WooHoo!! I won!!

Ummm... if you have to pay* for something does it count for a "win"? Well, YES - if what you "win/pay for" involves yarn & knitting books!!

WooHoo!!

I've only EVER won anything once before in my life. Really. It was at a fashion show [eh?] at the big department store in town [since gone out of business]. I was in high school. The prize was a black, two piece, knit pantsuit. A size 6. I was a size 12. So I gave it to my sister in junior high.

But, this prize is all mine! It fits great!!

* I was the highest bidder on one of the 200+ items at a Silent Auction at the conference I just returned from. I was SO happy to see knitting stuff! The earlier bidders had pushed the amount up almost to my spending limit. But, I thought - I haven't won yet, so I probably won't get this lot either... and if I do, HEY I'd be a winner!!!

1. Kay Gardiner & Ann Shayne's Mason-Dixon Knitting Outside the Lines.

2. Nancy Queen & Mary Ellen O'Connell's The Chicks with Sticks' Guide to Knitting.

3. One 50 gm skein of Knit Picks' Wool of the Andes' in Dune Twist

4. One 60 gm skein of Bernat Cashmere Natural Blends in Coal.

October Socks

Sometimes life just gets in the way of knitting. I'm trying to knit on the baby blanket for the charity group and the dark green, toe up socks for me, but not making a lot of visible progress on either. So I decided to knit up a pair of little kid's socks for CIC while watching a Red Sox game earlier this week.

Pattern: Magic 28

Yarn: Knit Picks' Wool of the Andes worsted in Fog and Blue Bonnet

Needles: size 4 [US]

Knit for: CIC

Year of the Socks (mostly)

I finally updated my Completed Projects on the sidebar. I've been working on socks-for-me and have enough yarn for four more pair. [Acknowledging that 1) that's really not a lot of socks; and 2) I really don't have a lot of time to knit.]

OTN #1: I'm about half finished with the baby blanket I'm knitting for the charity organization that lost all of it's stock in the June 08 flood. That's taking up a lot of my knitting time.

OTN #2: Socks for me [using dark green Filatura Di Crosa - Maxime, and toe up pattern.] I'm not half finished with these. Argh. Should I clean the house and shop for groceries today - or knit and watch football instead? Might have to do quick worsted weight kid's socks for CIC to have an "October" pair for SAM6.

OTN #3: My "car/waiting room" project - when I haven't toted along the baby blanket. Still working on the dyed yarn/felted slippers project[s].

OTN Update with some genealogy news tossed in

Here's what I have on the needles:

1. Baby blanket using Bernat Baby Coordinates in "Sweet Pink" I'll donate this to a community outreach project downstream - the place was destroyed in the June flood, and I read on Ravelry that they happily accept knitting items. The pattern is very easy. However, the yarn I'm having a problem with. It was on sale and a lovely bright pink - just what I wanted. But it has a crinkily white strand that wraps the pink loosely. So loosely that I keep getting it caught when I do a stitch. So the fabic looks a bit 'snagged' I try to fix as I go [or when I go back on the reverse side] - but some snags are not fixable.

Would I use this pattern again -- most definitely. Would I use this yarn again. Well, I'm debating whether I'll make the blue blanket. Bought the yarn at the same time. Did I say it was on sale? I think I know why! If I decide I don't want to fuss with the blue ... I'll donate that yarn some where. And No I would not buy it again.

2. Another pair of socks for me. The yarn is Filatura Di Crosa - Maxime. Can't remember where I bought it at. Not locally that I know. Color is #16 - a dark forest green. I wanted to use Brigit - luv the cables. But the yardage on the two skeins of Maxime is not close to the suggested yardage for the Brigit pattern. Drat it.

Then I worried that whatever top down pattern I used, I might run out of yarn. Drat it again. I dug out Priscilla A. Gibson-Roberts' Simple Socks and have two toe uppers started. I can remember my first attempt with PAGR's wraps about drove me nuts. [But, then I was still on post op drugs....] This time, tho. I had only a few minor issues. and now I'm beginning the foots. I'm doing st st. When I get to the legs, I'll do some cable pattern. Haven't decided what - just that it will be an 8 st pattern repeat from Charlene Schurch. I'll wait to look at the stitch patterns when I get that far.

So. I'm off now to knit and to watch Disk 2 of the HBO miniseries John Adams. No bad for a miniseries...and an introduction to John and Abigail. Two very intelligent, very forward thinking individuals. I would be proud to claim them as ancestors. But, alas no connection so far.

OH! Genealogy content: No J. & A. Adams, but, it looks as if Mayflower people are beginning to sprout from my family tree! My grandmother would not be too impressed - she would tell snooty acquaintances who were into the DAR and Mayflower Societies that HER ancestors MET the Mayflower. Maybe. I need one bit of proof tying my mother's mother's mother's mother's mother to a known descendent of four Mayflower passengers. In early 1800s western PA, they didn't leave a lot of records, so I might never find the proof. But. I'm 95% positive I've got it right.

September Socks

Didn't get this finished by the end of the Olympics, but...they're done now! And they're still too blue in the photo. They are really more purple than blue. I tried several different settings. Oh, well.

Pattern: Generic. 1" K2, P2 cuff, then 5" of K3, P3 ribbed leg; and St St foot

Yarn: Brown Sheep Co.' s Wildfoote in Rhapsody

Needles: Knit Picks size 1 [US], two 24" circs

Knit for: Me

EDITED to add: The yarn was a gift from a non-knitting co-worker who visited the Brown Sheep Co. in Mitchell, NE, while on her vacation!!

