Knit and Tink

Going ... going .... gone!

2007-04-10T23:58:00.000-07:00

Don't forget to change your bookmarks...the coffee is on!

Moving day...

2007-04-08T18:22:00.000-07:00

I have moved....please come visit me at my new home.

Hope you had a happy Easter!

ahhh, it feels so good ....

2007-04-03T23:02:00.000-07:00

I am so glad I am knitting again! My pictures aren't great because my camera went dead today so I charged it and then had to use flash. I know there isn't a lot of progress on the sock, but I got to get away this weekend with my girls for a shopping trip. We had a great time, and I did manage to get a little bit of other knitting done in the motel room. I am really enjoying this sock. I really love the yarn!

I also got Stephanie's new book. I was so impressed with the picture on her blog (and a zillion others) that now I want to go to New York and find the same place and take a sock picture. For now, my sock will have to be content to show itself on the book. Hopefully I will not be on the same sock when I finally make it there!

The other day, I was startled quite a bit by this:

I am not exactly sure what went through my mind, but I was quite taken aback until I saw the grin. He loves to startle me in mischevious ways and I have been grateful almost every day of his life for how creative and typical he is. We've always had such great, great support, but those few "professionals" along the way who told us that these kids don't require much attention in the early years have been proven wrong. And hey, if it wasn't for some of the shenanigans, who knows if I'd have started knitting again!

living up to my name!

2007-03-29T00:51:00.000-07:00

As I expected, the sock hit the frog pond. They were too tight. It wasn't too painful to frog it all.

Today I had a little opportunity to re-knit on size 2 needles and they are so much nicer. I am using the size 1 to do the sole of the sock. The only thing that makes me sad is that I didn't get to use my new lace addis on the cuff, I guess I will just have to get some of those, too! Here is my little imp holding the sock for me. He was tired but managed half a smile.

decisions

2007-03-26T22:04:00.000-07:00

When I started knitting again about 4 years ago, I was an uptight knitter. I knit off and on from the time I was 8 years old. If I made a mistake, I either ignored it or ripped everything out. I know I made attempts at fixing errors, but it was not relaxing to me.

Then in the summer of 2003, I discovered sock knitting. My youngest son has Down Syndrome and he had started wandering away from home. His first escapade took him 8 blocks from home and earned a ride home in a police car. He had accidentally let our dog out and decided to round him up himself. In those days, when the dog ran...no one could catch him. He was only gone a few minutes when we discovered it. We all ran different directions but my hubby had the forsight to get in the car. He almost immediately got on his trail. People said they saw him go "that way" and to this day we wonder why in the world no one thought something was wrong with the picture of a little boy, obviously one who didn't look like he should be running down the street alone, barefoot no less...in hot pursuit of a runaway dog! He managed to get downtown and some kind soul along the way knew this didn't seem right and they followed him across one of the two very busy streets he had to cross and managed to get him into a pizza parlor and called the police. We'll never understand how the policeman managed to get both him and the dog into the patrol car...and then hubby flagged him down to alert him that we had an escape artist...only to find out the little stinker was in the car. Well....after that...dear boy thought he was a HERO....he caught the dog AND rode in a police car! Then he started taking the dog out looking for the police!

Needless to say, I was a bit of a wreck. I spent sleepless nights fighting off the "what ifs", but had to realize that time after time, he was only gone a few minutes and every single time, we got right on his trail. We asked everyone we knew to be on the lookout for him and life settled back down. We know that God has shown us over and over that He has His eye on that dear child.

During this time, I decided to start knitting again...little realizing what therapy that has been. How I went from being so uptight in my knitting to confident and able to fix mistakes is beyond me. I guess I finally bloomed as a knitter.

One decision I made was that no matter what, I was going to enjoy the journey. If I have to tink and frog until I get it right...I will. I would just look at that as part of the enjoyment of the finished product. I have learned not to put big pressure on myself by thinking I have to finish something by a certain time. I have decided instead to just get it done when it is right. If I have to take it out over and over...so be it. I am learning along the way....and I am enjoying it!

I told our son's therapist once that rather than knit her socks for an occasion such as Christmas or birthday and put myself under huge pressure, instead I would do it just because and the event is to say *I appreciate you*. I don't knit socks for just anyone (especially considering I have 12 feet in my own family to knit for!) so if someone happens to get some, it is a way for me to say I am giving you my best.

The wandering of the boy has pretty much come to an end although we know a big part of that is because every single ear in this house stays pretty tuned in to his presence. He has a little more understanding that this is not cool. I often wonder where I'd be today if I hadn't started knitting again!

Where is all of this coming from? I have spent the last several months struggling along...leaving a trail of unfinished projects behind me. Some of them will eventually be completed. Some served their purpose by keeping my hands and head busy for the moment. Some of the yarn has landed in other people's hands because I couldn't ever see finishing the project I started. Some of it I still love and will either finish that project or start something else.

However...I am realizing that during this crazy time, knitting has carried me once again. If my hands aren't actually holding the needles, I am thinking about it, planning what to make or how something will work. And learning that is part of the journey also. Wow...is that satisfying? I'd say so. I can't think of anything else in life apart from my relationship with God and my family and friends that has brought me more comfort!

And with all of this, here is my latest experiment with my Louet Gems Merino...that I am loving. This one may end up in a frog pond and I think I may have a solution figured out for what to do. It looks great on but tight going over the heel. I may knit the cuff in size 2s, then switch the sole needle to a 1. I didn't like the looks of the fabric in 2s on the little baby socks I knit but I think it will be ok with the cables because I need a bit more stretch. (Please forgive the picture, I had to take it with a flash and it's a little fuzzy.)

I also have a Springtime in Paris sock started with this yarn but the pattern repeat is 6 stitches and it's either too small or too big. I may try the same solution with that sock if it works.

Ok...back to knitting!

hi ... hi ... hello .... hi

2007-03-22T10:15:00.000-07:00

I have really managed to make a mess of my blog. I just didn't like the pink and blue so I started playing around and now I wish I'd never have done anything. I can't figure out how to get my original look back and now I get to find all my links again because I lost them all. ahhhh the joys.

I wanted to share the very fun little surprise I got from a friend the other day. Day brightener!

The card talks when you open it! My little son had a blast with it when he first opened it...he slammed it shut, then very cautiously opened it and closed it.

These little guys bring lots of smiles!

when is a mother proud?

2007-03-20T21:49:00.000-07:00

What can I say? My 18 year-old daughter, who refuses to admit she likes to knit, made this sweater for a very special baby a few months ago.

Here's a close-up of the sleeve...the day before the baby shower, she took out the seams of both sleeves and did them again because she wanted it perfect.

And here is the picot hem.

What I loved about this whole project is that she did it all herself. She looked up what she didn't know on her own and every time I saw the progress for the day, I was just astounded at what she'd taught herself. What a way to learn, eh?

Today she just finished a sweater she made out of Manos del Uruguay yarn. She knit 3 sweaters before she had something she liked. I am just amazed at her diligence and attention to detail. I'll get a picture of the sweater when she gets the buttons on it!

I've been knitting again and enjoying it. I don't have any pictures to show...but will soon. I also have to share a picture of a very fun little surprise I got today! I remembered to bring my camera home, but will take some pictures in the daylight.

a new look

2007-03-18T21:43:00.000-07:00

Even though I really don't like pink and blue together...I just felt ready for a change since I decided to come back...we'll see how long this lasts!

I was going to show you some pictures, but silly me left my camera at work. I can show you this:

Most people don't know who these guys are...but this was practically my favorite Christmas gift this year...Hoops and YoYo! One of my dear daughters bought me these on eBay...and we all had a good laugh! They actually hang out with me at work some days!

Obviously, I don't have much to say so I will go find something productive to do. :)

Yes, I am still alive

2007-03-15T21:36:00.000-07:00

Life goes on. :)

I have been knitting...

