I Had A Great Thanksgiving, How About You?

We had a great day at the inlaws. Good food, the family was there, played some cards, won some prizes and knit a little on the scarf for Betty's birthday. Came home had wine and cheese, sat with the t.v. on the candles lit and slept in the chair. All was perfect.

The day started off great. Wednesday night, after posting I sat down in my chair, with my blankee and some coffee. I was all settled in and noticed that Betty's scarf was across the room as well as my glasses. I was hoping for telekinetic powers to make them come over to me. They didn't! So I looked down in the basket sitting next to me and saw the tunic with the un-finished last sleeve just looking back at me. So I figure, what the heck, I'll knit on it until the coffee is gone in my cup and when I get up, I'll get the scarf and glasses and knit on it. Well, I did eventually get up to get more coffee, but I just kept right on knitting on the tunic sleeve. And on Thursday, I got up before everyone else (I love doing this),watched the Today Show and QVC, drank some coffee and finished the tunic. I was so proud of myself! It's done! 14 Balls of Debbie Bliss Aran Yarn later (I have one whole ball left) The pattern is a combo of Carol Anderson's Wallaby and Tunic Sweater pattern.





What am I doing today? Shopping via QVC (already bought myself something), knitting in my chair and drinkin coffee. Sure, I'll do a little laundry and I want to do a little lia sophia shopping for others for Christmas, but other than that, I am a chair potato today!

WoooHooo! It's the Weekend!

4 Luscious days to do nothing. Well, tomorrow I do, but after that.....
Well, I do have to do a little cleaning, the laundry, finish a project that I am writing/clip art for the Girl's Christmas Party.

Okay so it is not a whole 4 days without doing anything.....but at least other than tomorrow, I don't have to get out of my pajamas. Well, okay, maybe on Friday, because one of my lia sophia hostesses is stopping by to pay me. So, I guess I will have to get dressed!

But, I don't have to shop! If anyone shops, it will be up to the tall guy to get it done.

Happy Thanksgiving to you all! May you have too have 4 days where you don't have to do anything you don't want too!

Scarf #25


After a Fall of scarf knitting for a benefit, for a bazaar and for a friend's birthday next week, I have knit 25 scarves so far. The whole time I am knitting this latest one from Lion Brand Fun Fur Stripes, I am telling myself this is it. No more, back to my regular scheduled knitting!

But then, this Encore has been taunting me. It is one lonely ball of 200 yards. Why did I only buy one ball? That won't do the seaman's scarf I always knit. It takes at least 1 1/2 - 2 balls. Oh, yea, I remember, I acutally bought the one ball to go with an eyelash yarn I had previously bought. I knit a little of the two together last summer and decided you could not see the color variations on the Encore at all. So it sat there. I wondered if I could get one more? I could from Patternworks, I see that they still have it in their catalog, but I am trying to use up some yarn and I don't want to buy it. And I wanted to knit a scarf for warmth for my friend's birthday next week, but given the way she loses them, I did not want to go out and buy two skeins of anything more.

And then it hit me. I have been knitting all of these 25 scarves on big needles and a lot less than 200 yards have been involved with them! And so I decided to come down a size of needles and knit and see what happens. I think this looks pretty good! So, I am going to knit on this one last scarf for now! It will be the Thanksgiving day project for at the in-laws. Then I am done with scarves for now, really, it will be back to my regular scheduled knitting! No, really!

The Pink Yarn That Refuses To Be Knit



Last year in the Fall I bought this pink Encore Bulky yarn for a small poncho. When I finished it, I just did not like it so I cut the yarn, and threw the poncho away and kept the leftover. Then, I started knitting with a lime version of the same yarn with a strand of Plymouth Poof. I liked the lime so much and I still had two and 1/2 skeins left of the pink, so I went back to the yarn shop about this same time last year and bought poof to go with it.

So now, I am knitting a scarf like the lime one (which I gave away), and it would appear that I am not going to use it all up! I think I am still going to have a ball left and some poof to go with it! This pink just will not let me knit it all up! It wants to live! It's starting to annoy me now!

I think I may be done celebrating my birthday from last week. My mother/father in law gave me this on Saturday when we celebrated. Won't he look cute with a scarf and hat upon his head!

I'm milkin this birthday for as long as I can. These were gifts from my comrads at work. My secret pal sent me the caribe blue bath sfuff (she just got my name the day before my birthday) and Shelley, my co-worker in Purchasing bought me the portable beach and the candle so that this winter I can imagine I am there. Brenda, one of our traveling companions bought me the "Trip Money" Bank to save $ for my 2007 trip (hopefully). Kathy who used to work with me in Purchasing bought me the high heeled flip flop and Maria gave me my own street sign, Penny Lane. Do these people know me? I am so lucky to have them to work with! Stay tuned for my birthday that lasts and lasts.

I love it! Who says birthdays aren't fun when you get older??

Today was the Womens Lifestyle Event in Peoria.

