Memorial Day

Next door to where I work the Traveling Vietnam War Memorial has been set up. My older brother Gene did 3 tours of duty in Vietnam during his enlistment. I'm so thankful his name is not on "The Wall". But that war forever changed and damaged him. It is heart wrenching to see all of those 58,000 names. We are an Army family, my dad made the Army his career(27 years), my brother of course, my sister Margie too. And now my nephew Brian (Margie's son, who is currently stationed in Korea) is in the Army also. I ask that you to say a little prayer for all the men and women serving in our militaries, fighting for our freedom and putting their lives on the line. Thank you.

I'm A Test Knitter

I got a package from Monica yesterday with some beautiful yarn she had dyed in it(with some other yarns too). She asked me to test knit it and put it through the wash, so the knitting is underway. The colors remind me of the bright sweet tarts. I just got the Vintage Socks (Nancy Bush) book and I wanted to try one of the patterns, so this is the Child's French Sock.

And this will qualify as lace too, with the YO's at the beginning and end of the little horseshoey design. Isn't it pretty? I love what the design makes the stripes of color do...all zig-zaggy. So I think it will sell, Monica. I would buy it!!

Flamingo Socks And a Little Tease

I finally finished them up tonight!!! I'm so happy to get these off the needles. It's a nice pattern and makes a nice sock, I just didn't enjoy knitting it. Don't know why, but it just didn't flow off the needles like other socks I've knit.

To Monica: I've started a sock with the yarn you sent me that you dyed. When I get a few pattern repeats on the leg done I will have an unveiling. I will tell you, it is looking loverly so far and it is so soft and wonderful to knit with. I know, I shouldn't tease you so. Isn't the suspense wonderful? ( put in maniacal sisterly laugh).

I'm sure it will be ready to show tomorrow when I get home from work. I won't make you wait too long. And I still need to post my Amazing Lace Intro too, I must work on that. TTFN

Amazing Lace Intro

My sister talked me into (not that I was unwilling to begin with) joining this summer KAL. Then I started pondering "what to make"? Well, socks were the first to spring to mind... I do so love knitting them...but I thought that might be too easy. I mean, I have knit lace socks before ( Unst and Friday Harbor by Nancy Bush) and I have started a pair of Latvian Socks (also by Nancy Bush) that will be part of this competition; but I wanted a "Bigger" challenge. So, I checked Folk Shawls out of the library and scoured the pages trying to decide which ONE I liked best (it's impossible, I love them all, I want to make them all). Once I settled on the Sampler Shawl I had to go about deciding on the yarn. My daughter will tell you that I'm very impatient when it comes to waiting for yarn orders to arrive at the house. But the yarn came, and it is very nice. Knit Picks Palette in the Nutmeg colorway. So the pattern is chosen and the yarn, and the needles are ready.

Now to cast on 401 stitches. Am I crazy? What was I thinking? Was I thinking? It is going to take FOREVER to knit across All. Those. Stitches.

So now a few days have past and the stitches have been cast on and even knit across a few times. We are getting along famously, my teammate and I. We will remain friends for the duration, and she will turn out wonderfully.

But just in case disaster strikes, I already have lifelines.

Please return periodically for updates, eventually it will begin to look like a shawl.

Between the Coughing Fits....

I was able to embroider another t-shirt for myself. I just had to do her, she has balls of yarn with knitting needles on her jammies. I was going to add "sheep dreams" to it but decided not to. I might have to make some pillowcases with that on them though.







And I'm blaming the fever on this one, I joined another KAL. A monthly dishcloth KAL. I even got started on this months cloth, you can barely see it, but there is the start of a flower on it. Should have used a solid, I know, but my only choices were white and cream, and I really wanted it to be pink. I must be in a pink mood. Well I'm going back to my couch again to rest and maybe put a few more rounds on the Flamingo sock... I will get it done... I will get it done... well that's what I keep telling myself anyway.
Happy knitting!!!

OK... So It Isn't Finished

Yes, that's right. The Flamingo Sixth Sense socks aren't done. The reason, my daughter thought she would be generous and share her cold with me. So instead of knitting I have been sneezing, coughing and blowing my nose. How can a girl knit if her hands are busy wiping a runny nose and leaking eyes. Oh the sinus pressure, throbbing head and sore throat. And now I'm out of cold medicine and my box of Kleenex is almost empty (how do we produce that much snot, that's what I want to know). I have deadlines for these KAL's and I am determined to make them!Wish me luck and pray for a speedy recovery. Thanks for listening to my whining, I'm going back to my couch now.

