Sometimes You Can Knit And Knit And Never Get Anywhere

It may not look like much, but I really did accomplish a few things yesterday. I knit the body of my Norwegian Sweater twice. I didn't like the way the lice looked on the first so I tore it out and started over. That is where the DVD version of the Knitting Glossary comes in handy. Instead of having to fast forward through the whole tape, looking for color pattern knitting technique, I just went to the index, chose the topic I wanted and it appeared. Awesome.
I actually like EZ's technique of two color knitting the best. It seems to work for me.


I've been knitting on Meg's Cardigan and just have not been in love with it. So, I got a wild hair and found some Galway and did a swatch using these two colors as a possible sweater. I'm knitting on the rib as we speak, I'll know more later tonight as to whether I like it or not. I might need to change the beige, but I kind of like the subtle color of it right now.

I'm Doin Nothin Today





Well, not exactly. I took the day off and I am going to sit and knit and drink coffee. It has been a long time since we worked so hard during a weekend. Between everything we did at the in-law's move and everything that had to be moved and cleaned here at Chez Halverson, then the refrigerator had to be replaced on Sunday too! The boys worked their buns too, and I told them today, I would not ask to do anything either. They are sleepin in and I'm drinkin coffee and catchin up on the web.

The rest of the day is going to be spent doing knit related stuff. I'm going to just enjoy it.

Happy Memorial Day!



We have spent the entire weekend (and I do mean entire) moving my in-laws into an apartment and finding spots for all of the furniture we acquired when they moved to their smaller place.

I'll show you pics later this week of the transformations of our house. You see for sometime now, we have been just making room for stuff in the living room, dining room and basement. We had a method, it was stack in racks and stack the plastic drawers up. We figured that some day the boys would move into houses of their own and we (read it as I) would take over their rooms for knitting and lia sophia!

Since it does not look like that will happen anytime soon (I am not sorry either, I like having them around), we had to make alternative plans as you will see the old and the new look in the days to come.

The basement and garage are full but at last we have a living room and dining room that can now accomodate people to sit down instead of stand and look at the yarn and lia sophia.

Although, who wouldn't want to stand and look at yarn and jewelry!

Tonight Is Another Radical Knitting Night

And this is kind of what we look like only without the sun glasses! Great fun sitting around knitting with the Radicals. How much better can it be? Thanks Char in advance for inviting us to come to your house!

Have You Noticed The Knit Content On T.V?

I just love it when I tune into my favorite t.v. programs and see knit content.

A couple of years ago, Everwood on the WB had a girl running a yarn shop and doing fake i.d.'s behind a current. Earlier this Spring, the yarn shop of hers was the scene of some heavy sex on the table in her shop, all surrounded in yarn.

Grey's Anatomy had several weeks of the characters knitting.

And last weekend, while watching the Indy Time Trials there was an Aleve commercial with someone around my age with arthritis. She was knitting at the end of the commercial after giving the benefits of Aleve and her line goes something like this
"Now, I am going to go out swinging or maybe knitting"

I love it!

I'm Givin It Another Try

After wearing Karen's Garter Shapley Shawlette last Wednesday at Radicals knitting, I have decided to give mine another try. Last year, I had it all the way to binding off (TWICE!) and finally gave up and tore it all out. What was I thinkin?

So, I'm knitting on it for awhile now (my lunchtime project) and when I get to the bind off stage I'm going to take it with me to Radicals knitting so I can do it with the experts!

There's A Rule?

I read on the Knit List email last week that there is a rule, no socks with sandals. And a knitting amendment for knit socks with sandals. On Saturday, my feet were cold and because I was bopping around in and out of the house I had my birkis on. The thought came that I need to knit some socks for these times.



So I cast on yet another project.
But this one will fit nicely in my new sak bag that I bought specifically for this inside removable compartment. Nice spot to have a sock on the go for all times. And there it will sit for those times, when you can't lug a tote bag around with you.

What Do These Have In Common?



Besides being knitting gadgets. The straw idea came from a bus trip that the Radicals took up North one year. When using two yarns held together, you run them both through the straw and they don't get tangled. It had us stealing straws from all over the place to get a big one.

The red needle holder is Karen's epiphany. We both think it looks like a favorite candy, a licorice nib. But, Karen realized you could feed a yarn through each hole and use it just like the straw. She remembered that the yarn shop in Dunlap has a bowl of them on their counter. She was going up there yesterday to see about getting some of them in the bigger sizes.

I wondered if you could drill the hole in the red nib a little larger somehow?

If I Knew Enough I Would Be A Computer Geek

I have discovered that I like computer stuff, but I really don't know enough to really delve into it full force. All I learned about the stuff is what my husband buys me and what I see at work.

But, knitting gadget geek? I learned everything I know from other knitters and alot of it comes from the Radicals. Several years ago, Char R introduced us to the worm bag for our knitting needles. I used to have mine in a binder in those plastic sleeves. It served it's purpose, but was very difficult to travel with. And everyone knows that when you travel you need to take every needle you own! Last week at Radicals, Jan showed us her traveling gadget bag. She took a smaller version of this worm bag and uses it for all of her knitting tools and gadgets.


