Cheap Thrills

Thanks to another thrilling Masters tournament, (yay Phil!) I can once again bring you a thrilling blog post with ACTUAL FINISHED ITEMS! (Be still our hearts!) Aren’t you, well… thrilled?

First off the needles on Friday, I finished clue 6 of the Mystery Knit Along (KAL) hosted by Kris Knits. I noticed the always inspiring mags had signed up to do this and decided “what the heck! I have cotton, I have the needles, I can handle this.” And so- I finished the March dishcloth to discover it was a bunny and easter eggs in a basket.

Pattern: March KAL by Kris Knits
Yarn: Lily Sugar and Cream in "Cornflower Blue"
Needles: US 3
Notes: It’s oddly thrilling to not know what you’re knitting and just TRUST the pattern and the designer. (Plus it’s also thrilling to know you’re using up stash yarn that’s been sitting around the house collecting dust.)

With the dishcloth off the needles I knew that I wanted to get something else off the needles, namely my Maelstrom socks that have been in my purse and slowly seeing progress since January. (I’m pretty sure my regular lunch time knitting crew were preparing to abandon me due to being SICK to death of looking at the socks.)

Pattern: Maelstrom by Cookie A (I've been on a Cookie A kick lately… the last few socks I’ve made; Monkey, Marlene have all been Cookie A incarnations and the newest purse sock is also a Cookie A.)
Yarn: Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock Multi in “Autumn Wine” (Color made special for the M1 Fall retreat in 2008)
Needles: US 1.5
Notes: This is a lovely pattern that is actually deceptively simple to knit. (Seems to be the way of Cookie A… looks challenging but it really a simple pattern easy to memorize.) It looks stunning in plain yarns, but also can be worked in variegated. I’m less and less in love with verigated yarns these days as my eye far prefers the even nature of lightly variegated or straight colors. But, the pooling isn’t too awful in this yarn, so I’ll let myself enjoy these.

(Color most accurate in this photo)

With that purse sock finished- I cast on a new Cookie A pattern: Ellington. I don’t have photos of my progress yet, but this is proving to be considerably more challenging than Cookie’s of the past. I'm hoping that a finish to the current baby blanket is coming swiftly, so that I'm able to take a wee break and actually knit these up in between. I'm thinking they have the potential to contend as entry #2 at the Stampede.

The thrills didn't stop at the socks- oh no! I finished all the pieces of the Baby Poonam sweater I'm working on. (Ugh, the less said about the actualy pattern the better... it's not very well written at all.)

I knit this so that I can have a sweater, WITH shoulder seams, to take to my finishing class on Sunday. (Whoops, that's coming up this week, not last Sunday! Thanks to eagle eye Mary for catching that one!) The yarn actually worked out great with the sweater and I have enough that I might even attempt a cute little matching cable hat.

And it doesn't just stop there! I also kept on track and finished panel #5 of my baby blanket of the MOST TINY YARN EVER. (Okay... not really the tiniest yarn ever, but I have days when my brain is just like "WHY ARE YOU KNITTING SUCH A FINE GAUGE YARN?? YOU WILL NEVER FINISH THIS- EVER!!!)

Truth be told, despite my doubts, and okay, BOREDOM, this project is actually moving along at a decent pace. I have decided to knit more than the 6 panel repeats, as I want the blanket to be a longer size- but I can't commit to how many more repeats, that will all depend on the yarn I have remaining. I'm still on pace of knitting one panel a week. I'm anxious to put this blanket out to pasture and knit with a yarn that isn't teeny tiny.

So yes? Pretty thrilling weekend? I was able to cram a lot of progress into my weekend, and with any luck we'll continue on the streak of finished knits next week. Stay tuned....

Good Friday... For Knitting

There are so many things to tell you about here at La Maison du Nennie, that I'm not even sure really where to begin. I think it's maybe best to celebrate the season by showing you what captured my imagination this week and became a week long obsession.

Bunny Nuggets!!

