Johnny Jump Ups!

This is a wonderful roving from Port Fiber that came in my Phat box. It is so soft and drafts like a dream. I received a huge 1oz sample of this superwash merino/bamboo roving in the color "Johnny Jump Ups". I've been ripping the roving into strips and trying to spin them to obtain a 15wpi single. My fingers seem to prefer something finer. So far it's ranging from 15 to 30 wpi, but I think I'm getting a bit more consistant with 15!

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luv luv luv

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Progress Socks

I thought maybe if I gave these a positive name, positive things would happen! Despite the fibery distractions of the last few days, I did manage to finish the first sock!

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I have yet to cast on for Number 2, but will soon. I love having a sock stashed where-ever waiting may occur for some mindless knitting. This one will likely stay on the coffee table, as I've got another sock in my purse.

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This one is using the yarn I recycled from my first ever pair of socks. I'm knitting contrasting heels and toes with a Odd-ish creations sample from my Phat Box. Love how this sample is knitting up.

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BFL experiments

I got a wonderful BFL sample in my May Phat Fiber Box. I've never spun BFL before and was quite excited to give it a try. But all my bobbins are full and I won't get to plying for some time. Then I remembered - I have a spindle! I've just not used it much since I love the speed of a wheel.
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1/4 oz BFL braid from Sheepshape Spinning (at the top - the bottom braid is another from my phat box)

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I decided to try carding the roving a bit to even out the colors. The sample is so soft and smooshy and lovely that I could easily have spun right from the braid with just a bit of predrafting, but my personal preference is for yarns with less contrast. I whipped out my handcards and couldn't believe how easy this was to card. This is the first time I've carded anything other than the pound of dirty brown wool that came with my second hand wheel. That required many washings and many passes with the handcards to make it spinnable - so my muscle memory was expecting to work hard!

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Lovely BFL fluff & spindle - the fluff shows more color variation in person

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Having a lovely little pile of fluff sitting on the coffee table makes it almost impossible to do the laundry, vacuuming, dusting, cooking, cleaning...

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I think I like BFL. It's nice and grabby and I was able to make a 45 - 50 wpi single without much effort. Took only a couple hours to spin up the 1/4 oz of fiber. I had forgotten how much I love my spindle! It never fails to fascinate me how different the volume from fluff to finished singles is. I decided to make a 4 ply, but have no idea what I'll make with this lovely little sample.

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1/4 oz sample yielded about 18 yds fingering weight (18 wpi)

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My Phat Box Arrived!

It takes twelve days to get to Canada! B and I went off to the post office just to check and she came back so excited - a parcel delivery notice and the May 09 KnitPicks Catalogue were the only things in our box! Since my Phat Box was the only parcel we were expecting, she almost squeeed out of the post office. Then we picked up the parcel at the parcel pick up location and headed home.

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M was not quite done homework and asked if we'd wait for him. And then we opened it all together. What excitement! There is not a thing in the box that I don't love! What an amazing bunch of artisans!

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First, the Stitches - from left to right, top to bottom...

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"Spring Grass" worsted from Chicken in the Woods

mossy colored ~worsted weight handspun from Fiber Friendzy

"Fireweed Bulky" wool from Dyed by Danido

"Rainboots and Mudpuddles" sock yarn from Odd-ish Creations

"Meadow Lane" 100% fingering weight from My8kidsmom

"Cooling" 80%superwash/20%bamboo fingering from Polyartgirl Designs

"Tulip" sock yarn from Serendipitous Ewe

"Rainy Day" recycled acrylic/cotton from Jag's Funky Fibers

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Second, the first Fluff installment - clockwise from the upper left...

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"Zinnia" hand dyed superwash merino roving from Hamption Artistic Yarns

"Rose Garden" superwash merino batt (sooooo soft) from Knit IT UP

"Spring Rainbow" merino roving & a lipbalm (apricot? maybe peach?) from Calizona Designs

Easter Egg Dyed Shetland batt from Deisred Haven Farm

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Third, the second Fluff installment - top to bottom...

