Good-bye 2007

The holidays are almost over, and a new year is about to begin. The family had great fun at Christmas time, Santa did find our stockings, and the kids are still playing with all of their new toys.

I received a lovely surprise from my friends Sheila and Michael: look at this lovely ornament that they made and how great it looks in our tree:

I will be a little sad to take down the tree this year, but I am looking forward to a fantastic new year 2008! Happy New Year to all!

The stockings are hung

The stockings are hung, the reindeer treats are scattered in the yard, will HE make a stop tonight?

Must be Santa...

Did you make your request?

Holiday Knitting

It's done!

Short Row Rib from Magknits, 3 years in the making. Gift for our first au pair who now lives in Sweden. Yarn - Kipparoo Farms Lustre Spun, 2 skeins variegated for the scarf, one skein solid for hat.


Prime Rib (Mistake Rib over a prime number of stitches); Knitty's Calorimetry. Gift for MIL. Yarn - 2 skeins Malibrigo Worsted in Crished Grapes.


Cable hat and fingerless mitts for DD. One skein of superwash from Brooks Farm, purchased at Stitches West. (Yarn was in stash for less than a year - this must be a new record!)


Cable hat for DS's Teacher. One skein of superwash from Brooks Farm, purchased at Stitches West. Same stash record as above.

Good yarn day

I literally snipped the yarn on the final bind off of the Short Row Rib Magknits scarf when the dog started bugling. I opened the door to not one but TWO boxes of yummy goodness. 10 skeins of O-wool from last week's Threadbear sale and 3 skeins of fabulous hand-dyed goodness from Spritely Goods. I am resisting the temptation to cast on tonight, for I have just a wee bit of holiday knitting left to do. Pictures of the scarf to follow once it is fringed, washed and blocked.

Paying it Forward

I found this on Angela's blog, and decided this is totally my cup of tea.

I will send a handmade gift to the first 3 people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join this PIF exchange. I don’t know what that gift will be yet and you may not receive it tomorrow or next week, but you will receive it within 365 days, that is my promise! The only thing you have to do in return is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog.

Now you all know that I love to knit, and spin. Depending on who signs up, I can see lots of great gift ideas in my future. And let's face it, who doesn't love to receive a random, handmade gift? So leave me a comment if you would like to receive a suprise within the next year, and if you are willing to pay it forward.

Too happy to....

When's the last time you were too happy to do something?

Last night around dinner time the little guy wanted to blow Halloween bubbles. Don't know what Halloween bubbles are? They are a teeny tiny black container of bubbles at the bottom of the candy bag. Go check your kids' haul. Yep, that's the one - right there at the bottom.

Anyway, back to the story. I am sure little guy was shocked when I agreed to go blow the bubbles with him - right now. After all, it was dinner time. We were heading out front to blow bubbles in the dark when the lightbulb went off over my head. We went into the garage instead (it's lighter in there), and since one car was gone we were able to use that space to blow bubbles. It took me about 5 min and much muttering and a broken nail to get the lid popped open. When I handed the bubbles to LG, he had the biggest grin on his face and said, trying to blow,

"I can't, I'm too happy!"

Wow. I was floored. I couldn't think of the last time I was too happy to be able to do something, if ever. How about you? When's the last time you were too happy?

Happy Halloween

For all the Mom's out there

I found this on Redhead Ramblings' blog. It's so funny, I have tears streaming down my face.

Stormy weather

We survived our first windstorm of the season last night. We had high winds for sure, but not a lot of blown trees around our neck of the woods. They all came down last year when we were without power for 8 days. I was just getting ready to head out and do some errands today when I heard it pouring on the roof. The rain is coming down in buckets and we even had thunder. Wow, we never get thunderstorms in the PNWet. Usually, it's just gray and drizzly. So I will stay in for now and treat my dear readers to some photos. That is, if there are any dear readers left.

First up, we have "Where's the Bagel?" Bagel is the most understanding, composed model, as long as the USPS man is not at the door. Aside - thanks Mom - he LOVES it!
All knitting pictures in this post are clickety click to embiggen. This hat is the Utopia pattern from smarieknits. She's got some great hat and scarf patterns on her yahoo group if you are ever looking for ideas. This hat, once the daog hairs are picked out, is a gift for a lucky recipient this Christmas. Someone with a really cold head ;-)

Man, it's pouring buckets!

Next on the list of items to show is my progress on the Sonnet cardigan. I started this in a different color combination and there was just too much contrast. Lucky for me, Stitches East happened and SSJ (super shopper Jackie) was able to find me this decadent tonal blue to go with the blue/brown variegated. I cast on immediately when the yarn arrived and have been stockinetting ever since. Progress is smooth.

