Nina, pretty ballerina...

Gotta love ABBA, don't you?! (Well, perhaps you don't - but I do! Except that now I can't get this tune out of my brain...)

Nina, pretty ballerina
Now she is the queen of the dancing floor
This is the moment she's waited for
Just like Cinderella...

...(just like Cinderella!)

OK, OK - so I never actually did take ballet classes, as you might have guessed from the imperfect pose above. I was too busy going to $#^&$*@#^&$&*@#^$ Greek school, deprived child that I was!

However, I've made up for it by making myself a Nina Shawl fit for a princess! Or even a ballerina...oh no, here it comes again...

Nina, pretty ballerina Who would ever think she could be this way?

This is the part that she likes to play She would like to play it every day

(Help!!! I need to get this tune out of my brain!! Bjorn and Benny have a lot to answer for...But don't the girls look fab in their silver boots? I want me a pair of those! And I'm jealous of their straight hair too...)

But, as ever, I digress.

Here are my specs/notes on the shawl:
Specs:
Pattern: Nina Shawl by Phyllis Howe (in the Mason-Dixon Knitting book)
Finished size: 22" wide by 60" long (almost as tall as me!)
Yarn: Kerzner Super 10 (mercerised cotton): 2 skeins #3944 (deep purple), one skein each of #3871 (lapis), #3407 (paprika), #3724 (lime), and pewter (lost the label so don't know the #) Needles: 3.75 mm Addi Turbos
Started: 7 January 2008
Finished: 13 January 2008

Notes:

• I have loved this pattern since first I saw it when I bought the book in summer 2006, and had already doubled the pattern (minus the ruffle and plus i-cord edging) to make a blanket for my mother for Christmas 2006.
  
• Having said that, it seemed harder going this time around. I was not convinced of the colours shortly into knitting the project, which didn't help. It seemed to take forever to finish this time - ironically far longer than it had to finish the blanket.
  
• Because my row gauge was shorter than that called for, I added a sequence in the middle of the blanket: 4 paprika rows, 24 pewter rows, 6 purple rows, 10 lime rows, 6 purple rows, 4 paprika rows:

• 

• I was very upset with the ruffle pre-washing/blocking but now I think it worked out just fine:
  

• I would recommend this as a very good TV knit for others, and I do love the Super 10 yarn as ever! The colour sequence in the original is quite fabulous and in retrospect I wish I had gone with that, though.
  

And, once I had stopped dancing around the house, I settled down and got a start on my new project, the Gathered Pullover from Interweave Knits Winter 2007:

The yarn is Rowan Handknit Cotton which I got in a swap. So far, so good!

Then, hungry after all my labours, I hit the chip cupboard:

Eeek!!! Holiday supplies are fast dwindling!! Who has been raiding all my chips?! I'll blame JJ...and it's a good thing I stopped on the way home for emergency provisions:

This purchase resulted in the following conversation:

JJ: Hey! You telt me to tell yew if you came in with any more crisps in the next month that I should confiscate them immediately and tek them to work wi'me!!! Gi'us the crisps!!

KB: (holding up bag and pointing at the label indignantly) They're NOT CHIPS!!!

JJ: (after a pregnant pause) Bloody lawyers.

Indeed. I immediately ran and hid the rest of the after work purchases (which, I hasten to say, are not chips either!)

Not the girl you'd remember but she's still something special
If you knew her I am sure you'd agree
'Cause I know she's got a little secret
Friday evening she turns out to be...

(chorus) Nina, pretty ballerina...

I need an ABBA exorcism!!! SIGH. Any suggestions, anyone?

Time to sign off, I think. There is still some dancing to be done, apparently.





Cheers,

Kristina

PS. Hey! Just realised it's PayDay! Uh-oh...

first finished object of 2008!!! etc

I know, I know - it's already 7 January!! But, in my defence:

(a) I've been reading craft books in the interval (more below); and
(b) I started and finished this yesterday!

Another Moebius wrap by the increasingly fabulous (in my estimation) Cat Bordhi. This is the simplest knit yet (once you figure out the cast-on, which usually does take me a couple of tries) - only 14 knit rows!

The yarn used was Grande Godiva by Handmaiden (although I do now lust after Malabrigo, the Maiden is still first in my affections - this week!). It is a bulky 50% silk/50% wool blend and is absolutely luscious. It was knitted on 9mm needles and so went very quickly - it only took a couple of hours!

