squiggi knits

this was the week to finish

2012-02-12T04:55:00.000-08:00

This week I decided that I needed to finish a few things before starting anything else. I finally got the yarn I needed to finish the violets, and I was waiting for that to be done to steek both the violets and the sweater.
I can happily say that the violets are steeked and done.........

and the sweater only needs a bit of the button band and some blocking.

I'll probably finish the button band today, but wait until the end of the week to block. It's going to smell like a wet sheep for quite a while. It's REALLY thick and heavy.

This week.......MADRONA. I'm taking 2 classes, japanese stitches and intarsia. I've wanted to learn both of these techniques for quite a while, so I was lucky to get in.
I'll need to spend some time getting my supplies ready.

I'd also like to start rams and yowes, and continue on the box jellyfish bugga sweater. We'll see how THAT goes.
Stay tuned next week for the madrona haul.

working on it

2012-02-05T05:09:00.000-08:00

someone commented this week that there haven't been too many knitting pics on here lately. Well, I'm WORKING on it! Between the snow and no power, I lost about 2 weeks into the twilight zone, and I'm finally getting caught up. Now it's 60 degrees and sunny here. Who'd have thought just 2 weeks ago we were literally buried up to our butts in snow!

I started a sweater.....this is leaving by anne hanson in some beautiful bugga box jellyfish. The original plan didn't work, I think this one will. The pictures just can't do the color justice.

I'm finally finishing the violets scarf. Thanks to Mary Scott Huff, rockstar knitting designer and awesome person, I scored the yarn I needed to finish. It's almost ready to be steeked. I'll do the sweater at the same time. It's a lot of work to dig out the sewing machine.

I also started this fun little KAL, again thanks to Mary Scott Huff. Isn't it cute?

This week, squiggi goes to the flower show. (my other obsession - gardening) I always come home with the WORST case of spring fever and then it snows. ARGH! Last year, I didn't get to go because of the white stuff. We've had enough already, so keep your fingers crossed we're done.

In house news, the financing came through this week and we'll be closing in the next week. Let the games begin!!!!!!!

Over on squiggi builds a house - designing woman.......

Getting it all back together

2012-01-29T06:00:00.000-08:00

After the power came on, late monday night, after 5 LONG days, I had to spend a couple of days last week getting it all together again. Tuesday was spent cleaning, shopping, and just basically getting my stuff together. There was a brief moment of panic tuesday night when the lights went out again durning a big windstorm. All I could think about was the $200 in groceries I'd just bought. Luckily, they came back on about 2 am and the groceries were fine.

I did do a bit of knitting before it all went to hell.....
this is sothia, with some gorgeous alpaca/silk from a little farm in oregon, zz alpacas. I could even tell you exactly which alpaca this came from and pretty much their whole life history. They're pretty cool critters.

I really, really, wanted to make water and stone for my next project with my box jellyfish skinny bugga, but, there seems to be some issues with the pattern. I don't know if it's just me, or the fact that it's european and loses something in the translation, but it just wasn't working out. The yarn was beautiful and had gorgeous stitch definition, but the instructions were weak. I'll have to find something else to do with the bugga. I'm thinking a vitamin D.

Next week, the mary scott huff colorwork KAL starts, and I'll hopefully get the rest of the yarn needed to finish the violets scarf. I've been holding off steeking the sweater because I want to do that and the violets at the same time. (gotta dig out the sewing machine). Maybe by the end of the week.

In house news, STILL waiting on the financing. They'll be a post about it over on squiggi builds a house.
Doggies are very happy to be warm and dry with no snow!

radio silence

2012-01-24T04:55:00.000-08:00

also known as buried up to my butt in snow and no power for 5 days!
Along about martin luther king day, (was that only a week ago?) it started to snow.
Now, keep in mind, if we get about 1/2 inch here, the schools close and everyone hunkers down with soup for the long haul. This is what it looked like on monday.

On wed. It REALLY started to snow, like, blizzard whiteout kind of snow. We got nearly 21 inches in ONE DAY! This is what it looked like wed am.

Then, just to make things fun, we had an ice storm, the first one in 20 years, that deposited about 1/2 inch of pure ice on top of 2 feet of snow. That was the straw that broke the camel's back, or, in our case the power grid. I got to spend the next 5 days with no power huddled with 2 boxers (they ain't got no hair ya know) and trying to keep some semblance of warm. I'd like to tell you that I knit 4 sweaters or something like that, but, really, it was too dark and too cold to do anything.
FINALLY, yesterday, my bestest friend brad pitt turned the power back on.
(I say that because, after 5 days, ANYONE who can turn your power back on looks EXACTLY like brad pitt. I don't care if he has a belly, plumbers crack or 3 heads)

Today, I'll spend the day cleaning (looks like a bomb went off in here), refilling the fridge - had to throw EVERYTHING away, and basically getting back to business.
A hot shower never felt so good!

snow makes us psychodoggie

2012-01-15T05:47:00.000-08:00

and pretty much shuts down the entire world here.
We woke up this morning to about an inch of snow, with more to come. I'm mentally watching my whole week go down like a house of cards. Pilates clients will cancel, especially the ones that come from a ways away, weight watchers meetings will close. (although I'm going to tough it out and go this morning), and, basically, the world here will shut down.

The doggies have a love/hate relationship with the snow. It makes them psychodoggie, but it's COLD, and we don't DO cold too well. (ain't got no hair, ya know)

The only good news is, more knitting time. I finished the sweater, except for the blocking, steeking, and button band. I'm going to wait until I can finish the violets scarf and steek both at the same time. (it's not so much the steeking as it is the getting out of the machine and sewing)

I've set my sights on the next project. A lovely Sothia shawl with the 2 colors of alpaca. It really DOES knit like butter!

This week, I fell in love with the rams and yowes blankie. So much so, that I priced out the yarn. It'll cost about $130 for the whole thing. I'm SO trying to be on a yarn diet, but a girl needs a treat once in a while, right? I'm considering putting up a destash on ravelry for some of the yarns I'll probably not use too soon, and maybe some mags and straight needles too, trying to declutter a bit before the move. That would justify the blankie, which, would look awesome in the new house.
Maybe that would be a good snow day afternoon activity. This IS the year of the purge, after all.

In house news, we're in a holding pattern, waiting for word from the bank. The appraisal was due on friday (I hope that it was friday the 13th isn't some kind of sign), and now tomorrow is ANOTHER stinkin' holiday. Hopefully something will shake loose by the middle of the week, if the snow doesn't shut everything down!

Later, on squiggi builds a house, "the evolution of a plan".

some new year's progress

2012-01-08T06:23:00.000-08:00

This week, knitting-wise, I worked on my sweater. Thanks to a completely boring 2.5 hours at work on new year's day (no, folks didn't come running to weight watchers on new year's day - go figure) I got quite a bit done on my sweater. Don't tell my weight watchers boss, we're not supposed to be doing "personal" stuff while we're working. I've now knit and attached both sleeves and I'm working on the colorwork top. Yes, by the way, that is a steek!

I also recieved this wonderful alpaca this week. See that pic there? That's the actual alpaca it came from. It's much less yellow than it looks here, and my friend Pam says it knits like butter. Honestly, I just want to pet it for a while.

I also purchased the kit for the mary scott huff KAL that starts in feb. (like I don't have anything better to do), and made NO progress on the violets scarf. I'm still waiting for word on some extra yarn to finish. I might just have to break down and buy it. ARGH!!!

In house news, we're still waiting on the bank to finish the appraisal, so keep your fingers crossed. I also started a second blog....squiggi builds a house It will chronicle the process of designing, building, landscaping, furnishing and decorating our dream home. I've posted the story of how we got to this point over there. Hopefully there will be more soon, so please join me as we progress.

I sad news, my sister had to have her right hand ring finger amputated yesterday from the result of a very serious dog bite on thanksgiving day. Please send her healing mojo, keep her in your thoughts, whatever works for you. She's got a long road to recovery.

I'm not really much for resolutions.......

2012-01-01T06:09:00.000-08:00

I think they mostly end up by the wayside before march. But, there are a few things that 2012 is going to bring our way. The biggest will be our new house. (more about that later). I'm also looking forward to taking a japanese stitch class at Madrona in feb, and, of course, the garden show in seattle. I proclaim this year the year of knitting from stash (less to move later) and gardening. We'll see how that goes.....

In knitting news, the violets scarf is dead in the water, having run out of yarn. I've emailed the designer (she's such a sweetheart) and she said she'd send me some extras that were leftover from the class last year. I'm just waiting for those to appear in order to finish. Thanks to Ozzie's help, I didn't get nearly as far as I'd hoped......he's EARNED his new title of "eater of yarn".

I'm moving on and working on a sweater. The minute I saw this on knitty, I was in love. I'll be working on it today while I'm supposed to be working. (don't tell anyone) For some reason, weight watchers thinks that people will come STREAMING in the door this morning with their shiny new resolutions. (now, keep in mind, they didn't advertise we would be open, or tell anyone for that matter), so, it's going to be sweater knitting for me. Fine by me for time and a half!

Ok, for the house news. In a frightening moment this week, we signed a contract with our builder. Right now, we're swinging wildly between total excitement and complete terror. They're saying once we break ground, it'll be all over in 6 months. We will be in our new house by next christmas if the bank approves the financing.

We're meeting with the landscape design person on monday to see her preliminary plans, and this weekend, I fell in LOVE, LOVE, LOVE with THE most gorgeous custom kitchen cabinets. We'll know by the end of the week if we can afford them.
Let the games begin!!
By the way, here's the site of the house.....we're lucky, it's in our own back yard! See where that big tree is, right in the middle? that'll be our garage.

The doggies are unaffected by all the excitement, except they did get new redbones for the new year. We LOVE our redbones!.

PHEW! glad that's over.......

2011-12-26T08:00:00.000-08:00

For anyone who knows me, you know that I am more "bah humbug" than happy holidays.
Maybe it was all those years in a retail environment, listening to mickeys clock shop, maybe it's the fact that the holidays truly bring out the "best" in folks. (sarcasm intended) Don't know. I'm usually just glad when it's all over and we can move on to spring.

I did get some goodies, though, a large and very cool yarn bowl, filled with some alpaca silk from zz alpacas. The yarn is a dark grey/almost black and I think I'm going to go and get another skein of whitish to do a two color something, probably shawl. The cool thing is, if you go to their website, you can see the exact animal your yarn came from. www.zzalpacas.com Love it!

I also got this cute little guy from my husband. A couple of years ago, I discovered the metal art of henry dupere and fell in love. I had a large hanging bat shipped home from santa fe and he hangs by my back door. I've loved the owls ever since, so here ya go. He'll look cute on the new house.

I've been working away at the violets scarf too. See those two tiny balls of yarn at the top there? That's all I have left. Not enough to finish. POOH! I already pm'd someone on ravelry who's also made this and she gave me the scoop. All the kits were short and when they had the class last spring, they handed out "extras" so the folks in the class could finish. I bought mine at sock summit as a leftover. I'm a bit disappointed that blue moon KNEW they were all short, and didn't include the extra in the kit I purchased. I've emailed the designer (she's awesomely great), hopefully she'll have a couple of extra ones kicking around from the class. If not, I'll have to invest $40 more and buy 2 skeins of STR I really wasn't planning on purchasing.
POOH! Again.

I'm also working on the knitty sweater, the one with the donegal tweed, but there's not much to show there yet.

In house news, we spent last week gathering up financial records and filling out loan applications. The contractor was ON his part and got it done within 24 hours. (they're a little hungry around here) Things are progressing nicely, but at a standstill due to the holiday today and our loan guy being on vacation this week. Now it's just a waiting game for the money, which I don't think will be a problem, just stressful.
Better go buy that alpaca!

A much better week

2011-12-18T05:40:00.000-08:00

Along about wednesday, the planets went back where they belong. No big fanfare, but I definitely felt them shift back into place with a quiet little "snick", and things calmed down considerably. Thank goodness. Enough was enough already.
So, I did what any good knitter would do. I bought yarn.

The pics can't even BEGIN to do these justice. When I opened the package, it caused me to suck in my breath, they're so beautiful. The 4 similar ones are bugga box jellyfish, purchased for the water and stone sweater, the more blue ones, which are really a gorgeous color of burple in real life, just sort of came along for the ride. They're skinny bugga. I was feeling a bit guilty for spending $ so close to christmas, but not now.

In other knitting news....I finished my irish hiking scarf for the neighbor. Blue's her favorite color, ya know

and started working on this fun little colorwork scarf/table runner that I bought at sock summit last summer. You can't quite see them yet, but it's tiny little violets.
It was love at first sight when the designer flashed it at a class this summer. I was lucky enough to find one of the few leftover kits at the blue moon booth.

In house news, last week the contractor told us we had already done the hard part by picking out everything. I totally disagree. The hard part is making the decision to go to the bank and borrow the money. Up till now, it's been a fun activity in "wouldn't THIS be cool?", now we have to make the commitment and figure out how to actually PAY for it. The other scary thing is that once we get the financing, the contractor is ready to start NOW. Like, RIGHT NOW!! (they're a bit hungry around here) We could be celebrating next christmas in our new house.
Exciting and frightening all at the same time.

