PROOF

...that I haven't forgotten how to knit socks. I started this pair in late December or early January and got to the toe decreases on the first sock and put it down. It has been staring at me from the footstool since then, wanting to be finished. So, I finished it (and its mate). But I have to admit when I was starting the kitchner on the first toe I had to question myself about remembering the steps. This is Cascade 220 Superwash in a pretty heathery green/blue, 40 stitches on US 2 dpns.

These and this are also PROOF that I DO finish what I start.

A dishcloth started - I have no idea anymore. Lovely lace diamond pattern...can't wait to use it.

I am also working on finishing a couple more dishcloths I started about the same time I started this one.

The Tam is close to done and the Mead Scarf has grown some too.

Have a great weekend! Happy Knitting!!

Twofer

Two posts in the same month and within a week of each other...it must be a miracle.

Last year sometime (and I'm just guessing here) between January and March, I started a scarf that I never blogged about. I decided to work on a UFO today and pulled this out of the basket (it's really a plastic container). I'm using a sock yarn I bought at a local wool festival many years ago. No ballband, I just know that it is 100% Merino Wool that needs to be hand washed. I'm using a US 4 Addi Turbo. This is the Mead Scarf by Elizabeth Morrison (linked to Ravelry). I put a couple more repeats on it today, so it's growing!

I did a count today; I have 24 UFOs. I must work on this.

I also started a hat this week. This pattern can be found in the Fons and Porter Love of Knitting Summer 2009 magazine. The Petal Tam: Trekking XXL (I lost the ballband so I don't know the color #), on US 2 needle. I have started this yarn in about 4 or 5 sock patterns over the last few years and never liked any of them, I think it's making a very pretty "tam".

I hope everyone is having a safe and fun holiday weekend. I love that I still have two more days off!!!! Happy Knitting!

Oh, Well.....

It seems I blog even less than I knit these days, and that's saying a lot.

Last month, on Mandy's birthday, Monica's family and mine finally had our Christmas. Monica gave me some beautiful Fleece Artist and Knit One Crochet Too sock yarn. Love the colors!!

I did finish the baby blanket - well, except for the border. Mandy did find out that her friend is having a baby girl, so I will need to see what girly color yarn I have in my stash that will go with the yarn I've used. I think it turned out quite nice.

I also started a shawl for myself. I have 7 skeins of Patons Rumor in color 9742-Moonstone. It looks like stained glass and has alpaca in it, so it should keep me warm. I'm using an online pattern from the Prayer Shawl Ministry . Very simple pattern that is knitting up nicely. I'm using my Denise Needles for this with the size 13 needles. I started this on the 9th...we'll see how long it takes to get it done. Hopefully before I need it.

I think that's all I have for now. Take care and happy knitting!

OOPS!

February kinda ran into March. February was crazy busy at work (fiscal year end + working in accounting dept = CRAZY), but we got through it so....
Oh you came here for knitting didn't you?
Not much to show really. No progress to report on my "Lauren" sock. But I did start a plain one.



Amanda (I mean Santa) left a ball of yarn in my stocking for Christmas and to make Santa happy I started knitting with it. This yarn is very soft and nice to knit with. Love the colors too.















A couple of weeks ago Amanda found out that one of her friends is going to have a baby in September, so I pulled some yarn out of my stash and started a baby blanket... because even though September is 6 months away I will probably need all that time to finish it. I have 3 skeins of this Bernat DenimStyle (I hope it will be enough to make a decent size blanket). This is what it looks like after one skein (11"). I know there are a lot of Feather & Fan patterns out there, but this one is in the Spring 2009 Fons & Porter's Love of Knitting magazine.
Well I think that is everything... Happy knitting!

Mother Nature Strikes Again....And Some Knitting

Well, Mother Nature has really let us have it the last two days... and I want to thank her for a couple days off because I don't leave my house when the weather gets this nasty.
This is the view from my kitchen window...








And this is out my front door, there is a driveway and road out there somewhere.






I started a couple new lace projects. This is the Lily of the Valley Scarf from Knitted Lace of Estonia (Nancy Bush). I'm sorry you can't see my 5-stitch nupps very well, but they are there. I'm knitting this in Knit Picks Palette - Nutmeg.



From the same book - this is the Raha Scarf. Knit in Panda Silk.











Monica thought she had lost her knitting mojo, but it was soon found again and this is her latest (I'm so privileged to be her test knitter) Lauren. Lots of cabley fun. Sorry the picture isn't so great, Monica wrote this to be knit on circulars and since I don't knit my socks on circulars I had to arrange the stitches to best set up the center design and it makes for wonky pictures. The snakey cables frame the center cable.
Well, that's all I have for this month. Happy knitting!

Too Long Gone

Sorry for the long absence. Many of you know that my husband passed away near the end of September. I want to thank all of you that prayed (and are still praying) for the kids and me and sent some lovely messages to me through my sister's blog. The kids and I are doing alright, we miss Tim terribly, but we're taking care of one another. Christmas was difficult, but family and friends have helped a lot (and keeping busy doesn't hurt any either).


