Simply Sensational Knits*

Welcome to November

2009-11-04T06:00:00.000-06:00

Baby Surprise!

The Baby Surprise Jacket is coming along, even with a major frog because I didn't pay attention to the decreases. I must admit that, as ingenious as this design is, garter stitch is boring! It is not my thing at all! I'm looking forward to a new project. At least I can honestly say that I have made this classic. I had to get going on this quickly because we all know that babies don't stay the same size for long!

Whoa! Did we blow through Halloween? I bought what I thought was way too much candy, but the weather was perfect and the kids were out in droves, so we ran out (yea for no tempting leftovers!).

I made these ghost shaped Oreo balls for a soccer dinner for DS. Most of them were consumed as the boys waited in line to serve themselves the main course. The kids at the end of the line walked up to an empty tray (oops!). I was glad that I had a small stash of ghosts that hadn't fit on the tray! And I am even more glad not to have leftovers of these!!

The boys weren't nearly as crazy about the Fingers, but neither was I. It's hard to compete with Oreos and cream cheese! I did bring leftovers home, but it wasn't long before I found an empty cookie box in the dirty dishes. DH loved 'em!

For now, it's time to think about turkey and holiday knitting!

Danger Zone and New Traditions

2009-10-26T06:00:00.005-05:00

Oh boy... Yarn Shop hops can be v-e-r-y dangerous!

I had some projects in mind when I grabbed my passport and headed out. There is some Heritage Sock weight in black to make a shawl or wrap or something to keep bare shoulders warm on cool nights. I have thought for quite some time that a black wrap/shawl/capelet was something that DD#1 needed. And there is purple and gold Cotton Fleece to make this cheerleader skirt for my niece in Minnesota Viking colors. Even though she will be the one wearing it, it's really her dad, my BIL, who will appreciate it. I think "Touchdown!" was one of her first words. The Sirdar Escape is destined to be a Baby Surprise Jacket for a gift - love the colors in colorway 187, but the web thumbnail isn't even close to the real thing (it actually has a lot of purple, burgundy and gold) - and finally.... that which I couldn't resist, enough Inca Marl (100% Alpaca) in the Red Sea colorway to make a L/S pullover. It is soooo soft.

If you look hard at the front of that pile, there is a little bean bag page weight from Twist and also a little container of stitch holders. Those are little thank you gifts from Shelly, Twist's owner, for all of the shop hoppers. There were 4 shops that I didn't get to visit, but I kept my little map, so someday I'll pay them all a visit.

For now, it's time to get busy knitting.

You may recall that we made a mad dash trip to Minnesota for a wedding. Guess What?!

It snowed. This was October 10th -- too early for the frozen stuff, even in MN!

On the way up, we stopped for gas and saw this.

For the record, he did not pull his horses into the KFC/Taco Bell for a bite to eat. I just thought it was an odd contrast.

We drove by lots of corn fields and a couple of wind farms. For the record, there is nowhere to eat between Des Moines and Kansas City. That was okay. I just kept on knitting.

Road trip knitting time was plentiful, but I am still struggling to finish that project. Maybe all of this new yarn will create more hours in a day so that I can finish the current project and begin something new.

If you've read this far and you happen to be someone that I do tech editing for, you should be happy to meet my new "brain". I got tired of backing up files on CDs, so I bought this cool little silver box that hums and purrs and backs up my (and your) files.

Think of it as a safety net!

On another note, we are learning about many of the traditions at DS' high school. This week we head into post-season regional play for soccer. The soccer cheerleaders visited each varsity player's home over the weekend and decorated their bedrooms with posters, balloons, Halloween candy and paper streamers.

And first year varsity players get their heads shaved for regional play....

Oh well, he needed a hair cut, but this is so short it shows off a scar from a long ago rock-throwing incident that resulted in a staple. He will need a hat to stay warm, don't you think?

Nightime Reading

2009-10-05T06:00:00.002-05:00

A late birthday present arrived a few days ago and I have really enjoyed browsing the pages.

