Category Archives: Videos


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yum

I like Saturdays.  Our store is open Tues-Sat, but because I don’t want to have to pay a babysitter for the day, I get to stay home with the kids.  We get up, I make breakfast, send Yannick off to work, and then have the whole day open to hang out with my two favorite boys (well, until 1pm, when both their butts have to get into bed).  Saturday is usually the day we do crafts that require more involvement than “markers” and “paper”, or we’ll go on errands, or we’ll all snuggle on the couch in the den, with the lights off “so it’s like a movie” (as per Jakob), and watch Word World, or Jake & the Neverland Pirates, or the Muppet Show.

It’s thanks to the Muppet Show DVDs that we get moments like this:

I got a chance to knit the last bit on my secret project, and then had another good part of Saturdays- take out.  Most nights I make dinner ‘cus Yannick is home too late to eat at “dinner time”.  But sometimes on Saturdays he’s home early enough, and will pick up takeout.

Because I got used to eating smaller portions, there are very few places that I enjoy eating at any more, because not everything is good as leftovers.  But there’s a place that has an appetizer that is the perfect size and the perfect taste for me these days- the tuna tartar from Portovino.  Mmmmmm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpRIYAYJjoc


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how to start the year off right

All of my boys and I stayed home New Year’s Eve ‘cus both kids had fevers and Yannick’s been on NeoCitran for a week. We all had a nice dinner together then the boys (Yannick included) invented a game with a blanket spread over the floor as “water”, and pillows to be “islands” to jump across. If kids missed a pillow and fell in the water, the Tickle Monster (that would be Yannick) GOT them.

And this ensued:

I think they’re all feeling better, what about you? 🙂


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2010-11-26

5 days?  Sorry about that!  I really have been trying to add my stash into Ravelry almost every free moment I’ve got.  I haven’t had much knitting time this week, and my DVR is filling up too fast with all the shows I haven’t had time to watch.  I’m almost done though…only 3 buckets left to go.  Those of you who are my friends in Ravelry (and if you’re not- feel free to add me!) can see the stash that’s currently in there.  All that’s missing is 2 bins of sock yarn and a bin of unknown fibers.

Henri’s learned a new trick!  Check out my 22-month-old in action:


Have a great weekend!  I know I will…I’m doing a workshop with Anne Hanson on Sunday!  😀


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no tapestry needle? no problem!

notapestryndlpin

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYuydpcXbc4

The above is a video I made quite a while ago.  Some of you will recognize the project in my hands – it’s Kate Gilbert’s Papa Bunny that I had made to send to a friend’s daughter in 2008.

This video shows what to do when a pattern asks for a common technique – but you don’t have the right equipment with you.  The last row of the directions said to “thread the live sts onto the working yarn with a tapestry needle and pull tight to gather”.  The only problem was that I didn’t have a tapestry needle with me.  I didn’t like the idea of pulling the stitches open with my fingers so I could get the yarn through easily, as it would distort them.  I came up with this idea instead.  It might be familiar to some of you, or it might be new to you.  Either way, it helped me and I hope it helps you too!  If you’d prefer a photo tutorial (vs the video above) let me know in the comments and I’ll make it happen. 🙂


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i love youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu

I often take videos of my boys with the intent of posting them here, then I never get around to processing them for the blog, and too much time goes by and there’s no point.  (I also have some knitting technique videos I haven’t posted from, oh, a year ago?)

Today you get videos.  Let this distract you from the lack of knitting content, as I haven’t even touched yarn in a week.

First up: our little chatterbox Henri.  I remember posting a similar video of Jakob when he was around 3/4 months old.  Henri was exactly 16 weeks old when this was taken.

 Then we have Jakob, very eager to share his affection. 🙂 This was taken on his 2nd birthday.

Enjoy!


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cuteness knows no bounds- now in videogame format

I know I keep telling Yannick that we don’t need Playstation 3.  We don’t.  We really don’t, we already have a classic Nintendo, a Dreamcast, a Playstation and a Wii (not to mention the controllers and all the games from the Gamecube we used to have until we gave it to his nephews).  We DON’T need another game system.  Not even if it plays Blu-Ray DVDs.

But….if I were to get one…it would be so I could get the (upcoming) game Little Big Planet.  It stars Sackboy, in all his knitted glory, and you HAVE to check him out.

Did I tell you?  Did I TELL you?  How cute is he???

p.s. if the embedded video doesn’t work for you, you can view the trailer here.  Totally worth it!


