Thunderstorms are Rumbling...

over our heads right now. It's a very low, growling, prolonged grumble. Very appropriate for Hallowe'en. I guess the water carries the sound of thunder over a greater distance because it sounds like Satan himself is standing on the roof growling at us. I haven't seen any lightening yet, but I'm sure thunderbolts are on their way. Norm's hoping the power goes out (apparently it happens a lot around here) because he wants to try out a lantern we received as a house warming present. I restrained myself from slapping him, and told him he doesn't have to wait for the power to go out, thank you very much for wishing for it anyway.

Here's the bread I made yesterday.



It was a little piece of goodness with my Pasta Fagoli soup yesterday!

I did spend a little time with Her Majesty last night:




Other bloggers have commented on how fast the front and back pieces are knitting up. I am finding this back piece slow as molasses. Her Majesty and I may be encountering a case of the blahs. Maybe it's because I haven't finished a complete repeat and seen the cable goodness. Maybe it's just me that's a little out of sorts and I should apologize to her highness.

Here's a close up.



I am dying to start my Fleece Artist thrummed socks, and perhaps that it throwing me off. But I am an A type, very determined, extremely stubborn person, and I will not start the socks until I have finished the Purple Stripey gloves, of which I have four fingers left to complete.

And why are socks all I can think about (other then they are my new obsession and haven't been able to dive into the sock pool because of unfinished projects)...because of this:



This is happening to all of my socks. Never before have I worn through so many socks at once. It must be my hardwood floors, which are not traditional hardwood where the seams are perfectly matched and prefabricated, but very rustic. They are knotted, gnarled, with uneven seams and I love them. They are original to the cottage before it became a year round home, and have so much character. But very tough on socks. It's also the perfect excuse to knit socks! Oops, all my socks have holes in them, therefore I must buy more sock yarn, and I must knit more socks. Yup. That's what I'm telling myself (and Norm). Shhhhhh.....

And last, but certainly not least...the Reba dog is happy to report:



That blankets are for pillows and not for chilly evenings! Yes, we're back at 20 (or 68) and the world is warm and cozy, and she could care less about those rotten old thunderstorms! And Reba says thank you to Beth for her darling card!

May your socks be without holes!

Did You Think the Cougar Got Me?

Well, he didn't, but the wood stove did. Big time. The glass broke. Big time. And it happened Tuesday night when the world around us had been shut down since the sun set. Now, when the thick glass pane at the front of the stove breaks, one cannot close the door and keep the lovely heat inside from escaping up the chimney. Nor can that lovely heat be blown by the fans into our home. Yup. So, what do two city people in the country and one dog do? Wrap up in as many blankets as possible, go outside and listen to the wolves/coyotes howl at the full moon.

That was the first night. We awoke to the inside thermometer reading 11 (or 52). After many phone calls Norm was on his way to Kingston to have a new glass piece cut and placed in the door. And yes, Kingston is only 45 minutes away, reducing trip to LYS 1 1/2 hours! Did you know that you can't use a wood stove with a new pane of glass for at least 24 hours because the glue and seals have to dry. Yup. One more night of no heat. So, we went about trying to get warm. I finished the last of the cleaning from the big party, swept, vacuumed, and set everything about in order. I like order. No, I love order. I am all about order. My biggest struggle with being self employed, is that order cannot be enforced on a creative life. I try. I try every day. I set a list of tasks to be completed every morning. I have lists upon lists upon lists and follow them through to completion, come hell or high water. Or no heat. And each day the world kicks me in the ass.

Norm had a dragon ready to be put on e-bay, so we decided to take photos. We set up the drop clothes in the best source of light, posed the dragon, and went to get the digital camera.

"Hon, have you seen the camera?" asked Norm.
"It's where it always is, by the computer." said Kim suspiciously.
"No, it's not."

And there went my list of things I could accomplish in the freezing cold. No order, anywhere in sight. We looked everywhere. Everywhere. In every corner, under beds, in the garbage, in the laundry, in my yarn basket for heaven's sake, and still no camera. I lost it at this point. Really, and truly, I had had enough of nothing going my way, of being cold, of my beloved list being trashed before I could even finish my first cup of coffee. I considered living in my car, which has seat warmers. Why the hell not. It has heat, more than I can say for my home at that moment, bum and back warmers, a great view from my driveway, and a light source so I could knit and make bears. Living in my car looked really good. I decided that the house ate the camera, that it was the last and final sign that I should get my freezing cold behind back to my mother's house in the city, and that's where I was heading as soon as I made a big batch of Pasta Fagoli soup (my favorite winter meal, which I make in huge batches, freeze in individual containers, and is a major source of warmth and comfort during the winter. That and baths.) Norm continued to look for the camera while I continued to tell him that the house ate it and we should go before it eats us.

Half way through making the soup, Norm searches through the kitchen again, and as he closes a drawer that I have been in twice for spices and a wooden spoon, I spot the camera. In the second kitchen drawer. How the hell it got there I will never know. The only possible explanation is that we have a ghost, and he's determined to send me to the nuthouse.

We finally got photos of Norm's new needle felted dragon.



And we finally got warm.

However, Her Majesty hardly got any love from me because I was too cold to knit (yes, there is such a thing, although three weeks ago I would have been singing a different tune).



Dismal, I know.

And just so you didn't miss the 10 rows I have completed of my love...



Thrilling, isn't it. Do you sense the sarcasm and bitterness of two knitting nights lost forever?

I suppose the fact that I will not be living in my car should be re-assuring. Whatever.

And where was the Reba dog through all of this?



Demanding another blanket of course, because three is not enough for a city girl like her!

I'm off to make a big loaf of bread to go with my soup, make some bears, and knit the evening away in warm bliss.

May your day consist of order, and lots of it!

The Wild Turkeys...

have landed, and I'm not referring to the drink, although one could always use a shot now and again, couldn't one?

Norm was driving to the Post Office yesterday and as he was driving along the "Point" (I learned during the house warming party that referring to the peninsula as the "Point" is the only acceptable version) a wild turkey decided that he owned the road and not our Volkswagen. Luckily, both the car and the turkey (no, not Norm) escaped un-harmed. None of the aforementioned ended up in the lake. I'd much rather have a car than a u-boat, thank you very much.

