…is what this stupid virus is doing. RRR I was looking forwards to getting some knitting done last night, for the first time since Tuesday. I sat down to prepare everything…nope. Head swirly. Nose runny. Throat coughy. Feeling sicky. I couldn’t concentrate long enough to get anything done. Then again, I had worked from 9-8 at the store. I think I used up all my energy there. Hopefully I’ll get something accomplished today. What a horrible time go get sick: Vegas scarf picture is due, along with 3 sweaters for the pet store! I don’t want to wind up taking too long and looking unprofessional just ‘cus I caught a stupid virus that’s going around. RRR.

To Stacey from the comments and Auntie Mimi:

Thanks for the info on International Coffees, right in my grocer’s aisle 🙂 I’ll be looking next time I go to the store.

To Orris from the comments:

Thanks for the Buckley’s suggestion. Can I get those in Canada? Right now I’m surviving thanks to gargling with salt water and a nightly NeoCitran. Oh, and thanks for the hot toddy suggestion too. I don’t think it’s a good idea in my present state to operate any heavy machinery…you know, like stoves or microwaves. But I’ll file the suggestion for when Yannick is home to make one for me 🙂 My grandmother also suggested something she learned from her mother-in-law, called a Guggle-Muggle. Basically it’s hot chocolate with an egg yolk in it. You mix some sugar, egg yolk and cocoa powder in a glass, whisking, while warming milk on the stove. Once warm, you slowly add the mixture, then drink. Supposed to be very soothing too.

Phone just rang: dad saying “leave now.” So I leave now.

My throat is killing me!

Sorry for the long gap in posts, but UGH I’ve been unwell.

Although I didn’t post again that night, I did finish the entrelac tam Sunday night. I would have stayed up to post but I was home alone and started to feel a bit sick so I went to bed early. I still need to wash it and block it with a pie plate inside to create the classic “tam” shape, but here are some preliminary pics.

here’s the front, on my creepy mannequin head. I was supposed to paint her and bring her back to work, but I like having her here…she’s a good model for scarves and hats and stuff. In the background you can see the 2005 Knitting-Pattern-A-Day calendar, and the ivory Filatura di Crosa “Brilla” that I undid and restrung with 3 bags’ worth of beads.

here’s the back, showing how the entrelac comes together in a cute star-like shape when you decrease it on both sides of the rectangles. I like entrelac flat with two colors to make it look “woven”, but this hat was really easy. I can see myself making more of these!

here’s the reason I was worried during my last row…this little bit of yarn is all the Alafoss Lopi I had left! Could you imagine having to buy another skein just for a few rows? I’d shoot myself…then use the leftovers to make fuzzy feet or something. That little sketch you see on the white paper was my attempt at illustrating entrelac to someone who wasn’t staying on for the afternoon workshop.

On Monday I woke up and knew right away I was sick. I crack my neck and the minute I went to move it I felt the heat and swollen-ness of my muscles. Still I had a commitment and I went to my knitting class. We have to be at least 5 or the class is cancelled, and I don’t want to be the one who makes everyone else not be able to attend. I love the class, but I feel so bad when I do more than the other “students”. Basically it sums up like this…1 woman didn’t show up, 2 women made little or no progress on their class sweaters…and we haven’t met since early November, 1 woman finished her sweater and made a pair of mittens…and then there’s me. Since our last class I’ve finished the class sweater, made a pair of thrummed mittens, a felted bag, a thrummed sock (1, not the pair), crocheted 3 baby outfits and booties, crocheted (and sold) a pig, knitted 3 dog sweaters, finished a pair of Regia socks, and created a knitting game. And I’m probably forgetting something. Luckily the women in the class are really, really nice and don’t think I’m trying to show off or be teacher’s pet or anything. At least, I hope they don’t! I just probably have more free time than they do, I’m not married and don’t have kids.

The class was fun, we outlined how we’ll structure the next classes, since technically our level 1 class is finished, but we all want to stay on and learn more. We were going to move into fair isle next, but somehow wound up doing lace socks. I don’t mind, I enjoy dpns and haven’t worked lace yet. Plus, I already have the book we’re working from. Now I just need to find the time this week to cast on and work at least the ribbing.

