For all my fellow yarn addicts:

My GTA Yarn Shop Map.

Not all in the GTA, and not all of the stores in the GTA yet either.  And some are probably not quite yarn shops… more craft/retail stores that happen to sell yarn, which is good enough if one’s wandering in the area!

I’ll try to enter “all” of the yarn stores I can find, given time, but if anyone wants to help out, I’d be very happy to collaborate.  And I hope this proves useful to other knitters.  I know I’m always wondering where things are.

I know a bunch of other knitters have also put together a similar map, so maybe I should ask about combining data, if that’s possible.

I’m also including all the info I like to have on hand, like phone numbers, websites, and most of all, the stores’ hours of operation.

Speaking of maps, I’ve been loving Crazed Monkey’s Toronto Transit Map.  TTC, GO Transit, VIVA, Brampton Transit, Mississauga Transit and Vaughan Transit… I think Ian Stevens deserves an award or something, because this map is wonderfully beneficial.

I’ve taken an extended blog vacation - I’m probably touching base more than returning though.  I’ve been busy with school and work, and yes, lots of knitting and studio work.  And Rav is so addictive!  If you have Ravelry, come say hi.  My username is elletricot.

These are last week’s pictures, it’s true, but I’ve just moved and haven’t set up my (faster) computer.

About a week ago, I re-started my orange Dana Victoria…

I think it looks like a daisy.

You will notw the shiny 2.5mm KnitPicks needles.  They arrived in my mail on Monday!  Very yummy.  They feel like nothing in my hands… it took me a while to get used to such light needles.  They’re very nice, but does anybody else have a problem with dropping stitches using such short needles?  I may have to buy the circ vinyl things, though I prefer DPNs…

I’m close to finishing the thumb gusset of my first mitt, which is several inches longer than in this picture.

And also from KnitPicks… Knitpicks Palette, in Ash and Fog.  I was very pleased with the quick delivery (one week) and the price.  I’ll let you know just how nice the yarn itself is when I start swatching.  (I’ve been put off by unpacking and the occupation of the needles by Dana Victoria.)

Also in my mail last Monday, after at least five delays and about 10 weeks, Latvian Mittens from Amazon.  I’m considering using some of the mitten elements in The Boy’s grey socks, since it’s going to be a while ’til I knit winter mittens.  After all, spring is finally in Toronto!  I’ll take pictures of my budding garden soon.

When my school year is finally over, I’d like to work on a portrait in the style of ’40s vintage glamour shots. I have some black Stonehenge paper, and I’ll like to draw on it in white, probably just pencil crayon; pastels would be too messy and ill-defined. I might not use a full 22″x30″ sheet, but I’d like to work bigger than I have in the past. As I haven’t worked on a portrait over the size of 22″x15″ that I can remember and I’ve never drawn in the negative, I’m quite excited. I’ve already got some refs and a composition in mind…

The year’s end means exams, so I’ve been trying to study instead of blog. It hasn’t been a completely dull time though…

I recently got copies of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and The Memoirs. They’re from 1975 but are “unabridged facsimiles” of the 1892 originals! Complete with the Sidney Paget illustrations!! As a child I loved Holmes and can distinctly remember reading The Adventures and wondering what the hell was really behind the mystery. I love the prose, and the drawings… the drawings drive me wild. In my research they’ve only been described as “illustrations”, not specifically lithograph illustrations. However, the 1890s is just the time when lithography began to be used commonly for book illustrations, and that’s exactly what they look to me, with the smudgy, watercolour-like shading in the back, and the fine tonality. Of course, a lithograph, being based originally on drawing, can look, well, exactly like a drawing, but weren’t most drawn illustrations from the time pen and ink? But, really hard to be conclusive, especially I’m studying halftone images. Still, very exciting.

A couple of weeks ago I knit my first sock, a top down mini. Soon after, I followed it with this, a toe up. I love making toe-up socks. I love the neatness of the short rows much more than my crummy attempts at picking up stitches on a Dutch heel. Most of all, I like being able to see how long I can make my sock legs ’til I run out of yarn. Which brings me to this…

I picked up this gorgy purpleness from Mission Falls recently. The merino is so soft I want to felt it, except of course I can’t ’cause it’s superwash. I didn’t really know what I wanted to do with this yarn, but what with the mini sock testing, I really wanted to make a warm, thick pair of feel-good socks. (Seeing purple is supposed to boost to boost your self-esteem.)

