Because I can't stand to not look ahead, I have opened up my knit calendar for 2005, BUT I have only looked at Jan 1-3! I am going to love looking at the new dates each day. This pic taken with old camera, cause I have not had time to do the software on the new one. Ssshhh! Don't tell Bob. 

Frustrated I am. I am sitting at my computer knitting. Why? Because it is so damn slow! I know I need more memory but I am thinking wouldn't a new computer be much nicer? What am I thinking? Somebody stop me.... Maybe just a little memory to start with.

Anyway, enough, enough of that. Only 3 days and it is back to work. I have so enjoyed this time off. I have spent it knitting, shopping and with friends and family. It has been so nice. I do have a list of things I have not yet accomplished from this vacation but there is still time. I really want to get the Pythagorean Therum jacket pretty much finished up so I can sew all the loose seams in tomorrow at my friend's New Years Get Together. Then I can post a pic for all to see. That is if anyone besides me reads my blog.

Some day I hope to see my blog listed on one of the ones I read daily that they also read mine. But of course, first you have to have something worth reading for others to go to. That is also a challenge for 2005 for me along with designing a couple of sweaters that are going around in my head. Most of them are knock offs from RTW.

Oh yes, my mind is always making more challenges. I like that better than opportunities or even new year's resolutions. Challenges, yes, challenges I like it, I think now I will challenge myself to get moving--there is only 12 .5 hours left to this year, make the most of it!!

Why is it when the year isn't even over and I barely got the Christmas stuff all put away do I already have my list of next year's knitting for gifts made. I have decided that for the family members outside of my house (read as neices, nephews and their children) 2005 is the last year that I give birthday and Christmas presents. Yes, I have said this before but I am saying it again and I will tell each one of them that I want them to do the same for us too.

With that said, I have decided that the final year will entail - socks for their birthdays. Afghans for the couples for Christmas! Which means I have got to get my butt in gear and start knitting afghans right away to get them all done. But the good thing is that when 2005 is done, their should be a dent in the sock stash AND a considerable dent in the large yarn bags that I have accumulated on various great deals.

Now, as my knitting friend Jo said tonight when I announced that I was on a yarn diet "I've heard that before". How true, how true, but as in somethings, sometimes just dreaming is the best part of doing something.

Stay tuned! Happy New Year!

My Christmas present from my husband. What a surprise? I bought him plumbing for our house and he got me a camera! He truly is a peach and it is times like this that I am fully reminded of it. Just on Christmas eve, my brother-in-law was showing me his new Pentax digital and I was telling him how I wanted a Canon Rebel Digital SLR when the price comes way down. Imagine my surprise when there it was on Christmas morn! I still can't believe it. It will take me forever to learn how to use the SLR part of it. But the digital automatic pics are great and anyone can use it! More in the days ahead as I learn how to get them from the camera to the computer! Happy Day After!! 

My new years resolution! Knit up the yarn on the bottom two shelves, the sack on the right hand side on the 3rd shelf, the bag of scarf stuff on the left side 2nd shelf AND the basket and bag on the floor. My gosh, that might take me two years! Who said I needed a yarn fix? I don't think so!

My Snoopy tree. I used to put it up in our dining room. Then we would have a real tree in our living room with the kids ornaments. And when I was sewing more, I had a little tree in the basement with my handmade ornaments that were smocked, knitted and related. Last year, when my son had his accident, I was lucky that I got my snoopy tree up. This year, I just didn't have the room. However, in the future, when one of darling sons makes his way out into the real world, I will take over his room for a knitting room, and will have my knitting tree again. Won't that be fun?

The last of the scarves for the gals at work. I wasn't going to do the one on the left, but sometimes you can give one and not the other. And I am so glad I did. She really liked it and that was worth the giving of it! Isn't that what it is all about? 

From left to right: Berroco Furz and Funny, A Lionbrand Yarn I cannot remember name and Encore Chunky and Poof! Below: Berroco Furz and Fizz in a kind of Gray!  

