create and explore : playing inside and out

november...

2009-11-01T17:38:00.003-08:00

today feels so short, with the time change and darkness coming an hour earlier. i certainly enjoyed the excuse to sleep in, but that only briefly distracts for the shortening days. the sky was clear for most of the day but with a distinct chill in the air. we had a quiet night for halloween, and a quiet day today. i've been playing around with a few things. my new tweed hat needed something to make it more personal, so i embroidered this little acorn on it. not a fantastic effort, but i think it's kinda cute. i can see doing this on a few more things, as i get inspired by the work of Melissa and others.

i have actually been working steadily on a new pair of socks for my dad. i missed the deadline of his birthday on thursday, but thankfully finished them today. he doesn't allow much "design", so they are not the most exciting socks to knit, or photograph, for that matter (dark blue, 4x1 rib), but i know they make him happy and that is what counts.

now that they are finished i have room to play with other ideas. i started a new weaving project today, assorted leftover purple sock yarn and some silver thread, to create something monochromatic with a bit of sparkle. i have a friend in mind, but we'll see how entranced my magpie tendencies get with the "ooh shiny" factor.

i'm also steadily dreaming up warm projects to cover my hands, head and other areas that need all the heat i can get as the weather cools down. i'm thinking steadily about a long, cabled cowl (the keyword floating around is "infinity scarf", but it kind of irritates me) in some teal blue cotton/wool that my mom gave me. some grey koigu is yearning to be some fingerless mitts. and i have some red and white sock yarn looking to be a doubleknit hat, i just need to work out the design. and that's just the knitting. they are several other projects on my to-do list, of the sewing, illustrating, weaving, quilting variety.

hope you had a good sunday and are not too full of sweets!

fading daylight, fleeting days...

2009-10-18T15:34:00.006-07:00

eep, where did the time go? i've been trying to update more regularly, but i knew october was going to be a challenge. a few days after my last post, we went to tofino for the annual surf kayak festival. i don't paddle, or haven't recently, but A does, and many of our friends. it is usually a fun weekend by the beach, a last camping trip for the season (and the weather was beyond beautiful for early October), a chance to visit with some folks we don't necessarily see that often, and soak up some west coast goodness.

the beautiful sunshine was not quite warm enough to forego a hat though, so it was a good thing i had recently finished (read: wove in the ends on the ride out there) a quick new purple toque. i have had two skeins of purple cashmerino in my stash for quite a while now, but hadn't found the right project for them. when i bought them, i thought getting two different shades of purple was a great idea, but later realized two skeins of one colour might have made a bit more sense, and made pattern selection a bit easier.

lately i have been admiring the many garter stitch stripe items i see on ravelry. they also remind me of many crochet hats i see on my friends, but with added benefit of not being crochet, which admittedly i'm not that fond of, not to mention not really knowing how to do it. so i hoped this hat combined both elements for a cozy, stripey, kinda hippie hat.

we also went on quick trip to vantage, wa to go climbing for a week (see top pic). but our week was cut disappointingly short when after two days of well-below-seasonal-norm temperatures, it proceeded to pour rain. in the desert. boo. needless to say not too impressed and the forecast wasn't improving much, so turned toward home after just three nights.

october has been rounded out with another trip to tofino with visitors from ontario, and now i am finally getting a chance to breathe a little. i hope to have another post for you this weekend, and more pics up on flickr soon. the weather seems to have settled in early to it's november routine of wind and wet, so it should be a perfect weekend for projects at home.

woven rainbows

2009-09-29T18:12:00.001-07:00

woven rainbows, originally uploaded by westcoastcreative.

i mentioned last week about some secret birthday crafting, so wanted to share it with you today. my mother, crafty teacher of me, and source of inspiration for many things, turned 60 this past sunday, a milestone for anyone and of special note because this year she is officially twice my age. so i wanted to make her something special.

we have both gushed over the lovely kauni rainbows, and my mom loves her bright colours, but i wanted to do something a bit different than my first instinct, which was to knit with it. she, in fact, as a skein of this herself, and is working on knitting something, so i didn't want to compete with anything she would make for herself. i've been playing with the loom a lot as well, rediscovering the simple act, and enjoying how variegated yarns like this transform slowly through colours, and interplay as they are woven together. so this is what i made.

scarf? table runner? possibly either, the options are open. it is a bit stiff for a scarf maybe, although i think a soak would soften up the wool at bit. i really like the way the rainbow travels both from side to side as well as down the length of the runner, so you get to see the different colours interact. i'm already plotting what next i can play with on my little loom. it's so interesting to see how different colours as well as textures weave together.

