Dispatches from Halifax

WOOT!!!

2008-12-29T19:12:00.001-04:00

Guess who got a job offer today from Maine Medical Center? I shall be their newest OT as soon as I can get my paperwork in order. I am so excited that I can barely contain myself. In the meantime, it is time to announce a move! Dispatches from Halifax is now officially Dispatches from Maine! Please click here to access the new blog.

Cha-Cha-Cha- Changes

2008-12-20T08:34:00.002-04:00

Things have been pretty stressful around here kids... not gonna lie to you. Mike has been hired at a job in Portland, Maine, and so far I have not! That means that he is packing up all of our stuff and moving down there around the first of January, and I am stuck in Halifax.... homeless. Technically we have our current apartment until the end of January, so I am not totally homeless, there just won't be any furniture in it... that will all be with Mike in Maine.

The whole thing is very stressful and pretty crappy to be honest. If I can't find a job by the end of January I will look around Halifax for a month to month furnished apartment.

Originally Mike was going to move down to Maine and find a month to month, and I was going to stay here, but we found the most perfect apartment ever in South Portland, that we do not want to give up. This new apartment is seriously fantastic. It actually has three bedrooms! One of the bedrooms is off of the main bedroom, it is going to be the yarn/spinning room, which is going to be fantastic. I am already looking into better yarn storage options.

So... yeah. Thing are a little stressful right now, but I think it will all work out. In the meantime if anyone has a room they would like to rent out, let me know!

What national blogging month?

2008-12-01T21:32:00.002-04:00

Ok so I fell off the blogging wagon again. I have had a lot on my mind lately that has left me not at all in the mood to blog. I can't really talk about it on the internet, but once it is all sorted I will give you all an update. In the meantime by blogging will likely continue to be sporadic.

I hope to either have things sorted out soon, or be back in the mood to blog soon. But until then you all will have to bear with me for a bit.

Thanks.

Oh the waiting is the hardest part

2008-11-22T09:12:00.002-04:00

I have been having a hard time sitting down to blog recently, I have had some rather exciting news that I am waiting to hear the outcome on. It's not the kind of thing I can blog about, but I will let you know as soon as I can! Or if you don't hear anything... assume the outcome was not positive. Was that vague enough for everyone? haha.

I finished the Chevalier Mittens. This is my first real FO from handspun that I have been really happy with. The first project I knit was really overspun and ended up feeling really hard. The second project was a little bag so it doesn't count. I am super happy with these mittens, they are very pretty. I do feel that they might pill easily though because they are not super spun, but we shall see. I have a special place in mind for these mittens, but again, I am not saying where :)

I took Chase to get weighed yesterday, she is now officially 2 kilograms, which means that she can get fixed. I have to admit, I am feeling a little bit of anxiety about this, last time I took a cat in for surgery they didn't come home with me. I am sure that she will be fine, but it's hard not to worry a little. Chase on the other hand, as usual, has zero anxiety.

Blech

2008-11-19T21:26:00.002-04:00

It was a truly gross day today. It was cloudy and rainy all morning and then started snowing in the afternoon. I was getting pretty nervous at work, because I knew that I would have to drive home in the slush. Luckily I was only in Lower Sackville today, so the drive wasn't too bad. If I had been on the South Shore or Pictou, I probably would have had to sleep there.

I went to knitting (KOL) last night for the first time in a while. Tuesdays are not a great day for me, and I am not always able to make it. I was really glad that I went though, it was awesome to see everyone, especially Alison and her brand new bundle of joy.

We got to talking about my blog... and there was some mention of all the cat pictures. I must say, I have always been an animal lover (not just cats, I also love dogs, birds, horses etc.) but somewhere along the line, living in an apartment and being confined to only one animal type, I have become a crazy cat lady. The whole thing just sort of snuck up on me. I think I am ok with this though... I have some to terms with it... and as long as the cats keep being soft and snuggle (and occasionally psychotic) I think I can deal with that.

Story of two kitties

2008-11-17T21:00:00.000-04:00

Hmm what's this? It appears to be some kind of basket....

Maybe I should poke at it to investigate?

AHHH! It poked me back!

Aw, it's just a kitten :)

One little slice of my life

2008-11-17T20:13:00.004-04:00

I finished the River Rapids socks!

I am really happy with how they turned out, although I must say, they really are more fraternal than identical twins. Not my fault though! These were knit from the same skein of hand-dyed yarn, however, one sock ended up having 90% of the green. Weird eh? I still like them! That's one Christmas present I can cross of my list :)

I have also made some progress on my Chevalier Mittens. I really love this mitten pattern. I don't knit a lot of mittens from other people's patterns because I can make up my own pretty easily. When I was in high school I knit almost exclusively hats and mittens, so I can make up patterns in my head for both in my sleep. I gotta confess though, there is no way that I could have made this pattern up in my head! This is some serious charting and cables!

What is that luscious yarn you ask? Well that is my own handspun, and I am soooooo happy with it. It's a blend of Alpaca/Merino with bits of soy and bombyx silk mixed in. I was not wild about it when I finished plying it, thinking that it was probably overplied, but it is knitting up just perfectly. These are some of the softest, nicest mittens I have ever made.

overspun handspun

2008-11-16T22:38:00.002-04:00

So remember the batts I was so excited about? Turns out that I should have been a little more careful while spinning. I really overspun my singles, and now the resulting yarn feels a little on the hard side. It looks a little scraggly in this picture, however, I have since washed it and it looks much better. Not sure what I am going to do with it... I have quite a bit more on the batts, but I may do them in a lighter weight. I know how to fix what I did wrong... I need to slow down my speed. Not sure why... but I wonder if spinning semi worsted requires less twist than spinning regular worsted? I am going to have to do some experimenting.

I am curious to see how it will knit up though. I wonder if it will soften when knitted and washed. I am thinking I am may make some experimental mittens... or perhaps some slippers where the high amount of twist will be an asset, making the slippers last longer.

Maggie + Batts = Love

2008-11-15T14:52:00.003-04:00

So remember the red/orange/yellow roving that I dyed? Well once it dried I found the color a little bit intense. So when I went to spinning on the south shore yesterday I asked spinning guru Sharon Orpin if she could help me blend it with some white. She suggested that I use her electric drum carder and make batts with it. I was game! I made about 10 or so batts from my dyed polswarth combined with some white polswarth that she had. I was really happy with the resulting batts, especially since some of them were more red, others more orange and others more yellow. It all depended on which part of the roving I used.

This picture really doesn't do it justice, but my singles are looking just fabulous. I love how the batts give you a cool striping effect in your yarn. My favorite part though is how ridiculously fast I can spin from a batt. I spun up a bobbin in a third the time it would normally take me. Mind you... it's not super even... but I think that is partially the nature of spinning semi worsted.

I also plied this dyed Polswarth, it's the stuff from the singles I showed off in a previous post from London Wul. I will get a better shot of it when I finish spinning the rest (I still have about 4 ounces left to spin).

Dance Dance

2008-11-13T21:47:00.002-04:00

Not gonna lie... not a lot of work, fiber or otherwise got done around here today. I went to EB Games and picked up Dance Dance Revolution for the Wii. I have always wanted this game, or I have wanted it ever since I saw my friend Alex using it at movie theatre, and last night I learned that you could get it for the Wii.... so I got it ASAP today.

Did any of you know that a new World of Warcraft (WoW) expansion pack came out today? EB games was a zoo! and I was the only one there not buying it. The cashier actually laughed when I asked for a Wii game, and seemed relieved to talk about something other than WoW. People around me in line were asking me questions like what guild I was in.... It was all very odd. Not like I am judging, the reason that I do not play WoW is because I know that I would become totally addicted and obsessed with it. I like those kinds of games too much so I stay away from them.

I hope that I continue to enjoy DDR as much as I do know. Playing a video game for two hours a day might be a good thing for me if it makes me sweat more than I do in aerobics class!

Experimenting

2008-11-11T13:10:00.002-04:00

I bought some Majic Carpet Dye yesterday from Gasperau Valley Fibers as well as some white Polswarth. The dye is meant to be used for rugs, but it works on wool and came in a handy kit of a bunch of colors, so I thought I would give it a whorl. I laid out my wool on some plastic wrap (after soaking it in vinegar and water). I then mixed up some red, orange and yellow dye into some mason jars, then splotched it on the wool randomly. There are no pictures of this step as I was covered in dye. I then wrapped it up and put it in a double boiler for 20 minutes. I bought a cheap enamel double boiler for this because I know that you are not suppose to use it for food after it has been used for dye.

I waited until it was room temperature, rinsed, and this is what I got!

It was really hard to get a picture because it was DRIPPING wet.

I am really happy with how it turn out! I can't really tell what it will be like as yarn, but I think it will be really pretty.

Currently on my wheel I have some Polswarth from London Wul. Pretty eh?

I am kind of a big deal

2008-11-11T10:52:00.001-04:00

Back in the 'fax

2008-11-09T22:39:00.002-04:00

I got back from PEI today, pretty tired. The drive back, although not that long, always wipes me out. I don't have any knitting pictures yet, the light is just too crappy in here. I did make some good spoils at Mini Mills though, and have some good progress on the River Rapids sock.

I had a good visit with the family. My granddad (who goes my G-Dad now) had a heart attack last weekend, scaring the crap out of me. It was reassuring to go see him and see that he was doing ok. He's doing well considering the circumstances. He's at home, they've told him expect 6 weeks to recover.

Other highlights from the weekend include my learning how to make two new curries from my Dad, including a Rogon Josh and a chickpea one. Curry is one of Mike's most favorite thing in the world (besides politics) and it is one way that I keep him around.

River Rapids!

2008-11-06T20:44:00.002-04:00

I cast on today for the River Rapids Socks using some Celestial Merino by Lucy Neatby. This picture really doesn't do this sock justice, it is a truly fantastic sock. It's one of those projects that takes longer to knit because you can't stop admiring your work as you go along. What a difference going from a sock knit with knitpicks to one with Lucy Neatby yarn, not like there is anything wrong with knitpicks, but it just does not have the pizzaz of handpainted merino. These socks are going to be a Christmas present for my step dad. The colours are not super manley, but he is a guy that is willing to wear bright colours, especially on his feet.

Do you knit at work? I don't usually, especially since I am a contractor aka self employed and I am always worried about looking super attentive at meetings. I do however knit at educational events. I always do this because as I am self employed, no one is paying me to go, I am going on my own time with my own money and I know that I will learn better and pay attention better if I have some knitting. In any case the work on this sock was done during a 2.5 hour presentation I attended today on pressure management (as in pressure ulcers, what we used to call bed sores). It was some great sock knitting time!

I am going to PEI tomorrow to see the family over there. I doubt I will be able to post when I am gone, but I will post when I get back!

Yes We Did

2008-11-05T21:26:00.003-04:00

Well, last night was amazing! I stayed up to watch Obama's acceptance speech, which brought me to tears. I have definitly been paying for it today though, I went to work and then did a home visit, and I am totally exhausted. Note to self: you require more than 5 hours of sleep to function.

I finished these 9-5 socks a while ago and am only getting around to posting them now. I am pretty happy with these, they aren't particularly exciting or pretty or wonderful, but they will be nice work socks. The yarn is knitpicks essential tweed and the raverly link is available here.

Anyone else finding it impossibly hard to get good pictures when we only have 10 hours of daylight? I don't know if it is my less than excellent camera or the crappy lighting, but I have been finding it really hard to get any even half decent knitting pictures.

G'Obama!

2008-11-04T16:55:00.002-04:00

American election day.... the only day where the whole world wishes they were American, or at least wishes they could vote in their elections. It's been a long two years we have been waiting for this day. Mike is so excited that he can barely form complete sentences. Luckily he was able to channel his nervous energy into cleaning our apartment for our election party tonight.

I don't have much time for blogging today, just wanted to check it before making some party hummus. Have a great election night everyone!

