Once more for the road

This final blog should round the year out. I have managed to post at least once a month for the full year. Go Me! Next year, my goal for blogging is to manage twice a month. Not that anyone actually reads this, but hey, it's doable. Baby steps. 

Speaking of baby steps, I did a little dyeing today. Ok- side note- this morning over breakfast, we were discussing what was the game plan for the day. I said, "I'm going to try and get some dyeing done." 

At that point Littlest Miss looked at me and said, "Dyeing? You mean like this?" And she tilted her head and stuck her tongue out of the side of her mouth. 

I assured her that indeed I had hoped not today that kind of dying. 

And today was a good day for dyeing. I accomplished from naked wool to now coloured, hanked, wound, and re-hanked two good size hanks. I can post the pictures because the intendeds never look here. 

I really don't want to give them up now. What is worse, I didn't take any notes on how I managed it so I am really quite hosed. Sheep nuts!

I am almost done with the Christmas knitting; one set of mittens and a bind off for a blanket. I keep thinking I can add one more thing to my list for that one more person. But, really, it is the middle of the month, think about it. Umm, no. I keep reminding myself, umm, no. I will not let myself go crazy trying to do it all.  

So enough for now and back to the grindstone. I really must start sooner next year. So, good luck to you if your not done with your shopping or knitting, it's going to get ugly. Just remember the real reason for the season. Celebrating the birth of Jesus. 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Holiday Crunch

I am going to begin today's writing with a piece of advice. In the midst of the preparations leading up to Holidays is not an ideal time to have a surgery done on your wrist when the bulk of the Holiday gifts are intended to be handmade by yourself. It is just not a good time. Unless you really don't want to make something for the person. Then it just becomes a great excuse.

I really did want to make something for the someones and now I don't think it is going to happen. BOOGER!

Let's recap what we have done. 

1. Cable knitted hat- orange

2. Cable knitted hat– off white

3. Ribbed Vest- purple/blueish

4. Hemlock Blanket- brown

5. Two socks- german flag colourway

Let's recap what we have on the needles.

1. Encore Hemlock- tan

2. Clogs- blue and green

3. Hemlock Blanket- brown (yes, I know this is a repeat but I was doing a second one same colour.)

4. One sock- german flag colourway

5. Market bag- pink/brown/greens

Let's recap what we are suppose to be doing as well.

1. 3 more socks- german flag colourway 

2. mittens- blue

3. Cable knitted hat- grey

4. Gauntlets- green

5. shawl- multi

6. Market bag- pink/brown/greens (again a second one so there is no gnashing of teeth that one has it and the other does not.)

7. 5 skeins of sock yarn hand dyed for knitterly friends.

8. fingerless gloves- red

9. Something beautiful for me to wear to Dude's office party. YIKES! I am so hosed!

10. This is not even counting the kids' teachers that I had every intention of knitting up something small for....

11. Or my fellow employees that I work with.....

Now since I no longer can knit at hours on end nor do I have the time to sit and knit for hours on end, what am I going to do?

I think I will go and start a new project. Maybe I will go and see what everyone else on Ravelry is knitting and vicariously live through them.

Happy Knitting. 

p.s. I will post pictures and talk about the Stitches Trip next time. I haven't finished uploading everything yet.

Just an Update

It has been really busy here. The weather is changing very rapidly and I am, of course, up to my own tricks. I have taken on trying my hand at hand dyeing. I didn't mean to but it was this yarn here that lured me to the dark side. I just loved how it combined all the colors and yet, still was unique. This skein was done by a lady who lives here in Virginia and dyed up two lots. One was at her old home and this one, at her new home. Same lots, but completely different. One really dark. The next one, really light. Why? Different water. That got me to thinking. By changing just the one variable. How could I create something completely different by tweaking each one? What colors could I combine to express myself in a new form? It is like scrapbooking and knitting all rolled into one. I will post photos of my results when I have them. 

