Wednesday, September 24, 2008

My new favourite blog

I'm a huge blog reader, you can see this here in the blogs I follow...

One of my new favourites is Divine Bird. Jenny Bannock has been blogging at WordPress since July 2007 about her adventures in knitting AND spinning. I just started reading in the past month or so, but I've gone back and read almost all the entries.

This is perfect reading for me when I'm knitting. An awesome layout, perfect font size so I don't have to scroll all the time, and just enough pictures.

There is also a Divine Bird Etsy shop, and I want this, even though I don't knit socks. I think it would just sit on top of my stash for the next 20 years.

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

The second blanket

I've started Rachel's blanket. It's the Ruffles style.
170 stitches.
6 rows on the big needle
4 rows on the small needle

The Coats and Clark site is down right now, otherwise I would have a picture of the colour I'm using.
Ok, so, it's 200 stitches wide 8 rows on the big needle, and 6 on the small.

Monday, September 15, 2008

DONE DONE DONE!

I JUST bound off the blanket! There are a lot of ends to be woven in, but I'm taking a short break from it for a little bit.

I'm going to be starting Rachel's blanket tonight or tomorrow (I'm back at the office tomorrow, so prime knitting time!)


My favourite knitted item of the moment:

It's by CubistLiterature. I read his blog all the time. He has some really neat shirts, as well.

I think once a week I'm going to have my "favourite knitted item of the moment". Now I just need to find a better name.

Thursday, September 11, 2008

SO CLOSE!

I have around 90 stitches left on the needle for Louis' blanket. One problem... I'm running out of the cream colour...
I'm going to the craft store with Chris today. If the yarn is on sale, I'll pick up a skein just in case. If I don't end up using it, I will add it to my Homespun stash. If I do, I will still have some left over, and add the remainder to my stash.

In other news, Mom is loving the Knifty Knitter. Which is great. Now we just have to find somewhere to donate the resulting hats. Any suggestions?

And a question. In the next little bit, I know I will be headed out to the pub/bar with friends. I hate just sitting around while I'm there (especially the non-dance bars). Would it be a Bad Idea to bring some knitting with me? I'm talking like... A dishcloth here... Please let me know!

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

A camera

I really wish I had a reliable camera. Mine eats batteries like it's nothing. And since it's a point and shoot, it's either over exposed or dark and grainy. Even when I use it outside.
I've started to lose interest in Louis' blanket. I knit a row or 2 at a time... But I'm still pushing myself.
I taught my mom how to use a Knifty Knitter yesterday. She had knee surgery done Monday, and she's stuck sitting around most of the time. She has carpal tunnel in both hands and holding knitting needles pretty much sucks for her. So she tried the smallest loom to make some baby hats, and she's already finished one. I want to have 30 hats done by Halloween and bring them somewhere. I was thinking the hospital, but they're a little big for newborns. Unless all newborns come out with a head as big as mine was. (I was almost 9 pounds, and my head was huge compared to my body. No health issues, though!)

Saturday, September 6, 2008

Suggestions!

I have piles of worsted weight acrylic and other synthetics floating around my stash. Not really floating, more like reproducing.
I gave a HUGE skein of what I think is Red Heart to my friend Chris today so he could learn to knit. It was a neat jungle camouflage sort of colour, and I had no idea what I would ever make with it.

I'm not the biggest fan of that yarn, but it's cheap... I think we, my Mom and I, got it a few years back when we knit for the Downtown Mission. Basically, we would get huge amounts of inexpensive yarn and knit scarves for local charities and gave them around Halloween to distribute to those who need it. This is before either of us knew that acrylic isn't very warm... At all, really. The scarves were beautiful, though. All kinds of awesome colours, different sizes. We made them with the intention that children would receive something handmade to show someone cares.

This year seems like it's going to be a particularly hard Winter. Many local people are out of work because it seems like everyone is out of a job. Which is almost true. I live in Windsor, Ontario. We make cars. Most of the plants we have here are too outdated to produce high-demand cars, and they're just sending the work elsewhere.

Both my parents are directly affected. My Dad works at a feeder plant. He makes a part that is included in most cars and some airplanes, the lumbar system. He started working there a week before Labour day, 2001. Then 9/11 happened, and they lost the contract for airplanes. Since then, he was off for just over a year because of a severe car accident that almost killed him, (The only time I've ever been as happy that my parents insisted on owning a Chevy Avalanche; it saved his life.) was laid off for a week at a time every 6 months or so, until demand would require them to go back to work. Just recently, he was informed he was "indefinitely laid off". The letter included something that said if he didn't hear back by June 2011, to consider the plant closed. Pretty tough.

My mother works for the Big Three. She will be out of a job within two years. Pretty terrible. She will be about 2 weeks shy of her 50th birthday (which is strange to think; I remember when my Dad planned an entire surprise 40th for her, and didn't let me know until about 12 hours before) so this means shes not eligible for most pension benefits.

My best friend's dad is laid off from an other one of the Big Three. My uncle had to move out of town to continue to work for the same auto company. The list goes on.

I read in the local newspaper about extra strain on the local food banks and social benefits and shelters and everything else. They're asking us to dig deep into our already shallow pockets to help out others. I would love to help, but I have to take care of my own, first.

All this to say I need suggestions. Suggestions of what to do with all this acrylic. I would LOVE to knit piles of stuff for the local people that need it, but that's hard for me to do. Since I count on some income from my knitting, it's hard to force myself to knit for charity. Also, I don't do hats or mitts. If any of you could suggest some super easy scarf patterns, or anything else I could make, that would be awesome!

Friday, September 5, 2008

When I'm up I can't get down.

Updates here at Knit, Nicole, Knit! Might be a little sporadic in the next little bit (yes, more than usual)
My boyfriend and I just broke up, and this is hitting me surprisingly hard considering it was my idea.
I'm going to keep on knitting, I have a LOT of stuff to do! I have one craft show for sure in October, and maybe one at the end of November. (that last one is a maybe, because I'm kind of hoping to have moved to Ottawa by then)

Also, I am selling adspace at the bottom of this page. If you have something that you would like to advertise, you can sign up for ProjectWonderful and bid on the spaces here.

Frustration

1) Realising the yarn you want to use has gone up in price.
2) Having to buy 6 skeins for a project.
3) Realising you don't have enough, so you go buy more.
4) Noticing the colour doesn't quite match.
5) Checking the label and THE DYE LOT IS THE SAME!
6) Not noticing this until the very end of the project.

Thursday, September 4, 2008

Ottawa

Got back late last night from my trip to Ottawa. I had a great time, but that's neither here nor there.
I taught nearly everyone I was with to knit.
I had Louis' blanket with me, in hopes that I would have it finished to get it to him. This didn't happen, but that's OK, cause he may just become my room mate before Christmas.
While I was there, everyone said how cool it was that I knit. A couple expressed interest in learning. Chris, the guy I drove up with, mostly.
In through the front door
Once round the back
Out through the window
Off jumps Jack
Was repeated several hundred times during the few days I was there. Chris and I have a knitting date tomorrow, hopefully.