Happy Birthday Karen!

OK So Here's the Deal

On September 1st, I am participating in the My Sister's Knitter Tackling WIPS KAL over here.  My goal for this KAL is not cast on anything new until I get some of those pesky WIPS done.  As part of this KAL, I am self-imposing myself on a cast on diet.  My thought is that I cannot cast on anything new until I have completed (and by completed, I mean sewn up and blocked) at least five things.  And while on this cast on diet, I want to seriously lose five WIPS AND five pounds.  Then I'll reward myself.

It all begins on September 1st.  So you know what I am doing now, don't you?  But, of course a frenzy of casting on.  Well, not a frenzy, but I am updating my Ravelry Project Page to include my recent cast ons.  I have them in my little book, but I thought it was time to do a little updating on the project page as well.  I am also eating up anything bad…I know I know, whatever I gain I still have to lose, but hey it's my challenge.

My sox alone would be four projects if I would just knit them up.

And it would free up three bags for other uses.  But, besides sox, I do have a couple of other WIPS that I'd like to get off of the needles...

But, the only one that I really know for sure at this writing is that I want to finish my Scallop Shawl first.  I want to be wearing this at the shop or at home when the air condition is on to keep the chill off of the arms when wearing my t-shirts.  It is out of Frog Tree Alpaca so it is super soft and won't be scratchy on bare arms.

It is going to be tough to be WIP knitting, because there are so many great sweaters out there that I want to be knitting for Fall, which is sure to come faster than we would like.  In the mean time, we are hopeful and thinking positive thoughts that before Fall is over, we will be down one house!

38 Years and Counting

Yarn Shop Knitting

Not that I needed to buy yarn for my yarn shop knitting, but a week ago, Knit 4 Together got in some new yarn that feels so soft, and is in my color sort of.

It also fit the bill for a look that I had found earlier this year for a look that I am going for in the  Knit and Fit 2014 wardrobe. 

I really do believe that late August is really the time to start thinking about what you want to be wearing in just a few short months.  For the above look, I have chosen Heidi Kirrmaier's Snowbird. This sweater and yarn is going to be perfect for jeans or work.  And it will be one that I can tuck in my bag and wear in the a/c or when Fall brings a chill.

 

A friend of mine thought that this pattern wouldn't give me enough challenge.  Haha, she really doesn't know Heidi's patterns, because if she did, she would know that Heidi doesn't just do plain old top down construction.  She always takes you in a direction that has you wondering how is that gonna work?

This is the start of the sweater, the left and right collars?  

The Summer of Shawls is not over yet, I have a couple (okay several of those on the needles), I'll blog about that whole thing next week.  And hopefully, my one Summer Sweater will be blocked and sewn together in time for wearing late next week.  All that and more, later.  Until then, start thinking about your Fall wardrobe, you really will be wearing it soon (even though we are having high 90s all this week and humid.)  If you knit it, Fall will come, eventually.

Mail Call!

The mailman has been very nice to me lately.  Only thing is the Tall Guy is seeing a string of packages come for me.  I may need to start sending them to work…Kidding.

Meg showed this book at Knit Camp.  They just got their copies last week and mailed them out.  I am becoming to all things Shetland and Denise and Lori's trips there has only increased my appetite for all thing Shetland.  This winter may be the Winter of Shetland knits!

I could just not resist more project bags.  Well, when you have a lot of projects you need a lot of project bags right?!  These are from Little Skein in the Big Wool.  I ordered a set of stitch markers from her as well.  Not sure why, since I have a collection or two of stitch markers already.

Ah well, it was a weak moment.

Wednesday Website

Non-knitting related website of the week, because its my blog and I can.

http://www.alsa.org

Some of my family and friends are taking the ice bucket challenge and me too.  ALS has gotten a lot of press and donations from this.  I say good going!!

Because I can.

Cutting It Close

I was one step away from ordering another ball last night, thinking I might need it to finish the neck band on my Women's Boxy Pullover out of Cottonation.  But, I decided to wait until the light of day and see how far I could get.

Ta Da!

Ad I still have plenty to sew it up together after its blocked.

It was close.  And I am so pleased I did not push that button to order a skein for just a few rounds!

Yes, We Live in the City

So, looked what turned up on our garage to take a little bath yesterday.  Unbelievable.  Now, we have had several bird aficionados  weigh in on what kind of a hawk it is.  Whichever kind it is, isn't this super cool?  I really cannot believe it.  What fun it was to watch!

Planning The Next Project

The Summer of Shawls is winding down.  Now, I know that Summer is not really over for a few weeks, but schools around here are starting and in just a bit it will be Labor Day.  One of the shawls that I had a plan for this Summer is now going to be put aside for next Summer.  There just isn't enough time to knit it and I am getting itchy to start on my Fall Sweaters.  I'll still have a shawl or two on the needles (the Pi Shawl is always in my purse) and the Hap Shawl is at my feet to knit on when I get the urge.  My one and only Summer sweater should be blocking by the end of the weekend, so it will be time to start thinking seriously what the new project will be.

And that does not just happen for me.  The price you pay for having a fairly large stash and multiple projects is sometimes, it is real difficult to decide where to go.  And, also, a whole lot of effort goes into it as well.  So many possibilities.

And all of these went into this basket, that is now housing things in the future, that I might want to knit. But, none of them, this morning are making the cut.  A good nights sleep helps to keep the squirrel moments at bay.

This morning, I went to my trusty book that I started in January.

