I Have Become A Junky!

Of what?

Of t.v. crime shows. Yesterday, was the SVU Marathon, today Criminal Intent. I sat most of the day and watched the ones I hadn't seen. It was great for knitting. I finally had to get a shower around 2 but was back in my chair around 3 continuing my habit.

Of blogs. Everyday, I have a list of blogs that I regularly check in on. With the holidays, not everybody has been posting as regularly, so some I have just been checking out periodically. Last night, I happened upon a new site (referred by Zenneedle). The new site www.cast-on.com turned me onto something new. Podcasts. This podcast is about knitting. You can download them to your computer and listen to them, or do as I did and add it to my new MP3Player and listen to it at my leisure. It's interesting and a whole new mode. This particular one is by Brenda Dayne. Can't tell you a whole lot, cause I fell asleep listening last night, but she has some great music intermingled with her talking about stuff. Kind of reminds me of books on tape. I never could fully stay awake while listening to them. But the music is so different than what I have ever heard that I find myself wanting to investigate it a little further. This MP3 has me intrigued and now I see myself being sucked into using it while waiting at appointments, at lunch when I want to be myself, at night when I have seen all of the episodes of crime shows. My family has created yet another monster.

Of Knitting. There is even an ipod mitted pattern that I printed off last night. I am going to try and adapt it to a thicker and narrower MP3 player. Okay, I am going over the edge, but I like it. Speaking of over the edge, can you guess what this is?It is NOT a medical procedure, that's all the hint I am giving you.


As I have mentioned several times this past week, I have totally enjoyed this time off. I read on a blog last night, how someone else out there has been just like me, and finally figured out yesterday that she needed to actually get dressed in somenthing other than sweat pants and do something. That's me today. I am actually going to get a shower, and get out of the pjs before noon. I gotta run some errands before they close down for New Years Eve. I will actually eat right starting today and stop trying to trick my stomach into behaving badly. So far, this past week it has acted a little normal. I wonder if it is Lactose Intolerance. Does that come on all of a sudden? Hmmm.

Tomorrow, I WILL get up at my regular time and act like a human being and go to bed at the normal time too. That way, come Tuesday, I will be ready when I have to go back to work. But until then, it is still the holiday, and I got a whole day of Criminal Intent I can knit by. And of course, I need to make my New Year's Knit Resolutions.

Be safe out there tonight! Better yet, do like we are! Stay in and enjoy good company!

This is what is left of the 27 scarves I made last year. Two! Who would of thought! On Christmas Eve, I took the bag to the in-laws. I told my sister-in-law, mother-in-law and neice they could all choose one. What a hoot, it was, they loved it. They couldn't make up their minds. My mother-in-law, almost up to the time I was taking them out the door, was not really sure which one she wanted. My sister-in-law enlisted the help of her husband, and my neice was pretty sure which one she wanted. It was so much fun, to see them excited over a simple little scarf. That's what I like to see, real excitement and pure joy!

On Christmas, my mother-in-law showed it off at our house. Simple pleasures. I let my mom choose too, she picked the white one right away. She was equally happy. I never thought she would want one, but she really did. That is what the holiday is about. Simple pleasures.

Now, I gotta knit up some more! But, the cool thing? I have the stash to do it.

11 Days of Christmas Update

I know you have been on pins and needles waiting. Quite often, I have pondered why I blog. Yes, I have a few who might read it and see what I am up to, but I think I finally hit it on the head. This is my journal. Knit mostly, but also other things occasionally. The blog will never make the "best" ever contest, but for me it is fun. It gives me a chance to be funny (yea, right), write what I want (well not really, cause sometimes, you don't want friends and family to know everything, just in case they happen upon the blog in a search), and test out web design (okay, I don't think I will ever get that!) I think that takes a whole series of classes!

