Uli's Creative Corner

Evan picked up the camera at lunch today so I'll have lots of new pictures for you soon!!!! Yahoo........ and we'll have it for the first day of Kindergarten.

I also got a 3-day a week daycare spot for the Little Miss.  The only flaw is that I have to take it as of September and not January, which is when I'm going back to work.  So it's a bit of extra money but having the knowledge and peace of mind that I know Erika will have a spot when I do go back to work is well worth the extra bit of cash.  We will need full time when I got back to work but the inlaws are willing to help out and by January the daycare may have a full time spot available as well.  Just my luck that I decided to call today to find out whether there has been any movement on the waiting list etc.  So once she's settled in Kindergarten, I will send her to the daycare in the mornings but maybe not all 3 days of the week.  And instead of having them pick her up from her Kindergarten class, I will probably pick her up myself most days.

Sometimes a worthwhile cause catches my attention....... speaking of worthwhile causes, I am still working on my preemie hats and will continue to do so........... but here is something else dear to my heart.  This article about making book bags for children in underpriviledged neighbourhoods really spoke to me and so I've decided that this will be something I can help out with.  I contacted the woman who started the project and I saw some sample bags today and they are simple, simple, simple.  I've pulled out some fabrics already and will be making a bunch of bags soon.  This will be an ongoing project throughout the year.  I don't have a lot of fabric (not as big of a fabric stash as a yarn stash) but I have some to get me going.  With the Little Miss going into Kindergarten this felt like a very special project.

Pictures, pictures, pictures will be coming tomorrow. :-)  See you then!!!

Dear Mr. Policeman,

Next time, please set a good example and stop at the cross walk when you see a family with two small children (one on foot and one in a stroller) trying to cross the street right in front of an elementary school.  You weren't in a rush with your lights on.  You saw what was going on and yet you decided not to stop or even slow down.  How can we teach our children good habits and about safety when those who are supposed to set a good example don't follow through?  It's a shame how difficult it can be to cross the street right in front of an elementary school.  Just think......... many kids across North America are already back in school.  Locally, the first day of school is next week and there will be hundreds and thousands of little Kindergarten kids off on their way to their first few days of school.  They deserve to feel safe.

Can you believe it........ I got a day pass yesterday (or was it a get out of jail pass?).  I sent Evan off with both kiddos for Little Miss' swimming lessons and I took the trip into Vancouver to check out the new store Three Bags Full.  It was nice to get out but it's so strange how life changes a person.  I used to live and work in Vancouver and loved the hustle and the bustle and traffice certainly didn't bother me.  Then I used to commute into Vancouver from the 'burbs' every day and it didn't bother me too much either.  Now scroll forward 5 years of not commuting downtown, 9 years of marriage and 2 kids later and driving into downtown seems like a majore event.  I must be getting old........ but for goodness sakes, it was Saturday morning and the traffice sucked.  First there was a slow down at the bridge, then I heard about 2 accidents, no, not just one but two, right at the first light after the off ramp that I had to take to get off the highway.  No big deal... that's why I listen to traffic radio.  I took the next exit and just had to back track a bit and do a bit of extra driving.  I finally arrived at the store.  I parked a few blocks off (to avoid parking meters - I had no change or money to speak off).  The walk was a nice little walk - all by myself, with a cup of coffee - very reminiscent of just hanging out on a Saturday morning.

What can I say about the new store?  It's a nice little store and it was busy.  So that's nice to see.  I wish anyone who ventures into a yarn store enterprise a whole bunch of good luck and a good customer base.  They had lots of nice high end yarns.  If you like your Noro Silk Garden and Koigu and Rowan, there was lots there.  And they are a local source for Lorna's Laces.  So, it was fun checking out all the goodies.  Now, their debit and credit card transaction system wasn't working yet so all sales were cash only.  Remember..... I didn't have any cash on me, not even enough for a parking meter.  So, I was at the store with ther permission to spend a bit of money but no way to use credit or debit.  That sucked.  But mind you, I could have easily talked myself out of the few things that I could see myself buying.  Then I figured out that there was a bank machine right across the street so I gave in and got some cash.  I came back and the one hank of Sweet Georgia yarn I had been fondling was already spoken for.  Darn it!!!!!  So now I felt I needed to buy something because I had cash.  So I walked around with a ball of Kid Silk Haze for a bit and put it back and picked a new colour and put it backed and picked another colour.  I repeated that a few times.  Obviously, nothing was just "the thing I had to have".  Nothing jumped at me and said "take me home" - except maybe that one hank I mentioned above.  Well, I ended up with 2 hanks of Blue Sky Alpaca Alpaca Silk yarn in colour Ice and I'm thinking that this might become a Branching Out for my SIL but I'm thinking of maybe adding some really pretty, subtle beading to the cast on.  (yes, them darn beads.....).  I also snuck home a skein of Sweet Georgia lace weight in light, light shades of green.  Something for my MIL, I think. 