I've done a lot more than this but don't seem to have any pictures to share.

Life is good...

Minimal knitting going on these days

2006-10-10T10:41:00.000-07:00

I am so ready for life to return to normal. I have accomplished a little bit of knitting, though. I have another sock in progress (well...LOL....in this current phase of knitting anyway, I have lots of them in the forgotten stash) but it is at work...well, actually 2 there at work. I had to start a pair for hubby, he is so patient and gently requested a pair for him in the frenzy of the stress knitting. I'm not moving as quickly these days, just seem to have given it all up for a time. It is comical, though....when I do knit and the conversation even hints of stress, I speed up considerably! The yarn is Hand Jive and I'm teaching myself to do it the magic loop method. So far, very easy...but I haven't hit the heel yet!

I have amazed myself....

2006-09-21T23:37:00.000-07:00

I finished picking up the gusset early evening and tonight I have a new pair of socks! I need to keep on with the mindless knitting and we'll just see where this leads. :-s

Stress knitting pays off :)

2006-09-19T18:36:00.000-07:00

I really am not walking around like a ball of stress...and maybe some of that can be attributed to mindless knitting. The time I have been knitting has been minimal, but I am sure making progress when I do knit. I got a bunch more of this yarn in today...the colors are so nice. I needed a mindless project and this has been great. I think I will start another mindless project as soon as I am done with this one. I have to say, the colors and the yarn are quite soothing.

Yes, I am getting a little bit of a ladder...it's cuz I am not used to knitting on dpns any more. It isn't bad though...showed up more in the picture than in person.

What do you do.....

2006-09-17T20:06:00.000-07:00

when life just feels tough?........

Knit a sock!

My Charlotte is still on the needles and I have really not lost momentum on it, but I just don't have the concentration I need to work on it right now. It popped off the needles and I got the stitches picked up, but I need to figure out where the yarnovers were. So.....it is resting right now. Thankfully, it was at a point that I was pretty excited because the last color is coming in, so I am sure it's going to stay at the front of the to do/want to list.

There is a lot going on in my life right now and I couldn't follow any kind of pattern so I started a new sock! Amazing what stress does for you when you're knitting socks! 3 days....a sock. I love it, too! I am using FlyDesign Monarch sock yarn, August colorway. The twist makes the yarn...it's a lot like Koigu and Socks that Rock. I got minimal pooling, which is a major pet peeve of mine. I am never content to let the yarn be what it wants to be (right, Lauri?) The only time it pooled was in the gusset decreases.

This sock feels so good on my foot. I have a board meeting to sit through tomorrow and I plan to knit my way through it. :) It will be a relaxed meeting anyway.

My method of choice in knitting socks is using 2 Addi Circulars....but this time, I was too lazy to go get my needles so I started them on my Addi DPNs instead. I'm glad I still remember how to do it. It's been funny, though. Several times I've pulled them out of the couch....they are dangerous, I forgot how much! lol

Anyway...that's my update. I'll be back when I'm back. haha

ps.....I cannot find my camera cable so pictures have to wait. boo hoo

There's going to be a Charlotte!

2006-08-29T08:26:00.000-07:00

My Charlotte's Web shawl is growing and not causing me any grief at all. If I had it to do over, I would probably not have picked some of the colorways in it, but I still think I'll like it.

When I first purchased the yarn for the shawl, the store I went to had a very limited stock and I was just too eager to get going on it to want to order the yarn. I did not like it at all from the beginning. The yarn was pretty but not exactly what I wanted. The whole project came to a halt shortly after and I just decided to wait until I could find a few more colorways to add to it.

When I went to Stitch n Pitch, I did buy a two more colorways. Then I got the chance to visit Village Yarn and Tea in Shoreline and I found another. I had to stop myself because I really could have purchased enough yarn to make another shawl completely and my budget just couldn't take it.

While on vacation, I just decided to put the colors together and go for it. I'm now halfway through the 4th colorway. I know if I stop now, I'll forget the pattern that is just flowing so easily. I'm excited because I just LOVE the last color coming up. I'm hoping it pulls the rest of it together but I'm not really unhappy with the way it all looks.

When I get this one done, I'm going to have to go back to the "have to" knitting. Hmmmm, I wonder how long I can make this last!

Vacation knitting and a wedding

2006-08-19T17:06:00.000-07:00

I have no idea where my post about my vacation knitting went...and it was long.

On vacation, I didn't do any of the "have to" knitting I brought with me...instead, I pulled out my Charlotte's Web shawl and started over. I didn't frog the first attempt, I just pulled the yarn out of the bag...ha ha. I was never happy with the colors of the first one and have been collecting a few new colors to add to it. This time around, it is just knitting up so easily. I've been putting in a lifeline faithfully after almost every pattern repeat and happily pulling them out after I get several past it. The way the colors have been coming out amazes me. Sometimes they pool even when I am using alternating colors through part of it. It's kind of cool how you move through the colors. One gets to shine in all it's glory, then you start mixing in the next color, so one fades out, one starts to bloom. Then it gets to shine in all it's glory until the next one gets a turn. I love watching it happen!

We came home a bit early from vacation so we could go to a wedding. The wedding was great, just like I expected it would be knowing the bride!

Since I'm not sure she wants her picture linked to her blog, I am just going to leave it at this, but is sure was fun and I thought she looked so beautiful in the sweater her mom crocheted her!

Vacation pt 2

2006-08-19T16:53:00.000-07:00

This is at the foot of our campsite...we had the only site that had privacy. Once in awhile, little kids would be in front of our site throwing rocks into the river, but never for long and it didn't really feel like intrusion anyway.

This is looking up towards the front of our site. The kids are playing frisbee alongside the RV. See the little corner bench there under the trees? I never sat there, but it was a cute spot.

This is standing near the end of the RV looking out towards the river. We had a lot of room!

One little picture of downtown Leavenworth. If you are ever in Washington state and get a chance to visit, do. It is so quaint. Our family always enjoys it. I just don't like how hot it gets, but love the little shops there. This is where we were on Sept. 11, that fateful day. It was our first time there and it was so strange to be where this happy music was playing on the streets and in some of the shops, the people are in costume. We love going there, though...have been many times since 2001.

Back to work next week, though. :(

Home from vacation

2006-08-19T09:25:00.000-07:00

We got in last night....and our wireless connection is all messed up so the only way I can get online is through our desktop, which dear little son has totally messed up. As soon as I can, I will post a picture of my vacation knitting!

Ohhhhh my gosh......

2006-08-10T22:35:00.000-07:00

I am working on Cat Bordhi's new toe-up sock in the current issue of Vogue Knitting. When I looked at the picture, I thought she had matched up the yarn so I spent about an hour Tuesday getting it matched up and wound it all together into one. I was well into the foot of the sock and honestly was hating it more and more the farther I got. I kept looking at the picture thinking something was different. Well, I finally looked closer and I notice...her yarn is not matched at all. Hers has kind of a mottled look and mine is just cheap looking. Way too much pink and blue. Soooooo....Bunni and I decide we can rewind it. We started on it yesterday and ran out of time so we decided today we would take a different approach. We would pull the yarn all the way down the hallway at the shop and separate the two strands, and rewind it. Doesn't that sound like it would work? Well.....you would not even believe the mess we ended up with. That yarn was twisting and plying on itself like crazy. Customers were coming in to my family's business which is in the front part of the building my little shop is in. We just invited them to step over the mess. After an hour of this craziness ... and the yarn was so twisted, I realized that there is no way this is going to work. So, I don't know what will become of the sad yarn, but I know it's not going to become any socks that *I* knit! Sorry to say I never thought of taking a picture of it all.

