Char pictured here is modeling Linda's wrist knitting bag that Linda bought at Stitches Midwest Market this year. A couple of years ago we had a howling of a time at Stitches at dinner one night and further into the weekend about a arm ball holder. I believe Linda was the instigator of the conversation. It was a hoot. Which has really nothing to do with her purchase this year, but I just thought I would mention it.

This is Linda. She is the owner of the wrist holder. We are waiting to see how/when she uses it and how she likes it. I did see Darlene of Mosaic yarn Studio at Stitches Midwest knitting out of a tapestry bag that was joined to her belt loops. That kind of intrigued me as there was a time when I did knit while I walked around the track at Pekin Stadium. The only problem I had was that my hands got hot and sweaty and the yarn did not want to knit as fast as I wanted it too. I could see a good use for these if you had to spend a lot of time standing in lines (like at Stitches). For me the jury is out and I will wait and see what Linda thinks of it.

Last night I started cleaning around my area and decided to write down those known WIPS and what needles are hiding there. Anyone want to guess that number? There are 16 of them!!!Can you believe it? And those are the ones that are just in my immediate surroundings. Today, I am going to see what is in the drawers and on the wire rack. And just from a glance at the list, my current project is not the one I want to be knitting on but must. That is how I get in a knitting slump. It's not the weather, it is the overwhelming number of projects out there...

I do not need to worry that there is nothing in the current knitting magazines I want to knit, I have enough right here in my own space. I have plenty to keep me occupied for Fall Knitting. I'll be lucky if I have half of them done by Spring!!!

The charter members of the Radical Knitters Society. Tom, one of our member's husband, dubbed us with this name a while back, because, I am not sure why, but you get the jist from our name. This is a group of ladies that knit together no matter what or at least we try. If we aren't knitting together, it is like not having coffee in the morning. In the next couple of weeks, Jan (bottom left will be moving to Texas) and Norma (top center) will be leaving us at the end of September to do a little traveling. The rest of us Char (center bottom row), Jo (right bottom row), Linda (top right) and myself (top left) will be left. We will do our best to take up knitting opportunities while Norma is away. I will occasionally have a lia sophia party to do and Jo will travel for work, but in between we will do our best to knit together when possible. We are recruiting for new members, but you know they have to fit in within us (okay so now you know how we got our name!)


These are the Radical Knitters with their bags that Jan and Norma had done for us. Aren't they great? I mean the ladies and the bags...I've said it before and I say it again, these are the best bunch of friends one could ever have! I am truly blessed. I wish this for everyone.

Just a couple of thoughts for the end of the week~~~~~

I cannot believe it is finally here. It has just seems like it has been an unending week. Don't know why, it just has been. Well, I do know why, I am just glad it is over. However, today I had some knitting patterns to look at it, and someone reminded me at work today that tonight was the first football game here in Pekin. It is a sure sign of Fall isn't it?? Which makes me want to knit and finish some things so they will be ready for fall/winter weather when it comes.

The Knitlist today actually had a dissenting opinion on the new Knitter's issue!! See, Linda they do post them. But of course the tag at the end from Gail had to tell how she disagreed. Imagine that! Could be interesting to see what kind of responses come. Looks like for me I will use some of those old patterns that I have for knitting inspiration this fall.

A website I like to check out when the seasons are getting ready to change is the website of Fiberworks in Toledo Ohio. www.fiberworksknitting.com
I see now that is where I got the idea to work through Knitting Around by Elizabeth Zimmerman. I love reading their newsletter Uncommon Threads. It looks like they have some great classes throughout the Fall Season utilizing some great resources. Too bad they are so far away, the Fall Fashion Focus looks like something we used to do when I worked for Off the Bolt. It was such a great time and gave everybody lots of sewing inspiration back then. And then they have Knit Flicks and Friday Night Potlucks. Remember those from our Dr. Deb days Norma? It is just a really neat sounding shop. I think alot of shops could take a lesson from both Fiberworks and Threadbear FiberArts. Just my opinion.

Sunday, Bob and I will be married 29 years. Can you believe it? Who would of thunk it? It just amazes me when I think about it. Cause you know I just had by 30th birthday!!!

Watch tomorrow for Radical Knitter's Society pictures and their bags...knitting bags you sillies!

Another fine start to the day.....I hope this isn't the way the rest of the day goes. It was good to get yesterday over cause it just was the pits, but I digress. This morning, I am up checking blogs out and the neighbor's daughter pulls up at 5:30 ish along with an ex of some sort and they commence to argue as if it was noon....geesh why don't these people go inside or better yet how come the mom doesn't come out and teach them both a lesson! But that is the way they have been since they moved in so many years ago....hear nothing, see nothing etc. As I sit here an half an hour later, they are still going at it only a little more quieter down the block but it is not over yet.....God, if my kids ever become these people and I have knowledge in it, I am gonna take em out back and reteach them something they should have learned along time ago.

Which brings me to yesterday. I just don't get it. Am I in the minority that thinks, even if you don't care for someone, you can at least be civil to them? I have a couple of ladies at work that I am dealing with a work issue on it and neither one of them seemed to have learned the basics of getting along or at least coexisting. And somehow, I seem to be in the middle cause I am trying to get a job done that concerns both of them. Today, will not be a repeat of yesterday, I repeat today will not be a repeat of yesterday.

