Socktoberfest ends today.

I know you were thinking you would see a lovely pair of jaywalkers today...but....


I have one done, and one started. Let's be serious...I won't have a pair by midnight. That's just nearly impossible...well...maybe....
I have been busy making buzz lightyear wings, a woody vest, and hanging spider webs. Now to go get the candy (I never buy it early...or there would be none for the trick or treaters!). I will work at the sock, in between handy out candy and making bids on ebay for my Dept 56 north pole village, tis the season!

20 interesting things about me...meme.

Beak Knits tagged me for this meme. Since I haven't done the 100 things about me, this will give you a little idea.

1. I have two young boys...15 months apart...this is the reason I knit so much. It keeps me sane.
2. I firmly believe that pregnancy eats away part of your memory...this could be a scientific fact, I don't know.
3. My parents had 10 children, I am number 7.
4. We were very fortunate to have a summer home while growing up. From 3:30 p.m. on the last day of school to Labour Day, we would stay there...and of course work a summer job.
5. How do you get 10 children summer jobs, open an Ice Cream store for them to work in. I believe that is when I started struggling with my weight.
6. My first job in the Ice Cream store was scrubbing every black and white tile with an SOS pad every morning. I earned 2 dollars for this. Eventually I learned that no one would notice if I only did the white tiles.
7. In the fall my husband and I will be married for 8 years.
8. He is Italian. I am not. This makes things challenging at times.
9. I love doing laundry. The crisp whites are my favourite. Borax people, add the borax!
10. I especially love folding laundry. My OCD really comes into play here. It must be done a certain way...I am the only one my house that folds the laundry.
11. I find ironing just as satisfying.
12. I live for "good things".
13. My instrument of choice as a child was the piano. I studied up to grade eight Royal Conservatory...and eventually taught lessons.
14. My husband bought me a piano for Christmas 3 1/2 years ago. I found out I was pregnant that Christmas and due to nausea and exhaustion, I hardly touched the piano. I don't think I could actually play anything anymore...refer to #2. My new years resolution will be to start playing again.
15. I love to cook.
16. I worked in retail management for 10 years and Christmas was not my favourite time of year. I now love the holiday.
17. I was never a collector...last year one of my sisters and I went went bidding crazy on ebay for these and another sister forced me to start collecting these. I love them!
18. I received many awards in highschool including a perfect attendance in grade 10. That's right, every single day.
19. I graduated and went on to university to study visual arts and art history. Figuring I would go no where with a degree in visual arts, I dropped out after my second year and started working in a home decor store.
20. Now, I am a stay at home mother...and knitter extraordinaire.

If you haven't done this meme...consider yourself tagged!

Socktoberfest...there is still time!

I had to cast on for another sock...since it is socktoberfest!



A little jaywalker action in koigu...I'm loving it. I have to resort to my squeeze technique because I chose to make these top down...and I have to make them shorter because of the yardage in koigu. I hope it all works out...this yarn with this pattern is really fabulous.
These will be a christmas gift for my lovely SIL who came down today to watch the little devils angels while I spent 4 hours at the spa.......aaaaaaahhhhhhh.....
Yes, it is a lovely manicured thumb, thank you.
Will the pair be done for the end of socktoberfest?
To be con't...

p.s. thank you to all for participating in my little knitting meme! It's great to see all everyone's different thoughts:)

A Knitting Meme.

Ok, I decided to create a little meme....come on now...give it a chance, it's about knitting! I haven't read a knitting meme on anyone's blog...and have never received one. I was hoping to inspire other knitters and maybe learn a little something from fellow knitters.
Here it is...and I hope to read it on others knitblogs;)

What is your all time favourite yarn to knit with?

I must say that I love koigu for socks and Debbie Bliss Cashmerino aran or baby cashmerino.

Your favourite needles?

Addi turbos...by far. I have ventured into bamboo and I use them occasionally but I do find that I knit much faster on addis. I wish there was a similar needle with a sharper point on it for lacework...maybe someone out there will enlighten me.

The worst thing you've ever knit?

Last year I knit this really long, thin 2x2 ribbed scarf. I hate it...really...what a waste of yarn. I may rip it in the new year and knit something a little more exciting.

Your most favourite knit pattern? (maybe you don't like wearing it...but it was the most fun to knit)

Forbes Forest Scarf from Scarfstyle. This was a really fun knit. I improved many a knitting skills in this project. I knit it last year for my hubby, we'll see how much he wears it this winter!

Most valuable knitting technique?

