Crazy from the heat

wow! It has really been hot here this week! Over 30 Celc. every day and really humid -- we don't usually get that sort of heat in Nova Scotia (on Wednesday night it was 84 Far. in our house at suppertime!). I guess Summer is FINALLY here! I will blame it on the heat (because to put the blame where it really lies is ... well ... not a good thing for me!) or perhaps an overindulgence in caffeine, but I was up last night knitting until 3 a.m.. Needless to say, I got a lot done on the Booga Bag (only the i-cord left to do when I went to bed). Around 2 a.m, Crazed Knitter decided that having a bag that was only Too Teal would be boring, so all of a sudden, it was topped with Paprika -- it has a real Arizona feel to it now (I am glad that Crazed Knitter doesn't like boring!)

I had been out for coffee with 2 friends who I don't get together with as often as I should (or as often as I'd like to!) for coffee until 9:30 p.m. It may have been the 2 XLarge Tim Horton's that took me over the edge of reasonable knitting and plunged me into the Crazed Knitter's time zone! Anyhow, the Booga is looking good, and decided that , straps or not, it wanted a garden tour before being felted ... you know, sort of a trip back to its homeland. So I indulged it.

While at coffee, one of my friends commented on my Booga bag. I told her I could teach her to make one, but she declined the offer. She remarked on it about 3 times after that ... finally, I clued in and asked if she would like me to make her one. She was quite happy about that ... and this morning, we went to the lys and selected some Patons SWS in Natural Blue. Once I get some housework done, I will cast on for her bag.

** Also, don't forget to enter my contest ... or some of the other ones going on at other blogs -- lots of cool prizes to be won!

My First FO -- a trip down memory lane!

I am entering the contest on Lotus Knit's blog ... so here is a picture of my first ever FO ... her name is Carroty and she is 30 years old.

Although I am fond of telling people that I taught myself to knit from a book when I was 34 years old, the actual cold hard truth is that I actually learned to knit when I was in Brownies to get my knitting badge.

Carroty was my first finished object, knit from a pattern in a book I borrowed weekly from the bookmobile for what seemed like a year (but was probably only about 2 months in "grown-up time"). She is looking good for 30, eh? and it is nice to see that she is still a fashion icon after all these years (now that tank tops, Capri pants and a brown and orange palette are back in vogue again!) She was soooo hard to knit at the time ... lots of pieces (no shaping), sewing seams, hooking the hair, and embroidering her features on that incredibly long face (I think my mom or my grandmother helped with the embroidery). I think I cheated a bit on her -- I know I couldn't cast on at 8 or 9 years old! and luckily, she is only garter stitch, or I never would have got the badge I wanted so much, as I didn't know how to purl! I remember picking out the yarn with my mom, and thinking that the colours were "so cool", and that she was going to be beautiful (I think she might be Sayelle by Patons, but I am not sure).

As soon as I had the coveted badge for my sash, the needles went away and knitting never entered my mind again until I was 34 ... and when I picked up the needles then I forgot totally how to do any of it! Apparently, knitting is not like riding a bike -- I retained absolutely nothing! It all seemed foreign to me.

If you want to enter the contest over at the Lotus Knits .... (the prize is some really nice hand dyed yarn), the rules are as follows: (** and if you want to enter my contest, or a few other contests, scroll down a few posts here on my blog and you'll find some more ways to win some yarny goodness!)

"All you have to do to enter the contest is:1.) post a picture on your blog of your first finished knitted item OR what's next in your queue that you *haven't* cast on for yet and 2.) make sure to mention this contest! Scarf, dishcloth, sweater, whatever! I wanna see! Then, 3.) email me at lotusknits@gmail.com (or leave a comment) to let me know you've posted so I can come check out your blog! Let me know what blog you saw the contest on, because for every person that mentions your blog as a referral, you get another entry into the contest.I'll draw two winners on July 4th!"

The Long Weekend starts NOW!

