My 1st every Trip to Toronto

Had a wonderful trip to Toronto and came back with a broken shoulder.
Still had a great time seeing the CN Tower and Niagara Falls.
Fell on a wet hallway coming around a corner and wam there I was trying to protect my arthritic hips and fell with my right arm under me. My niece said I was doing some kind of weird dance and kick her also. I just know I was trying to stop myself from falling but the legs were just to far out in front of me. And just where was the camera when you needed it???????
Am left handed but never realized how many things I do right handed.
Whoever said being left handed was a handicap doesn't know lefthanded people very well as we certainly are a determined bunch.
The only thing I used my left hand for is eating and hand sewing and of course writing.
But I also can writing with my right hand.
I taught myself how to knit and crochet right handed too because all the patterns are basically written for right handed people.
Now I can still knit with my shoulder in the splint but it is very slow and have to get my knitting done for Christmas.
Now I am learning how to do things left handed again.
Like vaccum the rugs a job my hubby refuses to learn but he loves to cook so what more can one ask of him. Good thing I taught him how to wash cloths as looks like this could take awhile.
Have you ever swept a floor one handed. Wow that was a test and a half but I managed.
Good thing I could sweep a few crumbs under the rug( one thing for sure he won't check there)
Oh yes he is a good dishwasher too as my pots have never looked so bright.
I guess I'll keep him as not much one would want to change after 43 years of togetherness.
He is a treasure and hope I have him for many many more years.

RAVELRY

Well I am finally going to write a couple of lines for my blog.
Been so busy travelling around Ravelry there doesn't seem to be enough hours in a day anymore.
Have been sick for the past week with a very bad cough and cold. Just not up to par.
But have found time to find a lot of my friends on Ravelry.
Still busy knitting socks and signed up tonight to learn how to crochet socks too.
What got me going was I entered all my stash in Ravelry and boy I have enough to probably keep me busy for a few years. But it is my therapy and nothing better to keep this Nana happy then using here needles and hooks..
We'll talk again later. Hope you all are having a wonderful blessed week.

RAVELRY & my lost knitting book

Finally got my invite to Ravelry on Friday around 7 pm.
Is this every a lot of fun. A real learning experience for me. I am loving every minute of it just browsing along and finding lots of friends.
Have a little humous story to tell everyone.
Was looking for a beautiful book called Knitting stitches by Mary Webb. I had received it for an early birthday present from one of my best friends.
Anyways to make a long story short. I misplaced it. I knew I had it the night before by my computer and though I had just set it on this misshaped garbage basket that I always put my papers, kleenex etc in to throw away. That night I had been in the living room watching TV's
Las Vegas with that wonderful man Tom Sellek and heard this strange thud. Looked around but didn't see anything out of place and also checked the bedroom where our computers live.
Didn't think anything more about it until last night I started looking for this wonderful stitch book.
Of course I searched everywhere even under the foot rest on my chesterfield that comes up.
Nothing, just nothing, no where to be found.
Then about 10pm after frantically looking for this book. I remembered I had sat it on top of my paper garbage that doesn't go into recyling. So I thought no problem as I had sat it by the door to take out and hadn't did it yet. Well I went to look in the bag and it was gone.
I said to my hubby of 43 years did you take the garbage bag out. Of course he said I always do when I go for my walk. I said do you have a key for the storage room where the garbage goes.
No was his answer and why would I want to know that. So I told him my little misfortune with my knitting book. He said very defensively and you think I took it! Well I didn't but I will tell you something I didn't throw it in the inside garbage chute I threw it in the big bin outside.
Okay now what do I do as I knew it was probably full and I wouldn't find the bag.
So I proceeded to get a flashlight and asked my neighbor who is my best friend and who gave me the book if she would come with me.
Well we went down there outside with me carrying the stool and June the flashlight.
Wow it was bright as day, as I guess our condo uses a huge light for the back door entrance.
Stepped on the stool and looked in. There was the bag tucked in the furthest corner and how was I going to get in. At 5ft 2 in. I didn't have a very long reach. Okay now what? Oh yes the grocery cart I could stand in it and reach in. Still couldn't do it so we put the stool in and I stood on it with June trying to balance the cart and the stool so I wouldn't fall. I just managed to grab a corner of the bag by stretching as far as I could and standing on tip toes. Sure hoped no one was watching this.
Got it! Now the excitement was my book there. Yes it was, nice and clean to boot.
What a relief as I didn't want to lose it. Mind you June said well we could always go and maybe get another one but I wanted this one. It has patterns in and also charts and explains how to design and read them.
Moral of the story
Better check your garbage very closely or you might lose something.
Hugs everyone and blessings for a wonderful Sunday.

annette2u

Dublin Bay Socks in Regia yarn on Magic Loop

Well I finished them and have made a second pair of Dublin Bay socks for my friend June out of Opal yarn. Love the pattern.
This pair if for me and I think they are pretty funky. These one's matched pretty good but the Opal ones matched perfectly until after the heel turn and then the colors changed. But my friend June just loved them. Had her trying them on to see if they would fit telling her they were for one of my sons as didn't want to tell her they were part of her Christmas present.
But finally gave them to her as she gave me a early Birthday present. Guess what a sock book and a knitting book. Hints or what so finally gave her the socks and she was just so surprised as really believed me when I said they were for one of the boys.
The sock book is one of Charlene Schurch called More Sensational knitted socks. I wanted to learn how to read charts properly so now I have my chance.
The other book is a beautful little book by Mary Webb called Knitting Stitches and it also has charted patterns. So will certainly have lots of fun with these.
Now I would like to buy Charlene's book called Sensational knitted socks and also Mary's crochet stitches book. I think both of them are available.
Whoever said knitting and crocheting was boreing certainly doesn't like hobbies as I love to knit and hope to learn to love crocheting also. Can do both but just feel more relaxed with the knitting.