Okay, now for the update of 11 Days of Christmas. Is it Thursday already? 5 days and I have to go back to work. The work schedule in January brings something every week (several doctors appt for the tall guy, just check ups, and the colonoscopy for me) and then factor in Martin Luther King off and lia sophia meeting in Chicago at the end of the next week. Before you know it, it will be February! And the radio station will be going to Mexico and I will be sitting here.

Oh, sorry an update. It's going well! Yesterday was knit day and as you can see below, I can multi task. Knitting, copying music t my new MP3 player, and dubbing some knit tapes to DVD at the same time. I think I'll do a little more dubbing today and knit until I have wheels at my disposal. I still have 6 things on my list (hey, #1 had several parts to it and I hope to have it along with the errands ran as soon as my kid gets home with the car.

This is what retirement is like huh?

Today Is An All Knit Day!

That is what I am going to do while I get caught up on laundry. I will have the house all to myself today and no car at my disposal. Everyone is either working or off visiting girlfriends. So, I am going to sit in my knitting spot, knit, convert some tapes to DVD, drink coffee and just veg. Doesn't that sound like fun?




I have all of my Christmas decorations put away, my snowman theme is out (until about mid February when I will bring the knit theme back out) and my yarn is back where it belongs. Things are back like normal, except I don't have to work or do anything I don't want to! Now this is a vacation!

11 Days of Christmas Update tomorrow. I know you can hardly wait to hear how I am progressing.

I Know I Say This Almost Every Christmas

But this was a good Christmas. Since my mom stopped having Christmas, and comes to our house at noon and to my brother's that night, things have been so much calmer. The morning is fast and furious, but along about 4:00, we can sit back and enjoy the calmness and the holiday. Who knows how long this will all last, but it sure is nice for now. Part of it could be that there is no work the next day too. Here's a little of the Christmas morning fun at our house.










And this is my present. The tall guy always manages to surprise me. I never would have asked for this MP3 player. But boy do I love it (at least what I can figure out so far). The clarity of the sound is unreal.





And the 11 days of Christmas are dwindling, but I am having so much fun, I am just like a kid out of school. Today, I slept all the way to 8:45! I haven't done that forever!

Happy Hanukkah!

Happy Holidays To All of My Friends!
Norma, Jan, Jo, Char and Linda--You're the Best!

The Eleven Days of Christmas

You read it right. I have 11 days of Christmas. That is I have 11 whole days OFF! Yes, that includes weekends and holidays, but I'm counting em. And of course, in keeping with my never ending list making, I have compiled 11 things I ABSOLUTELY want to accomplish!

Here is my list!
1- lia sophia tax stuff ready, lia returns ready to go back, lia sophia newsletter for January/February ready and the website updated
2- Some post xmas knitting projects complete (can't tell you what it is, cause they are a surprise for some people I know)
3- My knitting tapes converted to DVD
4- 2004/2005 lia sophia customer/hostess data base update and complete (okay this may take a while, but at least have it started or maybe just set up)
5- A Retirement Party kind of sort of Planned at least the invites ready to go
6- Finish Harry Potter or at least read some more of it
7- My knit camp project decided and maybe started
8- Stuff around the house, like cleaned, xmas put away (once it over and back to normal) and my snowmen/knitting themed stuff back up. And my yarn cabinets back in the living room out of the boys room
9- Digital Pics off of the disk and onto CD and printed
10- lia sophia new jewelry order ready, along with some clean up of what is being discontinued
11- And last a couple of errands ran, which means I actually have to get dressed and out on the streets in the next 11 days

Looks like alot of lia stuff, but I have been letting it slide a bit, and I need to take advantage of the time to get ready for next year! What I didn't mention in my 11 days of Christmas is that every day will involve KNITTING! Every single day and that includes Christmas itself! I love it, could it be any better? Well, yes, it could, I could be sitting on a beach somewhere KNITTING!

Do My Friends Know Me Or What?