My camera has a dead battery

2006-08-07T20:20:00.000-07:00

I finished knitting my Marit bag by KnitWhits (the stripes in the previous post) and took it and all the bobbles outside to take their picture and my camera is dead! I just have the triangle band to make around the top and I'm ready to sew it together and felt it. The instructions say to felt it first, then make all the pieces work together...when they felt at different rates. I don't want to mess with that so I'm going to sew most of it together first. I'll do the mattress stitch around the bottom after felting and sew on all the bobbles after also. I'm loving the bag and it knit up so fast! I'm showing you the picture from the knitwhit website until I can get my own on here.

I've also been practicing the new toe-up cast on I learned in the class with Cat Bordhi. I really like it. I haven't been so successful at the toe-up socks I've made previously, can't get the fit right, but I'm going to keep trying. If you ever get a chance to take a class from Cat....DO! She is so incredibly encouraging and you learn so much. I will take one every time I get a chance whether I have already had the class or not! She has a new method and it works great. I want to make an adult size sock, though, to see how the new techniques work. We can't share what we learned until her new book comes out next Spring, but it gives me lots of time to practice and perfect it. She has a great pattern in this month's Vogue Knitting.

I just bought my issue today. I'm going to go look at it now and figure out whether to do her new sock pattern or Nancy's Bush's. It's a great issue!

Sneak preview

2006-07-31T20:55:00.000-07:00

Today I am just wiped out from the crazy weekend. I had a dentist appointment at 10 an hour away. When I got home, I had to do my quarterly taxes then finish my bookkeeping for my real job. When I finally got home, I was just *done*.
Hopefully I will have more tomorrow to show you what it really is.

And here is the crazy picture of our cart when we left the trade show! I know some people took home a lot more than we did, but we sure got a kick out of getting this all out of the hotel!

I'll have more to say later when my brain is not fried.

'twas a knitting weekend for sure!

2006-07-30T22:40:00.000-07:00

I got to go to a trade show for my little yarn shop. One of the highlights was taking a class with the wonderfully encouraging Cat Bordhi! She's just awesome and we learned so much in a class called Sockitechture. We can't teach any of the things until her book comes out next March-June sometime. However, the stuff was just great and I can't wait to get ahold of the book. I'll just practice in the meantime. I learned a GREAT new toe-up cast on which was featured on knitty.com last issue.

When I have time, I will post a picture of our cart when we left the show. Even though I couldn't spend a lot, I ended up bringing some things home. I've already started a pair of socks and a purse from the stuff I bought. The purse is sample knitting and the socks just because I wanted to try the new cast on before I forgot!

More later, soooooo tired tonight!

Mariner's Stitch n Pitch.....

2006-07-26T08:36:00.000-07:00

We survived! Our seats were the next to last row in the highest level! As I said, I am terrified of heights, but will wonders never cease? It was a GREAT place to sit. We could actually *see* the game and we had some great knitters sitting around us! This was taken about an hour before game time. When Bunni went to find our seats and kept going up and up and up and up, I started to wonder if I would just spend my time hanging out in the shop area....haha

It was soooooo much fun. There were a lot of stores set up there so we got a chance to add to the yarn stash!
The first pitch was thrown by a knitter and instead of a baseball, she threw a ball of yarn. :)

I decided to be kind in showing our presence at the game.

Here's Bunni:

And Lauri:

And me:

This is what happens when you are screaming for the Mariner's and not paying attention to what you are doing:

I knit off the second needle and it fell free into my lap and the sock was on one crazy twisted single needle.

Of course, I had to get a picture of my sock in progress with Ichiro! This just happened to be his first hit of the night!

and a picture of him doing his famous pre-batting routine:

We also got a close-up view of the Mariner Moose:

Next year we are definitely going to try to get together a big group of people to go with us!

Still alive and knittin'

2006-07-25T10:26:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted in forever. However, I am still knitting. Lazy is the word.

A few weeks ago I started a new shawl using a new pattern by Fibertrends called Ruffles and Ridges. I'm using JJ's Montage, a hand-painted chunky yarn. The killer? I had to cast on 807 stitches! By the 6th row, you have 273 stitches. Sometimes it helps to read the pattern. I struggled through one long row, knitting in the back of every stitch and needed to find the center of the shawl. When I was well past the center and there were supposed to be 30 more stitches, I had about 100! I had read the pattern as "k3, k2 tog" and it was actually "k 3, *k2 tog across row from *" Oh welllllllllll............

It has been fun to knit and I do like the ruffled edge now that I am getting a little bit away from it. When it was all so tight on my 47" needle, it looked like a clown ruffle to me but not so much any more.

The other project I am working on is a pair of Friday Harbor socks from Knitting on the Road by Nancy Bush. I'm using Bearfoot yarn for these. They are pretty easy to do and I'm enjoying them a lot. I even knit on them when we got away this weekend....in the Jeep with the top down! I had to contend with the tail flying all over and getting knit in here and there...ha ha. Pretty tricky trying to keep the pattern from blowing away and keeping that tail out of the work, but I did make pretty good progress!

Today I'm headed to the Mariner's Stitch n Pitch! I was trying to get the Friday Harbor socks to the point of mindless knitting, but they aren't so hard that it really matters. I'm really looking forward to the game although I am TERRIFIED of heights and we are in the highest level! Everyone tells me that getting around all those knitters will counteract the height thing. We'll see...if I make it through it, I will post about it soon!

Blah knitting days

2006-07-08T23:17:00.000-07:00

I have been knitting, I have nothing exciting to show. I am making a simple shawl out of handpaint yarn that starts with a cast on of 807 stitches. By the sixth row, you are down to 273 stitches. On the second decrease row, I read the pattern wrong... it said k3, *k2 tog* to last 3 st. So what did I do? k3, k2 tog across the entire row. Then I struggled through knitting through the back loops in the next row...only to discover that on the decrease row I should have k2 tog across the entire row. :( I frogged back to the decrease row and am halfway across the k2 tog row. I was so surprised when I was marking the halfway point and when there should have been 30 stitches left, there were about 100. oh wellllllllllllllllllllllllll. I'm not discouraged, I'm only working on it at work anyway. I didn't take any pictures because how many frogged pictures does a blog need? haha
Other than that, I have just been working on socks here and there. They are all projects I will finish for sure but I can't seem to stay with one pair. One of these days I will have LOTS of new socks!
Lauri gave my little guy a pirate hat today and I took his picture, dirty face and all. He didn't take the hat off until bedtime. I haven't been real thrilled about sharing pictures, but I thought he was pretty cute. This is exactly what he was saying.

Later:

Well, the adventure goes on...first thing this morning, this is what jumps in front of me:

I just can never get him without his eyes closed. Lol....he's much cuter than he shows sometimes.

Well, he must have been worried because the next thing he does is this:

Sock Candy

2006-07-03T21:40:00.000-07:00

I've been playing with the Sock Candy yarn. I'm not sure how I feel about cotton socks, but I played with ideas in the car today. The yarn is really pretty...just not sure how I want to knit them.

I need to remember to take pictures in the daylight...but I stuck my started sock in this cute basket I got from a friend of mine. I should make the hot chocolate in the cute cup I got and put my feet up and relax. (like I've done anything else since we got home!) haha

Wow, I was tired when we got home...glad we get another day off! I need a rest after our time away...but what fun it was!

my birthday...what a great day it was!

2006-07-02T22:52:00.000-07:00

Hubby and I got a chance to get away for a greatly needed rest. We left home last night after I got off work and weren't sure where we'd end up. Astoria, Oregon was the place. We have come through here many, many times. We went on down the coast a bit but since it's a holiday weekend, there was nothing available at a price we cared to pay so we came back up to Astoria. We got up this morning and went to church, then drove to Cannon Beach for breakfast. I got to go to the little yarn store there and it was so fun to walk in the door and have the store owner greet me by name! This is what I got:

Sorry for the quality of the picture...it's dark and late. On the left is Socks That Rock medium weight Spring Fling. The other two are Sock Candy...colorway Boysenberry and Marigold. I had a great time visiting with the shop owner and had to decline an invitation to a barbecue at her home because my kids were on their way to see us.

