Post-xmas jibber jabber

Christmas was lovely, I feel very, very fortunate for all that I have (and all that I received).

The last post was all about getting that xmas knitting finished. Which, I did, and even managed to get in another pair of slippers for my mom. I made them in dark red, navy and silver-which are the colours of her favourite CFL team-the Montreal Alouettes.

After doing 4 pairs in a short time, I can now whip up one slipper (including finishing) in about 2-2.5 hours.  Despite the speed with which I can now crank them out, I fully intend to NEVER make another slipper again.
Because I was making slippers for people other than myself, safety is a concern-all the recipients live in places with hardwood floors. Slippery, hardwood floors. I do not want to be responsible for injuries, so I went to Michaels and picked up some 3D fabric paint.

Squeezed out some (not-terribly) uniform dots and voila! non-stick bottoms...and hopefully no one gets hurt.

I had started knitting askew and was trying to finish it in time for xmas...I came so very very close, but I had some panic shopping to do, cookie baking, and all that wrapping (so.much.wrapping), I was feeling pretty overwhelmed at the end. I did managed to finish both fronts, and the back but the straps weren't long enough-they each need another couple of inches that I just could not find the time or the energy to do.

I will finish the straps eventually, but for now Askew is in the wip basket along with Vanilla Latte sock  numero dos (just about to turn the heel).

I got many lovely prezzies; some of them knitting related:

 Handy little kit, all of these things will come in handy. Except the row counters, I'm not sure how to use those.

 Knitting buttons! Yay! (Quiet I'm counting-I need this tattooed on my forehead)

 Beautifully soft Alpaca Cloud

 Miss Babs Yowza! in Field Mouse.

 Karbonz! I think this was my favourite gift!

And while this is not particularly knitting related;

it's an alpaca cookie cutter and I absolutely adore it and if I wasn't sick of cookies I'd have already made a batch!

I also received a onesie-I never ever want to take it off. It is the most comfortable, warmest, snuggliest item of clothing I've ever worn. It's fabulous. I can totally understand why the 5yr old never wants to get dressed.  Be warned, the following picture is after not enough sleep. Loving the leopard print onesie despite being so very very tired.

After finally getting to bed at 11pm on xmas eve, B woke us up before 1 am, and then got out of bed again at 1:45am thinking it must finally be morning. I was up before 5am because I thought someone was breaking into our house-it sounded like someone was trying to drunkenly pick the lock. Turns out, it was the wind (gusting at almost 90km) knocking around our wreath. I put the baseball bat away but I couldn't fall back asleep after that. The teens were up within an hour, and by 7, we were all up and opening gifts. 

To top all the awesomeness off, M got me tickets for The Nutcracker!

Not even as a gift, just because it was something he's wanted to do for me for years. I love the Nutcracker and I've only seen it live once before, many years ago and I didn't get to fully enjoy it (previous relationship stuff). He had no interest himself so I took the 16yr old. A loved it. We had a wonderful time and it was the perfect way to end the week.

 Now I'm looking forward to getting things back to normal. Back to a normal sleeping, and eating schedule. Getting the house back in order, getting the decorations down and tossing the tree. And getting together with T&A for stitching and bitching! I miss my chicks with sticks!

Btw; all that snow we had? Gone! We've had rain, rain and more rain! Temperatures up to +5!  It was a rainy xmas this year! There's very little snow left on the ground...and I had just bought snow pants so we could go sledding while on xmas break.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

We had a bit of snow...

This was last week. It was very pretty at first, but we've had some warmer temps these last few days, and now it's slushy and kind of gross. Though I suppose I shouldn't complain too much-slushy is better than freezing! despite my love of knitted things, I am so not a winter person.

There is something perfect about curling up in my chair, watching the big, fat flakes of snow falling, with a hot cup of tea and some knitting. It's peaceful and happy.