And they always come up with something new to surprise me. I do work with a great bunch. Not only do they worry about me and listen to my unending problem (so it would seem), but they know just what to get me for Christmas. And never a duplicate among them. Now, for 11 days off! Yippy Skippy!

Are these way cool or what? These are a Xmas Gift from my friend Kathy at work. She knew when she saw them they were for me. Lime green and Palm Trees! And they are so comfy. I had them on at my desk yesterday for just a little bit. They are cushy and warm too. She knows me so well! Several years ago, she bought me a big snowman sitting in a lounge chair with flip flops on, and had put a sign Penny at Christmas on a Beach! Don't ya just love Christmas?!

I'm working on the Pyth Jacket tonight. And wondering if ever will be finished and what I could/should be working on next. Can you tell I am getting itchy to do something else? This is how I keep track of what I am suppose to do on each row. When I pack it up to take it with me, I put a colored paper clip with the large head facing out on the row I am suppose to be working on.


I bought the block of wood with a slit in it from Meg Swansen's Knit Camp many years ago. The slit cut in it is wide enough to hold one of those magnetic boards upright in. It's perfect sitting next to my knitting chair.

Knit Camp,hmmmm, I gotta get started on something.

This is a birthday present from my friend Jan who lives in Texas. This is nice to read just one story at a time. I am savoring it that way. Kind of like a Advent Calendar. And Jan wrote such a lovely note in it too.

Tonight I am working on the Pyth Jacket sleeve. Only one more week and then I have a whole 10 days off! I am going to so enjoy it. Sitting around in my jammies til whenever and knitting and doing a little lia sophia organizing too! Can hardly wait. I am just like the kids are when they know Christmas and Christmas vacation is coming. I guess I never grew up!

The Weather Is Like My Knitting

It's snowed again, and this afternoon it is suppose to rain and who knows what that will bring as far as driving conditions. That's how my Twisted Sisters knitting goes. Always changing, never knowing which way it is going to go. I have been working on the Desdemona all weekend long until I hit a snag. Between my knitting and the pattern, something is just not right. I checked the website for corrections and there were some, but nothing that I couldn't handle. So back to knitting it, and it just isn't making sense. So after a couple of nights, I picked up the Pyth jacket, and said what the heck keep knitting on it and see where it goes. I really liked it better anyway.

Maybe I ought just put both of them away and knit on something else, ya know, just ignore them both....but I have imposed on no new yarn (read as big yarn) purchases until the Twisted Sisters is done in some shape or form!

I Accomplished A Couple of Things Yesterday

Got my tree up and wrapped presents. And I hate wrapping presents.


Finished this Carumba scarf. This is scarf #27 this season. It is so soft and comfy feeling. The recepient is Maria at work. She had this cool orange sweater on Friday and I told her how this scarf was hers once it was finished. It looked so neat up against the orange.

This is what watches me at my computer until after Christmas. I brought out a few more decorations yesterday. And thought this is a perfect place for this stuffed animal my mom bought me sometime ago. She likes shopping for these things and I am getting quite a collection of them. I am running out of places to put them.

Late last night and today, I am working on the Desdemona Jacket from Twisted Sisters. Will report more on that later next week.

Threadbear Fiberarts has all of their kits on sale this weekend. I have been lusting over these two colorways from Hanne Falkenberg.
http://www.knit.dk/mermaid4.htm or http://www.knit.dk/mermaid3.htm

I did a little investigation--- $249.99 on some sites! At 20 % that would make it $199.99! There is not enough Christmas money for this one. But upon further investigation there are some Ebay sites that have it for around $140. Things that make you hmmmmm? But, even at $140, I cannot, I will not buy until I have Twisted Sisters done!

Just had to take a little time out for a little yarn looking. Today, I am gonna put my tree up and finish putting some things away, wrap some presents and watch/listen to Elvis movies on A&E. And not going outside for nothin!

