Finnegan Purl Knits

Completely obsessed....

2012-01-20T08:40:00.003-05:00

Nanook...by Heidi Kirrmaier

search it on Ravelry

I shy away from anything that might turn out the wrong size. No matter what, sweaters never work for me. That's why I'm the rectangular wrap queen. But I'd try again for this.

Yes I would.

And if it turned out too small, I'd lose weight just to wear it.

Let The Knitting Begin!!

2011-09-05T09:00:00.013-04:00

"But it's NOT a Steeler wedding!!"

Catie and Joe with Colin and Clare

Clare ruling the Limo

Michael and Colin

Father Daughter Dance

Sistas! (Kelly and Catie)

I miss knitting....

2011-07-27T11:15:00.004-04:00

So I've been sewing. And sewing. And sewing....

The big wedding is only a month away. The lovely Cate will tie the knot on Sept. 3rd.

I'm only 8 table runners and a few fabric basket liners away from being able to return to my knitting. I have Clare's dress and 17 table runners completed.

Oh, and did I mention I've also made 200 bars of scented soap? Wrapped in fabric and ribbon?

Knitting.... 37 days away and counting.

Although I've had fun with all this sewing and soapmaking stuff, I can't wait to

return to my knitting!

LOVE. THESE.

2011-06-25T14:10:00.002-04:00

Acadian Shawl

2011-03-31T16:25:00.002-04:00

This pattern, called the Acadian Shawl, can be found on Ravelry.

It's very easy lace knitting for the border.

It is made with Elann Incense yarn which is a worsted weight wool, silk, and bamboo blend. I was really hoping that yarn wouldn't shed because I wanted to wear this with my wool winter coat.

It sheds all over the place so that is disappointing. However, it will be a great little wrap this summer for cold, air conditioned restaurants and I won't have to worry too much about the shedding.

Hat

2011-03-02T09:18:00.003-05:00

I don't really like wearing winter hats. But I wanted to use up some leftover Alpaca yarn AND try lace knitting one more time and hope for success.

This was quick and easy and gave me hope for future lace projects.

It's "Kensington" by Linda Wilgus and can be found on Ravelry.

So, now I have a nice, warm hat. Just in time for Spring!

LOVE THIS

2011-02-17T13:54:00.002-05:00

Muskat

I would never take the time to make this. But I love it, and I'd wear it.

Wow.. it's been a long time!

2011-02-02T09:09:00.004-05:00

There are times I miss blogging, but I also remember the time when it seemed like a chore. I may be ready to start blogging again. We'll see. The thing about blogging is that when you stay away too long, people abandon the blog so what's the point of blogging?

So, anyway, 2011 is going to be a big year. William will turn one in April, Clare will be three in May and Colin will be five in May. Where did that time go? Colin turning five?? It's unbelievable to me. They have given us so much joy. And the lovely Cate will be married in September so there is a big wedding to plan and also a fun bridal shower in July.

Not to forget knitting because, yes, this is supposed to be a knitting blog. I have knit many many projects since my last knitting report. Hats, socks, scarves, wraps.. cute things and practical things. But the thing that made the most waves is the hat below. The pattern is called "Loved" by Talitha Kuomi and can be purchased on the Knitpicks website.

My daughter said people stop them on the street, at school, at the mall and everywhere to inquire about the hat. This hat was an easy knit but for some reason I didn't really enjoy the process. But if there is anyone out there reading this... and you have a special little girlie girl, this is the thing to knit for her.

William

2010-09-23T11:57:00.003-04:00

William came to stay with Grandma last night so Mommy and Daddy could get some

much needed sleep. His teeth are bothering him, he wants held, and truth be told, he's a little

high maintenance at almost 6 months old.

He slept all night long.

I was up all night waiting for him to wake up.

I'm ready to drop.

The Discovery Garden, Hollidaysburg, PA

2010-08-16T10:04:00.022-04:00

The Discovery Garden began as a tribute to a young woman who passed away by her parents.

Over the years it has evolved into stunning gardens and the original play park remains.

If you're ever in Blair County in the summer, don't miss it.

These photos are just a sliver of the overall beauty of this park.

The files are large. Click on them for the full effect.

I am still knitting. I am hurrying to finish a project for a birthday by the end of the month. I had hoped to have it finished so the lovely Cate could model it for pictures before she went back home to Charlottesville yesterday but I have at least another two nights to go on it. Photos later!

Knitting and Stuff

2010-08-05T10:00:00.003-04:00

I really love this scarf from Knitscene.

I'd make this.

By the way, do you think her earrings are big enough??

T-Ball

2010-06-24T15:00:00.003-04:00

Colin's first t-ball game. He loves baseball.

He doesn't like hitting the ball from a tee, and he doesn't like only being able

to run one base at a time.

I think he wanted to start out with the Pirates.

Girl's Weekend in Charlottesville, VA

2010-06-14T12:53:00.016-04:00

For those of you who have never visited Charlottesville, VA, a word of advice: Do!

It is fabulously beautiful there.

There is a wonderful downtown mall with cute shops and

great restaurants.

My sister and Cate.

Miller's Restaurant in the downtown Mall.

(This is where Dave Matthews got his start!)

The lovely Cate.

Just playing with the camera....
at King Family Winery in Crozet, VA.
This place is a little piece of heaven on earth.
I think this was our fourth trip there.
You just don't want to leave...

The barn at the winery.

Polo Ponies

View from Wintergreen Ski Resort

There is actual knitting content below:

My sister knitting.

Catie and Joe.. waiting with us at the airport.

Oh... and one more thing.... Great yarn shop on the downtown mall called "The Needle Lady".

Oh yeah, we checked it out.

Knitting and Stuff

2010-05-12T14:04:00.004-04:00

I have started another lace alpaca shawl. The pattern is from Kraemer Yarns (free online) and I used their alpaca yarn the last time but I bought this yarn in St. Petersburg, FL, when I was there in October. Actually, this yarn never saw St. Petersburg. I ordered it at a litle shop there and it took 6 months for it to come.

I kept calling and kept being told it was "back ordered". But it finally came and it's gorgeous.

I wish I had more time to work on it. I haven't been knitting much lately but not because I don't want to.

I'm still playing a little with my camera. Below is a shot of my mother's day flowers from Michael. I love how the 50 mm. lens blurs the background. I wish I had more time to play with this new hobby too. It's slow learning when you don't have time to experiment.

This weekend we will celebrate Colin's 4th birthday and Clare's 2nd birthday.

Where did the last 4 years go? It was gone in the blink of an eye.

The perfect button....

2010-04-29T08:41:00.001-04:00

It's the little things.....

Swing Coat Finished!!

2010-04-27T08:07:00.004-04:00

This turned out so much better than expected. The crochet trim made all the difference. I really didn't like it much before I added that.

And I'll tell you the truth. I wanted an applied i-cord edging on it.

Hard as I tried, I couldn't get it. I think if I would have used larger needles to bind off, I might have been able to do it. I just couldn't pick up the stitches around the bottom. They were way too tight.

I have used this yarn before but only to make small items. I love the fabric it makes.

The piece is much heavier than I expected it to be, and it really does feel like a "coat".

It's going to be perfect for chilly evenings and early Fall.

I just pray she'll wear it. She'll be two next month. My daughter asked her what she wanted for her birthday and she replied, "Pink things."

Oh well.

Ahhh.. Spring!

2010-04-20T13:44:00.002-04:00

It makes for a good desktop background.

Still waiting for my skein of yarn to come to finish Clare's Swing Coat sweater.

I have resisted the temptation to start a new project until that is finished.

It hasn't been easy because I have a ton of them in my head.

I'm on the fence about Maryland Sheep and Wool.

I know that I can't go Saturday, but I'm still thinking about Sunday.

Thing is... I have a cupboard full of yarn. I don't need more.

