Passing in the Night

Miss J. and I are very busy ladies these days. Well, more busy than normal.

J. is currently in Toronto at a meeting (read as: stalking the Harlot).

I am off (in 2 sleeps, yes, counting sleeps) to a meeting. There may be some yarn shopping.

So, I leave the blog in the finely skilled hands of my partner. Remember last time I left. If you didn't read them the first time around, you should. It's some good work.

See you next week...hopefully I'll have pretty pretty things to share.

Showing you my backside

That's quite the tagline eh? We'll see what kinds of google hits we get.

On to the business at hand. My backside. The backside of my knitting that is. Punky's Thing 2 is really my first major Intarsia undertaking. I did one Fairisle sweater for him when he was younger, but that was quite a minor amount of colour work. This was a bit more of an undertaking for me. I'm no Kaffe Fassett .

So, as a reminder, here is the front.

And, up close.

Looks pretty good right? Now, check out the back.

Lovely right? It makes a difference when you take the time and do it right. I can thank Lucy (again) for making that clear.

Good finishing makes for good knit-wear. It's true. I'm a believer.

Knitting on the Go

I flew down to Calgary (a 40 minute flight) for a one day, work related seminar. This may seem extravagant except for the fact that I didn't pay for it. I was whisked away for a night in a very lovely hotel, by myself, no sharing the bed. I spent the bulk of Friday listening to experts talk about different aspects of a special disease state without any real, concrete advice.

Fortunately, the speaker just before lunch wrapped up early. REALLY early. So early that I had time to scarf down some lunch, hail a cab and do a little noon-time shopping at Make 1 Yarns. If you are ever in Calgary, I highly recommend making your way over there. I was welcomed with a cup of freshly brewed peppermint tea. Annie, the lady at the shop, was very helpful in finding me enough yarn to make a sweater for when I am no longer someone's pod. I got a Go knit Pouch for my sock knitting. She even talked me into trying a new sock yarn made of corn and called me a cab so I wasn't late for my afternoon meeting. Lovely service. Lovely lady.

AND she recommended I go to Lettuce Knits when I'm in Toronto next week. She knows Denny. You know, DENNY!!!! (I'm totally gonna namedrop.) So I'm almost kinda sorta hooked up with someone who knows the Harlot. It's like we're meant to meet or something innocent and not stalkerish at all.

In other news, I'm working on a Tuscany Shawl for my sister who is getting married this summer. The thing with this shawl is that it lulls you into thinking you'll be finished in no time. So you knit and knit and knit and all of a sudden there are 250 stitches on your addi lace circular and you've got several pattern repeats to go. Seasilk, however, makes everything better.

Is there a "Thing" in the house?

Oh yes there is.

Someone is "so escited" (his words). I am too.

Pop Culture Lesson

This post has little knitting content....that's because I'm saving the good stuff for when some"THING" is done blocking. That's a little tease...


The mighty reality show "Dancing with the Stars" ended last night, with Kristi Yamaguchi as the victor.

I would guess that most of you wouldn't know this little fact....the Olympic Gold Medalist and dancer extraordinaire is a former University of Alberta student. Yes, it's true. Sometime in the early 90s Kristi could be seen on campus running to classes, just like the rest of us. She was training at the Royal Glenora club at the time, which is just across the river from campus.

My husband (who I didn't know at the time) and his friends had a game they called "The Hunt for Yama". They were constantly on the look out for Yama on campus. I think these boys all had a little crush on her, and were hoping she'd fall in love with one of them and whisk them away from the hood where they all grew up.

They did luck out one night at a local bar frequented by students because they served $0.80 draft. This is where the story gets a little fuzzy. Some people believe that my husband danced with Yama at this bar, but he denies it. Maybe we'll never know. It's part of his mystique...

So 2 degrees of separation between me and Kristi Yamaguchi. I think that almost makes me famous.

Happy Birthday, Vicky!

Today is Victoria Day in Canada. Most of us see this as the first long weekend of the summer. People come out of their houses and work in their yards to make everything pretty for our brief warm spell. I don't really think about Queen Victoria, who is honoured on this day. Mostly, we've started calling this May Long Weekend as if that were reason enough to stay home an extra day, work in the yard and eat grilled meats.





History Lesson (Skip to the end if you're not really interested or know this already.)





Victoria Day is celebrated on the last Monday on or before May 24 in honour of Queen Victoria's birthday as well as that of the reigning sovereign.