When doing a simple scarf all in garter stitch, I usually slip the first stitch of every row as if to purl. Above is the exception, I tried it with this Crystal Palace Treo scarf. As you can tell from the pic, it just leaves a big unsightly worm up the side. So, I ripped it out and started over. I also ran out of yarn. The gal at the yarn shop said she only used one. I doubted that given the yardage. I should have went with my instinct, cause now I have to make a trip back just for this one skein of yarn.

The Tuesday at Noon Knitters Group

Earlier this Fall, a group at work asked me if I would do a knitting group at work on lunch on Tuesdays. Since we have to stay in and eat (cause the weather is too rotten to sit outside), I thought it would be fun. And it has. We even attracted some who just want to sit with us.

This is Maria's knitting. Don't ya just love the colors!


And finally, I exchange Christmas presents with three of these ladies from Tuesdays. Since they all three are either very new knitters or a knitter who does not have any supplies, I went shopping last week for some supplies for their Christmas present. I'll include one of those Lancome make up bags I seem to collect so many of so they will have something to put them in.

I Love This Poof Stuff!



This is like the 4th scarf I have used Poof with Encore Chunky to knit them with. The pattern is just 26 stitches in a K2 P2 rib on a size 13 needle. The combo of this particular one reminds me of those Bun candy bars that were my favorite as a kid. The Encore and the poof are so soft together. This particular scarf finished out with about 58 inches long. I used 1 1/2 balls of each. I had a tad bit left on each one, so I started a smaller version on 18 stitches with K2P2 rib. But ran out after about 12 inches, so I am thinkin I might have to get one more ball of the Brown Encore to finish off the poof and the scarf.

This scarf is for one of the gals I work with. I think I am done with the actual scarf present knitting. I am not finished with my holiday knitting, but the scarves that I absolutely have to have done are done!

Sometimes, you need to just stand back and let it veg!

After finishing the tunic, and in between another project I am working on, I decided to start working again on the Twisted Sisters Yarn. It was a major investment AND I want to do the Mermaid Jacket from Hanne Falkenberg, but it is another MAJOR investment and I cannot do it until the Twisted Sisters is complete in one form or another. I started the Pyth Jacket sometime ago with modifications and as some will remember it just was not working out. So I left it and started Desdemona. This is where it is. And I am just not sold on it.


So, I laid the three out on the couch and let it sit all day Saturday, walkin by and trying to decide what to do. The far right is my finished Pyth in another yarn with added bands for length. The middle is the new Pyth with modifications. Problem is the back comes all the way to where the front is. And there is no real solution for this unless I modify the front too. The left one is Desdemona with three colors and I just don't like it.


So I threw it on the dining table late last night and decided I would deal with it today. Then, this morning or last night in bed, I thought what if I take the colors of the Pyth jacket and put them into Desdemona? The result is here this morning, I just laid Pyth next to Desdemona. I like it! I just hope I have enough purple to do it.


Sometimes, it pays to let it sit or take a picture and put it on the big screen to see how it really looks. Now, I am ready to proceed, cause I want to do that Hanne Falkenberg Mermaid Jacket!

I Had A Great Thanksgiving, How About You?

We had a great day at the inlaws. Good food, the family was there, played some cards, won some prizes and knit a little on the scarf for Betty's birthday. Came home had wine and cheese, sat with the t.v. on the candles lit and slept in the chair. All was perfect.

The day started off great. Wednesday night, after posting I sat down in my chair, with my blankee and some coffee. I was all settled in and noticed that Betty's scarf was across the room as well as my glasses. I was hoping for telekinetic powers to make them come over to me. They didn't! So I looked down in the basket sitting next to me and saw the tunic with the un-finished last sleeve just looking back at me. So I figure, what the heck, I'll knit on it until the coffee is gone in my cup and when I get up, I'll get the scarf and glasses and knit on it. Well, I did eventually get up to get more coffee, but I just kept right on knitting on the tunic sleeve. And on Thursday, I got up before everyone else (I love doing this),watched the Today Show and QVC, drank some coffee and finished the tunic. I was so proud of myself! It's done! 14 Balls of Debbie Bliss Aran Yarn later (I have one whole ball left) The pattern is a combo of Carol Anderson's Wallaby and Tunic Sweater pattern.