Awesome Knitter Project

But, I'd rather have a blue one: Knitted Project

Panic Set In - But, Whew! It's All Good

After finishing the striped leg CIC socks, I've been working on the Wildfoote Rhapsodies for me. When I got about half through the foot, I got really nervous - it sure didn't look as if there would be enough yarn.

So, I decided to "quickly" finish one of them to see if I could find another ball of this yarn [or if I'd need to finish the toes with something else.] Meanwhile I started contacting yarn shops in this part of the state. So far haven't found another skein.

But, whew! There was PLENTY left! No problem. Now to finish the 2nd sock. I've got too much to do today, so it's Extremely Doubtful that I'll finish it by the end of the Closing Ceremony. But, I will work on it while I watch this evening.

Eewww... the color is way off. Too blue here. It's really - purplish.

August Socks

These are little ones for CIC, but they ARE socks. Not sure if I'll get the pair for me finished before the end of the month. I'll sure try. My Knitting-while-watching-the-Olympics is going slowly. I tend to either get too involved in the action. Yea! USA!! Or, I dose off mid-stitch.

Pattern: Generic - CO 32 st. for about a 6"- 6.5" foot and using Grumperina's striping method for the leg.

Yarn: A) Knit Picks' Wool of the Andes in Cherry Blossom; B) Knit Picks' Wool of the Andes in Blue Bonnet; C) Knit Picks' Wool of the Andes in Winter Night; and D) Lion Wool in Winter White.

Needles: 4 dpn size 6 [US] I mistakenly blogged on Aug. 10th that I was using size 4 [US].

Knit for: CIC

ZERO

The number of homes I own.

[Had to comment on that one.]

Sport's 5!

Sport was 5 yesterday! Can't believe he's THAT old - that means I was in town five years ago this past week interviewing for my [current] job. And five years ago tomorrow I drove home, sobbing along the way 'cos I was leaving that darling little baby and didn't know when I'd be back.

Obviously, I got the job and didn't hesitate to move back here. I've really enjoyed being able to see my grandsons weekly [if not more often.]

Photos of Sport, Buster, and the two together:










































OTN UPDATE: I'll finish the striped pair of socks for CIC this evening. Normally, I could have completed a pair in less than two evenings. But, doing the striping is SO fiddly. There must be a better way to keep the different balls of yarn from tangling. It was just too much of a mess - so I only did the stripes on the legs and knit the rest in solid. Photo tomorrow.

Olympics!

No, I haven't signed up for any Olympic challenges or projects. Gosh, I haven't even logged onto Ravelry in months.

I thought about joining a Ravelry Olympics group and pondered, "What New Project should I do?" Then, I looked at my WIPs and felt guilty about laying them aside.

So, my personal Olympic challenge will be to finish the 3 current WIPs. That's a lofty goal, considering my knitting time is limited.

[Ah, ...I feel a longing for the days when I was a stay-at-home mom and had time to work on my crafts during the day when the daughters were at school. WAIT... NO!!! That would mean we'd have to go through the TERRIBLE TEENS again. No Way!]

Current WIPs for my personal KOC [Knit Olympics Challenge]:

1. Socks for me. Working two at a time, top down. I've finished the heel turn & have just picked up the stitches from the sides of the flaps. Specs:
Pattern: Generic. 1" K2, P2 cuff, then 5" of K3, P3 ribbed leg; and St St foot
Yarn: Brown Sheep Co.' s Wildfoote in Rhapsody
Needles: Knit Picks size 1 [US], two 24" circs

2. Socks for CIC. One at a time. Using Grumperina's striping method. Heel flap and toe in Cherry Blossom.
Pattern: Generic - for about a 6"- 6.5" foot
Yarn: A) Knit Picks' Wool of the Andes in Cherry Blossom; B) Knit Picks' Wool of the Andes in Blue Bonnet; C) Knit Picks' Wool of the Andes in Winter Night; and D) Lion Wool in Winter White.
Needles: 4 dpn size 4 [US]

3. I didn't blog about these before?? Can't find a post about 'em. Urban Necessity Gloves for DD2. I have one glove about 3/4 finished. Oops. Tried to link, but the page is gone or Magknits is gone - or just down.
Pattern: From Magknits, Sept 05. Urban Necessity Gloves
Yarn: Plymouth Yarn's Encore in what they say is "Gray" but it has lots of lavender/purple flecks. Color 153.
Needles: 4 dpns size 6 [US] --- So THAT's where they were. Been looking for them!!

Photos another day.

Not an Original Idea

...I don't have too many of those. However, I do a lot of borrowing ideas - and sometimes I get crafty enough to adapt them.

Here's one I borrowed from Kathy and from Knitting Geek [Erica, I believe.]

So...the dark green yarn used for the gusset isn't THAT dark. Yes, the cuff is in brown, but it works.

Several knitters in the SnB group that I've started to attend said that they'd like to learn to knit socks. If *I* can knit socks, anyone can...so I volunteered to teach them.

I remembered the photos I'd seen at Kathy's blog and at Knitting Geek, so I borrowed the idea and knit this [one] up yesterday. I think this will be a good teaching tool. I've been looking online for easy directions for new sock knitters, but haven't found what I want, so I'll just write up my "own" directions for a basic CO 32 st, child's size practice sock.

July socks done

I've joined a Sock a Month club again - SAM6. Here's my July finished pair. Details found here.

Mystery Mittens done!

Fun project!

Yarn: Knit Picks Wool of the Andes (worsted) in Cherry Blossom.

Pattern: Found at the Mystery Mitten KAL web page.

Rocky Mountain Hi!

We ended up taking Buster with us because Sport wanted to stay home with his daddy.

Buster had a great time in Colorado! We went to the zoo.

We went to a wedding - and Buster danced - alot!



And we went to the Mountains!