Book Review!!!

Ok...maybe it's not a book review...maybe it's more like a book gush, or an "Ode to Book."
I just purchased Knitting Knee Highs: Sock Styles from Classic to Contemporary by Barb Brown. (Rav link here). It's a beautiful book full of amazing patterns that are fully adaptable to a variety of styles.


Here is my copy of the book lovingly nestled in some of my hand dyed yarn destined for Abbotsford.


Here is the inscription from Barb. See? We're practically BFF's!! I shared a room with Barb at a knitting retreat and she has bionic eyes (no joke here, it's totally awesome...I think she might secretly have lasers in them or something). So of course, I think she's a totally rad person.

I love this book. I had to force myself not to toss my current UFO's out the window and cast on socks. They pattterns are beautiful. They come from a variety of ethnic inspirations and a wide variety of styles. You can do knee-highs, you can knit regular socks, ankle socks, or even leg warmers! The possibilities are endless. I am already planning my first pair!
This morning when I went downstairs to the dye pots in preparation for next weekend I had a list of colourways that I wanted to do. The list was tossed off to the side and I started experimenting with colours especially for me, so I can knit the socks in this book in the colours that I want! I just made a colour way that I think I will call "Barb's Browns." (If Barb will let me that is!).

enduring vines

enduring vines mittens

by electrictree

Enduring Vines is a snug fitting gauntlet knit in two colours in the Latvian style.

Knit in fingering weight yarn, it will keep little fingers warm on the coldest day.

Yarn: yardage and weight: electrictree extremity – colourway, natural

electrictree extremity – colourway, elrond

Needles: US 0(2. mm) 4 double pointed needles or size needed to get gauge.

Notions: Stitch holder

Gauge: 36 stitches per 4 inches

Size: 2 ¾ inches wide by 8 inches long to fit small child’s hand.

2 Colour Seed stitch:

Knit in 2 colours, A and B

Row 1: *Knit 1 in A, purl 1 in B* repeat to end of row.

Row 2: *Purl 1 in A, kKnit 1 in B* repeat to end of row.

Repeat rows 1 and 2 to desired length.

Mitten:

Using 2 colour cast-on, cast on 48 stitches loosely, onto 3 needles (12, 12, 24).

Knit cuff in 2 colour seed stitch for 1 inch (2.5 cm).

Follow colour chart to row 40 and make opening for thumb as follows.

Row 40: Knit 1, put next 11 stitches on stitch holder. Knit to end of row.

Row 41: Knit 1, cast on 11 stitches. Knit to end of row.

Continue in pattern to row 58.

Row 58: Slip1, k 1, psso, knit next 20 stitches in pattern, k 2 tog. Repeat.

Row 57: Slip1, k 1, psso, knit next 18 stitches in pattern, k 2 tog. Repeat

Continue in this manner, decreasing 4 stitches on every row until 8 stitches remain.

Weave stitches together.

Thumb:

Pick up 11 stitches from stitch holder. Pick up 1 stitch from the mitten. Put on 2 needles.

Pick up 11 cast off stitches. Pick up 1 stitch from the mitten.

Follow chart to row 16.

Decrease and finish in the same manner as the mitten.

Sew in all ends.

Repeat for other hand making sure to put the 11 stitch thumb opening at the beginning of the third needle.

Holy Crazy Woman Batman!

Normally I save my ranting for my Facebook friends, but I wanted to tell you a little story about a woman I saw this morning. I was driving the stepbrat to school when all of a sudden she said "There is some woman driving and she's using her phone!" For anyone not from this part of the world, last year a law was instituted that makes it illegal to use handheld devices while driving. This makes fantastic sense since you use your hands for driving... I thought it was great that Mackenzie was disugsted by this woman. I'm proud of her for thinking of things like this (although she's 11, so who knows...in 2 years she might think it's "cool!").
I glanced over thinking she's talking on her phone and this woman is texting while driving and her other hand she has a cigarette! Now I am no math whiz, but I am reasonably sure that 2 hands minus one hand for texting, minus one had for smoking equals somewhere in the vicinity of zero.
Man was I mad! She's not only putting her life in danger, she was putting my life in danger and the lives of my kids. About 10 seconds later we were stopped at an intersection side by side. I couldn't resist making sure she knew what I thought. Really, I used to be a lot worse. I used to be much louder and more outspoken (hard to believe, I know.) But I have tried really hard to mellow out with age. However, there are just some things I cannot be quiet about-anything that effects my family's safety is one of those things. I think that if everybody keeps "minding their own business" than we make things like this quasi-socially acceptable. So I honked my horn and when she looked up from her phone, cigarette gracefully grasped between her fingers, her mouth an "O" of surprise-I made a phone to my head gesture while mouthing the word as if she was hard of hearing ("PHO-ONE!"), made an angry face and a full swining hand chopping motion.
I honestly thought she would be angry and rudely gesture back, but apparently I frightened her and she looked completely embarassed and spent the rest of the time very carfeully driving in my blindspot so I couldn't see her.
I only feel slightly guilty that I wonder if I could knit while driving...

Yaaarrrrrnnn!!

Fibres West is coming up soon! On March 18th and 19th electrictree yarns is going to be there slogging our wares! the house is redolent with acrid scent of fresh dye and dead bugs (what can I say, that's what silk smells like...). I love the masses of yarn that are drying all over the house.



Sorry about the picture quality, I no longer have a good camera and now have to take stills from my camcorder until I can find a replacement.

We have expanded our line. We have merino/nylon sock (extremity), merino/silk fingering (ephemeral), superwash worsted (expansive), silk noil light fingering (earthly), and silk laceweight (exquisite.) We will also have a variety of fantastic accessories, bamboo lazy kates, raw fibre (shetland, mohair, angora, and hopefully quiviut!).

We are really excited about this event, it's our 3rd fibre fest, but it's our first major one. We are one of over 30 booths. This will be the largest one I have ever been too! The hardest part will be not splurging on ridiculous amounts of yarn and fibre!