tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15410720605466655902011-10-27T17:50:35.598-07:00Knitting and more...being vegan, keeping fit and healthy, homeschooling, general waffling and rantsNicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.comBlogger2101100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-82635544137874379562010-08-26T11:08:00.001-07:002010-08-26T11:11:12.147-07:00

It's been almost two years since I moved over to wordpress but I see from my stats that people are still coming here and then clicking over to my newer blog. I thought if I did a post it'd be a little bit of insurance - blogger might not view it as a dormant blog and delete the whole thing!All of the knitting patterns in the sidebar here are also on my wordpress blog, along with new ones. I have

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-20932524990149660192008-12-31T10:20:00.001-08:002008-12-31T10:21:56.093-08:00

I have cleaned up the sidebar, taken out a lot of extraneous stuff, and am just leaving this here to redirect you to my new site. The links to the recipes, patterns and blogs will still work, but you'll find most of them on my other blog too.

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-85800225587689775322008-12-29T22:12:00.001-08:002008-12-29T22:16:49.227-08:00

After a huge learning curve, I am on the way to getting my new blog how I want it. It has a very different look to this one, and I am having to abandon a couple of the widgets in my current sidebar, but I suspect that most people are here to read the posts rather than look at the stuff on the side! I like an uncluttered environment, so the new blog reflects that. Wordpress successfully imported

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-17835048939546791132008-12-29T19:51:00.001-08:002008-12-29T19:55:51.088-08:00

Well, not really a new blog, but I am in the process of changing over to Wordpress. Reading a forum today reminded me of how crap Blogger is when you get a problem - it's impossible to get help and there's no way to contact a real person. I have had a dormant Wordpress blog for some time now and as someone was raving about how great their support staff are I thought it was time to change.

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-14514884040085405892008-12-28T21:53:00.001-08:002008-12-28T22:21:03.860-08:00

I took the time to write out the pattern for the hat and mitts today. Sometimes it's hard to figure out a design, but I think it's harder to try and explain it so that others can duplicate it. If you knit this and have any questions, feel free to email me. I have included many links within this pattern if you need help learning a new technique. In some cases (for example, the knittinghelp.com

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-74931919820927792282008-12-27T15:38:00.000-08:002008-12-27T16:04:46.831-08:00

Someone on Ravelry sent me a message complimenting my tarot card bag and wondering about pattern details. I had a dig through one of my pattern folders and found my handwritten notes. Surprised to find I hadn't already published this, I am doing it now.This is a small bag which fits my mini Motherpeace tarot card set perfectly. It might not work for standard large rectangular sets. With a

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-68668117293838033652008-12-24T20:42:00.001-08:002008-12-24T20:45:14.521-08:00

Made these today to match the hat. Hopefully they will fit little hands OK.Photographed on a Monopoly board because we were playing earlier - and I have been raking in the money but took a break to get on the computer for a bit. Toy Story is playing so the kids aren't missing me!Happy Christmas to all and best wishes for health, wealth and happiness in 2009.

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-31851460205788962152008-12-24T12:02:00.000-08:002008-12-24T12:21:09.855-08:00

It's time I updated my knitting progress here. I have two projects officially on-the-go at the moment, but I digressed yesterday with some baby/kid hats to give to my neighbour who's due to have a boy in a few weeks.I've started a red sweater with very cheap acrylic yarn. It feels soft enough so I'm hoping that I don't do all the work then regret it! It'll be a seamless bottom-up one, as per

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-59353645412176577562008-12-24T09:28:00.000-08:002008-12-24T09:29:42.746-08:00

I just heard about this on Ravelry today - it's hilarious!

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-19887421201084233952008-12-23T10:32:00.000-08:002008-12-23T10:56:02.066-08:00

These little pies or tarts are what I crave every December. They are easy to make and are full of sweetness and spiciness - bet you can't eat just one!I posted the recipe for the mincemeat a few weeks ago. Once the mincemeat has steeped in the jars in the fridge for 4 - 6 weeks, it's ready to use.I didn't have a 9V battery to replace the dead one in my digital scales so I had to improvise.

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-78663854291600994362008-12-20T23:07:00.000-08:002008-12-20T23:10:54.045-08:00

As the wheel turns, after the longest night of the year may the Sun be reborn...........wishing you all light, warmth and love

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-75556258400051840062008-12-20T22:51:00.000-08:002008-12-20T22:59:31.822-08:00

Not surprisingly, most votes in my poll were for Christmas. Seventy five percent of voters (18 people) said they were celebrating Christmas. Five people voted for the Winter Solstice, two for Yule, two for Nothing and four for Other. There are still a few hours left to vote.I just added a new widget. I have recently become interested in yoga. I found some magazines at the library which were

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-52697431091315663912008-12-20T12:36:00.000-08:002008-12-20T12:47:25.099-08:00

Here are the instructions for my Marble Wrap Vest. Yes, I know they are tiny, but if you click on the images they get a lot bigger. I will go back and reformat these documents into a pdf in a minute for those who would like me to email them the documents - email me by clicking on the link in the sidebar and request the pattern and I will send it to you.I designed and knitted this vest using

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-55246884597602730952008-12-19T10:23:00.000-08:002008-12-19T10:34:12.566-08:00

