Is This Enticing You?

My yarn for a project that I am just dyeing to cast on.  And no, dear readers, it is not in a shade of blue.

Except, could this be considered a blue red?  I never did quite get that whole blue/red thingy.  I just like it.

Are you wondering what it is going to be?  Stay tuned, I'll tell you about it next week.

Wednesday Website

Easy Make Stitch Markers

I have a great assortment of stitch markers from varied places, but I think maybe some day I'll try these out.  How about you?  Do you make/collect stitch markers?

Through Fuzzy Eyes

Just a gorgeous day in Central Illinois.  And before I headed to my eye appointment for an eye dilation, I bopped home to take advantage of the sun and wind to take some pictures for later posts. I could not resist though posting one of the trees in the back in full bloom.

I love these trees and try to snap pictures and enjoy them for their such short beauty season.  Pretty soon, the flowers will drop and behind it will be some nice green leaves for late Spring and Summer.  The leaves will make some nice shade to sit under and watch birds and squirrels.  If you look really close, you can see a Hospice Prayer Blanket hanging from the tree, I'll show that full pic on Friday.

While out there, I did a little video, that I am adding here, I am not sure how it will turn out or if readers can watch it, but I'm giving it the college try.

I am hoping it comes through well, as seeing the Vet Hospice Blanket blowing in the breeze just really felt right and renews my interest in knitting a few more these red, white and blue ones.

Have a great evening, catch you tomorrow for Wednesday Website!

Just A Quick Post

I'm back to the land of the living after almost a week of being the worst sick I can recall in many, many years!  I've still got a bit of a cough and if I do it too much or too hard, I have this really strong pain under one of my ribs, but I'm trying to not to do either.

And I am finally back to knitting.  The entire time I was down with this stuff, I had absolutely no desire to knit.  Until  Saturday night, I knit quite a bit on a Hospice Prayer Blanket while the other half of my NCAA bracket took a dump.

Yesterday, I tried a couple of new cast ons that I have never done before and promptly tossed the samples.  Both of them are for a wrap that I want to cast on, but neither are ready for prime time.

Right now, I'm just knitting on a bit of a poncho for Mona Lisa.  I may be back to the living, but my hands just wants some nice easy no thinking knitting right now.

My brain, however, is on over drive. I've got some drop dead gorgeous yarn that came to me along with an even more drop dead gorgeous book (that I want to knit almost everything in it)  while I was down with "the worst sick ever".  I am anxious to take some pictures of the yarn (I think you all will be surprised at the color) and blog about a really exciting adventure that I am undertaking.

For now, I'm off to take my nightly cough syrup (thank the gods for codeine) and a good nights sleep.

Thanks for stopping by for this quick post.

AWOL

I've been out of commission since Monday night.  The Tall Guy was starting to get sick last weekend, but of course was never as sick as what he passed onto me.  I finally had to go to the doctor yesterday and I really am not exaggerating when I say I have never been so sick.  Now, I am hearing from all corners of the earth that others have been this sick too.

You know it is bad, when you don't even want to pick up the needles or open a brand new book and yarn that comes in the mail.  It wasn't until this morning that I even could stand the lights on for a very long time.

But, I believe I am on the mend, but going to take it easy this weekend and hopefully get back to work on Monday.  I'll, of course, have lots to blog about next week.

Until then, stay healthy and have a great Easter weekend should you be so inclined.  Otherwise, kick back and knit.

The First Day of Spring 2016

Okay, so it isn't the warmest first day of Spring, and at this final posting, the clouds have moved in and the sun is all but gone, but before it totally tucked away, I was out taking some pics for Fridays Finally Finished blogpost,  and I looked down amongst these bushes of almost solid brown sticks, I saw some orangey/red peeking out at me!

Yesterday, this sight greeted me as I came home from a morning of knitting.  The Tall Guy threatens to cut them down, like he pruned a corner bush a couple of weeks ago (I am still not over that one enough to blog about it in a coherent way).  Blue skies and sprouts are a sure thing that we will be knitting on the porch very soon!

Since it is the first day of Spring and because I have a project off of the needle and blocking, I am just dyeing to cast on something new for Spring.

It's Friday Night

What are you all up to?

