too many projects? Never!

I just got some more yarn in the mail which will allow me to keep my grandson nice and warm.... next year. I've been wanting to try creating some sweater designs using Ann Budd's book: " a Knitter's book of handy sweater patterns" So far it looks fairly simple. You figure what size you want to make. Then you do a gauge swatch and, based on your gauge, follow the various columns that list how many stitches to cast on, how far to work until armholes, etc.
I've bought A some superwash yarn in a worsted weight yarn and am going to be making a saddle shoulder sweater, possibly with cables.
In the meantime I got my copy of "A gathering of lace" by Meg Swansen from the library plus I'm working on my Noro striped scarf as well as working on another pair of toe-up socks for me. I can handle it!
Poor A had his first bath yesterday and he wasn't a happy camper about it.

The bath also revealed that A is likely going to have reddish hair. A real Scottish... (Dutch, Irish, Mohawk, German, English, American) Canadian!
He does seem to like the bouncy seat I bought him though and has discovered how to make the music work.

Happy 1 week birthday baby A!

My beautiful grandson is one week old today. He and his mom were freed from the hospital last Saturday.
Now that the weather is getting cooler I've decided that warm hats are needed to keep the little guy's noggin warm when he is out and about. I had almost completed a nice hat but it looked a bit like a green breast with a terra cotta coloured nipple so it was partially frogged and it should be ready soon.

As far as hiking goes, P and I went to Westwood Ridge near Nanaimo with the CVOC last Sunday. The weather was cool but dry, which was the important thing. Some members of the group had hoped to have lunch at Robert's Roost, a peak with a 360° view. Unfortunately to get there you need to cross DND property and there was an ongoing military exercise. Instead lunch was on a slightly lower peak with a view of Mt. Benson and Robert's Roost.

An immature eagle (approx. 3 years old) flew around us and seemed to like an area slightly south of us. After lunch we headed in that direction and could smell a strong smell of pot. (Slight wonder the eagle liked that area. It was a miracle that he/she wasn't flying upside down). Two gentlemen with sheepish grins emerged from that area as we passed.


Now I'm wishing that I had heard of CVOC sooner. Their hikes are a great way of working out and, as a group they do events such as snowshoeing/skiing or multi-day trips in other parts of North America. P and I are even considering joining the Outdoor club of Victoria.

At the beginning of the hike to Westwood Ridge M handed me a DVD which she had made of her trip to the BC Interior/Chilcotin. It was very well done so, knowing that M also has a Mac, I set to work trying to figure out how to create my own DVD of our trips to Strathcona (or anything else that could be made into a slideshow movie). It was a very simple procedure using iMovie and iDVD. Picture are dragged into iMovie along with your choice of music. Then, once the pictures and music are in place, you can add titles and tweak your creation before exporting it in order to burn it using iDVD. (Okay, so it isn't easy but there is a lot of how-to information available).

I'm a grandma!

My daughter gave birth to a healthy son weighing 10 pounds, 7.7 ounces. He was an occipital posterior presentation, meaning that his head was facing the wrong way so, after about 12 hours of labour, it was decided that a c-section was the best choice for both mom and baby.
I was amazed that my DD was alert and able to nurse almost immediately after his birth and A seemed to catch on right away. To me he seemed quite smart. While daddy was holding him, he'd turn his head towards mom as soon as he heard her voice.



I had to laugh when the nurse put his little hospital issue hat on his head. Since he was so big, his hat kept falling off.
Needless to say I have now knitted him 2 other hats that should stay put and I'm working on a third hat which should both stay on and keep his little noggin warm when he is outside.

His parents are still thinking little A should be a hockey player but dude, the kid is a big boy, more suited to football.

The great grandparents are tickled!

Without a doubt this one will be spoiled rotten! (Isn't that the job of grandparents?)

Too much fun!