Pattern: Bunny Nuggets by Rebecca Danger (free pattern link!)
Yarn: Various scraps of DK and worsted that I had lying around
Needles: US 4
Notes: OH MY GOD CUTE!! I had them in my office this week and every person who came in couldn't help by squeal over the cute. Even the men. This pattern is really easy and fast to knit up- and they don't have to be perfect. In fact the less perfect you make them, the more adorable the results!!

Not convinced that I have made something adorable? This will put you over the edge...

I told you!! CUTE!

The blanket is chugging along at it's regular pace, and I'm hoping by Sunday that I will have the 4th panel done. I'm still surprised at how quickly the teeny tiny yarn is knitting up, but I suppose that's a good thing so I won't complain. I'm already thinking ahead to the next blanket I need to work on for a baby due in June. It's for a boy and requires sail boats. Any suggestions??

Also on the needles and getting some attention this week... a cute baby sweater knit up in some leftover yarn from the Baby Beef blanket.

MiL and I are taking a finishing your knits class next week and I want to learn to set in sleeves. I decided to forgo knitting an adult sweater (there's not enough time!) and knit a baby sweater. I can't decide what else I want to learn- although I'm wondering if I can skip the blocking part on this sweater?

Rounding out my exciting week- guess what I got in the mail yesterday?

WOLLMEISE!! (SQUEE!!!) Yes, the most impossible yarn to get two fingers on! I had twitter open 2 weeks ago at work and noticed a note about wollmeise being available at the Loopy Ewe. (For those not in the know, that stuff can sell out in as fast as 2 minutes. It is impossible to buy without resorting to stalking!)

I know I said I wouldn't be buying more yarn but I did make an exception for Wollmeise. (See the exception at the bottom of this post.) Why are knitters going crazy for this yarn?? I can't speak for the community as a whole, but I can tell you why I love this stuff. 1) Color saturation. Claudia, (the woman responsible for Wollmeise) is able to get the most amazing colors on her yarn. The pictures don't do it justice. They're just vibrant, and multi-dimensional and gorgeous. She excels in jewel tones and I can't help myself... I just want more! 2) Her base yarn. I appreciate that she isn't specifically responsible for this- she buys base yarn from a supplier and colors it. Her source for base yarns is lovely. The yarn knits up beautifully, it's smooth and soft and knitting the wollmeise is almost as fun as looking at it. Now to find some "wollmeise worthy" projects. (You can't just knit any old project with the wollmeise, I want to make something special with such special yarn!)

Speaking of finding "wollmeise worthy projects", pretty sure I can find something in the new issue of Twist Collective. Stop whatever you're doing and go flip through the new issue. I have never seen an issue where I have wanted to knit so many different projects. EVERYTHING on there is lovely and gorgeous and I WANT TO MAKE IT ALL NOW! (Particularly loving Celandine, Anney (mom get better at knitting fast, you have to make this), Sally Rand, Kadril, Goose Rocks (this has my sister's name all over it), Timpani (OMG love!), and Amaranth (MiL you must make these! I decree it!)

I'm planning on spending th entire weekend making progress on the needles. I'm ready to cast on new projects, but need to clear out the old first!

Something New to Obsess Over!

The Magnum Opus is done y'all! I've been sitting back and enjoying the feeling of knowing that there is nothing else that needs to be done on that blanket. In fact it's so done it's not even in my house anymore. It's on it's way to a special little girl- and well, I'm relieved.

Magnum Opus took a lot of me!

Being the process knitter I am though, I couldn't just leave the blankets alone, I bit into my next big challenge. The "Pink Insanity" blanket. Why did I give it that woeful sounding title? Simple- when I started I thought I must be INSANE to knit a blanket on yarn with such a small guage.

In fact when I first did this gauge swatch my rational brain said "NO. This is not going to be the project you recover on. NO NO NO NO NO NO." Thankfully I rarely listen to the rational side of my brain and I cast pink insanity on.

It turns out that even though this is knit in the finest, most whispy of yarns, I actually really sunk my teeth into the project. And despite thinking that it would take an eternity to knit... it actually starting moving a long really fast.

A week later from that photo? I was nearly halfway!

