Quiet

Too quiet…that’s what this blog has been. It seems like I’m in sort of rut life-wise, daily-wise, health-wise.  Nothing crazy, I’ve just been feeling a little out of sorts lately and I think a trip to the doctor’s office is warranted.  Seeing that I’m not too crazy about seeing the doctor, let’s talk about knitting.

My first ever sock is done and I’m so pleased!!  This is for the UAE Knitters Sock KAL that has been ongoing.  The pattern I’m using is Dublin Bay Socks (free PDF pattern) with some Dream In Color Smooshy. 

dublin-bay-sock11

The colorway is called Petal Shower.  It’s amazing how these yarn companies come up with fantastic names like this.  I think they must have a yarn namer conjuring up names all day like Lipstick Lava and Lunar Zazzle and Strange Harvest.  I wonder what he named his kids…Rainbow or Spectrum, perhaps? 

I have to admit that I get carried away by the name of the colorway when I shop for yarn online and there have been a couple not-so-happy moments when my order arrived.  Not so long ago, I ordered some Malabrigo Worsted to knit up the infamous February Lady Sweater.  The colorway was called Dusty and looked so pretty on my computer screen.  So I clicked away and into my cart went 5 skeins.  Doesn’t it look all shiny and pretty in the skein?

malabrigo-merino-worsted-dusty1

Trust not the monitor!!  I should have noted the fact that the name Dusty meant something. When knitted up, this yarn looks like it has bits of dirt smeared into it so when I wear this sweater it’s always going to look un-laundered.  Sigh!

Then there was Pansy-Go-Lightly another Smooshy colorway for some ‘happy socks’.  I think that these socks are going to turn out too happy.  Purples, lavenders, pinks – sounds pretty?  Not!  It looks like some kid went crayola crazy during this yarn painting session.  Sigh, sigh!!

dic-smooshy-pansy-golightly

Still I’m enjoying knitting with the Dream in Color yarn – it sure is smooshy and sock #1 feels lovely on my foot.  Also, I’ve swatched and cast on for my Dusty February Lady Sweater.  The color is what is making me neglect this project but the yarn is still just as gorgeous.  I think that once I get past the garter yoke and move onto the lace body, it’s going to be ‘funner’.

Back to the socks, I’m on the heel of my second sock and I hope to be done sometime soon if this ickky feeling passes and things don’t go south into flu-land. 

When I began this blog post I didn’t know what to talk about but it looks like I’ve rambled on.  Regular blogging will resume soon since Prithvi is back at school after two weeks of Spring Break.  Having him home was a treat for me as well as for Kiki although, it seems like his appetite has gotten enormous and there were many requests during the day for cake and cookies and sandwiches and even oatmeal!!!  It’s a good thing that his metabolism is way better than mine!  Now it’s back to school to finish off the last term of Grade 4.

spring-break-kids

Posted by & filed under Rambling, Socks. This post has 7 comments.

Zap Your Sock Phobia

The quickest way to zap sock phobia is to get together with a bunch of friendly knitters and cast on for socks -TOGETHER!! 

That’s exactly what a few of us from the UAE Knitters Ravelry Group did this past Friday afternoon.  It was wonderful getting together with these wonderful women and no two people in the group were from the same country – that’s knitting diversified…AMAZING!!!!

We had Jocelyn, Hala (who was sweet enough to make the two hour drive to Dubai all the way from Abu Dhabi), Debbie, Jackie, Caroline, Rain, Jennifer (with her adorable daughter) and me. 

There was plenty of oohing and aahing going on with all the lovely stash that everyone brought along.  There was Argosy yarn which was so gorgeous that we considered if we should we skip the knitting and just wear the yarn instead.  No, we love knitting too much!

Gorgeous finished objects were featured… Jocelyn’s amazing Mossy Leyburns

debbie-leyburns-cropped

The drapey Bamboo Clapotis she knit for her mom

jackie-clapotis-cropped

That was not all, she brought along her Hurricane Hat in Malabrigo worsted that she so aptly calls The Power of Nine.

Then there was Rain’s gorgeous Purple Halter which is almost done.

We didn’t forget the socks though….here are almost all the sock yarns that everyone is going to be using.

I say almost, because Caroline was being a good girl and swatching for hers and so her yarn is not in the picture. 

I don’t think that the rest of us swatched – we just cast on and the sock knitting began!  Some of us even used a new technique taught to us by Hala – the German Long Tail cast on. 

Everyone is using pretty basic sock patterns.  Well, everyone except Rain.  Get this, she is knitting two socks on one circular, toe up and that’s not all – she’s making up the pattern as she goes along!!!!