I can't remember having this much snow for years. It's piled high along the sides of the driveway. I have been getting an excellent workout shovelling the stuff - not only in our drive, but also neighbours' drives. The temperature has remained between about minus 9 and minus 18 Celsius, with promises from the weather people that it's going to get colder.Thankfully I didn't have to drive

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-73270391186031834712008-12-17T21:45:00.000-08:002008-12-17T21:57:26.871-08:00

I found this pattern online for a Doggie Bag. This isn't the sort of bag you use to take your leftovers home from a restaurant. This is for taking something else home - yup, doggie doodoo!I have a couple of friends with dogs and I decided that they just had to have pretty bags in which to carry their dogs' poop. The bag below is the one I made first. I used the Red Heart Artesano left over

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-12542220636444005662008-12-16T23:00:00.000-08:002008-12-16T23:03:28.899-08:00

My husband sent me these - I'm afraid I don't know where they came from, so can't give anyone the credit. The cartoons will look a bit bigger if you click on them.

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-31068723471364083492008-12-15T18:54:00.001-08:002008-12-15T19:05:34.173-08:00

Just as I opened the window to start this post, I decided to name my latest finished project the Marble Wrap Vest. Pretty obvious, really - it's knitted from James C Brett's Marble DK (acrylic) yarn and it has a wrapover front that fastens with a shawl pin. I knitted it on US#8 needles, except for the armhole finishing, for which I used #6. If I made this again, I'd use the Denise needles -

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-46265845278356004402008-12-13T21:06:00.000-08:002008-12-13T21:18:33.362-08:00

The snow fell yesterday and continued to fall today. Of course, that means the driveway has to be cleared so we can get in and out - it has quite a slope to it. However, it wasn't just our driveway that needed to be cleared. We're "housesitting" for some neighbours. The kids are responsible for taking in their mail and newspapers every day, and every few days I will be going in to check that

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-85631935046328345712008-12-10T21:48:00.000-08:002008-12-10T22:24:13.610-08:00

I think we're due for a miscellaneous update tonight!Let's see, what's been happening. Well, I ripped out the red and pink yoga sock-in-progress last week because I didn't like the puckering that was happening with the checkered pattern. Yesterday I started again and I've nearly finished one yoga sock. It's red with pink stripes on the first section, then after the gap for the heel I've made a

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-84531553550198887562008-12-09T21:16:00.000-08:002008-12-09T21:19:02.232-08:00

I had a nice surprise in the mail this morning. I received my dove tree ornament from Affectioknit. Teresa gave away 12 of these in a recent blog contest. My photo isn't very clear but the letter cubes threaded on the hanging cord spell PEACE. We haven't been out to get a tree yet ....... maybe this weekend.

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-31458002292213205622008-12-08T22:20:00.001-08:002008-12-08T22:39:42.369-08:00

As usual, today was a busy day. Mondays are for vacuuming, cleaning the bathrooms, watering the houseplants, yada yada yada. I think I crossed most items off my to-do list, including this one...sewing Lego Nut some new pajama bottoms.He had worn a pair of his pajamas through at the knee yet again, leaving him with only one decent pair. So I visited Fabricland yesterday and bought two metres of

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-27190959173137555742008-12-07T16:15:00.000-08:002008-12-07T16:35:42.139-08:00

You knew I was multi-talented, eh? NicolaKnits and also Crochets!I took a few days off knitting as my index finger was too sore - those darned aluminum needles. The answer to yarn addiction? Crochet. The hook has a lovely smooth blunt end, so no trauma to the fingers.This used most of the remaining yarn from the two skeins I started for the hat I finished last Friday. It's a short scarf that

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-37106704297445521292008-12-07T15:59:00.000-08:002008-12-07T16:14:41.020-08:00

Canadian Tire has this kettle on sale for half price this week. We decided to take advantage of the deal, which was advertised in their flyer, as our existing kettle had a damaged lid and had started leaking around the spout. Tai Chi Man had done a repair on it, but this half-price deal seemed to be a well-timed hint that it was time to get a new one. It has a feature that I like and hope works

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-55691735797087807202008-12-06T18:19:00.000-08:002008-12-06T18:25:34.384-08:00

I watched an old classic this evening - Grease! It didn't disappoint! The video below is of the last song in the film, which you'll recognise if you've seen the movie.The video above is a Lego stop animation of Summer Lovin' - just for a laugh.

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-16382363452627435952008-12-03T20:54:00.000-08:002008-12-03T21:05:15.362-08:00

I wanted a new hat to keep my noggin warm. I had 10 balls of the James C Brett Marble (Landscape colour), 4 of which are being used for the vest. As a break from all the garter stitch, I grabbed two skeins, some #10 needles, and knitted this with two strands held together. I cast on 75 stitches for a 20.5 inch circumference - it's snug - and after the first 9 rounds or so I purled a row to

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-53988953437657821572008-12-01T21:20:00.000-08:002008-12-01T21:34:47.533-08:00

I was climbing the walls tonight....but in a good way! Tai Chi Man and I took two of the boys to the indoor climbing centre - a friend's son came too.Lego Nut has been before but the rest of us were climbing wall virgins!It was fun! Hands are a little sore now, and I'm sure there'll be a few muscles letting themselves be known tomorrow. The kids want to go back again....and again....and again!

