Random Thoughts

Hoarfrost

2012-01-27T09:26:00.000-08:00

~~ It's -3C, sunny skies, and very, very hoary ~~

Cheerio!!

2012-01-17T17:11:00.000-08:00

Winter

2012-01-16T11:56:00.000-08:00

Just because you're pretty doesn't mean I have to like you ~~

What Could Be Cuter Than A Four Year Old Girl?

2012-01-09T08:53:00.000-08:00

Answer: A four year old girl in a dress knit by Gramma.

This is the second Simo dress I have knit for her. This one is size four, knit in Cascade Pacific, a lovely soft and, most important, washable yarn.

Purple icing on one's elbow? No problem.

From A Friend's Garden

2012-01-06T15:01:00.000-08:00

~Witch Hazel ~

I dream of spring............

2012

2011-12-31T09:14:00.000-08:00

According to the Mayans I have until December 21st to do all the knitting I ever plan to do. On this date the calendar simply runs out, resetting to 00/00/00. Some cheerful folks take this as a doomsday sign. I, on the other hand, take it to mean that on December 22nd I will be kicking myself for not starting any Christmas knitting. I did hubby's Cobblestone sweater in ten days this year. I'm not so sure about the three day time limit though. That may be pushing it a little.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

2011-12-24T09:01:00.000-08:00

Old Stomping Ground

2011-12-17T16:38:00.000-08:00

We went for a walk today through Mack Laing Park which is situated in Comox behind where we used to live. We spent many, many hours in this park with our dogs while we lived there but have only visited a few times since moving house 20 years ago ~

A pretty trail leads you alongside and over Brooklyn Creek, a salmon-bearing stream, and down to the ocean ~

Hamilton "Mack" Laing was a local naturalist, artist, author and photographer who donated this house and the property to the Town of Comox in 1973 ~

It is a second-growth forest which, at this time of year, is an abundance of white snowberries, orange wild rose hips and purple salal berries ~

A forest home, artfully decorated ~

After we left the park we walked by our old house and saw this little fellow perched on the fence hubby built 27 years ago ~

I love his little fists.

Man, do I have hips!

2011-12-15T09:33:00.000-08:00

Nymph Falls

2011-09-07T09:22:00.000-07:00

After a rather cool and grey summer we are experiencing a gorgeous fall. Last weekend we ~~hiked~~ ~~walked~~ strolled through the park at Nymph Falls on the Puntledge River. It is a popular swimming hole for the younger set, not a place one would take children. The river is running quite high for this time of year, making the falls a noisy and beautiful sight.

The trails meander through second growth forest ~

~ down to the river ~

We met a woman (~60 years old?) at the water's edge who had lived here since she was five years old and had never seen the falls. I am happy to say that back in the '70's I was one of these paddlers but these days I am content to walk the trails and watch the fun.

A Day in My Backyard

2011-06-15T17:01:00.000-07:00

I got all of these shots today, without leaving my patio. It was a wildlife extravaganza!

Okay, the last one isn't exactly wild. A birthday present from Tink - I needle felted it and my fingers. I think I'm too young to be trusted with sharp needles.

Camera Fun

2011-06-10T08:45:00.000-07:00

I have been having a great time taking photos with my new big-girl camera. It is a huge learning curve so I'm taking a beginners' DSLR course at the local college. I went to a fascinating lecture on low-light photography given by Boomer Jerritt the other evening. Who knew that stars have "trails" and that they orbit (I don't know if that's the right word) around the North Star aka Polaris. If you Google 'star trail photos' you can see a lot of amazing pictures that I can't show you here due to copyright laws.

I can, however, show off a few of my own photos, all taken in Comox, B.C. where I am lucky enough to live ~

~ Mount Washington ~

~ Hornby Island as seen from Point Holmes ~

~ Rhododendron ~

~ Lady's Mantle ~

I love how the raindrops sit on the leaves (skirt) like little glass beads

~ gorgeous wool/mohair blend yarn by Leola ~

~ Pogona ~

~ Her Royal Cuteness ~

(enough already with the camera, Gramma)

SPRING HAS SPRUNG!

2011-05-06T10:19:00.000-07:00

THE GRASS IS RIZ!

I WONDER WHERE THE BIRDIES IZ!

We have three baby towhees nesting in a clematis bush right at eye level. The parents are very attentive (who could ignore those open mouths?!!?) and I zipped out for photos when I noticed they were away from the nest. The babies hatched two days after I took the egg photos. When I took the baby pics the parents were perched on the apple tree nearby. They were chattering but not in an agitated way (I don't really understand bird language but they seemed pretty calm) and flew to the nest as soon as I left. We had a robins' nest last year in the same bush. It is so lovely to watch the activity and see the babies grow. I love spring!

The Royal Wedding

2011-04-30T09:15:00.000-07:00

~ at Wickerminster Abbey ~

Knit Your Own Royal Wedding

by Fiona Goble

Happy Easter!

2011-04-21T21:27:00.000-07:00

Twins!!

I haven't seen a double yolked egg in ages and this morning I got three in a row ~

The bunny cake (containing the afore-mentioned mutant eggs) will be travelling to the mainland this weekend. It's an odd looking creature but I don't think my grandsons are too fussy as long as it tastes good. I'm wondering how you cut a cake shaped like this. Just whack off a hunk, I guess.

My Christmas cactus is confused ~

and the jelly beans are calling out to me ~

I feel a sugar high coming on!

All It Took Was A Peruvian Carver, A Friend, And A Stitch Or Two.

2011-04-15T13:38:00.000-07:00

Last summer I made the Lotus Blossom Tank by Sharon Shoji from the summer 2006 issue of Interweave Knits. It is such a pretty pattern and it knit up nicely in South West Trading Company Terra. The yarn is 50% bamboo and 50% cotton, has a nice drape and great stitch definition, and is a lovely nutmeg brown. I was so disappointed when I tried it on as the neck gaped open so much that it wasn't wearable. Bra straps were exposed and bending forward was an absolute no-no. It even gaped out over a tee and just plain looked sloppy. I tried to steam block it in a bit with no success. Then I ran a line of yarn around the neck and pulled that up. It looked exactly like I ran a line of yarn around the neck and pulled it up, not good. So, since then it has languished in a basket waiting for, I don't know, something.