Hmmn.... will I, or won't i??

Playing with Digital Photography

2010-04-11T17:51:00.005-04:00

I didn't need a new hobby.. really, I don't have time.

But in wanting to learn how to use my new Nikon digital, I took a class.

May have been a mistake.

I could be getting a little addicted.

The things I've learned have surprised me.

First, it's complicated. Much more so than I thought.

Second, like most other hobbies, if you want to really do it right, it's costly.

You want all the toys... lenses, filters, flashes... the list goes on.

But mainly, it really is all about the lens.

Clare's Girlfriend's Swing Coat

2010-04-10T08:11:00.007-04:00

I purchased this pattern from Wendy Bernard's website long before Clare was born simply because I loved it and I hoped one day to have a grandaughter to make it for.

I'm happy to say the time has come.

Believe it or not, this is my first experience with top down knitting

I love it! I'll definitely look for more patterns that are knit in this manner.

My daughter chose the yarn used in the pattern.

Blue Sky Alpaca's Blue Sky Dyed Cotton.

It makes a great fabric, but the fibers continually go up your nose making it very

annoying to work with.

Also, the pattern in size two called for three skeins of yarn and I don't think I'm going to have enough to finish.

Hence, I stopped before the length called for and put the hem on waste yarn because it looked long enough for Clare without the extra length.

I'll finish the sleeves and the collar and if I have enough, I'll add more length.

The increases are fun and I love the "swing" effect.

The only issue I'm going to have is that she'll actually wear it.
Like her brother, she's pretty particular about what she puts on her back.
Nothing like a one year old fashionista.

Introducing... William Patrick

2010-04-07T08:44:00.002-04:00

9 lbs. 2 oz. of cuteness

So, Number 3.... What Will You Be????

2010-03-07T10:24:00.002-05:00

Regardless, I'm prepared!

New Wrap

2010-03-07T10:12:00.006-05:00

Cabled Button Wrap

by Erika Flory

can be found on Ravelry

MY VERSION:

I made it a little wider and probably shorter because I used what yarn I had and never even measured.

Notice too that I did not block out the cables like she did. I like mine a little tighter.

Done in Universal Yarn's Deluxe Worsted

100% wool

I love the yarn. It is very soft and almost feels like there is another element in there but it's 100% wool. I'll use it again.

Baby Hats

2010-02-17T15:48:00.004-05:00

I've discovered that baby hats are the perfect de-stasher. I bought this Berroco Comfort DK to make Clare a sweater and decided I didn't like the color mixture I picked. I have about 9 skeins of different pastel colors so I figure I'm set for baby hats ..well.. forever.

It's interesting knowing that I need to knit two this time because we don't know what baby # 3 is going to be. This is my first one... very girly. Now I just need to find a cute one for a boy.

I tend to go toward the nautical for boys. But my daughter doesn't. She's not punk rock or anything, but I think she would like one with the little skull and cross bones on it. That seems to be the "in" thing for little boys these day.

Go figure.

Projects? Yep, I got em.

2010-02-09T08:07:00.006-05:00

I go in spurts. From no knitting to frenzied knitting. I'm in the frenzied stage right now. Maybe it has something to do with the snow. But, anyhow, here's what's in the works:

Always socks... and always the same pattern. Basic Regia Sock Pattern. No fail, go to sock pattern. It's in my head and that's the simplest kind of knitting there is. No brain drain, do anywhere knitting. I think the yarn is Fortissima. (??)

A simple toque hat made with hand spun I purchased at Maryland Sheep and Wool. This is for me. I'm going to call it my "digging out my car" hat because that's probably the only time I'll ever wear it. I don't have the name of the pattern with me, but if you Google "pattern hat canadian toque knit"... it comes right up. Free pattern.

Below is the Button Cable Wrap by Erika Flory. (also for me :) I found this on Ravelry.. free pattern. I'm knitting it in Universal Yarns Deluxe Worsted and I'm loving the yarn.

In other exciting news I had my first digital photography class last night. As you can see, I'm experimenting with no flash indoor photos. I guess I'll master it eventually. I'd love to be able to photograph my knitting a la Jared Flood. Check it out at www.brooklyntweed.blogspot.com.

But of course, I'm a lot more interested in photographing my grandchildren!

Colin's Steggie.... sans zipper

2010-02-03T15:13:00.003-05:00

I just need to put the zipper in... well, HAVE someone put the zipper in, and it's finished!

I think he likes it. I'm not sure.

He's a little particular! Judging from the look on his face, I think the

jury is still out.

Steggie

2010-01-11T11:52:00.003-05:00

My latest project is the "Steggie" sweater from knitty.com. I have the back and the front finished and this is a photo of the first sleeve. I have read the pattern notes on Ravelry from the other people who knit this and there were very few complaints if any. I am finding these scales a big pain in the butt. I did an entire intarsia sweater and never had any trouble with the process but these scales are another story. They are not turning out well at all. I'm sure it's just me since no one else seemed to have a problem.

The only problem that was mentioned by most people who did the sweater was that the hood design was too small and they had to modify it. I'm not thrilled about having to modify anything. That's a little intimidating for me.

All I know is that I have to get this finished fast because I have a million other projects swimming around in my head!

On abandoning the blog....

2010-01-07T15:38:00.004-05:00

I never really meant to do it. It just happened. I guess it happened when I stopped knitting. But now I'm knitting again. I didn't stop completely really. I did the usual Christmas socks and a wrap here and there, but nothing too exciting. I have a project on the needles I'll share soon. We'll see how it goes. The tricky part starts tonight. It will be my first project with a zipper. Hmmn. I sew. I can do it. Right?

My little kiddos are growning... and # 3 is on the way. Yep.. I gotta start knitting again!

Ugh.

2009-05-11T10:47:00.003-04:00

I sure hope there are a few good articles in this issue... because there sure are not any patterns that I like.

I shouldn't have purchased it!

Knitting. Yes. I still knit.

2009-05-06T10:34:00.006-04:00

On Sunday, I overheard someone at Maryland Sheep and Wool say that she was "wrap obsessed". I'm so glad I'm not the only one. Below is my second basketweave wrap made with Kraemer Yarns Summit Hill - worsted weight washable wool. I love this yarn. It's so cozy. My green basketweave wrap is really my "go to" wrap. I keep it on my bed in the winter and grab it when I get up. It's warm and large and it just feels great to wrap up in it. This one will look great with jeans for chilly summer nights.

I thought I'd do a summer top for something different. This yarn is Kraemer Yarns Tatamy Tweed which is a mixture of cotton and acrylic. I've made other projects with this yarn and it's great too. In fact, all Kraemer yarns are nice and they're made right here in Pennsylvania. I love their Alpaca yarn too.

We'll see if it fits. For as much knitting as I do, I haven't had much success in knitting things that actually fit.

I guess that's why I'm so "wrap obsessed" !

Happy Easter Everyone!

2009-04-10T11:16:00.001-04:00

Things are beginning to turn green....even my grandaughter.

2009-04-09T08:36:00.006-04:00

Mr. C. thought it might be fun to help his sister paint.

So, he opened the jar of paint for her.

Madness ensued.

Fortunately, it's non-toxic!

There is knitting going on. I'm making another basketweave wrap in cornflower blue. I know, I know... another wrap. There's just something about knowing that, no matter what, it will fit.

Ha ha.

What to say....

2009-03-24T08:23:00.004-04:00

I'm not sure how to keep a knitting blog interesting when all the projects you are in the middle of are a secret. When you just know the recipient of a gift that you are making visits the blog on occasion, you're not going to plaster photos of your progress all over the place for them to see.

I will just say that lace is continuing to kick my butt. SOOOOO frustrating. I wish I had a dollar for everytime I come to the end of a row and do not have the appropriate number of stitches. I'd have enough money to pay people to knit lace for me.