All in all, a nice little store.  Just because it takes a good chunk out of my day to even just get there and back, it won't be a store I visit frequently but if I'm in the neighbourhood or if I have to take a friend on a yarn store tour of town I'll include it on the list of shops to visit.

I kind of decided, having signed up for the International Scarf Exchange as well as Sock Wars, that I needed to get the sock knitting under control so that's what I did all weekend.  The status report is:

• Sock 1 of Reptilian Lace socks completed, sock 2 not started yet.
• Sock 1 of Trekking XXL #108 finished, sock 2 leg finished to the heel
• Gedifra socks #2 almost at the heel, sock 1 was finished long time ago
• Didn't touch my toe up Opal in Crocodile but sock #1 is complete but I have to play with the cast-off a bit
• Didn't touch my Eagle's flight Opal Handpaint sock and it's only on the leg of sock #1

There you have it.  Oh, and I blocked Diamond Fantasy Scarf........... loverly.  Can't wait to get that camera back.

I'm being paged.

Sound like fun?

Okay........ whine first.  The big kid got up way too early today (as in 5:30 am and she usually sleeps until well after 9 am).  I'm paying the price.  Even two cups of coffee made me shift my snailed paced butt into even slightly higher gear.  I'm feeling exhausted.  Whine over because I get to tell you about my awesome sock kit experience.  Unfortunately, I don't have my digi cam to capture it in pictures.

First of all, I had the pleasure of gifting Dene.  Check out her blog as she shows some great shots of her kit.  I think she liked the kit I put together for her and what's even cooler is that she has been visiting my blog for some time now.  Dene, I'm glad you liked your goodies and I hope you enjoy the yarn and patterns and bags for some time to come.

And of course, I also received my kit that was specially put together for me by Jess over at The Fiber Fetishist.  How perfect for timing that I received my kit on the day that my pal received her gift.  Well, Jess just showered me with fibery goodness and I wish I could describe it with pictures because words won't do my kits justice but I'll have to try:

• First of all, of course, the bag........ a great lined tote with a magnetic closure snap and an inside pocket - the inside pocket was hiding a sheep measuring tape from Lantern Moon - so cute.  The bag is just the perfect size for the type of bag I like and the handles are the perfect length and the colours are awesome, too.  It will be the perfect carry-along knitting project bag especially when I'm not carrying a diaper bag or maybe especially when I'm carrying the diaper bag. :-)
• Inside the bigger bag was also a little zippered pouch.  A perfect idea to keep the knitting accessories all together.  It's much less likely to lose them and you can always find your necessary supplies.
• Inside the zippered pouch were all kinds of goodies: Crystal Palace bamboos (been wanting to try those for a while), Susan Bates sock shaped point protectors (perfect choice for me - just what I needed), perfect little tiny snip scissors (now I won't be caught without scissors when I'm casting off a sock and need to cut the yarn), a Chibi (get this..... I bought my pal a Chibi but I've never owned one myself so how perfect is that?), and then there were some lovely beads to help along my latest bead addiction.
• Then, of course, the most important.  Jess wrote me up a wonderful pattern.  It came printed with how-to-pictures of a short row heel technique and all other kinds of helpful hints and was put in a lovely clear folder to help keep it nice and neat.  And I am now the proud owner of my first ever skein of Socks That Rock in the Rolling Stone colourway.  For a purple lover like me this skein is perfect and as we're heading into fall, this will make a perfect pair of socks in this awesome pattern.  And speaking of yarn, there was also a wonderful skein of Fleece Artist merino with their basic merino sock in the amethyst colourway.  I love Fleece Artist yarns anyways and have made socks using that yarn but had no more in my stash so this is perfect.  Yummy purple.... well, amethyst, you can imagine. :-)
• Other goodies included: Zhena's Gypsy Tea (Grand Green) - it's kind of a cloudy day so I think I'll brew myself some this afternoon to enjoy along with my Reptilian Lace socks (if I can get both kids to rest at the same time), Kookaburra Woolwash (I've never tried it but I need to block DFS so I might as well do that really, really soon - it's giving me the incentive), Burt's Bees Beeswax and Banana Hand Creme (I love Burt's Bees products), a big bar of dark Lindt chocolate (it's half gone as of the writing of this), a cute little card and a cute little stuffed toy for the Little Miss which I'm sure JR will enjoy as well.

