Summer Sizzle Stash-dash

Toni (she of the A Little Yarn On the Side fame) came up with another stash buster:  Summer Sizzle Stash-dash.  Of course I'm playing along.  Knitting has been kind of slow here lately.

Between July 1 and August 31 fill your most summery basket with any combination (or all) of the following summer-themed items:

Ice pop: complete your oldest WIP or use your oldest yarn
Fresh strawberries: make something red
Fireworks: make something with beads or sparkles
Weeding: give away or donate one item (does not need to be knitting related)
Beach: make a bag or something else you might carry to the beach
Sunburn: make a hat
Walking barefoot in the grass: make a pair of socks or slippers
Summer vacation: make something for a baby or a child
Swimming: make something blue or green
Summer reading: read 1 book
Lemonade: make something yellow
Allergies: make something that ISN’T made of wool
Bonfires: make something out of the warmest yarn you have
Vacation: arrange a day or a weekend all to yourself

 

I will pick out the basket and things to put in it later today.  Right now there is a nap with my name on it.

Happy Summer Solstice!

Let me share something with you, because things of beauty should be shared.  This crocheted blanket!  Isn't it stunning?  I adore the wide edging!

 

I need to learn how to attach the squares as she has done too.  I may have to borrow a crocheting book from the library.  Never thought I'd say that!  But I am inspired. By crochet, no less. But seriously, Coco Rose Diaries is a beautiful blog!  I found a link to it this morning on facebook. 

Yes, this post is out of order.  Turns out I forgot to publish it, but I still wanted to share. 

HAPPY CANADA DAY!

 

Proud to be a Canadian. 

 

Also?  I conquered the yarn diet! 

And the stupid Flat Feet socks.  You've heard of Flat Feet, right?  Knitting directly from a flat piece of knitted fabric?  Yeah, that stuff.  Bleh!  I received it in a swap a few years ago.  These socks have been in my WIP basket for months.  I'd work a few rows, get disgusted with the kinky fabric I was creating, turf the thing back in the basket.  Not that the time out made it behave any better.  Don't get me wrong: the person that sent it to me picked the perfect colour for me.  I love the colours in these socks. Just the product is not my cup of tea. I've been working pretty steadily on these things for a few weeks just to get them done.  It's never taken me weeks to finish a pair of socks.  That's just nutty, but just shows you how much I dislike the product.  The socks need to be soaked and blocked.  I don't have sock blockers so a good soaking and stretching will have to do.   



 

And since it's pouring here on this Canada Day, I'll leave you with a couple shots of the best thing to do on a rainy day.

 

 

In the Face of Temptation

I showed incredible restraint and did not purchase any fibre while in one of my favourite yarn shops.  Gaspereau Valley Fibres had some tempting, drool-worthy new stock, too.  I patted, I fondled, I caressed, I fantasized, and then I walked to the cash and paid for only the one thing I went in for: a single Addi needle.  Not precisely the one I wanted but close enough. 

Then I went to Michaels' and also bypassed the yarn and only purchased the knitting needles I needed. 

See, I needed to outfit myself for this Saturday.

 

That's me spinning in the bottom right of the poster, but during the actual competition I will be mostly knitting.  Sheep Thrills of Gaspereau Valley Fibres are the Canadian defending champions from last year, but a team from Cape Breton already beat their time this year so the competition is on!

 

I'm so excited to participate this year.  Shear Delights will be awesome!  Only three sleeps!

Defeat Depression Event

This morning I will be running a 10km race in Annapolis Royal, a Defeat Depression Event. Depression is one of those illnesses that still suffers a huge stigma, and one that few ever talk about.  I run to keep mine at bay.

I am determined.  The last time I ran 10km I was in my early 20s, over 20 years ago.  Today I will run, for me, and for all others that struggle with Depression.