My pattern notes suggest that I need 6 "panel rows" of patterns. I'm nearly done 3. I think we can safely assume that I'm going to finish this for Stampede this year. So, as long as I stay focused, and committed to not making errors, (because there has been some unpleasant ripping back sessions already), this blanket is turning out to be quite a great little project!

Maybe I should listen to my irrational side more often?

Dear Sophie

Dear Sophie,

We haven't met yet- but I already know how special you are. You see, I know your mom and she's a very special person to me. In fact, I consider her and your aunty Renell as special members of my own family. I have been waiting rather impatiently to meet you because I'm convinced that I'm already going to love you. (Yes, even if you barf on me when we meet. You and your cousin Ky are one of the few people I will make this exception for.) When I found out that you were going to join us I wanted to do something really special to welcome you into this world.

You've probably figured this out pretty quickly, but your mom and dad really love you. I hope you've also already noticed that they really love each other too. Your mom and dad have a great story before you came along, and I thought maybe I could tell you that story since I'm one of the few people who knew your parents when they first met.

Because you're small, I thought you'd prefer a picture story instead of one with many words. This is the story of your parents and how you came to be in this world.

The blanket reads like most stories- and starts at the beginning. Once upon a time there were two people, one named Brandy and one named Blaine; you know them better as "mommy" and "daddy".

Mommy and daddy grew up in different towns, but when they were old enough to leave home, they moved to Saskatoon to go to university. It was at the University of Saskatchewan where they met each other for the very first time. (I know how much you like puppies, isn't it neat that the U of S mascot is a husky??)

Your daddy REALLY liked you mommy when he first met her. A LOT. He used to tell me all the time how much he liked your mom. And, when I was spending time with your mom, I would tell her how pretty your dad would say she was. Very soon your dad got the courage to ask your mom on a date. Your dad, who, whether he'll admit it or not, is a big romantic, took your mom to the symphony for their first date.

That first date must have been pretty great because soon your mom and dad were spending lots and lots of time with each other. And, when you spend lots of time with someone you get to know each other pretty well. Your dad learned that your mom was not only very pretty on the outside, but also on the inside. Your mom learned that your dad was a very special person who cared very deeply about life. Before they knew it, you mom and dad fell in love.

Your mom and dad were in love for a really loooooooong time. They loved each other so much that even when they were apart, everyone around them knew that they really wanted to be together. One day your dad surprised your mom with a trip to Mexico where it's nice and warm. (Your dad loves surprises.) That was a really a great surprise... but an even bigger surprise is that he also asked your mom to marry him on that trip!

As you've probably already figured out, your mom said "yes" to you dad. And, on September 25, 2004 on a beautiful fall day in Saskatoon, the city where your parents met, your mom and dad got married.

After your mom and dad got married, they went back to Toronto where they set up their new life together as man and wife.

Because your mom and dad have so much love to give to others, they adopted your furry friends, Benny and Teddy who brought lots of excitement to your mom and dad's lives.

Even with your puppy friends adding some excitement to your family the story wasn't complete. Your mom and dad loved each other so much, that they decided to make you. (Please, please, PLEASE don't ever ask me to tell you how.... unitl you're maybe 46 years old!) And, on a crsip late November day, you were born and everyone was so excited that we couldn't stop smiling and being happy.

While the blanket stops here, I can tell you that the story doesn't, it just begins a new chapter. There are so many people; aunts, uncles, friends and family who love you and will be there for you whenever you need it. On top of all this love and support, you are so lucky to have such great parents who love each other so much and love you because you represent their love together. I hope this blanket wraps you up in the love that I'm sending you, but also serves as a lifelong reminder about the two people who brought you here.

I can't wait to meet you Sophie and tell you this story in person- but for now, just feel the love I'm sending with this blanket and know that I'm so excited to welcome you to this world!

Love,

Aunty Jen

(PS... please come for a visit really soon, I'm really impatient to meet you!)

