It's HERE!

I can't believe it, but my Wollmeise is here, AND IT IS BEAUTIFUL!

My flash and horrid photography skills don't do it justice but it is so pretty that I can't wait to cast on!

But wait I shall! I have tulipa on the needles and it HAS TO BE READY to sew up on the 19th of November at the last class. I think this is going to be difficult for me since I'm still on the FIRST PIECE. I seem to be able to do it wrong more times than I can count.

Then I have the vest for mom which I will finish, I swear I will!

And the three pairs of socks, the cell phone cozy and the narrow rectangular shawl. Really...that ought to be enough!

I think if I tell myself that I can't cast on the Wollmeise until I get all of these off the needles one way or another I'll have my UFO problems solved, don't you?

Best Weekend Ever!

This weekend was the best. I took Friday off from work, which pretty much means I only worked a 1/2 day instead of a full day plus.

My parents arrived in time for a late lunch and we ate at a lovely Indian buffet close to my home. Tikka Masala, yum!

Then we did a little shopping and I found a gorgeous winter coat. Full-length cashmere and wool blend with a hood for, get this...80.00! Oh, I was so pleased! I had been fretting about what I was going to do with my current coat wearing out. This was just the right price and much better quality than I was expecting to get.

The weekend only gets better from there!

My birthday is coming up, and I should not be getting a thing at all for it. I recently bought a spinning wheel and it is everything I wanted and more. I am learning how to use it (slowly and rather messily!) and really am glad we invested in it. I am hoping it will last for years and years. So, when my parents brought a birthday present for me I was really excited. It turned out to be the most beautiful purse. Black and Brown and embossed with leaves - real leaves that are so perfect I really have to wonder how they did it. I'll post a pic when I get a decent one.

On Saturday I went to West Linn and visited friends of a friend who have alpacas. They aren't spinners and said they did not need their fleece. This was SOOO exciting for me. They were so incredibly generous! They gave me 4 BAGS OF FLEECE! I am sure that even with my lack of spinning experience that I can make something beautiful from this fleece. It is heavenly soft and in great condition.

The very next thing we did after picking up the fleece was to go to the Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival (Canby, OR). Here is the spindle I bought at the festival with a small amount of the alpaca spun onto it. Isn't it beautiful? The color has so much depth and it is buttery soft. At the festival I bought some hand carders and as I was looking at the carders a spinning teacher saw me and my indecision and gave me an impromptu lesson on carding and helped me decide which carders to purchase. Isn't that sweet? I was very grateful to her, she gave me so many tips that I was able to come home and start carding and spinning the alpaca right away.

I wasn't exactly done at the festival, though. I bought three skeins of sock yarn at the Blue Moon booth.

I also bought a pvc niddy-noddy, I've been wanting one and this one was exactly my price range, cheap!

I have a class that I am taking right now, a sweater class where I am knitting a wool/silk sweater and I do have to keep up with the class but, I am sorely tempted to just card and spin until I have enough alpaca yarn to knit something with. I wish you could touch the alpaca. We were all tired when we got home from the festival, but we weren't done for the day.

Dad had a problem with his camera, one of the pins that connects the memory card to the camera bent. Four days before they leave on their trip to Asia. This was NOT OK. So we took the camera to a local shop where they were very nice, but suggested that we go home and try to bend it back ourselves. Ummm....SCARY!

On the way home we stopped at the fairgrounds at an Amish quilt and home goods sale and mom got some great hot-pads and we bought noodles and I think there may have been some mustard that hopped into the bag somewhere along the line. The quilts were beyond perfection. If I had spare thousands all my beds would have them.

At home we tried, unsuccessfully to straighten the pin on Dad's camera.

Sad about the camera, mom and dad made dinner for us. One of my favorite chicken recipes, noodles from the Amish sale and a lovely salad. Even when they are sad they are the best cooks around.

After dinner mom and I went hunting a magnifying glass light and some better tools for fixing dad's camera. We were finally successful in straightening the pin! His camera is all better. WHEW!

In the morning mom and I left well before dawn for Susan B. Komen's Race for the Cure in Portland. Mom is a survivor, we go every year to help do our part in the struggle to cure breast cancer. We caught up with Matthew, Joey and Dad at church.

After lunch Mom and Dad headed home and I took a nap until I was no longer sleepy. It was cozy and wonderful.

