Three Days Grace... & Three Weird Things...

The boy is away on a camping trip with his OE class. I woke up to rain on the window this morning and thought to myself... "I'm really glad that yesterday, when I realized the boy forgot his coat, instead of deciding since it was nice out that it wouldn't hurt him to be cold for one night, I ran back down to the school & brought him his coat." They have a big hike to do today but the rain seems to have let up. Other than the whole coat issue... he was well prepared. He looked like an over grown sherpa yesterday... everything that wouldn't actually fit in his back-pack was hanging off it with pack-biners the tent, his sleeping bag all the pots and pans... it was quite a sight. Thank heaven for MEC is all I can say!

I have a three day weekend. I pick the boy up tonight at the school. Rain or shine, the Farmers Market is in the picture (the ad for the farmer's market features a clucking chicken and it makes Ginger bark), probably a visit with SpinKnit & a surprise party for which I will make my Mom's signature meatballs. They've never failed me.

Last weekend was crazy! I worked 6 days straight and one of those days was Lilac Festival. In all my years in Calgary, I have never attended Lilac Festival. It was nuts. I had the good sense to go down early and take the train. Now I am a totally chill person normally nothing fazes me but I have three things that I can not cope with.

Large crowds, being bumped into nearly sends me postal. I can't do Christmas shopping or Stampede without something for my nerves.

Anything touching my neck (all those v-necks I wear are not just to show off the girls). I once nearly threw up because one of my co-workers put a piece of ribbon around HER neck. I wake up gagging if the sheets touch my neck at night.

And finally... Parades. I cry at parades... sob really... tears stream down my face... they multiply ten-fold if there are bagpipes remotely involved and I am helpless to stop it.

Well, Lilac Fest starts with a parade, complete with bagpipes, the crowd is insane and I was ill prepared... by the time I got to work I was a sobbing wreck. At least nothing touched my neck.

If you believed in reincarnation there might be some explanation, I was strangled... or hung... or may be even beheaded but not before being marched through a large jostling crowd while bagpipes played in the background. It's just a theory.

What are your three weirdest things?

Ooooh Dianna...

I am working away on Elsewhere, it's a fast knitting sweater which I like. I made a couple of mods as far as adding length and also putting darts in the back to make it a little less boxy.

I have a problem with sweaters, the back and forth part looks great but my arms are always funny. It has to do with how I knit. When I first started knitting, I developed this horrible affliction called "DeQuervain's syndrome" requiring a hiatus from knitting and a great deal of physio. Then I discovered this marvelous technique called combination knitting, much easier on the wrists & it looks great! BUT If all I'm doing is knitting (as in the case of arms) it just looks wrong, not wrong enough to bother anyone else but wrong. It doesn't bother me in socks (too small) or lace (to much else going on) but the plain stocking knit sleeve...this issue has lead to a lot of armless sweaters. I get one arm done and don't like it.

I want to be a better knitter so my plan is to rip out the arms of the sweaters I have issues with... green jeans... simple knitted bodice and redo them knitting correctly. I have been relearning my knit stitch, so far so good. I will need to re-swatch on circulars to make sure my gauge is the same.

I have also been gardening... container gardening. Tomatoes and herbs and salad greens... hooray! I love getting dirty ;-)


And stashing... let us not forget the stashing... MadelineTosh sock and Handmaiden Casbah... what sock pattern would be worthy of such stunning yarn?

Plus some Noro silk garden sock and some Handmaiden Mini Maiden... I have in mind a new entrelac project. "Dianna". Perfect for my entrelac obsession plus a touch of lace without being overly lacy. It calls for 500 or so meters. I can't decide between the Handmaiden and the silk garden. Can you help?

Say Chowda....

Have you ever had something so difficult it consumed your life. You couldn't think of anything else but at the same time you couldn't talk about the "thing" because it was simply too painful.

