Montreal - Again!

Kevin and I are just back from dropping Amy off for her second year of university. I can hardly believe it! I still have nightmares - yes, nightmares - that I'm still in university. And now my beautiful girl is doing her second year.

This year she opted for an apartment -res life not being for her. So, she needed some help with getting her apartment set up. Here is a picture of her very college-like apartment. I think they will be happy there.
















We drove to Sherbrooke (12 hours to Baie Comeau - overnight there, then 7 hours to Sherbrooke) and spent several days there cleaning, buying furniture, assembling furniture and what not. A picture of Amy and Lucy at the Brick looking for furniture. I don't think the employees were too impressed with us.















Then we went to Montreal. Again. I can't believe that I've been to Montreal twice this year. And this time we drove. We gave Kev a GPS for his birthday and I really think its the best money that we've ever spent. Seriously, a life saver - well, most definitely a relationship saver as prior to this I was always given the task of map reading and lets just say that my map reading skills aren't up to par. Having a GPS is the only way to drive. I know there is no way that we would have been comfortable driving in Montreal without it. The city of Sherbrooke is only about the size of St. John's Newfoundland, so I'm sure that we could have managed that one, but still - amazingly easy.

So guess what I did when I was in Montreal. Yep, I went to Mouline. The owner guy actually remembered me from last time. I'm not sure what that says about us (or him), but it was very nice. I bought a few things. Mostly sock yarn again. I guess because I had just purchased Cookie A's new book 'Sock Innovations'.

















I've been steadily working away on the Vine Yoke Cardigan, and I suspect that I would have finished up to the back on the long drive home, but I misplaced the pattern. I do have the right front and sleeve finished. I'm really enjoying the pattern. I'm not so certain that my yarn choice was the right one as it is a loosly spun single that is already developing a halo. I hope it doesn't pill too much.
















And I finally finished my One Skein Stole from the Noro Kuryeon sock yarn. It turned out very pretty. I'm not sure how wearable this will be here. Perhaps it will become a gift.

I'm done, I'm done...hurrah

Leisl is finished. She is gorgeous. I'm happy and all is right with the world. I cast on for Ysolda's Vine Yoke Cardigan and I've just finished the right front. I'm taking 3 weeks vacation, traveling to Quebec with Amy. 3 weeks of knitting time (I hope). I wonder can I finish it in 3 weeks? That is rather ambitious, but we'll see. Now, I'm off to wind up those skeins so I can have them to knit on the road.

Ysolda - How do I love thee?

Last night 'Twist Collective' went live. That is, the online magazine published their fall issue. I am smitten with a cardigan by Ysolda Teague called Vine Yoke Cardigan. I bought the pattern within the first minute of the issue going up. This is my dream cardigan. I've been saying for some time now that I've been wanting a cardi knit side to side. I'm a sucker for any type of unusal construction. And the best part - its garter stitch. I'm a sucker for garter stitch too. I just need to see if I have any yarn in my stash that will work, because there is no way that I'm buying another sweater's worth of yarn when I have about 8 sweater's worth in my stash. I haven't really taken a close look at the pattern but I'm sure it is well written. This won't be my first Ysolda pattern. I've knit a pair of her tiny shoes. (There are two of them, just didn't get a picture)














I've also knit Ishbel. I had a bit of trouble with that one, but it was my own fault.


















And I've almost finished the Leisl cardigan. I'm so close on this one that its ridiculous. I've just got about 5 inches left on one sleeve.
















Overall, Ysolda's patterns are so clever and well written. They are classic. Okay, I'm off to finish the Leisl and cast on for Vine Yoke. I'm on holidays starting next week for 3 straight weeks. I wonder can I finish a sweater in 3 weeks? We are driving to Quebec. I hope I don't get motion sickness while knitting in the truck. Its a looooong drive. We'll see.

160 Yards and Counting

This dirty fleece business is getting a bit monotonous. I don't mind the cleaning of it. Really, its not that bad. The carding of it is kind of boring, but again, not that bad. The thing is, I thought that when I had done these steps there would be a pay off. I'd have something really great to spin. That this fiber would be delicious and I would love spinning it. Not. No matter what technique I use, I have loads of neps. The fiber feels very matted (even though I have taken great care in the cleaning process). In any case, I have decided to go with the bulky single. I now have 160 yards of the stuff. What will I do with this? Right now, I'm thinking mittens. But I'm open to suggestions. I might even try overdying it, just to see what happens.















And, in knitting news, I haven't finished anything - and my goal to finish the stormwater shawl before August rolls in, is now completely out the window. I have, however, cast on and have knit nearly half of this stole. (Pattern found here ). It is such a fun, fast knit. I have dreams of knitting hundreds of these, and giving them away to ladies that have important birthdays. (Yeah, I was just invited to a 70th birthday of this awesome lady and I really wish that I had something like this finished and ready to go - next time, I'll be prepared). It knit in the Noro Kuryeon sock yarn. Which I think is much nicer in a stole than in a sock.















And, my tulips have finally bloomed. When my mom was here visiting she kept insisting they were going to bloom anyday. But I knew better. Here we are 2 maybe 3 weeks since they've left and they are now just blooming. Sorry mom, I was right, you were wrong.