Back Hoe operator in trianing, a busy week and today

Saturday was a lot of fun. I picked up my great niece (this is she) and we spent a few hours together while her mom worked. First it was breakfast and a cartoon, then I told her we needed to take Sadie for a walk. I wondered how close we would be to the park before she was able to see it and realize where we were going; we made it to almost the end of the block and she said "oh, look it's a park, let's go there. Amy tried everything in the play ground, going from the gliders to each of the swings, climbing the bars and the play gym. the last thing she tried was the diggers, she just did not have the strength for them. "Can you please help me?", yes, I helped, showed her how, and hand over hand we dug, lifted moved and dumped a couple of shovel fulls, then she wanted to do it herself. It went back and forth a few times, she asked for help, then she wanted to do it, and finally she started trying to put her whole body into the task, feet sliding backwards she was saying " I can do it, I know I can." It was the cutest, I giggled and silently bemoaned the fact that I did not own a recorder at that moment, then thought, Why did I not think to bring the camera. The park was not a good place for my dust allergies and asthma, but survive I did.

Definitely have to go back to the park together some time, I just am not able to see her much at all, but maybe I can work something out soon, it was such fun. We came back after a long time playing at the park and we had a tea party lunch on the patio. I did manage to use my camera to take a short video of her reading. Unfortunately, I may try to add later, because it has taken almost an hour and not uploaded yet.

I am starting a busy week Out to lunch and dinner today for my birthday, Meet at a girlfriends house tomorrow with some knitting friends, spinning and knit night Wednesday and Thursday is craft night. I finished my September sock club socks, no pictures yet, and I started a sock pattern from a couple of months ago, I am going to try to catch up now that I have sent my sock contest entry in.

Off to lunch,

Happy Stitches.

He says his name is Oreson (spelling intended)

Today I went to the sink and found a reddish brown rock about the size of two fists, sitting in side. My first reaction was to say "What is this"? No response from DH, so after putting the coffee on I went to the Living room to find out. I said " He says his name is Oreson and he wants to know why he is not in his natural habitat". DH grinned and said, "your not following the drug policy". No other explanation.

He collects rocks, but up to this point they have been small rocks, about the size of your pinkie nail, found in the washer, on the dryer, in pockets and on the counter. He used to talk about getting field boulders, I thought he was kidding, now I think it could be possible. I could come home and find huge boulders in the yard, it won't end, but how is this going to go? I know its just one rock, still I worry on a deep level about stone fences and the lawn becoming a rock garden. We could name our house like they do in England, we live on a corner so it could be called Corner Stone Cottage. There could be rock garden lawn with a stone fence and rock siding. OK, my sometimes overactive imagination has gotten ahead of things, but will there be more rocks like Oreson showing up? Where did he find it?

Yeah, Oreson doesn't really talk to me, I was bringing up the subject and hoping he would then be moved. Nope, Oreson is still in the sink, I guess I will have to move him/her, it? I know, I will knit the rock a cozy with a face and put it on the couch with a sign that calls for freedom for enslaved rocks.
yes, he may quote the drug policy again, but it really is my drug free imagination.

I turned the heel and picked up the gusset of my sock I began Saturday, so I should get back to it.

Happy Stitches.

Sock Club, After sock club excursion etc.

Sock Club

It was nice to be back at the keewaydin park building for sock club and we had fun, talking and sharing. It was a nice group showing, taking pictures of finished socks, playing with yarn, catching up, just a good time.

Our pattern for this month is from SWTC, by Deby Lake and is called Toe Jam. The sock is cuff down, has an 8 stitch, four row repeat, twisted stitch pattern with a separated big toe.

I swatched during sock club and then started the cuff, I am about an inch into the pattern going down the leg and I have to say the pattern goes quickly; it gets in your head fast and you don't have to pay it much attention until you get to the heel. the patter can be repeated down the top of the foot, to the toes.

D. brought yarn from the March Hair Etsy shop she runs. the yarn is dyed by a friend of hers in Idaho and comes balled into 455 yd cakes.; the yarn is composed of 75% Superwash wool and 25% nylon, in fabulous colors.

My knitting friend J. W. gifted me with a cake of the yarn for my birthday, in a lovely soft seafoam. J. is so sweet and wonderful, and what a surprise, she is always doing sweet things for people.

After Sock Club Excursion

After sock club a few of us have been making it a yarn excursion day. On this fun outing we went into White Bear and visited the Sheepy Yarn Shoppe, where I found some smaller chibi needles for socks, these will be great for grafting toes of socks. We felt very welcome in the shop, the people were quite helpful and seemed to engage easily in conversation. The Sheepy yarn Shoppe is well lit, has a table and chairs near the back, which was convenient for looking through books and patterns before making a decision on which to buy. The variety of yarn is good and there is seating near the front that looked like a welcoming spot to sit, knit and maybe chat for a bit.

We had lunch near by at a bar and grill, the food was fabulous and about average for price.

Borealis yarns was our nest destination stop and again the people were lovely, asked if you needed anything and backed off. very accommodating if you did want help, which I was happy for, I wanted to try the HiyaHiya needles and specifically wanted a size 0 circular in a 36 to 40 inch length for making socks. It can be a bit daunting sometimes to search through all the needles for the ones you want and having someone more familiar with the stock help you, is well appreciated.
Lovely yarns, lovely selections, large store, a couple of cramped spots near the front but the experience overall was quite wonderful.
Borealis had two table with chairs for sitting to look through books or knitting, one up front and one in the back room where I found a skein of hemp on sale, in a teal green to make soap covers with.
I found a section of Louisa Harding yarn which drew my attention for a bit, there is a large selection of needles and notions, Lucy Neatby DVDs, and they are conveniently located next to a coffee shop for a bit a caffeine or something decaf and a treat.

It was the last day to use the coupons we had for the shops we went to.

Next month we are headed south of the cities to a cottage industry farm where we will see either Alpacas or Llamas, I do not remember which. There is a shop as well, I will let you know what is there. I know there is spinning and fiber so it must be good.

I should take pictures next time, I had my camera with me, I don't know why I did not think of it. I really need to remember, perhaps someone will remind me.

