Sunday Morning Again

THIS week I'm taking three days off in a row. At least I'm not planning anything work related other than answering the phone I so calmly call-forwarded yesterday. No one is around at ANY of the businesses that I normally work for. NO ONE. Isn't that amazing??? I suppose the dogs are there but other than that, no one is around. Must be that big fat Blue Moon that made this happen!! Aren't strange & wonderful things supposed to happen during the Blue Moon??? For those who don't know - a Blue Moon is the second full moon in a month! Rare, apparently. And we don't get another one for years.

But, as I said, I don't have to be anywhere for the next three days. Think of the possibilities! All the bills are paid. I could take the car out & just drive north, south or east without stopping for a day or two . . . but then I'd have to come back again. So I might as well knit.

I'm a fan of the Cabin Fever gals & just had to have their new book, 'Need a Plus Cardigan?' I like NO SEW, Top-down patterns especially when they come in versions for multiple weights of yarn. And having a pattern designed especially for a large body?? With variations to make multiples?? You Bet. I'll buy that!! I have other Cabin Fever patterns & I like them. I'd been working on my Poncho Pullover until it got too warm to have it in my lap. And then I got involved in the Tour de Fleece & knitting my hand spun into socks for the Ravellenic Games. So it's time to get back to Fall knitting . . .

The Book's release is being celebrated by a Knit-a-Long using one of the sweaters in the Book. Julie from Knitting at Large, Deb from Cabin Fever & friend Robin are all helping us out on this one. I figure if I join a KAL, I might get something finished in time for FALL this year. Seems I can knit for others a hellova lot faster than I can for myself. And I have all that Briggs & LIttle Heritage in two shades of blue. Apparently Deb likes B&L & has used it several times in her new sample sweaters in the book!! I just love the Panel Sweater. I love the version with the lace but you can't knit that in Heritage!! Heritage is a worsted weight more suited to outdoor wear & hoodies! It's rustic but soft & comes complete with bits of straw - but, it should work nicely with the Lace Frock Vest pattern. I'd put a 3/4 sleeve on it & wear it hip length as a light jacket over leggings or jeans! You know, I think I just made up my own mind.

A Funny Thing Happened

I've had trouble getting into my very own blog. There's supposed to be a little orange square with a B in it up in the left hand corner of my blog that lets me enter when I want to make a post. My B has been missing in action!! Only this morning, as I tried once more, it appeared & let me into the NEW POST section. Whoo Hoo!! Not that there's much to report around here in the Basement these days. I am inundated with Red Geraniums! I was a flower PIG when they got marked down & I bought too many so there's pots of them everywhere. I rescued an Orchid that almost died due to neglect & it's flowering again for me!! My Taro didn't die over the winter like I thought but put up a new leaf & is now churning them out like crazy. The Fern Garden is healthy & the Christmas Cacti are blooming again - second time this year!!! And, I'd like to report that my sore right knee seems to be getting better - I can actually walk up stairs almost like an adult again!! I've been sweltering in Orthopedic sneakers this August whilst most of you wear sandals but it seems to have stabilized my knee. Let that be a lesson, slopping about in Thongs is bad for you when you get OLD.

I DID start winding off all that Black Sheep mill end yarn I've been spinning on the Old Indian spinner. My knee's been too sore to spin. I'd been working on finishing all the 'lumps' in the 15lb grab bag I bought several years ago from the Sheep Shed Studios. Even though I shared that bag with Gail, it still left an awful lot of really nice wool to spin. I got mostly lovely wool/mohair roving & lumps or knots left over from the spinning machine. I preferred the feel of the 'lumps' & chose to spin them first. The biggest problem with them is that they breed in the bag when you're not looking. At least that's how it seems - just when I think I'm finished, I find another handful!! So, I had an overflowing giant bobbin - it holds a pound or two, can't remember which but it's a lot - spun up to fingering sized singles. I have 8 other skeins of the same - it's plain wool which reminds me a lot of Polworth - almost spongey, a very soft springy wool - & I wanted to dye the whole lot at the same time so I could use it in a larger project. Winding off that huge bobbin is a royal pain in the ass!! I have to wind it onto a 2 yard niddy noddy before steaming & dyeing. I'd like to keep it uncut & on a cone of some sort but, I guess if I want to dye it, that's out.

All along I wanted to knit this yarn into a Kimono style sweater/jacket. I have the Knit Kimono & Knit Kimono Too books by Vicky Square & have fallen for a couple of the patterns. I think the hand spun will work well for Kimono styles.