Old Vicky was the longest reigning British monarch, lasting 63 years and 7 months on the throne. Let's just say she did a lot in that time. Highlights include surviving 7 attempts on her life, establishing the modern constitutional monarchy, and establishing the postage stamp and the railway in Britain. And she did a ton of other stuff, like having 9 children and living to tell the story, as well as being the first known carrier of the hemophilia in the royal line. At the time of ther death, the "sun never set on the British Empire."





The story I like best is her love for and devotion to her husband, Albert. Sure he was her first cousin, but royalty is usually inbred so that's not entirely unexpected. I appreciate that he was her most trusted advisor and that they lived a long and happy life together. I like that as the monarch, she had to propose to him and that when he died, she was devastated. She was a woman who loved her husband very much and made him a priority in her busy life. I like that, too.





Back to Regularly Scheduled Programming





So take it easy this long weekend. Play in the dirt. Sleep in (if you can).





And put your feet up. Preferably in some freshly finished homemade socks.





Thanks, Vicky!

Delusional, again.

I have deluded myself in many ways. Mostly with regards to my children. I have told myself that things get easier as they get older. I've told myself they'll become more self-sufficient as they get older. And the biggest delusion, I've told myself I'll have more time for myself as they get older.



None of these things have come true. You can't wait till they're able to eat on their own so you don't have to feed them anymore. Then you just spend more time cleaning up after them because the post-dinner melee requires a cloth, a broom, a mop and a ton of patience. You can't wait till they start activities so you can see them run and jump and interact with other children, and then you are their taxi-driver, team snack-provider and cheerleader.



With every new stage, there is a new challenge. Them being able to talk, means them being able to talk back. Them being able to play with kids down the street, means them bringing kids down the street back to the house. And with all of this, my continued hope for alone time evaporates.



It's not that I wish away the time that they're little, because that's not it. I'm just continually hopeful that it gets "easier" and "more manageable" and it just doesn't seem to.



And with this denied hope, comes disappointment. Not with my children, but with myself. The state of my house. The state of my pantry and my laundry room. And, not surprisingly, the state of my knitting. I set lofty goals for myself - I'll get this done for mother's day. I'll get these done before the end of May. I'll get either this or this done for a wedding in July. And in the meantime catch up on my sock tally, because at the rate I'm going, I won't get 15 socks done this year, let alone 24, and they sure make good Christmas gifts!



Gahhhhh.



I just have to stop making lists of things to do. I have to appreciate the time I do have to do things I love, like play outside with a Punk and a Stink, and knit, and cook. I can't delude myself anymore. Time is passing, and I don't want it to pass me by.



Time is more valuable than money. You can get more money, but you cannot get more time.

Spring, Stairs, Socks

Spring has finally arrived here in the frozen north. Ok, I may be exaggerating a little. A lot of people I know complain about the weather and sometimes I do, too. The truth is that I like living in a place that has all 4 seasons. Winter is definitely cold and you know it's here by all the snow.

Spring arrives with hints of green on the trees and a softness in the air. Spring draws you outside with promises of flowers budding and a warm kiss of sunshine. Well, it's here and it couldn't have come at a better time.

It's hard to think of knitting warm woolies at a time like this so it's just as well that I finished this baby blanket. I liked knitting the pattern. It's easy garter stitch and every once in a while you cast off and then pick up some stitches and start again. It makes excellent TV knitting since you're knitting every row.

I whipped up a Stair in some Tofutsies I had laying around. Great pattern and I think it works well with the yarn.

I finished one of the Stairs before T. and I got the idea that we should host a Froot Loop KAL. We can be found on Ravelry as the Froot Loop Groop or the FLG, which sounds to me like the name of a guerilla organization that liberates breakfast cereal. I cast on as soon as I had some free 2.5 mm DPNs (who am I kidding, I have about 5 sets of 2.5 mm DPNs. There's always a free set.) and am cruising along on this cute pattern.

It always amazes me the people you meet by simply saying "I would like to knit these socks. Wanna join me?" At last count, we had members of the FLG, including the designer and knitters from all over the world. I love Ravelry.

I'm not sure I love the color palate of the socks I'm making, especially after checking out other knitters' projects. Perhaps I'll just have to knit them again.

New Knits for Monday - T's Version

It's been a busy week here at Chez T's. Soccer started, my honey was away for work, my Dad's birthday and of course Mother's day.

But I've been lucky enough to finish a couple of items and move on to new things (literally).

I completed my March STR socks.

I wasn't loving the pattern for March, so I decided to go with some Bartholomew's Tantalizing Socks a la Cat Bordhi.








