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.

happenings

Want knitting? Skip to the end.

The beans have really popped! I harvested by first beans today – a good handful of Royal Burgundy and Provider bush beans. I sauteed them briefly in a little olive oil, then sprinkled them with salt and downed them right quick. Yum. About ten minutes from plant to mouth. I love growing things.

Other stuff in the garden is going crazy too – this is actually two zucchini plants. They’re huge! No fruit yet, but I’m hoping for soon.

I also finally have a couple of teeny tomatoes. Things have been so slow this year, but my tomato plants are starting to outgrow their cages and they look super.

Two weeks ago or so I planted some rainbow chard in a pot – it’s still very tiny, but it won’t take too long for it to get a whole lot bigger (I hope).

On a completely unrelated topic, I’ve got some awesome (lightly worn) shoes for sale that I’m hoping someone out there can use -

Dansko Mylas – brown, women’s size 38. I loved these shoes, but they just didn’t love me and my orthotics. Danskos rule! Click on the photo for more info. I paid $120, asking $65 including shipping to the US or Canada.

Adbusters Blackspots – the “World’s Most Ethical Shoes”, apparently – they look similar to Converse Allstars, but with a hemp upper, handdrawn logo and sweet spot, and are built in a union shop in Portugal. They also feel more substantial than Chucks, with a lot more cushioning in the sole.

Women’s size 7 – they turned out to be a little too small for me, but I’m totally going to buy a bigger pair because they’re really cool and comfy. I paid $90 Canadian, asking $50 USD including shipping. You can tell they’re very lightly worn because the toe caps are still white!

Email me if you’re interested in either pair – they’re great shoes, and I’m sad that they didn’t work out for me! I have such trouble buying shoes, sigh. Does anyone have recommendations for shoes that work okay with orthotics (preferably with a removable insole) and are somewhat stylish?

Still with me? Want some eye candy?

I’m knitting a sample shawl for the store out of Louet Mooi – apparently it’s pronounced “moi”, but I keep thinking “mooey” in my head. It’s bison, bamboo and cashmere, and pretty spendy…but this red colour is gorgeous and it’s working up really nicely!

alpaca softness

Oy. The days, they swoop by, and I keep meaning to blog! I guess it’s been a pretty good start to the new year, with exciting happenings and parties and such. In the meanwhile, I’ve been continuing on a roll trying to get old projects off the needles.

This is a worsted-weight version of Charlotte’s Web, done in a super soft and cushy wool/alpaca blend that I bought at Rhinebeck 2006. I had wanted to buy enough for a sweater, but the vendor didn’t take credit cards and it was the end of the day – so I only had enough cash to buy 2 skeins – I think they were 250 yards each.

I think I’m going to give this one as a gift, so I’d better get to blocking it!

just add water

Ahhh, the day off. Slept in an hour or so, off to the dentist (okay, that wasn’t fun, but it wasn’t horrible, and at least it’s out of the way), then just chilling out.

I did some canning today, four one-litre jars of tomatoes – each jar holds quite a bit, so it was around 7-8 dozen tomatoes. Needed to get them off the counter! There’s still more tomatoes coming in, so I’m hoping to get another four jars at least (I have more pint jars to fill, too, but I could always do jam or something…). So far, I’ve done fifteen 500 ml jars and eight 1L jars altogether.

I also finished up the last little bit of seraphim and bound off.

The colour’s way off in the photos, it’s more of a smokey black with some copper and grey bits. The knitting was way fun, even though the rows were so long at the end! More on that following a good dunk and stretch.

a new obsession

Thanks for all the great comments on my herringbone skirt! I think it’s quite spiffy, myself : )

You know how when you KNOW you should be working on something, it’s terribly easy to get distracted by something else new and shiny?

I certainly do…

I started a Seraphim Shawl last week at snb, and it just rocks. Right now it’s just soothing stockinette, but the kind where you’re actually doing something (increasing) and seeing progress rather fast!

I’m using Socks that Rock Lightweight in “obsidian”, which I bought at the store awhile back, and 3.75 mm Addi Lace needles. It’s fantastic. And until I get up to the chart bit, extremely portable and easy to pick up and put down – like socks are for me, most of the time.