Green Might Be Hard - But Orange Is Easy

Today's post is apropos of nothing in particular.

I looked out the patio doors the other day and saw this.

Kermit singing- "It's not easy being green." came to mind. (I suppose my felted Shalom, could it have spoken, might have said the same thing) But it's easy and wonderful to live in a sea of orange - even for just a few days.

I'm following my thoughts of orange with a smile about a comment to my blog the other day that made me laugh. Freshisle Fibers commented on my felting of Shalom to say that she couldn't wait to hear what Fred had to say about it.

Ha.Ha.Ha.Ha. Isn't that hilarious? She thinks I told Fred. How funny is that??

Thursdays Are For Knit Group And Survivor

We had triplets at knit group today. Triplet scarves that is. Doreen, Joanne and Nell all wearing their Diagonal Scarves.

Ingrid is showing off a scarf that Doreen knit.

It is a drop stitch pattern. Wrap the yarn around the needle twice instead of the normal once, and on the next row, knit one wrap-around, let the other drop. It elongates the stitch.

Sandra wants the world to know that despite what I say about her, she does finish something. Here is her lovely, loooong scarf.

Joanne is our master mitten knitter. Her mitts are always wonderful She uses Lopi and just bits of colour. Keeping with the theme of 'threes' today, here is a trio of her mitts.

And a close up of the colour work. I love them.

You might remember 'Lois of the beautific smile' who joined the group a few weeks ago. Five weeks ago, she tells me. Today she said that in those five weeks, she has knit exactly this.

If the smile is indicative, lack of production doesn't seem to bother her.

And of course when knitting with friends, there is always time for frivolity.

And look, world! Doreen is smiling!!!!! Hope your daughter in England is reading this, Doreen.

Now off to watch Survivor. Last week, illness took out a player, not tribal council. Tonight, I wonder is Mr. Oil Company Exec will continue to convince his tribe to do his bidding. Wake Up People!!!

In My Opinion

In my opinion, nobody compares to Elizabeth Zimmermann. Sally Melville ranks a close second, but EZ is number one in my opinion. For inspiration, for making it all seem do-able, for classic, last-forever garments, you can't beat EZ.

So why I hesitated so long in buying the one book of hers that I didn't yet own, I don't know. But now I own them all. The memorial edition of The Opinionated Knitter is now mine.

My first glance was - 'I've seen it all before.' That doesn't matter, though. One doesn't buy EZ for 'new' designs. But closer inspection has me in love all over again. Sure, many of the patterns I've seen in her other books. But the updated colour photos - of her grand kids,I think - are marvellous. EZ's writings and diary excerpts are marvellous. The patterns that I've not previously seen are marvellous.

The book closes with (according to Meg) just a small portion of the memorial tributes received by the family following EZ's death. There are five !! five!! pages.

Near the end of the book, Meg states that the family had no idea that their wife, Mother, Grandmother, Great Grandmother was also a 'knitting mother' to so many knitters around the world. And so she was. Reading her books provide the warm and generous comfort of a Mother's encouragement.

In my opinion, that's not likely to be found in many places. It's a wonderful book.

So Sad

Friday, for my Toronto trip, I wore Shalom. It received many compliments. S&P liked it. Arachknit liked it. Store clerks and family members liked it.

Riding high on compliments and not one to ignore a good thing, I wore it all day Saturday too. But by the end of that second day, I thought it a bit odorous. And so, threw it into the
dirty- clothes section of my suitcase. Once home I threw it into the laundry bag.

Monday morning I was up early and at the laundry. But as I said in my Monday email to S&P, "I am tired and fuzzy."

You might ask, if I was tired and fuzzy, why was I up early. Well, Mondays in the fall, I participate in a Church group that sews hats for the homeless. I head out the door, with my sewing machine for an 8:30am start. So laundry was underway very early.

Next you might ask, if I was tired and fuzzy and had a busy day, why I didn't leave the laundry for Fred. His day was empty. Some of you might think it because Fred and the laundry have issues. But that wasn't it at all. The issues have been remedied with this sign

now taped to the dryer. Rather, it was because, I thought it not a nice thing to do after my weekend of fun and frivolity, to leave Fred with the laundry.

"My My", those that know me well are probably thinking. That's a considerable amount of caring and compassion. Hats for the homeless and no laundry for Fred. Apparently way too much compassion for my tired and fuzzy brain.

