Saturday, April 26, 2008

I'm a winner!

I started reading blogs late 2007 as a way to stay motivated to my knitting. It was also a great way to see other peoples FOs and hear about good patterns. It wasn't until early this year that I figured out people other than knitters blog! (Go figure :P Who are these non-knitters?) Anyway I starting coming across Christians who blog. I've been reading Susanne's blog for the last couple of weeks and have entered 2 contests on her blog. And I won! I won A Mending At The Edge by Jane Kirkpatrick! It is the last book in a series of three. Susanne is going to mail it to me at the end of next week. That should give me just enough time to finish my current book before her's arrives. Yeah!!!!

Thursday, April 24, 2008

Friday Fill-Ins #69

Look I'm early this week!



1. When I fall in love I'll let you know!

2. I LOVE it when the flowers bloom and it heats up outside!

3. Oh no! The internet connection is down, time to grab a book.

4. Most Extreme Elimination Challenge show (Japanese show) is the craziest tv show ever.

5. Cheese and pasta make a great meal!

6. I wish I had room to plant a garden.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to the last Bible study of the year, tomorrow my plans include Starfield concert :) and Sunday, I want to have a good time with A and M!

Monday, April 21, 2008

I did it! I did it! I did it!

Each year Vancouver hosts the 10 km Vancouver Sun Run. Its the largest race in Canada and second largest in North America. This year 59,179 people were registered to participate! I have been training since the middle of January for this race. Yesterday arrived with cold and windy weather, but thankfully no rain or snow. (yes we actually had some snow on Saturday!) The race started and 9:00 and in waves the runners raced past the starting line. All times are measured by a timing chip on your shoe so your official time starts not at 9:00 but whenever you get through the start line. I ran the entire race by myself and met with my running group teammates before and after the race.

So enough preamble what time did I get?.....I did it in 1 hour and 5 minutes! This is my unofficial time (cell phone timed) as the official times don't get posted on the internet until Thursday and I have not yet bought The Vancouver Sun Newspaper where the official times are listed. But I still think this is pretty good. I beat last years time by 7 minutes and for me that great!

Yes, yesterday was an exciting day in the life of Julia. Don't ask about today as I'm walking a little gimpy with sore muscles! Does anyone in blogland know a good massage therapist? One is is a super hot guy? :P Just kidding!

In other news.... Stephanie over at http://thewrittenword.wordpress.com/ is having another contest. All you have to do is leave a comment on her post about the book. You can either win a copy of the book, or a canvas totebag. I have 3 similar bags because I'm all about being green lately and I'm trying not to use plastic shopping bags anymore! Good luck!

Saturday, April 19, 2008

FO report: Mittens


Mittens
Originally uploaded by juliabca
Last night I finished the pair of mittens I started two weeks ago. These were my first project on DPNs and were really fun to make. This picture was taken a week ago when I was just finishing the first one. A picture of the finished mittens will be put on Ravelry early next week. I'm juliabca on ravelry. (Sorry to those not on yet.)

A couple of months ago I taught my sister to cast on and knit. Then last month I showed her how to cast off. Last night she came over to learn how to purl (and hang out and watch Alvin and the Chipmunks movie :) ). She is making a dishcloth that uses both kint and purl stitches. Woo hoo, we've hooked another knitter!!

I went to my LYS today and although they didn't have any of the sock yarn that was reccommended to me I bought Berroco's Sox yarn, and some Debbie Bliss cashmerino aran yarn for Fetching, which I will be starting first.

Please keep your fingers crossed for me as I will running the 10km Vancouver Sunrun tomorrow. Pray that it doesn't snow or rain tomorrow. (And think good thoughts that I'll get a good time!) Many thanks! Julia :)

Friday, April 18, 2008

Friday Fill In #68

1. The last time I lost my temper I gripped the stearing wheel until it hurt!

2. News from the poperatiztti is what I'm fed up with!

3. The next book I'd like to read is a series of 3 books by Liz Curtis Higgs recommended by L.

4. My sister having her first baby is what I'm looking forward to.

5. If you can't get rid of the skeleton[s] in your closet, hide it really, really well!

6. The best thing I got in the mail recently was the package from my Longing for Spring swap pal.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to teaching my sister to purl, tomorrow my plans include volunteering at Earth Day and Sunday, I want to get a good time on the Vancouver Sunrun.