One can never have too many stitch dictionaries. This Japanese book has great drawings in the front of the book that show how to work each unusual symbol that is found within the charted patterns (there are no written instructions, but I don't read Japanese, so it doesn't matter!). It's easy to figure out how to follow the charts. I love that charts are our own unspoken knitter's universal language. I have some German charted stitch books, too, that I have referred to many times over the years. Of course there are Barbara Walkers and Harmony Guides and the Nicky Epstein series, too. Every time I look through these books, something different grabs my attention. Ahhhhh, if only there was enough time to execute all the ideas...

Snapping back to real life, this was our high school homecoming weekend. The football game was a blowout win for us, and I think DS had a good time at the dance.

While the kids danced the night away, DH and I went to an Octoberfest. What's not to like about bratwurst and sauerkraut?!

I've squeezed in minor amounts of knitting here and there. I'm working on a top secret project with a super soft cotton in a nameless color that should be called "latte". And next weekend we are making a mad dash road trip to the far north (Minnesota) for a wedding, so I am looking forward to LOTS of car knitting.

What a Week

2009-09-21T06:00:00.001-05:00

This week has seemed like I've lived life in the fast lane.

Wednesday, I crossed over to the "dark side", meaning I reached the half century mark. I really don't feel any different.

DH made me the cake of my choice, an old family recipe that makes a loaf. He's even wearing one of my really gross aprons. Not to worry, he was closely supervised and it turned out great! The cake has a little bit of chocolate, some spices, raisins, all topped with butter cream frosting. And calories don't count on birthdays.

Meet Bessie!

She arrived on my doorstep last week. She's kind of quiet, very low maintenance, and doesn't eat much. Hopefully you'll see more of her as time goes on. I have plans for her!

DD#2 decided at the last minute to come home for the weekend. Surprise! She was so happy to sleep in her own bed and eat home-cooked meals....

... and play with her dogs. They missed each other.

Then yesterday afternoon, our neighbors hosted their annual pizza fest/bingo party for all of the neighborhood kids.

They made sure that everyone was a winner!

Out of the blue, I had a wonderful blast from the past contact me. I got an email from my grade school BFF who was able to track me down on the internet. We haven't seen each other since the summer between 6th and 7th grades when she moved away (1971!!! - 38 years ago, yikes!). It is so crazy that she remembered my phone number from way back then, and what's worse is that I remember hers! Lots of memories have flooded back of all the innocence of our childhood together. Playing jacks and pick-up-sticks and collecting soda bottles to turn in for 2 cents, picking wildflowers from the field and taking them to the lady whose husband worked for a cookie company (we weren't stupid!), walking barefoot in the grass and playing baseball in the street. We never played with Barbies, but we had trolls with elaborate lifestyles. We used to tell everyone we were twins (she's exactly 2 weeks older than I am). In a way, it surprises me that I remember all these things. But I think kids remember lots more of life's little details, and as we get older and have so much more responsibility, we don't file away the little details. Fun walk down memory lane.

Maybe I save the details for knitting projects. I'd like to think so.

Lazy Sunday Afternoon

2009-09-14T06:30:00.001-05:00

Sometimes it is just fun to take a detour and whip up a quick project.

That's exactly how this dishcloth came to be. I was riding shotgun while DH and I ran errands and the other project that is currently on my needles is too intense for car knitting. This is the Hearts and Flowers pattern from "Trendy Knit Dishcloths", made with scraps of Sugar 'n Cream Twists. Fun, fast, and practical (and I needed a new dishcloth - somehow my supply had been depleted).

Mr. Mailman brought me a package this week. Sock blockers!!

Pesky as the real things may be, I think the squirrel silhouette is cute. I need to get busy making some new socks to block on these boards. These are an old Firestarter and Seduction.

Mr UPS brought me a big package, too, but I'll save that surprise for another post.

Happy Knitting! I know there is no shortage of patterns... I'm busy, busy, busy editing new patterns. ::sigh:: Sometimes I have to steal a little bit of time to knit, too. : )

Feeling Froggy

2009-08-31T06:00:00.003-05:00

Frog Legs anyone?

