On my Needles and Between my Pages May 16th

On My Needles

Roam has had an outstanding week on the needles.  The left front is finished and the right front is well on its way to completion.  I am hoping to be able to finish the front over the next few evenings and see a sleeve in my very near future.  I have also been able to devote a little time to Baby Oliver’s welcome to the world present and as long as he doesn’t do anything too foolish (like arrive a month early) I am confident that I will have the whole thing finished in time.  Once mum has seen it, I will happily share more than hints with all of you.  But until that happens, I can say it’s fun knitting and very bad blogging material.

Between My Pages

I would love to be able to report on The Night Circus this week.  I would love to be able to say that it is enticing and riveting and that I can’t put it down.  And realistically I am sure that is all of those things.  But, I can’t say any of that because this last week pretty much all of my reading time has been devoted to this.

That’s right, I have gone  back to school and am studying behavioural therapy.  The only reason most of my time has been devoted to only one textbook is because the college didn’t receive the second book I needed in time for the beginning of our classes so I’m only reading this one and a whole lot of supplemental readings for both classes.  As far as textbooks go, it’s pretty darn interesting if you have a background in psychology.  I am hoping that I will have the other textbook by the end of the week and that I can catch up on the readings that I should have already done by now and that I will be back to my regularly scheduled posts next week.

For more great Wednesday stuff check out WIP Wednesday and the Yarn Along.

The EBI Goes for a Drink

I love knitting with my friends.  I love it even more when it’s bright and sunny and we are on the back patio of our favourite pub.  The have a great selection of really good beer and they are completely used to us taking over a table and covering it in pretty fibre goodness.  The always try to clear our table of things that can get in the way of our fibre  and if it’s not too busy they will even bring our drinks to the table for us.  They are very knitter friendly and we love them for it.

And that’s Roam hanging out on the table

Most of the time we actually knit

Sometimes we just chill

Sometimes I decide that it’s a good idea to climb up onto the bench to get a picture of the EBI.

I figure it’s days of leaving the house are very limited so it had better get to travel while it still can.  And, all knitting does deserve to have some fun from time to time.

YOP Update May 13th

So I sort of feel off the radar last week.  I have started post-graduate studies in Applied Behavioural Analysis and I sort of freaked out with stress and boycotted the computer for most of the week.  The only time I was on the computer was to check my class info and hop onto Rav from time to time.  But, now that I’m into my classes (one in Applied behavioural Analysis and one in professional Ethics) I have a better handle on  life and feel like can write and knit and do some fun stuff again.

Now to the knitting.

I did manage to get some knitting finished this week.  First the left front of Roam is finished and I have started the right front.  I think it will be finished just in time for the summer when it’s too darn hot to wear it.  But, I will have a lovely sweater waiting for in the autumn.  I have made more progress on the secret baby present for Little O and the EBI has been a great saviour for my sanity as I can pick it up and put it down easily and it’s so darn pretty.

I do actually have a couple of posts scheduled to drop this week as it’s my goal to still maintain things here to the best of my abilities while giving up a ton of free time to reading and assignment writing.

Hope everyone had a great fibre week.

WIPS:

• Clockwork (cast on June  &  part of the Knit-a-long of Doom) (Finished July 2011)
• Wallis Cardi (cast on August of last year)
• Rattlesnake Creek socks (cast on about 1 1/2 years ago)
• Noro Log Cabin Blanket (cast on in June & it’s Christmas Knitting)
• Toe Up Socks

Christmas:

• Super secret BFF gift (I know you read this.  No peeking, but you’ll like it.) (Finished Sept  2011)
• Super Secret Husband gift (He reads it too.) (Finished Dec 2011)
• Urbana  (Finished July 2011) (Dad)
• Podsters
• Saturday morning slippers x2 (FIL, mom)
• Minion (Teiff) (Finished October 2011)
• Gargoyle (Sean) (Finished October 2011))
• Strangling Vines scarf (Christine) (Finished Dec 2011)
• Windcheif hat (dad) (Finished November 2011)
• Cherie socks  (mom)(In Progress)
• AStericks (MIL) (Finished November 2011)
• Dog Chewie (Maggie) (Finished October 2011)
• Super Secret Little J gift (See first super secret gift.  That’s her mum.) (Finished Oct 2011)
• Kleenex covers x6 (Finished October)
• Algonquin (In Progress)
• Washcloth x2 ( I really thought I was finished with those!)  (Finished Sept 2011)