I finished the 'Vest'. I tried it on and DH immediately asked, "Did you make the small?" I didn't find that as humorous as he did. I did extend the ribbing to allow for more coverage along the bust, but obviously not enough for my own. Which is quite good because it isn't for me. I made this for my favorite aunt as a Christmas present. She will pretty much wear anything and I though this would look nice on her. Not that I did a bad job. I am pretty impressed with myself as I don't remember knitting much of it. It was the (I really do hate this word, but there lacks another to really establish how well it went) PERFECT project to do while listening to on-line lectures. By the third lecture, I was done. The pattern is by Plymouth Yarns. Though it called for Baby Alpaca Grande, that is too expensive for me to give away so I used Cascade 120 Le and a Trendsetter Flora as a carry along. It was a 1 to 1.5 ratio of heavy and foo foo yarn. It looks fantastic. (That means I purchased 4 Cascade and 6 Trendsetter.)

 

Here is my mum's Hemlock Ring Blanket. Right now it is on display. Luckily, out of the way of most grubby paws so I won't have to re-wash it to gift it. I liked it so much that I began a second one for myself with the leftover yarn and ordered a second skein to finish it. By the end of this holiday season, I will have complete 3 full Hemlocks. One for mum, one for grandma, and one for myself. I will probably be done knitting them for awhile. It has become the replacement of mindless knitting while listening to lectures. There are a boatload of stitches to knit for one round once you are on the chart. The Hemlock for grandma is being made from Encore Worsted. I hate that yarn, but she will inadvertently put it in the wash. At least this way when she does, she won't end up with a doily instead. You can find the pattern here.

Here is another Christmas gift that I have finished. It is another Brooklyn Tweed pattern, Habitat. I have linked it to the name, and was so excited to see it that I downloaded it first thing. It was challenging enough to keep you focused but easy enough to follow. If I wasn't already happily married, I would be in love with the man. He is so incredibly talented! I am thinking to give this one to my eldest. It looks trendy enough that he might wear it. The color would look fantastic on him. He has seen me knit it though, so I am unsure if I could give it as a Christmas present. 

I am half way through the German socks. One down for each of us. Though since they are not technically a pair, I can really see how people develop SSS. (Second Sock Syndrome.) 

For those non-knitterly friends who read this, SSS is a deadly disease that if not careful is the best knitters downfall. It begins with just one, but it grows, like mold, if left unchecked until you are so overtaken with it, there is no hope for recovery except by giving away all single socks to the Veterans Hospital to be dispersed to those with only one foot. This disease creeps into other areas of your knitting. First it is just one sock, then it is just one glove, next it is just one cuff, and then worse, just one sleeve. When it finally occurs to you that you have a problem, you reassess the situation only to discover- you haven't finished a single item in 5 years. 

The only way to prevent SSS is to IMMEDIATELY cast on that next sock as soon as you finish kitchnering the toe. I know it sounds so harsh, but trust me. It is the ONLY way. Don't put the sock on, don't photograph it. Cast on. Nothing else. Cast on. No potty breaks. Cast on. Trust me. Cast on. 

I have been stalking yarns that I like on Ravelry. To see what other colors have been made, ideas for what I can do with what I have, even inspiration on trying my hand at making my own colorways, when I ran across this. 

It is Misti Alpace Handpainted Worsted. Now, I have come to the conclusion that the term 'worsted' is really quite a subjective term. Typically it would mean that a yarn was a specific weight and that you could, theoretically, get 4-5 stitches per inch using a 7-9 US size needle. The problem I have is that this really isn't a worsted weight. It is MUCH thinner. It is more of a 'sock' weight. Which is what I used my first skeins of this brand for. And the socks that were done are my ABSOLUTE FAVORITEST PAIR!!! If I could wear them everyday, I would. Even in the summer. I LOVE THEM!!! So back to the story, lady on Ravelry is moving to Southern California. Don't need any wool there. Ever. I am such a lucky duck. I got ten skeins of it. WAHOO! I am so excited, I don't know what to do with myself except sit and pet it for a long time. Yea me. 

That is the latest news here. I really am trying to post more consistently, but the only consistent posting is the once a month promise to post more frequently. If I can just post twice more this year, than it is better than last year. Then next year, I can up my expectation of posting twice a month. Baby steps. 

