Cuteness!

Graceful Pullover

I often think of how blessed our family is.  We are pretty much all healthy and are working and are happy, most days.  It would seem all around us there is sickness, and troubles, and death too soon.  So, every night as I lay in bed, I think about how blessed we as a family are.

So, when a knitter asked me if I would blog about a pattern that was designed and to be used as a fundraiser for another knitter who lost her husband and a much too young age, I could not resist.  The goal is to sell 1000 of the Graceful Pullover pattern by the end of November.

Is this not a cute pattern for young teens?

All I Needed Was Some Blocking

I finally got around to blocking a couple of things on Sunday.

The Water's Edge Shawl is finally finished and ready for some wearing.  It is knit out of Berroco Folio which is alpaca and rayon.  I love the feel of it, even though it was a bit slippery to knit with.  I was a bit iffy of it when first off the needles as it was a bit of a mess. And even more, when after blocking, I was a bit skeptical.  But, I used my blocking wires up the spine and across the top of it, and am really pleased with the final product.

While blocking on Sunday, I thought I could block my Gibson by Norah Gaughan at the same time.  I miscalculated the space on the table, so it was a bit squeezed in, so I re-positioned it out last night after pulling the Water's Edge off the table.

Gibson was knit out of Kodiak and has been waiting since March to be blocked.  At the time, I figured I wouldn't be wearing it until this Winter so there was no big rush to complete the blocking.  I, also was thinking I might have to rip the bottom bind off out and add a bit more to the length, but this one too, behaved a bit better after blocking and I think it is going to be just fine as is.

Normally, Kodiak would be just a bit fluffier than I would buy for a sweater, but I couldn't resist the softness of the yarn when I bought it last Fall.  Little did I know how much it would shed, so this is definitely not going to be a sweater to be worn over a white top!

I have two more projects in my blocking basket, one needs to sewn together and then finished the rest of the way.

The other is going to require blocking wires too, maybe I'll tackle it next Sunday.

For now, I am pretty pleased that I am down two in my blocking basket!

The Great Pumpkin Does Exist!

Look what was waiting for me when I got home today!  I have the best knitting friends.

How cool is this?  The box was waiting with the mail today when I got home from work.

I love surprises don't you!  Thank you Great Pumpkin!

Monogamous For A Bit

I did pretty good for a good two days!  I made it to the feather and fan part of my Multnomah until I fell off of the wagon.

But, it is for a good cause!  One of our co-worker's husband fell out of a bucket while at work in late July.  Long story short, the young man did major damage to his back, is paralyzed from the waist down and will be confined to a wheel chair.  He and his wife (our co-worker) are in their early 30's and have three small children.

In November, friends are having a benefit for their family, and several departments are doing baskets for the auction at the benefit.  The gal that works for me does some super cool painting on clay pots and  she and I are doing one for the benefit.  We are doing a theme of the local school that the family lives close to and is involve with.  She thought it would be cool if I could knit some things to go in the pot in the colors of the school.

We decided on mittens, a scarf and a hat.

So, you can see why I had to abandon my monogamous Multnomah for right now, since I have limited time to get these projects done.

 I am just hoping my wrist, elbows and shoulders will hold out.  Just the last couple of days, I have been having some right wrist pain on the outside that I haven't had before. I'm going to guess it is the mousing I have been doing so I made need to cut down on the amount of time I spend on the computer at night.  Good thing is that it does seem to get a bit better with ibuprofen.

Whereas, the pain I have been having in my elbows do not.  I know there has to be a doctor's appointment to be made soon, but for now, I am going to grin and bare it and do some exercising of it that I found on You Tube for now.  Cause frankly, I just don't have time to take a break from knitting, thats right up there with going without coffee!

When Posts Go Wrong

Today's blogpost was going to be how I was going to be monogamous  and knit only on my Multanomah Shawl.  

I was going to say how it was 39 degrees this morning, and I decided that I should knit knit knit on one thing and see how quickly I could finish it and then go onto the next, and onto the next, and before you know it I would have a whole lot of finished shawlettes to wear right now when we are in that in between weather stage.

