Only a zipper away

I finished sewing Allison's cardigan. I finished knitting the collar on Sunday night. All I need now is a zipper and time to sew the zipper to the cardigan. There are no zipper stores in my neighbourhood (the purchasing of a zipper will require an field trip outside of the Annex...). I wonder if there is still a Fabricland at Yonge and Bloor? Then all I need is to remember what the zipper foot looks like for the sewing machine.

I have begun work on Trish's cardigan again. I have sewn the shoulders and am in the process of making the collar. I'll take some photos this week and post them next weekend.

We are still knitting at work for Street Knit Project. We gained our first male knitter this past week. Jim is a natural. He has been knitting on his breaks. We should have completed 50 scarves, 24 hats and 3 pairs of mittens by the end of the month in total since we started.

Several of the indoor plants are blooming. I'll take photos of them this week to post (help liven up the blog).

Next weekend is going to be busy. I'm having brunch on Sunday with Brian (since he left work to go back to school in August we have been trying to meet up for brunch once a month). Wendy and Lucie Jane are in Toronto for the ONDP convention. They left a few of Lucie Jane's toys behind at New Years that I should return. I think I also have tentative plans to meet up with Allison (she found the quilting pattern she misplaced at Christmas). I need to make a trip to the Goodwill to get rid of some old cloths.

Soon I'll start to work on Mish Mash again. I know I could get it machine quilted, but it is not that big. It is the basting that seems rather daunting to me. I need to iron the top and prep the backing. I also need to get the wrinkles out of the batting. I have only had that since September folded up in a bag. It will be nice to get it our from underneath the bed (although I am concerned to find other things that I have hidden under the bed).

Time to start dinner (there is a marinade that requires 2 hours of resting or whatever it does). I will have photos for next week and maybe funny stories about knitting and quilting.

More later.

L

It is actually snowing

I think today is the first time it has snowed this winter for an extended period of time. It probably won't stick around for long, so I have not gone out back to make a snowman. Of course we'll end up with a blizzard in mid-May.

I have been working on finishing Allison's cardigan. I have sewn the shoulders together and have started to sew the sides. Then I need to get a zipper and machine sew it in. The yarn is 100% Lopi wool.

Looking at the cardigan as I was taking the photo I had a nervous feeling that perhaps the sleeves were short. I tried it on to check (yes Allison I wore your sweater) and the sleeves seem fine. I can make an adjustment if they are short on Allison (knit a few extra rows in the rib pattern afterwards). I made one sweater for Trish that required extra length in the sleeves and body. It worked out well due to the pattern of the sweater. So no worries... okay maybe just a little one.

Last year I made Dad, Len and Trish one each of this sweater pattern in different colours. Maybe Mom and I will get one next year...

I'm trying to figure out how best to finish Trish's cardigan. The pattern calls for a ribbon, but Trish is concerned about washing. Maybe we'll try a button approach.

We ordered our two daylilies this week from We're In the Hayfield Now (http://www.hayfield.ca). We went with Hayfield Sunrise and Hayfield Sunset (they should come as a set). The 2007 introductions have been updated on the website.

I have booked my flight to Halifax for May. I had a credit with Air Canada I had to use before June 10, 2007. I compared the airline ticket prices to that of the train and a return train trip is $10 less. But it takes a day and half each way and there is the need to buy food.

I am still distracted by all the fabric I got at Christmas. I have found a couple of ideas, but I cannot start working on them until my Christmas knitting and Mish Mash is done.

I should get back to finishing Allison's cardigan. I may need to shove the walkway this afternoon. Where did I put the shovel?

More later.

L

Settling into 2007

My father called at 6:40 this morning to let me know that they arrived home safely. I spoke with both my parents tonight. I think it is best for me to talk to people when I have at least finished my first coffee of the day.


I took a photo of the white Amaryllis today. It will have three blooms on this stalk.

I hope to get the Ansel Adams exhibit before it closes on February 4th. The Emily Carr starts in March. When I first learned of the Carr exhibit, March 2007 seemed so far away. The restaurant at the AGO is closed during the renovations. We have lost a fancy brunch place.

I'm still working on finishing Allison's cardigan, then Trish's (I'll take photos of them in progress this weekend). My new years resolution is to minimize the number of projects I have going at the same time. Once the knitting is done, I can move onto finishing Mish Mash. I need to baste, then hand quilt it. First it will need to be ironed. I also need to de-wrinkle the batting.

I am still tempted by the new Kaffe Fassett and Amy Butler fabric I got at Christmas. I also have about 25 fat quarters of Asian fabric to figure out something with.

I received the copy of Kaffe Fassett's Kaleidoscope of Quilts. I am disappointed. I ordered it on-line without seeing first. Basically it is the same patterns with his new fabric.

The Street Knit Project group at work is still going. I guess we will keep working until we are told to stop.

More later.

l