When the air turns cold and the winter winds arrive, most organisms have a set number of choices. They can burrow down and hibernate until spring, which requires a specific set of physical adaptations that I do not possess. They can sleep part-time throughout the colder periods but wake periodically, mainly to eat, which; although it sounds very appealing to me, would prohibit my making a living and having enough food to eat when I did wake up. They can just stick around and make do, eating as much as possible to stay warm (I think I may have part of that plan covered.) They can migrate to warmer climes; which is the exact opposite of what I have done in coming from the West Coast to the North.

Or, they can pull out the old needles and start a knitting frenzy, directly proportionate to the amount of snow swirling outside their apartment window.

I am this animal. With the dangerous combination of extra time off (I recently began subbing at the school but do not get called in every day, though this may change as H1N1 sweeps through town... I do not wish sickness on anyone, but I do need some hours... opportunistic?), cold weather, and satellite TV included in our rent (uh-oh...), I can frequently be found these days nested on the couch, needles in hand, learning about such useful subjects as semi-fictional CSI techniques, Top Model tips, and the latest Gossip Girl tidbits. Doubtlessly, these will all be incredibly useful in my future endeavours. Or, at least, the knitted items will be useful as the real cold sets in later this season! Here are some recent projects:




Deciduous tree mittens--now the property of Joanne.



Coniferous tree mittens...on sale in my Etsy shop.



Needle felted oak leaf necklace, also on Etsy



Needle felted aspen leaf necklace, also on Etsy

I really like needle felting! I finally figured out how it works, as I didn't realize that the needle had little hooks in it, and couldn't understand how poking your yarn with a needle would do anything, but now that I know the secret, I can't wait to see the different ways I can use it for jewellery and embellishments.

Last weekend, Joanne and I spent some time wandering along the beach of Great Slave Lake, and it was really beautiful. As you can see, I loved it:





I was too busy exploring to take any pictures but you can see some of Joanne's GORGEOUS photography on her blog: http://joanneupnorth.blogspot.com/2009/11/hay-loween.html?spref=fb. I even managed to do some sleuthing (of a wrecked boat), even though I had neither Friesens nor Cayleen to sleuth with... I'll send you the evidence for lab analysis, Laurel and Alana.



We also went out with our friend Meaghan to see the community of Fort Resolution, and we hope to go to Yellowknife sometime soon (translation: when we get some money...=)...we both had similar more-fun-than-earning-summers.) And this weekend we went to a Halloween dance at the Legion, and burned up the floor, of course... or something like that. It was just like a prairie social, and I was really wishing for some of my dancing compadres from home to be there (you know who you are...bring your ties and scarves.)

I'm putting as many feelers as I can to find out if there are any thesis research opportunities around here. Everything in this area seems to operate based on meeting people and word-of-mouth, so we'll see what happens on that front! I got to do some subbing in the Slavey classroom, which was really exciting, since I've been reading about those programs all year and now I got to see it in action.

And in closing, to this long entry, here are the charts for those trees from the mittens, if any of my current and/or future knitting friends are reading this:

  

I'm sitting here in my room, thinking about how it is slowly returning to its former institutional greyness. I've had so many curtains, scarves, pictures, and wall hangings up that I'd almost forgotten how very Grey the walls are. I've been so busy lately (my sister visited; we went hiking; I'm going for another hike tomorrow for 4 days...) and I'm trying to get rid of things and pack in small installments whenever I have a chance. Bit by bit, my room becomes more bare and packed bins appear. I'm trying to reduce my household belongings to a manageable amount for moving by car. This requires Ruthless Purging! It also has to come in waves. You get rid of a bunch of stuff, feel virtuous for a while, and then have to go through it again because there is still just too much. It is also freeing. Why do we have so many things?