for more images, please see here

experimenting with string theory

2009-09-21T20:05:00.002-07:00

a quick post, i'm feeling low on words. i have been playing around with string quilting. i wanted to make some cushions for our dining chairs, so i started making some squares. it is actually quite addictive, and i have made three now. but i think i'm going to keep them all in the red/orange/yellow colour scheme, and the blue square will probably end up as a couch cushion. i can see why string quilting seems to be all over flickr these days. i like incorporating all the little scraps i have that won't amount to much otherwise.

what else did i do yesterday, you ask? (well, hopefully you ask, if you are reading, dear reader). i made kagels! it makes me giggle each time i say they, particularly exemplified by my coworker today, asking "aren't those those exercises you do...?" yeah, exactly. but what i mean in this case, is kale bagels. the recipe is from have cake, will travel and i have to claim them as a complete success, although no one has yet tried them other than me. the whole thing was not nearly as labour-intensive as i feared, although i find the different steps of bread making to be a nice meditative process that i can do in between other tasks on a sunday afternoon. and the results were great, flavourful, and nice and chewy just like a bagel should be.

the sun was shining bright yesterday, a perfect crisp fall day of which it looks like there might be many this week. well fall is relative, i always find it hard to dress when it is 7 degrees C in the morning and 25 in the afternoon. good thing i consider myself a master of layers. so i did spend a bit of time on the lawn yesterday, but no pics of my project to share as it was super secret birthday crafting. but the above pic might give you a little clue, as these ladies and i definitely had a similar sensibility in mind. they are so very busy outside our door these days. there are three spiders in this photo, two more webs quite nearby, and two more spiders spinning busily outside our bedroom window, which is not far to the right of this pic. i enjoy checking out their work, even if i do occasionally walk into them while absorbed in garden tasks, and then frantically swipe at myself if fear of a spider settling in to my hair.

the quilt is finished, by the way. i stayed up late the night before A came home, the first time i have painstakingly handstitched a binding. heather bailey offers an excellent tutorial on the whole thing. please check out my flickr to see pics, although i hope to put together a post soon. thanks for the kind words.

how was your sunday?

2009-09-13T19:44:00.015-07:00

sundays are often a contemplative day for me, a day to wake late and approach the day with both an eye to get things done and one to rest up before the week ahead. a. quite often works weekends, where i always have them off, so it's a regular thing for me to have time to myself on this day. in this case he is away until wednesday, so most of my day was spent sewing madly, in an attempt to finish our new queen-sized quilt for the bed before he comes home. hmmm, it's still undecided if that will actually happen.

but to avoid going completely cross-eyed, i took a little walk by the river, just up the road. fall is definitely in the air, my favourite time of year. i love when the sun is shining but the air has a new crispness, a sniff of frosty days to come. colours seem richer without the heat haze, and while we don't get the hues of eastern autumns, there are still reds and oranges and yellows to be found, mixed in with the steady green of the evergreens.

as to many people, this always feels like the real start of the year to me, back to school still ingrained in my mind so that i always feel the excitement for new clothes at this time, a new notebook and pens to write in. but now i also feel the "nesting" pull (well okay i almost always feel the need to nest), and there are many projects on the go besides the quilt: knitted, sewn, woven. with both my parents having birthdays coming up, presents are being made for each. a cowl for myself in a perfect autumnal yellow, and so many in my mind - and my ravelry queue - that i have to force myself to focus and just finish what is in the works first. it's hard though, when days feel fleeting, and evening sets in sooner than expected.

the rest of this month and all of october are shaping up to be busy months, with some vacation travelling and guests visiting to fill in the gaps between work and craft. but i hope to get back to a bit of regular blogging, and hope to encourage a bit more dialogue here, and share a bit more of all the things that keep me busy, not just posting FOs with a blurb of text. i've been updating my flickr a bit more too, so feel free to stop over there and see more images than are posted here.

so, what did you do with your sunday? i'd love to hear all about it.

catching up...

2009-01-19T19:42:00.003-08:00

I have a little pre-occupation with outfitting myself in all white when snowboarding. It probably won't happen - I'm likely to get a red hard shell jacket (in line with the two other red jackets I already have - for other uses), but I do have white boots, bindings, pants, and so of course I needed a fluffy white toque.

Another quick hat (are they ever not quick - such fun, instant gratification projects hats are) knit up in superwash merino, and the last little bit used to make a pompom to top it. I kind of wish the pom was bigger, but alas, that was the last of the 2nd skein. For more details, check out my Ravelry project page.

The fog has been heavy upon us lately, thick and soup and rarely providing a glimpse of the supposed clear sky above. It is finally starting to thin, but yesterday we decided to escape it for a little while and check out the temperature inversion going on.

Foggy and 2 degrees C at sea level? How about sunny and a balmy 13 degrees high on the ski hill? A bit ridiculous, and the slopes certainly aren't in much condition for downhill action. So for a change of pace we went cross country skiing with a few friends. Haven't done it in many many years, but I enjoy the swish swish through the snow (okay, nearing slush in late afternoon), and may try to get in a few more tours this season.

