Something I Don't Say Often

I'm Pooped! We have had a great couple of days with family since Thursday. Baby Boy A, his wife and our grand dog got in late Thursday night. After we spent a Thanksgiving different then we were normally used to in the last 30+ years. But, still it was a good Thanksgiving.

I've had my hands in more dishwater the last couple of days than with knitting needles it seems. And the eyeballs are a little gritty, the face is sore from grinning and definitely, the belly has way too much put into it.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Got Plans?

Yep, starting today. I took the day off to do some errands and last minute stuff. Normally, Thanksgiving weekend is my weekend for knitting and sitting around. Things will be a little different this weekend as we have family in from Memphis and Chicago area. We are pleased that we will be together although a couple will be missing. That is going to be a little, shall I say tough, but we'll deal with that as it comes.

But, I digress from the real reason for the post today. I really have to get a handle on my Holiday Gift Knitting, mostly scarves and I have designated this weekend for that. So, wherever I go, I'll have my little bag of gift knitting along.

Have a safe Thanksgiving all!

I Have Been A Slug

When it comes to bloggin, this week, just did not have either the time anything great to blog about.

Yesterday was a beautiful day. As I usually do, I spent a great morning at Knit 4 Together. I got buttons for the top down purple sweater and a book that has been out for quite awhile, but did not really give it a second look until both Sue and Claudia used it. Then I took a second look and decided it would be a great reference to just tuck in the knitting bag...the knitting bag is getting heavy now.

Then bopped over to Grand Prairie to return some pants. I picked up a couple of trashy romance books for next weekend reading at Borders and of course had to check the knitting books out, but there wasn't anything I needed to get. It felt so good out, that I parked the car at one end, walked to Borders at the other end and then walked to Dick's where I did a little Christmas shopping and then back to the car.

Lordy, if felt good to be outside in the fresh air and semi sun. Hope, we get some more this week.

New Yarn

I am really trying to not buy new yarn. I am really trying to knit up what I have...re the top down purple sweater.

But, I could not resist this scarf kit a couple of weeks ago. It is really more than a scarf, it is more of a small wrap. Which will be perfect for outside a coat or wrapped around me at work. Easily tossed off when a little power surge happens.

I've been having those every once in awhile...guess we know what that means!

On a weather note, here in Central IL, we are smacked dab in the middle of major rain. Day 2 and I have those errands to run today after the dentist. UGH!

I Think I'm Done

Celebrating birthdays, I mean. My friends Barb and Kristy bought me plates and cups for my birthmas. Tomorrow, after my dentist appointment and before I have to be home for the phone guy, I am going to run out to Grand Prairie and see about buying the dessert plates and look at the mugs.

They bought me 8 bowls and 8 plates....I might buy 4 more plates and bowls instead. That way I will have plenty should our family grow one day.

Another friend, Kathy, whom I help sometimes with her knitting bought me this new Kate Jacobs book. It is #3 in the Friday Night Knitting Club Series.

I started to read it, and realized that I, somehow, missed #2, Knit Two. So, after Grand Prairie and before I have to be home for the phone guy, I have on my list to stop at Barnes and Noble and look for it so I can read them in sequence.

I have quite the list for tomorrow. It started out I was going to the dentist early and then knit at Dunlap before the eye doctor late in the afternoon. Then, the phone company thingy cropped up and my plans have been shot to heck.

Sometimes, this working thing interferes with what I want to do.

Check Out My New Running Shoes
Just to prove that I am still quite happy with my caribe blue, I had to show them. I am anxious to get them on and do a little test run. But, today it is raining here in Central Illinois,(and I am not getting them wet their first time out), so the tread mill will have to be it.
Then, since it is Sunday and Sunday has been the start of my week or rather my startover day, I am going to try and knit when the kitchen calls me to eat when I am not hungry! Just imagine how much I could accomplish if I was knitting?!

On another similar note, I need to spend less time over on Facebook playing Bejeweled Blitz....and more knitting. Hmmmmmmmmm.

Paris, We Have A Problem

What to do with a very long scarf or a scarf for a very tall person? Solution? Cut it apart and make two. That was the collective advice of the Radical Knitters on Thursday.