This, if you can make it out (I blame yesterday's fog...) is an applied i-cord edging - found either in the Cat Bordhi book or in one of the Nikki Epstein books.

(I had already made this one before Christmas - in a slightly different pattern provided with the yarn kit - but never posted it for some unknown reason [close your eyes, Mom...!!!]:)


In fact, I had so much time after finishing this that I got a good start on the Nina Shawl:
Super 10! Ah....

(as in "Ah... but what state is your apartment in right now?" You don't want to know. For one thing, there are piles of the 15 December PayDay yarn acquisition sitting in a corner of the living room, beckoning to me...)

As if all this knitting weren't enough, I have now decided to take up papermaking and dressmaking. (There is some unexpected leftover money from the holiday which JJ has kindly agreed to let me invest in a sewing machine. I do hope he doesn't think he is getting any clothes out of it!!!) Thanks again to Holly for putting me onto Craft Magazine (I think, anyway... at this rate, it's getting more difficult to leave the house, especially after three weeks off work!)

Speaking of vacation, here are some more boring vacation shots - sidewalk mosaic in Paris:


(both taken on the Rue de Rivoli) and subway mosaic in London:
And - here is the finest art exhibition that the Louvre had to offer!

Still chugging through the European and duty free smokes, I'm happy to report:

I guess that's enough for now. So, in parting, I wish you a happy Distaff Day. What is Distaff Day, you ask? Says Wikipedia:

Distaff Day, also called Rock Day, is 7 January, the day after the feast of the Epiphany. It is also known as Saint Distaff's Day, since it was not really a holiday at all. In many European cultural traditions, women resumed their household work after the twelve days of Christmas. The distaff, or rock, used in spinning was the medieval symbol of women's work. Often the men and women would play pranks on each other during this day, as was written by Robert Herrick in his poem "Saint Distaffs day, or the Morrow After Twelfth Day" which appears in his Hesperides.
Some modern craft groups have taken up the celebration of Distaff day as part of their new year celebrations [emphasis added].

An excuse to stay home from work and craft? I wish. Maybe I could claim it as a religious observance day??? Hmm...

The Group of Seven still lives!!!!

Look!!!! UFOs (the ones with aliens, not the ones with yarn and sometimes needles attached which you might find stuffed into the back of the closet if you're like me) have descended upon Toronto!!! The Group of Seven just came in on those, I swear to you (the large one must be the Mother Ship).



Er... I'm jesting, really. This is my (extremely lame, even worse than usual!) attempt to photograph the buttons I bought yesterday for JJ's cardigan in progress. I won't show you the photo taken without the flash because it looks like mouse dung (and, having lived in 15 apartments in Toronto since I moved here 16 years ago, I have a really good sense of what that looks like!).

Now for some (slightly) better photos: my Mason-Dixon Knitting Miniature Series. (a.k.a. the Group of Seven. I really hope I don't get visited by seven irate male paint stained ghosts during my sleep...).


It was originally supposed to be the Group of Nine but my ADHD kicked in even sooner than usual.

All of the below were knitted using Svale Stork fingering cotton (lovely stuff, highly recommended!) and 2.5 mm doublepointed bamboo needles (no casualties - yippee!). They were then mounted on little 4"x4" canvases. JJ will be earning his dinner tomorrow evening by putting them up during the day while I'm at work.

And here they are in clockwise order from the top right corner (how organized am I?!?)

1. Baby Nina Shawl
This is the my original modification of it - my mother's Christmas present last year.

2. Baby Baby Moderne

Here is my full-size version of this blankie (knitted with Bernat Handicrafter yarn sometime in mid-late 2006):

I'm not big on the colours (aside from the red) but they were what were plentiful (at Zellers) and cheap. This was my first blanket and I didn't know if I'd go the whole distance, so didn't want to shell out big cash.

3. Baby Curve of Pursuit

This is an absolutely wonderful pattern by Pat Ashforth of Woolly Thoughts. I truly believe that everyone should try knitting one of her afghan patterns at least once. There are dozens to choose from!

This is my Baby Curve right smack dab in the centre of my large Curve.
4. Ballband Warshcloth

I have never knitted a real warshcloth. Until I knit this one, I had been firm that I never, ever would (never say never!) However, as you may recall I've done two high-falutin' artistic versions: A Woman's Work no. 1 and A Woman's Work... #2.

