Summer love

Yesterday morning I got up far earlier than I normally would on a Saturday. I kissed Dave goodbye (lucky jerk was still sleeping) and headed up to my grand parents farm.

It was finally my aunt's wedding day, and I'd made myself head of the decorating committee.
While everybody else was scrambling about, getting bride ready, and shuttling the groom's family about, I was working away, transforming the yard into a wedding sanctuary (with help from my uncle Jeff and cousin Drake - thank goodness!)

And the work was worth it!
It was a nice casual wedding and my grandfather got to walk his youngest daughter down the aisle.So nice to see my handi-work all together - shawl, flowers, hair wreath!

The ceremony was short and sweetIt was also the first time in a very long time (almost 20 years) that all my cousins have been in the same place. So we had to snap a photo with the grandparents (and a few babies!)

Pssst....

....Hey, Miss Peno...."What...? Can't you see I'm enjoying the 16th hour of my 22 hour nap?"

I just wanted to tell you... on Saturday, there will be another Miss P in the house
"Sighhhhhhhhhh....fine. I'll stay under the bed."
Ummm... she's staying until Thursday.....
"WHAT?!?!?!? Oh crap."
"Fine. I expect ALL my meals to be delivered under the bed. And move the litter box there too, slave."

Off to the Faire

I might not have won Delusional Knitter's Contest, but I decided I had to try her yarn anyway.

I had my eye on a skein of Butterscotch, until I saw FaireAnd it's even prettier in person. touches of purple, taupe, blue and black - I can't wait to see this knit up.

I don't usually do lace weight, but I'm glad I made and exception for this!

Magpie - v1.

Thank you to all of you for your compliments and suggestions for Magpie.

And thank-you to Mangofeet who reinforced my thought to make another one and offer both versions in the pattern . That's just what I'm going to do. Especially after seeing the first Magpie in her final photo shoot today.This one is done with just one skein of Slinky Cat (colour is Steel Magnolias) and several hundred beads (I have yet to properly count). As mentioned, it's 72 inches wide and 15 inches deep, and the combo of the slik and beads creates just the right amount of weight and drape.When I started this design, I didn't really have anything in mind, other than knowing I wanted it wide but shallow, with a garter base done in short rows.I also knew I wanted lots of beads and some very open lace. More often than not, this is the way I design - a vague idea that evolves along the way.
And while this one turned out much larger than expected, it has everything else I wanted

Open lace...
And lots of shimmery beads.

Summer Bead-A-Long - A conundrum

Well I guess this is the end of the bead-a-long for me... but not in a bad way.

Nope, I cast off my project today.My newest design - called Magpie - it's hard to see, but it's chock full of beads. I'm pretty pleased with it, for the most part. It's just... well... it's wider than I planned.

My plan was to make a wide, but shallow shawelette, absolutely glittering with beads. I was aiming for at least 60 inches wide and whatever depth I could get using the entire skein.

Well I used the entire skein - there's only a few yards left. But...It's really wide. 72 inches wide, and 15 inches deep.

to put that in perspective, it's roughly the same size as the shawl I just finishedNow, I could leave it the way it is and put the pattern together. Or... I could grab another skein, start over and make it deeper and not quite so wide.

What do you think?

Exactly how hot is it?

Hot enough to bake a cat on the sidewalk!

This is Mom's cat Deuce. Don't worry - he was enjoying this. He didn't want to be inside.

Neither did this one:
Or this one:
I have some awesome footage of the pair of them doing face-plants into the pool. I just have to figure out how to edit it, and put it to music. Hopefully this weekend.

Hot but happy

Yep it's hot. Disgustingly sticky, drippy, hot.

But I'm happy! Why am I happy? Because I can drive down the QEW with the top down singing "Rock Lobster" and "Clap for the Wolfman" at the top of my lungs!

If you gotta commute, you gotta make it fun, right?

I haven't knit a stitch all week. And probably won't until Friday. It's just one of those weeks.

But today is also Dave's birthday! Funds are limited (beyond limited - it's actually borrowed right now - thanks Mom!) so it's just a quiet-night-in kind of celebration. Steak and shrimp (that I've been saving for just such and occasion), for dinner, and I stopped at the grocery store and picked up the most adorable bar cake.It's the perfect size for just the two of us, and that sun was just too cute!

Hope you all are keepin' cool!

Day late and a dollar short

Sorry for the extended silence - it's a been a little hectic at Chez Wanderingcat.

But I do have some knitting news to reports, so let's dive right in, shall we?

I think you all are far more optimistic about my chances of finishing Fable than I am. This week I've managed to complete six rows on it. Yep... six. Well maybe September is a more realistic goal.

At the moment, it's brooding in a corner, neglected. Any time I have spared to knit this weekend has been given over to a garment of my own creation.
You may remember that just a short time ago, this particular skein of Slinky, along with its matching beads, was being knit into the Heart to Heart scarf. Well as pretty as that scarf is, I quickly fell out of love with it - nothing wrong with the pattern - I'm just not that into it.

So it got frogged. But I still wanted to take part in the bead-a-long, so I am now using it for a new shawl design - which features beads! Yay. It's slow going - large cast on, lots of beads - but I think you're really going to like the end result.

