Love Is In The Air!

See this batt? I love this batt. (I know, it's really hard not to see it, eh?)

I picked it up from Uniquely Yours. I've been eyeing it for some time now, and finally gave in. I've already started working on it, but I can't share. It's either going to be a complete success or a total failure, so I'll keep you posted. I figure if it's an absolute flop, I can always use it as an add in or something to ply with.

o.O

(Did I just have an art yarn thought there? )

In recent days, I have decided that there are a few other things that I absolutely love.

1. Crochet thread. Size 10. Seriously good stuff here. Shall I count the ways I can abuse you, oh fair crochet thread?

• Corespinning
• Plying
• Life lines
• In-A-Pinch stitch markers
• Waste yarn

I've decided that a little ball of it shall remain in my knitting bag. While knitting on the shawl (which is so large a row takes forevah), I would catch myself forgetting a yarn over (YO). I would check out the rest of the row and notice the same missing yarn over. I'm at the point where tinking back is only going to happen when a major disaster strikes, so I just snipped off a bit of thread and tied it where the YO should have been. On my return purl row, I created a YO, knit it and kept on moving.

I know, I know, there's no rocket science involved there, but it's made me love crochet thread, and considering I have little love for crochet (because I can't, mind you) - this is a big thing.

2. ZOMG. Hand Knit gift tags. Go check these out - if you are gifting knitting for the Holidays, these are too perfect. My favorite is the pirate. Argh Mateys!!

3. Fall weather. It brings good hair days.

4. The fact that the new Outlander book is winging its way to me. And let me just throw some love at Amazon. Locally, the book would have run me well over $20. Amazon? $16 and some change. (Oh, and free shipping, but only because I had to pick up Knitted Lace of Estonia. I think I should have gotten A Gathering of Lace, but oh well.)

Ok children. That's enough love for now. It's making me feel all happy inside, and too much of that will stain my cranky pants.

Check out My New Buddies!

Aren't they cute? I've decided to name them Ed and Laura. Just because I can.


After the Tour De Fleece was over, the spinners from Team Cranky Pants decided to give out our own prizes! My prize ended up traveling many miles to Heidi. As a surprise thank you, she sent me hand felted sheep! They are incredibly cute and are currently grazing on my night stand.


Thank you so much, Heidi!


Mini-Me has asked me to share with you all that she is now the proud owner (god help me) of a cello! Her school offers Strings to all 5th graders, and every since I asked her about it, she's told me she wanted to play the cello! Yesterday, we went to the music store and picked one up.


Personally, I would have preferred her to play a smaller instrument, such as the violin, however, she's been so jazzed up about the cello, that I just had to let her try. I did make it a point to show her how much smaller the other option was, but then it occurred to me that I was stealing her joy.


How dare I do such a thing! I'm already the kill joy who enforces laundry folding, bathroom cleaning and various other tasks, why not just let her do what she wants for once without my practical input?


After all, she's the one who has to tote it to and from school. Not to mention up and down three flights of stairs. ;-)


Crazy boy Frankie comes home on Saturday, which is nice. It can be rather hard running two households, working full time and trying to live. More importantly, spin and knit like obsessed person that I am!


Speaking of knitting, I'm almost to the end of the main pattern for the Oyster Bay Shawl. She-Who-Knits-Like-Lightning started this week. I don't even dare ask how far along she is. Opal and I are just about at the same place, which has been a neat discovery! I think she may have surpassed me while I was sleeping though.


I wanted to be selfish and demand that no knitting while I'm sleeping, but that would be mean and I don't want to do that to my girl Opal.


And one more thing...


Tomorrow is Friday. Yee-freakin'-haw, ya'll!


PS - Heidi has a really cool store full of fiber. Go look now. You will not be disappointed.


PPS - Her products aren't currently on line. Totally safe for those of you with a fiber diet. I will, however, ask her to give me a note when she has items for sale. (Seriously, her stuff pretty!)

I'm So Speshul, I fergot to Title This Post.

First things first, a close up of the Oyster Bay shawl. Cookie and Opal have been so helpful and encouraging! Thank you so very much my ladies!

Here's a close up of how things are going. Thank sweet jeebus that double decreases look better after blocking.

Hopefully, I will be to the next chart by the end of the week. These rows are getting rather long, so don't hold your breath or anything! I brought it to work for some telephone knitting, and let's just say that it will be staying home. Getting two rows done just to tink back 1.5 rows is not ok.

Just because I can, I started a new spinning project this weekend. Here's an out of focus, yet sparkly picture of what I'm playing with. It's called Barrow Owl, and it's from the Enchanted Knoll Happy Hooves Batt Club. It's insanely soft. You get a total of 6 oz, spread out among 3 batts. I've got one almost spun up, and I'm going to have to debate what to do next.

I thought ahead enough to spin it thin enough for a thicker 3-ply, or thin enough for a dk weight 2-ply. My plan is to use this on something for myself.

Selfish?

Yes. And I like it like that.