I'm blaming the planets

2011-12-11T06:07:00.001-08:00

I usually consider myself a pretty even keel kind of person, not a lot of drama or bad days. This week more than made up for it. No real drama, but one crappy incident after another.
It all started when I went to work on sunday. The place was supposed to be prepared for the day and it was not, by a far cry. We had to scramble and make things look nice before the members came in and we were still scrambling after we were done to make it better for the next day. I should have taken the clue there and stayed in bed the rest of the week. It was just one crappy thing after another, the Y front desk person disn't show up monday to let us in, 3 our of 4 clients cancelled monday, tuesday, way worse, still feeling bad about that one. Wed, woke up with a sore throat and LOOK! Here's the territory manager there to evaluate me. Sure, why not...
By thursday, the best buy gift card I bought STILL didn't work (note to self, never buy anything from best buy again), and my sore throat had turned into a raging cold.
It IS getting better, though.......
My friend johnette says it was the a convergence of the planets. I'm kind of prone to believing her. I should have taken her advice and gone back to bed on wed and stayed there.

Darned plants! They're supposed to be un-converged (is that a word?)
by the middle of this week, and I'm ready for it. So I did what any good knitter would do in times of trouble.

I bought yarn.......
The winter knitty came out, and it was love at first sight for the skyisle sweater. I immediately went to WEBS and bought the required yarn. Now if it would just ship!
I also joined the newest Mary Scott Huff KAL, a colorwork "thing". I only had to know it was Mary to be in.
And...I'm seriously considering the unique sheep little prince KAL that starts in march.

The only good things this week? The hummingbirds are back!

The landscape designer is working on our house landscape plans...and, we got the price tag on the house. The fact that I'm even writing this says that I didn't have a heart attack. It was somewhere between $1.98 and $1,000,000, a little higher than expected, but not unexpected. We want this to be NICE, and that costs some money. It will be the house we retire in (we'll probably be paying for it at least that long).
Next step, talking to banks about getting some money. That's the scary one, because it really means "commitment".
Next week....
hopefully scoring some bugga and finishing christmas knitting.
(gotta build up that stash, don't cha know)

damask is done

2011-12-04T12:38:00.000-08:00

really, it's been done for a while, but I finally pulled it out and blocked it yesterday. The pics don't do it justice, it's much more burgandy than pink, and it's beautiful.....

Now I'm working on my elizabeth shawl. It's pretty scrunched up, but here's about a half mile of this cable pattern. It should go pretty fast now, since it's all stockinette short rows......

and, by special request, here's the doggie brothers. They're going to a couple of other brothers that are 1 and 3.... I hope they like them

In house news....we'll be meeting with the contractor on friday to go over the price.
EEEK!!! Keep your fingers crossed it's somewhere south of what donald trump could afford. I should also be hearing from the landscape planner soon as well. I'm really excited to see what she'll come up with for our little acre.
We'll also be hanging out around the house on friday because they're delivering our new hot tub. We had a little (ahem) shopping spree on black friday and decided to trade in our old hot tub for the new racing model. No worries, we'll take it with us when we move......

Here, by the way, is my kind of christmas.

In a knitting slump.....

2011-11-21T11:23:00.000-08:00

So, a couple of weeks ago, I had this beautiful skein of YOWZA whatta skein, to make into socks. It's 600 yards of yarny heaven and it was all wound into 2 even balls and stored in a plastic bag for some toe-up socks. I finished my damask and went to look for the yowza....missing. Not to be found anywhere.
CAN'T FIND IT ANYWHERE!!!!!!!
It threw me completely into a knitting funk. NOW WHAT???
(not to fear, I have plenty of yarn)
I think I know who the guilty yarn thieving culprit is.

He's not talking, though.
Couldn't be THIS guy.... he's too cute to get blamed.

After much frothing at the mouth, searching, and yes, a bit of cursing, I've decided to move on......
Can I interest anyone in a (yarn fattened) onery siamese?????

ok, the time change thing kicked my butt!!!!

2011-11-13T05:28:00.000-08:00

It didn't seem too bad last sunday, but I spent the rest of the week all messed up and tired. I'm finally just now recuperating.

On a happy note, I won a couple of blog contests!
here's the spoils of my luck.......
knit local - a very interesting book, I kind of like it.

and a couple of pretty skeins of yarn from the twins jan and ellen.
They have a really great blog and I read it regularly, just to see what they're up to. I've also met both of them at 2 different sock summits and they're great gals.
(and they have good taste in yarn)

I also finished my damask - no pics of that yet. It needs ends woven in and blocking so right now it just looks like "spaghetti". Next week, my pretties......

Next up on the knitting front, I'm back to some christmas knitting, there's only 41 more knitting days left (42 if you knit right up to christmas eve), and I still have a pair of man-socks, some fingerless gloves, and I need to finish and block my sister's rock and weave socks. Think I'll make it??

On the house front.....after the eye-opening experience that kitchen cabinets were, I'm off today to pick out flooring. We've spent a lot of time on this and we're still not quite 100 percent sure about all of it.
We do know that this will be the accent for the master bath shower....
use your imagination.

move along now, nothing to see here.......

2011-11-06T15:38:00.000-08:00

well, not much knitting to report THIS week. My creativity has all been sucked up with kitchen cabinets, flooring and tile, oh my! Who knew it would be SO hard to pick a kitchen. First of all, it's a HUGE investment, and secondly, it's a HUGE choice.
When you think that the place we went has 3 different manufacturers, who each have 20 different door styles, that can be made out of 10 different woods, which can then be stained with 10 different stains (yes, that adds up to 6,000 choices). Now, keep in mind that you have NO IDEA how much anything costs, because they don't do it that way - at least that would help narrow it down a bit - I think my brain is going to explode. Oh, and, by the way, it needs to match the flooring too!

You can see why I just can't think any more.
I am working on my damask, and I've decided I HATE nupps, so mine won't have any. THERE!!
Next week, back to some christmas knitting, but I also meet with the landscape designer on monday, the interior designer on wednesday and the flooring gal for the "official" flooring pricing on sunday. We're almost there, though, just a few more $$$$$ details, like a garage door, and then....... $$$$$$$$ sticker shock, I'm sure!
As you can see, the doggies are very excited at the prospect of getting a new house.

oh, and p.s. the monkey coat fit!

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-30T06:37:00.003-07:00

I know, it's tomorrow, but I'm here today!

This week brought some happy fun......
I won a contest. The wonderful Kerrie, way over there in Germany sent me this gorgeous yarn that she dyed herself, and some wonderful german chocolates.
Wait! There's some missing! OOPS!
Not sure what I'll make with it, but I love the colors.

I also spent most of the week making a custom knit doggie sweater with monkey for cousin Newt. Newt is my sister's jack russel baby, and he's cute as heck. He totally deserves the monkey sweater that yogi is modeling here. (it's too small for yogi - my BIG baby) I think he's a little jealous, though, he's a boxer and they ain't got no hair, so he needs a sweater too!

Yesterday, I cast on for a Damask shawl with the madtosh light dahlia. The KAL wasn't working out too much for me, so I decided to use another of kitman's patterns and I've been eyeing damask for a long time. I'm getting the itch to do a nice cabled sweater, though, so, maybe that'll be next. (after the christmas knitting is all done)

On the house front, friday was lighting, plumbing and appliances day. Imagine walking into an appliance store and going, "I'll have that, that, that and that!".
It WAS rather fun. I spent a WHOLE bunch of money on paper, also fun.

Next week it'll be kitchen, floors,tile, and garage door speaking of spending a whole bunch of money. I'm also calling in the landscape designer we've picked out because we need to start thinking about WHERE on the acre of property this house will be built. After we see the kitchen gal on friday, I'll also be calling the interior designer. I wanted to make most of my choices and have her help with some of the more difficult things, like, how to light the studio, and pulling the whole color thing together. This is really a lot of fun!

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-30T06:37:00.001-07:00

windows and doors and floor plans, OH MY!

2011-10-23T06:22:00.000-07:00

This week we did some major work on the house. On friday, we went out and picked out windows (milguard montecito with a craftsman style grid at the top) and doors. The molding threw us for a bit of a loop, though. Do you know how many styles of molding there are out there????? Then, friday night, we went and met with the contractor and the designer to work out some details of the plan, like, radiant heat flooring (not an option in my book) and whether or not we will build with SIP panels (still an option- we're working on that). We feel like we have a pretty good handle on the floor plan. The next step is plumbing and electrical, which I hope to go do this week, and then kitchen - that's a big one. We're going to get a few quotes and options on the kitchen. We want it to be nice, but not over the top.

In knitting news, I took a class yesterday on double knitting. It was fun, but I was kind of hoping there would be a bit more talk of colorwork. The person teaching the class said she had trouble finding double knitting patterns. I told her I'd found a BUNCH on ravelry, and she said "oh, I guess there might be some on there". And, THAT, folks, is why I don't usually take classes at my LYS. :(

I have also been working on the DIC october scarf and it's almost done, but too squished up to see anything yet. I think I'm going to run a couple of rows short on yarn, this has happened before with DIC, so I'll go as far as I can and bind off. Probably have pics next week.
The little doggies are all sewn up too, thanks to a VERY long online training for weight watchers. I just need to make one more little shirt.

Last but not least, look what $5 will get ya......
Doggies were very curious...

I weeded out the acrylic and a few others I didn't want - they'll be donated to the master gardeners for their crafty projects......
I kept the wool......It'll make good dog sweaters.

not much knitting to report,

2011-10-16T12:28:00.000-07:00

again....
but I do have this really cute boxer pumpkin. This is a stencil from the better homes and gardens website. They have several dog breeds and, yes, even cats. It's a fun place to go and play...

See the resemblance??

I am working on my knit doggies for a friend's grandsons. Pardon the fact that he's armless. They're made, I just have to make his shirt first, so I can get the placement of the arms. (he gets a cute little shirt and pants) - there's another one too.
I don't think I'm going to finish the KAL I'm doing. Love the yarn, love the color, just not loving the pattern. I think I'll frog it and start something else.
Next up, more christmas knitting........

P.S. the house is coming along swimmingly. Loving the plan so far, just a few more tweaks, a whole bunch of picking stuff out, and we'll be ready.....Check please!
(for the heart attack when we see the price tag)

decisions, decisions.......

2011-10-10T11:36:00.000-07:00

I've got virtually nothin' for ya knitting-wise. Last week was super busy with working. I did start some doggies for my friend's grandbabies. I got 4 legs, 2 heads, and a tail done before I was side-tracked knitting a shawl for my boss who is leaving next week. I've also been working on the mystery KAL, and that's pretty time consuming. This week should be slower work-wise, and crappier weather-wise, so I should see more progress.

Most of my time has been spent on the new house, trying to anticipate all the things we'll have to pick out and using the internet to find ones I like before I get to meet with the interior designer. At $100 per hour, you don't want to waste a bit of time hemming and hawing.

Next week, I should be getting the new judy's magic cast on book, and my dream in color october yarn (couldn't resist it - it reminded me of indian corn). Hopefully we'll be able to hook up with the interior designer too.......
Since there's no knitting content to speak of, I'll leave you with a boy and his monkey man.......My little baby's all growed up

another one down

2011-10-02T11:22:00.000-07:00

so, this week I finished another christmas gift. Gentian socks for my friend. These were a fun, free, cabled pattern and an easy knit. Love the madtosh sock I made them with.
On to the next gift.......

I also won a contest. The very generous robin of robin's nest sent me this beautiful green yarn, some patterns and some hershey's kisses (oops, the kisses are missing). I had entered this contest about 3 months ago, and it was a pleasant surprise to be the random winner. Thanks Robin!

Last but not least, cinnamon brown is modeling my new book, knit-swirl. I've been coveting it for a while, but, no discount on amazon. Knitpicks, however, was quite accomodating and put it on sale for 40% off, so, there ya go. I needed some new size 4 dpn's anyway to do my beekeeper, so, had to have it.

There are some more books on the way. I've pre-ordered judy's magic cast on, socktopus, and the principles of knitting. All due in oct-dec.

This week I also started the Koi-rama KAL. It's quite involved, but turning out very nicely. When I get caught up on that, I'll start my next christmas gift. I think it's going to be a couple of knitted doggies for johnette's grandsons.

On the house front, we should be getting the preliminary plans back this week, and we're headed to the tacoma home show next weekend to look for ideas!

goodies!

2011-09-25T06:33:00.000-07:00

and free wollemeise!
the wollemeise is the prize for completing all 3 projects from the loopy ewe camp loopy. I'll definitely be doing it again next summer, wollemeise or not. It was a blast!

Of course to get my wollemeise, I felt the need to place an order. This yumminess is madtosh light in the dahlia colorway. I got it for the koi rama knit along that starts oct 1. I love kitman's patterns and I hope this will be no exception. The yarn is actually a bit more berry than pink. Trust me, it's gorgeous

I also got my anne kit this week. I love the pattern, although I might add a 3 stitch garter border at the top to keep it from rolling. The yarn, not so much. It's quite a bit lighter than the photos and has a dime-sized patch of white where the dye didn't take. Next time I'll just wait and get the pattern.

One more fun thing. The knitter's life list. So far it seems to be a pretty fun book. No patterns at all, just all about knitting, techniques, etc. A good bedtime read. Next to it is our version of the house plan. The other one is still out with the professional, hopefully we'll see something this week!

some (almost) fo's

2011-09-19T07:36:00.001-07:00

I know, I'm late. I have a good reason, though. Yesterday was the final class for the colorwork sweater. It's almost done, just needs some work on the seams to finish.
The color is not as pink as this pic.

I also finished the phoenix and the carpet KAL. Needs to be blocked. I loved the yarn and the color "african violets". I'll definitely do more with the unique sheep.