Now all I have to do is win the Lotto so I have the time to spend my Golden Years in the pursuit of fibre, spinning, knitting & dyeing.

PHEW!

I finished the socks but not the sweater! My Arvik Ribbons sweater turned out to be a much bigger job than I expected but the hand spun socks are done. I discovered that hand spun socks take longer to knit than mill spun yarn. Dunno why but they do. They DO feel nice & cozy though & I can't wait to wear them. They're very definitely Fraternal socks - maybe even cousins instead of siblings - but this is the way I spun the yarn that made them. They could almost belong to different pairs of socks but I'm proud of them.

So I got my medal for the Ravellenics Sock Put. And I finished my purple socks. So? What next?? Well, I had this 100gm ball of yarn that had been calling to me for some time but I was too busy to listen. Since I finished my sock project but didn't have enough time left to finish the sweater or knit the other pair of hand spun socks, well, I slipped & fell into the arms of the new sock yarn. It's ON YOUR TOES by Kertzer. It's a dark & moody ball of bubblegum pink, eggplant & navy. I have no idea where it came from - it might've been a gift or a trade but it was in my stash & has been calling my name for a couple of months. Seduced by a ball of yarn - again. I decided to knit socks that just cover my ankle since I don't have a lot of short socks. I can't wear shoes or sneakers without a sock so I make short socks for summer when I'm not flopping around in my thongs or sandals. I finished the first sock quickly & the second sock was started yesterday - as I've said before & I'll say it again - new colorways knit up faster!! They really do. I think it's the excitement to see what kind of pattern the dyed wool will make. These socks are very soft - apparently there's ALOE in the yarn - and look a whole lot better than the yarn suggested in the ball. I think I'm going to like wearing these ones.
I used the standard pattern in my head. Cast on 69sts, the first & last are knit together at the join. Rib for three inches, stockinette to the heel flap, knit side gussets on either side of a K1,S1 heel flap. I usually increase 13 or 15sts on either side of the flap before short rowing & turning the heel. Stockinette to the toe & decrease 4 every other row until I have 32sts remain. Three needle bind off at the toe.

The World's Worst Picture Taker

I am the worst. If they had a medals for bad photography, I'd have the Gold. I just point, shoot & pray. My old camera took pretty good photos until it totally quit working. This new electronic, shock proof, water proof, rechargeable, expandable, digital movie taker mystifies me. I can rarely take a photo that shows the correct color & most of my photos are blurry. Apparently I can self correct 'red-eye' but can't take a close-up. I take several shots of each thing I photograph & hope I have one that's postable. Heh, at least you have an idea of what I'm doing!!!

I continue to plod along on the hand spun purple socks. PLOD is the term I used & PLOD is the term I meant. Considering all the socks I've made in the last 10 years - at least a couple of dozen pairs a year & 4 dozen pairs one memorable one!!! - you'd think I'd've had those socks finished the first weekend! One is completed & I started on the ribbing for the second last evening. The color is close but you can't see the play of the variegation.

Hand spun is not as easy to knit as mill spun sock yarn. Hand spun splits, blends into the stitch next to it, stretches & is slippery as hell when it contains nylon!! I'm also busy at the Motorcycle School so I'm not getting as much knit time as usual. And it's hot & sticky so the yarn doesn't co-operate at all. And then add my metal needles which are too slick for this yarn. Oooops. It all comes from little experience knitting hand spun into socks. The next pair will be knitted on my bamboo needles & I may just spray the yarn with a little water so that it stays in one place as I work. At this rate, I will NOT get to the Orange socks at all & may not get my sweater finished!!! Grrrrr . . . And I have to just look at two more braids I want to spin up!! But, they'll just have to wait.

Off to the ****lympics er Ravellenics

Thanx to the IOC, the crafty pursuit once known as the Ravelympics is now known as the Ravellenics - they now own the 'rights' to the Olympic name . . yeah right. I'm surprised the Greeks haven't been told to rename mount Olympus! But, now that that's out of my system - it still makes me mad though . . .

I took the yarn spun in the Tour de Fleece & decided to knit it into socks for the Ravellenics. Thought I'd just whack them off in a day or two & move along to my sweater. Not so. I had good intentions but I may only get a couple of pairs of socks finished. Knitting socks with handspun is a little different that knitting them with commercial yarn. I had intended to ply my yarn so the socks would wear longer - normally I don't bother with plying but there is a place & time.

When my skein hit the water after spinning, it POUFED up to almost twice it's thickness - oops. So after soaking, whacking & drying, well, it's a little too thick to ply. I'd never get the socks into my shoes if I did & it's a little thin without plying. Not what I'd planned at all. But I'm doing it anyway!!

