My life and Times as a wannabe Knitter/Spinner

Public service announcement (sort of a rant too)

2008-07-30T13:05:00.000-07:00

Read this first part, feel free to ignore the rest, it is a vent!

Motorcycles are cool..............NOT
Please keep in mind, I have personal issues as to WHY I now feel this way!
If you simply MUST have a motorcycle, for whatever the reason (and trust me, I TRULY understand any and ALL reasoning)....then PLEASE, wear a helmet. They will 97.5% of the time save your life. A helmet prevents your head from cracking on pavement and then your brain, YES, your brain from being splashed on the road. No need for visuals here.
Next, wear protective gear, jacket,goggles,gloves,boots, why you ask, so that IF something DOES happen, you are not the latest stain on the road.

With that said...thank you for the prayers, they worked!
Brad is doing great and Kimmy (his wife) needs a nice vacation ;)
I love you both.

Now for the venting or bitchiness, however you choose to view it ;) The following is just some stuff that has been really on my mind. Things I just can't figure out, or maybe I just don't get it, I dunno. Mr. DebbieKnitter says I need to just ignore these things and/or people and not even consider them/things at all, but sometimes I can't, I think to much.Soooo, I decided to write it all down and maybe someone with far more wisdom can give me the answers (cinnamongirl....you always have good advice *hint* heehee)

1.) Why are some people selfish and not others? Why do they suck you dry and then never give in return? Not that I am asking, but I have experienced where one or two people in my life have just drained me and then boom, if I need a friend or someone to talk to, ya never hear from them except weeks later
and then it is all about them....never once considering I may wanna chat...

2.) Why do some people ALWAYS think they know it all. By this, I mean, why do some people, even in casual conversation, always have to say things like..if I say "I notice the weather is hotter lately" (pure example) and their response is "Well, no actually, it's not hot, it is worse where I live" I dunno if I am explaining this right, but it's along those lines. I call them "I know it all and you don't" people....drives me nuts.

3.) Why can some people just be so arrogant and so much so, they smear it in your face and everyone Else's?

4.) Why do some people just use others? Even when they know they are using someone, they do it and never even feel bad about it?

5.) Why is it whenever I go to a restaurant, the waitress ALWAYS asks ME if I want diet coke...when it is really Mr. DebbieKnitter that does...do I just look like the type of person who would drink it and not lemonade or tea? (just sayin')

6.) Why do some people insist in a rather insulting way, that they are much smaller in size then you are? Does it really matter? I mean gimme a break, it's insulting to hear it and just irritating.

7.) Why is it that people almost never tell you if you have spinach in between your teeth. THIS really gets me. I mean, they will let you go around smiling and chatting with every Tom,Dick and Harry with it hanging there and never say a word. I want you all to know, I WOULD tell you.

8.) Why do your children wait until the phone rings to start fighting?

9.) Why do some people say things that aren't very nice about their supposed to be friends, then pretend to be nice to them knowing full well they just spent 2 hours making fun of them in a rude way..........by the way, in case anyone (and I know ya'll would never do it) DOES do this, trust me, it ALWAYS gets back to the person who was the blunt of it all....kinda like the fart you try and sneak out so nobody hears you but then the smell follows you and EVERYONE knows it was you.

10.) Why is it that Tylenol NEVER goes on sale when you actually HAVE a headache...it waits until your fine and then has a fab sale of like 2 for 1.

Ok, I could keep going but I may cause you all to have high blood pressure. Ok, there ya have, some of my major issues right now....with all this said, I am now taking my monsters over to the Ribs Burn Off with my neighbor who is an absolute gem and I adore her. Then I am taking a nap cuz I am cranky (shocking huh lol)

Knit on my friends!

Peter Piper is GONNA pick

2008-07-21T12:54:00.000-07:00

THIS

Ahh, the rain spurts over the weekend did my 'maders and peppers good!!!

My pepper plants are trying thier best to survive after those pesky beetles goobled on 'em, keep your fingers crossed.

*whispering* I don't care WHAT Miss Priss says, those beetles waged a war in this here house and I am gonna show them what for!!!

I'm REAAAALLLY hoping my peppers survive though. My 'maders are BOOMING on the other hand. Those things are growing like wild fire,see................. aren't they pretty.

Now let's not forget my GORGEOUS yellow squash. Their babies and just starting right now but WOW, those plants wander. I must admit though, the flowers on it were soooo pretty, I was a bit sad to see them go. Only a bit though, I LOVE squash.

WHO CARES ABOUT VEGGIES, WHERE'S THE KNITTING ???

ask and ye' shall receive. Here is the Hamsa. I did have to *insert sound effects of your choice* rip,rip,rip twice though, but now that I am on a roll....look at 'er go! That'll teach me to knit late and fall asleep! I am really loving the rhythm of this pattern. I am hoping to finish it by this weekend to wear to church with a really pretty blouse.

Oh, by the way, does anyone know what color of yarn would go with "safety" (inside joke, but it SERIOUSLY IS safety orange) orange? I have a pretty dress and want to make something to accessorize it but once again......dunno what color to use so I am open to suggestions.

*snif,snif,snif* what's that smell??? *snicker* nooooo, not THAT smell....THIS smell........

here ya go, take some and have and make sure you share ok??

oh lookie here, see what cookies drag in, my MONKIES!!!!

Till next time friends, knit on...and back once again upon popular demand, check out this knitting blog, it is AW -SOME. Please, don't forget to leave comments when you stop by, it always makes someone smile when they know people are reading!! P.s. I LOVE that skirt!!!

http://pepperknit.com/blog/

Step it up!

2008-07-14T17:21:00.000-07:00

Well, FINALLY, I have some knitting content..and cooking too..

I want to get some sock knitting done over the summer. I need to replenish BOTH kids sock drawers as they have shot up a size or two. Leaving behind some very lovely hand knit wool socks to get handed down to other loved ones who will have warm tootsie's.

These are Mr.Mann's Spectator socks, modeled by moi! Such a fun pattern and of course one can NEVER go wrong with Lorna Laces. That is the one tried and true sock yarn around this house besides Briar Rose's Grandma's Blessings. WHICH by the way, if you haven't already checked out Briar Rose's website, PLEASE, do so now ....let's pause for a silent tribute to one of my FAVORITE sites *whispering* now is the time to follow the link....www.briarrosefibers.net

http://www.briarrosefibers.net/

ok, back to the regularly scheduled programing;)

Mr.Mann is not 100% sold on the colorway of this particular sock BUT as I told him, GET OVER IT!! They will ALWAYS match something for church. I'm sorry but I am NOT buying anymore yarn and I have done EXCELLENT with not buying any new yarns except once at the Wooster Fiber Fest but it was all for gifts that I have already made and gave away. If you all seen my stash bins, it's a disgrace and with today's faltering economy, time for me to get cheap again. WHICH,by the way, I have no problem doing when I decide to. I have been a bit of a cheapskate this year and even more so the last 4 months or so with gas rising. I just can't justify spending more money on anymore yarn until I use a MAJOR portion of what I got. So there ya have it, my cheapskate story, plus, I am saving up for a new wheel and don't want to blow it on yarn when I can put it towards a precious new item such as a Sacht!

Back to the sock pattern at hand, my goodness, my mind and fingers wanna tell you all so much, it's hard not to stray from one topic to the next. This sock pattern is found at http://www.knitspot.com/ in here shop, also a must pattern. I can crank out a sock in the Spectator pattern in about 4 days, a definite plus when you need a gift in a short amount of time. This pattern can be both masculine AND feminine depending on the yarn weight and colorway you choose. A great way to impress your friends and give them a gift that looks like it took months to do when it was actually, quite speedy to put out.

Ahhhh, my loving Twinnings also another pattern from http://www.knitspot.com/ and can be found in her shop too. I happen to be in LOVE with this particular pattern, so much so that I have made about6 so far to date. I guess you could call me the resident expert on Twinnings:)

I must admit though, this particular Twinnings has stalled a bit, whether it be from boredom or the fact that I know it's for me so I am not pressed for time......I also have fell under the category of using it as a comfort knit lately. I grab it when I want a familiar friend to cuddle up with and share some good time knitting with. At last, I know it's time has come to go to the finish line though and soon it will be done! Till then though, isn't it just gorgeous....do ya blame me?? I mean REALLY!

Well, last but certainly not least, I have started on a Little Nothing http://www.knitspot.com/ called Hamas. I am using my own lace weight hand spun in a champagne colorway, merino top...loves it! I wish I could remember where I got this fiber, I would love to spin up some more for a sweater for the wee (sort of) one. I will have pictures of THAT later in the week.

Geesh, all that knitting of course made me hungry so I headed into the kitchen to cute up and saute' some green pepper,red peppers, vadalia onions....mmmmm yummo

then I added some delicious and fresh chopped cilantro and freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Add some stewed tomatoes and chicken, cook through until warmed all the way and then

mix with rice..........presto,dinner is served...whose coming over??

"till next time my friends, grab your knitting and call some friends!!

Take me out to the ballgame, WHAT, no, the POOL!!

2008-07-13T19:31:00.000-07:00

Ok, ok, I KNOW I said I would have some knitting progress to show you but, truth is, I'm a summertime slacker!

We had a busy weekend, first off, Mr.KnitterGuy had tickets to the "Tribe" and for those who know him, ya'll know he is a sports nut!!

Here are him and Mr. Mann eating in the lounge before the game!! YUMMO food is all I can say.

I gots me some handsome men in my house ya'll!!!

Then, I TRIED to get and knit, but they forced me to go to the pool. I couldn't say no....look, Mr.Mann is LOVING it.

Then of course, Ms.Priss got into the mix, what was I to do???

Takin' after her momma I tell ya....as far as confessions go, I gotta say, I was BORN to swim. I was in the pool at at a teeny age. Memories of my family swimming at my aunts house every weekend still flood my brain every time I smell chlorine......I digress.....

Well, THAT'S an easy question, I grab a cold one, get my tubey and kick back and get some rays........NEXT post I'll have knitting pics, I PROMISE!!!

Till next time my friends.....knit on!!

Generations

2008-07-11T08:24:00.000-07:00

(Ok, back to our regular scheduled programming)

WOW, it's been forever and a day hasn't it?! don't answer that ;)

I hope everyone has been well and those who have read here, please stop back often and take a look around. I'm finishing up some neglected UFO's so I can get started on some FUN stuff. I am getting ready to test knit a scarf pattern by Knitspot at http://www.knitspot.com/ and will post progress photo's when I clear it with the designer first. I never know when one is allowed to post a photo of something that isn't yet out. First though, I have to pick a yarn. I am debating between several and hopefully the swatches help me pick out the one!

I will have some knitting photo's soon and more yummy tidbits. Truth is, I haven't been all that holed up in knitting. We have been doing lots and lots of swimming and poor Miss Gracie (the dog) had a vet stay to be...well....to be gentle about this....fixed! She is a-ok though.

Until next time, view some pics of a family gathering with generations of knitters past, knitters present and of course future knitters ;)

Mr. KnitterGuy's grandma checks out my handiwork and is very pleased I might add. She knit both the little ones their first booties and hats. Sooooo cute I tell ya.

Mr. KnitterGuys Aunty that lives out of state got to meet Miss Priss for the very first time. She wanted to capture as many photo's as she could for memories. They grow up so very,very fast. Here, this whole time we were worried about what Miss Priss would say or do and it was ME that got caught sticking my tongue out!!! That dang Mr. KnitterGuy is gonna get it for that!FINALLY, a perfect place to set Mr.Mann and Miss Priss to keep them occupied.....give them a television and some shows they don't get to see ALL the time and BAM, serenity is mine!!!! Does that make me a bad mom LOL

Awwww, some fun "girly" times with Aunty. A glass of wine, knitting and a camera....aaaa good times, good times ;)

Till next time my friends, knit on and knit fast!!!

God Speed my friend

2008-05-29T12:35:00.000-07:00

May your time on earth leave a lasting impression on everyone who knew you.

Rick R. Rodak
Born in Canton, Ohio on Jun. 3, 1967Departed on May 26, 2008 and resided in Canton, OH.

Left behind...a beautiful wife, 4 beautiful children. Prayers and love sent out to the Rodak Family during this very difficult time.

New Posting soon to follow

2008-05-16T10:31:00.000-07:00

after another brief hiatus, I'm back and gathering LOTS of yummy pics and info. Thanks for all the email luv everyone. I missed all of you too:)

Nuttin like my knitting and fiber friends to make me happy...oh and those whose blogs I have been stalking that have been sporting some awsome new shoes on them. I'm gonna gets me some new stompers soon!!!

Now, an important public service announcement....................................

beeeeeeeeeeeeepppppppppppppppppppppppppp

WHAT, it's NOT a HOLIDAY??

2008-04-01T15:49:00.000-07:00

Sorry folks, no pictures today :( For some unknown mystery, my laptop won't download photo's off the disk right now and I dunno how to fix it and well, Hunky Mr. DebbieKnitter is out of town and I'm stuck with a bum disk LOL.

I do have some photo's to share though when it's fixed. Same old "Why is our house a medical mystery" issues goin on here, yet ANOTHER abscessed tooth and now on top of antibiotics and pain medicine, I got steroids too so they are gonna "pump me up" (in my best Arnold Schwartz...voice). Feeling better, just not 100%, I guess I am prone to dental goo too :( Actually, I have had dental problems for YEARS!! Terrible teeth..thanks DAD! See, mom is right, all the good stuff comes from HER SIDE. grrrrrrr

Ok, for the closing, picture it..............10 year old boy, eating yogurt and licking the spoon while talking to mom....

"so, mom, there's no school tomorrow right?"

me= "What, why wouldn't there be"?

boy= "Well, isn't tomorrow a Holiday?"

me="Not unless I am missing something, what Holiday would it be?"

boy= (as serious as a heart attack mind you) "Tomorrow is April Fool's Day, isn't that a Holiday?"

There ya have it, a day in the life of a 10 year old.

Knit on my friends!

STOP, yarns against the wall ....it's the acrylic snob.............

2008-03-13T13:00:00.001-07:00

Lottsa knitting and photos goin' on 'round here ya'll BUT first I want to say something.....

I just wanted to say how much you guys make me smile. I have always kind of just thought maybe 3 or 4 people (plus my mom when I cry about her not reading LOL) read my blog. I have always just been really happy with that too, but the last few days, I have not only received comments but emails from all of you really sweet and caring readers. I don't care how ya find your way here, just that you do. Thank you for reading, thank you for commenting and thank you for emailing. I never thought it would matter if I knew people were reading and they either liked or disliked my knits but IT DOES MATTER. I care about what ya'll think.....and thank you so much for supporting the whole sweatpants theory LOL. We should make some sort of governing law LOL...ok, with that said....more torture for all of you heehee. Pretty photo intensive today ya'll but fun!

let's get started........while flipping through the knew KnitSimple Magazine, Miss Priss and I fell upon THIS :

It's the FlyAway Cardi by Debbie Bliss. Most know I ADORE Debbie Bliss patterns (now that I can read them LOL) and I haven't found a yarn of hers I didn't wanna roll around nekkid in.....sorry for the visual ;) anyways, ya know I have been DETERMINED to not buy yarn unless it is for a project I just CANNOT find yarn for in my stash (which so far, has not come up lol). I really wanna knit down my stash and have been doing a bang-up job. I tend to get anal about things so I know I am taking this to the extreme probably. Anyways, while stash diving for yarn for this, I was in one of my tubs that have some acrylic yarns in it...well, I pulled and pulled and pulled each skein, checking, looking trying to see which one is Miss Priss sweater worthy (not wanting to waste any cashmerino on a little cardi that will only be worn a few times mind you) I would rather use it for an adult project......mainly for ME...heehee. Ok, sorry, I digress, well, each time I pulled one out, my new poochie kept looking more and more horrified until FINALLY she yelped, gagged and sputtered at the entire lot of acrylic....folks, I have been raising an acrylic yarn snob dog!!! PLUS, I am doing a good job at it...........look what she looked like during the final acrylic ball
There ya have it folks, a pure bred yarn snob!! Yup, that's what they look like, all hankered up and everything. So, looks like Miss Priss gets her own way yet again (grin) she gets to have a cashmerino cardi, trust me, she's not complaining. She swears she gets a rash when she LOOKS at acrylic;) Truthfully though, isn't that cardi so cute?! Hopefully I will finish it BEFORE Easter Sunday since it is to wear with her Easter dress. Baring no problems, I should finish it over the weekend when I have longer stretches of knitting time and let's face it, the pattern is EASYYYYY PEAZZZYYYYY which is why I picked it LOL.

Next on the knit F.O's is a gnome hat of of the SOFTEST merino evah!!! I wish I had the ball band cuz it is AWSOME and some cute little fn fur. It's a gift for Hunky Mr. DebbieKnitter's buddy at work, well his wife.....I am making matching booties for it but fell in love with the little hat. No pattern, just a piddling in my head (scary I know). They are due in one of the J months (that's how Hunky Mr. DebbieKnitter gives due dates) so I wanted to make something that will fit her (it's a girl) for this winter so I made a size for about a six month old. So cute!

Notice the sweet little pom-pom? I am slowly becoming obsessed with pom-poms. I have been tossing the idea of a scarf out of pom-poms UGH!! GAWD I can really have awful taste.
Only thing I am worried about is the fur getting in her little nose and mouth. I am sure mom will watch and keep her safe.

Last on the knits list is Miss Priss's Pepto Bismo socks. I have one done and am NOT loving the toe shaping I did. What do you guys think? I find them just a bit pointy. I am sure I will rip and re-do, I may add some more length. The yarn is a bit thick but I wanted that, they are for the early camping season when your piggies get cold at night. Mr. Mann's are coming up next. His feet grew so I am in need of resizing his pattern. I used a size 2 needle for Miss Priss', maybe a 1 next time, making it a tighter fabric?

Now WHAT on earth are my children up to these days and why is Miss Priss' foot on the funny papers?? Because she has been "crafting"....seeeeee..

She has been making a club house out of an old diaper box, cutting, coloring and gluing for THREE days now........hey, whatever gets us through the days ya know...........makes a mess but sooooooo worth the peace.

She has her puppy supervising for her.....Mr.Mann on the other hand, is fast at school work online, looking up some information on Wikipedia for school...........Now tell me, WHO can resist THAT smile!!!!

One last note..............the website of the week is *drum roll please*................... http://www.snailspirals.blogspot.com/

Great blog folks, a must see....don't forget to leave her a comment that you were there :)

What a good snow storm can produce.......

2008-03-10T07:32:00.000-07:00

My Glee is FINALLY done.....yes, for the very finicky, I do see the few minor errors, BUT, guess what.....they are stayin'! This sweater seemed to take FOREVAH to do. It should NOT have taken me over a month to do, I know that, but with all the crap that has happened since I started it.....well, it's a wonder I got it done in this time span! Between flu and flu and flu and pink eye. Well, I am dang shocked that it didn't get horked on!! The last time I did a sweater in this colorway, I spilled Cocoa Wheats on it, don't ask.

My only major problem with this sweater is the seaming of the neckband thingy. I have a few ideas on what to do differently and I am NOT opposed to ripping it out and redoing it. The other issues I have are not something that I would rip out to re-do due to ill knitting. At first I thought I had made a big error on doing the knit2x2 waist and then adding the little edging, but when I blocked it, I liked it and am happy with it. I just didn't like stopping the bottom with just the 2x2, it looked unfinished to me, now I am happy.

I think I will DEFINITELY knit this again, the next time out of something dark, like black!!!!!

I would have taken a photo while wearing it, but I am a little self conscious right now about some weight thingy I have going on......I am terribly bloated due to some medical stuff going on and there isn't anything I can do about it, but it doesn't make me feel any more secure about it. I would prefer a big sweatshirt and sweats......especially the sweats part since my tummy hurts terribly when I have any pants on.

Now that I think about it, sweatpants should be an essential part of a woman's wardrobe. Why DON'T we wear more of them......why can't they make cuter ones, and more for my age group and even older, instead of ones that are stamped with "SOCIAL CLIMBER or CUTIE" across the butt..........sorry folks, but the LAST thing I wanna do, is parade around drawing attention to my ass with words stamped across them.....ok, well, guess enough said about THIS subject huh!

I'll leave ya'll with this photo, it's me happily showing off my new knit........I know, this picture, YUCKO, but lemme tell ya, if my mum were to see this, she would automatically love it.....why, (cuz she's my mum lol) cuz she would say, Oh, Miss DebbieKnitter, your eyes look so pretty, or she would say, that look, it's the same one you get when your about to do something ornery.......mum's, they're great, our own personal cheerleaders when we feel poopy heehee!!

Well, that's it for now, until next time.....chat amongst yourselves my friends!

We interupt this snow storm for yet ANOTHER update

2008-03-08T13:07:00.000-08:00

The snow is blowing so hard and coming down so fast, I could barely hold still.

Look out folks, we are STILL getting blasted...now I am not gonna comment on what I think about hunky Mr.DebbieKnitter (think I may have hit on a new nickname for him, long story ;) } I digress.....anyways, I am not gonna say how silly I PERSONALLY think it is to go out in a BLIZZARD that is NOT gonna stop until after yet ANOTHER 8-10 inches and shovel......I am not gonna comment on how I think it all evolves around it being a "man thing" because as you will see, I took PHOTO PROOF that the men are NOT shoveling.. they are doing......hell, I have NO idea what they are doing....

Ok, see........here is the proof BUT, also, take not at how deep the snow is BEFORE they shovel again and then snow blow.......somehow, this photo reminds me of the Ma & Pa Kettle folks where she has the pitch fork but with shovels ;) You can even see in the above photo that Hunky Mr. DebbieKnitter spotted me and started laughing....soooooo busted!

Now they are all business here......yeah right!

Finally, yet another photo of the front of our house.......by the way, it's a dang good thing we decided we are ripping out the shrubs as soon as spring comes and re-doing the landscape cuz those suckers are TOAST!!!

Thank you. This has been a public service broadcast message about A LOTTA snow;)

Toodles.

Round and Round, what goes around comes arounnndddddd.....

2008-03-08T08:08:00.000-08:00

*sheepish grin* and more snow, and more snow.....shhhhhhh, my kids are the ones who ordered this storm, don't tell Mr. DebbieKnitter!!!!