When my sister Laurel was here we went on SUCH a beautiful hike with some friends. We hiked to the Joffre Lakes--a series of 3 lakes on a mountain past Whistler. Our poor prairie girl legs were working really hard (especially on the way up!) and we camped under a glacier! I had never even seen one before. It was unbelievably gorgeous. As my friend Tony pointed out, it is ironic that a small part of the beauty doesn't even sink in until you are back at home and looking at pictures. I didn't bring my camera, but here are some shots from Laurel and Tony:

I just got back (yesterday) from the Winnipeg Folk Festival and I am still floating on a cloud. Whenever I fall asleep I still dream of happy people dancing and milling around in the sunshine. I hate normal life right now. I am a big, huge, sunburned, happy hippie cliché right now who wishes the good love feelings of the festival could last all year. The festival ended on Sunday night and I didn't have the heart to cut off my wristbands until yesterday (with mourning) and I finally showered today (Wednesday). It made me sad to say goodbye to the dirt that I had so much fun collecting! After a few months in BC, I sometimes start to feel like maybe I should work on being less out there with my clothes, and be more of a hip Vancouverite, but luckily these visits home remind me that I am a barefoot, dirty prairie girl at heart! Patrick Watson accused us 'Winnipeg hippies' of influencing his band into taking their shoes off...we all cheered and kicked up our bare, muddy feet. This is home.

I tried to take some pictures, and put them on my Facebook (I'll put a few here for you too) but really didn't capture the best parts, since I was too busy revelling and basking in them. Here are a few favourite memories that I captured in my heart but not my camera:

• Dancing and cheering with a huge crowd through the thundershowers, breaking sunshine, and subsequent fully arched, double rainbow over the main stage.

•Watching a new father hold his laughing, kicking, beaming baby high above the dance floor while we all clapped and cheered in the joy of it.

• all of the new friends that I laughed, ate, talked, danced with--most whose names I don't remember or never learned, but with whom I shared connections

•dancing, dancing, DANCING until I thought I would faint or puke, then seeing other people's energy and keeping right on going!

• an impromptu square dance that sprang up in a workshop and blew me away with how everyone learned it and joined in; strangers having the greatest time ever together

• finally talking with people that I have seen at the same shows year after year and have gotten to recognize by their characteristic dance moves; getting to tell them how much I love seeing them each year.

• a frozen banana on a stick and dipped in chocolate, peanuts, and sprinkles

• a shared smile with a 7-foot bearded stranger as our paths momentarily crossed.

• A crowd of non-Spanish speakers cheerfully singing gibberish in an attempt to accompany Alex Cuba's rapidfire Spanish lyrics

Overall, these are all of the musicians I managed to take in, some for longer than others:

The Lovell Sisters
Martha Wainwright
Elvis Costello and the Imposters
Alana Levandowski
Don Amero
Pacifika
Punch Brothers (crazy fun bluegrass)
King Sunny Adé and His African Beats (SO fun!)
Vance Gilbert
Xavier Rudd (not as much of a favourite as he always has been for me in the past-- seemed like he was doing this rockstar raver thing, and his set was only a few songs long. At one point I was let to yell out "Come on! We're not ALL high!". What happened to our beloved Aussie hippie?)
Josh Ritter (sigh...)
The Del McCoury Band
Iron & Wine (aMAaaziiinggg)
Hayes Carll
Neko Case (she just gets better every time.)
The Deep Dark Woods
CR Avery
Joe Pug
Mirah
Amelia Curran
Tony Dekker
Afie Jurvanen (Bahamas)
Derek Voth (our friend played as a Young Performer!)
Jackpine
Tom House
Chatham County Line
Serena Ryder
Bellowhead (I LOVED them. Danced myself sick. If you ever hear of them playing, GO. Unless you hate fun.)
Burning Spear
Okkervil River
Mark Berube and the Patriotic Few (great. beautiful!)
Vishtén (crazy Acadians! really fun band.)
T. Nile
Riley Baugus
Danny Barnes
Alex Cuba (one of my new favourites.)
Steven Page (formerly from the Barenaked Ladies)
The Abrams Brothers
Jenny Whiteley
The Ebony Hillbillies (fantastic!)
Kobo Town (super fun Caribbean band)
Pacific Curls (very sexy ladies managing to mix  didg/cajón rhythms with, yes, Celtic fiddling.)
Patrick Watson (unbelievably entertaining live show)
Oka (if you want to see guys who can bring the crazy weirdo dancing out in everyone...)
Great Lake Swimmers (double sigh...)

not bad for a single festival!!!