Warm Pasta and Soft Yarn

2008-11-03T19:46:00.004-04:00

First things first, tonight I very pleased with my culinary talents. I made this Rigatoni meal courtesy of Emeril Lagasse. It's a mushroom and steak cream sauce with gorgonzola cheese. I am not a big blue cheese fan so I bought a Camembert Gorgonzola mix from the Italian Grocery Store and used that. Also, I used Blend Cream instead of Whipping, but it was still very rich and creamy. I took a picture, but it looked sort of grey, so I decided not to include it :)

I am really happy with this yarn that I spun up. There is close to 1000 yards there, although I am not sure of the weight because it is still a little damp. I would guess that it is somewhere in the sportweight-fingering weight category. I have ordered a WPI gauge, but I am still waiting for it. The roving is from PacaFiesta, it's a Alpaca, Merino, Buffalo, Angora mix. It was a gift for being a spinning demonstrator.

I really tried to get a close up of the yarn so that you could see the ply and twist, but my camera and the evening light just wasn't cooperating. You can take my word for it though that it is slightly under plied, but wonderful and squishy and soft and I think it's perfect. I am happy that it turned out well because I have a special plan for it with this pattern.

In other news Chase continues to be extremely helpful in facilatating all fiber crafts.

Pangaea First!

2008-11-02T18:57:00.003-04:00

If there is one thing that I have learned about myself since I started blogging it's that if I do not blog everyday I am unlikely to blog more than once a month. In the spirit of that I have joined NaBloPoMo, and committing myself to blogging daily. I am going home twice in November and I have given myself permission to not blog on those days as there is dial up internet and I know I will not get it together to write posts ahead of time.

In other news Mike and I went to a Halloween party on Friday night. We dressed up as Sarah Palin and a Dinosaur. Good ol folksy Sarah believes that dinosaurs and people co-existed, so here we are as the Governor and her dino friend. I know my costume isn't super creative, but I was never the best at Halloween.

I have been having a hard time getting a lot of knitting done lately, but I am trying to make a committment to finish some of the projects I have on the needles. I have a few Christmas items I would like to knit and I have to get crackin.

Turtle!

2008-10-26T20:51:00.004-04:00

Look! It's a turtle type thing! I crocheted this little guy last night as I was getting ready to go a haunted house with some friends. The whole thing took about two hours. Man, crochet is fast! To give the crocheters some credit though I am sure there is a big difference between an amigurumi animal and a lace doily...

I ordered some plastic safety eyes from 6060 on etsy. I was very happy with her service, they arrived a week later and were exactly what I ordered. Now that I have these little eyes I have urges to make a little army of mini toys. Not sure what I would actually do with them, but I sure would have fun making them. My only problem is that my stash is not very accessible (ie it's stacked in tupperware buried in a closet... ok two closets... and it's hard to dig out all my little balls of worsted weight. Mike suggested I get some kind of cubby storage unit which I am definitly going to look into.

I bought a new desk! It's fantastic and holds all my stuff. Only one drawback, it's way too high for me. You would think that as an occupational therapist who does ergonomic assessments I would be smart enough to measure the height of the desk and realize that maybe 30.5 inches in a little high for me (average is about 27.5-29.5, and I am only 5 feet tall). It does have a keyboard tray though so I may just have to pick up an external keyboard for my laptop and plop it on there.

E-Day, again!

2008-10-18T12:54:00.002-04:00

Voters in Halifax get to vote twice this week in a 7 day period. That's not too shabby. I trekked out again to my local polling station and cast my ballot of municipal councilor and mayor of Halifax. I decided to vote for people who did not support the embarrassment that is the widening of Chebucto road, if you're local you will know what I mean.

I have been shockingly slow at knitting lately. I don't know what has gotten into me, or if I am just really bored by my current projects, but I have been getting almost no knitting done. I am meeting with Ilga tomorrow to do some test knitting though, so I am sure that will get me back in the groove. I think the pattern she is getting me to do is not yet published, so the project will have to be unbloggable for a while.

As I have posted, I bought a large amount of fiber at Pacafiesta. I plan to do sweaters with this fiber and I am trying to pick a good pattern. I really like some of the Chic Knit patterns. especially the Ribby Cardi (although I would do it in one color, I have never liked the baseball shirt look) and Cassidy. I am going to wait until my WPI gauge arrives before I start the spinning though, because I really want to get the right weight if I am spinning for a particular project.

E-Day

2008-10-14T14:47:00.001-04:00

Are you Canadian? Are you eligible to vote? Have you voted yet?

If you have not voted and you are eligible to do so, you need to go do that. Now. You don't have time to read knitting blogs on the internet, you need to go do your civic duty. As soon as possible.

I love voting. I don't see it as a chore at all. Today when I went to vote, I savored my voting experience. Although I already knew who I was voting for, I look a minute to read all the names on the ballot, and carefully made my "X". It was fantastic. I wish I could do it again.

Whoever you vote for, although I do hope its not Harper, please make sure you vote today.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-10-13T17:49:00.003-04:00

Hope everyone is having a great thanksgiving day. I already had my big meal yesterday, but I am still happy to have an extra day off to relax.

I am still plugging away at the butterfly blanket. It's turning out to be a nice size. I think by the time I finish the skein I am on now it will be a nice lap blanket. If it's too small though I can always use it as a baby blanket or shawl or something. I am not too fussed about it. Here is a lovely picture of a blog of lace so y'all can see what it looks like (sort of).

I have two other projects on the go right now, a pair of 9-5 socks and my central park hoodie that I started last May. The socks are looking good, but I think the hoodie is going to be too small :(

Knitting for Thomas

2008-10-12T19:23:00.003-04:00

On Friday afternoon I cast on for The Norwegian Sweet Baby Cap, and I finished it around 8pm that night. I washed it Saturday morning and delivered it to Thomas in the hospital at 10am. I think I was inspired to knit quicker by his sweetness and adorableness and perfectness. I used knitpicks Felici in Coastal that I had in my stash. This cap barely uses any yarn, it could be a great stash buster for all those bits of sock yarn I have lying around.

I also brought him this bunny that I knit a while ago. I can't remember if I posted pictures when I first finished him or not. Anyway, I always intended him to be for him once he was born. I made up the sweater pattern myself, it was really fun. I think if I do another it would be fun to make a little cable or pattern in the sweater. I can't remember the name of the yarn that the bunny is made of, but it is a super wash merino that I bought a cone of from Sunrise Mercantile. This is the third bunny I have made from that cone. The pattern is "Small Rabbit" from Toy Knits by Debbie Bliss.

In other news, Chase wishes to express that just because their are highly adorable human babies around, she is still capable of being extremely cute.

A brand new person

2008-10-10T10:34:00.002-04:00

I have much knitting news to update on, however, there is someone very special who deserves their own post. This isn't a very good picture, but there was a lot of commotion going on. I am going back to the hospital today, and hope to get a better picture.

This is the newest member of my family! I am really happy about this, because until he was born I was the newest member of my family, and at 23 that was getting a little old. He is the son of my Step brother, Matthew, and his wife, Dui. I couldn't be happier for them. He is the most perfectest baby that I have ever seen. His name hasn't been settled on yet, but we know that his middle name will be Michael and his last name will be Edgar.

He is perfect.

Spinnin'

2008-10-02T20:48:00.002-04:00

I finished plying, washing, and measuring the pink Bamboo/Merino. The big skein has 456 yards with 3.38 ounces, the little skein has 152 yards and 1.23 ounces. Not sure what I am going to do with it yet. I am thinking something drapy, since bamboo lacks elasticity. Maybe I will design a cowl or scarf using one of my Barbara Walker stitch dictionaries.

I have also started spinning up some alpaca, merino, bombyx and soy silk. The little knolls (sp?) is the silk. Isn't it pretty? I got it from Belfast Mini Mills.

I am trying to spin this to be in the range of worsted weight because I think that it would make a nice hat and mitten set. This probably sounds blatantly obvious, but I am amazed at how much quicker it spins up when you spin thicker. Goodness, I am just flying through this roving.

Pacafiesta, a great way to lighten your wallet

2008-09-28T16:15:00.004-04:00

Pacafiesta was great this weekend. I got a lot of spinning done, the best part was there was no small kittens leaping and jumping at my wheel the whole time! It really enhanced productivity.

There was lots of Alpacas there. Here they are lining up to be judged. The one lying down was really funny, the poor girl kept trying to make her stand up, but she just wanted to lye down. I guess she had a long weekend, and was sleepy.

I enjoyed the giant rope knitting they had on display. I guess they used a crochet type system to make these beasts. There was at least 4 of them.

I finished spinning the bamboo merino I have been working on. There's about 3.5 ounces there, and I have another ounce or so in another skein. I will post the deets when I get it washed up and measured.

I also started spinning some 75% alpaca, 12% merino, 8% bamboo and 5% buffalo that was gifted to us spinners as a thank you. The fiber is from Legacy Lane and is spinning up like a dream!

I scored a new knitting book called Knit so Fine. I was interested in this book because a lot of the spinning I have been doing as been in the sport weight range, so it had lots of patterns I could use the yarn for. I really like this one, and this, and this, and this, and this. I think I will get a lot of use out of this book. I also picked up this sweet little felt art and a spin off magazine.

As for fiber, I may have gone a little bit crazy.

First I saw this lovely oatmeal merino roving. I thought it was quite a bargain at $20 a pound. I have been wanting to get enough to make a sweater, so I bought three pounds to be safe. I have had several people tell me that I can probably make 2-3 sweaters from that, but that's ok! I can always dye some of it.

Then I saw this superwash merino that is apparently a mill end, but it looks fine to me. It was... brace yourself... FIVE DOLLARS A POUND!!!! I know, I was blown away. I also got three pounds of this, so if I get even two sweaters out of it, that's $7.50 a sweater... not too shabby.

Pacafiesta!

2008-09-26T17:55:00.003-04:00

Tomorrow is the day! Pacafiesta! I couldn't be more excited. The best part is that I have been recruited to spin there. I received an URGENT email from Sharon Orpin who received one from the organizer saying that they needed spinners desperately. I am always one to help out when any kind of yarn/fiber emergency happens! I will be there tomorrow from 10-4 spinning away. It's going to be great. Hopefully there will be some of these:

And maybe some of these....

And if we are oh so very lucky there might be a couple of these:

I plan to take lots of pictures and update tomorrow! If you live in the HRM hope to see you there!

What I was going to post

2008-09-22T18:06:00.002-04:00

I was going to post some pictures of the finished shawl. I was even thinking about being very ambitious and going outside to take some pictures. Unfortunately though the kittens have made themselves comfortable, and I didn't have the heart to move them. I swear this is not posed, I lay the shawl out on the bed and they both made themselves comfortable. The shawl turned out a lot bigger than I thought it would. At first I thought that I might have used too small needles, but now that it is blocked it looks good.

Progress continues on the butterfly blanket. I am starting to think it is going to be blanket sized when it is done. Honestly I am being kind of lazy on this one, since the yarn is handspun and the pattern is flexible, I am just going to keep knitting until I run out of yarn. It will be what it will be!

Sheep Shawl - Done!

2008-09-21T20:21:00.002-04:00

I sat down today with some good bluegrass/roots music and set to work on the sheep shawl. Nothing like a little Old Crow Medicine Show, Old Man Luedecke, Gillian Welch, Lucinda Williams, and Amelia Curren to get the productivity flowing. The sheep shawl is now being blocked!

I know that it is really hard to see the pattern with the colorful yarn and foam, but if you look closely you can see the sunshine, then the orchard, then the houses, the sunflowers, grass and sheep. I love it. This is going to be a fabulous fall scarf for me.

I typically do not keep the lace that I knit, usually I sell it or give it away, but this one is special to me. I love farms so much, and I want to own one, so for now this will the next best thing.

So the completion of the Sheep Shawl allows me to do what I really want to, knit with my handspun. I have to say, I don't think that there is anything better than knitting with your handspun. The whole thing just feels more intimate. As a spinner it is great because I am able to better evaluate my yarn and see how I might improve upon it.

Here is the beginnings of the Butterfly Garden. As you can see I have changed the garter stitch to stockinette, so far it looks good!