I was going to say that my evenings of sitting on the front porch knitting are over until Spring, since we have put the rocking chairs away for the season.  There just isn't enough light or warmth to sit on the front porch at night after we get off of work and have dinner etc.

What I really am going to post about today is how many wonderful things I have spinning around in my head that I want to be knitting on.  Since last week, when I first found out about the wonders of hooking my laptop up to the t.v., I've been having a whole lot of fun watching stuff.  This morning, I finished up watching Anne Hanson's video from Interweave on blocking.  I am so glad I bought that DVD, it was worth it.  

NowFor  after watching it, and seeing the backdrop with her stuff pinned to it, it just makes me want to head over to Ravelry and choose what I am going to knit with her yarn that I bought at Yarn in the Barn a couple of weeks ago.  The original sweater I purchased it for is not what it wants to be.

It is okay to look and not touch right?  A bit of looking and then it is back to my Multanomah.  After all, I am not going to be able to wear it if I don't knit on it.  See, I do have some control, not much, but some.

Have a great Sunday!  

On A Dreary Chilly Saturday

What a great day to be sitting and knitting and watching people spin.  This is my fourth time going to the Bishop Hill Fiber Guild's Annual Spin In.  I really don't spin, although I do know how to drop spin but not well.  The nice thing about the Spin In is you don't have to spin because there is a sufficient amount of knitting to wet your appetite with a dose of spinning.

And although there were fewer vendors there this year, I still managed to come up with a couple of things to buy.  It seems almost every year, I buy some sort of sox there.  Last year it was my Llama sox, this year, these cuties.

And from a local dyer, comes this beautiful yarn.  Knitting Friend, Becky knitted a Multanomah Shawl (not out of this yarn) and was wearing it over a simple little navy t-shirt, which got to me thinking.

This would be the perfect look for me for work when it is not cold enough for jackets or sweaters or turtlenecks, but when you need just something to finish off the outfit.

After a stressful and disappointing week at work, it was nice to talk knitting with friends.

Wednesday Website

A few weeks ago I ordered from StevenBe's website the book from the Stephen and Steven Tour.  It didn't come and I gave it a couple of weeks, and then decided to track it down through Paypal.  Talk about great customer service!  StevenBe's called me and left a message asking me how they could make it right.  I called back the next day and asked if they could send it out again, because I never received it.

In yesterday's mail a black envelope came ( I love it).  Then when I opened it up, this is how the  book was wrapped.  Don't you just love it.  I almost hated to open it, but I was anxious to get a look see at the book.

 In the package was a nice note, saying how they appreciated me for letting them make it right, and they were enclosing this notions bag with my order.

How cool is this customer service!?  Someday, I hope to get there in person.

Steeking - Sometimes It Takes A Village

Saturday at Knit 4 Together in Dunlap, Nancy did her first cutting of the steek.

It took some hand holding and some sage advice.  Well, maybe not sage advice, lets just call it advice from all corners.

It was successful!

And she is ready to tackle her next color work project, with more colors.  Another convert.

Getting What You Wish For

Yesterday at the shop, I said I wouldn't mind at all if today it rained and was a bit cold, so I would have a good excuse to sit around and knit.  

Last week the Tall Guy helped me order a cable for my laptop that would connect me to the t.v. so I could watch DVDs, video casts and thanks to the reminder from Jan, my Craftsy Classes.  (They are next on my list to see how they do on the t.v.

After getting the laundry done and some cleaning, I've spent a wonderful afternoon in front of the t.v. getting caught up on some knitting video casts and knitting on my Metro out of Splatter Dash yarn by Jojoland.  I love this yarn! It is so darn soft and cuddly.

I particularly like the seams on Metro.  They are very phony like seams and look like EZ's method only they are done during the knitting of every row.  

It has been such a lovely afternoon, sipping chai and then having coffee and knitting, so relaxing.  I apologize if you were wanting some sunny Fall weather today, but my wish was granted this time. And I am not even mentioning that four letter word that comes with Mondays.

Call Me Impressed

I finished my first ever After Thought Heel Sock this morning.  Ignore those tiny holes for now.  It was a test.  I was skeptical as I was knitting them, thinking I would do a second one, but after that I would go back to my old stand by sock from many years ago.