I finished 4 scarves this weekend and started 2 more. Neither of the 2 are for me. One is for Rog, one of my sons who requested it and the other is a duplicate of the green one. I knit it for a friend at work for her daughter and liked it so much that I am knitting one for me. I love the base fabric on the two cream ones. It is Berroco Furz. It is so soft! I will use it as a base for others (even though I have sworn off adding any more scarves to my knitting). Actually, I have sworn off any more yarn purchases until my chrome shelves are clean--pics of that tomorrow! I am starting my New Year Yarn Resolutions early! 

Okay, so you know I am knitting on all of these scarves for people at work at their families. In the last couple of days, I have publically stated that I am glad it is getting colder so I can wear my sweaters. BUT--did I think about my son who just this year got a job hauling in carts at our new Sears.? No--so son comes home tonight and says mom, you gotta a scarf that I can wear tomorrow? Preferably in the Ragg wool color of his gloves? Sure, you betcha. Of course not. I have been knitting on those cuddly soft and hairy things.

So, I go to my stash. I know I have a ragg wool from years gone by in a bulky. Do you think I can find it? Of course not! Now is it time to get a handle on it? So, I may have to search the world of Hobby Lobby and Michaels tomorrow night before knitting at Barnes and Noble in Peoria to find just the right ragg yarn. Or--place myself on the mercy of Mary and see if she has anything like it and bring it with her tomorrow night.

And because I AM a good MOM, I am gonna do my best to get scarf done before the next cold spell hits,(son is taking the old camouflage acrylic scarf I knit him about 10 years ago, along with my green Snoopy fleece scarf that my friend Norma made me, I told him NOT to lose it!) and before I knew it, I was telling him I would knit him some warm socks to go in his boots! Geesh, can I get anymore carried away.?

But you know, I swore that I wouldn't knit another thing for the boys until they asked me(a couple of years ago I knitted them both really cool sweaters that I never saw on them except for the picture one time), so now I have been asked. And as always, I try to do whatever they ask, they are good boys (due to their mother according to the ladies where they work), my mom would say it was all due to her, but I think I can take a little of the credit. They are good kids, so with that the search is ON!! Where is that Ragg Wool?

Okay this like official. 2 months from tomorrow my friend Betty and I fly off to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. From the moment I get up tomorrow until we leave, I will be faithful at watching what goes in my mouth. I know it is the holidays but I am not using that as an excuse to eat what ever is in sight. I will be a faithful Weight Watcher, attend meetings, weigh in and exercise in some way, shape or form every day! I will maybe take Christmas off and New Years Day only, but that is it!

And now for the knitting, I have scarves I have to knit, but seriously after these, I have got to stop this scarf bit. It is time to get back to my Twisted Sisters Jacket and all the other things just for ME! Today was a quick trip to Mary's in Eureka for scarves for friends and family to choose one.

It appears that winter is coming, so I can now maybe start wearing the sweaters I made for myself. You know it is difficult to wear woolly sweaters when the temp is hovering around 50 degrees!

Well, no pics of nothing. But it is that time of the year again to start the new year's list of things that I want to accomplish as soon as I get my holiday knitting done! Instead of having less to do on the 10th day of the month, I have more knitting added to my plate. The ladies at work liked my scarves that someone else bought (not the ones I have left) that I am making one more trip to Mary's Eureka tomorrow to scarf yarn shop for four that must be done next week and one that must be done the very next week!

Thank goodness Jan, Norma and I decided to wait until January to celebrate bdays, Hanukkah and Christmas. I swear I will NOT do this again year! Okay, so Norma has heard me say that every year since she has known me (at least 10 years), but really, I swear next year is all about ME. Knit for ME! Always, well except for those socks that I said I would do for everyone for Xmas and the afghans I said I would do. The afghans are absolutely the last things I will knit for family! Really, no I mean it! Okay--you all know me to well. It will never happen. But it sounded good for just a moment.

I will not let this crud get me down. After my son has had this gunk for over three weeks, I was counting myself lucky that I had not gotten it! Well, you know what they say about bragging! It looks like it is hitting both me and my husband. I will not give into it! I read an article yesterday in my favorite running magazine, that when you are as active, you become susceptible to germs. And last year we were running at least a couple of times a week, rain or cold, but no snow! This year it has really tapered off, so I am going to get my butt out there today and see if I can ward off any more of this. After all it can't hurt! Well, my mom would say different, she would say grease up with Vicks and stay out of the cold! But I always have been more like my dad was, bull head! Tell me I shouldn't and I will just to show you it can be done.