My friend, Peg, went to Victoria a couple of weeks ago and visited the Button Boutique, an awesome shop in Trounce Alley (take a virtual tour here ). She brought me back this great button, carved in Peru from a gourd.

It is one of those buttons that just has to have the right home. I dug out the Lotus Blossom tank, tucked a little pleat in the middle of the front and sewed the button in place.

I am so happy to be able to wear this top now and be comfortable with the way it looks and fits. I'm not sure if I'll be wearing it without something underneath (besides a bra, of course) as it would probably show a bit more skin than I like to, but who knows?

Spot the Bumblebee

2011-04-11T13:01:00.000-07:00

My take on Where's Waldo ~

(click on pics to embiggen)

It's THAT Day Again!

2011-04-01T09:05:00.000-07:00

Check out this link and be sure to click on the Buy Now button too:

Wingham Wool Work

P.S. - Hubby just came to kiss me goodbye and said "I left some money for you on the kitchen counter". He never does that - I'm afraid, deeply afraid. Then again, he's not one to pull April Fools pranks either. Hmmmm. Maybe I'm just being paranoid.

Flower Power

2011-02-23T16:59:00.000-08:00

Sometimes, when I'm knitting big projects, I need a little instant gratification. I currently have a coat, a cardi and a pair of socks on the needles so I went looking for something I could complete in a day. Something that would cheer me up. Like a flower. I came across this pattern called Flora by Kate Kuckro.

I didn't want a scarf so I just knit up the flower, using leftover sock yarns, put a polymer clay button in the centre which I attached to a piece of felt, then sewed on a brooch pin. It makes a beautiful splash on my winter coat and the entire project was pure enjoyment.

~~I got the button from Tina who lives in Tofino, here on Vancouver Island. Check out her Artfire store ~ gorgeous stuff.~~

Full Snow Moon

2011-02-18T09:39:00.000-08:00

"Since the heaviest snow usually falls during the month of February, Native American tribes of the north and east most often called this month’s full moon the Full Snow Moon. Some tribes also referred to it as the Full Hunger Moon or Little Famine Moon, since harsh weather conditions in their areas made hunting very difficult. Forced to gnaw on bones and sip bone marrow soup for sustenance, the Cherokee named it the Full Bony Moon." ~ Farmers' Almanac

Well, there's no hunger or famine here but we did get the snow:

It could also be called the Happy Little Girl Moon:

Therefore I will be wearing this hat

and this cardi

when I venture out later today. Meanwhile I'll enjoy my second cup of coffee in my cosy chair by my cosy fire.

Four Bags Full

2011-02-09T14:44:00.000-08:00

At a big craft fair in Vancouver last December my daughter and I came upon a booth selling "green" reusable bread bags. They were selling for around $15 apiece. Admittedly, they were nicely made with liners of "food grade" plastic. We did a bit of online research and found that a liner isn't necessary if the bread is used within a day or two which, of course, in a family of four is easy to do. We weren't thrilled with the idea of the plastic liners anyway. You might just as well put the bread in a plastic bag.

Not so long afterward I found this tutorial. Off I trotted to a nearby grocery store where I purchased a pack of four tea towels for $3. I washed and ironed them, squared them up on my ironing board and took their measurements. They were about an inch smaller than the tutorial guidelines so I decided to just wing it, using the tutorial for the sewing up but not the dimensions. I made four bags ~ three for regular loaves or buns, each made from one towel folded in half cross-wise, and one folded in half length-wise for a large French loaf. I used the overcast stitch on my sewing machine (I am still afraid of my serger) and rounded the bottom corners so it will be easier to shake out the crumbs. I used the cut-off hems of the towels for the ribbons/ties.

I hope she likes them. And my bill for ~~$60~~, ~~$30~~, ~~$15~~, okay free.

Three Birthdays and an Anniversary

2011-01-14T17:16:00.000-08:00

Early January is a very busy time for us. Hubby and I were married January 3, 1976, daughter was born on our second anniversary, number one grandson was born January 8, 2005 and number one granddaughter was born January 8, 2008.

It's a difficult time for celebrations, coming so soon after Christmas. We always made sure our daughter's birthday was special but she still says she wishes she could have a half-birthday mid-year. Unfortunately, when she was small, a lot of relatives would "combine" her Christmas and birthday presents, which was easier for them but hard to explain to a child. Our anniversary has always taken a back seat and we have yet to really celebrate. I thought maybe our 35th would be different but, sadly, no. Post holiday burn-out, dealing with three birthdays, slim wallets. We have also found over the years that quite a few restaurants are closed on January 3rd as they have just had New Years Eve and are taking much needed holidays themselves. Enough whining.

I had great fun making this birthday cake for Ryleigh. Driving over to her house for the party with the cake balanced on my lap, hubby says "wouldn't it be funny if I had to brake suddenly?" Hilarious!

The Twirl Test

2010-12-28T08:38:00.000-08:00

I made this dress for my granddaughter for Christmas. I bought her lacy socks and sparkly red shoes to match. She loved it - "mine dress?" she asked. She immediately wanted to put on the whole outfit (new cami and undies too), toddled upstairs to the big mirror,

and did the twirl test.

Then came the jumping on the bed in sheer joy,

followed by a pensive pose by the window.

This is probably THE most gratifying project I have ever made.

~big thanks to cottagemama for the free pattern (click link above)~

And to All, A Good Night.

2010-12-25T21:24:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas to All!

2010-12-24T08:40:00.000-08:00

Yes, I Feed Them Cheerios!

2010-11-22T11:32:00.000-08:00

We have had two resident rabbits for a number of years now. They periodically "change" ~ we have had a black one and a brown one, a black one and a grey one, and, most recently, these two brown ones. Cottontails. One is very tame and comes right to us, the other is a little shy and waits until his/her buddy has approached and he/she knows it is safe. The different pairs have burrowed in the garden and we have seen a few babies (which are the cutest things) but the hawks soon grab them. Cruel but necessary, I suppose.

I also put out carrot peelings, broccoli stalks, etc. for them but they prefer Cheerios and crusts of my homemade bread. Bunnies after my own heart.

The tame one pokes his/her head right in the door ~

It is snowing like crazy right now. I am not getting out of my jammies today (again). The bird feeders are full and it is wonderful to watch all the activity. There are juncos, a flicker (on the suet feeder), a varied thrush, towhees, pine siskins. I haven't seen any chickadees today. Perhaps -4C is too cold for them. I know it is too cold for me.

