Xmas Knitting? Bah Humbug. I arrived home safe and sound and well rested(I slept from halifax to montreal station) and here I am in Kingston so far behind (b/c I slept from halifax to montreal station) having missed out on 18 hours of prime knitting time that I want to stab my self with my addis. Oh happy turbo dagger....

Here is Mum's "Emperor's New Scarf" (I can post the full name and link now; there's no way she's reading the blog before I give it to her...even if that ends up being sometime in january...) This is how it looked before leaving halifax. Now it looks....exactly the same but for one hole where I took the brown waste yarn out and tried to scrimp my way out of buying more butterfly cotton and finished the edging in embroidery floss. Don't do this. I found some cording that I'm de-plying from walmart and I think that will work. I just need to sit down and DO it.
Christmas miracle? Yes please. Oh and the omnipresent Hogwarts Scarf? I think I'm knitting a horocrux.

In happier news (happier than my turtley turbos) xmas shopping has tought me that everyone likes an oldfashioned Granny Square headband so I'm off to type up a pattern.

ps. I'm so sorry I missed holiday snb (or kol?) and the chance to see everyone's projects before they were gifted (or saved for next year as the case may be). Hope nobody thought I'd locked myself in the Shambala shrine room again.oops! Happy Holidays!

Soundtrack: "The Twelve Days of Christmas",Bob and Doug McKenzie
 

It's getting to be that time again; packing for the train back to Kingston, eating up everything that could go bad, freaking out over xmas presents, doing copious amounts of laundry, trying to get the tangled mats out of my hair, drinking egg nog for dinner....and celebrating Granny's birthday! Granny's 89 this year and although she asked for nothing but codeine and chocolate, she was very happy with all her prezies (especialy the ones that gave her a chance to pose). Here she is proving once again that she and Mrs Slocombe (of Are You Being Served fame) have more than a little in common.



In christmas crocheting crunch time I'm trying to turn out patterns for The Loop to sell.



The thing is, I need photos to include with the patterns that don't look like snapshots I took for the blog, and also don't look like I took them in my bathroom (I still need to buy windex), and oh yeah, that don't make me look completely egotistical (cause they're all of me so far). hmmmmmm...SnB ladies...want to be models?


Btw, here's what I want for christmas:



Soundtrack: "Words You Throw Away", The Black Crowes

If I had a winners/losers gallery of finished objects (ala Knit & Tonic) this would definitely be filed under 'losers'. It's not really done yet, but I really don't have the passion or drive right now to turn it into more than it currently is: a squid casing.



This seems to be a recurring theme for me *see briggs and little squid casing* perhaps I'm going through my cephalopod period? I'm sure it can be rescued in time (it's supossed to be a top I copied out of teen vogue -good god, right?) and I think the problem is that I tried to seam it during a cross country car ride with Ginny the cat in the back seat. I will pack it away under my bed until I grow enough backbone to give it a vertebrae and hope that it evolves past squid someday.

I've been so overwhelmed with knitting for xmas, and crocheting for classes, that I've been indulging in embroidery. Here's what I'm working on now:




Yes, yes, it's the ubiquitous Stevie Nicks. If you're interested, click here to see how absolutely stunning she is these days. Hooo ha! One day I will be her shawl mistress. I will painstakingly repair the Edge of 17 and Stand Back Shawls and make her a new wrap for Illume 9/11(I saw her on Sept.10-not that that makes me qualified) No, what makes me qualified is....well you don't need to hear my theories about my double parentage or my mean Electra complex (re Lindsey Buckingham). Sigh. Maybe one day I'll post a link to my Stevie site. It used to be one of the top rated ones. (yes, they rate these things)

As for my real Mum, you may remember the jacket she commissioned in the summer (click here) I still intend to make it, but not for a while. In the meantime, I'm making her Lucy's "The Emperor's New ____" for Christmas. (I won't post a picture in case she visits the blog...and I know she wont look up the pattern w/o help from me hee hee! no, no, she knows how, I just hope she wont.) The 'thumb trick' is blowing my mind and I got so excited that I came up with a great idea w/o realizing that it wouldn't work vertically. Duh. Is there a technique that would keep those stitches live, vertically? (vs. casting off and then on again)

ps it is gross outside. I wanted it to snow but not rain as well. grrrr.

