To Comfort Me

I finished the green goodnes of Malabrigo merino. It is a very soft "single ply" (I believe). I already started it in Li's (Life's a Stitch)reversible herringbone scarf, but it just came out like 1970's shag rug.

In San Antonio I spent too much money on a cab to get to a bookstore. The wool shop was just out of the question. S.A. is like Calgary where you have to take a super highway to get anywhere. Not good for a walker.
I ended up at a Borders where I spent several lovely hours and treated myself to Wendy Knits which I haven't been able to find. She is so charming and I knew this Fir Cone scarf would be perfect. More than perfect, I still have one skein left. You can see the scarf resting in the morning winter sunlight.

This morning when I took my daughter to her 7:15 Jazz Band practice, the sun was already coming out! Forget the groundhog- I'm encouraged by mother nature that spring is coming. Today I will try to take pictures of snow drops and blossoms.

In the continuing story of stash diet, I'm pleased with the Lamb's Pride for Knitty's Cecilia. It's time for some colour work and I can go randomly at this beautiful little girl's cardigan. It is such a blessing that my classmate finally has a baby of her own and I want to surprise her with a gift. I haven't seen her for almost 20 years, but she was a strong person who shared her family when I was so stressed out and not at my best in Nursing School. I'm the same person, but I respond so differently to everything. Can I apologize enough?
I'm so lucky to have such great friends now. I have to make sure they know they are appreciated.

Happy Hats

"Can you show me the thing with the sticks?"

One of our skating coaches' 5 year old daughter asked me that when I was knitting these hats at the rink. It's a bit like knitting a kitten. Not a sweet pretty kitten.

I chose the most objectionable colours I could find because I think the chemotherapy kids in Boston would like a bit of attitude.

It scared me when a few friends remarked that they thought I was knitting something very pretty. Hmm. They never say that about my silk laceweight or my Fleece Artist socks.

I was a pediatric nurse, trained in oncology before I quit to stay home with my two kids. I actually worked for three years after they arrived and it was too hard. I wasn't getting enough hours to keep my registration so I just said don't phone me. Do I miss it?

I miss caring for people and I know now that I'm good at it because everyone is dreadful when I am sick. I had surgery two years ago and I was so proud of the high standard of nursing here in Chilliwack. But the administration and the government have been driving full speed into disaster with total mismanagement of the health care system. For me it was when they took away my head nurse. No thanks. That's like trapese without a net.

They have doctors in the building round the clock now and medical and nursing students. It was just glorified rural nursing 10 years ago.

I'm working hard to find a place to channel my not insignificant knowledge, my teaching skills and my love of working in a team. Perhaps X-ray technician? I'd love to work with Cancer patients again.

So these hats are to the brave and strong young souls who didn't choose to be in the hospital and fighting for their lives. Hope it brings a smile.

Your Luggage is in Barbados

We had a good time in friendly San Antonio. I think Texas lives up to every one of its cliches. Friendly, loud and fun. We were right on the river and enjoyed walking along its banks, eventhough the weather was cold and wet. Just like home.

Our luggage did not arrive home with us. I helped the airline track it until they stepped up their hunt just to get rid of me. It's disturbing that I had more information on my computer than my contact.

It did come home just after the sewing of numerous skating outfits and a birthday party for my son's 16th with 22 family members.

I brought my thistle leaf shawl. I dyed the yarn blue a few summers ago. That was a real kick. I had bought an extra skein of teal laceweight in a fear of running out before I finished my Fibertrends Pacific Rainforest shawl. I didn't run out. The only wool they had was an ugly mushroom colour. But I thought it was better than two teal shawls. They dying was success because the inconsistencies lend to the denim nuance.

You can see I have anally prepared by copying Barbara Walker's pattern in large and cutting out each line for a card. I did this for a lace scarf and it worked so well. It's worth the effort if you remember that I pick up and put down this shawl several times over the years. My hope is to have it ready for the summer trip to Scotland. Note: hope not goal. Who knows what knitting will cross my path before that?

