Go ahead....spoil me!

The famous brown truck came to my house today. Fortunately my dog didn't attack and eat the nice man. He did, however, thank DH for having the dog tied up. My dog is a subject for another day but let's just say that she is somewhat possessive of the house and her family.

What did Mr. UPS bring the Fibreholic today.....lots of goodies. My package arrived from my Hogwart's swap pal. Her name is Nancy and she lives in Denver, CO. Check out her blog, she makes gorgeous dolls.

First is the pair of socks she knitted for me. I was sorted into the Gryffindor house so the colours are scarlet and gold. I just love them. I think that I'll wear them to work on Monday and force everyone to admire them.But wait, that was only the beginning. She also sent a Christmas tree ornament, stitch markers, goat's milk soap, sock yarn leftovers, chocolates and two sets of crystal palace bamboo DPNs. I can't tell you how much I am looking forward to trying out those needles. I think this calls for a cast on party, just me, some yummy sock yarn and Cat Bordhi's new book. What she may not have realized when she packed this parcel was I can find a crafty use for the green, red and gold tissue paper that was in the box.


My only regret....it wasn't summer so Mr. UPS wasn't wearing his cute brown shorts. :)

Until next time
Yours in Yarn,
The Fibreholic

Even Jane Ellison Agrees

Jane Ellison came to Ottawa on Sunday Oct. 14th and I was fortunate enough to meet her. I decided to throw caution to the wind (in the case of my budget) and buy some silk garden by Noro (shade 8). The Jane Ellison pattern I chose was one of her men's patterns as I wanted to to make a "boyfriend" type sweater. The sweater is big and loose and very comfy. Not to mention that I received many compliments on the finished product. Even Jane, after looking closely at my shoulders, praised my finishing abilities. (This is me doing the happy dance at a compliment from Jane.)BUT.... guess who the sweater fits perfectly and guess who has a birthday coming up very soon. You guessed it....The Sweater Boy. Hmmmm do I give him the sweater or not?????

Jane came to Wool N' Things that day. She gave a trunk show, there was a workshop on how to make the gloves from her latest book The Mirasol Collection with the free skeins of Hacho yarn everyone received, and we ate. Very friendly and down to earth woman...well after all... she is a knitter.

After telling her about the lost sweater incident, she agrees with every one else. DH shouldn't be getting this sweater. He doesn't deserve it!


Swap Pal...if you are reading this....look away. With no up close photo, my pal can't see the detail so they look like basic stripes. ( a much better photo will follow). Jane totally understood the need for a sock photo for my blog and was willing to help out with sock mojo. She liked the socks! I am beginning to get star struck at this stage, especially when she asks for my blog address.

As soon as I find the needle nose pliers, I'll make the stitch markers and be ready to mail my package and send it off to my swap pal. This is just too fun.

I've been given another knitting commission and have to give a quote on another so I'd better get to work.

Until next time
Yours in Yarn,
The Fibreholic

How to Get A-head in Life

Well I've finally discovered the secret to getting ahead in life. Let me introduce to you Ursula the Ugly foam head. I borrowed her from work to block my hats. Since she has been decorated and no longer displayable, my boss isn't in any hurry to get her back. Plus my 8 year old like to play Zaphod Beeblebrox with her. There is also a night club, here in Ottawa, called Zaphod Beeblebrox, but she's far to young to play that kind of game. See the lovely hat she is wearing? I am having a hard time writing up the pattern for that hat. Lesson learnt. Always write down what you are knitting as you knit it...especially explanations for abbreviations you invent along the way.

Seven Things Update
I have not fallen off the bandwagon on this one. So here is what happened last week.
Out
2 bags of kid's clothes that went to charity.....about 28 items in all
A couch was tossed. It was very uncomfortable to sit on and because it was cheaply made, the kids and dog had literally destroyed it over the 10+ years we had it.
In
2 skeins of wool.
Shake-it-All-About
We had been given some bedroom furniture for our youngest which included a computer desk. His room is WAY too small to accommodate the desk so for the longest time it sat in the garage. So here's what we did. In the vacant space formally occupied by the couch we put the desk. I am using the desk as a sewing table which gets rid of the rickety table I was using (when I sewed the table kind of bounced). It also gets rid of the old microwave stand that I kept supplies in, plus frees up room on a shelf in the basement as I am able to put all my supplies and both my serger and sewing machine on or in the desk.

