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…………

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!!)

We are having a cool, but lovely spring this year. This suits me fine. Erwin and I enjoy taking  lunch hour walks at nearby trails, and all kind of little springtime babies have been popping up over the last weeks. Unfortunately I’ve been having knee problems and we have not been walking as much as usual - but, we’ve shortened our walks and we can still get in tune with nature - a little. Physio seems to be going nowhere - I think I’ve just been too hard on this old bod.  But, I just love getting out of the office for an hour or so. That little break just seems to re-energize enough to tackle the afternoon work.

On the knitting front, I hear that RSC has shipped out the May sock kit, and some lucky people have received theirs. I won’t give it away, but apparently something to do with Fraggle Rock.  I’ve got my fingers crossed that mine will arrive soon.

Even though I’ve been knitting every day, progress has been slow since I am so caught up with knitting the Flame Wave socks from Interweave’s Favorite Socks: 25 Timeless designs book. It’s taking forever. I read on Ravelry that this pattern knits up quickly. So, I don’t know why it’s taking me an eternity. I think that the one little M1 is driving me crazy. I mean, I thought that this sock was going to go quickly, being that the needles are sz 3.75 & 3.50 mm versus the usual 2.5 I usually use. And the Cascades Fixation is a lot thicker, but it’s stretchy and doesn’t slide on the needles as well. I’ve got one sock completed and about 1/4 on the other. I’ll get a picture up soon.Good news! The Spring Foward socks recipient, and I can now name names, was Anna (my son’s girlfriend). I sent them to her for her birthday and she loves them!! I am so lucky to have such great sock and quilt recipients.  Anna phoned and was so thrilled to have gotten them, and she said that she has them on all the time. Chris then spoke to me and he told me that she wanted more! The list grows and grows….Does it get any better??

Okay, I think that we can safely say that spring has sprung! And how appropriate that I’ve just finished two pairs of  socks — one,  a pretty blue/green Fleece Artist 100% merino knit up in the “Spring Forward” pattern .  And, two, finally - and I mean FINALLY -  I got around to finishing those “bad” Jaywalker socks (read the post about the good, the bad and the ugly). Justine  put dibs on those Jaywalkers, and who else but Justine would love these…hmmm…not-to-my-liking weirdo socks. I guess that is what artsy twenty-one year old daughters are for hehehehe.

But, what a strange colour combo & unsymmetrical patterning (did I ever tell you I like symmetry?):The socks are from the same skein….how the heck did they turn out like this?

I am much happier with these Spring Forward socks knit up with Fleece Artist (AND, symmetrical):These are a pair for a someone special whose birthday is coming up. I love this lacy pattern and it was quite easy to follow. This is the first pair of semi-solid knit in a pattern that I’ve done - and I’m quite pleased with them.

I’m also happy to see some flowers finally blooming in the gardens.

Bleeding Hearts

Mini Daffodils

very invasive Violas growing where they shouldn't be

violas somewhat controlled

Primrose

Finally got around to finishing these off. They are luxuriously nice and soft. I think that it is the mohair and silk that makes them really soft.

Apple Laine "garden party"

They knit up quite quickly. I made these 1″ shorter in leg length than I usually do because each skein was 190 yds (174 m), which is less than others that I’ve knitted up. In the end, I would have been able to make them the usual length - there was enough left over. Hmmm..could this be a good case for learning how to knit toe-up?

A while back I started on an Online SuperSocke in a weird melange of maroons/greens -  oh-oh, I think I’ve run into an “ugly” sock situation. I don’t think I like these for myself, and they are too frightful to give to anyone.

To counteract this, today I’ve just casted with some Trekking XXL in nice shades of muted purple — can’t miss with those!

Finally got Erwin’s fourth pair done. These were knit with Regia Strata - Very nice robust yarn! The strands are a little thicker than the usual Regia and Opal that I have used - so it makes a nice, ever so slightly thicker sock. Needles used: Knitpicks Harmony 2.5 mm.

Regia strata

I finally finished Stephen’s socks. They were made with Knitpicks Essential in the colourway “terrain twist”. I didn’t particularly like knitting with this yarn. Because of the ‘twist’, I kept splitting the yarn as I knit. I had a lot of trouble with these socks — not sure why.

Knitpicks Essential

I’m happy to have finished these. Thanks to the owner of Janey H. Knits for the sock forms.

Here they are:  Harry Potter “Tonks”. Also, my first mismatched pair! These knit up very quickly, considering that I found the yarn to be quite fine. I used KnitPicks Harmony 2.5 mm DPNs.