I have quite a long list of must do knitting: a worsted weight angel baby blanket for one of my Sunday School students who is now expecting. Her mother asked me to knit it and unfortunately I couldn't encourage her to just get the pattern and not the acrylic kit. I remember believing in the power of kits. But it will be sweet and washable. I also have a stash sweater for a nursing classmate who is finally blessed with a baby girl. We graduated 20 years ago! Must send a sweater to Utah!

D. bought me some lovely emeralds in Texas. A suite from my sweet. So I must make the green scarf to compliment them. I know. What is the appropriate knitting for new jewellery?

I have some good shots of the Alamo. The weather was cold and overcast which means the lighting was good. Unfortunately blogger won't accept them. Maybe tomorrow

Insert Expletive

More snow. More shovelling and, oh joy, Skating Carnival.

This means I have not been walking, hardly knitting, and bruised on my butt.

Yesterday was a singularly horrible day. Did you know that if you don't use your sewing machine for over a year, that the symbols can lose their meaning? I totally forgot what to do for stretch sewing. Thank goodness the store I got it from (10 years ago?) is just around the corner and open at 0930h. The fabric the other Angie gave me for my Noodle-pie's costume is stretchy satin. Horrors. Worse yet- only one was stretchy. So I had to sew toward and away with the pink side up and blah blah. Grumpy. But not to be conquered.

When daughter got home from school (driven because of weather) and after skating lessons, I tried it on her and laughed. Thank goodness for my knitting experience. I pinned it and just cut away to make a shape. Imagine going off pattern! Actually I wasn't given a pattern. Now we have a gold and orange go-go dress.

On my way to post the sweater to nephew #1, I tripped and dropped a stack of library books in a slippery puddle. I just about cried and threw up and kicked the new car. But instead I laid them on the dining table (with the sewing) to smother them in towels. I think only one is truly ruined. Poor books.

Going to lunch was a high point. Though my dear friend has just lost one of her dear friends. So sad. We think we're too young.

I gave the zamboni guy his DNA illusion scarf and he was tickled. So I was tickled.

Unfortunately, my skater is in yet another number- line dance. "We" have to come up with a costume pronto. I talked to the two other moms who were available and we're going with jeans and a bandana. I'm going to make gingham peasant blouses (toward Daisy Duke) for each. They are simple to sew and more importantly, simple to fit. We have girl's size 8 to my daughter, ladies 14. Still, I think it could be cute.

I received the Mary Maxim pattern and yarn for the "Gift of Angels" blanket. This is knit for a friend to give her expectant daughter. They have been involved in Sunday school and camp for many years and know my kids well. The grandma-to-be refused knitting lessons. I refuse to be paid. I'm trying to think of a suitable barter. Too bad she doesn't cook. I have another friend who will sew for cabbage rolls.

The fun fur chemo caps are definitely cheering. I made one yesterday and one the day before.
The packing may do me in today. We fly our at 11 am tomorrow, but need to leave the house at 8 am.

If I don't post for a few days, please imagine that I am relaxed and happy exploring San Antonio.

Completed, Except

Last night I finished the top down raglan. I think my son looks pretty hunky in it. When he was a baby, we called him "Hunky Boo" because he was such a big Ukrainian baby (D. is half Ukrainian).His eldest cousin is a very similar size.

I think I will make it just a little longer in the body. Because I can. That's one of the treats of the top down. I think I changed my mind on this pattern after Hanne remarked on the decreases. I figured it out. It was a quick knit and I think Boo would wear it. How about dark blue or charcoal? He doesn't like the masterpiece aran sweater I knit him of special anti-tickle.

I had intended to knit my daughter, my Noodle-pie, a perfect aran before embarking on the nephew project. But the cotton cable hoodie, Mariah, was knit too loosely and eventhough I knit a size down, the cotton stretched and came out a size too big. Sigh. It is destined for my niece who is second in line. This means I am set to start sweater 3. I was going to knit Noodle a red Rogue hoodie, but she has started her own from Sally Melville. I win.

