Knit Together... Wonderfully Made

Moving Day

2007-03-28T22:51:00.000-07:00

You can now find me here. Please come by and say Hi!

Some Kids Never Grow Up...

2007-03-26T09:07:00.000-07:00

... and that's good.

For the last year all my daughter has talked about is wanting a big party for her birthday with all her friends and family, and a Jolly Jumper. A BIG jumper, and it had to be a princess castle.

This is for her 18th birthday... mind you, not her 3rd.

I made sure the jumper people knew it would be used by teenagers. The rental agreement said "no more than 2 teenagers at a time"..... ooops

It also said "must be supervised" Does this look like I'm supervising? (BTW, I'm wearing my Eiffel!)

Other rules we "broke" - hmmmm, no flips, no mixing of age groups - at one point my 50-year-old husband, a bunch of teenagers, and a 5-year-old were all in there playing a mean game of dodge ball. Hey - at least I didn't them bring in food or drinks, or pointy objects (I considered trying to get a picture of my jumping with my knitting for you... but figured the "pointy objects" rule probably ought to be one we obey).

The only one who got hurt the whole day was my BIL, and he wasn't even in the jumper at the time. He fell off the Bongo Board.

I tell ya - renting that jumper was worth every cent. Add in hamburgers, hot dogs, ice cream cake, and a couple of 3' speakers hooked up in the backyard for party tunes, and ya got yourself a pretty great 18th Birthday Party. I highly recommend it for any age.

There was a little knitting, when I wasn't in the jumper or eating.... can anyone guess what this will be? Big hint - I'm probably the LAST knitter on earth to make one of these. I'm not telling. It'll be evident soon enough, and you can probably tell already by the subtleties in the knit pattern.

Party on, my friends.

Proof that I'm Alive

2007-03-21T08:40:00.000-07:00

... and still knitting.

I dropped Lily (the non-knitting daughter) off at school today in the usual spot, and as she gets out of the car she starts laughing. She leans down and picks something out of the gutter. A stitchmarker! "Do you think it's ours?" she asks?

Yeah, I'm pretty sure it is :o)

Here's the progress on my Central Park Hoodie - I'm actually a good 8" or so past this now. I'm LOVING the pattern, and especially the color.

But, Lily strikes again - she picks it up the other day and says, "Ooooh, what's this? I like it! Are you making it for me?

Uh..... No! Now she's hoping it'll be too small for me and she'll get it after all.

We'll see.

PS - Life's crazy right now, but I'll try to post more often - thanks to all of you who have checked up on me to make sure I'm still alive and kickin', and knittin!

"So, you're just a sock knitter??"

2007-03-10T12:31:00.000-08:00

I'm not a yarn stasher. We all know this about me. I don't just buy yarn to buy yarn, no matter how much I love it. I know... I'm odd that way the knitting world. I generally just buy yarn with a certain project in mind, when I'm ready for it.

An exception to this is when I'm on vacation or a different city and have a chance to check out a new yarn store. I'll enjoy the thrill of buying something for no reason when I'm on vacation... but generally try to limit my purchases to yarns I can't find at my LYS. That's where I found myself this morning. That's when I had my first encounter with one of "those" yarn stores.

The hubby and I spent the night in Santa Barbara last night, and he left for a seminar this morning at 8:00 AM. So, knowing I'd have some time to myself in Santa Barbara I "googled" yarn stores, and found one. Oooh, and they have Koigu - something you can't get at my LYS. Sweet!

So I tell the hubby goodbye, and have two hours to kill before it opens. I drive around beautiful Santa Barbara for awhile, then decide to get some Starbucks and find a scenic place to park and knit for awhile. We had already been to the beach last night, so I decided to go up to the Mission.

It was gorgeous. I sat and knit for awhile, took some pictures, then decided to head off to the yarn store.

I should have known the second I walked in, the owner greets me with "What are you looking for?" No Hello, good morning, or anything like that. I want to tell her I just want to wander around and look at and touch everything, but I figure that may not be the way to go. So, I ask, "Do you have any Koigu?"

"Yes, it's over here with the sock yarn," she says - like I know where she keeps her sock yarn. Then she says, "So, you're just a sock knitter?"

I'm thinking, so what if I am? But, I say, no, I knit all kinds of things, shawls, sweaters, and even socks. That satisfies her and she leaves me alone for awhile while I wander around.

Second clue: Another lady walks in, is greeted with the oh-so-warm, "What are you looking for?" This new shopper asks if they carry any Cascade 220.

"Oh NO, dear. You can get that at any old craft store. I wouldn't carry that."

Hmph. I don't know what "craft stores" she goes to, but I've never seen Cascade at any of the craft stores I know of.

Besides, I just spent 45 minutes at the beautiful Santa Barbara Mission, knitting on my just-started Central Park Hoodie, marveling over the beauty of my Cascade 220 yarn and thinking to myself, "ya know.... Cascade is my comfort yarn.... I just love this stuff." This lady's totally ruining my knitting zen.

So, what do I do? Oy - I spend $40 on yarn I could have bought at my LYS. Oh, and some Koigu. The Koigu I can justify.... I can't get that readily.... but the Silky Wool? - they have that at my LYS.

I should have waited and given my money to Lois, at least she likes me and is polite.

I usually try not to complain about people. Maybe the shop owner was just having a bad morning... I don't know. But every time I look at this yarn it's gonna bother me.

She has a nice little shop, with some nice yarn. But, I won't be back.

Cost: $3.99, Weight: 3 oz

2007-03-07T15:57:00.000-08:00

This is just a beautiful little bit of nothing! (click pic for bigness)

Pattern: Ene's Scarf, from Scarf Style

Yarn: KnitPicks Bare, laceweight, dyed by Kaity, about 3/4 skein

Needles: KnitPicks Options, size 6.

Comments: I STILL managed to goof up the diamonds on the border, after all the drama of casting on.... but it doesn't look bad. The pattern was fun, and relatively fast. The yarn is a dream, and for only $3.99.... well, you can't beat it!

Lockdown - Another Perfect Knitting Opportunity

2007-03-06T23:10:00.000-08:00

At about 10:00 today I see the Sheriff's helicopter circling town and get a text message from my youngest telling me their school is in "lockdown." Well, that's a little scary - for her AND me! Luckily, I have some connections and the hubby's scanner, so I was able to find out what was going on. Apparently someone in custody at the police station, about 1/2 a block from the high school, slipped his handcuffs and ran out!

2 hours, literally locked in the classroom, not allowed to even get out of their chairs, except once to be escorted to the bathroom. Wow, big excitement for our little town. Thank goodness for cell phones - we were able to text back and forth and I was able to let her know at least there wasn't a mad gunman or something REALLY scary going on- oh yeah, and let her know that I realize they're trapped in there at lunchtime, but, no, I can't come slip a pizza under the door! I also told her she really should have some knitting with her to pass the time - I mean, really, a situation like that just screams for knitting!

And, yes, like a good mother I got right in my car and drove around the high school myself to see what I could see, which was every cop car in town posted around the school, and cops on every corner. Just a little un-nerving.

So, instead of leaving town to run errands, I sat around and knit until I knew it was all over, but it did give me a chance to finish my Ene's scarf!

And, check out what's sitting there on my pile of unblocked scarf. Kaity and I got our passports yesterday. Now we're officially ready for our Sea Socks Cruise in May. Woo Hoo!

Hmmm

2007-02-28T10:06:00.000-08:00

Perhaps it's just me, but every time I look at the beginning of my Clementine Shawlette (Spring 2007 IK) I think...

Hmmm, I appear to have just knitted a codpiece.

Oh, I'll keep knitting it, but I'll never get that out of my mind. I have to keep myself from calling it my "Codpiece Shawlette."

Ok - that's just disturbing, however, now it's all I think of when I see it. Perhaps I'm slightly warped.

Perhaps I've just tainted it for you all, too. So sorry.

Real Life Interrupts

2007-02-26T09:30:00.000-08:00

The view from my walk this morning... kind of cool and ominous at the same time. Yep, I do believe it's gonna rain today.

But, I have new yarn to keep me company. Too bad I just can't set all the work, and laundry, etc, etc, aside and curl up and knit. Rain and knitting just go together. But, no. People get testy when there are no groceries. They get a little grumpy when all that's left is my non-fat milk. I get comments about having to drink the "blue milk" - or as they call it, "shooting the rapids." My son made the comment that all that was left in the fridge for lunchmeat was "farty little bags of crapity." Well, that's descriptive. Guess I gotta to to the store.

I also used the last of the coffee this morning... now, that's where I'll get testy in the morning, if there's no coffee. All I want is a half a cup... but I really WANT my half a cup.

Come on family.... it's not all about you... it's all about me, and my knitting. Hmmph... they're not buying it.

So, for your (MY) enjoyment.... some KnitPicks Ambrosia in Mulled Wine, for my Clementine Shawlette. I know I'm always saying "this stuff is the softest" about whatever I seem to be knitting with at the time... but, really.... baby alpaca and cashmere - this really IS the softest. I'll be buying this again, and again.

The blue is Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran, for the Cocktail Capelet, also out of the newest IK. Cashmerino....mmmmm. A very close second for softest yarn.

I'll set it out where I can see it, and feel it.... while I walk by with another load of laundry :o(

Dorothy's View

2007-02-23T20:45:00.000-08:00

It was supposed to rain today.

We were afraid it was going to rain today.

But, this is the beautiful view I had this morning. This is the view from our little cemetery, where I said goodbye today to an amazing woman.

God is good.

The sun was shining, everything was crystal clear - as it only looks after a rain. Beautiful blue skies, where we could look across our little valley and town, to the snow glistening on our mountain tops - new snow from last night.

We stood there and mourned our loss, celebrated her life, heard the gospel preached, and there was untold joy knowing Dorothy was no longer in an earthly, cancer-ravaged body, but whole and new, rejoicing with her Lord... and this was our view.

God is good.

I will sit tonight and knit, with my family all safe under our roof, with a slight sadness still in my heart, but even more, the unspeakable joy of knowing this is not goodbye. Knowing that this world, as beautiful as it can be, is not my home. I, too, will someday be home with my Lord.

And this gives me peace.

Thankful

2007-02-21T08:13:00.000-08:00

Ene's Shawl is momentarily stalled.

No knitting going on here.

I'm sick..... icky head cold.

I'm REALLY whiny. Just ask Kaity. She's just had just about enough of me and my whining. I do NOT make a good sick person.

I am SOOOO thankful God has blessed me with good health - I am SOOOO thankful I have not had to deal with a chronic illness. I can't even get through a head cold without whining.

I know God will bring me through anything that comes my way, in that I have complete faith.

But my family might leave me.

The Home Stretch

2007-02-19T15:30:00.000-08:00

My youngest daughter's boyfriend has been gone to church camp all weekend - a 3-day weekend.

She's sad, she's lonely... she's drawing UN-happy faces on everything....

She told me yesterday - you don't miss daddy this much when he's gone.... I tried to explain that of course I do - but after 25 years I've figured out whining doesn't help the time go faster and no one really wants to hear it anyway....

She didn't buy it.

Kaity told her, "6 months ago you didn't even know him... now you can't take it if he's gone for 3 days?"

"Well, I didn't know what I was missing then...." she whines.

Young Love.... she's driving us crazy.

This morning she says, "It took him 6 hours to get there, and they're leaving to come home today at 12:00.... so he'll be home by 5:00"

How do you figure that?, I ask... if it took 6 hours to get there, it'll take 6 hours to get home.

No, she says.... you know it's always faster going home. Huh?

Love her logic.

However, it is proving true for Ene's Scarf. I tell ya - knitting a shawl starting at the widest point and going to the smallest is the hot setup. Every row getting shorter - I'm all over that. I am headed for home - and, hey, it's always faster going home, so I've got that going for me.

2 hours until the boyfriend gets back. We all can't wait. Or maybe just 1 hour, depending on how you measure time.

Kaity's Handmade

2007-02-17T12:38:00.000-08:00

Check it out my friends! My little Kaity's an entrepreneur!

She's been working hard, so go show her some love, if you're in a spending mood :o)

Knitting Conference Call?

2007-02-16T11:34:00.000-08:00

I had a conference call this morning. I used to DREAD these, because they are sooooo boring. Without trying to sound too smug, all our conference calls are pretty much for the people who just can't seem to "get it", but we all have to attend. Work is the ONE place in my life where I pretty much seem to "get it," so I'm usually bored to tears, not to mention frustrated.

How ironic, as much as I LOVE to knit, half the time I can't seem to read a knitting pattern to save my life. If we had a knitting conference call, I'd seriously be the annoying one asking all the same stupid questions over and over. I guess I should be more understanding. But, no.... work, I "get." How is that fair. Well, I guess work supports my knitting habit, so it all evens out. I think.

Luckily, these calls only come up about once a year.

However..... that was my take on conference calls before I knew how to knit! Now - bring 'em on. I'll sit there and knit and listen to you explain the same thing over, and over, and over, for as long as it takes for every one to "get it" - as long as I can sit and knit and get paid for it. Sweet! Go ahead, ask the SAME question the guy before you JUST asked.... see - I AM paying attention.

Seriously people - pay attention here - it's not rocket science. Ok, it may be neurosurgery or something, but really, you're supposed to know this stuff. But go ahead and ask - It just means I get to go another row, and get paid for it. Not to mention, I can do it in my sweats and uncombed hair if I want, sans makeup.... from the comfort of my own home, snacks provided.

Did I say "luckily" these didn't come up too often before???? - now I wish we'd have a conference call every DAY. You don't know how excited I was this morning when I woke up and remembered we had one!

But, it's over. Back to "real" work - where I have to type, and haven't figured out how to do that and knit at the same time yet. Bummer.

So - this morning's conference call knitting: I cast on for Bonita. I actually have to pay attention to these calls enough that I didn't think should work on lace - so Ene's Shawl will have to wait for tonight. But casting on - I can do that, and about three rounds of stockinette!

Heh heh - I just got it.... these little knitting blogs of ours are kind of like a big ol' knitting conference call. Ewww... I think I owe you all an apology! I'll try to do better and pay more attention.

Looking for Spring

2007-02-13T17:52:00.000-08:00

It may be threatening to rain tomorrow, but Spring has still sprung in my little corner of the world.

So, I'm going into spring knitting mode. I'm going to focus on spring and "cruise" wear from now until after the Sea Socks cruise. That means putting Central Park Hoodie on hold.... but it does mean getting to use this pretty green Garnstudio Safran

for this! The Bonita Shirt, from Summer 2006.

And this... you know, to go with a "little black dress" - toooooo cute, from the latest IK Knits.

.... and I've got a list of others long enough to keep me busy for quite a while.

First, I need to finish my Ene's scarf. I've finished the border, and am QUITE excited about the fact that the rows get smaller and smaller as I knit on. Sweet!

Off to knit.... but first, one more picture for all of you snowed in...hope you warm up and see some spring of your own soon!

Anything Worth Doing...

2007-02-12T06:51:00.001-08:00

...is worth doing right.

ya'll are making me a better knitter. Thanks!

Well, That Was Painful

2007-02-09T08:43:00.000-08:00

..... or what happens when you don't follow(read) ALL the directions.

That, my friends, is about 3 hours of unproductive making-things-a-whole-lot-harder-than-they-are, and about 1 hour of actual productive knitting.

Last night I had a rare LONG stretch of knitting time ahead of me, about 3-1/2 hours. Pretty much unheard of at my house.

But, I seem to have no project to work on. I've spent all week casting on and off for various things that weren't quite right, wrong yarn for the pattern, just didn't like, too hard... (I never did get my head wrapped around the Swallowtail Shawl - that has been ditched for another lifetime) - just general unproductive knitting ever since I pulled Green Gable from the flames. I'm waiting for yarn for something new, but I just need something to get me through until ye ol' mailperson arrives.

However, I'll be darned if I'm gonna waste 3 hours of my favorite TV and knitting time with nothing to knit.

So, about one good hour was wasted complaining to Kaity and the cats that I don't know what to knit. They really couldn't care less. Then, I spend another 15 minutes trying to make my arm fall off winding 880 yards of laceweight from hank to cake.

Then I decide I don't want to use that yarn after all.

I finally decide on Ene's Scarf, which I have wanted to knit for quite a while now. I read the directions and note that instead of like most shawl patterns I've seen, this one is knit from big to small, instead of starting out with a couple of stitches and getting huge. Hmm.... cast on 375 stitches, with the yarn doubled. That in itself almost stops me - but I am determined.

So I spend about another hour trying to figure out HOW I'm going to do this, and how much yarn I'm gonna need for a doubled long-tail cast on of 375 stitches... but finally end up with 375 doubled stitches successfully transferred from a mess of yarn wound all over my living room, and wound around two helpful cats, along with a bazillion stitch markers - safely to my needles. I thought about taking a picture of the whole yarn/cat mess, but I was having trouble counting to 375.

By the way - the helpful "estimate" I Googled of 1" of yarn per stitch cast on is a HUGE over-estimate. There was a LOT left over for the cats.

WAIT!!! Did I fail to mention I NOW re-read the pattern and note this is supposed to be a knitted cast on.... well that explains a lot. Like the fact that I must be half brain dead. Talk about the villiage idiot...

Anyhooooo - OK. Good to go - sit down start knitting away, thinking that's a pretty clever, if not unwieldly, way to get 750 stitches onto a needle... knitting away, stop to check my progress.... Hmmm, I seem to have finished the pattern, but still have a TON of stitches left on my needle. Hmmm, half to be exact... Oy- I've been knitting into every stitch instead of knitting into them double. They didn't make that part very clear - or at least not clear enough for ME. They only want you to have 375 stitches, I guess the doubled-up part is just so you have a nice thick sturdy border - or maybe just to confuse and test you. They never really explain that part.

