What a terrific Mother’s Day present from my hubby!! A whirlwind trip to Toronto for the Knitter’s Frolic!  Because the kids are far away in Vancouver, and since my mom passed a few years ago, Mother’s Day just hasn’t been the same. So, Erwin and I always try to get away with a “little” day trip, to do some crafty shopping (well, me, not Erwin), have a nice meal out etc. This has worked out for a nice Mother’s Day the last couple of years.

Anyhow, this year Erwin said that he would drive me to Toronto for the Frolic for my Mother’s Day gift!

We got up at 5AM, and we were out the door at 6AM for the 4 hour drive to TO. A quick stop at Tim Hortons for coffee, and we were on our way!

Erwin dropped me off at the front door of the Frolic at around 10:30AM, and he headed off for a nearby cineplex to see Ironman 2.

The Frolic was more than I imagined. So many vendors…so much yarn goodness. There were a whole bunch of classes - I would have loved to have taken classes, but I just could not swing getting there for the morning classes, nor did I want to get tied up with an afternoon class because of the pending 4 hr drive back home (plus stop for dinner somewhere).

Here is my haul:

All in all, it was a pretty terrific day, and then the icing on the cake was both kids calling me nice and early Sunday!

Margarita and her baby, Miss Magic

On Sunday, Sept. 13th I met up with a bunch of Ravellers at Fibrefest in Almonte. Idea was to tour the two venues together and then grab lunch. The first building we visited (Agricultural building) was the better of the two locations. Plenty of fibre vendors, including several alpaca farms selling beautiful yarns.

Here is my bounty from Fibrefest:

The lovely orange one (colourway = Fire) in the front is Alpaca sock yarn! The two to the right of it  are hand-dyes from OVFA (Ottawa Valley Fibre Arts) in the colourways: sea turtle and denim jeans. Also in the upper left hand corner is another hand-dyed by Pumpkinseed designs, the natural coloured one is alpaca in a heavier weight (for a hat??) and some Regia sock, some Fleece Artist worsted (for a scarf??) and a ball of Crazy Zauberball for socks.

Overall it was a fun day! It was nice to meet up and put a face to some of the gals from Ravelry. The vendors were terrific, but the hit of the day had to be Margarita and her baby, Miss Magic. I sign off with some pics of them:

I have been incredibly lame. No, I’m not talking about the injured knee that I’ve been sqawking about all summer - I’m talking about how delinquent I’ve been with keeping  up this blog and my quilting blog.

It’s been ages….But, hey, I’ve got places to go, things to do, people to see…..yadda yadda yadda.

So, instead of one big gigantico blog entry, I’ll ease into things…And, like a Seinfeld episode, I’ll slowly work my way backwards.

So…today…well, today I am at work, crunching numbers and getting very frustrated with numbers that are not adding up. At lunchtime I had  yummy Vietnamese.

Last night I finished these socks:

Primavera knit in Indigo Moon Yarns "indigo"

They are a knitalong (KAL) that the Ravelry group “socks squared” sponsored for the month of September. The pattern is Primavera, by Natalja, and I used 100% merino wool Indigo Moon Yarns colourway indigo. I can’t wait to wear these!

Last night I went to the very first ever meeting for a new knitting guild that’s starting up in Lanark. About 20 or so of us met at the Almonte Public Library and signed up for membership. I think that it is going to be a fun guild, and it will be very interesting to see it evolve.

"Bummer Summer" - Summer 2009

This is the sight that we’ve been looking at most of this summer…dark clouds, rain, wind, and cool…Yesterday morning outside thermostat was 8C…Summer? Really?

Our holidaze start on Saturday — Will we see some sun and heat then?? I sure hope so..Chris and Anna are coming in from the Sunshine Coast….From Sunshine Coast to Rainy Ontario??

Well, okay, I’ll get a grip, and think some happy thoughts….

Sleepwalker socks

ouch…hard to pose for a sock shot with my torn knee ligament…That has been the “other” bummer for me this summer…

Okay, okay, I know that I sound like a real whiner….because..YES! I am whining…

Again, happy thoughts…happy thoughts…

Here is some Mama Llama that I bought to cheer myself up:

Mama Llama Silky Ewe 70% SW Merino & 30% Silk in "Egypt"

Mama LLama Bounty Ewe 80%merino 10% cashmere 10% nylon in "Arcata"

Mama Llama Original Sock 100% SW Merino in "Jude"

Yes, these things do make me happy….

Also making me happy, I started a lacy scarf:

Alexandria in Estelle Cadenza "blue"

This pattern is from the Woolgirl Sock Club April kit - Jen gave us two patterns that month, one for a sock and the other for this lacy scarf. This is my first attempt at a scarf. I am really enjoying working on this, but it’s a little less exciting than socks with the heel turns and such.

