Tuesday, May 01, 2007

May Day! May Day!



Yes, I think I do need help! I have decided to run a class on cables before I do the class on intarsia so.. I am now doing the Irish bag out of the Folk Bags book instead of continuing the Camel Bag. Add one more WIP...


Bob Blankie grows slowly but the green tussock sweater is blocked and ready to have the shoulders attatched so I can do the front placket! I sounld have a new sweater by the end of the week!


I went out and got a new display cabinet yesterday for the more pricier yarns. Everyday I stare at the Colinette...I drool....I must make something out of it soon! It will have to be a very special something though.


I've got some handspun Alpaca and wool in the store now. It is spun by a woman in Udora (north of Uxbridge). I hope to get some of her naturally dyed yarns in the summer. The scarf on the left is one that she knit with her naturally dyed yarns. That beautiful green is from Lily of the Valley leaves!

My Cotton bag in progress (in the back) and some newly arrived Handmaiden silk in the front.



Another yarn from the glass cabinet is Laines du Nord Mulberry Silk. The colours are to die for!

Wish I had something deep and meaningful to share with you but I don't.

I think I will go and watch the Ottawa Sens win again.

Sunday, April 29, 2007

Digging Spring!



It is a beautiful Sunday today. Almost like Spring! Wait! It is Spring. I got out to do some raking and to keep Kessie from digging up the garden...

So many branches from the tree snapped off over the winter. Kessie now has a nice pile to drag around the backyard should she desire.


This week at the store was a good one. I got most of my orders in so I now have various shades of Hempathy and Bonsai. I just got Svale in an off white but it is a good summer top colour.

I picked up a few books at the library on Monday evening on knitting. I am loving Folk Bags and I am planning a Saturday class with lunch to make the Camel bag or the Carpet Bag.

I am still working on Bob Blankie from Mission Falls, Peony bag from Interweave Magazine, a basic sock in Tofutsies and I have started the Camel Bag from the Folk Bags book. Now, my friends that is only the knitting I am doing at the store! At home I am getting close to finishing my sweater, looking at the Swallow Tail Shawl and thinking about the Rowan poncho I started last summer. Do you think that 7 WIP's is enough? Probably not! ...because I just remembered I am also knitting a Rowan sweater for an order! Anybody think that 8 is enough? (wasn't that a title for a movie?) ...ACHH! I just remembere another WIP! Cotton Patagonia Poncho using a Knitty pattern! Can I stop at 9? Should I start something else to make it an even 10? Please stop me!!

Svale scarf is done.

Now it is time to go back outside!

Sunday, April 22, 2007

Kniterary-The Store


I took a picture of the store for an ad I am putting in the local paper. It seemed like a good excuse to show all of you as well!

What a perfect Sunday today!

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Wednesday Already

Wednesday at the store has been relatively busy. I had several browsers and a few purchasers. The word about the store is spreading.




View of the store and Hand Maiden Yarn

I had a customer who is from the local knitting guild and I enjoyed chatting with her. I am going to have to work the 2nd Wednesday of every month into my schedule to attend the guild meetings.

I am working on Bob Blankie from Mission Falls with their cotton. It is such a fun blanket in garter stitch. The pattern is available in their Wee Ones 3 book which I have in the store. Mission Falls has great colours in their merino wool line as well as their cotton line. I am fast becoming a fan.


I am also slowly working on a sock with Tofutsies. Tofutsies is a sock yarn made from soy with crab and shrimp fibre in it. The shell fish fibre gives them an anti bacterial quality. Tonight I teach my second sock class. I wonder how my student made out this week?


I am starting to knit a cardigan called Betty from Rowan book #38. (hmm...a blanket named Bob and a cardigan named Betty...Next month I knit only 'C' named items...Ha!) It is a time consuming knit because on every right side row an increase is made in every stitch. Then! on the wrong side the pattern is K2tog, P2tog the whole row... Easy enough but makes the kniting slower. I guess I charge more?

