Ruffles Have Ridges

Finally...two pictures at once! These hats were made from a free pattern I got at a LYS. Really quick and really cute. The pink one will be donated and the multi-colored one is for Miss Molly's precious head. It matches a sweater I made a couple of months ago and have yet to seam up. Bad auntie. My excuse is that it's not winter so I have plenty of time. I've started a third one, it's a pink cotton-candy looking yarn. That one will also be donated. That's it for now. I do have other things to take pictures of but that will have to wait. Miss Tatty needs a walk before the fireworks really start!

A Basket of Fruit

Finally. Look, it's a picture.

This is my first attempt at knitting fruit. Hopefully you recognize it as a strawberry. We are making fruit and vegetable baby hats for a Breastfeeding Week event. One of the organizers is a knitter and she had the idea to hand out baby hats with a "nutrition" theme. So I'm going to attempt a blueberry and a pumpkin after this. Wish me luck! These are not good to knit while you're hungry.

More Frustration

Somebody give me a drink. I've spent the last 45 minutes trying to upload more pictures and every time blogger freezes up on me. I've tried a couple of different ways, even tried different pictures, to no avail. I need a break.

This is one reason I don't update my blog very often.....aarrggghhh!!!!!!!

Catching Up!

Happy 4th of July! For the first time in probably 20 years I am not out there watching fireworks. It's been a really quiet, relaxing, yet productive 4 days around here and I'm quite content to stay put. I finally got around to taking pictures of recent FO's and my main WIP - the Aran Project. The fact that the Giants are in a rain delay in Denver doesn't have anything to do with having a little time now to do this...:-) I am soooo happy with the way this is coming out - this is a real treat to knit and I love the yarn (Plymouth Galway Heather). If you look real close (click on the pic to get a larger view) you can see how I treated myself to some cloisonne beaded stitch markers. Such decadence.

Another reason to stay home tonight is the pup. She's been a little on edge with the fireworks we've heard already so best to stay home and keep her company...:-)

Chastised...

I went to my TKGA (knitting guild) meeting tonight and was chastised by Madame President. Yes, sweet Marie let me know she was not happy that I have not been blogging. It's nice to know that at least one person checks in here once in a while...:-) I promised her that I would update very soon, with pictures of all my WIP (there's quite a bit of that actually). I need to get the camera out and document some progress. It's good to see progress. So tomorrow night (she says) the camera will get dusted off and fulfill it's purpose (she says). If only so Marie won't yell at me next time I see her (even though she is a gentle yell-er).

The Aran Project is coming along nicely; I've started a loud "blocks of hearts" baby afghan; decided to pull the green shawl off the needles as I was obviously doing something wrong (drat and double drat!); whipped up an adorable pink ruffled hat; finished the brown socks, and thought about starting a dozen other things.

Film at 11.

The Aran Project

Sounds like some secret government plan....but it's just a sweater. Yeah, just a sweater that'll take me a few years to finish. I've made a good start though - I have about two-thirds of one repeat done on the back, although this picture is from last week when I had just started. I'll update it again after I've got the full pattern repeat to show off. I'm LOVING it. Sometimes I pull it out and just look at it. My goal is to be wearing it next winter. No problem!

Another Finished Object!

Tada! One finished entrelac scarf, already given to it's very appreciative recipient...:-) I love the way it came out and I see more entrelac in my future - it was a whole lot of fun to knit. The bigger news tonight might be that I finally got this picture posted....blogger and I are at odds about pictures more often than not. Frustrating!

Picture Perfect?

Okay, let's see if blogger is working tonight and will let me upload some pics. I know it's alot to ask....

Well, lookee there, it's a picture! Woohoo! This is my first attempt at Fair Isle. The only bit that I used a pattern for is the first row of white. The rest I just made up as I went along. I'm patting myself on the back about the fact that what came off my needles is something actually wearable.

And here's an update on my brown stripey socks: almost done!









I'm also almost done with the entrelac scarf - hopefully I will be blocking it this weekend. I'm "almost done" with alot of things, come to think of it.....time to start finishing some things. That's an odd juxtaposition just how does one start to finish?

Okay, Break's Over....

I am back from taking a self-imposed break from blogging. It was threatening to take over my life. I've decided that daily updates are....too much work....and I do have a life....:-)

Knitting update! I took an entrelac class at Commuknity (my new favorite shop) last week and look! The yarn is Noro Kureyon. This started out as a small purse (the class project) but I wanted to get to the yellows and oranges so I just kept going....it has morphed into a scarf. This is a present for someone....ssshhhh! I can't wait to block it.

