PJKnits

2012-02-12T00:43:00.000-06:00

Just Say Ahhhh

Saturday was a good day. I got some serious cleaning done. I have my current knitting organized into bags and in my mind of what I am knitting on when. It's early am and not tired so I decided to have a little treat before starting my WW week.

Mmmmm, pretty good. I'm not even letting the reddi whip melt into the cup. Dipping my spoon down into the coffee, getting a bit of it and the reddi whip. I see a new fave dessert for me at night.

I found the Reddi Wip at Walmart and it is fat free. Not so much with the belgian chocolate toffee creamer, but I'll just point it out when I use it.

One of the cool things is my couch is free of knitting. Seems like it has had a project or two sitting on it for several weeks. They are now in my knitting bags. That feels pretty darn good to see a place for somewhere to actually sit.

With a little bit of luck the second sleeve on the Bloomsbury Jacket should be done on Sunday and then it is just the front bands that will need to be done. I'm hoping for a finished jacket on Tuesday night, if all goes well.

2012-02-10T20:36:00.000-06:00

Have No Fear

Darling Daughter-in-law, I am not knitting or crocheting one of these for you. I have way too much other knitting that I want to do for our grandbaby to be.

I thought that might make your day, but then again if you really want one, you will have to ask. Still, I am not sure I would knit it for you even if you wanted one.

2012-02-09T19:55:00.000-06:00

A Website For Thursday!

http://www.sweaterday.ca/

2012-02-08T22:45:00.001-06:00

KAL - Knit A Long

Or in my case KALS - am I crazy? Over on Ravelry, there is a KAL every where you turn.

KAL #1 from Fiber Universe - Teknika Gloves. Yes, I have the yarn. Yes, I have tried to cast on about four times. Each time I have taken it out. On hold til I can muster up a little patience.

KAL #2 from Folk Shawls -Fundamentally Faroese Shawl #1 for me. Yes, I have cast on. Yes, I have knitted about 6 rows. Who knew that it would take so long to knit across one row of 316 stitches.

KAL #3 from Knitted Jackets - This KAL doesn't start until Sunday, but I have my gauge swatch done.

But first I need to finish Bloomsbury or at least that is my goal.

2012-02-05T16:30:00.000-06:00

It Is A Matter of Perspective

Did I accomplish all that I wanted this weekend? Laundry done before noon on Sunday - that is a great accomplishment. Cleaning - well I did a quite a bit in the yarn room yesterday and picked up a few things in the LR/DR. Sure, more could have been done on that front, but I'll revisit that cleaning before nail day on Wednesday.

It was a gorgeous day today, and the temp is conducive to trying some pictures outside of what I did accomplish on the knitting front. I just did not think about it soon enough. But, I am pleased with what I did get resolved with the knitting.

I am concentrating on Bloomsbury Jacket. I really want to get this second sleeve done tonight during the game. I am amazed at how long it takes to do this last sleeve. After the sleeve, I will just need to knit the front bands and the buttons. When I first started Bloomsbury, I was a little concerned that I wouldn't have enough yarn. I don't think that is going to be a problem. There will be some Dolce left and that is okay with me.

One of the ongoing thoughts in my knitting lately as readers can tell is what to knit for the baby due in July. They are still on the fence at whether they will find out what it is so at the moment, my knitting in either pink or blue, frilly or not is still in limbo.

But, I have had this seafoam and taupe Baby Bunny for a couple of years. I've noodled on what it should be every change of the season. It first was slated as a Debbie Bliss sweater for me. Then last year, it was going to be a different Debbie Bliss sweater.

I love these two colors together and have seen a baby ensemble with those cute Saartje booties with it. I think I'll have enough left for a little sweater and booties, but in the mean time, this is Jared's Tweed Baby Blanket. Very neutral but still some fun for me.

The sun decided to duck under some clouds before I could get my final picture taken.

I'm involved in a couple of KALS on Ravelry, one being the Fundamentally Faroese Shawl on the Folk Shawls Group. Last year at Knit Camp, I purchased from Cheryl some of her lovely yarn in Bluet, which with her help, we have ascertained that I will have enough for a shawl. I love the yarn, but this picture shows way too brighter than it really is.

I still have to decide on the baby christening shawl pattern that I really want to do and this causes me the most distress since I know it is going to take me some knitting time. I had a little talk with myself and when I decide on what it will be, I need to maybe set aside an hour either in the early morning or evening every day to work on it, which will require turning off the t.v. and everything else that wants to intrude.

So, yes, I feel pretty good in what I accomplished this weekend. Just wished I had another day.

2012-02-03T20:30:00.000-06:00

It's Abundantly Clear

By the piles that are sitting around me, that I really need to knit more and surf the net less. Quelle surprise!

But, what is really abundantly clear is that I had better make my mind up about the Christening Shawl. As I was talking to my daughter-in-law last night she made a comment that the pregnancy is 1/2 over...OMG, light a fire granny, you've got work to do. Then the email comes from her with possible shower weekends...April, May...double OMG!

Gotta run and commit tonight!! Suggestions????

2012-02-02T06:07:00.000-06:00

This Is Kind Of Funny

A few months ago, I saw this book that I thought would be kind of interesting.

In the book was Cheryl Oberle's Baby Hanten. Now, I am always looking at small sweaters and how they could be adapted to Adult size sweaters. This baby jacket is one I thought had potential

I worked a little schematic up on it, with a vision of a possible knit camp project for this summer's theme knitting under the influence.

I pulled out of the stash Cheryl's yarn in Evening colors and cast on. It wasn't really was I visioned, the left side pieces looking a little short and squat. So I put it aside for other things, always thinking I would come back to it.

Well, as great minds think alike, Cheryl came out with the Adult Hanten earlier this week. She's done a much better job of it (cause she is the expert) and so it goes.

Of course, I have cast on one with the same yarn for a new one, pictures and post later this weekend.

2012-02-01T06:40:00.000-06:00

It's Better Than Groundhog Day

It's camp application day! Doesn't matter what the groundhog sees tomorrow, all that counts is that Char, Linda and I make the pull on the lottery for camp spots.

Let winter stay for 6 more months. I can handle the kind of winter we have had this year. Well, maybe a little cooler for sweater wearing, but just make sure I get into camp. Thats all that counts right now.

2012-01-31T18:40:00.002-06:00

Happy Birthday Jalayne!

A little birdy told me you were sixty...how can that be?

2012-01-28T18:39:00.000-06:00

Just A Small Side Track

One sleeve finished on the Bloomsbury Jacket.

The second one started despite my notes that say I only did one decrease on the sixth row. When I looked at the first sleeve really closely, it was quite evident that I made a couple of more. Maybe that is why I thought the sleeve felt a little tight. BUT - I am not ripping it back at this point.

I'll just do a little blocking.

As a reward to myself, I cast on Elizabeth Zimmermann's Baby Longies to go with the sweater and hat I knitted a couple of weeks ago. I just felt like it needed a little more to complete the ensemble. Not that the July baby will be able to wear it, but a baby will and maybe even the July baby will be able to in the Fall. Not sure about that, but either way, it's a fun knit anyway. I can always add it to the Baby Hope Chest.

This one I could not resist casting on. I was just taking a quick peek this afternoon at my friends activity on Ravelry and saw Wingspan. http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/wingspan-2 I couldn't resist casting on. It's an easy knit.

And of course I had the perfect yarn in the Yarn Room. Schoppel Wolle's Zauberball Starke 6. This is the kind of knit that you want to keep knitting on to see what is coming out next of the ball and how it will look knit up.

This one has great potential for a late night of knitting.

2012-01-25T19:13:00.000-06:00

I Have No Willpower

I waited, oh at least two weeks and then I had to have them. What was I thinkin? They are a cool color, yep. They have lambswool in them which means, warm and comfy, yep. I don't pay this much for shoes, why for slippers?

Because I want them. So, there mine and I love em.

2012-01-23T09:01:00.000-06:00

It's A Jewel

I am lovin knitting on Jewel from Kim Hargreaves. The yarn is Cascade 220 Sport (who knew they had one) and I love it. A couple of false starts ( trying to knit fronts and backs at once) and finally I am seeing some progression on it.

I love the color of the yarn. Thats no surprise, but it has some blue and green in it. With the first measurements being confirmed on it, I think it is going to fit just right.

I won't like the seaming when it is done, but this sweater is definitely a contender for me in the style category. I just hope to have it done this season to wear.

2012-01-22T15:02:00.000-06:00

The Longest Sleeve

When the weekend started, it was my intention to finish the first sleeve on my Bloomsbury. This sleeve seems like it going on forever or so it seems. The worst part? There is still another one to do after this one and the front bands. Oy, I want to be wearing this jacket in the worst way.

Specially since, it seems like Winter and Spring here keep alternating here in Central IL and I barely get to put a sweater on and then Spring steps in again. Not that I am wishing for Winter or anything.

I am using my handy dandy plastic marker to mark each of the cables after it has been finished. 8 rows later, it's time to do another cable. This patterning is fairly simple with the marker in place. The sleeve just goes on for EVER.

2012-01-20T20:35:00.000-06:00

You Know How I Am!

Always searching for the perfect purse. I have lots of them. My Summer faves still remain the ones that my friend Norma made for me. They are just perfect and always my color. And just with the right amount of pockets and deep enough to carry just what I need.

Then there is the bowler from Vera Bradley. It's no secret that I have a few of those as well. Just wish that they would make it with just a tad longer handles on them.

The one thing that I have been searching for is a winter bag that I could carry that would hold my knitting. I've kept my eyeballs open and watching passersby and on the internet to see if I could find just the right bag. It wouldn't hurt either if I could put my lunch in it and a file or two for work, so I wouldn't have to carry two big bags.

Search and search and search. I couldn't find just what I had been looking for since last Winter. Voila! I had an epiphany! I just so happened to have just the right bag hidden somewhere here.

My Namaste bag in Peacock. I bought it like two or three years ago. For some reason, it wasn't that big of a hit with me then, other than the color. It just seemed way too big. It slid off my shoulder all the time and I don't think then I had a decent project that I wanted to carry around with me in it. It was always collapsing on itself. I just wasn't a fan.

Fast forward a couple of years later and I really like this for a winter bag. Plenty of room in it and it stays on my shoulder now. Huh? Maybe, it is from all the extra weight in it.

I leave a knitting project in it all the time. It is the same knitting project (a shawl) that I leave in it for emergency knitting. If I ever need to take off somewhere in a hurry, I always have a knitting project that would pass the time away.

I have everything I need in it. I have stuck some files in it for work and my phone is right where I need it.

I do have my wallet and keys in the center pocket that zips so I have to dig for them.

