Close to my Heart

Satisfaction

According to my trusty archives, my last Saturday Sky post was over 14 months ago.  Today it was a lovely west coast almost spring day, and I ventured outside to take my first outdoor pictures in some time.  It seemed like a good time to snap a picture of the sky:

And the reason for venturing outside was to take pictures of the first item completed with my own handspun yarn!  I thought that this event warranted more than one picture, so here are a couple:

There is  (quite obviously) something very satisfying about knitting something from yarn you have spun yourself!  This was a quick and easy project which sat neglected in my knitting bag for many months.  The pattern I used is the Yarn Harlot's One Row Handspun Scarf, knit a little more narrow (18 stitches rather than 26) called for in her pattern.  The yarn was spun originated as fiber from the Etsy Shop Copperpot, and is 90 Merino 10 Tencel  in the Black Roses colourway.  I love the colour of this yarn.

Well I haven't spun since last weekend, so I think that is what I'm going to go do now.  Oh, and I'm also going to cast on the yarn I spun last weekend.  I do have something in mind for it, but you'll have to stay tuned!

Sock Stash

My entire stash is in great need of organization.  I'm not saying I'm going to get to it quickly, but I did get my sock yarn stash organized today.  I had been looking for plastic totes to put it all in, and today found the perfect size on sale in the grocery store.  I bought four totes, and and once home, grabbed all my sock yarn (which I had pulled out earlier in the day).  Here's what I ended up with:

Bin Number 1 holds handpainted yarn and other "high end" sock yarns.  Included are my recent Etsy purchases, some Lorna's Laces, Mountain Colours, and Regia Silk.  Bin Number 2 hold Opal yarns.  Bin  Number 3 holds  various self-striping yarns, including Online, Trekking, Regia, Confetti.  Bin  Number 4 holds various other yarns that didn't fit in any other category.  Included is Elann Esprit, Emu Superwash, Buttons, and Kroy, among others.  This bin is probably the least likely to be knit of all the other bins, and probably the oldest in my sock yarn stash.  Bin Number 3 is the most full, and clearly, I shouldn't be purchasing any more Self Striping Yarns.  Famous last words, right?

I did something that I've been wanting to get brave enough to try for a LONG time....I counted how many pairs of socks are represented in my stash.  Here's the damage:

Bin Number 1:  8
Bin Number 2:  13
Bin Number 3:  20
Bin Number 4:  11
Grand total: (gulp) 52

But of course I justify the stash, as well as future purchases, by pointing out that I do knit from my sock stash, and ALWAYS have socks on the needles!

Beautiful sunny winter day here on Vancouver Island.  I haven't posted a Saturday Sky picture for some time, so I leave you with today's blue sky, seen through the trees behind our house.

The Last Ones

Today I have my last projects of 2006 to show you.  First, I joined a bazillion other knit bloggers, and knit myself a pair of Fetching Fingerless Gloves.  I love them, and was relieved to that I had more than enough yarn using the one skein of Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran that I purchased.  I wish the yarn was cheaper, would love to knit a whole sweater out of this soft and yummy stuff.

And I also knit myself yet another pair of socks, using Opal Acapulco 1306:

I think this might be my favourite self striping yarn yet, just love all the pink and lime in there.  Observant blog readers may notice that these socks are fraternal.  That's because when I went pull the yarn from the center, the most awful tangled mess that I've ever encountered emerged.  I spent more hours than I care to admit trying to detangle, but in the end, it had to be cut.  I was therefore concerned that I'd wouldn't be able to knit each sock without running out and having to match up with the scraps, so this is what I ended up with.  I still am really happy with them, there are still some similarities to the striping.

I knit these socks toe up, and used the heel found in the Widdershin pattern.  I think this will become my preferred heel for toe up socks. This is a close-up of what my heel looks like.  Although Widdershin is knit on just 54 stitches, I was able to adapt the heel to my usual 64 stitch sock by using the designer's notes here.

And finally, the last Saturday Sky for 2006:

A typical dark West coast winter day.

Vacation Day 1

Joe left for work before 6 while I stayed in bed.  After a leisurely sleep in, I spent most of the day with my 7 year old friend CA.  We went to a craft fair and shopping.  She's quite the little shopper, she's going to be trouble by the time she's a teenager! We came to my house briefly because she wanted to see the kitties.  While she watched television, I quickly snapped a Saturday sky picture. 

You can see a light dusting of snow on the trees (sorry for the crooked angle).  It started midday, and has continued since.  There is a heavy snowfall warning tonight, 10-20 cm.  Tomorrow will obviously be a snow day, spent at home crafting.  I have a few more ideas for Christmas cards, and am on the second Ariann sleeve.  It should hopefully be a productive day.

I have a couple things to show you from my business trip down island earlier in the week.  Finally, after a long search I found a reasonably priced shawl pin.

It's being modeled by Clapotis, which I wore to work yesterday.  Another purchase was some gorgeous Fleece Artist roving, also being modeled by Clapotis (the table reflected the flash and I was too lazy to find something more neutral to use).