My lia sophia group had a table and we worked shifts. I had the first shift with a couple of other gals from our group. Did not book any parties or take any orders, but we had a lot of women go through who signed up for a chance at winning the Sea Grass Set. Hopefully, there will be some new names to go after for future shows and jewelry sales.

But the funny thing about Lifestyles Event is that there tons of vendors there. And of course from a far what do you think I saw?? YARN, yes Yarn. I had finished my shift and was just going to look a bit before heading home. I was suppose to go yarn shop hopping with a friend from work after Lifestyles, but we were short handed in the booth so I worked longer and told her to go without me. Anyway, back to the YARN. It was from a shop over in Bloomington called The Fiber Shop. It is in her home, and is by appointment only, but she is having a sale on December 2nd and 3rd that is not by appointment! Might have to do a little yarn shop hopping on those days.

She has some different stuff and had some knit items for sale today which were fun to look at. Some great felted flowers, that I just have to try. Her daughter had a Noro ribbed capelet (yes, I had to buy the book), I liked it better than the previous one I made. The neck of the one her daughter was modeling was not as high up as this one pictured, which would be nice to try. The Noro book had some other interesting sweaters in it so it was worth the look see.

And of course, I had to buy yarn and it is for a scarf but it is really soft. The scarf is a ribbed scarf with a cable down it. Can't wait to wind it up and then start it too... but tonight we have to go to celebrate my birthday one more time. What I really wouldn't mind is just putting my sore foot up (I'll tell you about that tomorrow unless it is a fond memory. BUT, BACK to the YARN....it is one of my favorite colors, can you guess what one?

Happy Birthday to Me!

Thats all for today!

Where everybody knows your name...

Another part of the conversation that we had yesterday at lunch. Leslie and I were talking about local yarn shops and how one is missing the boat. The Radical Knitters tried several Thursdays at a knit night and didn't just quite feel the ambiance that we should have. Leslie and I discussed that a little yesterday.

So, if and when I ever when that lotto, and have my own shop, I vow that it will be like Cheers! where everybody knows your name! I miss that it a local yarn shop.

The tall guy and I discussed that if we one big, we had have to fight over who stayed working (for the insurance), I said it would probably have to be me cause I have the good benefits, he said we could both quit cause if we really won big, we wouldn't have to worry about it. Guess I'd better buy the ticket first, huh, Norma?

I'm having a pretty good week.

This is night two that I have got to come straight home! And tomorrow I get to too. Did not get to knit on the tunic sweater last night, I read instead and worked on doing some lia sophia business. Tonight, I knit on it a bit but, man those sleeves have a long way to go to get just one done!! I don't think my time line of Saturday morning is going to be met, but one never knows.

I'm tired tonight since I cut back on my coffee consumption (as of yesterday) and because I think I have been drinking too much of it and thought it was part of a little problem I have had. But tomorrow, I am going back to drinking it like I always do. It hasn't made a difference, and no I have not had any headaches, but I am tired and not real nice (at least at home) so it just ain't worth it! And I like my coffee!

So whatever is going on inside me is just gonna have to live with the coffee cause it is not going away!

Today was the first Tuesday of the Winter Knitting Club during lunch at work. Two showed up, one without her knitting and the other a short timer because in a few weeks Leslie will be not working on Tuesdays. She will be there on Fridays though which will be fun. We started the Winter Knitting Club because of a suggestion that we do one. I said what the heck, I usually sit in the Student Lounge anyway during the winter and I might just as well talk knitting and maybe encourage others to learn how to knit or further their skills. I hope it picks up as others see us knitting. As each person came in with their lunch today, I asked them if they brought their knitting (even of those I knew were not game) but you never know when someone will respond with a yes! Especially when they see how much fun we have!

I know that Winter is coming~~~

I remember as a child that the weather on my birthday was cold and usually windy with a little bit of precipation. I can remember walking home from school, in my big gray fur coat with black buttons anticipating the night ahead and the fact that the next day was Veteran's Day (no school) and I would have the whole day after to play with my birthday stuff!

But, this last week and next week seems to be a little different. Weather is the upper 60s? So, we have been given a repreive, but this morning I am back working on the Tunic sweater. My anticipated deadline for it is this Friday night. I am hoping to have the sleeves completed (which will finish it), but the real thought is if I need any more yarn to complete it I could run over to Morton and pick up more yarn on Saturday after I do my stint at the Women's Lifestyle Event (Booth 136) in the morning.

I may even get to wear the tunic this Fall before the real weather sets in!

I Knit a bit, I read a bit!

I'm reading this at the moment


I can't wait to see who done it. I think I might even read today at lunch if I'm alone. If not, I'll knit. Life is good.

I just had to share this picture with you all.


These were my boss' day present from Shelley who works with us. Aren't they cute? Snoopy also has a Flying Ace costume, complete with goggles. They sat on my chair yesterday with a pumpkin full of Peanuts fruit snacks for my little visitors. Shelley bought the fruit snacks for me too. Isn't she the greatest? And she is learning how to knit!

