Simple Elegance

2008-06-21T13:07:00.005-06:00

2008 Summer of Socks!

It's the first day of Summer, and that means the official start of 2008 Summer of Socks! I am so excited to get started. Wendy generously designed a pattern for the kickoff; and it is gorgeous, of course. I just went through my stash to find the perfect yarn for her pattern and came up with this luscious Numma Numma Toasty in the colorway "Strawberry Jam." Mmmmmmm -- delicious!

I love summer knitting as most projects are socks and/or lace -- two of my favorites! Right now, I have Susan's Crocus Pocus on the needles.

I am loving knitting with beads! I am still a bit slow at it as my technique involves 1) knitting to a point where a bead is inserted, 2)putting down my knitting, 3) picking up my tiny crochet hook and bowl of beads, 4) piercing a bead with the crochet hook, 5) putting down the bowl of beads and picking up my knitting, 6) hooking next knit stitch and pulling it through the bead, 7) putting down the crochet hook, 8) picking up my knitting, and (finally) 9) knitting the stitch with the bead on it. Phew! Anyone know of an easier/faster way?

Summer finally arrived in Utah last week, and we are going to have a nice, warm day today. I think I'll go sit on my new bench on my front porch and cast on my Summer 2008 Socks.

2008-03-20T17:56:00.002-06:00

Monkey Sock Swap Questionnaire

It has been so long since I posted on my blog, I couldn't remember how to sign in! I'm going to try really hard to be better.

This post, however, is directed to my Monkey Sock Swap 4 pal:

My shoe size: 6 1/2 - 7
Foot length: 9"
Foot circumference: just shy of 8"
(Hint: I have had to go down to a size 1 needle when making monkey socks for myself)
Favorite colors: periwinkle, turquoise, pink, plum, lavender
Color that clashes with wardrobe: orange
Solid or variegated: Both (either)
Favorite brand sock yarn: Lots! Dream in Color, Socks that Rock, Lorna's Laces, Apple Laine
Sock yarn I would like to try: Numma Numma, ShibuiKnits, Shelridge Farm, etc.....
Cookie A patterns I do not have but want: I have all her current ones, but would really like her soon-to-be-released Django.
Allergies: cats (sorry)
My knitting will not be exposed to either animals or smoke
My country: USA
Willing to ship outside USA: of course

That's it!!!!

2008-01-17T18:33:00.000-07:00

New Year, New Me

The last few months of 2007 were not the best for me. First of all, on October 27 I broke my arm. I was trying to help my 8 year old granddaughter rollerblade. The idea was that I would walk beside her as she skated and, if she were to slip, I would catch her before she could fall. Well, she slipped and we both went down. After a trip to the ER (this was a Sunday night), I found I had a fracture of the radial head in my elbow. I was told it would heal in 4-6 weeks.

I work as a paralegal in a small lawfirm. Much of my work requires working on the computer. Needless to say, my keyboarding was pretty sad when I could only use one hand. My boss was very disgruntled, to say the least, and hired a temp to come in a couple of hours a day to do my typing for me. Other than just the typing, I continued to do all my other work. To my huge surprise, at 5:00 p.m. on November 30, my boss came to me and told me they were letting me go. After six years! In complete shock, I inquired as to why. His response was that he didn't think my mind had been on work the last month or so. Give me a break!!! What it really boiled down to was that he was mad because I had broken my arm as it had inconvenienced him. Most bosses would have sent their assistant flowers, but I got fired!

Needless to say, this threw me for a loop. I am single and pride myself on being self sufficient. To find myself with no job, and right before Christmas, was stressful (to say the least).

The second week of December, while on my way to the post office, I was side swiped by a UPS truck. Luckily, I had on my seatbelt. However, I received seatbelt related injuries (a cracked sternum and several broken ribs), and my car was totaled. I just purchased my car in July, and I loved my car.

I got through the holidays with no self confidence, hurting physically and emotionally, but with resolve to begin the new year with a new outlook. No more feeling sorry for myself, mourning for a car (it's only a car for Pete's sake), or settling for a nowhere job that leaves me unhappy and unfulfilled. I deserve better! So I am seeking new employment and taking time for me to renew my spirit and rejuvenate my mind.

I am knitting, scrapbooking and making lots of cards. I find that these creative outlets comfort me and bring peace to my life. Every stitch of my knitting, every piecing of paper, and every inked stamp to paper brings me joy and reaffirms my knowledge that the world is a beautiful place full of wonderful things to enjoy. So, I'm smiling again and feeling good about life.

I have completed a scarf that I will be sending to my Ravelry scarf exchange pal, Kate, in London. I hope she will enjoy it as much as I enjoyed knitting it.

Pattern: Trellis Scarf by Evelyn Clark
Yarn: Jaggerspun Zephyr

I am currently knitting Cookie A's Flicker socks

and have begun the Melon Scarf found in Victorian Lace Today. I am loving knitting lace!

