Happy New Year!

Suspender Sweater Done

I love it. I loved knitting with Berroco's Ultra Alpaca. And I have two skeins left. With 215 yards on each skein, I'll have enough for a scarf. That should be nice and cozy.

I had to start over a couple of times on weaving the garter stitch side seams. I had never done it before. I got the Glossary DVD out and Handknitting with Meg to see how to do it. Finally, after almost weaving one whole side seam, I figured out, mine looks best when done from the wrong side. Then the right side looks much better. I am not sure if I missed that along the way or if it was just me.

Last night I started back with the Round the Bend sweater. I need to find something that is some mindless knitting for Knit Nights and at lunch work knitting.

Today, is the last real vacation day. After today, everybody will be back at home for the weekend and it will just be a weekend. I am going to haul out the baby yarns and decide on options at least three baby sweaters that I need for this Spring. One I know will be a girl's and one for my great nephew that I have talked about before. The other I won't know for sure for another couple of weeks. This should be fun!

Had A Little Scare Last Night

I finished knitting and sewing up the last sleeve seam with about 12 inches left of yarn. And I still had the side seams to weave. I was sure I had at least one extra ball left somewhere. I distinctly remember telling myself that there was no need to worry.

Do you think I could find it? I searched all the camp stash twice. I went through bags that I knew it wouldn't be in. I did find another sweater in progress that I want to finish for knit camp, but no Alpaka.

Then, right before I sat down to go online and see if Schoolhouse Press could send me a skein, I checked one more spot. I did not think it would be there, because that spot is reserved for other stash. But, low and behold, there they were, two skeins of it! Yippee Skippy!

Today, I weave the seams together. I don't think I have ever done that. Time to get Schoolhouse Press' Glossary DVD out!

Christmas 2006

We had a great Christmas! Except for when my niece announced that they were thinking about getting married in July?!!What, did I not tell her that was Knit Camp month?

I am off all this week and enjoying the heck out of it, even though, the first day was spent taking the tree down, bringing out my snowmen (at least the ones I could get to) and bringing out a little of the yarn collection. I have a stash that I want to knit on before Knit Camp this July. Okay, I was at her first wedding, I may not make it to the second wedding.

I did not get to knit at all yesterday. And today, is errand day. I have to exchange my coat in Peoria , the tall guy bought me. I have a nail appointment (broke one yesterday all the way to my nail, it bled, it hurt and it still hurts!) Then this afternoon, evening, am heading to my mom's to celebrate her birthday.

Which after today, leaves just two official vacation days left in the week and I am being selfish with them. I want to just sit at home and knit and plan my projects for the new year which includes the above mentioned pre-knit camp projects and at least two baby gifts. Not to mention, I still owe something knitted for my great-nephew, but I think a nice Spring sweater is really what I want to do.

The new baby with his Cousin A. Notice the hand knit bib. My neice likes how absorbent it is. I'll have to make some more in a larger version for her.
The new baby with his Cousin B.

I like Christmas, but I love having the week off in between when I can pretty much have the house to myself and get out the pajamas when I want to. Yesterday it was 3 in the afternoon, today, I gotta get moving!

I'm On Vacation

Not the kind of vacation where you go away (that's a little over 50 days away).

This one is just from work. I don't have to go back until January 2nd. I know it will go fast, but I am going to enjoy it. I have a list of stuff I want to accomplish and alot of it is knitting. I hope I get some of it done.

It just feels good to be free to do what I want. Knitting included.

Merry Christmas

I've Got a New Book

The only problem is there are no yardages of how much yarn is used for each? Not yet that I have found. Needle sizes yes, but no estimated yarn, hmm?
I used a gift cert that my boss gave me for my birthday to order this book. I saw it at my local yarn shop and was taken by the simple sweaters with great yarns.


As I read through it, I think maybe I should give it to Willie's girlfriend for Christmas instead of the Knitting Without Tears that is wrapped for her. But, I am not going to.
As I pen a little note to the girlfriend explaining why I am giving her a EZ book, it validates why she needs to know about the "godmother of circular knitting" as I put it.

Someday, I hope she "understands it" and wants to learn more. The designs in my new book are built on two simple patterns with great yarns.

This book screams one of our knitting friends!




One thing that I noted early in the book, Kitty has her local yarn shop finish (for a fee) the sweaters she knits. Hey, Linda we could use a local yarn shop that did that for us couldn't we!!

I'm Ahead For Next Year

I spent alot of time working on this scarf the last few weeks, just to decide that there was no way I was going to get it done in time for this year's Christmas present to the gal we work with. So, now I can work towards finishing it for her for next year.

