Miknits

Happy Chinese New Year!

2009-01-26T18:48:00.002-05:00

For us, Chinese New Year marks the end of the hectic holiday season. It was only until this past week that it felt like things have gone back to normal. That's because of Caleb's mysterious Christmas preset:

Chicken Pox!

We have no idea where he got it from. At first we didn't even know what it was, because people kept telling me that breastfed babies can't get the pox. Thankfully, it was very mild. Then he passed it on to his sister. Luckily his brother had been vaccinated already. Poor Gracie had it pretty bad, but is now practically itch-free.

Now, all is well, and everyone is back to normal!

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-24T09:05:00.005-05:00

If any reader is still out there, I want to wish you all a joy-filled Christmas!

Sorry I haven't been around. Sadly, knitting has taken a back seat to life with a baby. A sign that knitting is no longer on my mind: I knit my mom a shawl for her birthday in October, and I gave it to her without taking pictures!

I had bought yarn and patterns for Christmas gifts, but ended up not knitting anything. Oh well. There's always next year!

I guess my only report is that life is good, and all is well.

My blog reader has over 700 post, so I don't know what's going on with all of you, but I hope everyone is happy and healthy. May the Lord's love fill your homes this holiday season!

Liesl

2008-08-25T18:48:00.005-04:00

I jumped on the bandwagon, and knit the popular Liesl.

This sweater was actually supposed to be for me! The pattern calls for worsted to bulky yarn and 7mm needles. I used worsted and only had 6mm needles, so I knit a bigger size. Of course, I didn't measure gauge, which would probably have been important!

Luckily the sweater looks pretty darn cute on Grace, and she was so happy to get a new sweater.

My days are just flying by so quickly. I can't believe I have to start homeschooling again in a couple of weeks! Caleb is growing like a weed; he's already doubled his birth weight (14lbs):

I am enjoying him so much; much more than the other kids. I think with the first child, I was such a nervous parent being a newbie. With the second, the first kid was a toddler, so I was constantly frazzled. Since Josh and Grace are much older now, they are a great help, and are really good at being on their own. Now I just have to train them to do diaper duty!

Light Knitting

2008-07-24T17:56:00.006-04:00

I've been doing lots of light knitting...light in terms of weight. I discovered that if I breastfeed in bed, with both of us lying down and my head propped up on pillows, I can knit socks quite well. My little guy wants to feed constantly, which can be quite inconvenient, but I am sure getting lots of socks done!

Basic Koigu Socks

Spring Forward Socks with Yarntini's cornflower blue semi-solid

Speedway Socks using DK Knits Technicolor Dreamtoes

This past week I started venturing out with the three kids for the first time. Just little walks to the park. I feel so bad for the kids because they've been mostly stuck inside. They've been so patient and understanding though. I have them occupied with their first Webkinz. Caleb is a little pudge-ball now. I love watching him sleep. I just wish he slept more!

2008-07-09T14:39:00.000-04:00

I'm one month old today!!

Canada Day

2008-07-02T14:40:00.005-04:00

Sorry this is a little belated, but I just wanted to send out a big thank you for everyone's well wishes and congratulations. Baby is doing wonderful; he's my first child who hasn't needed photo therapy for jaundice, which was a huge relief.

Yesterday was Canada Day, and our tradition since moving into our neighbourhood is to head across the street to the park where our city puts up a little celebration. I fed Caleb, put him in the stroller...

...and like an angel he fell asleep for three hours while his brother and sister had lots of fun.

Hubby took Josh and Grace back later for fireworks while I stayed home. I really didn't miss anything, because this was the view from our backyard door:

Pretty cool!

Hail in June?

2008-06-17T09:53:00.004-04:00

I woke up from an afternoon nap yesterday to an unfamiliar sound. It turned out to be marble-sized hail hitting against all the windows of the house. It was quite bizarre, since we had been out earlier in the day and it was sunny and warm. The hail was hitting so hard, and I was scared a window would break.

Here is something started before Caleb came:

It's Athos from Berroco: Norah Gaughan vol.2. I really like her designs, and this will be my first project from her.

Baby is going for his 5th bilirubin test today. Poor guy!

Happy Father's Day

2008-06-15T10:48:00.002-04:00

About 5 months ago, my husband left his job as a restaurant manager to work at home in his own business. At first, it was a huge adjustment. We went from never seeing him, to having him always around. But it soon became a huge blessing. He made a great effort in helping with the kids and the housework while I was pregnant, and was so supportive and patient with me. My husband is far from perfect, but he was perfectly matched to me by God.

I love watching my husband with Caleb. He turns into such a soft and tender person, which is TOTALLY unlike him.

Caleb and I are doing well. Last night he stopped cluster feeding, and slept in 2 hour blocks, which is pretty good. He is a bit jaundiced, so we're having him tested again tomorrow. Both of my other kids had to be readmitted to the hospital for light therapy, so I'm praying we won't have to do that again.

And since this is a knitting blog, here is some knitting:

Basic Koigu socks. The gusset part was knit during contractions at the hospital, but my labour progressed so quickly that I didn't get much done. I don't think I'll be knitting any time soon, but I definitely miss it. I stare longingly at my knitting bag as I breastfeed. If only I had one extra arm, I could do both at the same time!

Meet Caleb

2008-06-12T11:19:00.001-04:00

Born Monday, June 9 at 11:22pm, 7 lbs .3 oz.
We're doing well; trying to catch up on our sleep!

Praise God for this great blessing!

Monkey Business

2008-06-09T12:25:00.002-04:00

I had a bit of yarn left over, so I made a sock monkey baby blanket:

It's about 30" x 30", so perfect for a stroller or carseat.

Oh, and by the way...I think my labour has started!

Last night around 11pm, I started getting really light contractions. They are still light today, but regular every 5-10 minutes. I was expecting this third time around would be the quickest, but doesn't look like it so far. Please pray for me, that everything goes smoothly!!

Waving Lace Socks

2008-06-05T15:04:00.002-04:00

When I cast on for a pair of Waving Lace Socks, my plan was to just get them on the needles, and save them to take to the hospital during labour. But it had been so long since I knit socks, and I was enjoying it so much, that next thing I knew, they were done!

The yarn is Oceanwind Knits in Ahoy, which reminds me of an oil slick.

I cast on a Clapotis next...don't know why...it's not like I need a wool scarf in fall colours any time soon. This project is also knitting up quickly. Baby better come soon, or else I'll have nothing to take to the hospital!

Monkey Love!

2008-05-28T19:45:00.004-04:00

Yarn: Patons Classic Wool in aran and red, Sirdar Supersoft Toddler Aran in duster brown #879

Needles: 4.5mm

Pattern: my own; just basically tubes knit on DPNs, ears and mouth knit sort of like sock toes.

Sock Monkey

2008-05-26T10:31:00.003-04:00

A while ago, we watched the movie Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium. It was a very strange movie; not one of my faves. However, in it is the cutest little sock monkey. Every since we saw that movie, Josh has been asking for a monkey, and here he is:

Me being me, I gave no thought to gauge or number of stitches, and just started knitting with no pattern. Of course this means that the doll is turning out HUGE! As I was knitting this monstrosity, the thought occurred to me that if I cast on the right number of stitches for a sock, then I'd get the right amount for a sock monkey. DUH!

Last week I also ended my Science Club. I had been running a little club for about a dozen homeschooled kids at church, where we do a little Bible lesson and a science experiment that goes along with it. For our last experiment, we ended with a "bang", and made volcanoes:

Here's the science lesson learned: the more the mess = the more the fun!

Finished Projects

2008-05-24T00:12:00.005-04:00

I have some FOs to show. I've been working hard to clear up all the projects I've been working on. I know that once baby comes, there won't be much knitting for a while.

First is the Cavern Cardigan:

I had to guess how the front would fit because of my belly. I don't know why, but it never occured to me to use my mannequin to measure. Anyways, as you can see, the fronts are way too big and overlap, but I actually like how they turned out. I still have to sew on a button, but won't put it in until I lose my tummy. I really love this Dream In Color; it is incredible soft, and I'll definitely be using it again.

Next is a log cabin blanket for baby:

Yarn is Cotton-Ease in Almond, Lake and Taupe, and it comes out to about 45" x 45". The beginning was so fun and quick, but those outer rings were torture!!

Lastly, are some newborn-sized hats, made from left-over Mandarin Petit:

Teeny-tiny, about 36cm circumference, to wear home from the hospital.

Hospital bags are packed. I'm almost ready. This Sunday is my last day of teaching Sunday school, and Grace has a birthday party to go to on June 1st. After that, baby is welcome to make his appearance! 'Til then, he better stay put!

This Week

2008-05-10T09:34:00.007-04:00

This past week had gone by so quickly. It began with a trip to the David Dunlap Observatory. This place has the largest telescope in Canada, and is only a few minutes away from my home. We've lived here for a few years, but this was the first time we've visited.

We had a great presentation by one of the scientists, then actually got to go into the silo (don't know what this type of building is really called) to see the telescope.

It was quite dark inside, so none of my pictures came out very well.

There was a reason that finally encouraged us to visit the observatory. The facility is owned by the University of Toronto, and sits on an incredible 180 acres of undisturbed forest in the middle of the suburbs. The university recently put the land up for sale, and announced the Observatory will be closed down. Whats really sad is that the forest will likely be turned into houses, and the telescope just junked. The big-wigs downtown say the telescope is useless, but the scientist that we spoke to say that it continues to provide valuable research, just not the kind of research the downtown guys are interested in. The city of Richmond Hill is trying to buy the land, but I doubt they can compete with the developers. It's all really quite sad.

