Tag Archives: Snowboarding

Jan27

FO update for the past week

Posted on by
Standard

Well, hello! I’m back with some finished objects, both yarn and fabric.

After I made the last headband/earwarmer, I had half of the cake left, so I did the same cable pattern but with one strand of yarn and a smaller hook. I used up most of the yarn, but the stripes got to be a bit skinny by the end. I’m not sure where this one will end up; I just wanted to make it!

IMG_20200127_121529

Another bit of stash used up!

I was inspired by a fabric at work to make an apron. It’s coming up for Valentine’s Day (not something I usually pay any attention to, but when you work in retail it’s hard to ignore). I saw this fabric that had lots of fun puns on it and made this apron as a display project. Once it’s been hanging up in the store for a month, I’ll be able to bring it home.

IMG_20200125_113119 (1)

I don’t know if you can read the words – I love you berry much, I’ve taken a Viking to you, Hugs and Kisses, I donut know how I lived without you, that sort of cheesy stuff! It came out huuuuuuge and I wish I’d just made the smallest size. I mean, it’s not really for me, but it would have been nice if it had fit me without having to cross the ties at back and bring them to the front! Whilst I felt it needed to be ruffly to fit the girly theme, I really dislike gathering fabric to fit a smaller piece of fabric. And this was a LOT of gathers.

Another sewing project I just completed today was this bag – it’s a Burda Young pattern number 8235. It’s a pretty straightforward bag with a flap and strap, no fastenings to mess about with. I interfaced all of the external pieces, not just the flap as per the pattern, because I felt it would be too floppy otherwise. Both snowboard fabrics are from the stash, bought when I was still keen on snowboarding (y’know, before I broke my wrist two years ago).

IMG_20200127_152934

I used scissors to cut out the pattern pieces but it’s way less accurate than using a rotary cutter and ruler, which is how I usually cut fabric for bags. I had to take in the lining a little to make it fit smoothly inside the outer bag. I love how colourful this fabric is.

IMG_20200127_152905

It’s lined with this blue fabric in the same theme.

Again, this isn’t really for me, I just wanted to make it (hmmm, sensing a theme here) and I showed it to two of my sons and neither said, “Ooh, can I have that!” Maybe they would have ten years ago! Anyway, I’ll hang on to it for now as I know it will find its true home some time.

I have started making the first of the project bags that I intend to sell to help a local farm sanctuary. I’m about halfway through the first bag, and really looking forward to seeing it done. Depending on Mr Fixit’s plans for tonight (he may mention the gym and I may go) I may or may not get more sewing done this evening. There’s still a pile of dishes in the kitchen sink to deal with once I’ve finished my coffee, though. Sigh!

 

Feb16

Cast-ocalypse Day 4

Posted on by
Standard

So, what have I learned this week?

First lesson: obviously, not to crash on the ski hill. Taking a tumble over another snowboarder is a bad idea, in my case resulting in a fractured distal radius and a massive bruise on the opposite forearm.

Second lesson: broken bones hurt. Particularly at the time of the break, but also afterwards, including when in a cast. Not so much that I’ve needed painkillers since Monday, but enough to be uncomfortable.

Third lesson: don’t over-extend yourself. I was reaching for something last night, overbalanced and put pressure on the cast and it hurt like hell. Also too much activity means too much blood to the hand and the cast gets uncomfortably snug.

Fourth lesson: get help. These are things I can’t do

  • floss teeth (had to get dh to buy sticks instead)
  • open round door handles if left hand holding something
  • do up separating zippers
  • open cans and jars
  • knit
  • crochet
  • lift weights at the gym
  • squeeze a lemon properly
  • chop food that rolls around
  • lift a large pan from sink to stove or vice versa
  • drive my car (it’s a manual/stick)

On the bright side, I can read, watch Netflix, go for walks, write (very messily with my left hand, but I’m practising to get better), wash and apply deodorant, get dressed as long as doesn’t involve a bra, make tea and simple meals, do laundry, load and unload the dishwasher, and type. I could even, maybe in a couple of weeks, go back to the gym and go on the treadmill, or attempt a yoga class (just not downward facing dog)! The lovely yoga teacher is already planning modified poses for me.

I’m doing my best to balance my days, not spending too much time on any one activity. And I have friends who will give me rides to appointments or come over if cabin fever hits.

I am grateful for so many things. I only broke one bone, I have a lovely husband who helped me bathe and washed my hair for me (after taping my cast inside a giant plastic bag), I have three able sons, one of whom is home most of the time, who can do the things I am struggling with. I have plenty to do to keep me occupied.

Tomorrow we have a potluck planned with friends, which will be awesome.

Life is good!

