Some finished projects...

In my previous post, I said that I would spend some time finishing projects, and I did.

I have finished this scarf for my niece (she's really into green this season). I used Knit Picks Imagination in Frog Prince (this product line was a huge hit and was sold out very quickly. I was lucky enough to place my order on time and have two skeins of several colours). It is a simple k8 p8 basket weave stitch.

I have also finished a pair of socks (of course I would go back to knitting socks). I found this yarn during one of my summer day trips. The yarn is by Titan Wool and it's called Pays (country in french). Larisa at Headwater Wool shared her Russian Knitting technique with me. She even wrote a book about it. Not only is she very busy at the shop, but she also has an alpaca farm and sells her yarn at the shop. She also gives knitting lessons (her website has a few tutorials on it).

I have also finished another scarf for myself in this basket waeve stitch. I haven't blocked it, and I think I won't either, as I love the raised effect it creates. The yarn I used for this was from Cherry Tree Hill and the colour is Spanish Moss. I just love it!

Here are two more scarves I completed, but I can't remember the yarn I used.

A must read post...

While blog surfing today, I came across this gem of a post.

http://cabincovechristmas.com/

Another felting attempt...

I wasn't expecting much from this project, as I knew the recipient would definitely not be critical. I just made a large rectangle, and then picked up stitches all around it with a circular needle. I knitted for about six inches, and then started decreasing (quite unevenly on some rows, I might add). Finally, it ended looking like this...

Since it was knitted with 100% wool ( Lopi), I decided to throw it in the washer in hot water for a spin. Boy did that thing ever shed! Big lumps of hair everywhere in the washer and on it too. I had to remove the hair bits before giving it to Lizzie. It didn't shrink by much either. Oh well, just another felting experiment, and as long as Lizzie is happy, I'm happy. Doesn't she look happy?

This coming week, I'm planning on finishing as many unfinished projects as possible. Yup, that's right. I have way too many of those hanging around the house. Besides, some of those projects are Christmas gifts, and there's not much time left before Christmas.

First attempt at felting

Although this is not a new project (I finished knitting it last December), I finally completed it this week. What was meant to be a Nintendo DS case, and be a rectangonal shape that closes at the side....ended up looking quite the opposite...
It was knitted with KnitPick's Palette yarn (100% wool), and I put in in the washer in hot water for one cycle. I didn't expect the ribbing to come out so flat (mind you, I had never felted before so I really had no idea how it would come out) and make it so wide. The other thing I didn't expect either was that the lenght would shrink so much (it was knitted with larger needles that was called for, so I was expecting some shrinkage but not that much). I guess a test swatch would have helped. Knit and learn...

Visit to the Historical Acadian Village

I just came back from a week's vacation in New-Brunswick, along with my sister and my two nieces. We drove from Toronto . Looooots of driving.

Anyways, one of the many places we visited was the Historical Acadian Village. I've always wondered why I couldn't find antique knitting needles. Well it turns out, the Acadians were using wood needles...

Of course, they were making their own yarn...

Spinning...
And were using all natural plant dyes... I wish I knew what plants created each of these vibrant colours.

Discovering dishcloths

Yes I know, it's a bit late to discover dishcloths. I've never really followed trends much.

I think I just needed a break from wool (and socks too) and wanted to knit cotton for a change. I decided to do quick projects, in case I started missing wool and/or socks, and thought:" Why not dishcloths?". I have done about a dozen so far, and here are a few...

and the second baby's here....

Here's little Nathan, my second nephew within a month. He was born two weeks after Pierre Elliot. After years of having two nieces, I'll have to get used to have little nephews. Since I only had sisters, I have no clue what little boys are like. Oh well, I guess i'll have to find out.

Welcome Pierre Elliot, and other updates

Please welcome my little nephew Pierre Elliot. He was born on April 29th and weighs about eight pounds (lost a few ounces after birth). Both him and mom are now home, and settling in a routine soon, I hope.

His little hat wasn't knitted by yours truly, but by a hospital volunteer. Little Pierre Elliot had skilfully concealed his gender by hiding it behind the umbilical cord, so no gender specific gifts were knitted for him until his birth.

Lots of knitted projects are on the way for the little one. Here's one...

I've tried to take a close-up, but the camera doesn't seem to like either the stitches, or the colour. I'll try again later...

In other knitterly news.... I got my Wee Tiny Sock! Thanks Emily! So sorry it took a bit to post about it. I just love it! Thank you, thank you!

Wee Tiny Sock Swap

This year again, I just couldn't pass up the Wee Tiny Sock Swap. I made mine with Applelaine of course, Army Surplus. Here's a pic of my Wee Tiny Sock, and my Wee Tiny Sophie. Now if onlyI could I figure out how to get the button up on my sidebar...
Also, you can check the Wee Tiny Socks here on Flickr.

Gone Applelaine mad!

I have just completed another pair of socks (for myself), in Applelaine of course. For some reason, these were from the same dye lot but ended up looking somewhat different colours. It's not a huge difference, but still a difference.

I knew I had some more of another similar colour in my stash, and thought I may had gotten two different colours for this pair of socks. But no I hadn't. Then I realized: "OMG I have so much Applelaine!" Other than the skeins in this pic, I also have another 5 skeins, and four more skeins winded in balls, ready to become socks. Oh well, Christmas presents for this year....

