Teacher, Teacher

A had a wonderful teacher this year. Someone who really took the time to appreciate him as a child and as the great kid he is, with all his quirks. In thanks, he bought her some scrapbooking supplies and I added a few goodies to the bag.



Two ballband dish clothes,
and a bookmark from Patons Grace.
I found the great little pattern on Knit with KT,
and it was simple and quick, just what I wanted!
I discovered that it is very difficult to photograph
something black, however!
The cute little eyelet pattern wasn't showing up well, so I finally put it in the window. Problem solved.

Cake & Coals

Now I introduce the mysterious pink thing photographed during cast-on by Kate at the Harlot event. It's Elsebeth Lavold's "Gyrid", from the Viking Knits Collection Volume 1. It's meant to be a tank but I plan to knit a short sleeve, baste it in, and check whether I like it that way better. Tanks and me are not always compatible.

I know there's not much to see here - plus the light yesterday was dreadful and it doesn't look its best - but I have finished the back, and am 1/4 of the way through the chart on the front. I like how the Silky Wool is knitting up - nice and drapey. It's a bit on the thin side; now I know why the model picture has a discernible bra line. The thinness should make for a comfortable and flattering top, though - as Juno says, "The bigger the bust, the thinner the yarn."

And, a little picture from knit night the other day. I had a few shots of people, but I thought this one captured the mood better.

Summer Is Here, I Think.

Well, the weather may not be cooperating, but according to the calendar it is summer. Someone tell the sun that!

I have gardens and knitting to share today. How about all of you?

Knitting

The baby blanket is much closer to completion, perhaps 3/4 done? This is a good thing, as my green is getting low and I don't want to buy anymore yarn for it!

I started new socks (no, I don't already have enough projects on the needles. socks are little anyhow, they don't count). This is the Monkey sock pattern from Knitty (by Cookie A.) that is popping up in blogland. A great pattern, and I like the look with this yarn. By the time I get to the foot I have to decide if these socks are for my mom or me -- her foot is two sizes bigger!

After washing the green feather and fan socks they are delightful. Soft but solid. Will definitely make this pattern again.

Garden

Even with the weather things are happening in the garden. Just a few shots, to appease the garden gods :)

Peas!! Yum.

Must Be The Weather ....

This unsettled weather made me bunker down today and finish some projects. No pictures, sorry.

First up I finished the feather and fan toe-up socks. Loved the pattern, and am happy to have made toe-up at last. They are blocking from their wash now, and I am hoping that the washing softens up the yarn, as it was a little crunchy almost when knitting. Will keep you posted.

Second up I have finished two ball-band dish clothes for A's teacher. Always a good gift, and fun to make.

Third up, although this was actually from the week-end, I finished the back on my red lace cardigan. Today I cast on and got about two inches knit on the left front.

But it has all caught up to me tonight. I am working on the cotton striped baby blanket, and I keep knitting where I should be purling. I'm blaming the rain, myself ....

What a Fieldtrip

So we went to hear herself speak in Victoria Saturday night. We all made our way to Victoria and met outside the James Bay Community Centre (with Sunmi cutting it close to the wire, but phew, she made it). We got seats at the back, because we're just that kind of group.



My best estimate is 150 people, although I could be way off base there (girls?). [EDITED TO ADD: Sunmi thinks over 200.] What a riot Stephanie is. Her delivery, humour and wry wit had us in gales of laughter. She also often had us saying "Yes, exactly!" I think that is the delight of hearing her speak. Not only is she very very good at what she does, but also for at least an hour you truly feel like here is someone who GETS IT. This person gets why knitting makes us all crazy, and why it draws us. She knows what we worry about, what we think about and what we wish for (at least when it comes to knitting). I laughed as hard as, well, as I do some knit nights. And that is a wonderful thing.

We all worked on knitting while we sat there. Here is Shan, who cast this on just before Stephanie started speaking. I never did ask what it was!


All in all it felt like a delightful and successful field trip. I hope there are more in our future.

Shout out to the Group

Sorry, ladies, for using the blog as a message board...but I am having trouble sending email and accessing my address book.

SO:

What are the plans for the Yarn Harlot pilgrimage next weekend? I am arriving back in town on or about Wednesday. The speech at James Bay is on Saturday evening, and the knit in Saxe Pt Park on Sunday afternoon. Are you all planning to attend both events, or only one? And if you are only attending the evening speech, are you planning to drive back home the same night? We need to think about travel and accommodation plans.

I have a friend in Rockland who will put the kids and me up for the night, if we are planning to stay for the Saxe Pt event. Alternatively, if you had hotel fun in mind, we'd need to make plans PDQ and get some reservations and talk budgets.

If you want to go back home on Saturday night, I could leave the kids at home, since we'd be returning at around 1:00 AM.

Let me know what to do...I have to arrange kid stuff if we're going to be in Victoria overnight.

See you soon!