Cool Weather

My recovery continues to go well, but I've been surprised at how long it's taking to feel really back to normal. I'm pretty much better now, but I still tire out really easily. Last week I was still having pain around my incisions, although that was possibly from the cats that were jumping on me in the night. I was looking after my boss's cats for a few days while she went on vacation.

She got me this- isn't it perfect? The kitty, the crochet hook... I love it. It's a little compact mirror and it's sitting in my purse now.

She also got me a bit of yarn. She started by telling me it was BC grown, sold by the gram, hard to find... it's handspun and it is so soft and yummy. It has a fair bit of angora in it. There was just enough to make a nice headband for the fall.

I was on a frenzy this week. I finally used up this roving I got in the early days of my crochet, before I knew anything about yarn weights or fibre content or what roving even was. It makes the squishiest little rug in front of the fireplace. 

Don't you love our ridiculous mantle? All the fun stuff from our old "nerd shelf" and some of my decorative stuff, along with usually a couple bottles of my nail polish.

A friend of mine was destashing this week to move across the country for a job. I got this ball of Manos, and it just screamed to be made into a cowl. I love it, it's so squishy. I'll think of Emily when I wear it, and hope she can come and visit often.

Yarn surrounds everywhere I sit in this house. Around my computer, my side of the couch, hooks by my bedside table.. I've been busy.

I finished the project I started on vacation this summer. It's a huge, cuddly sock weight Venus shawl.
I didn't have enough yarn to finish all the repeats, but it's plenty big as is. I really need to block it, though.

This is the start of the rainbow ripple blanket I'm making. It's going to be so bright and pretty! I can't wait to get into the blues and pinks. That's my favorite part of a rainbow blanket. When I had just the reds, it looked really 70's in an awful way. The more colours I add, the better it starts to look.

And this is the project I might be most excited about right now. I'm making the Weekend Cardigan, and I'm loving it. The pattern has a lot of mistakes, but I'm kinda ignoring it and doing my own thing. The pattern also ends up giving you a big line down the back, so I'm totally ignoring parts of it and making the fronts and back all one long piece. No seaming, no ugly line, less yarn used. Which is good, because I don't have enough yarn for what it calls for. I'm not too far off, and I can leave off the big patch pockets to save a lot of yarn too. Still, I don't want to run out!
I love the yarn. It's hard to see, but it's the most beautiful soft heathered gray, with purples and blues and indigos in it. I can't wait to be finished with this cuddly cardigan.

Today, though, I have to start sewing my bridesmaid dress for my best friend's wedding. I'm going to make a muslin first to try and get a better fit. This dress does kinda have to be perfect. I don't know if I can handle perfect, but I'll certainly try.

Moving, Recovering, Crocheting

It feels a bit like life is finally settling back down. I'm mostly healed, and after tomorrow I can start doing some light lifting and carrying. I'll be able to get the house in shape! I can't wait to finish unpacking this place. It's going to look so wonderful once I do.
We went out yesterday to the dollar store and local bargain store to get some things we needed. Exciting things, like soap and a garbage bin and toilet brushes. We also got a bit of candy and Andrew found a little T-rex that has a trigger operated mouth. He spent the rest of the trip making the little guy nom on everything in the store, and I wasn't surprised when he got added to the pile of things to take home.
On the trip home, I laughed at how many toys our future children will already have.

Speaking of buying things, I got myself some absolutely lovely treats on my birthday.

These fantastic sparkly shoes are for the wedding! I just love anything sparkly, and sparkly silver heels did me in. And look, a short heel! I can't wear the tall spike heels that are popular right now.
I adore these. I wish I could wear them to work!

 

This is the crown jewel, so to speak.  I finally found my wedding tiara! A girl who loves sparkly things and being a ridiculous princess and the centre of attention just couldn't pass up the perfect chance to get a tiara, no? I adore it. I wish I could wear it to work every day.

And aww, it's a picture of the old apartment. How I don't miss it. I love you, new apartment.

 

Speaking of old apartment and weddings, here's a shot of the wedding blanket I whipped up for a dear old friend for her wedding. I only had a week to make it, and I'm pleased with the results. I am absolutely addicted to granny stripe blankets.

I ran out of the yarn and had to pop out to get some more. Unfortunately I couldn't find the same purple, so I got the only one they had. Since it was so different, I added small stripes to the top and bottom with the new purple and the different dyelot blue. It's a pretty andd snuggly blanket, and my friend told me she teared up when she saw it! Just the kind of lovely friend I like to make things for. I hope it keeps them warm for many happy years.

  

Earlier in the week when I started feeling better, I decided to do some baking. My upstairs neighbor kept her little daughter very quiet for me when I was healing from the surgery, so I decided to bake some muffins to say thank you.

As you can see, the first batch were fail muffins. I found out the hard way that my oven overheats by about 25-50 degrees!

  

The second batch turned out much better, even if my muffins never seem to rise properly. Yummy little oatmeal chocolate chip muffins. I gave some to my neighbor and some to my new superintendent, a nice man who tells stories so long that I will always have to budget some extra time to pay rent. Not that I mind- he tells a great story!

  

My next baking was a bit more adventurous- I made a french loaf. I haven't baked bread in quite awhile, so I wasn't sure how it would turn out.

  

Thankfully it turned out to be the yummiest, nicest looking bread I've ever made! I still want to get my bread a bit lighter and fluffier, but this make absolutely wonderful honey toast. Hmm, I should go have some for breakfast.

My sweet new nephew was born in early August. It was lovely- we all found out on the family reunion. Nothing quite like getting to walk down a little path by the shore with your Dad to the cottages of all your family members to announce the newest addition! It's a memory I will treasure. I love technology- we got to show off his picture on the Ipad and got to do some brief FaceTime to chat with my brother and see the new baby on the other side of the world in China.

I made him a little set of booties and bib. The bear is for his nickname, Teddy Bear.

  

I also made a little jacket. I don't know if it will fit him or his older brother. Either way it was fun to make and I love how the yarn striped and pooled.

Andrew was watching me make all these baby things, and asked in a slightly concerned voice if there was something he should know. Silly boy, he knows there is a new nephew!

I finally got some pictures of the Lace Pullover I made. Isn't it beautiful? It was love at first sight with the pattern. I found some gorgeous silk blend yarn on sale, and it just seemed to fly off my hook. I had the whole thing done in a week.
This is out by our bus stop. The condos across the street are quite pretty, and I love that there is green space in this neighborhood.

This is my current project, and one that I'm very proud of. The cable pattern took a bit of fiddling, but I really like how it turned out. I can't wait to finish these sockies and wear them.
They've also really inspired me. I am thinking about an e-book of slip stitch socks. Fun ones- lace, cables, all the fun things that knitters have and that crocheters have so little of.

Forgive my very long post today, but I think I've just about caught you up! I feel like I'm just starting to catch up to my own life after surgery. The first bandaid fell off yesterday, and the other two get pulled of tomorrow, 2 weeks after surgery. That's the date where I can start doing things again, and I can't wait!