Oh, and the rumours about a cougar are true. There is one in the area. A cow was killed in the area, and the insurance adjustors (livestock insurance adjustors, I suppose) who came to look at the poor animal said that it had definitely been killed by a cougar. I'm still in shock that one could even survive in Ontario, Canada, but I must say I do look up at the bigger trees with a new set of eyes. So far, two big cat eyes haven't been looking down at me. Did I mention we purchased a much bigger flashlight for walking the Reba dog when the sun goes down. This thing can be tracked by satellite, and hopefully has big animal scare tactics as we crunch down the gravel road. It's going to be a long winter...

Here's my latest bear...as you can see the country is wearing off on me!



I haven't named her yet, but she's 8 1/2" standing and 7" sitting. She's made from the softest synthetic fur that is a dark royal blue with white tips. Her fur is so soft, I just want to pet her all the time. I made her shawl from two pieces of lace and finished it off with a little silver button. She wears a white satin bow on her head and has just come back from the fields with a harvest bounty of grapes, apples, pears, and a few roses tucked in her big pail. And no, she didn't see any cougars out there.

As for knitting last night, I finished the thumb of the Fable Gloves.



I'll work on a finger or two tonight. There's lots and lots of weaving in of stray ends for these beauties.

I started the back of Her Majesty as well.



Ohhhh...yes, it's a whole 2 rows. How incredibly exciting. All sweaters must start somewhere. Notice anything new?

Here's a little something my dear friend Dani brought back for me from her travels to Maine!



Isn't it brilliant? I placed Her Majesty's yarn beside so that you could see the difference in the two purples. Can you guess my favorite colour? It's to make Hush-Hush from the Summer Knitty. Call me frivolous, but I love this little nightie/summer dress! And yes, I know I'm living in the country now but that certainly doesn't stop me from walking down the "Point" every morning in my Franco Sarto high heeled boots (not that I could afford Sarto, but my sister-in-law gifted them to me after she had my nephew and decided carrying around a baby in heels was not for her...I call them my city boots, they are gorgeous, and I'm wearing them). Laugh all you want. I don't care. Hush-Hush will be a spring project. Perfect for those last weeks of winter, where you're tired of seeing white and wearing 50 layers. A pop of purple and a spring dress for me! So, thank you Dani, I am eternally grateful!

As for that something new...



Dani also made me gorgeous stitch markers befitting Her Majesty. I just love them. What a luxury to knit with!

And a little treat (well, actually a big treat, but I had to restrain myself from devouring them all).



And yes, I did share them with my friends and family at our house warming party, very late in the night, or early in the morning. Yummy...and that last one was devoured as soon as I snapped the shot. Thanks Dani, you spoiled me rotten!

And thank you all for the comments yesterday. The clean up (which is almost complete) was completely worth it!

Katy asked where my LYS is. There's two in Kingston. One is The Wool Room which carries a wide assortment of yarn, including Rowan, and the other is Wool-Tyme. I haven't been to either yet because it's an hour drive (one-way) to Kingston. Yup. A quick trip to the LYS is not in store (no pun intended) for me unless I have half a day to spare. Shipping is looking really good to me right now, but I can't wait to go explore two new stores, and Kingston is supposed to be beautiful.

Well, I've got to go make a bear or two, listen to the loons, and finish the last little bit of cleaning before the sun goes down. May your night be filled with Wild Turkey...not the real kind!

Oh, What a House Warming Party...

it was! Norm and I had a wonderful time, and I think I can safely say that so did our family, friends, and our new neighboor's! We met so many great people, and made many new friends. The entire experience has left the two of us (and the Reba dog) feeling like the richest people in the world!

A little about that day...

Neighboor's and family started arriving at noon and the party continued until 3:30 am! I tried to snap some shoots before the party began, but it was an absolute frenzy of meeting and greeting and pouring drinks that I didn't have time until the very early hours. I must warn you that these pictures were taken at 3 am!

We estimate that we had about 100 people come by. I have now solved my heating dilemmas...invite 100 of your closest family, friends and neighboor's into your home, and instant heat. We did manage to keep the fires burning all day and night thanks to the fire watcher (thanks Howard) who thoughtfully kept an eye on it. We didn't even have to turn on the stove fan, and everyone was commenting about how warm and cozy it was. Yeah!

And the tally...I made a lot of food, (and I mean a lot of food) and every scrap was eaten! It got rave reviews (however being the hosts, neither Norm or I actually got a chance to eat that day, so I'm hoping people were being honest, and not just kind). We went through 6 cases of beer, 2 huge bottle of vodka, at least 12 bottle of red wine, and we ran out of white wine.

I have declared my house a disaster zone. We had 8 people, 1 baby, and 3 other dogs stay for the week-end.

This is what Louis looked like at 3 am:



It was completely covered with food at one point.

And the kitchen island:



Yup. And that's pretty much what it looks like right now, except we cleared away some of the bottles. Did I mention that the dishwasher isn't hooked up yet, so I have to wash by hand. Yeah. And that I only have one dishcloth. The National Guard is on its way.

And here's the other side of the kitchen. Play find the coffee maker!



Norm was in charge of making breakfast for everyone on Sunday morning, and did a wonderful job of negotiating his way through the mess!

The most important thing was that everyone had a good time, and I think I'm safe in saying so. We met some great people and I can't wait to have them over again. Although, it will be one couple at a time for the next little while. The neighborhood was so generous, and people were dropping off gifts and food for the party days before! We actually ended up with more wine and alcohol then we started off! We received so many gifts that we actually haven't had time to open them all.

After everyone left yesterday, Norm and I did a little cleaning, and then threw in the towel. We cuddled up on the couch, fell asleep in the early evening (we only managed about seven hours sleep over two nights) and didn't wake up until 5 am. Oops. We do have a very cozy couch.

And did I find a knitter or two in my new community? I was a little concerned when my strategically placed basket of yarn had to moved off the floor and into a bedroom because one of the dogs decided it was great fun to grab a skein and have me run after her! But yes, I did! My new knitting buddy lives a couple of doors down, and when I asked her if she knits, her response was; "Oh, I just LOVE yarn". Needless to say, we spent a lot of time in my closet looking at my yarn and my latest knitting. I am one happy girl, and I'm going visiting at her house very shortly. Her sister owns a yarn store in Vancouver. Ohhhhh.......I have a new soulmate.