Returning home again, the fog will still thick over the water. This shot was taken just a few blocks above our house in late afternoon. But just a short shot down the hill into our own yarn there wasn't much to be seen, just thickening grey and the sounds of fog horn, ferry horn, and other vessels trying to find their way.

And I've got one more FO to share. Again, deets are on Rav. I knit up these "Boyfriend Socks" for, obviously, the boy, but I kind of wish they were for me. This yarn is yummy and squishy, aptly named "Foot Loose" and the cabling was addictive. I adjusted the pattern a bit as usual - either everyone else has really wide feet, or more likely I am just a looser knitter than everyone, but by removing a few stitches they fit A perfectly.

Now I want to make some 2009 socks for myself, but there are many projects in the works (and in my head). Currently I'm plugging away at a Baby Surprise Jacket, for my brand new nephew born last week.

old and new...

2009-01-04T17:26:00.006-08:00

This is a pretty photo-heavy post, but how else to get a good picture (yuk, yuk, wry punster) of the end of the old year and beginning of the new?
The last days of December were much snowier than we here on the wet coast are used to. The snow never seemed to stop, and over Christmas we were well ensconced at my parents home, with the snow falling heavily all around. The first few shots capture some of that.
I don't think the alpacas were all that impressed with the snow, not straying often from the well worn path. But if anyone has a nice winter sweater to keep them warm, it's them right? Well them and the sheep, and both crews were eager for hay when no fresh grass was to be found.
The Tapestry Cowl is finished! A new skill figured out (double knitting), and a pretty nice finished product to boot. That chart killed me a bit - 67 rows x 110 (220) stitches with no repeats- but the result is very cool. I ended up having to take out about 15 rows actually, as I feared I was running out of yarn (my gauge was a bit off), but I probably could have left at least 5 of those in in the end.
I have never used Koigu before, but sense a lot of people love it so I may be scorned for speaking ill. However, despite it being very soft after a good soak, I was disappointed that the cowl stretched out a lot (and I tried to keep it in shape as much as possible while drying) and also seemed to get quite floppy, and not retaining the nice structure it had before. It still worked to keep my face warm while boarding, but due to the change in dimensions it does not stay up as well as it might have.
This is a great pattern though, and I would like to try it again - or make something else in double knitting with a similar idea (but possible repeats in the colourwork?) The colours of the Koigu are great too.
Lastly, a few more winter shots. We've gotten out for two days of boarding in the last week - although somehow the mountains have much less snow than normal despite all the snow at sea level. I was definitely having troubles on my board on the first day, but yesterday was a bit better. These pics are from yesterday at Mount Cain. A rare peek at a snowy white ptarmigan pecking at branches poking out of the snow (these birds are brown in the summer) entertained several skiers and boarders at the top of the t-bar.
And another shot from the top of the first t-bar - the weather changed a lot yesterday, including a heavy blizzard while driving home. Hope you are all having a good start to the year - today we are having more traditional west coast weather, a howling southeaster. and we were even without power for a couple of hours.

ah! snow!

2008-12-26T12:46:00.003-08:00

Hope everyone has had a good holiday so far. We definitely got our white Christmas...and then some. There is probably two feet on the ground right now, and it was snowing heavily again this morning. However, now the southeaster has really come in strongly and is turning the snow to rain - lovely! Needless to say it's pretty gross outside. We had been excited to finally go snowboarding today as Mount Cain was set to open, but despite all the snow down here the mountains seem to be short on the white stuff and the opening had been postponed yet again. So we are having a quiet day at home, watching the lights flicker occasionally, and I'm plotting new projects - did I mention I got a spinning wheel for Christmas? That mom of mine, she's full of surprises. But first, thought I would quickly share a gift project that I finished early this week.

I think I mentioned that I hadn't really planned any gift knitting, but then my sister sent a list, and on it was a request for a long striped scarf. I haven't knit a scarf in ages, and find they tend to go on forever, but for some reason the idea took over my brain. This is basically Jared's Noro Scarf Pattern, except that I did not use Noro. If you've been here before, you know that I love all things Noro, but I couldn't find any of the colourways that I thought would appeal to my sister, who tends toward pastels and soft blues - periwinkle, baby blue, etc. Enter Patons Soy Wool Stripes, which also makes the scarf even softer.

She seemed to really like it, so I'm glad it turned out well. I would like to make another of these using Noro, but it's low on my list right now. At the moment I'm fascinated by the Tapestry Cowl I am working busily on - double knitting is crazy stuff, man. And I'm even using the suggested yarn! The Koigu I picked out is a lovely dark teal and "Golden Brown", which is yellow-brown in some lights, but in others has quite a bit of green in it. And did I mention the spinning wheel? Hopefully more on that soon, and maybe some more snow pics if I get around to uploading them off the camera - seriously, it's never like this around here!

