Boy toys.

Hey team,

End of 1L and before I start my first law job is a perfect time to fill you in on what’s been in production any time I could come up for air throughout the year.  A lot of this stuff was begun during Xmas break and were quick and satisfying finishes once exams were done.

These knits were both for the bf.  He gets a lot of my creations for many reasons.  1) I often feel bad knitting for myself/spending the money on yarn just for me.  I like giving knitstuff as gifts and it seems to propel me quicker in the process.  Also, sometimes I feel like it is easier for me to pick a pattern for someone other than me.  There is so much I like and I am constantly changing my mind.   2) He rows, and when you are getting up in the morning to be on a lake at 7am, you need stuff keeping you cozy.  3) He really appreciates it.  Lately many people have been commenting on how difficult it is to knit for others because you don’t want to spend so much time on something they may very well not enjoy.  I have never had such a fear, and this is likely because I usually knit for him, and he always loves the pattern, the usefulness and the thought.

Dress secrets.

There is a craft in here! I swear!

I finally finished the chunky alpaca scarf that was supposed to be my mom’s Christmas gift.  It’s okay though since it is still probably freezing in Toronto, so it’s not late.  I used Blue Sky Alpaca’s Bulky in Jasmine.  The yarn is lovely to knit with, but it took me ALOT of skeins (about 4-5?) to get a long enough scarf, and it still only goes around once.  This was annoying since this stuff is relatively pricey.  Also: it was hard to block it.  Admittedly, this is the only thing I have ever knit that I have had to block, so there is a distinct possibility that maybe I just did it wrong and didn’t stretch it enough.  It definitely flattened out a bit, but it still tends to roll in on the sides. Lastly, it SHEDS. EVERYWHERE.  How do I combat this?  Only the internet will tell.  Until then, I will wear it with only my grey jackets, or otherwise risk looking like an extreme cat lady.

Go ‘nucks Go.

You may think that a lady-like craft blog isn’t the place for blatant hockey partisanship buuuuuuuut…

You thought wrong.

One post. Entirely dedicated to a scarf.

Oh hey there,
What’s this?  Another post?  Are you kidding!  I thought you had homework!
Like I said, I knit til my fingers bled (metaphorically) this xmas break and I realized that there was just too much behind each gift to overload one giant post.

A scarf for Mr. wollstoneCRAFT’s mom!  NOTE: I LOVED THIS SCARF. I MAY MAKE A MATCHING ONE. Would that be weird maybe?

Kudos to Martha again… this one of the only patterns she has on her website, the Knitted Neck Scarf (creativity points for the title there, Marth).  There are dozens of iterations of this same style floating around the internet, so word to wise: don’t pay for one.  I liked this version since it used DK yarn (thinner than usual) and produced a very delicate scarf instead of something that would have been stiffer and bulkier.  This is of course up to you, but the donee of this scarf (yeah I just dropped the legal terminology for the recipient of a gift) likes wearing light scarves indoors, so this perfectly fit her MO (stop it with the legal allusions already).

Holiday gift postravaganza pt 1.

When you’re writing a factum assignment on a first-degree murder fact pattern, a blog post about holiday gift crafts is the perfect “break”.  This Christmas was a particularly handmade one since funds were low and time to think hard about perfect gifts was at a premium, considering my last assignment was finished on Dec 21st.  That being said, I was impressed by my knitting speed.

Dress her up.

Oh hey guys,

Last four months in a nutshell:  move to Vancouver; attend law school; subsequently let law school take over life as expected, knitting needles gather dust; most free time spent visiting boyfriend and/or eating; take up cooking!; foolishly visit Vancouver yarn store in the middle of exams, possible consequences to Torts midterm; only now realize Sweet Georgia Yarns is based in Vancouver; visit home i.e. Toronto; DON’T STOP CRAFTING, NO SLEEP TIL CHRISTMAS; return to Vancouver; POST ABOUT IT.