I admit that I have never tried this delicacy. These are part of a project I just finished and I used them as an opportunity to play with the black-and-white-plus-one-color setting on my camera. The green isn't really the right shade - I'll keep playing with the function...

I managed to start and finish this project in short course. I think he is quite the cutie, and I really have no idea what I will do with him, but he fully qualifies as an FO and for now, he is mine. So I let him lounge in the Liriope

The instructions are here, another adorable Susan B. Anderson pattern. I used good old Cascade 220 and modified the toes a little bit. The pattern calls for 12 individually made toes that you sew on. I crocheted mine (3 simple picots through both thicknesses at the bottom of each foot), all done with the working yarn so I wouldn't have so much finishing. The tummy is stuffed with a tennis ball for perfect roundness.

DH and I had a great weekend involving a quick trip to see DD#1. She and her BF arranged a "play date" for DH, myself and BF's parents. The menfolk played in a charity golf event, and us girls made a day of lunch, a quick tour of the St Louis Basilica, a trip to a semi-local winery for a fun afternoon of wine tasting, and then met up with the boys in the evening. Fun times and great company! BF's Mom and sister are great!

This funny little statue was on a side table in our lunch restaurant. The boa caught my eye (and internally I was groaning and thinking of fun fur).... the red matches the painted toenails, and it just looked silly sitting on an empty table all by itself. Not much of a guard dog!

From St Louis, we headed back toward home, making a pit stop to see DD#2 play in her first college soccer game against the school's soccer alumni. DD didn't disappoint - she scored 2 of the first 3 goals. Yea! She was a little disappointed not to get her favorite all time jersey number, but I think she got over it! She thinks college life suits her. I'm starting to agree.

Home again with a full agenda of work to be done. DS#2 is the lone child here... we missed him on our trip, but he had to stay here for school. His first varsity soccer match is Tues night..... another season begins, ready or not!

Berry Time and Back-to-School

2009-08-12T06:00:00.000-05:00

I have enjoyed a lot of fresh berries this summer. I bought this "Mixed Berries" colorway last summer or fall and it's been sitting patiently waiting for me to wind it and play with it. I wasn't totally crazy about it at first, but once I wound it, I liked it much better. It does remind me of a yummy blend of berries.

Lorna's Laces Shepherd Socks, Mixed Berries

Back-to-school shopping. Ugh! We are taking DD to college on Saturday and she and I have done our fair share of shopping for all of the usual stuff. As a soccer student-athlete, I figured she would want/need extra shinguard sleeves. They sell for $12 a pair, which I think is a total ripoff, so I took a pair of the commercial ones to Needle Nook Fabrics and matched up the sleeve fabric with fabric of equal stretch. DD was thrilled to find bright colors to choose from.

I spent $12 on fabric and whipped up 5 pairs on my serger that afternoon. Frugal. My mother would be proud.

The second pair from the right was made from leftovers. Underneath her real socks, she will look a bit like a court jester.

And last but not least, my "baby", Douglas, turned 16 over the weekend. His friends honored him with this gift.

The city came by to pick it up this morning. Other than the slight misspelling of our last name, it's quite a novelty. No, we didn't let him keep it!!

Complementing Knitting

2009-07-31T06:00:00.000-05:00

There is no argument that knitting is my favorite sit-down hobby, but when I pare knitting up with the other activities I like to do (think baking sweet things and bread), the results are not always flattering. So it is a good thing that I also like to swim. Far. Or at least pretty darn far for a middle-aged Mom.

Back in January I started recording the distance I swim every time I leave the pool. And just before we went on vacation, I reached the magical 100 mile mark. That's 7040 lengths of a 25-yard pool, or 7040 lengths of mind-freeing low-impact exercise where I don't feel myself sweating -- that's my favorite part.

I was promptly rewarded with a t-shirt and a water bottle (woo-hoo). I wish the reward could have been a new bathing suit since the pool chlorine tends to reduce the fabric to wimpy, lifeless shreds on a regular basis.

So now I am contemplating whether I can make it to 200 miles by the end of the year.... maybe. I'll need to pick up the pace a little bit.

I would like to think I had knit as many yards of yarn as I swim. I think that would mean a lot less swimming or a lot longer day.