 

Shawls

• Flamboyan (Finished Jan 2012)
• Reunion Cowl (Finished Jan 2012)

Cardis

• Roam (In Progress)

Socks

• Lenore (The third) (Finished Dec 2011)
• Flaming Desire 
• Staked  
• Fishbone Gansey  (Part of the Knit-a-long of Doom) (Finished October 2011)
• Cut & Paste
• My Vampire Boyfriend (Part of Nerd Wars) (In Progress)
• Cauchy 
• Masonic Lodge (In Progress)
• Flutter-by (Finished February 2012)
• Aragorn
• Duckies  (Finished Aug 2011)

12 Shawls in 2012 (first 6)

• Different Lines (Finished March 2012)
• Sharktooth (In Progress)
• Flavia (Finished Jan 2012)
• Stephen West Club shawl (February 2012)
• Stephen West Club shawl (Feb) (Finished April)
• Walnut Grove (In Progress)

 Dishcloth Challenge (first 12)

• 10/12 complete

 

Newly added

• West Knits Mystery KAL (Finished Sept 2011)
• Julia
• Minion Army (Finished October 2011)
• Blue Whale shawl – replacement MIL Gift (Finished Dec 2011)

 

The running totals so far are:

26/46 complete

12/21  in progress

To try to have a better idea of what happens in my stash

Balls in/Balls out

0/11  (January)

8/5 (February)

0/3 (March)

16/4.5 (April)

0/0 (May)

FO Friday – Different Lines

It feels like forever since I’ve posted a Finished Object on a Friday.  As usual this has been finished for a while but it needed to be blocked and photographed.  I used one skein of each colour and could have easily added a few more stripes as I had a very generous amount of yarn left over.

The Pattern: Different Lines

Yarn: IndigoDragonfly MCN Sock (Colour Kathleen Turner Overdrive)

IndigoDragonfly Merino Sock (Colour Captain Tightpants)

Overall, this is a very easy, fast knit.  Almost too easy as I think that part of the reason it’s not longer is that I needed to move on to something a little bit more challenging.  But, I’m please with the final product and happy to have it for the autumn.

For more Friday knitting check out FO Fridays, Creative Friday, Fiber Arts Friday, and Fibers on Friday

A Terrified Sweater Knitter Makes a Back

A major accomplishment has happened.  The terrified sweater knitter has made a back. Let me say that again in case you missed it: I. Made. A. Back!!!!!  And even more exciting, it’s going to be the right size!
See, here it is:

I had thought about taking photos from a bunch of angles, but then I thought about it for a second and realized that this is probably not the best idea (or at least not the most sane).

But look how happy I am!

And you know the best part (’cause in my opinion there’s still more and you all think I’m a little unbalanced anyway so why not keep going)?  Nothing bad happened while I was knitting it.  Nothing burst into flames, elves did come out of the wall while I slept and hack the knitting to bits or hide my yarn (but they didn’t clean the kitchen either – sigh), and I didn’t get eaten by wolves. But you know what did happen? I made a back!!!

And even better (yes, that’s right, this is even better than the best part)? Now I’m making a front. Soon after that, there will be sleeves and a hood. It’s pure madness. Warm and cozy green madness.

