I had done so well

I forgot to do an entry yesterday. I remembered at about 10 at night but still forgot again within a minute and it took over 12 hours before I remembered and another 12 hours before I actually finished this entry.

I didn't do much yesterday. I went to the gym, visited my adopted grandparents, picked up a few groceries, finished a square and went home to watch Arrow (love that show).

Today on the other hand was a day off. I went to the gym while freezing my butt off in this crazy Southern Ontario weather. By the time I made it home, I had no intention of leaving my house unless it was to pick up my cousin from school. I spent quite some time knitting Blankie. This week I did 9 squares, all attached but not on the main Blankie just yet.

Off to bed for the night!

Oh Blankie, My Blankie

Today was a continuation of last night.  It was spent on knitting Blankie (while still watching episode 2 and 3 of "Downton Abbey").  I managed to do 5 starter squares in less than 24hrs.  I even had a theme/pattern going on but I messed up on the last square and picked the wrong red.  Ah well.  I still like my progress.  I think I'm going to start building up from these 5 (it's really 6 squares since I'm in the middle of knitting a square).  Eventually of course, it will be added to the rest of it.  I also belatedly realized that I don't have enough black sock yarn so I'm going to order more from Knitpicks, along with the "Principles of Knitting" book that I've been admiring for quite awhile.

I brought the progress to the knitting circle (it is Tuesday after all).  The Librarian Kathy who's in charge of the program, donated yarn to my Blankie cause, and gave me the stash of sock yarn that someone else had donated to the library.  I've never even heard of this brand of yarn but it's cool to own it.  It's wool and it's made to be washed so it's good to go.

Downtown Squares

I finished attaching the left panel of the Anisette Cardi (doesn't it sound like this is the only thing I do?) and started on the sleeve. Woohoo and yay.

I picked up my Blankie and did a 2.5 starter squares while watching "Downtown Abbey". I think the two should go hand in hand; watch the show and knit more squares. I think I'll make a lot of progress this way since there are 4 British seasons and so far the one episode I watched was 65 minutes long with no commercial breaks.

Aw, just screw it

I finished the right sleeve of the Anisette Cardi like I said I would and I even attached it to the cardigan. I'm in the middle of attaching the left panel and I'm struggling to stay awake. So the question is, why the heck am I forcing myself to stay awake by watching American Dad while sewing? I'm going to bed. I can continue this tomorrow.

That was quick

I came home from church, tired and wanting nothing more than to work on my sweater and/or go to bed.  I was surprised to find a smallish brown box sitting on my nighttable.  Considering I was at home when the mail was delivered I wasn't expecting anything.  So colour me surprised when I realized it was from Knitpicks.  I had just made the order on Monday...of this week and since we don't get the mail on Saturday that means it arrived on Friday.  It's always taken at least a week and a half to get anything from Knitpicks.  Maybe Canada Post decided to pick up the speed or something, since I still haven't gotten my email with a tracking number to tell me it's in the country.

Anywho, I started flipping through the book and it's leaving me feeling intimidated.  All I wanted to was to do a gradient dye with acidic dyes.  Is that too much to ask?  Apparently so, therefore I need to go ask more questions on Ravelry.

The sleeve is making some progress and I think I can get this one done tomorrow, leaving one more sleeve and the ribbing to complete.  Then I can declare the Anisette COMPLETE! (and move on to the Shapely Boyfriend)

Never really seen MaddieTosh before

Which surprisingly is almost true with the exception of a charcoal grey on time that I saw someone else knitting with. It's not really an accurate way of seeing the kind of colours they have. For next month for Kool Way to Dye, the challenge is to dye a skein of yarn to look like Madeline Tosh skein. I found a skein by them that I do like called Grapefruit. It's a light and a medium pink tonal which looks lovely. I don't think I have enough for Koolaid but I do have 3 packs of food colouring (+ the citric acid required). I'm going to give it a go next month.

That was fast

This has got to be the fastest delivery ever! I ordered a skein of BFL sock yarn and a 0US 9" HiyaHiya circular needles on Tuesday. I got it within 2 days. I was shocked. Happy but shocked. I also picked up a couple more of the syringes for measuring dye and such. I think 3 should be enough along with 2 droppers.