Soundtrack: Wiretap, CBC1-this is one of my favorite shows ever. "Choooooo!"

Bad blogger! Bad blogger! I feel really bad about my blogging lull but I hope the following will make up for it!

I noticed this idea on Crochet Pattern Central the other day and made my own version during my first Crochet Workshop (which went really well!) using my ubiquitous flower pattern. Bandless Ear Muffs! Genius! There's a loop at the back that fits snug around your ear. I'm in love.




So I'm at SnB and get to laughing, ha ha, and get the best. idea. ever. I give you...Crocheted Elf Ears!



The pattern is still inchoate but at least I can cross off 'skin graft onto ears' from my xmas list (j/k!)

In the meantime, I think I've finished the raglan cardi. I know I should have a photo of the front, but I couldn't manage one on my own that was flattering enough to be posted.



Soundtrack: "One Way Ticket" The Darkness, "Do You Want To?" Franz Ferdinand

Fibre Adventures! I'm taking a class in Fibre Manipulation and our last class was about water soluble fabrics and plastics and the crazy things you can do with them. I made a sandwich with mine and filled it with lace and roving and tulle and then stitched the hell out of it with a free-form embroidery foot. Here's what it looked like:




Our homework was to disolve the fabric and we're to bring our results to class tomorrow. I took mine over to Granny's where my Aunt and Cousin and I all got stuck in disolving the fabric which turned into sticky snot. Here's Granny having a go:




It's turned out beautiful and lacy (but it's still got the snotty stuff on it-I need to disolve a bit more) and I want to do more!



I've also been working on a custom raglan cardi


It's worked up really quickly in Fleece Artist Boucle and Slub...not sure where it's going to go from here though. I've worked on it some more and had lot's of great advice from the ladies at the loop and at SnB so we'll see!


Soundtrack: "United States of Whatever", Liam Lynch

So official news: I'm going to be giving crochet workshops at the new Halifax knit cafe 'The Loop'. OMG!!! I am so excited! If you're local be sure to stop by and see the shop. It's still being set up and product is still being unpacked but the space is amazing and there's lots to check out. (It may even feature the past Guinness World Record holder for 'World's longest knitted scarf'. I am of course all for anything Guinness. lol. I'll post a link to the store's website again, once it's up and running. Stay tuned!

In the mean time I have loads of WIPS.

This subfusc photo shows my attempt at the errata-filled Saxon Braid from "Knitting on the Edge". It should turn into the cuffs and collar for a jacket. The next photo is a neckwarmer in Noro based on an antique lace pattern (I used the same for some gauntlets a while ago.)


I'm also trying to finish up my version on R2's "Drawn on and Dinky", but it's not going too well. Any tips on machine sewing onto loose knitting????


Thats it for now, I bought some beautiful Baby Alpaca from The Loop which is waiting to become a capelet.

Soundtrack: "Honey Hi", "Take the Skinheads Bowling", Camper Van Beethoven

The Show is over! ahhhhhhh. But now all those things I put on hold (from xmas knitting to cleaning out the fridge-yuck) are looming large and I must relax. It is okay to relax. Need proof? My nerves were so haywire I had to go to emerg. Chest pains, breathing problems, the lot. We tested for Everything and it turns out I've got myself into quite the state and need stress treatment. I was upset that I had gone through all these tests for that diagnosis but then a different Dr came in and asked me what I'm studing. "ummm I'm just doing some niteclasses at nscad right now." "what kind?" "textiles" "do you spin?" "OMG Are you the SPIN DOCTOR?!?!?!?"

You see, there is this dr who works in emerg and to calm down, his hobby is fixing spinning wheels. Someone told me to take my wheel to him but I had put it off. There he was in my little cubical giving me tips on organic purple dyes! I have taken it as a great omen. My first step towards destressing has been to pick out some patterns that need my full attention. Lace and cables. No more making 5 hats while I watch Golden Girls.