They are, in a word, lovely. Perhaps my loveliest socks. They fit perfectly, they are a gorgeous shade and they make my happy.

So, I'll be making more of these crazy socks. While you're knitting them, you cannot believe how the sock structure is going to work and then you make it through the heel and think "Wow. That Cat Bordhi is one crazy cat".






I also finished my Picovoli.






I love how a finished product comes together with the blocking.






It truly makes all the difference. The colors in this top scream "T". I look forward to getting a chance to wear it.

















Now I move on to my "things", and await my May STR shipment....what colors will May bring?

Happy Mother's Day

To you and the important women in your life.

The Envelope Please

Using a random number generator, we got #6. The corresponding commenter is meg.

Congrats - your prize pack is on it's way.

Thanks for playing along and enjoy all your Froot Loop recipes (I think.....).

Fun for Froot Loopies

Hello...if you haven't been here before we're T. & J. Your hosts of the Froot Loop Groop KAL on Ravelry.

Want to know a little bit about us? We knit, we blog, we parent and we....well we knit some more. We're simple women really.



So, you're probably wondering what you need to do to get a fabulous parting gift. That's why you're here right?


You need to leave us a comment with your favorite Froot Loop Recipe.

The rules are as follows:
1. The recipe must contain Froot Loops
2. That's it.

We'll pick a winner using a random number generator.

Good luck and happy knitting with your Froot Loops.

New Knits for Monday

There has been a serious lack of knitting pictures from me as of late. That is mostly due to the fact that my home computer was defunct. Fortunately, thanks to the Dude and his minions, we have power restored to the computer and peace in our home once more.



To catch you up on my knitting progress, I'll start with part of a sock. I actually finished this sock last night. The pattern is T's Escalier. A link can be found on our sidebar. Lovely pattern, easy to remember, knit in Tofutsies in shades of lilac.





Number 2 needs a blanket, as do all babies. I am knitting up the Moderne Baby Blanket from Mason-Dixon Knitting. I'm using Mission Falls 1824 Wool which is soft and washable. The whole thing is knit in garter stitch and seems to be going quickly. I'm not sure if I'll do all the log cabin squares that the pattern calls for as I think it might be a touch too big and I'll probably run out of yarn before the end.

And finally, I present to you my Minimalist Cardigan which is anything but minimal. Knit in Double Sea Silk, it has a sheen that makes it glow. I made the 39 1/2 inch size which I think is just perfect. I made the body slightly longer than recommended. The fabric blocked beautifully and after 2 1/2 hours of seaming, it is ready to wear.

Token shot of my cleavage courtesy of the Dude.

Note the drape. This yarn is just a delight to work with. It is soft and warm. Not too heavy.

I really love this sweater. I think it's the best one I've ever made and I'm very proud of it. The haircut needs some work, however.

Retreating

I'm still in a little shock about it, but I've officially registered for the Make 1 Yarn Studio Fall Retreat. Yes, it's true. I don't want to think about it too much for the fear of becoming too excited 6 months from when it is. And I have this ridiculous fear that the Harlot will back out, and I'll be disappointed. Because the other teachers that would be there, you know, wouldn't be a draw in and of themselves (seriously, all of them in one place?). It just doesn't feel true that I'm going. But I am.

My office-mate Catknip, my former class-mate lcbrown and her future SIL are going with me. We'll bring wine (in celebration of lcbrown's nuptials...she's getting married the WEEK before), we'll bring knitting, we'll bring books to be signed. Unfortunately the one thing we have to leave behind is J. She'll be attending to a rather small newborn (1 month old...).

The one thing I'm grappling with is the fact that the day I get home is Punky's 5th birthday. Catknip assures me she can drive like a madwoman so we get home in good time (it's her birthday that day as well...). And we'll likely have his birthday party on Nov 11th as it's a holiday. But you know, maternal guilt and all (does it EVER go away).

In the meantime I'm going to knit an awesome cardigan to wear to the retreat. Whaddya think?

Introducing Our Latest KAL.....

We here at Baad Medicine like to be on the cutting edge of knitblogging. Ok, that might be an overstatement. However, we HAVE learned that you have to act fast to get a good KAL so we did.

Introducing the Froot Loop Groop! (Or FLG for short.) We liked the new sock pattern in the Knitty update so much that we highjacked it and whipped up a little KAL for our (and your) amusement. We've started a group on Ravelry of the same name. We'll also start a Flickr group and link to it on our sidebar. As soon as we figure out how.

Please knit with us! You know how we love to meet new knitters!