Really, it's just a wee blog.

Reading AT Chicago today, I discovered that it's delurking week in blog land. It got me thinking about the blogs I read, and about my own blog.

I'm not a super regular reader of any blogs, but I try to keep up here and there. There are far too many out there for me to properly follow, and I'm such a curious one that I can't just stop at what I've found...I'm constantly on the hunt for something new. Lately, I've been all over the Norwegian blogs, falling in love with some of the most beautiful work out there - even though I can only really understand the pictures. As part of delurking week, I'll make an effort to comment this week, I promise.

Regarding my own blog, really it is just a wee blog. I started it up at a time when I had a high volume of spare time, and had been doing a lot of knitting. Along with knitting, I discovered a whole new world of crafters, knitalongs and swaps, and wanted in on all the fun.

There's a more nerdy reason behind this blog though, which I've not ever really fessed up to. I love the internet. I'm 100% fascinated by how its evolving. I'll spare you the specifics of my internet love, but will say that one of the reasons this blog came to be is because I wanted to see how far a complete novice could go with a free blog. I fell for Blogger not because I loved its layout or publishing capabilities (far from it, though they're improving), but because with a minor tutorial in CSS (and maybe a pre-made template as a base), you can really push the customization boundaries with Blogger. And they let you. I like that, and I'm glad I did it.

Anyway, nerdiness aside, this really really is just a little blip in the big world of blogs. Every now again, I add a thing or two to keep record of what I've been doing, and I try to stay in touch with others out there. I'm ever surprised by the number of people who pass through here on a regular basis (raise your hand if you're from Turkey or Japan!), even when I have nothing to say.

So, allow me to reverse delurk and formally thank all of you for stopping by. Anyone know how to say lovely in Norwegian?

Surfing away my life

Ohhh, I love it. The internet, love love love it. Mr. Clickety Click and I bought a laptop during the holidays, and I've been glued to it ever since. I think I've had more at-home computer activity in the past week than in the past six months.

I love discovering something new, and I think this one's a gem: thisnext.com. I've long looked for a placeholder for all my online shop-a-holic-ing, and I think this might be it. It's brilliant I tell you, b-r-i-l-l-i-a-n-t! How have I not heard about this yet?

I just put together a list of all the shoes I'd buy in my rich and fabulous pretend life. All from Gravity Pope's Boxing Week Sale. Some good sales, and they have online shopping.

I'm not much for blind shoe buying, but If I lived in the west coast, I'd be all over this sale. Sadly Ottawa is filled with Aldo, Aldo, more Aldo, and other shoe stores with different names, but owned by Aldo. Oh well, the wallet wins this time.

Forget anything productive for a while, I think there's some surfing to catch up on.

Two-double-oh-seven: welcome

Happy new year everyone. Quietly now, let's start out the new year. Guhhhh.

There's been some baby knitting going on behind the scenes, the first of which found its owners last night. With snow finally on the ground, and temperatures dropping, the timing was right for a newborn hat and mitts.

Retro flying helmet and thumbless baby mitts
Helmet pattern: Sublime leaflet Mittens: My own, made up on the fly
Yarn: Luxury Collection Superwash Merino (teal?) and Debbie Bliss wool cotton (white)

The pattern's from a great leaflet for Sublime's uber luxury baby cashmere merino silk line (what baby needs cashmere, merino, and silk??). I normally only like one or two patterns from any one source, but I think all five in this booklet are solid bets for baby gifts. The baby's father has his pilot's license, I coudln't resist.

Anyway, I think off to recover now from the new year's eve-ing... p.s. - I love that blogger has finally added labels and categories. Look at that:

Knitting again...for the very first time.

Yeeesh, Boxing Day...already?? How time does fly. While visiting family over the holidays, I finally found myself relaxed with free time and a desire to knit. After a season or two of knitting deprivation, it's nice to be with needles in hand again. At last!

I've been watching some very talented knitters chop up some exceptional work these past few months, and have been dying to try my hand at stranded knitting. I've been admiring the progress at the colorwork challenge, and ultimately want a piece of the colour-fun that's going on with the anemoi mittens. 