I have a lot of projects in my queue and am excited for the new year and the wonderful things I know are in store for me!

2007-08-27T08:23:00.000-06:00

Ravelry Exchanges

Since joining Ravelry, I have made some new cyber friends, found way too many projects I want to knit, and have joined in on two exchanges.

First is a fun exchange called Monkey Sock Swap 3. Rules for this swap are (1) you knit a pair of Cookie A's Monkey Socks for your pal; (2) you send to your pal, with her completed socks, another of Cookie A's sock patterns and enough yarn to knit those socks; and (3) you include three "monkey" items in your package. This is a secret swap, so I'm not telling yet who my pal is, but I have started the socks. (Progress pictures soon.) I've also begun scouting and purchasing "monkey" stuff. I have found the cutest monkey bookmark and a monkey tape measure so far.

The second exchange I have joined is a scarf exchange. Simply, you knit a scarf for your pal. This swap, however, is not a secret swap, so I can talk about it all I want. My downline (the person for whom I am knitting a scarf) is Kate (kaet100 on Ravelry), and she lives in London. Kate has no blog, but she is on Ravelry. She crochets and does not knit, so I am looking forward to knitting for her. I have narrowed down my choices to knit for her to two:
Evelyn Clark's Trellis Scarf in IK Spring 2006, or the Melon Scarf in Victorian Lace. Both are gorgeous and would be so enjoyable to knit. I have some Jaggerspun Zephyr in blue for the Trellis Scarf and some Kidsilk Haze in blue for the Melon Scarf. (Yes, one of Kate's favorite colors is blue.)

My upline in this swap (the person who is knitting for me) is Marrisa, or JavaMama on Ravelry. Her blog is Vintage Needle Works. I'm excited to get to know Marrisa while she knits for me.

So, Ravelry is a blast so far. I can hardly wait to see what other gems I can find there!

2007-08-24T09:08:00.000-06:00

Calling Geek Squad!!

Help! I am trying to update my template and love this one. However, as you can see, my words are hanging off the edge. Does anyone out there who reads my blog know how to fix it? If so, please leave me a comment. I would greatly appreciate it!!!

2007-08-13T12:44:00.000-06:00

Monkey Socks Swap Three

Since everyone in the knitting world is knitting or has knit monkey socks except me, I thought it was about time I joined in on the fun. I have joined a fun swap I found via Ravelry called Monkey Sock Swap Three. This swap will go from September 1 to October 15. Signups will continue through August 31. If you are interested in joining in with the fun, visit the Monkey Sock Swap website and let Rebecca know you want to play, too.

Now, here is my completed Questionnaire:

Monkey Sock Swap THREE Questionnaire

The basics:
Do you consider yourself a beginning sock knitter, an intermediate, or have you been doing this so long you could probably knit a pair in your sleep?

I have been knitting socks for a very long time. (Nancy Bush taught me to knit socks long before any of her books had been published.)

The measurements:
Shoe Size: 7
Foot circumference: 8”
Foot length: 8 ¾”

Yarn Preferences:
What colors do you love? I like blues, violets, pinks and greens (although not yellow greens). I also like neutral colors.

Do you prefer solids or variegated? Either.

Do you prefer wool, cotton or acrylic yarn? Wool.

What colors would you never wear? Orange, neon green.

What are your favorite brands of yarn? Oh, so very many. Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock, Cherry Tree Hill sock yarn, Claudia’s Handpaint are just few of the sock yarns I like.

Are there any new brands you would like to try? I would love to try Apple Laine, Cider Moon, Seacoast Handpainted, or Zen String.

Cookie A. Patterns:
Which of her patterns have you already knit? Pomatomous and Baudelaire.

Which pattern(s) would you like to knit and don’t already own? I really want to knit Mona. I also would like to try one of her knee-high socks. (I think I owns all the patterns, though.)

Other pertinent information:

Would you be willing to have an international Monkey Pal or do you prefer one in the US? Either is fine with me.

Do you have any allergies? Cats.

Will your knitting be exposed to smoke or animals? No.

Are you on Ravelry yet? If you don’t mind having new friends, what is your Ravelry name? Yes, I am on Ravelry. My Ravelry name is kristy (not too original).

So there you go. Come join us for a riot of monkeying around!!!

2007-08-11T10:19:00.000-06:00

Mail Day Part I

Is there anything more fun than arriving home from a long day of work to find mail packages on your porch? I don't think so! It's almost like receiving a Christmas gift. I peruse the outside wrappings to see if I can surmise what is inside. The package on the top was easy to figure out as the label gave it away. My order from Blue Moon Fiber Arts -- yay!! I'll tell you all about it tomorrow.

