Friday, February 29, 2008

Happy Friday!

I'm not sure if I have mentioned this before (I'm pretty sure I did) but I lov Fridays. I don't work on Fridays so I get to do things during the day that I obviously won't get to do while sitting at work. For example, go to the gym in the morning/ afternoon, go to the cafe and get a tall whatever-I'm-feeling-for and sit and leisurely enjoy it. Then I get to come home, flip on the tele and watch Monk and then mute it when Walker Texas Rangers come on, sit at my lappy and surf. Relax some more and then leisurely, without any pressure, get up and go for the kids. Of course my day can vary so much dependent on whatever project is going on with the house, or like next week is Agrofest here so I'll be going with Dana to the park on that outing... but all in all a very liberating feeling envelops me on Fridays. I feel like I don't have to work and I don't have a care in the world. Of course this feeling lasts as long as the sun is up and promptly fizzles as the sun slips below the horizon. Ah, that fleeting feeling of freedom! That's why I look forward to Fridays and I cherish them. Bliss.

SO this post won't be solely about me bragging about having Fridays off (if that's something to be seen as worth bragging about) - I do have some knitting content to share! I have made some progress on my Leaf Tee and I really couldn't show you how nicely it's working up, what with it bunched up on the needles and all - so I've done something I've never done before... I took the work off the needles onto a scrap piece of yarn and presto! A nice pic to share. Well... it wasn't really all for your benefit. See, I needed to accurately measure the upper arm area and couldn't do that with the work all smashed up on the needles. So I got my measurements (only 4 more inches or so to go I think) and got to show you how it's coming along. Multitasking y'all! So here she is:



I cannot wait for this to be done (hurry up Lisa!) as I can imagine myself in it with a cute pair of jeans (note to self - get a pair of cute jeans). As long as the camera cooperates, I'll be adding more pics of it.

Oh, and not to be outdone, here's a pic of the Adamas progress. Yes, I took her out of the basket. Her constant whimpering was getting on my nerves! I've just completed repeat 5 of 14 of Chart 2. I tell you the knitting on this is not hard but it is time consuming, as with every other lace project that has one zillion stitches in it! I'm loving it though and can picture myself in it at the movies or some such place. Here she is:



I also wanted to show you some yarn that I bought recenty and I think I mentioned in a previous post. Here are the Berroco Softwist in an uber deep blue. Got 7 of these in the stash. Nice to the touch but a real pill to wind into a ball. Then there is the Jaeger Trinity that I am thinking of making the Tangles Yoke Cardigan for my mother. If I get started now I bet I can finish by August. Heheh.

Berroco Softwist




Jaeger Trinity



Ok, I'm off for now - gotta go burn some fat! Laters!

Friday, February 15, 2008

Has this ever happened to you?

Ok, so I love to knit and I love to surf the web especially for things to knit. Of late I've realised that I'm kinda stuck in a strange place right between my two loves. I've been surfing the web for hours looking for knitting patterns, yarn and trolling knitting blogs. All the while my knitting has been inexcusably ignored! Look! Right over there - my Adamas shawl sits looking at me forlonely quietly wondering what it did to deserve such a fate that it is now suffering - stuffed unceremoneously into a knitting basket. Then the DSL tank - well you guys know what is happening with her... poor poor thing. Must be hard for her knowing she was so longed for and now sits (goodness - where did I leave that piece of knitting?) somewhere silenty crying for me to rescue her. And the sockies and the Leaf Tee - sheesh. I'm coming soon girls - momma is a tad busy right now looking for sock yarn for the upcoming Penathlon and yarn for the delicious patterns in the Interweave Knits Spring 2008 magazine, and maybe some more needles and a notions case or two... and just finishing up a blog post and rolling around in ravelry.

Umm... guys I'll be right back - there's some Socks That Rock yarn that's calling me. I'll be right back...

Sunday, February 10, 2008

2 posts in one day? Maybe Rihanna will win a Grammy!

This is just to find out who'll be watching the Grammys tonight? I tell you, all of Barbados probably will be! Rihanna, who hails from our tiny island could make history tonight! She's performing so to me that's a giant clue that she will get at least one of the six she's nominated for. Good luck girl, I may not be your hugest fan musically, but I am proud of you for going out there and showing them how it's done... Caribbean style!