(snoopy boxers not included)

Some socks got done too. Rock and weave to be a christmas present. They just need a toe and some buttons. What's that next to the sock? It's a hexipuff. Yes, I jumped on the bandwagon for the beekeepers quilt. I figure I have enough "bits" to go quite a ways. I'll work on it a bit at a time, no rush.

this week, hopefully I'll get the knitting with jane kit, enroll for a kitman figueroa KAL in october, get a couple of books I ordered and start another christmas present pair of socks.

In house news, it's off at the designer's. Should have a first draft plan soon!

too hot to knit

2011-09-11T06:01:00.000-07:00

well, being the pacific nw girl I am, I HATE hot weather. Guess what! This week has been the longest stretch over 80 degrees in history. Yep, we set a record. It's pretty much impossible to think about knitting or sitting with a wool sweater on your lap when you're baking. So, the colorwork sweater sits in the "craft room" (also known as the crap room), without it's sleeves. I'll need to finish it this week, though, because the final class is on next week sunday. Good thing it's going to be cooler.

The only knitting I've done this week was yesterday, while I hung out at the farmer's market for the master gardeners. I worked on my sister's christmas sock, and really, got quite a ways. It's the rock and weave sock and there's not really much to think about there knitting-wise, just go. Makes a good doing something else project. No pics, though.

I didn't even buy any yarn this week, imagine that, although I did get some. I'll have to show pics next time. The really cool thing we DID do was meet with a contractor and sign a design agreement for our new house. I'm really excited about the whole creative aspect of picking out stuff and working with an interior designer and landscape designer to pull it all together.

I'll leave you with some doggie inspiration.......
they're very happy about maybe having a new house too. They'll get their own door and kennel if all goes well.

Hairy Boxer just because it cracks me up every time I see it.

back from the beach

2011-09-06T14:05:00.000-07:00

and baking too boot!
It never gets very hot around here, that's why I LIKE it. This week, we are having a string of days that are close to 90 degrees. Hard to think about knitting. It was sunny and warm at the beach though, and a good time was had by all.

Before we left, the mailman brought me this:
Mrs. Dalloway kit from woolgirl. I'm not that hot on the pink, but the pattern is great and by knitspot and there's goodies too.

I'm expecting a junkmail jackpot today after having it held since last week and a holiday in there too. (that's if the mailidiot remembers to bring it).
He just doesn't understand when he doesn't deliver my mail when it's supposed to be, I get antsy and crabby....there's YARN in there.
like, a sweater's worth of skinny bugga and the knitpics sweater kit I order for my winter project. I mean, REALLY!

I should also be getting my knitting with jane shawl kit soon. I fell in love with the pattern and just couldn't resist. Ok, enough yarn for now (NOT!)

The colorwork sweater is coming along, just sleeves to sew in and edging to sew on. The last class which is finishing is on sept 18th, so I'll be ready.
Now the attention HAS to turn to making (ACK!!) christmas gifts. Three pairs of socks and a couple of really cute little knit doggies, maybe more.

In news on another front, we meet tomorrow with a new potential contractor to build our house. Fingers crossed!

getting caught up

2011-08-28T05:44:00.000-07:00

I know, last week I was MIA, attending pilates on tour. I have to say, it was quite informative and a good time was had by all.
The good news is, spending a weekend in a hotel makes for some good knitting time when you're not in class.
Here's my final project for camp loopy. It's a 800 yard ishbel in dream in color baby. I'm really liking it and I think I would knit this one again as a gift. Not too complicated but just enough to keep you interested.

I'm also getting caught up on the unique sheep KAL. I have about 15 more rows on this week's clue to finish. Not too bad considering I was 3 clues behind

Since the last time I was here, I also chopped up my sweater. No pics of that, it's still OTN, working on the front, but I hope to make some progress this week on that and then there's only finishing the seams and sewing in the sleeves. The last class is sept 18th, so I'm hoping to have some serious progress by then.

This sweater has inspired me to do more, so this week I ordered the dogwood blossoms sweater from knitpicks (in blue). I don't have any immediate plans to make it, but you know how knitpicks is, if you don't get it while you see it, it's discontinued.
I also used my last christmas gift certificate and bought a sweater's worth of skinny bugga from the sanguine gryphon. I just can't resist a good sale and that sitticus jumping spider jumped into my cart. Again, no specific plans right now but.....

This week should bring the mrs. dalloway kit, so we'll see what that looks like.
I'm also already planning on the next unique sheep KAL, which announces sept 15th.
love those gradience yarns.

Yogi says "WHAT it's labor day already?"

I've been MIA

2011-08-14T10:27:00.000-07:00

working like a crazy nut on my sleeves, and thanks to a bathroom remodel, and having to hang with some "stomping" contractors, I did get to finish. Today, we steek!

I also finished my vortex socks for camp loopy, project 2, and ordered yarn for project 3........

and... in other news this week, our baby, yogibear is 1.
He was such a tiny puppy when we first got him. See how he's grown? goofball!

It was awesome

2011-07-31T14:05:00.000-07:00

here we are, a bit hung over from the yarn fumes, tired as heck and back from the awesomeness that was sock summit. I'd have to say a good time was had by all.
I got there about 2 on thursday with my friend Pam. We picked up our registration packets and noticed the line for the marketplace was already forming! By the time we joined it, it went down the aisle, around the corner, and eventually went into another room. They let us in promptly at 4:30 and we shopped 'till we dropped. Then it was off to the opening ceremonies.
After a good night's sleep, we hit the marketplace AGAIN on friday morning for a more leisurely shop. I had a class in the afternoon, tesselations with Franklin Habit (take it if you can, it's awesome), and then we met for dinner with 20 people we had never met and went to a great portland restaraunt, came back to the hotel and crashed.
Saturday, I volunteered for a vendor, Anzula, and had a great time. I sold yarn to Anna Zilboorg, talked to Mary Scott-Huff, and told Ann Budd that she had the PERFECT yarn. Not to mention all the other fun folks who strolled through, bought yarn and just petted. Then it was off to the pooling lecture for another mind altering experience. After that, we went out for lebanese dinner, and off to Stephanie's talk before another total crash and burn at the hotel.
This morning, it was up early and on the road. House cleaning and life to do.
I had such a wonderful time, met some great folks, got a (temporary)tattoo,

shopped till I dropped, and I can already hardly wait to go back in 2013, where, I understand, they have the ENTIRE convention center reserved. (we'll also try again to break the guiness world record)
my spoils from the market.....
some lorna's laces solemate, special ss colorway,
miss babs, yowza, what a skein for mansocks
noro silk garden sock (it was on sale)
cooperative press goodie bag
Mary scott-huff and blue moon violets steeked scarf kit.
and some misc. goodies

yogi is modeling my "payment" from anzula. 950 yards of beautiful laceweight.

The good news is, the bathroom is coming along, slowly but surely.......

Next week, third installment of camp loopy, more colorwork sleeves and knitting at the county fair.

hi ho, hi ho, off to sock summit we go!!!!!!!

2011-07-27T07:58:00.000-07:00

Leaving tomorrow bright and early for the awesomeness that is sock summit.
The bags are packed, the stitch markers for trade are made, a project to work on is started, and I have a very long wishlist for the marketplace.
I'll be pretty happy to get out of here, since all week I've been dealing with this:
(yes, that WAS a bathroom)

time to let dh have some fun!

making a list and checking it twice

2011-07-23T18:10:00.000-07:00

and three times and four!
A week from today I will be enjoying the awesomeness that is sock summit.
I've been preparing all week (thanks to pilates clients that are either sick or on vacation). I've loaded new apps into my phone, made a (long) wish list, inventoried my knitpicks needles, just in case there's some there, chosen which knitting I'm taking to wear, and started a project to work on while I'm there.
I'm sure there's something I'm forgetting.

I also finished my camploopy vortex socks. I wanted to have them done before I left, and finished clue 2 in the KAL. Not much progress on the sweater, though. Too much sock summit excitement to think about.

next week.....sock summit overload and stash aquisition.
sock summit!
sock summit!
Sock summit!!!!!!

ok, I'm keeping up (for now)

2011-07-16T12:38:00.000-07:00

This week, I was able to get a few things done......
The sweater body is done and duplicate stitched. I even steamed it a bit, and it looks quite nice, if I do say so myself.

I also finished up my stitch markers for trading at sock summit.

And was able to complete the first clue in the phoenix and the carpet KAL, as well as cast on for my cabled vortex socks for camp loopy. (no sock pic to show yet).
This week, I'll keep working on those cabled socks and I also need to do some simple homework for sock summit.

As a parting gift, I bring you
HARRY BOXER
(or is it hairy boxer?)

counting down to sock summit!!!

2011-07-10T06:34:00.000-07:00

This week the weather was hot and so was the knitting.
The sweater made some pretty good progress. I only have about 6 back and forth rows to finish on the body and then it's on to the sleeves. The next class installment is next weekend, so I hope to finish the body, steam it a bit and do the duplicate stitch on the big flower in the back, we'll see.......
I'm feeling good about where I am with this, though. Good thing, there's plenty of distractions coming up.

Like the second project for camp loopy. The challenge is cabled socks (or mittens or gloves), but I've chosen the socks. I'm doing Vortex by chrissy gardiner in this beautiful green. Can't cast on until friday, but I can hardly WAIT to get started. I'll have to work like mad on these, too, because there's this little thing called SOCK SUMMIT in the middle of the project. (got a new book this week too)

I'm also expecting the first installment of the Phoenix and the carpet KAL next friday. Good thing the first couple of clues are on the smaller and quicker side, because on clue 3, I'll be at SOCK SUMMIT.
Now, just gotta finish those stitch markers and do my homework!

I know, I was a little MIA last week

2011-07-03T06:05:00.000-07:00

but I have a good excuse.....
I was at a class learning how to do this.....

A colorwork sweater, steeks and all. YIKES! I'm trying to make some significant progress on the sweater, because the NEXT class is the 16th of july and all about sleeves.

I'm also working on the bridge of roses socks (in my spare time). It'll be a good take along project when I have to work the farmer's market next weekend. (hard to transport and focus on a colorwork sweater or a lace shawl)

Sock summit is coming up fast, too, and I really need to finish stitch markers and do my homework. I'm starting to feel just a bit overwhelmed. The other 2 things in the fire are the camp loopy project 2 (cabeled socks - can't start until the 15th, though), and the phoenix and the carpet KAL, a lace shawl, that starts this coming friday. YIKES again!

I did find myself some goodies this week though.....I was surfing the loopy ewe site for potential camp yarn and WHOOP! there was a wollemeise update. I think I was the first person to see it, because there were about 30 offerings to choose from. I had to have a couple, of course, and the photo just doesn't do them justice. They're petite poison #5 dark and chim chim cheerie. It's hard to imagine what to do with such special and hard to get yarn. I think I'll just pet it for a while.

Next week.....hopefully some more sweater progress, the yarn for the cable socks should arrive, and who KNOWS what else!

it's all about sock summit now!

2011-06-19T06:44:00.000-07:00

just about a month to go to sock summit and a knitting girl's fancy turns to socks.
What to wear, what to take, what to get done before I go....how to play with the cool kids......
The watermelon socks are coming right along. One done including picot cast off (just need to sew it down) and one on the heel. They'll be done by the end of the week. Hopefully, I'll be able to finish our "trading" stitch markers as well.

I did take a little detour to work on my camp loopy project. A Daybreak in studio june and dream in color smooshy. This needs to be done by july 17, I think I'll be OK. The second camp project announces on july 1, and speculation is that it might be socks. I've already been looking at cool sock patterns and que'd a few on rav. I'm thinking something cabled or colorworked. We'll just have to see because I also start my mary scott-huff colorwork sweater class next week. YIKES! So much knitting, so little time. Who needs to sleep anyway?

In garden news, the poppies are coming out. The rain we're having beats them up, but they're still huge and beautiful.

next week.....a finished daybreak, finished watermelon socks, casting on for bridge of roses socks and hopefully a bit of a test for my rosalia sweater (need to get the yarn in first).

this week was a lot of fun......

2011-06-12T05:47:00.000-07:00

The mailman loved me this week.....
No pics of some, but...
he brought me my first wollemeise - a gorgeous green and blue that I will be saving for something special
Also the yarn for the Bridge of Roses KAL
And my goodies for camp loopy (plus a couple of extras - gotta get free shipping, right?)
the black and blue/purple are for the camp loopy project. It's going to be a daybreak.

You'd never know I'm trying to same some for sock summit. I just keep seeing things I LOVE.
I also spent some time working on the watermelon socks....
toe-up basic pattern, I think it just BEGS for a picot bind off though.....

The doggies were very excited.

Next up, the other watermelon sock (it'll be at sock summit), casting on for camp loopy on the 15th, knit in public day, and I HAVE to finish those stitch markers for the trade at sock summit and do my homework. Think I have enough on my plate?

I'm going to camp!

2011-06-05T06:28:00.000-07:00

Well, virtual camp. What a great idea that sheri at the loopy ewe has come up with. Summer camp, no ugly security lines, no bugs, just knitting fun, some contests, discounts, and in the end, if you finish all 3 projects in time, wollemeise as a prize. I'm IN!
I ordered my yarn for the daybreak shawl. Should be here to start on time.
(as if there were nothing else to do)

I finished the fragipani shawl. Just needs some ends woven in and a bath. Perfect for sock summit, soft, small.....I probably could have done the large, there was a lot left over, but didn't want to take the chance of running short.

Working on finishing some man-socks. They're almost there.

Next up, watermelon yarn socks. Plain vanilla, toe up, should go pretty quickly.