I'm off to knit the back of my sweater. I know I'll do fine because the perfect weekend mojo is still with me.

Time flies!

I haven't posted in a couple of weeks, but what a couple of weeks!

First the family and I went to Sunriver where we white water rafted, bicycled, walked, rode old west trains, shopped, ate and lazed in the hot tub.

Then we started Joey in first grade. My baby is a FIRST GRADER! I can't believe it. On Friday I went to my first ice cream social as a parent. I met his teacher. She said he was a good reader. Yeah! We toured the school. It was pretty different from the schools I went to, very open and it seemed like it had a lot of flexible space.

Yesterday I went to Farmhouse knits and was pleased by the store. It had all of its yarns, save those in the back room, arranged by color. They had a bunch of yarns I'd never seen in person, which was a treat. I left with a couple of skeins of sock yarn and some cotton/linen blended yarn that I am going to try out for some hand towels. I had hoped to see some STR but they only had orange and yellows in stock and I wasn't looking for those two colors. They did have an awful lot of Blue Moon yarns, though, and they are beautiful.

We haven't technically joined a church, but we've started going to one. We also started Joey in Sunday School. I think we'll become members soon. Its been along while since I attended church regularly and I think I'm glad we're starting again.

Today we had the gang over for a rousing afternoon of DND. That always makes me smile.

Oh, yeah, and I did a craft thing or two:

I finished the socks!

And I finally had time to work with Joseph on his idea for a "Wubba." I think he came out adorable. He clearly spends a lot of time looking over my shoulder as I read blogs. He loves the eyes that Lady Linoleum uses on her creations posted on Monster Crochet. He very specifically asked for ONE eye and EIGHT legs. It was my idea to make them curly but it was his idea to make the beastie hocky puck sized & shaped. Joey dyed the varigated yarn himself with Kool-Aide and a little help from mom. He's six folks, and already designing.

While in Sisters Oregon I went to Baabara's and found some nice wool to practice spinning with.

Then after some practice I thought I would try spinning on the wheel.

But what I decided was that I wanted to go back to something comfortable. Like socks! So I started my third pattern from the lovely "Favorite Socks." This time with Lana Grossa. I think they'll be lovely. I'll post a pic of the first one when it is done.

Hat and Sock and Frogging Tales

I got some yarn from the Jolly Ewe on Etsy this last week and I couldn't help but cast on, even though I am in the middle of a zillion other projects.

I also have a pair of socks that I have started knitting more than twice now and I'm getting tired of failing with that particular ball of yarn. I think it is cursed. My friend Jessica has bravely said she would accept the current sock, as long as I knit the other, because it is too big for me but might fit her. I'm thinking about it but it is at the bottom of my list, having frustrated me one too many times.

The sweater vest that I started for mom was frogged this week. It was lovely but rather large. I'll try again, maybe the front panel first this time.

I finished Dr. Daddy's hat. It is modeled by my dear son here who is being blinded by the afternoon sun. He wanted to keep the hat for himself but I will make one for him later, instead.

I recently bought a spinning wheel and I am completely clueless about how to use it. I have signed up for a couple of classes but they are almost 2 months away. I will take the wheel with me on vacation this week and see if I can produce anything from it.

I have also googled all the yarn shops within 50 miles of where I am staying and I hope to see them all, or at least a good portion of them. That is if the males in the family will allow me.

I'm taking my Jolly sock and mom's sweater and this month's square with me. If I need more knitting than that I'll buy some yarn at one of the lovely yarn shops I hit during my travels.

Oh, I almost forgot!

I've done two things I don't normally do in the last couple of weeks.

One: I sewed myself a skirt for Halloween. I don't usually sew anything more difficult than gift bags so this was an accomplishment for me.

Two: Then I did something else new to me. I dyed some sock yarn. I love green so I'm pretty happy with the way this came out.

Little things

A week ago a friend of mine reminded me of a sad happening. One of the yarn stores in downtown Portland was having a going out of business sale. I'd never been to the shop before, it is not on my beaten path, but I knew that the owner of my LYS was friends with the owner. I thought I would drop by and see what was left.

I bought 7 skeins of sock yarn. Beautiful. It is sad, though, the store was nice, and they had a great selection. It is a loss for all Portland area knitters.

