Pessimist's Rainbow

Back in September, I found myself with a nasty bug, which left me laying helpless on the couch for a good week or so. After starting to feel a little bit 'down' from all of the daytime TV, and one seriously failed knitting project (a cowl that was SO huge, it stretched down past my toes- NO JOKE), I felt as thought it was worth pursuing some non-traditional forms of healing.

So naturally, I started cruising the web for some new sock yarn.

While browsing through literally hundreds (and hundreds!!!) of hand dyed yarn listings on Etsy, I stumbled upon one that had been aptly named "Pessimists's Rainbow" by White Birch Fiber Arts Studio. It is more than safe to say that this yarn 'had me at Hello'. Just the name  of this colourway alone and I would have bought it! But when I caught a glimpse of the colours! Oh my...

The yarn is a perfect combination of dreary grey/teal/blue/storm, with a dash of vivid rainbow. It perfectly mirrored exactly how I was feeling the day that I bought it- glum and dreary, but secretly happy about all of the knitting time I had found myself with, while flaked out on the couch (even if my project had turned out to be an utter failure).

Within less than a minute I had added the yarn to my virtual shopping cart, checked out, and received an email confirmation that my order was being processed.

All of a sudden, I was feeling much, much better.

The yarn arrived a few short days later, but I didn't cast on right away. Instead, the yarn sat next to my knitting chair for several months, so that I could admire it daily. 

I finally cast on while on vacation last month, and you could say that knitting these socks filled me with just as much joy as buying the yarn did. 

The moral of the story?

Buying new sock yarn is a perfectly reasonable cure for the common cold,

And finally getting around to knitting it up doesn't hurt either.

As if you needed another excuse to buy more...

Why, Hello There!

Greetings Knitters!

I am back... having been nowhere in particular, for over two months!!! I shall spare you my musings on my being busy blah, blah, blah... because honestly though, who isn't? Nothing makes for more boring conversation/blog reading than 'busy talk' anyway.

But let's just say that life has happened, it's all good, but I am glad to be back here on the blog.

Things may be a tad more hectic than when I spoke to you last (I am working full time once again, and YES!!! My job is yarn related! PHEW!) but I shall talk about all of that at a later date.

In the meantime, I just wanted to check in, and let you know that I am still knitting lots.

Proof?

Well, here's a quick selfie to prove it.

What you can't see... is the fabulous faux fur pompom
from Mokuba that is perched atop this hat!

A hat/cowl combo that I made for myself as soon as the temperature took a real dive sometime in mid-January,

The hat was a pattern that I made up as I went, and it actually worked! (Believe me... it doesn't tend to!), using a yarn by Madelinetosh that was a BD gift from a dear friend.

The cowl is some super chunky wool by Americo, that I happened to pick up at Creative Yarns one evening after work, when all I really 'needed' was a set of needles. Funny how that happens... isn't it?

And so my friends, I hope that you are all well, and still knitting tonnes.

I shall touch base with you in a day or so.

PROMISE!

Thank you for still being there! It means a lot.

And it is so nice to finally be back.

♥

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to all,

Stars knitted by my talented Aunt Lynn using left over sock yarn
Pattern- Stjarna by Karolina Eckerdal

And to all, a good night.

Wishing you and yours, all the best this holiday season.

♥

Passing The Buck

Come on now Canada Post.

I have done my part, now it's your turn.

The ball is in your court.

Pattern- Graham Hat
Yarn- Rowan Pure Wool Worsted Superwash

Let's make these Christmas knits happen on time this year.

For once?

♥

On The First Day Of Advent...

My mom's birthday is September 28th, and this year, I knit her something that I have wanted to make her for-EVER. Being that I am not the best with deadlines however (I would be the first to admit that), I missed her actual birthday. But lucky for me... the nature of this gift allowed me to give it to her on December 1st.

Having said that, would anyone want to wager a guess as to what it is that I made her?

Did you say "Lynn, did you make your mom an advent calender in the form of 24 tiny mittens?"

If you did... then YOU ARE RIGHT!

Pattern- "Smitten- A Holiday Garland" by Knit Picks

While the mittens themselves did not take a tonne of time to knit (I'd say just under 45 minutes per mitten), it was the finishing of each one that took eons.

I knew as I was knitting them that I should really have been sewing up each one as I went, but of course... I like knitting best. And as soon as I cast off one little mitt, I would turn a blind eye at the finishing, and cast on the next one. Which is why... the gift was delayed. 

Nobody in their right mind would take sewing in the ends on 24 tiny mittens over knitting more tiny mittens. Am I right?

But lucky for me... my mom loves me anyway. 

The yarn? Was stash. All of it. And I would just like to take a moment to stop and pat myself on the back because NOT ONE BALL OF YARN WAS PURCHASED FOR THE MAKING OF THIS GARLAND. Which in many ways... is sort of scary if you actually think about it. (Read- I have A LOT of yarn).

It was loads of fun to dig through my mountains of yarn bins in the basement and co-ordinate "Christmassy" colours. While the bulk of the yarn that I used was Cascade 220, there is also some Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride, Manos Del Uruguay Clasica Wool, Fleece Artist BFL Aran, Classic Elite Majestic Tweed, Rowan Tweed Aran, Ultra Alpaca, Madelinetosh Vintage and even some now discontinued Punta Merino was thrown into the mix. 

Now... I dare you to try saying all of THAT in one breath!

I knit two mittens out of each colour, and then two reeeeally long i-cords. 

The tags are 'key tags' from Staples. I tried some tags from Michael's initially, but they ended up being so giant, that they dwarfed the already tiny mittens.

So there you have it. Wishing a very happy (and very belated) birthday to my Mom!

And Happy Advent to all of you!

Two Years

Today marks the two year anniversary of the day that my husband and I said "I do". Can I just be the first to say "Where does time go???" The scary part about all of this... is that time just seems to be going faster and faster. At least that means that we're still having fun! 

In any case, not only is it two years since we exchanged vows, danced with all of our favourite people until the wee hours and ate until our wedding clothes were about to bust open... it also marks two years since I gave the man I love, a pair of plain grey socks that I had knit for him.

For those of you who are new (or even just new-ish) to this blog, you can read the full story here.

And while I mentioned last year that I wasn't so sure I could commit to a pair for each and every year that we are married, (I was twelve days late with my delivery last year), I found myself unable to ignore the grey sock yarn at the yarn store come mid-September.

So what did I do?

I cast on.

But as you can see... I made even less progress than I did last year.

Are the woman in my family the only ones who go
 'stationary shopping' while on vacation???
This card courtesy of Kate's Paperie in New York City.

However, what I lack in sock, I make up for in greeting card.

Is that cute or what?

Oh, and love. I make up for it in love too.

Happy Anniversary dear husband!

Here's to many more pairs of unfinished socks.

And more and more love and adventure with each pair that gets cast on.

xo

We're Almost Through This Phase Folks

Four down.

Two more to go.

Pretty soon, you won't have to hear another word about neon sock yarn from me EVER again.

Well... maybe.