Floored

My brother and I laid a new concrete floor yesterday. Ian and I work well together since we both possess the McPhee family work ethic, which I admit is a hard one. It’s a peculiar mix of realistic, obsessive and determined, although I admit that to the casual passerby (or your spouse) that it might look like it was “Happily work until you can’t work anymore and then drink coffee until you can work again and then feel frustrated with the other people involved for wanting to quit.” (This is also the exact way that McPhees party. Just insert “party” for “work” in the sentence above and you’ll have a pretty accurate picture of our families celebrations.) There are people in the world who have sworn off working with McPhees. (We call them lazy.) There are people who call us workaholics (they don’t know that we take time off as passionately as we work) and there are people that understand us, do their best to keep up and stay out of the way and laugh at the whole thing. (Those ones we either hire or marry.)

Though there are many who work well with us, it remains true that the best person to work with a McPhee IS a McPhee, and Ian and I make a wicked team that really gets things done.

Concflsu1

What we got done yesterday was a pretty rippin’ concrete floor. I am going to beg your forgiveness here. I understand that looking at my new concrete floor is probably the most boring thing you have ever been asked to do on the internet. I have tried to make it more interesting than it is by putting the second tinks sweater atop it for dramatic interest. I know that it isn’t working, but I’m so enchanted with the concrete floor (that’s not a good sign is it?) that I have to show it to you. Isn’t it great? Isn’t it a nice grey? Doesn’t it just fill you with joy and happiness and make you think that there is hope that the world someday will be a fully renovated place and nobody will need a hammer drill for anything unless it really, really makes them happy…and doesn’t it make you feel like maybe one day when the sun is shining and it isn’t a million degrees below zero, that that day there will be a sudden end to dust and insulation and what kind of hinges open in what direction and that you’ll just look at your home and think “Wow. I think we’re finished” and then that sort of tight feeling will start in your chest and you’ll realize what it means to you that you don’t have to buy primer anymore and…

No? Just me? Sorry.

Subfltin1

This is the subfloor we’ll put down today. It makes me pretty happy too. (Knitting once again provided for dramatic interest.)

Other stuff I don’t know how to fit in.

1. I’m still adding names to the athletes list.

2. I forgot the specs on the green sweater from yesterday, so for those of you who asked: Pattern “Lace Leaf Sweater” from Loop d’ loop, Yarn: Cascade Pastaza, colour 042.

3. I have a great new button:

Teamcaffeine2

I found it here. (There is “Team Merlot” and “Team Chocolate” too, but I have decided to focus on one vice right now.)

4. Gifts for TSFers!

(As always, I have emailed the winners.)

Giftopt1

These two balls of the Opal Tiger I get all obsessive about were donated by Marie S. One is going to live with Kerrie and the other with Martha H.

Purpbouc1

Five balls of a beautiful purple boucle (From Sally G.) are going to live with Rana.

Barb B. is donating a hard copy of Stranded, plus the materials to make the “Blue Willow” socks and mitts she designed for the issue.

The random number generator says she’ll be mailing it too Judith O.

Amie spun some beautiful suri

Amiesuri2

I am (really, regretfully) sending it to live with Wendy P. (I wanted to keep that one.)

5. The Amie who sent this suri is doing a really cool thing on her blog where she’s looking for 2000 socks. She doesn’t want you to send them, just tell her when you knit them during 2006. It’s a fun idea, but I think she’s really underestimating you guys. 2000 socks in a year? I laugh at 2000 socks. (Well, not me personally, you know.) Show her what you’re made of.

6. I am not normally the type to mention this sort of things, but I have been advised, notified and counseled through my inbox, that this sort of thing is “a big deal” and that I should mention it here.

I still wasn’t going to, and then yesterday in the comments Rams started threatening people with stash weasels, and I got sort of nervous. (You don’t want to mess with a woman with that sort of imagination…you know what I mean? Stash weasels? Who thinks of Stash weasels?)

I am very flattered to be a nominee for the 2006 Bloggies in the “Best craft weblog” category.

You can vote on this page if you like (scroll down)…but remember. I will never know if you vote or not, so vote your conscience, and take a look at the other blogs in the category before you do. They are very cool and some stiff competition indeed.

146 thoughts on “Floored

  1. Wow- I get to be first! and all because I had to get up to move my car, and look what happened…oh, wow. and here I am with nothing to say. Neither of these things will ever happen again. ok, I’ll go back to lurking now.

  2. Oh- I could have at least said congrats on the new floor. duh. I know it’s been a long time coming!

  3. I would like to join the Olympic Newbie Bag Knitting Team of the Knitting Olympics! I plan to make the French Market Bag. Can’t wait to start!

  4. Oh Steph the concrete floor is beeYOUtiful!! Such evenness, such greyness, such smooooooooooothness. I think I’ll zen on it for a while….

  5. Oh Steph the concrete floor is beeYOUtiful!! Such evenness, such greyness, such smooooooooooothness. I think I’ll zen on it for a while….

  6. Oh- I could have at least said congrats on the new floor. duh. I know it’s been a long time coming!

  7. Actually, I totally understand about the floor. I certainly feel that way about our wood laminate floor. Any chance you and Ian are into doing baseboard moulding? I have lots of yarn and wine. And coffee….