I also signed up and ordered the bridge of roses KAL from knitters brewing co, and managed to catch my first wollemeise update at the loopy ewe this week. Had to see what all the fuss was about. Morale of the story, next week, there will be new stash!

doggies love the beach

2011-05-31T10:20:00.000-07:00

so, on friday before the long weekend, we packed up the doggies and went to the beach. Doggies love the beach and a good time was had by all.

We saw some sights......

picked some rocks....... (oregon agates)

and generally hung out, with a stop at Twisted in portland on the way down where I was unusually good and didn't spend a dime (saving it for sock summit). Did some knitting too, on the socks and the fragipani shawl for sock summit. Pics next time....

When we came home, this was on the porch waiting to say "hi". Now that we're on vacation the rest of the week, trying to get some things done around the house, it's pouring rain. Guess it'll be INSIDE projects for today.

A week of FO's (sort of)

2011-05-22T06:07:00.000-07:00

This week brought the finish of Batik. I think it turned out beautifully. A little too heavy for sock summit, but it should be great for next winter.

I also FINALLY finished the mermaid KAL (sort of). It turned out WAY better than I was expecting, but the bind off is WAY too tight. Like, half of what it needs to be too tight. I'm totally mad at myself because I kept going and even wove in the ends, but when it got to blocking.....WAY too tight. Now it's going to have to dry and I'm going to have to pick out the bind off and do it again. Yes, I did use a "stretchy" bind off technique, but there's no stretch there. Next time, bigger needle and a different technique. It's going to rest for a while, though, 'cause I need to move on to sock summit projects.

Stitch markers.......

A shawl with the anzula yarn that should be here any day. I'm thinking Fragipani by kitman. (the same person who did Batik). I would have done damask, but that's SO done already by someone else. I want mine to be different.

And, yes, I DO still knit socks. (I certainly have enough yarn!)

The good news here is the weather has improved........
The bad news, not much........

next week.....stash enhancement!

only 14 rows to go

2011-05-15T06:31:00.000-07:00

on the mermaid shawl.
I'm down to the part now where each row has about 800 stitches and it takes me about an hour each. I really want to finish this so that I can move on to sock summit projects and some man-socks.

This week was pretty eventful knitting-wise. I finished Batik. (it needs a bath, though)

Ordered yarn for my Rosalia, bought some watermelon sock yarn. (love this stuff - have to make socks for the summit with it - perfect summer socks), also bought some anzula cloud for a damask shawl. I'm volunteering for anzula at sock summit, so I thought it would be fun to have a little something made out of their yarn to wear in the booth. Lots of sock summit plans happening. This week, I think I'll make a trip out to shipwreck beads for some stitch marker materials. So many projects, so little time.......

On a happy note, our litte ozzie ozzborne turns 1. Has it been that long already?

A bit of excitement this week!

2011-05-08T06:53:00.000-07:00

This week brought a bit of excitement. Registration for SOCK SUMMIT!!!!!!!
So, wed. at exactly 11:55, we hunkered down with a class list, credit card and a lot of patience. Even the doggies were excited.

I'm happy to report that this time it went very smoothly (for me at least) and I got the one class I wanted - tesselations with franklin habit, the opening ceremonies, and two lectures, pooling and stephanie's talk on sat night. I'm so excited I can hardly sit still! Oh, and swag. Did I mention swag? T-shirt, zipper, thingy, and button, of course.
We had such a great time last summit and met SO many great friends (knitnana).
This experience will be a bit different, not so many classes (planned that way), and I'm working for a vendor on sat morning. Plenty of time for shopping, eating out, and flash mobbing. (note to self - still need to get that extra tiara for P.)
If it sounds like a wild crazy fun time, it IS......
Is is july yet?????

There was a bit of fun too.....the loopy ewe mother's day kit. Loved the colors of the yarn.

And some progress on little mermaid and batik.

I also signed up for the next one - the phoenix and the carpet.
This week, a stop by yorkshire yarns for sweater yarn for the mary scott huff class, and possibly a trip to shipwreck to find stitch marker beads for the sock summit swap.
Is is july yet?

happy may day!

2011-05-01T06:21:00.000-07:00

Wow! the first of may already.....
Maybe we'll finally get some spring here.
The final clue of the shawl was released this week, I'm still on the last one.....
I definitely want to sign up for the next KAL though. The yarn and patterns are gorgeous and definitely worth the effort.

Batik is making progress. I've kind of been going back and forth..

The big development this week is sock summit registration. I'm not really looking to take a full schedule of classes last time....lots of time for shopping, demos, etc.
But, I WILL be there wed. to get my opening ceremony tickets and I'm looking at one class and a couple of lectures. Hopefully registration will go smoothly and i'll have the time to get in. We'll still go anyway, there's just too much fun and it will not be missed!
Yogi is very excited about it.

happy easter!

2011-04-24T11:04:00.001-07:00

well, I DID make some progress this week, only because it continued to rain incessantly.

I think I'll be caught up with the shawl by the end of this week. There's only one more clue left. They're going to announce another KAL when all the clues for this one are done. I'm in, I'm SO in!

I also started on Batik. Cinnamon brown is modeling the beginning of it here......

The mailman was good to me too...
Yogi is inspecting the loopy ewe april kit. I know the yarn looks black, but it's a very deep, rich purple. Gorgeous.

The classes and vendor list for sock summit were released this week, oh, my!
I don't really plan on doing any classes, maybe a lecture? The plan is to go down there on thurs, shop on friday and volunteer on sat, home on sunday, broke and happy.
There's always the keynote dinner, something planned for sat, I'm sure, and TONS of other things to do, never enough time. It has to be wrong to be SO excited about something that's nearly 4 months away. right?

oh, yeah, right....blog

2011-04-18T10:30:00.000-07:00

well, the weather is finally better, so there's really not much knitting to share.
I'm still working on the little mermaid. At least the next clue is easy, so hopefully I'll get caught up. They'll be announcing a new one in a couple of weeks, I'm already in.

I signed up for the colorwork series that involves making a sweater. I have one picked out and everything, just need the yarn.

I also bought the april loopy ewe kit. Just couldn't resist that purple. It should be here this week, so I'll have something to show next time.
Cast on for batik too.

In the mean time, here's a little ozzie for ya.

done and done

2011-04-10T10:11:00.000-07:00

this week I took the time to finish a couple of things.
Eiki is done and blocked. Cinnamon brown approves, as you can see.

Also a wedding shawl for one of my friends - blocking now. Hope she likes it.

I'm still working on the mermaid kal. Almost caught up with the clues, thanks to the never ending rain. No pics today. It's too big and just looks like a lump of lace.

I'm SERIOUSLY considering a 4 part colorwork class at a LYS. It's being taught by Mary Scott-Huff, who, aside from being a great teacher and designer, is a true kick in the pants. The class includes colorwork techniques, steeks (YIKES), and finishing.
All things that I think would seriously improve my skills. I'm really wanting to make THIS
Rosalia from the Twist collective. I think it would make an awesome challenge.

I'm also thinking about a sweater's worth of skinny bugga in one of the spring colors, but can't decide......so many colors, so little time.
The april loopy ewe kit should be out this week, and sock summit is fast approaching.
Time flies......

move along, nothing to see here

2011-04-03T11:29:00.000-07:00

This has been one of those weeks where you feel like you're knitting backwards.
I got really frustrated with the mermaid shawl and ripped the whole thing out. The YO's were just too big and the whole thing looked awful. Went downtown and bought a smaller addi turbo lace and started over. Now I'm back on clue 2 and liking the tighter one much better. No progress to show there.

I did finish my eiki, but it needs the ends woven in and some blocking.

I'm getting the itch to start something new. Maybe Batik with that nice yarn I bought a couple of weeks ago, or girasole, with the yarn I've had FOREVER for it.
Hmmm........I need something else to do between clues, we'll see.

Today is supposed to be the only dry day all week, so it's off to clean out the greenhouse before the fred meyer fuschia event next weekend.
It's WAY too early to be putting out those kinds of baskets, but I'll get the stuff while it's nice and fresh and put it in the greenhouse. Now I just need to remember it's there!!

No knitting pics, so here's some critters instead......

Our little baby is growing up......

spring is sprung

2011-03-27T10:18:00.000-07:00

so not much knitting is done.......
my mermaid KAL. I'm almost done with clue 2, and clue 3 is waiting in the wings.
ACK! I'm behind! The trip to the beach set me back a bit as well as my painful mistake that caused me to rip it all out and start over. The next clue will be out on friday, so hopefully, I'll get caught up a bit.....

My replacement yarn arrived this week. Good to see that kelly at the unique sheep has a sense of humor!

I THOUGHT I was making progress on my eiki, until I read some nice raveler's notes.
The charts are all supposed to be done AT THE SAME TIME, not one at a time. No wonder I was quickly running out of yarn. Rip it, rip it.
I HATE when the pattern assumes that you automatically know this or that. I don't.
I'd much rather have too many directions that not nearly enough.
Onward and upward. It's raining today, so good knitting opportunities.

We're Baaaccckkk

2011-03-20T13:16:00.000-07:00

Betcha didn't even know we were gone.
This weekend, we packed up the doggies and headed out for here....

One of my most favorite places in the world, the oregon coast, cannon beach to be specific.
On the way down, we stopped in portland at Twisted, a totally fun, cool yarn store, where THIS had to come home with me. It will be my Batik shawl.

While we were there I worked on this....
It's Eiki by Janel Laidman. A fun little knit done here in some mystery skinny bugga that is quite nice. I'm almost up to where the lace starts on the edging. I thought it would be a great beach knit, and the profits went to the japanese relief efforts. How can you go wrong?

The kitties enjoyed their moments of peace without the puppy.

A good time was had by all.

I'd like to title this work of art.....

2011-03-13T11:32:00.000-07:00

boxer puppy meets silk lace yarn.

It WAS rolled into balls. Just too much temptation for the poor guy.
This is my Ling silk lace yarn for the little mermaid KAL. Good think it's in 4 sections, 1,2,and 3 were salvageable. 4 was a fatality. Thanks to Kelly at the Unique sheep for bailing me out and making another #4 skein for me.
Good thing I started with #1.

(and yes, they WERE put out of reach - or at least I THOUGHT so)
it's pretty hard to be mad at this face for too long, though.

I'll be digging through the stash today to find an interim project to work on between clues. I'm also waiting for some yarn I purchased from a destash on rav to make some man-socks.
Gotta have something to do while it rains!

thank goodness THAT's over......

2011-03-06T10:42:00.000-08:00

What a difference a week makes. The snow is pretty much all gone and it's 50 degrees.
Go figure. The hummingbirds are still hanging out and feeding like crazy, though.
It's so serious that you have to be careful when you go out the door here. You're likely to get "buzzed" and cursed at a bit for interrupting their dinner.
I know it's really hard to see in this pic, but look right in the middle. They DO sit still, much more than we actually think. Most of their still time is guarding their feeders from other hummingbirds. I don't know how many there are in our yard, but yesterday, I saw 4 at once, so there's at least that many.

This week, the mailman was good to me. When I saw the blue and white knee-highs in that book, I had to have it. The chart reading one was just an add-on to make it to the amazon free shipping minimum. It DOES look extremely interesting, though, and I've taken classes from JC Briar at sock summit and found them very informative.

So, here's what I did with my snow down time. It's a lace wedding shawl for one of my clients that's getting married in august. I'm going to run out of yarn two rows short of it being complete, but I'm finishing this last row and casting off. It's been a fairly easy knit and is open and light. Perfect for an august evening wedding.
I'll block it and put it away until it's time.

I'm also still working on the endless hooded scarf from hades - no progress there..... I think it'll end up being a christmas present for my sister next year.
Next up.... The little mermaid KAL. Graience lace and beads. I can hardly wait!
As you can see, the doggies are overcome with excitement.

Have I ever mentioned how much I HATE snow??

2011-02-26T10:51:00.000-08:00

Just had to mention that because we were up to our butts in it this week!
It totally shuts down the world here and no one knows what to do.
Haven't been out of the house for 3 days because of the snow and then major ice.

What's amazing is the hummingbirds. I've been refilling their feeders every morning because they were frozen solid. The minute the sun comes up, there's birds out there, and, man, do I get scolded when I take that feeder down. They're fascinating, though. Check out the background in this pic. Snow. 18 degrees. and hummingbirds.

I did get some knitting done.....
looopy ewe feb club scarf. It was a fun knit, and I love the colors.

I've also been working on a wedding shawl for one of my clients, no pics yet, but it's coming along.

Yogi was not quite sure what to do with himself........

but ozzie had the right idea.....sleep unitl it's over!

I couldn't help myself.......

2011-02-20T06:09:00.000-08:00

I know I said I wasn't going to do the loopy ewe club this year, but when I saw these awesome colors.......(the pic doesn't do it justice). This is a cute little scarf and a fun knit, pretty much my only progress last week, except a bit on the endless, being knit backwards slip stitch.

The mailman was also good to me. Cute little doggie knits book, although I could SWEAR when I first saw it, it included a boxer. The book comes, no boxer. I wouldn't have bought it otherwise, so something happened there. Good thing it was only $8. I think I can modify a couple of the patterns to make a boxer. In my spare time.

Yesterday, we went to Madrona, a fun local knittting conference. Beware! Rant coming.
2 actually......
Rant #1
There was one booth there that was completely empty. Not a thing to sell, with people sitting there saying they were "sold out". I totally understand the fine line between too much and not enough, but these folks sold out on thursday, the first day of a 4 day conference. Frustrating. I MIGHT have bought something, but........
They operate here locally and possibly could have re-stocked, or saved one of each skein to show folks and take orders. It was a waste of space.

