Did You Think I'd Gone For Good?

Yes, yes, I'm still here. I've just been busy with mostly unblogable things.

My brother (Ian) came to town for a visit, which was very lovely and heaps of fun. We kept busy seeing the sights that have been changing since he was last in town, plus a few other additions to the city that he's never seen on other trips. We did this puzzle Sunday afternoon:



I spent the two or three weeks before his stay cleaning the house from top to bottom - well, actually I never got to the basement level, it's still a bit of a tip. Ian suffers from allergies which were very serious when he was a child, so I felt compelled to clean thoroughly - considering the two dogs, the rabbit and the general dustiness of the old place. I was quite worried he'd drop dead the minute he walked through the front door, but he didn't, Hoorah! He even managed a stay of five days without one trip to the hospital, though there was one trip to the pharmacy for antihistamines.

In the knitting department, I did finish those socks I started ages back. They were a very quick knit and I've been meaning to show them, it just kept slipping my mind.



They're very cheerful. They remind me a bit of the jars of jelly my Mother makes. Raspberry, bramble berry, red currant all cooling on a sunny windowsill. Very berry, jewel tones.

I've also been working on a tot cardi for a little one I know.



It's being worked in the recommended yarn, Sirdar Baby Care DK in a lovely fresh cream colour. I've finished the back, both fronts and both sleeves. I'll start sewing it up and then work the button band. I also need to choose some buttons - a favourite chore of mine.

There's also been two other projects in the works, one of which is winging it's way to its new home as we speak, and the other is queueing up to fly. As soon as they reach their destinations, I'll show you some photos.

Second, Third and Fourth Objects Finished

Well, what a week it's been. My Dad had his bypass surgery on Tuesday and he'll be out of hospital on Sunday - you can't beat Canadian health care. I'm going to be heading out to the West Coast to help my Mum with the first week home from the hospital, mostly driving and running errands I should think. Being so far away can be tedious; the best thing, of course, is to keep busy, which is exactly what I've been doing

In fact, it's been a stellar week for finishing objects.

First up:



A hat for a friend. Made from this yarn in a pattern whose origin escapes me at the moment. I think it's from a book called "Hats", but just try Googling THAT!.

Next finished was a wee hat for Ian, who likes purple and green:




This one was made from Debbie Bliss Rialto (one of my new favourites) and used the pattern Scrunchie Hat by Lucy Neatby. I made one of these for myself a few years back; my daughter and I agreed it looked like a tea cosy more than a hat, no doubt because I made it too big. Ian's has turned out a bit on the small side, which is how the pattern recommends it be made, but I think next time I'll try for a happier medium.

And finally:



The Tangled Yoke cardigan, remember? That's back to my first ever post. The cardi is looking a little rumpled here, mainly because it needs to be soaked and blocked as it's lived in the bottom of the knitting basket for a long time. I have no desire to block it at the moment; I'm quite sick of looking at it.

Now I need to share with you a fantastic find. The next big project I want to tackle is the Seaweed Stole by Needle Beetle. I thought I might like to knit this in silk, and I was going to need 2040 m of lace weight yarn: that can get a bit pricey. While looking for silk lace weight yarn, I came across a company called Colour Mart in the U.K., and on their site I found 100% silk lace weight yarn. A lovely 2128 m cone in aqua for only $16US, and that price included shipping! It also took less than two weeks to be delivered. Wow!



I can't wait to get started working with this yarn, if it works up as lovely as it looks I'll be smitten. Also going for it: the address of the company is;

Featherbed Lane,
Shrewsbury

How adorable is that? I just have to order something else.

Autumn Begins

Everything is beginning to accelerate on the Canadian Prairie. Summer swings into autumn swiftly, and this year seems particularly quick. The photo above is a neighbour's tree, an Amur Maple I think. It turns the most stunning shade of red/pink/orange.

These tomatoes were harvested from my tiny garden just two weeks ago, and now the leaves are already turning on the trees, unbelievable.



They were made into a fantastic salad (the tomatoes, please, not the leaves). I meant to take a photo, but it went a little too fast. The recipe comes from Martha Stewart's Everyday Foods July/August 2005. I'll give you my variation here:

3 tbsp red-wine or white-wine vinegar
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp capers, chopped
2 tbsp minced red onion
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered, depending on their size
salt and pepper

Combine first four ingredients and pour over tomatoes. Let sit at room temperature for half an hour, so flavours can mingle. This recipe is very yummy, and basic too. Summer garden tomatoes are best left fairly simple I think.

I've finally completed that first sleeve on the Tangled Yoke Cardigan. In a continuation of the mental block I'm having with this project, I knit too far, by about two inches, in fact. However, I knit back and started the next sleeve. Hooray!

Whims and Whimsy

It's a curious thing, my sense of reason. For a couple of years now my life has been buzzing with crafty whims and projects; hats, mitts, scarves, sweaters for the dogs, along with little toys and what-nots, knitting, beading, cross-stitch, felting. In fact, it's been so busy that I finally decided I had enough interesting little things going on to support a blog. Curious though, because just as I begin blogging about all of it, I'm settling in to two time-consuming and complicated projects.

I have no wonderful finished creations for you.

Nothing.

I do have a bit of unfinished:

the Asian cross-stitch.


Can you see? There is more of her kimono. See? Just there, at the bottom. No? Well, believe me it's been a ton of work.

And the cardigan? Well, I'm still working on that first sleeve.



Can you see? I'm past the ribbing now and working on the stocking stitch. It's coming along. Slowly.

However, I suppose I have finished one small item.




A little snail to go with my turtle.



Fittingly, a snail and a turtle reflect the pace of my two larger projects.

On an unrelated note, I have to offer birthday wishes to a family member.



Happy Birthday Whimsy! Two Years Old Today! Hip, Hip, Hurrah!