What am I doing today? Shopping via QVC (already bought myself something), knitting in my chair and drinkin coffee. Sure, I'll do a little laundry and I want to do a little lia sophia shopping for others for Christmas, but other than that, I am a chair potato today!

WoooHooo! It's the Weekend!

4 Luscious days to do nothing. Well, tomorrow I do, but after that.....
Well, I do have to do a little cleaning, the laundry, finish a project that I am writing/clip art for the Girl's Christmas Party.

Okay so it is not a whole 4 days without doing anything.....but at least other than tomorrow, I don't have to get out of my pajamas. Well, okay, maybe on Friday, because one of my lia sophia hostesses is stopping by to pay me. So, I guess I will have to get dressed!

But, I don't have to shop! If anyone shops, it will be up to the tall guy to get it done.

Happy Thanksgiving to you all! May you have too have 4 days where you don't have to do anything you don't want too!

Scarf #25


After a Fall of scarf knitting for a benefit, for a bazaar and for a friend's birthday next week, I have knit 25 scarves so far. The whole time I am knitting this latest one from Lion Brand Fun Fur Stripes, I am telling myself this is it. No more, back to my regular scheduled knitting!

But then, this Encore has been taunting me. It is one lonely ball of 200 yards. Why did I only buy one ball? That won't do the seaman's scarf I always knit. It takes at least 1 1/2 - 2 balls. Oh, yea, I remember, I acutally bought the one ball to go with an eyelash yarn I had previously bought. I knit a little of the two together last summer and decided you could not see the color variations on the Encore at all. So it sat there. I wondered if I could get one more? I could from Patternworks, I see that they still have it in their catalog, but I am trying to use up some yarn and I don't want to buy it. And I wanted to knit a scarf for warmth for my friend's birthday next week, but given the way she loses them, I did not want to go out and buy two skeins of anything more.

And then it hit me. I have been knitting all of these 25 scarves on big needles and a lot less than 200 yards have been involved with them! And so I decided to come down a size of needles and knit and see what happens. I think this looks pretty good! So, I am going to knit on this one last scarf for now! It will be the Thanksgiving day project for at the in-laws. Then I am done with scarves for now, really, it will be back to my regular scheduled knitting! No, really!

The Pink Yarn That Refuses To Be Knit



Last year in the Fall I bought this pink Encore Bulky yarn for a small poncho. When I finished it, I just did not like it so I cut the yarn, and threw the poncho away and kept the leftover. Then, I started knitting with a lime version of the same yarn with a strand of Plymouth Poof. I liked the lime so much and I still had two and 1/2 skeins left of the pink, so I went back to the yarn shop about this same time last year and bought poof to go with it.

So now, I am knitting a scarf like the lime one (which I gave away), and it would appear that I am not going to use it all up! I think I am still going to have a ball left and some poof to go with it! This pink just will not let me knit it all up! It wants to live! It's starting to annoy me now!

I think I may be done celebrating my birthday from last week. My mother/father in law gave me this on Saturday when we celebrated. Won't he look cute with a scarf and hat upon his head!

I'm milkin this birthday for as long as I can. These were gifts from my comrads at work. My secret pal sent me the caribe blue bath sfuff (she just got my name the day before my birthday) and Shelley, my co-worker in Purchasing bought me the portable beach and the candle so that this winter I can imagine I am there. Brenda, one of our traveling companions bought me the "Trip Money" Bank to save $ for my 2007 trip (hopefully). Kathy who used to work with me in Purchasing bought me the high heeled flip flop and Maria gave me my own street sign, Penny Lane. Do these people know me? I am so lucky to have them to work with! Stay tuned for my birthday that lasts and lasts.