The package on the bottom looked very intriguing. I did not recognize the name on the return address -- Elise Ferer. Could this be the stamps I had ordered? I didn't think they were coming from New York. Then the lightbulb went off -- this has to be from my Sockapalooza 4 Pal! I carefully opened the envelope and look what was found! At the top are gorgeous socks in my most favorite colors. The yarn is Colinette Jitter Bug in colorway allzarine. I've never used this yarn before, but I'm sure going to have to try it. It is exceptionally soft and squishy, and the color is so vibrant. Okay, next in the package is a yummy bar of chocolate (I know it's yummy 'cuz I already ate it -- tee hee!) And last, a postcard from Brooklyn, New York. How cool is that bridge!

My pal is Elise of Hoop Skirt. She made all the right choices for my socks. Gorgeous yarn, fantastic fit, and a really cool pattern. Look how great they are on my feet!

And here's a closeup of the pattern.

The pattern is Snicket Socks from Mag Knits. This is a great pattern -- one that is definitely going into my Ravelry queue.

Thank you so much, Elise! I love them!!!

2007-07-31T09:39:00.000-06:00

Socks and More Socks

Are your Sockapalooza 4 socks completed? Mine are very close and should be ready to mail on time – yay! I am knitting the Whisper Rib and Shepherd's Lace socks designed by Anne Carroll. I purchased this pattern quite a few years ago from the Wooly West, way back when the Wooly West had an actual store front. This is one of my favorite sock patterns. It begins with a fun picot edge, and then goes into an easy, but visually pleasing, whisper rib on 40 stitches of the sock. The center 22 stitches are knit in a lovely lace pattern that is only 8 row repeats. Once the lace has been worked a few times, it is easily remembered making for very enjoyable knitting. The yarn I am using is Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock in the Lakeside colorway. My pal said she likes greens and blues, so I think this yarn is perfect. Anyway, I hope she likes them.

When I began spinning, the first yarn I wanted to learn to spin was sock yarn. I purchased several colors of Teyani’s fiber dyed for her sock hop yarns. The first colorway I spun was “Great Balls of Fire,” and my second was “Love Me Tender.” I really like the results of Love Me Tender, and have even begun knitting a sock.

The knitting shows the yarns imperfections (such as its uneven thicknesses and a little over twist), but since these socks will be for me, I am focusing more on the good points of this yarn. I love the barberpole stripes, and the shades of plum melting into golden stripes please me to no end. I am having great fun knitting these socks from my own handspun.

Next on the wheel is more of Teyani’s fiber in “Wild Thing.” I’ve got to get the SP4 socks done first. Knit fast, knit fast, knit fast … .

2007-06-19T12:06:00.001-06:00

Return of My Mojo

In my efforts to regain my lost mojo, I decided a trip to my basement to visit my UFO’s was in order. Most of the projects I came upon were still “ick.” However, I did come across a sweater I had totally forgotten about. Way back when Interweave Knits was pretty new, Beth Brown-Reinsel wrote a wonderful article on knitting aran sweaters from the top down (Winter, 1997). Her gorgeous pattern for the Celtic Dreams sweater was included. At that time, I ordered the yarn from Beth -- some scrumptious breed specific British Wool called “Creskeld Gray Masham.” This yarn is undyed and is completely spun from the British Masham sheep. Very cool!

The Celtic Dreams sweater has some intricate cabling, one of which I totally messed up on the front of the sweater I was knitting.

This is the back, showing all cables done correctly.

And this is the front, with the horribly mis-crossed cables right in the center!

While I do not remember, I am sure I was probably frustrated with myself and balked at ripping out my knitting. So, in an effort to erase the item from my sight, it, along with the yarn, was banished to the basement. What fun it was to find this forgotten treasure. I have done the necessary ripping (and enjoyed it, as well) and have begun the process of re-knitting the front.

With renewed knitting interest, some of my other projects on the needles are also more enjoyable. I have picked up Hidcote again, and it is coming along a few rows at a time. And, I have begun the socks for my sockapaloooza pal. Yippee!

2007-05-25T11:43:00.000-06:00

Where has my mojo gone?

I used to be a knitting addict. My knitting bag went with me everywhere, so much so that my sister dubbed me “the bag lady.” I knit beautiful sweaters for myself, my mom and sisters, my granddaughters, and my brother-in-law had a drawer full of my handknit socks. Knitting was my joy, my passion, my love. I haunted yarn stores and spent all my spare cash on yarn, needles, and patterns. I anxiously awaited the arrival of all the knit magazines and subscribed to them all. While watching a movie or the TV, I would blurt out “look at that gorgeous sweater!” Now, I hardly notice. What’s wrong with me? I want my mojo back!

Last year my completed objects consisted of one pair of socks (for my sockapalooza pal). How sad is that! I vowed this year would be different, and in January I had already met last year’s quota. Well, guess what! I have not completed one thing since. I have begun so many things just to get 4 or 5 inches into the project and realize I hate it. I hate knitting it, I hate the yarn, I hate the color, the size is wrong – something always annoys me.

