Celtic Cast On

And the knitting goes on. There are some big happening’s going on at the ridge right now but that will have to save for another post. I have Finished Knits and yummy yarn to show you!!

The weather is slowly warming and some layers are being shed but these little ears get sore very quickly with the cool winds. It not cold enough for a hat most evenings when we take the dogs out but I do need something to keep these little ears of mine safe and warm.

Calorimetry from Knitty teamed up with some Rowanspun DK the lovely Claudia gifted me was a perfect match. I love the tweedy goodness of olive green with mustard flecks… yummm! I of course had 2 skeins gifted to me so I just had to make some matching fingerless mitts. I used the pattern from the February issue of Simply Knitting. I ended up making three of the dang things, the first was too big so it was frog and reknit with alot less stitches to fit snuggly on my tiny wrists.

I finished the Calorimetry off with a lovely little chocolate button. I heart these buttons so much! Spring here I come!!!

What?? Your not waiting for the yummy yarn I promised were ya??? ok ok Lately I have had some what of a lucky streak, all within the same week.

I won a contest over at Yarnivorous aka Lynne’s blog. She sent me a fantastic package from the opposite side of NA in California.  Socks that Rock *squeals* and A Piece of Vermont both yarns I have neither touched nor tried, a cute set of stitch markers and a wonderful postcard of her homeland Oz. Thank you sooo much Lynne I can’t wait to try out these yummy yarns!

The luck continued when Kelli informed me I’d won a runner up prize for a contest at her blog. I recieved a $10.00 gift certificate to use at Zero Markers. Hummm the decisions! I kept coming back to the same set and knew it was the one. I was however plesantly surprised when they arrived. Not only did I get two extra markers than expected but the ones I ordered were GREEN!!!!!!! Call me stupid but I thought they were brown in the picture. You would have thought the description of “YELLOW TURQUOISE” would have given it away but nooooooo. I’m chalking it up to being over excited about winning a contest Anyway when they arrived I opened then and exclaimed “THEY’RE GREEN!!!!!!!!!! ohhhhh I love them!!!” Yup made my day they did! Thanks Kel for spoiling me so!

                       I do have a finished Cobblestone to share with you but that and more exciting things coming soon!

Things have been a little BLAH around here as of late but through it all I have been knitting. Keeps a body sane right?? First up I have the cutest pair of baby bell bottoms you ever did see!!

                                                                            CUTE HUH!!

I wasn’t sure how the striping was going to turn out or that I would be able to match the legs but I think they are as good as I could get them to be.

       Baby Bell Bottoms

 Start Date: March 30th 2008

 Finish Date: April 13th 2008

 Yarn: Regia Canadian Colour 4733

 Needle: US 6 circs

If I were to knit these again I would definately knit the legs in the round, sooo much easier than seaming each leg. I did a little picot edge at the bottom of the legs and left out the drawstring. I put an elastic waist band in instead to keep them up. No need to ask who they are for because if you don’t know by now…… well you either must be new to the blog or just haven’t been paying attention. These are for a future Mooselet They have been tucked away with the others until the time comes.

We have been busy clearing land and getting ready to soon be putting up fencing. Burning bush has been the the task for the past few sundays and i’m glad to say it is almost finished. Here are just a few shots I took during out burning adventures. Click on any to make them bigger. I love the picture of me and Molly. We keeping snapping pictures of with her eyes closed. Makes me giggle everytime

                                                                           Fungi

Now that our snow is FINALLY gone,and I say FINALLY with my fingers crossed, we are discovering lots of things throughout the property we have missed out on and or overlooked. During the past month Moose has been cutting down deadfall’s and brush to make way for pasture land. I seem to be exploring that part alot more, looking for any new little thing that hasn’t caught my eye.  Alot of the dead trees seem to be the nicest to look at, during this time of year. While all the other trees are leaf less and brown the dead trees seem to come to life. Green moss hanging from the branches, bark peeled back to reveal a lovely golden inside and delicate little white and brown fungi growing off the truck.

I can’t help but stare at the intricate detailing on each little shape. Wondering how they formed to what they are now.

