Off to the land of Bally K

It's official. DN1 is going away to study for one month this summer in Ireland. But does she realize how lucky she is? To be studying at Trinity? The oldest university in Ireland? Founded by Queen Elizabeth the first? I doubt she understands, I just wish it was me. Not that I'm complaining. She's also the type that happens to run into celebrities all the time so I'm sure there will be stories of her meetings with Bono, Cillian Murphy or Liam Neeson. Not that we, as parents, ever live through our children. No way, not me.

Knitting? Why yes I have been knitting. Small scale. And slow. Why slow? Well, I finished the first sock for my husband and thought I would try that 3 needle bind off thing for the toe instead of the kitchener stitch (which I love by the way so what the hell posessed me?). Anyway, it sucked. I could feel that ridge at the toe and I wasn't feelin' the love. So I ripped out. A tad too much but why should I divulge more stupidity to you than I have to? Let's just say I need to do the decreasing again.

Not much more to say than that. I have to go online and figure out the passport application thing for DN1 and DN2. DN2 is going to Cape Cod this summer with her friend so I guess I'll get her one as well. Paper shuffling when I could be knitting. Crap.

PS Mother has me searching for a cardigan pattern for my dad. She purchased the yarn and pattern book a while back and the patterns turned out to be way too small for my father. She has me searching the net for plus size patterns (3X). Do you know how difficult it is to find plus size knitting patterns? Are there no plus sized knitters out there? What's up with that?

Hey, Good Lookin'...

On tonight's menu we have a lovely rigatoni pasta served with homemade italian sausage lovingly made by my MIL and FIL. This will be served with Ace Bakery Artisan Bread and freshly grated romano cheese. These homeade sausages are stored in oil until they are ready to be eaten. The texture becomes harder but the taste intensifies. This is our family's favourite choice for sausage. This little baby would cost you about $20.00 (if not more) if you were to purchase this in a store here. They left for a 2 month vacation to Florida and were concerned about our possible sausage shortage during their absence, hence the hefty supply. I am also lucky enough to enjoy other italian delicacies made by my husband's family. They roast and jar peppers, eggplant, olives (some of which are snuck over from olive trees in Italy) and of course they can their tomatoes every year. This provides me with homeade sauce year round.
Now for a knitting update. I am ecstatic with the yarn I am using for my husband's socks. I purchased it at a yarn store here in the city but it seems to be little known on the internet. It is called Batik by Zwerger Garn (yarn) and I am over the moon with the quality and ease. It is producing the most gorgeous, cosy fabric and I am duly impressed. I am using this pattern and it is looking marvy.

And looky what I have! Trekking XXL and Regia Surf! I cannot contain my excitement. Both were ordered off the internet. The Trekking came from theknitter.com and the Regia came from littleknits.com. Both provided excellent service and I will use them both again (how soon depends on my nimble yet still unexperienced fingers). Will the madness never end?

Confessions

Am I the only one that thinks these guys look like they were separated at birth? The top guy is Rex from Canadian Idol. The bottom guy is, of course, the goaltender, Jose Theodore. Well?

I have a confession. As knitterly as I am, I have a knitting confession. I am afraid to do a sweater for myself. I do not feel confident enough to spend 100 bucks plus for yarn on a project I feel destined to screw up. I am working on a sweater for DH but for myself, nada. I think it is the seaming thing. I. Hate. Seaming. Get the picture? Perhaps I am in need of some kind of Fibre Therapy? Hypnosis?

The Answer to the Cookie Question and More!

Answer:
Both 1 and 3. I smushed two on to the cookie sheets and ate the rest. I am a pig.

I finally finished the Fleece Artist socks. My kitchener stitch is the bomb. How satisfying is it to accomplish a new technique? And do it well? But really, I have tried it so many times and failed. The best instructions for this, ever, are the instructions from that Knit It! magazine. Believe me, I tried a gazillion different sources before this one nailed it for me. (I tried to show you my lurvly kitchener stitch but the picture did not come out very well. Another testament to my amazing photographic skills.)

So I sew in all the ends and show the socks to DN2. She says she loves them and can she have them? I unwillingly give them to her. So, today I want to show you guys the socks, right? Schlep my arse up to the bedrooms and find them stuck in the bottom of the sheets on her bed. Come down to the basement for the camera, no camera. Back up to DN1's bedroom to find camera. Back down to main floor to take pictures. Camera is full of pictures and must first download these total waste of time and battery use. Download pictures, go back upstairs to main floor where light is substantially better to take pictures. Digital photography made easy!

Oh, and for your blogging entertainment, I give you one of those pictures that are a "waste of time and battery use". I guess the idea behind the picture is the comparison between DN1's bra size to DN2's bra size. DN1 is a 34 AA and DN2 is a 36 C. DN1 is the tall, now thin, model-ly type and DN2 is the athletic, hockey playing, sporty type. Life is NOT fair.

In case you didn't notice, I am on a total sock trip. Addiction at its best. My latest obsession? Trekking and Regia Surf. Now to find the cheapest in Canada. Can you not hear the collective sighs of all my friends and relatives? "Holy Crap, she's knittin' socks now. Are none of our digits safe?"