Oh, the forms are completed and I have everything together to send in my socks for the contest. I need to do that after my meeting tomorrow morning, I am so excited I can't stand myself at times, I am sometimes amazed that I thought of the pattern. I may try to do another one, but I have so many things started and cued up to make already, I won't rule it out if an idea strikes me though.

I have been up since about 5 and busy, busy, some house work, some knitting and of course ravelry and blogging, now it's time for lunch.

Happy Stitches!

Busy day and the definition of insanity

We have been busy girls this morning. Sadie went to the groomer first thing, her groomer Kiera is due with a baby boy the 21st of this month. I want to make her something from Sadie and I, I'm not sure what though. Babies grow so fast when they are first born, booties would be a quick and easy gift, perhaps a hat, maybe a quick sweater. I don't know.

I came home checked email and ravelry, I had to get Sadie at 10:30, They always let her run around behind the counter when I come back to pick her up and go pay. Maria (another groomer there) wants to groom Sadie while Kiera is on maternity leave. I was talking about waiting and just having her with one person, but Maria does like her and does small dogs as well, she is there when Kiera is there and I don't think she is one of the ones who left burns on her face, so we will see.

I have chili on simmering and laundry going, I am going to knit a bit then empty the dishwasher so I can put in the stuff I have been using to cook the chili with.

It has gotten a bit warmer out, I am going to open some windows and let some fresh air in.

Has anyone ever told you you were not mentally right because you spoke out? Well if you have a family that is putting more energy into hiding things that healing you have and maybe you have anyway.
Albert Einstein once said "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results".
I have looked at some relationships that way, including my relationship with my mother.
The evil and unpredictable behavior that she exhibited toward people through the years, at some point, all the forgiving, for those years. comes down to the definition of insanity and you have to forgive and walk away for good. She is being taken care of and after all she proved she did not owe me, including love and caring (Saying and showing love and care are not the same thing) just making sure that she is cared for is all I feel obligated to do. Some think that is a horrible way to be and it is not forgiving, and they could be right, but at this point in my life it is the healthy thing for me. This is a bit raw and revealing for me to put on the blog, maybe too much information and such. I am looking at is as part of a healing process.

The smell of chili is starting to permeate the house, mmmmmmmm, smells good.
I finished one of my campanula socks this morning and am working on the second one, which was already at the ankle, these are toe up socks so I have the leg and cuff to do.

I have not used videos, but thought I would see about using them in my blog, I am not completely tech savvy but I am going to investigate. I was a blog this morning and the guy does all of his posts by video, which I don't think I will do, but would like to have the opportunity, like when something cute happens. It looks like he does the videos through a you tube account, I think I might try to upload from my hard drive.
I don't know if you would be interested in a look, he is very open and kind of funny, I just found him today through ravelry but he is on (queerknits.blogspot.com) and he is a really good knitter.

Have to go tend to chili and try some.

Happy Stitches!

World, Life and Moving Forward

The world as we each, and perhaps collectively know it, ends, changes, moves forward in many ways. There are endings, beginnings, world conflicts, family conflicts, but life goes on and we bound around in the ocean in which we live. I don't put up with junk if I see it, even if the truth is denied.
That being said I have to say that time does heal and we can only move forward, and sometimes people don't go with us. What was it, a line from a song, "nobody's right, if everybody's wrong".

Life is moving on, this week one of my paternal aunts has passed away, and I found out a second cousin will be married at the end of the month. More of life moving on and choices to make in direction, as well as share with those around.

The chill in the air is cooler today than it was yesterday, a sign that fall is really here, but it will warm up again before the leaves turn.

Projects :)

I am finishing the paperwork and getting a picture together to send with my sock contest socks. I am so proud of them and really hope to get in the book.

My campanula socks have been back on the front burner to work on. They are toe up and I had worked them both to the ankle, then focused on one before they were left to nap for a bit. Last night I worked one to the cuff and as soon as that one is done it is on to the second one, yeah!

I have sock yarn balled up for socks like crazy and sock club again this Saturday. It will be a fun day, new pattern, yarn to see. Ok, fun for a knitter or crocheter, we tend to be tactile people and love to touch yarn.

I am not casting on new projects, just trying to work through the ones I have going. I would really like to get one of the shawls I have on needles completed, so I can wear it. It is chilly enough to wear one now, I woke up cold and had to pull the covers on, that's a change from the past few weeks.

Oh, I can not wait until we do not have to watch political ads! I am so tired of them, I'm not the only one tired of them, I hear people moaning about it from time to time. On a brighter note, the fall TV line up is starting and we can watch "Ugly Betty" again at craft night.

Need to move forward with a few stitches, go for a walk and get busy.

Happy stitches

Oh what a difference a shade makes and the lighter side of life

First of all, my brother in law evidently does not have cancer, thank God. I have to say emphysema is bad enough. He went home to recuperate and get more rest. More prayers and good wishes for my sister and him.

Ah, what a difference a shade makes, or in this case a lighter color of curtain. My kitchen is small and regardless of the light colored wall paper has always seemed so dark (the Green curtains did not help). Light Yellow cafe sheers and valances has made a world of difference, I almost feel happier when I go in there and like I have a new kitchen. Perhaps the brighter kitchen will inspire me to bake more this winter.
I will try to get better pictures, the ones I took did not turn out.


My beautiful Pink ribbon socks. This is a pattern by Laura Spradlin and you can find this pattern for sale on ravelry, or you may contact her on her web site, sugar bunny boulevard.

This pattern may look a bit complicated, but really goes quite quickly, most people have reported making their socks in a week or two. Before you know it you are done with the leg and working the heel then quick as a bunny you find yourself done with the foot and working the toe. I was fortunate to have gotten a kit and the Katherine yarn is so soft and lovely with a bit of loft to it.

I completed a Calorimetry head warmer, using up the leftover ella rae yarn from the slippers I made for my niece Brianna. It is brightly colored but a bit plain; it's one of my goal projects. I am going through my leftover yarn from projects and trying to use it up, or give it away, too much stuff and I need to always be mind full of how these leftovers can turn in to a mountain.
This was completed in one day, great pattern, easy project, just takes a few hours.


Now I just to keep working through my works in progress, see what else I can finish. Occasionally I consider not sleeping and just knitting through the night to get stuff done, but it sounds a bit obsessive or something.

