Terrol is a Granny

My identical twin grandsons were born this morning at12:30.  Logan was born first and weighs 6 pounds 11 ounces.  Luca next and weighs 6 pounds 13 ounces.  I'm a very proud Granny:)

Stacey had to have a C Section but is doing well and very happy the boys have entered the world .  Jeff (my son) is over the moon:)

Babies could be born any day

 Stacey has heard that it is now safe to deliver the babies.  She went into labor last week and they stopped it.  The babies (Logan and Luca) are now 5 pounds and are desperate to get out.  We could hear the news any day.  I've made socks and matching sweaters.  All I have to do now is finish the placket on the sweaters and block them. 

I can't find the picture of the matching green socks.  They are just as cute as the blue ones.

Oooh it's cold

We're leaving for Florida at the end of the month.  All that's left to pack is our clothes.  I have been knitting and I've finished a few things.  I have projects laid out all around my office.  Jeff and Stacey are expecting twins in March.  I'm going to be a Grandma:)) and it's bloody cold here.

Florida here we come

Martin and I have friends who go to Clearwater, Florida every winter and have just bought a condo.  We'd never even discussed it but in a matter of few days we went and bought one too.  I'm finding myself wanting to rush summer to go and try it out:)

While we were there I promised Merle I would teach her how to make socks.  We cast on a baby sock and got right to it.  Before I left she had cast on a sock for herself.  She has now started the heel flap and I've been knitting a sock to catch up to her so I could take pictures. 

It's really too bad I don't have a live in photographer as taking a picture of oneself knitting is rather difficult.

Ok Merle these pictures are for you:) 

Click on picture to make larger.

This is the worst picture of the bunch, sorry.  Slip 1st stitch purlwise on public side of knitting.  The yarn is behind.

Picture #2, slipping the 1st stitch purlwise on the private side.  You can see the yarn is in the front. Another way to get the yarn in front is to use your working needle to move the yarn to the front.  If you somehow make a stitch you can just knit it together with the next stitch. 

I have finished heel flap and have turned the heel.  I'm showing the 1st part of the stitch to be  picked up, the 2nd loop is hidden behind my finger.

Out of order sorry, this one shows you the gap when turning the heel.  I've got the 1st stitch of the k 2 together and the gap and the 2nd stitch that when executing the k2tog will close up the gap.

I'm showing you the wrong side so that you can see the two loops that you need to pick up.  Often you will have to turn the knitting slightly so that you can see the loops.

The first stitch on the working needle is the extra stitch that I picked up so there would not be any holes when you get back to knitting in the round.  You are in the process of getting back into the round.  The 2nd is in the process of being picked up and you can see the 2 loops clearly.

This picture shows after you have picked up the stitches on the 2nd side and you have knitted half of the stitches of the turned heel.  Now place a marker, this is the start of the round from here on in.

What I'm trying to show you here is that the sole stitches are all on one needle.

The back view which clearly shows that the instep stitches are on one needle.  The majic loops are between the instep stitches and the sole stitches, never shall the twain meet. 

Finally figure out what to do with it

Years ago BR (before Ravelry) I used to spend quite a bit of time and money on EBay.  I bought about 10 lbs of Recycled Silk.   When it arrived Shawn (sister) said it was beautiful I should frame it.  I've knit a few swatches, started a few things but in the end I've ended up frogging them.  Today I threaded a warp and am starting a sample (swatch like in knitting).  I'm going to make a bedspread for a single bed.  I don't think Juanita (daughter) reads the blog so I think I'm safe, I'm also using a bulky weight wool/acrylic mix which used to be a sweater  for her.  It was boring and I'm afraid if it doesn't do anything for me it's frogville for the project.  I'll try and remember to take some pictures.  Since Ravelry I take pictures of all the yarn that comes into the house.  Slowly I'm adding older stash to Ravelry's database but it's a big job and I'd rather be doing other things.  If I've got any of the weaving terms wrong do forgive me cause I'm very new to this:)  I've made a runner for something, not sure what.  I have a big hobby already and was not sure I really wanted another one.  That darn Wendy, she talked me into it:)  Suzanne is making material in black alpaca for her and Norma and is going to sew the jackets.  I'm green with envy. 
I'll leave you with a picture of some Bugga which I managed to buy in a destash on Ravelry.