  8. Sorry to ask a basic question when you’ve got all these Olympians to post, but how to I get one of these buttons to stick onto my blog? I see them, but I can’t move them.

  9. Oh- I could have at least said congrats on the new floor. duh. I know it’s been a long time coming….

  10. OK – before you lay that subfloor – did you know that you could stain concrete to look like leather? I’m saving to have concrete w/ leather staining countertops!

  11. Lovely, lovely concrete. I know exactly how you feel, having done some home improvement in my time. One of the better things about getting older is that you are released from having to do these things yourself and can direct your slaves, um, children, to do them.

  12. ok, in my defense? I got an error message the first 2 times. now I’m really going back to lurking. grrrr.

  13. Any word from JenLa, the knottygirls? It has been 24 hours and I’m suffering withdrawal! Amazing how fast the knitting/blogging addiction can take hold. I will be picking out yarn today for my Olympic project!
    Lovely floor, bee-U-ti-full sweater, “you look mah-velous.” (Yes, I’m an 80’s child, Billy Crystal is awesome)

  14. Grew up helping my father put in concert. Did my frist leveling at age 5. Your looks WONDERFUL!! And I know the feeling of achievement. About anything we do with all our hearts and minds. Concert, subflooring or kniting. Congrats on it all.
    Alice

  15. I read your description of the McPhees and my only reoccurring thought was …. wow, what if Ian could knit too!!.
    Congrats on the floor. What was there before the concrete??

  16. Thomas Jefferson (3rd US President) spent 40 years renovating/building his wonderful home Monticello. Not to add to your stress, but I think maybe for enlightened thinkers like you and Tom, the “Wow I think we’re finished” feeling just doesn’t happen. Blame your creativity; it’s a blessing and a curse. Fabulous concrete. How are you going to celebrate when it’s finished?

  17. I would have looked at your concrete and subfloors without the knitting there. My other vice aside from knitting is home improvement and any show or activity related to it. It must be something in my crafty nature that makes me also love to glue and nail things as well as knit and purl. I think these same parts of me are responsible for the many hours of Food network, Biography channel and TLC that I watch.

  18. Me again, Stephanie. Yesterday I was seeing if you could change my blog address in the Knitting Olympics list and today I’m wondering if you could update my project. Following the lead of several other bloggers, I will be knitting for the Dulaan Project instead. I’m not sure what I can commit to so I’m just going to say 8 items (whether they’re a pair of socks, hats, sweaters, a pair of mittens, or a combination of items).
    Thanks Steph!

  19. I totally get your high on the gorgeous concrete floor. It’s how I felt when I finished laying the industrial vinyl tile on the floor of our basement, which magically had become a family room, a laundry/sewing room and a second bathroom. I didn’t touch down for days. Love DOING big stuff like that. It’s not like housework, that soul-sucking, nagging abomination that never ends (can you tell that I HATE it?), pour a floor or tile a floor and there really is a DONE.
    For all of us Olympic Knitters who are going to Stitches West, somehow let’s all take a cool and appropriate button, print it and turn it into a pin to wear there to identify ourselves. We’ll also be wearing a more than ordinarily frazzled look, trying to figure out how to do two things at once. Arggghhhhh…
    Seriously, it would be really great to figure out a place to congregate while we’re not in classes or at the Market, so we can encourage each other and do some Olympic knitting. Of course, being a real newbie in the blog world, I don’t know how to “capture” a button to put on my blog, much less how to print one. If anyone can help, please contact me. Many thanks.

  20. What beautiful, smooth concrete and you did it in Toronto’s winter? I’m, well, floored. Also, may I play too? Olympics that is–first shawl, thinking Fiddlesticks Lotus Flower as I already have the yarn and sister-in-law has baby due in May.

  21. I totally understand the work hard, play hard, party hard thing. I also felt the same way about finishing my kitchen as you do about the concrete. Congrats on the Bloggies nomination!

  22. That floor is an inspiration. After the
    olympics (I’m no fool) we’re going to launch The Basement Project. I take heart from your gorgeous concrete. You will so love being done.
    That said, I’ve never actually known a “done” house. . .

  23. I enjoy DIY projects, so was happy to see your floor! Sounds like it is cold in Toronto! I will vote for your blog! Checked, but no stash weasels here! More worried about mold at the moment – lots of rain lately! Don’t worry, you will never reach a point that the house does not need something fixed or renovated or repainted or or or!

  24. Can’t there be a Team Caffeine/Merlot/Chocolate? Because really, how could one choose?
    And don’t worry. On the day you finish the house (sorry, I had to stop and laugh), lay down your spackle knife and gaze in wonder on the perfection that is home….the sink will start to leak.
    You live in an old house. There is ALWAYS some shit falling off. Me, I know. It rained in my kitchen last week.
    The concrete is beautiful. Really beautiful. Hot. Alluring. Go make out with your subfloor.

  25. If it’s about concrete, what’s that knitting stuff doing there??? Concrete done by youse guys is excellently beautiful by its ownself! Please tell me that you had your own mixer going in the basement or that you had the truck with the pumper in front of your house. In Toronto. In January. My brother and I couldn’t agree to disagree so this is also fueled with sibling envy. Does concrete pouring count as training for the Olympics?? Pictures of the subfloor anxiously awaited.