For a while there, my 'thing' was my son. His school's psychologist had recommended he under go psychiatric assessment and potential diagnosis for clinical depression, clinical anxiety and/or Bipolar disorder... if you have a child you can just about imagine what this did to me. Bipolar disorder is a life sentence requiring regular monitoring and some nasty medication. I was relieved (to put it mildly) when the psychiatric assessment finally took place. The way the psychiatrist put it is, "I have good news and I have bad news... the good news is there is nothing wrong with your son... the bad news is there is nothing wrong with your son. As she said he's "drifting", "his comfort zone is very small", he "lacks passion" and "there is no pill to cure a chronic lack of motivation". She has referred me for counseling on how to help him meet his potential, sooner rather than later. Of course it's another three month wait list.

The one bright light is cooking. The boy loves it, he wants to be a professional chef. It's my wedge, the way to ignite passion where there was none. So we have a new ritual. The weekend trip to the Farmer's Market followed by a full on, sit down dinner we cook, from scratch, together. This weekend was seafood chowder based on this recipe. It was phenomenal, a culinary extravaganza, and my 15-year-old son took the reins to make it happen. He spoke to the fish monger to find out the best substitutes for the fish called for (we are in Calgary after all). I gave him the money, he found and purchased all of the ingredients, the only thing I bought was the wine. Today, he did all the prep so we were ready to rock 'n roll as soon as I got home from work and we had ourselves a feast. Food therapy... don't you love it!

The other love the boy and I have in common is drawing. I went to art college for seven years... seven! Then I went into advertising. It sucked every once of creativity out of me, I got burned out, overweight, depressed and divorced... in no particular order... hey thanks advertising... you shouldn't have. Lately, I am poking around the edges of illustration, for myself so far. I would say I found my way back to it through knitting, I started drawing out sweater ideas and went from there. The boy and I have been drawing together we each have a sketch book to work out ideas in and we muck about. This is a scrap of something I was working on...


So I am done the lovely Lady Eleanor... and she is lovely... we had quite the crush and I am sad to see the end of it... I haven't decided n the finishing... to fringe or not to fringe... that is the question.

I have moved on to Elsewhere... another intense relationship... although the potential for infidelity is there, I am trying to resist. I have come to the conclusion that... just like in real life... in knitting... monogamy works best for me. I am much more motivated when I'm being faithful.

I am also back to working on my Nakiska shawl... I lost the pattern so it went on hiatus until I found the pattern... my goal is one pattern repeat a day, if I stuck to that, it would be done in a month or so... I said if.

Time...

The boy is at his Dad's for a week.

I booked an extra 2 days off work to give myself a 4 day weekend and guess what I've got? Time. A very precious commodity in my world.

Today is day one of my 4 day, mini holiday... so what should I do with it?

I wanted to go to the mountains but a snow fall last night made that seem like a risky plan. I may still go on Friday (the boy is back Friday night) or take the boy and go Saturday for the day, if the snow has melted by then.

Tomorrow, I booked an afternoon at the spa, a facial followed by a massage. Yummmm!! I can't remember the last time I treated myself to anything like that.

Last Sunday, after working all day and driving the boy to the airport, I played "Mama Mia" in Sing-along-mode... I sang along. Monday night was a quiet evening.


Last night was knit night. I swatched for a knit-along. We are doing Amy Swenson's Elsewhere. A whole bunch of us (like 10 people) tried it on one knit night and, regardless of figure type, it looked amazing so we all decided to make it.

I set Wrenna aside after having to rip out all the lace. I still plan to finish it, I just got side tracked.

What has really been side tracking me is Lady Eleanor... Love this project!! Never tried Entrelac before and I haven't been able to put it down. Good thing I'm almost finished.

Also, last weekend, I had a truly UTube worthy moment... I got my car stuck in the entrance to the car wash. Eventually, the owner of the car wash was able to free my little Yaris using his trusty jack. What amazed me, is the number of men who stopped to help me. They all seemed to be under the impression that they could simply lift it out... dude... it's a car. It was nice to know that, even at my age, there are men out there who will attempt to come to my rescue.

I'm still here...

I really need to blog more often.

Bought the most lovely book "French Girl Knits" I love the seamless patterns and the extra detail and attention that have gone into them. I cast on for Wrenna first.

I also bought yarn to make Viola.

Nakiska is still progressing nicely but lace is often more mentally demanding than what I'm up to so I like to have options. What I should do is finish some things but why would I finish... when I can start.

