CrochetKnitLand

Mom's sweater and my traveling scarf

Wed, 14 Jan 2009 22:38:54 GMT

1) I finished knittint my mom's sweater last Thursday but when i tried on I didn't like very much the neckline, it looked to wide for my mom.
So on Friday at Knit Nite I just hid the ends and seam the sleeves.When I went back home i frogged the ribben did two rounds of decreases and end again with K2P2.
I kind of follow the pattern Knitted Jumper or JacketI by DROPS Desing, but i used cotton insteado fthe suggested yanr. I also added pockets.I like very much how it turned out, and I hope my mom likes it too.

Close up to see the detail:

2) I participated (still there are two scarves left that i have to send) in the Traveling Scarf Group #16 (Crochet) in Ravelry and yesterday I received my scarf all finished. It looks very beautiful. I provided the yanr and was just enough to finish it.

Compromising and shareing that's the spirit of Christmas

Mon, 29 Dec 2008 04:40:08 GMT

As Hans and I come from different cultures we decide this year to compromise.
His family don't to much for Christmas Eve so I decided to do what we do back home.
I cook for the family. The menu was a mixed of what my mom cooks for that day and what my grandpa used to make)

Staffed Tomatoes with salad and beet soup, I added the soup cause it was cold.
Main dish was raviolones (they are not the regular size of ravioli but big big one as my grandpa used to make) with a tomatoe sauce and chichen.

I served two raviolones per person with a tomato sauce and a piece of chicken

Here is the family

Christmas day we have the traditional turkey dinner open some gifts and watched Christmas movies.

We had a little from there and little from here and everybody was happy.

The cardigan is done?

Tue, 23 Dec 2008 19:59:11 GMT

Last Saturday I finished the last sleeve for my MIL cardigan and on Sunday all the knittine left was done.
Yesterday i sewed up all the pieces together just need the zip and ready to be gifted tomorrow.

What are the odds of having snow on our Christmas Knit Nite?

Sun, 21 Dec 2008 20:03:42 GMT

Being me the one hosting the party, the odds were very high, haha.
I got up kind of early on Saturday cause I had to prepare the house for the party. We did some last minutes shopping with Hans and while he went to pick up his co-worker to driving her to the Airport I stayed behind cleaning and organizing everything.

I cleaned the house and finished with the decoration and left few things for the very last minute:

- Baking

- Vacuuming

- Shower

- wrapping the gift

After Hans came back from the Airport he went out again to get some fruit I needed for the Sangria and some other things. At that point the weather wasn’t that bad. There was no snow going on but I had the feeling that it was going to start any time soon.

I contacted few of the girls to confirm if there was snow which will be plan b but everything seemed that there was no need for one.

Around 4:30 when Hans was in the middle of vacuuming the power went off, which lasted that way for 5 minutes. Hans called BC Hydro to check what was going on cause is being like that for the past couple of days (going off and on in the late afternoon and sometimes off and on till 7:00pm) they said that they were going to check the problem.

<-------- Table set (checked)

Knitting closer to the tree (checked)--------------->

wise men on their way to the nativity scene (checked)

Syl ready for a Knit Nite (Checked)

Half an hour later off again and never came back till 11:30pm. We had some candles but it wasn’t enough so once again Hans left the house and when getting to Millstream Mall the power went off there too, and as he didn’t have cash on him (and probably debit/credit card machine weren’t working either) he decided to drive to wall mart/superstore and try to get them there. That’s when the snow started, slowly.

Meanwhile I had a quick shower (who knew for how long the hot water was going to last), so in 10 minutes I showered and even washed my hair, got myself ready in case there were going to be somebody brave enough to showed. Hans spent like an hour out, he said that the line-ups at this 2 stores were insane.

As it was getting late he offered to bring some food (the power was still out so I couldn’t cook anything. He decided for the fast an easy option McDonalds. So we took some pictures and had bigmacs for supper. At that point when we putting the chairs away we heard a hello downstairs (which made me jump I left a note in one of the doors for the knitters to use that door but I wasn’t expecting anybody to show).

As we were still without power we decided to plug the old phone in case somebody tried to call. I received few cancellations (by cell phone and mail) so I really wasn’t expecting anybody, but Carolyn showed all cheerful as usual, and in spite of not having much food to share just some snacks and tea (that took forever to get ready, we ended using one of those camping stoves to heat the water). We had some knitting done and we even exchanged gift, seemed that whe actually picked the gift for each other.

I got 2 skeins of a nice purple yarn (at that momento it was difficlt to see the color and lot of chocolates (mint chocolate is my favorite). Se got an almost felted item a skein of colorful sock yarn and a little device that looks like a bee which is for making i-cords (according to the label it is for French knitting)

We had a good time I hope she had a safe drivehome. Thank you Carolyn for beaing brave. By the time she left it was still snowing and the wind started to get worse.

