Uli's Creative Corner

Happy Halloween!!!!

Enjoy your day and evening.  This is the first year Erika will really go out.  She doesn't get it yet but she knows she needs her bag and she's learned to say Trick or Treat.  That will suffice.  She'll be a ladybug and fortunately it's a warm, fluffy costume because it's cold out today.  Very cold.......... for Vancouver, late October standards.  But nice and clearn.... and no rain.

I also don't have much of any knitting to talk about.  Maybe 2 rows last night on Evan's sweater...... if I'm lucky.  I'm really lagging behind this week on my 1 ball a week goal so i have to try and catch up.  By the end of the weekend I'd like to have the back finished.

Every where I turn these days there is nice yarn, cute patterns, stuff I just "absolutely need".  I don't think my life will be long enough to get to it all.......... but, it's fun so I'm not complaining.

I was trying to get Evan interested in going to a Quilt show this weekend.  I don't think I got a very enthusiastic response.  Unless I go by myself, it probably won't happen. We have too much going on including getting Erika's Christmas portraits taken.

Have a safe and happy Halloween Eve.  Enjoy all the little kiddies!!!

Oh, I'm tired.............. but that's okay. It's already Thursday and tomorrow is Halloween. Tonight, Evan and Erika will carve a pumpkin and I have to make some cupcakes so Evan can take something to a Halloween potluck tomorrow. It will be interesting to see what Erika thinks of going out tomorrow night. Last year we had a really unpleasant Halloween - my car broke down 3 times on the way home - and so we only popped by our neighbours for a visit with Erika. But then.... she wasn't even walking full time by then. This year, she's running and all over the place. She'll definitely like dropping by our neighbours' house as she loves visiting them anyways and wants to see their lights every evening.

I have a picture today of a quilt that I finished back in the summer. I only just got the pictures developed and scanned one in (that was before digital cameras...).

It came together quite nicely. The quilting on it is simple - only diagonal straight lines. The fabric was cheap and it was noticeable when I was sewing it. Since then I've learned to starch my fabrics before cutting and sewing. That gives a flimsy fabric a nicer texture and it doesn't shift and distort as easily. I bought the fabric before I knew whether the baby was a boy or a girl. In the end, once I found out she was an Elizabeth, I thought it was maybe a bit too "blue" but the backing is bright pink with blue circles. It works.

I was trying to have a little knitting interlude last night and I tried to finish up a little baby hat I started for my colleague's new baby girl. I made a mistake in the pattern and that made me decide that I really didn't like how it was turning out. Just something about it and I think I may have run out of yarn, too. So I put it aside. Well, I'll go pull out some more yarn and another infant hat pattern and start again.

The only other thing I managed to get done last night was to finish one side of the button band for the aqua cardie. This week, I'm really starting to lag behind on Evan's Christmas present. I'd better get cracking. I haven't worked on it since Sunday.

At lunch today, I'm going to indulge myself at the fabric store. I still need to pick up a few things for my country sampler quilting course as well as my next course coming up next week. I'm looking forward to learning how to do the Stainded Glass technique.

Something nice this morning...... Yesterday Erika wore her purple Kool Kidz (Sirdar chunky yarn) sweater to daycare (one of many that she owns).  It has a dark purple body and light purple sleeves with a raglan.  I personally like that sweater, too.  It still fits well and I made it last winter.  All her daycare teachers just gave me so many compliments on it.  Even though I don't like to brag about my knitting nor do I expect compliments, I do really like it when people look at me in disbelief when I say "I made that".  The other question I get a lot is: "Did Grandma make that sweater?".  No, actually, there are young people out there who know how to knit.  It's not a craft reserved for the gray and retired.  I've been knitting since I've been a little girl without too many interruptions.  I think in my college years I didn't do a ton of knitting and for a while I mostly did cross stitch and when I did my Master's degree I think I really got into sewing clothes but I always had something on the needles at some point in life. 

Today, I'll leave off with a picture showing how early I'm training Erika to learn how fun it is to dwell over knitting catalogues:

Well, I think I have a stressful day coming up.  I need to complete a report that's due on Friday and my numbers aren't balancing the way they should - or shall I say, I've been left out of the loop too many times that my numbers don't reflect what they are supposed to be - and this is not my fault so it's frustrating on top of being stressful.  I hope I get most of it resolved.