Denmarks Are Done

I finished my Denmark socks yesterday!! It's so nice to have a pair of socks off the needles for this month. I started back on the Flamingo Sixth Sense socks and hopefully will have those done by weeks end. With my daughter's orthodontist appt. and piano lesson today I should be able to put a few more inches on them. Happy Knitting everyone.

More Embroidered Shirts

I have been busy emboirdering t-shirts for myself and my sister. The teal shirt is the one I made my sister for her birthday, the yellow one is mine. And I made this one for Monica today, she knows about it and I will send it to her this week.




I must say the design looks much better on the white then on the grey that I did for myself.










And here is the Latvian sock I mentioned in the earlier post. I'm almost done with the 3rd pattern repeat. I decided to go with a rib cuff (which I prefer) instead of the picot that is written in the pattern. It is looking very nice indeed. IMHO!! Well, I'm calling it a day. More soon!

Happy Birthday Monica

I know you'll check this sometime today.... so HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! my dearest sister. And if anyone that is visiting would like to wish Monica a happy birthday too just click on her name and visit her blog to do just that. Love you Sis.

There Be Yarn At My House

The mail came early today... for a Saturday anyway. And my prize yarn came today. It is all so beautiful... but it is Opal so how can it not be. There is mostly Dream Catcher...which I love, and is so hard to find around here. With some other beauties thrown in too. Here's a pic. Also in the box was a cute pair of Lady Bug scissors and pencil and a green tote bag (that I think I will machine embroider on). I don't know what to start on first (not that I don't have enough going already). In fact I started a pair of lace socks last night... the Latvian Socks from Folk Socks (Nancy Bush) in Knit Picks Essential-Grass Green color. Have a great weekend everyone. I'm off to play with some yarn.

Some Fun This Weekend

This past weekend I played a little with the customizing software for my embroidery machine. I bought a sock design last Christmas and have been wanting to do this for some time. So I duplicated the pattern as many times as I could to cover the hoop area and added some lettering. This is what I came up with. It has turned out exactly like I wanted. And it's a cool way to use some of the varigated thread I have in my drawer. So dear Sis, would you like me to make you one too? Just let me know the color t-shirt you want it on if you do.


And here are the color choices I have in varigated thread. I can also do solids with different color heels and toes. Look even my embroidery machine can do short row heels. How cool is that (cause I sure can't, not yet anyway). And look how the orange thread pooled, just like yarn.
Happy Knitting!!

Accomplishment, Gusset/Time Warp Continuum & A New Product

I finally accomplished something this week. 2 first socks done. And second socks cast on. This has felt like the longest week, but at least I have something to show for it. I have been loving knitting the Denmarks but the Sixth Sense sock is still a bummer to knit. I think it's the ktbl stitches that are throwing off my rhythm in this pattern. But 1 down, 1 to go...

But these 3 seem to be stuck in some kind of gusset/time warp continuum thingy. They are at the exact same place in sock construction and will remain there for a while longer. For 2 of them that is alright (they aren't part of any KAL, they are simply for my pleasure) but the Fishermen's Sock will be worked on soon.

Time for show and tell. I found this new product (to me anyway) at my local Kroger store this week. Can I just tell you, these were so made for sock knitting. They have 3 sections on 1 bag. I have my ball of yarn and the SIP in the big/back section, the pattern in the middle section, and a cable needle in the front/little section. My daughter loves them because they come with stickers so you can dress Joey the kangaroo. Nice to know that at 16 she's not too grown up yet.

I also joined the Amazing Lace KAL for the summer. I think I've decided on knitting a lace stole and some lace socks (of course). Now I need to decide on the yarn and color. Happy knitting!! I'm off to work on some socks.

I WON!!!!!

I can't believe it. I won something. I knit and sent in the most pairs of baby socks for the Longest Line of Baby Socks. Yipee!!! This is so exciting, I have only won 2 other things in my life (a Mario game from Oreos-back in the 80's, and 2 skeins of yarn-last year- for CIC socks). I will be smiling all day. I might have to buy some more needles to knit up some of that yarn. I will post a picture of my prize when I receive it. Doing a Happy Dance!!! Have a great day!!!!