cosmicpluto knits!

random wednesday

Ahem. Did I say more blogging? Maybe I really meant less blogging. Or perhaps I overlooked the fact that when one works eight days or so in a row…one doesn’t really have time for the blogging. Get up, go to work, come home, dinner, tv, knit, bed, repeat. My two-hour-a-day commute doesn’t exactly help things, either. (Although I have been getting some reading done on the ride home. I’ve been attacking this pile.)

Both pairs of shoes have gone to new homes, and I bought another pair of Fluevogs, in red of course! They’re having a huge sale – I had my eye on those shoes already, but then they were 30% off! Can’t beat that.

I’m rather boring these days what with the working, but I’m counting on some much-needed crafting time this weekend. I really want to make some new skirts, maybe a top or two as well. I did manage to sew up an infinity dress for a friend this evening, using a gorgeous chocolate bamboo jersey – I even learned a few things from the first time and it came out super! I’ll try to get a photo in the morning. Being at the sewing machine again did give me a little bit of a kick – it’s so fast and gratifying. Must. Sew.

To those emailing about the Baby Thermal pattern, I’m hard at work on it. The Baby version (up to 2 years) is pretty well done, but the Child/Youth version (up to size 12) is still on the needles. Soon, soon. I really want to get it done and out there!

In other super-random knitting news, I just realized that the party for my newly-arrived cousin/niece (the daughter of my cousin…first cousin once removed? niece is easier) is early next week and I have not knit a stitch! I’m going to try and bust out a quick little sweater and hat, so there’d better be some finished projects on this here blog soon!

I’ll leave you with a beauty shot of the Mooi shawl I’ve been working on – it’s darker than in this photo, but so luminous.

box bag, berries and bobbins

Man, I don’t know where my crafting focus has gone these days. Well, I guess I actually DO know, I’m just impatient to get back on track with all my various projects! I’ve been a little all over the place with all my various crafts (sewing, cooking, gardening, spinning, and you know, the knitting) that I haven’t been able to focus well on any particular one, really.

I’ve got all sorts of fabric that’s come into the house…

(knits on the left from Wazoodle, organic cotton and some cotton print on the right from Tonic Living.)

I’ve been picking cherries from the sour cherry tree in my yard, although I haven’t done anything with them yet – I’m thinking pie:

A little bit of knitting, just plugging away on the pink Thermal. I’ve got a very new little cousin that I want to knit stuff for too, but I just haven’t managed to get started yet!

I’m feeling very scattered and unfocused. I’ve decided that this summer I’m going to try to take it easy on myself, although I know I might have some projects coming up that will make that difficult! I’ll be working in the store a lot more over the summer, between megan taking time off to have her baby, and denny going away on a couple fun trips. But one thing seems to be helping me focus? The Tour de Fleece.

When I started spinning today I was feeling a bit defeated by the enormous bag of fibre before me, with only one and a half bobbins spun – but I sat at the wheel for a few hours this afternoon, and have managed to up the count to three full bobbins and a bit of a fourth. I’ve got a couple movies recorded on the DVR, and I’m staying in all this weekend, so spinning here I come! I want to spin all the singles before I ply, but since I don’t have quite so many bobbins, I’ll need to wind them off on the ball winder as I go.

One more thing that I think will help me focus a bit? My new project bag – a super cute box bag by rachel m.! We hung out today and she was lovely enough to gift me one. I think I might start a new pair of socks just to keep them in here.

One more summer plan – more blogging. I’m working on it, really I am!

happy birthday canada!

It’s Canada Day!

I’ve got me Canadian beer…

…and some butter tarts (from the farm where we went strawberry picking; I like mine with either pecans or raisins)…

Everything I need to celebrate Canada’s 141st birthday! I love this country.

do me a favour

And check out my friend rachel m.’s Etsy shop, will ya?

She’d love to sell you a set of pretty pretty stitch markers or earrings! (And I love to support my friends.)

On a completely different note, I’ve made up my mind and I’m buying a new camera today! Wheee!

take it off my hands, part IV – the yarn one

Holy comments, Batman! Awesome. I knew that’d bring out the lurkers

So, without further ado, the winners:

Twinkle’s Weekend Knits – Jeanine
Classic Knits at Home – Michelle

Winners have been emailed. I felt bad I couldn’t give books to everyone!

So up next… a rather large yarn destash. Prices are in USD or CDN (they’re close enough anyway) and include shipping to Canada and the US. If you’re international, let me know and I’ll amend the price. Payment by Paypal, balance transfer or credit cards – and please don’t send money until I’ve confirmed. Please, help me make room!

Visit my destashing page!

Finally, since every blog entry needs a photo (well, not really, but whatever), my finished Manos Silk cardigan body. Any ideas for names?

This took a bit under four skeins, so I think I’m on track to use just 7 skeins for the whole sweater!

P.S. Insidious spammers have somehow hacked in and may be putting in horrible filthy links at the bottom of my posts, as read in blog readers (but not on the blog page itself, weirdly). Any ideas on how to stop them? Please let me know if you see anything off! I’ve deleted some stuff already, and it doesn’t show up in the RSS feed anymore, but Bloglines may not have updated yet. Argh.

take it off my hands, part I – spoken for

That was fast! The case is now spoken for. Stay tuned for a bit of destashing and a few giveaways!

Does anyone want to buy a Lexie Barnes Kitty (circular) needle case, in the discontinued print Dutch Treat? Link to Kitty on the Lexie Barnes site.

I recently changed my needle cases all around, and now I find I don’t really need this one. It’s been used, but is in like new condition. Inner tag has been cut off (got in the way of the zipper). The case has 20 pockets for circs, and one zipper pocket for little notions. Comes with a full complement of index cards to tag all your pockets. It really does work great, and holds a lot of needles!

Original price $50 USD, asking $28 USD or CDN plus actual shipping anywhere, payment by Paypal (balance or credit cards). If you’re in Toronto, we can meet up and you won’t need to pay for shipping!

If you’re interested, drop me a line!