Sunday, December 31, 2006

Items Finished in 2006

Just a list of things that were finished in 2006, I don't consider this a recap of the year but just cleaning up the sidebar. I might have forgotten some of the items before I started the blog. I realize some of these items do not have finished details on the blog. I will try and get photos taken and the final links up. The photos may be in 2007 but the projects were completed in 2006.
Socks
Accessories Vests and Sweaters
Scarves and Shawls

Blog activities

One post a day for 30 days - Successful !

Successful!

Did not fill in my card :(

I managed not to use all of my exceptions. I may try this again depending on the size of my stash beginning in May- Have to wait and see.

Killed October 3, 2006

Happy New Year

Should I write a redux of 2006 which seems to be popular around the blogosphere. I know I have been quiet these past couple of weeks with all of the holiday events and visiting. All though a rehash of the events of the past year are just not my style.

There is much talk of Knitting from Stash 2007, however I am not going to join. Not that I feel the need to support LYS, but I knitted from stash this past summer and I do not have a large stash. If I wanted to knit a sweater I don't have the yarn for it, even if I wanted it a multicoloured coat. I do have some lace weight yarn that I want to dye and knit up, some sock yarn that has been marinating I think long enough and a few other smaller projects.

I guess the first project for the year will be to finish my Christmas knitting - "what you are not done?" I hear you saying. Nope, and I had no plans on being done for the new year. Let me explain. My family always does a Pollyanna (sometimes called white elephant) gift exchange. This is the type that everyone brings a generic gift, you draw names and can either steal or unwrap a new gift. Half the family loves this style others would prefer to have a specific person. My feeling is that if I am spending $$ on a gift I want to make sure that gift is appreciated. Some people end up unwrapping their own gifts, in previous years I have done gift cards to a large store. This summer though I had an idea - "custom socks" I wrapped up some sock yarn, with a card that said that the recipient gets a custom made pair of socks. They could choose the colour and style - this way if the recipient was an uncle they could get gray or navy socks that fit or if it was a SIL a colourful or lacy pair. The gift recipient like the felted clogs that I was wearing and asked for a pair of those instead of socks. Not a problem. I bought the yarn yesterday when NRYP was visiting.

In other knitting news, I have a finished Friday Harbour sock and 1.5 Denmark socks so hopefully it won't be too long before they can be added to my completed list.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!! Wishing you all the best for 2007!

Friday, December 22, 2006

Random Pre Holdiay thoughts

I am not sure what is happening with the internet today. Over half the sites I am trying to go to are down. At first I thought it was my connection going in and out, but I think it is the sites. Some sites are consistently working (google, yahoo) but other sites I can't get through. So I can do a google search but not be able to follow any of the links. I guess that means I have used up my internet quota for the month - however blogger is letting me blog.

I have mentioned zip.ca before. Well, Ali and I began watching Lost and like everyone else has gotten into the story. When zip.ca sent out Disk 4 (season 1 so no spoilers), it took a little longer than usual to get to us - then the envelope looked like it had been dropped in the snow and stepped on. I tentatively opened the package up and checked the disk - cracked. I immediately mailed it back out. I checked the box that I would like a replacement sent. Today, we received the replacement - this envelope too looked damaged. I opened it carefully - since maybe we aren't meant to view disk 4, maybe they are lost episodes* with the secret to the island on it. Disk 4 is in fine shape and maybe going into the DVD player tonight. It has been a couple of weeks now since we have seen an episode. I may forget what is going on.

The felted clogs are on my feet currently, they are still a little big- I like my slippers snug- so they might go in another wash.

I decided to knit Friday Harbour from Knitting on the Road, I didn't bother to check gauge - cast on and went. I put the sock on to check when to start the toe decreases. The cuff is very tight- I can get in on past my ankle but I am not sure I like it. I knit these socks on size2.25 mm (US1) with 8 spi, checked the pattern (after trying it on and questioning the fit) it calls for 2.75 mm (US2) with 6 spi. If the pattern was not so lacy I don't think I would be able to even get it on my foot. So here is the dilemma do I rip out the whole sock, rip out the cuff and knit it up. I have lots of yarn so my current thinking is to finish this sock, knit a pair on 2.75 mm (maybe I'll get out my 2.5 mm) and make a mate to the smaller version and find someone with slightly smaller feet than I have.

I hope everyone has a joyous holiday season - whatevery holiday you are celebrating this year, and a Happy 2007.

*you could see that coming I know, but I couldn't help myself.
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Monday, December 18, 2006

Warm feet -- almost

I don't know if I ever showed you this picture before:


it is a partially finished Fibertrends Felted Clog*. Last week I finished them after ripping all the navy out. I thought the navy was a full ball but I had used some of them for Ali's pair of slippers last year. I was able to use one layer of navy on the bottom and the rest is the turquoise. I have been felting other projects in my front loading washer - just through them in with everything else that I wash - and use cold water. I think tomorrow I will be using hot water. The slippers have now gone through 4 cold water washes but are still a little big - they are still a little long and very wide. I was hoping I could be having some toasty feet today but it will have to wait.
I have heard a rumour that Fibertrends has recently released a new sizes that give options for narrow feet - I didn't see anything on the website. Does anyone know if this is true or not? The pattern I have has Wm s/m/l and Men m/l. So there is lots of sizes just not the narrow option.