Note: I've been trying to publish this post since last night (Apr 8th). Blogger seems to "not like" the fact that I want to put more than one picture in this post. So....I will foil Mr. Blogger and publish this one as is, and do another post with my other pictures. So THERE.

Good Golly Miss Molly!

I think I've said this before, but she is just the cutest thing on the planet. She was happy even though she had a cold, while I, who also had a cold, was sometimes crabby, sometimes not. She is my role model.

As for knitting, I finished one brown stripey sock on the trip. I thought I had a picture of it in the camera, but hmmm....not there....so I will take one tomorrow and post it. I think I should get another Olympic medal for picking up gusset stitches during turbulence (that would be on the plane...) - I was so proud of myself for not screwing it up or getting a crochet hook up my nose. I should have at least gotten a free bag of peanuts.

Even though almost everyone was sick or hurting in some way while I was there, we all managed to enjoy each other and muddle through. That's what families do. I got to eat real pizza twice (!), watch baseball with my brother for hours on end (!), drink wine with my sisters (!), eat at a real diner (!), sleep every night without setting an alarm clock (!!!), and be part of the NY Times Crossword Puzzle Tag Team. For those not in the know, this is a family phenomenon - solving crossword puzzles jointly, passing it around, working clues together, berating someone else's answer ("what were you thinking?"). I'm told this (the love of the crossword) is something that has been passed down to us by our paternal grandfather. I have no personal recollection of this, since I was only five when he died (on Christmas Eve no less). Anyway.... it is with a great sense of family pride that I tell you we finished not one, but two NY Times puzzles. They are brutal. Wine helps. So does google. (ooh, did I say that out loud? we do not cheat!)

Oh, and ask me why my mother thinks I have a gambling problem. Everyone needs a good ROFL like that once in a while.

And now for one more gratuitous picture of the peanut.

Game of Fours

4 Jobs I've Had in My Life
1. Liquor store cashier
2, Bank teller
3. Basketball scorekeeper
4. Insurance company secretary

4 Movies I Could Watch Over & Over
1. Pride & Prejudice (the A&E miniseries)
2. Lord of the Rings (all three)
3. Gosford Park
4. Pirates of the Carribean

4 TV Shows I Love To Watch
1. NCIS
2. Survivor
3. 24
4. Law & Order - Criminal Intent

4 Places I've Lived
1. Levittown, New York
2. Boulder, Colorado
3. Santa Cruz, California
4. Oneonta, New York

4 Websites I Visit Daily
1. sfgiants.com (during baseball season)
2. google.com
3. comcast.net (email)
4. yarnharlot.com

4 Favorite Foods
1. Real New York pizza
2. My mother's pot roast (I can almost make it as good)
3. My own spaghetti and meatballs
4. A hotdog and pretzel at the ballpark

4 Places I'd Rather Be Right Now
1. With my kids
2. Scotland
3. Yarn shopping with an unlimited budget
4. Nowhere - I'm here with Miss Molly

4 Favorite Types of Yarn
1. West Valley Alpaca
2. Cashmerino
3. Brooks Farms Merino/Silk/Mohair
4. Lana Grossa sock yarn

New York, New York (and Hoboken)

Sorry no pics today, I'm going to try to post some before the end of the week. It's so good to have time with my family! Miss Molly is the cutest thing on the planet....really. She is a very happy baby and sleeps all night, probably because she isn't too fond of napping. I was worried about having her catch my cold but she already had one of her own, so we're cool. My cold has blossomed - it's a doozy. But it's not keeping me from having fun. I'm in Hoboken til tomorrow and Dave and I are planning to watch baseball all afternoon - woohoo! Two World Baseball Classic games that we want to see are on today, how convenient is that? Getting to watch baseball with bro, a real treat. And REAL pizza to go with it! I'd write more but I'd rather go play with Molly. Ciao!

Picture Problems...

I tried and tried and tried last night to upload a picture of Molly, to no avail. Blogger was just not cooperating. And it was slow as molasses so I just gave up.
But, ahhhhhh, there's the little peanut now! I can't wait to meet her this weekend.

I am happily knitting my next pair of socks (the ones that are mine, mine, mine - wouldn't it be funny if they didn't fit?). I'm not really using a pattern, just using Sensational Knitted Socks as a guide, since I want the bulk of the sock to be stockinette to show off the yarn. It's Lana Grossa, and here's where we're at. I love this yarn...:-) I'm sure all the water rings and marks on the table are just a figment of your imagination. How embarrassing.

Okay, I seriously need to start packing. Oy vey.