I saw Shalom in the pile. "Acrylic in here" said my tired and fuzzy brain. Into the machine. And that cold water habit of mine? For some reason!!! - tired and fuzzy, I guess - I abandoned it.

Sadly, Shalom is no more. It felted. 67%wool, 33% acrylic, Vienna yarn, warm water and it felted. Good to know if you want to make slippers. I can still get it on but I look as if I have outgrown it. The vibrancy of the colours is no more, and it is very fuzzy. Like my brain on Monday morning.

Shalom was so cool. So hip. So totally 'de jour'. And now, gone. So sad.

Toronto Fun

My Toronto weekend was such fun. All except the Friday weather. It was raining ridiculously hard and the wind was gusting, according to the weatherman, up to 50 K an hour. 50 K was vastly underestimated, according to my battered umbrella and wind-swept appearance .

But the weather couldn't dampen my spirits. I met up with Sel & Poivre at Romni Wools. We had a great time. We yarn shopped for a long, long time. According to S&P - way longer than her normal, solo- yarn- shopping, tolerance level.

I managed to grab a lovely ball of green tape yarn.

I've been thinking scarves lately and this will make a super addition to some green stash yarns for a multi-yarn, monochromatic, green scarf. A great accent on the new winter coat that came home from Toronto with me.

And, at long last, I have the wool for my Must Have Cardi.

How long has that been in my queue? Well, how long has the pattern been out? But as S&P said. 'queues are fluid." So true. S&P picked this one out for me. She knows me well. Not really. But apparently, I am quite transparent. Friday was the first time I had met S&P but still she picked the perfect yarn.

I left S&P at the subway. S&P heading for home while I headed off to meet arachknit. She had been patiently saving this Sally Melville book for me.

It is the only book of Sally's that I didn't own. This copy is in excellent condition and I feel lucky to finally own it. Already I have decided that this will be my first knit from the book.

The light coloured version of Annalee's Jacket. Tweed stitch and cables. A beauty and a classic, now in my fluid queue.

The rest of the weekend was spent with family. Shopping, eating. Pubbing, eating. Live music, eating. Did I mention eating? Gosh we had some good food.

Fun all around for this knitter.

Off To the Big Smoke

Today, I am up early and off to Ontario's big smoke - Toronto.

It is a weekend of pubbing and yarning with my family who come in from all directions for a Toronto meet-up. Well- the pubbing involves family. The yarning? I have to round up other knitters for that.

Sel & Poivre is meeting me at Romni to kick off the weekend. After yarning and lunch with her, I am off to meet arachknit (ravelry link). She is selling me her extra copy of Sally Melville's Styles and has been patiently waiting for me to do a Toronto weekend so I could pick up the book and save myself postage.

This is a first time for meeting either of these knitters and I'm looking forward to both.

Should be a good weekend. I'll tell you all about my knitting adventures on Monday.

Thursdays Are For Knit Group And Survivor

Wow! Fall weather sure spurs on the knitters.

Sandy B - off to Florida for the winter in just a few days - has finished two cute little baby outfits. The last chance to spoil them until spring, eh Sandy?

The little girl gets this darling little cross over sweater tied with a polka dot ribbon.

While this hoodie, knit with self striping yarn, is perfect for the little boy.

Doreen has started her marathon of bazaar knitting. Two scarfs and a hat this week.

Bonnie looks great in another of Gail's, three- stranded hats. Nice of Gail to knit one to match your outfit, Bonnie.

It was a proud day for Bonnie. She has been knitting for ?? 'forever' she says and this sweater is the first !!!!! item she has ever knit for herself. Let's hope it's the start of a whole new knitting experience for you, Bonnie.

"It fits! It fits." she kept saying.

Gail looks quite pleased with her scarf and hat.

She's doing some 'easy peasy scarves' for gift giving.

Wilma wore her Eyelet Cardi today. It looks great and fits nicely. You make a great ad for Chic Knits patterns wearing that, Wilma.

Now off to watch Survivor. It always amazes me that the players I would vote off first, seem to hang around so long. Let's see what happens to Mr Oil Company Exec tonight.

Look What's Happening

Look what's happening in our back yard.
Soon we will see the Church again. The changing leaves fascinate me while I knit.

No less fascinating is the product of my knitting this week. Gail's Three Stranded Hat. Appearing here as a pointed cap - but it rounds out nicely when worn.