And now someone's little kitten starts to meow outside the window AGAIN! God, I hope it isn't taking up residency outside our house! Do you think I might be PMSing???? To think I was just going to check a few blogs til Bob got his shower and then I was going to pick up on Norma's sox and figure where I tore them back to last night. Unfortunately, it is time for me to get my butt ready myself!

I need a vacation I have decided, one where I can just sit around and knit, drink coffee and do a few things. I am seriously gonna have to look at the calendar!

Okay, so I got my new issue of Knitter's yesterday. When's the next one coming out?
It's Fall for cryin out loud and I want my Knitter's to have something worth going out and buying more yarn for!!! Is it too much to ask? But still I renew.....

Will Sally Melville's book be out soon? I see that you can pre-order from XRX. Should I or should I wait? Seems to me, the last time she had a book out, other places were shipping while XRX wasn't. Hmmm, the dilemna of the day.

The Radical Knitter's Society met tonight...Our days are numbered for the full contingent to be with us.....pics maybe tomorrow of the charter members.

Not much knitting has been going on this week. I have been trying to close a lia sophia party all week, went to a baby shower (no knitting items given then), did a lia sophia party and went to a lia sophia meeting tonight. Next week I have two lia sophia parties and a get together with the Radical Knitters Society. Turn around and it will be the weekend again won't it??

I am hoping to work a little this weekend or knitting. And I keep wondering where the new issue of Knitter's is? Isn't about time it should be out?

Had lunch with my friend Cindy today and gave her the black mohair shawl. She loved it and proceeded to wear it back into her office today. She was cold and said it would come in handy. Over lunch, we discussed several ways that she could wear it. I am so pleased that the thing is done and she liked it! It is so nice when something is appreciated.

Wore my suede poncho today to work and to my meeting. People just can't get over that I actually made it! I really am warming up to it. It comes down and covers just the spots you want it to and keeps me warm, even when it is 90 outside!!

Don't cha just love em??? They are not in Caribe Blue, but red is a good color! I just could not resist them. They are so darn cute. If I don't do anything else but wear them around the house with knitted sox in the winter I'll be a happy camper!!! Doesn't take much to make me happy!

FINISHED!!!

Harry Potter #4 is done, and I have just started #5!! Black Mohair Shawl as you can see here has been completed and blocked and this morning, I folded it up and it is ready to go for a birthday lunch this week. The one thing that I did after I took this pic was to straighten the blocking out, so the stitches go straight across the back rather than making a half circle.

Yesterday, I did not get much done except for grocery/Walmart shopping, so I really need to get it in gear today. The nice thing is we went into Peoria so Bob could shop for a gun that he wants to redo, so I got to knit on the black mohair shawl up and back. And last night we went out for Chinese, and when we got home I sat down and watched HSN cause there wasn't much else on, and told myself I was going to finish the black mohair shawl before I went to bed and I did!


Then I started working on the caplet that I bought the yarn for at Stitches (yarn is dead center in this pic of my Stitches purchases) and before you know it, it is like 2:00. Since I am trying to decide what to do with it, larger needle, more open, it is going to roll if I do it stockinette and is the row of single crochet around the top really going to keep it from rolling and why didn't I look at the model more closely and ask questions??? So I put it down after searching the net for answers and Sally Melville book and knowing somewhere in all my magazines there is a caplet there is an answer which today will bring. But, I really have other stuff to do! Like the poncho in the pic. Oh, I mean like laundry and cleaning and repotting those plants I bought soil and pots for...Okay, Okay, I will, I will....

I Want To Be Knitting!

But instead, I have a whole list of things that I HAVE to do today. I can't stand the clutter anymore and I must take care of it before I go screaming through the door. And I have to go back to work on Monday. I just need one more day off! Which I try to take the Monday off after I come back from Stitches, but its not happening this year.

Linda, Norma and I drove up yesterday to Stitches Midwest Market. (Pic of what I bought tomorrow), I want to spend some time playing with the picture. I want my pictures to be better for the blog than they have been. But that is another story.

I, at least feel, that I did not give the market its all. I think you miss out on something, when you don't at least spend a couple of days, seeing what everybody is wearing in classes and at the get togethers. You don't get a chance to see what the teachers are hawking as must haves. And you don't get a chance to go back to your room and do show and share and see what someone else may have bought that you missed.

I am still not pleased with it being at Rosemont. The place is big, but it just seems like you lose a little of the closeness of everyone that we had at Pheasent Run. There you could happen on knitters everywhere, knitting and enjoying each others company. I am not sure that is the case at Rosemont. Char, Pat and Linda (part of our 1st and 4th Tuesday group sometimes) may have a better thought on that when next we see them.

Of course, this is just my view and we will see what happens next year. But if it is still there next year, I would like to go and spend at least one night, cause now I want more! But for now, I gotta grocery shop, put the jewelry away, repot some desparate plants, do laundry, do some much needed cleaning in just about every room, pay some bills, clean this desk off......it goes on!

God, it's EARLY!

But we are off to Stitches market today and I like to have a little time to drink coffee and stuff. Its too early to eat at the moment. I had a party last night and when I got home, and got all my stuff kind of ready, I sat and read a little more on Harry Potter #4. I am getting really close to the end, but knew I could not finish it last night or I would be getting up before I went to bed.