Anyhow, I am on the lookout for a nice easy pattern for a “man scarf” that I can use one hank of  fingering weight yarn with. Erwin has told me that if I make him a brown or green scarf, he will wear it. So, if you know of an easy (emphasizing “easy”), fingering weight pattern (preferably free online), please drop me an email.

Other things making me happy:See? It doesn’t take too much to make me happy!

Sleepwalker socks in BMFA Rose Quartz

It’s always a thrill for me to finish knitting a pair of socks! I started these on July 18th, and got them done this morning. To me, these are really like a little work of art  that I’ve thrown myself into - the colours, textures, composition….they are NOT just functional, stick these on your feet and walk on them staples…they truly are my objets d’arts…The pattern “Sleepwalker Socks”, designed by Monica Nappe, was super easy to follow and knit up quickly.  Not totally mindless, but certainly not difficult. The yarn, BMFA Socks that Rock  in the colourway “Rose Quartz” was pure bliss to work with. I don’t necessarily pooh-pooh the cheaper less expensive commerical yarns available, and some folks would think that some of us are nuts to spend small fortunes on  hand dyed yarns, but, you just have to work with this stuff to realize that, YES, there is a BIG, BIG difference.

The colour, Rose Quartz, was more in the purple-y zone -I took some photos of the socks along side some purple cone flowers, and the colour is pretty close. I had been looking for something more pinky, but in the end, I really like this colour. So, I got these finished just as we come to an end of our mid-summer long weekend. Next long weekend will be for Labour Day, and honestly, but not officially, summer will be over. That’s a little sad. We’ve had awful weather so far this summer - NO SUMMER - so far….We got 50/50 this long weekend….that’s better than it’s been.

It’s now time to start thinking “autumn” colours…and  to decide what new sock project to start (don’t mention that I’ve got like 4-5 plain jane socks already on the needles)….

Two more weeks at work, and it will be holiday time for us, and son and his GF will be coming home for a 3 week visit.

Can’t wait…………

Yesterday I drove to Perth, with hubby in tow,  to check out the advertised sale by Janie H. Knits called “101 Yarns You’ve Always Wanted”. I had seen the ad in the little local newspaper, plus received various phonecalls and emails from knitting buddies spreading the word about the sale. I had no idea what to expect. The sale was being held at the Legion hall rather than the store, and Janie referred to it as “clearing out the yarns I have in the basement”. I’m glad that I didn’t get there for the opening at 9:30 AM because there must have been a huge lineup (and with my poor mangled knee ligaments, I could not have stood in line even using the cane).  Anyhow, by the time I got there at 10AM the place was packed, and already a huge lineup for the cash!  She had TONS of stuff - yarns, notions, bags, patterns, books, you name it…And, most everything was at least 50% off.

The plan was to meet up with my sister-in-law (with my brother in tow), so that we could shop together while the boys went out for coffee.  Well…it didn’t work out that way. They got lost in Perth and we basically talked them through the directions while we were standing in the LONG lineup to pay. It was at least 45 minutes or longer to get to the cash. That’s where DH came in really, really handy….He was holding my place in the line, while I hobbled around looking at more stuff…He is a Saint!! Apparently, other knitting ladies “borrowed” him to hold their places in the line up as well. Needless to say, the deal was that I would take him out for lunch afterwards! (We were going out to lunch with SIL and my brother afterwards anyhow…..so, geez, I got off pretty easy!)

Here are the sock yarns that I scored:

Colinette Jitterbug in Raspberry

Lucy Neatby Celestial Merino Dream in Sunbeam

Prairie Fibers wool/alpaca blend

Opal Rainforest

Opal

Berroco Sox in nice 'manly' colour

And, for a skinny scarf I found this stuff:

Zitron Unikat in Bulky Weight

“Unikat” Yarn

From the moment we first touched “Unikat” from Zitron we knew this supersoft merino was just crying out for felting. As a high-end, cutting-edge option, “Unikat” has received the highest ranking in textile artistry & the highest wool rating in the world. Its development took 2 years of careful testing & research until the yarn aficionados at Zitron were satisfied they had a spectacular hand-dyed option for discerning yarn enthusiasts around the world. 100% extrafine merino beautifully crafted in Germany with generous yardage & quick-to-knit versatility.

That’s pretty cool!

BTW, the sale is still on today — so, if you are a knitter and get there, it’s well worth the drive.

