Apparently, I'm "Out Of It" - again

I've never shopped for prom dresses before. I didn't go to my prom. I didn't go to ONE school dance. I barely had a date in high school. So, I missed out on the whole prom dress shopping thing 'til now.

This month I've done LOTS of prom dress shopping. It's actually kind of fun, for the first few hours. You get to know the other moms and their daughters pretty well - hanging out in the dressing room.

You start giving opinions on total stranger's daughter's dresses. You wish you had an excuse to wear a total princess dress. You wish you still had your total princess body so you could wear a sparkly poofy killer princess dress. You daughters highly doubt you ever had a total princess body.

What do they know.

Now, back in the day, when I didn't go to prom, it was because I didn't have a boyfriend, and if I wanted to go from "not one of the popular kids" to extreme loser status, going to the prom stag or with your girlfriends would have clinched it. Kiss of death.

But, nowadays I guess "everyone does it", so D#2, Lil, is also going to the prom, with her best friend, stag. Well, if "everyone" is doing it....

I'm so out of touch, I'm sure they don't even say "stag" anymore...

Oh well. Lil is happy, has a very princessey prom dress, and some KILLER shoes. K-I-L-L-E-R.

Those Lorna's Laces Black Purl socks up there.... I'll model them for you in the killer princess shoes. Wait for it.... seriously killer shoes.

Nicknames

Here's Lily in her Dublin Bay socks, finished last night during the final minutes of ER, and the first few minutes of the local 11:00 news.

No, Lily's not her real name..... and this is actually a rare sighting, she rarely lets me put her on the blog. No, Lily is just one of her many nicknames. This is the kid who made up her own nicknames. When she was about 2-1/2 years old, she decided she wanted to be called Squeakers - and it stuck, and for a few years, everyone called her Squeakers.

Then, back in my soap opera watching days, she liked the name Lily, from Lily Snyder on As The World Turns. "Call me Lily, I want to be Lily now" she said. That was about age 4. That one stuck. I started calling her Lily-Pud (rhymes with wood), and the Pud part has stuck, too. That's about all her dad calls her, Pud, or "The Pud". (it never looks right when you write it, though).

I always call her Lil, almost exclusively, unless she's in trouble.

Nicknames run rampant through our family, like Kaity and Doozer. Well, actually Kaity is short for Kaitlin, but most of us call her Doozer. Her dad named her that after the Doozers on Fraggle Rock (blast from the past), those busy little guys.

My dad called all upset one day, from work no less, when Kaity was about three, asking my mom "What's Doozer's real name? I've been trying to remember all morning, and all I can think of is Doozer."

The hubby has called me "woman" for most of our lives together. I know, it sounds horrible, but it isn't.

I like nicknames - they're like little family secrets, because only you know why they really started and what they really mean.

Well, the nice, endearing ones, anyway.... "bird legs" and "motormouth" come to mind from my past.... not so fun. Everyone in the family, both mine and the hubby's, calls me Lyn. But, everyone on the "outside" calls me Lynda.

I guess the hubby's family didn't even know my real name was Lynda until the wedding invitations were printed!

People used to call me Lyndi, my mom still does sometimes.... and my sis calls me sis.... I like that.

Oh well, babble, babble, this really went a whole lot of nowhere, so how 'bout some specs:

Socks: Dublin Bay
Yarn: Lorna's Laces, Sherbet colorway. I used just a smidgen over one skein, which is pretty sweet, I think!

I revised the pattern a little bit for size 2 DPN's, casting on 64 stitches. That's the only real modification. I think this is such a pretty pattern for the variegated yarns, like Lorna's Laces.... very pretty, but still simple enough it doesn't complete with the yarn. I'll be using it again.

Doing The Dishes

http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a337/knittogether/?action=view&current=dancindoozer.flv
Click on the link above -

You know you want Kaity of your own...

Questionable Taste

I was remarking to Kaity the other day how I had more comments on my ugly/cool Trekking Jaywalkers than anything else I have knit. She intimated that perhaps I have a whole lot of friends with questionable taste in what's cool.

It got me thinking, why do we decide what we absolutely will or will not wear, what we like and what we don't. I find it very interesting and enjoyable that everyone develops their own "style."

