Zoe Mellor Corrections

Hi everyone....well, ya'll know about the problems I have had with the Zoe Mellor patterns in her 2 books and how I have had a TERRIBLE time getting the publishing company to contact me. Then when they DID contact me, several people from several places contacted me all with different information. Well, I finally heard back from the UK company that had sold the publishing companies here the books. I spoke with a Katy Denny the other day from the UK and she sent me the pattern corrections for the Adorable Knits for Tots book. I have YET to have anyone send me them for the Knitted Toys book.

Well, anyways, I had asked permission to post the correction sheet she sent me to the Adorable Knits for Tots book and she said yes, so I am now posting it for ya'll.





PAGE 32
Lacy sweater - Back -
edging ratios are 14(16:18:19)
PAGE 52
Funky Tank Top - Tension/gauge -
20 sts and 28 rows to 10cm/4in
PAGE 60
Pirate Sweater - Sizes -
6-12 mths 1-2 2-3 4-5
PAGE 62
Pirate sweater: rib instructions should read as follows:
Rep last 2 rows until rib measures 3(4:4:5)cm / 11/4(11/2:11/2:2)in from cast-on edge, ending with a 1st rib row.
PAGE 92
Chunky cable sweater
6th row should read 'as 2nd row' (not 4th)
P 126
Cabled hat with earflaps
Earflaps 11th row should read: K5, p1, C6F, p1, k5





Ok ya'll, I TRULY hope this helps you so you don't get into the pickle that I got into and once again, thank you Jennifer, you are a really good person!!!





Now onto some knitting/yarn chat. For those of you who know me and have to listen to my incessant chatter regarding yarns and what ones I am DYING to have *grin* then you KNOW how bad I have been wanting to get my paws on some of the new Vicki Howell series by SouthWest Trading Company....well, I scoured!! I am soooooo excited to get my shipment and of course I will give a full review *giggle* when it comes and I get my little paws on it. I got it at WEBS http://yarn.com/webs/0/0/0/0-0-1294/0/1130/ Believe me, I have checked ALL the places and they are either sold out OR they have only a VERY small supply with LIMITED colors. WEBS had it all, it was the motherload and I found myself breaking out into a cold sweat the MINUTE I logged on. I did call them first to make sure they did indeed have what I wanted in stock and I HIGHLY recommend that with your purchases to ANY store, not just WEBS, trust me, it creates ALOT less heartache LOL.





WEBS was GREAT, I *heart* them. I have been waiting for this yarn to launch, I am a HUGE fan of Vicki Howell and I watch her show EVERY night (I tivo it) and I also watch the Stylishish show with her as well. Well, from watching this and reading her site, I just couldn't WAIT to try this. The milk fiber/cotton has me the most intrigued, I can't wait....did I say that already LOL.





Ok, also, on the knitting front, Mister Man has talked me into knitting him a hat like Miss Priss (they were REALLY ornery today can ya tell) with the tassel BUT he wants it out of this green Katia Diana yarn. It has angora in it and I decided to try it and see if I TRULY am allergic to it. It seems I wondered if I am allergic to angora because awhile back I had some yarn that had it and also some fiber and when I came in physical contact with it, well, I develop this horrible rash AND I get a SPLITTING headache. So, I thought, there is only one way to test this, I would not have wanted to test it if people kept telling me that I wasn;t truly allergic to it, that being allergic to angora was impossible. Guess what, I just took a Benedryl right before I started this blog entry and I have a LOVELY set of red bumps all over me AND my headache is letting up. Guess I do truly have a problem with it. That's ok though, I wasn't loving knitting the hat in this yarn, it just looked off ya know. While Mister Man will be sad tomorrow when I tell him, believe me, I am not lacking for yarn for him to go through. He wants "grass green"..don't ask, he's cute, but VERY persistent! See what I mean, he is on the computer in the family room and he is playing online at toontown.com with his classmate and best friend Jacob. Well, Jacob was winning LOL. Actually, this is one of my FAVORITE pictures of him because he has JUST now started playing "online" computer games with us supervising of course. It is so sweet watching him get so excited, his friend's parents urged us to take him to the site, it is VERY secure and VERY safe and child friendly. They can't even "instant message" except to each other with parental passwords and the sayings are pre-typed, they have to choose one. Anyways, it is worth the fee for joining it. I HIGHLY recommend the site.