Haleluya

Haleluya I'm knitting again.  I could not figure out what was going on.  I've had a day or two now and again where I couldn't decide what to start next but this was the worst ever.  I worked on "Go with the Flow" by Fiona Ellis today and hopefully I'll be able to wear it this summer.  I'm nearly at the point where I start the decreases for the underarms.  I'm using Rowan 4ply Cotton, I usually avoid cotton like the plague but this one is not hard to take.  It's not rubbing the skin off my fingers:)

Martin's father died last week and he's off to the UK on Thursday.  It's much different in the UK than it is here.  We nearly missed his Mom's funeral cause we went to soon.  We had so hoped to see him at least one more time.  Papa was not happy being in the nursing home.  There is not the time to plan taking his ashes to Cornwall so we will probably go back in the summer and we'll all get together to celebrate his life.  Unfortunately I can't go for the funeral as we are too busy here with snow mobilers and we don't have any staff to leave in charge, so I'm it.  Once Martin comes back he's going to Sudbury with Brian to play in a bridge tournament and once he gets back I'm going to go and visit Mom and Dad in Florida for a few days to get some sun, "Glorious Sun".  Shawn and I have been going on a daily basis to their house to feed the deer, birds and the squirrels.  Usually Mom and Dad get up around 6:30 and the deer are waiting for them.  I don't get there till later in the afternoon.  This is picture of a deer Sadie and I saw on our walk behind Lakeshore.  Actually Sadie is too pokie she only noticed this one when it had started to run off.  Oh well she does love a chase.  Just in case you are worried, the deer is under no threat from Miss Sadie.

What to Knit

Since I published "Socks for His Nibs" I'm stuck.  I've had a couple of ideas for another pair or two of socks but can't seem to make up my mind.  Maybe I should devote some time to some lonely socks who need mates. Maybe then I'll get my knitting mojo back. 

This is one of the lonely socks, all the other one needs is a leg and then a sumptuous pair of cashmere socks by PoshYarns.  I'm knitting these toe up, majic loop.  When I switch needles, after the 2nd stitch, I give a hefty tug so as not to get any ladders and I've broken the yarn, twice!  I have a few other skeins by Posh and hope this is just me being too rough.  The yarn is sooo soft.
I'm off to study swatches:)

Socks for His Nibs is on Ravelry

Yeahhhhh  I finally figured out how to put Socks for His Nibs on Ravelry as a free download. Sandy sits at the help desk all the time except when she eats and sleeps.  My goodness there are sure a lot of dedicated people on Ravelry. 

Recycled Silk

Years ago on Ebay I bought some recycled silk made from remnants of Saris.  I tried knitting a few things with it but because it is so rustic, thick and thin it was very difficult to get gauge.  Now that the Weaving bug has bitten me on Monday I'm going to set up a loom at the weaving studio to make a bedspread for a single bed.  It will work up fairly quickly as it is so thick.  I would say it's a bulky weight. 
Not much to tell on the knitting front as I wait for Ravelry to connect "Socks for His Nibs".  Can't seem to start anything else at the moment. 
I got a new laptop which has a webcam on it.  I thought I'd have to read a manual to figure out how to use it but it's easy to use and had some fun with it last night. 

This is a picture of the baby Socks for His Nibs.  Blogger has sure made some improvements to their software.  It's much easier to insert pictures than it used to be. 

Nearly there

Socks for His Nibs has been edited so many times I've lost count.  I think I've figured out how to upload it on Ravelry and now we wait till it's finalized.  It's been quite the journey from idea to completion.  My friend Wendy and my new friend Sharon test knit for me.  They had so many suggestions and corrected so many of my mistakes I hate to think what it would have looked like without them.  I made 3 1/2 pairs of socks and 3 baby socks out of the pattern that I couldn't see the forest through the trees.  My friend Karen of Wynterblue Publishing did the final edit and made the file look presentable.  I might have posted the pattern sooner but I could not take a decent picture to save my soul.  Stephanie of Aloeroot Web Services helped me with getting the Word Document into a PDF File.  I've got my next pattern charted up and waiting for me to start.  I think this one will be a bit easier.  It's not a difficult pattern, it's toe up and the gusset is lovely.  Yarnissima (Marjan Hammink) is the designer who first came up with the unusual gusset.  I'd better go and check out what's happening on Ravelry:)))

