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.