Back to the show...there are better photos, but I seem to have messed up my computer downloading too many alpaca photos. The show went really well; you can still find the website here. We got press this time (which was really strange....the interviewer asked me what kind of stuff I make. We were standing in front of my stuff. sigh.) and lots more people. I made double what I did last time ($$!) and I might even have a job (!!) A lovely lady came to talk to me about running crochet workshops. I don't want to get into it too much just yet as nothing's really confirmed. Still, to all the people who said crochet was a waste of time and that you can't make money in fibre arts...ummm.."na na na na boo boo." (this is a family blog you know.) I'm sure I'll be blogging MUCH more about this in the next little while, and maybe even asking for advice.

My Fibre Manipulation class has started up. Last night we did free motion embroidery, but last week we did needle felting and I kind of went crazy...Meet my new pet cat, and my new mascot *blank*. See, it was meant to be an alpaca, but I couldn't get the neck stiff enough and now it looks like a beautiful pony; like rhiannon when she turns into a horse, I think. Either way it needs a name.


So with my little felty friends I am calming down; everything is right in pomoboho land. You can make money crocheting, and trips to the Dr can end in more help than you even imagined. lol 'Spin Doctor'. Only in the Maritimes.

Soundtrack: "99lbs", Humble Pie

So much to post!
I've been doing the swaps at
PurplePinkandOrange and October's theme was 'snacks'. It didn't even occur to me to do halloween, but I got the most amazing treat bag from my swap pal and it arrived on the 31st to boot! Thank you! I got a package from Mum on the same day! Good snackn and good knittn. Note all the crazy japanese candy, and the cans of candycorn pop! Who knew?

In between munching on things I can't pronounce, I've been crocheting cat ears:

Edit:I forgot that I was going to mention how amazing the Holiday VK is! I almost wet myself! K, end of edit....

We had a lovely time at S&B tonite with 2 new ladies! I hope they keep coming. I showed off my 'sweatshop'ish speed at crocheting and decided to post it so that you can all enjoy (and/or be freaked out; even I didn't know I'm that fast). Take that Lily Chin! Here's a movie in two parts showing me making the flower described in the last post. It's really silly. These movies go out to the guy who was taking photos of us at uncommon grounds tonight. I hope you enjoy.

Soundtrack: "Paganini's Moto perpetuo", Bella Fleck

Happy Halloween!
Inspired by Steph and Moe at Stitch and Bitch last Wed nite (I finally made it!) I decided to post my pattern for THE perfect crocheted flower. A Samhain gift!

.Any yarn

.Any size hook

Chain 4. Join with a slip stitch to first chain to form a ring

*Chain 4, sc into ring* rep *to* 5 times. (You have 6 loops)

*sc into next loop, ch 1, dc, ch 1, sc* rep *to* in each loop.

Cut thread, weave in ends.

If you want a bigger flower, or to add layers of petals, you could stack flowers of different guages, or try this:

Don't "Cut thread, weave in ends."

*ch 5, sc into back of petal* rep*to* into back of each petal. (You have 6 loops)

*sc into next loop, ch 1, dc, ch 1, sc* rep *to* in each loop.

Also add tc to make even longer petals.

Pretty easy, huh?

Heres some flowers of various guages, and an idea of what you can do with all these things. Check Steph's page for an action shot of flowers in progress!

Soundtrack: Treehouse of Horrors 1-13 "That girl has more wicked witchery than Stevie Nicks!"

The race to the finish is on and I am nearing the end of prep for our show like a heard of alpaca. Well, maybe just the one on the left with too much hair, or the little one that looks like he's going to trip over his own head.