Sometimes, I'm surprised. A few years ago my hubby and I were invited to a 40th birthday party a friend was giving for his wife. A dressy affair, a limo was going to pick us up, dinner, a whole "evening" - just four couples. We don't go to a lot of "dressy affairs" - so my husband asked me to pick him out something. The whole package, pants, shoes, shirt... "you know what I like" he says. I pick out a shirt and tie, a nice pair of dress slacks, new black shoes and belt.

He takes one look at them and says, "I don't wear black shoes." Just a matter of fact statement. Huh??? At this point we'd been married at least 20 years. "You mean, you don't like black shoes?" I ask. "No, I don't wear black shoes. I don't like them."

What happened to "you know what I like"?????

20 years, how did I not know this? I just kept repeating myself, "You really won't wear black shoes? Ever?" "Nope."

Granted, this is the man who wears shorts 360 days a year, not a huge fashion plate - but he absolutely refuses to wear the black shoes. "Just trade them in for brown ones, but I'll still wear the belt."

Now I'm really perplexed. For starters, this is the most easy-going guy you'll ever run across, Mr. Happy All The Time - it's where Kaity gets it. But he absolutely WON'T wear black shoes for some odd reason he can't explain, but he WILL wear brown shoes and a black belt to a dressy affair - NOT ON MY WATCH he won't.

So, I traded in the shoes AND the belt for brown, and a fun time was had by all.

I don't wear black shoes.... puhleeze.

Anyhoooo, this brings me to my new yarn. Monarch Farms, Fly Super Sport. It threatens to be ugly/cool socks, like the Trekking Jaywalkers. But check it out.... 650 yards, 3-ply washable wool, very soft, size 2 needles. It's like the Perfect Storm. What's not to like. Why haven't I seen anyone knitting with this? The best part - 650 yards, enough for two pairs of socks, $25. Even. No shipping, no tax. $25. I'm in love.

I do have a caveat, however. It looks nothing like the picture on the website. (see the little sample to the left, straight off the website) I double-checked, and it's the same colorway.... in theory. I know ordering off the internet is iffy - monitors all being different what what not.... but, this is REALLY different.

I don't really mind, they're just socks, and the stuff I ended up with isn't bad. And, well, let's face it - you've seen what kind of socks I'll make and wear.... and - may I add - you all seem to like! - so these should be winners.

However, I still think I've found the sock yarn deal of the century. It's beautiful soft stuff. Kaity and I wound it up into balls yesterday and I gave her half. 650 yards for $25, no shipping, no tax... you just have to be a little open to interpretation regarding the colorway. Oh, I'll order again, can't wait to see what I get!

**I've fixed the link, so now it'll take you to the website

Spring Fever

I'm sitting here, getting ready to work, hoping for those magical words "No Jobs Available" to pop up on my computer screen. It's rare, but maybe once a month, if I'm lucky, we've all typed faster than the doctors can talk, all the dictation has been typed and is current..... and there's no work.

That means I can knit without guilt. I mean, if there's no work, there's no work, and that's no fault of my own. It means I can knit.

Well, what it also means (and I'm perfectly willing to ignore this for today) is that when the end of the pay period comes, I may be scrambling to make my quota of 12,000 lines.... I REALLY hate that, but for now, just this morning, (and every morning last week) I just want to see those magical words. I just want to play hooky.

What I have is major spring fever.

Who can blame me, I mean really. It's gorgeous out, and I have new yarn. The LYS had a 20% sale this weekend on ALL wool - anything with a smidgen of wool, 20% off. The place was packed, and I had a car full of girls wanting to go prom dress shopping, waiting for me in the parking lot, so I limited myself to these four skeins of sock yarn, two Lorna's Laces in "Buck's Bar", and two skeins of Claudia's Handpainted in "Passion Fruit."

I am totally addicted to sock yarn.... wait 'til I show you what I ordered.... maybe it'll be here today- oh, the yarny goodness...

Some days I really hate working. You know this 2nd Dublin Bay is just screaming to be finished. And all the "next sock candidates" are showing all their glory, hoping to be the lucky one to cast on.

I suppose it doesn't help that I keep my current sock in progress and ALL my new favorite sock yarns sitting on my desk, where they can taunt me. Probably not too smart. They're just WAY to distracting. It's one of the drawbacks to working from home..... well, at least if you're the distractable type, like me.

But, they're so pretty....

Ok - FOCUS.

Really - I was always a good girl, I never cut class, never ditched school, never called in sick when I wasn't.... I just want to see those magical words "No Jobs Available." Come on - chant it with me.....

UNLUCKY!!! I just checked and there's work. Gotta go. Have a nice day, and do some knitting for me.

