Hey kids! You stink.

I almost spit out my tea when I saw this headline in our provincial paper.


Anyone obsessed with the English language will know why this headline is side-splitting funny. Any ideas? Okay, let me explain . . .

When I was working for a little radio station called CBC, I was called out to cover a fire in a seniors complex. There were fire engines, ambulances, police cars and media everywhere, watching while some 200 seniors were forced out of their apartment building. The fire ended up being pretty minor, I think it was just an electrical fire in the basement, but it cut out electricity to the building and the residents weren't allowed to return to the building until the next morning.

After interviewing some of the displaced seniors and the fire chief, I went back to the office and cut some tape for news. It was getting late, so I just left the scripts on the news desk for the morning news guy to vet in the morning.

The next day, when I arrived at the station, the morning show director smiled at me and asked me about "evacuating 200 seniors." She said the morning crew got quite a kick out of my scripts, and everyone laughed. I consider myself a nerd, a geek, a keener and a grammar queen, but I still wasn't quite sure what was wrong with my scripts. I was told that buildings are evacuated, not people. If emergency crews were "evacuating 200 seniors," that would mean they were giving emergency enemas to all those seniors. Ha, ha. I get it.

I never forgot that lesson and I read or hear that same mistake at least once a week in the news. Sometimes, if I know the reporter, I'll call and tell them my story, but usually I just have a chuckle while imagining paramedics and firefighters saying, "Okay, this building is on fire, but before we evacuate the building, let's give all the residents enemas. Ready, set, GO!"

That's why I nearly spit out my tea this morning. "Students evacuated due to sickening odour." Pure journalistic GOLD.

Ready, Set, Lace!

I'm nearing the end of the 60 inch "lace track" and I can see the finish line. Just a few more laps (or pattern repeats) to go.

Let's play a game!

What is it?


Is it a kitty blanket?


No, but that's Moustache's secret wish. He loves alpaca yarn and the silk just makes it more luxurious against his furry bits. I was surprised he didn't attack the "kitty blanket" when I placed it on him, he just posed like a good little kitty.

Well, if you've been reading my blog at all, you'll know this is the Lacy Hug-Me-Tight in progress. I've finished the inner rectangle and have started working on the lacy border . . . only I had to rip it back after seven or eight pattern repeats because I ended up with a couple of holes where they weren't supposed to be. Here it is after two pattern repeats.


I was able to knit quite a bit over the last few days because my Dad is in the hospital recovering from open heart surgery. He's fine, he had to have a valve replaced, but it's still quite a big ordeal. I'm glad I'm a knitter because I don't know if I could handle all the waiting around in the hospital if I didn't have something to busy my hands!

Happy Easter!

Hey Mother Nature! Make up your damn mind.

See that white stuff on the ground, behind the daffodils? That's snow. Mother Nature teased us with several days of gorgeous spring weather, but today, walloped us with a snowstorm. Thanks a lot ma'am. I'm just glad I haven't taken the snow tires off my car yet.

Mr. MacBook is back from his sojourn in Apple Land. The lower left corner of the screen is still a little wonky, but I'd rather live with the wonkiness than shell out $700 to have it fixed. Yup, $700. I understand that the screen is physically half of the computer, but there's no need to charge more than half of what I paid for it to repair it. I'm still going to call Apple to see if I can make a deal, but in the meantime, I'm living with a speckled screen.


In knitting news, I'm plugging away at the Lacy Hug-Me-Tight. I was sick with a cold last week, so I didn't knit all that much between naps, cough syrup, sneezing, decongestant tablets and vegging out on the couch. But the cushy softness of silk and alpaca makes me feel splendid and I'm excited about diving back into knitting endless rows of 2 x 2 rib, only because it means I'm getting that much closer to knitting the lacy bits.


P.S. This colour is amazing. So pretty

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 . . .

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.

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!

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!).

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.

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!

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.

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.