Happy knitting. 

6 months

When I started this blog it was the intention of talking about knitting, my obsession with fiber, my creativity with yarn, my love of color. I have found more often than not, this becomes a place for me to say what I have a hard time saying to those around me but find that putting it on paper (or pseudo-paper), somehow, though I am not sure why, makes it easier. 

I have been here now for 6 months. How do I know? The 

post office reminded me. I received this past week the notice that my box payment is due. It ran for 6 months. That realization would explain a lot of little things. The phone calls that don't come, the lack of email or postings from friends on Ravelry, the forward moving of life. (It is very difficult for people who are stationary, or haven't experienced a move, to completely understand. And I mean a move that is more than 25 miles away. Anything less and it isn't really a move. It is still not 'out of your way'. Once that *insert whatever that magic number may be here* distance has been obtained, it becomes clear who really is important in your life.)

But returning to that discussion, the forward moving of life, reminds me to when my oldest was  a wee one. It was difficult for him to understand when we first let him begin to watch live television how it was not at the same place when he turned it back on. See, we didn't let him watch live tellie until he was about 4, just pre-recorded movies. Mostly, so we didn't have to deal with the "can I have, can I have, can I haves?" that were prompted during the commercials. But, we would turn it off, go out to play, eat dinner, have a nap, and then when it was time to turn it back on, there it was. Picking up where he left off. Magic. 

It is the same with moving. You leave the place and everyone stays the same. In your mind. In your heart. And it is the same for 

them. They think of you as the last time they saw you, interacted with you, hung out with you. But it is not reality. Unfortunately, time stops for no one. 

So now that I have you completely depressed, go call that friend you haven't heard from in a couple of weeks, or worse a couple of months. WRITE A CARD! It would be more treasured than you can imagine. Especially, when they find it tucked in between the bills. Don't wait. Remember, time stands still for no one.  

Almost ready

Well, here it is the end of August and are we ready for school to start back? ABSOLUTELY!! I am a bit overwhelmed with emotion though. My baby heads off to kindergarten and I have a mixed bag of feelings because of it. So much so that my knitting is being greatly effected by this internal discourse. I try to sit and knit and instead end up daydreaming. Not good when the pattern calls for no daydreaming. 

I did finish the Hemlock Ring Blanket by Jared Flood. Here it is being blocked. I hate to block but this is one that really benefits from that so the pattern can really stand out. 

It is a fantastic pattern. Enough change to keep you focused by enough repeats that it can be mindless when you need it. Perfect for trying to work through those conflicting thoughts. 

I have started and restarted and restarted and restarted the cabled felted wine cozy for the store. I have not liked how the cabling was coming out so that meant pulling it all the way out and trying a different set of cables. I am looking for something that gives visual interest but at the same time doesn't overwhelm the new cable beginner. Something that looks difficult but in reality isn't. I think I have settled on one and we will see once it is felted if it really is as good as what I think it should look like in my mind. Clear as mud? 

The girls have both lost teeth in the last week. The older one had to have 4 extracted that just wouldn't come out. The younger lost her first two yesterday. So much has changed that I really don't think the grandparents will be able to recognize them. Here are a couple of before and after of each. 

Here they are still with long hair. They cut it off to donate to Locks of Love. It has taken them 20 months to grow it long enough for donation. One had 11.5 inches, the other had 10.5 inches.  

And finally 

here is still where you can find us when we are not at home. This is a much closer beach. And it was too perfect to look out from my beach chair where I was knitting on the Hemlock, see the girls playing and a three master go cruising by. Really cool. 

I am off to start a pair of socks. It has been TOO LONG since I have had even a pair on the needles. I am behaving as though I am not even a real knitter. I have throughly enjoyed the sock club from Three Irish Girls, can I just say BEAUTIFUL?!? Even Hubby said, "WOW! Are you going to dye yarn like this? I really like how these colors blend." Huh? When has he been listening? So, off to cast-on.

(This last photo is from the THREE IRISH GIRLS web site. I CANNOT take credit for the fabulous photography. It is completely Sharon's.)