Tidying up

2008-09-20T12:17:00.003-04:00

I am giving the house a deep clean today. I am not just tidying, I am tearing this apart and dusting those tiny little corners that often go missed. As a knitter this means controlling the stash. It tends to escape its storage bins slowly, and leak into the active knitting spaces. What I mean by the active knitting spaces, is that I have a couple baskets around that are meant for works in progress only. Over time though other junk tends to accumulate in there, and I have to push it back into its place.

During this process I noticed that I had an almost empty tupperware available for Yarn. This was very exciting for me and I began to reorganize the stash into this bin. Mike commented that the stash was like a gold fish, and would grow to fit into whatever environment it was provided.

The reason for all this cleaning is that we are having a little party here tomorrow for my step dad Wayne who turns 60 on Wednesday. There will be people here who have not been to my apartment before, and I would like to trick them into thinking that I am neat and tidy :)

Progress continues on the shawl border. I have to admit, the edging didn't line up with the bottom point like it was suppose to, but there was no way in hell I was going to rip it back so I fudged it a little to make it work. I am sure I can block it out so it won't be noticeable.

Sorry for the horrible pictures, we all now how impossible it is to take pictures of lace in progress.

ugh... edging

2008-09-18T20:24:00.002-04:00

So remember in my last post how I said that all I had to do was the grass lace and the edging on my sheep shawl? I always forget how the edging is often one of the longest and most grueling parts. The edging is knit on from the side in garter. It's very pretty... but doing those little rows over and over again is really tedious. It's really not good travel/lunch time knitting either because there is a wooden dpn involved, and I hate traveling with dpns. Plus I really have to look at it to do it.

I am thinking about starting my next project which will be the Butterfly Garden Shawl (Raverly link). The pattern is knit in garter stitch in the round.... I do like garter stitch, but not enough to go out of my way to make it. In this case because it is knit in the round I would have to purl every other row. So, I think I am going to convert it to stockinette. I think the lace will still work, as there is no lace work on the odd rows. I will be sure to let you all know how it works out! Anyone else have any experience in converting garter to stockinette, or the other way around?

Of course the risk of starting the butterfly shawl, for travel/work knitting, is that I just won't finish the edging on the sheep shawl. Therefore, I think I am going to have to make a strict rule that only sheep shawl knitting will be completed at home, now matter how much more exciting the new project is.

Whisker's Wednesday

2008-09-17T17:50:00.003-04:00

I had an invitation awhile ago to join Whisker's on Wednesday, at the time I declined, but when Monica recently invited me again, I decided to take her up on it. Why not? I blog about the kitties almost daily anyway. The idea is that on Wednesdays you can blog about your kitties. For me this may not make Wednesday very different from other days, but at least on Wednesday I can feel a little less nerdy about it.

I caught Chase and Hobbes have some snuggles on the couch today. Chase seems to like to snuggle in Hobbes' butt for some reason... this is not the first time I have found them like this.

I have to admit... I repositioned them for this next picture. I just thought it was too weird how Chase was next to Hobbes' butt. Don't they look cute?

I then attempted to make them spoon. I don't think cats like spooning though as it caused Hobbes to start chewing on Chase. I don't think Chase minded.... she loves her big brother.

I am really happy with what good friends they have become. It's not uncommon for us to come home and find them cuddled up on my desk chair (their favorite chair) or sharing some nibbles. I must say though that I was NOT happy with Chase's behavior last night! She likes to bat at our feet under the covers. Recently she has discovered that she can go all the way under the covers and have full access to our feet. She runs around under there clawing and playing to her hearts content. This morning though I had a serious discussion with her about how I only have a very limited time frame within which to sleep, and that if I don't sleep in that time frame sleep does not happen. I think she understood.

I have made some progress on the sheep shawl, but getting a photo is next to impossible. I have finished the sheep, now I just have some grass lace to do and the edging. yay!

Chase VS the Blanket

2008-09-16T17:29:00.001-04:00

Kittens = Fodder for the Blog

2008-09-15T17:21:00.003-04:00

I am really making an effort to blog more often. I am not sure that I really see the point in having a blog unless I update frequently. For me, I think it might mean forcing myself to update close to daily, because if I don't update daily, I just may not update at all. Or go on another month long hiatus. I am finding it hard to find material for daily posts, I just don't knit enough to have something exciting to show every day. This is especially true now that I am spinning. As much as I love spinning, it does seriously take away from the knitting time, meaning that I now have less show and tell. So, we may be seeing a few more kitty pictures when there is no knitting to display, I think I can bribe you guys with that right?

Speaking of non knitting content, anyone else see Burn After Reading? I loved it, as I have loved every movie made by the Coen Brothers. It was worth the movie ticket price just to see Brad Pitt's dance moves.

Felting Soap

2008-09-14T11:04:00.003-04:00

I was inspired today to felt some soap. The inspiration came from Suzy Sells Sea Shells who posted some lovely soap felt on her blog. I found a tutorial here, and got to work. They have it in a about 20 steps, but I think I can cut it down to 4.

Step 1:

Gather needed materials, hot water, soap, wool, and a towel. I used a Body Shop soap in Mango. The wool is Polsworth from London Wul. Although I didn't realize it at this time, removing naughty kittens is also a good idea. Kittens will steal left over wool and run away with it. They will also get their heads stuck in bucket handles, try to drink the hot water, and bat at your face.

Step 2:

Wrap the wool around your soap, make sure that you wrap it both lengthwise and widthwise. I realized afterwards that it is good idea to draft (pull apart) your fiber, it makes it felt better.

Step 3:

Trickle some water over the wool to get it wet, do not dunk the soap in the water or it will fall apart. Gently rub the water into the wool. It will start to get soapy, and you can be rougher once it starts to felt. I basically just rubbed and rubbed it over my hands like I was washing them until it become nice and tight. It's really not difficult at all. I guess it helps if you have a washboard or felting board, but it's not necessary.

Step 4:

Admire finished product, congratulate yourself on your cleverness. I also suggest removing the finished product from small kittens, because they will assume it is a toy for them.

I had fun with this. I may make a couple for presents, but I will test drive the soap that I made first to make sure that it works as well as I think it will.

You can put a pig in a powder blue sweater vest but it's still a pig

2008-09-13T15:12:00.002-04:00

We are in full election mode around here. There is municipal election going on (October 18th I think), a Canadian Federal Election, and of course the American Election. Anyone else find it amusing that the Canadian election is happening a month before the American and people are still more excited about the American one? To be honest I am a little sad about the Canadian election right now, I am a die hard NDP and it looks like Harper is going to win a majority. I wonder how much funding our womens' groups, social programs, literacy funding, support for people with disabilities, health care will lose? I hope I don't offend anyone, I just believe very strongly that when we all take care of each other through a strong social safety net, we all benefit.

In more chipper news the fall Knitty is up! Anyone else excited? The fall one is always my favorite. From this issue I really like Twist + Shout, Versatilit y, Maple, and Interlocking Leaves. I honestly don't know if I will make any of them, but I have enjoyed looking at the patterns.

Lately I have been very committed to my spinning. I really don't understand how people don't knit with their handspun, all that I want to use for knitting is my handspun right now! As soon as it becomes stash it just itches and itches for me to knit with it. So currently the patterns I choose will be based on the yarn I happen to have. Unless of course I am struck by a super fantastic sweater pattern that I just have to knit, although perhaps by then I will good enough at spinning to actually produce a sweater's worth of yarn in the same weight!

Bamboozled

2008-09-12T09:24:00.004-04:00

We are moving into fall, it isn't quite here yet, but it is definitly in the air. Fall is my favorite knitting time of year. I always feel very productive (in more than just knitting) and motivated to get things done. This is the first fall that I haven't been going back to school, and I am gonna be honest with you, it rocks.

I think I may go a little less crazy with Christmas knitting this year. I have so many projects right now that I just want to do. What I may do is knit some gifts if I see a project I really want to knit and that I know a family member would love, but other than that I may lay off. This is unusual for me, but everyone needs to have the occasional relaxing pre Christmas season.

I have started spinning some of the roving that I picked up at Belfast Mini Mills (aka the greatest place on earth). When I was there I bought a really truly embarrassingly large amount of roving. Now I feel all this guilt to spin it up and then knit it up... I think it's going to take a while. This purply/pink goodness is a bamboo/merino mix. Doesn't it just GLOW? I have been having fun spinning it, It's the first non 100% wool that I have spun, and it is really fun to play around with the different fibers.

Of course though before I spun up the bamboo/merino I had to finish the burgundy merino that I had already started. Wow that stuff took a long time to get through! I think that is about 4 weeks of spinning! No wonder not a lot of knitting has gotten down around here.

That's about 9.3 ounces total and 1112 yards. One of the skeins had exactly 666 yards in it... I am not positive what I am going to make with it but I am thinking the Fiber Trends Butterfly Shawl.

I did some spinning at the fisheries museum in Lunenburg on Wednesday, can you spot the two non-antique wheels?

This really is a knitting blog... I swear

2008-09-01T17:04:00.003-04:00

I realized with some level of embarrassment today how little knitting content is actually present in my last few posts. This really is intended to be a blog about knitting with occasional cat content, not a blog about cats with occasional knitting content. Although truthfully this is really becoming more of a fiber blog now that I have my new spinning hobby. I really can't let all of you know though how much it meant to me when I received so many kind comments from you on Sage's passing, it really has been a rough time for us.

Recently I have been knitting the Sheep Shawl from Fiber Trends. I can't even say how much I am in love with this pattern. I love the Fiber Trends shawl patterns that have a theme with changing lace, it really keeps things interesting. The yarn is the Malabrigo Lace that I got in Wolfville, and the pattern I bought at Fibrephilia, which is an awesome yarn shop in Orono, Maine. Mike's parents gave me a birthday gift certificate there and I got some really great patterns and lantern moon knitting basket there.

Right now it just looks like a lace blob, but it will be great once it's blocked. Right now you are looking at the Sunshine Lace and the start of the Orchard Lace.

Here is some Merino Rovings that I also got in Wolfville. Isn't it pretty? There was about double that, but I have turned it into this:

Which combined with a few other bobbins I turned into this:

I must say I am quite pleased with myself about this yarn. It's soft and wonderful and squishy. I can't wait to knit with it. Although I am going to wait to pick a project until I have the rest of the fiber spun. There is about 450 yards there so far, so I should have quite a bit when I am done.

I can't help myself.... I had to put in one more kitten picture. She's so cute! The pictures really don't do her justice.

Chase

2008-08-30T18:37:00.003-04:00

Our new kitten is here. We have named her Chase, or rather Mike named her Chase. She is named after Margaret Chase Smith, a republican senator from Maine. I was a little turned off at the idea of our kitty being named after a republican, but Mike assured me that she was a moderate, and that she did some great things, like opposing Joseph McCarthy. So Chase it is!

She has been settling in well. We took her to the Vet first thing this morning after we picked her up. We wanted to get her tested for Feline Leukemia, because her mother was a stray and we didn't want to risk exposing Hobbes to that. She checked out clear, got her vaccinations and we took her home.

She has been sleeping for most of the day. I think that the vaccinations really wiped her out. I remember Sage was like that, whenever she got her shots she was sleepy for a few days... Hobbes just never gets sleepy, vaccinations or not!

We have introduced her and Hobbes. We kept them separated at first, but Hobbes sat on other side of her door and purred and meowed so much that we felt like he had no intentions of hurting her. Overall they have been pretty good so far. She has hissed at him a couple times, and he tried to chew on her neck, but I think that they are working things out. Hobbes even tried to come have a snuggle with her!

New Beginnings

2008-08-29T17:45:00.002-04:00

Mike and I are still very much grieving Sage. I still can't talk about her without crying, but we are starting to feel a little more like ourselves. We have decided though that we are going to get another kitty. At first this felt a little disrespectful to our dear Sage's memory... but we know that we are a two cat household, and that we won't feel at all ok until we have two cats again. The new kitty will not replace Sage, no cat ever could, but she might help to fill a little bit of the hole in our house and hearts.

