spring green springgrass...

another FO to check out. these are my springgrass mitts, inspired by craftoholic's springgrass socks. i thought long and hard about making these socks, but after the mermaid gloves, i really wanted some fun new mitts for myself, and on discovering this vivid spring green, decided this was what i was looking for. or so i thought...i started the project, decided the pattern wasn't working, and proceeded to try countless other patterns with no success until i turned back to this. i modified it a little in that i took out the purl/knit section on each side, mostly to decrease size for my wrist, and added a 2x1 rib on each end (i also switched down to 2mm dpns). i am actually quite happy i didn't go with socks as i find this pattern very stretchy, and fear the socks would be falling down. so now i am ready for spring with my leaf mitts - bright green at my fingertips to make me smile everytime i wave my hands around. the colour is actually much more vibrant than in the photo, but you'll have to forgive that - i may take photos, but have never been a good poser, especially in hand photography, and while taking the photo myself, but there was no assistant to be found. and somehow what i'm seeing in photoshop today is ridiculously different than what shows up on the web. and i call myself a graphic designer...

up next? oh so many things catching my eye...

mermaids...

aren't they pretty? these are my friend kristie's new mermaid gloves that i made for her birthday. inspired by craftoholic's mermaid gloves, but minus the individual fingers which i didn't like, and her gloves were inspired by the pomotamus socks. when i saw them i knew this yarn would be perfect - the blue-green is completely fishy, which is the whole idea of this lovely scale pattern. this project came a bit out of nowhere, done up in 4 days as i needed a present. not that i hadn't been thinking about her present for a while, but i just wasn't finding the right present, until i remembered these. and they were well received, and she even modeled them so i could take this photo, so that makes me happy too! now to make myself a new pair...

clear morning...

just wanted to share a shot of echo lake yesterday morning on my way into the interior of the island. all was clear and calm, but that little riffle of wind on the lake should have been a clue - later it was rainy and windy and miserable, although i'm told it was clear and sunny down by the ocean. echo lake is directly beside the highway, but usually provides great photographs as you can't hear the mining and logging trucks rumbling by!

all natural...

surprise! i actually followed a pattern! who even knew it was possible? and so i present to you odessa from grumperina. i omitted the beads, as i just wasn't in the mood. the lovely pinky-beige yarn used is patons soy wool stripes - soooo soft. you may vaguely remember me posting an in progress of that same yarn soon to become mittens, but that project was scrapped.
and continuing in my natural fibres - A.'s new socks, made from trekking pro natura - wool and bamboo. these took much longer than expected, not because the pattern was particularly challenging, but as i have been much distracted lately. think the cabling turned out well, and still keep a masculine look.
next on the docket? am making headway in my first attempt at real colourwork - endpaper mitts from eunny knits.

signs of life...

yup, spring is showing signs of springing, which make me very happy. favourite season, hands down, although i'm also fond of fall. caught sight of these miniature irises poking up in my sister's yard, along with the crocuses (croci?) below. buds are starting to appear on the trees, but there has also been lots of snow up in the mountains in the past week. i planted some seeds for yummy yellow cherry tomatoes and also some tomatillos, which are nesting comfortably in the living room window with lots of light to sprout. no way are those babies going outside just yet.


but then of course, west coast weather always throws you a little curveball. it has been sunny but cold today, but the clouds are voluminous and drifting wildly in the wind. and then what do you know - it was hailing - big fat balls layering the ground with white before quickly disappearing again. gotta love it.
on other notes, knitting hasn't been very productive lately. have lots of projects in mind but am lacking the motivation and the time. spending lots of time climbing, and helping out at the gym with school groups, which is kind of fun. set a route yesterday - if you get to On The Rocks, try "she's the one" and nice little arete climb, probably 8-9ish, we didn't grade it just yet.

rainbows and then the wind blows...