I am very pleased!

I am almost finished the panel :) After this is the sleeves and then the button panel an such and it will be done. I was thinking pockets would be great however I'll decide when I finish the rest of the cardigan and that means learning how to steek (and pray that I don't ruin this thing).

On another, I finally found squeeze bottles and I picked up the citric acid. I cannot wait until the Jacquard dye comes home. I've got 2 undyed skeins from Knitpicks, a nekkid skein from Springtree and a skein of BFL sock yarn from Acme Fibres. I'll try out the gradient dyeing maybe on the Stroll before using the nekkid skein (and if I get the book it'll get used for the Tree of Life socks). I still have to get a couple more masonry jars and I think I'll be generally set with the exception of a crock pot.

Unintentional Mistake

I'm still not as far as I wanted to be for this Anisette Cardi (this seems to be my daily complaint) but I am going through the arm hole decreases so progress has been made. Maybe by tomorrow night, this panel will be done. I did however discover an unintentional mistake. I have what looks like a yarn over that's turning into a run but there's no where for it to go. So my panel now has an oversized yarn over that looks like it takes up two rows. But what's there to do? Maybe no one else will notice it.

Like I need another challenge

Is it bad that after reading someone else's blog that I want to start a new challenge? It's all about 365 pairs of socks. Realistically, I know I can't knit a pair of socks a day. I'm lucky if I can manage a pair in a month, but it's more like 6 weeks. But the idea I making enough socks to have a new pair to for every day of the month. This so wouldn't been done in a year but maybe it could be a 2-3 year project. I just got to make sure I know where I put them when I finish making them. I it sad I can only track 2 pairs of socks out of the...(monkey, mona, BFF, anklet...wow only 4 for myself?) so I can only find half of my socks.

Something gotten and something still missing

I was generally productive today...or at least I think I was.  I got up this morning and after watching Pokemon, which has become my daily ritual (you'd think I was way younger than I really am from that alone), I got on the bus and headed to the gym.  It took longer to complain about being on the elliptical machine, I upped my reps to do 3 sets instead of 2 (the pain on the back of my left shoulder is proof) and left the gym with a smile on my face, until I got slapped with the cold when I got outside.  Sometimes I think Canadian weather sucks, but then I remember that I live in between the snow belts so it could be a lot worse.  That usually ends my complaining.

I finally went and got my Health Card situation taken care of.  Backstory: I lost it years ago but I had the old fashioned red and white one that never needed to be replaced and I didn't want to change to the new one because they meant a replacement every few years. I'm a major procrastinator.  I have admitted it and let's move on.

I had everything ready to go for the new card last week Thursday but the camera wasn't working.  I couldn't go again until today only to find the lineup was going out to the main hall of the mall.  They were remarkably fast considering the amount of people and the fact that it is a government place so I was pleased.  I got my temporary Health Card, which is really a piece of paper, and the new one should be arriving in 4-6 weeks.

Today I also took the opportunity to check out the bulk store in the mall as well.  And they had what I was looking forward to.  Found the Citric Acid.  I didn't buy it yet but next time I go, I'll buy some.  I also did a KnitPicks Order this morning. So I'm now waiting for a starter set of Jacquard Acid Dyes, a book on how to dye yarn, a harmony wood crochet needle, flexible stitch markers and 1 ball of Wool of the Andes in Hyacinth (I'm convinced the remaining 2 balls I have will not be enough to finish my Anisette Cardi so I had to get another one).

I did come home today to find my skein of Muscadine Sock Yarn (because I can never have enough) in Cocoa.  I was still hoping to find my copy of "The Enchanted Sole" but still no sign of it.  I sent in an email.  Here's to hoping that I'll get some kind of positive answer.

Last of all, let this be the last time I buy sock yarn (unless it's undyed) until next year.  I can hold out until January 2014.  The only sock yarn that should be arriving is the ones from Cookie's Sock Club 2013 and the only sock purchase should be for Cookie's Sock Club 2014.

