Upcoming Craft Show

I've been too busy to blog at all lately! Specifically I am having a dry spell in inspiring photographs to write about, or rather I have not had time to get them off my camera and pick out the goodies:-)

Anyway I, (as Knitting Nymph :-) ) will be at the Fredericton Crafters Picnic and Art Sale this Saturday, June 12, from 9am until 4pm. It is being held at the Saint Andrew's Presbyterian Church at 512 Charlotte Street. Admission is free as well as coffee, tea, lemonade and snacks, plus activities for kids with the Fredericton Childcare Collective!

I'll be back to posting asap after this is done!
And now to knit like mad.

Bloom

Here are photos of my lately finished Blooming Cotton Scarf by Eunny Jang. I used a combination of Sirdar Snuggly Baby Bamboo and Sirdar Flirt. These two yarns are actually the exact same composition of bamboo and wool, just in different colorways. I thought they made a great substitution for the  recommended Tahki Cotton Classic. With 80% bamboo this yarn has excellent drape. My only disappointment with the pattern is its tendency to curl, as stockinette stitch patterns do, and so has to be blocked frequently. But is it not worth it?

Grumpy Owl

This is a little wool owl that I crocheted for a friends daughter. I used the basic shape from the bird pattern to make the body and wings http://bittersweetblog.wordpress.com/2007/02/19/birds-of-a-feather/, and then improvised the rest. He turned out to be more of an angry owl......Like the birds and ladybugs that I made in April, he also has a shakey toy in his belly to make him extra fun for little hands.

 

I am almost finished Blooming Cotton Scarf, by Eunny Jang. I can't believe it, this is probably the most work I've ever put into a scarf before. And very heavy - I used 9 colors of Sirdar Flirt and Baby Bamboo, and I think it is probably weighing in at about 500g ! So soft and comfy though, I think it will be well worth it:-) Pictures will be coming soon.

I am also almost finished sock #1 of Bayerische, and about halfway through two socks at once in Belle Epoque. After I finish off a couple of these projects I plan to start back up on my Lush and Lacy cardigan, which would be great to wear in summer.

Time to relax and knit before bed.

The Power of Now

Over the last few years I have struggled on and off with anxiety and depression.  I attribute these issues to a number of things; a combination of personality, life situation, genetics, identity issues, stress, and basically coping with growing up! It all sounds so grave and serious, but I really believe now after all my experiences, that it is actually very normal, and well, common. More than you would think at first glance. I think everyone goes through these problems to some degree at some point in their lives. But because we are all so different, it manifests differently in us all. A very wise and helpful person told me once that "depression is the common cold of the brain. " That is exactly what it is.

Anyway, I have come a long way and learned much through all this, and have been doing excellently for more than a year. However I have never been able to quite capture the wonderful feeling of living that I used to enjoy in my youth. Up until I was about 23, I considered myself the happiest of happy people. Nothing had ever broken me. I was idealistic, naive, but almost euphoric.  Then the responsibilities of adulthood started to crush my spirit. Or rather, I allowed them to. This was around the time after I graduated from university, when the pressures of earning money began to increase. I had very high hopes and ambitions of being perfect at my job, buying a house, (which we did at a young age), having a family, and indulging in all the endeavors that I was interested in. Basically, there was nothing that I would accept 'no' to. I wanted it all. If it was unrealistic I would find a way to get it. Gradually the fulfillment of my goals began to take over my enjoyment of the present, and I felt like I was stuck on a treadmill of working. Mind you, a lot of it was fun work, but because I was so often caught up in planning my next project, I didn't take pleasure in what I was doing at the time. I always did an excellent job at what I was doing, but everything became about efficiency and 'not wasting time'. This turned into quite a nasty habit. I understand that to some or many of you this may not sound like a problem at all. But if you are always focused only on the final result, you will never be satisfied. I am still struggling with this but lately I have made some headway.

I am reading the Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle, and I am starting to think differently at times. I realized while reading, that what he was talking about in the book was more along the lines of how I used to feel as a child and teenager. Surely if I had it before I can get it back again! I hope:-) I was starting to think that the rather dull, often insatiable feeling of everyday monotony was just the feeling of being a  functional adult. It very well may be, for many of us. But I don't think it has to be. And I think I used to know this, I just forgot. :-)

Anyway, read the book, and decide for yourself.

Some pictures of Ewan today. He's pretty cute, it's hard to pick which photos to talk about:-) He is 14 months and has begun standing at furniture and walls and taking some cautious steps. Walking will be soon! But his main form of transportation is sill the funny "scoot" crawl that he does:-)

I love this one. Sometimes Ewan will get all quiet, and when you look to see what he is doing, you find him peaking at you from around a corner or under a chair..... with a great big smile on his face. It's like he's just waiting for you to notice what a cool thing he's doing.

Ewan with his blanket that I knit for him. He absolutely loves it, he will nuzzle in it and make "mmmm" sounds whenever he sees it.

All is quiet now, with Ewan in bed. Time for some knitting and a movie tonight. Ahhhhh.

Flowers and birds

Here are a few of the petal hats. We have been making these like crazy! I just wish Ewan would keep a hat on for more than 2 seconds so I could get a cute photograph of him modelling one.....it would be MUCH cuter than the yarn ball supports!