While cleaning in my closet on Saturday, I ran across a shopping bag. It had odds and ends of some yarns and a partially made moebius along with a sweater from Sally Melville's very first book. I threw it all away. Now, before you all faint, for the most part their wasn't much in the bag, they were leftovers and the sweater was from a time when I was a little heavier and it was no where near complete! But, there was one more thing in the bag, this---

I think I bought this kit at the very first TKGA event I attended years ago up in Lansing Michigan with my friend Julie. At the same time I bought the kit for the yellow and black bee sweater from Monkey Suits. The bee sweater is in another box somewhere in the basement. As I recall it is in pieces, it just needs to be finished. I will get to it eventually, but isn't this kit cute? And the best part is that it is still in the plastic, so I don't think the cigarette smell that once was a part of everything in the basement made it into the yarn. But what really counts is the memories it brings back. What fun shopping and knitting and being with friends is!

I'm Done.

I have decided you can only knit have tos for so long. So this morning after I finished a scarf, started knitting another one, that I did not like the way it was turning out, I decided I am now knitting only what I want to. The scarves that have recently made their way to the Bazaar bag are below. I have a couple of others and that will have to be it. IF-I knit any more scarves this week, it will be because I want to, not because I think I should.


The Poncho- This is why stash yarn is not good!

This is Lionbrand Woolease. The flecked Woolease has been discontinued. Aunt Mary's in Rochelle says they have it. I will check into it this week and if they do, I will have them send me 2. Then I can knit it big enough that the intended recepient can wear it next Spring.

Now, it is time for me to knit what I want. I have had enough for today!

I am going to whine, only one more time!

Really, I will only whine one last time. You know its bad when you wake up with a headache. This has been one busy week. I still have so much to do and it does not involve knitting. I have shows out the whazoo to close (still have to meet with two tomorrow and later this week) and enter.

Today, I am going to get a handle on it, so I can enjoy some of my next week. I am going to start by cleaning this desk off, getting the piles in order, orders keyed in, I will at least vacuum around me and then I am going to head to the basement to take my warm clothes out and put the hot ones away. I have not broke out the coats yet, but I think I am even going to break down and do that.

Tonight, I have to go to the birthday party for the poncho girl. It is not done so I broke down and bought a Barbie thing from the pink aisle last night. I will finish the ponch later this weekend and give it to her when it is done.

After all of the above is accomplished, I am going to reward myself with a week of knitting. Yes, I will be mostly knitting on scarves until the Bazaar on Thursday, but once that is done, I am knitting just what I want!

Thanks for listening to me whine, I am done now and I promise to be better, really I will.

I'm On Deadlines

Really, I am. The next time I turn around it is going to be November and I am going to be glad of it. This week will seriously be over, before I even have a chance to see it. In some respects it is good, cause I have alot of lia sophia business to take care of, but in others (knitting) it stinks.

At the moment, I am knitting on deadline stuff, not stuff I want to be knitting on. I am knitting a poncho out of a woolease I bought some years ago. I sent the back half with a coworker to her church on Sunday to measure it up against a four year old there. She came back and said it was too short, but then the more we talked, if I add fringe it might be okay but my intended recepient (has to be done by Saturday at 5:00 p.m.) for her to wear this year, but not in the Spring probably. And I don't have much yarn left. So I went to Michael's last night, hoping to find one more skein of it, of course there isn't any, I didn't expect there to be! So I am going to keep knitting on the second piece and soon will cut fringe for both and then see what I have left. I will take the yarn and knit on both til it is gone and that will be it. I'm thinkin a nice book from Barnes and Noble is in order, don't you?

My next deadline for knitting is next Thursday. I am knitting scarves for our Bazaar at work. The proceeds (after I take my yarn $) out are going towards a Christmas party we have for just the girls. I thought I would have more (back from the benefit last Friday) but it seems that what they didn't sell, they gave away as door prizes. So I need to knit some of those.

After that I promise, I really do, that it is back to some long awaited socks. Cause it is getting sock weather! By the time the socks are done it will be Thanksgiving, and I can be one again knitting just for me! Talk about wishing your life away.

Tonight is Knitting at Lakeview Library. I am looking forward to seeing everybody and just sitting and knitting. It will be the poncho, but perhaps it will be nearer to being finished and then onto scarves!

You know what gripes my butt?

When I go shopping at Walmart and there sits on the magazine rack, the Holiday Issue of Vogue Knitting and I don't have the one I subscribe to yet! So as soon as I get home, I run to the mailbox, expecting to see my Vogue Knitting there, so I can sit a leisurely Saturday afternoon and evening admiring it. And was it there? No. So then I think to myself, maybe the last issue was my last issue. No, I don't think it is, I think the holiday issue should be.

And I think again, here is yet another reason to not subscribe, just check it out at my neighborhood Walmart when it is on the stand and see if it is worth actually buying rather than having a magazine subscription that comes, I flip through it and there is absolutely nothing I would knit out of it. Until of course, I read on a blog somewhere that they are knitting a really cool "whatever" from the issue that I did not have cause there was never anything to knit out of Vogue Knitting.

I just can't win. Kind of like the Cardinals, huh...back to knitting....