My knitting has picked up lately - yea!!! I am trying to finish up a project because I have the next one all planned in my head - something I thought up while I was..... swimming, of course.

Where In the World Have I Been?

2009-07-21T08:35:00.007-05:00

Summer is in full swing!

I have totally neglected this blog for the last 3 months. It could be because there hasn't been much personal knitting going on! So, here is an abridged version of 3 months of my life in the fast lane.

The month of May was a blur of major soccer injuries, graduations, Confirmation, and a house full of company. No time for knitting.

I don't think I did anything in June or the first half of July except work, work, work. Some of my tech editing efforts can be seen here. I l-o-v-e Jacques Crusteau! There is a big book in the works, several indy patterns, and knit and crochet leaflets that have taxed my brain. I wrapped up loose ends just in time for a long-awaited vacation to NC.

There, I got my fill of babies with my nieces and nephews.

I forgot how much I missed the beach. The weather was perfect, even if the waves were a little small.

There were lots of broken shells on the beach following a storm 2 days earlier.

I am threatening to make this shell shot into a jigsaw puzzle. That would be torture!!

It rained one day, so we all went bowling. Bowling shoes are so goofy! Mine are the uber-groovy orange and yellow ones. What a fashion statement!

I did knit quite a bit on the planes and waiting around in airports (of course the airlines weren't running on time). There is a glimmer of hope that I might eventually get to show off a finished project.

Stay tuned - I'll try harder not to be AWOL for 3 months this time!

I hope you all have had more time to knit!

Aliens, Acupuncture, and a Bunny

2009-04-29T07:45:00.006-05:00

It can be funny how projects evolve.

Last weekend, I worked on the the "alien" on the way to a soccer tournament. At this point, it looked like I was performing acupuncture on him (or her, I haven't decided).

We had enough down time between games that I was able to finish up. It took a couple of days to add the eyes and nose. I think the ears could use a blast of steam, but I am pleased with the results! I'd like to make another one.

One of my favorite things about out-of-town soccer tournaments is stopping in at LYSs. I picked up some cotton for some more quick projects that I have in mind at Yarn. This was my first visit to this shop and it was a beehive of activity with knitters working away on projects and a class going on - definitely will stop by again when I am in the area.

Last weekend was prom, and they had a fun time. Both of these "kids" will turn 18 this Friday... where has the time gone? I guess I will be baking cakes and cupcakes this week!

Thinking Green

2009-04-24T07:30:00.002-05:00

Thinking Green is a good epidemic, and those who know me would not be surprised that I consider it a personal challenge to overstuff the recycling cart. DS was not amused when he had to stand in it to compress it.

I've been working on this green scarf for a while... seems like forever, and it'll get put away until fall. I'll still love the colors when it resurfaces in the fall. The yarn is Yummy from Fibra Natura, and it took a little less than 1 skein for the whole thing. Blocked out, it's about 8.5" by 60".

I played around a bit trying to decide how to finish off the ends. I tried a couple of other stitch patterns before settling on this one.

I battled the wind trying to get a good shot of the lace. The dark red tree leaves are what replaced the snow-killed pink blooms from a few posts back.

Finally, I bought blocking pins a couple of weeks ago knowing they would soon get used on this project. Exciting, huh? OK, I'm done talking about this scarf.

What's on the needles now? Something totally different and totally adorable. I'm working on Sophie. So far she has a head and a little bit of a neck. It's a quick little fun project for no real reason at all, other than I wanted to make it!

I'll sign off on a good note... ::drum roll::

DD22 found out yesterday that she got a job. She will iron out the details next week, but she'll be starting her first real. grown-up. full-time. job with her own benefits on May 18th, only 3 days after her Master's Hooding ceremony. I bet she'll still call me for recipe advice!

Hodge Podge

2009-04-15T07:48:00.004-05:00

Life is a whirlwind sometimes, and I can only hope that there is time in every day for knitting.

.....I have some new yarn...

I love the colors and the possibilities for this yarn (Anne, by Schaefer Yarn). It's so-o-o-o soft. The colorway is Eleanor Roosevelt. If you like it and can find some, grab it!! This colorway is being discontinued.