Gail is the knitter from knit group determined to knit up a ball of yarn a day until next year's Knitters Fair. Luckily she came across an old Patons pattern for an ear-flap hat using three strands of worsted weight yarn. A stash denter for sure. I might make a few more of these.

Not that I think it's particularly flattering on me,

but it will be good for my winter, hat-give-away box. Visiting skiers always need want a new hat or two.

Have You Seen?

Have you seen the latest Knitting Daily?

I love that gold wrap. Especially worn as a shawl. I'm less enthralled with it worn buttoned around the back and in some of the other awkward positions. But as a wrap, it's lovely. Of course, autumn colours again. I'm such a sucker for autumn colours.

Sally Melville once suggested that when you swoon over an image and immediately run to the yarn store and reach for the needles, you should stop for a moment. Photo copy the image. Look at it in black and white.

Sally's suggestion was to ask if the garment still appeals. She says the knitter needs to know if it is the style, fit and construction that appeals, or is it the colour. Very good suggestion.

Should I ever follow it, my life might contain less frogging, more wearing.

Time To Knit??

Last week was busy. Thanksgiving dinner for sixteen on Monday. Working at the LYS on Wednesday. Visitors from the 'north' and knit group on Thursday. So, was there time to knit?

Of course.

My latest project is Mondo Cable Cardi by Bonnie Marie Burns. The yarn is Vienna, (ravelry link) purchased last spring at Riverside Yarns, and intended for the February Lady Sweater. The FLS is having a strong run at the moment and caught my eye. But there was always a little niggling doubt in my mind about the 'chain mail armour' look of the circular garter stitch yoke. I decided to let the idea of the FLS percolate a bit longer before casting on and instead am using Vienna for the MCC.

So far, so good. It is another top down sweater - seems to be my sweater of choice for /09 - and I am about three fourths of the way to completing the body.

Close up of the large 'mondo cable'.

I love the colours - so very poorly captured and 'pinked' in my photos. But the colouring is actually that of a hard wood forest in autumn. Reds, brown, golds and a bit of purple.

Perfect for fall Although it could well be snowing by the time I have it done. It's the thought that counts.

It's Friday, But Thursdays Are For Knit Group - Survivor's Available 'On Demand'

I know I'm a day late with my post. But when you have knitting visitors from 'the north' it's so much more fun to knit, talk, and drink red wine than post.

Ruby, from Hearst and Marg from Red Lake, came and did we have fun.

Thursday afternoon, was knit group, where they already knew most of the knitters' names from reading the blog. Then yarn shopping at Meaford's LYS. It's just too convenient having knit group meet at the back of the store. :)

Dinner was in the 'Village at Blue'.(Thanks, Ruby and Marg.)

This morning was for antiquing, then off to buy more yarn at Grey Heron, Collingwood's LYS.

Now the travellers are off to the airport to catch a flight to Florida to sail on a knitting cruise.

A very yarny time was had by all and I leave you with pictures of Thursdays knit group. Ruby could name the knitters. Can you?

The visitors

And yours truly, wearing one of Doreen's hats from Gails three strand pattern.

So Excited

I am so excited.

Ruby,

the owner of the Napa Auto parts Wool/Tool store

in Hearst is coming to visit.

She arrives today with her friend Marg. Marg lives in Red lake - 15 hours north of Hearst which is 11 hours north of us. That's one heck of a lot of driving.

Marg and Ruby are heading off to Toronto to catch a flight to Florida where they will board a ship for a knitting cruise.

Last spring, Ruby emailed to ask if I or any of the knitters at knit group would like to join them. Our group all decided that as much fun as it would be to cruise with Ruby, that the cost of the trip would buy us lots of yarn. So it's just Ruby and Marg.

I coaxed them to stop here on their way, so they arrived tonight and will go to knit group with me tomorrow. Then Friday off to catch that flight.

Tonight will be red wine, story telling and lots of knitting. I am so excited.

Thanks

Thanksgiving weekend in Canada. The big dinner is at our house and this year on Monday.
I love hosting family events and am thankful that I have the health and wealth to do it.