By9:00pm Hans and I were in bed. Hans fell asleep right away but I had a goal for that knight (work as much as possible on my MIL’s sweater) so with lot of candles around I kept working. The power came back for few seconds so I turned off all the lights and got rid of the sing in the door and locked it .By the time I finished the power was out again. 15 minutes later the power came back and after realizing that the problem was solved I moved everything to the living room. I didn’t want to wake Hans up. And with a cup of tea, some chocolates (from my gift exchange) and some movie on the TV I kept knitting and enjoying the Christmas lights and the view of the mountains.

All in all, despite the weather and the black out, I had a great Saturday.

I'm back

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 20:08:46 GMT

I didn't go anywhere I just didn't have much to say, of course I kept visiting virtual friends but not much inspiration in the writing front. I worked in several projects during my time out of LJ.
Here are some pics

I made this ones in October, and I have lot of yarn leftover so I also made a beret and i have a pair of socks almost done.

I tested a pattern for a designer i met through ravelry.
The pattern is called Natty it was very well written and
I'm not used to super chuncky material but it turned out ok.
I will try it later with cotton.

There were some knitting for the Christmas Craft fair that some of Friday's Knit Nite girls participated with Arika.

I made those three towels in a day (I spent at least 45 minutes in the bus going and coming to and from work) So two were made during my bus trips and the third one at home..

The little dress, I think it's too small if it didn't sell i may use it as a doll's dress or sew the bottom to become a bag.
There were some other things but i don't have pictures.

Last but not least on Sunday, Hans and I went to visit his parents. His mom can't knit anymore (she has an injury in her hand and now it's too painful for her any type o manual activity) so she let me check in her stash and I got lot of yarn. She think I'm making a sweater for Hans but is for her. I hope I can finish it for Christmas.

Kimono 2 in 1

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 17:54:42 GMT

Last post i showed my Kimono but I forgot to put the second picture showing the idea I hade when I so the challenge. I wanted to use this piece in 2 different ways that's why I added the band K2,P2.

I thought it could be used with the band at the waistline or as neckline and here is how it looks like.

Two complete different options using the same piece.

I really like both ways.

My wrist warmers are almost done. This is a pic I took yesterday in my lunch break. Keep in mind I'm not a good photographer

Virtual Knitting with the Uruguayan group

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 18:47:27 GMT

Last Saturday I got up early again to join the girls in Montevideo - Uruguay, it was a pity not being able to actually join them cause there was a problem with their connection. Every meeting is organized in a different house and after last one, they decided to bring 2 squares to the host and she has to join them and make her own blanket.

This time the meeting was at my teacher's from elementary school (2nd and 3erd grade) and this are the squares I made for her.

She said that she likes earthy tones

Iwas already up so I decided to continue chatting with another girl in USA (married with a Uruguayan) we crochet while chatting it was a lot of fun I even help her with her crochet (she needed to change colors and seems that she got it right).

I finished my "Kimono" for a CAL, the name of the group is Tejijuntas and Sabrina show different options until there is an agreement on what to work on. In the case of the Kimono she gave the outlines but you don't have to follow it 100%.

That's what I did, I just use a different stitch, I tried 4 times. The first time the cotton I had wasn't enough so I had to frog it. The second time I didn't like the way it looked with the suggested stitch and half way I decided to frog it again. The third time I thought that with the new stitch I was doing a good job and when i had the body and one sleeve ready I noticed that it was way too big so I had to frog it again. 4th and last time was the one, I like the way it turned out the only thing is that the neck line is not as deep as I wanted.

Now leaving the crochet aside and back into knitting I decided to start knitting a pair of wrist warmers, I'm going to knit them two at a time in one circular. It took me forever to figure out how to cast on both of them and after giving up and cast them separately and knit 14 rows in each of K1, P1 I noticed how it was supposed to be done.

Yesterday after breakfast I spend my day in my sunny spot working on my wrist warmers. I'm using Spring Forward stitch and for the construction I will use Serpentine Mitts. So far so good. I bought the yarn in the last yarn crawl and is Fleece Artist Sea Wool

That's all for now I hope you have a good week.

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 20:32:14 GMT

I met this group of Uruguayan knitters, they started to get together in different houses (back in Uruguay) unfortunately while I was in Uruguay there was a meeting but I didn't have internet at my parent’s home so I didn't know.

On September the 13th they had another meeting and we were talking about the possibility of me getting connected and being in conference with them. I think they thought it was a joke and we said yes. I got up at 6:30am (meeting was at 10:30am Uruguay 4 hours difference) and get all my crochet/knitting supplies ready, the computer, something to eat while they are sharing great food too.

I logged-in on msn and none answer back so I was getting worried, I just knew the host name and she sent a map of how to get to her place too small but no address, and I didn't recognized the name of the street where the dot (my home here) was on, so I just checked under the white pages for her and nothing, yes telephone was under her husband I just knew his first name so I just put that and hope for the best and in spite of not being a common name there were several so I just checked one by one (I knew the first letter of their street was C but it wasn't clear in the map the rest) until I saw the one the right one. I called them and when I said my name Natty (the host) thought I was some other friend of her so I just clarify who I was and so she told the others and made me sign in with Skype.