Saturday was the fourth one of the month, and normally a gathering day at one of the knit night ladies house, she has two dogs, a toy poodle and a Golden. Sadie loves to go there and visit with everyone. It was a fun outing for both Sadie and myself, a few of us may get together and have our own little yarn spinning study group, that should be fun.

Today we had a tree root problem in our pipes, thankfully a sewer service was available and took care of our problem. We used Alto sewer service, their shop was right behind a duplex we used to rent in Minneapolis and we were familiar with the gentleman in his 50s who came out; he did a great job.

I have sock club next Saturday, I have not started the socks from the last two or three months, I only bought for two of those months. I am not sure I will buy yarn this time, I want to finish what I have, and eventually make a funky pair of socks from all the left over sock yarn I have and I am starting to get a collection of that.

Knitting and spinning are such meditative refuges, I am gald I am able to do these activities and have them as a hobby.

Happy Stitches

Serious stuff

Serious Stuff

One of my brother in laws went into the hospital this week, he was having breathing difficulties, he found out he has a slight case of pneumonia and emphysema, not good. There are more test results to come, still waiting to hear if it is cancer. I always get a sick feeling in my stomach when I hear that someone is ill, it is no fun to be in the hospital or sick, least of all have something bad that will not go away.

To top that off, his job moved out of state and there is very little in the way of health insurance. I am praying for them, praying that there is no cancer and sending what I can spare for money, which is not much.

Smoking is so bad for you, and I am fortunate that I am not addicted to them. I have known people with addictive personalities and it is so hard for them to change things and give them up. I have a friend who is easily addicted to things and on top of that she was on Maripex for a few years for her Parkinson's; that was a recipe for disaster. she used to sneak out to the casino at midnight and would blow whole paychecks, thankfully her Dr. changed her meds, but that was not the only thing she was up to.

I have blessings to count!

What I finished during the Olympics and more

The Olympics ended on Sunday, I completed the pink ribbon socks for the Ravelympics and a pair of footie's because I could but, did not go put my name in a second time for the drawing at Linden Hills Yarn. If the weight of the left over yarn and finished socks and footie's is accurate, I will be able to make a second pair of footie's with the Hundertwasser yarn and a smaller pair of pink ribbon socks with the left over Katherine yarn, how fabulous is that?

My poor secret socks did not get finished by Sunday, I found them whimpering for attention. I am giving them some knit time now and they are coming along well, the heel is finished as well as the decreasing for the gusset, I am now working down the foot and hope to be finished this week. The secret socks are happy and giggling with delight at getting some one on one time. I am calling them Azti for short.

Saturday I went on a little excursion with one of my knit night friends. Lisa picked me up and we went to an estate sale, I found a few little knitting goodies, they had two spinning wheels which were sold. Lisa picked up a drop spindle and some fiber, she will be trying to do a bit of hand spinning with it.

Instructions for hand spinning can be found on the Interweave press website here.

http://www.interweave.com/spin/Getting_Started.asp

We followed the Estate sale up with a visit to The Knitters' Palette in Lakeville, and then The JoAnn's in Lakeville, where I picked up a skein of their Sensations Bellezza Collection Dolcetto Pink. I wanted to play with it to see what I thought of it, it is very soft and works up nice. The yarn is a wool, nylon, and cotton blend, I have yet to wash it, but will do that as soon as I finish the booties I am making with it; the label says to hand wash with similar colors. I am making a pair of cuff down booties and finishing the cuff on the second one. I think they will be nice and warm on little feet and the pair of feet I have in mind will be born in January I believe, to another knitting friend.
If the booties turn out nice (which I think they will) I may make a pair of hand mitts as well. It would make a lovely sweater. I have so many projects I want to do for Christmas.

First things first, secret socks and booties, then slippers, hats and WIPs (works in progress).

A couple of our knit night crew went to Stitches and recently returned, I look forward to seeing what they brought back. Should be interesting.

Back to my needles for now.

Happy Stitches

Patterns for sale and other quick updates

I have three patterns for sale on Ravelry now, I am very happy about this and hope to get a few more patterns on line soon.

The Olympics are going along swimmingly, new records and 16 gold medals for the US mens' swim team, which is more than I can say for my socks. I think the whole pressure of; I have to get this done, even though it is fun and the pattern moves along fast, could have been a factor in my set backs. I had some frogging to do on the second sock. I think I have my stride and focus line now.

I should finish today, still before the end of the Olympics, and could get my secret sock done, but I may try to get a pair of footsies made out of the Hundertwasser colorway for the Linden Hills knit along and get my name in for the drawing a second time, I shall see and time will tell. I need to stop reading, perusing Ravelry and getting distracted by outside forces.

The bunnies in the yard are getting too used to Sadie. This morning Sadie stuck her nose into our overgrown flower bed and a bunny slowly moved away from her, across the bed and meandered out the other side.

I can't tell my neighbor, who is hoping Sadie's scent will scare the bunnies away, this particular neighbor has had over a thousand dollars of damage to her beautiful garden this year, all done by the bunnies.

I think it makes Sadie sad that the wild bunnies won't play with her, like an other neighbors bunny, so she has stopped trying to chase them. Maybe Sadie needs her own Bunny friend? No, I know the cats, Monika and Sasha ignore her, but adding a bunny to the mix could be crazy and too many animals. I wonder what the cats would think of the bunny litter box? Hmmmm... No, I could end up homeless for that one.

Back to the socks,

happy stitches

Updates

I am on the second pink ribbon sock, working down the leg, I had to frog back to the cuff last night, made too many mistakes while talking at knit night. But I am on my way now.

This is my first pink ribbon sock, it went so quick and looks so lovely.



I had a crisis of faith before the Olympics started and pulled out of Teammn and the wipswrestling, I did finish one of those projects anyway.

My new goal with knitting is to finish my pink ribbon socks by Saturday and then finish my last secret sock by the end of the Olympics, hopefully even cast on a slipper.

Last night we had quite a showing at knit night, I was so happy to see someone I had become worried about, had not seen or heard from her in a while. She made the cutest little hat for our expectant mommy, in Italian flag colors which is where our EM is from.