  26. Do you think Team Caffeine (these are my kind of people, truly) will morph into Team Screech towards the end of the Olympics? Or possibly Team Hangover?
    Go you and Ian. I watched from afar as my brother remodeled 3/4 of the apartment I’m now living in, and that’s some hard work, yo. He didn’t pour the concrete, but did a lot of the work on his home himself. I admire this do-it-yourself ethic. Me? I like the idea of burly guys in no shirts on their knees, sweating lightly.
    Finishing the floors, duh. What did you think I meant? 😀

  27. YAY! I totally get the floor thing. Pops is a bit of a weekend warrior and not afriad to enlist his daughter to help. (oh, the stories of how I almost died) Yay team caffeine.

  28. I can’t even imagine how much work pouring that concrete floor took. Congrats! And good luck with the rest of the back room!
    That Opal Tiger yarn makes me happy. I bought a skein of that and a skein of Doktor Fish last week to make socks out of. I love Opal’s Rainforest colorways. I’ll send you pictures when the socks are done if you’d like. 🙂

  29. Aren’t brothers the best? My brother and I share a multi-family house and one day, we were standing in the basement chit-chatting. One of us said “We should build a bar down here.” and the other said “Yeah. We should knock a hole in this wall and build it right here. It would really open the place up.” and then we both said “Yeah!” and within 10 minutes, we had made a huge hole in the wall. We didn’t stop until we had a fully stained and highly varnished bar, complete with stools. Then we build a giant shelving unit with all the wood we removed for the hole.
    It’s a great floor and I can fully appreciate it. Brothers rock!
    Congrats on the Bloggie nomination! I voted for you last week. 🙂

  30. I can’t say I’ve experienced the thrill of a hammerdrill, but playing with hammers and/or drills makes me happy. And saws. And chisels. Can I come play with you and Ian?

  31. Never to buy primer again? No more reams of sandpaper? Only watercolor brushes around the house? No bags of concrete, no shims, no heat gun, no putty knives? Oh, no, I just can’t imagine. That day will never come.

  32. I’d never even heard of Bloggies, nor of the other blogs in your category. After perusing them all (rather quickly, as I’m at work), I voted for you.
    If one substitutes “party” for “work,” should one substitute “wine” for “coffee”?

  33. mmmm, team merlot…
    Steph, we need new concrete laid at the cottage this summer – we supply beer, wine, food and coffee – when will you be coming?

  34. Oh Stephanie, I so totally “get” the “I am finished with the house” feeling! Just this week, my hubby *installed* the quarter-round upstairs in our bedroom. I took pictures of it and was going to post it on my blog, but then … how many folks will actually be interested to know that the quarter-round that has been sanded, stained and varnished for 2 years is actually installed? (I can send you the picture if you want to see it, since I know you *will* understand the rapture.) Congratulations on your new concrete and subfloor. They look fabulous.

  35. Living with a general contractor, I totally understand the tight feeling in the chest when you realize that the only time you’ll ever smell fresh-cut lumber again is if you hack up a 2×4 for nostalgia’s sake. In my case, I asked in May if he thought he could finish the house in time to have my family for (USA) Thanksgiving in November. The paint was still drying when they got there, and really, that bare (unconnected) wire sticking out of the middle of the wall in the bathroom is a design feature, I swear. I walked around on the bare foundation of my house (no subfloors here) for TWO YEARS before he finally finished the dratted thing.

  36. I’m very afraid of what “stash weasel” means exactly.
    I think I might have to go lie down now.
    PS – your floor is GORGEOUS, and I’m very happy that you’re almost finished!

  37. Ever notice how close the spelling of Harlot is to merlot?
    Thanks for the tips on making the leaf-lace sweater wearable, I feel encouraged again. My desire to knit it waxes and wanes with every new post I read about it. Thanks to you, it’s waxing. In fact, thanks to you, my interest in knitting has waxed since I began reading your blogs and books.
    Happy Anniversary.

  38. I am such a space cadet. I have been searching for the picture of the concrete floor, and I thought everyone was just being funny by saying beautiful concrete flooring…now I see it. It’s like I didn’t even read your post. Duh!

  39. That is one boffo bit of concrete! I say throw a wild party and use it as a dance floor to celebrate. Is there a Team Caffeine for the “other Ottawa” here in Kansas? I’m in the I.V. League of Coffee. 😉

  40. I am so impressed with your floor! Guess what I am getting? CLOSETS!! I have live in old houses all of my married life. It honestly had never occured to me that old houses did not have closets. My hubby has started measuring and hauling in 2 x 4’s. I have to go hyperventilate now…

  41. I completely understand wanting the need to know about tools and primer and everything else that goes into home projects coming to an end. Great job on the floor.

  42. Please sign me up for the Olympics. I will be knitting my husband a pair of socks. He wears a freakin’ size 13 shoe so I think this qualifies as an Olympian task!

  43. I’d like to join the Olympics. Like MelissaJoon, I’ll be knitting Lady Eleanor.
    I know all about the Home Improvement. My hubby just put in hardwood floors, and I, too, posted the pics on the blog. Like anyone cares!

  44. That yarn is so beautiful.
    I’d like to join in this olympic madness. I’m making the fair isle top from the Debbie Bliss book Special Knits. I’m only doing it in 2 of the 6 called for colors though. Is that cheating? 😛

  45. I guess I shouldn’t mention we lived with subfloors for two years in our kitchen/family room! And the living room still is a subfloor, but I’m getting used to it. And closets!! Be still my heart, Amylou. Enough closets for my stash is but a dream.