The link below is the blog of one of the yarn shops in Charlottesville, VA that I visit on occasion. Check out the felted flowers. So cool.

The Needle Lady Blog

On the family front, Clare is turning into a little monkey. She loves to climb onto and jump off of the furniture.... and she isn't even walking yet so it's a little scary. Hard to believe she'll be one in May. Gratuitous grandchildren photo to follow. (of course)

COLIN AND CLARE ON ST. PATRICK'S DAY

I'm Hooked!

2009-03-11T15:02:00.003-04:00

Castle

ABC Monday 10:00PM

One episode and I'm completely hooked.

Next Monday can't come fast enough.

Finally... A New Finished Object

2009-03-01T11:18:00.006-05:00

The yellow wrap is Aran weight 100% wool from Kraemer Yarns.

I loved it and had to have it.

I have no clue what I will ever wear this with other than jeans.

It doesn't go with anything I own.

Other than the fact that I think I "over" blocked it, I like it.

Do you think I have a "Wrap" problem?

And, truthfully, this pile is missing a few.

I start to think that I should be knitting other things, but I do wear

these all the time.

And, of course, I'm always knitting socks too.

I can't remember the name of the sock yarn pictured below because I lost the band

to it a long time ago.

But as you can see, it's a pooling mess. These are Catie's Christmas socks for this year.

She picked the yarn in a cute yarn shop in Charlottesville. But I don't think this is what she had in mind for the end result.

Below is a stash busting project for Clare.

My daughter says she loves these little socks but can't keep them on her feet.

So, the next pair will have some yarn overs so I can wind some ribbon through

to tie a bow to keep them on her little feet.

60 Minutes

2009-02-09T12:25:00.004-05:00

Chesley Sullenberger

After watching "60 Minutes" last night, I've decided that I want to marry this guy. Oh, wait, that's right, I'm already married! :-)

Check out the article in the link below, and tell me those aren't the luckiest 155 people alive to have had him in the pilot's seat that day.

Chesley Sullenberger - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Those people were obviously living right.

Cate's Wrap

2009-01-13T17:27:00.003-05:00

4 skeins of Rowan Big Wool

size 15 needles

32 stitches (I think)

Sheeeee likes it!

Frenzied Knitting

2009-01-13T09:02:00.007-05:00

My latest project. I can't put it down.

Every now and then you get a project like this. One that you

can't stop working on for no particular reason. It's for me, and I don't have any special

occasion to wear it, but you would think by the way I'm working on it that I need it tomorrow. It's just fun and easy.

I made up the pattern, but you can see the design is a take on a pattern I did before

pictured below. The one below was featured on the monthly web magazine called

Magknits.com and it was a free pattern. That site is no longer up so I don't know where you

would find it now. Ravelry features it but the link leads nowhere.

It's called Trellis and Vine by Sauniell N. Connally and it's a lot of fun to make.

A great pattern for beginning knitters to learn a few new "moves".

Anyhow, my version is in aran weight as opposed to DK and it will be larger and warmer which is what I like. The yarn is Kraemer Yarns Naturally Nazareth and I'm liking it alot.

Check it out, then order it here.

(In case the links are not highlighted, click on the words "Kraemer Yarns"

and the word "here" to link to the yarn and the shop. I've noticed the

highlight function doesn't work well with these fancy templates.)

New Year, New Projects

2009-01-09T10:39:00.004-05:00

This is the second pair of socks I made for Clare. This is some left over sock yarn and the other pair was also a stash-busting accomplishment. My daughter tells me they are difficult to keep on her feet. Maybe the next pair should include some yarn-overs (holes) with an i-cord lace strung through to keep them on. I'll work on that.

I made a simple stockinette stitch wrap for Catie (daughter # 2) and sent it off to Charlottesville without thinking to take a photo. She is charged with sending one to me soon. It's cute, and it was made with Rowan "Big Wool". It knit up in three nights on size 15 needles. I made up the pattern but there wasn't a whole lot of magic to it. Knit a row, purl a row. I blocked the heck out of it so hopefully it won't roll. We'll see.

Below is a scarfette for Kelly. (daughter # 1) I made this pattern up too. Hopefully if I ever want to duplicate this stuff I can remember what I did. I didn't write any of it down.

Don't ask me why Blogger turned this photo sideways. I can't figure out why Blogger does most of what it does. Anyhow, it's done in Manos del Uruguay that I bought at Purl Soho in NYC. Two strands held together on size 10.5 needles. It should be very warm around the neck. Also a stash-busting accomplishment. (yay!) It's currently on the blocking board and I'll get a better photo of it after I sew on the buttons. And, for those of you who were wondering..... yes, I do know that cables are best left for solid colors. But I was in cable-y mood! What can I say?

Right now, I'm working on a rectangular cable wrap of my own design out of a pretty yellow aran wool. (I have to admit that I just re-worked s few small things from another pattern that I already did) Photo to come.

The diet is going ok. I'm still grumpy. I like sweet stuff. I like Starbucks coffee drinks that are a calorie nightmare, I like wine. Oh, I love salty snacks too. Ugh. Thank God I still have knitting.

It's the little things....

2008-12-31T14:14:00.003-05:00

I've been doing a lot of thinking about the year. It was good. Some are good and some are bad, but this one was good.

We got a lovely new grandaughter. Her brother adores her. He did right from the start.

My husband got a new job that makes him happy.

I had a bad year selling real estate but you'll have this from time to time as the market re-adjusts. It's bad when it happens but it's normal. (Well, usually it's normal anyhow)

We started some long awaited projects on our house which made me feel much better because those much needed repairs kept me up at night worrying.

In retrospect if I had to say what I'd like to change about the year it would be that I was so preoccupied with work and family that I let some things slip with friends and didn't do some of the things that I really enjoy doing for myself. I couldn't find the time to go to knitting night. (ONCE A MONTH!) I rarely called my friends on the phone to say hello. I forgot most birthday cards.

I think I got lazy. It was easier with everything else that was going on to just ignore the things that weren't vital to daily existence.

I have a friend who is amazing. She never forgets anything. And she works full time and pretty much takes care of her Dad since her mother died a few years ago. But I can guarantee you that she doesn't have one friend who doesn't hear from her in some way at least every other week. It might be an email or a voice mail or a quick phone call but you hear from her.

I want to try to be a better friend this year. I want to try to be a better communicator in general. My New Years Resolution is to be more thoughtful. That's it in a nutshell.

I need to be more thoughtful.

Below is another one of my Christmas presents. My (very thoughtful) daughter and son-in-law took Clare for a professional portrait in the baptism gown I made for her. I can't stop looking at it.

Christmas and 2009 Knitting Resolutions

2008-12-29T09:08:00.004-05:00

Could this be a subtle hint??

I believe my Christmas present says, "Put the knitting down and get some excercise."

Point taken.

Last year at this time, when taking stock of my year in knitting, I resolved to use up my stash in 2008. I didn't. This coming year, I will make a concentrated effort to do just that. I have some beautiful yarn, most purchased with a particular project in mind and some purchased just because I liked the looks of it. In reality, it's wasteful. So I will try. Really. I will. I could make Clare 30 pairs of socks with left over sock yarn and I'd still have some left over.

I'm not sure why I didn't photograph all of the Christmas projects I completed. I think I was out in left field somewhere for the last two months but I will make an effort to get back on track.

The beaded scarf turned out well even though I screwed up the pattern. Michael's fingerless gloves were a hit. I think the girls liked their socks. Denny liked his cashmere scarf even though I think it's flimsy. Something that cost that much to make shouldn't be so non-substantial. Give me 100% merino any day. Lesson learned.

So, I just want to say Happy New Year to all of my knitting friends near and far. May 2009 be a great year for everyone!