I got my books on Saturday from Knit Picks. Love that place, order at least $30 and shipping is free, so of course you know I did. I am reading Yarn Harlot slowly. a little bit at a time and enjoying it. It is different than her first book which was full of Knit Wit and I saw myself in many of the pages. This one is more short stories but are entertaining. I very much can identify with the wedding sweaters. It reminds me of a sweater that I crocheted for Bob many many years ago.

Bob is a tall man and I wanted it to fit so I crocheted the heck out of it. It was way too big everywhere so I put it in the washer and dryer. When you want something to shrink it doesn't. And it didn't. It was a hoot, he posed for a picture for it and never wore it again. I don't think I ever "finished" another one for him.

I am still making my way through Sally's book. This morning I noticed a wrap I might like to do, I think mainly because of the colors, browns and such. At first notice it looked like something other than a wrap on Sally and I think that is what drew me to it.

As funny as it seems, I am actually seriously looking at both of these.


The skirt just looks interesting but okay so I won't actually wear it, but I could see it on someone, really I could. And the sweater, well does that not just reach out and say it is Penny?! You know it does! It has 2 of the prereq colors, Caribe Blue and Lime.

On Friday, I picked up a two knitting magazines. I really need to start sitting down and looking at magazines before I just pick them up. Simply Knitting was a whole lot of ads featuring companies from England. I didn't realize until after I opened and starting looking at it that I paid for $8.99 for it. It's doubtful that there is anything in it that I will ever make.

The Knit It! from Better Homes and Gardens was an interesting look at, but it too was a waste. It features a lot of items made out of Lion Brand yarn and I somehow forgot that in between printings. There was a couple of interesting bags, one felted. And a color combination in a scarf for a male gave me an idea for a future project. The one thing this magazine does do is some little helpful hints through out the pattern section along with color pictures of the project so you don't have to keep flipping back to find the original page.

Both magazines gave a little knitting something to look at while I waited for my Knit Picks order to come. It finally did on Saturday and I have just done a quick look through on Sally Melville and read a couple of chapters of Yarn Harlot, that blog post will be another day.

I got a new Palm!


I could not stand it. I ran over to Office Max on my lunch on Friday and got it. No Palm was like not having your knitting when you are in a traffic jam that is not moving for hours. No Palm is like sitting at the doctor, hospital, dentist, really long football game, you name it not having a Palm is like it!

It is almost identical to the one that died. Except all my Weight Watchers stuff did not transfer over. I am hoping that when I get back to work tomorrow that the files are sitting there on my computer so I can add the rest of them. If not, I can download them restaurant by restaurant and I will survive. Now that I have my Palm back, I can function!

Today is my Father-in-Law's 80th Birthday.

Here he is with my sons Roger and Willie.


What a nice evening it was. We sat out at my niece's with a roaring fire, had toasted marshmallows (and I do mean toasted, I like my burnt with a charcoal covering) I ate too much but tomorrow is the beginning of my new week and I must be good. We also celebrated my niece's from Naperville birthday along with Bob's sister's birthday. Everybody is pictured here except for Chantel whose house we were at.


It was such a pleasent evening and my mother-in-law surprised me by putting on her Wallaby sweater that I knitted her many years ago. I was so surprised that she thought to wear it. I love it when you knit something and they like it enough to wear it. Kind of makes it worth knitting for others.

My Palm is Dead!

Do you know what this means? My life is there. Where I am suppose to be, when I am suppose to be there and everything in between including knitting and such. Valuable names and passwords I cannot live without. So tomorrow's mission is to go out and see if I can replace it. I think I want the same model because I have become so used to it, I just can't believe it died on me. How could it, I really do take care of it!

I think I have to stay home from work today, I just don't think I can function without it. I wonder if Wayne will go for that one...okay probably not, I am getting dressed now.

Okay so tonight I am out at Barnes and Noble for a just a quick fly through and what do you think they have? Sally Melville 3, but I did not even open it. I barely glanced at the front and walked away quick. I will wait for mine to come. See I can wait!

But realize that the first thing I did was to look on the table when I got home to see if there was a box. There was! But it was a lia sophia box. That has been the first time in over a year that I have been sad that it was a lia sophia box sitting there.

There is always tomorrow. I will wait. Aren't I good?

Yippee Skippy!

My new Sally Melville book is on the way along with my new Yarn Harlot Book and some brown yarn I ordered from Knit Picks. The confirmation says 5-10 days, but I am hoping it is shipping UPS and will be here before the weekend! A good Friday night read would be oh so helpful!

I can hardly wait, I will be like a child waiting for Christmas. I am going to do my best to not devour (had to look up how to spell that one) it. I want to savor it, reading everything and looking at it all and then making the decision as to what I can just not live with out. All the while, staying within my yarn diet.

Now, I know someone will say, but you blogged that you bought brown yarn above too. Well, of course I have an explanation for that*I did not have any brown yarn that was able to be felted. And I had a leftover skein from a scarf I made that is just crying to be used in a felted bag. Okay, okay, I know someone will say, why didn't you just knit that other skein up into a scarf for the Bazaar you are doing in November. Well, because I don't want there to be two Pennéy originals of course.