This week was also used to finish up projects. First is a stripey baby vest:

Pattern: modified from Essential Vest in Essential Baby

Yarn: Sandnesgarn Mandarin Petit

Needles: 3mm

It was quite a challenge knitting with 5 balls at the same time, but since this vest is a newborn size, it went pretty quickly.

Next is my Shetland Triangle shawl:

Such a great pattern! Went by so fast! I used Blue Sky Alpaca, Alpaca Silk and 4mm needles.

Want to see my bump?

It's quite funny looking; so low and pointy. Just looks like I have a basketball under my shirt!

I also finished my Cavern Cardi, but haven't blocked it yet. Will show you soon!

Quickies

2008-05-01T10:28:00.002-04:00

Just a quick post about some quick FOs, as I'm about to head out for a doctor's check-up. I love the instant gratification of crochet. I saw this adorable hat pattern the other day from Owlishy. I ran out the the new Michaels that opened 2 minutes from my home (I love where I live!!) and picked up some Paton's Grace in taupe. I used a 3.75mm hook, increased to 80 sts, and worked even for about 3.5". Should fit newborn to 3 mo. (about 40cm circumference). I had an extra ball of yarn, so I made up a matching teddy bear rattle. I think I'll make the same hat, but knit...the crochet is too stiff for my liking.

It's A Happy Day!

2008-04-26T17:47:00.004-04:00

...for Hubby that is! He finally got his long awaited sweater, and boy was he happy! (Men are so easily satisfied)

I'm so relieved it fit him. This was the first men's sweater I've knit, and it seemed to be huge. The sleeves just went on and on forever! The weather has cooled down a bit the last 3 days, and he's been wearing it every day. The yarn I used was Knit Picks Swish, which I don't think I'll use again. It's very soft, but it looks like it's gonna pill a lot, even on 4.25mm needles I used. The pattern is roughly followed from the Baseball sweater from Knitty.

I also started a Shetland Triangle shawl, inspired by the gorgeous one Tammy recently made.

I'm using Blue Sky Alpacas Alpaca Silk, which is so yummy!

I think I've gone into nesting mode. I find myself cleaning things I've never cleaned before! Only 7 more weeks!

Vine Lace Vest

2008-04-17T20:23:00.003-04:00

My mom saw Grace's bolero, and asked for the exact same sweater. She liked how it was something little to warm her shoulders. I didn't think a short little bolero would look very good on her, so I chose something a little more grown-up:

Pattern: Vine Lace Vest (pdf)

Yarn: Lion Brand Cotton-Ease, lake, 2.5 balls

Needles: 4mm and 5mm

This pattern was so quick to finish. And the more I knit with Cotton-Ease, the more I love it! It is so soft and squishy! There is no shaping (this sweater is just one big rectangle with an opening at the front) but it still fits quite nicely. I tried modeling it, but my big belly just looked ridiculous. Maybe I can get some shots of my mom.

Hubby's extra ball of yarn came today, so his sweater will be done next!

2008-04-11T12:04:00.004-04:00

Poor Hubby has been patiently waiting for his Transformers sweater. A few inches from the end, I ran out of yarn:

I found a single ball for sale on Ravelry, so he's gonna have to wait just a little longer! Hopefully the weather will still be cool enough for him to wear a wool sweater.

Grace got a new doll, which she named Sweet Petunia:

She's named after a character from Veggie Tales. The pattern from Owlishy is really well written. Yarn is Bernat Satin, and I used a 5mm hook. Lots of embroidery, but it was worth it.

And lastly, I forgot to show these little flip-top mitts I knit for Grace a while ago:

Yarn: Regia sock, 1 ball

Needles: 3mm

Pattern: basic mitten construction

Hello!

2008-04-02T11:03:00.005-04:00

Hello Everyone! Sorry I haven't posted in a while! To be honest, I've been seriously thinking about ending this blog. I haven't been feeling very motivated to keep it up. My husband, of all people, doesn't want me to stop, so I'll still be popping in every once in a while.

A lot has happened since the last post. My baby girl turned 5!

Easter toys were knitted:

Pattern: Fuzzy Mitten Lamb
Yarn: mystery mohair and Bernat Satin

Pattern: Which Came First from Mochimochi Land
Yarn: Elann Peruvian Highland Wool

Baby vest completed:

Pattern: Vest from Essential Baby by Debbie Bliss
Yarn: Patons Grace, 2 balls
Needles: 4mm

Hubby's Transformers sweater is almost done, 2 new sweaters and a cowl have been started, and I've purchased a load of new patterns. The problem is, not much knitting is being done. My usual knitting time in the evenings has been replace with an early bedtime. Everything aches right now, and even sitting on the couch knitting is not very comfy. I've also been trying to give the kids more quality time, since I know they'll be neglected once Baby #3 arrives. I have only 10 more weeks to go...I'm so excited, but so not ready! But like Hubby says, "That's okay! It's not like we were ready for the first two!".

Two New Bags

2008-03-19T16:23:00.003-04:00

I love my Knitting Needles bag!

It was such a quick and easy pattern. I used Patons Shetland Chunky in Dark Olive, about 2.5 balls. The wooden needles are 9mm, and the lining is Amy Butler. The thing I was looking forward the most about making this bag was trying out my new sewing machine. I have to say, it was a lot harder than I thought it would be! I hadn't touched a sewing machine since grade 8 home ec., so I had to read the manual cover to cover. I'm not going to tell you how many hours it took me to sew two pieces of fabric together, 'cause it's really embarrassing! I'm so pleased with the result. Now I have to convince Hubby I need to join a sewing class.

I also got this little cutie from Schrodinger Originals:

On a completely different topic...have you heard about homeschooling being declared illegal in California? I don't know all the details, and as far as I know you can continue to homeschool without fear the government coming after you, but still. It's very scary, the way society is now. I know there are a few homeschooling moms that read this blog from California, and I just wanted to let you guys know, you and your children are in my prayers!

Snow, snow, go away!

2008-03-09T11:19:00.003-04:00

When the weather went to 11 degrees the other day, and a lot of the snow melted, I seriously believed that the snow was behind us.

I was wrong:

That's our neighbour needing a boost. We didn't make it to church this morning. Hubby couldn't dig us out in time!

More baby knitting...

2008-03-07T15:27:00.003-05:00

A few weeks ago, I was at Walmart browsing around the baby section. I spotted some simple flannel burp cloths, and thought to myself that I'll be needing lots of those. Then I looked at the price...$9 for 2, tiny rectangles of fabric! Ha! Forget it! I immediately went over to the craft isle and grabbed an armful of Handicrafter cotton.

That was a few weeks ago...this is now:

Pattern: Baby Genius Burp Cloth from Mason-Dixon Knitting

Yarn: Bernat Handicrafter, 2 balls per cloth.

Needles: 5mm

I'm very pleased I have such pretty cloths for baby to spit up on, but I'm so sick of Handicrafter now!

Also on the needles are some vests from Debbie Bliss' Essential Baby:

What's the fastest way to finish a project?

2008-03-04T09:13:00.003-05:00

Frog it!!

I frogged three projects this week. I ran out of yarn for the baby socks in my last post, so I frogged my sock scrap blanket to finish them. I don't know what I was thinking, starting that blanket. It would have taken me a decade to collect enough scraps to complete it.

I also scrapped the Graduated Rib sweater that's been in my closet for more than 2 years.

I actually really liked this one, and was hoping I could finish it to fit over my big belly. But my knitting has improved a lot in just 2 years. The stitches were all wonky and the ribs were loose and messy. It was beyond saving.

Finally, I frogged the Brea bag. I liked this one too, but it was quite small, and such an odd shape, that I don't think I would really have any use for it. I used the yarn and started the Knitting Needle Bag from Bag Style. I really like the berry stitch; very cute!

A few days ago it was -11 degrees...yesterday it was +11 degrees. I really hope that's it for the really cold weather. My winter coat barely fits anymore!

Is the snow going to just disappear?

2008-02-29T18:07:00.006-05:00

Our Easter tree went up this week:

I can't believe February is already over! My son asked me today, "Since tomorrow is March, is all the snow going to disappear?". Yeah, I wish! There are two yarn shops in my area with big sales on today, but I can't go anywhere due to another snowstorm. I guess it's better I not buy anymore yarn.

More baby socks:

...made from left-over Shelridge Farms Ultra.

Molly Bolero

2008-02-26T20:52:00.004-05:00

Pattern: Molly Bolero by Debbie Bliss, Junior Knits

Yarn: Lion Brand Cotton Ease, 3 balls, Violet

Needles: 4.5 mm

I knit a larger, size 6-7 yrs, because I remembered my Indigo Ripples skirt shrunk a lot in the wash. With the left-overs, I also knit Grace a simple cowl:

Now that daughter is happy for a while, back to baby knitting!

Mmmmm...lattes!

2008-02-25T21:25:00.007-05:00

Our neighbourhood is quite new. There's still parts of it that are not yet completed, like the big field just beside us. Right on the other side of that field, is a brand new, little plaza. It's about a 5 minute walk away.

This picture is from my kitchen window. See the red arrow?

Guess what it's gonna be?

STARBUCKS!!!

I can't wait 'til I can drink lattes again!

Graces's bolero was a quick knit. Here it is unseamed and without cuffs:

It's finished now, and I'll post the pics tomorrow.

Rocketry Cardigan

2008-02-23T10:02:00.003-05:00

Rocketry is all done:

Pattern: Rocketry Baby Cardigan by Dream in Color

Yarn: Mission Falls 1824 wool, 2 balls Denim, 1 ball Stone, 1 Ball Cocoa, 1 ball Basil, 1 ball Dijon

This yarn is very soft, and comes in so many beautiful colours. However, it is so fluffy, that I can imagine it pilling right away if you knit with the recommended 5mm needles.

