I LOVE how this pic came out. You can see more of the lace/garter pattern here, as well as the buttons (you can’t make out the design on the pewter but you can see the little white dot of the pearl in the center of each). I really, really like this vest, and I think it will look great on Yannick’s mom. I hope she likes it!

Here’s Yannick’s mom’s finished Steeplechase Vest. It’s from an issue of Knit ‘n Style from last Spring/Summer. I didn’t know how I’d like it before but the more I did the more I liked! It’s a really simple pattern, minimal shaping, and went A LOT faster than I thought. The whole thing took about 2 weeks. The lace/garter pattern was really easy to memorize too, and by the time I got to the armholes I wasn’t using my chart any longer. I made it with Paton’s Classic Wool Merino, 100% merino wool, and even though she wanted black buttons to make it very neutral, Yannick chose pewter buttons with a small pearl in the center of each. The drape is wonderful and I just love it!

Guess what arrived last week? 2 packages in the mail! First I got this book: Hand Manipulated Stitches for Machine Knitters. I’m told that it’s the MUST HAVE book for getting the most out of your manual knitting machine, so I’m really looking forwards to reading it. I also got a video, not the one that goes with the book but one on finishing sweaters on the machine. I’d really like to learn as much as I can so when I knit on the machine I can have as much experience as when I knit by hand. ALSO last week I got a package from my secret pal!!! I’m a dolt and forgot to take a pic before I picked it apart, but inside were T-pins (honestly one of the best gifts ‘cus my old pins keep rusting all over my knits and I couldn’t find these anywhere…how did you know?!?), a really cute snowman ornament with my name on it which is hanging right on my fridge ‘cus it makes me smile, very Diva-ish 5mm circs that are transparent and full of glitter…very ME actually :), a really cool Gauge-O-Knit which automatically measures gauge for you, ladybug buttons that are completely adorable, and, (unless I dropped something out of the package), last but not least a pattern using recycled sari silk yarn and 2 YES 2 hanks of sari silk yarn! I have to take a pic of those and post it, they are just gorgeous!!! I’ve heard of this stuff in the knitting forums but never even seen a pic, so to see the colors in my hand…wow. And the pattern calls for only 1 200g ball, and she sent me 2 180g balls! Now I have to figure out something bigger to make! I like the shawl pattern that came with it, but since there’s extra yarn I’d like to find something really special to make, yet something simple that will let the stunning yarn be the main focus. Thank you so much Andrea!!! You were a really great secret pal and I really appreciate everything you sent me and all the thought that went into everything!!! SP5 was my first SP, and I won’t be signing up for SP7 because I find I don’t have as much time as I like to plan little gifts or shop. But I really, really enjoyed these last 2 exchanges and treasure everything I received from my secret pals. Thanks so much!!! I only hope your pal spoiled you like you spoiled me!

Guess what arrived last week? 2 packages in the mail! First I got this book: Hand Manipulated Stitches for Machine Knitters. I’m told that it’s the MUST HAVE book for getting the most out of your manual knitting machine, so I’m really looking forwards to reading it. I also got a video, not the one that goes with the book but one on finishing sweaters on the machine. I’d really like to learn as much as I can so when I knit on the machine I can have as much experience as when I knit by hand. ALSO last week I got a package from my secret pal!!! I’m a dolt and forgot to take a pic before I picked it apart, but inside were T-pins (honestly one of the best gifts ‘cus my old pins keep rusting all over my knits and I couldn’t find these anywhere…how did you know?!?), a really cute snowman ornament with my name on it which is hanging right on my fridge ‘cus it makes me smile, very Diva-ish 5mm circs that are transparent and full of glitter…very ME actually :), a really cool Gauge-O-Knit which automatically measures gauge for you, ladybug buttons that are completely adorable, and, (unless I dropped something out of the package), last but not least a pattern using recycled sari silk yarn and 2 YES 2 hanks of sari silk yarn! I have to take a pic of those and post it, they are just gorgeous!!! I’ve heard of this stuff in the knitting forums but never even seen a pic, so to see the colors in my hand…wow. And the pattern calls for only 1 200g ball, and she sent me 2 180g balls! Now I have to figure out something bigger to make! I like the shawl pattern that came with it, but since there’s extra yarn I’d like to find something really special to make, yet something simple that will let the stunning yarn be the main focus. Thank you so much Andrea!!! You were a really great secret pal and I really appreciate everything you sent me and all the thought that went into everything!!! SP5 was my first SP, and I won’t be signing up for SP7 because I find I don’t have as much time as I like to plan little gifts or shop. But I really, really enjoyed these last 2 exchanges and treasure everything I received from my secret pals. Thanks so much!!! I only hope your pal spoiled you like you spoiled me!

A few more things I wanted to say and since I can’t take a shower like I’d planned (a company was working on our water line today and forgot to turn it back on before they left…so no water all night. Sucks!) I figured I’d post a bit.