Sweet mother of "purl"..... you've got to be kidding me. Tarter SAUCE!!! (I really shouldn't be allowed anything other than plastic needles and acrylic yarn) This is total amateur hour. But, you know me, there's no way I'm going back now and RE-casting on all those stitches. We all learned from my last post - I don't go backwards. WhatEVER the consequences. So, I just cut off all the extra cast on stitches, turn around, and start knitting.

Kaity swears there's a reason I can't do this, and the fact that my cast on edge may now be a little tight, being that I've knit into every stitch, instead of two at a time, kind of nags at the back of my mind.... but supreme hack-knitter than I seem to be lately, I will continue on... and have for three rows. I can ignore that little voice for as long as it takes.

That's right, 3-1/2 hours of knitting time = three rows. Three rows I hope do not come back to bite me on the butt later.

I'll be sure to let you know.

I hope my new yarn gets here soon.... and I can figure out how to read THAT pattern correctly.

EDITED TO ADD: Ok - I did it. I frogged it. I started over. I'm going to do it right. This is HUGE. I am proud. I am NOT a hack knitter.

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Wearable

2007-02-07T09:00:00.000-08:00

I just love you guys. You silly, silly people. You obviously don't know me very well. "Just frog it and start over." You don't even know how that makes me laugh. I am NOT a frogger.

I don't know exactly why, but I absolutely HATE to, and probably won't, frog more than a couple of rows of knitting. Ever. I'm stubborn that way.

OKAY. Let's start with "The Good." Green Gable - she is finished, she fits, and she looks great from the front.

So, here's "The Bad." I'm about 4-5" into Green Gable, have just finished the lace section, and notice, about 2" up, that I've made a couple of increases in the back of the sweater. I really should have just left well enough alone there.

But, no. I'm telling myself it'll bother me, so I decide to ladder down and take out the increases. Well, there's no picture of that result, but let's just say instead of the increases, I now had a VERY loopy, loose spot in the middle of the back of my sweater. I tweaked and pulled and tried everything I could to try and spread the stitches out evenly into the rest of the work - but no going.

I should have frogged back then.... it was only about 2", but I cringed at the thought of frogging back through the lace panel - and I'm pretty sure I would have screwed that up, so instead I decide to ladder back down and put the increases back in. You can see what that got me. I obviously didn't have a clue what I was doing.

This is the point where I tell myself - just go on, your hair will cover it, you can block it so it's not too noticeable..... lies, lies, lies... but I keep going anyway.

Ugly. (click the pic for bigger, more life-like ugliness)

Now what. It's finished, and it's ugly. A couple of you mentioned frogging the entire sweater and just starting over. Now, that's just the funniest thing I've heard in a while. Start over... uh, no. See, by the time I'm about 3/4 done with ANY knitting I'm pretty bored of the yarn, color, pattern, etc, and am just ready to be done. To start OVER is unthinkable. Huh uh.... can't start OVER.

So here's "The ~~ugly~~ Wearable." I know.... there are some of you out there just shaking your heads, wondering how I could settle. What can I say? Am I pleased with myself?- not really. Even I KNOW and can admit that I should have started over when I was 5" into the whole thing.... but we know that I didn't.

So, I covered it up. I took votes. I polled the family. I got advice. Even the non-knitters admitted it was bad - when non-knitters notice and cringe, you know you can't ignore it. They also admitted I was a little far into it to go back now. So, I had Kaity crochet me up a little flower, and I stuck it over the bad part. We'll just call it a sweater tattoo.

A cop out? Yes.

But, if I had frogged and started over, then I would have hated knitting it. I would have got bored, and mad. As it is, I like it well enough, I'll wear it, I'll call it a design element....

I'll always know it's not what it could have been, but it's okay. I'm okay with that. I turn my back on what could have been, and carry on, on to the next knitting adventure.

I hope those of you who are real knitters and perfectionists (yes, I even envy you a little) still come back and check in on me from time to time.

Distractions

2007-02-05T12:42:00.000-08:00

These two lovelies are actually just my sad attempt at ignoring a glaring problem with Green Gable.

Let's not talk about Green Gable just right now.

Back to the lovelies. The one on the left is some swatching for Argosy with some pretty Lorna's that my daughter Lilly gave me for Christmas.

On the right... we have that pretty laceweight Kaity dyed for me a week or so ago, humble beginnings of my Swallowtail Shawl. I've been to this particular point about five times now, then seem to lose my mind. Did I mention I'm a slow learning when it comes to lace. I think I've got it now. I hope.

And, this week's View From A Walk picture? Check it out - if you hike to the water tank on the hill you get a view of the whole town. Yep, that's it - the whole enchilada. My house is one of those on the furthest side. Don't get all impressed, it's not as far as it looks, maybe 2-1/2 miles. But, still, it is a hike up to the water tank, so I'll give myself credit for that.

Green Gable..... (insert wailing and gnashing of teeth here)

Green Gable... oy, what have I done to you. This seriously could be finished in an evening. I only have about 2 to 3 inches to go. But, waaaaaaay back up at the neck, on the back, is a mistake that I told myself would be okay. It's not. It's bad. My hair won't cover it - I tried. It's bad. I can't ladder down and fix it - I tried, and only ended up making it worse. It's bad.

I can't show you now. You'd all kick me out of the club. I had to keep telling myself it would be okay - for the love of Bob, what was I thinking.

I'm still kind of ignoring it. But, it won't be ignored forever, and it's ruining a perfectly good sweater. When I figure out how I'm gonna fix it, I'll document all the gore.... good or bad. I'll finished it, then I'll fess up. Pictures and all.

Dirt Track Date

2007-02-04T13:50:00.000-08:00

Last night a customer of the hubby's took us to Supercross in Anaheim. I've never been, but at least we ride motorcycles, so I had some frame of reference..... as in these guys are GOOD (actually, REALLY scary good - the best there are, so I'm told).

It was a fun night, and since the Anaheim stadium is outdoors, I got to wear Rogue which, in looking at this totally unflattering picture of me, obviously makes me look as big as a house. Holy Moly - I swear I'm not this big. Hmmm, that's unfortunate, because I LOVE this sweater and really wear it quite a bit :o(

Well, the hubby looks cute, so that makes up for it :o)

What You Didn't Know...

2007-02-02T08:51:00.000-08:00

So, the 2nd meme... tagged by RubiesNPurls

Tell 5 things you've never revealed on your blog before:

1. I played the cello for 3 years in Junior High and loved it. I wouldn't have the vaguest idea how to play a cello any more. It was a pain to carry home from school to practice.

2. I used to be an EEG technician - you know, give people brain wave tests, stick little needles in their heads... (back in the day when they still used needles).

3. The one thing I really want, but will never get, is a tattoo. I am completely fascinated with the idea of getting a tattoo.

4. I have a degree in Early Childhood Education. Let's just say I figured out in time that teaching is NOT my calling.

5. I'm a pretty private person... and I keep thinking of a BUNCH of other stuff I could tell you, but won't. This whole blogging world is very odd to me, but I love it. I just struggle with what to say, and what not to say.

And... because a post without pictures is just boring, here's a random picture of my desk this morning and all the boring things that are keeping me from my knitting.

I really need to go put those two cookies back.

Stuff You Never Needed or Wanted To Know

2007-02-01T08:36:00.000-08:00

I was tagged by Kaity, and Gina - for the "Six Weird Things" meme.

Here goes:

1. I've mentioned this before, but I am directionally challenged. If I am faced with any bed, sleeping bag, you name it, other than my own, I don't know which side of the bed is mine. This is a constant source of amusement for the hubby.

In a mall, when I come out of a store I can never figure out which direction I was going.

2. I HAVE to have the cold side of the pillow up when I sleep. This means I have to flip the pillow over, and over, and over.... everytime it warms up, flip it over to the cold side. Kaity and my dad do this, too.

3. Not only can the food on my plate NOT touch, for the most part I will eat one food first, completely, before moving on to another. All the meat... all the vegetables.... all the salad - no particular order, but finish one before going on to the other. No mixing. My husband drives me crazy, yesterday he took the salad bowl after everyone got theirs, put the the chicken on top (I'm okay with that), then the warm butter and garlic fettuchini on top of that and stirred. Sorry, cold and hot do not mix...Ick.

4. I have a fear of wide open spaces... the two times I almost freaked out and totally lost it were at the top of a ferris wheel, and on the ride to the top of the Space Needle in Seattle. Seriously, THAT one is just TOOOOO scary. The way the elevator is made is for optimum viewing, however, ALL you see is view - you cannot see any of the structure of the Space Needle - it's like floating.... I almost didn't make it.

5. Kaity says I sneeze louder than anyone on earth. Huh.

6. I have a "sick dream" I only have when I'm really sick, and it's always the same, and completely abstract, scary, disturbing, and undescribable. Except that my son, ever since he was a child, has had the same dream when he's sick.... he can't describe it either, but when he tried to explain it to me, I knew exactly what he was struggling to explain - it was the exact same "sick dream."

There ya go. Weird? I beg to differ. Let's call it "unique."

The picture at the top? I've started carrying my camera with me on my morning walk. That was a view from yesterday.

Tomorrow, the "Five Things You've Never Revealed On Your Blog" meme.

I know... you can't wait, can you?

Eye of the Tiger?

2007-01-31T07:09:00.000-08:00

I'm not quite sure which was funnier this morning, watching my son dance around the kitchen singing "Eye of the Tiger," trying to convince Kaity she's not too sick and can make it to school,

or figuring out I mixed up the lunches and now Lil has a large helping of potato salad (which she HATES), and the hubby has four boxes of Valentine's Sweet Tarts, meant as a lunchtime surprise for her and her friends!

Meanwhile, back at Green Gable, I'm almost to the waist decreases! This sucker knits up quickly. And, check out my cool new OTT lite, 50% off at JoAnn's, people.... I finally caved, and it was worth every penny :o)

I love Tuesdays

2007-01-30T15:11:00.000-08:00

This morning at Bible Study we were settling in to watch our weekly John Piper video, and one of my favorite friends hopped on the couch next to me and joyfully exclaimed "I LOVE Tuesdays!"

The best thing about this is... I was just getting ready to say the same thing to her!

Things I'm thankful for this Tuesday:

1. It's my day off

2. My wonderful Tuesday morning Bible study group

3. It's raining, and I love the rain

4. I got to stop by and visit with my sis for a few minutes

5. A trip to the LYS where I scored this beautiful Lantern Moon knitting bag

6. Extra knitting time on my latest project, Green Gable

7. It's taco night, mmmm - with all my loved ones home safe at the end of the day, gathered around the dinner table!

Do you have a favorite day of the week?

Eiffel est fini, et beau

2007-01-27T07:12:00.000-08:00

Ta da! Well, Eiffel is done, and I LOVE it! The fit is perfect, the pattern is very well-written, the yarn was fun to work with - a total winner.

I was so pleased with it, in fact, I was gonna get all dressed up, skirt, heels, the works, and go down to our beautiful City Hall building and have Kaity take real outdoor photo-shoot pictures. But, it's raining, so you get me in the house again. Still, I'm wearing Eiffel all dressed up to church tomorrow, rain or shin.

Pattern: Eiffel, Winter Knitty, 2006
Yarn: Louet Euroflax linen, fine/sport weight, in Eggplant, 3 skeins
Size: Medium

I was surprised at how much I enjoyed knitting with the linen. I ran the garment through the washer, and gave it about 10 minutes in the dryer, then laid it out to block. It hasn't softened up tooooo much yet, but I think it will with time.

Style note: I decided not to put the ribbons on the sleeves, but felt it still needed it on the body for fit, but I have tied it in the back.... I think I'm of an age where the ribbons and bows are just a bit too cute for me.

Patience is a Virtue

2007-01-26T10:42:00.000-08:00

Eiffel - finished, seamed, washed, and blocking!

An Unexpected "Have-to-Have"

2007-01-24T10:18:00.000-08:00

Every once in awhile you find something that you all of the sudden HAVE to have.... even though five minutes ago, you didn't even know it existed.

Kinda like our third child. We had just had Kaity, now had a boy and a girl, both perfectly planned out, thank you very much, and our family was complete, finished.... then when Kaity was eight weeks old I found out I was pregnant. God knew better - that we needed three kids. After the initial shock wore off, we couldn't wait for this new baby - HAD to have her. But, seriously, I never saw her coming - God threw quite the curve ball.

On a MUCH smaller scale, I found something yesterday I just HAVE to have! Have you see the Spring IK preview?? Have you seen this? I need this NOW! This gorgeous Cable-Down Raglan by Stefanie Japel? I tell ya - I'm casting on for this the minute I can get my hands on the magazine.

If you check out the preview - scroll down to the bottom.... The hubby - who generally shows very little interest in my knitting, found a few items he thought I should knit also. (Sorry Mom, kids.... I know, "spleen damage").

The issue doesn't come out until Feb 20th. Darned if that isn't just years away. I'm already waiting, not so patiently, for a certain friend's you-know-what to come out, because I was lucky enough to see a certain finished preview garment (you know the one, Wendy.... it's brown, I GUSHED over it). I still think about THAT one allllll the time. I have the yarn set aside already and it's sorely testing my patience. Like I don't have enough projects lined that up I already have the patterns for - I have to get my underwear in a bundle over things I CAN'T have yet.

I guess I'm not a patient "waiter."

Until then, like I said, I've got enough projects in line to keep me busy - and check out this cute Sock Project Bag Kaity made for me! Pretty cute, eh? It's gonna live in the car, so I always have a project with me. To keep me busy, you know, until the Spring IK hits the stands.

The JOY of Knitting

2007-01-23T16:23:00.000-08:00

My very good friend and walking buddy has three very cute kids. The girls babysit for them from time to time. Last week, Kaity was getting ready to go babysit and she told me, "I'm teaching the kids to knit tonight!" So, she gathered up three sets of needles and three balls of yarn, and off she went.

Two of them ended up loving it, and the other is going to give it a try next time.

Last night I was over visiting, and I asked if I could see their knitting. They both ran upstairs, eager to show off. The 10-year-old, a boy has about 2-1/2" of very nice, and really quite even knitting, with very few mistakes. He was all smiles.

The cutest was their daughter, though. She is barely 6, and was very proud of her 5" of knitting- very loopy knitting, with, I'm sure, with a few short rows knitted in there somewhere... a beautiful jumble of red yarn - and she couldn't have been more pleased with it!

I asked her if she liked knitting, and she replied, "I LOVE it!!" She skipped off and shouted back over her shoulder, "I'm knitting a blanket!"

Knitting just for the joy of knitting - that's when it's the best.

So, even though I'm not finished with Eiffel yet, I lightened up on myself and decided it was okay to cast on another project last night. I've decided to put Central Park Hoodie to the bottom of the "to knit" list and concentrate on "cruisewear."

Next up.... the Swallowtail Shawl from IK, and when I'm done with Eiffel I'm going to mix it up with Green Gable.

BTW - check out this beautiful lace weight Kaity dyed for me. I tell ya - that kid is getting pretty handy to have around!

She's Getting Good!

2007-01-21T12:32:00.000-08:00

Check out this beautiful yarn Kaity spun up for me! 204 yards of heavy worsted 50/50 merino/silk blend..... GORGEOUS! The silk gives it a little shine and just the tiniest but of sparkle. And it is SOFT!

I'm thinking it might make up a luxurious pair of mittens - but for now it's just sitting on my desk where I can look at it and fondle it :o)

All Sleeves Should Have 63 Stitches

2007-01-18T08:22:00.000-08:00

There would be no Sleeve Island if they were all like this.

Here's my Eiffel sleeve - coming along pretty quickly! Even when you finish all the increases, you still have only 63 stitches, so it's more like knitting a sock, and knits up faster than most sleeves.

Thank goodness. Sleeves..... ;o(

I did get a little confused working the increases into the lace pattern. I really didn't have a good plan for how to do that. I thought about sitting and trying to figure and write it all out, but I just went for it. I should have at least taken notes so that I can do the same for the 2nd sleeve. It's kind of making me twitch, just a little. Oh well - no one should be looking that close at my underarm anyway, right?

...for her pleasure

2007-01-17T08:58:00.000-08:00

After braving the cold (37 degrees) and threatening rain for my walk this morning, I stopped off at the mailbox on my way home, and am I glad I did! (...not to mention, I checked the mailbox THREE times yesterday in anticipation of these items!)

First, I ordered the Fall 2006 issue of Knitscene, so I can make Central Park Hoodie. Love This.

But even better - check out my new shirt! It's a take on (ok - rip off of...) those iPod commercials and print ads, and this one says iKnit. Cute, cute, cute. It's from Modern Yarn.

I have to admit, though, this T-shirt was my 2nd choice, only because I'm not brave enough to wear my first choice. It said "K2P2" alllllll over the front of the shirt, and then had a banner of writing across that saying "Ribbed for her pleasure."

Ok, now, THAT's funny, but I'm not that brave.

Knitting Weather

2007-01-14T18:58:00.000-08:00

I'm kinda loving our cold snap, well -because for Southern California it's an anomaly!

The high today here in Lynda-Land was 48, and this morning at 7:00 it was 27. You could hear the wind machines running in the orchards running all night, trying to keep the poor citrus and avocados from freezing.

Apparently we're silly Californians who don't "do weather." Today at the market they had orange caution cones set up around patches of ice in the parking lot. Apparently they figure we haven't seen ice often enough to know to step around it.

