Busy for the Whole Weeks Through...

On the needles: Mittens to felt!

So, I've been a busy, busy girl. Between a busy day job, and stocking for my first show of the season, I haven't had any time to catch my breath (not to mention the chest cold that's haunting me three weeks later, but at least it's better...)!

Anyway. I was a vendor at Crestmont, which was a fantastic show - lots of traffic, and the most profitable yet! The only drawback to that day was how bitterly cold it was! haha

As you can see above, there were lots of mittens. This is the stack of them on my ironing board beforehand:

And I'm working on more now! I have Market Collective December 6-8 at the King Edward School (1720 20th Ave SW).

So...More knitting and sewing to come! I've almost hit all of my goals for stock for this show, but keep your fingers crossed for me nonetheless - I don't have that much longer to go! haha

Have a lovely day, my dears! I promise I'll be more present after December 14th (Last Minute Christmas Show in Cochrane - Spray Lake Sawmills Family Sports Centre).

Katie =^..^=

Finally, A Tuesday Chatter Again!

WiP: Puerperium Cardigan by Kelly Brooker Knit in Cascade 220 Heathers, Forest Green (leftover from Dallas's Emilien)     
Swatched for: Firefly Seeker by Cassandra Dominick; using the leftovers from my Gemini
Going to swatch for: Georgia by Jane Richmond; using my Meow Yarn! I'll post pictures soon. :)

FO: Radian Yoke by Wendy Bernard (photos of it, the itty-bitty baby cardigan, and the Gemini to come!)

So, on top of all the knitting I've been, I've also been hard at work on my sewing! If you saw the collage, that was the majority of what I've worked on, but I have also produced these owl box bags, which would be prefect for a small project, such as mittens, socks, or a shawlette:

 

 I ended up completing and posting the kitty-cat bags, and now I'm going to settle in and work on the froggy notions pouches. 

I'm hard at work trying to find some craft fairs to be at, live and in the flesh, so keep your eyes trained on the Blog/Twitter/Facebook to find out the details!

In other news, I've read quite a bit recently, so I'll actually have a Wednesday post for you all about what I've been reading.

AND, hubby-to-be and I are going on vacation, so I will be offline the first part of October, but you'll hear all about it when I get back! (Hence the swatching - I need plane knitting!)

What have you lovely folks been up to lately? 

Katie =^..^=

Finishing Means I'm on the Hunt (Kind Of)

WiP: Radian Yoke by Wendy Bernard (In Classic Elite Yarns' Firefly "Green Apple" - love the sheen!); Spanish Peacock by Meg Swansen (In Handmaiden's Silk Lace "Ruby Red" - Gorgeous yarn)
FOs: Itty Bitty Baby Girl Cardie by Sirdar (In Sweet Georgia Yarn's Superwash DK Snapdragon and Cascade Yarn's Superwash 220 Sport, Ivory)

That's right! Everything I have on the needles right now is current projects, which means...I'm making my Ravelry queue grow even more. Although I know what the next project is, and I'm still working on both the Radian Yoke and the Spanish Peacock, so I really shouldn't. However, it's becoming sweater season, and a whole bunch of new cardigans have been posted recently!

But, must stick to the, plan, especially considering that there is Christmas knitting I need to finish now...And my Radian Yoke needs to be finished for October, and the Spanish Peacock for next July. To the grindstone! haha

Let's see...It's one of those weeks where I'm going to be absolutely exhausted, so I think a lot of knitting it going to occur, just because it's something I can practically do in my sleep.

And then this weekend will be sleep and some custom order bags for my future sister (in-law), and general craftiness.

I have posted lots of new items and renewed some old items on my Etsy page - I would greatly appreciate it if you were to take a look. You can just click on the link in the sidebar!

Anyway. Have a lovely evening, my dears. I'm going to work on my Radian Yoke!

