GRANNIE'S IN THE SLAMMER FOR TRAFFICKING GRASS

You saw it here first, Folks. That grass is handknit from finest Turkish eyelash yarn. I have gone to whole new heights in my fibre arts obsession, but gee whiz, won't I just make the BEST grandma ever?

Picture this: Show and Tell 2015 "I brought my grannie. She sells grass!"

Now I can say I've done grass. My mother would be so proud!

PRETTY IN PINK

Here's an attempt at mixing a right twist stitch with a lace pattern. I like it much better than "Felted Faux Pas" down there...

This hat is made with Cascade Sierra which is a lovely - and I mean really lovely blend of 80% cotton and 20% wool. I will NOT be felting this hat. It is incredibly soft. I will be contributing this hat to the Downtown Knit Collective's "Knitting for a Cure" in September when it starts up again.

It is nice and big and roomy and comfy. I like it so much, I think I'll have to make another. I know my daughter has her eye on this one...

Okay, some of the joy's coming back.

THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU THINK YOU KNOW HOW TO FELT BUT REALLY, YOU KNOW SQUAT...

See that nice little pink titfer down there that has all little ridges and holes? (See post from July 7). Well, being made of 100% wool, smarty-pants here decides to try her hand at felting. So anyway, I throws it in the wash - on HOT just for good measure and wash the cr*p out of it. Then I throws it in the dryer, again on HOT and okay, I know it's going to shrink - nay, I fully expect it to shrink. What I don't expect is for it not to resemble the pretty lacy-ridgy titfer you see below.

So, if anyone has any constructive criticism or helpful tips on what to do next time I decide I feel like felting, please submit them with my blessing.

Seriously dischuffed and not feeling very "joy-in-knittingish" this evening...

FEATHER AND FAN HAT
This hat was meant to match yonder wristwarmers (look down). While similar in appearance it is in fact slightly different. I have to admit I enjoy doing picot edging. I plan to write up the pattern for this and publish it shortly. In the meantime, I hope you like the pic!

Joy in knitting.

Lacy Wrist Warmers

You are looking at a total experiment. I'm still working on this and have not perfected it yet. The idea came to me because I was working on a perfectly lovely pair of wrist warmers designed by Marsha White (thanks, Marsha!) and I wanted to knit a pair as a gift for a wedding in November (in white of course). I wanted something lacy and am partial to feather-and-fan style lace so I adapted one of my favourite dishcloth patterns to make the one photographed here. When I have completed a pair of these, I will get my dainty-wristed daughter to model them and print up the pattern!

Joy in knitting!

Continental knitting demo

This is a wonderful tutorial on continental-style knitting for those of you who are interested. I'm still trying to master it!

Knitting with Q-Tip

The cat in this video is called "Max" but omigod he could be my Q-tip's twin brother!

THANK YOU FROM THE DKC AND THE CANADIAN CANCER SOCIETY

Well, folks, you really came through! The DKC raised over $4,000 for cancer research AND managed to have a good time despite the outrageous cold - 9 degrees celsius - that's 48.2 fahrenheit for our friends south of the border!

Meet Wannietta (above). The girl's fingers fly! See more from Wannietta at http://www.whatswanniettaknittingtoday.blogspot.com/

This is Julie (above). Julie brought her spinning wheel and was actively spinning fleece well into the night. She was generous enough to share her art and describe it for any who chose to stop by our tent for a visit. Thanks, Julie!

Denise (above) brought her spinning wheel as well. Denise is our resident "Dr. Knit". We take all of our knitting problems and woes to Denise. Denise is actually quite cool with this. Denise is my hero.

Wannietta and Joan

Thanks to Cristina for this picture (above).

Getting late and cold but we knit on!

... and on ...

... and on ...

Luminary for Sissy - somehow my message didn't get put on but that's okay.
Sissy saw it, I'm sure.
I love you and miss you, Sissy!

Luminaries
This was very moving and inspirational

Anyhow, a big thank you goes out to all my supporters and a special thanks to Linda Benne who very generously donated a big bag of pink yarn which we used to knit scarves for cancer patients. Thanks, Linda! xoxoxoxoxo

Q-TIP WANTS TO KNIT

So there I was on the weekend, sitting out on the patio doing - what else? - knitting, and I look up to see my 6-year-old kitty, Q-tip, gazing longlingly at my circs. This explains why I knit outside because if I knit inside, Q-tip wants to help. He loves my circs more than kippers and I have to diligently hide them when I go in, lest the cables end up kitty-sucked. Is that even a word?

Nothing is worse than sliding a nice expensive cotton along your favourite circs and having it SNAG on a kitty-perfed (I'm reasonably sure that's not a word either) cable.

Anyone else have this problem?

But I digress. Q-tip (so-called because he's long, white and always rooting into things he shouldn't...) is gazing out the window and I just KNOW what he's thinking. He's thinking that I'll come in for a coffee and put the needles down and then when I'm least expecting it, he'll pounce on my knitting, wrestle the needles bare and tear off through the house with his treasure, followed frantically by "mom" screeching and wailing about her ruined lace ...

News flash, Q - not gonna happen. So you can go back to sleep and dream of chasing circular needles because you're not getting your pointy little teeth on mine!

That's Dad with Q-tip. Dad doesn't LIKE cats, so he sez. Ya, right!

Joy in knitting!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAEVE!

This little sweet pea is Maeve and she just celebrated her 1st birthday. Check out the bikini! It is just too cute.

Maeve is also modelling a brand new watermelon chapeau courtesy of moi. Is she not the most darling little creature you've ever seen? Tres Chic!

Maeve has been voted "Most Likely to Break Hearts" in her Baby Yearbook. When asked to comment on this opinion, Maeve coyly replied,

"Aww shucks!"

CAKE??? Where the heck did THAT come from?

Enough modelling - time for dessert! - My adoring public will have to wait!

The trick is to see if I can eat this without getting any on my new hat!

TOPPERS!

WATERMELON HAT!
Greetings. TGIF! Here is my latest creation. It's a watermelon hat in case it's not blatently obvious. Don't you just love the butterfly accent? Butterflies love fruit, don't you know?

This little treasure is made with 100% mercerized cotton.

PUMPKIN HAT!
Here is my crowning achievement at making a pumpkin hat. This pattern is from Fiber Trends and the pattern is called "Patrick's Pumpkin". It's a joy to make, again, in mercerized cotton.

Happy knitting!