It is a knock off of a scarf that I saw in the Athleta catalog. Or a narrower version of the pocket shawl that Knit Picks had a free pattern for. I had the yarn forever and knitted until it was gone. I think, now I will trim the pockets with a navy rib.

Boy, it feels good to be ahead of the game! VBG

There Comes A Time

when you just say enough. Enough. The new baby does not need anything knitted for Christmas. I'll knit a Spring sweater for him. Then, I don't have to feel guilty for not giving something to the other two for Christmas. The red scarf will look better on my gray coat then the intended recepient. Besides, jewelry is always good for a 50th birthday!


These flip flop socks have been given absolution. They don't have to be done before Christmas.

Now, I can return to knitting for myself.

I feel so much better now!

If You Could Have Seen Me

I spent the entire weekend with knitting needles in my hand. And probably every waking moment this week after work you will see the same thing. I have paired down the list of what MUST be done. One pair of flip flop socks, one scarf and one hat and mitten set.

Accomplished this weekend, three scarves, two of which did not have to be done, but I spent time knitting them anyway. Heck none of them really had to be done, I could of not. The two outside scarves ended up being shorter than I really wanted them to be, but I kind of knew that going into them. But still I knit them.

And a pair of mittens, to go with one of the scarves. Again, I didn't need to do them, I already had something for the intendee, but her scarf from last year, had an accident, so instead of trying to repair,Walmart had the same yarn and I made a new one. And since I was doing mittens for other friends, I figured she'd be disappointed if she did not get some too.

Oh, the rationale!

Absolutely No Knitting Was Done Yesterday



And I doubt today either. It's another full day for me, a meeting first thing, then mostly eating-two potlucks at lunch to attend and a dinner tonight! And that is even the Unit Party yet. And I have to weigh in at noon. Am I tired? But, this is the worst of it. I still have shopping to do and loads of knitting, but after tonight, I should be able to get back at my regular schedule!

But, I did get my tree up and some packages wrapped. I was so pleased about that! But, now I think they need some of those cute little mittens for decor on the top. You know the pattern...it was on the Knitting Calendar a few days back....Someone stop me please!!

Holiday Knitting Still To Do

This bag contains everything that I would like to accomplish for the Holidays. Realistically, at this moment, I'm ready to chuck one of them. It's not a gift, it is something a coworker asked me to knit for a friend of hers. Its not crucial as far as I'm concerned.

Tomorrow night, I'll make the decision. Tonight I shopped. My feet burn. Never again will I be this far behind and not know what I am shopping for! Never again!

I Went Shopping On Saturday


I'm glad I did. Because the yarn shop will be open next Saturday but not the two Saturdays after that when I really would want to go and shop JUST FOR ME. I could make a trip out there when I'm off between Christmas and New Year, but I intend on spending that week KNITTING WHATEVER I WANT!


What did I buy? Yarn for a scarf for a friend of mine's 50th birthday celebration the Saturday before Christmas. I've got to get my fingers busy with this one.


A Dale Baby Book I don't have. Which has this cute little hat and mittens set in it.I would like to get it done for Christmas Eve for my new little great-nephew. I think it would be a nice tradition to start for the little ones to get a new knitted hat and mitten set each Christmas from their Auntie Pen.


Sounds like something out of a book doesn't it. I can just hear them when they are 20, "every year even now when we are 20, our eccentric Auntie Pen knits us hats and mittens"


And this is for after Christmas, Alpaca Twist for a shawl for me. The feel is just scrumptous. And do you notice the color? It is not blue or green. It will go great with black and gray and blue. For now it sits and waits for me.

Two Weeks And All Will Be Given

At this time in just two weeks and Christmas Eve will be over. All of the knitted stuff will be given away. I've got way too much to accomplish in the next two weeks. I cannot sit and read like I did this weekend. I must knit whenever possible!

Updates later this week.

Another Christmas Gift Done
Gazillions to go. And I have rethought a couple too.

No time to chat, too much to accomplish tonight. You know how it is....

It's Cold Outside!

But, if you are where I am at, you know it. We are all going back to work today. The good thing about cold weather is that I have plenty of sweaters and scarves to wear this week and I will! The bad thing is it is to work and home, cause I'm not shopping when it is this chilly and the roads bumpy and snowy still. Cold weather is good for the gas companies though isn't it!

Snowed In!

Could not make it to work today. The tall guy did get the older twin to his job at the prison this morning, but that is it. He and the younger twin are out now picking up prescriptions for grandma and picking the older one up from the job.

