I think I may be in love

With this combination of yarn and mitten pattern.  I'm not usually a person to use the recommended yarn.  I almost always will try to substitute based on what I have in my stash.  I certainly never knit with the exact same colourway.  Except this time.  I purchased the exact same yarn brand - Malabrigo, in the exact same colours - Emerald blue and Carrot as the pattern is recommending.  And oh my, how I love it.  These mittens are so fun, they are practically knitting themselves. 

In other news, I joined a yarn club of sorts.  Its Leethal Quick knits Club, by Lee Meridith.  I love her patterns and her work.  She is genius.  She uses mostly recycled/reclaimed yarn and materials, which I love, love, love.  Her patterns are quick, quirky and fun.  I really wanted to support her work and join this club.  So far, I've received March's mail out which had a photography theme.  When I grow up, I want to be a photographer.  Some day I'll own a good camera, but for now, I love my little Canon Power shot.  The package included two mini skeins of yarn, two fun little patterns and some extras - one of which was this neat little mesh thingy that you hold over your camera lens to produce a nice twinkly effect with lights.  Here is a photo taken in my kitchen.  I suspect there would have been more twinkling if all lights in the fixture were working and if it were indeed dark enough to require lights.  And yes, that is a big pile o snow outside my window.  Late March does not equal spring in Labrador (even though we have had the mildest winter on record)


I'm not sure what is going on with Blogger.  I used to be able to somewhat format my photos, now they are just going in here all helter skelter like.  Oh well, I'm sure it makes sense to someone. 

How do I feel about Alpaca?

I'm not too sure really. I know that I love knitting with it - or blends of it anyway. It always seems so soft and squishy. The jury is out on the spinning of alpaca. I bought a braid of 100% alpaca off etsy seller Roaringbravado. The colour is called Autumn equinox. I love the colours. Deep plums, midnight blues, forest greens. But the texture is weird or something. Its like the alpaca has alot of guard hairs still in it. Perhaps it is my spinning, as I'm still learning. I do want to try the Navajo plying business again, and this was my intention with this yarn, but I don't know if it will work. Alpaca has a nice long staple and it is a pleasure to spin, but just check out the hairiness. I don't know if I love it or hate it. I've no idea what its destined to become. Perhaps I should have used the drum carder and blended it with something, but the colours are just too darned pretty to be messing with.


In other news, I thought I'd share a picture of the snow that we have. I have the great pleasure of dealing with a lot of old people at work. I've been hearing from a few of them that this winter we are having an 'old fashioned winter' - meaning lots of long cold spells and a lot of snow. What do you think? Does this look like a lot of snow?


This is the view from my front patio looking up the street. Notice that you can't actually see the street because the snow banks are too high. You can see the top of one car on the street. Keep in mind that my house is also up on a little hill. Wow, that is a lot of snow.

I also wanted to share a cute baby shot - because I can.



Look at those cute little faces! Kev's face isn't too bad either.