In the meantime, I am joining the sleeves onto the Pythagorean Jacket last night around midnight. I sure hope it turns out like it is suppose to. At the moment, I am going on blind faith. Pictures tomorrow!

I am also in the throws of finalizing my Christmas/Hanukkah knitting list. Thank god, my knitting friends and I decided to celebrate birthdays and the holidays in January. That took a load off, BUT, I can't let it wait until then or else I will find the rush following me into the new year! Thanksgiving is my weekend to sit and watch t.v. and knit, which I am doing both. BUT--I swear as soon as the weather channel tells me it is not raining, I am out there for a little walk at least. I will NOT let this take me down. I got too much to do!

It's that time of year again. No, I know what you are thinking - holidays. No, actually, it is that time when I have to start thinking about cleaning up my son's room (the one who went away to college) , the one I take over his room every fall. And then long about now, I have to figure out where I am going to put all of the yarn that I stashed in his room. And now this year I have my lia sophia jewelry selling stuff all over. So I start cleaning and moving the yarn to the dining room, remembering how it looks come the holidays amongst all the decorations -- all of those boxes and bags and plastic bins of yarn stacked.

And when I start doing this, I say to myself, you do not need to go with in 50 miles of a yarn shop until you get rid of the Dell box of yarn you keep carting back and forth! I seriously need help. I am addicted to yarn and buying yarn. Is there a cure? Physician, cure thyself. So in my humble words, Knitter, knit something! And that is just what I am going to do. Take it one project at a time, oh okay, okay, several projects at a time.

But now the next thing, while rearranging I ran across several bags of leftover yarn. Why am I keeping these after all of the whole balls I see sitting there? Why, when my mother-in-law asked me a few weeks ago if I had any extra yarn for a friend of hers who knits stuff as her mission, did I look increduoulsy at her as if she had two heads, and declare I have no spare yarn! I could afford to donate those leftovers to her friend, heck, I could afford to give her a bag of that yarn in the Dell box. And now I feel so much better for saying that out loud, tomorrow, I will open the Dell box and deliberate as to what bag has got to go. Do I give her the ugly drab green or give her one of the pretty blue or pink ones? Oh, why are these decisions so hard? Somone help me!!

Lordy, I have been busy. Being a lia sophia advisor has kept me busy along with knitting. Eventually, I will have something to show for both. I cannot believe it is November already. A little of the pressure is off for now, my knitting buddies and I have decided to celebrate the Fall/Winter birthdays, Christmas and Hanukkah in January when it settles down. Isn't that a smart idea?

Going to Chicago for work tomorrow night for just one short morning, and am having trouble trying to decide what knitting to take! Now is that a case or what? It is one short evening! Of course, I will have to stop at least once on the way back for yarn souvenirs! I' ll let you know where the Yarn Mobile takes me when I get back.

Today was another good day! I spent the morning at Mary's Yarn Shop in Eureka, shopping and knitting. The best part is that the yarn that I bought in Indianapolis in August that I needed three more balls of, Mary had the same yarn in the same color and dye lot!! Now I ask you what is the chances that would ever happen again. Was I living right or what. It was a beautiful day to sit there in her shop and knit on my Twisted Sisters Jacket, I promise pic of the back soon, and see all of the new yarns she is getting in. Makes me want to knit myself silly so I can buy more. I think I will.......

Lots of patterns for 14.95 

Here are two of my recent purchases from Barnes and Noble. Knit Socks is by Betsy McCarthy. I took her sock class at Stitches Midwest. It has some really cute socks that I can't wait to do. The calendar is separate pages for next year.  

What I did tonight besides eat~~~ It was a busy day at work today and I lapsed into my wanting to eat all of my points for the week. Anyway, I finished the right front on the vest. Still had yarn left so I am knitting on the left front now. I can tell I am feeling more like myself, because I am staying up later now and just told myself that I will knit on the left front until I run out of yarn tonight. Besides, I love it, there is great t.v. tonight. At the moment Boston and Anaheim baseball is on and will give me plenty of company..... Yankees won, boo hiss! I like watching baseball , but there is something about the ESPN reporters that bother me. They definitely need to chill, and I can't help wonder just who they are for?? Cardinals won yesterday. Yesterday was a good day!

