Please don’t hate me…. I need a snow day!

Snow. Everywhere. And more today. And tonight too, probably. But nearly not enough to give me a decent “snow day”. You know what I mean by a “snow day”? Every Canadian school child lives and breathes for a snow day. A day where the school buses do not run, roads are impassable, schools are closed, and Mum and Dad breath alternating sighs of both frustration and relief that their day has been hijacked by the weather, and resign themselves to spending it at home. It’s the kind of day where Mother Nature stops everything and forces you to sit back and acknowledge the magnitude of her power. I want one of those days. I want a real honest to goodness snow day. I want the kind of snow day I remember from my youth, where I would wake up, don layers of woolly garments topped with one of my Dad’s big old torn red barn coats, fight my way to the barn, feed the horses hot mash and molasses, and they would chortle and blow steamy hot air through their noses in appreciation, and slouch contentedly in their stalls, warm against the screaming winds outside, happy to stay in and doze for the day.

I want a day where I don’t have to cavalierly pretend that I don’t mind driving on the almost-but-not-quite-bad-enough-to-stay-home blowing snow-covered roads, wipers swishing at a frantic pace, while I struggle to see the road and it’s hidden dangers ahead.

I want a day where good old-fashioned common sense outweighs the obligations of working for a living. Where sensibility does not have to weigh the consequences of missing a days work, and we can congratulate our selves for having the smarts to stay home and well out of harms way.

I want to spend a whole day, no, actually several in a row to be really truthful, with the cold wind and the snow blowing and gusting, creating massive impassable snow drifts right up to the doorstop, and me happily wrapped up in a woolly blanket with my very old white cat curled dreamily on my lap, sitting in my favourite chair beside the roaring fire, reading the very fine Christmas knitting books I received, knitting warm socks and drinking sweet hot tea.

Instead, I content myself with short evenings, knitting this cotton wrap, dreaming of warm summer breezes: It will have to do.

Knit on…………..

Thank the knitting gods for small mercies, toes up socks and good friends....

Last night Susan and I got together (it was after all Tuesday and therefore a TAFK evening), and I had asked her to review with me the Turkish Cast-on we had learned in our Saturday Toes-Up Sock class. Oh – I didn’t tell you about that! Yes – we took a great class last Saturday with Christine Turnbull at Wool-tyme, had a blast and learned all about Turkish Cast-on’s and short row heels and toes-up socking knitting! We had a blast and may have acquired some more Aeroquipa for a personal pair of toes up socks to commemorate the experience!

Arequipa 207
0608-207
light browns & olives (mine has a lovely rusty orange in it too!!!)







Anyway, by Monday evening I had promptly and completely messed up both the newly learned cast on and the short rows and was once again at a complete loss. This is not the fault of Christine and in no way reflects her terrific teaching abilities, but rather my inept short-term memory!

So I asked Susan to save me from myself, and review the technique with me. A very good note-taker, that Susan is! No problem, I was only missing a very small (but obviously very important) step and I was back in business. However we both agreed that the holes left by casting on both this way and the subsequent MI increases, were rather less than desirable, and we both had difficulty with tightening the loops after the fact, and so we set about to figure out a better way. Yes, we amateur’s could surely do better than the great knitters gone before us! (snort!) Still we thought we’d give a try!

In a fateful intervention that could only have been the Knitting Gods finally showing me some small mercy after last week, I had quickly grabbed and brought to Susan an extra copy of Interweave Knits Summer 2007 that I had noticed I had (do not begin to ask why I had two!). As she began leafing through it, she started laughing and pointed to the cover – without looking I had grabbed the very tutorial we would need for our task ahead – A Better Sock From the Toes Up! Fate, I tell you, simply fate!

It was very quiet as the two of us perched on opposite cushy couches, and studiously knit and ripped, knit and ripped, knit and ripped. Comparing results lead to more discussion, and we settled in to our chosen challenges; Susan was working on tightening the M1’s and I casting on over and over.