Annnnddd, look at the MailCarrier, see the mail-carrier driving down the street to deliver all those nasty bills and supplements and junk mail.........

.........noooowwww see the mail-carrier getting stuck and pushed out by the hunky Mr.DebbieKnitter and neighbor man. We should at least get a rebate check or something for THAT good deed!

Well, that's it till tonight I just wanted to update ya'll. Oh, and I'm adding my sleeves onto Glee then the neckline, which I anticipate some trouble with but we'll see.

Ta Ta my dear friends...................if I get snowed in, I hope it is while the kids can still play OUTSIDE!!!!

****Note to Jon, my bestest,dearest,sweetest brother (sorry Mark, but you know how whiney he gets heehee).....now that your sitting in 70 degree weather today, YOU SUCK!!!!....love ya ;)

LOOK MA...no hands!!!!

2008-03-07T15:46:00.000-08:00

Hi kids. Well, well,well, lookie what we have goin' on in Ohio......we have ourselves a good ol' fashion snow storm!!

Seeeee, I took pictures. If you look at the first one REALLY close, you can see my goofy Mr. DebbieKnitter blastin' out the front door. I took another picture without him hangin' out the door.....see.....it's hard to see him through the snow.

Notice how the front door is closed here on the porch......LOL you can see my tootsie prints as i walked down the sidewalk to take this picture.

Well, I guess now is as good a time as any to describe the house to ya'll. That big window there is the living room, some people say the "front room" (that cracks me up) . Then the little window to YOUR left is the Dining Room (have NO idea if it has any other names), then there are the upstairs windows...the left is our bedroom, the right is Mr. Mann's room....little Miss Priss is locked in the basement......KIDDING (seriously, if you KNEW her, you would get that joke) and then there is the upstairs potty room, dubbed the "Brown potty"....nooooo, not 'cuz of THAT. It's cuz it's a bathroom all done in brown and cream and silver. Very pretty actually, just not kid appealing.

The downstairs potty room is the aqua one and then there is the "Indians Room" (all done in cleveland Indians and Bamboo plant and the Kitchen and then the basement. All those rooms can't be seen from the front of the house though. So, there ya have it, kind of a Walk With Me Wednesday but on Friday and no walking ;)

I have some knitting to share but will do that later, I'm having to much fun with the snow storm. Who else is getting this storm????

Oopsie, I almost forgot, the answer to the previous post (Thank you Cinnamongirl93) is indeed the Lunar Eclipse. Mr. Mann and Mr. DebbieKnitter (GAWD we need to get him a new name) had sooo much fun taking snap shots of it and they turned out soooo cool!! Geesh, I thought for sure more would answer!!!!

Okay peeps, time for me to be outtie.......until then....chat amongst yourselves!!!

I'm as cold as ice....willing to sacrifice.......

2008-03-05T08:00:00.000-08:00

Anything other then my knitting *grin*...........while the other day with 64 degree temps, I started to have a bit of Spring fever BUT when this ice storm hit yesterday, I gotta say, I was lovin' it. BTW, how many of you remember that song??? Foreigner *sigh* loved it then, hate it now LOL.

It is GORGEOUS when light hits the trees or the fence with ice covering it, makes it sparkle like diamonds. Now with that said, if I would have had to go pick up yarn or needles or anything knitting related, well.....THAT would NOT have made me happy heehee.

I hope it shows in these photos, but see how pretty that is? I just love it. The fence is REALLY cool too. Look at how the drips just froze in mid air almost.

It's funny cuz if you look really close, it sort of looks like that "barbed wire" but it isn't, that is ice frozen before the drips fell!! Soooo cool. Ok, 'nuff of the nature stuff.....wanna look at some knitting?

I am just now picking up my Glee again since the flu fiasco. Ohhhhh how I missed it. I just LOVE the yarn. It's a little heavier then what I expected when it's knitted into fabric, but it is still PERFECT!!

Now I know your probably wondering WHY there is 2x2 that has started shortly after the the mid section...well, I decided to change the bottom to a more flattering look for me. Now mind you, I am NOT saying I don't like the Zephyr's pattern for this, I obviously love it. I have problems with sweaters and such hitting straight at my waist and then just gathering at my hips making a muffin top bubble.....Empire type waists are very flattering on me (not tootin' any horn, just sayin'). It also gives the illusion for ME personally, that my shoulders are smaller then what they actually are. I have a rather large shoulder span for a girl. My whole female side of the family has this issue.

Ok, anyways, I decided to change the waist this way. Now I am still a little up in the air regarding the arms. Part of me wants to do long sleeves in the same 2x2 pattern from the elbow down and the other part of me wants to just do the short sleeve version..............time will tell. What do you all think?

Well, that's pretty much the knitting news, it was a little slow due to that crappy flu that decided to camp out here but things are picking up again:)

Ohhhhh, I almost forgot, Mr. DebbieKnitter and I would like to thank all of you for the emails and well wishes for his father. He is doing great. There is always a silver lining right?!

OMG, I almost forgot THIS too...................I have some REALLY cool pictures that include one of Mr. Mann...........look at his photo and see what we are ACTUALLY taking a picture of...........let's just see how observant some of you are *giggle*..................leave your guess in the comment section. Ready, Set, Go......................

I'll leave the FULL series of photo's that tell EXACTLY what we were up to on my next blog post.

In the tradition that has now started and to my delight, all of you enjoy.........here is my blog site for the week:

http://sulala.wordpress.com/

Don't forget to drop her a little comment to say hi!!! Remember, blogger courtesy says it's fun to get a comment on your blog!

Delayed Meme

2008-02-29T19:44:00.000-08:00

My friend Danielle tagged me a little while ago and while my house was being infested by the "germs", I could not muster the energy to do it.........soooooooooooooo, while I still have very little energy these days, I wanted to do a quick meme.......

Check out her site, she is awsome:)
http://aknittingmom.blogspot.com/

Ok now, here we go.........

1.) I am a closet hermit........I actually kind of like it when I go through the "hermit spells"

2.) Now no laughing, and YES, I have proof that I do this...........it's truly sick...........I vacuum no less then twice a day EVERY day. It is a sick OCD I know LOL and yes, my husband is quite used to it....its kind of a family joke now LOL. I very,very rarely miss doing it unless I am DEATHLY ill. When we leave to go camping, I vacuum right before we go and vacuum as soon as we get in, even before we unpack. I even vacuumed a day after my hysterectomy (my doctor said it was ok because my vacuum is self propelled...well, at least that is what I THOUGHT).

3.) I am a germaphobe

4.) I HATE pizza

5.) I love reading Meme's and doing them. I think they are fun and are a great way to learn more about your "friends"

6.) I can't remember the last time I slept through the night (diabetic and bathroom trips come to mind)

7.)I am a celebrity gossip junkie............I know, sick right?!

Ok now I am supposed to tag 7 more people but I will do this instead............if your reading this, then tag it on your blog.

Ok, on a more serious note......please send good healing vibes our way. Mr. DebbieKnitter's father has suffered a heart attack. He is doing well now and has been released but of course, you can never have to many good vibes. Also, send a few for Mr. DebbieKnitter, it was a bit of a blow for him and of course good vibes are good for him too. But seriously, I have been told a thousand times over that with every crisis, there is a blessing and I am FINALLY starting to believe it.........the blessing in this is, it was caught early, he will eventually be healthier then ever and feeling better too and it makes me even more greatful my own parents quit smoking and take fantastic care of themselves.....and they take good care of me too :)

Until next time.....................chat amongst yourselves and please, use the sani wipes and lysol when ya leave;)

Sniffle and coughing and puking oh my...........

2008-02-28T04:52:00.000-08:00

I am still kickin'............the flu has parked itself at my house and obviously likes it here. It has made its nasty way through twice and left Mr.DebbieKnitter with pink eye in BOTH eyes, that after he started the porcelain God huggin'. Now that it has left our hhumble house with doctors visits, Er's,prescriptions,Pedialyte,popsicles and tissues (oh and on the hunt for one bathroom waste basket that needs replaced.....no need for visuals, TRUST me).

I will be updating soon, until then, chat amongst yourselves ;) and take a look at my new doo.....oh, for those who are afraid to ask.......YES, my hair IS a darker shade, I happen to be a HUGE fan of hair color ;)

I'm GLEEFULLY working on GLEE!!!

2008-01-31T19:22:00.000-08:00

Ughhhhh, can that get ANY cheesier......of course it can ;) Oh my gosh, I LOVE this pattern. It is so fun and so cute. It is GLEE from at Zephyr Girls... I have several of their patterns now (which I will be knitting from over the course of the next few months). I can honestly say I adore all of them! This is the front of the Glee, which is cleverly done might I add. I love the front and how they knit it. Just genious I tell ya.

The yarn is Debbie Bliss wool/cotton. Nice yarn folks, what can I say about this that I haven't said about her yarns before. Ya gotta try it. Knits smooth, holds shape while knitting, I'll post more on the wear and tear of course after making and wearing it. I LOVE the increases at the shoulders, FABULOUSSSS.
The pattern can be purchased at :http://www.zephyrstyle.com/home.html

Seriously ya'll, ya know how I am with patterns, if it's good, dang it, it's good!!! I HIGHLY recommend you check this site out and try one pattern, you'll be hooked. I can't wait to finish this and show you!

Moving on......sorry, that's kind of all I got on knitting, I am kind of hell-bent on this sweater;) The spinning side is still finishing up the previous post about the fiber, I should have some nice pics this weekend! Stay tuned.

Okie Dokie, what's equally as fun as knitting/spinning? EATING!!

mmmmm, feast your eyes on THIS!! Red Pepper,Yellow Pepper, Orange Pepper and Zucchini. YUMMO, all sauted' in some yummy goodness and plopped over rice!

For dessert..... BAMM!

Cranberry/Orange muffins....AND....they are GLUTEN FREE BoooooYaaaa Baby!!

Yup, I have a WHOLE house full of Celiacs but we eat good ya'll, dang good heehee! I always laugh when people say to me, "How do you get Mr. Mann and Miss Priss to eat veggies like that?" My answer has been and always will be full of such confusion LOL. They are 9 & 4, whaddya MEAN how do I get them to eat it......Simple, I COOK IT, they EAT it. When they can cook dinners and clean up, then hey, we'll talk, till then, ya eat what's made. No resteraunt ordering here at Che' DebbieKnitter House!

' Sides ya'll, when ya got a Miss Priss who INSISTS on putting bandaids on all over her head, what do ya THINK she's gonna eat?

I tell Mr. HubbyKnitter, it's a damn good thing she's cute cuz, well, what the HELL!!

Mr. Mann and Miss Priss (plus mommy and daddy) have picked up a fun activity together lately......wanna guess?? It's not fiber oriented (dang it) and it is EVERY adults childhood love.....can't guess??

How about now? Or now????

Yup, it's coloring. I personally, ADORE coloring...WHAT, it's better then SOME things ;) I remember when I was pregnant with Mr. Mann, I colored ALL the time and then when I was pregnant with Miss Priss, at the end of the pregnancy, I was not able to move around and needed to kind of stay put (bed rest sort of) so I colored with Mr. Mann. Probably more then HE would have liked because I always bugged him LOL.

Well, that's what we've been up to, how about you??

It's time for the website of the week (SUSAN, this one is just for you)

My very good friend Susan likes this so much, I thought I would tie up her ENTIRE evening with TWO, count 'em, TWO sites!!

http://cinnamongirl93.blogspot.com/

and this next is not knitting related but oh so cool!!

http://thepioneerwomancooks.com/2007/06/chicken_spaghet.html

There ya have it.until then ya'll..........Knit fast, Knit on and then ship it off to me!

good food,good friends, what's better then that??

2008-01-27T12:15:00.000-08:00

First I want to take a second to thank someone very special. A friend of mine who always remembers the little hilltops we face everyday when dealing with Mr.Mann. She always has an encouraging word for him, or a little snippet she found that makes a good read for me.

When I opened my email this morning, I found a much loved site, Danielle's email. Always happy to see her name, I quickly opened her email and once again, her true compassion for children, her true desire to help her friends. This is the link she sent me. Please, we both ask that you follow it and look at least once.......you'll see when you get there.

For those of us that deal with this silent stalker, it means so much to us to know others care about what happens. I am asking, no, begging you, please care about our kids. We too have years of hopes and dreams just like you, ours are just a little different.

Here is Danielle's link: http://www.whatkindofworlddoyouwant.com/videos/view/id/408214

Thank you from the bottom of my heart Danielle. To visit Danielle's blog and send her a little thank you....please go to http://aknittingmom.blogspot.com/

She's a knitter,a mom, a wife and a friend:) Tell her hi!

This is the face of Autism. This is Autism at home, with family. This is Autism

and its family. We're so ready to fight, are you?April is Autism awareness month, please, will you be aware?

Is innocence really lost, or hidden in the lines of cashmere and ice!!!

2008-01-26T08:50:00.000-08:00

She wanted my innocence,

She came to me where the winds blow

Where the seagulls fly high above,

I would have given a death for her.

She was a miracle of the heavens,

wrapped in a forbidden love,

that drapes to the depths of ones soul

and soars to the gates of the Heavens.

She wrapped me in seduction,

silky,sexy innocence, then set me free.

For all my inner soul to see.

Pattern :Hypotenuse

Source: knitspot.com

Yarn: Cashmere/silk blend, hand-dyed

final length after minor blocking: 57"

Probably my favorite scarf pattern EVAH!!! I will make this over, and over and over. Class and lust, what more can you ask for! Oh I so hope people read my blog, even if just for this one time. This is a taste of beauty one cannot,should not miss.

These photos do not do this pattern justice!!

It's almost a shame to put anything else in this post for fear it will take away from the beauty of this scarf .....BUT.....as always, that fear is short live ;)

Last night, during my 1am chat with Anne (poor thing, can you IMAGINE having to listen to me THAT late heehee)......we chatted about this fiber I spun and am LOVING it. The problem you ask??? Well, as always, I lost the original bag (it happened in the move) and I have no clue WHAT it is OR where it came from but I LOVE it!!! I thought maybe it had mohair in it but I just dunno. It is a little to soft for that I think. It appears wiry in the photos but wiry its not. It is soft, very soft and spins like nobodies business. I am hoping to get enough of it in a fingering to make a nice lace scarf to match this Alpaca Peds that I am gonna make socks out of.

What do ya'll think? Is it knit worthy? As a set? Oh crap. I wonder if it IS alpaca fiber too??? I was at one time on that kick. I am taking it over to Anne's house to see if she can decipher it for me.....the big mystery will then be solved, but until then, how about some fiber pron........

The twist is nice and even and it doesn't look like it to me in the photo's but what do I know. IT should ply up very nicely with a fairly tight and even twist. The test spin also bloomed so nicely,any unevenness it DID have,blooms right out. I did have to weight it a bit though.

Now I gotta say, the Alpaca Peds didn't come from anywhere on the net that you could all have easy access to and I have no idea if Melissa does Internet orders BUT it would be worth a shot cuz she is F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S and all who know her, just love her! Her store is :http://www.yarniashop.com/ stop on over and take a gander....it'll make ya wish you too lived in Oh-i-o!!!!!

Okie dokie folks, that's it for now....until next time.....knit it..........then ship it off to me for safe keeping;)

Blue balls and Blue Hands....the same, I think NOT! g

2008-01-24T07:45:00.000-08:00

Ok, well ,maybe THAT was a little harsh, but it was the first thing that came to my mind when I looked down and seen my hands. For several days and several classes, while knitting my GORGEOUS Hypotenuse, I would look down and see that my hands had this ODD look. Sickly sort of. I thought once or twice that maybe it was cuz my hands were perpetually cold but I have lots of yummy hand knits to fix THAT problem. WHAT could this odd "illness" be?? LOOK, LOOK at these hands, do they LOOK normal to you ( I know, I need a manicure, more on that later) Here is the front view (the main offender)........................................

and here is the back, equally as creepy...............

WHAT is it, what have I been plagued with?! I felt borderline like I should be banished to a knitters blue hand island!

Then it happened, I was happily knitting and I suddenly STOPPED, LOOKED and GAWKED at the seemingly responsible culprit of the "blue hand mystery".....are you ready, hold on, you may wanna sit down first.......

The way I hold my yarn is the culprit!! The stains are exactly where the yarn sits as I knit. seeeee.................I'm not plagued (at least not by something blue;)

I feel soooo relieved and plus, it is soooo worth it.....look at this beauty's progress........

TEN, count 'em TEN stunning repeats and I think 3 more to go, maybe one or two more, whaddya think? I am so in love with this. Even if the yarn does bleed *grin*

I have since been told that the yarn has silk and cashmere in it and the silk when it is dyed, it does bleed some so when I am done with this, I am going to soak it in some vinegar and lock in the color.

.....and of course, the obligatory looonnnggg shot (ok, only obligatory for me heehee)

That is so cool isn't it?! Ok, 'nuff of the braggin' right Deb, right! Next up on the list is something pretty dang AWSOME.

For Christmas this year, my dear friend Anne (KnitSpot) got soooo sick of hearing me whine and seeing my alligator skin pawing at her yummy knits. So, what was the answer, what would save our friendship and let me continue to paw her knits and yarns and fibers without felting them in a single swoop.................THIS!!!

Ya'll know I like to yak about the latest yarns, the finest fibers and the coolest patterns BUT, I also just HAVE to tell you about this hand cream. I thought about keeping it a secret so that Kim would always have it on hand for me, but I am all about sharin' the love ;)

I have even emailed her asking for a larger jar because being Diabetic, I have some pretty sore tootsie's (I'll spare you the photos) and I started using it on those piggies and they are the SOFTEST TOOTS EVAH!!! You simply MUST go to the site and get your order, I swear you will not be sorry. I have not felted a hank of yarn just by touching it since;)

Here is her site in case you haven't already found it......just like the yellow brick road, follow it.

http://www.thewoolenrabbit.com/

Oh, save some for me though please!

I have got several emails about what Mr. Mason aka Mr. Mann is up to lately. First, I must tell you he gets such a charge when he knows others ask about him, he has a smile that lights up the Texas sky that one...........anyways, he has been hot and heavy in school. He is doing fractions and doing well and has just finished a rather large report on Timber Wolfs and their habitats and such. He is now studying Sir Isac Newton and is rather amused by that too. BUT have no fear, there is play going on too, both with his new puppy AND with boy stuff. Take a gander at this handsome dude.

He's playing one of those handheld type games and having a BLAST I must say.

Okie Dokie all, that's it for now but hey, just a quick note, http://www.fearlessfibers.etsy.com/ still has some of the Wool/Mohair blend yarn that the Pave' is made out of on http://www.knitspot.com/ and you truly MUST get some. The softest, most addictive mohair blend I have EVER used. Try it, you won't be sorry......plus, if you buy it, you'll be helping me stick to my "use the yarn stash rule...". I would so be all over that yarn!!!

Till then my friends, Knit it and send it to me for safe keeping heehee

Let us pay homage to the shagging of the sock!!!

2008-01-22T18:49:00.000-08:00

Ok, I must confess, I THOUGHT about taking a picture of it, but I was so depressed by the thought of froggin' it, that I just kept rippin' without the camera in tow!!! PLUS, this is a FAR better photo, dontcha think *grin* ok, sorry for the tease, the rest of this story is below, more on this later.
BUT, on a plus side, now I can keep working on the Marie Antoinette socks from Anne @ www.knitspot.com

THIS knit will be fun!!! I'll post pictures tomorrow of the start....*WARNING* I have been known to be VERY indecisive when it comes to Wednesday knitting friends and patterns so if I change my mind and start to knit the Acorn socks or the Cardigan socks then well, cut me some slack;)
Ok, gimme some cheers for fiber! Tonights photo's are brought to you courtesy of Miss Priss and her upset tummy and mommy trying to bore her back to sleep! Any tips *aka* offers to babysit** are greatly appreciated.

Speaking of babysitting, this is what occupies alot of the kids time...it's a four legged babysitter heehee. Isn't she cute?! Oh GAWD, please don't tell me I am one of THOSE people heehee...

Ohhhh la,la, check out this fiber. It is sooooo nice. Lovely dark coopworth that I have been spinning. I have some major plans for this stuff. My problem is, I need to mae a concious effort to spin it a little thicker so I can get a worsted out of it. I am so used to spinning sock weight, this has proven to be a challenge, especially since I don't want it to be a single ply.

It really is gorgeous fiber though right?! It spins like a dream and I truly enjoy it. So soft, so sproingy. It is said to bloom quite a bit when washed and I am hoping to get some good comparison shots when I am done. This will be sort of a love hate project. Part of me is just itching to spin it fine, the other is saying no, no, you must spin worsted for that project!

Well, as noted above, I have a 4 year old who is not complying to the night-time rule of "this is mommy time" so I must end this now. I know, I know.....your thinking, do you REALLY have to go *giggle* kidding......before I go though, I wanna give ya'll the blog of the week.....remember, this was something I started before that I had alot of fun and unbeknownst to me, alot of you missed....sooooo, here ya go....

The blog for this week is: http://www.justcallmeruby.blogspot.com/

Stop by and sit a spell...this is a great blog and "Ruby" really has some pretty knits. I hope you like it as much as I do.

Lydia's Borscht, it's what's for dinner..mmmmm

2008-01-21T12:52:00.000-08:00

Mmmmmmmmmmmm, THIS is what I have been smelling ALL day. YUMMO.

This is a family recipe from my husband's side and it is DELICIOUS. I had never heard of borscht before meeting my husband's family and when I spoke of it to others, I always got this spine shivering look and the words cold beet soup always followed. NOPE, this has NO beets, and is tomato based with onion,carrots,potatoes,cabbage and shredded beef and LOTS of dill. My family always called it veggie soup with cabbage but not his ;) They top theirs off with a large dollop of sour cream per bowl. Seriously, you would be surprised at what a difference that sour cream makes. I'll save ya'll a bowl!

Here is an update on the Hypotenuse scarf I am making. I was hoping to finish it this weekend but I wandered onto other projects.....ones which you will see in a minute! Some people asked me how long I was going to make the scarf and my answer.....until I run out of yarn. I have 400yds. of the silk/cashmere blend and it is VERY drapey so I am hoping it knits and blocks out to what I have in my mind.