There was a problem with Natty's camera so they could see me but I couldn't see them, I was able to listen clearly all the conversation and I'm telling you, I participated in more than one of them, it was really funny . One of the girls was teaching a stitch and it was funny showing her what i was doing so she could say if it was ok or not.

I had a great time, I spent 5 hours crocheting in my crop cardigan (I finished it 4 days later) talking with the girls even posing for pictures, I can imagine how funny it looked a round of people with the laptop in the middle

< Judith and me

    Food that i couldn't try for obvious reason--->

<----- Vero, Vivi, Estela with Sophia

                     Gaby y Daniela--->

<-----Su (she made the cake), Laura and Vivi


There were a lot of people haveing fun, knitting/crocheting, needle felting, waving, just sharing a great time, Susana made   a cake to celebrate bds for the month and in each ball of yarn, on the label you can see the name of the bdgirls.

Last but not least my Crochet Crop Cardigan:

This was my progress after the meeting:

And this is the cardi blocking.

Just Crochet

Fri, 12 Sep 2008 19:04:28 GMT

Today is all about Crochet again!!!

I casted on for C3Crochet Crop Cardigan yesterday night to celebrate International Crochet Day

This is my progress, hopefully it'll be done by the Monday.

This week is being all about Crochet

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 20:52:19 GMT

September 12, is celebrated International Crochet Day so I decided to take this week for my beloved Crochet. Here is my contribution to participate in Jimbo's Contest

I am working in several projects at the same time (yes I said it)

1) My MIL asked for some runners for her coffee table and I decided to use a pattern from Pinapple DOilies by Leisure Arts. The name of the pattern is Four-Square Pineapple. I decided to make 2 and then joining them.
This is what I have so far:

It's just a matter of joining them in a nice way. That'll take a little of trial and error excercise but I think it'll turn nicely.

2. I started a new pair of slipers.

3. A top down cardi Crochet Crop Cardigan

4. Still have to join the little squares i started way back (May I think)

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 17:19:38 GMT

Last weekend I just took it for myself. Hans was away with his friend. I didn’t do much around the house, clean a little bit, work in the garden, I keep transplanting the grass that grows in the wrong area.

Saturday I went with a couple of friends to check Nessa's both at the Rooster's Cafe, it was a very nice setting and she had beautiful paintings to sell and also her toy collection, I hope everything went good for her.

My friends and I continued touring and ended at the Saanich Fair, I've never been there before, it is big and there was a lot of things to check, do, including some spinning and waving. It was very cool. We had lunch there, I had a shrimp wrap that was sooo big and a great Greek salad. We walked around for another couple of hours and by 18:00 I was back home.

Sunday Victoria picked me up around 2:00pm and we headed to our Knitting group BBQ, it was a very nice afternoon. Ursa and her family shared their beautiful home and yard. We shared some food, bbq whatever we brought (actually Lee, Ursa's husband, was the one in charge of BBQing - I hope I spell it right ), we knitted of course and had a great time.

After coming back from the bbq I landed in my living room in front of the TV with some rice pudding left over and my cardigan (which I started knitting on Thursday) with that much Sylvana's time I knitted a lot. I went to bed late and of course the following morning I slept in (I think I woke up at 11:00, not bad for a holiday). I had some breakfast and around 12:30 my friend Raquel picked me up to go to downtown. I knitted a little more at the square and back home by 3:00pm, I had another BBQ with my next-door neighbours. They are a very nice couple. I came back home around 7:00pm, I needed to do some laundry. While waiting for the dryer to finish it's work I finished the sleeves of the cardigan but I didn't like the way they looked so I frogged them.

Tuesday, coming back to work was hard but well, it'll be a short week. The day went fast anyways, I finished my cardigan around 11:00pm. Here are the pictures (keep in mind that the color is not very picture friendly)

<--Back

Front --->

< ------ FO ----->

That's all for now....

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 23:43:20 GMT

This was a very productive weekend.
Friday night at FKN I started the back of the crossed vest, after the meeting I went to a party and as Hans was away I stayed overnight with my friend.

I got back home around 2:00pm (in my 1/2 hour bus trip I finished the back of the vest) and decided that my garden needed to be watered, I transplanted grass from the path to the area that I really want grass to grow, and after 2 hours working there I took a shower and got ready to have a nice Olympic - knitting marathon.

Here are some pictures of my sister's Juliet, my friend Raquel is modeling.

It doesn't show the design in the picture, but I'm happy with the result.

I hope my sister likes it too.

As all the pieces for the vest were ready to I just had to join them, It took me a little while figure out the best way to do it but I did it and I am also happy with the result. I showed to the recipient the pictures and she seems to be very happy. Now I think a manual should be sent with the vest cause is not ease to put it on.

The pictures are not very nice, it's difficult taking pictures in the bathroom.