I think I did something good

I volunteer at a food bank every month for the past year or so (it was 3 times a year for about 5 or 6 years). Today it was bitterly cold. A woman came in just saying that her hands were cold. I was wearing my recently finished Juniper Fingerless mitts. I didn't even think or hesitate. I took them off my hands and handed them too her. She didn't want to take them at first but I told it was okay since I knit them myself and I could make another pair. It really confirmed the idea of knitting gloves, mittens and hats for the homeless, I guess starting close to home.

I'm making a good pace with the Anisette Cardi but I don't think this panel as quickly as I hoped. I had planned I working a lot more on I when I got home from the food bank but I was tired and went to sleep. I finished the night out by doing about 6 rows. It's still progress.

Another bonus note: an email I sent to the Quiver Podcast (a pod cast about the television show "Arrow") got read on air. It's the second one. First one had me grinning like a loon and bouncing. This one put a smile on my face.

Tired

I am so tired right now, I barely feel like I can do an update but I will try anyways.

I am currently at my bff's house. We went to see the movie "Silver Linings Playbook". Other than the excessive swearing, it was an excellent movie. I have never seen a Bradley Cooper movie but he is nice to look at. Jennifer Lawrence is an excellent actress.

Now I go to bed.

Dyes and knits

What do you do when all that's running through your mind is starting an online business for something that I like to do? Or at least what I've tried so far.

For me, it's all about dyeing yarn however I am still very much a newbie. I enjoy using Kool-aid but there isn't as much colour variety to get at my local stores. It's like no one wants to add their own sugar to a kool aid mix. And as time goes on, it's too expensive to buy the packets but going to commercial dyes will be more cost effective. Also, the colour combinations will be much more extensive. I finally found somewhere where I can get a syringe without a needle (yay Shoppers Drugmart in an area where there are a lot of senior citizens). I have found decent places online to buy undyed yarns. I have ordered and I have liked. I still want to try BFL yarn. The only thing I haven't been able to locate is a place to buy citric acid. I have been trying to find it at local grocery stores but I haven't seen it yet. I'll try to find it at a bulk food store. I'm kind of leery to buy any kind of white powder online however the other choice is vinegar. I don't think I want the smell of vinegar on the yarn.

The only other thing right now I need to do learn the crocheting.

On to the project update.

You know those times you want to work on a project except your eyes are already half asleep? I'm going through that right now. I'm almost at the half point for this panel so I'm still holding to my mid next week finish line for this panel. I can't wait!

A decent amount of progress has been made

I worked exclusively on the Anisette Cardi today, with the same mistakes I made on the other side. At the rate I seem to be going, I should finish the panel in less than a week. I don't imagine the sleeves will take too long, especially since they're short sleeves. After that, it's the button panel. That should be interesting.

I was reading the Sweet Georgia blog again and surprisingly, she wrote about the colours that are in the Dr. Who scarf. It's one of those things where you want to make one cause it could be cool but you know you'd never wear it. I'm not really a scarf person unless its ridiculously cold outside. Maybe as time goes on, I'll change and if that's the case, I should start buying he yarn and put it aside...like I really to to start stashing worsted weight yarn.

It's progress

I guess seeing all the yarn and the pattern sitting in a bag in my room for the Shapely Boyfriend, has kicked my butt into action for finishing the Anisette Cardigan, complete with the mistakes I made on the right panel so everything match. I'm feeling the want to work on it which is the best thing.

I saw a video today for Sweet Georgia, an Indie yarn dyer based in British Columbia and it was so inspirational. It's also really interesting regarding that Felicia Lo, the owner and creator of Sweet Georgia, was in the same place as me when I was younger (and its still happening today) of not knowing what she wanted to do in her future but having a strong interest in fashion, computers and music. Replace the fashion with Crafting and that's me. She went in the route of yarn dyeing. I'm still kind of lost in that aspect. If I could make a life via crafting, I'd be a happy camper :)

(video found on the blog: http://www.sweetgeorgiayarns.com/2013/01/inside-sweetgeorgia-documentary/)

Everything I need is here

I got the last batch of yarn for my Shapely Boyfriend sweater. I'm still not going to start it until the Anisette Cardi is done. I'm actually re-evaluating the size to make. I have enough yarn to make up to a 1X, however I don't plan to still be that size by the time I finish the sweater and its already a loosely made sweater. I guess the smart idea would be once I'm ready to start the sweater, I'll measure the bust and then knit it according to that.