i always seem to post the pretty day pictures when it is yucky and cold out - must be an attempt to cheer myself up. we went down to the beach today to check out the crashing waves, but it took only minutes to decide it was ridiculously cold and i wasn't going to take any pictures.
this rainbow, on the other hand, made my day on sunday while driving back from a visit with my sister and fam. the entire arc was visible for a little while, but even as i snapped shots i could see it fading away.

south o' the border again...

i haven't had much say lately, or maybe i can claim i've been busy with work. nonetheless i thought i would share a couple of photos of my recent whirlwind trip to seattle. i was only there for two nights, and did not have much time to walk around, but the weather was very co-operative despite the forecast and saw a few sights and did a little shopping. i was extremely impressed with the REI flagship store in downtown, which included a waterfall/creek, lots of trees, and walking and biking trails, all in the midst of a bustling city. on the other hand, the crazy one way streets and poor signage made us curse while driving. then again, people were ridiculously helpful - i can't remember how many people asked if we were lost when we were spotted with a map in hand.

i was also quite fascinated with the experience music project building - designed by frank gehry. just amazing.
on more work notes, i have mostly finished (barring minor polishing) the new website for On the Rocks Climbing Gym - and if you are in the area you should definitely stop in - although i'm not a big fan of pulling plastic, it has been great for keeping me in shape over the wet season. as well, my personal website will be launched imminently - keep an eye on Pedersen Creative , and let me know if i can help with any design needs!

sunny sunday...

it has been a bit of a busy week. but in between i have managed to squeeze in a bit of knitting. the photography has been partially on hold, in that i haven't had much time to get outside, but i have spent some good time at the climbing gym taking shots for their new website - when it's up and running you will be able to see all my hard work on the design and my photos as well!

i thought i should post some progress shots - first are the variegated blue fingerless gloves i am working on - almost done and the knitting goes quite fast, but i keep getting distracted by other projects. you can only see one mitt in this photo, but the second is nearly there as well. i thought this best showed the design. i am using patons classic merino, which i seem to go to again and again. i was initially not quite sold on the variegated colour - i like mixes, but it almost seemed to change too quickly and too regularly. but knit up i find it much more appealing. hopefully the recipient of these babies will also be happy.

the second picture shows a much slower going - fingerless mitts as well, but for me this time. i am LOVING the SWS - so soft, but as you can see i have also been distracted from this project. so what has been distracting me you ask?


i think these turned out quite well - i wanted an easy knit with a quick pattern but still having some interest. my dad says they look like norwegian ski socks. perhaps... i used scheepjes invicta extra, and i love the red. knit on 2mm, with a short row heel and as usual the magic cast on for toe up socks.
next on the horizon? hmmmm....

yup, climbin'....

more pics from trip

luke bouldering in the buttermilks. we got hopelessly lost on our first trip out there, so it's anyone's guess what he is climbing.

the lava rock at the happy boulders - very cool.

climbing in the owens river gorge - can you spot the girl cranking the 10d? yeah, that's not me (but i wish it was!)

taking a crack at jedi mind tricks in the buttermilks.

and on charlotte rampling on the honey boulder.

another perfect day in the owens valley - mt tom and basin mtn in the background. owens river in the foreground.

early to rise...

each morning when i drive to work i have been admiring the cold january sky, but not had my camera or an opportunity to stop anyway. this morning i got up before sunrise (okay, so that's 8am - nobody said i had to suffer), and bundled myself up for the short walk to the beach. the road was slick with ice as we are experiencing a short cold snap. only an inch of snow on the ground, but it is powdery and light, and shows no signs of melting.

i got to the beach as the sky was turning an icy pink in preparation for the orange sun to come. i was rewarded as well with this great blue heron, calmly wading in the cold water as he too waited for a few rays of sun. he put up with me for quite a while, allowing me to get right to the water's edge, a mere 3-4 metres away. but finally he grew bored and took off with a squawk, arching over the water, silhouetted against the snow-capped coast range. definitely worth getting up for.

yay socks!