So today I will extend the bottom of the cable raglan. Then I will knit one or two fun fur caps to send to January One's friend. They will be collected for the chemo kids in Boston. I love to knit for medical babies. This hat will cheer me up after I shovelled the drive yet again. I torture myself that the neighbour who so rudely barricaded our shared driveway will oportunistically use mine as she doesn't clear her snow- nor do her lazy children or her little boyfriend. Wasted energy to fuss about others. I hate having a sociopathic neighbour. I want her to move. I want her to stop speaking to me in abusive language. It's up to me to tell her that I need more respect, but she's a sociopath, so it won't help. As long as my family is safe, I'll just walk away. Too sad after living here for almost 10 years. We pay off the mortgage next year. We've put up with drug dealers and car thieves, but it's never been so bad. We really love our privacy and she's in our face. Breathe. Knit. Make music. Nurture yourself.

Despite the Chill

We had an eventful weather week. I guess just about everyone could say that these days, especially in Canada where we always talk about the weather.

The trunk is finished on the top down raglan. It really looks like the trunk of a tree in the brown shades. I'll start the sleeves today. It will be simple, but it will cost some thought and intention.

I have had the good news that a nursing classmate has had a baby girl. They have been married for at least 14 years because they visited me when I was expecting my daughter. I checked the stash- I'm trying to stick to the stash diet. There was some beautiful Brown Sheep in pink, purple and green from another sweater. I'm planning to make the Cecelia from Knitty. It has the cutest petal collar. I'll adapt it to the yarn I have. I can get away with the smallest size, I think.

I plan to take the blue thistle shawl to San Antonio next week. I wanted it for our trip to Montreal but I broke the addi turbo wooden needle in packing. Tears. Now it's replaced, and I really should admit that I have this project on the needles. Can I finish the nephew sweater by then?

We've been enjoying BBC videos from the library. Great knitting content.

What's Under the Blanket?

Yesterday we got the new car. It's a civic sedan and I love it. It satisfies the practical need and still has room for zip and little bit of style. You can't see the beautiful dark blue because of the crappy weather. I scraped our drive way and three of our neighbors because I was worried about freezing rain. I'm big on safety and we have some old people and some who work all day.

Don't look at the decrepit RV in the background. We have the WORST neighbors. I know we should love our neighbors, but it's easier when they live in Somalia, or at least Surrey. We have had less trouble with the old renters who were variously drug dealers, car thieves and deadbeat dads. The widow sold the house to a classmate of mine from school and we have lost all our privacy. We refuse to tangle with her. No tolerance of bullies means moms too.

Enough energy trying to be passive on that one.

I had to rip out the trunk of the top down because I hate the instructions. I was in my LYS and Hanne said, oh, it looks like you just....

Of course. She solved it so well I had to frog a portion. She also let me trade my leftover balls of Crystal Palace kidsilk in turquoise for some lovely bright green. I'll make D's aunt a Kiri for her 70th. I have until September when she takes her villa in Umbria.

And I can stay on my stash diet.

The power was out lastnight for 6 hours. My son BBQ'd in 100 km winds. We had a great supper by candlelight and then everyone read by their book lights with ipods. Blessed quiet. When the wind died down, the quiet woke me.

I have lapsed from my runagogo. But I did

shovel the whole stinking drive. I'm not counting the mileage. Confident I can still make it.

Walking in the Rain

I'm really hooked on this Run-a-go-go. Thanks Rachel and Scout. I went out in the slushy snow this morning with the dog, Carly and it went well, thanks to Melissa Etheridge.
Yesterday I ran away to Vancouver with one of my best friends. We shopped and saw the Painted Veil at the charming 5th Avenue Theatre. What grown up fun. We brought our knitting, but didn't make it up to W. 10th to Urban Yarns. Just as good as I'm on a stash diet. I'll take her later.

Tonight we potluck with all the friends from our book club and their families. I am disappointed that my family is not more enthusiastic. But I've been disappointed before and survived. They'll have a great time once we're there. The good news is they missed me yesterday.

I hope to knit while I prepare my potluck goodies. The trunk of the topdown raglan is growning. I was so discouraged on Wednesday. My scale said I had gained 5 lbs. The heaviest I have been since my surgery July 04. But today it went back down. Still, reason enough to accept that my own behavior might be involved in my weight and my health. I'm trying to be back on the core diet. It is the best choice for my wellness. Wish me luck.

