Yesterday went by in a big whoosh. I got up and poured myself a cup of coffee, and sat there drinking it while I pulled together all my to-do lists into one big master list. Camping stuff to pull together, get batteries for the flashlight, pick-up my bike, find an air mattress, hit the drugstore, get some groceries – finish a pair of socks… by 9:30 I was on a streetcar heading across the city, and I got home just in time to say yes to sailing with Joe. (I’ve missed a lot of sailing lately – and Joe loves it when I’m on the boat, so off I went.) It was a real rush of a day, the sort of day where you’re answering work and rally emails while standing in a queue at a co-op with a bottle of chain cleaner in your hand, and could likely only be called “resting” if you consider the absence of training rides “resting”, which at this point, I really do. It was a dash, and today was no better, but at least just about every activity yesterday was something that combined well with knitting, and so, voila.
Another pair of socks. These ones are headed straight for the Christmas bin, which does little to fix the sense of panic about the contents of that box, but I’ve decided to panic about it after the rally. I can only freak out about one thing at a time. These are knit from the leftovers of Myrie’s last sweater. I loved the Mad Tosh Sock in Magnolia Leaf so much that I couldn’t stand to see it go to waste.
The pattern is the much loved and oft-knit Monkey, and it’s as fast an easy a knit as it ever was. Check out the colours though, nifty, right? The yarn’s a hand dyed, and so I love when things like this happen. The colour gradually shifted in the skein so that one sock is more green, the other more rosy. So lovely. Usually things that don’t match make me nuts, but there’s something so gradual about this that it makes me happy.
Another pair of socks is on the needles, and I’ve spent most of my day running around again (I forgot epsom salts and large ziplocks and duct tape, and I still have to set up the tent and make sure I can do it, and have all the parts) but I think I can take a few hours to do several more Karmic Balancing gifts. (There are a LOT more in my inbox, I’m doing as many as I can each day. Even if I have to do some when I get back, I’ll get to them all. Thanks for all your donations, they make a really big difference in the lives of the people who will benefit from the money. You’re all heroic to me – and to them.)
First – yesterday I missed a link to the really clever Star Trek and Marvel Comic’s bags that Marissa sent – sorry Marissa! The link to her shop is here, if you were as besotted by them as I was.
From Randi, 6 x 50g (125 metre) skeins of Diamond Luxury Collection Mulberry Linen – 50% alpaca, 25% mulberry silk, 25% linen in a teal colour that she’ll be sending to Renee J.
And then the same yarn and same amount in a gorgeous green for Kellie H. Thank you Randi!
From Colleen, a few treasures from her stash. Dibadu Funnies Seda de Mar Fingering weight sock yarn 100 grams 70% silk 30% Lyocell that will be going to Emily M.
And Miss Babs Mulberry Silk Lace weight yarn for Tracy HG. Thanks Colleen!
Sakthi went into her stash and came up with 2 skeins of Bonny by The Yarn Yard. It is a good sock / shawl yarn.Fingering weight. 75% Wool, 25% Nylon, 420 metres / 100 grams each for Judith F.
1 skein of Oasis Grande by Skein Queen. Fingering weight, 50% Silk, 50% Camel,400 metres / 100 grams for Rosanne T.
Fiona went on a happy excursion into the stash, and she came up with five amazing presents. 5 skeins in various colours of Zealana Kiwi for Rose F.
4 skeins of John Q Earthware in denim (4-ply/light sport) for Jess P.
1 skein of Old Maiden Aunt sport (alpaca/silk) in Red, red rose for Leanne C.
2 skeins of 4-ply Touch yarn for Bridgitte T.
1 skein of 4-ply Touch yarn for Rosie G.
2 skeins and a ball of Yarn Traders Annapurna recycled silk yarn for Jill S.
From Cynthia, a big juicy 400 yard skein of Jacob, in the winner’s choice of natural colour. These were sourced as fiber from Never Winter Farm, and found their way to a local/home grown mill where she lives in Georgia and transformed into this beautiful yarn that she hopes that Elyse G will love.
From Joanna: two skeins of Brooks Farm Solo Silk. (Mercy, what a colour.) She’ll be sending it off to Cristin D.
From Cathy, a skein of Jill Draper Makes Stuff Esopus in the colourway Last Harvest (love this one too.) She’ll be sending that to Jawon B.