This is what I will be working on today ~ Kinsol Trestle Vest

Christmas Cakes

2010-11-09T10:04:00.000-08:00

I made these cakes about six weeks ago and they are presently in their sherry-soaked cheesecloth blankies in tins in the garage. I must bring them in today for a little top-up of Harvey's Bristol Cream.

The recipe is my grandmother's and whenever I make it I return to childhood memories of the tasks I was charged with. First of all, I would chop the fruit. The cherries had to be halved and the pineapple cut into chunks. The candied peel came already chopped ~

Mixed up in a large bowl with currants and raisins, soaked with sherry and allowed to soak overnight ~

Add in the nuts, eggs and flour mixture ~

My next job was to line the pans. Mum taught me how to carefully cut the parchment paper (which in those days was brown) so that it fit the pans. I loved this part ~

The mixture is so stiff you have to get in there with your hands to get every piece of fruit and nut coated ~

Then into the oven for a long slow bake ~

And, voila ~

Once they were cooled, my next job was to soak the cheesecloth in brandy or sherry (I used sherry this year) and wrap up the cakes ~

The tins I store them in must be at least 50 years old, passed from my grandmother to my mum to me ~

Froggy Days

2010-10-21T11:22:00.000-07:00

No, I haven't been doing any frogging in the knitting department. Oldest grandson once referred to the fog as frog and that is what we are experiencing most mornings now. It burns off during the day, thankfully, and the weather has actually been quite beautiful. Cool and damp but blue skies and lots of lovely trees changing colour. The pink climbing rose on the arbor is still blooming as are the hardy fuschias and a few geraniums (why isn't it gerania? Maybe it is.) out front. The birds (flickers, Stellar's jays, juncos, chickadees, towhees, hairy and downy woodpeckers) are very active at the feeders, loading up for winter. We have had a raccoon chowing down on fallen grapes at dusk. When we went outside to see what the noise under the grapevine was, he darted out of the brush, stood and faced us and hissed. We decided to let him finish off the grapes. The deer are loving the last of the Scarlet Runner beans from the garden. Hubby tosses them (the beans, not the deer) over the fence and mums and babes appear from nowhere within minutes. I think they actually hear him open the sliding door from the house and wait expectantly for their veggie treats.

I have completed a few projects lately and, of course, have cast on a few more.

Acorns knit in Sunday Knits Angelic 5 ply~

Socks for Kathy ~

Happy Baby knit in Bernat Softee Baby Solids & Marls for great-niece in Scotland ~

Drops 117-43 knit in Aslan Trends Bariloche ~

Drops 103-1 knit in Debbie Bliss Luxury Donegal Tweed ~

and these adorable Salute Hats which I made for my grandsons but somehow ended up being loved by their friends, Anna and Lucas ~

Pumpkin Patch

2010-10-12T12:07:00.000-07:00

This past weekend it was Thanksgiving here in our parts. We walked, played, laughed, ate and cuddled. It was wonderful. Yesterday we took a trip to the nearby Pumpkin Patch. The owners, Mike and Shannon, do a great job of decorating up their farm, complete with scary witches, spiders, skeletons, etc. in the barn. We took the boys in a wagon out into the field and they picked out their very own pumpkins.

A fuzzy caterpillar ~

Earlier in the day we had been down to the Puntledge River to see the run of spawning salmon and take a walk through the trails ~

What a beautiful place we live in! And to top it all off, both my kids and all three grandkids were together for a few hours - first time in two years. That just about made my heart explode.

Fall Is In The Air

2010-08-22T09:47:00.000-07:00

Once again the shorter days and cooler weather have caught me off guard. If only summer lasted just a couple more months. We often have a lovely fall in the Pacific Northwest but I'm greedy. I am so happy in bare legs, the thought of yanking up tights.........shudder.

The good news is that I have three new pairs of socks to wear:

Misti Alpaca Socks ~ knit in Misti Alpaca Hand Paint Sock Yarn

Rivulets ~ knit in Malabrigo Sock Yarn

Leyburn ~ knit in Malabrigo Sock Yarn

A cozy hat narcissistically named Julietta:
Etta ~ knit in Merisoft Hand Painted Aran (a birthday gift from Tink)

and a couple of fun knits:

Starfish Washcloths in Lion Brand Cotton-Ease

For the new baby girl in England, Lexi:

Easy Peasy Newborn Hat and Baby Booties knit in Berroco Comfort Baby and a teensy bit of BMFA Socks That Rock Lightweight

Her Royal Cuteness

2010-07-15T15:50:00.000-07:00

Sewing for little girls, especially a sweet grand-daughter, is so much fun. The projects are quick to do up, fit isn't paramount (unless it's too small of course), and you can dress them in anything you want because you're the grown-up!

The dress is Kwik Sew 3775 and the hat is Butterick 3405

Roses To Jam

2010-07-09T11:34:00.000-07:00

This has got to be the quickest, least messy and yummiest jam ever. The rose above is a lovely fragrant climber. I made my first batch from a dark red rugosa which produced a gorgeous coloured jam. They are both delicious - sweet (of course, with all that sugar), fragrant and delicate.