I haven't done a lot of knitting in the past few months, but I do have a little to show. The first is a hat I knit to put in the "Holiday Giving Barrel" at work. It's a simple 2X2 rib hat knit it red speckle WoolEase. I hope it will keep some child warm this winter.





Next is the same pattern knit in a grey WoolEase for son (I put it in his stocking). He loves it!





I also knit a pair of ankle socks for him...Cascade 220 Superwash.
Also given for Christmas.




I knit (well started anyway) two pair of fingerless mitts. One pair I actually got to the thumbs, the other only one cuff is done. Both knit in Cascade 220 Superwash (red and pink).


I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and New Year. I'm praying that this year will be a lot better for my family and every ones (we are ready for good things to happen to us).
I hope to blog and knit more this year.
God Bless.

I Don't Like Ike

Ike blew through on Sunday and caused a lot of trouble (and damage). We lost the big Blue Spruce at the corner of our house (totally uprooted). Thank goodness it fell forward and not toward the house or our neighbor's house (or on their van that you can see through the branches).


And one of the White Pines that line the back edge of our back yard was split in two.


And what would a storm of that magnitude be without some damage to the house. Panels are missing from the eaves and of course lots of shingles are missing. There were times when we thought the roof was coming off.

We finally have phone service back and the electricity was off for just a little bit (some folks still don't have electricity), we are one of the lucky ones. My work doesn't have power yet so I've had a couple of days off.

I hope everyone is safe that has been affected by this storm. Now comes the clean up!

No Gold For Me

Here we are well past the end of the Olympics and I didn't finish let alone medal. I did get to the neckline of the back and I have the desire to complete C.J.'s sweater (and I'm hoping it will be in time for Christmas), so UFOlympics wasn't a complete failure for me. When I got it out to knit at the beginning of the Olympics the piece was at 12 inches, it is now 21 inches.

I did finish my nieces' socks (yes this pair is late for her birthday). I actually finished these last weekend (I am just such a slacker at blogging this year). This is Hot Socks Sockenwolle in color # 772. This was one of the first yarns I purchased when I started knitting socks, so it has been marinating for a while in the stash. I will have to mail them off on Monday (Monica, expect a package this week from me).

And I also finished one of my "Step Into Summer" socks too. This is being knit in Panda Cotton in the Seascape colorway. This is very splitty yarn but very comfortable on the foot. The second sock hasn't been cast on yet, but it will be very soon. And Mandy wants me to finish her "Bengal" socks (I only started them last year, what's up with that?)

I knit and sent off a square for Luke ...mine is the red "4 square" one (have you ever felt that compulsion to just do something after reading a heart wrenching story about a sick child... well I know many(if not all) of you have...knitters are a very caring and generous bunch and we rally when called upon).

I have started on some Christmas knitting (besides C.J's sweater) with hopes of actually finishing it in time. I have high hopes it seems.

Well that's it for now. Hopefully my next entry won't be so far away.

Holy Cow Batman!!! I Finished Something!

I have a pair of finished socks to show. I started these sometime in April, finished them July 20th. Berroco Sox yarn, 68 stitches, knit plain on US1 dpn's. It's funny how closely they match my couch! (And they are "almost" identical too!)

I started a new pair for a young lady in my family who will have a birthday next month but haven't taken a picture of it yet (I'm almost to the toe decreases of the first one, so I should have the pair done in time...deadline is the 13th).

I also joined a new Ravelry group...UFOlympics. I will be working on my son's sweater (this will help me accomplish my goal of finishing it this year...maybe in time to gift it for Christmas!). I am almost to the armhole decreases on the back (or front...there are the same except for the neckline). This is the Garter Stitch Aran Pullover from the "Men In Knits" book. Knitting starts 08/08/08 (I will probably be knitting past the closing ceremony on 8/24/08 though).

Well, that's it for now.. Have a great week!

Just A Few Things

Mandy is back from Europe...she had a fabulous time! Here she is astride Nessie...and with a Bagpiper (who played "Amazing Grace" for her)...and at Stonehenge. Just a small sampling of the over 300 pictures she took.

She brought this back for me. A little gift from Ireland... Monica says that's enough for a hat and fingerless mitts.

I have been working on more squares for the afghan... #11 isn't blocked yet.

and even though I didn't get a pair done in June (I'm such a slacker), I did work a little on socks. My "Step Into Summer" is past the gusset decreases...

and I've added inchage to the Berrocco sock too...

That's all I have from my little part of the world. Hope your holiday weekend has been wonderful and safe...tomorrow it's back to work. Have a great week!

I Actually Have Knitting To Show

I finally finished the first Berroco sock Sunday (I can't even remember when I started it) and the second one is started (but who knows when it will be done). Last month was the first month in about 4 years I didn't get at least one pair of socks finished. My knitting has slowed down about as much as my blogging.

