Long weekend preparations

I don't work Fridays.

Actually, I don't work outside the home on Fridays. I work AT home. I love never being at work on Fridays. Especially when it's a long weekend. It's like getting a supersized extra long weekend. Good times.

So I started this one with a beer on the patio (in my backyard) and my long-awaited copy of the Knitting Workshop. I put in a request for an interlibrary loan months ago, and the library called me today to tell me it was in.

In it, I found one of the coolest EZ patterns I've seen. Actually they are all amazing, but this one is gorgeous.

If you have a Rav account go here. If you go here there is another version, just not fully finished. Love it.

The black and white ultra mod construction is too nice. I need to make this sweater.

Along with my Ravelympics project, finish Stinky's Thing 1, knit some baby stuff and get started on Christmas things.

But how long do you think it would take to crank out a garter stitch cardigan?? Shouldn't take too long, right???

Right.....

In the Meantime and In Between Time

The Tour has wrapped up for another year. All the knitters did their best to finish their own challenges and at least two knitters were successful in their endeavors.

There is no rest for the wicked, however, and your intrepid hosts here at BaadMedicine will be undertaking another knitting challenge in 10 days time. Why, you may ask? To be honest, I'm not sure. These periods of intense knitting have certainly increased my output for this summer. I have pushed myself to finish projects for unrealistic deadlines and have impressed myself with the results. And so, we embark upon the Ravelympics where I will take part in the Designer's Discus and the Sockput in an effort to make up a sock pattern that the Dude will not only tolerate but possible wear. By choice. I have also entered the Baby Dressage event because one pair of Man sized socks is apparently not enough for me. I will also attempt to whip up an Umbilical Cord Hat for the little person on the end of this Umbical Cord. It's a little art imitating life knitting.

And so, while I rest up for my events and try to think of a way to deal with knitting in the intense smog of Beijing, I am staying loose. The pair of STR socks is half done so I'll knit away on those and envision Olympic glory. I may even whip up a bag while I wait for the Olympic flame to arrive.

Are you a Ravlete? What are you knitting for the Ravelympics?

Arrivee a Paris

I made it into Paris. Safely. I dragged my body around the country following the riders with my knitting needles, over the undulating foothills of the Pyrenees to the snow-capped peaks of les Alpes.

Now I can sip champagne and wear mon maillot jaune.

And I think my golden fleece is a little bit more stylish than Sastre's.

Somedays I needed a suitcase full of courage to keep at the gull lace stitch when I really wanted to knit some socks. But I did it. In less than 21 days. I have to say I'm pretty darned proud of myself.

I'll miss my friends Paul and Phil. A Bientot my boys.

So, just like a lot of the cyclists, I'm now heading for Beijing. This time as part of Team Edmonton in the Ravelympics in the event of the Scarf Stroke (why do I do this to myself?). I guess I'd better get off the bike and into the pool!

Fait Accompli

The Tour de France will ride into the City of Light tomorrow morning. Some riders will be heartbroken, some will drink champagne. I will be sitting on my couch with a cafe au lait and my Juno Regina wrapped around my neck. I have earned my White Jersey and am well pleased with myself.

I was unsure of my yarn choice earlier on in the knitting process. It seemed too fine, too gauzy but now I love the delicate lace and the softness of the silk. And nothing beats the smell of the sea as you mist your seacell yarn into submission on the blocking board. It's just the right size to wrap around my shoulders for my sister's wedding and will make a lovely neck scarf in the fall. Perfectly Parisian!

Once I finished my big challenge for the Tour, I managed to finish up a pair of socks that had been lingering on the needles.

These Froot Loops are my second pair and are knit in Fleece Artist Seawool. Funny how the second sock seems a bit more green than the first. Charming, none the less.

And my July STR came on Tuesday after leaving the hive last Friday. Excellent work, postal services! I am not sure how I feel about the pastel colours. I love the minty green bits but salmon pink is not my thing. There were two patterns including in this month's mailout and I've decided to knit the Gumdrops.

My yarn seems to be pooling in funny ways, but I've decided to go with it. Last night, while I tossed and turned, I had visions of frogging this sock and starting again, but I have decided against it. I am going to knit the pair and let the yarn do what it wants. I am giving up control of the pooling because after all, these are just socks. Delightful socks in a yarn that is fast becoming my favorite, but they still will be worn on my feet under the cover of a pantleg and some cute shoes.

Uncanny ability

Right now on a local radio station there's a DJ who guesses (and always correctly) what brand of cigarettes people smoke based solely on their smoker's laugh. Smokers call in, they banter back and forth for a few minutes, then the DJ comes up with his guess. Number 7 red plain? Yes. Players Extra light? Yes. An amazing ability if you ask me.


My amazing talent is to diagnose people with a personality disorder within 30 seconds of seeing them. I don't even have to meet them, I just have to see them interact with others. And bang-o. Personality disorder diagnosed.


A man ordering coffee in my office building - immediately determined to be histrionic.


The lady I used to work with - figured her as borderline in minutes.

Don't even get me started on the moms from playschool.

But my question is, what will I be diagnosed with when I show up for my kid's picture session in matching Thing 1 and Thing 2 sweaters?