Ok ... officially, it doesn't start until 4:30 p.m. on Friday, but I had today off and Friday will be a very busy day at work, so it will just be a blink of an eye and we'll actually be in the long weekend (and I don't want to miss a minute -- let the knitting begin!).

Our lys is closed on Sunday and Monday re: the holiday, so I went this afternoon to "stock up" in case I run out of yarn. I bought some dishcloth cotton (the one I knit was fun ... although odd shaped, and I would like to try again to see if I can get a nice square dishcloth shaped cloth) and a ball of "Too Teal" Classic Wool whined and cried so much at the store that I had to buy it to make into a Booga Bag ~ it insisted that was its destiny, so what could I do? But if anyone asks,

I found it in the garden.

The Nova Scotia climate is great for growing them -- sticky humidity, followed by intense clamminess, devastating heat preceeding bitter cold in one day is what makes large, full, brightly coloured skeins! I know it does wonders for the irises.

As a side note, look'it the difference in colour from picture to picture of the wool -- both taken in the same garden seconds apart and the yellowy barberry is only a foot from the Peony. The correct colour is the first picture. I am just casting on now ... will post pics when I have some progress to show.

If you get a chance, be sure to enter my contest and the other ones going on ... just found another one to add (deadline July 4th) You gotta go check it out!! the yarn prizes are awesome looking!.

Contest alert ... What and where are you knitting on Canada Day?

This weekend is a holiday in Canada -- July 1st is Canada Day (which falls on a Sunday this year, so we get Monday off work -- I loves me a 3-day weekend!) T is jetting to Newfoundland's Northern Peninsula as I type this for a week long salmon fishing trip with his brothers and father ... so Heddy is celebrating the weekend alone! It is not as sad as it sounds -- I am actually looking forward to uninterrupted knitting time (tee hee!). The needles can be glued to my hands for 3 straight days with no worries about being social or worrying about how to knit AND get dinner/cooked/eaten and cleaned up! It will a good thing!

So, you ask ... what about this contest so boldly proclaimed in the title of this post? Here's the dealio ... over the weekend, write a comment in my blog telling me what you are knitting on the long weekend, and provide a link to your blog showing a picture of the knitting item(s) that are your long weekend project(s). If you have no blog ... that's ok -- just tell me about your knitting plans/progress in the comment. I have big plans for what I WANT to do, whether I accomplish all I want is another story! Show & tell me what you get done! Are you going to knit during Canada Day Celebrations? Are you knitting anything patriotic?

My readership is a small group -- so you have a really good chance to win! lol! If you are from the US (or elsewhere) and reading this and are feeling bad that you are not having a 3 day weekend, comment and tell/show me what you knit on the Canadian holiday, or on your holiday (July 4th).

Winners will be selected by an age-old, traditional and highly scientific method ... each person who enters will have their name written on a piece of paper, the slips will be folded and placed on the floor, and whichever one Curly the kitten singles out for playtime ... will win the Grand prize! The "draw" will be held on Thursday, July 5th -- 12 noon in Nova Scotia. Deadline to make your comment is the wee small hours of the morning (before 9 a.m. NS time) on July 5th.

What's in it for you, you ask. Well, this is my first contest ever ... I hope the prize is ok.

The patriotic pack will contain sock yarn (of course) -- 2 x 50 g. balls of Regia Multi Effekt Color in colour 5384 (representing the red and white of our national flag!), and a set of Hide and Sheep stitch markers, along with assorted Canadian paraphernalia (including temporary tattoos to show your Canadian pride! and Maple syrup suckers!)

Good luck ... I can't wait to see and hear how you knit your way through the long weekend!

