Rebel at Heart

And by rebel I mean stays up late playing computer games and eats things with butter in them. I really don't know why I do this. Around 10 oclock I get this second wind and next thing you know it's 2am and I'm painting my toenails and eating feta cheese.

I'm determined to be in bed by 10:30 tonight. I've got Game of Thrones out from the library for a week so if I want to read it I should probably start. So tonight I was going to show you all my knittings but I am missing a lot of photos so here's some random stuff.

I knit a really fun scarf for my nephew. It's based off a pattern I saw on Ravelry but didn't queue so I lost it but just figured it out. Kat and I agreed it needed more substance so after this photo was taken I sewed it into a tube and it looks a lot better now. Use your imagination. Nice eh? Yeah.
I knit a koolhas! Finally. Awesome yarn. Tanis Fibre Arts. I wear it all the time and is probably my favorite hat ever. EVER.
These are the New York socks I knit my mom. I think Mom has about five pairs of socks now from me which makes me very happy. My Mom is pretty spectacular so it's fitting she gets hand knit socks.
And my boyfriend asked me to draw him a dinosaur so I did. He was expecting a cartoon drawing.
That's it! Seriously forgetting my camera at home over Christmas and then running out of batteries was not good for my knit blogging! I'll be more diligent in the future. And, for those keeping count on Rock Island shawl edging (I know you are), I'm done 55/71 repeats! Go team me!

Thanks for the nice comments on the 30 by 30 post everyone. I appreciate those kinds words. I may need your help soon with the 40 by 40. It seems very daunting.

Cheers!

SUGAR HIGH (it honestly took me three tries to type that correctly)

I worry that my gloomy nails have forecast our days of overcast skies and ridiculous winds. Maybe tomorrow I will buy bright blue nail polish like I had intended and the skies will clear. But, of course, I would also have to buy nail polish remover for that to happen. You can see in this photo that I just added polish to the tips of my nails. Drives my sister crazy.
Today was awesome! Stole my niece for three hours and we toured around main street. Thankfully it wasn't rainy but it was chilly so she was bundled in hand knits as usual.
Hazel perpetually looks like she is highly skeptical of you. Like she knows that you have no idea what you are doing.

We first hit up the library and I picked up some books and read some fun ones to her. Then we crawled and knocked mats over and had a lot of people admire the girl.
She is coming for the camera.

We hit up the yarn store and then the grocery store. After realizing it was going to cost me over ten dollars for three cupcakes I just decided to make some of my own. It's also the only way to guarantee my sister can eat them. Hazel fell asleep after the excitement of the yarn store and kindly doubled as a grocery cart.
However, due to my limited expertise in pushing strollers I smoked a bike stand on the way and the jostle woke her up. This is a very accusing look. This is the 'I knew you didn't know what you were doing' look.

The cupcakes turned out delicious. I took the tray out halfway through baking and pushed a chunk of dark chocolate into the centre and made a royal icing and stirred in peanut butter.
Thankfully they are small because I ate three. If I had eaten three large ones I'd be dead right now.

So, Ravelry punks- check out my queue! I spent two days on it. Labelled everything, removed labels I didn't like, and made the labels more specific. I still may go in and make some categories even more specific but we'll see. Then I went and spent ages putting everything in order. It's still not perfect but I'm very happy with it. The first page, the top 30, are fantastic. I feel waaaay more inspired by my queue now.

You've also all done the library tour right? Thank goodness I did, not only because I'd really really really like to win those books but because the library feature now ROCKS! I went and entered in another 15 or so magazines and five new books. I love that the search pattern feature can isolate your library. Which is appropriate since I got some new yarn today with the Snazel...

Habu Tsumugi silk. Woo!

The only downside to this is that my living room floor is a tad messy now.
Spike enjoys it at least.

30 by 30

So I'm 30 now. Which is a good thing. Seriously- 20s were lame. The end was good. But the majority of it? Kinda painful. So yeah, let's see how we did on the 30 by 30. New stuff in pink.

1. Design and knit my perfect cardigan out of hand-spun hand-dyed yarn-I did knit some of my own sweaters, (rav links) but I didn't record any patterns. Having a friend who is a designer has shown me that designing is hard work and you need to put a lot of time and effort into it that I just don't have right now. That being said, I think I did okay overall. Didn't spin my own yarn though. Waaaaaay to inconsistent on the wheel. I'll give this one 50%. .5/30
   
2. Get a spinning wheel~ Done! June 5th 2010, my friend told me I could have her wheel (traditional Ashford) until I needed it. I'll need it until I buy one so there we go! (Pics to come no worries.) 1.5/30
   
3. Make a really awesome bookshelf (like these or something) Alas this one was a no go. I will carry this one over to the 40 by 40 though. It's a good one.
   