But, as you can see from the picture above - we are wearing our knits! I got to meet two new friends this weekend, and we all showed up in our hand-knits! That's Tammy, there in the middle wearing her fabulous Starsky, and Julie in her beautiful Ella. That's me on the left, duh.... in my purple Essential Stripe. We met up at our LYS and finally got to meet in person, shopped a little, and then went out to lunch. Tammy and I have been writing back and forth for a while, so it was great to meet her in person. Now there's a perfect day for you, meeting great new friends, buying a little yarn, and having lunch!

I did pretty well - only got these two skeins of Tofutsies. I passed them up last time I was there, and have dying to go back and get some ever since. Shrimp yarn, what will they think of next. Ok, granted, it's only 2.5% Chitin (made from shrimp and crab shells), and, No, it doesn't smell like fish. I'm really not sure what the reason for adding the Chitin is at all - except maybe novelty? Although I did notice they say it's naturally antibacterial! Maybe that's it - shrimp yarn = fresh smelling tootsies?

And just to wind things up here..., and to prove it really is cold, here's a picture of the start of my Eiffel sleeve, taken this morning on my frozen grass. Brrr!

I Will Make Time

2007-01-10T09:08:00.000-08:00

A friend of mine from Bible Study gave the following to me. It nicely put into words what I have been thinking and praying about lately. It is an except from Stan Toler:

Billy Graham reflected on his life with an unusual observation. He said if he had it to do over again, he would spend more time in prayer and Bible Study.

The New Year isn't just about new beginnings, it's about new priorities... putting first things first, from the very first. Time, talent, treasure: In word or deed, you will establish the "most important" in each of these areas.

"I will make time for God." Work on your devotions. Add an inspirational book to your Bible reading. Vary your devotional time with music, prayer, walking, or journaling.

"I will make time for my family." Make marriage and family a calendar priority. Utilize the answering machine, caller ID, text messaging, and e-mail to add quality time to family time.

"I will make time for myself." When you neglect DOWN time, you'll be more apt to get UP-set. Find a stress reliever and incorporate it into your planning. It's just what the Great Physician ordered (Mark 6:31).
-Stan Toler

So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. (1 Cor. 10:31) That is MY great wish and prayer for this year, and all my life.

That last "I will" seems seems to be the easiest, making time for myself. I have to remember where it lies in the whole priority spectrum - namely, after God and family!

But, speaking of my stress reliever, check out the progress on Eiffel. I've just finished the lace rib portion on the bottom. I am especially loving this project. The lace rib pattern is enjoyable, but VERY easy to memorize so it can go with me anywhere without my having to bring a pattern along. Also, I am VERY surprised how much I'm enjoying knitting with the Euroflax. In the skein it just feels like a bunch of stiff string - but it really is soothing to knit with.

Now I just have to put it down, and make it wait for it's "time."

Just Saying...

2007-01-07T14:31:00.000-08:00

Maybe it's just me and sour grapes, but tell me I'm wrong....

I'm betting dollars to doughnuts that the first person to knit a mobius did NOT do it on purpose. I think that after a bit of carefully chosen verbiage, a light bulb went on and then they just started in on the ol' "I meant to do that," and carried on like they were just oh-so-tricky and inventive.

Just Saying...

Eiffel is NOT a mobius.

Do Over.

A Year of Sock Counting

2007-01-07T13:57:00.000-08:00

COUNT YOUR SOCKS

2006

The STATS: Number of Sock Counters: 142

Total pairs knitted in 2006: 942!!

This weekend I went onto everyones' blogs and, as best I could, made sure I had up-to-date sock counts. We started out the year with 982 socks, and knit 942 this year, for a whopping total of 1924!! That's a LOT of socks!!

The Lifetime Achievement Award goes to Theresa of Knitting Underway, who has knit a total whopping lifetime total of 100 pairs of socks!, and has already received her prize. For those of you who may not know, Theresa was my inspiration to start counting socks :o)

Most Socks Knit goes to Stariel, who knit 50 PAIRS of socks!! Congratulations Stariel... send me your snail mail address, you've got a prize coming to you!

A big thanks to everyone who participated in Count Your Socks this year. I apologize for being probably the worse KAL host ever, I just didn't envision how much time it would entail. I will not be able to keep updating the site for 2007, so I guess official signups are closed, but I encourage everyone to keep their sock counter buttons up on their side bars, and KEEP COUNTING SOCKS!

THANKS so much for playing along, it's been fun!

Cool new mittens, and "The Stairs"

2007-01-05T14:06:00.000-08:00

As much as I LOVE cold weather, and cold weather clothes.... sweaters, jackets, knitwear, I despise being cold. I would MUCH rather be hot than cold. I especially hate trying to get warmed up after being cold. I finally had to give up swimming for the winter when the water got to be 68 and even in my wetsuit, I would get so cold that my feet would cramp when I got into the warm shower afterwards.

I HATE going into our Vons, because they keep it so darned cold in there you could hang meat. Sooooo cold! Even in the middle of summer I wear a jacket to Vons. On already cold days like today, its completely miserable.

I hate being cold. I'm a California wimp. I know it. I'm quite sure I could never live where it REALLY got cold.

So, every morning lately when I'm out walking, I've been wearing my new mittens, knit for me by blogger friend from Finland, Uhoava Gnu. Aren't they pretty?! And check out the matching sock yarn she sent along with them. That's 420 yards of purply warm goodness!

Yeppers, I've wearing them every morning on our walks. They're getting a lot of use. It's been cold lately - well, I'm calling 40 degrees cold, and I bundle up, in layers, wearing my Calorimetry and mittens, and tell myself that the slight shivering when we start out just burns more calories. I'm loving my new mittens.

I usually warm up when we get to "the stairs." The famous stairs. I have no idea when these stairs were built, but they've obviously been here a LONG time. They connect the lower part of town to upper part of town, and save about four blocks of walking around the long way. That's great, except that there are 92 stairs, and depending where you get your info, that equals anywhere from 6 to 9 flights. It's a lot of stairs.

Everyone knows "the stairs." Every kid who lives in the lower part of town and walks to the high school knows the stairs. They connect the two. Whenever you mention to a kid that you run the stairs, on purpose, they always look at you like you're crazy.... and then with a little respect. I like that.

My walking buddy and I now walk to the stairs, run them up and down twice, then walk home. Pretty wimpy, I know, but at first we could only walk them once, and were completely out of breath at that. It'll be interesting to see what we can work up to. When we were there this morning, there were 8 little rocks in a row on top of a larger rock. If this is someone's rudimentary counting system.... I'm impressed. I want to see the person who can run them 8 times. Now THAT would be something! Right now I'm happy with twice.

Twice, that's all I've got in me so far.... then I strip off the mittens and take off the jacket.... THEN, I'm warm. I love being warm.

Remind me of that this summer when it's already 80 degrees at 7:00 AM and I'm running the stairs, and complaining about how stinking hot it is. Oh, I'll be complaining, but it'll still be better than being cold, I'm quite sure of that.

Oh wait.... by that time we'll be back in the pool. YES!

Pushing the Fashion Envelope

2007-01-04T08:11:00.000-08:00

One of my goals for the new year is to step up my everyday attire a notch.

When I was shopping the outlets with my daughters and MIL in Texas, I bought a beautiful silk twinset, and a great winter white quilted vest lined with fur. I was knitting Sizzle, and bought yarn for Eiffel.

I thought to myself - what am I doing? Where am I ever gonna wear all this stuff? I'm casual, everyone I know is casual, my church is casual.... I hang with a jeans-and-t-shirt crowd, and sit in my own little office in my house and type most of the day....

I don't dress up much.

But I could. Why not? Why not put on a nice fitting pair of jeans or slacks and maybe this.... just because I want to. Just because it makes me feel good.

So what if it makes the kids nervous if I put on anything other than jeans and my Cons, or Vans.... or worse, my Crocs. "Where are you going?" Even my hubby will ask, "What did you do today?" Oy, I've set a VERY casual precedent for myself.

My goal this year is to kick it up a notch. Dress up more for church and Bible study. Get out of the Old Navy T's more often, even for just hanging around the house. I'm gonna take better care of myself. I'm worth it.

It's amazing how lazy I get with my appearance when I'm not happy with my weight... but now that some of the pounds are coming off it's just as amazing how quickly I remember that I LIKE clothes, and looking nice, instead of "just getting dressed" every morning. Even if it's casual, I still put a little more thought into it.

The kids will get used to it. The hubby will like it. And it opens a whole new world of knitting. I'm pretty excited! And you get to come along for the ride :o)

Pattern: Sizzle. Great pattern, quick knit!!
Yarn: KnitPicks Shine Worsted in Sea Spray (not thrilled with the yarn, unevenly spun, with uneven color, and even unattractive slubs of fluff), approximately 750 yards.
Size: Medium, although it's a little big (get me!, even I'm surprised with that).

And, although the kids can deal with me dressing up, Kaity's first words on seeing this were, "Mom, I'm not comfortable with that much cleavage." - So, yes, it's an amazing and sexy low neckline, but I'll probably be wearing it with the camisole. I can only push the envelope so far, so fast.

Not to worry....

2007-01-03T10:16:00.000-08:00

OK - Kaity says I HAVE to post so people won't think I ran away from home or something.

Actually.... I have thought about posting every day, but didn't have the time, didn't really have anything to say... etc. It got too late to post specifically about Christmas - although we had a wonderful trip to Texas. And, I've just been busy getting caught up from being gone, getting out from under piles of laundry, getting back to work.... etc. Necessary stuff, but boring for blog fodder.

But, yes - Christmas and our vacation were wonderful. Check out the girls and I with this longhorn steer.... and, yes, he's real, and VERY big. I am SO impressed that Lily actually got on him!

We had lots of fun with family, played games, had our family "Iron Chef" competition (my team won with our Buche de Noel, thank you very much!), and since we were with my MIL, of course hit the outlet malls the day after Christmas.

Although Kaity and I weren't able to make the drive to Katy, Texas to go to Yarntopia, we did get to go to Hill Country Weavers in Austin. Wow - what a great place. I bought this beautiful Euroflax in Eggplant, and I'm gonna swatch it up for Eiffel, hopefully. (the pretty hank of Lorna's was picked up by my sister for me while they were in Spokane... because she knew it was good stuff... she remembered "reading it on the blogs!" I'm training her well, aren't I!).

I also made quite a bit of progress on my Sizzle, in airports and on airplanes. Oh, the joys of holiday travel. Actually, it was all very uneventful, except for one connecting flight we almost didn't make, because our previous flight left VERY late - and we had to get them to unlock the doors to let us on the plane at the last minute. Makes for lots of knitting time, though. Since this picture, I finished both the front and back, and last night got it all seamed up. It seems to fit well., and when next you see it, it will be a FO!

Ok - see, I'm alive and well. And, I promise not to let 2 weeks go between posts. Besides, I've got some beautiful mittens to show you, knit by my friend in Finland, and Sizzle should be done soon.

Happy New Year my friends!

Christmas in Who-Ville

2006-12-19T08:46:00.000-08:00

Our Christmas season has been a little discombobulated this year. We're not spending it at home, and although we're looking forward to going to Texas and seeing that part of the family and spending Christmas with them.... we have SO many traditions that center around our family here, that things seem a little "off."

We forgot to cut snowflakes for the windows - the first time we've EVER forgot- I thought Kaity was going to cry when we figured out what was "missing." We have a tiny, little Charlie Brown Christmas tree - but we still got most of our favorite ornaments on it. We did very little Christmas baking - which is something I REALLY miss. Delivering cookies to our friends is one of our favorite traditions. And, I'm just not going to get Christmas cards out this year.

Even harder, my sister and her family had to leave unexpectedly to go out of state to see my BIL's father, who is very ill in the hospital. They won't be home for Christmas, either - so, now we really feel bad about leaving Grandma and Grandpa this year.

So Christmas is different this year - but that's okay. As important as all our Christmas traditions are - I think this year we learned we may just put too much importance in them.

When we have had to let some of them go for a season, we remembered the real reason for Christmas.

We're like the Who's in Who-Ville, the tall and the small... We know what Christmas is really about - we can celebrate the birth of our Savior in whatever circumstance we find ourselves, AND, we will still be blessed to be with family. We'll be thinking of and praying for our family here... but we are looking forward to seeing our Texas family and having lots of fun and adventure when we get there. I'm very excited just to have six days straight to spend with all of my own little family. With school, and college, and work, things have been busy and hectic this year - a while ago we weren't even sure we would all be able to get a week off - but God is good, and we all have a week off, and we'll be together.

So - with LOTs of excitement, I'm packing up this last bit of Christmas knitting - one last project that wasn't finished in time to make the shipping box last week with all our other gifts - and we're leaving this Friday for a Texas Christmas! These Cashmerino wrist warmers are for Lilly - just a made up 4x1 rib, simple pattern, but they are SO soft, and I'm sure she'll like them. I wanted something she could wear, and still play her flute - these should fit the ticket.

I probably won't post between now and Christmas, so I wish all of you, my friends, a very blessed Christmas and my wish for each of you is that you spend your holidays filled with love and family.

How I Spent My Weekend

2006-12-17T14:10:00.000-08:00

The hubby and his guys had a "family day" for their last training of the year. We got to go out and see what they do, and some of how they train, and they set up some of the easier stuff for us to try. It ended up raining toward the end of the day, but everyone had a lot of fun in the morning. The had a "treasure hunt" set up where the kids had to learn to use compasses to find the treasure. They even flew the helicopter in so we could meet some of the pilots and guys they fly with. Kaity and Lilly took advantage of the photo op.

Click on this to see me in action! It was GREAT fun - I impressed myself. What you see here is me on my way back, after already making it to the far side and turning around (the rope is anchored to the truck on the far side).

I even wore my 2nd calorimetry ALL day. It kept me toasty warm in the cold and, later, rain. This one is Noro Kuryeon, left over from something, and I made it slightly narrower than the last one. This one is not so "loud" and I'll probably get more use out of it.

The rest of the weekend has been spent hanging out, watching Christmas movies, more knitting.... then on Friday we're off to Texas for Christmas. I hope to get in at least one more post before we go, and hopefully will have at least ONE more finished project to show.

Peace, Man...

2006-12-14T13:25:00.000-08:00

... where are my love beads??

I'm loving this one! This is the great thing about hats/head coverings. You can get pretty wild (think of some of those ski hats you see!) - and it's still okay.

Hmmm, I used to type for a doctor who, if a woman was wearing all black would invariably assume she was depressed.... "the patient was dressed completely in black, including her pocketbook, likely noting a component of depression...." Please, maybe she just liked black; maybe she just thought it was "slimming." I wonder what he'd think of me in this getup?

This one reminds me of wearing a big funky bandana. I wore a LOT of bandanas in high school - still in curly hair denial, trying to just cover it up.

Now, I'm letting it all hang out - well, the hair any way - au natural, hip to the groove...

This Calorimetry - pretty outta sight, right?

This is my favorite so far in the "How to keep my head warm saga." I'm wearing it walking tomorrow morning. They'll see me coming in this one.

Pattern: Calorimetry
Yarn: Noro Silk Garden #87, less than one skein

This took me two nights to knit, but you could easily do it in a day. I'm already casting on for another, for my walking buddy, although we'll have to confer... it may be to much for this little town if we both wear them at the same time.

The Boyfriend Hat

2006-12-13T07:42:00.000-08:00

Here's the "boyfriend hat," my second Fake Isle Hat - as promised, modeled by moi..... however forgive the early morning, damp hair, bags under the eyes, no make up shot. Well, it's truth in advertising - this is what I'd look like on an early morning walk. And, I guess I AM wearing makeup - it's just yesterday's leftover makeup. Seriously - when I look like this, whether a hat makes me look like a dork should be the least of my worries!

Still - not too bad, hat wise - I may have to make one of these for myself, what do you think? Can I work it? At least for walking around the block on a cold morning?

This one is made from Noro Silk Garden, #249.... which I gotta say - makes a beautiful fabric. It's a little scratchy and rough when knitting it, but sure ends up nice. Gotta love a one-skein project. The "fake isle" part is some black worsted out of my stash - Brown Sheep I think.

I LOVE this pattern.

Tomorrow- another installment in the "Is There A Stylish Way to Keep My Head Warm" saga- I finished my Calorimetry. I'm thinking this is a keeper. And, I'm thinking my walking partner needs one for Christmas. Considering you can make it in one night - totally doable.

Get me - cranking out the FO's - I impress myself.

If Your Name Is Uhoava Gnu...

2006-12-12T09:29:00.000-08:00

.......then stop reading now unless you want a preview of your finished mittens :o)

My knit blog friend from Finland, Uhoava Gnu, and I decided to do a mitten swap.

This is actually the first pair of mittens I've made... they may have turned out a bit big - I hope they fit her! Even though I am excited about receiving my mittens from her, and can't wait to see them... although I have a feeling she may have more use for mittens in her locale!

Pattern - made up
Yarn: Cascade 220, color 9336, with a little added stash mohair for the cuffs.

These were fun to make - I love how the mohair cuffs turned out. I absoutely LOVE the color of this Cascade. In fact, I already have 7 skeins all set aside for my next sweater!

Tomorrow - the boyfriend's hat - it's finished, and it's fabu!!! I'll even model it for ya - you know, in my never-ending search for the perfect hat!

That Girl

2006-12-11T09:02:00.000-08:00

Guess what I found this weekend on TV Land..... a "That Girl" marathon. I was in heaven. Before Mary Richards, there was Ann Marie.

Darned if she isn't just the cutest thing. I LOVED this show when I was a kid. I SOOOO wanted to be able to wear my hair in a flip. And those eyelashes! I wanted to be That Girl.