This is my version. A tackle box from Walmart. I have been using it for several years (someone on a list or a knitting thing probably told me about it). It is two sided and it holds all of my gadgets except for those next to my knitting chair and those in my one tote bag.



I have alot of tote bags. So many that when I get a room, I think it would be cool to hang them all on nails on a wall as a collection (won't the tall guy love that!). I noticed the other night after I got home that I had several bags that have sub knitting gadget bags in them. One for work, one for Radical Knitting, one for when I sit outside. Consequently, there was a little of everything, everywhere. So, I condensed it all down to one knitting bag, putting the duplicates in my box above and holding out only enough for next to my chair and for my sock knitting bag.

Now, there is a method to this madness. I always thought that if an emergency arises and I need to either grab my bag fast or tell one of the three men here, to grab my knitting bag and bring it somewhere, there it would be, already to go without a thought of, "is such and such in there"?

Just some Saturday thoughts for gadget holders. This blog welcomes comments on how you store your gadgets. I am always open to new suggestions. Today, I am thinking about that knitting purse. Okay, not really, but for a fleeting moment I did yesterday. One can never have enough and if you think you do, pound a nail!

The Radical Knitters Were Back Together

On Wednesday, our friend Jan was back from Texas for a visit. It was so nice having the Radicals back together along with our newest member Karen (more about her in later posts). We had so much fun. It was just like our old days. Everyone knitting, catching up, sharing patterns and ideas. Jan ripping out and and telling jokes that just make you laugh.

Me, I ripped back this stupid sleeve about a dozen times on Wednesday, between work and Wednesday night. Finally, yesterday morning, I finished all the increases AND really looked at it. It still wasn't right, so last night I ripped it back yet again. Here is where it is as of last night. This weekend, when I can sit and really concentrate on the increases and pattern I will get it to the point where it works even.

Of course with seeing everything that others are knitting, I had two more ideas of things I want to cast on. One, I was coerced into last night by a phone call and the fact that I wanted to throw this baby sleeve, needle, yarn and all across the room. And to think, I have three more to do this year!

It's A List!

A short list, but at least a plan of what I am going to be knitting for Summer. Just found out that the first of the next year will bring another baby that I need to knit for! It's not official yet, and no, this one is not related to me, but a close friend's daughter. And I will have to knit another ensemble for that baby.


Babies everywhere!

The Body Is Done, Now Onto The Sleeves



I've given myself a deadline of the end of the month for the baby ensemble. At the current rate, I might just make it. This pattern is so fun to work with. It's a nice change from the straight knitting of the Cutaway.



I'm knitting this in a size 6 months so that the baby can wear it come Fall. Usually, I am about a season behind, but I think this was a good plan for once.

Tomorrow is Knit Night for the Radicals. Our fellow knitter, Jan is back in town!

Back To Our Regular Scheduled Knitting

This sweet little pattern is slated to be finished by the end of the month. It is the first of several baby things that I have decided to do during the Summer months. This pattern isn't too difficult and it so fun to do.

Yes, It's Mother's Day - Happy Mother's Day To All!

It's been a full day, but one that I have enjoyed. We spent time with family both this noon and tonight.





The boys gave me this cool necklace. I love it and it was so thoughtful of them. Just the kind of thing a Cardinal mom would like.

Today Is A Better Day

After wallowing last night in all I had to do, I woke up this morning with a better attitude. There is something about Saturday and Sunday mornings that put me into planning mode. Maybe it is the quietness of the house, the nice hot coffee (decaf) and not having to rush out to anywhere that does it.

Almost immediately, I started my planning on the lia sophia business. I've just been foolin around with it since the end of last year. And with absolutely no parties planned for this month, I've decided to do my own. And as luck would have it, I have time off at the end of the month to do it. So, that plan is in motion. I feel good about that.

Now, I am heading over for my corner to clean up all of the knit stuff that is just sitting there in various stages. I am going to map out a plan for the knitting with a thought as to when I need each thing done, and then I am going to concentrate on those items that need to be done first. And I am going to take my knittin everywhere I go, well, maybe not to the Graduation Party I have to go to this afternoon, but certainly to the Mothers Day thing at the in-laws tomorrow!

Once that is finished, I am going to move to my calendar and FIT in the running to my schedule. I know I'll feel better and hopefully lose a little butt/stomach in the process.

It's a damp and cool day out there, but I feel good despite everything that is on my list. Despite the many things that are happening today and tomorrow, I've gotta PLAN!

Yes, I Am Over Extended On MY WIPS!

There are so many of them and so little time to complete everything I want to do before July 5th!

There are babies (Kristy had a girl yesterday and I got to hold her 3 hours after she was born)being born, babies to be born and showers to get ready for, all by the end of July! And there is the pre-camp knitting to be done. I'm going to have to start taking knitting every where I go, just to get it all done.

Oy, how did it get this bad? And they expect me to work and do lia sophia parties!

Thank goodness, I have made the decision to NOT take a Biology class this Summer. What was I thinkin when I even considered that!? But, I would still like to work in a Photography class with my new camera (1 1/2 years old) this Summer. This is a sickness isn't it!