....We e-filed our taxes. (BTW, Happy Tax Day!)

Where's our refund????

....DD22 blew in for Easter.

She wanted her hair braided to combat the KS wind. (She has an interview for a REAL job today, as in post-Master's employment with her own benefits - good vibes, please!)

We've been prom dress shopping.

This was not the winner. : )

(Hint: She chose the same dress in teal)

I have decided that DS needs cooking lessons, or at least closer supervision.

Pancakes, anyone?

Mostly, there has been a LOT of work for me. Sometimes I have to swatch to understand.

Sometimes all it takes is a sketch. Notice the ever-present cup of coffee.

::sigh:: Time to get back to work.

Excuse My Absence

2009-04-06T07:35:00.004-05:00

Where have I been? Obviously I think about posting more than I actually do it!

The Spring we thought was here was pretty short-lived. The flowering plum from the last post is sad these days. The blizzard made short work of all those pretty pink blossoms.

DD thought it was great fun... as did the dogs.

I didn't even want to step out on my beloved back porch. Would you?

This is more my speed for blustery snowy days. Where's the hot chocolate? The kids inhaled these cookies!

We have also had a flurry of company. Nephews passing through on their way from west to east, and niece passing through on her way from south to north.

Cousins have a special bond (ok, so the tall one is not related to us (but we will happily claim her as a honorary cousin!). The 2 girls on the sides are travelling pediatric intensive care nurses - not a bad deal for the young and unattached. They are headed back to North Dakota after working all winter in San Antonio. They are kind of young to be snowbirds, aren't they?!

Meanwhile, I have had a lot of work and only a little time for knitting. Our Saturday morning Meet-Up group had a dishcloth/facecloth swap this week. There were all kinds of cloths in every color, and the swap was a lot of fun. My 2 cloths were made from this book -- one was green and the other was blue.

This is Jackie "modeling" her ruffled swap.

And this is my haul! Lanora made the bath mitt (and the cute bag), and Amy made the checkerboard cloth. Fun time!

One more thing... check this out. How to ask a girl to the prom has changed! Apparently the boys try to be uber-creative in their date requests at our school!

Time to get back to work.... and here's hoping that I will find time to play with my fledgling lace project, too.

L is for Lace, Someday

2009-03-24T07:37:00.007-05:00

More Spring pictures. The colors are totally welcome after the dreary winter. I am tired of looking at dormant grass and bare branches. And the wind... it's been 40+ mph since Saturday. Maybe we will get a break today.

This cheerful thing is my flowering plum that sits outside my dining room window. I stepped out into the wind to snap a picture and had a hard time getting a clear shot. In the summer, squirrels will come and eat all the fruit off the tree. I don't think the fruit is edible for humans, so they can have it.

Close.

Closer.

Closest. Ok, so maybe I am just playing with the camera!

I might not have buried my tulip bulbs deep enough, or maybe this is just an early blooming variety. Either way, I enjoy them! It amazes me that fragile flowers can stand up to the brutal wind. Mr Robin from the last post carries on in the wind as though it is a calm day.

Knitting, yes! I finished the cardigan and even steamed it. DD gave her seal of approval and I asked if she would like to model it for me. She grumbled something unitelligible back. I'll corner her later.

And I started a new project... it's the 'L' word, as in Lace. It's not fine weight, but it's very intricate with YOs on right and wrong side rows. It takes total concentration, so it will not be a portable project. I am just far enough along that I can see the pattern taking shape and I keep finger blocking it against my leg to admire the pattern. I am working this from a chart - I think that will be easier for me than getting lost in words. The stitch and row repeat are both quite long. The yarn I am using is yummy, as in Yummy, in Lagoon colorway. It has all the greens of early spring and new leaves that I see out my window. I think the pattern I chose will be a good match for the yarn. Did I mention that I have ripped back twice? So far, I am not deterred!