I cast-on on Friday, the first day of the Olympics with my usual size 1 needles & my singles yarn in Purple Majesty - seemed fitting somehow. I decided to just go for it. I used my usual count of 68 stitches for the ribbing which is in K2,P2. The knitting was a little slower since my singles is not as regular as it normally is since I had planned to ply to even it out by plying. I did have a few very thin spots that I doubled as I went & I definitely had to keep a closer eye on the knitting. I even took a picture on the first night.

I decided to make these a short sock since I don't have many of them & wanted a few more pairs for summer. The sock is plain stocking stitch for a couple of inches below the ribbing to where I started for the heel. I'm using the heel with knitted gussets formed on either side as I do a K1,S1 heel between them. This heel is from the Crazy Heels & Toes Book which saved my life when I couldn't see to pick up those stitches on either side of the old heel flap. I don't have to pick up stitches anymore, thank gawd, but I did have a slight learning curve at the beginning. The K1,S1 flap is between the markers & the knitted gusset is from the marker to the end of the needle. The nice thing about this heel is that you can make the gussets narrower or wider to accommodate the foot you're knitting for. I usually use 13 increases for my old, widening clodhopper but use 15 for most men's sizes. My socks never crawl into my shoes! Ever!

Ta Da

Do I have to say more??? The Orange superwash is still on the bobbins because I just haven't had time to get it off but here's the Purple Majesty superwash - only one bag is done by the way & Pink Elephant - I just had to have it in mid Tour & I was able to spin it when I got tired of the Purple . . . all of which were spun as singles yarn. I had intended to spin them much finer & thought I did on the Suzie Pro but once they came off the skein winder & hit the water. Poof! They came out as fingering weight so they won't be plied. This may have been unintended consciously but my unconscious knows I prefer to spin the weight I want without any more 'fiddling' with it.

The Purple will become socks in the Ravellenic Games - Ravelry's celebration of the Olympic Games which we aren't allowed to mention in regards to our Celebration. I've entered the Purple in the Sock Put. Hopefully I will knit the Orange too if I get a chance to get to it in time. I will also be trying to finish the Arvik Ribbons sweater that is partly done & got abandoned in a bag at the beginning of Tax Season when I had to juggle Taxes & the job at the School when Bryan went to drive a bus. I'd really, really like to finish it first.

The skein of Pink Elephant?? Well - it's Polworth, which means it's soft, it felts & it's not good for socks. It might become a cowl, a hat or a dainty scarf. Not sure so it will marinate for a while. I may even hang it up on my skein rack as ART.

All That Spinning . . .

I've done more spinning in the past three weeks for the Tour de Fleece than I've done in the past year! Why?? I don't know. I think knitting got in the way. Maybe I was just afraid of my new Suzie Pro. Damned if I know. I DO know that I thought Suzie would be small & easy to move around when I bought her. She turned out to weigh twice as much as my old Indian spinner. The Old Indian takes up twice the space, mind you, but it's much lighter & so much easier to take places because it's not fancy. I don't have to worry about dings or scratches. It came as a Plain Jane sawhorse with a giant spindle on top, 40 years ago! SuzieP is a Fauncy Piece in her designer wood & sealed bearings. Maybe she just intimidated me. Since the Old Indian had almost a full bobbin - I can spin a couple of pounds of yarn on that thing - I dug out SuzieP for this year's Contest.

I have to admit, I enjoyed it. SuzieP snuggles in close when I watch TV. She's heavy but doesn't have to be moved whenever I get up & down. And she's so very quiet. Only problem is those tiny bobbins!!! I soooooooo love the big bobbin on the Indian but he's noisy & has to be moved every time you get up or need to change position. And then I have to steal myself to spend an afternoon winding ALL that yarn off . . . .


Because I enjoyed spinning so much, I started spinning a NEW braid called 'Pink Elephant'. It caught my fancy in an Etsy shop - operated by a Vendor who has a Group called Sunset Fibres on Ravelry. The spinning is close to the actual color. The color changes in every single picture I take!! I just don't understand how to adjust the light & try to take the photos outside if I can. Since it was raining & quite dark, I couldn't take a photo outside when it was still in the braid! I've stolen the actual photo from the Etsy shop to show what caught my attention. The bobbin photo was taken under my 'Daylight' bulb so it's pretty close. There's a surprising variety of colors in the braid! A little peach, purple, three or four shades of grey, some blush pink & a touch of dark charcoal. There's nothing even remotely socky about this fibre! It's soft, the colors muted - there's something distinctly feminine & lacy about it, even sitting on the bobbin as it is. I smell a rat! Someone somehow has hatched a plot to drag me into the Cowl Knit-a-long after all . . . .

