March Is A Fickle Month

We've been spoiled the past few days with gorgeous sunshine and warm temperatures in the Toronto area (there are some crocus bulbs that have popped at the shop!)

This morning however we have woken up to what is to be expected in March... grey skies and drizzle.

So here you are dear knitters.

Cascade 220 shelf at the shop

A little something to brighten your day.

Thanks heavens for yarn.

(ETA- it's 10 am and the sun is now shining bright. Yes indeed, March is a fickle month.)

Oooooooh, Mexico

At the risk of sounding like a total jerk, I have to tell you guys something.

Last night, I came home from a week in Mexico.

I hesitate to share this with you at all for a couple of reasons, but mainly because at this point in the winter, those that haven't been somewhere warm want to thwack those that have across the side of the head. (I know it's been a tolerable winter, but I know I sure wasn't sunning myself on Cherry Beach at any point over the past few months. Were you?)

In the interest of keeping things cool between us, I thought I'd spare you the details (which I will, because it won't make matters any better), but I do have a little something to share with you, all of my knitting buddies.

And it has to do with my knitting needles...

That were taken from me...

At the airport...

This happened to me once before in 2008 at Toronto's Pearson Airport as I was getting ready to head off to Sweden. Admittedly, I had an obscene number of knitting needles in my carry-on because... that's kind of a long flight. What a perfect opportunity to knit non-stop for a good 8 hours! (Aren't knitters some of the only people who actually look forward to a long flight!?!?!?)

The security guard saw my tangle of needles on his special little luggage x-ray machine and started to dig through my bag. After confiscating three pairs of Addi Turbos, my Mom had to hold me back from smacking the smirk right off that gross slime ball right then and there.

But wait! When the jerk in the uniform (who was just doing his job) asked me if I had any more, I managed to grunt through my gritted teeth 'No. You've cleaned me out'.

Little did he know... I had four more sets.

Hallelujah for that!
Right?

Fast forward to yesterday afternoon as I was wandering through Cancun security in my semi-sun burned, relaxed-as-Jell-o kind of state.

I watched as my bag was pulled aside, opened up and rummaged through.

My 4.5mm Addi Turbo Lace needles were yanked from my project and chucked into a bin full of other 'naughty-no-fly' goods (and this time, they were my only pair).

The difference this time however?

I just shrugged and told the security staff to have a 'really wonderful day'.

Amazing what a little R&R can do.

By Golly, It's Garter Stitch!

A pretty special baby will be joining us here on earth in early June. My man-friend is becoming an Uncle and so long as 'Ms. Sweater Curse' doesn't have her way with us, I'll be some sort of Aunt... sort of??? Kind of??? Who knows how that works...

Since the moment the news broke, I have had 'baby on the brain' when it comes to my knitting. (This of course, is different than 'baby brain').

The past two weeks at the shop have seen more than a dozen big boxes full of new Spring yarn roll in the door. Thanks to this baby news, I haven't had any delusional ideas that leave me thinking I can whip up sixteen new Spring/Summer tops for myself (which is what happens to me when seasons change and loads of new yarn show up at my door). Instead... baby it is. Baby... I can do- right?

So, baby, I did.

I did some adorable, pure and simple baby garter stitch.

In an adorable little kimono style jacket.



With some sweet little co-ordinating baby sea shell buttons to keep that baby all wrapped up tight.

Pattern- Easy Peasy Baby Jacket in Two Gauges by Churchmouse Yarns and Teas
Yarn- Cascade Luna Paints in shade 9831, 3 skeins (I have more than enough left over to make a little hat with go with)
Needles- 5mm
Size- 12-18 months (the pattern also has the option to make a 6-12 month size. I was just feeling ambitious when I cast on)

I don't even know if I will actually even give this little jacket to the mystery babe. I just want to knit 'baby' these days. So for now, you could say that this little person is my knitting muse.

Thanks baby.

I promise to keep you a very well dressed (and warm!) little person.

Knitting? And Cats? In the Same Book!?!?!? Yes Please.

For the past two weeks, my parents have been in Florida for their very much deserved, annual 'kick back and do nothing but read the paper, go on walks and knit socks' trip. While they were away, I had the absolute pleasure of looking after their little monster, Harvey.

(Remember him???) 

He's bad, but the kind of bad that is absolutely impossible to stay mad at. (What beast of a person is really able to stay mad at a CAT for crying out loud!?!?!?)

