Spring Snow

Last Friday (March 30th) I used my Volunteer Day from work to help sell daffodils for the Canadian Cancer Society. There were three of us from work selling. It was a lot of fun. We sold out of flowers. I'm not sure how much money we raised, but it was at least $1000, probably closer to $1200. On the weekend I had a nasty stomach bug. I called in sick on Monday. So I worked three days this week and am exhausted. Why are short weeks also so tiring?

All winter I thought there was a dog that was regularly running in the backyard and leaving "presents". I was convinced of this early in the morning as I'm leaving for work. By the time I'd get home, I'd be awake and using logic. I mean, how can a dog regularly get into our yard from the street. I know there far too many irresponsible dog owners in our neighbourhood. The people who think that the leash works if they have it in their hand but not attached to the dog's collar. I hate these people. I understand taking the leash off in a dog park. But walking down Bathurst is not safe... On Monday while I was looking out the window thinking of the possibilities of spring I saw a dog in our yard, in the process of leaving me a "present". I went out back to find its human to clean up after it. The dog ran to the back right corner and went under the fence to get home. I blocked the hole in the fence with a planter box. This dog was completely unsupervised wandering the backyards of Albany. Great humans. At least I'm not crazy. Okay not crazy about confusing a dog and a raccoon.

It has been snowing here. A light dusting of snow is on the garden. Foliage is starting to emerge from the soil. Most of the daylilies have appeared.

I have been working on Trish's sweater vest. Last night I was in the process of the starting the v-neck of the front, when I realised that I had managed to stop knitting one of the middle ribs. I had to take out almost 10 inches of knitting. OUCH! But I will survive. It was far too noticable mistake to try to pretend it didn't happen. What makes it hard is that I'm knitting using a 4mm needle. I still think I can get it done for Trish's birthday later this month.

Here is Calle modelling the sweater vest. I'm not sure the colour of the vest compliments her colouring...

I have a plan for baby quilt I'm going to make. It involves circles and applique, oh my. The fabric that I got at the Quilter's Palette will look great.

This is a sampling of the fabric I have.

Now all I need is to learn how to sew in circles for the applique. Oh and more fusible web.

I should start knitting. I have some time to make up. I also want to get some housework out of the way.

More later.

L

Spring has almost Sprung

It is starting to feel like spring here. There has been some rain, and some variations in the temperature. I took some photos of the snow drops that are almost in bloom.

I took a photo of Trish's sweater vest. I have done almost 17" so far. I have another 5" to knit before I can start the shoulder shaping. I should be done the back mid-week. This will jinx my progress, but it is going quicker than I thought it would.

I hemmed a pair of pants today. I bought three pairs of "boyfriend trousers" from the Gap. And since they are women's pants, they do not come in length, so they all require hemming. I'm going to hem another pair later tonight.

I only quilted one block of Mish Mash this weekend. I'll spend more time next weekend. I had some extra errands to run.

I am having some technical difficulties uploading the photos I want to show you. I'll try to add them tomorrow.

I have to go and watch another episode of Dead Like Me. The DVD is due back at the video store at 9pm.

More later.

St. Patrick's Day

I met Allison at Islington subway station today. We went to the Quilter's Palette (www.quilterspalette.ca). I got fabric for a baby quilt for a coworker. Here is some of the fabric. The pattern I got is called "Trapezoids". Most of the fabric I got was in the store's sample. Some of the fabric is Denyse Schmidt's Flea Market Fancy from Free Spirit (www.freespiritfabric.com/core-pages/gallery.php?gal_id=110&PHPSESSID=a7fd9381f425093ce5c2c54d4a2023b7). The quilt is for a boy. I tried to get a lot of blue. I'm thinking a solid brown for the backing and binding. I'll wait until I have the top finished before making that decision.

I also picked up some more Amy Butler fat quarters. They did not have the Kaffe Fassett fabric that I need more of. Now I have a reason to go to Oakville. In addition to seeing Allison and Len. It has been a few weeks since I have seen the renovations they have made.