The report for this past week.
Out
2 boxes of kids clothes that went to friends......50+ items at least.
In
15 balls of Noro for my Jane Ellison sweater
1 knitting pattern
2 balls of sock yarn
2 tops
a handful of beads and things for stitch markers for my swap.

So maybe I'm not doing all I could for this, but I am being honest with what I bring in. So all in all I think that I'm doing well for holding myself accountable of what I buy. DH is all for it as we are now starting to see the floor to our closest. That is a good thing.

Until next time
Yours in Yarn,
The Fibreholic

Froggin' Socks

Last night I decided to work on my swap socks. Arrrggghhh I was at the right length, ready to decrease for the toe when I discovered that the foot of the sock was looking a little odd. So I counted. 1, 2, 3, 4,......39????? How did I get 8 extra stitches on the third needle???? I wish that I could show you what they looked like but pictures ruin surprises that and it's nice to keep photographic evidence of my embarrassments to a minimum. So I frogged about one inch.

Oh wait.. I know how this happened....looks like I can't tell DH Tink's cure for baldness and knit at the same time. BTW DH has a full head of hair...wink wink!

This weekend is full of wonderful things and I'm looking forward to it. Saturday we have a wedding to attend. It's a fancy affair that will probably turn into a wild and crazy event. We lent the groom to be our copy of My Big Fat Greek Wedding as a training aid. This event will likely take up all Saturday.

On Sunday we are taking the kids to something that will blow them away. The Canadian touring company of Phantom of the Opera is in Ottawa until Sept. 9th. DH and I are taking the kids and can't wait to see their reaction to a stage presentation as grandiose as this one. DH and I saw Phantom twice in Montreal about 15 years ago.

All three of the kids love the music to Phantom. My oldest even knows all the words (and even does the voices) to the soundtrack. We bought the movie a couple years ago and after the first time, seeing the movie, they played Phantom for about 2 weeks. It will be interesting to see how the stage production does to and for them.

ME: Hmmm I wonder if I should bring any knitting to work on while watching Phantom?

DH: I don't see why not? (yah gotta love this guy)

ME: I could work on a sock but I think that I should work on something a bit more fancy.

DH: You should bring Woolworth and get a picture of him watching the performance. (the man deserves another sweater just for suggesting this)

I don't know if Woolworth is able to sit still for Phantom. Maybe I'll appease him and take him to the wedding. If the wine flows freely enough, no one will notice his antics.

I told DH that he's taking me out tonight...not sure what we're doing but after yesterday, I deserve it. I took the kids school supply shopping. Need I say more? (If I do then you are obviously not a parent)

So until next time

Yours in Yarn,

The Fibreholic

A glutton for punishment

I will readily admit it....I have NO patience for scarves. I've been working on a Harry Potter scarf for my oldest kid since the fourth movie came out. I keep it in the car to work on when I'm bored for the project I did bring along for the road trip. You know, out of sight.....out of mind.

So what do you think I went and did.....ARRRGGGGHHHH...I've started a new scarf!!!!

It is currently 25"/63 cm long. It is a fingering weight merino/silk blend that I dyed myself and knit on 4mm needles in a lovely lace pattern. Very nice to work with BUT after spending hours on the scarf I discovered this.........

I have 70 grams left of the ball......from the 100g ball ......Enough to make a grown woman cry......WAAAAAAA!!!! Why do I do this to myself????WHY, WHY, WHY???????

It is another stinky hot day.....tomorrow they promise rain and if it happens I'm going to go outside and enjoy every single rain drop.

Movie News......wouldn't you know it....another movie will be released in August that was out last May in Aus. Becoming Jane......I didn't see it as it was a scheduling thing, DH and I ended up seeing Half Nelson instead. So there....Australia isn't always the last on the list.

SOCK SWAP NEWS

I've got my sock swap partner in the Hogwarts sock swap. She's from Ravenclaw. I dyed 50g in a gorgeous blue. The other 50g were dyed using black food colouring.....didn't turn out so well.....I think it turned out to be the colour of the cadaver in my biology text book. Maybe I'll break down and buy a ball of light grey sock wool to make the socks with, I'm sure that my swap partner will be grateful.

On the other hand, I think that I'll design a new sock pattern just for the occasion......

With the possibilities being endless I say.....

Yours in Yarn,

The Fibreholic