Used 4.5mm needles, and should fit about 6-9 months. Very quick and easy! I had enough left overs for a hat, too:

Pattern: Striped Hat from Adorable Knits for Tots

Size: small, about 9-12 months

Every time I start a new project, Grace asks me if I'm making something for her. When I tell her no, she gets so sad. That girl just loves gifts! So, I started a bolero for her.

Family Day

2008-02-18T08:53:00.002-05:00

Today is "Family Day", a new statutory holiday the Ontario government decided we needed in February. There's all kinds of great discounts going on all over the city, but unfortunately we're all a little sick. So, today is laundry and knitting day!

Here's some baby Koigu socks:

I'm totally guessing the sizes for the baby socks. Some baby sock patterns I see are really fat around the gusset, so I'm not sure if these will fit.

On a completely different topic, I wanted to share my dream I had last night. I rarely remember my dreams, and this one was quite strange. I was a little girl, and I walked home from school. I was expecting to go home to an empty house, but when I went in I found Ben Affleck. He was wearing a red basketball track suit, and lying on my couch watching tv. I freaked out and screamed at him to leave. When he didn't, I got a broom, and started hitting him with it. Then I woke up. Very weird. I haven't watched any Affleck movies in a while, too, so I don't know where it came from.

Anyways, Happy Family Day!

9th

2008-02-15T09:27:00.004-05:00

Thank you for all your nice Sheldon comments! My kids really wanted to keep Sheldon for themselves, but I had to explain that they had rooms full of toys, but Baby doesn't have any toys yet.

Yesterday, Hubby and I celebrated our 9th anniversary. I never expect any gifts, but yesterday he surprised me with a card, chocolates, roses (not real ones, the soft stuffed toy kind!), and a shirt with this picture:

The company that made it is iseemyface.com, and they did a really great job. It's from a picture taken before we were married, and does really look like us!

Our marriage has not always been smooth, and to be honest, has had more downs than ups, but I'm so thankful for my husband. He really is a great guy. He loves the Lord, and loves to study His Word, and because of that, I know we'll always be okay.

Rocketry is done...just need to get some buttons:

The yarn I used is Mission Falls 1824 wool. I was really surprised how soft it was; perfect for baby. However, I've read many negative comments about pilling. I knitted this sweater on smaller than suggested needles, so we'll see how well it holds up. The balls are only 50g/85 yards, which was perfect for this small project that used multiple colours.

Thank you, Debbie, for the pattern!

Sheldon

2008-02-05T19:21:00.000-05:00

Here is Baby's first toy: Sheldon the Turtle!

Pattern: Sheldon from Knitty
Yarn: Knit Picks Shine Sport, 1 ball grass, 1 ball green apple
Needles: 3.25mm and crochet hook

Modifications: I was supposed to use applied I-cord to attach the top and bottom shells, but I couldn't figure out how to do it neatly. Instead, I did I-cord on just the top shell, then using a crochet hook, slip stitched the shells together. I also left the tail part open, because I forgot to go up a needle size on the bottom shell, and it was a little snug.

I barely had enough yarn left over for some tiny socks.

They were 30 sts. on 3mm.

Up next: a Rocketry cardi, and it's knitting up so quickly!

Our Valentine's Tree

2008-02-03T17:16:00.000-05:00

We finally took down the Christmas tree this week-end, and replaced it with a Valentine's tree:

When I was little, I had a favourite book about a family that kept their tree up all year, decorating it according to the nearest holiday. I had always wanted to do that, and two years ago we did. But after one entire year, my husband had enough, and we had to take it down. He's letting us do it again, but only until the baby comes. We'll have time for an Easter tree, then a "welcome the baby" tree.

On another note, it brings me great joy and satisfaction to announce I frogged the Minimalist Cardigan. Whoo hoo! Sorry, but that moss stitch was not fun. I worked on it for 2 hours while watching a movie. At the end of the movie, I looked at my work, and found a big mistake near the beginning. That was the last straw. I hope to use the yarn for one of those cute cardis in the upcoming Interweave issue.

Baby Knitting

2008-02-01T13:51:00.000-05:00

I finished my first baby knits this week. Baby knitting is so awesome...it's quick, it's cute, and it's a great stash buster!

First is a simple cardi from Debbie Bliss' Essential Baby.

And I hade enough yarn left over to make a basic hat from Itty-Bitty Hats, and Herringbone Booties from 50 Baby Bootees to Knit.

All should fit up to 3 months, and took only 3 balls of King Soffice yarn.

I started knitting Sheldon from Knitty today. Shouldn't take too long 'cause were hunkered down in the house today. We're supposed to get up to 35 cm of snow by nightfall!

Project Updates

2008-01-24T18:52:00.000-05:00

I'm trying to clear all my WIPs, but it's been difficult because of new stuff. Right now I have:

1. the Minimalist Cardigan - started the fronts
2. Brea bag - haven't touched it
3. Esther socks - finished the first one

I started my first baby knit last night; the same one Kathy made. And I've been grudgingly working on this:

Ever since I knit my son and cousin their Transformers sweaters, hubby has been begging for one. First I told him I had morning sickness, then I said I had to knit X-mas gifts, then I had the sock club pattern... but now I've run out of excuses. I am NOT looking forward to more intarsia.

Thrummed mitts are done. I will get some pics when they get put to use.

Ultrasound

2008-01-22T18:51:00.000-05:00

I had my anatomy ultrasound today, and everything went well! Here is my little bun in the oven:

It's a boy! Now I can start baby knitting!

It's been freezing here this week, and my kids need good tobogganing mitts, so I've been thrumming away:

I love these mitts; they're so squishy! I'll have enough fleece left over to make myself a pair too!

Heartland Lace Shawl

2008-01-18T10:01:00.000-05:00

Pattern: Heartland Lace Shawl by Evelyn A. Clark

Yarn: Jo Sharp Alpaca Silk Georgette, 5 balls, colour: pearl

Needles: 3.75mm

Size: 58" x 29"

It's been a while since I knitted a shawl, and I forgot how fun it is. In the last couple of days there has been some serious knitting sessions because I was afraid I wouldn't be done before Saturday, but I made it with time to spare! I'm so happy with this shawl. I hope it brings the recipient some warmth and comfort. The yarn is awesome and the pattern was easy. The pattern is available free from Buffalo Gold. You have to send them an email asking for the pattern, and I got mine the next day. This shawl was so fun, that I think I will cast on another shawl right away!

This Week

2008-01-14T11:15:00.000-05:00

Last week I finished up and sent off my sock pattern to Yarn4Socks. Since I found it posted on their site, I guess I can tell you that February's sock club yarn is a semi-solid merino by Yarntini! It is very pretty!

There's been quite a bit of knitting going on since those socks are out of the way. I tried out my swift for the first time:

I had lots of eager helpers. If only they could be as eager at their chores! On the swift is the yarn for the Minimalist Cardigan. I really need to finish it...now that my waistline is rapidly expanding, I'm in desperate need for clothes.

I got these basic ribbed socks done:

Yarn is Regia Canadian Classic Color #4746.

And I started something new too:

The pattern is Heartland Lace Shawl by Evelyn Clark, and I'm using Jo Sharp's Alpaca Silk Georgette. My mom is flying to Hong Kong next Sunday to visit an aunt recently diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, so I'd like to give this to her.

That's it for now! Have a great week!

Blogaversary Contest

2008-01-13T15:39:00.000-05:00

And the winner is...

Kristen from A day in the life of 5, 3, & 1! Congratulations Kristen!
Kristen has asked me to pick the prize and surprise her.

Thank you, everyone, for sharing your goals with me!

Guess What Today Is?

2008-01-09T10:39:00.000-05:00

It's my one-year blogaversary!! Hooray!!

I started this blog mainly to keep a journal my knitting, but along the way, I've met so many wonderful friends. Some who live very similar lives as me...some completely different...but all of us connected by our love for knitting. I truly value all of you! Thank you for making this blog so precious to me. I say we celebrate by having a little contest!!!

I'm not one for making New Year's resolutions. They're just too...well...resolute! I like to call mine "goals for the next little while". Doesn't that sound like less pressure?

For personal goals, I really need to work on my attitude. I am constantly keeping it in check; stopping myself from being grumpy, angry and negative. I'm aiming for 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, "Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Jesus Christ.". That's tops in my personal goals.

As for knitting goals, 2008 is going to be the year of baby knitting! I find out the sex on Jan.22, and I have tons of patterns ready to choose from!

For the contest, share in the comments section either a personal or a knitting goal. The contest will end Friday midnight, and I will randomly choose one entry. The winner will get to choose ONE of the following choices:

1. Koigu, 2 skeins, each 160 m, colourP1555

2. Dream In Color Smooshy, 2 skeins, each 450 yds (enough for a shawl?), colour is Cloud Jungle, actual yarn a little darker than photo

3. Colinette Jitterbug, 1 skein, 267m, colourway is Gauguin #100

4. Handmaiden Sea Silk, 1 skein, 400 m, colour is Blackberry

Good luck!

Happy New Year!

