lazy summer days

The second mitt is done. So that's another pair that can be added to my pile of knitted goods for the Warm Hands Network. And, to tell the truth, my Stratification blanket is also done. It's blocking now, and will hopefully be dry and ready for its photo tomorrow. 

I've also finished reading  The Lost Garden by Helen Humphreys.

The novel is set in WWII England with literary, gardening and knitting themes. Within the narrative a young Canadian soldier knits for his girlfriend. He designs the sweaters to reflect one of their shared experiences. When she receives them she figures out the inspiration and sends back a photo of herself in the sweater at the place they went together.  The knitting keeps them connected. Or as the main character explains "I can see how their love works for them. How he makes a mystery for her to solve. How she sends back the proof." It's a charming light read for a lazy summer day.

back from the wilds

No internet, no email, no phone for the last few days. Instead, we've been communing with chipmunks, herons, foxes, fish, snakes and frogs at Pine Vista Resort on Stoney Lake. And thankfully not too many bugs. It was a nice, much needed break. It's really amazing how well you sleep after a day at the lake!

Not much progress to report on my Stratification blanket. Maybe I'll get some knitting time after the cooler is unpacked and the laundry's done. I did grab my portable knitting project to take along - another pair of Newfie Mittens for the Warm Hands Network, this time in purples. My nephew Nicholas - the premiere nature watcher - helped me figure out the correct length for the hand. And my nephew Stephen - the champion frog catcher - tried on the mitts as I worked, so that I could judge the correct length for the thumb. They were both lots of help ... when they weren't busy swimming, fishing and eating, that is.

it's sedimentary

One of my challenges when knitting is matching my yarn to a complementary pattern, so that each is shown off to best advantage. This time I really think I've hit one out of the park. The Noro yarn is fabulous, with dramatic colour transitions and texture variations. It needs a pattern that's simple and bold enough to let the yarn shine - like Ocean Waves. With 105 stitches instead of 35, it'll be blanket size instead of scarf size.

But Gavin points out that there is nothing "watery" or "oceany" about this colourway. More "earthy" or "muddy" really. And he's all about water and waves, so I'll have to cede his point. To me, the waves in my knitting are reminiscent of the stratification you see in sedimentary rock. Like the striation of the sandstone shown below the picture of my knitting. Kind of archeological.

So it's my third day of knitting my Stratification blanket. Should be done in plenty of time for the September shipment of the Warm Hands Network for the Innu communities in Labrador. And I can't wait to see how the pattern opens up after washing and blocking!

Monday morning

It's early Monday morning. The week stretches in front of me like a blank canvas. Especially blank this week because I've finished everything that was on needles. New project time - but what? What colour, what yarn, what pattern? Isn't that the best? Looking through all the stash yarns, imagining all the possibilities.

A second little Alpaca mitt was finished last night to make a pair with the mitt from Friday. Not enough yarn left to make anything else. I'm really pleased with these - very soft and very warm. So pleased, in fact, that I'm thinking of Christmas knitting in baby Alpaca. Hats and mitts for everyone!

The baby blanket of my own design is also done. I cast off Saturday evening and left it to soak in Eucalan over night. The Briggs & Little yarn is "rustic" and can feel quite scratchy. The first wash has softened it up considerably. Enough that it is comfortable against the skin. As it is a baby blanket, I'm planning to wash it a few more times, to make it comfortable against a baby's skin. See the eyelet rows when the light shines through? Although the pattern is very plain and simple, I'm happy with it. And it's completely reversible.

Sunday morning I also wove in all the ends on my Taiga sweater. Now that's something to celebrate. Took me long enough, I know! Ready for wearing this fall.

alpaca mitts

On the TTC Knitalong, the Purple Purl gave out skeins of Mainland baby alpaca. Alpaca fiber is warmer than wool, and, without any Lanolin, it's hypoallergenic - good for mittens. For these mitts, I'm using this pattern combining a medium brown solid yarn with a light fawn/medium brown twist yarn. These are the natural colours of the alpaca fiber and are just beautiful.

The yarn is an absolute pleasure to knit. It's so soft and silky that I feel compelled to make everyone around me touch it, to ooh and aah. Think I'll get going on the second mitt now, then give some thought to a matching hat. Happy 4th of July to our American friends!

the perfect gift

July brings a rash of birthdays in my family. For my 9 yr old nephew? Something related to trains. And for the 17 yr old nephew? Cash or a gift card. Which leaves my sister-in-law. She's tough to buy for and I was starting to feel desperate. Until she proudly showed my her Patches Hat and Blanket. Because then I knew that Mag Kandis' book Folk Style and some Mission Falls wool would be perfect! Thanks to the ladies at the Purple Purl for helping me out with this.

And look, they're finished! My red rocket socks based on Cookie A's Rick pattern. I love them - of course - but it's a relief to have them done. So much detail and so many chart rows. Is it wrong to want to frame them instead of wear them?

This weekend, Gavin's ripping out carpet and installing hardwood at my sister's. Which will leave me lots of knitting time. Maybe I can make some headway on my baby blanket project.

O Canada!

Can•a•da \ˈka-nə-də\ from the Saint-Lawrence Iroquoian word kanata meaning village, settlement or land.

At almost 10,000 sq. kms total area (about 3,850,000 sq. miles), Canada is the second largest country in the world - slightly larger than the USA, slightly larger than all of Europe. And with about 33 million people, one of the least densely populated countries in the world. Compare that to over 300 million in America, and an estimated 2.6 billion in Europe!

Today's the 142th anniversary of Confederation. With the British North America Act of 1867, Upper Canada, Lower Canada, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick joined to form the Dominion of Canada. Together the former colonies gained political clarity and a larger economic base for trade. And America was less likely to attack a self-governing country than British colonies.

My socks are looking very patriotic - especially when their photo is cropped into Maple Leaf shapes! The second sock is really coming along. The heel flap was worked and the heel turned on the GO train yesterday. This morning I completed the gusset decreases. Happy Canada Day!