This is the Betty yarn with the Tofutsies (tweefutsies)

I am also knitting the Leaf Scarf from Knitty in Svale, I am finding the ball doesn't go very far so it is going to end up being a very short scarf since I only have one ball that the sales rep left me to try out. How do I feel about Svale? I like how it looks in the lace pattern, it has a cotton look to it since there is only 10% silk in it. Since I am not a sparkly type of gal the cotton look and feel appeals to me. I don't like how easily it splits while working with it because it slows me down considerably.


Oh, and I am knitting a bag from Cabin Fever Tweed. I like the way it looks and it should make an excellent beach bag
.



I have finally figured out how to arrange my classes for the rest of the Spring and probably the Summer. I will be posting the schedule on the store site www.kniterary.com within the next few days. I have been hoping to have a felting class soon but I just went to the very cobwebby basement (did I mention the house is 100 years old?) to check out the washing machine I saw down there and realized that it is not usable. Darn. I will have to rethink how to run a felting class. Maybe hand felting? Has anyone tried it? How successful was it if you have? At some point soon I will have to invest in a small machine for the class area I guess. (just add it to the growing list of wants and needs)... Steamer is going to come first though.

I will have to save this post till I get home since I cannot download any pictures here yet. Yes! Our newly cleansed computer is back home and functioning well!

Enjoy the rest of your day! It is nice and sunny here and warming up slightly.

I saw my first crocuses the other day!

Monday, April 16, 2007

kniterary..2 weeks and counting...

This is the logo of my newly acquired store! I really like it.




My first day at the store. I am trying to figure out how to work the cash register. I pretty much have it figured out by now but I still make the occasional mistake! See all the knitting needles behind me? The shelves you can see in the front are some of my sock yarn.



I have now changed around some of the shelves but the sweater I still have up on display. Jim had to let me have his sweater to show off!

The sheep and the chicken! The chicken in the Muskoka chair now guards my business cards on the front desk.




Here I am still trying to figure out the cash register....

So I have been in the store for 2 weeks now. I am loving it! People are starting to get to know me and that the store is open. I have at least one person everyday who is just discovering the store.

A few orders have been placed. Coming soon...a refill of needle stock, some summer yarns and lots of patterns!

Classes are slowly getting started but many seem interested. Next month I will be having a felted Yoga bag day!

Thursday night Sit N' Knit is continuing so for those in the area come and join us!

I have been doing alot of knitting (pictures soon). A bag with Cabin Fever cotton/acrylic blend, a pair of socks with Tofutsies yarn and a small lace scarf with Svale.

My favorite part of being in the store is being able to help people choose yarn and progress through their projects. My second favorite part is the amount of knitting I actually have time to do!

More pictures soon!

Sunday, April 01, 2007

The Secret!

I am back with my secret!

I have purchased a yarn store!

Kniterary

Yesterday was my first day in!
After a month and half (or so) of planning and legalizing it I am the proud owner!

I watched The Secret one time and I put my postive thoughts out into the universe and my dream arrived!!

I have no pictures as of yet because my internet on my home computer is down and I can't download onto the store computer yet!

Check out the web site though....

www.kniterary.com.

If you live in the Greater Toronto Area make sure to make time to drop by and see me!

I promise pictures ASAP!

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

Red and Green

I have put aside most everything else to knit myself a new sweater.

I created the pattern on my pattern making program. It is a long shaped cardigan with 3/4 sleeves. The 3/4 sleeves will probably work out to be just the right length for me since my arms are on the shortish side.

I love the yarn so I am just doing stocking stitch. SS is so much more fun if you love the yarn!

The yarn is Naturally Tussock Aran 10 ply. Colour 266.


The Swallowtail is waiting for me to have a large block of uninterrupted time. Maybe today? It is hard with the children on spring break.

Rhea's leggings are almost done. They are my travelling project right now.

And for some unfigured out reason I am knitting a sheep out of left over acrylic yarn. I used to love making stuffed knit toys. Maybe the joy has returned. Baaa.

Jim went out birding yesterday and came back with a picture of a beautiful Red Head. Lucky for him it was this Red Head Duck!



Feels like spring may be on its way!

Have a good day!

Tuesday, March 06, 2007

March Already?

Busy, busy, busy! I have been that!

Some knitting happening since the last post but business is slowing me down. There are some major changes happening in my life right now. Good changes that I can't wait to share with you all! You will have to wait but I promise it's worth it!