Take for instance my monkey socks, I began to knit them with some beautiful Claudia’s Handpaint sock yarn. I love this yarn! Several inches into the pattern, I discovered the pooling. In some other pattern I may not have minded it; but in this pattern, I hated it. Rrrrrriiiiipppp!

I began knitting the socks again in Socks that Rock Footzey Foo. Much better. The pattern definitely showed up better and the yarn felt good in my hands. I knit one sock to just an inch from the toe and decided I didn’t like how they fit – they were too baggy. Rrrrrriiiiipppp!

I love Cookie’s sock patterns, and decided to try one of her new ones and let go of the monkeys for a bit. I began to knit the Gothic Spire socks with Gems Pearl in a Terracotta shade. My first attempt was with the wrong needle; my second attempt was better, but I didn’t like how my wrapped stitches were looking. I began a third time, and they were looking pretty good; however, I’m not sure I like the color. It is too orange, and I do not like orange. Rrrrrriiiiipppp!

I need a new office sweater for when the air conditioner is blasting, and loved Cara’s and Margene’s Arianns by ChicKnits. I dug out from my stash some Beaverslide yarn in a pretty blue and cast on. On my first attempt, I noticed a mistake several rows below in the lace – a hole was off by a stitch. I attempted to fix it but made a mess of it, so unraveled the thing and began again. I have knit approximately 6 inches and it is looking better, but I’m not sure I really like it. It’s now hiding in a bag behind a chair until I decide what to do with it.

My Hidcote shawl is beautiful! I was going full speed ahead on it and have completed the first section of pattern and should be starting the next section. You would think this would excite me enough to get working on it again, but eh! I don’t want to.

I signed up for Sockapalooza 4 because I love to receive something handknit from someone else, and I need some motivation to urge me to knit something. I have been scouring the internet for inspiration but so far, eh!

What is wrong with me? What do you do when in a knitting slump? What inspires you? Is there a counseling group? I want my mojo back!!

2007-02-26T17:17:00.000-07:00

My February Fruits

February is at its end and, once again, blogging has been neglected. I'm going to try to be better - honest! (I know; you have heard it before. I really am going to try.)

My knitting has been concentrated on socks and my Hidcote shawl.

As you know, I have spun some Crown Mountain Farms Great Balls of Fire which I want to use for socks. Since I am a novice spinner (very novice), I was totally unsure how fine to spin the fiber. I wanted to see some of the real stuff, i.e. Teyani's gorgeous sock hop yarn. I purchased a couple of skeins of Heat Wave, cut off a small length and tied that to my spinning wheel. As I spun I could stop now and again to make a comparison. This worked really well as I am quite satisfied with the yarn I spun. Well, what's a girl to do with two beautifully dyed and spun skeins of the softest, most lovely yarn? Knit some socks, of course. The first sock is completed:

The pattern is Chevron Socks by Nicola Manning. This is a very simple pattern that shows off the yarn to its advantage. I am so pleased with this sock and can hardly wait to cast on for its mate. I want to wear these puppies!!!

My other project is Mim's Hidcote Shawl. This is the first shawl I have ever knit, and it is a beautiful thing indeed. The pattern is so very clearly written with one chart flowing gracefully into the next. My yarn is Merino Oro in a deep teal. (The color in my photo looks bluer than it really is.) I am on chart 5 and am anxious to get this part completed and move on to the next chart, which introduces a new pattern. I'm having so much fun knitting this!

An order from Blue Moon Fiber Arts was waiting for me what I arrived home: one skein of Footzey-Foo, one skein of January One, and Cookie A.'s Titania's Revenge pattern. Cookie is a sock pattern genius. She is contemplating getting a book published of her sock patterns. Go on over and give her some more convincing!

Right now, I think the Footzey-Foo (it's green - just in time for "Knit Green Socks") will be the Monkey Socks from Knitty. January One is designated for Titania.

So, that's what I'm knitting. However, a lot of my time has been spent making greeting cards. I have posted (in previous posts) a couple of pics of a few cards I have made in the past. I want to start selling my cards either individually or by special order. I'm only charging $2.00 each (envelope included), which is a bit of a bargain if I do say so. Anyone interested? If so let me know and I'll show you more of what I have.

Time to go play now!!

2007-01-07T13:26:00.000-07:00

FO's -- Alert the Media!!!

Last year was a very unproductive year knitwise for me. I think I completed two pairs of socks, and that is all! I hope to change that very sad statistic this year. Keeping that in mind, I'm ready to post not one FO, but two.

First to the finish line this year was a skein of yarn I spun myself. Yeah, I spun it myself! See, all my handspun yarn thus far has looked more like string than yarn. But this skein is actual, real, "pretty" yarn.