(Gratuitous grandchildren photo to follow)

Charlottesville, VA

2008-12-20T15:48:00.005-05:00

I just got back from a week in the beautiful

city of Charlottesville, VA.

The countryside is beautiful even in the winter.

And the weather is mild. Much warmer than here.

We saw John Grisham sitting at his desk at the window in

his office. (that was sort of exciting!)

We even got some shopping in at the Downtown Mall pictured

below.

And, of course, we had to hit "The Needle Lady"

Incredible inventory.

Cate had to drag me out of there.

Thanks to this little vacation (of sorts), the Christmas knitting is just about complete.

Colin's sweater is finished. A scarf is finished.

Fingerless gloves are nearly finished.

The blocking board comes out tonight.

It will be good to get back to more leisurely knitting!

A Rant

2008-12-08T13:49:00.002-05:00

Times are tough. According to what I've been reading in Time and Newsweek, they're going to get tougher. When times are tough, that means that times are really tough for charitable organizations. When you have to cut back, I would think that one of the first places you look is the money that you give away. So I feel sorry now for the people responsible for raising money for charitable organizations.

Having said that, here's the rant: I'm tired of every checkout person in just about every store I walk into asking me if I want to give a dollar to this charity or that organization. At lunch time, it was for an organization I never even heard of. And, it was the second person today who asked me. The first was at the supermarket before work, and, yes, I gave a dollar to .... wow.. I can't even remember now what I gave it for. But I did recognize that organization. The second time I was asked was at Taco Bell and I have no idea what that money would have supported.

I usually say yes. But it annoys me. It's the principle. If I chose to come into a store to purchase something, they should have the courtesy not to ask me for more money.

I'm not cheap, I'm not stingy, and I'm not a great big grouch. But I prefer to choose who gets my donations. I have pet causes. I can't help it. I'd rather the MS Society get all this money I'm forking over at the checkout counter. Or the food bank. Sure, I know I can say no, and I'm sure there are plenty of people who do indeed say no. But I do not like being put in that position when I go into a store in good faith to do business.

On the one hand, I'm glad they raise a lot of money from people like me who can't say no. People need the money. On the other hand, it still annoys the hell out of me.

Ugh. I'm so conflicted!

Yo! Family!

2008-11-26T13:37:00.000-05:00

I want this book for Christmas!!!

Does anyone have it? Is it good?

Holiday Knitting

2008-11-19T08:21:00.010-05:00

Jade Sapphire 100% Cashmere scarf

Complete!

I would love to have made this a little longer.

But I have more money in it than I should to begin with!

I came up with this stitch on my own for this scarf. Not that it is anything

out of the ordinary. If I had it to over again, I wouldn't have made it so wide and

I would have used bigger needles. It's a 100% merino DK on size 5's. It's a little stiff.

Look below how the front and back differs.

The back is pretty cool.

Below is Colin's sweater.. all finished but the neck.

I'm not sure why Blogger decided to upload this photo

on it's side. ???

The yarn doesn't look very attractive in this photo, but

actually, it is a very pretty green with colorful specks.

So, at this point I still have two pairs of socks and another scarf to complete.

Every year I swear I'm not going to stress myself out like this, and every year

I do it all over again!

Trains, Planes and Automobiles

2008-11-17T08:27:00.005-05:00

Well, not really. Just trains. We took Colin and Clare to a model railroad exhibit. He LOVED the trains. He especially liked watching them come out of the tunnels. It was also a craft show with tons of nice things. I didn't buy anything. I would have liked to have gone back by myself to walk around and think without the distraction of the kids but that didn't happen.

On the knitting front, I'm working like crazy on a lot of small projects for Christmas gifts. I have many more projects in my head (including sewing projects) than I will have the time to complete so I'm trying to prioritize. It's not easy!

And it begins....

2008-11-05T08:31:00.001-05:00

Scary

Scarier

Happy Halloween!!!

2008-10-30T23:12:00.004-04:00

No children were cooked for this holiday display.

:-)

Lunch

2008-10-29T13:51:00.002-04:00

I stopped at Wendy's at lunch time for one of their new flavor dipped chicken sandwiches ...shown here:

It's waaaay better than fast food.™ It's Wendy's.® - Wendys.com

I got the buffalo chicken type. Looks good, huh? It was.

But I have to tell you this. Do NOT get one of these if you can't

A. sit it down on a huge sheet of that paper like the kind that you roll out from a huge roll for picnic tables. It's the only way that it can be cleaned up adequately.

B. wash your hands and face with soap and running water and reapply your makeup.

C. power wash the immediate area after you're finished.

It was the messiest sandwich I ever ate. Ever.

But put on your hazmat suit and I think you've got something here.

Three Projects and a Wedding....

2008-10-29T08:56:00.007-04:00

I did something I've always been tempted to do. I bought two skeins of 100% Cashmere.

I'm usually not so extravagant.

And the worst part is, I have no idea what it will be.

I'm waiting for it to speak to me. (but I'm really picturing something

around my neck!)

Below is an easy sweater for Colin.

A simple raglan pullover for Christmas.

It's Donegal Tweed Homespun by Tahki. 100% wool.

I know....not the best choice for a kid.

But I saw the yarn in a shop at the beach and it just said, "Ireland" to me.

So I bought it.

The third project is a Halloween sewing project for Colin
and I've been sworn to secrecy.
So look for that next week.

And Congratulations to my nephew Clark and his lovely bride, Annie.
Great wedding, great weekend.

Hats

2008-10-24T08:35:00.002-04:00

It seemed like a good idea at the time. We were in a little kid's boutique in NYC last year and came across this hat. It's adorable. Really. But when his mother put it on him, he kept asking for his baseball cap. I think this wearing could be a one-time thing. He's definitely not feelin' it.

Knitpicks Email

2008-10-23T08:10:00.003-04:00

This is the second time this year that Knitpicks has featured a sweater that was too small on the model. It's a nice fit other than the gapping at the bust. I don't know. Maybe it's me.

Special Sewing Project... complete!

2008-10-20T12:59:00.003-04:00

What's For Dinner?

2008-10-15T18:09:00.001-04:00

Oh, say it ain't so!

Fingerless Gloves

2008-10-15T08:21:00.003-04:00

I love these. But because one is decidedly shorter than the other one (I have no clue how it happened), I'm not going to gift them as intended. Yes, I know I could rip the short one apart and make it longer, but I don't have it in me.

They're mine. All mine.

I can handle the imperfection. And to be honest, I think I'm using the imperfection as an excuse to keep them for myself.

Pattern here:

Men's Fingerless Gloves

I have to say, it's not the most "user friendly" pattern in the world.

If you have never knit gloves before, this isn't the pattern to start with.

I'm not big on hats, but here is a cute pattern for those of you who are:

http://yarnballboogie.com/patterns/Bounce.pdf

It's so cute, I may consider making one for myself even knowing I would probably never wear the thing.

Here is another pattern that would make a perfect Christmas gift... and fast.

http://www.kraemeryarns.com/patterns/pdfs/alpaca_3button.pdf

Work Beckons.....

Spiegel's Signature Style Quiz...

2008-10-12T18:12:00.001-04:00

Your Signature Style is: Understated Elegance
Taste may be acquired for most people, but you've always had it. You just know when something works. Whether it's the way you dress or the way you entertain, you're comfortable with who you are and it shows. You work quietly at doing things well and are never satisfied until you get it "right". The first question you ask when you choose something is "how well is it made?" Your friends think you're a perfectionist. Is there anything wrong with that? Not in your world.

Take the quiz:

What's Your Signature Style?

Aww... She likes it!

2008-10-11T19:19:00.000-04:00

And a little left over for a cute headband!

Clare's Blanket....