Have to rethink this scarf

Since I finished the Juniper fingerless gloves, I wanted to make a scarf to match. I'm wanting to do a zig zag pattern the first attempt didn't turn out quite well. I even got my aunt and cousin opinion. They couldn't see the zig zag. It just confirmed that I had to do the unthinkable and unraveled my work.

I got the zig and I'll start the zag soon.

On a bonus note my friend had her baby this afternoon. Welcome to the world Rhys!

And the collection grows

I went and took out all the yarn I currently own that is from an Indie Dyer. I pulled out 9 skeins from Springtree Road, 2 from Tanis Fibre Arts and 1 from Indigo Dragonfly. This is even more proof that I need to knit with the product I got. I do have more sock yarn than this but the rest is from bigger companies. I really think I prefer the Indie Dyed yarns maybe because it adds a touch of uniqueness.

This still doesn't take into account 1 skein from Springtree that I ordered on Friday and whatever skeins I get from the sock club.

I can finish a project!

I finally finished the Juniper Fingerless gloves. Of course they still need a couple finishing touches but everything has been bound off. Once I wash and block them (is that even possible with acrylic yarn?), then I'll put on the buttons. I got 2 options I'm really leaning towards, both prominently red.

I received another one of my packages; two needles tips for the larger ChiaoGoo Interchangeables and a swivel cable, that usually goes with the Bamboo tips but I'm not a big fan of knitting with bamboo since they always seems to break in my hands. I look forward to trying them out.

The only outstanding packages is the book I ordered with the Tree of Life sock pattern, 2 skeins of Lorna's Laces Worsted from Jimmy Beans, a plug for my printer (which has no direct correlation with my knitting but it does mean I can start printing my own stuff at my house) and another skein of sock yarn from Springtree Road. I really have to stop getting more sock yarn. I have way more than I have patterns right now. I'm forgetting colours that I do have. Maybe I can cold sheep sock yarn until 2014 (not including the yarn I'm getting from the sock club, but that's only 6 additional skeins). I am now tempted to go through all my sock yarn, especially the ones that are from Indie Dyers and take a picture.

Treasure Trove

I was honoured when my adopted grandmother, Grandma B, offered these wonderful trinkets to me when she found out what I was knitting.

I had pulled out my Juniper Fingerless gloves today and worked on the right hand. I told her that I was on the hunt for buttons to decorate them with. She quickly walked out of the kitchen and came back with a Samsonite suitcase (not the newer soft case ones but a dark pink hard shelled one that they haven't made since at least the 50's). Inside of this case was a veritable treasure trove of vintage buttons. I was in awe. Of course I found some matching ones and some brightly coloured ones, metal , plastic, wood etc! She allowed me to take quite a few of them. After going through them, I want to go to places like a flea market to hunt down some unique or vintage buttons to put on my knitted projects.

Tired

I haven't even touched my needles today, or the past 2 days for that matter. I guess I've been too tired, much to my dismay. I did come home and got a couple of new interchangeable needle tips for my ChiaoGoo set, plus the Spin Cords. I haven't used them yet but the concept of swivel tips seem cool :)

As much as I'd like to talk about writing tonight, I'm too tired to type out what I'm thinking right now. Hopefully I'll remember what I wanted to type tomorrow.

Good-night ;)

Good night world

Woke up this morning sans headache but my thighs were killing me. Irwin/Ivan warned me it would happen. I rolled out of bed and dragged myself to the gym anyways. I went on that hated elliptical machine and wanted to get off within 2 minutes but I stuck it out for the 20 mins as I was told. My legs felt like jelly when I got off of it. I did the 5 other workouts and went to the apartment with my legs feeling better but my inner thighs were killing me. Heck, they're killing me now and I'm about to go to bed. Back to the gym tomorrow regardless.

I didn't knit a stitch today. However last night was the first Knitting Circle of 2013. It was nice to see everyone again. I managed to lose the pattern for my Anisette Cardi so I hope I can find it by the time I get to the decreases for the sleeves and collar part. I can follow the rest based on the other completed panel.