I love it! Who says birthdays aren't fun when you get older??

Today was the Womens Lifestyle Event in Peoria.

My lia sophia group had a table and we worked shifts. I had the first shift with a couple of other gals from our group. Did not book any parties or take any orders, but we had a lot of women go through who signed up for a chance at winning the Sea Grass Set. Hopefully, there will be some new names to go after for future shows and jewelry sales.

But the funny thing about Lifestyles Event is that there tons of vendors there. And of course from a far what do you think I saw?? YARN, yes Yarn. I had finished my shift and was just going to look a bit before heading home. I was suppose to go yarn shop hopping with a friend from work after Lifestyles, but we were short handed in the booth so I worked longer and told her to go without me. Anyway, back to the YARN. It was from a shop over in Bloomington called The Fiber Shop. It is in her home, and is by appointment only, but she is having a sale on December 2nd and 3rd that is not by appointment! Might have to do a little yarn shop hopping on those days.

She has some different stuff and had some knit items for sale today which were fun to look at. Some great felted flowers, that I just have to try. Her daughter had a Noro ribbed capelet (yes, I had to buy the book), I liked it better than the previous one I made. The neck of the one her daughter was modeling was not as high up as this one pictured, which would be nice to try. The Noro book had some other interesting sweaters in it so it was worth the look see.

And of course, I had to buy yarn and it is for a scarf but it is really soft. The scarf is a ribbed scarf with a cable down it. Can't wait to wind it up and then start it too... but tonight we have to go to celebrate my birthday one more time. What I really wouldn't mind is just putting my sore foot up (I'll tell you about that tomorrow unless it is a fond memory. BUT, BACK to the YARN....it is one of my favorite colors, can you guess what one?

Happy Birthday to Me!

Thats all for today!

Where everybody knows your name...

Another part of the conversation that we had yesterday at lunch. Leslie and I were talking about local yarn shops and how one is missing the boat. The Radical Knitters tried several Thursdays at a knit night and didn't just quite feel the ambiance that we should have. Leslie and I discussed that a little yesterday.

So, if and when I ever when that lotto, and have my own shop, I vow that it will be like Cheers! where everybody knows your name! I miss that it a local yarn shop.

The tall guy and I discussed that if we one big, we had have to fight over who stayed working (for the insurance), I said it would probably have to be me cause I have the good benefits, he said we could both quit cause if we really won big, we wouldn't have to worry about it. Guess I'd better buy the ticket first, huh, Norma?

I'm having a pretty good week.

This is night two that I have got to come straight home! And tomorrow I get to too. Did not get to knit on the tunic sweater last night, I read instead and worked on doing some lia sophia business. Tonight, I knit on it a bit but, man those sleeves have a long way to go to get just one done!! I don't think my time line of Saturday morning is going to be met, but one never knows.

I'm tired tonight since I cut back on my coffee consumption (as of yesterday) and because I think I have been drinking too much of it and thought it was part of a little problem I have had. But tomorrow, I am going back to drinking it like I always do. It hasn't made a difference, and no I have not had any headaches, but I am tired and not real nice (at least at home) so it just ain't worth it! And I like my coffee!

So whatever is going on inside me is just gonna have to live with the coffee cause it is not going away!

Today was the first Tuesday of the Winter Knitting Club during lunch at work. Two showed up, one without her knitting and the other a short timer because in a few weeks Leslie will be not working on Tuesdays. She will be there on Fridays though which will be fun. We started the Winter Knitting Club because of a suggestion that we do one. I said what the heck, I usually sit in the Student Lounge anyway during the winter and I might just as well talk knitting and maybe encourage others to learn how to knit or further their skills. I hope it picks up as others see us knitting. As each person came in with their lunch today, I asked them if they brought their knitting (even of those I knew were not game) but you never know when someone will respond with a yes! Especially when they see how much fun we have!

