Happy Halloween!

What's On the Needles This Week?

Well, I am not sure what is going to be on the needles all week, as this dang thumb and wrist have been acting up.  I'm given the Aleve and wrist brace a try to start out, but may have to break down and call the doc and see if I can get in before my appointment on the 10th. The way I knit aggravates it and I am trying to keep the right thumb in place when throwing which is not as easy as seems after 30 plus years of bad knitting habit.

 I'm gonna need my hands in good working order on the 17th for several weeks (not just for knitting, but for crutches too) so we need to get this problem resolved PDQ.  But, enough of that.

I've got some Christmas knitting on the needles for Poppy. The rest of his Christmas presents are ready to wrap, just need to get this cute hat done.  I bought the kit last August at Stitches Midwest from the Stephen Be booth.

I'm still pluggin away on the Hospice Blanket and am so ready for it to be off of the needles, but it has some ways to go.

And just in case the hands don't want to cooperate with knitting, I've dug out a WIP from the past that I may have to resort to - to keep from going batty in a few weeks.  Before knitting all the time and before it was cool, I dabbled in a lot of cross stitch.  In fact, my dear friend Norma and I bonded over cross stitch many years ago.  And today, when I was scoping this out I found a box that she gave to me with a note in it.  It brought back so many fond unexpected memories.  You know the ones.

Today is not as nice outside as yesterday was in Central Illinois, but at least it is not raining.  The burning bush is turning red, which is a sure sign Fall is coming, even though the temps say differently.

 Happy Sunday!

Friday Finds on Saturday

Yep, I'm a bit late for Friday Finds, but just had to show you what came into PJKnits this week.

Those darn Grocery Girls made me buy these next two yarns.  I cannot wait to wind them up and make something out of them!

And from Molly Klein Designs, two new bags and DPN holders.  I've got my secret Christmas knitting in them both!  Molly knows me so well.  Whenever she finds new Peanuts/Snoopy fab she gives me a shout out.  She knows I cannot resist!

We are having a beautiful weekend here in Central Illinois.  Temps in the 70's after last week in the 50's!  Enjoy your weekend!!

Whats Up Wednesday

Today's cast-on to go in my Halloween bag from Molly Klein Design.  I just could not resist!

Happy Hump Day!  And thank you Nancy for my card, I loved it!!!!

This Week On the Needles

This week the Hospice Blanket is what I really have  been knitting on.  It is a nice easy no brainer knitting.

Something that jumped on my needles today is the Maine Morning Mitts.  I've been having some issues with my right hand for about 5 weeks (cursory glance by the doc then was arthritis), and I thought that maybe some mitts for when my hands are cold and  flailing about while knitting my help a bit.

I had some leftovers of Briar Rose Fibers  from my Summer Solstice cardigan a few years back, and I love love this yarn with alpaca in it -  how more perfect could it be??

I'm sure by week's end, there will be more on the needles!  I'm feeling the urge to cast on all the things even though I have plenty to keep these hands moving.

Yesterday, our niece got married and her sister celebrated her 40th birthday!  It was a beautiful day!  Here are just a couple of selfies we had some fun with!

Baby Boy B

Our niece who was born the same year we were married!  I'll not forget how old she is, at least I hope I don't.  (Very Big Grin)

Happy Sunday Everybody!

The Diary of a Snood

Technically, the designer is calling this a snood, but really it is a cowl.  I am lovin it no matter the terminology. 

 

It starts with a provisional cast on.  Donna Smith gives directions on how to achieve this, but me being a creature of habit, I am using my ole stand-by crochet chain with a non-smooth yarn, I still have some white dish cloth cotton left from years back.

 

Recently on a the Knitmore Girls podcast, Jasmin gave a great hint for using the crochet cotton for doilies, Aunt Lydias.  I am going to pick me up some of it, because it would be even smoother and easier to pick out when I get to the end.

 

 

Last week, I discovered that I am not able to count to two and four in public.  I ended up ripping back my cowl a bit to where I messed it up.  But luckily, the chart is easy to read my knitting and I had it back on track pretty quickly and moving on.

 

And now on to Chart 2 with the next color way, an equally nice chart!

What's On The Needles - WOTN



I am onto Chart #2 of my Shallmillens Snood and the second color way of Lost City Knits Foothills Fingering  It is evident I love the Cerillos color way because I have it in a couple of bases from Denise now.