Best of all? It still wants to collapse on itself, but the thief who walked into my office and stole money out of my wallet a couple of months ago will have a hard time just reaching down into this one real quick.

I'm lovin my winter bag and it didn't cost me a dime...this year.

2012-01-19T19:34:00.002-06:00

2012-01-16T18:21:00.000-06:00

On To The Next Project

Yesterday's sweater is finished except for buttons and blocking, So now it is back to the project notebooks to find something else that needs to be finished.

My current project book has a couple in that are WIPS but-

what I am really trying to do is finish up some from my old notebook so I can put this one in the file.

I put a few paperclips to signfy those that are WIPS in the Mean notebook. A couple of these belong to Spring/Summer WIPS and frankly I am just not quite ready to be knitting on Spring/Summer yet, even though a smart woman would so they would be prepared.

I think this simple EZ sweater is the next contender for a WIP. It's a nice t.v. project and easily finished. And it feels so good to be finishing some things!

2012-01-15T12:29:00.001-06:00

Buttons Buttons

With all the buttons I have (from my days at the fabric store when I collected cool buttons), you would think that I would not have to buy any buttons for my sweater! But alas, I think I might.

The ones that actually fit well are the middle ones. These are like frosted glass, but I think they just stick out way too much.

The far right buttons are a little too fancy I think and the first ones are black but a real matte finish. And I am not sure that they will stay buttoned. Guess the button piece of this will have to wait til next week until I can get to JoAnn's or over to Ewe-nique Yarns which has a pretty decent button collection.

2012-01-14T21:34:00.000-06:00

Remember This?

I was knitting the sweater a year ago. In my quest this year to get some items off of the needles this year, I hauled it out about two weeks ago. I am going to admit here that it has been sitting on the corner of the couch as a reminder that it needed some sleeves, some buttons and some blocking. Something I bound and determined to finish before our knitting getaway at the end of February, especially since last year in Galena I was knitting on it.

The yarn, Mushshishi was purchased at Stitches Midwest in August of 2010 at the Mass Ave booth. It took me awhile to figure out what I wanted to knit with it, but finally settled on another Knitting Pure and Simple pattern.

It's no secret I am a fan of Diane Soucy's patterns. They are top down which allows me to fit this odd body as I knit down and get a good length on them. Now, that I have completed the first sleeve I am anxious to finish the second one and figure out what buttons to put on this comfy sweater.

This is a three day weekend for me and my goal on the other side of it is to have this one completed.

2012-01-12T05:49:00.000-06:00

Things That Make Me Smile

The whole time I was knitting on this ensemble, I had a smile on my face. They are just too dang cute! The

yarn is Batika from SchoellerStahl that I bought last Saturday at the The Fiber Universe.

The Sweater is Puerperium Cardigan by Kelly Brooker. It's a free pattern I picked up over on Ravelry.

The hat is Noggin by Corrvin Smith. It, too is a free pattern on Ravelry.

I may have just enough yarn for some booties, not sure about that, but I'll check that out tonight. Can't wait to start another baby project.

Looks like we are getting Winter later this morning. Snow and Wind. Time to take the sweaters out to wear! It will be a good night to come home and knit tonight.

2012-01-11T18:01:00.001-06:00

Wednesday Websites

My Local Yarn Shops
http://www.knit4together.com/

http://www.thefiberuniverse.com/page1.php

http://www.ewe-niqueyarnsetc.com/

2012-01-09T19:33:00.000-06:00

Another Great Invention

I use this post-it tape quite a bit. I can make little notes on it and it marks the row that I am working on.

2012-01-08T20:44:00.000-06:00

This Is Going To Be So Cute

Love the colors in the skein

Love the colors coming out of the yarn

Love this cute little newborn pattern

Really love how this is turning out. I think I may need to make a little hat as well. What I am really afraid of is that I may need to knit another one out of pastels too.

2012-01-07T15:20:00.001-06:00

This Isn't A Secret

The world knows that I have WIPS. Thats no secret.

Trouble for me is deciding what to knit on. So, I made a list or a rotation or a plan or whatever you want to call it. I like to call it focus. Too often, I am led off in one tangent or another and hence there becomes a lot of WIPS.

In my quest to spend more time knitting and less time thinking about knitting, I have a plan.

My Knit 4 Together Project: The Cranberry Capelet from Flicker - purchased there and a project that I am working on when at the shop and when I can at other times as well, since I would like to wear it yet this year.

The Fiber Universe Project: Jewel from Cascade 220 Sport - purchased there of course.

When At Home: The Bloomsbury Jacket by Cheryl Oberle -- another one that I would like to wear this year, the yarn came from Webs last year at Stitches Midwest. At times, it requires a bit of my concentration.

The Grab and Go or when I need some mindless knitting: I'm working on a Wool Peddler's Shawl kind of sort of out of Miss Babs that I bought the main color at Stitches Midwest probably two years ago. The contrast ruffle yarn came from Miss Babs last year while at Stitches Midwest.

Also under this category is the Cocoon yarn vest for at home when I need some mindless knitting. This yarn came from Iowa about 4 years ago when traveling to Arnhild's retreat. It didn't work out for a jacket I was knitting at the time, and of course there wasn't anymore to be had so a vest it is. This yarn is lush!

And finally, the Baby ProjectS list: still to be determined what they are. At the moment there is a Christening Shawl from Dale Baby Ull and this is a definite quiet at home project. The jury is still out on how much I love this one or if I want to deter to a shetland shawl type christening shawl.

I picked up this yarn today at The Fiber Universe and am going to try knitting a little somethin out of it for the baby. Can't wait to cast on it.

Thats my focus list for now. Ta Ta!

2012-01-04T18:58:00.000-06:00

Wednesday Website

Click on Current Textile Display and then you will know why I worship at Meg's feet.

http://www.209main.com/

2012-01-03T21:12:00.000-06:00

Whoosh And The Day/Evening Is Gone

I can't believe how late it is! The day flew by at work. Then I get a call from my realtor who also is my cousin about a house that is just going on the market tonight. Do I want to take a look at it? Sure.

Whoosh, it's after 9, I have not picked up my knitting at all tonight. All I've been doing tonight is talking to the Tall Guy about the house and the pros and cons of it. Conclusion? I like 50% of the house, the parts with the room upstairs and down. The 50% I don't like? The bathrooms. I have two new bathrooms, the bathrooms tonight are not! The rest of the plumbing, we have new plumbing, the house tonight does not. My bedrooms (2) are small, the bedrooms in the house tonight (3) are also small. I have new hardwood floors, the house tonight has laminate floors that have seen some wear. The cupboards in our house need replaced, the cabinets in the house tonight need painted or stained. Our house has no counter space, the house tonight has plenty of cabinets and counterspace.

Guess we will keep looking. Time to do a little knitting.

2012-01-02T07:57:00.000-06:00

The Final Day of Christmas Vacation

It's almost over. It's been a nice vacation and holiday. I am very fortunate to have been able to do just what I have wanted during this time off. Seriously, though, it is probably to my advantage to go back to work. I've pretty much ate what I wanted during this time off and with most people, it's time to get back on the wagon and eat right and start getting some exercise. Today, seems like a good day to start.

On the knitting resolution front, I have a couple of thoughts on my list.

1. Knit Stash - it's no secret that I have a stash, but with a new grandbaby coming this Summer, it's important that I start knitting down the stash. The baby is going to need a space to sleep when it comes to visit and although, the yarn is good insulation in the room, it would be nice if I could actually have a space for it to sleep.

2. WIPS - I did take do a little clean-up last Summer on some WIPS, taking them off of the needles and re-purposing the yarn. In 2012, I am going to try and get some more off of the needles, hopefully in the form of finished project.

Late yesterday, I hauled a pair of socks out that I have been knitting on for I don't know how long. Before bed, I finished them. The yarn is Lorna's Laces that I bought from Needleworks in Urbana years ago. I have had one done for probably two or three years.

I am not particularly happy with the fit on them. They seem to me a litle big and wouldn't fit very well in my shoes. One thing is for sure, I am not ripping them out. They will make a nice boot sock should I need them in my snow boots or nice just throw on sockies around the house.

The needles that were in the knitting of the second sock was a size 2 which may account for the bigness of the sock. I am such a loose knitter, I can't imagine knitting the foot part in a size 2. Normally, I would use a 2 in the cuff and then switch to a size 1 for the rest. That tells me that this sock has been around for awhile!

Enter yet another WIP. This time a sock out of a cotton yarn that I bought at Knit 4 Together probably two years ago. This one had size 1 needles in the cuff. Huh? So, I am motoring on with a size 1 needle for the entire sock and we'll see how this one turns out.

As it turns out, this WIP will make a nice grab and go project when needed.

I'm feeling pretty good this morning about my knitting resolutions and a tad about going back to work tomorrow. It's time to get back into a routine.

Happy Knitting for now.

2012-01-01T00:06:00.002-06:00

The Eleventh Day of Christmas Vacation

(*the post below was written at 3:30 pm on New Years Day*)

We've had a great two days. The kids were here from Iowa and we celebrated Christmas with them and other family. Everyone has went home now, and we are having a quiet afternoon. I'm watching a lot of Home and Garden TV this afternoon, knitting on a sock that I brought out of wipdom and hoping to finish it today this 1st day of the New Year.

Somewhere, sometime, someone said that however you spend the first day of the year is how you will spend the rest of the year. So, for me it looks like, I'll be knitting on WIPS this year, enjoying a cup of Mystic Chai Tea, watching tv and kicking back. Not a bad deal if you ask me.

(**the post below was written just after midnight**)

And with 2012 officially started, you can tell here at our house, by the fireworks going off and the neighbor kids out screaming and yelling ~ it's time to recap what Pjknits finished knitting in 2011.

1 Baby Hat
2 Shoulder Shawls
2 Baby Sweaters
2 Sweaters for Toddlers
31 Scarves ( one for me)
1 Hat
1 Pair of Slippers
6 Sweaters
3 Afghan Squares - hey, I'm counting them all
1 Pair of Mittens
1 Headband

That is more than I thought I had accomplished, since there sure is a lot of knitting needles that are MIA.

Anywho, Happy New Year to you all dear Blog Readers, thank you for following along.

2011-12-31T21:42:00.001-06:00

The Tenth Day of Christmas Vacation

What a fun filled day! It started out at Knit Four Together, where my friend Debbie P gave me this super cute book. I had never seen it and it is full of cool baby things to knit. Talk about A-D-O-R-A-B-L-E!

After knitting, Baby Boy A and his wife came from Iowa and we opened presents at our house. This clever wreath was made just for by Mrs. Baby Boy A. Does she know me or what?

