the true EVILness of first-time socks.....

So I have been searching all over the place for Toronto knitting blogs (to find knitting circles) and came upon a few really fabulous sites and even more interestingly (is that a real word?) web rings to a whole lot of amazing Toronto based knitters. Now to those of us who are much less blog savvy like moi, this was perplexing and peaked my feline like curiosity.

Kind of like me and first attempt at socks - see above for a picture. I figured that since I was able to knit my first nordic mitt (see below)- yes mitt not mitten that I could likely knit a sock or socks.


So I tried my first sock with a ball of Austermann Step wool with jojoba :) as you saw above and got realtively happily along until I hit the portion of the pattern ( a lovlely free Patons basic sock pattern)where you have to shape the heel. I think I have eluded that I am a newish knitter, but to be honest I thought I had come along enough to knit a sock. After seeing the beautiful way the sock should look from the Austermann website I realize I have a long way to go. :( So I have frogged this stupid heel numerous times to try and get it right and finally am now on my way to knitting the proper looking sock. I will continue to update as I hopefully get closer to the finish line and even more hopefully get closer to the ideal sock. Wish me luck!



P.s. Thanks to the Stephanie Pearl-McPhee for a)using the term frog/frogged and making me curious enough to figure it out; b) writing such an easy to read and engaging blog and c)after I sent my first ever blog comment she sent a thank you email. :) Knitters are polite.

Yippee! It's done, it's done!!!!!

OK so I don't think I could be much more excited, I finally finished my knitting guru Meredith holiday gift - yes I know very late, but that's what happens when you have to rip apart 90 rows of the body and re-start - ARG!

However, here are some pics from the fruits of my many many many long days of labour. -

And yes, I know I have some colour pooling, but this is a) my first major knitting project and b) my first felting project and to be honest I am rather proud of myself. :) This handbag was done in Canadiana 100% wool and was a blacksheep design - although I did not do it justice.

The fortunate or unfortunate part was that Meredith the sweetheart that she is also knit me something. Not just anything, but the most beautiful and fabulous chocolate brown and pink mohair swirly scarf - see below being modeled by my super cute dog Java. I have been wearing everyday since as the weather has gotten freezing cold and get complements daily. I am not so sure Meredith will be getting complements on my handbag - but hopefully she know it was made with love and many torturous hours of knitting and re-knitting and re-knitting. :)

The holiday season

OK so this picture is of Olyvia and I out shopping just before Christmas at the mall. We both look tired and a little cranky...mostly me - cause I was definitely cranky. Why is it that the holidays always make me feel a little down? Probably reminiscing to horrible memories from years ago....baggage - ick!

Thank goodness for new years which seems to be less than a week away - YIPPEE!!!

Sheer Frustration....

So I have spent the better part of last evening and this morning trying to track down code to add a calendar on the right side of my blog. Not such an easy task I have found. If anyone has a simple boxed in calendar with some navigation, please leave me a comment with a link to the code.
I think I have determined that I will need to spend some time learning either basic html coding or CSS....otherwise this might drive me crazy.

My first techie accomplishment

OK so I can officially can myself a techie geek...Ok well maybe not - but certainly an over achieving individual with way too much time on her hands. :)
After spending too much time this morning chatting with our internal IT consultant Ken, it seems I have a lot to learn about html code and CSS if I want to have fun with blogging. Well if nothing else I can pat myself on the back and go way to go girl!!! - I have officially added a link to my blog - Sandy's Knitting - which is a way too fabulous site. :)
Hopefully over the holidays I will get into the swing of things and start to have some serious fun sharing ideas and learning more so that I can chat with other fabulous and more experienced bloggers.
If anyone has advice for me on how to learn quickly how to adapt my blog layout - please email or leave a comment below. Thanks :)

Knitting fun... nordic mittens for Taylor

OK - so I think I previously mentioned that I love knitting - Thanks again Meredith. :)
I decided to knit my first pair of mittens about 6 weeks ago - of course picking a great free pattern online from http://www.elliphantom.com/images/SquirrellySwedishMittens.pdf. I will take a picture of "mitten one" this weekend to share with those who love to knit, but have to tell you I have found it hard to keep the momentum up as far as my interest in concerned to finish "mitten two".

I am also knitting a holiday gift for good friend Meredith who is my knitting goddess/guru which I will share post holiday gift giving - as I wouldn't want her to get wind of it. I forgot my original reason fro blogging was to connect with other knitters - so I will be happy to share my first major knitting and felting project. Hopefully my wonderful knitting sisters & brothers can find it in their heart to be supportive and not laugh. My technique is still pretty new (7+ months), but finishing a project is everything.
Cheers. :)

My family

So here are some new pics of me and my beautiful famille. The first one (on the left) is a recent shot of me doing one of the things I love to do best - KNIT in Las Vegas. David (who asked to remain anonymous on the web) and I went as his 50th Birthday gift. What a city and weekend. It flew by much quicker that I ever anticipated, but was filled with a lot of fun, laughter, gambling, a little adult fun :) and sleep. I had forgotten how much fun it was to be free from all responsibility. LOL!


This beautiful pair of girls are my daughter Olyvia and her best friend Rachel (who is like my other daughter) I can't believe how quickly they are both growing up - it makes me a little sad and scared - its flying by. Tonight ~ Rachael came over to celebrate Chanukah with Olyvia and I and exchange gifts. Have you ever heard the term little white ghetto girl - well that would be Rachel - she loved the Ludacris CD we got her - although after to listening to it for a bit - I have to tell you I never expected her to be listening to such garbage. Definitely not my speed. I think that makes me old. HA HA HA!.

The ones beside the girls are pics of our kids that are still at home. Alex, Taylor and Justin. So as you can see we have our hands full. Most of the time we laugh a lot - occasionally we cry, but mostly we survive like most blended families - by just getting through one day at a time. I often take time to reflect on how much we have all grown together over our last number of years together - its been hard - but worth ever minute of every day.




I do realize as I am almost forgot to add a picture of our most beloved family member - Java. This little toy poodle - brings so much joy and cohesion to our family - even on the most dysfunctional day - she is a very special dog and much loved puppy-loo (as she is affectionately called).

My beautiful daughter - Olyvia