Knitsworthy

What can a computer do?

2010-11-26T05:46:00.000-08:00

Let this be a lesson to you... a computer does not have a brain! The information you find on the internet is the information that a PERSON has put there, not the computer. For example, try searching in Google for knitsworthy (that's me) and moose. Then go to "images". Is that a moose? I told the computer it was a moose, and since the computer doesn't have a brain, it can't tell the difference. :)

Why there is an angel on top of the Christmas tree...

2008-11-24T02:18:00.000-08:00

One Christmas, Santa was having a really bad day. The local elves union was up in arms over their contract and were threatening a walk-out. Mrs. Claus was angry that Santa was never around to appreciate all of the hard work she had been doing around the house. And top it all off, she had him on and a diet that never suited Santa to begin with. So through all of this, Santa decided he needed to go home, sit in front of a fire and relax.

When he got there, Miss Claus was still angry and wouldn't let down. As Santa tried to calm her down, there was a knock on the door. It was Rudolph. He, also, was quite upset and said the reindeer were sick and tired of Santa's failing to upgrade to a newer lightweight sleigh and that they were joining the elves walkout. Santa slammed the door and threatened, "The next person who knocks on that door is gonna get it!"

Two seconds later, there was a knock on the door. Santa flung the door open and there stood a tiny little angel. The angel had been searching for the perfect Christmas tree for Santa's house all day long, until it found the perfect one. The little angel asked,"Santa, I was wondering where you would like me to stick this tree?"

And that is the story of how the angel atop the tree tradition began.

more nosewarmers

2008-02-07T06:34:00.001-08:00

nose-worthy nose-warmers

2008-02-03T13:32:00.000-08:00

The pattern, as promised, for nose-worthy nose-warmers

Needed:
Small bit of worsted weight yarn
5 mm needles (US size 8)

Instructions:

Cast on 15 stitches

Row 1: knit 14 stitches, turn
Row 2: knit 13 stitches, turn
Row 3: knit 12 stitches, turn…

Continue like this until you knit 3 stitches, turn then:

Knit 4 stitches, turn
Knit 5 stitches, turn
Knit 6 stitches, turn…
Until - knit 15 stitches.

Cast off loosely. Tie straps on the ends long enough to tie around your head. (These can be braided or twisted.) Make a tassel for the tip of the nose if you like!

© Lori Noseworthy 2007

The Sleepover

2008-02-02T16:40:00.000-08:00

Here we are, me the lopsided librarian, Robert Munsch, and two of the participants...

And that is the end of that story.

2008-02-02T16:18:00.000-08:00

This is Sam, he didn't even last until supper on Saturday. But look at that nosewarmer!

The one that's not relaxed.

2006-05-23T14:49:00.000-07:00

My knitting has not been very adventurous lately.

Can you say socks? And socks, and more socks? I think I am stuck :(

BUT I have plans. And plans are great things, if you can actually follow through with them! I have a skein of Fleece Artist's curlylocks all wound up, sitting next to a brand new 60" addi turbo, waiting to be turned into a moebius scarf, a la Cat Bordhi. BUT the library book I borrowed that has the magical cast-on method in it had to be returned before the addi turbo arrived in the mail, and now the book is overdue to be returned (by someone else) and I am next in line. So I wait...

BUT I have more plans! I have all the yarn for a Rogue sweater (2 actually, but that's another story). I have the pattern. I don't have the right size needles! Thwarted at every turn. I did, however, recently order a set of Denise interchangeable needles which, I have been told, are well worth having, and will also give me the sizes I need for my Rogue sweater. And I got the Briggs & Little yarn at such a good deal I can justify paying for the Denise set. The Denise needles motto is "Relax, we're all here." Now if I could just relax until mine get here, I'll be okay.

I mistakenly bought enough yarn for 2 Rogue sweaters; I may have my Christmas knitting already lined up.

After all, only 7 more months until Christmas. Ho ho ho!

The one where she's winding yarn

2006-05-11T14:28:00.000-07:00

We were chatting about winding skeins into balls on KnitTalk today, so I thought I would show you how I set it up. I hope you can see that I hang the skein around the arms of a willing rocking chair (having used up all my willing volunteers several years ago). I make a center pull ball as shown on the Knitting Help website. It is near the bottom of the page, but take your time getting there... there are lots of other useful and cool videos that you might learn a lot from! (No affiliation, I just like being able to watch the same video over and over--if I have to-- without annoying my knitter friends by asking them to show me something AGAIN and AGAIN and AGAIN!!

This is a skein of Goldilocks (or maybe curlylocks) from Fleece Artist that I got at the workshop I went to a few weeks ago. I think it is going to be a moebius scarf, but I just got my 60" addi turbo in the mail this week and now I have to wait for one of Cat Bordhi's books that I put on hold at the library where I work. Then I will be able to try it out. In the meantime, I wait, with addi at the ready and yarn balled...