Too Long Gone

The HSKS 5 is officially done. Here is a picture of all the FANTASTIC things that I received.

 

Receiving them means I can now return to blogging here. Though near the end it was a bit difficult. I gave myself a knitting injury. As several compatriots asked, "Did the Doctor know how you got this?" I would look at them and assure them that he did not. And I wasn't about to tell him either. 

So, let me catch you up. We are officially in our current home. It is a rental. NO WAY would I buy it. I LOVE the location in regards to the kids, but it is TOO far from my current obsession, YARN. The yarn stores are across the Bay Tunnel. That guarantees at least an hour's drive to get there. If I am lucky. And no accidents. But the house is great for the moment because it is letting us see where we do want to live and the YMCA and library are at the end of our cul-de-sac. That means we do alot of walking to get there. Unless it is raining. 

The kids have been enjoying themselves. Two have made friends. I am sure the third is pretty close behind. Once she is in school, than I am positive there will be playdates to quickly follow. They are all anticipating the start of school again. I am sure for reasons that are not the same as mine. 

But, you really want to know about me and you want photos. So here goes. I got a job. Yep, I did it. As one of the ladies at Hubby's office said, "That's like hiring an addict to work at the pharmacy. NOT GOOD!" Oh YEAH! BABY!! I am in the PHARMACY NOW!!!

 Here is a picture of my boss. 

I really like it there so far. Though it has only been two days. The scheduling is perfect. I will be working only two days a week. Once the kiddos are in school, it will be the best because I can put them on the bus, head to work, and the bus will drop them off in our driveway with Daddy less than 5 minutes away. (Really it means I don't have to cook dinner two night a week. That ROCKS!!)

Projects, what have I been doing? I have knitted up a Pink Pig

a Pot- Belly Pig (no photo of her yet) (though both still need to be felted),

 a Biased Shawl,

 three cupcakes (painfully obvious that I need to take more photos),

 a messenger bag,

 

three mini-socks(yikes, more photos please), 

three cabled hats (here is one)

one scarf (there are more photos that obviously need to be taken), and finished a pair of socks. 

I have in the works: a throw, (really this is more of a teaser photo. I have started it.)

 a many Christmas gifts, but since I am unsure if anyone even reads this I am not posting photos of them here. 

It seems that more and more of my projects are starting to go to the back burner due to needing class samples. Oh, I have been asked to teach some classes. YEAH!  So I will leave you with a picture of where you can find us if not at home.

I will try and update more frequently now. 

Happy Knitting

I SCORED BIG TIME & just a bit about the wedding

The wedding went fabulously. The weather the day before and morning of were quite temperamental. Lots of showers, clouds, and wind. But when the actual ceremony occurred, even though it was inside, it was BEAUTIFUL. The whole thing was just beautiful. Second best one I have seen yet. The first being my own. Here were the star attractions though. I do believe they stole the show. 

The little angles on the outside are my two. The two in the middle were the other set of nieces. They were also very cute, but I am particularly partial to mine. 

Though with that wonderful occasion, we of course had lots of travel. The flights were really good. No delays, no complications, no misplaced baggage, and the best part was... lots of knitting time. So, I made good use of it and completed three cupcakes of the four that I thought I should do. 

Here is a photo of the finished items. 

The only snag I had was I forgot to pack the larger set of needles I would need to do the top of the cupcakes. (Have I mentioned how much I LOVE my iphone.) Within five minutes of landing in TC, I had triangulated our location and found a LYS. 

Even better, we were literally right next to it when I found it on the phone. I called to check to see if they had a size 9 needle (at this point 'beggars are NOT choosers' and I would take whatever DPNs or circs they had in stock) and how late would they be open. No chance to dump the family and come back as I had 25 minutes before they were closing their door. No chance to come back before we left due to Sunday being closed and early flight out on Monday morning. (I am so thankful to have a hubby that tolerates my obsession.) When I walked in and inquired of the said needles that I had just called for, they pointed me to the wall where I would locate the various needles. I quickly perused their stock and located some fabulous Addi Turbos. Grabbed them and headed for the counter, when what should my wandering eye fall upon?  