I laid everything out so I hope I didn't forget to mention anything.  If I did........ I still loved it because everything in the package was perfect.

Thanks Jess..... you were a great pal.

And thanks to the organizers......... this was an awesome swap.  One of the funnest I've participated in so far.

I found out that there's a new LYS opening in Vancouver:  Three Bags Full

I know nothing more about it than that their grand opening is on Saturday, August 26th.  I might get a few hours off and go check it out - just for kicks and to get away from home for a while without hubby or kids. 

So, I've been venturing out of my DPN, leg down, basic heel flap etc. sock knitting comfort zone.  I like my socks that way and sock knitting is comfort knitting and take-along simple knitting so I don't think there's anything wrong with picking a technique and using it over and over.  But somehow, I decided to try some new techniques, mostly driven by patterns that intrigued me.

First, the Reptilian Lace socks from the recent Knitty.  A lovely beaded lace pattern design by Sivia Harding.  I had the perfect skein of Lorna's Laces in my stash that I didn't know what to do with but this was it.  Because of the lace pattern, DPNs would be a bit awkward with pattern details that would probably span two DPNs and making knitting awkward by having to slip stitches back and forth between needles.  So I decided to try the 2 circular method of knitting.  I can't really judge speed because there's lots of patterning and beading which would make one slow down a lot even with the technique one is comfortable with.  I guess I'll have to knit a stocking stitch pair on two circs and then compare speed.  In any case, it's slow, slow going.  At first I hated the 2 circs but I'm getting a bit in the swing of things with it.  I think the biggest issue to be thinking of when knitting with two circs is the quality of the needle.  I bought 2 pairs of 32" Aeros.  The tips are pointy.  Nice for lace knitting.  Maybe a bit pointy in certain instances.  What causes a bit more of an issue are the joins.  They are not quite smooth enough, especially with the tiny stitches created by fingering weight sock yarn.  So I spend a good amount of time coaxing each little stitch over the join when I move my knitting from one end of the circular to the other getting ready to knit those stitches again.  The socks are turning out beautifully, however.  There are no ladders between transition stitches and the pattern is pretty.  It's a slow go for me and one day I'll invest in the proper size Addis or maybe try the Knitpicks needles and make an effort to knit a stocking stitch only pair to compare speed.  I think this method is definitely a method of working a pair of socks when the pattern makes it awkward to work easily with DPNs.

Second, Toe Up socks.  Never was interested in starting from the toe.  I was interested in at least trying a short row heel.  So when the summer surprise from Knitty was the Universal Toe-Up Sock Patatern, I decided to dive right in and try that technique, too.  Sock #1 is done and it worked up very quickly.  Of course, I did toe up with my preferred DPNs.  It was a fun, quick knit and the short row heel worked out quite nicely.  It's not a bad way to knit socks.  I would venture a guess that the short row heel takes less time than a heel flap, turning the heel, picking up stitches and working the instep decreases.  I have a bit of a fit problem with the socks.  I worked out my gauge which is pretty standard and came up with a 60 stitch sock.  I usually use 60 or 64 stitches with my top down socks and they fit me fine.  I think I should have used 64 stitches rather than 60 because this sock fits snugly.  I like snug fitting socks but this might be a bit snug.  I also think I need to rip the cast off and try and do it more loosely as the cast off seems to be the most snug point.  But then, I cast off on the fly while in a ferry line-up yesterday, almost ready to drive onto the ferry.  So I will re-work the cast off today with a larger needle and then re-evaluate the fit.  Once I get the fit right, I can see myself using this technique every once in a while.  I don't think I'm a convert or anything but I'm no longer opposed to a toe-up sock. 

