Simply Sensational Knits*

And the Winner Is....

2012-02-15T17:06:00.000-06:00

Tim!

And I think I know what his reward of choice is. There were actually 417 little candies in the jar.... but alas, they are all gone. Eaten. But I had help with that.

Gulp!

What's Your Guess?

2012-02-02T13:37:00.001-06:00

I know we have all played this guessing game, but isn't it fun?... after all, nothing ventured, nothing gained!

To celebrate the release of a new crochet pattern, Jar "Top-ography", I am sponsoring a contest. Leave me a post by Valentine's Day with your guess of how many candies are in the jar, and the closest guess on February 14th wins a gift card for Amazon or iTunes (winner's choice). Be sure your post links back to you so I can notify the lucky winner!

I can tell you that the jar is one pint, but I won't tell you if there might me something in the middle of all the candy pieces that takes up space (sneaky, huh?)!

More about this pattern. I recently needed a birthday gift for a knit/crochet friend, and I worked this pattern up in more traditional colors. I hadn't worked with thread in a while, and I guess I realized I missed it. Obviously influenced by the season in my choice of colors, I whipped up a second variation of flowers and voila!, a new pattern was born! The cover is the same for both versions, and instructions include both Pansy and Carnation flower toppings. Sorry, no charts this time... these are really.very.simple!

So, let the guessing begin, and good luck!

Happy New Year and a Pattern Promo!

2012-01-04T19:37:00.000-06:00

Much has happened since the last post, and not just the holidays!

There has been knitting and traveling and working, but necessarily in that order. I wish there had been more knitting, but it just hasn't worked out that way!

As requested, I sized up the original Pop Top Mittens to make a new pattern, Pop Top Mittens for Adults. These are written in 7 sizes for 7-10" palm circumferences. That should fit just about everybody! They are easy to lengthen or shorten to accommodate specific hands. (For the record, that big 'ole pine cone is a North Carolina special... I would be shocked to find one that size here in Kansas!)

From now through February, the bundled mitten patterns are on sale in my Ravelry shop. If you bought the original Pop Top Mittens (kid's sizes 2-10 yrs), you will get the same discount for purchasing just the adult pattern.

I knit these mittens while traveling, one mitten flying east, and one mitten flying west. On the first flight, one of the attendants was a knitter. She challenged me to get one done before we landed... and, well, I made it, except for the thumb!

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On a personal note, the traveling was not all in fun. Thanksgiving on the east coast was an in-place plan. However, by mid-October my Dad's health began to deteriorate rapidly, so I flew out for a last visit, only to return a week later for his funeral. Dad was the original catalyst for starting me down the stitching path. Somehow he had the insight to know I would enjoy it. He started me out by ordering printed cross stitch kits from Ladies Home Journal. Those kits evolved into a love of embroidery, sewing, knitting, and crochet. I know he was proud of my knitting, I'll never know if I would have ever found this passion without his gentle nudging so long ago.

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What will 2012 bring? As usual, there is much more in my head than I can possibly ever humanly produce. First up, I will be repurposing a sweater that I knit about 20 years ago for my Grandmother with some really special German yarn. Styles and body shapes are much different.... I'll post about it when this evolution is complete.

Happy stitching! And be on the lookout for a new edition of Petite Purls next week!

Hannah's Hugs

2011-10-10T17:03:00.000-05:00

Woo Hoo!! It's knitting season and I just released a new pattern... introducing Hannah's Hugs!

Not only do I love the design, but the model is just too darn cute! This is a classic, warm, layerable (is that a word?) winter dress for little girls.

The dress instructions call for DK yarn with sock yarn edgings (doesn't take much, so it's a great use of leftover sock yarn!). The edgings can be knit or crocheted - your preference. Instructions are included for both techniques, with the resulting edging being the same. The cord can also be knit or crocheted. Hooray for versatility!

Cast on at the hem edge and work skirt in one piece to the underarms, then the fronts and back are completed separately. Sleeves are worked in the round, then set in to the armholes. Instructions are completely written for sizes 12 months - 6 years; schematics are included, as are charts for the pattern stitches.

Sorry, pink boots aren't included : (

As My World Turns...

2011-09-29T14:04:00.000-05:00

The month of September has flown by!

We began the month with a Labor Day trip to St Louis to see DD and her fiance. Good times! DD knows I love Snoopy...

This was an early birthday gift.

This photo was taken in a macro photo studio that DH and I made with materials on hand + less than $3. We found the instructions to make it here. I wish I had done this sooner. It's been fun playing with the camera and lighting.... indulge me, and you'll see more pics like this below! : )

Next stop: Aspen, Colorado. What a beautiful place to spend my actual birthday.

Pyramid Peak - approach road to Maroon Bells, early morning 9/12/11

The leaves were just starting to turn while we were there.

This was our biking trip and Aspen did not disappoint. We were very fortunate that the rain throughout the week was so patchy that it never interfered with our plans. We rode many, many miles on the Rio Grande Trail, part of the national Rails to Trails initiative.

Didn't we all read the Boxcar Children book series when we were kids? These rail cars are actual residences - with plumbing and outdoor decks. Not quite a boxcar, but interesting!

As always, I like the wildflowers.

We also rode the open sections of Glenwood Canyon along the Colorado River which parallels I-70 (part of the trail was washed out in the spring floods and is under repair).

We stopped to watch an eagle soaring along the high rock faces of the canyon. I think that was the one ride when I didn't have the camera - darn!

Our big achievement was riding to Maroon Bells - 11 miles of steady uphill riding from Aspen, ending at about 9600 ft above sea level. That's mighty thin air!

We stopped a couple of times along the way for 'photo ops'. Translated, that means we stopped to let some oxygen back into our lungs and muscles - we are 'flat-landers', after all! The ride down was scary fast!! This ride was much more difficult than the Rio Grande or Glenwood Canyon Trails, but what a sense of accomplishment when you get to the top!

Vacation always means shopping for yarn souvenirs.

I bought this yummy Manos at the Aspen Yarn Gallery, a fun little shop in the heart of town. If you go there, look up. The shop is on the second floor. The owner, Jan, stocks her shop with some really fun and funky stuff. This colorway is #798, Pansy. I took it to my hometown LYS last week and matched it up to another yarn. This will be a great accent to a design that is still spinning in my head.

I also bought 4 feet (yes, it is sold by the foot) of "dreadlock yarn" in shades of purple. The wool is from the curly hair of Surry sheep. The flock is from Fort Collins, CO, but the spinning and dyeing is done in Taos, NM. You can find it here or here. This will be a fun accent to something... not quite sure what, but it won't sit around for too long. Notice there is a purple theme going here? This yarn reminds of Ozark Handspun, if you're familiar with that.

Finally, on the way back out of the mountains, we stopped for lunch in Frisco, CO, and, as luck would have it, there was an LYS on the main street of town. Inside, I found a happy group of knitters (who recommended a great lunch spot) and some Mountain Colors Crazyfeet - hand painted yarn in the Red Willow colorway. This is definitely destined to be a pair of socks.

In between there has been a lot of tech editing. A new issue of Petite Purls went live a few days ago, and I am hard at work on lots of other projects.

I was pleasantly surprised that Knit Picks featured my Pop Top Mittens in their current catalog - I can never complain about free advertising!

A few sts get knit here and there. DD#2's college soccer conference games begin this weekend, so there will definitely be some short road trip knitting!

Three cheers for fall weather! ~~ 'til next time, Joan

After the Dry Spell

2011-09-01T16:50:00.000-05:00

I have finally managed to put the finishing touches on a new crochet pattern, The Delano Shawl. You can follow the link for all the specifics. Pattern includes written instructions and charts.

There is something about this pattern that I really love... not sure if it's something specific, or it it's the overall look and feel. The design just seemed to come together perfectly.

I like that the body starts out on the long edge of the triangle and gets smaller as you work.

I love that the body is only a 2-row repeat (please forgive the fact that this photo is upside-down).

I like the ruffle that was definitely inspired by Kate Middleton. You don't even have to include it if you don't care for ruffles. You could easily stop after the Puff Sts. And if you are not a fan of Puff Sts, you could substitute 3-dc Clusters for those.

I love the colors, even though the orangy/rusty/salmony palette is not the best combo for me (I'll end up gifting this, most likely).

I didn't like the fact that it was 100+ degrees when we photographed it. :(
I can attest that this is a warm shawl!

I have a couple more fall patterns nearly ready to go... but there are a handful of indie patterns and a couple of bigger tech editing projects in my queue that stand in their way. Plus there's a long anticipated vacation that is now only a week away!!! I am looking forward to stitching time and a vacation LYS excursion.

Be on the lookout for Mr Moose, remember him?

He will definitely be making a pattern appearance soon!

Necessity IS the Mother of Invention!

2011-06-22T10:33:00.005-05:00

Yet another lapse in posting. Once again I am full of good intentions, but not too great at acting on my good intentions.

A couple of months ago while hobbling around on crutches and depending on DH and DS#2 to bring things to me, I came up with the idea to crochet a pretty alternative to sports backpacks. Being so dependent on others was tough for me. A backpack allowed me to carry a book/camera/magazine/yarn, etc... from place to place all by myself. Thus, Mill Stream Backpack (Ravelry link) was born. Nowadays, with a healing leg, Mill Stream has become my biking backpack. This would be a perfect gift for a busy Mom of little ones, too.... really for anyone who needs the use of both of their hands! It works up fairly quickly, especially the lace section.

The cords are anchored through hammered-in eyelets (available in fabric stores).

I double-lined this project; white fabric on the outside to provide contrast to the yarn and show off the lace, and a coordinating print on the inside. The pattern includes a diagram for weaving the cords. Complete text instructions are included and there is a stitch chart for the lace pattern. I used Nomotta Catania for my backpack, but any lightweight cotton that is spun firmly would work (Patons Grace, Katia Bombay or Tahki Cotton Classic Light come to mind).

Last weekend, we made a day trip to Kansas City for Father's Day. We brought DD#2's bike to her, and together we biked a section of the Mill Creek Streamway path (hence the name for this design). It was HOT, so we especially enjoyed the shady stretches along the water. There are more hills in KC than in Wichita - good training for our September bike trip to Colorado (more on that in the fall, and I have already mapped out LYS to visit!).