Every where around me, it is March Madness.  As previously posted last week, you all know that I am a fan of high school basketball at this time of year.  Yep, I'm watching the second weekend of March Madness in Central Illinois and knitting of course.  Right now, I am watching two teams that have just one point between them that in the first few minutes were at a 15 point deficit.  I love when there is a comeback and the score is so close!

In between commercials and after tonight's high school games are over, I'll switch over to the NCAA.  I really don't do collegiate basketball, but I do fill out my bracket and keep pretty close contact with it.  Lost City Knits got me started on this bracket filling out thing last year f! While watching the college teams play, I'm knitting some more.

My bracket is a little bit better this year, but I do have to say, that darn Michigan State screwed me again this year.  Frankly, that whole quarter of the bracket has been a tad bit sucky this year.  But, hey, it is still fun.

And it makes great t.v. to knit by.  Have a great weekend and knit something!

Happy St Patty's Day

May all your yarn today be green!

Wednesday Website

http://www.edinyarnfest.com

Another place for the bucket list.

What's On The Needles This Week So Far

The Three Color Cowl by Joji Locatelli.  Hoping that I'll get some time to get this one done by the 20th to take advantage of the Self Indulgence KAL.

The Poncho for Mona Lisa.  It started out to be a birthday present for my great niece but I came up with an alternative plan.

And finally, the Big Girl Blankie that is going on forever.  I am down to my last ball.  The plan is to have this one done and bound off and ready for it's blocking by Tuesday night.

Once this big project is over, I've got one waiting in the wings to cast on.  And I can hardly wait!

Where Did That Long Weekend Go

The Tall Guy and I both had Friday off.  We had some things to do around the house in anticipation of the kids coming home Friday night.  It was a drop dead gorgeous day!  We got moving early and went grocery shopping.  Both of us remarked that this must what it feels like to be retired and how we could totally get it into it!

After getting our chores down, I spent the rest of the day and the evening watching the State high school basket ball small school tournaments on t.v. (something I have loved watching since I was a kid).  We had all the windows open in the house until almost dark!  Who does that in mid March?

It was the best day just hanging out, drinking coffee and

knitting my fool heart out on Mona Lisa's big girl blanket. I was not successful in finishing it yet (when I showed it to her on Saturday, she remarked that it wasn't big enough, Grandma)

 Poppy is growing so fast at 5 months old.

And Mona Lisa, well, she is so dang smart and proudly announced that Uncle Roger was her best friend (at least for the weekend) and that Grandma was pretty smart.

Too quickly it all passed by and the rain came and the kids went home.

It was way too quiet in the house so I took solace in a cuppa with everything.

Caught up on some podcasts and I am still knitting on the big girl blanket.

The End.

Another Bashert Moment

Today was Hospice.  Something so super amazing happened today.  And to think, yesterday, I wasn't sure that I would be able to go and might have to miss for a work meeting.  But, something pulled me out to the Hospice Home today.  You know that feeling you get when you just feel like you need to do or say something.  This was one of those days.

At the last Hospice meeting, I turned in my red, white and blue Heavenly Heathers Prayer Blanket.  I really didn't give it a whole lot of thought, other than how much I like knitting that particular pattern in whatever colors of Pacific I have.  It is a pretty quick knit and it makes me smile as I watch the different colors play off of each other.

I was pretty certain that it would go to a Vet and now I know it did.  This morning, Judy was telling us about how she was able to take part in a ceremony with one of the patients who was a Vet, how a red, white and blue blanket was laying over the patient during the ceremony, how poignant it was to be a part of the ceremony watching the patient being saluted.  She did not know whose blanket it was, but my friend, Becky said, I'll bet it was yours.  I smiled and thought she may be right, but perhaps not, and maybe at a time down the road, I may find out for sure.  

But, then sometime later, Victoria came in and told us that the patient that Judy had spoken of was actively dying and that his wife and daughter wanted to come down and possibly thank the knitter for the blanket.  They had went back to the room to get the card so they would know who knit it.  (pass the kleenex, please).  While they were doing so, I hear amongst the conversation "okay stiff upper lip".  These ladies don't know me very well, but I cry at the National Anthem, communions, births of babies, good news, bad news, weddings, funny things, when people hug me, hellos and good-byes.  What are the chances that if it is me, that I am going to remain composed!

