Saturday, September 8, 2012

A fresh coat of paint and some good knitting karma



I haven't done a lot of knitting this summer. It is probably a good idea to cease and desist when a certain right arm seizes up on oneself! These things happen to us all, it's annoying that's for sure! Hopefully modern medicine will help rectify the problem and I can be back at it-in moderation of course (hah)-sometime in the near future. I did get a little painting project done though.


I love painting things-not so much walls and ceilings. but tables, chairs dressers are fun to do.Painted furniture was quite popular when our kids were little and I painted a lot of pieces. It was fun and cheap and a great way to recycle and repurpose good but tired furniture. I am so happy to see it is back in style again.This table/desk was a great project to do.


So I sanded, primed it and a few coats of paint later it was done. I also put on some new knobs. It is a more vibrant green than the pictures suggest.


I am currently adding a lot of colour to my living room-too ho hum.



I have a lot more painting projects I would like to do-c'mon arm!

On to more knitterly things. Our Thursday morning group has been planning to knit some chemo caps for our local cancer centre. There is a need for these hats especially with cooler weather ahead . They would be so greatly appreciated. So if any of you are interested in doing some just get in touch with me, leave me a message here or I am in on Thursday mornings at AoY. Needless to say cancer has touched many of us either personally or our families, friends, neighbours and co-workers. It would be great to be helpful.
  I was talking to one of my neighbours recently. She works in a women's shelter/transition house. She was telling me they have a great need for some knitted booties and /or slippers for all the little kids and babies that come to stay at the facility. Often the women and the children arrive with very little in desperate circumstances. The floors are not carpeted and they can be quite cold so it would be nice to slip some warm woolies on their little feet. They also become something of their own to keep. Sadly, her facility needs lots. Of course she would love to have quilts and blankets too but those are bigger projects. Again.any handknits would be greatly appreciated. So if you want to do some just let me know or you can drop them off on a Thursday morning. Thanks. It's good to spread some knitterly love. That's what it is all about.

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Spectra Spectacular

Madtosh Merino Light Forestry and  Noro Silk Garden Sock


 Well we might be a little late for the party, but we are all making up for it. Stephen West's pattern Spectra is causing a little bit of a knit frenzy amongst us.


Cathy is knitting one too. I am not sure what colour the Madelinetosh is but I am guessing Vermilion. It contrasts dramatically with the SG Sock. Stunning! I will have to do this combo too.  We both like strong bold colours ( in a very refined in your face kind of way).


Tianna is doing hers in Madtosh Calligraphy and Noro Silk Garden Sock. Lovely palette of golds greens and browns.


Sally's is finished and it is beautiful.

Brenda has chosen these colours. Very pretty!

nice nose
We all love Brenda!

Madtosh Twig and SGS



Rebecca/Becky chose some awesome colours, the pics don't do them any justice. This is going to look incredible when it is knit up . Rebecca is a fabulous knitter, check her projects out on Ravelry. Her nom de plume is Beckabee. I still have to get pictures of Maria's and Jane's Spectras. It truly is a lot of fun seeing all the different colour combinations knit up as you really don't know exactly how it is going to look.
 We are such a bunch of enablers. One great project and we are the knitting lemmings of the world. We just can't move fast enough to look at colours, talk and talk and compare and discuss perfect colour combos, and  finally finally decide (well maybe, what do you think, I like yours do you think this is ok?) on the perfect match. Next get our patterns and needles (which ones what length which ones do you like), and off we go-straight off the knitting cliff! Fortunately no one has been injured  yet (to my knowledge)  in the general stampede. It is such a blast! So much fun!
  I am knitting this scarf with a set of Cubics needles-well come to think of it we all are now. Colleen, a member of our group who has RA, absolutely raved about them. I tried them and I really really like them. Who knew a cubic needle would a) be invented and b) be so great!. They are nice and light and really comfortable to knit with. Life is full of surprises.

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

What's that bright shining orb in the sky?

Armenian Cornflowers

 Today the sun came out in its full glory! I know for many millions of people who are suffering through a terrible heat wave in the States and in eastern Canada this is complete crazy talk.I can't imagine how hard it it is to suffer through such heat without any power and even with power come to think of it. Let's hope some of our cool wet weather will travel across the continent. We have had a very cool, extremely wet June
  I love this plant, the blooms look like giant yellow thistles-bees love it too.


Everything is growing well but I have noticed my perennials aren't nearly as large or as tall as they usually are, due to the lack of sunlight I guess. As we usually have such a hot dry spring and summer most of my plants are more drought tolerant.

Moonshine Yarrow, Fleabane, Shasta Daisies



I started digging up the front yard a few years ago. I do love flowers.


This year I haven't done much gardening, for several reasons. I didn't plant any zinnias which are my favourite. Sigh. However in the grand scheme of things its no biggie,

Linen-Linen Project Bag

 There has been some scattered knitting though. Sounds like a weird weather forecast . On Thursday morning there will be mixed knitting conditions for Kelowna . Expect bright sunny spots of clear and calm contented knitting punctuated with occasional outbursts of loud grumbling noises and torrents of ripped out rows. Favourable conditions are expected to prevail for the rest of the afternoon. Okay okay enough.
 I started this little project today and I really like it. It is the Linen-linen project bag, a freebie on the Churchmouse website. The pattern calls for a Rowan yarn, which I don't have. I am using Nashua Creative Linen, in the Faded Lime and Bright Pink colourways. I really like the look of this bag. It can be used for a knitting project or for anything else really, Great gifty idea too. The only mod I have made so far was to cast on 50 stitches. This allowed me to get a finished width of 10 inches. It is knit using the linen stitch which is aptly named and is actually quite fun to knit. I seem to be knitting (and ahem buying) a lot of pink yarn this year. Judith says it is the colour of healing, I thought that was quite interesting. I just love cheerful bright colours!

