Parents get sick, kids get sick, jobs get messy. Life gets messy. But all we can do is keep moving forward. Keep trying, keep praying and keep knitting. Thats for sure.

Well, I got a spanking new ipad2 as an incentive for a project deadline completion at work (yay) so now i have this funky ability to blog from the ipad and include pictures so I’m kinda stokked and trying it out.

My most recent knitterific adventure is a Sushi Fishy. I have wanted to do one of these for a long time.

He is a cute little fish …

Who becomes a Sushi Roll when you turn him inside out…

How cute is he?

Its been a whirlwind of a season for sure. I think the unnervingly mild temperatures and lack of snow (until yesterday that is!) meant that the season really just didnt feel like Christmas until it was right upon us. We have had a great holiday so far with lots of meet ups with friends and family and more than a few dinners and drinks with them all. The kids are happy, piled high with a new cache of loot to rifle through and Mamma is happy with a new camera lens and some new yarn. Daddy is always happy.

In keeping with our tradition I provided Bean with her annual pair of Birthday socks to open on the morning of her Birthday.

These are a morphed pattern using Lisas Toe up sock pattern and a chart from another pattern. Peeps I’m so lazy i’m not even taking the time to link the proper references but if your interested check my rav pages or msg me and I’ll shoot you the deets. I got them done literally right on the line as I was weaving in ends and wrapping them while she was having her morning breakfast. Then she tore them open and smirked with delight. Putting them on and not taking them off until three days later when her dad and I armed with a truckload of threats pealed them off her stinking feet. Thats love.

And I did manage to get a knitted gift off the needles for Rachel (although Rena is kindly modeling it here for me as this is pre christmas, and besides the teenager wont let me photograph her. Hrrmph)

Its ‘Through the Woods’ and its on Ravelry if you are so inclined to make one for yourself. It was a pretty quick knit and actually the darn button placket took the longest. But It looks great and this is truly one of those cases where the photos just dont do it justice.

I had a pair of Thrummed mittens I was hoping to finish for Bean for Christmas but that didnt quite happen so she will get them this week. See you soon with Thrums and more stories!

Happy Knitting

Socks first:

Only slightly better, its always tricky photographing your own feet. But they are done, they are soft, they have absolutely beautiful colors and they are for me!!

So I was cleaning up my little studio today and organizing all my Christmas knitting and putting all the required supplies together with the patterns (I have a plan to strategically place them in the spots around the house where I tend to settle for short periods of time, then I get more knitting done!!) And I came across an almost finished Hat for Rachel. Remember the Sheep hats i made last winter (Reminder here) Well i had intended to make one for each of us but stalled out as the weather improved. I had one almost done for Rachel so when I found it today, I dropped everything, knit up some sheep bobbles, whipped up some crochet cord and finished that puppy up.

WAHOOO, instant gratification.

I finished up my Trekking socks but dont have any usable photos to share… I took a blackberry photo but it was 10pm and really the photo sucked so I’m not sharing. I’ll get better photos on the weekend. I did take photos this morning of my progress on my two WIPS.

I have some new socks on the go, A pair of Nutkins and I’m actually using this pattern in order to test out the Knitting Companion App for my ipad. My good friend Rochelle Recommended I give it a try and so far I’m really liking it!

I’m also working on Through the Woods as a gift and its coming along nicely. I had some hold ups because the last two times I picked it up I apparently lost all ability to cable and talk at the same time which resulted in a ton of tinking.

Anyhow, carry on knitting peeps. The gift giving season is creeping!

Okay for everyone else who may be interested. This is Mr.M.

And Mr.M is very interested in doing business with you…

MONKEY BUSINESS!

He is a gorgeous little guy who is intended for a special little man turning 1. Our special little one year old is having a Monkey themed birthday party this weekend and when his mommy told me that, well I knew exactly what to do! The only challenge was in making the fantastic pattern for Molly Monkey into a more boy friendly version. Now you can purchase the boy version from MMM crafts, and i highly recommend that option. But when I sat down at the machine I had limited time and wasn’t really sure how long it would take to actually get the pattern in my hands so I forged ahead. I don’t think I did too badly at all! I’m thrilled with it actually, and I hope that a special little boy will be too.

I added some special touches, like our birthday boys name embroidered on Mr.Monkeys Backside. A bright red tie. And all parts securely hand stitched down to ensure its safe for a one year year little guy. Mr.M cant wait to get into the arms of his very own little boy.

Thoughts This week:

• Anybody have a magic cure for dandruff? because Head and shoulders sucks and I love to wear black
• I spent most of my weekend sewing, but I did get the heels done on my socks and up the leg now baby!
• I found the perfect pattern and then guess what happened? I HAD THE REQUIRED YARN IN MY STASH ALREADY, no seriously this has never happened to me, its awesome
• I am resisting casting on aforementioned pattern until I finish the socks

Still chugging along here, how about you?

• Today we closed our pool and it made me sad. Even though its too chilly to swim, its so nice to look at. Covered with a giant tarp…not so much
• On the weekend we had a birthday party here for my mom. It was a huge sucess and she was happy!
• Today I have an extra day off and it feels awesome to get some extra things done
• I dont know if its the swifty changing season, the start of the school year, or any number of other possibilities, alone or combined… but i’m on a re-organization and re-prioritization quest. Revisiting all my plans, calanders and to do lists
• This is what my desk looks like this morning. Coffee, yarn and papers everywhere!
• I just found two unfinished knitting projects i forget about!
• Today I am making true peace with the fact that its okay to fall short of yoru target, as long as you dont give up. Falling short doesnt mean failing… giving up does.

Happy Knitting, Crafting, living and Loving friends

Last weekend at the KW knitters fair I was also scouting for buttons. I had to find the perfect button for Rachels Ruffle Tie Shirt. She had said that she thought a big red button would be just the thing. I found something I thought might work and luckily, Rachel declared it perfect. I sewed it on and I now declare this project FINISHED!

My Socks:

My Shawl:

The colours here dont show it, but I just love how the sparkles play in this yarn. SO awesome. I really need to get this one off the needles soon, the cool weather is on our doorstep!