Norma from Now Norma Knits introduced me to this recipe and has provided a wonderful tutorial on its preparation. Thanks Norma!

~~~

This is the rose I planted when my mum died almost 13 years ago. It is called Perdita, a lovely name. The one we planted at my dad's house is equally beautiful and is called Juliette (my name - I'm not at all self-centred - ahem). I don't have a photo of Juliette but she continues to thrive in spite of being dug up from her original plot and moved into a pot on a patio.

Earthly Delights (and some knitting)

2010-07-07T09:55:00.000-07:00

Our summer is finally here after a long wet spring, which I really didn't mind at all. I don't handle the heat well and raining outside means knitting inside. The garden is incredibly lush due to no effort on my part at all. The roses are especially gorgeous this year.

All the hydrangeas in my garden are from clippings that my mother started for me. The lace-caps are a bit later than the macros so aren't out yet. The white one is from a clipping she got from the garden of her mother's childhood home in Deal, UK. She somehow smuggled it back to Victoria in her luggage and got it to root. When it got to a good size she snipped off a piece for me and it is now (about 15 years later) a fine specimen and a lovely reminder of my mum (and her thieving ways :OD)

~~On the knitting side of life ~~

I finished Slanting Gretel Tee by Petra Manis
in S.R. Kertzer Down To Earth Cotton

and these for my daughter Spring Socks by Eveli Kaur in Noro Kureyon Sock:

And two hats for my nieces in England. They love them and so does their mother who says she may "borrow" them sometimes:

Freyja

Fleur

Happy Summer!

Only a Mother Could Love These Faces

2010-06-06T11:30:00.000-07:00

A pair of robins recently nested in one of our clematis vines. They were right at face level so we could easily look in. We resisted prying until we saw the parents flying in with worms and insects so we knew the babies had hatched. Robins don't seem to be too bright when it comes to choosing nesting places. We have had them in the crook of the drain pipe right outside our front door as well as in the beams right outside a sliding side door. If there is too much activity human-wise they will abandon the nest, sometimes before it is completed but sometimes after the eggs have been laid. This was a successful batch of three in spite of the clematis being in the middle of the lawn. They have survived a few mowings of the grass as well as a few days of the grandkids roaring around. A water balloon fight didn't even seem to faze them. They are gone from the nest now, into the big wide world.

It's June?

2010-06-02T14:09:00.000-07:00

You would never know by our weather that we are almost into summertime. The weather people keep telling us this wetness and coldness isn't unusual. Whatever. Just quit it, alright?

Three years ago today my beautiful girl got married and the weather couldn't have been more perfect.

Happy Anniversary kids!

It is also my auntie's 75th birthday today. I made her this ~

I hope she likes it! It is the Fern Lace Scarf by Knitting Pixie , knit in Fiddlesticks Knitting Zephyr lace weight . Happy Birthday, Aunt B!

Is That Liesl?

2010-05-25T20:41:00.000-07:00

I had lunch today with my aunt and cousin. We met at Longwood Brew Pub.

While I was waiting for my companions a young waitress came up to me and said "Is that Liesl?" I was wearing this:

which, of course, is Liesl.

I love it when that happens!

Perfect Curls on a Perfect Little Boy

2010-05-24T11:45:00.000-07:00

Some backyard bubble fun ~

Chilling with Great-Grandpapa ~

~~what a wonderful long weekend we had~~

England & Wales XOX

2010-05-16T09:47:00.000-07:00

Just got back from a wonderful holiday in the UK. The volcano provided a little excitement on our return journey, causing a two hour wait on the runway then a detour around the top of Scotland and Ireland which added another 45 minutes to the journey. Those little TV's in the seat backs of the plane are a godsend for passing time.

Some photos:

Our day in London - iKnits and Liberty House were the highlights. Also the London Eye, riding the tube, Oxford and Regent Streets. Definitely need to go back; there is so much to see.

This is the church where we were married, January 3, 1976, Maidenhead.

I travelled off to Wales on my own, by train, and was met by my wonderful hosts (cousin and partner) who greeted me with champagne, cooked delicious meals (lamb, of course, for one), toured me around and were great company. What more could a girl ask for.

I absolutely love Wales. There are sheep everywhere (4 sheep:1 human) and little groups of (not very) wild ponies.

Dylan Thomas' house in Swansea.

Ancient castles ~

Wildflowers ~ primroses, violets, cowslips, campions, lady's mantles, yellow iris ~

spectacular beaches ~

and more sheep ~

~~I will definitely be going back to Wales~~

Dear Mother Earth,

2010-04-15T09:00:00.000-07:00

I know I dissed you a few posts back, refusing to comply with Earth Hour. However, I think your revenge has gone far enough. First you shut off all my electricity for 24 hours and now you have stomped your big high-heeled foot all over the UK and northern Europe.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/bsp/hi/dhtml_slides/10/iceland_volcano/img/4iceland_volcano466.jpg

I have waited eight, yes eight, long years to travel back to England. I have packed and re-packed, checked and re-checked travel information, advised everyone who needed to be advised (and a few who didn't), papered my home with Post-It notes, had nightmares about plane crashes, basically I have worked through every possible worst-case scenario...except this one. Who could have imagined that a volcano in Iceland could shut down miles and miles and miles of airspace? And why this week? And here I was worried about an impending strike by fuel-pump persons at YVR.

I'm sorry, Mother. I will never do it again. Next year I will turn off all my stuff for two hours. Just please blow all that crap out of my way by Monday, ok?

Wild Life

2010-04-08T20:03:00.000-07:00

This creature wandered across our back yard this afternoon. I think it's a river otter, although the sea is closer than any rivers. We do have a creek at the back of the property, which is where it headed after ducking under the gate. Maybe it's a creek otter.

Knit, Knit, Knit, Knit, Knit.

2010-04-07T10:46:00.000-07:00

I've been a busy girl!

Damson ~ knit with Schulana Mosco, a lovely yarn with a very pretty halo:

Liesl ~ knit with Indigo Moon 100% merino:

Sally Gloves ~ knit with the same yarn as Damson:

and a couple of scarves for my cousins in Wales who I plan to visit later this month:

Revenge of Mother Earth

2010-04-04T09:30:00.000-07:00

Boy, did I get smacked about the head for my previous post. We had a terrible wind storm on Good Friday which resulted in our power going out for 24 hours (almost to the minute!). Mother Earth was pissed! I wouldn't go along with Earth Hour so she gave me Earth 24 Hours.

Lucky for me, hubby has a backup:

to which he plugged in the fridge, freezer, microwave, kettle, some lights - 10 extension cords:

With all that and our cozy little gas fireplace

we were quite comfortable. I nestled into my favourite chair by the fire and knit to my heart's content. We even plugged in the TV for a while and watched DVD's, a couple of episodes of Foyle's War and Frida (great movie).

Happy Easter!

Earth Hour, Schmearth Hour.

2010-03-27T09:42:00.000-07:00

~~~Sorry, but I am not getting on this bandwagon. Shutting off all the electricity for an hour at 8:30 p.m. is stupid. For one thing, it screws up my two favourite Saturday night shows, Heartbeat and Midsomer Murders. I hardly watch any TV but I never miss these. And for another thing, I think every day is Earth Day. After all, that's where we live. Right? So I intend to continue being as eco-conscious as I always am in my day-to-day life. I re-use and recycle more than most and I am very aware of my energy consumption. Lights off, heat down, limited use of energy suckers like the dryer, all my appliances are energy savers, etc. etc. etc. And one more thing -- what happens when everyone flashes all their electricity back on at 9:30? Surely that's not a good thing, is it? ~~~ there I said it.*

On a lighter note - I made this adorable dress and hat for darling granddaughter's second Easter:

The dress is the Jane Austen dress from Mason-Dixon: Knitting Outside the Lines and the hat is the Rosy Scalloped hat from Tot Toppers . Both very simple patterns. I took the advice of other Ravelry knitters and made size 4. I think size 2 would be too small for my little munchkin. As she doesn't live nearby I'll have to wait for pictures of her wearing it.