Tomorrow night I am getting together with friends to knit. Our friend has been gone for over a month, so we are going to have dinner and then knit. So much to talk about.... So much to show. And of course, have talk about going to Mary's Yarn Shop in Eureka on Saturday. Need serious yarn shopping. Hopefully, she will have the same dye lot that I need to finish the vest.

Not the Twisted Sisters jacket back, but rather the back to the vest I am knitting from Noro Kujako yarn. Kujako has this rayon thread that wraps around the yarn and then has really tight wraps every so often. Thus the little blips you see that remind of french buillons. I never quite mastered these in smocking. I bought the yarn at Mass Ave in August and know now that I am going to need at least 2 more, maybe three to do the front. My local yarn shop- Mary's Yarn Shop in Eureka has the same yarn, so I will see how close I come to the same dye lot. Wouldn't it be a hoot if it was the same?

2 Scarves, 2 Days 

I usually take the weekend of Thanksgiving as my weekend to do nothing, but sit and watch t.v. and knit. I will do this again this year, but since a little bit of outpatient surgery on Thursday, I have taken this weekend easy just like I do at Thanksgiving time. I started a new project, Twisted Sisters Jacket that I will show pics of progress tomorrow. But in the mean time, I spent a little time just doing a couple of scarves that I accumulated yarn for. Don't know who they are for, I might give as gifts to ladies at work this year, or I might try and sell them. Anyway pics above this post as to what I have been doing while I recuperate this weekend. I am taking tomorrow off too, need to get up and accumulate myself to getting back to work after sitting around for four days.

No pictures, cause I don't have anything new to report. However, how did it get to be October 1? I want to start something new, but I must hold true and work on my Noro Kujako vest and finish that scarf I started yesterday before I had a little outpatient surgery. I need to go sit in my chair now and knit. Just wanted to let all know the surgery went fine. I feel pretty good except for the throat that feels like when you are getting strep, but that is from the tube, I know, but just needed to whine! Where's the cheese?

I love Fall, seriously, but when it gets to be October 1, I need to start finishing those winter sweaters so they will be ready. Instead, I am working on Christmas and December bdays. I have got to get a handle on this. Maybe 2005 is the year. Speaking of I picked up this cool 2005 calendar box at Barnes and Noble on Tuesday. It has a pattern for each day of the new year. Be sure and check it out, and the price was around $15 too. I also ordered Betsy McCarthy's Knit Socks book and it is in already. Can't wait to get it, it is one of those books that is cut out to look like a sock. Next Tuesday, when I can drive again, I'll go pick it up.

Do you see a trend? Yes, same colors as my tank I created, but this one is from Classic Elite Iceland Wool. I bought the yarn over in Indy at Mass Ave Knits. I thought I was buying enough to felt, but realized when I got home that it was twice the yardage so the Weekend pullover was knit with just a tad left over. 

I am trying to decide what to do with this yarn I got on a recent bus trip to Mass Ave Knits in Indy. I bought 7 skeins. Anyone have any ideas. Email me at pjknits@gallatinriver.net 

Recently finished this tank by doing gauge and using it to make a tank. I am hoping to wear it a couple of more times before Fall sets in.  

Okay, Okay, no more scarves,but had to post just one more. This is from Anny Blatt yarn is for my co-worker's birthday. She is a Mary Kay person on the side and I thought it would be a great addition to the lia sophia watch she is getting.  

And this is a gift from my dear traveling knitting friend, Jan. We saw this in the Pro Shop the first day at Pheasant Run. It sat next to an apple green color. All of my knitting buddies know that those are my current colors of choice these days (the blue is just like the water on our Feb vacations). I walked by it several times, commenting on the bags but resisted the temptation, and one day the blue was missing and that was forgotten. BUT--Jan had made a gift of it to me. See I told you I was blessed. Jan and I had a great time rooming together, and we have already decided even though it is going to be at Rosemont next year, we are GOING to Stitches Midwest again. You know when in Rome---Have a great knitting weekend all! 

The night of the student banquet, I won these Skacel Addi-Turbo Gold needles from the bag that our table won. I didn't know they even had such a thing. Once again, I was pleased. 