The “take up cooking” part of that whole dealio, will be in a different post… maybe even a guest one for GGLE?  My Christmas present crafts are also coming, fear not! It’s just that not all of them are out yet since I just got back to Van, and I don’t want to ruin surprises.  Soooooo…

Cable me some love.

Rainy summer days are the best to stay indoors and craft on.  The weather might bring you down, but a toasty apartment with the last season of The Wire, the latest Scott Pilgrim, and fabric and yarn for miles is my kind of day in.  Why not throw in a post with that?

I finished my (second) Star-Crossed Slouchy Beret by Natalie Larson while up at the cottage last weekend.  Beach knitting in the sun is another one of my habits (nerd proof) and despite the slight sandiness, and the propensity of my pattern to fly into the lake, this beret came out magnificently.  I mentioned that this was my second go at this pattern.  My last hat was tragically lost around winter exam period, when almost anything could go missing and I wouldn’t really notice, considering my cloistered lifestyle in the library.  There is probably nothing worse than losing something that you’ve knit.  I’ve lost bracelets and other jewelry before, but a knitstuff is just too labour intensive to get over. 

marigold.

Another post from Halifax town.

I’ve had friends that have spent time in smaller cities (i.e. Victoria) tell me that “small is good, man.” and it has taken a while for me to really appreciate this.  I’ve sort of had enough of Toronto (see: leaving for Vancouver for school in September) but I never thought I could really stand a much smaller city.  4 days in Hali and I am realizing that I would like it more than I even realize.  People are much more laid back, casual, FRIENDLY and uninterested with what others think.  The music and DIY scene(s) is/are small, but at least you will come to know people more organically.  I realize now how Halifax and Victoria and Hamilton have been able to produce concentrated pockets of unreal talent.  There seems to be a lot less competition, and a lot more collaboration.  Not that the Toronto scene is dying, but I think it is becoming oversaturated and underwhelming.  There is something exciting about heading to a new city and seeing how they do things.  Most of the time, they do them damn well.  This is something that my grade 12 Toronto snob self would have never said!

NOW FOR MARITIME PICTURES AND SOME KNITTING

UPDATTTTEEE

I know, right?

Admittedly, I have gone through some of the most stressful and painful months of my life since my last update in January.  Forgive me!  This does mean, however, that there was no shortage of things for me to take my mind off of by stitching!  Crafting has to be my number one mind-clearer, at least when the dance season is on its break.

I ran a craft event this winter where, if you know crafters at all, the room was inevitably filled with curses and expletives focussed towards our needles, threads and other supplies.  “Why won’t you just go through the effin hole!?… No! No! Don’t start to fray, dammit!”  One spectator asked, “Isn’t craft supposed to be, like… relaxing?”  It comes with some challenges, I suppose  (my favourite is my friend Lauren’s exclamation of “NOBODY MOVE!” whenever she drops a stitch)  but the relaxation and release that comes from crafting is about how focused and invested you are in your small project for those few hours, letting everything else melt away.  With dance,  things seem to disappear from the joy of movement and the obvious physical freedom.  It’s different for craft because it feels like I am giving everything to something else in my life for a moment, and in the end it turns out right, and I can use it and love it and brag about it forever.

….I think I just solved all my love problems while writing about textiles.  Man. Shit got real.

ENJOY MY PROJECTS.  MORE TO COME I PROMISE.

Quickie

Hey all,
Another quick post as my 2 weeks of essay/LSAT hell begin.  I managed this embroidery on my pillowcase back when I was naive as to how much school work I actually had in January!  I really like how it turned out, colour-wise.

(pattern from sublime stitching)

I will allude to some upcoming posts now! I promise a knitting recap since this is high warm-clothes season, and I am re-attending my knitting club, so projects have been in the multiple.  Additionally, I am beginning a few pieces for my college’s art show: one will be a larger conceptual embroidery project, and the other will be some necklaces from my jewellery collection. The show goes up in March, so I suppose I will update with teasy images of the works in progress!

Looking forward to February as much as I can right now!
-m.