It turned out just his wife came down.  I am going to surmise it was because he was very close to the end of his life and the family wanted him not to be alone.  If you can, I want you to picture in your mind, a slight woman with white short hair and a silver cane in her hand, taking precious time away from the final hours of her husband's life to come down to our room because  she wanted to thank and just hug the knitter, Penny, who knit the blanket.  

You know what?  I am not sure what I said to her, but I can tell you that I held it together, until she left when Victoria said something so moving, you are now a part of their lives, just by the blanket that you knit.

To think that if I had not went out to the Prayer Shawl Ministry, I would have missed this moment in time that, yes, brings tears, but also comfort to not only those who receive the prayer shawls and blankets, but their families and to us the knitters as well.  I am so blessed to be a part of this ministry of women knitting and crocheting, they all are simply amazing! 

Wednesday Website

Shetland Museum Textiles

I have become quite smitten with Hap Shawls and feel myself wanting to embark on the quest.  They are a piece of history and a place that is on my bucket list to visit some day.

Although, not your soft and fluffy yarn that some prefer for shawls, the yarn and the patterns are calling me.  The ones I would like to knit are not going to be quick knits but still I want to knit them.

Ah, the perils of being a knitter!

Weather Report

I'm sorry, but it is the start of March and look at this weather report!  You can't help but wonder if this is the start of an early Spring and that I am seriously behind in my Spring knitting!

I've had a few projects on the to-do list and they are still not done, but I couldn't help it, I've started seriously thinking about what to cast on as soon as my weekend is over.   This morning, I really gave thought to as whether or not I needed a coat at all on my way to work.  Sometimes, a sure fire way to put an end to unseasonably warm weather, is to start putting away some of the wool blazers and mittens.  But, for the sake of all of us in Central IL, I am not going to do that quite yet.  Just as last night, I didn't have the gal doing my pedicure put any polish on yet (another one I took for the team).

But, have no fear, eventually it will really be Spring (March 20th), so how about we  start planning our Spring knits.  These are the Pantone colors for Spring 2016.  See any you like?

 Those who know me well, will know that Limpet Shell is really my fave, but looking at these colors, I am a bit partial to both Peach Echo and Fiesta, I get compliments when I wear these colors.  And I have always loved light pink, even though, back in the day when I had my colors done, the pastels were off my go to list of colors.

Next up for  Spring sweater planning,  check my stash and see what I have available to knit or if shopping is required.  That would be sad if I had to do that, now wouldn't it.  And of course, I'll need to check the trends of new patterns coming out to see what is hot in knitting and the catalogs of ready- to- wear I get to see if there is something Knit Knock Off Worthy.

Back in the day when I sewed all my own clothes and worked in an upscale fabric shop, we spent a lot of time perusing W and Vogue magazines and the pattern catalogs to scope out the latest fashions that we could reproduce.  I have to admit, I liked that part of the job the most, I could vision the fabrics, the pattern, the buttons, the sewing and the completed project on my body.  It wasn't necessarily the sewing I liked but the whole vision.

Thank goodness, some of that is still true, but I like the knitting equal to the planning of the project.  And with the warm weather at least for now, I'm ready to start my Spring planning.  Are you?

Reigning In The Casting On

As much as I am dying to cast on something new, I am reigning it in.  I've got some deadline knitting that needs to be done by next Friday when the kids are coming home.  I've got two and half skeins to go!

The Big Girl Blanket for Mona Lisa is shaping up, at the moment though, it is wider than it is tall.  I am ready to be done with it and start some Spring knitting for me!!!

The First of March

It was spittin wintry mix today, the skies were gloomy and we are supposed to be getting some snow on Thursday, but look what the mailman brought me today from my dear friend!  OMG, this is going to be a Sandbank, just as soon I have time to wind and cast it on.  Just yesterday, I was going through my stash looking for enough yardage for it and voila, here it is today.  I am so damn excited I can hardly stand it!

I interrupted my Mona Lisa Blanket to cast on a poncho for my great niece.  The girl needs nothing for her upcoming birthday and I thought a poncho would be perfect.  I doubt she has one and this Madtosh yarn is perfect for it.

And not intentionally, but the start of the round marker goes with the colors in the yarn.

I met up with some friends today before a couple of appointments to have coffee and knit a bit and they brought me the yarn I ordered when they attended the Pipeline Retreat.  This one is going to be a cowl. The color way is Turquoise Pool.

It is back to work tomorrow, but the good side, it is a three day work week!