Mother's Day update

I didn't have to cook! And I got flowers and balloons and cards! And Stephanie Pearl-McPhee's Free-Range Knitter: the Yarn Harlot Writes Again.

DD1 said she selected the book because, "Every time mom reads Stephanie's blog, she laughs out-loud."

That's right. I do :-)

In which I admit to not having knit much lately

I've been busy. Just with busy-ness.

It's been so long since I've worked on my blog - I didn't remember that I'd changed the layout last time I was on! When the page open, I was startled!

I've knit a few rows on the socks mentioned here. And I started a BSJ -- possibly for the soon-to-be Baby B. More on that on a later date.

One of the things that's kept me busy is working on genealogy. I dabble here and there and don't make much progress. But, once in a while that dabbling yields results. A reply to a letter I sent to a county court house in Pennsylvania ended up giving me more information than I could have dreamed of. DD1 was here when I opened the envelope - I was so excited when I browsed through the contents, I jumped up and down. Believe me, it's been a long time since I'd jumped up & down!!! And of course, after that my spare time was spent on scanning the documents, organizing them in folders, and doing more searching.

But, tonight, I'm going to knit on those two projects. And watch hockey [Go Penguins!] And American Idol [switching back and forth as necessary.]

My DD3's BF is starting a soy candle business. He's test marketing various scents - so I'm a designated tester. Last night I burned the Lilac - very nice scent - lilac-y, but not too over powering. Tonight the scent is Mandarin Orange. I'm not a citrus fan, but this is OK. He has another orange candle - "Fresh Squeezed Oranges" -- that one I think I'll like! I think it would be a good scent for a Saturday morning - perky & peppy. You see, I'm NOT perky or peppy on Saturday mornings. I need some motivation - like smelling fresh squeezed oranges! :-)

April 09 Socks

Started these last Sunday [as a Sunday Charity Knitting project] and finished them on Wednesday. [No knitting on Monday or Tuesday.]

Pattern: based on the Magic 28 pattern

Yarn: Paton's Classic Wool, I think, in white; Knit Picks Wools of the Andes in Hollyberry; and On-Line Supersocke 100/Sierra Color #896

Needles: Size 5 [US] dpns - bamboo

Knit for: CIC

These look huge for CIC socks, but the foot length is 5.5"

After several attempts to get the photo closer to the actual color, I went to the room with the best lighting in the house. Yep, the bathroom.

Click on the photo to see the socks better.

Charcoal Vest an FO

I finished this project a few days ago. Nice, easy pattern. Yay! But it took me four months to finish it :-\ Details are in this January post.

OTN Update: I'm about 1/2 finished with a pair of socks - using left over Steinbach Wolle Sockenwolle from this project. Plus another ball of Sockenwolle in green/gray/brown.

I mentioned this pair in the previous post actually.

Baby Sweater on Two Needles (AKA - February Baby Sweater)

Yippee! It's done and I'm happy with it. (My photo taking skills are another matter.)

Pattern: Elizabeth Z.'s

Yarn: Louet Gems Topaz in Eggplant
Needles: 7 [US] / 4.5 mm
Knit for: Baby B (due in mid August) - that is, IF Baby B is a girl. Parents to be are friends of DD1 and live just down the street.

On The Needles Update:

1. I'm about 75% finished with the The Vest.

2. I've started a pair of socks (generic ribbed pattern) for me - using Steinbach Wolle Sockenwolle in "brown" (think tan) and a green/gray/brown twist#180. Not enough of either for a pair, so I'm doing stripes. Not pretty. But, this pair will keep my feet warm. (And that's why I knit socks for myself - to have warm feet!)

I bought wool today for a February Lady Sweater for me! I went to Knots & Bolts with a deep red/burgundy color in mind. But, I decided to live on the edge and came home with Purple! Actually, it's Cascade 220 - #7811 Purple Jewel Heather. Can't find any photo online that show's the true color. They're all much too dark. I'm going to try to finish the vest before I start the FLS. Try.

Major Time Suck

I've just spent the past 3 hours updating my projects on Ravelry. Egad! But I'm caught up (as much as I care to be....)

Wish I could say the same for my genealogy projects. ;-}

On Ravelry as: jakkimitch

OTN Update

Busy times at the Mitch Manor. Little time for the computer and only a little more time for knitting. But, I do have two projects in the works:

1.) The Vest - started in January, the back is completed and I'm about half through one front panel. It's on hold as I work on:

2) A February Baby Sweater. For DD1's friends' baby due in August or Sept. (They know the date, I can't remember....) Details in a future post.

As my DS who lives down hill from The Rock (see photo at top of blog) says: I owe, I owe, so off to work I go.

March 09 Socks

Kirschnered the toes on these yesterday. I started them in January, but finished other projects first. Yummy soft and toasty warm these are :-)

Pattern: Started out with Priscilla's Dream Socks from Favorite Socks. But strayed (see "Project 2" in the January 24, 2009 OTN Update post.)