My sock will not finish it's self (it would if I were Mrs. Weasley), I am not magical. They are swimming at the Olympics and I am knitting my little heart out.

I will write more later, perhaps when my second sock is complete.

Happy stitches.

Ravelympics, sock club and more

I joined the Ravelympics, I know, it sounds funny. I am on two teams, sugarbunnyblvd, sock put and teammn, wipswrestling. So now I need to complete my secret socks (not in the ravelympics), my campanula socks and Bri's slippers for wipswrestling and my SBB pink ribbon socks for the sugarbunnyblvd sock put. I think I can get them all done by the deadline, which is the end of the oplympics, but I cannot start working on them until the start of the Olympics.


I changed my ravatar to the SBB logo, that was before I joined the Minnesota team for wich I do not have a ravatar. Isn't it cute.

Wish me luck, I will need it.


Saturday was sock club, we have a dragonfly sock to make for this month, I will leave this for after ravelympics.

After sock club a few of us went to Knitter's Palette, it is so nice there, open, Zen. anyway I of course purchased the new Vogue knitting magazine with the article on Ravelry. Good article, it amazes me how short a time span, just one year or so that Ravelry has been around and how much it has grown. There are 160,899 registered Ravelry users as of todays check. That is a lot of people in several countries around the world and the numbers grow daily.

Tazsmonn, my happy house mate is always promoting Ravelry at work, whenever he sees anyone knittingor crocheting. Ravelers promote Ravelry daily to anyone in the knit and crochet community.

Well that was digression for you.

After the Knitter's Palette, We went to lunch at Red Robin, lunch was very good we like the strawberry lemonade) the it was on to Three Kittens to check out thier moving sale, lovely people there as well.

I am continuing to go through things around the house, purging the excess and making life more simple. Today's project is one of the dressers in the bedroom, I have stuff on top and thngs other than clothes in the drawers, like cd's, a cd player and junk like that. It's a bit slow because I have a bad allergy headache again today, this on too of slight athsma issues, oh well keep pluggging along I say, and pray for medications to take better hold.

I have become a laundry fanatic lately, I do wash everyday. No more end of the week laundry back up.


Happy stitches

Road trip and needle progress

My needles have been clicking away and have managed to.......... complete a washcloth, begin the second half of the Lisa Lloyd sister scarf I am making, start a second slipper for my Niece Bri, make progress on my secret sock (I know Jen, it's a secret).

This past Wednesday, I spent a few hours at The Linden Hills Yarn shop in Linden Hills. I had a lovely time visiting with a few of the regulars, some of whom are on Ravelry, and Jan the owner. I picked up a lovely skein of Malabrigo lace yarn in a yellow called Cadmium, Love it! I could not stop touching it for a while, it had called my name for a few hours before I gave in and bought it. I Believe it wants to become a Swallow tail shawl, the project is in my cue and the pattern is ready.

I think I would like to pick up a self patterning yarn that looked as though it was a worsted weight, for a hat or two for Christmas presents. It looked pretty good, oh, and I could find some yarn to make the sock monkey hat.

I had a very nice time at Linden Hills yarn and plan on going a bit more frequently, everyone was friendly and engaging. The Malabrigo lace yarn is dangerous for me though, eeeee, all teh yarn is dangerous. Oh the things we must suffer and the dangers at hand!

Perhaps another road trip like the one I took yesterday would help me complete some of the above projects and more. A group of friends and I decided to take a road trip to Rochester yesterday. to visit a couple of shops there.

If you have spent any time at the Mayo clinic or St. Marys hospital (where I practically grew up), you will find a couple of nice places to divert your attention and uplift your spirits. I am grateful I do not have a reason to hang out around there now, but a visit now and then is a happy way to spend a day.

Both shops are within walking distance of St. Mary's Hospital, Kristen Knits is on Second Street which runs in front of St. Mary's, perhaps two blocks to past going East on Second st, on the North side of the road.

Kristen's is having a sale, 25% off, because they no longer have a lease. Rochester is planning a new project in the area and displacing a few shops temporarily or permanently. Kristen needs to be out by September 1st, I hope she relocates and remains available to the knitting public, and those who only have a few minutes to run over from the hospital.

Just A little Something is on 6th Street about four blocks behind St Mary's, where they offer choices in quilting on the first floor and yarn on the second floor.

This is the historic house and shop, where you will find "Just A Little Something."


In the past I was always in more of a daze, taking a break from surgery waiting, post op, or intensive care when my Dad was in the hospital. I have to say that I enjoyed yesterdays visit much more, no stress or worry.

I did manage to add to my stash, of course. I picked up three skeins of ella rae for making winter bed socks aka. slippers at Kristens, and at JALS, I picked up three skeins of Cascade "The Heathers", in Periwinkle. I was seeing scarf and hat for a Christmas present with this.

Happy stitches everyone, hope your stitches are all going well.

Secret

I have a stitching secret (insert musical notes here). I am making a pair of secret socks, these socks are coming along well, I am making them to enter in the "think outside the sox" sock contest. No pictures, because it is secret for now.

The socks are a cuff down fair isle and, I am working down the foot of the first sock, after which I will of course make the second sock. I had not knitted a lot of fair isle in the past, however I was very inspired to do this sock. This is my first sock design and I am so excited about it.

I am now thinking of a pair for breast cancer or donation. I have been inspired for this one by another blogger and fellow Raveler M. M is dedicated to the cause and helping out, which I like.

Completed:

Diamond lace set, head band, hand warmers and scarf (to be available on Ravelry soon.)

Hundertwasser knit-a-long hand warmers, I like these a lot and have decided they are for me.









Bottoms up tea pot cozy, I will add a picture later.(don't have one yet)


This lovely purple piece is the back of my baby doll top. I am making slow progress, I add a few rows a day on this but focus more on other items, like my secret sock, yeah.









Have fabulous fiber fun.

Patterns created

I am working on publishing some knit patterns that I have created in the past couple of years. A couple of years ago I designed and knitted a headband for my sister Heidi. I have knitted another head band and have created a matching pair of hand warmers and scarf as well. I am putting them on Ravelry and hope that everyone likes them. These are quick and easy patterns to knit using a worsted weight yarn.