Our stupid neighbor has his van stuck right in the middle of the road, and has pretty much abandoned it, so no one can come down the street from the main road. What an idiot, but that is the way they are.


I got up at the regular time, got all but dressed and decided that I was not even going to try it! Do you think I spent the day knitting? No, spent the day cleaning my living room and dining room and putting away the Thanksgiving decor and putting up a little Christmas stuff.

And since I did put some Christmas out, I have to find a spot for this that was up on the dry sink in the dining room.


Once I get that done, I'm done for the night. I'm going to watch Polar Express tonight, drink some wine, knit a little and read a little if I get that far. Tomorrow, I'll tackle the laundry and maybe by Sunday, we'll be able to get out. Us and the 39,000 people in the city.

Be safe my friends this weekend!

I've Got A New Book

I ordered this from Knit Camp last Summer. I wondered about it a couple of weeks ago. I can't wait to sit and read and look at it. But, that along with the new Lace Book from XRX will have to wait until after the holidays. I just don't have time to divert from my schedule of knitting.

Well, maybe a little diversion, I did knit on the sleeve of the Suspender Sweater a little last night, cause I was too lazy to get up and get the next mitten out of my knitting bag!

I'm Just A Day Behind

Two Christmas projects complete. And only a day behind on my timeline of what I need to knit for this holiday season.

I still need to felt this bag, but I can do that later this week when I am downstairs doing other stuff. This is the first time I used this mitten pattern. It is pretty simple on four needles, but I am not entirely happy with the crotch of the thumb. I am going to investigate other patterns and see how they handle them.

Back to knitting....why do I wait until the last month of the year to knit my holiday gifts? Why is it I don't work on them the other eleven months of the year?

What Do You Think?

I am knitting on a felted bag. Always in the past, I have knitted the ICord straps, felted them and then cut a small hole in the bag after felting and fed them through. Lately, I have been thinking about knitting the ICord straps and feeding them through prior to felting. I wonder if that will work.

What do you think?

P.S. The boss let us leave at 3:00 yippee skippy! It's the weekend!!

Coffee and Sweaters Go Together

Now, that it is getting chilly at night, I've been having a pot of coffee at night while I sit and knit. A friend introduced me to the one on the right before I went Decaf. I loved it, but alas, with the Dr telling me to go decaf all the way I was bumbed. But, look what she got me for my birthday!!!

I'm in heaven. Well, for a little while at night!

Can It Be Done?


These are my yarns that must be knittied prior to the holidays. Well, not all of them, because there is a couple I have still find. Can it be done? And will I need to sacrifice the knitting of the Round the Bend Sweater to complete them?

Starting on the left and going clockwise: Scarf (in the round), Scarf and Mittens, Mittens (two pairs), Baby Sweater (this could wait until Xmas 2007 or the baby's first birthday in 2007, cause it goes up to a size 2), Felted Booga Bag, Pocket Scarf, Flip Socks and Socks. Then add in, five other pairs of mittens, can you tell this is a mitten year? I must clothe the world in mittens this year!

Seriously, can this be done? I count 15 items that I want to knit before the holidays get here. My timeline is Wednesday, December 20th for most of these.

Keep tuned for updates.

Will This Sweater Ever Be Done?

I've been knitting on it since Knit Camp. I am down to the last sleeve. And then I will just have to weave the side seams.

There have been a few false starts on the last sleeve. Mainly, because I was not paying attention to the directions and to my notes. Twice, I skipped vital information.

I want to finish it before Thanksgiving. Tomorrow, you will see why!

He Got It!

The older twin got the job at the Federal Prison. He starts on the 27th. He's excited. I pleased if that is what he wants.

To be continued.

I Have Some Great Friends

I know I keep saying it, but it bares repeating or is that bears repeating? Yesterday, was my 49th birthday. But it all started Thursday night. My good friend Norma took me out to eat. Chinese. I do believe it is my favorite food. I ate what I wanted and ignored that I was a Weight Watcher. Then we continued the celebration at Knit Night with some decadent cake. Ummmm, I can still recall it. My knitting friends helped me celebrate with my favorite past time knitting. Jan called from Texas. Those ladies are the best, what more can I say. We are all different but yet the same.


And look what I can now add to my collection of Snoopy apparel (casual days at work will see me sporting my new holiday sweatshirt) and adding to my collection of knitting figurines was this new statute. Isn't is just the coolest!