My son, however, was delighted by one of the skeins I chose, a yellow/green Koigu.


Like his father, he only wears "short socks" but that's all the better because I only had to use one skein. I'm sure I'll find a use for the second.

Oh, and I read the new Harry Potter book. It was better than I expected it to be, and it surprised me more than once. Delightful!

This evening we went to the Washington County Fair and ate and road some rides and watched the rodeo for a couple of hours. It couldn't have been a better day.

Tomorrow morning I am going to walk with the gals. I need to, that burrito was HUGE!

Someday I'll learn to use a camera

Hand painted luxury for a dear friend.

A girlfriend of my distant past left her phone number for me just recently. As my thoughts dwelled on her this beautiful yarn called to me; knit something beautiful for her! She was very special to me, a friend, but also a mentor because she was a few years older. Extremely creative, smart and liberal, she was definitely someone that I looked up to and admired from grade school up to college. I haven't spoken to her in...I'm not sure, 17-18 years now and I can't wait to hear her voice on the phone. We're playing phone tag, but until I do get to talk to her...at least I can knit for her.

Annie...this is for u...

I only wish I could take a better picture, the colors of this yarn are so awesome!

Socks!

I finished the long-awaited first pair of "real" socks for myself. I'm pretty darn happy with the way they came out. The only thing I wish I had done that I didn't was go up a needle size.

Shell buttons

I found them! It always takes me forever to find buttons but I did it. They are shell, I know its hard to see them but they are dyed pink, blue and green stripes. Perfect!

Button, button and please pass the soap.

And July begins!

I have a short week at work this week with a lovely day off in the middle I'm going to love it!

OK, so here are two projects that I've worked on this week. On the left I have a baby sweater that still needs buttons. On the right I have a soap holder that needs a bar of soap. I think I'll have to go out and get a couple of things, eh? The baby sweater is for a baby due this month so I'm glad I finished it! I need to get the buttons today and then wrap the gift up tonight.

Now the only things that I have on the needs are two socks that have been waiting for me to be ready to sock knit again. I think I'm ready. I hope I'm ready. I'm certainly ready to wear the socks.

FOs

I blocked the cardi and put on the buttons. I also finished my lizzard latice square.

I started a top-down baby cardigan for a friend who is expecting any day. I hope I can complete it before she is born!

I still have two single socks, and I will probably tackle them next, but after that I am going to work on a lace shawl.

Circumnavigated Cardigan Finished

Last night I put the last stitches into the cardigan and cast off. I still need to sew on the buttons and block it. I'll put pictures up as soon as I accomplish that. I've cast on for this month's Knit-A-Long block, Lizard Lattice and it has just a couple inches now.

I had 2 extra skeins of the yarn from my sweater so I took them back to my LYS last night when I went to knit night. They were kind enough to exchange them for some fingering weight hand-dyed lusciousness. I'm thinking of a lace shawl or possibly a short-sleeved sweater. We'll see what I decide once the square and the baby sweater I need to make next are off the needles. Well, possibly I'll tackle one of my two sock-in-progress before then, also.

Cheers!

Long time no blog, but good stuff to say!

Ok, I know it has been a long time since I wrote. I guess this time of year it is hard for me to get anything done. I did finish that bobble square finally, but it is now less than 10 days until my next square (lizard lattice) is due and I haven't cast on for it yet.

I did, however, knit these:

And I finished them (DH is modeling) on our anniversary morning. Happy 17th Anniversary honey!

I also worked these up:

This is technically my first finished sweater, and it is for a teddy bear. My LYS is promoting a local charity, Camp Erin, which is a bereavement camp for kids. As part of the camp each kiddo gets a bear with a hand-knit outfit. I hope mine will suit.

I did make a square for my knitting friend who is expecting, but I didn't get a shot of it before I turned it in. :( It was a beautiful chunky lace pattern.

By a week from today I need to finish that cardigan that I started in the last blog, and I am getting there.

I have a huge list of projects that I want to work on. I really think I have a plan for most of the rest of the year!

Today I cleaned out the linen closet and moved my stash into it from the spare bedroom. I feel almost organized. Almost.

lots going on

I have been BUSY! It is an especially crazy time of year at work. We have new clients, old clients to take care of, transition clients who have special needs and we are trying to figure out staffing needs for the rest of the year without knowing who the rest of our new contracts will be and what they are going to implement.

