Knitting Knitting and More Knitting

To say I've become obsessed is putting it mildly.

I can't believe it's been so long since I last posted on my blog.

I've been knitting up a storm.  I finished knitting my Peacock Feathers Shawl (seems like ages ago)

I've started some projects, abandoned some others and finished some too.  I joined a group on Ravelry in May with Madeline Tosh Lovers called "Mad May".  I can't believe it but I managed to knit TWO whole shawls in one month.

Faberge

and

Promise Me - by Boo knits



My Wonderful Step Mother Marge

My step-mother Marge turned 94 on May 14th.  She's an amazing woman.  I've known Marge my entire life as she was a dear friend to my mother since they were teens growing up in Toronto.  They both married and remained friends.  As a child I have fond memories of both the families getting together for summer holidays.  We would rent cottages in the Bala area of Ontario (cottage country) and wile away the summer days swimming, catching frogs, eating hot dogs and for me colouring on the picnic table for hours on end.

Marge in the top photo

 Me, My Mom, Marge and Percy in the 2nd one

Me Doug and Patti with Marge off to the left in the 3rd one

 Me, Doug (Marge's Youngest son) and my sister Patti in the bottom

These photos were from the mid 1950's

My Mother, Marge and Me (Probably around 1958 or 59)

Sadly my mother became ill at an early age and passed away at age 53.  My father eventually remarried but the marriage didn't last.  Marge and her husband Percy faded away from our family for several years until her husband also took ill and passed away.  My father got reaquainted with Marge and her family at this time and after Percy's death became close friends with Marge which eventually led to marriage. 

Dad and Marge were a match made in heaven and we were all happy for them.  They were together for almost 10 years till Cancer took my father.  It's so hard to believe that was 17 years ago now.  Marge has remained very important in my life.  Sadly I live on the West Coast now and Marge lives in Ontario so I don't get to see her as often as I would like.

In March she was visiting her son Doug who now lives in Mexico when she had a minor stroke.  He took her home to Ontario where she appeared to be improving.  I decided it was time to go home for a visit to see Marge.  While I was there, she had another stroke and a minor heart attack.  Marge is an extemely strong willed woman and has not let this defeat her.  With loving family members all around her she has come through this.

Marge has always said she will make it to 100 and if she gets her wish, that may just happen.  I'm just happy she has always been a part of my life.

Dylan's Grad - part TWO

Yesterday Greg and I went to see Dylan get his second degree (first was Biology, second one is Accounting) from UBC.    He's a great step-son and I'm so very proud of him.

Dylan with his girlfriend Megumi.  They have also become engaged and so we'll be having a wedding in the family probably next summer. 

That's it for now....I'll try and make sure I Blog at least once a month from now on...

Cheers..and one stitch at a time

Arlene



More Knitting

The knitting bug is still with me.

Sadly, I had to abandon the green sweater (my unstable Audrey - maybe I should have called it something else).  It was turning out too big and I spotted a considerable error, so I will be unraveling it and either using the wool for another project or restarting with smaller needles or a smaller size...I'm not quite sure yet.  It kind of depressed me as I had got quite far, so I've decided to just wait and think about it for awhile.

In the meantime I started another sweater.  This one is by designer Elsebeth Lavold and is called "Tilia".  I am knitting it in her wool called Silky Wool in a brilliant Blue.  Blue is not normally a colour I choose for myself but it was on sale and I'm a sucker for sales.

 Not too far along yet, but a good start.

I ended up giving the shawl I made in the light green cashmere to my daughter in law (well, my almost daughter in law)...she loved it and it looks great on her.

She's not bored, just tired..

I have got sidetracked from the sweater by another project from Laura Nelkin.  She's the designer I took the craftsy.com course from to learn Lace knitting.  I signed up for a Mystery KAL (Knit-a-long) for a design called "Kinetic".  It's a shawl type item but also has beads all through it.   It's going to be gorgeous, but is proving to be quite a challenge.  The beads just won't behave all the time and just when I think I've got it, I make a mistake and have to tink back to my lifeline.  I'm not very far along (hey, it's not a race) and I've found I can only knit during the day when I'm all alone as it takes a lot of concentration.  Any distractions means more mistakes for me.  It sounds frustrating but it really isn't.  I'm expanding my brain...ha ha..

The beads are beautiful...there are lots of colours in them but sadly the picture just doesn't do them justice.  Hopefully by my next update, I'll be further along.

