Go Sens!
Actually, I am not a hockey fan. Could not care less. But given the continued hootin', hollerin', and horn honkin' wafting in through my window on the (finally) warm May breeze, I can tell you that the Senators won their game tonight.
Now for the important news. I have been knitting! And planning a special trip.
First, the knitting. A finished object!
Sorry, that's all you get to see. It is a birthday present for my SIL (hi Liane!), and although she knows all about it I feel that some mystery should remain until I give it to her. More photos then. It is one skein of Sea Silk in the same pattern as the Kelp Garden scarf.
In progress:
The first of a pair of socks for my son. I can't very well let him go off to China without a new pair of socks, now can I? I think the yarn is Meilenweit Cotton Fun, but I can't find the ball band at the moment. The pattern is the popular Garter Rib from Sensational Socks by Charlene Schurch. What's that you say? Why is there a pin there?
I was knitting on the bus on my way to work and noticed a misknit stitch about twenty rows back. I didn't have a crochet hook with me but I dropped it back anyway and managed to pick up about 5 ladders before inconveniently arriving at my destination. So I just stuck it on a coilless pin and there it waits patiently because it has been momentarily abandoned in favour of this:
Back in mid-April I took a workshop (or three) with Lucy Neatby. Lee Ann and Stephanie have both written enthusiastically about Lucy's workshops and DVDs, respectively, and I concur completely. If you get a chance to take a class with Lucy, do it. And if you can't, I highly recommend her DVDs. Any one of them or all 10 of them. But I digress...
One of the workshops I took with Lucy was called "Various Variegations" and I learned many cool things about working with variegated and especially hand-painted yarns. These mittens use a couple of the stitch patterns I swatched in that class: Paintbox Squares on the palm and Flying Swallows on the back. Lucy's Fiesta Socks use them too, as well as the sideways garter stitch cuff. I thought it would also make a good mitten cuff and commenced to design my own Lucy-Neatby-inspired mittens. So far I am very pleased with how they are turning out.
The variegated yarn I am using is my first ever Koigu PPPM. Very nice. The black yarn is more of a sport weight, I think. It is a 12-ply (!) superwash merino from Alize (made in Turkey). I bought a bunch of it on ebay a long while back and have made plain liner mitts from it before. It seems to be working well with the finer Koigu.
That's all the knitting to show for the moment. But I really want to tell you about the trip I am planning. I'm so excited! Two months from today it will be my birthday. But not just any birthday, my 50th birthday! Can you believe it? Mais, c'est vrai!
As my birthday present to myself I am going to take a beginner spinning workshop. Here. Yes, I will be spending 5 days (and nights!) in that lovely spot AND I am going to take the train. Ottawa to Halifax and back. I can't wait.
That should be the end of this post but I have two, no, three more pictures to show you.
For Sandy, a Friday sky:
Don't expect many more of these for a while. This one was taken May 4 at 4:44 am. Why? I had to get up to let the cats out. I guess they are forgiven. And speaking of cats. Can you see the cat in this picture?
Maybe a little Photoshop magic will help.
I've just come across your blog and I'm going through the posts. I really like the colours in your mittens. I'm going to have to try something with black and a colourful yarn. Someday that is!
Those mittens are beautiful! I experimented with variegated yarns in a Norweigan patterned sweater once. It sure made the "lice" pattern more interesting.
ooooh...I wasn't really looking forward to this birthday, but that tease of a picture has changed that now...i can't wait to wear and pet my new scarf! Yet another reason I'm sooo glad I married your brother! I get a sister and friend like you! You must know you made me laugh and smile again with your post. I am so blessed!
ooooh...I wasn't really looking forward to this birthday, but that tease of a picture has changed that now...i can't wait to wear and pet my new scarf! Yet another reason I'm sooo glad I married your brother! I get a sister and friend like you! You must know you made me laugh and smile again with your post.
The scarf is lovely, and the son-socks...what a lovely Mom you are but I agree he should have a new pair of socks to take with him, they're looking good.
The mittens are beautiful!
How exciting for you, your gift to yourself, I checked out the link, what a beautiful place and to get to be there 5 full days and nights, sounds heavenly.
Great sky and kitty photo.
I know all about that early morning wake up call...it's 5am....due to the Smooch, argh.