The one with the cool boots!

2006-05-04T07:42:00.000-07:00

Not my words, but my niece's. For her 8th birthday I gave her a pair of Regia rubber boots (NAYY) and 4 or 5 pairs of self-striping socks. (The ones in the picture are Trekking, I think.) I didn't know that she really needed a pair of rubber boots, so her mom was pleased too.

And it's always nice to hear, "These are cool, AuntieLo!"

The one with the Danica scarf

2006-04-17T20:48:00.000-07:00

Well whaddya know... when I was sorting through my new pictures of my trip, I found the Danica scarf! I think it was still on the digital camera from before I finished it weeks ago (it is actually a FO now, not still OTN as in the pictures). So here it is in all its Red Heart glory! It was my first entrelac project, but I think I will do another one. Maybe a baby blanket using the same yarn? Wears like heck and I kinda like the colours :)

The one where she went to Newfoundland

2006-04-17T19:38:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! We went to Newfoundland for Easter!

I had an episode of corneal erosion, and spent way more time with doctors than I did with family :(

I am feeling much better now, although discouraged, but pleased to report that I got the purty Easter socks finished on the flight home, which was a feat in itself, as most flights out of St. John's were cancelled due to fog. We had arranged to be dropped off at the airport about 5 hours earlier than we needed to be, so the parents could drive the 5-hour drive home (in fog) during daylight hours. That allowed us to get our names on standby on an earlier flight that DID get out, albeit without our luggage, so we are HOME. And ta da... a picture of the Easter socks (my first with Opal sock yarn):

And in case you have never been to Newfoundland in April, a picture of the spousal unit for you to enjoy (!?):

And my first visit to Cape Spear, the most easterly point of land in North America:

I really need to plan a longer visit!

The one with the springs.

2006-03-30T11:38:00.000-08:00

Spring has arrived in the Annapolis Valley! It is beautiful, warm, and sunny, the tulips are up and the crocuses are in bloom.

Yayyy!

Don't forget to change your clocks this weekend.

The one with the baby alpaca yarn.

2006-03-22T11:09:00.000-08:00

I am in love with misti alpaca lace weight. I bought a skein on Monday. I have always bought yarn for a specific project, but this time it was the yarn, calling my name. I don't know what to knit yet, but I can't stop thinking about it. Like when I was in high school, and that new guy came to our little rural school; couldn't stop thinking about him, either...

And now I know what people are talking about when the can't resist petting their yarn. It is so soft! It's a creamy yellowy buttery colour, not at all pastel. I think it is going to be a scarf when it grows up. I am sure I want it next to my skin. Again, like that new guy in high school...

Mmmmmm.

The one where she is blue :(

2006-03-18T10:51:00.000-08:00

BLUE

You give your love and friendship unconditionaly. You enjoy long, thoughtful conversations rich in philosophy and spirituality. You are very loyal and intuitive.

Find out your color at Quiz Me!

So, I am blue... what are you?

The Gold Medal!

2006-03-09T13:19:00.000-08:00

I was so excited to finish my Olympic socks (see previous posts) I forgot to pick up my medal! Here it is for you all to see..

Ta da!

"O Canada, Our home and native land..."

The one where she's on stage

2006-03-05T06:19:00.000-08:00

WOW!

That sums up my past week nicely! Our local women's community theatre group (Women of Wolfville, or WOW) just completed our 2006 production, called "Matriarchives: Women in Our Past". I promised I would post a few pictures from the show... of course, because I was on stage I only got a few from after the show was over. Last night the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia, The Honourable Myra A. Freeman, was in attendance with her entourage, so there a couple of photos of her presenting a nice little memento to our group.

Our finale was a beautiful song by Clary Croft, a local singer/songwriter/historian called "Still the Song Lives On"... we all carried a b&w photo of a woman in our past, as we sang "...though the singer's gone, still the song lives on." Then we placed our photos on the stage as we exited through the audience. It was loverly (if I do say so myself). We did 3 shows, with a total of about 1100-1200 people in the audience over 3 nights, and all the profits go to support 5 different charities that help women (4 in Africa and 1 local).

What an honour to be a part of this group! This was our 5th production, my 4th year being involved, and next year I am going to shadow the Stage Manager and begin to learn a bit of that side of the production. It is so much FUN!

Click on any of the photos to see a larger image.

The one with the Gold Medal Socks!

2006-02-26T10:30:00.000-08:00

I have renamed these "Aran Sandal Socks" as my "Gold Medal Socks" and I loved the pattern so much I am designing my first real knitting pattern using one of the cables in the socks as an inspiration for the backs of a pair of mittens. I knit the socks using Briggs & Lttle sport weight yarn, 100% wool, and they will be a gift for my brother-in-law, who, after spending 2 years in Australia, is now cutting lumber in the woods of Nova Scotia in the middle of winter... mild as this winter has been, it is still a far cry from Sydney, Australia in February!

