Sunday, October 28, 2007

So Much Knitting and Quilting and So Little Time

My weeks have been just flying by. In spite of the weather being conducive to knitting, I've had very little time to just sit and knit. Between knitting classes and quilting classes and homework, plus of course the never ending laundry, running errands, and preparing dinners, walking the dog, and of course sitting and knitting at 88 Stitches on Friday's, where I tend to go around and look at new patterns, touch the beautiful yarn and chat more than I knit, I haven't gotten as far as I wanted to be with my current projects.

I started the Tilted Duster from Interweave Fall, 2007 as a KAL with the owner of 88 Stitches and the instructor from the shop, and although this is a big project, the first part is done and being blocked.

My adventures into quilting have been somewhat frustrating and also a great deal of fun. I literally had chest pain due to anxiety for the first three weeks of classes. Not having sewn for many years now, I felt that I was suddenly planted into a foreign land. Much like how I've felt during our two trips to Japan to visit our son and daughter-in-law. Not knowing the language of Japan nor the language of quilting, it has been a very interesting experience. The quilting that is. Japan is of course beautiful and not knowing the language isn't really a problem when shopping for yarn. And my daughter-in-law is getting quite good at reading patterns in Japanese for me.

I'm enjoying the art of mixing colours with quilting and since all my Rowan kidsilk haze has arrived for a scarf from Scarf Style, it will be fun to built a scarf with colour. I'm finding that the two crafts do compliment each other.

At Ravelry, I've posted my recent finished projects and since it is easier to do it there rather than to figure out how to add links and pictures here, I will link to Ravelry. I now have a link to 88 Stitches here and although I still can't remember how to do the html while writing, it works for me just to have links along the side of the page.

So, I'm heading back to working on the first sleeve of the Tilted Duster by Norah Gaughan and hopefully get more done on a scarf from Freedom Spirit and Wool for my daughter for Christmas. Christmas will be upon us before we know it, and I still have to finish a few projects to send to Japan.

With the way things are with Nova Company in Japan, it seems that our son, daughter-in-law, and beautiful one year old grandson will be coming to live in Canada with us. I'm really looking forward to having them here.

I'm still trying to decide what to send my daughter-in-law's mom for Christmas. Last year I made her a beautiful shawl out of Silky Wool and she loved it. I have a shawl made but I think it would be too heavy for her. We'll see. Maybe I'll just whip up something quick in my so-called spare time.

Monday, October 15, 2007

Freedom Spirit Beret

I finally finished the beret pattern from Freedom Spirit. I chose to do it in the round rather than have a seam up the back. My head is small and at first it was slipping down to my eyes. I blocked it in cold water, soaking it throughly and gently squeezing out the excess water. Spinning it in the washing machine for about 15 seconds is another way I do this type of blocking but I was too lazy to go down to the basement. It now fits my head perfectly however the picture that my youngest son took of me wasn't the best. I was trying to get him to get the hat and how wonderful it looks as a beret, but it didn't work. I do have this model that I got from a local beauty shop and she works great. Besides her head is about the size of mine!

Trying to figure out how to get a picture here plus take the picture and then upload it to my computer is old hat to me. No pun intended. But I haven't worked with html for several years so I'm very new at trying to link the pattern or even to link 88 Stitches, where I bought both the pattern and the yarn. Eventually I'll get it right.

Sunday, October 14, 2007

So Behind with everything!

I can't believe that it has been over a month since I sat and wrote anything about knitting. I've been so busy knitting and now quilting plus trying to do normal activities of daily living that I haven't had time to post any pictures or even sit and write.

I'm still not posting any pictures today as I have quilting homework that I want to complete this evening. I'm blocking a beret that I made out of Freedom Spirit and will have a picture eventually.

Every Friday I go to 88 Stitches in Langley for a Stitch n' Chat that I started there. It is a select group of women knitters and so far there are only 3 of us, but we don't want the shop to advertise for people as there is already a drop in knitting group that the owner of the shop created. That can have as many as 8 people or even more and as I prefer daytime activities, I've only been there once. Besides my husband likes to be fed.

I'll try to post more often and post pictures and even a few patterns that I've modified.