My knitting reflects this chaos.

First up is the square I am doing for the knit-a-long from my LYS. Its a bobble rib and I'm more than 2/3rds done.

Next is my cardigan. I'm stoked about this one but I am knittting slllowwwwly because my next class isn't until the 20th and I've done more than 1/2 the homework already.

Then, there is the other sock. I can't really say why it is I've only knit an inch, except...

I suppose it is possible that I've spent altogether too much time on my Druid. :) She's level 28 and I'm enjoying the heck out of playing her.

Half there

This week I've been busy, sick and very challenged by my sock. But here she is...ain't she a beauty? I am starting my cardigan class on Sunday so I have to swatch for it and finish my square for the knit-a-long. Has it really been a WHOLE MONTH since I started that square?!?! Anyway, I can't wait to finish the other sock to match. I may have to take them right out for a walk. I think they could be my favorite WIP yet this year.

I chose ECO Wool for my circumnavigated cardigan. I've not worked with it before so I'm excited to do so.

I'm also pondering a square for a heirloom blanket for my knit-night buddy Stephanie. I chose light pink for my square and I'm thinking I'm going to choose some kind of lace pattern but I haven't picked it yet, and I want one that isn't too airy. I could end up with cables but I hope to find something new.

Busy Week

It has been a busy week for me and I haven't had a lot of time for knitting. We did plant 18 things in the yard and purchase Joey's first bicycle, though. Our bikes will be done on Friday and we can ride this upcoming weekend.

My square is very very close to being finished and I have re-cast on my neutral colored sock. This time in my size from a purty challenging pattern. We'll see how it goes.

I'll post a pic when I'm out of the ribbing.

Another ipod sock

Here it is, the ipod sock for Matthew. It does match his glasses case, and I like the i-cord trim.

Back to the square. When I finish it I'm going to start my very first sweater!! Yeah!

Finished the Gray

I finished the other sock for Dad and put the suede pads on the bottom. The last bit there was rather difficult, but I hope worth the effort. I sent the socks home with Mom.

I started a new project, an ipod sock for Matthew's ipod. In the same yarn and stitch pattern as his glasses case so that his accessories will match.

I'm also back to working on the square for the knit-a-long.

My sweater teacher called, I hope with a list of supplies or something, but I wasn't here, mom took a message. I'll call her back in a little while.

Friend

My little blue socks have found a friend, a very large gray friend. Hopefully my dad's tootsies will like the long toasty sock. Sock #2 is on the needles.

Today is a rare and marvelous non-working weekday for me. I am loving sitting home and knitting and when my hands get tired I can go kill some beasts or monsters in World of Warcraft (my other current obsession.) Happy Knitting/Hunting to you!

Sock #2 done!

My second sock is complete. I have them on my feet now and my toes are toasty. The second sock of my second ever pair of socks. Exciting!

We decided to ask our teacher to do one more class for us, the circumnavigated cardigan. It starts May 20th. I CAN'T WAIT!

Until then I have another pair of socks, or 3, and sweater to knit. Also, I have a surprise hat for Dad. I finally found a ear-flap hat pattern that I like. I bought the yarn for it today.

Another Square and Misc.

A few of the things I have been working on this week are below. I finished the first sock for my class, I made a cable needle holder and I am working on this month's knit-a-long square. The square is lace & cables, and I think it will be very nice. I like the way the cable needle holder came out even if the flower is a little dorky.

Funny Bunny

Earlier this week my son't favorite suffed animal fell apart in the washer. I did what I could to re-stuff it and sew it back together. That night I started a bunny for him. This morning I finished the little bunny. That is Joseph's right hand holding him up.

He's not perfectly symetrical but I like him anyway. He's only my second stuffed felted animal so I didn't have high expectations. I think the red is a winner.

Sock crazy

I now have 4 separate socks on the needles. The grey sock for dad, the lovely variegated sock from the other day, and two for my class. I hope I finish them all soon. In addition, I am trying to crochet a bunny for my little buddy, Joe.

I'll post as soon as I actually FINISH one. :)

Happy Saturday!