The hand warmers and headband ear warmer are the same yarn, the pictures do seem to look different. I will have pictures of the scarf soon, I am finishing up knitting that one.

I am in the process of adding them to Ravelry, this is a new process for me so... hopefully I will be finished soon.












Now back to the Linden Hill Yarns Hundertwasser knit along, One hand warmer complete, the second one is on needles and coming along nicely.

They will not quite match in color pattern, because I did not pull the yarn up to the same starting pint as the first one. I like the changes in the coloring of the yarn.

I am truley not the best photographer and have so much to learn, but still you are able to see abit of the patterning and the color changes.

projects and family

The fourth was hard on Sadie, my little poodle. All those fireworks made her tremble until they were over; she tried to become more a part of me than usual during the noise. As soon as the fireworks were over, she decided it was time to go out.

I did not hear as many fireworks around the neighborhood, like as in years past. There were many festivities in Richfield for the Fourth of July, including a Veterans memorial dedication at Soldiers Field.

I am working on a lace pattern for a matching headband, scarf and hand warmers, which I would like to put on Ravelry. I need to finish the scarf and convert the pattern into PDF format for publishing. I created the headband pattern a couple of years ago for as a Christmas gift for one of my sisters;I have added the matching pair of hand warmers and scarf. I have pictures of the head band, but need pictures of the other pieces. The other pattern I am working on getting on Ravelry is a baby doll top and pantie set I made for Sadie, I have pictures of that now, so I just need to put it into PDF format.

My latest finished object is a pair of lace hand warmers; which is a collaborative with Tamara of DelSonno Enterprises, to be sold on the clickity sticks website. They hand warmers do need to be blocked, but are still pretty. Perhaps a head band to go with them (like I need another project), hmmm, I don't think I have enough yarn, but if I do I will publish it.










I have been trying to work a couple of rows on each project that I have going, each day as well as applying a bit more focus on one of them. Hopefully this will help me make progress and finish a few things I have on needles.


I joined the Hunderwasser knit along at Linden Hills Yarn & Textile Design Ltd. You can make whatever you want, using the Opal yarn Hundertwasser colorway called Road to Socialism. Being a Socialist is not a requisite, you just need to use the colorway mentioned in the sock yarn. The project needs to be finished by the end of the 2008 olympics to have your name entered in the drawing. I had a crisis of faith with the pattern I am using, but I did get over it and move forward. I am on the wrist of the first hand warmer (definitely a pattern here)and the colorway is turning out like a happy walk through bright colors. I should keep these, they will be cheerful this winter.
the unevenness of the lines as they are coming our in the fabric, lovely and unique. I am looking forward to the finished pair. A cool scarf to go with them would be fun, I wonder if the colorway will ever be made in a heavier weight yarn?

I have been thinking of my Dad and missing him a lot again, I don't stop missing him, the feeling comes in heavier waves from time to time. This was the time of year he would start water fights with us, he was very spontaneous with things like that. He would begin with a sneak attack using a little water gun, which would progress and escalate into a full fledged drenching of each other and the water hose. He was a funny guy, one time he dropped against the kitchen door frame at grandpa and grandmas, and began to talk the words to bullet in my shoulder, one of his sisters was mad at him.

Like many in he and his parents generations, he used to say "if it's worth doing, it's worth doing well." I remember his dad saying that as well.

When we were little, our families would go to my dad's parent's house to celebrate the Fourth of July, we would have sparklers and the adults would light firecrackers, have a picnic and watch fireworks at the lake. I remember sitting on blankets watching fireworks across the lake, those night were lovely and simple, not complicated by adulthood and life.

Funny memory of my grandfather, when I was young our house caught fire, my family was split up a bit during the renovations and I stayed with Grandma and Grandpa. one night I remember him sitting at the dining room table; this was where he sat and drank coffee, which was a beverage he drank throughout the day. Grandpa had a teaspoon and a bottle of ketchup; he filled the teaspoon with ketchup and ate it. I had never seen anyone do that, so I asked him what he was doing, he said, "eating ketchup" and offered me some. This habit was not for me, I declined not seeing any reason to eat plain ketchup. He was probably teasing me, like our uncle did with snuff, only that was worse. I had seen my Dad's brother in law uncle Bill, chew snuff and spit it out, eew. I witnessed him offer the substance to kids, everyone fell for it. When asked, he would say he was chewing candy and offer the asking child a bit of it from the tin, the offending substance was always spit back out right away. It was awful, what was the point, why chew something that tasted so bad? He did eventually drop the habit of chewing snuff, as well as offering it to kids; I think he got into a bit of trouble offering it to kids.

My Dad's mom used to knit, although she did not teach us how, I remember she knitted some sweaters. My Dad's sister Zelma crochets, she sewed and quilted as well; I do not know if she ever knitted. I would go to visit her and stitched while visiting, I enjoyed it a lot.

Here's to project completion.

Monday of FO's

I finished a few items, quick knits all.

First, hand warmers with a bracelet knitted in to them. Kits and pattern for these will be available through Clickitysticks.com
I used Jitterbug sock yarn and a metallic yarn. accenting the bracelet with beads.

I think these will be a gift, one of my sisters admired them and there is always Christmas. Or just because! I think they are going to Stitches first though. At least that was the plan.



Next, bed socks. Soft, warm and cozy bed socks. The pattern is called winter socks by Bev Galeskas and can be found in the Fiber Trends booklet #2013 The Magic Loop. I used a lovely acrylic wool blend yarn by Ella Rae called Amity. Both the yarn and booklet were purchased at Knitter's Palette in Lakeville.



These went very quickly, can be done in two or three days for the pair.

I want to make another pair before winter, maybe add some fair isle work to it.



My most recent FO is a cute little coin purse called "Change your socks" I purchased the kit by CiDesigns at Knitter's Palette and I used Noro Kureyon from my stash to make the little sock. So cute, so quick and gratifying.

Oh, knit this up in a few hours. perfect little last minute gift.

I was so excited, I had to put coins in right away. I could make a few more pairs with this skein of Noro. These would make cute gifts, I htink the next one will drop a needle size, I did get the guage for the ribbing, but the sockseems a bit larger than the samples that were at Knitter's Palette.