My Gold Medal

Tada! I received my gold medal today...:-) [see sidebar] Isn't it lovely? I am ever so proud. If you haven't visited www.yarnharlot.com yet you're missing something. She has written a very amusing post-script to the whole Olympics thing.

I didn't quite know what to do with myself after I finished the socks. So...I started another pair of course. These are for me (a real treat). I am off to New York on Saturday to visit family and wanted to have something started that was portable. Before I started the socks, though I made sure to block the pieces of the sweater I made for my (newly adopted) niece, Molly. She's 15 months old and I'll get to meet her this weekend! Auntie is very excited...:-)

Off to do laundry now...or I shall be naked in New York....brrrrr....

Sono Rifinito!

Okay, yeah....I'm speaking Italian in honor of the Olympics.

Sono così felice di essere fatto! Ho rifinito due giorni davanti a programma!
[I am so happy to be done! I finished two days ahead of schedule!]

Total actual knitting (and frogging) time: 39 hours, 48 minutes.
Number of loads of laundry done in the last two weeks: 1
Number of times house vacuumed: 1
Number of times bathroom cleaned: 1 (and that was done by #1 son)
Number of hours of sleep lost: too numerous to count

The precious twins are now soaking in their tepid Eucalan bath. Their recipient will be back stateside in early March and I can't wait to give them to her.

Congrats to SOCK TEAM USA!
Debbie :-)

...the light at the end of the tunnel....

Good gracious I got so much done tonight! I'm ready for toe shaping, which means I should be done tomorrow - woohoo! Too tired to do a picture - I'll save that for when I'm finished...:-)

ciao for niao

How Many More Laps?

I'm in the homestretch I think....about to make my way down the foot on the second sock. So far they are looking more identical than fraternal, which is a good thing...:-) My goal today was to finish all the gusset decreases and voila! It helped that for possibly the first time, I actually got some knitting done at our knitting ministry meeting tonight. I'm usually flitting from one knitter to another helping with this and that (which I love to do, by the way - I am not complaining!).....but tonight it was nice to just sit, knit and visit. Because, fellow travelers, I'm tired. I just checked my mental calendar and can't believe that I do not have to be anywhere else but home for the next four evenings. That is -- in a word -- rare. So I do believe I can finish before the flame goes out - woohoo! I will be sorry to see the Games end though. It means I have no excuse not to clean the bathroom.....on the other hand, I'm very close to running to Mervyn's to get more underwear just so I don't have to spend precious knitting time doing laundry.....hmmm....

Sock 1....

Okay. Finished sock #1. I'm a full day behind schedule. But the last two days have been worth it. I went to Stitches West and soaked it all in, taking three classes and spending hours at Market (I was good and only went a tad over my "budget").... I took classes from Leslye Solomon (Continental Knitting), Sally Melville (Color Knitting) and Beth Walker-O'Brien (Aran Knitting) and sooo wanted to get home last night (and today) to practice stuff from class and play with my new yarn (luscious baby alpaca for some socks for me (!) and a beautiful purple heathery wool for an Aran for me (my first attempt), but I had this sock to finish!! I guess in my "hurry-up-edness" I decided it was long enough and got the toe shaping all done only to discover that it was...uh, well, not. Ripping back a sock is NOT fun. And it's time consuming. Lots of Olympic penalties there! My overall time on this first sock was just under 20 hours. Not my personal best. Or maybe it is...since I've never timed myself before...I had better break my own 'record' on sock #2 if I'm going to beat the Olympic flame. No, I don't have Monday off! At any rate, I'm happy with the way the sock turned out. [click on the picture to see it up close - the ribbing is cool.] Now on to its' (hopefully identical rather than fraternal) twin.

p.s. What can I say about Sally Melville? Knitting Greatness. Awesome teacher. Just a regular ol' gal like all of us. And very funny, eh?

Day 5 - all gussied up

Total elapsed knitting time: 11 hours, 18 minutes. Yes, folks, I'm using a stopwatch - hey, it's the Olympics! I'm in the homestretch (kinda) on this first sock. The gusset is completed and I'll be starting the foot tomorrow. This is good since I can be more mobile with it and not have to refer to the pattern anymore. I should be able to turn on the afterburners now! To stay on track I need to have this one finished by Friday night. I put myself a little behind by not knitting last night. Can you imagine me not knitting? I'm not sure what the problem was last night - I guess I just needed some down time. Where's my cheering section?

Day 4

I'm pretty much on schedule I think....I spent my lunch hour today turning the heel and picking up gusset stitches. Tonight I'll do the gusset decrease and then it's a nice trip down the foot! I have a few non-knitting things to attend to tonight (how irritating)....wish I could just knit all night. But alas....