Knitting that has been happening is the slow progress on the Swallowtail Shawl. I am remembering how much I love knitting lace! I am really enjoying knitting it but it is definitely a project that requires undivided wide awake attention. Knitting in front of the TV or while people are in the room with me is a no go, so, I only get to knit for 1 or 2 hours a day on this. I have finished the main part now and am about to embark on the border. I made sure to put in life line that's for darned sure!



Other big news! My youngest got his braces! This picture was from yesterday. He is in a bit more discomfort today but nothing a little Ibuprofen can't handle. Rhea has one more year of braces and he is just starting his 3 year stint. Now a days braces are so commonplace. It is not like when I was young and children with braces were made fun of. Well, I hope that is true for my children's sake.



It may be March but man is it cold out there today!

I'm putting in good thoughts for warm,sunny, blossom filled, spring days.

Friday, February 23, 2007

Winter White Pictures (with some red)

During winter the moisture comes up off Lake Ontario and coats the trees hanging nearby. DH caught this image on one of his birding trips.

I often wish I could truely replicate the various shades of white and grey in a knitting project.





Yesterday morning we had a Thunder snow storm! Yarn Harlot talks about it over on her site and has some of her own pictures. She is right that it was impossible to photograph the largeness and the quantity of flakes descending from the sky. I took a few pictures of the aftermath. The world looked like it was covered in meringue or marshmallows. The strangest thing was the thunder. You just don't expect thunder during winter. Summer, yes. So when I started hearing the rolling booming sounds my first thought was that another train had derailed. (We had a train derrail not too far from us a couple of years ago) DH and I just stood and watched and listened for a few minutes.



Back Yard photos!

Yes that is an old Album used as a squirrel baffle!


Since yesterday morning I have seen so many snowmen! It was the first snowfall sticky and ample enough to indulge in the activity. I even saw a huge snowman built at the gas station today by the car wash!

Talking about gas! Prices continue to inch up in reaction to the Esso refinery fires and I had to put gas in the car! Akk!

Big things about to happen in my life I think. All will be revealed when it happens!

Knitting carries on. I am progressing on the swallowtail shawl.

The trick?

PUT MARKERS WHERE THEY TELL YOU TO!!!

I am really getting into the lace making process now. It is so beautiful.... Pictures soon my lovelies!

Sunday, February 18, 2007

Ottawa Knitting Ice Sculpture


A friend of mine went to Ottawa this weekend for their Winterlude and took this picture.

Isn't it great??

Thursday, February 15, 2007

February Blocks



These are the completed Project Spectrum blocks for February. I like how they look all together.


This is a scrumble bag I did way back last spring. It never felt done to me until today. Last night I took the scissors to it and gave some of the long furry bits a trim. The top picture is without a flash. It shows the colours more as they are. The bottom picture is with a flash. It shows the details of the knitting and beading more clearly.



Twenty minutes to Gray's Anatomy!! Will Meredith find her knight in shining whatever??

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Sewing Day

I spent today sewing.

I made a Valentine lunch bag for the boxed lunch auction we are having tonight at my Sorority meeting. I love making the little Zakka Bags!






Most of the day was spent finishing up the 1st Communion Quilt for my client.

It is done!!!!

Thank goodness because I am working for the next 2 days!

I gave my client a low price because it was for a school and she was paying out of her own pocket. I was expecting her to balk at the price I asked. Instead I was pleasantly surprised! She thought I was way under charging (which I was) and is going to decide on a higher fee to give me. It is nice to deal with someone who knows how much effort goes into making items!


Most of the quilt is hanging down the side of the table. The finished size is probably about 4' X 6'.

Have a good evening!

Monday, February 12, 2007

Kessie is Warm Now


On Friday Kessie got her long overdue haircut. Now she can really feel the cold! The light weight sweater that I was using for her just wasn't cutting it!

Since I just didn't have enough projects on the go (y'all know what I mean, right?) I knit her a much warmer coat in a bulky blue yarn mixed with a fun fur.
Project Spectrum dog coat!


Now she will be toasty warm on our walks!

Do you think I should make her a hat and boots?

Saturday, February 10, 2007

Crafting A.D.D.