*************************************************************************
For the knitters reading this- blanket details as follows:

Pattern: Story by Blaine & Brandy, concept and math by me, all dishclothes (except stork) by Lisa Millan (Digknitty Designs) and stork by Lisa Vienneau and Allison Barrett. (Dishcloth details and patterns are listed on Ravelry)
Yarn: Knit Picks Comfy in "ivory", "flamingo" and "lilac mist"
Needles: US size 6
Notes: Special thanks to Lisa Millan, who upon reading my idea for this project was immediately supportive. Not only did she modify the design for the first square to reflect new names, but she also designed, from the ground up, the Toronto square. Without her help, I wouldn't have been able to complete this project and tell the story.

Here We Go Again

With the excitement of the Olympic knitting over and the shakes from Olympic watching withdrawl subsiding, it's time to turn my focus back on the regularly scheduled knitting.

First up, Brandy's blanket aka "the Magnum Opus". It was off the needles before I left for Hawaii, but everyone who saw it agreed that it needed a border. The first thing I did upon casting off Grandma's socks, was pick the blanket up and weave in all the ends. (Ugh... is there ANYONE who actually LIKES weaving in ends out there?) And then- I faced a familiar foe- crochet.

I spent the entire weekend this last week fighting with crochet. I OWNED the hdc (half double crochet) and I fear that I can actually read a crochet pattern now. (I'll try and forget that knowledge asap.) Sunday evening the border looked like this:

I decided NOT to do the second color border, as I think the first color finishes this off nicely. The blanket is going to be blocked, heavily, and hopefully next week I'll show you the finished product and have it in the mail to my very patient friend.

With the blanket essentially done, I picked up a project I have been practically chomping at the bit to start. Behold! I give you "Pink Insanity!"- hopefully my entry for Stampede this year!

Doesn't look like much does it? Perhaps that's because I have chosen the tiniest yarn and the tiniest needles to knit it with. (Hence the reference to insanity, because I am clearly insane to attempt this.) I'm knitting this blanket on fingering weight yarn and size US 2 (3 mm) needles. To give you an idea of how tiny the stitches are, I took this photo.

Why yes, I am crazy. Thanks for asking!

The husband keeps calling this project my "Stampede 2012" project after seeing the tiny needles and stitches and doing the math on how long this could potentially take. Despite all of his doubts, and quite frankly mine, I have taken on this challenge with great enthusiasm. I'm so excited about knitting this project, and if everything goes as planned, this going to be a BEAUTIFUL blanket when it's done. I'm projecting, and aiming for an 8 week finish. I know I can do this!

Cross your fingers. (And maybe have the men in white coats on stand by... this could be a slightly bumpy ride.)

Gold Medal for Canada!

Guess what world?

That’s right- I’m a gold medalist! I knit 2 pairs of socks in two weeks and I just managed to finish on time! Knitters participating in the Olympics were asked to select something that would challenge them. You’ve seen me knit countless pairs of socks, but the challenge I knew would be time.

AND HOO BOY, it was close. I finished Sunday, the 28^th, around noon. (Thank goodness because there’s no way I would have knit a stitch during that hockey game nail biter.) Time was even more of a challenge than I thought. I didn’t really start until the Sunday I got back from Maui (Feb 14^th). I jumped right in, knitting Grandpa’s socks first- and man they were huge! Unfortunately I was presented with a challenge when I got back to work. There was a tsunami, (because tidal wave is just not adequate to express the size) of work waiting for me. There were late nights at work that took away sock knitting time. And yet, somehow I finished Grandpa’s socks in a flurry of efficiency.

Just when I thought I could manage Grandma’s socks, because I had caught up with work, life threw me another obstacle- namely a nasty cold. I knew that the end of my week I’d be helping my sister with her move, so I had planned for efficient knitting in the earlier parts of the week. Except I became a one man snot factory and when I wasn’t blowing my nose, I was feeling too tired to think about knitting. (The fear of another work tsunami kept me in the office, but I won’t lie, I wasn’t an A+ employee last week, I was working on a C average.) And yet, with maybe a few late nights thrown in, I did manage to finish grandma’s socks.