Progress pic

Hi all, I thought I'd drag my butt to the laptop and post a pic of the leaf tee I mentioned from my last post. I'm somewhat under the weather with a frog in my throat and a cough that won't quit. I sound like one of those scary voice overs for a monster from one of those B movies... talking with three voices all at once. The kids are getting over their yuckies (well I firmly suspect they are the reason I sound like I do and feel like I do. Gotta love 'em)

Anyways, here's the reason for this post... the beginnings of the Leaf Tee. This is a very easy pattern and the stockinette isn't so horrible but I am itching to start something small to break up the monotony. Maybe I should start something with the ten skeins of Jaeger Trinity I got off of yaiAnn's destash. Maybe I should just finish those socks I started the other day! But I keep digressing. Here's the progess shot:



The calmer is soft and knits up into a delicious fabric. I will enjoy wearing this tee!

In other knitting news, I've received a wonderful invite from the Sock Knitters Pentathlon on Ravelry and I'm stoked! Of course I'll be posting progress and finished object pics of my sockies. What fun! I've also ordered the Interweave Knits Spring 2008 and Winter 2007 issues from one of my favourite online vendors Knitty-Noddy. Evelyn is so friendly and helpful and she offers such great products on her site, you can't help but to keep going back for more!

What's next on my list today other than getting in some rows on the leaf tee? Well, there's some ironing to be done, the baking of a cake (the third request by hubby and kids), portioning out of trout fillets for the coming week's meals, looking over my son's homework and grabbing lunch at the inlaws (in no particular order whatsoever!) So much for Sunday being a day of rest!

Have a great day everyone!

Monday, February 04, 2008

Now that, folks, is a load off my back!

Hi everyone! Goodness, it's FEBRUARY ya'll! Didn't the year just start? At this rate, the year will be over in a New York minute!

So what's been shaking on my end? Lessee... oh yes. I PASSED my exam! And with a 73 people! I was so sure that I barely passed that I was pleasantly surprised when I passed the mark with some to spare. Thank you GOD! So now, I'm off to Personal and Corporate Taxes. I underestimated the last course and will not do so again with this one. So come March I will be back in the thick of things once more and will once again count on my knitting to keep things sane. Ok, what else? Hmmmmm... oh yes, I whacked my little toe on my right foot into the door like it belonged to someone I hate. The toe turned a light shade of purple and promptly offered up a giant bloodshot that extended from just past the tip of my toenail (what's left of it) and continued right under the nail. The left side of my foot still reminds me of what happened by throbbing painfully ever so often just to keep things fun. Next on my list was the gym. I rejoined after much careful consideration along with the fact that the new scale I purchased advised me that I was 12 pounds heavier than I thought. How could this be??? Well, I'm giving this another serious go. I've bought the colon cleanse, the coconut oil and dusted off my ratty shoes that hurts my flat feet like a mother. I'm eagerly awaiting the delivery of my new pair of Asics shoes that promise to bring sweet relief for the flat footed among us.

Knitting wise - I've purchased some Jaeger Trinity in a greyish colourway... about 10 skeins. In that purchase is Simple Knits for Little Cherubs and Simple Knits for Cherished Babies. I'm very excited to get these especially the books so that I can do a little baby/ older child knitting. Also purchased from another sale was 7 skeins of Berroco softwist in a deep blue and one skein of wildfoote sock yarn. And I'm still not satified! I'll be doing some ravelry/ blog trolling to see what yarn you guys are using and then get me some! I should get a pattern in mind first and then decide on the yarn no? One thing's for sure... I will be buying some Rowan Calmer! I've actually started a project with the much cherised rowan calmer. And what, dare you ask did I choose to use it for? Well this of course! I'm very excited about this project even though it is wrought with stockinette... the lace panel at least breaks up the monotony and it is knit in the round and top down, so I'm having fun. I would promise pics but you know the story of my piece o'crap camera.

Aside from this, my little girl has a cold and she's not having fun with it. She's blocked up and feverish at times but being very brave. She didn't go to school today and I'll have to play tomorrow by ear.

Well, I'm off to do some blog stalking - I'm sure I saw some yummy purchases out there that made me drool. Must.buy.more.yarn!

Later folks!