Granny Tan brought me back some of the most wonderful yarn!

Don't you just love the spring colours. The bottom one is a hand painted merino. I want to make something like a scarf/wrap out of them all together. Wouldn't that be pretty for spring?
The multicolour yarn is from Art Yarns (www.artyarns.com) but it seems that the patterns they show for it aren't available on the website. I may have to consult Ravelry for ideas.... However this must wait until I finish my April birthday knitting.

Here's the progress on the sock. It's coming along nicely.

Yes, I still have quite a ways to go. I have to be the slowest sock knitter on the planet...

2 dogs, a purse and birthdays galore!

Ollie's sad...

Clancy went home yesterday. His wrestling buddy is gone... We must have a play date soon. And I could seriously use some time with Granny Tan too! Where does the time go?!

Well I've been working on the brown purse. My hands are just a mess. There doesn't seem to be enough cream in the world to keep them from cracking and getting raw. Funny how lanolin is suppose to make your skin soft yet when your allergic to it it makes it dry and cracked. Okay, it's not that funny... I hope I have enough of the brown to finish the purse without having to buy more.

But then I realized that my mother and my grandmother have birthday's next month (oh crap, I just realized that my niece and nephew also have birthday's next month, in fact my nephew's birthday is the same day as my mom's!). So I cast on a pair of socks for my mom. I was thinking about doing the Fleece Artist garter stitch cardigans for both mom and Nan but quickly dropped that idea for my grandmother since that would involve hand washing and that just was not a good idea for Nan. Then the reality of my finances kicked in... So I'm doing socks for Mom and I'd really like to do her a felted hat to match the potato chip scarf I did for her for Christmas. I'd also like to do the messenger bag Granny Tan did from Interweave Holiday Gifts (but in a different colour scheme) or the Celtic Tote from Interweave Winter. I think I'm going to do Nan a pair of some type of felted slipper or bootie. She is always cold. Nan has a serious allergy to synthetics. I get dry and crack with certain fibers, she gets a type of chemical burn like reaction. It's really bad. So I have to watch what I use. I wanted to do a shawl for her but we'll see.

Anyway I cast on these socks called Tilted Cables from Interweave Winter. I love this pattern. I am a cable junkie anyway and these totally satisfy my cable cravings. My mom already commented that she thought the yarn was pretty. She will totally love these. It's Knitpicks Memories in Prairie something or another - it doesn't matter really because it's a discontinued. I've had it in my stash for quite a while.

I've really got to get moving on the April birthday knitting!

An update on the memorial socks. I cast on the second sock and am currently working on it before bedtime. I don't see it getting finished before April but I'll work a little on it here and there... Once again knitting for myself gets pushed to the back burner....

A sock, a pair of clogs, a purse and a hangnail

I finally finished one Memorial Sock. It's beautiful. I'm in love. I made Tim go "oh, ah" and pet it.
I have enough yarn leftover that it looks like I may be able to make a bootie like pair of socks out of the leftovers. It will give me a chance to try a toe up sock and if I run out of yarn at the top I have other stuff I can add to make a ribbed cuff. It would be great to have a pair of bootie type socks out of this wonderful yarn to slip on when I get chilly tootsies in bed... And it seems that the yarn has not bothered me at all. Of course I'm not allergic to cashmere and alpaca! So I guess that means I have a good reason to only buy luxury yarns. ; )

Can you see the difference between these two clogs?

I finished the pair of felted clogs I was commissioned to do for a friend of a friends better half (got that?). But I ran out of yarn when doing the bottoms. Note to self - buy extra when planning specific projects... Anyway I used a yarn that was close to it but when it felted it seemed to make the differences more noticeable which I didn't think was possible but when it comes to felting Murphy's Law really does rule.
I put puffy fabric paint on the bottom to try and reduce the slipperiness of the slippers. I sent some pictures to the commissioner and she liked them anyway. I liked them just fine but since someone was paying for them I had to make sure they were acceptable. So today they hit the mail. As you can see, you can't tell the difference when they are on. I have got to make myself a pair of these...
Okay so on to the next commissioned project. Felted stripped purse. This is for my Aunt-in-law's sister. I did one for my Aunt-in-law for Christmas but I didn't write down exactly what I did so I am having to wing it on this one. I started it once but it was too wide so I frogged it and started again. I think I have it right this time. It's going to be brown with a beige strip.
I can confirm that all this Briggs and Little wool does not agree with my skin. I have more hangnails than you can shake a stick at. I do wash my hands often and keep hand cream on them but it's just not enough.
You think that looks bad, you should see my scalp. I don't know why it's my scalp that has gotten irritated and dry but luckily the only person who can see that mess is my hairdresser! But it is official. My skin was fine, my hands were soft and supple and my scalp was perfect... and they I picked up the Briggs and Little wool. I'm convinced that the nicer, better processed, cleaner wool doesn't have the same effect but I'm still testing that theory. All I know for sure was that all was fine when I was knitting with the cashmere/alpaca blend. So bring on more of that stuff!! Hahahaha, I'm even a high maintenance knitter... surprise.

