Month: May 2009

This morning, instead of knitting or reading (like I usually do), I started Google-ing places I want to visit before I die.  (I’m a travel junkie.  BUT, unfortunately, I have a really limited travel budget.)

Then it came to me.  Why don’t I make a list?  It’s kind of strange actually because I want to go everywhere.  What’s the point of a list if I want to see the whole world?  Well, maybe this way, I can put them in order of  “do-able now” and “hopefully do-able later”.   I can visualize that way…

First will be Boston.  I’m dying to see the Harvard campus.

This is Harvard Yard, Cambridge at the heart of Harvard University.  I want to go there!  How romantic does that place look?  (Not in the love way – in the history way.) 

There are ten yarn shops in the Boston area.  (Note:  there are no yarn shops in Cornwall!)

I even know someone who lives there.  Maybe I can bug him to be my tour guide. 

For now, I’m working on my second pair of Bella’s Mittens.  A lot of people want these.  They’re really nice and easy to make.  The pattern is well written – which I like after the whole “dress” thing.  I may need to modify them a little because they’re quite small.  Some people have bigger hands than me I guess.

Sorry the pictures suck.  The light wasn’t good the morning I took them but, I’m glad I did because this pair is gone already.  They were the first ones.   I’m working on a brown pair and should have them all finished tonight.

I spent a good part of the day on Ravelry yesterday tryingto decide what to make next.  I should probably make another pair of mittens because Jacob got a few orders from the girls at his school (apparently, everyone is as obsessed with Twilight as I am) but… I want to make something else.  I have issues.  Plus, I’m out of yarn to make the mittens.  I’ve been using Patons Shetland Chunky which is great but which also isn’t sold in Cornwall (unless Wal-Mart has it – I haven’t checked).  

I have my Noro socks to finish and Claire’s socks to start (out of Socks that Rock by Blue Moon Fibre Arts – they have seriously scrumptious yarn).  I’ve also been hunting for a nice-fancy-but-simple pattern.  I have a few options.

I’m going to Waterloo this weekend to visit my friend Michelle. (I can’t wait!)  I’m sure we’ll hit a few yarn shops.  I promised myself (and my chequing account) that I wouldn’t spend too much on yarn this weekend.  And, YES, sock yarn most definitelycounts as increasing my stash.  I already have about a million skeins of sock yarn.

I really want to visit Wellington Fibres.   When I went up last spring, we went by the farm and they were having a weaving class.   The lady that owns the place wasn’t there. We couldn’t get a tour.  My friend Michelle ended up in a goat pen trying to save a little baby that had been born a few days before.  The little guy was soooo cute.   So, I’m keeping my fingers crossed that we’ll be able to visit the whole place this time and talk to the lady.

Tonight we’re going garlic picking in the back yard.

It all worked out.  I was very please with myself when I put the buttons on the larger peice and they were perfect.  Even the color of the thread I bought was perfect.  Aahhhh.

Then I held it up to examin my handy work and realized it was waaayyyy too big for Patrick.  I suspect that even the gown weighs more than he does.  It’s not difficult when you way the same as a bag of milk.  I carried him around for a long time last night and he’s so small (and beautiful).  It’s funny how easy it is to fall in love with something so small. 

Either way, it’s finished.  It’s beautiful and I don’t have to look at it anymore. 

I have a love-hate relationship with that ensemble.  It’s the most beautiful thing I have ever made – therefore I love it.  On the flip side, it was so long and I boar easily apparently – Therefore I hate it!

It’s cute ha?

Well, I’ve been so excited to be finished that I’ve already made a whole pair of Bella’s Mittens.  They’re wonderful.  I loved making them.  Compared to the charts and the poorly written christening gown pattern, this one was a breeze.  I’ll be going to Wal-Mart this morning before work to get a pair of 5.5 mm needles to see if they’ll be a tad bigger.  Oddly enough, out of the million dpn’s I own, I don’t own a pair of 5.5 mms.  So, that’s it for me today.  I have to be at work in an hour and a half and I haven’t showered.  I’m quick but, not that quick!

I am officially finished knitting all the pieces of my masterpiece.  I sewed up the last bootee just now… at barely 7:00 a.m. 

I have now entrusted my washing machine with the wetting and spinning all of these pieces for the purpose of blocking.  I’m AFRAID!!!  I worked so hard on this project.  I don’t know what I would do if my machine ate something.  (I think I would need more than sheer motivation to chuck it over my balcony?)

I hear it soaking…. now spinning.  PLEASE LET THIS WORK.  (I’m still afraid.)

In the meantime, here are some lovely pictures of my flowers:

The way everything turns green in the spring just amazes me.  It’s all the “new”.  It’s breathtaking.  I started noticing things like this a few years back.  I love leaves and trees and flowers.  Sometimes, depending on how the sun is shining, nature takes my breath away.  It’s amazing.

Ok.  Here goes.  Keep your fingers crossed that this works.

I had to improvise on the bonnet.  I shouldn’t have sewn it together until it was blocked.  Lesson learned!  Hope this works.

Now I’m going to go shower ’cause I’ll likely be late for work!  Oops.  I get carried away sometimes.  But, now it’s finished.  AMEN!

The jumper’s finally finished.  All that’s left is the blocking and buttons. (By the way, I’m so glad I took that Frearless Finishing class last fall.  It totally paid off – my seams are beautiful.)  I haven’t purchased the buttons as of yet.  That’s what I’m going to do after work today.

 

I hope all this fits Patrick.  He’s so small.  Even if they wait a month to have him baptised… I made the smallest size though…  I hope they won’t be disappointed if it’s big.

I stopped counting my hours when I finished the gown but, I have at least 20 hours in this thing.  Isn’t it adorable though?  I had to modify it drastically from the pattern but, it turned out great.  I was genuinely afraid to modify the pattern in case it didn’t work but, I pushed and it worked.  Lesson:  Don’t be scared.  If it looks funny, rip it back and start over.  (I did the sleeves about 6 times.)

Left:  bonnet and booties!  Piece of cake.  (Oh, and weaving in all my ends on the dress – that’s just gross.  Then blocking everything.) 

So, I think spring is finally here.  I haven’t had to put shoes on in weeks.  It’s like everything went green overnight!  I played in my flowerbed last weekend – took out the dead stuff I didn’t have a chance to cut down before the snow.  I had some of these:

I don’t know what they are but aren’t they pretty?  My mom probably knows what they are.  My tulips are coming in as well and I should be able to photograph them this weekend if the rain lets up.  BUT, I don’t mind the rain because it’s taking care of my flowers. 

I love spring.  Everything comes alive with color (mostly green) with a pop of yellow (daffodils) and red (tulips).  It’s just beautiful.  I walked outside Tuesday morning and all of a sudden, my trees looked like this:

GREEN!  I love it.  They’re even fuller today with the rain.  This is why I love where I live.  Without effort (and because I choose not to have curtains) I see this every time I turn around.   It’s fantastic.

It’s time for work now…