  46. Ooooooh, concrete. Sorry, I just can’t muster the same interest for a floor that I have for the sweater on top of it… I tried!
    Oh! And, the Knitting Olympics blog is growing (be afraid…), email me if you’re interested in joining – or would like some buttons (that I’ve snagged from all over ) – or submit YOUR team’s button!
    http://knittingolympics.blogspot.com/

  47. Hey, I can totally understand your excitement about your concrete slab. A few months after I bought my first house, my insurance company sent a letter threatening to cancel my coverage because tree roots had cracked my front walk and pushed it up. For my birthday that year, my brother and stepdad dug up the old walkway, hacked out the tree roots and poured a new sidewalk. Possibly the best birthday present I’ve ever received!
    BTW, I’d like to sign up (I typo’ed that ‘sigh up’) for the Knitting Olympics – Team Clapotis!

  48. Okay. I am going to knit the “Hurry up Spring Armwarmers” from Stich ‘n Bitch Nation. I know that it everyone may think that it isn’t difficult, but I am a pretty new knitter of only a year, and I have never knit on DP needles before. I think that it will be interesting.

  49. I had already voted for you!
    I can’t wait for the Olympics to start. I’m finishing all my WIP so that I can concentrate on the Sock’s I’ll be knitting. I’ve got only 1 more thing to finish.

  50. Oh, by the way, congrats to you, Stephanie. I love the new floor! And congrats to the ladies with new yummy yarn prizes! I am green with envy and pink with excitement of the olympics and seeing everything that all of us knit up!

  51. A word about weasels: Weasels can be benign. Weasels can be stash-protecting as well as (apparently) (sniff) stash-destroying. Imagine, if you will, a snarling furry critter that wiggles, baring its teeth and snarling defensively over a pile of Noro Iro. Hands off! she squeaks. This is The Crazed Weasel’s Iro! Squeak!
    Also snarl.
    Food for thought, anyway.
    Also thanks for the heads-up; will go and vote later today.

  52. love the re-worked sweater! very nice. can you add me to the the olympic list? i’ll be making charlotte’s web with blue heron rayon. can you add my friend, who is also a lisa, with a chunky cable knit purse? thanks! i’ve had a burst of finishing things here to get ready for the event. so it looks like it’s a win-win deal. can’t wait to start……..

  53. The floor is beautiful. And I was just commenting on how the smell of paint is so optimistic, so I understand your sorrow at the ending of the projects.

  54. That floor looks good to me… since I need to do the same shoryly. If I changed my last name to McPhee…. would you and your brother come help?
    🙂

  55. delurking once again outta my colorado stash hole (not yet infested with weasles) to sign up for the Olympics–Meema’s marsupial bag from SnB in Lambspride Bulky in colors Limeaide and Onyx for teen daughter. I don’t have cable (TV, not knitting) so won’t be able to watch the more physical Olympians but maybe (i hope) it’s on satelite radio?! (Steph, please come to Colorado some time for bookbookbook tours in the future!)

  56. It IS a beautiful concrete floor — what I can see of it hiding behind that little sweater. We KNOW you can knit. Show off your other skills with pride, too, girl! 😎

  57. I’m already on the Knitting Olympic page, but now I know what I’m going to make for the Knitting Olympics. I’ll do 2 pairs of socks! Congrats on the floor. If you’ve done the concrete, you have every right to be excited about the subfloor! WooHoo to you!

  58. It IS a beautiful concrete floor — what I can see of it hiding behind that little sweater. We KNOW you can knit. Show off your other skills with pride, too, girl! 😎

  59. That’s some beautiful concrete — all flat and solid and level and bubble-free. You McPhees do excellent work!
    Oh yeah, I totally get misty-eyed (and gleeful) at the thought of finally finishing our renovations in this old house. And to show that we’re right there in the trenches of old homeownership with you, here’s a link to my recent blog entry about our hallway demolition: http://livnletlrn.blogspot.com/2006/01/just-little-whacked.html

  60. The concrete is beautiful, and no you aren’t weird. The knitting not only helps to “perk it up” but looks at home there. 🙂
    Thanks for the location of the lace leaf pattern, I love that sweater!
    Incidently, I think my husband is actually a Mc-Phee at heart. The Stansbury’s have the same family motto, you know? Interesting…

  61. Congratulations on the Bloggies nomination. I went to the page and was delighted to find out that Rick Mercer has a blog and relieved to find out that you aren’t nominated for the same award (though you should be up for best Canadian blog).

  62. Congratulations on the new floor! (There are times when I’m really glad to still be renting, and watching my friends renovate is right up there.) But, really–it’s your blog. If you’re excited about it, it’s interesting enough to post about.

  63. Why, that’s the most gorgeous concrete floor I’ve ever seen. Seriously. And, being *done* with home renovations? Yeah, right. It never ends.

  64. I’m so impressed with anyone who can do home improvement… hell, my husband’s impressed with me and all I can do is call people up and HIRE them to do home improvement… that’s a helluva floor you guys laid down… the room will be spec-freakin’-tacular, I’m sure… (I’m thinking of changing my Olympics project for the twentieth time… SOMEBODY STOP ME BEFORE I WAFFLE AGAIN!!!!)