Flickr has many other different types of fungi seen here here and here. Is it just me or does anyone else find the colours and composition of these little things fascinating???

I seem to be knitting everything in three’s as of late. By the third i’m definately ready for another project so its just as well i’m not knitting in four’s.

These are the cutest little tissue socks I whipped up over my lunch break. Simple and small enough to mindlessly knit and finish within the day. I used left overs of sock yarn that I had laying around.

From left to right are knit picks spring prairie, *top* spunky eclectic neopolitan, and sugar bunny boulevard Kelly. ahhhhhh such cutess will fit perfectly inside my knitting bag. Now which one do you want mum???

Mister Owl happens to be hanging around none other than MY house. I let Bos and Molly out to pee friday morning, Bos ran out and starting jumping up in the air at something. Mister Owl was hanging out on our telephone line until Boston scared him off. Hopefully he will return again.

Boston loves his Nanny and Granda. He gets sooo excited when they come, dad tends to wind him up too so that only aids in the excitement.

 ~ heheheheh only at nanny and granda’s can you sneak on the couch. When are we going back there again? ~ Boston

                     Start Date: January 2007

                     Finish Date: February 2008

                     Yarn: Noro Kochran # 10 blue/green/gray

                    Needles: 10 US

This sweater was picked up and put down so many times I don’t think it knew where it was. I was just cruising along, had almost the whole thing completed in less than a month when things came to an abrupt stop. I didn’t have enough yarn as I had modified the pattern to have full length sleeves instead of 3/4 length. A quick call to Katherine and the yarn was on the way the very next day. I don’t know how I got so distracted with other things but it lay in my WIP basket for a long time. Then with house reno’s and moving the basket and sweater ended up just moving locations. Finally I knit the sleeves and had them all ready to sew on when I realized that my increase stitches were all on the last stitch of the sides of the sleeves therefore making my sewn up edges wonky. I had a big mound of extra stitches on the inside of my sleeves. *Remember this was my first sweater* So back in the basket it went, I was sooo ticked off at it by this time and just wanted it DONE!!! Roll forward to the new year, decisions to clean out the WIP Basket and start off the year somewhat fresh. The sweater had been in the back of my mind all the while and finally one day mum and dad were here and I asked her if she would help me unravel the sleeves so I could start knitting them again. That day I cast on for the first one again, I used fewer stitches this time as I found them to be baggy compared to the body of the sweater. I kept my mind on that sweater and that sweater only until I had the two sleeves done. Last thing to do was sew the sleeves on. Holding my breath I sewed the sleeves and set straight to blocking. A few days later I finally tried it on……… TOOO SHORT!!!!!! AFTER ALL THAT THE FREAKING BODY WAS TOO SHORT! ARRGGHHHH! I threw it in the corner in a huff! I talked to mum and it wasn’t until she suggested I soak it and hang it on a hanger to length it that I actually brought it out again.

Well it was mum to the rescue because the hanger trick added a few inches to it and its now perrrrrrfect!!! Thanks Mum!

Thats what i’ve been for the past 7 days SICK!!! I haven’t been since the whole three years I’ve been married and then BHAM!!! It hits me like a ton of bricks. Thank goodness there was only a 4 day work week because I don’t think I could have handled all 5. I went thru 1 and a half boxes of tissues and 2 boxes of advil cold and sinus in 3 days……. just at work ugggggghhhh. Needless to say nothing much got done this week, I was lucky if I was still awake at 8pm and my shows….. I either didn’t make it to them or fell asleep on the first break *sigh* I hate when that happens. Fingers crossed I am on the mend, though I can’t seem to get rid of all the extra mucus I seem to have gathered up.

I did get SOME knitting done though. I needed something to keep me occupied during my lunch so that I might not blow my nose right off my face. So I though what’s quick, simple and an easy pattern to remember? I was NOT in the mood to be following intricate patterns.

The answer…………. DISCLOTHS of course. I have a gazillion balls of cotton that are taking over my stash that need to be used and i’ve been meaning to make some new cloths for quite a while. Now will be the perfect timing.