(If you click on the picture, you can see the details a little better)

The one with the Christmas outfit

2006-01-24T16:30:00.000-08:00

A belated picture, but I just got this today. It's my beloved neice Julie, wearing her Christmas knits from AuntieLo. She spent the last 2 years in Australia, and returned to Canada only 10 days before Christmas, so I just had to knit her some winterwear, didn't I?

She got a matching poncho (see earlier post about the curling edge), reversible hat, mittens, scarf-sized clapotis, and a "Noseworthy Nosewarmer"... a complete ensemble!

Enjoy, Julie!

The one where she joins the Olympics

2006-01-24T16:10:00.000-08:00

Yes, you read it right, I have signed up to be on Team Canada at the 2006 Winter Knitting Olympics!

I have a couple of neat little logos, that I just can't seem to get onto my sidebar, but there are also links over to the left if you are looking for more information.

My event will be the Aran Sandal Sock. Now I just have to swwatch and I'll be ready to go!

Go Team Canada!

The one with the earflap hat

2006-01-23T09:15:00.000-08:00

Finally, here's a picture of the earflap hat that was giving me trouble. I made it the same size as I usually make hats, with the same needles and the same yarn, but for some reason, it was too big. I tried felting it a bit, without success... until I pleaded for help from my knit-friends. The results seemed to indicate that I just needed to run it through a few more tims, which I did, and after a total of 4 hot/cold washes , I got what I wanted: a slightly felted cap that fits!

Thanks all!

(Son # 2 took the picture. You can't see them, but there are braids on the ends of the ear flaps.)

The one where she returns

2006-01-22T09:33:00.000-08:00

I am here, and alive and well. I knew that I had been neglecting the blog, but I didn't realize it was THAT long ago!

The weather in Nova Scotia has been particularly unusual this year. We had more than the usual amount of snow for Christmas (Yayy!) and well under the usual amount for January (again, yayy!). As a matter of fact, there is NO snow now. Son #2 celebrated his birthday yeaterday, with 11 degrees Celcius... unheard of!

I have recovered from the eye surgery thing, although it was slower progress than I had hoped for. It took me almost 6 weeks to re-read Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire; wayyyyy longer than the first time! I am now just settling in with Sylvanus Now by Donna Morrissey, and it is wonderful!

At the library where I work we are now planning for our 3rd annual Library Sleepover. It is loads of fun, and this year the signup list was full only one week from announcing it. It has been hailed as "the social event of the season" by some returning socialites! Check out the details at www.valleylibrary.ca

And knitting... oh yeah... I knit myself a Midnight Express Vest that I can't stand. Guess I'll frog it and try something else, and meanwhile, I will stick with socks. I haven't enrolled yet, but for the knitting Olympics (see the yarn harlot's blog for more details www.yarnharlot.ca/blog ) I will attempt Aran Sandal Socks from the book Socks!Socks!Socks! (which I borrowed from the library, of course).

So, have a nice day everyone!

The one with lots of snow

2005-12-10T08:08:00.000-08:00

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Contrary to popular belief, Canada is not just a land of snow and ice, and when it's only 2 weeks until Christmas we do like to see some of that white stuff. However, this is TOO MUCH! Fortunately/unfortunately, the weather forecast for our neck of the woods calls for +7 degrees and rain for tomorrow, so it may not last long. Me, I have a few days off before a hectic week of eye surgery and Christmas Concert mania, so when it stormed last evening (with multiple power outages) I didn't mind spending the evening in, reading picture books aloud and playing card games with three teenage boys. Besides, they happily BBQ-ed in the storm!

I hope there is snow on the ground and not in the air for Tuesday, when my sister and her family arrive home. They have spent 2 years studying in Sydney, Australia, and almost 9 year old Colin has missed the snow... too bad he isn't here today! I have been busily scrounging up winterwear for the kids, and I get to drive to the airport (70 min. east of here) and fetch them, and drop them off at their home (50 min. west of here), then scoot home before dark to prepare for a trip to the city for the laser thingy the next morning. Lots of driving time, so pray for clear roads for us this week.

Gotta go, I hear a Christmas cookie recipe calling me...
Fa la la la la...

The one with the boy knitting

2005-12-03T10:50:00.000-08:00

I had the greatest time out shopping with my 19 year old son today! First we hit a local discount store that carries mostly quilting supplies, but also Briggs & Little yarn and seconds from Pot of Gold chocolates. We went there to pick up yarn for a requested green and yellow hat and mitt set, and left with 2 tubs of chocolates, too. (Surprised? Nah...) The cool thing was, the kid picked out yarn to make him some winter socks, and I think he's going to knit them for himself! So far his knitting forays have consisted of a humongous i-cord and a larger tube knit on a circular needle, so this will involve a bit more work on his part. I guess we'll have to wait and see what happens.