I did have to study though:

(Poor sock.) But after that particular exam I was back at it this weekend.

It knits up extremely fast; I caught up to the first (unfinished) sock all in one day’s lax knitting.

It’s funny that Eunny knit such similar socks. I was actually doing the reverse stripes for the same reason; trying to make the most of my yarn. I also used the same jogless jog, but that happens to be the only one that’s ever made sense to me.

Now that I’ve begun I’ve totally caught the sock bug. I love the construction, portability, and fun of sock knitting. They would make great gifts. Which is why I bought even more yarn today, KnitPicks Palette in Ash and Fog, for Boy socks. I know this Peruvian wool won’t be as soft as the merino I’m using (which The Boy loved), but I’m hoping it’s extremely durable ’cause they will be boot socks!  I also hope my order arrives on time - after school’s over and before I leave for vacation!

This weekend, I was reminded as to why I prefer, with no contest, knitting to sewing.

This is my version of the Pointy Kitty. The pattern looked so simple (and it is) that I thought it would be a quick and easy gifty for The Boy (which it wasn’t, and was).

Look at those seams! I was so careful and slow, but once I started pushing the parts right side up, all the stitches popped out. I think this guy would’ve looked exactly the same if I’d been six years old while making this. Moreover, the wrinkles I gave it with the darts… this little kitty needs Botox more than an aging celebrity. Try to ignore those green spots on the face, too. I don’t know what I was thinking to use green ink to mark were to embroider.

I regretted my every choice with this project. How could I make such a mash out of such a nice little pattern? We know it’s nice because every other kitty in the Wee Wonderfuls Pointy Kitties Gallery look smashing. Maybe I chose the wrong fabric, the wrong stitch, certainly the wrong colour thread…

However, for some bizarre reason The Boy seemed smitten with the kitten and so surprised when he realized it was his (on second thought, that’s not so bizarre… this baby’s so homely, who would expect it as a present?). He even liked the flashy purple and pink “thing” I made it - in desperate need for knitting. “It’s like a coat,” said Boy, “for when the kitty is cold.”

The Boy, my constant muse, has inspired me again… how about making a knitted version of this?

In my last post I seemed to be despairing miserably; I don’t know why I let a little bit of work get to me like that. But of course I only say this after it’s (almost) all done and I feel accomplished. Actually, I’ve been feeling great this week, even though this was undeniably my busiest week of the year, even of my university career. Didn’t feel that way though.

Reasons why I’m happy:

• - I dedicated myself, began early and finished my photos a week early! And they were exactly what I wanted…
• - The critique went extremely well, and my ideas seemed to show through perfectly. Tell you about it when I post up the pix.
• - I got to make a book four books of lithographs on knitting (here’s one, and the print itself you can see under the photos)
• - I finished them on time and they turned out (litho had no behaved for me before), for once, and I did not ruin the images in the book making.
• - My profs seemed to feel the same about my finals; perhaps I’m not disillusioned - or at least alone
• - I feel that I didn’t do a bad job on any of my other assignments,
• - But the one I screwed up on, my understanding prof gave me an extension
• - I did a few things I love but don’t do enough: watch a movie (Blood Diamond), read a novel (Rosamunde Pilcher’s September), and draw (life drawings and composite portrait)
• - I’ve been spending more time with my love and getting in touch with some old friends ♥
• - I love winter, but spring is here!

And of course, knitting…

Remember this? (March 13)

Now see this: (a week later)

And now… (a few minutes later)

You think I’ve got the pictures in the wrong order, but it’s just me being silly. I wanted my Dana Victoria to lose its unsightly ladders and have pretty picot edges. Then I remembered how hard it is to do a cast-on picot edge on circulars… anyway, it’s been on hiatus for a couple weeks. I figure if I’m gonna do something, I’d at least make it right - so the perfectionist in me is happy.

Back to happy news… I faced my fear of socks and tackled… a wee tiny sock. (Too late for the swap though, and not quite so tiny - sock yarn DK weight stash + US size 0 3.25mm DPNs).