The evening festivities were moved to the Tall Guy's sister's house as she has a little more room than we do.
It was a great evening of presents and surprises.

My niece made me two sets of earrings. She is getting to be quite the jewelry maker. Last summer she made me some Cardinal red and white ones. For Christmas, she made me a set of teal ones and teal and black. They so go with my nail polish. Do these people know me????

The sweaters I knit for the greats fit to a t. My great niece actually left hers on for quite awhile! It is the perfect length tunic for her leggins. I believe these were a hit!! If you remember, I bought ready-to-wear t-shirts to measure up against for length of arms and torso. What a smart idea that was!

At Thanksgiving, I taught my niece and sister-in-law how to knit. Tonight, my niece learned how to bind off her washcloth and then we cast on again, just a few stitches, so she could learn how to purl.

Success! And she bought yarn and needles to knit herself a scarf to go with her new coat. I think we have a knitter here.

What a great New Years Eve this has been. Spending it with all our family. We were so lucky that everyone could be together tonight!

So long 2011!

2011-12-30T11:02:00.000-06:00

The Ninth Day of Christmas Vacation

Well, to start off it is a rainy unseasonable warm day. Yesterday, we were in the 50's in Central Illinois. If I can talk the Tall Guy into going for groceries himself today, I think I'll enjoy this almost last day of Christmas vacation. Sure there are a few days before I have to go back to work, but today really is the last day where I won't be occupied with family or friends. A day to stay in the jammies as long as I want.

I'll have Monday as well off, but come Monday, the eyes will be looking towards going to work and a week that already is full of stuff to do. But, lets not even go there til then.

Part of this is what is sitting in front of me. I still have not made a decision of what I want to be knitting right now, but hope to firm that up while I am enjoying the day. First, I need to get my projects arranged and decided on.

My List:
For Work - something that I can knit and talk while knitting, - but since we are starting a walking program on Tuesday during lunch, I guess that doesn't need to be a priority to figure it out.

The next two are because I really feel the need to work on something that came from their shop when I am knitting there so I need a project from two of my lyses.

The at home project - I think Bloosmsbury is defiinitely on this list

In the car - something that is always there, in case of long lights or emergencies.

And of course I am sure there is a bag waiting for each and everyone of these projects.

Finally, I think I'll work on sorting the yarn room again today. At Thanksgiving, when I was cleaning up the living room/dining room, many patterns and books got dumped on the bookcase and table in there. Today, would be a good day to get that in order. Who knows it might rejuvenate a project.

The real goal of the day though is to NOT start a new project but pull something on the needles and continue with it.

2011-12-29T22:33:00.000-06:00

The Eighth Day of Christmas Vacation

It's finished and wrapped. Ahhh, that feels good. But now, two things. I've been posting over on my facebook page the finished sweaters. Mistake. My cousin in Colorado wants me to knit her a one of a kind ski cap. It's kind of like the godfather...how can I say no? I just hope she doesn't want it too quick and too elaborate!

The second thing - now I have to figure out what I really want to be knitting on (before I start her one of a kind ski hat). So, I am doing some swatching. The Cranberry Capelet (on left) or this new little capelet from Knit Simple.

The Liberty Wool originally was going to be a scarf to go with my cap, but wouldn't it look cool in this little shawl from Knit Simple? And it is a contender for working on while sitting at the shop or on knit nite, also known as idiot knitting. The other possibility is a couple of other shawls I have my eyes on.

And of course, last but not least is my Bloomsbury Jacket. I've got to take some time and see where I was on it.

So many choices!

2011-12-28T19:17:00.001-06:00

The Seventh Day of Christmas Vacation

Did not go as planned. First of all, I was going to spend the day knitting out at Knit 4 Together, but that didn't happen. On the continuing saga of the newly remodeled bathroom. This is how most of the day was spent, while they fixed my diverter in the shower/tub, but not all the way. They will have to come back yet again next week, because the piece they put over the hole is chrome and not brushed like the rest of the fixtures. This has been quite the project and at this point, it's just not as much fun as it once was. Actually, I'm ambivalent about it right now. The room needs something to make it wow, I'm just not sure and not into it!

What I can say, is thank goodness, I decided to wait on the kitchen remodel. Although, it desparately needs it, I'm just not ready to commit on it.

I'm working on the sleeves of "the sweater". I really am hoping to do some marathon knitting on it tonight, because frankly, I'm tired of knitting on it. Last night, I did the hem. As you can tell from this pic the green really flips up. The plan is when I finish the sleeves, is to go back and rip that green out and end it with the hot pink being the hem, or add some more green so when the green flips back that it flips back and you see green.

The last few nights there has been absolutely nothing worth watchin/listenin to while knitting, so I've been watching Netflix Instant from my lap top. Sure, it's a smaller screen and the volume sometimes has to be turned up all the way, but there have been a couple of Mommy movies that I have had a hoot watchin...while knitting of course~~

From Prada to Nada

Blue Crush 2

Why Did I Get Married Too?

2011-12-27T20:07:00.000-06:00

The Sixth Day of Christmas Vacation

I started putting away most of my Christmas stuff today before I even sat down to knit or shower. The only thing left up is my tree. I'll take it down after this weekend when we finish celebrating Christmas with Baby Boy A and his wife.

Between now and February ish, I put some of my snowman collection up so it still looks wintry around here.

Then, while I was in the basement, I thought it was time to wash the sheets and vacuum our bedroom, which evolved into cleaning part of the closet out of some old crap and scrubbing under some things that have just been accumulating. The Tall Guy wasn't real happy to have to haul stuff to the garbage, but he did.

Tonight, we spent the evening with in-laws celebrating my nephew's 35th birthday. He and my mom shared a birthday, she would have been 81 today if I am correct.

On my timeline for the final Christmas sweater, I need to finish the body, so that is how I will finish out this 6th day of Christmas vacation...funny, I just had to ask Baby Boy B what day today was? I knew the date but not the day of the week, I find that quite interesting.

2011-12-26T21:06:00.001-06:00

The Fifth Day of Christmas Vacation

Finally, after two days and many tries at the sweater for the great-niece, I have one that I like. I'm using the Knitting Pure and Simple top down pattern, but using big blocks of stripes that incorporates all the Encore that I bought for it originally. I think by the time it is done, I won't have to buy any extra yarn...stash all the way.

This morning I put in Schoolhouse Press' DVD Glossary to look up the Jogless Stripe. For years, Meg has talked about it, and I never quite got it straight in my mind or rather I was just too lazy. Last Summer at Stitches, I even took a class on it. I got it then, but everytime I went to use it I had to haul out the instructions. For some reason, the DVD made it quite simple for me this morning.

I'm pretty stoked about it. Looks pretty good and when I went to do the yellow one, I didn't have to even look at it again!

The rest of the day I've been doing some knitting and watching the DVD. It has kind of been like having the day after Christmas "knit day". Wouldn't it be fun to arrange one of those next year?

2011-12-25T00:05:00.001-06:00

The Fourth Day of Christmas Vacation

Our tree stays lit all day today.

This is where we started earlier this weekend. Hot pink for a yoke sweater. But only have one ball and this would require going to Morton on Tuesday. This also means that sometime long about tomorrow, I'll lose about a day knitting on this sweater.

So I decided to cast on with this Encore Colorspun that I have enough to complete the top down raglan tunic. With this one, I would lose no time having to go and buy yarn for.

This is the third one that I started this afternoon on. I only have one ball of yarn in the light pink and if I want to continue with the light pink and then use the green, cream and hot pink on the yoke, I would need to make a trip to Dunlap on Tuesday to get more yarn in the pink. The plan was to go on Wednesday to Dunlap not Tuesday.

I'm having a hard time making a decision on this one. The only reason I don't go back to the Colorspun is that Pink is this little lady's fave color. Oy!

2011-12-24T15:03:00.000-06:00

The Third Day of Christmas Vacation

I finally cast on for the great-niece's Christmas sweater. Disclaimer here -- I don't have to have it done for a week! It took me quite a while and some digging on the internet, ravelry and in the yarn room to decide what I wanted to do. The great-nephew's was a Knitting Pure And Simple pattern with raglan sleeves. I wasn't completely sold on that for the little girl, thinking that a round yoke might be a little more girlie. Couple that with the fact that I have about five colors I wanted to use together and not enough of any one to do the KPS without making a trip to the yarn shop, which I did not want to do today.

I have in my mind what I want the yoke sweater to look like, a take off on Playful Stripes by Alana Dakos only not as a cardigan, but as a pullover. http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/playful-stripes-cardigan
I'm pretty certain that come Tuesday, I will have to make a trip over to Morton to add some hot pink yarn to this, cause I fairly confident that one is not going to do it. Originally, I was thinking some chunks of color when I bought the rest of the yarns out at Knit 4 Together.

I did spend a lot of time noodlin through how to do this one. Since it was a yoke sweater and almost all of them are from the bottom up, including Alana's and the EZ ones, I did a little searching to see if there was anything from the top down that I could use to adapt to either one of these sweaters. The thought and the reason I like top down so much is that should I need to alter this one after the gift has been received, it should be fairly easy to rip back or add to at the hem to make it custom fit. Something, you don't just get bottom up sweaters.

So in my noodles, a technique came back to me that I saw in just the last couple of days. I think it might have been the Yarn Harlot or someone she had guest bloggin years ago or it could be someone totally different. Anywho, the just of it is to cast on with a waste yarn. Work three rows of stockinette and then begin your sweater. Work up through the yoke and neck in the conventual or rather the EZ way. Then, pull out the waste knitting, and work down towards the hem. Voila, problem solved should I need to add or subtract from this area.

I've got a sample of a 4T for sizing for this one as well, but on hers I am leaning towards making it longer into a tunic that she can wear with leggins ( the sweater not the t-shirt). It seems that this little three year old has a mind of her own and likes to wear dresses and tights instead of pants.

Now, you might think that I finally settled in my mind and am busy knitting on the yoke tunic?! As things would happen, this morning, while doing a little Ravelry surfin, I came up with this little cutie!
http://petitepurls.com/Fall11/fall2011_p_littlered.html

Just like Little Red Riding Hood...now at first thought, I tole myself that I don't have enough yarn that is soft and pretty enough for this and that a trip to the only yarn shop that might be open this morning could be in order. But, I am really trying to use stash so I went into the yarn room and sat on the bench looking at the yarns, hoping one would jump out that would meet the criteria for this cutie.

The red Venezia is an option since I have sufficient amount of this for it to be held double.