Taped to the top of a bookcase but the word every spouse fears. 

SALE 50% OFF. (oy- I'm hosed.)

There went all good intentions. You know the ones of not pressing my luck with three kids waiting patiently out in the rental car who have been traveling since 6 a.m. Not infringing on the good graces of said spouse who just groaned loudly when I said we were in luck they were still open. Nope, right out the window. 

I think I heard the good intentions smash through that front window as it escaped me fast and furiously. For there beheld my attention was a pile, and not just the throw-all-the-onesies-an-twosies-in-a-pile-that-fits-in-a-good-basket kind, no, he couldn't have been that fortunate.

 There was a large white garbage bag full of one color. THIS was SWEATER size yarn on sale 50% OFF. And it wasn't the crappy yarn, the kind that an owner in a rash because the warehouse may not have something so just order to get the shelf full kind of rash decision, but REALLY FANTASTIC YARN. (Might I mention that just two weeks before I purchased some of this same said yarn from another LYS and paid the premium because it felt so fantastic? I will only mention it here, because said hubby never reads this blog.) 

I had to do my part to stimulate the economy. Wasn't that what we were given that check for? I had to support this store who went out of their way to make it possible for me to finish the cupcakes. I couldn't seperate the skeins from their family.

 No- I would not do that to them. They clearly NEEDED to stay together. How could I be the one responsible for that lonely one skein that might have been left behind, no one to love just him. I needed to be the responsible knitter that I am and take the whole lot. 

And take the whole lot I did. All fifteen skeins of them. I am now the proud owner of 15 Sublime Baby Cashmere Merino Silk DK skeins. YEAH ME!! 

Though, just an aside. I did purchase the needles first and then went out to the car to at least forewarn him of what was about to happen. The problem, well- maybe not a problem, is dear hubby 

can't tell me no. SO who am I kidding? I married a total enabler. I really do love him. Sometimes. no, really, most of the time. 

Since I have finished the cupcakes, I have turned my attention back to the Acero Shawl. I purchased this yarn at the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival with a HSKS 5 friend. She purchased one as well. Again, massive enabler. She already has her's finished. Though I might add she does not have three young people living with her that need to be chauffeured at all times, nor has she moved in say, the last eon. So that said, I think she has a bit more free time. 

 

I am only half way. 

Here is the progress picture. 

I think I like her's better. It has more red to it. Mine is darker even though they are the same dye lots. 'Funny. You never can tell with them sort of bees.'

Only two more weeks til we move again. Then, hopefully, we will be in one spot for at least a year.

 Until next time, happy knitting. 

Adventures in Knittyland

So, tomorrow we board a plane to fly back to Michigan for a my brother-in-law to get married. The wedding is on Sunday so that means we have a flight first thing out on Monday morning. YIKES! It is bad enough to try and get three kids out the door at 7 am to be on school on time. What was my mother-in-law thinking when she booked the tickets? She wasn't. It has been over 30 years since she had to remotely do anything of the sort. But, she is paying for the tickets. What do I care? Other than I really do.

 On to happier things. That means I should be able to get some serious knitting done. Two 1.5 hour flights. Two 1.5 hour layovers. In each direction. Hopefully, I can manage to get at least two cupcakes done. I am doing at least two in this new lime green and have a new topping to add to the frosting yarn. I am kinda sick of looking at the pink. Though I do have two done already in the pink.  I have four birthdays to knit for in the next three weeks. One of which should be going over seas (really just Canada. Hi! Amelia. I am working like a mad dog on your birthday kit. Though I think I am going to send you one of the pink ones. It is very festive. I really hope you like it. I do.)

I also started this bias shawl which I hope to have a chunk of completed by the time I'm home. 

I purchased the yarn while at the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival. That was so FANTASTIC!!! I met up with a fellow housemate from the Hogwarts Sock Kit Swap 4 & now 5, terik. Here is the link to her blog if you would like to hear her story. It was really terrific to finally put a face with  a blog. Hopefully, more photos to follow about that. Though I forgot my camera, I did have my phone which doesn't take bad pictures, just not the greatest. 