We had a major wind storm out here last night.  Lots of fallen trees, down power lines, traffic mess and people without power.  I was waiting for Evan and Erika to come home and Evan phoned me a few times to let me know that traffic was really bad with lights out etc.  I didn't encounter that on my way home but I have a fairly short distance to go when I don't have to get Erika from daycare.  Our lights at home flickered a few times but fortunately we didn't lose our power.  This morning, our computers are up but our phone systems are down.  Great for me........... no calls, no distractions.  However, in my department, we're also responsible for dispatching substitute teachers.  We have an all automated system but it went down over night so nobody was able to call in to report that they won't come to work and need a substitute and the system couldn't dial out to call substitutes to fill those jobs.  And now, this morning, our dispatch ladies are supposed to try and pick up the pieces manually but they don't have phone lines that are working.  I understand they're trying to do it by cell phone - good luck ladies..............

Not much knitting going on last night.  By the time my two sweethearts came home it was later than usual.  I did a little bit before they came home but not a whole lot.  I did get the sleeve of the aqua cardie finished before they came home.  After dinner I tried to do some seaming on it (yes........ I skipped the blocking step........... I know.......... I should have but just wanted to get this thing finished).  I managed to get the stitches for the neck edge picked up and knit and I managed to pick up the stitches for one side border but haven't knitted it yet.  That was it for last night.

Every time I look at my new pattern books though I see so many things I'd like to do.  Impossible to probably ever get to them all.  They are so much fun to look at and think about what I could all do.

Tonight we're probably going to the mall.  I ordered a coat and a birthday present for my niece from Sears and those have come in.  I want to pick them up.  Getting the coat (hopefully it fits) will hopefully get me to finish the Boa scarf and make the hat because the coat will be perfect with the scarf (or is it the other way around - did I buy the coat just to have a coat that the scarf will go with???).

I need to get back to Evan's sweater starting tonight or I won't be able to meet my weekly goal of knitting a ball.

Have a good one and smile................

Well, this week it's picture day Tuesday I guess.....

Here is the Halloween Bag, front and back. The stars and the ghost glow in the dark. Note the little kitty cat paws dangling from the bottom.

I'm quite please with it. I think it will be a fun treat bag for years to come. Actually, the little girl is almost a little bit to small for it yet. She'll drag it on the ground. I do have just a small little bucket for her that will be easier to carry this year.

I've got some progress to show on the sweater for Evan, too. I don't like how the pictures of this one come out. The pattern doesn't show well as I think it's so light. But here it is:

And, it was pattern bonanza last night. I got my pattern books in the mail. See..............

There's a lot of nice stuff in there. Mostly kids stuff that I want to do. But there are some really nice adult patterns, too. There is one cardigan I will have to make for myself. The one thing that freaks me out is all the steeking that's going on in those patterns. In all my years of knitting and living in Europe, I had never heard of the term until I started blogging nor had I ever tried it. The majority of these sweaters are all knitted using steeks (although they do offer options of dividing at the armhole and finishing seperately). I will have to just try it one day but I don't quite entirely see it come together yet. I guess the suggestion that was in the books was to try on a piece of test knitting as it seems scary the first time - it sure does.................. nonetheless - some excellent patterns in there. I need more kids or at least more friends with kids so I can knit all these great styles. But maybe Baby #2 will happen some time next year........... and then I'll have a whole new world of knitting before me again.

Nothing else much on the knitting or sewing front. I pulled out some yarn to make a little hat for a new baby that just arrived. One of my colleagues' wife had a baby 2 weeks agao (#2 for them). Don't like this guy much but he brought the little one in yesterday - she's too cute so I'm just "forced" to make a little hat.

I'm also within rows of finishing the second sleeve on the aqua cardie. I would have finished last night had Erika not refused to sit with her Daddy. It had to be Mommy.

Now back to the numbers..............

Monday again...... I wanted it to be picture day today but our computer at home was just giving us real trouble yesterday.  I couldn't even get the thing to recognize the digital camera when I went to download the pictures.  At least hubby got the pictures downloaded but then it froze up again and it was bed time so I didn't touch the monster again.  So........... pictures will follow.  Hopefully tomorrow.

We had a nice and quiet weekend.  It was really great to get away from all the running around we usually do.

I worked on the Christmas sweater for Evan and I met my weekly goal of one more ball finished up.  I'm now at the decreases for the armhole.  I really like how this project is turning out.  I think I can get it done in time if I keep it up.

I also finally started the second sleeve for the aqua cardie last night.  I had major procrastination going on with that one.  It's now started so it will be finished some time this week.  Little kids' sleeves are such a nice quick knit.