Happy Stitching

Projects and musings

Musings

I was thinking the other day and I don't think I believe the old saying, "the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence." Of course it is meant to let us know that, we always like or want what we do not have, better than what we do. I would not trade places with someone in a third world country, my grass really does look greener than the neighbors, and I have to purge belongings. Yes, some things could be better in life, but I am fortunate in a lot of ways, God has blessed me with a clear thought path, knowledge to be wise enough to check myself first and evaluate my life on going. That does not mean I am perfect, I do, as we all do, critique those and things around me, but if I do not say it, do not assume I am thinking it. I am outspoken and will give my opinion when I feel it matters and it is my business if you throw your drama in front of me in life; if yo are not trying to fix it and are just whining, I will say something, if only to say I do not want to hear it because it has been cycled through so many times before.
I could have it worse in life; I have a friend in the hospital with congestive heart failure, this on top of a laundry list of aliments, Lupus, Parkinson, Heart disease, Diabetes, wow am I thankful! Her brother is in a coma, lost his colon and is in rough shape. These things are real, not like the drama some like to perpetuate in their lives, I guess I am having a lot of trouble understanding why one would want to perpetuate drama, life is too short and riddled with things that can go wrong for real, I just want to enjoy and be thankful for everything that is good.
There are crops being lost and peoples lives being up heaved by the floods in the Midwest, I have not been flooded, I know people who are and have been and I have to say it is so humbling. I have been in a flood, your life is changed, you have to pick up and in many cases start again. I know they are called acts of God, but I do not believe God has anything to do with it or allows it. These are the dark forces of nature that can and do take periodic hold on our planet. I commend all the effort that is given unselfishly to help others during these crises.

Projects

I am making progress on my sock contest sock, deciding changes as I go along and keeping track in writing. I am very excited about this project, I truly would like to if not win something, have my pattern published. There are so many talented people in the world of needlework, so the competition is going to be quite steep. I am making the effort and my results are something I am proud of, even if I don't win or get printed. Even though I would like one or both of the preceding to happen.
I began bed socks earlier in the month and then left them to hibernate, I took them with me to the hospital Tuesday when I called an ambulance for my friend. One bed sock finished and the second one is ready for the heel flap. these are going to be great and I would like to make at least one more pair by this fall or winter.
I am working on lace hand warmers and will focus on those for a while. I do not retain heat well, because of my thyroid problems and it is hard for me to get warm again once I am chilled, so it is important to have warm things.
I am actually going to work on two pairs of lace hand warmers, one is a demo Clickity Sticks design I am knitting for her, the other is a pattern I found on Ravelry, it is by Whitney Van Nes.
I have been a bit remis in taking and uploading pictures, but I will need to get more pictures of projects etc.
My shawls are hibernating at the moment, but I intend to pull them out soon, to get going and finish the two I have on needles up. I have more to get going on with patterns and yarn at the ready.
I hope to make a bit of Progress today, I wold like to start the lace panel on the hand of the Clickity Sticks hand warmer, and finish that as well as my last bed sock by the end of the week. I am starting the ones by Whitney Van Nes today as well.
So much to do, so little time.
Speaking of time, its time to go switch the laundry.
Happy stitches.

junk email, handwarmers and socks and more

So I wonder, does anyone think that forward emails require a response? Do they constitute real communication? I have often wondered if people really think that way.

I do not much care for forwarded emails, and know may people who feel the same, I for the most part just delete them. I have never understood why, if you really care for someone you would send them an email, full of love and blessings, which then tells you that if you do not r=forward it, all sorts of awful things can and will happen. Hello, talk about passive aggressive. I would rather delete and have the bad luck/karma end with me than to send it on to someone I care about. I’m just saying, do people really understand what they are sending?

I do not count forward emails as legitimate communication, write something simple, what is wrong with Hi, how are you? If you are thinking of me and really care, then write something, otherwise I see it as you are just using me as someone to dump you forward junk mail on.

Okay, enough of that, I am finishing up a pair of hand warmers, which is a co-operative design created with two other people. Tamara of clickitysticks.com added a bracelet piece and will be selling it on her web site and patterns will be available at The Yarn Garage in Rosemount, MN.

I have decided to design a sock, for the Think Outside the Sox Contest, I am very excited, I am working down the leg of the first sock and I just love them! I of course am prejudice on that point.

Good news

We had a stormy weekend, and it has been over cast, partly cloudy and rainy ever since. Not a complaint, although a ray of sun shine would be nice. I have good news, the results of my CT scan I had on my lungs Monday is stable, so if I have a stable scan this coming November, I can stop having them again. I have spots on my lungs that are said to be non cancerous nodules, but if any changes are detected along the way I have to have CT scans every six months for two years to make sure everything is okay.

Ted Kennedy seems to be carrying on well, Lots of good thought for both he and his family, He had really been a champion for health care.

I have been queuing a a few things on ravelry, and working on hand warmers and my campanula socks. I think the next pair of campanulas I make will be on size one needles, I like my socks more fitted. I know I have said it before, but I love this pattern. I look forward to wearing them later this year.

I am knitting a series of hand warmers that are a collaborative effort of fellow knitters Sara D., Tamara D. of http://www.clickitysticks.com and myself. the hand warmers are decorative and lovely. I am experimenting with positive and negative ease with them, since I have chubby wrists, I want to see what will work best for me. I have listed the hand warmers on my notebooks project page in my Ravelry notebook, right now there are just pictures of the yarn I am using; jitterbug sock yarn by Colinette and Karabella lace. Pictures of yarn Below.









Linden Hills Yarn shop in Minneapolis's Linden hills area is a welcoming environment, I have been stopping now and then for a quick fix for my yarn and knitting needs, as well as following related threads on Ravelry. knitters are welcome to go and sit with their knitting and enjoy conversation.

Happy knitting/crocheting to all and to all a good stitch.

Yarn trial and progress.