5. Baby Baby Kimono

Again, I've never knit the full-sized version. I'm not around babies all that much - well, never. Probably a very lucky thing for them.

6. Circle of Fun

Here is the mini-version of this lovely rug.
I haven't made it full size - although one day I think I will (I would use Brown Sheep Burly spun or Bulky rather than anything else doubled). However, I did adapt the centre pattern for my Pinwheel Blankie.
This poor blankie was cut down (or bleached) in the prime of its life by some chickenhead who lives in this building and believes it's a good idea to put an entire bottle of Javex in during the wash cycle. I got that washing machine immediately after (and there were quite a few more casulaties, trust me). A pox on his/her head!!!

And, finally (in my inimitable "couldn't take a good photo to save my life" fashion - this time I'm blaming the fact that it is dark these days both when I leave work and when I come home):

7. A baby log cabin square

The true colours are something between this:
...and this:



This was my first stab at this concept:


(It has been gifted to Holly Ogre together with some Smarties and Terry's chocolate orange. Maybe if Holly's feeling nice today she'll post a comment linking you to the photo of the full-size version on her blog...)

... and this was my second stab at it (with Fleece Artist Curlilocks and wool slub from one of their afghan kits. I got sick of the yarnovers.)

So, that's all, folks!!!

Oh, not quite (you didn't think I was going to let you off the hook that easily, did you?) I know you'll be shocked, but I did end up going back to the LYS today and acquiring the lemon yellow Super 10...

... and some in a lovely fuschia/purply colour besides. It was on deep discount, so I actually saved money!!! (yes, keep talking, Evil Kristina...).

And, in parting, I'm sure you'll all be thrilled to learn that today marks the 17th anniversary of the resignation of the Iron Lady (now Baroness Thatcher) as Prime Minister of Britain. I've decided that when I grow up, I want to be a Baroness too..."Baroness Brouhaha" has a nice ring to it, don't you think?

Shameless self-indulgence...

...or, How Kristina Went to the LYS for Buttons Only and Ended Up Buying More Handmaiden and Fleece Artist.

I imagine that just about any knitter who reads this will relate to tales of an everburgeoning stash. My stash drawers and tote box, in particular, runneth over with fancy silks, silk blends and wool by those beckoning sirens, Handmaiden and Fleece Artist.

With this in mind, I set off for the LYS at the lunch break - only, mind you, to look for buttons for JJs vest in the making:

When I got to the LYS, however, I realised that I had forgotten they now close on Mondays!

I remained remarkably calm. After all, there was a huge sewing emporium just down the street. So, I popped in there and got the buttons. I felt quite virtuous that I hadn't just gone back to the office and tried the LYS again on Tuesday instead.

Virtuous, that is, until 2:30 p.m. or so when visions of this started dancing in my head...

A skein of Fleece Artist Italian Silk that looks remarkably, er. chartreuse. The identical skein, in fact, to one that I had been laughing at the last time I was at the LYS close to my house, Knitomatic I think my words to Leane, who works at the store, were "There is no one in the world who this bile colour would look decent on."

No one, apparently, except Evil Kristina, to whom the yellowy-green colour was a light beckoning me towards some oasis.

By the time I left work it was pouring with rain which was starting to turn into sleet. I made a steadfast decision not to stop in at Knitomatic (a ten minute walk from my place) and instead to take the bus all the way home.

Until, that is, the Knitomatic bus stop (as I have come to think of it - I can't even tell you the name of the cross-street!) approached.

The inevitable internal dialogue then began:

Evil Kristina: Hey!!! You forgot to pull the bell cord. Our stop's coming up.

Good Kristina: I told you we're not stopping here tonight. The weather is crap, and besides, that colour is horrid.

Evil Kristina: Well then, let's just go have a look at it again. It will make you feel good to walk out of there without having bought anything.

Good thinking. At any rate, although no one usually gets off at this stop, about five people stood up and made tracks to the door. This was a sign.

So, when I arrived at Knitomatic looking like a drowned chipmunk (oh, did I mention I forgot my umbrella today?), I headed straight for the little baskets where the Fleece Artist and Handmaiden yarns live. And guess what I saw?