For some reason, no one else in the family wanted to join me in my That-Girl-A-Thon, and every time I left the room the channel would mysteriously be changed.... but every chance I got, I plopped down on the couch with my knitting and watched That Girl.

That Girl could pull off a hat. In super cute, massive eyelashes, squeaky voice, "ohhh Donald" style.

Me.... not so much with the hat. And this hair is NEVER gonna do a flip.

Really - doesn't this look like one of those surveillance photos when someone robs a bank? You do not want to run across this woman in a dark alley, do ya?

So.... the only place you'll run across This Girl is if you're out walking early in the morning and see her with her walking buddy (who, wouldn't you know it, could seriously pull off a good Ann Marie imitation - down to the black hair and bubbly personality.... AND she looks good in a hat. If I was her, I would TOTALLY be Ann Marie next Halloween. I'm mentioning that to her tomorrow. Wait - another reality check here.... she's a bit, ok, quite a bit, younger than me and I'll bet ya dollars for donuts she doesn't even know who That Girl is. Now - that's just sad. Not only that she doesn't know who That Girl is, but that I still look like a thug in a hat AND I'm old.)

Ok - sorry, back to the hat bit. It's cold walking in the morning and I need a hat. Or one of these - like that's gonna look any better on me, but hey, I'm on a mission here - to find a hat that not only doesn't make me look like a dork or, worse yet, a thug.... and maybe even makes me look cute. Ok... we'll just start with one that doesn't make people laugh at me.

The Fake Fair Isle hat up top there is for Lilly's boyfriend for Christmas. Tomorrow, in the beginning of my search for a decent hat, I'm gonna buy me some totally girly-cute Noro and make me one. If that doesn't work, I'm trying the Knitty ear-warmer thingy.

The search for the acceptable, dare I hope even "perfect," hat. Stop laughing - it could happen. And, lucky you... you get to watch the process.

Oh.... I will be That Girl.

Blast from the Past

2006-12-08T11:43:00.000-08:00

If you want to see pics of a VERY young me..... check out my dear friend Linda's blog for today!

doncha know, Linda.... I'm sure I can dig up some old pics, too!

The TV Star

2006-12-06T08:55:00.000-08:00

Here's my little TV star with Vickie! We had a wonderful, but LOOOONOG day Monday, taping her segment. Kaity was relaxed and had fun through the whole thing. I was so proud of her. She was up there joking with Vickie, who "got" her blog name and started singing along - and Kaity looked like a natural up there demonstrating her project. I hope her bubbly personality comes across on camera.

Everyone at the studio was very helpful and they were all so nice. Our producer, Lorelei, was amazing. She made the whole experience run smooth and was so helpful. She kept encouraging me to take all the pictures I wanted, and kept telling me she was amazed at how well Kaity was doing - the director said the same thing.... they wished all their tapings went so quickly and smoothly.

Through the whole thing I have just been praying that at the end of the experience Kaity would be happy with what she had accomplished, and she was. We had a lot of fun hanging out all day in the dressing room and studio with Hana, the girl who also had a segment in the show. She is 12, and was a kick. The taping before ours wasn't going as well, and ran about three hours over time, so we had a LOT of time to hang out and get to know each other. While waiting you can watch what's going on in the studio on monitors, so by the time the girls went on they had a good idea of how it all went. Plus, we got to sit in on Amy Singer's taping Friday. I think all that time to kill was a blessing in disguise, because when it was finally time for Kaity and Hana to tape they were SO ready to just DO IT, and any butterflies were long gone.

Getting Ready

We had a lots of fun moments - like when Vickie flubbed a line and then accidently let fly with a MAJOR cuss word in front of all her 12-year-old knitsters. She apologized profusely for that one...., and when they dressed the mannequins in the other knits Kaity had brought, hats, etc, and we realized one of the mannequins was wearing leg warmers as arm warmers...., and when Kaity corrected the director's grammar!...

All in all, a very fun experience, and we can't wait to see it "for real." We have no idea yet when that will be... but we'll let you know as soon as we do!

Sneak Peak

2006-12-01T18:31:00.000-08:00

We went to Burbank for Kaity's Knitty Gritty rehearsal today. We had such fun!

While I was standing to the side, watching Kaity rehearse with the producer, someone stood next to me, watching, and when I looked over it was none other than Amy Singer. "Hi, I'm Amy Singer," she says.....

Very nice! She was between segments, taping her Knitty Gritty appearance, and was just wandering around with the rest of us. A bit later, she came and sat on the couch next to me, where I was knitting of course, pulled out her knitting, and turned to me and said, "Is that a Starsky you're wearing? I thought I recognized it. It's lovely!"

Wow! That was very cool! We sat there and chatted a bit while she was waiting to tape the next segment, talking about why anyone in California knits when most of the time it's too warm to wear knitwear. Very fun. I was a little star struck.

When they resumed taping, Kaity was done with rehearsal so we got to go in and watch Amy and Vickie tape the rest of the show. Sorry for the bad picture, but it was very dark in the studio unless you were right on the set. We were sitting right behind the director and production crew so we got to watch how it all happened, and could also see the set. Kaity got an idea of how the actual taping will go on Monday, and she's not a bit nervous. Me - I'd stumble over every word, but she'll do fine. I'm so proud of her!

We didn't get to meet Vickie yet, she was pretty busy, but all that will happen Monday and I'll get lots of pictures. Do the whole stage mom bit. We had such fun today, and it was just rehearsal. Meeting Amy was a total surprise, and just added to the fun - Monday's gonna be a blast! I think I'll wear my Icarus shawl - you never know who you might meet!

Fetching

2006-11-30T08:51:00.000-08:00

I haven't knit Christmas gifts before.... I don't like the pressure. Will I get it done in time? Will they like it? Will they appreciate it? Will they appreciate all the time and effort that went into it? Should that matter to me?

Maybe knitters should only knit for other knitters.

No.... wait, I did knit one scarf last Christmas, and the recepient appreciated it very much. I guess that's a good start.

I'm knitting 3 Christmas gifts this year. Two hats, and one set of wrist warmers. I should be able to handle that - especially since two of them are now done. Lucky for you - none of these people read my blog - so you get to see them and I have something to talk about.

I showed you one hat in the last post - the Fake Isle hat. It's going to be given in a gift exchange for the hubby's Christmas party this year. This is a bunch of guys who spend a lot of time out in the cold, and comment on his hand knit hats.... to which he always comments "love in every stitch, guys." So, it should be appreciated.

In the last post - the hat was modeled by Lily's boyfriend. He was quite enamored of the hat - so he's getting one, too.

These wrist warmers are for my niece. I'm not sure if she'll like them... but I'm gonna push the cashmere factor of the Cashmerino, and that may help. And, they're kind of the "go-with gift" to her real gift. I'm thinking they'll be well received.

I like them - a LOT! In fact, I need to wrap them quick, before I wear them out trying them on. I have a real urge to keep them for myself. No... I'll wrap them today.

Lucky for me, I have another ball of Cashmerino - and we're traveling to Texas for Christmas this year so this just may be my airplane knitting - after all the pressure is off and the Christmas knitting is done and wrapped. A present to myself. After all - it would be knitting for a knitter.

Pattern: Fetching, Knitty, Summer 2006
Yarn: Debbie Bliss Cashermino Aran, color 300201 - one ball, EXACTLY, not an inch to spare.
Modification: No picot edge, just a plain cast off.

Simple Pleasures

2006-11-28T18:52:00.000-08:00

We have a rule at the "Little House" - no TV, no radio, my mom barely allows a clock...

We have cheated a little bit and let the kids take their iPods. It seems a little wrong, but they really don't use them that much up there.

Instead, we knit, we play cards, we sit by the fire pit, we go for walks, we read, the kids go play at the park and the playground. We teach each other to knit, and weave. Check out Kaity's new skills on my mom's portable Ashford loom. And, yes, Kaity now wants a loom, too!

We talk, we play board games, we ride minibikes. In the summer we float down the aqueduct or go to the high school pool. We play in the creek. My dad takes the kids crawdad hunting. We go on jeep trips - to check out the mines, or drive 15 minutes up the to the snow in the Sierras. We go to check out the fish hatchery.

It's amazing how many things we find to do. How much fun we have.

It's amazing how much time we spend NOT doing these things at home. It's kind of sad, really. But, when we're up there, it's not the "real world." It's where we go to escape the real world. I am so thankful we have this place. I am so thankful that my kids love it SO MUCH - and know how to have fun with each other, and the simple pleasures.

But, I can still knit at home. I just have more time to do it at the Little House.

Check out my cool Fake Fair Isle hat, modeled by Lily's boyfriend, doing his best "male model" pose. This took me about one day at the Little House last weekend. Who knows how long it would take me at home. Well, I guess we'll fine out, because two of these and a set of hand warmers make up the entirety of my Christmas knitting.

If I could live the "Little House" lifestyle all the time I could get a LOT of knitting done, but I would never want the "Little House" to become the "real world." That would be sad. We need it to stay special - someplace we can't wait to get back to, and don't get to often enough.

I'm In Love With Starsky

2006-11-26T20:33:00.000-08:00

I.Love.This. LOVE.IT!

and..... IT FITS!

My new Starsky was done in time to make the trip to Independence for Thanksgiving.... and I wore it quite a bit! However, we were too busy hanging out, knitting, eating, playing cards, shopping in Bishop, etc, to get a picture of it in action. Kaity and I kept saying "we need to go do a photo shoot" - but never got around to it. So.... you get the at-home, self portrait in the bathroom picture.

Did I mention I love it? I think everyone needs to make one. And, use this yarn. This Cascade EcoWool is my new favorite. It is SO soft.... and it took less than 3 skeins to make the sweater!

Pattern: Starsky, Knitty, Winter '05
Yarn: Cascade Ecological Wool, Color 8087, less than 3 skeins.
Size: Large - but my gauge was way off, so it ended up blocking out easily to the medium measurements, and luckily fits perfectly.

PS - I ended up knitting the belt myself... Kaity wimped out on me after about 8" and wanted to knit her own projects. Guess I can't blame her. She still gets points for helping me out. Love that kid :o)

Where there's an MD Appointment, There's Hope

2006-11-20T08:05:00.000-08:00

..... for getting a lot of knitting done. This must be one of the signs of being a "real" knitter (whatever that is). I'm actually looking forward to what is sure to be a long wait at the doctor's today. Kid #3 has an appointment, and this office has notoriously long wait times.... and I'm actually looking forward to it. I'm taking Starsky and I'm gonna knit like the wind.

This blob you see here is Starsky, fronts and back joined at the shoulders, 264 stitches picked up for the shawl collar (which I was not looking forward to, but actually went very smoothly) - and about two-thirds of the collar knit. I got a LOT of knitting done this weekend! I'm hoping to finish the collar and get it blocking tonight so I can seam it up tomorrow. At least that's the plan.

I think it's a sure thing now that Starsky will make it to the Little House this weekend. I can't wait. It's gonna be cold enough - and I just may wear it the whole weekend. I'll get pictures of it there for y'all - you know, on locale.

Yes - I'm still going on the assumption that somehow it will fit. It might. It's looking likely. We'll see.

I'm even paying Kaity $10 to knit the belt. Sad, I know. Cheating, maybe... but I REALLY don't want to knit a 68" belt, and she's always money hungry, so it's a win-win.

... and just a side note - I'm thinking I may make patch pockets. I do like pockets. We'll see.

After the MD appt we're off to Monday Night dinner, where we'll get our cooking assignments for Thanksgiving. Mmmm, I can hardly wait! Thanksgiving's almost here - and I am SO blessed!

Just A Couple Of Observations...

2006-11-16T13:47:00.000-08:00

I've been thinking.... wouldn't it be great if every pattern gave number of actual stitches needed to complete the project. That would help me immensely when I'm decided how big a project I want to tackle. I have no clue how many stitches are in a sweater or a shawl.... I suppose I could figure it out, but I don't want to.

Of course, if I knew ahead of time how many actual stitches it was going to take to finish that Fair Isle sweater on #3's, I may have never taken it on.

Just a thought.... and my apologies to all of you who actually write the patterns, I can't even fathom how you are able to figure out the patterns for all the different sizes - much less how you would try to figure out how many stitches are in a particular pattern. Still, it would be an interesting tidbit of info, I think.

And.... is it wrong that every time I pass my beautiful china cabinet with all my beloved china and crystal in it, I imagine it filled with my growing yarn stash instead. Did I already blog about this before? Maybe - I sure do think about it alot. It's just a shame that all that beautiful yarn is hidden away in ziplocs in a cupboard. I do like to look at my yarn.... Wouldn't it look pretty in there. Maybe just a shelf or two?

Maybe I should just keep my eyes peeled for another china cabinet - I mean "yarn cabinet." Now, there's a thought :o)

I Love My Blogger Friends

2006-11-15T10:24:00.000-08:00

Man - I am definitely a vacationhead lately - we're going out of town for Thanksgiving and I already can't wait. I need some down time! I'm feeling restless and lazy at the same time. Good thing for me I work at home... the only thing that got me out of my workout clothes this morning and into the shower was that my stoooopid jog bra was digging into my shoulders. Can't stand that. Otherwise, I may not have changed clothes all day. We'll, at least I did go work out.... I'll give myself credit for that.

Restless, bored, and don't want to work. That's the state of things today.

Luckily, the weekend looks light.... so maybe some movies and knitting will hold me over. What I could really use is a nice rainy day and a day of knitting while watching Gone With The Wind with the girlies. Now, that's a perfect day.

But, looking at the weather.... that's not likely to happen. For some reason, we need a rainy day to do Gone With The Wind justice....

So, yeah.... Starsky is still coming along. I've finished the left front - now just the right front, a big ol' shawl collar and an absurdly long belt to go. Hmmm, I'm not thinking it's gonna be done in time for Thanksgiving, which was my plan, so I guess I know what knitting I'll be brining along!

So.... instead of boring you with more boring brown Starsky pictures (although, I gotta say.... I'm LOVING it, especially the yarn), I thought I'd talk about two great bloggers.

First, is Theresa from Knitting Underway. I love this girl! She was my inspiration behind Count Your Socks. Get this - she just recently finished her 100th pair of socks!!! 100 pairs of socks! And get this, she also knits gorgeous sweaters and does amazing lace work... but most importantly, she is a doctor and a lieutenant in the Navy, serving as a Navy doctor in San Diego. She's one of my heroes, in knitting and in life. Go check out her blog and peak in as she enjoys her "new California lifestyle!" It's my goal to meet up with her some day. In the meantime - check your mail next week Theresa - there's a little something headed your way.

My second favorite blogger of the day is Mary-Kay of Mamascrapalota-Blogga. She spins and hand dyes some of the prettiest yarn I have ever seen. She just commissioned Kaity to knit her some wrist warmers, as they are moving this weekend from San Diego to Colorado. She sent Kaity a great package yesterday with some of her hand-dyed roving, and some white roving with packets of Kool-Aid so she could practice dyeing her own roving.... which we did last night! Fun! She also sent along this gorgeous skein of laceweight for me - just because!.... which she also hand-dyed. It is sooooooo pretty - and there's a lot of it! Thanks Mary-Kay :o)

So.... even if I'm completely blog-boring lately, at least I've got friends who arent!

I am NOT a frogger

2006-11-09T13:14:00.000-08:00

What the flip....

I'm thinking today, while I'm working, that the reason I haven't knit a lot on Starsky lately is because I'm tired and just don't want to think anymore by the time I get to my my hour or so of knitting time at night... so most nights lately I've just sat there and veged, because I don't have the brain cells left for even a simple cable pattern.

So then I think.... I'll just work on some mindless part, like the belt. Yeah, the belt is gonna take forever anyway, so I might as well get a start on it and I can knit it in the car, or at night if I'm too tired to tackle the charted parts.

oy, oy, oy.... I'm my own worst enemy. This is one of those two-needle-size patterns..... for the body and sleeves you cast on with the larger needles, etc, and the belt uses the smaller needles. So, I go into my needle case to get the 9's for the belt and - WHAT THE FLIP!? - they're not there. Yes.... I've been using the stinking 9's instead of 10's the whole time.

So now, one whole back and two sleeves into the project I decide to recheck my gauge, which was perfect in my swatch. (why does swatch now sound like a four letter word to me - I'm with all of you who are in the "swatches lie" camp).

Yeppers, my gauge is off. I'm getting 20 stitches to 4" instead of 16. The sweater will be smaller than it's supposed to be.

Holy Poo on Toast - I am NOT ripping this out and starting over. I know many of you would. I read it in you blogs. Some of you will even rip out a whole garment and knit the whole thing AGAIN to get gauge. I don't even understand people like you - no offense intended, but there's no flipping way - No.Way.

I am not one of you. I would rather stab my eyes out with a DPN than RE-knit. Not gonna happen. I will blindly keep knitting and hope for the best. I will justify and tell myself that I was between sizes (I was), and opted for the larger size, so it may all be fine in the end. I will tell myself that even though the numbers haven't budged in the last few weeks, I have exercised myself into a smaller jean size, so I'm on my way down and the sweater will fit in a few months when I'm thinner. I'll block this sucker to within an inch of it's life... I'll pretty much tell myself any lie that keeps me knitting a possible failure. But I won't frog and start over. I just don't have it in me.

I will cry and give it away to a tiny person before I will frog and re-knit.

Seriously, what a gol' darned bone head. How hard is it to read "with the larger size needles, cast on..... blah, blah, blah" Who even knows at this point what size I knit my gauge swatch on.

Ya know what - I am NOT a frogger, it is what it is... and I'm gonna knit my stoopid mindless belt tonight during Grey's Anatomy. Because at this point that's all I trust myself to do.