What really drew me to this pattern is a comment her mother made earlier this Fall, that her brother and she were into capes. I'm just afraid that if I do knit this one, that it will be used more for play than for the beauty of it, but on the other hand, I am not so sure that the sweater is any better of a plan. This child has her mother's temperment from when she was a child, what can I say.

I am fairly certain that this will be the last year for knitted items for these two as I'll be knitting for a grandchild next year.

2011-12-23T12:28:00.000-06:00

The Second Day of Christmas Vacation

I finished one of my Christmas present sweaters for my great-nephew. At this posting, I am trying to decide if I need to block Encore? Thoughts anyone?

Next up, I am trying to decide what to knit for my great-niece from these lovelies.

My nephew's was from Knitting Pure and Simple, and I could use the same pattern for my niece. I was kind of noodlin with using EPS and just doing a bottom up sweater ala Elizabeth. The other contender is Playful Stripes from Alana Dakos -Never Not Knitting.

The actual pattern is knitted from Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino and my yarn is Encore. At this sitting it will probably be a combo of the two, using the striping and cardigan details from Alan, but using my gauge with Encore to re-work the pattern a bit.

Good thing I don't have to have these knitted until New Year's Eve. This will be some good knitting this weekend.

Today, I am just having a ball. I'm listening to Podcasts, Knitting Pipeline and 2 Knit Lit Chicks while knitting and wrapping the last of the presents I had to wrap. While I was dowstairs, our nice neighbors delivered a tin of homemade goodies. My goal is to limit myself to one goodie a day.

I can do it!!

2011-12-22T22:24:00.001-06:00

My 12 Days of Christmas Vacation

Technically it's only 11 days, but I am counting tonight as one day. The minute I walked out of work tonight, I was in the holiday mood. After dinner, shopping with the Tall Guy, a glass of wine, a cuppa mystic chai tea and some knitting on the great nephew's sweater, I am ready to hit the hay.---the first day of my Christmas vacation!

Tomorrow, I get the house to myself as both the Tall Guy and Baby Boy B have to work. I'm going to get up when I feel like it, drink some coffee and open the drapes when the mood strikes me. he plan tomorrow is to chill, finish knitting the little nephew's swearer and start the little niece's sweater. Also, on the list for tomorrow is some wrapping while there aren't any prying eyes.

Oh I've got lots of plans for my 12 days of Christmas vacation, mostly involving knitting and doing what I dang well please!

2011-12-21T19:02:00.000-06:00

Wednesday Website

Now, if I had a yarn shop, I would so have one of these next year. Seriously, this is such a cool video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-h7TnO6TBx4

2011-12-20T20:16:00.000-06:00

Will It Fit?

The last time I tried knitting for my great-nephew it was a bust. I think he could wear it all of five minutes. Since he doesn't live close by, and my niece is not to handy with the measurements, I thought I'd go another direction. Armed with the size he is currently, I went to our local Walmart and bought a t-shirt in the same size.

Voila, I am knitting it to the t-shirt's measurements. When finished, I'll either return the shirt or give it to him as part of his Christmas presents.

Pretty smart eh?!

2011-12-19T20:54:00.000-06:00

The Goodie Bag Hat

by Cheryl Oberle

The Yarn - Classic Elite Liberty Wool. I love the feel of this yarn, well and of course the colors. So much that I went back for the rest of it, for a scarf and if enough a pair of mittens.

When off the head, it doesn't look like a hat,

And from the front, it isn't the most flattering of looks, but on me there aren't many hats that do look good on me.

Best of all is the back. I've been wanting a hat like this for sometime. It will be a great hat for walking in the winter when it gets colder. Normal hats, the hair gets in the way and more times than not, I was trying to keep the hat on with the pony tail. Then, I'd get warm and pull it off and then cold and try to get it back on.

If you are interested in the free pattern, pop on over to http://www.cheryloberle.com/The%20Goodie%20Bag%20Hat%20.cwk%20(WP).pdf

My hat took me 5 days to knit, but in reality, there is still time for you to knit one before Christmas!

2011-12-18T21:55:00.000-06:00

The Countdown Is On!

No, not for Christmas, but the countdown until no work....5 Days until 10 days off! Technically, it includes weekends, but for me it is a straight shot of doing only what I want to do. At this writing, I am still noodlin taking Friday off.

I've got a little list going on in my head of what I would like to accomplish while on break. I'm working towards our family celebration on New Year's Eve so I have plenty of time to finish the two top down sweaters for the great-nephew and great-niece. And then I am seriously going to try and get some things off of needles for me.

This time off for the holidays are going to be so different. Since both eves land on a Saturday, the regular knitting at Knit 4 Together won't happen. There will be a little withdrawal there.

It will just be the Tall Guy and Baby Boy B for both Christmas Eve and Christmas day as everyone else we usually get together are going to be in Iowa or Aurora. Something similar happened a couple of years ago, and I swore then that wouldn't happen again. I think though, I can almost unequivocably say that this is the last year that will happen.

Next year, we will definitely be in Iowa for Christmas, because wait for it....it will be our grandchild's first Christmas! You heard it here, and you know what that means...baby knitting starts soon.

2011-12-17T04:40:00.000-06:00

I Love Getting Mail

From the days when I was a kid, I have always loved getting mail. In the summertime, mom would let me get the summer edition of Weekly Reader. Now, the first thing I look at when I come home is the mail. Sometimes, I'll even call and ask if we got any good mail?

Good mail for me is something knitting related. Could be a magazine, could be a catalog or could be something I ordered. Yesterday, the good mail was my new autographed copy of the new Schoolhouse Press book.

I'm so excited to sit down this early a.m in the quiet of the house with a cuppa and look/read my new book.

Good mail indeed.

2011-12-15T21:59:00.000-06:00

I Might Have To Make Me A Pair Of These

But not until the new year. These are by Kate Spade, cost $65. Only problem with knitting these is that there seems to be a real lack of finger weight yarn in white or as close to white as I can get.

You have to admit these are kind of cool, even if it has a dirty four letter work on them. They just scream ME!

2011-12-14T21:59:00.000-06:00

I Just Couldn't Resist

There I was knitting along on my great-nephew's sweater, when I felt the urge.

To cast on Cheryl Oberle's Goodie Bag Hat. This pattern is perfect for those of us with long hair who need something to cover the head when we are out running/walking. I've tried the ear thingies before but just haven't been happy with them.

Then Cheryl comes along with this freebie pattern and I just felt the need to cast on for it. And the perfect yarn is some Liberty Wool that I have had waiting for a scarf, but I think it really wanted be this hat.

You can read more about the hat over at
http://knitaway-one.blogspot.com/2011/12/goodie-bag-hat.html

Happy Wednesday Website!

2011-12-12T19:36:00.000-06:00

This Just Says It All

Thank you my dear friend Debbie. You know me too well!

2011-12-11T10:53:00.000-06:00

You Know The Drill

It's Sunday. It's a new week. I have an agenda/list albeit it is in my head at the moment.

I went to Weight Watchers yesterday. They rolled out the new 2012 program. I have committed myself to lose during the holiday season. I am also giving myself a month from today to see some weight loss and some changes in my exercise program. If after a month I have not changed my ways, I am not paying WW anymore $. It will be time to reassess.

The Tall Guy is putting the finishing touches on the bathroom downstairs today, painting the walls that are still blank. Then in a week or so, he will put up a coat rack down the outside walls so we can hang towels there to dry. I saw that idea on Pinterest and thought it would be a good way to get rid of a towel rack that is taking up room in front of my sewing machine that I would like to ge to.

I'm excited to get the bathroom downstairs done too. I'm moving the make up and hair stuff to the bathroom down there from the bedroom too. The bedroom is a spring project, but I am trying to get a head start on it and de-clutter through the winter when I get a chance.

After the painting, the Tall Guy is moving upstairs this afternoon to that bathroom to finish up the light switches and outlet covers. I've already started this morning in both bathrooms putting things in the cabinets and drawers. I bought a shower curtain and other cool stuff for the upstairs bathroom. Once we get it all together, I'll post pics of both bathrooms.

The real plan for today was to clean the upstairs and put my tree up, we'll see if I get that done or just the other decorations. I've also got some work to do for the real job, but may leave that until tonight.

It's the beginning of the week and time to jump in.

2011-12-08T21:25:00.000-06:00

Everyone Loved Their Scarves

It was a once in a lifetime deal. Never to be repeated. We did it Norma!

2011-12-07T19:49:00.000-06:00

Wednesday Websites

I have probably posted this before, but I have to tell you about what I did tonight. I belong to the Planet Purl email list. Earlier this week, Beth sent a note out letting us know about a video chat that she was doing with Connie Chang Chinchio. I know the name from some patterns that I like that Connie has designed for Interweave Knits. I have never really taken advantage of the video chats with Beth, but since there really isn't anything on Wednesday nights that I want to watch, I decided to tune in.

It was a fantastic chat. Beth showed some of the patterns from Connie's new book "Textured Stitches" Can you say I am ordering the book for me??? The first six cardigans we saw tonight are perfect for my work wardrobe. Enough stockinette and texture to keep it interesting. The next four we saw were okay, but not my faves. Then the last six were accessories. I could see myself knitting some of those! So I am off to order the book for me!

I'll check back in with Beth over on Planet Purl for her happy hours real soon.

In the meantime, check out these websites:
http://planetpurl.com/planetpurl/search.htm
http://www.conniechangchinchio.com/blog/

2011-12-06T18:55:00.000-06:00

Conclusions

About a week before Thanksgiving, it seems like Christmas is quite a ways away. Then all of a sudden, Thanksgiving is here and oy, Christmas is just around the corner.

It becomes way evident to me that if I want to knit things for Christmas, that Thanksgiving is not the time to start! This year, the twoper scarves kept me a little busy right before Thanksgiving. Now that Christmas is in sight, I can't help but wish that I had started earlier on my Christmas knitting and had some fun things to blog about.

So, tonight, I am going to pick up the great nephew's top down sweater and knit a bit on it. Even though we are not getting together with them until New Year's Eve, it may be possible to knit on this to get it to a point where he can try it on and then I can finish the rib.

There are a couple of striping options that I have seen over on Ravelry that I might try out on his sweater. One has them right at the armpit, the other a combo of thin and chunky stripes towards the bottom of the sweater.

I'm still not sure where I am going with the great niece's sweater. That may be a between Christmas and New Year's knitting project.

I think for next year, I need to put on my google calendar now, to start my Christmas knitting around October 1st. When do you start your Christmas knitting?

2011-12-04T15:29:00.000-06:00

I Know It's Not Wednesday!