Still Spinning


Yes, I am still spinning in the Tour de Fleece! I've finished my orange Superwash roving & am more than halfway through the first bag of purple Superwash roving. And that's something for me! The hands are a little tender but not so much that I can't write or continue spinning. There's one more 8 oz bag of purple Superwash - what WAS I thinking when I bought all that??? Maybe just didn't realize it all had 20% nylon in it - who knows??

I'm planning on knitting it all up into plain winter socks as my Ravellenic challenge while the Olympics are on. Oh, yes, would you believe the Olympic committee blasted the Ravelry owners for holding "Ravelympics" to support our athletes??? The world-wide population of crafters rose up & LOUDLY proclaimed their support so the Committee backed off & asked nicely to change the name. The owners did, so we are now holding the Ravellenic Games in support. Such silliness by the IOC to threaten to sue The Fans but they have the Lawyers & we have fibre.

As a backup plan, I still have the WIP Ribbons-O-Round sweater entered in the WIP Wrestling category too in case I get tired of socks. I will be sooooooo busy when the Olympics are on that I'm not sure I'll even have time to go to work!

The Dawg Days of Summer


I know how the Dawg feels these days, I'd like to take an afternoon nap myself! I've been participating in the Tour de Fleece on Ravelry again this year. Didn't produce much last year & I'm just not sure why - I can't even remember if it was as cold & wet last year. But, the sunshine has arrived, my bones are not aching as much & I feel terrific. Well, except for the right knee that's been giving me trouble but I climbed out of my thongs - wahhhhhhh - & back into my Orthopedic Sneakers & it's doing a lot better! I pronate or roll inwards when I walk but I wear special walking shoes/sneakers with a built in anti roll device. The problem is, when it's hot, I don't want to wear sneakers & socks. But, I guess I have to, most of the time or that damned knee will hurt. And then the hip hurts. Shit. But, I digress, I've been spinning for the Tour de Fleece on my new Suzie Pro. Surprise, surprise, I've already finished the first 8.2 oz of Orange Superwash!!! Wooo hoo. And now I'm onto the 10 oz of Purple Superwash that I bought a YEAR ago! I even got up early & took the Suzie Pro out to the patio & spent an hour spinning with all the new flowers.

My Mother's Day baskets were stolen a couple of weeks ago. Some Dirtbag walked through & took them right off the hooks!! It made me kind of blue & I didn't really want to go out & enjoy the patio. But, thanks to a clearance sale at Rona, I am back in business!! I got myself three baskets that needed a little love & attention. Two are hanging up & the Fuchsias are sitting in the semi shaded area where they prefer to be. I also pigged out on Geraniums - I planted all the empty pots except the giant one but I guess it's getting the remainder tonight. My bare Patio is busting out all over with blooms!!!

And what am I going to do with all this Superwash I'm spinning?? Winter socks for Moi, that's what! I know I should buy boots for the winter but in this climate, it just rains all the time - well, except for a little snow in January or February but it's not worth it unless you buy Rain boots. And Rain boots are cold & clammy so you NEED warm wooley sox. I have a couple of pairs of Rubber Garden shoes with felt insoles which are great but not quite warm enough. So, I'm going to knit nice handspun socks for my winter Rubber shoes. And my orthopedic sneakers of course . . .

Onward & Upward


I haven't spun this much in ages! And I can't believe how fast the bag is going down!! At this rate, well, I guess I'll be spinning the purple next . . . It's funny, but I've never bothered to rig the spinner so I can spin in front of the TUBE. My Indian Spinner is a little awkward & I have to spin off to the side when my knee gets sore so I usually take it outside on the patio to spin. I put a good book on the old IPod, grab a big drink & spin for a couple of hours out there. It never occurred to me to try the Suzie Pro inside. I've been watching The Journey of Man on PBS and some good Documentaries on CBC Newsworld & I needed to spin as well - so - I moved some of the clutter & the Suzie fit right in!! The last two evenings, I've been spinning in front of the tube. The pic to the left is two evenings ago & the one above is the progress last night! At the rate I'm going, I'll be making lots of socks out of handspun this fall.

