Summer with Socks and Gardens

This year for, Sockapalooza 4, I am knitting " Go with the flow Socks" from the new "Favorite Socks" book from Interweave. They are extremely easy, yet have a lot of texture and give, which is always nice when you are knitting for someone's foot on the other side of the planet.

Yarn: Lorna Laces, Super sock (Thank you Knitique)
Needles: Cascade DPN, size 1 US
Started 5-16-07 at Knit Night



My Herb Garden this year consists of one hanging pot, with 5 herbs. Rosemary, thyme, oregano, chives and nasturshums. The lime & fig trees are fruiting well, but there will be no lemons this year :(. I usually go all out with the herbs and veg, but will be away too much this summer to keep up with it.

I am looking forward to this Summer. Lots to do and many fun projects to finish.

Have a great day!

SP10 and Sockapalooza 4

My SP10 received her package, finally. Sometimes it takes forever when you ship outside the US! She loved it. I am so glad as I had a great time picking things out and sending them. I am going to send out more this week. What fun this type of thing is. Gift giving for no other reason than the love of fiber.

I also have my Sockapalooza 4 person. This is a very interesting person, who lives in a fascinating country. On I know little about, but am going to do some research before I start her socks.

Check out the new Martha Stewart line at Michael's. Some seriously cute stuff there. Not as cute as my grandchildren, but cute none the less.

Have a great day!

Sockapalooooza Opens today

Don't miss the sign-ups for Sockapalooooza. They will only be open for a day or so, so don't miss out. It is great fun! Knit a pair/Get a pair. I will be traveling quite a bit in the next few months, so I will have plenty of time to knit. Maybe I'll take pictures of all the places the sock is knit.

Have a Great day!

Hello to Friends

I am okay, just very very behind. Why I picked an industry, in constant change I do not know. Except, that I love it and couldn't dream of doing anything else.

Have a great day!

Desperate Knitting

I have no idea why I made this. It is practically useless!

My mother-in-law has one in green crochet from the 50's. It sits on the back of her ca mode, next to a roll of TP (also with its own matching cover), on top of a coordinated "doily".

My kids always loved it. Maybe my own grandchildren will remember mine.

Have a great day!

SP10 Questionaire

I have joined SP10. Yeah!!
Questionaire:
1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
I love all natural fibers and prefer not to knit with acrylic, microfibre or nylon.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?
I use a vase to store my DPNs/straights and zip pockets in a binder for my circulars

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?
22 years (my mother-in-law taught me) - advanced

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
Yes

5. What's your favorite scent?
Hyacinths (also my favorite flower)

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?
No really, but I do like chocolate

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?
Spinning, beading and cooking

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your
buddy wants to make you a CD)
I like all music, except rap and country. MP3s are great.

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?
I like the darker shades of all color, as well as creams and beiges. I do not care for pastels.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
No pets.

Married 25 years and have grown children

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?
Scarves, shawls and mittens.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
Sweaters, Lace shawls, curtains, throws, washcloths, socks.

13. What are you knitting right now?
A lace shawl for my youngest daughter.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?
Absolutely!!

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
I have a full collection of needles.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?
Yes, both

17. How old is your oldest UFO?
2 weeks

18. What is your favorite holiday?
New Year’s Day. I love beginnings.

19. Is there anything that you collect?
Knitting artwork and books; the older the better.
Small ceramic bowls and all shapes, colors and sizes.

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?
I have been searching for wool/silk blend fingering weight yarn in black and dark brown.
I like the Interweave Knit, Vogue Knit, and Rowan magazines.

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?
I continental knit and have always been fascinated watching English knitting. I would also love to learn the Turkish method. I have never found anyone/book to help with it.

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?
Yes. 9.5 inches around. 9 inches long.

23. When is your birthday?
August 6th.

My Grandma's Oatmeal Cookies

Grandma's Oatmeal Currant Walnut Cookies

Sift: 2 cups Flour, 1tsp baking soda, 1tsp baking powder, 1tsp salt, - set aside

Cream: 1 cup butter, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup brown
sugar, 2 eggs, then add 1 tsp vanilla

Add Dry to wet and stir to incorporate.
Add 2 cups oatmeal (NOT QUICK type), 1 cup
currants and 1 cup Walnut pieces.

12 minutes in a 350 F oven.






Packed and ready to go
Enjoy!

Spinning Bug & Writing Update

I have been, once again, bitten by the spinning bug. It has been gone for a few years,
allowing me to learn to bead and improve my knitting, but I fear it is here again.
And I LOVE IT!
This is the result of a few hours of courtship between my wheel
and some lovely Moreno.


Novel word count 43,787. I may make it.

Have a great day.