4. Crochet a bedspread with one of my Grandmother Hazel's crochet hooks and laceweight Seriously why did I set out goals like this? Punishment? CROCHET HATES ME.
   
5. Go on a real vacation ~ Done! May Long Weekend 2010, Tofino BC. I think I should get double points for this one because of NY but we'll stick with one. 2.5/30
   
6. Bike around one of the islands Again, honestly. I'm not allowed to modify lists after buying new toys! Sheesh.
   
7. Get another tattoo~ oops, this one had been done for awhile now, just forgot I got this one, it's so small and cute! If I win the lottery I'd have some more to show but still, I get another point! 3.5/30
   
8. Pay off bank student loan- Aaaaahahahahahahaha.
   
9. Bike a century (160km) in two days- See #6
   
10. Get really good at the violin- like stellar Without lessons, this won't work. Lessons cost money. Hence, I now have a ukelele and I know five chords. Quarter of a point (shut up- my list, my rules). 3.75/30
    
11. Publish one of my poems (and not self-published)-I'm writing poetry I just don't feel comfortable sending poems out without peer review. And dudes, I cannot stand poetry groups. This list is not going well.
    
12. Become an Aunt again - Uh- YEAH! I think I should get A BILLION points for this one. Have you seen this cutie? I need some more photos of her. 4.75/30
    
13. Keep my blog- yes I've been bad of late but full points still. 5.75/30
    
14. Pick up some kind of activity or sport thingie DONE! Yoga has been maintained for over six months and now I'm biking so check check and check. Still doing yoga, could be doing it more, but it is still my thing. 6.75/30
15. Learn how to be awesome at chess and play a game with those really serious russians downtown -I'm okay at chess. Not going to play anyone any time soon. .25 awarded. 7/30
    
16. Be a bridesmaid again cause it is fun yeah nobody is getting married.
    
17. Use my 5' by 7' canvas for a painting crap.
    
18. Get another family portrait with all the new people in our family (Dad will finally not be the only male in the picture) I don't know why this didn't happen. This needs to happen.
    
19. Organize a serious charity knitting project~ Done! Vancouver Fibre Leauge First Charity Run of knitting blankets and toys to the SPCA was donated on June 16, 2010! Couldn't have done it without the knitters! . 8/30
    
20. Get involved with a Feminist organization Does donating monthly to MSF count? They help out women and children all over. .25 8.25/30
21. Go across Canada I haven't even crossed the BC/Alberta border in three years.
22. Participate in a charity marathon even if I just briskly stroll the whole thing DONE!!!! June 7th, 2009- Childrun for BC Childrens' Hospital fight against cancer. 205 dollars raised. Ah, good for me. 9.25/30
    
23. Go to Vietnam with Julia Did I think I was going to come into some cash or something?
24. Do a whole day hike/Hike the West Coast Trail Okay, so the WCT is insane but I did do a lot of morning to late afternoon hikes so I'm giving myself a .75 for this. Seriously- that hike is killer. 10/30
25. Scuba or snorkel~ DONE! Surfing was way cooler than either of these things. 11/30
    
26. Garden- no matter how small I grew some herbs this past summer and used them on lots of things, including pizza. Go me. (And thanks to Ju for the plants in the first place) 12/30
    
27. Write and illustrate a picture book What?
    
28. Adopt another kitten DONE! February 17th, 2010. I love this kitten so. 13/30
    
29. Make a 100 book reading listI I did this. It's on Facebook. I now prefer goodreads. 14/30
    
30. Design and sew a dress that is spectacular um- I have some really pretty fabric picked out... sigh.
    

14/30- not a pass, but in the larger scheme of things? Not bad. I know, accepting failing is weird but meh, the list wasn't there so I would feel bad about myself, it's a good thing. It keeps me thinking about things. I need to start thinking about a 40 by 40 and this time I'll have all ten years to get things done!

Here's an awesome photo of the kitten I love so. This was taken by my roommate Saroj and her amazing camera (I wanted to steal it but frankly I had no idea how to work it). Pictures of nails tomorrow Jenn I promise! Cheers!