I started knitting squares from my leftover sock yarn to make an afghan (college bound daughter thinks it should be for her for her dorm room (but she plans to commute the first two years so that theory isn't very sound to me...but it might take me that long to finish it so it just might be!). The Lorna's Laces (lower left) and Meilenweit (upper left) squares block out at the required 7-1/2" but the Regia square (right) insists on being 8" (rebel). I need to grab up another ball and start numero 4.

I have started some new socks, but haven't gotten very far on them... in the Panda Cotton is "Step Into Summer" (Monica's latest design). It's hard to see the pattern in the picture, but it's a pretty lace and cable design. The other is "Shadow Rib" from the "Little Box of Socks" "book". Not really a book; it's a box. That is knit in yarn Monica gave me for my birthday last year (I keep forgetting what yarn it is...even though she has told me a gazillion times...this getting old and forgettting stuff stinks).

My girl graduated on the 31st (she is in Europe right now and I miss her something terrible ...so what if she's only been gone one day).

Happy Anniversary Monica (and to Tony too!)!!

That's all I have for now. Happy Knitting!!

I Was Tagged

... so I'll play
The rules of the game get posted at the beginning. Each player answers the questions about themselves. At the end of the post, the player then tags 5-6 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they've been tagged and asking them to read your blog.Let the person who tagged you know when you've posted your answer.

1. What was I doing ten years ago? Are you kidding? I can barely remember what I was doing 10 minutes ago!
2. What are 5 things on my to-do list for today?
go to work - done (I'm here)
knit - when I get home
clean my house- this is always on my list and I never seem to get it done
go to the grocery- my family thinks they need to eat every day (the nerve)
laundry - also when I get home.
(my resolution to finish my son's sweater isn't going well...I need to fix that)
3. Snacks I enjoy? Well if you had asked me a month ago, I would have said anything chocolate. But having been told I have diabetes, I have given it up. I love to munch on almonds (and yes I stick to portion sizes), grapes, clementine oranges, bananas, blueberry yogurt (see how healthy I've become?) you get the idea.
4. Things I would do if I were a billionaire? Well I know what I wouldn't do: WORRY!!! My kids would go to college, they would each have their own car, I would sit and knit as much as I wanted to, I'd hire a maid and a cook. Fund cancer research (I would really like that bastard (sorry for the language) to go away).
5. Places I've lived? Kentucky, Germany, Pennsylvania, Colorado, Indiana, and Ohio.
6. Peeps I want to know more about...
anyone who wants to play too consider yourself tagged.

Well, that's all I have. All I've been doing is working and sleeping...no knitting. I know, BORING!
Have a great weekend!

Senior Prom

My girl is at her Senior Prom (it's going to be a long sleepless night). She looks just like a princess, with her hair up and a beautiful gown on. I could start crying again. But I won't.

Her date.

Here she is with her girlfriends (these seven have been together for most of their lives). They will all be going in different directions in the fall, but I'm really hoping they stay close the rest of their lives.

They graduate in 4 weeks. I hope the world is ready!

I've Been Very Fortunate

It started back in December when one of Mandy's friends (Hannah, I taught her to knit) gave me some yarn for Christmas. I've started knitting a pair of socks with the Araucania Ranco Multi 310 already (that's Monica's Lace-agon pattern), the Trekking is patiently waiting.

Then in January, I won The Loopy Ewe Quarterly Challenge and got this Claudia in the Freesia colorway. It is waiting patiently too.

Susie (Perchance to Knit) is so sweet. She sent me a hank of her Black Rainbow to knit. It is so beautiful, I don't know what she washes her yarn in but it smells wonderful (yes I am a wool sniffer). It too is waiting patiently.

Monica's family came over last weekend to help us celebrate Mandy's 18th birthday and we finally got to have our Christmas too. My niece, Kaitlin gave me this cool skein of Meilenweit. I've already picked out the pattern for this yarn.

Monica gave me some yarn too (and a pair of socks that I totally forgot to take a picture of)here is the yarn : Cherry Tree Hill Sockittome in Gypsy Rose and some Artyarns Ultramerino 4 for a pair of Monica's Ribblets fingerless mitts. And if you look at the picture of my Lace-agon sock you will see the Knit Picks Harmony needles Monica gave me too. I love them, I may have a new favorite brand of needles (Crystal Palace has been my favorite up to this point).

Back in December I joined the "Top 10 Stashbusting group. I made it to the end without buying any yarn and I also got all ten of my projects done. My name was picked out of the bowl and here is what I won. These are some great prizes too. I received my yarn yesterday, Shelridge Farms Heather - Loganberry ( I just finished a pair of socks in this yarn in the crocus colorway and I'm looking forward to knitting with it again) and a Vera Bradley Large Cosmetic Bag in the Mod Floral Pink design. It will be the perfect project bag for my sock knitting. Thanks Nachaele for the great KAL and the great prizes.

I should have warned you that this was a picture heavy post (but I couldn't leave anyone out and I hope I didn't). Have a great weekend! More later.

Added: Kathy is having a contest. Well go on over and tell her I sent you!