But, I know to start small. I know I have it in me to tackle the anemoi mittens, but know better than to jump head first into a new technique.  So, I started small with yarn I already own, a simple pattern repeat, and a project I meant to take on anyway.

 

 Not so manly mitts.

In light blue and red Cashmerino, a smaller version of Knitty's Manly Mittens, these might be just the ticket I need to get back into the swing of things. I struggled at first with the right and left handed knitting, but I think by the end of these, I'll be ready to move on. 

Here's hoping for a slow winter, with time enough to knit! Happy belated holidays and all the best for the new year.

On vacation

Oh, it sure has been a while, hey? I've been traveling like crazy mad, and it's been a blast. In the past 2 months, I've been San Francisco, London, Norway, Belgium, and Amsterdam. That's right, San Francisco! London! Norway! Belgium! Amsterdam! I've even been to Montreal a few times in there.

 

 London!

 
I love the tiny cupcake on the giant screen in Oslo.

 

Superb view from Bed and Breakfast in Bruges.

 

Sigh...Norway.

 

 Amsterdam's a crazy crazy place. This man's biking with a baby in his arms.

Knitting's out for summer, I think. With all the hustle and bustle about, and with more to come, I think it's time for a holiday. Let's stop wondering where I am, and call it an official break, shall we? 

Back in the fall, enjoy the summer!

A monkey with no legs is still a monkey.

My mom's been in town visiting this past week. She's been a production line machine of knit teddy bears for she's making to give to an orphanage in I don't remember where...somewhere far from Canada, anyway. During her visit, I picked up the book she's using and tackled this monkey.   

 

 knit monkey with no legs

Lacking patience for the many small knitted parts and immense sewing requirements, this guy's legless, and may live in this tea cup for a while. Made with remnants of the super-deal Rowan Wool Cotton I found last year. 

Time to go outside, the snow's finally melting.

Odessa

Oh, what the hell.... Everyone's doing it, why not join in. A need for a quick fix brought this Odessa hat to life. A nice quick knit, simple-simple-simple, but interesting enough to hold through to the end.  Rowan products are scarce - and expensive, $12/ball minimum - in these parts, so it was nice to give the Cashsoft a whirl.  Lovely, lovely yarn, a real treat to knit with.  I suspect my hands may never touch another ball again, though.  Too rich for my blood.        

 

 Odessa in Rowan Cashsoft DK (Thunder)

I do enjoy the beads, but opted for an even three rows in the middle, and another row along the bottom edge.  Nothing too flashy, just a hint of clear beads.  Perfect, a wool hat, just in time for rainy spring.  Harumph!

I think my next stop will be a foray into lace knitting. I've been hoarding and contemplating lace patterns for years, and after watching hundreds of shawls and stoles in development online, it may well be time I shop my lace weight stash. There are some great ideas brewing at See Eunny Knit, a whole series on lace knitting in her Majoring in Lace posts.  I may well even have the pattern and supplies for this Sampler Stole-a-long, another Eunny-led lace adventure.

Sing it with me: I'm thirty-one, my futon days are done!

Mr. Clickety Click and I took the plunge this week and made our first big-ticket home item: a sofa. While not my dream sofa, it's a comfortable and affordable seating space that's neutral enough not to hurt our eyes.  This has sent me into a flurry of re-decorating, I'm dizzy with the new possibilities this has opened up for our living space.  My nights are filled with pillow and end-table fairies leaving beautiful, well-placed decor into our lives.  I'm indeed anxious to drop-kick our futon to the door, it has really overstayed its welcome.   

 

 Pillows!

Via Design Sponge, even these yellow (yellow!) Inhabit pillows from 2Modern are contendors for a new accent colours.  So exciting! I can see the day easily being eaten by DesignSponge and the Flickr Corners of My Home pool.  Truly addictive content, hard to pull oneself away.  This really gives Blair from Wise Craft's brilliant suggestion of a computer free day something to think about.  

Indoor day

Winter's still going strong in these parts.  Another stormy grey Saturday.  A temperature of -15 plus wind chill equals a nice -27 celcius. Beautiful. Just like last Saturday. What is this spring you speak of? I believe this calls for some CBC Radio, coffee, and crafting.