Last but not least I started some doilies that my MIL commissioned me to make. I will try to get some pictures tonight.

Around 10:00pm I heard somebody at the door, which surprised me a lot, we hardly get visitors, and it was Hans coming back from his camping trip. Seems that started raining the night before and didn't stop so the group decided to come back earlier.

Sunday was my MIL birthday so we had supper all together in Sooke and that was the end of the weekend.

Some knitting in the house

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 20:48:03 GMT

For those that read this journal and still don't have a ravelry account I'll post some of my finished projects and some on the go:

A test project for Vanessa's Algorm ortis, it's a really fast project, it took me 6 hours.
I used some yarn from my stash the drak green and the light green was same
left over wool that Nessa hand dyed as part of the SPLJ4.

I was in a swap from Swap-pot, Crocheting Times and I decided I would like to make a felted purse. I made few sketches and after reading some of my partners information (likes, dislikes) I decided to go for a messenger bag still using the design i had in mind.

<----Here you can see meworking on
his project and also modeling my
3rd and last Boyfriend's pair of Socks
that at the end were delivered in person
(both pairs, they grey one to Alejandro and this ones to Pablo) in Uruguay.

here is the messenger bag finished --->

<---And here is a bad pic trying to show the size of the bag. i have to follow marydotmusic instructions and start practising with my camara cause I want to get better pictures.

I made 2 pairs of little socks but i'm still waiting for my sister to send the pics.

I finished kniting Juliet #1 (for me) the only problem but I still have to find the right buttons cause the one that i first bought are to heavy, and also need to be blocked. I'm very happy with this FO.

I started a Juliet #2 for my sister while in Uruguay and I was planning onf finishing it in two days, but last day before coming back was crazy (I spent half of it looking for papers and certificates and chasing after one of the doctors that made my mom's surgery), so I have to finish it this weekend so I can send it next week.

Last but not least, this is an interesting vest a friend ask me to knit for her. It's very easy pattern just a long long rectangule in ribben stitch (2x2), but my friend wanted it to be crossed trhough (having a cut in one of the sides and pass through the other part. Of course I didn't think of at least making either a small sample or even a paper sample.

So after knitting 30cm i fasten off 40 stitches and continued knitting. By the time I had 1.60cm knitted I noticed that the cut should have been done vertically not horizontally so what to do? I decided to cut the part that was wrogn, it was scary but it did worked out pefectly.

.

I cut both sides, took the live stitches and fastened them off and continued knitting.

It's a little boring this stitch but I'm hoping to finish this weekend too.

How Boyish or Girlish Are You?

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 17:55:00 GMT

You Are 60% Boyish and 40% Girlish

You are pretty evenly split down the middle - a total eunuch.

Okay, kidding about the eunuch part. But you do get along with both sexes.

You reject traditional gender roles. However, you don't actively fight them.

You're just you. You don't try to be what people expect you to be.

How Boyish or Girlish Are You?

Long Weekend, camping with friends at Vargas Island

Sun, 10 Aug 2008 23:05:12 GMT

When Hans picked me up from the airport last Wednesday 30th he told me hey your friends called and ask if we were interested in going camping for the long weekend and as we didn't do anything fun yet I agreed.

So I just took Thursday off and worked Friday and on Saturday morning we were heading up island. We had to be in Tofino by 5pm time that Ivan (the organizer of the trip) arranged to be picked up. We were nine and it looks like we were going to spend at least a week in that island (too much staff).

We arrived in Tofino around 1pm had lunch in a Chinese restaurant, i didn't thing it was bad the rest of the group weren't that happy with the meal. Ivan called the company and they said they could pick us up by 3:30 so we took all our equipment, food and others closer to the appointed pick up place and park our cars safely for the 3 days we were going to be away.

When we saw the little boat that was going to take us to Vargas Island I was a little scared, but everything went fine, till we have to take everything from the boat to the beach, the water was frozen but in 10 minutes and a little of team work everything was out. We check around and it looks like the night before the tide was high, we checked with the other couple that was also coming in the same side of the island and the confirmed that. They had to move everything up during the night.

Well we found a little spot were to put our tents but there were 5 of them. The camping neighborhood was packed.

After preparing the fire and setting everything up Hans and I decided to take a risk and camp besides the fire.

Our first meal was supper, once the fire was started I gave some instructions and we got the setting ready to bbq the brochets that Raquel prepared (chicken, beef and pork), some salad and for desert Cheese cake. Who camps like this???

Ihave to say that the first night I couldn't sleep properly until late late, the waves sounded so loud that I had to check every so often if the water was closer or not, while Hans was sleeping like a baby.

But, noting happened, and by 4am I think I finally gave up and went to sleep. It was a little cold but great.

On Sunday Morning it was our (Hans and me) turn of cooking, we made pancakes, with some fruit, cheese, coffee and tea.
During the morning it was a little cold, but it was beautiful. We decided to go for a walk even when it looks that it was going to be a little difficult, there are no paths or trials and the forest is very thick. We tried anyways till we ended in one of the sides of the island which is just rock.

