It seems there is an average of one baby born in my department a year. In the five years I’ve worked here I think I’ve knit at least five blankets. Another sweet baby is on the way and so is a new blanket project. I’m using Mary Maxim’s Baby Blankie yarn and just a simple pattern with a garter stitch edge and a stocking stitch middle.

I haven’t done much as I just started knitting the other night.

Hello all! I hope you had a great holiday season. I sure did. Spending time with family and taking sometime to relax. I received many wonderful gifts including two looms. One is an inkle loom and the other is a lap or tapestry loom. I have to learn how to use the inkle loom as well as figure out card weaving as I got a stack of cards as well. Here are a couple of photos of the looms.

And here’s a few images of the finish pair of mittens I was working on during Christmas. The snow here has all but melted since we had some unseasonally warm weather so I apologize for the rather dirty snow background.

I’m taking a quick moment to wish you all Happy Holidays and Happy New Year! I’ve had a pretty busy Christmas holiday and I’m back to work today. I’ll have to take sometime later to tell you all about my awesome gifts. For now I’ll leave you with this photo of one finished mitten.

Now that all the slippers are done, 5 pairs in total (one pair is a gift for my Dad so it isn’t in the previous post photo) I have finally started a pair of flap mittens. The pair I made back in 2010 are worn out. It’s amazing they lasted 6 years! Both thumbs have holes in them that I’m planning on fixing, but I felt I was well overdue for a new ones. Unlike my old mitts I’m not making these ones from my own pattern. I’m using Hybrid Mittens knit in the round created by Rachel Prewitt. Here’s the start using Patons Classic Wool in Rosewood. Pardon the quality of the photo since I took it with my phone.

We had our first snowstorm last week and today it’s -20°C with the windchill. It’s cold, it’s snowy and I’m happy to stay inside and knit. I finished the last pair of slippers for my family today. I used Kris Krafter’s Options Slippers for Men pattern and adjusted it to fit my two daughters. I didn’t clue in until later that she already has the same pattern for children and women.

These are fun to make and I love the options she gives for soles. If I find the soles wear out quickly (I knit the soles), I might try using the felt ones instead. These look so great that I have several friends asking if I can make them a pair.

Yes winter is coming. I’ve noticed the chill in the air and the smell of cold in the last week and it makes me smile. I’m not a fan of the heat. I’m also not a fan of winter roads so it puts me in a weird love – hate relationship with winter. If I didn’t have to drive I’d be happy with fall and winter all year around – spring’s okay too.

My list of knit projects is getting out of hand and I’ve let my love in life slip away. My personal life has been busy and stressed (who’s isn’t) but I finally feel like things are reaching a normal pace. Knitting relieves my stress and I think it helps me sleep. It was so dumb of me to stop during a time of stress. Happily I’m back and knit this much in just a few days:

So it looks like two elephants or something but these are going to be a pair of slippers for my husband. I got the pattern on Ravelry. They are called Options Slippers for Men. I love how creative knit designers are. You can knit the same type of item over and over and never do it the same way twice if you want to. Knitting is such a beautiful and organic thing. I still feel amazed that I can take some needles and yarn and create something functional and beautiful.

I’m going to make three more pairs of these for my daughters and I. My feet are boats so the men’s sizing will be fine for me and I think the same for my eldest daughter but, my youngest daughter’s slippers are going to require some adjustments to the pattern. I’ll keep you posted with more pictures soon!

Take care and happy knitting!

I’ve been away far too long. I haven’t been knitting or designing for the past few months and I’m sad about it. Sometimes life gets so chaotic and busy we don’t have time for the things we love. Then we suffer for it. I moved to a beautiful new home in September and that has basically been where all my time has gone. Far from settled, but I ready to make time for me again and that includes knitting until my fingers bleed.

I saw this awesome thing on Facebook today: Knitted Dragon Scales. And thought why am I now doing this too? Then I remember that giant to do list I call a life. That is my sad answer. It’s time to burn the list.

I’m so happy to have finished this project. I love the final result but it was a lot more work then I bargained for. Part of the challenge came for non-knitting issues – house renos. I’ll be glad never to paint anything again. Soon I will be house hunting and with any luck I’ll moving by the end of the summer. There are many changes coming for me I think in the next few months. I’ll keep you all posted. And now for some more knitting goodness.

As promised here is the latest photo of the Farmyard Baby Blanket by Debbie Bliss I’ve been working on.

As much as I love this pattern it’s been frustrating the hell out of me. It’s a user problem and not a pattern problem (I just keep making mistakes). I’ve been so tired with the combination of the house reno stress, upcoming business plan and insomnia issues I’m having trouble focusing on things. I have to force myself to slow down or I’m going to burn myself out. It’s a good thing that knitting is good for stress and mental health or I’d be a basket case by now.

I wanted to check into the internet world and let you know that I am still here. As usual life is busy and exciting. I’m not a woman who has previously been in favour of change, but change is coming – a lot of change. First I’m in midst of intense renovations as I prepare to put my house on the market. My husband and I are constantly painting and building things to make the house look nicer in hopes of making a good and quick sale. We decided we could either try and make this house into what we want or just buy a house that is already what we are looking for. We decided the time, work and money to make the house we want just isn’t worth it. My advice for buying a house, buy what you truly want don’t get starry-eyed and think you will have the time and money to change it.

Second exciting change is I’ve decide to take the plunge and start up a graphic design business. This will be full force this time around, not a part-time sort of thing. I’m looking forward to this new adventure and I hope to help new and small business with their design and eventually marketing needs. I want my independence and I want to grow as a person and my present life just isn’t allowing me to do this. Wish me luck! (and yes I’m scared out my mind, like what the heck am I thinking?).

I will post a photo of the Farmyard Baby Blanket I’m knitting for a co-worker soon.