Merrily Knitting Along!

Geesh, do I have the multiple WIPS. They are just tooooo numerous to tell you about.
Overwhelmed? Yes! Having problems priortizing what to knit on? Yes! Want to be knittin on each of them? But of course!!

And, pair that with, my friend, Kristy is going in tomorrow to be induced, so I will have to drop it all and knit an appropriate color baby ensemble. And, if she has a boy, I will need to go shopping, cause I don't have boy yarn (blue in a sport weight in my stash, just girl colors!)

Oh, isn't that a shame!

I Finally Did It!

I had a dream on Friday that the mailman delivered a Patternworks catalog as fat as our phone book. It made a loud bump when he dropped it on our porch. Now, considering that Pekin's phone book is not as big as Peoria's but still can you imagine a Patternworks catalog as fat as a phone book? Why it would have everything that a knitter would want. AND dreaming it must have meant something? So, with it being a nice sunny day I proceeded to get ready to go shop finding. I told myself I was flower shopping and who would of known that on the way to
Green View Nursery would be right along the way. Of course I forgot my list of plants that I wanted at home, so I continued on to Dunlap just telling myself that I would just see where it was and what the store looked like from the outside!


So, I went in and bought just a few things. A couple of magazines and a needle gauge to replace one of mine that seems to have went missing. I met Claudia and Nancy, two of the four owners. The Radicals were right. They are absolutely cheerful, glad to have you in their shop and they love what they are doing. I knew through Karen that their sale started next week. Evidently, there had been an ad in the paper on Saturday about the sale next week, but I had not read my paper yet. The nicest thing happened, the ladies extended the sale price to everyone who came into the store while I was there! I wondered for two hours, picking up yarn, thinking about what I could do with it, at what point I should buy it. It will be my shop of choice from now on.


The very first thing that I caught my eye as I walked in was this sock yarn. It was my color and it leaped into my hands. I'll tell you in another post why I was so thrilled.


I only bought one of each of these as I am thinking they will be perfect for my cardigan that I posted about last Thursday. I want to test them out as my sample Norwegian sweater for Meg's camp.


And because after wandering around the shop and seeing so many things I wanted to buy, but did not have my patterns with me, I bought this and promptly started it last night. This will be a great piece to take with me to knit camp when I get a little chilly from the AC.

Now, I'm ready to go back to Knit 4 Together, a truly wonderful little shop that makes you almost feel like you are at Cheers. BUT-I will not/can not go back until I have knit what I just bought. I don't need to build another stash labeled "Knit 4 Together"! So knit frantically, I will so I can maybe go back before the sale is over on the 23rd!

And yes, on the way home I stopped at our local nursery and bought my plants!

Eventually Everything Becomes New Again



Every since I went to camp last time, I have had my eye on the women's sweater on the cover of an old Knitters (those were the days when I wanted to make everything out of an issue). I remember telling my room mate Julie at the time, that I could now knit it to fit. It has sat there looking at me for sometime, and I decided this would be a perfect time to do a mini version of the two color knitting. And of course, I have yarn to test it out!! I am not going to do the cardigan as my test but rather a pullover but kind of sort of using the color ways. Mine will be cream, green and a red.

So, I'm swatching today to see what needle I can use for it. I am really excited about it and I think that will keep my mind occupied and not straying to casting on yet another project!

Could It Possibly Be? Could It Happen Right Here In My Town?

It's not really my story to tell, I'll let Karen tell it tomorrow night at the Radical Knitters Society Meeting. Just suffice it to say, "Santa, I have been very good this year :), well, maybe not very good, but if you let this happen, I WILL BE VERY GOOD the rest of this year". I will try to not say or think bad things about people. I will be pleasent whenever possible. I will try to be helpful to those I don't really want to be. I will even be nicer to my mother! I may even forgive those pesky people out there who have annoyed the hell out of me this past year.

Nothing is set in stone, but what could be almost as good as owning a yarn shop? No, before you start going in that direction, I am not buying a yarn shop, opening one nor is anyone in my family nor do I personally know anyone who is (at least I don't think I do)!

Karen will tell the story tomorrow night and perhaps we'll find out something by way of email later next week. Thats all I am going to say for tonight.

This Knitting Is Boring!

As I sat last night knitting, I could barely keep my eyes open. I was yawning and yawning. What I really thought I needed was a good cup of coffee. But, I realized something later, it is the knitting. Everything I am working on right now is stockinette. Plain old knitting. Not a whole lot of entertainment factor going on.

The only bump is the front that I am working on with the Cutaway. It requires increasing and casting on new stitches. I actually get to use my clicker to keep track of the rows I am doing. Still,it's difficult to keep my mind on the task and not cast on something new!



Sitting in the corner next to my chair is my Charlottes Web Shawl. Maybe I should work on it as a little diversion tactic.

It's May Day! A New Month AND




about 2 months before Knit Camp! My mind is so occupied with it and what I want to be knitting in preparation for it. What I want to take as my show and tell. What I want to knit while there. Oy, I am a case aren't I?