Yarn Along -10 February 2021

I’ve had a bit of startitis since Christmas. I started with the beautiful yarn from Mom. The shawl is called “Familiars” and is based on 18th century embroidery patterns.

My second lot of Christmas yarn was from Colin and Ella. It’s yarn for a new afghan/bedspread for us. My old crocheted one feels summery. I wanted one for the winter. It’s called Persian Dreams, though I’m using sport sized yarn not worsted.

These hexagons are rather addictive. The designer made a set of extra hexagons too. I’m glad I bought those because I think they are nicer than the original ones. I’ve also got yarn to make Mom a sweater for her birthday. It’s sport sized too, so it will be a lighter sweater. I don’t have a pattern picked out for the yoke yet. I’ve actually ordered some more yarn for the pattern part. I’ll show you when they arrive.

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How Did December Happen???

I could have sworn I did a post in November? If I did, I don’t know where it went. I don’t even have a good excuse for you. It seems like I spent most of November doing laundry and washing dishes. I did spend some time running lunches and people around. We’ve got all the crops combined and most of it sold. And to be honest, thousands and thousands already spent for next year’s cropping – it would be nice if the salesmen would wait until you at least had this year’s crops off before wanting your money for next year.

I stopped in at Value Village to see if any China needed rescuing. There wasn’t any plates or bowls, but I did find a cool serving bowl (and the pressed glass one in the corner). It’s called “The Hunter” by Myott. It reminds me of my Dad’s Mom’s china (I can’t find a picture). It makes me smile.

We had a good bit of snow this month, though it’s basically all gone now. I’m ready for the snow, I’m tired of mud and grey.

I finished my sweater and I LOVE it!!! It fits perfectly -a bonus from using a top down sweater pattern. Even better, it was a totally customizable pattern so I could use my measurements and the gauge that I wanted. Much nicer than trying to make my knitting fit the gauge of the pattern. If you remember the pattern that I ‘copied’, it had a hood. I decided not to bother with the hood. Not only am I 49 years old (a little old I think for a hoodie), but a hood would drive me nuts on days that I don’t have my hair up. It’s bad enough that some of my dresses demand certain hair styles (to avoid back zippers/buttons); I didn’t need a sweater doing it too. And you’ll notice, I’ve even got the buttons sewn on already -ha ha!

Hope you are all still there? And I hope you are all doing well and hanging on. Let’s see if I can find more things to post about in December.

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Yarn Along -10 June 2020

All the girls on my knitting Facebook pages have been posting all the “squishy mail” they have been getting since the lock down.  Well, for once, I actually got some money back from my tax return.  I decided to treat myself to some “squishy mail” too.  I ordered from Knit Picks as usual.  I really like their yarn.  And I had a “you haven’t ordered in a long time” discount code which covered the ridiculous 25% exchange rate -bonus!!

The ball of Comfy is a new one for me.  It is a cotton/acrylic blend.  Oh my, it is SO soft.  I’m using it to make a ‘produce bag’.  I tried 3 different patterns and finally decided on this one.  The rest of the yarn is for a cardigan for me.  It’s really cool and has fair-isle on the sleeves but a solid body (and hood if I make it).  The yarns are either Stroll, Stroll Tonal, or the Stroll Tonal mini packs.

My knitting mojo still seems a little off, but at least I’ve got some beautiful yarn!

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Yarn Along -5 June 2020

A couple of days late for sharing my knitting.  I’ve actually been in a bit of a knitting funk lately.  I want to knit something fun, but I don’t know what to start. And I certainly don’t want to finish any of my WIPs, though Ella keeps asking about her birthday socks, so I should get back to those.  Ella needed some drawing pencils a couple of weeks ago.  I ordered curbside pick-up from Michaels.  To make the order worthwhile, I got some yarn too.  It was buy 2 get 1, I think 3 balls should be enough for a throw.  It’s Caron Cotton Cakes. . I’ve never used it before, it’s knitting up OK.  The colour way is ‘candied lavender.  I’m using the really simple Ten Stitch Blanket pattern.  It’s the same pattern I used for a lap blanket for Mom back in 2011.