And I sewed up Erika's Halloween bag.  It's finished and looking really nice.  Imagine pictures of it right in this spot..........

It was a very relaxing weeking and I enjoyed it. 

I started knitting with some 3mm Addi Natura circular needles.  They are bamboo, I think.  They are very nice to knit with.  That's on my little "mystery" sweater that I'm doing.  Well, it's not really a mystery but I just grabbed some needles, some self striping yarn, a similar pattern and cast on.

If you saw my new patterns I put links up on Saturday, you'll have seen the little top down sweater pattern from Cabin Fever.  Many years ago, I bought a bunch of DK cotton and started a crazy striped sweater for myself.  It never got finished.  I think I'll try and turn that one into a little cotton sweater with all kinds of stripes of varying widths and colours.

Work time............

It's a beautiful Saturday.

Just thought I'd show off some of the new patterns I bought yesterday (no, not the ones I was expecting in the mail - those didn't come in yet).

1. Koigu Gypsy Shawl

2. Cabin Fever Swing Coat

3. Tiny Top Down

Just couldn't resist!!!!!!!!!  And I bought a Addi Natura circular bamboo needle......... nice knitting with that one.

I'm just taking it easy today.  I worked a bit on preparing the appliques on the country sampler.  I've knitted a few rows on a few things so far and now I have to go clean the toilets.  So much fun.

What I really should do is go out and buy my spring bulbs and plant them since it's nice out but I don't feel like going out in the car again.

TGIF - I'm so glad it's Friday.  It's been a tiring week and we have a weekend ahead of us without any major plans and not family obligations.  I think I'll declare tonight as Pizza night so I don't have to cook.  Tomorrow morning I have to take Erika to her baby music class.  She loves it, I love that she loves it and you know what........... singing all the kids' songs makes me feel really happy and relaxed.  I have a couple of errands to take care of right after the class and then I'm coming home.  Hopefully we can get our housework out of the way on Saturday.  Sunday will be just a nice, quiet day then.  My inlaws have said that they'd like to take Erika for a few hours.  That would be nice for her and nice for us.  Maybe I can sew more curves on my Mexican Stars quilt or finish up Erika's Halloween Bag.

I was working on my Fantasy Raglan a bit yesterday(see #17 on the left - no picture as of yet though) and it came time to switch to the 3mm circulars.  I thought I had the right size at home (24" circular) but mine was a 32".  Too long for a project in the round for a 2 year old......  So I need to go on a needle quest on my way home tonight.  And maybe................. their Noro Kureyon will have come in by now so I can get some for the Booga Bag I'm dying to try making. 

And maybe tonight my latest order of pattern books will be in the mail box.  I got an e-mail saying that they shipped on Monday or Tuesday.  They're just a bunch more patterns from Sandnes Garn in Norway.  Mostly kids' stuff but also some great adult knits from what I can see.  If those arrive, I'll be able to indulge myself in just flipping through those for a long time.

I worked on the sweater for Evan a bit last night.  I got about 3" more done and I'm only 2 diamonds away from getting to the armhole decreases on the back.  One diamond is 14 rows.  Or maybe it's 3 diamonds because 28 more rows doesn't seem like a lot.  Because I want to be finished for Christmas for sure, I just really want to devote most of my time to this project but it's a fun knit as well.

Before my guys came home last night (from work and daycare), I spent about 15 minutes cutting out some batting and some paws for my Halloween bag.  Once I get all the "pre-work" done, it will come together so quickly.

I'll be taking more pictures on the weekend to have some more colourful updates.

Have a great Friday.

Mexican Stars - I am all curved out but it was fun.  Making the curves on the quilt is tiring and tedious but it was also fun and relaxing in its own way.  I think I got 12 curves sewn and I still have 34 to go.  These will take me a while to finish.  I really don't want to put this quilt on the backburner because I know where I want it to go in the house and I need to hang more things on the walls.  If I leave it too long, I'll lose my momentum.

Knitting - not much is new.  Can you believe it.................. I cast on another project.  It's #17 on my list of projects I have stuff for.  Actually, it's just the same project I mentioned yesterday when I had the problem with the Addi Turbo needles.  I got it started the day before but yesterday I noticed that I had twisted my cast on so I had to start over.  I really can't show anything yet.  I don't even have an inch done yet.  I think this will be my take-along if and when we do go to this wedding the first week in November.  It will be a good one for the road trip.  Just knitting in the round - very worry free and very portable.