A couple of contests to enter

Edit: This seems to be a very contesty week in blogland -- lots of blogs are having them, and I want to spread the love these people are giving! so here are some contests going on ....

a A contest to enter and the prize is ... yarn! Stop by Ali's blog (Skeins her Way ) and make a post about when you learned to knit, and tell her how you found out about the contest, and you could win yarn! Scrumptuous Blue Sky Alpaca Suri Merino!
You have until July 16th -- so get over there and enter! (don't forget to tell her how you found out about the contest -- that way I get a chance at a runner up prize -- and if you post on your blog about the contest and people say they found out from your blog -- you could win the runner up prize! So you tell 2 friends, and they tell 2 friends, and so on and so on and so on and so on and so on!)

a This one is interesting .... and will give you a giggle! Kids are so funny! you have until June 30th to write a comment about what you think the drawing is supposed to be, and you could win a prize!

a If you design knitting things -- any knitted things -- this could be a chance for fame and fotune (well, fame and enough cash to buy more yarn for the stash, at least!) Submit your original knitting design to the "Knitting Pattern-a-Day Calendar (I bought one of these for Christmas for a friend, and it is a lot of fun to check the patterns daily at the office) and you could win ... wait for it ... up to $500.00!!! Pretty cool eh? (second prize is $250.00 and third prize is $100.00) . You have until December 15th, 2007 to submit to be considered for the 2009 calendar.
It looks like if you submit a design that is used in the calendar, you get a free copy of the calendar you submit to (you can do a crochet pattern, if you prefer, 'cause they have a Crochet pattern-a-Day Calendar too!), and the top 3 designs get the cash prizes. It would be really neat to have a pattern published. I found the link to this contest at this site.

a In the spirit of sharing the love, I would like to hold a contest (I don't have many readers ... so you have a good chance to win!). Check my blog later today for a new post with the contest and details for how ~ and what~ you can win! (Hint: it will have something to do with the long Holiday weekend coming up!)

a Edit: Found another contest just now, all you have to do is post a picture on your blog of your first finished item (or if you don't have one -- a picture -- not a finished item, although, some days .... sigh!)just post on your blog what your next project , not yet on the needles is going to be. Be sure to mention Lotus Knits' contest! Then email her or leave a comment on her blog about the blogpost you made! Did I mention the prizes are YARN??? I love one of them (and really want to win it!!)

Summer Yarn

Ever since the new Knitty came out, I have been wanting to knit some summer socks -- lacey, cotton, summery colours! All I have in the stash is wool, wool and more wool, and the lys doesn't have much right now in the way of colours in cotton sock yarn, so I convinced T to go for a drive yesterday to Have a Yarn, and I got me some new yarn (Regia Cotton Java Colour in #1184 and # 1177) so pretty and summery!

And of course, I needed a few more pairs of needles (my "Night and Day" Hederas are still using up 2 sets of my favorite needles, so I picked up a couple of sets of Pony Pearls too!) All in all a good day of yarn petting and retail therapy!

I have fallen sooooo far behind on the Plunge -- I made a pair of quick infant socks (the pattern is from one of those pattern a day calendars - in Austerman Step in Gras -- cute, but it is too warm for little nephew Owen to wear wool socks, and by Fall , he will be too big for them, so I guess they will go in the gift drawer. That brings me up to 6 pairs - I have to get motivated and finish a few of the ones I have on the needles - the "Night and Day" Hederas and the ones for my Sockapalooza pal are nearly done -- the Hederas need a day or 2 of focussed time, and the ones for my pal only need an afternoon or evening and they are finished.

But I hear the call of the summer yarn ... It is no fun to knit in wool, knowing it won't be fit to wear them until Fall! The cool feel of cotton is calling my name -- and I want some ankle socks, cute little cotton ankle socks, in pretty summery colours. The new yarn is so pretty and soft -- forgive me SIP but I need a new project to inspire me -- I haven't left you forever, just for a week or so!

Hump Day

Trying to come up with a subject to write about tonight and ... yeah, well -- I got nothin'! It is midweek and I am just trying to get over the hump and to the weekend!