I seem to be blogging lately about websites and not on Wednesdays, but they just seem to come up and in the interest of not repeating something you may already have seen, I just had to blog this little youtube video. It's just too darn cute to keep until Wednesday.
http://www.youtube.com/embed/GzxkNRvujiw

Not sure what is going on but, it's 3:30 pm on a Sunday and I am just getting around to feeling like doing anything. I've just been hanging out in my fave chair enjoying the cleaness of the house right now. I really need to get serious about doing something. I have not even knitted yet today. Just been watching HGTV.

Sometimes you just have to chill.

2011-12-03T23:29:00.000-06:00

No Not Yet

Despite that the guys who are remodeling our tiny bathroom worked from 8am this morning until 8pm tonight, the bathroom is still not ready for me to use. I say me, because I sort of made a decision that this is not going to be the bathroom that we use every day. We are going to keep using the new bathroom downstairs for our showers so this one can look good for awhile. Can you say she must live in house with men?

Anywho - here is the course of five days work.

They completly gutted it! Took out our old moldy window, installing a nice new vinyl one and pulled the old tub out. Glad I wasn't around when they had to do that.

New plaster and walls. In the exposed area is where a tiny little cupboard was when we bought the house. On the first bathroom remodel, the Tall Guy boarded over it. It was kind of a hoot to see it again.

New underlayment went down on the floor, something the tall guy and his dad didn't do in the first remodel about 30 years ago.

Brand new slate tile done in an offset pattern. Funny thing is though that one odd tile. Of all the tiles left in the box, one wonders why the tile guys used it? It's not terrilby offensive now that the toilet is down.
This sure is a change from my little one inch tiles that were always popping up and having to be re-glued down all the time. There were times when I just would pull the rug over them and forget about them for awhile.

New paint! It is not as blue as this picture would indicate, more aqua but not a deep caribe. Later this week, I am going to go shopping for a new shower curtain. Not sure right now what direction I am going with that, but it will be fun checking out Bed Bath and Beyond or Kohls for that.

A new medicine cabinet, vanity and sink. The sink is not operational yet because it was missing a piece so that will be finished later. Tomorrow is a trip to Menards to get lightbulbs for the medicine cabinet. These are not your normal lights so that might be an experience. Not sure what I was thinkin when I told him to put the towel bar up there, I think it might of had to do with not wanting to mar the wainscoating with it. But I am going to live with it.

And finally a new tub surround. I wish I would have taken pictures of the before, but actually it would be way too embarrassing to post them! The shower and window was bordering on gross and I am surprised the DIL ever wanted to take showers in this one.

The guys will be back next week to caulk and finish up some things. Also the painters need to come back as the paint job was not up to par, but we will deal with that as it comes.

It's been a long day. After the guys left, I started dusting and sweeping all that fine dust that remodeling creates. I was just going to do a bit, but once I got going, I just wanted to be done with it. Tomorrow, I'll vaccum the furniture and kick back after that.

This remodeling stuff is hard work.

2011-12-02T19:41:00.000-06:00

I'm Still Here

It's just that last Monday, the contractors started on the remodel of our bathroom. All the furniture had to be shoved to one side. The Yarn Room is full was shut down and sealed as best I could to leave out the dust. I shoved the laptop in there as well so I've been functioning on my iPad all week long. They are not done yet, telling me that they will be here most of tomorrow, but will be finished. We'll see about that.

In the meantime, here's a website for the Holidays:

http://www.garnstudio.com/julekalender.php?lang=en

2011-11-27T12:42:00.000-06:00

The Holiday Weekend Is Over

Baby Boy A, wife and grand dog are on their way home. The house is quiet. We had 17 in the house to eat last night. We were filled to the gills, but still it was a nice evening.

I've ate my way through the weekend and my body is feeling it. It is time to start back on the program, some exercise and decent sleep patterns.

All of the twopers are done unless, tomorrow we get a lot more reservations at work. If that happens then there will be a mad dash to knit more in a week and a half. I am pretty confident we are okay with what we have.

Time to knit for me. Ahhhh. What to knit first?

2011-11-26T07:23:00.000-06:00

It's Small Business Shopping Saturday~

It's going to be a busy day. Going out to Dunlap to Knit Four Together to shop my fave local small business yarn shop! They are having a sale today so of course I have to go.

Then, home to set up our liv room dining room for 17 people and a dog. Baby Boy A said there is now way we can get that many people in here. Well, we are going to give it the college try. We are going to be up close and personal, but we are going to have some chili and fun!

The holiday weekend continues~

2011-11-23T18:46:00.000-06:00

I am thankful for all of you my knitting friends.

Have a great Thanksgiving!

2011-11-22T19:01:00.000-06:00

Just A Little Catchup

My Duffers don't fit me. I'm not as crazy about them as I was last weekend. I think I might like them better unfelted. I'll revisit that later.

Saturday, I will be shopping at my local small business. Knit Four Together, of course, and they are having a sale. Lots happening on Saturday - we are having everyone here for a second Thanksgiving celebration for Baby Boy A and his wife and my neice and her family.

I just have two more scarves to knit for the Girls Holiday Bash. The total is going to be around 47 which will be more than I think we are going to need, so there will be extras for the giving tree at work. The one on the right is the Eco Duo that I love and it may stay in my bag for me. I have a brown jacket that it will go with. But, what I really looking for is a brown wool coat. Do you know how hard that is to find?!

I cast on a child's neckdown this morning before work. There is another in the bag that I would like to cast on and get knitted far enough down to let my neice, her mom and friend knit on a bit after I teach them how to knit on Thanksgiving. At least that is the plan. Neither of these are Christmas presents. The nice part is that we can try them on as we knit on them to make sure they fit. In the past when I have tried to stealth knit sweaters for presents, it doesn't always work out quite to my expectations.

I need to finalize plans for Beginning Knitting on Thursday. I bought both of the young gals this book on the suggestion of a fellow knitting teacher. This is going to be an interesting experience. I don't think I ever taught anyone from the start. Always in the past, they have a little basic knitting knowledge.

Last Sunday, I cast on for the Cranberry Capelet out of Berroco Flicker. This is going to be so cool and I am anxious to knit more on it. But for now, it will have to wait until Saturday.

Lots of knitting on this front. Once the twopers are done, it is going to be back to knitting as usual.

2011-11-19T17:45:00.000-06:00

Five Hour Tour

It took me about that long to knit these cuties. They are the Duffer pattern that Linda just had to show us on Thursday night. I have had my eyes on them for awhile. Until now, I really have not succombed to the felted slipper thingy. But, this one I could not resist.

Of course, since I didn't know what I was doing really (a sign that I should not start a new project at 10pm). I used two strands where I wanted to use three strands and vice versa.

I used the yarn I wanted for the sole for the top and vice versa. But, after I came to that realization, I had already completed one and I said what the heck, I'll just do the other one that way too.

This morning I felted it and couldn't resist trying it on. I knitted the 7 1/2" at the required gauge. It was a little snug. I'll try it on again when it isn't so wet. Worse comes to worse I'll find someone who has a little smaller foot than mine.

I'm not casting on another pair for right now even though I have plenty of Cascade 220 contenders. But, I will try again.

2011-11-18T20:18:00.000-06:00

I Take A Lot of Flack

for my propensity to buy yarn in the Caribe Blue family. When in reality, when I go looking in the yarn room, I'm not finding a lot of said color in there! I do, however, have a few accessories that match Wednesday's nail polish post.

My on again off again, purse. Funny thing, three of my friends have this same purse, not in the same color, but the exact same purse, a hot pink one, a purple one and a gun metal one. How fun is that!?

Then there is my Vera. The one on the left is my fave from old. It was probably the first collection I started with the Vera bags. I started with a couple of other ones many years ago, but that is before I got my first look of the Gulf of Mexico and the vibrant colors of the water. I was hooked on the color ever since.

That is also about the time when I decided that if I ever had money to retire somewhere that it would be where I could see the colors of the sea every day. Before that I thought the ideal place to retire to would be Northern Minnesota.

Speaking of the Gulf of Mexico, this appropriately named yarn from Three Irish Girls awaits in the yarn room.

Also in the Yarn Room is Cheryl Oberle's yarn. This is a WIP but has some great Caribe Blue colors in it.

And a wayward skein of a sock yarn in caribe and brown. Originally, when I bought this one, it was going to be a hem in EZ's Saddle Shoulder Pullover. I changed my mind on it and just did a garter bottom on it. I really ought to pull this one out and knit me some winter socks with it or maybe mittens.

Here's another of the Vera bags that matches the nails pretty darn well. I love the bowler bag, just wish it had a little longer handles. I have an eye glass case to match and a wallet out of the same pattern when my current one (which has caribe and brown it it) wears out.

Why you would ask do I have a wallet waiting in the wings just like the one I am carrying? Because I like the taxi wallet that Vera was making with a magnetic closure in it. The only thing it doesn't do is keep a thief out of it, but I'll blog about that another day.

There are a couple of Shetland Jumper weight yarns in the yarn room in Caribe. The one on the left is really named aqua and the other is a really bright Caribe Blue. The first is thinking it wants to be a shawl, although, it was originally destined for a sweater from Knit One Knit All. It's on hold to veg a little. The second one is definitely destined for a jacket from Cheryl Oberle's Knitted Jackets, but that cannot commence until Bloomsbury is done.

In the Knit 4 Together yarn bin amongst another Vera Bradley ditty bag ( in caribe and brown) is the Pastaza that I bought last Summer. Originally intended for a jacket from Cheryl's book as well, until Cheryl turned me onto her Just Beautiful Alpaca, it now awaits for a sweater as yet to be named.

Okay, so maybe there are a few yarns in the Yarn Room that have some Caribe in them. This Encore Colorspun has been around for quite some time! Purchased from Ewe-nique Yarns when they were in their first location. It was going to be a mitered square jacket, and now, poor thing just sits and wait.

And finally, sitting next to the Three Irish Girls Yarn (which I have to say really is my fave Caribe Blue), is some Malabrigo that I bought at Stitches Midwest several years ago, after Knit Addict brought a sweater all the way from Oklahoma for me to feel. I fell in love with the feel and had to have some.

Obviously from the fact that it is still sitting in a bin, I must be a fickle lover. Well, heck, I guess it is obvious from my collection that I am fickle! But, ya know, I'm okay with it!

2011-11-16T19:20:00.000-06:00

My New Fave Polish

Okay, so it is getting mixed reviews. I guess you might need to have the right outfit to go with it. I think I have one or two. I know I have a couple of purses that will go with it at least.

It's kind of fun, don't cha think.