I just love those shots :) It is really shaping up wonderfully. I am so happy I decided to knit it out of this yarn.

This is one of the little side tracks that got me this weekend. I finished the Avalanche socks and have been itching to start another pair of socks but wanted to make a "pattern" pair. Lord knows I have TONS of patterns and books but still was finding it hard to settle. I even purchased 3 new patterns but in between that, I started swatching for this pair. The thing is, I have never knit from a chart before. I find it unbearable to try and figure it out and cannot read them at ALL, therefore,aggravating me even more AND making me more determined. Well, after boohooing and crabbing about THIS pattern, I finally realized I DID IT!!! I read a chart!! I was so excited. At first, I was gonna rip and start one of the patterns I had purchased but late last night, I kept staring and staring at the sock swatch and thought, I'M GONNA FINISH IT! I am so happy I did. I realized I only hated the pattern cuz I thought I couldn't do it;) once I realized I could, then of COURSE I liked it:) The yarn is Briar Rose Sock yarn, Grandma's Blessing and of course it is sooooo yummy....follow my enabling link;) http://briarrosefibers.net/

Remember, I am an enabler;) and I must tell you, one peek at her yarns and your HOOKED!!!!! Isn't that yarn GORGEOUS. It feels as good as it looks too! So whaddya think? I know tons of you probably have already made this pattern (I Ravelried lol) but I must say, I am so proud of mine!!! The pattern is Waving Lace by Evelyn Clark. It's in the Interweave Knits 25 Favorite Sock Patterns book.

Ok, now for the BIGGIE Project.......here are the last bucket's of stash that I have that I have not gone through and sorted yet. I sorted my other stash buckets and have them all nice and neat and organized....these, well, I have some of the yarns grouped but the bucket's are deep and full of yarny blobs LOL......the next time I photograph them, they will be as neat as a pin!!

I know it looks bad BUT keep in mind, at least I have the yarns IN the containers (yes, they are the big Rubbermaid ones, I dunno how many gallons......Miss Priss plays on the tops of them, she grabs her pillow and blankie and lays on top of them....girl knows yarny goodness I guess;) and plus, these 3 are the only bins left that are unorganized.

Organizing all of my yarns just made me more determined to knit from my stash. I know looking at that probably makes you think that I can't POSSIBLY knit from my stash, clearly I have a yarn addiction BUT what you DON'T know about me is this......I have REMARKABLE will-power when I want to. I don't even need to reward myself for doing it, just trying to store all that was all the reward I needed to get it through my noggin that I need to NOT buy anymore yarn until I make some SERIOUS dents. Another thing ya'll don't know about me, I HATE clutter and will go to all extremes to get rid of it and short of hauling up a trash bin and unloading, well, I know when things need to be in control. I mean really, if I bit the dust tomorrow, what would become of all my stash yarn....you know the yarns, the ones that you just HAD to have and now you covet because it is simply to gorgeous to knit???!!! Well, I for one, want to at least enjoy my splurges:)

It really is shameful to have ALL that yarn, a little stash is ok, but THIS is ridiculous. So there ya have it, I am knittin' from the ol' stash buckets. No need to buy any yarns for me, I have enough to make a YEARS worth of sweaters!!!

Come back often and watch the dwindling down process and cheer me on!!

I'll leave you with this................this is the reaction Miss Priss had when I told her I was going to knit from my stash....Go Mom!!!

In my best french accent wee wee le' hat :)

2008-01-18T07:39:00.000-08:00

Let's start off with some cashmere/silk "Eye Candy" for Friday. This is the always classy, always sleek, always sexy pattern by Anne Hanson @ http://www.knitspot.com/ I have knit this pattern 5 times already (this is the 5th) and I love it more and more each time. You can purchase her patterns at her site,just follow the link.
The long shots are some of my favorites ;) I'm so silly. I am hoping to finish this one this weekend. Although, I enjoy the pattern so much that it could take me a year to finish and I wouldn't care.
Just lovely I tell ya, just lovely!!

Alright,alright,I know, I know. Your here for the Paris Roubaix set.

Drum Roll please......................................................

This is the long awaited Paris-Roubaix pattern that can be purchased at http://www.knitspot.com/ . If you have not yet purchased this pattern, I HIGHLY recommend hauling the ol' tush on over there and get it. I thought her Waffle Pattern was fun, THIS was a blast. Actually, it probably should be sold with a warning stating "This pattern has proven to be very addictive, knit at your own risk" LOL. The model is our very own, Miss Priss. She has graciously agreed to hand over her set to Miss Anne for the photo op and she now feels she is "famous" being on the web;)

Another one of Anne Hanson's works of pure genious. The yarn is AWSOME as well. It is from the notorius Deb @ Fearless Fibers http://www.fearlessfibers.blogspot.com/ . This is her Wool/Mohair blend and I tell ya what, if you haven't yet had the pleasure of trying it, do so now before she sells out. This is quickly moving into my top 2 favorites (oh crap, the number one favorite is F.F> cashmere LOL, at least I am consistent).

**WARNING** This post is photo heavy;)...don't say I didn't warn ya....

Next line of business is a pair of socks that have been gnawing at me for WEEKS. Now I must say, I am a pretty speedy sock knitter, I like them, they're fun, fast and portable. Right? WRONG!! I dunno WHY but these socks haunted me. I SWEAR I had to almost chew my arm off to force myself to knit them. I wonder if it's because when I started them, I kind of wanted to knit a pattern but then I had that nagging flip that screams in my head saying "NO, just do a 2x2 basic so you have them done" and I figured well, since I need some socks for my own que, I'll listen to that stupid....next time I'll slap that stupid voice to kingdom come!! Anyways, here they are, they are done FINALLY!!!

It shows some nice stitch definition. I did shave them when I was done as they were a little to pilly for my liking. I don't know why they turned out that way but all is well now.

Yes, your right, those socks ARE resting on a boat load of stash;) I needed some extra care when I photographed these since they were such a pain heehee.

Well, I think that is about it for today. I am working on some spinning of the CoopWorth!!! I love,love,love that fiber! Soooooo pretty and sproingy! I'll hopefully have alot of that to post sometime this weekend. I am going to try and get some skeined up and weighted shots so we can have a nice post on singles and how to hank and dry them.

Until then my friends................................I'm off!

A knittin' I must go, a knittin' I must go, high ho........

2008-01-16T07:56:00.000-08:00

Here is what is I have been up to.....knitting,knitting,knitting, and some spinning.
Mr. Mann looks very nice in the OSU Buckeye colors from Lorna's Laces Bulky Shepherd.It's nice and warm but a little rough on my hands. This set should have been done in an evening but my fingers actually hurt from knitting with it so I took 2 1/2 days to knit it. It is superwash for those who have never used it before. I probably wouldn't buy it again as I prefer Mission Falls over this BUT Mr. Mann is allergic to M.F. which can be a MAJOR bummer :(

I'll have some more pictures of another set using Fearless Fibers wool/mohair blend that is to DIE for. I need to wait to post the pictures as it was a test knit for KnitSpot.com and when she is finished writing the pattern and gives me the go-ahead, then I'll post photos. Trust me when I say....this Pave' pattern is an ABSOLUTE must to buy!!!!!!! It is really fun to knit and it is so pretty knit, two thumbs up here!

I have been a busy little beaver this month so far and I have MORE to come.

I have some strict knitting/spinning goals this year. I want to knit down my stash TREMENDOUSLY. Let's face it,it doesn't matter how much I knit, I will NOT knit through this stuff before I croak, sooooo, I wanna knit what I got, not get more to knit *giggle* say THAT ten times fast.

I'm not gonna be ridiculous about it though, I mean, if I need to make a baby gift and I either don't have enough of a yarn or I don't have ANY of a yarn, then of course I'll go buy it. Other then that, no need to be doing some foolish buying.

I know alot of people say "Sock yarn doesn't count" but ladies, it DOES, it is still yarn and I know plenty who have just as big of an obsession with sock yarn as I do for cashmere sport weight. Besides, I have WAY more sock yarn then I can count and personally, I like to use my handspun for socks the best.

There leads me into another discussion, handspun. I got out of the kick of spinning and knitting my handspun and started buying ALOT of commercial yarns, I want to get back to the handspun. I love it, love to do it and love to use it! I have some hand-dyed Targhee that is patiently waiting for me to spin it to a dk weight for a summer sweater for Miss Priss. I also have some really lovely brown BFL that Mr. Mann is longing for a sweater out of. So there ya have it.....my mere goals for just one knit loving mom who has a huge obsession for the fiber arts;)

She Thinks his Tractor's Sexy...................

2008-01-14T08:41:00.001-08:00

Those who know me know that I am a HUGE Kenny Chesney fan. This morning, I looked out my kitchen window and saw this....and that song was the first thing that hit my brain LOL. Even though I see that tractor every day, I still crack up laughing and immediately think of that song.

The next is Lorna's Laces Bulky Shepherd in OSU Buckeye colorway (Ohio State). I started out knitting it for Mr. Wannabe, but when he tried it on....can you say ewwwwwwwww. So, naturally, the next thing to do is plop it on Mr. Mann's head.....viola, a winner it is! Sorry Mr. Wannabe, I'll knit you another one NOT out of Bulky weight, that bowling ball head of yours is a tough one to fit;)

Now well follow up with the ..."my how they've grown" photo's...................

Mr. Mann giving the thumbs up............he's having a bit of a bad hair day.....his top is usually spiky with that hair cut.......not today!

Now enter Miss Priss..........well, what can I say..............the girl's got the "tude"!!!!

Happy 2008~~~

2008-01-13T18:01:00.001-08:00

Let's try this again....hopefully I don't screw up all the buttons on here again :)

I will be updating and such soon!!

In the meantime, here is what has been keeping us busy lately.......

silent night my foot.........................

2007-06-15T10:56:00.000-07:00

Well, just getting over a WICKED migraine so I don't have a ton to chat about BUT have no fear..................at night when I could at least open my eyes, I knitted, and knitted, and knitted..........although, I must confess, I did have one night where I couldn't knit anything at all. It just about killed me :(

I have a feeling it is going to be a looooonnngggggg summer for me and migraines. I had a teeny bit of trouble last year but I can kind of tell already, after 3 days of it kicking my tush, I think more is in store *sigh*

For those who have never suffered from migraines, you lucky SOB's *sheepish grin*. Awww I'm kiddin' you know that. I am really happy that alot of the people I care about don't suffer them. There are several people in my family, myself included, that have suffered from them since we were 16 years old. It's a hard dealing with them for so many years when there really is no sure cure. The doctors have messed for YEARS trying to find some sort of a "cure" for mine, no such luck, not even a good bottle of Jack cures them!

Ok, 'nuff of that stuff. I miss all of my friends, I know my blogging has been sporadic and ya'll always know when I seem to need to hear from ya :) Thanks, it makes me smile every time I know someone misses chatting with me:) You are all thought of daily! Now, onto some REAL blogging content. Here are a few things I have finished in the past week and a half or so....readyyyyyyyyy.... I finished AND had a great chilly day which gave me a chance to wear the Back to School U-Neck Vest from Stefanie Japel. I gotta say ya'll, I just love her patterns. They are a PERFECT fit for me. You have to understand though, I have a REALLY odd shape AND odd taste LOL. I am pretty thin yes, BUT I have WIDE,WIDE,WIDE shoulders and then no hips LOL and her patterns seem to fit relatively flatteringly on me. I REALLY like them. Plus, she writes them well and they are fairly easy to understand. The next up if hers for me is either the "Orangina"....ok, I KNOW Miss Anne is over there cracking up at that cuz she KNOWS how I say it *grin* ummmm, use ya'lls imagination LOL and YES, I truly DID think that was the way to pronounce it heehee. Sooooooooooo without further ado, here is the first little goody!!

I LOVE it. The yarn I used is what the pattern called for, Cascade 220 BUT I used the "Heather ed" line and it did seem a teeny bit scratchy at first. I have washed it and it did soften a bit. It isn't that much of a big deal cuz I wear stuff under it anyways. I made the size small and it fit perfectly (in my opinion LOL) I may make another one

This next little beauty is that Anthropology Inspired Wrap that has been floating all over the net. this pattern was ALOT of fun to do. I had it finished in about a week of evenings. Between working on it and a pair of socks for King1 and splitting up knitting time between the two. Can't help it, I get bored FAST! You can find the pattern at Peony Knits. I do recommend it if you want a fast knit that is cute and likable for all. It would make a sweet gift for someone. I doubled my yarn to get gauge and used a hand dyed wool and silk blend that was a real pleasure to work with. I loved it. I have about 500 or so yards left over from it and am looking for something to jump out and say KNIT ME!! I'll let ya know if that happens LOL I am not a lover of worsted weight yarns but this one is a keeper.

Alrighty then, last but not least, I have the "Short Snort Girlfriend Tank" that I made for Miss Priss. It is a free pattern from Wendy Bernard at Knit and Tonic dot com. If you want a fast (and I mean FAST) knit that is cute and knitter friendly, try it. Miss Priss loves it, although the pattern originally calls for the front straps to actually be one of those little wooden rings sewn to the front and then the back straps run through it, well Miss Priss wasn't having ANY of that. She was TOTALLY against it so I opted to just attached the straps so she would have regular shoulder straps. I have to say, I was a bit saddened that little Miss priss had such an aversion to the original idea since I thought that was what was so cute about it BUT, you know how kids can be *sigh*.

I was a little iffy on whether or not I was "into" the top with no ring and then I decided to just pick up and knit a simple crotchet edge around the top raw edges and it finished it off just enough for my taste and seemingly hers too:) here she is sporting it.....next size I will make the 4T-5T as you have already seen with the socks, my kids are how should I say it......not lacking for muscle mass *grin* and the her little rolly poolies are pudgin out around the sides:) sooooo the next size up is a solid vote from me:)

I think I will also make the 2x2 ribbing at the back a little longer, it called for a 1/2 inch and then start the straps but I think it would be a little closer fit with it being an inch to an inch and a half. I really gotta say this is a cutey top. For all that have little ones that can fit this pattern, it is a GREAT stash buster. I used Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece that I let Miss Priss pick out and it was all left overs from the "hat attack" I had over the winter. I gotta say, I like Brown Sheep's Cotton Fleece, it feels nice while I knit with it and some of the cottons have really given me the weeby jeebies knitting with it but I think I'll add this one to one of my fav's pile.

Ok, that's all I got for this post. I have put the one tank I started out of the silkience on hold for awhile, I got tremendously bored with it and decided to just let it take a rest for a bit. I am tossing around the Glee from Zephyr or Green Gables also from them. I REALLY wanna make the Green Gables but I want to use the Brown Sheep Cotton fleece it calls for and it calls for 3 for my size, well, I only have TWO of the color I wanna use (It is a navy blue) soooooo I think I'll just try and figure something else out but not right now, my brain is a bit sore still LOL.

I have a few doctor appointments coming up and may not get time to post but have no fear, I will probably be reading YOURS!!! Remember, life's to short to knit with crappy yarn........so true, so true;)

ahhh 30 day respite?

2007-06-03T17:17:00.000-07:00

**WARNING., this posting is kind of picture intense:)**

ok, ok, I know, no excuse BUT....ok, no buts, I took a month off. Ya know, tidy things up, take care of some loose ends, that sort of thing.

I would like to thank all of you for thinking of me, and emailing me to make sure I am ok. I have to say, I truly was very touched. I have met some seroiusly GREAT bloggers/knitters/friends and I think of you all and am sooooo lucky to be blessed by all of you. Now I will get things back to normal here. You know, tidy up the knitting ect.

For anyone who doesn't know yet.....and I doubt there is anyone.....if you haven't checked out www.ravelry.com you simply MUST!! I will eventually have it all figured out but what I know so far, it's GREAT!!

Next up on the docket: what have I been knitting.............nothing.............LOL ok, I lied. I have done a few projects since last posting...first, I knit an adorable shrug, modified from the Fiber trends shrug pattern. It was alot of fun and relatively fast. I knit it out of Luna from Cascade. It's 100% cotton and I really like it. I'll let you know more on the wear and tear after I wash it. I am hoping it doesn't do the usual that cotton does, ya know, stretch out and loose shape. Here is a picture...........sorry about the photo, but nobody was here to help take it LOL:

These cutey socks were a gift for my mom on Mother's Day, she really loved them but I have a feeling my mom would like dirt if I wrapped it up and told her I made it LOL. The yarn is Bewitched from www.WhiteWillow.etsy.com if you haven't tried her yarns yet, you really should, you don't know what your missing. PLUS she is a small dyer and you all know how much I like to support the small business man/woman. She really is a sweetie and she does FAB work. Whenever I go on a shopping spree, you can bet my 2 favorite dyers are on the list, www.crashintoewe.etsy.com and willow. I not only adore their personal customer service, but the quality is superb. The sock pattern is just a basic 2x2 cuff and then straight stockinette. I really like that simple patterns. I have JUST now started with some other stitch patterns for socks. I get them from none other than www.knitspot.com and Anne designs stunningly beautiful patterns. PLUS, they are well written for knitters who don't really have a TON of pattern reading experience like me. I have a VERY hard time with that and am a VERY visual person but Anne's really are great. Check it out, maybe you should go buy some yarn and THEN go get some patterns *grin*.

I am such an enabler. OMG, I almost forgot, you also must try Radiant Twists yarns, she is really great and has BFL that she dies for socks. I made a swap with her (Radiant Twist, if your reading this, can you please email me debbiejusi at yahoo dot com) Anyways, Mr. mann absolutely LOVES the yarn and honestly, I kinda think he might bite your head off if you try and talk him out of it for socks LOL believe me, I tried LOL!

Alright, this sock photo is going to require some help from ya'll. If anyone recognizes this yarn can you PLEASE email me. I got this yarn and have NO clue who it is from, I bought it from another knitter. Anyways, I do know it is merino,bamboo and nylon BUT I am in TOTAL love with the yarn. I know for certain it isn't from my other love www.BriarRoseFibers.net I know ALL of her yarns by heart. Chris has a very definitive look to her yarns and actually, I could pick them out with my eyes closed just by touch and smell. *giggle* hmmm, did I earn a safety *to much info* for that one LOL ?! It isn't as gross as it sounds LOL. I love this yarn and these socks. So if you know whose the dyer, please, I beg you, email me :)

Hmmm, oh, I almost forgot, I just am in love with this next pattern. I have recently learned that I happen to be a HUGE Stefanie Japel fan. I know some of the more experienced knitters and lace knitters are not 100% into her things. Some don't care to knit top down so while they admire her work, they probably wouldn't find as much need in purchasing her boo or patterns as I would. I am knitting the "Back To School U-neck Vest and I just LOVE it. I am using Cascade 220 Heathers and the color which I thought was black, is actually a deep green. No matter, I am diggin' it BIG time. I am almost done and have not had one problem yet! Her knitting Errata is absolutely EASY to find and the pattern is as smooth as molasses. I am very pleased. So much so, I just bought the Orangina of hers and will probably have to rename it to PinkGina LOL I am going to use Rowan 4ply in pink for it as soon as I finish the vest. Here is what I have so far.

Isn't it the cutest? I am so excited to finish it. I hope it looks ok on me, I tend to not wear things like this so well but everyone seems to think the color is great for me so we'll see.

Ohhhhhh, I got to go to the Wooster Fiber Fair AND I got to take Mr. Mann (who said and I quote "This is so fun, I can't wait till next year") I was just thrilled to know not only did King1 like it there, Miss Priss and Mr. Mann had a good time too. I ran into 2 of my friends and King1 took a ....well....shall I say ..fiber length measurement photo LOL it was sooooooooo funny and for those who have been victims of a particular spam email, then they know what it REALLY means *giggle*

The first photo from right to left is Anne from www.knitspot.com, my friend Karen (blogless) and of course me LOL...notice my hand span (kinda like wing span LOL) is longer than the others *grin*

Ok, now this one is of Miss Priss being toted when her leggs grew weary, but then I told her we were going to the sheep barns again and she decided to stick her fingers in her nose to cover the scent LOL Oh now c'mon, how many of ya'll wouldn't have taken this photo LOL

And last but not least, just to prove Mr. Mann did enjoy himself, see how cute he looks sitting there eating. THAT is a hard thing for him to do, first he HATES eating anything outside, it REALLY upsets him..not this time ;)

Now this last set of photo's are a MUST. Those who know me are very aware that my older brother moved to Vegas at the end of last year and it devastated me. He was up over Memorial weekend to visit and check on some things here. He spent the day with us at my house and we got some pictures. I am very,very close to my brother and even though he doesn't live here anymore, I talk to him almost EVERY day on the phone. Its hard not having him close, I miss his support and being able to see him anytime I wanted. He is the coolest brother..........so is my other brother Mark LOL but Mark and I are not near as close, although he is the best brother too!! Ok, here we go..........

Miss Priss HAD to get in...isn't she just innocent looking LOL this is me and Jon :)

This is probably one of my favorites. Sorry, I just am NOT photogenic LOL

This is my dad, mom, jon, me and miss priss yelling trying to get Mr. Mann to get in on the action too LOL.

alrighty then, I think that is enough torture for ya'll this posting. I hope to show you a finished vest and started Orangina/PinkGina next LOL.

The socks that are rolling now are some bamboo/wool/nylon from BriarRoseFibers.net and an ABSOLUTE must for every sock knitter, more on that later!

Bubyes all!

Welcome to the world .................

2007-05-03T19:37:00.000-07:00

Lily Sayaka Born May 1, 2007 at 2:59 pm *7 lb 11 oz, 21 inches

Check out : http://twoleftneedles.com/
and see her absolutely BEAUTIFUL little addition.....oh, and can I just say OMG she looks AMAZING......doesn't it justmake ya say grrrr LOL...............I tell ya, I didn't look HALF that good after I had my little beanies!!

Please leave her a welcome note and show her how happy we are in the knitting world to welcome yet another new knitter!!! Let's get her some cashmere sleepers gals!

Knit on my friends!

The Fight is not over......

2007-04-30T18:09:00.000-07:00

Just the month is. .....APRIL IS AUTISM AWARENESS MONTH..........THANK YOU FOR BEING AWARE!!!

Please visit Anne at http://www.knitspot.com/ for an exclusive interview with Mr. Man!