2008-10-08T08:45:00.003-04:00

or "bubby" as Colin would say. Finally finished. She's only (almost) 5 months old so I guess it could be worse. I didn't block it because I like how the squares "pop" unblocked. I will block it though with the first washing, otherwise it will probably be all over the place. As much as I love entrelac, I'm really entrelac'd out right now!

I have an important sewing project now that needs my full attention so the other knitting projects will remain in limbo for a while.

I also have people begging me to make soap.

I need to quit work so I have time to play.

:-)

Knitting was accomplished....

2008-10-07T08:04:00.012-04:00

I had a wonderful long weekend at Kiawah Island, SC

I did make considerable progress on a pair of socks,

but I thought you would enjoy these photos more.

After all, a sock is a sock is a sock....

(this photo is awesome as a desktop background... it looks really cool)

My New Ride

2008-09-24T08:51:00.004-04:00

Normally, I wouldn't post about a new car. But first of all, I've been waiting for this vehicle for a long, long time and secondly, there is an interesting story to go with it. I've always wanted a Saab. I've been driving clunkers for longer than I care to think about. I never really cared too much about what color or model I wanted, I just felt that I'd grab one some day if I could find a good deal and when one of the current family clunkers had to be replaced. That day came last week and I was able to find the vehicle shown above, much to my delight.

The interesting part is this. When the book "The Secret" came out. I read it and did my usual thing with getting excited about a concept that was going to be life changing, only to forget about it and go back to my old routine two weeks later. But during the excitement period, I did what the book suggested and made a "vision board" with photos of things I wanted and hoped to accomplish. The vision board got buried in my office with all the other junk in there and I haven't seen it since the book first came out. As I was cleaning my office on Monday, I came across the vision board. On it, there is a photo of the exact car I bought. Same model, same color, same everything. How weird is that?

There is also a photo of the Eiffel Tower on there. So... next stop... Paris.

:-)

Au Revoir

Octa-Monstie

2008-09-16T09:30:00.004-04:00

Colin is into "monsties". There is a line of stuffed "monster" toys that he loves. I tried to find them online to put the link here, but I don't know what the official name is. Anyhow, I came up with my own version for him. He seems to like it. I called it "octa-monstie" but his father corrected me and said it's "penta-monstie". Yeah, whatever. :-)

My sister purchased the cutest knitted wrap in Colorado. It is genius in it's style and simplicity. So easily copied. I can't believe I've never seen a pattern like it before. It's a simple stockinette stitch rectangle... but the buttons, and button hole placement make it unique. Once I get my Christmas knitting out of the way, I'm definitely going to play with copying that little number.

A day in the life....

2008-09-12T08:47:00.003-04:00

It's not like I don't have anything to do in the evenings. Believe me, I do. But on Wednesday night I got it into my head that I'd do a "Twilight Open House". They work in the cities. People come. I was excited. I had that house looking like something out of a movie. Perfect lighting (it was all adjustable), strategically placed flowers, the works. To tell you the truth, I didn't even really care if the people who came were just nosey neighbors or people who simply wanted to see a beautiful home... lookers. That's ok with me. I just like to talk to people.

So one couple came. They happened to be out walking. I guess we're just not quite ready for Twilight Open Houses here. And it's too bad. Because some houses are just beautiful at night.

Knitting news... slow progress on all projects. But I did finish a new "Monstie" for Colin. Photos to come.

In Memory...

2008-09-11T16:48:00.001-04:00

New PJ's

2008-09-11T10:34:00.002-04:00

Giorgi looking adorable in his new PJ's.

The New Knitty.com

2008-09-10T15:39:00.002-04:00

I'm obsessed. I SO didn't need this right now!

Lots of stuff...

2008-09-09T08:16:00.003-04:00

Once again... golf course knitting. Another successful Anne E. Barnes golf tournament to benefit the Multiple Sclerosis Society. And once again, no one at my hole got a hole in one. One of these days it's going to happen. However, this year, I did get a bit of surprise while sitting in my usual spot. I had a visitor. A four foot long black slithering visitor. Yep. Mr. Black Snake. I have to say I've always enjoyed my day on the golf course. Unfortunately, not so much anymore. I'm already dreading next year. And it's a shame. Now I'll just be terrified that it will happen again.

And, yes, I know they are harmless. But truly, it might as well have been a King Cobra.

Steeler season is upon us. Steeler mania has begun in the family. I'm the odd man out this time of year. It's not that I don't like it, I just can't get into it. I've tried. I'd like nothing more than to be as excited over it as the rest of my family. Including the pint sized members.

I've tried to force myself into jumping on board the big Steeler band wagon. But, honestly, I just don't really feel it. :-( But I do want them to win as long as I don't have to watch!

So plans for Kiawah have been decided. Four weeks from now. Which means I have four weeks to lose 20 lbs. Ugh.

Works in Progress...

2008-09-03T10:49:00.007-04:00

Can you say... Attention Deficit Disorder?

(two out of three of my children were diagnosed with it... I wonder why)

Colin's PJ's. Ok... not Colin's PJ's. They are too small for him.

Hmmn...

I know just who to give them to.

They just need the buttons sewn on.

Heavy socks for Colin for Winter.

One sock to go.

Clare's "Bubby"... still waiting for the last skein of yarn...
which probably won't match.
Ugh.

Beaded scarf. I like this project.
Why did I abandon it?

Men's fingerless gloves.
My current passion.
(Shelly's handspun)

Sock for me.

Really, really taking a backseat for the time being.

And... sadly...

there are more.

Happy Birthday Michael!!!!

2008-08-22T13:35:00.002-04:00

My baby is 23 today.

Man I'm getting old!

Totally Weird Day

2008-08-22T13:08:00.005-04:00

The day starts out normal enough. Get up early, go to work early, the usual...

Then it turns into "remote controlled stuff" day.

At 11:00AM I go to show a house located next to a golf course. I'm driving down the road when I come upon a golf bag attached to a bag cart. It's not on the side of the road. It's in my lane on the middle of the road. I slow down... and the golf bag starts to move over to the side a little. Then back again as I begin to move forward. Somewhere, hidden behind a tree, I'm picturing a teenager (or teenagers) laughing their butt's off. I couldn't help it. I laughed too. It was funny. I love kids with ingenuity and a great imagination.

After that I proceeded to go back to the office. I turn down our street and there are two grown men playing with the largest remote controlled car I've ever seen. They were running it all over the road and into people's yards having the time of their lives. It was a noisy thing. Really, really noisy. As I was getting out of my car, I saw a woman marching down the road toward the men with death rays eminating from her eyes. She gave them a piece of her mind. I don't know what her beef was... maybe a sleeping baby, or something. At any rate, she was a lot less amused about it than I was.

I can't wait to see what the remainder of the day holds.

ADDED LATER: My husband informs me that remote control golf bag carts are not uncommon. He said, while extremely geeky, they are commonly seen on the golf course. Who knew?

Ending up short.... again.

2008-08-20T10:46:00.005-04:00

Clare's "Bubby"

I have one full row left to do, and then the top triangle row.... and a ball of yarn left about the size of a golf ball. And we all know that ain't gonna cut it. Ugh. Every time. %)#!@($&*#

The colors in the photo are not really true. They are much softer than this in reality. I guess I better start to hunt for some of the skein bands so I can figure out what to order and pray I can find the same dye lot. I guess I actually could make it smaller, but it's small enough to begin with.

On the yarn shopping front, Cate picked this out here for her annual "Christmas" socks. It's "Jitterbug" and it feels awesome.

And for something REALLY special, I got my handspun 100% Shetland Wool yarn from Shelly yesterday. I wanted this for a pair of men's fingerless gloves. I can't wait to get started on them.

There is something I LOVE about working with yarn that is handspun by someone you know. It makes the project that much more special. Thanks Shelly!

Beaded Scarf

2008-08-18T10:03:00.004-04:00

I can't remember the name of the pattern (I'm at work) or the yarn... but here are the photos.