By the end of the evening we felt we were really on to something. The first change we made was to abandon casting on the Turkish (or Figure Eight) Cast-On and to actually use the very similar Eastern (or Middle East) Cast-on also found in the tutorial - no figure eight crossovers, means less yarn, which means tighter cast on loops. Right? Good start here, but still the holes were very apparent and I was casting on as tightly as I could! There was a very real fear that Susan’s bamboo double points would snap!!

After some more trial and error, I jumped down a full size needle from 3.5mm to 2.5mm just for the cast on round. The theory was that the tiny loops used on the cast on would create only tiny holes. That could only be better! Then we decided that we would do the first round as a knit round but jumping back up to the 3.5mm to take up any further slack leftover from the cast on. Bingo!! Worked like a charm! A very, very acceptable cast on row, with almost imperceptible gaps, ready for toe increases.

Susan did us proud! She tried all manner of increases, liking the results of twisting the bar increases as she went, tightening it up, but not the enormous work needed to accomplish the manoeuvre, and finally settling on M1B (make on in back loop) rather than M1 (make one in bar below) which produced a stellar toe. The only flaw seen working on larger needles and DK weight yarn, as I was, but not visible on smaller needles and fingering weight that Susan had, was the lack of mirror image increases on either side of the toe. I think it is just a matter of trying some version of right and left slanting increases and this too will disappear.

At the end of the evening we were very proud of our accomplishments, working together and coming up with, well, a better sock from the toes up!

Next stop, what to do with those short row heels, which are easier we agree, but we both like cushy heel flaps in our socks! And before that there’s those gusset increases to contend with! I see another evening of knit and rip, knit and rip, knit and rip. Ain’t it great!

Knit on………..

PS. Apparently the Gods in charge marriage jewelery are not done with me yet. My broken ring(s) saga continues. My wedding ring that I had repaired not two weeks ago (when the anniversary ring was examined for the same problem before the opal fell out!) is now missing a claw. Back to the jeweler!!! Grrrrrrrrr…………..

PSS. I rather like this toes up sock I found here: http://www.knittingjenny.com/red.htm
Nicely laided out and like that after thought heel a la Elizabeth Zimmerman! Hummm.. might have found something I can sink my Arequipa into!

There was some nice things to look at...

Well, last week was a complete write-off, cumulating on Saturday morning when the coffee pot boiled over all over the counters and floors, making a huge mess! And me still in my pyjama’s, dearly needing just a single cup to get going!

So what makes us smile and feel oh! so much better? Well the FO's I made for Xmas presents should have done the trick, but the camera went all weird (did I tell you I'm having that kind of week?) and the pics are gone, so I'll have to do a re-takes!

Still the knitted socks in Crush were big hit and stayed on the reicpeints feet all day: Soft and oh so cosy! Made from Moda Dea Sassy Stripes (yes, this is just the thing to use sturdy acrylics on).

I did promise you the pattern for the Oh La La! Parisian Style Ruffled Scarf, so here it is:

Knitting Level: Easy

Materials:

Approx. 300yds of:

Worsted Weight Hidden Touch Natural Yarn & Mill Mohair

or Patons Merino Classic Wool, or Lion Brand Wool-Ease, or equivalent Worsted Weight Yarn

120cm 4.5mm cable needles (you will need a very long cable needle to accommodate the many stitches on the finished edge for this scarf)

Gauge: not important, approx. 18sts = 10cm (4in.)

Abbreviations:

yo = yarn over: Bring yarn to front of work and lay over needle as you k the next st.

st(s) = stitch(es)

Directions:

Cast on 100 stitches using your favourite method.

Row 1: Knit

Row 2: Purl 1, yo* Repeat to end. (200 sts)

Row 3: Knit

Row 4: Purl

Row 5: Knit

Row 6: Repeat R2 (400 sts)

Row 7, 8, and 9: Repeat Row 3, 4, and 5

Row 10: Repeat Row 2 (800 sts)

Row 11, 12, and 13: Repeat Row 3, 4, and 5

Row 14: Repeat R2 (1600 sts)

Row 15, and 16: Repeat Row 3, and 4

Row 17: Cast off loosely using your favourite method. Weave in ends.