(PS - the margarita in the top picture is from last night, the only thing on my desk this morning is a cup of coffee. Really, give me more credit that that!)

I Love 'Em.... I Love 'Em Not

Really, these could seriously be the ugliest socks in history.... or the coolest. I totally can't decide if they're just butt ugly, or really cool.

Most people in my house are voting "ugly." However, they all know I'll wear them - a lot. And, they'll complain everytime. So what...

So, you know, the old photo shoot - but this time I've got Kaity to help me. Yeah, I need that kind of help. See this lovely picture by the birch tree.... this was after a try for a picture by the front door ceramic lizards.... Me, lying on the front porch, keeping one eye peeled for the neighbors, because I look like a major dork.... lying on my back with my feet in the air, like a stuck turtle.

So, I'm afraid she's gonna ditch me and leave me lying on the porch, perhaps even locking me out (oh, YES she would) - but I have the birch tree shoot in mind so I say, "hey, wait, I still need you." And she says, "Why, to help you up?"

Thanks. I may be old and not very graceful, and own the ugliest handknit socks in existence, but I can still get up off the ground.

I guess I'll know that's when to quit.

The things I do for you people...

Jaywalkers
Trekking XXL, colorway 105, one ball
Size 2 DPN

Show and Tell

When one of my nieces was in Kindergarten, the way they did Show and Tell, was every week it corresponded to a letter in the alphabet. "A", bring something to show and tell that begins with "A".... etc.

One week at "Monday Night Dinner" (I will get around to telling y'all about that some day), she asked my hubby, and my brother, if she could bring them for Show And Tell. Now, as you know, all kindergarteners are irresistibly cute, and my kids and nieces and nephews even more so than the average, doncha know... so what red-blooded American uncle worth his salt could say No to a request like that. They made a plan, they would plan their lunch hour around Show and Tell, take off a little extra time, and go to kindergarten the next day.

How cute is this? Thinking back on it always makes me smile - there are my hubby and my brother, standing in a room full of kindergarteners next to their adorable niece, fielding questions from the room "what kind of truck do you drive?" etc, inquiring kindergartener minds want to know, when the teacher asks them to introduce themselves to the class. So they introduce themselves.

"Well that's very nice, Tim and Dave, thank you for coming," and then she asks my niece what Tim and Dave have to do with the letter "U" - that week's Show and Tell letter. She proudly looks up and them and beams, "U is for Uncle - and these are MY uncles!" Too cute!

So, here's my Show and Tell for this week, and part of it is courtesy of my cute niece's dad (the sis's hubby). Remember how my sis was going to Germany and we gave her yarn money? Well, she was so busy (work, bummer) she didn't get to shop. But, look at the picture up top there.... the next week her hubby went on a business trip to Norway, and look what he turned up with on Easter! He actually went into a yarn store in Norway, not knowing a THING about what he was supposed to be looking for, not to mention couldn't speak the language... and came back with some Norwegian sock yarn! Gotta love a guy who will shop for yarn on a business trip, for his wife, SIL and MIL!

This is Rauma-ragg, made in Norway, 80% Ren ny ull (first use wool - I looked it up!) and 20% nylon, and I'm pretty sure it's superwash. I've been wanting to make boot socks for my hiking boots, and this will be perfect!

And checkie out my new Claudia Handpainted sock yarn - Turquoise Jeans colorway. I've never used this before, but it's gorgeous, and soft. I'm thinking ribbed socks - we'll see.

What do you have to Show and Tell?

Extreme Egg Hunting

When the kids get older, the stakes just get higher. See, we always do Easter with my parents and my sister and her family. My sister and I take turns hosting every year. Now, between us there are six kids, ranging in ages from 10 to 21. So, this year, the "big kids" opted out of the egg hunt, being "too old." That, and last year D#2 took a little flak for body-slamming her 11-year-old cousin. It was an "accident."

When they were all little, it was just a free for all - kind of "ready, set, go." Then when there were older ones, and really little ones, we'd stagger the start times.... letting the babies out first so they stood a chance - otherwise all the big cousins are whizzing by snatching up all the eggs and the babies are just standing there without a clue.

So this year, in the interest of safety, all the but the two youngest opted out, like I said, which means we have probably close to NINETY eggs spread all over the backyard for TWO kids. Still, they run around like chickens with their heads cut off, trying to get the most.

