Apple Hat and Cowl

All right then, another hat, and quickie Cowl done.

Pumpkin Hat and Cowl

This was one of those days that startitis hit me.
I had, at work, yarn for a pumpkin hat for my grandson; Kimono Jacket WIP and a hoodie WIP for my granddaughter.

I started the pumpkin hat at my lunch time, and continued when I came home. The pattern is a combination of several Pumpkin Hat patterns from the web. That is why there is no link to the pattern.

As the evening progressed, I started thinking of a gift for a friend, and spent almost an hour looking for yarn which was in my mind for the gift. Guess what, I didn't find that yarn, but found some other yarn that I started using. I also found a pattern almost immediately. It is listed in Ravelry, but linked to this blog. It is called "Quickie Cowl.

These are pictures of the yarn, and the start of the cowl for my friend.

She likes green, and I hope this
gift will please her.

Kimono Jacket

Here is my wip on Kimono Jacket, so far.

Do you like my blocking tools? (scotch tape)

There is no chart or drawing of the pieces with the pattern instructions, but I think that the wider part is one side of the back and the narrow part is part of a sleeve. I could be wrong, but nah, no.

I am loving this work, and can't think of anything else to make right now. Let's see how long this mood is going to last.

This morning I spent over an hour fixing pictures from my Portland trip (over 300 pictures in all), and then, duh, forgot to save the changes.

Must love Picasa, I went back to see if there are any interesting pictures (I had closed the dang thing), and there it was "save the changes?" WOW, I clicked on it, and all my changes are there in my files. Somehow I feel happy. Little things make me happy. Just like seeing all kinds of bridges when sitting in that Max train.

I'm still seriously thinking of knitting a hoodie, but have not found a pattern that I reeeeeellly like. There is a nice pattern in Big Girl's knitting book, called Susie Hoodie, which I like very much.

Startitis strikes again

I was to tell you more about Portland trip, but I got distracted with some new projects.
One of them is a Kimono Striped Jacket, pattern from Crystal Palace Yarns.

Since I am not even near feeling comfortable in those colors, I decided to make mine with colors that suit my whims. This is a sample of my new project.



I have done quite a bit already, and starting to increase stitches to over 280, ack!
Other than that, I have been checking my stash room and finding many UFOs that should be worked on as soon as possible.
However, as my startitis aches my being, I have not been able to work on one project for too long.

Here is some pictures from Portland, just to keep my promise of showing more pictures.




















I really like the costume Laurie was wearing. She even had her "hook" with her.






My freeform vest from the back.










I took a freeform
knitting class with Jenny Dowde. It was an interesting experience. I learned a few new tricks, and lots of inspiration. Jenny is a wonderful instructor, and her work is amazing.









My friend Janet and I spent a wonderful time together. We had smoothies every chance we got, and she told me how to make them at home. We went downtown, got some souvenirs and went to Powell's book store (of course). I bought Melissa Leapman's book "Hot Knits".

We also went to see the artesan, which was overwhelmingly large. I was dead tired by the time we had gone thru four aisles. That meant that we headed back to the hotel to take a rest before dinner and Fashion Show. Janet has some fashion show pictures in her blog.

I was pleased to meet Jorel from California and Bonnie from Washington state. We have "talked" by e-mails in our Freeform group, but meeting the person in real life is a wonderful experience. When I heard someone talking about me behind me, at a lineup in a cafe, I turned around and there was Vashti. WOW,
that was amazing. We had a quick hug, and some words and my smile lasted a long time after that. I guess until I started eating my lunch.










Of course I was also delighted to meet Margaret, Myra, Mel, Noreen, Pam and Crochet Dude, and many, many other friends from our International Freeform group.

Portland, OR part 2

It was early in the morning when I went to the airport. The flight to Vancouver was over 4 hours, which worked out quite well, with some napping and watching the personal screen in front of me.