And thank you all for your lovely comments and warm wishes. You made my year!

And now this girl has to do a little cleaning, find my drafting table, work on my bears, and hopefully manage to sneak in a little knitting!

May your day consist of clean dishes a full wine rack!

I Have Been Cooking...

like there's no tomorrow. But first things first.

Let me introduce you to Port.



Port is a little startled from his bumblebee friend , whose landed smack dab on his snout and scared him so! He's a little bewildered, and a little cross eyed from trying to figure out exactly what's caused him to keel backwards and land on his well padded behind. I've actually had Port with me for quite some time. Yes, there's are bears that I just can't put up for adoption right away, and Port is one of them! He makes me laugh whenever I look at him, so I kept telling myself that he wasn't quite finished yet. Yup...been doing that for about a year, and now it's time for Port to make others smile and laugh. I made sure he was well photographed and in my portfolio for safe keeping!

And secondly...the big party. I am one tired girl. The house is clean, the sheets are washed, and all the beds are made. I have been cooking all day long. I LOVE to entertain (so much so that I make my friends have dinner parties, and I go to their house and cook for them). But now I have my own home....

Here's a little preview of what I cooked:



It's called Pizza Rustica. And yes, I made the herbed pizza dough from scratch. It has layers of roasted peppers, ricotta and spinach, prosciutto, and mozzarella and parmesan. And lots and lots of garlic.

I have also made:

Spinach Dip and fresh veggies in a Pumpernickel bread bowl

Warm Brie with a roasted garlic, mushroom, and almond topping with crackers.

Sun-dried Tomato and Onion foccacia

Tortilla sandwiches including portabello mushroom and tomato, roasted vegetables and feta, egg salad, and ham and cheese

Pizza Rustica

And, for dessert:



Lemon drizzle Cake with cream cheese frosting. Notice the glass of red wine in the background...much needed after this day!

As for knitting, I spent last night arranging my knitting basket and placing it in a strategic position in order to flush out all knitting people who arrive at my party (did I mention the entire township may be showing up?). I will find knitters! The best thing about my new neighborhood is that people I don't even know have been knocking on the door with gifts for the party. Isn't that the most generous thing you could imagine? People have heard that we're having a party and have brought by desserts and food! We've also had many phone calls from our neighborhood from people who are going to be out of town for the week-end, but want to arrange another time to meet us. I am so overwhelmed by my little community! I think
I may just have to stay!

And now this girl has to catch a shower, as we have friends on the way, driving through the night to come and be with us to celebrate our new home!

I'll take lots of photos tomorrow, but I probably won't be posting them until Sunday night!

Have a fabulous week-end...may there be lots of new and old friends at your door!

Reba the Dog Does Not...

like her evening walks. When we lived in the "big city" we would take her out for her late night walk around 11 pm, down the lit sidewalks and into a well lit park. Now that we're in the "country" our hours have changed greatly, and she now goes for her late night walk around 8 pm. Well, last night we took her out at 8 pm, she took two steps out of the house, refused to walk off the deck, turned back and demanded to be let back into the house. There was no getting her down the driveway, near the grass, or even two feet away from the house. Why? Because there were wolves or coyotes howling. Mind you, when we turned on the big spotlights and made some noise the howling stopped, but there was no moving the Reba dog. The wolves/coyotes were probably far away, but City girl that she is, we let her back inside and we stayed out on the driveway to listen to their songs.

Another strange thing we've recently encountered...neighbours have warned us about a cougar in the area. A cougar? I asked when they told me. There's no mountains nearby, and we're not in an extremely remote area. A cougar? Yup, it was seen walking down the road (gulp, peninsula road) in broad daylight. Let me reiterate. I am in the woods on a lake, but civilization is all around. Hell, I get mail delivered to the end of my driveway every day. Doesn't the cougar see this, and go north. Go north, my friend. Live long, and prosper...north of me. And you better believe that I'm not telling any of my city friends who are coming here for the week-end about the cougar. Or the wolves. Or the foxes that sleep on the warm, paved road at night. Or the rattlers. I GET MAILED DELIVERED TO MY HOME!

And that's all I have to say about that.

And speaking of the party, thank you for all of your suggestions! I am in the process of spreading the word...the term B.Y.O.B. is my new best friend.

And now back to my darlings. Let me show you "Shawinigan", the baby bear that you saw a couple of days ago without his head and arms attached (there's a rather un-civilized statement for you, no the cougar did not get him).



He's 13' standing and made from a lovely two toned synthetic fur that is a dark chocolate brown and milky white. I made him a bib from a piece of antique lace and red velvet ribbon.

The darling that I'm working on today is made from a very funky, long two toned fur and he has a bumblebee that landed on his snout. Photos tomorrow!

As for knitting content, after looking through every cookbook I own, writing lots and lots of lists, I did sneak a little knitting in.

Voila!



Yes, I now have two warm hands!

Pattern: VooDoo Wrist Warmers by Bonne Marie
Yarn: Briggs & Little Regal (to match Her Majesty)
Needles: 3.75 dpns

And I have to tell you, that's Louis, making his first appearance under my wrist warmers. I promise there will be an official "outing"

And now this girl has to drive through the rain to the big, bad grocery store. May your day be without a cougar sighting.

It Looks Like I'm Having Me A...

BIG party!

Before we moved I sent out invitations for a house warming party. I did this because I knew that if I waited until after we moved I would be far too intimated and overwhelmed to be thinking of throwing a party for my friends and family.

Guess what? I am far too intimidated and overwhelmed to be throwing a party. I'm expecting about 15 people, of which at least 8 people and 3 dogs will be spending the week-end (not including Norm, myself and the Reba dog). Which is fabulous that so many of our friends and family would be willing to drive so far to help us celebrate our first home. And not too intimidating because they are friends and family and I have cooked and entertained them all many times, and am so happy to be doing it again!

However...things are a little different in the country. Apparently, someone throwing a party in the "area" (and I use that term loosely, you'll see why) is a very big event. As Norm and I began to meet our neighbours, and there's not that many of them, or so I thought, we invited them to stop by for our Open House. I realized yesterday when I DROVE into the nearest town and introduced myself to someone new that I may be in over my head on this one (and sinking to the bottom of the lake).