I'm especially happy now that I'm done knitting the slippers. Finished the last one just last night! Booya! I spaced them out pretty well, I think, but it was still annoying making the same item over and over. ugh. I don't know if I'll ever make those slippers again! (I love the pattern, I probably will make them again, just not for a long, long time)
                                                                   Box o' knits

If I do knitted gifts  next xmas, I'm going to start knitting earlier or get my shopping done earlier-I've pretty much waited until the last minute to even start shopping this year. I dread shopping at the best of times (unless it's shopping for books or yarn of course) although it has been easier to get out there now that B stays at school for lunch. I have to get it all done this week, the kids are off next week, and M is going to need to finish his shopping as well-work has been crazy so he hasn't been able to do much shopping. Plus, there is wrapping to be done, and baking! Sugar cookies are pretty much the only cookie I adore (if there's icing obviously) I'll need to do shortbread and chocolate chip cookies for the kids (and maybe gingerbread), plus banana breads, and maybe a pumpkin pie or two. I'm also going to do up a batch of my rigatoni for M's dad.

I have managed to sneak in a bit of selfish knitting as well, mostly while on public transportation on my way to the stores for shopping-Vanilla Latte second sock might actually be finished before the new year! I've got about 5 more rounds before I turn the heel.

Of course, being me, I also cast on another askew-this will be my 3rd one. And hopefully this one fits and looks good :/ See, the first one I made in a cotton/acrylic mix when I was a knitting newb. Of course, there was no stretching to the specs in the pattern. Did not fit.  So, that went into the donation bin. Then I went and got some Noro like the pattern recommended and while it was pretty, it was Noro. I love how Noro looks, but I don't find it particularly comfortable to wear, and all the vegetable matter is off putting.  That one went into the donation bin as well...So now I'm making another Askew, this time in the leftover swish worsted (black). Because it's been over a year (I think?) since my last attempt at this item, it should go fairly well. Plus, I'm hoping that I can get it done in time for xmas, I can wear it over a white button-up shirt, as a vest.

How's that for a shitty picture? It's the right front of Askew. It's knit in three pieces. I was thinking of knitting the back panel in some Madtosh Vintage I have lying around-in Violin, which is gorgeous-one of my absolute favourite madtosh colours.

No stitch'n'bitch this week-miss my chicks with sticks!

baaa baaa baaaags

     I am obsessed with project bags. I already own a (small) number of project bags. I have two blue-sky-alpacas-pretty-cheep-project-bags;  in Coral and Periwinkle,  and at some point I'd like to get Tangerine and Turquoise. I've had a peep-tote-bag in grey, for a couple of years now (great bag, but I wish the shoulder straps were just a shade longer). I cannot forget to mention my super awesome project and accessories bag from LiebchenDesigns (last post) but it does not stop me from wanting more bags.  Like these gorgeous bags from Lantern Moon, MayaFloralBag, or the totally cute embroidered-ram-drawstring-project-bag (also from Lantern Moon) or this lovely one from Etsy.  But the ones that I am most in love with are made by Etsy shop OtterburnPQ. I put those bags on my xmas wish list. M was looking at the list and said "another project bag? don't you have a bunch already?"  But before I could say something scathing and/or sarcastic he followed that up by saying "forget I said that, we all have our thing" Of course once he saw the the bags and how they hang over your forearm making knitting in public super easy, he admitted they were pretty cool. He's a keeper. 

  Last Monday, I noticed I was low on Eucalan. this caused a bit of panic because those knitted xmas gifts are going to need to be washed. Now when I have my mind set on something, I generally want it immediately and figured I'd head down to the cooler part of town to pick up some eucalan and, while I'm out, I can maybe get some gifties as well. I googled stores that sell eucalan and off I went to Bummies (cloth diapering store) sadly, they were out. I hit 3 more stores-and not one had what I needed. I don't recall any of my LYS carrying eucalan-they all carry soak as far as I know. I haven't used soak, but it only comes in non-scented and Fig-scented (which I found kind of gnarly smelling). Anywhoo, none of the stores were particularly close to each other, and it was getting late and close to B's pick-up time, so I hopped on the metro with the mindset that I would just order some damn eucalan online. I found some online at enfantstylediapers; in Eucalyptus, Lavender (yummy!) and grapefruit! While placing my order I realized that the warehouse wasn't super far and I could just pick up my order. So, the next day, grabbed a sock to work on, (Vanilla Latte, someday I will devote real time and finish you) hopped on the metro and picked up my eucalan! 

metro knitting.

