Gardening 101

Although there's been little crafting, there's been plenty of gardening!  After consulting my gardening books and online guides, we visited the garden centre.  You know that "high" you get from visiting a really nice yarn shop?  Yeah, I get that way from visiting a good nursery.  

Front flower bed

Perhaps overly ambitious, I was lured by the promise of bright colours.  When I got home, I went straight to work, digging up the long neglected garden--covered in that yucky weed fabric (which never really works very well at keeping out the weeds) and tons of unappealing red mulch (I'd rather use natural or black-coloured mulch).  Love the feel and smell of soil between my fingers . . . and then there's the satisfaction of seeing the plants in their place.  Wow! 

View from above

There's nothing like caring for a garden, tending those little plants and watching them grow.  It's good for the soul.  And then your creative juices start flowing and great ideas swim 'round your head: Yup, I has plans--big plans!!  But I need to go slow and work on it a little at a time because (a) I'm no spring chicken and (b) I don't have enough funds to follow my dreams all at once.

That small flower bed at the front of the house took a few hours worth of digging.  There was nothing there and the soil needed lots of compost and good black top soil.  Whatcha think?  Pretty?

Detail of columbine flowers

Lots of shade loving perennials: columbine, bleeding hearts, lungwort and coneflowers.  There's also some dianthus and alyssum in hot pink and purple.  Hope everything survives.

Hanging basket detail

We added a couple of hanging baskets too--in hot pinks.  These will look pretty when they're in full bloom--if summer ever decides to officially show up (I'm lookin' at you Mother Nature.  After the long winter we've had, we need some summer, please.).


Hope your weekend is filled with sunshine. :)

Dishcloth Desires

Yeah, sometimes its the simplest item that brings out the creative side . . . especially if you've got a nice collection of scrap yarns, namely in cottons (mine are mostly Bernat Handicrafter Cotton).

I've already regaled you with laundry and water mishaps concerning my dishcloths.  Some have had to go the way of the trash can (it's pretty bad when a dishcloth can't even find a second career as a cleaning cloth).

First dishcloth in blue and white

To that end I started with one dishcloth (incidentally I really loved the contrast of blue against white . . . until the hard water got a hold it--grrrrrrr!).

That dishcloth led to another whose colour combo was less than exciting or even inspiring . . . 

Second cloth in less inspiring yellow and blue

Until I discovered a small stash of colourful scraps hiding out in the black hole known as my craft closet (I gotta re-organize my stuff, but I've been busy "spring-cleaning"  the dressers and closets) . . . 

Cotton Stash

Just love, love, love the colour combo (although there are lotta ends to weave).  Gotta make more in these colours and maybe even experiment with a different stitch pattern like a stripey waffle pattern.  I'll keep you posted.

Pretty Finished Dishlcoth

Have a good week!

At Long Last!

Finally!  I got my hands on that iconic and definitive tome on all things top down: Knitting From the Top by Barbara Walker.  I've been itching to own this book for ages!  It had been available in the US at Amazon.com for a number of years, but sadly "out of print" on the Canadian Amazon.ca (and I wasn't prepared to pay $200 plus for it).  So imagine my surprise when I saw it was available . . . and me with gift cards to spend!!  Oh joy!!

Walker's Knitting From the Top

I also ordered Ann Budd's collection of top down sweaters, but that hasn't arrived yet (part of my order shipped from Ontario and the rest came from British Columbia.).  The two will complement each other nicely: one focusing on theory and the other on patterns (for any size, any gauge and any yarn). 

Budd's Handy Book of Top-Down Sweaters

My other acquisition was the third collection of patterns from Wendy Bernard, Custom Knits: Accessories.  I've always liked Bernard's patterns and how she gives the knitters suggestions for modifying and customizing the pattern.  So it was a no-brainer for me. 

Bernard's Custom Knits Accessories

Happy inspirations!

Diversions

So I've managed to overcome my addiction to Facebook. I still check it to see what family and friends are up to, but for the longest time there was always a game or two to idle the time away.  For the last few years, Restaurant City has been "the time suck".  Not no more.  Something else occupies my time.  

Pinterest 

Every heard of Pinterest?  OMG, it's the ultimate time suck!  But it is sooo much fun.  Basically its a virtual bulletin board.  You can "pin" pictures, how-to's and such from the world wide web and "pin" them on your virtual board where you'll always have access to the original link.  This is handy if, like me, you could be on different computers and can't access bookmarks left on another machine.

Someone's Pin List

Whatever your interests, you'll find something: crafts, art, decor, gardening, people . . . the list is endless.  And if you find an individual who shares the same interests, you can follow their boards and pins.  You can also follow a particular business or artist--very neat!  Check it out, but only if you dare to idle away hours upon hours . . . 

Not Quite Knitting . . .

I'd like to write that I'm almost finished my Bohus Redux cardigan, but sadly I haven't touched it all week.  Instead I've been working on the lone slipper in the hopes that I can finally give them to my husband (I think I've been working on these for a year--although to be fair, they've been sitting in my knitting basket untouched for a long, long time).