Katie =^..^=

And There She is, Gone

WiP: Gemini by Jane Richmond (Gemini is a free pattern, so definitely worth taking a look at...!), Wedding # 2 Log Cabin blanket edging (simply eyelet border, four lace rows)

Well, the summer came for one day, and now it feels like fall and time for even more knitted sweaters!!

Standing on the train platform this morning, I got to thinking about what kind of mittens, hats, and scarves I wanted for the winter.

Also, there will be some changes upcoming around here, but they're under wraps for now. I can let you know that they're exciting, however!

Also, there will finally be an Etsy update within the next week! I'm going to be photographing my items this weekend and likely posting them on Monday.

That's all for now, though!

Have a lovely couple of days!

Katie =^..^=

We Were On an Adventure!

WiP: Dallas's cardigan
FOs: None

That's right! We drove out to Marble Canyon in Kootenay National Park, and then went down and explored Banff's Cave & Basin, the birthplace to the Canadian National Park System!

We also visited Jacques Cartier Clothiers, which is the shop that carries Quiviut. I have 1 skein at home, and I needed a pattern, so I found it's destiny in a Wavy Lace Scarf. I'll keep you updated as I go on that.

Otherwise...Dallas's cardigan went into  a time out yesterday, although it rode along with us. I messed up the shaping for the fronts, since I followed the directions to a T...And had to pick out all the shaping from the arm hole up on both fronts (I'm knitting them two-at-a-time so that they match). So I lost all of my work from Saturday morning. I was soooo peeved.

But, I got it more or less back to the same spot on Saturday (at least I used up the same amount of yarn, so that's a good sign), and now I'm ready to finish the fronts and move onto the sleeves. I hope.

Other than that, a quiet weekend. I think we're going to go Star Trek tonight, which I'm super excited for.

And I'll actually have a crane update tomorrow!

So, the knitting agenda as it stands now:

Dallas's cardigan
Cast-on shawl
Cast on Hanna Fettig's Calligraphy Cardigan
Cast on SSP
Cast on a pair of mittens to felt
Put cuffs on other mittens to felt
Make more felted bags for Etsy update in August.

...

There's a lot of work to do, and very little time, so I will leave you here!

Have a lovely evening, my dears!

Katie =^..^=

Sewing, Sewing, Sewing, Sewing, Sewing...

WiP: Basic Cardigan: Two Ways; Cascade 220 Heathers, "Forest"

FOs: Sewn Box Bags x 2, Triangular bag. 

That's right, folks! I'll have a new and exciting addition to my shop starting in August! Box bags!!

They will be fully lined, 100% cotton bags, although the handle here is made with a sateen ribbon.

I'm super excited about these, because the fabric gives me a super easy way to customize these compared to knitting. 

I even put zippers in; this was only the third one, and I must say I think it came out quite well.

I'm super excited to continue with these and to be able to start providing a new and varied product in August!

The other super exciting part of all of this is all of these pictures are taken on our new camera!! We've been talking about getting one for about the past year, and I finally bit the bullet, did my research, and purchased a Canon Powershot.

I must say, for the little that I've experimented with it, I'm very satisfied with it. I can't wait to take it out hiking and such to take pictures and really test it out. :)

What did you folks do this weekend?

Katie =^..^=

Chat, Chat, Chat...

WiP: Rosy Clutch (Cascade 220 in the white colour)

FOs: Marion by Andi Satterlund

That's right! Two weeks and I finished my cardigan~! :D (I'm counting it as finished. Right now it's getting its ends weaved in and its buttons sewn on.)

I found some cool vintage buttons at Suzie Q's in Inglewood, which was cool. although I was a bit disappointed in their selection, I did like the store. I will definitely remember that there are more suited for picking up beads than buttons.

The buttons, though, are going to fit in with the whole "vintage" vibe that this cardigan (and the outfit I'm going to wear it with) has! 

Anyway. Not up to much else. Working on a bag to felt, working 9-5. And our weather's supposed to get crazy again!

Just keeping my fingers crossed that it's nice next Sunday for my brother's wedding.

What are you up to right now?

