What's On Your Knitter's Life List?

hanks to the lovely folks at Wool-Tyme Kingston, I heard about this book:

"The Knitter's Life List
To Do, To Know, To Explore, To Make
Gwen Steege
Knit a traditional gansey sweater with indigo yarn. Tour a spinning mill. Discover five ways to cast on for socks. Use steeking to make a tube into a cardigan. The Knitter's Life List is a richly illustrated compilation of more than 1000 experiences and adventures that knitters won't want to miss. You'll find unusual yarns to work with, classic techniques to master, time-honored patterns to try, innovative designers to know about, museums around the world to see, books to read, festivals and retreats to visit, and much more. Check off each item as you complete it, and move on to the next -- you'll find more than enough knitting adventures to fill a lifetime!"

Some knitting related experiences I'd like to have:

Visiting the Isle of Skye

Knitting a Fair Isle pattern

Visiting more sheep and alpaca farms

Learning to spin!

What's on your knitter's life list?

And now a word from from Harry Potter: "I was merely reading the Muggle magazines," said Dumbledore. "I do love knitting patterns."

Year End Wrapup

anuary - ongoing magic loop socks.

February - finished my first ever complete pair of socks! I also joined the Knitting Olympics, and made a Victorian Shawl, finished early!

March - The Easy Peasy Tee in progress, and an update on the kilt hose. I did quite a bit of organization in two gorgeous yellow boxes, of which Frodo approved.

April - finished the Easy Peasy Tee and gave it away to a colleague. And the kilt hose got feet!

May - put together a gift set for a new baby. I also optimistically said "And now, for the first time in a long time, I only have two projects on the go - the kilt hose and the scallop-edged blanket. After that, I've got two socks and two sweaters I've promised to others. And then we'll see..."

But since when does a knitter ever have "only" a few projects on the go?

June - took the kilt hose on holiday but got only a row or two done due to the heat. Visited an alpaca farm! I came home with a bag of unspinnable fibre; the plan is to sew it into a pillow for Sam, who loves alpaca wool (see the bottom of this page), but I haven't done that yet.

July - discovered a lovely pattern for a summer dress for babies. Made one that turned out to be too small for all three of the babies I was knitting for.

August - made a larger dress for my niece and a medium sized one for my Goddaughter. Well, made is the optimum word. Started, is more accurate.

September - all the writing I was doing put the knitting further behind.

October - completed the large dress, and here's the beautiful girl wearing her dress! I was still working on my second pair of magic loop socks.

November - alternately working on the stripey socks and the kilt hose.

December - finished the socks! Here's my friend Agnieszka's beagle Zippy, wondering if they might fit him:

Every once in a while I find a knitting related image on The Orientalist Gallery. This time, there's one called The Wool Spinner.

And oh yes, I'm still working on the kilt hose. But distracted once again - I've gotten a request for a holiday scarf, and found just the right wool to duplicate the Christmas scarf I made two years ago.

I'm also on my own now that Helen's gone to England - the ninnies have gone international!

We'll see what we plan for and accomplish in the year ahead...

Stripey Socks!

reezing cold outside, and snowy and icy:

Just the right conditions for some bright happy socks:

Thank you to Helen for the wool!

And now, back to our regularly scheduled kilt hose.

Pints and Purls

see a light at the end of the tunnel - I'm only a Kitchener stitch away from completing the socks and then...

Well, ideally I'd get around to finishing those kilt hose I started. On the other hand, Helen got me an amazing birthday present; a copy of Pints and Purls.

There's a top-down knit shirt that looks too easy to pass up. Any excuse to buy new wool will do, I guess!

Summer in the Fall

ada!

She posts on the blog! I've almost finished the magic loop socks, I swear, but over on the writing side of my life National Novel Writing Month has me cracking out at least 15,000 words per week to finish the S*&^$%y First Draft by the end of the month.

Caught my niece in her dress this weekend though!

Can't get cuter than that!

Illustrations and Progress

ust when I thought I had no concrete news to create a blog update, I came across a new source of inspiration.

It's always exciting when you stumble upon a new word or author or illustration that warms your insides and incites your own creativity. I attended a meeting of the Canadian Society of Children's Authors Illustrators and Performers last week that featured "A Harvest of New Books": local children’s book authors Nancy Gow, Jennifer Lloyd, P.J. Bracegirdle, Jill Murray, Alan Silberberg and local children’s book illustrators Susan Mitchell and Yayo (Diego Herrera).

Susan Mitchell's work might be familiar to some of you, whether through the children's books and cookbooks she's illustrated, or from the lines of greeting cards, giftware and other articles she's provided paintings and creations for. Her Etsy shop is here.

I say creations, because I'm in love with her needle felted characters! I mean, just look at this fellow!

So that's what Mole of The Wind in the Willows looked like come winter time!

I also love Camouflage and Little Red.

But my favourite at the moment are the creatures on her calendar, available from Lulu or Red Bubble. I'm very partial to November, but as this is a knitting blog, here, for your viewing pleasure, is March:

Oh yes, progress - I've almost finished the socks! Photos coming soon.

Summer Dress for Summer

inally able to report that I've completed the summer dress for my niece, Summer!

No photos of her wearing it yet, unfortunately - though she did try it on - as it's autumn and she's already begun wearing layers.

Here's the dress on the flat:

And here it is hanging:

 I've got to get back to the kilt hose, but first - more socks on the Magic Loop! Here are the ankles started:

Blog Awards!

hanks so much to Nicki Elson for the One Lovely Blog Award!

Don't forget to head over to Nicki's page to watch her book trailer!

I hereby bestow this lovely award on...

Zia, who creates lovely patterns

Anne at Wool-tyme Kingston, cos it's one lovely store

Susan, because she recently featured a lovely piece of crochet

Stephanie, for Enrique

...and...

Helen! Knitting buddy extrordinaire!

Vintage Patterns

raft of vintage patterns, all found here!

As If I Needed New Patterns...

ipping through to tell you about...

Véronik Avery, who has a new book out, featuring some truly gorgeous designs.

Knitting 24/7: 30 Projects to Knit, Wear, and Enjoy, On the Go and Around the Clock (Stewart Tabori and Chang 2010) is reviewed here, and available here.

I've got to finish these dresses and start on something new!

And, All Beatrix Potter All The Time - here's a recent post on Beatrix Potter, to go along with my photos here and here of knitting in some of her books.