And just so you don't think I have a one track mind - I just had to find some new 'car' knitting! I had this 100 gram ball of 'On Your Toes' that I wasn't sure about. It was kind of dark but has purple in it which goes with almost everything I own. I need summer socks like crazy & can't wear sneakers without something inside. And cotton just makes your feet wet!! So, I thought I'd give it a whirl & if I didn't like it, well, I could make 'em longer & throw them into the Donation Basket. Well, surprise, surprise . . . Isn't this just the prettiest sockette??? With any luck, I should get three pairs out of this ball! I like them - a lot. I can't wait to get the first pair finished & on my tootsies. And you know??? Now that I look at that ball of yarn in the daylight, well, it just doesn't seem so dark any more. Isn't that crazy???

Day Three

I joined Team Canada in the Tour de Fleece adventure with my favorite groupies from the Wednesday Nite Nitters. We spin while the Cyclists ride in the Tour de France. We rest when they rest. This is an attempt to challenge ourselves in our craft while cheering on our favorite riders at the same time.

On Saturday - Day One - I had to work so I wasn't able to spin much of anything but I did get a half hour's worth on the spinner.

On Day Two, GrannyGail, SpinQuilt, AuntyDoe & I gathered to spin for the afternoon - with a selection of neighbors & a mom, too - on AuntyDoe's covered patio. A fine time was had by all, including one mooching pooch!! The sun was present although not overwhelmingly so. Even so, by bedtime, the left half of my face was gloriously, brilliantly, beet red!

Day Three - What happened to summer??? Managed to get outside on the Patio & get several hours spinning done. Loaded the IPod with Dana Stabenow's "Blood Will Tell" audiobook - I do so love Kate Shugak!!! - and toted the Suzie Pro outside to the patio under a dark sky until it got too cold to spin. I've just about managed to finish one whole bobbin! After 30+ years of spinning on my Indian Spinner, this one is tough to get used to . . . and my right knee is complaining. I'm taking it a little at a time since that damned knee has been a bit wobbly lately. Dunno what's going on but maybe spinning will help. And then I'll get to knit some wild orange winter socks with the yarn!

In Front of the Tube


While I was watching Dick Proenneke build his log cabin in 'One Man's Wilderness' for the 14th time on PBS last night - I love that show by the way!!! - I was trying out the pattern for the 10 Stitch Blanket. Yeah, I was supposed to be working on the Poncho Pullover from Cabin Fever but I misplaced the pattern & had to do something in front of the tube! Apparently no one, including me, wants to crochet or sew All Those Squares into blankets. I don't mind knitting or crocheting but GAD, I hate the sewing together!!!

I thought maybe, it might be faster to just do something else with them. Like the 10 Stitch Blanket. I mean, how tough could it be - it's only 10 stitches, right???!! Well - I'm not sure I like the damned thing at this moment. It's only 10 stitches but the corners are made with short rows. Those nasty little wrap & turn short rows which aren't exactly like the ones I learned to do for my sock heels. These ones leave holes if you aren't careful, mine don't. I lost count several times while watching Dick make perfect notched logs, wooden hinges & burl bowls. This was supposed to be simple, mindless knitting but I'm having problems with it!
I think I'll try the short row method I use on socks - just knit to the stitch before, turn, slip the first stitch & purl back. When taking them up, knit to the stitch before, pick up the loop at the base of the next stitch & knit together with the stitch before. No holes. Easy. Easy to see, easy to do. Simple. And I don't like the way the damned pattern says to pick up the stitches on the side to join the pieces together neither! Maybe I should just re-design the whole thing . . . .

A Whole Lot of Nothing Going On


I traded an unused coffee maker for a shredder today! I had two 12 cup coffee makers. A friend also gave me a one-cup coffee maker. Today, I traded one of the 12 cuppers for a shredder. I have a light weight shredder that sits on the top of a "Bag Buddy" with a clear leaf bag underneath but it can only take two or three pages at a time & craps out after a few minutes because it overheats. My new one will take lots of pages, turns them into confetti & goes until the bottom fills up! Progress! Since I drink tea & try to work in a home office, a second shredder makes more sense than another big coffee maker . . .

Gad, the sun is actually peaking out! I know it's supposed to be summer & the ferns seems to agree, but it also seems to rain more than it shines lately. My motorcycle students were drowned last weekend & most of the week as well. This Saturday's class was surprised by sunshine until around 4:30 when the weather alarm on my desktop turned RED & started flashing a Storm Warning. The sky had suddenly turned black & we could hear the distant thunder. I packed up the office & ran out the door to avoid getting caught in the downpour on the way home but the students were already getting soaked as they threw on rain gear once more. Just another soggy Summer Saturday. The Fraser River is overflowing it's banks, people are being flooded out & we need more water like a Fish needs a Crochet hook! My little house by the banks of the Fraser is safe & sound in all this flooding this year because Translink(our transportation/road authority) has - in it's wisdom - been building a new Perimeter Road Freeway from the deep water port to our south along the River to it's new Toll Bridge. There's an 8' high dyke with the road on top from the Port to the bridge. Thank you for something effective at last, Translink!!