Yarn: Knit Picks Swish (DK) in Cinnamon and Nutmeg

Needles: US 3 [3.25 mm] on the upper legs, and US 2 [2.75mm] for the rest

Knit for: Me!!

Tea Contest entry

Not *MY* contest, tho.

Over at the Mason-Dixon Knitting blog, Kay is running a contest. I just logged on a few hours after she posted (and was something like the 346th comment!) The "contest" includes telling what your favorite tea is. Kay's is Yorkshire.

AND -- mine is Yorkshire!!! My current box came from my dear friend from over the pond. So, as proof... just in case anyone anywhere wants it... I photographed my box in front of the MDK blog and my comment box. As seen here :-)

Click on flashless photo to enlarge.

CIC Socks Feb 09

I *was* going to title this post: "The older I get...the faster time goes." But, that would only describe my current state of mind and not the actual content I want to post.

CIC socks - All I need is a big padded envelope and these will be ready to send. I've blogged the particulars previously. Here, here, here, here, and hmmm, must not have had a post about those blue ones.

We had a few inches of snow overnight, but the winds are howling [really] from the north. So I think the snow flying by my window probably fell in Minnesota. :-\

I have to work tomorrow [noon to 8 p.m.], so today is my whole weekend. Should I get busy and clean the house - or - get out my knitting and listen to a book on cd??

Actually, I'm going to try to do both. 30 mins of housecleaning and then 30 mins of knitting/audio book. When I'm done with my list of chores - it will be all knitting!! The local Salvation Army is having a craft day. I'd like to go. We'll see how my day goes.

Sunday Charity Knitting

Don't know how much knitting I'll do today. I actually finished a pair of socks for CIC yesterday. These were started two weeks ago and also based on the Magic 28 formula. Look HERE for details on the previous pair. The difference was in the needles.

Yarn: Patons' Classic Wool in Winter White + left over sock yarn: On-Line Supersocke 100/Sierra Color #896
Needles: size 6 US dpns
Knit for: CIC

I'd used size 4 dpns for the previous pair and size 6 for this pair, but decided size 5 would probably work out best. The only problem was that I only had one set of 4 dpns in size 5 and I prefer using five dpns for socks (or 2 circs). Enter Friday's road trip and a visit to Home Ec in Iowa City. I resisted the temptation to buy more yarn - although I squeezed nearly every ball and skein in the place. I purchased a set of five size 5 [US] dpns - bamboo by Crystal Palace.

Today's Sunday Knitting for Charity goal is to wind up (by hand) the yarn I Kool Aid dyed last week. Orange & Grape. The Orange is nice (for orange) and the grape is lovely in the right light.

But it looks a bit gray in my bedroom.... ??

Felted Slippers for CRR

I mailed these off several days ago to The Main - Youth Project at Cheyenne River Res. Kool Aid Dyed last year, finally finishing that batch. These are basic, cuffless, felted slippers.

The yellow ones are not as "done" as the others, but still felty-fluffy and thick-ish.

Portraits by Buster

I don't think there is a picture of me on this blog...until now. Buster, age 3 1/2, made this portrait of me a few days ago. I'm not sure if that's arms coming out of the side of my head, or the bows of my glasses.

He also drew one of himself: "That's me with my Rock Star hair," he said.

Grandsons are so much fun!

Breaking Tradition On Superbowl Sunday and CK

It's Superbowl Sunday! But, I'm not going to be participating in my annual Superbowl Event. Instead, I'm taking DD2, Sport & Buster to the 4 p.m. Bob the Builder (live) performance. After the show, the mama is going to the belated Christmas Party at her work and I'll bring the boys back here -- and hope I can see the last half of the game.

Usually my sentiment for the Superbowl is "May the team with the most points win." However, gosh, the Steelers are my third favorite team (after the Broncos and the Bears.) So I *would* be cheering for the Steelers today if it weren't for Kurt Warner. Sigh. Gotta go with Kurt Warner. Go Cardinals!! (Or... Steelers!)

If it's Sunday, I must be knitting for Charity. Today I'm working on another pair of kids' socks for CIC - similar to last week's pair. This one, using Patons' Classic Wool in Winter White along with left over On-Line Supersocke 100/Sierra Color #896 used for this pair of socks.

Sunday (& Monday) Charity Knitting

I started these socks for the current CIC project Sunday morning and would have finished them yesterday morning, if I hadn't had to go to work. But, Hey, I still have a job, so I can't complain!

They were finished last night - finished the 2nd heel flap and got half way through that foot at SnB. And then completed it later at home.

Yarn: One strand Patons Classic Wool in Winter White (worsted weight) and one strand of left over OPAL Petticoat #1295.
Needles: Size 4 [US] dpns
Pattern: based on the Magic 28 pattern found at NowNormaKnits. The leg has a top K1, P1 rib for 6 rows and then I switched to K3, P1. The foot is StSt.
Knit for: CIC