Jo Knits!

That's all folks.

There's no good way to say this... well, maybe the classic: it's not you, it's me!? lol!

I will still be around the blog world, just need to put my energy on what is really important to me.

Thanks for the friendships, they got me through a lot of events along the years.

hugs, ~Jo~
joknits@gmail.com

2008 Summer Games

Let the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games begin! I am home alone watching the Opening Ceremony and not knitting a single stitch. LOL! I did end up signing up for the Ravelympics (knitting something challenging during the Olympics) but I only ordered the yarn online yesterday. So I'm hoping to start my project on monday. During the winter 2006 Knitting Olympics, I knitted two sweaters for my kids. In Quebec, the Olympics are one of the only moments where everyone will say they are proud to be Canadian! I am proud of my country and not just during sport events and I was clapping all by myself when the Canadian athletes entered the Beijing Stadium. So I'm a dork, it was pride to see all these athletes living their dream. How many of us can say that we achieved a goal we've set for ourselves.

So what's my project to knit for the next 16 days? Fair isle socks!!! Yay! I am very excited about this and I think it was just the push I needed to finally try knitting two color socks. I can't even swatch since my yarn isn't here but that's ok, I still have two projects to keep me busy until then. The February lady sweater and Zoe's monkey do, monkey see socks. :) I really need to do a clean up in the yarn I have, I keep thinking I have more than I actually do. That doesn't mean I don't have enough to keep me busy for many more months either. LOL!

The school countdown begins, less than 3 weeks before they go back. We are almost ready and the kids are looking forward to spending a year with their new teachers. Lucas will have the same 2nd grade teacher his sister had and Zoe will have a male teacher for 4th grade. Zoe's class will be a split two-levels class, half the students will be learning 3rd grade and the other 4rth grade. I am not worried at all, the teacher has taught such a class before and I really like him, he is such a low key, no stress teacher. I can only expect a good year of learning to come out of this. :)

How many projects?

As yet another startitist attack got over me, I started two new projects.

This is the Morning Surf scarf, it's the cover pattern from the last Spin-Off issue. I had dreams of knitting this pattern with my own handspun yarn but haven't spun in a month and well, the pattern kept calling me. I am using Fleece Artist basic merino sock, their yardage isn't enough for knitting socks (for me) but I still love the yarn, so a scarf it is. It seems that we are so busy with activities (currently only mondays are free) that spinning just isn't in the cards but I know I'll get back to it, soon. I really miss spinning and I have all those sample fibers to spin up.

This is the second project, new socks for Zoe. At first I was going to start socks for Lucas but luckily he is patient. Ever since I bought Sweet Paprika yarns from the Fringe Bazaar, I've been eager to knit with it. This yarn is just SO soft, like buttery soft, it has the same feeling as Cabin Cove yarn if you ever had the chance to knit with it but it's superwash. The pattern I am working on is a modified Monkey totally inspired by Neophyte Knitter's tragic lost sock. I have knitted Monkey socks once but I didn't enjoy the stitch pattern. Now this new version of no purling is really nice, I'm tempted to knit them for myself in a solid colorway too.

I have been interested in solid colored socks all of a sudden. Currently I only have two colors, a bright cherry red and a steel grey, both from Regia. Sadly, with my 1st year in Summer Of Socks, it seems that I have lost the sock mojo. I still haven't finished a pair since the knit-along started last month. I think socks are to me just a tag along project that I can work on when the kids are doing sports and stuff. Now that summer is here, I have more time to knit projects that require a bit more attention. I don't know... There is hope though, with Twist and Knotions coming out. Have you noticed how many new sock patterns are all about twisted stitches?

August is already here, man this is when the summer vacations go downhill. What I mean is that those last few weeks will fly by too quickly, like each year. There are still great projects for us up in the air and swimming lessons are now over. Which means no more 90 minutes sitting by the pool! I am amazed at how much the kids progressed in their swimming skills in 4 weeks. Just wished we had more time in the fall for them to swim again. Too many sports not enough hours, it's that school thing that keeps getting in the way. LOL!