                                                                     Eucalan!

The rest of the week was spent doing more sewing than knitting, I seamed my Soda Fountain scarf and turned it into an infinity scarf. I'm a little obsessed with infinity scarves-like a cowl but way better!  Soda Fountain when it was still just a lowly scarf in Malabrigo worsted in the Glazed Carrot colourway,

And Soda Fountain now, in all it's seamed glory!

Then I went and sewed tags (from Etsy-that I wrote about in this entry: buying-and-selling) on many of my knitted things, including all of B's mittens (yes, each individual mitten) and hats and my sweaters. I am not particularly skilled at sewing. And I constantly prick myself with those damn tiny needles. But I felt accomplished when I was done and happy that I got to use my knitting tags! A typically shitty picture from yours truly, at least it keeps people from seeing B's name...yunno, so this was a shitty picture on purpose *cough*

I finished another one of the xmas slippers-4 down, 2 to go! yay! 

These ones are for M's aunt, I used knitpicks WOTA bulky in Wallaby. They seem a little small to me, but they are pretty stretchy, and if they don't fit, I'll just tell her to give them away to someone with teeny tiny feet and I'll make her a new pair. 

Friday, I realized that I need to get a gift for P's boyfriend. Ack.  Look in the stash, realize that WOTA leftover (of which there was plenty) would make a perfectly warm chullo hat (I used us10 instead of 10.5's and I used bulky wool instead of worsted. I have made this hat in the past with the 10.5s and worsted wool but I found the hat did not do a good job of keeping my head warm)  P and V (the bf) work at a spa in the mountains, hats will be needed! Cast on, 

Finished the bulk of the hat while watching Guardians of the Galaxy last night, then finished the i-cord while in the car this morning doing errands.

I'll put a couple of other nifty little things in a box with the hat and done!

I still have plenty of time to finish the last pair of slippers and wash all the things, IF I start them sometime next week. Ugh. I am so sick of making these slippers. I will never make another slipper again. Unless I decided there is time and yarn enough to make my mom a pair.  I have two weeks until the kids are finished school for xmas break and I really have to start my xmas shopping before they're off. It's not really crunch time yet, but it's bloody close!

The pirate finishes a hat

When I last wrote, I had started knitting Gyr out of Lana Gatto Camel Hair. I started it on double pointed needles, but quickly moved the stitches on to circulars and magic looped it.

I did not go up a needle size, I stuck with the 8's instead of the 9's the pattern called for. As it is, I think I could have knit this hat on 7's and it would have looked nicer. I'm repeating myself here but there is no bloody way Lana Gatto Camel Hair is ARAN weight.

It took longer than I expected. Leaf pattern, then brocade, then leaf pattern again and finally, decreases. The leaf pattern was nice, easy to memorize. The brocade though...So. Many. Fucking. Bobbles. I was kind of hating it actually. I finished it at the Stitch & Bitch, and when it was done, and every last end weaved in I expected to hate it. But I don't! I quite like it.
and now 3 different shots of the same hat!

Of course, the problem is that now I have nothing that really matches the hat. I like being matchy. I mean, yay, it's neutral and goes with everything but I cannot have hat, scarf and mittens that are all completely different...that's too much for me. I've only been wearing patterned clothing (except for plaid-I've worn plaid for years; I'm Canadian, at some point you wear a plaid flannel shirt or jacket and I went through a plaid skirt phase) for a couple of years. I like solid colours.  I feel comfortable in solid colours. But knitting has sort of opened me up to different possibilities and has definitely made me appreciate colours other than black, grey and olive.
Anywho, I still have a ball and a bit leftover-I may at some point make a scarf.