And since I've no camera with me, there are no updated photos of knitted items (although how interesting can a slipper be?).  Instead, you must content yourself with a few breath-taking shots of country life:

Pond Near Our Place

Misty Sunrise

There's something about the natural world that impresses and inspires a soul . . . Perhaps this is why I left the security and familiarity of city-life lo those many years ago.  Perhaps this is why we longed to leave town life.  For two years we dreamed . . . and now here we are.  


So I have to live without the internet for a few more weeks? Thus far I've managed.  Besides, there are plenty of wi-fi hot spots during my weekly forays into town (As I write this I'm enjoying the quiet space and luxury of a hotel.  I've got a work-related seminar in the morning).  Too philosophical?  Maybe. Its good to stop and reflect every now and then.


Here's hoping your weekend is a good one--and a crafty one.  :)

About Knit Night

Knitting (and crochet) are generally solitary activities.  And for the longest time I only knew one other knitter in real life--who happened to be my mother-in-law.  Then came the discovery of a knitting group in my wee community.  

A Fellow Member's Alpaca Lace Scarf

Funny story: while perusing the various groups on Ravelry, a poster lamented her difficulties in finding other knitters.  I responded with a "I feel your pain 'cuz I can't find other knitters in my small town either".  Lo and behold, another poster (who happened to follow my blog) mentioned that she lived in the same small town.  Then she invited me to join her at the next meeting of her knitting group.  The funny part is that she had been following my blog and I had checked hers out, and we didn't even know we lived in the same town!  

Another Knitter's Christmas Ball and Finished Sweater

Sometimes I feel like "the noob" 'cuz the other members are experienced knitters whose handiwork is often exquisite, delicate or complicated (and sometimes all three!).  But that's okay.  Each to his or her ability.  Besides, over the past year I've challenged myself through various projects; in the process I've acquired new skills and maybe even some confidence in my crafting abilities.  In the end, its all good.

My Own Green Soleil--A Work-in-Progress

By the way, I love, love, love our new location for knit night: we meet at our newly constructed public library.  Its a green, state-of-the-art facility that looks incredibly beautiful and inviting, and feels cozy.  There's lots of natural light and loads of inspiration: many local artists contributed various pieces to decorate the space.  It is an awesome place.

Library Interior

Yup, knit night is a good night.

Goals and Plans: What? Me? A Designer?

Over the past few months, I've had a few ideas percolating in my brain.  I never thought about design (after all, I'm not looking to re-invent the wheel).  But a few things have intrigued me and spurred on a design possibility.

First, wool intrigues me.  Not so much wool itself; rather wool's insulating properties, particularly in the application of mittens.  Imagine getting your mitts wet and still being able to stay warm?  How cool is that!  As a teacher,  I know only too well the consequences of wet mitts and frigid temperatures.

Another interest has been the thrum mitten.  The idea of fluffy warmth surrounding one's hands on a blustery February morn is quite appealing.  However, thrum mitts do look rather bulky and I wasn't sure if I was up to the challenge of constructing such an article (although a few of the gals at knit night have made them).

Stash to the rescue!  In my bin, I found 100% wool in my Briggs and Little along with extra skeins of bulky, soft Bernat Roving.  What if I combined the two to create a cushion-like fabric without all the bulk of a thrum?  With needles in hand I cast-on, taking copious notes, ripping out as needed and re-knitting.  Where did it all lead?

Introducing my lovely Faux-Thrum Mittens (link to free pattern page on this blog). 

It doesn't look like a thrum mitten; however, the diagonal pattern creates a layer of roving floats inside to cushion and thicken the fabric.  Now Bernat Roving is only 20% wool, but Briggs and Little makes 100% wool roving and Patons Roving is 100% wool (both of which are available locally so I may have to experiment).

Inside the Mitten

Writing a pattern is a little intimidating--and even a little daunting--but its done.  Please check it out.  Hopefully I can churn out another pair of mittens and maybe coax a friend to test knit it.

Inspiration

Sometimes you meet a person who inspires you, whether its to do more, to try harder, or just to be a better you.  I think dear hubby is my inspiration.

First-Time Daddy

Halloween Fun

Thanks for letting me be "me" and for sharing all the wonderful parts of you. And thank you for being a thoughtful, loving father to our children.

Sharing Music with the Boys

Happy Father's Day sweetie.

My Quandry: Towel or Placemat?

Almost an FO

Yeah, that kitchen towel proved to be a quick knit.  All done except for the weaving in of ends and finding a button (Aren't I good at hiding the ends?  And I apologize for the quality of my photos, but its been raining for three days . . . )

Another View of Kitchen Towel

While many other knitters have made these towels, I was particularly inspired by Crafterella's  version: check out her towels in bright blue, red and white. And I so love the matching buttons too!

(used with permission from Crafterella)

Aren't they just lovely!  Seeing her towels made me think that perhaps I should make more than just one towel (maybe three?).  Wonder if I'd have enough yarn to make another towel, perhaps with more striping? There should be enough yarn as I'm already on my fourth placemat. 