Summer is in full swing. I stepped out to check the mail, went back for my camera, and this butterfly was still on my coneflowers when I returned.

Knit, Crochet, and.....

2011-04-20T06:00:00.004-05:00

Multiple choice test:

Why has it been so long since I updated this blog?

(a) I spent all my spare time knitting and crocheting.

(b) I have been too busy tech editing patterns to update.

(d) I was away on vacation.

(e) I took a photography class.

(f) All of the above are at least partially true.

The correct answer is (f) but things didn't necessarily happen in that order. While I was away on vacation, (c) happened. That was a month ago. Breaking a leg is not recommended, especially on vacation. And breaking both your tib + fib so that now you have a titanium rod and 5 screws is really not recommended. I am currently a cabin-fever crazed woman who is looking forward to walking without crutches (and I am working on that). I will spare you the photo (HIPAA??? - ha, my kids had the xrays on Facebook the night it happened), just know that it doesn't take a trained eye to see that I did a grand job.

Truly, the point of this post was supposed to be the introduction of a new pattern, Lattice and Ivy, not just to play catch-up. I crocheted this shawl last summer, created charts, but never quite managed to put it all together until now. The center of this shawl works up really quickly. The Irish crochet leaf edging takes a little more time, but as the focal point of the shawl, the leaves are worth the time.

In my absence, winter turned to spring. Despite the leg, I managed to plant some primroses in the container on our front porch. That was something I could do sitting down. : ) Carrying liquids on crutches to water said plants is a tall order, so DH has obediently watered them for me.

He has also played the valiant role of taxi driver and sous-chef. He sets me up for the day before he goes to work and usually comes by at lunch to see if I need anything. He is a bit blown away by all the extra stuff he does on my behalf. I can't imagine what we would do if I worked outside our home.

I have been knitting. Actually, I have probably knit and crocheted more than usual. I can't vacuum or drive or do a lot of cooking, so I have taken full advantage of the down time to work on a few projects. Heck, I even had to sew one of the velcro straps on my orthopaedic boot back together. That means I operated the sewing machine with my left foot. It felt weird.

The yarn that I last posted about is now a scarf.

I call it the Cabbage Scarf -- I think it looks like a cabbage when it's rolled up. Actually, in this photo it also looks like a backwards apostrophe or a comma. The ruffles are kind of fun and different. The pattern link is here.

I got a little obsessed with using up scraps of cotton yarn and turning them into coasters. I love a 20 minute project! Except that I made 40 of these 20-minute projects and I still have scraps of cotton. I will be gifting some cotton coasters.

On the tech editing front, another issue of Petite Purls has gone live and another one is in the works. Dutch Knitting, My Little CityGirl, Woodhouse Knits and NelkinDesigns have kept me busy (to name a few), not to mention Leisure Arts.

And Easter is just around the corner... look who stopped by my desk window today. I did take a photography class in Feb-Mar and learned a lot, not that it's evident in this shot, but I didn't want to miss the opportunity.

He ate a dandelion but left my plants alone.... and he best not go near my strawberries!!!

More knitting. I finished a really different poncho that I will write up and release for the fall. I have a summer top on the needles at the itty-bitty gauge of 6.5 sts per inch. The colors in it remind me of Indian Blanket.

Stay tuned. I'll be back before another 3 months have gone by. Until then, beware of the crazy woman who drives the electric carts at Wichita stores!!!

It's Not Winter Today

2011-01-29T17:02:00.009-06:00

Yesterday and today have been a welcome mid-winter respite with temps in the low 70s. Notice the salt on the driveway?! That's a sure sign that the cold is not gone for good.

Of course the freaky warm days won't last, but we took advantage of it while we could. Tomorrow will be back to chilly, and by the middle of the week, it will be snowy and downright cold again... stay-inside-and-knit kind of cold... with a daytime high of 17. Hrmph! It seems like a recipe for pneumonia after these warm days! DH and I enjoyed a long bike ride late yesterday afternoon, and I rode again today to do some errands. Do you think anybody at Hobby Lobby or the grocery cared that I had helmet hair? Too bad!

DH and I are hoping to bike up to view this in late September. Seeing Aspen in the fall has been on my bucket list for a long time! We are challenging ourselves to the 10-miles-uphill-in-thin-air trip. The ride down will be fun! Stay tuned... and I wonder if there is a LYS in Aspen?

Stash enhancement! I stopped at Hillcreek Yarn Shoppe in Columbia, MO on the way home from St Louis a couple of weeks ago. The shop is literally a half block off of I-70 (exit 127 - I know it by heart, and the shop is on the left, just south of the highway). DD#2 was with me and picked out the RainForest colorway for this quick and fun scarf. It's Liberty Wool from Classic Elite and it's a washable merino - love that. The variegated colorways are all very pretty!

Why was I in St Louis? DD#1 is getting married to Mr. Wonderful (yes really), so we shopped for her gown (found it), looked at bridesmaid's dresses (picked one), and looked at venue choice #1 for the reception (fun, fun, fun place!). DD#1 and her fiance are going to "crash" a party in a couple of weeks to see how the place looks when it's full of people and all decorated. I think they will see that it will work for them. It was a whirlwind of a weekend, but a lot was accomplished.

Here's the view from our hotel room. How cool is this? DD's future MIL found an awesome deal on a travel web site and invited me to share this room. We were like teenage girls (or maybe even preteens) talking until all hours of the night. Too much fun!

I haven't spent much time knitting lately - too busy doing other things (mainly tech editing knit and crochet patterns for others). I'm inspired by all the creativity. I just wish I didn't have to sleep so I could do more of it myself!

I've Been Knitting!

2011-01-20T06:00:00.001-06:00

Another delayed update... just a reflection of being busy. : )

First, I released a new pattern last week. This one, Crested Butte, is relatively easy and it is available here.

The pattern is written in 2 sizes for teens/adults and options for braided or macrame-tied tails are included. I posted a pic of the original a while back. It just took me a while to get around to writing the instructions (and knitting 2 more of the hats). It's a quick knit and also features an inner layer of ribbing for added warmth around the ears.

We've been having our share of cold weather. Brrrr, so I whipped up a new pair of 'Glittens' for myself. I have made several pairs for others, but this is my first pair for myself. I made open thumbs, but I think I would have preferred closed.

I really love working with this yarn bowl that I received for Christmas. It allows me to work from the outside of the skein without having to chase the yarn across the floor!

One last thing.... I hope this helps you feel warm if it's cold where you are -- these are pine cones burning in an outdoor chiminea.

Knit on! ~~

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-20T10:34:00.002-06:00

Last weekend we visited a Christmas light show at Botanica, Wichita's city gardens. There were light shows set to music, luminaria-lined pathways through the woods, cookies and hot cider, and, of course, lights everywhere!

Wichita has many bronze sculptures throughout historic Old Town, many neighborhoods, and in the city garden. Last year, some knitters wrapped some downtown sculptures with scarves. They all disappeared, hopefully to someone who needed them for warmth!

Stowaway!

Wishing you all warmth, good cheer and the Blessings of Christmas!

A Holiday Interruption...

2010-12-15T12:02:00.003-06:00

If you look at the bottom of the this post, you will see Summer's last bounty, harvested in November.

I never got around to making green tomato salsa and those silly tomatoes ALL started to turn red.... faster than we could eat them. We ate some every day. I took some to the neighbors. I took some to church. I took some to Thursday Night Knitting. I still had lots of red tomatoes and I was fearful that I was becoming known as the tomato lady.

So I bought an extra bag of onions and some fresh cilantro, thawed some of our jalopenos (also from our garden), hauled out the food processor, and voila! DH and I chopped and chopped, dug out canning jars, mixed, simmered, and finally canned our own salsa. It's really tasty! There was just enough to fill the canner and have a little left over to eat right away. And there are still some stragglers turning red on the counter. Since when are garden tomatoes supposed to be part of holiday decor?

I would have imagined doing this in July, but that's certainly not how it worked out this year.

The one sad moral to this story is.... don't touch your eyes after chopping jalopenos, garlic, and onions, especially if you wear contact lenses. Ouch!

The Moose is Loose!

2010-12-13T06:00:00.001-06:00

I have worked on this little guy off and on for the last couple of months, and finally finished him up at Thursday night knitting at Twist.

So it's safe to say that he was born in a yarn shop.

Vital stats: He is knit with vintage wool, Brunswick Germantown, that has been in my stash for +/- 20 years. His antlers are an i-cord worked around a chenille stem, that is then twisted on itself.

As with all newborns, you must check out his "toes"! On the front legs, there is a little bit of shaping to create the hooves. On the back legs, look closely and you will see bobbles to create the hoof toes.

I have good intentions of getting the instructions written up to make Mr Moose, but I am sure it will be after Christmas before they are done. Stay tuned!

You never know where Mr Moose might appear in 2011. I think he will be my travel buddy for the year.

Mittens, mittens, mittens

2010-12-07T10:50:00.004-06:00

Last year I released my Pop Top Mittens pattern for kids a little late for the holiday season. This year, they have been a really popular download on Ravelry, plus I reknit several pairs for Knit Picks IDP. My neighbor modeled one of the pairs for me.

And I promised to give the mittens to him when I got them back from Knit Picks, which I did.

Then I found this in my mailbox one day. How cute!

And kudos to his Mom for nudging him to write this.

It makes me smile every time I look at it.

Changing Seasons

2010-11-14T20:19:00.004-06:00

Time for me to catch up again. I actually have knitting to share!

This hat is a gift for a friend of my daughter who will be working at a ski resort this winter. I wanted to make this hat extra warm, so it has an inner headband to keep his ears extra warm.

My son, the model, loves the hat, so I guess I will be making another one for him. I didn't want to simply braid the i-cords on this hat, so the tails are tied in macrame style knots.

X marks the spot on top.

The yarn is Ironstone Yarns ColorChanges in Colorway 003 and it lends itself perfectly to this hat since most of it is simple Stockinette Stitch.

We haven't had our first killing frost yet, but it is supposed to happen this week.

So I pulled all the tomatoes and peppers off the vines -- I think there are almost 15 gallons of mostly green tomatoes. I'm thinking salsa... and this is just one of many reasons that I won't get much knitting done this week.