And finally, I picked back up the "A Cardigan for Arwen" while I was waiting for the new Sonnet yarn. Progress is exceptionally slow. I don't enjoy the cable which has a cable crossing every right side row. I'm more of a lazy cabler, the utopia hat had a cable crossing every 6th row! .

What else is going on? Barb and I are planning to meet at Village Yarn and Tea for a Louet trunk show tonight. Sam, will we be seeing you there?

This weekend will be filled with hopefully a trip to the pumpkin patch, weather permitting. If the weather does not cooperate, well, we have gone to the mud patch before to get pumpkins. I think the kids actually prefer it. Birthday parties, girl scout campfires, and a spin in at Kelsey Creek. I think DH has some time scheduled for diving or at least a class as well. Busy times.

I leave you with a picture of the cutest turtle ever, and yes, I am biased.

Ravelry

I'm knitting4sanity on ravelry. If I know you, please friend me!

I was showing ravelry to my husband last night, and he was not impressed. "That's a social engineering website" he says. OK, so I guess since I am not out there dating, I was unaware of the social engineering movement. I'm glad that I came out from under that rock.

Ravelry is the coolest thing since glass needles, in my book.

The arrival of Autumn

Fall arrived early in the Pacific NorthWet, and along with it came a cold. The entr fably hab been sik and now I thin I got it toooo. Achhoo!

It's been rainy and cold, as you have probably read about on other PNW blogs. The sun peeked its pretty head out for 5 minutes this afternoon, and DH was kind enough to snap a few pics of some FO's. He's never one to turn down a photo opportunity.

Here's a better picture of the Victorian Shoulderette, previously featured here. This shoulderette pattern by Sivia Harding is knit with yarn I spun from a roving purchased from the Artful Ewe.


Next up is a mistake rib stitch scarf knit from a singles yarn from Peru. Doesn't it look like reptile skin?


A birthday gift for my SIL is modeled by DD. The scarf is a free pattern on the web, and the head scarf is Calorimetry from knitty. I hope she likes it!


Finally, Ene's scarf from Scarf Style, more like a shawl, knit in the yarn called for, Blackberry Ridge laceweight.

Princess Feet

Did you ever wonder what princess feet look like? Wonder no more....



Socks courtesy of Grandma.

Old Friends are True Friends

While in Sweden, we were able to meet up with our very first au pair and her family for a lovely dinner in a traditional Swedish neighborhood. Their house and all their neighbors back into a triangular shaped lot that is open to the community and houses a playground. I really love this design, as it keeps all of the kids away from the street, and it makes it impossible for strangers to see the kids because you have to pass through a home to get to this shared park area. Lovely. The kids really enjoyed playing on the swings and in the sandbox. As the evening drew near and it started to get chilly, we moved inside to visit. Here you can see Linnea didn't miss a beat in getting down on the floor to play Playmobil with Alex. Linnea, you are such a sweetheart, thanks to you and your family for welcoming us into your home for the evening. It's so nice to renew old friendships.

Look at this beauty!

The reason we planned the trip to Sweden is that it was my MIL's birthday. A significant birthday, but I am not at liberty to say which one. (wink) My good friend and fabulous glass designer, Sheila, picked out a very special bead from her collection and made it into a necklace as a gift for a very special lady. Doesn't she look great?!

The Month of August

Whew - what a whirlwind! The month of August just flew by. Here are a couple pictures to show the events. You can also view Mom's blog to see more about what we did when she visited us in Seattle.

The month started with a very cold birthday party:


Then there was the intro to T-Ball:


And some fires that needed putting out:


Evidently some knitting was accomplished in between the TBall and the cold swimming:



Then there was the trip to Sweden which warrants it's own blog post. Suffice it to say that we met Pippi Longstocking:


And her horse:


And some wild cats:




And then finally, the day all parents have been waiting for since about mid-July - the first day back to school:



WooHoo!

IK Fall Preview

It's up.

Tangled Yoke cardigan. Need I say more?

True Blue(berry) Friends

When faced with reality, only true friends will help you out:



Barb is even letting me test out her new lazy kate. I am truely blessed to have wonderful, supportive friends.


Now, on to the plying:


Yummy blueberry yarn:

Did you get yours?

As is often true with childrens gifts, sometimes the box itself is worth the price of the toy.

I've been bizzie

1 finished sock
2 color blocks
3 good friends
size 4 needles
5 new books
6 restarts
7 weeks no blogging
8 not much longer
9 ?????????
10 days til Mom arrives

Maybe I will even post photos (tomorrow).