Vancouver airport. What can I say? It's nice and fairly big, and modern. HOWEVER, why in the friggggging world didn't the builders put some moving walkways? I think I stepped on one or maybe two, and that's it. To get to Portland gate I had to walk forever, and thensome. Plus I had to leave my orange juice bottle at the security, even though I had just bought it, inside the airport.
Oh, I know, I know, you don't have to tell me. And I knew I couldn't take it inside the secure area.

I had a long sip of the juice before I threw it in the bin, where all the other prohibited items were.

As soon as I got to the other side, another bottle was in my bag. Somewhat expensive orange juice, don't ya think?

Portland! Airport! My aim was for Red Lion Hotel by the Convention Center. I remembered the talk about this MAX train. I found it and it was FREE, can you believe it?

Arrived at the hotel, and met Janet, my friend from California. She had driven 1000 miles just to meet me. That is so special.

We settled into our hotel room and chatted and chatted. Then I decided that I was hungry and Janet had no objections. We walked across the street to Burgerville.

I had fish and chips. Janet had sweet potato fries, and a smoothie. My late lunch was great, but I didn't care too much for the sweet potato fries. I took one to taste from Janet's serving.

After the meal we headed towards the convention center and then to the Knit and Crochet Show Vendors' Market.
I did buy yarn, even though I had promised everyone else but me that I would not buy any. How can you resist, when there are so many yummy yarns calling your name. More coming another day.

Portland, OR

I am feverishly working on my freeform vest, and this has been a real ordeal. There has been a lot of frogging, crocheting, tears, heart palpitations, joy, and frustration.

The best part is that I will be leaving on Thursday morning, and getting to Portland in the afternoon.

I am not sure how the vest is going to look, but I will take it with me, and then if there are any
corrections to be made, I will do that when I get back home.

Talk to you after my trip.

Bod Dylan Tribute concert

We went to CNE to listen to a band (The Dylan Tree) that plays Bob Dylan songs. Not that I was a huge fan of Dylan's but he did have some songs that I liked. "Like a rolling stone" and "Tambourine Man" .
(Bob Dylan himself sings the TM in that you tube video)

Before I got my brain working cleverly, the battery in my camera was going down and down. I managed to get one song completely, but only 11 seconds of "Tambourine Man"

The musicians in the band are Canadians, and boy, was a ever impressed of their talent.

While waiting for the concert to begin, I was crocheting, and chatted with a lady from California.
She said that she only uses sc stitch. That's so cool to be able to do that.

Here is a link to Xenobia's site. I think her work is fabulous. I believe that she uses only sc stitch.

Ravelympics 2008

FINISHED my project! It's a freeform bag.
I used stash leftovers, Sherri's homespun, Koigu yarn given to me by Julia, and some beads at the bottom.

August weekend

Our grandson turned one year old.


His party was great. There were lots of kids, lots of moms and dads, grandparents, aunts and uncles.

The table was full of goodies, meatballs, cookies, salads, some other stuff that I don't know the
name for them. Plus, of course hamburgers, hotdogs, chicken, lots of water and other drinks.

The kids were having a ball in the pool, sliding down and playing with water. It was a great day, and even the rain stayed away.

Of course there was the cake, and this little birthday boy had the cake all over him and his face. That's what happens when one eats with his little fingers.

Today is another beautiful day. It was warm and sunny all day. I foolishly stayed inside all day, knitting a scarf for a co-worker, who will have a birthday on Thursday, but since she decided to take a vacation for that day, we are going to have a luncheon for her on Wednesday.
There is no escape here for her. Here is a picture of the scarf. It is done in garter stitch, with
size 5 mm needles. The "yarn" is Eros Herwool. It's some sort of ribbon yarn. There is no way a pattern would show up, so just a plain garter stitch is the best.

No imagination for Title

It's funny how time flies when you are crocheting freeform stuff, or knitting socks (I can't believe I just said that).

Every day, or rather, night, after work I hit my seat by our dining table. Not to eat (well I do that too) but crochet. One day it was a freeform bag for Ravelympics, and one day it was still working on my freeform top/jacket/shawl...I have decided that I have no idea how the scrumbles will get together and form something wearable.