Pinch Hitter Knitting

2006-11-08T14:13:00.000-08:00

Hola my friends! Yes - It's long-lost me.... and with a FO no less!

Ok - full disclosure, I had Kaity knit these for me.... She whips these wrist warmers out pretty fast. I was thinking I'm gonna need a pair for walking in the cold mornings.

Ok - another disclosure, it's been in the 80's to 90's here for the last few weeks and I have NO use for these right now.... but they're SO pretty and soft. And it's gotta get cold eventually. I'll settle for mildly chilly at this point.

Pattern: Kaity made up
Yarn: Heather's gorgeous homespun BFL she gave me a while a back. I used some of it for stripes in my Essential Stripe sweater (also longing for cold weather), but had quite a bit left over. Still do actually. It's so soft. I love this yarn.

What have I knit? Well, I FINALLY had some time last night to pick up my knitting, after about a week of not even having time to touch it. I did manage to finished the back of Starsky last night. Woo Hoo! I was beginning to wonder if I'd ever see the day.

I'll try to get some pictures tonight of the back and the two sleeves. Really - that's about all the knitting excitement there is to show you. Sad, I know. I'm trying.

Brain dead... heh heh

2006-11-01T08:27:00.000-08:00

I haven't even picked up my knitting in the last two days - I was hoping to be finished with the back of Starsky now... but I did....

take LOTS of pictures at Monday Night Dinner while all the kids carved their pumpkins...

I made a Jell-O brain

and some Ogre Finger cookies

and threw a Halloween party for Lil and her boyfriend and friends

and dropped Kaity off at her friend's Halloween party

and helped The Bud hand out candy (we get about 200+ trick-or-treaters every year!).

Tonight I'm gonna sit and rest... and knit.

Well, first I have to do something about that half eaten brain in my kitchen sink.

Blog Guilt

2006-10-26T19:47:00.000-07:00

I have major blog guilt lately. I seem to be SO busy - I'm trying to find out what's important, what needs to go, what to keep doing... how to find some extra hours in the day.

I barely have time to knit.... much less blog. I don't have time to think of bloggy stuff to write.

Something's gotta go, but it won't be my precious half hour or so of daily knitting time. But, since there's not so much knitting progress, the blogging may only happen once or twice a week. You'll stick with me, right?? :o)

So.... up there's the piddly little progress on Starsky. I'm just now starting the armhole decreases on the back.

And because I have such little knitting to show.... here are some cute kitty pictures. Why do they love to get as high as they can? Can you see the kitty in the picture with the stairs? Follow the hand rail up to the top - it points right to her. Do you think she knows how far down it is to the floor from there??

A cat's life.... lying around all day. If they had opposable thumbs and could knit - I'd sign up to be a cat.

So Confused, still

2006-10-22T12:00:00.000-07:00

I never know which direction to go.

When I'm cruising the mall, when I come out of a store I can't figured out which direction we're going.

When I look at any bed other than my own, I don't know which side I sleep on.

I ALWAYS park in the same section at the mall, or the grocery store. I don't want to have to wonder if I'm in the right section. I don't want to play the "I forgot where I parked my car" game - and I even have a fairly recognizable car.

I'm constantly confused by direction, and directions, with my knitting. The other day I picked up my sleeve in mid row to carry on. It looked like this when I picked it up. It took me a second to figure out what to do. I even asked Kaity to double check, "Kaity.... when you're just knitting plain stockinette, flat, should your yarn be coming off you left or right needle." She looked at me like I'd grown another head and said, "Mom! - you can't be serious - how LONG have you been knitting!" (She was only that annoyed with me because last week I had to have her explain to me again how to knit ribbing flat, because I'm used to doing it in the round.... purl the knits?? purl the purls?? I swear this should make sense to me by now, but I still get confused.)

Later in the week my sister, who's a new knitter, called and asked me the same question, but she has an excuse - she's brand new at this. Me - I should know better, but I panicked a little and had to check with Kaity after I got off the phone to make sure I gave her the right answer. It's a wonder I can actually make anything. (Note To Sis: You should probably just ask for Kaity when you call with knitting questions - I can't be trusted. You've seen me at the mall.)

Seriously, this confuses me - this sense of direction thing. I have none. My most common knitting mistake is picking up my knitting mid row and knitting the wrong direction. It's possible. I'm not sure how, but it is - I know... I do it quite often. I NEVER put down my knitting in mid-row unless it's an emergency. I'm the queen of "let me just finish this row."

My cable and lace patterns always have my extra "directions" written on them. With arrows.

Wrong side... read chart this way ------->
Right side... read chart this way <-------- I can't tell you how many rows I've frogged because I read the chart backwards. Every new project.... every new chart. I have to stop, figure it out, ask Kaity if I've got it right, and write it on my pattern - like I've never seen a knitting chart before.
This picture - it's taken on my way to church this morning. Thank God for having Christ in my life.... at least with Him, I always know which way I'm going.

BIG News!!

2006-10-20T17:00:00.000-07:00

If you haven't seen it already - my dear daugher, Kaity has some VERY EXCITING news!

I don't want to steal her thunder.... so hop on over to her blog and check it out!

I'm so proud!

Never Say Never?

2006-10-19T08:53:00.000-07:00

Is there some perfect knitted item you want badly, and keep coming back to, thinking about, but will never knit - and why?

When I peruse the magazines and blogs, I run across a lot of patterns - we all do, and what is it that makes something appeal to you? Or not?

Sometimes it's just an obvious like or dislike. Some things just don't appeal to me. But, besides the obvious "I don't like that," what influences what I decide to knit?

Many times I love something, but it's just not right for my body type. Sometimes it's cost prohibitive. Sometimes I have to admit it's no longer age-appropriate. Sometimes I have to admit I would never have an occasion to wear it.

What is the one thing you want to knit SO badly, but never will..... and why.

Here's mine. I LOVE this. So much. I obsess over how much I wish I could knit this Saffron Cables afghan, in the Fall 2006 IK. This speaks to me on every level. I would cuddle up in this ever night on the couch. I would make it out of something unbelievably soft. It is just gorgeous.
Why will I never knit it? I would never finish it. I can take on a big project, but this is too big. It would take too much time. I would get too bored. I can't even imagine taking it on as a project I would just commit to spending years on, knitting it little by little. I would totally be the little kid kicking the back of the seat and asking "are we there yet?" every five minutes - and I'd also be the exasperated parent in the front seat saying, "if you ask me that ONE more time...!"

It's just not gonna happen. I have not been knitting long, but I have learned that I am a process knitter. I need to see an FO within a reasonable period of time. I get bored easily.

So, what is the one thing you really wish you could, or would knit, but know you never will? Or is it just me?

Imaginary men - real sleeves....real LONG sleeves...

2006-10-18T14:05:00.000-07:00

Starsky and I are stuck on Sleeve Island. Ok - back in high school, that totally would have made me swoon. I was totally into Starsky and Hutch. That was back in the day when my buddy Linda and I cruised Main Street every Friday and pretended we were "oh so cool" in her Camaro. Looking back on it - her Camaro was probably the coolest thing about us.....

But we did go gaga over Starsky and Hutch. I liked Starsky, my friend Debby liked Hutch, so that worked out for us. Linda - who was your favorite? - I don't remember now. But, remember how, back in high school, we were just SURE that if we met them somehow... they'd fall for us. I was quite sure of the same with David Cassidy or Bobby Sherman.

But now, well, I'm sad to say (after I've totally dated myself again), here on Sleeve Island, Starsky's not the man I dreamed he'd be. He's really not doing it for me. He's a little boring, I'm surprised to say. He's not entertaining me, he's not fanning me with big ol' palm leaves, or bringing me daiquiris. I guess Starsky's probably a little out of his element on an island, though. Island life is probably a little slow after all the crime and thrills of Bay City.

I know what would work - someone should design a Magnum PI sweater. I'm quite sure I'd knit that.... and I KNOW Magnum could handle the Sleeve Island thing.

But, that's okay - Starsky wouldn't be my first choice any more for my one guy to get stuck on a deserted island with, or even Magnum. That honor goes to my Johnny Depp, well, assuming the hubby can't make the trip.

I gotta say - I won't be stuck on Sleeve Island very long, Starsky's fast. And, although that's great for knitting sleeves, I'm not sure that's what you really want from a man.

Besides.... I'm thinking I'll escape from Sleeve Island tomorrow night while I'm watching my new favorite hunky guy.... McDreamy. He can pinch hit for Johnny on a Thursday night. Mmmmmm...

Guess I'm fickle.

I should move on.

See that purse in the magazine - I.Want.That. I am going to knit that. I love that purse. I have it in the Holiday issue of IK - but it's been published before, somewhere. I will make it happen - after Christmas probably. While I'm already galavanting everywhere with Starsky. After I've knit the other things I've started.... and the two other projects I already have yarn for.

Then. There's no hurry.... it'll wait for me. But I will knit it.

California Spoiled

2006-10-16T08:53:00.000-07:00

We spent a beautiful weekend at the beach - we are so spoiled here in California!

From where we live in Southern California, literally, within a 2 to 3 hour drive we can be at the beach, in the mountains, or in the desert, like last weekend. This is also why we have the typical California collection in our garage - bikes, wetsuits and boogie boards, backpacks, motorcycles, ski's, etc.... we can pretty much pick a sport and go wherever we need to be - like I said, in just a matter of a few hours, if that.

The weather doesn't even factor in too much. Okay to - to snow ski, you do have to wait for winter, but that's about it.

THIS is why Californians put up with all the other California stuff. If you like the outdoors, this is the place to be. This weekend, the beach was the place to be.

The forecast even called for rain, but we only got a few showers the first night.... and the clouds made for beautiful skies and sunsets. The days were warm enough for the kids to play in the surf, and the nights were chilly enough to sit by a campfire and wear my Rogue. We drove a couple of miles from our campsite to Malibu for fish and chips for lunch.... all that's hard to beat.

What's this last picture? - Could it be? Me, holding my Starksy sleeves? In a wetsuit? I tell ya - even I didn't see this one coming. Never in a million years. But, in an effort to get that little ladybug up top moving again, my friend and I have been swimming laps three mornings a week, and it's getting a little chilly in the mornings now. When it's only 50 degrees in the morning, and the water is 68 - that's TOO cold for this California wimp.... so we figured if we were going to keep this up - we would need wetsuits.

Yes - they work.... the jury is still out on whether it's worth the chuckles and looks we get from our families..., but we should be able to swim through the winter now.

I do have to say.... I did have a slight panic moment in the Sports Chalet dressing room, trying on the wetsuit, having no idea what size to buy, and hoping I wouldn't get myself stuck in the stupid thing and have to ask the hunky guy for help. Wouldn't that have made his day!?- helping a overweight 40-something year old woman who's stuck in a wetsuit. I can just hear it - "ya know lady, -you're buying that..." Happy to say, I managed all by myself - thank you very much.

My friend's story is better - she almost ventured out of the dressing room to ask the guy if her suit was the right size.... but she decided against it. Later, she was REALLY glad she hadn't, when her husband informed her she had it on backwards!

Still Fabulous

2006-10-10T15:34:00.000-07:00

Check it out - on the left, Fair Isle: 4 weeks of knitting = 12 inches.

On the right... Starsky: 4 days of knitting = 12 inches.

This is why Starsky is turning out to be the perfect take-a-break project. Fast Knit. Gotta love that.

I decided to cast on for Starsky when I was leafing through this month's InStyle and noticed all the long belted sweaters - I figured I'd better get to knittin' if I was gonna get it done in time to wear it while it was still "In Style."

I figured Fair Isle is classic - no time frame on that knit - no hurry. Then, what do I see in the latest issue of Lucky? Nordic is in.

Oy, the pressure - no wonder it's been 30 years since I was voted "best dressed." I can't keep up.

Seriously - why do I love InStyle magazine SO much? Why do I care? I have nothing in common with these women. I'm 30 years older and at least 30 lbs heavier than what they try to pass off as "normal." Why, why...

Motorcycle riding, reading the fashion magazines, being afraid to wear the poncho I knit last year - trying to knit what's "in." I'm thinking it's my vain, hopeless struggle to fight age.

There's nothing worse than a woman obviously trying to act far younger than her years - I MUST spare myself that.

Age - I'm not fighting it. I'm okay - hey, I'm more than okay. I'm working on the pounds, and I'm knitting what I like - and if it just happens to be "In Style" - well, then what a happy coincidence.

You know me.... still fabulous in my own mind.

Don't Tell Me What I Can't Do

2006-10-09T13:19:00.000-07:00

Look what I did this weekend, for the first time in 25 years!

Both the hubby and I grew up riding motorcycles in the desert with our families. We didn't know each other as kids - but when we started dating we found out we probably spent some of the same Easters and Thanksgivings in the same desert, riding motorcycles.

Since we've been married- it's something we never really got back in to. The hubby switched to mountain bikes, and I was busy raising kids... but recently he got back into it, and got a motorcycle for The Bud, and minibikes for Lilly and whoever wants to putt around.

Here's me on The Bud's motorcycle. Okay - technically this picture is not of me... but I was on the same bike in the same helmet...etc. Believe me, just sitting there you wouldn't be able to tell the difference, except for a few of my curls maybe escaping out the back of the helmet - so make believe it's me. Once you get the "Power Ranger" suit on - well, everyone looks the same.

I just went on a short ride and took the little kids, so I wasn't out there tearing up the desert with the big dogs - but man, it's scary how fun it is and how it all comes back to you. Fun, fun. Kind of like reliving your childhood.

The kids were not so sure about it. The hubby was off on a ride of his own, and when I asked The Bud if I could borrow his bike and gear, he said "Uhhhh, I guess so. Do you think it's okay with Dad?" The girls said, "Mom, do you know what you're doing? How long has it been since you've ridden a motorcycle."

Pshh.... 25 years - what's you point? Hand over the gear and start the bike for me.

FUN!

Look what else I did this weekend - started Starsky! Yeah - I know, three projects on the needles? So, what's your point? I learned from the best - I blame you all!

I told Kaity maybe I'd knit it as a "stealth project" and not even show you all until it was finished. But that's gonna take too long - and I don't think I have any more hidden talents, like motorcycle riding, to fill the blog time, so you can watch me juggle my projects instead.

Help Bring Christmas, One At A Time

2006-10-05T07:36:00.000-07:00

This is something I've never done on my blog, but please indulge me as I ask for some help, to bring Christmas to those less fortunate.

Would you like to knit something small, that would be of GREAT help?

My dearest friend, Marion, and her husband Ken have been ministering and to the homeless on Los Angeles' Skid Row for about four years now. At first, it was just Ken, going down once a week with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches they had made at home, handing them out, and preaching the gospel to anyone who wanted to listen.

Their ministry has lead to One At A Time Ministries, a storefront church in the Ford Hotel in the middle of the most desperate part of the city, where they hold services every Sunday, and Bible studies during the week.

Skid Row in Los Angeles is the epitome of homeless life in America. It is a dangerous place, filled with drugs, gangs, prostitution, and crime... yet the Lord has placed an enormous desire in Ken's heart to reach out to those who are the most lost... It has been his calling to bring the homeless of LA the gospel, the only truth that can give them hope of escaping the lives they are currently living. Men, women, and children, who cannot see any way out, any way to change, any way to better themselves, or the lives of their children. Ken and Marion are desperate to show them The Way.

Every week at my own Bible studies Marion gives us updates, and tells us what is happening in the lives of some we have come to know, and I have been feeling a desire for quite some time to help. It came to me the other day, that I can knit - I know lots of people who can knit.

I talked to Marion about my idea, of knitting small items that they could bring down and give away at Christmas. Maybe the only gift they receive this year. She was very excited and thought it was a great idea. She said one of the biggest obstacles for these men and women is that they don't believe God can love them.... they don't believe anyone can love them.

Receiving a gift of something new, knit just for them, would show love. It would be little, but it would be something.

Hats would be especially needed, but any small knitted items - gloves, wrist warmers, scarves, socks, etc, would be appreciated. Items are needed for men and women, and even children - all ages, all sizes.

If you would like to knit something, please send your knitted gift directly to Ken and Marion at:

One At A Time Ministries
c/0 Ken Holladay
1007 Village Square
Fillmore, CA 93015

If you'd like to help even more, please put a link on your blog, or give it a mention.

THANK YOU!

Stash Stress

2006-10-04T08:56:00.000-07:00

I've got a serious case of stash stress. I KNEW if I stashed it would stress me out - but I just didn't think it would happen in this way!

Maybe it's project stress. See, I have the yarn for my four next projects, not counting the two on the needles now (....hmmm, did I forget to tell you I casted on for Sizzle? - you know, when I need a break from the Isle of Fair every once in awhile).

Never mind.... that's beside the point. The problem is, I'm totally a project knitter, not a process knitter. Otherwise, I'd just cast on for all of them and knit away, like some people I know (not naming names, you know who you are.... not that that's a bad thing...). But I want to wear all these things NOW. I want to knit them, I want them done, and I want to wear them. I do not have enough time to knit, and cannot knit fast enough to make myself happy in this regard.

Let's just check out the stash and projected projects: That beautiful blue variegated in the middle left stack o' cakes..... that's gonna be Ene, from Scarf Style. She's gonna be gorgeous. And, I'm totally a shawl convert now - you should have seen me stylishly flitting around Ikea yesterday with Icarus draped just so. Oh - I'm so stunning in my own mind.

Anyway.... that pretty pile of teal Cascade....I CAN'T WAIT to knit that! Seriously the prettiest yarn in the world. It's supposed to be my next project - a cabled zip-up sweater, but, that new brown Cascade Eco Wool is really speaking to me, for Starsky. It's moving up quickly on the project list. I'm pretty sure it's kicking it's cousin Cascade's butt in that regard.