Jan and Char - We will miss you today. Armed with your lists we will be off! Although I will be driving, I still have to take a little knitting along, cause I might just have time to sit and knit a spell in the market. The worse part, I can't find my tote bag that Jan gave me for Christmas. I have hid it so well so it wouldn't smell like smoke, that now I can't find it. I just hate that!! Or is that a sign it is time to clean a few spots up and re organize? That unfortunately will have to wait for another vacation time!

I'm on VACATION!!

Today is the second of the my three days. Yesterday was spent doing those errands - hair, nails, oil change and of course a quick trip over to Ewe-Nique Yarns Etc in Morton. I am still on the quest for a quick baby knit item. Picked up just a couple of generic colored baby yarns. I spent an hour just getting the center pull yarn untangled. Finally gave up and tossed a wad (I'm getting pretty good at that)

Today, I was going to go out for a run, but it looks a little like we are going to get some rain. (REALLY, I was!) So I will sit tight for a while. Then I was going to vacuum my car out and get it ready for tomorrow's trip to Stitches Midwest. I do have a party that I need to get packed for tonight. But the rest of the day is going to be spent, doing some laundry, perusing the internet at some of the shops that will be at SMW and making a list of what I want to look at where.

Time permitting, today, I am going to do a little knitting, drink lots of coffee and NOT answer the phone! Vacations when you don't have to do anything, Priceless!!

Have I told you lately what a great bunch of ladies I have for knitting friends?

Well, I am so blessed, truly. It has been a tough first half of the year for all of us. We have had some things going on within and around our lives and it has been tough to get together regularly. But to show you how great they are, we got together especially because I went and rescheduled two parties for our regular "meeting" nights. And last night two of our knitters presented us with the above, which most of us signed as a momento of our time together.

You see some of us talk about doing something, but Norma and Jan they carry it out! I won't throw the retirement thing in, cause if I did, my mom would just tell me I'm jealous! But aren't these wonderful? I just sit and look at it and imagine all kinds of wonderful projects being tucked in and no matter where we happen to be, I will always think of this great bunch of wonderful ladies who have become my close friends. You see we not only knit together, we solve the world's problems, we encourage each one on, whether it is with knitting or with yarn shopping!

Just who are the charter members of the "Radical Knitters Society"? Well, you have to wait a couple of weeks and then you can see a picture of all of us together with bags (knitting bags of course), but specifically the charter members of the "Radical Knitters Society" are: Norma (who lets us meet at her house), Jan (who soon will be moving to Texas, to probably start her own group), Char (who amazes me with the amount of socks she produces), Linda (who I hear does the greatest lace shawls ever), Jo (whose husband first dubbed us as the Radical Knitters!) and myself (who feels cheated if she can't knit with this group every week).

Words cannot express how I feel about these women! They are so much more than friends. Life is good, isn't it!

Shopping Opportunities Abound

Saturday was Fashion Day on QVC. I did a little damage for Fall work clothes. Sure hope they fit. But the greatest was on Sunday morning. Birkenstocks were on and they had the red clogs with sheep front on one and sheep back on the other. I had previously seen these on a blog somewhere and she had ordered them from Europe somewhere. I am so excited I am getting a pair! Another frivolous buy like the caribe blue Keds that I have not wore yet, but just had to have.

Tomorrow starts three days of vacation for me, I hope! I am doing hair and nails tomorrow and getting my oil changed late in the day, so in between, I am going to hit the Mall for a couple of things. Thursday, I'm gonna sit at home and knit, prepare for a lia sophia party I am doing, and finalize my list for Stitches Midwest on Friday!!!! I currently just have a small list, but I need to go through my needles cause it is a good time to stock on some Inox needles that I need (read as in missing in action in WIPS).....

Another Lesson Re-Learned

Years ago I bought a scad of baby yarn that wasn't really considered varigated, but rather flowed from one colorway to another. I was in my baby buy phase. That phase when I bought every baby pattern book that came along. And at that time, I bought about three sweaters worth of the yarn. It has cured in a plastic bin in the basement with one sweater all done but sewing up and adding rib and buttons. Another was up to the underarm still on the really long straight needle with the yarn there just waiting for me to come back to it. And then there were/are several more balls just sitting there waiting.....

So, when I discovered that I needed two sweaters for the 17th for the first set of twin babies due, I decided to knit some of it up. I started knitting the hooded sweater, not really wanting to be doing it, but knowing I had to. (Who said I had to? Oh, I remember, someone at work thought I would be knitting something.)

Last night, I made it to the hood, the whole time just not liking it a all. I didn't like the way the stitches looked, I didn't like the colors were looking, and I really thought it looked it odd. So, what did I do? I cut it loose! Threw the yarn that was attached and all of the scraps along with the sweater itself away. It just was not ever going to look good! So I tossed it and the one that was up to the arm away too!

Sometimes, you just have to listen to yourself and not to others and cut it loose! So now maybe I'll just knit up some stay on booties, maybe a little hat (even though I know she will get one when they go out of the hospital) and then buy something!!

Chalk it up to another lessone re-learned. And now I can get back to what I really wanted to be knitting on!

I love Fall! I love Fall clothes! I love Fall knitting!

