Thanks to a kind sole on the canadianknitters list, I may be ready to move forward on that tank top that had me stuck! Unfortunately last night I was busy with Stamp Club, and tonight is Lacrosse League. How sad is that, my knitting obsession is to the point that having fun things to do is "unfortunate" when it eats into knitting time!!

I'm going really crazy at work, there is very little to do and it drives me crazy "wasting" so much time that could be useful for other things.

That Berroco - Paulina tank finally got me stumped. It's living up to it's 'experienced' rating, and I am feeling a little less smug. The thing is done in 5 'panels' of patterning across the front, two of ribbing, two diagonals, and one cable in the middle. So I knit away on these panels, until I get 28 rows as the pattern indicated. Now it gives me instructions for one decreasing row, which I do, and says effectively "continue in pattern until you have 48 rows, but the diagonal pattern ends." Um, so what do I do in those panels for the next 19 rows then???? I was loving how the top was looking, moving along quickly (well as quickly as one can on 3.5mm needles, and now stuck. bleh.

On a happier note, I scored some MAJOR yarn this weekend, and for FREE! Well I was at a women's show and this thrift shop had a booth with a prize wheel. I spun and won a $25 gift certificate - Woo! So I went to their shop and found 20-25 balls of Patons Canadiana in beige, white and blue! The beige was actually all in one bag with a pattern, a half done sweater, and a set of bamboo needles that the sweater-half was on. I haven't decided whether to continue the sweater or rip it out and do my own. (I'm leaning towards the latter) In any case there is probably enough yarn there for 2 maybe even 3 sweaters! I'm going to need a bigger box for my stash!

Well I ripped out my start on the sweater last night and started again. The tension was way wrong, the thing woulda been huge, and it looked like I had messed up. I got smaller needles, and though the tension is still a little big, its better. The "mistake" I thought I saw is still there but I am thinking its just part of the pattern....when you only have a few rows done its hard to tell. And in the photo the model's arms cover the part in question, so I think I will just have to keep at it for a while and see. It's a little harder with the smaller needles, I seem to need to focus more on my knitting. This is probably a good thing as the pattern is kind of complicated, with 5 'sections' each done in a different stitch accross the front and back. I'm enjoying it though.

I also got a set of DPNs so I can try my hand at socks when I bore of the tank top :)

I started a new sweater! It's a tank top actually, which is what I wanted. It's getting warm in Victoria, so I'd like to make things more fitting the season. I searched and searched for a pattern I liked, but I couldn't find anything that was both simple (for a beginner like me) and nice looking. I don't want to make a plain, boring top, I want something cool! Then I found this pattern: Berroco - Paulina. Isn't it nifty?

I would totally wear something like this. I SEE that it says it says "Skill Level: Experienced" and I know that's not me, but who cares? I looked at the pattern, I can understand it I think, and it just looks so damn cool! I'm not investing huge $$$ into getting fancy yarn though. I'm buying plain old cotton. I think that will be comfy, easy to work with, and most of all-cheap! I got a huge ball of it that will probaby do the whole sweater at walmart for $6.85 or something. So even if the top doesn't turn out, not a lot wasted. I'm doing it in a pretty burgundy colour.

I managed to do some yarn shopping this weekend, but I sure got a rude awakening on yarn prices today! I finally made a visit to the LYS (Beehive Wool Shop) . First I must say, they were very friendly, and had gorgeous stuff. (plus I saw a sign about free lessons on sundays that I might look into) But golly the prices! One tiny litte maybe 50g ball of something fancy was $16.50! ONE ball!!! The cheapest stuff I saw was some Patons canadiana in a clearance bin for $3, its less than that at michaels right now. Wow. Trust me to pick another expensive crafting hobby to add to Rubber Stamping!

Hubby and I headed down to Value Village after leaving the yarn shop empty handed, and there I made a score.
I would show you a picture of my yarn buys, but for some reason I can't upload to geocities or any other image hosting place today! (and I dont host my blog, I let blogger do it)Anyways, here is what I got:

• Full 'spool' Opera cotton. (prolly for crochet but so pretty)
  
• 2 mostly full skeins green/olive tweed 100% wool
  
• 2 mostly full skeins burgundy wool/acrylic blend
  
• 2 mostly full skeins Beehive Shetland Chunky(one white one blue)
  
• 1 full skein 70% mohair, 10% wool, 10% acrylic, 5% nylon in gold-yellow
  
• 1 mystery skein of blue with flecks, fingering weight maybe?

And I got ALL this yarn for under $6! I don't know what I will do with this stuff, but it was such a good deal. and now I have a little stash - like a REAL knitter ;)

No new projects yet. I know sort of what I want to make, I just have to find a pattern that looks right, and is simple enough for me. I'm looking for a lacey tank top sort of thing. I found this pattern:

http://www.velona.com/items/500/K50095.html which I just LOVE. Unfortunately the $27 US price, once I factor in exchange, shipping, and custom's inevitable surcharges, that would be one expensive tank top! SO I am looking for something similar to that. I might check out Michael's this weekend to see if they have any nice patterns.