We had a little party in our room then went for pizza. Afterwards we had to visit the Astoria Column which is just beautiful. It was so foggy and cool until right before we drove up there...could it have been any more perfect?

Of course, I am the only one too chicken to go to the top...so I stayed down and knit on my Sock Candy....of course I will frog it ... ha ha ... but I also listened to my I-pod...what fun, until I looked up and saw this:

Ha ha...well you can't really see, but Daddy is holding up my youngest to wave at me. I told them I wasn't waving back, I was trying to tell him to PUT HIM DOWN! Just kidding. This is what I got to look at while I waited for them and listened to Robin Mark on my I-pod.

Can you see the bridge there? It connects Oregon and Washington.

Here they are at the bottom, safe and sound:

I also got some fun gifts from the family for my I-pod. Now this is just about a little more cool than I think I can handle. haha. I got a gift card for I-tunes, a case, a cute little portable speaker, and an FM thingy. Of course, they are just going to have to teach me how to use it all, but I'm pretty excited.

After the kids left, hubby and I decided to go to the movies. How we did this, I don't know, but we forgot to watch the time. At 8:20 he asked me what time "Lake House" was showing....hmmm, 8:30? We thought it started at 8:20 but by the time we'd called, we found out it started at 8:40 and we walked through the door of the theater at exactly that time and didn't really have to watch all of the previews by the time we got popcorn. I love Sandra Bullock and the movie was interesting....we had to sort it out all the way back home.

I am sooo grateful for my family and friends for making my day special. I got text messages from the kids wanting to know if it was a special day for me...and from their "friends" wishing me a good day. It was good and I feel very, very blessed and so thankful to God for the wonderful things He has done in me and in my family.

Yea! It's been a day!

2006-06-30T22:23:00.000-07:00

What a fun, fun day. :)
I got to go to 2 birthday events to celebrate a good friend's and my birthdays. We had breakfast at one friend's home...a wonderful tea party. (I'm not a tea drinker....lol....but I still enjoyed it very much. My friends just can't convert me, I'm a Starbucks girl myself!)
Then another friend brought us both a Hawaiian lunch to my little shop...complete with flowered flip flops and leis! We had salad with some kind of tropical muffins and strawberries and cream. It was lots and lots of fun.
The fun didn't end there.
I got my Knit Lites in stock today! What fun! It was pretty funny trying to cast on the clear tips in daylight. I felt like a new knitter! I'm also not used to such long needles...but they ar e still pretty fun. Hubby and I went on our weekly date night tonight and I was pretty eager for it to get dark. I was knitting on a dishcloth as we came home and it was getting dark. My hubby said to me..."Wow! Those are a lot brighter than that head light thing you wear!" I DON'T wear a light on my head! haha. I DO clip a light to my seat belt or my shirt though. I did ask him ages ago if I had gone too far in my obsession! nahhhhhhhhhhhh
But that wasn't all!
I finally spent my Christmas money today! Yes...it took me all this time to decide what to do with it. I got myself an I-Pod! Right now I am listening to a podcast...so if some of this doesn't make sense...well, hmm. I may be sharing some of the podcast with you by accident. haha
All in all....it's been a fun day.

Yes, finally pictures

2006-06-29T19:48:00.000-07:00

I haven't gotten anywhere on getting the last little thing done on the baby bolero but once I get the stitches picked up, it will go fast I'm sure. It has a little shawl collar ... isn't it cute?

It was relatively easy as long as you take the time to read the directions (my downfall most of the time!) Here is a close up of the edging...I guess it isn't too clear but you get the idea.

I used Sirdar Snuggly DK and so far, have only used one skein. I'm not sure if I'll get through the collar with what I have left but it looks possible. The pattern calls for 2. I think the pattern is adorable, but the only thing I suggest is to read carefully...some of the decrease rows get a bit tricky if you're not paying attention.
Other knitting news: I am working on some HandJive Knits socks. I really like the yarn but the dye is coming off on my fingers. I haven't heard anyone else mention this so I am going to call the shop I got it from to see what they say. The yarn is definitely beautiful. I am still playing with getting the cast on right so I can't really take a picture yet. I guess I'm just enjoying knitting and not too worried about how quickly I get things finished.

Baby Bolero

2006-06-26T16:13:00.000-07:00

I did take pictures but it's been so long since I have posted any that it appears my cord for my camera is not in my bag so I will do upload them when I get home tonight. I had all of the stitches picked up for the sweater edge and the center wasn't in the center at all, so I pulled it all out and will re-pick them up...no big deal, the loops are looser now. All along some of the edges it seems you need to skip a lot of stitches, then when you get across the neck edge, you add a lot. When I resumed the picking up stitches after the weekend, I decided to count to see how many I needed and it is off. Back to the drawing board...but it hasn't been much work to get this far and will be done quickly once I get moving on it. I am thinking it will be pretty cute.

It's awfully hot today so I just can't seem to stay at anything...I go home in an hour and I might work on it tonight, maybe not. haha

Another day...no pictures

2006-06-25T23:12:00.000-07:00

Another day of no pictures. I am making a baby bolero which is very close to done, but I cannot get it to lay well with the needles in it. All I have left to do is the lace front and shawl collar...I'll try to finish and post tomorrow. Cute! I've also been working on my Socks That Rock but am a little confused on knitting with the 2 colors down the foot...I don't want a little ridge down my foot so I have to figure out where I should be changing. Interesting where they met up again after the heel.

I feel like I totally wasted this day. I went to church this morning but got sick and came home. Didn't do much more than sit on the couch most of the day! It was hot and everyone was tired. I did make myself a little banner but my computer for some reason crashes when I'm using Paint Shop Pro so I have to save what I'm working on every step of the way. It acts just fine on my old computer that is slower than molasses!

Hope to have pictures of knitting tomorrow.

Where did I go?

2006-06-21T21:57:00.000-07:00

Long story. My new laptop died Monday. They will fix it but they sure aren't in a hurry to get back to me. My little son had oral surgery last week and then the therapist we have had for 11 years took a new job and we had our last day with her Monday. Needless to say, I'm drained emotionally...it would be nice to have my laptop but *oh well*. :( I'll be back w/knitting content, hopefully soon.

To the frog pond!

2006-06-13T22:22:00.000-07:00

I decided to frog the socks. I am loving knitting with this yarn and I am not in a hurry for the socks. I want to like them when I am done. This time I am doing two rows of one color and two rows of another so it can pool all it wants but it isn't going to show the same way...at least I hope it doesn't.

Here is the frog pond:

Contrary to what my dear friend Bunni thinks...I do NOT like to just knit and then frog it all so that I can take pictures of the results!

I really like them better this way. The pink keeps them warmer looking.

We've got pooling

2006-06-13T06:56:00.000-07:00

I love the Socks That Rock, and was pretty thrilled that I wasn't getting any pooling in all my experimenting what to do with the yarn, but alas....when I got to the heel, it really started to pool. One side is pink, one is green. I am trying to figure out what to do.

Sorry for the uncreative pictures. One of them was taken outside and when I realized I had deleted the green side, I didn't feel like going back out...and the one inside actually shows the colors better.

I got an email from my sister-in-law and she was very blessed by her new socks. I wrote her a letter and showed her a picture journey of all of the silly attempts I had made to get her socks. Who knows, maybe some day I will have the ambition to finish one of those pairs for her too.

Long, long night....long, long day

2006-06-11T18:39:00.000-07:00

I got no sleep last night. I have no idea why. However, if it was a night not to sleep, this would have been the one. The neighbor's came and went and came at all hours of the night...and the yipping dogs were going berserk. I couldn't have slept anyway with all that going on. I missed church today and managed to sleep about 2 hours this morning. I did a little bit of knitting today. These socks are easy and fast. I love the feel of them. Not sure they show up clearly but you get the idea. Other than that, I am close to finishing the book I am reading.