I am going to test myself and start a second project that will be portable, likely something in thread crochet. I need something to pass time between track meet events and for soccer road trips. The arrival of spring means I will be the spectator Mom again. The first track meet is this afternoon and DS is one of a handful of sophomores who made the varsity squad. He modeled his uniform for us last night -- too funny, and the HS girls varsity soccer kickoff is Thursday (she modeled her uniform last week), followed by DS's club soccer tournament this weekend, followed by DD's HS preseason tournament next week.... and so it goes.

Happy spring and happy knitting... now I need to get to work!

Rockin' Robin

2009-03-17T07:15:00.005-05:00

There sure has been a spring theme to the blogs I follow, and I suppose this one is no different. I snapped a picture of this chubby robin through my window. I can't imagine that there are any worms left in the grass -- she's been plucking away out there for days. She's standing in a bed of sad-looking tulips that also seems to be a favorite place for one of our dogs to nap (thus the crushed tulips!).

This week is spring break for my kiddos, so they took a trip to the town we used to live in to visit old friends. They are heading back today, tired out, I'm sure. They have soccer and track practice for school, despite the break, and I am hoping that they will fulfill some service hour commitments, too.

As for me, I have done some spring cleaning -- necessary stuff for this time of year. I took time out to make a really yummy cake to share with our neighbors (read: share the calories). Mostly, I have been working away on patterns galore, and there's plenty more waiting in the wings. When my brain gets tired from that, I've worked/ripped/reworked a little on my cardigan.

Here, the cardigan is resting. One sleeve to go... what will be next?!

Last week I worked the Kansas section of the Traveling Shawl, then sent it on to Oklahoma. I should have taken a picture... it will be lovely when it's done. You should check it out!

Hope you are having a good week!

That Back Porch Again!

2009-03-09T07:30:00.003-05:00

Once again, it's pictures taken from the back porch. I'm not too crazy about heights, but I enjoy watching hot-air balloons float across the sky. I zoomed way in so I could see the colors.

My guess is that they were headed for the civil aviation airport that's a couple of miles from here. It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon to be outside.

Where did the weekend go? I managed to knit, though not nearly as much as I would have liked to. We survived the first tornado warning of the season and actually got some much needed rain without too terribly violent wind. Indoor soccer season is officially over and I am ready for outdoor season for the HS girls to begin. I will be juggling duties as soccer mom and track mom. I know about soccer knitting, but track is something new for me... I can knit while waiting on events, right? I hope that's the way it works.

I am at a decision point on my top-down raglan cardi... the bottom edge. I don't want to do plain old ribbing. I'm thinking scallops, but time will tell. I need to make my decision before I take the kids to the dentist in a couple of days. LOL, I know I'll be sitting there a while - prime knitting time!

Otherwise, it's going to be a busy week of tech editing.

It's March Already!

2009-03-06T07:10:00.005-06:00

How did it get to be March already and on the brink of another weekend? I've seen a whirlwind of projects cross my desk, and all I can say is that there is so much talent and creativity in the yarn world... all you have to do is search and you will be able to find a pattern for whatever you would like to make. There have been clothes for men, women, and children, afghans, wraps, baby items, toys and accessories. It's amazing.

The down side is that I have spent less time on my own projects, and I am even at the point of endless Stockinette on my cardigan, but the project is still on the needles with the body to finish and the sleeves yet to be started. And to make matters worse, I have a crazy notion that I would like to begin a crochet project in thread. It must be spring! Blame it on the blooming bulbs!

The view from my desk window has had a dramatic overnight change. The prairie grasses grow tall all summer long and sway in our constant breeze/wind. A quick glance at the grass lets me know how windy it is outside.

Then the tractors roll through and it's all gone in a single pass. DH even trimmed our garden grasses down to the ground. Maybe it won't be too long until it's all green again. In the meantime, I think I need a wind sock.

I'm thinking spring, are you?

The New Workstation

2009-02-25T07:30:00.002-06:00

Once upon a long time ago, we ordered furniture for our basement. Economic crisis, or not, it finally came in and we are thrilled to have it (especially me). This is the brain space of the house for me - where I do my work. The windows actually look out at ground level and the dogs like to play right outside and distract me, and when they are tired, they curl up right next to the window and stare at me. I am trying to decide what I want to put on the wall by the desk. What's on the desk? A cardigan that I am currently tech editing (it's really pretty), swatching yarn, all my tools, and my iPod/iHome (that's how I drown out the TV and kid "music"). I should have taken a picture of the old desk... a total disaster area!