And finally, just a little reminder that the season really is changing, and even my cactus is rushing the holidays.

I hope all are well and that knitting is soothing hectic days.

While I Was Away

2010-09-28T06:00:00.000-05:00

OK, so I haven't really been away in the true sense of the word, just busy. Look what popped up while I was "away"!!!

My friend Laura pulled out all the stops and realized her dream of opening her own yarn shop, Sugar Bunny Blvd, in El Dorado, KS. It has the perfect address of Main Street, USA!

That's Laura, hiding behind the counter (look through the glass cubes of Noro).

Sugar Bunny Blvd is a colorful place!

There is a wall of basic yarn in a rainbow of colors.

And there are tables full of more yarn.

The day I stopped in, there was a table of friendly knitters chatting away and a steady flow of people in and out. I actually had to wait in line to check out!

If you find yourself traveling I-35 (aka the KS Turnpike), you'll find Sugar Bunny Blvd at exit 71 (go south to Main St, then one block east on Main to the shop). Stop in and say hi to Laura. She has big plans of what's to come -- more yarn, spinning supplies and eventually fabrics.

Her shop will be one of the new stops on the Central KS Yarn Shop Hop coming Oct. 21-24. Sadly, I won't get to yarn hop this year due to an out-of-town wedding/college visit/check-in-on-the-parents-and-siblings-commitment... but I have enough yarn to stay busy while I travel. And.... I have entertained thoughts of yarn shop hopping while I am away - it's only fair, right?!

Has Tom-Tom or Magellan figured out that they should pre-program yarn shops into their GPS systems? Or is there already an app for that?

Simplest Scarf Ever

2010-08-05T06:00:00.000-05:00

Here's a new version of the same scarf from the last post.

This one was made with a sample of Universal Yarn. I think it is this yarn, but I can't be sure. I've had the yarn for quite a while, and I know that the name of the yarn changed after I received the sample.

Simplest Scarf Ever!

Cast on 16 sts.

Rows 1-4: Knit across.

Row 5: K3, (YO, ssk) across to last 3 sts, k3.

Repeat Row 5 until scarf is .5" less than desired length.

Last 4 Rows: Knit across.

Bind off all sts.

How easy is that?! I used one skein and size 10 needles for this scarf. In the scarf in the previous post, I used 2 skeins and size 8 needles. This scarf is a good length for a child - about 44 inches long and 4.5" wide. I just worked until I had barely enough yarn left to work the last 4 rows and bind off. You can make this scarf with any yarn and appropriately sized needles.

It was really a stretch for me to work on this while I have another project on my needles, but this pattern was perfect for knitting while conversing at Thurs night knitting - doesn't take a lot of concentration, but has enough interest not to be boring.

I'm still working away on that lacy something, too. It's a s-l-o-w process.

More stash enhancement to report. Occasionally when I tech edit, I collect payment in yarn. DD chose the Mary Walker Phillips colorway of Schaefer Yarn's Chris for me to make her some new winter accessories. There is enough yarn here for something for me, too!

I love the colors - they remind me of the colors of a stormy sky. After 2 days of 108 degree temps, a storm would be most welcome in these parts!

I'll stay inside and knit!

The Ultimate Compliment

2010-07-22T11:13:00.003-05:00

When my kids were little and I was the one picking out their clothes, I could dress them in all sorts of hand knits. But then came the awkward tween and teen years when they wouldn't be caught dead in something Mom made. Such a curse!

I made this scarf earlier this spring. It's super simple and was a great choice for 2 hanks Berroco's Origami yarn in Vacay Pink (#4356). The yarn really looks more red than pink, despite its name. DD#1 came home for Mother's Day weekend, and somehow the scarf ended up around her neck and on its way back to her place. Hrmmfff! Okay, so I did let her take it! The colors in this one reminded me of yummy madras plaids. For DD to want to take this away was the ultimate compliment!

Since then, every time I walk into Twist (the ultimate LYS), I have looked longingly at the display. When the supply got down to 3 skeins of the blue Origami (Party by the Shore, #4361), I caved and bought them. What to make.... ???? who knows???

Just to prove that I don't just buy yarn, here's a sneak peek of what I have been working on for the last several weeks. The yarn is SWTC Tofutsies (a sock yarn, #861 TOEpaz), but you will have to wait and see what the project actually is. So check back! : )

I hope you are enjoying summer's bounty! My garden runneth over with veggies, but fruit is what's for lunch!

When the Dog Barks

2010-06-30T07:34:00.005-05:00

When I hear the dog going crazy, that usually means that Mr FedEx or UPS is in the driveway.

I love unexpected packages. I designed a moebius shawl last summer and it was just recently published by Leisure Arts in Knit Prayer Shawls, 15 Wraps top Share available here or here. This is a new format for Leisure Arts. I love it! The book is small (5" x 8.5") - perfect for carrying along in a project bag. The cover is hardback with an internal spiral binding that allows the pages to lay flat when you open the book.

There are 15 designs in the book for all tastes and skill levels, including one by my cyber-friend, BaxterKnits, and also one my old friend and former co-worker, Natural State Knitting. I'm in good company!

Have you seen it?

2010-06-23T07:57:00.002-05:00

The latest issue of Petite Purls is up! Check it out!

This issue features my Fun-in-the-Sun design, a sunsuit with a dumptruck bib for boys and a flower bib for girls.

The bottoms are worked first, front and back separately to make the leg shaping easier. The bib is picked up from a turning ridge on the front and is worked up, with the straps worked continuously from the top of the bib. Multiple buttonholes are worked into the straps, allowing the outfit to 'grow' along with baby all summer long. Buttons are hidden on the inside of back ribbing.

The pattern is a free download and is a fairly quick project. Model is knit at 6.5 sts per inch in Nomotta Catania.

Enjoy!

Vacation Yarn!

2010-06-21T06:00:00.001-05:00

Excuse my absence! Aside from being busy with work, I spent the last week in the CO Rockies on vacation with DH and ALL of our kids. That's a major feat considering how spread out we are these days.

Check out the icy mountain lake in the middle of the picture. It was chilly at the Continental Divide... and we came home to 95 degree temps. I hate heights, but I love the view!

Guess what!? I am a firm believer in vacation yarn, and this trip was no exception.

If you ever find yourself in or near Granby, CO, you should treat yourself to a sidetrip to LoneSome Stone Alpaca Mill. It's only about a mile off the main road (Hwy 40) and you will know you are in the right place when you see the pasture of alpacas (180+ of them). I spent a good deal of time there just petting the yarn.... there were so many pretty colorways to choose from and such soft yarn, it was really hard to make a choice on what to bring home. Nancy and Linda, 2 of the owners, popped in and out and were happy to talk about all their different yarns. I left with 3 hanks of yarn plus a list of more yarn that I fell in love with and hope to order in the future in larger quantities. They have 69 (I think) colorways to choose from on their web site. In their store, they also have one-of-a-kind skeins that they create on special dye days. These yarns are called their BFF line (yes, as in Best Friends Forever - I think that refers to Nancy and Linda). I bought 2 BFF skeins:

This one will probably be a scarf.

And this one will be a set of hat and scarf, or maybe mittens and hat or scarf. Time will tell! There is a lot more yardage on this skein than the previous one. This will become a Christmas gift.

I bought one skein of merino wool to make a hat for DS for when he moves back to the US from Qatar. I *assume* that he will need cold-weather stuff.

The trip:

We drove across the 'amber waves of grain'. These days, the wheat fields are interspersed with wind farms.

My road trip knitting was a sweater at 8 sts = 1 inch.... it's a longtime work in progress and was totally the wrong choice for car knitting. The sweater has an overall lace pattern and I made a couple of goofs that required significant ripping. I'm not one to have multiple projects going at a time, but I should have made an exception!

We finally got to the 'purple mountains majesty'.

You can see a lot of dead trees from the pine bark beetle kill, but when you walk in the forest, new growth is everywhere. The pines are reseeding and the firs and aspen are filling in.

There were a lot of distractions on this trip. I'm sharing just a few.

I'm not sure why some of the elk had collars. (Rocky Mountain National Park)

Town moose..... (we saw lots of country moose, but this one and its mama decided to go to town!)

Country bull elk - he's a big boy (RMNP)!

Cute little squirrel (Arapaho National Forest).

4 happy 'kids' (Adams Falls, Arapaho National Forest)!

Fairy Trumpet wildflowers.

Bittercress wildflowers (I think - and feel free to correct me)! There's an ant on one of the white petals.

We hiked, we rafted, we rode horses and mountain bikes, we played games and tried to keep up with the World Cup games. I really didn't knit that much, except in the car.

Monday morning... back to reality. Last week sure was fun!

Memorial Day

2010-05-31T06:00:00.000-05:00

This time it's not about knitting.

My Dad, Camp Lucky Strike, France, circa 1945

"Roger travelled through France, Holland and Belgium with the 97th Infantry Division, 202 Field Artillary Bn. They joined Patton's Army at the end of the Battle of the Bulge. One of the darkest points of his life was when Roger had to aid in the liberation of a concentration camp. His unit had to force the Jews to stay in the camp when they wanted to flee into the forest. They would have certainly died in the harsh winter, but they couldn't be blamed for wanting their freedom. Roger described leaving the ovens on to dispose of the massive numbers of the dead and those who were so sick, they still died in the care of the Army." -- excerpt from a biography of my father, written by DS#2 for a high school English project this year.

Happy Memorial Day!

Spring Sprung

2010-04-13T06:00:00.002-05:00

Here I go again with another lapse in posting.... And while I have been absent, Spring really sprung! The warm days have been most welcome.

I was really intrigued with the Katia Paper yarn at my LYS, so I bought a ball and played with it, and this is the result.

I am calling this sun hat the Mother's Day Hat (so Mom, if you read this, you must act surprised on Mother's Day!).

It's a free download and it takes one full ball to make. Working with the paper yarn is a little bit scratchier than working with nice, smooth fibers, but it's a small project, so it's doable! This is a top-down design, so once you are done knitting, you only have 2 ends to hide and you are really, really done. The yarn is washable, and the hat is completely pliable and pops back into shape, so it's perfect to stow-and-go in a purse or bag. I added some beads to the inner brim of mine, but I gave good thought to ribbon, feathers and crocheted flowers. Maybe I'll make another one for myself!

