuring this is the last inside bit from a huge cone that wound from the outside. There's about 5 kinds of fibre in this bag, a polworth I think - spongey, soft & stretchy; a hairy, glossy, almost hairy fibre in sheets - might just be mohair; a glossy, creamy roving; a really crimpy, dense but soft fibre & the mohair/wool.
I spun up a little of each, dyed some & knit a small swatch for my Sheep Book. I think I like the Polworth even better than the mohair/wool roving although the roving spins up beautifully, evenly & finely. Sigh . . . . . this is a wonderful bag of stuff!!!!


I am completing Sock #26 this year for the male part of the 'Parents Who Have Everything' just in time for Christmas. They get socks now for Birthdays, Christmas & Anniversaries which makes the gift giving easy!!
I'm using my Bamboo Skewer needles here with Confetti in the light blue splotch dyelot. I started off with 73 sts & am using the Queen Kahuna heel. Yes Virginia, I no longer knit a flap & struggle to see to pick up those stitches on either side!!!! It took 3 pairs of socks before I got the method firmly in my noggin but now I can do it in my sleep without the lights on. I like this heel because there's lots of room in it & I can do my favorite slip 1, knit 1 ribbed heel from the back of the heel all the way around to the instep, giving a nice cushy heel!
The BT loves this cushy heel & got his socks at the beginning of December. Two more pairs to go to girls who asked for Frankensocks!!! And how many days till the Big Day??? Yeah, I'll get em done!!!