We have in fact selected a new kitty. A friend of mine that I work with took in a stray cat a few weeks ago, he really isn't a cat person, but he took pity on this sick pregnant kitty that he found. Well, she had three healthy kittens, and they are all eight weeks old now. He took them to the SPCA, but they said that they were full... well I just couldn't let a kitten go homeless... So we went out to look at them last night, and fell in love with this tiny short haired tabby. I am picking her up tomorrow, I am sure that pictures will be posted.

By the way, I really have been knitting, and spinning, a lot! I really have to get around to taking some pictures!

5 stages of grief

2008-08-22T10:34:00.003-04:00

Thank you everyone for all your kind words. I really appreciate it. This is a really difficult time for Mike and I, and it is nice to have your support. I am still in a tremendous amount of pain, but at least the pain is settling into more of a dull ache than a stabbing knife.

I also wanted to thank everyone who reminded me that it is not my fault. Rationally, I know this... I know that I was just doing what I thought was best. But there is still part of me that just feels like I let her down. Like she needed me, and I wasn't there for her. I just hope that in her last moments she was still drugged enough from the surgery that she wasn't in pain and wondering why I abandoned her.

I am still waiting for the autopsy results... after it is all finished they are going to give us her ashes. We plan to bury her at my parent's house, on top of a hill that overlooks Wayne's vegetable garden. I hope that she can be at peace there. I hope she's at peace now... although Mom did remind me that she was never very good at adjusting to change, so it might take her a few weeks to settle in.

I hope that as a little more time passes, and I can start to hold myself together a little better regular knitting posts will resume. Right now I am not quiet in the mood to blog about knitting... but I am sure I will be soon.

Rest in Peace

2008-08-19T16:22:00.002-04:00

Today has probably been one of the worst of my life. I took Sage in to the Vet for a routine dental procedure. I went to two different vets and both said that she probably need both canine teeth extracted. I really hesitated to get the surgery, partly because it was about $1000 but in the end I decided it was the right thing to do. The vets both told me that she was probably in chronic pain from the teeth, and that pulling them would enhance her quality of life.

I wish I had never listened.... I called the vet at 12:30 from work and they told me that although the surgery had gone really well, she had even woken up afterwards.... she suddenly stopped breathing and they were unable to save her. We lost our Sage kitty.... we still don't know what happened but they are going to do an autopsy and let us know.

I can't even express the grief that I am feeling. Sage was a really important part of our lives. She was sort of a "special needs" animal, and Mike and I always tried to do right by her and make sure she was comfortable and happy. I am going to miss her so much. The worst part is that I can't help but feel like it's all my fault for taking her to the vet. If I hadn't taken her there this morning she would still be here right now, and I would still have my Sage.

So goodbye Sage... we will miss you. You were the bestest, craziest, most special, most loving kitty we have ever had. We love you.

Heading to the T.

2008-07-30T18:35:00.000-04:00

I am so excited I can barely contain myself. Tomorrow I am flying to Toronto to visit my bestest friends Mary and Manda. Mare lives in Toronto now (she's from there) and Manda is in Maine, but she is flying up. I am staying until Tuesday. I can't even explain how excited I am. I can't wait to see all the cool sites in Toronto and I get to do it with two of my most favorite people in the world. The three of us haven't really got to hang out as a group since Manda moved to Maine a year ago and now that Mare has left the city, I miss them both a ton.

In yarny news, I made some yarn! This is my third batch of plied yarn, and I must say that every skein that I make is getting better. When I first showed it to Sharon she told me that it was a little over plied and over spun, I was convinced at the time... however I have since started knitting with it and she was definitly right. It feels a little "hard", so I am going to work very hard on my next batch at putting less spin into it.

Now here's a question for the spinners, if you over twist your singles should you also over ply? Just so that things even out?

Maggie + Rose

2008-07-26T08:11:00.003-04:00

I have been spinning as much as I can possibly allow myself since I got Rose. There are all these silly things that keep getting in my way such as eating, chores and work. It's all very frustrating. I am so happy I went Rose, when I compare her to the other wheels I tried she is my all time fav. She treadles as smooth as butter, the scotch tension is ridiculously sensitive, and her ratios are vast. I am very very pleased with my purchase. I think that in the long run I won't mind the money I spent on her, as I can easily see myself spinning on her for decades to come.

This is what I have spun on her so far. The fiber is a mill end that Brenda thought might be alpaca and wool. It was on sale very cheap so I thought it would be good practice wool for Rose and me.

So far I am happy with it. I think that I really need a small kitchen scale so that I can weigh my fiber so that I know when I am half done spinning it so that I know when to stop my current bobbin and start the second (so that I have two equal amounts of singles for plying.

Speaking of bobbins, holy crap the bobbins are huge! I used to be able to easily fill one of the Julia bobbins in 4 hours of spinning, I think it's gonna take a good 8 hours to fill these babies! Then again I have only been spinning for a couple weeks, and I know that I am going to get remarkably faster as time goes on.

2008-07-24T20:25:00.003-04:00

I bought the Rose today... can't write more right now... must get back to spinning

Choices

2008-07-23T19:08:00.002-04:00

I am so very torn between Julia and Rose. To be perfectly honest, I am a little underemployed right now, and I can't really afford either one... but I feel like I deserve a little treat as a present to myself for finishing school. I mean lots of people go on a trip to Cuba or something for graduation, and this is far less than that! It's just that I am going to Toronto next week... and the cat needs dental surgery....

I think I need a magical money tree to come and throw some money at my house...

I know that I will buy one or the other, I just need to pick. They are both fine wheels, and I just really want to make sure that I pick the right one!! Both the wheels "spoke to me" more than any of the cheaper ones that I tried. Any spinners have any advice for choosing the perfect wheel?

Playing with Julia

2008-07-19T11:11:00.002-04:00

Yesterday I went to the spinning group held at Sharon's in Lunenburg. It was wonderful to be able to practice with the support of other spinners. Sharon was very patient and gave me some great tips. I spent most of the time there spinning on her Louet Julia, and I really enjoyed it. She even let me borrow it for a little bit, and if I like it I can buy it from her.

Although I didn't notice it when I was in her studio when I took the wheel home I felt like it might be shaking a little, but I don't know if that is my imagination or not. I mean the bobbin is spinning around pretty fast, maybe I am just not used to any movement.

Julia and I made this yarn last night. We are pretty proud of ourselves. We're working now on spinning another bobbin of the same stuff to ply together.

Her name is Rose...

2008-07-17T19:33:00.004-04:00

I traveled down to Gaspereau Valley Fibres today after work to look at spinning wheels... and fell head over heels in love with the most expensive wheel that they have. It's a Majacraft Rose. What I loved about it was its beautiful design, it's effortless treadling, it's comfortable height, and it's HUGE range of ratios. But it is an awful lot of money to pay for my first wheel (even if it is 15% off). I am of two minds of it, part of me thinks I should just get a cheaper wheel to see if I really stick with it, but a bigger part of me thinks that I should just get the wheel that I love and never have to buy another. I really feel like I am quite hooked on spinning and I don't think I will be giving it up any time soon.

I will have to do some thinking on this one...

I did get some fab Malabrigo lace while I was there. My first Malabrigo actually, but it is super pretty and super soft. As I was buying it I wondered if I will still buy nearly as much commercial yarn, or if I will spin most of my yarn... I don't think there is any way that my spinning could keep up with my knitting, but I may reduce my commercial stash.

2008-07-15T21:10:00.003-04:00

I know realize that my last post was a little self deprecating, which I totally did not intend to do. I am really enjoying spinning, one of the funnest parts is watching yourself get better and better rather quickly.

Today I visited a super spinning Guru and super nice person, Sharon Orpin of Boulder Brook Spinning. I stopped by her shop in Lunenburg after my day at Mahone Nursing Home. She has about 10 spinning wheels in her studio and was nice enough to help me out and let me try her Ashford Joy. I am absolutely in love with it! It was so nice to be able to use a wheel that was all properly oiled and tensioned and maintained.

Speaking of which I am taking my wheel to The Spin Doctor on the south shore tomorrow for some minor repairs and tune ups (you may have noticed in the last post that there was a piece broken n the whorl). I am not going to put a ton of work into it because I am only going to use the wheel for a month or so, then it is going back to my mom for her safekeeping. The wheel is a family heirloom, and having it in my house makes me a little nervous.

Let's just say it's a slub yarn...

2008-07-14T17:53:00.003-04:00

First off, from now on I will only answer Master Maggie, or alternatively, you may call me Maggie, just make sure that you add in the initials Msc. OT (Post-Professional) afterward. Alright, I am really truly not that obnoxious, but I am really very happy that I am all done school. Grad school was a wonderful, although very short experience, and I am really glad that I did it, but also glad that I am all done, and I can now do other things. Like this:

I have resisted the spinning bug for so very long. To be honest, I have always thought to myself, why spin yarn when you can buy it? Until it dawned on me, why bother knitting anything when you can buy it pre knit? The way I am seeing it, the closer I get to the beginning of the process, the prouder I will be of the finished product. Plus, I find spinning really very hard, and there is nothing that I like more than a good challenge!

The wheel that I am using belonged to my great grandmother, whose family brought it over on the boat with them from Iceland, but it was probably made in Denmark. I think it is what is known as a cottage wheel. It's a great little wheel, although I am only able to use it for a couple months (I am just borrowing it), and I really love the idea that someone used it out of necessity, not just because it was fun.

This is about the fourth bobbin I did, and the first one that even remotely resembled yarn. It's horrible and over twisted in parts, and not twisted at all in other parts.

Here's the next bobbin. It's subtle, but it is slowly getting better.

Finally, here is my very first plied yarn. It's really quite awful, which is hard for me, because I am a great knitter, and I am used to being an expert in the fiber project that I am working on. I keep telling myself though that I wasn't very good at knitting the first time I did it either! Anyone have any good very new spinner tips?

2008-06-15T16:08:00.002-04:00

Cate has tagged me for this meme, which is the Peeps I Want To Know More About meme. Here are my responses.

The rules: Each player answers the questions about themselves. At the end of the post, the player then tags 5-6 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer.

1) What was I doing ten years ago?
I was graduating from grade 6 (I know, I am still just an infant), I was getting ready to move to Tatamagouche which was new for me. One of my best friends (caitie) was staying behind in Antigonish and my other best friend (lauren) moved to Australia. It was rough.

2) What are five (non-work) things on my to-do list for today:

wow, I almost only do work things these days. Let's see,
I am going out to dinner with Mary and her family, as Mary is leaving tomorrow
I visited with my parents because they were in town
I want to work on the sock I am currently knitting, and finish it so I can get back to my sweater
I am going to mope around because Mary is leaving and I am going to be lonely
The cats need snuggling

3) Snacks I enjoy:
I love soooo many foods including, but not limited to:
Popcorn, nachos, artichoke dip, apples and peanut butter, cheese and crackers, candy, peanut butter or oatmeal cookies, yoghurt...

4) Things I would do if I were a billionaire:
I would study more and possible do a Ph.d, but I wouldn't work at the same time, I would just enjoy school. I would buy a house on the coast, build a barn next to it and stock with sheep and Icelandic horses. I would also get a dog for the house. I would pay of the debts of my loved ones and buy them hybrid cars (maybe one for me too). I would travel to far corners of the earth. I would give money the to NDP and Barack Obama. I would travel to visit friends and family who are far apart from me. Really I would do whatever the hell I felt like!

5) Places I have lived:
Charlottetown, PEI
Halifax, NS
Antigonish, NS
Tatamagouche, NS
Akureyri, Iceland
Saint John, NB

6) Jobs I have had:
Babysitter
Waitress
Museum tour guide at a Fossil Centre
Jam Maker
Self employed at the Farmers Market as a knitter and Smoothie maker (no joke!)
Teaching Assistant
Usher, bartender and coat check attendant at the Rebecca Cohen
Personal care worker
Research Assistant
Field Organizer for the Maine People's Alliance (mostly door to door canvassing)
Mucker of horse stalls
Tree planter
Candle polisher and labeler for my step mom's candle business
Occupational Therapist

7) Peeps I want to know more about:
If you read this consider yourself tagged

WWKIP Day!

