Onto the Weekend!!

WiP: Radian Yoke by Wendy Bernard; Spanish Peacock by Meg Swansen (You can now see my progress in the "My Projects" under "My Shop" in the sidebar)!
FOs: None

In the plans: 3 custom drawstring bags

Summer has finally arrived in Calgary! The only annoying part is that I'm at work! Booooo. So that means lots of walks and outdoor knitting in the evenings/this weekend!

I plan to do some spinning, the drawstring bags, and some knitting this weekend - I have a couple pairs of felted mittens to finish! I also realized, as I was poking around my craft room the other day, that I need to take photos and post them of the phone cases that I've completed! (Felted and embellished.)

On that note, I hope everyone else is able to enjoy some of the sunshine for me! Time to get cracking so that I can work out in it, too!

Katie =^..^=

And Then, the Fabric Became Bags!!

WiP: slippers, Meg Swansen's "Spanish Peacock" shawl

Needs a zipper: Dallas's cardigan

What I'm Reading: Swordspoint by Ellen Kushner

I had a super busy weekend!! I've got the schedule on schedule so far, with the completion of the 12 drawstring bags I have planned to post at the beginning of August in the start of my Etsy updates!

I also got the chance to go to the Hays Breakfast at Heritage Park with my friend! We stood right behind Nenshi, AND I got to see a sheep with her lambs, and get some Chuckwagon Drivers' autographs!

Finally, I'm nearly finished Dallas's sweater. So happy for it, too. Since this picture, the collar's been sewn down and all the ends woven in. I just need to sew the zipper in!

What have all you lovely folks been up to?

Katie =^..^=

Chatter: Looking for Inspiration

WiP: Felted Mittens, Wedding Blanket #2

Heat: Too High

I keep hitting points where I have so much to do that I don't know where to start, and then I hit a roadblock for inspiration of all sorts...And then I get bored and feel completely uninspired. Right now, I have tons of things I could work on, but don't feel like doing any of it. At all.

I know that there is lots of inspiration all around me all the time...But recently it hasn't triggered much. It seems like it might be time to sit down, make a list of what I want to do, and start checking it off as I go.

The Etsy update for the summer looms large right now, so that means that my first priority is getting a couple personal knits out of the way, and getting more of my felted items actually made and felted. So I know I'll start there.

I need to start my wedding shawl, but I'm uninspired there because I'm daunted by the size and how much I've screwed up the lace the last couple of times I've tried to start it.

I think it might be time to switch crafts for this weekend, since I've really got a bug to do some sewing, but my knitting itch has drifted to the way side for a bit.

I think sewing might be it. I want to make some drawstring bags to go along with any box bags I get finished for August.

I think a day of sewing will make me feel that much more inspired to knit.

What do you do when you get into a creative funk?

Katie =^..^=

Finally, Some Chatter

WiP: Emilien for Dallas; felted mittens; wedding blanket for Wedding #2 (last August. Shhhhh...)
FOs: None

Reading: Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke

Remember, you can donate to the Canadian Red Cross here (any amount at all): http://www.redcross.ca/donate
You can also donate at your Alberta-local Starbucks, although if you need a tax receipt, you need to donate online. Only donate as much as you can, but remember that if you are more affluent, $20+ will get you a tax receipt. ;) I'm pretty sure that if you donate to the "Disaster-Relief Fund," if the Red Cross has left over money, it gets shuffled to the next disaster they need money for...Never a bad thing to have the extra!

It's been a busy couple week around here! Between flooding and not, we've done our engagement photos, and I had my birthday, and we even went up to Olds to take a look at their Fibre Festival market this past Saturday!

Dallas and I have been walking a lot, as I am now trying trim up a bit after all the weight training. Although the night before last we got absolutely soaked by a thunderstorm that rolled in halfway through our walk!

This weekend is Canada Day, and our forecast looks amazing! I'm stoked about having a long weekend to relax at home, although our plans had originally been to go out to my parents'.

I'm hoping to finish Dallas's sweater, and then to be able to block it, have it dry, and take some photos in Confederation Park this weekend! Fingers crossed he doesn't melt in it! If it's nice, I'll try to also coerce him into taking some photos of me in my Marion cardigan as well.