I'm hoping to finish this one by the end of the month, but I won't lie - it's competing with something else for my attention.No - not Rocky - adorable as he is, we've worked out a pretty good system - he sits in my lap when I knit - all is well.

Nope. It's the book he's so comfortably perched on. My favourite author - Mr. George R. R. Martin has FINALLY released the fifth book in his incredible Ice and Fire series. (He's the creator of the character Danaerys). Dad and I have been waiting seven years for this book - yes - SEVEN. Sadly there is still at least one more book in the series (which I heard was only suppose to be three books long). I hope he doesn't keep us waiting another seven years.

Anyway, I have to get this read quickly - Dad is waiting for his turn - and of course, my knitting is waiting too!

Once upon a time...

... I started a sweater and neglected it forever and ever and ever and ever.

But then a magic knitting fairy came along and gave me the urge to knit on it again...You might remember - this is Fable - I'm knitting it in Fluffy Cat. As you know, Fluffy is one of my favorite shawl yarns, and I've got to admit, it's just as nice for sweaters.

Due to the fibre content (alpaca/silk/cashmere) I wouldn't recommend it for a sweater that has a structure, but for this light, flowy cardi, it's perfect.

I've really got my mojo back on this project- I've just divided for the sleeves and body - le'ts see if I can finish it by the end of the month!

Midsummer magic

It's far too hot today to be wearing a shawl - but for you dear blog readers, I endured.

Yep - Midsummer Wreath is off the blocking board! And my dear Dave was kind enough to accompany me to the park by the lake to get some shots of it.The shawl used just over a skein of Fluffy Cat (colour is Teddy). If I hadn't done a swatch, I probably would have only had to use the second skein for the edging.

The edging on this took forever, but was well worth it. The shawl has a neat construction - it's knit from the bottom up (huge cast on!), and after the bottom pattern is complete, it's pulled into a slight crescent with short rows of lace. The edging is knit perpendicular to the shawl.
As you can see it's a wide, shallow shawl. Mine is about 72 inches wide (and that's the smallest of the three sizes).

All in all, it was a fun mystery KAL that ended with a pretty little shawlette. Anna Dalvi is a wonderful designer - look her up on Ravelry!

Thar she blocks!

No beading update today - I've been focusing on the mystery shawl - and after working all day on the edging that never ends...

It's a long (over 70 inches) shawl - but shallow. As you can see, it's pinned out right now - and I'm blocking the bejeezers out of it to get some depth, and nice sharp points.

Hopefully I can talk Dave into helping me get some modelled shots when it's dry.

Now, I did tell a little white lie - I wasn't working on the edging all day. We made a quick trip to my grandma's to deliver my Aunt's wedding bouquet I put together for her. The wedding is at the end of the month, so I wanted to make sure she had everything accounted for.I love the little butterfly and the tartan ribbon. (We have Scottish ancestry)
So... now that's done, I guess I better get knitting - and beading!

Oooh - another contest...

....but this one is over at the Delusional Knitter!

She's joined the dark side and become an indy dyer! And she has some truly cool colourways - I've got my eye on that butterscotch.

Enter the contest and check out her shop!

The plot, er shawl, thickens

Work continues on the shawl - I'm in the midst of short rows which are gradually pulling the shawl into a shallow, crescent shape.

I have another 16 rows to go, then I begin the edging, which is worked sideways. All in all, it's a neat construction, and is turning out to be a very pretty little shawl.

I've got a design rolling around in my head for a shawlette/scarf - and I'm considering releasing it as mystery KAL - would anyone be interested in joining in?

The mystery unfolds

*Sigh* It seems like even long weekends aren't long enough.... and tomorrow is back to work.

I did have a nice lazy weekend though, so I can't really complain.

Friday, Dave and his car were busy showing off - I mean participating - in a Canada Day Parade, so I had most of the day to myself. I used it to get some serious cleaning done, then kicked back and worked on my mystery shawlClue 2 is now complete. I had planned on working on Clue 3, as Clue 4 comes Wednesday, but I got a little distracted by other projects - some unbloggable at the moment.

I'm going to try to get Clue 3 done Monday and Tuesday (non inconceivable - Clue 3 finally start decreasing!) but even if I don't, it's no biggie.

I do love watching this one grow.

Oh and don't forget - you can still get free shipping in the shop on Monday!

Summer Bead-A-Long

I finally have pictures to show you on my very first beading project!The pattern is the Heart-to-Heart scarf by Sivia Harding. I'm using Slinky Cat (loves my Slinky) in "Steel Magnolias".

Mom gave me a quick beading lesson last Sunday, and it was waaay easier than I expected. A little tedious, but easy. I'm using the crochet hook method.

But I know right now you're looking at the picture thinking.... beads??? What beads????

Lets move in for a closer look.Hmm...so you can maybe see one or two.... let me help you out...
Okay... so the picture really doesn't do them justice - the are a silver lined medium lilac with a slight iridescence, and in person - they really sparkle!

Winner!

Rockster Weewiggles reporting here
Mummy wanted me to tell you all that the magical random number generator has spoken - and chosen a winner for the Cheshire Cat Stripey yarn!

And the winner is......


Ashleigh Pie!

Congrats Miss Pie - Mummy will contact you momentarily to work out the details!