99 things meme

2008-12-20T16:42:00.003-08:00

I've never done a meme before. But for some reason this amused me. Borrowed from Pea Soup.

Things you've already done: bold
Things you want to do: italicize
Things you haven't done and don't want to - leave in plain font

1. Started your own blog. Duh.

2. Slept under the stars.

3. Played in a band.

4. Visited Hawaii.

5. Watched a meteor shower.

6. Given more than you can afford to charity.

7. Been to Disneyland/world. (Euro Disney, 1994 - does that count?)

8. Climbed a mountain.

9. Held a praying mantis.

10. Sang a solo. Well, if you count in the car, otherwise no freakin' way.

11. Bungee jumped.

12. Visited Paris. (1994)

13. Watched a lightning storm at sea.

14. Taught yourself an art from scratch. I do a few mostly self-taught artsy things, but not sure I would qualify as completely self-taught from scratch.

15. Adopted a child.

16. Had food poisoning.

17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty.

18. Grown your own vegetables.

19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France.

20. Slept on an overnight train.

21. Had a pillow fight.

22. Hitch hiked.

23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill.

24. Built a snow fort.

25. Held a lamb. Picture being the only one at home when Dora the sheep decides to have triplets in the middle of the cold, wet field - but yes, a few other times as well and they are just the cutest things.

26. Gone skinny dipping.

27. Run a marathon. Umm. No.

28. Ridden a gondola in Venice.

29. Seen a total eclipse.

30. Watched a sunrise or sunset.

31. Hit a home run.

32. Been on a cruise.

33. Seen Niagara Falls in person.

34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors.

35. Seen an Amish community.

36. Taught yourself a new language. Not all by myself.

37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied. What a weird question.

38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person.

39. Gone rock climbing. One of my biggest loves.

40. Seen Michelangelo's David in person.

41. Sung Karaoke. Not on your life.

42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt. 1987.

43. Bought a stranger a meal in a restaurant.

44. Visited Africa.

45. Walked on a beach by moonlight.

46. Been transported in an ambulance.

47. Had your portrait painted. Kind of - had a silhouette artist make a cut out of me, and my dad drew a pic of me once.

48. Gone deep sea fishing.

49. Seen the Sistine chapel in person.

50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. I feel like there are a lot of France-related questions, and I did them all at the same time - grade 9 school trip.

51. Gone scuba diving or snorkelling. Shudder.

52. Kissed in the rain.

53. Played in the mud.

54. Gone to a drive-in theatre.

55. Been in a movie.

56. Visited the Great Wall of China

57. Started a business

58. Taken a martial arts class

59. Visited Russia

60. Served at a soup kitchen

61. Sold Girl Scout cookies. Girl Guides, actually (I guess it's a Canadian thing?).

62. Gone whale watching.

63. Gotten flowers for no reason.

64. Donated blood.

65. Gone sky diving.

66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp.

67. Bounced a cheque.

68. Flown in a helicopter. So very nearly. But many small planes.

69. Saved a favorite childhood toy. Does it count if my mom has saved quite a few for us?

70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial

71. Eaten Caviar.

72. Pieced a quilt.

73. Stood in Times Square.

74. Toured the Everglades.

75. Been fired from a job.

76. Seen the Changing of the Guard in London. Wow, that school trip is covering all the bases here.

77. Broken a bone.

78. Been on a speeding motorcycle

79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person.

80. Published a book.

81. Visited the Vatican.

82. Bought a brand new car. Actually, my first car was brand new. Second one, less so.

83. Walked in Jerusalem.

84. Had your picture in the newspaper.

85. Read the entire Bible.

86. Visited the White House.

87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating.

88. Had chickenpox.

89. Saved someone’s life.

90. Sat on a jury.

91. Met someone famous. I feel like there might be more than one, but the only one I can think of is William Hurt.

92. Joined a book club.

93. Lost a loved one.

94. Had a baby.

95. Seen the Alamo in person.

96. Swum in the Great Salt Lake.

97. Been involved in a law suit.

98. Owned a cell phone. Sadly, yes, and currently my only phone.

99. Been stung by a bee.

could it be?

2008-12-17T19:41:00.004-08:00

It just might be possible for us to have a white Christmas. White Christmases are pretty rare around here, but it's definitely in the air, and by "in the air" I mean freezing arctic outflow wind. Snow in itself is a rare occurrence around here, showing up in light dustings that disappear nearly before they hit the ground, or one or two good dumps per winter that also start melting and turn to slush right away, which definitely takes the charm out of a foot of white stuff on the ground.

But this stuff is different, perhaps (says she full of doubt and years of cynicism). After a week of freezing temps and a bit of snow on the weekend, this stuff started this morning and fell most of the day. It's light and fluffy, which has me dreaming of powder on the mountain (which is finally opening this weekend, geez). With more snow forecast for tonight, then cold and clear and cold, and more snow on Sunday, it just could hang around long enough for the holiday.