Is this any surprise?

2006-06-10T23:26:00.000-07:00

Ha ha.
Actually, it isn't a disaster at all. I am having fun playing with my new sock yarn (Socks That Rock) and just having a bit of fun deciding what to do with it. I knit a full cuff and after getting about a third of the way through the eye of the partridge heel, I realized they need to be more than just plain stockinette so I frogged back to the ribbing after playing a little with Openwork Rib from Sensational Knitted socks. It's actually quite fun to have some play time after the SIL socks.

20 min later.....lovin' this pattern! Quick, easy....and it looks great with the yarn. A little blurry but I'm sure there will be progress reports.

I am free!

2006-06-09T15:22:00.000-07:00

I finished the sister-in-law socks today! They had to go out with their own last hurrah, though. I got the toe closed and lo and behold, there was a funny hole in the middle of the row. I tried to fix it but all the while was thinking since I have worked sooo hard on these socks to make them the best they can be, it just wasn't the way to end them, but you know that word denial. Then when I got them off the needles completely I found a dropped stitch about 4 rows from the end. I do not ever recall doing that ever before! I tried to fix that but ended up with this big mess that I didn't remember to take a picture of. I laid them down, made an appointment for a haircut and left the house to take a deep breath before I looked at them again. I spent about 45 minutes picking out all that mess and re-did them and they are just perfect. They match, they are her colors, and most of all...THEY ARE IN THE MAIL!

Now I am going to sit for a bit and dream about what I want to do now. I think I'll just sit and browse through my new copy of Knitter's Magazine. (the last thing I want to do is pick up any of those cast off socks I started for her! haha....some other day!)

Hope everyone gets a chance to get out and knit in public tomorrow. I have to sit in my little yarn shop so I won't be out there, but we have a group organized in spite of the rain. They are actually going to put up a canopy.

Be blessed and knit on! I am one happy knitter today!

A wee bit frustrated but not too bad

2006-06-06T20:41:00.000-07:00

I turned the heel on my 2nd sister-in-law sock and realized the heel flap on the first one was one more row than I had done. Since these are a gift, they have to be right. It's not terribly frustrating to me, but I just spent half an hour trying to catch the 2 stitches that ran down a few rows. That's the one thing about using 0's....the stitches can pop out and get away from you. I am not going to bore everyone by posting a picture that looks just like the first sock at this same point but I do want to share a picture a friend just emailed me....I think this is sooooo cute! It's a Noni bag and I sold her the yarn and the pattern. Love it!

I think I'll be trying one of these patterns soon.

I plan to be sending off those socks this week and then do something fun for me.

Good things do happen

2006-06-04T20:50:00.000-07:00

I finished my first sister-in-law sock. I could not believe it when I realized the very next logical color block to start at was the exact place I started on the first sock! They are matching up perfectly. After I spent what seemed like months (several days) on the heel flap, the rest of the sock was done in a day and a half! I started the second one today and knit in the car part of the 4 hours we were driving and got this far. I'm about 9 rows from the dreaded heel flap...but I have good incentive because I bought some sock yarn today that I am really excited to try!

It's really going to be a sock!

2006-06-03T10:13:00.000-07:00

My sister-in-law might actually get socks one of these days soon. I am trying to hurry with them because she really needs some encouragement. Once I got off the heel flap, they are growing fast. I'm loving this yarn! I haven't decided if I am going to try to match them up or not. I would really like to but the repeat is really hard to figure out. I found it once...but I'm not sure it is worth it really, since the stripes are so small. I'm glad I am making them on 0's though...makes me feel good to give her my best. :)

Baby kimono

2006-06-01T18:44:00.000-07:00

I finished it today, and it's so cute. See the nice new whole ball of yarn I get to use up now. haha

(I haven't really sewn on the ribbon today, but soon.)

A little more than a tad bit irritated

2006-05-31T21:57:00.000-07:00

I had so much fun knitting the baby kimono today. I got the cutest ribbon to tie it together with. Love the yarn.

So what's the problem? There are 192 yards on the Cascade Sierra Cotton. I needed 193. I know it looks loose in the picture but I am sure that is the flash...it is a nice fabric and I got it all finished and do not have enough yarn to sew it together! Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

I guess I see a little matching hat and socks or booties in the future since I have to get another skein of yarn. :(

I did have fun with Lauri today, though. We knit together for awhile today, she's always good company!

Progress of sorts

2006-05-30T21:08:00.000-07:00

I was making really good progress on the sister-in-law socks until the weekend hit. I do have the ambition to keep going on them, though. I finally found the "right" ones and I know she's going to be thrilled with them. I'm using Trekking again. I guess she just needed plain stockinette socks and I know she'll like the stripes. They're really going fast except I feel like I've been on the heel flap (eye of the partridge) for ever...just because I can't get it done in one sitting.

But today, I just had to drop everything and start a baby kimono because I got some Cascade Sierra cotton. I have never liked knitting cotton before, but this stuff is wonderful! It drapes really nicely and I think it's perfect for a baby! Unfortunately the picture doesn't do it justice, but I'll put a finished picture up soon and it will look better.

Now for the comical side of the story. I tried to take the pictures at dusk. I also tried to go do it without hubby seeing how weird I am. I took the sock and the kimono out on the deck and hung the sock in the tree. It wouldn't stay the way I wanted it to so the heel would show so I just snapped it the way it was after I had fiddled with it too much. Wouldn't you know it? It was stuck in the tree! I had a heck of a time untangling it....you always gotta wonder what the neighbor's are thinking! Then I get back inside and hook the camera to my laptop and all of a sudden this big black thing is flying all around my head and I am whacking and flipping my hands all over. My hubby said, "What are you doing?" I am nearly screaming that something is in my hair. He says, "Oh, it's just a MOTH!" Now tell me, is that the kind of thing to say to a knitter? hahaha. And no, it wasn't a moth. Sheesh.

Pondering

2006-05-26T23:32:00.000-07:00

I have really been thinking a lot lately about the benefits knitting has brought in my life. Besides the fact that I love fiber and creating something special with my hands, I have been thinking about the people that have come into my life as a result. There are so many that I would never have met if I hadn't started knitting again. Each person has enriched my life in their own special way. I am so very grateful for each and every one. I value relationship with others and I just feel I can never have enough friends. So, to each and every one of you, I want to say thank you for what you have meant to me and what you have brought into my life.

Will wonders never cease

2006-05-25T19:46:00.000-07:00

Look at what I have! Finished socks!!! I needed to answer those socks that were screaming at me from the neglected basket I had stuffed them in. These took me less than an hour to finish. Hmmmm. I needed the needles anyway. Still trying to figure out the socks for my sister-in-law. These are the first socks I have ever knit that I didn't try to match. I think they'll be fun. If this weather keeps up, they'll get a lot of use before I put them away for the summer!

Now I know how Stephanie must feel. I took my socks outside to take their picture and I was hurrying so much I didn't wipe the pine needles off the table because I didn't want my kids to come home and catch me outside taking pictures of my knitting! They already think I'm a little overboard....but hey, I do wonder where I'd be if I didn't knit.

The craziness goes on!

2006-05-22T22:23:00.000-07:00

Ok, anyone who has been here before knows what is behind all of this dishcloth knitting. Yes, I am well aware that I am avoiding those sister-in-law socks! I have to face that music soon, but in the meantime, I am having a ton of fun knitting these! Lots of people I know are bitten by the bug, too.
I love the red one the best!

How many days should I continue ignoring those socks that are starting to scream at me?

I know I am smarter than this!