It's just too funny - I mean, look at the picture.... his basket is nearly empty because he's dumped his loot twice already into a large paper bag, there are really very few eggs left to be found, as evidenced by the empty grass, and he's still going full tilt. This is serious business.

Well, it was too painful for the big kids to be left out, so next year we decided we'll up the ante, blindfold them or something. An idea that got a lot of votes was three legged race Easter egg hunting. You know, tying two kids together. Oh yeah, this is an excellent idea. I can see it now, The Bud dragging one of his little cousins all over the yard... and there'll be some kind of discussion about who has to be tied to the "uncoordinated one." This should be good.

You see, they just won't let any of the traditions fade away. We still have to do ALL the stuff we did when they were little. We have to have colored boiled eggs, candy-filled eggs, deviled eggs, and Jell-O eggs. I tried to "accidentally" forget about the Jell-O eggs this year, but No... they wouldn't let me. Not to mention all the chocolate eggs. Why, because "it's just what we do, Mom."

And, we have to have the "bunny cake." And we have to have the marshmallow treats with the Peep heads on top (sis makes those....and, where are all the Peep butts, may I ask?).

Truthfully, I wouldn't trade any of it - traditions make for memories, and it's all part of being a family, and that's important. The kids will do some (ALL) of the same things with their families. Because "it's just what we do." They never really grow up.

Hey, A Sock!

D#2 woke up this morning (at 11:00 am, must be nice...), and the first thing I heard was a happy "hey, a sock!" She tried it on, and it fits perfectly, and she likes it. Yea! Yes, yes, it does need a mate.

The yarn is Lorna's Laces, Sherbet colorway, Dublin Bay sock pattern. I'll give all the specs when I finish the 2nd one!

I'm thinking I might finish up my last Jaywalker first, though. I've heel flapped the 2nd sock and really should just finish them...

First, house cleaning because the family is congregating here after church tomorrow for Easter dinner, egg hunting, and all those festivities. The kids never get too old to hunt for Easter eggs, we just let the little kids go first (the youngest cousin is now 10!), so the big girls don't trample them! It's pretty brutal - I'll try to get pictures! It's raining today, so it'll be a soggy egg hunt - don't think it'll slow them down, though.


Have a happy and blessed Easter all my friends - here's the reason for my joy:

Because He Lives
God sent His Son, they called Him Jesus. He came to love, heal and forgive.
He lived and died to buy my pardon
An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives.

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow
Because He lives, all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future
And life is worth the living, just because He lives.

-Gloria and William Gaither, c.1971

Rocks me to my soul and brings me to tears every time.... I'm blessed

Every Once In A While

This is my "grandma necklace." My grandma died about 22 yrs ago. I've talked about her before. She was the grandma who traveled with grandpa (grandma in the purple shirt on the camel-grandma), the one who bought all the charms for my charm bracelet, the one who let us kids eat ice cream on the "Davenport." A few weeks before she died, my mom called and said that grandma wanted my sister and I to come over, she had something for us.

When we got there, she gave us matching pendants. She had taken the diamond stud earrings she always wore and had grandpa take them to her favorite jeweler, and had them re-made into pendants for my sister and I. My sister and I put them on then, and have rarely taken them off for the last 22 years. This is the only piece of jewelry I wear everyday, besides my wedding ring. I wear it with everything, everywhere, everyday. It ties us all together, my sister, my grandma, and I, but for some reason, especially my sister and I.

Every once in a while I'll wear something else, but usually I wear my grandma necklace, every day.

I know, this has nothing to do with knitting.... but, really, it does. Because I have a new necklace, and it's made by a knitter - a knitter we all know and love! Not only that, a knitter who is a very talented jeweler. A knitter I know, who even named this piece after me! How sweet is that? I was very touched.

And I had to have it, not only because she named it after me, but because it is beautiful.

You really must go over to Twisted Lily Designs and check out Heather's creations. She has started up her very own business - and she is TALENTED! I think she's really found her calling.

I am the proud owner of this very pretty garnet and silver, handcrafted necklace. I'm wearing it today, and I love it.

I'll still wear my grandma necklace every day, well most every day - it just doesn't feel right if I don't have it on - but this is my new "every once in a while" necklace! Thanks Heather!

"Look At Mom"

I have GOT to stop drinking the margaritas at our local Mexican restaurant. Ok, I'm a lightweight drinker anyway - half a glass of anything, and I'm feeling it. Combine that with the fact that I have, maybe, two drinks a month.... cheap date.