I first cast on for *probably the most famous dishcloth in blogland* the Mason Dixon Ballband Dishcloth. I LOVE this cloth and had some yummy colours that would be perfect for it.

White sugar and cream with mint bernat hanicrafter, does that not remind you of mint chocolate chip ice cream???

More ice cream you say??? yup neopolitan. White sugar and cream with bernat handicrafter in rosewood.

I couldn’t stop with just two cloths, I was on a roll, but getting a bit bored so I switched up the pattern and kept on going. These are DW Darrell Waltrip dishcloths. It was my first try at this pattern and BOY is it addictive. Its a simple pattern, once you’ve knit it once you won’t need a pattern again.

Tired of dishcloths yet??? I started a new project yesterday but that will have to wait for another post.

Kristina and I were talking about Owls the other day, then a few days later while out to get groceries I spotted something sitting on the power lines. As we got closer I realized that it was an owl, out in the middle of a bright snowy day. I could have kicked myself because I didn’t have my camera with me, usually I take it but we were still on our road so Moose suggested we turn around and go get it. I knew mr. owl would be gone by the time we got back but couldn’t resist trying to get his picture. Upon returning Mr. Owl was of course gone, much to my dismay. We carried on about the day, got groceries etc and travelled back home. On our road I kept a watchful eye out hoping to see him again but he was gone from his perch. I few more moments down the road I yelled “THERE HE IS!!!!” STOP STOP!!! I didn’t want to get too close and have him fly away before I got ANY pictures so I stood on the outside step of the truck with my camera perched on the hood and had Moose reverse slowly while I took picture after picture.

Finally Moose said get in we need to get one where you can see his feathers. He reversed parallel to Mr. Owl who ignored that we even exsisted.

I pointed the camera out the window and in my best Dennis the Menace rendition yelled Hey Misterrrr OOOOOOWWLLLLL!!! Like out of a movie the owl slowly turned his head towards me, it was sooooo creepy!!!

VOLIA!!! PERFECT SHOT!!! So there you have it Kristina, Oliver the Owl, who lives on the Ridge.

This post if for Monika and anyone else interested in the whole rug hooking how to’s. Its a very simple concept really and I will try to portray it in pictures. Keep in mind these pictures were taken by me with the timer on so if I didn’t get a good enough shot and you aren’t understanding it all please let me know and I’ll try my best to capture it all again.

                                                                 First off we have the hook

  Traditionally a nail was inserted into a piece of wood, then filed into a hook shape. Then a crochet hook inserted into wood. The ones used today are very similar to crochet hooks but come in many different thicknesses, the hook and the holder. Some holders are wider at the ends while some are very thin all the way through much like a pencil.

                                                                       Next you need the strips

Some people use one wool yarn for their pieces while others prefer the wool strips. Wool strips is the more traditional method, in the olden days they used rags and whatever bits of material they had, cut them into strips and hooked. Today there is a fabulous machine the cuts the strips perfectly all the same size for you so you do not have to cut them by hand. The wool fabric itself can be purchased from a fabric or specialty shop or you could also go to a second hand store. There are always tons of old blazers, shirts, pants and blankets that you can cut up and dye if need be that only cost a dollar or two.

Now that you have the two main components all you need in a piece of burlap and your off to the races. Some people prefer to design their own mat, usually drawn on the burlap with a sharpie. Others buy pre stamped or pre drawn mats ready to be hooked. This is were my pictures become…. not so great.

You always start from the underside of your burlap. Put your hook through the front of your burlap and pick up one end of your strip and pull straight through to the front again. Pretty straight forward huh??? So you will have a little tail hanging around on the top of your piece. It will stay a tail until you have enough rows packed in around it so that its secured tightly. Then you can snip off the top. The picture above shows me holding the strip with one hand, the other is used to push the hook through the front of the burlap, catch the strip and pull it up through to the front. Its a little fiddley at first, you need to make sure your strip lays flat the whole time and doesn’t get twisted in the back.