Rant #2
I saw this cute little vest pattern. When I asked about it, I was told that I could only "buy the kit". $120 for a vest....A little steep. Gee, they weren't selling too many.
There's only one person on rav who's actually done this pattern, wonder why.
Shame on you trendsetter yarns. I get the whole "we need to sell OUR yarn", but, if you'd sold me the pattern, I might have bought the yarn later. It's OK. There's about 800 cabled vest patterns on rav. I'll find another. In both cases, you snooze, you lose.

Rant over.....

Let's leave on a positive note! (check out who he's using for his pillow)

It was yarn score saturday!

2011-02-13T06:10:00.000-08:00

Saturday was a great yarn score day here......
A knitpicks order including the yarn to make the blue sipalu bag, some white alpaca lace for a wedding shawl, and some needles to replace the ones that had a "cough" Puppy accident......

Included here is also the newest interweave knits, and the feb. loopy ewe kit. I know, I said I wasn't going to join the club, and I didn't, but when I saw the beautiful green and white, just my colors, I HAD to have it. I deserve it, right?
So when the individual kits went up, I went and snagged one. Suppose I can resist the march and april ones?

The moonstruck sweater is finally done and it matches pretty well. It could have been bigger, it's a bit tight in the armpits, but I'm loving it and I can't imagine....it would have taken yet another skein. Something wrong there. Now it just needs some buttons. I know it's not a good pic, but look at that cute (knitting needle-eating) puppy. (in his defense, Ozzie started it)

The colorwork scarf has entered the land of mindless knitting. Tons and tons of mindless knitting. There's 10" of this slip stitch to make the hood and it's taking forever. This will probably be my 10 minute mindless project for quite a while. I'm moving on to that beautiful loopy ewe kit, and making the scarf.

Next week, the first installment of Janel Laidman's pattern club and Madrona!

well, now, that was better.......

2011-02-06T06:10:00.000-08:00

This week actually brought on some knitting progress.......
My orchid thief shawl. The pattern is "the riddle of the orchid thief" by ysolda, from the book "brave new knits". In the book, it says it's advanced. Honestly, the only thing advanced about it is trying to figure out what the author had in mind. It has limited directions, and charts, neither of which bothered me, but, it assumes that the knitter will also make the SAME assumptions....confused? so was I. Thanks to the lovely knitters at Rav. that have gone before me, I was able to make it past the dreaded row 86 after only 3 tries. The yarn is "nightfall" by fibro fibers. I love how it slowly turns to black.

I got my new fixed skein of Gaea for my moonstruck sweater. It's still a bit light, even after sending a sample, but it'll work. I finished the other front last night while watching movies and it's off to be blocked today. I'll be working on the luanaria scarf while that dries.

We also went to the grand opening of a new LYS yesterday. It was about a 30 minute drive, but worth it. Yellow House Yarns in puyallup is going to be a really fun place. I love the old house, the selection of yarns was good, and I think once they get up and running, they'll probably have some fun classes too.
Ozzie and the troublepuss are admiring the cascade heritage I bought there. Had to support them, right? I am thinking colorwork socks, this being the year of colorwork and all.

Speaking of classes. Our little obedience school dropout graduated yesterday. Don't get too excited. His graduation cap should have been a dunce cap. He starts again monday night for another round of basic. How can you resist that cute face???

knitting slowdown

2011-01-30T11:08:00.000-08:00

well, the second half of the colorwork scarf is blocking, and the Moonstruck is dead in the water waiting for different yarn. (the folks at blue moon were very helpful),
so, I decided to cast on a new project. Why not?
This is the orchid thief shawl from brave new knits, the yarn is fibro fibers nightfall. After knitting bee fields, this is a piece of cake. The charts were quite a bear to work out, but thanks to my friends on ravelry, I found out there was errata and got some tips to figure it out. I'm almost to the dreaded "row 86", though, so we'll see what happens. The color will become darker until it eventually turns to black. I think it's beautiful, so much so I might just have to have some more. It's only available to order once per month, though, on the first........

Up this week.....I'll try to finish the lunaria scarf and work on the orchid thief shawl. I think I'm going to have to help myself to some of those bon-bons from the sanguine gryphon too. The weather is supposed to be kind of nice though, so I may just go outside and play.

The critters will all be resting up, just in case......

devil cat.

unsuspecting victim...

knitting frustration!!!!!

2011-01-23T05:57:00.000-08:00

I have no knitting to show you this week and this is why.......
A LONG time ago I fell in love with the moonstruck sweater. I waited and waited for the yarn to come in and finally ordered. Blue Moon Gaea, "in the navy". The pattern and website said 3 skeins for the size I needed. I knew it would be close. It wasn't anywhere NEAR close. I ran out. With the back, one side and both sleeves done. So, I ordered more, hoping the color would be even sort of close enough to finish. It WAS NOT. Now I know, it's hand dyed and one of a kind, and TOTALLY my fault, I should have ordered that extra one to begin with.........

I have spent 2 days trying to make the colors work and the reality of it is, I just wouldn't wear it. It is SO different. Much lighter. A whole different color. I have emailed blue moon to see if I can send them a sample of the first batch to try to get even a BIT closer. For now, Moonstruck is hibernating with the back, one front, two sleeves and the other front half done. Every time I look at it, it makes me sick to my stomach. It's a beautiful sweater (almost). Keep your fingers crossed they can make a darker skein.

So..... I've just been working on the colorwork scarf. Looks just like the other side I posted last week.

Next up.......The Orchid Thief shawl with my fibro fibers nightfall. I think it's going to look great.

I also think all this knitting frustration is giving me spring fever.....my thoughts are turning to gardening.

Since there's no knitting, I thought I'd give you some critter pics. No hummingbirds, although there's been a major hummingbird war going on here, they're just too FAST.
So, here's some Ozzie and a little Yogi.

it's raining, it's pouring

2011-01-16T06:40:00.000-08:00

The doggies are snoring!

So, my resolution for 2011 is to master colorwork. I'm not quite ready for hard core intarsia or steeks yet, but I am practicing......
This is a little colorwork scarf kit from knitpicks. I know, I don't really NEED another scarf, but the colors were right and I DO want the colorwork practice. It has 2 colorwork pockets and a hood, so something different, also matching mitts.

THIS is a sipalu bag kit, also from knitpicks. I know, I know, it's not really my colors, but again.....practice. I think it's going to be a christmas present for next christmas and I'll order the yarns to make the blue ones. Although I'm not totally sold on knitpicks yarns, I do like the palette for colorwork. Great selection of colors and it makes for a nice knit.

The loopy ewe sock club is up for renewal and I think I'm going to pass this year. Too many changes, and the first 3 kits all have bags with them. I have enough bags for an army so I guess I'll try to buy them one at a time if I like the yarn or pattern.

I'm dead in the water with the moonstruck sweater. Ran out of yarn. Got gauge, ordered what they said, should have gotten one more from the beginning, but I was trying to save money. Had to buy the extra skein anyway and now hoping it's going to even sort of match, fingers crossed, but I left off in a place where I can make it "fit in" (hopefully)

That's it for this week.....anxiously awaiting Madrona.....
Yogi says "who me? obedience school dropout???"

after knitting all that lace......

2011-01-09T06:36:00.000-08:00

aran weight on size 9's seems pretty darned easy!
This is Moonstruck. It's blue moon's Gaea and the color is "in the navy".
I'm loving the knit. The right front, back, and half a sleeve are already done. This makes a nice, heavy fabric that's going to make a great coat-like sweater. I did have to order one more skein, though, started to get nervous there wouldn't be enough.

We're supposed to have a "major snow event" the end of the week here. (that really means more than 1", so I expect there will be a LOT of knitting accomplished.
I think my next project will be to use my nightfall yarn to make a Batik shawl, or the cloudchaser vest.

I'm anxiously awaiting Madrona - the annual knitting conference here. Mostly for the shopping opportunities, I'm not taking any classes, but it IS fun to see what's new and shop the mill ends from Blue Moon.

The doggies are not too excited about the snow.
"MOM, we need a bigger bed!"

Happy New Year!!!!

2011-01-02T05:55:00.000-08:00

I've never really been one for new year's resolutions, but I do have some things in mind for 2011.

Knitting-wise I'd like to take some colorwork classes. I'm especially intrigued by intarsia and steeks. Hopefully they'll be a class around here somewhere. Not the LYS, though, they only offer your first sweater, sock, etc. Same-same. I'll probably have to go up to yorkshire yarns, but that's ok, they're pretty cool there.

I'll also be going to sock summit in july. The current plan is to shop a day, volunteer for a day and see what happens. I can hardly wait. It was SO MUCH fun last time.

I'd also like to do some test knitting. I'm already supposed to do a shawl soon. We'll see.

I have LOTS of projects lined up, socks, shawls, and even a sweater or two, starting with Moonstruck, just as soon as I get the yarn for it next week.

I'm still not sure about commiting to a club. I'm thinking about just making my own club with some random kits, a pattern club and my stash. I'm already in for the little mermaid kal, the Mrs. Dalloway's garden shawl from woolgirl and Janel Laidman's art and sole pattern club.

2010 did end with a bang, though, having FINALLY conqued bee fields!

The doggies were very excited.

It also brought some goodies.....
Fibro fibers nightfall. It's a long gradient that goes from black to a beautiful teal. I'm thinking it just has to be a shawl. Either traveling woman or batik.

what do you get when you avoid the mall at christmas?

2010-12-26T06:20:00.000-08:00

Lots of knitting done!

Bee fields in all it's glory. I'm on the third set of charts and doing pretty well, thank you very much. This is QUITE an accomplishment. The pattern is great, but I definitely consider this advanced lace knitting.

Santa was also good to me, having brought me my knitpicks wish list. The yarn for the luminaria scarf (couldn't resist) and some misc goodies, cable needles and the book wrapped in lace.

I also self-santa'd a bit and splurged on the yarn for the moonstruck sweater - Gaea in the color "in the navy", and dreamweaver yarns had a post-christmas sale, so I bought the pattern for ishbel, and some puppy snips. The discount paid for the shipping.

In the end, a good time was had by all. Now, on to new Year's and possibly some resolutions.

Ho! HO! HO! It's a FO

2010-12-19T06:13:00.000-08:00

I've finally finished my christmas knitting and, the cabled sweater is finally finished too, except for a few buttons. (I just can't bring myself to stand in line at joann's right now).
This is Paton's Must Have Cardigan (with puppy). I think it turned out pretty well, although I do like a longer sweater. I added some length already, but it could have been a bit more. It's OK, though.

After last week, I couldn't stand it any more. I went and joined the Unique Sheep little mermaid KAL. I'll be doing mine in laceweight, with the carribbean gradience colorway and beads. It's starts some time in march, so I have something to look forward to!

Right now, there are so many temptations out there. Coookie A. has a new sock club, and so does Janel Laidman (she has 2). Janel's offers a patterns only option, and one of the clubs comes with 2 patterns, one for a sock and one for a non-sock. I chose the pattern only option for the Art and Sole club. It's a great way to dig into the stash and have some potential christmas presents for next year. (at least that's what I'm telling myself). I'm still undecided on the cookie A club, but I think I'm going to pass on the loopy ewe this year. It was fun and cool, but I'd like to focus my efforts on individual kits like the one woolgirl puts out, or KAL's like the unique sheep, as opposed to a club where you get both yarn and pattern without choosing. (like, I REALLY NEEED more yarn). I'm also thinking about Madrona in feb. and of course, sock summit this summer.

The mailman was good to me too. The yarn that a little doggie is obsessed with is knitted wit, shades of grey. Loved the colors and it's for the january CSK.
The bags are a christmas gift from my friend Amy. She and her daughter made them, and I think they're great!

This week, I'm back to bee fields, after having ripped it out yet again and re-started. It's NOT going to get the best of me!
(ever tried to knit lace with a boxer puppy wrestling in your lap?)

Speaking of puppies......I think we need a bigger bed.

Ozzie is unimpressed.....

Last minute christmas knitting

2010-12-12T05:54:00.000-08:00

I looked at the calendar last week and just about had a heart attack! There's only 2 weeks to christmas!!
This week brought some easy christmas last-minute knitting. Some kids felted slippers, and a hat for my neighbor. (not the one from the lands end catalog, but i'll have to do!)

Also, a future felted clog for DH. (The other one will probably happen today!) I sent him my knitpicks wish list last week. Might as well get what I need/want.

I'm just about done. I wanted to knit DH some socks, and I may still do that with some thick worsted - he loves thick socks. They'll go pretty fast. I want to use my new mad skills I learned from Cat Bordhi last week and make him a personal footprint.
We might just do that today. It's supposed to rain more today than any time in the last 2 years, so I think it'll be INSIDE activities this afternoon.

Last week, the mailman brought me some goodies. The new Cookie A. book, knit.sock.love (very nice) and some Malabrigo silky in acorn that I ordered a LONG time ago (the price was right) to make my cloudchaser.
I still need to finish the cabled sweater, but it's set aside for the last minute holiday stuff. It only needs some sewing and a button band.

I also hear that the "Mopsy" is in at Blue Moon, so I'll be stalking their website to make the "moonstruck" sweater. I've probably already lined up more projects than I could ever do in 2011, but I'm also looking at the little mermaid shawl KAL from the unique sheep. I'm kind of a sucker for KAL's, gradience yarns, and beads. What more could you ask for???

