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??

Pain, Pain, Go Away

It would figure that when I have the most to accomplish my body conspires against me.  Big holiday coming up and I figured I had lots of time to knit and sew and play with my spinning wheel, read....You get the picture.  I even figured now (this started about 2 weeks ago) was a perfect time to tackle painting the living room since it would force me to finish in a timely manner, and I even gave hubby permission to give me a hard time if I started slacking off.  I may have a wee-bit of a problem with sticking with any one thing at a time.  I don't see anything wrong with it. From my point of view, it keeps things interesting and fresh.  Other members of this household have been known to throw around "A.D.D." like it's a bad thing.  Seriously.  Give a girl a break. 

Anyway, everything was going according to plan, even with weekly visits to physio to deal with my plantar fasciitis, until it wasn't.  My shoulder and neck started screaming at me.  I started to lose sleep because I couldn't get comfortable.  My physiotherapist tortured worked on me with kindness.  Because "as long as it hurt while you're doing the exercises, it's all good".  Yeah, OK.  It was helping, whatever she would dream up for my new regime.  Then my back gave out.  Will I ever get a break?  Lots of good meds, more visits to the torture chamber, barely making a crack in the pain.  I'm working through it.  The back pain is still fresh, and probably a direct result of me doing too much when I was having a good, semi-pain free day.  Standing hurts less than sitting.  Because of that, I actually braved the stores and did my one day of Christmas shopping. Took a friend for support in case it turned bad. 

I am very pleased that I did get the living room painted before my back revolted.  The little front hall beside the living room looks dingy in comparison but I honestly don't know if I'll be in any shape to get it finished before Christmas.  We have tentatively scheduled a tree-hunting party for one day this weekend.  Time is running away from me.  Surely I'm not the only one that feels this way.  After all, there is still knitting and sewing that needs to be done. 

Christmas in Killarney

N. Christmas in Killarney - make something green

So I did.  I cast off a forest green wool hat this evening.  Moratorium on Christmas music is still on until December 1 at Chez Moi but I'm stocking that basket. 

I also knit one warm woolen mitten (minus the thumb)  from the Shetland fleece I spun on the  weekend.  I am already wondering if I will have to spin more before finishing.  That would mean hand carding.  (Did you picture my eyes rolling skyward? That's where they went.)  Even with only 21 sts on 5.5mm dps, these mitts are super thick and eating up yarn like it's going out of style.  They will be pretty awesome when they're done, though.

I've been trolling Ravelry for some ornaments to knit and I scored at least 3 patterns that I can foresee making in the very near future.  It just occurred to me that baby socks would also quality for something small.  Hellllloooo!  Why haven't I thought of them before?? Sheesh!  I love it when this thinking thing actually produces some successful results.

FILL YOUR HOLIDAYS WITH MUSIC” STASHDASH

So there has been knitting, a little bit anyway.



A little hat I came up with, knit with my handspun.  I am pleased with it. Daughter has attempted hatnapping.  She failed, but with no small effort on my part. 

Then there was a pair of socks that finally got finished, so they qualify as a WIP crossed off my list.  YES! 

And I even managed to spin some fluff.  Shetland fleece.  The picture was taken before I sent the skeins for a little swim. Navajo plied, chunky.  Probably will end up as mittens.

Today I even managed a couple super-easy dish cloths to stash bust.  I usually buy the 400g cotton balls so it takes a while to work through them, but considering that I can't get a single wash cloth out of the little ones, it's worth it. Happy to say that I'm all done with this colourway.

Now for a wee little confession.  While my stash busting efforts should be applauded, there was a little accident in the acquisition department. Completely unintentional, I may add.  A full bag of 100% wool, all for $10.  It begged me to take it home with me.  It's chunky wool, probably destined to be a rug or a car blanket. Preferably sooner rather than later.  This is a decent sized bag!
So all in all, I'm well on my way to filling my Holidays with Music.  It feels good.  Now I just have to decide if I want to work on another WIP or start something new.  Yardage weigh-in will take place tomorrow. 

