Authentic Baby Vintage...

I bought this adorable vintage sweater at the thrift shop last week. I've got plans. Big plans.

I'm thinking about selling repurposed baby handknits in my little shop. This one, for instance, is going to get vintage mother of pearl buttons, and I'm also going to sew on that vintage applique lace bird. It becomes a hundred times more adorable!

In my own knitting arena, I've just got the arms left on the eyelet cardigan that I've been working on since New Years. Which I'm quite excited to finish, because my mind is already halfway in my next project.


I got my lovely bf to take a photograph of me a couple of nights ago, as you can see. The reason being that I was admiring my new hair cut, and wanted to enjoy it in all its glory. This is mostly because I have gotten in the habit this past year of cutting it myself! And I'm starting to think that I do a pretty good job, all in all... Maybe not all would agree though!

Getting back into the Swing of Things...

Oh my. School has certainly recommenced.

I have been back in Montreal for exactly nine days, and I have already managed to fall behind in my readings. You may ask how this is possible. There is a simple explanation, and it starts with 'k' and rhymes with hitting...

Yes, I've gone a bit crazy.

This is the beret I made for my brother's girlfriend, as a Christmas gift. Apparently her sister has fallen in love with it, and is begging for her own! I'm only too happy to oblige...

I'm also nearly done Jennifer Little's Modified Drops Eyelet Baby Cardigan (rav link), which is turning out adorable. My yarn is a very cute (but alas, discontinued) fingering weight from Mondial. Sorry that I haven't photographed it yet - it seems a bit camera shy!

In the meantime, I better get back to Coleridge...

The Holiday Update (finally...!)

Whew. It's been a whirlwind of get-togethers and visiting this past week. But Christmas is officially behind us (and sadly all the Christmas songs off the radio!), and as routine returns to most households, I'm trying to busy myself with new knitting projects before next semester begins a week today.

However, I finally have a shot of my completed Angle baby sweater by Tora Froseth, which I am just in love with. I predict the creation of more in the near future, because it is just so fabulous! I decided to change the CC2 back panel into seed stitch, A) because it doesn't roll the way stocking stitch does, and B) because seed stitch is officially my favourite! I love the tweed-esque, nubbily aspect of it!

I could go on for a very long time about this sweater, but I have more projects for others posts that I think I will save! In the meantime, I think next up on the list is a scarflet for my mom before I go back to Montreal (probably the moss stitch creation by Emily Jane here), and also a possible ongoing creation, the Wild Stripes Baby Blanket by Kristin Goedert on Knitty.

Until then, the needles are empty, which is partly because I have lost my US size 9 needles! The only ones I need! Urgh... I am convinced they are somewhere in this house, and not in Montreal, but I can't be sure... whoever said gauge was important?! I'll just try size 8!

Bringing Joy (and Shame) to Crocheters Everywhere...

Now I'm sure that crocheting ladies (and men, for that matter) would be heartened to know that a new person has joined their fold.

However, I'm pretty sure that one look at my Granny Square, and they would have my hooks taken away from me for the rest of my natural life. Above is my first somewhat recognizable attempt at crocheting a traditional Granny Square. I can't even begin to think about how many stitches I pulled out just to get this far.

I wasn't expecting crocheting to be a walk in the park, but goodness, I had no idea how much practice it would take. I've got the idea down for the most part now, and it's still coming out lumpy and disfigured, for the most part. Many I can block it like crazy...?

In the world outside of fiber arts, I've been stuck in the house all day today while Toronto experiences its first big winter storm. There's even been thunder. I feel guilty about not going out (still have more Christmas gifts to buy!!), but I think those things can wait a few days. I basically have to shovel every two hours, and that only puts a small dent in things. Ah, there's nothing like winter in Canada...

In Search of Winter Warmth...

Although the news reports are claiming that a warm front is coming to Montreal tomorrow, I remain a sceptic. The lover took this photo of me today when we decided to attempt to pry ourselves from hibernation. Just one exam each to go. And while he studies like the academic he is, I'm trusting my photographic memory to get me through this last one. Who wants to study when there's knitting to get to?!

This scarf is 6' long, and knitted completed in a basketweave cable. I found the pattern in Jackie Pawlowski's Field Guide to Knitting, with eight rows of 4x4 ribs at the ends. It's 36 stitches across, made from Paton's Merino. All this can be found here (rav link)!

With just a few days left in Montreal, I've got to put my knitting down and start getting packed for the holidays! Can't wait to be home!

Terror in Christmastown...

This is corny.

I have a Christmas Village.

It's not the typical thing the under-60 crowd spends their money on, but I got hooked on it a few years ago (something about miniatures and set-ups never left me after childhood), and now I have a mini village. Ha. I say mini because it's not yet reached the urban sprawl some people experience.

This week, however, I came home to find my pretty little village in the midst of a terrorist attack, looking like this:

This was, of course, the doing of my lovely man, who even took it upon himself to drop candle wax as fake blood on some of the unfortunate plastic men.

Really. Men. They amaze me sometimes. But it's all in good fun (and the spirit of Christmas?), and even I had to applaud his creativity. Not to mention his excellent shots. Er, photographs.

Hinterland Whose Who ... Montreal Edition

So not technically part of knitting, this is a photograph I took a few weeks ago. Those familiar with Montreal might guess that I took it on the Mountain, or maybe on a trip to Mont St Hilaire.

On the contrary, I took this while kneeling at my bedroom window, on a street in the absolute downtown core of Montreal! This is a female Downy Woodpecker, the smallest woodpecker in North America (thank you Hinterland Whose Who !). The male has a gorgeous red spot on the top of his head. I've seen him a couple of time, but he doesn't stay long, and photographing him has eluded me so far.


On that note, here is a photo I took of the same window just a couple of months ago. I can't believe that it was so lovely and autumn-like not long ago... I should post something about the snow. It's really gorgeous too, though.

All the branches were covered in snow that melted, then refroze, and have turned into ice-covered trees. It's just the Ice Storm...

I think I'll post more on the Angle sweater tonight. It's more than half done and really starting to take shape!