update

Well there is a contest at this site so go have a look.
http://janevdoviak.blogspot.com

Well what have I been doing. Last week I went knitting Wednesday and Thursday ........... my DD Jill says all her friends think I am crazy because I belong to a sock knitting group....... Now if that makes me crazy there is a whole lot of you out there who are crazy as well.........LOL.
KNITTING
I have finished a bookmark, the boring socks (thank goodness), a scarf, and an afghan square. Yesterday I found another UFO ; a green and white tank top. I have to finish DD , Cory's Christmas purse, Shelby's sweater for Christmas, socks for Bill, and a few more wash cloths.

QUILTING
I need to finish quilting three quilts and bind a table runner. I started a new project last Tuesday ..........I know, I know , I am supposed to be working on UFOs but this was a two day course to make a 'Twisted Bear Paw". I cut and pieced most of it on the Tuesday and then discovered that what I thought was 1/4 foot wasn't ......*(&(&$%^$?*# ............ so NOTHING and I mean NOTHING fit together. Last night I spent the evening reverse sewing and today I sewed about half of it back together again. Tomorrow morning I will do some more sewing before Molly and I go for lunch and shopping.
Oh yes last Friday I went quilting with the gals for the day ...........DH didn't even phone to say I need you to come home early like he has the last two times.

TO COME
Tomorrow night is the 'Weavers and Spinners Guild meeting, Wednesday is 'Sock Knitting, 'Thursday I could go to Knitopia but don't think I will as I am supposed to quilt Friday with the gals, Saturday and Sunday a group of us have been invited to Jocelyn's to quilt for the weekend. I may just get all those quilts done after all.

P.S. There are no photos because I need new batteries for my camera. Bill says he is going to get me a charger but I think I may go get it myself as I need it now.

Bear paw wash cloth

This is a wash cloth pattern I designed for the Yahoo Monthly Dish cloth KAL.



Materials: one ball of Bernat Cottontots -100% cotton

Needles: 4.5mm = 7 US

Pattern is a multiple of 23 + selv.

Note: on the first row place a marker after the first repeat as this marks the beginning of the next repeat. Slip the marker on each row. I originally did this with a seed stitch border but changed it to a garter stitch border. There is no border at the beginning as the pattern makes a wavy edge .