I love, love, love ferns. Love them. Take too many pictures of them. Tag them for my fellow fern-loving friend on Facebook. I love trees more, but I love ferns.











Yesterday I continued this love with a fern-themed project...I've been painting again lately, which has been sooo refreshing. I'd forgotten how much I love painting.

I bought some dresses at Superstore back in Manitoba, planning to use them as patterns when I learn more about sewing. It's all about the comfy, cottony dresses with me lately, it seems. So I have this green one, that I love, with pockets and everything. My plan was to use actual ferns to block print along the collar. The colour that I used kept drying darker than the way it looked when I mixed them, and the colour kept drying into the fabric. And the paint on the ferns didn't really leave enough of a print to be visible. I repainted the layers a bunch of times, and kept adding yellow to the green, and finally it worked. I love it! It makes me feel like such a Creature of the Forest! Here are some shots:

Yesterday I went strawberry picking and got a little crazy overboard with my amounts... Cherise made it into a competition (blame shifting, I know...) and I picked a lot.  I also cleaned my house, prepped the berries and got them into the freezer. This morning, after showering, doing laundry, hanging it to dry, and cleaning my room, I felt so accomplished that instead of doing thesis reading I felt entitled to watch 'So You Think You Can Dance' and have a little crafting time... this is how my mind works. Virtuous procrastination justifies frivolous procrastination.

So here comes a little craft talk! To get you in the mood, you should give this little video by Leslie Hall a gander...

Craft Talk

A while back I picked up a little sea sponge for face washing at Rocky Mountain Soap Co. in Banff. I love how it exfoliates, and I like the ease of using a little thing rather than a big clumsy facecloth. You just put a little water and facewash on it, scrub, rinse it and use it to take the facewash off again. I always felt like I was wasting water before, and I hate the wastefulness of those disposable face pads. However, the sea sponge takes a while to dry sometimes, and was starting to look a little dingy. And I was wondering, (as you probably are from the picture) whether there are yucky things living in it...



So I got some cotton yarn and decided to try making some reusable facewash pads (aka little baby facecloths...) My first attempt was not so great:



I decided to simplify the design and make them like little toques (beanies for all you non-Canadians out there...) I just crocheted a few chain stitches and joined them into a spiral, and instead of doing 2 stitches per hole (which would make it lay flat like the beginning of a hat), I did single stitches per hole, to get it to curve inward. I added a loop to hang it to dry. Et voilá! Now I have a little facecloth that fits over my fingers for scrubbing and can be machine washable. We'll see how it works once I use one...

Yay! Finally done! The teeny stitches of this fingering yarn made for a great textile but it started to feel like it was taking forever. Picture making a giant sock for your upper body. But it was worth it! Here are some shots from our fun photo shoot at the farm: (thanks to my sister's photographing skills--thanks Lana) Warning: I was excited. So we took a lot of pictures.

I love how my last post was labelled 'a Tuesday' but written on Wednesday. How can you tell that I'm on holidays?

More site makeovers! I have all kinds of ideas, but no technical graphic designer expertise. Thank goodness for ingenious friends with training! Yay for Beth and yay for Caleb! (friend and brother.... thank you so much.)

My top is almost done! I have enough yarn left that I'm going to try to lengthen it into a tunic. Pictures soon to come, I promise. I keep trying to take them with my Macbook and they keep sucking. So when I get a camera cord I'll take a better one and put it up.

I'm continuing with my tree treasury of lovely Etsy items! Check out these:



'Raising Shadows' by Rigels. This is a print of an original painting. I want it. Trees, brown, and a monochromatic theme... sounds made for me...



Fine Art Print of Birches by MuttButtDotCom



Needle Felted Wool Acorns by truLuxe--these are needle felted acorns in actual acorn caps!!!! What a delightful idea!