I would like to take a few minutes and not talk about knitting, not talk about yarn or any fiber related topics *gasp*.........but to say thank you.

Thank you for all you have done for not only my son but others by being aware. The interview says it all. I have read Mason all the comments that were left and well, the following photo says it all.

Thank you all for sharing this month with us, for caring, for wanting to become more aware. Autism comes in varying degrees and on different levels of the spectrum but it shares one common denominator, it steals from our children, it steals from our families and robs us of having the best for our children. With your help and your interest, there will be more research and there will be more knowledge. There will come a day when we can beat this mysterious disorder. One day it will no longer have the power to rob our families and our children. We will one day de-mystify it's mysteries. Thank you again.

For more information on how to become active and more aware, please visit http://www.cureautismnow.org/ we still need you, our children need you.

Together Mason, one family, one day at a time. We WILL do it. I promise you. Mom

ALERT,ALERT!!!

2007-04-28T10:51:00.000-07:00

Hey ya'll!! Since this has turned out alot better than expected, thanks to many of my blog friends who have been posting the sale on their blogs.......I will be adding some more of the YUMMY yarns I have secretly hidden in VERY strategic spots through-out my house. *giggle*

I will be posting them this evening, Mr. Mann isn't feeling up to perfect so I kind of have him stuck like glue to me........but I don't mind, he's a cutie *grin* .....so please check back to see what yarny goodness you might want. I am SURE I have SOMETHING that might tickle the needles!!

APRIL IS AUTISM AWARENESS MONTH...............PLEASE...................BE AWARE!!

****On a side note, I want to take a second and thank ALL of you for your questions, comments, concerns, all of it regarding Autism and Autism research. NEVER feel funny about asking me about it.........If I put it out on the blog, I do understand people may wanna know more!! Mr. Mann will be featured on Anne of www.knitspot.com website for April. Please be sure to check it out. Here is a statement out of the mouths of babes so to speak.............

"Mason, what do you think other families want to know about how it feels to be Autistic"

ANSWER---"It feels fine I guess. It doesn't make you sick or anything like that. I think it makes me smart *insert adorable grin from him here*
If I didn't have Autism, then I would not be me, I would be different and I like me the way I am. Other kids should like themselves too. Everyone is different in some way mom, we were made that way. Mom, don't you think it would be gross if we were all alike? "

MOM'S ANSWER- "Yes, Mr. Mann, I do think it would be gross *wink*"

That is just a minor excerpt. I did fix his spelling but this is straight from the horses mouth ya'll!!! Be aware, please, tell others and help our families not to be alone in this fight. Our children need YOU!!!!

Tip toe...through the toe ups or downs............

2007-04-25T19:36:00.000-07:00

Ok, ok, ok, now I know I was all about trying a new technique. I know I was all about "I'm not hatin' the toe up thing". I was so totally about trying a new way and liking it. Well, I kind of have some issues with that now :)

I DID try it. I even gave it WAY more of a chance than I normally would. I just couldn't groove on it. I mean, it just wasn't working. The fit bothered me. It continually felt like it was gonna fall off. I couldn't get used to the feel of the sides around my toes. I have VERY sensitive feet and I could feel the short row shaping like nobodies business. It all happened so fast. I at first wanted to just rip back to a spot that looked a bit off to me.....Then it happened, before I knew it, THIS is what was left.

So after that fiasco, I felt REALLY bad about what happened to this poor yarn and well, to be honest, it kind of left a nasty little feel in my hands and to make me feel differently, I knew the only way was to re-skein it, wash it and give it back it's old life. In the meantime, I needed SOMETHING to restore my sock knitting faith. SOMETHING to lead me back to the path of righteousness, the path of certainty, the path of old faithful/familiar so to speak........ladies and gents, meet old faithful *wink*

Not only was the yarn to die for. A luscious blend of merino and bamboo, but it almost knit itself. I soooo wish I knew the brand of this yarn. It came from someone who gave it to me but they lost the ballband and couldn't remember where she got it. She only knew the fiber content because it struck her as odd with the bamboo in the sock yarn. This was also a difficult concept for me to grasp too, I must be honest, BUT, after I got halfway through knitting it, I GET it!!

The mate to it is well on it's way, I am just past the ribbed cuff top and starting the stockinette stitch....................

This sock set was JUST what I needed to make me feel all better. These socks fit like a glove.And well, to be point blank, they make me smile each time I touch them. I can barely knit the mate fast enough. I even put off the Sizzle for just a teeny bit.................a WEE TEENY bit;)

I started knitting the Sizzle...available at http://www.thegarterbelt.com/ and trust me, I am loving each and every stitch, but I HAD to finish or at least get heavily moving on the mate to my little bamboo rendezvous partner!! So, in between knits and purls........... I have been sneaking in this little beauties knits here and a knit2together there:)

I just have to say.............I was a bit up in air about what yarn to use for this. I REALLY wanted to use a yarn I had in my stash. I just did NOT want to go out and buy more yarn for a sweater. I know it sounds silly but sometimes I get to that little point where I look around and say...no way, I cannot buy ANYMORE yarn, I am swimming in it. Well, here it turns out that once I swatched, I had the PERFECT yarn for it. I had some Ella Rae Silkience that I had bought for another pattern that I decided not to knit, well, it was PERRRRFECT. This yarn is so nice to work with. Try it, I highly recommend it. It has a GORGEOUS drape to it, a soft and sexy feel to it and all around beauty!!

Well, that's all for now. I have more in the works but am kind of at a boring stand still as far as photographing it. Hopefully, I'll have more at the start at the weekend.

Please, remember......................APRIL IS AUTISM AWARENESS MONTH............PLEASE................BE AWARE.

I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.............

2007-04-20T10:10:00.000-07:00

I WILL, I WILL have enough yarn to finish WOOOOHOOOO and Debbie Bliss and her excessive amounts of yarn come through again!! I am so happy and so pleased with the results of this Bolero. It is sooo cute on Miss Priss and she is patiently waiting for me to finish.

I am just starting the laced border. I have never knitted a border for anything that the pattern called for to be knit separately and then STITCHED on after everything is sewn together. *shrugging my shoulders* no difference to me, just gives me a little new experience in something. It was explained to me that sometimes a designer will have you knit this way because picking up stitches and adding the border that way may give some excess bulk around edges and stuff........or something to that effect LOL I can't remember 100% WHY but it made sense when I was told LOL.

Ohhhh my gosh, I am using my new Addi Turbo's for the lace border and I LOVE them. I have never used them before, for fear that they would be to slick for me. I was in desperate need of a size 3 without a 24 " cable and I had these Addi's so I thought, well, it's now or never ya know LOL. I am really glad I made the leap. The joins are puuurrrreee heaven!! The joins don't get caught in the yarn or snag it, they just are awsome.

I actually cast on last night for a new project and it calls for size 7's, well, I grabbed my 7 Addi Turbo's. Love,Love,LOVE them. I am even knitting a silk blend that is a bit slick but not a problem yet. Hopefully I will have made some progress over the weekend to take some good pictures and show ya'll.

I will starting my Summer Essentials sweater as soon as my needles come in. I thought I had the right size but when I started to cast on last night, nope!! So I popped onto Ebay, bought some (Destiny's not Turbo's LOL) and am now waiting. I decided to cast on the tank top "SIZZLE" by Knit and Tonic. It is such a cute pattern, very well written and really easy to understand. I decided to knit it out of the Ella Rae Silkience. It's a cotton, silk blend and has such a lovely drape to it, it will be PERFECT for this top. I was a little nervous I wouldn't get gauge with the Silkience and was actually not really wanting to buy anymore sweater yarn for right now. I wanted to knit out of my stash for this and it worked. The gauge for that tank is spot on in case anyone has the Silkience and wants to knit the top. It's available at :http://www.thegarterbelt.com/ and you get the pattern right away. VERY cool. Seriously, when you pay for it, boom, it is sent to your email in a pdf form and you can just zoopppp and it is downloaded :) *sheepish grin* almost makes me feel kinda "Samantha like from Bewitched" LOL. Anyways, I thought I would knit that until my needles get here. It should be a fairly quick knit.

Ok, now for some Eye Candy Friday:

Viola!!! From screen right to left: Yarn Pirate in Neapolitan, 2Vesper's one in Petal and one in Crazy Little Mama and 2 All Things Heather, GrapeVine and Lolli colorways. I have some heavy sock projects starting with these little gems. Although, the Petal from Vesper, I actually will be making Miss Priss this really cute short sleeve shrug out of it, it's a sport weight while the others are in between sock and fingering.

Miss Priss HAD to be in the photo..............she's a bit of a ham ;) She says "Knitting Rocks"!! LOL

Now for a little closing note........................here's a blog and podcast to check out...http://midnight2sticks.blogspot.com/ and http://sharkypurl.blogspot.com/

They are Stephanie and Shannon and they are sooo funny. I just love their podcast. I hope they stay doing it. Maybe if we all show them how much we like it, they will )

I'd also like to give a special thank-you to http://brooklyntweed.blogspot.com/ for the Autism Awareness side bar link. So pop on over to his blog and check out his knitting porn!!

APRIL IS AUTISM AWARENESS MONTH................ PLEASE.................BE AWARE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WIill she or won't she....THAT is the question!!!!

2007-04-18T12:00:00.000-07:00

For some reason my blogger won't let me drag the photos to the bottom of the page so the order of my blog is a bit jostled. I got 2 questions asking about Miss Priss' hair. They commented that her hair looks so pretty, they have never seen it down out of piggy tails or a pony tail of some sort..........THIS my friends is WHY: Miss Priss has VERY,VERY long and thin hair that gets ALL tangled up when left to roam about LOL. We leave it down and done up when we are going places but for bed time it is in a pony tail and when she is playing ect., it is up or contained LOL. It is gorgeous but can be VERY hard to care for LOL..............and no, I would never DREAM of cutting it short.

The other day Kelly (whose bloggy thing wouldn't work for me, so Kelly, can you please resend it)emailed me and was quite concerned. She was wondering what happened to the other Proudest Monkey sock. She was very worried I had caught "SSS" (second sock syndrome). Well, have no fear Kelly, I avoided it THIS time;) but the socks were adopted by Mr. Mann who liked the cushy feel and the way the stripes were different. They look rather happy on their new owners feet dontcha think??

Ok, First things first. Sorry, ya'll cannot have Mr. Mann's dying expertise, he is gonna do it for us and make us rich.....*insert muuuwwaahhaaa laugh here* rich I tell ya!! Well, ok, maybe that is stretching it a bit *grin* sure...we'll hire him out, what child labor laws?? Oh, one thing though, Miss Priss is his lovely assistant and SHE goes with the deal, keep in mind, she is 3 and her attitude enters the room 15 minutes before SHE does;)

Oh my, I am REALLY nervous ya'll. I was knitting like a mad woman on the bolero for Miss Priss last night when I came to the VERY real possibility that I just may not have enough yarn to finish this YIKES!! I know, I know, ALWAYS buy an extra ball of yarn. THIS is why I didn't do that. The pattern is Debbie Bliss and she is KNOWN for not only having the sizes a little larger than norm (which I like) but also adding in for a very generous amount of yarn. Therefore, with EVERY pattern I have EVER made of hers, if it calls for 4 balls of yarn, then I end up having anywhere from 1 to 1 1/2 balls left over. Well, my LYS doesn't carry Debbie Bliss yarn and I found this particular colorway and lot on Ebay for a really good deal. One that I couldn't pass up. I know some people weren't that gung ho on the color but once it was getting knitted up, they really started to like it. Sometimes ya gotta take what ya get when the price is right. The lot was for 4 balls of Cathay, the pattern called for 4 balls of Cathay. I am point on for gauge and have stayed on gauge though the pattern, cool right?! Well, I still have the entire right side and then the laced pointed border thingy that goes all the way around it and THAT is all the yarn I have left. Hmmmm, I am nervous. Part of me says, oh, that's plenty of yarn, then the inexperienced part of me says YIKES! It would figure, the one time when I buy spot on for the yarn, it will take more OY VEY! Stay tuned and see what happens in this thrill-seeking saga *giggle* But ohhhhhh look how cute it is!!

Next up for business is this:My VERY first toe up sock. It is Wendy's generic version from http://www.wendyknits.net/

and I must say, I am not hatin' it LOL. I have this aversion thingy to change, let's just say it takes me awhile to succumb BUT I am learning:) The yarn is Socks That Rock Medium weight, not sure of the colorway, I'll have to dig for the ball band.

Well, that's all for now folks!!!

Remember.....

APRIL IS AUTISM AWARENESS MONTH......................PLEASE...............BE AWARE!!!

Mwwwaaahhhahaha, The Mad Scientist lives HERE!!

2007-04-17T10:42:00.000-07:00

***********************Before my post I would like to take a few moments to tell everyone to please remember the families in yesterdays tragedy at Virgina Tech. My heart and prayers go out to the families and everyone involved. What a horrible day for all. Please take a moment to take stock in what you have and how lucky you truly are on a daily basis. Then read about yesterday and try and remember, we have no idea what it is like to be in their shoes. We truly are very, very blessed. Hug you children a little tighter tonight and give an extra kiss on their cheeks when you tuck them in, give an extra hug for the parents who won't have this option anymore.

God Speed. **********************************************************

They say that a picture is worth a thousand words, so maybe I should just let the pictures do the talking ;) Mr. Mann soaking his yarn::

The empty dish is what was left of his dye that he used............................his lovely assistant wanted a glory shot too *grin*
This is the green yarn, he just got done nuking it......I was gonna show you a picture of what accidently happened to the micro-wave but King1 hasn't seen it yet and if he did, he didn't think to ask what happened....with now that I think of it, I find it rather creepy he was perfectly content to see a micro-wave that had red and green ooukie stuff staining it...................hmmmm
This is the red after it cooked before he opened up the saran wrap............looks kinda gross LOL
And THIS, is the end results..............he hung them up and dried them and this is what they looked like this morning.
Personally, I think Mr. Mann may be onto to a hot new career here *grin* He used some of my handspun from last year. It wasn't the best handspun I have ever made and had a few areas that were overspun. I wanted him to use this instead of some of my good sock yarn handspun in case he ruined it by felting it or something BUT he didn't and it turned out GREAT.

The red was dyed using a heated dye-bath of roasted and crushed beet powder and dried raspberries that was then ran through the food processor and made into powder form too. He soaked the yarn in a vinegar soak before he mix the powders, it helps the natural powder adhere permanently to the yarns or fabrics. The green is Dried and powdered Kale and spinach greens dried and powdered with just a touch of lime rind for acidity purposes. This is how we dye icings and such that you would normally use ready made or you would be able to use food coloring or other store bought colorings. We can't because of medical reasons so I learned years ago how to get natural dyes. It's fun and the colors are really unpredictable but you can learn alot by doing that.

Now let's take a peek at what the contest was all about....Leah asked if ya'll could see a photo of the sweater so here ya go................. When I bought the "kit" you buy the pattern, in this case it was the Debbie Bliss Summer Essentials book, and you also but the yarn for whatever size you'll be making.

The yarn that came with it is the Debbie Bliss cotton DK. I am sooooo in love with that sweater, I think it is sooooo cute. The only thing I am thinking of changing it how high the collar is. I think I might just make it a ribbed crew neck instead, I dunno yet. I'll have plenty of time to decide since the collar is the last thing you knit. Anyways, I just think it is so feminine and pretty I HAVE to make it.

The Bolero that I was making out of the Cathay yarn a couple of weeks ago is still coming along. I kind of hit a dull spot in the routine of that pesky plain stockinette stitch that sometimes goes on FOREVER!!!! Well, I just decided last night to hunker down and just do it!! I won't start the Ella sweater for me until I finish that one. But, I did make alot of progress on it last night. I was watching the tivo'ed "Knitty Gritty" and I just started groovin' on it LOL. It really went along fast then, I stopped paying attention to how long it seems to be taking to do it and shocked myself when King1 came to bed and I showed him my progress on it. All in all, I am really happy with it. It is a fairly easy pattern and she actually explains the pattern and steps very nicely. That is what I love about her earlier books. She was always explains the directions clearly in them. In some of her new books, the patterns are a bit unclear to the novice knitter and she leaves some things up to the knitter as if they should KNOW how to do it or they should KNOW what comes next. Alot of ruined patterns are knit on assumption;)

I am working on the left front & sleeve as you can tell:)

The yarn is really turning out to be quite nice. I just really am extra cautious to not split it and all is well. I must say, I am pretty pumped to finish it up!!

Well, that's all for today. The website for the day that I think you should all take a gander at is :::::http://www.glioca.org/ Oh your gonna love this blog. She has some lovely sock knitting going on. Well, that's it for the day:)

Remember everyone............APRIL IS AUTISM AWARENESS MONTH.............PLEASE.......................... BE AWARE!!!

If you get a chance to pop onto Ebay, type in Autism and you will have ALOT to choose from, there are many many sellers who are collecting "donations". meaning you buy a magnet, key chain to what ever and they donate a portion of the proceeds to Autism research. What could be better than bidding on something you want, winning the item and then knowing that some of the monies will go to help someones family:)

Knit on my friends!!! I will make sure I answer more questions from emails on my next post. If you have a really important question you need an answer to right away, just put "urgent" in the subject line. Please send mail to debbiejusi at yahoo dot com

I am REALLY enjoying the emails and the questions ya'll ask, it has turned into alot of fun ;)

BY POPULAR DEMAND******

2007-04-15T18:52:00.000-07:00

Ok ya'll...because I can't keep a secret ....here are the winners...

1st place is Jennifer from: http://loopyknitter.wordpress.com/-- enjoy the cashmere Jennifer, you deserve it :)

2nd place : Danielle of : http://aknittingmom.blogspot.com/ A winner of lovely cashmere blend from Elann.com ....enjoy

3rd. place : http://spindleknits.blogspot.com/- and some awsome, cool sock yarn to make more of those cute socks.....I tried to find a camo color in my stash because it would soooooo go with those pictures LOL

We have a 4th place winner that I had my daughter help me pick out....and the winner is::::::
Rhonda of:http://mitstitchingnut.blogspot.com/ and she has just won herself a really cool new book by Author Stephanie Pearl McPhee, "Cast Off". Maybe there is a 12 step program in there for the second sock syndrome *wink*

You guys, I had a BLAST running this and I wish I could just give all of you guys a prize. I have made some FANTABULOUS new blog friends in this process and I hope you all know how really special and cool you are :) Thanks for welcoming me into your worlds and also for playing along.

Who knows, maybe I'll run another contest next month...I know King1 loves the depletion in the stash room LOL.....it will be a little easier for me since I kind of have a better idea on how to do it....and let's face it, I have more yarn than one person could EVER knit in a life time....share the wealth right!!

KNIT ON MY FRIENDS>.......please email me your snail mail addys at debbiejusi at yahoo dot com

I'm on a mission giggle

2007-04-15T15:56:00.000-07:00

a SOCK Mission LOL...... well, I finished ONE of Mr. Mann's socks in his "lunar" colorway.

Now before ANY of you feel the need to clarify that my children have mini tree stumps for feet and legs, well.............*sheepish grin* save it, they get it from Daddy's side ;0

This is the yarn he picked out from Twister. It is a thicker yarn that I dunno if I would have picked it out myself. It's along the lines of a heavy DK weight. It moves quick though, I started these last night around 10 or so and finished this early evening. Size 3 needles and 2x2 ribs . It's my standard sock recipe LOL but he's a boy so he doesn't like all that fancy stuff LOL.

I do have to say though that I like the way the colors messed here. It just blends into one another. I can see the color graduations because of the change of different hues. This yarnseemed to have formed some sort of uniformed pattern even though it isn't a self stripping sock.

The heel is a standard traditional square heel, and I decrease quickly after the heel since Mr. Mann is flat footed (has no arch) he tends to get bothered by the excess fabric rubbing under his foot. I do think I need to decrease more severely because depending on the yarn, it can still leave some bulk. Now the sock yarn I use from www.crashintoewe.etsy.com and www.whitewillow.etsy.com both have a finer gauge yarn that doesn't develop alot of bulk so my decreasing is slight with those two. It has turned out to be a trial and error thing with me. It helps that I am VERY picky and prefer to have my socks knit to perfection *giggle* hmmmm, maybe I have a long way to go to perfection LOL. Actually, I happen to really like the way I have developed my own system and it apparently works for others too.

Ok, Gracie asked how I weave in my ends and I was just getting ready to weave in my sock ends when I thought hmmm, I'll snap a photo of it so maybe ya'll can see. Ok, Where you see the needle is where I stopped my weaving and I "fringed" the ends so that the yarn doesn't slip out.

If you look REALLY close (and I take pride in this LOL)you can see how I have carefully gone in and out of the purl loops and only picking up half of the loop. Basically, I am splitting the purl bumps with my needle so I can slip in each one. I start going up then move over one row and go down and then move over one row and go up again and then snip and fray. This seems to be the best way. Now also when you start to go to another purl row, make sure you kind of tug on the sock to stretch the fabric so it doesn't get all goofy and pull your ends out. I am really glad ya'll are taking an interest in my knitting and asking me questions. I love that and it is really cool to know others like my knitting too. Keep in mind though ya'll, there are knitters out there with FAR more knowledge, my "knowledge" comes from just basically, I like things the way I like them LOL. I tend to piddle with things until it becomes something that is comfortable with ME or my lovable ones;)

Now, before I start on this next topic, I want to first start off by saying that my blog is NOT a blog to come to for bashing others. Even if I personally am NOT a fan of something, you will see that I may SAY I am not a big fan....but you WON'T see anything else. I am not into the hash slinging and to be very honest with all of you, if any of the comments or emails (which I actually think that all of the people who come and read my blog are the most kindest and sweetest I have met) but anyways, if any of the comments ext are nasty or rude, I will delete them immediately. You can TACTFULLY say your not satisfied or you are not a big fan of something or someone without being hurtful. Ya'll know that ;) Ok now......here we go....