2008-06-15T13:47:00.004-04:00

I joined the crowds yesterday and made my way down to the public library with my wool to join in on Knit in Public Day. I brought my camera, but I was so overwhelmed with all the knitters and all the wool and all the fun that I completely forgot to take any pictures. How terrible is that? I saw lots of bloggers with cameras there though so there should be not shortage of pictures up on the web.

I did win a prize though!! I won a beautiful pattern by the lovely and talented Ilga Leja. I promptly made my way down to The Loop and bought some soft and gorgeous baby alpaca to make the pattern. I am going to Maine for a wedding on June 25, I think it will be my travel knitting project.

I also brought my Central Park Hoodie down with me and did some work on it. I havn't knit in worsted weight in a long time, and honestly I had forgot how thick and quick it is to knit up. I finished the back and most of one of the fronts. Although I have taken a break from finishing it to complete a half done pair of frootloops.

I tried very hard to get a half decent picture of my progress on my sweater, but Hobbes was having a major crazy this morning. Every time I tried to lay the wool out he flipped out and lept into it attack it and rolling around it. I finally grabbed him and placed him under my blanket in my bedroom. I managed to snap this picture before he found his way out again.

2008-05-29T06:07:00.002-04:00

I am not going to apologize for my absence... but I will apologize for not telling anyone that I was going to flake off and not update for almost two months. I assure you, I have a good excuse. I am now working 5 days a week, (three in nursing homes, and two teaching at a local community college to occupational therapy assistants) and I am taking two condensed classes, which is like taking 4 regular classes. Why oh why do I do this to myself?

I have been knitting. Much knitting has gotten done. Knitting is what keeps me sane. In the past few weeks I have knit a toy bunny with a sweater, a creatures of the reef shawl, a pair of mittens and a pair of socks. Hopefully I will get around to posting pictures soon.

I hope that normal services will resume at the end of June when I will actually have my Masters degree and be done school...

2008-03-17T13:47:00.004-04:00

Hobbes is a really bad kitten... I take back everything I said about him being perfect. He is truly the naughtiest kitten I have ever had. He eats everything left out (and I mean everything - I caught him eating a biscuit yesterday), he swings from my curtains, he takes the cords from the blinds and runs around with them, he knocks things off my desk, he steps on my keyboard... I could go on. And yet - I can never be mad at him when he looks at me with those sweet brown eyes.

Yesterday though he and Mike both had a traumatic experience. Mike was in the shower when I heard a scream and a meow come from the bathroom. I ran in to find Hobbes soaking wet and crying on the floor. I guess he saw Mike's feet in the shower and leaped in to attack them, only to be shocked when he realized there was water falling on him. I hope Hobbes learned a lesson about attacking things without considering the consequences of his actions. I gave him lots of love and some treats... and I think it wasn't too scarred.

I am currently working on the rose cat bed from a second treasury of magical knitting. It is going to be a truly massive beast before I felt it, but it's all good as I have a ton of lopi in my stash anyway. Let me just say this though - Cat Bordhi, you amaze me. I can't believe how amazing this pattern is and how freakin cool mobius are!!

Kitten Love

2008-03-13T10:16:00.005-04:00

So as you all know from my last post Mike and I have adopted a kitten. He is orange and sweet and perfect and his name is Hobbes. He is truly the best kitten in the whole wide world. Now, I know what you are all thinking, What about Sage? Well, I love Sage to death, and I think she is perfect, but she was terrible when she was a kitten, we almost took her back to the SPCA because we didn't think we could handle her. She would hiss and scratch at everyone and would run away of everything. With time she blossomed and became the world's best cat... but she was a challenge as a kitten.

So how are Sage and Hobbes getting along? I think as well as we could have hoped for. Sage likes to chase Hobbes, and she hisses at him, but is accepting him more and more. She now lets him sleep next to her, and last night she let him on our bed for the first time. I think in a couple weeks they could be good friends. Today I even found them batting at each other's paws through a door. Mike and I consider ourselves so lucky to have two wonderful perfect cats.

We found Hobbes in a flower shop in Windsor, Nova Scotia. I work in a nursing home there and the physio assistant told me that the SPCA keeps kittens there. I went to look at him that day and just feel in love. I called Mike on the way home and told him we had a new addition to the family. Don't worry, he had agreed that we could get a kitten before hand!

I have managed to get a small amount of knitting done. I made a hat and a pair of socks. The socks are Chevron pattern from Sensational Knitted Socks, I made a pair of them for Cathy for Christmas and loved them so much I had to knit a pair for myself. I really like socks with built in ribbing like these ones, because I like socks that hug my feet.

The real reason I havn't been blogging

2008-03-12T17:58:00.001-04:00

Mike and I got a kitten!!

I Drink Your Milkshake

2008-02-25T16:00:00.001-04:00

This is really only funny if you've seen There Will be Blood... but I found it hilarious.

2008-02-25T15:42:00.002-04:00

I finally finished tangled yoke! It is washed, sewn up, and the buttons are on. Only problem is my photographer is busy writing a paper, so I have to post pictures later. You will have to take my word for it that it's done. I have also done another chevron sock, which I will post a picture of later on.

I have been pretty busy this week because Mike and I are taking a trip to Maine on Thursday. I am really excited. We are going to drive down to Portland, stopping for a night with his parents in Bangor. It's our first vacation together where we just didn't go to one of our parent's houses. We are going to sight see around the city, and visit with our friends down there. Mike's from Maine, and a lot of my friends are from there too, so we have a lot of people to see :) I am so excited that I have already packed a snack bag consisting of apples and mini eggs for the drive down.

It's too bad I have heard that there is fantastically amazing yarn store in Bath, Maine, but I really don't need to buy yarn right now so I think I am going to have to resist :(

john.he.is

2008-02-11T20:19:00.001-04:00

2008-02-09T11:00:00.001-04:00

I finished Quant, and now that I have my indiscretions out of my system I can get back the sweater. I am happy with Quant, it covers my ears nicely, and since the wool isn't on my forhead the noro doesn't feel itchy.

Sorry the pictures aren't the best, I was home alone when I took them. For the record I used 3.5 mm needles, and I had maybe 10ish grams of Noro left over.

As for my sweater I have joined the sleeves and I am working the yoke. I only have one major set back. For some reason when I knit back and forth instead of in the round my knitting is WAY looser. The sleeves are the only part of this sweater that is knit in the round, but the result is that the sleeves are at a totally different gauge than the rest of the sweater. They still fit and everything, but it's going to look a little weird...

Shhh... Don't tell the sweater

2008-02-06T19:26:00.000-04:00

I have to confess... I am cheating on my sweater... I am usually such a one project gal that I am feeling pretty guilty, but not guilty enough to stop my infidelity. I started this project last night during my leisure studies course because I got so frustrated trying to stuff all the pieces of my sweater into my bag. So I cast on for Quant. Isn't it great? I am very much in love or at least lust with this project, and feeling quite pleased with myself for having mastered enterlac. Or at least gained a basic understanding of it!

I worked today in Bridgewater at an Adult Residential Facility and the drive home was so ridiculously crappy that I am finding myself utterly exhauseted. Does that ever happen to anyone else after a long shitty drive? I feel like a zombie... but as a grad student I also feel like I should be doing something productive!! Does knitting count as productive? Lets say yes!

Also, G'Obama!!!

2008-02-03T12:45:00.000-04:00

I know that I have been an awful blogger, and I am not going to lie about it, it's probably not going to get any better any time soon. All I do for my distance education courses is post online and reflect, reflect, reflect, so it leaves me feeling less than inspired to sit at a computer and reflect on my knitting.

I have been doing some knitting, mind you not a ton, but some. I am plugging away on the tangled yoke cardigan, and frankly I am a little bored. Yet I am monogamous with this sweater, so I have not been able to bring myself to cast on for something interesting. I have 1.5 sleeves done and the body up to the arms. I do think it's going to be really great when its done though. I can't express how much I love tweed.

I have also come to the realization that I have too much yarn. I know. I know. Really though I have to cut down. I am going on a serious yarn diet until I cut into some of this silliness. I now have 6 large rubber maid bins of yarn. This is just ridiculous. I have a variety of colors and weights so there is no excuse. Mind you I don't have enough yarn for sweaters in any type, but lots for socks, toys, mitts, hats, and whimsies.

PS: never drink water at my house that you have left out on the coffee table

Yes We Can Obama Song by will.i.am

2008-02-03T12:40:00.001-04:00

Resolutions

2008-01-14T23:08:00.000-04:00

I have made a few resolutions this year, but unfortunately none of them involve being more diligent about updating my blog. I have been working on doing more of my school readings more throughly, going to the gym, and not buying yarn.

No I haven't made a resolution not to buy ANY yarn, like some brave souls. But I am going to work on it. I am not going to buy any more until I have made a significant dent in my current stash. Maybe I will try and knit up one of my Tupperware containers before I buy anymore. I don't sound very convincing do I? I don't really even believe myself, but it's the effort that counts!

This term I am working three days a week, and doing four courses, three distance, one onsite. Will it be too much? I hope not! It's pretty close to what I did last term... which at times was too much, but I managed. I just have so many student loans that I really don't want to rack up anymore this year than I have to! It's hard though when you have to cop up $3000 every four months.

In knitterly news I have the body done on Tangled Yoke and am well into the first sleeve. After all that straight knitting I am very happy to have some nice round knitting! I am using magic loop and it is flying by :)

Last days of freedom

2008-01-05T16:37:00.001-04:00

School starts again for me on Monday, and it is causing a range of emotions for me. Part of me is excited to get back into it, part of me is terrified that I am going to let everything fall apart this term. Grad school has so many responsibilities.. and this term involves a lot of work that is outside the classroom ie: working with a nursing home, giving public speeches etc... it is all pretty scary. The worst part is that I have an onsite class this term on Tuesday nights... so no more knit night for me.. I will miss you guys!

I have gotten some great knitting done over the holiday's, including the Yarn Harlot's unoriginal hat. Which took about 3 hours!

I used a chunky Knit Picks, but I can't remember the name right now. I like that hat, but I wished it hadn't pooled/spiraled like that.

I have almost completed a pair of Waving Lace socks in Knit Picks Essential Tweed. I really love this pattern, and I am super excited to finish them. The only downside is that I left the finished sock at a friend's house, and won't be able to get it back until next week :(

Finally, I have cast on for the Tangled Yoke sweater I have been dreaming. I have wanted to make this since I first saw it, but I wanted to make it in the Rowan Felted Tweed that the pattern called for, which I just could not afford. Luckily I received a gift certificate for Fiberphilia from Mike's family, which meant that I could have it! Thank you!!

Wake up Cat

2008-01-04T10:58:00.001-04:00

Knitting updates will come, in the meantime, if you haven't watched this, do!

2007-12-17T18:52:00.000-04:00

Yay! Hemlock is completed! I tell ya, having to knit it twice was slightly unpleasant, but not as bad as I though it would have been. Having to do that cast of edge twice though, well that would have killed me! It took me two hours to do the cast of border, I have to admit it does look nice though. When I saw some other knitters complaining about the cast off edge on raverly, I have to admit, I kinda thought they were being wussy.. but holy crap it's tedious!!

Anyway here it is as a gross lace blob pre blocking. I was a little worried when I first took it off the needles and saw it.

Here's a close up of the pretty hemlock centre.

And finally, the whole thing. Pretty eh? Lace is one of the only things that I knit where at the end I am really impressed with myself.

Notice my beautiful blocking board? I got that idea from Deb Barnhill, who told me that she used a kids play mat as a blocking board. It's perfect. The foam is really easy to pierce, and when I am done I can put the pieces back in their plastic carrier. Ideal for a one bedroom apartment. Not bad for $20. (Even though it meant I had to brave Walmart in December *shudder*)

I may not be a great poster for the next couple weeks. I am heading to my parent's soon aka houses with no internet for a week or so.