I have to say, because I have made this the year of the cable...knitting without a cable needle. You can learn of it here and here.

Best knit book or magazine?

Although I just recently bought it...Vogue Knitting, the ultimate knitting book and my favourite knitting mag is Interweave Knits.

Your favourite knit-a-long?

Scarfstyle. Absolutely. It is active all year long, and the knits are just so wonderful and inspiring.

Your favourite knitblogs?

There are so many, but if you haven't read: grumperina (she is just a brilliant knitter and knit designer!), purly whites (nice and simple-non distracting blog about knitting), Knit and Tonic (she is just hilarious and has some great knits), and sweetgeorgia (another beautiful blog and fabulous knits)....I have so many favourites...those are just a few to get you started.

Your favourite knitwear designer?

Elizabeth Zimmerman...a fabulous knitter. I must also say Debbie Bliss, who's designs inspired me to really start knitting.

The knit item you wear the most? (how about a picture of it!)

Ene's Scarf...my absolute favourite.

Now...who to pass it on to? Purly Whites, Grumperina, All Things Heather, Affiknitty and Serendipity. Give it up ladies!

p.s. feel free to change the canadian spelling to american....favorite!

Socktoberfest Continues

I guess you could say that these are my second pair of socktoberfest socks, if you count the ones I finished on the first day.



Started: October 9, 2005
Finished: October 24, 2005
Pattern: Retro Rib Socks from IK Winter 2004
Yarn: Koigu #319
Adjustments: Toe up, figure 8 cast on (love it) and I reversed the pattern because I was knitting toe up (totally unnecessary). I also added a stitch inbetween the purl stitch pair on the cuff in the last row. Then did my purl row and then cast off with a US #7 needle. This gave me a no sag cuff...yet loose enough that it doesn't cut off my circulation:)

I tried to be a little creative with the photo...keeping with the socktoberfest theme...the photo is taken in the light of my pre-lit grapevine pumpkins purchased on my last trip to the USA...thank you Target!

Cable-icious!

Nothing like a beautiful simple cable pattern to make a not so luxurious yarn look fabulous! I finished the back to the veste evereste.



It knits up quickly...my version of the pattern is very easy. I loved knitting this piece. I have already cast on and worked a couple cables for the front.

The sock I didn't complete as I hoped I would. I am half way up the leg, so it certainly won't be much longer until I have a completed pair of socktoberfest socks!

Revisit my Go With The Flow socks.

You remember these? Lovely...fit beautifully. (yes I know they really resemble the retro rib socks that I am doing now!) I chose koigu knowing that it was a bigger gauge than the pattern called for because then the sock would fit my big foot.
Well, I wore them for a day...almost the full day...well as long as I like to keep socks on. I even put shoes on...but really just for the ride home from my inlaws. I didn't take a photo...unfortunately...but they stretched sooooo much. I mean they were sagging down at my ankles. The foot was too big as well. It was a sad state of affairs. I put them aside to wash. Well, I haven't washed them yet, and I put them on again. They seem to fit okay when I put them on initially...but soon started to sag again.




My gauge when they were knit was 7.5 sts in an inch. Now...after about 1 hour of wear....7 sts in an inch. What's the big deal...1/2 of a st in an inch...well, that means that the sock is now more than 1/2" bigger than the knit size. Not good. I don't really know what to do about them now. I can recall having to continually reach down and pull them up....no, no. This will not do.
This is why I am now knitting the retro rib socks tighter.

Any suggestions on what to do with my Saggy Socks?

Gentle Reader.

Dear Gentle readers.
Thank you so much for your wonderful comments on my vest project. Many of you are planning to make this vest, many of you love the colour (as do I) that I chose, yet NO ONE said...ummm Carolyn, you are doing the cable pattern incorrectly!
Yes, that is right...after 9.5 inches of this cabling, while getting close to casting off for the arm holes I finally realize that it is all wrong.
You can't really tell in the photo of the vest in the magazine, but the cables are two different sizes. Hence the 14 row cable repeat, not the 7 row repeat that I was doing. I thought it was strange that they wrote it in 14 rows....HHHHHEEEELLLLOOOO!

Please excuse the knitting ignorance.

I am keeping my 7 row pattern people.

My version of the Veste Everest:



I have cast off the arm holes and am working on the arm hole shaping...this weekend's goal of the back complete is in sight!

SCP#2 part two.