See, I can justify anything!

I am working like a fool today and no knitting done yet. So far, and still doing, I am doing laundry. Yesterday was filled with a lia sophia party up by Peru so basically the whole day was shot. When I got home last night, I ate, napped and woke up in time to watch the Cardinals game starting at 10 and going til 1ish. Then I read a really cute book, falling asleep on the couch at around 4 waking, only when yesterday's lia hostess called with a question around 10.

Since then, I have been doing laundry, clearing the deck of the desk of bills and lia sophia stuff. I made Pumpkin soup, ate one bowl of it and tossed the rest. I thought it would be a way to get something warm in the belly, low in WW points and give me a vegetable. Wrong, not worth eating or making again.

I have my stuff ready for work tomorrow all sitting on the table. Shortly, I will put it in the car so I will be ready for tomorrow. But before that, I am going on line to Knit Picks to order my new Sally Melville book, the new Yarn Harlot book and some brown yarn for a felted bag I am gonna try. I have never used Knit Picks yarn so I thought I would give it a try. The best part is my order will qualify for free shipping and Knit Picks discount their books by 30%. I am hoping to have it by next Friday, so maybe I can sit around on Friday night and look at it. Cause next weekend and on into the week is another fast and furious--Saturday, celebrate bdays at the inlaws, Sunday lia sophia party, Monday lia sophia party and on Wednesday, the man will have his cath, Thursday, hopefully the Radical Knitters can get together?

Starting at 7 tonight, I will sit in my chair and knit and watch tv, not answering the phone after they start. We start with West Wing, then Desparate Housewives and then cap it off with Grey's Anatomy. I love Sunday t.v., I just wish Monday wasn't a work day!

I have been very lax in my blogging recently. Mainly because I just did not have much to report on that was really worth reading. A few weeks ago I blogged about a couple of things that I want to touch on for just an update on.

I was knitting scarves for a benefit that is coming up on October 21 in Bartonville. I have turned over those scarves to my friend Kristy so they are now complete. They totaled 11 and I hope they make some money on them, since this is a worthwhile benefit for a young single mother who has cancer. The last scarf was a red fun fur scarf and we are teaming it up with the Lady in Red lia sophia earrings and calling the Lady in Red. What fun...

So now that I finished that round of scarves I am onto another round that need to be done by November for a Bazaar at work. I am going to sell them and the proceeds are going to our Girls' Holiday Party Fund.

The other thing I touched on in the blog is my great list of WIPS with all the needles out there in them. I finished a scarf today that has mittens to match and was able to cross off, and put away in their appropriate plastic sleeve one set of needles. What a sense of accomplishment that was. At least for me. Only 19 on my list to go. And that list is just the ones I am owning up to for now!

So you see, it may not be a great blog read, but boy do I feel good about it!

I'm Spinnin!

And I don't mean spinnin yarn. More like spinnin in circles. Blogs are fun to read and catch up on what everyone is doing. But, then you see things you just want to explore and do and buy. Yarn, Books, on and on and on. A trip to Barnes and Noble is on the list for tomorrow before I go to Knit Night at Lakeview.

Yesterday, I was going to go through a box to see if there was appropriate yarn in it for a vest or two and a shrug. Didn't get it done. Did finally get all the laundry done ( I swear it was multiplying as I put it in the washing machine). I managed to get some lia sophia stuff done, but I still can't get one gal to call me back with the info I need. There is a learning lesson there. And I still have another flyer to get out for a party later next week.

I started yet another scarf tonight for the benefit at the end of the month. It is red eyelash and we are going to team it with the Lady In Red Earrings from lia sophia as part of the auction. I still have to finish a scarf in the round I am knitting to go with mittens that match it. And I said I would do a pair of flipflops for a vacation in February basket that is being put together. So, after those three things, I will have everything done I am donating for the auction. They are meeting with the auctioneer on Friday and they want to have everything by then. Then that time line will be done. Before then, I need to hit the Target in Peoria to find a couple of small boxes for some jewelry from lia sophia I am donating too. Guess, I will add that to the list for tomorrow night before knitting at Lakeview.

At the college we are doing a Fall Bazaar the first Thursday in November and I am going to work on some scarves and flipflops for it to sell for myself along with the lia sophia table I am sharing with a fellow advisor. Before you know it, it will be time to knit on Spring/Summer 06. Maybe, I should just cut to the chase and keep working on Spring and Summer. Then I will be ready! And I can't stop spinnin, around not Yarn!

I Have Scads To Do Today!

I have laundry to do (and I have been working on it since last night). I have lia sophia orders to put in and close before the website clogs up there and I don't get them finished. I have BILLS to pay. I have cleaning to do. I have a couple of scarves that need to be ready to go to the auctioneer list for a benenfit at the end of the month.