One little problem I have with that project is that I like to make little pieces and then crochet and crochet, and don't stop, and those little pieces take time to make, just as joining anything to form something sensible. I must say that this project is the most difficult project I have made. I know I made an Irish Crochet - type tunic, and also a jacket, using lots of IC motifs. This project on the hook now is strictly freeform, the way I like it, and it's taking forevvvverrr, because my thread is really thin. I bought the thread at CGOA Manchester, NH, Knit and Crochet show. Oh,
and some of the thread I bought at Valley Forge Knit and Crochet show.

See, I do use my yarns and threads, maybe not immediately, but eventually. I hope the yarns from years and years ago don't hear me talk like that. Can you imagine, I had just bought some
Fiddlestick lace yarn to take part in Mysterystole 4 project, which will start in September.

I also have started three of four scarves for a co-worker, who has a birthday coming up, but she is not going to get the scarf. My fingers just don't work with a lace pattern right now. They are geared for free movement.

I took a break from everything else, and decided that I will be able to knit a pair of socks for our grandson, who is going to be one year in a two days.
I started this morning, without a pattern, but after searching the websites, I decided that I just combine some of the patterns and then get the socks done. The yarn is Regia Crazy Colors, and the colors are crazy, indeed. I tried four times to match the yarn for the second sock. I kind of did, but the yarn played a trick on me, the colors didn't run as perfectly as I expected, so some of the stripes are off. I am sure our one-year old little boy isn't going to worry about some design
features that grandma had done.

This afternoon, after work, I went grocery shopping, and wouldn't you know there was a new Vogue Knitting magazine.

I have not had time to look very closely at the patterns, but have been drooling over some new stuff that is appearing in the market for knitters.

I hope some of these neat gadgets are going to be at Portland Knit and Crochet show. I have made a decision, I will not buy yarn, just gadgets and perhaps that fancy knitting bag that is shown in VK magazine. It's a must to have for me.

Stitch 'n Pitch

Yes, I have my ticket for tonight at Roger's Center (used to be Skydome) for

the Stitch 'n Pitch event. I will be going there right after my workday.

Yes, I have my knitting with me. Actually I have three knitting choices, and a crochet

choice. I have never been quick to decide what I want to do. Perhaps that is why I have such a bad case of perpetual startitis.

In my younger days it was not so noticeable, because my yarn stash contained only

current work in process (WIP) project. However, my magazine collection had started

in those early days, by subscriptions to magazines that were available. All of them were

for knitting. My mom was the one who collected crochet booklets, and then eventually

gave them to me. I have kept the tradition in good shape.

For tonight I have two sock starts. One is Seaweed pattern by Wendy Johnson. I had started

it with another yarn (Clown, 1786), but realized that the yarn and the pattern had some issues in making a harmonious union. I frogged the sock starts just to the beginning of the lace pattern and decided that this yarn was meant to fly solo. No special patterns, just plain stockinette stitch. Good choice.

Second sock is with Patons Sock Stretch yarn, boy is it ever soft and stretchy, when touched, but not so soft when knitted. It has some cotton mixed in with wool, and that cotton might make it a little bit harder than plain wool would. Which is fine with me, I prefer the cool hint of the cotton that this yarn gives.

The pattern is Seaweed by Wendy Johnson, and although the yarn color isn't perfect, it will do much better than the other yarn.

My third project is a lace scarf for a friend, who has a birthday coming up soon, and I have only made about 15 cm. The yarn is Fiddlesticks laceweight, in Curry. It has Merino wool and silk, so it should be a nice scarf. The pattern is from the web, Pixie's Patterns "Fern Lace Scarf"

All these pictures were taken at my desk, and none of thse projects are blocked. The scarf start really isn't giving the real picture, but it will follow, as soon as it's done and properly handled.