Note: This scarf can be made with a wider ruffle by continuing in pattern from R14 until ruffle is as wide as desired, and cast off.

Finishing: Blocking with a steam iron set to appropriate setting for yarn type is required to open lace work in ruffles. Blocking with pins or wires is not a suitable blocking method for this project.

This scarf is perfect when worn with a lovely matching knitted French Beret in a pattern of your choice! Enjoy!

You are free to copy this pattern for personal use, but I please tell me if you do, and send me a pic would you? And if you are really happy with it, head over to the Yarn Harlot and make a wee contribution to Knitters Without Borders and show the love!

There are more gift-y knits in the queue to show you, but I’ll show more of them next time. That is all for now.

Knit on…..

Kate

One of those weeks…………

Ok. I’m griping. No knitting content here, so feel free to move along.

I’ve misplaced my work keys last night (and this is not fun when your 45 year old bladder needs a key to get into the ladies room at work!), lost a diamond on my still very new 10^th anniversary ring earlier this week (fortunately still under warranty) and this morning the opal on my 1^st anniversary ring has fallen out (for the third time in 10 years!) and I just had it checked two weeks ago as I was sure it was loose again! Grrrrrr….

There are issues with my auto insurance accident treatment plan and of course the adjuster only left a message with my physio and not with me and then promptly left on vacation so I can’t speak to any one else – very nice and oh so professional! Hope she gets severely sun-burned! Double grrrr….

And to add injury to insult this week (yes I have purposely said that backwards!), I have sustained a small but persistently annoying knitting injury of my right forefinger – it’s bruised from the hard cotton yarn and 3.25 mm Addi Turbos I used to cast on the 420 stitches and knit 6 rows to start a new shawl! And don’t tell me that if I knit in Continental style I could rest my Peter Pointer. I already have thought of that and this may be just the incentive I need to switch! Do you have some cheese to go with my whine?…………

Damn it! What message is the universe trying to impart on me now? Whatever it is, it sucks. However I am hoping that as a firm believer in the rule of threes, I have now lost more than three things in a row, and that should be it. Damn well better be!!

Knit on……..

Exactly where are we going?………

So some of you commented that my last instalment didn’t exactly say where we are going on vacation – just that we were going. Very true. Because I really have no idea. This is typical in our house during vacation planning season. It changes from day to day, and sometimes from hour to hour even! I never really know until about a week or two before if I’m lucky. This is because as great as the G-man is about handling all the arrangements, and he is really great, making up his mind about where to go and how much he wants to spend (or rather not spend, which is fine by me too) is a never ending and agonizingly long and detailed process. It takes weeks and weeks starting well before Christmas, where I get the daily reports of where and how much, and lists upon lists of all the possible alternatives. Until I just want to scream! Really!

It is not that I don’t appreciate what he goes through to find us a great trip each and every time, because believe me I really, really I do. Better him than me for sure! He always delivers and we always have a fantastic time, returning with our personal relationship renewed and refreshed. It’s just that I just get over-whelmed by the planning of it all. It becomes this ultra complicated dance of details. Go here and get this. Go there and get those. But over there we get this and that, but costs more. Or less. Or over here, only some of this and some of that, but possibly lots of those. And maybe if we add in this we could get that and that and that. Or not. Arghhhhhhhhhhhh………

My needs are simple: sun (although I recognize he has no personal control over this, we at least increase the odds choosing appropriate time and place), lots of sea and sand, and Juan, Josie, or Miguel to bring drinks as needed. Just find me a place that does that and I will be just fine. I have a bathing suit that fits, a dress for dinner, and shorts and shirts that are decent for any daily activities I may care to contemplate under-taking. I need nothing or to know anything else except the departure time and date. Do not ask my opinion about where to go, especially if you are going to present me with 28 options to that one simple suggestion. I won’t care after that - it’s too many choices. I just shut down and no more information goes in anyway. I’m simple that way – find the place, the price, buy the ticket, get on the plane. Done. Simple. Relaxing.