Since I have given away the 2 shawls I made with the course, I needed one for myself.  I've started knitting a Fiddlesticks pattern called "Peacock Feathers Shawl" and I'm loving it.  This is what I've been knitting in the evenings.  I'm using Madeline Tosh Merino Light wool in the colour Saffron.  The colour is amazing.  I really like the colours of fall and luckily they are the colours I look best in.

I pulled this out and pinned it so you can see the pattern emerging

Update on Chelsea's Project

I am starting to receive the completed squares for Chelsea's Project.  I have 7 of them now and they all look stunning.  13 more to go.  I can't start putting them together until I get them all though and we're thinking that probably won't happen till around June nowl  Once I get all 20 squares I'll be going to the fabric store to find a fabric to separate them with and then a complimentary border print....and then voila...it'll be sewn together, quilted and then shipped off to Chelsea's mom in New Orleans.

My amazing son

A few posts back I wrote about how Greg and I were travelling home from Utah and stopped in Mt Vernon Washington to see if we could find Richard who was Riding in the "Ride to Conquer Cancer" from Vancouver to Seattle.  This was in June of 2011.

Well, he's doing it again this year and decided to make a video to try and raise awareness and sponsors for the event.  This video is one of the funniest things I have seen on You-Tube (Ok, I'm a little partial because it's my kid, but what the heck)...You MUST watch it !!!!..It'll put a smile on your face and will make you laugh...and if you are feeling generous follow the link right under it and make a donation if you want to (anything, even $5 is appreciated)...no donation required to watch this video though.  He made it all himself and said it was a lot of fun...  I love the end shot...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xn-XQVY-nyo&feature=youtu.be

Don't let the title fool you, it's a tongue in cheek look at fitting in practicing while dealing with the day to day activities we all have.

Till next time.....

More Knitting as the Temperature Dips

WOW, it is COLD.....It snowed Friday night and has been snowing off and on since.  They are saying that we will get really dumped on come Thursday night.  Who are 'They' anyway and how do they know so much???

I just know that I hate the cold.  I don't like going out in it and all I want to do is wrap myself up in a cozy quilt and knit or stitch.

I'm kind of behind here.  Since my last entry I've knit another shawl.  It was the clarus shawl again, only this time in a 100% cashmere wool from Colourmart in a lace weight.  I've had the wool for years as I bought it one other time when the knitting urge struck me.  It's a beautiful color...a light mossy green with a cream coloured strand.  It was different knitting with this wool as it's industrial and has never been washed, so it feels kind of rough and smells a bit like oil while you're knitting, but after a lovely little bath it softens right up and is oh SO SOFT and gorgeous!!!!!  I love it...

This was it right after knitting...doesn't look like much

On the Blocking Boards after it's bath

Lovely Drape

Close up Detail

My only regret with this is that I made the smaller size and now I wish that I'd made the big one.  I do have enough wool to do it again though, so I may just do that.  I think I'm going to wash the wool first this time though, so it feels better to knit with.

While I'm on this roll I thought I should try knitting a sweater this time.  I picked out a pattern called "Audrey in Unst" which I saw on Ravelry.com and also saw it made up in Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino which I just happen to have.

Here's the start...lots and lots of twisted ribbing which took forever it seemed.  I love the color of this wool.  It's a great emerald type green.  I'm still not sure about the wool.  It gives great stitch definition, but every little pull on the wool shows up (like how cotton does) and I'm not sure I like that as it usually doesn't look really nice for a long time.

The Ribbing

Baxter - who gives me all that extra "fiber" I need in the wool

Jan 16, 2012 - Slow but sure...I have to keep reminding myself that I'm woring the backs and both sides as one, so of course it's going slow....It feels all squishy...It's supposed to be a light weight wool, but it sure feels like it'll be nice and warm.

I've also been working on 'my' square for Chelsea's project.  By itself it doesn't look like much, but I've received 3 finished squares already and it is starting to look like something.  Only 16 more squares to have come in....

Here's my square

Not a lot left to do, just some fiddly stitches here and there

Jillians Square from New Zealand

Maricel's Square from California

Melissa's Square from Texas

It's going to be a wonderful experience putting them all together...can hardly wait to start that process.