2011-11-14T18:53:00.000-06:00

Just Playin Around

I'm messin around with an idea. Unfortunately, this picture does not show the true colors of the subjects that were photographed. Maybe, I need to start taking a little more time with the blog pictures and the better camera. Heck, maybe I need to haul my photographt class notes out and start using them.

The knitting is really darker than shown here, the bottom sweater is more of a teal and the purple turtleneck is not near as bright as this shows. Come to think of it, I wish the colors of the turtlenecks were closer to this picture, wouldn't that be cool?

Every once in a while, I'll happen onto a design in a child size that I think would really look cool all grown up. That happened again recently with a design I found in a book. It looks like something that could be adapted so I am taking my Cheryl Oberle yarn and giving it a whirl. We'll see how it fairs.

What I am finding is that I love the yarn and if it doesn't work out for this redesign, it is definitely going to be a sweater very soon. It has some great colors in it. I particularly like the green in this yarn and think it has some great possibilities.

Stay tuned.

2011-11-12T14:43:00.000-06:00

Happy Birthday to Me

It's not all about yarn, but almost!

2011-11-11T15:48:00.002-06:00

I've Had A Busy Day

Today is Veteran's Day. We don't get it off even though we are a state institution, we still gotta work. But I took the day off as one of my floating holidays. I've been movin all day and now it is time to kick back and drink some coffee and knit and spend the night chillin.

The Tall Guy (who also took the day off to rake leaves) went this afternoon to do the grocery shopping that we normally do on Friday nights. It was nice to get it done before dark and before the crazies come out on Friday night to also do their grocery shopping. I treated myself to another creamer, Pumpkin Spice while we were shopping so that is today's flavor of the day for my coffee.

I didn't have much a yearning for coffee this morning, but now that I have had a full day, a pot sounds good and so it begins.

First thing up this morning I finished another scarf for the Girls Holiday Bash. This would make #45. I'm planning now on 50 and then I am stopping. This one is from the new Debbie Bliss magazine but I used some Encore from the stash for it.

Next stop after running into work today to get my flu shop was down on the Riverfront to attend the grand opening of a new yarn shop in Peoria. The Fiber Universe. What a great crowd they had. I would have had pictures to show you, but some dummy left the SD card in her computer at home and well, you know the story. I saw quite a few people that I knew from long ago. Sue and Karyl and I had a nice visit while sitting around the shop waiting for the crowd to thin down.

Anyway, at one time there were so many knitters, that no one could see the yarn for the people. But we managed to do just fine and people just let you in to fondle and put some into the bags they provided for us. It's a cute little shop and I will be going back. They have great hours for us working people, two Knit nights and 4 pm Saturday closings. I can see myself making a stop there after my regular scheduled Saturday knitting.

Did I mention that they are only about 5 minutes from my work??? You know where I will be taking lunch somedays.

First thing in the store (Sue and I were shoppers #2 and #3), was this local Llama. First felt and I knew it was coming home with me. Even though, I have not had my spindle in my hand since July. But, it is my understanding that one of the owners is a spinner and will be doing some classes so I think I might see the spindle coming back out for some work.

I've been searching all over for this yarn in just this color for a cupcake hat that I would like to knit. No current receipient on hand at the moment, but I was pleased as punch that I could find it. My other sources had it but it was much too pale of a pink and what I really wanted was just a slightly darker shade of pink and they had it!

Next I was off to Morton to pick up some more Madlinetosh Pashmina for the Cassis I am knitting. I'll show you more on that later next week as the sweater progresses.

I'm pretty certain I am going to have more than enough of it, but I am making long sleeves on mine and just a little wider through the hips than the original design is. If I have extra, I'll just make some mittens out of. It feels so lush.

After Ewe-nique Yarns, I had lunch with Char and Linda who coincidentally were at Morton too. We had a nice time talking knitting and catching up a bit. As I said earlier, the Tall Guy and I got groceries and ---

The rest of the evening is mine to relax, drink coffee, get caught up on some t.v and knit. Life is good and I am enjoying it.

Hug a Vet today if you can, and I don't mean the one you take your animals to.

2011-11-10T19:03:00.000-06:00

I've Had A Great Day

Maybe it is because I am off tomorrow, maybe it's because I have heard from loads of friends on Facebook, maybe because I have really great friends who wished me happy birthday via cards, phone calls and dropins. I've just had a great 54th birthday!

Tomorrow, there is a new yarn shop opening up on the waterfront in Peoria. I am anxious to see what they have to offer. It's close enough that I could go there over lunch when working, their hours are good too for people who work and there is both a coffee shop and a restaurant right in the vicinity. Perfect for a yarn shop....why didn't we think of that Sue???

All I need to do tomorrow morning is run into work and get my flu shot and then off to the new yarn shop - The Fiber Universe. I'll report later this weekend on the new shop.

Until then, I am going to enjoy the rest of my birthday with some knitting!

2011-11-09T18:40:00.000-06:00

Someday I'd Like To

wear a skirt like this. The thing is it might not be until my next lifetime. After a little time of missing my weekly Weight Watchers meetings, I went back today. Gained 4 pounds. Ugh. So, be a good little weight watcher, I started tracking everything I eat, starting today. Sure, I could have waited until after the birthday is over, but if I did that, then I'd be telling myself to wait until after Thanksgiving then after the holidays and pretty soon it would be January! Just think of the pounds that could be lost between now and then.

Mix this all with some exercise, maybe knitted skirts will still be around next year when I make goal.

Okay, we can always hope.

2011-11-08T18:30:00.000-06:00

It's Okay

I wouldn't say there are a super lot of patterns for me to knit in it, but there are some good articles worth reading. But at 14.99 a copy, if I were you, I see if you could borrow a friend's copy. I got to start looking at the cost before I just add it to my pile when checking out.

2011-11-06T14:59:00.000-06:00

Really, I Am Not Sick

I have not knit since Friday. That is unbelievable for me. But, those who know me, know that I have been thinking about knitting though. You see on Friday, I heard that Ewe-Nique Yarns over in Morton, got their Madelinetosh in. They were putting it out for Saturday morning to be sold starting at 10 am. I have seen and fondled the yarn in Memphis just never actually bought any.

I don't know what happened, two of them just jumped in my hands and came home with me.

Lapis Pashmina was the second one that caught my eye only because of the weight. I am tossing around knitting Cheryl Oberle's Faroese Shawl out of this.

The shawl has been on my radar for sometime, I've just trying to find just the right yarn for it. I did not really want a variegated yarn for it, but rather something that was dyed. This yarn has a great feel to it.

The Tosh Sock in Cousteau (love that name and the color) was the first one that I eyed after I saw the display. I really would have loved this in the worsted version so I could do a little sweater that I have wanted to knit. But the shop only got 4 of each of the worsted in colors which for me was just not enough for what I wanted to do.

I'm torn on which one of my ideas that I want to knit this with.

Vitamin D has been in my queue for sometime as well. Just not sure.

My other choice so far is the Landscape Shawl. I'm jut not sure that the stitches will show up as nicely with the dark colors. So many things to think about.

I guess it may be time to do a little swatching and figure out what I want these to be. I'm anxious to get my fingers on them.

It's been a great weekend. The kids from Iowa were here and my niece and her family from Aurora. We celebrated my birthday last night with them. It's hard to believe but we talked about the holidays and when we would be celebrating them.

It's a little chilly day here in Central IL. The wind is blowing and it is gloomy outside. The plus is that Hallmark has started running their holiday movies. I love this time of year. Those movies make for some great knitting background noise. Even if it does seem a little early for it all.

I'll keep the blog posted as to what the Madelinetosh decide to grow into. Feel free to leave me ideas.

I have 1080 yards of the Pashmina and 1580 of the Tosh sock. Let me know what you think. Really!

2011-11-05T13:12:00.000-05:00

Cardinal Day

Yesterday was Cardinal Day for those losing Cubbie fans. They had to wear Cardinal Tops for most of the days. They also had to buy our lunch. It was a great day.

But first, here's what anyone who was coming to see me in my office were met with. I had my jersey hanging up since before the Cardinals won. Some thought it was a bit premature, me I just thought it was bashert.

Can hardly wait for next season to come!

2011-11-03T04:28:00.001-05:00

This Would Be A Good Day

To stay home and drink~~

And knit~~

But unfortunately I have to venture out to work! The upside? It's Thursday, only two days left to the week. There is knitting tonight and then tomorrow is Friday. Ahhh, I'm ready for the weekend.

2011-11-02T06:47:00.001-05:00

Just Say Wow!

The squares are all knitted by Peoria Area Stitcher's Guild knitters. We knitted squares and then Marilyn, an unbelievable finisher, put them all together. Not something I would have volunteered to do.

All of the items are part of the Guild's Silent Auction at their Fall Luncheon. I am sorry I won't be able to attend and see what prices they bring.

This is some cool stuff!

2011-11-01T07:11:00.000-05:00

For Jordan Bastean, a 19 year old Pekin son, who lost his life serving his country. I cannot imagine anything tougher for a mother. She has had a rough week and a rougher one to come. The streets to Pekin were lined with flags yesterday for his coming home. Makes me proud of our little city.

2011-10-31T07:48:00.002-05:00

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-30T19:30:00.000-05:00

Be Careful What You Put In The Closet

While rearranging the closets yesterday, I happened upon a couple of Lopi Books that I thought I remembered having just couldn't remember precisely what they were. Franklin Habit put the notion in my head a couple of days ago on his post and pictures of his yoked sweater he is knitting. I found the book I was looking for and another which had a sweater in it that I wanted to knit for me many years ago.

I love this sweater. It is actually shown on a man and is knitted out of Lopi yarn, but I have loved it for quite sometime. The top part is done by combining two colors of Lopi to get the tweed effect. I'm putting this back in my mind for a future sweater to knit.

I just so happen to NOT have any Lopi for it, but what is evident is that I do have multiple of colors of unspun icelandic from Schoolhouse Press that I think would do nicely for this sweater. Now, let me be perfectly clear...I'm putting it on the list NOT casting on anytime soon for it, mainly because there are way too many things in front of it. But, it might be a nice winter project or a 6-8 week project should I have the need for one in the future.

Something else that caught my eye in the big Lopi book was this scarf from multiple colors. The scarf is done in seed with a cable going up the center. What struck me is that with the seed stitch, you really cannot see where the colors blip when you change them.

Since I now can count on one hand the amount of twopers that I need to have done, I am doing a little something different on the last four. Instead of plain old garter, I'm changing it up a bit with some textures and patterns. And these Encore leftovers are the willing participants.

I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Very soon, I'll be back to knitting for ME!!!!!