Top Down and Off the Chart.

I've started the top down raglan sweater for my oldest nephew. It was coming along lickety split despite the strange language in the pattern. It's from Knitter's Fall 2001. I know now how blessed we are with the internet knitting sites. The abbreviations are rediculous. All in the name of fitting in another picture or fitting in more ads.

I just about frogged it last night. It was off the needles. And eventhough this Scheepjes Figodon is a bit splitty, it held its stitches. I gave in, put them back on the needles and counted. Only two out. I don't care if I missed something in the "AT THE SAME TIME" tunnel. I had to go off road, but I made it out to daylight on the other side and I'm dividing for the sleeves in the picture above.

I'm not a big fan of Knitter's, but there was a time when it was the only magazine I could get.

Thank-you Knitty and Magknits and all the wonderful designers. Opening up the communication to the designers is one of my chief kicks. Jodi Green is wonderful, Grumperina is the best and Kate Gilbert is amazing.

In other news, the birthday party/new year's eve sleep over was a bad idea. I thought my daughter could overcome her disappointment at having an early new year birthday. But it was like being under seige.

No cake. They made a cake. Won't that be fun? I hid in the bedroom. Then, you guessed it, they went outside to play in the dark after leaving the cake to cool outside. On a table you ask? On the BBQ? Not even on the hot tub. On my lawn chaise. Carly ate the cake. She didn't feel well. We had flaming sundaes.

I think we'll not repeat this experiment.

Frivolity, Not Just an Illusion

There has been much eating and drinking and opening of gifts here, at the farm and assorted family residences. Eventhough I didn't knit for Christmas (much) , we have two out of three babies already born this holiday season. I haven't got to hold any of them yet, but the gifts were well received.

Except for the heavily gravid SIL who deemed it best to open the gift later in the week when she's alone.... you're welcome.

Some people are so strange.

This Magknits illusion scarf was as quick and easy as it was interesting to knit. It goes to the zamboni guy at the rink where my daughter takes figure skating lessons. Years ago we always had her birthday at the skating rink. These young people go out in public skating like life guards. Therefore I don't need to skate and supervise them. We gave zamboni guy some pink cupcakes when he was about 16 and he said, "No one's ever shared before". That captured my heart.

He's been such a help at turning on the parent "toasters" in the bleachers, chasing away dangerous young men doing drug deals in the wrong place and dressing up for our carnival. When he asked, "When are you going to knit something for me?" I undertook to find a pattern in our club colours.

I don't like the rink. I have issues with the self-centered young women and their shallow pit bull mothers. But I knit there. I have failed on the board, so I just do joe-jobs. I have found a few friends. I stay less than I did when she was very young. But I always look forward to seeing zamboni man. I hope he likes it.

I intend to knit the cabled DNA scarf as well.

Overwhelming yarn choices, reading choices and goodies to be saved from going stale. I must take the big dog for a walk first to earn my rest. I was at the doctor at 0900h this morning for care of an ear infection. It just about struck me out of the holiday fun, but I managed to overcome the misery and now I have backup meds if I need them. A sure cure.

Embrace the Unexpected

What a joy and delight it is to knit from this kettle-dyed pure merino wool from malgrigo.

I am not normally content to accept change and surprise. I like to know what's being flung at me. But through knitting I am becoming a better mother, wife, teacher, everything.

Just because I can't control or anticipate something does not make it bad, scary or evil. In the case of handpainted yarn, it is a blessing. What's coming next. How will my action (stitch, guage, pattern) affect the cosmos.

An unexpected Boxing Day sale. 40% off. Yay! I had my eye on this emerald mix. I want to see how Li's scarf knits up in it. I want to wade into the water eventhough I don't know what's under it. The year I went surfing I had to practice being brave. What's the worse thing that could happen? Falling off didn't hurt, it wasn't violent. I just got back on.

I hope this will be a year of embracing the unexpected. Getting out of my sun room and walking into the depths of life.