 

And I cannot say enough good things about this base!  This snood is going to be so soft and comfy, I just love feeling the hand of the color work as I knit this.

 



 

 Also, on the needles this week is a blanket for Hospice.  The call went out that there was a need for blankets for men and I just so happened to have cast this one on sometime ago to see what it would look like.  It's a nice heather green, Encore yarn from the stash.

Those are my main focus this week!  It's like Summer here this week in Central Illinois!  Almost 90 yesterday, but I am not complaining, what's your weather like?  Have a wonderful week!

How To Overcome A Pity Party

I've been having a pity party these last couple of days.  I'll blog about it sometime in the future, but lets just suffice it to say, it really is not super major, I'm just being a baby, and I'll get over it, because really in the grand scheme of things, there are so many wonderful things going on in our corner of the world right now and we are so blessed!

We have a beautiful grandson that just turned one and we got to celebrate with his great Grandma with us.  Miss Mona Lisa was charming as always, and had me and Baby Boy B's girlfriend (woot woot) playing all kinds of cool games with her.  It was a grand day!

When I get in a mood where it is all about woe is me, there seems to be that one thing that brings life into perspective, you know what I mean?!  Last Thursday was Hospice.  I so look forward to Hospice mornings twice a month.  Hospice gives me that time that is much needed away from work.   Hospice takes me away from all the stuff that is going on at work, the pushing and pulling of multiple people, vendors and departments seemingly wanting a piece of your time at the same time and the to do list getting longer, rather than shorter.  It gives me breathing space.  It lets me go back to work in such a much calmer piece of mind to deal with it all, a rejuvenation.

Hospice brings so much more to me than I bring to it!  No, really.  It is bringing me so many new friendships.  It is making me, humble and more thoughtful of others feelings, it is showing me that even though I feel like there is so much going on,  that life is so very precious, and that no matter what is happening, it could be so much worse.  Hospice makes me regret too. Regret that I was not kinder to my own mother at times and how very much I miss her (as she said many times I would).  How much she would have enjoyed her great grandchildren and how proud she would have been of her three grandsons and the paths they have chosen!  Sorry for the small digression there.

Last Thursday at Hospice, I received a great gift!   I was the recipient of a letter from a Hospice patient who chose one of my red, white and blue blankets.  She, herself, was not a Vet, but her husband was, and she chose my blanket.  Normally, we may receive a thank you from the family after the patient passes, but this one was a most beautiful letter written by the patient before she passed.  How poignant that someone would do this amongst everything that was going on in her life a mere week before she was gone!

There were so many things in this letter that I would tell you about, but let me say this, she spoke to me.    She thought or hoped that we might have crossed paths.  We might not have, but she certainly was on the money when she penned her thoughts.  It was as if we really did know each other and that she was guiding me towards being a better person, but also helping me to realize that how precious our current life is and how to go on and being oh so much more grateful each day.

I do not post this today to bring you down, I just felt the need to share what an amazing day Thursday was and how out of tears there emerges joy, enlightenment and guidance that was much needed and is today as I write this.

I'll end today's post with a bit of the letter from the patient, the article that she references in her letter is about dogs, but I can tell you I saw it as so much more, I saw it as a reminder  for all of us  on how to treat everyone, old and you, dogs and cats,  as well.  I've only done excerpts from the article in the letter, but I think you will hear what she was trying to say as well as I did:

My life is likely to last 10 to 15 years.  Any separation from you will be painful so please remember that before you get me.  Please give me time to understand what you want of me because I want to please you, in fact is is crucial to my well being…Talk to me even if I don't understand your words, I do understand your voice when it is speaking to me.  Be aware of how you treat me as I never forget…Take care of me when I get old; you too will grow old…When the journey becomes difficult for me and the end is near, never ever say that you cannot bear to watch or let it happen in my absence.  I have loved you all of my life and this final journey will be easier for me…your face is the last face I want to see before the end because I love you.

Off To Celebrate

We are off today for a quick trip to Iowa to celebrate Poppy's first birthday.



On Sunday, I have Hospice things to blog about, bring your Kleenex.  Have a great Saturday!  We are!!

Finally Finished Friday

And just in time to celebrate this cutie's first birthday -

The Harry Vest

And the ensemble!