Fellow Radical Knitter thought the scarf she was knitting needed to be longer than her 40 inch needle...so she added some extra stitches.

And we all know how hard it is to really know how long a scarf it would be with all of those stitches bunched up, right? And a scarf is a scarf and sometimes it is what it is.

But, how was Jo to know until she bound off the stitches and bound off the stitches....you get the drift.

So, the solutions were kicked around a couple of different ways. Rip it all out (but she had already buried alot of ends in), machine stitch it and cut it in half and then somehow hide the raw edges, like sucking it up with a tassle, or adding fringe.

Or the final decision, put in two life lines about 2 inches in from the center.

Then, take the scissors and cut the very long scarf in half. Then, unravel both ends back enough to get long yarns.

Bury the yarns in the scarf. Eat birthday cake in the absence of alcohol.....


And voila, you get two scarves. One to wear as the Parisians do.


And a second as les Americaines do.


Good Save Jo!

Of Course I'm Still Celebrating

You have to see this in person to believe it! Each center is a yarn/knitting related fabric.

Norma outdid herself on this birthday gift. I love it! Did I say thank you??? My mother taught me to.

The celebration started out with dinner, some great knitting (and laughs with Jo) and cake....a huge piece of cake. True to what I said, I left the rest in the car in the very back. I'll take it in to work today and we'll eat it for dessert after lunch.

Tomorrow's blog is not for the faint of heart in knitting! Tune in tomorrow for a little surgery.

Yes, I Do

Buy jewelry to go with sweaters and vice versa.

I am lovin knitting with these two yarns for this Pure and Simple Top Down Vneck Cardigan. I am using a strand of Kids Seta and a strand of Valley Yarns Superwash DK. The superwash was going to be a sweater from Nora, but changed my mind after seeing it with the Kids Seta.

I started doing a swatch holding the two together, and when I was getting gauge almost immediately decided it had to be knit together. The sweater is going to be so soft to wear and just a little fluff to it. It's a nice interlude to knit for now.

Oy!

Penny is 52 today. How did that happen? In puppy years, I feel like 42.

Actually, yesterday, I got new glasses. You know how it is with new glasses! I question whether they got them adjusted right, did I make the right decision on style, should I have went with the type I have had for the last three times, should I have went with the square ones, do these let me see as well as my old ones?

Okay, so maybe I really am 52. Oy!

Just A Few Short Weeks

This is what we are left with. Of course, the leaves all fell to our yard according to the tall guy. He got the honors of raking them up, while I got to knit at Knit 4 Together on Saturday.

Upon my return, he asked if I wanted to help?! Huh?
Here is the afore mentioned tree with all it's beautiful fall leaves before Halloween. Amazing how all of a sudden, we are talking Thanksgiving.

We were lucky this weekend in Central IL to have some great weather and high 60s and 70s. I can remember when I was a kid that it could be chilly and spittin snow on my birthday.

Seedling Is Really Done

I got my buttons sewed down on Saturday morning. I tried to wear it out to the knit shop, but it was too warm for it. Which is a good thing for November here in Central IL.

It is going to need a turtle neck to go with it. The scoop neck I tried to wear with it on Saturday is just too close to the scoop neck on the sweater. I extended it from Cheryl Oberle's original intentions, because a shorty jacket just does not look good on this body!

This is the second time I have used Color Changes yarn from Ironstone and I do like it. The seed stitch throughout the jacket made the stripes not be so stripey, if that makes sense.

Time to haul the book out and get back to Box Top that I started in July. I may get to wear it this Fall yet!

The Extra Stocking

This is for just in case. Just in case we have someone extra around at Christmas that needs a stocking.

The ladies at lunch could not get over how the yarn does this patterning. The discussion was how the computer knows to dye it like that?

This was a quick knit and amazingly, the yarn is really softer than I thought it would be when I first looked at it. One more ticked off of the list.

What's next?

Having A Little Fun

with some Christmas stockings. Just taking a little break to knit a couple of stockings.

This one,not being of Christmas colors was fun to knit anyway. This is for our daughter-in-law. She likes purple and I thought it might be a fun addition to the stockings. Last year she got a temporary one.