Cast on 54 stitches

ROW 1: k4, *k2, (p4, k1) 3 times, p4, k2* twice, k4
ROW 2: k4, *p2, (k4, p1) 3 times, k4, p2* twice, k4
ROW 3: k4, *k1, yo, k1, p2, p2tog, (k1, p4) twice, k1, p2tog, p2, k1, yo, k1, * twice, k4
ROW 4: k4, p3, k3, (p1, k4) twice, p1, k3, p6, k3, (p1, k4) twice, p1, k3, p3, k4
ROW 5: k4, *k2, yo, k1, p3, k1, p2, p2tog, k1, p2tog, p2, k1, p3, k1, yo, k2,* twice, k4
ROW 6: k4, p4, (k3, p1) 3 times, k3, p8, (k3, p1) 3 times, k3, p4, k4
ROW 7: k4, *k3, yo, k1, p1, p2tog, (k1, p3) twice, k1, p2tog, p1, k1, yo, k3,* twice, k4
ROW 8: k4, *p5, k2, (p1, k3) twice, p1, k2, p5, * twice, k4
ROW 9: k4,* k4, yo, k1, p2, k1, p1, p2tog, k1, p2tog, p1, k1, p2, k1, yo, k4* twice, k4
ROW 10: k4, *p6, (k2, p1) 3 times, k2, p6,* twice, k4
ROW 11: k4, *k5, yo, k1, p2tog, (k1, p2) twice, k1, p2tog, k1, yo, k5, * twice, k4
ROW 12: k4, *p7, k1, (p1, k2) twice, p1, k1, ,p7* twice, k4
ROW 13: k4,* k6, yo, k1, p1, (k1, p2tog) twice, k1, p1, k1, yo, k6* twice, k4
ROW 14: k4,*p8, (k1, p1) four times, p7,* twice, k4
ROW 15: k4, *k2, (p4, k1) 3 times, p4, k2* twice, k4
ROW 16: k4, *p2, (k4, p1) 3 times, k4, p2* twice, k4
ROW 17: k4, *k1, yo, k1, p2, p2tog, (k1, p4) twice, k1, p2tog, p2, k1, yo, k1, * twice, k4
ROW 18: k4, p3, k3, (p1, k4) twice, p1, k3, p6, k3, (p1, k4) twice, p1, k3, p3, k4
ROW 19: k4, *k2, yo, k1, p3, k1, p2, p2tog, k1, p2tog, p2, k1, p3, k1, yo, k2,* twice, k4
ROW 20: k4, p4, (k3, p1) 3 times, k3, p8, (k3, p1) 3 times, k3, p4, k4
ROW 21: k4, *k3, yo, k1, p1, p2tog, (k1, p3 ) twice, k1, p2tog, p1, k1, yo, k3,* twice, k4
ROW 22: k4, *p5, k2, (p1, k3) twice, p1, k2, p5, * twice, k4
ROW 23: k4,* k4, yo, k1, p2, k1, p1, p2tog, k1, p2tog, p1, k1, p2, k1, yo, k4* twice, k4
ROW 24: k4, *p6, (k2, p1) 3 times, k2, p6,* twice, k4
ROW 25: k4, *k5, yo, k1, p2tog, (k1, p2) twice, k1, p2tog, k1, yo, k5, * twice, k4
ROW 26: k4, *p7, k1, (p1, k2) twice, p1, k1, ,p7* twice, k4
ROW 27: k4,* k6, yo, k1, p1, (k1, p2tog) twice, k1, p1, k1, yo, k6* twice, k4
ROW 28: k4,*p8, (k1, p1) four times, p7,* twice, k4
ROW 29: k4, *k2, (p4, k1) 3 times, p4, k2* twice, k4
ROW 30: k4, *p2, (k4, p1) 3 times, k4, p2* twice, k4
ROW 31: k4, *k1, yo, k1, p2, p2tog, (k1, p4) twice, k1, p2tog, p2, k1, yo, k1, * twice,k4
ROW 32: k4, p3, k3, (p1, k4) twice, p1, k3, p6, k3, (p1, k4) twice, p1, k3, p3, k4
ROW 33: k4, *k2, yo, k1, p3, k1, p2, p2tog, k1, p2tog, p2, k1, p3, k1, yo, k2,* twice, k4
ROW 34: k4, p4, (k3, p1) 3 times, k3, p8, (k3, p1) 3 times, k3, p4, k4
ROW 35: k4, *k3, yo, k1, p1, p2tog, (k1, p3 ) twice, k1, p2tog, p1, k1, yo, k3,* twice, k4
ROW 36: k4, *p5, k2, (p1, k3) twice, p1, k2, p5, * twice, k4
ROW 37: k4,* k4, yo, k1, p2, k1, p1, p2tog, k1, p2tog, p1, k1, p2, k1, yo, k4* twice, k4
ROW 38: k4, *p6, (k2, p1) 3 times, k2, p6,* twice, k4
ROW 39: k4, *k5, yo, k1, p2tog, (k1, p2) twice, k1, p2tog, k1, yo, k5, * twice, k4
ROW 40: k4, *p7, k1, (p1, k2) twice, p1, k1, ,p7* twice, k4
ROW 41: k4,* k6, yo, k1, p1, (k1, p2tog) twice, k1, p1, k1, yo, k6* twice, k4
ROW 42: k4,*p8, (k1, p1) four times, p7,* twice, k4
ROW 43: k1, p1, k1, p1, *k2, (p4, k1) 3 times, p4, k2* twice, k4
ROW 44: k4, *p2, (k4, p1) 3 times, k4, p2* twice, k4
ROW 45: k4, *k1, yo, k1, p2, p2tog, (k1, p4) twice, k1, p2tog, p2, k1, yo, k1, * twice, k4
ROW 46: k4, p3, k3, (p1, k4) twice, p1, k3, p6, k3, (p1, k4) twice, p1, k3, p3, k4
ROW 47: k4, *k2, yo, k1, p3, k1, p2, p2tog, k1, p2tog, p2, k1, p3, k1, yo, k2,* twice, k4
ROW 48: k4, p4, (k3, p1) 3 times, k3, p8, (k3, p1) 3 times, k3, p4, k4
ROW 49: k4, *k3, yo, k1, p1, p2tog, (k1, p3 ) twice, k1, p2tog, p1, k1, yo, k3,* twice, k4
ROW 50: k4, *p5, k2, (p1, k3) twice, p1, k2, p5, * twice, k4
ROW 51: k4,* k4, yo, k1, p2, k1, p1, p2tog, k1, p2tog, p1, k1, p2, k1, yo, k4* twice, k4
ROW 52: k4, *p6, (k2, p1) 3 times, k2, p6,* twice, k4
ROW 53: k4, *k5, yo, k1, p2tog, (k1, p2) twice, k1, p2tog, k1, yo, k5, * twice, k4
ROW 54: k4, *p7, k1, (p1, k2) twice, p1, k1, ,p7* twice, k4
ROW 55: k4,* k6, yo, k1, p1, (k1, p2tog) twice, k1, p1, k1, yo, k6* twice, k4
ROW 56: k4,*p8, (k1, p1) four times, p7,* twice, k4.
ROW 57:k4 (k1, p1)3X, k2tog, (p1, k1)10X, p1, k2tog, (p1, k1)3X, p1, k2tog, (p1, k1)3X ,k4 (51 sts)
ROW 58:Knit
ROW 59: knit
ROW 60: knit
Bind off