 

 Winter...neverending.

No big complaints here. I do love an excuse to stay warm at home and listen to the radio.  Don McKellar now has a radio show, following Go.  Ahhh, cozy day.    

Wednesday

Another project almost complete?  Must be time to start another.  Something new hit over the weekend, a sneak at the swatch for now. This is the Lily Chin Gramercy I picked up last month, swatched in stripes for fun. Seems it's all about the blue these days.

 

 All blue, all the time

I like how the colours work together, I think I'll even keep the stripes.  I caved on quite a long-standing (1 month?) string of no-yarn-buying when I picked this stuff up, and it's sadly given me the bug to buy more.  Left to my own vices, I would spend it all on yarn and craft supplies, which would realistically only take up space in my home, and create an urge to buy more.  Oh, how resisting the temptation to buy more is hard.  There's always a sale, always a good deal to be found, always a new pattern to try, especially this time of year. 

Restraint! 

Instead, I've been investing lots more in the art department in an attempt to fill some empty apartment walls.  Every Wednesday morning for the past few months, I've hit myself in the head after finding that I've missed another great piece on Tiny Showcase.  On Tuesday nights, they release a new print that usually sells out by next morning.  I've been meaning to make a greater effort to check on Tuesday evening to see what's to be had, but have yet to be successful.  Miraculously, this week's SET of prints was still available.  

 

 Bear & Wolf by Irina Troitskaya, via Tiny Showcase 

Bear & Wolf, a fun two print set by Irina Troitskaya.  The whole concept of Tiny Showcase is up there in my books.  

Garter rib

At long last, a completed project I can call my own.  With Alison, on the way home from Rhode Island this past summer, we stopped in at a yarn shop in Saratoga Springs.  Great shop, friendly staff, lots of fun things to touch and buy.  I suspect that had we hit this shop closer to the beginning of the trip, and not on our way home, I would have spent much more/had more money to spend here.  I picked up two balls of Blue Sky Alpaca for this garter rib scarf. 

 

 Garter rib scarf in Blue Sky Alpaca 

A very short garter rib scarf, mind you, but a garter rib scarf nonetheless.  I knew I'd want a simple and quick knit one day, and this one sure fit the bill.  I can't quite get my camera to capture the luscious red without overexposing it to death, but I assure you, it's a beautiful deep red.  I love the colour, and the texture is just superb, I'm sold on this stuff. I may well even wear this scarf one day, or find a very luxiourious child to sport it for me. 

Kate strikes again

Kate, you've done it again, without even missing a beat this time.  Oh, how I miss the Kate and Anna shopping adventures.  This one looks like it was lots of fun.  This Room 6?  Wow. Tell me, did you attend the Spend on Trend event I spotted on Room 6's site?  I can see these adorable Horn of Plenty wares adorning your beautiful apartment.  You Vancouverites get it all, hey?      

 

   
  Thanks Kate! 

You must have read my mind--fed up with following knitting charts and never-ending projects, you've sent the perfect rescue: chocolate, a knit-inspiring book, and for my need for more mindless knitting: a felting project. I love the blue on blue used on the Black Sheep Bags pattern. Thanks again.

Out with the old...

I've been meaning to get to this for a while. At home sick today, and after a full day's rest, I think it's time I cross this one off the list.  A few weeks ago, this fine package arrived at my doorstep.  The intricate packaging and decadent chocolates are both long-gone, but inside...a beautiful new needle case from Vancouver friend Kate. Anyone who knows Kate will tell attest to the fact that her taste is impeccable; I have so missed her since she's moved back to British Columbia. 

I love this needle case, and its arrival couldn't be more timely.  I don't much use my current needle case, its use is usually followed by much brooding.  More on that in a bit, let's admire the beauty of this one first. 

 
   
  A flap to hold everything in, and pockets with the best buttons ever. 

I so admire the attention to detail used here, I'd love to know who made it.  Straight stitching, perfect edges and buttonholes, even a small bit of applique.  My former needle case looks a shamble compared to this. 