Look outside the window, and what do I see? Adirondack chairs sitting lonely and unused, the deserted gazebo,  potted herbs growing thin and scraggly, the pool sitting cold and abandoned, and a hummingbird feeder that’s seeing less business than a MacDonald’s after 8pm in a rough part of Calgary town (that’s a whole other story). Every day the skies are grey, rainy and early mornings, usually alive with the sound of chirping birds, are quiet, cold and depressing………..This is and has been our summer so far. Hey, GLOBAL WARMING PEOPLE…..WHERE ARE YOU ALL HIDING??? What we’d give for global warming over here!!! That means, hey…our summer would actually be warm, and we’d actually be outside doing summery things!  Not wearing jackets, pants, and wool socks in our Birkies (but, really that’s okay),  hiding in our houses and watching the days getting shorter and shorter, without having had our fill of barbeques and margaritas….(That’s another thing sitting unused…our brand new purchase of a Margaritaville slushy drink maker…)

And, hey, global warming people…this is not an anomaly….last summer was pretty much the same, and, the one before that not so great…and the winters have been colder and snowier….I’m very sorry, but I am not seeing, nor am I living through any kind of warming trend….sheesh…AND, there does NOT exist a floating island of plastic grocery bags…sheesh….AND, the polar bears are thriving, and Lake Ontario is cleaner than it ever was…AND, I DRIVE A HONDA CIVIC!!! Hey, Mr. McGuinty, where’s my handout for buying a fuel miser car? Why are you giving out $10,000 to people who can afford the trendy $40,000 battery-powered cars (made OUTSIDE OF CANADA). And, the battery-powered cars are going to need POWER (which apparently is in shortage in Ontario already), and where are those god-dammed used batteries going to be hauled off to??  Oh…yeah, we’ll stick them all on the floating plastic bag island and watch them float away…And, geez, while we are at it and for good measure, we’ll throw onboard all the disposable poopy baby diapers apparently that apparently have a hand in this “global warming catastrophe”, because we are really being conscious about our planet  using a diaper service that uses the most harsh bleaches, chemicals and detergents known to mankind to clean the yellow & brown poopy diapers . ..(have you every seen the colour of a pre-solid eating baby’s poop??  No scientific team in the world could devise a dye that  is so deep yellow and permeating if they spent their entire careers trying to formulate it)….Do you think that cold water and mild, little meek Ivory Snow baby clothes detergent is going to get that yellow-stained cotton cloth diaper clean??? And, what do you think makes water HOT?? POWER!! Which we are apparently running out of… Just think about it….(well, that was my little rant for this morning…I sure feel better now…)

It’s getting really depressing looking out my backdoor window every day seeing the usual icons of summer sitting unused in the cool, rainy grey days… It doesn’t help that with my poor sore knee, I cannot walk this year. Yep, that would have been the silver lining in this cold, grey clouds of this summer - Erwin and I would be able to hit the trails to hike and walk to our heart’s content without having to wilt away in the heat, and sweat like little piggies….(memories of an 11km hike on Mizzy Trail in Algonquin Park when Erwin, Justine and I got dehydrated and mosquito bit to death, several years ago, but then, that’s another story as well)…

My only solace is that I’m waiting for Chris & Anna to come home for a visit in August, and that at least I can still knit and quilt with bum knees…

My little pretties all sit in a row….waiting to be worked on…(that’s Kiwi waiting for me to go down to my sewing room)…

Erwin's Winter socks in Opal Handpainted

Regia Cotton Weekender socks

Pattern: Sleepwalker Yarn: Socks that Rock in Rose Quartz

So, not is all lost - a lot of people in my family are going to get a lot of socks and quilts this winter…Because we do FREEZE our asses off here each and every winter, and my Honda Civic can hardly make it through the snow covered roads to work in the morning….

I leave you with Ollie…unhappy with the wet day and as miserable about the weather as I am..

C’mon Kiwi let’s go down and get some sewing done….

Ollie whining

Yes, it’s been a long, long time…A long, long time since I’ve posted that is. Too much to do, too little time. Plus, my knee troubles have worsened and I’m pretty miserable most of the time.

Since I last posted, I received the June shipment from Woolgirl - the theme for June 2009 is It’s Raining Cats & Dogs:

Lovely package from Woolgirl

Dream In Color Smooshy

The contents of the June sock kit are awesome, so much swag:

Dream in Color Smooshy yarn in “It’s Raining Cats & Dogs” colorway

A bone calculator

Cute cat & dog notecards

Cute cat & dog stitch markers

Cute animal theme pattern tamers

Bunch of cute little cat/dog pendants

Stickers

Umbrella tape measure

Wooden “paw” needle size gauge thingy

Two patterns (sock & shawl)The yarn is super soft, the colours so look like a brindle dog coat — not a colour I’d specifically would go out and buy, but, hey…that’s what sock clubs are for…to break out of the box a little. Great thing about it is that I  see a pair of socks for Erwin in the future with this yarn. It’s perfect for him!

