On The Road

The title says it all ... this was my day in a nutshell and it isn't over yet.

Woke up first thing this and took my daughter to dance.  She helps with a pre-ballet/tap class and a returning ballet/tap class on Saturday morning for two hours.  Then I had to run home and pick up my other daughter so we could go purchase her supplies for her first year in Family Studies.  They are making "Ugly Creatures". Once we found what she needed (and I found a couple more pieces for my Christmas scrap quilt) we rushed to pick her sister back up from dance.  Wait...I'm not done yet...we headed back to Bedford and grabbed a quick lunch at Tim Horton's (why do I even have food in my fridge this week??).  After lunch we were off so we could all get our hair cut (my oldest got her hair chopped right off...it was a shock but so cute.  I think she is torn.  Understandable considering she used to cry when I would trim an inch off her hair as a toddler...she thought she looked like a boy even with her hair still to her waist.).  We arrived home long enough for me to heat up two leftover tacos for them and now Flea is off to dance again for the next hour and a half.  Then I need to go back to pick her and her friend up.  I think I wore a path between Bedford and Tantallon today! I'm tired!!!

So grateful that I picked up some yarn and cowl pattern this week; I'm halfway finished.

Fleece Artist Big Blue
100% Blue Face Leicester Wool 112m/125g
Linen Stitch

Don't forget about my giveaway.  This giveaway closes Thursday, Sept 19th, 2013 at 11:59 pm and is open to all.

Wishing you a safe and productive weekend.

Surviving Back to School

My well-meaning thought that I would blog every day crashed just as quickly as I started.  Our family has managed to survive back to school (barely) and we are all getting back in to our routines.  Right now it is a bit busier than it usually is in our family.  Two nights of musical rehearsals has been added to the calendar for both my girls.  They were cast by a local theatrical group in the musical Annie.  They are both pretty excited.  On top of that we have our standard music and dance lessons plus my oldest daughter started band this year.  Each night we are treated to the squeaks melodious sounds of a new trumpet player in the house.  My youngest has also started as a teacher's assistant in dance every Saturday morning.  This has me on the road every day of the week until the end of November...then a little sanity will return.  On the plus, it gives me an outlet for some built up creative juices...helping out with the school choir this year, assisting at the dance studio when needed, and helping with costumes for the musical.  Fun and exciting times!!!

My shawl was finished a while ago and I LOVE it.  Crocheting the end as the bind off was something new for me.  An artist friend in Ottawa took the instructions that I messaged to her and she sent me back step by step photos showing how to do it.  So happy I have friends that understand the need for visuals!  My photo isn't awesome...sorry...I'll try to get some better ones up but in the meantime this is what I have.

I love how the colour changes worked out and the beautiful scalloped look developed in the patterned border.  I'm now anxious to get a new project on my needles...but I am out of yarn.  Imagine a spinner out of yarn!

In the meantime, I have decided to clean out some bins of UFO's. I should count how many are there so you can keep me honest. 

UFO #1: Lone Star Quilt

The strip sets were sewn 6 yrs ago just before life decided to give us a good jolt.  This week the sets were pulled out, ironed, and cut on the 45 degree angle.  They are ready to pin and sew.  That is my goal to start this evening (wish me luck...I have a sick girl at home and she has shared her cold with me...like I said, we getting back in to the school routine!)

The fabrics shown here are a line called "Chocolat" by Moda designed by "3 Sisters".  I purchased it as a kit for the Texas Truffle quilt.  I will probably modify it slightly as I'm not particularly fond of the floral appliques in the corners. I loved, loved this fabric line as soon as I saw it.  My shelves are full of remnants...how can you go wrong with something called "Chocolat"...really??!

On My Needles

I have been knitting.  My parents came for a two week visit from British Columbia.  Mom brought me yarn.  It may seem like an odd gift for someone that spins their own yarn but I love yarn.  The brand...Sirri Yarn.  The colours are rich and beautiful.  I questioned the coarse hand of the yarn but mom assured me that the girl (sadly I don't know her name) at electrictree yarns said that it was beautiful to knit with.  Okay then, I'll listen to someone that actually knows how to knit (in truth I spin because I love the process of making yarn...knitting was rather forced upon me because I needed to have a finished project for a spinning course.  A How to Knit book soon became my constant companion and I loved every moment of it sweat out every stitch and cursed every Tink.  Now I actually enjoy knitting!)  I just finished a fairly intense spinning Design Challenge and I needed something that I could just relax with.  I pulled out a shawl pattern (Old Shale Shawl pg. 28) that I found in Jan/Feb 2005 Piecework and have carried around since then dreaming that one day I might be skilled enough to make it.  Actually it is a rather simple pattern once my brain got out of the way and just let my hands and needles do what needed to be done.  I've been working on it hit and miss for the past few days (while helping my husband navigate around the province taking my parents on sightseeing trips).  All that I can say is that she was right!  It is a beautiful yarn to knit with.  I sent mom home to BC with a request for more.  Wow!  I never thought that I would ever use the words KNIT, SHAWL & RELAX! all in the same thought.

My daughters have been knitting.  I believe my husband thinks that there is a fibre conspiracy going on in the house.  As he watched his youngest daughter walk through Gaspereau Valley Fibres rubbing skeins next to her face a couple of days ago, I heard him say to me "I am witnessing a mini-you".  This week, my oldest daughter sat down long enough to learn how to knit and has suddenly become a knitting machine.  She has carried her knitting bag everywhere that we have gone this week and pretty much has a scarf done.  I love looking in the back seat of the car and seeing the girls creating beautiful things with their hands rather than getting annoyed with each other because one won't let the other play a DSI  game.  It is nice to see them getting back to creating rather than destroying Zombies (not that that is a horrible thing).  

Tell us...What's on your needles?  The three of us are now officially hooked so any patterns or yarns that you love and think we might love...let us know.  We'd love to give it a try!