AND the best of all, I won this kit and the Knitter's magazine the night of the Fashion Show. Talked about shock! I was the first ticket drawn and I got to pick the first envelope. And of course it had a caribbean blue posty on it so I chose it and low and behold it was the best of all of the ones offered. See--I told you life was good! I got to go up on stage in the bright lights and stand by the gorgeous model. I am still can't believe it. 

These are the two scarves I finished at SMW. The top was bought at Wool and Co on Wednesday and is out of Dune, just a simple seed stitch scarf on big needles. The lower one was started before I went and purchased at Mary's Yarn Shop in Eureka IL 

All my purchases from Stitches Midwest and from Wool and Company on the Wednesday before it all began. Wool and Company has moved to Geneva IL downtown and they have a lovely store. So much fun to shop at. If you get there, go and shop, we loved it, but then I liked it when they were in St Charles too. But now they have so much more room. 

I am back. Boy am I glad it is a long weekend! I have tons of stuff to do, plus wanted to up date by blog since Stitches Midwest. This is a mug I found at the market and doesn't it just say it all? Life is good for me right now. I have an understanding family, great friends to travel with and they are always there for me when I ask them for anything. Life is good! So live it to it's full potential. And remember you can never have enough scarves no matter what anyone says! 

I'm Back! And have been for several days. But life has been so hectic this week. I did my first show as an Advisor for lia sophia and with that and putting away all of my Stitches Midwest stuff (and it is not all put away yet) it has been quite a week. And they actually wanted me to put in time at work and at the old part-time job at church.

I have some pics I have taken, but I don't even have time to show you those yet. Today in about an hour I am on my way to Indianapolis for a bus trip with the Peoria Area Stitches Guild. One of the stops will be Mass Ave Knit Shop. Believe it or not, there are a couple of things that I want to buy that I didn't find at Market or at Wool and Company in Geneva!

Hopefully tomorrow, I will have pics and more to report about Stitches Midwest. It was fabulous except I froze to death in most of the venues at Pheasant Run! It was un normally cold around here for the time of the year and I had all of those wonderful tank tops I just had to wear.

What to do What to do? Two days, well really only one and half days before Jan and I head to Stitches Midwest. I have so much I want to be knitting on. But, tonight is my starter party for lia sophia. Get through it, and tomorrow, return house to normal (yarn all over the place), get nails done, wash car, get money.....Pack and definitely figure out what to take to knit on. I want to take it all, but frankly, there is only much time for knitting up there. Will be doing alot of stash enhancement, stopping at Wool and Company in Geneva on our way up on Wednesday.

When I get home, I have to finish a couple of gifts and then pull out my knitting for me. I finished the last of my Summer tanks so I could take it to Stitches with me. When I get back, I will show you all what followed me home! Until next week...Knit on!

Where is this month getting to? I am going to turn around and it will be September! This is a full month. In little more than a week, my friends and I will be on our way to Stitches Midwest! It seemed like it would never get here and now it is within sight. It is going to be so much fun to see my friend Jan as she walks into the Market for her first time. I want to run in ahead of her and take her picture as she walks in. It is going to be so neat to see her reaction. Just like a kid on Christmas morning. If I get the chance, I will post her picture for all to see. She might not appreciate it, but it is like they always say, a picture is worth a thousand words.

Before I go, though, I have a ton of stuff to do. My sons stripped the wallpaper off of our kitchen where it had been for at least 20 years! It is a start, but right now, I just need to get in back in order and then after Stitches Midwest is over and the first 5 weeks of being a lia sophia advisor is behind me then, I will be able to breathe for just a bit. Our one son will be back at college and his room will be mine to store all those bits of fiber that will be jumping in my car to come home with me. EEEK! I gotta stop thinkin, cause it is starting to consume me and there is so much to be done.

Tomorrow, we go to Mary's Yarn Shop in Eureka for a little knitting and yarn shopping. Not that I need any, but I am working on Two Old Bags Openwork Triangle Tote with Galway and Yellow that I showed a few weeks back. The novelty that I am carrying with the blue is not popping like I think it should, so I am going to see about getting something darker. I will keep you posted. And I need to pick up one of my sweaters that I am going to wear at Stitches and this will be the last chance before we go.