I am dyeing to try and dye some sock yarn on my own. But I do think that might need to wait till we are at least in our house and not still in the hotel. Three more weeks and then we are there. YEAH!!! I am starting to know my way around here. I still hate it though. Just as I think it will be okay, I meet some really rude or nasty person or just down right hateful 'I-don't-want-you-here-in-my-state-so-I-am-going-to-make-you-moving-here-really-difficult' type person and then I have a bout of 'I just want to move back to my comfort zone' days. Then I get offered a job or I meet someone fantastic and it swings back into the 'I will keep trying to find something good about this place' spots and another couple of days go by. So, long story short, the jury is still out on it. 

On another note, on Wednesday, I received my reducio sock kit swap package. My spoilee was very thoughtful and sent me a fantastic book. I have it on audio and just love having the print version now as well. The book mark is just TOO cute. As is the sock, I am thinking I can make another and have a Dobby theme on my webkins. The girls just LOVE it and are in the process of learning how to make one for all their animals. I love it when something like this helps them in their creativity. It is truly a lost art.

Best get back to packing. Hopefully, I will have a couple of photos to post when I return on Monday. Have a wonderful weekend. 

Happy Mum's Day

I hope this finds every one who is a mum or a what-to-be mum very well, happy, and remembered. For more years than I care to count, I haven't been. So this year I took it upon myself to be remembered. I bought new yarn. Then told the kids and dear hubby to scram, I was knitting all day. 

That was really yesterday. And I did. I watched P.S. I Love You. I cried, I laughed, I cried some more, and got half way through the sock. So I started the movie again, and finished the sock. 

I finished the sock. It only took a couple of hours. It was much easier than I really thought it was going to be. Why is it that we psyche ourselves out over doing something new that we think we need to take twice as long to get it done than it really turns out to be? That was the case with this last project. It was a new swap started on Ravelry. The 'Reducio Sock Swap' is suppose to be just a quick two week throw something together to kill time between the Hogwarts Sock Kit Swap 4 and 5. Just a mini-sock, a goodie, and a note saying who you are. That is it. Nothing big. Nothing outrageous. Yet, here I was procrastinating.

I finished it. Unfortunately, in my ecstatic attitude of being done, over-joyously wrapped everything up to promptly put in the mail in the morning, I forgot to take a picture of it. Maybe my soon to be recipient will snap one and post it for me.  If I had been really on top of it, I would have done it before the weekend now that the postage rates have gone up, it must be my penance for putting off something so silly. I do hope that my partner likes it. I am not as talented as she, so I am afraid she will be a bit disappointed. She showed her sock off on ravelry and did a miniature intarsia. YIKES!! It looks FANTASTIC. I wish I was receiving from her instead of sending to her. 

I also completed the socks that I showed off on my first, maybe second, blog. I was so excited with that yarn. Again, procrastinated for too long to do the socks. Now they are done. YEAH!!! Here is a photo of the finished item. I LOVE wearing them. They are a fantastic hang around the house, or in this case, the hotel, without getting your feet frozen.

The list came out today for the swap partners for HSKS 5. I have a new partner. Though I just looked at it, for the life of me I cannot remember who or what house. Booger. 

Only three more weeks in the hotel. Then we are handed keys to the rental house and hopefully a bit more settling can occur. I am still withholding judgement on this relocation. So far, not good. Good friends are still encouraging me that it is too soon to cast permanent thoughts of running away to my former glory. We shall see.  We shall see. 

Maybe another trip half way around the world is in order. I haven't seen Northern Australia yet. 

Friends Provided Free of Charge

Come one! Come All! The newest craze is here. (Really just a bunch of crazy people.) 

The next round of Hogwarts Sock Kit Swap is about to begin. Don't Snooze. Don't Loose. 

Sign-ups close on the 9th of May. Swap will finish the 25th of July. (or thereabouts.) 

Come to the Dark Side for more fun. Join the Slytherin House. or you can join one of the others if you don't think you can handle the heat. No worries, we won't think less of you. 