I took a little walk down to the beach this afternoon, after heading home early from work where it was still heavily snowing (ugh for 35 minute drives that became over an hour both to and from work today, but thank god for 4x4 and winter tires). I love how the snow dampens sound and makes you feel isolated. I was only 50 metres from the highway, but huddled in my puffy coat and watching the ducks in the frigid water made me feel all by myself, tucking my face against the icy wind.

Anyone else blanketed with snow? I'm back inside now, with the woodstove crackling, working on some gift knitting. My brain is already swirling with plans for the year ahead- I figured out double knitting the other night, so am eager to cast on for the Tapestry Cowl as soon as the previously mentioned gift knitting is done. Also on my new skills to learn in the coming year - entrelac, and lots of fun sewing projects. And hopefully improve my snowboarding skills...

Dark days...

2008-12-07T16:22:00.004-08:00

The sun came out today, unexpectedly, allowing us to get a few shots of recent projects to share. These days it's dark when I head to work, and dark when I come home, which I'm sure is the same for much of you, but it does add a bit of sadness to the day, and certainly cuts down on my opportunities for daylight photography. Only a couple more weeks and things will be starting to turn around, however.

So...what have I been up to? Despite buying crazy amounts of yarn lately, I am trying to make some dents in the stash, and in that light I made my self a quick pair of fingerless mitts from some leftover scraps. No pattern to speak of, just coziness, a bit of shine, a bit of nubby tweed, and my current love of stripes is a perfect excuse to use up yarn.

The other item that appears in these pics is a cardigan I made after seeing something similar on Anthropologie's website. I think mine is a bit heavier weight, but I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. I think all the ruffles are balanced with the casualness of the sweatershirt grey jersey. I also finished with the bottom with a sparkly silver ribbon, and the ruffles are sewn with silver thread, for a little extra glitz.

Last FO of the day with a super quick project that had been evolving in my brain for a little bit. Knit with Berocco Peruvia, which was a pleasure I'd never tried before, this hat has a lot of different texture. The cables wind lazily across, separating fields of moss stitch and reverse stockinette, and the decreases at the top create a flower. I had hoped for a bit more slouch, but I think it will work well and stay on my head for snowboarding. Well, that is, if we ever get some snow so the mountain can open. Grrrr. Argh.

Yes, I know. Lots of knitting for me. I've kind of given up on any notions of gift knitting as far as Christmas is concerned - I find I'm impossible at deadlines. I'm definitely impressed with others' holiday knits, though, which I was so motivated. BUt next up, a pair of socks for A, using up more scrap yarn!

cozy ruffles...

2008-11-23T19:24:00.002-08:00

I've long been an admirer of Terhi's awesome garter stitch shawl, and when I found some Drops Angora-Tweed half price, it seemed perfect for the project. This shawl came together quite quickly, the garter stitch surprising addictive despite my fear of boredom. It could probably still use a blocking, but for now I am pretty happy.

I had a few yarns in competition for the ruffle, and eventually decided to use two. The lighter brown is alpaca I believe, which my mom picked up on a trip to New Zealand. The dark brown is handspun by a friend, from wool from one of my mom's sheep. Kind of makes an interesting mix, as they are vastly different in texture, the first light and fluffy and the second sturdy and wooly, but I kind of like it. They both also has random bits of hay and sticks in each skein. And the Angora-Tweed is different again, but I love them all.

It's funny that on one side I am looking for some bright colours to liven up the grey days of November, but at the same time the sameness of this shawl and the overcast sky is very calming. I also stopped at Fun Knits on Saturday and let myself run a bit wild, and also continued the neutrals. So much yarn and so little time to knit it all!

november...(and knitting, and quilting!)

2008-11-16T20:44:00.004-08:00

November has sped along quickly, as time seems to do much these days. I'm not actually a big fan - it seems the crisp, bright fall days of September and October are over to quickly and overtaken by rain, wind, and more rain and the world is enveloped by a heavy blanket of grey. But in a way I kind of like it too - I love the howling southeasters that blow through one after the other. And I also enjoy days like this one.

The fog covered us all day, and the air was thick with moisture, but there was no real rain, and a stillness pervaded. We went for a walk along the river and eyed the Chum salmon in their last efforts (and smelled those that were already returning to the earth). This one was still swimming, despite missing most of his tail and pectoral fins. Incredible animals, those ones.

We also checked out Elk Falls, pumping more water than I've ever seen there, a thundering freight train plummeting onto the rocks below, and heavy mist rising to the trees above. A long walk, but so peaceful in the forest, the right combination of exercise and laziness.