Ozzie can hardly wait until all the holiday madness is over! At least he doesn't have to spend tomorrow afternoon standing in line at the post office!

knitting like crazy

2010-12-05T06:30:00.000-08:00

the snow and turkey day are finally gone. I feel like I lost a whole week of my life last week. We didn't go anywhere except to pick up our turkey dinner and work out on friday. It felt good to finally get out of the house.
Good news, though. I've got a bunch of christmas knitting done.
Socks for my sister (knit in 3 days during a snowstorm)

They're the mad color weave pattern in STR pepe la plume.

A really cut fox scarf for a little boy I know. It was fun to make.

I also knit a scarf for my neighbor for her birthday. It was THURSDAY ya know. (she reminded me about 100 times) No pics of that. Just pulled some funky noro novelty stuff out of the stash (not even sure how it got there) and did a quick garter stitch scarf. Now she wants a BLUE hat with ties for christmas, so I'm doing a "thorpe" in a nasty acrylic, but it IS going fast.

Yesterday afternoon, I was very excited to take a class with Cat Bordhi at Yorkshire Yarns in Tacoma. The owner of yorkshire is quite a character and she loves to have great classes. She said she "stalked" Cat, and when another LYS closed that cat was scheduled to teach at, she emailed her right away and got her to come to yorkshire.
We did personal footprints and I loved it! Cat is a patient, fun, teacher and I highly recommend taking a class from her if you can. She makes you think entirely differently about your knitting.

The sweater is taking a bit of a break for some last minute christmas knitting. All the parts are done, just need to sew and put on a button band.

On the doggie front, Yogi started obedience yesterday. Good thing you can't flunk out on the first day. There were just SO many intersting people and other doggies, and smells, and stuff.............
He has the attention span of a gnat.

The bed just keeps getting smaller.
Look at that giant foot. It's Yogi's.
Gonna be a BIG boy!

snow kitty

2010-11-25T12:25:00.000-08:00

I've got nothin' for ya

2010-11-21T05:45:00.000-08:00

After a flurry of new yarn and goodies, this week was pretty quiet.
The cabled sweater pieces are done and blocked, but resting for a while in favor of some last minute christmas knitting. Nothing big, just a pair of socks or two.
I'm still waiting for the Mopsy to come in at blue moon so I can make the Moonstruck sweater, and now saving my extra yarn $ for Madrona in feb. Although you never know what I might be tempted by.

In home news, we spent yesterday buying a new couch! The old one was ok, but the foam on the cushions had squished down so much that they would slowly slide out from under your butt as you were sitting on them. Got old fast. You KNOW how this goes.... new couch, new pillows, new end table, gotta have a new lamp........
Good thing we got that done, it's supposed to start snowing here.

The doggies were very worried and forced to nap to work off their stress.

Happy Turkey day to everyone,
We'll be hunkered down with snow shovels, soup and knitting!
Good thing I have enough yarn!

another red-letter week!

2010-11-13T10:01:00.000-08:00

More goodies, I MUST stop buying yarn. HA!
Monday brought my unique sheep kneesock kit. This was a fun one. There's 4 skeins of gradience yarn, a cute little bag, a smell-good soap, some stitch markers, cards, and some great smelling tea. The white fluffy yarn is intended to be the top of the sock, not sure if I'll do that one, but it is a nice set.

Then....after an extended vacation in arizona (don't know what THAT was all about), my sock club FINALLY arrived. No pic can do this yarn justice. It's purple, it's blue, it's turquoise, it's AMAZING and it's bugga. What more could you want? I've already scored a second skein from someone who just didn't feel the love. I'm thinking large shawl, really, have I said it's amazing??? I'll definitely take advantage of my second year in the loopy ewe club. I wanted to try it to get some different yarns, and although I haven't made all the socks, I haven't been disappointed.

Making progress on the sweater, fronts and back are blocking right now and I'm on the second sleeve. For some reason, I'm just in a sweater mood, go figure. I'll eventually have to buckle down and finish my christmas knitting, eventually.
I WAS planning on knitting some socks for my sister with some yarn purchased out of a stash on Rav. I have to say, this is the first time I've been ripped off from buying stash yarn. The seller has all kinds of excuses, yarn came back, can't find the tracking number, out of town.....Honestly, I don't think she ever sent it to begin with. Too bad. I guess she needed the $12 worse than me, but it hardly seems worth it. Karma's a bitch....just sayin'.

I've had some requests for more ozzie, so without further ado.....

The red eyes....they're appropriate. He really is a little devil of a kitty.

And for the dog lovers in the bunch......
The bed just keeps getting smaller, and see that green there? It's the binky. We had to get two of them because cinnamon brown wouldn't let go. Now, you'd think that they each have their own? NO. Which is the BEST binky? The one the other dog has, of course!

monday was a red-letter day!

2010-11-07T06:35:00.000-08:00

In spite of the fact that we set a new record for rainfall in one single day.
The mailman brought some goodies I've been waiting for......

Unique sheep Eos gradience shawl kit in barknknit, the latest vogue, and sanguine gryphon bugga halloween sock kit, which probably won't end up being socks, but I'm a sucker for special kits and bugga.

Later in the week, the cheshire cat came to roost.
This is woolgirl cheshire cat kit. There's all kinds of extras and goodies there. It's a great kit. So great, that I signed up for a victorian writers garden themed kit to arrive in august. Just a little something to look forward to this summer.

the sweater has two fronts, a back and half a sleeve now. I'll probably get pretty close to finishing it this week, since it's supposed to rain endlessly AGAIN!
Next up, some christmas knitting, a couple of pairs of socks and some misc. goodies for friends. I should be getting a couple more goodies this week too..... The final shipment of the loopy ewe sock club (more bugga!), and another gradience kit from the unique sheep. This one is for some holiday knee socks.

In doggie news, the bed seems to be getting smaller.....hmmmm........
Yogi weighed 8.8 lbs when we got him 5 short weeks ago, on saturday, he weighed 17.5.
Even though he's skinny, I guess we're feeding him well....

I mean, really, how could you resist that face?

two fronts and a back

2010-10-30T18:28:00.000-07:00

well, part of a back.
This is the must have cardigan from patons. A couple of years ago when the yarn harlot made this, I went in search of the pattern. I found it at joanns for 40percent off, and got the yarn at michaels for the same. It went into hibernation until I got frustrated with bee fields and I decided I needed a larger needle project to keep me sane. It's crusing right along now and looking good.

I also blocked a couple of things today.
Hammelies shawl for +++++'s christmas present

Birch for me. My first experience with entrelac. I love it. It's bugga in rainbow scarab, very soft and a great knit.

I was hoping to show some new yarn, but my mailman is painfully slow. I'm sure I'll have some of it soon, though, but here's what I'm waiting for......
Unique sheep eos gradience shawl kit in bark-n-knit - shipped
sanguine gryphon wicked witch sock kit - purple and black - shipped
woolgirl cheshire cat kit - hopefully shipping today
unique sheep kneehigh christmas kit - green - ship by nov 7
from sandra singh, malabrigio silky merino for cloudchaser ship middle of nov
Loopy ewe nov sock kit - ship middle of nov.
I think I'll stick with the loopy ewe sock club one more year and then move on to something else. I'm looking at the socks are for suckers club from twisted or the year in lace. Something different. We'll see what mood I'm in at the end of next year.

The pupster is doing great and growing like a weed. Check out these feet!
You can hardly tell which is which. He starts obedience classes on dec. 4th. Now if we could only get the whole "no potty in the house" thing.

"I wubs my big sister"

gimme a........

2010-10-24T05:59:00.000-07:00

SWEATER!
Ok, it IS getting colder here, and the weather guy said this week that this is supposed to be the worst winter in 50 years! So, when life gives you crappy weather, what do you do? Make sweaters, of course!
This is the must have cardigan. I've had the yarn and the pattern for some time. After bee fields went to hibernate for a while, I decided I needed to make something big. And, since blue moon hasn't gotten the new yarn for moonstruck yet, I'm going for the cardigan. So far, a pretty easy knit.

I also got a couple of books this week that I had pre-ordered from amazon. Sock yarn one-skein wonders and brave new knits. I've only taken a quick look at them, but I think they're going to be great. I love that the brave new knits also has a little article about each designer.

The critters are all doing great. Puppy's growing like a bad weed.
It's a tough life ya know........

baby cinnamon brown

baby yogi.
There's just nothing cuter than a boxer baby.....

Happy halloween

2010-10-16T12:42:00.000-07:00

new yarn......

I bought this yarn to make a pooling scarf that will match my new coat. I think it's going to be my next project, since the socks I'm working on just aren't feeling the love.......

the puppies are, though, feeling the love, that is.....

I'm expect a LOT of goodies soon, cheshire cat kit, unique sheep shawl gradience set, unique sheep christmas set and the last installment of the loopy ewe sock club should arrive in a couple of weeks. I'll definitely go for another year with this club.
Hopefully some knitting content next week, for now, you'll just have to be satisfied with cute doggies.

bee fields is kicking my butt!!!!

2010-10-10T06:20:00.001-07:00

how much knitting CAN you do with an 8-week old puppy helping you???
Well, they DO sleep a lot!
I've made some progress with bee fields, and I love the pattern. It's incredibly difficult, though, I would consider it super advanced lace. It has lace stitches on both sides. I've been checking, adding lifelines and checking again, but I'll be knitting along, look down, and CRAPPERS! 20 rows down is a stitch that didn't get caught. ARGH!!!!!! See that errant stitch marker, way over there on the left?
I'm NOT tinking back that far. I'll have to figure out how to fix it another way.
ARGH!!!!!!!! I think it's going to take a bit of a time out.

Also, I have to quit reading my email......I've fallen in love with this christmas kit from the unique sheep, just not the $80 price tag. I'm thinking on it, though, because it's cool..........

I've been working on birch too, it's almost finished. Love the bugga, it's so soft.
I'll have to start finishing up my christmas knitting soon. A few odds and ends for some folks, nothing too complicated.
Now, where did that puppy go??????

Mini Me

2010-10-03T05:35:00.000-07:00

watch out, cuteness overload ahead........

On friday, this little guy joined our zoo...

Say hello to Yogi.
He's been a sweet baby, but there's not much knitting happening, you know......

Ozzie (who deserves his ozzie ozzborne name MORE every day) has made it his personal mission to seek out the puppy and bonk him on the head every chance he can get!

Ok, in knitting news, there's been progress on birch, in spite of finding my yarn unwound all over the rec room one morning, and, I'm also working on bee fields again.
There may be a spot of trouble with this one. Last night, ozzie stole my pattern and removed the markers that noted where I was.
"sigh"

we DID the puyallup!

2010-09-26T08:41:00.001-07:00

So, last night we went to the fair to see Heart. I have to say, even after all these years those gals can still rock it out. What amazing voices. I think I'm getting old, though, my ears are still ringing!

At the fair, we saw some of these.......

there's almost nothing cuter than a baby pygmy goat.

Only one thing I can think of......

A baby boxer puppy!!!
(these are a bit blurry because they just refuse to hold still - imagine!)

Say hello to Yogi.
He'll be coming home with us next week. Check out the cute little wrinkle of skin right above his butt (the dog, not the guy) PUPPY BREATH!!!!!!!!!

Oh, and there was some yarn too......

Unique sheep gradience colorway ascent for the october CSK, purchased from a rav stash.
Birch is growing, nothing new to show there. Hopefully it'll be finished this week, and then I can move on to other stuff.

goodies, goodies and more goodies

2010-09-18T10:13:00.000-07:00

This week brought the rain back! That's OK, though. The mailbox had a surprise almost every day.
#1 Loopy ewe sock club
The yarn is mad tosh sock in a beautiful fall color.
Not too hot on the patterns, though. This might have to be a shawl or a man-sock

#2 Blue moon order
yarn is love-in-idleness for a pooling scarf that will match my new winter coat
pattern is moonstruck - love it - now just waiting for the proper yarn to arrive.

If you haven't seen wenat's pooling scarves, you have truly missed something. beautiful! (even barbara walker commented on the one she was wearing at sock summit)

#3 CSK goodie bag. Very nice. Lots of trinkets and some fun stuff.
If it's a sneak peek of future indie dyers in this project, I'm really in trouble. really.

As you can see, it's been ozzie tested and approved........

And, like I need more yarn, I'm absolutely obsessed with these gradience colorways.
They're the october selected dyer for the CSK. I'm planning on making the socks and a shawl would be awesome. Gotta hang with the cool kids.

last but not least, half a birch.I've always wanted to try entrelac, and this was a great introduction.
Done in sanguine gryphon bugga, rainbow scarab.
I may never knit with another kind of yarn again. It's amazing. No wonder the line at sock summit was an hour long......

what I did on my summer vacation

2010-09-12T13:18:00.001-07:00

well, we went here......

(the view from the hotel room)
Cannon Beach, Oregon

We saw some of these......

and these.........

and found a bunch of these........

and bought some of these........

when we got back, there were these........

The kitties were quite upset at being left alone, but

A good time was had by all

Next week, progress on Birch and a sock club shipment.

come here, my pretty.......

2010-09-05T06:09:00.000-07:00

This week brought the second installment of the CSK, the archery socks. When I saw the pattern I KNEW I had to buy the varigated yarn that was in the sample. I'm not much of a red person myself, so I chose this gorgeous blue/pink/purple. It's the Seattle colorway from abstract fiber. Their website does not do it justice. I just want to pet it and look at it. It's amazing.

This week also brought a FO. Here's the august tulip socks, done in sheepaints bamboolaine that I purchased from a ravelry destash.