Yesterday was Saturday. The Saturday after my review, salary increase and bonus. It was a happy Saturday. One day that I could say "yes!" during. Matthew ordered his new laptop, our very first Mac. I went to Kathy's Knit Korner and bought sock yarn, and needles and the Magic Loop book for my class today. Then I cast on...


I know this is cheating. My class doesn't start until this afternoon and I'm supposed to be doing my first sock in worsted weight. I couldn't help cheating a little. I loved the yarn too much. I promise, I didn't learn anything yet.

Oh, and I also finished Matthew's Red Hat. The perpetual hat, the hat of a bazillion stitches. I know, he's handsome, what can I say?

Now, off to Magic Loop class. :)

Shame on me!

It's has been almost a month since I blogged. That's not really what I intended. It has been a busy month. Work has been terribly fast-paced and very tiring! In addition we have some behavioral issues we've been working through with our son. Back to the knitting, though!





I have pretty much finished the square of the month, well, I bound off and then compared it to the cabled square and I think I'll un-bind off and add another inch. I've also knit an Argosy Scarf and a little tote bag.

I'm still working on the red hat. It is getting there, but it is only about 1/2 way done. Please excuse the washing machine background. It's very dark in the house so it was the only bright area to take photos in.

Red Hat...and I don't mean Linux

I'm working on a red hat for Matthew. It is the simplest thing I've done since my natural cotton hat at the beginning of the year. But true to form, I didn't knit a swatch and made it too small the first time. I've begun again and am just done with the ribbed bit.

Yesterday I got mini-cookie cutters. I want to try needle felting, all I need is some wool now and I'll be ready to try making fantastic felt appliques. I'll be sure to post a picture when I've got something to show.

I'm heading to Indianapolis on Monday, and I've just bought some wooden sock dpns to take with me. Who knows, maybe I'll actually get a sock out of the trip.

Emily's Scarf

I have completed Emily's lace scarf. It took me way too long to finish, and I'm not 100% sure I like the results. But, the proof will be in the pudding so to speak. I'll give it to her this morning and see if she likes it.

I found out yesterday that I will be going on a business trip next week. I'll have to get my knit-a-long square sometime before then so that I don't fall behind. I already didn't do my "extra" square for January. I'm doing a 20 square afghan instead of the 12 that are being worked by everyone.

I started a hat because I need something mindless for awhile since this scarf was so challenging for me. It is a pretty red. I should have it done by the weekend.

Hip to be square.

On Superbowl Sunday I knitted this square for Warm Up America. After reading their website a little more, though, I'm not sure I want to send them a square, but rather a finished afghan sounds better. I'll continue working on it.

Square 15

Here it is, Square 15 from Leisure Arts 60 Easy to Knit Pattern Stitches Combine to Create Sampler Afghans. Anyway, that is the book that we're using for the Knit-A-Long. It is our first square and I'm happy to have it completed. I hope someday it grows up (blocks) to be a square.

I've made some progress on Emily's scarf, it's now almost 1/3rd done. I'm teasing her something awful about it. I left a yarn butterfly on her desk last week so that she knows it will be super soft and what a great color it is.

I'm actually going to do something social today! My family is going out to dinner with another couple. I know, it is hard to believe the hermits are going out. It would be for FOOD. :)

I've also started a hat for my DH. He's been coveting the organic cotton number I finished not too long ago so I thought I would make something nice for him.

Knit Night

This last week was a week of firsts for me. Last Thursday I went to my first Knit-A-Long. We'll be making an Aran (and more!) afghan. The first block is cabled and I am 4/5ths done. I've decided that I am going to try to knit this afghan continental and see how it goes. So far it goes slowly and less accurately. It does roughly look like a cabled block, though. Last night I went to my first Knit Night at my LYS. It was really nice. I even brought along my troublesome scarf that I am knitting for my friend Emily. I wanted to find out if there was ever going to be hope for it to lay flat. It is rolling something fierce now. I was totally reassured that it will be OK. I am considering getting blocking wires, though. All in all I shed a bit of my hermitude and am learning a lot about knitting from a wonderful bunch of gals at my LYS. It's been great!

Arrivals

My yarn finally came, both the original order and they re-sent the order came the same day. I decided to keep them both. Due to my overly truthful nature I called Knit Picks and told them to charge me for the second order. My friends think I'm nuts.

I started a scarf for my friend out of the lace yarn, but I'll be frogging it tonight because I totally hozed it on row 16. I swear I'll get this pattern!