Well, it is the end of February, my dad's birthday and of course a month away from April, this is when I start talking and I KEEP talking............please,please, PLEASE always read this and keep ALL of it in the back of your mind when you have family moments.

April is Autism Awareness month..............please, be aware.
My son is Autistic, he is one 1.5 million Americans diagnosed with Autism. Here are just a few facts that I will periodically post until May. Autism is a national crisis, a child is diagnosed every 20 minutes in America. If you love someone with Autism or you know someone who has been touched by this disorder then you KNOW that you are NEVER prepared for a child with Autism. It can tear your family apart. Little things like smiles and hugs can be things you long for from your child. Autism is the fastest growing disability in America, this TRULY breaks my heart. We LIVE it, we BREATH it and most of all, we love someone with Autism. Please take time to learn a little bit regarding this disorder and talk about it, pray for it, and help spread the word. With more and more recognition, it brings all of us closer to more research and hopefully, a cure someday. It is NEVER to late. Thank you for listening. Look at Mister Man and tell me how I can turn my back on fighting like hell to find a cure!!

TOOT,TOOT, that's the sound of a horn

tooting itself...........nope, not for me, but for Susan Anderson, the author of Itty Bitty hats LOL.

This is the 3rd hat I have made from it and I LOVE it the best. It is sooo sweet. I am planning on making several more, but I haven

t cast on for another yet, I will do that tonight probably, I have some MoreHouse Merino that is SCREAMING at me....... (WhoreHouse) don't be offended by that , if you have knit with this yarn before, then you KNOW what I mean, it is sooo luscious, THAT'S what I turn into using it LOL.

Anyways, I gotta say, this is gonna be a hard pattern to beat! Look how cute. I used Knit Picks http://www.knitpicks.com/ yarn for all the stripes,it's called Merino Style, it's DK weight and it is a nice merino wool. It's a little pilly but for kids garments, I can see it being a nice yarn. I have used it for felting before too and I really do like the way it felts. It is nice and smooth and is relatively fast at it. I did adjust it a teeny weeny bit because I wanted more of a ribbing band on it so I made it alot longer than the pattern called for and I like it MUCH better.....

Well, here is my update regarding Zoe Mellor's 2 books...you all know the help Jennifer is giving me and so far, not a return call OR email from Krause....ALTHOUGH, I did speak with a Suzanne from Krause's sister company and she was calling on the Knitted Toy book....(I left her several messages) She told me that not only did the company SHE works for but the other company, Krause, bought her books from a place in the UK....soooooooooo, it will be up to THEM to fix this. She did give me a persons email there and she is going to see what her office is supposed to do and call me back. I emailed the company in the UK and so far have not yet heard back from them but I figured it is only fair to give them several hours to read their emails and stuff. Anyways, I'll keep you updated. Thanks for all of your support and I also want to say how cool it is that I have met alot of other "knitters/bloggers" because of this and you are all so cool. Oh, and WOW are ya'll talented, thanks for the pictures.

Knitter's RULE!!!!!

Thank you all, your unbelieveably AWSOME!

Hi everyone. I NEED to post this so I hope I don't bore ya'll. First off, it is REALLY obvious that I am upset with a recent purchase of knit patterns (books) and the errors and not being able to get corrections for them. Welllllllllll, THANK YOU to every single one of you who have emailed me and responded to me with either help or with knowing exactly how I feel. I am AMAZED at how kind the knitting community is. I am stunned at how helpful strangers are. I am even shocked at your genuine concern for the fact that I am trying to knit something and am hung up and your trying so hard to help me. I just am astonished by all of you. Your all AMAZING! Thank you from the bottom of my heart and I am soooo lucky and glad I am a knitter.