But, seriously, I'm beginning to wonder if I should bother with Summer knitting at all. Most of the time I'm in wool socks, long pants & a sweater. So, I went back to work on my Poncho Pullover. It's the Cabin Fever sweater I chose to knit in the assorted collection of Blue skeins of Briggs & Little Wool I bought on sale at Knitopia in White Rock. It's knit from the top down with increases down the front, back & arms to make the poncho shape. And I'm ready to divide it for body & arms. I made it a little larger than I actually need because I intent to soak it in the washing machine & toss it into the dryer to FULL it a bit. I don't want to shrink it but just 'finish' it enough to keep it flexible but keep the wind from blowing through. I did up a large swatch & threw it in the dryer with some other stuff for a few minutes to see what would happen. I loved the fabric that came out!! So I'm going to throw in the whole sweater when the time comes . . . . If the worst happens, well, I can always use another knitting bag.

No new socks on the needles right now since I've also been trying to knit that Indian Vest for my Ex. The back it now almost to the armholes - can't do any more until I measure it on him & take a couple of other measurements. My hands can sure use the break. In the meantime, I have to admit I've been trying to see if I can somehow make the stretch lace pink socks that Linda sent in the goody box work. I picked up all the stitches & have been wondering if I can pick one sock back to give me enough yarn to finish both toes. The completed foot is quite long & very stretchy. Since toes don't need patterns, I think it might work out just fine. I just have to TINK not FROG to keep the pattern intact! So much better than knitting from scratch!!!

Is it almost over???

I don't know where the week went, never mind the weekend! It's been busy as hell as usual around here but a couple of things were accomplished. And a couple of things went by the wayside . . . I rescued a couple of beaten up hanging baskets left over from Mother's Day last month. I brought them home, pruned them back, soaked them & eased them into the sunlight. They were finally looking really good when someone snuck up & stole them in the middle of the night on Saturday night. My guess is that they were nicked for the perpetual garage sale at the end of the alley. New seedy looking guys have taken over & street people pushing buggies are suddenly converging on the place. Could it be the 'Free Water' & 'Free Buggy Parking' signs on the fence??

I'm about a third of the way up the back of my Indian Vest for the Ex. Knitting with this heavy wool & large needles has caused my previously injured left wrist to hurt like hell. I thought I was all healed up but apparently I was wrong. I'll have to admit, the Siwash Wool is nice, there's a lot of oils left in the wool so it feels good when knitted up but the process is a killer! I may be crocheting those slippers instead of knitting them.

Haven't dug out the spinning wheel as yet but I've been working on my Poncho Pullover. The weather's been more like January instead of June lately so I thought I might need it!! I'm still working 4 days a week for the Motorcycle School. My replacement was stolen by the Boss! But, we'll have some fun again while the Boss is away on Mondays. I guess I might as well work if there's no sunshine . . . .

Sunday Again

Here I am pounding on the keyboard in my jammies once again on a sunny Sunday afternoon. Well, sort of sunny that is . . . but not raining like it has been all week, that's for sure! The poor motorcycle DaySchool students were drowned all week but I'm hoping for a sunny Monday finish to brighten their experience. And mine too, I hope. Again, I'm working the Monday but all is not lost. I've finished the orange & brown Kroy socks!!! Yes, for MY feet! I'm so excited. Since I have no one around to photograph them on my feet - I've tried & they always look stupid upsidedown - I've laid them across my keyboard & you'll just have to imagine them on my tootsies.

And I've even cast on for the Indian Vest for the Ex. Gawd, I'd forgotten how awful it is to knit with BIG yarn & big needles - you get spoiled with 2.5mm needles & THEY'RE big for socks!! I'm using a 6mm for the ribbing & a 7.5mm for the body! I'm also using the SIWASH carded wool - made in Canada by Spinrite Yarns Ltd. I remember this company from the 70s - I used to buy huge rounds of single or double strand wool by the pound!! The wool is soft & only a little scratchy but turns out to be soft & snuggly when knitted. I have 6, 200 gm rounds of Siwash & several rounds of Cowichan in the same color so I'm sure to get a nice warm vest for his nibs out of this! The color is a little off as usual - it's more of a warm pinky tan instead of this yellowish hue. I was gonna knit it up in one piece to the armholes since I hate to sew things together but it's so heavy that I thought I'd spare my hands & wrists the pain. And sewing the side seams will stop it from stretching as he wears it too. I do want him to like it & wear it.