Today is Fall Fashion Day on QVC and I am having so much fun watching. Alot of the new Fall colors go with the new Fall catalog from lia sophia! The worst part is it is still gonna be 90+ for awhile so one can't think too much about fall. But I am! And I am eagerly awaiting my Fall Knitter's magazine. I hope I am not dissappointed with it!

This morning I looked at the two baby sweaters that I am knitting for the shower on the 17th. I think they may be too girlish looking of a yarn! Now I am not sure I want to do them for this set of twins. Or is it because I just don't want to be knitting on them? Hmmmm, a little of both perhaps.

Don't cha just hate it when you have to do something? This morning a co-worker approached me about donating some knitted items like scarves to a benefit they are having for a family member. The benefit is later this Fall so I have plenty of time. But I told her, I couldn't even think about doing them until September. August is just filled with have to knits.

Have to knit and have blocked by the 17th, 2 baby sweaters for a shower.
Way past due on the black mohair shawl that WAS due on July 20th. Now I am shooting for August 20th, which would be the recepient's birthday plus a month. But, I hope to get really far on it this weekend too. And then I have one other that I want to have it somewhere near completion by the end of the month.

Have to knitting is just not as fun as want to is it!

It is a new week and a new month. Today would have been my Dad's birthday! Funny how you forget or at least I do how old he would have been. I have 17 days including today to complete two baby sweaters. They must be knit, sewn together, blocked and be wrapped! SO you know what I am working on!!! The mohair shawl has been set aside until I get these two sweaters done. Don't ya just hate when you have to do something??

If I could I would put a link here to a couple of sites that are kind of cool that I have recently learned about. But, since I have no patience to sit and figure it out, you will need to copy and paste. Both of these are worth checking out.

The first I picked up from another Knit Blog, but unfortunately can't remember whose, but now that I have went back there is more to this than I first saw. The first time I went to: www.rjconklin.com/fabric.htm I just went and looked at the great knit theme fabric for sale. The stuff is so cool! It would be so neat if one had a yarn shop and could use it to decorate with and other things. But, today I went further into the website and she has some great sock pictures with patterns for free and shows how to do two socks on a 40" needle. Pretty cool, but again at this moment in my knitting I have no patience to learn anything new, but when I do, I have it book marked.

The second website is courtesy of Ellen at Lakeview 1st and 4th Tuesday Knit Nite. www.fourseasonsknitting.com This site out of Canada has some great prices on Koigu and Zephyr yarn too. As soon as I complete the Shawlette that I am currently doing, I am going to investigate further. Especially the Zephyr. Char P, I might need your opinion on which way to go.

Don't let this be your last issue it read. I got my Vogue Fall Knitting Mag today. It is thick. But worth renewing another year? Not so sure. I love coming home and finding a new knitting mag on the table. But then I am quickly disappointed in the contents. Wouldn't it be better if I just looked at it when it comes out at Barnes and Noble and see if it is really worth having. When I say worht having I mean, is there more than one sweater in it that I would like to knit?

There was a really neat ad for what looked to be new yarn from Trendsetter. It might be worth investigating, but I could have learned that just from looking at the magazine. And when I have the magazine, I feel the compulsion to keep it, just in case I might change my mind some day, or someone mentions on a list or blog, the issue in regards to something they made and then I beat myself up cause I don't have it. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

Welcome Back Norma! One of the Radical Knitter's returns tonight from Safari in Africa. She has been there for two whole weeks. Just wanted to let her know we missed her and can't wait to hear/see all about her trip. Cause I know I am never going there! It will be great to have her back with us. The other Radical Knitter who has been gone, Jan, should be back later this week too, so perhaps we will all be together for next Tuesdays Knit Night at Lakeview.

Just when you thought it was safe to say "I never use straights anymore"! Well, guess what, this morning I was set to start the pouch on my tunic and went to the worm bag for a spare #6 circular. What was in there? A little 16" circular. So I went to the basement, to get a straight, out of desparation. So forget what I said yesterday, I do sometimes use straights but only, only when that is all I got.

I don't use straight needles or rather I don't unless I absolutely have to. So why did I buy these last week? Regular Blog Readers of mine and close knit friends know, because of the color of course! And then the sock yarn, as fate would have it, I read about the new colors of Opal in the morning and there they were at night and in just the right colors. Honest, Mom, they followed me home. Yea, right!

Tonight was Knit Night at Lakeview Library. Our friend Karen had knit 3 Judy Paccale Garter Shawlettes and was on her fourth I believe. She has used Kroy, Cherry Tree to name a few yarns. I had just a few rows of mine there and took it out to compare her gauge with mine. As suspected, mine is too small of gauge, I believe. So I am going to go to my chair now, tear it out and go up to size 10 1/2 needles and begin again. Thank goodness the Cardinals are playing in California so there will be something to watch while I knit some.

Did I tell you I had coffee at Knit Night from Gloria Jeans? I'll be up awhile....

I feel good with what I have accomplished this weekend. Got a touch of cleaning done. With sorting/filing of paperwork that has been stacking for some time feels good. And I straightened up around my knitting chair and gave thought to what I want to accomplish with the knitting and all of that stuff. I had another thought. I have a list of things that NEED to be finished by certain dates. And kind of told myself I could not buy anymore yarn at certain shops until I finished the last purchase from them. Then I went back to the list of dates due.