I wasn’t really that thrilled with knitting the blanket.  Lots of garter stitch and only the corners for excitement.  Also, that was when it got so hot.  I decided to finish a shawl I had started last year.   Unfortunately, I committed the worse crime in knitting -I put down a ‘complicated’ project without marking where I left off (I was coming right back).  Also, I didn’t like the way the edging was laying and it would take a crazy amount of blocking to fix.  So I ripped it out and went searching for a new pattern.  I’ve had this yarn for an absolutely ridiculous amount of time.  It’s time it was knit into something.  I decided on the Frozen Raspberries shawl.

I’ve actually got a book to share this week for Yarn Along.   This year for school, Ella is doing the Civil War years.  I had planned on having her read Uncle Tom’s Cabin but thought maybe I should read it first.  I actually grabbed it to take with me to the hospital -good thing too.  It was a really good book.  Hard to believe I’ve never read it before.  Ella would be ‘able’ to read it no problem, but she’s having a hard time with things right now and really emotional, so I think I’ll save it until the next time this time period comes around.  Right now she’s reading Underground to Canada, which fits her frame of mind better.

 

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Guess What?

Guess what?  I haven’t been just a lazy and bad housewife for the last 2.5 months, I actually have pneumonia!!  My friend’s husband is a doctor at the local hospital.  She texted me to say he was working the walk-in there and there was no one waiting – perfect time to go.  So I headed up there last Wednesday at 5.  Got through triage and they were so shocked by my coughing for 2.5 months and the fact that I could feel rattling in my lungs they actually sent me to emerg. instead.  Five hours later (a chainsaw accident came in after me at obviously took priority) I’d had an EKG (no idea why they did that), blood work, and a chest x-ray and finally some answers.  So now I’m on 2 different antibiotics and more Prednesone.    I started feeling better by Saturday.  I haven’t had a nap for a few days now (instead of an hour ever afternoon!).  It feels so good to finally find a doctor that cares.  I tried to get help from my usual clinic but they insisted on doing phone appointments.  Not sure how you are supposed to treat a lung problem over the phone??

I finished my sweater.   I made the body a little longer and the sleeves a little shorter.  This is the best part of a top-down sweater, it’s easy to make it fit my 5 ft frame.  I need to wait for Fabricland to open to get some buttons, but then again I don’t usually wear my sweaters buttoned.  I’ve worn it a few times already and I love it.  I must be feeling better, I organized the giant mess that is my knitting corner in the living room.  I even sorted through my knitting needles and used an inventory sheet so I can see what I need and which ones I have lots.  I actually think I may have enough that I can get rid of all the hideous old circulars from the 80’s-90’s.  You know, the ones with the plastic cable that never uncurls.  The likes of Chiagoo and Knit Picks have spoiled me and I no longer want to fight with my needles.

Cropping is coming along well.  Colin is just about done.  Only a few places to fill in that were too wet earlier.  We are still in need of gentle, appropriate amounts of rain.

What are your thoughts on masks?  We aren’t required to wear them, but some of the stores around here are going to require them.  Fabricland for sure wants masks.  For some reason the thought of making them gives me anxiety.  I don’t know what to do.

This is an older picture, but I don’t have a willing model today to show you the wild plum trees.  They are finally starting to flower.  I guess spring has decided to arrive!  I’m looking forward to turning the heat off and opening the windows.  We tried yesterday, but the house got really chilly.  The temperature got down to 65F and Colin gave in and put the fire back on.  This is the only problem with a fire based heat system.  It’s hard to keep the fire going this time of year without overheating the house.  Has spring arrived where you are?

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Spring!!