I'm also sad to announce the demise of bee fields. Just wasn't working out the way I expected it to. It's a gorgeous pattern, although quite advanced, and the yarn just wasn't doing it justice. I'll start it again with something more appropriate. I have my eye on some lace from the original custom dyed kit that's in a rav destash.

It was a busy yarn buying week here. (don't 'cha just love the internet?)
I was invoiced and paid for my woolgirl cheshire cat kit, and also took advantage of the 10percent off blue moon coupon to buy their new pattern and a skein for a pooling scarf for my new coat. Next week, the loopy ewe sock club will invoice and ship. YIKES! I'd better get to knitting.

Since the demise of bee fields, I'm working on Birch by chrissy gardiner. I've never done entrelac, or entrelac with lace, so I'm really enjoying the challenge. The Yarn is the sanguine gryphon bugga in rainbow scarab, purchased especially for this project. love, love, love it!

Last but not least, look what $5 will get ya. I normally don't do this kind of misc yarn, but there were 2 skeins of alpaca in there, and that made it worth it......

I know, I know, I missed last week

2010-08-29T05:56:00.000-07:00

There just wasn't anything to say......
I've been suffering from a little knitting add. The bee fields is at a point where it takes about 1/2 hour to complete a row, and also a great deal of concentration. I've been working on my tulip socks, and they're almost done, but I need to re-do the toe on the first one, and I've been thinking about ripping the whole thing out and starting over. So, what do I do? Buy cheap yarn at michaels and start a baby blankie. Which, by the way is progressing nicely. It's a lot bigger than it looks in the pic right now and, really, almost done. It's a free Rav pattern - radiating star blanket - and I think it's going to be my go-to baby blankie from here on out. It looks hard, but super easy (tv watching easy).

There's also the new vogue and debbie bliss for inspiration. I have waaaaayyyyyy too many projects and waaaayyyyy to little time..........

Next up, the next loopy ewe sock kit should be billing soon. (LOVE the loopy ewe), I also paid for the woolgirl "cheshire cat" kit from the alice in wonderland series, so that should be shipping soon too, and the september CSK pattern will be in the inbox probably next week. I think I'll wait to see the pattern before I pick the yarn.

Last but not least, ozzie is growing like a bad weed, and taking full responsibility in his role of mayor of kitty city.

All that ruling with an iron paw is hard work, ya know.

hot! hot! hot!

2010-08-15T05:55:00.000-07:00

well, summer has finally arrived here in the pacific nw. It's supposed to be 95 for at least the next 3 days here. Too hot for comfort for this northwest girl.
I guess there'll be knitting.
SPEAKING of knitting.....
here's a sock.

It's the first installment of the CSK, tulip socks, in sheepaints bamboolaine, color flowertree. I think it turned out pretty well, love the colors, except for the toe.
I may still take the toe apart and re-work it a bit. It came out really pointy and I prefer them a bit flatter. Fits good, though. Just have to make another.

Bee fields is progressing. Took a break to make the sock. It got to be a little boring. I'll be back at it this week.

Kitty city is growing. I'm not sure how. We had a bunch of spare parts and when DH saw them he added 2 more levels. The mayor was VERY pleased.

I'll leave you with a pic of some visitors we had this week. Damn long eared giant flower-eating rats! (there was actually another baby - twins) ARGH!

say hello......

2010-08-08T05:56:00.000-07:00

.....to the mayor of kitty city. Mayor Mc Cheeze.
last weekend, we were out running around and we stopped at a yard sale. There it was. Kitty city, and only $1. Of course, you KNOW who had to take up residence and his birthright as the mayor! We have definitely gotten a $1 worth of entertainment from this!
Now we're on the hunt for more kitty city!
(honestly, I think we bought it because we just like saying it, kitty city, kitty city, kitty city.....)

Sorry, not much knitting content to show.....
it's been a difficult week and it's really hard to knit with a little needle-footed pest in your lap biting your yarn. (even if he IS the mayor).
working on bee fields........

this summer is flyin'

2010-08-01T06:19:00.000-07:00

Wow! how did it get to be august already???
This week brought some new yarn.......

Someone needs to keep me off of the sanguine gryphon site. This is Z cerulea in skinny bugga. I intended it for an ishbel, but now I'm not sure, it's so beautiful.

After a few feeble attempts, I've finally got some traction on bee fields. Malabrigo lace - pearl ten. It's coming along nicely, but this is going to take a while to do right. That's OK, it's about the challenge of it.

I need to find something easy to knit at the fair. I'll be hanging out at the county fair for the master gardeners on friday. It's usually pretty quiet in the afternoons and good basic knitting time. Haveta search the stash.

Ozzie is fitting in pretty well. He's definitely going to be alpha kitty, although he has to wait his turn at the food dish. He's growing like a bad weed!

ahhh, some peace......

2010-07-24T14:35:00.000-07:00

only a week later and the critters seem to be getting along better.

some knitting has been finished.
the mystery shawl - finished and blocked in all it's glory.

I'm trying to decide on my next project. Maybe the bee fields with the mal lace in pearl ten, or the girasole with the dream in color smooshy gold experience, or ishbel with that gorgeous skinny bugga I bought this week. Right now, the bee fields is winning out.........we'll just see.

not much knitting to show

2010-07-17T16:50:00.000-07:00

but I have a great excuse! Meet Ozzie.....

he's a feisty little devil, with the meezer looks and the meezer VOICE!
there's been much barking and hissing in the last few days, but we seem to have reached an armed truce. "sigh" and, yes, he is a rescue from the humane society.
He'll fit in just fine.......

In the "I should have gotten more" category. Sanguine Gryphon bugga, blue lobster.
Really, I should have gotten more. It's such a beautiful blue/green, I just want to pet it and spread it out over the computer. Oh, and by the way, 20 percent cashmere.

Also, another round of the loopy ewe sock club. I wanted to do this club so that I could try different yarns and so far it's been great. The yarn is alchemy, the color "fall". It comes with a neck warmer pattern and a sock pattern. I think I like the socks better.......

And last but not least, not all yard sale scores are yarn. I probably scored enough reading material to keep me busy for quite a while.
Two twilight books, eclipse and breaking dawn,
a barbara kingsolver - laguna
Amy tan's the bonesetter's daughter
Dan Brown's the last symbol (this was my summer yard sale quest)
and the girl with the dragon tattoo
all for $6. Can't beat that!

I don't have too much yarn, no not me.......

2010-07-11T06:21:00.000-07:00

What is it about hot weather that makes you want to sort your stash. Friday it was nearly 95 degrees here, so, out came the stash. OH MY! I think I liked it better when I didn't know. This is only the sock yarn. Do you think there's enough??? I'm proud of myself, I took it out, sorted it, photo'd it and put it on rav in my stash.

On the mystery shawl front, clue 3 is done and I'm now moving on to clue 4. One more to go next weekend. They only get more complicated as you go, so I'm not sure I'll be able to keep up and finish all in the same week. It's ok, really, since the loopy ewe sock club should ship this week, and I'm still working on the beaded bells socks (although there's not much progress there). The sock CSK also starts in august. I love the yarn the original socks are made with, not so much the color, but the idea that they're bamboo, but I think I'll dig through the stash. Suppose I might have SOMETHING I can use??

I also plan on being a bit busy this week, since hopefully the new baby (kitty) will come home on wed. Still have to deal with the BS at the pound, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed. He's the one in the middle of this kitten pig-pile with the brown ears and nose.

It's finally cooler, so yard work today for me.

happy 4th of july

2010-07-04T08:21:00.000-07:00

first of all, let me say "bah, humbug". The 4th is quickly becoming one of my least favorite holidays. Maybe I'm just getting old, but I just can't understand the attraction to blowing things up, not to mention how much it just tormets the animals. I'd vote for making individual fireworks illegal and just having the big shows. It would save me a lot of money in doggie downers.

On the knitting front, the mystery shawl is coming along nicely. Clue #1 was easy, #2 nearly kicked my butt into quitting, but after ripping at least 3 times (can you say LIFELINE) I finally figured it out and now #3 is cruising along quite smoothly. I'd definitely do the mystery shawl again, maybe once per quarter?

I also started a sock kit that I bought at Summit (the gift that keeps on giving), beaded bells by dye dreams. There's no pattern or pic on ravelry, so you'll just have to wait until I get enough done to take a pic. Right now there's only about 1" of knitting and beads. I'm working on it between mystery shawl clues.

I made another yard sale score. It's hard to see, but these are some kind of cool "antique" sock blockers. The folks at the sale kept stressing that they were ANTIQUES, but willingly sold them to me for 50cents. I'll use them to block socks for DH, since they're a bit big.

Next up, the loopy ewe july sock club should ship late this week and August brings the beginning of Chrissy Gardiner's CSK. That should be a blast.
I also fell in love with this vest cloud chaser, and am seriously considering starting "bee fields" by anne hanson.

The baby kitty is over 2 lbs now, so he'll get fixed soon and released to go to a home. It's going to be all about the timing. I'll probably have to be there when they open the day they release them for adoption. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

the weather has finally turned around (for today)

2010-06-27T06:55:00.000-07:00

There has been some knitting progress, though.
I finished the first clue in the mystery shawl, so far, so good.

I got the needed yarn and finished and blocked johnette's christmas socks.

I also finished the medusa cascade anklets. Kind of cute, aren't they?

and visited this little guy. He's still in foster care with his momma, but I'm hoping he'll get to come home with me in a couple of weeks. There's still some hurdles to jump here with the humane society, so I'm trying not to get too attached, but, how could you resist that face. (minus the devil eyes, of course)

no guarantee of how much knitting will happen this week, I've got clue #2 on the shawl to do....depends on the weather.

It was nearly a washout

2010-06-20T06:35:00.000-07:00

Kit in public day was fun but it rained, rained rained. BUCKETS!
Good thing it was in a covered area.

Cinnamon brown made some new friends too.

Here's some UFO's from this week,
Johnette's gumdrop socks. Now I'm out of yarn. Seems to be a theme lately. A nice raveler from Alaska is sending me the little bit I need to finish. Good thing I don't need them until christmas.

The little sock on the top is the Medusa anklets. I needed a really simple project to knit in public, and I though these were really cute and perfect for the rest of the knitter's brewing co. yarn I won in the contest (the color is ... on the beach). There should be JUST enough to finish.

On the bottom is the first installment of the summer mystery shawl. It's coming along fine so far, in spite of being charted only. We'll see what happens when it grows to a couple hundred charted stitches. I'd like to get this clue done this week, there'll be another one next saturday. Looks like the weather's going to cooperate. It's supposed to RAIN BUCKETS some more.
:(

Ok, so, check THIS out......

2010-06-13T06:30:00.000-07:00

going to yard sales is kind of like that old saying "you gotta kiss a lot of frogs". But, every once in a while, you find that little gem and the voice in your head says "SCORE!" Here's mine...

It's 4 skeins of Koigu KPPM and a whole bunch of heel reinforcing thread. The price? 50 cents. A good investment, I'd say. It's even yarn I'll use. And, yes, you can come yard sale-ing with me any time. The bus leaves at 7:30, you bring the coffee. I get dibs on the yarn! (I got the shell at a yard sale too - I love sea shells, fossils and rocks, I'm such a geek)

This week brought progress on a couple of things. The shawl is about as far as it will go without more yarn. I have to say I LOVE ravelry, though. When it seemed like there was not going to be enough, I got on the "in search of" board, and had my yarn in about 20 minutes. It won't be the same dye lot, but I'm at the edging and I think I can get away with a bit of a difference. If it matches REALLY well by some chance, I'll do another row of lace, we'll see.

The sock is "goody gumdrops" from the 2008 STR sock club. My friend Johnette fell in love with mine, so little does she know, she's getting 'em for christmas. Again, thanks to rav. I bought the yarn from someone's stash, with just this project in mind.

I'm also looking forward to the first installment of the summer mystery shawl. It starts this coming saturday, which, by the way, is knit in public day for the south sound. We're going up the road a piece to hang in a park, knit, and check out the promised booths and prizes. Should be a fun day.

I was also inspired to joing the CSK this week. It's a fun project by Chrissy Gardiner, designer. She's writing a new indie sock book and had this great idea for a sock pattern club with a year's worth of patterns from her future book. It's pretty cool. All indie dyers. With the pattern club, you get the patterns in pdf in advance and the price also includes a copy of the book when it's published. Couldn't help myself, just couldn't.

Don't know how much knitting will happen this week, the weather here is turning nice again, so, out to the yard before the weeds take over.

a little progress, a little stash enhancement

2010-06-06T06:11:00.001-07:00

First the stash enhancement......
The newest Vogue magazine was waiting for me when I finally chased down the mailman.
Don't GET me started on the postal service. They were also hanging on to some yarn that came for me. See, now, it wouldn't have been all that bad, but there was YARN involved. NEVER come between a woman and her yarn!
L to Right, some traveller from the sanguine gryffon. This is a love-child color. I didn't get to pick it, and I'm not sure I love it. I do love the yarn base, though, and it's 560 yards, so a nice amount and good for man socks. The blue is laceweight from spinny bunny fibers. It's for the summer mystery KAL that starts june 19th. A shawl that will be my first attempt at chart knitting. We'll see how that goes. The third, light purple is a skinny bugga, also a love-child, one of a kind. It kind of reminds me of vancouver violet in the STR.

Next, the progress. This is Hamamelis, (rav link) in dream in color smooshy, gothic rose. A little early christmas knitting for my friend amy. It's going fast, or maybe it's just because it won't quit raining! The color is actually a bit darker. I just happened to catch the only 5 minutes of sun yesterday.