I will continue to update on this issue but as of tonight, sadly, Krause Publishing has NOT done as promised and they have not returned a phone call explaining why. I feel really bad for Zoe Mellor, the reason I do, she is obviously a VERY talented designer, her patterns and books are adorable but I for one, will no longer purchase her items because of this and PLEASE know that it is NOT because she had pattern errors, I mean, yes, that is a bit nerving, it is because there is no accessible way to get corrections or information on them. I still am not sure I was clear on WHY I was angry, it isn't because there are errors, although there seem to be alot of patterns that have errors , it is truly because it gets soooooo irritating when you run into the error and then you try and get the corrections and you get NOWHERE. There is no place to call with info, no place to email, it is just ridiculous to me. So anyways, I just had to restate that.

Also, I want to take special notice to one "blogger" and knitter in particular who has gone literally out of her way to help me.....it is Jennifer from http://loopyknitter.wordpress.com/
Please check out her blog, which I am sure all of you already have.......she is so sweet,not to mention that she has her hands full with a Teenie Beanie too, and her help and her kindness will always be so very special for me. She is a VERY gifted knitter as I am sure ya'll know but some of her photography on her blog is amazing. Like I said, do yourself a favor for your eyes, if you have not yet been to her site, you have GOT to go, take a look at her photo's, sooooo pretty!!!
Again, thanks Jennifer, you are so nice to be doing all this for me.

Ok, now, with all of THAT out of the way....here is a weather, report *giggle*, we're supposed to get an ice and snow storm and ya know what, we'll prolly get it cuz I didn't go get diapers and such, funny story, everyone in my family SWEARS that every time we get a weather scenario like this, I go to the grocery for diapers and necessities and then the storm NEVER hits. Well, I didn't go on the Valentine's Day storm, nor did I go for this LOL....sorry, heehee!!


Happy Knitting Ya'll.

I am SO Upset

What a perfect place to let it be known. I purchased TWO BOOKS BY Zoe Mellor. I believe if you scroll down my blog an entry or two, you'll see the titles BUT here they are none the less.....

Knitted Toys 25 fresh and fabulous designs
Adorable Knits for Tots 25 stylish designs for babies and toddlers.

Well, this will be the LAST time I buy ANY book that I have not been able to research online and locate any website or place to go for pattern corrections. This is such poor customer relations that I can't even begin to word what I truly think. I find as a consumer that I should have a right to be able to have a location or at least a phone number to be able to call to locate SOMEONE who knows what the HECK they are doing when it comes to items THEY are either publishing, selling, stocking,promoting, WHATEVER you wanna call it.......BUT lemme first say that I also feel VERY strongly that as a PATTERN WRITER/Designer, whatever you wanna call it. YOU have an obligation to ME to make sure that your pattern is accurate and correct. THIS is your job and you need to make sure you have delegated out enough test knitters,crotcheters,sewers,ect. for each and EVERY pattern you so call design.

THIS IS YOUR JOB. I am PAYING you for your service, I DEMAND top knotch quality for my money. If I sound angry, I AM!!! This has happened to me repeatedly regarding books and patterns and I am dangerously close to just tossing it all to the wind. I am sick of it. I am a bit of a novice knitter to start with so I understand that many times the mistakes fall on my abilities in either pattern reading or in my abilities in my craft of choice, this case, knitting...BUT come ON people, mistakes from YOUR end is just not acceptable. I'm sorry, but it just isn't. You either need to get new knitters/crotcheters,sewers or whatever or MORE so you can have several people doing the same pattern cuz lemme tell ya somethin' ya'll, it JUST is NOT working the way your doing it NOW.

I am TRYING to find out how to get the TRUE pattern corrections for her book because the error is NOT on my part, and no, it is NOT a typo either. I am not unreasonable, I even understand typos but these are just darn ERRORS that I am fired up about. THEY ARE WRONG DIRECTIONS or, my personal favorite, they are MISSING COMPLETELY, what, am I supposed to just use my imagination cuz THAT is just dangerous ya'll.

I have contacted the publishing of the Adorable Knits book and have spoke to a Chris and he was SUPPOSED to send me the sheet that contains those corrections.....THAT was over an hour ago and I am STILL waiting on my "IMMEDIATE EMAIL". I will keep you posted on that as well. I have not found ANY info on the Knitted Toy book though and am pretty much ready to return the book for my money back.