Otherwise, need to patch up his blanket, where some of the squares have had their sewing unravelled, try to finish the wedding blanket, and then maybe, just maybe, start my shawl.

But that might have time high jacked by the whole felted mitten thing.

Have a lovely long weekend, and Happy Canada Day! :)

Katie =^..^=

P.S. The Calgary Stampede is selling these t-shirts: "Hell or High Water" t-shirt
These are while supplies last, but proceeds are going to the Canadian Red Cross fund. 

Legitimate Progress on Dallas's Cardigan!

WiP: Dallas's Cardigan

Pictures from Tuesday, May 28, 2013. 

Finished the back and fronts...Now just for the sleeves and collar~!

Katie =^..^=

Legitimate Progress!

WiP: Marion by Andi Satterlund (Cascade 220, Black)

So, the body of the cardigan was done on Friday. I struggled with the sleeves all weekend due to not having fully comprehended the instructions (I still blame the cold medication).

 

But, by Tuesday, I figured the sleeve out and finished it last night, so now I'm working on the other sleeve. I'll take a picture of the sleeve cap when I get home tonight.Both of these pictures don't show how dark the black is. 

And! Dallas was a doll (and he wants a cardigan), so he went out and bought the required amount for me in the Cascade 220 Heathers - Forest:

 

This yarn is slowly going to become Bruce Weinstein's Basic Cardigan: Two Ways - Zipper Version

(Photo by Jared Flood)

This will be a process that I hope to finish by the fall, considering that it is a LOT of stockinette. But I have been zooming through these sweaters, so who knows? They're faster than blankets! (And lacy shawls.)

Actually, I think once I finish my cardigan, I need to start on my shawl and see if I can progress through the yarn overs and k2tog without losing stitches or adding too many. I almost had it the last time I cast on...But so far, no good. I guess we'll see this time! I love doing lace, but I almost always seem to do something early on that completely screws it up. I guess I should be thankful that it's early on, and not when I'm nearly finished!

Anyway.

What are you folks knitting/crocheting/spinning/creating right now? 

Let me know!

Katie =^..^=

Should Be Following the YarnHarlot's Advice...

WiP: Marion
FOs: None

Reading: A Very Dangerous Method by John Kerr & A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki

So, the YarnHarlot's (Stephanie Pearl McPhee) advice, which came from of friend of hers, is that you shouldn't ever knit anything during the last winter months that look like the last winter months. I.e., knit spring colours, not the endless fields of black stockinette that I'm in right now!

I'm not complaining about the pattern. It's well written, super simple, and I'm going to love the end product. But it's hard going right now. I've got about 20 more rows on the body and then I'm done that part and just need to do the sleeves. So I'm trucking along, which is awesome.

But I'm still stuck in the fields of black stockinette, broken up by the cables on either end that will become the button band.

Anyway.  That's my update. The 6" of snow we got this past weekend is slowly melting. Plans had to drastically change this coming weekend because of events beyond my circumstances.

Three weeks until my brother's wedding (which is what I need this cardigan for...).

It's a whirlwind. I'm just trying to stay caught up.I'm missing going to the gym, but seem to need all my energy for work and normal house things. Sleep has been hard. Maybe this weekend I'll get a bit better caught up!

Have a lovely day, my dears.

Katie =^..^=

Chatter-Less

WiP: Itty Bitty Baby Cardigan out of Cascade 220 "817" Superwash DK, and Sweet Georgia Superwash DK "Snapdragon".

FO: None

I've had a really hard time finding anything I want to talk about. So I figured I would finally share a picture of the itty bitty baby cardigan I've been working on. I love how it pooled on the back, with the kind of zig-zag!

I'm working on one sleeve, and have to finish that and the other and pick up the collar; I'm doing the shawl collar. I also modified the sleeve so that it actually doesn't have the cable and bobble pattern, but instead a moss stitch panel in the middle of a field of stockinette. This is in part because the pattern was getting lost in the colours, and in part because I was super worried that I was going to run out of yarn.

But it'll still look cute, I think.

Weather's been gloomy and up and down the past couple of days. Today it's the terrible spring sleet that melts as soon as it hits you and makes  everything damp.

I can't wait for some warmth!

Anyway...Not much else. Just been busy.

Hope everyone is well, and I'll try to chat at you all more next week!