If anyone wants to know either of those things, let me know.

Great yarn, great pattern.

I just got back from the beach with the beach babies and a few days with Cate in Charlottesville.

Great vacation... visited three nice yarn shops. One in Lewes, DE, and two in Charlottesville, VA.

I think that was the motivation I needed to get started again. And I better because, Christmas is coming!

This is funny...because Steel Blue is one of my favorite colors.

2008-08-07T09:34:00.002-04:00

you are steelblue
#4682B4

Your dominant hues are cyan and blue. You like people and enjoy making friends. You're conservative and like to make sure things make sense before you step into them, especially in relationships. You are curious but respected for your opinions by people who you sometimes wouldn't even suspect.

Your saturation level is medium - You're not the most decisive go-getter, but you can get a job done when it's required of you. You probably don't think the world can change for you and don't want to spend too much effort trying to force it.

Your outlook on life is brighter than most people's. You like the idea of influencing things for the better and find hope in situations where others might give up. You're not exactly a bouncy sunshine but things in your world generally look up.

the spacefem.com html color quiz

Knitting With Beads....

2008-08-05T08:16:00.005-04:00

If you haven't tried it yet, do. It's actually very easy. I meant to take a photo of the scarf I'm making with beads last night but I forgot. I'll try to remember this evening. While I don't think I'm addicted, I am enjoying it a lot. I was wondering who I would give it to for Christmas, but I like it so much I may just keep it for myself.

When I started knitting again, years ago, I did so after being motivated by reading a lot of knitting blogs. I kept up with most of them on a daily basis for a long time. Then, as time went on I sort of left them behind, only to visit them once in while. Today, on a whim, I clicked on one of them that I haven't read in a long, long time. The woman has MS. As most of you know, that is one of my pet causes. I had a sister in law die from the ravages of MS and my niece has MS. I always marveled at how upbeat this woman was all the time even though she spent most of her time in bed. She's a sock knitter. Socks, socks, socks. My kind of gal. Her husband had a multitude of health problems as well. I believe he had an amputation due to diabetes. The daughter looks to be a teenager. So the first post I came across this morning was describing how her chemo therapy was going. Chemo? For MS? That didn't make sense to me. So I scrolled down, and down.... She has two types of cancer now and a poor prognosis.

I got to wondering. Why does one family have so much to deal with? I don't know. I guess no one really knows. And even with all this, she writes her blog with humor. Still. I wonder how hard it would be to hold on to the humor.

I don't even know what she looks like. But I know one thing. She sounds like a person you would be lucky to call your friend. Next time I start complaining about something, I hope I remember her.

Colin at age 2

2008-07-30T10:28:00.002-04:00

Negative People

2008-07-29T21:38:00.002-04:00

Are you a negative person? I have moments of negativity. I think my rant below kind of proves that statement. I think we all have moments of negativity brought on by frustration. But in general, I think my personality is sort of on an even keel. If I had to analyse my personality, I'd say that I'm quiet and more serious natured than silly. But I'm not overly negative by any means.

There are people out there who are negative on a regular basis. They are miserable, hate their lives, and have decided that if they are going to be miserable, then everyone else should be miserable too. They ooze misery from their pores.

When this particular type of poor attitude worms it's way into a group of people, a few things happen. Some buy into the misery. They climb aboard the misery ship. A once semi-normal person who had a decent outlook on life before becoming infected, will begin to exhibit signs of the misery disease. This happens to the vulnerable ones. The easily swayed. These weak minded people really don't stand a chance when a miserable person infiltrates the fold. Negativity begets negativity. If you think it's not contagious, think again. One bad apple can certainly spoil the bunch.

Then you have the strong minded people. These people have no intention of sailing off on that ship. They recognize the danger of that journey and fully intend to keep their feet on dry, positive ground. Unfortunately, these people still have to put up with the infected people until they do in fact, sail away. It's not easy. At all. And these people really never sail away soon enough.

Life is tough and it's getting tougher. Being negative isn't going to help the situation. We can all have little pity parties for ourselves in the privacy of our own .... well.. privacy. But the better person puts on a positive face when meeting the world in spite of the problems.

I'm going to try harder to be positive. I don't ever want to be one of those people.

And the truth is, no matter what the miserable person brings to the table in terms of knowledge, experience, or success, that person is still a cancer to the others who might have been even better had they not been led down the path of pessimism and disillusionment.

Summer Photos

2008-07-27T18:55:00.007-04:00

Who has time to knit???

The Little Princess Clare

2008-07-27T18:51:00.001-04:00

A Rant

2008-07-14T15:05:00.002-04:00

I can't give my money away. Oh, right, I know you'll take it, but the question is... where are all the store clerks? I can't tell you how many times in the last few weeks I have walked in to a store intending to spend money and then walked back out after not being able to find anyone to wait on me.

Admittedly, I'm a tad impatient. But I have to say I gave it a fair shot on every occasion. I walked around. I looked. But no one. So I storm out telling myself they didn't deserve my business in the first place and I'll just go to such and such place to make the purchase. The problem is, I'm so frustrated by this point that I just say.. screw it and go home empty handed.
And believe me, I don't shop unless I need something. I'm not a hobby shopper. So it's doubly frustrating for me. If I'm there in the first place, it's usually desperation time. I've already waited until the very last minute to get what it is I'm there for. So, yes, this thing I have about putting things off until crunch time doesn't help my mental state one little bit when these things happen.

Ok. I know stores are cutting back on help because their revenues aren't the greatest right now. But it's a double edge sword, isn't it? They can't make any money if they don't have anyone there to take it.

I stood in line at the supermarket the other night for an unbelievable amount of time. I was sixth in line, and the line behind me was half way through the store. There was one lane open. I saw people with a few things sit them down and walk out rather than get in that line. I had to stay. We needed the food. But I SO wanted to walk out of there.

In case you haven't guessed, this whole situation is, without a doubt,

driving. me. crazy.

Wait. One last thing... with knitting content.

2008-05-26T20:18:00.001-04:00

Is this guy just amazing or what????

brooklyntweedvest

Summer Hiatus

2008-05-26T19:51:00.006-04:00

It's time to take a break from blogging.

I'm not knitting. I'm not really even sewing anymore.

I've been putting off a lot of home improvement projects that I can do myself because I just wanted to sit and knit. It wasn't good. Now I'm not feeling the knitting so it's time to paint and clean out the attic and basement and light a fire under my husband to do the things he should be doing.

I'll be gone a while.

But I won't be gone for good.

Have a glorious summer. Look for me in September. I'll be back.

I'll leave you with some cute photos.

This is what it's all about.

Baby Clare - One week old today.

Mr. C. loves her. He really does. He has been a wonderful big brother so far.

Meet Clare

2008-05-18T21:10:00.005-04:00

May 18, 2008

11:34AM

8 lbs. 3 oz.

20 inches long

Happy Anniversary to Me... (I mean us)

2008-05-14T16:25:00.003-04:00

31 years. Wow. I've been with him 10 years longer than I was without him.

That's incredible.

Not much knitting to report. Ok. Let's be honest. NO knitting to report. Oddly enough, I'm still interested in READING about knitting and patterns and so forth, I'm just not interested in doing it.

On the other hand, I made myself a dress. I tried to get a good photo of it, but in spite of the fact that it turned out great, it didn't photograph well so I decided to chuck that idea. Anyway, it's beige linen with little embroidered circles in the same color going all through it. I saw the bolt of fabric at JoAnn's when I wasn't even considering sewing myself a dress but it screamed... "Me". So I found a pattern that I liked and bit the bullet. This dress would be so perfect for so many occasions. It's dressy, but not too dressy. It would be the perfect dress to wear to a wedding of which I have two this summer. I set the zipper in pretty well for not doing it in 20 years. When I look at it, it doesn't look home-sewn. I don't think I'd know if I didn't know. It's beautiful actually.