  65. You should be darn proud of your floor! Heck, I’ve been patting myself on the back for two days for installing a new door handle on my front door all by myself. Well, if you all would have seen the comical series of events to get it installed, you’d understand better – it was JUST A DOOR HANDLE, but it shopped for, cooked, ate, and cleaned up after my dinner! Sheesh, I sure hope I have better luck with my sweater for the Olympics!

  66. great job on the floor steph! I am awed that you can actually work with your brother, my brother and i tend to just butt heads, leaving us both with a headache.
    forgive me if this is the wrong venue, but i would like to sign up for the knitting olympics. i’ll be doing the samus sweater from knitty in lamb’s pride.

  67. I think you have every right to be excited about your floor. More so than I do, certainly, and yet, somehow, I dreamed last night that I came to visit. No advance warning. No real reason. I just drove up and rang your bell, and crazy-hectic though your household was, everybody was friendly (even the teenagers). Surreal, huh? I guess I was just really excited about your floor, or something . . . it sure does look nice!

  68. when you “finish” a house, its the day the “for sale” sign goes up!! Congrats on the floor. you should see the tile we put in – and the spa tub (don’t do it – nice concept, but who cleans all those jet things?? – not me!!

  69. A simply lovely floor. Any bodies or Fun Fur buried underneath? (I’m joking. Really.)
    I’ve made a button (a very simple one, posted to my blog) for any distinguished Olympic knitters from Virginia. I hadn’t seen one floating around yet. Anyone’s welcome to take it (if they’re not lured away by Teams Coffee, Chocolate, and Merlot). 🙂

  70. Okay… I was so trying to resist the Olympics, but then you had to go and post the Team Caffeine button. Shit. How can I NOT play with such a thing as a Team Caffeine out there??? I’m in – and me and my kaffeinated self will be knitting either Rogue or Eris – the challenge isn’t in the knitting, but in getting the knitting done with the schedule I’ve got that week!!

  71. The buttons people have made for the Olympics are awesome! A thought, unfortunately without the capacity to make it happen: wouldn’t it be cool if someone collected them all (with permission), arranged them into a design, and put it on a t-shirt or various CafePress items? The profits could go to MSF….

  72. I voted for ya, babe. And, I’m loving that smooth floor. Just make sure no one walks on it with dirty boots, and nothing of a sticky nature is dropped on it. Also, wondering if you’re gonna get 2nd tink syndrome?

  73. WooHoo! A loverly floor embelished with knitting! My sister and I just finished painting my bathroom and hallway last week. And sooo proud of ourselves,too. Three places I am not permitted to go into unless accompanied by a responsible adult are: knit shops, book stores and home improvement places! Knit, Paint, Carpenter On, You Stephanie!!!

  74. I totally voted for you, and I feel so in the know, because I read several of the other nominated blogs, but yours is the best, of course. The prizes suck, except for maybe the cookies, but it would be fun to win.

  75. Wow. An actual completed concrete floor. Never saw one before. It’s really quite nice. Do you and your brother make house calls? My family home still has the original, part badly-mixed concrete part open-dirt floor it had when my grandfather built the house for his bride. In 1934. I think it deserves a new floor — and there’s a fridge down there stocked with beer, a small wine cellar, and a capuccino machine in the kitchen. I’ll provide the Godiva . . .
    I’m with a few others — how do you capture a button? Could we do T-shirts? I’d definitely buy one, and a coffee mug. *what else?!*

  76. OH GOD. You’re up against MAKE mag? #$@#^%#$#$ That is really really tough, I geek to live and live to knit. And I have a bigger crush on the married Phil Torrone (editor of Make) and his cute dog than on your stash. Maybe. Sorta. Almost? Go point Joe at MAKE magazine. It’s totally up his geek alley. Phil T. has even strapped a camera to his dog.
    *goes of to cry into some wool with indecision* Ohhh. but stash weasels. Darn you Rams, I might need to go into the stash protection program…

  77. Oh, i don’t know…i find concrete flooring to be extremely exciting!! I’d love to have some. Way to go!! It looks great.
    I’m so jazzed, my very first KnitPicks order arrived today bringing my official Olympic Yarn!!
    Game On!!!
    ~Suz~

  78. Nice pun, Lucia. Debbie, gotta ask – how long did it take to complete the bar?
    Steph, I feel like I’m taking an unfair advantage of your blog but I’m going to use your analagy of this being your virtual loungeroom. This is totally a question I’d ask of a group of knitters quaffing and knitting in a loungeroom.
    Folks, I’m trying to knit the Classic Matinee Coat from Erika Knight’s Baby Bloom and it seems to me that the instructions for knitting up the back are incorrect,ie it knits up too high. I’m halfway through my decreases and I’m already level with the neck pieces of the fronts. I’ve searched the web and can’t find errata or corrections for the book. Does anyone know of any corrections for this pattern? It would be wonderful if the knitting publishing world would collaborate on a central pattern corrections site…

  79. I know you said to vote our conscience. So I did. You make me laugh. And laughter is the foundation of a wonderful relationship. Laughter will last you beyond the honeymoon phase.
    One may be tantilized by the parading string of lucious eye candy, but the heart is captured by those who can make you laugh-snort your beverages.