For the last several weeks, I have been privy to some pretty sad blogging. By that I mean, MEAN, NASTY and CUT-THROAT blogging. I was shocked and to be honest, I was not only hurt for the people that these topics were about BUT I was truly embarrassed for the people writing the blogs. I mean, as my mother taught me, A TRUE lady NEVER shows her teeth and trust me ya'll, I have seen ALOT of teeth. I am shocked. One of the main topics I am referring to is MYSTICAL CREATIONS. I have chatted back and forth with Danielle for awhile now and she has really gone out of her way to help me with each and every one of my silly little endeavors. Those of you who really KNOW me, know that when I have my mind set on something, I just move heaven and earth to find it, get it and knit it LOL. Poor Danielle has been subject to that MANY times LOL. I feel I know her well enough to know that what is being done to her is cruel and so much unlady like, I mean, geesh, short of mud wrestling, I dunno what else would be left.
She is being called TERRIBLE names, and believe me, I have read these names, she is being downed for her creativity, her knowledge and her all around character. Why you ask, well, the whole scenario stems from someone who received some of her yarn and there was what they felt was an error. Danielle was contacted AFTER the blog slinging had already started and she was TOTALLY unaware of the fact of this until the hash started. Trust me, she would have chopped off her own hair, dyed and spun it to make amends and make someone happy. She LOVES what she does and she is damn good at it. I will not comment further to give negative press to what ACTUALLY was,should have been, or done, to start the feud. I don't think fuel should be added to the fire. What I am asking is that all the hate mail, the negative comments from people who never even BOUGHT her yarn and just the cut throat behavior STOP.
The fiber,yarn and dying community is a LARGE one and there is enough room for ALL of you. All of you will have your own customer base, and so what if you share a customer. Maybe you have one thing they want and another dyer or spinner has another. Don't people shop for groceries at different stores? I mean when I need paper products,I go to the dollar store because the paper products I use are of the inexpensive kind, when I want fish, I go to the fish monger and at no time have I ever seen them dukin' it out on the street over me LOL....although it would be funny LOL.
I am just really upset at how nasty people have become. I have seen on blogs where one dyers is ripped to shreds, a yarn company is ripped on another one, a designer on yet another one and then an author on yet others. Now I will admit, I have my personal favorites in ALL aspects, that's my prerogative, BUT I don't go to someone else's side of the street and say what crappy yarn they have because they are an inferior spinner or things to those extent. I know that deep down, everyone is just trying to grab their corner of the world, but ya'll the world is ROUND, there are NO corners, just spaces for everyone to stand............can't we just stand side by side? Why does everything have to be so hateful, so competitive? Please DO NOT email me and tell me that life is like that and competitiveness is the name of the game, yes, I KNOW that, but grabbin' knives and daggers to toss at the neighbor is NOT!
I know one of the things I admire most of this wonderfully diverse craft is just how truly creative everyone is. I mean, honestly, it is mindblowing to me. I am so impressed but so sad it has been seeping with hatred and nastiness. There is just no reason for it. It's really sad. I think what people don't really realize also, is this...................
behind each of those website, blogs, Etsy stores, Ebay stores, and mom and pop shops, there are people. People like Danielle, like me, like you. All of us are here and all of us love what we do and what we're involved in, but we all feel that knife when it goes into our backs. It hurts. It hurts to have someone claim to be your friend and then take advantage of your generosity and your kindness and then stab you in the back knowingly when you turn around. It hurts when people spread rumours about your craft and your talent and then that effects your bread and butter,and it hurts to know that people are just wanting to say things and do things to hurt you and your business or your love. I will be the first to admit I have been taken advantage of, many times, I know it.....but sometimes, its just easier for me to be on the look-out and to shut myself off to the people that do that to me, but you know what, my other friends, the ones that love my dorkiness and love the fact that I crack up laughing and snort, they miss out on having the real me because of my fear of being hurt again...........this is a circle in life......I am not the only one who feels that way, I am just the only one admitting it right now.
I know that the people who have hopped on the bandwagon of what I have started to call "power bashing", I KNOW you are all good people who wouldn't want that happening to you or anyone you cared about, c'mon people, knitters and crafters have this code of ethics, a code that they step up and help, not hurt. People like Danielle at Mystical Creations, she is just like you and I, she loves what she does. She LOVES hearing how happy her customers are and what beauty they are creating. Email her and chat with her, you will see what I do. Her clientele isn't being hurt by all of this, SHE is. She is more hurt that people are unhappy than anything else. She only wants to just have her space in the world too, she doesn't want to fight for it, she knows there's no reason to. I am asking all of you to not only stop with the nastiness from Mystical but others that I have read too. I have seen this regarding bloggers, podcasters, ect., seriously, we CANNOT let men say they are right about us........oh geesh, can you IMAGINE how huge their ego's would be *giggle*.
I hope that this has set with you. I hope that this touches a spot in your heart. I don't mean to try and start this all out argument over who is right who is wrong or who is better. I just want to see everyone happy and everyone share in others creativity. If you are not a fan of someones blog, then don't read it, I won't. If you don't prefer a dyer, don't shop there. I know sometimes it's easier said then done but please........try.
For those of you who have been upset by your merchandise with Mystical, email her, Danielle is MORE than happy to fix things if you have an issue, but she has to KNOW about them first. Mystical Creations Yarns have closed the Etsy Shoppe, not because of this but because the overflow from Etsy, Ebay and her shop was more than she could comfortably handle. You can still order her stunning yarns at either Ebay or her online shoppe at www.mysticalcreationsyarn.com
Check it out....you'll be happy you did.
Now, For the Contest. The winners have been picked. I will be emailing you all and posting the winners tomorrow. Thanks for helping me destash *giggle*.....The answer was........ SUMMER ESSENTIALS SWEATER.................the actual one is Ella. I bought the kit and it arrived and now I am off to knit LOL.

APRIL IS AUTISM AWARENESS MONTH..............PLEASE................BE AWARE!!

CONTEST ENDING TODAY!!!!

2007-04-15T08:45:00.000-07:00

Hi all,

Just a note to let you to know get your enteries in. The contest is closed at 5pm today. I will announce the winners either later tonight or tomorrow morning.

Good Luck and have fun. This has been alot of fun to do and I am so glad I could give some cool gifts away:)

Happy Knitting and Guessing ya'll,

Debbie

Ohhh, a yarn store gone badddd, very badddd grin

2007-04-13T19:23:00.000-07:00

APRIL IS AUTISM AWARENESS MONTH............PLEASE..............BE AWARE!

Let's start with a clue *sheepish grin* The letter E. I can share with ya'll this.....it could be located on 34 & 35. Now don't email me and ask me what that means *grin* cuz I'm not gonna tell ya!! I will say though that I have decided to extend the winners to 4 instead of 3 :) but nooooo, that does NOT mean you all get cashmere LOL......the 3rd place and 4th place will get what is called pot luck! It will be knitting related!

Now, let's get on to some yarny goodness. I must say that I have some AWSOME friends. I cannot begin to say thank you enough to all of you. First to Brenda who somehow feels that I need to be converted to being a "Socks that Rock" fan LOL.....ok, ok, you win LOL. She has found out that my favorite colorways are reds and pinks and she decided to send me more yarny goodness. Thank you thank you thank you! You TRULY are a gem! Ok, up next, we have the orangey variegated......this is going to be a gift for someone and that's all I can say *sheepish grin* if I say what I am knitting out of it, well, that will give it away. I can't even say when it needs to be done by LOL. BUT, the yarn is so delicious, I HAD to show it off. Beside that is 2 hanks of pure YUMMO! It is Pumpkin Spice and the new and upcoming famous colorway.....drum roll please.............BEWITCHED!!! It is GORGEOUS. Check out www.whitewillow.etsy.com and get your drool on LOL. Don't forget that purple beauty beside the STR hanks. This is the newest colorway from www.crashintoewe.etsy.com called Purple Medley. Now you all know that I am HUGE promoters of these two Indie dyers. I am telling you right now, they are AWSOME. They have a talent that is AMAZING. Both with unique colorway qualities. I HIGHLY recommend them, you WON'T be sorry.

And onto Rowan porn. I know, I know, it looks like a Rowan store blew up over here (remember the cashsoft I just got LOL) well, this is the final in my Rowan spending fury. Here is what I did folks, now remember, I THOUGHT it was a good idea at first....until I ran out of room to store it all.

At the start of this year, I made a list of 2 things. One was a list of yarns I wanted to try (Brenda,Gina and Ryan have pretty much cleared that up LOL) and I also made a list of items I wanted to knit for the year. Ya know, sweaters, socks, hats, scarf's, mitts ect., for birthday's, Christmas, Mother's day, all the gift giving holidays. I also added things I wanted to knit for myself and the kids and King1. Well, I thought that with having that list made up, having all the patterns marked, ect, that I should be on the look-out for the yarns and be looking for the best deals right?! LOL Well, a sweaters work of Cotton glace is not a teeny amount LOL. Actually, this really was the smartest thing for me to do. Now I can knit them at my leisure and just move onto the next instead of waiting for the yarns and then getting way behind blah,blah,blah...you know the routine LOL!! This also helps stop me from senseless splurging believe it or not. I have the yarns for everything I need, including sock yarns and that keeps me out of the heavy buying track. Now when I buy a sock yarn here or a sock yarn there, I can not have the worry of spending the money that was to be for the sweater for Aunt Kimmy for her birthday or King1's birthday sock money. Trust me, there is a complete order to my spending frenzies and I only do it in spurts and when I have what I need already, I tend to be able to say no to senseless spending sprees. PLUS, knowing I am saving up money in case I want to buy a new spinning wheel is also incentive too. I can be incredibly frugal when I want to :)

Ok, now I thought I would do something a little new for me.....hope it doesn't bore everyone LOL....I have been getting a lot of emails asking questions and I thought maybe everyone would like to know. First, thank you all for the emails. I appreciate it and love hearing from all of you. I am so thrilled at the friends I have made through knitting and blogging, it is amazing to me the kindness and the generosity of knitters. For those of you who would like to email me and not sure how or where :debbiejusi at yahoo dot com

Now time for questions and answers: This is the first time I have ever done anything like this so it may take a few times to tweek it LOL.

--Do I have a favorite sock yarn? Well, yes and no. I really like using my handspun but if you don't count that then yes, The above 2 mentioned are the 2 front runners for me:) I may or may not add some more to that when I try some of these new ones that have been sent to me. I'll keep you posted :)

--What is my favorite sock patterns: Well, I am just now starting in the world of patterned socks LOL I normally prefer to do the cuff down 2x2 rib. I have started on a couple of sock patterns from my books and will keep you posted....one being the Nancy Bush Knitting on the Road. So far I really like that one, it is just taking me forever. It is my travel sock.

--Have I ever been to any fiber festivals? Nope, not even one teeny-tiny one LOL I do look forward to going next year.

--What kind of pattern books do I recommend? Well, this one cracked me up....I am REALLY not experienced in this area BUT I can tell you the ones I like. I like Debbie Bliss' older pattern books. She wrote the patterns more thoughtfully than the new ones. Alot of the new ones are left to "just knowing the ropes". I like the Nancy Bush sock books, and Susan Anderson and yes, Zoe Mellor's books LOL if you can find the errata. I also adore alot of the patterns in Interweave Knits books, I have made several items and really like them. There are alot of new and upcoming designers in there and in Knitty. com that are really good.

--Which do I prefer, spinning or knitting? Both. I knit more than I spin but I also go in spurts. I make sure I set aside 1 day a week to just spin and then the rest I knit. Knitting is more portable for me. Maybe when my monkeys are older, things will change.

Ok, there are just a few of the questions I have in email and I will try and answer a little during new posts. If I haven't answered your questions here, then I will email you and try and answer that way.

Thanks everyone for making me feel like I am such a part of a fantastic community. I would also like to thank all of you for your support for Autism Research. You will never know how much that means to me.

Now for a new featured website ;) http://sassykrafty.blogspot.com/ Check out her Chevron scarf, it is soooo cool!!!

Knit On My Friends!!

This little piggy went to the market..........this little piggy....

2007-04-12T18:29:00.000-07:00

APRIL IS AUTISM AWARENESS MONTH...............PLEASE...............BE AWARE!

Stayed home and got to wear hand-knit socks WOOHOO. I LOVE these socks. This is the yarn I showed you the other day posing with Tommy Turtle lusting after it. This is the Proudest Monkey sock yarn from http://www.crashintoewe.etsy.com/ I can't even begin to describe how much I love this yarn. This colorway is my favorite. I am not sure what I see is what you see, but with me, if I can see it, I am VERY happy. The color hues in this are not of the same tone so this leaves a step variation that I can see separate. So far, everyone in my household wants a pair in this colorway. The pattern is just my normal basic 2x2 rib and stockinette stitch foot with the square heel. I am finding myself going back to the square heel instead of doing the short row heel. Now personally, I was VERY against learning the short row heel way (I'm funny like that LOL) I learned how to knit socks the traditional heel way and I do NOT adjust well to change...........Maybe all those years of dealing with Mr. Mann has rubbed off on me OR better yet, maybe I rubbed off onto Mr. Mann.........ohhhh no, poor kid *wink*. Anyways, I finally decided to try the short row, I had a bit of a time catching onto it and finally, I did. I started to perfect the gusset holes and adapt my own personal spin onto it and began liking it. I then decided it was faster to knit than traditional heel and guess what I did. Yep, I decided to time it. I made 2 pairs of socks, both with the same stitch, same yarn, same needles, everything the same. I then timed each sock from start to finish of the the heel. Once I finished the decrease stitches in the heel, I then stopped the timer. This is what I came up with. The traditional heel, from start to finish point took 17.5 minutes. The short row heel , from start to finish, took 11.7 minutes. So my thoughts were right, the short row WAS indeed faster. That sealed the deal for me, I started doing ALL my socks that way. After several pairs for each child and several pairs for myself, I started noticing that not only were the kiddies constantly tugging at their socks, so was I. The sock heels were continually slipping down. This was starting to drive me insane. What was the problem, why was this happening? Could it be the sock yarn was not worthy? Could it be that when pulling the socks on over the heel, the yarn stretched and was then unable to gain it's recovery therefore causing poor fit and slippage? That COULDN'T be it. I then made an effort to use some of the sock yarn I have that contained some nylon thinking that the recovery would be better. End result, no different. This was LITERALLY driving me batty. I couldn't stand the sloppiness this was giving my socks that I work so hard to make. So I decided to do yet another study. The fit of both heels. I will spare you the photo intense theory BUT this is the conclusion, the short row heels fit just under the actual heel the fit is shortened and bent to just make it slide off of your heel. The square heel (traditional) actually cupped your heel, causing a little covet for your heel to set into, this is why your sock doesn't slide down, the fit of the heel. So where does that leave me? I went right back to the traditional heel, the time it saves by doing the short row heel gets eaten up by constantly tugging at the socks to pull them up. This makes all the work going into the socks futile at best. This would cause me to slide the socks to the back of the drawer and grab another pair that doesn't fall or slip. That does NOBODY any good. In the weeks to come, I will be trying new techniques for heels. I have been gifted all these new amazing sock yarns (one photo to follow, compliments of my knitter friend Jen) Jen will be making her own blog here shortly and I am soooo happy, she is the one who bugged ME to make a blog and SHE didn't even have one LOL. So, be ready for a link when she is done. She is an AMAZING knitter/sock designer. She has just recently started designing sock patterns and I must say, they are really pretty. Way to go Jen. Look for her work to show up in some (not mentioning any names) online knitting magazines!! I just found this out and I think I am more excited than she is LOL kidding, she is pretty pumped LOL

Ok, onto some more yarny goodness. This next snazzy little number is the ever popular Sahara. I have been eyeing this for a little under a year, never really settling one way or another on should I get the pattern or not. FINALLY I decided to get it. I just couldn't get it out of my head. I think this pattern is so lovely. It is VERY flattering although the top is a little lower than what I would wear, I have the solution for that, a lacy little cami under it. I now need to settle on the yarn to get for it. I have a few in mind but am not 100% sure on any yet. The Tilli Thomas yarn is just a bit to pricey for me and a little impractical. The beads are not important to me, Sometimes that kind of embellishments turn me completely off. So, now my new mission will be to find a yarn for this. This will make my summer knitlist complete. I wanted to knit myself 2 summer garments this year and I finally settled on the two ;) I make socks all year round and of course I knit the kids socks and sweaters and hats,scarfs, and the such but I really don't make

myself alot other than socks. So last year I decided I would make myself 2 items with every season change. It didn't have to be large or overwhelmingly difficult, just something that I like. That is how I came to this conclusion:)

This is the yarn that Jenn sent me. I have not knit with it yet but it feels really soft. The colorway says Militia. I think I am going to make King1 a nice pair of ribbed socks out of it. I'll keep you posted on it's progress:)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The following is in regard to Autism Awareness. Feel free to skip if this does not interest you...........but I hope you read it anyways.

Autism is characterized by impaired social interaction, problems with verbal and nonverbal communication, and unusual, repetitive, or severely limited activities and interests
There are three distinctive behaviors that characterize autism. Autistic children have difficulties with social interaction, problems with verbal and nonverbal communication, and repetitive behaviors or narrow, obsessive interests. These behaviors can range in impact from mild to disabling.

Autism varies widely in its severity and symptoms and may go unrecognized, especially in mildly affected children or when it is masked by more debilitating handicaps. Doctors rely on a core group of behaviors to alert them to the possibility of a diagnosis of autism.

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) is one of the federal government’s leading supporters of biomedical research on brain and nervous system disorders. The NINDS conducts research in its laboratories at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland , and also awards grants to support research at universities and other facilities.
As part of the Children’s Health Act of 2000, the NINDS and three sister institutes have formed the NIH Autism Coordinating Committee to expand, intensify, and coordinate NIH’s autism research. Eight dedicated research centers across the country have been established as “Centers of Excellence in Autism Research” to bring together researchers and the resources they need. The Centers are conducting basic and clinical research, including investigations into causes, diagnosis, early detection, prevention, and treatment, such as the studies highlighted below:
investigators are using animal models to study how the neurotransmitter serotonin establishes connections between neurons in hopes of discovering why these connections are impaired in autism
researchers are testing a computer-assisted program that would help autistic children interpret facial expressions
a brain imaging study is investigating areas of the brain that are active during obsessive/repetitive behaviors in adults and very young children with autism
other imaging studies are searching for brain abnormalities that could cause impaired social communication in children with autism
clinical studies are testing the effectiveness of a program that combines parent training and medication to reduce the disruptive behavior of children with autism and other ASDs .

The above information is from the website :http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/autism/detail_autism.htm

Please take a few minutes each time your on the Internet this month and check out some of the sites that are being published this month. This disorder is life changing for the families it touches. If you know someone who has a child that has just been diagnosed, please, don't shy away from them. You may think they need time or their space to deal with this blow. I can tell you from experience, they need friends too. They need some sense of normalcy to stay consistent in their lives. Their lives are being tossed around and upside down, having friends who want to be there, it helps in ways that can't be expressed. It is emotionally, physically and spiritually draining to delve into this disorder. It is hard to accept that the child you love fiercely and the child you want the best for, will not go down some of the same roads that his/her peers will go down. It is hard to hear or watch a child that is neuro-typical playing with the kids next door, when you know that your child is physically unable to interact that way. You cry for all that your child will miss, all that your child will never know, and all that you cannot give your child. Then there comes the point where you stand up, brush yourself off, and look to your friends for support. I know for myself, I know that in time, there WILL be more help available for my son and many like him. I know that in time, there WILL be more research being done. I know this because I promised my son that we will not stop until we make a difference! Help me make a difference, please tag your blog with April is Autism awareness month. Just the fact that people will read it and look into it on their own is like moving mountains. At your next luncheon with your friends, ask them if they have ever heard of Autism. The thing that blows me away the most is that if you look and listen, more people either have someone in their family that has been diagnosed OR they know someone who has been diagnosed. It is frightening to know that this disorder is becoming so prevalent, we have to ask ourselves WHY, what is going on that is attacking these children and their families! When we figure that out, maybe we will figure out a cure!

Thanks for reading and thanks for caring. Mr. Mann and myself are VERY grateful!

We'll do it.....we'll do it together Mr. Mann, remember, even if it takes one family at a time, we WILL do it.
I love you buddy, you truly are my inspiration.

April Showers bring May Flowers..........what does May flowers bring????

2007-04-09T15:10:00.000-07:00

YARN and MORE Yarn LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ok, time for yet another photo intense post AND of course....some clues..................... I'll start with the clues. The names I gave in a post earlier were names that were pertinent to the answer.......the letters for the second word also include the letter S more than once and the meaning of the second word is as follows :

-Adjective 1. Absolutely necessary; indespensible.
ok, now...here is the definition of the FIRST word........ready..............

NOUN; The hotter half of the year!

Ok, those 3 clues are HUGE!!!! Oh, and just a tip...........the item HAS arrived WOOHOO!!!

Now onto some yarn porn (sorry mom LOL) and sock pictures.

I FINALLY got the Rowan cashsoft today and I have BIG plans for it. I am really impressed with this yarn. It is so smooth and so soft and it really has some great stitch definition. I will be excited to swatch it and see what happens that way. I also want to see what it is like after I wash it.The picture below is the Rowan.

The picture beside it with Mr. Mann's Tommy Turtle (who is a yarn connoisseur) is of the best yarn porn.........Crash into Ewe @ http://www.crashintoewe.etsy.com/ it is the new colorway she did called Proudest Monkey in sock weight. Let me tell ya'll, this picture does NOT do it justice. I am so in love with this colorway. It is fast moving to one of my favorites. It's funny because Mr. mann seen it and told me that I could make him some socks or a hat out of it and he would like it LOL. I can't say enough good about Terry, she is FABULOUS!!! I have 3 specific shops that I have been getting yarns from and I'll tell ya, I will be hard pressed to go elsewhere. Terry's customer service is the BOMB, her prices are FAB and her merchandise is AWSOME! I HIGHLY recommend ya'll pop on over there and get yerself some yarn and do it FAST cuz people, I am on the loose and I have been known to wipe out an entire store of stock in less than 2 days LOL *sheepish grin* that's really not that far off of a statement either. LOL Seriously, try her once and you won't be sorry and you WILL go back. If she is out of a colorway you want, I am sure if you email her, she'll be happy to accomodate. **Disclaimer** I am not affiliated in any way with any of these shops, yada,yada,yada, I am just a satisfied customer:)

Okie Dokie, be sure to look at the end of this week. I will have photo's of my other favorite shop's yarn porn. I ordered a fab colorway and can't wait to get it. I am completely happy just buying all of these guys yarns up and knitting till my hearts content! LOL

See the sock I was working on? This is the yarn from my friend that I blogged about this weekend. This is the Socks that Rock yarn medium weight. This is just a basic 2x2 rib stitch for 6" and then straight stockinette. I cast on 64 sts. for that sock and it fits nicely. I must say though, has anyone else had the experience with this particular yarn of it being a REALLY heavy yarn? I dunno, I used a size 2 needle and this is some darn thick yarn. I am not sure I would be that happy with it in the summer months, and I am also not sure if it will work with my sneakers. This yarn strikes me as the type to use for winter or for house socks or for boot wear. Maybe it's just me. Has anyone got any tips for me as to why it is so heavy and thick? If it is supposed to be that way then that's peachy too. I just have no idea because I have never used it before so I'm not really sure what to expect. Anyways, I just casted on the second sock and should be finished by Wednesday at the latest. I am still working on Miss Priss' Bolero by Debbie Bliss.