As for knitting - I'm always thankful that I learned to knit. Thankful that I have lots of knitting friends and especially thankful that I am blessed with a boring husband. One content to spend evenings at home - which gives me lots of time to knit. One content to spend time alone - which frees me up to knit. One who didn't object when the basement workshop was moved outdoors to the shed and the in-house space turned into a yarn room. One who answers the phone or the door when I'm in the middle of a row. One who prefers driving to being a passenger - which frees me up to knit.

And I'm thankful for finished objects to show.

The modeled shot of the lacey sweater born out of the frogged Hey Teach!

And 'The Boy Hat'

made with Peruvian Highland Wool from my fall Elann sample pack.
A bit on the small side I think but into the Thanksgiving give-away box it goes. It will fit some family member.

Happy Thanksgiving to all. Thanks for reading.

Thursdays Are For Knit Group And Survivor

Running into the grocery store for a couple of items before heading off to knit group, I was stopped by Berle. Beryle used to come to knit group and I told her how much we missed her.
"But I haven't progressed." she moaned. " I'm still on scarves."

At knit group, I told the gang what Beryle had said. Sandy (Not my face in the picture, just the scarf, Sandy) wanted me to post her as-yet-unfinished scarf.

Come back, Beryle. You are not the only one knitting scarves.


Ingrid has another fabulous creation on the go. A dress, this time.

This piece, to quote Ingrid, is one half of one sleeve. The dress itself will be mitred squares.

She demonstrated several times,

but none of us yet have the vision. Nonetheless, it will be glorious, I'm sure.

Nell, is crocheting a baby blanket. One made of strips.

Isn't this called 'Mile A Minute Afghan'? If so, the namer must have seen Nell crochet.

Now of to watch Survivor. Mr. Nasty is still there. But he did have to acquiesce a bit last week. Will he survive this week?

Knitters Who Bake

You can gain weight just reading Terri's blog. How she remains so thin I can't imagine. She's a wonderful knitter who loves to bake.

Then there is Ysolda. The knitter, designer and pattern author who also loves to bake. She can render me green with envy and rumbling with hunger when she talks of her local markets with their abundant produce that she then turns into fabulous desserts.

Last weekend we were having two couples, both old friends from our former life in London, visit for the weekend. The first course for dinner, I had decided, would be Cabbage Rolls. My favourite recipe is this one.

Desserts were a perfect excuse to try a couple of Terri and Ysolda's recipes. Terri's Brownies

Yes - there is a missing sample.

and Ysolda's Plum Cake.

Everything was delicious and a great hit.

Thank you to knitters who bake.

THe High Cost Of Fishing

Fred loves to fish. He is as passionate about fishing as I am about knitting.

Living on the shores of Georgian Bay, he has lots of opportunity to fish - in our boat on the bay or along the river that flows into the bay.

He fishes for hours each day in the fall. And in the four autumn seasons we have lived here he has brought home - No Fish! Zero. Zip. Nada.

Until today. Fish number one. Some kind of a trout, he says.

Taking into account the cost of the marina slip for the boat, all the rods, reels, tackle and time, this fish is worth untold dollars per pound.

But this proud look of satisfaction is priceless.

Afterall, it's about process, not product.

Ravelry Rocks

Thursday at knit group, I was, as usual, starting my time there by taking pictures -seeing what the knitters had been creating through the week. I looked up to see a new lady come through the door. She was looking straight at me with a big smile on her face.

The kind of smile that says - "Hi, old friend. Surprised to see me?"

Because of that look on her face, I asked
"Sorry my memory is poor. Do I know you?"

With the hub bub in the room, she didn't hear.

But across the room she came to me. Still with that big smile on her face. I then asked
"Have we met?"

"Only through your blog." she said, "I'm zieknits. (ravelry link) Elizabeth."

OMG!!!

Zieknits comments on my blog postings occasionally. She had introduced herself to me, cyberly speaking, a while back, through ravelry and the Grey Bruce Group.

Zieknits and her hubby are Canadian, but have been living state side for 30 years. About to retire, they are planning on returning to Canada and have pretty well decided that they want to live in the Grey Bruce area. The perfect reason to take a real estate reconnaissance vacation.

Being a blog reader, she knew that Thursdays Are For Knit Group and that the library flooded during our recent tornado, and that we are now meeting in the back room at the LYS and so - in she walked!!!

Here we asked her to pick up her hair so we could get a good view of her lovely shawl.

And here, she shows her next shawl with beads.

Such a great day. All due to the internet. Ravelry to be specific.