RELAY FOR LIFE 2008

Well, Relay is over for another year and it was a huge success, our team having raised almost $6,000 for the Canadian Cancer Society. We generated a lot of public interest this year as our tent was on the side of the park facing the street. We were "Knitting for a Cure". This is a program where we knit scarves and hats for people undergoing treatment for breast cancer. The yarn is donated and the scarves are given free of charge. Since the project's start, we have made and donated some 800 scarves and hats.

People came in droves, with children and dogs, we gave knitting and spinning lessons and a good time was had by all.

Visitors wanted to learn how, so we had a piece of "community knitting" that could be picked up by anyone and worked on for a row or two.

People gathered around the two spinning wheels onsite for a demonstration of how yarn is made. We were delighted that there was so much interest in the art.

This is Matty. Matty was taking her owner for a walk in the park and decided to stop by for a visit. She dressed in yellow, initially. Isn't she beautiful? Is there such a thing as a Wheaten Terrier Sweater? Hey, don't get any big ideas about shearing ME...

Upon detecting the "pink" theme, Matty insisted on being taken home for a bath and change of clothes. After a nice bath Matty was back, proudly sporting pink for the occasion. She was ever-such-a-lady.

This is Matty after she had learned everything there was to know about spinning, knitting and fiber arts and wanted to "move on" to the cheesy treats.

There is DEFINTELY joy in knitting!

MIDNIGHT MAGIC STARFISH

Awhile back, there was a great big fuss on the dishcloth list I belong to about Bernat Handicrafter Midnight Magic 100% cotton. Nay, not a fuss - more like a frenzy. As with such things, there was a flurry of activity involving said cotton - needles and knitters were coming out of the woodwork to knit with this glorious colourway. As is almost always the case when a colour becomes wildly popular, the lovely people who manufacture it promptly discontinue it. They did not disappoint this time.

Anyway, I had some set aside for just such an occasion as this - Sew-Funky's starfish pattern (pink one photographed below in earlier post) and I said to myself, "Myself," I said, "I bet Midnight Magic would be an ideal colour for the wee starfishie." Here it is. Let me know what you think?

I'm likin' it!

Joy in Knitting!

STAR GAZING

Well thanks again to Sew-Funky for another fabulous design. Check out this gorgeous starfish cloth and get the free pattern at Sew-Funky's site. I am in love with this design. It was so easy and addictive, I may have to have one in every hue. The one pictured here is in a wonderful pink variegated by Honeysuckle Yarns. Gotta go fishing...
Joy in Knitting!

"THE" SOCK (THAT'S SOCK, SINGULAR)

Well, folks, earlier in the year - like, January - I resolved to make another sock. It hasn't happened yet. I was hoping that Almighty God would take a row of the first sock's ribbing and make it a mate but apparently, this was a one-hit-wonder with the Almighty. Evidently, the Almighty doesn't do socks.

I COULD have just photographed the one sock twice and SAY I had made the mate but then you might as well put me in an overnight pouch and FedEx me straight to Hell, without passing GO and definitely without collecting $200 worth of sock yarn. So here is the one picture of the one sock. It has been so long since I made it that I lost the pattern. I tried using that as an excuse. You know, "But God, I lost the pattern - couldn't you just perform one more little miracle..." but He shook His head and wagged His admonishing digit in my face and said, "Pick up thy knitting needles and knit." He had an accomplice. Linda (of Linda's Craftique) was "kind enough" to provide me with another copy of the pattern. Gee, thanks. I even offered her some Heart Attack Pie (scroll down for the recipe) NOT to give me the pattern, but she and the Almighty are in cahoots - nay, thick as thieves.

So, I'm picking up my needles and the other half of the delish aloe and jojoba yarn and I'm off to the Sock Races...

Um, Joy in Knitting?

WINDMILL DISHCLOTH!

Thanks to blogger: http://sew-funky.blogspot.com/2008/05/windmill-dishcloth.html I have completed a Windmill Dishcloth. I love it! Thanks to Sew-Funky for creating this cloth. My version is pictured below. I used Sugar 'n Cream Floral Prints on 4.5 mm needles. This makes quite a large cloth and I think I will try size 4.0 mm for my next one (and there WILL be a next one!) Thanks Sew-Funky!

It's so delightfully Don Quixotic!

Joy in Knitting!

LUXURY TWEED DISHCLOTH

This is a picture of the stitch pattern.
Here's my latest cloth design and free pattern for y'all.