Look at the little mess I have going on here. This is my BIGGEST pet peeve with hanks of yarns. I dunno if it is because of the dyers or what but I can tell ya it doesn't come from my end. THIS is enough to stop me from purchasing this particular yarn again, this is the SECOND time it has happened. I won't say what yarn it is because I feel that is being a bit snotty and I don't want to be rude. I just am hoping other yarn shop people or whatever see this and always make sure they take the steps necessary so that this doesn't happen. That little wad that is on the table is a knotted mess and was in the hank like that. Grrrrr............see Mr. ArchieCat under the table, even he is a little freaked out;) but isn't the colorway pretty *giggle* see, there's always a light at the end of the proverbial tunnel!!

Now onto some "technical" knitting. See the cast on in this photo? This is my FAVORITE cast on...ok, ok, so it is the ONLY cast on I do..BUT most of that reason is because I like how clean it looks, how even, and crisp. Why am I yakking about it then you ask...well, I have been reading in several patterns about different cast ons, like cable cast on, long tail cast on to name a few. I am wondering if : A.) Can a person always stick with one particular cast on? So far I have and have had no problems but I also haven't delved into to many patterns that require anything specific. Next question: B.) What type of cast on do YOU prefer, what one do you mainly do, if any specific. C.) Can you get that clean of a cast on with all the others or is this a specific trait with this one?
I am all about smoothness and evenness and I have a hard time with cast ons or any stitch for that matter that appears loose or sloppy in my eyes. This cast one gives me wonderful flexiblility but I just want to make sure I am not shorting my knitting items by not expanding out on the cast ons. I really admire all of the knitters out there and you are all so very talented and very knowledgeable in many ways, I just value what you all have to say soooooooooo.................Any and all info is GREATLY appreciated, so, type away;)

And of course, no blog would be complete without THIS cute little photo. This is the monkey crew AFTER a morning of hunting for their baskets LOL Poor Mr. Mann was just spent LOL Miss Priss was still telling us how the Easter bunny could improve his hiding skills LOL which we are STILL hearing about today LOL. Kids crack me up, they are soooo funny. And can ya see, Miss Priss has no socks on...what kind of a knitter Mommy am I?? LOL Truth is, she hadn't put any back on since she woke that morning LOL. She made it a specific point to put her pink socks on after her morning bath. She wanted to match for the color of her basket LOL .Don't worry, those didn't last either.

Oh, I almost forgot. I have a GREAT new blogger that you will LOVE reading. She is such a sweet person and she just started blogging so stop by and leave her a comment, let her know not only how great the knitting community is but also that there are people interested in her blog and what she has to say and show. I know when I get comments here, it really makes my day to know someone is interested. So share the love ya'll. Here is her site:http://www.agileknitter.com/

APRIL IS AUTISM AWARENESS MONTH..................PLEASE................BE AWARE!!!

Happy Easter.....Part II

2007-04-07T19:13:00.000-07:00

Hi again ya'll. I have some pictures to share with ya'll. Sometimes all the crappy times and drama filled days and nights and all the nervous tummies, tears, sore throats from talking all day, migraine headaches from the stress of life are all worth it..............it's times like these.........

and these...................................................................................................................and these too........................................................................................don't forget these............................................................................................

Mr. Mann's Easter basket. I don't give my kids candy because medically, it's impossible to find any they can eat and most of the time they don't like it anyways. I have always filled their baskets with little silly things. Trinkets ect., nothing big or expensive, just little and fun. We don't buy them alot of things through the year, they get most of their items (toys, play things ect.) on their birthdays and Christmas and stuff. It's not that I am cheap LOL of course I am, but it's hard when you have 2 and all the toys are soooo expensive.....and if we try and get the less expensive ones, they break :( anyways, I digress AGAIN LOL. I fill their baskets with crosswords for Mr. Mann, cutesy little pencils, pens, tablets, a deck of cards, koosh ball, jump ropes, jax, sidewalk chalk, ping pong paddles...you get the idea..they LOVE it. I fill plastic eggs with change and hide it around with the rest of the eggs and they just go crazy LOL it is soooooo funny watching them scramble LOL they have a blast!

Here is Miss Priss's, hers is a little more age appropriate.......................................

They each get a knitted item of their choice as well. Miss Priss picked the watermelon socks and Mr. mann wants a pair of midevil gauntlets to go with his one toy...............I agreed LOL like I would say no to making a knitted item LOL.

I did however, have HIGH hopes for having an Easter egg hunt in the yard with some friends and well....................looks like Ohio is true to form...........................screwy on the weather department LOL........................... It doesn't show that well in this photo but it was snowing like all get out! Made me so mad, I don't care HOW pretty it was LOL.

Well, that's it for the day....................Happy Easter every one and I hope you all get a chance to spend time with your friends and families and loved ones. Try and call a neighbor and see of they need anything for the day, maybe take a paper plate of ham and goodies to a friend or elderly neighbor that you know will be alone tomorrow......you would be surprised at how much that would mean to them. It's hard being alone on a holiday, it doesn't matter WHAT holiday or if your old or young, lonliness sucks! So please, walk across the street and extend a smile, hug or whatever you feel shows friendship....show the neighbors how awsome of a person that each and every one of you REALLY are!! Thanks everyone.

April is Autism Awareness Month...............please.................be aware!!!!

HAPPY EASTER...and clues!!!

2007-04-07T10:26:00.000-07:00

Wow, I have TONS to talk about!! I have goodies and yarn porn and bunnies oh my!

Let's get some of the clue's out of the way....so far, you have been given several letter of the SECOND word of what it is I am expecting in the mail.....TENSL I was asked if the letters were in order, of course not, what fun would that be....essentially, you'll have to un-scramble them. Your new letter is.....................................................

Hmmmm, maybe you need another clue, here is one for Ella, Jessie,Jude,Penny,Becky,Carla,Susie,Rosa, & Chloe. Not in any particular order LOL. I know I missed some but oh well;) Could it be part of a cover of something?? Hmmm, only time will tell I guess.

Now onto some knitting and some kudos and thank you's. I bought some Debbie Bliss Cathay yarn to make Miss Priss a Bolero in the Debbie Bliss pattern book Cathay....I think I got it like 2 weeks ago....anyways, I digress LOL. I have been swatching this Cathay yarn several times and am just not a lover of it. I have a terrible time with it splitting, drives me nuts! I finally finished swatching it and several other yarns I was considering subbing with for the pattern and settled back on the original yarn I bought and the pattern called for, the Cathay. While I am not a fan of knitting with it, I must say, when it IS knitted, it makes a lovely fabric. Show's wonderful stitch definition and is very soft. It also keeps a lovely shape and has not shown any signs of fuzzing that some yarns do when you work with it. I am really pleased with it and am looking forward to finishing it this weekend. The Bolero has a cute little lace edging for detail around the garment and it just brings the whole thing together. I really like it and think Miss Priss will like it too:)

The next topic on the agenda is I would like to thank Brenda(blogless for the time being LOL) for the lovely gift she sent me. Several months ago her and I were exchanging emails regarding yarns and such and she had asked me if I ever tried the Socks that Rock Yarn and I told her no. We had a rather lengthy discussion on why I had no desire to try it yada,yada,yada and the convo ended with her telling me I really MUST try it at least once....well, I guess Brenda got sick of waiting on me to try it LOL. I got a delivery yesterday with a cute little box, in it was this.........................

She sent me 3 hanks of Socks That Rock Medium weight sock yarns. There was a card attached that said to wind it and immediately cast on, my choice as to which colorway I cast on with LOL. So, I figured that is the very least I could do since she went to the trouble of getting me some and mailing it. As you can see, I cast on a basic 2x2 ribbed sock last night. It is coming along nicely and I hope to finish it this weekend. Thanks so much Brenda, you really are a gem!!

I am telling you, I have been so lucky, I have met some really GREAT friends through my blog. This next little item was sent to me this morning by Gina. Gina is a knitter from my son's doctor's office. She is soooo sweet, and I swear, I am gonna teach her to do a blog too, if I can do one, ANYONE can LOL. Gina is a VERY gifted knitter and she has knit some beautiful items. Well, we were at the doctors office on Monday with Mr. Mann and Gina had the most adorable cardigan on and I had to comment. I told her it was very pretty and the yarn it was knitted out of looked like a yarn that I really like called Malibrigo. The look on her face was sooooo funny. Keep in mind, neither one of us knew the other knitted....until then LOL. She was like "Oh my gosh, how did you know that?" so the convo went from there. We got to talking about yarns and she asked me if I like Sknitches Syncopation (I know, I botched it LOL but I can't read the letters on the tag, they are to small LOL) anyways, I told her I had a hank from Christmas that was a gift that I hadn't tried yet. I told her I wasn't sure I had enough of that colorway to make a pair of knee highs. From there we chatted about the colorways, pooling, all the really cool knit chat and at the end of our appointment, we exchanged emails and such.....look what came in the mail this morning.....

This is the same colorway that I got as a gift at Christmas and wasn't sure I had enough for myself to do knee highs. She sent me a hank of hers!!! I was so shocked, I immediately called her up and thanked her and true to knitters form, she told me she just couldn't bear the thought of a hank of this yarn sitting at either house unknitted and she knew I would knit it into the socks if I had it. Thank you so much Gina, I am so touched. I am pretty much speechless and have no idea how to thank both Brenda and Gina, you two both are such special people.....I am so glad we're friends:)

Speaking of friends, I speak often of how I am so amazed at how many friends I have made through knitting and blogland and this morning with the yarn surprise, I had an envelope addressed to me too.............I love getting mail LOL seriously, I get so excited. Well, I grabbed the envelope and took Miss Priss and we went and plopped onto the couch.......opened the envelope and THIS was in it!!!

Isn't it the prettiest Easter card ever?? It was sent to me by one of favorite bloggers:http://fabricnfiberfanatic.blogspot.com/

Stop by her blog and check it out. Thank you so much Sara, you are so very sweet:)

This is turning out to be a perfect end of the week to a rather crappy week to start...Sara, your card made me smile, and touched me very much, I just can't believe how nice and generous all of you are...ok,ok, enough sappy yuck LOL. I do have to say, it was a rough week for me, lots of drama, lots of tests and now more tests to come...oh well, such as life I guess....but this just made my week. I truthfully don't even know how to thank you guys.

Oh I almost forgot, one of my friends from my Wednesday knitting class, Susan, she is sooo sweet and I adore her, well, she gave me a REALLY cool tote to add to my give away contest so I will take a picture of it and add it to my next post. I have some really good shots of Easter Eggs being colored by Miss Priss and Mr. Mann and of course King1 got in on it too LOL.

Here is the next blog I thought ya'll would really like to read. She does beautiful work and she has a pair of the Monkies and they are AWSOME. She also is working on the Pomatomus socks and they are pretty darn snazzy too.....hop on over and take a gander and tell her "hi" http://kellyknitstoo.blogspot.com/

....smile folks, it makes others wonder what you did ;)

APRIL IS AUTISM AWARENESS MONTH.................PLEASE..................BE AWARE!!!

It's a bird, It's a plane....no,no wait.........It's a........

2007-04-03T19:53:00.000-07:00

*grin* a WATERMELON SOCK!!!!

and we LOVE it!!! Miss Priss is sooooo tickled and honestly, I am too!! it is so adorable and the color is sooo much brighter in person, King1 says think of a neon green!

The cuff is a basic 2x2 rib stitch and is about and inch and a half. Followed by straight stockinette and the obvious color changes of course. The heel turned out so nice. It is the traditional heel. I have found that while I really like making the short row heel, it slides down on my kids feet, both Mr. Mann and Miss Priss. I am constantly fighting to have the socks pulled up. I decided to try and run a test with different heels and so far, the best for them seems to be the traditional heel. it fits nicely and shapes smoothly around their heels. The toe is a basic kitchner stitch. Yup, I must say I am very pleased with myself.

Ya know, I have been looking at my socks since I started to REALLY knit them about a year ago and I am so thrilled with my progress and actually, I have all of you in blog land to thank. I have learned sooooooooooooo much from your blogs, your tips, your hints. I am just in awe of all of you. You share your tips and reach out to help newer knitters and you all take on this sense of proud knittermom when we "get it", no shots at how your way is better or you are much more accomplished than the lesser of us knitters. I wish I could personally thank each and every one of you in person! Thank you all. Your all just fabulous! I wish I could share tips and hints to help all of you, BUT sorry, all I have learned, ya'll already know LOL.

I plan on having some spinning photos later in the week. I am still spinning the Crown Mountain Farms merino superwash, "Say a Little Prayer" colorway. I am telling you what, it is some gorgeous fiber. I am in love with that stuff. It spins so smoothly and just flows through my fingertips, not a tug, not a oull, just steady flow!! I can't wait to finish, ply and skein it and then share the joy!

Ok, now onto a CLUE for YOU...Hmmm, it has to do with knitting,, it is an item, and the second word also has the letter L in it :) hmmm, what do ya think it can beeeeeee????

Oh, I almost forgot, our friend Jennifer has had a birthday, if you haven't wished her a happy one, please stop by her blog and do so. She is a super great person and I am so glad I have "met" her here in knitting blogland. She also is extremely talented on the knitting front too, scroll around her blog and take a gander at some of her items, GORGEOUS! http://loopyknitter.wordpress.com/ Have fun!

Also, here and there I will be posting a random blog that I have stumbled on and feel ya'll would love to read and see. I'll post a link and ya'll can follow it. I like to wander from blogs to other blogs and have found alot of great new places, friends and wonderful blogs so I thought it would be fun to share them with ya :) So here we go with the first one...........http://toknitisdivine.ca/ check her out, it's a great blog:)

Happy Knitting ya'll

April is Autism Awareness month...................please...................be aware!!!!

Pssst. Hey Mister, got yarn?? LOADED CLUES!

2007-04-02T15:01:00.000-07:00

Hmmmm, me thinks me has an obsession. Whaddya think? Oh GEESH, we are gonna need to move just so I have a place for my yarn stash. I can't help it though, if people like Terry and Brooke wouldn't do such a GREAT job and have FANTASTIC yarn, then I wouldn't buy it right?!

Have no fear, I'll find some way to justify all of it LOL. All jokes aside, what I did, the disaster ya'll have been privy to since I started posting the photos is I made a list of everything on this years gift list and also on my wanna make list and I listed all the yarns and then started my hunt for the best prices and perfect yarn!! Instead of buying it as I go, I bought it all now BUT in my defense, I found REALLY great deals. Ok, ok, what about the fiber you ask, well, that's just mine *giggle*. It makes me happy and my motto is, "If momma ain't happy, then NOBODY is gonna be happy". It's a great motto, try it sometime, you'll be amazed at how accommodating your family can be ;) So that's that ....the lime green is the cashmere and the first pinkish hank is also cashmere!!!!! The rest of that lovely pile is all merino and it's soooo awsome. geesh, bad thing is, I may not wanna make others gifts out of it LOL.

Now with that outta the way, I will show you my brief progress report on my socks. The first pink and green is Miss Priss' "watermelon" socks. The heel and toe will be green too and then I have black specks that will go on the body of the sock and that will be the seeds. Miss Priss LOVES them. The other lovely sock is the Lime and Violet colorway by Lisa Souza. It is really soft. Saddly, I cannot give you an accurate opinion on the colorway because it happens to be in a hue I cannot pick up, I cannot differentiate it and it all runs together for me BUT, it is as soft as the dickens to knit with and my neighbor is already lusting after it LOL.

Next up, I have been meaning to post this for sometime now and just didn't get good lighting (and I forgot LOL) so here it is..................... For the winnings for the contest, the First place winner will get this GORGEOUS Hank of 100% Cashmere by Fearless Fibers that has been all alone in my stash. It was left over and has been wanting someone to knit with it..................,.....so try your hardest, win,win,win. It is 400yds of laceweight. The colorway is exotic wood. Second place will get a sweet treat too.A stunner of a sock yarn, Austerman Step, one of my favorite commercial sock yarns I must say. One ball of this beauty will make an adult pair of socks.

I haven't decided if I will do 4th place yet, it depends on how many people actually come to guess probably. 3rd place is "mystery loot". Come one, Come all, win some yummies!! WHAT IS THIS:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Could it be a CLUE???? Hmmmm, careful folks, it might not be what you think *evil wicked laugh*....................................... Here comes yet another clue, geesh, I am feeling generous today *giggle*...............................Hmmm, here is yet ANOTHER letter for the second word....................how long will this word be, what does it mean, how many repeat letters are in this word??? Only time will tell.

April is Autism Awareness Month..............please be aware!!

A child is diagnosed with Autism every 20 minutes. Imagine what these families feel when they are told of their child's future. Please become armed with information. Knowledge means power, power means research and answers.

Become informed and see how amazed you'll be. Check out this site:

http://www.combatautism.org/site/c.adJCKONvFoG/b.1159505/k.BDF6/Home.htm

Help dispel the myths, help arm others with knowledge. This is the smile, the laugh, the giggle and the face of Autism. Become aware.....................we did.

One day at a time Mr.Mann, one family at a time. We'll make it!

Knit on my friends, knit on!!

Spring Cleaning?? and another clue

2007-04-01T17:39:00.000-07:00

April is Autism Awareness Month........................please................be aware!

Happy Flash your stash day!!!

Sorry folks, I am NOT gonna flash mine (at least not all) anyways, this is the time of year we are SUPPOSED to be Spring cleaning NOT Spring Stocking.....which seams to be MY problem.

I had a GREAT care package weekend. My mailman made several deliveries, which for me, is ALWAYS a plus. I have managed to update my spring yarn wardrobe LOL. I have GREAT plans for my latest purchases and I can't WAIT to get going....

I finished the "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" socks and I LOVE them. I like the colorway, I can see it and it is girly! I know,I know........I may or may not have the best taste in color choices BUT as long as it makes ME happy and the giggles and stares are not bothering me...well, then...you know.

Aren't they so cute? I have enough left over to make Miss Priss a matching pair *giggle* Just what ya'll wanted to see, TWO sets of these LOL. The pattern is just a plain 2x2 rib to the foot and then straight stockinette. Cast on 68 and do short row heel. Remember, http://www.crashintoewe.com/ has some beautiful colorways, the beauty is in the finished products. Try it, you won't be sorry. While your there, hop on over to http://www.whitewillow.etsy.com/ and check out what Brooke has. Trust me, the cashmere will MELT you!! I have no affiliation with either of these two sites, I am just a self proclaimed yarn whore who is COMPLETELY addicted to both of these AWSOME sellers. I tend to really like independents and small shops, I feel you get fantastic customer service and fantastic quality and products! I have my eye on a hank of crashintoewe's proudest monkey colorway, maybe I can beg her to dye some sock yarn in that colorway *giggle*.

Ok, moving on..

Ahhhhh sheer bliss I tell ya. Look at that beautiful sight!! There is my little recent spree along with the fiber below (more on that in a second). This is what my mailman has brought me this weekend. I tell ya, he is becoming scared of me, he sees that he has boxes and he pretty much KNOWS I am gonna be waiting at the door, sometimes a pretty frightening sight, I whip open the door, drool on my chin, sweaty palms, I grab the boxes, envelopes, and whatever, make a noise like a grunt, and scurry off to the corner to see what I got. Poor guy, he has no idea!

The top 2 rows are Ella Rae Silkience, a hard little item to come by when you want it I swear!! I am making a sweater for Miss Priss and a cardigan for me WOOHOO!! I am sooo excited for this, I LOVE this yarn. The bag on the right is Classic Silk and I am making a sweater as a gift out of this. I was planning on making one for myself, but the new recipient seen the yarn and fell in love with it, sooooo change in plans LOL. The ball that is in the cake and then the green hank beside it are compliments of Lisa Souza YOWEE! I am REALLY pumped for those two. I am starting a pair of traveling socks out of the lime and violet colorway, I have a few ideas for the green, not 100% yet. The 2 hanks in the center are a gorgeous charcoal color and it's Koigu *insert ohhs and ahhs* and I am making a really cool pair of pattern socks for King 1. I figure he hasn't kicked me out yet due to my stash size so he deserves a new pair of tootsie toasters! Then, lastly but not least, the 2 bags of celery color is Debbie Bliss Merino for a stunner of a classic sweater that I will be making more towards the end of summer. I couldn't help but not buy it, the price was right kind of deal ya know. This week I should be getting the rest of my Rowan stash enhancer WOOHOO!! I can't WAIT for that.......oh, and guess what???? Maybe, maybe, justtt maybe I will be getting my.....woops, can't tell ya. I CAN give you another clue though. It is season specific and has 3 words and the first letter of the second word I gave you was a T and now the second letter of the second word is a N !! Oh, lemme clarify something, when I say first letter, second letter, I don't mean in ORDER, I mean the second word in random letter order, YOU have to unscramble them LOL...Heck, I may just give you the whole thing and see how many of you can unscramble it. .....matter of fact, I am feeling REALLY generous tonight, must be the fiber high....I am gonna give you yet ANOTHER letter for the second word...ready........E. Ohhhhhh there, now you have the T,E,N.

Okie dokie, now we come to the fiber, ahhh, the lovely fiber. I think I am set on fiber for awhile LOL. I have this GORGEOUS Targhee in two colorways , one sunset, the other green of course.....

