Country Socks

Pattern: Country Socks

Book: Folk Socks by Nancy Bush

Yarn: Oceanwind Knits Merino Sock (Colour: Slate)

           Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock Solid (Colour: Natural)

Needles: Circular, 2.25 mm

This is my first pair of socks from Nancy Bush's Folk Socks book. She writes that the pattern is adapted from a pair found on the Shetland Island of Foula.

It is also the first time I have knit socks with a star toe. I learned sock knitting with Charlene Schurch's book, Sensational Knitted Socks. I learned to knit cuff down socks with a heel flap and a wedge toe and, regardless of the pattern, have never seen the need to do the heels and toes in any other way. But I wanted, with this book, to experiment a little more with traditional sock knitting. The star toe seems to fit just as well and looks good.

The only modification I made was to knit both the heel flap and the heel turn in natural. Bush did only the heel turn in the contrast color. I prefer the look of hers but the Lorna's Laces yarn had a higher nylon content than the Oceanwinds slate and I wanted the heel to be more resistant to wear.

Introducing Eleanor

Yes, I know. She is large. Very large. 

Some would call her a consolation prize - since my dream of a rural property will never be realized.

Some would say she represents the love of wool fiber and the colors and textures of needlework.

Some would say she is very practical. She can go outside in the summer and never be attacked by coyotes. And fill an empty corner of the house in winter.

Some would consider her unusual. Well, we are an ever so slightly unusual family...

Then, again, I know someone with a wooden moose.

Birthday Odds and Ends

Here are some of my favourite birthday things.
I chose three books for my birthday this year.

I wouldn't hestitate to buy any book on knitting, whether it is based on various folk patterns, Estonian lace, vintage socks, etc., written by Nancy Bush. She always presents a richly detailed history of the needlework, the photographs are excellent, and the patterns are not only based on original works but well written and oh, so doable! Folk Socks, (The History and Techniques of Handknitted Footwear) is an updated edition of her timeless classic and I am glad to have it on my book shelf now.

I chose Wendy Keele's Poems of Color (Knitting in the Bohus Tradition) because I wanted to add a book about Bohus knitting to my library of ethnic needlework. Although there are a number of patterns with well presented color graphs, I was as much interested in history of the Bohus tradition and how the traditional patterns could be adapted to modern clothing.

I rarely buy books just for the patterns. Experience has taught me that most books only have one or two patterns that really appeal to me (Nancy Bush's always the exception) so I prefer books with a few patterns and a great deal of information!

This is an exception. Connie Chang Chinchio's book, Textured Stitches (Knitted Sweaters and Accessories with Smart Details) has a number of sweaters and gloves that really struck a chord with me. In particular, I love the Anna Maria Cardigan, the Intagliata Henley, and the Gioielli Gloves.

I also love cards from France.

And sweet birthday greetings from a little French girl.

I love, as well, trips to Toronto and calls from Daughter Number 2, and the endless exasperation of getting gifts that are far too extravagant.

I love a pre-birthday dinner at Epicurious Morsels in the Hydrostone.

I love anticipating the marvelous birthday cake that Movita and 2.0 are bringing over this weekend and the mystery excursion they have planned.

I love calls and cards from a brother and sister who are much older and wiser than me.

I love Skype calls with Ms. Muggles and the Pink Princess.

And I love floral bouquets.

The March of the Ella Funts

A work in progress:

Pattern: Ella Funt

Designer: Pamela Wynne

Size: 3-6 months

Yarn: Dalegarn Falk and leftover yarn from other projects

Needles: Circular - 3.75 mm

This was to be my year for stranded knitting but, here it is April already, and I have not accomplished much. I love this little Ella Funt cardigan pattern and would happily do it again but most knitters would agree that doing stranded work on a flat piece is agony. Colored knitting was meant to be done in the round! My stitch tension suffers greatly on a flat piece and though most of it will block out nicely, I manage, in the round, to get a much more even gauge even before blocking.