So with the scarf complete...it was time to come up with a quick knit for the second part of this gift. Well, as previously discussed, this must be a machine washable knit. The recipient will so appreciate anything I knit, and wear it everywhere...but handwash...no.
I picked up some Lion Brand Wool-Ease. Yarn snob no more.
Quick knit...well, not really. The project:



Sure, it's a vest, no arms, it must be a quick knit. Weeellll, that is a lot of cabling to do.
Here I am (please keep in mind that red is not the colour to try to photograph and I am stretching out the pattern so you can see)



It's coming along just fine...I think the acrylic/wool blend is really drying out my hands. Hopefully I can get the back done and my current sock by the weekend.

Retro Rib 1

Ok sock knitters over at socktoberfest...we have our first official socktoberfest sock. One. But it's finished!

Let me say it is snug, but I did that purposely. You see, I learned a valuable lesson with koigu. I need to show you before wear and after wear of my Go With The Flow socks...wait and see.
Let it be known, that if you are using koigu, which I love, make them snug.

I can't say enough how much I love this figure 8 cast on and this toe...
The official toe pose:


If you haven't tried it, give it a go...

Flashing the stash...

Ok here it is... and it will all be something one day!


This is some works in progress...some gorgeous alpaca my SIL just brought back from Buenos Aries and below all of that is a ton of cotton.


Some sock yarn.


Some wool...cotton...and odd balls.


Lots of peruvian collection wool...


wool, cotton, silky wool...

You should see what's behind all of that!

Thank you Heather for the tag;) I was actually in the mist of organizing closets....and I just jammed this all into mine!
If you haven't flashed your stash, consider yourself tagged!

That's one gorgeous scarf!

I decided I needed to finish this scarf...especially if I wanted to make another for myself;)
So I knit away...while doing laundry and neatening the house...knit, knit, knit. Then came the grafting. Now, I have grafted together many a toe...and no problem. Usually I need to recite the "front purl, back purl off, back knit..." as I go. But I decided that I just need to look at the fabric and create the stitches.
First, a life line...and I took it right off the needles. Laying it out if front of me...away I went.



I had a little trouble from knit to purl stitch then back to knit stitches, but it worked out fine. No reading the book step by step, just thinking about the stitches. This is how I weave in my ends...it helps when it comes to grafting. You are basically doing the same thing.
Here it is before blocking. (I know the pattern says to block the pieces then join, but I couldn't understand that...I wanted the grafted part blocked as well.)



Here are the grafted stitches after blocking.



And the finished scarf...



Started: September 22, 2005
Finished: October 11, 2005
Pattern: Vogue Knitting spring/summer 2005 Lace leaf pattern scarf
yarn: Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino in pale blue 3 balls
Adjustments: I used US#4 needles producing a gauge of about 26 sts in 4" st st. I liked a tight stitch for the pattern. I did 13 pattern repeats for each side. I still had a little left over yarn, but I don't think I would have got 14 repeats for each side with 3 balls...it would have been really close. The blocked scarf measure about 65" long and 7" wide. The yarn is gorgeous...it does spring back even after blocking, so I really did a good blocking with this in mind.
I love it, love it, love it. I must make one for myself...not now, I am all leafed out...

Thank you Kathy for the inspiration...you know I flat out copied the scarf in the same yarn...but it is a different colour! I can totally see me doing this to a couple projects now.

Another christmas gift down!

Let me also say I went to fat class this morning...aka weight watchers...I am now down 12 lbs! My quest against knitters arse is a success.

It's all about the toe.

All I wanted to do was start a new pair of socks. You would think this would have been a simple task...yeah.
I have all this beautiful sock yarn I have been hoarding...and many socks that I want to knit. Koigu...hmmmmm....what to knit with it. It is like gold, you want it to be perfect. Well I had decided on Anna's sock pattern. I started the figure eight toe she suggested. This is a new technique for me...toe up but not a short row...Intriguing.
Here is the first attempt. Then after I tighten up a couple stitches in the center...



Looks fine. I started to knit the sock. The leaf pattern. I love leaf patterns...but the scarf I am working on now is a leaf pattern. I just couldn't do it. The yarn colourway wasn't really working with it...so I ripped it.
On to the next sock pattern I want to knit. Friday Harbour. Yes. I went back to short row toes...




What happened here? Well, my decreases aren't slanting the correct way. I was just working from top to bottom on the chart...I should have flipped the chart around.
Attempt #2




Yes, well, it's just not working. This yarn is not for this project. I also feel that the gauge I am working with does not work with koigu. I need to tighten it up. You remember those fabulous socks Teresa sent me...I have been examining them;) I love the tight knit she did...they hold their shape on my foot. (can I also say I have had to wash them already...because I have been wearing them so much) So with this in mind...rip...rip...rip.