Then I tried it on!  I love the way this heel fits.  It cups it just perfectly.

When I do my second pair, I may change how I hold the stitches for the heel.  I'll do a bit of research before the second pair comes around.

It was a little tight picking up the right leg of the stitch on the top and bottom of the waste yarn.

And the fact that I am using my Karbonz needles that are black with black yarn doesn't help.

But, I really love them!  Check the pattern out - AfterThought Heel Socks  !

Whats on My Needles This Week!

I really needed some time off from work.  I am glad that I can still realize when I do.  And this weekend, with getting away to Yarn in the Barn, and spending time with a friend really helps.

I've been trying really hard to be a part of the My Sister's Knitter KAL over on Ravelry to clean up some WIPs and even giving myself some goals of finishing 6 projects before starting new.  Well, if you know me well, you know that was a lofty goal, but I am making some strides, if nothing else it has made mindful of those and I have managed to at least finish two and my travel project was my Twister that has been on the needles for several years.  I'm in the mode of knitting of 40 inches on the center section ( the marker is the half way point).

My Wool Peddler's Shawl is not making a whole lot of progress since I found a mistake in it many rows back and ripped it back to it's beginning (bottom one).  The top one is a WPS that stays in my car just in case I need some extra knitting.  It is going to be a ruffled version and is from Miss Babs.  The middle one is from Unspun Icelandic, and I believe that one is going to get pulled for a future shawl.  There is a 4th out of  Briar Rose Sea Pearl, but it is sitting over at the old house in my bag where I forgot it this morning.  I guess you could say I really like this shawl and it's possibilities.  OK, obsessed with it.

And finally, this week on the needles, the Splatter Dash sweater has finally been decided!  All versions except this one have been ripped out and balled up and are ready for knitting of Metro.

Whew, I am so glad this was finally decided and am anxious to knit on this one.  I do believe it is just what I want for the yarn.

By the way what is on your needles this week?  I would love to know.

Yarn in the Barn

Once a year in October, Briar Rose Fibers holds their Yarn in the Barn.  Chris does not have a storefront, but she does have an online shop where you can buy her yarns from.  I see her at Meg's in July and well, I love her yarns.  Sue wanted to go and check them out, and well, I couldn't let her miss the opportunity, so I had to go with her.  

We drove up yesterday and came back today.  It was a super trip and it has been sometime since we were together and get caught up on things. 

It was really nice to see all of Chris' yarns in one place and touch and feel them all.

Sue tried on the sweaters that Chris had hanging in the booth and all of them looked really good on her.  This one of Carol Feller's looked especially nice, but my fave was Blumchen by Anne Hanson.  It look really good on Sue.

I got another hank of Sea Pearl and one of Anne's patterns for a crescent shawl.

Anne Hanson was teaching classes this weekend, but I opted to visit her booth instead where I came home with this super cool cowl that uses Anne's yarn and 4th of July from Chris.  It has a slip stitch to it, I am excited to knit it.

I found just the charcoal yarn that I was looking from Anne's shop along with her Interweave Knits on Blocking Knits.  I've been going to order it, so I was pleased that it was there to buy.  I've been going to try her yarns too, so I was doubly pleased that I could touch and feel them all!

Sue introduces me to the coolest places.  On our way home in the 39 degrees, sleety weather we stopped here, where she introduced me to drinking chocolate.

And truffles.  OMG!  We had to get a drinking chocolate to go and IF we could have we would have put our finger in the cup and got every last drop out of it.  OMG!

It was a wonderful weekend and I feel so rejuvenated already.  Maybe, it is because chocolate was involved, maybe it was just the great service we had, maybe it was the new person we met all the way in Michigan and come to find out she lives just an hour away from us or maybe it was spending time with a friend knitting and talking.

Yep, I think it is all of them.

Taking Some Time Off

Just a few days from work.  And I can tell that I need it.  But, I am going to have some fun.  I'm off to friend Chris'Yarn in the Barn .  I've never been but I am so looking forward to it!.

I'm taking one of the two Tale of Two Sweaters with me, a pair of socks, Simmer Dim Shawl and my current Wool Peddler's Shawl.  That should keep me knitting, well you know just in case.

I'll blog when I get home, have a good weekend!