Nose to the Grindstone


Still working 6 days a week & trying to fit everything in my office into Sunday or evenings but I seem to be making some headway. Thank god for filing online although you can't file some forms after midnight!! My little buddy Bryan will be sharing Mondays with me after this week - he'll work them unless his bus supervisor calls him in for work. I can't wait since I could really use the extra day to clean up some of the backlog in the office.


No spinning going on but I broke out the old knitting needles the other day to finish up the project which got shoved into a corner of the car. There's nothing like a new pair of socks to get the juices going again!! TADA - one sock down & one at the heel shaping. In case I didn't mention it, the yarn is Kroy & it knits up a little thicker than most sock yarns so I'm using my bamboo skewer 2.5mm needles made by Moi with a little elbow grease & fine sandpaper! I love these needles because they're extra long - stitches don't fall off in the bag - and they're so delightfully bendable. Yes, bendable but not breakable. Haven't broken one yet although I have another 92 in the package to replace them.

The Cowichan vest is next. My Ex says he isn't as cold these days & seems to be wearing a layer less than usual. But, it won't be long till he's cold again so I thought I'd get it done while I can work with it outside. I'm sure I have enough of the better quality 'Cowichan' wool for his vest but it still sheds a little because it's pretty old. The 'White Buffalo' is really dry & I don't understand how we survived when it was so popular! It sheds huge amounts of little dry fibres into the air as I knit and they make me wheeze! I'm hoping to spend the rest of the summer using up the crappy White Buffalo for slippers for the donation bin. I really like the idea of using it up for nice warm slippers - AND getting it out of MY basement where it takes up a lot of space!!!

Just a little peek at a tasty little sweater I found on Ravelry. It's so simple but I just love the seed stitch design that gives it that pseudo shaping! What a clever idea - so clever that I bought it!! It's name is Shiraz.

Is it really Thursday???

I've been a little crazy lately. I've been trying my best to declutter & throw a few things out. Nice to say but almost impossible to do. I've got at least 6 big Rubbermaid bins in closets or acting as a bedside table that haven't been open in years & I really should send them as is to some Thrift Store somewhere & just get an empty bin back but it would make me crazy to think I've given away a treasure. I'm sure I don't own any treasures but what if one was hidden in there?? Stupid but paralyzing thoughts!! I suspect they're all filled with sewing fabrics, books & stuff like that that I might need someday . . . sometimes it's just better to have a fire. But some things have made it out the door. I suspect more would go quickly if someone dropped a bin in the driveway . . .

Last Christmas I knit a bunch of touques & socks for Loving Spoonful to tuck into hampers. This year I decided I needed a new project for the hampers but I didn't know just what. While browsing Amazon.ca for thongs, I found a BOOK - it's a soft cover BOOKLET actually - with a selection of slipper patterns. The pair on the cover made me buy the book!! I want a pair of those for my own feet!! There's a couple of chunky pairs of slippers as well as a pair of Red Sports car slippers for a young fella. I know a couple who'd love them. There's Ballet & MaryJane slippers & even a pair of bog booties too. Nice thing about slippers is that you can combine several yarns or use up crappy old White Buffalo to make 'em. A couple of pairs are even stuffed with folded foam rubber to give a nice 'cushy' sole but I think I'll just buy a dozen or so pairs of felt insoles from the Dollar Store to make nice, thick soles for mine.

And all those squares?? Well, the girls & I are planning a little surprise. We collectively knitted those squares to donate to a project that seems to have died a quiet death in BC. I hauled them all to a Wednesday night session at the Pool Hall & we discussed what to do & which to use. Gail suggested more darker squares & then crochet around each one in black to make them pop. I hope someone else will put them together. I hate sewing things together!!! But it sure would be nice to get rid of that bin of squares since I have more yarn that could use that bin.

Soup on Sunday

I had great plans for today. The sun was up early, it was cool but not raining & I thought about going to Rotten Ronny's for a coffee, an Egg Mcmuffin & a free Sunday paper. I did get as far as the shower etc but never got out the door. I spotted that smoked salmon in the fridge - yeah it was raining when I bought it - and I decided to make fish soup instead.