Her response when I told her who I was:

"Oh, you're the one whose having the party." GULP. GASP. I think I muttered a feeble, "Why, yes."

Did I mention she lives in the next town that I have to drive to because it's too far to walk. Hell, just walking off our peninsula (living on a lake in the woods) to the main road is quite the hike.

I have no idea how many people are coming on Saturday. No idea at all. We're guessing at least 50 to 60 neighbours will come by (not including the 20 friends and family from the city). Frantic? In a panic? Too bad Martha's in jail, I may just end up there myself when my head pops off my shoulders and rolls in to the lake.

So, this girl has to go, go and plan, and plan well. And then she has to cook, cook a lot, and cook well for 60 to 100 people. The last place we lived at was so small that we couldn't entertain, so I would go to friends' houses and cook in their kitchens. I have one measuring cup, one cookie sheet, three pots and one frying pan, and not a single caterer in a 100 mile radius. GULP. GASP.

No knitting happened last night. GULP. I have no time to show you pictures of new bears. GASP. I have to make lists and more lists and then I have to drive, and drive some more into the nearest big city for supplies. And wine, I need lots of wine.

May the force be with me.

P.S. Norm, myself and the Reba dog took a long walk down our peninsula last night to spy on the neighbours. Everyone had a fire going. I no longer have to hang my head in shame for being a cold Canadian in the woods, because the neighbours are cold too. Yes! The fire is roaring, and will not die until the Spring.

Knitting and bears will commence shortly, and pictures by tomorrow, otherwise I will most certainly lose my sanity!

I Love Monday...

mornings. Call me crazy, I know, but I do. Even though my work week is "un-scheduled" because I work for myself, there's something refreshing about starting a new week. If I'm ever feeling tired or un-inspired, it all washes away on Monday morning. I start fresh, with new projects, new ideas, and new goals. I'm a Monday sort of gal.

Here's what my Monday looks like:



Yes, it's a big brown bear with bright red feet. Oh, I couldn't help myself but pair a traditional brown bear fur (with white flecks in it) with shocking red suede. I'll be sculpting his face today. After that, I want to design some new patterns and pick out fur and suede for them! And that's my Monday!

As for last night, I finished this lovely:



And started one for the left hand:



One VooDoo, and then two VooDoo Wrist Warmers. I love them, and I must say that the one I did complete is warm and cozy. Yes, I have one warm hand, and no, I'm not ashamed to admit that I am wearing one glove this very minute.



I'm not the least bit ashamed. And that's all the knitting I got done last night. Why, do you ask? Largely, because we lit a big fire (probably could be seen by satellite), opened a bottle of wine, and because now that I have come out of the closet with my new sock obsession, I can admit that I spent most of the night looking and reading sock patterns. The wild girl that I am. Thank you for all the welcomes to the big bad world of sock knitting. I bow to you all.

And now I must go... to hang laundry on the line to dry like a good country girl (in one purple wool glove...whose going to see me I ask you?) and to create world peace. Not necessarily in that order. May you enjoy your Monday as much as I do.

Today's News Coverage...

will only be knitting content. Bear coverage tomorrow...

Here's the thing...I consider knitting precious. I knit exclusively for myself and for my Mom, because she appreciates the amount of work and skill required to knit a garment(and because I love her, but that goes without saying). I have never knit for Norm or other members of my family because I don't want to, and they would much prefer a store bought gift. Fine by me, more knitted goodies all for me!

I hate knitted socks. I have knit socks in the past, and a lot of people have left comments or e-mailed me to see if there would be any sock knitting on the blog in the future. My answer..NO. Why would I spend so much time knitting a sock and then ruin it by putting it on? Socks get dirty, they get shoved in smelly shoes, they get worn at the heel when walking around, and by the numerous washes socks must endure. No, no, no, no, no I will not knit socks.

Now, as most of you know I have just moved from my little rented apartment to a cottage in the woods on a lake. I have gone from central heating and air, carpets, natural gas, underground parking and the noise of constant traffic to wood heating, rustic hardwood floors, and the loudest thing around here are the loons and the wolves (might be coyotes howling...have to find a neighbour to ask). The temperature is dropping and Norm and I are learning (slowly) how to heat using wood. I've taken to knitting gloves and have been using (and wearing) lots and lots of wool.

I have tried to fend off my sudden obsession with knitting socks. For the past week I have found myself gravitating towards sock patterns, I've been scouting out various online resources for sock yarn, and am now ready to admit to all of you. I have become obsessed with socks. Why the sudden and drastic change after so many years of non-sock knitting? Because I am freakin' cold and I now CHERISH all things warm. A pair of knitted socks will be so coveted in my household. I used to laugh at the idea of wearing art (knitting is an art, and each piece produced should be treated as such) on your feet, and now I will pull on a pair of knitted socks and be entirely grateful for them. Blame it on Norm, who asked me a week ago to knit him a pair of slippers.

Here's what I picked up a week ago when I was back in the big, bad city.



Yes, I splurged. And why did I spend so much of my knitting budget (which is very small) on sock yarn, when I could purchase enough yarn to make a sweater instead of sock yarn? Let me reiterate...because I'm freakin' cold. And Fleece Artist has incredible colours and such soft textures, how can a cold girl resist? Beside, they're Canadian artists too, so I was keeping it all in the family.

This is what I chose for my socks:



The hard part is keeping the roving away from Norm for his bears.

This will become Norm's socks/slippers:



And last, but not least, this beautiful purple and blue combination (my favorite) for a pair of mittens for me!



I will be warm this winter.

As for the rest of my obsession, here's a Finished Object:



Pattern: Design #26, Cable Sweater, Rebecca Magazine #27
Nickname: Great Blue North
Yarn: Classic Elite Waterspun Week-end in Periwinkle
Needles: 4 1/2 mm

I have worn this sweater almost constantly since I seamed it. It fits perfectly, and the best thing is that it's warm and light at the same time. I have to resist the urge to wear it EVERY day.

I also finished the second sleeve of Her Majesty last night.



I didn't have the charts for the back ready, so I started working on the second glove of the Purple Stripey Gloves.


