Monday, December 24, 2007

And miles to go before I sleep...

It's Christmas Eve and I would like to say that the tree will be surrounded by lovely hand-knit gifts...but unfortunately that is not going to happen. Not this year anyway...The Cobblestone pullover is still on my needles, however I am up to the yoke. I did manage to finish one Koolhaus and had it proudly on display on my Value Village model head. Then a winter storm hit and the hat founds its place on Lydia's head who has worn it almost daily ever since. At least it is doing what a hat is supposed to do. I have a big bag of Berroco Peruvia in my closet - just waiting to be knit into my Tilted Duster and have joined the KAL group for this on Ravelry. We being January 1st so I had better get to that Cobblestone! I also managed to get a hold of the pattern for the Central Park Hoodie. If you go to Knitting Daily you can purchase the pattern online from their pattern store. While you're searching around, have a look at Brooklyntweed's latest:



Maybe for next Christmas?

Monday, December 10, 2007

...busted...

Winter seems to have settled into southern Ontario and unfortunately I seemed to have settled into winter. It is just so easy to move into hybernation mode, stay indoors, knit a bit, go to work, sleep a bit, knit a bit more.... and I was getting away with it too, that is, until this weekend...



Saturday was a lovely day, the sun was out, the temperature was quite mild, no cold wind even, and so the thought did cross my mind that I should go out for a run before I fall totally back out of shape. The thought was later reinforced when I stopped in at VanBelle's and spoke briefly with Karl, one of the owners, about...running. Next, off I go to the library where I bump into Peter and Marja, my pastor and his wife, who casually ask if I have been "keeping up with my running lately?" Nope. Then I find out they had run with the church running club that morning, after which they donated blood! Okay, okay, I get the hint! Busted again....



And so, after the kids were off to school this morning, I headed out to a local indoor track and ran in circles for 20 minutes. Done!



Now for a bit of knitting....I have no trouble with this activity in the winter months! Apparently you only burn off about 30 calories per hour knitting but I think I doubled that while making this hat! Here is Jared Flood's Koolhaas and I love it, love it, love it. However, I did muddle up the decrease rows and had to tear back some of it four times before I got it right. It wasn't the pattern's fault ....just mine. Even though it took me longer than I originally thought, I will definitely make this one again and probably add an extra pattern section for my big-headed relatives!


Lydia loves the Koolhaas too, snatched it off the dummy head, and has been wearing it ever since!

Monday, December 3, 2007

Prerequisite weather...


Christmas is, of course, a perfect time to build wonderful traditions with your family. Our family choses a "real" tree each year; however, before we can haul the thing home, the day must meet the prerequisite of having the worst weather of the season!
Well, yesterday was just such a day. Between the dumping of snow we received through the night, the gusty winds, and the freezing rain during the day, it was the perfectday to go pick our Christmas tree (which of course is furthest back in the field).
Once back in our warm and cozy home, stirring our hot chocolate and marshmallows with the candy canes given out at the tree lot, we discovered our tree to be "weeping" from all the snow and freezing rain on its branches!
It looks lovely now though, all decked out with ornaments and angel...


















...but the weather isn't any better!