I'm happy to put my former needle holder to rest.  It was quickly constructed one day during an organizing flurry.  After picking up knitting needles all over the house, I impulsively made a needle holder.  Never having much patience for sitting in front of a sewing machine, the end result was a functional, but not so pretty needle case.  The mix of crooked stitching (in white thread!), uneven tension, and pockets that hold nothing bigger than a thimble maddened me.  This, combined with needles that flailed out of it every time I went near it, made me generally leave it never to be used.   

 
Old needle case, your days are done. 

 
   
A sewer I am not.

My favourite feature is my use of safety pins, a true testament to my lack of sewing patience.  Rather than stitch the closure, I completed this with safety pins.  I do love the fabric, I'll be happy to re-purpose it.  This is remnant t-shirt fabric from Victoria, BC's Smoking Lily, which Kate brought me to on a one-hour photo tour of Victoria. 

So, again, thank you Kate.  I'm so touched by your thoughtfulness.

Vivante!

That's right, still kicking. I've been enthralled this month by other peoples' projects.  I'm still amazed that every single day, someone out there is crafting up a storm and sharing it online. My jaw remains open and drooling at the talent out there. Great respect to all of you sharing your work.

For me, projects remain at a steady crawl, but indeed still moving forward. Interlock Balloons has seen the most attention of late, but not enough to have the pattern memorized--two little post-it-notes still inch up and down the chart as I knit, some days they don't move at all. I'm eager to see this one gone, I've already got a few new projects on the brain. It's a snowy, bleary day today, so here's hoping for some progress.

 

 
One day, this scarf will be complete

A slight modification worth noting: I've changed the edge to a slipped-stitch edge.  In hindsight, this scarf could well have use the double slipped-stitch edge used on the Backyard Leaves scarf.  I've long wondered why this scarf wasn't designed with a more complimentary edge.  Anyone else agree? 

In eager anticipation of finishing up some projects, a local yarn sale has brought some of Lily Chin's (one of the fastest crocheters in the west, don't you know) new Superwash Merino into my already yarn-filled home.  Friends of mine with babies, or with babies on the way, please turn around, and don't come back until March or April.  There's stuff's going to be cute, I tell you.

 
Lily Chin Gramercy, destined for small projects

Ok, so as mentioned, on with the dreary day, hoping for some progress today.  Happy Chinese New Year.  

2005: Top 5 unifinished

End of December, hey? These past few months have gone by in a snap, hard to believe the end of the year is here already. September? October? Last Wednesday? Where'd you all go?

With the time flying like this, it's been tricky to fit in the knitting bits. Seems appropriate to do a year-end wrap-up, and get set for the coming year. Rather than covering completed items (of which there are few), here are the top 5 projects that will get bumped to the new year:

Ribby Cardi: waiting for sleeves since May

Knitty's Shedir: Seems like only a few rows left, how's this one slip through

Interlocking balloons hasn't made any progress since I took this photo last month

From Interweave Knits Fall 2005, cable and rib sock. Singular.

The least complete of all: Phildar Licorne zippered cardigan from Tendances Printemps 2005

Here's hoping that 2006 brings these stragglers round the bend. With much luck and perserverance, I'll manage to tackle these before beginning anything new in the new year. A difficult task for me, I like the allure of something new. We shall see!

Happy Christmas! All the best for the new year.

Friday eve

See? I can bake.  You haven't got the best of me yet, Martha.  From the same Holiday Baking issue as my last Martha run-in, the Chocolate-black pepper cookies are a safe bet for great tasting baking.  I highly recommend.  Tasty combination of chocolate, coffee, and pepper.  A rare combination of spicy and sweet.   

 
Martha Stewart cookies that are possible to make

Somewhere along the lines this week, I stumbled on the Anticraft, a most macabre Knitty-like assembly of knitting patterns and...  Well, I'm not sure exactly what.  Gloom and despair?  The dark side of knitting?  

  
The Anticraft will take to your knitting to the dark side

With projects like the above Bad Juju and Snowball's Chance in Hell armwarmers, and difficulty ratings like MoonPrincess RavenDark and AntiCraft SuperStar, there's some pretty quirky and dark matter to be found.  Definitely uncharted territory. 