The new one is fun just to watch the yarn evolve into a stocking. It is an extra for our group of stockings just in case we have company for Christmas.

Almost Done

The knitting of Lara is finished. Just need to sew up the sides and arms. Weave in the ends and block.

I'll probably save the sewing for tomorrow night and Dancing with the Stars.

I tried it on today and I like the extra stitches and rows I added to it.

In the mean time, I am giving thought to making another one. Initially, I was going to use this pattern from IK Holiday Knits issue, but after seeing that it uses a size 3 needle I rethought it. That and the fact that it would require more sewing up then Lara.

I've also found a yarn that I can add to this mohair to use a larger needle with it. I am still noodling it over, I'll blog later with pictures when I am sure about it.

Happy Halloween!



Lets go knit at Knit 4 Together in Dunlap before the tricks and treats begin.

Pre-Planning

In January, I am going to start knitting from the Knitter's Almanac. The first month is an Aran that I have been wanting to do forever.

Up until last week, I have been giving some serious thought to this Debbie Bliss sweater.

I'm was not 100% sure of the wide collar on it though.

Using maybe this yarn. Originally, this was going to be a long hooded sweater, but after swatching the yarn was just not heavy enough.

So, last weekend, I was leaning toward using it for a topdown tunic. After noodling, on this, I'm giving serious thought to using it for the Aran. Wouldn't it be a nice looking one?

I need to give it a little thought and maybe work some cables with it. I see some swatchin in my weekend (you know I get an extra hour of staying up this weekend!)

Over On Ravelry

in the Knitter's Almanac Group, plans are being made to start the Knitter's Almanac KAL 2010 in January. I'm looking forward to it.

Last night before bed, I started making some plans....I'm starting with the yarn thought first. I have several to choose from as I am hoping to use as many stash yarns as I can this next year to knit from the Knitter's Almanac.

After I choose the yarn, I am going to start knitting the swatch cap to get gauge and decide what cables I want to go with, the ones from the book or the one from The Opinionated Knitter, or others of my choosing.

And that is why I am starting to plan it even before October is over. There is a lot of prep work involved.

I'm feeling fine. Two evenings in a row I have felt like I was getting something, but by the next morning I was feeling better. Maybe, it was the barometric temperature?

Happy Birthday Sue!

I Think I'm Getting Something!

With all of the news about getting the flu, one starts to think every little twinge is something don't you? My head has felt a little funny this afternoon and still tonight. I've been suckin down tea since I got home this afternoon (had to be here for the heating guy).

It may just be a head cold coming on or maybe it's just the weather, at least that is what I am hoping for! Or maybe I need to get more sleep tonight. I did bring some work home with me just in case.

Whatever comes though, I have knitting!!

Blocking To Do

Yep, I've got some blocking to do. It may be time to clean my fold out table off and get these things blocked.

When blocked, I'll have two sweaters to wear and two Carol's Clever Shawls to wear. And maybe in the next week or two, there will be some sunshine and I can get someone to photograph them on me outside to add to my Ravelry pages.

Yuck! I'm Tired Of This Rain

But, Debbie turned me onto this Mystic Chai Tea Mix a few weeks back and now I am obsessed with it. I even had her order me a case of it!

I have at least one cup a night sometimes two. I seriously have to start counting the points on it or at least running it off!

A Couple of Cool Things


I finally took advantage of the other purpose of my Harmony needles from Knit Picks. I'm using the cords and the end tips to hold my stitches for the back.

I used them to hold the front stitches as well. Then, when the instructions says to knit them onto the new needle, I pop the end cap off on one side, attach my harmony needle and knit them onto the new needle. No slipping the stitches from a thread. No flopping around of a spare circular needle while I am knitting on the sweater.

My other find tonight was Friday Night Lights (the t.v. series not the movie) on net flix. I am starting with the 1st season and can watch them instantly on my laptop from my chair while I knit!

It's perfect when there is a night when there isn't anything on t.v. to knit by.

Lara Progress

Just plodding along. I added some extra stitches on my Lara to make it longer in the front and back. However, when I went to work on just the back stitches, I followed along with the pattern and failed to fit in the extra stitches on the back. Was almost finished with the 35 rows of the back and realized what I had done.