Now, I do not want to take too much stuff with me, so I need to do some smart thinking about my take-along projects. Oh, I forgot the crocheting project. That would be freeform, no pattern, just thread and hook. The liiittttle problem would be the small hook and thin yarn. If I dropped the hook, I probably would not find it (it's size 10 steel hook) and thread is size something, between 10 and 20, I think. I am not sure if I want to fiddle with that stuff, I need a table and good light, and nobody bothering me, so that my mind can guide my hook to incredibly imaginative designs.

You guessed it, the plain stockinette stitch sock it will be, since there is no hope in hell that I would be able to follow a lace stitch pattern, either in that scarf or that sock; after all

I am going to a baseball game to watch Blue Jays, and some other team, duh, Oakland, I think.

Do you think I should check the names of the players, or do I just go to the event for fun?

I am sure I will have some pictures later on, since I have my minuscule camera with me.

Wrong choices

The last two days have been hot and humid. My A/C isn't on all the time, though, because I don't really like the "artificial" cool air that A/C produces. I also get sniffles and coughs, when the cold air blows too long.

What did I do yesterday and today? Cleared my work area in the dining room. Yes, I have all my stuff on the dining table because I like working at that table. I have created a little "cubicle" for myself around the table. Even another table, but small, one of those end tables, that have a shelf in the middle. That table was full of my critical and current supplies, as well as books and magazines that were bought most recently. There was a fairly high pile of pattern printouts, and some other paper which didn't know where else to go at that moment when I was emptying my tote bag to make room for new stuff. You see, my tote bag contains patterns, magazines, and books, in case I have time to work on something at my lunch time at work.

Did I mention that the mentioned tote bag is the one that goes with me to work every day.
Did I ever mention that my current tote bag was made by my dear, dear friend, who lives in Sweden? She does quilting, and look at the two bags she made for my birthday. No wonder I carry them with me everywhere. The other bag has works stuff and bills and some other important items that have nothing to do with knitting or crocheting.










I also received, from another dear, dear friend, who lives in Finland, a quilted pillow case, which I
use all the time on my comfortable recliner seat when I watch TV. It's soooo pretty.










What was the wrong choice? To start heavy duty organizing, moving furniture, and yarn bags, yarn boxes, yarn tubs, books, and magazines. This was yesterday, and I felt as if I was working in a sauna in a brutal heat condition. Today was time to move the boxes and bags away, move the small table somewhere else, and organize a space for my treadmill. Another friend had given me this huge treadmill, since she did not have room in her new apartment. Like I have. But I have it now nicely put by the window, and I can watch TV while doing my walk. I refuse to use the e-word in this case, because if I do, I won't walk on my treadmill, if it means it's e.......
and I don't care if I put enough dots after e.







I am now so tired that any thought of crocheting or knitting sounds like work. My hubby suggested that we order pizza tonight. I must love him. He was at work on both days. When he is at home, I get none of this organizing done, it just doesn't happen. Maybe because he might want to help me (with my yarns, snicker, snicker), and I don't want any help. First, he has organizing skills, I don't, he would know what to do (throw most of my stuff in the garbage), I would not know (I keep EVERYTHING). He would be organizing my stuff so well that I would not find anything any more.

Even after I did my own clearing, I already have stopped to think "where did I put that one?"

This is going to be a challenging time for me. I need to prove to myself, and myself alone, that I can live in an organized area. I will wish myself luck.

New socks

I am starting to feel very strange, I am knitting socks during my free time. I should be working on my freeform top and hubby's cardigan, but nooooh, socks it is, and many of them started.

Belle Eloque socks that I mentioned in my previous post, are frogged and started again with a "normal" cuff. I didn't like my picot edging, I wasn't careful in turning the cuff, and it was crooked at some parts. I could have tried again, but was too busy to start the new pair. So far it looks great.

Here is a new sock, "Seaweed Socks" by Wendy Johnson. I went to get the link, and noticed that Wendy has started new socks. This is going to kill me, this sock phase.