I finished the cuff and was just about to add the solid purple colour in, but it was getting late and night and I didn't feel like knitting with something so fiddly.

So, I started these...



Yes, it's the VooDoo Wrist Warmers from Knitty and Bonne Marie. I'm making them to match Her Majesty. A quick knit in between sleeves and starting the main pieces. I could also find myself living in these too!

And that's all for this girl today. I'm off to work on bears, keep the fire going, and watch the temperature drop! May your Sunday be warm and cozy, with a fire going, a pair of needles, and beloved friends and family nearby...

It's a Rainy Day...

in the woods today. Sorry, couldn't resist the rhyme. Now, I did promise a couple of days ago that there would be shocking news in Curlie Girl territory. However, due to the rain and dark clouds, documentation (i.e. photography) is not possible. Thou shall have to wait until a bright and sunny day (i.e. tomorrow) for presentation.

How formal I am this morning?

How about an "official" photograph of Moonbeam (yes I also couldn't resist giving my flower child, hipster blue bear an appropriate title).



She's 12" standing, made from gorgeous antique blue German kid mohair and blue, blue suede shoes. She's had a little air brushing done to her since you last saw her last (particularly around the eyes).

And here's Norm's latest needle felted creation:



His name is Dover and he's 2" standing and 1 3/4" sitting. Norm made him from two different wools, one is natural sheep's wool which he used to create the different body parts, and the other is hand dyed wool roving which he needle felted over the shapes to look like fur! Brilliant man of mine!

On the knitting front (one must maintain a formal attitude when presenting goofy pictures), I finished one Purple Stripey Glove last night.



Surprise, surprise, each finger fit my small fingers perfectly without any resizing of the pattern and getting gauge.

Of course, the Purple Stripey Glove had to give the Reba dog a pet.



And then the celebrations began with a glass of wine in my favorite blue (don't ask) wine glass.



One hand warm and cozy, one more hand to go!

And now this girl's off to make a bear. Stay tuned tomorrow for shocking news coverage, perhaps an appearance by the Great Blue North sweater (which I am wearing right now...see above photo for cuff), and Louis is having a spit and polish for his debut!

May the news coverage in your area be accurate and plentiful.

I know, I know, lay off the coffee...

I Have Been Bitten...

by the poncho craze. Yes, this girl who vowed never to knit such a trendy item that I won't even be able to wear next year because it will be out of style. I have watched friends and family fall to the craze, showing up at functions in their ponchos, fringed no less. I have said NO to people who have asked me to knit them a poncho, and silently scoffed those who parade around in them. But lately, I have found myself drawn to other bloggers' ponchos, seeing how lovely and warm they look. I even taken to flipping through my patterns in search for just the right one. Yes, I have been bitten, and had to do something about it.



So, I made one of my bears a poncho, and fringed noless! Be gone thy poncho devil, thy shall never catch me (but the bear looks damn cute if I do say so myself).

Alas, here is another cutie whose wondering where his poncho is.



He's the bear you saw yesterday, just come to life. I still have to accessorize him, but I love this new ultra sparse mohair. It's very funky and traditional at the same time.

As promised: Part Two: Charting Cable Patterns

1. Make lots of photocopies of the charts. For each knitted piece (i.e. sleeve, front and back), lay out the chart as you would knit it. Yes, this requires READING the pattern before knitting. Photocopy the abbreviation chart and place it where it can easily be seen. However, if you want to knit quickly, see Part Three, Tip#2. Here's what my photocopies for the sleeve of Her Majesty looks like:



2. As you knit, write down the row number BEFORE you knit the row. Move the Post It Note under the line so that you cab easily read the chart.


Keep track of the increases by writing the number of rows in between increases UNDER the row number. For example, Her Majesty requires an increases at each end of every third row. I write 1, 2, 3 under each row as I knit. When I make an increase I put an x under the 3. This way I don't have to keep track of increases, and mindless knitting can occur. At the beginning and end of each row I just glance at the Post It, and if I see an x I increase. Here's what my notes for Her Majesty's sleeve looks like:



3. Always read right to left on right sides, and left to right on wrong sides.

4. READ THE PATTERN BEFORE YOU KNIT! I know, you've heard this a thousand times, but there's a reason for that...it works and saves so much time. And I mean really read, don't just skim. Picture yourself knitting, making the increases and decreases. Highlight and make sure you understand any instructions, especially those involving the term "AT THE SAME TIME". When I see this term (Hello Rebecca & Rowan) I usually re-write the pattern so that I don't forget I'm doing two or three things at once. This process is incredibly boring and tedious, especially when you have new yarn and a new pattern, but it will save you time in the end and perhaps lessen the frustration level that some patterns set out to purposely drive you into! Prevention UFOs!

Part Three: Learning to Knit Cables Quickly

Tip 1: Don't read the wrong side of the chart. Very rarely does a cable pattern require any other stitch than knit and purl on the wrong side. READ THE PATTERN BEFORE YOU START KNITTING, and mark which rows require additional stitches on the wrong sides. MEMORIZE THE ROW NUMBER. For example, I know that the sleeves of Her Majesty require increases on Row 4. Whenever I start a row 4, bells and whistles go off because I have MEMORIZED this number and I know I have to make an increase.

Tip 2: Learn to read the chart without looking at the abbreviation chart. I keep these symbols on one of the Post It Notes I use to mark rows, and that's all I need as a quick reminder as to the direction of the cable.



I very rarely ever check the big abbreviation chart, and this is the KEY to knitting cables quickly.

Tip 3: Remember that when cabling you NEVER (there's always an exception, but read the pattern before) put a purl stitch OVER a knit stitch. Therefore, if you see a cable coming up that reads:

- I I

You should know that this is C2F, C1B because you hold the two knit stitches at the front and the purl goes behind.

Tip 4: Learn to hold the cable needle in your hand while you knit. Here's where I hold mine:



I hold it just above my pinky finger.



I use a small cable needle because it's nice and light in my hands. When I need to cable I can easily turn my left hand, take the cable needle with my right hand and start the cable without having to put my knitting down. It saves me lots of time.

Tip 5: Place stitch markers between each charted pattern. Make sure they are markers you can feel with your hands. This way, if you are talking, watching TV, or traveling in the car, you're eyes don't have to be constantly focused on your knitting. Instead, you can feel when you're starting or finishing a chart.

