Tuesday, February 27, 2007

FO: Writzy Wristers


Pattern: my own, based on a prototype Sherrie gave me
Materials: some leftover Artyarns Supermerino sock yarn in colour #101
Needles: set of 5 birch US 4/3.5 mm dpns
Started: February 23, 2007
Finished: February 27, 2007

After hubby modeled the wristers (which he said were mighty warm), they wanted to pretend to be towers. So, I told them to go right ahead.

And then I packaged them up, ready to send off to Sherrie's Dad for his 55th birthday.

Friday, February 23, 2007

The one-at-a-time rule

A lot of knitters tend to embark on three or four (or ten) projects at a time. They’re working on two sweaters, three pairs of socks, a baby hat and some mittens, dividing their time amongst the legions of woolly projects. But one (or many) will inevitably fall to the bottom of the knitting basket and stay there for weeks, months, years . . .

That’s why I’m a one-at-a-time kind of gal. It’s not that I’m bad at multitasking, I actually have a fairness issue. Everything always has to be fair. So, if I start a project, in order to be fair to it, I must focus all my attention on that one project until it’s complete. It just wouldn’t be nice to set it aside and jump into another project.

But I’ve decided to put Rusted Root aside for a few days in order to work on some wristers for Sherrie’s dad. Apparently his mother used to knit tubes (that look like sock tops) he could wear on his wrists so that the cold Canadian air doesn’t sneak into the gap that forms between mittens and jacket sleeves. Smart, eh? Sherrie’s dad’s birthday is coming up next week and he requested some wristers, so she’s contracted me out to do the deed.

I cast on 60 stitches of Artyarns Supermerino sock yarn and I’m knitting a 2x2 rib tube. Sherrie’s dad wants his new wristers to be a bit longer than the grey prototype, so I should have enough yarn in one skein for a pair.

I’m using some brand new needles for this project. They’re 3.5 mm (US 4) birch needles by Brittany. I like them. It’s always nice to try something different.

Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Looks like I'll be adding some orange to my wardrobe

No, I'm not joining the Carrot Common Corp. (can you believe that actually exists?), I'm going to be an NDipper!


The whole story starts last summer when I had a job interview for a media relations position with the provincial NDP. I didn't get the job, but the kind people working in the NDP Caucus office said they really liked me and I narrowly missed getting the position. I sent them a lovely Thank You card, hoping that would persuade them to think of me the next time a similar position comes up.

Well, let me tell you, it pays to send a Thank You note! Yesterday, after an awful day at the gallery (the folks from Halifax came and took almost all of our artwork), I came home and the phone rang. It was a nice gentleman with the NDP Caucus office calling to offer me a job! A media relations/outreach position that doesn't require me to move to Halifax! I can stay right where I am and will start as soon as possible. I was completely in shock (I'm still not sure if this is all a crazy dream) and can't wait to go to Halifax on Monday to meet my new coworkers. Holy jeez. I have a job, folks! A real job in my field! This really rocks my socks (handknit socks, by the way -- this is still a knitting blog, after all!).

Monday, February 19, 2007

Warning! White out conditions ahead.


That's the view from our living room window. We're trying to make it through the storm of the year! Thirty-two centimetres of snow had fallen by noon today and it just keeps coming. I haven't left the apartment aside from trying to walk to the post office, which is just a half of a block away. Everything in town is closed (including the post office) and I'm just hoping the power will stay on.

Since there's nothing else to do, I'm knitting up a storm (pun intended). The Rusted Root sweater is coming along nicely and I've just finished knitting the oh-so-girly cap sleeves.


Here's a closeup of the lace pattern.


In other news, my job is somewhat in question right now. Last week the art gallery flooded, so we're closed until further notice. Carpenters came to the gallery on Friday to remove the walls and ceilings of the men's washroom, the janitor's room and the cloak room (all on the lower level) and they ripped out all of the baseboards in the lobby on the main level. Apparently, since the gallery is at the bottom of a hill, the rain water just came right through the side doors and ran down the stairs like a river. The art conservators in Halifax were supposed to come to Yarmouth today to remove ALL the art and take it back to Halifax. They say they'll bring the exhibitions back to Yarmouth once we've solved the flooding problem, but I'm a little skeptical.

To cheer us all up, here's a photo of a sleeping kitty.

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Look what the mailman dragged in . . .


Some Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece in Wild Sage, a smoky green that looks, well, like sage leaves. I ordered the yarn from Linda's Craftique in Port Credit, ON on Thursday and it arrived in record time. Thank you Canada Post.

This yarn is destined to become the lovely Rusted Root from Zephyr Style.

I've got the yarn, the pattern, the needles . . . Ready, Set, Go!

Wednesday, February 07, 2007

Jaywalking in the snow

The Jaywalker socks are done and just in time to warm my tootsies in this frigid weather.

I know, -8 degrees Celsius is hardly sandal weather, but these socks looks smashing in these Maryjanes. The moss green colour of the sandals brings out the tiny flecks of green in this yummy sweet georgia yarn. It's a match made in knitting heaven.

Pattern: Jaywalker by Grumperina
Source: MagKnits
Materials: two hanks of sweet georgia superwash sock in life aquatic and a little bit of leftover Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino in colour #602
Needles: set of 5 bamboo US 1/2.25 mm dpns
Started: January 25, 2007
Finished: February 7, 2007

The surprise with these socks are the pink toes. I was inspired by the way the sweet georgia label (in pink) went with the colour of the yarn and I had a bit of DB Baby Cashmerino left over from the pink cabled baby hat, so I knit some adorable pink toes.



I decided to adorn the felted slippers with some vintage buttons from my Gramie's stash. I swear, she has a collection of buttons that would make any crafter swoon. I chose a large navy button and a smaller green flowery one to stitch onto the slippers one on top of the other.

I'm very happy with the way they turned out. The buttons almost look like buckles on the outside edge of each slipper.

Thursday, February 01, 2007

Felted footsies!

Pre-felting:


Post-felting:


Pattern: House Slippers by Mel Clark
Source: Knit 2 Together
Materials: two skeins of Manos del Uruguay in colour E (green) and one in 04 (turquoise)
Needles: US 13/9 mm straights and US 11/8 mm circulars
Started: January 23, 2007
Finished: February 1, 2007

Modifications: None.

Notes: These would have been done sooner had I found the circular needles that I needed when I went looking for them. Since the slippers are knit with three strands of yarn held together on super-big needles, they knit up really quickly. I got the yarn free because I had gift certificates for my lys -- the high price tag of Manos is the only thing keeping me from knitting a whole bunch of these! I could, of course, use another yarn but the Manos really does look great and it felts up beautifully.

Next up: finishing those oh-so-cute Jaywalkers (really, you'll squeal "Cute!" when you see them) and then . . . I'd like to try my hand at another sweater or cardigan.