Those are the 2 bumps to the left. The 4 after that in the braids are Lisa Souza's BFL. I am sooooo happy I got the BFL. It will really spin some nice sock yarn.

The last 2 lone hanks of yarn are at the bottom, that's Lorna's Laces sock yarn in flame.I am making a really cute pair of fingerless mitts out of it as a gift and I got it at a good price. I plan on taking alot of the fiber with me camping this year to spin up while I am relaxing. Miss Priss goes to bed and then I am settled for the evening and trust me, there is nothing more sensational than spinning some loved fiber on a cool and quiet summer night. I will be starting the watermelon socks soon. I am unsure about posting a photo of the progress though, I know the colors are a bit bright and not appealing on people's monitors, maybe I'll give a disclaimer before I post them LOL.

Well all, time to knit/spin. Look for a clue update tomorrow!! Tell your friends, help me destash by playing along. Oh, and have ya'll popped on over to stitchingnuts blog and seen her felted tea cozy.......please do....http://mitstitchingnut.blogspot.com/ It is just amazing. Also, the Easter Bunny has been at Danielle's house lately, go see her cute bunny...http://aknittingmom.blogspot.com/ It is soooooo adorable. Man, there are some REALLY talented people out there, I am just amazed at all of you :)

Ok, today is April 1st. April is Autism Awareness month, please be aware.

Please take some time this month to hop on over to http://www.cureautismnow.org/site/c.bhLOK2PILuF/b.1021889/k.BFD8/Home.htm

Read and become informed. Knowledge is power and children like mine need to have all of you gain power. Autism is one of the fastest growing Neurological Disorders we have today. It can engulf the children we love and hide them away from simple things such as touch, a simple hug can drive certain children to a point of a breakdown. The families who are touched by Autism have a long hard road to tow, it can be lonely. If you know someone who has been touched by this disorder, take a few minutes to reach out to them. A simple phone call to say a quick hello, maybe a card in the mail, or an invitation to the park can make the day of someone who has had a rough go. Please, show people you care...Then remember..........can you ignore this.............. This my friends ,is the face of Autism. I love you Mr. mann, we'll do it, even if it's by one family at a time, we WILL do it!

Knit on my friends!!

Spring is in the air and so is a CLUE!!!!

2007-03-30T18:48:00.000-07:00

LOOK..........the first signs of Spring. I am so excited.....can you guess what this is??? It is the start of my hydrangea bush again. We chop it every year and of course every year I panic and SWEAR it isn't coming back and every year, it comes back BIGGER and BETTER than the year before.

When you pull into our drive and get out, the first thing you smell when you pull into the drive, depending on the time of year of course and what is blooming.

Here are the first buds on the apple tree. Now the birds will soon have a little house to hide in and chirp again. They hate being out in the wide open and I always feel so bad for them, they have no closure around them........not for long;)

And of course, Mr. Mann...............look how big he is getting. He is all in his "cool" gear for riding his scooter. He loves his new helmet!

He is really a great kid. Check www.knitspot.com Anne's site during the month of April for an exclusive interview with Mr. Mann and what HE has to say about being Autistic and what it means to him and what he wants other kids and parents to know. Remember folks, April is Autism awareness month...................please, be aware.

Now for your clue................write this down gang, I will be giving you letters that contain the answer *giggle* also, look this weekend for you goodies that you could win, I will be photographing them...of course in their natural habitat LOL....I found a few more things I may toss in to sweeten the pot. Tell your friends to come on over and take a guess.

Here you go ::::::::T

Once upon a time, in a land far away..........

2007-03-28T21:20:00.000-07:00

there lived a fairy princess, her name was Miss Priss. She was a beautiful princess, one who knew what she wanted and WHEN she wanted it................*fill in the rest of the story as you wish hehe* I don't even need to explain these photo's. I personally think she is the most beautiful princess around. later in the afternoon, she found her fairy princess felted hat I made her and then she found her pink play/'dress up shoes and Viola, a princess was born!

The yarn was the Jaeger Aqua (mercerized cotton), I really like this yarn. As far as cotton goes, it is a great cotton. I really have changed my thoughts on cotton as I have kind of widened my horizon's with it. The pattern was one from the Adorable Knits for Kids book by Zoe Mellor. I dunno, I am just not diggin' her patterns now. I dunno know if it all stems from the whole not having an easy time tracking down the errata for just ONE of her books. I tend to get turned off quick when something like that happens. I will say, I originally bought the book because the photos in the book, they truly ARE adorable, hence the name BUT, now that I have made several items from it, I really must say, I am finding it only mediocre at best. Of the patterns I have made, they are not as neat and clean as they could be, almost sloppy. I really want to try one more pattern in it to just make SURE I am unsatisfied and that I am just not picking unflattering patterns for my design taste. Sometimes, it could just result in a case of not picking the "right" one, we'll see. I'll weigh in on my final decision when I am done with it. I KNOW this pattern will be the turning point for me, it is made out of Rowan yarn and geesh, who could go wrong with that ya know. So stay tuned:)

WOW, I am really jonesin' for...... essentially.......well.........summer!!! I started getting all hyped up with the last couple of days and its warmth. True to form in Ohio, eeewwwww, we are dropping back to another cold snap. brrrrrrrrrrrr. I guess you could say I have the fever (for the flavor of a pringle LOL sorry, kidding) for Spring. I could do without the mud but sometimes ya gotta take the good with the bad ya know. We have a gravel driveway and it is REALLY long, well, with all this rain, it has turned into a MUDPIT!! There just is no way around it. We live in a really old farmhouse and the driveway is not attached to the house (ohhh that would be soooo nice)

This photo is taken at the very start of our driveway, the garage is still about a hundred or so feet away from the point I am standing at. I didn't use the zoom lens cuz I wanted to get an accurate distance of just how friggin' far it is to carry groceries into the house!!! I HATE that. It's the worst for me. Ok, so well, now you know why I dread rain LOL. Onto more pressing topics....

Some fibery goodness has been happening at my house. Besides the yarn for my watermelon socks , which by the way, the colorway is bright yes, but I showed it to my daughter and she does indeed love it so as long as she likes it, I do too:) She's 3 but she knows what she does and does not like. Anyways, the day I got it, I also ordered fiber from Crown Mountain Farms. HIGHLY recommended I might add. I bought 2 8oz colorways and I got them in record speed, and started to spin some last night. I LOVE it. It is superwash and is a little more slippery than what I am used to but it clicked pretty quick and I settled into a groove. YES the colorway is green. It is called Say a Little Prayer. The other colorway is Orange (Hang on sloopy is the name). I am not sure the green one is gonna come out the way I am thinking after I ply it but we'll see!

The blue is a romney blend that I spun up, I just need to ply it. I think I am going to attempt the Navaho ply with it. I found several really good websites that explain it well. I want to see if it is a wasted effort though to do it with this bobbin. If it is recommended for blended colorways then I'll wait and do it for the Say A Little Prayer and do it with that.

It was really nice to spin. I am VERY please with my spinning now. I am consistently spinning sock weight and I am no longer over spinning my singles. They are smooth and even and not strained in anymore. I really am happy with it. I personally prefer handspun sock yarn to commercial BUT my problem was, I couldn't do 2 things, one spin a "stash" of sock yarn as fast as I want OR I also couldn't get it the right tension, not anymore. I can see how my sock yarn spinning stash is getting some new residents LOL. This makes me REALLY happy since I actually prefer to use the handspun. Now don't get me wrong, I do adore ALOT of the commercial sock yarns still and will always use them, especially for my kids, the rate they out grow things it would be silly to use handspun exclusively for them. Miss Priss does really well with Lorna Laces and Mr. Mann does better with Briar Rose sock yarn (Grandma's Blessings) well, now that you have all the in and outs, I think we can say for certainty that handspun sock yarn will mostly be what you find on my piggies. In between the mix of Briar Rose and Lorna's Laces tossed in for ease *giggle*. Good thing Debbie Bliss doesn't make sock yarn eh?!

Last but not least, I'll leave you with some outdoor fun!! Last week was really nice and the kids were just itching to get out on their bikes so here was a few stolen moments of scooter and bike riding!

Nothing like family time on a nice day:)

P.S. I bought a Dyson vacuum cleaner and it came this morning.............I am in LOVE with it.

Knit on my friends!!! Don't forget to keep guessing................hmmmmmmmm, what could it be, what could it be!!

Tag...your it!

2007-03-22T18:59:00.000-07:00

Well, here you have it folks.

Seven Things To Do Before I Die
1. Take my kids to Disney Land (or world, I never know which one is which)
2. Travel to a foreign country
3. Make a definitive mark in the world of Autism
4. Learn more patience
5. Learn a foreign language
6. See my children as happy, self-aware, secure and loving adults
7. See my grandchildren/great grandchildren….er, eventually

Ok, the last 2 I borrowed from Jennifer's LOL but still, I was gonna add it anyways.

Seven Things I Cannot Do:
1. Cast on the long tail way
2. Have dental work done without being completely sedated.........its true.
3. Speak a foreign language
4. turn away someone who needs help
5. just go to sleep without checking on my kids right before I retire for the night
6. Make a pom-pom with-out a pom-pom maker
7. Make an omlet without tearing it, no matter WHAT new fangled gadget I have to do it.

Seven Things That Attract Me to…...Ohio
1. My family is from here
2. I happen to like Canton
3. Change of Seasons, I will never ever see anything as stunning and breath-taking as I did in 1989 when I cam back to Ohio in October, the end, I drove for 12 hours straight and was driving to my Aunts house at 2:30pm. I drove down a road called Genoa, it was the most stunning sight ever. The street was lined with so many trees and colors that I could not only see,but smell. It was breath-taking. I have never forgot it, if I could share that one moment, the one that made me stop my car, pull over and breathe deep, I would share it with all of you.
4. My kids love it here being next to their family.
5. lots of history here, presidential, family,and world.
6. beautiful friendships I have made.
7. The beautiful countryside, melts my heart everytime I see it. I know I can never go back there, to that beautiful, silent, and calming countryside that when the wind blows, you feel it across your face, each and every breeze fills every spot of your body and soul............

Seven Things I Say
1. "Oh THAT'S cuuuttteee"
2. "ya know"
3. "loves it"
4. "I swear you'll never knit another pattern that is better than Anne's" LOL trust me, I not only SAY this, but it's true LOL
5. "hey, ya busy, I just gotta quick question"**WARNING, NEVER believe me when I say this *giggle***
6. "I am calling your dad and telling him what you did NOW, and THIS time I mean it"
7. *Steve, did you hear me, what did I say?"

Seven Good Books
1. The Five People you Meet in Heaven by: Mitch Album
2. The Measure of a Man by Sidney Poitier
3. Ten Things Every Child with Autism wishes you Knew by: Ellen Notbohm
4. Unstrange Mind by: Roy Richard Grinker **This is a definite must read**
5. Thinking in Pictures by Temple Grandin **Truly, my hero, a very hard to read book by an Autistic mastermind who has done WORLDS for Autism research. If you want a truly touching book, about a woman who has gone through it all, read this**
6. Is This Your Child by Doris Rapp **Wonderful,wonderful woman**
7. Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by: Lisa See

Seven Good Movies:

This is the only thing I have to leave blank. I don't watch hardly any movies. If you can spare 7 titles for me, I would be forever greatful *grin*. I have a toddler so the chances of me being able to sit through a movie longer than 25 minutes, yeah, THAT's not happening;)

Seven Blogs to Tag
ok, now I have had several of you who asked me just HOW do you know if you have been tagged *laughing evil,wicked, shrills* THIS IS HOW YOU KNOW IT::::

1. www.knitspot.com Anne, THIS would be you *grin*

2.http://spindleknits.blogspot.com/ The only way I will give you a reprive, is if you give me the Kiri Shawl LOL.....people, you simply MUST see her lovely shawl!!

3.http://aknittingmom.blogspot.com/ Danielle, you just are so sweet, I HAD to do it LOL.

4.http://fabricnfiberfanatic.blogspot.com/ Sara, This is what happens to people who like Peanut brittle LOL

5.http://whitewillowmarket.blogspot.com/ Brooke, my newest friend.....and a FANTASTIC fiber dyer!!

6.http://www.hollyeqq.com/ Holly has been sooo quiet lately!!

7.http://mitstitchingnut.blogspot.com/ While we're reading your answers, we can all join your contest *grin*....truly a very cool person ya'll, check out her photo's....soooo pretty!!

Ok, there ya have it. My very first tag!!! Thank you again Jennifer, I was soooooo excited. I honestly have been DYING to get tagged. LOL

Oh the gorgeous hints of Spring will be showing it's billowy,fluffy,cotton cloud shining goodness all next week in Ohio. The weather report is supposed to have us in sun and warm weather.........no rain!! I can't WAIT! I am sick of rain, sick of gloom and really wanting to see some blooms on my plants, trees ect.,.

Knit on my friends!!!

P.s. Remind me to have another contest for the most creative yarn swift around LOL

I'm seeing green AND pink :)

2007-03-22T12:18:00.000-07:00

Wow, I have ALOT of things to cover, aren't ya/ll the lucky ones *giggle*.

First things first, I have been thinking for awhile now (shocking, I know) that I would like to do some sort of a contest. A give away of sorts, a destashing technique. Why not, what better way to destash a little then to have a contest. Kind of like reward my blog readers (all 6 of them LOL) for being so loyal. Now I just needed to figure out HOW and all that other jazz. I think this is how it will go. For the person who actually wins, and here is how I'll run that::: All people guessing, leave it in my comment section and I will take all the RIGHT answers and put them in a name generator, then 3 names will be drawn from that. After 3, your S- O -L heehee. The very last day for guessing will be April 15th at midnight *giggle* oh I ammmm an evil one I tell ya LOL. At each blog posting I make, I will give you a clue to something I am expecting in the mail. The clue may or may not be pointed out. You may actually have to read what I write to see if you can spot anything out of the ordinary, torture isn't it :) You can have as many guesses as you want. MEANING THIS: Every day that I post a clue, you can post a guess. What you may think is your answer one day, may NOT be what you think the next. Your name won't be entered more than once though. You can guess all the way until the 15th. Remember though, say you actually guess it on the second posting, I am not going to tell YOU. I might however, say something the next day like, the like answer was guessed already once, twice, or whichever, but I won't tell you by whom or what day yada yada yada. This should be fun!!! I may or may not tell you if the answer is knitting related or not, you'll have to wait and see:) Hmmmmm, now we're gonna sort the men from the women here, so to speak.....first place will be .....................

drum roll please:::: An entire hank of LUSCIOUS YUMMY and gorgeous .........cashmere, fingering weight, photo and yardage will be posted at next entry. I can tell you this, it is nice and it's cashmere, we all know how I feel about that....roll it in soot, cover it with poison ivy and hell, it's CASHMERE, I'll knit with it *giggle*. Second place will receive enough sock yarn to make a pair of adult socks. Photo, yardage and info will be posted at next blog entry. The third winner is a pot luck of sorts......it's a SURPRISE!!! I won't post pictures today because it is REALLY gloomy and rainy and I want you to be able to actually see the accurate yarn photos. The colorways and such. Plus, I filled up my camera disk and forgot to empty it and now I can't figure out how to do it....where is King1 when I need him dang it.

Well, that takes care of that. Next up : yummy yarn goodness, sorry folks, this is alllllllllllll mine *grin* now before you hurl and go blind, try to keep in mind a watermelon, and it's rind...I have the pefect little accent for the seeds. I am making watermelon socks with this yarn!!

Now tell me, don't you think of watermelons? Perfect for Spring;) Cuff will be green with of course seeds, heels and toes are "watermelonish". I am so excited I can hardly contain myself LOL I can barely finish the pink & greenies I am working on right now. I have big plans for Spring and summer knitting, big plans I tell ya. I am making several spring and summer items out of cotton for this season. Many of the will be summer essentials! I am really excited to get down to some serious and blissful knitting I tell ya!

Ok, now one last photo for today to post....... Once upon a time, I got a yarn swift, lovely and shiny and new, I wound up my yarn and wound up my yarn and then off the top it blew!! *giggle* I BROKE my old yarn swift and so I got a new one....isn't this the BIGGEST flippin' swift ya'll have EVER seen?! My kids were like "whoaaaaa mom, We can ride on that thing" LOL over my dead body LOL.

For my next post, I will be responding to my VERY FIRST Tag!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Woohoo, I FINALLY have been tagged. I was so excited to read my name. Now I need to think of the answers too:) I am so excited I tell ya. To find out WHO tagged me, go to http://loopyknitter.wordpress.com/

You'll get a chance to get to know her better too:) I personally like reading these, I feel like I get a sense of who the people that I read every day actually are, some of their likes, dislikes, wishes ect..........

Have fun today, remember, stop and enjoy the day, smile at a stranger, say hello to someone standing in line....you never know, you just may be talking to a friend:)

Knit on Peeps!

Oh no, I am part frog....and well, I dunno the rest

2007-03-21T18:01:00.000-07:00

Well, it's Spring my friends, the bug has bitten me. I am COMPLETELY addicted to GREEN and ORANGE. Sad, but true my friends. I subjected my knitting pals with a sock of brighter proportions, a brightness like no other. You have already seen the first part of the sock....I am rounding up doing the toe now and the colors are.....shall I say, BRIGHTER. I will spare you the photo of it until I finish it's partner (probably this weekend) and then I will flash the stunning duo *wink* . Ok, Ok, I lied.................... THESE little beauties are sooooooooooooo cute and from what all my friends say, they are sooooooooooo bright LOL. This is the colorway "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" and I have the link to the Etsy shop below. It is from Crash into Ewe!! Loves it!!

So where is the green you ask.....................................................................................................I'll show you. Seeee, how can I resist THAT. The orange is as scrumptious in person, as it is in the photo. I have 2 REALLY cute patterns of knee highs that I have planned for these colorways. For the very first time since I began knitting, I GET what ya'll get rises about with colorways. Oh sure, I know I don't "see" it like you guys do but I obviously see this. I tend to have different hightened senses with yarn such as smell, feel, sometimes, the "grain" of the yarn is unpleasant to me...alot of times with a cotton yarn, the "grain" (not sure how else to explain that) feels rough to me. Therefore, I find it unpleasant. I tend to be VERY picky about the yarns and fibers I use because my sense of touch is stronger. I also am not attracted to a yarn that has a really tight twist to it. I find it not as pliable if that makes sense. It seems stiffer to me, my knits seem to not have "life" sort of when I use a tightly spun yarn. I know, I know.....I am COMPLETELY anal LOL. I wish I weren't believe me, I drive people NUTS, but my friends, Lord love them, they tolerate me and even find me ....*giggle* get this....charming LOL. I swear, that's what one of my friends told me the other day LOL.

Moving on, I know I told ya'll that I would give you my review of the other Vicki Howell yarns by SWTC. You know, the yarns that were made out of hemp, soy,ect. I already did the milk fiber and cotton. Well, I am not going to give you a review. I will try to keep this as brief as I can. I know that I am a very fussy person, I even know that I tend to demand ALOT out of not only products, but people. It is the way that I am, I can't help that either, try as I may. Even though I have those traits about myself, I can say that I am VERY honest, loyal and very kindhearted. I tend to want to help everyone. With that said ( I am only trying to point out that I am not a COMPLETE snot LOL) Well, as most of you know, I WAS a HUGE Vicki Howell fan. I was a fan of her knitting show, her books, and of course, her new yarn. I tivoed her shows, I read her blog, ect., well, it seems that after I made a comment regarding her KNITTY GRITTY book, I am no longer a welcomed commenter on her blog ect. It wasn't even like I put the comment on her blog, I emailed it privately and just said that I was disappointed in the publicity hype regarding the book because it was not discussed that ALL the patterns in it were patterns available on DIYNETWORK for FREE. Yes, my feathers were a bit ruffled. I felt almost tricked. Not like Favorite Socks by Interweave Knits who let it be known from the get go that these patterns appeared in print in the magazines ect. I also bought that book. Almost all of the patterns were ones that were in the magazine way before I got it (thank you Anne). Anyways, I just told them that I would have prefered to know that I could have printed them out for free on the net. I feel I should have been able to make the decision being FULLY informed as to whether or not I wanted to spend money for them or whether I wanted to get them for free. Having them in a book DOES have ALOT of good points. You have all the patterns right there, they are in a hardback with lovely colored photos, ect., but again, I felt I should have been fully informed and not be made to feel tricked into buying a book due to what I felt was false advertising. I also was under the impression that these were patterns of Vicki herself, not so, she had one.Again, misleading. This all may be not so pleasant to have someone tell you BUT in my opinion, necessary for marketing. After this email was sent, I DID have a post of congratulations regarding her engagement, that was denied, AND the post I had made regarding being excited to try her new yarn was REMOVED. I found this HIGHLY offensive and just poor customer relations. The email I sent regarding the book, was never responded to. So, it is very apperhant to me, that customer service is NOT a strong suit of her staff nor do they care about the consumer, so what should I critique her yarn lines when , hey, lets face it, what do they care. Why give them any warrant one way or another when it is obviously not wanted. So with that said, I will no longer comment one way or another regarding any of it:)

Next subject.....I am awaiting some YUMMY fiber from Crown Mountain Farms. I am telling you, if not solely due to customer service alone, if you haven't bought from them...>>PLEASE....do it, I promise you won't be sorry. It is almost sinful LOL. Some more yarn props. Here is a TERRIFIC dyer on Etsy, she will special order for you without a problem, she has FANTASTIC customer service and of course, she has cashmere.....check her out, and trust me, you'll be PLEASANTLY surprised : http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=40138

It is DEFINITELY worth it.

The nest stop should be Crash into Ewe at : http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5072713

Again, TOP NOTCH customer service and her colorways for sock yarn, is just to DYE for *giggle* ok, ok, sorry 'bout that but I never get to many chances for a pun here or a pun there LOL. The colorways for sock yarn.......LOVELY. Please, check out both "yarn crack shops" oops, I mean "Yarn Shops" *giggle*.

Make sure you check tomorrow, I think a contest is in the making!!!

Happy Knitting ya'll

Time Marches on.....and on......and on......