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"Summer Rain" BFL from Sheepshape Spinning

"Rock Garden" handpainted merino top from Chimera (awesome colors)

"Johnny Jump Ups" superwash merino/bamboo from Port Fiber (love the sheen!)

purplish 70%superwash merino/ 30%alpaca from The Fox Hop

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Fourth, the Phlat goodies - clockwise from upper left

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Garden Bracelet pattern from Katherine Vaughan Designs

Stitch marker from Banana Migraine

Gift tags and raindrop stitch marker from winemakerssister

Stitch marker from Miss Becca Designs

Stitch marker from Twice Sheared Sheep

Under the Phlatties - a lovely needle case from the Phat Fiber lady! M carefully read the instructions and showed me how to use it!

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In addition to all of these goodies, artisans whose goods were not in my box included discount coupons for purchases from their stores! Any Phat Fiber Box contributors are more than welcome to leave their shop's particulars in the comments. There were just too many links to make.

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Wow! It feels like Christmas

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But progress for the sake of progress must be discouraged

I've finally made it past the heel on the Toe up Sock with Gussets. It's not you, Wendy, it's me. I ended up frogging and reknitting the silly thing three times! Rather exasperating, especially when the pattern is perfectly well written and easy to understand. The problem has been that I can't count. So lots of knitting on this sock, but until now - very little progress.

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So here it is, another evening an I should be able to start the second sock. Cross your fingers for me that the second heel does not follow the same path as the first!

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I'm a Phat Fiber Contributor!

I'm so excited. I sent in my samples for the June Phat Fiber box this morning. I just hope they arrive in time to be included in the "Oceanic" themed box.

Fifty five copies of my Opie pattern, each formatted as a cute little booklet!

If you have no idea what Phat Fiber is check the blog, or Ravelry group. You won't be sorry you did!

Saturday Morning Visitor

This morning there was a chubby bird with a bright red spot on the back of his head poking along the sidewalk. B wondered kind of bird it, was so all off us, Dog included, hopped on the couch and peered out the window.

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Looks like a wood pecker to me, digging for insects in the cracks and seams of the sidewalk. He really waddles when he walks. Much more graceful, "walking" up and down the trees!

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Ready in Four Weeks

Here's the soap. I couldn't wait until this morning so I cut it last night. It's looking good. It went through the "gel phase", but the heat didn't quite make it to the ends of the mold. That soap will still be fine, but I'll insulate the mold a little better next time. It just needs to cure for a bit and then we can use our homemade Goat's Milk Soap!

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Zest is his favorite Soap

Hubby always buys zest soap. Always.

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But last May, I made homemade soap for the first time. I was watching Martha with the dd who was home from school with a migraine and there was a segment on about making goat's milk soap. DD thought that looked like fun and would make great teacher gifts for the end of the school year.

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So we made some. We used an empty Pringles can lined with parchment paper as our mold and made beautiful round soaps. We wrapped them in waxed paper and put this cute little lable on them.

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They turned out wonderful. I made another batch in September when my folks were visiting. My mom wanted to know how to make soap.

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Somehow a bar of the stuff found it's way into the Hubby's hands in the shower and when he ran out, he asked if I had more. I was shocked. He went through another bar, and decided I should make more, now, so it has time to cure before we completely run out.

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This afternoon I made another batch. Hubby's only request this time around was whether I could make a rectangular rather than round bar. Here they are resting in the molds. I'll turn them out and cut them tomorrow.

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Still no sock progress. I made an ipod cozy for the dd last night instead, but it was too small so I frogged it too. I cast on with a few more stitches this morning and here's what we've got.

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A lack of progress

Here's a picture of the sock in progress:
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Yes, it does look a lot like it did on Sunday. In fact, it looks exactly the same, desipite my finishing the gusset increases, shaping the heel, finishing the heel flap and working about 6 rows of the leg.

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It was at that point that I tried it on and realized that it was too short for my foot. And this sock is for me, not someone with a foot three quarters of an inch shorter than mine. So I ripped it back.

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Today I had great plans to resume knitting on the sock while dd had her braces tweaked and tightened at the orthodontist's. Did you know it's very hard to knit a sock on only three needles? It appears I left the fourth needle at home. I tried to knit. The stitches kept falling off the ends. I knit two rows before giving up.

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I made myself happy by scoring some super cheap Paton's Grace at Michael's. $0.99 per ball!

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New Yarn!

For Mother's Day, the kids bought me yarn! the little dears! They chose SRK's On Your Toes Bamboo sock yarn (color ON260808) and Wisdom Yarn's New York sock yarn (color 222).

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I've already begun a pair of sock with the Wisdom. I'm trying Wendy's Fingeringweight Toe Up Slip-stitch heel sock.

