Progress!

Just got back from knit night. My broad street mitts now have a pinky and a ring finger! exciting! Pictures to come soon. But for now I shall eat some dinner that my William just finished preparing.

Inspiration

I kept listening to this Ingrid Michaelson song today over and over again. I'm just in one of those "I don't know what to do with my life" modes. I need to surround myself with positive energy. I love that William knows me too well and is pushing me to go to knit night tonight as oppose to sitting here alone with my thoughts. Well enough of that...

I started my broad street mitt again for a third time 2 nights ago and am almost at the part of the pattern where I have to make up the pinky finger. I've been talking to this pattern like there's no tomorrow! I think my customers and or people I work with think I'm crazy but I don't care! It's keeping me sane and keeping my hands busy from wanting to go outside for a smoke. I hope that one day I will get rid of this filthy habit!

I finished one of my Warmest Mitts for Anna but kinda don't like it. I'll get back to the other one. They're a quick easy knit for me to do on the subway and work. But I"m determined to get this broad street mitt done! Even if it's just one!

WIP - Warmest Mittens

WIP - Warmest Mittens
Originally uploaded by ma-me

Yesterday after a tiring day at work I just wanted to be surrounded in a huge room full of yarn. What better place to go to then Romni Wools. So off I ventured to Queen Street only to get stopped by a regular customer of mine to give me a wonderful 10 minute back massage! What a great way to end work.

After feeling all de-stressed and relaxed I continued to venture off to queen street. As I stepped into Romni all I saw were overflowing huge bags of new stock mixed with some Rowan little big wool on sale for $5.35. But I wasn't feeling like buying any Rowan. I didn't want to buy anything until I walked down to the second sale room (which is the smaller one that they are now defining as the designer yarns sale room) I stumbled upon some Debbie Bliss Alpaca silk. I just held it in my hands and closed my eyes for a sec. One of the workers noticed I was having a yarn moment and let me be.

I put the Debbie Bliss back down but kept going back to it cause I saw two colors that just kept screaming "anna" to me (she's one of my closest and dearest friends) and knew that it wouldn't be there the next time I went there so 6 balls of Debbie Bliss alpaca silk later I started working on yet another pair of "Warmest Mittens". For the past almost two years of making these mitts I've always wondered why I've always fracked up on the thumb increases and I finally had my AHA knitting moment! I kept reading the pattern out loud for the thumb increases "Knit one, place marker, Knit in front and back of stitch, knit one....." OMG! All this time I've been doing a make one instead of knitting in the front and back of the stitch. I think all these years because I didn't understand what front and back meant I mentally blocked it out so I could finish my first pair of mitts! But finally... It all makes sense now! I'm going to get my 13 stitch thumb increase this time around!!! HORRAY! I wish I had wine cause I'd totally have a wine party right now for this knitting break through of mine (okay it's not that exciting but to me it is!)

I think for the rest of Debbie bliss I'll make a scarf or Beret. I'm not sure yet. I need to buy more needles....

The Kitchener Knitting fair was a lot of fun! Went with three lovely ladies who I met at stitch night at The Naked Sheep. Did I mention that The naked sheep is becoming my all time favorite knitting spot! There's such a wonderful tight "knit" community there and I'm starting to meet new people! It's such an amazing feeling being surrounded by many talented knitters.


Anyways back on topic here!! I bought some Sublime yarn from the Passion Knits booth for the Interweave's pattern "Every Way Shawl" "(Click here to see photos cause I don't want to step on anyones toes for copyright infringement). Passion knits put together magazine kits and even threw in the buttons for me! How exciting! I better finish my Christmas gifts first... But now I"m thinking I want to make this shawl to see if I can do it to see if I can make it for someone for Christmas... Oh the dilemma.... By the end of next week I better have finished something!

Well I better get back to knitting cause it's 1030pm already! and I'm wide awake for some reason!