I failed miserably at Socktober. I had big plans for at least a couple of pairs, and yet somehow didn't even finish one before the month was out. These are Charades, my second go. I do love this pattern, but it was once again the case of once I have some sort of deadline, I find it is the last thing I want to work on. My dad's birthday was at the end of the month, but I squeaked by as I didn't get a chance to see him until a week and a half later, and I finished the socks that morning.

This quilt went a bit more quickly on the weekends, with five day breaks in between the work as I don't like to sew in the dark evenings after work. I was looking for something for the couch, and some of the fabrics are leftovers from some pillows I made, with a few new fabrics thrown in. I love the combination of grey-blues, brown and beige-cream. The backside is blue fleece for the best kind of coziness.

I'm working on a shawl in soothing garter stitch - I was worried it would bore me, but instead I find it addictive. Hopefully something to show soon.

Louisa!

2008-10-27T19:32:00.002-07:00

Okay, the Louisa hat pattern is ready to go. Get it here. Please contact me with any issues! Enjoy!

belated FOs...

2008-10-25T15:59:00.004-07:00

I don't know why it often takes me forever to get a post organized. I guess I haven't been that motivated to blog lately, too distracted by other activites and too loathing of the computer after a long day at work. But, I have a couple of things I would like to share, so here we go:
As mentioned in the previous post, I have been working on the Darkside Cowl (Rav link). Except I refer to mine as the Autumnside cowl, due to the lovely colours. This yarn is TRI, from Ancient Threads, and the colours are ridiculous. Love them. It is sock yarn, but I couldn't imagine hiding it away on my feet (although there is quite a bit leftover for that possibility).
This pattern is a great textural knit that I think works well with the variegated yarn, whereas something more complex or lacey would be lost. I had to nearly double the amount of stitches cast on in the pattern, as the original calls for an aran weight, but it turned out well. It is a perfect hit of colour to brighten up the many browns and greys that I wear.
And after the success of the Inga, I was inspired to try a bit more colourwork with Noro as the background. This hat, dubbed "Louisa" for no particular reason that I can think of, uses Silk Garden instead of Kureyon, but the off-white is the same leftovers used in the first hat. I found this chart online, and am in the middle of cleaning it up so that you too can have your own Louisa, if you are so inclined.

a bit of gifting...

2008-10-06T19:27:00.006-07:00

Rain is spattering against the windows in the dark, in time with the gusts of wind that echo through the chimney. Before the night set in, the clouds loomed heavy and grey, low in the sky. This is the first good southeaster of the fall, and I welcome the feelings it brings, urges to curl up on the couch with knitting in hand, to nest and hibernate for winter. Right now I'm working on a Darkside Cowl (Rav link), in gorgeous fall colours, and should have an FO to show soon. As well there are a few projects on the go for Socktober. But first it's time to catch up on a bit of gift knitting that has been finished in recent weeks.

I've been wanting to knit this pattern for ages, and I can definitely say this won't be my last go at it. Embossed Leaves, by Mona Schmidt, for my mom's birthday. This is actually my first attempt at top down socks, which was probably my least favourite part, but I wanted the leaves to go in the right direction. I made very few modifications, although I just did my usual heel.

The yarn is Araucania Ranco, which is the second skein I bought along with the purple that was used for my shell socks, It's great stuff.

The other recently completed project is an Inga Hat for my friend Em (she doesn't know this yet, so mum's the word). I have been wanting to revisit this pattern since I made the mitts, and it's possible this will also be made again (for me?). I skipped a few rows on the chart, as per advice from other knitters, and the size seemed to work out well. I probably should have gone up a size on needles, but with a bit of blocking it seems to fit well.

I love this colourway of the Noro Kureyon, although this skein was a bit disappointing. For the hat it worked out fine, but this colourway is supposed to be purples and GREENS, yet once I went through the purples, it was just starting to change to green and then there was a knot, followed by a cycle back into purple. In the light of my lamp the tiny bit of green seemed hardly noticeable and so I left it in, but now it seems a bit out of place in all the purple and I wish I had taken it out. Oh well, the hat is still pretty and cozy and that braid on the bottom kicks ass. Yup, I'll be adapting that into other hat patterns fo' sho'.

Well time to batten down the hatches and get back to my knitting. I love this time of year! (a few more sunny crisp days would be appreciated though!)

happily lost in the forest...

2008-09-25T18:46:00.004-07:00

I try to keep my inner 15-year-old locked away most of the time, well at least so far as my manner of speaking goes, but OMG! I love this sweater. I really consider this my first real REAL sweater, in so far as my first real cozy, cabled, perfectly fall sweater. It turned out just as I hoped, albeit a few errors that I think I'm okay with, for now at least. I just want to wear it all the time.

Are you tired of the gushing? Okay, the deets: This is Forestry (Rav link) from the Fall 2008 issue of Vogue Knitting, knitted with cozy Sirdar Eco Wool. I guess I made some pretty significant modifications, such as knitting it entirely in the round, adding cables up the back, adding some length to the sleeves and body, adding buttons...okay I changed it a lot. But I do think it is a great pattern either way, just that I have an inability to follow patterns to the letter.