2008-01-01T10:19:00.000-05:00

What a year 2007 has been. Looking back, I've gone through some of the lowest and most painful experiences in my life, all of which I am so thankful for. I'm sure you've all heard or thought of the question, "If God loves us, why do bad things happen to us?". This year I got to learn that it's BECAUSE He loves us, that bad things happen. Everything works for His glory, and what may seem horrible and tragic to us, is all good to Him. Bad things strengthen us, teach us, help us to focus and rely on Him, help us to relate to others that are hurting. Bad things breaks us down into nothing, so that He can rebuild us. My lesson that the Lord has taught me in 2007, is to trust in Him and His timing, and to not care for my own desires, but to seek out what He desires for me. I would not change 2007 for anything. Nevertheless, I hope 2008's lesson is not so painful :)

"For I know the plans that I have for you, " declares the Lord, "plans for welfare and not for calamity, to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11

Happy New Year! May the Lord bless you and your families.

Secret Project

2007-12-31T09:51:00.001-05:00

Now that the craziness of the holidays is over, and my energy is much improved, knitting has resumed almost on a daily basis. I have so many projects I'm itching to start. But before I do, I'd really like to finish up all the WIPs lying around. But before I do that, I need to finish a secret project!

A while ago, Valerie from the great shop yarn4socks.com contacted me about designing a pattern for their sock club. Why in the world she thought of asking me is a mystery, but I couldn't say no to such a fun and exciting opportunity. My pattern will be included in their February installment. I can't really say anything about the pattern, or the yarn, or the yarn's artist, but I will say this...when I found out who's yarn I was going to be paired up with, I was squealing with glee! They are one of my favourites....really, really big...tops in the world of hand-dying! So exciting! The first sock is almost done.

Since I can't show you any pictures of the sock, I'll share a pic of this handsome guy we made a few days ago:

Unfortunately he doesn't look so great today. Due to some rain, he's currently missing an eye and his frontal lobe. Poor snowman!

Gifts

2007-12-29T12:43:00.000-05:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas! Ours was very nice. Usually, Christmas dinner is a big, chaotic party (which I love), but this year it was only us, my mom, and an uncle. The evening was quiet and relaxed, and it was a pleasant change. Mom really liked the gloves, and has already requested her next gift be slippers.

Here is a gift I received from my aunt, which was a total surprise:

Awesome, huh? I'm kinda scared to open it. I think it might turn into a new obsession. I haven't sewed since grade 8 Home Ec. Already my mind is racing with possible projects.

My dad gave me some Christmas money, and it has been well spent. I got some great deals at Serenity Knits' boxing day sale:

Jo Sharp, Koigu, and superwash wool for my mom's slippers.

Did you get any special gifts this year?

Just In Time!

2007-12-24T13:02:00.001-05:00

My mom's gloves were finished rather quickly last week, thanks to a Lord of the Rings trilogy marathon. I used 2 balls of Zara, and a little bit of a third, on 3.25mm needles. Didn't make any changes to the pattern, except for extra stitches and decreases on each finger to prevent holes.

I also bought my mom the obligatory gift of chocolate (she loves Toblerone), and also a New Testament audio bible she had shown interest in.

Then, I started working on the doggie sweater. I thought my uncle's Pomeranian wearing a red and white ski sweater would be so adorable, but then I ran into problems with the pattern. I didn't quite get what it was saying, and the whole thing just didn't look right. It looked more like a sweater for a wine bottle. Plus there was fair isle on 2 needles...bleh!

I frogged the poor thing, dug out the pattern I used last year, and following the numbers, knit up this:

It's actually done now, but still drying. I know, the picture looks like a wine bottle sweater, but on the other side are increases for the chest, and two little legs. Hopefully I'll get a picture of the little guy wearing it.

All the rest of my gifts were purchased this year. I feel quite pleased with myself, because I remember running out to the drug store last Christmas day for last minute/forgotten gifts.

Thank you to all of you, who have given me the gift of friendship this past year. I hope you and your families have a safe and wonderful Christmas.

God Bless

Whoo-Hoo!!!

2007-12-20T10:12:00.001-05:00

I got my Christmas present early!

After almost 9 years of marriage, I've accepted the fact that my husband will never satisfy my need for thoughtful gifts on holidays. The way I see it now, if I don't have any expectations, I'll never be disappointed. After a failed attempt to drop major hints on my birthday (Grace even presented him with my LYS' business card, with the word "swift" printed on the back and the price) I decided to be more proactive this Christmas. Yesterday I fed him one of his favourite lunches: calzones. When he was done, and was sitting there all full and content, this was our conversation:

me: I have to go to the yarn store to get needles to finish the dog sweater.

him: Hmmm...

me: So...are you going to buy me a Christmas present this year?

him: Why, what do you want?

me: A swift!

him: What the heck is a swift?

me: It's something that helps wind a skein of yarn into a ball of yarn.

him: Why would you need that?

me: Because most of the yarn I buy comes in skeins.

him: How long does it take to wind one ball?

me: With the swift? I dunno...maybe 30 seconds? (Okay...I think I may have exaggerated just a little, but to my defense, I've never timed a skein being wound, and I'm sure if you went really, really fast, 30 sec. is pretty close)

him: And how long by hand?

me: Depends on the yarn...maybe 15 minutes? (Umm...never timed myself winding a skein by hand either, but some of those lace yarns are like 1400m!)

him: How much is it?

me: 80 bucks.

my son: Holy cow, 80 bucks?!?

(son gets really nasty look from mom)

him: Okay.

(I silently bite my lip and pump my fist up and down in celebration)

So this year, my honey bought me the most wonderful gift ever! Hooray!

Getting There

2007-12-12T13:05:00.000-05:00

My Christmas knitting has been slow-going. The other day I glanced at the calender, and had a mini panic attack when I realized how little time I had left to knit. The last two nights I've forced myself to work on my mom's gloves:

They're the Twisted Stitch Gauntlets from the Holiday 2007 Interweave. The pattern is just okay, but I'm loving this Zara yarn. I have tons of it in my stash, but this is the first time I've used it.

I also worked a bit on a doggie sweater. The patten is this one from Drops.

The yarn is Paton's Classic Wool. In terms of sizing, I'm just hoping it will fit. Last year I knit the same dog a cabled sweater with Patons, and it fit well, so I'm sorta following the same numbers again.

So...13 days left. I know I can finish these two projects. Anything beyond that, we'll see. I really don't like deadlines.

Are you ready for Christmas?

Real Snow

2007-11-26T09:14:00.001-05:00

It's been a chilly week, because we finally got some real snow. Real snow is defined in our home as enough snow on the ground to play in. Here's a pic from about a week ago:

Of course the kids were so happy. I was kinda hoping winter would mysteriously pass us by this year. If my husband walked in the room this very moment and told me we were moving permanently to Hawaii or Florida or California, I'd run upstairs and start packing!

I've had to rethink Christmas gifts this year, because my desire to knit hasn't really come back. I'm going to knit my mom some gloves, a scarf for an aunt, and a dog sweater, and that's it. That seems like a reasonable list to accomplish.

I finished my aunt's birthday socks, though a little late. This is the second time I knit the Embossed Leaves pattern from Favourite Socks, which I really like.

The yarn is Lana Grossa Meilenweit Marmi in Lime, and I chose this one because it can be both machine wash and dry. The yarn was pretty thin, so I used 2.25mm and did four repeats on the leg and 3 on the foot, switched to 2mm and did 1.5 more repeats. This made an 8.5" sock.

I blocked the socks with blockers I cut out of dollar store plastic place mats:

There is a shape template on this tutorial, but I just free handed mine. I will definitely be making more of these!

Thank you!

2007-11-17T10:07:00.000-05:00

Thank you so much for all of your congratulations! It's so nice to finally be able to share the news with people. I wish you could have seen the looks on my kids' faces when we told them. They were really devastated when I miscarried. Josh was so happy he was in tears! That little guy...so sensitive like his mommy!

I'm now 10 weeks (due June 16), and the nausea is slowly getting better. Still tired though, which means no knitting. And I don't think there will be much baby knitting until I know the sex. I'm not too crazy about yellow or mint!

I did finish one project last week, only because it's so cold and I really needed it:

Pattern: So Called Scarf

Yarn: Manos Del Uruguay, #113 Wildflowers, 2 skeins

Needles: US 11

I used the tutorial from Mason Dixon, which helped a lot.

About this Manos...I know this yarn is really popular, and I really like supporting yarns that help certain communities, but I really don't get why this yarn is so big. The colours are pretty, and it's fairly soft for wool, but the way it is spun is horrible: it varies from bulky to lace. I can't imagine a garment make from this yarn; you would end up with threadbare spots!

Also, one skein had one knot, and the other had five. I guess with yarns not made in a factory, there is little quality control. I won't be buying this yarn again, but I still really like this scarf. 2 skeins came out to a long scarf that could be wrapped twice around my neck.

Big News

2007-11-09T11:00:00.000-05:00

Hello! Is anyone still there?

I haven't come to give you knitting updates. Since my last post, I started a new scarf, and that's all.

The time is right to share some big news. Lately my need for knitting has been replaced for an overwhelming need for sleep. And when I'm not sleeping, I'm fighting nausea. Can you guess it?

I'm pregnant!! Praise God!!

This year began with a miscarriage, and I learned a huge lesson on trusting in God and His timing. I figured, lesson learned, now I can have that baby. Obviously I didn't REALLY learn my lesson. The Lord had me wait and learn to be patient. I finally realized it doesn't matter what I want, because if it isn't what He wants then it ain't gonna happen. When I finally got that in my heart, lo and behold, I became pregnant! I had an ultrasound this week, and everything is developing normally. I hope once I start feeling better in the 2nd trimester, my knitting will get back on track.

Gotta go...I need food! I could eat a horse!

I've Lost My Mojo

2007-11-01T15:23:00.001-04:00

My knitting mojo, that is.

Because of some changes here at home, and me battling fatigue every day, I've had no desire to knit. Or blog. Or look at knitting blogs. Sigh...

Everything is just stalled:

Esther is still stuck on sock #1 because this pattern is soooo slow-going; reminds me of when I was working on Bayerische.

Minimalist Cardi is stalled because my ball of yarn ran out, and I don't feel like winding a new one. Plus, the moss stitch was so torturously boring.

I did start some new socks. I was knitting at my aunt's place (the same aunt that volunteered me making the 2nd Transformers sweater), and she happily declared that she would like some socks for her birthday. Her birthday is in two weeks. Sure, no problem.

I had two yarns that were both machine wash and dry, so she can take her pick. Or take both.

Don't mind me; I'm just in a little funk. I'm sure every knitter goes through this.

New Road

2007-10-25T09:49:00.001-04:00

To all of you who were waiting for me to figure out the colour join in the Road to Golden sweater, I must apologize. I ripped the sweater. I did like it, and someday I will knit it. I'm sure km's comment about giving the yarns a full twist is the ticket. There's just too many projects I want to do, and I might as well choose ones that don't frustrate me.

Like this one:

Minimalist Cardigan in Dream in Color Classy, Vino Veritas. This yarn is so awesome; the colour is rich and the yarn is so soft and squishy.

Lately we've been having some gorgeous, mild weather. We took advantage of one of those days by going apple picking.

This fun, little farm had hay mazes, a big fort playground, wagon rides, stinky animal farm, and of course, lots of apples:

Ladders were not provided.

Hemlock Ring

2007-10-21T16:18:00.000-04:00

Ugly duckling:

Beautiful swan:

This was a fun and easy knit, and the blanket turned out gorgeous! I first bought this yarn to make a bag out it it, but decided it was too beautiful to use to shlep my stuff around. So instead, when I wake up, I wrap this around me and have some tea, and it helps alleviate my morning grumpiness.

Pattern: Hemlock Ring Blanket

Yarn: Peace Fleece Worsted, 3 skeins (had very little left over)

Needles: 5mm or 5.5mm, depending on what length circular I had

Size: about 45" across; I knit the same number of rounds as Brooklyn Tweed

Pleasant Surprise

2007-10-16T11:57:00.000-04:00

I had such a great day yesterday. My husband surprised me by arranging to have a friend watch the kids for the afternoon. My husband is not very good at birthdays and anniversaries, but every once in a while he'll do something like this for no particular reason, which makes it very special.

We started off having lunch with our friend and the kids at this neat place called Sushi Train, on Yonge just south of Bloor. They have this revolving track that carries plates of food, and you just grab what you want. Very cute! Then our friend went off with our kids to the Royal Ontario Museum, and hubby and I were FREE!! Whoohoo! We checked out the movies at Varsity, but we were in between shows, so we ending up just wandering around downtown all afternoon. First window shopping on Bloor, then we took the subway to the Eaton Centre. I forgot how enjoyable shopping could be without children! We grabbed a latte, then slowly walked our way back up Yonge St. We had a quiet dinner at a dark, candle-lit restaurant, then picked up our kids at our friend's place. What a great day!

Oh, and I finished my Monkeys:

Great pattern + great yarn = great socks.

Yarn is Koigu; did these on 2.5mm. Love 'em!

The Esther socks are coming along nicely too:

The pattern is by Stephanie van der Linden and is available for free at Socken-Kreativ-Liste Yahoo. The group is free to join, and there are a few other really nice patterns there, but the site is in German. If you're familiar with joining other Yahoo groups, then it's a piece of cake because the sign-up routine is the same. The pattern is in the Files section, or "Dateien", and in a file called "Monatsmuster". There, you'll find lots of nice patterns in either German or English. The Esther pattern is "Juli 2006". This sock is a little slow-going with all the twisted stitches, but I really like the pattern. I started with the small size on 2.5mm, and it was tiny. I'm knitting the large size on 2.25mm and now it fits fine.

Jailbird

2007-10-12T18:38:00.001-04:00

I'm quite pleased that I was able to fix the long, lost Jailbird sweater into something wearable, without ripping the whole thing to pieces.

I knit a new neckband. I undid the side seams, and lengthened the front and back by about 4 inches. Then I seamed the sides back up, but at where I wanted the measurements to be and not at the edges. All the excess fabric on the inside I steamed flat, and you can't tell from the outside.

The wool is Patons Classic Merino. A little pilly, but soft and cheap.

I also finished a Sidekick Squatty in one evening.

I used two balls of Patons SWS in Geranium, and followed modifications from here. This was my first time felting, and I did it by hand in a tub of hot water. What a great way to get a good arm work-out! I was so surprised at the amount of shedding. Do you remember reading on Yarn Harlot's blog a while ago that she had to replace her washer because of felting? After seeing all that lint, I totally believe her!

Can you guess what I've been obsessed about lately?

2007-10-09T14:46:00.000-04:00

Olivia's Lace by the Plucky Knitter

(single ply merino like Malabrigo...so soft!)

Esther socks in Claudia Hand Painted Yarns, Jungle

Brea bag in Patons Shetland Chunky, Dark Leaf Green

Hemlock Ring blanket in Peace Fleece

Malabrigo Loafers by Cocoknits

These slippers are so awesome! I just happened to have just enough to knit the small size (about 1 3/4 skeins). I don't think they will be very durable, but they are so soft and comfy, I will definitely knit more of these. I love 'em!

Green! Green! I can't get enough of green!

2007-10-08T16:53:00.000-04:00

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Need some help, please!

2007-10-06T17:28:00.001-04:00

I started the colour part of Road to Golden over again. It wasn't because I didn't like the purple and green (it actually grew on me; reminded me of irises), but because I realized I wouldn't have enough yarn. Now I'm using pink and green. Aside from some 2-colour mitts, I don't have any other stranding experience, so I need a little help.

This is the beginning of the round:

and this is what it looks like when I gently stretch it:

Is it supposed to look so messy? Am I doing something wrong?

When I start a new row, I lay the unused yarn across the working yarn, and it gets picked up. Am I supposed to give the yarn one full twist instead? Check out this join. Mine looks
nothing like that:

If anyone has any tips or advice, I'd greatly appreciate it! Thanks!

It's like I made 80 bucks!

2007-10-04T19:18:00.000-04:00

Have you ever dug out an old pair of pants or jacket, reached into the pocket, and pulled out a long forgotten 20 dollar bill? Well, this past week, instead of finding money, I found UFOs. Four of 'em!

I was cleaning out my closet, uncovering boxes and bags of my stash. I was gonna start photographing it for Ravelry. I found four projects that I had forgotten all about.

[Btw, after cleaning, I have definitely decided that there is no way I'm putting my stash up. First of all, it will take too long. Secondly, the amount that I have is terrifying. I would much rather have my stash be a fuzzy blur in the back of my mind, especially when I'm not willing to give up yarn buying.]

This is the oldest one:

Mitered Squares blanket from Mason-Dixon. I started this almost two years ago, and it's made of acrylic. Not those new breed of acrylics that are silky-soft. I'm talking about the dry and crunchy kind. You see, I'm a horrible pack rat. I inherited the pack rat gene from my mom, who got it from her mom. When I started to knit, both of them "donated" their stash of yarn to me, which consisted entirely of worsted acrylic. I'm sure there was yarn in there that was older than me! Lots of the stuff doesn't even exist anymore (did you know Simpson's made yarn?). Of course I couldn't throw any of it away, and this is what became of it. I really do like this blanket, even though snuggling up to it is as comfy as hugging astroturf. The colours are fun, and I can see it taking lots of abuse from the kids.

Next is the Graduated Ribs sweater from Knitter's Stash:

This is just the body:

I started a sleeve, then gave up. This was before I learned how to knit socks. I remember trying to use DPNs, and getting so frustrated because I couldn't get the hang of it. Should be a piece of cake to finish this now, but probably not 'til spring because it's cotton.

Next is Go With the Flow tank from Inspired Cable Knits.

I noticed a mistake in the lace, but this baby is knit on 3mms, so I'm not really interested in ripping back. Besides, this piece is the back. Nobody will notice, right?

And last, one my husband calls the Jailbird sweater:

This is the first sweater I tried knitting without a pattern. I guess I also tried knitting without taking a single measurement. The fit was terrible: 3 extra inches on both sides of the body, and it ended at my belly button. (???) I'm trying to fix this without ripping out the body, but it may be unsalvagable. We'll see!

Monkey

2007-09-28T10:56:00.000-04:00

I finished the sleeves of the Transformers sweater. So, to reward myself (and to avoid seaming!) I started some socks. I'm giving Monkey another shot. This one is so much nicer than my previous attempt. The yarn is Koigu, and the pattern is showing up much more clearly. I haven't knit socks in a month, and it was a good break. I think I'm ready to dive back in. On my recent visit to Pick Up Sticks, I picked up an armful of sock yarn:

From L to R: Dream In Color Smooshy in Cloud Jungle, Araucania Ranco in Multy, Araucania Ranco in green solid, Colinette Jitterbug in Velvet leaf, Artyarns Ultramerino 4 in color #144, Liisu in Calming, and Handmaiden Casbah in teal.

and I got this:

Dream in Color worsted for the Minimalist Cardigan. Take a look at these marvellous Minimalists: 1, 2, 3, 4.

See, I did more than Ravelry this weekend!

