And The Winners Are...

Without further adieus, here is the Grand Prize Winner of the Think Outside the Sox Contest.

These are one of the pairs of socks that my Tulip Socks were up against! We told you, fierce competition! This knitter knit and DYED her socks (not sure which came first the sock or the dye...either way, WOW!!)

Winning the Adult Lace Socks with Cuff's:

These socks won out over my Aurora Borealis. I do like her "creative entrance" (that was part of the criteria).

Here is the "Inspired By Knitter's Magazine" winner.

I would've liked to see my Angel Socks here. This knitter was inspired by Issue #63 page 29. (Note to self: Look up K63 P29)

Now, for your viewing entertainment, have a look at the socks that won the Under 18 Category:

When I saw these while viewing the whole collection, I was hoping that whoever designed these would offer the pattern, because I thought they were so cute.

A ten year old girl designed and knit these wonderful socks! WOW!

I'm spending this frigid morning tidying up after the excitement of entering this contest (pattern writing still to follow) and organizing for my Mindful Knitting Retreat. I still hope to get my Diamond Cardigan finished in time, which will require actually spending time knitting today too!

[ I just deleted a really cute picture of Thursday...and there isn't an "undo" button on this thing! DARN!!]

I'ld like to thank.........you!

The results are in and unfortunately I didn't take any prizes home...this time!
Over the past 7 months or so, I've kept images of the socks that I entered in the "Think Outside The Sox" contest close to the chest, so as not to jinx anything. Well, it is what it is and these are my socks and the images that inspired my designs.

Entry #1:
TULIP SOCKS knit in Dream In Colour Smooshy yarn.
These socks were inspired by a sweater of the same name.

Entry #2:

AURORA BOREALIS knit in Collinette Jitterbug.
These socks were entered into the Adult Sock Lace Cuff category. I used beads and twisted stitches and an unusual toe make-up to tie into the theme and yarn colourway.

Entry #3:

ANGELS PATHWAY knit in Trekking with Angora and Metallic accents.

I entered these socks in the "Inspired by Knitters Magazine" Category. The first time that I bought a Knitter's Magazine was to make an Angel that they included in their projects (no, I haven't done it yet!). A number of years later I bought the XRX book "Angels; A Knitters Dozen", which was packed full of patterns for Angels and bells and all things Angels! This past spring I attended Knitting Camp in New York and learned about a new way of knitting socks from Cat Bordhi (shout out---Happy Birthday Cat!). With all of these resources, I set out to design some fabulous socks that were truly inspired by Knitters...from the first magazine that I ever purchased to one of the most recent issues where Cat Bordhi was interviewed and her new approach to knitting was explored. As I created these socks all the stitches just seemed to find their home. I had an idea, I looked up the stitch and then I worked it. More often than not, the pattern came together like it had been done a thousand times before; it just felt right.

I really enjoyed this whole process and gained so much from the experience! I now know that YES, I can do it! I am pleased to have shared the stage with so many talented knitters, and I am thankful to friends and family that supported me throughout this venture and for getting their votes in for the "Knitter's Choice" award.

Tomorrow, I will post the pictures of the socks that beat me in the categories that I entered and a couple that I just plain found interesting! I also plan on making up patterns for my socks and I am on my way to entering yet another design contest...

Why Not?

And remember....

Could there be a better reason?

February 26, 2009

To me...

To me...

There's wine chilling in the fridge...(winewoolandwhoppers/chocolate---get it?)

Happy Birthday to me!

LIFE IS LIKE A BALL OF NORO!

With all due respect to Forest Gump...Chocolate aint got nothin' on Noro!

Life? Life is never constant....And neither is Noro.

The colours of our lives flow into one another and sometimes you see a beautiful sunrise and sometimes you're met with the view of the town dump. Sometimes you get to knit with the gorgeous blue or teal or pale green and sometimes you get that murky washed out brown and that "yucky green".

You may plan your life and you may plan your knitting, but the Universe, (and the Knitting Gods --- they're all in cahoots you know) is what controls both these ventures. It really is best just to surrender yourself to be open to how the skein unwinds.

You can make choices. Minute choices, such as, what to wear, and God help us, what to have for dinner, AGAIN!! (N.B. I LOVE Pancake Tuesday. At least one dinner has been decided for me there and at least the children and I are happy. My husband, however, is confused...EVERY YEAR, HE'S CONFUSED...as to why we are having breakfast for dinner?) The major decisions, such as where to live, where to work (inside or outside of the home), to what medical treatment is best suited to you and your family. The choices are endless! So too, we choose a type and colour of Noro yarn, we select a pattern (not necessarily in that order), needles and we cast on, hopefully we've made the right (?) choices. Only time will tell.

The one constant that you CAN count on in Life and in knitting with Noro is that there will be glitches to the plan, there will be decisions to be made, there will be tears and there will be joy, but at least in Knitting there is always the option of the "Do Over".