2006-05-17T21:22:00.000-07:00

I have tried twice to make the round dishcloth in the Mason Dixon Knitting book....but I just can't seem to get it. My gosh! The first time I didn't use a marker and I thought that was the problem. Ok, the first mess looked a little worse than this one. Well, the second time I did use a marker and I counted between every section and I had the same problem! I have been able to accomplish more complicated things than this. But for now, it has defeated me....not trying again (for a while at least!!!) This first pic is right after I took it off the needle. I couldn't resist taking the second pic....lol.

Moving right along..

2006-05-17T07:27:00.000-07:00

Even though I haven't posted here, I have continued to make dishcloths. Life is very stressful right now and these have proved to be the perfect project to do....just churning them out without a lot of thought. The colors are beautiful and it's great to get FOs quickly.
Lovin' the multi-color, I need to get more! I usually don't like using them, but these are knitting up pretty fun! I think I'll make one more with either purple or pink solid.

The best Mother's Day flower I ever got

2006-05-14T11:34:00.000-07:00

My youngest son who has Down Syndrome made me a flower in Kid's Church today. All the other moms had beautifully blooming "flowers" and this is the one I got. I would say I got the best one. :) The smile and handmade card that went with it were PRICELESS.

He also gave me this cute little paper. Writing does not come easily for him and it was clear he had really worked on it. We later realized he had copied part of the next line that follows that asked them to write about how she makes you feel special. I know it's hard to see but you get the picture.

Could get addicting!

2006-05-11T22:18:00.000-07:00

I am having fun with the dishcloths! Here's my latest one. I started the round one but got off somehow so I am going to start over. I love how thick these are!

Another Dear Kay and Ann

2006-05-10T08:56:00.000-07:00

I got caught up in the frenzy from Mason Dixon Knitting and whipped up a dishcloth... or warshrag as they call them! The project is quick and easy and a nice little break from the sock knitting. See my cute little bag? I had to run to my favorite little gift store and buy the bag to put my cotton yarn in. This is what happens when the sun shines and you try to sit outside at work and the wind is blowing your yarn all over the place. haha. I can thank Melissa for getting me off track! lol She's made some great dishcloths! I made mine a little smaller. I have small hands and the other one was just huge. I feel like I've barely worked on it and I'm almost done. Then back to the socks unless I get the urge to make a few more of these first. It's not really a big diversion because they really are fast.
Later in the day:
I came back to post the finished product. I cast on 33 and have 8 of the color sections. I could have gone one more, I am sure, but when I checked it on the needles, it was square. This is actually perfect for my hand. I followed the pattern as written other than the shorter cast on. I figured out that you can increase and decrease by 6 to make it come out right. I am now ready to start the other pattern in the book and I can't decide between lavendar or my favorite apple green. Great Mother's Day presents! Off to my knitting!

Hard to believe, I know!

2006-05-09T00:21:00.000-07:00

But I am finally making progress on something! I am knitting the Pomatomus socks from knitty.com and they are progressing without too much trouble. I think this yarn was just screaming to be these socks. I'm using Wildfoote handpaint and size 0. The only problem I am having is that if I do these socks again, I may use double points instead of my beloved Addis. The points are just not sharp enough to do the knit 2 together thru the back loop. I have solved this by using a dpn to do the stubborn ones, then transferring them to the Addi. Doesn't take much time and it works. I think my sister-in-law will like them and I am going to get a few new socks for myself from this whole fiasco. Can't complain about that, can I! Sorry for the blurry picture, I'm too tired to take another one tonight, but will post a better progress picture later.

I am so fickle :(

2006-05-05T08:02:00.000-07:00

What a dilemma I let myself get into sometimes. The ongoing saga of the sister-in-law sock. Nothing seems good enough. I actually think the Nancy Bush Wildfoote socks (red) will be beautiful, but I'd like to get the socks to her in this lifetime....haha. I just don't have the time or the wherewithall to concentrate on the pattern right now. I went back to the blue socks again, but they just aren't that exciting to me. Last night out of boredom and frustration, I started playing with some Opal handpaint I have and it's fun, but just not her colors. I just thought it would be fun for you all to look at my mess. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. haha. I just want to settle on something and GET IT DONE so I can finish all these messes.

Back to the blue...

2006-04-28T23:26:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry to say I am going to abandon this sock for a bit though. Since I had decided to make socks for my sister-in-law, I really wanted to make them special and these are just not cutting it. I like them, but they just won't cooperate being anything but stockinette. I am thinking if she never gets another pair of hand knit socks, these are just not special enough. So....I am going to make these for myself but I'm going to do something different for my sister-in-law. I started a pair of socks from Nancy Bush's Knitting Vintage Socks with some red handpainted Wildfoote. They aren't far enough along to take a picture of yet, but when I get going on them I know they will knit up fast because I'm motivated (for the moment at least! lol) Does anyone else have this problem of knitting for someone else? Nothing seems to be good enough!

Once in awhile there are FOs

2006-04-27T19:39:00.000-07:00

I made my friend a moebius basket. Why is it that when you have made something several times without any trouble at all, the one time you are making it for a gift, it gives you all sorts of grief? This was nothing but trouble. Besides the fact that I didn't really like the colors, the bottom was puckery and then after I felted it, my son got ahold of the only balloon I had and put a hole in it so I didn't have one to dry it properly. I had to re-wet it after I got another balloon. Oh well, my friend loves it. The basket probably looks bigger than it really is. It's gone now so I can't measure it, but it's probalby 6 inches wide.
She also had a new grandbaby so I made the baby a hat. It's out of Cascade Fixation on a size 6. I started the hat about 6 months ago or so with no one in mind. She had seen one I had made and was trying to find someone to knit one for the baby so I decided to finish it and give it to her. She was thrilled. Now I am back to my blue Trekking socks, which are behaving just fine now. :)

Sometimes this is just the way it goes

2006-04-21T14:43:00.000-07:00

I accidentally erased the first tinking ... I tried and tried to do a pattern of some sort on this sock, but it just wasn't right, so I tinked it all back and started over twice. Then I decided this sock really just wanted to be stockinette after all.....so fine, I was liking it just fine. Then, I discovered a split stitch. Really, I'm sure it would have been just fine, but since these are a gift, my conscience just wouldn't let me go on....so I decided to drop the stitch down and pick it back up. Easy enough most times, but not today. This yarn splits easily, although I still like it. Sooooo........now we have this:

haha......Oh well, I want them to be right. I'm not discouraged. (really, I'm not.....) I just pray these don't become like the "beloved" socks I made for hubby. Those became such a trial that I had to go through huge attitude adjustment and in the end, they became known as the "beloved" socks. He loves them, so yep, it's worth it.

Uh Oh!

2006-04-19T22:20:00.000-07:00

I am nearly to the toe decrease on my 2nd Trekking sock but I forgot the first one at my daughter's house last night. What was I to do but start another sock? I have been thinking a lot about my sister-in-law who has been going through so many heartbreaking things. There is nothing more from the heart I can do but knit a sock for her... I always said I would not knit socks for anyone but our immediate family, but I want to do something for her and this is the best thing I can think of. Whether she realizes it or not doesn't really matter to me, I need to do something for her. I was really tempted to do some great pattern because I am excited to give her my best, but then I realized if she never gets another pair of handknit socks, it would be nice if these are something that actually fits. lol.

As soon as I get my other sock back, I am going to have to force myself to finish them before I get too far into these but, hey.....this is good too, eh?

Lovin' these socks!

2006-04-18T17:10:00.000-07:00

They are knitting up pretty fast even though I am doing them on size 0. I am looking forward to getting more of this yarn.

It's the day before Easter...

2006-04-15T08:15:00.000-07:00

I have a sick child and am so tired. We forgot to color eggs so somehow I will work today, go to our church's Easter service tonight and get those eggs done! I've slept on the couch for 2 nights near my daughter and I am tired.

I've made a little progress on my second trekking sock...I haven't figure out how to match the two so it is starting out a lot different, but I don't think it's going to make a big difference. I'm a few inches into the new cuff. I can't wait to get more of this yarn!