Here’s my sock progress so far.  Not much, but knitting along with friends will help move these socks off the needles and onto my feet!

Posted by & filed under Dubai, KAL, Socks. This post has 5 comments.

Sock Grief

I was determined to knit a bit on my TTL Mystery Sock each day and I did.  Each evening I would knit a repeat or two on this sock and things were going well until I finished turning the heel.  It fit, the pattern looked great and there were no mistakes (I think).

I can’t get over how pretty the Eye of Partridge heel looks:)

Aha!  All the smugness about that heel business was just the pre-cursor to all things going downhill from that point.

Doesn’t look like anything is wrong???  Let me explain…

Like every eager sock knitter, I tried the sock on every few repeats and always kept thinking that it was nice and snug on the leg but then really floppy on the foot.  Each time I dismissed this seemingly disproportionate fit thinking that this is probably how handknit socks felt.  Me crazy!!!

Enter sock sole to fit a Sasquatch…

It never occurred to me to check my STITCH COUNT! Bwaahahahaha grrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don’t feel like ripping, picking and re-knitting the foot of this sock right now and so the only way to go forward was to cast on for another pair!!!!

This time Cookie A’s Monkey in some delicious Ruby Red Fleece Artist (I’m having linkage problems so no links, sorry). No problems with this sock…yet!

Posted by & filed under KAL, Socks. This post has 6 comments.

Seeking Blue

“Buscando Azul” – Seeking Blue. 

I don’t know much Spanish but that’s what the online translator said and it’s a perfect name for this hat. 

Yet again, I’m smitten by the gorgeous-ness of Malabrigo this time in it’s chunky form.  The yarn and the color – love, love, love.  The pattern for this Chunky Dean Street Hat…well, I’m not so crazy about it.  I think it must be the way the decreases turn out on the top of the hat.  My finicky knitting voice kept looking at the decreases merging into the pattern and saying, ‘I don’t know…’ 

The recipient seems thrilled with it though and even stepped outside after school to let me get a few pictures.  This hat will keep his noggin toasty warm, that’s for sure.

I had to remind him that it was time to go back home to cram for mid-terms (yes, exams are upon us again!!!), but he got sidetracked by this boy toy and I had to sneak a picture of him…coveting! 

Boys will be boys, always!!!

Posted by & filed under Family, Hats, KAL. This post has 5 comments.

Aloutte Swirls

I can’t believe that I finished the Hurricane Hat in 4 days!!!  For me, this is a HUGE achievement given that knitting minutes in my day are few and far between. 

On each round, the placement of purls effectively creates a whirlwind swirly pattern.  This simple combination of putting knits and purls together to create something so lovely is what makes me want to keep going back to knitting.

The bits of blue on the forest green of this yarn reminded me so much of this…

golden-ears-provincial-park

…we were driving up to Alouette Lake at the Golden Ears Provincial Park a couple years ago.  I remember how surreal and beautiful the mountains looked with fog snaking it’s way around them. 

I finished the hat using 2 circs because I didn’t have a long enough cable to magic loop the top.  I figured that this is the reason Cat Bordhi proclaims that Socks Soar on Two Circulars – and it’s true!!!  The top of this hat got done in no time at all and there was no awkward poke-you-in-the-eye drama with DPNs.  Now, that the hat’s all done, I think that I will just use 2 circs to get my socks finished.  In the meantime there’s a lovely cake of Malabrigo Chunky tempting me. 

This yarn is evil!  Delicious, but evil!!!

Posted by & filed under Hats, KAL. This post has 8 comments.

Can’t think of a half-interesting title

I’m having blog post title brain freeze here. 

The sock is growing steadily and I’m on the foot – I never thought that I would ever knit a sock and now that I can, I am beginning to understand what all the rage about sock knitting is.  My favorite part was the heel and then turning the heel – loved it!!!!  (I’m too lazy to haul out the camera for progress shots and so that will have to be for next time) 

mm09 

In the meantime, I’ve joined the madness that is Malabrigo March ’09 on the Rav Malabrigo Junkies Group and will be casting on for the Hurricane Hat in this lovely green colorway called Forest. 

I just love this yarn (who doesn’t love mmmmmmmmmmmMalabrigo) and the only way I can describe it is buttery soft and squishy:)  There will be hat knitting beginning tomorrow. 

Any other Malabrigo Junkies out there?

Posted by & filed under Hats, KAL, Socks. This post has 5 comments.