LUXURY TWEED CLOTH
(copyright 2008 by Judith Somersett)

Materials:

Your favourite dishcloth cotton in your favourite colour
Size 7 (4.5mm needles)

Special Stitches:

K1B (Knit one below): Insert right-hand needle into the next stitch one row below and knit, removing that stitch and the one above at the same time. A video demonstration of this stitch can be seen below this post.

Directions:

Cast on 35 stitches
Row 1 (WS) Knit

Commence 4-row repeat as follows:

Row 1 K1, *K1B, K1. Repeat from * to end of row
Row 2 Knit
Row 3 K2, *K1B, K1. Repeat from * to last stitch, K1
Row 4 Knit

Repeat these four rows until desired length, ending with either Row 2 or Row 4. Cast off and enjoy your very luxurious, cushy cloth!

Joy in Knitting!

Here's the video!
Knitting into the Row Below (K1B)

HEART ATTACK PIE

Some of the wonderful "sistas" on an e-mail list I belong to got to discussing what they would eat if it were the end of the world and they could have ANYTHING. I would opt for Heart Attack Pie.

Well, yes. That's what we had for dinner tonight. We have come to call it this because it's filled with extra-old white cheddar cheese and onion - that's with a top AND bottom crust. That's bad enough, but we have a side of sausages - fried to be sure - with the pie. All in all, it's a plate full of cardiovascular distress. Nay, it is a myocardial infarction wrapped in pastry.

Anyone want the recipe?

3 cups of shredded extra old white cheddar cheese
1 cup of chopped onion
pastry crusts (I buy the Tenderflake ready-made deep-dish pie crusts)

Boil the onion in a pan until transparent (don't fry them - that just seals the heart attack deal!)
Combine the cheese and onion in the pastry shell and put the lid on it. Vent the top crust and brush with egg.

Bake in pre-heated 350 degree oven for 1 hour and serve with your favourite side dish - ours is sausage.

What's that sound? Oh, it's my left ventricle slamming shut...

I invite comments. If you had one meal left and you could have ANYTHING - what would it be?

DEAD MAN WALKING WANTS TRIPE!

Dad (that's him with Q-tip down there - scroll down), when asked if he were on death row, what would his last meal be, sez:

"Fresh Tripe".

He sez this because we live in Canada and fresh tripe cannot be acquired here - well the Canucks SAY they have it but it's completely 'uneatable' (Dad's word - not mine - Dad's so cute) and I say, "Well, it can be done - it's only a 6-hour flight from England - prison warden gets on the horn and sez 'Dead man walking wants tripe' and in 6 hours, it's right in front of you." So to this, Dad says, "Well I'd wait until the tripe was in the air and then say 'I forgot to mention the trotters' - that would give me at least another 6 hours." I sez, "They HAVE trotters in Canada".

So come on folks. what would be your choice?

Joy in knitting (and eating...)

RELAY FOR LIFE 2008

Well, despite the outrageous cold last June (9 degrees C!) we are doing it again this year on June 20! We are packing the woolies just in case and thermoses of coffee / hot choc etc. because HECK it was cold last year! Funds collected for this fun event (all-night knitting and strolling around a track) go to the Canadian Cancer Society. Here is a link to my page if anyone cares to make a donation! Tax receipts are provided for donations of $25 or more (I believe).

Thanks in advance!


https://secureccs.ca/?inv=ef5256b0-ce90-4321-9c5d-1aa833875c0b <https://secureccs.ca/?inv=ef5256b0-ce90-4321-9c5d-1aa833875c0b>

I'll be sure to post pictures after the fact! Check out the ones below from last year's event (if you can find any of us among all the blankets!)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Well, it has been - lemmesee - too long since my last confession - er, post.

I have decided that on top of my list of resolutions is to knit a sock. I say "a sock" because I knit my first one approximately, um, over a year ago and since then it has been sitting in my sock drawer, alone, praying that Almighty God would take a row of its ribbing and make it a mate.

This is a lovely sock. It is made from fine yarn which is infused with aloe and jojoba. Delish. I threw a street party when I turned my first heel, but then I fell off the sock wagon as it were and started other projects, vowing to return and make the other sock. Didn't happen. I have to be good this year though, SO...

I visited my favourite knitting bookseller (Hi, Marsha!) and ordered a new book that will teach me (it says) to knit two socks at once on one circular needle???!!! Said book is by Melissa Morgan Oakes, called "2-At-A-Time-Socks". I remain reticent. I'll let you know how it works for me!

Happy Sock Knitting!

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!