So I thought I thought I had enough yarn, Oh, how wrong I was!
I was looking at my Ravelry queue and thinking AI should try to get something moved into projects and going so I could get it done. I thought, ah, the Luna scarf. Crochet so its quick, a simple and lovely pattern, finished it would make a lovely gift.
I had two skeins of Lana Grossa in a worsted weight, that should be enough; here was my first of a few mistakes in my yarn trial this weekend.
By the end of the first skein I knew that two would not be enough, my poor judgment came out of knitting more than I crochet and underestimating my yardage, soooo, I popped into the NU Outlet on Sunday and YES! they had more in the same color way. Now my second trial error; overconfidence regarding how much I would need was rampant in my brain.
The very pleasant person in the shop suggested taking two skeins, oh no, I would only need the one. By evening I could see i was cutting it close, by the time I came to the end, 14 stitches shy of being finished, I was telling myself, I knew better than this, why not the other skein, how goofy of me.
So, here on Monday, I sit with a scarf not yet complete, 14 stitches shy of finished, and praying that last skein will be there tomorrow and believe me, I will be there when they open! The outlet is only open four days out of the week, unfortunately for me, today is not one of those days.

In the upper right hand corner of this photo, you can see the loop where I had to stop because I ran out of yarn.

It is a beautiful scarf pattern I found on Ravelry, this was originally designed for a Harry Potter swap by: Pinkleo and published in the Craftster.




Here is the full scarf folded up a bit; I will keep it for my self if the additional skein cannot be had, I will just work a picot and run the end in, but I am hoping to find the next skein tomorrow and if there are two skeins I will get them and make some quick little wristlets to go with the scarf, which will round it off as a lovely gift.




Here is progress, I pulled my X an O socks out of hibernation and finished them! Ta DA!

These socks are sooo soft, they are made with Cherry Tree Hill hand dyed Louet Gems yarn. Soft and smooth merino yarn.
These are for me and will be wonderful to wear this winter.


I am not an expert on deities of India, but, I have so many things lined up , cued up and in progress that I need all the arms o Kali to make good progress.

Well off to dig in the project pile and pop up with wrist warmers to knit, have to wind the yarn first, but would like to get these done quickly, so I can keep moving through the projects. Yeah!

Free skin cancer screening

This is a short post that I want to put out as a single topic post, because it is important and it's good to be screened.

Olay is again sponsoring a free skin cancer screening. If you go to the web site below, you can go to the site, follow the link to find a Dr. in your area to receive a free skin cancer screening,

http://www.skincancertakesfriends.org/sctf08/

We can make sure that not only ourselves, but the people we care about are skin cancer free.

urban sprawl in who ville

I spent yesterday doing some cleaning. I decided to do some laundry and began by stripping the bed, it had been a week since changing and so I washed bedding. Before remaking the bed I thought, hey, flip the mattress and box spring to access cleaning the floor easier.
HOLY WHO VILLE BATMAN, urban growth and sprawl had hit Who ville, It had become MUCH larger than a microcosm. I guess its been awhile because dust bunnies does not even begin to describe the dust carpet I found (there will be NO pictures).
Undisturbed the allergen blanket was not much of a problem, disturbed, I was in trouble. I am feeling better today, but I can't get the screams of the who's, resounding over the whir of the vacuum cleaner out of my head.
I need to find a decent mask that does not allow dust in the sides of it, nothing I buy seems to fit well enough to not allow air seepage through the sides, even the heppa ones, maybe just need to walk around like a space alien in a respirator.
Too bad I don't have a neighborhood kid I can hire for those dust jobs.

New books, Whisper shawl

The mail came and I am now the proud owner of a couple new knitting books, plus the Wonderful Wallaby leaflet.

I purchased a pre-signed copy of the Yarn Harlot's Things I learned from Knitting and had it shipped (I have had a bad cold and did not go pick it up) with a copy of the Wonderful Wallaby Sweater. The two books from the Yarnery came in the mail today with my Amazon order, containing a copy of Wendy Knits came in the mail as well and I am going to be busy going over my buys.

Sadie is whimpering and watching a squirrel out side the window, running up and down the tree gathering nesting material.


Whisper shawl, modeled by Kimberly.









My Whisper shawl is complete and Kimberly modeled it at knit night, She looks so cute and wears the shawl well.
The shawl still needed to be blocked at that time, the blocking is now complete. I am so proud of it, that I can't seem to let go to borrow it out. A local shop wants to borrow it and I was going to let them, but I am so unreasonably attached to it I am having a tough time thinking of letting it go for a few days over Mothers day weekend.

Finishing this shawl has given me renewed energy to get back to finishing two other shawls I have in progress. One is the Highland shawl form the Folk Shawls book and the other is the Angel lace shawl form fiber trends.

Sadie, socks and more

Sadie went to the groomer today, and she is so cute in her little bows, I just had to take pictures.
Sadie's usual MO is to wiggle and move so much that she does not hod still for bows.



I think this is good that she is comfortable with her groomer and was calm.






This is a side view with a little bow on her ear.

She was not yet dressed, there are little panties to go with her top, and there are little ties that keep them up with the top, I just did not put them on.


I just bought a very cool pattern on Ravelry called Severus, it is a lace sock pattern with buttons on the side. so awesomely cool, I need yarn to knit them.
I don't think I can publish a Picture because I am not sure of copyright laws, however I will publish a finished picture of the socks I knit from the pattern.
My new favorite yarn for socks is Louet gems, the colors and solids are lovely, I will knit Severus in solids, there is a cute ruffle at the top of them in a contrast color.
Ravelry is my favorite place on the net, I may have said that in a prior post, but there are so many wonderful features and people to chat with.
interweave knits summer issue is coming out soon, I saw the preview notice on Ravelry. So many cool projects, if only to have twelve arms to knit several projects at once.

I just received my booby socks pattern in the mail, a breast cancer sock. I need six arms just to knit socks with.

I have made good progress on my whisper shawl, the main body is finished, Wednesday I broke the yarn and added the beads, reconnected and began the picot bind off on the bottom, I am about 80% finished with the bind off, then I will need to pick up for and knit the lace edging around the sides and neck.
My blocking wires came yesterday so I am all set to block when I finish knitting.
I will post pictures of the finished shawl soon. My knitting queue is bursting at the seams, I have tops and socks and shawls , oh my!

Back to the bind off, so much knitting to do.

Making progress and other info.

I am making great progress on my Whisper shawl, about 10 rows to go in the main body, then it's the bottom bead trim and lace edging around the sides.
I can't wait to wear it and now the weather is warming, I might wear it anyway.