I'm hoping to visit an actual Yarn Store tomorrow. The Beehive Wool Shop is in my city, and I'm going to be in that area tomorrow morning, picking up my husband's sunglasses. I'm excited, but nervous. I'm really cheap. So cheap that the yarn prices at walmart gave me some frights, so I don't know what will happen when I spy the pricey yarns. But I'm looking forward to seeing the variety of yarns and patterns they have there.

FINISHED! I finished sweater number 2! It turned out fabulous, a perfect fit, and I love the colour. I wore it out to stamping night on Monday, even. I'm noticing something disturbing though....its fuzzing up! I don't know how else to describe it, there are like these clumps of fuz, in areas that might have some friction (under arms, on the inside waist) I hope it isn't a problem. I hope that it is just a little bit of surface fuzz, and not that this yarn is going to break down or anything. I haven't washed it or blocked it or anything.


I really should learn about blocking. I'm lazy, so I just wore my two new sweaters, but I keep hearing about this blocking thin you are supposed to do with new sweaters. (shrug) I need to find out about that.

Now I need a new project.....I'm thinking a lacy top to wear over a tank top would be cool, I just have to find a (EASY) pattern for one now.

AAARRRRGGGG! I had NOT made a mistake, and did NOT have to frog like 10 rounds of my sweater! The small hole I saw is just because of the stitches stretching at the armhole. I ripped it out and redid it(perfectly, I might add) and the hole is still there, what a waste of time redoing it!

Otherwise, the sweater is coming along great! I am nearly done in fact, just starting on the yoke/neck part. I may even finish it to wear to stamp club tonight to show it off.

Found a great cheap source of knitting needles on Saturday: The Salvation Army Thrift Store! One branch in particular has about 1000 needles, all at 50cents a pair (or 50cents per circular). I bought 2 pairs in sizes I didn't have, and 2 circulars, so for less than half what I normally pay for needles, I got 4 times as many! Their yarn selection was sad though. Cheapo balls of yarn, bagged singly, partly used, and they wanted $1 for many of them. (this is yarn that can't retail more than $1.50-$2 new) Ah well, the needles were worth the visit!

The ribbing on this sweater has been causing me a lot of problems. This is my first time really working on circular needles, so that may be part of the problem. I ripped everything out twice more last night, but finally, I think I am on the right path. I've finished the ribbing, and it looks okay, and am moving on up the sweater. The yarn I'm using, Bernat Softee Chunky in Deep Sea, doesn't seem to show the patterning very well, so I may have been doing okay before and just not been able to see it. Now I am really well practiced at this particular ribbing pattern I guess!


Tonight I am heading to a friend's house for some Rubber Stamping, one of my other crafting obsessions. She and I have stamped together for a few years now. We have similar styles and like similar stamps so it works out really well. (Plus she's got LOADS more rubber stamps than me, so I love it when we "share")

I'm working on a second top from Knit It! Magazine right now. So far I have restarted it about 5 times, these circular needles are making all sorts of problems for me. It is REALLY hard not to twist your stitches and end up with a Mobeus strip! I keep working at it though, I'm excited about the prospect of making a sweater without having to sew up any seams! I don't like sewing knitted seams. Plus the top looks really cute. For those of you who have this magazine, I'm doing the Cap Sleeve top. (My first project was the Sleevless turtleneck)


You know you are addicted to crafting when you are counting the minutes until you can go home from work to continue your crafts. (5hours, 44minutes and counting)

Here it is, my own attempt at a crafting blog. I've been enjoying reading all the knitting blogs out there, and thought it was only fair to consider making my own contribution. No promises, just chatter from me on the subject of my crafty nature.


I have at least tried most crafts I come accross. Since I was a little girl I can remember loving creating things. Not that I was ever exceptionally good at it, but I had fun. Since then, I've played around with all sorts of creative mediums. In the last few years I settled on Rubber Stamping, and have remained fairly focussed on that for some time. More recently though, Knitting has caught my attention. About a month ago I had made a bootie and bonnet set (one of the few non-square patternsI had ever managed to do) for a friend, and realised just how enjoyable knitting was! And so it begins......I have since made one sweater, and have begun a second. Both are for me, I figure that I won't mind the incorrect stitches, and after I put that much effort into something, I want to get something out of it, alright!?!


I don't have a digital camera, so I can't whip speedy photos of things into my blog entries, but they will show up in time. Once I finish the roll of film, get it developed, then scan them in, you can view crummy photos of my stunning sweaters! Aren't you excited??