Our site is up! This is great cause I seem to be the only one self-aggrandizing enough to have a site or blog of her own. (Yes I know I could have written 'assertive' 'proactive' or 'open' or 'clever', instead of seeming self-depricating. That is a 'blurt' of mine, if you've read Julia Cameron's 'Artist's Way.' I'm sure a lot of us are on our fifth try getting through it. lol) ::Anyway:: it is up and you can see it here. Ignore the fact that I'm the only one featured so far!! It's really not about me!! Keep checking in the next few days, I'm sure the fabu ladies will have it full of fun stuff soon.

I went up to LK and bought the new IK Knitscene.....it is so good!! I don't love everything sure, but I really prefered it to some issues of Interweave Knits. Projects I love: Ruffle Wrap, Neck Warmer, Lace Edge Skirt,Twin Set, and Shrug. Has everyone heard the episode of 'KnitCast', (the podcast) where Marie interviews the editor of IK? (I don't remember anyones name). I remember thinking it was really snotty of her to say she hadn't even visited the 'ScarfStyle'KAL. (I was in it). Well, she has redeemed herself in my eyes. I'm sure she was real worried lol.

Well, I was going to post some photos but it's just not happening. Maybe I will try again. I will leave off with a question for anybody reading from the uk or maybe australia (?) Here in Canada we're 8 months behind in Corrination Street (Shelly just had her weigh in at the bar and Katie's gone in for an abortion) Please tell me if/when Charlie Stubbs gets what he deserves, cause I can't even bring myself to watch. He's the most horrible man I've ever seen on a soap! That includes american soaps where the villians trap people in other dimensions and just might be the reincarnation of the family dog! (hee hee that would be funny on Corrie too! Poor Schmeichel!) Please let me know; he really turns my stomach.

Must think about something else...Here's the tunnel book I made in book arts. It kind of looks like crap cause it's not put together yet, but you get an idea of the tunnel effect. (and of course Liddy Buck makes everything look slick.)

Soundtrack: "Start Wearing Purple", Gogal Bordelo

And the winner is........Eeva!! The beautiful maid of Finland has won a sur-prize for letting us all know that it was 'Maritime Man' in the celebrity-hat-photo. She so craxy! I remember one time we had a beer in toronto and paid in dimes and pennies (it wasn't keiths though). Ah, sweet boozy memories....did you know that you can use dried corn cobs to exfoliate your legs? yes, Eeva and I have had many adventures. Here she is over breakfast (I was so sick that morning!) her skinny scarf is in 'matrix'.



So I was reading about Moe's struggle with (and current frogging of) Fleece Artist yarns (if you havn't seen them they are beautiful hand dyed yarns, often silk and a little over powering) and I thought I'd post my own fleece artist conundurm.



My Mum bought these two hanks (sold as a kit for a jacket) in the summer and then designed this jacket with bell sleaves to be made from it. (My Mum doesn't knit lol) She understands that she is definatly not getting this for xmas. The mc still needs to be bought; a royal blue, and the FA mohair and bouclè will be the squiggles that go up from the bottoms. Ummm I think I can do this but the thought of it is making me a little nuts. Any ideas of a pattern I could base this on?



I'm going to send her this swatch of nikki epstein's (my go to gal) embossed twining vine leaf to see if she can come up with something made of that for christmas. Should be much quicker. (picture is dark-sorry!)

In per knitting news I am getting really sick of making hats and scarves for the show so I found myself a challenge. It's the "Peplum Pullover" from the winter2002 VK. It has twisted cables, puffs, bobbles, eyelets and ruffles. Sounds god-awful doesnt it? I will make it anyway, I just have to find a sub for GGH 'Aspen'. I want to make this for cheap! (In case I look like a cartoon character in it).

Today I stopped a pretty girl on the street so I could get a look at her sweater. So cool! More chunky bulky weight yarn though. Why must it be so $$$? I am once again a slave to bernat. ick.

Soundtrack: the bastards upstairs who can NOT play guitar!!! Shut up!!!! D,C,G. We all get it!!! Enough!

Never let it be said that I sleep alone.



Actually, yeah, 'alone' is better than 'with novelty yarns'.
The quest for cheap, quick, sybarite (holla! lol I just typed 'holla'!) and saleable items continues 'round the clock and is yielding some um, surprising results...and shortcuts.

