Pischi Days

iPad, iTote, iCan

For those interested in crafts and craft instruction, there is a new site that I stumbled across and been observing their class expansion for a while now. Craftsy offers a myriad of online classes, complete with video tutorials and lots of handholding to simple workshops with illustrated step by step guidelines and not so much hand holding. They have branched out from only offering sewing, quilting, and knitting and added all kinds of classes in paper arts, soap making, gardening, among other pursuits. I finally jumped in and signed up for a free workshop to test the waters.


Craftsy offers a free workshop that will guide you through some foundation piecing and the construction of an iTote. Since my iPad has become my constant companion,  storing current knitting patterns, doubling as a newsreader, and magazine basket, it needed a fitting case. All I had in the way of protection is a screen cover.
Here is the result, quilted tote made from what I could dredge up from my fabric and button stash. The goal was to keep this project a zero cost, other than my time. I made a few unplanned modifications, like using a patterned fabric. I also sewed the zipper onto the wrong side. Oops! The strap is also on the bottom, not the top. No matter, I learned a lot and ended up with a passible and usable result.
I have since signed up for the more substantial, more expensive couture sewing class since I was able to catch the class while they had it on sale.
I'm hoping the knitting classes enjoy some expansion. Now I could go for a class that will teach me to knit fair isle.

I'll Have Fries With That!

Alright then, 2012…what can I say. I needed a sabbatical, but now it's time to dust off the cobwebs and get back to keeping tabs on myself.
Lets start with a gentle post.
I woke up to what could have been a dreary day. Thanks to higher than normal winds, the clouds blew by and the sun came out. I became andy and browbeat Tom into abandoning the mop and bucket so we could head to the Winter Park Farmers Market.
Here's some eye candy!

These were some seriously great fries. The best I've ever eaten! There were little cloves of fried garlic among the potaoes, everything tossed with fresh rosemary, sea salt, and parmesan. All dessed up in a take-away container with garlic mayo and green goddess dressing.

I found a recipe at Kitchen Runway that I will attempt next week for a progressive dinner, at which I get to choose the starter.

Welcome back, me!

What Time is It??

Holy Cow! Where do the days go? They are flying by and I can't keep up. My last post was in May with news from September. How lame is that?
Lets have a quick roundup of news.

• I graduated with an AA, a huge accomplishment for me.
• Went back to school to earn a certification in Medical Billing and Coding. The big board exam is this Saturday. Hope I pass.
• Netflix and knitting have kept me sane!

Let's round up some projects, mostly old, mostly socks.Here we go...

Coralicious Socks, an easy, lacy pattern that's free on Ravelry, knit from a skein of my coveted Sundara Sock Cerulean Seas. These socks and the ones below were donated the a charity auction to raise money for school scholarships. I hope that they fetched a decent amount of money.

My first foray into socks using Zauberball Frische Fische. While watching the colors change was enjoyable, knitting with a single unplied yarn was not. My tension is tight and this yarn is not forgiving, not to mention splitty. Oh, the pattern is called Peacock, fitting, wah? Janel Laidman writes awesome sock patterns.

These were a quick knit. I love the colors and the fabric pictured with them is a vintage sari that I scored at the thrift for $4! The yarn was a gift, Gypsy Girl Creations and the colorway is called Floridian. The pattern, Dragonfly Socks, is free.

Knitting black fingering yarn can diminish your eyesight! Really. Black is so versatile and I would like more socks knit from black yarn, but my eyes...my eyes...

The pattern is free and called Clover. It's a great combination of cables and lace. Very classy. The yarn is JaWoll Solid Superwash. This is the yarn that comes with a spool of reinforcing thread for heels and toes. Too bad, I forgot to use it!

Pom Pom Peds are my current obsession. I could knit these day and night. Well, I do knit these in between projects. The yarn is something random out of the stash. It could be Lion Brand Magic Stripes, but who knows. The great thing about these socks is that you I use up all those remnants from larger sock projects. I wear mine to the gym and they are the socks that I get the most use out of. These are for my son, a Christmas gift. Since he never reads this blog, it's safe to say he will still be surprised.

I still have a plethora of projects and things to share. Stay tuned!