False Sunflowers


Friday, June 1, 2012

Silk Moon Crescent Shawl



I love to knit, there is no doubt about it. There are so many cool projects to knit , that it times it can be overwhelming. Best to stay off Ravelry! I also find knitting to be a great stress reliever ( most of the time). There is something about keeping one's mind and hands busy with a repetitive activity that can be somewhat calming. I don't make bread anymore but I used to enjoy kneading dough. In its own way it is rhythmical.- helps to restore some kind of inner order And as with knitting there is usually great end results. (I love homemade cinnamon buns!!)


Life has been a bumpy lately and so I decided I wanted to knit something not too complicated, something I didn't need to pay strict attention to or to be forever counting. I found this great pattern Silk Moon Crescent Shawl. Absolutely perfect.


It is a simple garter stitch construction using yarn overs as increases. If you didn't like the eyelets , you could easily substitute M1's. It has a really nice crescent shape and it drapes nicely on your shoulders. It looks great over anything really-jacket, sweater or top. I knit mine with Noro Silk Garden. I used 3 skeins. This shawl could be knit with any long striping yarn if you want a stripey look or any kind of worsted weight yarn. It all depends on the look you want. I don't have many shawl pins as I never really thought about using them too much. Wrongo! There are so many beautiful ones available now and they do look great with these types of shawls and wraps.



Our spring here has been a little slow in coming.Finally the Hansa roses are blooming. They are so fragrant.


Armenian Cornflower

This plant is the most oddest looking plant before it blooms.I moved it a couple of years ago as it never bloomed. It is fun to watch it grow.


Painted daises are still one of my favourites, I wished they lasted longer. Spring is such a great time but depending on the weather some blooms come and go so fast. I am missing the lilacs already. Much as I love my garden I still am not finding any inner contentment from weeding-they are everywhere!

Monday, May 21, 2012

Lacey Summer Knitting


Early summer like weather has been hitting our area in fits and starts. One weekend there is a mad scramble for shorts, sandals and sunscreen, the next it is back to jeans, hoodies and shoes and socks. My garden is producing an overabundance of invasive plants and weeds. I keep chiding myself to get it all cleaned up but then a really great pattern catches my eye!



I have been knitting several lacey-beadey shawls lately. I do seem to be in the habit of knitting lacey things in the summertime. I wonder if it is the promise of summery weather or maybe because they are such light and airy projects . I really should wear them more than I do, maybe there is a gala coming soon to our local Cdn. Tire (someone thinks that constitutes a cool date-ha ha). I just really like knitting them.


This pattern is Cloud Illusions by Boo Knits. It is a lovely crescent shaped shawl . I really like this shape as it does seem easier to wear and drapes wonderfully. I think it was the edging that really caught my eye and maybe, just maybe the addition of beads too!! I knit it with a skein of Seasilk in the Valentine colourway. Seasilk is a lovely yarn that feels so nice on one's skin. I would like to knit another shawl using a finer silk or wool laceweight yarn.

I have a few more finished projects but it is just finding the time, the right lighting and an uncluttered space to take some pictures. That's my current list of excuses!



Big fuzzy bumblebees
 It is a holiday Monday in Canada today. Hope everyone is having a good one!

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Happy Knitters and Special Visitors



Even though it is spring and all the trees and flowers are growing and blooming like crazy, there is still a lot of great knitting happening.


Seriously, is this not the cutest sock monkey? Judy (who remains picture less) recently knit this for her niece. We all had to hold and hug this little one. Absolutely adorable! The pattern is Baby Sock Monkey .


Judy recently completed this cute sweater and hat set for her special baby neice. Judy just started knitting this winter, incredible! We are currently in the process of luring her into the sock knitting vortex, heh heh!!


Jen is knitting a beautiful pair of thrummed slippers.


Such beautiful colours and they are so soft and cozy!


This is Barb's first sock, as you can see we are very serious about our knitting.






Jane is an intrepid and fearless knitter.Recently she bravely threaded over 1200 beads on her yarn to knit Laura Nelkin's Undulating Scarf. I have knit several of her patterns and they are amazing. ( I think Jane has forgiven me-that is a lot of beads ).

Very Serious Person

Brenda has been knitting lots of pretty scarves this winter


We are missing Colleen, Wendy and Maria! Look out you three.


Buddy and Baron paid us a visit one day to check out what's going on at the knit shop.


Happy little guys!

 Thanks Tianna and Rod for bringing in the little fellas!! (thats's a dog nose smudge on my camera lens)


Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Pretty Hands


In this part of the country spring is slow to come. It is getting warmer and more spring-like here but we are not basking in warm sunshine yet! Our mornings and evenings  (and some days) are still a little chilly. Still the season to wear my wristers for my daily walk.


I really enjoyed knitting these, the elephants are so cute!The pattern is Baby Elephant Walk and they are great to knit and they fit perfectly. I like my wristers to come up quite high on my fingers so I can tuck them in if I am cold.



I knit these using a very different type of wool blend yarn. I used woodlands, a Classic Elite yarn. It is a wool/nettles blend and it is really quite nice to work with. It really has a nice halo and they are super warm.


I knit these awhile ago and they are still one of my favourite pair. They are so pretty !! I get a lot of compliments on them.


This pattern is Churchmouse Beaded Gloves. I seem to be knitting a lot of their patterns recently. I really like them as they have such nice classic styles. The patterns are well written and easy to follow.I knit this pair with a silk/merino DK yarn. The silk gives the yarn a nice lustre.And the beads-just a lovely combination!


None of this is helping me to get all the yard work and garden clean up done though-ha ha!! This is a lot more fun.

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