What to do with this koigu...the pressure, the pressure. Well, what about Retro Rib Socks from IK winter 2004. Yes, that's it. I really liked that figure 8 toe. Figure 8 toe, toe up, Retro Rib ...yes, that's it.



Do you see that beautiful toe? The koigu colourway is working perfectly with this pattern...



So here I am...I could have knit a pair over the weekend, but all I have a little toe. But it is one fabulous toe!

edited: I can't even believe someone would guess the colour of koigu from my photos! There are some serious koigu knitters out there! Yes, it is 319...I would say mainly green, with some taupe, brown, pink, purple and cream...you know...all of that!

Weekend Reno's

Things have slowed down in the basement...so I will show you the upstairs.
Here is the Diningroom the day we bought it. Three years ago...



Wood panelled walls...a very strange texture. The floors where sun damaged and yellow. The aweful oil paint everywhere had yellowed as well.
Here it is today:


We had the hardwood refinished in a darker stain. The walls I decided to paint and it looks like wallpaper! My hubby does trim for a living...so he retrimed, hung doors, and put up some cove molding. We actually took out the door and just did a cased molding into the kitchen (that is the door in the before photo you see) I made some lovely faux suede curtains....voila!

Happy Thanksgiving Canadians!

Socktoberfest 2005!

Here we are in socktoberfest....and I stayed up last night to finish DH's socks!



Started: July 25, 2005 can you believe it!
Finished: October 6, 2005
Pattern: Just a basic sock based on Ann Budd's socks in "The Knitters Handy Book of Patterns"
Yarn: Knit picks Sock landscape in Yukon
Thoughts: I will never make plain ribbed socks again...I have had enough. I need more excitement in my sock making...did you see the socks I got from my sock pal ;) (I've been wearing them since I got them...seriously they are my favourite socks!)
Come on, we need to be a little more challenged with our sock knitting...especially here in socktoberfest!
I can't wait to see the socks everyone is knitting. I really want to see how you are photographing your socks...they are hard to pose for. I'll be watching.

Thank you all for your well wishes...I am feeling better today:)
Heather, I got your tag, I'll be flashing ya!

Drug induced posting.

I didn't think I was going to get a migraine this month...all was well. It hit me yesterday afternoon...2 persciption maxalt later...no change. Lets just say my hubby had to take the day off because I just got out of bed. I took a tylenol sinus (my dentist promised it would help, along with the lovely mouth guard he made me). It did work...so I am feeling a little strange right about now.

Guess what arrived?! My socks....



What a lovely sock sleeve! And tea...oh I really need a cup today.




Are they the most gorgeous socks or what!? I love them. Beautifully knit "Traveler's Stockings" made with koigu in a wonderful shade of blue. I was just looking at this pattern yesterday! Now I don't have to make myself a pair. Teresa did a wonderful job. The fit is perfect, really. Thank you so much Teresa for the perfect socks...thank you Alison for the Sockpaltwoza...I will be waiting for the next sock exchange.

Now for that cup of tea, and I am going to snoop around on Teresa blog to see my socks and her very talented knitting!

Do you hear that?

Oh yes...the silence. Everyone is gone now. Don't get me wrong, I love visiting with my family...all of the children as well! Many, many children. We actually had the 13 grandchildren as well as another 7 children, belonging to various cousins, in my backyard and basement...it was nuts! Now I am just sitting...in the dust, sand, dirt...exhausted. (I can't figure out why there was sand in my bed last night!) I am so tired now that I can't even pick up my knitting. That is really tired!

I am still working on my DH's sock...hardly...

My SCP#2 is growing...slowly...



I still have the sweater front and back without sleeves...

and I have played around with "River"....

My drywall man came to touch up spots...and now the place is even a bigger mess. More drywall dust, great. The house looks like a bomb went off in it...really. Where I do begin. Now I have a whole other floor to clean. I can see that this is going to cut into my knitting time:(

Weekend Reno's

First of all, thank you all so much for your kind words. The memorial weekend was a success. Many sad moments followed by many happy memories. As you can imagine, it is all so unbelievable.
Back to my weekend renos.
Finished paint in the main room...



Benjamin Moore "Stone House". The bedroom was painted "Herbes De Provence" and the bathroom done in "Muslin".

We put the toilet and sink in...and are working away on the shower. Doors were hung and the trim has begun! Won't be long...