The Yarn Meteor Leaves Thursday

I am rushing, trying to catch up on housework, homework, and pack because on Thursday, three friends and I are taking the Silver Meteor out of Winter Park, Florida and riding the rails to Union Station in Washington, DC. From there its a short drive to Manassas and to top it all off, the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival on Saturday. The train takes us home again Sunday night! I am beyond exited.

Our last trip was in September, 2010, when we were graciously hosted by a fellow knitter. She put us up in her flat in Toronto and showed us the sights. What a city. I am originally from Edmonton and had not been to Toronto in years. I can't gush enough. The city is varied, vibrant, with no sign of a flailing economy. The restaurants were great. Each meal eclipsed the last. Meals are very important!

 

A trip into Toronto is not complete without a visit to Romni Wools. This place is a massive wall to wall, two level maze of yarn. It was amazing. Don't miss on your next trip to Toronto. You've been warned. I posted a little video for your viewing pleasure.

We spent two great days at The Purple Purl on Queen Street. One of those evenings was host to a Yarn Tasting put on by Knitty's Amy Singer. (That's Amy in the pink sweater. Betcha ya didn't know she had her own web site). The concept is one that reminded me of musical chairs. Five table with three brand new yarns on each were available for sampling. You had five minutes to cast on and knit with each yarn, then off you went to another table. We graded and tasted and made notes. The evening ended with a raffle of goods that Amy brought along. I don't thinks that any of us went away empty handed. I won a luxe skein of Viola Fancy Sock yarn in a mushroom color. What a thrill. The skill level of the knitters in our midst blew me away. I noticed that most of them knit with Signature needles. I have a pair and love them to bits and pieces. To own more is but a dream right now.

The Barn

Our hostess, Jody bussing Rhichard (Koigu's master dyer)

Our Mascot, Flori-duh, rolling in the Koigu

Bonnie in "The Coat"

Me in another Coat. I looked stunned.

Koigu Wrap, we both bought this pattern.

One of our many field trips was to Koigu, out in Chatsworth, Ontario. When we arrived, we were greeted by two zealous pups, the owner Maia, her daughter Taiu, and Rhichard, the boy wonder-dyer. We were spoiled with attention and were granted access everywhere. We watched the skeining process and listened to Maia discuss her designs. Not only were we privy to all kinds of yarns and techniques, but to Maia's wonderful knit samples. They were there to wear and try on, so we did! Each of us came home with bags and bags of Koigu. Between the stuff we purchased at the Purl and all the Koigu, luggage was bursting.
My trip knitting was Citron using Schoppelwolle Zauberball in cranberry. One of the knit nights at the Purl had me sitting next to a lovely lady who wasn't such a fan of the yarn and gifted me with three more balls. I still haven't returned the favor and this trip will have me shopping for a very special skein of yarn, as a surprise.

When I came home and in my Koigu haze, I cast on a pair of socks using the KPPPM that was already in my stash. I had never knit with Koigu before. I enjoyed the spring and the sproing that the yarn provided. Cookie A's BFF Sock was perfect for the colorway that I had on hand.
So, Wednesday are my finals and I am looking forward to Thursday. I will be meeting up with Rhichard again. We will be celebrating my birthday, pending graduation, and Mother's Day. Amy Singer will also be there, ukulele in hand. I've been tweeting her!

This trip, my pocket book is light until I finish my internship and find a job. Shopping will be kept to a minimum. My stash overfloweth anyway.
So, all aboard the yarn express to Maryland! Woooo,  wooooooo!

All is Well When in the Garden

Spring have been a daily visiter, with summer temperatures hot on her heels. Our garden is at its most glorious in the spring, but it is particularly lush this year. We decided that it is due to the massive amounts of compost that we have been generating thanks to our ECOmposter. I wrote a piece, back last June, about the green ball that we bought on impulse from Woot! last year. We have been keeping it full and dumping the spoils into the garden. The results are evident. The blueberry bushes are full, sagging under the weight of the fruit.

Most of the plants, cucumbers, yellow squash, zucchini, are volunteers, renegades from the compost stew. We even boast mums in April!