I guess all in all, it's a good thing to try new things once in a while.

Still no camera, so still boring posts......... next up: I need you to help me pick out my next project for me.  Watch for a poll coming up soon.

......... yes, you heard right...... Christmas is coming - eventually - and when you're a knitter contemplating gifts, the time to start isn't too far off or already here, depending on what you're planning on doing.  Now, last year I totally swore of handcrafting Christmas gifts because the year before, I felt that my gifts weren't appreciated by some of the giftees.  And I still feel like that......... but something in me, that wanting to create to give side, is making noises again and so ever since I signed up for the scarf exchange, I've been thinking about Christmas giving, too.  Christmas also has to be a low key event this year.  No keeping up with the Jonses' with $s expended on gifts.  Thoughtfulness will be at the top of the list and I'm hoping to dig into my stash to keep it reasonable.  Mind you, gift knitting does open the possibility that I can do a bit of yarn shopping in the name of gift requirements.  I'm still in the mental planning stages and I go back and forth.  A few days ago, I was going to make the Moms both big shawls....... nope, not a chance.  Now I've talked myself down to scarves....... pretty scarves like this one, for example:

• Angel Pearls Beaded Scarf by Sivia Harding
• Expressions of Love by Fiddlesticks Knitting
• Two Lace Scarves by Fiddlesticks Knitting
• Butterfly Wrap by Sivia Harding (I'm thinking of that one for my SIL but I'm not sure she'd appreciate it although I think she's the perfect shape and probably has the pretty black dress that this would make the perfect match with)

These are just some of the knitting thoughts and then with my new found love of beads, I would like to make some Bead Soup Bracelets and maybe a necklace or two.  I'm also quite interested in trying the Leaf Bracelet and now, come to think of it, while I'm exploring Earth Faire's web site, this bookmark seems like a perfect gift for the giftee who likes to read.  And last but not least, there are many more things that I'm smitten with on this web site but this Picot Shoulder scarf with the lovely merging colours of purple is tugging at my purse strings and as I said, there are others.  So this looks like the perfect place to do some Christmas gift shopping when the time comes and when I can convince my dear hubby that these will be great gifts for family and friends.  Wouldn't it be great if Christmas gift giving could be completed long before December even starts?  It would work for me because December will be my last full month off before going back to work in January so I want to enjoy the beauty of the Christmas season without having to rush through malls.  I want to just cherish the time with my little ones and enjoy decorating, baking and doing all the things that are hard to do when you're a full-time working Mommy.

I wanted to update on my knitting experiments ie. sock knitting without DPNs and from the toe up - 2 different socks are growing under my fingers but really, I just have used up my bit of time.  JR is swinging in the swing and I thought it might put him to sleep because he got up early today but he isn't about to go down.  Probably wants some more of the "good stuff" before drifting off for a nap.  Daddy and Little Miss are at the pool and I'm doing laundry.  So I'd best get back to those tasks and get the housework done so I can enjoy the rest of the weekend.

There's no doubt that winter will come!!!  So I thought this would be a really fun exchange to participate in.

Scarves are a fun knit and I think I can gift someone with a nice scarf that they'll enjoy throughout the winter months.

My camera will be in the shop for at least 2 weeks.  We might not even have a digi cam for Little Miss' first day of Kindergarten.  That really sucks!!!!  We do have an awesome film camera (better than the digi cam) but I just like the immediateness of digital pictures.  How else can I share things here and blogging without pics is boring.  But at least the defect is a manufacturer's defect and Canon is fixing it for free.  If you have a Canon Powershot and you have some problems with the LCD display not working as nicely as it used to when it was new you might want to check out their web site, specifically this page.

Back to cleaning.  I thought the little guy was waking up and so I stopped but he seems to have settled again.  Off I go.