Test Knit 4

My friend Wendy and hopefully Sharon are test knitting "Socks for his Nibs" while I wait to become a designer on Ravelry.  I made a smaller version for our employee Mirelys and right hand women:)))

I made a pair of toe up socks using Cat Bordhi's Riverbed Master pattern for Martin, which Mirelys admired.  What else could I do but make her a pair:).  I had to cut the yarn in a few places to make the pattern match up.  Mirelys was tickled, at least she was a good actress.
I've started another pair for Martin to make sure that the heel is perfect.

I'm off to Montreal to visit Juanita for a few days. I'm hoping she's feeling lazy and wants to sit around and watch movies.  I'm looking forward to knitting a bit.  Happy Holidays everyone.

One foot forward, two back

I'm trying to learn how to add a PDF File to the blog and on the way saw that I could have my Flickr pictures as a slideshow. Well many hours later and all I have to show for it is a calender on the sidebar. I guess things could be much worse, I might not have learned anything.
Sorry was just having a bit of a rant.

First PDF

Thanks to Oftroy I've made my first PDF. Only took 3 trys but I finally managed to download the free software from OpenOffice.

I've now test knit "Socks for his Nibs" two more times. There is still on tiny glitch I need to work out before I publish.

It's not a difficult sock pattern but I'm so excited I could burst at the seams:))

Next step to become a designer on Ravelry, the skies the limit.

Socks for his Nibs

Yeah!!! I've designed my 3rd pair of socks. I may actually try and publish this one for free on Ravelry. I'll have to learn how to create a PDF File and how to become a designer on Ravelry, hopefully it won't be too hard.

They are very plain toe up with fancy gusset and proper heel flap. They have a simple 2 stitch cable running up the side out of the joining of the heel flap and the gusset. Seeing as I'm not famous yet:) I've had to test knit my own pattern. I finished the test knit this evening and will take pictures tomorrow. I'm off to bed to rest up for all the things I need to learn.

Gone to the Fair

Wendy and I went to K-W Knitter's Fair on the 12th. We just about didn't go as I had put my back out but was feeling better and decided to go as we missed last year. I didn't buy as much as I usually do. A lot of the booths were quite crowded and I was too tired to push.

Adding to the stash:

Clockwise from top left is Van der Rock Yarns a new yarn for me.

Lorna's Laces Cookie's Deep Dark Secret.

Manos del Uruguay Silk Blend (DK weight)

Hand Maiden Casbah Sock I found a book I really wanted and of course Murphy's Law it shows up in the library "Japanese Inspired Knits".

I did a test knit called Julia Socks for Emily Johnson of Family Trunk Project and I've just started another one. Will save that for the next time. Emily's patterns are so unusual I will definitely knit these again.

Knitter Cramp is Over

I was worried what to knit the last time I blogged. I've now got 6 pairs of socks on the go.
I finished Anne Hanson's "Woodsmoke" and Yarnissima's "Kiila".

I will have to post picture of Kiila later as I've not edited picture yet. It was a mystery sock done in the group "Sock Knitters Anonymous" on Ravelry. This was the first time I've ever done a mystery sock where you get one clue a week and have no idea what it is supposed to look like when you are done. Picture is of both socks after finishing clue 1. I used Capistrano Blueface Leicester Wool.

Wendy and I went to a class by Cat Bordhi in Waterloo a few weeks ago. It was the advanced class. I'm not sorry I went, I did learn a few things but I don't think it was advanced enough for us.

Martin and I have been pretty busy getting ready for the summer season. We're not done yet, hopefully in a few weeks all will be done. Back to work.

That guage thing!

My sister laughs when I say "I have nothing to knit"!!
I can't seem to decide what to start next. I have a pile of patterns sitting beside my computer tempting me and tons of stuff in my favorites on Ravelry.
We are going to England late March and coming back late April. What is the weather going to be like? Rain! Spring with sun and lots of flowers! Cold!!
Never mind the weather, what if I can't get guage?