The week before Easter provided a fun break for us to entertain my brother, his wife and their 3 kids.

Keeper of the Plains, Wichita, KS

The weather cooperated and we had a grand time exploring the cowboys and indians culture of Wichita, roasting marshmallows, dyeing eggs, and making really short work of some really good ice cream. DH and I loved having young kids around - brought back memories.

This is my favorite spring tree. Appropriately, it burst into bloom on Easter Sunday this year.

I posted a picture of it last year and then we had a late snowstorm, so the blooms were gone after only a couple of days. I have enjoyed it for much longer this year - yea!

And this huge pear tree is my neighbor's (notice the basketball goal at the bottom of the picture), but DS has learned not to park under it... his car has been "snowed" on!

Back to reality - lots of patterns to edit and I have started a new knit project that will be in the summer issue of Petite Purls. And that's all I can say about it for now!

Happy Spring and happy knitting!

Busy Times, part 2

2010-03-19T06:00:00.001-05:00

First, it's now past time to share why I have been extra busy lately. Check out the latest issue of Petite Purls. This issue is "green", so all of the projects are made with natural fibers (corn, bamboo, and UPcycled t-shirts, to name a few). I tech edited 18 projects for this issue from 15 or 16 different designers from all around the world. Talk about a challenge!

And here is another recently completed project, this time crochet. The warm tropical blues of this yarn made me think of summer days at the beach.

Tropical Breeze (Ravelry link) Shawl works up really quickly. This triangular shawl measures 22" deep by 47" across, and best of all, it is made with only one large skein of sock yarn.

The fishnet center is surrounded by little "sand crabs" and gentle shell "waves". This is the perfect shawl for pretending you are on spring break, even when you're not!

The model was made with Knit Picks Stroll Hand Painted in the Lullabye colorway. The pattern uses only basic crochet stitches, so it's not too hard for even an occasional crocheter.

For some crazy reason I have been on a baking binge this week. I satisfied my craving for English Muffins and Apricot Bars. Heh, guess I need to get busy knitting to work off those calories! I **wish** it worked that way!

Busy Times

2010-03-16T06:00:00.002-05:00

Things have been crazy busy and I feel like I have been tied to my desk for the last couple of weeks.

In between I have been working on some special projects. Luckily these Easter Basket Buddies (Ravelry link) are a super quick and can still be made in time for Easter.

On the bunny, I used leftover Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece, and the Chick is made with vintage Nomotta Alpha with scraps of Tahki Cotton Classic for the feet and beak. Any worsted/medium yarn will work.

The back has a "trap door" opening where a plastic egg slips in, filled, of course, with little surprises. : )

I'm hoping to find time to whip up a couple more of these before Easter. I have an idea of what I would like to put in one, and it's not candy. Hmmmm?????? What could it be?

Happy Birthday to DS#1 today. Big 27 - woo hoo. The last time I talked to him, he had forgotten that his birthday was coming up.

Sharing a Little Warmth

2010-03-05T08:16:00.005-06:00

Florida was warm and wonderful by our standards, yet the natives insisted that it was unseasonably cool. We laughed at the weatherman talking about wind chills when the temp was in the mid 60s. Kansans know all about wind chills!

The "cool" weather obviously didn't deter this little boy - he looked like he was having a lot of fun.

We loved seeing blooming wildflowers along the boardwalk to the beach.

The gulls were out in abundance....

... and the pelicans rested just off shore.

The palm trees and grass were so lush and green compared to our still bare trees at home.

Not much knitting on this trip, but I recently completed this very QUICK project for DD2. This bracelet is knit with polyester embroidery floss and 5/0 beads (because that's what I had - you can use almost any beads). There are lots of variations on this bracelet in this leaflet.

It's nice to be home, but oh so busy! No doubt, DD#1 will see this and "need" a new bracelet, too. She just needs to tell me what color she wants! Lucky for me, it's a quick project!

Destination: Florida

2010-02-24T10:08:00.003-06:00

I came across this old photo while helping DS with a project. I loved this catamaran and its Carumba sail.

This was my toy back in the early 80s. It was so much fun and is probably a big part of the reason I need wrinkle-hiding cream!!! This pic was taken on Shackleford Island, NC - one of the uninhabited barrier islands that has wild ponies. I used to sail out to the island with my friends to collect shells and watch the ponies. It was a great day trip destination. Sometimes we would see giant sea turtles swimming in the water, and once we saw a carcass of one on the beach. Undoubtedly someone poached eggs from a nest and killed the mama turtle. I remember how mad it made me. : (

I am heading to Florida tomorrow for a fast and furious 4 days. I will pack my camera and my knitting first, then I will see if clothes will fit in the suitcase. : )

And maybe I will see a boat like my old one.

Rah-rah!

2010-02-12T07:35:00.007-06:00

A little late for the Super Bowl, but just in time for March Madness - Team Spirit, a new pattern for little girls, sizes 2-7.

This little outfit uses only basic knitting skills and is a good introduction to changing colors. The skirt has an elastic waist, so it's easily adjusted to fit; the top is knit flat (in 2 pieces) and joined at the shoulders with the 3-needle bind off technique for a polished finish. Yarn shown is Berroco Comfort worsted (blue/white) and Knit Picks Swish worsted (red/cream).

The inner panels of the skirt hide behind the outer panels, but give plenty of flare when jumping and twirling (and we know little girls like to jump and twirl).

Pattern is $4 and is available here or on the sidebar.

Stash acquisition from last week: Noro Silk Garden and coordinating Cascade 220... I can't wait to knit this up, but it's about the third project in line. Eventually!

Knit on, stay warm, and watch the snow melt!

More Menagerie

2010-02-05T06:00:00.001-06:00

I was looking for the satisfaction that a quick project provides and settled on Rabbit to go along with Ribbit that I made last summer.

He is another tennis-ball tummy pattern from Susan Anderson's Spud and Chloe blog. My Rabbit is made with some scrap Cascade 220, and he was definitely a quick knit. I am still waiting to get my hands on some of the heavier weight Spud and Chloe.

Tennis balls come in a 3-pack... so I wonder what animal will be next?

On another note, this has been a week of new and old patterns. A friend gave me a pattern she ordered for 50 cents (plus 15 cents s&h!!!) "a while ago".

That's the pattern in the background on a sheet of paper that is even bigger than sewing patterns! I can only imagine the headaches folks must have had with typesetting and proofing back when this was printed. Publishing is so much easier now. The envelope has 6 cents metered postage, and it is postmarked 1969. I remember seeing pattern offers like this one in the newspaper as a child. My friend never knitted the coat and hat and now even her granddaughters are well beyond the sizes of this pattern. The Zoo book was a surprise in the mail this week. It is a re-release of a book from many years ago (the early 90s, I'm guessing), and I got a copy because I tested the patterns in the book at its original release. I did? I really don't remember that at all. My mind must be going!

Thursday night SnB was fun this week, but oh so fattening and hard on the wallet! In a perfect world, knitting would burn lots of calories! I'll post pictures of my acquisitions next time.

SOS

2010-02-01T06:00:00.002-06:00

I know that SOS is supposed to be a distress call meaning "Save Our Ship", but today it means "Sick of Snow". I'm thinking of Spring. I am officially tired of snowplows, slick roads and salt pellets that are impossible to keep off the kitchen floor.

Here's to Spring... a new scarf pattern that is more sassy than warm. It's called Sensational Spirals.

This one is quick to crochet - it was a weekend project last weekend amid the NFL playoff games and lots of interruptions, so that should tell you that it is a quick project. Only basic stitches are used. It's worked in rows until you get the to the end, then it's joined into rounds to create the "cupping" above the tassels, and finally the tassels themselves.

The tassels are a fun finishing touch!

The yarn I used is Aslan Trends Glaciar Del Cielo in colorway #03 Petal. It's a sportweight cotton that I picked up last summer at Yarn in Hutchinson, KS (this shop is a coffee shop, too, so it's a real treat to step in the door and be surrounded by wonderful fibers, good company, AND some tempting aromas).

More treats to come soon... stay tuned and keep knitting (and/or crocheting)!

Surprises!

2010-01-27T06:00:00.000-06:00

Sometimes when friends or relatives take a trip, they come home with surprises. My little bear, Koda, took a trip to Georgia and arrived home on my doorstep Monday.

This yarn was in the box with him - what an unexpected WOW! So, I will leave these nice bright colors out near my desk until they "tell me" what they want to be. The sunshiny colors will be welcome cheer on dreary, cold days.

I have read glowing reviews on Spud and Chloe yarn, even looked for it locally, to no avail. I think they stock it at Loops in Tulsa (a great yarn shop if you are in the 'hood), but that's a 2.5 hr haul from here. I am always hesitant to mail order yarn that I haven't had the chance to pet and snuggle against my skin, and I haven't had an excuse to go to or through Tulsa lately. This yarn passes the snuggle test with flying colors (ooo.. pun intended!).

Re: my last post.... DD called Sunday.... her cell phone died for no apparent reason. I think it's contagious. Bleh!

A Tale of Woe

2010-01-22T06:00:00.003-06:00

We seem to be on a roll around here when it comes to destroying cell phones before our contracts are up.

Last Sunday I was trying to multi-task: wash dishes and talk on the phone at the same time. Oops! There went the phone into the dishwater, and no, it didn't survive.

It was an old phone, one that I resurrected last spring after leaning off our porch to take a pan of weather stain from DH when my then-new and very shiny red phone fell out of my shirt pocket into the weather stain. That phone didn't survive the fall into sticky mess. (My ipod also fell into the stain, and it still works.... most of the time.) ::Sigh::

My phone being my lifeline, I promptly replaced it. We're out of old phones, so off to the store I went and came out with a new and improved phone that works. New phone means a quick phone cover felting project. I **think** the yarn is Wisdom Sonnet, but it doesn't have a skein wrapper, so that's just a somewhat educated guess.

I bought a hands-free thingy for this phone... now I can multi-task over hot water without investing any more $$$ in the cell phone makers!

Better yet, I can knit and talk at the same time. That's not a bad thing!

Grand Prix Racing

2010-01-15T06:00:00.000-06:00

Little boys are so special and their excitement is contagious!