* please don't call the Power Police

A New Bag For The Old Bag

2010-03-24T12:02:00.000-07:00

I have been sewing up a storm this past few days. I wanted a tote/carry-on bag with lots of pockets for our upcoming trip to England. Something that I could manage easily, get all my airplane necessities into (books, knitting, neck pillow, travel papers, etc.) and still be able to use as an all-purpose bag for shopping (Liberty of London, here I come!) and trekking around. This is McCall's 5871:

Inside view:

I am very pleased with how it turned out. Setting in the side pieces was a bit of a wrestling match due to the stiffness of the multi-layers but I won! The pattern is very easy to follow, well-written. I didn't use as many different fabrics as the pattern called for as I felt four was plenty.

Next post: Darling grand-daughter's Easter outfit.

Getting It Off My Chest

2010-03-13T09:54:00.000-08:00

This has been bugging me for a week now so I'm going to have a little rant. I took a class last weekend which involved sock-making. My friend and I both had self-striping yarns for our socks, mine being a Regia that looks like this:

Pretty, n'est-ce pas?

Well, the instructor seemed to feel it necessary to comment during one of her talks that this type of yarn "offended" her. Obviously she is of the hand-dyed, hand-spun, hand-everything ilk. More power to you. I, however, have more eclectic tastes and if I feel like knitting my socks with shredded plastic bags I will. I was very offended by that remark, especially since she had been around the class and seen what everyone was working with. She made a similar comment about machine knitting. I really dislike this kind of snobbery where if you didn't raise the sheep yourself in your organic garden, shear it, clean and card it, spin it, knit it on needles carved by aboriginals in Timbuktu you are not quite a "real" knitter.

I knit because I love it. It relaxes me, satisfies me, soothes me, boosts my ego, entertains me....I could go on and on but you get my point. I love to knit.

Sometimes I work with luxury yarns like cashmere (Sweatermaker) ~ Piano Mitts by Catherine Ryan:

or bamboo (Sirdar Flirt) ~ Coraline by Ysolda Teague:

or hemp (HempWol) ~ Amelia by Laura Chow:

and sometimes I like to knit socks with a good sturdy self-striping (so it looks pretty) yarn. So there!

Oh, and one more thing ~ don't be complaining that the "endless garter stitch" or "rows and rows of stockinette" drove you crazy in a pattern. Did you not look at it before you started and see that the entire front, back and sleeves were garter/stockinette? Kind of like complaining about the rain in the Pacific Northwest. Okay, I do that a lot.

It's In The Genes

2010-02-28T20:18:00.000-08:00

Sanctuary Much

2010-02-15T09:07:00.000-08:00

Yesterday's walk in our nearby bird sanctuary. What a beautiful place.

Chickadees, juncos, sparrows, towhees, mallards...and this red-winged blackbird who had the most beautiful call.

Back home to a little bit of spring in the front garden.

Men At Work (and Play)

2010-02-06T19:35:00.000-08:00

Today was Ikea Expedit assembly day.

Who would have thought that a shelf unit could be so much fun?

Even good for a couple of flying leaps!

Outside for a run-around, a bit of soccer and some tree climbing~

~~The big guy is sporting Sundog from Twist Collective Summer 2009 and the little fella is modelling Sheepish by Alana Dakos (Never Not Knitting).~~

Nano's New Duds

2010-01-29T14:29:00.000-08:00

The old iPod cozy was looking very ragged so I made a new one. Zune Wallet is the pattern. KnitPicks Main Line is the yarn.

I like that it folds over; the old one was basically a sock and the iPod slid out into my purse.

In other knitting news I finished my hair of the mo cardi, Vera, knit in Drops Vivaldi.

It turned out to be a bit too loose around the neck. I have since tightened it up a bit by simply running a length of yarn across the back and pulling it in. Much better. It's a lovely cozy cardigan, light as a feather.

It's a grey day today, inside my head and outside as well. I have a migraine. Rrrgh. Tomorrow will be a better day.

Can It Be?

2010-01-18T11:43:00.000-08:00

Yes, these are snowdrops taken from my front garden this morning. It has been so warm that the bulbs are starting to come up and trees are starting to bud. Unfortunately we are bound to get some freezing temperatures in February, causing these brave little souls to disappear.

Pretty Things and F.O.'s

2010-01-16T13:32:00.000-08:00

Check out these pretty stitch markers that Tink gave me for Christmas. I get a smile with every row - love 'em! The pattern is Eastlake by Norah Gaughan.

Vine Yoke Cardi (pattern by Ysolda Teague) - knit with Malabrigo Worsted (hollyhock)

Ribbit (pattern by Susan B. Anderson)

Piper (pattern by Christa Giles) - knit with Patons Classic Wool

Cropped Cardi with Leaf Ties (Pattern by Stefanie Japel) - knit with Berroco Ultra Alpaca

And, of course, some vanilla socks - knit with BMFA Socks That Rock

A Grim Reminder

2010-01-14T09:26:00.000-08:00

It is bucketing down rain outside and I was grumbling to myself about having to don waterproof gear to go out this morning. Then I thought to myself - I have a warm house, my family is healthy and safe, our roads are driveable, buildings intact. Meanwhile, Haiti is devastated. In a twist of fate it could have been us. So I told myself to shut up and be grateful. And I donated to Doctors Without Borders. If you click the button Knitters Without Borders it will take you to the Yarn Harlot's blog. Let her know how much you have donated and she'll enter it into the Knitters' tally. As she says, "if you can afford to knit, you can afford to donate".

Laugh and the World Laughs With You. Cry and Gramma Turns off the Camera

2009-08-23T12:18:00.000-07:00

OK, Back to Knitting

2009-08-20T11:59:00.000-07:00

Oh, yes there has been quite a lot of knitting going on....