This is Great Balls of Fire from Crown Mountain Farm's fantastic hand-dyed, merino superwash wool roving. I have spun all 8 ounces, but this is the first skein I have plied. There looks to be 240 yards, plenty to begin to knit a pair of socks. Hey, this will qualify for my first Twisted Knitters post, too!

I tried for a closeup of the yarn, but my camera doesn't do closeups well. I'm posting it, though, because I'm so dang proud of my yarn that even a bad photo deserves its glory.

My next FO is actual knitting. Okay, so it is only a pair of socks, but a lovely pair of socks they are.

The pattern is Baudelaire from the Summer 2006 issue of Knitty. The wonderfully talented Cookie A. is the designer. I absolutely love her sock patterns. Baudelaire is a bit of lace and a bit of cable. They are knit toe-up, which is different from my normal way of knitting socks. The pattern was easy enough to memorize, but difficult enough to keep my interest. The yarn is Gems fingering weight in French Blue. This is my first time knitting with the Gems, and I will definitely use it again. (These socks are for my sockret pal, whom I hope hasn't figured out who her pal is, or she will not be surprised with her socks. Hope she likes them!)

What will be my next FO of 2007? Time will tell, but I do have a couple of WIP's going: the Hidcote Garden Shawl and Ariann sweater, both of which are entertaining me immensely.

2006-12-28T11:24:00.000-07:00

A Bit Philosophical of Late

It has been a somewhat difficult year for me. Along with the passing of my son in September of 2005, a nephew of mine shot himself in the head and died three days later in June, and my father-in-law passed away due to cancer in October. I am willing to believe that these things happen in threes thus ending this year of death and dying. My spirit, while always a bit on the calm, quiet, thinking side, has been even more withdrawn. I spend a lot of time alone just musing and dreaming. You know, the same old questions of: Why am I here? How did I happen to arrive at my present circumstances? What changes should (or need) be made in my life? When I have left this world, what will I leave – how will I be remembered? Thinking takes a lot of time. I still do not have all the answers and know I will continue to poor over these loaded questions, but I do know I want to leave an impression on the world in some way. I want my life to have meaning to those who come in the future. How I will do this still remains to be seen. But I do know the following:

I need to be more vocal, or outspoken, to the world in general. I keep things bottled up inside – that is just my way. But if I want people to hear my beliefs, my thoughts, I need to voice them, either in person through conversations, or in writing. I’m not a born writer; it is something I have to work at. But I enjoy the ends if not the means. I plan to write more in my personal journals, write some of the poetry and stories stored in my head, write essays of my political and religious views, and write more letters to those I love.

Writing more in my blog will also get my thoughts out there a bit. My life is not exciting, but more quiet and solitary. Because of that, I tell myself I have nothing to write about. I need to realize the falsity of that statement. I can contribute by just expressing the ordinary, as even that can be extraordinary to others.

My first resolution of the year 2007 is to share more of my thoughts and ideas with the world. Perhaps I can help one person who is suffering the loss of a loved one, one person who is questioning life, or one person who has lost hope. If I can touch but one, perhaps I will have left an imprint on the world.

2006-11-30T11:19:00.000-07:00

Exciting Move

I haven’t had much time to blog the past month as life has been hectic.

As most of you who wander over to my blog now and then know, I am a paralegal in a law firm in downtown Provo, Utah. Our present office is in an older building of which we occupy one-half. There is only the main floor and a downstairs, and we have been busting at the seams for a couple of years now. Several more attorneys have joined the firm making it necessary to hire more clerks and clerical staff, and we simply have not had anywhere to put everyone and everyone’s stuff. And to make matters worse, this place is ugly – I mean uuuuuuuglyyyy! I am pretty sure the place has had no renovations made to it since the 70’s. Seriously! I am almost embarrassed when new clients come to the office.

My present office (work station) is in the rear corner of a fairly large room shared by three of us. This room has no windows – none. There are days when I never see daylight for the entire day, especially now that the days are shorter. My desk is an old wood laminate (chipped all to heck) with a lovely, credenza to match. My computer is the newest one in the office and is almost five years old. Our phone systems are completely out of the dark ages – we don’t even have voicemail. Do you know how many times a day I am asked to give a caller one of the attorneys voicemail? I’m telling you, it’s mortifying.

So, guess what? The partners finally saw the light and purchased a new building last Spring. Since then, the whole place has been renovated, and it’s beautiful! Next week we will be vacating this building and moving to and working out of the new building. We are leaving behind all the decrepit furniture, ugly wall hangings, dusty plastic foliage, antique phone systems, out-of-date computers, tin file cabinets, and getting all new stuff. I’ve got to take a few pictures of my new desk and work station – it is gorgeous! It is all cherry wood (real, solid wood, no more laminate), and it is huge. My file cabinets are also out of cherry wood with lovely hardware. My area is in a pretty, large, open area and I have windows!!! Finally, my surroundings will be very classy and sophisticated, and I am so excited!