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-32992069273738308672008-11-30T21:18:00.000-08:002008-11-30T21:23:27.492-08:00

I have a new poll over there in the sidebar. Please take a few seconds to vote. December starts tomorrow. A month of many kinds of celebrating - in our home and extended family, we have 6 birthdays, our 21st wedding anniversary, our Solstice celebration and a company party (tubing at a ski resort). Phew!

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-4734910762195059822008-11-29T16:51:00.000-08:002008-11-29T17:05:01.004-08:00

I don't know how I managed to miss this one, but I recently heard about the Yarn Harlot's page-a-day calendar for 2009 - Never Not Knitting! I think it's been available for a while. Anyway, I called my local bookstore and they had ONE left. They put it behind the counter for me and I went and picked it up on Friday.I am exercising great restraint in not opening this yet. Best to wait and

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-49775079009777748442008-11-27T21:06:00.001-08:002008-11-27T21:27:51.193-08:00

I started a new thread in one of the forums in Ravelry today. I asked people what keeps them interested in reading a blog. This is what I like about a blog...Regular and frequent posting. Chatty posts. Knitting content. Pictures. A picture of the person who’s posting so I know what they look like. Decent spelling and grammar!I have an evolving list of blogs that I read. At the moment, there

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-52151090154922663792008-11-26T14:38:00.000-08:002008-11-26T14:46:23.171-08:00

At the beginning of this year, I knitted a seaman's scarf for my father-in-law. I know he said he wasn't a great scarf-wearer - he never really gets cold enough - but I wanted to knit him something and this was it!I knitted it with Bernat Soy - and contrary to the picture, I did actually finish it - I must have forgotten to photograph the finished item before I mailed it to him.Anyway, the

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-88673537110406242482008-11-25T22:39:00.000-08:002008-11-25T22:50:57.392-08:00

I don't have any pretty pictures to show you today but I wanted to say I had a lovely evening at Kelowna Yarn and Needlecrafts tonight. Tuesday nights are knitting nights at the store and I carpooled with a new friend.It's funny how things happen... A few weeks ago I was walking around my neighbourhood, just getting some exercise, when I happened to pass a mum with a little girl on a tricycle.

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-19140851838620721392008-11-23T20:36:00.000-08:002008-11-24T14:32:12.021-08:00

My kids know way more about playing in Photoshop than I. I wanted to add a couple of handwritten lines to my vest photo using a tablet and pen, and I didn't have a clue how to go about it. The resulting photo should be credited to them!The circled area #1 is the spot where I originally was dissatisfied with the stitch-picking-up so I ripped back a few rows and redid it, adding an extra stitch

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-88606228461742097882008-11-21T18:22:00.000-08:002008-11-21T18:40:14.062-08:00

Some friends came over today, so I splashed out and did some baking! This is a recipe I've had in my messy kitchen recipe file for years and it reminds me of gingerbread.For 12 muffins, you will need a muffin pan, 12 large paper cases, and...2 cups flour (I used whole spelt)1 tblsp baking powderhalf tsp salt2 tsp dried gingerone and a half tsp cinnamonhalf tsp nutmeghalf cup sugarhalf cup

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-90051904316902191302008-11-19T09:10:00.000-08:002008-11-19T09:25:12.127-08:00

Tuesday evening:(hand-written and typed up next morning)I'm sitting in my living room with a poncho around my top half, a blanket around my bottom half and another blanket covering my feet (plus a hot water bottle). I'm too cheap.... um, frugal, to put the thermostat up so am enjoying the benefits of lots of knitting. I have a cup of rooibos tea brewing nearby and easy access to at least two

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-63960549753162477182008-11-15T21:45:00.000-08:002008-11-15T21:55:53.511-08:00

I amaze myself sometimes! ;o)Mum-in-law's socks are done. I am calling them Red Cloud socks, as I was watching a video from the library the other night while knitting. It was called How the West was Lost and was a very moving documentary of how the First Nations people suffered as the Europeans moved across North America. One of the names mentioned was Red Cloud. Detail of the leg....the

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-4359740512060033022008-11-13T09:58:00.000-08:002008-11-13T10:07:35.701-08:00

Did anyone else have trouble with Bloglines this morning? I clicked on it as usual, and some of my regular blogs were highlighted, as if there were new posts. However the numbers said 121, or 200, or 43 and when I clicked on them they were all old posts. Bizarre!I had a good start to my day. I dragged my butt out of bed extra early and drove through the stormy windy wet weather to the rec

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-83732534952545701842008-11-12T20:46:00.000-08:002008-11-12T21:01:38.961-08:00

While Flickr uploads some knitting photos so that I can include them on the blog and update my Ravelry project pages, I thought I'd open a third window and start on this post!Another way in which I'm multitasking is that I have started another knitting project today. I have knitted birthday presents for almost all of my family this year, and it's my mother-in-law's birthday in December.