I need all my courage to work on my novel. It's already helping because my journal is filling with parallel and unrelated ideas. I'm working in pencil now to give myself the feeling of jotting down thoughts. Nothing important. Nothing in stone. No risk.

Life is all risk. Going to Christmas dinner at my in-laws is all risk. But we've grown past the days when my BIL and I poked each other with verbal turkey forks. The new SIL is megolamaniacally pregnant. But I am almost 14 years from that situation. Our new addition this year will be a cello for my daughter. Embrace that unexpectedness.

Embraceable You.

I just love my little ipod. I just downloaded my first song from itunes: Jane Siberry and K.D. Lang "Calling All Angels". Such a beautiful piece. I hope to sing it one day. I'm lucky to have a few new favourites. Not too many Christmas songs this year, but that's OK.

This is his little basket of wires and where he rests and sleeps so I can ever find him if I need to listen to a knitting podcast or a book while I walk.

I'm already excited about the 40% off sale at my LYS on Boxing Day. I'm swatching a knit from the top raglan for my eldest nephew. If I get enough for the next guy, it doesn't count for knitting from your own stash year. I may buy some beautiful emerald hand paint, too, to make Li's reversible herringbone scarf. I have some Noro Silk Garden, but I probably wouldn't wear it. Who knows what it would look like knit up.

I'm enjoying a little break before tomorrow's three musical services at church. I love my flute and I'm so pleased to be playing. But I will be exhausted after the midnight service. It will be great to be surrounded by my three part brass family. It will be so wonderful to hear the trumpets and trombone players who are my husband and kids. Maybe I should take up the tuba.

Shortest Day

That was a pretty cool sostice. My best friend brought her son over and the kids played their new Dutch Blitz card game while we talked fibre and music lessons.





My daughter will be taking cello lessons in the new year. Despite the ordering of a new small car. I'll still have to schlep the soccer mom van around. It's not as bad as the year we both played bass drum in our pipe bands. The flute is much handier.

The tumbling blocks is finished and brilliant, though not bright enought to add light to the short day. Walking was so great this morning as it has warmed up a lot. I bathed the dog, so we couldn't run in the muddy field.

This is going to be a good Christmas. The 24th is almost entirely filled with carols and playing of instruments. Mom is handling the Christmas Eve soup and sandwich party that I always have. So I get to see my sisters and nephews before the big day. The big day is spent at the in-laws. But I have now shaved off the entire morning (for a classy breakfast with my parents) and the early afternoon (for a rest/ snack). We aren't expected until after 2pm. Much better than the years I had to bring the babies for 0900h. Yuck.





D. wanted me to go to the Knitter's gathering in California. It was awfully tempting. But two things held me back. First, I don't really like the sweaters/ads/ glitz of the magazine. I'm much more into knitty and IK. Secondly, my writing guilt wouldn't let me. A retreat must be a writing retreat. Not that it would be more fun. But it's something I should really explore. Perhaps a few days at UBC this summer.





In response to the finding my own knitting crowd, I tried to get onto the knitty chat room last night. But they wouldn't let me in. The scary squiggly letters were not what I read them as, I guess.





For two years I've been reading blogs, Yarn Harlot, Life's a Stitch, And She Knits Too. I've lurked. I've posted. Finally I got a blog. But I don't feel legitimate because I don't know if I'm getting any comments. Have I ever been read? It's like having a kool aid stand out the back of an ice rink. No way to meet the thirsty people.


I'm going to email Lara at Math4knitters to ask for help. I would like to politely reply to comments and get to know people better so that if I were to ever go to a knitting event, I would not be the outsider.


I don't knit as much or as well as so many of you. But this has been such a warm and inclusive gathering. I've learned lots about podcasts and blogs and computers and digital cameras. I feel that I'm not being judged in comparison, but for my own efforts.


I'll try to start a knitting group here in Sardis this year. I have a space I'm allowed to use. I'll see if there's a response. I hope it's better than the writing circle. Ew. I should try that again, too.

First get through this year. The lists have been checked off. Even the apple cranberry relish is now done. I'm going to enjoy a little rest and knitting.