Along with lush plants, we have been inundated with insects, in particularly fruit flies and mosquitos. The fruit flies are particularly annoying and collect around my fruit bowl. I have tire many ways of eradication, the best being a bowl of red wine covered with perforated cling wrap. The flies enter through the holes and ultimately meet their drunken demise. The whole affair looks ugly. On a recent trip to Crate and Barrel we found, high up and tucked away, these classy little bug jars that perform the same service without the tacky look.
The bee skep shaped glass has an indentation in the bottom with a hole. Just add wine or vinegar, and like flies to balsamic vinegar…
I know, I know, I am way behind on my knitting post. I promised a reportage from my September trip to Toronto and Koigu. It's coming. Not to be outdone by a report on my upcoming train trip to the Maryland Sheep and Wool Fest! So, dear reader, stay tuned.

The ShawlWashclothBlankie Post

Catching up is such a process. This is the shawl post in which I will attempt to chronicle three months of shawl and miscellaneous knitting that took place in the latter quarter of 2010. Without further ado…
I will start with Saroyan x 2! The last two years I was smitten by Sundara's yarns, mostly because they were so unobtainable. This made made want to own skeins and skeins of the stuff. I would join the clubs just to make sure that I received a good assortment. While beautiful, it is now out of my budgetary wheelhouse but I enjoy folding and knitting it up…very slowly, you know, to make it last. Saroyan is a great pattern to use for small batches of luxury yarn. I has three skeins of the Silk Aran in Orange Blossom. The first shawl I knit used up just one skein. I made some adjustment to repeats and the result is still a generously sized shawl. This one made its way to the UK with my friend Annie. Hi, Annie, hope you like it !

I loved this pattern so much, I had to try it using beads. This one is slightly longer and is part of an upcoming charity auction for the SPCA. Someone on Ravelry has figured out how to add little dangly leaves to the ends. I tried this and didn't have the patience to follow through. I must preserve because I love the look so much.

When I visited Stitches South in Atlanta last April, Citron was on every ones shoulders. You could see every colorway and yarn imaginable. I made mine using a Cranberry Zauberball. My only regret, not having made it larger. This one was knit on the September trip to Toronto. Since that trip was so jam packed, it will need a post to itself. Stay tuned.

 
Next up, Classic Washcloths. These are the classic numbers from the Mason Dixon book. I used the same yarn called for, Crystal Palace Chenille culled from a Ravelry stash. This stuff does not worm! You've got to love that. The trio were part of a wedding basket filled with cleaning necessities. I hate gift registries and prefer to do my own thing. Who can't use Method and Mrs. Meyer's cleaning supplies? So pretty and smells good, too!

Florida has been in the grips of some pretty cold weather….again. I am not an afghan fan, especially those ziggy zaggy ones that seem to be a prolific sight on the backs of sofas here in the South. Really, any throw draped on furniture, other than a bedroom chaise is a turn off for me.

Despite turning up my nose at knitted blankets, I was smitten with this one. It's the Hemlock Ring Blanket, a modern take on a doily pattern. This was Jared Flood's brainchild, which some charting assistance from the Rainy Sisters. Again, I used the called for yarn, Cascade Eco Wool In tarnish purchased from a Ravelers stash. I loved this knit as it flew right along. I was actually sad when it was finished. Blocking was a bear and I definitely recommend blocking the center as it will bubble. The feather and fan portion will still bubble a bit, despite heavy blocking. That OK, though. Another regret, the color. This grey is so boring. Go check out some of the ones in the Ravelry database. The orange one is just spectacular. Eco Wool comes in colors…..

Three Month's Notice

Where did October, November, and December go? I blinked the the latter months of 2010 became a blur. It looks as though I have some catching up to do.Lets time travel back into last year and let me consult my Ravelry notebook, well, because I did try to keep some stuff current.
The end of the summer was time to finish up some sock knitting. I try to keep up without he gals at Sock Knitter Anonymous, but hard as I try, my knitting tools along in the right lane.
Ode to Eames was a colourwork pair that I started in 2009 and after having knit one sock just chocked on the second one. This behavior is not the norm.  These two yarns started out as another colorwork sock project that didn't materialize. These, however, while a bit tight, are pleasing and I am glad that I finished. I am trying very hard to knit up the stash from the bottom, that is yarn that I've had in bins and have been marinating the longest. This pattern was a freebie at one time but is now on hiatus and not available. So, if you have the pattern, keep it close!