This is not only to Zoe Mellor.....but ALL designers, what a shame this occurs. Zoe, your patterns are just adorable but how the heck can I knit them correctly when you have no accessible (and believe me, I am a very resourceful gal, I KNOW how to look).....place for someone to get the CORRECTIONS. I am saddened that this doesn't seem to be a top priority. This should be your first concern, other than making sue there ARE no errors but hey, it's an imperfect world right. I for one, have refused to purchase several designers patterns no matter how cute they are for this very reason, looks like I have more to add to my list!!! If I run out of patterns, then I'll switch crafts to one that DOES have the consumer at heart!

Ok, now with that said, thanks!!

Is it a back-pack or is it something else...you decide *evil laugh*

Okie dokie, Now keep in mind, I am in NO way a techno-geek AT ALL. Personally, if there was a pink computer and mouse, I'd be all over it LOL. That's about as far as yer gonna get with me and technology...knitting, well now, that isn't even fair LOL. Anyways, back to the topic at hand, this is in no way knitting related so feel free to not read LOL.

This is a backpack that King1 picked out, at first sight, NOPE I did NOT like it, I think it is...well....ugly and yes, I was not happy about it at all. I even think I commented on why he didn't pick something cuter out........well, what this ugly duckling carries IS cute.....




Don't mind Mikaela's feet in the photo LOL She is such a ham LOL. This is the cutie that lives in the ugly bag. I haven't named it yet but I will. I did name the bag and it's name is Ottis. I'll keep ya posted on what the laptop's name is....I am leaning towards Daisy but haven't settled...well, I just wanted to share with ya'll.

Oh and if anyone knows how I can find pattern corrections for the Zoe Mellor's book, see post below. Thanks ya'll. Happy Knitting!!!

pictures here,pictures there, pictures EVERYWHERE!!!

There is the latest hat I made from the Itty Bitty Hat Book by Susan B Anderson!!!!! Loovvveesss it!! My friend told me to check for pattern corrections before making any though and she is right. If you google it , a page will pop up and you can just print it out and staple it to your book so you have them right there. There aren't very many and they are nothing to drastic but there ARE some. It is REALLY easy to find them though. The ones I am having a hard time locating are the 2 books by Zoe Mellor that I just got. I want to google and see if there are any corrections BEFORE I start to knit any of the patterns and I have tried and tried to google to find a website and can't for the life of me...If ANYONE has any suggestions on how to do this or where to go, PLEASE, PLEASE let me know.

Nowwwwww onto the 2 new items that popped into our house yesterday!!! The pink and purple trike is of course Mikaela's but Mason, who has been waiting so patiently FINALLY picked up his scooter and he LOVES it! You should have seen it, he was sooooo thrilled.He actually did REALLY good on it, I thought for sure he would be breaking his neck with-in the first 5 minutes but nope, he'll go at least 5 hours *wink* nahhhhh, he was really good at it. I am happy he likes it. Happy Birthday Mason, I love you.

7 root canal's and the crowns later....................

and I produced an adorable hat LOL........I'm feeling a bit under the weather today and (yesterday and Saturday LOL) PLUS I had a 6 hour surgery on Saturday, it was supposed to be 8 but they stopped at 6!! Thank GAWD!
I had what we THOUGHT was an abscess tooth, turned out to be several and some other problems OY VEY :( They needed to operate and do it NOW so my doctor did it on Saturday, his and the scrub nurses day off. I think that was so great! He is really a great doctor and VERY competent.
Anyways, to spare ya'll the details, it was alot worse than anyone knew and because I have a heart problem it kind of complicated things a bit...long story short, I had 7 root canals done but one of them is still open to drain ....YUCK!!!!! My face is swollen like a chipmunk and this is the first I have felt like typing. I miss my friends and I wanted to see what all of you are up to so here I am.
Friday I did however finish this cute hat from the Itsy Bitsy hat book. ...I didn't have the right colors the pattern called for and truthfully, I am way to cheap to go out and buy it LOL so I thought I would just use up what I have. I had originally purchased 6 skeins of cotton for a particular hat in that book but when I started to get ready to knit the hat and I REALLY examined it, I wasn't pleased with it and realized it just wasn't going to be my "style" of hat to make........NOW I was stuck with 6 skeins of cotton yarn and not sure what to do with it, well, DUH, make another hat out of the book silly!!! so I picked out this one and 2 others, actually, if truth be told, there are only maybe 2-3 hats that I DON'T plan on making out of it. I like the book, it is cute and clever. Alot of the hats are the same basic hat but with top embelishments ect., right up my alley. I can embellish and make it totally different and I just love that. I can get creative by using the books ideas and patterns. Personally, I LOVE the book and HIGHLY recommend it to everyone. It kind of looks like a strawberry to me but oh well. The yarn is Cotton Fleece by Brown Sheep Co. and ya know what.....I like it. I am finding more and more yarns that I like that are not wool. I was such a wool snob LOL. I would have bet money I would ONLY like wool, well, nope, I like a few other things LOL.