So here's my quandry: more towels or more placemats?  Initially I thought to make only four placemats, but wouldn't six be better than four?  Now you might be thinking to yourself: make it all.  Well, I'd love to, except that there's limited yarn.  Except for the white, I can't find the same colours locally so I have to use what I've got.

Decisions, decisions . . . :S

Yay, Spring Equinox!

Spring fell upon Saturday and it was the most glorious day of all!  Enviroment Canada said my area reached 12 C, but my dashboard thermostat said 19 C.  And it was the warmest it has ever been in March!  Ever.  This time last year, there was still snow on the ground.  Here's the photographic proof.

March 31 2009

See all that white stuff on the ground?  And all those icicles dangling off the lights (I couldn't remove the Christmas lights 'cuz part of the string was stuck in the snow)?  This year, no snow yet, although there's some in the forecast for later on in the week.  That can change--I hope. 

For the first time ever in March, my own crocuses sprouted!  They never EVER come up in March.  It's usually too cold or there's snow on the ground.

First Crocus Buds of 2010

It won't be long before they're blooming and looking like below.

Blooms from 2009

These beauties didn't sprout till April and it wasn't until end of month that they bloomed (photos are dated April 24).  I just love Spring!  Don't you?

Have a great week!

Mind the Mess

It's just  some of my scrapbooking stuff.  One of my little ones was sick today and it was my turn to stay home (dear hubby did his duty yesterday).  I decided to take advantage of the time to work on a special scrapbook--so I'm not showing you any of the finished pages.

When I started scrapping a few years back, I used to make sketches and it would take me forever to complete a double page spread.  These days I don't scrap as often as I'd like to; however, when I do get the chance, I'm more laid back about it.  I let the pictures "talk" to me .  

I guess some knitters do the same thing too.  They let the yarn "talk" to them to discover what the yarn would like to be.  I don't think I can hear my yarn talking.  Rather, when I start a project usually its the pattern that attracts me first .  Then I search for yarn to fit the pattern.  Guess everyone works in their own way.

Happy knittin' (or scrappin')

For Your Viewing Pleasure

Slogging away at the knitting . . . clickety-clack, clickety-clack go my metal needles (swish-swish go the bamboo needles?).  Waiting ever so patiently to finish all the Christmas gifts and I have been good.  Finished two fingers on gloves.  As well, I knit quite a bit on my mom's lace scarf: up to about 35 inches now (it helped that I was stuck for 4-5 hours waiting for my H1N1 and seasonal flu shots).  But I grow ever so impatient.  I wanna make something for me **sniff, sniff** 

So to soothe my soul I picked up some sock yarn in fresh, up-lifting colours.  Take a gander at this wonderfully colourful confectionary:

Yummy blues and greens swathed in silky-alpaca-merino goodness all waiting to be made into something for ME! 

I just lurve that skein from Lismore Sheep Farm so much!  Is it okay if I rub it against my skin?  Patience is a virtue, n'est pas?

Vampires, Knitting and Blogrolls--Oh My!

Why do I blog? What compels me to write? Hmmm . . .

Initially it was a way for me to write more in-depth about my knitting. Ravelry is an awesome place which affords the knitter a place to document their experience (good or bad) with a particular pattern. But often there was more to the story than just simple modification. I needed another avenue to share my trials and tribulations. Needless to say, I sometimes ramble on about things other than knitting, but that's another story.

I've been online in some form or another since early 2000, mainly on forums and such (initially for new moms, then parenting, then scrapbooking . . .well, you get the picture). Some time during my forays into cyberspace, I discovered blogs. Then I discovered knitting blogs. For the past two years, I have been religiously following umpteen blogs which I check on a weekly basis (my blogroll , unfortunately, does not accurately reflect the depth of my obessession as I've only listed a few and have yet to add the rest--forgive my laziness). I am the classic lurker and generally leave no comments, although I've tried to reform my reticent ways of late.

I love reading about the adventures--and sometimes misadventures--of my fave blog authors. Each week I'd eagerly check in to see how much progress they'd made, to admire the lovely fibre acquisition they'd made or to drool over a new pattern. Most I had found through Knitty whilst seeking out free patterns. Then I'd mine the blogroll of my fave designer. These days, I check out the blogs of fellow ravelers and bookmark the ones I enjoy the most.


Perhaps the most important reason for blogging is my desire to write. Okay, I'll fess up that about 2 years ago I tried my hand at writing a novel. I gave it my best shot, then the "pop and fizzle" faded. Writer's block? Perhaps. Maybe I just lost interest (okay, here's the vampire part: it was about blood drinkers, but more twisted and surreal then anything I've ever come across and not very romantic). Despite putting down the pen, I still yearned to write; I needed an outlet for creative energies. Hence a blog was born.


How long will I continue this pursuit? Will I some day abandon it and let it fade into the twinkling lights of cyberspace . . . perhaps not, at least not for a while. Certainly I never would have guessed that knitting, blogrolls and vampires would have led me, thus far, to this place. To where the road continues, I do not know, but I shall enjoy the journey. Hope you enjoy the journey too! :)