Trekking Socks

2006-04-12T15:19:00.000-07:00

Inspired by Stephanie, I got some Trekking XXL Color 90 and knit a sock. It went really well and I do like the yarn even though it has a tendency to split a little. I just did the old stand-by pattern and used the eye-of-the-partridge heel I like to do best. I feel pretty pleased with the sock and I hope to get the other one soon even though it isn't really the time of year to wear them. The colors are beautiful!

Charlotte still sits on the needles, I really haven't looked at it all week. I am not discouraged, I just know I need to take out one more row before I get started again. I like just looking at it. I saw a Charlotte shawl on someone site recently made out of Kuryeon and it was really beautiful....surely worth a try! She did it on size 10 1/2 needles.

Knitting....tinking.....progress?

2006-04-08T08:04:00.000-07:00

The past week has been busy....spring break....daughter traveling in Spain. I've just been too tired to post anything. I have been knitting and even crocheting a little....but progress? Hmmm...It's been forwards and backwards. Maybe a little more backwards than forwards. I made progress on Charlotte only to tink back to my lifeline. I started my Girly Girl socks but the pattern and yarn just would not cooperate. I have done the pattern before and thought it was so easy....but what's wrong with me now? It just won't work. I am not sure if it's because I am doing it this time on 0's but why would that make a difference? So instead I started some Trekking XXL socks, am really liking them! I'll post a picture when I have some good daylight. And for crocheting....I started a sweater from Interweave Knits but have come back more than forwards. It's been a long time since I crocheted and I keep gettting off.

She's growing....!

2006-03-30T23:17:00.000-08:00

Thanks, Moxie, for the great advice. I am really enjoying this shawl....hey, I told my friends today that I would probably actually finish it! haha. I am just ready to go to the next color transition but started getting too tired to go on. When I hit that point, I just make nothing but errors. I noticed on my lifeline, I missed one stitch and was just too lazy to go back and catch it, I will do that tomorrow before I knit another stitch...too much invested in this now to be lazy about it. I am really excited to get into the next color range. It seems like you don't really have time to get bored with one before it is time to start the next. However, I do realize the rows are getting longer all the time...but the yarn is so beautiful I don't think I will get bored anyway.

I have given in!

2006-03-29T08:50:00.000-08:00

So many people I know are making shawls and I have been looking at so many of them on blogs. For me, it all started with Moxieblossom and herCharlotte's Web Shawl she made during the Knitting Olympics. I just could not quit going back to look at it. I had a hard time finding Koigu, but I was finally able to get to a store I knew carried it. I hope the colors go together, there were only about 8 choices and I needed 5.

I have started this shawl no less than 15 times. At least 3 times, I got to row 30 or so and had to tear back for some silly reason or another. Now I am running lifelines. lol.

In spite of the frog pond, I have really enjoyed the process. I am putting no expectations on myself, this is just going to be enjoyable. I had decided I never cared if I knit the yarn or not, it is soooo pretty.

Once again...

2006-03-23T02:01:00.000-08:00

My Simply Lovely Lace socks...I have told a few people about them and they were hidden in the archives. I'm new to this and didn't know how to get them back, so I am re-posting the picture. I have really loved wearing them....so comfy and so cute! I am actually going to have to go get tan so they don't look so ridiculous on my white legs! When I ever do get those Silk Garden socks done, I am going to make the girly girl socks from Interweave, they are just as fun as these are. I might actually do the picot edge on those because I loved it but felt the Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino might just be too heavy to knit that edge.

Up the hill I go...

2006-03-22T21:58:00.000-08:00

I am nearly done with my silk garden sock #2 but I have lost any excitement I ever had for getting them done and I am NOT letting myself start anything new until I do! I only have a few inches left to go and the knitting is fast, but I am just bored with it! As you can see, they are not going to match exactly, which I am obsessive about so this is good for me, but in order for that to happen, I'd need at least one more skein of yarn to make it work. Silk Garden is funny...some skeins have colors others don't. I think I'm going to like them anyway. They'll be great in my crocs!

Exciting new thing today, though....I got Stephanie Pearl-McPhee's new book, Knitting Rules!, today and I LOVE it. I shouldn't have let myself sit down to read it rather than finishing that silly sock! :)

No pictures today

2006-03-17T23:32:00.000-08:00

I am turning the heel on my second silk garden sock. I feel like I have been turning the heel for days. lol. I was just too busy to concentrate on what I was doing and actually, I am fighting wanting to start a new project. I always have socks on the needles no matter what else I am doing, and I want to do the Girly Girl socks from Interweave next. I am going to use my favorite shade of green in Opal to make them. I am also getting some of the new Trekking yarn so I know those will be next!

Still around....

2006-03-15T23:48:00.000-08:00

Life has been busy ... I've been working on my silk garden socks (ready to start the heel on the 2nd sock) and the intarsia bag is back to the first row of intarsia. I wonder if I will carry that silly little bag yet this year.

I do have the picture of the baby hat finally. It's really tiny, but I bet it would fit a newborn well. Since it only took an evening to make, why not make something that a baby could wear right at birth and make another one later. This yarn is so soft and just perfect for a new baby. We tried one out of alpaca, but realized it is so fuzzy that for one thing, the yarn overs don't show and for another, who wants to let all those little fuzzies into a new babies eyes! I had so much of the yarn left over, I may try making some tiny socks to go with the hat. How cute would that be?

I'm getting the bug to start other projects, but I need to stay on task and finish at least one of my WIP. I can be the queen of flitting from one thing to another.

Hopefully there will be something a little more exciting to post here soon.

It snowed today!

2006-03-09T22:58:00.000-08:00

...and I had only one new sock! Ahhh, well....I had fun anyway. I finished the baby hat last night and forgot to take a picture of it. I'll have to do that later. I started the second sock today and I also started a pair of legwarmers from One Skein. Loving that book! If I wasn't so tired, I'd take a picture of them, too...but I am only about 6 rows into them so you can't see much anyway. I'm not really in a rush to get them done, just thought they were pretty.
I'm thinking I took that picture from a funny angle, but I am really tired so either it stays, or I'll redo it later if it really bugs me. It would help if I didn't have the camera so full of junk that I only can take a few pictures at a time before the memory card gets full. One of these days I am just going to get it cleared off so I can take a few decent pictures to choose from!
I do plan to get back to the intarsia bag soon, but am just enjoying a little variety right now. Loved those knitting olympics, but right now I just want to do a little of this and that!

Ooooh la la!

2006-03-08T23:02:00.000-08:00

In spite of a busy day, I was still able to get some knitting in. I finished my silk garden sock, but I forgot to bring them home from work. I LOVE it! I plan to start the second one tomorrow.

And...after 5 starts, I managed to get the baby hat started. It's not a hard pattern, but I kept losing count because I was talking too much. What else is new! After about the 4th pattern row, you can see where you are going and it makes it easier to keep track. There are only 12 pattern rows before you go to stockinette. Anyway, here is a picture of the progress on the hat. I think the rest will be a piece of cake. I am about an inch away from the decreasing.

After I get these two things on the way, I am going to have to go back and start my intarsia again....but in the meantime, I am really loving this One Skein book. I have several things running thru my mind to start on soon. I have never been able to stick with one project anyway! :)

New projects

2006-03-07T00:32:00.000-08:00

Today I was so tired. I frogged the whole intarsia project this weekend and even though I am looking forward to knitting it, I just didn't have the energy to deal with it yet. I got a new book today...One Skein by Leigh Radford...and it had some great projects in it. I decided to make the Baby Hat out of the Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino in yellow. I think it's going to be fun and quick!

Also on the needles are my Silk Garden socks. I'm making them these on size 2 Addis and using the garter stitch heel from Lucy Neatby. These are really quick and I'm enjoying them. I heard we are having a cold snap this weekend so I guess I had better concentrate on getting them finished!