Now here is the little Miss Princess who will be sporting that "strawberry/flower hat" LOL...and yup, she LOVES it!!

Have a happy knitting week everyone.

The Puppet Master ;)

And there they are. We have several of them I know LOL We have an elephant, tweety bird,Winnie the Pooh, 2 monkies,Barney,a cute bunny, Tigger a puppy, Santa, Piglet, lady bug, dolphin, Ali the aligator.....and I think that pretty much clears it up. I dunno which are my favorites. Believe it or not, the kids favorites are NOT Winnie the Pooh LOL. I thought it would be but nope! THIS is the hat from Mission Falls that I was knitting up again. I love this pattern, it is soooo fun. It's easy and it can be memorized easy but the results are nice:)
I am sure some of you out there could knit it up in a day because it is so easy but I am kind of slow and it takes me a few days of continual kniting but even at that, I think that is pretty fast for a knitted item. I now have a few cotton hats I am gonna be knitting from that book Itty Bitty hats, although the original hat I was going to make from there that turned out to be a bust! After I started knitting the brim and REALLY looking at the pattern, it just wasn't practical for a 3 year old no matter how cute it APPEARED to look at first glance.

I am now starting to SEE patterns and problems, albeit a little slower than I'd like LOL. Oh, as with anything, practice makes perfect.....and gives you a darn good stash ;)

Happy knitting and snow-playing!!!

P.S. Photos

Look at this snow......since the picture was taken this afternoon, we have had ALOT more snow fall...stay safe everyone.....Thanks blogger for being a poopy head!!!

Okie Dokie...........I know, first off, the play room is a DISASTER area LOL....sorry mom LOL....secondly, King 1 looks like he is on a SERIOUS binge LOL.....but trust me, he just blinked LOL....and yup, Mason won LOL......he attacked it LOL...
Then there is THIS.......the puppet theater...........true artists we are not, so what LOL......but THIS has been a TON of fun. It is really just a cardio glide cardboard box painted and then some red velvet for curtains is hung up and the rods are attatched to a teeny sliver of wood on each end, just enough so the screws can have something to anchor to. the chalk board piece is that self sticking and is soooooooooooo fun! The theater is filled with puppets but I never thought to take pictures of THOSE LOL, I will tomorrow I promise.

Winter Wonderland..and a teeny vent

Ok, I KNOW how much I hate this when other people do it, but I have nowhere else to vent and well, it isn't like I am the most popular blog out there anyways so the chances of millions of people reading it are slim to none LOL...I have a few of you who read it and I just love you, how or why you do it, I'll never know but I have certainly made several very nice and talented friends from this....*waving to ya'll* so feel free to skip this part......*sigh* I'll never for the life of me understand why some people seem to feel a need to be the best,the smartest,the most this, the most that and no matter WHAT someone else seems to say.....some people ALWAYS have to say things like "well, I how to do it better or MY way is ALWAYS best or I know more than you on this, I am not only intellectually far more superior BUT I am also physically better in every way, all the way down to the way I dress!!!" I mean, I am sure we all know someone like this but I just don't get it.
I can't for the life of me figure out WHY they feel the need to be that way. First of all, it IS hurtful to the opposite person who is trying NOT to smack their face off, secondly, it is just MEAN!!! I KNOW I am not the smartest,or the best at anything, but seriously, is it ALWAYS necessary to ram it right down my throat every time you turn around?? People like this make me so sad, honestly, they do. I don't know what I have ever done to make them feel they NEED to behave that way with me nor do I LIKE the way they behave when they are around me...*sigh* Personally, I have ALWAYS prided myself on NEVER hurting someone, especially by making them feel like they are less than anyone. Geesh, I mean...just geesh!