  80. Since I already have the yarn and needles here, I’ve decided to knit 2 (two) Kureyon Teacozies from Knitty. Thank you everyone who offered to send me yarn and supplies. I put my mailing address on my livejournal if anyone wants to send stuff, I promise I’ll share the yarn. There is at least one other yarn person out here with me, she crochets.

  81. Team Caffeine!!!! I am so there! I’ve been eyeing up my neglected espresso maker – just call it training for the big event.
    I’m printing off a pattern for nifty red Valentine’s Day socks as I type. I’m so proud, my pattern binder is coming along almost as well as my stash is! – sadly this makes me way too happy…

  82. “Sorry to ask a basic question when you’ve got all these Olympians to post, but how to I get one of these buttons to stick onto my blog? I see them, but I can’t move them.”
    Posted by: Kim Bradley
    Kim — and other button-desirers — what you want to do is to download (copy) the button to your computer’s hard drive, then upload (copy) it to your web page.
    The first part’s pretty easy: if you’re using a PC, you right-click on the button and choose “copy to desktop.” If you’re on a Mac, you can either drag the button to your desktop or ctrl-click on it and choose “copy to desktop.”
    The second part’s a bit more tricky. I’m not sure anymore how it works on Blogger, but here’s how I do it on Typepad.
    First I open up a “New Post” window and click on the “insert image” icon. A bunch of html code will show up in the window. (It will look something like this, with pointy brackets instead of square ones: [img alt=”Knittingolympics1″ title=”Knittingolympics1″ src=”http://palimpsest.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/knittingolympics1.jpg” border=”0″ /] In this case the “src” (source) is the address of where your button is stored.)
    Copy this; you will be cutting and pasting it, if you want to have it show up in one of your side bars, or if you want to have it show up in some other post later.
    If you want it in one of your sidebars, the easiest way is to add a TypeList (see TypeList tab at the top). Open the TypeList, and select the “add a new item” option. A window should pop up with spaces for things like name of site, URL, comments, etc. The very last space (called “One-line Bio”) is where you paste your copied code.
    If you want it to look particularly neat, type [center], then type [a href=”http://yarnharlot.ca/blog/olympics2006.html”] then paste the code, then type [/a], then type [/center] (use pointy brackets instead of the square ones when doing it for real). This will center the button in the middle of the list, and make it a link to the Knitting Olympics page.
    Click on whichever button “adds” or “saves” or “updates” the thing.
    The button should then appear in your list the next time you load up your blog. 🙂
    (You can go over to mine to see what it looks like — it’s waaaay down at the end of my blogroll on the right.)

  83. Now, why would you want to cover up all that yummy cold hard greyness with subflooring?
    I feel the same way when the linen closet is straightened…why would anyone need a towel out of there? Leave it alone! It’s perfect! I straightened it, now stay OUT!
    😀

  84. Whoop. Forgot one little bit. Where I said this:
    “First I open up a “New Post” window and click on the “insert image” icon. A bunch of html code will show up in the window.” I meant this:
    “First I open up a “New Post” window and click on the “insert image” icon. A window will pop up that allows you to browse for the button. When you find it (should be on the desktop), choose it and tell TypePad that you want to insert it using the button at the bottom of the window. A bunch of html code will show up in the window.
    With Blogger, if there’s space somewhere to insert that code (the whole [center]stuff[/center] part) then you can put the button there. But, as I said, it’s been a while since I’ve used Blogger. Someone else know?

  85. Oh, and EEEEEEEE! about the yarn! *grin*
    (I was so busy channelling my inner geek I forgot I’d screamed with glee when I saw the post. I won something! EEE!)

  86. I can totally understand the mixed emotions of joy and happiness of a new floor. I am very glad you showed it to us. It’s fabulous! I will also say seeing the Tink sweaters has made me go get that pattern at the store today, not the yarn, just the pattern. I do have some limits…
    I am so glad Rana posted those button instructions, I want to see if I can do this without my son. I can’t decide which button I want most, since the holy trinity of chocolate, coffe, and wine are all going to be needed!
    Delta, check out my blog if you want to join other Colorado knitters for a Closing Ceremony Party. twistedstitcher.blogspot.com
    Rams, I’ll be in Chicago Feb 2nd thru 10th, any good suggestions on yarny places to go? I’m originally from there, so I do have some places I know about that I will visit. But I haven’t been there in a while, so I’m guessing there are new places I don’t know about. Please do not sic the Killer Stash Weasels on me, I voted.

  87. Steph, I understand just how exciting a grey concrete floor can be. Thnk of the the excitement when you can put all the tools away and tell them that they can stay there! When everything that belongs in the back room/ laundry will actually reside the back room/ laundry etc!
    Finishing a renovation is pretty well the next best thing after coffee, yarn, wine and chocolate, and well, you know… Just don’t do what we did and move straight out of the renovated house!

  88. Sorry to trouble you, but please do add me to the Olympics list also. Took me forever to think of a project that I have yarn for but haven’t started. I’m going to try out swirl knitting. A sweater if the swatch indicates feasiblility for the timeframe, a scarf/stole if not.