So here is the loop being pulled up through the front. It is also important to try and make sure your loops are the same height all along. At first this was, and still is sometimes, annoying. When you pull the loop up, you also need to pull the loop back towards the loops you have already made. If you pull the other way, it will pull your previous loops out and is annoying as old heck!! When I watch the ladies at hooking do this it takes them less than a second. The hook goes in and out in and out. Me….. well it takes me long, I don’t have my height etc down pat yet so I have to really focus on making them all match. In time though it will come i’m sure. So that is basically it.

 You repeat the last step until you get to the end of the strip, then pull your end tail up to the front like you did at the beginning and wait until it is packed in before cutting the top off it. Then you begin all over again. A simple task creates a beautiful rug!!

Hopefully that helped you Monika, and anyone else. Feel free to ask any other questions you might have. If I don’t know the answer I can surely find out!

I’ll leave you with a picture of my progress on Cobblestone…..enjoy!

                                                                 D is for Duffle Coat

            Pattern:  Duffle Coat by Zoe Mellor in Double Knits

            Yarn: Cascade 220 green 8903

            Needles: US size 7

           Start Date: January 2008

           Finish Date: 24th February 2008

*Waves white flag* Ok Jeanne, you win, I’m done with Moss stitch for a while!!! This project was getting very monotonous at the end, I just wanted it to be done but what a cute outcome.

I love this little duffle coat, and although duffle coats are supposed to have toggles I couldn’t find the right toggles. I found plain wood ones but nothing at all like the dark stained toggles I had imagined. Mum came down last week with some mini buttons, a miniture version of what I have stashed away for a special cardi. I placed them against the coat and it was instant love. I couldn’t have picked them out better myself. She only brought a card of 4 as she didn’t realize there were 8 on the coat so when we were out yesterday I popped in to Fabricville and got another card. An pleasant reminder from Missyvanee to hurry the frig up and finish it already *and no she didn’t say it like that * was all that was needed to pop those buttons on this afternoon and get some pictures taken. Sometimes all thats need is that gentle nudge for me to get something done. Thanks Missy!!

D is also for Drive

All you need to do is say the words “Wanna go for a Drive?” and tails are wagging like helicopters and paws are dancing all over the hardwood floors. No not Moose’s paws!

Molly and Boston’s of course. Molly is pretty low key and doesn’t dance about as much as Boston does on a regular basis but when you say Drive she is gone to the truck like a lightning bolt.  She runs from one side to the other wondering which side she’s gonna get in. She WILL push her way through Boston to get into the truck first, while poor Boston has some trouble getting his footing for the step up.

Molly is the console driver, she has to have her head rested on the console, close to dad of course, while Boston likes to look over my shoulder or rest his head on the bench seat and look at the cars behind.  They are our constant driving companions and I couldn’t ask for better.

In an effort to catch up on the ABC along here is my C post.

                                                      C is for Casting on Cobblestone!

Finally I have a few knits out of the way so I could Cast on for this sweater. I’ve only had the yarn for a little over a month…… every day it would stare at me, BEG me to Cast on. I’d tell it well, maybe tomorrow once I get that duffle coat of my needles. Then it was well, I really should finish the sleeves of that sweater I’ve been working on since 2007…. FINALLY it is all done, FINALLY I can Cast on. I’m using Queensland Kathmandu Aran which I bought at Webs last month. I’d wanted to use the Skye tweed that the pattern calls for because there is such a great defination with the stitches but everyone knows its now discontinued and I sooooooo missed out on the big sale at Webs last summer *sigh* So the lovely site that is Ravelry had some great finished Cobblestone’s made with the Kathmandu. I checked on Webs and at 4 dollars a ball how could I go wrong. I cast on for this on the 26th and let me just tell you how fabulous this yarn is. I was expecting it to be rough and arany but it is soooooo soft and just scrumptious to work with. Finally after working about 5 inches with the stuff I looked at the label…. 85% merino, 10% silk, 5% cashmere…. Holy crap that would explain it! Now I’m wishing I would have got more of this stuff for a sweater for myself. I’m having the greatest time knitting this pattern, I don’t know what it is exactly that is captivating me, its just knit and purl after all but there is something about the two side sections of purl that has me in a trance. I can’t stop knitting!! I say to myself ok I’ll knit till the next purl section then go do something, but when I get to that purl section I have to knit it, and when I’ve done the purl section I have to knit the next section and when I knit the knit section I have to knit the purl……… ahhhhh the cycle is endless but it sure is making the body go quickly. I’m alot farther on than this picture now, I may have the body finished up today or tomorrow as there’s only 5 more inches or so. Moose just might be able to wear it this year yet

Enough about Cobblestone, are you all wondering how the clogs turned out and what Moose thought???? If your not then why the heck aren’t you!!! *grins* Ok really though the clogs are felted. Moose loves them, and can be seen prancing about in them during the evening’s. That makes me one happy Donkey!

and it just hit me….. C is for Clogs!

