Apologies for an unplanned absence. The formula of airfare bargain + opportunity for a few days off = a trip south to meet with childhood friends, a highlight of which was a visit to the Southeastern Guide Dogs: I think this was where the expression puppy love, in its most literal sense, was invented. One…

In the sharply divided world of animal lovers, I align with the dog people. That is, unless I meet a cat who behaves like a dog. I think you know what I mean. In the world of needlework, I align with the knitting, but if I find crochet that behaves like a knitted object, I'm…

It's a La Nina year weatherwise. It means more rain but spectacular quickly changing skies. We call them Steven Spielberg skies after the beginning of the movie, ET, where the clouds moved quickly overhead. His was a special effect. Ours are real. From our street on Wednesday, I took these pictures, all within about two…

First things first. A couple of you asked for a picture of a banana slug and as they are colourful creatures they will be included in this post: Yukk, eh? And considering the comments from my Noro review, many of us are in it for the colour. We're willing to sacrifice a bit of softness,…

Do you remember that line? How about the Ministry of Silly Walks? I used to have to have TV to watch Monty Python, but now, TV-less me, can catch glimpses of those classic scenes on Youtube without commercials. But this post is different because I have been heavily into the knitting and yarn content, and…

Couldn't sleep last night. So I got up at 4:00a.m. and did some math. It's about Noro Silk Garden. Problem: If one knitter, myself, knit eleven projects out of said yarn, 42 skeins of conventional Silk Garden and eight of Silk Garden Sock yarn, how many silken gardeny miles were knit?  Answer: 4.1 miles or…

That last post seemed to leave you relatively speechless. Is it the crocheting? Or did I offend you with my boy comment from the previous post? Is it those time suckers, AKA Ravelry or Facebook? Maybe I haven't been a good commenter myself.  Really though, it looks pretty slow in blogland, even the Harlot only…

True to form, when I find a pattern I like, I repeat it.  This was the first one, no so long ago. The current one is done in the same yarn, just a different colour. Pattern: Cresent Moon Shawl from Easy Crochet, Complete in Three Days (In your dreams Three Days). Yarn: Noro Silk Garden Sock Yarn,…

I heard something on a news report that cracked me up. Even the males in my family understood. It's in the spirit of "boys will be boys." I know it's stereotyping, and it's politically incorrect to do so, but please indulge me this once. I am the mother of a boy. I am sure there…

The finished products – one skein of Katia Ondas produced two scarves from different patterns, each about 64" in length: Scarf #1 with four stitches cast on: Scarf #2, done lengthwise: Worked lengthwise for a slightly less flouncy look. Cast on 86 stitches, worked three rows, bound off on the fourth row using the larger…