We spend same time there and then we came back to the campsite.
It was time for lunch (yes, we spent most of the time eating).

While Claudia and Javier were preparing lunch (empanadas chilenas) the rest of us was preparing for a nice afternoon, seems that the fog was cleared and the day turned out beautiful.

I ended getting into the water first, it was freezing but that was my bath for the day. Later on the guys one by one did the same and just Jossy was brave enough among the girls.

We had a really good time, playing board games, racket ball, reading.
(I left my knitting in the car cause I thought it was going to be difficult to carry an extra bag, I knitted all the way to and from Tofino).

During the night again it was cold but we had a great meal and drinks with friends. Ahh don't forget horror stories.

The fire was on since day one, it was very easy to keep it just looked for big logs around the beach and they lasted all day/night long.

Monday morning we had a great breakfast prepared by Anne and Luis
and then got everything ready cause we were going to be picked up at 10:30. It was again very foggy and this time the tide was so low that we had to walk a lot to get closer to the boat.

This is how our trip ended:

Long time no posting!!! This is going to be a long boring post

Sat, 09 Aug 2008 00:15:06 GMT

Well as some of you know I had an emergency trip back to Uruguay .

After Friday Knit Night on July 11 I received a phone call from a friend explaining me that my mom needed surgery urgently and that she already booked a ticket to Uruguay for that Sunday. I was in a panic attack not only for the news about my mom but also cause my passport was expired. Everything was ready to be sent to the Consulate in Vancouver but I was waiting for the 15th (payday) to sent and this happened.
I tried to contact my ambassador in Ottawa and sitll waiting for an answer (don't know what is he doing cause this was an emergency and he didn't care, everything under Uruguayan taxes expense)

Well I went in a rush to the Consulate on Monday morning and they told me that the urgent process would take 10 days (once again what's the point of having a Consul if he cannot sign a passport and the have to sent it to Ottawa to be sign by the ambassador), after I said no way I have to be in Uruguay by Wednesday and they saw me crying they gave me another option, travelling with a paper that explain that it was a compassionate trip.

Seems that it wasn't my day, I had a problem with the money order i had prepared for the passport renewal the amount was higher thatn the one needed for that paper and they made me go around to cash it and get a new one, (I hade just 7 dollars in my bank account till the following day and my credit card) of course the bank didn't let me cash de money order and told me to do it in Victoria (did I mentioned I was in Vancouver, haha) I tried to by a money order with my credit card and they said no just cash or debit so I ended asking if they could please accept the old money order and keep the 6 dollars i just needed the paper to go.

Every was done by 11:30 but I still had to take the bus (with connections) to the ferry terminal take the ferry then the bus again to downtown to get to work to finish up some work for my boss (he was so nice and when i told him the situation sadi to me go ahead, be with your family we will be fine here), while Hans was trying to book a ticket, I finished everything by 9:30pm. When I got home I finished felting the bag that needed to be sent before July 31 but I wasn't sure I'll be back in Canada by then so Hans was in charge of sending it.

Everything was fine till I noticed that the paper was written in Spanish (Can you believe that???? we are in a country where the languages are English and/or French and they made in Spanish) well, after explaining at the airport what the paper said and the purpose of the trip the nice lady from Air Canada contacted people in Toronto and they put a note in my ticket explaining why I was traveling without passport.

Well the trip was ok I guess 45 minutes to Vancouver (cast on for my moms short socks), 5 hours to Toronto (more knitting and a movie Miss Pettigrew) a little of running from my arrival gate to my departure gate, and a little more knitting while waiting, 16 hours more in the next flight to Santiago in Chile (this time the person sitting besides me was also a knitter, but she knit till after supper, I continued on an off in between movies and trying to sleep, those sits are very uncomfortable for shorties like me. Next flight was 2 more hours, to arrive in Buenos Aires Argentina, get from Ezeiza to Aeroparque another hour (2 different airports in BsAs) this time I had 3 hours delay, which meant more knitting. One of the security ladies came by and said it's a pity you don't live in Buenos Aires you knit so nicely (I have to say it made me blush) and finally after 23 minutes in the air I was arriving in Montevideo.

My dad, sister and an aunt were waiting for me for 2 hours, on my way home I got to took to my mom that was waiting at the hospital. That meant I had time for a quick shower, eat something and go in a rush to see her and spend the night at the hospital. Se surgery was the following afternoon and it took 5 hours. I got to see right after she got into intensive care, that was a big shock to me. But next morning she was fully awake and having breakfast sitting in her bed (that was also surprising). She spent just a day an a half in intensive care and she was transferred to a regular room where she spent 4 more days and then home.

It was amazing how fast she was healing, it was a triple bypass procedure but she did great. I got to spend a lot of time with her, father, sister, other family members and friends that were all around helping and taking turns to visit.