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How to Magic-Loop (video)

I was discussing the Magic-Loop technique with my cousin Amy the other day, and I realized that it is a technique I use quite a lot.  In fact, with the exception of 2(!) projects I can think of in my years of knitting, I have always used a longer needle than called for.  Only twice (my stalled “Perfect Knitting Bag” and the Spiral/Pinwheel Baby Blanket) did I use a needle smaller than the circumference of the knitting so I could knit around uninterrupted.

That being said, I know some people are mystified by the whole “Magic-Loop” idea.  I taught myself by following a photo-based tutorial online, but without needles in hand, even photos can be hard to figure out.

I put together a little video to show how I work Magic-Loop.  It’s not the best as I filmed it myself while knitting and talking, but at least the house was quiet and I think there is enough light to see what I’m doing.  I hate my voice in videos, but there’s nothing I can do about that!

 

If you have any questions, please ask!


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who you calling a baby? i’m a TODDLER!!

Jakob’s WALKING!!!

He’s been doing more and more on his own lately, cutting corners around furniture and choosing to walk the 5 or so steps to the next piece instead of easing his way around holding on. Today at work a family member was playing with him, and he would walk up to 10-12 steps to the next “thing” to grab on to.

Tonight we finished supper early so I took him for a walk. We live about 10 houses from the end of my street and we walked to the end together, Jakob walking and holding on (barely) to one of my fingers. A few times he’d get tired and sit down, but I’d stand him back up, give him my finger to hold, and we’d keep going.

On the way back home I noticed that when I’d stand him up, he seemed to be trying to move away before I had a chance to stand back up and give him my finger. I tried letting go…but I was nervous because it was all sidewalk and lawns- no large objects around for him to walk to and grab on. So he didn’t stop! He just kept walking down the street, arms up for balance. I couldn’t believe it! He’d make it about the length of 2 properties before stumbling or sitting down, and I’d stand him back up and he’d keep going another 2 or 3 houses.

I kept my camera handy when we got home, and luckily happened to have it on when this happened:

Yay Jakob! Congratulations on another milestone, honey! We’re so proud of you!!!


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the one with some yarn and a wave

Last night, after Jakob was in bed and Maaike had left, I commandered Yannick’s arms (I still don’t have a swift) and wound up the yarn I dyed Monday night. They wound easily but it was quite a sight to see Yannick standing with both arms outstretched and the Celery colorway wrapped from arm to arm, around his neck and under his foot in an attempt at keeping it taut. (I don’t have a niddy noddy either for rewinding a smaller skein). MUST add those items to my stash soon!

Well, without further ado, here are the yarns I dyed:

BLACK CHERRY

I love how this came out. There are some true black spots, and some raspberry areas, but most of it is a tone-on-tone mix of black/red and red/black and it is so subtle and striking. Did I mention I loved it? Unfortunately it is really hard to take a good photo of at night and indoors, so this is the only shot you get. The other angles came out really dark.

CELERY

This came out exactly how I wanted. It is a soft transition from the darkest to lightest shade of a, well, celery green. (Or is it sage? Or moss?)
There isn’t a lot of variation, but I wanted a yarn where the colors had interest but wouldn’t compete with the stitch pattern. I think this might work perfectly! (I love it too).

OXFORD

This yarn came out really funky. I’m reserving my opinion until I work up a good swatch, but I think I’ll like it no matter what, if for no other reason than the fact that I made it.
If things worked out correctly than the black third will spiral around with the colored two-thirds. It will be busy, but it was designed to work with a plain stockinette stitch sock.

I made sure to post this tonight because Yannick’s parents are sleeping over tomorrow night and I don’t know if I’ll have time to get to the computer before they go to bed. I know it is a short post, so to make up for it I’m leaving you with a video of Jakob. I took this on Feb 29th (the leap year day) at work- you can see my messy desk in the mirror. Just about a week ago and he was waving with minimal coaching. Now he’ll wave for fun, if you say the words “hi” or “bye”, and when he doesn’t want to eat any more he waves “bye-bye” to his food. I think it is the most adorable thing!

(Don’t you find he waves like the Queen? You know, that “arm in the air, wrist moving back and forth” thing”? I love it!)

p.s. I posted this at 12:43 am EST. Youtube takes a few minutes to process the video once I upload it, so if the link isn’t working for you just yet, please wait about a half hour and try again. Thanks!