After class I had a doctor’s appointment that was just a follow-up from something a few months ago. While I was there I mentioned to the secretary that I had a low grade fever last night, and was feeling hot again, could she take my temperature please while I was waiting. She did, but I think she was in a hurry. In any case, she said it was normal. When I saw my doc I mentioned feeling crappy, and how when we babysat this weekend, the youngest had a really high fever and I held him most of the weekend. He said there were 2 viruses going around…1 that caused a sore throat, the other that caused diarrhea (sp?). I said I was feeling the former. He said that because it was a virus, there was nothing to do for it. Gargle with salt water, take aspirin, tea, chicken soup. I didn’t push the issue ‘cus other than feeling a bit feverish, I wasn’t feeling that bad.

I came home and started to work on my Vegas scarf. Why was I working on that all of a sudden? When I have 2 orders for dog sweaters? 1 extra dog sweater? A teddy bear to make? I have a very good answer for that:

I spoke to Paulette Lane via email, and my knitting game will be appearing in the 2006 Knitting-Pattern-A-Day calendar! Woo hoo! I’m so excited! But I need to have a photo for her of a FO or at least a WIP by the beginning of February, so that’s why it takes priority at the moment.

Well. Around 3:00pm my throat went from sorta-hurting, to mega-hurting, and I was feeling really crappy. So bad, in fact, that I made myself soup for supper at around 4:30, just so I could go to bed early. I went to bed, lights closed and everything, at 6:00pm. I woke up at 8:00pm when Yannick called, then fell right back asleep…until… WHAM! I woke up again. I think it was somewhere around 11:30 or so. I was SO COLD! Now, I was in a heated waterbed, wearing long-sleeved and long-legged pjs, socks, and under 3 blankets. I had to actually get up and put on my bathrobe over/under all that. I took my temperature… 102.1!!! A hundred and freaking two point one! And the nurse said I was fine! RRRRRRRRR I was so cold I was almost crying just because I felt like I’d never be warm again. And every 45 minutes to an hour I was waking up, freezing. Periodically I’d turn on the light and take my temperature again, it varied throughout the night, but never lower than 101.2.

Needless to say I didn’t go to work on Tuesday. My fever was down a little, but my throat was raw and I hadn’t slept more than 45 minutes straight the entire night. I did sleep most of the day but got a little knitting done. It was hard to make progress though, I’d start knitting one row, pause somewhere to pay attention to the TV, wind up staring at the TV in a daze, then realize 1/2 an hour had gone by and I still hadn’t finished the row.

I took a pic, but it’s hard to see all the luscious colors because of my sucky Palm camera. (Note to Palm Gods, I LOVE the Palm, please don’t curse me. I just mention the camera isn’t the greatest.)

I really, REALLY wish you could see the colors properly. Instead of mauves and purples like this pic suggests, it’s actually blends of blues, grays and a bit of navy and purple. And, of course, the silver “tinsel”. I have to say, I loved the skeins when I bought them, but as I knit, I am stunned at how gorgeous this scarf is turning out! I really, really can’t wait to finish it so I can wear it, because I think it is the most beautiful thing. And yes, it’s “just a scarf”.

Last night I went to bed early again, and was woken up only by Yannick getting home and showing me the ice-cream he’d bought me to soothe my throat. I wish it was spontaneous, but I had called and asked him to pick it up after bowling. Still, he did comply, which is sweet, especially since it meant stopping at 10:30 just to buy me ice-cream. And it was Hagen-Daaz too! Sweetie!

Today I had to go to work. I did take it easy most of the day, but I’m feeling pretty wiped. I pretty much lived on hot stuff…2 hot teas at work (and my mug is about 5 cups), 2 onion soups for supper. I was supposed to have some ice-cream tonight but I don’t know if I have the energy to go downstairs to get it. It was nice though that my parents invited us for supper. At least I didn’t have to cook or clean while feeling this crappy.

So, I didn’t get any knitting done today, but at least I’m able to get another good night’s sleep. And as Scarlett would say, “tomorrow is another day”.

This heading should have been posted on Monday the 24th but I was really, REALLY sick, so I’m posting only now. I’m sorry it’s late!

Love you!