2011-10-29T17:24:00.000-05:00

I Have A Confession To Make

Sometimes, I fall asleep in my good ole recliner with my clothes on. It happens mostly on the weekend after I stay up really late. I shut off the light, telling myself I'll just snuggle a little in my electric throw for just awhile, just to get warm, then I'll head downstairs for my jammies and bed. Next thing I know, there is traffic in front of me and the sounds and smells of the other two guys getting up.

Now, for me, it is not such a bad thing. It happened this morning. And since, my intention was to tackle the closets and get some summer tanks and clothes put away and some turtlenecks and long sleeves out, and with me already being dressed and not having to go out in public, I just brewed me some coffee and started in.

One of the closets is in the yarn room which definitely needed a little attention as well, but that would have to come later.

After unearthing some clothes from in front of the shelves and finding candles that would come in handy and a knife set that neither I nor the Tall Guy knew we had, room was made in the yarn room closet for some books that I don't go to very often.

I've been wanting to get a taller bookcase for in the yarn room to accomodate all of my knitting books, but we just haven't managed to get up to Oak Express to get one. So I made do with re-arranging to the top shelf the ones that I go to most often (EZ, Schoolhouse Press) which just wasn't happenng here.

I have a ottoman that sits in direct line to the top shelf of the bookcase, which makes for a nice resting place to look for a book and peruse it for what I might be looking for.

As it happens, more and more books kept making their way to the yarn room closet shelves. Of course along the way, I had to look some of them over again. One can forget what great patterns some of them have. Remember the Shetland Books, Radicals??? They still have some great sweaters in them!

I found something else that I actually forgot I had, but I'll tell about that in a later blog down the road.

I pleased with the closet books, but unfortunately as soon as I get Baby Boy B to go through his closet, the shelves may not be as easy to get to, but I can deal with that.

The books are now nicely put on the shelves how I want them. Baby Books all together, Schoolhouse Press books together, Lace Books together with Shawls close at hand as well. There is an order that I can find them when I want to and I am quite pleased with myself.

And in the end the yarn room looks a little better. And I got a shower and into todays clothes. I'm pleased with what I got done today. There is more on tap for tomorrow. I hope some of it involves knitting!

2011-10-28T06:54:00.001-05:00

Update! Cardinals win the World Series!

Just in case you wanted to know. Tomorrow, it's back to knitting!

There is not much that I would skip knitting for, but Cardinals baseball and family. I did knit last night, but scooted out early to a late multiple inning. What a finish to the game. Only one more to go tonight and we are hopeful. Makes for some great knitting on scarves! By the way the count is now 42. Only about five more to go!

2011-10-27T06:22:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday Sue!

2011-10-26T06:24:00.000-05:00

Wednesday Website

I did not renew most of, well all of my knitting magazines subscriptions. Frankly, I am running out of room to store them. Couple that with the fact that I have just not been all that impressed with what the magazines have had to offer.

Instead, if my lys carries the magazine, I look at it there and if I really want to knit something out of it, I buy it from them. I do like it when a knitting magazine has an edition I can download to my iPad though. I have done that on certain issues.

One of those magazines that offers it is Vogue. Something Vogue does right is to give us the total issue preview so I can see all of the designs are. Good going Vogue.
http://vogueknitting.com/magazine/holiday_2011_fashion_preview.aspx

2011-10-25T21:22:00.000-05:00

This One Is Going To Be For Me

I bought this Liberty Wool a couple of weeks ago. Just enough for a scarf for me, but for now it will have to wait until I get the other twopers done.

The scarf pattern is called Molly and is from CEY. I hear that it is a fairly easy knit with just enough to keep me from being too bored with it. Mine won't be as long as this one as the shop didn't have a fourth ball. I'm okay with that. I am anxious to see what the colorway turns out to look like. But for now, it'll have to wait.

2011-10-24T19:07:00.001-05:00

There Are A Couple of New Books Coming

I've pre-ordered mine from Schoolhouse Press. You can too if you want.

I've been waiting for Principles of Knitting since around 97. In 1996, I attended my first Knit Camp. At the time, I couldn't decide between the Reader's Digest Knitting Reference book and Principles of Knitting. I chose the Reader's Digest version. And have kicked myself ever since.

But come later this year, I will finally have it. I can hardly wait.

I always love books from two of my favorite knitters and of course Schoolhouse Press. It wouldn't matter if they published the history of paper, I'd buy it.

I am not real comfortable with two color knitting. Probably because as with all things, it I don't practice it enough. But, with the possible release of this in December, it might be a nice thing to practice in the deep cold winter!

2011-10-23T02:01:00.000-05:00

These Scarves Are Kind Of Fun

Although I am not getting any sweaters finished while knitting them, these scarves now are taking a life of their own. I am having to do a little creative thinking with the yarns that I have.

I was unable to get another skein of the variegated yarn so with some help from my friend Debbie at the shop yesterday, we came up with a purple Brown Sheep.

Despite me not knowing how this would turn out, I really am quite happy with it. There are more ends to deal with, but over all this is turning out to be a pretty neat combo. I am alternating the sides that I start and stop the yarns every 3 sections so the joining rows really are blending in.

I am almost to the point in the scarves that I am looking for maybe some patterning to a few. I pulled these odd ball Encores out of the yarn room. I am giving thought to some of them going longwise. Only problem with that is that the rows will be reallllllllllllllllly long. Perhaps I'll only do ONE of those!

2011-10-22T00:05:00.000-05:00

I Didn't Go Overboard!

I only bought one set of the 16" Knitter's Pride Interchangeable needles from Webs. Mainly because since they are so new, and because frankly, as my mother would say, I'm needle poor. I bought them in a size 6 since I don't have the 16" fixed Knit Picks size.

The tips as you can see are a lot shorter than the Knit Picks tips. The thought is that accomodates the 16" length a little better.

The literature also indicates that other interchangeable needles may not necessarily work on the Knitter's Pride needles. But of course I had to at least try them on. I didn't try knitting with them, but I can imagine I might at sometime. Of course, the longer tip will make the length of the cable and tip longer than 16".

My feelings at first glance/try? I probably won't buy anymore of them. I am not crazy about the cable. Mine towards the screw part seem to have something on them, maybe glue. The cable just doesn't have the feel that I am used to.

And most of all, lets face it. I have a set of Addi-Cliks regular points, a set of Addi-Cliks lace, a set of harmony needles from Knit Picks and most of a set of the metal interchangeables from Knit Picks. Along with a very large assortment of regular old circulars.

My needle buying days are over I do believe.

2011-10-20T22:40:00.000-05:00

I've Got Scarves Everywhere

This bag has about 30 of them in it. The goal is to complete two a week until the 2nd Thursday in December. At the moment, I am only one week behind. With a little luck this weekend, I am hoping to catch up.

I've got several in varying states through out the house and car. One would not want to be caught without knitting should one not be driving. The plan is that they be done by this Sunday. Which means working on them at the shop on Saturday. Scarves are nice to work on at the shop. I can talk, knit, look at the yarn and accomplish a lot of knitting on them. Best of all, they are yarns that have come from the shop, so at least it is their yarn I am knitting on.

I'm waiting on a skein of the red to come in from Webs so I can finish this scarf. It's coming USPS, so I am hoping that the postman will deliver tomorrow or Saturday. The other yarn needs to go with me to the shop on Saturday. Stupid me, thought I could remember all of the colors in it last week, but in actuality when I was at the shop, I wasn't 100% sure. If it is the same one, it should be quick to knit up this weekend.

This mohair scarf is in a drawer next to my knitting chair! It's one that when I just have a little time to knit on, then I reach in and pick it up and knit for a bit.

This Taos scarf is my car knitting project, normally. I keep it in the back seat within hand reach. If I get stopped in construction or train or long stop light, I reach back and pick it up and knit on it. At the moment, it followed me into the house. This could be finished easily in the next night.

By the time I get all of these blogged about finished, I'll have caught up to where I should be on Sunday.

Truthfully, I'll be glad when this little project is finished so I can solely knit on some sweaters.

2011-10-17T19:30:00.002-05:00

2011-10-16T00:33:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday Jean!

2011-10-15T21:11:00.000-05:00

Following The Herd

I'm giving serious thought to the Cranberry Capelet. Kristin over on Knitionary has one that she knit out of Venezia that made me bring this pattern out of the file. I have some red Venezia that needs to be knit up that would perfect for this! And it fits my current knitting criteria - knit from stash.

2011-10-14T18:49:00.004-05:00

Colors for Fall -
And I think Fall has definitely come to Central Illinois today.

And of course you all know which my fave is don't you?

Of course!

And I'll be having me some of this

2011-10-10T19:09:00.000-05:00

I Love This Yarn!

It is Cascade's Dolce and they are discontinuing it. Thats a shame because it really is the softest feeling yarn. It is totally going to feel so good on. I am giving real thought to hopping over to Web's and buying some more in a couple of colors to have for some future sweaters!

I know I have said it before, but what a smart idea it is to use the cables and the holders from my Knit Picks needle set to hold stitches while you knit on the back of a sweater. Then when you are ready you just pop off the ends and screw down the needles and you are ready to knit.

Can you tell where I switched needle sizes for the waist and then the bust? I can, but I'm okay with that. I think blocking will help and unless it is sprawled out like this, I don't think you could when I was wearing it.

Here it is up close. It was a gorgeous day yesterday for taking pictures outside of knits!

I always worry about how these decreases are suppose to look when it is in pattern. A gander at the picture in the book had be confident that I was doing it right. You would think after all these years of knitting I would feel comfortable with it wouldn't you?

2011-10-09T13:32:00.000-05:00

These Guys Are Gonna Make Some Great Dads

Not because they are mine, but really, at 28 years old, they love to get down with my great nephew and great niece and play or help them put their bday presents together.

It's been quite a weekend. Started out with a wedding on Friday afternoon. The couple who got married were in their late 60's/early 70's. What a beautiful afternoon wedding it was. I got to catch up with friends at the reception which was so nice. The evening ended with Baby Boy A being at home when I got there. The grand dog stayed back in Iowa with Baby Boy A's wife who is getting ready to take her Boards tomorrow.

Yesterday, we got together with my niece and her kids to celebrate the September/October birthdays. Another nice evening of catching up and just being with family.

Today, is another fantastic day in Central IL. We have had about a week and a half of great sunny warm weather and we are enjoying it! It's a pity I have to go back to work tomorrow. I've enjoyed the heck out of my three day weekend. I might just have to schedule one of these again in November, even if it isn't sunny and 80! It's a great mental health break.

2011-10-07T23:37:00.002-05:00

Cardinals Win - On To Milwaukee

2011-10-06T21:12:00.000-05:00

It's A Three Day Weekend!

