catching up

What's that saying about how it never rains, but only pours? Well, that seems to be how things are with me just now - a few weeks in Ottawa doing only a couple of things, now followed by a few weeks of too many things to keep track of! So today's post will only be fibre-related, since many of the things currently falling through the cracks seem to related to knitting...

First, from several weeks ago, here are the answers to my SP hostess' questions - I have long since missed the related draw, but I thought my SP might like to know the answers anyway.

1. What is the one knitting accessory you could not live without?
hmmm... tough question... probably Michael, my live-in yarn untangler. :) There has been many a skein that would now be hibernating in my stash box, knotted into oblivion, if Mike and his eternal patience hadn't been there to untangle it for me!

2. If you're heading on vacation, do you take knitting with you? If so, how much and what type of project?
Not usually, unless the trip will involve train travel - you can't knit on planes any more, and when I'm travelling with Mike, I usually don't have much down-time during which I could knit. And since we very often go camping anyway, taking knitting with me would only result in very dirty knitting!

3. Where have you travelled to that you'd consider your favorite spot?
This one is a tie between the Greek Islands and Hawaii. The Greek Islands are great for getting away from the hectic pace of civilization, whereas Hawaii's bath-water warm ocean was a definite attraction - the water was so warm you could just stay in it forever! (have I mentioned that I hate being cold, including that cold feeling you get after being in the water too long?)

4. What is your favorite knitting book at the moment? Do you own it?
My favourite books change frequently... at the moment its Fitted Knits, which I own, but ask me again in a month, and that may well have changed. But I love going back over old books and magazines, and seeing all the projects I loved when I first saw them, and trying to decide if maybe I can use my stash to make those projects, since that would be an excellent reason to start something new right away, rather than finishing what is already on the needles. :)

5. Do you listen to podcasts? Which is your favorite(s)?
I listen to Cast-On and sometimes Quirky Nomads. But not as often as I should, since I prefer to listen to them while I knit. Maybe now that we have no TV again, I'll be more inclined to listen to them in the evenings.

In other knitting news, my only project on the needles just now is my Tulip Cardigan from Rowan's spring magazine (was it 41? I can't remember). Its going along fine, only about 10cm from the back being cast-off. Now that I'm back in England, I'm inclined to knit again, and yet I am also suffering from a lack of time to knit, since I'm too busy having fun entertaining friends, and now my mother. :) Ah well, c'est la vie! I think I will soon cast on something new... I should really go back to the Somewhat Cowl that I started back in January, but I'm still not happy with that... turns out I purchased one skein too few, so I wasn't able to finish it right away. And now that i have the extra one I'm reluctant to go back to it because I don't like the way the ribbing is cast off on the bottom - even though I used a needle twice as large as the one I used to knit the ribbing, its still too tight, and only on the last, cast-off row. The result is that it is a little uncomfortable to wear, and I am overly conscious about whether or not it looks odd. SO, in order to finish the sweater, I have to rip out the bottom row, and figure out a different way to cast it off, so that it won't be so tight... but first I have to find the link where I first read about the different options.

I also need to cast on for a scarf soon, since I signed up for the Ravelry scarf exchange. I should do that soon, really, since a scarf might be a useful portable project to take with me to Belfast on Wednesday, when I head over with my mom. But then again, that would require buying yarn very soon, and I do enjoy taking ages pondering over the various options. Anyone know any good yarn shops in Belfast that I should check out? :)

There was something else I was supposed to mention here, but I think the cracks in my brain are getting wider - fewer things seem to want to be sticking where they belong. I may have to start carrying post-it notes with me so that I can write down the ideas when they come to me, so that I don't forget them later on. Or maybe I'll get one of those obnoxious mini-tape recorders, and go around recording notes to myself in the third person: "Note to self: tell Glenda to blog about her sweater fix!" :)

Here, let me try it out now - "Note to self: take Glenda to bed - she's can hardly keep her eyes open!"