Did I mention the view? The mountains are so close it looks like they begin at our doorstep. I promise pictures of the new place soon.

Now for the bad news. I do not have an appropriate wardrobe to match my new office. Since the old office was so ugly, we all dressed pretty casual. No jeans or anything that extreme (okay, maybe once in a while) but just slacks, shirts, boots – think The Gap or Old Navy. But now I need suits, dresses, real “outfits” that are appropriate for a paralegal who works in a sophisticated, classy law firm.

If you have read this far, here is what I’m getting to:

1. Where can lovely, classy clothing be purchased that won’t cost me my next 6 months salary?

2. What sweaters can I knit that are office appropriate. No big, bulky cables, slouchy raglans, or drop shoulder designs. I like unique constructions, and I’m thinking yarn no heavier than a DK weight.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

2006-11-06T20:49:00.000-07:00

Spinning Skunk Yarn

I have been having fun learning to spin with my wheel. I took a class at the Great Basin Fiber Arts fair in September, and it really helped me a lot. Prior to the class, my spinning looked like twine or string; now I am spinning yarn! It is still far from perfection, but it is looking better all the time.

I purchased some fun fibers at the fair. One ball really intrigued me by its color as it was one thick piece of white roving wound with one thick piece of dark brown roving. It was aptly named "skunk."

Of course, it wasn't really skunk, but was some gorgeous merino wool roving. It was a dream to spin, so soft. And I loved watching the colors spin and blend around themselves

After spinning, I wound it into a center-pull ball with my trusty Fricke winder.

Now for the plying. I had never plied before, so was a bit tentative. A little, tiny bit more twist in the plying would have made the yarn even better, but I'm pretty pleased with my first real skein of yarn.

(Sorry about the basement photo that sadly includes my water heater. However, if you peak way behind the skein of yarn hanging to dry, you can see plastic containers full of yarn -- my embarassing huge stash!)

Anyhoo, I'm now spinning some gorgeous Crown Mountain Farm's fiber for socks -- Great Balls of Fire! I'm lovin' it!

Oh, and one more pic -- my new niece, Lexie Rae, two weeks old. She's a keeper!!!

2006-10-05T12:11:00.000-06:00

Sock-ret Pal / Socktoberfest

Socks for my sock-ret pal have begun. The hardest part about knitting for someone you do not know is deciding on a pattern and yarn. Will she want something plain or fancy? Solid or variegated? Lace, cables, fair isle, entrelac or pure rib? Wool or cotton? Bright colors or more neutral? What size? If I were a mathematician, I might be inclined to figure out the number of combinations all these choices make. At any rate, a lot of planning needs to be done before a single stitch is knit.

My pal's answers to the Sock-ret Pal Questionnaire indicate she likes natural fibers and prefers neutral or jewel-toned colors. Her shoe size is the same as mine, so I am hoping that if I knit the size that fits me, the socks will fit her, too. The yarn I decided upon is Gems Merino fingering weight in the French Navy color. I have socks in a deep blue that I love to wear. While the bright, variegated socks are a riot to knit, I find I don’t enjoy actually wearing them as much as I do my solid color socks.

The pattern I have chosen is Baudelaire from Knitty Summer 2006. (Pattern and Images © 2006 Cookie A.) Cookie A., the designer of these socks, also designed the Pomatomus socks. She is so talented and adept to design both a challenging knit and a beautiful, wearable design. I am truly excited to knit these!

I began last night by studying up on the figure 8 caston as these socks are knit from the toe up. My first try ended up with the stitches twisted on the first row. But after that one false start, I have completed the toe. Tonight I begin the fun part -- the patterning. My Socktoberfest has begun!

2006-09-27T17:52:00.000-06:00

Sock-ret Pal Questionnaire

Warning: kind of long and boring. To anyone other than my pal, I'm sure this is more than you'll ever want to know about me.

Sock-ret Pal Questionnaire

How long have you been knitting?

I have been knitting for 30 years. I began when my eldest son was a little boy as I wanted to knit sweaters for him.

Do you consider yourself a beginning sock knitter, an intermediate, or have you been doing this so long you could probably knit a pair in your sleep?

I suppose I am an advanced sock knitter. I was fortunate to learn to knit socks by Nancy Bush when she was just becoming the queen of socks. I was well taught!!!

While your pal may ask for some additional info to ensure a great fit, please provide your shoe size, or any other fitting related info you think is pertinent.

My shoe size is 6 ½ or 7, and usually patterns knit for a woman’s size medium fit just fine.

(fiber related) Favorites:

What colors do you love?

I really prefer cool toned colors – blues, violets, pinks, reds (not orangey reds, though), and blue-greens.

Do you prefer solids or variegated?

I love both!!!

What fibers do you most love to knit with?

Wool, of course. (LOL!)

Who do you consider your favorite yarn vendors?

