"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!

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!!)

If you want to keep the April 2009 Woolgirl sock club kit a surprise - look away NOW!

Sweet! The April Woolgirl sock package arrived Wednesday! And, what a package it was!What could be lurking in such a big box? Notice the black tote?Now that’s some knitting bag!

Other swag:The April kit contained:

one skein of yummy Curious Creek yarn in the colour Old Kinsale

1 pattern for socks

1 pattern for a cowl

sock club tote/knitting bag

sheep cookie

teapot stitch marker

teapot tape measure

teapot notepad & tea bag too!

handmade art notecard

a little suitcase with 2 cute little sheepNow that’s a lot of swag!

Back at the start of the year I was really torn about joining the Woolgirl sock club. I had just joined BMFA Rockin’ Sock club — and that was the first sock club for me — and I  really wasn’t sure what to expect.  Now, don’t get me wrong, the RSC is fantastic, beautiful  hand-dyed yarns and patterns by hip designers — but I’m reallying enjoying the kits that Jen from Woolgirl puts together. It’s like a box of fun everytime one arrives!

I am so happy that I decided to join the Woolgirl sock club!

me no happy

Okay…so I’ve been frothing at the mouth for the April sock package from Woolgirl. Mail just came and nothing today.  So, I’m hoping (praying…begging…pleading…demanding…SIGH…persevering…) that I get it tomorrow!

Going to go stuff myself with chocolate now…………..

Geez, sometimes work really gets in the way of knitting and quilting. But, if I wasn’t out there earning, I would not be able to indulge in my passions. Here we are, Wednesday already, and I’ve barely had time to put in any knitting/quilting stitches.

On the knitting front, I did go shopping with my sil for yarn (see my last post); I got to the heel flap of my first Trekking XXL purples - this sock is in holding pattern right now,  until I see my sil this weekend - I’ll show her how to turn the heel. I’m still also knitting on the sock from hell (most ugly yarn I’ve ever seen — I know that I should rip it out and just put that skein to rest, but I just can’t help it), and I’ve now started Grumperina’s Jaywalker sock. I saw some finished socks in this pattern on Ravelry, and after reading through the pattern - I figured I could do this pattern. And, it is really easy. Once I figured out the K1 f/b (real easy) and the DD (slip 2 stitches together as if to knit and then knit next stitch, then slip the slipped stitches over the knit stich) I started and, well, I think I know what I’m doing. Some pattern is emerging.

I’ m using some Brooklyn Handspun yarn that I picked up at last year’s Kitchener-Waterloo knitting festival - the colours are a little odd — but I was attracted to them: yellow, brown and peach. They labelled it as Root colourway. I will get a photo up asap.

On the virtual knitting front - I received the Spina di Pesce sock kit from Yarnissima to join the KAL with the Yarnissima Ravelry group. It’s  gorgeous, gorgeous blues Wollmeise yarn. The KAL starts on April 4th. This is the KAL that I need to get ready for by learning how to knit toe-up and learn some stitches, plus figure out how to read those charts.

I also received a pkg from Knitpicks with a book from Cat Bordhi “New Pathways for Sock Knitters” - that should help me learn the toe up thing. I also signed up for some Peanuts kits from Woolgirl (have not heard back yet as to whether I go in on those.) And, phew, I joined the Indigo Moon Ravelry group just in time to discover that Indigo Moon will be running it’s first ever Yarn Club!!! I’ll be watching out for that one. And, last, but not least, I’ve been reading the buzz about some people having received their March sock kit from BMFA.

So, considering I’m having a busy week at work, and, now that I put it down in words, I did have time for some knitting related stuff - and the week is not over!!

On the quilting front, I managed to get a quilt in to Jan (long arm quilter) for quilting and I just have to get one last border onto my Holiday Sampler quilt, and then I can drop that one off with Jan as well.

Wow! Imagine how much of this stuff I will get done when I retire (BTW, very long way off). Nice to dream about it though!