Which brought me to the current thought. I made a small list and it sits next to my chair as a reminder of what I should be working on this week. It started with three items on it: black mohair shawl(a late birthday gift for a friend which we celebrate in a couple of weeks), footies (cause I want to use up some leftover sock yarn and wear with my new keds) and the garter shawlette from Judy Pascale (and I had enough yarn to make it out of). Then the list grew by one: Charlottes Web Shawl ( I am going to get it out today, to see where I am at). I will work on Charlottes Web when there is nothing on t.v. and it is quiet and work a couple of rows every so often.

Now, I am thinking about adding just one more thing to the list. In anticipation of going to Meg's knitting camp with the Radical Knitters next year, I am going to start working through Knitting Around as a learning perhaps teaching opportunity and so I will be ready for next year. And at the same time, the first project is the moccasin socks and I think they would be great for my nieces/nephews Christmas presents this year.

I am feeling pretty good about what I really have accomplished even though I don't have alot to show for it.

I am still around. I have just had a very busy week. I am going to spend the weekend inside, cleaning, cooking (preparing for the WW week ahead), sorting through my knitting, reading Harry Potter #4 (yes I am that far behind) and getting ready for the lia sophia kick - off of the new catalog on Monday night.

Last night was Knit Night over at Ewe-nique Yarns. I bought a ball of the new Opal Sock yarn, some needles just because they were caribe blue and lime green and Judy Pascale garter shawlette pattern. Hopefully, I can show you some pics this weekend. I did not buy yarn for the shawlette pattern, I almost did, but remembered that I bought Koigu for some sox last year at SMW. I was going to knit the Broadripple sox so I had three and guess what I have enough to make the shawlette out of it. I think that is what I will do.

So many want tos, so little time tos.

Sometimes you just have to say enough. I worked on the Incredible Poncho last night. I was going to keep knitting until the end of the 4th ball, which I did. The whole time I have been reknitting this (once before on size 15 needles), I have been telling myself if was not wide enough. But I refused to stop, just telling myself that it is a ribbon and it will stretch.

Last night at the end of ball 4 on 17 needles, I pinned it together, tried it on and said it is just not wide enough (which affects the length of it), but as I stood there looking in the mirror, I realized, making it wider would just do nothing for me. So it was at that time, that I decided sew it up, put the fringe on it and let it be what it is.

Is it a favorite or will it be one I truly love? No, I don't think so, but maybe it will grow on me (something you never want knitted items to do), but when you want them to they don't. I am finished with it, have put it away for now, and am moving on to other things, like my SMW Market Sweater Goal. Sometimes, you just have to move on.

I have a very busy weekend. lia sophia party tomorrow and one on Sunday. I will be concentrating on finishing the Incredible Poncho this weekend. On Monday at lunch I am going to teach two of my coworkers how to knit. I am so looking forward to it! I already told them, when they were concerned that they would fail, there are no FAILURES in my knitting class!

I am having some fun with this one. It is almost at the first 6 inch mark where I get to start doing some cables. The Dale Sisik yarn is so soft, almost as good as the cashmere that the pattern calls for. I didn't think it was possible to have it done before SMW (not that I am going to wear it, it just was a goal of mine to complete at least one prior SMW purchase project before the next opportunity comes around), but the way it has been going I might just make it. However, the Incredible poncho has not seen the light of day since I started this project.


This is what happens when the knitting is in the basket and the yarn is in the bag, and you think that you are ready to go out the back door!! What did I do, well, I stood there and knitted it until it was close to the back, but of course!

Last Saturday was garbage day. Because of the 4th ours was picked up a day later than usual. And being up before anyone else, I noticed that someone left one of the cans behind and did not take out to the street. So since I was up and dressed (fell asleep in my chair with Friday's clothes on), I decided to go out and take it to the street. And because I had time before he came, I started taking some stuff out of our freezer that had been there for years and clearly would not be any good.

After I put as much as I could into the one can from the freezer, I started cleaning off of a couple of shelves in the garage. I figured what the heck, some of that stuff had been out there longer than the stuff in the freezer. Most of it was from my days at Off the Bolt in Peoria and prior to that my quilting and smocking days. A couple of boxes I could part with, and there was some batting that was so dusty it never could have went into any quilt.

Anyway over the course of cleaning, I found those handles. I started to toss it but could not make myself do it. Anyway, does anyone have a use for them? Norma? Anyone? They clamp shut when used and we used to incase them in a tube suede. They are kind of neat, but I doubt I ever would get around to using them, they might be neat for a bag of some sorts.

I had such a headache by the time I got home last night and was in such a snit, that I didn't get my weekend pics done. Why was I in a snit, just a very long day with lots of work to do. I sold parking cards for two hours and didn't even get to haul my knitting out once. I took lunch at 2:00 and that was the start of the headache which just kept on going into the night.

I did manage this past weekend to accomplish a few things off of my list.

We did shop, I did plan a couple of WW dishes but, the one will have to wait to the weekend cause it takes an hour an 10 minutes in the oven.

I hauled out the baby yarn. It looks like I had one sweater all knitted in pieces, I just need to sew it tog, add buttons and the neck rib. Then I have enough yarn for two little sweaters out of the above yarn for a sweater that Jo lent me the pattern for. I must of liked the yarn alot cause I bought a bunch. For the last two sweaters, it does not appear that I have enough of anything left to knit them with. I have alot of one - two balls of alot of colors. Nothing enough for two sweaters. But I could make the baby surprise and use all of them if I have enough.