Off to bed. I am exhausted but before I go, I just want to put up a picture of my hair. I had chopped it off a couple of years ago and it's been growing pretty well, especially in the past 6 months. This pic is after pulling it out of the braids it was in for 2 and a half weeks but before washing:

What a tiring day

I woke up not feeling too great. I could feel the beginning of a headache. I have reached to a point with my headaches where I have categorize my types of headaches and I have generally figured out how to take care of each kind. It's usually a hunger headache, dehydration, pressure change in the atmosphere and the most heinous of all, light sensitivity.

I figured this morning's headache was due to hunger so I got a bagel and a drink before going to the gym. That would satisfy at least hunger or dehydration. I still wasn't feeling to great but I tried to ignore it and go to meet the personal trainer, Irwin or Ivan (I just know his name started with an "I" and ended with an "N"). We went through the training session with the different machines (apparently the treadmill is too easy for me according to him) and by the time I was finished, my body felt tired from the exercise, I stank to high heaven due to the sweat and my head was pounding. I went to my adopted grandparents apartment and did an errand for them, bypassing the Tim Hortons (I was planning on getting some soup but its not easy to eat via TTC). By the time I made it back to the apartment, they told me to go lie down. I managed to figure out so far that it was a pressure change headache. The only thing that helps with that is sleep or an Advil. I think it also was a bit of light sensitivity due to my eyes. My eyes are already not the greatest due to keratoconus which also has a side effect of being light sensitive. Usually I don't have an issue but every once in a while, I'll spend the entire day trying to block out the light because it hurts so much.

Luckily an hour nap seems to have take care of most of the problem but I'm going to bed early tonight and hope that it's fully gone by tomorrow morning, in time for the gym again.

Let's go out to the movies!

I had a lovely evening tonight! My aunt and I finally made it to see Skyfall and I LOVED it! Javier Bo-something else or another was the funniest Bond villain I have ever seen; not corny/campy but ha-ha funny with a dash of creepy. I desperately wanted to dye his hair back to its natural colour though. Loved the new Q but I was trying to figure out if he was even old enough to be out of highschool. And before I forgot, I like Kincaid. The views in the movie were so poster worthy.

So now I head home, to go to sleep with dreams of Q and Bond dancing in my head. Spy themed dreams here I come!

It was a busy day today

I was convinced that the alarm on my phone was going to go off at 7:30 but I didn't wake up until 8:40 due to my phone not being set for Sundays. I still made it to where I needed to go in good time. I got time to finish the cuff on the Slide Socks with my del dyed yarn. Did a bit of grocery shopping too along with laundry. I came home at a good time, just made it to my house before my mother's god-daughter and her family made it to our house. She turned 17 a couple of days ago. Her father's still on denial that his baby's going to be an adult next year this time. I got stir fry made by mom and auntie and all was good in the world.

Right now, I'm going to listen to a podcast reading of a series Ed "7the Son" for a few more minutes before going to my bed.

Nite!

It's really time for bed

It's pretty much 11:30 at night. I would be asleep if I didn't have to finish up my laundry. While I wait for the laundry, I knit a bit (still only at 1" of the cuff). I think I'm too tired to really make any progress tonight.

I got to spend some quality time with my little sister. She's the baby of the family but we don't live at the same house. I generally see her once a week but anytime I spend with her is always memorable. She has the most attitude I have ever seen in a four year old girl. One of the older girls at my church gave her a handful of Doritos (already not a good idea since my sister doesn't really eat food except for candy and other such junk foods). My sister finished them off and wanted more. So while playing around with my dad BlackBerry Playbook (or I'm assuming its his because if these are the kinds of perks a child gets for being his kid, I need to get caught up), she goes over to where she knows the chips are being stashed and takes out more. She happily tells me she got more chips. I'm like "Did my sister seriously just steal another kid's snack?". So I asked her if she got permission . Lil sis tells me no. So

Me: did you ask permission?
Sis: no
Me: don't you think you should ask permission before you take more chips?
Sis: I can't find her
(Me thinking his child has not even left the room to find the owner of the chips)
Me: well until you get permission, you can't eat any of the chips.

