Just in the Knit of Time: November 2005

Disco scarf I made for the store. I did this up tonight. I really like it a lot! I think I will make myself a skinny, dressy one out of the burgundy for New Years Eve, in case we go out. We will probably end up going to the fire hall dance. The only problem I had with this yarn was that it was a bitch to weave the ends in. I think it's because of the "sparkly" bits of yarn. I used 6.5mm needles and 20 sts and just kept knitting up two balls til I ran out of yarn.

Felted mittens for Darren's school raffle draw. Just finished them today, and the raffle is tomorrow! Last minute or what?! These were made with grape Briggs & Little wool (either Heritage or Regal, can't remember).

Can you believe it was nice enough out today that after Darren got home from school we stayed out in the yard to play! Logan and I went for a walk. He fell asleep, of course. After Darren got home I filled three bags of leaves just from under where the big truck is parked. While I was doing that they rode their bikes, then they progressed to the sandbox. It's supposed to be like this tomorrow as well but rain on Thursday and Friday.

My two little men!

Don't cats just love piles of clean laundry?

The boys were artistic today. I made sure I moved Nala pretty quickly. Figured she'd end up pink or green or something. I hope to have some pics of FOs a little later in the week. The Christmas party in the city wasn't as good as it was at the other place. The food wasn't as good, and the layout of the room we were in was an L, so you couldn't see half of what was going on. Free hotel room in the city, though! I also decided after a trip to the MicMac Mall that the remainder of my shopping will be done on-line and in town. Maybe a quick jaunt to Wal_Mart in Bridgewater. I used to love shopping when I was younger. Can't stand it now. Too many pushy people, ugly clothes and shoes, didn't have half the toys I was looking for, etc, etc. I did manage to get a Christmas scarf finished and start another one.

Started decorating for Christmas. These star lights are new this year. We put the outside lights out, too. I bought LED icicle lights, but I need two more sets. I have some pieces that I painted years ago (see pics below) that I put out, but I'm half scared to death that the boys are going to break them. Two of them are on tables in the living room. One is on top of the entertainment centre, so it should be out of harms way (so I hope).

Santa and the Christmas tree. This one lights up. This is the first one that I painted, probably ten years ago or so. There's a couple of teeth marks and glue repairs to the top of the tree and the teddy's ear. Nala, the little witch, bit it several years back for some strange reason. I know it was her cuz I saw her do it! I should have used the close-up feature on my camera. These came out kinda blurry.

Woodland Santa. I almost think this one is my favorite. I painted him, too.

Santa riding a polar bear. I painted this one as well.

One Month Away!

This is just a quick post. Getting late, and I'm watching Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones on FOX.

Tomorrow is the annual Trimac Christmas party. It's in Halifax, so we get a free hotel room for the night. This year it is being held at The Citadel. Check out this link: http://www.hotelsuperportal.com/Hotel-297758.html It was changed for some reason we're not sure of from this place http://users.eastlink.ca/~bayviewmotorinn/ My Ma is going to come to our house and watch the boys for the night. I have my knitting bag packed but nothing else yet!

I will be getting a lot more knitting time, at least for the near future. My mother's blood pressure has been in the extreme zone for some time now. Her doctor told her not to babysit any more until it's lowered. She is trying her on a fluid pill in addition to her doubled blood pressure medication. She goes for a check-up on Tuesday. She is going to see if it's okay to watch just Logan for 5.5 hours two days a week. That would mean that my hours would drop by 20-25 per 2 week cheque. I don't make enough to pay a sitter. She shouldn't really be watching them all night, but we don't have anyone else, and she wouldn't let us miss our Christmas party. Dad will be here a lot and keep an eye on her. I don't make a lot since I only work part-time anyways, but it pays a few small bills. I guess all of the paperwork in regards to my husband's accident back in June were forwarded to head office in Calgary. Hopefully that means that we will soon get his cheque for the 3 weeks lost wages.

Hope to have lots of FOs this week. Christmas is only one month away.

Happy Knitting!

I finally finished the cabled cardigan sets! I mailed them off today. The pink one is size 3, and the blue one is size 6 months. My best customer bought them for her grandchildren.

The blue set.

Closer look at my new purchase.

Bought myself this yarn the other day. It's discontinued, so I got a deal on it, plus my discount. It'll be my first endeavor with ribbon yarn. I plan on making one of these http://www.knittersbazaar.com/knitters.php?section=view_item&item_id=194&parent=67

Quickie

Just a quickie post before I jump in the tub and hit the hay. I finished the back of the size 3 cabled cardigan I am making tonight. Now all I need to do are the sleeves and the front pieces. I also finished a skinny Boa scarf for the store and finally finished my Carmen scarf. It's really long. I can wear it the "proper" way, as one of my co-workers calls it. See this for what I mean: http://www.bernat.com/pattern.php?PID=215 It's soooooo incredibly soft - I bet it will be my favorite this winter.

This weekend I have to finish the cabled cardigan, then I plan to work on some Christmas knitting. I'm running out of time!

Happy Knitting!