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-89135822545595626492008-11-11T19:52:00.000-08:002008-11-11T19:57:11.789-08:00

Many designers come up with imaginative names for their designs. Maybe I should take a leaf out of their books and think of something for this vest, but I have not been struck by any ideas yet.As you can see, the back is coming along nicely - about another 5 inches to go, I think.Do you like my knitting bag? I have a few bags that I use, but this one is my favourite. I made it from a small

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-79308777207409349202008-11-10T18:33:00.000-08:002008-11-10T18:50:54.184-08:00

Funny how sometimes I can go for days without posting and then other times I can post two or three times in one day.I was going to photograph the progress on the vest earlier but couldn't find a clean sunny spot to do it and then I realised I had to run off to the bus.Buses (waiting for them and riding on them) make excellent knitting opportunities. This morning I had to drag myself out of my

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-76475665397885818042008-11-10T16:22:00.000-08:002008-11-10T16:26:17.629-08:00

Affectionknit is giving away some cute Dove of Peace tree ornaments on her blog....go leave a comment to win. And Nan at Nannybird Crafts has a hilarious photo of a crocheted .... no, I'll let you go and look, but in her opinion it should come under the heading "What not to Crochet"! I can guarantee this is a one-off. Have a laughter-filled day!

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-79262361748789094912008-11-08T18:41:00.000-08:002008-11-08T18:54:52.228-08:00

This time of year seems to beg for gingerbread cookies. I usually manage to wait until closer to December, but I thought there might be someone out there who would appreciate it now.I adapted this recipe many years ago from a preschool activity book that I was using with my oldest son when he was 4. He's 16 now! Anyway, I "veganized" it.This makes a big batch to fill at least two cookie sheets,

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-59587501452966403312008-11-08T16:17:00.000-08:002008-11-08T16:31:07.326-08:00

I met some great new people today. One of the groups on Ravelry (which is the best knitting and crocheting community on the 'net) is a local one and they have started having monthly Sit and Stitch meetings. Five of us met at a coffee shop this afternoon and it was great to meet some online friends in the flesh. Not surprisingly, most of the talk was about knitting, yarn, crochet and family (in

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-68010600901212605072008-11-06T21:09:00.000-08:002008-11-06T21:11:33.541-08:00

I am having a lot of laughs watching videos of Britain's comedienne, Catherine Tate. When I found this one, I had to include it here. BTW, that's James Bond not a Bond knitting machine.

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-72606325945701616172008-11-06T19:41:00.000-08:002008-11-06T19:43:07.962-08:00

Here's a knitting-related comic for those crafty people among you.By the way, if you click on Next or Previous on that site, the other cartoons aren't about knitting - but they do have Questionable Content. You have been warned!

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-53441031828588849852008-11-06T19:12:00.000-08:002008-11-06T19:19:48.554-08:00

Not the best photo, but I'm halfway to the armhole on the back of the vest (waistcoat). This is my own design. The back is very simple. Just cast on at the bottom, knit straight to the armhole, decrease a little bit then continue on up to the neck.The fronts are a bit different. I'll be picking up stitches along the side edge of the back and knitting across, casting on extra stitches for the

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-22089202005351664192008-11-05T19:41:00.000-08:002008-11-05T20:06:59.613-08:00

Undeterred by the hat fiasco, I have been knitting, but I haven't yet taken a photo of the progress. I designed a vest (waistcoat) pattern in garter stitch, using the James C Brett Marble yarn. I swatched with #7 and #8 US needles and preferred the #8. I have started work on the back and I promise to get a photo tomorrow during the hours of daylight to show you.I am having to be careful when

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-24408184313088288112008-11-02T19:22:00.000-08:002008-11-02T19:29:54.905-08:00

First thing this morning (before I was even out of bed) Tai Chi Man was outside appreciating the damp fog!Minimal visibility.Close up of walnut leaves.A carpet of walnut leaves (there are still some walnuts under there that I didn't pick up in time - and they will be there until the spring now).

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-87427800665068278842008-11-02T18:32:00.001-08:002008-11-02T18:48:51.658-08:00

I regret to say I won't be wearing my Morgan driving cap anywhere in public this winter! As you can see from this classic "bathroom mirror" shot, it came out a little too wide on top and just looks funny. Also it's a bit tight on the head which pulls the peak downwards instead of sticking out in front.One for the thrift store!I borrowed two relatively new (published 2007) knitting books from

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-4195982816655917472008-10-30T21:27:00.000-07:002008-10-30T21:42:04.747-07:00

We have never been a trick-or-treating family at Halloween. Bringing up vegan children, any candy that they might collect would most likely not be vegan so would have to be given or thrown away. However that doesn't mean that the kids haven't enjoyed dressing up and carving pumpkins.A couple of years ago, rather than hide in a dark house to avoid any kids coming to the door (Bah, Humbug!), I

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-57099252230023252372008-10-29T22:41:00.000-07:002008-10-29T22:59:28.386-07:00

My order from elann arrived in the mail today - ten lovely bright balls of elann esprit for five pairs of socks. I have three sets of 4mm dpns so when I get started on the socks I think I will knit two at a time.Not only did I have the pleasure of yarn in the mail, but my husband brought home ten skeins of James C Brett Marble. The photos don't do it justice - it's made up of shades of brown

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-22761155704059070882008-10-28T21:20:00.000-07:002008-10-28T21:26:08.351-07:00

Now, what DID you think I was talking about?It's the Morgan driving cap, of course, and since I took this photo it has grown a little more. I have finished the flat top and the ridge that runs around the edge of the top and am now shaping the body of the hat. I was looking at the different versions of this hat that people on Ravelry had made, and one lady was from Yorkshire (England). She calls

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-92052624207327452842008-10-26T19:41:00.000-07:002008-10-26T19:47:38.528-07:00