  89. Go Stephanie!!! You are a woman of all trades . The Knitting on the new concrete floor—a work of art. I have voted for you for the bloggie. You and your blog have opened me up to a new world of knit and laugh, knit and eat , knit and raise a family and still be sane. I love your blog. I will be knitting while the Olympics are on but as I am always knitting I can’t name a piece yet. Judy

  90. Please add me to your Knitting Olympics, Sweater Team. I’m pretty new at this but learning and it will be a good challenge! Plus people will think I’m cool with my button and all.

  91. I have to agree!! Work ethic that is! I too drive family and workmates mad. I work until finished. Partner likes morning tea, lunch , afternoon tea , tea etc. Me I just like to work until I am finished.
    Great floor, I am impressed, knitting and all. Concreting is something I have to yet add to my list of have dones.
    Now if we could just get that ladder fitted to access the attic space….. only had the parts for a year… was meant to be fitted last christmas. Perhaps I could just sneek a tradesman in!
    Oh well perhaps by next christmas!! 🙂
    I say, be proud of what you have achieved and show the world!
    Now the 5 bags full of chicken $*%@ and 14 wheels barrels of compost and vegies planted I wanted to tell the world as well as show them!!

  92. Gorgeous floor! While the beautiful knitting was a perk, I’d happily stare at the concrete and subflooring without it. Congratulations on your Bloggies nomination, you completely deserve it!

  93. My first post to a blog ever!
    My son and I are new knitters and want to join the Olympics. I was on the fence but he talked me into it by betting me I wouldn’t finish. So I am officially joining and will make a sweater. A simple sweater using Anne Budd’s Book of Sweater Patterns. My main goal will be that it not look like a beginner made it.
    I have already swatched the sweater and love the fabric. Can’t wait to start. But I do have several other things to keep me busy til the Tenth, including my first sweater (which I have been working on for months, have ripped it several times and it will still look like a “my first sweater” when done. I will still wear it proudly.)
    Zach (age 12 — he plays the french horn too) will make a sailor’s watch cap to go with his first project, a scarf (which does Not look like a “my first scarf”). The hat will be his first with purling, decreases and working in the round (DPN even).
    If I finish the sweater by closing ceremonies (and win the bet) he has to knit me something. If he wins the bet I have to knit him something. Either way, we both keep knitting and we both win.

  94. I would like to join the Knitting Olympics. I just started knitting in October and love your website. I will try knitting a baby blanket for a local hospital charity.

  95. Congratulations on your floor! I live in an old house too and have MANY plans for renovations. I laughed out loud when I saw a translated proverb in a magazine article, (or maybe it was an ad for Home Depot!) “House Done – Life Over.”
    I am quite impressed with the turnout for KO. Hi to “Sally – Very first sock” from another Sally!
    Also – I voted for your blog – Rams, relax!

  96. I’m in for the Knitting Olympics. I’m pretty sure the project will be a poncho but I haven’t decided which of the dozen waiting patterns I’ll use.

  97. I think the Knitting Olympics is a great idea! Count me in, I’ll be knitting Thunder Bay from Dale. Looking forward to this, my first colorwork project ( do I have to count the small sample done for an Alice Starmore class? SHE was not impressed…)
    P.S. Of course I voted for your blog, it’s great.

  98. We’ve just bought a place and started on the renovations…. The joy of something that works the way you want it to in your house is worth sharing. 🙂
    You could come here where it is 35 and muggy at the moment. Blah. Can’t work in this heat.

  99. Is it too late to join the Knitting Olympics?? I just can’t stand not being a part of this fun! Do I have to actually DECIDE what I want to make?? It’s a toss up between my first pair of toe socks or a helmet-type hat…any preferences?

  100. So sorry to add to your email burdens – but I’m changing my project for the Olympics. Instead of the waving lace socks, I’ll be doing the Big Bad Baby Blanket from Stitch ‘n Bitch. I LOVE your lace leaf pullover – beautiful job, and the color is great on you.

  101. just had to let you know- i googled ‘yarn’ and you site is the 3rd one listed. you go girl!
    p.s. i love you!

  102. Entering knitting olympics (much to my husband’s dismay). Will knit a lace scarf for my mom for her birthday (19 february–okay, it will be a little late–i’ll send some yarn in a card ahead of time!). I’ve never followed a chart, so that’s my challenge, and i don’t actually HAVE the yarn yet–hopefully it will arrive before the flame is lit! looking forward to the challenge!

  103. Thanks for taking the time to list all of the Olympians! I’m having a grand time looking at everyone’s blogs and checking out their project plans. And the cement floor? It looks marvelous.

  104. Oh, I have seen the back of your house, but now you’re one concrete floor closer.
    I am scared of Rams and her stash weasels, so I went and voted.
    But I would have done it anyway.
    (just don’t tell Rams-she has stash weasels you know)

  105. I know only too well that feeling of be up to my armpits in builders dust etc etc so all I can say is – may your wishes to the DIY troll be answered (for it must be a troll and not a glamourous fairy – all that dust and paint fumes!)and your home soon ooze renovated and freshly decorated loveliness!!

  106. After over 8 years of renovation inside and out, unfortunately still in progress, believe me, I do appreciate concrete floors, especially the finished variety!!

  107. I’ve decided to cave in and join in the knitting olympics! I’ll be knitting a goldielocks shawl in Fleece Artist Goldielocks. I consider this a challenge for me because I know those long rows of ever increasing garter stitch will bore me to tears, but the yarn is just so pretty… I must make it! :)And then maybe someday I’ll aspire to making a pretty lace shawl… (have you seen the Alchemy yarns at Lettce Knit?? omg! I need to learn to knit lace just so I can buy some and make Kiri!!)