i have been a bit sock obsessed lately. but obsession does come with rewards. first, socks for A. he seems pretty happy, and they did work out well, although i think they are a bit short in foot length. but he was away, so these things happen. i used regia, toe up on 2mm dpns, short row heel, basic 2x1 rib on the leg.

and second: yummy socks for me! i had to accept right off that they weren't going to be the same - i don't think the colour changes ever repeated themselves exactly, but i think they have come out quite complementary. i love this wool - it is so soft and so pretty. the pattern was pretty straight forward, a variation on hello yarn's cable twist socks after seeing grumperina's beautiful green result. i used 4x1 ribbing instead of grumperina's 6x2. the yarn is fabulous fortissima colori on 2mm dpns, toe-up. sorry for the somewhat boring photos - i am never home in daylight lately it seems, so for now you get dull indoor lighting shots.

did i mention YAY SOCKS?!!!!!

photos photos photos...

okay, obviously posting extended details about our november trip (so long ago!) has failed completely, so instead i am just going to do a quick couple of posts with some of my favourite shots for anyone who is curious.

this is lovers leap in south lake tahoe - beautiful, but frightfully cold if you have any aspirations to climb in the shade. definitely worth a return trip in a warmer month.

the american river than runs right near lovers leap.

the phantom spires near south lake tahoe. this was actually the view from our campsite. the spires are "phantoms" as they used to be hidden in the trees. however, a forest fire followed by logging cleared out the area exposing the former phantoms.

after leaving tahoe, we headed south to bishop. mono lake basin is a milestone along the way - incredible - the complete opposite of my west coast landscape.
on other fronts, i am knitting like crazy when not working. i finally picked up some patons soy wool stripes which is just gorgeous and i'm sure will be a great knit into another pair of fingerless gloves.

fresh and clean...

i like the new year - although i don't really make "resolutions" - i still usually feel ready to start fresh and new. this photo is actually from yesterday - unfortunately the weather today is a bit darker, wetter, and windier.
A has been up working on Mt. Cain for the holidays, so i went up to join him and a bunch of friends for new year's eve. there were the usual festivities, but five of us decided to make a special excursion for the midnight hour. at 10:30 in the evening we donned all our gear, four on snowshoes and one on skis, and headed out into the blizzard of the night. our goal was the top of the mountain by midnight. it wasn't especially cold, despite the light snow and driving wind that howled as we ascended up the steep hill. we didn't use our headlamps, finding the snow kept the world illuminated enough to keep us out of the trees. the going was steep and i can't claim i didn't complain a few times, sure i would never make the top. halfway up we stopped at the first liftie shed, cramming ourselves inside out of the wind for a round of beer and a short break. our pace was good, we were sure we would reach the top by 12.

once again we headed out - the second half was much steeper, but stopping let the wind buffet us unrelentingly. the snow sprayed against our faces. we had hoped for a night with a bright moon and stars, but somehow this made it seem more like a real mountain summit we were targeting, not just the shed at the top of the second t-bar.
we arrived with 10 minutes to spare - settled into the shed with more space than the last one, and counted our moments on the clock. at 12:00 we screamed over the wind.
on the way back down i could see the lights of the main lodge and cabins far below us in the snow. it looked warm and inviting, but where i was with friends was much better.

socks and sickness...

well, my post-christmas plan to get to my many work projects has been kaboshed for a few days with the rapid appearance last night of the nasty stomach flu - yuck. i am still struggling today to do anything productive - mainly have just been staring blankly at the tv. did make a quick walk down to the beach this morning when i saw how beautiful and clear it was, but even that didn't much improve how i am feeling.

but moving on - realized i never show any in progress photos of someof my projects so thought i would show how the boy socks are going - well, i think. A. is away at work for a couple of weeks, but i should be done well before he gets back and then will post a finished shot of the socks on his (hopefully) happy feet. i am using my own pattern, with judy becker's magic cast-on, a short row heel (i think - technically i'm sort of making it up, but seems to look good), and a simple rib around the leg. if you're wondering, the safety pins are marking stitches, in hopes that i might successfully make two identical socks! next pair will be for me i think, so then i can do something a bit more interesting - apparently the boy doesn't like fancy cables etc!

