Tuesday, March 27, 2007

C'mon deliver the letter, the sooner the better

Guess what showed up in my mail box today?


It's Blue Sky Alpacas alpaca and silk in blush -- the palest pink you could ever imagine -- ordered from The Needle Emporium in Ontario. I thought the package had been sent to Mail Hell because I ordered it almost two weeks ago (the oh-so-kind owner of the store, Julie, even called Canada Post to check if the package was lost somewhere), so I was pleasantly surprised to see it in my mailbox today.


This load of yarn is destined to become the Lacy Hug-Me-Tight from Knit 2 Together.


Now I want to start knitting this instead of finishing my sunny socks. I think I'm preparing to enter the world of multi-task knitting . . .

Monday, March 26, 2007

Sunny socks


I know, I know. The saffron yarn was supposed to become Pomatomus socks, but I had a change of heart after encountering some weird pooling. So I ripped back the very beginnings of yellow and orange fish scales and cast on for the Hedera socks from knitty.

After one week, I've finished one sock and I think the pretty lace pattern suits the saffron yarn much better than Pomatomus ever would have. This is the happiest, sunniest sock ever and it makes me long for warm weather even more. And mid-way through knitting this sock, I stumbled across someone else in Internetland who thought the combination of a happy colour and lace pattern is a match made in knitheaven. Isn't that wild? Out of all the patterns, sock yarns and colours, there's someone else who has knit the same sock.

In other news, I am indefinitely computerless. A freak accident involving a mischievous kitty and a bottle of Propeller cream soda means Mr. MacBook's screen is effed up. I sent Mr. MacBook back to Apple to meet his maker and he'll be sent back to me "sometime" in the future. In the meantime, I'm borrowing hubby's computer.

Sunday, March 18, 2007

New acquisitions

Hubby and I went to Halifax this weekend, so I dragged him to Tangled Skeins in Dartmouth to pick up some new lovelies for my stash.

Two of the last six skeins of sweet georgia superwash sock yarn came home with me (saffron colourway). This yarn is destined to become the oh-so-famous Pomatomus socks from Knitty.


And I picked up three skeins of Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece in provincial rose to make this preppy shirt from a new-to-me book I found at a second-hand bookshop. The green yarn is what I have leftover from knitting the Rusted Root sweater.


While visiting Tangled Skeins, I learned that Steph (who works there on weekends) knows my Dad! This was really bizarre because my Dad has no connection to knitting whatsoever. Turns out her weekday job is working for the head office of the same pharmacy chain that my Dad works for. Small world.

I also have to report that I've retired an object that has been a staple for both my Mum and I for years. My Mum bought these chocolate brown shoes about 35 years ago when she was a single gal living in Montreal. She wore them nearly every day for years, walking to and from work. The shoes went out of commission for a little while and then I dug them out from the depths of her closet when I was in university and I've been wearing them constantly since about 2002. They are the most comfortable high heeled shoes I've ever slipped on my feet and that's why they've stuck around so long . . . until now.


This weekend, I bought a new pair of chocolate brown shoes. I've been looking for some like the old ones, but could never quite find what I was looking for. Since I have a small heel, I need a strap to keep my heel from slipping and I wanted shoes with a timeless design (so, in theory, they would still look fashionable 35 years from now). I found exactly what I was looking for and snapped 'em up right away.


Of course, they're not exactly like our 35-year-old friend, but they do have a strap and a timeless look. They're also cute as heck with that light pink stitching on the straps. I'll be sad to see the old shoes go, but it's time for a new pair to replace the old pair's coveted spot on my shoe rack. Then again, the old shoes might not be going anywhere . . . my Mum talked about having them bronzed this morning!

Thursday, March 15, 2007

Mossy Mobile Magnum


Pattern: Mossy Mobile Magnum
Source: my own design!
Materials: some leftover sweet georgia sock yarn in Life Aquatic
Needles: US 1/2.25 mm bamboo dpns
Started: March 13, 2007
Finished knitting: March 14, 2007

This pattern is nothing special. I cast on 15 stitches, knit a moss stitch flap, cast on 30 more stitches and joined them in the round, worked about a centimetre in moss stitch, switched to stockinette stitch, decreased a few times along the way, and when the cozy was long enough to house my phone, I ended with the kitchener stitch. That's it!


I'm quite happy with this little case for my mobile phone (Hubby makes fun of me when I call it a "mobile." I had to change my answering machine because Hubby was in hysterics after hearing me say, "or you can reach me on my mobile phone at . . . " I just hate calling it a cell phone!) and I'm overjoyed about designing my first pattern. Okay, so it's not a lace stole or anything, but it's still a pattern and it actually fits the phone perfectly . . . and that's all that counts.

Coming soon . . . a post about my next project! I've ordered the yarn and can't wait 'til it shows up in my mailbox. I'll let you all in on the secret project when that buttery soft yarn arrives!

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

Invaluable investment

After scouring the shops of Yarmouth, I found that mesh drying rack I desperately needed.



There will be no more waiting three days for a sweater to dry for this gal. Nope. I have a rack where I can lay down dry garments and the air will circulate around them, thus drying them in hours instead of days.

And since I've finished a knitting project, it's time to start another one. I've decided to cast on for a cell phone cozy of my own design.



Isn't that moss stitch yummy? MMMMMossy goodness. This will be the first time I've designed my own pattern, so I hope it turns out as fantastic as I'm anticipating.

Ever since I heard an interview with the owner of Crumbs, a cupcake bakery in New York City, on Martha Stewart Living Radio, I've been craving cupcakes. So last night, I pulled Nigella Lawson's How to be a Domestic Goddess off the bookshelf and looked up her recipe for fairy cakes.



How divinely domestic.

Monday, March 12, 2007

Rusted Root!

After days of drying on the office floor (I desperately need a mesh drying rack), I present you Rusted Root!



Pattern: Rusted Root by the Zephyr Gals
Source: www.zephyrstyle.com (for some reason I can't create links since I've switched to a Mac. I'll have to investigate that)
Materials: two skeins and a tiny bit from the third of Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece in Wild Sage
Needles: too many to list! I switched needles so many times to get the right gauge.
Started: February 13, 2007
Finished knitting: March 8, 2007

Modifications: None, besides switching needles a lot.

Verdict: Cheers all around. I loved knitting this. It's the first time I've knit something top down and I loved being able to visualize what the sweater was going to look like while knitting it. The lace pattern also made an otherwise plain knitting experience more spicy. This cute little sweater came out quite nice. It might be a smidge tight with the cami underneath. Without a cami it fits better, but I'm a little too much of a prude to let everyone see through the lacy bits.



Although we've entered daylight savings time and the sun is out, I'm afraid it's not as warm out as it seems. It is above freezing, but still not really short-sleeve weather.

And since I love the shaping on this sweater, here's a close-up.

Saturday, March 10, 2007

Sneak peek



The Rusted Root sweater is nearly done. All the knitting is complete and I just have to weave in the ends. I tried it on and it looks mighty cute. Can't wait to set up a photo shoot and show it to all of you in Blogopia.

The new job has been super busy this week! I've been setting up meetings between politicians and fishermen all week and it's been fun, but a little crazy. I've traveled all over southwest Nova Scotia and I've been racking up many, many kilometres on my odometre -- all of which the government will kindly reimburse me.

And with the new job comes some mild fighting over our one laptop. Hubby wants the computer so he can work on a music video he's animating and I need the computer to properly do my job. So I promised him I would buy my own computer to save our marriage. Here's the new adoptee!



Yup. Please join me in welcoming the newest member of our family, Mr. MacBook. Now I have three boys in the house vying for my attention. It's nice to feel special.