Sale Visit to Mary's Yarn Store

Mary's was having a sale. I really didn't need to buy any yarn as I hardly ever get a chance to knit these days, but who can pass off on a chance to get to my favourite yarn store. And then my Stitch and Bitch decided to make it a field trip, I was totally game.

When Denis and I arrived at the store he went straight for the toys, maybe I've been there too many times in the 6 months since bringing Denis home :-) No, actually it is just that Denis has a superior memory.

I was after some yarn to make some sweaters for Denis. I found in the sale room some gray Falk yarn from Dalegarn. It was on sale earlier this summer, not actually a part of the sale. Ah well, it was just perfect for making Angela Hahn's Sherwood, a beautiful sweater with cables.

And then I'd also seen Baby Norgi by Wendy D Johnson. I really wanted to do a Norwegian style sweater. The pattern was done using Dale Baby Ull, but I purchased Sandnesgarn's Lanett Superwash, not on sale though. The sweater used for the pattern was done in white. No, I won't be using white for Denis, he is a true little boy and gets dirty in the blink of an eye. I purchased a sweet blue/green in dark and light and some white. The dark blue/green will be the main colour.

I did realize as I was adding the projects to my Ravelry page that I hadn't purchase enough of the main colour for the Baby Norgi sweater, so I'll have to call Mary's and request they put aside another 2 balls of wool for me. I'll go and pick them up next month when Denis is in daycare, then I'll have time to really look around the store and enjoy all the new products they were making room for with this past weekend's sale. (Spending more money no less)

Isn't that the way it goes with yarn stores, you go for the sale and end up with beautiful product not on sale. Or is that just me LOL.

There will be pictures of the yarn as soon as I find my camera again. Denis LOVES the camera and is forever taking pictures. Thank goodness for digital, I don't have to worry about him wasting film.

KAL inspired visit to Mary's

My Stitch and Bitch is in the middle of a KAL. We are doing the beautiful shawl Haruni designed by Emily Rose.

I started my shawl by hitting my stash as I was determined not to buy anything new while I'm at home on parental leave. I chose the Marks and Kitten sock yarn that I had purchased just in case when I was knitting Mwaa's 1/2 Pi shawl in honour of Elizabeth Zimmerman. I like the look of the shawl, but I have to admit I was jealous of all the light and summery/shimmery yarns the others were using.

I decided I needed to find something a little more summery/shimmery for myself, so for now I'm going to let the dark shawl hibernate and I'm going with Dawn in this wonderful green.
Oh, and as Dawn has been discontinued, which I think is a terrible shame, the yarn was on half price.

I bought some other stuff, but that's for anther post.

Knitting in Kazakhstan

Here is some of the knitting I did during my 9 weeks in the small town of Uralsk, Kazakhstan.

I usually visited my son at the Baby House for 90 minutes a day. But there were no visits on Sundays or on holidays. And then around the half way point of the 9 weeks, a flu epidemic in town meant my visits were down to 20 minutes a day. After shopping for daily groceries, my next biggest time spender was knitting. I did know prior to traveling the challenges of life during the bonding period and I brought TONS of knitting projects.

First finished was my cowl.

Pattern: Honey Cowl by Madelinetosh
Yarn: 2 skeins of Madelinetosh Vintage in Oxblood
Needles: can't remember what needles I used
Started: October 10th, 2010

Finished: November 19th, 2o1o

I actually started this project before I left for Kazakhstan. I thought that this would be a great cowl to use in Kazakhstan. I always wear a headband, but for the cold that is normal in Uralsk, I figured that I could wrap this cowl over my head for extra warmth. This was an extremely easy cowl and I have had TONS of positive comments regarding it.

Next was this shawl.

Pattern: Willow by Vicky Harding

Yarn: 2 skeins of Noro King
Needles: 4 mm
Started: November 24th, 2010

Finished: December 9th, 2o1o

I loved this pattern, it was really nice to knit. I gave this shawl to Louisa as a thank you for all her help during my first 2 weeks in Uralsk. Louisa, her husband and son were in Uralsk when I arrived. We actually work for the same school board, and the most amazing thing is our sons were in same room at the baby house (there were about 10 different rooms at the baby house).

I actually was contacted by one of the editors of YarnForever, where I found the pattern, asking me to send a photo of the shawl being worn so they could put it into the magazine. However, by that time the shawl was already back in Canada. At least it was nice to be asked.

I made this as a Christmas gift.

Pattern: 5 by 5 Basket Weave
Yarn: 2 skeins of Bernat Softee Chunky Twist
Needles: 6 mm
Started: December 17th, 2010

Finished: December 22nd, 2010

I got 2 balls of yarn at last summer's Stitch and Pitch, well technically my sister got one ball but she's not a knitter. At the last minute I tossed the yarn into my luggage. I made this little stroller blanket for Alexis. I had the joy of sharing Christmas day with Alexis and her mother Kendra. December 25th isn't Christmas day in Kazakhstan, so it was a normal business day. We ate frozen pizza and I had my first mixed salad in 6 weeks. It was a lovely day.

Unfortunately Uralsk was much colder than I could have even imagined. Day time temperature could be in the minus 25 Celcius range and that doesn't count the constant wind. I needed something extra to keep my head warm. Oh and I did find a really neat yarn store on Christmas Eve. So I went yarn shopping on Christmas Day.