I've got a vague notion of doing a striped scarf, with a horizontal stripe as opposed to a vertical stripe, knit long and then seamed at the end so it's an infinity scarf. And then I can do mitts in the colour of the other stripe. I have a bunch of Elsebeth Lavold Baby Llama in black in my stash (another supposed aran weight that looks more like light worsted to me) that I could use as the other colour. That yarn is so old I bought it when Mouline was on Notre Dame! I think I bought it because it felt soft and looked shiny, plus I wanted to knit with baby llama (<3 llamas). And never actually knit with it. Funny, I just looked on Ravelry and it's been discontinued!

I won't be knitting those things anytime soon though-I've got xmas slippers to finish! 3 down, 3 to go. I'm not feeling slippers at the moment though, but I figure if I force myself to at least get one finished this week, I'm golden!

I wasn't the only one who finished a wip at the s&b, T finished her lovely scarf! I offered to wash and block it, as she didn't have any wool wash or blocking pins.

 I was hoping to pin it so aggressively that the scarf wouldn't roll, but sadly, it didn't work. All stockinette makes for very rolly yarn. I wonder why the designer didn't account for that and add a selvedge?

I love love love the yarn T used. And it bothers me that I don't know what it is, and what the name of the colour is. Why yes, I do have issues! Isn't it pretty? I may make one at some point, the pattern is flower-or-tree-scarf. I'll just add it to my already lengthy project queue.

And then at some point, I knit an eye patch.

Just for fun, because who doesn't need an eye patch? And a dopey pirate-y face to go with it!
The eye patch has joined the knitted beard.

Saturday, bright and early, we packed up the kiddies and drove to Ottawa. I got to do some car knitting (some of my very favourite knitting) on the drive there. I had some (stashed-of course) Malabrigo Rios in Plomo that I decided would be perfect for another easy raglan v-neck.

This is probably going to end up badly-I only have 4 skeins.

There's no way I'm going to have enough, and then I'm going to have to find another skein (or two? eek, I hope not) of Plomo, and I won't be able to find the same dye lot and I'm going to end up with a wonky sleeve. Or two. I should be panicking and searching the 'net for some Plomo, and I'm sure I will at some point, but I'm not planning on knitting much more on the sweater until I finish all the slippers or we go on another long drive. Yup, I started the sweater just so I could put it in hibernation. I love the colour so much, this purplish grey <3.

Anywhoo, Ottawa. We went to the Museum of Nature, M and I had gone and loved it, figured the kids would love it too (the 16yr old and the 5yr old did indeed love it, the 14yr old thought it was ok for not being videogames/computer stuff). And because M loves me, he dropped me off at Wabi Sabi, threw some cash at me and took the boys to the park so A and I could browse in solitude.

I love Wabi Sabi, it smells good inside, there's beautiful yarn, all kinds of nifty notions, and all manner of accessories. The people working there are lovely, really personable. I would have liked to take some pictures inside the store, but it was getting pretty crowded. I picked up the most adorable project bag and a little accessories bag. There was no way I could pass them up.

How gorgeous are these? They are made by liebchen designs, a local (to Ottawa) artisan.

And of course, I got some sock yarn. Sock yarn doesn't even count as a purchase really. I've been wanting to try some Misti Alpaca for awhile-

this is Tonos Carnival in Chocolato.  I was hoping they'd have an orange colourway, I'm a bit obsessed with dark rusty oranges lately. But there was none and this Chocolato looked pretty yummy.
And OMG, take a look at this yarn! TurtlePurl Yarns Striped Turtle Toes *le gasp* I believe these yarns are also sold on etsy.

It's self striping and beautiful; it's called twilight. Cannot wait to knit these up!

Right after I finish those damn slippers!