But what am I doing? Pondering vests and shrugs to start! I am suppose to be working on the tunic and the scarves! Not deciding what vest to do out of some light caribe blue yarn that a friend gifted me with a year ago. And then the shrug. This bout of warm weather we are suppose to have between today and Wednesday gives me added time to get a plan as to which way to go. Char and Linda - remember the Koigu I bought at SMW? I have 5 skeins of it. Wouldn't that make the Falling Water Shrug really knifty? And then I could still do that easy/quick one out of another yarn I have stored away in the box. OR I could use the light caribe blue above for the ez shrug. OOY!

The last Cardinal home game from their current stadium is on this afternoon. I think I will swatch the shrugs and vest during the game. In between, I will finish the laundry. lia sophia orders are gonna get put in before the game! Hey, I gotta plan....off I go!!!!

Blogging is the topic for today!

Earlier in the week and for a few days in a row, I tried to add some pics of the tunic I am working on along with a pic of an old one that I knitted years ago. The pics never would actually make it to the preview page, so I just gave up. And now the tunic has progressed even further so it just wasn't worth showing the pics anymore. Not to mention, they really weren't that good of pictures anyway! You couldn't really get the effect of either yarn. There is something said for natural light.

Time then got away and there just has not been a spare moment to blog at all. I have not even had time to write about anything or even read by long list of blogs that I like to read every couple of days. So, this weekend I will catch up, reading the blogs.

There are two things I want to say about blogging. The first is I enjoy reading other people's knit blogs. You get some really good ideas from them. You get to see if you really want to knit something that is hot and there is a lot of good information out there. When t.v. is boring and I just don't want to do anything, I will occasionally read a blog and then see who they read. Sometimes, it takes me somewhere I never would have found on my own. Like Sweet Georgia who has the neatest pictures ever of her knit stuff. That's what I want my pics to look like. Ooo ahhh!
Blogs like Sweet Georgia even gives me hints on how to improve my photos if I would just take the time.

The other thing I want to say about blogging, is I can't wait to see my name on someone's list of blogs that they read. But of course, to make a blog worth reading to others, it has to look good and it has to be worth reading. Hmmm, now that is a novel thought isn't it! Guess I'd better do something about it, huh!

Those are my thoughts for the day.

I Did It!

I walked out of the yarn shop tonight and bought nothing. It was tough but I did it. But now, the Karabella still is calling me for a shrug. I have been searching on the internet for a simple pattern. None found that I really wanted to do. But, I do remember a couple of years ago, I had a little card from Interweave Knits that had a simple shrug on it. A smart woman would have put it in the file labeled shrug. Guess I'll have to break down and go look!

Today I went to my Aunt Ellie's funeral. She was 89.

Ellie had been in the nursing home for several years, but of my mom's 8 sisters and brothers, her and I had a special bond. You see, I believe she re-introduced me to the needlearts. Bob and I lived in an apartment across the street from her and my Uncle Ben the second year of our marriage. They had a swing in their yard and no air conditioning. Ellie and Ben would sit out at night in their swing, Ellie would crochet and we would eat popcorn and drink beer That was before she became diabetic and had to watch things like that. In the winter, it was not unusual for her to call me up at night, and say they had popcorn if I had the beer. Ellie and Ben made the best vegetable soup. She'd call me up when we were in our first house a little before lunch time and say the soup was ready and I would head down for lunch. Ben had a huge garden next to the railroad tracks and kept it up til he was in his late 80s. They always shared tomatoes, green beans and cucumbers. One time she tried to teach me how to make pickles (I loved em, but it was not for me.) Ben and Ellie had a great marriage til then end of their days. He took care of her before he died and it always amazed me, that he could do that even when his health was failing and he was nearing 90!

Ellie loved to crochet and she crocheted afghans galore. All of her kids had one and their sons and daughters. She crocheted me a baby sweater outfit for my baby shower. She had to crochet another after the birth of not one baby but two. today on a table with pictures of her life, was an afghan she had crocheted with a crochet book. Its the same book I have in my collection. We shared the love of yarn and also the love of sewing. She mentored me in my early years of marriage in both of these. Her daughter really was the one who started me on my trek of knitting after showing me a easy sweater vest that she was knitting. That is how my re-introduction to yarn began!

Ellie had a way about her. She called life as she saw it. She said what was on her mind. It could be about someone walking in front of her that should have seen what she looked like from our view (she would vocalize it in a not so quiet voice. I liked that about her too. Today, the minister who really did not know Ellie that well understood that too. One of great parts of his eulogy today hit it on the head for me. He said that Ellie understood that it was okay to live life to the fullest and she did.

I think that is the coolest and I believe even more now than I did a few months ago. Live life to the fullest! It is okay and we should. Be excited about it! What does that mean for me? Experience it all. Don't sit back and watch. Do what you want. If you want to knit yourself silly, DO! And I am gonna. How about you? Take life by the horns and enjoy because we never know.

To my friends and family there is only one thing I ask, when you put me in the casket, would you make sure that I am wearing some knitted sox, have a shawl draped over my shoulders and make sure I have knitting in my hands. I want to be prepared for the next life, wherever I am. But until then, I am gonna be living life to the fullest! Morbid, maybe, but you see I too can call as I see it, cause it's my Blog.