Pattern: Brambles Beret by Amanda Muscha

Yarn: 3 skeins of cekpet yenexa in Black
Needles: 3.75 mm and 3.5 mm
Started: December 30th, 2010

Finished: January 2nd, 2o11

The first yarn I bought at the store in Uralsk was sock yarn, so I went back and bought this yarn. Unlike our stores in North America, at this store you had to ask for the yarn to be handed to you. I practiced saying black in Russian on the walk to the store. I'm knitting a pair of socks in the first yarn now, that is the sock that I did 8 rows of during the first 2 months home.

I brought about 3 pairs of half finished socks with the patterns, however I some how didn't photocopy the parts of patterns that I needed for all three pairs of socks. Complete fail.

Luckily I brought other complete patterns and yarn to make socks of myself. I made a pair in Monkey without Purl. I don't have a picture I'll have to post about them later.

I did make these socks though.

Pattern: b16-26 Socks in Fabel by Drops Design

Yarn: 1 skein of Drops Fabel
Needles: 2.75 mm
Started: January 5th, 2011

Finished: January 6th, 2011

I knit these baby socks for Jody's little boy Lucas. Jody met her son on December 31st, but wasn't able to start bonding until the 7th of January. Our coordinator told Jody she needed warmer socks for Lucas rather than the cotton socks she had brought from home. I loved knitting these little socks.

I also knit this shawl while I was there.

Pattern: EZ 100th Anniversary Gull Wings Half-Circle Shawl by Mwaa Knits

Yarn: 6 skeins of Diamond Yarn Luxury Collection Milky Way
Needles: can't remember what needles I used
Started: December 20th, 2010

Finished: January 8th, 2o11

What a Difference a Year Makes

Would you look at that! It has been months and months since I updated my knitting blog. In that time I have done a ton of knitting and become the mother of a 2 year old boy. See, a year make a big difference.

Since collecting my son 7 weeks ago tomorrow I have done about 8 rows on the heel of sock. I know in the future my days life will settle into a routine and I will be able to knit again. I really miss it. And I want to keep track of all my knitting in both the blog and on Ravelry.

Till next time which I hope is not 8 months away,
Ciao

Robin Blue Shawl

It has been over 6 months since I last posted but I haven't been idle. In fact I've done a ton of knitting, but then I looked at the list I made in January of all my works in progress, wow, I have a lot of work to do.

Any way here is one of my very proud accomplishments, Robin's Blue Shawl

Pattern: Star of Evening Triangle Shawl/Scarf by Anne Hanson
Yarn: I skein of Tanis Fiber Arts Pink Label Lace Weight in Peacock
Needles: 3.25 mm and 2.75 mm
Started: September 1st, 2009

Finished: June 21st, 2o1o

This is a relatively easy shawl to knit, though it can be deceiving in the beginning. The pattern is made up of 24 rows and begins in the corner, once you have around the first 9 stitches you keep repeating the 24 rows until the entire shawl is the size you wish. Then instead of a simple cast off, there is an eight row pattern to create triangles along the top edge. To keep track of where I was in the pattern, I wrote the pattern onto 12 index cards. Each card had the knit side and corresponding purl side. I also used stitch markers to note each 9 stitch cluster, this way I could immediately see if I'd missed a stitch or dropped a yarn over. I think I only made 1 error in the entire shawl.

I loved knitting this shawl.

I made this for my co-worker Robin who is finished her secondment to our consultant position and is off to even greater work helping teachers to refine their teaching. Robin has been so much more than a co-worker, she's been a sounding board, cheerleader, mother/sister/best friend all rolled into a petite little red headed body. Robin cried when I gave her the shawl, what more could you ask for in response.

Emergency Hat Knitting

I had my weekend knitting planned.

A little bit on my sisters garter stitch vest in Marble Chunky (I love this stuff),

a lot more of the Baby Surprise Jacket for my very wonderful very pregnant friend's third baby due to arrive in the next two weeks,

the heel of my second sock of my New Year's Eve cast on socks,

another swatch of my Grotto Wrap in Noro Sekku to see if I can make it work (who knew Sekku is cobweb, I thought it was just a normal lace weight),

and the second half of my Block-A-Month afghan block.

But no, I won't be working on any of these worth while projects. Instead I have emergency hat knitting to do.

When I picked up my sister this evening she did not have her hand knit ribbed hat in Marble Chunky Sand. No, instead she was wearing this monstrosity in fuchsia. Who puts a fuchsia hat on the head of a woman in a burgundy coat????? And what woman in her prime of life wants to be seen in public wearing this hat I ask you????

So, before I bring my sister back toher group home tomorrow evening I must knit her a new hat. Luckily I bought a new ball of Marble Chunky in Sand when I was at my LYS yesterday. It is suppose to be used to finish my sister's Granny Square Afghan, but you use what you have in an emergency.

Luckily, if I don't finish in time, I can send her back into the cruel world with Papa Bear hat that I made using Elizabeth Zimmerman's Knitting Workshop instructions. Whew!

JB's Finished Afghan

My second finished object for 2010.

Pattern: Knitted Afghan by Rosemary Drysdale
From Knit Simple Magazine: Holiday 2008
Yarn: 5 balls of James C Brett Marble Chunky, 13 Misty Brown
Needles: 8.00 mm
Started: December 7th, 2008
Finished: January 11th, 2010

Can you see me behind the afghan? I'm standing with my toes on one edge and I'm holding the other end and stretching up on my toes. It is XX large.