 

 

Below are a couple links to the Event pages.  It's not too late to donate to this cause.

http://mdsc.akaraisin.com/pledge/Participant/Home.aspx?seid=6982&pid=1335606&m id=9
The above link is to my personal page if you would like to sponsor me.

http://mdsc.akaraisin.com/pledge/Team/Home.aspx?seid=6982&tid=58367&mid=10
This one is to my team page, to see our efforts, and some photos of our group.

Thank you, friends.

Annapolis Valley African Violet Society Show and Tea

 

All are welcome!

New Member of the Family

Her name is Pearl, although we're considering spelling it Purl!  English Springer Spaniel, 9 weeks old now.

Friday Felines

Welcome May!  Good riddance April.  Glad you flew by.

Out Like A Lamb!

March has a few scant hours remaining in it and I am just not inspired to finish my sweater. Hangs head in shame.  Maybe I'll get back to it tomorrow when it's supposed to be rainy and cold and I will be wanting a wool sweater to warm me.   Frankly, I don't know what happened.  After the steek was cut, I simply lost steam.  The bottom ribbing remains to be knit, and ends to be sewn in before the sweater gets a bath.  I don't have any intention of sewing in the zipper before a good blocking.  I have the cutest ribbon to use for the facing though, so I want to be sporting my latest sweater sooner rather than later!

This is what I did today instead of knitting:

Almost a Sweater

There was cutting of knitting.  Go check it out at March Sweater Madness.  It was painless, really!

Spring Cleaning

Spring cleaning sneaked up on me today.  I was just tidying along, here and there, and next thing I know, I was taking things out of my closet, sorting, taking curtains off windows, stripping beds, cleaning out the fridge and checking expiry dates (that was actually my daughter's idea; she's super vigilant about expiry dates), washing blankets, pictures off walls for cleaning... This little energy burst can stop any time now.  I have a March Sweater Madness to finish.  Knit Wit took an opportunity of my duvet being dumped on the floor in a big fluffy hill to burrow himself in deep enough that I barely spotted him in there.

 

Progress is going well on the sweater, I must say.  I'm approximately two thirds done with the second sleeve, then all that will remain is the rest of the body from hip down and steeking for the zipper. I wish others would post a little blurb about their progress on the Madness blog.  But as the song goes, "you can't always get what you want...".  

Friday Felines

 

Knit Wit contemplating the dinner menu.

To Clarify

 

There was a curious mind wanting to know about the tray Knit Wit was sleeping in (see previous post).  Let me assure you, if I had thought to leave it empty just for his royal highness, there would have been considerably fewer angry feelings.  The first time I found him on my plant shelf, I also discovered he had chewed a considerable amount of my streptocarpus and some African violets.  I was not happy.  I belong to an African Violet Club and our show is coming up in May.  Those plants that his taste buds rejected, he simply smooshed with his ample girth or completely knocked out of the tray and onto the floor.  I am was plenty unhappy.  So to prevent and further incidents I simply chose not to put other plants in that tray to suffer the same fate. I do want to enter at least one or two violets in the show.  Sigh.

 

That's me by the window in the blue apron at our sales table. In the foreground is the streptocarpus section.

Afraid

I am afraid.  Afraid for my yarn diet, to be specific.  I've caught myself trolling one of my favourite Canadian online yarn shops and  found myself face to screen with drool-worthy yarn and fibre.  How is one supposed to have strength to stay on a yarn diet in face of beautiful wool, especially wool that is on sale?  I'm suffering.  I know the responsible thing to do would be to share the link with you all, but I've come to the conclusion that I am a greedy yarn hoarder and I'm not going to share because I don't want you to buy it before I get a chance.  Yes, I know this is wrong, and my most sincere apologies go to the shop owner.  I hope I don't get my backside kicked by the Knitters' Karma. I suspect gauge and swatches would be the least of my worries.

I hope to appease you with a feline picture, even thought it's not Friday. 

Hawk!

March is Marching On

And so is my March Sweater, given all the road blocks right out the starting gate. 

