Catching Up: Victoria (Part one)

Well, so much for posting regularly!  I had intentions of posting at least once a week, but that just hasn't happened.  So over the next few posts, I'm going to catch up with what I've done since the beginning of February.

I went out to Victoria BC for a  few days at the beginning of February.  I needed to get away, and someone suggested that Victoria would have more sunshine than Vancouver (the place I was thinking of going).

I loved Victoria!  I was staying in a hotel down by the harbour, so I was able to watch the sea planes go in and out.  It's also a very walkable city, so I got lots of exercise while I was sight seeing (and shopping!)

I kept seeing these sculptures along the harbour.

My first thought was that fibre had taken over my brain, because they looked like spindles to me.  Imagine my surprise when I read the plaque beside it, and found out that was what they were!

Here's a better look at the details on the sculpture.

I spent a day in the Royal BC Museum.  Wonderful place to spend the day.  I took some fibre related pictures in there too....but that will have to wait until the next post!


Maureen

Needed a Spot of Colour

Like a lot of people, I work in an office with boring walls.  Mine are light grey.  I had been putting off putting anything on the walls as we had been told that renovations would be coming soon.

Well, they're not.  We're hearing rumours that it will be February 2015 before anything starts.  So, I decided to heck with it.  I need colour!

So, I took a couple of my quilted wall hangings with me, and up on the walls they went.

I started this one while I was off on stress leave a few years ago.  I've always called it "I'm not a Basket Case!".  It was made using a Kansas Troubles charm pack. Kansas Troubles fabrics are a favourite of mine.

Even though this one is somewhat Valentines themed, it may stay up for a while.  The bright colours are badly needed in my windowless office.

Maureen

Socks Appeal

I love knitting socks.  I love the way you take what is basically a ball of string and make something that keeps your feet warm.

Socks don't care what your weight is.  They don't care if you put on a few pounds.  They'll fit you anyway.

Starting a sock begins the challenge.  I use double pointed needles, so I have to make sure that my cast on stitches don't twist when I join them in the circle.  And in the first few rounds the needles don't really co-operate...they want to go their own ways!

But after a few rounds, the needles settle down. And the knitting becomes contemplative.

Katie is overseeing the production!


Maureen

Friday Finishes

This is my first pair of socks both started and finished in 2014

One of my crafting goals this year is to finish 14 pairs of socks.  One pair done, 13 to go!

Maureen

Kumihimo!

Last night was the monthly meeting of the Regina Weaver and Spinner Guild.  It was a great meeting!  After the business portion of the meeting, we had a guest speaker who taught us how to do a Japanese braiding technique, kumihimo.

Kumihimo is done using a disk

and your floss (yarn, or whatever you want to use) wound onto bobbins

and by simply crossing the bobbins across the disk, you end up with a lovely cord.

So much fun!

Maureen

My First Finish for 2014!

I finished the socks I started in 2013.

I don't usually care if the stripes line up on my socks; I'm happy with fraternal twins.  But on this pair I really wanted the stripes to line up...and they did!

Loving it!!

This pair isn't counting towards the 2014 challenge, but I'm glad to finish them anyway.

Maureen

2014 Crafting Resolutions

Over on Ravelry, The Wacky Windmill is having a 2014 Crafting Resolutions Challenge.  She's challenging people to list out their crafting goals for 2014, and then to post pictures of their FO's (finished objects).  At the end of the year, anyone who has completed their entire goal list by December 31, 2014 will be entered into a draw for a $75.00 gift certificate from The Wacky Windmill.

Here's my list (so far):

1) knit 14 pairs of socks this year.  The ones I am working on right now do not count (since they were started in 2013).
2) finish the quilt I started in 2012.
3) get my cricket loom put together and weave something on it.

I have until January 31 to finalize my list, but I think just finishing the quilt will be a major project, since I don't even have all the strips sewn together yet!

I love knitting socks.  They're the perfect project for me right now, since I can pick them up and put them down as my attention span allows.

Maureen