Here is my Haliburton Noro before yesterdays knitting time. I had set aside two balls for each sleeve, but that wasn't quite enough, and so I went searching among my left over bits. I am a tad obsessive when knitting Noro; wanting to stay true to the colour shifts...I may have mentioned that before...and not one of the left over bits sang to me. When I began this project I thought I was going to be in charge of how it all came together; after all, I was the one knitting it.

The ball that I had started the I-chord with,(See? Ball band labeled with an "I" because I "planned" for the skeins that would work for each part of making this sweater. Hahahaha!) that has been in limbo since the inception of this sweater held the answer! So I pulled out the centre of the ball to a point that I could continue on for the completion of sleeve number 1.

As I will likely encounter the same problem with sleeve number 2 (again, note that ball bands have been labeled "S" for sleeve and "S1" for the skein with which to begin the sleeve!) I sift through my left over bits and "plan" for the inevitable.

I left renewing my Health Card until the last possible moment, but I made sure that I knew which ball of yarn to use for the next sleeve...yup, I've got my priorities all set!

Left over bits organized with enough (I hope) to actually complete the sweater!

So here's the thing. I pack everybody away. I make the cut to the I-cord skein. I settle in to knit and congratulate myself and tell myself how wonderful I am to make the effort to ensure this aimless shift in colour from ball to ball. I'm knitting the only slightly "yucky green" into the orange, and I'm pulling out the yarn to continue knitting, and I'm looking at the colour shifts that have occured earlier in the sleeve, and I think, "Oh, look at what colour is next!", and I look at the skein as I'm completing the orange and beginning the transition into dark teal green and I see...

---Please take the time now to go back to the first picture that I posted to see if you can find the clue as to what happened next in our story---

Another clump of Orange.

And I sit and knit, yet am a bit bewildered. How did they do that?

I continue to knit.

"I bet you there's a knot!", I say, to no one in particular, and keep knitting.

Yup, a knot. Another stinking, making me cut the yarn, AGAIN, or work with a knot in the middle of my work, which is NOT acceptable, and have an absolutely funked out wrong colour progression, KNOT!! Had I looked more closely at the skein I maybe would have picked this up, but Geez! You know, it's like a relationship that you've been working on over and over. When is it time to accept that it's just not working? To admit defeat and move on to another courtship that doesn't involve sooooo much effort!

Not today, my friend!

I cut the yarn, I finished the sleeve, I packed it away and I took this beautiful picture of the fronts and back of my wonderful Haliburton Noro sweater!

It really is better just to go with the flow. I think I'll go buy a Box of Chocolates!

Today, for example...

One of the reasons that I started a blog was because sometimes I write emails to my friends sharing with them the joys of my days; the ones that go over best tend to be in a list format.
Today, for example:

I was down at TGH ALL DAY today for a 10 am appt. I left the house at 8. I got home at 3. It wasn't totally a hospital system glitch, however...

1) I missed the bus.
2) The GPS sent me on this funky trip down Dufferin to get to Yorkdale.
3) Couldn't find parking where I usually park at Yorkdale.
4) Found parking outside the movie theatre and then WALKED all the way to the subway (in rain/snow).
5) REALLY had to pee since part way down Dufferin.
6) Decided to H#$% with it; went pee AND got a coffee before heading up for the appt.
7) He's running behind. SURPRISE!!!
8) I look through my magazines, I sketch out some knitting design ideas, I start, yet, another sweater.
9) I get called in and get to flash any number of people.
10) I am firm in my conviction 'not to settle' and that I was told BY MY SURGEON that I "can be as picky as I want" and elect to have a little bit more Day Surgery before we move on to the purely aesthestic part of the whole ordeal.
11) Start the paper work. Complete the paper work. Wait for yet another person to come in, because THAT'S WHAT I WAS TOLD TO DO!!
12) More waiting.
13) It's 1 p.m. now; I go out and find somebody to see if anybody else is really coming to see me. They're not.
14) At 1:15 I get to go pee again and eat lunch. I call M to let him know that I won't be running anymore errands today and that I'm just going home.
15) The dog has been locked up all this time (he didn't get home to let her pee) N.B. Peeing is the big theme today.
16) Subway back to Yorkdale was uneventful, except for these two annoying young women gossiping; very LOUDLY, the whole trip. (Did get a message that M went home to look after the dog. phew!)
17) Stupid ^%^%% GPS took me across the 401; then I misunderstand and ended up going up Yonge; then turning at Sheppard, and then it wanted me to go back to the 401 to go to the 404! I just stayed where I was.
18) Got home at 3.
19) Went to bed.
20) Got up after 5 and asked M to take the kids to dance and drums tonight.

Soooo, how's the new job?
See you Friday...Coffee?

And now? To bed with a cup of tea and a book.
Maybe there will be pictures tomorrow.