PINE TREE BOOKMARK WINNING DESIGN FOR MONTHLY BOOKMARK GROUP

	PINE TREE BOOKMARK
	size 10 crochet cotton DMC traditions
	size 1 needles or 2.25 mm
	Cast on 15 stitches
	Borders beginning and end Knit 4 Rows
	Pattern
	Row 1: k2, yo, sl 1, k1, psso, k7,k2tog, yo k2
	Row 2: k2,purl to last 2 sts k2 ( repeat this row for all even rows)
	Row 3: k2,yo, k1, s1, k1, psso, k5, k2tog, k1, yo, k2.
	Row 5: k2, yo, k2, s1, k1, psso, k3, k2tog, k2, yo, k2.
	Row 7: k2,yo, k3, s1,k1,psso, k1, k2tog, k3, yo, k2.
	Row 9: k2, yo, k4, s1, k2tog, psso, k4, yo, k2.
	Row 11: k5, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, s1, k1, psso, k5.
	Row 13: k4, k2tog, (k1,yo) twice k1, sl, k1, psso, k4.
	Row 15: k3, k2tog, k2, yo, k1, yo, k2, s1, k1, psso, k3.
	Row 17: k2, k2tog, k3, yo, k1, yo, k3, s1, k1, psso, k2.
	Row 19: k1, s1, k1, psso, k4, yo, k1, yo, k4, s1, k1, psso, k1
	Row 20: same as row 2
	Repeat Rows 1 to 20 three more times
	Then repeat Rows 1 to 10 once more
	Border knit 4 rows

This is my winning design entry for the Monthly Bookmark Group Contest. I am just so excited that I won but am sure there were many more that could of been winners also. I had a lot of fun making it and loved the way it turned out. Please feel free to copy pattern for personal use only but please do not post it to your website or sell it as your own. Copyright by Annette Derksen Sept. 2007

Knitting up a dishcloth storm

Been really knitting this past weekend.With hurricane Dean around the Cayman's couldn't get to knit anything that required to much attention.
Are family there made it safely through without any damage to their home. Prayers still being said for all the families and countries Dean did affect.
Started knitting more cloths for gifts. The green one is a Bernat tweed yarn in a basic diamond patten. The orange tweed is another favorite of mine. The ivory one is of my mother's Ivy's cloth which I just love to make. They all feel like great spa cloths. Really like the feel of them when I am washing my face. Never knew face cloths could feel so nice.
Made a total of 8 cloths this past week and finished a pair of socks with the Kitchener heel. Will eventually get them to look right.
On the magic loop still making a pair of socks for Graeme. They are taking longer because of being on smaller size 1 needles. Wow these should be warm. Am wearing my 3rd pair that I just finished and suppose to be for Lauren but think they will be to big as they fit me and I am loving them. Will be making lots more socks as love the feel and the comfort of knowing I actually made them and they fit. Oh yes and designed a bookmark for my group's contest this month.
Hope everybody is having a great week and hope we get more sun like today. The ducks are on the pond and the geese are flying in by 3:30 pm everyday now so that tells us fall is not far off.
We also have a family of 4 pelicans on the pond. Today I even saw a couple of guys in a boat fishing in our pond and it is not a big one. Had to get my neighbour to show her that they were there. It's only a manmade pond and the city fills it with fish every year. I guess we should take our rods out there also but we only cast and throw back in if we are lucky enough to catch anything.
Suppose to rain but it bypassed us again. Fall seems just to close for us.
We love to sit on the patio and barbucue and it will be all over far to soon with winter only a few months away. The summers are far to short here.
Hugs and have a wonderful blessed week everyone.

Graeme's Socks my 2nd pair finished July 31.2007

Here's Graeme's socks in progress.
No I didn't do the 2 pair on circulars yet.
Just 4 old dpn's size 9 Canadian or 3.50mm.
Used Patrons Classic Wool in Olive green with a burgundy stripe. Wasn't sure if 1 ball would do it so had to cut yarn and get to the centre of the foot to make sure I had enought yarn.
Had a little more burgundy left from making afghan squares so just encase I had to do the toes in the burgundy I had to finish one sock and rejoin and yes I made it. Have finished them today. Only problem is lots of ends to sew in.
Even had 25 yards left so maybe will be able to use it for stripping sometime on an other pair. Will post my other picture of completed socks when Hubby able to download the pics off his camera. Graeme's socks would fit me so would be approximately a size 9 sock.