Friday, September 30, 2011

Too Much Stuff!

You don't realize how much stuff you have until its time to move it.  Right now, I'm up to my eyeballs in cardboard.  Boxes, that is.  Everywhere I look, there are heaps and heaps of boxes: filled boxes, empty boxes and folded boxes.  And I've only just begun packing, tackling a few bookcases or cupboards each night . . . .my heavens but we've got loads of stuff!
Folded Cardboard Waiting to Become Boxes
Next weekend will be Thanksgiving in Canada.  That'll give us three days to move all our stuff into the farmhouse.  I'm feeling a wee bit over-whelmed (one of us is a hoarder collector and I'm guessing its not me--unless its craft related). 
Boxes Filled With Stuff
The hard part, of course, will come after the move: all that stuff will need to be unpacked! Eeek! And we'll also have to super-clean our old place before the buyers take possession . . . so much work!  Sadly, no time for knitting. :S

Saturday, September 24, 2011

Organic Design

So in "designing" my own version of Bountiful Bohus, I've had to rip out more than once.  Pictured below is my fourth cast-on (not too frustrating since each time I only got as far as just past the collar). In refining the increases and stitch counts, I'm hoping for a good fit. 
Burgeoning Bohus
As for the colourwork, I'm reworking that too.  After swatching the original pattern, I decided to modify (not too keen on the purls).  Using knitter's graph paper (googling will net quite a few free sites), I pulled out my pencil crayons and coloured.  And if the colours didn't "feel right", I changed things whilst knitting.  Guess the pattern is more organic than planned. But it looks awfully purty. ;) 


So far, so good.

Friday, September 16, 2011

Bohus Lament

Soooo after I attached the second sleeve, I started to have this vague feeling in the pit of my belly: a mixture of doubt and dread.  Something wasn't quite right with the Bohus.  Not sure the thing will fit; it seemed just a wee bit too short and a wee bit too wide.  Bottom-ups are hard to try on (ask me how I know).  I was so tempted to just rip, rip, rip  . . . 


While reading about the adventures of other knitters, how many times has a crafter ignored her gut feelings and tarried on, only to be sorry in the end.  Lesson learned: never be afraid to rip.  Its just yarn.  Yet despite trusting my gut, I still couldn't summon up the courage to rip out all that work.  Instead I put it aside, and then perused Ravelry.  My search for the Holy Grail  turned up nothing.
The Swatch
Discouraged, I looked through my bag of yarn.  The navy looked yummy next to the teal, grass and grape . . . then I heard a whirring and whizzing in my brain.  My heart jumped a little.  What if I designed my own top-down yoked cardi that contained many of the stylish elements of the Bountiful Bohus?  Grabbing some needles and a fresh ball of Softee Chunky, I started swatching.  When I was happy with the fabric, I meandered over to a top-down calculator.  After punching in my gauge, out came a raglan pattern.  Then I found a couple of bottom-up patterns in bulky weight with yoked tops.  Now I had the tools to reverse-engineer a yoked sweater using the stitch counts from the top-down calculator.  Sound complicated? Maybe, but I just know in my gut its gonna work.  



Sunday, September 11, 2011

Old Stuff


A Sock and a Slipper
Should finish up some long-standing WIPs from my knitting table (most of which are small projects).


Let's see: there are two socks in need of partners.  Gonna attempt the worsted one first as its already on the needles. In fact, my industrious self managed to finish the gusset and turn the heel on the weekend--no small thanks to a weekend seminar in the next town over (gotta love car-knitting).


There's also a slipper made with that nasty-but-oh-so-strong Phentax.  One slipper is already completed (ends woven too).  Good thing too since dear hubby mentioned that his current slippers won't make it to winter. Maybe if I get a move-on, I can finish the second one before the snow flies.


My hope is that if I carry both projects in my bag, I can make some headway on both.  Here's hoping they both reach completion soon.

Friday, September 9, 2011

A Life in the Country

A few days ago I posted something rather cryptic about changes.  My reticence came from not wanting to put the proverbial cart before the proverbial horse.  Now I can fully reveal those "changes": Acrylic-girl is gonna be a Farm-girl! 


Its no secret that I live in a small rural community (surely you've noticed my laments over the lack of available crafting supplies).  Nevertheless, we still live in town.  Even in a small town, there is traffic, noise and other people to contend with (made even more so with the annual influx of  university students--suffice to say the town almost doubles in size).  And I won't lie that there has been a certain amount of convenience--especially since my commute consists of a vigorous walk each morning. As convenient as that may be, we've always longed for the country life: a quaint farm house with a few chickens, a few pigs (maybe a goat or two; perhaps a cow eventually), a large veggie garden, a greenhouse and lots of green features (mainly solar heating and wind power--eventually).  I even shared my dream online a few years ago (although we'd been thinking about it for a while).


Finally the dream has come to pass!  In about a month or so, we'll be living in the country in an old farm house.  Yes we'll be sharing the place with family, but that will be a good thing.  The more hands, the better 'cuz there will be lots of work.  Lots of work!
Our New Home
Wish us luck as we embark on this new and exciting adventure.

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Bohus?

A wee bit of frustration over the lack of progress on my navy Bohus.  I dare say that its "growth" has been at a stand still as I attempt to complete the second sleeve.  And that second sleeve is going ever so slowly . . . argh! 
Bohus in Pieces
Whadya think? Eventually I'll get through it, right?  I'm already working the increases; then after a few more inches, the second sleeve can join the body. Can I finish this in time to wear for October?  Maybe. If only life would stop getting in the way . . . .

My one big incentive: the dense, thick fabric is gonna be warm and cozy--perfect for the upcoming fall/winter weather.  Environment Canada is predicting a cool fall for areas with a wet, cool summer.  Just what we've had this year in the Maritimes. 

Now back to my knitting. ;)



Friday, September 2, 2011

Changes

Remember that David Bowie song: "Ch-ch-ch-changes . . . "?
I am a creature of habit: I can eat the same foods and basically follow the same routines day-in and day-out and be quite content.  Suffice to say I'm none too pleased 'bout change in general.  But sometimes change can be good--even if it comes with uncertainty and challenges.
Without getting into too much detail right now, let's say there's a whole lotta change comin' to Acrylic-girl's life in the not-too-distant future.
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