Meet lots of people, win lots of games, and make friendships that span the miles. All from the comfort of your computer while still in your pajamas. And best of all- talk to other KNITTERS!!! 

:Inhale. Exhale.:

It seems that I haven't been here much when in fact, I have started and stopped this particular post too many times to keep track. So I will just publish and it will be what it will be. 

I really do need to keep this a bit more up to date as we, the kids and I, will be leaving our current home on Saturday to be followed by hubby in two weeks, for our new location. I really do love my life- most of the time. But this is not one of them. 

See, I LOVE my life now. I have a FANTASTIC set of friends. Not just a single set, but a multiple set, depending on what mood I am in. I have a set for knitting. I have a set for scrapbooking. I have a set that overlaps their children with mine. I have a set that deals with hubby's job. And then the handful that I would consider those friends that are either sitting next to me in the jail cell or they are the ones that we are calling to come and get us. 

I am never at a loss. Until now. 

We are moving. Again. :Inhale. Exhale.: I don't want to move. I built my house. I LOVE my house. IT is the house that my children KNOW as their home. I was told we wouldn't have to move again. And yet. We are moving. Again. :Inhale. Exhale.: 

I know that the energy that I expel is felt by everything. That it is either absorbed or repelled by the things that are around me. I am almost positive that is why my house hasn't sold when it has been on the market since last August. I don't want to move. My house doesn't want me to move. But, I love my hubby and my place is with him. Yet, we are moving. Again. :Inhale. Exhale.: 

I know this is suppose to be about my knitting adventures. I love my knitting and it is incredibly therapeutic. But I haven't been able to knit to save my life in the last two weeks. I usually can do a sock from cuff to toe in two weeks. No problem. Yet, in the last 8 weeks, one sock. Not a pair, but one. Uno. Solo. Ein. 1. Has been done. (Granted I did do two cupcakes, but that was a measly 5 hour drive from Beckley, Virginia to home. 2 knitter friends birthdays that I wanted to honor.) No knitting done at all on the way out to Hampton. Very little on the way back. None since we have been home. 

Though I won't be able to call it home much longer. We are moving. Again. :Inhale. Exhale.: 

I will post a photo of the sock soon. I did finish the lacey shawl. I thought I would keep it and use it as a back-up for the wedding, but instead, gave it to hubby's FABULOUS secretary. She LOVES it. Plus, it is her color dead on. I think she even wore it to work the next day. I will post of photo of that as well. 

I best finish. Packing and sorting to get done. We are moving. Again. :Inhale. Exhale.:

Time flies when you're in the middle of a project

So I thought I would try and blog at least once a week. How hard could that be? There are some I have looked at only to find they are blogging once, twice, yes- even three times a day.... where do they find the time?

I thought I had it made this weekend. All this knitting time to myself, I envisioned I would get so much accomplished. Well, as you can guess by the tone of this writing, it didn't happen. Not by a long shot. I spent the entire weekend driving around the oldest to all of his activities. And by activities, I really mean, his hobbies. Three boys, I somehow drew the short stick, drug me to a Magic card convention. Not just a couple of hours in and look around, no, twelve stinking hours. Yes, that is right. 12. One- two. Doce. Zwelf. 2 hours past 10 hours. 12 long and tedious hours of listening to them talk about how that card is better than the other, blah blah blah blah blah. Not counting the hour it took to drive to the place and the hour it took for us to drive home. By the second day, I declared a magic free zone 12 feet around me. 

The only plus was that I ran away for an hour and a half to pop into a fabulous knitting store close by. And it was so worth it. I really like this little shop. It is quaint with an airy of cozy. Plenty of comfortable sitting spots. Lots of beautiful fibers to look at. Walls covered with displays of pre-made samples to jump start the creativity. And they are nice to boot. What more could a knitter ask for. The couple of times I have managed to drop in, I am greeted very quickly and can talk shop with anyone in there. I have even been able to contribute to the knowledge base without feeling like I am interfering. And a Bonus- great selection of sock yarn. 