Wow, how to narrow it down? My favorite local vendor is The Black Sheep Wool Co. in Salt Lake. Online, I love Kpixie, The Knitting Garden and Jimmy Beans.

What projects (other than socks, of course*S*) do you most enjoy knitting?

Sweaters, scarves and, lately, shawls.

(fiber related) Dislikes:

What fibers can you not stand to knit with? To wear?

I hate to knit with 100% acrylic, although I have found some really nice blends. Also, I do not like “designer” yarns like eyelash, fur, etc.

What colors would you never wear?

Orange, yellow (although I love yellow, I look horrible in it), lime green.

The Tools:

Plastic or Metal? Bamboo or wood?

I have quite a collection of needles in almost all kinds of materials. If I had to say just one, I prefer wood.

Circs or Straights?

Circs for anything but socks.

DPNs or Magic Loop?

DPN’s all the way!!!

Are there any knitting accessories you don't have in your collection but would like?

I am always looking for stitch markers. They are like paperclips; they continuously disappear!

The Extras:

Do you have a wish list? If so, please share the link!

I’ve never started a wish list online. Hmmmm, maybe I should do that sometime.

Do you like sweet, sour or salty? (or all of the above? *S*)

Gotta go with “all of the above.”

Do you have any allergies your pal should know about? (Certain foods, smoke, pet hair, etc)

I am allergic to cats and, while not allergic, detest cigarette smoke.

Favorite scents? Scents you can't stand?

I like fresh scents, not flowery or spicy. I love lemon, vanilla, lavender, and wear Philosophy colognes. Oh, and have you smelled Philosophy’s scented bath gels? They are to die for – Cinnamon Buns, Vanilla Waffle Cone, Berry Crumb Pie – all the fun without the fat!!

Do you collect anything (other than yarn and knitting toys of course)?

I’m not really a collector. I do love refrigerator magnets, colored glass, doilies, and anything Victorian looking.

When is your birthday? (month and day is fine!)

July 7

Do you spin? Dye your own yarn?

I am a novice spinner and would like to get into dyeing one of these days.

Your favorite author/band/vacation spot, anything you think will help your pal know you better...

I am vegetarian, into yoga, and love massages.

My favorite TV programs are Grey’s Anatomy, Numbers, and General Hospital.

My iPod contains mostly hard rock and alternative – not a hint of country.

I LOVE the mountains but yearn to swim in the ocean some day.

I like to read suspense novels, as well as the old classics.

I hope this helps!!!

2006-09-25T19:44:00.000-06:00

So, what's happening?

It has been so long since I have blogged. Lots of excuses, but none are interesting, so let's just pretend we're up to date -- 'kay?

Still not a lot of progress on the knitting front. Normally, I get all excited when the Fall knitting mags come out, but this year's offerings were not much to be thrilled about. I have begun a couple of new things, though, and have joined a couple of new KAL's. Hopefully, new projects and new KAL's will get my knit vibe going.

Norah Gaughan's Knitting Nature book was on my "to buy" list for quite a while. I drooled online over the book for a very long time. A visit to Border's during a lunch hour last week and -- "yay!" -- the book is now mine. I love so many of the designs in this lovely book and am fascinated by the knit construction. I began knitting the Hex Coat in some Lopi Lite that has been in my stash for years. Here is my progress thus far.

Moss stitch is one of my favorite stitches and I really love the look of it. The shaping on the front edge keeps my interest. After knitting the coat in moss stitch, stitches are picked up along the edges to knit each hex. Fun stuff!

I lost track of Summer and my trekking socks didn't even come close to getting finished. I still pick them up and knit a row or two once in a while. They will be completed eventually. I am knitting the Balance socks by Designedly Kristi. The little cables up both sides and the back of the socks are very cool, and the coloration of the trekking yarn is yummy! Here's a progress picture (in very bad lighting):

It was my sister's birthday on Saturday. A few weeks ago I inquired as to what she would like for her birthday, and she requested some handmade cards. I made a slew of them.

I altered a lunch tin with some gorgeous Fall colored papers, flowers, metals, and lots of ribbons, and put the cards inside. It turned out pretty cute, if I say so myself, and she was really pleased with it. The cards took a lot of my evenings, and that took away much of my knitting time. I hope to get much more knitting in as the Fall progresses.

I'll leave with you with a couple of very small FO's, but FO's just the same -- a couple of "warshrags" from Mason-Dixon Knitting.

I'm going to go moss stitch now!

2006-07-26T12:12:00.000-06:00

Looking Forward

I have sure been in a knitting funk lately. My pomatomus socks are progressing very slowly. The twisted rib stitch throughout makes for somewhat sluggish knitting. Having said that, I do love them!

Poor Melanie has been brought out of timeout, and I have completed the first 25 rows! I know, you are thinking, "Big deal." To me it is a big deal as I have never gotten through the first pattern chart without having to frog the whole thing. A few more rows of plain garter stitch, and I am on to Chart 2. Yay!