You may ask what happened to the short socks, well....they were done by the day she was transferred to regular room (so it took me 4.5 days). But then I had to make another pair for my dad which i finished the day before coming. I also started a Juliet for my sister but as I spent most of the day before coming back, looking for a certificate from my moms doctor I couldn't finish, still in process.

That's was my trip to Uruguay, thank God my mom is doing great, little by little she is going back to her routine, it's being just 3.5 weeks and she already went to the market with my dad and keeps going for walks, she notices now that the surgery made her feel way better.

Next post pictures of projects finished lately

Alejandro's socks are done

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 23:27:34 GMT

Last Saturday I finished my second pair of Boyfriend's Socks this time for Alejandro, Maria Noel's husband.
I didn't want to risk another attempt of: "Can I keep them"? so I decided to modelling them myself.
Don't they look that they feet perfectly?





But I'm size 6.5 and the socks were knitted for a size 9 so that's how they really look.


Sorry for the mess but  I took this pics at the office while everybody went out for lunch.

So this pair is done and this morning on my way to work I started the last pair using this pattern this time in green, I asked the wife of the recipient if he will be happy with that choice and she agreed, so green will be.

Last but not least, I joined a crafty group in Spanish Club de las Arañas (in English it'll be Spider's Club), which is mostly a crocheting and knitting club (but there are other crafts involved) and each month they have a challenge this time is a tea set . It supposed to be ready by the 25th and at the end of the month the members pick the best (everybody vote and the one receiving the highest score wins). Each participant must make at least two items (2 cups, plates, etc) except for teapot, milk and sugar containers). I hope I can finish it on time.

I have 2 cups so far, I just need:
- 2 plates
-2 spoons
- teapot
- cream container (i don't know the name in English)
- sugar container (idem)
- some desert
I think I can do it. As soon as I have my set finished I'll show it.

That's all for now, have a great rest of the week.

What's Your Celtic Horoscope?

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 18:19:28 GMT

You Are An Ash Tree

You are vivacious and impulsive, which makes you extremely attractive to many.

Intelligent and demanding, you don't care much for criticism.

You have a ton of ambition and talent, and sometimes money rules your heart.

You like to play with fate, and you can be very egotistical and restless.

Demanding of attention, you need love and a lot of emotional support.

What's Your Celtic Horoscope?

Sock Fixing and Ella Phint

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 17:45:22 GMT

After coming back from Friday Knit Nite I had that cable mistake in the back of my mind so I didn't get closer to that pair of socks for the rest of the night.

Saturday was a hard work day. We got up not too late but not too early either it was around 10:00 had some breakfast and by 11:00 Hans was ready to work in his 1st stair prototype and myself ready to clean the house, it's nice having it but it's a little more to clean, after two hours I was ready to work in my side of the rock.

                                                                   Before

         Before 2

I got to clean a nice area, now I know there are 2 trees and a plant, of course it was just the 10% of the space that needed to be clean but it took me 4 hours. After that we had supper and rest for the rest of the evening.

                                        After

Well... that's when the Sock Fixing project started. I tried to continue knitting (2 more rounds in each sock) but I couldn't continue, the mistake was driving me nuts, even when I knit in the wrong side I could feel that it was staring at me. So I decided to use the ladder technique (first time in cables) I took a big block of 12 stitches and unravelled them.

I have to say it was scary but after it was done I felt wayyyy better. It doesn't look perfect but at least I have the cables done.

On Sunday, both Hans and me were dead tired. We set the alarm for 8:30, we wanted to go to the Tea Party in Willow Beach Park to have the special pancake breakfast but when the alarm went on Hans said i think I need to rest a little longer so I just turn around and continue sleeping till 11:00, I didn't want to wake him up so I knit a couple of rows in the socks till he woke up.

I made pancakes from scratch (I didn't find the mix box till it was too late. They were ok, I guess, I'm not an expertise in that field, at least I didn't burn any of them as I used to. After breakfast as we were still tired we went back to bed but I was ready to start with knitfish's pattern, Ella Phint.

It's a great pattern; very easy to follow I was doing great until I had to add the ears. As I'm not much of a pattern follower I didn't read properly that part and it took me three times to get it right, but it was 100% my fault. I love the pattern and I'll definitely use it again. Love the idea of using the crochet cast on to avoid seaming.

This one is going to Afghanistan; Hans and his co-workers were putting together a package with toys for the children over there. So we bought some and I decided to make at least one (too short notice, he told me about it on Saturday).

Well... that's when the Sock Fixing project started. I tried to continue knitting (2 more rounds in each sock) but I couldn't continue, the mistake was driving me nuts, even when I knit in the wrong side I could feel that it was staring at me. So I decided to use the ladder technique (first time in cables) I took a big block of 12 stitches and unravelled them.

I have to say it was scary but after it was done I felt wayyyy better. It doesn't look perfect but at least I have the cables done.

On Sunday, both Hans and me were dead tired. We set the alarm for 8:30, we wanted to go to the Tea Party in Willow Beach Park to have the special pancake breakfast but when the alarm went on Hans said i think I need to rest a little longer so I just turn around and continue sleeping till 11:00, I didn't want to wake him up so I knit a couple of rows in the socks till he woke up.