I did finish the Steeplechase Vest for Yannick’s mom. It was all done but the buttons 2 weeks ago, and we picked up the buttons and I finished it, and last Sunday I let it soak in Eucalan and blocked it (no washing in the machine: it’s Classic Wool Merino). It looks so pretty! And blocking took away some of the puffiness caused by the eyelet/garter pattern and now it drapes so well and the eyelets look so nice and defined! I’ll take a pic once it’s dry ‘cus my blocking board is inside a black garbage back and I won’t get a good pic of the black vest on a black bag.

That’s a good tip btw. I read a lot of people block on towels but someone once told me that I should put a plastic sheet or garbage bag in between and it works amazing. It dries faster ‘cus instead of the moisture going into the towel and having to wait for it to dry, the water beads up on the plastic and evaporates or at least is drawn away from the wool.

Tried Karma, a new Indian restaurant in the West Island. Very chic, looks like it belongs in Toronto. 🙂 Excellent food though, and they even have whole wheat Nan bread!

Worked on my FO scrapbook/sketch pad on Monday. 12 hours of standing in my kitchen to work at the counter…VERY sore feet that night but at least it’s almost done. I even figured out how to make page protectors for the 5.5″ x 8.5″ size pages without paying 5$ US/pack of 15…I cut regular page protectors in half and cut off the part with the holes, then punched my own. Works great and best of all, free! I’m making the scrapbook ‘cus I often have people asking me about knitting, especially at work when they see the little dolls I crocheted and they ask “Who made those?” and then the conversation gets to crafts and they ask if I’ve ever done X type of craft, etc…. I figured it would be easier to have a little album of sorts, I figure it’s half portfolio and half brag book. I also have a section of blank pages because I get a lot of design ideas. I never do anything with the designs ‘cus even if I did make them up I could only make my size…I don’t know how to convert for other sizes (besides the basic row/stitch calculations. I mean I wouldn’t know where you’d need to make a sleeve shorter or add length x times for x size…etc…) So for now all sketches stay hidden. Maybe one day…

I did ask in the knitlist and machine knitting forums if anyone knew of software that did that and so far NO ONE has replied. Maybe I’ll go back and ask again.

On Monday I was trying to think of what to get Yannick for Christmas (we put a limit to a small gift this year). I remembered that last Christmas I’d planned on giving him the thrummed socks and only did one, and I know he completely forgot about them. I cast on Tuesday morning and by Wednesday night I had 4 rows left to finish the sock when he came home. He’s out for the night now so I’ll finsh the last 4 rows, shut the hole at the toe and wrap them. Give him a nice little surprise when we exchange gifts with his family on Sunday. I’ll post pics too once they’re done.

Hmmm…all these things getting ticked off my outstanding wip list…whatever will I cast on next???

🙂

Guess what arrived last week? 2 packages in the mail! First I got this book: Hand Manipulated Stitches for Machine Knitters. I’m told that it’s the MUST HAVE book for getting the most out of your manual knitting machine, so I’m really looking forwards to reading it. I also got a video, not the one that goes with the book but one on finishing sweaters on the machine. I’d really like to learn as much as I can so when I knit on the machine I can have as much experience as when I knit by hand. ALSO last week I got a package from my secret pal!!! I’m a dolt and forgot to take a pic before I picked it apart, but inside were T-pins (honestly one of the best gifts ‘cus my old pins keep rusting all over my knits and I couldn’t find these anywhere…how did you know?!?), a really cute snowman ornament with my name on it which is hanging right on my fridge ‘cus it makes me smile, very Diva-ish 5mm circs that are transparent and full of glitter…very ME actually :), a really cool Gauge-O-Knit which automatically measures gauge for you, ladybug buttons that are completely adorable, and, (unless I dropped something out of the package), last but not least a pattern using recycled sari silk yarn and 2 YES 2 hanks of sari silk yarn! I have to take a pic of those and post it, they are just gorgeous!!! I’ve heard of this stuff in the knitting forums but never even seen a pic, so to see the colors in my hand…wow. And the pattern calls for only 1 200g ball, and she sent me 2 180g balls! Now I have to figure out something bigger to make! I like the shawl pattern that came with it, but since there’s extra yarn I’d like to find something really special to make, yet something simple that will let the stunning yarn be the main focus. Thank you so much Andrea!!! You were a really great secret pal and I really appreciate everything you sent me and all the thought that went into everything!!! SP5 was my first SP, and I won’t be signing up for SP7 because I find I don’t have as much time as I like to plan little gifts or shop. But I really, really enjoyed these last 2 exchanges and treasure everything I received from my secret pals. Thanks so much!!! I only hope your pal spoiled you like you spoiled me!

This is a closeup of the cables on the scarf. We also gave Yafit her Glam Coat and both seemed to really like their gifts!

I finally finished weaving in the ends on Bernie’s wedding scarf so I was able to give it to him when he and Yafit were in town over the weekend. I think I posted pics of it already, but just in case I didn’t, here’s the whole scarf (looking remarkably shorter than the full 80″ it is!)

This is a closeup of the cables on the scarf. We also gave Yafit her Glam Coat and both seemed to really like their gifts!

I finally finished weaving in the ends on Bernie’s wedding scarf so I was able to give it to him when he and Yafit were in town over the weekend. I think I posted pics of it already, but just in case I didn’t, here’s the whole scarf (looking remarkably shorter than the full 80″ it is!)