A shiny buttercream confection of half silk, half wool - by Handmaiden.

Good Kristina: Put that back. You don't need it.

Evil Kristina: Of course I don't need it - I want it! It's only $31 - a steal!

Good Kristina: But just think of that whole stash of Handmaiden and Fleece Artist that we came across yesterday in the spare room!

Evil Kristina: Did you see any in this colour there?

Good Kristina: Er... no, come to think of it.

Evil Kristina: Well, don't we need a nice neutral colour for a change to balance off all those jewel tones?

(Good point!)

Good Kristina: NO!!! Besides, since you bought all that laceweight yarn, you haven't even wanted to knit any more lace! So, what is the point of buying more?

Evil Kristina: I already told you, that's going to be the New Year's resolution - lace knitting. Forget that "quitting smoking" bit. You just set yourself up for failure when you try to quit smoking at New Year's!

Good Kristina: But we don't even believe in New Year's resolutions!!!

Evil Kristina: My point exactly!!

(Huh?)

Good Kristina: That doesn't even make sense, you moron. Besides, we decided at the beginning of the summer that we wouldn't be buying any more wool, and stick to cotton and other stuff.

Evil Kristina: Oh? So why'd you buy this in August then?

Good Kristina: (grasping at straws) Well, it was cheap. And I still want to knit lace.

Evil Kristina: But the buttercream colour looks so Victorian! It's perfect for lace.

(Score: 1/0 for Evil Kristina. But, never content to rest on her laurels...)

Evil Kristina: So, what about this one then?

Good Kristina: (exasperated) What about it?!? The buttercream one is meant to be instead of this one. Let's just pay for it and go.

Evil Kristina: But it's so funky!!

Good Kristina: It is not "funky", it's hideous. Why do you think it's still sitting there? Because no one wants to buy it!

Evil Kristina: But it's Italian Silk by Handmaiden!!

Good Kristina: We already have two skeins of that, don't you remember?!?

Evil Kristina: So? When did that ever stop you before? Remember that week when you searched high and low throughout the city to find Sea Silk in the Ocean colourway after hearing about it on Ravelry...

...and then, the same week - the same week, mind you! - you saw this purple Sea Silk...

...and just had to have it!!

Good Kristina: (sulking) It was my birthday that week.

Evil Kristina: Ah yes, your birthday. Didn't you buy the Alchemy that week as well, because you just had to make that Oriel blouse which now you don't even like any more?

Good Kristina: Um, er...

Evil Kristina: And how convenient that it falls right after that stupid Payday holiday you've started celebrating to justify your spending to yourself!

Good Kristina: We're not getting the chartreuse colour. Period.

(long pause)

Evil Kristina: Look, you know you're just going to come back later in the week for it - and you'll be pissed off if it's not there!

(longer pause)

Good Kristina: I don't know...

Evil Kristina: Look at it this way. You're knitting that vest for JJ, right? Despite the fact that you have all this other stuff you want to make for yourself? So, don't you deserve a little treat?

Good Kristina: (faltering) But... if I get new silk I won't want to finish his vest...

Evil Kristina: Hey, you've got lots of willpower. You'll finish it. He needs it for the trip, right?

Good Kristina: ...well, all right then.

Final score: 2/0 for Evil Kristina.

And the moral of the story, you ask? Never go to the LYS for buttons again. There are sewing shops that sell buttons without all of the other tempations that the LYS holds...

Temptations such as this:


And this...


...and more of this...

(The first photo that I took of this yarn, by the way, will show you just how excited I was by my new purchases - jumping up and down!)

Not to mention this:

Good Kristina: Well, surely that doesn't really count as I bought it on sale 1/2 price!

Evil Kristina: Yeah, but were these two on sale? Huh? Huh?

Good Kristina: Um, er...

You would think that I would learn, wouldn't you!

Sigh. In closing, last year on this day Harper (the PM)'s motion to declare Québécois "a nation within a unified Canada" was endorsed. I still haven't figured out what that means, but hey.

Cheers,

Kristina

PS. Actually, the final score was 2/1 for Evil Kristina. She spotted a bright yellow skein of Super 10 on her way out but Good Kristina managed to talk her out of it in light of this:

(Hmm. No yellow. Maybe I'll have to walk home from the subway station this evening. It doesn't really take that much longer than the bus...

Yeah, right.)