I Gotta Sock Drawer!

Actually, I have multiple sock drawers now, but only one at the moment is designated as the hand knit sock drawer.

After 40 years, the Tall Guy and I finally bought our own bedroom furniture.  We've been using my dresser and chest from when I was probably 6 and hand me downs on bed frames and mattresses.  As our anniversary gift to each other we bought a whole new set.  It was delivered today.

I've got more drawers now than I know what to do with.  I'm sure that will change.  Only problem is, I may need a stool to get into it.  LOL!

What Are You Working On This Week?

Usually, my title of the title is What's On the Needles This Week, but I think that may be a tad miss leading.  As we all know, there are a lot of things on my needles as is evident of my needle cases and the lack of 24 inch cords, but I'll blog more about that state later this week!

In the mean time, what I am really working on this week (or at least for today) is my Shallmillens Snood.  I am just on  the first section, but I have wound the second section color of Foothills Fingering in anticipation of starting it sometime later this week.  I am lovin the first section, it is easily memorized and something that can be knit in public.

This one is a shawl that I am designing for Hospice.  I'm going to do a whole blog about this project later this week after Hospice on Thursday.  I cannot wait to tell you all about this project that I am so super stoked about!!!

Also this week, is Breathing Space.  I'm ripping back a bit right now, but hope to make some progress on this one.  I really am ready to be done with the short rows.  I think this picture shows exactly what is going on with the gradient set I bought from Sun Valley Fibers at Camp last July.

I'm seein a trend here in color as I am sure you all are as well.  This one is for Poppy.  It is off the needles at the moment.  It needs the shoulders sewn together, then the rib at neck and arms and finally blocked.  This may be his birthday present or if not then for Christmas.  Knitters Choice.

It has been just a drop dead gorgeous Sunday here in Central Illinois and I've been getting some much needed cleaning done in anticipation of some new bedroom furniture being delivered tomorrow.  Once the furniture is delivered, I'll be doing some cleaning out of clothes that need to be thrown out and re-purposing an old chest or two for shawls and scarves.  Funny, how excited I am about having better space for my knits!

It's the little things, isn't it!  Happy Sunday!

Friday Finds!

My Shetland Week Annual came this week.  This is the second year I have purchased this publication.  It is a great read and has a super cool shawl in it by Donna Smith, the same designer as the Baa-ble Hat and the Snood and hat pattern I'll be hosting a KAL on Ravelry in the Lost City Knits Group starting the 24th.

Also, arriving this week is yarn from Lolodidit.  It is not what I was expecting when I opened up the bag, but I am sure when I get a chance to wind it, I'll love it!  After all, it is has the lovely Caribe Blue in it!!

Happy Friday!!





New KAL

I am super stoked and honored that Denise of Lost City Knits asked me to host another KAL over on the fans of Lost City Knits Board on Ravelry. 

The minute I saw these two patterns by Donna Smith,  I was all in and the creative juices started flowing.

I'm going to start with the  Shallmillens Snood first.

And from Stitches Midwest, I am using all but one of the color ways of Foothills Fingering yarn from Lost City Knits, I bought for the my Hap Shawl, going for a gradient effect.   That's why I may need to re-think the colors for my Hap.  The cream is going to be the main color and the others will be the contrasting colors.

I'm super excited about this KAL starting on October 24th.  Yarn has to be purchased from Lost City Knits in order to participate.  This is going to be a fun one and hopefully, I'll have a nice cowl come later this Fall just in time for Winter.

What's On the Needles This Week

Finally, after what seemed like weeks of knitting two inches of rib, I am onto the body.  I'm using Carol Sunday's Angelic yarn and I am loving it.  It is a slow going knit though, as the body is knitted back and forth and I'm knitting on a size 3 Chiagoo Needle.  

I could not resist casting on the Lerwick Harbour Hap Shawl.    I may have to invest in replacing my contrasting color ways down the road, when it gets to the borders, because I am using the original colors that I picked up at Stitches Midwest for a super cool KAL over on the Lost City Knits Ravelry Board.  (I'll tell you about that tomorrow).

And I finished my first sock yesterday from Susan B Anderson's Smooth Operator Socks pattern yesterday.  I gave it a quick dunk and dry yesterday and I've cast on another one this week.  

That's whats on the needles this week!