I found this yarn at Zellers....the odd thing is that it doesn't appear on Coats and Clark's website, so I can't link to it. It's Red Heart Artesano......98% acrylic, 2% polyamide, rated a bulky yarn, suggested needle size 6mm/10US. I swatched on two 4.5mm/7US circulars for this pattern and my gauge was good.The tight knitting and "make 1 right" increases are tough on the hands but I like the

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-54051045466474121792008-10-25T17:02:00.001-07:002008-10-25T17:08:36.405-07:00

I have had my eye on one of these for a long time....I first saw them online. They also have them at my local yarn store. The local price (in Canadian dollars) was quite a bit more than the US dollar price online, but once I did the conversion and factored in a bit extra for shipping and charges as it came over the border, I decided to just buy it from the shop in town and support my LYS.I knew

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-71902129922035328702008-10-24T19:02:00.000-07:002008-10-24T19:26:41.410-07:00

I was up early this morning and hoped to post about these finished socks, but MacAddict had borrowed the camera cable and I couldn't find it anywhere so I couldn't hook the camera up to the computer.As you can tell, I didn't try to match up the stripes! I'm quite happy with "almost matching" socks. Yarn is Berroco Comfort Sock, knitted on 3.25 mm double pointed needles, 60 stitches

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-80813120682905601382008-10-23T21:23:00.000-07:002008-10-23T21:43:55.172-07:00

I'm very aware that I haven't blogged since Monday. However there is a good reason for that. My blog is my homepage - every time I have clicked into Firefox in the last few days, there's been that great photo of Hugh looking out at me and I haven't had the heart to replace him! However I suppose I can't leave him there forever, so here's an update. I'm in the middle of reading a book called If

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-16403245458747903282008-10-20T22:08:00.001-07:002008-10-20T22:32:07.424-07:00

I found out something amazing yesterday. When I actually pick up my sock and knit on it, it grows quite fast! I am almost as far as the heel flap on the second sock. Obviously I don't knit socks as fast as Torrance. This crazy lady made four pairs of socks in five days. Wow!This week's DVD watching has been season 4 of Corner Gas. This is a great little comedy set in a little town in

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-60273285902297033022008-10-19T20:41:00.000-07:002008-10-19T20:50:47.581-07:00

I made the Banana Coffee Cake from the blog of Fat-free Vegan Kitchen today. I don't have a photo of mine, but it looked just like the one on Susan's blog. I was talked into making it when Lego Nut was looking over my shoulder while I was reading my blogs the other day. He saw a picture of this cake, asked me to click on it, and the recipe sounded so appealing he wanted me to make one. I don't

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-69618880366869053102008-10-17T14:31:00.000-07:002008-10-17T14:53:06.968-07:00

I have just finished reading this book. Eckhart Tolle's latest publication, A New Earth. He is well-known for his previous book, The Power of Now. This is a thought-provoking book. He talks about the power of the ego and how it is responsible for the suffering we see in the world today. The trouble with being so caught up in the ego is that we forget that the life we live on the earth is only

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-88769558567482404052008-10-16T19:21:00.000-07:002008-10-16T19:48:54.565-07:00

Aaah, the excitement of finishing a sock. The toe is the best part - you know you're almost there, the rounds get shorter and shorter, and before you know it the sock is on your foot. Of course, there is still another one to knit :o)There seem to be elections everywhere this week, so I thought I'd add a couple of my own votes to some great music and books. The above book, The Fall, has my vote

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-28030808809161240192008-10-13T19:09:00.000-07:002008-10-13T19:18:38.849-07:00

Green salad...baked butternut squash filled with a mixture of basmati rice, onion, garlic, red bell pepper and home-grown walnuts; roast potatoes and parsnips...and the centrepiece - just to look pretty - lots of our little peppers (we picked about 7 pounds of them off our plants the night before a frost), some pears, apples, walnuts and hazelnuts. I also made apple sauce and sauteed some

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-37024291903527189292008-10-12T10:39:00.001-07:002008-10-12T10:47:14.845-07:00

There has been quite a lot of discussion of vegan issues on Ravelry this week. Not just within the usual vegetarian and vegan groups, but in the Yarn forum. Someone asked about vegan yarns for knitting baby things and the thread evolved into a discussion of all things vegan, from what we eat, to what we knit with, to what we wear, to whether we have pets. Anyone wanting to know more will find

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-14763940625352193222008-10-08T21:42:00.000-07:002008-10-08T21:52:30.328-07:00

I haven't made socks in a while, but this skein of Berroco Comfort Sock yarn was languishing in my sewing room, so I decided it was time to take the plunge. It always seems to need that extra bit of enthusiasm to start something knitted on such skinny needles. I am even going to put aside my natural laziness and rib the whole leg, and maybe even the instep, to give these socks a bit more "hug".

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-84403834690222609612008-10-05T21:38:00.001-07:002008-10-05T21:43:04.510-07:00

Going with the name that Ninja Boy gave the colour of the yarn, here's the "Swamp Bag".It looks quite small when empty, but I managed to fit 10 lemons in it for the "photo shoot" so it's actually quite roomy.When I was fed up with knitting a straight tube, I started decreasing as if it were the crown of a hat. Maybe it's not so bad after all!