I still have more hand quilting to do on Mish Mash (I have 4 blocks done... so yes a lot to be done).

While in Etobicoke we went to Village Yarns (www.villageyarns.com). I got Rowan's Summer Tweed to make Trish's birthday present. The yarn is 70% silk and 30% cotton. The pattern is from No Sheep For You by Amy R Singer. Unfortunately the colour of the yarn doesn't look quite right in the photo.

I'll work on this in secret, on my commute to work. I have quilting to do at home.

After the yarn store, Allison and I went the the Shamrock and Thistle for a pint and some stew (it was beef) to celebrate St. Patrick's Day.

My priorities for projects are as follows:

1. Mish Mash - hand quilting
2. Baby quilt for Nette
3. Trish's sweater vest (shh... secret)
4. Pinwheel (need more fabric)

I need to get some rest. Tomorrow is a busy day of housework and hand quilting.

More later.

L

Daylight Saving Time

The weather has been warm since Friday. Tomorrow the high is suppose to 9. I'm glad the snow is melting. It was startng to look and dirty. No doubt there will be new snow to replace the old stuff.

Last weekend I gave Allison her Christmas cardigan to get a zipper for it, since I had not found one yet (not that I looked very hard). Maybe she'll get one this week and she can give me the sweater and zipper to sew on Saturday.

Allison and I are meeting at the Quilter's Palette (http://www.quilterspalette.ca/) for their Open House on Saturday (March 17). I need to get some fabric for a baby quilt for Nette at work.

I have been busy handquilting Mish Mash. So far I have four of the 18 large blocks quilted. It is going well. I'm just a little slow. I'll take pictures once I have a little more quilted. It seems a little odd working with the old Amy Butler fabric after spending time looking at her new line.

On Wednesday Trish and I went to the Canada Blooms show. Saw a lot of beautiful flowers. I bought some more native plants for the back shade garden. They are from the Wildflower Farm (http://www.wildflowerfarm.ca/). Most of my native plants came from them.

We saw Patsy as we were leaving. I was thinking about her and Kathy as I wandered around the show. Several years ago I saw them at the show. Caroline was at the show with them but had gone off on her own for a few minutes. We had a good chat. She had to go and catch her bus back home. I forgot the camera, so I have no pictures. I'll definitely take photos of the new plants once they are planted.

I have signed Allison and Len up to join at this year's Walk for MS (April 15th). My work team has 7 people so far (including Allison and Len).

I should go and check on dinner.

More later.

L

Still WInter

It took a while but we have a sufficient amount of snow. It was been rather cold lately. It looks like next week will be a little warmer. Trish and I were out walking in the snow yesterday.

I have been procrastinating on quilting Mish Mash. I need to spend time working on it. But my first priority is knitting a hat and scarf for work. We had an on-line auction to help raise money for our MS Walk. I need to make the hat and scarf and send it to the highest bidder. Her three colour choices were midnight blue, black and brown. Romni didn't have a midnight blue and the black seemed flat. So Chocolate Souffle it is.

I have been thinking about what to do with all the fabric I got at Christmas. At this point the Kaffe Fassett fabric will be used in a pinwheel quilt. I was looking through the Kaffe Fassett books and made a list of patterns that would require new skills. The pinwheel won out (a photo of the quilt can be found at http://www.cottonpatch.co.uk/acatalog/info_Quilt_1556.html). The pattern is on the small size (44 x 51), so I think I may try to make it bigger... I will need to get some solid fabric to go with it. Below is a photo of the main fabric I'll be using.

I also have a plan for the new Amy Butler fabric. I'm thinking about using the Wallpaper Strips Quilt pattern from Fassett's Quilt Road. But that may change...

Okay to summarize priorities:

1. knitting hat and scarf
2. quilt Mish Mash
3. use Kaffe Fassett fabric
4. use Amy Butler fabric

If you have any suggestions for the Amy Butler fabric, let me know. I'm always looking for new ideas.

That scarf is not going to knit itself. I better get back to work.

More later.

L

PS Happy Birthday, Dad.

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