Ok, enough of that......I know, I can see some of ya'll *wink* sayin' "Suck it up Deb" LOL...I am...all is over now, how great it is to vent LOL....now onto some cool pictures.... We are in the middle of a MASSIVE snow storm. If you knew or know me, you KNOW how excited I am and you can just imagine how much I am bouncing around even while typing this. We already have something like 7 inches NOW and it is coming down at lightening speeds. It's GORGEOUS!! I LOVE it. I hoep everyone is safe and well but OMG, I have waited all season for this, my kids are SQUEALING with delight. I will be taking them out to make snowmen and to sled ride. I can't WAIT!

In the meantime, people have been worrying and saying to me things like, "Oh my goodness, my kids are going NUTS. They have NOTHING to do, how am I gonna keep them occupied for another snowday". To be honest, I am DUMBFOUNDED!! My kids ARE indeed inside today (I happen to have an abcessed tooth and am awaiting proper dental treatment) BUT they are completely occupied!! Take a look.....


Ok, well, because blogger is being a complete weeny-weeny!!!! I can't post pictures witht his post...have I said before that blogger ticks me off? I'll post them in a P.S.

OOPS...P.S.

Oh geesh, I can't BELIEVE I forgot to show ya'll THIS. Now all you PRO-SEWERS turn your heads......I am by NO means a good stitcher NOR am I experienced AT all. I have made a mini-quilt for my kids and mini sewing such as buttons and such. I am just now playing around again only for fun. Heck I just found the button hole stitch on my sewing machine, COOL!!!!

This happens to be a pair of Miss Priss's jeans that she outgrew but still LOVED and I wanted to do something with them so she would stop crying to wear them. I thought, "I'll make a tote for her". This way she could still carry them around. After 4 days and trying to figure it out, I came up with this. I wanted the lining because I thought it looked neater and cleaner and I ripped the handles out once so I could stick them INSIDE the lining instead of outside. I just thought it looked cleaner ya know.

Now I know the stitching is a bit on the messy side and I need to REALLY work on the clean lines and stuff but I have to say, I am pretty proud of this LOL.

Hope ya'll enjoy, and any tips for sewing for the next project is GREATLY appreciated :)

It feels like the first time......

That I have seen snow this year...well, it actually HAS been the first time, at least for any measureable amount!! Isn't it pretty. This is the view from my front porch, there is our barn and the GORGEOUS snow!!Ok, now onto some knitting, sorry I have been gone so long BUT not without photos *grin* plus, our computer took a ...well...how should I say it...CRAP!!! My husband is shopping right now as I type for our new one..this one will be for the kids. A friend of my husband's fixed it again, but it will be for them and for emegencies!Now onto some knitting...... This is yet another Seaman's hat (see post below for pattern site) The yarn I am using is Mission Falls and yes, I STILL love it. I am making this one for our neighbor. He is older and I ALWAYS am watching him load his wheelbarrel full of wood and he trucks it through the yard and down the hill and he only wears a hood. I feel so bad for him, I don't know WHY he is not wearing a hat. Especially in FRIGID weather like this. So I decided to make him one....he'll have to wear if not for obligation needs heehee.....there is a method to my madness!!This is a swatch of Mission Falls, I don't know what it is going to be though. I was looking through one of those perpetual calandar's that my husband got me and it has a pattern for each day. Well, I have been googling at this braid one for weeks and just decided to swatch it to see if I can do it. I can do it LOL. I don't like the darkness of the yarn because it makes it hard for ME to see it but when I look at it under the light I LOVE it LOL....I think I am gonna frog it and put it onto something light colored, what do ya'll think? Now THIS is a beauty, it is from a book I just got called Itty Bitty Hats and little Miss Priss LOVES it so I am doing this when I am done with her bolero. WHICH by the way I am done with the back and left front sections and am now working on the right front. I will then have the sleeves to do. I didn't photograph it cuzz I HATE to unroll that pesky st. stitch. I figured I would take another picture when I could have more hands to hold it OR when I seamed it. Ok, I know this has nothing to do with knitting but this has been a little obsession of mine lately, it is the cranberry depression glass. It actually is the aburgine or whatever (can ya tell I am new at this LOL). A family member had recently started collecting it at Christmas and I kind of really liked alot of the pieces for my dining room so I have been looking here and there for it. I found this last week and I LOVED it so I brought it home:) The bottom of it is the orangy part and then it blends into the red. It is such a pretty candy dish. I love it. I am now onto a hunt for more of either the red or orange!