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-46685282613603705962008-10-05T10:46:00.000-07:002008-10-05T10:50:37.183-07:00

Which House character are you? For those who don't know, Hugh Laurie (yes, the British guy from "A Bit of Fry and Laurie" and "Jeeves and Wooster") plays a grizzled snarky doctor in a medical drama in the States.....with an American accent. We're hooked on this show, though as we don't have cable we have to rely on library DVDs to get our fix. Here's a fun quiz for you to try. Which House Md

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-89117740268781437502008-10-04T10:26:00.001-07:002008-10-04T10:42:20.281-07:00

My friend Doris is going to be 80 next Saturday. ( I hope she doesn't read my blog as her gift won't be a surprise.) I spent one evening and one afternoon making this throw. I love this shade of Homespun - I want to make something for myself with it now!Doris’s throwFinished size approx 70 x 35 inchesThis is a really “bare bones” pattern for those who are familiar with the Bond. I wanted to

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-32842156944567651492008-10-03T22:37:00.000-07:002008-10-03T22:47:54.873-07:00

I love that phrase! It means "I'm going to die of shame" in French. For a bit of fun, the boys and I have been reading Robert Munsch books from the library. We have been getting them as book/CD kits, so we listen to a page then I do a rough translation (my French is a little rusty), pointing out particular French words to them. In the book "Ma Mere Exagere" the boy is dying of shame on almost

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-50172682190966409912008-10-03T19:45:00.000-07:002008-10-03T19:54:56.306-07:00

That's the name of this hand-dyed cotton I've been knitting with this week. The tarot card bag used a rather lovely mix of blues - this green/brown mixture I'm not so crazy about.One of my kids calls it "swamp" - I call it army camo! Anything that makes me think of the military turns me off, however I had to knit something with this, so I cast on twice as many stitches as I did for the small

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-10885549132869759032008-09-30T09:20:00.000-07:002008-09-30T20:18:51.811-07:00

This is what the "pizzas" looked like that Tai Chi Man and I had for dinner last night. (The boys had the usual yeasted pizza.)It's just a tortilla topped with hummus, red onion, red bell pepper, yellow tomatoes (from our garden), black sundried olives (the only kind we like), oregano and olive oil.And to completely change the subject, I wanted to show you how busy Tai Chi Man was on Sunday.

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-18670521050053239792008-09-29T15:07:00.000-07:002008-09-29T15:36:48.872-07:00

The last time I made tortillas, I thought to myself, "I really must put this recipe on my blog." So many people are so used to buying things pre-made that they think making it from scratch is hard or too much bother. Tortillas are really easy, but you need to reserve a block of time when you won't be interrupted, as you'll be rolling out and flipping tortillas every minute or so.I know there

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-4290959455408904682008-09-28T13:05:00.001-07:002008-09-28T13:19:15.774-07:00

My weekend in the cabin went well. I arrived Friday evening while it was still light, thankfully. The 15km gravel road took me at least half an hour to drive up (I am estimating, as I didn’t take a watch with me, and I didn’t know what the time was for the whole weekend...the sun was my only guide). I had to be careful, as at times there was a ditch on one side of the road and a ravine on the

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-52525906074639446502008-09-26T16:09:00.001-07:002008-09-26T16:14:36.640-07:00

I leave in about an hour for the cabin in the hills where I will be spending the next two nights. Most of my stuff is loaded in the car, the ratatouille which will feed the husband tonight and tomorrow is simmering away on the stove, and the kids are looking forward to me being gone so they don't have to listen to my nagging for a while! I did the weekly shop this morning - three stores, about

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-42038812862305224032008-09-25T18:50:00.000-07:002008-09-25T18:58:41.118-07:00

The red scarf is finished. It came out a perfect 6.5 inches wide by 64 inches long (exactly my height, and they do say that's the best length for a scarf)! Feels lovely and I don't intend to part with it.The hooded baby top that I have named Bamboo Baby on Ravelry is also done, except for a button. Above is a side view, and below a front view. I crocheted a loop at the front for the button,

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-7628740405262063952008-09-25T12:27:00.000-07:002008-09-25T12:31:41.618-07:00

You may have noticed that I have a new photo on my homepage. I thought it was time for an update, so the boys took a few photos of me knitting on my scarf....while wearing it. This Lion Brand Homespun scarf feels SO soft and warm, there's no way I'm giving this one away! This one's for me. I asked them to pick the best of the bunch and here it is. I'm also using the same picture on my Ravelry

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-30091754023542355692008-09-24T22:14:00.000-07:002008-09-24T22:22:11.367-07:00

We had some fun today. Ninja Boy and I went to one of the local elementary schools to help our instructor with a class. This was a BIG class - 60 boys and girls in Grade 6. One of the girls comes to our Taekwondo club and her black belt mum was there to help too.So with four black belts and two teachers, we did our best to keep the mob under control!I think most of the kids had fun. We did a

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-61112933467469833342008-09-22T19:05:00.000-07:002008-09-22T19:17:27.123-07:00

The back and front of the baby top done, I seamed the shoulders for 6 garter ridges from the armhole edges (about 1.5 inches). Then I picked up stitches around the neck edge. With hindsight, I should have slipped the first stitch of each row as I knitted the back and front pieces, as it would have made for a neater result. As it was, I picked up a stitch for each ridge and then increased 2

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-58544071046734431452008-09-20T19:38:00.000-07:002008-09-20T20:04:44.577-07:00