The pretty ice blue.... that's being used for Sizzle.... love it. Working on it. MUST finish it before I cast on for Starsky.

The red - I just like to look at it. It's for socks. I am TOTALLY NOT in a sock mood lately. Who knows when I'll knit that.

The little fuzzy guy in the top left? - he's gonna be a Branching Out scarf for me.

I can't take it. I want them all now. But, I'm still totally in love with the Fair Isle... look at in the sun - shining like stained glass. I want to wear it NOW.

Now, NOW.... I am NOT A patient knitter. I knew I'd be sorry. I knew I just didn't have it in me to be a stasher. But, I also know that there's no going back now. My name is Lynda, and I stash yarn.

Tagged - My Tunes...

2006-10-03T08:20:00.000-07:00

I was tagged by Lorette, The Knitting Doctor, so here's a random look at what's in my iPod - I turned it on "shuffle" and here are the first 12 tunes to come up-

......an odd little look into what rocks my world:

1. All for Love- Rod Stewart. I LOVE his love songs album. I walked miles and miles listening to Rod while I was training for my 3-day walk a few years ago.

2. I Can Only Imagine - Mercy Me. This is from my current "walking" playlist, which is chock full of praise music.

3. Always On My Mind - Elvis. How can you not love a little Elvis, although I prefer Willie Nelson's cover of this song.

4. The Lord's Prayer - Il Divo. OH. MY. Have you heard these guys.... more important, have you seen these guys! Wait - given that they're singing the Lord's Prayer- I probably shouldn't go there...

5. You Make Lovin' Fun - Fleetwood Mac. Love them. Takes me back to the early 80's when the hubby and I first met (smile).

6. Casino Royale - Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass. Good Stuff. Happy music. My mom used to listen to this when we were kids, now MY kids love it.

7. A Long Way Home - Dwight Yokum. Come on.... there are just some times when nothing but some good old twangy Dwight music will do.

8. Channel Z - The B-52's. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the B-52's!!

9. Message In a Bottle - The Police. Some more good music from the era where the hubby and I began...

10. Linus and Lucy - Vince Guaraldi Trio. My kind of Jazz. I love this entire CD (Peanuts Christmas Album).

11. The Holly and the Ivy - George Winston. More Christmas music. I have a LOT of Christmas music. George Winston is THE MOST brilliant pianist ever. I'm going to be him when I grow up... or Charlize Theron. Wait, I want to play like George and look like Charlize.... that's the ticket. Anyway, I digress - I have a LOT of George Winston music.

12. Take It Easy - Eagles. I LOVE singing along with the Eagles - they are perfect for me. I can figure out all harmonies and they're always in just the right key for my low alto voice (such as it is). Probably my all time favorite to sing to.

Hmmmm, that's kind of fun to do, and a little interesting to see what pops up. Consider yourself tagged if you'd like!

In fibery news, now that I'm a "stasher"- check out that beautiful Cascade Ecological Wool up there! I don't know if it's a new yarn altogether, or just new to my LYS, but I saw it for the first time last week. I talked myself out of buying it that day, and have been thinking of it ever since! But, really - when a $25 Gift Cert turns up in your mailbox for the very same LYS, well, duh..... it just means I was meant to have it!

This some nice stuff!, and surprisingly soft for yarn that is supposed to be "minimally processed." It's not all rough and twiggy like some minimally processed wool, but very smooth and pretty - AND, it and comes in a HUGE skein of 487 yards! It smells heavenly, too.

I'm thinking it may become Starsky some day. All that 80's music has me feeling a little retro.

Clean and Shiny

2006-10-02T07:11:00.000-07:00

The hubby likes to clean stuff. I don't really "get" that - I'm not the neat one in the family, but I appreciate it.

The hubby was in a cleaning mood this weekend. Maybe it's just because we're all tired of ash and grime on EVERYTHING for the last month with this stubborn fire going on... Everything around here has seemed grimy, dusty, and ashy for soooo long. Especially the air.

So, over the weekend he played with his latest toy and pressure washed just about everything outside that could take it. The cars, the driveway, the sides of the house, the patio furniture....

Then, I guess just because it was one of those rare weekends where he was home ALL weekend with nothing specific to do.... he even went upstairs and scrubbed our tub and shower. He was gonna wash all the windows (another thing he just loves to do for some reason), but he ran out of time.

Then, it rained. Rain is the one thing we really needed. Rain is only thing that was gonna stop this stubborn fire from going on for another week or so. Everyone in these parts was so happy to see rain, I sat outside with about 100 other people at a fundraiser dinner yesterday evening, in the drizzle, and didn't hear one person complain about the rain, or their soggy dinners.

Me, I sat there with my big ol' curly hair getting bigger and bigger, and frizzier and frizzier, and didn't even care that I was probably getting to look a lot like Bozo. It was rain. It was good.

Last night I even woke up and heard the rain, and said a prayers of thanks. This morning everything was all clean and wet and drippy.

I love rain anyway - but this rain was especially sweet.

Now even the air is clean. That beautiful crisp, bright air that I forgot you were supposed to be able to see through. It's gorgeous this morning. I love the smell and look of a morning after a rain.

Hee hee - good thing hubby ran out of time and didn't wash the windows.

.....and, check it out up there - three new stripes on the Fair Isle this weekend. It's all good.

Thankful For My Reset Button

2006-09-27T08:50:00.000-07:00

It has been one of "those mornings." I awoke, again, to a sky full of smoke and ash... that's just getting depressing now; walked in to start the coffee and noticed the refrigerator seems to be leaking, had a run-in with D#2, found a mistake I must have made in my Fair Isle last night, sat down to play the piano and noticed my favorite piece of music is missing, then started to work and couldn't get the audio to load for my transcription.

Argh.

I knew restarting my computer would probably fix the audio problem. While I waited for the computer to restart, I picked up my Fair Isle. I'm always fascinated by the back of it. I started thinking, this mess of threads, and the messy order of all these rows on the back side are how I see my life at times... messy, unorganized, flawed - it doesn't look like it'll all ever come together.

The front of the work is something altogether different. It all comes together for a purpose. The mess of the back is glorified in the right side of the work. This is how God sees me. He sees the big picture, the finished object. He see's the perfect me, the me who has been made righteous through Christ.

Then I thought of how simple it was to make things right with my computer by simply hitting the reset button. I remembered I have a reset button for my life. The one that will get me back on track, focused, living with a purpose - Prayer and God's word.

I know that in my particular case.... being one that likes all her ducks in a row - Satan scatters my ducks all across the pond, just to see if I will flounder, or remember to ground myself in the Lord. The little annoyances will try and get me every time.

Today I triumphed. I remembered MY reset button. I sat back down at the kitchen table, read God's word, and prayed.

"Because of the Lord's great love, we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning." Lamentations 3:22-23

Halloween Mistake #2

2006-09-23T11:03:00.000-07:00

.... or more appropriately titled "Know Your Target Audience."

Fall church carnival again... this time I'm feeling completely inventive and unique and go dressed entirely in black, with a cool beret and some black rimmed glasses.

I kind of forgot how young most of our church is.... and spent the entire evening explaining what a beatnik was.

Maybe I should have carried a set of bongos and recited poetry.

I felt really old. Really! - I had no idea people these days did not know what a beatnik was.

Oh yes - that's Kaity on my left, a flapper, and Lilly on the right in a wetsuit with a dolphin on her head, being a dolphin trainer. Now, that costume really was brilliance. She carried a little pail of swedish fish candy, labeled "bait" and made all the little kids do tricks, then she'd toss them a fish. Brilliant. Why didn't I go with that one... Because I'm not getting into a wetsuit - that's why.

In the fiber news.... check out this pretty Polar Morn Kaity spun up for me! It's about 145 yards of spinny Merino perfection - destined to be wrist warmers.

Wrist warmers - like I need another pair of those. It's 90-ish degrees outside today, the Santa Ana winds are blowing like nobody's business, and in the back country, about 7 miles from us, is a brush fire that's burning, going on the 4th week now. All we've had for weeks now is heat, smoke, and ash.

Yeah - I think I'll work on my wool Fair Isle sweater and make me some wrist warmers.

Ya know what??? I can knit whatever I want. It's a pretty little fantasy world I live in, and quite a bit colder, too.

Deferring to Common Sense

2006-09-22T09:12:00.000-07:00

Our church used to hold a carnival on the night of Halloween, where you could dress up, play old fashioned church carnival games, like the cake walk, etc, and all the various groups within the church would man the game booths. I was always at the "fishing booth" - you remember, where you toss your clothes pin attached to a fishing pole through the curtain, and someone on the other side would clip on some "Smarties" or "Tootsie Rolls" and then you'd reel in your prize.

They encouraged the adults to dress up. One particular year, about 7 or 8 years ago, I was having trouble coming up with something so I decided to go as an 80's rocker chick - you know, ala Pat Benetar or the Wilson sisters from "Heart." I made my hair really big, put on a head band, little pink mesh gloves left over from a bridesmaid outfit from years ago, a short-ish skirt with a big belted top, leg warmers and little ankle boots.

I know - what was I thinking. I sure wasn't listening to that little voice of common sense.

I live in a small town, and people STILL talk how I turned up at the church carnival as a hooker. (and, no, I don't have a picture)

So now that I have obviously become a stasher.... I hate sticking all my lovelies in big Ziplocs and putting them in the cupboard. I want them out where I can ogle them, and pet them from time to time. But common sense is telling me they need to stay safe from yarn-munching critters - they need to be safe in their baggies.

So.... here's a little of the stash I've put at my desk on the shelf, where I can look at it all day long. This is just the stuff I have immediate plans for.... like that crock full of that gorgeous teal Cascade 220 (a cabled zip-up sweater)...

But I really want to go all "rocker chick", throw caution to the wind and fill the rest of the shelf with sock yarn. Good idea? Bad idea? All the yarn in the yarn stores is out in the open... why can't mine be?

You KNEW This Was Going To Happen

2006-09-20T21:09:00.000-07:00

.... and it can't be good for my newly acquired stashing issues.

I can hear you out there - You can all just stop laughing and saying "I told you so."

Yep - it's a spinning wheel... and yes, it's now sitting in my family room.

No - we did not buy one, yet.

See, I have this daughter who everyone just seems to fall in love with - and our new friend, Deb, at the new roving/yarn store in town is particularly taken with her. She already gave her free spindle lessons, and a freebie spindle, and always seems to send us home with at least a little free fluff every time we go in.

She has been trying to get Kaity to try a spinning wheel from the first time we met her. Last week, with a little help from mom (she's who got Mom going on the weaving.... what an enabler!!!) - Deb decides that Kaity needs a wheel - so badly that she's just gonna send us home with one of her very own personal wheels!

So yesterday I took Kaity into the shop, where Deb spent about an hour-and-a-half getting her all acquainted with her new Ashford loaner, and gave her a big bag of practice fluff - all for free. This woman is a gem!

So, Kaity's one happy camper - knee deep in fluff, and already spinning up some very nice stuff! (go check out her blog to see her first efforts). Of course, I bought 8 oz of merino/silk for her to spin up for me.... and I was feeling up some real purty cashmere roving while Kaity was taking her lesson.

Believe what EVERYONE says.... that spinning, it'll suck you right in. Don't even touch a spindle, much less a wheel, unless you're willing to fall under it's spell. Kaity tried to get me to sit down and try it last night.... but so far, I have resisted.... She even had Lily giving it a try.

I and SO doomed. Ya'll wanna take bets on how long I can hold out?

So Much More Than "Good Enough"

2006-09-19T17:53:00.000-07:00

My mom recently bought a loom and has been weaving. Every Monday Night Dinner she shows us what she's learned, and the cool stuff she's weaving - little swatches of fabric, very cool.

Last night, at MND, she said "here... check this out," and plopped this shawl on the kitchen table. It was beautiful!! She kept pointing out little flaws, saying it ended up a "learning piece." I kept gushing over it, but she kept saying things like maybe she would felt it and cut it up, and make it into a purse or something. I said she was crazy! She pointed out the pretty colors, and how it was angora and wool, but also kept pointing out her mistakes...

I whipped it over my shoulders and gushed some more and told her she was crazy to cut it up, it was gorgeous and she should wear it, All The Time!

Then, I noticed my dad standing to the side, watching us. He looked at me, then looked at mom and said, "Well, are you going to tell her?" Mom said, "Well, I was making it for your birthday, but I just didn't think it was good enough, I can do better."

Dad said, "Yeah, I was all confused at your birthday last week when you opened your gift from us and it was a music box!"

So, of course, I pleaded "Can I have them both???!"

You can tell from this happy picture, I got to keep it. I love this shawl, that my mom made - just for me, and it's more than good enough, it's perfect.

MORE yarn - and "California" girls...

2006-09-18T11:43:00.000-07:00

Ok - for someone who doesn't, really doesn't stash yarn, I certainly seem to have acquired quite a bit lately.

Hmmm, let's see, some pretty soft gray-green Shine Worsted for my Sizzle, some burgundy KnitPicks Gloss (oooh, merino and silk), and some Knit Picks dyeable yarn for nothing in particular, just because they make lace weight dyeable now...

Oh yes, my favorite yarn store owner called and said my special order yarn is in... so I guess I'll have even MORE yarn tomorrow! Sweet!

And, for your amusement (and, with Ms. Booshay most in mind - she enjoyed these last year) - the L.A. County fair commercials. Too funny.... Seriously, if you haven't seen them, it's more than worth your 30 seconds.

But, I hate to admit, yesterday when Kaity and I were ooohing over my new mohair yarn, Daughter #2, Lily, actually asked, "What's a Mo?"

I kid you not... she really did. I'm slightly embarrassed ;o)

Getting Away From It All

2006-09-17T13:49:00.000-07:00

This weekend the hubby and I took off, just the two of us, for a weekend away...

Dinner at F. McLintocks - $$$

Sleeping on the sand at Pismo Beach - $10

Leisurely walk around Morro Bay on an unusually clear, warm, and gorgeous day - free

A beautiful cabin with fireplace at Cambria Pines Lodge - $$

Shopping at the Ball & Skein in Cambria, where the hubby says "take your time," but then makes sure he walks back in just in time to say "I'm buying!" - $$$

Spending the weekend with the hubby you still can't get enough of after 25 years, and even having him say "yell if you see a yarn store and want to stop" .... PRICELESS

** Mountain Colors, Mountain Goat, Painted Rocks colorway; Colinette Parisienne, Marble Colorway

This Doesn't Scare Me One Bit

2006-09-13T08:28:00.000-07:00

Here we are... one-third finished with the body of my Fair Isle sweater. From here on out, these patterns repeat twice more, with the colors getting lighter and more subdued as it works its way up.

All this pattern and color - I'm loving every minute of it. I'm sure it's a bit much for some, probably most, people - but, heck.... I come from a family of men who wear dueling plaids on a regular basis - color and pattern don't scare me.

Through the college years, my now sister-in-law even made up a "multicolor person" song that she would sing to my now-hubby on a regular basis.

(To the tune of Yankee Doodle Dandy)

"I'm a multicolor person - multicolor yes I am. If I had done my laundry sooner, I would have something that matched."

We still sing that song occasionally around here - it's a family classic.

I'm no stranger to a lot of color.

Actually, in my own wardrobe, this is a bit "loud." I tend to play it safe most of the time - with a few little touches here and there just to make the kids say "ew.. Mom!". Like throwing on the fishnet stockings with the conservative pencil skirt and blouse, for church. But, really, most of what I wear is boring... your basic Old Navy, Gap, Levi's....

I could use a little "multi-color dueling plaid" in my wardrobe - this oughta do it, doncha think?

Hey - if it makes ya twitch - just look away... I won't make you wear it.

Make sure the "Hard Stuff" is the "Fun Stuff"

2006-09-10T14:28:00.000-07:00

I CAN be focused and stick to a tough project. I can put my mind, and hands to task.

I've learned my part of a four-hand piano duet for church, and was actually able to play in in front of the congregation without my shaking knees bouncing me right off the piano bench - barely.

I knit Rogue.

At "Scrapbook Summer Camp" this summer I was actually voted "Most likely to actually finish what she came to do."

Hey - I even had 29+ lbs worth of three kids in 3-1/2 years. I can do the tough stuff.

It helps if the hard stuff is also the fun stuff.

I do have it in me somewhere - to succeed. I WILL finish the Fair Isle sweater - I'm not even worried about it. It really doesn't even matter how long it take. Right now, we're still in the "loving it" phase, and it's actually coming along quite well. I'm still having fun with it - not yet looking for that inevitable project "vacation."

But, I have ordered yarn for what that vacation will be - Sizzle. Just gotta order the pattern and wait for my yarn to show up.

The timing should be perfect.

Caught in the Act

2006-09-07T14:12:00.000-07:00

It always pays to have the video camera ready when it's time for Kaity to do the dishes. Check out her sweet skills (although the kitchen is no where in sight...) I tell ya - that kid just makes me happy :o)

(sorry about the video being sideways, but it's worth it).

And, because it's always fun to see an FO out in the wild, and to prove that I do wear what I knit.... Here's Prosperous Plum on it's way out the door to Bible Study this morning.

There ya go - it's all about you guys.... just putting ourselves out there for your entertainment.

What Am I Knitting Now?

2006-09-06T08:15:00.000-07:00

A few hints....

It takes a LOT of colors (or, how to double your stash, immediately!)