I have a very short attention span these days. Everyday I sit down to knit or to sew I am starting something new. Currently I have 7 knitting WIPs and 2 sewing WIPs. That is a total of 9 projects on the go. The Swallowtail SHawl is really what I want to be doing but I feel obligated to finish Rhea's leggings first. Unfortunately the leggings are mind numbing and I need to have a long space of time where I can concentrate on the shawl. So I started up my Project Spectrum project for this month.

Log Cabin squares for a Spectrum blanket.

I decided that along with individual projects in the monthly colours I also want to do one project that encompases all the colours. I have done a log cabin blanket before but with only one large block so this time I am doing small blocks pieced together.

So the poncho, socks, shawl, purses etc.. await my attention...

The reason I do not have a block of time to work on the shawl is that I am completing a felt hanging quilt for a group of childern doing their first communion at a catholic church. The kids did the squares and I have been commissioned to assemble it...I hope to get it done tomorrow.

I have prewashed the flannel for sleep pants for the family. I have fabric sitting aside for a dress, blouse and kitchen accessories for the Sew i Knit KAL.

But now...I have to have lunch and head to work for the afternoon. I promise to buy no more fabric today....

Yeah. Right.



Thursday, February 08, 2007

I am beeootifool!


Like my new Hair do??? I worked really hard to get it this way!!


DH loves it too!

It is handknit from purple Lopi and black eyelash and will eventually be a purse I think...or should I keep it as a wig???

Monday, February 05, 2007

February Projects

A while ago I asked my Mother what she would like to have me knit her. She chose The Swallowtail Shawl from Interweave (fall issue). Since I have been longing to do it I have jumped right into it. First I bought the yarn...


Drops Alpaca 4 ply. This is heavier yarn that the pattern originally calls for so the shawl will be a bit bigger. I looked at some wool lace weight yarn and decided I really wanted the Alpaca since it is so soft. I gave her the yarn and the knitting for her birthday. (Which is today. Happy Birthday Mom.) While I was at her place on Saturday I started it.

At first I could not figure out what part of the shawl I was doing but I eventually realized that I was starting at the center of the neck edge. It says that in the pattern but I just naturally assumed that if I cast on so few stitches it must be the point. I am a shawl novice. Please forgive my ignorance. I hear that most (if not all) lace shawls are knit in this manner. So...I decided that I could do a better job now knowing where in the shawl I was and I frogged. I kept messing up on the count anyways. I have cast on again and finished the first 2 set of repeats. I feel more comfortable knitting the lace design now. I guess I needed a dry run first! I shall keep you all posted on the progress.

I also purchased some more Peer Gynt to do the pictured purse (2nd from left) that is unless I change my mind and do some moebius circles for felting. But...I do need a big felted purse. Hmm...I may need more yarn.

Oh, dear...... Do I really have to go yarn shopping again????

I am Swimming away!

The sleeves are done and the sweater is together.



The boy is wearing it!

His sister thinks it is cooland that he should wear it alot! I hope that is a good sign! I am so glad that it fits him well. Hopefully the potential sleeve stretch will be at the same speed as his arm growth!!

Saturday, February 03, 2007

Ten Things that Begin with "D"

I have seen this meme on a couple of blogs and thought it seemed fun. I asked Dipsy D. to send me a letter last week sometime and now I am finally getting around to doing it. If you would like to participate let me know and I will send you a letter too! The 10 things need to be significant or have impact on your life.

1. Diet.
I have a fairly healthy diet. I manage to eat a good selection of all the food groups but I continue to have an issue with weight control. So I am often considering and then not starting a diet. I am as healthy as a horse but I know that one day my extra pounds are going to affect my general health. The reason that my or a diet continue to be so important in my life has to do with number 2.

2. Dessert!
I love dessert! I love Creme Carmel, Lemon Merigue pie, ice cream, pecan pie, cookies, cinnamon buns , apple crisp etc...etc... I just have a tremendously large sweet tooth. I try to not have most of the afore mentioned desserts in my house so I have self imposed self denial while at home. After a meal I almost always crave something sweet and I would give up my healthy ways to be able to only ever eat dessert!