Something has been happening within me for the last week or so. I feel a sense of energy that needs to be released or directed. Sometimes I feel it in my solar plexus, sometimes in my chest. It's not unpleasant - it's the sort of feeling you get as a kid when it's your birthday tomorrow!At my age, I am expecting changes in my body - hormone fluctuations, monthly cycle ups and downs.But what I

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-15185724828743235102008-09-19T16:32:00.000-07:002008-09-19T16:46:39.427-07:00

Thank you to my friend Anne for taking me to the Lake Tai restaurant for a belated birthday lunch. Not only do they have great vegan food, but they are also across the road from the Art of Yarn. I went in there afterwards and a whole hour just slipped by - don't know how THAT happened!I picked up some yarn, carried it around for a while, found something else, put the first choice back, found

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-75477639767137061562008-09-18T20:15:00.001-07:002008-09-18T20:20:30.186-07:00

I'm really looking forward to next weekend. I am taking a (well-earned) break from family life and disappearing to a little cabin next to a lake for a couple of nights. I'll drive there on Friday night (it's not a long drive) and come home Sunday. I've been meaning to have a retreat of some kind for years. Tai Chi Man had a weekend away last year, I think it was, and now it's my turn. I'll be

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-10254608222604659382008-09-18T09:46:00.001-07:002008-09-18T09:55:23.394-07:00

Today's photo was taken yesterday afternoon, out on my deck. Can you see the orangey tinge to it? The sky went very hazy and the sunlight had a definite orange tint, so I'm thinking there was smoke in the air, though I don't know of any forest fires in the area. (However, I'm not one for following the news, so there could be a raging forest fire just behind the next mountain and I'd be the

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-54445561015386075712008-09-17T14:49:00.000-07:002008-09-17T14:58:12.733-07:00

I'm grabbing the opportunity for a mid-afternoon post while the two younger boys procrastinate instead of finishing their math. Today they're learning how to multiply and divide decimals - not too hard once you know where to put the decimal point in the answer. However they are busy goofing around with my exercise ball instead. Yesterday afternoon I knitted up a gauge swatch with some Sirdar

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-82441193744044543552008-09-14T10:28:00.001-07:002008-09-14T10:37:31.034-07:00

I finished the baby blanket last night and couldn't resist immediately casting on for a matching hat. Starting it, I knew it would be a very quick knit, so I had to stay up to finish it, and then of course I had to stay up even later to write up the pattern for the blog!So here it is.Yarn: Lion Brand Homespun (bulky weight: per skein 6ozs/170g, 185yds/169m)4 skeins for both hat and blanket (

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-31591548588569694262008-09-12T00:29:00.001-07:002008-09-12T11:29:14.909-07:00

One night with your Bond knitting machine is all you’ll need for this wrap.You’ll need:Three skeins of Lion Brand Homespun (this is Candy Apple)a 6.5mm crochet hooka large-eyed darning needleSet up your Bond with a #4 keyplate. My gauge was about 9.5 sts and 15 rows to 4 inches.Push out every other needle across the machine (50 needles) and, working from the left and starting with a slipknot,

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-60555756548921498142008-09-12T00:21:00.000-07:002008-09-12T00:28:10.523-07:00

I felt like a change of pace this evening. I spent some time with my knitting machine and completed a whole project in a couple of hours. I have typed up the pattern but need to photograph the finished item, so you'll have to wait until tomorrow to see it.Project monogamy is not for me! It's good to have more than one project on the go: a simple one/a more complicated one, a portable one/a

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-36437429218733881892008-09-11T19:57:00.000-07:002008-09-11T20:00:38.966-07:00

I thought some of you who are at THAT time of life might be interested in a newsletter that I just signed up for. Here's a sentence from my first newsletter that explains it...Tips, tools, and treasures for leading edge, midlife women who are ready to become their own fairy godmothers and give themselves permission to be there for themselves the way they always have been for others.Sounds

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-63698013409189017702008-09-11T19:30:00.000-07:002008-09-11T19:45:05.565-07:00

A friend came over today and we had some of my ratatouille for lunch. She liked it and I said I'd post the recipe, so here it is. I don't measure anything so this is really a guideline.a large eggplant (aubergine), diceda large zucchini (courgette), slicedtomatoes, maybe 6 large ones, roughly choppeda large onion or a couple of medium ones, choppedgarlic, 1 - 3 cloves, crusheda couple of bell

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-5126564297863101102008-09-10T21:50:00.000-07:002008-09-10T21:52:41.657-07:00

Another quickie post tonight, just to let you know that Knitty is out with its usual range of unique and inventive knitting patterns. I love this cap. A lot of hats don't suit me, but I think this one would.

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-64842171867032539792008-09-09T22:54:00.000-07:002008-09-09T22:59:34.218-07:00

Have you heard about this? A new online knitting "magazine". Free patterns, articles etc. And have I ever found a great sweater that I just have to knit, if I can find a vegan yarn to substitute for the wool (gauge: 3.5 sts to the inch). It's called Terra and it's designed by Jacqueline Landry. I discovered her blog today and she designs some awesome stuff. Go take a look!

