I am sooo spoiled! A package arrived from my sp this week which was so great seeing as how it's been a bit of a bad week. I'm excited about learning to spin with my new drop spindle and I got some of the most gorgeous sock yarn I've ever seen, great greens and reds. I'm going to try the training sock pattern from Knitty first and get the hang of socks and dpn's before I use it though, I want the knitting to be just as perfect as the yarn. There were really pretty stitch markers (already in use), some chocolate (Otto says thanks) and hand and lip wonderfulness in the box too.


So daddy's still in the hospital. The stone was blasted on Monday but now he's developed an infection so they're keeping him until that's under control so no vacation for he and mom next week. At least this means that they'll be around for thanksgiving so N can come home and meet his new nephew. I know they have their own lives but I was a bit dissapointed that none of my siblings were around for M's birth.

So M and I are staying with S next week while K and O are at the hunt camp. Things being as they are we don't want her to be alone and I know O will be dissapointed if Kyle doesn't go hunting particularly given all the preparation they've done already.

Yay, branching out is done! On to other knitty things. Clapotis scarf is done too but I had to let KnitPixie know that their pattern was flawed, I couldn't figure out how they got the last two ladders to drop from the way the pattern was written but I've let them know. Now that it's done though I'm not sure I'm that happy with it, the Silk Garden striped oddly and I think the yarn is telling me it wants to be something else. O's yarn finally arrived so I'm winding balls to start on his camoflage hat and mitts.

Talked to N yesterday, sounds like his summer in Kenya was pretty memorable and I'm hoping he'll send some pictures. He did after all get home without being eaten by a lion like mom feared the whole time he was away.

In somewhat less happy news dad is in the hospital again. Kidney stones. I only found out when I called mom to ask about their vacation plans and thanksgiving and asked her what was wrong. Supposedly he was supposed to be transfered to the hospital in London to have the stones blasted because he's in agony. They kept him in because oral pain meds weren't doing anything so they put him on gravity meds to control it. I'm hoping mom will call today to tell me what's going on.

Ahhhh, retail therapy. I'll admit that I haven't been feeling the best the last week or so. Yucky weather, too hot to take the muchkin anywhere and these four walls are starting to get to me. Plenty of excuse to buy lots of pretty yarn for no reason at all! Yarn heaven was more of a nightmare today than usual, next time I'll remember that weekends are a way bad time to go in there. Not only was there the usual atmosphere of a just passed tornado but there were lots of bodies around too. And hot, holy hell it was warm in there. I showed remarkable restraint (for me) I thought, everything fit into one (okay, it was really full) shopping bag. Soft wonderful thingies to knit with. It was cool to look at stuff for my SP, she knits things I don't so I had an excuse to venture into uncharted LYS territory to find scrumptous yummies for her to knit with. Now that I'm looking in the bag I'm a bit worried, it seems everything I bought was at least a little bit pinkish (roses, blushes, almost but not quite burgundies...). Maybe my green period is over? Odd really because I'm not normally a pinkie sort of person.

And after all that I think I've found a sub for the lusty ribbed sweater pattern. As much as it's buttery to work with I don't see myself springing for sixteen balls of Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk. Someone at the Knitty board told me about knitpicks, they have yummies for very little spendy. I like the Andean Silk for this sweater and I can do it for about $50 instead of the outrageous (even for me) $170 or so the DB would have run me, I'm not that good a knitter. I'm liking the dye your own idea too, some funky koolaid colours and some of that could be fun. I'm branching out, no pun intended, a bit with my knitting and I might sign up for a drop spindle workshop at LYS as well. Oh well, back to the ever tedious MIL scarf....

My Branching Out is nearing completion and I couldn't be happier. I know it's good to start with something simple for a first lace project but a ten row pattern repeat isn't really enough to keep me interested for long. I've pulled out a few UFO's to work on here and there when I'm bored stupid with the BO. I've picked another lace pattern to do as a Christmas gift but this one is a twenty row repeat so it should hold my attention a little better.

Ohhh I am in love. Doing a bit of surfing last night and came across KnitPixie , a shop with very pretty stuff. I want everything! I might buy the Bobbi bear pattern, I've been saying I would for months.

Ack! I've been messing with the blog most of the day trying to make the place a little more interesting but I'm just getting more and more frustrated. I'm a total computer doofus! So if the blog looks odd bear with me, I'm trying to get it fixed.