Ok, I think I am done now heehee...at least for a bit. I just wanted to also say that I missed all of you while I was gone and am catching up on all the yumminess I have missed while out of commision, WHILE drinking a nice warm cup of tea;)

Tea for Two, me and you la de da la de da...

Yes, you guessed it, my latest addiction LOL. Those who know me, know I am a HUGE Pepsi addict. It is sooo bad (which truthfully, this next statement is no different than what coffe drinkers do) that I would get up and IMMEDIATELY have a Pepsi before functioning. Well, not only because it is just soo unhealthy and honestly, the Pepsi is the only unhealthy thing I eat or drink, I also need to replace it for medical issues soooo after chatting with my friends and shopping I picked TEA!!! I had originally bought the Celestial Seasonings Mandarin Orange Spice Spice and the Celestial Seasonings Rasberry Zinger BUT one of my girlfriends brought me a BIG ol' stash she had of all kinds, from calming and tummy digestive to sleepytime. She likes green teas too and had several different kinds, she said her absolute FAVORITE and the BEST (her opinion LOL) is the top tea called STASH. She bought me a seperate box because she didn't have any to part with LOL. It's funny because Mikaela LOVES it too and now everytime I have a cup of tea, so does she. Her pediatrician said its really good for her just don't put sugar in it which I don't because she HATES sugar LOL. Anyways, I must say, it is VERY relaxing, it smells WONDERFUL and is delicious too. I am VERY happy I have switched drinks from bad to good:) I bet tea won't clean a penny with its acid LOL. So, c'mon over ya'll, have a cup o' tea and we'll sit a spell and chat!

Ok, Now onto knitting heehee!

Isn't he adorable, this is Mason and his brand new hat. He LOVES it. He picked out the color and off I went. He now wants a SAPHIRE color of the same style. The saphire seems to be his latest color craze (he goes in stages) so I promised him I would get right on it but it would be made out of Mission Falls which ya'll KNOW I love!! This is the Seaman's Hat, from the needle beetle. She has some really cute patterns and this was a free one AND it actually worked up nicely and the pattern is written nicely. Here is the link to it. I highly recommend it. http://www.needlebeetle.com/free/seacap.htm
The yarn I used in this one is Encore worsted weight with size 8 needles because I am a REALLY tight knitter. I do think I am going to drop down to a size 7 though and make the size medium. The kids sizes are both smalls. . The hat was such a hit, Mikaela HAD to have one too and to keep blood-shed from occuring, I knit her one up too with the left-over yarn I had (you only will use about a 1/2 of a skein) They are both the size small and the same needle size!