Well, I hope I haven't bored you and that perhaps it was helpful. This is my method of knitting that works for me, but may not work for everyone.

And just so there's at least one photo of actual knitting:



A couple more rows and I'll start casting off for the saddles.

Well, off to work I go, to sit at my drafting tables, create bears, look out at the lake and forest, and listen to the loons. May they call to you today...

Alas, Dear Reader...

as I sit here clutching my second cup of coffee, do I dare begin yet another rant about the war I have waged against the cold?

Hmmmm...let me give you the condensed version.

We did make a second attempt to keep the fire burning through the night. The bad news: I woke up to no fire...the good news...I didn't hear the fire go out (stove makes a weird noise when fan clicks off, got a good night sleep, and was able to start another fire in the morning without so much as a match. How's that for city girl gone country?

I will be master of the fire.

I will be warm if I have to burn my house down (and yes, it may come to that).

Side note: I had computer problems yesterday because even the computer was cold and it protested!

On to other things, I did manage to use my chilly hands to sew up this little cutie last night:



Yes, it's back to bears! He's a little mini mohair bear made from a very funky ultra sparse mohair, which you will see when I turn him inside out.

As for knitting accomplished over the Thanksgiving week-end, here's Her Majesty:


I'm 3/4 of the way through the second sleeve. Just 1 1/2 more of the charted pattern and off to the saddle I go!

In my quest to knit all things warm, I finished a thumb and one finger of the Fable Striped Gloves:



I was quite surprised to discover that the thumb and first finger fit my little hands to the tee. I thought I would have to shorten each of them, but my hands are snug as a bug in a rug!

I did finish the Great Blue North sweater and wore it for Thanksgiving dinner (Mom wore her Red Tomato Cable Sweater too!). I haven't snapped a shot of me in it yet, but I try to today. It is so nice and warm, I predict i will be wearing it all winter.

Reba has decided that it's a great fit on her!



You should have seen the looks I got when I tried to take it off her. It was promptly placed back over her sleeping self.

Well, I'm off to make a bear, ship, make my first attempt at Turkey soup for Norm (I'm a vegetarian), and knit a bit!

Tomorrow...a bit of a shocker in the knitting department for those of you who know my policy on sock knitting, and hopefully more info on cabling system.

Have a great Wednesday...fight the good war!

What a Wonderful Thanksgiving...

week-end in the "city' I had. It was a whirlwind event of driving, knitting, shopping, cooking, eating and best of all, spending time with my family (it's only been less than a week since I moved away from them, but one can never have too much time with family...okay, yes that's possible, but not this week-end!). However, I have no time to share with you all of the details and photos of accomplished knitting as the satellite guy is here and will need the phone line shortly. Yup, dial-up is our only option here in the woods, and I won't even start ranting about the connection, I promise.

As promised, here are the photos of our circus parade bears! We had a bit of a crisis the night before the auction as our mouse decided to die, so it was hard enough to schedule the auction, let alone post pictures (picture two people at 5:30 am, freezing their butts off with a dis-assembled mouse trying to make the cursor go up to the tool bar and click!)

Here's Ballerine de Nuit:



She's made from a shimmering white upholstery fabric, and stands on point with her tiny ballet slippers. She has magnets in her hands and one in her slipper so that she can dance around. She holds a circle of silver stars in one hand (which we also used in Norm's creation so that people would know that they're both Starbearie creations). The pole is attached by a magnet to the platform, and has fabric flowers at the top and bottom with long, colourful ribbons streaming from the top. She wears a little mini tutu made from white netting with little flowers on it and finished off with a pale pink ribbon. Her fairy wings are made from wire mesh and purple glitter. She can be placed in a variety of different poses, even upside down on the pole because of the magnets in her paws. I hope you like her as much as I do!

Here's Norm's creation:



It's Ivan and Igor, a bear and dog balancing act! Ivan the Bear is balancing on a big purple ball, holding stars in his paw, and balancing Igor the dog on his shoulders. Igor the dog is spinning plates and balancing one of them on his nose. Norm needle felted this entire collection, including th purple ball with stars and the plates. There are magnets in the ball to hold the sculpture in place, and in his paws to hold the stars!

That's all for me today...more tomorrow, but this girl must let the satellite guy have the phone line! Be warm!

The Circus Has Come to...

town! Once again, the mini bear artists from e-Bay have been joined together to create a unique combination of mini bears for the bear collector. Each bear artist creates a mini bear (no larger than 3 1/4") and each stands on a small circular platform. The bears have magnets in their feet, so they can stand easily, and magnets in their arms so that they can carry a small accessory. These accessories are interchangeable with other bear creations. If you's like to learn more, and see other bear creations, visit the Circus Parade:

Here's a sneak peek at my little dancing ballerina bear:



She's 3" tall and stands on pointe! She's made from white, almost shimmering upholstery fabric, and wears a little white tutu edged with a sparkling ribbon for the hem. She has a translucent pink bow with a pearl on her head, and in her paw she carries several stars. I call our line of artist teddy bears "Starbearies", thus the stars. Norm's creation will also carry stars in their hands. She dances around a metal pole, with the ability to fly with her purple fairy wings. I placed magnets in both of her hands, thus she is able to balance in a variety of positions around the pole, even upside down. I will have the "official" photographs for you later today, and you will be able to see the platform and the pole idea! I'm so pleased with this little ballerina, it makes me want to do a little
dance myself!

And not to be forgotten, here's the official photograph of Petit Nuage or Little Cloud!



Doesn't he look like he's been floating around in the clouds!

As for knitting news, I seamed more than half of the Great Blue Northsweater last night. I set in the sleeves and seamed one side completely.



However, I am not liking this:



I tried it on, and it looks fine as the collar is meant to go from the tips of your
shoulders and flat across your neck. But I can't live with that collar so big and ugly and just lying there. So, frog I will tonight, just the collar, and re-knit it with more decreases so it lies flat when I'm not wearing it. I know, I know, it looks fine when on, so why bother? Because that's me, and it would bother me to no end. I am planning on wearing it at thanksgiving this week-end (and practically all the time when I'm in my new home seeing as it's made from merino wool, and I'm a little chilly, but we won't go there today).