I knit this set about a month ago, based loosely on my Pop Top Mittens, with a hat added for good measure. They are custom knit for my nephew (my Godson) who is 3 1/2 and crazy about cars. The last time I talked to him on the phone, he told me all about Disney movie "Cars". And when we visited last summer, he got really excited about the wheels on our rental car. We had a good laugh over that because we didn't like the car at all! I figured he'd like the car theme on some mittens.

Not having a model readily available, I snagged the lion from DS16's closet just to snap a couple of quick pictures before finally putting these in the mail.

The yarn is Berroco Comfort (except for the red, which is Universal Yarn Classic Worsted). The appliques are perfect for the recipient and I found them at the local fabric store. It's all machine washable - an important consideration for little boys (or, should I say for their mothers)!!!

::sigh:: I remember when my boys were little!

The Big Thaw?

2010-01-13T06:00:00.001-06:00

I don't think so! Knitting weather continues. : )

frosty prairie grass

This is what we awoke to this morning. This frost looked positively hairy!

frosty pines

And this fountain was the backdrop for homecoming pictures a couple of months ago. No dresses and ties on happy-go-lucky young couples on this day!

So, it has been "stay inside and knit" weather, and I have complied.

First, a cowl (pardon the awful exposure, but that is snow glare!). This was my contribution for a Cowl Swap with my Saturday morning knitting group. The yarn is Araucania Panguipulli in color #2. I l-o-v-e this yarn. Actually, I think I love every yarn this company makes. One of my friends at the swap was knitting with the same yarn in the same colorway, and it looked completely different, in part because her pattern didn't have purl bumps on the right side. The yarn is definitely a splurge, but is totally worth it; as Forrest Gump would say, "you never know what you're gonna get" when you knit with it! The knitter who got my cowl was headed to the yarn store to buy this exact yarn. Since she got the cowl, she decided to go ahead and get more yarn and make a matching hat. Fun!

I should have taken a picture of the cowl I received in the swap (another thing for my to-do list) -- it has diagonal columns of yarn overs, and it's made in a vintage yarn of a blend of alpaca and merino in gray and black and a little bit of brown - perfect with a black wool coat. Thanks, Laura!

As if all the mittens I've been making for little hands weren't enough, DD#1 confessed to losing her fingerless gloves that I made last year, so I obliged with another pair. I don't think the originals are permanently lost... rather the right drawer or bin hasn't been opened and they will eventually emerge from hiding. ::Sigh:: I hope so, anyway!

I knit these from Lang Yarns Mille Colori - fuzzy and fun, and DD was pleased.

I have lots more irons in the fire, but I can't spill the beans about all of it quite yet.

Check back, and in the meantime, happy knitting with no knots!

Lots and lots of Mittens

2010-01-04T06:00:00.002-06:00

If I counted correctly, I have made 8 pairs of mittens over the last several weeks. Whew! I am tired of knitting mittens for a while.

All but 2 pairs were for my newest pattern, Pop Top Mittens (available here). They're knit in worsted/medium weight yarn and instructions are included for kids sizes 2-10. These are a quick project for young family members or for charity!

So now I have moved on to a new project.... gloves for me. I must be in a rut of keeping hands warm! But our near-chronic snow makes mittens or gloves a necessity. I think of my Dad telling me the best way to warm your whole body is over a sink of hot dish water. Bleh! I'd rather knit and wear gloves/mittens! After all, you can't stand over a sink and walk the dogs at the same time.

On a totally unrelated note, I finished my year of swimming at a grand total of 210.23 miles. Yea! The pool has been a popular place lately, but the kids are almost ready to head back to school, so I am hoping to find smoother water this week. Should I push for 250 miles in 2010?

Happy New Year of Knitting!

A Little Christmas

2009-12-24T06:00:00.000-06:00

My parents used to travel extensively and my Mom is famous for bringing back Christmas ornaments from many of their destinations. I don't remember where she got these, but they have been on my tree for many years.

She always tries to bring us ornaments that reflect our personalities. Thanks, Mom!

This last one didn't come with the little sweaters. It might not have even come from Mom, but it suits me!

Merry Christmas to you all, and happy knitting in 2010!!

Introducing Koda

2009-12-16T06:00:00.002-06:00

Once again it has been nearly a month since I have updated, but I have been busy with lots of knitting-related activities.

Meet Koda, my bear, who is hitting the cyber-newstand in PetitePurls online magazine today.

I have been busy tech editing all the patterns for this issue, and there are a lot! You really should take the time to check out all the fun patterns on the site (there's even a crocheted feature that is way too cute - a perfect baby gift), and be sure to look at the Fall and Summer archives, too. I love the fact that the submissions are coming from outside the borders of the US and from designers for whom English is their second language. It just proves that knitting is a universal language, as are cute knits for kids!

Koda is my first pattern to be featured on the site. He's a bit of a challenge to knit due to the shaping, but IMHO, well worth the effort. As I wrote in the pattern intro, he reminds me of a bear I had as a child -- one that I loved so much, I wore the fur off of him. He is knit in Plymouth Sinsation which is an oh-so-soft chenille type yarn (that is also incredibly tough to photograph), but any textured soft yarn would work. He would be equally sweet in a pastel yarn.

And here is a hint of what else has been "on my plate". Can you guess what my nieces and nephews are getting for Christmas - and they are all convertible. I am working on the last pair now. Their Moms sent me all of their hand measurements, so they are all knit-to-fit.

Stay tuned and check back for updates! I plan to share this convertible mitten pattern soon!

Rushing the Season?

2009-11-20T06:00:00.001-06:00

It's coming. The season. It happens every year. And just once I would like my Christmas Cactus to bloom on Christmas. Sometimes it blooms on Valentine's Day. Sometimes it doesn't bloom at all.

This year it is blooming quite nicely.... and quite early. I guess it likes the spot I found for it in this house. So I will try to ignore the fact that this silly plant is holiday-impaired when it comes to its name and just enjoy the colorful show.

Ooooo... Aaaahhhh! An FO. Baby Surprise Jacket is on its way to the new baby. I added the hood and some crocheted flowers to "girly it up".

Maybe I will get a photo of it being modeled! : )

Kids and company will be home for Thanksgiving. I hope by then that our delightful dog, Bandit, has worn off his new "perfume". He got skunked 2 nights ago in our yard. The dumb skunk was trespassing and digging for grubs in our lawn and then had the nerve leave his calling card all over our dog, and all Bandit did was bark at him. I think one more treatment of the skunk odor eliminator will kill the last of the stink. The poor dog doesn't understand why he can't come in the house.

It's always something, isn't it?

Welcome to November

2009-11-04T06:00:00.000-06:00

Baby Surprise!

The Baby Surprise Jacket is coming along, even with a major frog because I didn't pay attention to the decreases. I must admit that, as ingenious as this design is, garter stitch is boring! It is not my thing at all! I'm looking forward to a new project. At least I can honestly say that I have made this classic. I had to get going on this quickly because we all know that babies don't stay the same size for long!

Whoa! Did we blow through Halloween? I bought what I thought was way too much candy, but the weather was perfect and the kids were out in droves, so we ran out (yea for no tempting leftovers!).

I made these ghost shaped Oreo balls for a soccer dinner for DS. Most of them were consumed as the boys waited in line to serve themselves the main course. The kids at the end of the line walked up to an empty tray (oops!). I was glad that I had a small stash of ghosts that hadn't fit on the tray! And I am even more glad not to have leftovers of these!!

The boys weren't nearly as crazy about the Fingers, but neither was I. It's hard to compete with Oreos and cream cheese! I did bring leftovers home, but it wasn't long before I found an empty cookie box in the dirty dishes. DH loved 'em!

For now, it's time to think about turkey and holiday knitting!

Danger Zone and New Traditions

2009-10-26T06:00:00.005-05:00

Oh boy... Yarn Shop hops can be v-e-r-y dangerous!

I had some projects in mind when I grabbed my passport and headed out. There is some Heritage Sock weight in black to make a shawl or wrap or something to keep bare shoulders warm on cool nights. I have thought for quite some time that a black wrap/shawl/capelet was something that DD#1 needed. And there is purple and gold Cotton Fleece to make this cheerleader skirt for my niece in Minnesota Viking colors. Even though she will be the one wearing it, it's really her dad, my BIL, who will appreciate it. I think "Touchdown!" was one of her first words. The Sirdar Escape is destined to be a Baby Surprise Jacket for a gift - love the colors in colorway 187, but the web thumbnail isn't even close to the real thing (it actually has a lot of purple, burgundy and gold) - and finally.... that which I couldn't resist, enough Inca Marl (100% Alpaca) in the Red Sea colorway to make a L/S pullover. It is soooo soft.

If you look hard at the front of that pile, there is a little bean bag page weight from Twist and also a little container of stitch holders. Those are little thank you gifts from Shelly, Twist's owner, for all of the shop hoppers. There were 4 shops that I didn't get to visit, but I kept my little map, so someday I'll pay them all a visit.

For now, it's time to get busy knitting.

You may recall that we made a mad dash trip to Minnesota for a wedding. Guess What?!

It snowed. This was October 10th -- too early for the frozen stuff, even in MN!

On the way up, we stopped for gas and saw this.

For the record, he did not pull his horses into the KFC/Taco Bell for a bite to eat. I just thought it was an odd contrast.

We drove by lots of corn fields and a couple of wind farms. For the record, there is nowhere to eat between Des Moines and Kansas City. That was okay. I just kept on knitting.

Road trip knitting time was plentiful, but I am still struggling to finish that project. Maybe all of this new yarn will create more hours in a day so that I can finish the current project and begin something new.

If you've read this far and you happen to be someone that I do tech editing for, you should be happy to meet my new "brain". I got tired of backing up files on CDs, so I bought this cool little silver box that hums and purrs and backs up my (and your) files.

Think of it as a safety net!

On another note, we are learning about many of the traditions at DS' high school. This week we head into post-season regional play for soccer. The soccer cheerleaders visited each varsity player's home over the weekend and decorated their bedrooms with posters, balloons, Halloween candy and paper streamers.

And first year varsity players get their heads shaved for regional play....