…but I’m too tired to start fiddling with taking pics now so I’ll post it tomorrow. Gives you something to anticipate. 🙂

This is totally off the topic and a bit irrelevant ‘cus I’m off to bed exhausted from the big weekend blitz, but if anyone out there is reading this and can think of the name or company that makes this please let me know? I’ve been limiting my caffeine intake, no more sodas (even diet) 98% of the time and no more reg coffee, only decaf. I’ve been chugging the tea lately and been devouring all kinds of herbals like Vanilla Pear and Peppermint. But about a week or so ago Yannick showed up at my work with a Tim Horton’s Vanilla Coffee. Evilness! It is soo good, and since he usually stops for a coffee or six for himself, he’s taken to showing me little signs of affection by bringing me coffees at work. I love the taste, but I’m wondering if anyone out there makes a sugar-free, decaf vanilla coffee? I know I can add a bit of flavored coffee to a pot of decaf or something, but I could swear that I saw a commercial for that line of cofee mixes where you just add water…International Flavors or something…International Something anyways, and I think they just added a sugar free line. If I could find that I might not mind the occassional caffeine boost, but I don’t even know where to look. I like those flavored things ‘cus you can just put some in a cup and add hot water…don’t need to brew a pot, which is good for when I’m at work ‘cus my dad doesn’t like flavored coffees. Whooo I think I’m really rambling ‘cus of how tired I am, but if anyone can make sense out of this and knows of such a thing, PLEASE let me know where I can find it!

Oh I can’t even think of where to begin with Saturday, I had suuuuchhhhhhh a good time all day!

In the morning after posting here, I left for the workshops. It was FREEZING outside, but I was smart and bought my x-l vanilla coffee from Tim’s right near my house, as opposed to closer to the church where we meet. This meant I got to hold it and warm my hands the whole way. (Yes, this also makes it apparent that I don’t have cupholders in my car, but whatever. It’s an ’87 with a kick-a$$ sound system. I can do without cupholders.)

I got to the church at 9 on the nose. It seems there was a mix-up in the newsletter, in one spot it said we started at 9, in the other, 10. But most of us were there at the right time and we begun soon after. The morning workshop that I attended was on knitting with beads. There was also a thrumming class going on at the same time, but I’ve already made my dad’s thrummed mitts and Yannick’s thrummed socks..um…sock so far. (BTW, no pics at those links, if you’re interested in clicking over. Just the stories behind the gifts.) So yeah, I’d done thrums, so I was taking the beading class. It turned that the instructor of the class was Norma, one of the guild members who also works at my LYS. She taught us really well. She was really patient and gave us some background info and hints and tips, and went to help people individually too. I was able to pick up on the patterns pretty soon after and managed to do some creative “tweaking” to it. We were making scarves and I wanted to have enough beads to do the whole scarf without having to buy more, so instead of beading every YO as in the original 2 row patt repeated, I changed it up. A bunch of people did a staggering effect so there wouldn’t be so many beads per row, others did a 4 row repeat with beads only every 1st row. I did a 10 row repeat. I’m not retyping the actual pattern because I don’t want to get into copywrite issues, but basically, instead of:

Row 1: work in patt w/beads every YO = 9 beads

Row 2: work in patt w/beads every YO = 9 beads

I did:

Row 1: work in patt w/beads every 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th YO = 5 beads

Row 2: work in patt w/no beads

Row 3: work in patt w/no beads

Row 4: work in patt w/no beads

Row 5: work in patt w/beads every 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th YO = 4 beads

Row 6: work in patt w/no beads

Row 7: work in patt w/no beads

Row 8: work in patt w/no beads

Row 9: work in patt w/no beads

Row 10: work in patt w/no beads

Rep from row 1.

I love how it came out with it stretched taut. Unfortunately, left to it’s own devices, it’s pretty loose and my sides look yucky.

Here’s a closeup, so you can actually see the beads:

Yes, the closeup sucks. Blame my Palm. Anyways, there was one girl in the class, I forget her name right now, and she was speeding along. By the time the class was over she’d used up all her beads and completed about a foot and a half of scarf. It hung beautifully because she’d used the beads the way the pattern said, and their weight kept the scarf nice and even. I think I’m going to frog mine and do it that way. There were leftover beads at the end so I bought 2 bags and will start over.

The afternoon workshop was taught by Sally, our outgoing president. She was also really good, very friendly and helpful. It kept alternating between everyone laughing and everyone silently knitting away. The class was on entrelac in the round. I’d really hoped to have been able to leave with a completed scarf, but I’d really overestimated my knitting speed. I’d also not taken things into account…like brain freezes. I had to tink back an entire square twice because I’d forgotten to include the last stitch way back on the first row. With entrelac you really need to bring your brain.

And, again, a closeup:

The color isn’t actually a salmon-y, coral-y color like these pictures suggest. In person it’s actually a very bright, thick, Christmas red color. Again, blame the Palm.

I was in such a good mood from the workshops that I actually let other drivers cut in front of me on the drive home, I helped a woman back up at the grocery store I stopped at on the way home, and I think I even hummed a bit while shopping.

