So I finally got together an order from truejeans.com, as Grumperina is wonderful and has a discount code on her blog. I’ve been stalking the site for weeks, but waiting has paid off. Despite some styles I wanted being sold out in my size now (sob!) the Canadian dollar is higher than it has been in forever. As the coupon runs out at the end of this month, I decided to bite the bullet (or credit card) and do it.
I got the shipping part of the checkout process. I won’t be ordering.

Postage to Canada? Between $60-72 dollars. Most of the jeans on my ‘wishlist’ were $68. Sorry, but no. When someone decideds to splurge on a pair of jeans, they don’t want the postage to be worth another pair of jeans.

I realise that rates have changed, etc, but there has to be a cheaper way, doesn’t there? I don’t need them tomorrow. And I definitely don’t need UPS and all their random extra charges. Brokerage fee? Isn’t that included in the $60 I am paying?

I guess this means I have to go jeans shopping in person. ugh. Honestly, I much prefer bathing suit shopping. And as any woman will tell you, that’s something.

I wandered out for a walk today, to the knitting store that is 4 (sigh) blocks away from my house, and bought me some buttons. I haven’t worn my Rambling Rose sweater at all since I finished it, partly because I really didn’t like the buttons I put on it. I got them in a grab bag of cream-coloured buttons from a local quilting store. Today I went in to the knitting store (Pudding Yarn) and spread my sweater out on the table, and played with all their tins of buttons. I picked out some replacements. Here are the before buttons:

They aren’t bad buttons, they just don’t look quite right.
Here are the new buttons, placed out (not sewn yet, maybe tomorrow night!):

Genuine horn, apparently. I think they look much nicer. The others were just that much too light. In the store, it came down to these horn ones, and some shell ones. The lady in the store really liked the shell buttons. Because of the reflective surface, they picked up the red, and there is a shell pattern along the cuffs. I almost went with those, but at the last minute decided they were too shiny. I think I like my choice.

I also took a sleeve of the $1.50 cardi, to check out some buttons for that project. Found some gorgeous ones. I realised when I got there that I just had the sleeve, and no pattern, so I didn’t know how many or what size to get. Then the lady pointed out I could just pick ones I liked, and then make as many button holes as I need. Smart knitting lady.

They’re rustic and wonderful. And more than I’d ever expected to pay for buttons, so I only got 4. The store has a whole range of these buttons, not a size range, but a colour range. They all have the dark brown bark around the edge, but the inside can be blue, green, red, orange, the natural I bought, and I think a few other colours. I was very tempted by the green, but the brown buttons will make the final sweater more wearable, I think.

Then I came home and sat down to finish my Monkey sock. I think it is a tiny bit long. You can start the toe on either row 1, 10, or 11 of the pattern. I started on 10 (well, 9) but I think row 4 or 5 would have been perfect. It’s not too big, and this way it’ll fit perfectly once I’ve washed it.
As soon as I had grafted the toe, I put it on the scale. Finished sock = 1.7oz. Leftover yarn (for sock #2): 1.8oz. Hurrah!! For the record, that was with only 1/2″ of ribbing, and 5 (instead of 6) leg repeats.

So yesterday I was gushing about how great Ravelry is for finding things. I did have a point to that, but I completely forgot at the time. But I’ve remembered, and it is so cool, it gets its own post.

I found a sock pattern (currently only comes as part of a kit) called the Boudica socks pattern. Very, very nice socks, and what looks like lovely yarn. The website is here, sadly they have frames so I can’t link right to the page, but it is the first kit listed. Beautiful socks (the designer also did the Icarus shawl and other lovelies).
They hit me even more though, because I just finished the last of four books written by Manda Scott (link is to first book, Dreaming the Eagle) about the life of the Boudica. It was a great series, completely gripping. And, I managed to find 3 of the 4 books used.

And a few random knitting-related links for you:
There’s a blog contest over here, you could win a pattern for a tank top plus the yarn! If you head over, say I sent you.

Part of the contest is to list your summer knitting goals. I’ve been meaning to do that, I actually have a scribbly Post-it somewhere with my original thoughts for knits this summer. But here are my current summer goals:

1. Finish $1.50 Cardi (current state: 1 sleeve, most of back done)
2. Finish Capecho (current state: needs seaming, collar, and any mods to fit)
3. Finish Monkey socks (current state: nearing the toe on sock #1)
4. Start and Finish the Vinnland socks (stash yarn)
5. Start new sweater/large project (when 1 and 2 are complete). I’m leaning towards Orangina or Butterfly right now.
6. Get rid of the yarn I don’t want. There’s only a couple things right now, but I may re-evaluate and get rid of more.
(7. sneaky sewing goal: no more fabric until I have used at least half of what I have)
8. Stop buying yarn. I bought my last yarn until September today, from Affiknity, who is destashing. Now I have yarn for Butterfly!

If I keep to these goals, I get to buy myself the Boudica sock kit in September.

I’ll try to stop mentioning Ravelry, lest anyone think I’m gloating, but it is inspiring me onwards. Part of it is having all my projects listed, and WIPs at the top. Another part is seeing my stash all spread out. The biggest thing though, is seeing all the projects I want to make. My list is 52 items long! And every time I browse it at work (heh) I see more. Thus, working madly on the Monkey socks tonight.

I’ve decided one of my next projects will be a teacosy. Did you know Knitty has a pattern for one? I didn’t. It’s perfect, I’ve got a scrap of Kureyon from a felted bag from waay back when. I’m going to use some Waterspun and that as stripes.
When the Monkey socks are done, my next sock project will be Vinnland in Fleece Artist Sea Wool.