Jeanne, who sews for fun and not for profit, has a darling bag, and two skeins of String Theory Colorworks sock yarn, (one skein of Entanglement in the color Ion Propulsion, and one skein of Resonance in the color X-Ray) that she’ll be sending to Briana R, because they’re both good people.
Christina, who apologizes because she’s a knitter, not a photographer, has three gifts. First is a lot of 4 balls of Crystal Palace Yarns Kid Merino in the colorway Code Pink for Michaela C.
Next, a lot of 3 skeins of sock yarn- 1 ball of Lang JaWoll Aktion in variegated purples (with a spindle of matching reinforcement thread hidden inside) and 2 skeins of ZwergerGarn Opal- one blue green and one red-blue for Karen K.
Finally, a lot of 3 cones of Habu stainless steel yarn. 1 cone of A-148 in dark grey and 2 cones of A-20 in white for Maureen L.
Whew – I’ve emailed all the lucky knitters, so if you think this is you, check your inbox. It’s evening now, so I’m going to stop sitting at the computer, and go and start packing. See you tomorrow pets.
Wanted to be the first to post, I’ll read blog in a mo!
Done!
hahaha…I’ve thought of doing that too! Lovely post YH, the yarns that people are donating are scrumptious!!
Don’t forget the lavender sachet for your pillow in that tent!
Yay for karmic balancing and knitters! And I love those socks.
Second that. What generosity!
I worked up a sweat just reading about your day. It is really wonderful what you are doing to raise not only funds but awareness for this great cause. I had to admit I have been taking a closer look everytime I have spotted a rider these past few weeks just in case one of your practice rides had you in my neck of the woods. All the best for the race coming up, I hope the weather cooperates.
Sometimes I need a nap just from reading your blog – man, you make my busy life seem lazy!!
Glad you got sailing, and I am sure Joe is too.
Karmic gifts? So many pretties. So many.
Do you guys have Google shopping express? You can have your entire shopping list delivered to you for $5 (US, IDK what Canada would be.) It’s a lifesaver for me!
Good luck on your adventure! You will be missed.
I’m so excited to be a winner of a Karmic Balancing Gift – I’m the lucky winner of the recycled silk. I’ve never used anything like this before, and the colours look very me, so I’m looking forward to seeing it in Real Life.
Good luck for the ride, Steph, and thank you for making it even more fun for us contributors 🙂
That recycled silk looked wonderful! I hope you enjoy working with it.
Dear Y. H.,
“. . . and Joe loves it when I’m on the boat, so off I went.”
You are so special that The Blog loves it when Joe is watching out for you.. Bon vonyages (and we hope they are both relaxing and exhausting if you get our drift, wink, wink, nudge, nudge!)!
Love,
The Blog
I’m SURE that by ‘exhausting’ you actually meant clambering around on deck wrangling boat-related things like sails and lines and such. Because there’s not much time for anything else if one plans to come home safely.
Beautiful gifts today. That’s some great karma there everyone!
So lovely to see some NZ-orginating yarns in the karmic gifts.
Oh, what a wonderful collection of yarn!!! Jacob skeins look absolutely delicious – love these natural colors!
Wonderful gifts (as always!), I hope you have a smooth ride and that the weather’s better than it was last year. Good luck!
I just have to comment on some of the lovely shots of the Karma gifts, some folks do such a nice job, you want the gift based on the picture alone!! Good luck YH with your ride!!
People are so generous! To part with such lovely things? Thank you to everyone who’s been a part of this in some way.
Sailing?!!? How fun. The socks look awesome. I haven’t tried Mad Tosh sock, but I love her other yarns. I will have to give it a whirl.
Good luck with the rest of your preparations!
This “resting” week doesn’t seem like much of a rest, but is instead filled with all sorts of preparations for the ride that aren’t well… riding. 🙂
Again, good luck with everything! I’ll be cheering for you on the ride even though I’ll be nowhere near!
Thank you! Monkey makes me so happy. I love seeing it in all the varieties of yarn…
Best wishes on the race.
Those socks are marvelous. I think I’m the last knitter in my sandbox who has never made that pattern.
Good luck with the preparations — you can do it!
Good Luck Steph, we’re all behind you!
There must be another lucky Karen K. out there because I didn’t get an email. Too bad it looks like great yarn. Maybe next time.
Beautiful girl, cute puppy, awesome colorway.
Did I miss anything?