Copywrite Karen Bonter
Pattern from "1500 patterns Mon Tricot"

Knitting bags etc......

Here are some of my knitting bags that usually hold socks or other small knitting projects.

Well the last two weeks have been very busy. Nov.1st I made two ........ yes.... 2 trips to Langley. I went over in the morning to pick up Bill's cheque and drop off his invoices................. but He forgot to give me the invoices. Apparently the invoices had to be there that day so I agreed to take them before I went knitting at the LYS. I told him he was on his own for dinner as I was going over early to miss the rush hour traffic. Had a lovely afternoon shopping........ after I dropped the invoices off ................. found some older Handwoven Magazines in the Value Village. Went out to dinner with myself.......... enjoyed the company. Then it was knitting night at Knitopia so I meet Gail and Sharon there. Worked on the boring socks and my bright socks. I bought some wild yarn for socks for me ............ it was just calling and calling my name all evening ............I held out as long as I could ....... I really did .......... but finally had to give in and buy it.
Thursday Bill picked up his new truck....2006 red dodge pick up, crew cab, short box, 4X4, 6 cylinder gas engine........ don't remember the rest of the information.
Friday .... quilting with the Jackie, Ellen and Helen at a 'Great Notion' in Abbotsford.
Saturday , I don't recall what I did....... nothing terrible exciting.
Sunday I started to go to the Guild sale to Demo spinning but my car started heating up. I just reached the outskirts of Maple Ridge and had to let it cool off before I could turn around and go home. The fan motor had quit.............. darn darn darn no guild sale , no spinning.............. well that is not entirely true . I did some spinning at home ............ bright pink merino.
Monday and Tuesday were not terrible exciting. Wednesday night was sock knitting at the Cafe/pool hall with Sharon , Gail, Laura and Kathy.
Thursday I went on a trip with Bill. He had an ' Over-length Load' to escort to the BC / Alta border. Packed clothes, pills, books, sandwiches and knitting to take. Forgot to take our pillows. The ones in the motel were very soft, very small and very, very flat. We meet the truck at the US border and followed him to Merritt. Went to bed at 11:00 when we got in and got up at 6:00 . The load was so heavy he was only able to do 20 km going up some of the hills.
On the road at 7:00 and drove to Blue River........... gassed up the truck, had a pee break, back in the trucks and off again ........... 1:59 p.m. we arrived at the border ......... Trucker signed the invoice ....... Bill puts the sign on the truck down ..... we turn around and head for home. One thing about the trip home is we could stop for a pee break any time we wanted.
It is unbelievable what some drivers will do. This one car thought the trucker should give way to him when he wanted on the highway. Now this truck we travelled with was somewhere between 96 and 115 feet long. The load was a transformer but I don't know how much it weighted other than an awful lot. One fool pasted us on a double solid line on a curve.............. brainless. Enough of this. We arrived home at 1:00a.m. and I went to bed. DH said he had to unwind a bit so he watched TV for a while.
Today I paid for my quilting course and went to the wool shop to drool. Had a visit with Ann and bought a ball of "Opal" yarn that was on sale................. yes I know I didn't really need it but I really wwwwwwwaaaaaannnnted it............... So much yarn so little money. LOL ................ like I don't have a trunk full of hand-spun and 4 or 5 good size boxes of commercial yarn. I need to photograph all of it for Ravelry.
.
My bright socks are now finished and the boring ones are close to finished.