2007-09-24T10:52:00.000-04:00

I was actually able to pry myself away from Ravelry to start something new. It's the Road to Golden sweater from Knitscene Fall2007. I was too lazy to knit a test swatch, so I charted out a few colour combos on a paint program. Still, I'm not sure I like these colours. I'll finish one repeat before I decide. I was aiming for something like this, but with the yarn in my stash. Her greens and yellow are more muted than mine. We'll see.

I'm in!

2007-09-21T19:15:00.000-04:00

Just popping in quickly to say that I won't be blogging for a while!

I got my Ravelry invite this morning!

As Angela commented to me today, is that a blessing or a curse?

My userID is miknits.

Oh, and I visited Pick Up Sticks today for the first time. Amazing shop!

Not So Fun

2007-09-20T10:16:00.000-04:00

Working on this sweater has been very unpleasant. It's definitely no fun knitting something for the second time. Sometimes people say to me, "your should knit and sell your stuff" or "you should do more designing", but right away I think 'No way!". Knitting is my refuge from stress. I could never turn it into work. I don't do well with deadlines and pressure.

I'm so glad I'm done with the torturous intarsia picture. The new bobbins were definitely better. Just the little act of pulling more yarn rather than unwinding the yarn really was more convenient. However, they still became a big, knotted mess on almost every row. I think it was because of me, though, and not the bobbins. Intarsia and I are just not a good match.

In other news, I'm now in the Ravelry hundreds:

Found you!
You signed up on July 10, 2007
You are #15480 on the list.
758 people are ahead of you in line.
18486 people are behind you in line.
43% of the list has been invited so far

Hooray!

Hello, hello!

2007-09-18T22:45:00.000-04:00

So sorry for the lack of posts lately. It's been a very busy time, with homeschooling, lots of guests visiting, and recovering from our first "family" cold of the season. The weather here has cooled down quite a bit, which has made me want to knit so much more, but I've actually done very little in the last while. I did, however, finished the Tilted Duster, and have worn it a few times already.

The Peace Fleece is a very rugged and warm. It's quite a unique yarn. If you don't know the story behind it, the description from their site says, "A yarn company committed to helping historic enemies cooperate and prosper through trade." The wool is a blend of Russian, Romanian, American, Israeli and Palestinian wools. It's 70% wool and 30% mohair, and has lots of depth in its' colouring.

One thing I recommend is that you wash the yarn in wool wash before you knit. It's quite harsh on the hands, and there is lots of prickly plant matter mixed in. After you wash it though, it becomes very soft.

I knit the size small, with a couple of modifications. I cast on the large size sleeve cuffs, because I didn't want them to be as fitted as the magazine photo. I also had some trouble with the collar. The pattern said to knit a 5" collar; I followed the instructions and blocked the sweater. When I went to try it on, the top of the collar reached my ears. I wish I took a photo because it looked really ridiculous. Perhaps I stretched it too much during blocking, or perhaps the model in the magazine has an inhumanly long neck, I don't know. Anyways, I reknit the collar, and made it about 3 1/4", which turned out great. Because it's more shallow, I had to omit the first inside button. I love this sweater, and I'm certain it's gonna get lots of use this season!

I'm now off to check my blog reader. I haven't read any blogs in almost a week, so I can't wait to see what all of you have been up to!

Hurry, hurry!

2007-09-10T19:42:00.001-04:00

7 out of 9 repeats done on the skirt. Nights are down to 12 degrees here. I need this sweater!

Birthday Boy

2007-09-08T14:21:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, my eldest turned 7. Wow, where has the time gone? We had a small family dinner. Joshua chose pizza, so no cooking for me (hooray!). I wish I had some nice pictures to share with you, but my husband was on camera duty.

Since all wives have ESP when it comes to their husbands, I took this pic earlier in the day:

Like I wrote last March at Grace's birthday, if you stick a toy on an ordinary cake, you instantly become the best baker in the world.

Here's my picture (sugar was kicking in so I wasn't getting any co-operation):

Did you notice what Josh was wearing? His new sweater!! Turned out very nice, I must say! It was a definite hit. Um, I guess if you put a cool design on an ordinary sweater, you instantly become the best knitter in the world. Ha!

This picture was taken today:

Feeling a little deja vu? Yeah, me too.

You see, I have a 5-yr-old cousin who also loves Transformers. He was at the party last night, and kept commenting on how much he liked the sweater. Then, my aunt (who doesn't knit) told him that I would knit him one too. I stood there a little stunned while my cousin began jumping up and down with joy. It's not like I could say no. Then his mom asked, "Can you finish it by October 1st? We're going to China for 6 months.". As pictures of all the projects I have lined up flashed through my head, I answered, "Sure! No problem!". I guess this is the kind of thing that happens when you're the best knitter in the world.

2007-09-06T16:25:00.000-04:00

Sorry for the lack of post this week. Progress is a lot slower when you're not knitting socks! (But that's about to change real soon; you'll see why at the end of this post) Josh's Transformers sweater is all done and blocking. The Tilted Duster is moving along slowly:

I went to Serenity Knits to pick up the long circular above. The always-helpful Karen mentioned she saw my last post, and showed me come cute bobbins that will help my adventures in intarsia be, well, less adventurous!

They're made of soft plastic that flip open and closed. It's firm enough to hold your yarn, but still allows you to just pull more yarn out (instead of having to unwind). Good thing she showed me these; my husband is insisting he get a Transformers sweater too. Any day my husband begs me to knit is a good day!

Of course I couldn't resist a sale on Koigu:

And last but not least:

Hooray! I finally have my hands on this book! I'm so excited to try out these amazing socks. Okay, enough blogging. I'm wasting precious knitting time! See ya!

Michelle's Intarsia Method

2007-09-01T19:02:00.000-04:00

Here's a little tutorial for those who have never tried intarsia:

Row 1: Work according to pattern, adding colours on bobbins when necessary.

Row 2: Work according to pattern, crossing yarns at colour changes to prevent gaps. Occasionally knit using the tail end, not the bobble end.

Row 3: Work according to pattern, noticing screw-ups with tail ends. Rip back to previous row and fix mistakes.

Row 4: Work according to pattern, this time tangling all bobbins into one unfixable knot. Use scissors and cut yarns at random.

Row 5: Gently put down work, and walk away slowly. Make yourself some tea and take some deep breaths. Do not pick up knitting for at least several hours.

Repeat rows 2-5 until chart is completed.

Tilted Duster It Is!

2007-08-30T09:36:00.000-04:00

Thank you so much for all your pattern input! Life would be so easy if I had all of you following me around all day to help me make decisions! Most of you chose the Tilted Duster, so I went with that.

Now, I'm just hoping the LYS has just one more skein of this colour!

Which one?

2007-08-27T12:41:00.001-04:00

My grandmother had been visiting all summer, and yesterday she went home to Hong Kong. This past week has been mostly spent with her, so not much knitting was done.

Joshua's sleeves (sorry, not very exciting):

I've narrowed down three patterns for the Peace Fleece yarn.

First is the cover sweater of the new Interweave:

Very interesting and unique. I like the simple lines.

Second is the Imogen sweater from Fleece Artist:

I bought this pattern after seeing this one. This pattern is probably the least favourite of the three. I don't really like the shawl pin closure, and this sweater would really look better with variegated yarn

The third is a Drops Jacket from Garn Studio:

Which one do you like?

2007-08-24T11:31:00.000-04:00

Nothing really exciting to share today. This is the back of my son's sweater:

I wanted a yarn that was very soft, but wouldn't pill and would stand up to a 7-yr-old. Also one that would be easy to clean. I chose Sirdar Snuggly DK, which is so surprisingly soft and spongy. My son chose red and grey for his sweater; something to do with the colours of the Autobot Red Alert.

When I first starting knitting about 3 years ago, I knit Peace Fleece's Everyday Cardigan:

It didn't come out too nice. The neck was too small, the sleeves were too short, and the drop shoulders were not very flattering.

So I ripped it out, and am now looking for the perfect pattern.

I'm thinking something that I can wear more like a jacket when fall comes. And I think it's coming soon; the weather here has been very blah!

2007-08-22T11:01:00.001-04:00

Yesterday I finished up these socks:

It is made from Shelridge Farm's Soft Touch Ultra in Handpaint C. The yarn's name is right on, because it's one of the softest sock yarns I've ever felt.

I was really excited to finish these socks, so that I can move on to a new project (I only have the Bayerisches on the needles, and I feel really unmotivated to finish them right now). So, last night I went rummaging through my stash for the yarn to make my son's birthday sweater. Stash was getting a little messy, so I started to do some organizing. I found myself staring at a pile of sock scraps, and next thing I knew, I was knitting this:

The beginnings of a sock scrap blanket. Very unexpected. Though I've seen many beautiful sock blankets on other blogs, I was quite certain that I would never knit this. I really dislike have unfinished projects lying around. Oh well; change is good!

Friends Forever Fawn

2007-08-19T17:18:00.000-04:00

Pattern: Friends Forever Fawn from Amigurumi: Super Cute Happy Crochet

Yarn: Bernat Satin in Camel, Sable and Mocha

Pretty darn cute! Click on the pictures to see more details. Even the eyes are crocheted, out of embroidery floss. For obvious reasons, my daughter has renamed her Bambi. Enough crocheting for the moment. I'm experiencing knitting withdrawal. It's been six days!

New Obsession?

2007-08-17T23:30:00.001-04:00

I have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of this book:

Amigurumi: Super Cute Happy Crochet by Elisabeth Doherty.

I'm so excited to finally get my hands on it! The last few days have been spent hooking away. My crochet skills were a little rusty, so I started out with some little treats:

then this cute guy:

I'm working on this fawn next:

Haven't gotten any complaints from the kids about too much crocheting. In fact, they keep asking why I'm taking so long. They love this book just as much as I do!