Spoiler alert for Woolgirl’s 2009 Sock club:

Holy smokes batman! What a swank sock kit!! Oh, yeah, the first kit from Woolgirl’s 2009 Sock Club arrived at my doorstep yesterday.

This month’s kit theme is being (or becoming) the Queen of your knitting domain and it’s all about gold, Cleopatra (there’s even a club contest to enter all about Cleopatra). ME LIKE THAT. Me like that very, very much. This month’s kit is to inspire us to experience new patterns, techniques, colours and step outside the box (something I have a very hard time doing!!!)I had heard that Jen from Woolgirl puts together fabulous kits for her sock clubs, but this is far beyond my wildest expectations.

Look at how the kit arrived:Opening it up was just like Christmas morning!

The kit contained:1 skein of Serenity merino/cashmere sock yarn from Zen Garden (most beautiful gold colour - Gold Dynasty),

Zen Yarn Garden "Gold Dynasty"

a sock pattern, a scarf pattern, a silk sock sack from Lantern Moon, a queen of knitting pen, hand lotion, chocolates in a pyramid box, a calendar magnet with the club shipping dates, a handmade sheep card,

hand made Cleopatra sheep card from artist Willa Landino

a sample of SOAK, a hand-made Cleopatra themed stitch marker and sock club info sheets…wow!! I’m so impressed, and what a thrill to open all this stuff up. This year is going to be so much FUN!

Oh happy day! Here is part of the email that I just received from Woolgirl:

Hello and Welcome to the Oz Sock Club! This email is confirmation that you have made it into the entire club, and we’re so happy you are joining us for a year of Following the Yellow Brick Road, escaping Flying Monkeys, navigating through the Enchanted Forest, and clicking our heels three times to make our way back to Kansas in the end! It will be a super fun ride, and each kit will be unique and filled with a multitude of Oz goodies - of course this is in addition to the gorgeous yarn, Oz themed sock knitting bags, stitch markers, and patterns - that’s right Dorothy, we’re not in Kansas anymore! Can you tell I just love throwing in the Oz terms whenever I possibly can? Prepare yourself for a year of that too!

What more can I say? The waiting to hear if I got in is over, and May, well, that’s just around the corner…on a yellow brick road, with my little dog following me, wearing my ruby slippers, meeting some weird folk……

Woolgirl's Oz Sock Club

Another sock club Toto?

Found out yesterday that Woolgirl is running yet ANOTHER sock club! This one is called the “Oz Sock Club” and starts in May09 and will run through until December 2010. The installments have terrific themes such as “over the rainbow”, “ruby slippers” and “flying monkeys” (Halloween theme). There are only 100 spots available and you have to make an application and by this Friday they will let you know if you “are in”. I really had to think about whether I wanted to join another sock club this year — but, geez…outside of work hours, knitting and quilting is what I do. (From Curb your Enthusiasm: Leon to LD “that’s what I doos, Larry”).

As a matter of fact, I don’t:  smoke, booze, gamble, go to malls, do a lot of travelling, buy jewelry or makeup, buy expensive clothing or shoes, etc.

By request, I make all gifts for family & friends, my husband and I shop frugally, we don’t go out to a lot of restaurants (I even hate fast food). Even my exercise program is el-cheapo –> walking, snowshoeing, biking, hiking.

I’m basically a homebody - and thank goodness my hubby is as well.

But, can I justify another sock club this year?After thinking about it for, hmm..about 5 minutes,  I sold myself on the idea and put in my application. So, it’s all a  waiting game now….

Yes! Earlier this week I found out about the Wool Girl 2009 Sock Club…I’m happy to say that I am now registered for that one. So, with their delivery months being Feb, April, June, August, Oct, & Dec….AND with BMFA delivery months of Jan, March, May, July, Sept. & Nov….That means there will be a sock kit arriving EACH and EVERY month of 2009. Does life get any sweeter?