Pattern: Roam

Yarn: Indigodragonfly Polwarth Silk 

On My Needles & Between My Pages

On My Needles

It would be a slight understatement to claim that my knitting has become a shade redundant in the last few weeks……I’m working on Roam and making a sock yarn blanket.  And then the next day comes along and guess what? Still working on Roam and making a sock yarn blanket.  And really, this isn’t a problem.  I’m making progress on both and enjoying what I am working on, but it makes for really catastrophically boring blogging.  I’ve crossed into broken record territory to be certain, and this is a little strange for me.  Usually I am working on so many things I drown under buckets of woolly goodness.  Those other projects are still there, it’s just that right now, I want to be working on Roam and knitting a blanket.  So there you have it, a self-proclaimed project polygamist knitter is as close to monogamy as I have ever been.  It’s a little frightening.

Between My Pages

There is a little more variation here.  I’ve moved onto The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern and it is amazing.  Romeo and Juliet meet Victorian Era Circus life in a well written engrossing novel that is captivating and close to impossible to put down.  This book really should be a must read on everyone’s list.

For more great Wednesday stuff check out WIP Wednesday and the Yarn Along.

Epic Blanket of Insanity Update April 2012

If you’re like me, getting stuff put through your mail slot is really nothing exciting and certainly nothing worth sharing.  Bills and junk mail mostly sum  it up.  Social media and email have certainly outweighed the need for me to receive real mail and if it was humanly possible I would get rid of the paper mail all together.  (I mean no offence to the postal service industry, I think you are all hard-working people I just would like to lighten your load a little.  Please keep delivering the mail I do receive)  So, the fact that stalking waiting for the postman (actually a postwoman in our case) to drop the mail off last week was kind of exciting and fun either indicates that my week was incredibly boring (which I can assure you was not the case at all) or that pretty little bits of sock yarn ends were making their way to me.   The anticipation of waiting for boxes full of colour had me way more excited than the thought of coming home and tossing the mail on the table beside the door.  And there is also a certain level of comfort in knowing that there are at least a few other people who share in your insanity and think that it’s perfectly normal to knit an entire blanket out of pretty little ends.

The first package arrived on Tuesday and it was a complete surprise.  Shelly over at the Heathen Housewife is the Godmother of this wonderful idea and the very first blanket is her own creation.  She is the founder of this ever-growing tribe of EBI (Epic Blanket of Insanity)  knitters.  There are directions on her blog to create your own blanket and they are the directions that I am following.  Anyway, way back in the autumn when I first posted about the blanket I contacted Shelly on Ravelry and asked her if I could use one of her photos on my post (since I clearly did not have any EBI photos of my own at that point).  She not only agreed, but asked me for my address and hinted that she may have something that could help me get started.  So I thanked her and sent off my addy.  And then this past week I came home and found this sitting on the side table waiting for me.

I was thrilled and shocked and forced my husband to stop what he was doing to come and look at the package and then I had to explain who it was from and I think he thought it was pretty darn cool too.  (Or he was humouring me, but I’m pretty sure he thinks it’s cool.)  So, I just wanted to say a big Thank You Shelly.  That package really made my day and my blanket will be just a little bit prettier because of it.

Thursday brought another package.  This one was from Suzy over at Twisted Stitcher and was part of a swap that we arranged the week before.  (She received the package I sent her the following day and we’ve already figured out a way to do another swap later in the year.)  It might not have been a surprise, but it didn’t make me any less happy.

So thank you to Suzy and I can tell you that some of those ends have already been put to good use!

The last day of the week brought one more swap package, this one from Randipants over at bigmonkeypie.  (I’m not sure if she’s received my yarn yet.)  She was very sweet and made sure to include the end that I had made mention of during our Ravlery exchanges (it’s the green and brown one and it’s just as super yummy as hoped it would be.)  I think it’s awesome that she took the time to include that for me so you get a big thank you too.

The saying is true, good things do come in small packages.  All three of these packages were a little box of happy at the end of  a work day.

And then, just when I thought that this week couldn’t get anymore colourful I went to the Knitters Frolic (more about that this week) and found a booth where they were selling these.

I realize that my stated goal for this blanket was not to buy any new yarn, but when I came across batches of mini skeins that are perfect for the blanket how was I supposed to resist?  You wouldn’t be able to either.

So now both my basket and my blanket are exploding with colour and my blanket love is growing exponentially.