'eco tree ceramic necklace' by kylieparry



'Branching out bangle' by sparklinglotusdesigns (I've been coveting this one for some time.)



'Moonlit trees necklace' by briguysgirls



'The Little Apple Tree' (vintage book) sold by RushofWings



'Woody Laptop Messenger Bag' by moxieandoliver (I looooove this!!!! wow...)



'Sugar Maple Leaf Mug' by meadowpoint

This is fun! Kind of like shopping. Except you don't spend any money. And you don't get to have any things....so maybe it isn't really like shopping. Oh well.

bear with me, non-knitting readers, because this is an entirely project-focussed posting. Yesterday I tried on the top so far and it is going GREAT! It fits a little tightly, which is good, because it will stretch. I neglected to take a picture (sorry, I forgot. We were watching Desperate Housewives; who remembers little photographic details when gripped with such captivating dialogue and deep, meaningful storylines?)

This yarn is going much farther than I expected. I might make it long, like a tunic or dress, but am uncertain about continuing the cable spine all the way down. It looks cool to mimic your spinal column down a shirt, but extending it below the waist might replicate less elegant lines...we'll see.

If anyone is interested, here is the pattern so far:

(bold print marks cable pattern section)

bead:  put bead on crochet hook. Using crochet hook, lift next stitch from left needle and slide bead from hook onto stitch. Place stitch back on left needle. Knit stitch normally, inserting right needle into stitch above bead.

Cast on 150 stitches.
Join, being careful not to twist—place marker at joint.

R1    [P4, k1]* repeat to end of round.
R2    as for R1
R3    [k4 bead]* repeat to end of round
R4    (as for R1)
R5    (as for R1)
R6    (as for R1)
R7    (as for R1)   
R8    k10 place marker p1 k8 p1 place marker,  k to end of round.
R9    k10 p1 k8 p1,  k to end of round.
R10    k10 p1 C4B C4F p1, k to end of round.
R11    k10 p1 k2 p4 k2 p1, k to end of round.
R12    k10 T3B p4 T3F, k to end of round.
R13    k10 k2 p6 k2, k to end of round.
R14    k10 k2 p6 k2, k to end of round.
R15    k10 k2 p6 k2, k to end of round.
R16    k10 k2 p6 k2, k to end of round.
R17    k10 k2 p6 k2, k to end of round.
R18    k10 T3F p4 T3B, k to end of round.
R19    k10 p1 k2 p4 k2 p1, k to end of round.
R20    k10 p1 C4F C4B p1, k to end of round.
R21    k10 p1 k8 p1, k to end of round.
R22    k3 BO4 k3 p1 C4B C4F p1 k3. BO4, k to end of round.
R23    k3, place 16 cable stitches on holder. (turn work—from here you’ll be working back and forth.)
R24    BO1. p2 (to marker). p to end. turn work.
R25    BO1, k to end.
R26    BO1, p to end.
Repeat these 2 preceding rows 5 more times.
R27    BO2, k to end.
R28    BO2, p to end.
Repeat these 2 preceding rows 2 more times.
R29    BO1, k to end.
R30    BO1, p to end.
Repeat these 2 preceding rows 6 more times.
R57    k to end.
R58    p to end.
Repeat these last 2 rows until piece measures 29cm (11.4in) from start. End on RS. CO 3 stitches.
R59    (WS) p to end of row. CO 3 stitches.
R60    k to end of row. CO 3 stitches.
Repeat these last 2 rows 2 times.