So. Where are we going? When I know, believe me you’ll be the first to know! Or I’ll tell you where we went when I get back. Depends how close the G-man cuts it and if I have time to blog about it before hand…………..see why I needed to plan my knitting in advance?

Knit on……….

Are we there yet?

Finally it’s time to plan our vacation! Woo-hoo! Sun, surf, sand and cerveza's here I come!

Time to get away from the snow, the sleet, the black ice, the alternating freezing winter blast or pelting rain and fog. My children are muttering with frustration that they aren’t coming with us or at least not heading off anywhere warm them selves, and are barely speaking to us. And I do feel a wee bit guilty, but appease that guilt with the knowledge that I come back rested, happy, and more than willing to help them with their various causes, which if I didn’t get away, would most surely not be the case.

I never imagined when I moved here to Ottawa, some 7 plus years ago, that I would need a break so badly each winter the way I seem to now. I have a really hard time imagining not basking for a week at some point each Jan or Feb, in the sun and sand, short reprieve that it is, but blessed, blessed relief from the wickedly and seemingly endless winters we experience each year. 6 weeks from winter’s onset to vacation time, and only about 6 weeks left of winter when we return – psychologically I can do that, count down 6 weeks either way you look at it. But every year I seem to need it more and more. And each year it is a bigger challenge to maximize this relief within our ever-tightening budget, and on a specific time frame.

Still, brief that it is, I am thrilled at the prospect of seeing even a restricted glimpse of other countries, sanitized as the resorts and vacation packages may be, I enjoy every minute getting to know as much as possible about where I am and the people who live there. And as we become more experienced travellers especially on repeat visits, we no longer feel the need to do everything by the book, and have begun to more freely explore local attractions on our own now, take local transportation, and try hard to experience local life a little more inter-actively where ever we may be.

But don’t get me confused with the climbing Mount Everest, or camping in the rain-forest for a month type vacationer. Although I am a excellent traveller, and make the best of all situations, good or bad, and I admire the formerly mentioned adventure travellers, I am still a fair-weather vacationer, meaning I love to visit and experience, but at the end of the day a great hotel, well groomed beach, margarita or mojito in hand, and the sounds of the local band in the backdrop are a critical components for my rest and recuperation plan.

Naturally one of my biggest issues each time we travel is what to take in the way of knitting. It must be interesting enough to keep me, well, interested, but easy enough not to require my full attention all of the time. It must be light and small enough to be carted around with ease. It definitely needs to be airline friendly (knitting on circ’s are good in that regard).

Socks are always good, small and very portable, so this year I will take Sanna’s wonderful sock yarn and the Holiday Gifts 2007 iIsue Citrine pattern from Interweave Knits http://www.interweaveknits.com/holiday/holidaygifts/gifts_preview.asp :

As well, I think the Estonian shawl pattern, again a lovely gift from Sanna, will travel with me as it is also long on knitting time, light weight - being only one skein - and challenging in that I have not done lace before.

I cannot decide if I need one more project, a real no-brainer pattern to take in case my brain, well, goes on vacation completely so I need something with endless garter stitch to amuse the fingers and numb the mind. It’s been known to happen so I must be prepared! I have another shawl

pattern http://www.knitwitts.com/item/Koigu_Wrap/4066/c114 from Koigu that I thought would not be too difficult and might bring it along too - lovely isn’t it! But it’s a lot of KPPPM so I’m looking for a substitute with a better price tag. I’m thinking of this from Yarn Forward:

http://yarnforward.com/ca/arequipa.html Glorious colorway, yes? And I have almost enough in my birthday gift certificate left that it wouldn’t really count as spending to top to what I need!

Oh, I do so love planning for vacations! And yes, I’m completely ignoring the fact that I’m planning to pack more knitting than I could do in a month let alone a week! What’s your point?

Now as if to prove my point, a wicked thunderstorm (yes I know it is winter !) has just arrived. I must sign off or lose this post!

Knit on……