Happy Knitting!

ps. yay I upgraded back to pro on flickr

Alpaca Ruined my life

I'm on attempt number two for Broad street mitts and I'm trying to frog several rows by myself without my friend Gillian's help. She's like my knitting guru whenever I've messed up. I didn't really mess up though I'm just trying to work with these modifications that someone posted on their project page cause I don't really have big hands. But alas it's 20 minutes to midnight and must put my knitting down cause I am getting tired. Oh... What to work on at work tomorrow? New pair of mittens that I promised to make someone oh last winter? Or finish the right front of the baby sweater that I'm making? I am having that sweater fear again. It doesn't "look perfect". I think I somehow screwed up the right front and I just want to throw it away but I must finish it! Even if it's not perfect. I just hate knitting with Bernat. I really don't know why! It's actually all alpaca's fault. 2 years ago I think I fell in love with baby alpaca yarns and knitted my first pair of mittens with them, loved the softness, the texture.... I have having a yarn orgasm (I think they exist! I'm not crazy)... Then I touched the softee chunky by Bernat and hated it. I hated everything about it. I never thought I could hate yarn and I shouldn't hate yarn really I shouldn't, but... oh Alpaca you ruined my life but I love ya so much....

I apologize for my crazy entry... It just had to be sad

Good night and happy knitting.

Ps. Did I mention that I"m going to my first ever knitting event? I'll be venturing off to the Kitchener's knitting fair this weekend with some lovely ladies that I don't know so well that go to the Naked Sheep :) I cannot wait and hopefully I won't be too shy to take photos of this event. Tomorrow I also plan to once again and a pro account with flickr so I can flickr crazy again :)

Simple Hooded Cardigan

So I'm on Ravelry lastnight wondering what I could do with all the Bernat Softee Chunky that I've got. I haven't touched it cause I really don't like the texture to it but I must do something with it and saw that some people did this pattern using Bernat. I worked the back last night. I think it looks awful. I'm not very good at straight knitting cause I barely do it but I'm crossing my fingers hoping that it'll look alright after I sew things together. Maybe this is my break through! Maybe this is finally going to be my first finished sweater but I can't jump too ahead of the game here. I've got major Knitters A.D.D right now.



Tonight I finished the Left front and I think I screwed up on the decreases of the neck.... I'm assuming that to decrease they want me to knit 2 together. I wanted to start the Right front piece but I've got to do an open tomorrow which means I've got to be up for 3:30am in order to catch my bus and it's 10pm and I'm not even tired yet :( Maybe I can convince William to watch one episode of Six Feet Under!

Happy Knitting and good night :)

Gauge swatch

I'm so silly! I just did my first gauge swatch ever lol

An unexpected encounter... Followed by a great film

While I was on the subway on my way to work I decided to work on my thumb increases for the Broad Street Mittens I'm working on. Around Pape station the woman I was sitting beside grabbed my knitting out of my hands. I almost freaked! But alas she told me to trust her and started to knit. I was in shock but at the same time hypnotized by her style of knitting and the joy she had on her face holding a set of needles and yarn. I felt like the both of us were in a language of our own. The bad news... I went to work and totally mucked up my increases and had to rip a whole lot out and now I can't recover so I'm almost tempted to rip the whole thing out and start over (what else is new with me). I do need to use smaller needles I think... I really should do a gauge swatch but I"m afraid I won't have enough yarn *tear* I honestly just had one of those moments where I wanted to throw my whole project to the wall a swear at it from the top of my lungs, but... I don't think my customers would've enjoyed that much.

Olivia showed me her mitten. She's almost finished it! She just needed to learn how to pick up stitches and I don't think I did a really good job teaching her. I tried teaching her on the subway and we did knit one round on her thumb and her yarn flew across the subway lol. I got such a natural high over her joyness (is that even a word?) of how far she's come along. It almost put me at that bliss stage when you're so enthralled with you're accomplishments.

Speaking of Olivia, today we finally watched Julie and Julia and boy did we laugh! It was such a wonderful movie and I must say that this is by far my second most favorite movie of 2009 (next to Star Trek of course). I laughed and had tears and was just so moved! Meryl Streep did an excellent performance! I can't wait to discuss this movie to James at work!

Well that's my knitting adventure for the day :) Happy knitting and good night.

Broad Street Mittens

So I've seen this pattern for about a year and was scared to try it out until lastnight when I went to Stitch night at the Naked sheep with Olivia. Lisa helped me pick out the yarn. I've been reading some comments on Ravelry and I'm a little scared now but I"m going to keep going. I'm using Casbah by Hand Maiden.

I was working the cuff today while on the subway and at work and realized that I shouldn't have left my fifth needle at home. I was so eager to get home and work on it yet I've gotten distracted by taking photos of my WIP and my new kitty Bjork. I really do need to write in here more often. Happy knitting.