Some socks: (In Season & Fraggle Squiggle)

Some kid knits: (Ryleigh's Summer Garden tee, Johnny's Sundog, Ryleigh's Watermelon cardie)

Some hats: (Ryleigh's sun hat, Lapita hats for the boys)

And last, but not least, a cardie for me (Something Red for Jules), finished off with a vintage button from Vintage Necessities:

***Check out my ravelry project page for more info on these patterns. I be sewknitful over there too.***

The Day of the Triffids

2009-07-28T08:23:00.000-07:00

This strange creature emerged from behind the day lilies in my front garden. It is about eight feet tall and has a very thick stem that looks like a bunch of stems fused together in a rectangle shape. We have had to stake it up as it was becoming top-heavy.

Here is a photo taken about a month ago showing the stem.

The flowers are just beginning to come out and it looks more like the star-gazer lilies from another part of the garden than the day lilies.

More prettiness --

Future Knitters Club founder

2009-06-30T16:24:00.000-07:00

I keep a little basket of yarn ends for Ryleigh to play with. Today she really got into it.

She was draping bits around her neck, concentrating very hard.

Sometimes you just have to use your teeth!

Old Macdonald....

2009-06-26T08:29:00.001-07:00

I picked up this Italian linen blend fabric at the sewing show in Victoria this spring. It was a remnant on Gala's 2 for 1 rack. The pattern is Butterick 4989. I was looking for a nice pin to finish it off when I remembered a silver kilt pin I had in my curio cabinet. It belonged to my mum (given to her by my dad) and was missing it's pinstem, as well as being quite tarnished. I sent it down to my brother, the jeweler, and he put on a new pinstem and polished it up for me. I asked my dad what the pin represented. It is the Macdonald crest (my paternal grandmother's clan), dating back to around 1850. Just the right finishing touch, I thought.

Living on the Edge

2009-06-16T09:16:00.001-07:00

See that? On the edge of the middle bar? A bird's nest on the IKEA sign in Coquitlam, BC. If you look really closely you'll see tiny Swedish furniture inside the nest.

Here is another nest of baby robins which is in the crook of a drainpipe right beside our front door. Mama gets really upset whenever we use the front entry. She flies off into a nearby bush and shrieks at us until we go away. Who pays the bills here anyway????

Earth Day

2009-04-22T21:13:00.000-07:00

In honour of Earth Day I washed my hair in this: one egg beaten with one ounce of beer (non-alcoholic - didn't want my hair to drink that early in the morning). Apparently it's a very old recipe. I was pleasantly surprised. I had rubbed coconut oil into my hair last night to deep condition and the egg mixture got all the oil out and left my hair shiny and soft. Gotta love it!

Ryleigh spent the day with us. What a little doll!

Keeping It Warm

2009-03-10T08:40:00.000-07:00

I guess I was a little too enthusiastic about spring in my last post. It's friggin' MINUS 8 degrees out there!! The rhodos look like they want to shrivel up into the earth. Maybe I should be knitting them some blankets.

I made this little capelet for myself, with an eye on my spring wardrobe (puh!). It's in "Hempton" from hempforknitters.com - 40% cotton, 30% hemp and 30% modal. It is comfortable to knit with, not like some cottons that are hard on the fingers. I like how it drapes and hangs a little low on the shoulders. The pattern is Hemp Capelet by lanaknits.com. The colour isn't really true in the photo, looks a bit orange-y where I'd say it's more of a coral shade.

I think I'll be staying in my warm woolies for a while longer, though. Snuggling down with my hot coffee.

and my toasty Queen of Beads (Sivia Harding) socks. (yarn is Socks That Rock, superwash merino, colorway My Blue Heaven)

CAFETIERE COZY: worsted wt. wool, size 4mm needles. Fits small french press. You could probably double the cast-ons for a larger size.

Cast on 40 stitches and knit whatever pattern you like - I used a mock cable which goes like this - Multiple of 10

Row 1: p4, k1, p1, k4
Row 2: p3, k2, p2, k3
Row 3: p2, k2, p1, k1, p2, k2
Row 4: p1, k2, p2, k2, p2, k1
Row 5: k2, p3, k3, p2
Row 6: k1, p4, k4, p1

Do 5 repeats and bind off. Chain crochet button loops and Nellie's your aunt!

Rain, Rain, Go Away

2009-02-22T11:36:00.000-08:00

We are back to our typical west coast weather (buckets of rain) after an rather unusual couple of months. Snow and prolonged below-freezing weather made for some nice sunny days. When it rains it warms up again so we're seeing some growth in the garden and lots of birds at the feeders. Snowdrops are the first to appear so I had to bring some inside.

On the knitting front, I finished these long woollies for Johnny

and a pair of socks from my Rockin' Sock Club. The pattern is Queen of Beads by Sivia Harding.

I have a few projects on the needles - felted clogs for hubby, a hemp capelet from Lanaknits. I am stalled on the Eastlake pullover as I keep screwing up the pattern. It may wait until next fall as I want to do some spring projects and more socks, of course. Leyburn socks are next on my radar. I seem to be stuck on the red, blue, purple side of the colour spectrum right now so I want to venture into the yellow side.

I had a wonderful Valentine's Day visiting with my daughter and her family. The grandsons are so cute. We stayed at a nearby hotel and Braedy joined us for a sleepover one night. He was so happy all snuggled up with us in bed watching TV and eating chocolates.

Little granddaughter, Ryleigh, is upstairs having a nap and I can hear her little squeaks and movements over the monitor. So sweet! I love being a gramma!

A Bit O' Bling

2009-01-23T15:00:00.001-08:00

I made these earrings for my daughter's best friend, who is like another daughter to us. They're from Knitty and called Bijouterie by Rosemary Hill. (note to self - figure out how to insert links) I thought they turned out quite pretty. I haven't given them to her yet but will be doing so in the next few days. Knitting with wire isn't easy, especially 30 gauge which is very fine and tends to kink. But for a first try it wasn't bad.

Winter is dragging on. And on. And on. First it was the never-ending snow and now it has been days and days of freezing fog. Yesterday the fog finally lifted and it was a glorious sunny day. This morning we are socked in again with a heavy coating of frost on every outdoor surface. Spring please. Soon.

These socks turned out well. It's the Yarn Harlot's basic sock recipe knit up in KnitPicks Imagination yarn, colourway Evil Stepmother. Lovely yarn, cozy socks.