3. Dabble.
I dabble in many things. I am a master of few things but I know a little about alot of things. I dabble in sewing, baking, belly dancing, tai chi, gardening, painting, ceramics, silk screening, embroidery, felting, housework... I have a dabblers approach to accumulating information too. I read headlines and rarely read the articles in newspapers. I rely on others to tell me the stories. I dabble because I get bored so easily. Knitting is one of the few past times that has never bored me (except when I am on sleeve island!). In some respects I am still a knitting dabbler but I am far mor serious about learning all about it than anything else in my life. I feel as if I even dabbled at University. I did enough to get by but never quite enough to excel.

4. Dogs.
I love dogs. Big ones and small ones. I have been Mom to 3 dogs. My very first dog was a Pomeranian named Merlyn.


He lived to the ripe old age of 17. He came before my husband and was able to accept the inclusion of that man into our lives. My second dog was Nimue, our Golden Retriever.

She passed away almost 2 years ago and I still miss her sweet face. She lived to 14. She was petrified of thunder and fire works and she thought she should be a lap dog. My 3rd and current dog is Kessie.

She is about 16 months old and she is the sweetest little bossy thing ever! She is the first dog that I have had who I can make howl. She likes to bury all her dog biscuits and toys in the couches and potted plants. She gives the most wonderful hugs! I will never be without a dog in my life if I can help it.

5. Dental Floss
My teeth are very close together. I need to floss regularily. I don't always. My favorite type of dental floss is the tape type. The string type cuts my gums.

6. Daughter
I am a daughter and I have one daughter. Raising a daughter is an exercise in self control. I want her to be so much more than I am so I have very high expectations of her at times. I am aware of this so I am try to be open with her about why I act the way I do sometimes. I hope that being honest about this will help her to understand herself better and be more self assured than me. I always wanted a daughter (and of course a son!)(when I do "S" I will include son in it!). I have a great daughter and my life would not be complete without her in it. Since my daughter is my first born her birth caused many changes in my life. Many major changes. Major growing up. Major love.

7.Diamonds.
I have but one diamond ring.

It was built out of my original engagement ring and wedding band and encorporated the original diamond and a series of smaller ones taken from a ring I no longer wore. It is one of a kind and speaks to me of the love of my husband of 22 years who was ok with me having it rebuilt for my 40th birthday.

8. Dancing.
I love to dance. I dabble in belly dancing. I took ballet when I was a girl. My favorite part of Gym class in high school was the folk dancing section. I still remember dancing to Hava Nagilla (sp?). There are times when I just have to crank the music and dance around the living room. I don't dance in public much anymore because I am self conscious about looking like an old fart doing alot of jiggling. I love to watch my daughter dance.

9. Depression.
I suffer from clinical depression. I take Prozac and probably will for the rest of my life. I took steps towards taking control over it after I had 2 children and all I was doing was yelling at them all the time. I don't cry too much when I am depressed I am angry. I attack the world around me. So I am resigned to having to take my little white and green pills for the rest of my life. I have tried to come off them 2 times since I first started taking them but my seretonin levels got all out of whack again. I'd rather be a happy positive person.

10. Degree.
I have my B.A. in Psychology. The things I learned in the study of psychology has stayed with me through out the years. The way of thinking and the knowledge I absorbed has helped me be a better partner, mother and friend. It is the foundation that has allowed me to self improve and assist others in their own self improvement.

Thursday, February 01, 2007

I Want off the Island!

My long drawn out sleeve island is coming to an end soon. I keep getting bored and doing other things but I am bound and determined to get that sleeve done tonight!!!! I am an island and I feel no pain (I wish).

In the meantime I knit a wee little sweater for a baby one of my friends had in December. Do you not all love how quick baby sweaters are? Just yarn from the stash . Something I inherited from someone else because I can stand to see yarn thrown away. No label, chunky wieght, a little bit of fancy yarn in the front for fun. This is also my first project for February colours



Another project I was working on (and working on) was a motorcycle seat cover out of vinyl. It got picked up and I got paid today! It was a learning process and if there is ever a next time there are things that I would do differently. Any how the guy wanted extra padding for a trip out to the eastern provinces this coming summer and he wanted it removable. Done. I am so glad it is.


It kind of looks like a giants shoe doesn't it?