  108. Seriously, is there no end to the talents you posess? It’s staggering! Thanks so much for the KO and taking on the job of putting up all the names. It is so exciting to see my name up as a participant!

  109. I saw the Opal Tiger on Ebay last week and thought to myself “ooh! I wonder if Stephanie knows that they’re making that again?”

  110. By request, buttons for Team Coffee, Chocolate, Merlot, Team Hangover, and a few more are available at the link our charming hostess gives above. Steph, I am so enjoying my 15 minutes of fame, thanks for the mention!

  111. Went to the 2000 Socks site yesterday and think joining that challenge seems like fun…. But will kick it up a notch: for every pair of socks that I knit this year (and have verified by Amie’s sock counter) I’ll contribute $5.00 to TSF/MSF. Anybody else think this is a good idea?

  112. Just what I need to help me sit with the family through all those hours of tv watching. I will be making a color block poncho for myself, joining TEAM USA Amateur Knitters.

  113. This whole McPhee work ethic thing….
    I think my brother may have been a McPhee. When we were all still in school and lived at home (four of us) his idea of having fun was ‘lets go clear off some fields and put some fencing up’. I helped him shovel manure on the morning of my junior prom….his idea….naturally.
    We all hated him (and found him very strange)…from 3pm Friday until 9pm Sunday. Then we loved him again. Until Friday of course….

  114. I’m in for the Olympics. I’ve knit socks, beaded shawls, complicated halters, but I’ve never finished a sweater! So this is my Olympic challenge: start and COMPLETE a sweater, bulky (I don’t want to overwhelm myself) within the period. This includes FINISHING!!
    Polly

  115. My dear Ms. McPhee, one is NEVER finished with a house, just as one is never finished knitting. But there is great satisfaction indeed when a large, specific project comes to fruition; when you can gaze out upon a deceptively large area of fresh, level concrete … concrete as pure as newfallen snow … a blank slate upon which to begin. MMmmmm. And the smell of fresh lumber. Yes.
    Being in an ongoing state of renovation ourselves, both at home and at work, I do share your joy in the beauty of concrete.
    We, too, live in a house where the only level thing is the water in the toilet. We have wood floors, and the un-levelness of our house is happily and noisily demonstrated to us each night around 3am when the cats discover a ping-pong ball (or other spherical plastic object) and begin their nightly traning for the Feline Winter Oympics Hockey Team.
    I have not read all the other coments, so this may be redundant, but I know how the sawdust got into the sofa.
    I mean, chesterfield.
    Out of a pocket. When you are working indoors and sawing things up, you will find sawdust in your jacket pockets. If you lean back on the chesterfield, the sawdust will fall out of your pockets just like pennies.
    Dez, sawdust detective

  116. Hi Stepnanie
    Cool floor am really impressed, but then the knitting hasn’t had a chance to grow any!! About time you had a break with your feet up and knitting and chocolate and…!! 🙂
    Have been waiting paitenly as I know you have been real busy. But excited to see my name up there with you all!
    But wait does this mean I now have to do the knitting !!! lol
    I am working on a blog site as we “speak” so will post address when I have it.
    “knit on” or should that be “floor on”

  117. Hi Stephanie
    Cool floor am really impressed, but then the knitting hasn’t had a chance to grow any!! About time you had a break with your feet up and knitting and chocolate and…!! 🙂
    Have been waiting paitenly as I know you have been real busy. But excited to see my name up there with you all!
    But wait does this mean I now have to do the knitting !!! lol
    I am working on a blog site as we “speak” so will post address when I have it.
    “knit on” or should that be “floor on”

  118. My partner is of the Murphy clan who has the same work ethic as the McPhee clan. She “married” me mostly because I work hard, get frustrated (because she wants to work and work and work until it is all done) and then let her work alone…which I think is what she enjoys most of all. I always say I am good MS (moral support). Congrats on all your hard work. Next time you need some help I’ll send Lea up to Canada. You, Ian and she would make a GREAT team!

  119. Hey, I’m a knitting masochist so I’m in for some Olympic suffering, uhh I mean competition!
    I’ve been hemming & hawing about a 1940’s vintage short-sleeved pullover so this will give me the excuse to actually knit the fool thing.
    Go Team Angstylvania!
    Severina

  120. Please add me to the Olymoics list. I plan to knit a pair of pink ribbon socks out of some beautiful Tess pink yarn.

  121. I would love to be added to the Knitting Olympics list. I plan to make pink ribbon socks out of some beautiful pink
    Tess yarn.

  122. At first I didn’t think I’d join, but now I’ve caught the fever. Add me to the Knitting Olympics list.
    What I’ll be making:
    Reconstructing a winter hat that I’ve lost the pattern for. A friend’s Golden Retrieve did me the favor of eating a large section of the crown last spring break. The hat has a wide cable for the band and three sections on the crown separated by a simple 1X1 cable. Each section has three bobbles inside. I’ve never reconstructed anything before, and since my knitting guru has no idea what I did (but I made the same mistake consistently – it was the first project I ever made. SOB!), I figure this is a pretty big challenge.

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