Sock saga

That was a long blogging break.  Who knew that a case of acute sinusitis could impede pretty much everything – even simple tasks like bending down to tie my shoelaces.  But, I’m doing better now and thank you to everyone who sent me get-well-soon emails and comments:)

Back on my needles is my TTL Mystery Socks🙂  It’s no longer a mystery since that KAL has long been completed.  I’m determined to try and finish these socks and I have to report that sock knitting is not as scaaarrrrry as I thought.  I decided to take the plunge and continue knitting with the DPNs that this sock was on and…it’s not difficult at all.  After a few rows I felt like a victory chant was in order!!!! 

I can’t wait for the leg to be done before I work on the pretty heel.  Eye of partridge heel on a sock is sure pretty – me loves!!!  The pictures of the finished socks for this KAL on Rav is definitely an inspiration to keep going.

In exciting yarny news, Vineet decided to surprise me with a yarn gift certificate from Eat.Sleep.Knit, this being my birthday month and all:):)  So, I have new yarn in the mail and I am sure that it will arrive on my doorstep bang on my birthday because he will make sure to get the timing perfect….well because he’s sweet like that.  What does this mean for my yarn diet???  Gifts don’t count, right???  I also signed up for the yarnathon and I think that I have already earned the 1 mile badge.

yarnathon-badge

In any case, I did some stash-sorting a couple weeks ago and realized that I would probably never knit with a lot of it. This stash is going to be donated to a friend who uses fabric and yarn remnants as crafting supplies for kids who are disabled:)  She recently had a craft sale to raise money and awareness for this very purpose and sold some exceptional crocheted berets and scarves made by these sweet kids themselves – so colorful and pretty!

In other news, it seems like we always get to see this city that we live in through different eyes each time we have guests over at our home.  We are fortunate that Dubai has a central location globally and so many friends and family have routed their transcontinental travel via the Sandlands.  This has meant that we have always had guests popping by for a few days every few months – which is great!  We had an uncle visit us this past weekend and we really enjoyed his company and stories of his adventures.  He is great with kids and so our kiddos had a wonderful time with him. We will miss this once we move but life goes on and for today I am happy.

Posted by & filed under Dubai, KAL, Socks, Stashbusting. This post has 4 comments.

Sick leave

It’s been flu season around these parts lately and we have been surrounded by Tylenol, tissues, VicksVapoRub (mmmmm), Sudafed (being drunk like it’s coffee sometimes!!!) and more tissues, tissues, tissues.  Really, really bummed that I couldn’t make it to a knitting afternoon with all the lovely ladies from the UAE Ravelry Group. Will be back when this bug has been exterminated. 

A sick, sneezy, wheezy household – not a pretty sight.

Knitting progress – absolutely ZERO!!!!

Posted by & filed under Family, Rambling. This post has 3 comments.

Hookin’

No.  Not the thigh high boots, trashy make-up, mini skirt wearing profession. 

But this….

hexagons-table-topper

I was clearing out some stuff and came across this crocheted doily, table topper, runner (???) that I had finished a few years ago.  I do not remember where I found the pattern for this but I do remember exactly when I began working on this and it brings back sweet memories.  Picture this – freezing temperatures, crackling fire, Austrian alps, delicious warm Schoki… we were at a precious little B&B in Salzburg when I began working on the hexagons.  Of course, it took me a few months to complete all the bits and pieces and join them but I remember being so thrilled when it all came together because I had never crafted something this large before!!!   

My next big project was a Lanarte cross stitch piece of a ballet dancer which is framed and hangs on our living room wall. 

Sadly, crochet and other crafts have taken second place in my crafting basket because knitting keeps being a big bully screaming, “pick me, pick me“.  All I have crocheted in the recent past are a couple flowers.  Sad, I know!  But before I go dive into any other exciting craft, I am determined to work my way through my knitting stash.  So, back to the knitting it is, at least for now.

hexagons

Posted by & filed under crochet, Lace, Rambling. This post has 10 comments.

Prithvi Blogs – Part 1

How to make my favourite ice-cream

My favourite ice-cream is called citrus twist and its very sour.

To make my favourite ice-cream you will need ice, cream, milk and my favourite lemon and lime juice.

First you take the ice and mix it up with cream and milk and mix it all together then you take the ice-cream and roll it into a ball

with your hand put it in the freezer (ooh chilly!) and wait for a day and then put some of the juice in a hole and you have my favourite ice-cream. 

citrus-twist-picture

So, my sweet Prithvi has asked me many times if he could write on my blog and I’ve always said no, or maybe later, or blogging is not really for kids, etc etc.  In my mind, I always kept wondering if he would spill some deep dark secret of mama’s – ok, I’m pretty much an open book, but you know, I was just shy about what he might say.  I finally gave in and this was what he came up with for the first post of “Prithvi Blogs”.  Funny, sweet kid.

Posted by & filed under Family, Food, Prithvi Blogs. This post has 5 comments.