Pattern: Nutkin by Beth Lapensee

Yarn: OnLine Supersocke 100 – Florida Color in “1131” (Gah, I hate when yarn doesn’t have names!)

Needles: US 2, I purposely made sure to knit these a little bigger since I knit rather tightly and really wanted these to fit on Grandma’s legs!

Thoughts: I modified this pattern quite a bit- and outlined the changes here on Ravelry. I just did a ribbed cuff, heel flap and a regular toe instead of the pattern’s changes. Nutkin is a ridiculously easy pattern to memorize and I know why a lot of people have knit this one! I'd recommend it to beginners- but with my modifications.

I’d like to thank my sister for allowing me to sneak a few rows in while I was helping her move and my husband, the supplier of Kleenx, for his patience in not making any plans on the weekend so I could knit. I’d also like to thank my country, and the team I knit for, Canada, because you put on one hell of a great show. Today is the first day I haven’t watched Olympic coverage on television. For the last two weeks I have been RIVOTED to my television, jonesing for “hit” after “hit” of Olympic coverage.

I cheered with Alexandre Bilodeau who seemed so deserving of the status of being the Olympian who won the first gold on Canadian soil. And I cried like a big sap when he hugged this brother. I cheered, (and cried again), when the Canadian ladies of the speed skating track brought in their medals. I cried for Jeremy Wotherspoon who just wanted a medal so badly, and deserved it, and walked away empty handed. I cheered through every Canadian hockey game, I celebrated the Virtue and Moir skate, I cried at Joannie Rochette and didn’t breathe during the entire third period of that last hockey game. (Sydney Crosby for Prime Minister!) I watched everything there was to watch! I have cheered harder and cried more during these games than I have ever before. I am just so proud of my country and how we presented ourselves and who knew it would make me so emotional!? Anyways- thanks Canada, it was fun to be on your team, even if you haven’t recognized the knitting “sport”… yet.

I’m so proud of my "Bob" from the Ravelympics:

AND, my medal from the Yarn Harlot:

*In all fairness to myself in this photo- my sinuses are still kinda swollen!

Gold Medal Pace

Firstly... National Post readers... did you see this?!! National coverage of the knitting Olympics! I feel so legit!

Good news readers- I am on my desired gold medal pace! Grandpa's socks are done! Done! Done!

Pattern: Mr. Pitt's Socks by Kaitlyn Wong

Yarn: Schachenmayr nomatta Regia Tweed 4-fadig/4 ply

Needles: US 1 (I used my fancy new Signature needles and they are SO. WORTH. THE. MONEY.)

Thoughts: I didn't love the yarn. The slubs of color aren't spun tightly enough for me into the wool. You can pull out the slubs very easily, which is highly disappointing.

Yarn aside, this is the perfect sock pattern for a man. It's simple and easy (man requirement), and is very straight forward to knit. Hopefully next time Grandpa is faced with a blizzard and a subsequent 55 hour power outage with no heat (!!), he will have something to keep his feet warm! This sock is a monster to knit! Grandpa's feet are 10.5" inches heel to toe and it's a 9" leg. At the end I felt as though I had been knitting this sock forever!

Don't start crying for my time on the podium yet, I'm only halfway to my gold medal in knitting. As the rules suggest, the knitter is to challenge themselves with a project/projects. I decided my challenge would be time, and chose to commit myself to 2 pairs of socks. (Oh did I ever pick the right challenge for me. Work has been an absolute circus- and I had to work a lot of over time last week, nearly killing 2 days of knitting progress!)

I cast on sock #2 for Grandma (how fair would it be to give Grandpa sock for the Saskatchewan winter and ignore Grandma's toes?)* this morning and have half the leg done this evening. The sock looked like this around 3:00 today:

It's nice to be knitting something with more of a pattern again! I see more Olympic watching and knitting in my future this week. Hopefully work will be a little more normal and I'll be able to squeak in a few extra hours of knitting. Maybe I should print out that National Post article I mentioned above and post it on my door to let people know I need to focus on my knitting?

Back to knitting- GO TEAM CANADA!