I'm knitting with TWO hands now! (you know what I mean)

and... you knew it was only a matter of time ;o)

P.S. Today's post was brought to you by OPI Nail Lacquer, "Cha-Ching Cherry colorway"

The Next Vest Thing - Prosperous Plum

2006-09-03T12:29:00.000-07:00

Ok - so it isn't so flattering as a tank top (tharms... doncha know) - but I'm thinking I really like it as a vest, and vests are coming back, so there ya go.

Don't stare at the cables if they make you uneasy.... I just blithely ignore them, myself.

Pattern: Prosperous Plum

Yarn: Cotton Fleece, less than three skeins

Size 8 KnitPicks Options

Comments: The pattern says to knit with 4" negative ease - and they're not kidding. It is certainly not too small, in fact, I stretched it as long and thin as I could when I blocked it - because it was a bit too short and slightly too big (even though I added an 1" to the length).

All in all, I'm happy with it. I love the eyelet detail and the picot hem. And.... it only took me a week to knit! That's gotta be some kind of record for me!

In fact, I have already bought more Cotton Fleece and plan to make another - but I'm gonna figure out a different cable pattern. We'll see what I come up with.

Wonky

2006-09-01T09:26:00.000-07:00

Oh.My.Gosh.

There is something so severely wonky about this cable pattern.... I'm not sure I can get over it.

See how it kind of twists on the left hand side, and makes more of an "S" on the right side? This is seriously making me crazy. And, yes.... I'm doing it correctly.

I knew I was uneasy with it when I started. I stared at every picture I could find a finished Prosperous Plum... and this is what I saw... and it slightly bothered me. Ok, more than slightly.... but, Queen of Denial that we know I am... I decided I could live with it because loved the overall look of the tank so much.

I even toyed with changing the pattern, but I'm not that good, and couldn't quite figure out what part bothered me or how to change it.

I'm not sure. Maybe, if I quit trying to look at it as two side-by-side cables, and just one "overall" cable pattern...

The kicker - I've "denialed" myself all the way to a nearly finished object. I'm done with the body and just have to cable the straps. And, yes, the cables on each strap will look slightly different, too.....

I'm not sure I can take it. Or, is it just me? I'm not usually too hung up on "matchy-matchy" and symmetry... and can go with the flow. But, man.... this is some weird and wonky flow.

Hmm...

Ravens and Bookmarks

2006-08-29T13:24:00.000-07:00

I hate losing things. It's especially frustrating when I've misplaced something myself. My brain isn't as young as it used to be, and I guess I just can't keep up with myself.

Sometimes someone, or worse, "nobody" loses something for me. Oy people - don't be touching my stuff! - and if you borrow it, put it back! There's a universal Mother's Mantra if there ever was one.

When I was a kid, if something went missing, especially if it was small and/or shiny, Junior probably stole it.... and you'd never see it again.

Junior was our "pet" raven. Yep. Dad came home one weekend from a hunting trip with a "surprise" for us kids. We were so excited. What could it be? Well, we sure weren't thinking "raven."

Now, Mom will probably be mad and disappointed when she reads this, because she liked Junior. But, me.... not so much.

Junior was a pain in the butt. Of course that was just my view - because that bird had it out for me. It's like they say - animals can sense fear.... well, I was afraid of that bird, and he knew it. He'd peck my toes, scare my friends, and steal my hopscotch markers. You could NOT play hopscotch around that bird.

He also stole a lot of my brothers Hot Wheel cars. We found a whole bunch of Junior's stash years later, hidden away under the back shop.

He loved my Mom and Dad. When Dad would get home Junior would jump up on his shoulder and rifle through the papers in his shirt pocket and eat the erasers off his pencils. He would sit on my Mom's shoulder and make cooing sounds in her ears. He would jump on my shoulder and pull my hair.

I was not a big fan of the bird... and, it didn't help that it was my brother's and my job to scrub the bird poop off the patio every Saturday. That was especially fun when Junior had found purple berries to eat or, even better, crayons.

Nope, not a fan of the bird. He was cool, I mean, not everyone has a raven for a pet..., and he never learned to make bird sounds, but barked like our dog, but the bird and I were not close. And.... he stole stuff. You didn't leave stuff lying around outside if you ever wanted to see it again.

So, I don't like to waste time looking for stuff. It's one of my major pet peeves. Looking for something that isn't where it's supposed to be. "Bookmarks" save me endless frustration in this regard. I have a bookmark for blogs, a bookmark for on-line knitting sources, and a bookmark for future possible projects.

I was browsing through my "To Knit" bookmarks, where I stick everything that catches my eye while I'm out in knitting blogland.... the "maybe knits," the "think abouts," stuff I find and might want to knit someday, when I came across Prosperous Plum. When I first came across this pattern I wasn't too taken with it, but later saw it here... and loved Heather's version.

I wasn't sure what I wanted to work on next, but this is the perfect project. I have the yarn, and I think it's gonna be a relatively quick knit, it looks like something I'd actually get a lot of wear out of, and I'm not in the mood to work on socks right now... So Prosperous Plum it is.

Yes, I know I was participating in UFO August and shouldn't be casting on for anything new but, actually, this is the yarn from one of my UFO's, Spring Fling, which just wasn't doing it for me.... so, I'm just kind of trading it in on a new model. That's not really cheating, right?

It's This Soft

2006-08-27T08:21:00.000-07:00

Pattern: Wrap Yourself in Nature, from Inspired Cables, Fiona Ellis
Yarn: 3-ply Prime Alpaca, Musk
Size 6 needles
60" x 17"

Modifications to pattern: This is meant to be knit in two pieces and seamed together in a "V." I knit it straight, in one piece, to the same length as my favorite pashmina.

This Prime Alpaca is the SOFTEST yarn... and very warm. I enjoyed every minute of knitting this yarn and pattern. The cables were fun, and I LOVE the triangled edging.

PS - in the 2nd picture... that is NOT a hole. It may be where I joined yarns... but you don't see it in the actual scarf.

School Supplies

2006-08-23T09:56:00.000-07:00

What is it with school supplies? You have to have NEW school supplies every year. The pens, paper, notebooks, backpacks you finished out last year with, a mere 3 months ago, will not possibly do.

I totally get this.

I love school supplies. They appeal to the nerdy, obsessive side of me. New, shiny, crisp books that have yet been cracked open.... New pens. New pencils with pristine erasers. And I don't even go to school anymore - but I was almost beside myself in the college bookstore with Kaity yesterday. Surely, there's some reason I NEED those cool pastel plastic envelopes in every color, and new Sharpies, and dividers with pockets, and these cool Post-Its in colors I don't have... etc.

So far this year, for myself I've stopped myself and limited my personal purchases to journals (actually, Mead Composition Books - did you know they come in COLORS now?), and pens. Journals are my new obsessions. I've got one for Bible study, and a prayer journal...., and a knitting journal where I jot down random thoughts (you know, I have a mind like a steel.... uh, sieve, and if I don't write it down, it's gone forever). You can't have too many journals. Or enough back-up journals.

I'll be dropping enough $$ at college and university bookstores this year on stuff the kids need, I can't afford to be wooed in by all the cool pens, paper, etc, etc, etc - but it's all so pretty!

My new KnitPicks chart holder totally appeals to my nerdy, organized side. I had a perfectly fine metal board and magnets that held my cable charts just fine.... but that's not the point. Shoot, I mean, if we're talking function, a Post-It works just fine, stuck right to your pattern. But that's hardly the point. Um, hello! - this one is obviously so much better. This one folds closed, and has a cool cover, and snaps! I mean, come on.... what's not to love. It's the $9 Cadillac of chart holders! Love it. I really needed it.

However...... the next time I see some teenage kid (boy)... and there have been a few - check it out, moving all the magnets around, which of course I don't notice until they say "Hey, what's this?" ..... I'm wapping him upside the head with it. Well...... it DID keep track of where I was in my cable pattern. DID...

People need to keep their hands off my cool stuff. It's my cool stuff. Get your own school supplies.

Queen of Denial.... and Why Am I Now Knitting "Cruisewear?"

2006-08-21T10:19:00.000-07:00

"26-miles across the sea, Santa Catalina is a-waiting for me...."

Yeah I fell for that once, 35 years ago or so, and swore NEVER AGAIN was I going on a boat. I.Get.Seasick.

Crapola - I just keep talking myself into stuff. Forward to 2 years married, in Hawaii for vacation, on a sport fishing boat. Sick again.... I tell myself NEVER AGAIN!

Since then I've paddled 30 miles in a canoe - that's okay, canoes are little. I went to a wedding on a party boat in Laughlin - on the river, not to choppy, took my Dramamine... felt like crap, but had just lost weight and was looking good and it was the first time the hubby and I had been away together in a long time..... so it was all good. Didn't warf and embarrass myself.

Forward to last Saturday...... eh. The invitation says "join us aboard the Condor Express as we celebrate 20 years." Apparently the couple whose anniversary it is, took the "old" Condor Express to the islands (Santa Cruz, to be exact) to be married, on the island, 20 years ago. Oy - boat people. If I'm thinking celebration - I am DEFINITELY NOT thinking boat. Well, go figure, he's a lobster fisherman.

So, the hubby says, "it'll be fine - it'll be a harbor cruise, they won't leave the harbor.... you can do it." I call to RSVP and the "groom" says, "we're really looking forward to it- the weather should be great, and we're hoping to make it to the island and back!" Panic now starts to set in. I don't do boats - for more reasons than just the sea-sickness.

Saturday, driving to Santa Barbara, the hubby looks out at the ocean and says, it's pretty rough and windy today - I'm sure we won't be going to the island. You'll be fine.

Yeah right.... these are lobster fishermen... they're not going to let a little wind stop them. Next thing I know, I'm on a boat, headed 19 miles out to an island I CAN'T EVEN SEE.... and once you're committed, there's really no turning back!

Now, to be fair, on the ride over I was feeling fine - believing in the wonders of modern medicine and drugs, and enjoying the trip. It was very choppy, but that's better than the wee-wah floaty stuff that's sure to make me sick. I got to see a pod of dolphins doing their stuff - that was very cool. And, once you could actually SEE the island, it was really very pretty. We cruised the entire length of the island... and then- the.boat.stopped. And floated - you know, that wee-wah get sick kind of floating. While the happy couple looked out at the spot where they were married and reminisced - I was getting greener every second and making note of all available places to puke with the least amount of embarrassment.

LOOOOOONG, miserable story short.... I hung over the rail, in the cold, cold, dark, wraped in my now slightly damp, but beatiful Icarus Shawl, focusing on oil rig after oil rig twinkling in the distance, until I could FINALLY focus on the DISTANT shore.... while I could hear everyone else partying not 5 feet behind me in the cabin, eating, drinking, celebrating and dancing to the live band. HOW do they do that??? I'm feeling so craptastic I'm hoping I live to make it to shore - me and the one other poor seasick lady sharing the rail with me. Boat people - I'll never be one.

NEVER AGAIN - and I mean it this time.

So, why am I casting on for the Prosperous Plum Tank the minute UFO August is over? I'm going on a cruise in April, remember?

Queen of denial.

Somebody Stop Me

2006-08-18T21:13:00.000-07:00

For some reason - I've obsessed with this sweater for the last few days. Maybe it's because Wendy was talking about vamping up the ol' Fair Isle the other day - or maybe that just fueled my fire, because ever since I started to knit, everytime I cruise through the KnitPicks catalog and see this sweater, I am stopped dead in my tracks.

I love this sweater. Kaity thinks its UGLY. Pshh...

Maybe I've been spending too much time on college campuses lately and just want to be the girl in the sweater. Young, collegiate, smart-looking. Come to think of it - I don't think I've ever been those three things all at the same time - ever.

So what - it also looks like a grandma sweater. So, since I'm somewhere in between - it'll work for me and my daily jeans. And it should match about every T-shirt I own - right? I can work it....

I want to make this so badly, the pattern and all the yarn are already in my Shopping Cart - just waiting for me to push "Buy." But, I've made myself hold off - waiting to see if I come to my senses.

FACT: It's knit on Size 3 needles..... that's a whole lotta knitting
RATIONALIZATION: It really doesn't matter if it takes me years to make it... I don't even need another sweater. I just WANT another sweater. I want this sweater.

FACT: I have never knit a stitch of Fair Isle - and this looks like quite the project. Maybe I'd get all the yarn home and find out I HATE knitting Fair Isle - like intarsia (boo, hiss.)
RATIONALIZATION: I sat myself down tonight with four colors of my beloved Cascade 220 and gave it a go. This is FUN! I like it! No more than two colors at once, never carrying over more than five stitches. Easy. Fun. And I even knit it back and forth, not in the round like you're really supposed to. I can do this. I LIKE doing this.

FACT: Part of me just wants to see what it's like to get THIRTY different colors of yarn in the mail in one day.
RATIONALIZATION: duh...NONE - what's wrong with that?

FACT: I looked all over the kitchen for my glasses today - they were on my head.... I have been to the store 3 times in a row and forgot the toilet paper- even when it was on my list.... and I KNOW one of you out there is knitting this - I've SEEN it - but for the life of me I can't remember who....
RATIONALIZATION: So what if I'm half brain dead - I'm pretty sure I knit with the other half.

FACT: Maybe Kaity's right and it really is an ugly sweater and I've just lost all perspective.
....... you'll set me straight, right?

Good thing it's UFO August and I can't start anything new right now (I'm pretty sure swatching isn't cheating). And, good thing I've already ordered yarn for a different "next sweater" - and a scarf.

I think I'll just let this sweater sit in my shopping cart a while and see if I'm still obssessed next month. Maybe it's a whim. I'll probably have a whole new whim by then (although I've loved this sweater for a loooooong time). Maybe you'll all talk me out of it - I'm very impressionable.

I still have to finish my shawl. I've got a month or two to think about it. To come to my senses. Or not.

Tyranny of the Urgent

2006-08-16T08:13:00.000-07:00

I saw this sign yesterday morning when I took Kaity over to the college, and it got me thinking. Ahhhh, if it were only true.

Wow, I thought about this a LOT yesterday.

Warning - I'm feeling "deep" today...

Time is the great equalizer, isn't it? No matter who we are, we all have the same 24 hours every day. It's how we choose to use them.

For awhile now, ever since discussing it in a Bible study a few years ago, I've tried to pay more attention to the "important" rather than the "urgent." All too often the urgent is more demanding, or seductive. It wrangles away my time, and the important didn't get done, or at least done well.

Important is starting my day in prayer and remembering my priorities: God, husband, kids, job..... those are the biggies. There seem to be a million other things that fill may day, but all too often they are not important.

Doing the things and chores that are important to my family, that is important. Reading every email that comes in immediately is urgent, not important. They can wait. So can the phone, the answering machine can pick it up.

Some things aren't especially "urgent" time-eaters, but where they fit into "important" is a matter of constant prayer and priority. Blogging, emails, a bit of TV, leafing through my favorite magazine - these are all big contenders for my time, but I have to remember their priority. In the grand scheme of things, how important are they? If I get to the end of the day and had time to blog, but "didn't have time" to read my Bible, then I need to take a look at where my heart is.

Did I spend time talking to the kids? Did I save time just to sit with the hubby? - or did I slave to the tyranny of the Urgent all day. Was it one of those days where I was busy all day, but really got nothing done? Not good. My time is not unlimited. I need to use it in a way that glorifies my God.

Right now, knitting actually fits into the "important." It helps me to unwind, to focus, I even pray when I knit. But, I admit there are days I give up the knitting to the even more important. And blogging is important in a way. I have met great new friends. I have encouraged, and been encouraged by other knitters - and found accountability and friendship with other Christians. You are important.

Priorities are hard.

These are just my priorities. But, time is that great equalizer - we all have the same 24 hours every day to use. Don't be a slave to the urgent, remember the "importants" in your life.

I Will NOT Weanie Out

2006-08-14T08:11:00.000-07:00

Peer pressure - I won't cave.

I remember in high school, I got wind of a "kidnap breakfast" - and I was determined NOT to be kidnapped with totally bad hair and no zit coverage. I don't remember how I found out, but I knew they were coming to "surprise me" the next morning, along with a bunch of other suckers, and take us to breakfast.... so I put on my best PJ's and set my alarm for a half hour ahead, so I could still be "asleep and surprised" when they barged into my bedroom, but with not-so-wild hair and not so many zits.

Well, my parents found out that I was clued in, and .... well, let's just say, I will never get the picture out of my head - of my Dad crawling into my bedroom in the middle of the night, in his chonies, to unplug my alarm clock. Ew.

Didn't work - I plugged it back in the moment he crawled out. I'm nothing if not determined... when it's important. And the peer pressure was too much - I could handle being dragged out of bed and to breakfast in my PJ's - but could not handle it with major bad hair and uncovered zits.

So, the peer pressure of boring you guys to death with this blog while I'm STILL working on my "First Class Shawl" (aka, Wrap Yourself in Nature, Fiona Ellis) - well, it's not going to work. Sorry. I'm not gonna weanie out. This shawl deserves to be all it can be... the full 50-60" I envision... And, since it's only about 36" right now, be prepared to look at it a while longer.

Sorry - I'm not gonna cave.

I'll try to photograph it in different locales - how 'bout that? Views of the cables from the left one day... .the right another day. Maybe upside down if that'll keep you reading.

Maybe I'll have to order some new yarn or something - then I'll have something new to talk about....

Until then.... sorry - prepare to be bored. And don't even think about trying to sneak into the house on your hands and knees in your chonies to steal it some night.... I'm wise to that trick. And, I'm sleeping with my camera.

Be Warned.... I'm going to rant and complain here...

2006-08-09T10:01:00.000-07:00

...and not even about knitting... so you may just want to move along now...