You're Not Alone

My daughter sat with me for two days while we were ill and knit with me. It was strange and relaxing and at times annoying. But like my mother, I didn't solve her problems and hand back the penguin. I showed her my reference books and demonstrated on my own needles.

She's very random and will be knitting without patterns before her 14th birthday (2 weeks).

What a silly penguin. He made us smile as we trudged through all our Christmas videos.

D. is in his grumpy Christmas mood. It really does irk him. Thank goodness for our music. We are playing together in three services on Christmas Eve. I love my pieces. Huron Carol, Wexford Carol, Lulay.

I have found reception for CBC Radio 2 and have been wallowing in wonderful classical music and great hosts all week. This is not the scheduled spot on the dial, but I'll take it.

Two more days of school. On Friday I serve pizza at lunch. Chaos.

All the gifts are wrapped and the baking done. It's good that I give myself time to be sick. The fever still comes, but I was able to attend a long meeting/party yesterday and make a nice meal for supper.

Teens are funny. No Lego this year. It's a bit tough. They want hair dryers and razors. I want a cup of tea and a bit of knitting.

Knit Your Own Stash

This is a big step to take on an evening that I'm home with a fever instead of helping at the Christmas Pageant. I'm dizzy and hot and cold and weak. No, please come in.

Given time to read Wendy Knits, I am interested in her idea of knit from your own stash year. I'm having trouble finding words.

Here are her rules. I will make a few changes. A few years ago I did manage this. I also read from my own shelf for a year. It makes me feel less guilty about my abundance in a world of unequal distribution, and helps validate that I like my own taste and can make good choices, even in the frothing excitement of a wool shop. When I make my long project list, everything is in the cupboard in the basement in clear containers. I even have enough baby yarn to knit for the Oak Avenue Mission.

Knit From Your Stash 2007!
L-B mentioned to me that she was thinking about attempting to knit from her stash exclusively in 2007. I, of course, laughed at her initially, but started thinking that attempting to knit from my stash exclusively was not a bad idea. Both L-B and I have stashes of epic proportions. L-B had suggested a period of 9 months of knitting from the stash, so that we could go to Stitches East next October and buy yarn there.
So, in a phone call, we sketched out our guidelines.
Knit From Your Stash 2007: Guidelines for L-B and Wendy
1. The Knit-From-Your-Stash-a-Thon will start January 1, 2007 and run through September 30, 2007 -- a period of nine months.
2. We will not buy any yarn during that period, with the following exceptions:
2.a. Sock yarn does not count. What? You think we are made of stone?
2.b. If someone asks for a specific knitted gift that we really and truly do not have the yarn for, we may buy yarn to knit that gift.
2.c. If we are knitting something and run out of yarn, we may purchase enough to complete the project.
2.d. We each get one "Get Out of Jail Free" card -- we are each allowed to fall off the wagon one time.
3. We are allowed to receive gifts of yarn.
4. Spinning fiber of any sort is exempt.
Anyone else who would like to join us in this is welcome to do so! Feel free to link to this page or to post the guidelines on your own blog. You may also alter the guidelines to suit your own situation.

The yarn I already ordered doesn't count because it's mine and no one can take it away from me. My sister's 50th is in October. If I do two nephew sweaters, my own lace shawl(s), sister's and various socks, I probably won't even need my get out of jail free card. I will try to save it for Scotland and London in August. OOO London!

Back to bed and A.S. Byatt's wonderful Possession.

Thicky, thicky

I'm trying to buy lace weight yarn over the internet, but I'm having trouble with all the numbers. That's why I listen to Math4knitters.
From my Joy of Cooking I have the equivalents.
1g =0.032 oz
10z = 28.35 g

Now if the wool comes in 150g skeins and there's 325 meters to 4 oz (why mix imperial with metric!) (Why mix ever anyway?)
Fleece Artist is Canadian. I'm Canadian. We use System International. Phooey.
How much do I need and what will it cost and is another type a better deal?
This is simple math but I'm floundering in little cards and my calculator is laughing at me.