Christmas Gift 1

Pattern: "Chunky Cable Handbag" Free Pattern from Knit Picks
Yarn: (Double Stranded) Cascade 128 in color 7633 (LYS - Knitique) 2 skeins
Needles: US11 Addi Circs
Lining: Canvas tote bag from craft store

Start to finish including sewing the lining in takes about 5 hours. Another blog said it took them 2 hours, but I am a slow seamstress. (translated, it takes me 20 minutes to thread the needle and another 20 minutes to apply the band-aid to all my "pokes")

Have a great day!

Elegance

I absolutely adore this picture. If only I looked so elegant knitting. In 20 years of knitting, I've never seen myself knit, but most assuredly I do not look this elegant!
I am officially behind in my writing and will try to catch up this week.

Have a great day.

Rogue Finished

Rogue Front

Rogue Hood

Rogue Back

Fini!! Now, on to writing.

Have a great day!

God Save the Queen

I am moving back to England!!

Nancy Pelosi as Speaker? WTF?
Well, if nothing else this ought to be entertaining to watch.

Luckily some of the stupid decisions Bush made were nulified by our Constitution, lets hope the same will happen with the "Nut Case" from SF as Speaker. Even Hilary is better than this. At least she is an intellegent woman who learns from her mistakes (and knows how to deal with and make the best of an idiot of a husband. Right there she knows how to govern with the best of them)

Well, head down, knit and write. The lord said, "this to shall pass", not "this to will come and stay". She will go away eventually, then we can fix what was broken and move forward.

Working..........Where?

Jane asked "How do you Blog" in a physical sense. Well, this is where I blog/work/sometimes knit from. As with everything I do, it is controlled chaos. Most things have a purpose and a place and still, yanking every word of this novel is herculian. Organization should count for something!! But alas, unless you sit your butt in the chair and crank out some decent S%*t, I mean work, then who the heck cares how organized it was?

50k by 11-30-06 Good Heavens!

Well, this is coming along rather nicely. I've yet to finish the rest of the hood, attach the sleeves and knit the hem. I should be done by weekend.

Which is lucky because I have committed myself to an insane writing goal. 50k words by 11-30-06. I've lost my bloody mind! I will keep you posted on the word count and will be relying on the kindness of Jane and Danielle (because I am a football widow until December) to make sure I see the real world at least on Wednesday nights.
Have a great day!

Gone Rogue

Pattern : Rogue from Girl from Auntie
Yarn: Cascade 220 #9338 (green heather)
Needles: Knit Picks Options #7

Love it.
Advice - Don't try to talk and read the directions/charts for the first time, and think you can get it right.
More Advice - don't do it three times in a row.
Final Advice - let your friends help you!!!!

Have a great day!

For Chloe

Chloe is 4 months old. Red hair, blue eyes and lovely.

This cardigan is for her.

Pattern: Jasmine Lace Edge Cardigan from "Natural Knits" by Louisa Harding

Yarn: Rowan Cashsoft DK in sh515 which is a soft sage/celery green

Needles: US 5 circulars (Knit Picks Options)

Buttons: JHB 309 from JoAnnes Fabrics

* This pattern and yarn were a joy to work with. Some changes were made to the pattern, just for personal preference. I did not care for the "round" look in the original pattern so did not switch to larger needles after the first two garter rows. The neck edging lays better if all edges are bound off and the stitches picked-up all the way around and then knit vs. picking-up and knitting each stitch. The original buttons were a clear pink strawberry, but of course I managed to lose them. But I do like these as well.

Welcome Chloe.

Have a great day!

Break Time

Tea and T-mobile. I could be an ad.

Knitting for Peace

I picked up this truely inspirational book at my LYS, Knitique, last week. This is the first knitting book to bring me to tears.
Yes, there are projects. Yes, there is beautiful photography. Yes, it's well written and produced.

But, no, it is not your everyday knitting tome.

Images of clumsy prison convicts armed with yarn and needles to knit for orphans in middle eastern countries is just not something one thinks about. But one of the many charitable and peaceful things you will read about in "Knitting for Peace" by Betty Christiansen.

I hope you enjoy it and are as inspired as I was to go forth an make a difference "one stich at a time". Have a great day!

Hemp Tank

In all the craziness I never posted the picture of the finished Hempathy Tank. This yarn is wonderful and I plan on using it again. The pattern needed a bit of tweeking but all-in-all was a good knit.

Yarn: Hempathy "Elsebeth Lavold"
Needles: US2 Addis
Pattern: Sebring

Stash & Novel Outline

All stash as of 9-11-06.
Not too bad. Considering this
entire cabnet was full in Dec 05.
















Story as of 9-11-06. I feel so official!




Have a great day!