So we're headed to yarn heaven on the weekend. O suggested it surprisingly enough which makes me wonder if this isn't his way of saying sorry for dragging us to Bass Pro Shops about forty times in the last few weeks to get the last few things he needs for hunting season. I very rarely get down to Romni seeing as how I don't drive and it's right in the heart of the garment district and therefore impossible to park anywhere even remotely close. It's an event when I go as it takes a bus, two subways, the streetcar and about an hour and a half to get there. So much for my self imposed yarn diet, on the rare occasion I do get there I go to town. Oh well, I can justify it because I'll be shopping for my SP and I already have some ideas of what I'd like to send her. The only problem is that my so called "cushy government job" (aka maternity leave) doesn't really allow for much extravagance.

In other knitting news I'm trying to get ideas together about what to make everyone for Christmas. I have an idea to make some stuffed blocks for M out of all the ends of balls I have hanging around. By Christmas he'll be interested enough to get some use out of them. I'm also trying to find a sock monkey pattern to knit, always wanted one and given that "Markus monkey" seems to be his official nickname at this point (child has monkey toes), I thought it would be funny. I've already started him a bit of a monkey collection of sorts.

The little man hit double digits yesterday, ten weeks old. Crazy how time flies when you haven't slept! He's getting to be such a porky pig, big thunder thighs and eating all the time (not that I'm complaining, it's giving me a ton of knitting time). He rolled from his stomach to his back the other day and a few times since, something all the books say kids don't usually do until they're about four months old. The best is that he's smiling now... real smiles and not "I have gas" grins. Not that I've managed to catch one on camera yet mind you but he's smiling at me all the time now. I'm really dissapointed though, Otto's sister was supposed to be coming out from Calgary to see M but now she's not able to. She's so excited about her new nephew and I was really looking forward to having her here. Maybe we'll get back to Calgary (**glimmer of hope**).

I was so dissapointed last night, our first real grownup piece of furniture was supposed to be delivered but no dice. The Bay has lost our new couch and ottoman somewhere and don't forsee finding it anytime soon (not to mention the woman was really rude on the phone like it was my fault or something). I am so ready to have the camping chairs out of the living room.

SP6 is beginning! I've done secret pals on another message board before and had such a good time I needed to be part of this one. I love shopping for my SP, sending gifts and silly things they wouldn't normally buy themselves because everyone needs a treat or a laugh (I once sent a full set of Mr. Bean Pez dispensers when my pal was having a bit of a health crisis). So here's the questionaire:

1. Are you a yarn snob (do you prefer higher quality and/or natural fibers)? Do you avoid Red Heart and Lion Brand? Or is it all the same to you?
I tend to buy the expensive stuff so I guess I am a bit. Natural fibers and such for most projects but I do use Walmart type yarns from time to time when they're appropriate. I'm not a big fan of novelty yarns though.

2. Do you spin? Crochet?
I crochet a bit.

3. Do you have any allergies?
Latex, can't go near it without a nasty rash

4. How long have you been knitting?
I learned when I was eight but only really started knitting obsessively about a year ago.

5. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
I do, on http://www.chapters.ca

6. What's your favorite scent?
Lush's "Karma", a spicy sort of smell.

7. Do you have a sweet tooth?
Yes, and a cheesecake tooth, and a chocolate tooth....

8. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do?
Not really a craft but I do a lot of baking (eating) and cake decorating (eating) when I have the time.

9. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s?
Anything but Opera or Country, we have a really wide variation of cd's. I'm really getting more into Jazz these days. I looooove mp3's. Sarah McLachlan and Dave Matthews are my favorites.

10. What's your favorite color? Or--do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer? Any colors you just can't stand?
Not a big fan of yellow. I like fall colours, I look fantastic in green.

11. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
I'm married with a new baby boy, no pets.

12. What are your life dreams?
To finish my degree and go to law school.

13. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with?
Debbi Bliss Cashmerino Aran or Merino Aran seem to pop up in a lot of my projects. Manos is booootyful. I prefer wool to anything else.

14. What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
A friend spins her dog's hair, which is just creepy in my opinion.

15. What is/are your current knitting obsession/s?
Baby things, Christmas gifts for my family, One Skein Wonders.

16. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
Baby blankets and sweaters, they work up so fast.

17. What are you knitting right now?
Lace scarves and felty bags.

18. What do you think about ponchos?
Not very fashionable but incredibly functional for breastfeeding in public.

19. Do you prefer straight or circular needles?
Depends on the project but more circulars than not these days so I don't end up dropping one while I'm feeding my son. Short straights are good too but I only have a few pairs.

20. Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
Usually aluminum, but I'm interested in (but have never tried) bamboo.

21. Are you a sock knitter?
Not so far but I'm going to try.... They'll be my next personal challenge along with Fair Isle.

22. How did you learn to knit?
My aunt taught me to c/o, k, p and b/o when I was eight or nine. Other than that I taught myself from books and the internet.