Fall is definitely in the air and I love it!

There are actually leaves in my yard. I remarked on them as we got home this afternoon, and my son reminded me that it almost October. My response is that it is barely passed August. But really, as I wrote in yesterday's blog, it is mid-September! So, I hauled out my tunic sweater to work a little on it this week. It is one of those things that might take more yarn than I bought and I would like to pick it up Thursday night on the way to Knit Night if I need more.

And then, somewhere on the bottom shelf of lia stuff, is the pieces to a Jamieson coat that just needs put together, and buttons procured for it. And a little to the left of it is the Einstein Jacket. Oh, yea and then there is Norma's birthday sox and before you know it, it will be the holiday season.....will I get it all done in time to wear it or should I just start Spring/Summer 06 now and I will be ready for it when it gets here?

Enough! For now I am gonna concentrate on Fall and fall means coffee at night, think I'll go make a pot of Kona Hazelnut from Hawaii and knit some more on the tunic. And worry about spring another day!

I like newsletters almost as much as I like new knitting catalogs and knitting magazines.

Every week Rob from over at Threadbear FiberArts sends an email version of a newsletter. It always tells whats new at their shop and website but also includes websites where some really cool free patterns can be obtained. I don't always care for all of them, but occasionally one happens along that I do. The best part about his newsletter and his blog, is that you feel like you know them.

Today, I got the print version of Wool and Company's newsletter. I get the opportunity to look at it electronically too, but it comes to my work email address and I don't always get the time to read it there. So, when today's came as hard copy, I was so pleased. You see I like mail! First thing I do when I come home is to check and see what cool stuff awaits me. Anyway, today's Wool and Company features Sally Melville's new book "color" Wool and Company says it will be available mid - September! Did anyone look at the calendar? I'd say it is just about mid - September! Now, I just have to decide who I am going to pre-order it from? And then, I will sit and wait for more good mail and hope that it comes on a Friday so I can spend my Friday night reading it from cover to cover!

It's the little things that make me happy, doesn't take much does it?

Getting a new yarn catalog is almost as good as getting a new issue of magazine. And from the looks of these, it would appear that they even come out more often and there are more of them than knitting magazines. Not that I personally need any more yarn....but it is always fun to look and dream at some. Don't cha all think?

Okay, I am not going to bore the blog with a picture of every scarf I do, but this one is so neat that you have to see it up close and personal! Done with a strand of Dreambaby in blue and a strand of a novelty yarn I picked up that has paper like pieces attached. It took a little longer to knit but was a great car project this past weekend.

I have decided to not knit for anyone anything that they do not have knowledge of! With the exception of scarves and sox (when I know their shoe size). Case in point, here is Bob's mom in the poncho I knit for. Sleeves are too long, the neck is too wide and it hangs funny ( because it is too big through the bust and arms) It may be better when she wears a heavier top under it, but I do not see this as a successful garment of mine.

I think I will just stick to knitting for myself, cause lord knows I can fit myself quite well and I have lots of ideas for ME!!!

Just got back from lia sophia Rally in Chicago. I actually was a passenger this weekend so I got to knit on a scarf all the way up on Friday and back tonight. This scarf is taking a little longer cause it is a strand of Dreambaby and a strand of a novelty yarn which has little pieces of soft paper (thats how I would describe it) every so often. My roomates for the weekend were so impressed with the scarf!

Rally at lia sophia is a good time to get psyched up for the upcoming season. You get to see the successes that other lia sophia advisors have = $$$$$ and I do mean $$$$, just by doing more shows. You come home wanting to jump in and start calling everybody you know to have a party and or recruit them to sell lia sophia. So, if anybody out there wants to join me in the opportunity to sell lia sophia or know of someone who wants to, send them my way.

Back to knit content. On Friday night, we went out to Oakbrook to shop and look around. In Marshall Fields, they had a great knit sweater by Eileen Fisher. I took just a couple of quick notes on it and hope to duplicate it. Hopefully more to follow on it. I just love looking at RTW to see what is out there that could be duplicated for Fall knitting. The yarns are so soft and cuddly. And Ann Taylor what do you think they had? A knitted capelet, imagine that! The stores up there like Pottery Barn and Crate and Barrel are all putting their fall themes out and it is fun to see it all, even though it is 90 degrees and humid out there!

Hope to post pic tomorrow of MIL in her birthday poncho. They tell me the sleeves were a little long for her, but she rolled them back. We'll all take a look tomorrow and see how it looks. I hope she doesn't ask me to shorten the sleeves cause as I remember, the sleeves seem like they gone on for ever when I was knitting them. Kind of like the hot summer, huh!

Happy Birthday Char P!!!

Do you have leftover yarns that you can't bear to part with? I do. Why is that? Why don't we just throw them away? At the moment, I know I have two bags sitting there taking up space. There leftovers for cryin out loud. I have plenty of real yarn sitting there beggin to be knit, but yet I keep the leftovers in two baggies for just in case. In case of what, I run out of yarn. Yea, right. So why bother even looking at patterns from a book which uses them. I don't know, but I did. I actually am even contemplating doing one or two of these out of those two bags taking up space. That's what a weekend of cleaning a few scarf yarns will do to you.