I need 800 yds of "laceweight". That could be anything. Granted a shawl will fit, my problem is if I buy hand-dyed, I'd better have enough at the start.
Is sock weight light enough? I'm not sure it's what I want.

And the answer is Helen's Lace from Lorna's Laces in navy. Sight unseen. Thanks Urban Yarns. I hope I'm not sad with the yarn, or the pattern, or my knitting, or my sister's reaction. Who said knitting was simple?

Baby Alpaca is for Babies

Yummy yarn buy. I knew I would reneg on my intention to do no Christmas knitting. But there are two marvelous little boys in our office and I can't resist. My only regret is that they're not more a part of my life. I will drop in to bring this little gift. I may even bring my horse/dog for the older boy to tussle with.

This thick and soft yarn will be perfect, I hope for the little ones who don't want to wear a hat. I'm strict about winter hats and little ones. I knit many for my own babies. The first hat knit up so quickly last night. I'm using Ann Budd's The Knitter's handy book of patterns again. I use it a lot. You find your gauge, you pick your size and you follow the graph for that choice. So many sizes and gauges are given. It's good for adding designs, too. But this first hat was still a little big, so the second one will be the smallest size. Easy, peasy.

The Chilliwack Wool and Craft shop is so charming. The first time I walked in, it was so bright and clean, I thought I was in the wrong place. Hanne is Dutch and sweet. She has a big family and one of her boys did work experience with D. who is a dairy vet.

They have clients in the traditional Dutch community who actually still have ties with Europe, so we're seeing a whole new line of wools. Plus they'll order just about anything for me. I had a lot of trouble with the other shop over her priorities and why I was at the bottom for a year. When she got on the order, the wool came in a week. But the birthday had come and gone- twice!

Hanne orders and keeps me up to date if it will be delayed. I rarely order in a fit of need.

Right now I'm trying to order some Fleece Artist from Urban Yarns. Lace yarn is a bit thin on the ground, and I think I'm talking myself out of cobweb. My Pacific Coast Rainforest Shawl (Fiber Arts) has a hole. I'd like to give something a little sturdier. This is a 50th birthday for my second-oldest sister who is a wonderful knitter and painter and artist and lives on Saltspring Island. A true eden.

I'm looking for a dark blue to knit Print o' the Waves from Eunny. They have apologized that they don't have my choice. I emailed back that I can't start the gift until February anyway. I hope they'll order it for me. I can maybe pick it up in the New Year. That's really only a few weeks away.

Tonight I will probably make the pastry for my butter tarts. And that may be it except for more shortbread. They do love that.

Finished Object

I'm excited about how quickly this ingenious pattern knit up once I got the flow. The second half took less than half the time of the first. That's the story of "first time". Always be patient with beginning a project.

That's something that knitters understand. Invoking the god of patience is part of beginning each project. After I finished and steam blocked the Backyard Leaves scarf, I swatched for an illusion scarf. Now I have the right needles and wool for when my friend is ready to cast on. I'm doing the DNA and she'd doing the keyboard from Magknits.

This blog is a beginning project. I love my little Canon and I'm learning to play with the settings. But Blogger has changed a few times and now I have no indication of comments. Maybe I'm on a comment-blocked setting. I need to check it out more extensively. As far as I know, I've never had a comment. Perhaps never a reader. I was quite discouraged as I invested my time in my on-line course. But that's over and I have more time for writing, knitting and fun.

The on-line knitting community has been so very important to me in my creative life. I have been following knitty, Life's a Stitch and the Yarn Harlot for a few years now. But I didn't like the ethical implications of being a lurker. I started to comment. Then I slipped into this blog. I like the idea of doing my part to join in . If no one reads it, I still have moved beyond lurking. My next attempt will be to join a chat room. Even if I were in a big city, I could never find the exciting, imaginative and giving people whom I meet in blogland. It is a special place that helps me overcome my little speed bumps of life and the trials and successes of my knitting. There is inspiration being freely shared that I appreciate so much. Enough to get going on my blankie and chalk up another FO.