But this place - they serve one FINE margarita. And, it kicks my butt every time.

Scenario - last night the hubby takes the family out for dinner, at our local Mexican restaurant. They have the BEST margaritas. On the rocks, with salt.... oh yea. One basket of chips and half a margarita later, D#2 says "Look at Mom, she's just kind of staring..."

Now, really, I wasn't drunk, or close, but I was feeling it, and I wouldn't have driven, that's for sure. So, we finish dinner, and the margarita, and we get home (hubby driving), and D#2 says, "Mom, can you take me to so-and-so's house?" My answer, well, maybe in about a half an hour. That was one good margarita.

The hubby drove her to her friends, I sat on the couch and picked up my knitting, and since I was beginning to heel flap, I wisely just put it back down. I have trouble heel flapping with all my wits about me.

Now - I have teenage kids - I can't have the kids referring to me as "tipsy." This is not good parenting. I'll stick to my own margaritas at home every once in a while, or a glass of wine now and then - but no more kick-bootie margaritas at the local watering hole. Not good.

Besides.... I didn't get a bit of knitting done last night - NOT GOOD!!

Pink, Tall, Not Too Fancy

D#2 has tough specifications. I've been wanting to knit her something for awhile, but wasn't sure what. Then I saw the Lorna's Laces Sherbet colorway and knew it would be perfect for socks. Actually, I was hoping to get off easy with footies - it's pretty much all she wears, but she surprised me and wanted tall socks.

So, we got out all the patterns and she basically wanted plain, tall socks. I added in the Dublin Bay pattern because I didn't want to be bored to tears, and so far she likes them.

See those little bunnies? Aren't they the cutest ugliest bunnies you've ever seen? The kids made them with their grandma one year for Easter. The girls were probably 4 and 5, and The Bud was probably 7. We have proudly displayed them every Easter since. I can't tell you how many times I've glued their ears back on - they're just made from cheap plaster of Paris stuff - but they're some of my most prized possessions! The kids love it when I bring them out every year.

I have some fancier, pricer Easter things, and I'll show you some later this week, but those bunnies are my favorites! They reminded me this morning of the basics of Easter, how the Lord can take something ugly and unworthy, and keeps gluing the ears back on - me - and through the redemption I have through Christ, God only sees me as his beautiful prized possession. I am blessed, and I am redeemed!

and... here are a few Project Spectrum flowers for you.... the daffodil from my yard, and my weekly Trader Joe flowers!

The Perfect Picture

I was gonna think up a great photo shoot for these handwarmers.... I had all kinds of ideas. Holding a mug of hot chocolate, maybe holding my cool new purse, maybe holding the steering wheel, like I'm driving. Oh, I'm full of it - ideas that is... and all these looked great in my head. Looking great.... sometimes you just want it to look perfect.

When the girls were about 2 and 3 I made them these beautiful smocked taffetta Christmas dresses. I bought them matching white tights and shiny cute black patent leather shoes - two cute little girls, all perfectly matchy matchy. It would be great for the Christmas picture and, better yet, for the one and only Christmas party we went to every year - you know the one, where you see the people you've known forever, but only see about once a year anymore - the girls were gonna be so cute!

So, I'm getting them dressed, they're looking adorable, and I go to put on their shoes, just before we're ready to leave, and I can only find one of D#2's shoes. I look EVERYWHERE. Now, come on - you've got to picture it in your head - this is as dressed up as they ever get, except for maybe Easter, and they looked so cute, but the matchy-matchy black patent leather shoes really MADE the difference. They cannot be perfectly matched down to the white tights, and then have different shoes... it's just going to ruin everything.

Never found the shoe that night - I was crushed, we went to the party and the girls had on unmatching shoes - the horror. Okay, I know it was not the end of the world in the big scheme of things, but it totally was for that night. The perfect picture was gone.

Two nights later, Santa is filling the stockings, and guess what's in the bottom of D#2's stocking - yep, the shoe.

So, today I get ready to quick do my photo shoot before I start working, and realize it's gonna be a little hard to take a picture of BOTH of my hands doing "fashiony things" AND take the picture at the same time. The tripod has been "borrowed" for use with the hubby's spotting scope, so now I'm left with the timer, and where to prop the camera.

