Mitts and more yarn

Here we are again :-) Lunch today is a very lovely Honeycrisp apple (best apples ever!!) and some McLaren's Imperial cheddar cheese spread and Vinta crackers... sooooo good... and of course my dog wants the cheese and crackers as well. She's not so fond of apples, but she just loves the rest. She already got a cracker when one hit the floor so she's hopeful that she'll get more.

The strike continues, the companies involved won't change their offers even though both the companies and the union have met at the bargaining table again at the urging of the region. The region themselves will not take any part other than to say that they've saved $5 million over the duration of the strike and that they'll offer a month of free service after the strike is over to entice passengers back to the transit system. Not sure why they're doing that - most people ride the express buses in the system for free anyway. There's a proof-of-payment fare system on the express lines and unless enforcement officers get on the bus to check the fares there's no reason for the passengers to bother with a ticket. There are a lot of teenagers who ride the bus for free that way. At least once we go back we won't have to deal with passengers paying a fare, or issuing transfers.

So, in the meantime I've discovered the crack that is Malabrigo Rios. Oh wow. So very, very soft. I was on my way up to Newmarket on Wednesday when I realised that I had forgotten my knitting bag. Definitely not a good thing for me. My friends have noticed that having my knitting keeps me calmer, and less cranky than I can be, and I've noticed that I get a little antsy when I don't have it. In my mind, these are all good reasons to make sure that I have it with me. As a result, I had to stop by Wendy's shop and get something to keep myself busy and while I was there I decided that I didn't want more sock yarn. Not now, at least. I have lots, and I also have three pairs on the go at the moment so I really didn't want another pair started right now. The fingerless mitts I had made, though, the ones I put a pic of in the last post, those I could make more of and as an added bonus I could knock them off in less than two days. Aren't they pretty?

The colour is Purple Mystery, and I'm sure I didn't capture the true richness of the shade with my camera. Trust me when I tell you it's stunning :-) I have more of it, as well as what's left over from the mitts, so I'm going to make another Palindrome hat with it, and then I'll decide what to do with what's left over from that. It's so soft and gorgeous.

I also picked up some yarn for a sweater that they tempted me with while I was at the store. They are such enablers! The pattern is Oblique and the yarn is their new store line of yarns, called Timothy Street Yarns. So far there is only the aran weight available but it is lovely. They have a range of eight colours, and I picked up the dark teal to make my sweater in. The dark grey is also very nice but I just finished the Strike Hoodie in grey, and I'm still using up the last of the deep grey for some gifts so that wasn't a colour I was interested in right now. Here's a pic of the teal :-)

I picked up some Cascade 220 Superwash in a couple of colours and some white roving to make a pair of thrummed mittens - haven't started on that yet, but it will be soon.

I haven't decided which colour to use, but I'm sure that will sort itself out ;-)

Also, here are some of my latest acquisitions from the lovely Katie at YarnLove - so pretty.

The top one is Just Before Dawn, and the center one is Sunset, both November's selections in the sock club. The bottom one is Silvered Waves, which was one of August's selections, and I now have a whole lot of that colourway. I'm thinking of making a cardigan or sweater with that one held double, which is why I have so much of it.

Let me see, what else have I been up to? I did manage to do some housework today, sweeping the floor to get rid of all the Boo bunnies and Milo balls - I swear they were plotting coup under the desk. Here's one of the miscreants - I'd been calling him and couldn't figure out where he was until I went looking. I had to move the basket to where there was more light to take the picture :-)

He's just too darn cute for his own good. Anyway, that's all I can think of for now :-)

Later.