Back in the Saddle

Well, back walking, anyway. She's big but she's not a horse. It is a theory of mine that the reason I am not pining for another horse is this 95 lb dog.

The snow has a bated, it is warm enough to trundle through our 5 km walk. What a relief. I require the walking therapy for my asthma and my nasty knees. I did spend an entire year (not last year) when I missed only 2 days. I try to be gentler on myself, though Carly requires daily excercize. If I have a busy day or can't make the full 45 minutes, I'll be OK with a smaller walk or wait until tomorrow. The kids have helped out when I've been sick. D. likes to take her out, too. It is good to have a goal. It is bad to be inflexible and not allow for real life.

But how easy do I go on myself? At what point do I just get lazy? I need to remember that walking is fun and lets me be alone and self-directed. The way I feel after the walk is important to focus on as well. It is a much better feeling than sitting at my computer for that 40 minutes.

Lots of uninterrupted (!!) knitting last night. What a rush. How long has it been? I have 6 pattern repeats left on my backyard leaves from IK Holiday Gifts and two balls of butterfly cotton left on my tumbling blocks baby blanket for early January.

The pattern developed from several sources. I can't take credit for the pattern, but neither can I cite my source. I'll try to put it down below. Sets of 10 that travel through st st, reverse st st, and seed st. I like a predictable pattern that I can knit off the stitches. I have 10 st border in seed stitch because I'm not a big fan or garter. I cast on 200 stitches to get a blanket 40 inches. I hope to knit a square. I charted it on knitting graph paper.

On right side: v= pearl and 0= knit, but this is entirely reversible.

20. vovovovovo

vvovovovoo 19.

18. vvvovovooo

vvvvovoooo 17.

16. vvvvvooooo

vvvvvooooo 15.

14. ovvvvoooov

vovvvooovo 13.

12. ovovvoovov

vovovovovo 11.

10. ovovovovov

vovoovvovo 12

8. ovooovvvov

voooovvvvo 7.

6. ooooovvvvv

ooooovvvvv 5.

4. oooovovvvv

ooovovovvv 3.

2. oovovovovv

ovovovovov 1.

Not Quite Falling

These leaves are designed by a genius. Anne Modesitt is incredible. They are as intriguing as they are impressive. I'm working on the second half (to be grafted in the middle). The ends are sculpted leaves. I'm loving it. I never intended to finish it quickly, but I would really like to wear it to one of the Christmas things.

I bought a beautiful crinkly cranberry blouse with lots of little fasteners down the front and lots of cleavage. Then I bought a light turtleneck in the same colour. I'm a bit of a fashion chicken. But what could I do with a pattern from the knitting heretic? I've asked for the Big Girl Knits for Christmas. Even when I'm at my (old and shelved) goal weight, I'm curvy. I no longer believe in goal weights. I believe in knitting goals and writing goals, exercize goals and health goals. But the scale be damned. It is not my friend. The only numbers I have ever gotten along with are in knitting.

Blogger is hating my photos again and wanting them shunted to a parallel universe. I'd love to share the pewter stitches with anyone who stops by.

One of things I adore about knit blogs is learning about the places people come from.

I'm in the Fraser Valley in a small town that used to be called Sardis. There are lots of used to be's in my town and that's partly what my book is about. The threat of development.

The snow is returning to its normal state i.e. anywhere else. I have had a lot of trouble walking my big black dog lately. But Carly needs her mileage (kilometerage) to be content to shed on the white carpet in the front room. She really is a good dog. But 95 lbs on the other end of a leash makes for a tipsy turn on the ice. I really have been tough on her "heeling" lately. The kitten chow in my pocket helps her to focus on my needs: don't pull!!!

The gifts are wrapped except for D and the kids. I have another gathering on Thursday with the choir. Good news, we got a lot done last night. They can stick to the tune while I play flute and I have a solo on Christmas Eve morning. I'd rather sing, but I have this Lo How a Rose ready.

My thin crust vegetarian bake at home pizza is ready. The boys are in the basement watching pirates and D has our daughter at the skate shop. Sit back and relax. Listen to Kathy Reichs on the computer while following the falling leaves. Good.