So rip it back, I did. Now, I am hoping for another 35 rows tonight.


The Opus 1 yarn has some different colors in it and a little caribe blue. Just a touch different for me!

Have you ever knitted on something and just kept feeling it while at the same time smiled and got giddy over how much you like it? I love this yarn! It is so much fun to knit with.

Inspiration Comes From Others Sometimes

Last Saturday at Knit 4 Together, a nice couple of knitters came into the shop. They were from the Chicago area and a group of their friends pick a new location every Fall and they go on a little road trip. They picked Peoria. Go figure.

Anyway, the young man had a really cool hat on that he had knitted. It peaked my interest. The designer is Stephen West. Definitely check out his designs over at
http://westknits.blogspot.com/
I bought the hat pattern (couldn't resist) and Stash and Burn talked about his shawl pattern on the latest podcast.

Oh and he goes to school in Urbana and hangs out at Klose Knits there. I've never been to that shop, but I met the owner two Summers ago at Meg's Knit Camp.

Another Christmas Gift

I have been noodling on this one for another co-worker for Christmas this year.

It will be great for her winter coat. And I'll have a little bit of fun playing with the yarn too!

The sequin yarn would be great for around a cuff of a mitten as well, wouldn't it?!

New Toy

Love Love Love my new GPS. Used it this morning to go to Knit 4 Together. Didn't need it, of course, but did try it out.

Have GPS -- will travel to Knit Shops!!!!!

Happy Birthday Jean!

This Is Too Cool!

I'm alot further than this picture shows, but this is what is on the camera at the moment. This one a week ago, I wasn't sure what I was going to do with. I'm still not sure that I have enough yarn to complete, but I know where I can get some. Maybe not, in the same dye lot, but definitely in the color way.

This feels so good as well. I wish there was such a thing as feel-a-monitor.

The colors are a little out of my norm, even though there is some green and blue in it. But, in person and a larger sampling of it, they are just way too cool!

I Think I've Got It

Two things have been rumbling around for sometime....what can I make from 5 skeins of Rowan Cocoon AND what yarn that is in the Yarn Room can I make the cover vest from last Fall's Debbie Bliss magazine out of.

And voila, courtesy of someone on Ravelry, I think these two go together! We'll see if I have enough yarn. If not, I am going to punt. I do alot of this with my knitting lately. Ooooh, this Cocoon feels soooo good.

A Seedling


I just need to get some buttons made for my Seedling.


Another great jacket from Cheryl Oberle's Knitted Jackets book.

Saturdays Are For Me Sundays Are For

getting caught up. In the last few weeks, we (I) have a routine. Saturdays are for me. I go to Dunlap and knit, maybe do a little shopping on my way home, then come home and do just what I want. It usually involves beer and pizza, watchin something fun on t.v. and more knitting.

On Sundays, after I finally get showered and dressed, I do stuff. The tall guy has been working on stripping and putting up the new door jams and now is working on my closet door, stripping, sanding, staining, varnishing. Me, I am still cleaning and sorting stuff to try and find new places for some things.

Last night, after the Cardinals lost, there was absolutely nothing I wanted to watch on t.v., so with my trusty laptop next to me (I love this thing), I stayed up into the wee hours of the morning, getting caught up on the past four months of one of my favorite podcasts Stash and Burn.

While listening and checking out their show notes, I would knit a bit on a new project that I started yesterday at Knit Four Together, with the blessing of Sue and Debbie. More on that tomorrow.

In between all of this (I can be a multi-tasker), I happened to put into Ravelry a search on a yarn that I bought last February for something else. I bought 5 skeins of Rowan Cocoon. Since then, I have been trying to figure what else this yarn could be unsuccessfully (generally because I didn't have enough for anything new).

Last night, I happened upon two things on Ravelry. First, I checked those who had Cocoon in their stashes. I singled out just on those who had purple and then checked them out. Three or four of them who put the dye lot actually have my dye lot. So, maybe I could get more of my dye lot?