Speaking of rain, it's been great for the yard, in one way. It's turning into a jungle. Not so great for the yard in another way, it's turning into a jungle. I haven't been able to get out and weed for about 2 weeks now. I'm feeling like I'm going to have to start all over. The weeds are taking over!

I can't begin to say how much I love the oregon coast

2010-06-04T14:08:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week, we packed the doggies in the car and took off for a little beach time, down on the oregon coast around Tillamook. My favorite place in the whole world.
It rained, the sun shone, and a good time was had by all.

We saw the cape mears lighthouse

and hung out on the beach, looking for agates. And, I have to say, found a whole bucketfull. I was one happy rock searcher.

On the way home, we stopped at a cool little yarn shop in portland called Twisted.
They had all their dream in color smooshy on sale 25percent off. Who can resist a good sale? This isn't really as orange as it looks. It's going to be a girasole. (some day)

And, as promised, the finished traveling sweater.....

Later, stash enhancements, Lace KAL, and Hammelies progress. (now where IS that damn mail man!?!)

done, done, done!

2010-05-30T18:07:00.001-07:00

The traveling sweater is done! I love, love, love it.
It's probably going to be my favorite sweater ever.
I'll have to post pics later. Need a photographer. It just doesn't do it justice to see it flat. It needs to be on a person.

Thanks to the bad weather, I also finished my endpaper mitts, and started on the "hammelies" shawl for my friend's christmas.

Next week, some new bugga (I think I'm addicted now), and the lace I ordered for the summer mystery shawl KAL.

what IS it about cats and wet wool??

2010-05-23T06:18:00.000-07:00

Really!
The first sleeve of the traveling sweater is done and blocked, with no help from the critters. The second one is about 1/2 done. I'll probably block the big piece today and be finished with the second sleeve before the end of the week. All that's left is to put the pieces together. I'm still not sure how that goes, but I'm trying not to stress about it. I think I'll be the first one finished in the KAL, not that it's a race. I can thank the bad weather here for that. No yard work in the rain.

This week I also bought some Malbrigio Lace from a stash on Rav. I think I'll make Anne Hanson's "bee fields" with it. I'm trying to decide if I want to try for another skein. I know it would be a different dye lot, but I could do the edging with it. I really like a larger shawl. We'll see.

Next up, I'm going to finish the second endpaper mitt, and then move on to "hammelies" with the DIC gothic rose I got in the trade for my may sock kit.
It's going to make a nice christmas present shawl for my friend Amy for christmas - don't worry, she doesn't read this blog. I think it'll be a good beach knitting project.

MMMMMMM, Bugga!

2010-05-16T06:29:00.000-07:00

Ok, so, all those folks can't be wrong. The Bugga phenom has a definite reason.
I took the opportunity to buy some a couple of weeks ago from the sanguine gryphon site and, it's very nice. L to R, 2 skeins of 'fat' bugga for my birch stole, a mystery skein of skinny bugga, I'm thinking it's going to be a shawl, and some dream in color smooshy in gothic rose, that I traded my may sock club yarn for. That yellow was just not me, and the gothic rose will make a perfect shawl for my friend Amy for christmas. I'd definitely do the bugga again. They're having a special thing on the site where they pick a color and offer it in unlimited quantities on a dye to order basis. It's only good for 24 hrs after the update, but it's a great way to try something new. (and the mystery stuff too) Some gorgeous stuff there.

The traveling sweater is progressing. I've finished the 'wedges' and moved on to a sleeve. It's about 1/2 way done. It's supposed to start raining like crazy by the end of the week, so there it is, some good knitting time.

I'm also looking for the perfect shawl. When we went to sock summit last year, the most impressive thing wasn't the socks (although they were impressive), it was the gorgeous shawls that everyone seemed to have. So......I'm in search of the perfect one. Gotta play with the cool kids. I'll know it when I see it.

Meanwhile, it's out to the garden!

that's a whole lotta rib'n

2010-05-09T06:19:00.000-07:00

One more 'wedge' left on the traveling sweater edge. Then it's on to the arms and back, which should go a bit faster. It'll all be determined by the weather, though. When the sun shines, it's outside to play.

This week brought a nice surprise. The next installment of the Loopy Ewe sock club. I joined this club because they offer different yarn companies each time and I really wanted to try something different. I like the kind of yarn, the patterns are great and I love the Namaste bags, but I'm not too sure about the color. I may end up trading for something that's more my style. Just not a big fan of the yellow.

I also bought myself a bit of a treat. I've been wondering for a while what all the excitement is about over the sanguine gryphon bugga. Well, they have a new deal where they pick one color and offer it in unlimited amounts for one day. Then they go and make as many as folks have ordered. I couldn't resist the dark green and brown one they offered this week, and I immediately thought of the Birch that I want to make. The griffon also had some 'mystery skeins' as well, so I couldn't resist the challenge of the surprise. I just hope my mystery skinny bugga is not yellow. I'll probably have to trade it out if it is. Pics when it comes.

I'll leave y'all with some signs that spring is sprung.......

and a visitor we had early saturday am. We think it's a red-tailed hawk.

knit, knit, purl, purl

2010-05-02T05:51:00.000-07:00

Endless k2p2 rib.
Yes, this is the newest "thing", the traveling sweater.
It was love at first sight. Luckily the pattern has just enough to keep some interest and it's not so complicated you can't take it along. Although, it is getting a bit too big. I'm almost through the fourth "wedge" - there's 8 of them, and then it's on to the upper back and arm pieces. The yarn is Wooboo, Thraven color. You can't really tell by this photo, but it has a nice, underlying bit of green. It's coming right along.

There was a bit of excitement this week when the dates for Sock Summit 2011 were announced. Is it wrong to be SO excited about something that's nearly a year away?
Of course, I'll be there. Another knitter and I are thinking about volunteering a day, and shopping a day. I'd kind of like to add a day of classes, and maybe a trip out to the beach with some out of town folks I met at the last summit. We'll have to see how the registration goes. I was extremely lucky last time to get the classes I wanted, but I know how many folks will be trying this time. Bunches. I'm not sure they can have a server big enough.

Today, the weather is nice, so it's out to the garden to get caught up with planting and the annual pressure washing of the deck.

knit, knit, purl, purl, knit knit, purl, purl,.........

A lovely new project

2010-04-25T06:03:00.000-07:00

This week was kind of crazy, catching up from being gone for 4 days at the conference. It was also kind of discombobulated, don't know why.
It did finish off well, though. Yesterday, I went to the Arboretum Foundation plant sale in seattle. I love different and odd plants and also the ones that bloom black and chocolate. Imagine scabiosa "ace of spades" and "chocolate" sapigloss. Of course they came home with me.

I also got a chance to stop at Acorn Street Yarn shop. No new yarn, but I was able to get the needles for my 'traveling sweater'. Why is is that when you think you have them all, the pattern calls for one you don't have?
Since the weather was a bit crazy yesterday, I came home from the plant sale and started the sweater. I'm loving the yarn (wooboo) and the color (thraven). You can't really see it much, but it kind of has this underlying light green tone. It's going to be beautiful.
The other thing there is one of the 'endpaper mitts'. I'm putting the other away for a while in favor of the sweater. This one turned out great, though.

Today, it's out to the garden. Make hay and all that!

well, there ya are

2010-04-19T16:03:00.001-07:00

I'm back from the conference. A good time was had by all.
This is Mary Bowen. She's a pilates rock star. As a matter of fact, she's kind of the Mick Jagger of pilates. I had the pleasure of spending the better part of 2 days listening to her (me and 25 of my new best friends) Can you believe she's 80?? Perfect skin, perfect posture, we should all look so good. She's positively amazing.

When I got home, this lovely assortment was waiting for me. It's the "sisterhood of the traveling sweater" and 4 skeins of Wooboo in thraven. It's beautiful. Pam wants to just pet it, but I'm making a sweater, eventually.... Gotta finish the endpaper mitts and recover from traveling all weekend.

We're ALL recovering, just a little bit.....

A little stuck

2010-04-12T08:16:00.000-07:00

Ever have "one of those days"? Kinda stuck, knitting-wise. Not really in the mood to make a sweater (although I had to order some yarn for one courtesy of the webs sale), no yarn really speaks to you. I have a couple of projects lined up. A beaded shawl (need to go out to shipwreck and get the beads), I'd love to do a girasole, but I can't decide on the yarn, and Birch is speaking to me too, but the yarn I bought for it at Madrona is just not going to work. Too scratchy and the difference between the dye lots is just too much.
I've had to settle with finishing 'a little jazz' - expertly modeled here by cinnamon brown,

And working on some endpaper mitts. I've wanted to make these for a long time, so it seemed the thing to do.

All in all, it's been pretty lazy around here, what with the crazy snow, rain, sleet hail (and all that in 5 minutes) weather!

This week, off to the annual pilates conference in california to hang with all the pilates superstars. Too bad it's going to be warmer here than it is in california.
BOO!

"a little jazzed" up

2010-04-04T12:15:00.000-07:00

Rain, rain, GO AWAY!!
I know, we need it, or at least that's what we say here when it rains, snows, hails and anything else that comes along in the spring. I just want to finish my yard work project I had to abandon a week ago because it started POURING, and hasn't stopped since. (and yes, we've had snow, hail and a whole assortment of weather)

The good news is, Jazz is coming along. This is my 3rd try and I think it's going to be a charm. Pretty mindless knitting - back and forth. I just couldn't get the short rows right, so I kept ripping it out. Frustrating.

Maybe it's because I've been a bit obsessed with Molly the owl

Hopefully the weather will be a bit better this week, so I can finsh my job.
I'm also doing the MS walk on saturday and then spending the afternoon working for the master gardeners at the fuschia planting event. Those would be much better with some sun.

a couple of new things here

2010-03-28T12:51:00.000-07:00

Well, this week brought a lot more outside work. Gotta make hay, so to speak.
I've cleaned out the green house and weeded a bunch more. I'm almost all the way around the whole yard. Now it's time to do it again!

Kernel is finished, block and properly cat tested and approved. I also got this new sock book. I just had to pre-order it after I saw the patterns on ravelry. Just HAD to. The yarn is another skein of the fiesta baby boom from the sock club. They had a few extras and I loved the one I got so much, I had to have another to make socks as well.

This week, hopefully more yard work. The farmer's market opens here on thurdsay. LOVE, love, love the market, and it's always a sign spring has sprung.
I'm also working on "a little jazz", the scarf from the sock kit, and a baby blanket for a co-worker. Today's a lazy knitting day, the weather is psycho again!

not a lot of knitting happening here

2010-03-21T11:21:00.001-07:00

It IS spring after all, and yesterday it was 70 degrees.
There has been a lot of outside work, though and the yard is looking quite nice after spreading nearly 5 yards of bark yesterday. Still has a long way to go, though, but at least I have the energy to do it. That hasn't necessarily been true for the past year or so. I'm definitely taking advantage of my new found motivation, and trying to get outside for at least 1-2 hours a day, with a definite project in mind. It seems to be working and things are perking up nicely.

I'm still working on kernel, nothing new there, just a bit more of it. I'll probably finish today, since we're having a typical pacific nw spring day, rain, sun, more rain, more rain, sun.........psycho weather.

I'm not sure what the next project will be knitting-wise. Maybe I'll root around in the stash and do some socks, maybe not.....
Whatever it is, it'll probably be on the smaller side so I can take it to the pilates conference I'm going to in april.
Happy spring everyone!

How can I explain how much I hate spring ahead

2010-03-14T06:48:00.000-07:00

When you have to get out of bed at 4 am, losing an hour anywhere just hurts.
I really, really, really hate spring ahead and find myself staggering around confused for at least a week after. There, it's out of my system.....
on to knitting.

There's been a little knitting ADD around here. Kernel is progressing nicely, but not worth taking a pic. It's just longer than last time.
I've taken a little break to do this test knit for someone from ravelry. I don't know if it's a secret or not, so here's a little piece of it, just because I'm loving the colors. The yarn is knitter's brewing co., "sex on the beach", won in a contest from KBC. This has been a fun, quick little knit, and once public, would probably make a great little gift for someone.

I'm not sure what this week will bring. I'm working a couple of extra days for folks that are out of town, and the weather is supposed to be OK, so, off to the yard. I'm definitely making progress out there. I'm hoping to get all the way through all the weeding before I need to start again. Right now there's not much to see, but a bit later, I'll post yard pics.
Happy spring ahead everyone.
Does extra coffee help??????

not a lot of knitting happening.....

2010-03-07T10:17:00.000-08:00

the weather's been too nice. The garden is calling (screaming)

I did make some progress with the dream in color starry.
This is Kernel from the knitty fall 2009 issue. I didn't think I would want the beads, but I'm kind of liking them. My first try with beads and a crochet hook and it was really easy. Looking at other beaded things now.....

The second lovely is the march installment of the loopy ewe sock club. I spent a couple of years in "another" sock club and decided to move on this year. I was very lucky to be one of the chosen ones in the loopy ewe lottery, which gets me 2 years into the club before I have to go back to the lottery. I'm very excited about this. The first shipment was awesome. I like that the yarn is a different producer every time and that there's two patterns. I don't like that I'm in love with BOTH patterns now, and I'll have to decide which one I want to make with the club yarn and then buy another one for the other pattern. I have to say that sheri and the elves at the loopy ewe are awesome. I paid for the shipment on thursday, and recieved it on saturday!

no promises, but they'll probably be more knitting next week. The weather here is supposed to cool off and maybe even snow a bit. It's already getting quite a bit colder today. Good knitting weather. The sun will be back - hopefully soon. I've barely made a dent in the yard.