I know that Winter is coming~~~

I remember as a child that the weather on my birthday was cold and usually windy with a little bit of precipation. I can remember walking home from school, in my big gray fur coat with black buttons anticipating the night ahead and the fact that the next day was Veteran's Day (no school) and I would have the whole day after to play with my birthday stuff!

But, this last week and next week seems to be a little different. Weather is the upper 60s? So, we have been given a repreive, but this morning I am back working on the Tunic sweater. My anticipated deadline for it is this Friday night. I am hoping to have the sleeves completed (which will finish it), but the real thought is if I need any more yarn to complete it I could run over to Morton and pick up more yarn on Saturday after I do my stint at the Women's Lifestyle Event (Booth 136) in the morning.

I may even get to wear the tunic this Fall before the real weather sets in!

I Knit a bit, I read a bit!

I'm reading this at the moment


I can't wait to see who done it. I think I might even read today at lunch if I'm alone. If not, I'll knit. Life is good.

I just had to share this picture with you all.


These were my boss' day present from Shelley who works with us. Aren't they cute? Snoopy also has a Flying Ace costume, complete with goggles. They sat on my chair yesterday with a pumpkin full of Peanuts fruit snacks for my little visitors. Shelley bought the fruit snacks for me too. Isn't she the greatest? And she is learning how to knit!

While cleaning in my closet on Saturday, I ran across a shopping bag. It had odds and ends of some yarns and a partially made moebius along with a sweater from Sally Melville's very first book. I threw it all away. Now, before you all faint, for the most part their wasn't much in the bag, they were leftovers and the sweater was from a time when I was a little heavier and it was no where near complete! But, there was one more thing in the bag, this---

I think I bought this kit at the very first TKGA event I attended years ago up in Lansing Michigan with my friend Julie. At the same time I bought the kit for the yellow and black bee sweater from Monkey Suits. The bee sweater is in another box somewhere in the basement. As I recall it is in pieces, it just needs to be finished. I will get to it eventually, but isn't this kit cute? And the best part is that it is still in the plastic, so I don't think the cigarette smell that once was a part of everything in the basement made it into the yarn. But what really counts is the memories it brings back. What fun shopping and knitting and being with friends is!

I'm Done.

I have decided you can only knit have tos for so long. So this morning after I finished a scarf, started knitting another one, that I did not like the way it was turning out, I decided I am now knitting only what I want to. The scarves that have recently made their way to the Bazaar bag are below. I have a couple of others and that will have to be it. IF-I knit any more scarves this week, it will be because I want to, not because I think I should.


The Poncho- This is why stash yarn is not good!

This is Lionbrand Woolease. The flecked Woolease has been discontinued. Aunt Mary's in Rochelle says they have it. I will check into it this week and if they do, I will have them send me 2. Then I can knit it big enough that the intended recepient can wear it next Spring.

Now, it is time for me to knit what I want. I have had enough for today!

I am going to whine, only one more time!

Really, I will only whine one last time. You know its bad when you wake up with a headache. This has been one busy week. I still have so much to do and it does not involve knitting. I have shows out the whazoo to close (still have to meet with two tomorrow and later this week) and enter.

Today, I am going to get a handle on it, so I can enjoy some of my next week. I am going to start by cleaning this desk off, getting the piles in order, orders keyed in, I will at least vacuum around me and then I am going to head to the basement to take my warm clothes out and put the hot ones away. I have not broke out the coats yet, but I think I am even going to break down and do that.

Tonight, I have to go to the birthday party for the poncho girl. It is not done so I broke down and bought a Barbie thing from the pink aisle last night. I will finish the ponch later this weekend and give it to her when it is done.

After all of the above is accomplished, I am going to reward myself with a week of knitting. Yes, I will be mostly knitting on scarves until the Bazaar on Thursday, but once that is done, I am knitting just what I want!