I managed to snag another of this fabulous yarn, Misit Alpaca Worsted Weight 4-ply. Beautiful colors. The pinks and browns look fabulous.  Though I thought with it being 100 grams I could get a full pair from it, a good friend has already knit hers up and only managed one sock from the 

 one skein. So with that in mind, I have put into play two options. The first is that I purchased a second skein with the idea if I ran out than I already had one just in case. (No need to tempt the knitting fates with my stupidity.) The second option is that I purchase some fabulous baby cashmerino from Debbie Bliss line in a gorgeous dark chocolate to knit up the heels and toes. Either way, it is a win-win situation. IF I don't need the second skein, I can make a second pair of socks to give as a gift using the excess from the brown toe/heel skein to repeat. (Or keep them for myself. I never said I wasn't a selfish knitter.)

 Or the loverly store said as long as I don't wind it, I could return the second skein. (Like that would really happen. HA!) I would be able to trade it or best yet, just keep it. I do love my pretty colors....

Happy Knitting. 

Random Ramblings

So it seems that my oldest child thinks that I knit too much. How can one even think that?

I knit only half the amount of time I think I should knit and just a fraction of the amount of time that I really do knit. 

I have been to only one knitting store so far this week. It is my favorite LYS. The owner is fabulous and so incredibly friendly. I scored one of the most lovely yarns I have purchased in a long time. Malibrigo. 

 Malibrigo is this kettle dyed hand spun wool that takes on the color so incredibly vivid your eyes just pop. My picture here is not doing the yarn justice. I had heard from several bloggers and fellow ravelriers that they felt this was very luxurious so of course I had to find out for myself. My LYS had just received a new shipment of it in and I couldn't resist. I purchased 8 skeins at a rock bottom price of $8 a skein. I felt justified (oh- can I rationalize just about anything when it comes to yarn.) that since others were paying so much more, I could afford to do a sweater in this. So I have now located the perfect pattern for the yarn and tonight with wind this up. I am looking very forward to it. 

Though I have one skein left to knit on this feather and fan shawl. I was hoping to already be done with it. I have a schedule that I am trying to meet. No specific reason other than to keep me motivate. It is just about the time that I sit on the couch and do nothing for a month because the holiday came and kicked my bum. But I am trying to be different this year and do three projects a month. Thereby also forcing me to finish all my WIP (works- in- progress) and free up all my needles. I have four that are in desperate need of finishing. 

The Lacey shawl, the one using the feather and fan, uses the Euroflax from Louet. 

This yarn is not so bad if it wasn't for the two knots in the middle of the skein. It was very frustrating to have to tink two rows to reattach, then only to have those two done and find another knot. AAARGH! I hate weaving in the ends to a pattern like this. But I am past that and now officially over half way done. I am afraid it may not be as long as I am hoping. I have already modified the pattern so the repeats were not as wide. I had only two skeins instead of the three. I may have to do some begging on ravelry to see if anyone has some to part with. The worst is trying to match dye lots. Hopefully, someone out there will be very compassionate and help a fellow obsessed knitter out. But isn't that always the luck. 

That is the listing for two of the projects on the burner for now. Though it isn't even touching my scrapbooking projects. AAh- that would require a whole other blog. 

Knit well, knit long, knit happy. bye for now.

j

A Whole New World

Well- six months ago, I just started learning what a BLOG was. A year ago, I had no clue what the term meant. Ask my parents, and I still don't think they do. But alas, here I am, running two. 

I have started this blog in response to a swap that I am participating in. One blog is in a fictitious character persona the other is this one. The fictitious character is causing me much grief. I am uncertain on how to begin her. Do I portray her in a way that I am no longer able to imagine or do I make it as real as possible but with just enough fantasy to have fun? 

I think I have answered my own question. I do love this about journaling.

Otherwise, this will be a spot for me to talk about my current passion in creativity- Knitting. 

I ADORE Knitting. The textures, the colors, the depth, the options. To take a piece of string and combine it with two points and the coverings that can come from that with the knowledge of just two basic stitches is just... well... ASTOUNDING!!!! I love knitting. Have I said that recently?

Anywhoo- enough for now. I must go and pretend for a bit. 

But as for now- knit long, knit well, knit happy.

j