I was also in such a good mood because Yannick’s 4 nephews were sleeping over again, and I love when Huey, Dooey, Looey and Bob are around. 🙂

By the end of the night things weren’t as good. Sleep came WAY past everyone’s bedtime, the youngest had a fever and 1 managed to fall down the stairs and spill chips and popcorn everywhere. Luckily he believed Yannick when he said he wasn’t mad, ‘cus everyone knows what a neat freak he is (as proven by how he took a quick look at the child while on his way up the stairs for the Swiffer and vacuum). All ended well, and after all the coughing, waking up and other excitment, I’m pretty sure that between 3:41 am and 5:26 am everyone in the house was asleep. Boy do I wish that was an exaggeration, but it’s not. As I type this Yannick is napping. Poor thing’s all tuckered out. 🙂

Whew! Finally a chance to sit down and go over the past few days!

Friday I met with Michelle from the pet accessories store. I thought our meeting went well. She seemed to really like the sweaters I’d brought her and even mentioned possibly using the one with the faux fur in their April fashion show. I left her the three sweaters for now, and she gave me 2 sweater orders and a request for the cabled aran one I was going to make as a sample.

That’s really all that happened Friday, other than the fact that I got to go to my LYS after work because I needed 5mm and 6mm addi Turbos for my workshop Saturday, along with some Alafoss Lopi for one of the projects. Ok, yes my Denise set includes the 5mm and 6mm sizes. But really, any excuse to buy an addi is a good excuse for me! I’m buying them all in 80cm (40″) sizes because I Magic Loop everything, and I’m now only missing a few sizes. Very happy me! I bought the Lopi in a bright, Christmas red, because that’s the color Yannick suggested when I asked him what color hat I should make for myself. He said red would be cute against my blonde hair and blue eyes. I think I look stupid in all hats, especially one whose pattern calls it a “tam”, but whatever. I bought the red. I also bought a second skein of Paton’s Canadiana in Pale Pink so I can do the two commissioned dog sweaters. I already had one skein.

I can’t post for long ‘cus I don’t want to be late, but this morning I am leaving for my first-ever knitting workshop with the MKG! I somehow managed to convince Yannick to fill in for me at work (thanks Dad and Yannick!) and will be spending the morning learning how to knit with beads and the afternoon learning entrelac in the round. I think once I get home I’ll have a new scarf and hat for myself!

I also have news on the dog sweaters, but I’ll post everything when I get home tonight, after I move everything in the house that’s breakable and within 3′ from the ground to a safer place…all 4 rugrats are sleeping over again tonight! I’m so happy…a fun, fun day and a fun, fun night. Can’t wait to share it with you later!

Whew! I’m going to officially say, I rock. No really, I do. Check these out:

Ok, now, if I had an actual digital camera instead of just a Palm Zire 71, you’d be able to see that these are some REALLY CUTE labels. I cut the teardrop shape out of a two-sided Bristol board (when I was younger Bristol board only came in one color. None of this fancy-shmancy two-colored boards! Ok, I’m only 27, but still, I can rant.). I used my brand new Fiskars wheel cutter thingie that came with templates and cutting board, and got 3 perfect shapes. Yes you only see two here. I really didn’t need to photograph all 3, they look the same. Why did I photograph two? Duh, ‘cus it’s the front and back. See? Gold side=front, silver=back. Both sides say “Handmade by Jennifer” and www.jeloca.com. On the fronts they have the sweater name and a credit to the actual designer/book patt is from. On the back is the size and care info. I printed those on sticker paper, and used the Fiskars thingie to cut out the circles and just stuck them on. Pretty nifty!

And here, in yet another horrible shot due to lack of real digital camera, are all 3 sweaters ready and waiting to go, all proudly wearing their little tags.

I have my pattern books ready to bring to show the owner other possibilities, I have pages I printed off the net that show all the available colors of the yarns I used for these projects and another in the same gauge so she can custom-pick her colors, AND it’s not even midnight yet.

Oh yes. I rock.

Sweater the Second is finito! And Lena had the proud honor of modeling for me again:

One button closes the “jacket” under the throat, and two attach the underpanel to the side. I think this came out so cute, very “urban” and trendy for today’s fashionable pup. 🙂

Of course, this meant that Sweater the First is the only one not modeled (unless you count Sam, who really doesn’t like me talking about this). I don’t have a stuffed animal with the appropriate dimensions. Thus, random teddy will have to do:

I hate having to use this pic, but I really don’t have anything else that the sweater fits.

Now, off to make labels!