Happy Holidays!

Ribbit Ribbit

2007-12-12T10:13:00.000-04:00

*Sigh* So I was ALMOST done my Hemlock Ring Blanket... and I was wondering why oh why was it so much smaller than everyone elses... then it dawned on me as I actually read the pattern (instead of skimmed it like I had before)... I had to do FOUR plain rows of knitting in between increases... not THREE like I had been.

I don't swear very often... but fuck man! That sucks!

So I had to frog the whole frickin' thing out. I was so excited that I was almost done and I had to frog the whole thing! Arg! At least I got to do it at KOL so I had the support of fellow knitters. There is no way I could have done it around Mike, he gets really upset when I rip out my knitting.

So I know I have been a terrible knitting blogger, but I have been a pretty good knitter. I have finished one unbloggable project (which is on raverly). I have also finished a pair of perfect old man socks for my Grand-Daddy and I FINALLY sewed buttons on to Thermal, only took me 9 months.

Thermal - With buttons :)

Undulating Rib Socks from Favorite Socks in the DGB Confetti I scored at the stash swap.

Squash Soup and Toe Up Socks

2007-11-26T09:56:00.000-04:00

I made a delicious of of my very easy very yummy squash soup the other day, and I thought I would share the recipe with you fine people.

I start out by chopping up a large Spanish onion, and a few stalks of celery. I then saute the onion and the celery in a tablespoon or two of olive oil with a dash of salt and pepper until they are softened and glistening. Meanwhile I cube a medium sized butternut squash.

I then add the butternut squash and a tablespoon or so (more or less according to taste) or Red Thai Curry Paste to the onion and celery.

After they have softened up a little I add a couple cups of water or chicken stock (depending on what I have) to the mixture and allow it to soften some more. When the squash is cooked I pour the mixture into a food processor and blend it. After it is all smooth and blended I add 1 can of coconut milk, stir it in, and serve. It is very tasty, especially with some nice crusty bread :)

Finally here at my first pair of toe up socks, knit with Confetti superwash cotton/wool blend. I am very happy with the socks, except that the cuff is quite tight. I blame the cotton's non stretchyness, as I cast off twice and worked REALLY hard at keeping it loose. Thanks Steph for showing me how to start the toe!

2007-11-11T11:32:00.001-04:00

My friend Judie's baby shower is today (it was suppose to be last week but was postponed due to Noel) so I have a sheldon and a baby bolero (from One Skein) all wrapped up and ready to go. The baby bolero is organic cotton and sheldon is made from Shine, so both items are nice and machine washable. She's ready to go in about a month, so I am pretty excited.

Don't they look pretty on their tissue all ready to be wrapped up? I should photograph more items on plain tissue instead of my parkay floors.

So as anyone living in Halifax or Nova Scotia knows, last night was just plain gross. It snowed and not the nice pretty fluffy lets go play in it type of snow either. Not to be detered we trekked our way down to the Oasis for wing night and beer. I was very grateful for my red felted cloche as I think it is the world's warmest hat. It is a good time of year to be a knitter :)

2007-11-10T18:13:00.001-04:00

I finished my embossed leaves socks, and I am really happy with them. The only thing I don't like is that they are not terribly stretchy, I like socks with more of a ribbing feel so that they hug my feet. Also because my gauge is so loose they are a little big. I think they will shrink a little in the wash though and be perfect. I am happy that I decided to keep them for myself, we had our first snow today and goodness knows I will be needing some nice wool socks.

I watched the Pride and Prejudice BBC mini series today and yesterday (6 hours total of dreamy Mr. Darcy) and managed to get this started:

It's Juno from the Knitty surprise. I found the lace a little tricky at first, but once I got used to it it was fine. Now I have the fun of repeating two rows over and over again for the rest of my life! Well maybe it will go quickly....

2007-11-07T17:46:00.000-04:00

I had a productive day today. I managed to mostly finish one of my three major term papers. yay me :) I still had better get crackin though because the other two are due next week. Eep!! People were not joking when they told me Grad School was more work than undergrad.

I have managed to get some knitting done though :) I finished 1 sock of my pair of embossed leaves and I am on to the second. It's odd, I had a bit of first sock syndrome this pair, and so far I am finding the second sock much more pleasurable. I think I will keep them for myself, after some internal debate I have decided that I have not made anything for myself in a while, and I deserve a little something.

Anyone else loving this lovely crisp fall weather? I love this time of year, when mittens, hats and scarves are more like fun accessories than things you need to live. I always feel the most inspired to knit during the fall. Unfortunately though I do tend to get a bit of knitters block in the winter...

2007-11-06T08:08:00.000-04:00

So my blogging habits have not gotten much better lately, and I am sorry to say probably won't for the next little while. I am just ridiculously swamped with school work so I have not had the time or energy to do much extra typing!

I have gotten some knitting done though. Twist is finished! Here is Mike proudly wearing his new vest. It looks really great on him. Sorry the picture is kind of crappy, the flash was too bright and made it look like there is holes in, but there isn't! I am very proud of myself and best of all I think he will actually wear it. He proudly wore it to work yesterday and said that he got a lot of comments. Yay!

So for anyone wondering, the pattern is Twist from No Sheep for You, I don't own the book, it was in Interview Knits. I used Knitpicks Wool of Andes in coal and 3.25mm needles. I am not nuts about the yarn, there was quite a few errors in the spin and some icky hard bits, but it is quite soft and has a nice stretch.

Anyone remember the Sheldon I knit a while ago? Well a friend of mine is having a baby shower so he finally found a home. Good for Sheldon :) I used black yarn (from Mike's sweater) to make the eyes so he is baby safe.

Lastly, because I am a follower and not a leader I have jumped on the embossed leaves bandwagon. I have to say though it is a really fun and addictive pattern :)

worst blogger ever!

2007-10-26T07:06:00.000-04:00

Ugh I am so sorry it's been so long since I have updated. I have just had a crazy couple weeks with work. Plus it felt like the longer I waited to update the harder it was to motivate myself to get back on track. Not much knitting has happened in the past couple weeks. Mostly because I have been too busy to sit and knit, and I have never mastered the art of knitting and reading. I always end up getting distracted by either my knitting or my reading, whichever is more interesting, usually my knitting.

I did finish the cabled socks that I was working on. The cable really got lost in there, but I still like them.

I also attended the Windsor Pumpkin Festival, which was quite literally people rowing giant carved out pumpkins across the river. There was both a manual and a motorized division. I am now in awe of Windsor, and their giant pumpkins.

2007-10-12T08:22:00.000-04:00

Well I can't even begin to describe how busy I have been. Work has been pressuring me to take more nursing homes... and I have been agreeing because well... I need the money. On top of that school has been getting crazier and crazier. Apparently they don't just give out Master's degrees... unless you can find some sort of sketchy internet site which probably isn't a good idea. Anyway I am going to hermit for the weekend and hopefully I can get on top of things. Hopefully.

Anyway I thought I would take a little break to say a huge thank you to my tea pal! And to express how glad I am that my tea pal recipient is happy with her items. Here's her post about it. Also, for the record, it's a facecloth, haha.

My tea pal gifter was Julie from Team Knit. She really went over the top with her gifts, and really picked items that suit me. I am so pleased!!

First off my favorite item, a lovely white mug (which I am using as I type) with a very pretty little mug cozy. I love it, it's so cute! The mug has a really nice balance and feel to it, feels good when I drink out of it :)

And here's the full pile of goodies!

Included in the package is:
- a lovely bag of white tea (of which I have already had a cup, it's really nice)
- A tea strainer which will be very handy as I can use my regular tea pot to brew tea and then skim the leaves off of my cup
- a box of bagged Jasmine tea which I have not tried yet, but I do really like Jasmine tea
- a bar of chocolate with EARL GREY inside! How exciting is that?
- Two beautiful skeins of purple drop Camelia lambs wool
- a box of tea bags (to make a tea bag with loose tea - very cool)
- and a bottle of really pretty sweet smelling white tea lotion

Thank you so much tea pal! You were so generous!!!

2007-10-08T18:57:00.000-04:00

I had a great weekend in PEI, stuffing myself with Turkey and visiting my family. Unfortunately due to car troubles (not the Yaris) and an accident on the road the trip back took us a grand total of 10 hours. Still I think it was worth it for the good food, nice wine, and tolerable company.

I finished one of my cabled socks on the trip back. I haven't started the second one though... I don't tend to get major second sock syndrome, I just get stuck in two spots. The first spot I get stuck in is casting on and the second is doing the heel, once I have gotten over those little humps I happily finish the pair.

I am puttering away at Ravelry, it sure takes a long time to get all your projects on when you aren't a big Flickr user. I really need to start taking better pictures of my finished objects. Seriously, a lot of them you can barely make out what I even made let alone get an idea of how wonderful/ugly it was!

2007-10-05T07:58:00.000-04:00

I finally got my Ravelry invite!! It came yesterday morning before one of the longest days ever!! I had to work in a home in Windsor then go see a Veteran come home and write the report change into a nice dress and go to an Alumni dinner then head over for Trivia at the Grawood. It was crazy - but I did it! Unfortunately though I still really haven't had much time to explore Raverly, my screen name is Mags by the way if anyone wants to add me.

I cast on for the Cabled Ribbed Socks from Favorite Socks on Wednesday thinking that it would be a nice travel project for the weekend.. well I have already turned the heel because I could not put it down so I think I better bring some extra sock yarn just in case. I am using Opal Mosiac for these socks, and while I really like the look of them, you really can barely see the cable. I am OK with that, but it's good to know for the future, that your patterns hardly show up at all with yarn like this.

I have given up on my black ribbed cardigan, it just wasn't happening. So I am using the yarn to make Tailored Scallops from Lace Style. I am really happy with how it's turning out, but I am having to make some serious mods since I am using a DK weight when it calls for a chunky!

2007-10-01T17:59:00.003-04:00

The real joy of knitting is making people happy. Like Tweeg here with his new dishcloth/facecloth/doily (he hasn't decided)

It's knit in Knitpicks Cotlin, and the pattern is a free one I found online but now I can't find the link anymore. I used 3.5mm needles which is like using 4.5mm if you have normal tension.

2007-09-29T13:22:00.000-04:00

Well it shouldn't be too much longer until I get my raverly invite. Maybe another week or two?

Found you!

You signed up on August 2, 2007
You are #22544 on the list.
2690 people are ahead of you in line.
14755 people are behind you in line.
53% of the list has been invited so far

I guess I should quit my whining and be glad that I am not one of the 14755 people behind me! In the meantime I am working on uploading as many pictures as I can to flickr. Can anyone tell me how to get one of those flickr things in my side bar?

Tea Pal

2007-09-27T09:19:00.000-04:00

I am going to start naming posts. I realize this will make life much easier for those of you who use live bookmarks like I do. A word of warning though - I am very boring with my titles, which is why I have avoided them thus far.

So what's the best way to get yourself to update your blog when you have been procrastinating? Why start writing a paper for school of course!! Haha I am suppose to be writing a paper on what the Ottawa and Jakarta Charters for health promotion mean to me, but I think I will type about knitting and tea instead :)

Here is what I have so far for my tea pal:

Above you will see a felted tea cozy made with Cascade 220. It needs to go through one or two more wash cycles still. There is also a package of tea bags for using loose tea. My tea pal only occasionally drinks loose tea because she finds bags inconvenient. So I think she will really like these. I also stuck in a bag of Royal Blend Tea.. I am not sure if she will like it though so I think I will try to get her a second kind. I also included a organic cotton face cloth and a skein of blue Drops Alpaca which from her questionnaire I think she will really LOVE.

Unfortunately she doesn't like scents. I had planned on including a few scented soaps and candles but that doesn't really fly with her so I am going to try and find some other goodies. I think I will be a little late with the shipping deadline though... October 1... but hopefully only by a couple days.

2007-09-22T15:42:00.000-04:00

It has been a while since I updated. Sorry about that, things have been a little crazy around here.

