Blog, Ravelry? Ravelry, Blog?

Here's some random thoughts about blogging and Ravelry-haunting.

• I hate using Flickr to put up pictures on Ravelry, so several projects have never made it there.
• I really like looking at other people's projects, finished and in-progress, on Ravelry.
• Hmm.
  
• I find it disappointing that everyone makes the same dang thing. My one project that has attracted the most attention is Kiri, one of the most popular shawls around.
• I like to join groups, but rarely go back to see what's happening. The one group thread I love to read is the one about spotting other knitters on the Toronto Transit. Except that there's now someone making too many stupid comments...
• I like blogging because I can ramble on like this and not worry about what thread it should be in!
• Also I like to read other people's blogs about their lives and their knitting, rather than just look at a picture of their finished work on Rav.
• I find Ravelry useful as a tool, but don't contribute enough to be very useful myself. Maybe I should just stick with that and not worry about posting my own stuff there.
  
  

And then it begins to get silly. I'll just go sweep my floor now, and then take my knitting on the subway to see in anyone spots me!

Revving up for Project Spectrum

Once again, it's time (almost) for Project Spectrum. I had a good time with it the first year, but have not got super involved since then. This time, there are two-month time slots, with one main colour, and lots of other jumping-off ideas. Lolly tells you all about it here. Or you could read the Ravelry group.

March and April are green; here's the whole enchilada:

NORTH (March/April)
Color: Green
Material: Stones/Gems/Rocks
Season: Winter
Element: Earth

I have a ton of green projects on the go, as it (often) happens. And one is even for me!

I have the green socks. These are lovely, and I'm on the foot, and am not ignoring them for any good reason. But they are not zooming, like I'd thought they would. As usual, I'm sure if I took them out of their pretty little bag and worked on them, the knitting would go faster!

I have an edge.


It will be the bottom edge of a vest, which I am clearly not going to have finished for Vestuary, another Ravelry bandwagon I got on. The only problem is this: First I have to knit this 30-stitch band long enough to go around my hips. Oh lordy, boring! And interminable, leading to the belief that I have infinitely large hips... If I ever accomplish this, I might just add stone or "gem" buttons, just you wait and see!

And I have a project-in-waiting: cotton for a dishcloth or two to be knit on the beach on my holiday!


Maybe in the next few days I'll tell you about the blue and the multicoloured projects I have lying around the house. And an update on the approach of spring -- nothing of note; we could be in November or December as far as I can see, except that a cardinal has been making a lot of noise in the morning around here.

Spring will someday come

It's the time of year when I begin to complain about the weather. I'll likely continue for some months before taking a break. It's an annual tradition, it seems.

This year I am collecting evidence.


Here we have the ravine near Arthur's school, taken Feb 17th. In another couple of weeks I'll try again. We'll have some whoop-de-do when greenness becomes visible, lemme tell you!

I often wonder about those first Europeans who came here, spent a lousy winter, and then more winter, and more and more! What kinda world had they come to?! Sheesh.

And the winner is...

Number 6!

Lessee, that's Woollywarbler! C'mon down!

I asked various people for random numbers in days gone by, and realized that's not a very good way to get a random number -- everyone picks from the middle. So ultimately I used Random.org. What fun!

I could have picked a comment on the basis of funniness, but who can choose between the pants like paint and the Vogue Knitting photo references? Aw, you're all winners in my book!

And coming up soon, some actual knitting.

A teaser

Thanks for the comments so far -- you still have a couple of days to enter the contest.

And just to give you a taste of what's at stake, here's a photo of the yarn you just might win!

Mmmmm.

Let's have a contest

A while ago I won something on a blog contest and said, Oooh, I never win anything! Well, this is not now true! I have won at least 3 things in recent memory! So, now it's time to have my own contest, so one of you can win something!

I told you about my "new" knitting book. Here we have the boy, the girl and the car. Leave me a comment telling me what's going on, and I shall pick a random winner.



What are they saying?

The winner will receive a total delight! I happen to have a skein of yarny goodness waiting just for you, and I will pick a winner next Monday, Feb 16th. Let's say at high noon, shall we?

Some joyful capers

I went to Value Village today. I often don't find what I'm looking for, but there are usually unexpected treats.

Today I got a few kids' books, and an old Spinnerin knitting book, full of pictures of the young and lovely enjoying the sporty life.

Is it me?


Love the monochrome look!

Today's accomplishment

Some people may not be impressed, but I must show you my perfect kitchen counter.


All the dishes are washed; the floor is swept; I made brownies and chicken stock today. You could even smell the excellence if you were here. Such the domestic goddess!

Time to plan a little

I've been generally running amok here lately, knitting-wise.

I had to run out yesterday to buy a 4.5 mm circular needle because my good one is stuck in a project and I just had to have another one for a knit-all-in-one-piece baby blanket. I did start it on straights, but they were very long, and murder-weapon pointy*. All very well, but not good for knitting on the bus!


This is another stashbusting project with cotton, cotton/wool, and silk, and I see that I might just run short, but I'll see what I can do.

I saw a friend the other day, all bundled up in a long down coat, and she reports that she is due to have a baby within weeks! See what happens when we all go into hibernation for months on end?

(Not only do people get pregnant, but months go by with no one noticing!) I'm wondering if I dare give her this multi-fibre, gentle-cold-wash blanket. Or should I just make a hat?

Whatever, so, baby blanket is project number 1.









Sock is number 2.


Denim cardigan, number 3, and perhaps the one I'll work on on Wednesdays.

I was going along so well with this, but now I'm sort of adrift, wondering what my plans had been for the patterns and so on. It needs a bit of concentration, and if I have a fun sock and a fun blanket, why would I concentrate on this?

Because I look forward to actually wearing it!? Yes!

As always, I reserve the right to change my mind entirely over the next month... I did sign up for Vest-uary on Ravelry, after all, so I maybe should make a vest!

Last but not least, I must show you what I got from Liz!

She had a contest, which I promptly entered. I didn't get any answers right, but my promptness won me this gorgeous soft shimmery bag, and some bejeweled stitch markers, made by Jan Eaton. I feel like I should put something dainty and precious in the bag, but as it is, I shoved my sock-in-progress in it when I went out yesterday.

*I've just finished a biography of Agatha Christie; I don't usually think of knitting needles as murder weapons.