I really need a day (tomorrow) to sleep in as long as I want (read that as probably will wake up at the usual 4 am) and knit until I absolutely have to get dressed! Coffee, knitting and chai tea are on my agenda tomorrow. And I promised myself, I would not look at work email until I go back to work on Monday.

I was supposed to be at a wedding tomorrow afternoon and evening, but my cousin is in town and I am getting together with her and the other cousins tomorrow night.

Baby Boy A and the granddog will be in town tomorrow for birthday party/wiener roast on Saturday. We are celebrating birthdays for Sister-in-law, neice, great niece and great nephew. I got to go down the pink aisle at Wal-mart tonight and buy Barbies. The great neice is finally 3 which is the minimum age for Barbies....love shopping for Barbies.

Best of all, it's suppose to be sunny and nice this weekend! I can deal with that. All too soon, it will be Monday!

2011-10-05T21:28:00.000-05:00

The Split

I'm pleased to say that my beloved Cardinals have now split the winning games with the Phillies. It was tough, but they did. I'm just not so pleased that they are going back to Philadelphia to finish it whichever way they go. Win or lose, I wish it could have been at home. Unfortunately, I won't know which way it goes until I get home on Friday since I'll be attending a friend's wedding that day.

The other split came with my Long Collared Coat. I promised myself that when I made it to the armhole where it has to split off from knitting back and forth, that I could go back to knitting on my Bloomsbury Jacket until I get to the split on it. I'm trying really hard to work on those two things when not at the shop.

Unfortunately I really want to cast on something but.....I'm trying to be better. Lets see how long it takes before I split from that way of thinking -

2011-10-03T09:25:00.000-05:00

This is my friend Janine from camp. Check it out. She is a fantastic color person and even better

in her fair isle expertise.

http://www.interweavestore.com/Knitting/Magazines/ColorKnits-eMag-MAC.html?SessionThemeID=7

2011-10-02T14:11:00.000-05:00

It's A Great Day For Fall Pictures

Alas, this lovely plant had to be sacrificed when my new window went in the basement bathroom. Little by little, the Tall Guy and Baby Boy B are getting it done. Basically, I leave plants alone outside and look how much this one has flourished...not any more bye, bye :(

What happened to this tree? It is always so beautiful in the Fall for picture taking. It seems to have just went to crumpled and crisped leaves. No pretty yellow, green and red that we are used to. Could this be those nasty Japanese beetles at work?

My Long Collared Coat in progress. The sunshine made for some great pictures that really show the true colors of this yarn from Chris over at Briar Rose. It is going to be great with blue jeans to throw on to go out to the shop on Saturdays and run around in. Course, I think it will look good with black, navy and brown too, so it could be a great coat for in and out to work. As long as there are no other jackets under it.

I was kind of wondering about the phoney seams on it, but sure am glad now that I started doing it. The coat lays so nice with them added.

There is a lot of garter on this until you get to the armhole split. I still have a few inches to go. I am so ready to not have these long rows of garter to do.

2011-09-30T18:18:00.000-05:00

Kim Hargreaves - My New Best Friend

These two came yesterday. So many things I want to knit from them!
Do I dare to swatch before the Long Collared Coat is done?

2011-09-27T19:14:00.002-05:00

Put To Good Use

I'm motoring along on my Long Collared Coat from Knit One Knit All and lovin it. The recent cool spell we've had has just drove home that this would be a great coat to wear in just a few weeks.

There is miles of garter stitch yet to go on it, but the coolest part is that I think this navy that I dyed by mistake last year is going to be perfect for the trim of the coat.

This is some great knitting that requires absolutely no looking at.

2011-09-26T19:36:00.002-05:00

Great Plans

A week ago I thought that I would whip this baby sweater up for a baby shower we are having at work in a couple of weeks. The intended baby is a boy. The more I knitted on it, the less it looked like a boy sweater.

So I chucked the idea but not the knitting of it. The yarn is so soft and cuddly. But, alas, I don't have enough for the hat that I want to do. I'll have to pick up some more yarn later this week at the shop to do the hat.

When I get the hat finished, I'll put it aside for a future baby present. This cute little button from the project below will be perfect to add to the sweater.

Knit 4 Together has these one ball yarn kits that you can either knit a pullover or cardigan from. The ball yarn kits includes three ducky buttons for whichever pattern that is included that you decide to knit.

Which is great for me. I can knit the pullover and use two of the buttons and save the third for the very first baby sweater I knitted above.

The pattern has you knit back and forth, but because I have a real adversion to sewing up, I am doing what I usually do, cast on in the round and then separate when I get to the armhole.

Today again in Central IL, it's rainy and cold which drives home that I need to be knitting on sweaters and shawls for me along with the twoper scarves. I made the decision this evening that I'll buy something for the baby shower rather than spend try knitting something.

My rationale is that this is for someone I really don't know that well and I'd rather save the knitting for special little ones.

Then there is this great bag of Encore that I have that would be a great afghan to go with this sweater for that special little baby boy.

Best of all of these yarns were purchased at Knit 4 Together, so I have projects that I can actually knit at the shop when I am there, a pet peeve of mine.

2011-09-24T19:07:00.002-05:00

Revelations

I've spent a lot of time lately thinking about knitting. What to knit with yarn I have. What new yarn to buy at my lys. What to knit with it if I bought it. So much time has been going into thinking about knitting that there has not been a lot of real knitting going on.

Knitting is suppose to be fun. Knitting is not suppose to keep you up late at night.

You should knit on what you want to knit on not what the rest of the crowd is knitting on unless you really want to.

What you knit should flatter you and make you feel good. It is okay to give away sweaters that you have knitted that no longer fit or just plain don't look good on you!

It's okay to knit the same sweater twice, especially if the first version doesn't fit any longer.

I feel so much better about these revelations tonight. I don't think I'll be tossing and turning so much tonight thinking about knitting.

2011-09-23T23:22:00.003-05:00

There's Going To Be Trouble Tomorrow

My fave lys - Knit 4 Together has been getting new yarns in. I'm going to knit tomorrow and I just feel the need to support my local yarn shop.

To be continued...

2011-09-20T20:38:00.002-05:00

I Did It!

I successfully spit spliced.

For some that is no big deal. But I cannot tell you how many years I have been trying to do it and it just never quite sunk in. Kind of like the jogless join. Meg's been trying to teach that to me for years and I never quite got it, until I was forced into it along with Susanna's great instructions.

Now while joining an end into my Bloomsbury Jacket, I tried spit splicing again. The first time it didn't work, but the second join worked absolutely fantastically. The key, unravel both ends a bit and then spit splice.

Voila! Pretty darn proud am I.

2011-09-17T18:46:00.002-05:00

I Get The Fit Idea

For many years now, I have been very much a gauge person. Ever since my second camp when the lightbulb when off that no matter what the pattern says, I can make it to fit me my utilizing gauge and some measurements. The measurement piece came after a summer and most of a Fall of traveling to Des Plaines for a Knit to Fit Class with Judy Chan at Mosaic Yarn Studio. I learned so much that year about fit.

Now comes the tough part. What about flatter? As I blogged about yesterday, I think my sweaters fit, but do they really flatter my body? I have come to the conclusion that no, they don't always. And it is time for them to fit and flatter.

I went into the yarn room late last night and pulled some books that deal with fit and perhaps a little flatter. It seems that I have a lot of resources when it comes to this issue.

Cheryl Brunette's Sweater 101 is probably one of the first tools that I bought. My first one was in the form of a folder that had the info and I think I bought it at my very first Meg's Knitting Camp.

Recently, a friend camp indicated that Ysolda's new book had some great info in it. I bought it as an e-book and also got the hard copy which came almost as fast as a sandwich from Jimmy John's. I've yet to really look at it, but soon.

I've had Sally's book for awhile and I have to admit, there is just a few pages that interest me as far as fit and flatter. However, there are a couple of patterns that are on my list for the future.

Right behind Cheryl Brunette's book is Maggie Righetti. I love the first book from her that has some great knitting events and again, I remember getting it when I really became serious about knitting again.

Jean Frost book is a recent acquisition. I probably won't use it for it's intended purpose (getting jackets that fit) but rather for the pattern style's themselves. I love Jean Frost jacket books. They for me are so wearable for my work.

The final tool which is not a book but rather a printoff from Amy Herzog's blog last year. She has 10 installments on knitting for fit and flatter. I whole heartedly recommend you jumping over there and taking a gander. I went through it this morning and came up with some really good hints for making sweaters be flattering for this bottom heavy body.

It was an interesting read, and drove home some things I already knew but was trying to ignore. I made some notes to remember in my next sweater among other thoughts.
I may just get the hang of this fit and flatter thing.

2011-09-16T22:49:00.003-05:00

I've Been Thinkin

Maybe it is the change of the seasons, maybe it's that I've lost a little weight, maybe it's because I'm going to be a year older than I thought I was, who knows. But, I've been thinkin way too much lately about my knitting.

Which is a good thing.

Yesterday, I pulled out of my drawers one of my sweaters from Knitted Jackets and wore it because it was chilly here in Central IL and was just what I needed to have on. I love it. It is comfy and cozy. But several things happened.

I seemed to be pulling on it at the shoulders quite a bit. Makes me think that the shoulders don't fit as well as they should. It my mind, it felt a little boxy through the waist and was sort of okay around the hip. (read that as the hips are the last to go when I lose weight) It was a comfy sweater, but in my mind just not real flattering.

I got several compliments on it. But today, a person that I know and who kids around with me about a couple of outfits that I wear to work that look good on me (read that as compliments me when I wear them and also read that I am not in any way offended by it), mentioned that yesterday's outfit was not one of them.

Again, I took this as not a dig at all but constructive criticism. And not something that I had not been thinkin about myself. I'm a watcher. And quite a few times I have wished that I could pull a look off that someone else has, but lets face it, sometimes no matter how much you wish you could, it is better just to not to.

And quite a few times, I am so guilty of putting something on for either work or not, just because it is there, when really what it should be is given to the goodwill.

As Fall sets in, it is time for me to take a critical look at the wardrobe and that may include the sweaters. It's time to weed out the closet, and only keep those things that look good and that I feel good in.

It may be time to start shopping and for me I think it is definitely time to find a shop that can help me find just the right style/size/look for me. I'm open to favorites? Coldwater Creek? Anyone want to weigh in?

And finally, it's time to knit sweaters that are flattering that fit well and feel good on and are worthy of compliments. I am very much on the soapbox when it comes to knitting to fit and have several books that address that issue. On my quest to make my sweaters fit even better, I think there may be some blog posts coming our way to deal with this for me very important issue.

Hang on!