A-Frolicking-We-Went

Despite the fact that is was a Saturday, I pulled my sorry but out of bed at 7 a.m. ( I don't even get up at 7 a.m. on a work day!!!) and was up a Mom's by 8.

We were off to the Frolic!

Even though Toronto is only an hour away (and I work there every day now) we've never been to the Knitter's Frolic. We talked about going last year, but just never did.

We hummed and hawed about going this year. We don't need more yarn. We dye our own and almost everything else we can get from our LYS.

But Mom was on the look out for some new Japanese Stitch books, so we decided what the heck.

But what did I want?

Something different.

Something I love.

Oooooooooooooh......pure silk...... perhaps something from Hand Maiden?

We have lots of lovely bases, but we don't have anything that's 100 % silk.

So that was my intent.

The Frolic was PACKED!!! We had to use a little creativity to get a parking spot (poor Stella - I'm sorry about the grass stains). Inside was wall-to-wall knitters, all clamouring over beautiful, pettable yarns and fibres.

I brought my camera - but only ended up taking one picture:That's Mom (far left) and our LYS owner Julie (far right) who had a booth at the Frolic (some random knitter in the middle). I love how they are all in a similar shade of green.

Mom found her Japanese stitch books. And I did find my silk.This is Willow Street Silk - 100 % silk, "sourced from the leftovers of a luxury goods manufacturing process." There were so many colours to choose from - but in the end I was feeling very natural (unusual for me, I usually all about the colour) so I went with "Guernsey." This, of course, is destined to become a shawl - I'm thinking Icarus or Swallowtail, maybe.

And, despite the fact that I had found what I came for - you just know a few other items followed me home.

These little skeins were especially hard to resist (and obviously I didn't).The Black Lamb, Classic Bunny 0 A 60/40 merino/angora blend.... and soooooooooooooooooooooooo soft. These will become a jaunty beret and toasty pair of gloves for this winter. They had several pretty "natural" shades including greys and taupes, but in the end, I kept with my theme.

But I think all that bare yarn was freaking me out a little, because this little number popped into my shopping bag too (okay, I specifically went back for it - but that's not the point).
Malabrigo Sock in "Alcaucil". Okay, I do feel kinda of silly buying hand-dyed merino yarn when I can just make my own - but it's kettle-dyed. So it's different. It is. Shut up.

There were two skeins of it, so I bought one for mom too, as an early Mother's Day gift.

Of course, she also had to treat me too. In the form of a pretty shawl pin
And some buttons for the stashThere are four buttons in total.

Afterwards we went for lunch, and ate so much, we had to bring our dessert home. That means I've got coconut creme pie in the fridge... and I'm off to indulge!

Who needs human kids?

"Hey mooooooooooooooom...... can we go outside and play????"


"Sigh. Fine, but only until the streetlights come on."

"Freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeedom!!!""Oooh look - lawn buffet!!!"
"Hey, Peno! You wanna come out too?"

"Ummmmmmmmm. No. Definitely. Not."
"I is in yur garden eetin all your plantz!"

Busy little bunny

It's been one whirlwind long weekend... so lets do this by the numbers...

1) The very first thing I have to do is say thank you to all of you - you guys are awesome. Eostre has been favourited 182 times, is in 45 queues, and there are 42 entrants for the contest. You have no idea how much is means that people actually like my designs.

2) Apparently the tribute to the Goddess of Spring was acceptable. Saturday was warm and sunny... so warm and sunny that I took the top off Stella and drove around for three hours... and promptly got sunburned! Ow.

3) Friday Dave and I made a long overdue visit to see my grandparents. When we walked in, my grandma was in the process of cursing her computer, as she was trying to print some rudimentary wedding invitations. It seems my Aunt is getting married in July. I was quickly recruited to help fix the problem, and in true Valerie style, I took over the project. I have a bit of a wedding problem - I love them. So if there is a crafty wedding project about, I want to be in on it.

I spent a good part of Saturday night redesigning and printing, and most of Sunday morning cutting, ribboning and bling-ifying the invites. I forgot to take a pic - sorry.

I will most likely be doing my aunts flowers, hair accessories and jewelry - and of course, I want to knit her a wedding shawl. Holy crap... is it almost May???

