Ninja Snow

I woke up a little later than I was supposed to this morning (8:30 instead of 8am)  The only reason I woke up at all was because a friend had called about a series of errors (big and small, but mostly small) in a pattern she is both test-knitting and tech-editing for me.  The tech-editing is a much bigger deal than the test knitting.  I'm fairly confident that the pattern is mostly correct with maybe only one or two mistakes.  I'm knitting it myself from the pattern and I'm pretty decent at spotting my own mistakes.  But the tech-editing is where I get a giant FAIL sticker, so I was ecstatic when she started noticing all the little technical errors that keep the pattern from being (to quote another good friend) "awesomesauce".

As I was talking to her on the phone, I wandered around my bedroom and peeked out my curtain.  Lo and behold!!  It's snowing again!  This was awesome stealthy ninja snow.  The kind of snow you have no clue is happening until you peek out the window. 

I keep peeking to make sure it's still there and hasn't stopped yet.

As a side note, I've decided that as soon as I get the vacuuming done and the kitchen floor washed, I'm going to spend the rest of the day in front of the TV knitting.  I am planning on working on Mom's sweater for at least 3 hours today.  That should get me part way up the sleeves.  Maybe...just maybe I can trick myself into getting it done for Christmas.

Knitting things you're supposed to be knitting...

I suppose I could also call this post "Not knitting things you're supposed to be knitting".  Or maybe I could call it "One too many things to knit."  How about "I knew this would all turn on me one day."

First, I'm having a blast with this whole new world of design.  I've just had a second pattern proposal accepted, and the yarn should be en route pretty soon.  I will almost certainly not get it before Christmas.  That's just as well, and leads me to my second point.

I have officially taken on one project too many!!  I ought to feel terribly guilty, because projects that should be done are not being done in favour of other projects which really need to be done.  I haven't knit on my mother's sweater all month.  Instead, I've been worried about another project deadline that's been rapidly approaching.  Now I have test knitters working on this other project for me (God bless free test knitters who knit for your because they love you).  But I still need to get the project itself finished so that I can photograph it for the pattern.  No one wants to knit a pictureless pattern.  How will you know what you are knitting?

In addition to the knitting, though, I've been playing with my loom.  See that pretty picture?  That's what I've been doing when I've been hiding from the knitting.  I need to stop doing that and get on with my knitting.  I desperately wanted to have my mother's sweater done for Christmas.  As it stands, I'm two sleeves away from finishing it, and since the sleeves are primarily tiny-gauge stockinette, that is NOT happening.  I love my mom, but she'll be really lucky to have this sweater for Mother's Day.  I have a February 15 deadline, a May-ish deadline, an August-ish deadline, and an October-ish deadline.  This is in addition to the new Men's sweater vest that I'm creating, which takes a certain amount of priority on account of it being a source of income for me.  I'm thinking that having the vest done for September-ish will be good.  My mom is pretty forgiving, but I know this isn't improving my reputation as the girl with her head in a million places at once who doesn't finish things.

So where is the one-project too many?  A set of dishclothes that I really want to weave for my mother in law because she asked for them last year and weaving is so relaxing when your knitting makes you crazy.  Maybe I can do two for her for Mother's day 2011.  They are just a weekend project.  But I just don't think I can handle having them done for Christmas.

Let's just forget about the spinning for now, and I'm officially dropping out of the Phat Fiber boxes.  I just have way too much on my plate to try keep my fingers in all the pies.

I'm starting to doubt my theory that knitting is good therapy for people with ADD.

Snow!

Ah-ha!!!  The snow has started falling...and falling and falling!  This makes me pretty happy.  Hopefully I'll have a good picture of it tomorrow.  :)

Merry Christmas. Where's my snow?

I am a bitter old woman.  I don't think there is any way around admitting that.  I'm very bitter.

