The Windjammer

After a rather long hiatus (over a year, what?!) I am returning to the world of blogging with my first design on Ravelry: the Windjammer Slouchy.

I was inspired to make this hat when I got a lovely package in the mail from Sunshine Yarns. I am a sucker for any club that Dani does and the colour set collection was too much to pass up. When the Windsurf collection was unwrapped I immediately thought of making a hat with colourwork stripes.

The bright aquatic palette reminded me of watching surfers in Maui a few years ago on vacation and I set to work to create a pattern that captured the waves of the ocean and the brightly coloured sails of windsurfers.

With that, I hope you enjoy the Windjammer, available for free download on Ravely! I promise to blog again before another year has passed :)

msi.

Marching into Sock Month Three

It's that time again, to talk about my new sock project for March! I am thrilled that I have already got two pairs of socks of my own and am looking forward to a third pair very soon. I have ambitious sock goals for this month. In addition to the pair outlined below, I need to finish my Dad's birthday socks (they were supposed to be Christmas socks, but I got a bad case of SSS [second sock syndrome]) plus I am taking a class on how to do two socks at a time on a circular needle. I'm very excited about this idea because it means no more SSS for me!

March Self-Imposed Sock & Book Challenge:

The Socks: I can't wait for Spring. One of my very favourite times of year, I love the return of the warmth and all the green. Even though this winter has not been too bad I am dreaming of longer days if sunshine, picnics, long walks and planting my balcony garden.

So with that in mind, I have chosen these socks: Tadpoles by Jenna Swanson. This free pattern on Ravelry features a lace pattern on the front of the leg and toe. These will be my first pair of lace socks and I am looking forward to wearing them this spring.

Photo from Ravelry page, see above for link.

The Yarn: For these socks I have chosen to use up a skein of Knit Picks Stroll Tonal in the Springtime colourway that has been in my stash for a while. I love the light green colour and it will show the pattern nicely. I love Knit Picks products for their affordability and their sock yarn comes in so many colours and varieties that it is never hard to find a great yarn for a project. I forgot to get a picture of the skein before I wound it, but here is an idea of the colourway.

The books: Well, I am still working on that pile of books for my class. And of course by working on I mean I look at them from time to time and feel slightly guilty about not reading them, but I will have to get cracking soon. I have however rediscovered LibriVox, an amazing website that allows you to download free audiobooks of books that are in the public domain read by volunteers. I am almost finished Alice's Adventures in Wonderland which was my knitting companion this weekend. Next up is a book that actually resides in my school pile, Jane Eyre.

My progress: I will confess that I started these socks a bit early this month as I knew I had loft sock goals and wasn't quite ready to dive into the monstrosity yarn that is my Dad's second sock - imagine neon orange and black tiger stripes, yikes! This means that I have completed one sock. I love the pattern and can't wait to block this sock to make the lace pattern really shine.

Happy Sock Knitting, 

msi. 

Photo Recap Week 2

You may recall that I have decided to follow along with the prompts suggested by FatMomSlim to take one inspired photo each day. Below are the results from my second week's efforts, including the start of the March prompts.

Sunday, February 26 -Night

Bedtime knitting

Monday, February 27 - Something You Ate

My Cupcakery cupcake matched my pin cushion!

Tuesday, February 28 - Money

All that was left in my wallet on Monday. 

Wednesday, February 29 - Something You're Listening To

Asa on the iPod

Thursday, March 1 - Up

Friday, March 2 - Fruit

Saturday, March 3 - Your Neighbourhood

I may have got a bit behind this week and did not post the pictures on instagram on time. But I managed them in the end. I am also using a new app called TtV Photo Studio that I would highly recommend if you love the vintage look to photos.

msi.

Happy Leap Day!

I know that technically it should be WIP Wednesday, but since it is the last day of February it's only appropriate that I show off and review for you my February Love Socks!