Not much has been going on the past few days in my knitting world. I haven't started the hot water bottle cover yet-- can't find a yarn I will enjoy. Decided that if I am so keen to make one, it should be for me -- and T agreed. He thinks it would be a great thing to have (go figure!). So now I am stuck trying to find a yarn I enjoy that won't show too much animal fur (when you have 2 dogs and 2 cats -- all of different colours and coat types, yarn colour and ability to be de-shedded is an important consideration! I cast on a few times in a pretty orange acrylic but can't seem to get beyond the cast on. Maybe I am thinking about it too much -- it is just a cozy after all!

No knitting news means no WIP, FO or yarn choices photos -- when there is no knitting -- you get critter shots or selections from my old pictures (today you are in luck - Curly is dozing on the couch beside me and looking sleepy/cranky/cute!) he is about as close to a wool shot as I will have tonight!

Oh, I did get some stitch markers in the mail yesterday from Hide and Sheep ... this is the second order I've had from them and I have to say that I really like them. Very dainty markers that do not get in the way of my knitting, with fun coloured beads and funky coloured wire! Nice stuff -- good service -- I enjoy them!

Duffy just joined Curly and I ... they are dear friends and have bonded over the fact that both are happiest when I am not knitting! Neither of them likes to see me knit -- a lap filled with needles and yarn is not the most comfortable place for a critter, and certainly if the hands that usually are giving ear and tummy rubs are filled with wool and knitting needles! Both are quite pleased that there is no knitting tonite!


Gotta go -- hopefully knitting news/progress tomorrow!

Voila!

The Birthday Cozy is complete and on its way to Newfoundland!

I can't believe I've never knit one of these ...

I am probably the only knitter in the world who has never made a cotton dishcloth (this is something I have been embarrassed about for a long time!) My Mom can whip up one in an evening of watching tv or on a car trip to the city, and whenever I have tried, I get to row 4 or 5 and it looks wrong, so I tear it out and begin again, only to have the same problem again! For years, I have avoided knitting dishcloths, and have asked my mom to make them for me.

Today, I looked in my dishcloth drawer and realized they are all old, ratty and many have been cut and are unravelling (and Mom is busy with little Owen and big brother Jack, so I don't think she'll be up for dishclothing) ... I have bitten the bullet, and am trying again! Mary at the lys sold me cotton and gave me what she said was an easy pattern (I just can't get the basic pattern -- I dunno why! It is just YO and then decreases, but I must be doing something wrong) ... I digress ... back to the new pattern :

The pattern she gave me is Feather and Fan, and is 58 stitches on US 8s -- I am knitting on a US 9 (can't find an 8 anywhere today -- so much for tidying my knitting yesterday! Can't find all my needles!) Although it looks quite big (I think it is supposed to be big ... I read a few other patterns and some only cast on 39 stitches, so maybe I haven't messed it up too much!), it is looking "right" so far! Phew! I didn't want to go down in history as the only knitter to be unable to make a dishcloth! I already have plans for this dishcloth next ... in bright orange! They have one in a bright, sunny yellow at the store, and it is really cute!

Twice in one day

can you tell that I am home by myself? LOL! Generally that is when I do most of my posting, multi posting and long add-ons (when T is at work, I get bored and lonely!) -- He has been working a lot all week -- which is why there has been at least a blog a day since the 12th!

When organizing the stash earlier today, these were in a bag ... a few years back, I was very keen to make all my Christmas gifts and had envisioned matching slippers for my two nieces (matching cousins would be cute!). I got the pair for the younger niece done, but stalled on the one for the older one ... oops! Christmas came and went, and the slippers were forgotten. Until today ... Patons Classic Wool in Old Rose, Pattern: Fiber Trends Felted Ballerina Slipper Hopefully they will fit the littlest one (I haven't knit for her in a while! If not, I will try shrinking them some more -- it is easier to go smaller than it is to knit a whole new pair!!)

Now to go through the Button Jar to find an pair of appropriately "glam" buttons! We are going to Bridgewater tonight to see Oceans 13, so if I have nothing divaesque, Walmart will get a visit!