Yeah- I'm not so good at the whole photo shoot. The only artsy-fartsy picture that turned out any good at all was the one of only ONE of the handwarmers, and you can still see the dirty kitchen window in the background. But, to prove to you there are two, here's your generic crotch shot.... sorry, not so artsy fartsy - but I had to at least prove there were two. Hey, at least in this picture my zipper's all the way up.

Pattern: Rib and Cable Mitts, Spring 2006 IK
Yarn: Khroma, The Fiber Company, colors Plum and Aegean
Needles: Size 3 DPN
Nail Polish: OPI Ultimate Party Girl

You have enough yarn left over to make another pair, just by swithcing the body and trim colors! Score!

What Are The Chances??

Remember when I bought this yarn in Solvang a while back. At that time I had no idea what I would do with it, but later found this pattern in the latest IK for handwarmers, and figured it would be the perfect project.

So, yesterday I get out the pattern and yarn so I can swatch and see if the yarn I have will actually work (no, this is not the yarn from yesterday's math problem). And, Get This! It's the exact yarn called for in the pattern!! I had never even heard of Khroma before, just bought it because it was soft and pretty. Sweet! I love it when a plan comes together!

It's been raining like cats and dogs here for the last week or so... especially the last three days. I have even been able to dig out a couple of old knits to wear (wore my Essential Stripe yesterday). I figure at this rate I should get all my new warm wooly knits finished just in time for the sun to shine. Oh well, I'll be all set for next winter. I'm thinking Rogue and these hand warmers are gonna be great for football games next year, though. Gotta to watch D#2 flute with the band, doncha know. Football..... yeah, I guess that's going on too, but I'm there for the band, friends, and hot chocolate!

And, more coolness - check out my new yarn bag from Patternworks. It's big enough to hold the magazine, so I can see my pattern, and keep it and my yarn all safe and together - great for tossing in the car!

I'm loving these little projects - after a big knit.... although I do have that new sweater in mind. Maybe a few more quick knits first, though. I still have to finish my 2nd pair of Jaywalkers, and D#2 actually wants me to knit her socks - pink of course, with that pretty Lorna's Laces I bought last week. Then maybe another hat for the hubby with some Noro....., and more socks for me....

Oh yeah - I also bought some Black Purl Lorna's Laces, and some Claudia's Handpainted I haven't shown you yet.... more socks for me...

so many choices.... I love yarn

Word Problems

Ok - so the first train leaves the station at 8:00 AM, going 40 MPH, and the 2nd train leaves the station at 9:00 AM, going 55 MPH, so how much yardage will I need to knit my sweater?

No, I'm totally serious, let me try again..... I want to knit a certain sweater, the yarn it calls for knits to a gauge of 4.5 stitches on size 4-5 needles. The yarn I want to use knits to a gauge of 4.5 stitches on size 7-8 needles. So, which train gets to the station first.... wait, I mean, if I knit it to the 4.5 gauge on my 7-8 size needles, do I still buy the same amount of yarn that the pattern calls for, or do I need more, or less?

Remember, I was dropped on the "math section" of my head as an infant..... this type of figuring totally just makes me go.....uhhhhhhhhhhh (insert blank stare). I just don't get it. And, if you explain it to me, I still won't get it - so someone just tell me, and I'll believe you. Please... I don't even know which direction to start thinking to figure this out. Word problems..... argh! Hellllllp meeeeeeee....
My children were no help - either didn't care long enough to listen to my whole dilemma, or, like me, don't get it. And, no, I didn't drop them on their math sections.

On a MUCH happier note, look what is now living in my office. Kaity's new birthday present!!!! The UPS dude brought a large package yesterday, in the pouring rain, a gift from a far-to-generous friend! Really, you know who you are, and you shouldn't have, but we are SO happy you did! You should have seen the excitement - the running around looking for some hank of yarn, any hank of yarn, so we could make it spin. Kaity's even gonna let me use it! Wooo Hoooo!

And, last but not least, Kate over at Can't You See I'm Knitting Here is having a little contest. Show all the useless stuff you've got hidden in that useless cupboard over your fridge. Hey- there's a skein of Socks That Rock on the line, and I'm not proud- so here ya go! Hmmmm, it seems to be the leftovers from my "country" phase, a few candles the kids made, that little piece of wood in the back is a goblet that my son made out of wood in shop class (why?), a tin canister set, a tin coffee pot, an old Easter basket? (I've never seen that before!), a tea pot - I should take that down and use it!, a cow paper towel holder, a carton of BB's (probably took it away from the boy for some good reason - he's probably been looking for those for years!), some crystal decanters that were wedding gifts (hey, I guess I could put my Trader Joe's Two-Buck-Chuck in them), and some paint as old as Methuselah, probably completely dried up. Now, did I clean out all this "stuff" or just shut the cupboard door and climb back down off my chair - I think we all know...

