Let's Wrap this Summer Up!

I am so ready for the fall. Summer has been fun--I worked on a variety of knitting projects, read some wonderful books, joined some great KALs and swaps--it has been terrific. But I am ready for fall! The first summer activity to wrap-up (ending today!) is the Summer Reading Challenge: My goal was to read 25 books this summer; I ended up reading 19 fabulous books! Amanda was awesome to host this for us, and I loved perusing other’s reading lists! My Summer Reads included:

1. The Color Purple,
   
2. Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress,
3. 44 Scotland Street,
   
4. Criss Cross,
   
5. Water for Elephants,
   
6. Our Town,
   
7. Birds of a Feather,
   
8. Wuthering Heights,
   
9. A Passage to India,
   
10. Lolita,
    
11. Pride and Prejudice,
    
12. Heat,
    
13. The Secret Garden,
    
14. The God of Small Things,
    
15. Olive’s Ocean,
    
16. Snow Flower and the Secret Fan,
    
17. The Memory Keeper’s Daughter,
    
18. Scoop, and
    
19. Pardonable Lies.

I am a better reader, and person, for reading these selections!

Be a Friend . . .

Pop over to Karen's blog, read her personal story and think about making a pledge (in the way that you can), to support a cure for diabetes, even if it is a message saying, "You go, Girl!"

Back Issue

Karen knew I was looking for the Lace Leaf Pullover Pattern from Interweave summer '05, so she sent me the whole entire issue! Not only am I getting ready to knit that sweater, but now I want to knit the footies, the socks, and the pink shawl!

I have had this Jaeger Chamonix lurking in my stash since February, which I believe will become the pullover. This twig color is not usually my first choice (or ever my EVER choice!) of color, but I was hoping to break out of my favorite colors mode; plus it was a closeout sale at WEBS.

Let's talk bamboo

How about I tell you how lovely this yarn is . . . how soft, and silky it is? How it just runs through my fingers, changing colors ever so quietly? This stuff is a sock-knitters, dream, I tell you.

The color is 1069, “blue sea”-- but let’s just say, it is navy, light blue and khaki-cream--and these colors, mottled together, are screaming: boy, boy, boy with a uniform (aka, my son in his school uniform!!). I decided to use a simple rib-- 3 knit, 2 purl--which (I think) is working perfect with the yarn. I’d go on about it, but, my bamboo sock is waiting for me.

By way of the postman

Unexpected treats . . . Karen sends me these goodies--what a way to start the week! She makes me a sock bag, and includes a skein of knitpick's and kool aid to get me started on dying, as well as a copy of the summer 2005 IK (I gave mine to a friend, and never has it returned!)! Thoughtful and giving of her time, talent, and advice, her only downfall is she lives too far away to knit with everyday!!!!! Smooches to you Karen--I look forward to our daily "talks" more than you know!!!

It may have been gray and rainy outside . . .

. . . but I had a great day anyway! I spent the entire day at my lys, where I sometimes "pinch hit" and work! The store is in Bethelehem, (a wonderful, little town), right on Main Street.

It was a busy day--besides helping everyone with their knitting dilemmas, choosing patterns, choosing yarns and picking out needles, I did a little of my own shopping! I showed great restraint, by only making a few, small purchases . . .

The Lana Grossa yarn is destined to become a pair of socks, and 2 pairs of mittens, while the Regia Bamboo already made it on the needles! This yarn is like silk, and I think it will make for beautiful socks! I couldn't leave without a Lantern Moon black sheep tape measure!

And it is always a thrill to see my shawl displayed at the store!! Barbara, the shop owner, asked me to knit this shawl as a sample and this is the 2nd time it is being displayed!

It was a happy, knit-ful Saturday!

Pink Pirates

Well, you'd think this was an enormous knitting project, these little not-socks-with-skulls. I finallly kicked into--just get it done mode, which means, the pair is finished . . . with a few little mistakes in the skull pattern, which I just didn't have the energy (or inclination) to fix. For whatever the reason, the crossbones on both socks gave me a problem, so my next pair might be crossbone-less.

So, I am one-for-one in the Sock-a-Month 2 KAL, and 1 less on the to finish list.

Dearest Knitting Gods,
I am struggling to finish the last little bit of 2 or 3 projects . . . actually, it wouldn't take a whole heck of a lot to finish any one of them. I continue to be distracted by what others are knitting, perusing interesting patterns and toying with ideas of what new project to cast-on next.
I seem to find great comfort in the UN-ending stockinette of sitcom chic, however if I am not careful, this will be yet another project which arrives at the, almost, but not quite, finish line. If you really do hear prayers, please grant me the help, and stamina, I need to finish:
1 cardigan,
1 pink skull sock and
1 surpirse tiger lily sock,
BEFORE I finish sitcom chic, or cast on for another pair of socks, or start clapotis.
Please hear me, and save me from myself.

