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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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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Yarn Along/Crafting On -16 April 2019

Finished project this week for Yarn Along/Crafting On.

New fingerless gloves for Ella.  The picture doesn’t show how fluorescent the yarn is, it nearly glows in the dark!

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Yarn Along/Crafting On -27 March 2019

We had a crazy busy day yesterday, but it also included a nice long visit with my friend Chantal and her boys.  Ella had so much fun, even if her part of the home school fair is turning into a much bigger thing than she expected.

Did I show Ella’s socks for Crafting On/Yarn Along last week? The blue ankle socks are hers, she says that’s the way she likes her socks.  Also working on some Christmas presents.  Some thick socks for Grandma and a pair of cozy socks for her too.

Ella found a really cool book series when we were in the city last weekend.  It’s classic books re-done in manga -Ella’s favourite.  She bought Romeo and Juliet.  She’s eager to get the Tom Sawyer too.  I’d love to get her the whole series.

Does any one out there know anything about talking with people over the internet (like a phone call)?  Ella chats with all her gamer friends on Discord  but just by chat.  How much internet does a voice call take?  Right now Ella can only talk with friends in person when she’s at the library because we only have 100G a month and I’m afraid a call will put us over the limit.

 

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Yarn Along/Crafting On -12 March 2019

A couple of finished projects for Yarn Along and Crafting On.

I finished the socks for Ella a while ago but forgot to show you.  She loves them.  My Dad wanted some slippers.  Unfortunately, the slippers he likes ‘kill’ my wrists.  So I decided to make him some slipper socks instead.  Hopefully he likes them, though I’m not holding my breath.

I picked up a cheap Kindle book the other day.  It was Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain.  I’ve watched his show “Parts Unknown” for a while now, Colin even liked it.  I really liked his shows.  He was so laid back and sarcastic.  He went to the really cool places -the places the locals go, not the ‘touristy’ stuff.  As expected, “Kitchen Confidential” was brutally honest and quite the eye-opener.  I knew he’d had quite the life, but wow!  Definitely a good read.

 

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Yarn Along -20 February 2019

Oops I did it again.  Somehow Yarn Along Tuesday slipped by without a post.

I got the baby sweaters finished.  Just waiting for buttons.  I made matching heart hats too.  Started a new pair of socks for Ella.  The ones I made for her birthday didn’t fit.  She likes ankle socks, so they were a really quick knit.

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Crafting On/Yarn Along -22 January 2019

I have a new project to share for Yarn Along/Crafting On.   We just found out that one of Ella’s favourite teachers at swimming is having twins!  So I’m whipping up a couple of Baby Surprise Jackets (and likely bonnets).

I’m not a fan of putting babies in green.  But it was Grandma’s idea and she was buying, so I guess it’s green.

Remember back in 2014 when the hair dresser chopped all my hair off instead of just the 10 inches for the donation?  And then the happy day in 2017 when it was finally long again?  Well, here’s today’s picture.  It’s fresh from the shower, so this is the length before it shortens with the bit of curl I have now.  This length is called ‘classic’, basically ‘butt-length’.  I now have to be careful when sitting down.  I think I may let it keep growing and see how far I can get.

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Yarn Along/Crafting On -16 January 2019

Yarn Along/Crafting On a little late. Somehow yesterday got away from me.  Oh well, this week’s progress isn’t that exciting.

Just about to the armpits on Mom’s sweater.  Though I’m beginning to worry about the amount of yarn left.  I’ll have to make it do because I like the firmness of the ‘material’.  I don’t want it any stretchier.

I got a couple of books for Christmas, but right now I’m reading a school related one.  It’s called Know and Tell and it walks you through the narration process.  It’s something we’ve been weak at over the years.

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Yarn Along -3 January 2019

I’m not sure what this says for the rest of the year, but the first Yarn Along of 2019 is mostly ‘un-knitting’.

Grandma’s sweater went from basically done to a bunch of balls of yarn.  She’s been having trouble with her shoulder (physio finally, now that holidays are over) and she had such a struggle getting into the sweater.  I think the ‘hand’ of the sweater is too loose/soft/stretchy for her.  Also the sleeves didn’t fit her biceps well at all.  So I sucked it up and ripped it all out.  Now what?  Elizabeth Zimmerman to the rescue again (plus sale on yarn at Michael’s).  I’m making her a fair isle cardigan with Elizabeth’s magic percentage formula.  That lets me make a sweater at any gauge and any size.  I decided on a fair isle because I don’t think I have enough of the ‘black’ for a firmer sweater.  This way I bought some grey and variegated purple to do the pattern work.  I may add some at the bottom too.

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