I made pancakes from scratch (I didn't find the mix box till it was too late. They were ok, I guess, I'm not an expertise in that field, at least I didn't burn any of them as I used to. After breakfast as we were still tired we went back to bed but I was ready to start with

knitfish

's pattern, Ella Phint.

It's a great pattern; very easy to follow I was doing great until I had to add the ears. As I'm not much of a pattern follower I didn't read properly that part and it took me three times to get it right, but it was 100% my fault. I love the pattern and I'll definitely use it again. Love the idea of using the crochet cast on to avoid seaming.

Color Quiz

Wed, 04 Jun 2008 23:06:19 GMT

you are lavenderblush
#FFF0F5

Your dominant hues are red and magenta. You love doing your own thing and going on your own adventures, but there are close friends you know you just can't leave behind. You can influence others on days when you're patient, but most times you just want to go out, have fun, and do your own thing.

Your saturation level is very low - you have better things to do than jump headfirst into every little project. You make sure your actions are going to really accomplish something before you start because you hate wasting energy making everyone else think you're working.

Your outlook on life is very bright. You are sunny and optimistic about life and others find it very encouraging, but remember to tone it down if you sense irritation.

the spacefem.com html color quiz

More socks

Wed, 04 Jun 2008 19:27:42 GMT

On Monday I started knitting the second pair of socks this time for Alejandro (Maria Noel's husband) in a grey tone.
Same pattern, same techniques involved (toe up, two socks in un circular, using the same skein)

As I still have to make the pair for Pablo (Loreley's husband) I have to buy an extra skein but this time I can be a little more adventurous with the colors, not too crazy but at least it won't be another black pair. (I'm still debating if I will use the same pattern for this one or a new one)

Yesterday Progress This Morning progress

H: Can I keep this pair of socks and you knit another pair ....

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 06:35:05 GMT

Two weeks ago I decided I was going to knit two pairs of socks one for Pablo (Loreley's husband) and another for Alejandro (Maria Noel's husband). Lore and Maria are my two best friend from back home and I always send gifts for the girls bds but nothing for the boys so this time around I check with the girls and decided that socks were a good idea and the colors picked where black and grey.

So, I checked on ravelry and found this pattern: Boyfriend's socks
I decided that it would be a good idea to challenge myself and use the magic loop, toe-up, two socks at a time using the same yarn for both socks. It wasn't that bad until I got to the heel, I didn't know how to continue both socks at the same time so I just did it separately.
I had just once a mess, that was solved with a pair of scissors (after spending more than an hour and getting few extra grey in my head in solving it)

My idea was finishing on Thursday and by Friday Knit Nite start with the second pair, but the first one took me more than I expected and were finished today at 9:30pm. When I was ready to ask Hans to model them for me, even before making the actual request he extended his legs for me to put them on, he looked at me and said: " Syl, can I keep them and you knit another pair for what-his-face?"

And I have to say I was confused, excited and impressed all at the same time. I tried to make a pair of socks years ago but during the process he didn't let me check if they were going to fit and of course they were to small. So when he asked to keep them I felt happy that he liked them so much that he wanted them for himself, actually he kept them on for the rest of the night cause it was a little cold.

            Monday                                                                                                                                 Wednesday


       Sunday

Seems that I'm at the beginning of the road again. Two more pairs to go.

Big reveal

Thu, 15 May 2008 21:50:17 GMT

I went to check my maibox and apart from the regular bills and junk mail there was a key with a note: "Package, open box 2A and put back the key in mail slot."
So after asking Hans if he was waiting for a package and receiving a No for answer I started to open the box and there, it was an envelop from my SP. She said there was going to be a card for the big reveal but this looked bigger and heavier than a card. When I got the envelop I thought it's a book....I think I know which one....yes....
Crazy Aunt Purl's Drunk, Divorced & Covered in Cat Hair I think Hans gave up on my crazy reactions about packages, knitters and things related and just smiles an listens to all my nonsense.

Well I just wanted to say thank you very much Jody (now I know your name and I already put you on my friend's list) and also want to keep in touch.

Syl

PS#1: I started a Spring Scarf with the yarn you sent in package #3 and after being halfway I noticed a mistake I let it be for a lot of rows until I noticed I couldn't stand it and frogged not without checking if the effect I was looking for was going to be achieved with the stitch selection and as it wasn't instead of frogging till the mistake I just decided to start all over.
I'm again halfway done....I'll show pics later

PS#2: I started reading the book yesterday and I'm already in chapter 16 it has some sad moments but over all it's greag, I love her writting.

We moved last Saturday!!!

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 23:48:22 GMT

Yes, we finally started the move on Saturday afternoon. We had the final inspection at noon and then go back to the apartment and start loading the cars.