Mike told me on Thursday night that he had to drive to Maine and back on Friday to renew his Visa. I volunteered to go with him for the trip and Mary said she would come along. It was a fun, but LONG day. We stopped in Houlton to have lunch with my buddy Amanda and her sister who just got back from two years of teaching in Japan. It was a good trip, and the Yaris did an excellent job :)

Last weekend I went up to my Mom's for a couple days. I was surrounded by furryness, which is always very nice. Here is one of her new cuddly Icelandic horses (Glode)

And here is Leif. He is not too pleased about the horses, but is a little afraid of them. So he expresses his distaste by going in the house and growling at them through the window.

Lastly here is a very manly sock I have been working on for my granddad for Christmas. The pattern is undulating rib from favorite socks. The yarn is some of the stash I scored at the last swap at KOL.

2007-09-15T09:48:00.000-04:00

And now presenting the worst tea cozy ever made!!

Sorry tea pal, this was meant for you, but there is no way I would do that to you. The pattern is nice enough but it would really only fit the shortest, fattest tea pot ever made! So I am remaking a tea cozy, this one will be a felted one, and will tea pots of all shapes and sizes!

I have been thinking I have been sort of negative in blog land lately. Today when I was running I though about all the things in my life that make me happy and decided to post on it! Please note this is not in order. Also, I have not included knitting, friends or family because that's a given.

1. My Swift. Isn't it beautiful? It's handmade, about 100 years old. It actually belongs to one of my best friends, Gill Martin. It was her grandmothers, she gave to Gill. Gill said she had no where to keep it so I asked if I could borrow it. That was 5 years ago and it's still mine. I know that it is Gilly's though and she can have it back whenever she wants it.

2. There is a vet near my house that has a cat kennel in it. One of the rooms in the cat kennel has a big window that the cats can sit in and look out on the street. Everyday I walk by this window and there is usually a different adorable cat sitting in the window looking at people walk by. It always makes my day better.

3. Tea. I mean I love coffee and have to drink it every day, but is there really anything more comforting than a mug of your favorite tea? As much as I love coffee I can only have about 2 cups before I need to stop. Tea on the other hand I can drink as much as I want!

4. My animals :) From my crazy cat Sage, to my puppies Oliver, Baldur, Leif, Lilly and Miller - I am very blessed. Any my life is about to get furrier! Yesterday my mom got two Icelandic horses. I am going up to see them tomorrow, pictures will follow.

5. My Yaris.

6. My knitting chair. Sage is sitting in it in the above picture, it's also her favorite chair. It's an antique and is sort of falling apart. One day when I have money I will get it reupholstered.

2007-09-12T18:42:00.000-04:00

Is raverly all its cracked up to be? Or do I just want it desperately because I can't have it!! I have been checking my list status almost obsessively now. I am about in the middle of the pack - 10,000 ahead, 10,000 behind. I want my invite oh so much!! Especially since the list has only gone done about 4,000 since I joined.

Why does gauge have to be such a dirty whore? You'd think it could be right... just once... once when it really counts!! I did everything right with my gauge swatch for my EZ sweater and the body is abut 4 inches wider than I wanted! Argh! I think it will still be ok, it will just be a looser sweater... that I will probably never wear. Sigh.

2007-09-10T21:39:00.000-04:00

I bought the Yaris :) Mike has decided to call it Captain Long John Silver, because as Mary has pointed out it is rather Pirate like being a YARRRRRis and all. She says I should call it Cap'n for short. I agree. Now I just hope that I can work enough to pay for it! Could be tricky with school and all that fun stuff.

Now for some very bad news. Due to life circumstances Oliver is moving to Moncton. I won't get into the details on the internet, but I am really devastated. I have been teary ever since I found out on Sunday and I am still having a hard time getting control. I know he's not really my dog, so I don't get a say in what happens to him. But I really can't express how much I am going to miss him. I love seeing him and he is the closest thing I have to a dog. Plus we do have a really special connection.

2007-09-08T18:21:00.000-04:00

Yaris!!

So I went to a couple dealerships, and at both places I feel in love with a Yaris. One was a cherry red two door, and the other was a silver four door. We decided the four door would be more convenient and Mike said that he would be embarrassed to drive a cherry red car that small.

So here is my silver beauty. It's not officially mine yet. I have it on an extended test drive until Monday night when I will make my final decision. This will be great because I am driving to Shelburne on Monday so I will get to see how it feels over a variety of road surfaces.

I think my mind is pretty much made up though, Oh Yaris you are so nice!

I would be lying though if I claimed I wasn't feeling guilty about leaving the beast. I have grown surprisingly attached to it, and I am gonna miss it too. I won't miss it's worn out brakes, leaking fuel tank, dripping oil pan and crappy wipers though.

2007-09-07T08:40:00.001-04:00

Rough day yesterday. I wanted to get my car inspected but on the way their noticed a giant crack in the wind shield. I took it Apple to get it fixed (because it won't pass inspection with a crack), that set me back $312.00. That's a lot of yarn!! I took it to Mighty to get it fixed and was told I really shouldn't have bothered fixing the window because the car is a write off.

Fuck.

So now I am trying to decide if I will get my dear sweet brother Lionel to fix my car. Or if I should just get a new one. When I bought the beast I was in a really different position that I am in now. I intended to drive it for the summer and then see from there what happened. I didn't count on getting so attached to the beige hunk o junk though!!

But now I am driving all over the province for work - and I do get paid for the travel - and I think I want something that I know will work and that I know will be safe. My brother has been great about fixing it when it needs some work, but what if it breaks down when I am in Shelburne? On the other hand, not having a car payment is awfully nice.

2007-09-06T09:15:00.000-04:00

I like any rock star that incorporates late 19th century poetry into their concerts. Last night I went to the Frosh Week Joel Plaskett concert on Dal Campus. It was quite fun, really great concert.

My favorite part though was during the last song which lasted about 15 minutes and was very Pink Floyd ish, Plaskett went through a lyric of Annabel Lee, the Edgar Allen Poe poem. Oddly enough I was the only person who recognized it among my friends. Bear in mind I am a science student and only took one arts course, English 1000 the whole time I was in university. Anyway it's a very pretty, but very sad poem, and I thought I would share it with you fine people.

Annabel Lee

It was many and many a year ago,
In a kingdom by the sea,
That a maiden there lived whom you may know
By the name of ANNABEL LEE;
And this maiden she lived with no other thought
Than to love and be loved by me.

I was a child and she was a child,
In this kingdom by the sea;
But we loved with a love that was more than love-
I and my Annabel Lee;
With a love that the winged seraphs of heaven
Coveted her and me.

And this was the reason that, long ago,
In this kingdom by the sea,
A wind blew out of a cloud, chilling
My beautiful Annabel Lee;
So that her highborn kinsman came
And bore her away from me,
To shut her up in a sepulchre
In this kingdom by the sea.

The angels, not half so happy in heaven,
Went envying her and me-
Yes!- that was the reason (as all men know,
In this kingdom by the sea)
That the wind came out of the cloud by night,
Chilling and killing my Annabel Lee.

But our love it was stronger by far than the love
Of those who were older than we-
Of many far wiser than we-
And neither the angels in heaven above,
Nor the demons down under the sea,
Can ever dissever my soul from the soul
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee.

For the moon never beams without bringing me dreams
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;
And the stars never rise but I feel the bright eyes
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;
And so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the side
Of my darling- my darling- my life and my bride,
In the sepulchre there by the sea,
In her tomb by the sounding sea.

2007-09-02T18:43:00.000-04:00

Not much knitting got done this weekend. I went to PEI early yesterday morning to attend the wedding of one Ms. Anne-Marie Brunet to a Mr. Wayne Peters. The wedding was that afternoon and I just got back this afternoon. Overall it was a great weekend, I drove up with an OT friend Sarah and we stayed in the luxurious 1 star Howard Johnson.

All joking aside the wedding was really beautiful. Anne-Marie was stunning in her dress and Wayne could not have looked happier as she walked down the aisle. Anne-Marie's family is Scottish and they was a charming Scottish favor to the whole affair. It was wonderful to see two such thoughtful and amazing people celebrate their relationship.

I made some good progress on my black sweater, of which I will post a picture of soon. I have done about 4 inches of twist ribbing, and about another 2 of plain stockinette. I only left 4 stitches for steeking, will that be enough? I think it will, I did one once with only two stitches, but that was a machine sewn steek not a crochet one, which I plan to do with this one.

2007-08-31T08:40:00.001-04:00

I feel like I robbed a yarn store. I went to the Halifax KOL Stash Swap on Tuesday night and made out like a bandit. I really didn't bring very much either, so I am feeling quite a bit of yarn guilt. But not enough guilt to give the yarn back, let's not get crazy here kids.

There is this beautiful striping yarn that is destined to be a pair of socks for a parental figure in my life, probably my step dad or Grandad, haven't decided yet.

This wonderful Opal will probably do the same, for whoever didn't get the first pair of socks.

And this RED RED RED alpaca will be a Clapotis for my step mother who adores the color red.

All that beautiful yarn makes up for the $300 speeding ticket I got that morning. Well almost.

In other news I finished the shrug for Anne Marie's wedding. I think it turned out really cute. More rustic that I wanted it to be, but I still really like it. I would post a picture of me wearing it but sadly I have been abandoned by my boy for the weekend.

2007-08-25T19:17:00.000-04:00

I have been plugging away at the Two Toned Ribbed Shrug from Fitted Knits. It's amazing how fast you can knit a sweater when you don't have to knit most of the arms or body! I ALMOST managed to do it with two balls of yarn, but I made an emergency trip to L.K. today when I realized I was going to run out. That was a scary moment, because the next project I am going to do uses the same needles that the shrug is on, so I almost would have had a whole day with nothing to knit! Eeep!!

My friend Mary's knitting is coming along really nicely. She is currently working on a scarf in SWS, and it is turning out really pretty. I will have to put a picture up of it if she lets me. Although I have taught a few people to knit, I think she may be the first to actually get the bug. Mawhahaha she has no idea what she is getting herself into.

Right now I am patiently waiting for Mike's parents to arrive. They drove up from Maine today with his little brother. His little brother (who is not so little, he's 21) is heading back to Acadia, and they are going on vacation in Cape Breton, so we are going to have a nice late dinner tonight. Tomorrow we are going to show them around the city a little, should be really fun!

2007-08-24T13:25:00.000-04:00

I have finished my "slave labour" knitting project, haha. I really don't mind making a dishcloth for the wired monk staff, they seem like really nice people. Here Sage is modeling said dishcloth. I think in this picture she looks less possessed and more evil. She really is cute in real life, but she never photographs well! I really like Moe's comment that she looked like the dog/cat thing from ghostbusters, hahaha.

I also cast on for a simple shrug from fitted knits. I bought a convertible dress from American Apparel. It can be worn 40 ways! Anyway the way I want to wear it is a halter style so I would like a little shrug to wear with it. I bought this Paton's SWS from L.K Yarn today and plan to whip it up in the next week.

I actually had a very nice trip to L.K. I havn't always liked them very much. I once went there when I was about 14 (and I was quite an accomplished knitter at 14) and they treated me in a very condescending way. I have always had good experiences since then though, and today they were very friendly.

2007-08-22T20:54:00.000-04:00

The worst of my week is over :) I just have two vets to see tomorrow and then their reports to write and I can relax. yay! This job that I am doing is so weird, because when I do work it is really long days, but then I have some nice stretches of days off. I think I like it that way.

The worst part of the week was that on Tuesday I didn't back in time to go to the Halifax KOL group. I even knit the staff of the Wired Monk a dish cloth (this is one of the initiation requirements). I will take a photo once I have all the ends woven in and the cloth blocked. It's another Double Flower Pattern, I love that pattern so much!

I am also continuing to work on my 9-5 sock. I am really in love with this pattern. It is just enough to keep you interested with plenty of relaxing in between. This is the second sock, I have the first one all finished. AND I finally managed to get a nice toe!!