Another day---maybe

The best intentions...
I sat down here and I was going to post some photos and stories...yes I was...
As far as I can tell...there's one picture out of five floating around out there.
So, it wasn't meant to be, not today.
I'm going to grab my knitting and catch up on the Y & R.
I'm a little stressed because it seems that I've missed recording 24 last night.
NOOOOOOOOOO.....Not Jack!
I guess I'll see what I can catch from the website. Stupid, non-mind reading PVR!
Good night all.

It's Not You, It's Me

Dear Blog,



You are always on my mind. Wherever I go I think about you; what I want to show you and the stories I want to share with you. I take more pictures than I can possibly show you (for one thing, how can I post more than 5 photos per entry? Anybody?), I kick myself when I forget my camera and I also beat myself up when I've procrastinated posting a wonderfully, witty story only to later think that I've lost the opportunity and just skip it until the next one comes along.

Well, not today, my friend!!

I am playing a little catch up here, and hopefully will post more of the stories, (although maybe a little out of date), if not somewhat 'random'.

I think I'll start back and move forward.

I went to spend a few fun filled days with some loving friends last weekend. A girls' weekend. I just gotta say, (I know I've said it before) Girl Weekends are the BEST!!! These friends aren't especially knitters, but I'm working on it; we do, however, enjoy many varieties of wines together. D found an organic winery right there in her backyard and when I heard the name...Oh, we are so going there!

FROGPOND FARM



ORGANIC WINE

So I bought some souvenirs (and a T-shirt), and because I'm such a knitting geek (for lack of a better word) I told the poor young girl working there about knitting and frogging and frogponds!! I did it quietly so as not to embarrass my friends too much more than I already do. They really did wonder about my sanity when as we were leaving I just about jumped out of the moving vehicle (yes, REALLY) to get a picture of the perfect ending for a knitter who visits the Frogpond Farm:

ISN'T THAT WONDERFUL??!!

All I kept thinking, besides how much I love my friends for taking me to this wonderful place, is I wonder if the Yarn Harlot knows about it? It would be right up her ally, don't you think?

After we left the Frogpond we went over to Anna Olsen's new Cafe where we enjoyed a wonderful lunch, aaannnnddd got to talk with Anna a little bit! WoooHooo. Beside the restaurant there happened to be yet another winery, (It is Niagara you know) that just opened in November and as it turns out is also Organic. The proprietors of the Ravine were very knowledgeable and we learned quite a bit about the history of the area as well as the grapes and the wines while enjoying just a few samplings...hehe.
I have pictures from that weekend, but they'll have to wait for another day.

I've also been knitting.

I've got the back, one front done, am making progress on the other front and have a cuff started for the sleeves; which of course I'm altering, because that's what I do, take a pattern and "tweek" it. Hopefully, the changes to the sleeves won't have much of an impact. I was a little frustrated yesterday as the ball of Noro that I was working with had some 'hidden' colour change issues that I did not appreciate! I love Noro yarns and there colour schemes, I do however, find that there tend to be a fair number of knots, but it's something I choose to live with because of the joy that I find when there are no knots. Well, yesterday, I had to rip out the same diamond, three times! First time, I started a new ball and a short time into it found a knot and wasn't going to be happy with the colour placement if I restarted after the break; so ripped it out and started a new ball. The second ball worked up fine until there was a colour change that did not 'merge' as it had for the rest of the sweater. I was working on this lovely green and then there was a quick twist and into the 'ugly' (I read about that here) part of the ball; it didn't fit, it wasn't a smooth transition and after I worked it another inch or so (we all do it) decided that that too, was going to bug me, so out it came. Once again, I pick up the stitches to work that diamond and, you guessed it, an inch or two in, boom, a knot! Honestly, that ball of yarn had more bits cut out that I can hopefully use later in the sweater, than I used to actually knit. Geez! I did manage to get a complete diamond finished and am hopeful that the next one goes a little more smoothly.

I hope everyone had a nice Valentine's Day. My family and I enjoyed time with friends and I explored some new shopping (new to me) territory and ventured up to Barrie to explore the shops on Dunlop. I will go again! There was a nice variety of stores and the people were lovely to visit. My girlfriend and I hadn't seen each other in quite along time and it was a nice afternoon with a wonderful lunch too! The knitting/wool gods were smiling down on me again and hiding on the bottom shelf in one of the stores that we went into was this:

Yarn at half price! I'm hoping you can catch the sparkle in the mohair. It really is a bright and cheerful yellow and that's why that's the package that got to come home with me.

I'm hoping to organize my studio/room today.....

hahahahaha

One load of laundry done (to keep me honest). Check

Blog entry written. Check

Got out for a walk. Check

Mending? One thing (so far) Check

Dishes. Check

Shower? I will ---too much information?

O.K. I'm hoping tooooo.....enjoy the day, whatever it may bring. I hope you do too