Molly and I

Today I went to lunch and spent the afternoon with my friend Molly. She bought lunch as she said I bought last time. I don't remember that but have marked it in the calendar that next time I get to buy lunch. After lunch we went to the Dollar Giant and I bought stuff to make stitch markers, hair elastics and glue sticks .................. exciting ................ then we went to the Value village. Molly was looking for pants and I was just looking. I found 1 bag for sock knitting (.99) and 22 balls of bright pink wool crepe yarn ($14.00). Will post photos tomorrow. By the way there are rules for buying sock knitting bags: they must be see through and cost under $1.00. I have several and will try to post photos tomorrow. I just don't feel like doing it tonight. Molly bought two vests and one pair of pants so we had a successful day. Went back to my house for tea and then Molly went home about 6:30.
All in all it was a lovely day.

wednesday night knitters

"She who will not be noticed" (aka Spinquilt) at Wednesday night spinning group. There were 5 of us knitting at the pool hall. Good coffee, good lighting and good company. I worked on my socks as I just couldn't do the boring socks tonight. I think I am going to turn the heels on the boring socks with bright yellow................ just to put a little interest in the socks ................. it won't show when he has his shoes on. I have to do something ..........I mean look at these socks..............there is my lovely socks on the left and on the right we have.......................................BORING

Trying to quilt

Well we had a nice weekend on the Island visiting Bill's Mum and her boyfriend. We arrived Friday night and left Sunday after lunch. It RAINED the entire weekend and I didn't even get to go to the Loom, which is one of my favorite fibre shops. We did have a very nice visit though and really that is what is important.
Sharon phoned to tell me that Knitopia has sock yarn on sale..............WWWHHAHAA............... I have no money until the end of the month.
Today I was going quilting at "A Great Notion "with Jackie and Ellen. They drop me off and go for their pedacure appointments at 11:00. I have my lunch, figure Jackie and Ellen have gone for lunch as it is almost 1:00 and they are till not back. I am happily sewing when Bill phones to say he needs to pick me up to sign some papers. Jackie and Ellen arrive back at 12:55. The ladies in the shop tell them I have left, my DH came and picked me up. ( Hadn't really happened yet but they figured to give Jackie a bad time) Jackie says "She must have been really p'd at us." Then they come in the class room and there I am. I did tell them that I was leaving. DH didn't arrive until after 2:00....................I should have known................He can't go from A to B without a stop somewhere.
Anyway that was the end of my sewing day. Now I am home, time to make supper, do some spinning and a little knitting. Don't know whether I will work on my very colourful socks for me or the very large, very , very, very boring socks for my friend. He only wears neutral colours and I like 'in your face colours'. Maybe I will do a cable or something in the leg part of the sock as I am knitting them from the toe up.................... anything to make them less BORING.
I have 8 envelops containing siggy blocks to mail out so here is hoping they don't adhere to the inside of my purse and disappear for months.
Well I guess I should make some dinner ................. what to make!! what to make????? ............... this is always the difficult part of making meals.

retreats

Well I haven't reported about the fun at the quilting retreat or the lack of fun with a sinus infection or the fun at the spinning retreat so here goes.