Here it is as a WIP… and completed and compared to other stuff for size.

The sock looks huge to me. But, it’s a good thing… since it doesn’t fit me and no one needs a new pin cushion, The Boy says he’ll make it my very first Christmas stocking. In which case… the bigger, the better.

So socks were much easier than I thought, and I realize my real “fear” was only that I hate to make something that will be dirtied and destroyed, and soon. However, I couldn’t resist a little wee one. I want to make some thick house socks for my mum though. I know that contradicts with what I just said.

Speaking of presents, would you like to see a drawing?

This is from last night, before the final touches. It’s of my brother, so I plan to give it to him for his birthday. I hope he likes it - it made me happy to make - and presents, especially my artwork, are very rare coming from me.

Lately I’ve been feeling so discouraged about all my involvements, but every time I’ve thought that my life sucked, something brings me back to reality. When I felt stressed from putting my all into a particular project and having it destroyed, someone suddenly asked me if I were going to the funeral of a girl I once knew, a girl the same age as my brother. When I felt rather devastated and then angry at someone’s unexpectedly hostile treatment of me, she got into an accident and I had to let go on my ungenerous feelings and feel sorry for her. (No, I did not make a voodoo doll of her and subject it to anything.) When I felt unbearably unwelcome in my own home and tried to escape through some TV, I ended up seeing East Is East (it’s a gritty movie about an interracial family in the ’70s). And tonight when I felt doomed to fail at everything I needed to get done, I came across the Status of Chinese People blog.

My point is… maybe there isn’t even any grass on the other side; maybe there isn’t even another side and life is its own reward. And for certain, life is preciously short, so why feel so worry over all the little things when my life really is good. The worse things that have happened to me lately is a lot of bad luck, a few scrapes and burns, a little unkind treatment from others. I have my health, my freedom and a really, really great fan ♥; all I need to get out of my troubles is tougher skin and a better attitude. …And to quit procrastinating and put up a stiff upper lip.

I’m at the point of exhaustion that inspiration seems to have abandoned me.

I’m making a book of lithographs called “Possible Futures” and a photographic diptych portraying myself in the present and the future.  Maybe this is more emphasis on “me” than I can stand.

I have no idea how I want to approach one project; the other, I’ve a strong idea but my brain can’t seem to consider it more closely, further the concept.

One more month, four more final assignments, two portfolios, two exams.  It must be possible to complete most of this to submit in three consecutive days.

At least the reprieve of a weekend is here.

I wish I could go to the Yarn Harlot’s REPRESENT launch in the middle though.  Damn deadlines.

This is my progress from yesterday afternoon on Dana Victoria.

Today I’m on the thumb gusset. The thumb gusset is super-cute, and I can’t wait to see it develop… after I finish my essay on Bruegel’s Hunters in the Snow for tomorrow morning and my lithography critique in the afternoon. Tomorrow is going to be a joy… For tomorrow night I will sleep!

Oh yeah, isn’t the mouse cute?  A mouse that worked! was on my wish list, so The Boy got it for me for my birthday.  I like boys who think their ladies deserve pretty things.  It’s a damn good night light too.

Along with art supplies, I love to buy books. I usually get reference books that I can return to time and time again, but this year at Vanier’s Great Big Book Sale (which is awesome and annual) I bought some pretty good fiction…

• - September by Rosamunde Pilcher
• - Starling Lawrence’s Montenegro for The Boy
• - Margaret Mitchell’s Gone with the Wind!
• - and Jogfree of Canda, which will be a laugh with a drink.

I also ordered Latvian Mittens: Traditional Designs & Techniques by Lizbeth Upitis on Amazon for my birthday but it seems all the knitters on the blogosphere have put it out of stock! Three months late and it’ll practically be summer then!

You can probably tell I’m not much of a shopper. I’m a DIY kind of person and all about making something out of nothing. Art supplies and books, materials for making stuff, those are the few things I splurge on. Writing out a wish list is a little weird for me when there’s never really anything I’d die for (other than yarn). Writing this out reminded me of what great friends I have. Matt has promised me yarn for Latvian mittens for my birthday, which I wanted very badly, and The Boy… he has been sweet. He got me a new mouse, yummy alpaca!, and tried to buy me other knitterly goods like T-pins and straight needles.