Friday Felines

Zeus and Thomas

Getting Ready for Winter



My long janies, finally done!  Yay!  I'm quite happy with them, and their woolly goodness.  Briggs&Little Sport, knit on 2.5mm circulars, 343g worth.  I am planning on making another pair, higher in the waist.  These ones are short enough not to show above the waist of my jeans.  I think I may even write out the pattern as I knit the new pair. These long janies count as one of my 3 WIPs for the Stashdown (see below). Have I said how thrilled I am that these are finally done??

Also, because I am a joiner, and once again, A Little Yarn On The Side came up with a really good one, I am taking part in "FILL YOUR HOLIDAYS WITH MUSIC” STASHDASH.

1. Find a cute holiday-ish basket that will inspire you to fill it with yarny-goodness
2. Between November 1 and midnight of December 31, fill it with any combination of the following:

A. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - knit something small (less than 6 inches or thereabout)
B. Frosty the Snowman - knit a snowman of some sort or something with a snowman on it
C. Toyland - make the toy of your choice
D. My Favorite Things - make “warm woolen mittens” in your choice of yarn and size. Mini mittens do count
E. Here Comes Santa Claus - knit a Santa or something with Santa on it
F. A Marshmallow World - spin the fiber of your choice
G. Silver Bells - make a bell or something with a bell motif
H. Jingle Bells - make something (such as an ornament or stocking or whatever) that can have jingle bells attached to it
I. Blue Christmas - make something blue
J. White Christmas - make something white
K. Oh Tannenbaum (O Christmas Tree) - make an ornament to hang on the tree, or alternatively make a tree
L. We Three Kings - finish 3 WIPS or finish 3 items if you don’t have any WIPs
M. Joy to the World - finish your oldest WIP
N. Christmas in Killarney - make something green
O. Nuttin’ for Christmas - make Grumpy, the Lump of Coal
P. What Child is This? - make something for a baby or child
Q. Twas the Night Before Christmas - make a Christmas stocking, stocking ornament, or socks
R. Christmas Shoes - make a pair of slippers, booties, or socks
S. I Want A Hippopotamus for Christmas - make a hippopotamus or other toy (crochet) (knit)
T. Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer - make something red
U. Good King Wenceslas - make a crown or hat
V. Deck the Halls - make a decoration
W. It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year - make your favorite pattern  
X. Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel - finish eight WIPS or 8 items if you don’t have WIPs
Y. Twelve Days of Christmas - finish twelve WIPS or 12 items if you don’t have WIPs
Z. Ring Out, Wild Bells - finish ALL your WIPS
Bonus Challenge: Knit 6,000 yards of yarn in any way you would like
So it's like this:  since the beginning of November, I've spun a full bobbin (yes, only one; don't judge me) of a Shetland fleece I bought two years ago at a Back to Back Challenge, which has been a spinning UFO for quite some time.  The goal is to finish what I have carded, and possibly finish carding the rest of that fleece and spin that, then knit it up into some glorious project.  I'm working on a hat even as I type this.  I plan to tackle more WIPs.  The items with motifs will be a no-go, I'm quite confident in stating. Knitting mittens, decorations, items in specific colours?  Sure, why not??  This will definitely be one of the more fun challenges I've participated in.  Again, I will aim for that bonus challenge, but in weight and not yardage.  My first 343g is done!

Are you going to join???

Oh, almost forgot.... Let me leave you with a Feline for Friday Felines:

Shorter days

With less and less brilliant leaves clinging to their branches it's hight time to get into winter knitting.

 

My daughter told me I have to stop knitting things she likes if I want to keep them for myself.  Does that mean that I am destined to end up only with ugly knits?? Doesn't seem right. 

This hat counts towards the Mad Halloween Dash, even if I will never reach that finish line.  Knit from handspun merino, it's really soft and cozy!  46 grams' worth subtracted from 2824g leaves me with 2778 g to go.  I did forget to weigh the hat and thrum mitt set I made for a friend's birthday, so that and a pair of socks would bring that total down, as well as the wool long johns I'm working on for myself, although it will be a while yet before they are done (I'm about mid-thigh on both legs).

Friday Felines

 

 

It Fits!

You'll have to pardon the blurry picture, but here is Rylie in his birthday sweater.  A bit of room to grow, too, which is more than I can say for the sweater that a certain other grandmother knit for him, but hey, it's not like I'm competitive or anything!  See that smile?  He likes it!  A lot!  Which makes me deliriously happy.