I know the second sock is not going to match because this yarn is so funny, there will be colors in one skein that never appear in the other. I'm not at all sure how these socks will hold up but I do love the yarn and wanted a pair of socks that are heavier. It is going to be a challenge not to be obsessed with matching them perfectly...I think it is going to be good for me to shake it up a little and have a pair of fraternal socks for once!

Later in the day: here is the progress on the Silk Garden socks. I felt like I barely had time to knit today and now I am ready to close the toe! Just a few more rows. I plan for these to just be house socks mostly, but I think they'll be fun to wear with my Crocs, too! It's hard to see, but the heel is facing up and they aren't really real short socks. I am probably going to have to pick some of the chaff out of the yarn or they are going to be prickly, but other than that, I think they will be fun. I hope I don't succumb to Second Sock Syndrome, though. I have started too many things at once....but hey, after the Olympics, I have to have a little bit of variety!

Intarsia

2006-03-02T18:43:00.000-08:00

Well, one of the effects of the Knitting Olympics for me is that I want to push myself to try something new. I am making a small bag and this is my second attempt. I think maybe I should have taken a picture of the mess I untangled so I could take the picture. Whew....what a mess! However, it is kind of a fun process even though it is a total mess most of the time. I'm using Manos yarns with a little bit of Noro Iro.

I'm also halfway through a new sock. I'm trying a garter stitch heel using Noro Silk Garden. I will post a picture later...not too exciting at this point and my memory on the camera is full.

Dun dun dun da! .... here she is!

2006-02-28T16:30:00.000-08:00

My mom would not be happy with me for posting this...but here she is, 77 years old, works full-time still, and managed to knit 32 pairs of slippers for charity during the Knitting Olympics!

Proud daughter

2006-02-27T23:44:00.000-08:00

I forgot my cord to my camera at work, but got great pictures of my mom today with her Olympic knitting...she ended up with 32 pairs of slippers for our mitten tree!!! She surprised us and knit an extra 8 pair of tiny slippers for "extra points"! I have really thought today about how much fun it has been to be part of something so great that has stretched us beyond what we were before. Whether we finished or not, there was a lot to be gained just from the experience. I hope to take part in something like this again.

Now, I am slowly working on my other projects...but due to neglect of so many other things, not much knitting today!

The Medal!

2006-02-26T14:46:00.000-08:00

We made this medal for my 77 year old mom for her part in the Knitting Olympics. She committed to knit 24 pair of slippers for our local mitten tree and surpassed her goal, not sure of the exact count yet! So several of us had the idea to make her a medal but had quite a time finding something to use. My hubby finally found a drain plate at the hardware store and we wove yarn through the filter in Olympic colors. My sister is going to engrave a small plate with her name on it. I am so proud of her for pushing herself to meet her goal and go for bonus points! We'll give it to her tomorrow morning.

As for me, I am now knitting some Noro Silk Garden socks (cast on 40 on size 2 needles) and am teaching myself intarsia. I really believe that having participated in the Knitting Olympics has increased my confidence and desire to push myself beyond what I have been able to do. I love knitting socks but haven't done much beyond basic socks because I have found so much contentment in that alone. Soooo, thanks Stephanie, for forcing me out of my comfort zone!

Goin' for the Gold!

2006-02-23T01:28:00.000-08:00

And here they are:

I made it! Crossed the finish line!

#2 Finished!

2006-02-23T01:06:00.000-08:00

Here is my second pair of socks....I had one of them just started a few days before the Olympics. When I finished my original challenge so quickly (which I still can't believe), I pushed myself to get hubby's socks done, too. The first one practically knit itself, the 2nd one was nothing but forwards and backwards. Why is it that when one goes so easily, the other one will inevitably be nothing but trouble?

I want to thank Stephanie for this challenge...I am a better knitter because of it. I realized how much I wander to other things when I am trying to get one thing done, and it was such a good feeling to stick with it until I finished. Thanks Stephanie, I don't think I ever thought I could get 1 3/4 pairs of socks done in 12 days!

Progress!

2006-02-19T22:19:00.000-08:00

We had a 4 hour drive yesterday and then the round trip today. Some of the trip I was able to knit...tried in the dark with my little light but that proved disastrous and brought some tinking my way, but I got the first sock done and the 2nd one started before I just could not knit any more in the car. It was a beautiful drive but with the sun shining through the trees, it started feeling like a light show on my knitting and I just got too tense trying to knit. I'll knit tomorrow after I'm unwound a bit, but I have high hopes that hubby's socks will be done before the end of the Olympics! He really likes them!

Olympic project #2

2006-02-18T11:40:00.000-08:00

I started these socks for hubby on the Monday before the Olympics started. I am really going to try to get these done before closing ceremonies...we'll see! I do know he deserves these socks more than I needed mine.

I'm using one strand of Kroy sock yarn (black) and one skein of Opal handpaint. They are thicker, which he's wanted...they look kind of like rag socks so that's kind of fun.

Here they are!

2006-02-18T11:30:00.000-08:00

FINISHED!

2006-02-18T00:12:00.000-08:00

I finished my Olympic knitting tonight and I just love my Simply Lovely Lace Socks! Of course, wouldn't you know that I am having technical difficulties and cannot get a picture on here tonight...but I came in to win the Gold at 10:33 pm and am now picking up hubby's socks to race for the finish line on those also. I am on the gusset decrease on the first sock. Pictures to follow.

The Olympics are 40% over~tinking ahead for me....

2006-02-16T23:43:00.000-08:00

Well, I am getting very confident in this pattern and you know what happens then...yep, mistakes! But guess what. After I titled this, I went back to the mistake and tore down and actually fixed it...a yo, sl1, k2tog, yo...and it looks just fine. Now I wouldn't really recommend this method too many times, but it looks ok and I'll be happy with it. I am just getting tired of ripping back many rows of knitting in the back loop and then not getting the stitches all twisted up. These socks are really fun in spite of the little mess ups on the way. I think I'm getting too anxious to get going on hubby's socks again. He's so patient and didn't complain when I dropped his socks to do mine for the Olympics. I plan to knit with Olympic speed to get his done, too...even if they are done after the Olympics are over.

Anyway, I got past the heel and gusset decreases and am now racing down the foot of my sock. I have 2 pattern repeats down and 6 to go before the toe! Woo hoo!!!

oh well.....

2006-02-15T23:51:00.000-08:00

I didn't have much time to knit today, but I did manage to get the heel turned on my sock and started the gusset...only to discover that I picked up one of the sides funny so in the true Olympic spirit, I am going to tear it back tomorrow and do it right. If it wasn't for the Olympics, I am sure I would have chosen to ignore it this time. I know I'm going to love these socks, though, so I know I will be happy that I decided to do it right....at some point.

Happy Valentine's Day!

2006-02-14T23:12:00.000-08:00

Didn't get a lot of time to knit today, but I did get almost all of the way through the heel flap.

It was a great Valentine's Day for more reasons than one...God is so encouraging when we need it!

Simply Lovely Lace Socks

2006-02-14T00:20:00.000-08:00

Here is my first new lace sock....and the second one in progress. I am loving knitting these and I think that I may try knitting some more plain colored socks and practice knitting different patterns for awhile. I am so excited that I tried something new for the knitting olympics!

The Knitting Olympics!

2006-02-13T21:04:00.000-08:00

I have joined the Knitting Olympics! I decided to knit the Simply Lovely Lace Socks from the newest edition of Interweave magazine. I cast on my socks at 2 pm....and 3 false starts later, was off and running in true Olympic spirit by about 7 pm! I am so surprised that I have completed my first sock...and 4 false starts later, am 3 pattern repeats into the second sock! It is so exciting to be part of something big like this. Since I am making good progress on my socks, I will try to get hubby's socks that I had started earlier in the week done also. Pictures to come soon!