So the biggest cheat of all (so far) is reusing the ready made afghan blocks (granny squares mostly) that I buy in bags from Value Village whenever possible. Is that so wrong? They're washed and fabrezed....the best reason for using them is that I can not make up these wacky retro granny colour pallets on my own. I try but it never works. I don't have the afghan gene I guess. That follows as my Granny makes some of the most beautiful non tacky afghans I've ever seen (not counting the now infamous 'daisy' afghan that looks like fried eggs).

::Anyway:: I got these weirdo granny hexagons. I thought I'd just seam two up to make a bag, which I did, but then (because I think I'm oxygen deprived at the mo) I put the bag on my head and voila!!!! I think it looks like some of galliano's 'ethnic' experiments...I tried to take photos, but what with the no oxygen thingie I look like a zombie model heroinheroine so please disregard.

In other news, Yorick is THE coolest thing I have seen on Knitty in a looooooong time! So clever!! Can I steal/modify the idea in time for the show? Can I find a washing machine to felt in? I feel like one of those people who only visit their relatives when they have laundry. I wanted to see Granny anyway; she was going to help me write a brief bio for the fashion bonanza's website. Trouble is, everything she comes up with is about herself. Apparently, I started kniting b/c I have "always been in awe of her". Also, b/c she didn't start crocheting til she was in her 50s I knew it wasn't to late for me. The way I remember it she taught me to crochet when I was like 9. Granny has also discovered jon bon jovi. ("well Morgan, you may be right about his crap music, but I like looking at him all the same. I'm deaf anyways")

Please check out my latest celeb hat photos. I hope they are proof that the bon-juvinile thing is not genetic. Colin and my old friend Jack (lol)of the Trews. Colin was so confused...It's on sideways! I guess that's how you'd model a monster hat to make it more street. lol nothing I do is remotely street. Jack was well into it as you can see. (he's wearing the same one Gordie Johnson kissed). Next on my hitlist? The Trailor Park Boys. Oh yes Bubbles, you will wear my crocheted glasses!!



Soundtrack: "Sugar on my Tongue", Talking Heads "Train Robbers", The New Earth Mud mmmm new bootleg!

I have been crocheting my adorable ass off for the upcoming show (Nov.5). I am stressing over the difference between what would impress the average buyer, the average fashionista, the average knitter/crocheter and then what would impress me if I saw it at a show. All very different aims. I have decided that I don't care if crocheters come and know how quick the items were to make and how big a hook I'm using (mostly P) and if knitters recognise that I only duplicate stitched a lot of the motifs, I hope they don't care. Now my problem is creating things that are so unique and artistic that they bypass those issues (and my guilt) w/o alienating everyone who comes. Not everyone will want the pink mohair and lace cloche with giant pom pomed ribbons that hang to the waist, but it's undoubtedly spectacular. Unfortuntatly I now have to focus on turning out a pile of hats that are more likely to sell. (not as satisfying).

The most exciting thing about this show is that we're going to have models (!) which means I can take pictures of people wearing my stuff -people who know how to work the items to their full ridiculousness potential and best of all no more crap ass photos of my reflection in dirty mirrors. (I must remember to buy windex...)Here's two hats. Boy, they look better in person. Oh well.


A Victorian collar:

and something for the Lads:



(Ignore what appears to be a double chin in the above photo)I also made this scarf which I'm in love with and I'm not sure I'll be able to part with it. I wore it out last nite to see Kate and Anna McGarrigle (who were AMAZING; they were SO funny!!! They took 10min tuning and quibling before they managed to start each song and were just like a pair of twins I know-*sigh*). I was so in awe of them that I didn't even take photos. Well, just this one, and its crappy cause I didn't have the balls to use the zoom or display screen. I just blindly took a photo from the balcony when I didn't think anyone was looking. I have decided to marry into their family. Anyone know of any openings?

ps can you felt duplicate stitching? Will it felt consistantly w/ the base stockinette?

Soundtrack:"Matapedia", McGarrigles