I'm going to a knit-a-long tonight for the first time, so of course I have sprouted a giant cold sore. How un-cool. I'm sure I'll be totally comfortable meeting all those new people with a giant upper lip. Oh the shame!

I took my Möbius Strip to work today, it's like a worry stone, I can turn it and turn it and it makes me feel better.

Finished!

Finished at last. the Red Scarf is complete! I have delivered it to the delicious Yarn Garden and I feel free. Free to try a Möbius basket perhaps? Free to use that lovely kidsilk haze I got at the garden? Hmm...decisions, decisions!

Virtuous

Patience is a virtue, right? I called Knit Picks on Wednesday, they said they would re-ship my order since it didn't come. I'm still waiting but I feel like there must be hope!

Meanwhile, I have 15" to go on the Red Scarf. I can't wait to finish, I've promised myself that I will drop it off at the Yarn Garden in person. The Yarn Garden is a LYS in Portland that I have not yet visited. With luck and diligence I will visit on Sunday this weekend.

On the work front we moved to our new building, FINALLY! It is really coming together and I have a great spot to sit in. I'm sure it will inspire me to do good things.

Mom and Dad will be arriving tonight so I'm doing some last minute things on the house before work. I just need a few more hours in the day and I'll get everything done! :)

Waiting Hurts!

I placed a Knit Picks order Jan. 2nd and I'm tired of waiting already!!! I can't wait to get my hands on the luscious yarn I ordered. Superwash wool to make sock slippers for Dad, Alpaca Cloud to make a shawl for me and some Andean silk to make a hat for Mom. I'm still working on the red scarf, and I hope to have it done in the next few days. Lots of projects I wan to work on all at once!

This week my office moves to a new building, slightly farther away from home. I thought the 18 miles I currently commute was enough! The facility is supposed to be a lot better. I'll post pictures when I move in tomorrow.

Picture Display thingy

Ok, so this one is a little weird. Joey came up with the idea, he's my 5-year-old. I may have to make one more vertical support but I ran out of yarn. Until we decide for sure, it is in the "finshed" pile. At least he's not taping his current favorite art projects to the wall anymore. :)

A few finishers

So I've been working on a few things...

The first image is my premier into lace knitting. The pattern is from "Folk Shawls" by Cheryl Oberle, and its 1/5th size because I didn't have enough yarn. I thought it was a good sample size. I'll use it at as a table topper at work. Matthew said it looked like beetles, I think it looks like horseshoe crabs. Blocking lace for the first time was exciting. It took longer to dry than I thought it would.

The hat was just a cozy thing for myself.

The cat and the bag...Sunshine is making her web debut. She absolutely wanted in the picture. Isn't she loverly? I made that bag over a year ago in crochet, but I had not put the zipper in until now. I am dedicated to finishing my UFOs!

A mysterious pain in my tummy has kept me down for most of a week, but the doc's say they can't find anything amiss so I'm trying to take it in stride.

Roll Brim Hat

Well, I finished the hat last night.

Using the yarn leftover from the finished glasses case and Crazy Aunt Purl's recipe. I like the way it made spiraly stripes!

FO #1 for 2007

Here is the Eyeglasses holder I finished for Matthew today. The yarn I used is Patons Classic Wool (Merino) Color Palais (77436) and it is worked in double seed stitch. Forty-one stitches on size 6 needles. Finished with a braided tie.

I think he likes it. I have enough wool left over to knit a hat, and I've cast on for it. The colors are so pretty I can't resist.

Hello World

Strange as it may seem, and even though I work for an Internet company, I have never before blogged. Recently I was looking for a pattern for a hat. I'm a newish knitter and don't have a big stock of patterns handy so I thought I would Google one up. Hellloooo! I had no idea that there was a GINORMOUS number of Internet savvy knitters out there. Not only did I find a pattern, but I found a community. I am excited by the thought that some day another knitter might find a pattern that I design and post on my blog. I'm not there yet, but today is a start.

January 1 is a good day for a start, right?

As soon as I figure out how, I'll post pictures of WIPs and FOs. I actually finished a project today, a glasses case for my darling husband Matthew. It was the LEAST I could do. He's been taking care of me for full week as I have been ill with last year's worst creeping crud.

Happy New Year!