Needlework unlimited http://www.needleworkunlimited.com/Outlet had a yarn sale this past weekend, I was sick but did sneak out. I now have 32 balls of Lana Grossa Riso in Pink. $2.00 per skein, it would have been $1.50 per skein since I bought more than 30 skeins, but I did not buy them all at once, I had to go to the bank and bought the rest the next day.
I love doing things that help and keeping them a secret, and I will continue to do this; I want to find a good knitting turn to make, and keep it a secret, this is my new mission since the sale on Saturday. it's because of my knitting Angel, whether or not you believe in Angels or good Samaritans or whatever you call them, I had on e Saturday.
I had not gone to the bank and forgot my check book when I went to the NU sale on Saturday, I found myself standing next to a fellow knitter and we talked about the 30+ skein prices, I found the Pink Lana Grossa Riso,and wanted to get as many balls of it that I could, so like a goof I pulled out the $ 28.00 I had and was going through and counting out the change in the bottom of my purse to maximize my purchase, found that I could not get two boxes (each box has 10 balls), and my knitting Angel handed out the money to make sure I could get two boxes, I tried to say no, wanted her name to pay her back and she refused. Knitters help each other she said, now you can help someone else, I know who to help specifically in turn for this.
I was just so impressed by a stranger wanting me to have yarn! bless her and her whole family.





Here is my yarn





Mock crab corn chowder

In sauce pan, saute:
1/2 med to large onion chopped
1 celery stalk chopped

when caramelized add:
1/8 tsp. garlic powder or 1 tsp. chopped garlic
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/2 C. orzo pasta
1 package chopped mock crab
1 1/2 C. corn
4 C. skim milk
stir in two tsp. cocktail sauce

Simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Yummy!!!!

A few of my favorite things, and Sadies favorites too.

I will not add a video with me singing the song, no one needs that torture.

Sadie here is my shadow and my favorite animal friend (she needs a trim in this picture).


I write about knitting and spinning so of course those are on the list of favorites, beyond that I love to have new information and learn about my favorite things. One of the things I found this year, is Ravelry. Absolutely love the organizational aspects as well as the help forums. If you are a knitter or crocheter or both, definitely check it out.
Through Ravelry, I learned about Mezzo Diva and Campanula for the cure socks. A link to Mezzo Diva's blog is on my blog, along with a few other bloggers I knew about and found this year. When I donated to and received my campanula for the cure information, I found an embedded link to a PDF for short row toe and heel by Wendy Knits; A link to her blog is on my page and a link to the PDF is in this post.
Wendy's short row toe is my FAVORITE for toe up socks and I will probably adapt it to all or most of the toe up patterns I knit from now on. Life is good Thanks to Wendy for the short row help and Mezzo Diva for the link to begin with. My favorite Bloggers are linked on my page, they are knowledgeable, funny and an inspiration to me. I enjoy reading about their projects and adventures, They do some wonderful work.

My favorite people beyond the bloggers I read are, my close friends and fellow knit and crocheters I see or speak with every week.
My sisters Becky and Heidi who give moral support, encouragement and loving advice while being my sounding boards.

SALES! Who does not think sales are among their favorite things? Yarn shop sales to be more precise, Linden Hills Yarn in Minneapolis is having a sale through the 19th of March. The Yarnery in St. Paul is having a sale, and I ordered a lace blocking kit from JoAnn.com for half price! Amazing things these sales, I purchased some Cashsoft Aran yarn at Linden Hills, I graphed out a scarf pattern, with the Cashsoft in mind, for my other favorite person, my house mate who is always so good to me and I decided he needs a cool scarf, the merino and cashmere blend is sooo soft and wonderful, I think he will love it.

Lace is cool, I am more than halfway through the Whisper shawl, using suri alpaca lace yarn from The Alpaca Yarn Company.










I have beads to work into the bottom of the shawl, before working the lace edging on the front. I am looking forward to wearing it.

The Jane Austen series wrapped up on PBS over a week ago, I bought the complete collection of seven novels from Barnes and Nobles, it includes a little known book of hers called Lady Susan.











Sadie's favorite new person is our mail carrier; Sadie likes to sit on the arm of the couch and watch for her out the window, when she sees her she goes nuts! We greet her at the door and of course a doggy biscuit is involved, Sadie ignores that and sucks up the attention, then goes for the biscuit when the mail carrier leaves. Sadie loves people, her favorite neighbors live next door and she always tries to sneak a peek to find out if they are outside when we go outside to walk. Sadie's favorite people are children, especially babies, she can't get enough of the little ones. I just wish Sadie could learn to knit and have it as one of her favorite things.

Sadie loves to shop at Petco and go visit our friends when we can. Sadie will be happy on Sunday when we go buy more food for her, it's all about the exposure and attention for her.

I did not order this

I did not order snow, I swear! It is rather pretty and is coming down in large chunks and flakes. Ahhh, life in Minnesota; if you want predictable weather, you won't find it here.
At four A.M. it was misting when I took
Sadie out to go potty, when we went out again at 10:30, it was doing this.
Wouldn't it be cool if mother nature was a real person and you were she? Hmmm, what kind of fun would that be?



On Friday my sister Bec called, she was with her family at the Radisson in Bloomington, they were going to the water park in the hotel.
A nice surprise, we met for dinner and visited. I took her vest to her, it has been on my Ravelry site as a finished object.
I love it, it is a bit big, she has lost weight. Good for her! See how cute she looks.





Her son Mattie ran into the picture as I was pressing the button; just a little camera ham.
I said one more and he flew into the view. His twin sister and older brother are off to the side, they did not have the same need to be photographed.






I am expecting a double treadle kit for my Ashford Traditional wheel, it should be coming tomorrow and then I can make more progress on spinning all the wool I have.
I am still happy with my progress in spinning, after not having spun for at least a year, my results were not hideous, or bad enough to send me screaming from the room.

I have until this coming Saturday to finish my March sock club sock, may not make it but I will give it a good try, although my fingers itch to jump around on different projects.

My stereo's calling for summer songs and the Beach Boys, I am going to pretend I am in Tahiti for the rest of the day.