Too bad it's two sizes too small.

Ugh.

Baby Clare should be arriving on the scene any day now. I thought she would be a nice anniversary gift, but it doesn't look like that is going to happen. HAVE TO GET THAT BLANKY DONE!!!!

De-Stashing....

2008-05-09T07:30:00.006-04:00

The guilt has finally gotten to me. I have too much yarn. I had good intentions but no follow-through.

Anyhow, remember the whole Noro Kureyon fiasco? When I thought my husband threw out my remaining yarn while I was in the middle of a project? Guess what recently surfaced....

And when I think what I went through trying to find the correct color and dye lot to replace it! Geesh! So.. really.... shhhh! Don't tell him I found it!

This stuff is going on ebay. I know I won't use it. It made a lovely Lady Eleanor which will match almost everything I wear. (I'm into black and gray) It will match my camel dress coat and my black dress coat. And I love it. But I know I won't use this left over yarn.

I have 9 skeins of color 149 Dye lot E. (100% wool... great for felting) It's up for grabs for my "Pittsburgh" buds or anyone else who may want it before I put it on ebay. I paid $80.00 for it. I'll sell it for $60.00 and I'll pay the shipping. Let me know.

Sewing

2008-04-30T08:15:00.005-04:00

I was late with my SIL's birthday (as usual) but in my defense, I couldn't decide what to get her. She's into golfing so I made this for her. It's a travel bag for her golf shoes. They get pretty yucky and this will keep everything else in her suitcase clean. I like it.

As I was leaving the house this morning, I realized I wanted to stay home and work on the baby's blanket. I think that's a good sign. I'm digging into that again tonight. Yay knitting!

A few rows....

2008-04-29T11:39:00.002-04:00

That's all I've managed lately. I put a few rows on a pair of socks at an open house. I felt good about sock knitting. I think I could definitely get back into that. But then I'd feel guilty because the baby bubby is still just sitting there. I figure I have one or two good weeks to get that finished and I can't talk myself into picking it up.

Anyhow, Mr. C will soon be two. The party was held early in the event his mom winds up in the hospital. She feared he wouldn't get his party. He got it and he liked it. Especially the cake.

The terrible 2's. Let the fun begin.

Mystery of the Disappearing Obsession....

2008-04-24T11:24:00.007-04:00

I don't know what has gotten into me. I don't want to knit. After years and years of near obsession, I'm just not feeling it.

So, while I will talk myself into finishing the baby's blanket, I think I'm going to take a knitting break for now and try to get it back eventually.

For a while, I thought sewing was taking over, but I really don't want to do that either. Could be time to get caught up on my reading, or do a little home improvement. There are walls that need painted for sure.

Below is a completed sewing project .... diaper bag and changing pad for Clare. I'm rather proud of this project. I never made anything like this before. It didn't require a lot of skill, but it was new for me. It's cute, don't you think?

Weekend Update

2008-04-13T20:14:00.004-04:00

No knitting was accomplished...

King's Family Winery

Catie and Joe at Monticello

Anyone wanting to take a nice weekend trip from PA... I highly recommend the Charlottesville, VA area. It's beautiful. Beautiful scenery, beautiful university (UVA), and beautiful wineries!

Happy Weekend!

2008-04-12T05:34:00.003-04:00

Is it just me, or would it be nice if this actually FIT her?

Off to Charlottesville to see Cate.... have a great weekend.

So Much For Secrets

2008-04-08T14:24:00.002-04:00

Posting has been light due to the fact that everything I'm doing right now is a secret... or WAS a secret. This is Clare's blanket. (or "bubby" as Mr. C. refers to them) It was exactly where it was supposed to be hiding in my knitting bag. As it would happen, very pregnant daughter strolls into the house, walks over to the chair, and proceeds to snoop in the knitting bag. Before SHE started knitting, she would have never even dreamed of looking in that bag. So the cat (or the baby gift) is out of the bag.

This entrelac pattern can be found at www.magknits.com. I was going to link to it for you, but their website appears to be down at the current time. The yarn is Art Yarns Supermerino (color sm127) which is machine washable. It's turning out great.

And there is still one more surprise that she hasn't found yet.

Hooray for New Toys!!!

2008-03-27T14:24:00.003-04:00

I've been wanting this guy for two years. I finally got to the renewal period and upgraded. And it came just in the knick of time because my flip phone separated into two pieces yesterday. So, they let me upgrade a few weeks early. Thank you AT&T. I needed a lap top, I needed a GPS, and I needed a new cell phone. I took care of all three things with this Blackberry. It's saving me a ton.

I'd love to tell you about my adventures in knitting and sewing, but then I'd have to kill you.

:-)

Shhh... It's a secret.

Necessity... the mother of invention.

2008-03-19T08:49:00.004-04:00

I use my digital camera every day for work... well almost every day. In it's case, it takes up too much space in my purse so it's been laying in there without the case. I noticed that it was getting all scratched up. So, over the weekend, I knit up this little bag to keep it in. It works perfectly. If I had it to do over again, I'd make it even shorter. One inch shorter would have been better.

It's worsted weight yarn, 42 stitches divided evenly on size 5 DP's. It's all straight knitting except for one row of k5, yo, k2 tog. repeat to end in the middle of the green section for the i-cord drawstring. I did the kitchener stitch to close the bottom. Easy and functional.

I updated my Ravelry pages a little yesterday. Someday I'm going to get that all figured out and get organized in there. You can find me by searching hollyboc. It's a work in progress.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2008-03-17T10:15:00.005-04:00

I love St. Patrick's Day. When I was a kid it was a big deal. This year, Easter has thrown a wrench into the celebration. Sorry, but I can't do two holidays in one week! So no corned beef and cabbage for the family today. Maybe in a few weeks.

I'm still working on the surprise project but I added this to the mix this weekend out of necessity.

I prefer to buy these so I don't have to take the time to knit them, but I just needed it that badly. And I have all sorts of sugar n'cream yarn laying around. I have a million patterns for dish clothes. You can see how in the mood I was to follow a pattern. I say a brain is a terrible thing to waste... on a dish cloth for yourself!

Check this out:

20 months old and he knows exactly how to manipulate the computer already. Kids are amazing these days. It's nice to know that we'll always have someone to come and re-set everything after a power outage.

PS... he knows exactly how to manipulate me as well.

Spring Knitty

2008-03-14T08:09:00.007-04:00

There wasn't much in this issue that caught my eye, but the more I look at it, the more I like it.

However, this is the only pattern I would make. And I will make this. This is the perfect gift. Unusual and pretty. Make this with a great yarn and who wouldn't love it?

I also like the Jaden pattern... looking at it, not wearing it. It's cute and would be adorable on some young and thin 20 year old.

The green wrap is blocking on Cate's bedroom floor. When I got out the shower this morning I found Irish laying on it waiting for me to come out of the bathroom. Great. Washable wool and Yellow Lab hair. Grrr..... Should have shut the bedroom door!

Oh, one more Knitty comment. If you're worried about your legs being cold, why do you wear a skirt up to your butt? (really, I think they're cute... but I never actually "got" leg warmers.)

Basketweave Wrap Complete

2008-03-11T08:47:00.007-04:00

As you can see, I went with the crocheted trim. Why? Lack of patience, that's why.

I couldn't get the applied I-cord instructions and I was too impatient to wait for help.

But I like it. (I would probably have liked the i-cord better, but, oh well.)

I made up the pattern and there are things I would do differently. I would make it a little longer and less wide. I felt like I had to cut the length short because if I had kept going, it would have looked more like a blanket! In blocking, I will try to stretch it out a little bit to achieve a longer, less wide appearance.

I am working on another really cute project but I can't show it here. It's a surprise!