Had a wonderful Christmas this year.  It was only going to be my husband, my 28 year old son and I this year and I was a little worried that between Christmas Eve to Boxing Day we'd run out of things to talk about, but some good friends invited us to their home for dinner.  We used to be neighbours and my son Richard actually used to babysit for them.  They were having a few couples over as well who also didn't have large families to share Christmas with.  We all brought a dish (I brought my delicious Cauliflower with Proscuitto Ham and Swiss Cheese and lots of garlic - always a hit) and a "Bumbleberry" pie.   We knew everyone (all 17 of them) and had a wonderful time.

To thank Lisa for hosting the Christmas Extravaganza I made the decision to gift her with the shawl I'd made previously.  I'd shown it to her prior to Christmas and she loved it.  Since she's a red head I knew it was the perfect colour for her.

We also spent New Years Eve with this same couple.  We've spent New Years Eve with them almost every year since 2000 and it's become kind of a tradition.  Good friends are so good to have.  New Years eve was more low key with just the four of us and we spent the night eating fondue.  YUMMMY

The parties don't seem to be ending though and this past Saturday night we went out (once again with the same friends) to help celebrate her 50th birthday.  We went to a great Greek restaurant that has a live band and dancing and had a wonderful night.  Another friend was also celebrating his 61st birthday.  It helps that we're all crazy and had a good time despite the snow that was falling.

Greg and I

The Birthday Girl and her hubby

The Birthday Boy and his wife

The Birthday Girl Lisa, is also my gym buddy and although she looks sweet in the picture above, she cracks the whip and helps keep me going to the gym.  I guess that's a good thing.

Till next time...



Beloved Sophie

It was with a very sad heart that we said goodbye to Sophie on December 9th.  She took a turn for the worse and was unable to stand on her own and was refusing to eat.  We knew the day was coming but it still hit us by surprise.

Sophie had been a rescue dog that we got in June of 2000.  I was working a night shift when a police officer brought in this little puppy who he had taken off a drug dealer in the downtown area.  She was exhausted and had been pulled around with a choke chain. She slept in a basket for the remainder of the night, barely raising her head at all.  She was only about 8 weeks old.  Somehow I got talked into "adopting" her and took her home with me in the morning.  It was the day after father's day and when I arrived at home with this little bundle still in the basket, I woke up Greg and told him I had a late father's day present for him.  He was a bit put off at first and couldn't believe I would do this without even asking him.  He took off for work and by the time he got home had changed his mind and said we could keep her.  We actually had to wait a week before we knew for sure she would be ours.  The original "owner" had a week to claim her and prove he was capable of looking after her.  He never did and Sophie became part of the family.

 

We already had our cat Baxter who was about 14 lbs of bossy feline.  Sophie also weighed about 14 lbs and it was clear from day 1 who the boss was.  Even though Sophie eventually weighed about 65 lbs, the 14 lb Baxter could still instill fear in her and she would usually go out of her way to avoid walking past the cat.  We never saw them fight at all. 

Feeling sorry for Sophie and wanting her to have a playmate, we eventually got "Hunter", a loveable grey and white cat.  Sophie and Hunter were friends immediately and would rough house and chase each other all the time.  Hunter and Baxter loved each other as well and Hunter was the glue who brought them all together (well, he never actually got Sophie and Baxter together..but everyone seemed happy)

Unfortunately Hunter only made it to his 4th year when he developed kidney failure and we had to let him go. All of us, fur babies included missed him terribly and we still do.

Baxter and Hunter were always cuddled up like this...

This was an attempt on our part to try and get Baxter and Sophie together...it was a very short lived event.

Sophie was the sweetest, gentlest dog I've ever known.  She loved everyone and I still expect to hear her come into a room looking for some lovin'

She wasn't without her faults though.  The first year she was with us, she ate pretty well all the wood baseboards in the living room and kitchen - not just chewed - ATE.  The following year, we replaced our kitchen floor with ceramic tile, and put in ceramic baseboards.  The living room got new baseboards and luckily for us Sophie "seemed" to be out of her chewing and eating phase.

She also at 3 pairs of my prescription glasses...frames, glass...everything....The vet told us this wasn't a first and she'd heard of lots of dogs that ate their owners glasses....What the????

If you go back a few posts, you'll see what she did to my needlepoint.

She also once ate a whole box of Quality Street Chocolates.  She was sick for about 2-3 days after this - not sure if it was the chocolate or the foil wrappers which made her ill.  Pepto Bismol seemed to help.  At first I'd blamed Greg for eating all the chocolates and not even saving me any, but it was evident very shortly that Sophie was the culprit.

Oh well, we still loved her....how could you not????

