July 31, 2006

Yellow brick road,


Sunday afternoon was a quiet time for us, the kids and I sat on the couch and watched the Wizard of Oz on CBC. It was great, I haven't seen it in at least 10 years! Great for knitting so I finished the 2nd sock. It was time 'cause I was not enjoying knitting the chevron pattern anymore, actually I haven't since starting sock #2. For me sock knitting is meant for mindless kniitting and I was getting way too involved in working on the socks but it's all good. I like how they came out, happy to have made them but never again. LOL!


Of course as soon as a pair come off the needles, I go to my personal yarn store (aka stash!) to rummage through the sock yarn balls available to me. I still have some Regia Cotton but the Jacquard has been calling my name for quite some time now. This yarn goes way back (at least 2 years), it's from when Carl used to work in warehouses and brought home some yarn overstock. I have a few colorways, this is simply the first one that I found. LOL! So I am back to super simple stockinette socks, it feels great to get back to easy peasy knitting.


Just a few pics from last week, before I got sick and sporting a bad sunburn. We have been all over Montreal to find different kiddie pools for the little ones to cool off. Lucas doesn't really enjoy getting splashes from other kids in wading pools but had a blast at places with water games. Zoe's turning into the little swimmer, yet she still hasn't taken lessons yet. I was thinking of having her take some in the fall but she's hinting for other sports too 'cause in her opinion she can swim. LOL!


Only 4 weeks before my littlest one starts school. ACK! It came down on me earlier today, only 28 days before I send him into the complex world of schedules, rules and routine. ACK! 28 days before he leaves me home alone. Sigh.... why do they have to grow up so quickly?

Posted by Jo at 05:06 PM | Comments (5)

July 24, 2006

I forgot I had a blog...


These socks took a long time to be completed but were knitted only a few times. The second sock was done in 4 evenings! I can't believe how much and how fast I can knit without looking. The progress went super fast although I would skip a few nights between knitting in the sock. I really like these socks, they fit great and are very comfy for socks with cotton. :) I like how each pair is getting easier and easier to knit using my super secret sock formula. LOL! I shall write it all out someday.



So off to casting another sock, which will have ripped back to the hot pink lifeline FOUR times. Yes, 1, 2, 3, 4 times have I frogged the sock back to the ribbing and I can't say I like frogging very much. I was using Jaya's Prism Socks pattern to make the best out of this Opam Prism yarn but the yarn and pattern aren't getting along too well. Then I tried out a chevron sock pattern but it wouldn't fit (that's why it is always best to try on socks as you knit!). Now I was very tempted to just go back to knitting super simple stockinette socks like usual. That'll teach me to go off road with this new yarn. LOL! What was I was saying how socks are getting easier to knit? HA! Only stockinette is easy, the rest is crazy for me. ;-) Well, I had to try one last time before being defeated and found a new chevron stitch pattern. It looks just like the chevron socks from Sensational Knitted Socks but I couldn't find the book anywhere locally so I adapted the stitch pattern to my regular idiot-proof sock formula.


It's been a crazy week here, Carl has been on holiday for about 2 weeks (give or take a day or two at work) so we have been spending more than enough family time all together. Many knitters named this season, the summer of lace or the summer of socks. We name it the summer of picnics, not a day goes by without someone mentioning that we should eat at least one meal outside if it's not all. Even when it rained we ended up eating under the umbrella in the livingroom (the umbrella was acting as a parasol).

Last week I got to meet Kelli Ann and CanKNITian at a lovely park in our city. A BIG park to walk around when looking for people though, luckily Carl, the kids and I found them sipping iced tea under a tree. Teehee! I got to hold a 6-month old Zoé and my oh my did I enjoy it!!! I think I can be the official baby holder in Montreal knit meetings, I just love holding teeny tiny kiddos. :) Our small gathering did confirm to me that most, if not all, knitters are the nicest of people out there. Maybe I've been lucky in meeting the nicest ones though. Thank you to both ladies for making me have one of the best afternoons in a long time, although we did see a very frightening picture of Maman thanks to J. LOL! ;)

Off to cast on chevron sock #2! No lonely socks here.

hugs,

Posted by Jo at 11:10 PM | Comments (3)

July 10, 2006

It's good to be back!


Five days without internet is a loooong time when you are a blog junkie. I did get to spend time outside, enjoying the wonderful weather, stopped by Ikea one day, that was fun! Boy has there been action in the blogging world to catch up too. The summer issue of Knitty went up and the IK preview too. For Knitty, I like the socks, of course, but not all of them. In IK, well it's the fall issue, the issue of lovely and comfy sweaters, just wish I knitted sweaters though. LOL! They are too time consuming for me, the knitting all seperate pieces, blocking, sewing them together. Argh! I just want a sweater, oh well, I still have enough yarn and a pattern for a top down cardi I bought in the spring. Perhaps... someday, who knows? Maybe I'll knit a sweater but until then, you can count on me to knit socks! :)


Italy won!!! When we started watching the final World Cup game, I didn't have a big preferrence but in the end, my personal opinion is that the best one. I mean, they got each and every penalty goal in and that's that! While we watched the game, we went all out. LOL! We had smoothies and oven baked nachos, boy was it yummy. I even finished a sock and cast on the second between the first and last half.


Over the weekend, the kids and I had a little cooking class. It was fun but the teacher/cook wasn't very good at sharing the responsabilities between the kids. The group of 8 kids were from 5 to 12 years old (I'm still debating if the tallest kid was just 12 though!). That kid did just about everything while the smaller ones tried to get noticed by the cook to help out. The recipes were easy and good but I'm not sure I'd pay for the kids to grate a carrot in a two-hour class. The next class is from another teacher so we may try it out or not... we'll see when the time comes. Also next time I believe parents are not to stay in the kitchen so I'm not sure how I feel about it yet. The kids have more fun cooking at home because we let them help out a lot but I think, it's also fun to learn new recipes with other kids. I do know that "I" want to take cooking classes, it's always been a dream and I guess it's time that I make it a reality.


Regia Cotton, I really wasn't sure I'd like it at first but it knits up well. It isn't as nice as wool sock yarn but it's really not just like knitting cotton. So Regia Cotton gets my vote for fun lightweight summer socks. :) As usual, I am knitting super simple stockinette socks. 3mm 5" Brittany needles, 72sts, 1X1 ribbing until around 2", start heel after at least 7" leg and knit star toe to avoid kitchener. HA! That is the recipe my friend to fun knitting socks. :)

Until next time, hope you enjoy the sun.

Posted by Jo at 02:52 PM | Comments (2)

July 01, 2006

Happy Canada moving day!

Happy Canada day and to Quebecers, happy moving day! In Montreal, I think you will see more moving trucks than Canadian flags on july 1st, it's a crazy day and you better be patient if ordering pizza. LOL! That said, Carl's working and we are just doing a big nothing at home. How's that for celabrations? I sure hope the rest of our weekend gets better than this.


In the mean time, I have a heel to turn. :) I love purple socks, I totally forgot to include my purple CareBear socks in the pic too. LOL! I also have knitted Koigu purple socks in the past, wow, guess I have a thing for purple... but it's Carl's favorite color, not mine. Not that I actually know what my fave color is anymore but that's a whole other subject.


This morning, Tim Horton's opened a restaurant in Kandahar, Afghanistan so now our Canadians at war can still have a taste of home. We sure like our double-double at Tim's and I am happy that our troops at least get a bit of comfort from home while they are away.

Thirty days left until august, I wonder... will I have finished the pair of purple socks? LOL!

Posted by Jo at 02:13 PM | Comments (1)