Thursday, Sept.11th, Jocelyn, Jill and I loaded my little Honda wagon with 2 sewing machines, two irons, one ironing board , two office chairs, two suitcases, cutting mats and rulers, table extension, 2 bottles of wine ,1 bottle of Carolines, 1 bottle of Fireball , makings for tea and coffee, table raisers, 2 quilting tool boxes, 1 box of donuts, 1 box of home made muffins, 2 project bags plus 3 people with large purses. Headed out to Rosemary Heights, stopped for lunch at a Mexican Restaurant, then drove to the retreat and unloaded all the above mentioned items. My daughter , Jill, who was taking my car for the weekend was heard to say "Dad can pick them up. I am not loading all the stuff again." Guess who got to pick us up and help load stuff??? Mind you she didn't have to load the alcohol or the food but we did have Shelby this time so there were 4 of us in the car.
I can't believe it..... no photos of the quilting retreat. Hopefully Lisa and Tracey will share theirs with me. I have been falling down in the photo department lately .................. badly......... I need to get battery charger and batteries.
I made a table runner that now needs quilting, did some siggy blocks, put borders on my sons quilt, sandwiched my daughters' quilts, started a pumpkin quilt .................. Yes I know I said I wasn't going to start any new projects but I DON'T have an Oct. wall hanging,....... I DIDN'T have a pattern for it,......... had to RELY ON MY MEMORY of a quilt I saw in a shop ........ ALL THE FABRICS CAME OUT OF MY STASH...... Who would think I would have 9 different orange fabrics and it is not even close to my favorite colour.......................... Is that enough justification for starting a new project?????????????.......... if not how about I made the rule about no new projects so I changed the rule to read 'no new projects except the Oct. wall hanging'. You always need to ask "Who made that rule?"
We all had a great time and got many things done. Lisa double booked herself again so only stayed Thursday night and morning. Margaret had things happening in her life so was only able to come for Saturday. Those two need to get things better organized as I really miss not seeing them. All told we had 11 people and a great time. Lots of food, quilting, show and tell, and laughter. I had 2 finished UFOs to show.
You really need to try what Inge calls "Fruit" ......................... we all got our share of 'Fruit" on this retreat . Fruit= home made blackberry liqueur. WOW is that yummy............... we told her just to bring fruit next retreat........never mind the snacks.
Home on the Sunday and boy was I tired.

Monday morning woke with a head ache........... after 3 days of this headache I went to the Doc as I was beginning to think I had a sinus infection. I was RIGHT ............ antibiotics and nasal spray..... for 2 weeks. Told him I had to be better for the spinning retreat.
Monday, October 8th, Thanksgiving dinner was at my daughters as she likes to cook and I am getting tired of doing all the big family gatherings. We had a great time and wonderful food.................... Turkey, stuffing , gravy, mashed potatoes, yams, broccoli, carrots, corn , brussel sprouts, ambrosia salad, cabbage salad, home made cranberry sauce, buns, cornbread , apple and pumpkin pies...................... great meal.

Tuesday, Oct 9th.......... Guild spin-in at Knitopia's new shop in Langley ................ lots of lovely yarn but Lynn wouldn't let us buy anything as the store was closed. We were only there for spinning. We have several vendors in our guild so she was not going to take advantage of a captive audience by selling anything. Now I have a good reason to go back .......... LOL ........ do I really need a reason to go to a wool or fabric shop .............................. Not.
Again I didn't take any photos.

Spinning retreat, Oct. 12th .......... Friday morning Gail and Sharon stop by to pick me up. We load my spinning chair and wheel, bag containing fibre, kniddy-knoddy, and ball winder, suitcase and large purse with books, sock knitting, and scarf yarn. Spinning retreats don't require as much baggage as quilting retreats ......................Thank goodness. Part way to Cache Creek we open the lunch that Gail made (we originally were supposed to each bring our own lunch)........................ egg sandwiches, brownies, apples and bottles water. It is so nice to be spoilt. We arrive at the retreat and unload our things.... get settled in our rooms and go to the spinning room. Lots of hugs from people I haven't seen in ages. So nice to see every one.
I am spinning some multicoloured turquoisey fibre bought at last years retreat and some silk I had dyed green two years ago.
Every once in a while I get up and walk around to chat and see what every one else is doing. I need to move every so often and I am nosey. Show and tell Friday night ............. WOW .............. what a talented group of people. I hope Gail or Lynne got photos of all the show and tell. What an inspiration all those projects were. Speaking of inspiration how about this for socks??




All socks were hand knit and most of them were hand-spun. That is me in the very bright skirt. Sheila has nick-named me "SHE WHO WILL NOT BE NOTICED". Everyone was given a free book donated by the family of a former spinner, plus there were magazines for the taking. Saturday we did the gift exchange. I received some bright pink wool and a drop spindle. I am going to make the wool into a cushion for my spinning chair.
We had 4 vendors.............................. with a lot of yummy fibery things. I was very tempted by a lot of things but only purchased a small amount of dyed mohair locks and some fuschia pink mohair to go with the turquoise I was spinning to brighten it up.
I need to take some photos of my spinning to post here.*

Sunday after lunch we have to pack up and go home. I could have used one more day but ................. now I will look forward to the next retreat.
The food was delicious. What a weekend full of eating , spinning , talking and Laughing.