Keeper does approve of these slippers. On Saturday, I had been wearing them (they are too big for walking normally in but I can shuffle around in them or have warm feet while I sit and knit) I had taken them off and had my feet tucked up under me on the couch, Keeper came over quickly grabbed one went back to his bed and went to sleep. He just thought it made a nice addition to his collection. While I was knitting these he didn't pay any attention to them. Keeper is currently curled up on his bed waiting for dinner. Dinner is not until 6 so he needs to wait, although he will start pacing at 5:50 just to make sure that I haven't forgotten that it is dinner time.



*it wasn't until I found that link that I realized I did the same colours as in the picture
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Wednesday, December 13, 2006

Moebius update

Monday night I spent several hours reballing the yarn for the Moebius scarf after this debacle. Combine that with the several hours of tinking and this is what I have.
Two of those small balls were taken out of the scarf. Most of the yarn was salvageable just a huge amount of time to fix this.

Keeper does love my lace knitting though (and this hardly qualifies), I put this project in my knitting bag to get ready to take to the guild meeting. I hadn't done the snaps on it, so what does he do soon as my back is turned. Grabs it from the bag. Luckily I was still tinking so the ball wasn't attached and I noticed right away. No more damage done.

Unfortunately, Friday night when we were out Christmas shopping he grabbed Trellis (5 rows from being completed) and put a hole in it. I think I can take out a pattern repeat and graft the two sides together. I was going to show you a pic but the camera died.

Last night at the guild meeting I showed off the compelted Dulaan vest, and picked up a scarf. Someone else used their challenge ball to make a scarf for charity, since I mentioned my scarf was going to Mongolia, she told me to take the scarf to send as well. So I will add to this to my package that I will send to F.I.R.E.

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Monday, December 11, 2006

Serenity

What Firefly character are you? I am Zoe.

Dependable and trustworthy.
You love your significant other and
you are a tough cookie when in a conflict.
Married to Wash




Click here to take the Serenity Personality Quiz

Friday, December 08, 2006

While I was gone I finished some projects

I went from the post every day to posting over a week later. I was informed last night that my blog had gotten boring (meaning I haven't updated it). So a few updates on what we have been doing.
On Tuesday I went to Sit and Chat at Whole Lotta Gelato in Waterloo. My friend Jen needed help with a sweater so we decided going to the Sit and Chat would be a great place to get help. The place was empty except the 5 of us knitters. I had arrived early (about 6:30) since I had planned to go to the mall (where the LYS is located) before hand. The Waterloo Town Square Mall serves more of the daytime crowd than the evening shopping, so it was closed. The Sit and Chat was great and I started a new project - more on this in a later post.

Why would I start a new project? When I have recently posted all my projects that are almost finished. Well lets look at the list

Charcoal Cabled Socks - done


Charcoal Ribbed Socks
Yarn: Patons Kroy Charcoal
Needles: 2.25 mm (US1)


Dulaan Vest 2.2 - done



Dulaan Challenge Vest v2.2
Yarn: Cascade 220 (left overs) + Challenge Yarn from Guild
Needles: 4.25 mm
Pattern: Ann Budd's Handy Guide to Knitting Patterns
Notes: My first intarsia project

Moebius Scarf - Haven't worked on this since I needed a new needle, and this project will not be portable for a while as I try to untangle the mess.

Dulaan Vest 1.0 is still needing the ribbing around the neck and the armholes. This can wait though maybe until after Christmas. Okay I could have taken this to work on, but I didn't want to.

Trellis Scarf - I am on the end border pattern so this should be off the needles and on the blocking pile soon.

I have also managed to make Keeper a coat- I spoil him even when he drives me crazy. The snow has been flying all week and he has made it clear that he doesn't like bad weather. He had a lighter jacket, which I used for a pattern to make heavier coat. This jacket is a waterproof vinyl material lined with thick polar fleece. It has been keeping Keeper warm. It almost keeps his body too warm as he doesn't want to take short walks but wants his normal long walks. What is the problem with that you say. Well I haven't made the matching booties for his feet. So every two blocks or so, I have to rub his paws to get them warm since when they are cold he starts limping or just sits and holds up his front paws. The cold concrete sidewalks, with the salt on the roads is not good for his feet - although he doesn't realize it. Like a child he doesn't realize that you should turn around for home when you start getting cold not when you are freezing. So we have been going for short walks and fighting with him on the way home. Sometimes though he has been eager to turn around for home after a block.

Thanks everyone for the condolences on the scarf- I think it just needs some wine and a quiet evening. I got the new needle yesterday so I will work on it some this weekend.
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