* I suppose in this same logic I shouldn't be leaving my other grandma out! Hmmmm... Grandma Prince, we might have to look at some potential spring socks for you!

Cheering for Canadian Gold

Firstly I apologize that this update comes so much later in my quest for knitting gold . I had hoped to keep you updated more frequently on my Olympic sock progress. That plan was derailed by the heavy work load I've had since my return from Hawaii. Actually, my heavy workload has also derailed my knitting progress too! I've only managed to knit 20 rows in the last 2 days. I'm hoping that I have gotten caught up enough at work that I can pull out a "win" on these socks.

My original strategy was to be finished pair #1 by Saturday afternoon/evening and cast on pair #2 over the weekend. I'm hoping I can still stick to the schedule, even if it means pulling a late nighter on Friday. Grandpa's socks are quite a bit larger- so it should, in theory, take me less time to knit Grandma's.

Here's what sock 1 of Grandpa's socks looked like last Sunday. (I've been so busy at work I haven't had a chance to take any other pictures!)

I cast off the toe on Tuesday and cast on for pair 2 and quickly made work of the cuff. Then work dominated my life and I was unable to get much progress in.

The medal is feeling a little bit off in the distance at the moment, just because I have concerns about more work hindering my progress. (Can I get a written note or something to excuse me from being busy until after the Olympics?) I must say though- despite my concerns, I've been having a BLAST watching team Canada representing my country. Today's gold medal win in Speed skating is the right motivation to get me motivated to win my knitting gold!

And, in an entirely unrelated note, but it was too great not to share- this had me laughing my butt off at work today. The right thing to lighten my mood. A little knitting humor for ya!

Winter Olympic Start and Goals

Who are you cheering for this winter Olympics!?

That's right! I had so much fun during the 2008 Summer Olympics, I had to participate in the Ravelympics for Winter... especially since my country is the host country. (I'm "jennipoo" on Ravlery... not nennieknits, just in case you wondering who the heck this "jennipo" was.)

I've decided to challenge myself this year, and knit TWO pairs of socks, since last time around, I finished my Olympic sock with time to spare. When Grandpa Johnson called this Christmas to wonder "where the heck are my socks", I thought I'd knit he and Grandma socks for my challenge this year. Both patterns are relatively simple, (especially since the last socks I knit for them, (here and here) they deemed "too fancy" to wear.)

For Grandpa I'm knitting Mr. Pitt's socks again- they're simple enough that he should wear them. For Grandma, (who's a knitter so I had to do something a little more interesting), I'm going to make the Nutkin socks. Will I be able to complete both on time? Adding a slightly more difficult element to my plan- (and the reason for my silence this week), is that I'm not currently home. I'm on vacation somewhere tropical- and well, my desire to knit anything is greatly diminished. On the upside, we return soon- and I will throw myself into the knitting.

I also made progress on the blanket before I left, getting it cast off the needles. It still requires a border to finish it off, (unofficial goal to also finish during the Olympics), but I'm quite pleased with the results.

Representing the beginning of the "story"- I put the knit the parent's names at the beginning:

Representing where the couple met- the Husky, the University of Saskatchewan's mascot.

Representing their first date to the symphony, a violin and bow:

The blanket is definately coming along- let's hope I can find some time to get this project out the door to my friend at the end of February!

I'm so excited for these Olympics- I can't wait to get started!!

Setting the Pace

Well, that looks considerably more like a palm tree! Knit to represent the couple's engagement in Mexico, I was so happy when transposing the pattern finally clicked and the palm tree did in fact look like a palm tree.

Just to be safe- the heart?

Looked like a heart. (Representing "they fell in love".)

And the "They got married"?

That looks right too!

All together, it looks like this blanket is coming together, finally.

It is AMAZING what stepping away from a project and rethinking things will do to your motivation! My unofficial goal is to have this off the needles by Friday, which means instead of going on and on at length on the blog- I need to shut up and get back to the knitting!

One more thing- This blanket needs a border. I have NO IDEA what to do for it. Any suggestions you make (could you attach a link with a photo so I can see it?) would be most appreciated!