Overdone

I think I've overdone it. My left wrist is bothering me really badly. Almost six years ago (just a few months after Darren was born) I had to get a cortizone shot in it. I have a rare form of tendonitis. Back then the pain was almost unbearable and went up almost to my elbow before the doctor finally did something for me. I was so scared that I would drop Darren trying to get him in or out of his crib. Mornings when I would wake up I would have to take my right hand and move my left arm because I couldn't move it by itself because of the pain. Anyways, I had no trouble until a few months back. It bothered me somewhat then, but tonight it is the worst it's been since the needle. I have been knitting a lot lately, but I think it may be because the stuff I'm making is cabled. I'm not really knitting any more than normal, but I believe that holding the cable needle is the major root of my problem. I have to finish the set I am working on as soon as possible -- preferrably within the next two days -- as it was an order. Then I will have to try to rest it somewhat and pick at the socks and slippers that I have to make for Christmas gifts. I don't know what I'd do if I couldn't knit. I already gave up cross-stitch because of my wrists. I hardly ever touch that, and when I do it is something very fast and small.

Anyone interested in good buys on Alafoss Lopi or Iceland Lopi check out my eBay auctions. I listed a bunch for the store today. I also have a couple of listings for Novita Maxi Mohair. My eBay id is lexa_ns. Either use it in Advanced Search for seller, or link to my other website on the sidebar (Darganknits), and click on the eBay auctions link on the first page of my site.

Happy knitting!

I bought myself a new Christmas ornament on Friday. It's a glass rectangle with a sketched scene inside, as you can see. It sits on a base that has LED lights in it that change colors, making it blue, red, yellow, and violet. It's cute. I bought three more for Christmas gifts. They had quite a few on Thursday, but when I bought my four it only left two. I also bought new outdoor lights. They arrived today from Sears. I got LED icicle lights and a set of five path markers. Santa, reindeer, present, snowman, and present, I think it was. I need to look for LED netlights for my two front shrubs now. We have white ones, but I'd rather they match the icicle lights. Last year a bunch of our white icicle lights wouldn't work, and we tried all the bulbs but couldn't find the problem. It's nice to have a change - especially since LED use hardly any electricity!

Another color.

I must be hot stuff! Just look at the bend in my 4mm needles! I didn't get them that long ago, and I haven't really used them that much. The other one isn't bent as bad.

Leaf Bagging

It was a nice day out today. This afternoon once Logan went to sleep I went outside to bag leaves. Lets just say that at my place that is a big job. There are a lot of trees in our yard. The man who we bought the house from didn't like raking leaves, so he basically cut the tops off all the trees. They have filled in a lot since we bought the house, but he realized after he did this that probably 80% of the leaves in the yard come from the graveyard across the road. And there's one tree in particular -- right across from our place -- that always still has leaves on it, even weeks after all the other trees are bald. I bagged 14.5 leaf bags today all by myself. That was just from out front along the road, down either side of the big truck, and in front of the fence on the other side of the big truck. Took me 1.5 hours. Now my back is killing me. There's a lot of leaves underneath the big truck, too, that I will have to get either one day Travis is working or get him to move it back behind the fence next weekend to get those.

I finished the blue cabled cardigan set today. Well, except for the buttons. I don't have any that I like on it, so I am taking it to work tomorrow to get some. We don't really have much to chose from, but there should be something there. I made a list today of some things I would like to make for the store. It's fairly extensive. The majority of it will have to wait til after Christmas. It will be ready for tourist season, I guess.

Time to go start (and hopefully finish tonight) the pink hat for the next cabled set. Got to get in a more comfortable chair.

Happy knitting!

Tagged

We went to the Christmas tree lot today and tagged our tree. We've been going to the same place for the last three years. I got one there a long time ago, too, when I was single and had my apartment. This one seemed pretty good. It goes in a corner, so as long as it has one good "side" it isn't so bad where the rest is hidden by the wall. They all (well, most of the time) look good once they are decorated. We will probably go the weekend of December 17 and get it. There weren't too many tagged trees today, but they just put their sign out last Monday.

I'm making a little blue cabled cardigan and hat set size 6 months (it was ordered by someone). I have the hat, the back, and one front piece done. I am currently working on the other front piece. I noticed this morning once I had the first front piece finished that there was a boo-boo half-way down. Rip! I should get this one finished tomorrow. I also have to make the same one in pink and size 3 (brother and sister set). I really need to get them done this weekend so I can get some of my Christmas knitting done. I'm running out of time.

I bought some chunky green yarn and some chunky blue yarn to make the boys each and hat and mitten set. I want to get them done soon, too, as the weather has cooled off a lot lately. One of my co-workers bought the little pink felted mittens I made (pictured below). Someone also bought one of the sweaters I made for the store, too. It was a cabled sweater size 2. All to support buying more yarn!

Must go clean up some of the mess the boys made of the living room, then back to knitting!

Happy knitting!

Felted mittens. They are really a dusty rose color. Knit with Patons Classic Merino Wool. The small ones are thumbless infant mittens, and the others are toddler-sized. They're really thick and felted up really nicely.

Put a coat of paint on the garage doors yesterday. It was beautiful, about 15 Celsius. Darren had to help, of course. Then Logan had to stick his foot in the can of paint. Had to rush him inside to wash the paint off his sneakers. I think I had a thumbprint or something on the lens of my camera. This picture and all the other ones I took yesterday are blurry, but some spots on the pics are clear. Anyways, I just rubbed the lens off, took a couple of pics, and they seem to be fine. Will keep an eye on it. It has a tendency now to erase pictures all by itself sometimes.