Katie =^..^=

The Ah-Ha Moment...Followed by the Doh Moment

WiP: Marion by Andi Satterlund
FOs: None

Reading: Same as last chatter

The sun's finally shining more than not! Yay! (Although I've now probably jinxed us...)

So, the Ah-Ha! Moment! I figured out the sleeve cap on the Marion that I'm knitting right now.

The Doh! Moment! - I reread the instructions, and what I had "figured out" was exactly what was written there, I just had misread it.

Yes, folks, that's right. I've been struggling with this sleeve since Friday.

This is a good indication that cold meds and knitting new things do not necessarily mix. Booooo. hahaha

Have you had any "Ah-Ha!" Moments recently? Let me know in the comments!

Katie =^..^=

P.S. Dallas went and bought yarn all by himself today. I'm making him a cardigan, and we had discussed the yarn and colour and he had seen the options, but the store we were in didn't have enough. So he went to our really local yarn store (The Loop) and bought what I need! So awesome. I like making yarn minions~! Vwee hee hee! ;) 

The Intrepid Adventurer: Mike Sheep Makes a Reappearance

I'm sending my thoughts and love to everyone in Boston that was involved in the explosions. I cannot say elegantly what I know in my heart, so I will leave it there...I'm also sending love and healing thoughts to the families who have lost their loved ones in the earthquake; and also everyone else who is suffering loss or hunger or strife in our world.

And now, I will let you continue on to something with a ligher theme!

WiP: Marion by Andi Satterlund
In-Progress, but on hold: Itty Bitty Baby Cardigan
FOs: none

Reading: A Most Dangerous Method by John Kerr

Still dazzled by his previous experiences in the Canadian Rockies, recovering from being called a "Shrome" by Navene in WDW, AND still coming off of his delight with the experiences that he had in Japan and Singapore, Mike Sheep made an adventure out this week to the Calgary Stampede's Aggie Days.

This event was crowded with families, mostly those families with small children, so although Mike Sheep was fine, the one who was carrying him - me - was looked at suspiciously.

Mike loved the combine, though!

Hence, after I was able to convince Mike that we no longer needed to stay at Aggie Days, we traipsed to The Loop in Kensington, where I was able to finally procure a decent Royal ball winder! Thus began a weekend where I read to my heart's content (Finally finished Yann Martel's Life of Pi) and worked on the Marion cardigan, which so far has been a delightful and quick knit. Although I think that the next thing I knit needs to have bright spring colours in it! 

This seclusion was partially implemented due to that, when I woke up, this was the view out my front window:

And our building's landscapers had been there only minutes before! Although most of it has now blown away or melted...It's going to be a messy drive to work tomorrow!

Hope all is well for you! What did you do this weekend?

Katie =^..^=

You Know You're a Knitter When...

WIP: Sirdar Baby Girls' Cardie (Sirdar Snuggly DK 1268)
In: Cascade 220 Superwash Sport and Sweet Georgia Superwash DK, Snapdragon
FOs: Trigger Finger Mittens
HFO: To-Felt-Mitten hands (need thumbs done)

You Know You're a Knitter When (A Purely Subjective List in No Particularly Order):

You're staring at someone's hands because that's where the colourwork mittens are

You want to have babies to be able to dress them in all the cute knitting

You've read through all of the YarnHarlot's archives

Your significant other goes to work with yarn and fibre stuck on him (consistently)

You go to work with the same "yarn stains"

You like it when your significant other plays video games, so you can sit with them and knit

Every time you go on a road trip, you stop at a yarn store (Or at least research if there is one)

You always have at least one knitting project in your bag

You scoff at the Ford commercial that says that the truck isn't going to be carrying yarn (even better if you drive a truck, which I do)


Any others? Contribute your thoughts in the comments!

Katie =^..^=

One Long Weekend Down, One to Go for March!

WiP: Trigger Finger Mittens
FO: SSP (Noro Striped Scarf)

Well, I just had four glorious days off with Dallas, which have led me to be the most relaxed that I have been in a long while.