clear christmas day...

today is mostly clear and quiet after a loud and happy christmas eve. our family celebrates on the eve, as is standard scandinavian tradition, and we had all 11 of us at my parent's house for lots (and lots!) of food and drink and presents and so on. now will give me a chance to post some of the gifts i made for people, although i forgot to take photos of some! will see what i can dig up. here is a toque and mittens ii made for my three year old niece. i also got a store-bought hoodie (i was a bit last minute, okay) and added a matching trim around the hood. they are resting nicely on the snow we had last week but has since left the ground. yesterday the wind was howling and we though we might lose the power for christmas eve, but abruptly it died in the afternoon, with only the rain to remind us.

elk and other oddities...

another pic from our november road trip - so much stuff i want to show before i even get to climbing pics! came across a small herd of elk in someone's yard on the side of the road in northern california - i was standing within 20 ft of this guy when he posed so nicely for me.
ah, last week before christmas, and i'm feeling even more behind than usual - if you haven't received a christmas card i totally apologize, but seem unmotivated to get them done. i'll be lucky if i finish my presents. after the weekend i will post some shots of my newest finished creations - can't let anyone get a peak until the receiver has unwrapped them!

coast daydreams...

so back again to the trip - pardon the jumping around but obviously the weather is going to be changing dramaticallly from post to post, depending on where i'm referring (although, change is really west coast weather in a nutshell, isn't it?) after the flooding, we made it further down the coast where we encountered the above shown area, with 20-25 foot waves bombarding the coast. at left, you will seen A. shortly before he was swept away...well, not really, but it could've happened.

a little ways farther and we finally got down to the beach - still, a little sunshine wouldn't have killed anyone. after a night in a motel, we awoke to the rain finally stopped and california was a bit from friendly in offers of sunshine. unfortunately, we couldn't linger in the sand too long, and we headed inland to the I5 halfway through day 3.

furry friends...

yes, i've been a bit delayed and distracted in terms of posting lately. blame it on the dial-up internet access at my folks' where we are staying for a little while, or the incessant weather that keeps contriving to shut the power off or keep us snowed in, etc. at this moment it is snowing again, a surprise as we were expecting a good southeaster tonight which usually means rain.
here is just a little shot of a busy creature i came across at mount washington last week while snowshoeing. he was quite intent on his pinecones and seemed not much bothered by me.

back to the beginning...

okay...finally a little recap of the trip. it sounds a bit melodramatic, but things looked a little ominous approaching the US border, with a dark bank of clouds dominating the horizon. yet it seemed as if as soon as we entered the states it was raining, and continued to do so for two days straight. the first night we slept in the truck in a fred meyer parking lot. when we woke up we drove out to the coast and discovered what can be seen in the accompanying photos:

a bit ridiculous, no? luckily we had a truck with a bit of clearance, as they were not letting cars through. the second night of the trip was spent in a hotel - drastic measures were necessary after that first cramped night in the truck. luckily the next day broke sunny, if a bit foggy, and we were on our way again. more pictures to follow...

back home...

yes, we have returned from the sunny south. and as you can see from photos, it has been a bit of a frosty wonderland waiting for us. we are currently snowed in at the folks' place, enjoying a bit of respite before diving back in to the real world. i have many a photo to post but thought i would first start off with these shots. later i will show you shots of our ridiculous snowy drive home through washington, but for now there is this.


when we arrived home there was snow, but the skies has cleared a little, leaving it chilly and icy. yesterday a storm blew in, with a full day of swirling, blowing powder. for anyone in the know, this is definitely not west coast weather. i am not used to the snow being so light and fluffy, and blowing in swirls off the rooftops and up in drifts against the doors. however, as is typical, things started to warm up and today we are left with a heavy wet mass of snow in the true wet coast tradition. looks to keep warming, so it is evolving into a slushy mess. still might be awhile before my car moves...