ANOTHER Finish - and I LOVE it

I finished my Clarus Shawl and I absolutely LOVE it....

It all just came together so easily and only took me about 3 weeks from start to finish..

This shawl was knit using "Lavish", 100% Alpaca fingering weight yarn from a company called Interamerica.  I bought it on ebay years ago and it is soft and squishy and feels wonderful.  I used 3.5 - 50 gram balls (about 200 meters on each ball)....

I've already started on the next one which is made in lace weight Cashmere that I've had in my stash for years (I just didn't know what I wanted to do with it).  I bought it from Colourmart in England and it's a little different as the yarn is still on the cone and doesn't feel like much just yet as it's still "oiled" and needs to be washed when it's finished to make the yarn "bloom".  I did do a small swatch to see what it feels like after it's bloomed and it is like a little piece of heaven....more to come on this one later.

Right now I have to get busy on a cross stitch square I'm stitching for a special project which involves 19 other stitchers.  A few months ago a dear friend of mine, Chelsea Umbach Yates,  passed away.  She was part of an on-line group of cross stitchers I belong to and is very very missed by all in the group.  Wanting to do something special to remember her but not knowing what, a bunch of us decided that we would start this project.  Chelsea loved Heaven and Earth designs and artwork from Hannah Lynn.  She had commissioned Hannah Lynn to do a special painting for her.  Heaven and Earth charted the design and what we decided to do was divide the chart into 20 squares (identical in size) and have each of us stitch a square.  The chart is called "Chelsea's Gift" (clickable).  Chelsea had undergone a double lung and heart transplant from a very special person (donor).  This gift made it possible for Chelsea to live for another 18 months as a healthy person before complications took her from us.  When completed all the squares will be sent to me and I'll be making it into a patchwork quilt (to be hung on a wall) and we will be gifting it to Chelsea's mother.  We hope she loves it and knows how much we all love Chelsea.  If you look closely at the design you'll see that the mermaid is being handed a heart and two lungs from the octopus.  Chelsea was a scuba diver (as is  her mother) and I believe her nickname was little mermaid.  Sadly she hadn't been able to dive for a long time because of her illness but it didn't stop her from loving the ocean and all the magic it holds...

Now off to stitch.... Love you Chelsea

Some Finishes, some Beginnings

Just a Quick Update

Well I finished knitting up my two Skywalker shawls and here they are as they are drying on the blocking boards.

My first was knit using JoJoland Melody wool.  Sadly the color is no longer available.  It had been in my stash for quite a long time...

This is my second Skywalker shawl.  It was knit in a fingering weight 100% Alpaca yarn that I bought on ebay a few years ago.  It is absolutely wonderful wool and I loved working with it.  I believe the manufacturer is no longer in business as I've been unable to locate them anywhere.  Luckily I bought a lot of it a few years ago and have lots left.

And here is my newest project.  It's another shawl, this one is called Clarus by Laura Nelkin.  It is the second design in the course I'm taking through Craftsy.com

This one is also in 100% Alpaca fingering weight wool and it is a joy to knit with.  This shows it at line 40....I'm now at line 125 of the chart and only have about 35 more rows to go before I start the border...then another 20+ rows and I'll be done....shouldn't be too much longer.

Have I told you how much fun this course is????  I'm going to learn to knit socks next.  Is there no stopping me????

Knit one Purl one

Like most things I ever get into..I get totally absorbed for awhile and this seems to the same for the lace knitting that I'm now obsessed with...I have finished one small shawl and I'm just waiting for my blocking boards and T-pins to arrive by mail (should be here tomorrow).  In the meantime I started another one with the same pattern (I want to make sure I'm doing it right) and it's coming along wonderfully, in fact better than the first one.  I'll put a picture in soon.

I've been on the search for a shawl to make with some beautiful wool I purchased today....it's a lace weight alpaca in a blue multi color and I just love it..I'll take a picture and show shortly.  I found a lovely chart for free and lo and behold the person who's blog it is on is also having a yarn give-away on her blog...Check it out at http://ateliermadambutterfly.blogspot.com/2011/11/brand-new-yarn-by-brooklyn-tweed-give.html 

Now back to knitting..

Edited to add some pictures as promised

Here's my new wool...I LOVE it...the colors are so pretty..  It's nice and fine

and Here's my second shawl..same as the first one, I'm just trying to perfect it...It'll look much better once it's finished, off the needles and blocked....