I have decided on my SMW project. I bought navy Sisik last year for a poncho and have since decided it was not for me, so I am using it for a cable sweater from a Phelps/Hiatt book I have. It is actually a mens sweater but I like the sweaters in the book for me. It will never be done by the time I shop at SMW, but it has given me a goal.

The black shawl, footies with Keds pic and the other sox have not been touched. But stay tuned!

A new yarn out by Plymouth Yarns~~

An old yarn by Patons. Looks awfully familiar to me. See if you hold onto a yarn long enough, it will come back into style. So if you don't get something knit right away, don't worry, you will be just ahead of the next new trend.



How did my list come this weekend? I have given myself til tonight to get some pics together and thoughts. Not everything was completed from my blog list, but I had other items on my personal written list, and alot of them were done. So really, I feel pretty good on what I did get done.

The Incredible Poncho is finally at the point where it was a couple of weeks ago. I went all the way to size 17 needles and 40 stitiches. I still don't think it is airy enough, but it is going to be what it is. I am NOT taking it out again. Only three balls including the one that is currently attached and I will be done with it. This one seems to be taking an awfully alot of time.

I have to sell parking cards at the real work for two hours tomorrow over the lunch hour, I think I will take it along and see how much I can get done! I love the colors (they are all me) and the color name: Copper Penny. Now was that a yarn colorway made just for me??

I have great friends who are always on the lookout for colorways and accessories (caribe blue and lime) that are just scream me, me, me! Thanks Norma~

What are you going to do today I mean this weekend? Me, I have a list :)

1. Grocery Shopping at Walmart and Kroger - our Saturday ritual, but I am going to get stuff for at least one new WW recipe.
2. Pull out my baby yarn and patterns and see what I have for those 5 babies due this Fall.
3. Wind a couple of skeins of that purple yarn and do a gauge swatch.
4. Pull out some of the yarn souvenirs I have bought from the past two SMW and see what I want to work on/complete before I go to market this year.--Goal, complete at least one.
5. Work on the lia sophia flyer for our Open House at the end of the month.
6. And work on the incredible poncho, the black mohair shawl for Cindy's birthday on the 20th and work on these neat new sox I am working on to see how the pattern is working out. ( I wonder who they are for??)
7. Take a pic of these really cool Keds I bought along with this equally cool pair of footies I am trying out.
8. Take pics of all that I have accomplished this weekend as proof that I didn't just sit around. Okay maybe not pics of everything because that could be boring, but the blog needs pics!!

Stay Posted!

Some Friday Thoughts

--I have 5 baby gifts to do between now and October (4 of these are for twins)I hope I have the yarn in my stash somewhere that I can actually use. After last weekend (unearthing yarn downstairs), I surely must have something there. And if not, shopping will surely figure somewhere out there.
--I have two sweaters that persons have asked me to design for them. I wonder if real designers just design them on paper and never actually knit the designs? Can I get away with just knitting a mini sweater? Like in doll size?
--I have one sweater that I want to design. I have the patterns in mind for some time and on a little drawing for quite some time.
--I hope there is some decent t.v. on this weekend so I can knit with it. I do have the 3rd Harry Potter movie to watch. I thought last weekend, I would start with the first one and then continue on until I watched all three. Then I would be ready to read Harry Potter 4. I have both 4 and 5 waiting in the wings.
--Before Stitches Midwest Market in August, I would like to use up one of the yarn purchases that I bought at a previous Stitches Market

Just Some Friday Thoughts

Somewhere I had a link to Interweave Knits, the Fall issue, that had a preview of the upcoming subscription. On Saturday night, I picked it up at our Wal-mart here in Pekin. I put it in my cart, thinking here is some good reading for the night that had nothing good to offer on t.v.

While waiting in the checkout line (there seemed to be a problem with the customer ahead of us and we were there with our stuff on the belt for about 10 mins) Anyway, I decided to look through it. Well, lets back up. I talked to one of my knit buds last week and she asked me if I had seen the new magazine. I told her I had seen a preview on line and it looked pretty good. She disagreed with me vehemently. But, you know sometimes there are varying opinions. Well, when I had all of this time in the check out on Saturday, I thumbed through it. I was glad I did. In the 10 minutes I stood there, I realized there was nothing in it that was worth me knitting so I put it back.I saved myself some $ and was glad that I did not have a subscription to it at this time. But again, there are varying opinions and maybe there is some out there who like it. Rob over at Threadbear Fiberarts discussed it a bit and he saw a couple of things that he evidently liked.

Can't wait for the Knitters Fall Issue. I checked their website lastnight and they are still showing the Summer Issue so I am not going to be checking my mailbox too soon for it. I only have one issue left, but will renew when I go up to SMW market next month. Usually if you renew for 3 years there is a little incentive.

The Fall knitting magazines are starting to arrive. I received my Family Circle a week or so ago. There are a couple of things I wouldn't mind doing.
Like the vest on the right for my FIL, but as I recall somewhere in the basement I have one I started many years ago out of a really nice wool at the time. Course all these years later, he is a little thinner so I am sure it would not fit. I remember at the time I was working at a really nice fabric shop in Peoria and even bought some really cool buttons to go with it. I was always doing that -- buying everything to go with a project so I would have it all.
These mittens might be fun, except I do already have a pattern I like along with one mitten done.
And this over top would be a possibility for next summer maybe in another yarn. I never would spend the money on the Quest to do it, mostly because in Fall an Winter it wouldn't be very warm for me. And you know I am a cold blooded person! More thoughts on Fall knitting as the week progresses!