Le sigh... (I'm such a sucker for a cat face)

As a 'Thank You!' for taking care of their four legged friend, look at what my Dad picked up for me. (Dad? You were cruising the knitting book section of Barnes and Noble?!?!?!)

Knit Your Own Cat by Sally Muir and Joanna Osbourne

If I didn't know my Dad so well... I might actually think that he wanted the cat back.

 

Knowing that having a cat in the first place wasn't exactly his idea, I suspect that he is actually hoping that I will whip up a cat for my mom in the hopes she won't notice that Harvey has come back to her much smaller, and much less... animated. 

Well... whomever gets the real-deal in the end, the one left alone will surely need this little well behaved guy to keep them company. (Is talking to a real cat really any less crazy than talking to a knitted cat?)

This should do the trick while the other one is mourning the loss of this fuzzy belly.

Maow, maow.

In Which I Make Myself A Valentine

My boyfriend once told me that he will never get tired of hand knit socks... (I bet he won't!) and should I ever be at a loss for what to get him for any gift-giving occassion, I can always make him a fresh new pair.

It is actually a really handy thing to have a boyfriend that appreciates them (and even opts to wear them with his Birkenstocks in February). When I noticed that the dude has been purging his house like crazy lately, heaven knows that he doesn't need another gadget for the kitchen, button up shirt or can of shaving cream from yours truly.

Hand knit socks however???

Affirmative.

Then along came... Valentine's Day.

I had these socks on the needles still and I knew that they would be just the ticket, but only if I ripped back the toe (and then some).

So, I did just that.

As I was grafting the toes closed on his socks however, I became a little jealous that he would soon have a fresh new pair of socks to warm his feet up for this last leg of winter.

I dug through my massive pile of 'almost finished' projects and came across some wildly shaded pink socks that I had cast on while visiting my baby sister in London last November.

And what I ended up with was a lovely set of 'his and her' socks.

On him.

Yarn- One skein of Moutain Colors 'Crazyfoot' in colourway Osprey
Needles- 2.5 mm double points
Pattern- It's in my head... but I cast on 72 stitches and did a 'Knit 3, Purl 1' rib, alternating with a plain knit round (this looks good... and makes ribbing just a little more tolerable and less tedious).
 

On her.

Yarn- Socks That Rock Mediumweight in colourway `Femmebot` (my travel companion from the Sock Summit pretty much forced me to buy this... poor me!)
Needles- 3mm
Pattern- The Intrepid Traveller by Gail Marracci (a pattern from the March 2011 installment of the STR club)

Nothing begs the question 'Will you be my Valentine?'...

Like ten (or twenty!) warms toes.

Uh... or roses.

Roses can say that too.

Where Are My Other 98 Hands When I Need Them?

As I was bustling around the shop today and putting all of the lovely new Spring yarns out on the shelf (and desperately trying to decide what to cast on first), I was struck by this box that we have used since day one for displays.

How is it that I am just digesting what it says now, nine whole years after we opened our doors?

While an 'Auto Knitter' is tempting in moments like these...

I think I'd still rather have a hundred hands.

Maybe then I'd actually finish the odd project now and again.

Crocheting In The Kitchen

Valentine's Day is absolutely my favorite holiday of all time- I'd give up Christmas for Valentines. (Er... ok. Maybe not. But I'd certainly give up New Years.) Any excuse to combine red and pink and eat sweets until your teeth ring, I'm there.

This past Friday after work, I decided that I had better start preparing for my favorite day of the year and throw some heart shaped cookies in the oven.

As is often the case when I start to bake, I had all of the ingredients in the bowl, ready to mix until I realized that I was missing just one stupid ingredient. Not wanting to waste what was already all mixed up, I threw on my boots and schlepped out the door to my closest grocery store.

As I was shuffling through the aisles in my Friday night haze, (Friday nights just aren't what they used to be, especally when you work on Saturday), I stopped dead in my snowy tracks.

There was a giant piece of crochet... in the dairy section.

I felt as though my working life was blurring with my uh, Friday-night-grocery-shopping-life and I had to blink once, twice, thrice... before I realized it wasnt a mirage.

I have heard of (and even seen, thanks to some customers) these crocheted milk bag sleeping mats, but never had I seen one in the grocery store. Turns out that my local Sobey's collects milk bags for those willing to crochet them up to make mats to send to Haiti. If you're interested in donating milk bags, or crocheting mats, let me know! I know of a Sobey's location that can help you out...

What a treat it was to see my two worlds collide.

And speaking of treats...

Happy Valentine's Eve!