This will be saved for when I'm much more adept at spinning.  "Spinning in the Old Way" arrived this week, so I'll definitely be looking forward paging through the book and picking up my neglected spindle during my vacation days.

One month until Christmas, yikes!  I've changed my blog template accordingly.

Remembrance Day Sky

The sun is actually trying to poke out, the rain has stopped, and it should be a decent day for those attending the outdoor Remembrance Day Ceremonies.  In Remembrance of those who have lost their lives for us, I leave you with the well-known Canadian poem that always evokes emotion.

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Lieutenant Colonel John MacRae, May 3, 1915

Remembering, and praying for peace.

Rainy, windy, ugly day here today.  A friend and I are headed over to the moving sale over at Fun Knits today.  Usually I walk on the ferry and then up the hill 10 minutes to the store.  Today's weather calls for taking the  car though.   I just hope the ferry trip isn't too rough.  Back later today or tomorrow to show you what I buy!  I hope to get some Patons Classic Merino for Ariann, and hopefully some Opal Uni as my stash is lacking in solid colour sock yarn.

Weekend Knitting

Here's today's Saturday Sky picture.  I actually left the doorstep for once so you get a bit of a different view than usual!

I thought the clouds were kind of pretty.  For the most part, it's been another lovely autumn week here on Vancouver Island.  There's been a wind warning for most of the day, but it hasn't yet amounted to much.  And sunny skies are in the forecast for the next few days.  I think this is probably the nicest autumn we've had in the 15 years I've lived here.

Today I decided I should hanker down and get to work on the lacy cardigan.  I've really struggled with not wanting to work on this cardi.  The yarn I'm using (Phildar Canasta) is quite stretchy, so I'm knitting the sweater with some ease to it.  I'm a little nervous about the fit, and just hope it all works out.  I'm also not sure if I have enough yarn, but a quick call to the LYS today determined there is more in the same dye lot.  I'm making myself spend the majority of my knitting time this weekend on this sweater.  I now have a sleeve to go with the completed back. 

I've cast on for the second sleeve already, I always like to knit sleeves before the front pieces since sleeves are notorious for taking forever.  And as per all my pictures of this knit, the yarn is really khaki/olive, not the brown which my camera thinks it is!

For now, Must Finish Lacy Cardi so I can knit Ariann (I joined the KAL some time ago).  Of course I don't have the yarn for Ariann yet since I've been completely indecisive about what colour to use.  Probably a good thing or she'd be on the needles already!

Happy Weekend Knitting!

My Saturday sky picture was taken midday, and I finally get around to showing it to you now that it's close to my bedtime:

Except for a day or two, we've continued to experience beautiful fall weather this past week here on Vancouver Island.  Unfortunately, I think there is rain in the forecast for the week ahead.  Really can't complain considering that much of October has been filled with sunshine and blue skies, and even opportunities to continue wearing sandals!

For some reason, I've really been into sock knitting lately.  I'm closing in on finishing my second pair of socks for the month of Socktober.  I thought I'd be well into another shawl by now, but haven't even cast on.  The two sweaters currently on the needles have suffered as well.  Here's my current sock WIP, knit with Regia Bamboo:

The yarn is really much prettier than it looks in this picture.  Hopefully I'll be able to get a better daytime outdoor) FO shot that will show it off. 

I knit my last pair of socks on DPNs, but have gone back to Magic Loop for these ones.  I think I've decided that I prefer Magic Loop, but it's nice to use DPNs once in a while to add a little variety.  How do you prefer to knit your socks?

Off now to start the heel flap on the second sock.  Now that the gusset decreases are complete on the first one, I'm on the home stretch.  Hopefully tomorrow I'll be motivated to knit on the lacy cardigan. 

Another Saturday Sky

And a rather gloomy one at that:

We've had great fall weather this week, until today.  It's drizzled on and off today, and the sun hasn't been around much.  I think it came out for a couple minutes mid day, but that was about it.  It's a good day to stay inside, knit, and make turkey soup from what remains of last week's Thanksgiving turkey.  And other than I brief trip out to the grocery store and bank, that's exactly what I've done.

Speaking of knitting, I've finished one Socktoberfest sock and will finish the second one sometime before out turkey soup dinner.  Picture(s) coming soon.

Saturday Sky, Weekend WIP

Today's Saturday sky has been rather dreary looking today:

It was however a fairly mild Autumn day.  The last week has seen very warm temps for October, with more in the forecast for the week ahead.

Here's a new WIP to show you:

The colour is rather dark and washed out in this picture, it really is a nice khaki colour.  This simple lace pattern is proving to be a rather enjoyable knit.  My goal is to finish the back this weekend.  I may also succumb to startitis and cast on for another lace shawl.

Thanksgiving weekend here in Canada. Combined with my flex day, I get a four day weekend, gotta love that!  Joe and I decided that we should cook a turkey dinner tomorrow to make work week dinners easier (love leftovers!).  He's been taking on a lot more of the cooking duties lately, and even wanted to do it himself.  I told him I'd rather cook and he can do the clean up, which I think is the better end of the deal anyway.  I have however enlisted him for potato peeling duty.

Finally, to all my Canadian friends: