Progress report!

So I said screw it with the sock design. I went through the entire Ravelry database of sock designs... all 8784 of them. Took 4 hours. And I found a winner!


Watchful Chaos pattern. The yarn is the "Life Aquatic" colourway in some very precious Sweet Georgia superwash sock. One is done, and the other is getting there. I had to rip the first one back after some seriously erratic cabling. As for the origin of the socks - my swap partner seems to be open to creative interpretation...so I looked at this picture of Miranda from the Tempest, and went from there.

Isn't it lovely? Living near the sea, we often go out to watch the waves after a storm. As someone who isn't accustomed to the sound and fury of the ocean (having not grown up here)... I think that Waterhouse did a wonderful job of capturing the terrifying effects of a powerful storm.

I chose to invoke the dichotomy of Caliban and Ariel in this bag instead of in the sock design.


The outside is silk brocade covered in butterflies, and the inside has a crazy cotton print. Air and the Corporeal, in the most broad of interpretations.

The Susan scarf is done. Just needs blocking. And I have a confession to make. I've never blocked lace before. So, I'm at a bit of a loss as to how to go ahead with this one. I suppose I'll just get some pins, a bucket of water and hope for the best.


And finally, the Craft Hope quilt.


As you might be able to see, it's not finished. I still have to do the binding - a pretty orange polka dot material has been selected, but not attached. I have to say, making this quilt (it's a crib quilt) has been a humbling experience. Before this, there wasn't a craft that I didn't immediately "get". But machine quilting this beast has been...a learning experience. Quite frankly, I suck at it. I actually have two crib quilts to finish - the other one is just pinned together layers at the moment - but they'll have to wait.

They'll have to wait because I have had my annual disaster - I sprained my ankle. Same one as always, the right one. And this time it wasn't entirely my fault. Y'see, Mr. Munchkin was in the bathroom, and decided that he wanted to help clean the floor. But he forgot to dry it up. So, I went in the bathroom (his "assistance" unbeknownst to me), promptly slipped on the massive puddle of water, slid across the tiles and slammed into the radiator on the far wall. At some point during my balletic glide across the floor, I hyperextended my foot and sprained the ankle.

So.

I'm sitting here quietly, knitting away and watching the girl happily having a tea party with her stuffies. It's not all bad.

Blue Bonnet

It's done! Here's the hat for the beginner KAL over at DSD. And the pattern is as follows:


Blue Bonnet
Yarn: Malabrigo Chunky (bulky weight)

Needles: 6.5 mm (10 1/2 US)

Gauge: 16 sts = 4 inches, 23 rows = 4 inches

Size: This fits a child who wears a size 2.

Techniques used: knit, purl, 3 needle bind off

CO 54 sts.
K 2 rows
*(RS) Knit.
(WS) Knit 3 sts, purl until 3 sts remain, knit 3 sts.**
Repeat from * to ** until work measures 9.5 inches. End on a RS row.
(WS) Bind off, using 3 needle bind off method. The bonnet should be inside out while you are binding off.
Attach ties - measure a 2 feet long length of yarn, cut, and repeat 5 more times. Insert three of the pieces of yarn into each side of the bonnet (bottom corners) and braid them together. Repeat for the other side.

The little crochet flower is from this pattern. My crochet skills are cruddy after years of neglect, but these flowers are very easy. Attach the flower to the bonnet and you're done!

Maybe, Just Possibly...

Overcommitted.

I've started knitting one of the three big projects for the swaps. It's for the Shakespeare swap, and I'm designing a pair of socks. (Wearable by human feet, with any luck.) Based on The Tempest, one of the socks will represent Ariel and the other will be Caliban. I'm still thinking of ways to depict the two of them, and I've gotten as far as a wing for Ariel, but am having a tougher time thinking of an icon for Caliban. Having a great time with this package - going to take the kids to the beach this weekend to look for sea glass to make into some cool jewelery.

I'm still knitting away on the Susan scarf, and have just agreed to run a beginner knitter knit-along on one of the boards that I frequent. And of course, being the weirdo perfectionist that I am...also agreed to design a pattern for the KAL. It will be a simple child's bonnet, knit in bulky weight. I'll post the pattern here and on the KAL simultaneously, once it's finished.

Also, if you haven't heard of Craft Hope yet, click on over. I've participated before on project 3, and project 5 has just been announced! This time around, it'll be very simple quilts for homeless children in the Michigan region. I've had a quilting itch for awhile, and I think that I'm going to try and satisfy it with this project. My machines are back from the spa and working better than ever. So, I'm ready to go.

So, final tally of stuff that has to be completed before November strikes:

Susan Scarf
Craft Hope quilt
Shakespeare Swap package - including sock design
Beginner KAL - including pattern design

Totally doable.

...

Right?

Hell, if I can get these done in a day, then anything crafty is possible.


Leafy Mitts. Love this pattern. Done in Malabrigo Bulky, which I think has been discontinued.

ARGH!

I just noticed that all the emails that I wrote responding to comments on previous posts weren't sent! So I apologize if you were kind enough to write me a comment, and thought that I didn't respond. I did, I swear! *grumble* Somedays, I swear that technology isn't as helpful as I think it is.

Best Way To Start The Day...

Because who doesn't love Gene Kelly? And the Beatles?

The knit mojo...

it is back. Not as much sewing going on here. Last week Ms. Happy and the Mogrunt came on over and we made prefold diapers out of old t-shirts and flannel. (It's so cute - they're sock buddies! Check it out.)


Mega cute, right?

Unfortunately for me, the little miss decided that Mommy's sewing machine was absolutely fascinating. (It was in the dining room - but it's usually hidden away in my basement sewing corner.) Somehow she messed up the tension and timing BIG time. S'ok, both machines needed a tune up anyway and no one lost an eye. (I may have gained a white hair or two, but that's to be expected.) Now, the serger and sewing machine are both at the spa for a week. And they deserved it, as I was sewing a lot recently. I finished the project bag prototype:


I like it.


Not sure about the bottom yet, but I'm thinking of options. I also finished the McCartney socks for mah man.


I cast these on during the Paul McCartney concert here in Halifax and just never got around to finishing them until now. My handspun in merino/tencel from Funky Carolina. There are lots of mistakes in the first one, as I was knitting in the dark and was quite distracted by my rum and coke and the thrill of listening to "Back in the USSR" while sitting on my deck.

Last weekend, the family went to Moncton. Very cute town, it reminds me a bit of Kingston back in Ontario. Of course, we went to London-Wul. Nice shop, but a bit disappointing as there were no angora bunnies or sheep anywhere to be seen. Had to do a bit of yarn tourism, of course.


The pink one is merino/angora. The blue one is alpaca/merino/cashmere. And the fiber is camel/tussah silk. And pom-pom makers! I love these things.

The best part of travelling? Lots of knitting time during the drive.


Susan Scarf (ravelry link) in HA's Rapunzel (2ply worsted silk) for a very special lady. I knit quite a bit of this last night catching up on episodes of Flash Forward. I'm liking this show so far. I just hope it doesn't degenerate into WTF land like Lost did.