I was also thinking last night (note: cold causes excessive thinking and obsessing) that seeing as I am making VooDoo Wrist Warmers to go with Her Majesty, and Clapotis (pronounced clap-o-tee, otherwise previous poem will seem even stranger) to go with the Great Blue North sweater, I couldn't leave out the Purple Stripey (see Wednesday September 22nd)! I have two balls leftover.



To make this:



Look closely at the girl in the middle and her gloves. It's the Fable gloves in Rowan Magazine #30. I will of course, make then striped, and I had to add the cute frills!



Here's a close-up of the frills.



I must say I have never made a pair of gloves that required 181 stitches to be cast on, but the frills were worth it.

And now, this girl must go to work on her bears. I'm going to my Mom's this week-end for Thanksgiving (thank you central heat) so I won't be posting until Monday night.

Stay tuned for Part Two of Cable System then, and official circus parade photos tonight.

To all those Canadians out there, have a wonderful thanksgiving week-end!

I Am A Woman Obsessed With...

keeping warm. Yes, I know, this again. I dream of warm mittens, thick socks and big shawls to wrap up in. I've perused every pattern book I have and ear marked everything that looks warm. Even Norm, the King of Never, Ever Wearing Socks has asked me to knit him a pair of cool looking slippers because he's getting a little chilly. Seeing how I have never, ever knit the boy anything, I will be making a trip to my former LYS when I'm visiting my Mom this week-end and picking up fleece for Thrum socks and mittens for both of us.

And how's the heating going? Thanks for all of your tips and consolation about not burning down the house! We chose not to keep the fire going last night because it wasn't too cold (yeah, right, we were too exhausted). I can tell you that something in the house made popping noises and then there was a big whoosh of air from the main room at 4:02 am. Did I get out of bed? Hell, no. I was warm and toasty. I figured if the chimney was on fire, at least I'd be warm for awhile.

As the Yarn Harlot states: I am Canadian. And I will wage a war on the cold.

Back to our regularly scheduled programming...bears, and more bears.

Here's Adele, my latest bear.



She's 16 1/2" long and 11" sitting. She's made from a wonderful two toned German mohair that is white with dark honey strands woven throughout. I put a red velvet collar on her that is trimmed with lace, so that she's all ready for Thanksgiving dinner. She's sitting in one of the antique Victorian chairs I won at a very exciting auction a couple of weeks ago. I promise to take better pictures of these chairs and of, course of Louis, whose looking fabulous in my dining room. (See Wednesday September 15th entry.)

Here's Her Majesty:



Just one pattern repeat done and a couple of increases done. And as promised I'll reveal my charting system, but after making notes last night I realized I'll have to give you a little every day, otherwise I'll never have time to make bears and knit! So, here it goes...

Part One: Traveling Essentials

I can knit St. Brigid anywhere as long as I have this with me:



Yes, it's the oldest binder/thingie in the world. If you look closely the date does say 1994. I use these all the time. It's just a clipboard in a plastic binder. You can find them anywhere, even the dollar store.

Here's the inside:



As long as I have the following with me, I can knit a complicated cable sweater anywhere as long as I can sit and place the binder on my lap.

1. The clipboard binder
2. Photocopies of pattern placed in sheet protector (and kept in inside left pocket).
Note: I am the queen of sheet protectors. Norm is amazed how quickly I go through them. Every piece of paper I deem as important gets put in a sheet protector and filed in a binder. I have a binder of favorite recipes, plans for the new house, and of course, a knitting pattern binder. It also keeps patterns from getting splashes of red wine on them. Yes, those big purple spots are where I have spilled wine during my late night knitting sessions. It also keeps the photocopied sheets from getting caught on my clothes because I fold the binder in two and place it on my lap.)
3. Pad of paper (kept in clipboard on right where I keep a lay out of chart pattern..more tomorrow).
4. Cable Needle (slipped into left pocket).
5. Pen (slipped into left pocket).
6. Extra Post It Notes (in left pocket and for when the ones I'm using lose their stick)
7. The needle I'm not using gets put into the center until I'm ready to use it.

This system keeps me nice and organized. It all goes into a pretty bag:



I keep a tape measure in there as well. This system keeps me organized and efficient. I can just grab the bag and go (be it from the couch to the computer desk, to the dining room table, to the car), and each knitting project is kept in one place. We like that. Did I mention that I'm an A type personality bordering on obsessive compulsive?

Part Two tomorrow....

As for stitch markers, thank you for your suggestions. I actually found thin metal washers to use. You may be able to see them in the second sleeve photo.

Here's another tip: Use stitch markers to separate each chart, and use ones you can feel. That way, when you're knitting away you can feel the change in charts approaching and you don't have to look at your knitting or charts as much!

And yes, (thanks Chris) I'm going to make Clapotis to match the Great Blue North sweater!

Here's my little song (just because I am the biggest geek in the world):

Clap-o-tis, Clap-o-tis,
How I love thee,
Yarn I could not see,
Oh, Clap-o-tis,
How could it be,
Oh, Clap-o-tis,
That I have yarn for thee.
Oh, Clap-o-tis,
Thou shall be...

Yes, it's official, I have lost my mind, but at least I have Clapotis (or a shortened version of it).

Have a great Thursday, may you have a scarf as fabulous as Clap-o-tis!

I Have To Tell You...

that Norm is King of the Fire! He had the fire going so well last night, and worked a miracle combination of air flow, ventilation, and ceiling fan that left me warm and cozy all night long. We did take the plunge last night and left the wood stove burning all night. The stove door stays closed and we left the fan (which blows the hot air from the fire into the main room) on automatic. It shuts off when the fire is out. Did I mention that I have wood floors, and wood ceilings, and that we have cathedral ceilings in which there is wood on the walls from the first story up. Did I mention it's lacquered. Did I also mention that I heat with fire? Cold got the better of me, and my nightmare of waking up to flames licking the ceiling having already engulfed the floors and sunroom got put on the backburner. No pun intended.