I have this great Healthtec pot with a close fitting lid from the 60s. Apparently it came with two or three pots of different sizes, this big pot or Dutch Oven & a three inch deep pan. The only part of the set I've ever seen has been the pan, the Dutch Oven & the lid. But I think Healthtec was the original "waterless" cooking system & was extremely expensive when it came out. Let me tell you, this pot can be warmed up, turned on the lowest setting on the stove & left for days. I've even greased it & shoved it into the hot coals of a campfire & left it to cook dinner all day - which is why the green color on one side is a little blackened. It's my all purpose pot.

So, this morning, I made fish soup. I started with a litre of chicken broth, broke up the smoked salmon & tossed in the skin too. A little fresh ground pepper & a touch of granulated garlic. And I put on the lid, turned it on high until the element turned cherry red & then turned it down to a smidge above OFF so that it was as low & I could turn it & still be on. A couple of hours later I had fragrant orange broth that I filled with chopped red & yellow spuds & a little dried onion. Eventually I took out the skin & added some cut up frozen Basa - any white fish will do. Just before dinner I added a little fresh dill, a teaspoon of margerine, some milk, a handful of cooked prawns & a cup of instant mashed potatoes to thicken it a bit. And ate a big bowl. Wonderful stuff.

Just a Little Experiment


I follow a blog called Food In Jars. I love the recipes for small amounts of jam, pickles, relish, condiments etc which make it perfect for one or two people. I tried one of her Marmalade recipes which was very good & a couple of days ago, I read about Chive Vinegar. I like green salads & have resolved to make my own dressings since I own a blender, Magic Bullet & VitaMix!

I've been experimenting with different vinegars, oils & condiments whipped up in the Magic Bullet. It's nice to have a very small machine that can make small amounts without all the cleanup - yeah, you can put everything in a jar & shake - but the Bullet can emulsify everything so much faster & smoother. I've discovered several different kinds of olive oil - I like the Fruity one very much but I especially love the Peppery oil! I've invested in different kinds of vinegar as well so the Chive Vinegar caught my eye. All you do is fill a jar a third to half with chive flowers & cover with a white vinegar. After a few hours, the vinegar turns pink. Mine has been in the jar for two days now & is just about ready to filter.

Back in the Saddle Again


Whew. Haven't had any time at all to knit - other than the Birthday Socks for the boys at work!! Had a few moments here & there, I must admit, but the old hands have just been too damned sore to do much of anything other than beat on the keyboard. And I'm still beating on the keyboard, albeit a little more slowly - seems I'm now gainfully EMPLOYED rather than flitting around as a Contractor for most of the year.

I've accepted my fate & will continue to be employed since I continue to be the only one who can run all the software & fill in the cracks. Not what I intended but, I can finish paying off the loan & pad my Canada Pension for a change. I will be one of the ones who HAS to work to 70 unless a rich relative dies & names me heir to the fortune! Hehehehehehe The Ex also continues on, hail & hearty too.

One thing about being employed, you get to leave after 9 hours & go home without being called for more work. I might get to like this. And, of course, I have time to knit, spin & dye.

I started out with good old KROY & my favorite 2.5mm bamboo skewer needles. I think I originally MADE these bamboo needles because of Kroy. I couldn't find a 2.5mm set of needles anywhere! My 2.25s were too small - the knitting was too tight - & a 2.75mm was way too big. I didn't want a set of sock needles that wouldn't get used again - I'm also cheap & broke much of the year so that had to be considered. And I LIKE bamboo too. So, I made my own with sandpaper, beeswax & elbow grease. I've used them so much that they have their own patina & are smooth as glass. The Kroy slips along just fine as did the lovely splotchy Confetti yarn I used to knit men's socks. That splotchy Confetti felt thicker & definitely knitted up thicker so my 2.5s were perfect! Wish I could find more of it . . . But, I'll settle for the crazy orange Kroy for now! I must find more in other colors before winter.

As usual, I've used the heel shaping from Crazy Heels & Toes. I love this heel shaping. I love that I can knit that gusset at dusk with no lights on. I can even knit it on the porch, at night, with the security light on & no other illumination. I no longer have heels falling apart in the wash because I couldn't see to pick up a stitch. When you knit cuff down, a heel falling apart means you re-knit the whole damn sock. Or throw it out in frustration because you gave away the leftover yarn that you now need to redo the sock because it's a color that you can't match or coordinate.

I usually pause at this point to swap socks. At this point, the sock has to come in, out of the car, because it has to be turned under my DAYLIGHT lamp. It's also too fiddly to work when you're out with all the rubber band markers needed to show the short row shaping. I cast on the other one & move it out to the car for "WAITING" knitting while the heel is turned indoors. This pair with the longer legs will be for ME. Not going into the Donation basket but straight into my Sock Basket instead!!