My sis and I took our girls to the County Fair last night to see the All-American Rejects. They had a blast. Lilly (here in the picture with Kaity) said it was the "best night of her life." It was THAT good. They are her FAVORITE band.

(Fans can click here for video from last night - and all the bad singing you hear is us, not the band!)

We waited in line for 5 hrs and had GREAT 5th row seats - they were in perfect, screaming, teenage girl heaven. It was so fun to watch them and remember what it was like.

However, I'm now old, and a parent, and as I became painfully aware last, - one of those "mean, old-fart parents."

1) Teenage girls do NOT wear enough clothing - well, MINE do, but, seriously, don't these girls have parents? Who lets them walk out of the house "un"dressed like that!!??

2) Toooooo many teenagers have NO respect for their "elders." (yeah, how "old fart" does that sound!).

A few of them will respond to "the look" - and I can give a good look. But, WAY too many totally ignore you, give you their look back - or worse get all uppity with you and tell you exactly what they think...

Here's the scenario. Now... I'm not completely lame - I know we have seats, but I also know that we will be standing for the entire concert. You have to stand to dance and sing the whole time, even I do - I understand that.

But, you do not have to stand on your chairs, completely blocking everyone's view. Which is what the girls directly in front of my girls do. Which my girls are not allowed to do... So, I politely tell them to get off their chairs, they're blocking everyone's view, and they refuse. I ask them again, not so politely this time, and, they give me their look, and they proceed to tell me why they won't. (Now, everyone else around us is yelling at them, too - to get off their chairs - I'm just the closest and boldest, to actually tap them on their backs, and look at them, and get in their face about it). Like it worked.

Mind you, this is all just with the WARM UP BAND on stage.... it gets worse.

So we shuffle around in our seats, so our girls can see around the standers...

Then the All-American Rejects come on.... and all the people who have completely filled up the aisles, because they didn't wait in all line all day and don't like their seats - they're just going to shove their way up as close as they can...

and into our seats , and ONTO our seats.

Uh.... NO! "Get off our seats! Move - get OUT!" "These are our seats!!" They are literally on our seats, or standing directly behind my girls, between them and their seats.... way too close..., and - "Hello! - these are OUR seats! GET OUT!!!

Oh, they move - for a while, but it goes on, and on, and on..... all concert long. They were like vultures. Unbelievable.

I hate festival seating....
Teenagers can be scarily rude and self-centered...
I am officially and "old fart" fun sucker...
I still had a great time....
Our girls had the BEST TIME!...

I'm very proud that I have polite kids who can roll with the punches and still have a great, screaming, teenage girl, time of their life.... without ruining it for the people around them...

I'm done now...

You'll Pay For It Later

2006-08-06T13:01:00.000-07:00

I seriously need to get to a copy machine get a fresh set of cable patterns!

What ever part of your brain you need for chart reading and memorization - mine is obviously damaged. I've already blamed my math deficiencies on being dropped on my head as a baby.... I'm blaming my lame chart-reading skills on those three concussions when I was 19 and 20.

Car accident, gymnastics accident, motorcycle accident. Let's just say - if you want to be a pro chart-reader later in life and excel in cable knitting... don't fall asleep at the wheel, don't go head first into a vaulting horse, and stay on your dirt bike.

That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

Variety and Choices

2006-08-03T14:23:00.000-07:00

The hubby has a theory - that you can tell what kind of day you're gonna have by the shoes you put on in the morning.

Work boots - work day...

Chaco sandals - better, it means a day off, or at least they're the first thing he puts on when he gets home from work.

Bike-riding shoes - even better. Motorcycle boots - even better. Hiking boots - probably the best. Dress shoes - he's probably going somewhere he would rather not...

It goes right along with his "right tool for the right job" theory, "you can never have too many pairs of boots" theory, and his "it's nice to have nice things" motto.

Kind of like bags, and purses. I mean, really - you can never have too many. Each purse has it's own purpose and personality. Some are very functional - some are VERY nice, some are expensive, some are not. You can tell the kind of day you're gonna have by which purse you're carrying, too - so the theory holds. There's the everyday purse, the dressy little clutch, the backpack... the ones that match this outfit and shoes just so....

Same with knitting bags. I have MANY knitting bags - yet each have qualities that make them best for a specific purpose - ok, maybe "whim" would be a better word here.

Here's my newest and coolest - made by my darling daughter Kaity. I picked out the fabric and she sewed it up for me - even to my specifications. It has a zipper at the top, cute polka dot contrast lining, and an inside pocket. She even made me a little zippered notions bag with the leftovers.

Variety - ahhh, the spice of life.... in my variety of children, Kaity's the crafty one.

UFO's and Oceans

2006-08-02T19:45:00.000-07:00

UFO August. When I saw this on Jeanie's blog I figured it was a good idea. And, to tell the truth - easy do for me. I was planning on getting my First Class Shawl alpaca shawl out again.... and I have a couple of pairs of socks - ok, 3 on the needles, to be exact - that have been staring at me from my desk.

So - I'm only working on these for the month of August - and, after that all bets are off. All the UFO's are listed on my side bar - but I'm not counting the Flower Basket Shawl - because I'm not sure it's a keeper yet.

So, since I don't have much progress to report on my First Class Shawl - I'll leave you with some pretty Pacific Ocean pictures. The hubby took me out to dinner last night. We went to a fabulous seafood place on the beach - and this was our view. After dinner we took a stroll on the pier. It was a pretty day, and you could almost see the islands (just a bit too overcast).

We both commented on how long it has been since we've been to the beach. Truth be told - neither of us are "beach people." I'm not a big fan on lying on the beach or swimming in the ocean - and I am definitely not a boat person... but whether or not we drive the half hour and actually go to the beach, you can always see it - and that is somehow comforting. I've grown up here - where you can always see the ocean, the islands, the sands, the waves, and the twinkling oil rigs at night. I realized last night how much I take that for granted.

Every morning I wake up, and the first thing I say to myself is, "This is the day the Lord hath made.... I will rejoice and be glad in it." (Psalm 118:24)

I need to remember not to take anything for granted. It's all a gift.

Shawls are the New Sweater

2006-07-31T07:19:00.000-07:00

You know - like how every season "they" tell you the new hot color... "orange is the new pink" - or whatever whim they're on and trying to promote.

For me - shawls are the new sweater. I have found that I am completely a shawl person. Icarus clinches it. I LOVE wearing it. I love how it keeps the chill off - but it's not a sweater. It's so much more fun than a sweater. It flows when you walk - kind of fulfilling the love affair I've had with capes since childhood - something about they way they flow. Very Dramatic. For me, a shawl is the new sweater.

Maybe I'll start my one woman campaign to bring back the shawl. You don't see a lot of them. Someone told me it's because they were for "old ladies and grandmas," you know, like knitting...

Yeah, well - I may be old-er..., but I'm not a grandma yet - and I still think and pretend I'm young.... and I hang with a younger crowd - and yesterday, they all loved my shawl at its debut. So there. Young and old alike. They loved it.

I'm going to be knitting a lot of shawls - all different kinds, and I'm gonna wear them everywhere.

So, if you're looking for me out and about, I'll be the one with the gorgeous shawl worn with the dramatic flair - you know, so it swoops alot. The woman with the slightly frazzled look, the wild woman hair... but the gorgeous shawl.

Hey, I gotta start somewhere on my road to glamourdom - it's gonna be a long haul.

Specs: Icarus, Summer 2006 Interweave Knits.
Yarn: Interlacements, Rick Rack II (Judy Ditmore), color 119, about 1200 yards. 100% Rayon. And yes.... to my great relief, rayon blocks well and makes "points"
Needles: Addi Turbos, size 3, 24"
Comments: Great pattern, fun knit, well written. Big payoff. I still walk into the other room just to look at it.

If It Were Only Sock Weather

2006-07-27T14:17:00.000-07:00

Check out my cool, new socks! No, I didn't knit them, they're from my buddy Uhoava Gnu, all the way from Finland!

I meet Uhoava Gnu through Count Your Socks, and was fascinated when she had mentioned that in Finland they learn to knit socks in school! How cool is that?

So, I asked her if she would be interested in swapping socks with me, and she was up for it! I made her the Black Purl socks, and these are the ones she knit for me - very pretty, icy blue socks, with a very pretty scallopy lacy pattern.

Thanks Uhoava - I love them! (go check out her blog - she even translates it for us!, and she just finished the cutest blue tank top!)

She also sent some other Finnish stuff.... some nail polish (oooh, she's been paying attention - I do love nail polish!), some very pretty napkins, a pretty pair or earrings (that I'm wearing right now), and a chocolate bar!

What a fun package! Sure beats getting bills and junk mail :O)

Just another reason I'm looking for Fall.... knitting weather, sweater-wearing weather, sock-wearing weather..... I'm ready - enough of the heat!

Variety is the Spice of Life

2006-07-22T14:12:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you just don't know what your missing. You're not looking in the right places - or you're just not seeing it with new eyes.

"Check it out, Bud - Mom's been holding out on us..... look at all these different hot sauces! - I bet she just cruises right by all this good stuff and never even looks."

The hubby and The Bud went to the grocery store with me last weekend. Funny stuff - I tell ya what.

They RARELY go to the store. Maybe a couple of times a year. So, they had no idea what was out there. See..... me, I admit I totally get into a grocery store rut. I buy basically the same stuff, every week. Over and over.

It was such fun to watch them go up and down each aisle as I followed along. I guess they thought that what I brought home every week was all that was out there. But, they saw the stuff I just cruise past. They just kept chucking stuff in the cart. They came up with all kinds of new dinner ideas. And, hey--- when they pick their own cereal, etc, they can't complain about it, right?

So, now we have a pantry stocked with all kinds of different and new things, and a HUGE grocery bill this week. But it was fun, and it was worth it. It opened my eyes to other possibilities. To look around at the stuff I just cruise by every week.

I was thinking about this in regards to my knitting the other day. I was wondering, if I didn't know about knitting blogs, would I still be so fired up about knitting? Would I still be knitting at all? I mean, if all I ever knew was what was at my LYS, or.... worse yet, Michaels, think about how much I would be missing.

I mean, really, the exciting hot-sauce yarns and patterns aren't what you generally find in the store. Other people have found them somewhere on line, or deep in the depths of knitting blogs - and then they say, "Hey, check this out!" Patterns and yarns I would have walked right by without them being pointed out to me. Websites and yarns I would have never know existed.

Knitting through life with blinders on.... that's no way to go! Thanks to ALL of you who keep broadening my horizons.!

Summer Knitting

2006-07-22T08:54:00.000-07:00

Not so much fun today.

It's 114 degrees outside. Oy Every time I look at the thermometer, it's hotter.

All I want to do is sit, and sweat. And I've even got the air-conditioning cranked. Hot. And Sticky. Ugh.
I need a pool. I need a friend with a pool. I at least need to run through the sprinklers. I need to not be afraid to be seen in a bathing suit. I'm that desperate to cool down.

Not knitting weather.

The irony of it is..... I've got lots of free time today. Lots of free knitting time. It doesn't come in "chunks" like this often. I really don't want to waste it. I'm that close to finishing Icarus.

The picture of me in the backyard? I took that a couple of days ago, when it had finally cooled off enough to go outside. 7:30 or so in the evening.... sneaking in a half hour of knitting time with a nice glass of iced tea with a little bit of Limoncello added for kick.

Mmmmm.

Think I'll make a glass right now, with LOTS of ice - plop on the couch and see if I muster up some knitting strength.

Oy- did I mention it's hot?

The 9th Month

2006-07-20T07:43:00.000-07:00

I just want this shawl to be done.

It's not because I'm tired of knitting it - I'm still really enjoying it, but I'm ready for it to be over. Move on.

I want to block it and see how big it gets. I want to wear it. I want to drape it around the house and pat myself on the back everytime I look at it because it's going to be so gorgeous (modest, eh?). I'm itching for quickie - like socks.

I'm also dying to start another shawl. I'm thinking I'm gonna make a great shawl person. I think I'll wear them well. Remember - in my mind, I'm extremely glamorous. I'm thinking the art of dramatically wearing a beautiful shawl will start me on my road to glamourdom...

But, mostly I'm just ready to be done. To move on.

If you've had a kid, or more.... it's kind of like that last month of pregnancy when - even if it's been a relatively easy pregnancy, you're just ready to be done. The novelty has worn off - about now you just think you've always been pregnant and always will be. You can't really remember what your toes looked like....

You're excited for the next step - the payoff. The process has run its course. You're actually even looking forward to labor, just because you're ready to be DONE! Now! Well, unless you've already been through labor before, then you have those panic moments that set in where you realize what it's gonna take to get this kid out. You know, that part you absolutely swore you would NEVER do again.... yet, here you are, again.

I'm sure that thought will set in during the big "bind off." That's gonna suck. I'll be telling myself I'll never make another shawl.

But- hey, this is the woman who had 3 kids in 3-1/2 years - I'm good at lying to myself, and I obviously have an extremely short memory.

but - definitely worth the payoff. Better than you could have ever imagined.

Right now, though.... I'm just ready for it to be done. I want to see my lap again.

Entertain Me

2006-07-17T14:23:00.000-07:00

Seriously friends - I am EXTREMELY bored, whiny, restless and needy today. Tomorrow's my day off. I want it to be today. I want to go knit - instead I need to work.

Wah, wah, wah. Did I mention I was bored?

So, here's my question to you.... what is your all time favorite yarn? For whatever reason - it doesn't mean it's the yarn you'd pick if you could only knit with one for the rest of you life - nothing that dramatic - just.... what's your gut-feeling favorite?

Mine is Cascade 220. Love it. Love the deep colors. Love how it knits up. Love the value. Love the vast numbers of colors in comes in.

There ya go - let's hear it. What is your favorite, and why?

Let the entertainment begin!

No Knitting today - just Movie Stars and Pirates

2006-07-15T18:27:00.000-07:00

This Friday we went down to Hollywood to the El Capitan to see Pirates of the Caribbean - Dead Man's Chest.

Never mind Kaity had already seen it - but we bought these tickets quite a while ago - and since Disney now owns the El Capitan, it's quite an event - with performers, and real props and costumes from the movie on display. FUN! Besides, neither Kaity or I can get too much of our favorite pirate, Johnny Depp.

However, The El Capitan is in downtown Hollywood. If you're not from California - and if you've never been there - Hollywood is not especially somewhere you want to go - unless you have a really good reason. It's very cool to see Grauman's Chinese Theater and all (which is right across the street from the El Capitan) and check out all the the cool famous hand and foot prints (that's me above, with Clark Gable) - and see all the stars on the Walk of Fame - but, as Lilly said, "This??? is Hollywood?" Let's just say - when you see it on TV for awards shows, or when someone is "getting their star" - they probably clean that block up a bit and bring lots of security. It's a little unnerving, and you definitely all stick together.

But, we had a great time. The show was great- they really do a good job. There's a very old and famous, HUGE pipe organ on stage, which sinks down before the movie, with a guy in costume playing all the music from the movie before the show starts, then there's even a quick stage show before the movie. Just before the show they gave away two tickets to Disneyland and, wouldn't you know, my niece won them! Sweet!

After the show we stuck together and made it back to our car - then went to The Cheesecake Factory and had lunch - made a day of it. Girls' Day Out - gotta love those.

Blogger's being a poop about uploading pictures today - so click on the links to see some more pics of us on the Walk Of Fame, the girls in front on Grauman's Chinese Theater, and the three of us in front of the El Capitan.

Well - off to work a bit on the never-ending Icarus Shawl. Good news though - I'm onto Chart 3!! Some day..... some day it'll be finished.

I Do Wish There Wasn't Already Cat Hair On Them

2006-07-13T07:40:00.000-07:00

"Something for me?"

"But, don't you already have needles?"

"How much did they cost?"

"Wow- they look just like your Addi's"

"Ooooh, I like these. No, I REALLY like these." (Back off, Kaity)

"Why is the cord purple?"

Various quotes from various family members. Ya know what, people??? Let me be - all that is irrelevant - I just bought them because I wanted them. There - I said it. Just.Because.I.Wanted.Them.

Everything about these appeals to me. I love the case. I love the nerdy little pockets - a place for everything, everything in it's place. I LOVE the cords. I love the pointy little needle tips. I LOVE the almost imperceptible joins. I love that the cords are purple. I love the shiny nickel finish.

Love, love, love.

And, I haven't even knit a stitch with them yet. It's sure to only get better.

That's it, friends. See ya. Have a great day..... I've got to go play with my needles.... again.

PS - Hi Sis, Hi Nancy.... I know you're there.

Cool stuff, and Black Holes

2006-07-12T17:26:00.000-07:00

Check it out - more craftiness from Kaity. Grandma sent her home with a sewing machine the other day, and she's been sewing up all sorts of stuff. Today, she made me this cool DPN holder!

But, hmmmm, what's wrong with this picture. There seems to be only one set of DPN's in here.

Well, to be completely honest, there are three sets in the three pairs of socks that sit on my desk in the current sock graveyard....

However, there are a few sets that are just MIA. Gone to that great void that is The Black Hole of Kaitydom, where knitting supplies and notions go and are never seen again.... things like - well, heaven-only-knows how many circular needles, my little birdie scissors, enough stitch markers to circle the globe and, oh yes..... those darned tapestry needles!

I tell ya - it's finally come to this.

Could be worse - the hubby's wrote on the back of his calculator, in bright red Sharpie - "Dad's - touch this and die like a dog in the dirt!"

Whoa- ho! Stand back! - yeah right - the guy talks a big story, but he wouldn't hurt a fly.

Me - on the other hand..... it's good thing Kaity's such a good girl, and spins me yarn and makes me stuff....