Knee High to a Grasshopper is an older Rockin' Sock Club installment. At that time Blue Moon Fiber Arts just introduced the Silkie Sock Yarn. While yielding a pretty result, I much prefer their sturdy light or medium weight yarn. I think that these sock won't hold up over time.

 

I plan on returning this weekend with the next installment of the last quarter 2010. Stay tuned for a trip to Toronto and the Koigu Farm.

Amber Light Specal

Lately my knitting has taken a turn from selfish to selfless, meaning that I am giving most of what comes off the needles away. Economic times are tough and there are many birthdays, wedding, babies being celebrated. Shopping for "meaningful gifts" is an oxymoron. I can't seem to find anything that isn't mass produced and affordable. Gifting my knitting took a great leap of faith and the hope that the person receiving the item will love it as much as I loved making it. The art of detachment also helps a great deal. I am always surprised when the recipient responds with the comment that they have never been given a hand made item. That always evokes competing feelings of joy and sadness.
Here is my latest effort, a hat for a dear friend. The pattern is a classic, Jared Flood's Red Light Special. I renamed it Amber Light Special and knit the hat over the course of two evenings. The yarn has been lingering for quite some time. The skeins were impulse buys from Elann and were meant to be felted pumpkins. The liner was a skein of Red Heart yarn won at a Stitch and Pitch. They were put to much better use here...

Gifts in Season

Yes, yes..there has been some knitting going on. The summer here has been brutal, although not as brutal as in other parts of the country. After all, we're geared for hot weather. The temperatures have been in the 90's with high humidity and this makes for knitting small items in lightweight yarns.
My projects have been geared towards gift giving with several birthdays in mind.I love the idea of being able to make something special for a friend. I am always surprised when I'm told by the recipient that this is their first hand knitted item.
Here is my laundry list of gifts so far.
Pom Pom Peds are on the top of my gift giving list. They encompass stash busting, they arequickly completed, suit almost anyone from teen to senior. The pattern is very easy to memorize once a couple of pair have been made. I completed these out of leftover Socks That Rock and gave them to my good knitting buddy, Rene'e, who claims that as a nurse, socks are one of the few clothing items she can wear and express her individuality
Although hats aren't necessarily the "must have" accessory in Florida, every man should have a hat to pack on trips north. Although, it did get pretty cold last winter and maybe I sohould make a few for the upcoming season.

I traded some Meilenweit sock yarn from the Dizzy Spin Off BOK…(watch the website daily if you're curious). Two skeins of Classic Elite Lush resulted in the Brioche Stitch Hat. This was my first brioche adventure and I cast on and ripped seven times. Each try resulted in holes in the fabrics, not the lovely rib that was present in all the pictures that I viewed. I finally gave in and watched a youtube video that explained every step including the caston in detail. Finally, success.

Sundara's  yarn, always in demand, was something that I bought and stored because it seemed too precious to knit with. What if I failed and had to rip up the project, ruining this expensive yarn? Coming to my senses, I caved and knit a scarf that I've long admired, Saroyan. This is a great pattern and can be customized to suit any desired length or width. My goal was to use just one skein of the Silky Aran Merino. The result is a generous scarf that can be wrapped or pinned. I have two skeins left over and want to try a larger version for myself using beads in the leaf stems.
So, there is the gift roundup for the month. I am currently knitting another gift hat and challenging my self to complete my WIPS during the month of August.

Colour Outside the Box

I love color. It shows in our home, our garden, my clothes, and my knitting. The bolder, the better. I have been bringing home color chips in the hopes of finding a color to make a change our terracotta walls. So far nothing has jumped out at me.  I came across a great color project, brainchild of a French paint company. Watch the video. It made me look at wall colors in a whole new light.

Next top; Istanbul to paint "Ayrilik Cesmesi Sokagi”, translated "The Fountain of Departure" street.