Second, someone else, (not in the Bilberry colorway that I have) made the cover vest from last Fall's issue of Debbie Bliss magazine, out of Rowan Cocoon. Double guess what? It took 5 skeins. Ah ha, that is just what I have. So, I casted on it as well in the early am. I LOVE LOVE LOVE it! And if I don't have enough yarn, maybe I can get one of my fellow Ravelers with the same dye lot to sell me one.

So back to today, I am getting dressed here in a minute, and then today's clean up project is the Yarn Room. Time to get it in order! Also, in the yarn room is the closet that houses our next season's clothes. While getting the yarn room in order, I am going switch some clothes around as well.

In the next couple of days, I'll show you the two new projects and a semi finished one.

Bummer!

My Cardinals are out. Baseball for me is over. I won't even bother watchin the rest of the season.

However, the deal we had at work, was in our favor. The Cub fans have to wear a Cardinal shirt one Friday of our choosing. They have to buy lunch for us Cardinal fans. And we get their quarter pot to donate.

What a great season it was anyway!

Holiday Vogue Knitting


It's that time. New knitting magazines should be coming out. This week it is Vogue. Now, at first glance, there is not much in the Holiday issue that I am going to spend time knitting on. But, since the Cardinals don't play until tomorrow, I've got the Twins game muted and I am actually reading my Vogue Knitting.

And there happens to be some good info in it to read and some interesting sites to look at. For example, there are a couple of new gadgets out there that might be interesting to check out.

Wouldn't this make a neat Christmas gift from Knowknits? A necklace with stitch markers.

A blurp on the page of Vogue Knitting reminds me that years ago, I got from Threadbear Fiberarts, a kit of Koigu yarns to make the Charlottes Web Shawl. It is now 10 years old (the pattern) and mine is still somehere waiting to be finished.

There are some great ads as well in this issue. Right across from Meg's hat is an ad from Namaste for the bag that both Linda and I own. Only this one is in red. It would be a perfect color for you Char!One of the websites that I have not looked at for sometime is knitty.com The new issue of Vogue Knitting sent me there to see what is new. I really enjoyed this site when it first came out. What a wonder it was and still is. So much knitting! Now, with the laptop, I can sit and watch t.v. and peruse the online magazine from my comfy chair and cuppa.

Also, in this issue, is a short little article of a gal who is doing a knit along through one of Nicky Epstein's book. She sounds a little like someone I know who is knitting her way through Cheryl Oberle's Knitted Jacket book! Insane.

Last but not least, an ad for Cascade Yarns Venezia has a pattern that you can download for free that is out of Venezia Worsted. Some may or not remember, I bought red last June for a Knit to Fit class. The Venezia could not make up it's mind what it wanted to be so it is vegging right now. But, now taking a look at the website, I think it might be thinking of what it wants to be?!

Thursday Clean Up

No pictures. Just words.

How can the sky be so blue one day and predicting 2-3 inches of rain the next? Bummer. And today was suppose to be the final cookout of the season at work.

On Seedling, I am finally to the bands and then I will be done. The tough part is going to be fine buttons for it. I did quick look at Dunlap last week and did not find anything right off the bat that would look good on it.

Already, I am trying to figure out what the next project will be. I have several to choose from and just not sure which way to go. I, generally, like to have something to work on at Dunlap that I bought from them when I go out on Saturday. But, I have a couple of Stitches Midwest projects that are calling me as well as the Box Top Jacket from Meg's Camp this Summer that needs to be finished as well. Especially, since it appears that sweater weather is definitely here.

Thats the cool thing about the temps we are starting to have. I can finally wear my sweaters AND I am.

Okay, and officially, again, I am back on the Weight Watchers Train. We started walking again yesterday at lunch AND I started tracking what I eat. I find writing things down sometimes is the only way to keep me honest.

I have an addiction. Well, two Food and Yarn. It could be worse.

And I really need to clean up the yarn room this weekend. I can't find anything in there. I want to put my books in some order. I, usually, have them categorized by theme, socks, Meg, Cheryl etc. But now when I go to find something like Elsebeth's book I am not sure where it is hiding. Is it by Meg, since it is sort of Nordic like or somewhere else.

Clean up on Sunday in the yarn room is in order, unless of course the Cardinals are playing (still).