Reality Check

In which this..... becomes a hat.... but not without a lot of lessons learned. Ah, the learning curve - gotta love it.

Of course, it probably has nothing to do with the fact that I'm just trying to teach myself, do it myself - diving right in without having a clue. You get the picture.

There's a certain satisfaction to teaching yourself something - I taught myself to ride a bike, on my friend Darren's "boy" stingray.... down at the corner, where no one could watch me fall and learn. You know, get on the bike, propped up by having one foot on the fence, push off and see how far you get.... eventually, you either give up for that day because you've slammed your private parts into that stooopid cross bar one too many times, or skinned your knee, or ripped your pants. But, the next day.... there you are, down at the corner again, begging Darren to try and ride his bike. Learning the hard way, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. But, yes, I did teach myself to ride a bike.

Intarsia - this I cannot teach myself. And.... I Do Not Like It. This I have learned.

A couple of weeks ago I was sitting on Mom's couch, looking through her new Knitting on the Edge knitting book, and the hubby sees a pattern for an intarsia snowflake - "you could put that on a hat for me" he says. "Sure I can!" I say. I mean, it's a simple two color snowflake - how hard can that be? I'll just google intarsia and get out that back issue of IK that has the article on how simple, elegant, and easy it is to knit intarsia. Piece of cake.

So, I swatch to get gauge (really, I did!), cast on, get my brim and edge done, and start the intarsia part - about three stitches into I figure out this is not something I'm gonna like - but I keep at it. About know, the hubby looks over and says, "Cool, my hat! Will it be ready for me to wear tomorrow?" Uh, yeah - No, that's not gonna happen - I can tell right now.

Fast forward to the next day, sitting in the LYS, where I'm about 3" into this sucker, the intarsia looks like poop, and somehow my gauge is way off because this thing is HUGE. Tarter Sauce!!! That's it - intarsia-smarsha - I quit. Not even any pictures of the poopiness to show you, because I just ripped it out then and there.

Ok - back home.... get out another hat I know fits, made with the same yarn.... actually count the stitches casted on, and start over.

Perfect fit (he likes them close fitting, but not "tight" so he can even wear them under one of his many different helmets if he wants, so it looks small, but really it fits.... very specific specifications, doncha know) - and not even a bad snowflake. The hubby likes it and is happy - that's what counts.

Oh.... that snowflake? It's duplicate stitched on... I told ya - I'm not doing the intarsia thing - any more!

OK, it's probably like having kids, where you swear you won't do THAT again, then, next thing ya know, there you are again, in the birthing room, wondering how you got there.... oh yeah..... Some sweet picture in knitting magazine will tempt me to try intarsia again.... someone slap them about then, will ya?!

I was probably getting a little uppity and full of myself after Rogue. Needed a Reality Check.

In Love

I can't even tell you how much I love this...

I will wear it everywhere. I will wear it until it falls apart. People will get sick of seeing it...

Pattern: Rogue, Girl From Auntie
Yarn: Bartlett Yarns, Fisherman, Burgundy Heather, 6-1/2 skeins
Time: exactly one month, working exclusively on Rogue

This is my favorite project so far..... favorite pattern to knit, fits perfectly, very well written directions (all 19 pages and 7 cable charts).

Well, not so favorite yarn to knit with, a little rough, and a little "sheepy" smelling, but I think the outcome was worth it.

I made it to fit loosely, because it's gonna have to be outerwear where I live, so I wanted it kind to have kind of a sweatshirt fit. It blocks perfecly to this size, and hey, if I lose weight (yeah right!) or want a more body conscious fit, I just won't stretch it when I block it next time.

A lot of you have said you have been watching my progress and wanting to make a Rogue of your own. Do Not Be Afraid. I had made a total of two simple cables before I took this on.... and if I can do it - so can you! Go For It!

I was so afraid I'd finish this just end time for the warm weather to start. But, we have rain and at least cool weather predicted for the next four or five days.... so I plan to wear this CONSTANTLY, every where I go.... but dodging the rain.

Otherwise people will be sniffing and looking around for the wet dog! Hey - at least it'll the be wet dog in the cutest sweater you've ever seen!