(WS) Using straight needle, pick up the 16 cable stitches from holder. Work these stitches back and forth for the following rounds:
R61    BO1 p2 k1 p8 k1 p3
R62    BO1 k2 p1 k8 p1 k2
R63    BO1 p1 k1 p8 k1 p2
R64    BO1 k1 p1 C4B C4F p1 k1
R65    p1 k1 p8 k1 p1   
R66    k1 p1 k8 p1 k1
R67    p1 k1 p8 k1 p1
R68    k1 p1 C4B C4F p1 k1
R69    p1 k1 p2 k4 p2 k1 p1
R70    k1 T3B p4 T3F k1
R71    p1 p2 k6 p2 p1   
R72    k1 k2 p6 k2 k1
R73    p1 p2 k6 p2 p1
R74    k1 k2 p6 k2 k1
R75    p1 p2 k6 p2 p1
R76    k1 T3F p4 T3B k1
R77    p1 k1 p2 k4 p2 k1 p1
R78    k1 p1 C4F C4B p1 k1
R79    p1 k1 p8 k1 p1
R80    k1 p1 C4B C4F p1 k1
R81    p1 k1 p8 k1 p1
R82    k1 p1 k8 p1 k1
R83    p1 k1 p8 k1 p1
R84    k1 p1 C4B C4F p1 k1
R85    p1 k1 p8 k1 p1
R86    k1 p1 k8 p1 k1
R87    p1 k1 p8 k1 p1
R88    k1 m1 p1 C4B C4F p1 m1 k1
R89    p2 k1 p2 k4 p2 k1 k2
R90    k2 T3B p4 T3F k2
R91    p2 p1 k8 p1 p2
R92    k2 k2 p6 k2 k2
R93    p2 p2 k6 p2 p2
R94    k2 k2 p6 k2 k2
R95    p2 p2 k6 p2 p2
R96    k2 m1 T3F p4 T3B m1 k2
R97    p3 k1 p2 k4 p2 k1 p3
R98    k3 p1 C4F C4B p1 k3
R99    p3 k1 p8 k1 p3
R101    k3 p1 C4B C4F p1 k3
R102    p3 k1 p8 k1 p3
R103    k3 m1 p1 k8 p1 m1 k3
R104    p4 k1 p8 k1 p4
R105    k4 p1 C4B C4F p1 k4
R106    p4 k1 p8 k1 p4
R107    k4 m1 p1 k8 p1 m1 k4
R108    p5 k1 p8 k1 p5
R109    k5 p1 C4B C4F p1 k5
R110    p5 k1 p2 k4 p2 k1 p5
R111    k5 T3B p4 T3F k5   
R112    p5 p2 k6 p2 p5
R113    k5 k2 p6 k2 k5
R114    p5 p2 k6 p2 p5
R115    k5 k2 p6 k2 k5
R116    p5 p2 k6 p2 p5
R117    k5 T3F p4 T3B k5
R118    p5 k1 p2 k4 p2 k1 p5
R119    k5 m1 p1 C4F C4B p1 m1 k5
R120    p6 k1 p8 k1 p6
R121    k6 m1 p1 C4B C4F p1 m1 k6
R122    p7 k1 p8 k1 p7
R123    k7 m1 p1 k8 p1 m1 k7
R124    p8 k1 p8 k1 p8
R125    k8 m1 p1 C4B C4F p1 m1 k8
R126    p9 k1 p8 k1 p9 CO 3 stitches
R127    k12 p1 k8 p1 k9 CO 3 stitches
R128    p12 k1 p8 k1 p12 CO 10 stitches
R129    k22 p1 C4B C4F p1 p12 CO 10 stitches
R130    p22 k1 p2 k4 p2 k1 p22 CO 1 stitch
(turn work as usual, but begin knitting onto circular needle; at the end of this cable row you’ll be joining it to the other end of the front piece.)