Saturday, April 12, 2008

Double pointed needles

I've never used DPNs before. So last weekend when I started to cast on for Sheldon from the Knitty website I was finding it quite hard. You start with only 6 stitches on 3 needles then increase to 12 and so on. But seriously 6 stiches on 3 needles!! I got so upset that I threw the needles across the room. (Luckly hitting the second couch and not the wall! They were aluminium needles.)

Then Monday at the SCC knitting group I tried to cast on DPNs to make a pair of mittens. I had my doubts but thought I would try anyway. It was much easier than my first try. I think because the mittens needed 36 stiches on 3 needles it went much better. I used the bamboo needles I got from my swap pal for this second try. Knitting on DPNs took some getting used to but really its not that hard. Woo hoo I learnt something new! I'm almost done that first mitten, and hope to finish and get a good start on the second when I go to the Vancouver Knitting meetup tomorrow.

Now that I feel better about DPNs I am going to re-try to cast on for Sheldon, and I want to try to make a pair of socks. I'll have to make a trip to my LYS for sock yarn. Does anyone have a yarn suggestion for socks? I want something good, but hopefully not too expensive.

Friday Fill-Ins # 67 ....on Saturday

1. I love springtime in my home town in B.C.!
2.Waffles, strawberries and whipcream are foods I love to eat for breakfast.
3. It seems I'm always searching for Mr. Right.
4. Collapsing on the couch in front of the TV is a great way to end the day.
5. I think I should find a new roommate, as my current one is moving out this month.
6. Starbucks Caramel Macchiatio is what I've been craving lately.
7. And as for the weekend, Friday night I caught dinner and a movie with A and M, tomorrow my plans include running and relaxing and Sunday, I want to go to a knitting meetup!

Friday, April 4, 2008

Friday Fill-Ins #66

1. Tonight I saw the sun!
2. Salsa music makes me wanna dance!
3. Splitting a few appetizers between friends would be great right about now.
4. Deborah is someone I'd like to get to know better.
5. The smell of freshly cut grass reminds me so much of springtime!
6. Chocolate and that made it all better.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to nothing, tomorrow my plans include running and Sunday, I want to see my friends!

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Longing for Spring Swap package received!


IMG_0862
Originally uploaded by juliabca
On Monday morning my Longing for Spring package was delivered to my work. I had to wait 2 long hours until lunch time before I could open and take a look inside. The first thing that hit me when I open the package was the smell. It smelt like fruit! There were 2 Earl Gray tea bags and that's were the scent came from. The rest of the package contained: 2 DNPs (the sizes I needed to start the mittens I want to make), a book of dishcloth patterns (my favourite thing to knit), 2 skeins of Sugan 'n Cream (one of which I have already started to make a pattern from the book), 2 skeins of Knit Picks Shine(green to make Sheldon, but have you felt how soft this yarn is!), a tape measure, point protectors, split ring markers, beautiful pink cancer awareness stitch markers, a cute little bag (that my mom suspects is handmade~perfect size for holding dishcloth sized projects), some Dove chocolates, and some french vanilla coffee (that I gave to my dad). A big thanks to my swap pal Cindy. Not only did she put together a wonderful package, she mailed it to me twice. Please go visit her blog and tell her how awesome she is!
www.cindybmw2004.blogspot.com

FO report


IMG_0864
Originally uploaded by juliabca
I haven't been knitting much lately but I have been able to complete these bibs. Depending on the gender of the baby Amy will get one or both of these. (Can you tell that I think she will be having a boy? :P ) The buttons aren't sewn on so if she does have a girl I can put a pink button on the cream coloured one.