As promised . . .

A picture of my friend, Kim, in her new boa scarf. Bernat calls this colour 'baby parrot.' Very funny. I think it's more like a cream and sugar colour but I wasn't in charge the day they named it.


Kim in her new scarf! Aren't they lovely?!

I finished another dish cloth today. I figured out that if I bribe myself to study by promising knitting, I actually get some studying done. And now that I'm bribing myself to make dish cloths by promising more desirable knit projects, I can't wait to do more dish cloths, too. It's a pretty good system and it's actually working for me. Very exciting!

I was indulging in a treat tonight - a giant ginger cookie. It was delicious but I wasn't the only one who thought so. Below is a picture of Red doing a taste test. She seems to think they're yummy, too.


Ginger-coloured cat trying a ginger cookie!

I was added to the Purling Puppies webring this week. Yeah! While I was cruising around on the ring, I discovered a quiz: "What kind of knitting needle are you?" I'm interchangeable! How fun is that?!


You are interchangeable.
Fun, free, and into everything, you've got every
eventuality covered and every opportunity just
has to be taken. Every fiber is wonderful, and
every day is a new beginning. You are good at
so many things, it's amazing, but you can
easily lose your place and forget to show up.
They have row counters for people like you!


What kind of knitting needles are you?
brought to you by Quizilla


That's all for today, folks. Until next time, take good care, M

Working Like A Charm

I've already finished another dish cloth and Kim's boa scarf. I'm going to wait until I can get a photo of Kim wearing her scarf before I post a picture of it. I'm seeing her on Wednesday to teach her how to quilt so I'll get something then.

I am absolutely thrilled by my bribery system. I'm actually excited to start another dish cloth so that I can get onto something more fun once it's finished. Next will be a pair of socks for a Christmas present, so I can't say who they're for but I can show you the yarn I'm going to use.


This will make very pretty socks!

Since I've just signed up to belong to both the Knitting Kitty and the Purling Puppies webrings, I thought I better show you the latest picture of my babies (like I really need an excuse).


Reuben and Sara sleeping almost together

I caught them sleeping together on my bed, on their latest favourite blanket. It's a red, crocheted heart afghan that my Mom made a couple of Christmases ago. The pattern for it comes from the Vanna White afghan book I mentioned in an earlier post.

This is as close as they'll ever get when they're sleeping.

I truly wish I was feeling as successful with my studying as I am with my knitting. How am I going to bribe myself to hit the books?

Well, while I'm trying to figure that out, I'll sign off for now. Until next time, take good care, M

Non-knitting projects on the go

I know I'm supposed to be studying but the Vinyl Cafe is on the radio right now and I'm listening to it, no matter what else needs to be done! I missed most of the broadcasts last year because I couldn't always receive it up north or I was busy at school, etc.

So while I'm avoiding studying, I thought I would work on this, listen to the radio and maybe get in a couple of more rows on the latest dish cloth - it is an hour long show, you know.

This post is showing some of the non-knitting projects that I've started but haven't finished yet. I'm not including them under my new sidebar header of projects in process because, well, their not knitted. I'd like to tell you that I've started them all recently, maybe even this year, but I'd be lying. I'll explain as I post the photos.


One of a pair of beaded uppers for moccasins

This beading project I did actually start this year. I was a little sick of knitting last winter when I was living up north so I decided to put down the knitting needles and pick up a beading needle instead. This isn't the best rendered upper you'll ever see but I'm still quite proud of it.


Kaffe Fasset Quilt

I started this quilt about four years ago. I know that seems excessive but it's been in storage for three years now. Most of my belongings have been in storage since 2001 when I went back to school and no longer had an apartment to myself. It's a Kaffe Fasset design that I learned in a quilting class at a local shop. I intend to finish it before the end of the year. Wish me luck with that.