Yours in knitting . . .





does candy help you listen?

Ther are 124 More Days Until . .

Christmas!!! Last year, after having lots of fun participating in Alison's Who Wouldn't Want a Handknitted Gift KAL, I vowed that I would start knitting gifts for my loved and adored, beginning in the SUMMER. Well, for the record, that didn't happen. Over the weekend, I thought, "I am not knitting any Christmas gifts for anyone--all the people I adore get knitted gifts from me throughout the year, I am not going to make myself crazy by knitting for Christmas." While I wish I could stick to this plan, I am afraid that I will cave, round about October 31st when I begin to feel like knitting for Christmas IS PART of the holiday season!

With all these "tis the season" thoughts, I come across The Holiday Grand Plan, a site that I think (mmm, hope?!) will provide me with just what I may need to keep me out of the frenzy and frazzle which eventually (around about Deecember 15th) wears me out. This plan, beginning next week, makes me feel like there may be hope for managing the holiday!!!!! And since I am a list freak, this is all right up my alley! I am going to really try to adopt, and adapt this to my life from now until Christmas, and maybe, just maybe, I'll be able to knit some Christmas gifts!

Tell me your secrets

I have been surrounded by secrets, and I must divulge:

1. I finished Snow Flower and the Secret Fan . . . what a wonderful book; if you haven't read it, go now and pick it up!
2. I am just about finished with the Secret Garden . . . my daughter read it earlier this summer, and I promised her I would, too. I am so glad I did!
3. I am finished with both sleeves and have started the picot edging on my darling clementine cardigan . . . this might just get finished within the week. So what's the secret here? Well, other than the fact that I have finally finished the sleeves, nothing really!
   
4. I have a secret weapon . . . my new glasses--what a difference a new prescription makes when you are knitting and reading!
5. I was awake at 4:00 am and decided to bake the cookies for the tennis picnic my kids are going to later this afternoon . . . shhhhhh--no one knows I am awake!
6. I think I will begin The Mystery Keeper's Daughter . . . this story is based around a secret.
7. I am going to finish my summer sock pal's secret sock this week. And some time soon, the jig's going to be up, and Chrissy's going to send me my summer sock!

All in a day

Yesterday, I shuttled everyone where they needed/wanted/had to be, first thing in the morning, and then found myself with some time to visit the lys! She had so many lovely new sock yarns, however I resisted temptation, on the basis that next Saturday I will fill in for someone who can't work, and can take my day's salary in yarn--whooo-hooo!
Next stop was Barnes and Noble where all the classics were 50% off, so I picked up the Knit the Classics' October selection, Gulliver's Travels. Like yarn purchases, I can never leave the store with just one, so I also purchased Snow Flower and the Secret Fan as well as The Memory Keeper's Daughter. I started Snow Flower last night, and it is wonderful!

I did happen to get a bit of knitting in--

The thing I love about knitting this particular pattern, as well as many of Bonnie’s others, is that there is minimal, if any finishing, to be done! I take great comfort in knowing that all this stockinette results in the back + both fronts, with no seaming to do at the end!
Ahhh . . . sometimes that is a welcomed relief!

Pretty much so

Quote of the day "Mom--you're not going to knit while we eat at Wendy's . . ." [as he munches on his fries and I start to pull out my knitting!]

You Are a Peacemaker Soul

You strive to please others and compromise anyway you can. War or conflict bothers you, and you would do anything to keep the peace. You are a good mediator and a true negotiator. Sometimes you do too much, trying so hard to make people happy. While you keep the peace, you tend to be secretly judgmental. You lose respect for people who don't like to both give and take. On the flip side, you've got a graet sense of humor and wit. You're always dimplomatic and able to give good advice. Souls you are most compatible with: Warrior Soul, Hunter Soul and Visionary Soul

What Kind of Soul Are You?

Amazing Lace Finalist--ME??

I buy this crazy color yarn, to knit this adorable cardigan, and I end up as one of the finalists for the Amazing Lace Challenge # 5 . . . Oh My Darling Clementine! Go check out all of the other wonderful "where's Waldo?" photos and cast your vote by Thursday!

Lion Brand discontinued cotton-ease, but I feel like I should click back to Smiley's and order it up in every color!!! It is so very nice to work with, and the color is brilliant! I'll spare you photos until I am further along!
And just so we're straight, it is a good thing those little voices were speaking to me, because Sitcom Chic was the perfect knit for Saturday afternoon, when I needed something (you know: knit, knit, knit, with no pattern to really follow!). But it is back to finishing the Oh My Darling Clementine this week (no photos of THAT until it is finished!).