4) Despite all the driving and invite-making, I have managed to get some knitting done. But not on the Mother's day socks like should have been...A new design (yeah sorry, doesn't look like much yet) with some more of Monika's lovely handspun. (This one was swindled out of Mom's stash.) It might be a little while before you see this design. I'm planning on re-knitting it in our yarn - either with the Aristocat, or our Top Cat DK (yeah... we've got it in DK too!).

5) In between the knitting, driving and wedding excitement, I did manage to take an hour on Saturday and finish the annual bushwhacking of the wild roses. The boys joined me outside, sans leash, and were pretty good. I did eventually have to put Rocky back inside for miscreant behaviour, but they mostly just hung out in the garden with me.

6) Easter Sunday was very low-key for us this year - not that we usually do a big deal. Mom and Dad headed to the Sound to see my brother's family. Dave and I chilled out, did laundry, watched movies, and enjoyed a Kentucky Fried Easter dinner!

7) Things I did not get done this weekend: Baking... I have some bananas on my counter that are in prime condition for a loaf of banana bread (ie rotting) but I can't find the energy to bake. Taxes... yeah, just not in the mood to find out I owe the government my first born. That can wait another day or two.

Bring on Spring - A Contest

The Eostre pattern is together
You can win your own Eostre kit, complete pattern and two skeins of sumptuous Aristocat (DK Single Ply - Wool, Alpaca, Silk) in Sherwood Forest. (If you've already bought the pattern and you win, I'll refund your purchase.)Maybe knitting her an homage will convince her to finally give me some spring-like weather!To enter, simply leave a comment on this post. I'll choose a random winner from the comments. Contest closes April 30, 2011 at midnight EST.
Contest is open worldwide. Tell your friends!

Mom said there was no monster in the closet...

... but she was wrong!

Just look at those evil glowing eyes!

(I really gotta do some laundry!)

B is for blocking

As the daughter of an extremely talented knitter, I have been blessed with instant access to all kinds of knitting help and advice.

Like most motherly advice, a lot of it goes in one ear and out the other. Things like - "You should really learn to read a pattern before you start modifying it" and "Are you sure you don't want me to tink back for you so you can fix that glaring mistake?"

Lots of it, I should have listened to - such as "Stockinette stitch + thin yarn+ big needles = stretchy mess." (My first sweater - still in the closet - I'm going to felt it and make Peno a cat blanket) or "Alpaca has no memory, it's just going to keep growing" (Dave's sweater with the amazing growing neck-hole).

Others bits I have actually heeded (mostly after the results of the above sunk in). One of those bits is blocking. And the wisdom of this advice is no where more apparent that with lace:The right side has been blocked - the left side has not. Blocking can do so many things - even out stitches, emphasize stitch definition, and, as above, bring out the true beauty of a lace pattern.

Even blocking non-lace is a good idea. It makes edges lie flat for sewing, and just helps everything sit just so.

About the only thing I don't block is socks - they can block on my feet as I wear them.

Oh, another bit of motherly advice I have a tendency to ignore:
"Don't leave WIPs where the cats can get them.""You mean you didn't make it just for me???? But I am an 'Aristocat' after all!!!"

Another successful day of training...

... and knitting.

The second Turner mitt was cast off before lunch
So I know have a complete pair (and another WIP off the list). I think I might even have enough of this yarn left for a small cowl (and a complete set for head, neck and hands!).

Turner is a fantastic pattern for last minute knitting. As I've just demonstrated, one mitt takes less than a day, so it's conceivable to knit a full pair in about eight hours. The sport weight yarn means they knit quicker, but aren't too bulky either. And, it's not hard to modify to suit a heavier or lighter yarn. For instance - I went down eight stitches on this pair to accommodate the handspun.

Its also an economical project too! The pattern is FREE! (Yay!) and it uses very little yarn (about 120 yards - think leftovers!)

Okay - that's enough tooting my own horn.

Back to knitting.

I also turned my the heel, and got halfway down the foot on my new Top Cat sock during the second portion of training. I could, in theory, finish the sock tonight (which I think would be a new record for me!) but I'm going to be a good girlfriend and cook dinner for Dave, even though it will cut into knitting time.

Tomorrow is the practical exam for the training, and shouldn't take more than a few hours. Afterward, I'll be heading up to Mom's for a photo-shoot of my new shawl (and for dinner of course!). Before training each day, I've been working on the charts, so I think Thursday night will be spent formatting the pattern.

And then it's a long weekend!!!! Yaaaaaaaaaaaaay!