And just when did the fire die? At 6:41 am. How do I know this, because I was wide awake listening for crackling noises of said fire destroying the roof over my head. Who thinks of these things when they look at houses? I didn't. I did not think that the idea of a fire in the middle of the night would keep me awake. Sigh. And can I light a fire this morning? No fricking way. I sit here typing away with a hot cup of coffee as my salvation. I printed off a copy of Bonne Marie's Voodoo Wrist Warmers last night, and I'm going to make a pair for myself to match Her Majesty as soon as I pick up the right size dpns. So there. At least I can say that I'm resourceful. If I can't light a fire, at least I can knit enough garments to keep warm.

And now back to our regularly scheduled passions and obsessions...bears and knitting. This is what I worked on yesterday:



He's inside out right now, but that will change if my hands warm up enough. Sorry. Enough of rant. He's made from 3/4" long off white mohair and I'm hoping he'll look like a little cloud floating by. I also finished another bear, but he's scheduled for his photography session this afternoon, so pictures tomorrow.

Great Blue North:

Did anyone notice this:



Can you tell where I switched to a new skein? I didn't notice until I took a good, long look at the photo. I pulled it out of my basket last night, laid it out and tried to see what I saw in the photo. Nope. Couldn't see strange pooling. Norm couldn't see it either. I'm blocking it today, so hopefully I will get to the heart of the matter when it's all pinned out, because I won't be able to live with strange pooling across front porch. A visit to the frog pond may be necessary, but I'm crossing my fingers and hoping it's just a trick the camera is playing.

Her Majesty:

I finished the first sleeve, and worked the saddle.



I started the second sleeve.



Yes. I know. So not exciting, but every sweater starts off with the first three rows.

I noticed that some people are finding themselves frogging amongst the extreme cabling in this sweater. I been working cables since I was ten and have developed a system that works well for me. I can knit Her Majesty in the car, sitting in front of the computer, and most of my knitting takes place late at night when I'm tired. Not to brag, I've just been doing it for a long time and I have a simple system of Post It Notes and photocopied charts that may be informative. I'll try to post my system tomorrow.

In the meantime, does anyone know a good substitute for stitch markers? All of mine broke (cheap plastic ones) during the move, and my LYS is a two hour plus drive away?

And now, this girl must go hang up her wet laundry on the LINE, block a sweater, and make a bear or two. Have a great Wednesday...may your day be warm and cozy!

I'm Happy to Report...

that Norm, the Reba dog and myself are warm and toasty in our new home. Thank you all for the wonderful suggestions and offers of help.

Here is my nemesis...



I have come to the conclusion that I am a city girl. I've never considered myself one because I have lived on the beach in Mexico, backpacked around Italy, and have been camping all my life. Wood heating over the past two days has brought me to my knees. This girl has been wearing every wool and polar fleece sweater in her collection. I see a lot of wool knitting in my future, especially socks and mittens. But that's a different story.

Luckily, the former owner (who only moved 4 kms down the road) came over yesterday and helped us. Apparently we had pushed in a knob (on the far left side, and barely in the photo), and it prevented the heat from venting into the house, and instead went up and out the chimney. She even showed us how to stoke the fire and set it up so we would be warm in the mornings. However, we were not brave enough to keep the fire going overnight. Neither one of us wants to burn the house down just yet!

As for bear news, here's my latest cutie, who I named Pintendre!



She's 11 1/12" standing and I made her from a beautiful, plush deep teal synthetic fur. She's completely hand sewn, has a double jointed neck (so she can tilt and turn her head), is weighted with steel shot in her belly to give her a nice heft, and is completely cuddly. Her necklace has a little purple and silver slipper hanging just above the purple dangling beads!

As for knitting news, I finished the front of Great Blue North sweater.



Just a little blocking and then a quick collar. I can't wait to be wearing this...100% felted merino wool here I come. Warm, light, and I may never get out of it!

I do, however, have four skeins of it leftover. Any suggestions?



It's Classic Elite Waterspun Week-end. The gauge is 20 sts on 4.5 mm (US 7) and I have 552 yds. I'd really like to make gloves or a scarf from it. I adore Clapotis from the Fall Knitty, but the pattern calls for 615 yds and I only have 552 yds, and can't order anymore. I may change the length of the scarf/stole and try to eek out enough to finish. I'm not fond of knitting scarves, but I love Clapotis.

And I bet you thought I had forgotten about Her Majesty!



Of course not! I did manage one row last night and admitted that I was utterly and completely exhausted. I'm just about to start casting off and working the saddle. I can't wait to climb into this sweater.

And now I'm off, to stoke the fire, finish organizing my work space and start a bear!

Have a great Tuesday...think of me when you turn your thermostat up!

It Feels Like Home...

now that we've got most of our things out of boxes. We still have so much more to do, but I've got all of my favorite things around me, and that's all that matters (and written in no particular order except #1):

Favorite Thing #1:

Would be, of course, Norm and the Reba dog!

Favorite Thing #2:

My Bears:



Note to readers...very ugly blue paisley wallpaper is being torn down next week-end and replaced with wood to match shelving.

Favorite Thing #3:

My Knitting Basket:



A wicker basket filled with Her Majesty and Great Blue North. How grand!

I did manage to get a little knitting done in the moving process. Most of which was done last night when Norm and I declared ourselves defeated, utterly exhausted, and incapable of unpacking and moving furniture anymore (we had the help of two wonderful people all this week-end who enabled us to move and unpack 95% of our boxes, set up and place all of our furniture, and our work space to make bears today!). We settled down on the couch and took a break. During which, this was accomplished:



The final decreases for the front of Great Blue North are done, and only one more pattern repeat, and I'm off to block.

Favorite Thing#4:

All of you! Thank you so much for your wonderful wishes over the past couple of days. It's wonderful to have so many friends, and to meet new ones!

And now, this girl has to get to work. I'm going to sit at my drafting table, work on bears, and look at the lake! May your day be as wonderful as mine has been so far!

P.S. If any one knows about heating with wood heat, could you please e-mail me at artartbyme@hotmail.com or leave a comment. Norm and I have no idea how to light a fire, or work a wood stove, and we're getting a little chilly. Do we close the door, or leave it open? Do we put the fan on automatic, leave it on manual? When do we add wood in, how do we keep a fire going overnight? Help. Help. Help. Signed, two very chilly people on Beaver Lake!

I'm Home...

and I'm exhausted, happy beyond belief, and so much more....will tell more tomorrow and find the digital camera somewhere....have a great Saturday!