I Won!

2007-08-16T19:15:00.000-04:00

Connie from Pick Up Sticks had a guess-the-number-of-skeins contest on her blog, and I won!! I got to choose 2 skeins of Cherry Tree Hill sock yarn (I chose Gypsy Rose) and also got some cute, green stitch markers. There's nothing better than free yarn!!

I'm on my third day of no knitting. I'll show you why tomorrow.

Not So Itty-Bitty

2007-08-14T19:46:00.000-04:00

So, the name of this book is Itty-Bitty Hats: cute and cuddly hats to knit for babies and toddlers. I should have paid more attention the the "babies and toddlers" part. I finished the gazillion rosebuds and leaves, and was so excited sewing them on...

...but the more I added, the more I realized that it just didn't look like the hat in the book.

I stuck it on Grace's head, and almost died laughing:

A big, honkin' wreath of rosebuds just isn't as cute on a 4-yr-old than on a baby. Grace still had her heart set on this cap, so a few adjustments later, it didn't look as bad:

The funny thing is, she actually liked the wreath hat and didn't want me to change it! She also wants the pumpkin hat from the same book.

I don't think so!

Ribs

2007-08-12T20:42:00.001-04:00

These Trekking socks were a quick and easy knit. I really liked how this stitch pattern paired with this yarn; especially how the colour changes overlap in reverse stockinette stitch. The pattern is just a basic [p3, k1 tbl], but in case anyone would like it written up, I posted it here on my pattern page.

These are the other socks I'm working on:

They were knit and ripped 5 times. I had a few original patterns charted, and none of them worked out. They didn't look as nice knitted up than I imagined they would. I got so frustrated, that I finally cast on these simple socks. I'm not giving up on those patterns, but I just need a little break from them for a while. I think I'm feeling all socked out.

It's Here!!

2007-08-10T16:45:00.000-04:00

My Sockapalooza package has arrived, all the way from England! My knitter is the wonderful Laura. She put together the most incredible bunch of goodies:

Dark chocolate (yummy!), tea, (yeah, baby!), soap (sniff, sniff), bath fizzy (ahhh), notepad (cute!), hot chocolate (my daughter saw it first...darn!), and lovely sock yarn (hooray!).

The sweet card Laura wrote was so adorable, that I made it into a bookmark so that I could see it often:

And last but not least, my beautiful socks:

She couldn't have picked a more perfect colour for me. I love them very much! I saw on her website that they are Koigu in the Interweave Knits Rib and Cable pattern. I wish you could feel how soft they are.

Here is a close-up of the incredible colours:

Thank you so much Laura!! You're the best!!

That's It For Summer!

2007-08-08T19:01:00.000-04:00

Here is the Indigo Ripples skirt I finished a while back.

I really like this skirt; it's so comfy. It feels very thick and heavy, but when I was wearing it today in 30+ degree heat, it was nice and breezy. I really liked working with Cotton Ease. I took a close-up picture of the fabric of the bum area as a before shot, and after a few wears and washes, I'll see how durable this yarn really is.

The Picovoli in Rowan Bamboo Tape is also done:

I have mixed feelings about this sweater. There really isn't anything wrong with the sweater itself. It's cool, comfortable and fits well. I guess I'm just disappointed in myself for making such a silly (and very expensive) impulsive purchase. Lesson learned.

I think that will be it for summer knitting. I have so many to-dos, but since there is only about a month left of hot weather, I'm going to get a start on fall knitting now. First project is going to be a Transformers sweater for my son's b-day in September.

My Sockapalooza package should be arriving any day now. My recipient, Becky, received her package yesterday, and I'm so glad that it made her happy.

Baby Backward Ribs

2007-08-07T09:34:00.000-04:00

Ha! How's that for a sock name?

I ripped out the Monkey sock. I figured, if I'm going to spend $17 on a pair of socks, I should knit something I really like. Monkeys will be attempted some other time with a better yarn.

This one is just a very basic p3, k1tbl rib. Not a very original pattern, but it definitely works a lot better with this stripy yarn.

2007-08-04T21:13:00.001-04:00

While looking for baby patterns the other day, I came across this hat in Itty-Bitty Hats that I forgot about. It just so happens that I have lots of nice cotton in pretty colours.

Here's a pic of the hat already knit up.

This is my next sock-to-be:

Sheldrige Farms Soft Touch Ultra in greens and teal. Pink in my favourite colour, but green is becoming a very close second!

Last Night

2007-08-03T00:07:00.000-04:00

I tried very hard to get both a hat and booties knit in one night, but ended up with only booties. I was faced with obstacles all evening, like DH wanting dinner, the kids needing to be put to bed, and ultimately, me needing some sleep.

First I cast on for a Baby Shedir following the modifications here. I was very confused why this hat was supposed to be modified from adult to newborn, when the mods were only to decrease the height of the hat, but the yarn, needles size and stitches around remained the same. Still I cast on in faith, but used smaller needles and thinner yarn. After 6 rows, it was obvious that it was way to big for a baby, let alone a newborn. So, the hat was scrapped, and it was 10 pm.

Next I knit this:

Are they not the cutest things ever? The pattern is from Adorable Knits For Tots by Zoe Mellor, and I used Koigu (don't know the color; can't read the scribble on the band) and 2.5mm needles. This picture is with a quarter to show how tiny they are:

I finished these around 2 am, and washed them. Seamed them up this morning.

It seemed like I used less than half of the skein, so I thought why not try for a hat too! Knitted 'til 3 am, and was so deliriously tired that I did not realize that my hat was way too small. Urgh!
So, that was scrapped, and I went to bed.

Before visiting my friend, I went to the store and bought a few extra gifts.

She liked the gifts, but loved the booties!

I Have A Baby To Knit For!

2007-08-01T18:33:00.000-04:00

No, it's not me:)

It is now 6:30pm, and one of my closest friends just called to announce she gave birth a beautiful, baby boy this afternoon. She was one of those people who decided to keep the sex of the baby a surprise. I wasn't too keen on knitting anything yellow or minty green, so there was no knitting to be done.

I will be visiting her in the hospital tomorrow. Do you think it's humanly possible to knit a hat and booties, and wash and dry them, all in one evening?

I'm always up for a challenge!

Now I Know

2007-08-01T08:56:00.001-04:00

Here is one monkey:

Now I know why this pattern has so many fans. It's one of those patterns with a magical combination of stitches that make it addictive and easy to memorize. It's hard to put down unless you've completed a pattern repeat, and 5 or 6 repeats and your leg is done. Next time I will choose a yarn that is not so stripy.

The Bamboo Tape Ticovoli is moving along quickly. Should have it finished today.

Booty Haul

2007-07-31T15:13:00.000-04:00

My Yarn Pirate Booty Club package arrived today!!

I was getting a little nervous because it's been over 2 weeks since it was mailed out, but I guess I have Canada Post to thank for that! This is my first sock club, and I haven't been disappointed. I chose this club because first of all, Yarn Pirate rocks. And secondly, she was only charging for the yarn, and not for a whole whack of "extras". Georgia did sneak in a cute button and cinnamon-smelling soap, which she generously paid for herself.

Now for the yarn itself...right away I could appreciate the beauty of the colours. But if I had seen this yarn in the store, I don't think I would have picked it for myself. Then I did a bit of Google-ing and found this awesome pic, and now I'm in love with this yarn.

Got lots of knitting done yesterday. Here's an updated Bayerische pic:

More to come tomorrow!

Back To Normal

2007-07-30T18:35:00.000-04:00

It's so nice to be back to normal. The craziness of camp is over. Saturday we spent the day cleaning up the church property, and Sunday was our opening service in the new chapel.

Today, was just spent the day at home doing normal things...dishes, laundry, and knitting! I picked up my Bayerische socks again. My Sockapalooza recipient knitted those for her recipient, and I was supposed to knit them with her (so that we could give each other encouraging support), but I let that slip.

I mailed off her socks and goodies today:

I love shopping for gifts for people. I got her some Lorna's Laces in Ravenswood (I was considering using that yarn in the beginning), Misti Alpaca lace, Drops alpaca, some sheep napkins, Chibi darning needles, some stickers and Godiva hot chocolate.

No plans for tomorrow, so tonight I'm going to stay up real late and watch Battlestar Galactica Season 2.5 I just rented, and plug away at those socks.

Blessed Day

2007-07-27T17:15:00.000-04:00

Today has been such a wonderfully, blessed day for so many reasons. It was the final day of our successful bible camp. I can't believe how quickly the week has flown by. Just a few weeks ago, we weren't even sure we were going to have a camp, but we prayed that if it was His will, then it would all come together. And it did!! Everything worked out perfectly.

I have no doubt in my mind that the Lord wanted me to be a part of this camp, especially on this day. July 27th was my due date, if I hadn't had my miscarriage last January. I really wanted to get pregnant again before this date, and as each month went by, I was getting a little down. But I've since learned how selfish it is for me to look at what I don't have, and how futile life can be when I don't have complete faith in His plan for me. Every day I have to remind myself to see the incredible blessings God has given me. Whether I have another child or not, it doesn't matter. I'm so thankful for all that I have. Today was so happy, being surrounded by all the amazing children of our church. Praise God.

First Day of Camp!

2007-07-23T19:59:00.000-04:00

We survived our first day of camp!

Check out that crocheted soccer ball bag! I whipped that up last night.

All the kids had a great time. After about 20 minutes, all the kids 6 years old and under abandoned the soccer field and drifted over to the playground. I guess they didn't have the patience or coordination to do soccer drills. Oh well!

The best part of the day was lunch!!