Support Designers

I was reading a thread on British Knitters today on Ravelry about Vogue Knitting and found 2 articles by big name designers (Ysolda) (Annie Modesitt) on compensation for their work. Read these articles please and if you agree start blowing your horn. Maybe we the little people can make a difference.
http://www.modeknit.com/2009/02/valuing-our-work.html
http://ysolda.com/wordpress/2009/02/06/standing-together/

What Have I Been Up To

Once you get out of the habit of blogging it's hard to get back to it. I really did enjoy doing it so I'll try again.

There are so many things I want to knit.

I bought from someone on Ravelry the 2007 Rockin Sock Club patterns. I finished Yarn Harlot's Lenore made from Blue Moon Fiber Lightweight "Ravenscroft"

I'm not sure I'll knit many of the patterns as I've sold most of my Sock that Rock. I have a serious addiction:)), Sundara! I ordered far too many Season Subscriptions. I was getting rid of yarns I was pretty sure I would not be knitting with any time soon and funding my paypal account.

I finished a pair of socks for Martin, the "Firestarter" by Yarnissima.

I made them out of Noro Silk Garden Sock which I can't say I fell in love with. There was 3 knots in the 1st sock which really ticked me off. The yarn is very thick and thin, very difficult to get a proper guage. The socks are lovely.

I'm just about to finish Yarnissima's Spini di Pesce. If I try and figure out how many hours went into the first sock I might lay down and cry. I frogged so many times I lost count, they were worth it. I'm nearly done just have the last inch on the 2nd sock.

I also worked on a test knit for Marjan (Yarnissima) but I'm afraid they got the better of me. I'm waiting for the official pattern to come out at the beginning of February.

I started designing a sock yesterday based on the style of Yarnissima and I've frogged it already. I will not give up:))

New Bumper Sticker

It used to be I wanted my bumper sticker to say "I stop for all wildflowers", now I want it to say "too busy to drive I want to be knitting". All I want to do is knit "Socks". I've finished a few pairs recently. I've actually finished the second sock for Martin made out of Socka Mexico.




These worked out very quickly considering they are not me:) I used the Riverbed Architecture from Cat Bordhi. I'm pretty much using it for all my toe up socks. I've tried quite a few bind offs for toe up socks but think I like this one the best: knit 2 in pattern, *replace 2 on left needle, K2 TBL, K1 in pattern and repeat from *. I think it looks very neat and if you have to tink back it's easy to do. Try and tink back using the EZ sewn bind off and it's not so easy. I wish I could credit the person who designed this but can't remember who did it. Mea culpa...


I finished Rebecca Hatcher Keyhole Cable Socks. I used Smooshy from Dream in Color. I'm not sure I would buy this again as I found it a bit thick and thin, don't remember where I bought it. All I modified was I used Cat Bordh's Riverbed Architecture, no short row heel for me.












I received the Digitessa Kit from Yarnissima.


Oh I wish I had a better picture of this but I have not taken it out of the bag:))) Everyone keeps talking about the smell and the color is out of this world. I think the color has changed somewhat since she first brought out the kit, the shades are darker. It's in my stash to be lovingly looked at but not knit yet:) I recently received the kit for Digitessa but have not taken a picture yet, it's in lovely shades of brown. A few years ago I would not have chosen brown as a color for me but with the way the fashions are dictating the colors there is not much choice. My mother is an Autumn and I'm supposedly a Winter?, go figure. The kits come with chocolates:)))


Sundara has stopped posting yarn on her website because we kept crashing it. Now she has added subscriptions. I'm sharing a Cool with Britgirl and signed up for a Dark and an Artists Choice plus all the Seasons subscriptions I'm getting there should be no reason for me to buying anything else. She is starting a Sweater Subscription on October 15th. The yarns are gorgeous but very expensive. I have so many sweaters on the needles and in my stash, I can't justify anymore and if the truth be known sweaters seem to be on the out at the moment. There are lots of lovely yarns out there but Sundara is my favorite, her colors are beyond describing.
I'm off to knit on Violets Rising by Anne Hanson.