I drove 4 times with the car full of boxes, Hans and his father (car & truck) 5 times with furniture and more boxes. My MIL and SILs helped a lot to clean and sort out the boxes that i was bringing out. But just putting the boxes in the appropriate room I rather organize our things ourselves.

Here are some not so good pictures, too late, too tired to focus.

Here is Hans behind the boxes at the apartment

Here is the view from the front. The back of the house is facing Millstream Avenue.

Hans and his father were the ones crawling those stairs up an down the furniture. We don't have much but the entertainment centre that the in-laws donated (they just moved and they didn't need it ) was very heavy and so the tv.

I wasn't there, I missed that scene. I was driving one of the SIL to downtown, picking up more cleaning supplies, picking up more boxes from the apartment and picking up another SIL.

This is how it looked on Saturday night (now the kitchen is boxes free)

bedroom                                                                                                                                                                                   spare bedroom

bad Kitchen picture                                                                                                              bathroom


   You'll see better when visiting.
   Ok I hope I can get closer to my needles and hooks cause i really need to   knit/crochet soon.

Lot of Potential (long post not much crochet/knitting content)

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 20:13:25 GMT

Since Hans came back from his course, we started checking the real estate market, and we decided on a budget. We found a realtor and told her the usual, what we want, areas, and amount that we were willing to pay (actually borrow, cause of course we didn’t won the lottery or anything like that)

When we start receiving the messages with the places in that price range we noticed that our initial number was wayyy off, so we decide to increase a little, and after making all the calculations we decided that we were going to be ok.

Well the “fun” part started. We decided that we weren’t in a rush so we were going to take our time to see what was in the market. We first thought about mobile homes until we noticed that the one we liked (price and others) were either in Sooke or further and the other thing is that you don’t owe the land and if the owner decides to sell the lot you have to pick up your mobile and find a new place (most of the mobiles we were able to afford weren’t in condition to be moved) After this is when we decided to increase our budget

So we decided to check the next level condo and half duplex. We checked so many…and here is when the “Lot of Potential” started to show very often. Every time I heard that I knew it almost mean this is crap. I read my notes after the visits and I laughed so much. I didn’t talk that much I just look around and made notes.

Condos in the Victoria area were over our limit and in comparison with the half duplex that we saw too small (for the same price). So we continued checking just half duplex. There were 2 that looked interesting one a block from were we are living right now (Esquimalt) we were surprised cause it was close enough to town and the price was ok; and the second one cheaper in Langford. After looking some more we decided that the one in Esquimalt could be it so we put an initial offer of course under the selling price and after few phone calls we (the two parties) were happy and started the process, appointment with the mortgage broker, getting the place inspected and after that making the final decision. We had a list of conditions and the owners weren’t willing to fulfill all of them so after a weekend of phone calls and yes and no, we decided not to go for it.

So we went back to the cheaper one in Langford, we checked it again and we got the Lot of Potential but we thought it didn’t need that much work, just cleaning the gigantic back yard and maybe in the future changing carpets, so we decided to put an offer and start again the process, always having in mind our under the price first offer and our limit on how much up we were willing to go over the asking price. Well this place was in the market for 6 months and suddenly another person was interested too. So we spent an hour and a half answering quick phone calls from our realtor bidding until she said you got it, ok we were happy for 2 minutes cause the telephone rang again and she said they went 2,000 and it was over our limit so we said once again no thanks. Let’s keep looking.

That week we had 4 more half duplex to see, and suddenly Hans found this house in Tillicum in our price range which was very unusual so we decided to take a look. I was very apprehensive about this, I didn’t know what to expect (to good to be true). So we went there and from the moment I got into that house it was a no no for me. Has was so excited, cause after all it was a house for the same price that we were willing to pay for a half duplex. I really tried but I wasn’t happy at all, the kitchen was extra small, it had 2 rooms and a tiny living area the only good thing was being a house and having a nice yard. So I didn’t talk much but Hans noticed I didn’t like it so we came back home and kept checking on the internet and decided that if the places we were going to see in the next couple of days weren’t ok we were going to put an offer on this one.

The following day I found this place in Langford through www.mls.ca, but I wasn’t sure if it was half duplex or a house it had 2 doors and I read the add and it was a little confusing so I called Hans and he checked and called and they said it was a house so we called our realtor and ask for a visit and we went there and fall in love, we still went to see the other ones but we wanted that house (and in our price range, and cheaper than the duplex in Esquimalt).

So we put our offer and waited and they said yes and we kept waiting but there wasn’t another bad phone call so we, continued the process, got it inspected and looked ok, of course some cosmetics but nothing of concern, so we call back our broker signed the papers and wait for the lawyer’s advice, everything was ok.

And finally today we signed the papers and we are getting our keys this weekend.

I forgot to mention something in the middle of the process (after we got our offer accepted) Hans received a notification of being transferred to Edmonton for 3 years. Can you imaging the stress? Well right now his transference is being postponed at least for a year so right now we are enjoying our happy moment.

We are so excited!! We are the happy owners of a ~~big mortgage~~ house!!!