Tonight is Knitting at the Lakeview Branch of the Peoria Library. Bring your knitting and join us at 7:00 p.m. I always look forward to knit nights. It is great for just a while to sit and enjoy.

I really did put the tunic away after knitting about 3 more inches. Now, I am concentrating on the Incredible Poncho. I am knitting it right from the first try rather than rip out the first one. Now - I am anxious to get it done.

While surfing the knitting blogs, I came across a post that was just unbelievable. Another list maker and that is what her entry was all about on either Friday or Saturday. I could not believe it! She truly must be my twin in another city! Laugh at me, but I am not alone anymore!!

Happy 4th of July! 

Just one more row! Well, I know that is what someone would say, but in my case I just keep knitting and now I am almost at the end of a skein, so I am tellin myself to just knit to the point of adding another skein. Then, I am seriously thinking about adding a pouch to the front like a tunic sweatshirt, and so I say just knit til about 6 inches and add the pouch. Before you know it, it will be half a sweater. I told myself I would not knit past the 4th on it. So wherever it is tonight is where it will be and it has got get put away. No really. No REALLY! :)  

It is Sunday morning, well almost afternoon. And you know what that means - list making and pre planning my week. There is a name for people like me, let me know what it is, but keep it nice. I like making lists, have I said that before? They keep me focused. Or at least at times they do. Other times, they show me what I have NOT focused on.

I make lists of:
-What Blog entries I want to make for the next couple of days.
-Clothes that I am going to wear for the work week and of course what jewelry goes with them - according to what the weather is predicted for - cause you know I wouldn't want to wear the same thing every week.
-Grocery/shopping Lists
-To Do List (for the day, for the week, for gift giving)
-Where I am going ( you know like when you have a whole lot of errands to do in one day and you don't want to be driving the same route over and over, especially with the price of gas)
-Things I want to knit out of a magazine before I put it away. I used to color code the magazine with color post its tabs: yellow (depicting heat and Summer), Blue (cool and Winter), Hot Pink - there weren't a whole of color options out there then
(Babies and Kids), and finally red or green (Christmas)
Now do you know more than you ever wanted to know about me??

When you think about it, a Blog is sort of a list too. A list of things I want to tell others or a diary for me. A way of expression. Hmmm---

Today, I expanded on what I was doing last night. This week's topic: Fall Birthday/Holiday Gift Giving Opportunities

This year for Christmas will be the final year I do stuff for certain members of the family. It just gets too tough and then they feel like they need to reciprocate so we are making a pack to only give when we want to and nothing is expected in return. So - those members that are on this "list" are getting sox (maybe).

We interrupt the previous post's project, to work on this new project, just to the point of join this tunic to be together in the round. I have this little quirk - that if I go to a shop and sit and knit, I like to be knitting on a yarn that I actually bought from that shop. I figure if the shop owner is gracious enough to let me sit and knit there, that I ought to be at least some sort of advertisement for them. Using their yarn, hopefull inspires others to buy yarn and supplies from them.

Keeping this in mind, I want to get this tunic to the point that it can be knit without much thought the next time we go to knit night over in Morton, I am getting this to that point. Then, I am going to put it away in it's special bag just for Morton Knit Night Knitting. Really, no, really I will!

Realization sat it tonight, that winter is only about 5 months away and I would actually like to wear this tunic when it gets here or even before, say like late Fall, when it starts to get a chill. And further realization sat in that I really need to work on it more than sporadically, because say what happens if I
mis-calculated the yardage I need and that one ball that I left behind is gone when I get to the point of finishing it!!?? This is not something I want to have happen. You know you always run the risk of this.

Is it time to put my summer knitting away and be serious about my fall/winter knitting? Thoughts for a very late/early Sunday morning. And I'm PJKnits, signing off for now.

My next project, but first I have to wind the yarn. Yarn and pattern from Threadbear Fiberarts. The pattern is a Vittadini pattern. Do you think I am in a purple mode? I need to work a little more on the Incredible Poncho, it is one where I need to give the needles back cause they are not mine, so they cannot stay in the WIP basket.

Yes, it is done and I even like it. Someone needs to start working on those arms! 

The turtleneck is done. And I had enough yarn to complete it with a little leftover. I am going to try for a pic tomorrow night if I can get someone to photograph me. I like the Cotton Ease and am going to the Lionbrand website right after posting to see what they are replacing it with or maybe if they still have some Cotton Ease.

I don't need any but could use some white to make a cardigan from. But as I reacall, I have just a simple white cardigan downstairs that would be just fine over the turtle, unless of course it is too dingy up against the new white of this one.

Only two more days of work this week until a long weekend. I am anxious to re start the incredible poncho and take a look at Charlottes Web shawl again. And then again I do have that basket of WIPS that I have pulled something to finish out of. It's the black mohair shawl and I think I will finish it for a friend at work for her birthday later in July. So there is a deadline to reach for next.

I am sorry the pic does not do this display justice. I was in a hurry. Once a year the Univ of IL College of Medicine at Peoria allows us to display some of the needlework our staff and retired staff does. Most of this year is knitting, but ther is also some cross stitch and brazilian embroidery. What a talented group of women I know. 