Meme and Dulaan-a-thon

You know I am not much for meme's, especially after the "weird facts about yourself" meme. But a new blogger tagged me, and then Mel tagged me, and well, what the heck! Here goes:

Each person tagged gives 7 random facts about themselves. Those tagged need to write on their blogs 7 facts, as well as the rules of the game. You need to tag seven others and list their names on your blog. You have to leave those you plan on tagging a note in their comments so they know that they have been tagged and need to read your blog.

Facts about me:

1. I stayed up way too late last night doing this.
2. It takes me 3 hours and a 16oz. non-decaf to knit a child size hat after 9pm.
3. I am not very sociable after 9pm. Good friends understand and forgive.
4. I never attended a Maryland Wool and Sheep festival until I had moved away from the area.
5. I have a very large stash retirement savings account.
6. I love all of my stash, and have a hard time selling or swapping any of it.
7. I still love to play in the sprinkler.

If you haven't done this meme yet and feel so inclined, consider yourself tagged!

Mitts for Mary

Read about it here.


I'll post the specs tomorrow, right now I have to get ready for a 3rd grade author's party.

Doggie Heaven On Earth

Bagel experienced a new kind of ecstasy when "I Don't Feel Like Blogging Anymore" Barb brought over HER fleece for a little demo in fleece washing. Please note this is HER fleece, not mine. Kim brought her lovely children over to distract play with mine, and to discipline the dog.

Barb: First you lay it out, and look for any second cuts or VM, and you pick those out.

Bagel: First you lay it out, take a gentle sniff, and then dive in!

Bagel: When you find a particularly smelly part, you roll around in it.

Kim: No more sheep for you, bad boy.

The fleece was a small 3 pounds, so we divided it into two laundry bags.

And gently dipped it into a steamy bath of hot water and Kookabura wool scour.

We wanted to test whether the wool scour worked any better than plain old Dawn dishwashing detergent, so we filled a second tub with hot steamy water and added two big squirts of Dawn.

Jen: I knew there was a reason we've moved this tub from house to house to house to house.
After about a half hour, we gently raised the fleece out of the water, and let it drain. Refilled the tubs with soapy/Kookabura wash, and repeated.

After two washes, we did a rinse in the laundry tub and then tried to spin the fleece in the washer. This is where Jen realized she needs a new wash machine, as this one cannot spin without a rinse cycle, which is what you need to do when it comes to fleece spinning.
At this point we abandonded all hope, left the fleece in a tub for Barb to take home and spin, and we moved on to the next experiment - Mike's Hard Lime drink. Oh, and someone got a lesson in drum carding.

What A Day! Thanks Barb and Kim for a fun afternoon!

Imagine this

The server's down. The one that hosts my blog photos. But that's ok, because I have a totally awesome husband who will get the thing back up and running, I know it. I am very lucky to have that kind of confidence in my personal computer engineer's abilities. Plus, the same server hosts his dive photos, so you know it will be working soon . The server's back up!

Imagine this:

A freshly spun skein of a lovely natural colored gray yarn, blowing in the breeze on my back deck. Now for the close up - oh - there are two skeins! One is a beautifully spun two ply, very light and lofty. The other is a fat single, or at least is trying to be a fat single. Hey, I suppose I wouldn't want to be a fat single either. Badum bum.



I bought a pound of this lovely gray roving at the Whidbey Island spin in, from Heidi at the Artful Ewe. At first I thought it was BFL, but the more I think about it, it could be Shetland. I'll have to send her a mail and ask if she recalls what she was selling. Anyway, my goal was to practice spinning a two ply worsted weight yarn, and a fat single. Mom gifted me with some lovely roving in MD that I will spin and return to her to be knit. Plus, I have some Great Balls of Fire that I'd like to spin into a fat single, ala Manos or Malabrigo, and knit myself a cooshy scarf. Practice, practice, practice.

Spinning

Wow, that's an inspiring title, isn't it?

This weekend I went to the NWRSA group 2060 spinning meeting with friends Barb and Sam. I was inspired to finish up 6 oz of merino/tencel purchased at the Whidbey Island spin in. The problem is I forgot to bring the bobbin with the first 3 oz of spun fiber. So no plying for me.

Last night I was able to ply, and this morning I wound the yarn onto the niddy noddy. 225 wraps on the niddy noddy is about 375 yards. The yarn still needs a bath and then to hang to dry. I'm thinking about making a Gothic Lace Scarf with this.

Summer in Seattle

Blink and you will miss it.


The Shetland Triangle shawl, in it's unblocked glory.

I am waiting for my blocking kit from knitpicks to arrive.