Caps To The Capital

Our knitting ministry at church, "Strands of Love," recently shipped off 137 baby hats in support of Save The Children and Warm Up America's national project, Caps To The Capital. Save The Children is collecting caps from all over the country and they will be shipped out around the world to places where infant mortality is high. Just keeping a newborn's head warm significantly increases his or her chances for survival. For more information about the program and the Save The Children organization, go here: www.savethechildren.org. The main force behind this project (for our group) was Connie, who brought it to our attention and crocheted the majority of the hats. She is an amazing woman and I am blessed to know her...:-) You'll hear more about Strands of Love in future posts - I may even give it it's own blog!

UFO Countdown

Socks were born at 9:14 am today. They will have their first Eucalan bath soon. I'm a bit disappointed that the toe tip color doesn't match, after I took the time to figure out the right spot to join yarn (I needed more than one ball for each). But now I suppose the wearer can name one 'Left' and one 'Right' and know the difference. The glass is always full...:-)

UFO #1 down. How many more to go?

Knit From My Stash 2007

In the past few weeks I've taken a hard look at my stash. Egads. Enough for eternity, it seems. I went so far as to take pictures of it all so I could keep track of it. It took up 60+ pics on my digital. I found things I forgot I had. Merry Christmas to me! Here are a few of my favorites.

Pic #1 is Cleckheaton Country Silk in sage. It wants to be a vest.

Pic #2 is Brooks Farm Harmony (mohair and silk) in earth tones (H30). It's not sure what it wants to be, but there should be enough for a shawl. There's Buster doing a good job of holding down the bed and guarding my yarn.

Pic #3 is Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in Watercolor. I can't wait to make these. But there is much ahead in the queue, alas.

Pic #4 is Rowan Tapestry which is having an identity crisis. It was purchased with the intent to be a moebius scarf. Since I haven't successfully mastered the moebius cast-on yet....we'll just see about that.

SO....the challenge is to knit from my stash in 2007 according to the rules posted here: http://wendyknits.net/stash2007.htm. I am determined to do it because

1) I have no more room for yarn in my house.

2) I have no money in my wallet for yarn.

3) I have some absolutely gorgeous yarn that would really make some people happy if it was in wearable form.

4) I really do want to enjoy the experience of knitting with this absolutely gorgeous yarn.

UFO's (unfinished objects) are of course, part of the stash. So let's start there.

1) Debie's Christmas socks: I am 10 rows from toe decrease on second sock - should finish today.

2) Nathan's fingerless gloves: ribbing started on second glove.

3) Heart blocks baby blanket: for a baby due in April.

4) Magic Loop socks: still haven't finished these from the class I took in October. I've decided I'm not crazy about the yarn - glad it was cheap.

5) The ever-present Aran project: Not sure how many years it will take to finish this sweater, but I thoroughly enjoy knitting it, whenever I can find a block of (undistracted) time.

SO, off I go! Happy New Year!!

O Tannenbaum, O Tannenbaum

Okay, Christmas may arrive - the tree is up! No lights on the house yet...not sure if that will happen. The one person in the family who likes to go up on the roof is recovering from shoulder surgery so.....we'll see. Christmas shopping is 95% done which is an amazing feat. Now comes the fun part - wrapping everything while I watch Christmas movies, saving "A Christmas Carol" (the one with George C. Scott, which I think is the best) for Christmas Eve.

Christmas knitting: aaackkkk!!! Will I get done? I'm thinking yes, if I don't get distracted with things like laundry, cleaning the toilet and feeding all creatures great and small. Progress on sock #2 (see previous post): about 3 inches done - should go pretty fast from here on out though, since I won't be making the heel three times - ha!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

Halfway to Christmas

I'm sooo happy to have finally finished the first sock of this pair. I did the heel flap and heel turn THREE times. Not because I screwed up, but because I was going to run out of yarn (I realized after heel turn #1). Okay I guess that's some version of screwing up. So I ripped back and knit flap and turn again, with a contrasting yarn....kind of liking it.....but in the meantime I had put a call out to socknitters everywhere (via socknitters.com forum), and an angel sent me more of this discontinued yarn (KnitPicks Landscapes in New England Foliage). My first preference was to not have contrasting heels and toes, so when the yarn arrived (and I confirmed that it was a beautiful perfect match) I ripped back heel #2 and thus began heel #3. Whew! When I got to the point of toe shaping, I gave the giftee the opportunity to see her sock in progress and try it on to make sure it was going to fit. She happily took me up on the offer and I am pleased to report that it's a perfect fit and she loves the yarn. It's also reassuring to know that my calculations do work! So without further ado, here is sock #1, which will now wait patiently for it's mate. Must get cracking, only 10 knitting days til Christmas!

Some sock specs: KnitPicks Landscapes in New England Foliage; standard heel flap & gusset; round toe shaping. This was the first time trying this toe shaping method and I love it. I think it's more attractive than the square-ish looking toe you get with the "k2tog/ssk decreasing at the sides" method, and there's the added mega bonus of no kitchener-ing!!! Plus, I think it looks really cool with the self-striping yarn - you end up with
a bullseye at the top...:-) Here's a close-up of the toe, just for kicks...:-)

Critters of the 2-legged and 4-legged Variety

A gratuitous picture of my son Nathan and the pup, Tatty....also affectionately known as Tattabrat, among other things. She does love her couch time.

No knitting pics today - I'm working on Christmas presents, so don't want to spoil the surprise...:-)

For the Boys

About a month ago I received a request from Sara, who is putting together Christmas boxes for two units serving overseas (her husband's unit of Navy Seabee's in Afghanistan and her brother's Army unit in Iraq). She wanted to include some scarves for her husband's unit since it is getting pretty cold there now. So...I put the group to work! That group being Strands of Love, the knitting ministry at my church. In just a few short weeks we made 18 scarves! I even had some friends at work wanting to help, and I can't thank everyone enough for coming through. So thank you to: Debie, Linda, Torey, Joan, Carol, Carol's mom, Janet, Bobbie, Sandy, Connie, Pam, Emi, Nancy, and Dee. I delivered the scarves to Sara today and she is so very grateful! Please keep the soldiers in your prayers, that they be kept safe and most importantly, that they come home soon!

Long Time No See

I'd just rather be knitting, folks. Keeping the blog updated is too much like work. But at the same time, I like having progress pics here and seeing finished objects.

Here is the latest baby blanket I finished, for a co-worker's new baby. A combination of pink/white variegated with a strand of plain white, and it came out looking like cotton candy. Too bad the picture is a bit washed out. I designed the blanket - which isn't hard - I mean, it's just a big swatch!

Work in progress #1: toe-up, two-at-a-time socks using the Magic Loop method (one long circular needle). I learned all three things at once - nice to know I can still learn new things because I am an old dog. These are for me and so they are on the way back burner.

Work in progress #2: Nathan's fingerless gloves, made from a beautiful heather grey Cashsoft DK. I finished a good portion of this first glove waiting in the hospital during his shoulder surgery. Gloves really do not take that long. What takes long is starting the second glove....

I have another WIP that I can't post because it's a Christmas present....sshhhh.....

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!