.I believe B, my wool-hater, chose the Bamboo. Something tells me she'd like me to knit the Shetland Shorty from Knitty with my present!

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Phat Fiber May Box

I got a box! I couldn't believe how quickly they sold. I forgot to get online this morning for the first box drop on Etsy, but was ready at 6:55 EST this evening. Hit refresh at 7:00 and got one! They sold out in about 60 seconds! I can't wait for it to arrive!

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I hate Tim Hortons

Have you ever tried really hard to stop a bad habit. Like drinking a pot of coffee a day. I have. And succeeded.
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It all started innocently enough. I saw the billboard - the one that said "only $1.39 for a small". So I thought, "That looks good. I think I'll go through drive through." That was Monday. I'm now making them at home, because I find Timmie's are too sweet. Tuesday I made one for the dh and myself. Wednesday I made a few more. And Friday? Well Friday, I downed a whole coffee pot's worth of iced coffee.

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A slippery slope indeed.

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Dangers of Cat Ownership

Everyone knows of the typical dangers of owning a cat: stepping on wet hairballs first thing in the morning, toxoplasmosis, worms, furry couches (and therefore clothes), shredded skin from nail clipping sessions...

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One of the little known hazards of cat ownership, however, is slipping on a cat. Mine have the dangerous habit of sleeping on the stairs. A number of years ago, dh tripped on Thomas about halfway down as he was getting ready for work. My dear man made enough noise to wake me. When I got downstairs he was lying on the floor catching his breath. It knocked the wind out of him and bruised his thumb. I called the vet to be sure Thomas would be ok - I didn't call the doctor.

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Not too long after, I stepped on Mia. To be kind to my little animal, I stepped over the step that she was sleeping on. You'd think she'd appreciate that act of consideration and stay put, resting serenely. But no, she decided to move to a new step, the one under my foot. I fell back onto the stairs with a thump (several in rapid succesion, actually, as different body parts contacted) and Mia shot away up the stairs, pleased with her success, I'm sure. I think it's the closest I've come to blacking out. As I sat up to take stock of my injuries, everything started to get darker. I feebly called for my dh, who was already on his way to check on the source of the banging and thumping. Gently and carefully he helped me upstairs, got an icepack for my bumped head and checked to make sure my pupils were "equal and reactive". Other than being quite stiff the next morning, I was fine.

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The moral to this story (that is sadly lacking in knitting content): Make a point of hanging on tightly to the handrail and stepping on the cats instead of over them.

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Le Petit Castor KAL!

I'm so encouraged by the positive comments and discussion about this pattern on Ravelry!
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The "Go Habs Go" group has even started a knit-a-long. If you'd like to join the KAL, you'll need to get a Ravelry account and go to the petit castor KAL forum thread.
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I'm Canadien, eh!

Even though the Canadiens are out of the playoffs, this pattern can be adapted to your team's colors.

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Canada Day is on July 1st and just in time to celebrate , Canada’s national animal and Canada’s national sport team up.

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This pattern is suitable for someone who can knit on double pointed needles. Other skills required are increasing and decreasing, embroidery, making I-cord, and seaming.

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To make Gus, you’ll need less than one skein of Wool of the Andes in Chestnut as well as oddments of worsted weight in your teams favorite colors for the scarf, toque and stick.

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This link will redirect you to Paypal through Ravelry's shopping basket

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Can you see the resemblance?

I've got the first ideas of this little fellow down in wool! I'm quite pleased with how he's turned out. The pattern needs a bit of tweaking before I offer it for sale, but it won't need big changes.

Slugworthy & Evil Snail

Something about Anna Hrachovec's work appeals to my kids. M can't "resist" knitting up her patterns and B begs for me to knit patterns. She also draws comics about the critters in class (of course, she finished her work already Ms. D!)
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For one of my favorite comics she found inspiration from the finished products of Mochimochi Blog's free Slugs and Snail pattern. My favorite frame is the one where Evil Snail is moving very fast. Check out the way his antennae are streaming backward in the wind!
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A little something I'm working on...

I'm working on a new pattern. So far it's working ok, but it still needs some tweaking to be ready. Here's the concept sketch.

I've named him "Munch" at this point, but may change my mind. I'm working with SRK's On Your Toes 4ply sock yarn (color KOF3826). I plan to use a worsted weight for the final test of the pattern to see how he works up in a larger size.
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