I found this while surfing yesterday:

In the blog that I was looking at, it was done in navy blue and it was wrapped around a figure-form. It was gorgeous. I'm not crazy about the yarn in this version, but I love the design. I can see this in off-white wool. A definite future project. And I already have the yarn. Why can't I stop knitting wraps?

****

see the other version here:

The Needle Lady Blog

The Sewing Bug

2008-03-05T09:01:00.005-05:00

I bought that dang sewing machine to make Mr. C. a Halloween costume and I haven't looked at it since. It could be time. I'm going to finish the three knitting projects I need to get finished and then I'm diving into some sewing.

First of all, I can't find clothes that I like in the stores anymore. Everything is this stretchy 70's fabric that I hate.

Cases in Point:

Been there. Done this. Don't want to do it again.

What happened to normal clothes? I'm not a big skirt and blouse person. I prefer to wear dresses in the summer or summer slacks. So I guess I'll just make my own dresses if I can't find what I like anymore. I used to sew a lot when my kids were little. I never anticipated doing it again.

But desperate times call for desperate measures!!

A Lot Of Nothing Going On.....

2008-03-03T16:22:00.002-05:00

Well that's not exactly true. There have been things going on, but no knitting news worth speaking about. I'm still just hammering away at the green wrap. It's coming right along. I took it to Monroeville with me for the weekend and put a good many inches on it. I went shopping, DH went to the Golf Expo at the ExpoMart. I considered going to Bonnie's (?) LYS in Monroeville but I quickly talked myself out of that as I need NOTHING. I'm good for projects for about 3 years.

On the home front, Cate came home from Virginia and bought a new Jeep Commander over the weekend. She thinks she's all that and a bag of chips now. (just kidding Cate... you deserved it.)

Mr. C. locked his mother out of the house this morning and lots of hilarity ensued. Fortunately, he locked the glass storm door and just stood there (with a grin from ear to ear) where she could see him the whole time while she waited for the locksmith to come and rescue him (or her if you think about it). He threatened to shut the solid wood main door a few times but didn't. That would have been a problem. She said she had just come home from the supermarket and McDonalds, and was going out to get the last bag of groceries when he reached up and flipped the latch on the storm door. He had a Happy Meal in the kitchen and she said he made a few french fry runs in the interim but mostly just stayed at the door. Good thing baby # 2 has not arrived yet. Ahh.. the joys of parenthood. He's only 20 months old. The terrible 2's should be fun.

Knot My Knitting

2008-02-25T10:31:00.006-05:00

This is the Baby Bolero from the One Skein book. Kelly is making it for Clare. It is turning out great in Blue Sky Alpaca Cotton.... very soft. After helping her with the finishing the only thing I will say about the pattern is that I don't understand how they expect you to pick up so many stitches around for the border on such a small piece. I picked up what I could, and it's just going to have to work. I guess we'll see. There is a K2,P2 border the whole way around the sweater that she will do now and it will be finished. The little "lace" feature on the back is so cute.

Here is the progress on my green wrap. It's coming along. I'm still enjoying the process. I'm thinking of a navy border around it in single crochet. I'd rather do an I-cord, but I don't think that can be done on something so large, can it? Don't y0u have to pick all the stitches up and do it in the round? Hmmn...

An article I read on the computer today......

2008-02-22T11:26:00.002-05:00

From the Editors at Netscape -

You may look half your age, but if you're over 40 there are certain things you should never wear -- no matter what.
That's the word from fashion guru Tim Gunn, who serves as the mentor on the hit reality series 'Project Runway' that premiered on Bravo in 2004.
When Gunn was a guest on the 'Oprah' show, he laid down the law to the over-40 crowd.
If you're over 40, you should never wear:
1. Horizontal stripes
2. Jackets that hit at mid-thigh
3. Pleated pants
4. Double-breasted blazers
5. Capri-length pants
6. Low-rise jeans

So is this guy smoking crack or what? I get the first two things. (although I still don't understand what they have to do with age. Not too many women of ANY age can pull those looks off) But the rest?? We're not over 80, we're over 40 for God's sake. I never liked him on Project Runway and I like him even less now. I just love it when MEN decide what we should and shouldn't wear.

What in the heck could possibly be wrong with capri-length pants? I guess we should all just be condemned to wear long pants in the summer for the rest of our lives. I wonder if short shorts are more appropriate??

This guy's a nut ball.

On not knitting....

2008-02-22T08:58:00.003-05:00

I am SO not a winter person. I become a total recluse in the winter. Sometimes, truthfully, I have my p.j.'s on at 6:30pm and I just sit and knit until it's time to go to bed. I put off doing other things in the winter. I don't want to go out. The good thing about my job is that it's slow in the winter and I don't have to spend much time out and about in the evenings because it's too dark to see anything anyway.

Last night I picked Colin up at daycare and we went to visit my mother for the evening. No knitting got accomplished and it was certainly a deviation to my normal routine. While we were there, he stuffed himself with pizza and then she got out the chocolate. He put a dent in that and then asked for grape juice, which he proceded to spill on the ottoman. She never batted an eye. Some things are just more important than stains. He calls her Gigi. She calls him Dolly Dingle (some sort of Irish thing I think). He enjoys seeing her. She really enjoys seeing him.

It made me realize I need to get out of my selfish winter rut. Life goes on in the winter. Maybe instead of hibernating I'd be a lot better off doing more important things.

Joyful, blissful, mindless knitting...

2008-02-21T08:47:00.003-05:00

The new basketweave wrap:

This is the kind of knitting that sucked you in in the first place. Fast, easy, and gratifying.
Of course now that I'm this far I realize that there are a few things I would do differently if I ever made another one. First of all, I put too many stitches on. I'd cut it down to 90 stitches from 110. And I'd go down a needle size. I think I'm using 9's. 8's would have been better. It's more like a blanket than an wrap! But I still know I'm going to love it. I have a self-imposed deadline for this and that is March 28th. I should be able to get it finished. I don't have plans to wear it, I just want to get it finished so I can start the baby blanket (which I said I would never knit) When my kids were born I bet I got 10 crocheted baby blankets and never used half of them. That's when I said I'd never put the time in to do one of those. But then I came across a great pattern, and some great yarn, and I just have to do it. I'd show it to you... but there are lurkers here... and it's a surprise. :-)

Wrap Obsessed

2008-02-20T10:16:00.003-05:00

Because I am totally crazy, I started another wrap last night using this yarn. What is it about wraps? I think I know what it is. I love to knit things that have absolutely no shaping that I know I will wear. I was watching the movie "Sweet Home Alabama" with Reese Witherspoon and there is a scene where she's standing on a dock talking to her hunky not-quite ex-husband and she has on the most adorable basketweave stitch wrap on. So, me being me, I get on the computer and google a few words to see if I can come up with a pattern and I find nothing. (Although someone on Ravelry writes something about it but has nothing to show for it) Anyhoo.... I just started knitting and I think I like it so far. Hopefully I'll have a photo tomorrow. It doesn't look like much yet.

A word about Kraemer yarns. I really like them. A Pennsylvania product, I've been buying them here:

Victoria's House of Needleart

for a few years now and I haven't found one I haven't liked yet. They have a little bit of everything. The Summit Hill is a superwash wool worsted and it feels great. I was hooked on Cascade 220 for a while but this is much softer... and washable! I made Mr. C. a sweater with some of their cotton yarn and it turned out great. I made myself a shawl using their Alpaca and it is totally awesome. Anyway, try it, you'll like it.

As I was surfing the web this morning, I came across this incredible afghan:

theraineysisters.com » Great American Aran Afghan

I would absolutely never have the patience to finish something like this, but it sure would be fun trying. I love the square with the sweater on it. I made an aran afghan once that was only a fraction of the work, and it took me 10 years to finish it. Yes. Way.