She looks at me flabbergasted that anyone dared to tell her no. She tried to sneak a chip and I caught her. She also tried to crush them smaller so obviously the true owner of the chips wouldn't want them. I so hope she grows out of the attitude but she did wait until she was able to get permission before eating them and even getting more on top of what she had.

It only took 4 days

Yup, 4 days to forget to update. I'm lying in bed, putting myself to sleep by listening to the Warblers (circa season 2 when they were still amazing and Blaine was leading the group) and thinking about wanting to continue the Slide Socks I casted on last night. As much as I'd like to continue knitting them tonight, I am tired. It's been a long day and I spent a good amount of it yawning.

It's kind of curious. The idea of knitting for the month of January is to finish up projects, specifically the Bex socks and the Annisette Cardi (especially since the yarn for my next cardigan is in my possession). So why did I feel the insatiable need to cast on another pair of socks? I have to idea but the cuff looks great and the project smells like fruit punch.

It felt like Chrismahkah!

(I did write this yesterday but was having issues uploading)

I came home today, wondering when the stuff I ordered last month were going to arrive. I had no point of reference since I've never ordered anything around the holidays. I looked on the dinner table an to my joy and surprise, I had three packages waiting for me: 2 packages from Springtree Road and 1 package from Paradise Fibers.

The Springtree packages contained 3 skeins of Muscadine sock yarn in Kohl, Late Dusk and one bare skein that has been nicknamed Nekkid which will be dyed somehow into a gradient. The plan is to turn the Late Dusk and the Dyed Nekkid into the Tree of Life socks (when I get my book).

The package I received from Paradise Fibers is the Cascade 220 yarn in grey and blank for the Shapely Boyfriend Sweater which will be on hold until the Annisette Cardi is done and I get the Lorna's Laces Yarn I wanted to go with the stash I have. Time to look for buttons too :)

Crocheting Sock Blanks

I have finally figured out a decent reason to crochet! I was perusing Ravelry, as per usual, and I read about someone crocheting a sock blank so I could dye it.

Me: wonderful idea AND I could practice crochet!

The only crocheting I can do is a simple chain stitch. Half of my knitting circle only crochets and hearing them talk about double trebbles is like a foreign language. I promised one of the ladies, that I would allow her to teach me how to crochet. Sock blanks sound like good practice for the basics.

As for dyeing the sock blank, I purchased one from KnitPicks on my last order for this month's Dye-a-long on the "What a Kool way to dye" group on Ravelry. I'm going to try and do it tonight. I still haven't decided on the colour transition that I'm going to do just yet but I'm anticipating a good experience again but I'm not wanting to pay almost $15 for a sock blank when the same undyed yarn costs $10 from the same place, hence the crocheting sock blank.

On another note, I went to a family post New Year's dinner and the family decided that we would start instituting a game night for once a month. I am looking forward to it. I probably won't be so amazing but maybe I can kick some butt at Scrabble (I practice with Words with Friends on my phone all the time).

So a foot of each

I managed to finish 1 foot of the Bex sock for my best friend and 1 foot of the Stitch Surfer sock.

The Bex turned out well but I'm not used to having to knit so long (my foot is 2.5 US shoe sizes smaller than hers). I was ready to finish but it wouldn't have been long enough for her foot. I very much prefer doing socks for myself.

The Stitch Surfer sock was coming along quite well until the bind off. I have never had to finish a toe up sock so I have no practical experience with finishing them off. The bind off I used was way too tight and can't make it past my heel. Ah well! It was good practice. I'll make another set with a solid and strippy yarn with the proper bind off. This one will go on some kind of display.

An entry a day

Well the new year has begun and hats always a time for resolutions. I don't know how well I'll for this year but I wanted to write an entry a day. It'll probably be about anything under the sun. I kind of like the randomness.

So now, I'm awake, contemplated the idea of Bey-blades (it's about spinning tops) and watched an episode of Pokemon: Unova Region (it really makes me want to pull out my DS). Otherwise today, it's off to my "adopted" grandparents until the afternoon. When I come home, the plan is to at some point, dye my sock blank in some kind of gradient form. I am very much looking forward to it. I'll probably put up a list of resolution layer on today.

Good morning world!