Spring has finally arrived in Renfrew County.  My snowdrops are slow this year, but the crocuses are great.  It’s funny, I always watch for the snowdrops, but seem to forget about the crocuses.  Then one day, I look out the window and ‘bam’ purple wonderness!!

I finished Mom’s fair isle cardigan.  It’s acrylic but I made it in the round and used a steek.  It looks a little big, but that’s because Mom lives in sweatshirts (until at least June) and I don’t want her to struggle with her sweater.  It’s also longer than I would have made it, but that’s how Mom likes to wear them.

It’s dull and cloudy today.  I think I might spend the day baking (but not bread, it doesn’t rise properly on cloudy days).  Ella’s really tired, so I might give her a holiday.

Hope everyone is doing well!!

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March Break 2020

We weren’t really planning on taking March break off.  In fact I’d made a deal with Ella that we would only do ‘half’ days instead.  But in the light of everything we’re actually taking March break off school.  So what did I decided to do instead?

I decided to defrost the house freezer yesterday.  It went pretty well.  I also had a 10 lb chicken in the oven (right beside the freezer and the reason the door only opens this far).  All that extra heat really helped.  I did well this time around, I only found one ‘dead’ doughnut that needed to be thrown out.  Usually there’s quite a pile of stuff to feed the barn cats.   Today it was finally cold enough to put everything back.  It’s so nice when it’s clean and organized.  For how long?

Spring is coming.  Colin has already had a few seed cleaning jobs.  It’s a pretty solitary job so he should be able to continue through the spring without a problem (fingers crossed, we need that income).  Seed and fertilizer should be arriving shortly too.  We’ve still got about a foot of snow, but some days the yard is pretty muddy.  Colin was down towards Smiths’ Falls the other day for a job and he said there was no snow at all!

Ella and Grandma – why not!  I love “cheese face” and miss it some days.  14 is a hard time apparently??  I don’t remember and what I do remember had more to do with our family dynamic than actually being 14.

About 3 weeks ago I had what I thought was a bad allergy attack for a couple of days.  It must have been a cold because I now have an asthma ‘flare’.  I went to the walk-in clinic on Monday.  They are doing appointments for walk-in right now.  I kind of like that because I didn’t have to sit in a room full of sick people just for my asthma.  As expected I got some prednasone and now I’m finally starting to feel better.  I was starting to get dirty looks with my cough when I did groceries.

Ella lost her cool ‘Jack Skellington’ beanie.  She asked if I could make her a “Legend of Zelda” hat.  Luckily, Ravelry did not fail.  I’ve got it just about done, I need to have Ella try it on for size.  She’s so excited.

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2019 Knitted Year

The list seems short this year?  Though there are quite a few socks on the list and they take a while.

2 baby surprise jackets and heart hats for Kelsey

slipper socks for Dad

better birthday socks for Ella

socks for Ella

socks for Grandma

fingerless gloves for Ella

shawl for Amanda

hat for Grandpa Jim

summer knee socks for me

felted cat cave for Belinda

Ella socks 

Ella socks 

socks for Belinda

cowl for Maureen

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Crafting On/Yarn Along -20 November 2019

Not sure what’s up with Ginny and Yarn Along, but Nicole is still doing her Crafting On.  I’ve been working on a few things this last while, but haven’t finished much.  I did whip up a thank you present for Maureen.  It’s a cowl made with Knit Picks Swish – a lovely, washable merino.  Check it out here.  Don’t worry, my Ravelry page is set so everyone can see my projects.

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Yarn Along/Crafting On -19 June 2019

Two finished projects this week for Yarn Along and Crafting On.  The first is a shawl that I made for Amanda. My Dad asked for a hat.  He wears his hair nearly shaved off and finds the a/c at home too cool (my step-mother likes it cooler).

I’m working on a book Colin gave me for Christmas, A Hobbit, a Wardrobe, and a Great War.  It’s a little slow going, but I don’t always get/take a lot of time to read.

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