This nail polish is more gray than blue darn it

I bought new nail polish today. I thought it was more of a robin egg blue but it's more of a stormy sky gray blue. It's called Gray by Gray so maybe if I had paid attention to that I wouldn't have ended up with significantly less Spring time themed nails. Seriously guys, I have it rough over here.

In other news, it's Spring Break. I always feel that Spring Break doesn't start till the first day that you are suppose to go back and you don't. So for me, Spring Break starts tomorrow at 6:15am when I do not get out of bed. I'm keeping my alarm on so I can wake up and gloriously roll over and fall back asleep. Especially since it's 10:39 and I'm planning on reorganizing my queue on Ravelry. All 538 items. Maybe. I'll let you know how that goes.

Okay, but yes, the point for this post is to lay out my goals for Spring Break. Are you ready? Waiting on the edge of your seat you are.

1. Post ten times! Ooohhhhh- detailing this is my second(third? Looking it up is too hard) post of the year this does seem like a daunting task. Ten posts in two weeks? But 2012 has been just KIND OF overwhelming. I'm hoping that prioritizing blogging will help me get back into it overall. I already feel right at home with my ranting run-on sentences and colloquial gibberish.

2. Finish the edging and garter section of my shawl. I've started Rock Island by Jared Flood and despite grabbing the wrong needle size (it'll be a shawlette more than a shawl but these things happen) I'm really into it. My goal is to knit 5 sections of the 8 row edging repeat each time I sit down with it (there are 71 repeats altogether). I'm doing very well and am almost halfway.
I printed off a sheet with the numbers 1-71 on it so I can cross them off as I go. I put a G for that day's goal and then an A for what I actually achieved. This has proven to be a good incentive for me. I keep on wanting to best my previous achievement. To stick it to myself I guess. The edging is only 12-16 stitches wide and today my poor boyfriend who was working on his computer at the coffee shop finally leaned over after an hour or so of seeing me work on it and said 'honey I don't get it.'
Really doesn't look like much right now I will say. The yarn is Sweet Georgia Merino Silk Lace. Yummy.

3. Walk every day. And not just to the corner store for chocolate either (but still going to do that a lot). I've already got three people lined up on different days for the seawall. Guin and I are walking the Stanley Park section on Thursday- SO EXCITED! I haven't done this wall since I moved here? What is with that? What is with only doing really cool things when you don't live in that city? Sheesh. Oh, and I finally found my camera battery charger so I'll take photos! Woo! But yes, back on point- long walks. Walks up hills. Hiking too. Should probably buy better shoes.

4. Get my bike checked out and take it for a ride to see if I remember how.

5. Spring cleaning! Blaaaaaarg. Auuuuuugh. I hate cleaning. So much. Stupid dust.

And that's it. I have lots to tell and now that my camera is back I have lots to show as well. Cheers all!

Have Knit, Am Knitting, What to Knit Next

Have Knit

I forgot my first finished project on my chair at school so no photos but it's a luscious baby alpaca infinity scarf that I loop into a big awesome cowl around me. Gray and orange. So yummy.

Technically I finished this in 2011 but I just sewed on the buttons (with Moms help- thanks Mom!) and sent it off to Dad. Hopefully get a photo of him in it to show you soon.

And after three evenings to complete the sewn cast-off, my New York Larch is done.

It's as yummy as it looks.

Am Knitting

Just cast on a pair of socks yesterday that are straight forward and plain. Photos when the heel is turned and it all gets exciting. Got to say I love those 9 inch hiya hiyas. Knitting in the round has never gone so fast and with no jogs!

I went to the sale at 3BF and came out relatively unscathed. I bought enough yarn to finish my bil's scarf (no photos- still boring), some lovely sweet georgia that I'm pretty sure is shawl bound, and...
Tanis Fibre Arts, Aran weight, in deep sea.

Gawd I love this yarn. This is Koolhas bound.


What to Knit Next

So if anyone still reads this since I've only blogged (haha- wrote blooged) three times in the past forever, if you could weigh in on this that'd be great. I have 5 yarn options for tops and cannot decide where to start. Maybe I'll cast on all five and lose my mind, who knows. Let me know which ones are your favorites (and any ideas about what to do with them as well would be great!) in the comments and I'll be very grateful.

1. 4 Skeins of Araucania Ruca
This would be something for spring time, light and airy, a tank of sorts or something along those lines. Very drapey. Beautiful pastel colours. 1052 yards in DK.