Shell Afghan

This afghan was started two years ago. It's crocheted and I'm not especially good at crochet so this project gets picked up and put down again too often. I do like the look of it, though, and so I've never given up on it completely. I got the pattern out of a book by Vanna White, of all things. Normally I don't do celebrity-endorsed things but the book was in the bargain section of Chapters several years ago and I liked a few of the afghans she presents in it. So I guess the lesson here is "never say never."

Okay, I think that's all I've got for unfinished non-knitting projects. I'll probably get several other things started and finished before I complete these but they are on my list of things to do. So many projects, so little time. (Hmmm, I think I might have to make that my tag line.)

Have a great day and check back for more updates on the saga of the continuing dish cloths. Until next time, take good care, M

I'm on a roll now!

I've already finished my scarf and here's the picture to prove it! I've even changed my profile picture to show off my new accessory.


Ta Da!!! Sparkly Denim Done!

I'm so excited about my new system of bribing myself to finish the dish cloths by promising another project that I'm already 2/3 finished another dish cloth. Gotta keep the momentum going.

My prize for finishing this one is to start on a boa scarf for my friend, Kim. Here's a photo of the colour she chose.


Boa for Kim's scarf

I am definitely not a yarn snob. I love pretty, pretty stuff but it doesn't have to be pure wool to satisfy me. I've made tons of these scarves from boa, eyelash and twister yarns. They're very popular.

I combine the fantasy yarns with a solid worsted weight behind it to give it more warmth for winter. I like them to be useful, not just pretty.

So on my study breaks later today, I'll be knitting to finish the dish cloth and then start on the scarf. Yeah for me!

Until next time, take good care, M

Finally Moving Forward

I've had an inspired few days this week. I'm still working on the stack of dish cloths for my aunt's christmas craft table in England. I even have photographic evidence now! See . . .


Dish cloths in process

What has really gotten me out of the slump, though, is the lovely little cotton number shown below.


The inspiration!

I purchased this cotton-blend in New York when I was travelling this summer. I had intended from the beginning to make myself a little scarf from it - an accessory, if you will. I describe it as a sparkly denim colour. It's made by Berroco, a Cliche Color but there's no other name on the label, just a dye lot number.

Like all projects I expect to make for me, it kept getting put on the back burner. But this week I was absolutely desperate to knit and I didn't want to make anymore dish cloths. So I bribed myself; I promised that if I finished just one more dish cloth then I would let myself knit up this little beauty.

Lo and behold, the dishcloth is finished and added to the pile and I am nearly done the scarf. I might even wear it this weekend (if I can escape from studying for my exam) just because I can!

I was feeling so motivated by my little trick that I pulled out all my yarn and my, as yet, unfinished projects and started taking snaps of them with my new digital camera. (The camera I was using previously has moved back to Ontario with Scott, the boyfriend, and I may never see it again :-p )

Anywaaaay, the point is that I've finally started moving again. Now I just need to keep the momentum going. I gave myself a little added boost by going to buy a few more balls for a few more projects. I even bought some fabric for a baby quilt for my cousin's soon-to-be arriving bundle of joy!

I am actually quite blissful right now! All this talk of new supplies for new projects is making me very, very happy. Whooo hooo!!!

Best be off and running, then. Until next time, take good care, M

Prideful Moments

Allow me to introduce you to my gorgeous new nephew, Danger!

I can't take any personal responsibility for how beautiful my nephew is but I'm very proud of him none the less. Look how happy he is!!!

Danger is just 5 1/2 months old but between his grandmother, his great grandmother and me, Aunty M, he already has souvenirs from New York, England, Ireland and Holland. If nothing else, his family is going to inspire him to travel!

While I was in Ireland, I bought Danger a lovely Aran Sweater. He is growing very, very quickly so I chose a size that he should be able to wear next winter. Hopefully he won't outgrow it before then. His mommy has promised me a picture of him in it once he's wearing it. I'll be sure to post it when I get it.

I'm off to buy a new digital camera so it may be a few days before I get it all figured out and get some new photos on here. I'm even making headway on my dish cloth project so things are moving forward.