Then, yesterday, my pals at work helped me celebrate all day long. It started with Maria baking me my all time favorite cake - pineapple upside down cake! She got up yesterday and made it! That girl is something else! At lunch, my coworkers in the back bought me lunch from Bellacinos and then we celebrated again at 3:00 with Ice Cream! Again, WW went out the window. And this is what my pals at work gave me along with just a ton of cards.

How lucky am I? Words cannot express it.

Then last night, after grocery shopping Bob, Willie and I went up to Goodfella's and made Roger cook pizza for us. I had to buy, but it was a nice end to a great day! I am blessed....but the birthday is not over yet. Tomorrow night, we are going to celebrate with Bob's family and my mom.

I Had Great Plans For Today

I was going to accomplish so much. But other than vacuuming and sewing the button on this little bib I knitted, I have not done much but eat and sleep in the chair. I was going shopping, but decided to just spend the day at home getting things caught up.


But, yesterday, was such a long day. I was up at 3:30, making sure the boys were up and moving and delivering signs to polling places. Back to bed around 4:15 and finally to give it up and got up about an hour later. Got ready and went into the campaign office and spent the day on the phone reminding voters to get out and vote.

Then from there to the party where I stayed til the end. Ate too much, drank just a little beer and was hoping to celebrate a victory that did not come. It was an interesting experience, I'm sorry our friend Ernie did not win. He worked hard and is an exceptional man. His family worked really hard for more than six months. It's too bad that the other man did not win. I don't believe he is the right man for the job, and of course, I'll be watchin!

Get Out And Vote!

I early voted in late October. So, this morning, I am off to help out in our friend Ernie Russell's Campaign office. He is running for Senate in the 46th District here in Illinois. We are hopeful.

The boys were up this morning at 3:30 putting out signs at Polling Places. And they will be back out at 9:00 a.m. knocking on doors encouraging Pekinites to vote.

It's going to be a long day, and I'm taking tomorrow off to recover and maybe knit a bit.

Vote today. And if you can, vote for Ernie Russell!

Enough!

This is a collection of what I knitted yesterday for the Girls Holiday Bash give aways and raffle. I'm done for now. I do have a couple of scarves in the works for gifts but those are not like these.
After spending a day knitting on the scarves and couple of flip flops, I celebrated with this.


I was going to sit and look at my new book that came yesterday, but after celebrating with a couple of those above, I never made it to the book.

Today, I am going to tackle the baby sweater and see how far I can get it done. When it is done, I'm back to knitting for me and those four holiday gifts that must be accomplished!

I've Been In Scarf Mode

Every year we have a Holiday Bash for Girls only at the College. And starting this year, I am one of the organizers. I am kind of known for the scarves I have and make, so this year, I thought I'd see how many I can get done and donate as door prizes. That is if I don't sell them at a Bazaar that we normally have. So, I need to do more since I don't know the date of the Bazaar yet. Most of these can be done in a night, since I am using size 13 needles and small amount of stitches.

But tonight at Knit Night, I'm back to working on my Suspender Sweater. If the weather lately is any indication, I better get it done, cause it's been chilly lately and it can only get colder!

If You Could Not Tell By My License Plate

Then surely you will know that I knit by the car magnet I bought. Don't you just love it?! I got the Holiday Patternworks catalog yesterday. I'm going to sit down and take a gander at it. It reminds me I have to get busy on my holiday knitting.

This is a contract is my back yard. On the one hand, it is definitely Fall. On the other tree, it's not quite ready to concede. With 70 degrees predicted for tomorrow, the tree on the left may know something. What weather we have been having! The best though, today it is sun shiny and blue skies!

Cardinals Win!!!!!

I Really Am Knitting

I just don't have anything to show for it. I'm doin alot of baby knitting at the moment. But, none of it is to the point where I want to show it off. The ensemble that I was knitting for the baby's dedication has been put on hold. I'm not sure it can be accomplished in a month, well I am almost sure it can't, cause I have all this other stuff I want to get done at the same time.

Like what? A couple of scarves for the Girls' Holiday Bash. A couple of pair of flip flops for the Girls' Holiday Bash. Some sox for special people for the holidays. A scarf for the gal back in Receiving. A scarf for a lady who used to work with us for Christmas. A scarf for another friend at work (she loves em).

And then I want/need to finish my Suspender Sweater.

There is just way too much to do again and so little time!

Fall Is Here

The weather says it is so. My new banner (that was part of my early birthday present) says it so. And the leaves on the trees definitely are saying it so.
Even though, yesterday, I broke out the sweaters and the turtlenecks. I've decided that I am going to take advantage of the coolness and wear them early and I am going to wear them often.