Then, we went to a LYS (definitely NOT a discount store, this place!). I've been wearing my clapotis every day, everywhere I go, ever since I finished it. I walked in the door, and one of the salespeople rushed over to me, asked if this was a "how do you pronounce it" and whisked it off my neck and away to show others! She said it was the first time she has seen one In Real Life, and she thought it was beautiful... I wasn't sure if my head would fit through the door on the way out! She made my day :~)

So off to do more Chirstmas knitting. Clapotis #3 is OTN for MIL, this one in a wool/acrylic blend. It's in a blend of colours called sand castle, and I think it is turning out quite nicely. Hopefully it will be done in time for Canada Post to get it to her for Christmas.

The one where she says "Thanks!"

2005-11-24T19:30:00.000-08:00

A big thank you to all my knit pals who took the time to share your wisdom with me regarding the curling hem. I have weighted it down by adding the fringe and it is behaving much better now. I have completed a matching reversible hat, and have finished one mitten of a pair. I think I have enough yarn left to make a mini-clapotis to match... it will be a complete 'ensemble' for my niece for Christmas :)

The one where she needs help

2005-11-19T09:21:00.000-08:00

I can't believe this week has gone by so fast.

I need help! I have created this lovely poncho for my DNeice, loosely following yarn harlot's pattern and for some reason the hem is curling up. You can see it a little in the picture, but the more it is 'worn' the more obvious it is. Maybe because I used 2 strands of worsted weight? Anyhow, I have knit 2 rounds of garter stitch and that helps some, but I wonder if there is anything else I can do now that it is bound off? I thought about adding a crocheted border, but I'm not sure what stitch would work. I do want to add a fringe, too, but right now if I fringe, it just curls up, too, and looks even worse! Any suggestions will be considered. TIA!

New lesson learned.

2005-11-11T18:11:00.000-08:00

When writing a blog entry, use "Ctrl + D"... I just lost a long post :(

My vision has been really blurry for the past few months, and it's getting really tiresome. I have had recurrent corneal erosions for nearly 5 years, and am scheduled for laser treatment later this month. I will be SO glad if my vision improves even just a little bit. I have come to realize that I am a very visual person; I work in a public library (shelve books, answer reference questions, read stories), I love to read, knit, and watch ~~Desperate Housewives~~ television, and I publish the weekly church newsletter/bulletin--all of which are very visual activities. It will be nice to see clearly again.

I am wanting to knit a sweater for *me*. I hate to admit what size I really have to make it in order for it to fit, but the wanting is winning out over the size issue. And Cinxia is already available in my size! Now to choose a yarn and a colour...

I just finished another Clapotis. This one is more a scarf... longer and narrower than the pattern calls for, and is 100% Red Heart acrylic -- very user-friendly. I think it will be just right for my friend. Picture will follow when I remember.

November 11 - Lest we forget.

"My Stash" by Lori

2005-11-10T13:11:00.000-08:00

This is the story of my stash. My stash is not a big stash because big stashes cost lots and lots of money and I don't have that. But someday my DH will graduate from college and I hope he will get a job so he can by me a stash. I like stashes and I wish I had one. That is the story of my stash.

by Lori, age 42

Submitted to The Carnival of Knitting

My clapotis :)

2005-11-06T17:58:00.000-08:00

I have been obsessed with this pattern since I first saw it months ago, and decided that *this* was what I wanted to make for ME. It was my first yarn splurge, and the yarn was a gift from my unemployed student husband... a wonderful birthday gift! The yarn looked less pink, more red when I bought it, but I still like it. The pattern had a couple of new techniques, and a new stitch for me to learn (pfb) but otherwise was easy to use and I will definitely make another one of these!

It didn't work :(

2005-10-26T16:16:00.000-07:00

But he's such a cutie, here's a pic anyway!

I wonder if this will work?

2005-10-26T16:11:00.000-07:00

I want to send a video clip of my great-nephew to my sister in Australia. I don't want to clog her dial-up connection, so I am going to see if I can post it here.

*Fingers crossed!*

Nude or Naked?

2005-10-20T10:00:00.000-07:00

I have had the pleasure of being part of a wonderful group of women known as the "Women of Wolfville", or WOW, for short. We have done several annual theatre productions for charity, and have just published a calendar for 2006. I was thrilled to have one of my photos chosen to be in the calendar!

These are the hands of Hannah and Aberash, two 11-year-old sisters from our community.

For more information about WOW, visit http://www.wow.daysend.ca/

The first post...

2005-10-20T09:48:00.000-07:00

hopefully not the Last Post!