I started a Lady Eleanor Entrelac Wrap and am having so much fun with it. I've never done Entrelac before so I had a learning curve but now it's all good.

So I took a tough stance with "the Hanger" those of you who have read this blog in the past know he's been on the scene for some time. He's a good guy in many ways and we do love and care for one another but he is also quite a handful. I honestly thought he would stop being part of my life after I drew my line of death (and was prepared for it) but he seems to have gone the opposite route. the man never ceases to surprise me... surprise... irritate... exasperate. I'm still 100% prepared to toss him out on his ass at the slightest sign of relapse.

On the home front, my sweet "little" boy celebrated a birthday he's 15, has size 12 feet and is a good 6' tall with no signs of slowing down... STOP GROWING ALREADY!!!

In Progress...

It feels like I have a lot in progress right now, personal, work wise and knitting. I guess every day is a work in progress if you get right down to it.

My son is awaiting a mental health assessment. I already know he is ADHD and learning disabled, now we are waiting to find out if he is also Bi-Polar or suffering from depression. I can't emphasize strongly enough just how much I love my son, he's an awesome guy... but he isn't easy.

I am in two minds regarding a long time personal relationship. You just got to let me know... should I stay or should I go.

Work is great! I love every person I work with, but it's not my passion and I do need passion.

I just finished an amazing book: "Half a Yellow Sun" about the efforts of the Igbo people of Nigeria to establish the country of Biafra... it's heart breaking... read it!!

Nakiska is still progressing. I am so happy with this lace pattern, more so because of what it's taught me about shawl design. Thanks to the amazing Amy Singer for showing me just how easy lace can be.

I made yet another sister, yet another hat... have I ever mentioned I am the youngest of FIVE girls. Next time you want to kill your teenage daughters, think about my poor sainted mother who had four girls in five years (I was the after thought). When they all took to fighting, I use to hide under the dining room table. I lufs 'em though...




I splurged on socky lovliness... Mmmm Malabrigo and Mountain Colors... how could I resist?

Progress indeed.

Finished loveliness!

Blocking...


I am so happy with this cowl, another Awesome Amy pattern (that's what I think her nickname should be from now on "Awesome Amy" Swenson). Chameleon Colorworks is a treat to knit with. No one believed it was actually wool it's so soft and fluffy feeling.

Specs: Shapely Cowl by Amy Swenson
Needles 4.5 mm (US 7)
Yarn Chameleon Colorworks Evolution in Ophelia Sport Weight 150 yd

Loveliness to come...


Mmmmmm... Mini Maiden, bought here with my birthday gift certificates.

What to do what to do... I'm thinking an Abby out of the Sangria and a Woodland Shawl out of the Victoria. What are your thoughts?


The Last Year of Lace kit for 2008, Nancy Bush's Snowdrop Shawl

New Years is for resolutions right?

Here are mine.

Finish projects

Stash Slower
Buy only what I love with specific projects in mind.

Get creative
I would like to dip my toes into the areas of design, dying and spinning. I already have some pattern ideas in the works and my absolute love of colour pulls me towards dying. I am by nature a creative person... an idealist... 7 years of art college speaks to that... the 15 years of working in the advertising industry that followed didn't completely knock it out of me :-D.

Support local, Canadian, independent businesses at every possible opportunity
The bricks and mortar LYS isn't going to be around if nobody shops there. If you want a place you can go to hang out and have a coffee, knit and chat with your friends, and get real help when you need it--you need to be supportive. You need to give back to those people who make up your local community. Have you ever tried going back to a Wallmart or Michaels or E-bay and asking for help on your latest project? I'm all for supporting the independent crafts people too, spinners and dyers, but I would like to try to do it locally. Look for a local craft collective (ideally in my perfect world, I would start one). It's the same reason I shop at the farmer's market. I know my money is going in a more direct route to the people who've earned it.

Expand my knowledge and understanding of the craft
Learn, learn, learn... it's what keeps my mind from turning into complete mush.

And on a more personal note...
Focus on what I love, be passionate, be grateful for what I have and tell the people I love that I love them more often.

That's it, that's all... Happy New Years to all my Yarnie friends! XOXO M.