Guess what happens

When you forget to starch!

Well, simply put, nothing. I did block, I have proof, but at unpinning time I should have listened to the little voice in my head saying somethings not right here.




I finished the other doily too!



These really are lovely things, I have to block them soon as they are going into a display for the month of February at the local library.

Man, Soo just puts me to shame. I started the Forest path stole when? I don't know, like 50 million years ago. She started hers within recent history, and is almost done! Go check it out, it's stunning, and also the same yarn and colour that I used for the next item of comment.

I finally finished a shawl too, and I am desperate to show it off, it is the third and final version hopefully of a design of mine own! Not an intricate lace, quite basic lace actually, but still it was a challenge for me to think about the knitting rather than just blindly follow a pattern like I have basically all of my knitting life. No pictures today though, I want to get some good pictures first, and they all need blocking.

Designing is addictive. I have this one finished now, and another pattern on the needles now, another one all worked out, and ideas for about 10 more. One I am really stuck on though, and it's bothering me, I can't quite figure out which way is up with the bloody thing. I think I get a good idea about it then shoot it down almost immediately. It may have to wait awhile. I have way too many things that need finishing.

It's strange to blog twice in such a short period of time! Not much has happened, so I feel like I don't have much of anything to say!

Coming to terms with

I think it's fair to say that the more I don't blog, the less I want to. I had to come to terms with having not blogged in over a month, with 155 pictures on the camera to wade through, with a number of other things, all before I could get to this, a post finally after a month and 13 days!

Yikes.

Well lets cover some ground then. Happy Christmas/holidays, happy new year, gosh, if I had left it much longer I would have been wishing you many happy snogs on Valentine's day.






Bad news out of the way first I guess. I failed one of my courses, the one I feared I would fail, so it wasn't too hard to absorb, and I got right back onto that horse, enrolling right back into the course.

Both of our Guinea Pigs died in the hiatus too, one just two weeks ago. We are now down to our last small animal Woody the Hamster who turns 4 this month we think. He may be blind and deaf, almost bald and quite jumpy, but is leading a very happy life from what I can tell.

Well, I got some neat stuff for Christmas. I ordered the new Cat Bhordi book for myself for Christmas, I ordered late, and was sure it wasn't going to get to me for the holiday, especially when Friday rolled around and no book in the mail. Strangely enough my sister in law saw the mail van at the door on the Sunday, and almost came over to investigate. It was my book! Who knew they delivered on Sunday. Perhaps the Canadian postal service would be more efficient if they worked week round delivering.
I started a pair of socks already, they are sweet, and being knit in my own hand dyed yarn. The yarn is from Sheldridge farms. Really nice soft yarn.



I did of course start the second at the same time, no second sock syndrome here.




I also bought a Burda magazine on Ebay. No work done there yet. I have this linen thread all lined up to do the cover picture, although I have done a lot of Red work recently so I am leaning more towards a mid/deep blue in the same linen thread it's a 16/1. I didn't get any translation sheets with the Burda so have some Babel fishing to do, if that fails to enlighten I have a German friend I may ask for some assistance .




A while ago dear sweet Jane sent me a package that was absolutely bang on the money made for me! Such superb stuff in it I had to stifle the tears.

Amongst all the stuff was a brilliant lace magazine, an Italian publication that is jam packed with great lace patterns, big and small. If I can grasp what it says on the cover, over 60 items. The Lacis bag Jane sent was promptly put into action, and the other items, a Bone magnifying glass and needle case are hidden from childrens paws, I can't honestly say I use them yet, maybe when I know I don't have to worry about the brats fingers grabbing them all the time.
Jane is so lucky living so close to Lacis!






I have already knit up one doily, and am working on a second. Many more are definitely on my to do list. Lots of blocking coming up in my future. The one I am working on right now is the top one on the second photo here.








I did a lot of weaving leading up to Christmas, two table runners and three scarves. I got to try a few new patterns, and one new yarn I was dying to try. The Silk garden lite yarn, it's really nice, and weaves up like a dream.




One runner was for my Mom, she loves it, and says the colour is spot on.





I have been trying new things again, tatting was top of the list as I keep trying and keep failing, many pathetic attempts later I was frustrated. So I set aside time to work on it. Work I did. I decided on heavier yarn than I tried before, this helped me to be able to pick back if needed, and I needed that quite a lot as it turns out.

This is project 1



Not yet finished

This is project 2



A Celtic bookmark

Almost finished.

I almost started project 3 last night, but managed to stop myself in time when I looked at my knitting basket. I don't want to go into multiple projects with this.

I also tried Chain Maille too, this has called me since I saw a Post on Wannietta's blog over two years ago when she tried it at the Creative needlework show.

I have done one bracelet for myself, since it was my first attempt I used stainless steel, mistake number one. I am allergic to nickel, so now it just lies around. I ordered some brass rings online and have done some more work with that, here is a little bracelet I made for Katherine.



I will leave you with a picture of just some of the snow we have had so far this season. This is my Brother in laws race car.