I almost got tempted into a few more things in the quilting store yesterday but I resisted.  I have too much on the go already.  I need to finish some stuff and not spend more money.

Have a fun day and be good to yourselves.

This seems like a long week so far and it's only Wednesday.

I forgot to mention yesterday that I met my knitting goal for Evan's Christmas present.  I figured that if I finished up 1 ball a week for that sweater I could have it finished by the end of the 2nd week of December.  That leaves me 2 weeks slack if I don't meet that goal every week.  I finished the first ball on Sunday and started on the second ball on Monday (but I hardly got into it).  So, I was on track the first week as I started the sweater last Tuesday.  We're going simple on Christmas presents this year because we just bought the digital camera - a few months early - so I really, really want to be able to finish that sweater and give that to him rather than having to run out at the last minute to buy something else and spend more money.  Mind you, I have been known to give unfinished presents with a promise note to finish soon.  That doesn't always go over so well.  And then last year, I gave my mother in law the picture of a pattern for a cardigan with the promise that I'd buy her the yarn and make it for her sometime during the year.  I haven't started yet.  Mind you, I asked her for some measurements so I could pick the right size and she was less than forthcoming with the measurements.  I'm still waiting.  I also remember the years when I was still frantically finishing something on Christmas Eve - and we celebrate on Christmas Eve with my family.

We hung some pumpkin lights outside last night and then we took Erika for a walk.  She wanted to go and it wasn't raining so we took the opportunity to get out there.  She wore her blue hat and didn't try and rip it off at all.  Yeah for me................. she looks so cute in it and it keeps her warm.

I didn't have much time left for knitting between making lunches and trying to cuddle Erika.  There are those times in an evening when only Mommy will do and cuddle time is Mommy and Erika time.  I picked up my long purple cardigan last night though and I got about 4" done.  Now I'm within 4 1/2" of getting to the arm hole decreases.  It's really coming along.  I have visions of it becoming a great work sweater that keeps me warm in our often cold portable and that looks stylish with a black pair of pants.

I bought one of the Addi Turbo circulars yesterday.  $17 CDN for a 2.5 mm, 24" needle.  I had a bit of a break before Evan and Erika came home from work/daycare and so I cast on 192 stitches for something that I just "need" to try.  The yarn is a self striping yarn and I'm working it up as a raglan sweater for Erika, working in the round to the arms.  I only need the 2.5 mm for the edging with is just stocking stitch that will be turned under after finishing the whole sweater.  As I started working on it, I noticed that the one point of the needle isn't smooth.  It isn't splitting my yarn but I can feel it there as I'm knitting and it's bothering me.  I think that would warrant returning it?  Don't you?  I think any needle tip needs to be smooth.  But, even though I've only done about 4 or 5 rounds I don't feel like ripping it all off again and I don't have the time to drive to the yarn store again right away.  Maybe I will call them today and tell them.  That way they can make a note of it, I finish my edging and then I go to the 3 mm needle and then I return it and exchange it.

Mexican Stars tonight...................

Have a good one.

Hearts, hearts, hearts....................... last night I took a bit of a break from knitting (even though I still did a few rows on Evan's sweater) and worked on my hand applique for my country sampler quilting course.  I appliqued one of the heart blocks.  I still have to buy more fabrics and select more colours for that quilt.  I think I'll do that on the weekend.

Other than that, nothing else was really exciting yesterday.  It was just one of "those" days.  Erika did not want to go to sleep last night so I'm feeling a bit tired and cranky today.  At least she's back at daycare.  Yesterday, her Daddy stayed home with her.

Today, I'm having one of those work conundrums...... Makes me sound like a real softie but I hate this situation that I'm in.  I've always had a full time assistant.  Then due to a bunch of budget cuts, my full time assistant got moved to another project and now I'm sharing her.  As a result, I'm supposed to use clerical time from a clerical person who works for someone else who always had her for full time.  These guys, even though they say they will share that clerical time with me in front of our boss, are more than not accommodating.  So most of the time, it's just easier for me to do my own photocopying or stuff like that.  However, my boss expects me to come back with a report at the end of the month saying how much I have utilized this other person and so far I haven't.  There is a big photocopying job that has to get done and my boss has specified that the other person is to do it but she's less than approachable in terms of me asking her to do it.  I'm really uncomfortable with that whole situation.  It sounds silly but it just seems like I'm sort of stuck in the middle of this one.  Yuck...............

Maybe some knitting at lunch time?  Maybe a trip to the yarn store?

Have a good day.  Be good to yourselves.