2. Paper Doll in Socks that Rock Bleeding Hearts
For this Paper Dolls I want to do an anatomical heart design around the yoke. Awesome right? Right.

3. Four skeins of Kauni
I want to do a cardigan with steeks ala the Ruth Sorensen pattern but with a different design. Nothing super fancy, just not... squares.

4. 1320 yards of West Coast Colour BFL DK in 'Washed Out Old Beach House on PEI with a Rose Trellis'
Beautiful. But no idea what to do with it. Possibly this. Who knows.

5. Four skeins of Merino Silk in Raspberry Truffle 1748 yards Fingering/4 ply
Besides stroking this yarn and sighing in a most content way I really don't know what to do with it either.

Thoughts? Questions? Opinions? Warnings?

I'm Spoiled

So Christmas is coming up. I know because I think I only have 50% of my knitting done. Hm. Anyhoo, here is my little list of things. I love making lists. Especially lists like this one.

Ceramic mugs from local potters

Pestle and Mortar for spices and salsa

Pepper Grinder

Yarn- anything jewel tones. I like silk. Cashmere. Yak. Whatever.

These glasses are super neat. I need glasses. I think I'm down to four. Oh, and wine glasses. Mine are dumb. And I only have two. I fail at being a grown up continuously.

Knitting things. I don't know if that link will work but it's a swift, interchangeable steel or wood needles, and the Yarn Harlot's new book.

Cute stitch markers. My only requirements are that they are not stupidly expensive (really? Four stitch markers for 20 dollars? What is wrong with you?) and they aren't long charms because those get stuck in my knitting.

I love this guy. All the work is neat (the unicorns are pretty awesome too) on that site.

I love fabric. The more bizarre and unique the better. Right now sticking with cotton mostly because of quilting but I wouldn't say no to silk.

Anything with a jellyfish on it.

The Office (American) on DVD.

Coffee from the Bean Scene or JJBean.

Earrings or pendants.

Cool buttons.

Ukelele Tuner.

That's all I got my friends. I hope this was helpful for the people who requested it. My roommate would like me to add that the cats would like a bag of tuna and catnip. I live in a weird house.

Yeah Yeah

So sure it's the first of December. Am I saying I'm going to blog every day of December? No. Firstly, cause you all saw how well November worked out. And secondly, December is a busy time my friends.

Moving along lots to tell you. Mostly about knitting. Sorry for the vagueness about projects and lack of photos. A lot of the gift receivers are also readers. The Christmas list thus far (I am so sorry to anyone from Ravelry that I haven't updated since October. I'm awful I know). Been doing a lot of this lately. Coffee and yarn. I lead a very nice life my friends.

Mom- done. But I want to knit her more so I've got a project ready for when I finish the other big ones.

Dad- all steeked. Just need the button bands. I was worried about the loose gauge so I sewed up the edges I wanted to cut with a piece of fabric underneath for extra reinforcement. It's working like a charm and I'm an un-necessary genius.Grandma- done! Woo!
Grandpa-getting chocolate. He's happiest with chocolate- it's true.

Julia- I weighed my yarn and I don't have enough for what I want to do so I may need to buy yarn or something. I'm actually low on yarn- it's either scraps, extreme luxury (my cobweb lace is tangled- that's another post) or designated for sweaters. Very annoying.

Jennifer- started but taking a lot longer than expected. Jenn was great and requested what she wanted knit. Now, that could backfire since I can't buy the yarn requested for the project but am using yarn I already own (I'm quite poor is the gist of this) so hopefully her expectations aren't high (hi Jenn).

Malcolm- mostly done. Just a few hours of mindless knitting to finish the last part of his project and then we have possibly the cutest nephew present ever.

Hazel- finished! Have I mentioned lately how cute that one is? Thankfully she doesn't have the most discriminating tastes yet so I'm sure she'll tolerate her present as much as she tolerates anything else (drools on it).

Jim-not started but I have the yarn picked out and it should only take me a weekend or so. Fingers crossed.

Jason- unfortunately I asked him what he wanted. He wants a scarf. Should have just knit him an oven mitt. So I had to buy some yarn because I'm not knitting a scarf one month before Christmas in sock weight scraps. I got some nice aran, got about four inches done, and then took it to a dark pub with Kat and royally messed it up. Once I get back on track it's a good one to take on the plane with me or what have you.

That's it! I'm off. Sweet dreams!

Colours of a Vancouver Fall

Fibre