2007-03-17T20:12:00.000-07:00

Well, I have been kind of out of commission the last few days....first, King1 had to go out of town for several days and that left me to keep the home fires burning...what that entails is keeping 2 "daddy's monkeys" from missing him to much. The first 2 days weren't so bad, but the 3rd day , well, I had 2 VERY upset monkeys who wanted their daddy home NOW! Thank goodness for dvd's. Now daddy is home and the first day, I came down with a migraine. It was AWFUL. I slept ALL day and got up at 6:30. I missed the entire day :( King1 did GREAT with his monkeys and periodically, I would wake up to roll over and I would have my ears filled with fits of giggles. I wish I wouldn't have felt so crappy, I would have enjoyed watching all the hub-bub while King1 had his fun. Oh well, no use crying over spilled milk I guess. I am at least doing well enough to get "bored" LOL. so what do I do, why I come HERE, I stare at a monitor with eyes that feel like they have sunk into the hollows of my brain LOL. Yup, a true blogger I am LOL.

Ok, I have some knitting to share and some other non-knitting fun. First, let's show the hat project. I had been dying to try out that Craft yarn from Vicki Howell and SWTC. I am telling you, this yarn is AWSOME. It really was a pleasure to knit with and I HIGHLY recommend trying it out. I have some big plans for more of it, a pretty summer tank! I had swatched it and another yarn (Jaeger) trying to see which one would give me gauge and I secretly had hoped that the Craft yarn would, and it did! I had been really just dying to try the cabled beret in the Debbie Bliss Simply Family Knits , it is sooo cute. Well, this yarn was PERFECT! I got started, had a few hang-ups and in the end, it was a great pattern, and great yarn. I am pretty happy with the results if I say so myself!

I added the pom-pom on top, the pattern didn't call for it, but having a 3 year old, we're kind of into the pom-pom scene. I really had alot of fun with this one. I overcame my pattern trauma....by that I mean, some of Debbie Bliss' newer type books, well, her patterns are kind of not clear. It is almost like they are geared towards the more experienced knitters because she doesn't explain alot. There is alot that she just ASSUMES that the knitter KNOWS what she means because it is considered to be standard knitting practice. I think alot of these designers should keep in mind that they draw on not only the experienced knitters but us knew knitters want to make her items too. We NEED her and all other designers to explain the obvious. The more experienced will skip the boring and I mean, seriously, how many of you knitters ACTUALLY follow the patterns to a tee anyways. Your experienced, you KNOW what you want, it seems you just use patterns as a guideline. The novice knitters are not there yet LOL. Anyways, the end result was really pleasant! Miss Priss LOVES it although she wasn't loving getting her picture taken, I just thought it was so cute, I HAD to post it LOL. This is the top view of the beret. I really think it came out good AND it was alot of fun to do. If your looking for a cable project but you don't want it to be tooooo involved, try this!

The next little eye catcher is just a 2x2 sock BUT the YARN is what gives this its appeal. This is from Crash into Ewe and it's hand painted merino. I LOVE this yarn. The colorway is called Girls just wanna have fun! How cool is THAT. It did "pool" a bit at the top but in kind of a nifty sort of way. I changed needles sizes and it stopped. To be really honest with you, as far as pooling goes....do I mind it??? Well....not so much! I kinda think its cool. I dunno how I would feel if it was in a sweater and the pooling ran right across either the center of my stomach (let's face it, no mother wants to have that area accentuated) I mean, hey, I am not totally out of shape, but that area...yeah, well, lets just say, I still can pinch a teeny more than an inch LOL. Needless to say, aren't the socks cute? The color is so me:) PLUS, it feels really nice to work with. I will hold my comment on whether it pills or not cuz well, they ARE socks and ya gotta expect SOME piling. It has fuzzed a teeny more than I expected, but remember, it is up against some rough hands LOL.

Next up, here is progress on the HypotIloveit! This pattern (actually called hypotenuese) is from www.knitspot.com one of Anne's little master pieces (please keep sending Anne your thoughts and prayers.). I screwed it up once and had to start over but I am trodding along now. I am having lots of fun doing it too. If you REALLY gotta see one done, go to http://sockpr0n.blogspot.com/ and check out Aija's. It is so pretty. While your there, look at her stitch markers too, they are REALLY nice. She's a very talented knitter and I enjoy reading her blog alot. She is also really nice too. I had been knitting a caplet and she posted a photo of it when she made it, well, I got stuck and I emailed her and asked her a question about it, she was more than happy to help out. I am continually amazed at the generosity and kindness from all of the knitting/spinning community. The lighting on this is pretty pathetic but Miss Priss JUST fell asleep and if I turned the light back on, she would be awake again *shudder* ewwwww that just scares me THINKING it! Anyways, the yarn for this is Debbie Bliss Alpaca and I am on the second repeat now, it is really fun. I even might make another one for my parents for Grandparents day this year. My mom LOVES anything I make, she is really very sweet about it, my biggest fan....other than my cousin, I told ya'll about her before. I have to give her a call, I think she has been REALLY busy and she probably needs a respite LOL trust me, if you knew her husband (my cousin by blood, she is my cousin by marriage, and we won't let her kick him out LOL we don't want him back LOL)

Well, the end is near ya'll. I will leave you with my final little goody. This is Ruby Red depression glass and the photo does not do it justice. It is so pretty and I LOVE it. I have the perfect spot on my dinning room buffet! This is the newest addition to my collection...oh, I forgot to show the first in this seres...first, here is the vase and candy platter:

Not a chip, scratch or dent, just stunning. The next was actually the (3rd) well, first of Fenton red glass, but it is a REAL stunner, this is what got me hooked:Now I am sure ya'll probably have seen glass far nicer than this, but not me LOL....I am just now starting to appreciate the beauty in many "antiques". I NEVER liked to buy them or look for them, none of that. I wish now, that I would have listened to my mom trying to tell me all the time about things like this. That woman is like an arsenal FULL of information and she knows tons about Fenton and Depression glass. I hope I can someday have her knowledge! Well, that's all folks. I am sure your upset and sad LOL. I will be posting some fiber shots sometime this week and ohh, I almost forgot, I am expecting something in the mail this week, wanna guess what it is?? C'mon, try it, maybe there will be a little surprise in it for whoever guesses. If you have a guess, leave it in the comment box and at the end of the week, I'll post a photo of it and then I'll draw a name from a name generator!! Who knows, you may get something you need or want ;) BUT it WILL be knitting related so you'll like it either way LOL.

Ok, now off to guessing and good luck!

Knitters Rock!

And on the 7th day...I created....

2007-03-09T15:05:00.000-08:00

THIS!!! Isn't this just the CUTEST little baby hat. Well, I think so *grin* Funny thing is, it started out a COMPLETELY different hat that was from Itty Bitty Hats by Susan Anderson (HIGHLY recommended).
Well, somehow, it took on a life of it's own right after the 4th row. I can't explain it, I don't know what happened, but it happened. I LOVE it and it was sooooo fun...only thing is, I didn't write it down. I have NO clue what I did. Not that it would matter cuz lets face it, the REAL pattern is probably WAY better LOL but this was fun AND since I have NO clue how to write OR design patterns, THIS was fun. It is only the second thing I have EVER knitted without a pattern and it too was fun. Remember the first was the fingerless mitts awhile back that ya'll were FANTASTIC about and had nothing but nice things to say to me about it.....see what ya'll spurned LOL...
Anyways, this also has some crotchet in it. The straps, meant to simply cross at the chest, are all single crotchets. The trim is also single crotchet. I used King Cole Anti-Tickle 100% Merino. Well, my comment about it is that I liked it, it is very soft, fine and almost delicate feeling. I am not sure I am completely crazy about the fabric it made with the size needles, it is kind of loose, but we'll see. This went for a gift and I hope she likes it, especially since I kind of made it on my own LOL.

Well, before I go on to do what I REALLY wanna do for ya'll , critique some yarns I swatched, I gotta tell ya about this blog that I am sure you already have seen BUT.......I am gonna tell ya anyways. I bought this book a couple of weeks ago, during the whole Zoe Mellor book/pattern thingy. Well, I got Knitted Toys by Zoe Mellor and I have been daydreaming about this adorable snake pattern. I have put it off because I just wasn't sure it was THE snake ya know. The one that was IT!! Well, I went to read my friend Danielle's blog the other day and there it was....THE snake. The ONE, Mr. IT!!! He is THE most adorable snake I have EVER seen AND the best part, she made a PATTERN for all of us! Check out her blog and Mr. Snakey, it is worth it, I promise. Here is the site http://aknittingmom.blogspot.com/

Bring on the yarns............Here are the 2 swatches I told you I wanted to do regarding the Vicki Howell/SWTC yarn, CRAFT- cotton and milk fiber, it is the light pink color. The other is the Jaeger Aqua,100% mercerized cotton in Fuchsia. I swatched them on size 6 needles for a Debbie Bliss Cabled Beret pattern. The Jaeger and I have had a love affair since last summer. I had preconceived thoughts about the "cotton" yarns even before I touched one. I flat out REFUSED to like it or even give it a try. I turned the other cheek EVERY time I walked past it, keeping my fingers from touching it, pushing it aside continually. Then it happened. I seen the Prairie Tunic pattern in Interweave Knits, it captivated me. I HAD to knit it, and I HAD to use what THEY did..............*gasp* COTTON!! That was the start of my illicit affair with cotton and cotton blends, always looking for the next one....you know the feeling, it happens to all of us at one time or another. For me it was Jaeger, you , maybe Lamb's Pride, Classic Elite, or some other innocent brand. Since then, I have drooled, gasped, and sheepishly bought every new cotton and cotton blend that's flirting it's fibers. The Vicki Howell/SWTC-Craft, with its shiny cotton and creative milk fiber blend.........I had never heard of it, I NEEDED it.........and so I bought it, I swatched it, and now, well, I love it too. Can it be that I am a cotton $%^#& too? This is soon to be determined I guess.

The Jaeger was nice and smooth, just like mercerized cotton says it is, but it was better than the average. it didn't split, it had even stitch definition, slid on the needles like it was waxed, but it fell inferior to the CRAFT (cotton/milk fiber blend) I LOVE it. The Jeager was a little stiff, a little hard when it meshed with the rest of the stitches leaving gaps that just didn't look that appealing to me. It didn't fuzz/pill at ALL and believe me, I tend to pill a yarn while swatching. You see, I have a REALLY heavy hand.....comes from dealing with toddlers who have sensory issues......anyways, it held up, TREMENDOUSLY!! The color was vibrant and bold though and THAT was hard to beat. End result, I put it aside to swatch the CRAFT. The Jaeger didn't match gauge and secretly, I was hoping it wouldn't. The CRAFT was......well.... It is soft as butter. The stitches are smooth and even. The fabric melds together and creates a flexible fabric. I am nervous that it isn't sturdy enough though, it seems a little "loose" and I am wondering if I dropped down a needle size, if that would firm up the fabric some while keeping its softness. I also am a little disheartened about the color, it isn't as vibrant as I had hoped for, almost hazy in appearence, BUT.............................
maybe this is just the pink. I did get the lime green too and I will let you know how the color knits up. I did see some teeny fuzz to it after I swatched BUT it is not as "smooth and sleek" as the mercerized so that isn't fair. I will hold judgement on that until after it is washed too. The end result of it, I WANTED to knit the Cabled Beret in it, I WANTED it to match gauge. It did!!!

I will show pictures of the progress of it and keep track of the pilling and fuzz during completion. As for the Jaeger, well, I still have plans for that little sex kitten, trust me!

Now I will leave you with some pictures of how it looks when your little one discovers "CLAY" for the first time. My kids can't play with playdoh, there are chemicals and such in it that can make Mr. Man VERY sick as well as having wheat in it and Miss Priss and Mr. Man BOTH can't play with THAT....soooo, I "improvised". Oh sure, we tried the homeade playdohs and they were AWFUL, rubbery, non-molding, very sad in general. Then I found Modeling Clay and joy had been found. It will keep Miss Priss busy for HOURS! What's the problem you ask...........well...................you tell me *grin*

yes, cute, I know.....................BUT....................................GREEN!!!!!

Knit on my friends!

I gave blogger a migraine!

2007-03-07T19:20:00.000-08:00

I had an entire post made with pictures uploaded but that stupid thing deleted. I can't remember most of it and it was...............ready..........long LOL.

I also had explained how I have become addicted to PODCASTS and one of my absolute FAVORITES is http://www.stashandburn.com/ It is sooooooooooooo funny and has ALOT of great information on yarns, shops,books ect. It is because of them that I am back on the wagoon after CLEARLY falling off of it for the KNIT FROM YOUR STASH of 2007.....BUT.......have no fear, I am back on again, this time with my seat belt on! Do ya think I can do it???

Here is the long AND short of it. My yarn loads came in, and I have been jonesing for the Vicki Howell yarn since its release date....now I have it. I love it, and will be swatching it this week. I'll keep ya posted. I am obviously going through a green faze too.............don't ask LOL

The rest of the Jaeger Siena came in...........and of course, in GREEN:That is some dang nice cotton I tell ya!!! Loves it. Last of the yarn porn is the King Cole Anti-Tickle, I swear that is the name of it..............anyways, I am knitting a hat from the Itty Bitty Hat book out of it. It seems nice and soft, is a teeny bit fuzzy for my liking but hey, it's merino. I will be interested in seeing how it washes up and it's durability. When I first seen this, I was intrigued because it was used alot in the Adorable Knits for Tots book by Zoe Mellor, she has used it in several of the patterns. I'll keep ya'll posted on it.

This is the remainder of the stitch markers I made, aren't they cute?! The last one is a bit freakish, its some sort of a face out of blown glass.............

I really like them alot though and they are far better than those boring circles LOL.

Hey, check this out....THIS is my latest thrift store find. It is actually a Lancome make-up case brand new, for $1. I of course could NOT pass it up and had to get it. I turned it into a knitting gadget holder and Viola, there ya have it!! I love it and what a bargain!!Last but not least, THIS is the newest addition to the cranberry depression glass family I have been collecting. I also had purchased a pitcher to go with these 2 cups but the Ebayer kind of screwed me and has not sent my item. I have filed a dispute and am really upset by it. Not only did I love the piece, but I hate being take advantage of ya know. I have no clue what happened to this seller BUT all of a sudden, they started stiffing people and not emailing them back OR sending their stuff but they sure do collect your money! I'll let ya know how it turns out!!

For those of you checking in on latest information for Anne aka www.knitspot.com please see her blog comment section for important mailing information.

Well ya'll, until then, Knit On !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Prayers Please

2007-03-05T13:46:00.001-08:00

www.knitspot.com
Since I am a HUGH believer in the power of prayer ! Please keep the family in your thoughts and prayers. Thank you.

MoreHouse Merino?!

2007-03-05T08:29:00.000-08:00

Remember the whoreHouse...oops, I mean MOREHOUSE Merino I had and was knitting up a pair of socks for Miss Priss?? Welp, tada!
*Posing to the tune of "Isn't she lovely...Isn't she beaaauuuttiiiffuuulll".....It kind of looks like my cast on edge is a bit snug on her legs in this photo but it isn't, really. It's just that she kind of has chubba bubba legs. She's not one of those toddlers that is really picky in eating and therefore has a menu of 3 items (thus driving their mommies nuts with worry) heck no. My kids EAT, they BOTH eat salads for dinner, quino (a grain and is quite tastey), broccoli, cauliflower, eggplant, cabbage, Kohlrabi, turnips, chicken, pasta, rice, spinach, kale, the list goes on and on but I think you get the point. The thing is, Miss Priss does NOT like sweets ( I knooooowwww, she didn't inherit THAT from her daddy) but believe you me, Monkey Boy DOES!! Ok, ya I have NO point to that, but whatever. This weekend was crappy, but I won't bore you, just trust me!
Before I go, lemme show ya these little beauties. There has been such a stitch marker craze going on and EVERYONE seems to be making them, well, I HAD to get it on it. This probably makes King 1 VERY happy cuz it's just another way to use up some of that "crap laying everywhere". I have TONS of both precious beads and just some pretty beads and I can't tell you HOW many jump rings and head pins that are laying around. I had alot of fun making them too. They may not be fancy or they may not be as professional as some out there but I like them and they were fun doing.

Well, instead of complaining and whining LOL, I'll just end today's post by saying that I can't WAIT for the mailman. I am awaiting several days of goodies!!!

Oh, and one more thing.....oh come one, like you didn't know it was coming *giggle*....Ya know how I was pretty disappointed in the new Vicki Howell book Knitty Gritty? It wasn't that I didn't LIKE it, it was just that it wasn't what I THOUGHT it was gonna be. Anyways, over the weekend I REALLY read and looked at it. I do like it. Even though the patterns are all on DIY, it is nice to have them all in one spot. The photos are nice and informative. I still wish I would have known it first and also that there were more of her patterns in it, but I like it:) I am actually starting the backgammon board on it. I'll keep ya posted on how it turns out.

Happy Knitting ya'll!!

The LONGEST post EVER............

2007-03-02T13:50:00.000-08:00

OMG I am so camera happy LOL ok, actually I am knitting,yarn, and book happy but this gives me an excuse to do it LOL. BUT, I didn't just take pictures of knitting doodad's.....which do ya wanna see first....come on, tell me....ok, I'll do non-knitting cuz I know Kimmy (otherwise known as Mmik here, Mikaela couldn't say Aunt Kimmy so she called her Meek, kim spelled backwords.) Anyways, I know Meek gets a kick outta this stuff so I'll hook her up LOL..

Ok, almost all of my friends know I am a HUGE thrift shop lover. I ADORE hunting at garage sales and I LOVE thrift shops. I could shop all day long, sifting through what some consider rubbish. I DON'T dumpster dive though, I DO have my standards *giggle*...

Alrighty, onto business. A couple of weeks ago, I was at the thrift shop looking around and I always go and look at the toys, ya never know right?! Well, I stumbled onto THIS:
It LOOKED like just an ordinary Barbie case and I thought to myself...hmmm, Santa DID bring 2 Barbie's this year and we really don't have a spot to store them. I am SURE she'll be getting more AND Barbie clothes and paraphernalia righhhhtttt....so I grabbed it up. While wandering through the store, I happened to open it......I hit the mother load............

It was FILLED with Barbie's AND clothes,shoes,purses, anything and everything. There were new AND old. None were worth money per say, well, there is one that is questionable, I took it and put it up for further examinations. I whipped out my $3 so fast, that clerk musta thought I was weird.....which, well, never mind hahaha. Oh, AND, not to make a LONG story longer, the clerks argued with me about buying it full for only $3 and containing contents....anyways, I took it home and gave it a good scrubbing and we have been playing Barbie's ever since. Loveeeesss it!

Next subject, my sinuses hurt and I am all whiny about it................so THIS is my medication, need I say more? Nice combo 'eh? Oh well, what can I say...Girl Scout cookies cure all. Seriously, it probably is listed in some medical books somewhere *wink* ok, well maybe THAT is a stretch but it still makes ya feel good !!!

*drum rolls starting* Here comes knitting

THIS little beauty is Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk. I LOVE it, what's the problem you ask.....well, I got 17 balls of it and NOTHING to make out of it. I was FREAKING out. It is GORGEOUS yarn but I had no idea what to make out of it. I was really starting to get upset when http://www.knitspot.com/ Anne, suggested I make the HYPOTALOVE!! (REALLY called hypotenuse)Now if you look (trust me, you won't have to look hard LOL) close,if you see the 4th row down, you'll see where I screwed it up, I can't figure out what I am doing to this poor thing but it is NOT the pattern, trust me. Somehow, I jogged off course and at this point, I am SICK of tearing it out so I am gonna start COMPLETELY over. Sometimes, ya just gotta start from the beginning. There, THAT's what I am doing with that, but honestly, isn't is soooo pretty?!
Nexxxxttt: Can you say YARN PORN? Sorry mom, but REALLY, isn't this just some stunning cotton? I know, I know, I SWORE that I hated cotton but that was before I met my friend Jaeger, lemme tell you people, THIS is some dang nice cotton. *Insert ohhh's and ahhhs here* The problem is, I can't decide which kind I like most. Both have entirely differnt qualities and both are for completely different patterns. I will swatching them this weekend and I'll keep ya posted but seriously, go feel some Jaeger :0

This is the last of the yarn/knitting/needles/books catagory, porn......I KNOW mom, but see, it's just the only way to describe this. *running for cover from my mother cuz she hates the word porn* hehehe

I have been jonesing for the Vicki Howell book since it came out, I have looked at every internet shop in site and drooled and yearned to get my paws on it. Well, I must say *this is killing me* even though I am a HUGE Vicki Howell fan, and I mean HUGE, I do not care for this book. Why you ask, well because I paid $15 for a book of patterns that are ALL available on the DIYNETWORK for free. Before I purchased this book, I was not under the impression that all of these patterns were all from the show and for free. I would have prefered to know it because honestly, I wouldn't have bought it. I feel it should have been said from the start of promo that this is what this book was full of and I am really sad. Also, I was under the impression that the patterns were from Vicki Howell herself and that isn't the case, there is one in there...........but......... I dunno, I just was kind of disappointed :(

Now the Favorite Socks book from Interweave Knits, YEHAW!!! I LOVE it. I know that THESE patterns are all from the old issues and stuff and have been printed already, but I don't have most of these. I have 2 I think and that is stretching it;) But my point is, I HIGHLY recommend it, AND, don't socks rock?? *giggle* that's a name of a yarn.

Now, I THINK that I have just made the longest post ever, I think it only fair I end it now without further yabbling, BUT if you knew me in real life, you would feel the pain my friends and family go through having "chats" with me *giggle* King1 is just thankful he taught me how to do this laptop thingy and I can blog hahahahahaha.

Happy Knitting my friends.

Zoe Mellor Corrections

2007-02-27T20:57:00.000-08:00

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

2007-02-26T08:41:00.000-08:00

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!

2007-02-24T18:16:00.000-08:00

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

2007-02-23T13:45:00.000-08:00

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

2007-02-23T08:36:00.000-08:00

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!!!

2007-02-22T09:35:00.000-08:00

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....................

2007-02-19T11:43:00.001-08:00

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 ;)

2007-02-14T09:05:00.000-08:00

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

2007-02-13T16:44:00.000-08:00

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

2007-02-13T13:25:00.000-08:00

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.

2007-02-11T15:12:00.000-08:00

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......

2007-02-11T14:26:00.000-08:00

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;)