Tuesday Night Knitting at the Lakeview Branch of the Peoria Public Library!!
1137 West Lake St
If you are in the Peoria vicinity, we meet on the 1st and 4th Tuesday.

7:00 to 9:00
They kick us out a little before 9:00

Come join us, we are in a room off to the left. We would love to have you!

I have extended my deadline to Tuesday am to finish the cotton ease turtleneck. I am pretty sure I will have enough yarn with Cotton Ease having such great yardage. I may have to break from my thoughts of not yarn shopping until I get rid of some, but I am liking this stuff so much that I may have to shop and see what is still out there before knitting on Tuesday night at Lakeview.

And today I thought about my lists. I may have to re think it and use deadlines as to what I should be knitting on. Like the cotton ease turtleneck, the deadline is maybe not being able to get anymore of it in the colors I have.

Sometimes when I have a list of things to do, it gets so overwhelming that I just sit and do nothing. But when I have a deadline like this one, then I sit and work away at it. Sometimes it is even fun! Sure there are things that tease me, like the Charlottes Web shawl that there has been a couple of postings on the knit list about. I even went so far as to email Nancy to get her sheets on it when she so graciously sent me. If I get my Sunday stuff done, I may hunt Charlotte up, but will not work on it until the turtle is done.

Now, if there just was some decent t.v. on this weekend to knit with. We rented a couple of movies and Bob and I both decided those were a bust. I still have to watch Sideways, but so am reserving that one to watch tonight when I finally sit and knit. All else fails there is always another Meg Swansen tape to watch.

Also I want to finish reading this so I can return to it's owners hands. 

Making a version of this out of cotton ease that a friend gave me 2 purple and 1 white out of. Cotton ease has great yardage and I thought I'd start with the purple and work it until I ran out and then the white. I actually like the fabirc of this yarn. Will probably not put the turtleneck on it and may put a rib around the sleeve too. 

Then I heard via Chicknits that Cotton Ease is being discontinued. So now it goes to the top of my WIP pile, (was not originally in the basket that torments me, but rather sat in my knitting tote just in case). This one must be now cause I might need to scour the countryside for just one more ball to finish it. It is my project along with a book I am reading for this weekend. Boy, is it hot out! Going to try to get both done by Sunday eve. 

You know I am sick when these are the only things that are in your hands and not knitting needles. I tried to go to knit night last night, but my mom's voice kept ringing in my ears "if you are too sick to go to school, you are too sick to go out and play". I listened mom! But don't anybody tell her she was right---back to regular blogging tomorrow and hopefully a little knitting today. 

Should have been working on this WIP tonight, but nooooo 

Got this link from Rob at Threadbear Fiberarts. Just had to go there. 

Spent the night working on this, but have decided to either make just a clog sock (from rib to toe) or rib the other end of this for just a band type sock. Either way, I am using leftover sock yarn up, BUT here goes another set of needles in a WIP. Can I be saved from this madness? 

Still it mocks me. That basket with WIPS. So how about a WIPalong. I am going over and gonna start one right now. Should it be one WIP a month or one WIP a week?

I couldn't resist taking this picture amongst just a few of the flip flop display. The drink is a Blue Hawaiian Wine Cooler. I love em. Became a love em two years in the Riveria Mayan. Had one not too long ago at Joe's Crabshack in Peoria, just wasn't the same. Made the teeth and tongue blue. Didn't like having blue teeth, can you imagine? The knitter in the chair in the bikini is me in the not so distant future. Knitting and the beach what more could a person want? 

Why is it when you don't have a subscription to a magazine, they suddenly get good? And why, when you give in and get a subscription does there never be an issue that you want to knit anything out of? I used to get Cast On as a member of TKGA and it would take me about an hour to go through it (mainly for the tech articles) and then toss it into the garbage. But, the latest issue has me re-thinking it. I'll give em another issue and see what happens, maybe it will be worth having it come to my door step. 

This basket sits there mocking me. It is just one of many piles of WIPS. But I discovered if I hunch down in my chair with my knees up, I can't even see it. Before I discovered that tidbit, I told myself I could not start anything new until I finished one from the basket! That is when I discovered the knee thing.  

Sunday mornings for me have become my creative morning. It used to be Saturdays when I would get up early before every one and watch HGTV and plan things for Bob to do with our house (when our ship came in). He hates it when I do that, cause it may have meant work for him. But, I believe now that it was just my dream cause the ship didn't come in (of course, I haven't bought the lottery ticket yet, Norma) and Bob really isn't in to that. So I will have to wait for the ship....but I degress from the real topic for today.

Anyway, lately Sundays have been a good day to catch up on the laundry, but it is also been a good day for me to plan for the week, what needs to be done, where I am gonna be during the nights, and lately what are we going to eat for dinner. It is also a morning for me to decide where I am going to go with my projects. And where I am going with them for the next couple of months (whose birthday is coming up etc) And today, now that I feel like getting back into the lia sophia mode (1/2 way to trip to Mayan Riveria) I am going to prepare for a party I have on Thursday!

Well, back to the topic at hand (have another cup of coffee, Penny!)so in my creative mode this morning I have a plan! Or maybe I should use my coined phrase: I HAVE A LIST!