Oh well, he needed a hair cut, but this is so short it shows off a scar from a long ago rock-throwing incident that resulted in a staple. He will need a hat to stay warm, don't you think?

Nightime Reading

2009-10-05T06:00:00.002-05:00

A late birthday present arrived a few days ago and I have really enjoyed browsing the pages.

One can never have too many stitch dictionaries. This Japanese book has great drawings in the front of the book that show how to work each unusual symbol that is found within the charted patterns (there are no written instructions, but I don't read Japanese, so it doesn't matter!). It's easy to figure out how to follow the charts. I love that charts are our own unspoken knitter's universal language. I have some German charted stitch books, too, that I have referred to many times over the years. Of course there are Barbara Walkers and Harmony Guides and the Nicky Epstein series, too. Every time I look through these books, something different grabs my attention. Ahhhhh, if only there was enough time to execute all the ideas...

Snapping back to real life, this was our high school homecoming weekend. The football game was a blowout win for us, and I think DS had a good time at the dance.

While the kids danced the night away, DH and I went to an Octoberfest. What's not to like about bratwurst and sauerkraut?!

I've squeezed in minor amounts of knitting here and there. I'm working on a top secret project with a super soft cotton in a nameless color that should be called "latte". And next weekend we are making a mad dash road trip to the far north (Minnesota) for a wedding, so I am looking forward to LOTS of car knitting.

What a Week

2009-09-21T06:00:00.001-05:00

This week has seemed like I've lived life in the fast lane.

Wednesday, I crossed over to the "dark side", meaning I reached the half century mark. I really don't feel any different.

DH made me the cake of my choice, an old family recipe that makes a loaf. He's even wearing one of my really gross aprons. Not to worry, he was closely supervised and it turned out great! The cake has a little bit of chocolate, some spices, raisins, all topped with butter cream frosting. And calories don't count on birthdays.

Meet Bessie!

She arrived on my doorstep last week. She's kind of quiet, very low maintenance, and doesn't eat much. Hopefully you'll see more of her as time goes on. I have plans for her!

DD#2 decided at the last minute to come home for the weekend. Surprise! She was so happy to sleep in her own bed and eat home-cooked meals....

... and play with her dogs. They missed each other.

Then yesterday afternoon, our neighbors hosted their annual pizza fest/bingo party for all of the neighborhood kids.

They made sure that everyone was a winner!

Out of the blue, I had a wonderful blast from the past contact me. I got an email from my grade school BFF who was able to track me down on the internet. We haven't seen each other since the summer between 6th and 7th grades when she moved away (1971!!! - 38 years ago, yikes!). It is so crazy that she remembered my phone number from way back then, and what's worse is that I remember hers! Lots of memories have flooded back of all the innocence of our childhood together. Playing jacks and pick-up-sticks and collecting soda bottles to turn in for 2 cents, picking wildflowers from the field and taking them to the lady whose husband worked for a cookie company (we weren't stupid!), walking barefoot in the grass and playing baseball in the street. We never played with Barbies, but we had trolls with elaborate lifestyles. We used to tell everyone we were twins (she's exactly 2 weeks older than I am). In a way, it surprises me that I remember all these things. But I think kids remember lots more of life's little details, and as we get older and have so much more responsibility, we don't file away the little details. Fun walk down memory lane.

Maybe I save the details for knitting projects. I'd like to think so.

Lazy Sunday Afternoon

2009-09-14T06:30:00.001-05:00

Sometimes it is just fun to take a detour and whip up a quick project.

That's exactly how this dishcloth came to be. I was riding shotgun while DH and I ran errands and the other project that is currently on my needles is too intense for car knitting. This is the Hearts and Flowers pattern from "Trendy Knit Dishcloths", made with scraps of Sugar 'n Cream Twists. Fun, fast, and practical (and I needed a new dishcloth - somehow my supply had been depleted).

Mr. Mailman brought me a package this week. Sock blockers!!

Pesky as the real things may be, I think the squirrel silhouette is cute. I need to get busy making some new socks to block on these boards. These are an old Firestarter and Seduction.

Mr UPS brought me a big package, too, but I'll save that surprise for another post.

Happy Knitting! I know there is no shortage of patterns... I'm busy, busy, busy editing new patterns. ::sigh:: Sometimes I have to steal a little bit of time to knit, too. : )

Feeling Froggy

2009-08-31T06:00:00.003-05:00

Frog Legs anyone?

I admit that I have never tried this delicacy. These are part of a project I just finished and I used them as an opportunity to play with the black-and-white-plus-one-color setting on my camera. The green isn't really the right shade - I'll keep playing with the function...

I managed to start and finish this project in short course. I think he is quite the cutie, and I really have no idea what I will do with him, but he fully qualifies as an FO and for now, he is mine. So I let him lounge in the Liriope

The instructions are here, another adorable Susan B. Anderson pattern. I used good old Cascade 220 and modified the toes a little bit. The pattern calls for 12 individually made toes that you sew on. I crocheted mine (3 simple picots through both thicknesses at the bottom of each foot), all done with the working yarn so I wouldn't have so much finishing. The tummy is stuffed with a tennis ball for perfect roundness.

DH and I had a great weekend involving a quick trip to see DD#1. She and her BF arranged a "play date" for DH, myself and BF's parents. The menfolk played in a charity golf event, and us girls made a day of lunch, a quick tour of the St Louis Basilica, a trip to a semi-local winery for a fun afternoon of wine tasting, and then met up with the boys in the evening. Fun times and great company! BF's Mom and sister are great!

This funny little statue was on a side table in our lunch restaurant. The boa caught my eye (and internally I was groaning and thinking of fun fur).... the red matches the painted toenails, and it just looked silly sitting on an empty table all by itself. Not much of a guard dog!

From St Louis, we headed back toward home, making a pit stop to see DD#2 play in her first college soccer game against the school's soccer alumni. DD didn't disappoint - she scored 2 of the first 3 goals. Yea! She was a little disappointed not to get her favorite all time jersey number, but I think she got over it! She thinks college life suits her. I'm starting to agree.

Home again with a full agenda of work to be done. DS#2 is the lone child here... we missed him on our trip, but he had to stay here for school. His first varsity soccer match is Tues night..... another season begins, ready or not!

Berry Time and Back-to-School

2009-08-12T06:00:00.000-05:00

I have enjoyed a lot of fresh berries this summer. I bought this "Mixed Berries" colorway last summer or fall and it's been sitting patiently waiting for me to wind it and play with it. I wasn't totally crazy about it at first, but once I wound it, I liked it much better. It does remind me of a yummy blend of berries.

Lorna's Laces Shepherd Socks, Mixed Berries

Back-to-school shopping. Ugh! We are taking DD to college on Saturday and she and I have done our fair share of shopping for all of the usual stuff. As a soccer student-athlete, I figured she would want/need extra shinguard sleeves. They sell for $12 a pair, which I think is a total ripoff, so I took a pair of the commercial ones to Needle Nook Fabrics and matched up the sleeve fabric with fabric of equal stretch. DD was thrilled to find bright colors to choose from.

I spent $12 on fabric and whipped up 5 pairs on my serger that afternoon. Frugal. My mother would be proud.

The second pair from the right was made from leftovers. Underneath her real socks, she will look a bit like a court jester.

And last but not least, my "baby", Douglas, turned 16 over the weekend. His friends honored him with this gift.

The city came by to pick it up this morning. Other than the slight misspelling of our last name, it's quite a novelty. No, we didn't let him keep it!!

Complementing Knitting

2009-07-31T06:00:00.000-05:00

There is no argument that knitting is my favorite sit-down hobby, but when I pare knitting up with the other activities I like to do (think baking sweet things and bread), the results are not always flattering. So it is a good thing that I also like to swim. Far. Or at least pretty darn far for a middle-aged Mom.

Back in January I started recording the distance I swim every time I leave the pool. And just before we went on vacation, I reached the magical 100 mile mark. That's 7040 lengths of a 25-yard pool, or 7040 lengths of mind-freeing low-impact exercise where I don't feel myself sweating -- that's my favorite part.

I was promptly rewarded with a t-shirt and a water bottle (woo-hoo). I wish the reward could have been a new bathing suit since the pool chlorine tends to reduce the fabric to wimpy, lifeless shreds on a regular basis.

So now I am contemplating whether I can make it to 200 miles by the end of the year.... maybe. I'll need to pick up the pace a little bit.

I would like to think I had knit as many yards of yarn as I swim. I think that would mean a lot less swimming or a lot longer day.

My knitting has picked up lately - yea!!! I am trying to finish up a project because I have the next one all planned in my head - something I thought up while I was..... swimming, of course.

Where In the World Have I Been?

2009-07-21T08:35:00.007-05:00

Summer is in full swing!

I have totally neglected this blog for the last 3 months. It could be because there hasn't been much personal knitting going on! So, here is an abridged version of 3 months of my life in the fast lane.

The month of May was a blur of major soccer injuries, graduations, Confirmation, and a house full of company. No time for knitting.

I don't think I did anything in June or the first half of July except work, work, work. Some of my tech editing efforts can be seen here. I l-o-v-e Jacques Crusteau! There is a big book in the works, several indy patterns, and knit and crochet leaflets that have taxed my brain. I wrapped up loose ends just in time for a long-awaited vacation to NC.

There, I got my fill of babies with my nieces and nephews.

I forgot how much I missed the beach. The weather was perfect, even if the waves were a little small.

There were lots of broken shells on the beach following a storm 2 days earlier.

I am threatening to make this shell shot into a jigsaw puzzle. That would be torture!!

It rained one day, so we all went bowling. Bowling shoes are so goofy! Mine are the uber-groovy orange and yellow ones. What a fashion statement!

I did knit quite a bit on the planes and waiting around in airports (of course the airlines weren't running on time). There is a glimmer of hope that I might eventually get to show off a finished project.

Stay tuned - I'll try harder not to be AWOL for 3 months this time!

I hope you all have had more time to knit!

Aliens, Acupuncture, and a Bunny

2009-04-29T07:45:00.006-05:00

It can be funny how projects evolve.

Last weekend, I worked on the the "alien" on the way to a soccer tournament. At this point, it looked like I was performing acupuncture on him (or her, I haven't decided).