 

Feb13

The best laid plans…

Posted on by
Standard

…of knitters and crocheters can often be derailed in the blink of an eye.

This will be a short post as typing is slow, but this was my Facebook status yesterday:

Had a bad crash on the hill today. Another snowboarder came out of nowhere and I went head over heels. Arm hurt like hell. Tried to carry on, but thankfully came across a Ski Patrol guy a little further down the mountain. He did a temporary splint and I was strapped into an emergency sled and he pulled me to the medical clinic.
A quick ultrasound confirmed a break. Splinted again, and R rounded up the boys. L had to drive my car as we’d taken both R’s and mine.
Thankfully not too long a wait at KGH for Xray and cast.
Six weeks of doing everything one-handed! Can’t write, drive, knit, crochet (waaaah) or get the cast wet.

Well, that’s put the proverbial spanner in the works! I’ve had to withdraw from the Ravellenic Games and the sweater goal will be delayed.

Of course it was my dominant hand!

20180212_184250

20180212_185633

Tai Chi Man went home and brought me my Hello Kitty pyjama top to wear as it has wide sleeves. I did request a Hello Kitty cast but had to settle for plain pink.

Had an unsettled night and now relearning how to do even the most mundane tasks.

Mar26

So relaxed!

Posted on by
Standard

Day 4 of a block of five consecutive days off between shifts. I don’t know what I did to deserve that, but I’m loving it.

Today I did one of my favourite things, which was tidy up my craft room as I had dumped yarn all over the place. I also updated my stash pages on Ravelry. I have acquired extra skeins from a couple of friends who were clearing out either their own stuff or someone else’s. There were some knitted pieces, two of which I darned in the ends on and will donate to the SPCA and the other two I unravelled.

Tai Chi Man and I had a pleasant walk along the waterfront this afternoon. It was raining but we had our new Costco waterproof jackets on so we were comfortable. Treated ourselves to some good tea from our favourite tea shop (and a cookie – oops!).

Friday I took myself off to the ski hill for some snowboarding on my own. I’ve never done that before but the boys weren’t bothered so I went. The drive started out rainy and ended up snowy. The road between the highway and the resort is about 20km and the second part was very slushy and slippery. Bit of zigzagging and tire spinning going on, and when I parked in the parking lot I just knew that I was going to have trouble getting out again, winter tires notwithstanding.

I had a free lift pass so that was great, but I had to rent a board and boots as usual. I have my own helmet (that’s saved me from many a potential concussion)! I did a couple of runs – first one always feels like I’ve forgotten everything. Second one was better. Snow was quite soft and deep in places and caught the board a fair few times. Got to the top of the quad chair and was pushing my way to the spot to anchor my right foot back in when someone asked me if I’d lost a binding. Oh great, the ankle binding had come off as a screw had come out and got lost in the snow. Told the lift guy who radioed down. Not sure why it took so long, but had to wait over half an hour before a snowmobile appeared to take me down the hill. I did get to warm up inside the hut at the top of the chairlift and chat to lift guy for a while.

The snowmobile guy was a fellow Brit and very nice and I enjoyed my ride down the mountain back to the village centre. Never been on a skidoo before, but it’s a lot of fun. Asked the girl at the rental place if there was any chance of a refund as had lost 50 minutes of boarding time out of my limited afternoon session and was told yes, and I could still get my binding fixed and do more runs first if I wanted. Did a couple more runs and then got a FULL refund (would have been satisfied with half) so was very chuffed!

As anticipated, car was bogged down in snow in parking lot, tires were spinning and I was going nowhere. Nice young man appeared in front of my car and pushed a few times while I was attempting to reverse and got me out. Drive back to highway was again rather hairy – nearly sideswiped a van coming the other way as I went around a bend. A pretty eventful day that could have turned out badly but thankfully all I had were a few sore muscles the next day.

And finally after all that blabbing I can show you a bit of yarn…

FullSizeRender (5)

Sorry for the fuzzy nighttime shot – I was very limited in what I could do as the iPad is plugged into the laptop, syncing and backing up. I decided to carry on with this baby cardi and trust that I will have enough yarn. Cross fingers! One front done.

IMG_6400

This is a finished gift. I bought some handmade soaps at the indoor farmers and crafters market yesterday and decided to give one to a friend. The mesh bag is Tunisian crochet, the washcloth just a basic granny square. The yarn is Stylecraft Classique Cotton DK.

The poncho has been neglected but not forgotten, as I have the skeins of Stylecraft Special DK lined up in front of the coffee table so I know which order to use them in. Thank goodness we don’t have any small children or curious pets in this house.