Sweet Saturday

Ahhhh, Saturday. Finally. My favourite--Saturday morning, coffee and the CBC.   

 
yamaneko buttons

While listening to Go this morning, I found these great yamaneko buttons, and can't help but share.  Do enjoy the day.  

Winter knitting sets in

It's been some time, really. Knitting and yarn have crossed my path only via housecleaning lately.  A knitting slump, indeed.  I've had a number of projects tossing around in idea phase for a few weeks, and haven't had the chance to dive in.  Finally, on Friday while putting away some books, I picked up Scarf Style again, and decided to start in on Interlocking Balloons. 

Yup.  Another scarf it is.  The weather's certainly cold enough for it.  Snowy, windy, and wind chill has already set in.  Ahhh, winter.

 
Interlocking Balloons begins

And, despite my feelings of ill-will toward Martha in the baking department, I can't help but get sucked back in by the so so pretty christmas crafts on her web site right now.   

  
Martha uses glitter and glue for Christmas

Pretty cute and hard to resist.  I can say without a doubt that I'm not going to tackle this, so someone else out there, knock yourself out and make these glitter bird centerpiece and tinsel trees.

An open letter to Martha Stewart

Martha, ohhhh, Martha.  For weeks now I've been pouring over your Holiday Cookies magazine.  A beautiful issue, there's no doubt.  More than 100 recipes for the season, it's barely possible to narrow it down to a few to choose and bake. 

This issue has truly inspired me; you've pulled out all the stops.  I've already gone out and picked only the highest quality ingredients - even the unsalted butter - I promise, no cheating or substituting this time. I've spent nearly 40 dollars on ribbon, I've been narrowing my choices of cellophane bags and decorative tins, and I know that with enough shopping, I'll find all of the personal touches I need to wrap my baking.  Everything is going to be perfect this year. 

I get goosebumps just thinking of it.  I'm going to present each and every one of my loved ones with the most beautifully packaged delicious baked goods they've seen in their lives.  Me.  I'm going to do this.  This year.  This year, Martha, this year! And I owe it all to you.

Except.  Well, except the fact that your recipes are still impossible.  I honestly thought you'd changed.  In an attempt to reproduce your candy-stripe cookie sticks, I cut out the 3X6" cardboard stencil like the instructions call for and set myself to work.  I baked the cookies two at a time, just like you've asked.  

 
Baked two at a time, these cookies are impossible to pull off 

Two. At a time.  And then when they came out the oven slightly golden brown, I tried tried tried to roll them up as quickly to reproduce your work of art.  The best I got are burned fingers and broken rectangles with high arches.  Not what I was expecting.

So, Martha, I'm not sure exactly sure what else to say on the matter.  Really.  I'm really just not quite sure about this anymore. 

fini!

Oh, how it has been a long haul.  After weeks of squeezing every possible knitting minute out of every possible day, Miri's Forbes Forest came out complete this past weekend. I wasn't sure I was ever going to see the end of this scarf, but to no avail, billions of bobbles, cables, and popcorn stitches came together here to make this scarf complete. 

 
After a long haul--Forbes Forest is complete

I wasn't convinced at first.  The cables and bobbles looked weak when I started in, and I wondered if alpaca could do this pattern justice.  But, as I worked through and gave it a test block with some steam, the stitches opened up, and the pattern bloomed  through to the end. 

Without a doubt, this is a scarf I would have never picked myself.  Before this swap, I'd not even remotely considered making this scarf, not even for a second.  But, now that I've made it, and I see first-hand what this pattern's got to offer, for sure I'd make it again.  I'm even considering one for myself. 

 
Forbes Forest in Blue Sky Alpaca

The Forbes Forest pattern is genius, and kept me interested right to the end.  Casting off was bittersweet; happy to be finished, and sad to say goodbye to the pattern.  I already miss working on this, and am sad to see it go.

Miri, I hope this scarf finds you well, it's certainly cold enough in these parts for this super warm scarf.  It should arrive with you shortly! Loads of thanks to Kris and Jacqueline for hosting the SYNO swap--great idea, fabulous hosts!