At the moment, my bitterness is twofold.
First, a BIIIIIIIIIIGGGGG (!!!!) winter storm is supposed to be attacking Ontario and Quebec today.  Loads of heavy snow.  Blizzards.  Whiteouts!  Snow Squalls!!

Except in my area, where warm air is causing not snow, but rain.

WHY IS IT RAINING?!?!  Christmas is in 2 weeks less a day.  I feel I have been more than patient with the weather.  Tomorrow, we've been warned to expect an arctic blast.  So we will get plenty of ice when all this rain freezes.  I feel more strongly than ever that I'm being seriously ripped off this winter.  Just like last winter.

I think I need to move back to Newfoundland.  I do love a good heavy snow.  Honestly.  I even like shovelling.  I'm really, really weird that way.

On top of this, I got a very exciting delivery yesterday.  My husband ordered me the double treadle kit for my Ashford Traditional spinning wheel.  It's a Christmas present.  I knew it would come before Christmas, though.  So I was hoping to be able to put it to some use before December 25. 

Apparently not.  Apparently being a Christmas gift means that it must stay under the Christmas tree until December 25.  Does H not know me AT ALL??  It sits there, pristine in it's Canada Post box.  Staring at me!  I gaze longingly at it, knowing it's there, unable to touch it at all.

Who knew that seeing your gift under the tree could be so effective in creating that childlike anticipation of Christmas morning.  ...If I make it till Christmas morning, that is.

Dorothy: a little loom

Sometimes, when I know I shouldn't, I like to troll Kijiji for killer deals.  I especially like the sort of deal where you get lots and lots of stuff for not very much money.

Such a deal was found yesterday.  A beautiful LeClerc table loom.  There was almost no information on it, and no picture.  It was listed at $50.  I nearly died right then and there.  She said it was working, and so I emailed her to ask for a picture.  She did not send me a picture, but she described it to me, gave me her phone number, said she'd gotten a surprising (to her, not to me) number of calls on the loom, and it would be sold to the first person who showed up at her front door with the cash.  She said she was pretty sure it was a LeClerc Dorothy loom, since that's what it looked like to her.  Also, it had a warping board with it. 

Well!!!  If I could have gone to pick it up at 10pm last night, I would have!!  But that seemed a bit unreasonable, so I promised to show up today with cash in hand.  She said she would consider it sold to me. 

She put it aside, and I booted my crafty little bum over there as promptly as I could today (calling before I left to make sure no one else had sniped it).  It was there in all it's weaving glory, shining out like a table top beacon of light.  I took my loom and thanked her profusely for it. 

The warping board is missing the pegs, but I don't even care.  ;) 

It's a LeClerc Dorothy 15 3/4" 4-shaft loom.  The least expensive of the LeClerc Dorothy looms.  Retails for $675 (Canadian).

I'm pretty happy with my deal.  Saving money feels really awesome!!

Naming Conventions

I think one of the most fun parts of designing stuff is coming up with fun names.  For example, my latest pattern (which will be available for free) was originally designed under the name "Last Minute Beret".  But that seems boring.  Yes, it does convey the idea that this is a quick and easy knit, but it just didn't really do it for me.

I though perhaps "Christmas Eve Beret" would be better, but then...what if you don't celebrate Christmas?  What if you have a friend with a winter birthday?

After some deep thought, I've finally settled on "Tam O'Quickness".  Much better, don't you think?

every once in a while

Every once in a while you get to enjoy a moment of happiness that is so blissful and real that it makes you giggle, squeal, and make your significant other ask you if you need a paper bag.

Such moments as these tend to happen when you've been trying really hard to make something happen and then it just happens.  That kind of pure happy makes you feel slightly giddy and can even bring tears (of joy) to your eyes.


Remember how I've been writing about that sweater for KnitPicks?

Here it is!!!
http://www.knitpicks.com/patterns/1989_Sweater__D10723220.html


It might not seem like that big of a deal, but it's pretty big to me.  :)