Well, tomorrow is D-Day! It is the last day of July and I swore to myself that I would start on Fall/Winter on the 1st of July. I guess I didn't just say that I would start on Fall/Winter, I said I would put the Summer knitting away didn't I? I guess that means I can't sneak knit on it then? Bt who would know? Well of course I would have to tell all about the finished project if it came to that wouldn't I?

Anyway, I am so excited about what is going on around me these days. I guess August 1 is like New Year's eve only in the Summer. It is a new month, it starts on Sunday (the day I always start my Weight Watchers week over and vow to be on points). On Monday evening, after more than 10 years of being our church treasurer, I get to train someone new to take over for me. It has been a long time in coming, the search started in April and they finally talked someone to take on the new job! I hope by the time I head out for Stitches Midwest in mid month, that he will be fully trained, and I only will have to go back for maybe the odd question or two at month end or year end.

Then, having not even trained someone, I am going to become a lia sophia jewelry advisor! lia sophia, if you haven't heard was formally known as Lady Remington. I will tell more when I know more, but I am doing my starter show in two weeks, here at the house. I hope to have at least one of my sons on his way back to college so I can get his stuff out of "his room" and my yarn back into "my room". "My room" is really Willie's bed room, but possession is 9/10.

Anyway, stay tuned for more developments. Tomorrow, we are back to Mary's Yarn Shop in Eureka to knit and then to Washington lunch! If you ever are down this way, you have got to stop in and see Mary and tell her Penny sent you. It is great to finally have a "local" yarn shop just a half an hour or so away..

This morning I went looking for some yarn and the pattern that I was just sure that I had bought. Along the way, I got into a cleaning mode, cause the wanted stuff was not being found. It entailed going through several plastic boxes and about 8 copy boxes. While sorting through it all, I decided it was time to let some of these old yarns and old WIPs go, so I packed them up and sat them out for the garbage. AND - I am not looking back! Sometimes, you just have to let them go. No one would want some of the yarn, and several of the WIPS were for me when I was about 50 pounds heavier. Some of the yarns were just a little dab leftover, why was I keeping them??

So in my cleaning fit, I found the pattern, it wasn't I thought it was. I found two yarns, they weren't enough to do what I wanted. And best of all, I now have acquired three circular needles for my collection, some stitch holders, and about 2 dozen marker rings. I know there is so much more down there, and I did find some that I definitely have to get back to.

But on Friday, made a list of "have - to - do", and it is an extensive list! It will probably be Christmas day before I can get to the new projects! And Stitches Midwest is less than a month away!! I need to be knitting!!!

I spent the weekend in Iowa visiting ladies I worked with 21 years ago. We came from IL, WI and two from Iowa. It was so good to see them all. Salle on the right I had seen about 6 or 7 years ago when she was back in Peoria. The other two Sally and Marcia I had not seen in more than 20 years. What fun we had! The trip took me about 4 1/2 hours to get home(driving 70 - 80) and about 7 hours to get there. The reason it took me so long to get there is I went the indirect route through Muscatine Iowa, about 2 hours out of my way. BUT--no travel plans cannot not include a yarn excursion. I stopped at Crazy Girl Yarn Shop in Muscatine! Muscatine is the cutest town, sitting on the Mississippi River and they have a yarn shop that over looks the river. How cool! Of course, I bought yarn, but you can't see it, because it is slated for a gift for one of the Radical Knitters and some day I am gonna tell them about my blog and I wouldn't want to give all of my surprises away. Anyway, have car will travel to see old friends and of course yarn shop! I heartily recommend the trip! 

And finally, for today. This is the group of yarns I bought at Mary's Yarn Shop in Eureka last Saturday. The blue and yellow on left and the eyelash in the front is going to be a purse from Two Old Bags. The variegated is going to be a tank yet to be decided....Chickami if I can find my pattern I bought, possibly one from Knitters Spring Issue or my own design if I have enough yarn. Do you see a color theme? Caribbean Blue..... 

This is what I covet. However, I only have 6000 miles on the Yarn Mobile and unless I win the lotto and finance it and the yarn shop, that is what it will remain, a covet. 

This is what I have - the PJKNITS yarn mobile.