I have no pictures from the afternoon session. It was completely chaotic. I am exhausted...only 4 more days to go!

Vesper Socks

2007-07-22T17:16:00.001-04:00

Yarn: Vesper Socks in Love Stinks

Pattern: Speedway

I love this pattern so much. I'm desperately trying to resist casting on another pair. I love how it can be knitted on 4 needles, which make it seem faster. The second and second to last stitch on each needle is a M1B, which eliminates ladders. I love the chevron and I love the twisted rib.

Instead, I'm casting on for a pair of Monkeys. Everyone has knitted Monkeys, so I gotta see what's all the fuss about. I also got a few of my own patterns in the works.

Knitting is going to be quite restricted this coming week. Tomorrow we start Vacation Bible School / Soccer camp. Soccer in the morning, then lunch, then Bible camp in the afternoon. I'm in charge of all the crafts, so I've been cutting and pasting all week to get ready. This is our first year having this camp, and we're expecting close to 50 kids. Wish us luck!

Thank you, Tammy!

2007-07-19T09:52:00.000-04:00

Tammy and I did a little Kool-Aid swap for colours we couldn't find in our local stores. I sent her blue and green, and she sent me yellow and pink:

But she is such a sweetie and sent me this as well:

Thank you Tammy! You're the best!

Sockapalooza Completed

2007-07-17T12:20:00.000-04:00

The Sockapalooza socks are all done:

Yarn: Trekking XXL colour #104

Pattern: Rhodie Gus(pdf) by Kirsten Kapur

I really like these socks, and will definitely have to knit myself a pair some day. I love the little cable running down the sides of the foot. The only modification was that I added an extra purl stitch on one side of the cable, so that there is a purl on both sides.

It's Coming!

2007-07-16T19:09:00.000-04:00

I can't believe I forgot to post about this, but I joined my first sock club a while ago:

I found out the first month was shipped today!

Sock Surgury

2007-07-14T10:38:00.001-04:00

This is how I'll spend my Saturday:

I knit up the whole foot yesterday, while watching Justice League cartoons with the kids. I guess I was concentrating too much on the shows, because when I was getting ready to start the toe, I noticed a messed up cable 2 inches down.

You know, those Justice League shows are just like soap operas for kids. Hawk Girl was with Green Lantern, but now he's with some other superhero. Then he saw the future, and he had a son with Hawk Girl, so now he's all conflicted. Green Arrow didn't want to join the Justice League, but then Black Canary caught his eye, so he's in. Huntress is dating Question. Wonder Woman likes Batman, but Batman is too busy being broody to care. And Flash just flirts with everybody. Hmmm...perhaps I should limit my kid's viewing time.

New Pattern Blog

2007-07-13T11:50:00.000-04:00

Sorry for the lack of posts lately. Everyday has been so beautiful, and we've just been so busy enjoying the weather. By the time the kids go to bed and I have "me" time, I'm too pooped to knit.

I finally put together a separate blog for my patterns:

Miknits Patterns

I have about three new sock patterns charted, but I just haven't had the time to knit them up yet.

To update my knitting: I'm on the gusset of the second Sockapalooza sock, I'm on the heel of the first Bayerische, I still have the second Vesper Speedway sock to knit, and I'm a quarter done the Picovoli top. The Indigo Ripples skirt has been fixed; I'm just waiting to find somebody to help me take a picture.

"To Save Time, Check Gauge"

2007-07-09T17:14:00.001-04:00

Indigo Ripples was finished this week-end. I love it! Its very cute and comfortable. I knit the smallest size. If I had luscious, womanly curves, I'd be wearing this skirt today, but alas, I have the hips and bum of a ten year old boy. The skirt is too big. Even after being machine washed and dried. Sigh. You know that line designers put at the beginning of their patterns: "To save time, check gauge."? I always skip over that line.

Thank goodness this can be easily fixed.

2007-07-06T10:12:00.000-04:00

Rowan Bamboo Tape: the most expensive, impulsive yarn purchase I've ever made. The second I felt it's cool, glossy softness in my hands, I could not resist. But...it's spell over me is starting to wear off, now that I've knitted a tiny swatch. I remember now why I don't buy tape yarn. The uneven stitches doesn't go well with my analness. This yarn is going to become a simple, Picovoli tee, because I could only afford eight balls. With luck and prayer, I will come to appreciate uneven stitches, and this project will become the most loved (and most expensive) tee in my wardrobe.

Rhodie Gus

2007-07-04T09:22:00.000-04:00

My new Sockapalooza socks are coming along very nicely. It's hard to see from the photo, but there is a large chevron that runs down the front and back of the sock. On either side of the chevron are thin panels of seed stitch, then along the sides of the sock are cute little cables.

On another note, I'm four rows from finishing the Indigo Ripples skirt, and have run out of yarn. Got to make a trip to Michaels!

Happy Fourth of July to all my American friends!!

Fireworks!

2007-07-02T20:29:00.000-04:00

We had such a fun, full day yesterday. Kathy asked how do we usually celebrate Canada's Day. Usually we attend our local event, which is held in a beautiful 10-acre park right across the street. It's your usual kind of fair with games, rides, concerts, displays, and tons of food! Unfortunately we weren't able to go this year; we went to church instead. Afterwards, we visited some friends that just had a baby. We had dinner out, then came home and waited for fireworks at 10pm. Again, they were held at the park across the street, which is so great! We didn't actually go into the park though. There were hundreds of people there, and big crowds make me very irritable. We just put out a blanket on the lawn on our side of the street, and still had an incredible view of the fireworks show.

These pictures did not come out very well. They were taken on the "fireworks" setting on my camera, but as you can see, there was some kind of shutter delay. I don't know anything about cameras, so if anyone has tips on taking fireworks pictures, please let me know. I think the orange picture kinda looks like a jellyfish! Next year I'd like to take the kids down to Ontario Place, where they have a way bigger fireworks show over Lake Ontario.

HAPPY CANADA DAY!!

2007-07-01T09:20:00.001-04:00

Am I Too Hard On Myself?

2007-06-30T09:29:00.001-04:00

Yes, I definitely am. I've always been like that. Thank you so much for your kind words and ideas with the Speedway sock, but I'm very certain they're not the right ones for my Sockapalooza recipient. I looked at her other FOs, and nothing was even close to being as bright. No worries; the socks aren't going to waste! Shar was the first to request them, so the socks will go to a loving home!

Here is an update on the Indigo Ripples skirt:

It's coming along very slowly. I can only do a few rounds at a time because the cotton makes my hands so sore. But the fabric is very soft and squishy. This skirt is going to be so comfortable to lounge around in!

Not Feeling The Love

2007-06-28T19:53:00.000-04:00

I finished the first Sockapalooza sock. I thought I had the perfect yarn. I definitely had the perfect pattern, and I got the sizing just right. Remember how cute it looked before? My feelings have changed for it. Take a look:

Whoa! Who turned on the lights?

In her questionnaire, my recipient wrote, "Knit a sock you love, and I'm sure I'll love it too.". I'm not feeling the love for this sock.

It's knit for a size 9, 10" foot length and 9.25" circumference. It's quite stretchy, so it can fit a little larger. If you think that these socks were meant to be on your feet, let me know in the comments and they are yours. I will knit up the second sock and send them to you.

Anyways, I went to Serenity Knits today to find some replacement yarn. This is what I chose:

It's blue, it's self-striping, and it's safe. I'm going to knit it in the Rhodie Gus pattern (pdf), and it's gonna be awesome! (I'm speaking it into existence)

And there's more...look what Serenity Knits just started carrying:

Undyed Trekking!! Hooray, more Kool-Aid fun! Their sock sale is until the end of June, so you have two more days to grab some at 20% off.

Busy Weekend

2007-06-25T22:56:00.000-04:00

I had a very busy weekend, and didn't get much knitting done. On Saturday we had a "birdhouse building day" event at our church. A volunteer from Kortright Conservation Centre came over and gave us a little presentation on birds in our area. Then we built some birdhouses following the blueprint that Kortright gave us. The weather couldn't have been better, and afterwards we had a great BBQ.

By the time I finished hammering in the first nail, my kids were already bored and ran off to play with their friends. Later when I pulled out my camera, Grace said, "Mommy, and you take a picture of me with the house I built?".

Our church moved to this incredible piece of property in Woodbridge about 8 years ago. It's about 2 acres, and has a bit of forest, lots of open space and a big pond full of frogs and turtles. We have been holding our services in an old house that was gutted out. Last year we began building a new church, and it will be done next month.

I love how it's panelled in cedar. It fits perfectly in a nature setting. When you walk near it, you can smell the cedar wood. Reminds me of a sauna! Our birdhouses are made from the scraps of cedar, so they smell great too!

On Sunday, we celebrated my grandfather's 80th birthday. We had an amazing Chinese banquet, and the food was awesome!

Long ago, my grandparents were wealthy land-owners in China. When the communists came, they took everything away from my grandparents, and they were left with nothing. My grandfather came to Canada by himself, and worked very hard to earn enough money to send for my grandmother, my father and aunt. One of his first jobs was as a janitor in a social club. One of the members of that club invited him to church, and soon after gave his life to Christ. My grandmother was saved later through my grandfather. When I visit their home, and I see them studying the Word, I just want to cry with joy. I'm so thankful that they know Him. They are the only ones in my family that are Christians. My grandfather has had a tough time with his health lately; knee replacements, aneurysms and he just beat colon cancer this past spring. But I don't worry for him, because of the infallible promise of John 3:16.

I'm off to do a little knitting now, so hopefully I'll have something to show you this week!