We went hiking and to the zoo...And I got more yarn to make another Jane Richmond "Oatmeal Pullover," this time in a kind of faded demin colour.

Now, three days of work, and then into another long weekend...And headlong into March!

It's going to be good!

I'll give you a better update on Thursday, hopefully!

Katie =^..^=

SSP Progress And Stash Busting!

WiP: SSP, Slippers (Yoko Nakamura's Non-Felted Slippers)
HFO (half finished objects): 1 pair of slippers (they just need to be seamed)

That's right, I'm stash-busting. With slippers! I'm making lots of slippers out of Lion Brand Yarn's Wool-Ease Thick & Quick.

I have also once more, decided to put regular Etsy updates on hiatus until August 2013 (this year still). I am going to destash a lot of my old items and start fresh with my new items, hopefully. This will include both felted and non felted slippers, felted mittens, bags, and all other kids of goodies that I'm going to keep under wraps.

After August 2013, I hope to do an update each month. Hopefully! I'm definitely wanting to work more on my own projects, and I need to with the wedding coming up! haha

Anyway, just a head's up about that.

I spun a lot this weekend, which was exciting, and I'm looking forward to this coming weekend because I'm going to tidy up my craft room and hopefully, finally, share some pictures with you all this coming week.

Then I have a couple days off for Dallas and my anniversary, and it's spring and Easter, and maybe it will finally start getting warm! That's the hope at least. :)

Anyway.

Have a lovely evening, my knitties.

Katie =^..^=

Snow!!

WiP: Super Secret Project (from now on SSP)
(Mostly) FO: Mittens to felt

Yes, that's right. 11 cm of snow overnight and most of the day Sunday. It was the heavy, sticky stuff, too. (That's my truck and the front yard of our complex when I got downstairs around 9am. It kept snowing until about 4pm on Sunday.)

But it means that I got the mittens finished this weekend! These are new item for the shop when I start doing updates again.

So it was a good, relaxing, weekend. Just hunkered down with my wool this Sunday and knitted.

I did go out Saturday and got myself a Schact Kate (I don't like lazy in front of that) for my spinning wheel, so I plied yarn on Saturday, but I don't have pictures, sorry!

I guess, really, it was a productively relaxing weekend. Exactly how I like them!

Have a lovely day, my dearies! :)

Katie =^..^=

Well, That Flew By...

WiP: Mittens!

Well...That was one heck of a weekend. haha

Birthday party Friday night, wedding shower late Saturday (and a drive back afterwards), and we went to Banff on Sunday and dinner with Dallas's family. 

But it was good.

It means, however, that I missed the "Pretty Picks" from yesterday...But I needed the break. We will return to the regularly scheduled program today and all following days.

Just working away at the mittens. Not going to be done before Dallas heads back up North, but they will ready for his return!! (Hopefully.)

Baby shower this weekend and a veg day. Very exciting.

Have a lovely day, my dearies~!

Katie =^..^=

Two-At-a-Time Magic Loop Mittens!

WiP: Mittens
FOs: Jane Richmond's Oatmeal Pullover; 118 yards of three-ply yarn.

It was a productive long weekend, with me finishing the Oatmeal pullover, I spun a lot...And I even cast on and knit quite a few rows of my Spanish Peacock Shawl...But I had to frog that, because I was getting really wonky stitch counts.

Anyway.

Now I'm working on mittens to felt for Dallas, and I just learnt how to do it as two-at-a-time with Magic loop. I'm hoping it saves me some time, since I won't have to stop and constantly count both of the mittens and try to make them match...since they will match from the beginning.

I'm also excited about it because I figured out what I can do to make the "after-thought" cuff (as it were), less crunchy. Since the felting makes the mittens like gauntlets, I have been knitting a cuff afterwards to keep the mitten on the hand (or knitting along with the mitten). However, I have been making these cuffs out of acrylic; this means that when they hit the hot water and agitation that is needed in felting, they lose a lot of their elasticity and get pretty crunchy.