Speaking of Erwin, I finished his summer weight cotton blend socks

Lana Grossa Cotton blend yarn

And, I’ve already started a new pair for him using some handpainted Opal

Opal Handpainted yarn

Talking about cotton, I also finished my pair of Flame Wave socks done in Cascade Fixation cotton in the olive colourway

Flame Wave socks in Cascade Fixation

I really didn’t like this yarn. It was supposed to knit up very quickly, because it is thicker and the pattern called for 3.5 & 4.0 needles, but with the slight amount of elastic in it, I really struggled with the yarn. It just wouldn’t slide on the bamboo needles…Note to self: why didn’t you try your nickel plated needles duh?

I also finished up a pair of Monkey socks - yes “the” Monkey sock design by Cookie A using super smooshy Indigo Moon yarn

Monkey socks knit in Indigo Moon Yarn - Wine Country

As June wrapped up, and July came barrelling in, the July sock kit from Blue Moon Fiber Arts (Rockin’ Sock Club) arrivedI love the sticker that I got….sorta sums me up pretty well “I like poetry, long walks on the beach and poking dead things with a stick”…

The colourway is called “Garden Daze” and the colours represent those found in heritage tomatoes

BMFA Socks That Rock "Garden Daze"

I really love this colourway, and can’t wait to cast on. The pattern is for a shortie sock — anklets — but I’m not sure if I want to use that pattern for these socks.

What else have I been up to? Our weather in Ontario has been total pits….Bummer Summer as I call it.  But, thank goodness most of the gardening was done before I busted up my knee, everything is blooming away without very little intervention from me….

Asiatic Lily

Except for having to control these bugs….

Asiatic Lily Beetle

Asiatic Lily Beetle Larvae

Which means squishing their larvae by hand….encrusted in the parent’s feces….yummy…..I’m on a mission now…and you don’t need knees to do this!! Like, my sticker says, I like poking dead things with sticks - this is even better, squishing crap-encrusted larvae by hand - no stick between me & the poop covered babies…

Yes, it has been a long, long time…I’m happy to catch up. I leave you now with my bone calculator - forget about diamonds being a girl’s best friend…(the buttons are little paws LOL!!)

Well, here we are, June 23rd already, and I haven’t been able to finish, let alone get much knitting done, on the many socks I am hoping to make over the summer. Okay, I know that it is  really only the beginning of summer, with folks having just had their summer solstice parties over the weekend and all….But, I really have been slow with the sock production lately.

This is one pair on my needles now:

Regia Weekend colour cotton blend

So, just where does the time go? For one, I’ve been very busy in the garden, with some things starting to show for the effort:And, then, there was getting a gift made for father’s day:

Not to mention the three quilts I had to finish up for the Country Quilter quilt show over the weekend:

Holiday Sampler BOM

Angels Watching Over Me BOM

All Spruced Up

Then, there was helping my son secure a student loan for his offer to medical school and re-mortgaging the office building at work!

I seriously need to get down to some intense sock knitting if this is going to be the summer of socks..I’ll have to wait and see….

It’s only Tuesday - not even hump day - just a day of schlepping off to work and back. So nice though, to take that noon hour walk  at  nearby Stoney Creek trails.The usual suspects were hanging around: male mallards fighting over the birdseed we brought,  a deer in the rushes — too fast for our camera and the usual assortment of crazy squirrels.  We saw a scarlet tananger, but it was too high up in the treetop to take a decent photo.  And, we saw a raccoon, who froze and pretended to be part of the tree as we went by. The mama duck with her ducklings was nowhere to be seen today.

Back at the office, the mail brought a package of books from Amazon: a knitting book and a quilting book.

SPOILER ALERT for Indigo Moon Yarn and BMFA Rockin’ Sock clubs:

I had already received the BMFA May yarn - Pepe la Plume last Friday:

We had gotten hints about the yarn & pattern, all centering around Fraggle Rock - so most, including myself - was expecting a crazy, multi-coloured skein of yarn.But, the depraved dyer, Tina, played a little joke on us, and dyed up this lovely melange of dark purples, plums and lavender. The accompanying pattern is the Fraggle Rock connection, and it looks ……well…pretty crazy. All bubbly and stuff. If I ever attempt this pattern, I think that I’ll use a solid colour, or a semi-solid.

And, today,  keeping with the purple theme, a wonderful surprise from the Indigo Moon yarn club:

Apple Blossoms and Flowering Plum colourway…Yummmy…I absolutely LOVE this colour. It is as dusky and washed out as the photo. It  doesn’t scream “I’m purple”, which I really am happy about. It is so subtle as compared to Pepe la Plume. And, you know what? I love them both. Go figure.

And, finally (not the day…it’s still early and I’ve got things a happening….), got home to discover this in one of my flower gardens:I swear, this was not in the garden when I weeded there over the weekend. How can such an appendage grow in such a short period of time?

The "thing" growing in our flower garden