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-62366817314860109202008-09-09T22:14:00.000-07:002008-09-09T22:31:54.618-07:00

A quick telegram - er, I mean blog post - to say the baby blanket has not grown at all the last two days.Monday is usually my housework day. I did the bathrooms but the vacuuming was put aside so I could start blitzing the kitchen. Dusted the tops of the wall units - yuk, don't do that job too often, the dust was flying everywhere! Started tidying and cleaning drawers and cupboards. Still

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-18349593892488614632008-09-08T21:41:00.000-07:002008-09-08T21:49:03.676-07:00

Going vegan the way to reduce carbon footprintAugust 27, 2008 Edition 4Berlin - Giving up meat could drastically reduce your carbon footprint, with meat-eaters' diets responsible for almost twice the emissions of those of vegetarians, according to a German study.A diet with meat is responsible for producing in a year the same amount of greenhouse gases as driving a mid-sized car 4 758km, the

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-33794554212380790472008-09-07T22:21:00.001-07:002008-09-07T22:35:23.487-07:00

I like finishing things. I like being able to use them or give them as gifts. I'm definitely a product knitter.Above is my finished Brea Bag showing the Sculpey button that I decided to use. I have transferred my everyday bits and pieces from my usual bag into this one and am looking forward to using it.This is my "escargot" hat, named of course for the snail that I duplicate-stitched (

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-47858913953553623492008-09-06T20:27:00.001-07:002008-09-06T20:31:21.545-07:00

Thanks to Nannybird, I now have a new award in my sidebar. Thanks, Nan!Today was the first day when I officially allowed myself some acid-forming foods. Tai Chi Man and I have done our month, with no cheating whatsoever, and I was really looking forward to some fruit.Breakfast was three peaches. Moderately acid-forming, according to the pH Miracle. Lunch and the main part of dinner were all

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-6509216071742272502008-09-05T20:47:00.000-07:002008-09-05T21:15:16.816-07:00

I've just realised I haven't posted since Monday. Sorry to make you wait so long! When I started this blog, I was posting nearly every day - now, I find I'm spending less time on the computer, sometimes only using it in the evening rather than morning and evening.I was "on the go" all day today, except for a small window of opportunity for half an hour before Taekwondo, when I picked up my

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-18510272279037646892008-09-01T20:33:00.000-07:002008-09-01T20:57:36.682-07:00

We managed to get ourselves (minus Computer Geek as usual) out of the house by 10.30am today so that we could head south for a day out.Tai Chi Man was driving of course, so I made good progress on my Brea bag. By the end of the driving time, I was more than half way through the gusset piece. Just have to find a handle and button for it now - maybe at a thrift store.We found a fruit stand that

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-89839146792300576002008-08-31T22:13:00.000-07:002008-09-01T20:59:56.028-07:00

I've almost finished the second side of the Brea bag, which looks exactly the same as the first side!Yesterday I took it out with me. I often do that when Tai Chi Man is driving - even if it's a short drive, I can grab a few extra minutes of knitting time. When we do our Saturday errands, there are a few places to go that aren't very far apart, so I was only able to snatch a few stitches here

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-42340262768745780212008-08-29T20:03:00.001-07:002008-08-29T20:18:17.990-07:00

I love how this first side of the Brea Bag is looking. I found this while I was browsing the 'net the other day looking for inspiration.I was actually thinking of knitting a backpack-style bag, but when I saw this, I was hooked.I found some Bernat Satin at Michaels in "Wine Mist" to substitute for the angora. I'm using two strands of yarn held together with #9 needles, as per the pattern. This

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-23802565342471448172008-08-27T22:36:00.000-07:002008-08-27T22:46:14.830-07:00

I really know that summer is drawing to a close when certain changes start occurring around here. I'm not talking about leaves changing colour. I mean......craving hot soup instead of salad...slipping on my hand-knitted socks instead of going around in bare feet...putting on a hoodie in the mornings and evenings and looking forward to pulling out the heavy duty stuff - knitted sweaters and

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-14778072296598499362008-08-27T09:03:00.000-07:002008-08-27T09:04:55.415-07:00

My husband sent me this link today which I think is so cute I wanted to share it with you. The camera-work is a little shaky, but this person must live on the edge of civilisation to have a mother moose and her twin babies in their backyard!

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-57488796004642950132008-08-26T18:22:00.000-07:002008-08-26T18:26:55.063-07:00

As promised, here is another hat, finished last night. I wanted to show you what it looked like before I sewed it up, but I had to search for the camera and when I found it there was no memory card in it (thanks, son). It's a quick knit. The garter stitch is made more interesting by the fact that you're increasing up one side while decreasing up the other, which makes a trapezoid, I think.

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-68780767879127605902008-08-25T09:19:00.000-07:002008-08-25T09:21:54.488-07:00

Sheila of Greenridge Chronicles. Sheila, email me at veganpal02 AT gmail DOT com with your mailing address and I'll send it off to you straight away.Joanne, bad luck this time, but I am knitting another (very different) hat which should be finished today, and I'll give you first refusal on it!

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1541072060546665590.post-65556380078467154902008-08-24T16:13:00.000-07:002008-08-24T16:20:43.216-07:00

Forty-six years old! And I'm quite happy with that, thank you! No lying about my age.I had a cup of tea brought to me in bed this morning. Lego Nut presented me with a cute present wrapped up in a jar and some paper - a little beaded knick-knack that he made which I have hung on my kitchen window, and a hand-made card and coupon book (coupons are for miscellaneous chores which I can claim at

Nicolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550530825314280346noreply@blogger.com5