Dogs, dogs, dogs and more dogs

Welcome to my zoo. When 3 dogs decide it's time to get up, you get up. At promptly 6 am this morning all 3 dogs decided it was time for breakfast. Who am I to argue? Then at 8 am sharp Clancy decided it was playtime. He and Ollie decided the bed was the perfect wrestling ring. Problem with that was that I was still in the bed! And yes, I discovered up close and personal that Ollie can fit Clancy's whole head in his mouth. I was lucky I got out with all my appendages! I kept thinking "they are about to run out of steam and settle down for naps" but the morning seems to be Clancy's prime time. It's their most intense play session for sure. It was after 10 am before they all crashed.

Yup, that's them all on our bed! Needless to say I think the bed will get changed more than once this week... Yesterday they all had big raw beef bones so today they all smell a little beefy. And the farts are just delightful... Oooo gross dude (I say that a lot these days)

Progress on the clogs is moving along slowly. I should have had the second one done last night but I spent more time yesterday rearranging beef bone chewing dogs so that the carpet would stay clean. Well, that's my story anyway. Must go knit while the pack is sleeping!

Clancy, a ball winder and a swiff.

Okay I meant to blog yesterday but the day totally got away from me. Mostly because of this fellaCute, isn't he. This is Granny Tan's boy Clancy. And he came over to spend 10 days with his big black cousins (that's what his dad told him) while his parents frolic in Florida. He's just a little mite next to my two beasts. But he fits in perfectly. They all get along really well but I do have to watch them in the yard because sometimes all 3 of them decide to play together and I always worry that poor little Clancy will get squished between the two big bouvs.

Actually I'm waiting for the neighbors to call the SPCA for our allowing a live squeaky toy into the yard for the bouvs to play with... He and Ollie really pound the bejezuz out of each other. I think he's crazy to take on a dog 4 times his size but Clancy's a tough one!

Yes, this is my free entertainment for the next 10 days...

What I wanted to share yesterday was that the Martha Stewart show yesterday (Monday, Feb 25)was about knitting and she had an audience full of knitters, knitting away through the whole show. It was great! I never really sit and watch the show, I tend to just have it on in the background so I can't really say if it was a good show or not. But still, that was some serious exposure for knitting. Okay, she was knitting a scarf for her French Bulldog... like the dog wants to wear a scarf.. but anyway, it was good exposure.

I finally got out to London Wul for some wool to make some felted clogs and 2 felted purses that I've been commissioned to do. I had a hard time finding the Briggs and Little yarn I like to use for both. The clogs are for a man and are light and dark grey. ( I have one almost done since I took this pic - man they knit up fast!)

I spent almost an hour trying to pick out the right shade of green for one of the purses. I don't think I got the right shade but it's a nice shade just the same. One purse will be green with cream strips and the other will be brown with cream strips.

After balling the first 2 balls by hand I called Granny Tan to see if I could have temporary custody of her ball winder and swiff while she is in Florida. If anyone who is reading this is close to me - these items make great gifts... hint, hint, nudge, nudge.

Clancy is finally beat out! Okay, better go sneak in some knitting time.

From here to here with little to show for it.

In the past week I went from this

to this (this is London Heathrow)
Yup, way warmer in Europe. I ended up in Stockholm. My favorite city. It was so mild. It ended up being a nice break from the snow and cold! This is the view I had for years as I traveled to see a client in Stockholm. I can't tell you how many days I waited on this platform for the train back into the central part of the city where I would always stay.
It had been over 2 years since I had been to Stockholm and I was surprised at how little it had changed. Everything was as I remembered. This is Sergel Torg and it's a fountain in the summer.
This is the main shopping street in downtown. Drottingatan. Aren't the lights beautiful. With the long winter nights, the Swedes know how to make it seem so cozy with all the little lights.
I went to Sweden to say my farewells to a wonderful friend and mentor. It was an honour and a privledge to be able to take part in Harry funeral.
I didn't take my camera with me for the funeral but I wish I had. The church was a little old church that was beyond beautiful. The grounds were amazing and Harry is resting in the most beautiful spot. There is an old Swedish tradition where they lower the casket into the ground and all of the funeral attendees proceed by it and toss in a flower to say goodbye. It was beautiful. He will be missed by so many as he was loved by so many. He was truely a great man and I count myself very lucky to have known him.

