Waving Lace

I finally got the Waving Lace socks completed. It was hard to get a good picture; I think it was because of the marled yarn. The yarn was Regia 4 Ply in colour #1036. This was another quick and addictive pattern from the book Favourite Socks.

Last night I started on the edging of the Sea Silk scarf. I was so surprised that the two different coloured balls blended very well together. If you were looking for it, you could see where the new ball came in. But if you didn't know, it all looks pretty much the same. I think it's because the silk is so glossy and reflects so much light. Whew, what a relief! I hope it will be done in the next couple of days, and I can't wait to send it off! Exchanges are so much fun!

Speedway Socks Started

I started the Speedway Socks, which I'm test knitting for Sockapalooza. I'm using Socks That Rock in colour January One. I find a freshly wound cake of yarn that is so beautiful, the way you can see all the colours mixed together.



It's so pretty I almost didn't want to use it. Keyword being almost. I'm so glad the colours are behaving in nice, neat stripes:



I made a few minor changes to the pattern. I did one purl row after the cast on, then one knit row, to make a firm edge that didn't curl over. I mirrored the increases; and in the panel parts, instead of [p2, ktbl, p2], I did [p1, ktbl, p1, ktbl, p1]. The sock has 3 chevron parts, vs. the 4 on Jaywalker. This makes the sock fit a little better. I'm lovin' this sock so far!

Uh-Oh!

This is the kind of thing that happens to people who do things without planning ahead:



On the left is the Sea Silk I'm working with, in Periwinkle. On the right is the new skein I just bought, also in Periwinkle. Hmmmm...the colours aren't even close. I really, really don't want to start this scarf over again, especially since it's supposed to be mailed by June 7th. But then again, I'm the type of person that won't gift anything that's less than perfect. I'm gonna start alternating balls, and just pray that it will be okay. Wish me luck!

New Sock Yarn

I went to Serenity Knits to pick up another skein of Sea Silk, and could not resist their summer sock sale:

It was hard not to go overboard, and I tried really hard to only get colours that I really, really loved. Speaking of sock yarn, I finally found my Sockapalooza yarn:

Have you heard of Vesper Sock Yarn? This stuff is so hard to get! I emailed Julia, and asked (okay, more like begged) for a skein of Love Stinks. It was just my luck that she had dyed some that day, and because she's also a part of Sockapalooza, she would put one aside for me. Hooray!

Today was such a beautiful day. It was so warm that the kids played water guns with Daddy. I'm finding it so hard to get any homeschooling done; all I want to do is go out and enjoy the weather!

Wedding

My Kiri shawl was finished and blocked on Friday:

Just in time for my friend's wedding on Saturday. Anu was my best friend in high school. It was so wonderful to see her getting married...I've never seen her happier!

This was my first time attending an East Indian wedding, and it was very beautiful. Everything was so lavish and extravagant! The weather was perfect, and the venue was decorated in traditional decor. I just loved how every woman was wearing a different coloured sari.

Here's me and the married couple:

The thing that amazed me most about this wedding, was when it came time to open the dance floor. The older couples (I'm talking about grandparents) were the first ones to hit the dance floor to loud, pulsing bhangra, and they were not holding anything back! It was awesome!!

Spring Dress

Grace has been so patient waiting for her dress. It's a simple a-line dress knit in the round. I used Sirdar Spree on 6mm, which is very soft and cushy. She looks so comfy wearing it, that now I want one too!

Gifts Given

I hope everyone had a wonderful Mother's Day! We went to my aunt's house for dinner. It was a potluck, and the theme was "bring you mom's favourite dish". I made French Onion Soup, which was great because it's one of my faves too! Holiday dinners are so funny in my family. Most of my family came to Canada when they were very young, so they are quite "Canadianised". Our dinners are usually a mix of east and west. Last night, other than my soup, there was steak, grilled shrimp, bruschetta, wings...and rice, hoisin ribs, spring rolls and roast duck! Quite a mix!

I think my mom liked the Swallowtail shawl. It's so hard to tell with her. Doesn't matter; I gave her a gift made with love, and I enjoyed making it.

I gave the Sea Silk scarf to my Grandmother, who is visiting from Hong Kong. She really liked her scarf; she was so pleased to learn that I had knit it myself. My grandmother is one tough lady, who has been through a lot in her life. Her husband left her with nothing but six young kids. They were very poor, living in two rooms rented in an apartment. She did anything she could to support her kids, as well as take care of other relatives. One day she found a job knitting sweaters, which was great because she could work from home. The only thing was that she didn't know how to knit! Somehow she got the job and taught herself to knit. From there she went on to start her own knitting/embroidering business, and today she is a very wealthy woman. I definitely admire her strength. I look forward to spending more time with her this summer.