Until next time, take good care, M

Cats in the house!

Adorable Sara!

Unfortunately, Sara is not being very adorable right now in her behaviour so it's a very good thing that's she's very cute.

We've invited Red into our house these last few days and things have been going pretty smoothly. I even had hopes that they would become playmates because Sara hasn't had one since Sophie, my siamese, died two years ago.

But instead, after many days of calm, Sara has decided that Red is getting too many cuddles, eating too much food, and generally not wanted in our house. It makes me very sad.


Cutie Red!

Red is very sweet. She loves to cuddle. She likes to play. She is very well trained for living in the house. She still likes to go outside in the sunshine but she is easy to coax back in with food. She seems to have made herself very comfortable and at home here.

Too bad about Sara because if Sara doesn't get happy about it soon, I'll have to find a home for little Red. So if anyone knows of a wonderful family that Red could fit into, please feel free to contact me.

No knitting news today but I have started again, if somewhat tentatively and slowly.

Until next time, take good care, M

Guilt, the great stagnator!!!

I feel very bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, bad. Okay, well maybe not that bad. I'm just feeling a little guilty about the amount of knitting I haven't been doing this week. (Pretty much none, actually!)

I was knitting a dishcloth last week at a friend's house when I realized I'd made a mistake a few rows back. I haven't fixed it yet. As a result, I also haven't moved forward on anything else either. Definitely sounds like a knitter's block to me.

In my defense, I have been a bit busy. I'm trying to get into the routine of being back at school again and all that can entail.

Also, Reuben (the dog) started school this week. We went to our first training class last night. He was absolutely exhausted afterwards and fell asleep very quickly and very soundly when we got home.


Reuben looking dapper!

Unfortunately, I found out that Reuben doesn't play very nicely with other dogs. Not that he's extremely aggressive or anything. He's just used to playing with the wild dogs in the Arctic so he doesn't approach the city dogs the ways he's "supposed to." It's a parent's nightmare to hear those kinds of things from the teacher. I think I have a better appreciation for the parents of my students right now.

He's not beyond hope, though. Because of all the Border Collie in him, he's really smart and catches on very quickly. I'm the one who needs to be trained so I can train him to be less assertive when dealing with other dogs. Maybe I should sign up for a training class, too! They offer them at the doggy school we attend!

We have a new cat hanging around our house these days. Red has camped out under the back steps of our apartment. We've been feeding and watering her since we first got here. She comes in the house on occassion but is a bit skittish around us still.


Little Red Girl

While Red is living under the back porch, Gilligan lives in the back porch. He was another neighbourhood stray that needed a home a few summers ago. He doesn't get to come in the house, though, because Sara does not like boy cats and will spray if she feels threatened by them.

Gilligan is a little bit skittish, too, but he's a very sweet boy really.


Gilligan having a nap on the dryer!

Today I seem to be talking more about the resident animals than my knitting. One might think I was trying to avoid the subject. Well, I am!

Until next time, when I hope to have more knitting writing for you, take good care, M

Another School Year Starts

This year, I'm back to being a student again instead of the teacher. I'm only taking two classes but they're fourth-year science classes and are only offered during the day. Accordingly, I'll have to work evenings and weekends.

Going to school and working will make it difficult to get all my knitting done but I figure if I can stay disciplined, I'll be able to get everything done. Ambitious, I know, but I'm a glutton for punishment.

I am currently trying to get together several cotton dish cloths in sets of three. I know this sounds like a strange project for someone who is supposed to be working on the Master Knitter's program. I promised my aunt that I would make these for her Christmas craft table to help raise money for one of her charity organizations.

In addition to the dish cloths, I also have one of my Christmas sweaters already on the go. So how am I going to fit in the swatches for the program? Hard to say, really. A little faith, a lot of discipline and some luck thrown in for good measure.

No pictures this time, just the status report.

Until next time, take good care, M