We had enough down time between games that I was able to finish up. It took a couple of days to add the eyes and nose. I think the ears could use a blast of steam, but I am pleased with the results! I'd like to make another one.

One of my favorite things about out-of-town soccer tournaments is stopping in at LYSs. I picked up some cotton for some more quick projects that I have in mind at Yarn. This was my first visit to this shop and it was a beehive of activity with knitters working away on projects and a class going on - definitely will stop by again when I am in the area.

Last weekend was prom, and they had a fun time. Both of these "kids" will turn 18 this Friday... where has the time gone? I guess I will be baking cakes and cupcakes this week!

Thinking Green

2009-04-24T07:30:00.002-05:00

Thinking Green is a good epidemic, and those who know me would not be surprised that I consider it a personal challenge to overstuff the recycling cart. DS was not amused when he had to stand in it to compress it.

I've been working on this green scarf for a while... seems like forever, and it'll get put away until fall. I'll still love the colors when it resurfaces in the fall. The yarn is Yummy from Fibra Natura, and it took a little less than 1 skein for the whole thing. Blocked out, it's about 8.5" by 60".

I played around a bit trying to decide how to finish off the ends. I tried a couple of other stitch patterns before settling on this one.

I battled the wind trying to get a good shot of the lace. The dark red tree leaves are what replaced the snow-killed pink blooms from a few posts back.

Finally, I bought blocking pins a couple of weeks ago knowing they would soon get used on this project. Exciting, huh? OK, I'm done talking about this scarf.

What's on the needles now? Something totally different and totally adorable. I'm working on Sophie. So far she has a head and a little bit of a neck. It's a quick little fun project for no real reason at all, other than I wanted to make it!

I'll sign off on a good note... ::drum roll::

DD22 found out yesterday that she got a job. She will iron out the details next week, but she'll be starting her first real. grown-up. full-time. job with her own benefits on May 18th, only 3 days after her Master's Hooding ceremony. I bet she'll still call me for recipe advice!

Hodge Podge

2009-04-15T07:48:00.004-05:00

Life is a whirlwind sometimes, and I can only hope that there is time in every day for knitting.

.....I have some new yarn...

I love the colors and the possibilities for this yarn (Anne, by Schaefer Yarn). It's so-o-o-o soft. The colorway is Eleanor Roosevelt. If you like it and can find some, grab it!! This colorway is being discontinued.

....We e-filed our taxes. (BTW, Happy Tax Day!)

Where's our refund????

....DD22 blew in for Easter.

She wanted her hair braided to combat the KS wind. (She has an interview for a REAL job today, as in post-Master's employment with her own benefits - good vibes, please!)

We've been prom dress shopping.

This was not the winner. : )

(Hint: She chose the same dress in teal)

I have decided that DS needs cooking lessons, or at least closer supervision.

Pancakes, anyone?

Mostly, there has been a LOT of work for me. Sometimes I have to swatch to understand.

Sometimes all it takes is a sketch. Notice the ever-present cup of coffee.

::sigh:: Time to get back to work.

Excuse My Absence

2009-04-06T07:35:00.004-05:00

Where have I been? Obviously I think about posting more than I actually do it!

The Spring we thought was here was pretty short-lived. The flowering plum from the last post is sad these days. The blizzard made short work of all those pretty pink blossoms.

DD thought it was great fun... as did the dogs.

I didn't even want to step out on my beloved back porch. Would you?

This is more my speed for blustery snowy days. Where's the hot chocolate? The kids inhaled these cookies!

We have also had a flurry of company. Nephews passing through on their way from west to east, and niece passing through on her way from south to north.

Cousins have a special bond (ok, so the tall one is not related to us (but we will happily claim her as a honorary cousin!). The 2 girls on the sides are travelling pediatric intensive care nurses - not a bad deal for the young and unattached. They are headed back to North Dakota after working all winter in San Antonio. They are kind of young to be snowbirds, aren't they?!

Meanwhile, I have had a lot of work and only a little time for knitting. Our Saturday morning Meet-Up group had a dishcloth/facecloth swap this week. There were all kinds of cloths in every color, and the swap was a lot of fun. My 2 cloths were made from this book -- one was green and the other was blue.

This is Jackie "modeling" her ruffled swap.

And this is my haul! Lanora made the bath mitt (and the cute bag), and Amy made the checkerboard cloth. Fun time!

One more thing... check this out. How to ask a girl to the prom has changed! Apparently the boys try to be uber-creative in their date requests at our school!

Time to get back to work.... and here's hoping that I will find time to play with my fledgling lace project, too.

L is for Lace, Someday

2009-03-24T07:37:00.007-05:00

More Spring pictures. The colors are totally welcome after the dreary winter. I am tired of looking at dormant grass and bare branches. And the wind... it's been 40+ mph since Saturday. Maybe we will get a break today.

This cheerful thing is my flowering plum that sits outside my dining room window. I stepped out into the wind to snap a picture and had a hard time getting a clear shot. In the summer, squirrels will come and eat all the fruit off the tree. I don't think the fruit is edible for humans, so they can have it.

Close.

Closer.

Closest. Ok, so maybe I am just playing with the camera!

I might not have buried my tulip bulbs deep enough, or maybe this is just an early blooming variety. Either way, I enjoy them! It amazes me that fragile flowers can stand up to the brutal wind. Mr Robin from the last post carries on in the wind as though it is a calm day.

Knitting, yes! I finished the cardigan and even steamed it. DD gave her seal of approval and I asked if she would like to model it for me. She grumbled something unitelligible back. I'll corner her later.

And I started a new project... it's the 'L' word, as in Lace. It's not fine weight, but it's very intricate with YOs on right and wrong side rows. It takes total concentration, so it will not be a portable project. I am just far enough along that I can see the pattern taking shape and I keep finger blocking it against my leg to admire the pattern. I am working this from a chart - I think that will be easier for me than getting lost in words. The stitch and row repeat are both quite long. The yarn I am using is yummy, as in Yummy, in Lagoon colorway. It has all the greens of early spring and new leaves that I see out my window. I think the pattern I chose will be a good match for the yarn. Did I mention that I have ripped back twice? So far, I am not deterred!

I am going to test myself and start a second project that will be portable, likely something in thread crochet. I need something to pass time between track meet events and for soccer road trips. The arrival of spring means I will be the spectator Mom again. The first track meet is this afternoon and DS is one of a handful of sophomores who made the varsity squad. He modeled his uniform for us last night -- too funny, and the HS girls varsity soccer kickoff is Thursday (she modeled her uniform last week), followed by DS's club soccer tournament this weekend, followed by DD's HS preseason tournament next week.... and so it goes.

Happy spring and happy knitting... now I need to get to work!

Rockin' Robin

2009-03-17T07:15:00.005-05:00

There sure has been a spring theme to the blogs I follow, and I suppose this one is no different. I snapped a picture of this chubby robin through my window. I can't imagine that there are any worms left in the grass -- she's been plucking away out there for days. She's standing in a bed of sad-looking tulips that also seems to be a favorite place for one of our dogs to nap (thus the crushed tulips!).

This week is spring break for my kiddos, so they took a trip to the town we used to live in to visit old friends. They are heading back today, tired out, I'm sure. They have soccer and track practice for school, despite the break, and I am hoping that they will fulfill some service hour commitments, too.

As for me, I have done some spring cleaning -- necessary stuff for this time of year. I took time out to make a really yummy cake to share with our neighbors (read: share the calories). Mostly, I have been working away on patterns galore, and there's plenty more waiting in the wings. When my brain gets tired from that, I've worked/ripped/reworked a little on my cardigan.

Here, the cardigan is resting. One sleeve to go... what will be next?!

Last week I worked the Kansas section of the Traveling Shawl, then sent it on to Oklahoma. I should have taken a picture... it will be lovely when it's done. You should check it out!

Hope you are having a good week!

That Back Porch Again!

2009-03-09T07:30:00.003-05:00

Once again, it's pictures taken from the back porch. I'm not too crazy about heights, but I enjoy watching hot-air balloons float across the sky. I zoomed way in so I could see the colors.

My guess is that they were headed for the civil aviation airport that's a couple of miles from here. It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon to be outside.

Where did the weekend go? I managed to knit, though not nearly as much as I would have liked to. We survived the first tornado warning of the season and actually got some much needed rain without too terribly violent wind. Indoor soccer season is officially over and I am ready for outdoor season for the HS girls to begin. I will be juggling duties as soccer mom and track mom. I know about soccer knitting, but track is something new for me... I can knit while waiting on events, right? I hope that's the way it works.

I am at a decision point on my top-down raglan cardi... the bottom edge. I don't want to do plain old ribbing. I'm thinking scallops, but time will tell. I need to make my decision before I take the kids to the dentist in a couple of days. LOL, I know I'll be sitting there a while - prime knitting time!

Otherwise, it's going to be a busy week of tech editing.

It's March Already!

2009-03-06T07:10:00.005-06:00

How did it get to be March already and on the brink of another weekend? I've seen a whirlwind of projects cross my desk, and all I can say is that there is so much talent and creativity in the yarn world... all you have to do is search and you will be able to find a pattern for whatever you would like to make. There have been clothes for men, women, and children, afghans, wraps, baby items, toys and accessories. It's amazing.

The down side is that I have spent less time on my own projects, and I am even at the point of endless Stockinette on my cardigan, but the project is still on the needles with the body to finish and the sleeves yet to be started. And to make matters worse, I have a crazy notion that I would like to begin a crochet project in thread. It must be spring! Blame it on the blooming bulbs!

The view from my desk window has had a dramatic overnight change. The prairie grasses grow tall all summer long and sway in our constant breeze/wind. A quick glance at the grass lets me know how windy it is outside.

Then the tractors roll through and it's all gone in a single pass. DH even trimmed our garden grasses down to the ground. Maybe it won't be too long until it's all green again. In the meantime, I think I need a wind sock.

I'm thinking spring, are you?

The New Workstation

2009-02-25T07:30:00.002-06:00

Once upon a long time ago, we ordered furniture for our basement. Economic crisis, or not, it finally came in and we are thrilled to have it (especially me). This is the brain space of the house for me - where I do my work. The windows actually look out at ground level and the dogs like to play right outside and distract me, and when they are tired, they curl up right next to the window and stare at me. I am trying to decide what I want to put on the wall by the desk. What's on the desk? A cardigan that I am currently tech editing (it's really pretty), swatching yarn, all my tools, and my iPod/iHome (that's how I drown out the TV and kid "music"). I should have taken a picture of the old desk... a total disaster area!