Okie dokie, now the Bolero progress. I have the back almost done, it needs to be knit to 10" and the arm shaping worked up nicely.I tried to hold it out to show you but I could hold both sides and take the picture at the same time ;) It really looks nice. I am pleasantly surprised with the yarn, it is the Debbie Bliss Casmerino, yes,yes,yes I know all the hub bub about the cashmere content but truthfully, I don't care. It is really knitting nicely, is fun to work with, shows beautiful stitch definition and hopefully wears well. My kids are not hard on their clothes so that isn't really an issue for me. So far, I will most definetly use this yarn again. I don't like the Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran and when I bought that, I had also bought this, enough to make a garment (7) skeins. Well, after the Aran, I just kind of put this away in the bottom of my stash bucket too and since I have been knitting from my stash, well, I stumbled across this and showed it to the Princess, she loved it so I decided to use it up, there ya have it LOL. I am really glad I did too:)
Ya know......I am truly happy I have decided to do the "knit with your stash" challenge. I have not purchased any yarn since...hmmmmm.....well, right before Christmas. I am not FORCING myself to do it and I think THAT'S the key here. For some reason, when I try and force it, I fall right off that yarn wagon but I haven't forced it.

The only thing I AM buying is some of that OH MY yarn from Plymouth, I am making a teddy bear for my daughter out of it, it is so cute and soft. I just ordered it and am waiting on it to come in...hold the phone here you say, you JUST bought yarn, wellllll, I ALSO sold yarn that was in my stash and used that money for it so I am not actually breaking my rules. I didn't spend any other money excpet what came from my yarn sale. A gal I know on one of the lists I am on was in the middle of making her daughter a cute sweater out of Lorna Laces sock yarn and she was shy some skeins and well, I had the same colorway and was not using it right at that moment,so she asked if we could trade. I do like trading but she didn't have any yarn or needles that I wanted so she just offered to buy it and I agreed. Normally, I wouldn't part with my Lorna Laces, truthfully, any of my sock yarns LOL, but I knew I wasn't going to use this one unless I made gift socks and Mikaela REALLY wanted this teddy bear since hers ripped and needs MAJOR plastic surgery.So it worked out and all is happy. I even had $7 left over LOL .

Ok, now for the Quote of the day..or post..however you wanna look at it ;):::

He who takes but never gives, may last for years but never lives.

Author: Unknown

Due to popular demand..........

Here is the front view, although,I personally, think this picture makes my well...you's lopsided and they are NOT in person!!!
The back view has a little someone in the photo too. My dear sweet husband is the one who adjusted the back for me and never made sure the turtle neck I had on underneathwas pulled down appropiately on the lft side...here is what he says...."If they're looking so close to see that your turtle neck bottom is not even, then they are taking fashion sense to a new dimension LOL.

Anyway, I love this shrug.It has redeemed my faith in the Interweave Knits magazine patterns. I LOVE the magazine BUT several patterns in a row that I made had problems with it and I was kind of discouraged. I still liked the magazine but was dissapointed in the patterns and the way they were written and the accuracy of the pattern itself. Well, this is the second item in a row that I have made from it that has turned out pretty cute. So I am happy with it now. I think I just had a bad spell of luck with it and now it is over!! Thank goodness cuz I have to say, Interweave Knits is my FAVORITE magazine for knits and believe me, I have TONS of knitting magazines. Some I like, some I never will get again but Interweave is my FAVORITE. I like it above my Rowans. I look at Rowan as they have pretty things and I presonally love the way they showcase the yarns with really fun and funky patterns but for me, I won't knit any of them, it's more of a coffee table knitting magazine for me.

Interweave Knits on the other hand I use. As a matter of fact, I even have one of the editions that I have made like 3 things out of it and the poor magazine is DEFINETLY showing its love LOL. I mean, it isn't trashed or anything like that but it IS well loved LOL. Whats your favorite knitting magazine and why?

Not much progress on anything to show, I am working on the Debblie Bliss Bolero from Special Knits, I am just at straight stockinette right now, I'll have more to phot tomorrow. The sock from the Nancy Book pattern is coming along, I'll photo it tomorrow too. I finished the gusset and am doing the heel...it is a really nice sock!! loooovvvvveeeeeesssss iitttt~~~~


Ok, I have a "thought for the day" kind of thing going on lately so I am gonna post them here :)

Don't believe everything you think.......your the ONLY one who does ;)

http://www.great-quotes.com/


OMG I LOVE that site, it is soooooooooooo funny !! Stay tuned, I will make sure I post one with every new entry LOL maybe I'm the only one who thinks its funny LOL.

Knit on my friends!