DR architectural details...

Flowers from DR

Since today is a rainy day, here are some flowers to cheer you up...

Back from DR...

A few quick pics as promised, before I attack a huge load of laundry. More to come later this week...

Off for March Break....

My DH and I are off to Dominican Republic for a week. We'll be staying in Puerto Plata. I certainly hope our flight is not delayed, or cancelled, as we're having yet another snow storm.

I'll be back in a week with lots of pictures to share...

New pairs of socks

A few weeks ago, an old "friend" decided to show up uninvited: arthritis. My hands and feet were all puffy, stiff and painful. After a visit to my family doctor, I was back on anti-inflamatory after a twelve year break. After a week on it, I was less swollen, feeling better but still had some pain. He told me about this new painkiller on the market that seems to be exactly what I needed. I would be his first patient to use it, and he seemed quite confident it would help me. He was right, Ralivia took care of the pain, and now I'm off the anti-inflamatories. This drug is as precise as a swiss watch. It's a slow release for 24 hours, and it's painkilling effects wear off in almost exactly 24 hours. Anyways, all of that to say if your current arthritis treatment no longer satisfies you, there are new treatments available.

Now that I'm knitting again, I finished two pairs of socks, and both are for myself. They're both made with Applelaine yarn, which knits up (and washes) so wonderfully. I've had great comments from the people who received my Applelaine socks this Christmas.
This first pair is "Purple Haze", and for some reason seems a bit darker on this picture than it actually is. The colour is more of a lavendar tone. I've also put the sock on an antique sock stretcher I found in Mont St-Hilaire this summer. I always thought that my feet were small but the stretcher is smaller than the sock.

The second pair is in "Cotton Candy" and the colour name served as my inspiration. I could just see the sugar crystals forming in the cotton candy, and then from candy I thought of candy wrappers. So off I went cabling alternating candy wrappers. I'm content of the results, but I should have knitted a few stockinette rows in between the top row and the second row of candy wrappers. The candy wrappers would be more visible, as they now seem to meet and twist sohewhat.

You make my day!

I have received a "You make my day" award from KB. That's pretty cool, thanks KB!

The rules of the award are : Give the award to 10 people (or more) whose blogs bring you happiness and inspiration and make you feel happy about blogland. Let them know by posting a comment on their blog so they can pass it on. Beware you may get the award several times.

I give the award to Bamboo Sticks , Charles, Jason Knits, Lacefreak, Cashmere Blend (I hope he's fine, he hasn't posted for a while), Crimini Jickets , Roadside (this might get him to post again), Wanietta. I know this award has been around for a bit now, so I won't be offended if you don't distribute it to ten other people (as you may have noticed, I didn't).

What's a knitter to do?

What's a knitter to do when she's stuck on a highway and hardly moving because of this mess ahead?

Here's what I did...
I was going out of my mind just not moving and waiting two minutes to move about a feet ahead, and suddenly it occured to me: KNIT! It took a bit of the edge off, but it was still frustrating to be on the road for about two hours and a half for what usually takes a half hour to drive. Oh well, the joys of living in Canada I guess...

Sophie's new hoodie

Here's Sophie's new hoodie. She fought with it a bit at first, but seems to like it now.

My knitting is not back to full swing yet. Although my fingers are still hurting, I try to knit for as long as I can tolerate each day. I believe exercise does help the sore fingers. I've been working on a "skinny scarf" for my niece.

Not much knitting...

I really haven't completed much these days other than this scarf. Unfortunately, I seem to be having an arthritis flare up. I haven't had any arthritic pain in over twelve years, and then last week BANG, and I mean BANG. In case you wonder what it feels like: close your eyes and imagine someone banging a hammer on your fingers or toes. Painful huh? Well last week when it started, it felt exactly like that in my fingers AND toes. Thank god my anti-inflammatory have started working, and the inflammation and swelling is not as bad.

Sophie's new friend

Here's Sophie's new friend, Tequilla. She's a year and half and was given to our sitter because her owners were always travelling and barely knew her. The poor girl needed a stable home, and Sophie couldn't be happier to have her as a friend.

Continuing with my scarmania fest, I have completed yet another scarf. This one is for my mother-in-law who's starting to really hate the cold. She despises going outside when it's cold. I've used the alpaca yarn I bought when we went to visit an alpaca farm last march. This should keep her warm, as alpaca is four times warmer than merino.

Scarfmania

Since I'm done with my Christmas knitting, all I've been knitting are scarves. I can't exactly blame it on the cold, as we've been having both cold and warm days. Maybe I just needed something quick and easy to knit...

I've knitted this one to go with my winter coat. It's from Wisdom Yarn's Poem, colour 571. I used three balls, but I should have bought four. I like my scarves to be on the longish side.

This one, I made for my friend John in St Louis who's battling cancer. I also made him a hat to go with it, but the picture where my husband was modelling the hat was atrocious. This one is made with Paton's SWS in Natural Earth, and I used four balls.

The last scarf, which I just finished, is for a little girl whose been long awaited for. My husband's colleague and her husband were unable to have children, so they adopted a little girl from India. The adoption process was long and frustrating for them, as they had to deal with multiple delays, and two additional (unplanned) trips to India. Finally, little Uma got home and a newly formed family has been quite happy together. I've used SWS in Natural Plum.