Oooooh, cashmere piano mitts!

And, finally, mindless stress and stash busting work. I loves cotton dishcloths!

Christmas Leftovers

2009-01-10T09:11:00.000-08:00

So here it is January 10, 2009, three weeks from my last post already. How time flies. We had a great Christmas day with my daughter and her family. Braedy was so excited counting down the "sleeps" til Santa came. Having a 4 year old around makes it all so precious and fun. Two of my grandkids were having their first Christmas. Sweet little Ryleigh spent Christmas Eve day with us. She is 1 year old as of Jan. 8 and has just started walking. Baby Johnny is 3 months old and such a happy little boy. His eyes light up when Braedy talks to him and he grins from ear to ear.

We did indeed have a white Christmas. At one point there was about a foot and a half of snow, truly beautiful. It is almost all gone now and we're back to our typical west coast rainy, windy weather.

I got an organizing/cleaning bug yesterday and spent most of the morning in my closet. I culled three garbage bags of clothes, two for the Salvation Army and one for the garbage. All the shelves are tidied up and I found things I had forgotten I had! Speaking of which, I also went into the garage and noticed my big canning pot was up on a shelf instead of in its usual place lower down. I went to move it and, lo and behold, it was full of turkey leftovers, veggies and stock that I had boiled up to make soup. Forgot all about it! Surprisingly it didn't look any different from when I put it out there, I guess because it has been so cold. Into the garbage it went, no freezer soup for us later this winter. Sniff.

White Christmas

2008-12-20T06:55:00.000-08:00

We are going to have a rare white Christmas this year. The temperature has been ranging from 0 down to -10C over the past week. There is about 30 cm. of snow on the ground and more expected. The family arrives today and I am so excited to have the grandkids here for the holidays. Say good-bye to peace and quiet!

Cold rose hips:

Need to knit a few more:

Peace:

Best Laid Plans and Winter Drawers On

2008-12-15T09:00:00.000-08:00

I started this blog thinking that I would hone my writing skills. I am realizing that honing doesn't happen in a vacuum. I guess that's where discipline comes in, not one of my strong points. Maybe (see???) I'll make blogging at least weekly my 2009 resolution.

Winter has arrived. We had 4" of snow yesterday and it is -5C. Not cold by prairie standards but cold for us wet coasters. The grey skies have cleared today and the sun is shining which makes it all much more bearable. I must admit I like having an excuse to bundle up in handmade woollies, sit by the fire and knit. What's not to like about that?

I have been knitting a LOT. One (or more) could call it obsessive but I prefer to think of it as being disciplined. HA! One of my proudest projects is the Cobblestone Pullover I knit for hubby. Perfect fit and all round great knit.

There have also been Amigurumi toys:

Christmas tree ornaments:

A dress and cardie for granddaughter:

Rowena cardigan for me, diaper soakers, scarf, fingerless mitts, fingered mitts, felted purse and bowl, etc., etc. All on Ravelry.

And last, but definitely not least, a new grandson arrived in September! Number three in the 'cutest grandbabies on earth' series.

How The Deal Went Down

2008-08-16T21:39:00.000-07:00

I found a new podcast a couple of weeks ago - The Manic Purl Podcast. Turns out Chrissy lives in Vancouver so since I was headed over there I thought I'd see if I could make a purchase of her naturally hand-dyed yarn (100% merino superwash 'Storm'). We arranged to meet one evening in a Starbucks near her house. I must say it felt a little strange and I was a little apprehensive meeting an unknown someone from the internet. Upon entering the Starbucks there was this lovely young lady sitting near the door with a skein of gorgeous yarn on the table. She didn't look scary at all so I got a coffee and sat down for a little visit. Chrissy's hubby/bodyguard arrived a few minutes later and we had a bit of a laugh about our 'deal', wondering if we should surreptitiously transfer the goods under the table, casting glances over our shoulders. We had a very nice visit and I love my yarn purchase - soon to be a pair of socks. Her online store is www.yarnsprout.com

My daughter's shower went really well. Her friends had set up a table on Burnaby Mountain covered in yummy food and drinks. The weather was perfect and everyone really enjoyed themselves. I had dressed up a very cute teddy bear in the Baby Surprise Jacket and wrapped him in the Noah's Ark quilt - I think she was quite tickled.

I have been knitting diaper soakers for the new baby, three so far in different sizes. They are so cute - I can't wait to see the little fella decked out. I also knit up these little socks for the B-man and his little bro.

There is a very fine line between hobby and mental illness.....Dave Barry

2008-07-31T06:32:00.001-07:00

I love that quote. I have walked that fine line many times. When I find something that really interests me I tend to jump into it, immerse myself in it and not come out until I have either gotten bored or life has somehow gotten in the way. As I get older I seem to have more patience and stick-to-it-ness, I am more willing to work out mistakes and not just throw up my hands in despair, and I have much more pride in and appreciation for the finished product. I think knitting has been my biggest and best obsession. It is a great stress-buster. It is portable, tactile, sometimes repetitive, mostly interesting and the end result provides great satisfaction. Knitting socks makes me feel ever so clever. Wielding five fragile rosewood sticks and a fine yarn looks very impressive. I was once on the ferry to the mainland when a small group of Chinese tourists stopped in front of me to watch my knitting, bobbing their heads and smiling at me. They were clearly impressed, which felt good, but I felt like a tourist attraction, almost as good as spotting a killer whale off the starboard side!

I recently finished the Baby Surprise Jacket by Elizabeth Zimmerman. It is a very interesting pattern, a little confusing in that EZ assumes you are in her brain and know what she is thinking. It is not for the faint of heart or the inexperienced and the finished piece is a strangely shaped rectangle that looks nothing like a sweater. The 'surprise' is how it goes together. I don't think I could ever have figured it out without a diagram which has you match A to A and B to B and voila! you have the cutest little sweater for baby. I had enough yarn left over to make a little earflap hat and booties. All set for my daughter's baby shower next Monday. I'm also working on a quilt for baby which I'll have finished as soon as I put the binding on today. My plan is to dress a stuffed toy in the knitted outfit and wrap it all in the quilt.

The Wee Hours

2008-07-13T06:23:00.001-07:00

A little birdie woke me this morning at 4:45 with a very pretty, but LOUD, call right outside my open bedroom window. I tried to go back to sleep but no such luck. Gave up and got up. rrrrgh.