Knitting. Yes, I have managed a little bit. I have the yoke of a raglan cardigan completed. I'm working with Debbie Bliss cashmerino dk in #18013 (natural). I have used this yarn before and love its softness. Now I have to find the time to 1) figure out how many sts to pick up to work the body, and 2) then actually do it! I know it will get done, I just get impatient with my own knitting.

Monday was DDs signing day for college soccer. She and a classmate both signed for the same school, so they had a joint ceremony and party. She will be a student/athlete at Univ of St Mary in Leavenworth, KS, a very small school (at the opposite end of town from the military prison/federal penitentiary), but the perfect academic match for her interests. A lot of her games will be within an hour of our home, so DH and I are happy to be able to see her play most of her games. DS15 got out of class for the hoopla, and the school activity director snapped lots of pictures. DS will not be happy that he's pictured here in his school uniform! Maybe his day will come... a new pair of track cleats are in the mail, and he's already dreaming about new soccer cleats, too.

But college is really about developing their brains, isn't it? But it's okay to have fun, too. For me, that means knitting on soccer road trips!

B-I-N-G-O

2009-02-18T07:30:00.000-06:00

Finally some FOs to post about.... I whipped up a pair of Fetching Fingerless Gloves for the Bingo prize for DD's NHS service project. These were a really quick project.

They have an interesting picot bind off -- it seems to me to be off by a stitch. I think the picots would look better if they were centered over the purl columns, but I can make that adjustment next time. Since I didn't know who might receive these and how they might feel about hand washing, I made them from some washable Lion Wool-Ease that was in my stash. I wouldn't mind having a pair for myself.... more stash diving maybe?!

And here's a quick snap of the white cotton pullover. I intend for this to be worn under a jacket, therefore no sleeves to get bound up and aggravate me. It looks kind of curvy on the hanger!

I am thrilled to have found time to knit!

Weekends are made for....

2009-02-16T07:30:00.002-06:00

I would like to think that weekends are made for knitting and relaxing, but that's not how it usually works out.

This weekend was the Sweetheart Dance at school, Sadie Hawkins style. DS had a really good time with his friend (and he assures me that they are only friends). They were supposed to eat at a Japanese Steakhouse, but the reservations got messed up, so they ended up (14 of them) eating at the local Wendy's in their semi-formal attire. The other restaurant patrons took lots of pictures which, I'm sure, are all over Facebook now. DS is there in his Johnny Cash black shirt and pants that I had to buy in the ::gulp:: Men's department. He's so proud to make the giant leap out of the boy's dept.

What else did I do this weekend? I broke a sweat vacuuming and mopping (ugh!), baked some awesome bread and some brownies, too. I shopped for groceries (twice), worked a little bit on some tech editing, went to church and soccer game, and ta-da..... (drum roll) finished the white cotton pullover. I didn't take a picture... yet. Actually, I still need to weave in the yarn ends, but the knitting part is done. Yea!

Next project... fingerless gloves for a Bingo game prize. DD participates in Bingo for a group of retired women once a month as part of her service hours for National Honor Society. I printed off the instructions for Fetching - I hope somebody will like them. I'm in the mood for a stash-diving quick project.

: ) Happy knitting!

Not Knitting

2009-02-11T07:30:00.002-06:00

There is not a whole lot of knitting activity going on at my house these days. Rather, I have been extremely busy tech editing lots of patterns for some very creative designers. I'm planning to clue you in on some of them in a future post. For the moment, I feel like I have traded my needles for rulers, calculators, red pens, pdf files and coffee.

As of last Friday, DH joined the multitudes of layed off workers across the country. Times are v-e-r-y tough in the business jet industry. So, also instead of knitting, I have helped him update, reword, fine tune, and tweak his resume. The first print is being hand delivered to a hiring manager tomorrow. We are firm believers in the power of personal networking, and we feel at a disadvantage since we have lived here less than a year. We do have cautious optimism that he will find a new position before the severance runs out, and we are thankful for his military pension, but we sure hope that we don't have to live on it!

So far, he's not bored at home. The weather was nice so he went fishing yesterday.

He was proud of this big trout!

He made it home before the rains came, and when the weather turned nasty to our south and east, we saw this double rainbow from our back porch. I have yarn in all those colors. And someday I will find time to use it.

I never grow tired of rainbows.

Long Time, No See

2009-02-04T07:30:00.000-06:00

I wish I had wonderful tales to tell of the times I have had since I last posted. The truth is, I have been incredibly busy. There have been icy road trips (not fun), soccer games, lots of work, and not a whole lot of knitting. And this is the week of meetings in the evening. Meetings kill my prime knitting time.

The ice was followed by a couple of unseasonably warm days... the ones that fool us into thinking spring is just around the corner. And then that silly Groundhog sees his shadow. Thanks, Punxsutawney Phil! So how 'bout a basket of spring. I went stash diving and came up with lots of leftover cotton.

Nonetheless, I started a little sleeveless pullover for wear when it does get warm. Does that make me an optimist? I hope so. I've seen some bulbs popping out of the ground this week.

It must be okay to think about spring when I have already had to sign off on courses for DS to take next fall. That's just how the world turns!

Three cheers for quality knitting time and warmer days to come!

Sock-it-to-Me Gloves

2009-01-23T07:30:00.001-06:00

Remember these?

I finally got around to sizing them out and writing out the instructions. You can download (free) them here, or on the sidebar.

What is on your needles? I haven't had time to knit for the last couple of days, all week really, and I am going into withdrawal. I was working on these glove instructions!

Designs are swirling in my head, and I hope to wind some hanks into balls today. I think it's going to be a fairly quiet weekend, so I am hoping for quality knitting time.

A Weekend Away

2009-01-20T07:15:00.000-06:00

When opportunity knocks we have to take advantage, right?

DD17 and DS15 spent the long weekend in Colorado wearing themselves out on the ski slopes. That gave DH and I the opportunity to head in the other direction, accompanied by our four-legged friends. We rented a cabin on the White River near Mountain Home, AR and escaped our normal routine for a couple of days. DH has been waiting patiently (sort of) for the flood waters from last spring to recede enough that the river would be low enough to fly fish. He likes to wade when he fly fishes and the Corps of Engineers has had a tough time managing the lake levels without flooding everything downstream. It took until December to get back to "normal" lake levels and hydro-electric generation.

This was the view from our front porch. The cliffs across the river are 600 feet high. It's a great place to yell and hear your echo come back, if you are so inclined!

This is DH doing his best impersonation of Brad Pitt in 'A River Runs Through It". Ha Ha! If you look in the bottom right corner of this pic, you'll see our black lab. She waits for DH to catch a trout, and sometimes he gives them to her. She likes to eat them raw (gross!), but sometimes they get away. It was about 40 degrees, but the chill didn't seem to bother her. She was worn out from swimming and romping!

Not to be left out, this is our hairy landlubber dog. He barely gets his paws wet at the river's edge. Rather, he would prefer to run circles in the field, no doubt rounding up imaginary sheep!

As for me, I don't fish. I just knit. I finished the Chalk Stripes scarf in the car on the way there and even wore it! I had enough leftover yarn to make a matching hat which I finished in the car on the way home. Check back for a pic of that.

All in all, it was a relaxing weekend for us. It was great to get away. When we checked in, the hostess asked me if I fished. I told her no, I just knit. She was supposed to send her DD by for some knitting help, but I guess she was bashful. I wish she would have stopped by.

I have lots of blog reading to catch up on. I am contemplating my next project. Have a great week!

Snowballs or Balls of Yarn

2009-01-14T07:41:00.003-06:00

Mr. Weatherman is threatening snow again.

I prefer balls of yarn to balls of snow.

A walk in the snow might be OK, but a fire in the fireplace and time spent knitting sounds much more appealing. I say let it snow!

Antique Knitting

2009-01-12T07:04:00.007-06:00

For the past few days, I have been wandering around with my new Canon G10 camera in front of my face, snapping pictures of unsuspecting victims. I took lots of pictures of DH and the kids, more of the poor defenseless house plants, and mantel decor. It's a pretty deluxe point and shoot camera for people like me who don't understand all that F-stop and aperture stuff.

This knitted doll blanket is multiple generations old... it was made by my great-great-great grandmother and my mother played with it as a child. I wish I had put a coin in the picture so that you could see how tiny the stitches are. i also have to learn what is the best resolution to save these pictures in. Bear with me... there's a learning curve here and it's Monday!

The thread is similar to bedspread weight crochet cotton, knit at a very tight gauge. The camera even picks up the discoloration (which will remain since I am afraid to wash it). I am having fun with my new toy!

I didn't take a picture of my knitting progress. The Chalk Stripe scarf has grown to 36", so I am just past the halfway point.

Hopefully there will be knitting time this week for all of us!

Chalk Stripes and Intarsia Snaggles

2009-01-07T08:07:00.005-06:00

I haven't made much progress on my Chalk Stripes scarf, but last night was a Bunko night (no, I didn't win), so at least I was having fun, even if it wasn't knitting.

I thought I would share the technique I am using to keep the yarns from tangling. I learned this years and years ago at a TKGA convention. I don't do a lot of intarsia, but this really does work to keep your yarn straight. This time, I took an old shoe box, cut slits for each color into the top of the box. On the inside, I made separate holes for each color (I used an old soda carton for this). I fed each color through its hole and started knitting.

Here's key #1: keep the yarn still. Once you have set your yarn in position, leave it there!

Here's key #2: at the end of every RS row, turn the needle clockwise to begin the next row; at the end of every WS row, turn the needle counter-clockwise to begin the next row. The yarn untangles itself after every WS row.

I have seen people use this technique with plastic butter dishes that are glued down to a piece of cardboard, old metal coffee cans, and 2-liter soda bottles. You could improvise with a lot of different things, depending on the size of your skeins and what you have lying around.

One last thing, if you are giving any thought to making this scarf, check out this cool site where you can test out your colors for the scarf.

Have fun knitting!