       Pattern: Fiber Trends Felted Clogs Men’s Medium

       Yarn: Lion Brand Felting in Chocolate, Patons Classic Merino Wool in Old Gold

       Needles: 9mm circs

       Start Date: Feb 20th 2008

       Finish Date: Feb 22nd 2008

So as you all know I ran out of brown, 6 rows too short and had to use the gold for those extra six rows because of this I had to felt that slipper a little bit more to catch up with the other. They turned out wearable in the end and thats all that matters I guess. I will be knitting this pattern again, in the near future, as I plan on making a pair for my mum and dad for when they come to visit.

Next post will be all about Hooking, for Monika, you will be able to see just how its done. Maybe not ALL about hooking, you’ll have to wait and see

Saturday Deb and I head out for a fiber filled day. London-Wul was the destination, as Heidi was having her big “Out like a Lion” sale. We left earlier than we should have and decided to make a stop in at Reid’s. If you haven’t heard of Reid’s it translates into BIG OLE MAGAZINE STORE!!! WALL TO WALL!! I was in love the minute I walked in. Of course we both bee lined it for the knitting seciton My favourites were there which I quickly snapped up as well as a copy of Sandra. I’d never heard of this magazine before but its an Austrian knitting mag, very cheap but has TONS of really nice sweaters in it. Expect to see something cute from its pages in the near future. After that, not so quick stop, we headed on to London-Wul. We arrived opened the door and who would greet me but a familiar face. It was the lovely Jennifer in search of a yarny deal The chatting waited for later because there was yarn to be had! I was excited to see not only yarn and spinning material but some fibers and materials for rug hooking. Rug hooking is digging down deeper into my fiber soul. I know I said hooking wouldn’t take over my knitting, and it won’t, but I’m already thinking about my next rug and what it should be, thanks to this book.

Its Hook me a story by Deanne Fitzpatrick. Deanne’s book is all about the history of rug hooking in the maritime’s, what it was and what it now is. Her work has inspired me greatly and brought lots of fond memories to mind from home. I have several rug idea’s in my head right now, but I just need to get this first one done before I let my thoughts come to life.

Now where was I??? Ahhhh yes back to London-Wul. Need a visual??? Of course you do.

This is London-Wul, or part of it anyway. That wall all along the back is Lopi heaven. Alot of rug hookers use only yarns and Lopi seems to be the favourite. Heidi also carries, Fleece Artist, Noro, Briggs and Little, Trekking… the list goes on. But there’s also Heidi’s handspun, or hand dyed, this girl is just living the dream I say. There was only a few things on my list I had brought with me because really I have some yummy yarns at home just waiting to be knit up so I wasn’t in the market for much but you know its always nice to browse. I did manage to some baby cotton for some cute little hats i’m planning and a few small roving packs for my rug.

Speaking of rugs, Heidi had several hanging up in the studio, they were massive and oh so gorgeous.

She is working on one right now of Angus, her big ole doggie. Sadly he wasn’t at the studio that day, he’s been recovering from surgeries and hospitalization, poor guy, so next time I’ll hoping to see him. There were also tons of bunnies and the famous “BAABY” one of Heidi’s sheep. I will be back at London-Wul soon I’m sure for another adventure.

                                                                              Jen and Deb

Last stop was the new Cricket Cove shop in Moncton. Once again I was VERY good, and came out with nothing. A nice little shop which I’m sure the Moncton knitters are happy to have.

               I have fo’s and i’m terribly behind in the ABC along but that will have to wait for another day.