R131    place marker. k23 T3B p4 T3F k22 CO 1 stitch. Join with front piece by continuing on to knit all stitches until the marker.
R132    k23 k2 p6 k2 k to end of round.
R133    k23 k2 p6 k2 k to end of round.
R134    k23 k2 p6 k2 k to end of round.
R135    k23 k2 p6 k2 k to end of round.
R136    k23 k2 p6 k2 k to end of round.
R137    k23 T3F p4 T3B k to end of round.
R138    k23 p1 k2 p4 k2 p1 k to end of round.
R139    k23 p1 C4F C4B p1 *(k25 k2tog) repeat stitches from * to end of round.
R140    k23 p1 k8 p1 k to end of round.
R141    k23 p1 C4B C4F p1 *(k25 k2tog) repeat from * to end of round.
R142    k23 p1 k8 p1 k to end of round.
R143    k23 p1 k8 p1 k to end of round.
R144    k23 p1 k8 p1 k to end of round.
R145    k23 p1 C4B C4F p1 k to end of round.
R146    k23 p1 k8 p1 k to end of round.
R147    k23 p1 k8 p1 k to end of round.
R148    k23 p1 k8 p1 k to end of round.
R149    k23 p1 C4B C4F p1 k to end of round.
R150    k23 p1 k2 p4 k2 p1 k to end of round.
R151    k23 T3B p4 T3F k to end of round.
R152    k23 k2 p6 k2 k to end of round.
R153    k23 k2 p6 k2 k to end of round.
R154    k23 k2 p6 k2 k to end of round.
R155    k23 k2 p6 k2 k to end of round.
R156    k23 k2 p6 k2 k to end of round.
R157    k23 T3F p4 T3B k to end of round.
R158    k23 p1 k2 p4 k2 p1 k to end of round.
R159    k23 p1 C4F C4B p1 k to end of round.
R160    k23 p1 k8 p1 k to end of round.
R161    k23 p1 C4B C4F p1 k to end of round.
R162    k23 p1 k8 p1 k to end of round.
R163    k23 p1 k8 p1 k to end of round.
R164    k23 p1 k8 p1 k to end of round.
R165    k23 p1 C4B C4F p1 k to end of round.
R166    k23 p1 k8 p1 k to end of round.
R167    k23 p1 k8 p1 k to end of round.
R168    k23 p1 k8 p1 k to end of round.
R169    k23 p1 C4B C4F p1 k to end of round.
R170    k23 p1 k2 p4 k2 p1 k to end of round.
R171    k23 T3B p4 T3F k to end of round.
R172    k23 k2 p6 k2 k to end of round.
R173    k23 k2 p6 k2 k to end of round.
R174    k23 k2 p6 k2 k to end of round.
R175    k23 k2 p6 k2 k to end of round.
R176    k23 k2 p6 k2 k to end of round.
R177    k23 T3F p4 T3B k to end of round.
R178    k23 p1 k2 p4 k2 p1 k to end of round.
R179    k23 p1 C4F C4B p1 k to end of round.
R180    k23 p1 k8 p1 k to end of round.
R181    k23 p1 C4B C4F p1 k to end of round.
R182    k23 p1 k8 p1 k to end of round.
R183    k23 p1 k8 p1 k to end of round.
R184    k23 p1 k8 p1 k to end of round.
R185    k23 p1 C4B C4F p1 k to end of round.
R186    k23 p1 k8 p1 k25 k1p1 in same stitch (*k50 k1p1 in same stitch) repeat from * until end of round (k any remaining stitches after last repetition).
R187    k23 p1 k8 p1 k to end of round.
R188    k23 p1 k8 p1 k to end of round.
R189    k23 p1 C4B C4F p1 k to end of round.
R190    k23 p1 k2 p4 k2 p1 k to end of round.
R191    k23 T3B p4 T3F k to end of round.
R192    k23 k2 p6 k2 k to end of round.
R193    k23 k2 p6 k2 k to end of round.
R194    k23 k2 p6 k2 k to end of round.
R195    k23 k2 p6 k2 k to end of round.
R196    k23 k2 p6 k2 k to end of round.
R197    k23 T3F p4 T3B k to end of round.
R198    k23 p1 k2 p4 k2 p1 k to end of round.
R199    k23 p1 C4F C4B p1 k to end of round.
R200    k23 p1 k8 p1 k to end of round.
R201    k23 p1 C4B C4F p1 k to end of round.
R202    k23 p1 k8 p1 k to end of round.
R203    k23 p1 k8 p1 k to end of round.
R204    k23 p1 k8 p1 k to end of round.
R205    k23 p1 C4B C4F p1 k25 k1p1 in same stitch (*k50 k1p1 in same stitch) repeat from * until end of round (k any remaining stitches after last repetition)