It's not the correct width yet. It needs to be wider.

If there are any other potential swap buddies out there you can find my on Ravelry.  I’m Harleagh.

My Blanket includes

Knitters (6)

Countries (2)

Canada

USA

 Provinces (1)

Ontario

States (3)

Wisconsin

New Hampshire

Minnesota

KCBWDAY7 – A Crafting Balance

I knit.  Plain and simple, I am a knitter.  I spin too, thus occasionally making my own pretty yarn that I will in theory knit with.  But really I’m a one trick pony (unless you count being a fairly good cook, a yogini, and a sometimes decent runner).  Crochet is a foreign language to me.  I am in awe when I meet a really good crocheter, ’cause to me it’s magic.  I am convinced that there is some strange alchemy that occurs when one picks up a crochet hook and some yarn.  I picture those who can crochet the same light as the kids who go to Hogwarts.  They know where the secret passage is and then they get to have access to all the secrets of the fibre universe that us plain knitting folk aren’t aware of.

I’ve tried to figure it out how to crochet.  But the patterns and directions all seem to be written in some odd ancient language that I can never find translations for and I honestly think that I would have better luck learning Aramaic then I did trying to figure out crochet terms. (I mean really, what the hell is a half double crochet?  Wouldn’t that just be a crochet?)  And I think that’s why I like knitting.  It makes sense to me.  It’s not magic or strange, it’s straight forward.  You move loops from one needle to the other needle, and voilà!  You’re  knitting!

I do own a few crochet hooks and I was insanely irritated  when the Mexican security guard took away my sock yarn sized crochet hook before I was allowed on the plane .  (Has there ever been a rash of people killed by crochet hooks?  Was there a crochet hook serial killer in Mexico that I don’t know about?  I use it to pick up dropped stitches in socks! It was tiny and I’m not sure I could have killed a large spider with it let alone a human being.  What was I going to do, poke the person beside me with it?  And that would have been my husband, who is used to that sort of behaviour.  Anyway, moral of the story, pack your fibre related things in your luggage when returning home from Mexico.  They are not fibre friendly.  But I digress.)   My crochet hooks are for edging and dropped stitches and provisional cast on and nothing more.

Part of me would like to learn.  Part of me, the sane rational part that very rarely makes an appearance of any sort when it comes to my knitting life knows that’s a really bad idea.  Have you seen my WIPs list (if not, have a look around the blog.  I post it on a fairly regular basis….)?  The last thing I need is something that causes more WIPs to pile up.  Me and my knitting needles cause enough trouble with that to last for many lifetimes.

YOP update April 29th, 2012

Its been a very fun and busy fibre week for me.  First, I FINISHED SOMETHING!!!! I feel like I haven’t said that in weeks and weeks.  Oeste is done and off my list and not a moment too soon.  It counts as my April shawl and as a WIP for Nerd Wars.  And, I made real progress on Roam and finished the back.  I’ve moved onto the front left.  It’s all very exciting.  This week also saw some wonderful things coming in the mail and the Knitters Frolic.  I’m posting about all those things this week.

I also fell down hard on some yarn and increased my stash a little bit.  But, four of those balls were payment for working a booth a the frolic yesterday so I don’t feel too bad about the whole thing. ( Maybe just a tiny bit guilty.)  I guess I’ll just have to knit more.

Hope everyone else had a great week.

Happy knitting.

WIPS:

• Clockwork (cast on June  &  part of the Knit-a-long of Doom) (Finished July 2011)
• Wallis Cardi (cast on August of last year)
• Rattlesnake Creek socks (cast on about 1 1/2 years ago)
• Noro Log Cabin Blanket (cast on in June & it’s Christmas Knitting)
• Toe Up Socks

Christmas:

• Super secret BFF gift (I know you read this.  No peeking, but you’ll like it.) (Finished Sept  2011)
• Super Secret Husband gift (He reads it too.) (Finished Dec 2011)
• Urbana  (Finished July 2011) (Dad)
• Podsters
• Saturday morning slippers x2 (FIL, mom)
• Minion (Teiff) (Finished October 2011)
• Gargoyle (Sean) (Finished October 2011))
• Strangling Vines scarf (Christine) (Finished Dec 2011)
• Windcheif hat (dad) (Finished November 2011)
• Cherie socks  (mom)(In Progress)
• AStericks (MIL) (Finished November 2011)
• Dog Chewie (Maggie) (Finished October 2011)
• Super Secret Little J gift (See first super secret gift.  That’s her mum.) (Finished Oct 2011)
• Kleenex covers x6 (Finished October)
• Algonquin (In Progress)
• Washcloth x2 ( I really thought I was finished with those!)  (Finished Sept 2011)

 

Shawls

• Flamboyan (Finished Jan 2012)
• Reunion Cowl (Finished Jan 2012)

Cardis

• Roam (In Progress)

Socks

• Lenore (The third) (Finished Dec 2011)
• Flaming Desire 
• Staked  
• Fishbone Gansey  (Part of the Knit-a-long of Doom) (Finished October 2011)
• Cut & Paste
• My Vampire Boyfriend (Part of Nerd Wars) (In Progress)
• Cauchy 
• Masonic Lodge (In Progress)
• Flutter-by (Finished February 2012)
• Aragorn
• Duckies  (Finished Aug 2011)

12 Shawls in 2012 (first 6)

• Different Lines (Finished March 2012)
• Sharktooth (In Progress)
• Flavia (Finished Jan 2012)
• Stephen West Club shawl (February 2012)
• Stephen West Club shawl (Feb) (Finished April)
• Walnut Grove (In Progress)

 Dishcloth Challenge (first 12)

• 10/12 complete

 

Newly added

• West Knits Mystery KAL (Finished Sept 2011)
• Julia
• Minion Army (Finished October 2011)
• Blue Whale shawl – replacement MIL Gift (Finished Dec 2011)

 

The running totals so far are:

26/46 complete

12/21  in progress

To try to have a better idea of what happens in my stash

Balls in/Balls out

0/11  (January)

8/5 (February)

0/3 (March)

16/4.5 (April)

3KCBWDAY6 – Improving Your Skill Set

I hate being bored.  There really is nothing that will make me more frustrated with a day than being bored.  Fortunately, it doesn’t happen often because I love to learn.  It doesn’t matter if it’s a new knitting skill or a recipe or a whole new skill altogether.  I love the challenge of tackling something new.  And while I do like having a routine (I like learning, not chaos)  pushing myself to become better, or faster, or more efficient is something I welcome in my life.

Take, for example, the fact that I am currently undertaking two post-graduate programs of study – so to speak.  The first is an official post-graduate line of study at an actual College and will allow me to be a Behavioural Therapist at the end of it.  (Until then I will have no life, but that’s a whole other issue.)  The second “graduate program” is the Hand Knit Masters Class through the Knitting Guild Of America.  Clearly, it is not an actual graduate program, in the sense that I did not have to attend a University first to take this program.  I just had to be ready to challenge myself and my knitting skills and be willing to take them to the next level.  But, I can assure you that the amount of work that I have to put in to complete the first year does rival the amount of work that I had to do in some of the actual classes I had to take in order to obtain both my Diploma, and then my Bachelor’s Degree.  It is close to staggering.  And it will be worth every last second because I will learn so much about my knitting style and how to make it better and more efficient (and maybe even faster!).

With knitting and fibre, just like in life, there is always more to learn, and when I am finished the first year of the Master Class, I’ll do the second.  One day I’ll learn brioche stitch and I still have my Bohus sweater in the closet waiting for my love.  I expect the learning curve on the last one to be pretty darn high.  And when all that’s finished, I’ll find something else to learn, ’cause there will be something.  I will find it or it will find me.  But it will be there.

Why would you want to know everything that there is to know about anything? Life would be way too boring and like I said, I hate to be bored.

For more Day Six Entries, Google:  3KCBWDAY6