Right now I’m curled up with my favourite TV series of all time, Mulberry. It was a great BBC series that only ran for two seasons. I have never met anyone else who saw it. It was one of those things I was starting to think was a halucination. I remember writing to the BBC to ask if it would come out on video, when our PBS station stopped showing it. If that email account hadn’t expired, I would have written proof from the BBC that it wasn’t profitable enough for them to sell like that. Ha, but now apparently it is. Yay TV on DVD.

The same Amazon order that brought me Mulberry also brought me Fitted Knits (and Terry Pratchett read by Baldrick, another great knitting companion) which is very exciting.

Yesterday (Sunday) was Otafest here in town, which is an anime festival-type thing. We went to watch the Anime Music Video finalists, and that was great, as I got three hours knitting time as well! We were in a lecture hall watching the videos, and the kept the lights on, which was kind. There were some really great videos.
So all that being said, I have turned the heel and have started on the gusset for my first Monkey sock!

Taking those pictures this morning, I realised that there were more monkies on me…

Monkey socks, monkey pants.

Then, as I had the camera out, I decided to finally take pictures of my new workspace. I kept saying I’d take pictures when it was tidy, but it’s my craft space. It’ll never be pristine and tidy.

In that photo the computer is on the desk, it can slide under the glass top, if I want to use the whole space.

My amazing swing-out drawers, and uber-comfy Patrik chair.

The little closet nook my desk is partly in. I want to get some plywood to make a shelf (the supports are already there!) and the printer can live on the shelf, and so can my sewing machine. I actually put it away for the photo, but in the storage room. It’d be nice to have it right there.

Speaking of sewing machine, I sewed myself a shirt on Saturday! And it fits! Well, it fits in that it is a baggy style to begin with. Simplicity 3788, view B. Pictures to come later, we’re going to Edmonton for a couple days!

Still obsessing over Ravelry, I can’t wait till it goes live and even more people are on it. It is just the best resource in the world for knitters and crocheters. Network people, network!
I mean, I was looking at my projects today, and decided to click and see who else has made Monkey socks. That was great, seeing all the colours.
Then I wanted to see what else people have done with Classic Elite Classic silk, what I’m making my $1.50 cardi out of. I found someone else making it with the same yarn! She had put it on hold because of the puckering. I left her a comment on it, saying the puckering on mine blocked out.

It’s just great to see what other people can do with the same pattern, or what else you can do with a certain yarn.

In other wonderful news, I am getting a raise that starts on Monday. Starting Monday I’ll be making $2.00 more per hour. But I’ve promised myself, no more yarn over the summer. Stash only. Only on yarn though, if I can sew a few tops and feel happy, I am free to buy all the fabric I want.

All the Ravelry-ness has also had me go back to CraftMemo. I’ve started putting more stuff in there, and taking the knitting stuff out. I think it works well, as Ravelry is tailored to knitters and is a networking spot. CraftMemo doesn’t have the networking, but when you do stuff, you can create you own categories, which is great for all the random craft stuff I’ve collected over the years. And recently. All my sewing patterns are in there, and if I get the dishes done quick after I post, I may manage to get my fabric in there too.

I was unfaithful to the $1.50 cardi today. I finally gave in and cast on for some socks in the Jitterbug yarn I bought.

I got two repeats of the leg pattern done at work today, which was nice.
The black in the yarn is the longest stretch of any colour, and it all seems to be stacking up in the one repeat section. I keep waiting for it to move around, and spiral down like a lot of pooling does, but it hasn’t yet. It has spread a bit, but not much. I’m going to keep going though, I like pattern.
I did 1/2″ of ribbing instead of 1″, and will do 5 lace repeats instead of 6, as the yardage is small on these skeins.

Still obsessed with Ravelry, and entering all my stuff. I just have stash (and accompanying photos) left.

I went to Michaels earlier in the week, just because I was driving by one, to have a look at the Martha Stewart line of stuff. Interesting, but what I found more interesting was the Amy Butler line of paper crafty stuff! I bought a little pad of patterned cardstock (just like her fabrics!) and some letter stickers.

I have also gone on a note card-making kick. I think I may put them up on Etsy.

That Knitting meme, because I need something to do.
Mark with bold the things you have knit at least once, with italics the ones you plan to do sometime, and leave the rest.

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So I’ve been distracted by Ravelry for the past couple days. I signed up to be a beta tester last Thursday or so, and I got my invite. I love it. Love love love.
Remember I went all crazy about CraftMemo a little while ago? I think they work well together. All my knitting stuff will (eventually) be in Ravelry, and all my other craft stuff will (eventually) be in CraftMemo.

Also, I now have my very own desk AND chair. I’m sitting there right now. Again, much love to the pretty desk and chair, and even more love to craigslist for giving me a place to find cheap stuff.

Went to Fabricland this evening to take advantage of their $3.49 pattern sale. It was just Butterick, but I bought a couple. Starting Sunday Simplicity patterns are $2.99, so I’m definitely going back. I figure for that cheap, why not?
I also found some knit fabric in the remaindered bins (50% off cheap, yay!). I want to make myself a jersey dress or two, so I bought this to try out this crazy material.

I have found the charger for my camera batteries, so I will get those going so I can take some pics of my desk and stash for Ravelry.

I finally get my craft desk tomorrow! I was searching Craiglist and Kijiji at work today, hoping to find something, and I found the perfect thing.
It is from Ikea (most of our house is, if I’m honest), and is the Vika Gruvan table top, with Vika Curry legs. Not the pretty trestle legs they generally display with this top, but the simple legs to give you more room underneath, which is good. Then I just need a rolly set of drawers for under, and I’m set. What is exciting for me is the area under the glass where you can put stuff. Pretty things yes, but it is also the perfect place to stash my laptop when I’m working on something else.
So excited to have a desk to craft on, a good-sized one. Eee!