hello jen.

Hi!

I’ve moved everything over here! Please update your links, if you do that sort of thing.

xo.

Sigh. I didn’t finish my Christmas knits. They are oh so close to being finished, and I fully intend to send them to the recipients in the mail after this week. I don’t know what it was. I was on schedule to finish them, even if it meant knitting into the wee hours of the night on Christmas eve. Then on December 22, I started shopping for other gifts. You know, to supplement the knitted gifts I was going to give, because really what three and one year old child gets excited about a sweater on Christmas? Little did I know, I was self-sabotaging. Somewhere in my subconscious I thought “If I have these other toys to give them, then it’ll be okay if I don’t finish the kniting.”

Oh well. The kids will never know and the parents will be thrilled to get a little surprise in the mail in early January, amongst all the credit card bills and belated Christmas cards.

I did finish a pair of baby legwarmers for Tomma. They were knit with Knitcol Trends by Adriafil. I love the striping sequence and the brown and white bits that resemble a siwash.

I think 2008 will be a good year for crafting, as I have acquired a few tools for expanding my craft repertoire. More on that later!

merry christmas eve.

I haven’t posted in quite some time. I don’t really have much of a reason. I guess I’ve been busy?

Anyway. The holiday knitting has not gone so well, so I must limit my typing time and get back to it. Happy Holidays!

busy.

Thank you so much for all the comments about the Tilted Duster! I’m really happy with it although the wool might be a bit too warm for my current climate.

I’m keeping my fingers busy for the next few weeks with some gift knitting. Earlier this fall, I decided the only holiday knitting I would do would be for the babies in my life, namely my nieces and nephew. The projects I’ve decided on are the Santa Cruz Hoodie (from Knit 2 Together) for Jamie (age 1), the Molly bolero (from Junior Knits by Debbie Bliss) for Jessica (age 3), and the Seed Stitch Jacket (from Exercise Before Knitting) for Tomma (who will be 6 months old at Christmas).

Raw materials (& other random supplies) are pictured above. The tan coloured yarn on the needles is the beginnings of Branching Out but that has since been put on the back burner. I’ve set the rather ambitious goal of finishing all three gift projects by December 23rd. I’ve got 3/4s of the Molly bolero done. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some knitting to do.

a labour of love.

My first sweater is complete! I finished the last touches on the Tilted Duster last night, repositioning the buttons three times and weaving in all the ends. Hurrah!

It’s not perfect, but it’s handmade and appeared right before my fingertips, so I can let go of my perfectionist leanings and look past the minor flaws (namely, the shotty job I did on seaming the arms).

It was made with Berroco Peruvia, the recommended yarn, and it is from the fall issue of Interweave Knits. I’m writing about it like the people reading this blog aren’t knitters, but let’s be serious. You all know this sweater and you know the pattern was written by the lovely Norah Gaughan.

I had debated using Misson Falls as a substitute yarn, but none of their colours jumped out at me. When Beehive got their shipment of Berroco Peruvia and I saw this greyish brown with tiny flecks of blue, I knew this was the yarn that would make my first sweater.

I found the buttons at Button & Needlework Boutique. The only modifications were adding the third button and making the collar a bit longer than the pattern called for. The third button was intentional, and the longer collar just sort of happened because ribbing is hard to measure. I like the way it turned out.

Overall, I am quite happy with it. It was such a quick knit too; I cast on early to mid-October. A few notes of wisdom for folks who plan to knit this: it is a snug knit, so don’t expect to wear anything but a thin shirt underneath and the collar just appears out of nowhere, so be sure to measure regularly when you’re knitting it. Luckily, I like a big collar but I can see how it would annoy me if I didn’t. Even though I’ve been knitting for five years, I had never attempted a sweater until now. I don’t know what it was because I’ve managed to knit mammoth, never-ending projects comprised of a gagillion stitches before, so it wasn’t the fear of commitment or endurance. Whatever it was, I’m over it and now I’m already seeking out the next sweater I’d like to knit.

(Please excuse the leftover decorations from a surprise party we threw.)

Now I’m off to document this on Ravelry! Happy Tuesday.

happy halloween!

I don’t have a Tilted Duster to show you yet, but it will be finished this weekend. Hurrah! I only have to finish the collar, block and then seam it all together.

In the meantime I wish you a Happy Halloween!

what fall brings.

Sometimes I am amazed by how quickly time passes without even really noticing it. Silas and I have been residents of Victoria for a month and a half now but it still only feels like last week that we were driving through the Rockies to get here. September seemed to go by slowly, being without employment and all, but looking back I don’t know where all that time went. I was baking and cooking so much, watching episodes of CSI back to back on cable television (oh the luxury!), and getting quite comfortable as a domestic goddess.

I have since found employment, so my days have seen a significant decrease in leisure activities, but this is probably for the better. I don’t know how many times one can rearrange the art on their walls before it becomes a problem. The job itself is pretty decent. It’s vaguely related to the work experience I’ve had, has a low level of responsibility, and will allow us to eat and pay rent until I find that excellent job out there with my name and qualifications on it. In the meantime, I’ll enjoy the routine, the business attire, and the casual Fridays.

We’ve taken to exploring something outdoorsy on the weekends. A couple weekends ago we went to East Sooke and went on a little hike before it started pouring rain. Today, Silas, Joyce, Tomma, and I went to Thetis Lake regional park and hiked a 5km trail. My poor, sleep deprived, trooper of a sister walked it with Tomma on her chest in the Baby Bjorn on some pretty steep inclines. She said it was like being pregnant again. Dear Tomma slept through the whole hike.

It was a beautiful fall morning and we met so many friendly folks and their dogs on the trail.

I’m short.

Fall colour.

I’m plugging away at the Tilted Duster but I had the urge for instant gratification last night, so I cast on Saartje’s Booties. I knit one super quick late last night and finished up the second one today.

This is an excellent pattern I’ve been seeing all over the place and now I know why. I can see myself making many pairs in the future. I used Patons Classic Wool I had leftover from Tomma’s wool soaker. Now her diaper cover will match her feeties.

in progress.

Here are some photos; I’ll add some text when I’m feeling more inspired. It is far too late to be awake, blogging, and watching reruns of CSI for someone who is catching the 7am ferry tomorrow. I’m off to my folks’ house for the long weekend. Happy Thanksgiving!

sesame seeds!

I’m planning to write a proper post later this evening but first I just had to share this. If you read the Craftzine blog, you’ve already seen it; Joy Kampia’s crocheted hamburger dress on her website. I love textiles as food, especially when they are wearable. She also has an ice cream cone dress!

I’m off to Bitchy Bees right after I take some knitting photos while there’s still some natural light.

sewing

Recently:

• applying for jobs;
• searching for a sewing machine on Used Victoria;
• borrowing my sister’s sewing machine in the meantime;
• baking plum cake and pumpkin muffins
• finishing one Charade
• making the Artsy Clutch from Amy Karol’s Bend the Rules Sewing.

Sometimes I can be quite lazy when it comes to digital photography, so I’ll have to show you the Charade FO next time. I didn’t end up buying yarn for the Titled Duster while I was in Vancouver which ended up being quite fortuitous, since I received gift certificates for the Beehive. Also, Sarah sent me some beautiful Louet and Lorna’s Laces which I also forgot to photograph so I’ll have to show you next time.

Here’s to fall knitting!