And realized, I have some great ideas here for Fall/Winter that I want to duplicate.  Only a couple of them really came to fruition, before Spring set in.  I realized how much I really liked these plans, and this morning, I am very much closer to knowing what I am going to knit next.

Most of all, I want my closet to reflect that I am a knitter this Fall, and I finally think I have zoned in on what I want to wear.  Sometimes, a good nights sleep is all it takes, that and a trip to the yarn shop this morning.

The One Where I Don't Go To Stitches

But, I still end up with goodies.  If you remember last weekend, we were at Baby Boy A's graduation from the Law Enforcement Academy, and I missed Stitches.  But, still I managed to get some goodies.  Friend Debbie, shopped for me.

I've always wanted to try Signature Needles, but did not want to commit to circulars since I really like the needle sets I already have.  But ever since Susan B Anderson has been talking about hers that she uses for socks, I have been coveting a set.  I'm going to use my new ones for a pair of socks for me.  When I am done, I'll be sharing the sock pattern on the blog.  It's a super basic pattern that I have done first for Norma years ago, and then for me.  I've changed the pattern up so many times in the last 20 years that it no longer resembles the original pattern, but is pretty similar to all the other ones that are out there.

The deal was while Debbie was shopping around, if she spotted something she thought I would like, she would take a pic and text me.  This is her find and I love it.   Now, what shall it be, 800 yards of loveliness in a sock weight?

I'm super excited about my goodies from Stitches.  I guess you could say, two birds with one stone, eh?!

The Summer of Shawls Rolls On

I do not think we have ever had a Summer where we ran the a/c this little.  Makes me wonder what this Fall/Winter will be like.  In the meantime, I have another shawl off the needles.  This one I have been knitting on since May.

I have blogged about this before, but the really ah ha moment for me, was when I put those markers on every repeat.  It made me a believer.  It was so easy then to keep track of the repeats and the numbers of stitches I was supposed to have while knitting.

I did have a bit of a yarn moment, when right after camp, I ran out of yarn.  I knew it was going to be iffy since I had used a bulk of it on my Downover Shawl earlier this Summer.  I just sent a SOS to Cheryl and she had me a skein in the mail pronto so I could finish my Birds Nest Shawl.

There is an ever so slight difference in the dye lot on the new skein, but to the naked eye or galloping horse, one will never ever know.  I used Stephen West's Stretchy Bind Off on this one again.  I do believe it is going to be my go to bind off for now.  It is just what I needed for the long bind off on this one.

Now, I am off to find my next shawl to finish for the Summer.  It won't be long and the Summer of Shawls will be over and then well, you know it will probably be Fall for Shawls time.

Another Proud Moment

A dose of sadness, a dose of happiness, life goes on.  

Baby Boy A graduated from Iowa Law Enforcement Academy.  14 weeks of training and being away from home.

Miss Mona Lisa loves Uncle Baby Boy B, sometimes too much irritatingly so…

We are so proud of Baby Boy A!  

Now, back to regularly scheduled life, well maybe by the end of the weekend.

What to Say?

Last year, I blogged about our friend moving away.  It was tough, but I knew that she was still around and that I could pick up the phone and talk to her.   This morning we learned that she had passed away. 

Last night, the Radical Knitters met for the first time in about a month to knit and catch up.  We learned then that our friend was not doing very well.   I think we all thought that something was going to happen, but we were not sure when, and I thought perhaps she would still pull it out of her to stay (because that is the way she usually is.)

 After I got home last night, it was a bit difficult to wind down and go to sleep.  During the course of the tossing and turning, I did something that I have only done one other time, I said to the sky, it is okay  to go if you want. (Really, I did!) This morning, after I got to work, we received the email that our dear friend had passed away early this morning.  I was kind of expecting it.

The Radical Knitters, I think, all believe today that it was bashert (a phrase that my friend said once and I have since used it many times myself) -( meant to be) that we were all together last night before she passed getting the latest news on her, knitting and laughing together.

Our friend was special, but doesn't everyone say that about their friends?  But, really she was.  When I first met her 20 years ago, I did not care for her.  I thought she was too honest, opinionated and to the point.  If you would have asked me then if we would be such close friends 20 years later, I would have said you were full of it.

We will miss knowing that she is with us, but tonight, I know that wherever she is, she was in control of her life to the very end and has reunited with her husband.  I'm sure of it.

Thank you dear friend for all you did while you were here, we love you, we will miss you and we will knit together again somewhere sometime.  I'm sure of it.  Save me a seat!

It's True

and I am okay with it and I am not apologizing for it either.  It is who I am.  

The Cycle

It is the first of August.  The common thread of conversations I have been having with friends is where did the Summer go.  In two weeks, the kids will start going back to school, not mine, but kids in general.  In a month, it will be Labor Day and we will be looking at Fall coming on.

Me, I'll be saying, where did my program of getting back on track for losing some weight go?  Well, frankly, the whole new house thing has put a bit of wrench in it.  Are you buying that excuse?  You shouldn't, but hey, it is my story and I am sticking to it.

Since it is the 1st of August, though, I am ready to try it again.  I've pre-paid for a couple of months of Weight Watchers and I think today is a good day to start taking advantage of it.  It is a new month, we have been to the store and bought some healthy snacks for me, my treadmill is ready to go in the basement and I am feeling in control.

On the knitting front, I moving along on my one and only Summer sweater and I have a line up for what is next.  I am going really try hard to knit on a couple of things at a time to get them finished instead of bouncing around all over the place.  One knit at a time!

Here is hoping that when a month from today rolls around, I will have some progress to report on both the knitting and the weight loss fronts!