The pattern: This was my first time doing stripes and I loved it. i found that the colour changes made it more interesting to do the stocking leg and heel. I also enjoyed the combination intarsia/stranded colourwork on the heel and love the cute hearts. I have actually taken my shoes off multiple times to show relative strangers my heels. Awkward...

 I am glad that I ended up doing them the opposite colours for a pair of "fraternal" socks. All and all the pattern was very good, although I did have a bit of trouble with the heel, I think the numbers may have been slightly off in the pattern. The pattern is available for free on Ravelry and it is by Devon Clement.

The yarn: We all know that I love Tanis Fiber Arts and the Purple Label is extra yummy with the addition of cashmere (used the Sand colourway here). The red is leftover Fleece Artist 2/6 Merino that I had leftover from the guy's Valentine's heart. I loved this yarn also (it was my first time working with it) and the tones to the red are really beautiful.

The stack of books: Is still a stack of books. Actually, now that all of my students have finished choosing their books it has gotten a bit taller. Sigh...

And just because it is WIP Wednesday here is a sneak peak of my Mom's birthday present in progress.

Happy Leap Day!

msi

Back from a Hexi Hiatus

After taking a few weeks off, I'm back to hexipuffing this week. I used an assortment of mini skeins and scraps to create these 10 puffs.

I've been really drawn to these cheerful colours this week. I think its because I am dreaming of spring.

Yarns Used This Week:

Koigu KPPPM
Dream in Colour Smooshy
Cherry Tree Hill Supersock Select
Regia World Ball Color
Kama Suutra Hand dyed Sock  

msi.

Weekly Photography Recap

Hello blogosphere friends,

This Monday I wanted to share with you a new project I am embarking on. Since I want to start getting back into photography, plus I am loving all these fun photo apps for the itouch I have decided to take part in a photo365 challenge. I will be following along with the prompts suggested by FatMomSlim to take one inspired photo each day. Below are the results from my first week's efforts. Enjoy! 

Sunday, February 19 - Something I Hate To Do

Lola got into something, and really needed a bath. This was only her second bath ever and she did not enjoy the experience.



Monday, February 20 - Handwriting

For Family Day, the guy and I went for a nice walk along Queen W. I snapped this shot of graffiti in one of the alleyways.



Tuesday February 21 - A Favourite Photo of Myself

This photo is from Chicago, but I edited it with ColourSplash.


Wednesday, February 22 - Where I Work

My MacBook.



Thursday, February 23 - My Shoes

My shoes and showing off my brand new February Socks, just off the needles!



Friday, February 24 - Inside my Bathroom Cabinet

My sparkly jewelry boxes collected from one of my favourite stores that used to be on Front St. Sadly, now closed.



Saturday, February 25 - Green

Beads from our Queen W. trip waiting to be turned into something for spring.

msi.

FO Friday - Belated Valentine's Love

This weeks FO's were Valentines!

I gave the guy my knitted heart...

This great pattern for a anatomical heart by Kristin Ledgett is available for free in the Winter 2008 issue of Knitty. I knit it out of a yummy Canadian yarn, Fleece Artist Merino 2/6 in the Brick and Rudy Red colourways. The guy was super sweet and bought me a cute stuffed snowy owl for my collection of all things owlie and a gorgeous opalescent necklace. We spent part of last weekend in Niagara Falls with friends and had a lovely get-away. It was a nice break from the chaos that has been our lives lately. Also, free of work and responsibilities it led to some silliness - during which time I apparently thought I was Ms. Pacman.

My other FO this week is a Rebecca Danger monster that I made for a swap on Ravelry. The theme of the swap was Valentines and St. Patrick's day so I made my swap partner this sweet Bea the Basement monster and outfitted her with some festive costumes. The guy made the adorable heart tiara and the necklace with his wire wrapping skills. Bea has made it to her new home and my swap partner seemed to be very pleased with her. This also marks the first time I have sewn a monster tutu! That's a weird sentence I never thought I would say :P

Hope you all had a great week,

msi.