Why be cold?

Pull those sweaters out and wear them!

Cardinals Win! Baseball continues....which gives me some good t.v. to knit by!

I Was Sweatin It

This is what I had left of the contrast color for the Suspender Sweater. I thought I would have enough, but I was worried all the same. Only 1/2 half to go. Sounds like a good thing, huh, but man 1/2 can take some time. Then, I have to weave live stitches to live stitches together on the side seams in garter stitch. That should be interesting.

My Birthday Can Early

Our friend Jan was here for a brief visit and brought me my birthday present early. Isn't it cute? A wine glass with Woodstock on it. Trust me, it will get good use.

It was a short visit, and there wasn't near enough time to get all caught up. She looks good and has been traveling around quite a bit. Thats what retirement is all about.

It's Been Jacket Weather Around Here

But, look what I got in the mail. Knitter's new Jacket book. They may not be making it for me in the magazine venue, but lately their books have been pretty good. Sure, I wasn't going to buy another book. And sure, I could go back through my old Knitter's and find some of these sweaters, but having them so handy in one place is great.

I can't wait to start some of them, but not until Round the Bend AND the Suspender Sweater is finished...okay and then there is the two baby things...okay and some sox...well, let's not forget the scarves for Christmas. Okay, maybe in January.

I Picked Up A Couple of New Magazines

I keep thinking that I might subscribe to Vogue. Right now, there is not much that I want to knit out of it. The reason I have been even giving it a look, is quite frankly, because Meg is writing an article for them. If it were not for her article, I probably would not subscribe, I'd just look at it Barnes and Noble and make an issue by issue decision.
I do like Interweave Knits. I don't subscribe to it either, but I find myself buying each issue as it comes out too. They have some good articles and this Holiday issue has a scarf I want to make. Funny, though, the same scarf is in a book I own. I guess I should have looked at it first before buying....

The only magazine I do subscribe to is Knitter's. I keep thinking they will surprise me and give me more, but so far, not. I skim through the designs and again I am just not excited. The articles can be good at times, but I have to confess after having my new issue a few weeks, I still have not went back to it to read them. But yet, I won't give up my subscription. You never know when an emerging desinger will come along out of Knitter's and I will want to go back to the beginning of time to see what they have done.

Baby Knitting Update

After spending time at my niece's last week, I decided the baby needed a sweater like now! So, I am knitting on this one for immediate gift giving. I hope to have it done in a week so I can send it up to her while there is still a chill in the air and before he grows out of it.

And then I changed my mind yet again on the colors for this ensemble that I want to give her when we go up at Thanksgiving. When I went to the yarn shop, they did not have more of the blue in the dye lot I had so I decided to change my mind (with the help of the lady who was sitting in) The blue is still going to be the pants, but I am going to use the turq as you can see for the body of the wrap sweater and will add the salmon to the mix.

Today is catch up day, cause yesterday when I wasn't going over to Morton for a 16" needle for the first sweater, I sat around and read and watched the ballgames with the t.v. muted. It would have been great knitting t.v., but for some reason I just wanted to read. I think it is out of my system now. I gotta get caught up. And with today being kind of dreary to start with, it's a great day to hole up and do it.
I want to make a couple of Weight Watcher soups too, so we'll have them to eat on this week. Oy, I hope I get it all done!

Lot's To Blog About

But no time to do it today. This weekend is going to be catch up weekend. I am going to hole up in the house and get some stuff organized. This week has just sped by, and nothing was accomplished!

Tune in later.....

I'm Off!

To see the new baby boy in Aurora. Pictures tomorrow. It's a quite a drive for just a couple of hours, cause I have to be back at 4:30 for a Birthday party. But, well worth it to see him before Thanksgiving. It's just me going, but thats the breaks for today.

Went to the yarn shop yesterday. Changed my mine on the colors of the baby enesemble just a bit. Hmmm, I wonder what color I chose for the main part of the baby sweater? The pink is all gone. And two different colors were added back in!

It's A Boy!

My niece had a boy. That now makes 1 Girl and 4 Boys that I have for Great Niece and Nephews. Will I ever get to walk the pink aisle again?
So, now this is being torn out.
For the blue on top.
The pink will now be an accent on the romper and hat with the rest of it going to the stash pile for the future.

Finished!

I was going to begin hunting down buttons for my Lumpy Bumpy Cardigan, but somehow, I just knew I'd never find the right ones. So, I took the pattern's suggestion and made yarn ones. And I like em. Anything else would have taken away from the yarn.

Now, on Saturday, I can go to Knit 4 Together!