 

I've been visiting some blogs recently and it looks like a fair amount of spinning is going on.  So much beautiful fibre out there!  My poor Mazurka needs a good dusting for sure.  She saw a bit of action a couple weeks ago when I practiced for the Back to Back Challenge.  I should empty that bobbin.  Every so often I will get a whiff of eau de sheep in the house and think "what the heck?" and then remember the raw fleece with which we were practicing.   Anyway, I do have plenty of very pretty and clean fibre to spin before I should even consider purchasing more.   Even if there is so much beautifully dyed fibre out there waiting for me to succumb to its charms.  Sigh. 

In Like A Lion

 

 

 

This is what our backyard looked like around 7:30am. Everything covered in wet, heavy snow.  Beautiful. 

Today is the kick-off for March Sweater Madness.  Have you signed up yet??

Not Long Now!

This year brings us to the 7th year of March Sweater Madness.  WOW! 

Go check it out, sign up through the comments, tell all your friends!  The more the merrier!

Orchid Show 2013

So many varieties, so beautiful...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wish you could have been there.

 

Friday Felines

I've been off my groove with taking pictures lately, but here is one of Zeus helping me during my sewing endeavours this past week.  I have a busy weekend planned so maybe there will be some photographic evidence.  Orchid Show, Running Club followed by breakfast at the Lions Club, practicing for the Back to Back Challenge...  I may even get around to photographing some of my crafting.  Sigh.  I'm so not inspired to so anything, really.  I'm cold.

All Gone

Finally.  Every last scrap and leftover part ball of sock yarn has been used up.  I feel like Wonder Woman, truly, I do.  How, you may ask?  Take one 3mm crochet hook.  Start a granny square.  Keep going until you run out of yarn.  It works.  Actually, I made 2 medium squares, joined them, then went back to crocheting round after round after round.  The idea is to make this blanket fit a twin bed, eventually.  Since I've finally used up the leftovers, I may have to dig out the box of sock yarn and see if there are any single balls in there that won't go far enough for a complete pair of socks.  This is one of those projects I don't want to be looking at 2 years from now, and shaking my head, wondering what I was thinking.  I have a hideous amount of ends to weave in still, but for now, I am SO NOT inspired to tackle them. It's too dark now to take photos of the blanket but I will show proof soon.

Update:  Yarn Diet still intact, Fabric Diet not so much.  Actually, when I was in the store, I completely talked myself out of the fabric diet.  I am very persuasive apparently.  But it was just a tiny little fall down, merely 2m.  That's forgivable, right?

It's not Friday, But...

Here are some felines for you.  Feeding time at the zoo.  It was a tuna treat that had them behaving so well.

Grrrrrr

Damned blogger!  Why do they insist on messing with something that isn't broken?  I like adding pictures.  A lot of them.  Do you think I can figure out how to do that now that "They" have changed things again?  I liked that I could upload directly from my computer in a single step.  What the heck is this Picasa Web Albums thingie? I assume I have to load things there first, wherever there is.  Grrrrr.  Annoyed.  That's me.  Trying to think happy thoughts but coming up a little short. 

You know what I've been working on?  A super fun and fast sweater.  I was going to show you.  Honest.  I'm using Big One by Fleece Artist, with 6.5mm circular.  I started late yesterday afternoon and I have most of the body done already!  How awesome is that?  I have been on a roll.  I got  enough wool for two pairs of socks from Hubby and the kids for Christmas and I finished the first pair yesterday morning.  Fraternal socks.  Although I did check that they were the same dye lot and colour, they couldn't be more different.  They are comfy though; I'm test-driving them today.  Again, show?  Not so much.  It was the Patons FX in cameo colours, if I'm not mistaken.  The cats used the ball bands for toys.  Need I say more? 

If any of you lovelies out there can help me out with the whole pic thing, leave a comment!  PLEASE!

Happy New Year!

And health and happiness and peace to you all! 

And let's not forget the start of a brand spanking new yarn diet!  And a fabric diet.  For a minimum of 6 months, because trying to diet for 365 days is just crazy talk.  Small steps, manageable steps.  At least here is hoping. 

Anyone else dieting this year??