Here's a little sweater for a three month old that I finished weeks ago and finally found just the right buttons for it while I was in Toronto. Now, I have a button jar with beautiful buttons but none of them seemed to be just right for this very plain little red sweater.  I am satisfied now that these ones are just right.

Now, if you want to look at some gorgeous sweaters, go to Laureus' blog and see if you don't end up in awe of his work and inspired to knit yourself a sweater!

Sophie's Birthday

Today is Sophie's Birthday. Sophie lives in France. She is a wife, mother, and grandmother.

I can best describe Sophie by saying that she is the heart of the home.

Many years from now, when Sophie goes to heaven, God is going breathe a sigh of relief and ask for her help.

Toronto

We left home on April 2nd to spend a week in Toronto with Daughter Number Two, a very famous writer and editor of children's books. We flew Porter Airlines for the convenience of landing on Toronto Island and taking a ferry ride of less than six minutes to the downtown. I was ready for this break. I hadn't been away in over nine months and I had a long list of things to do there.

View From the Ferry

One Of These Things Is Not Like The Other...

Leaning on my suitcase on the ferry ride, I happened to glance down and saw, for the first time, that while I had black shoes on, they were different from one another. And both of them badly needed shoe polish!    Groan. Groan. Groan.
Advice: When taking the red eye anywhere, turn the hall lights on in those hours before dawn so you can see exactly what you are taking out of the coat closet! And it gets worse. On day two, I rummaged through my suitcase and discovered that I had tops for five days and absolutely no pants. How old am I????
Advice: Double and triple check your travel outfits before closing the suitcase.

I wasted good shopping time in Toronto trying to find comfortable walking shoes and a pair of pants - any pants - that fit, when I had both at home! Thankfully, everything else about the trip was great.

We spent the bulk of our time in the city doing three things - shopping, exploring eateries, and completing  a bedroom makeover with everyone pitching in to paint, take out the old furniture, shop, and assemble new furniture. The change in the room was dramatic and just lovely. I even grew to like the color grey on urban walls.

We went to the Red Box Tea Room one afternoon for lunch. It is a quirky little tearoom on Queen West that expands via a narrow back passage, leading to an open air patio and from the patio, through French doors, to a coach house that is furnished with low tables and chairs, low lighting, and a feeling of being cocooned in the heart of the city.

We were feeling relaxed and festive so we ordered dessert and when the cakes arrived, they were gorgeous but so very, very sweet that we had to box a good portion of each cake and take both home. If only Lucy and Apolline had been there to help out!



On the way out of the tearoom, we noticed a gingerbread house and took a photo as we thought Movita Beaucoup would appreciate seeing a very ornate blue ginger home!

We tramped up and down Queen Street West, exploring button, paper, clothing, and furniture stores and - miracle of miracles! - I went to wonderful Romni Wools and did not buy a scrap of yarn as I have so much at home! Such self control! I feel so virtuous.

I discovered a designer women's shop on Queen West called Comrags and realized as soon as I stepped inside that as long as they stay in business, I will be able to buy skirts, dresses, and suits that fit, are in proportion to my body, and suit my age without being one bit boring and dowdy. Hallelujah!
I purchased two absolutely gorgeous two piece outfits. This is the first time in decades that I have found outfits that I liked so much. I will be wearing for them next decade. Truly. In the closet at home, I have Liz Claiborne black suede shoes that I bought in 1992. They are back in style now, proving that if you live long enough, you can once again be fashionable!

Daughter Number Two also introduced us to a home decor store called Urban Barn and we loved so many things there. One of the staff kindly took the time to bundle three prints for us and wrapped them extremely well so I could use them as my second piece of check-in baggage on the airplane home. The prints are lacquered, pretty, inexpensive, and fill the space above the bed very nicely.

Happy Birthday Lucy Darling

Our little girl is all grown up! She's five years old today! She goes to school. She is learning to read. She is starting to work with numbers. She dances and paints and she travels more in a year than her Canadian grandparents do in three! She is learning to ski. She is an excellent fashion advisor. And she is oh so very kind to her baby sister. She is our very own Pink Princess.

Happy Birthday, Five Year Old. May the road you travel in life often branch back to us.