And finally, I almost forgot, the caterpillar set (book, blanket, cocoon and hat) which I mailed off to the UK weeks ago has arrived safely and the new parents-to-be love it. Yay!

I hope your weekend was wonderful. Have a peaceful and productive week and I’ll talk to you again soon.

Mar25

Hanging basket

Posted on by
Standard

The beauty of having a Ravelry queue is that if you ever run out of inspiration for your next project you just visit your queue and see what you added to the list of potential projects. I do keep it fairly controlled – I know some people have thousands of things in their queues – but mine is only five pages long  and periodically I will weed the list so it doesn’t get out of hand.

This morning, I noticed the Hanging Basket pattern, which is not in English on the blog but is written out in full on the Ravelry project page. It’s very simple and with multiple strands of yarn, or one strand of a super bulky, it’s really fast.

I started it while waiting for ds2 to get ready to go snowboarding. The drive is about an hour, and I managed to get a lot done despite being squished in the back seat with a man-sized son on one side and a snowboard on the other (we only have a small car, so we have to fold down part of the back seat). Tai Chi Man and ds1 were in the front. Son number three once again didn’t bother to go. That was his last chance for this winter.

Conditions were perfect, with the temperature at the village elevation being around zero, and the snow was not too icy so there was plenty for the board to carve into. I fell down a few times as usual, and I’m sure I’ll feel the full extent of my sore bits when I try to get out of bed in the morning!

I quit the slopes before the men, so enjoyed some more crochet time in the lodge. And the basket was finished!

It’s a good size but I haven’t decided where to hang it yet. I used two strands of worsted and three of DK and a 10mm hook. It would be fun to play with the pattern and make different sized ones.

So that was my day. Work tomorrow but thankfully not Sunday (it’s one of the three days per year that the store closes).

 

 

Jan1

Happy New Year!

Posted on by
Standard

January 1st 2016. A new year to remember when writing the date multiple times at work. I wonder how often I will write 2015 and have to change it?!

My shifts were switched so I didn’t have to work today, but the big sale is on for two days so tomorrow I will have from 9 to 5 to enjoy some retail frenzy! I always set my intentions on the short drive to the store – happy satisfied customers, friendly co-workers and a good day all around. We will have lots of staff on again tomorrow, and I guess I will have to approach it as fun rather than something to get nervous about.

This has been quite a week so far. Monday, Wednesday and today (Friday) we were up at the ski hill. We don’t normally go so often, but with ds2 (the keener) being on break from college, I decided to make the most of  my non-work days. He has thoroughly tested out his new board and boots, and also ds1’s GoPro. Ds1 came along for two of the days and today set up the GoPro on his brother’s helmet.

Ds3 didn’t bother getting out of bed for any of it!

Tuesday and Thursday I was working, and also tomorrow and Sunday. So I decided not to snowboard today, but instead to spend the time in the lodge with my iPad (Ravelry browsing and Netflix [Orange is the New Black]) and crochet.

We have seen an enormous amount of snow (for us) over Christmas. (The view below is from my back door.)

image

This is the progress so far on the Boho Cozy Wrap. The ends are mostly woven in.

image

When the size of the second half matches the first half, it will be done!

Wishing you all a very happy New Year and I hope 2016 brings lots of love, light and joy to you.

Dec21

Not ready!

Posted on by
Standard

 

 

image

Crazy striped scrap wrap 

We don’t make a big deal out of Christmas in our house. We get a real tree, decorate it with the same old ornaments every year, give the kids a gift or some cash, and have dinner. But simple as it is, it’s not done. Well, the tree part anyway.

Being away for a week earlier this month meant that we waited until our return before even thinking about Christmas. We have bought an unusually large gift for ds2 this year because he’s mad keen on snowboarding and has finished growing so a board and boots made sense. Ds1 lives on his own so can easily find a use for the equivalent cash value of ds2’s gift, and ds3 has his eye on a DSLR camera which costs megabucks so he can use the cash too.

That’s their gifts sorted. The Christmas Eve dinner and Christmas Day brunch menus have not been finalized but they won’t be too complicated. And the evening on Christmas Day is now reserved for going to see Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

I have the 24th and 25th off work because thankfully the store will be closed. Tai Chi Man has to work a half day on the 24th.

I think everything should be closed from Christmas Day to New Year’s Day! Then we could get more snowboarding in. I have earmarked three days when I hope to get to the ski hill. I am definitely not as fit as I should be but hey ho, there you go, I’ll strap myself to a board anyway.

So what crocheting have I done lately? Not a lot. A little on the diagonal granny skirt-scarf. Nothing on the granny blanket. But I have added to the Boho Cosy Wrap tonight while watching Netflix, and it is now 18″ wide.

How is your month going?