Knitting. Yes, I have managed a little bit. I have the yoke of a raglan cardigan completed. I'm working with Debbie Bliss cashmerino dk in #18013 (natural). I have used this yarn before and love its softness. Now I have to find the time to 1) figure out how many sts to pick up to work the body, and 2) then actually do it! I know it will get done, I just get impatient with my own knitting.

Monday was DDs signing day for college soccer. She and a classmate both signed for the same school, so they had a joint ceremony and party. She will be a student/athlete at Univ of St Mary in Leavenworth, KS, a very small school (at the opposite end of town from the military prison/federal penitentiary), but the perfect academic match for her interests. A lot of her games will be within an hour of our home, so DH and I are happy to be able to see her play most of her games. DS15 got out of class for the hoopla, and the school activity director snapped lots of pictures. DS will not be happy that he's pictured here in his school uniform! Maybe his day will come... a new pair of track cleats are in the mail, and he's already dreaming about new soccer cleats, too.

But college is really about developing their brains, isn't it? But it's okay to have fun, too. For me, that means knitting on soccer road trips!

B-I-N-G-O

2009-02-18T07:30:00.000-06:00

Finally some FOs to post about.... I whipped up a pair of Fetching Fingerless Gloves for the Bingo prize for DD's NHS service project. These were a really quick project.

They have an interesting picot bind off -- it seems to me to be off by a stitch. I think the picots would look better if they were centered over the purl columns, but I can make that adjustment next time. Since I didn't know who might receive these and how they might feel about hand washing, I made them from some washable Lion Wool-Ease that was in my stash. I wouldn't mind having a pair for myself.... more stash diving maybe?!

And here's a quick snap of the white cotton pullover. I intend for this to be worn under a jacket, therefore no sleeves to get bound up and aggravate me. It looks kind of curvy on the hanger!

I am thrilled to have found time to knit!

Weekends are made for....

2009-02-16T07:30:00.002-06:00

I would like to think that weekends are made for knitting and relaxing, but that's not how it usually works out.

This weekend was the Sweetheart Dance at school, Sadie Hawkins style. DS had a really good time with his friend (and he assures me that they are only friends). They were supposed to eat at a Japanese Steakhouse, but the reservations got messed up, so they ended up (14 of them) eating at the local Wendy's in their semi-formal attire. The other restaurant patrons took lots of pictures which, I'm sure, are all over Facebook now. DS is there in his Johnny Cash black shirt and pants that I had to buy in the ::gulp:: Men's department. He's so proud to make the giant leap out of the boy's dept.

What else did I do this weekend? I broke a sweat vacuuming and mopping (ugh!), baked some awesome bread and some brownies, too. I shopped for groceries (twice), worked a little bit on some tech editing, went to church and soccer game, and ta-da..... (drum roll) finished the white cotton pullover. I didn't take a picture... yet. Actually, I still need to weave in the yarn ends, but the knitting part is done. Yea!

Next project... fingerless gloves for a Bingo game prize. DD participates in Bingo for a group of retired women once a month as part of her service hours for National Honor Society. I printed off the instructions for Fetching - I hope somebody will like them. I'm in the mood for a stash-diving quick project.

: ) Happy knitting!

Not Knitting

2009-02-11T07:30:00.002-06:00

There is not a whole lot of knitting activity going on at my house these days. Rather, I have been extremely busy tech editing lots of patterns for some very creative designers. I'm planning to clue you in on some of them in a future post. For the moment, I feel like I have traded my needles for rulers, calculators, red pens, pdf files and coffee.

As of last Friday, DH joined the multitudes of layed off workers across the country. Times are v-e-r-y tough in the business jet industry. So, also instead of knitting, I have helped him update, reword, fine tune, and tweak his resume. The first print is being hand delivered to a hiring manager tomorrow. We are firm believers in the power of personal networking, and we feel at a disadvantage since we have lived here less than a year. We do have cautious optimism that he will find a new position before the severance runs out, and we are thankful for his military pension, but we sure hope that we don't have to live on it!