A Weekend of Scarves - 8 Finished, 11 1/2 Skeins of Yarn Used




And this one will be for me! But not yet, I still have more to do for the benefit.


Now, tomorrow, I have to go back to work. I have had a great 5 days off even though, today really wasn't a day off. I am definitely going to schedule more long weekends for knitting before my annual Thanksgiving MOM Weekend. Didn't make to Lakeview for knitting tonight, I just didn't want my little vacation to end and just was too tired to drive back into Peoria tonight. Plus there is still another scarf to cast on.....

I am having so much fun this weekend, except for, the thought of our good friend Jan who will be leaving for Texas in a week. Yes, we will visit (I am going to start working on saving miles) but it will not be the same without knowing that she is close by. The pics below are of a wonderful crosstitch that our friend Norma worked so hard on. A little something for Jan and her wonderful husband to take with them to remember their home state and their new home state by and of course all of the wonderful people back here :)




This weekend, I am knitting scarves for a benefit late next month. I am having so much fun with them, they are using up some odd yarn that I had around and giving me a hoot of time, just sitting knitting and watching either QVC, HGTV, Food or the ball games. Could life get any better? Well, yes if I was retired and did not have to go back to work on Wednesday (taking Tuesday off for some test appointments)then all could be well.

I think scarves will be my new take along project, take along to work for sitting at lunch and for tomorrow for sitting and waiting on tests to be done. Who knows how many I can get done? And I could maybe use up the one bag of scarf yarn sitting there, while the other bag and a drawer taunt me to be used! One can never have enough scarves and I personally can't wait for cooler weather to come so I can wear a new one every DAY!

What is this?

It is a caplet that I knitted from Blue Heron Yarns. Will I wear it? Does it fit/look right on me? Don't know. It sounded/looked like a good idea when I chased the gal down at Stitches to see what she was wearing. Now, I am just not sure. I am waiting to try it on with something that I can really tell whether I will like it or not. The good thing, there is enough yarn to make the Potato Chip Scarf from the Knit Picks catalog for this benefit my friend is doing.

The weather was so gorgeous yesterday that I had to block it. Today is going to be equally gorgeous so I am going to block my mother-in-law's poncho outside. I won't get to see how she likes it or how it fits cause they are doing her birthday thing when I am at lia sophia rally in Chicago next Saturday. But I'll get Bob to take a pic of her wearing it so I can let you all know how it went over.

Having a great weekend, I hope you all are too!!

I'm Knitting Scarves This Weekend

A friend of mine asked me to do some scarves for a benefit that her family and friends are doing in October for one of their relatives. As usual, I only remember half of the story, but it is for a family member of hers who is in her late twenties with a fairly young baby and they have diagnosed her with cancer.

The benefit is late in October, but I want to do a scad of scarves for them along with donating some lia sophia jewelry and a gift certificate. I thought this would be a good weekend to do some. I finished two yesterday while putzin around the house (I took the day off from work, cause of little stomach problem I had been having and decided to just tag it on to the long weekend), and this morning I am tearing one out cause it is just too short and too wide. It is being a little snit while I try to rip it out cause it is a semi-eyelash, but I am going to take it out come hell or high water.

Anyway, the point in this all is, scarves are on the menu for this weekend, it will help someone out and will help me get rid of some of these ones and twos of yarn that I have. I had them for flip flops, but I think, I will put the flip flops away for the season, since this is the last of the summer holidays......where did the summer go?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NORMA!


Okay, so I didn't get my yearly deadline done for Norma, but she did get socks for her birthday! These earring socks were fun to do and only took a Cardinals Baseball Game to complete them. I wouldn't want to do a whole bunch of them, but a nice little diversion from the big ones.

New Fall Knitters

There has been a small discussion lately on the new Knitters magazine and the direction it has been going. Basically, I agree with what they have been chatting about. The old Knitter's seemed to have so many things I just had to knit. I didn't but those magazines were worth keeping and buying back issues of on Ebay. I have noticed in the issue before this that there were some good technique articles that were worth checking out, but no knitting that I just HAD to do or thought I had to.

So, I went to this latest issued and really looked at it. There are some things I might check out in the future, but for now I just have way too many things from past issues or yarn excursions that I would prefer to work on this Fall. Here are some that I might want to remember for future reference.

I am hoping they get their act togethr soon, cause right now it really is a dissapointment and I just re upped for another three years!

I finished the cutest things last night, but I can't show you. I took a picture and I will show it after tomorrow night. They are just too darn cute and I made my yearly deadline with them. But more after tomorrow night.

Vests -- I want to do some vests for this fall/winter. One of our Radical Knitters, Jo wears alot of them over turtlenecks and I really like the look for casual days and knit nights, and besides they keep certain parts of the body warm. I have one all done, all it needs is sewn up and finished a bit.

Here are a few I wouldn't mind doing, and I think I might even have yarn for at least one, imagine, but the others might require yarn shopping!

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??