I hope that everyone had a restful weekend. If it wasn't restful, well then, take Monday off. Tell them I said you could.

o.O

Yum!

Some how, I managed to purchase these little lovelies over the Labor Day weekend. (I may or may not have stalked a certain website until they had them posted, but that's not to be discussed .)

No buyer's remorse here!


I've got 5 skeins. Wanna help me figure out what to do with them?

Yep. I'm torn.

I'm still in love with Tom Brady, though.

Damn that Foosball!

Last night, I sat down to watch some Monday Night Football. My boyfriend Tom Brady was playing - I had to show my support, you know.

I had my shawl to knit on, my spritzer to sip on, and then all hell broke loose.

First, CB called. He's lucky I answered. (I'm not sure he knows of my Brady obsession yet.)

Then, my boys were messing up all over the place. They managed to win the game by one point, but FFS children! You cannot get mommy all riled up at 10:30 pm!

Mommy couldn't get to sleep until 12:30 am, and I had to put the lace down to yell at the television.

This simply cannot go on. Nail biters on a weeknight are unacceptable!

There. I feel better now.

One for Me and One for You!

I've been finishing stuff lately!

Two in one weekend. I think it's a new record! (Yes, I'm nervous about it too.)

First, for me, I knit up Damson by Ysolda. I did end up having to switch skeins for the bind off, and I thank the great and wonderful Zonda for the extra yarn! Ysolda writes great patterns, and they are easily attainable by a new knitter, yet interesting enough to keep a more experienced knitter reasonably entertained.


CB even has a finished work this weekend! He had requested a combo of red and black, so when I saw the Botanic Hat, by Stephen West, I scouted out some yarn. In this case, it ended up being Malabrigo in black and Ravely Red. I think I'm a fan of the red, by the way.

I love that it's reversible. Some of you know that I hate ribbing, and the whole hat is 3x1 rib. But in this case, I'm glad I quit grumbling and just did it.














Well, I think that's all I've got for you now folks.

Oh! Wait!

I cast on for another shawl. More to follow on that one!

Keep Moving Forward

There are times when life reminds you that although it may be a good life, it's some times a hard life.

Experience has taught me to be positive. If I can't be positive, then the only thing left to do is to move forward, and not stand still. I can't run from reality. I'd like to, but....

I'm the only one sailing my ship, and a ship without a captain is a ship that's drifting.

I've got a beautiful little lady on board with me, too. She's got her own ship, which I keep tethered tightly to mine, but Monday through Friday at about 8:15, she boards her own ship. I let the knot out of the rope and set her afloat on her own.

Most days, she is an excellent navigator. She sails her ship courageously, with honor, and integrity and makes me so proud.

Other days....

We just have to keep moving forward.

It's an honor to be her parent, ya'll.


I just some times wish she came with an instruction guide.

Loosey Goosey

If you weren't already aware, I am typically a tight knitter. I'm the person who can typically has to go up a needle size to get gauge.

I've been trying to loosen up, and apparently I've over done it.

This thing I am knitting on? 440 yards of sock weight is all I should need, per the pattern.


I've got about 13 rows to go - and the last 3 rows are almost 200 stitches longer than the others. Either my tension is not what it used to be, or the people at malabrigo simply cannot measure worth a crap.

I spent my Sunday plotting on how to overcome my obvious shortage. After I admitted my moment of freak out to my knitting mama, she has graciously floated me some matching yarn. Thank you, knitting mama!!!

For what it's worth, there are quite a few knitters on Ravelry that are finishing with little to spare, or having to use a few yards extra from another skein, so I don't feel so bad. Just a little ticked at the author, who could have added a note to ensure the knitter was aware as to how much of the initial skein was used.

At any rate, hopefully I'll be sharing the finished item this week!

Whoa.

That just might be a record for me. Two within a few days of each other??

PS - make sure you go visit Opal. I hear she's got some mojo going on a few levels!!

Someone Better Find Some Mojo!

Oh yeah, baby.

Success!!

Nanner Socks, By Wendy Johnson

Yarn: Over-Ripe Nanners, by Lime and Violet merino/bamboo blend, Needles: Stop Asking Questions.

It only took a year, but they are complete! There's a crap ton of mistakes and some gauge issues, but I'm satisfied. Unless you want to count my test pair, these are the first socks I ever cast on for. I shall love them forever.

I am eternally grateful to Opal for playing along. It was the perfect incentive to finish these damned socks!

Now, I just need your help in enforcing the fact that she has to blog on Monday.

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Hahaha!

I'm blogging today just to prove a point.

Opal.

I know you hear me.

I'm going to completely bust myself out here. I started these socks over one year ago.


I have determined that I shall finish them before the summer is over (which, in my mind is Monday, the Federal Holiday - don't argue). They are indeed Nanner Socks, by Wendy Johnson. I'm sure if she saw this post I'd be getting the look for being a misbehaver and allowing socks to languish OTN for this long.

I can handle it though. She knows I don't behave very well.

I've got to go and eat German Food now with my peeps.

What a hard life, eh?