I'm Sure This Would Seem Pretty...

If it wasn't my "day out".

The kids are in school all day (usually I have a couple of them home at lunch, or pop by the school to help out/supervise at lunchtime) and I figured I'd run some errands.

Looks like I've got some shoveling ahead of me before I get anywhere!


Haley and the girls are thrilled though. The snow is fluffy and perfect for packing, throwing and snowman-making. It's just barely freezing, so if I can clear the bulk of the snow away from the driveway and walk, it should melt a bit this afternoon without icing up.

On the knitting front, Gilly's Toggle Coat continues slowly. It's knit on big enough needles (6.5 mm) so that it knits fairly quickly, but contstantly comparing my progress to the dismembered template sweater and tweaking as I go is tedious.

I've started another project in the meantime. Seriously, I needed something a bit more mindless for TV watching. Heck, with this nasty cold that I'm nursing I'm having trouble memorizing 4 stitch repeats, so simple is good!

Vogue Knitting Winter 2002 featured an Adrienne Vittadini Eyelet Yoke Sweater that I've been tempted by since the magazine came out. I've had the yarn in my stash for almost as long and I finally knit some gauge swatches. Funny, the sweater isn't that tricky, but I've always had an excuse to not start it. (Sorry, can't find a picture of it anywhere and my scanner is FUBAR) Modifications so far (and I am only on the 10th row)...I'm converting the pattern to circulars (avoids a bit of seaming, at least as far up as the raglan seams and it means full rounds of knit stitch rather than purl...good for the brain-weary).

Well, back to the snow in the driveway...

99% Finished Object

This is the Astra "Elegant Cardigan" in Cranberry. Finished, finally. It wasn't a quick knit but that was exacerbated by the fact that for the last couple weeks I have been knitting with stitches, finger cots and neon-coloured bandages. But, it is finished (except for stitching on the buttons)

Next projects...

I haven't been having much luck with the Fake Isle hat from Magknits The pattern is fine, I'm just not really enjoying knitting it. Maybe it's the thick yarn on short circulars that's doing it?

Gillian's Toggle Coat is progressing slowly. It's a simple knit, but I really have to keep checking my progress against the dismembered sweater that I'm using as a template, so the project isn't conducive to "lap knitting" in front of the television.

So, I'm thinking of starting a gansey from Rowan Denim. I'm leaning toward the simpler ones (simple is relative...I guess "flatter profiled" garments might be a more accurate description) since I'm not certain how flattering thick cables and large bobbles will be on me.

Here are a couple possibilities...

Boatman

Tree of Life

Seahorse

Sunday Best (obviously, much bigger!)

Any thoughts...?



Oh, on the bright side...I missed my Tuesday Knitting Lunch Club at the girls' school a week ago (see pukey pup post)...but guess what? It went on anyway! A couple of the teachers and the school secretary jumped in and took over. Isn't that great! Just a little push and knitting/crocheting has some momentum!

One of the teachers, Mrs. P has suggested these for our first project and the kids love them!

They are "comfort dolls", knitted from scraps as flat rectangles then sewn, stuffed and decorated! They are used to prevent medical and other fragile supplies shipped to Afghanistan and other overseas destinations from becoming damaged during transit. Once the crates arrive and the supplies are unpacked, the dolls are given to local children. Great idea huh?

Still No Knitting

Ok, during my one day this week when I WASN'T home with pukey kids or pukey myself, I had my stitches removed. The finger is still slightly infected and I'm wearing a slathering of antibiotic ointment and a fingercot... so, not much knitting activity going on here.

Since my doctor's office is right around the corner from Knitomatic , I figured I had to stop by and reward my bravery. (hey, suture removal is traumatic)

I was remarkably restrained (possibly by the looming threat of "Flash Your Stash 2007") and I left only with the current issue of Interweave Knits and possibly a couple skeins of Cascade 220, cuz they were on sale and I can use them for my much anticipated Stash-busting Log Cabin Afghan.

(I usually like IK, but this month they have really redesigned the magazine into a much more "knitter friendly" format featuring multiple, clear photos of the projects, with fewer artsy shadows and cringing, slouching, shoulder-hugging models. It's much easier to tell the design elements of the garments.)

So, I've spent this week patting clammy foreheads and waiting for calls from the school to retrieve sick pups. Oh well, Monday is just around the corner.

Tag...I'm it...

Courtesy of Dulcedosa

Six Weird Things About Me...

THE RULES: Each player of this game starts with the 6 weird things about you. People who get tagged need to write a blog of their own 6 weird things as well as state this rule clearly. In the end, you need to choose 6 people to be tagged and list their names. Don't forget to leave a comment that says you are tagged in their comments and tell them to read your blog.

I did participate in a similar meme a short while ago, so I'm gonna try and come up with six DIFFERENT weird things about me. Friends say this will not be much of a stretch.

1. I consider myself a strict "cat person"...but I love Haley to bits. I think I'd give her one of my kidneys if she needed it.

2. I need to have shoes on in the house. Barefeet, even stocking feet creep me out. Socks are optional, depending on the weather (and the shoes, of course)

3. I don't really remember what my real haircolour is (or was, since it's probably a bit grey now) since it hasn't been that colour for more than 25 years. That smidgen of roots really isn't enough to go by and none of my three girls have a shade of red/blonde/brown that looks familiar.

4. I drink buckets of coffee, but I absolutely CANNOT drink it black. Even nasty canned evaporated milk or skimmed milk powder is better than black coffee.


5. I have a thing for those Rubbermaid containers...you know, the big, plastic tubs. It seems to run in the family (and not in a healthy way) so I force myself not to containerize everything in the house...but the desire is there!

6. I truly believe that our city sanitation workers have a vendetta against me. Regardless of how carefully I separate disposables from recyclables, paper from plastic, compostable from reusable...once a month, for no discernable reason, all or part of my weekly offering is refused. I take it very personally.

Now the fun part...tag...you're it

Rochelle, Kimbelina, Maggie, Lizzie, Ruinwen, and Vie Vaedri!

Knitting-wise, progress on the cardigan is agonizingly slow. I'm done knitting all of the pieces and am left with the finicky picking up of collar stitches and whatnot. The stitches aren't healing very well (try keeping your right hand still and dry with three kids...) and it's slowing me down...grrrrr