A Perfect Morning For Hand Made Socks

This was one of the few perfect winter mornings we have had this year. Every time we get a beautiful, fresh layer of snow, the temperature rises quickly, and  it is followed almost immediately by driving rain, and the landscape becomes drab again.

But today was a day for fair isle mittens, hand made toques, and hand knit socks!

Pattern: Simple K2P2 ribbing

Yarn: Opal Hundertwasser

Color: 3204

Needles: Circular - 2.25 mm

Pattern: Simple K3P1 ribbing

Yarn: Jawoll Color Aktion

Color: 132.0350

Needles: Circular - 2.25 mm

The Layering Process

Well, the basement room is finished and the layering process has begun.

Some of the new furniture has been assembled but is not permanently in place.

Accessories are being added slowly - one piece at a time.

Some old friends have resurfaced.

Some are waiting for friends to join them.

And maybe play a game or two...

Thanks to 2.0, who filled in admirably for Adam this weekend, we have the new television set up, connected to a digital box, and doing all the wonderful things it is supposed to do.

 

 

Some furniture is on order and old furniture is being used as a stopgap until the new pieces arrive. The room still looks a little cold and bare as the wall hangings are not up yet and the large upholstered items from the upstairs family cannot be moved down until the new furniture for the upstairs space arrives. And the wonderful wool throw that Chamy gave us for Christmas will be smashing on the sofa.  It will be a few more months before I can say it is finally finished. But, even though it is still a work in  progress, we love it.

Seacoast Colours

The yarn used for this baby set is Nova Scotia's Fleece Artist Kidazzle. I think the colour is Seastorm. Fleece Artist doesn't indicate the colour names on their tags and it is sometimes difficult to find and chose the same shade when ordering on line, etc. And, certainly, that would be my only criticism of a local company whose beautiful yarns are shipped around the world.

Sweater Pattern: Top Down Raglan Baby Sweater

Designer: Carol Barenys

Needles: Circular - 3.5 mm and 3.25 mm

Bootie Pattern: Baby Moc-a-Soc Booties

Designer: Bekah Knits

Needles: Circular - 2.75 mm

Yarn: Kidazzle with Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock (Natural) for sock portion

And a hat to complete the ensemble!

Pattern: Aviatrix Baby Hat

Designer: Justine Turner

Yarn: Fleece Artist Kidazzle

Needles: Circular - 3.25 mm and 3.0 mm

Guilty Pleasure

The Guilt
I am knitting while a professional painter paints our walls.
I am knitting while someone else is working hard.
I am knitting a new project when I have two other small ones yet to finish.

The Pleasure
I am knitting with two colours and holding each colour in a separate hand - a technique I mastered only last evening (usually I hold both colours in my right hand). For me, using both hands means less tangling and a more even tension. And it makes me feel like I am one of the big kids now.
I am knitting a pattern that is so much fun to see unfold.
Did you know that stranded knitting is the new chocolate?

Pattern: Route 66
Designer: Stephanie Van Der Linden - Around the World in Knitted Socks
Yarn: Meilenweit 100 Ultimo (Colour: 2504); Jawoll Solid Superwash (Colour: Navy - 83.0025)
Needles: Circular 2.25mm

Buttons From France

At Christmas, both Isa and Sophie were kind enough to send buttons all the way from France.
I love buttons. The right button enhances a garment. And a garment should be good enough to do justice to a beautiful button!
This little cotton cardi has been languishing, button-less, in an upstairs drawer since early summer. Now, thanks to Isa, it has finally been completed. I love the look.

Pattern: Garter Yoke Baby Cardi

Designer: Jennifer Hoel

Yarn: Knit Picks Comfy Sport

Colour: Ivory

Needles: Circular, 3.5 mm

I don't usually knit with cotton. I prefer wool as it has more memory and keeps its shape so much better. But I couldn't resist experimenting with this off white, ever-so-soft cotton yarn.

Down Home Comfort - Infant Style

This pattern, sold on Ravelry, is a sweet way to make use of the leftover yarn from a baby cardigan. The sock stitches are picked up inside the bootie, making it one piece. And baby will look positively L.L. Bean in his own soft mocs...

Pattern: Baby Moc-a-Soc Booties

Designer: Bekah Knits

Size: 1-6 months

Yarn: Fleece Artist Kidazzle (Sea Storm??) for the bootie

           Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock (Natural) for the sock portion

Needles: Circular - 2.25 mm

Transformation Almost Complete

The room before the renovation.

And after...

The workmen have finished, swept the paper-covered maple laminate floors one last time, gathered up their tools, and gone on to another project. The driveway dumpster will be hauled away this afternoon.

Now, it is our turn to roll up our sleeves, paint, and add the fine details - decorative closet knobs, a cushion top for the boot box, wall  hangings, etc.

Since most of my paint chips are in storage, Movita lent me her collection. This colour palette was featured in a C-I-L brochure and I was drawn to it immediately. I used it as a jumping off point for my own colour selection.

This Rona colour (044-31), mixed in Benjamin Moore Aura paint, is for the basement stairwell.

This Behr colour, Divine Pleasure, is mixed in Benjamin Moore Aura paint for all walls of the large room.

Our large green area rug brings the green from the colour palette into the room. We have cranberry throw cushions for red accents.

Another week or two and we can start setting up bookcases and cabinets, chests of drawers, etc. Then it will be time to go back to the rented storage unit and figure out what on earth we are going to do with all the "stuff" that is there!

Happy New Year

Begin as you mean to go on.