I have posted a few of these on my Etsy shop, and will continue to upload more colors over the next few days: knittingnymph.etsy.com. Next I will format the pattern and post it here for anyone who would like to make their own.

Also more little birds!

I am planning on attaching little loops onto some of these as they would be great for homemade car seat or stroller toys. They have little rattles in them that make a jingling sound that babies love.....well Ewan does anyway:-)

Craft Fair preparations

Oh it has been a busy winter. Tomorrow is the first craft fair of the year. I have been scurrying around preparing all the last minute details: building a new display shelf, tagging new items, and finishing off some last few projects. I have nice new business cards that I ordered this time, instead of doing them myself - fiddling with formatting to get them to perfectly print on the perforated paper was just getting too time consuming. I'd much rather be knitting!

I have incorporated some crochet into my inventory - little stuffed ladybug rattles. I am enjoying the quicker pace of crochet over knitting. I plan to make many more in lots of colors and fibers:-) Next up, little fat birdies!

 

Business.....

Things have been busy......

FO!

Here is Ewan's finished sweater (! )The excitement has worn off a bit because I finished it last week and he has been wearing it all the time since....The neckline is a little big but it is a size 2 so he should be wearing it for a while. The best thing: Moda Dea washable wool - and I've already thrown it in the wash and dryer and it still looks great! The pattern is Child's Aran Pullover.

Sock Commission

I have been commissioned to make socks. Although I really do not have time for this, I couldn't resist the opportunity to cast on with the beautiful Poems and Noro that I had languishing in my stash. So I will make the time. Theoretically, these are supposed to be finished this weekend, but I think everyone knows that is not going to happen. But it keeps me motivated anyway. Besides, I have been making excellent progress so far....I am about 25% done after only 4 days of casually working on them (i.e. I have been knitting on other things as well:-)

 

Here is Ewan's sweater blocking away on the ironing board. The pieces have been dry for several days now. I am about to go and start seaming it together. Then just to knit the collar and it will be finished! Maybe he will be wearing it tomorrow!

 

And last of all, here is what I did on Monday night. I brought up our old cd shelf from the basement and organized some of my yarn and novels. This is only a small selection of my yarn, deemed worthy enough to be on display, and not filed away in plastic containers. I also like to keep the prettiest yarns out in the open so I can see them and be inspired at any time.....variegated sock yarns on the top shelf, solid sock yarns on the second, cottons on the third...etc........my own personal yarn shop!

Burgundy and Wine

Here is my new hat. It is Gretel, by Ysolda Teague. I very much like this pattern, however it was a LOT of cabling!


I first made the slouchy version, and after all that work, decided it was too slouchy and heavy (almost 125 g), and took it back to make the regular version. I'd rather block it a little bigger and have it be lighter to get the slouchy look. But so far I quite like it unblocked.



I also started this long awaited scarf: a tri-colored braided cable. I have had this yarn and idea for about 2 years and it took that long for my plans to come to fruition.

I knew that you could do bi-colored cables, so why not tri-colored braids? The only problem is that there are sometimes rather large gaps between the colors unless you are sure to wind yarn at color changes (as in intarsia knitting), on every row, which I have been a bit lazy about so far..... So my pattern needs a little tweaking, but once I get it done I will post.

I chose these yarns for their colors and textures, not so much their weights. So as a result, the knitted fabric is a little wonky...but I don't mind, it's nothing a little blocking can't fix up. Also it is sort of the rustic character of the scarf:-) The yarns are: Mirasol Sulka (Burgundy), Mirasol Miski (mauve) (100% baby llama!), and Twilley's Freedom Spirit. This scarf will match perfectly with my hat and new mittens - Elizabeth Zimmerman's mitered mitts, which I made from some gorgeous variegated fuchsia and mauve Fleece artist. I don't have a photo of these yet...

First off, I want to share this amusing and cute video of us last night:

Adam was going to vacuum with Ewan strapped to his back in the Snuggli (one of our ways to keep him happy while getting something done at the same time) :-) Somehow this turned into Adam running through the house and me chasing them. Ewan was so thrilled we had to get a video. I'm so glad we did, this will be hilarious and special to look back on in years to come!

Next are some photos of Ewan in his new Noro vest. Nanna finished it yesterday for him and he has been wearing it ever since. I love it, I think it is his best garment yet! The pattern is: Pebble (Henry's Manly Cobblestone-Inspired Baby Vest), by Nikol Lohr.

Notice the button detail on the right side and shoulder....this is such a great pattern... I love the way this particular Noro silk garden colorway knits up. The colors are gorgeous and the texture is different with each color. I have yet to knit with Noro, but I do have some in my stash waiting for me :-)

On Sunday we took Ewan on his first official toboggan ride. Here he is with Adam as we were leaving. It was cold, so it was a short walk, but Ewan seemed to be having fun as he dragged his mitts in the snow and looked around with wonder. He often does this, and it is very typical to see him looking at people and places with his wide eyed look. Perhaps a photo would be in order to illustrate:-) Interestingly, here's a photo of his cousin Emile making the exact same face....can you see the resemblance?