I'm also thoroughly impressed with the yarn. This wool is ever so slightly itchy, but for the most part nice and soft and cozy (I'm using this word a lot, aren't I?). I wore this cardigan on a cold, damp night on the west coast while camping, with just a t-shirt underneath, and couldn't believe how warm I stayed. At the same time, it is not too hot to wear in my office. All around I can see I will be wearing this often.

I hope to post some fall shots soon - there have been many sunny beautiful days, and a few quiet and grey.

his n' hers...

2008-08-29T18:34:00.003-07:00

just back from a week on the mainland - an attempt to go climbing all week in Squamish, but the inclement weather only allowed two days before sending us to the big city and shopping. needless to say it's starting to feel a lot like fall around here, which actually isn't the worst thing, for a knitter anyway.

in the last bit the hat bug hit again, and in between my other WIPs, I fired off two quick toques for A and I. First up:

A's hat is Turn a Square (Rav link) by Jared Flood, in some delish Silk Garden and Sublime wool/cashmere/silk. At first I wasn't sure about the colours, as the Noro turned out darker than I expected, but I think it works out well and fits the colours A likes. Plus the dark bluey-black of the stripes slides right in with Project Spectrum.

Great pattern - knits up fast as most hats do.

My hat reflects my current pre-occupation with the slouch. This is Natalie Larson's Star Crossed Slouchy Beret. I decided to make it even more fall-appropriate, and knit it up in some Debbie Bliss Donegal Tweed, which is nice and slubby. Had to do a bit of playing around as I used smaller needles, so I cast on 81 stitches, and added an additional 9 right after the ribbing. I'm pretty happy with the fit of the hat, although I think I would like it a bit tighter in the ribbing as it sometimes slides forward and down on my head.

However, this is the first of what I hope will be a few slouchy hats for fall, so I'll figure out the perfect shape as I go, I'm sure.

The sun has of course come out to celebrate my return home, which is a bit unfair since dry weather would have been a bit more useful for my holiday and the climbing of rock. But must enjoy it where I can get it - I still have a whole long weekend before I return to work!

west coast weekend...

2008-08-22T21:35:00.004-07:00

Okay, so this is the west coast creative blog, but in reality I live on the east coast of Vancouver Island, the east coast of the West Coast, if you will. Anyway...

Last weekend we went to a wedding on the real west coast, as in next stop Japan. The wedding was hosted by West Coast Expeditions on phenomenal Spring Island, and various creative forms of transportation were required to get there by the guests. We chose to drive to Fair Harbour (lots of logging roads) and then set out on a 5-6 hour paddle out into the blue.

Here's me near the end of our kayak out, near the village of Kyuquot.

Spring Island

Bull kelp, my favourite.

Still on Spring Island.

A walk into the middle of the island, land of big, old trees.

The morning before we had to leave paradise, sunrise on the beach.

A rumpled fellow on the way home.

The entire weekend was just beautiful, and the wedding a memorable event. We were sad to only have the three days, but after another 5 hour paddle back to Fair Harbour, and a four hour drive home, we were tired and ready for our own bed.

more photos: project spectrum edition

2008-08-10T19:58:00.007-07:00

dude, I need to catch up on all these photos I have been taking lately. This set highlights the last element of Project Spectrum, which began with the start of August - Water. I've got a few things in mind for water, knitting wise, as blues and purples are really working for me right now. I'm less into black, but will see where it goes. I really flaked on the Air element, I think mainly because I didn't do much knitting in June and July. However, I did start my new cardigan in the last days of July, and it is grey - it's going along well, but I don't have progress pics to show yet.

A trying out a few boulders on the beach.

Later the same day...longboard cruising, which just made worse my mysteriously swollen ankle. But it was so fun anyway.

Wandering along the marina on a clear evening.

See above.

And my first project that fits in with PS, on the sewing front instead of knitting. I wanted to make a cozy hoodie, but add a few twists from the standard. It's off-white sweater fleece, with a few fun purple accents and an off-centre button front. I might still add some more finishing touches, but I'm digging it so far.

a few thoughts on summer...

2008-07-27T14:54:00.005-07:00

i don't have many words today. instead i will share some different views of summer, many centred around the bounty of the garden. enjoy.

the spaghetti squash are growing at an alarming rate. here one finds good support on top of P's whitewater kayak.

sunday morning french toast, cut thick and stuffed with raspberries & strawberries, topped with sauteed apples and maple syrup.

A trying out his new skimboard.

zucchini, bush beans, and pattypan squash fresh picked from the garden.

purple carrots and one lone golden beet.

multigrain pasta tossed in alfredo sauce, and topped with the aforementioned beans, zucchini, carrots and beets (after a light saute). a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.

noro stripe socks. more details here (ravelry link).

honey whole wheat bread rising in the windowsill. this bread is yum - also works well in the above french toast.

it's the simple things...