Thanks for listening to me whine, I am done now and I promise to be better, really I will.

I'm On Deadlines

Really, I am. The next time I turn around it is going to be November and I am going to be glad of it. This week will seriously be over, before I even have a chance to see it. In some respects it is good, cause I have alot of lia sophia business to take care of, but in others (knitting) it stinks.

At the moment, I am knitting on deadline stuff, not stuff I want to be knitting on. I am knitting a poncho out of a woolease I bought some years ago. I sent the back half with a coworker to her church on Sunday to measure it up against a four year old there. She came back and said it was too short, but then the more we talked, if I add fringe it might be okay but my intended recepient (has to be done by Saturday at 5:00 p.m.) for her to wear this year, but not in the Spring probably. And I don't have much yarn left. So I went to Michael's last night, hoping to find one more skein of it, of course there isn't any, I didn't expect there to be! So I am going to keep knitting on the second piece and soon will cut fringe for both and then see what I have left. I will take the yarn and knit on both til it is gone and that will be it. I'm thinkin a nice book from Barnes and Noble is in order, don't you?

My next deadline for knitting is next Thursday. I am knitting scarves for our Bazaar at work. The proceeds (after I take my yarn $) out are going towards a Christmas party we have for just the girls. I thought I would have more (back from the benefit last Friday) but it seems that what they didn't sell, they gave away as door prizes. So I need to knit some of those.

After that I promise, I really do, that it is back to some long awaited socks. Cause it is getting sock weather! By the time the socks are done it will be Thanksgiving, and I can be one again knitting just for me! Talk about wishing your life away.

Tonight is Knitting at Lakeview Library. I am looking forward to seeing everybody and just sitting and knitting. It will be the poncho, but perhaps it will be nearer to being finished and then onto scarves!

You know what gripes my butt?

When I go shopping at Walmart and there sits on the magazine rack, the Holiday Issue of Vogue Knitting and I don't have the one I subscribe to yet! So as soon as I get home, I run to the mailbox, expecting to see my Vogue Knitting there, so I can sit a leisurely Saturday afternoon and evening admiring it. And was it there? No. So then I think to myself, maybe the last issue was my last issue. No, I don't think it is, I think the holiday issue should be.

And I think again, here is yet another reason to not subscribe, just check it out at my neighborhood Walmart when it is on the stand and see if it is worth actually buying rather than having a magazine subscription that comes, I flip through it and there is absolutely nothing I would knit out of it. Until of course, I read on a blog somewhere that they are knitting a really cool "whatever" from the issue that I did not have cause there was never anything to knit out of Vogue Knitting.

I just can't win. Kind of like the Cardinals, huh...back to knitting....

I got my books on Saturday from Knit Picks. Love that place, order at least $30 and shipping is free, so of course you know I did. I am reading Yarn Harlot slowly. a little bit at a time and enjoying it. It is different than her first book which was full of Knit Wit and I saw myself in many of the pages. This one is more short stories but are entertaining. I very much can identify with the wedding sweaters. It reminds me of a sweater that I crocheted for Bob many many years ago.

Bob is a tall man and I wanted it to fit so I crocheted the heck out of it. It was way too big everywhere so I put it in the washer and dryer. When you want something to shrink it doesn't. And it didn't. It was a hoot, he posed for a picture for it and never wore it again. I don't think I ever "finished" another one for him.

I am still making my way through Sally's book. This morning I noticed a wrap I might like to do, I think mainly because of the colors, browns and such. At first notice it looked like something other than a wrap on Sally and I think that is what drew me to it.

As funny as it seems, I am actually seriously looking at both of these.


The skirt just looks interesting but okay so I won't actually wear it, but I could see it on someone, really I could. And the sweater, well does that not just reach out and say it is Penny?! You know it does! It has 2 of the prereq colors, Caribe Blue and Lime.