Finished Lolita this weekend . . . next up on the reading pile . . . not sure still, thinking!

Little voices in my head

Yes, I have one more sleeve, picot edging and seams and then the cardi is finished,

Yes, I have one more pink skull, and the toe shaping and there will be a pair,

Yes, I have peppers and leaves to knit and then I can start the second,

Yes, I have almost finished my secret summer sock and then I will mail it out,

Yes, I did promise my son a pair of skull socks in black and lime green to wear for his tennis tournement THIS WEEK,

Yes, I did cast on for Sitcom Chic last night, and knit 3 rows.


I'll have all this finished by the end of the week, well maybe not the peppers . . .

Remember Me?

Remember this?

This was the cotton fleece that was supposed to be Sitcom Chic, but then got frogged (because the drape was all wrong!)to be re-knitted into a summer shell, Green Gables, if I must tell . . . but for some reason I wasn't loving it(could it have been the short rows?), so off the needles it goes.

I'm back to Sitcom Chic, this time in bubblegum cotton-ease . . . and a frog and re-wind for the cotton fleece---geez!

Those darn peppers!

Lucy Neatby's Hot Tamale Socks (known to me as "the red hot chile peppers") is your basic run-of-the-mill sock pattern, with cute little leaves and chile peppers knitted cleverly around the top of the sock as a cuff. Imagine size 1 double points, yarnovers and i-cords on 3 stitches along with changing colors and stuffing the little tops of the peppers with yarn . . . these two peppers and leaves took me the entire evening and i was exhausted! By my calculations I have seven more pairs of peppers and leaves to go for the first sock. I may be finished with this pair by NEXT summer.

Pink is for . . . My New (and improved!) Blog Look!

Welcome to my new look! Didn't Karen do a fabulous job?!!? Not only is she wildly talented, but she is a wonderful friend! If you need a button, banner, or total overhaul (like I did!) click on her button on the side bar--you'll love working with her!
Hugs and kisses to you, Karen xoxoxo

Pink is for . . . Pirates!

I adore skull and crossbones knitted into things . . . if you met me, you would say, "She's not the skull n'crossbones kind" but, you'd be wrong!

I used the skull pattern from Moth Heaven (she knit these skulls on argyle socks!!!!) and I used Allison's (over at the Blue Blog) sock pattern to create a skull not-sock: the footie doesn't peak out of your sneaker, and the skull doesn't show his face, er, bones until the shoe comes off! The yarn is Baby Ull DaleGarn from Dale of Norway in a chocolate-y brown and hot pink. After I finish pink pirate #2, there will be black ones with lime green skulls, for my son!

Smilin' with Smiley's

Earlier this week, someone posted on the Knittyboard about an internet sale at Smiley's--sure enough, it was a great sale: I got some bubblegum cotton-ease for Sitcom Chic (do I need to tell you how hard it is to find cotton-ease?!?!) and then some sock yarn, for, well, socks! Denim Heather and some "looks like s'mores" varigated and then some black . . . but I only ordered 1 skein of black, the other skein was supposed to be natural (ie, white).

I also got cotton-ease in orange-ade and popsicle blue (both are fabulous, and now I want to get some!) as well as some 2 skeins of cotton, for my friend Karen, but you'll have to click on over to her blog--Musings of a (Mostly) self-taught Knitter to see her Smiley's Stash! I am going to pack it up and send it to her tomorrow.
Speaking of Karen, I can't wait for you to see what she has planned for my blog--it is so me, and it is so terrific!!! My blog isn't getting a face-lift, it is getting a new face!!! Major changes to come, so stay tuned!

One Skein of Summer Colors!

The mailman dropped this off---

My one skein pal sent me this absolutely gorgeous skein of Lucy Neatby's Celestial Moon yarn in the colourway Aquarius, along with 2 wonderful shawl pins. I have never seen so many fabulous colors in one skein--it is 330 yards of summer! I keep looking at it, and turning it over to see the colors--I have no idea what pattern to knit with this!
Sadly, my gmail is kicking back my email to her thanking her for her thoughtfulness! I am hoping that she looks at this posting!!! Hugs and kisses to you, my one skein knitting friend!

Knit, Read, Knit, Read

Oh My Darling, Clementine--back . . . finished; left front . . . finished; right front . . . almost finished; sleeves . . . to be finished.
Red Hot Chile Pepper Sock #1 . . . finished . . . leaves and peppers . . . to add (it's all about those peppers!).
Water for Elephants . . . finished (a great take to the pool read!).
Lolita . . . finished the first 60 pages (when I couldn't sleep last night!).
New Interweave Knits . . . lots to look at!

Amazing Lace Challenge #5--Where's Waldo?