2008-07-17T21:29:00.003-07:00

local free range eggs, poached. yummy camembert from just down the way. fresh spinach & chard picked up at the farmers market today, sauteed in a little garlic flavoured olive oil & spices. and beer bread baked yesterday, toasted. a generous sprinkle of pepper, and enjoy.

summer calls for simpler ingredients, simpler meals. i love it when i can find a meal from local, fresh ingredients. our garden too is perking up and revealing surprises from under tender leaves. the raspberries disappear quickly into our mouths, the strawberries are rescued from eager woodbugs. pattypan yellow squash is perfect on the bbq. the zucchini needs to be picked now before they are all a foot long. the tomatoes are turning from green to warm red. i keep meaning to take pics but the days get away from me.

there hasn't been much knitting lately, but there is one pair of socks on the go. i was inspired by amy to make striped noro socks knitting from both ends of the skein, but i now see many people are grabbing ahold of this trend. so far so good on my part, the first sock fits like a dream and the second is well underway.

i hope everyone is out enjoying the summer that has finally come to visit. on my end there has been much climbing, a little skimboarding, and now some quality time with my new toy. A and i got them this week and have been honing our skills during evening carve sessions. i definitely need some more practice before i venture onto busy streets, but a gentle slope on a quiet night is perfect right now.

marine explorations...

2008-07-08T21:14:00.007-07:00

i'm slowly trying to catch up to new stuff...here are a few pics from a day out with my friend Jen's boat tour company. no whales or bears today unfortunately but still a gorgeous day on the water (although i do think any day on the water is gorgeous).

oh the places we'll go...

2008-07-01T10:43:00.004-07:00

has it been so long since my last post? I suppose it has, but I will try to make up for it now with a few photo heavy posts. In the last month there has been a bit of exploring, some gallivanting here and there, and today I am a bit sunburnt and tired in the wake of it. But being Canada Day, it is my fourth and last day of a long long weekend and I think I've earnt a bit of relaxation, so will enjoy it well before the inevitable return to work tomorrow. We just got a new skimboard and may go try it out a bit later; more pics? We'll see.

But first: at the beginning of June, A and I went met up with friends at Pachena Bay in Bamfield. For those who don't know, Bamfield is on the west coast of Vancouver Island, just a bit south of one of my other favourite hangout, Tofino, and the start of the famous West Coast Trail. We had never been to Bamfield before, a tiny little town at the end of a 90km gravel logging road. Didn't explore the town too much, but here a few images from the couple of days we spent listening to the waves crash and exploring the seashore.

The dark clouds threatened a few times but there was no rain during our stay - a miracle on the wet coast.

Recent storms had left many creatures tossed up upon the sand.

I spent one morning eagerly peering into the lush tidepools.

We also did a bit of kayak surfing, although the waves were pretty mellow.

Nothing like a beautiful evening to cap it off!

shells and flowers...

2008-05-30T22:04:00.003-07:00

These pictures make me happy. And I promise, there was no flower arranging beforehand. I was just looking for a nice spot to take some shots of my [finally!] finished socks, and all the lovely pink rhodo flowers were strewn on the grass beneath the bush. Spring is finally coming along...

Obviously it's been a little while since I posted, but don't worry, I 'm in a better mood. In between I forgot to post about Lina hat I made for A. Knitting has been going a bit slowly, and it's hard to tell if it's the projects I've been working on or just a lack of interest on the whole. I've been sewing a bit, drawing a lot. Finally getting outside a bit more to go climbing and the like. Tomorrow I'm going whitewater kayaking - yikes, hopefully I shall return.

Wait - I was talking about socks, wasn't I? As mentioned in the last post, I'd been inspired by several others in blogland to make the Child's First Socks, and to make them in purple. This lovely Araucania Ranco Solid drew me in, and off I went. But. Yeah, there's a but. I don't know, this pattern was old news pretty quick after the start, and time suddenly stood still when I worked on them. Okay, I'm being a bit melodramatic, but I made these socks shorter than my usual length due to my desire to finish them. I love the result, but it was hard going.

I tried the first sock on after completion and the fit seemed good. I reversed the chart on the second sock to have mirror images, and actually thought I was knitting looser on the second. I didn't bother to try the sock on as I went. Umm, yeah. It's a wee bit tight. I'm making it work though - there will be no reknitting.

Project Spectrum Earth is winding to a close - I'm a bit sad that my lack of knitting motivation left me with only a few projects in my favourite colour spectrum. And the next spectrum will be the hardest I think, even though I love grey and white (yellow too, but it's not a colour that makes regular appearances in my life).

I feel like I'm rambling a bit. Hope the weather is good where you are too!