Life has been somewhat hectic this last month. My son-in-law has been in Fiji leading an archaeology field school so my daughter and grandson have been staying with us. Having a 3 1/2 year old around makes for very different days - his energy is unstoppable so there is something happening all the time. He is so cute, so lovable, so affectionate and sooooo busy! I love having them here -- J loves to cook so we have great meals cooked for us as well as lots of home baking (not good for the waistline but so what!) The little guy had strep throat last week, fever, lethargy, swollen tonsils, etc. Poor baby, he really felt miserable, but he was such a trooper saying "I feel better now" whenever we fussed over him. He had to go on antibiotics and yesterday we noticed a rash over most of his body. We stopped the antibiotics (he has had a full week's worth), gave him a soothing bath and hopefully it will be better when he gets up this morning.

I have been getting quite a bit of knitting done as it is something I can pick up and fire off a few rows in between gramma, mom and wife chores. The Sea Baby outfit is for the new grandson due in September. It was a lovely knit with yarn that was 30% Sea Cell. Such a cute pattern. I also made a tea cozy for J to match her lovely Denby ware. That was done in Cascade 220 wool which felts beautifully. Felting always scares me - taking a nice, albeit large, object and tossing it into a hot water wash and agitating the hell out of it is somewhat of a leap. I have only had to frog one item (slippers) but that wasn't the felting process, more the pattern being weird and the slippers ending up looking like a plaster foot cast. I save them though as you can cut the felted object like fabric so may be able to use them in or on something else one day.

The weather has been great, lots of sunny days, some of which have been a little too hot for my liking. Hot flushes and hot weather are not a fun combo. However, it is usually easy to find a cool(ish) spot somewhere and, if all else fails, a drive in my AC equipped car to run some errands makes for a reprieve. The relatives in Florida thought it was highly amusing when I told them we were having a heat wave. They seem to think the Pacific NorthWest is always wet and cold. Funny, that. The garden is gorgeous - roses, star-gazer lilies (8 feet tall!), day-lilies, shasta daisies, canterbury bells.....

Where did summer go?

2008-06-04T08:15:00.000-07:00

After that lovely stretch of warm weather last week I have to confess I thought it would last forever. Well, it didn't. The last few days have been downright miserable. Wind and rain and overcast skies - blah. The garden seems to love it though, in fact the whole yard looks green and fresh. There is a lovely little wild rose bush in full bloom at the top of the driveway, the salal has flowered and the brambles add their own special highlight of white blossoms all through the underbrush. I love the new green tips on the branches of the evergreens - they look like little fingers.

I finished a felted tea cozy yesterday (in spite of a migraine - rrrrgh). It was a very easy pattern, the flowers were cross-stitched on after knitting.

It is amazing how a big floppy knitted article can felt down to a solid piece of fabric. Next project will be felted clogs for Braedy. He actually asked me to knit him some slippers last time he was here so I'd better get busy before his next visit!

My son-in-law left for Fiji on Friday for a two month archeological dig. He has taken a field school with him so will be teaching the entire time he's away. He and my daughter study the pottery found in these digs to try and establish a travel timeline of the ancient peoples. They have found shards of pottery up to 3500 years old with distinctive markings that indicate the movements of various indigenous tribes. Very interesting stuff. Meanwhile my daughter and Braedy are left behind as daughter is pregnant, due in September. I'm headed over to visit with them this weekend. They will be coming to stay with us for most of July which will be lots of fun. It always brightens up the house to have Braedy around.

Birth Announcement

2008-05-28T13:01:00.000-07:00

After I wrote the previous post I had the cable guy here for some repairs. As he was traipsing through the bush on our property he came across these two new babes. Mum was standing guard about 20 feet away. They were absolutely still, obviously well trained by Mum.

Summer is here - not officially but close enough.

2008-05-28T10:51:00.000-07:00

I finished these Queen of Cops socks yesterday. I love knitting socks; I love the small bamboo and rosewood needles in my hands. And I feel very clever juggling 5 needles at once.

We finally seem to have settled into summer-like weather here. The garden is gorgeous with lilac, wisteria, azaleas and rhodos in bloom. Hubby bought me a beautiful hanging basket for Mother's Day. It is huge - full of petunias and daisies busting out of a moss basket. I've got geraniums potted in front, the Stargazer lilies are about five feet tall, Lady's Mantle is everywhere, woolly thyme is spreading across the pathways (smells lovely when crunched). We have a resident raccoon who rambles through every evening. I wonder if it's a she and if we may see babies soon. Lots of deer around including a very pregnant doe. We usually see at least one pair of adorable little fawns each year. The hummingbird feeder is abuzz with Rufous and Annas fighting over space. They are like tiny jet fighters, whizzing by at such a speed I don't know how they keep from crashing into things!

I'm off to Victoria this weekend to visit a very dear friend (since grade 4!) for a couple of days. We share the same obsessions with yarn and fabric so will visit as many shops as we can cram in, have lunch at the Dutch Bakery, I hope, and yak our heads off. It is her birthday in June so I'm going to present her with an early prezzie, the bag pictured. I hope she likes it as much as I enjoyed making it.

2008-05-10T07:08:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure where to start so maybe I'll go with what is making me happy these days. I just celebrated my 55th birthday - yikes! I have no problem with being 55, it's just that when I say it outloud it doesn't feel right. Ever since turning 50 I get a small shock or jolt whenever I have to tell someone my age. Can I really be 55 when I only feel 30ish? I have this image of myself that doesn't quite match up with the person I see in passing mirrors and windows. That person looks more and more like my mother! Not that looking like my mother is a bad thing, as I always thought she was lovely, it's just that she was a lot older than me. Oh well. I am getting better at accepting the sags, wrinkles, crinkly knees, odd spots, etc. that mark the passage of time.

I have been madly knitting and quilting over the past few months. My most recent finish is a hooded baby cape that should fit Ryleigh this fall and winter. I have also almost completed a cardie for myself, socks, booties. In the quilting department I made a lovely batik quilt for my pseudo-daughter (my daughter's best friend) and another for her mother who turned 60 this month. I quilted some placemats that turned out to be very cool even though the pattern was not ADD friendly and I spent a lot of time taking out seams and re-sewing them.

I think I'll close for now as my tummy is asking for breakfast.