Also in case any of you were concerned that Sage had gotten sane, you will be glad to know she hasn't.

2007-08-20T20:46:00.000-04:00

"and I can't remember the sound that you found for me" ... anyone else concerned about if Virtute made it home or not? For any of you not aware the Weakerthans have a new album! Which is awesome. I have to confess I have heard some of it... although I am not fessing up to illegal downloading publicaly. Although I will say that if I HAD illegally downloaded it before its release date I would most certainly pay for it once I can. I love them THAT much!

Anyway on the Weakerthans last album they had a song on it called Plea from a cat named Virtute. It's all about a contemptuous cat bestowing some advice on his emo owner. see below:

"Why don't you ever want to play?
I'm tired of this piece of string
You sleep as much as I do now
and you don't eat much of anything.
I don't know who you're talking to
I made a search through every room,
but all I found was dust that moved
in shadows of the afternoon.
And listen,
about those bitter songs you sing?
They're not helping anything.
They won't make you strong.
So, we should open up the house.
Invite the tabby two doors down.
You could ask your sister,
if she doesn't bring her Basset Hound.
Ask the things you shouldn't miss:
tape-hiss and the Modern Man,
The Cold War and Card Catalogues,
to come and join us if they can,
for girly drinks and parlor games.
We'll pass around the easy lie
of absolutely no regrets,
and later maybe you could try
to let your losses dangle off
the sharp edge of a century,
and talk about the weather,
or how the weather used to be.
And I'll cater with all the birds that I can kill.
Let their tiny feathers fill disappointment.
Lie down;
lick the sorrow from your skin.
Scratch the terror and begin to believe you're strong.
All you ever want to do is drink and watch TV,
and frankly that thing doesn't really interest me.
I swear I'm going to bite you hard and taste your tinny blood
if you don't stop the self-defeating lies you've been repeating since the day you brought me home.
I know you're strong."

Anyway the new album has a song called Virtute the Cat Explains Her Departure. It's all very sad. You really should listen to them. They are AMAZING.

In other news I have been super busy, and don't really have a lot of time for updating. Tomorrow I will leave the house at 7:00 am and get home around 9:00 pm. Worst of all I will miss knitting night at the Wired Monk. Boooo work!!

Check this out if you are interested in some really creepy knitting/crochet.

2007-08-16T17:41:00.000-04:00

I finally finished my Master's orientation today!! Now all I have to do is complete the degree....

You may not hear to much from me over the next couple days as I am going to be really busy catching up with all my work things. Tomorrow I am going to Mahone Bay, I am going to PEI for the weekends, then Shelburne on Monday, Pictou on Tuesday and Windsor on Wednesday. I am gonna be pooped after all that!

It'll be worth it though. I got my very first paycheck today. That felt great!

2007-08-15T09:53:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was my birthday. I will admit I was not all that pumped about this birthday, Mike left that day and a lot of my friends were out of the city. However, it turned out to be a really great day. When I got to school Judie had baked me a batch of chocolate cupcakes and Liz Townsend the director of the school brought in timbits. Judie later gave me this card which I think is the nicest card I have ever seen let alone been given. I love it! Later we all went to Your Father's Mustache for dinner and Slav a student in the program secretly bought my dinner and my friend Alison had a black forest cake brought in. I then went to Halifax Knit Out Loud group where I met many nice and wonderful knitters. When I got home there were two cards in the mail for me (including one with money from my grandma and one with these really pretty earrings from my friend Crystal). There was also about 8 messages on my answering machine and a whole bunch on my facebook too.

I have the world's best friends and family. I really can't believe how lucky I am.

2007-08-13T18:36:00.001-04:00

I have joined the Knit One, Tea Too Color swap! I really couldn't help myself. These swaps are addictive! Anyway here is my questionnaire:

Knit 1 Tea 2 Color Swap Questionnaire

Do you like loose tea or bags, or both – something you want to try? I prefer loose tea. I do use bagged tea sometimes but more for convenience than taste. Usually I find loose teas are worth the inconvenience for the flavor.

What is your favorite kind of tea (Brand, flavor, variety, etc)? I really like Twinings Lady Grey and Earl Grey teas. I have also had some nice herbal teas in the past that I really liked. I really like scented and flowery teas but I do not like "flavored" teas (nothing caramel or hazelnut).

Favorite color in regards to tea or one you would like to try? (black, green, red, and white) (keeping in mind that this is how this swap is set up). White

Would you say you were a tea pot kind of person or just a hot water heater kind? Tea pot. I am a total snot about this, even if I am only making one cup it must be made in a pot.

What tea accessories would you like but have never purchases for yourself? I have always wanted a Bodium teapot, or any kind of tea pot with a built in strainer. I know this is not likely to be sent in the mail though. For smaller accessories though I really can't think of anything. I DO have a tea ball though.

How do you prefer to be pampered? (examples: mani/pedi, bubble bath, yummy treat, etc). I really like things that smell pretty. I am not very fussy I really like almost all girly pampering things.

If you were a kind of yarn what would you be and why? If I was yarn I would be a variegated sock yarn. Really fun and cute but doesn't dress up very well.

If you had to knit/crochet baby booties, a fun fur scarf, or a fair isle sweater, which would you choose and why? Baby booties. I love all baby things.

What other event would make you skip a tea party? (A garden party? A book club meeting? A yoga class? Opening night for a new action thriller? etc?) The only thing that could make me miss a tea party would be a knitting party.

What treat would you consider essential at your tea party? (Sweet? Salty? Scones? Those petite pastry trays with a couple of all sorts of things? Little crust less sandwiches?) I really like things like biscuits and scones that are tasty and satisfying but not too sweet. I also like cheeses and crackers.

When buying yarn for a project how do you choose - do you buy the one called for or do you substitute? It depends. For socks, mitts and hats I have done so many that I like to pick out my own. For more risky things like toys and sweaters I like to use what is called for.

What do you carry your knitting/crocheting in when on the go? I just stuff it in my purse. Really not very respectful to my knitting I know.

Favorite movie to watch while knitting/crocheting? Finding Nemo. I'm an adult I swear.

Are you a traditional tea cup kind of person or a mug type of person? Do you care if they match? I have an eclectic collection of mugs and I really like that none of them match. I really love pottery mugs.

Favorite childhood birthday party? My birthday is in the summer (tomorrow actually!) so I never really had big parties because so many people were gone. Now my favorite parties are really relaxed ones with my good friends.

Favorite type of scone and jam? I don't have a favorite scone. My fav jam is anything my mom makes. She keeps me in good supply.

If you use candles, what is your favorite scent? Right now I have a Tahitian Flower candle that is really pretty. I like most candle scents as long as it is not too sweet. I can't stand those candles that smell like cookies and stuff. They give me headaches.

If you could choose 3 people to have 'tea' with, who would they be and why? (famous or not, living or dead). John Sampson, Maude Barlow, and Gandhi.

You've been invited to a tea party, what 'props' will you wear (formal or casual)? Casual.

Any allergies/preferences you have or are willing to admit to? none.

Anything we missed that you want your pal to know? Nope. I am really not too fussy. I like white tea, black tea, green tea and herbal tea. I am always open to trying new things.

2007-08-12T13:55:00.001-04:00

I took the OT's up to Tatamagouche yesterday for the day. It was a really great day. We went to Sugar Moon Farm, Jost Winery, and Blue Sea Beach. Being from Tatamagouche it is easy to forget how beautiful it is and how appealing it is to tourists.

The highlight of my day was getting to eat the pancakes at Sugar Moon. I worked there for years and even though I used to be able to get fed for free I really don't mind paying for all that yummyness. I especially like that they use local organic ingredients whenever possible.

The beach was also truly beautiful (even though a got pinched by a crab). I got some nice pictures of the girls, but I will be nice and not put any pictures of anyone in a bathing suit on the internet.

On another topic all together, Mike showed me this link today and I just had to share it with you. So funny! The whole blog is about this guys four cats, especially this one cat Winston. He has some really great pictures though of the poor kitties :)

2007-08-11T06:24:00.001-04:00

Thank so much for all the support guys. I considered talking to my prof again as I do work with her ratherly closely on a lot of things, and I really respect was she has contributed to our field. But I think I will just drop it. There is only a week of orientation left and then I can leave it behind me... although I don't think I will ever forget it. I really appreciated what all of you said and really thought about it a lot. I especially valued what Steph said in that she probably walked away thinking that she had helped me out professionally having no idea that she had hurt me personally. Non knitters really don't know how attached to knitting Knitters are.

Thinking about what happened to me though as also helped me better understand occupational therapy theory. In a lot of theory they talk about how the everyday occupations (not just work - thinks that occupy our time are occupations) can sometimes become very meaningful to us. Some occupations become part of our roles and habits, and really become about our spirituality and how we see ourself as a person. I can't think of a better example than knitting as an occupation that is integrated into my life, has defined me as a person and is essential to my being.

On the lighter side of things, I cast on last night for a swatch/hat for the percentile sweater I am going to make. I hate making swatches so I took EZ's advice and am making a hat instead for gauge. I assure you the hat looks a lot nicer in real life. The color is almost a jet black, but if I got a picture where the color was accurate you wouldn't be able to see the stitches.

I am really happy with how the fabric feels. I think it will be the bestest sweater ever :)

Also, when I was at the Yarn Harlot event I asked her a question about knitting in bars. My friend Jane has often seen me knit in bars, and she often does it to. On her blog she has coined the term pulled a Maggie for knitting in bars. I am touched :) I have always wanted my name to become a saying.

2007-08-10T12:13:00.000-04:00

I am feeling a little upset right now. You could say I am feeling some of the knitterly discrimination that we all hear so much about. I have at many points in my life felt embarrassed of my knitting, I have felt that I looked a little geeky, or something like that. I have never experienced though what I am feeling right now.

I have just been asked by an important professor at my school not to knit in class. I thought at first, ok maybe she feels that it looks like I am not paying attention and is disrespectful. While I don't agree with this, I can understand where someone might be coming from if they thought this. I was not prepared though for her reasoning as to why she didn't want me to.

She told me that years ago occupational therapists used to meet to do planning and coordinating when the profession was just beginning and a lot of them would bring their knitting. You should know that when occupational therapy started a lot of the therapy that was done involved teaching veterans of the first and second world war how to do various crafts such as pottery, leatherwork, knitting and sewing. She said that people started to see what occupational therapists were doing as a knitting group and not a group that talked about social change and community development and were therefore de-legitimized by the academic world.

She said that they fought hard to change this image and by my knitting I was talking away from the professionalism that we have tried so hard to change. She said it made people see OT as a woman's profession that does not have as much to contribute to society and the academic world.

I am really hurt by this. I don't mind being told not to knit, but to be told not to knit for this reason is really hurtful. I don't see why just because I am upholding an art that was once seen as women's work what I have to say about society and the world should have any less meaning.

Not only that knitting really helps me concentrate in class! It keeps me from feeling the need to fidget and walk around the room. I think it is really unfair that something that really helps me learn and increases my enjoyment of class should be taken away from me. Especially if the reasoning is that it makes me look more like a woman doing woman's work who doesn't have anything worthwhile to say.

2007-08-09T14:32:00.000-04:00

I have been thinking a lot of grafting lately and why I am so terrible at it. This is partly meant as a note/apology to my sock pal. When you get your socks you will see that they sort of look like they are purled, not knit together like they should be. This is really silly, I have been knitting for 14 years now, I should be able to graft properly by now. So I have been studying this video. I think I know what I do wrong, instead of the mantra knit,purl, purl, knit I have been doing purl, knit, knit, purl. Thus I have created a purl stitch. Yet when I try to do it the right way, it still never looks right.

Anyway what is making me think about this so much? It is this pair of wonderful perfect amazing socks. with a totally perfect toe!!

Aren't they wonderful? I am so happy with them. I love the colours, and I have been thinking about making some Monkey socks too!

I love them so much. I picked the package up on my way to school and carried the socks with me for the whole walk. Thank you so much sock pal! My sock pal by the way is Trish from Calgary. She has a great blog, you should check it out:)