So far, he's not bored at home. The weather was nice so he went fishing yesterday.

He was proud of this big trout!

He made it home before the rains came, and when the weather turned nasty to our south and east, we saw this double rainbow from our back porch. I have yarn in all those colors. And someday I will find time to use it.

I never grow tired of rainbows.

Long Time, No See

2009-02-04T07:30:00.000-06:00

I wish I had wonderful tales to tell of the times I have had since I last posted. The truth is, I have been incredibly busy. There have been icy road trips (not fun), soccer games, lots of work, and not a whole lot of knitting. And this is the week of meetings in the evening. Meetings kill my prime knitting time.

The ice was followed by a couple of unseasonably warm days... the ones that fool us into thinking spring is just around the corner. And then that silly Groundhog sees his shadow. Thanks, Punxsutawney Phil! So how 'bout a basket of spring. I went stash diving and came up with lots of leftover cotton.

Nonetheless, I started a little sleeveless pullover for wear when it does get warm. Does that make me an optimist? I hope so. I've seen some bulbs popping out of the ground this week.

It must be okay to think about spring when I have already had to sign off on courses for DS to take next fall. That's just how the world turns!

Three cheers for quality knitting time and warmer days to come!

Sock-it-to-Me Gloves

2009-01-23T07:30:00.001-06:00

Remember these?

I finally got around to sizing them out and writing out the instructions. You can download (free) them here, or on the sidebar.

What is on your needles? I haven't had time to knit for the last couple of days, all week really, and I am going into withdrawal. I was working on these glove instructions!

Designs are swirling in my head, and I hope to wind some hanks into balls today. I think it's going to be a fairly quiet weekend, so I am hoping for quality knitting time.

A Weekend Away

2009-01-20T07:15:00.000-06:00

When opportunity knocks we have to take advantage, right?

DD17 and DS15 spent the long weekend in Colorado wearing themselves out on the ski slopes. That gave DH and I the opportunity to head in the other direction, accompanied by our four-legged friends. We rented a cabin on the White River near Mountain Home, AR and escaped our normal routine for a couple of days. DH has been waiting patiently (sort of) for the flood waters from last spring to recede enough that the river would be low enough to fly fish. He likes to wade when he fly fishes and the Corps of Engineers has had a tough time managing the lake levels without flooding everything downstream. It took until December to get back to "normal" lake levels and hydro-electric generation.

This was the view from our front porch. The cliffs across the river are 600 feet high. It's a great place to yell and hear your echo come back, if you are so inclined!

This is DH doing his best impersonation of Brad Pitt in 'A River Runs Through It". Ha Ha! If you look in the bottom right corner of this pic, you'll see our black lab. She waits for DH to catch a trout, and sometimes he gives them to her. She likes to eat them raw (gross!), but sometimes they get away. It was about 40 degrees, but the chill didn't seem to bother her. She was worn out from swimming and romping!

Not to be left out, this is our hairy landlubber dog. He barely gets his paws wet at the river's edge. Rather, he would prefer to run circles in the field, no doubt rounding up imaginary sheep!

As for me, I don't fish. I just knit. I finished the Chalk Stripes scarf in the car on the way there and even wore it! I had enough leftover yarn to make a matching hat which I finished in the car on the way home. Check back for a pic of that.

All in all, it was a relaxing weekend for us. It was great to get away. When we checked in, the hostess asked me if I fished. I told her no, I just knit. She was supposed to send her DD by for some knitting help, but I guess she was bashful. I wish she would have stopped by.

I have lots of blog reading to catch up on. I am contemplating my next project. Have a great week!

Snowballs or Balls of Yarn

2009-01-14T07:41:00.003-06:00

Mr. Weatherman is threatening snow again.

I prefer balls of yarn to balls of snow.

A walk in the snow might be OK, but a fire in the fireplace and time spent knitting sounds much more appealing. I say let it snow!