December 14,15 & 16...

Phew.

Still alive over here, sorry about the radio silence. It's just been that since I hit the third trimester, it's like I walk straight into a brick wall most days. I've spent the last few days napping (not voluntarily - I seem to pass out every time I sit down), and haven't been keeping up with my giveaway. So, to make up for lost time, I will be posting three giveaways today, and will enter anyone who comments for all three, but in separate draws.

In home knit news, finished a headband (I love Belle, but wanted something I could wear with a ponytail), put it on and promptly watched Mr. Ninja fall down laughing. Apparently it looks like one of those 80s headbands from a porn movie (his phrase, not mine). Gah. I have no luck with headwear, I tell you. Also finished a pair of mittens for myself...it's damn cold out there!

So, at the moment, I only have Eleanor on my needles. For some reason, I'm finding it hard to knit on this sock...despite the ease of the pattern and the beauty of its sibling. Bizarre.

Giveaways!

The winner of the Wonderwool was Kerry & Erin! Congrats!

Up for grabs:

Debbie Bliss Soho. Lovely 100% wool.

Trekking Pro Natura. Bamboo/wool sock yarn! This stuff is so much fun to knit with.

And finally, some of Lucy Neatby's BFL in the DK weight.

Good luck all! I'll try to stay conscious enough to post daily from now on. ;)

December 12th!

Phew, it's only 11:30 and it's already been one of those days...misread the calendar and missed my OB appointment, been out grocery shopping, had to scrub Mr. Munchkin down as he was "helping" paint the baby's room, and am about to collapse on the couch because my hips are killing me. Anyway.

Yesterday's winner was Yvonne! Yvonne, please email me with your vitals and your good deed - I don't have any way of contacting you other than here.

Today's giveaway:


Wonderwool! At the moment, I can only find one of these balls...but I'm fairly certain that I have about 5 kicking around. As long as I can find them, they're all going up on today's giveaway. Good luck all!

December 11th

KOL last night was heaps of fun - I hadn't realized how much I missed it. And for Julie - here is a picture of my sais. Yes, we really do have too much weaponry in this house. Although, I did like Shawn's (Elizabeth's wonderful knitting partner-in-crime) suggestion of putting all of the swords into an umbrella stand...


And here's a picture of what sais look like when they are used as improvised knitting needles:

(They weren't very good knitting needles...I tended to poke myself in the belly with them.)

And all hail the voracious third trimester - any excuse to make snowy castle cakes.


Onto the giveaways:
Yesterday's winner was FrozenExtremities. Congrats! And today's giveaway is a very pretty ball of Malabrigo, waiting for a good home...


This is in the "Shocking Pink" colourway. Good luck all!

HA! (aka December 11th)

Hooray for eBay sniping! I've been researching my little heart out re: sewing machines. I decided to get a new one. While I'm sure that if I got this one serviced, it would work for a little while longer...but seeing as I've had this thing serviced twice in the past year, it was definitely time to see what else was on the horizon.

So, a new machine was in my future, I sussed. I knew that I wanted either a Pfaff or a Janome...but it was SO hard justifying the price. (Yes, I'm frugal on occasion...but prone to spur of the moment purchases. It's a mystery to me too.) So I was narrowing it down to two models - the Janome 423S or a Pfaff Hobby 1142. Was going to drive across the province to New Minas today to try them out (yeesh). However, I decided to give eBay a look before going to bed last night.

I found a NIB Janome 405 at a ridiculously low price...and sniped it in the last 3 minutes of the auction. It is SO basic...but it does everything that I want it to. Shipping included - it's $120. So, now I just have to wait for it to get here. I'm a little terrified of what Canada Customs is going to hit me with, but it's worth it if I'm saved driving to the other side of the penninsula. (I was getting disapproving glares from Mr. Ninja all night over this. Apparently, he wasn't happy with the notion of his seven and a half months pregnant wife and Mr. Munchkin driving solo on snowy roads. He's so protective these days.)

Onto the giveaways! I haven't been posting everyone's good deed - I'm saving them all up, and will post a summary post on the 26th. Spreading the holiday cheer all over the place, as it were. But I assure you...my heart has been well warmed so far from all of the winners! Speaking of which - yesterday's winner was Marti! Congratulations to you!

Up for grabs today is some pretty roving that I dyed myself:


This is superwash merino in the "Henry" colourway. See here for the model for my inspiration. I'm spinning up the rest of this roving and it's coming out nicely...very subtle, ironically considering who the colourway is named after. (Go and read Steph's adventures with Henry and you'll see what I mean.)

Good luck to you all!

December 10, otherwise known as Grrrr...

Yeesh, what a day yesterday was. I was about to happily sit down and sew for a bit when my machine basically clunked out on me. The needle tension is shot to hell, and as soon as I had finished majiggering it so that it sorta worked...the bulb bust. Argh. I'm debating getting a new machine vs. sending this one into be serviced. It's a Brother, about 8 years old...and it's held up really well over the years. I'm just wondering if it'd be better to get it fixed, or if it's really just at the end of its lifespan. *sigh*

Add to that the fact that my fingers have decided to do some bizarre arthritic cramping up...and you have a ninja with itchy fingers and no way to alleviate said itch. I suppose that I'll try doing something useful like baking Christmas cookies...only problem with that idea is that ... well ... I'll eat them. And there's still at least a week and a half until the first of the incoming horde of visitors arrive. Maybe I'll try making a batch of Icebox Cookies. The thought of gnawing on frozen dough ought to put a damper on the ravenous monster that is the third trimester.

On to the giveaway - yesterday's winner was Tracy! Congratulations Tracy! And today's giveaway is:


This is my own handspun - it's Crown Mountain Farm's Sockhop in the Pink Cadillac colourway. It's a heavier sockweight, about the same as something like Sweet Georgia if you want something to compare it to. Good luck everyone!

December 9th

Wow, time is just flying by...I don't know about you all, but I'm starting to get a little worried about making my deadlines for the holidays. (I have to get packages into the mail for overseas.) And only 16 days left until Christmas! Mr. Munchkin is very excited about the holidays and the impending stampede of visitors. He has an AWESOME advent calendar this year, courtesy of my MIL - it's a Lego advent calendar! Everyday, he gets a little bag of Lego doodads - yesterday, it was a little lego dude with a skateboard.

At the moment, I'm working on a last minute gift for a dear friend - he's very worthy of something knitted. I'm making a pair of Dashing out of some 100 pure wool - it was one lonely ball, so I was wracking my head as to what to do with it. Yarn Harlot to the rescue (as usual around this time of year).

Onto the giveaways! Yesterday's winner was ikkinlala. Congratulations!

Today's giveaway:


Two balls of Jojoland sock yarn! Good luck everyone. See you tomorrow, same battime, same batcave.

December 8th

Yesterday's winner is mommy bean! Congratulations - I'm sure that the book will make for a nice evening's read when you're snuggled in against the winter's chill.

Today's giveaway:



More Yarn Pirate sock yarn - in the Butternut colourway. This is amazing Merino/Tencel yarn...it's soooo comfy when it's knit into socks. Good luck everyone!