I guess I was having too much fun to stop and blog.
P and I joined a hiking group which usually meets on Sunday morning. Our first hike with them was the Cowichan footpath from Skutz Falls bridge to Stoltz pool and back through the group campsite side of the river. The weather was unbelievably beautiful.
The following week a hike was scheduled for Gowland-Todd on a Saturday but we skipped it since rain had been predicted plus my friend J was told it would be too much for her.
On November 9th P was tied to a pager so J and I went hiking to Eagle Heights. The weather wasn't as nice this time and there was no view due to the fog. J found the hike to be a bit too much for her with all of the uphill travel.
The Thursday hike was another gorgeous day. We hiked to Stoney Hill overlooking Saltspring Island, Mill Bay and North Saanich. It wasn't as tough a hike as the ones we do on Sundays since there is a break to have a snack or to take pictures, remove jackets, etc.





On Sunday my friend T came along on the hike, this one to Maple Mountain. We took the blue route part way then switched to the pink route which led to the microwave tower. From there we took another pink trail to the Maple Mountain parking lot and then headed down for our lunch break. On the way we found an interesting shelter. It looked as if it would keep a person fairly dry but not necessarily warm.



M, one of my old classmates was on the hike and we talked about getting together for hikes during the week. I was supposed to go hiking tomorrow but then M had an opportunity to hike today instead. It didn't work out for me but I'm sure that we'll get together next week.

Ok baby, your shawl is done.

I skipped my hiking date on Thursday to knit, although it was raining sideways outside, and I spent the best part of yesterday knitting in order to finish the shawl. I'm pleased to say that it is all done now aside from the blocking. Pictures of proof will be posted as soon as the shawl is dry, weather permitting.
Now to move on to other projects, including reading my book, "The story of Edgar Sawtelle". Then I plan to knit Jarod Flood's Habitat hat using some yarn left over from knitting Oblique.

The picture was taken before I added the buttons but the weather hasn't been ideal for taking photographs. I am even thinking of replacing the buttons that are now on Oblique with some nice wooden ones which I still have to purchase. I must admit that I really love this sweater and sort of skipped the washing and blocking part of finishing. One test try on and I was in love!

Well, bring on the grandson. He will be a warm little bundle with a wooly wardrobe.

The power of the shawl

Well, there still isn't a grandchild but he really isn't due until November 7th. I'm betting on November 8th although something says that I should put my money on November 11th. Hey, not everyone has their birthday on a stat holiday!
DD figures that what is keeping her son from being born is the fact that his shawl isn't finished yet. The story is that, way back in the spring of '08 (I think) I started working on my second Fir Cone square shawl. The first one was done in emerald green for myself. I told my daughter that I was going to knit a second one for a future grandchild and the first grandchild born would get it. I poked along at it until my daughter phoned to say that the shawl would come in handy since she was expecting a child in November. I continued knitting but summer holidays and other knitting projects came in between until the shawl, needing just the last edging, found itself stuffed in a closet with other UFOs. As the date drew nearer for my grandchild's birth I remembered the shawl and started working on it in a mad fury. Now 2 of the 4 edges are complete. I'm counting on having a completed project by Sunday, November 9th.
Here is a token picture of the green shawl just to give an idea of the size.


Ok baby, you can come out anytime now. Your shawl will be done by the time you come home. (Notice my fingers are crossed?)

Back at it

.... but for how long before I lose interest and stop blogging for a few months?
Well, I'm not a grandmother yet although I'm sure that my daughter is eager to get rid of her little passenger.
I've given up (temporarily) of knitting little baby things in exchange for knitting ME things. I completed Oblique and am now working on a generic toe up, short-row sock. The only variation from my normal, boring but functional sock pattern is that I'm doing a cabled ribbing at the top of the sock. I do promise pictures.
Fall has been very mild and colourful in our part of the world. We did have some rain and the occasional gust of wind which removed quite a few leaves. Last weekend we went hiking with the local outdoor club and it was very nice to hike through the leaves that were covering the hiking trail.
This picture was taken while we stopped to admire the leaves and to observe a river kayaking class going on.



Last Saturday my daughter and I attended the Cowichan Fibre Fest. I scored some nice loot including a 1 pound skein of 3-ply Superwash Merino (shawl?) and some Tencel/Merino roving in a nice blue-green colour. I'm hoping to spin that up soon.
While at the Fibre Fest I ran into several members of the weaver's guild of which I used to be a member before I decided to work. Now that I'm no longer working on the guild meeting days, I hope to return to the guild. That may in turn lead to more weaving projects and possibly more spinning.
Right now I am hoping to blog at least 2 to 3 times a week and I promise to post pictures.