BlogRoll

This week I really wanted to highlight a couple of blogs and websites that I love. As usual, they are always featured on the right column, but you may have noticed that there are some newcomers some that just didn't cut it more.

Besides knitting, reading, eating, and sleeping (my main 4 activities in my life), I love working out with my trainer of the last 3 years, Emilia, from FLIP training. She's educated,  ambitious, and has just the right amount of push to get me going, but knows the line between a complainer and serious problems.

Growing up with sports all of my life, I know how to work out. But I did not have the motivation to get me to the gym. Having a trainer keeps me accountable to someone, and with focussed workouts tailored to me, she has helped lose weight, feel really good, and finally feel fit again.

Also, FLIP offers a fantastic Saturday morning circuit class in Vancouver. Why be ready to workout at 8:30 in the morning, you ask, when the bed with the soft, warm duvet is just calling your name?

Well, no matter how crappy I feel before, I always feel better after doing the workout. The mini circuits offer great variety so there is no "boring" downtime, chugging away at the same exercise over and over. There is a different group of people every week, working out with the three FLIP trainers. The trainers are energetic, insightful, motivating, and there absolutely no ATTITUDE like there are at other bootcamps and classes. You can drop in if you don't want to commit just yet. And the great part is, you are DONE by 9:30 am! Just check out their website and give them a call! It's worth it.

If you want to check out the extremely motivating and relateable blog done by Jen who I met in circuit class, go here!

A brand new blog I am proud to announce is from Marianela, at http://marianelapc.wordpress.com/.

She takes her analytical number-crunching brain and takes a good look at social networks, the knitting community, and where it can go from here. She is a newbie knitter, but you wouldn't know it with all of her projects she just cranks out every week or so. Great taste, and a great personality to know!

Top favorite knitting blogs to check out:

Yarn Harlot - If you want to laugh out loud about knitting, this is it. My absolute favorite so far. Check out her books too, I was LOLing constantly

MisoCrafty - my fave local blog - she has regular updates and fantastic knitting photos and commentary. You should check out her new project bags on Etsy also!
Urban Yarns and AlexaLudeman (aka Gourmet Crafter yarn) - Alexa writes both blogs with knowledge, beauty, and a touch of sarcasm. And Alexa is coming out with a book! Check out the websites!
FlourPower

Mmm favorite food blogs:

Family Feedbag - a new one I have discovered - check out the awesome potato salad!

SweetSpot - an online food magazine

smitten kitchen - my god, great food photos....danger, danger!



Joy the Baker - check out her podcast also.

 

On to the knitting projects. This week, I have received the 3rd clue in the Steven West Knits Mystery Shawl KAL (Knit-A-Long).  After an agonizing first couple weeks, I have rightfully decided to go with a completely different group of colours than the Madelinetosh sock electric pink and black. After seeing that there would be parallellogram blocks of colour, I was extremely worried that I would come out with an 80s patchwork shawl. Scary!

Never fear, however, as I pulled out two beautiful stash skeins of Pidgeon Roof Studios superwash sock yarn in light purpley greys:

Haze:

Respasia:

I sought Kynna's help and great colour eye at Urban Yarns on Friday Stitch n' Bitch night for a 3rd muted colour. Originally thinking of a grey-purple (oooh, getting exciting :)) she brought forth a Madelinetosh Pashmina sock skein in French Grey:

French Grey:

And it works so well! I am so much happier with this project.

7 am called me out of bed to get started again on this project. Goodbye 80's colours, hello mystery!

I also discovered that the Koigu Grey merino I was using to stripe against the gorgeous Gourmet Sock in Tofino Fern for the  Daybreak Shawl I'm knitting was just blending in WAY too much. The Tofino Fern just has too much of exactly the the same gray, so the Koigu is out. In comes Cloak by Madelinetosh, almost a dark black. I will have to rip out back to the start of the striping, but I'm excited for my good decision.

After going gung-ho with the Blue Sky Alpacas Organic Cotton skein for a beret, I'm just not happy with it, and worse, I think I'd have to buy one more skein of yarn just to finish - not the point of stashbusting!

So, I'm deleting this project, and will figure out what to do with it sometime. Maybe a nice cowl.

Happy Monday!