Needless to say I didn't get much knitting done. But my "nana socks" will now be called my "memorial socks". And every time I put them on I will remember these wonderful people who have been a part of my life.

There is some hope that I might actually get this first sock done sometime in the near future.

After my nana's funeral, when I was so tired I was knitting with my eyes closed... I did make a mistake. I was ribbing where I should have just been knitting. I think it just adds to the socks charm. It's on the back of the leg, just above the heel so it's not really noticable at all.

In honour of my Nana

Things had ground to a halt this past week as my Nana passed away. She had been in the hospital for over 6 months and I had been wishing she would go peacefully into the night. Grampie, Mom and I went to see her less than 48 hours before she passed. She was asleep due to being well medicated although she wasn't sleeping peacefully. Her body fought on while her mind left us months ago. It is such a blessing that she is at peace now. I wanted to rejoice at the viewing and funeral as so many told me they were sorry for me loss. I had lost her months ago. I had been mourning her since July. I felt a sense of relief when I woke up the morning after she passed away. Her suffering was over. However, last night, after the funeral it really hit me that she was gone. I'll never see her again. But my Nana had been gone for a while, a couple of years really. Alzheimers is a horrible disease. And it's just not fair.

My Nana was my nana, she took care of me when I was little. She wasn't a relative but she loved me just the same. And she did it because she wanted to, not because she had to. When we pulled away from her house when I was 5 years old to move to the US, I made a promise to myself, to come home some day. And I kept that promise. I also promised her that I would take back my name and become Christian again. My mother marryied a Jewish man so my original name of Christie (note the word "christ" in the name) was changed to Judi. That's why I go by CJ now. If you can't keep your word to yourself than what good is your word to anyone else? Nana loved that I kept my promises.

Needless to say I haven't knit much in the last week. I used to take my knitting into the hospital to knit by her bedside. Nana was too far gone by the time I started knitting to really discuss it with her. She did tell me she loved to turn the heel on socks and I do too. By the time I started knitting just a little over a year ago, Nana could no longer remember how to knit. It caused her a great deal of frustrating. My grandmother can no longer knit either, she can't stay focus. So because of this I say to all of you knitters and crocheters out there, do me a favour, this weekend in honour of our elders, indulge yourself in some knitting or crocheting time. Do it for those who no longer can. Do it for the love of such a time honoured tradition. Do it because some day you may not be able to.

COADIC, Helen Gertrude - 84, Halifax, passed away Saturday, February 2, 2008, in Abbey J. Lane Memorial Building, QEII. Born in Sydney, she was a daughter of the late Joseph and Jessie (Lodge) Hussey. Helen had a love for her church, serving as Sunday School Superintendent and was involved with the Missions Society and the Ladies Guild. She was a founding member of the NDP. Her greatest pride was her role as foster mother to well over 150 babies and children. To this day she is still known as "Nanny." She is survived by her devoted husband of 67 years, Gordon; daughters, Gail Michaud-Stroud, Halifax; and Linda Suelter, Lower Sackville; grandchildren, Doris (Pierre) Michaud and Danielle (Stephan) Michaud; Michele Suelter; great-grandchildren, Melody and Alyson; sisters, Dorothy Legge, Halifax; Phyllis (Joe Kennedy), Sydney; Evelyn (Bronson Dicks), Bridgewater; Jean (John Smith), Gander, N.L.; brother, Everett (Agnes) Hussey, Grimsby, Ont.; many nieces and nephews; extended family, Phyllis MacDonald and Judi Weiss. She was predeceased by brothers, Llewellyn, Gordon and Norman; sisters, Beatrice and Edna. Visitation will take place 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, February 5, in J.A. Snow Funeral Home, 2666 Windsor St., Halifax. A funeral service will be held 11 a.m. Wednesday, February 6, in Knox Presbyterian Church. Family flowers only please. Donations may be made to Knox Presbyterian Church or to a charity of your choice. E-mail condolences to: condolences.snow@ns.aliantzinc.ca

I will share with you my latest project. The progress on my socks. I love this yarn. Nana would have shook her head at it, such fancy yarn! Forever these will be my Nana socks.

There is one slight problem. Last night after the funeral I was so tired that I kept falling asleep while knitting. I would come to and realize that my eyes hadn't been opened while knitting the last row. I haven't looked to see how badly I screwed it up but luckily after one round I decided it was time to stop. Aren't they beautiful?