Katie =^..^=

That Kind of Week...Again

WiP: SSP, slippers

Well, yes, it is Thursday. Not dead, quite healthy, in fact...Just haven't written. And right now, I really don't have much to say.

It's spring, but it's snowing again.

This weekend is Dallas and my 4th-year anniversary (yay!)

And I've done some spring cleaning of my room and our bedroom, which feels a lot better. I will be posting pictures of my craft room at some point.

And that is all.

Have fun, my knitties!

Katie =^..^=

SSP Progress!!

WiP: SSP, slippers (still)

That's right.

 It's the SSP in progress! It's in my pretty, delicate, DellaQ project bag. Love it!

And this is my dear Hubby to be, reading Kate Beaton's, Hark! A Vagrant

He doesn't get featured here enough, and I actually really like this picture.

This is the man who flies week-in and week-out to help provide for the both of us (and not that I'm not contributing...).

So, a picture of the SSP, and a picture of my sweetie!

Can you guess who the SSP might be for? Think of significant dates coming up! (But don't tell me the project, even if you think you what it is.)

Let me know in the comments, and I'll think of a special prize. This can be for the most fantastical story, or the right guess. It's my choice. ;)

You'll have until next Tuesday!

Have a lovely evening, my knitties!

Katie =^..^=

Where's Spring...?

WiP: SSP, slippers!
FOs: None

There's been at least another 2 inches of snow since last nice.

It's this time of year that I really start wanting spring and summer. But the one drawback to living in Calgary is that the "safe-plant" date is June 1. Which is still no guarantee against frost and snow in June and July and August, but at least you generally can leave your plants out overnight.

Anyway.

Lots of knitting.

Lots of wool/silk/mohair blends.

Spinning.

And maybe, perhaps, my shawl. We'll see what the weekend brings.

Have a lovely evening, my knitties!

Katie =^..^=

One of Those Weeks

WiP: Felted Stocking cuff (again)

That's right, I've missed Monday and Wednesday this week...it's just been that knit of week, totally and completely.

Busy with work, busy with life...And it caught up to me yesterday with a wicked stomach bug that affected my balance and gave me motion-sickness symptoms (Dallas gave me a hug, and because of the dizziness it nearly made me throw up). I don't know what it is, but I have a feeling that I need to sleep and eat really well the next few days to kick it. It also means I missed work...And I'm going to miss my friend's baby shower. :(

But, at the same time, I've come to realize that I really do need to listen to my body and what it's demanding of me. In this case, I obviously need to slow down a bit and I can tell I need to sleep and relax.

Gosh darn it if I still don't want to do it all, though.

Anyway, this weekend will be exactly that: rest, relaxation, and kicking whatever is in my system.

That means that I might also cast on a cardigan for myself, since my first pullover was a success!

We shall see.

Have a lovely evening, my knitties. :)

Katie =^..^=

Almost There!!

WiP: Sweater
Needs Felting: Stockings

Happy Valentine's Day, my dears!

Dallas outdid himself this year with a very nice dinner last night (he's heading up North today). Tasty, tasty. And, heart-shaped waffled today!

Anyway. Tonight, I'm going to head to the gym after work for a little bit at least, and then head home and knit to my heart's content.

This Monday is the long weekend, which I'm super excited for. I am definitely sleeping, since yesterday I called it a half-day, headed home, promptly crashed into bed, and slept for over an hour. Just kind of feverish and chilly. Feel almost 100% today, though, because of the extra sleep!

So, yes. Saturday, I'm taking a learn-to-make sushi class with my future sister-in-law, and then I don't have any plans besides the whole sleeping thing. I'm going to try to start shifting my sleeping pattern more to this whole "early-morning-gym" thing. In part because whenever I go in the evening it is a.) super busy, b.) smells, and c.) is humid. I'm going to try to keep it up at least 3-4 times a week, if I can't do it every day.

3 weeks to a good habit, right? hahaha

The other thing this means is that I hopefully get some pictures and info up on Etsy. As long as the light is good, I'm at least going to take pictures!

And, fingers crossed, I can get my shawl cast on and actually worked on this weekend! I think that'll be my biggest goal. haha

Anyway. Hope everyone is well!

Have a lovely day!!

Katie =^..^=