R206    k23 p1 k8 p1 k to end of round.
R207    k23 p1 k8 p1 k to end of round.
R208    k23 p1 k8 p1 k to end of round.
R209    k23 p1 C4B C4F p1 k to end of round.
R210    k23 p1 k2 p4 k2 p1 k25 k1p1 in same stitch (*k50 k1p1 in same stitch) repeat from * until end of round (k any remaining stitches after last repetition).
R211    k23 T3B p4 T3F k to end of round.
R212    k23 k2 p6 k2 k to end of round.
R213    k23 k2 p6 k2 k to end of round.
R214    k23 k2 p6 k2 k to end of round.
R215    k23 k2 p6 k2 k to end of round.
R216    k23 k2 p6 k2 k25 k1p1 in same stitch (*k50 k1p1 in same stitch) repeat from * until end of round (k any remaining stitches after last repetition).
R217    k23 T3F p4 T3B k to end of round.
R218    k23 p1 k2 p4 k2 p1 k to end of round.
R219    k23 p1 C4F C4B p1 k to end of round.
R220    k23 p1 k8 p1 k to end of round.
R221    k23 p1 C4B C4F p1 k to end of round.
R222    k23 p1 k8 p1 k25 k1p1 in same stitch (*k50 k1p1 in same stitch) repeat from * until end of round (k any remaining stitches after last repetition).
R223    k23 p1 k8 p1 k to end of round.
R224    k23 p1 k8 p1 k to end of round.
R225    k23 p1 C4B C4F p1 k to end of round.
R226    k23 p1 k8 p1 k to end of round.
R227    k23 p1 k8 p1 k to end of round.
R228    k23 p1 k8 p1 k25 k1p1 in same stitch (*k50 k1p1 in same stitch) repeat from * until end of round (k any remaining stitches after last repetition).
R229    k23 p1 C4B C4F p1 k to end of round.
R230    k23 p1 k2 p4 k2 p1 k to end of round.
R231    k23 T3B p4 T3F k to end of round.
R232    k23 k2 p6 k2 k to end of round.
R233    k23 k2 p6 k2 k to end of round.
R234    k23 k2 p6 k2 k25 k1p1 in same stitch (*k50 k1p1 in same stitch) repeat from * until end of round (k any remaining stitches after last repetition).
R235    k23 k2 p6 k2 k to end of round.
R236    k23 k2 p6 k2 k to end of round.
R237    k23 T3F p4 T3B k to end of round.
R238    k23 p1 k2 p4 k2 p1 k to end of round.
R239    k23 p1 C4F C4B p1 k25 k1p1 in same stitch (*k50 k1p1 in same stitch) repeat from * until end of round (k any remaining stitches after last repetition).
R240    k23 p1 k8 p1 k to end of round.
R241    k23 p1 C4B C4F p1 k to end of round.
R242    k23 p1 k8 p1 k to end of round.
R243    k23 p1 k8 p1 k to end of round.
R244    k23 p1 k8 p1 k25 k1p1 in same stitch (*k50 k1p1 in same stitch) repeat from * until end of round (k any remaining stitches after last repetition).
R245    k23 p1 C4B C4F p1 k to end of round.
R246    k23 p1 k8 p1 k to end of round.
R247    k23 p1 k8 p1 k to end of round.
R248    k23 p1 k8 p1 k to end of round.
R249    k23 p1 C4B C4F p1 k25 k1p1 in same stitch (*k50 k1p1 in same stitch) repeat from * until end of round (k any remaining stitches after last repetition).
R250    k23

This is a really poor quality picture. But it was the best I could do with my little Macbook for now; just wanted to show how the cable spine is working out! I'm working on the armholes, which can be tricky, because I don't want them to be too gapey or too tight. But we'll see! Trying to be disciplined about trying it on a lot; kind of a pain because you have to transfer all the stitches onto waste yarn and then back on the needles to start knitting again. But worth it, if I don't want to have an unwearable top!

I've already blogged today. And it was mainly about knitting. But I had to share this, because really, just look at it. Wow. (it is a crocheted item, not knitted, if any of you readers don't [gasp!] know the difference.)