23. How old is your oldest UFO?
About seven months. Luckily it's a winter blanket for my son and we're having a heat wave so I know it's no rush.

24. What is your favorite animated character or a favorite animal/bird?
I love Stewie from Family Guy, no favorite animals really.

25. What is your favorite holiday?
Christmas, I love buying/making gifts for all my special people.

26. Is there anything that you collect?
Chinese clay teapots, my husband adds to my collection every Christmas and birthday. Bags and purses (much to my husband's dismay).

27. What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?
Interweave Knits, I buy just about every Vogue Knitting off the newstand though.

28. Any books out there you are dying to get your hands on?
See question #5.

29. Any patterns you have been coveting, but haven't bought for one reason or another??
I like the hat patterns at http://www.knitwhits.com/catalog.html

30. What are your foot measurements, and what kind of socks do you like?
I wear a size 8 (39cm) shoe. I love ankle socks.

I rock! I finally got my Branching Out sorted after much tinking and frustration. Turns out my YO's were backwards which was making my first attempt all squishy and indestinct. Now it looks like actual lace, I CAN KNIT LACE! I'm so proud I did a little dance.

Not only did I knit lace this week, I made mittens. Now at first you may say "so what?", but I learned to knit from my aunt Val when I was about eight so I could knit my own mitts. It never happened, I put down my needles and forgot about knitting. Ever few years since, I've picked up some needles and a cheap ball of yarn to have another go at it but I continued to get shut out, cry, stomp on my latest failure a little and put the whole thing away 'permanently'.

Then I found out I was pregnant with M something in my needed to knit (hormones?), preggie women do crazy things. I NEEDED to knit little baby things so I found a website (is there anything you can't learn from the internet?) and a book and got cracking. My first attempts were admittedly pretty basic and/or terrible but at least I was doing it. No mittens but it was a start.

But then this week the girls on the Knitty message board told me about magic loop, no more dpn's with way too many pointies for a klutz like me to lose stitches off the back of. Ahhhhaaaa! There is a way to knit in the round without feeling like I'm trying to wrestle an octopus into submission. I made mittens, and not only did I knit them but I'm going to give them to my little brother for Christmas (a kid who will probably wear them until, in tatters, they fall of his hands).

S and I met Debbie Bliss last night at her book signing. I tool M with us and Debbie drooled over him, apparently he'd make a great model if we weren't in Canada and she in the UK, darn it. Who can resist this face?



In other news I finished my second one skein wonder and this one actually fits, I wore it today. I used Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk and it's so butter soft. It's so warm for something so small. Altogether it probably took me about six hours so I'll probably make a few more, this pattern is addictive!!! This is the first thing I've ever knit for myself that I'll actually wear.

I started the first of the Christmas gifts I have planned today, we'll see how it goes....

Ohhh such good intentions down the tubes! I ran a bit yesterday on the treadmill (hopping off every three minutes to stuff the little man's mouth full of pacifier to quel the screaming) before I got kicked out of the gym for closing time. Came upstairs to inspect a sore toe and find an icky ingrown toenail which means to closed toe shoes until it heals, which means no running for a bit. My feet telling me to knit more?

Very quick trip to yarn heaven on Saturday. It's amazing how much you can spend without getting ten feet inside the front door. Bought a crap load of Manos del Uruguay loveliness. I'm going to Clapotis with it to make it even yummier (I shall turn myself into a beautiful French woman in one fell swoop if it kills me). But I need to get some of these UFO's off needles and it's getting time to start Christmas stuff if I want everyone to have their gifts before next summer. Also picked up some DB alpaca silk to OSW with, this pattern is soooo addictive that I'm about to finish my second one this week. This yarn is budda'...lol. It says something that I'm willing to "pick up and knit" more than once because arrrrrggggghhhhh it frustrates me. Second OSW is almost done.

So I actually ran yesterday. Oh how the mighty have fallen...I ran for one minute and walked one and still near about croaked. I remember a lot of forgotten muscles today. Oh well, I started and that's what really counts right?

Finished my first "one skein wonder" last night to go with a dress I admittedly rarely wear. Used a nice cashmere wool blend in a deep wine red and it looks fantastic with the dress. The only problem is that once I tried it on I needed Otto to help me get it off again, my guage was a bit off but I didn't think it would be soooo bad. Anyway, I'll try again.

So I'm a total knitting geek...Debbie Bliss is going to be our LYS and my geeky knitting buddies and I are getting excited! Maybe I'll confront her about the length of some of her yarns I've bought recently or all the knots...but then again I'll probably behave like a total nerd and get her to sign one of my books.