I had a brainwave on Saturday when I was at the yarn store, though (shhhhhhh, I'm a slow learner) and realized that I can totally used superwash wool for the cuff and get the elasticity and wonderful warmth of wool.

Plan made.

Now, I'mma go knit some mittens.

Have a good night, my dears!

Katie =^..^=

Sleeves!!

WiP: Sweater
Needs Felting: Stockings

That's right! I'm about 1/2 way through the first sleeve. Yay! I had some problem making the pick up of the underarm stitches look good, even when I picked up more to tighten up the holes, but it looks all right. I hope the second sleeve looks better.

After this? I'm going to work on my shawl (finally), and then on to Heather Fettig's Calligraphy Cardigan, which I'm going to knit in Berroco Vintage DK, in I think the "Cerulean" colourway. I'll confirm those details when I start!

Otherwise, need to start knitting on the super-secret project, and a couple of other commission-like things. Like, baby pants. Super cute baby pants, from Nikki Van de Car's What to Knit When You're Expecting. This book provides a lot of really good patterns for baby knits, so I'm excited!

Can I just say that it feels like I should be starting my stockpile so that I can dress my own babies in something knit hopefully close to everyday? The biggest culprit that made me think of this (besides Nikki's super awesome book) was the kit that you can now get from Eat. Sleep. Knit.: Dream in Color's Tulip Cardigan for babies kit.

I saw these recently on the Yarn Harlot's blog (since I'm going through the archives), and I think that this is something I should be knitting for bundling baby home. hehe (I also just noticed that these kits have enough yarn for either a 6-9 month or 12-18 month old sweater!!)

We'll see what I feel like then, but I think I need to start something so that I have a stockpile. Kind of like the linens thing that brides used to do. (Which is my shawl, but I'm just lucky that I have time to do that!)

Anyway. That's what my days have looked like. Been busy at work, busy at home.

Dallas is taking me out for dinner the night before Valentine's, since he'll be heading out the afternoon of the 14th, and so I'm excited about that. I'll let you know how it goes. :)

I can't wait for Alberta's Family Day this Monday! Long weekend, ahoy! I also get to take a sushi-making class with my future sister-in-law~!

Other than that, I'm going to hunker down, watch some Disney movies, and knit.

Have a lovely evening, my dears!

Katie =^..^=

And She Knit the Whole Weekend Long

WiP: Felted Stockings, Jane Richmond's "Oatmeal Pullover"

Complete fail on my part for promising that I would get extra posts done this weekend...But I was so exhausted that I curled up, finished the felted stocking bodies (have to finish the cuffs)...And cast on the Oatmeal Pullover for myself.

I'm already about halfway through the body, and then I just need to knit the sleeves. For my first sweater, I hope it turns out well; it looks go so far, and since it was relatively easy, I'm thinking that I'll have to make this in a few other colours for everyday wear! It seems like it will be a very versatile sweater, which is exactly what I need. Appropriate for work AND play. :)

I ended up watching "The Help" and "Thor" this weekend. I had never seen "The Help" before, although I had read it. I think that they did a really good job adapting the book to the movie, with a split in focus between the two groups so that it didn't turn into a movie where it was focussed on the white girl's plight to write her first book, with the help of the black help; instead, I found it to be a very good balance between both the struggles of a coming-of-age writer in Jackson, Mississippi, in the turmoil and struggles for the black population at that time.

"Thor" is good as always. This is about 50% in part because he's shirtless for that one scene, but also because I enjoy superhero movies, particularly Marvel. (Shhhhhh. I like DC, too.) It also was really cool to watch it again after having seen "The Avengers," since I picked up on a lot that I didn't before watching "The Avengers."

Last night was an amazing mail night, which made me super happy. And...Yeah. That was my exciting weekend. I'm going to work more on my sweater, and get the stocking finished up hopefully by this weekend!

By the way, what's YOUR favourite superhero movie? Let me know in the comments!

Katie =^..^=