My trekking socks have finally been started. Still no photos of me actually "trekking" with them. Maybe this weekend.

I have been thinking about Fall and future projects. Vogue Knitting has their Fall preview up. A couple of designs caught my eye.

I love the simple styling of this sweater and the cabled v-neck. I'm not sure of the yarn used, but it looks like it is a light enough weight that the sweater could be worn indoors without being too warm. Without even seeing the pattern, I am putting this on my "must knit" list for Fall.

Socks!!! It looks like this issue of VK has several sock patterns. This gorgeous blue pair is my favorite. It reminds me very much of the pomatomus socks (that are taking me freakishly long to knit). This project is being added to my "list" as well.

Okay, so you'll know I have gone completely bonkers, I'll let you in on a secret. I began a cross stitch project. I have not worked any cross stitch for over 20 years, but for some reason I got a huge urge to stitch! My project is the Lavender and Lace Celtic Spring. Even though stitching is cutting into my knitting time (which is already pretty sparse), I am really enjoying this.

More later!

2006-06-28T13:11:00.000-06:00

Already?

I can't believe June is almost over! I had so many projects planned for this summer's knitting, and I have so very little accomplished.

We are almost finished with the first month of The Amazing Lace. I have worked hard on Miss Melanie, but to no avail. I wrote a nasty post to my dear Mel in which I gave her a verbal flogging for her beligerent attitude. You will all be relieved to know I won't be posting that long-winded diatribe. Suffice it to say writing it all down made me feel better, but Miss Mel stands now as this:

Can you stand it? I've knit and frogged and knit and frogged repeatedly until the poor gossamer yarn can hardly take it anymore. You see here the results of my last frogging. I promise I'll get back to her soon, but for now she has been put in time-out for her surliness.

I have been knitting other stuff: a couple of "warsh-rags" from Mason-Dixon Knitting; Mountain Stream scarf (I'm into the 3rd repeat); and several socks. Here is some progress made on my Pomatomus socks:

This is a fun pattern knit with yummy yarn!

I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of the new 2006-2007 Stampin' Up catalog, a whole box of catalogs, actually. They should be arriving on my porch any day. I have been involved in several card swaps, which has taken away from my knitting time. Several scrapbook pages have been completed, as well. Therefore, I haven't been totally unproductive this month -- just on the knitting front. Hopefully, July will see more progress, together with another go at Mel, if she has learned to behave herself.

2006-06-01T16:50:00.000-06:00

June Knitting Plans

Many KAL's planned for the summer, and June is looking like a very fun month.

First is the kick-off of the Trekking Along. I've got my yarn, but haven't decided on a pattern.

Knit the Classics. This month's book is Wuthering Heights, which is my favorite book ever! I haven't romped the moors with Cathy and Heath for several years and look forward to spending June with them.

Knit Red. I have some gorgeous hand-dyed sock yarn I purchased on ebay several months ago. All wound into a nice center-pull ball, it has been calling to me. I've been considering copying Margene's choice of red and knitting Eleanora with it. Apparently, the original Eleanoras were red. Very cool!

Knitting on the Road. This month's pattern is Canal du Midi. I have some Satakieli yarn that has been hiding in the stash for many years. I might as well use it on a sock pattern designed with the yarn.

Vintage Socks. We are knitting the Gentleman's Sock with Lozenge Pattern. Yarn is yet to be decided.

Pomatomus. I began these socks using Cherry Tree Hill in the colorway Foxy Lady. The reds and browns reminded me of the socks I just received from my sockapaloooza pal. I love the pattern but did not want another pair in the same colors, so I frogged what I had done (only 1 pattern repeat) and began again using STR Country Cobblestone. I love these muted shades of rose, sage and violet.

The Amazing Lace. I still need to complete my first challenge for AL, but have decided on my team mates. I am knitting the Melanie Shawl from Heirloom Knitting in their merino laceweight yarn, color ocean blue. I started Mel a couple of times last summer and she totally got the best of me. Hope this summer will see me the victor of the battle of Mel.

2006-05-29T17:33:00.000-06:00

Memorial Day

From the time I was a little girl, my memories of Memorial Day were of a rather boring day spent with my parents and sisters driving to and from cemeteries. My parents would visit with people I didn't know, and everyone was so serious. As the years passed and I lost my grandparents, visiting the cemetery became more important. I would often go "visit" my grandma's grave, and if peonies were blooming, I would take her a vaseful as peonies were her favorite. In the last five years or so, I have watched as so many friends of my parents have passed on. I began attending the Memorial Day program honoring the veterans knowing that sometime, I hope later than sooner, my father will be amonst those on the Wall of Honor and will have a flag planted in the field of flags as he served valiantly in WWII.

This year Memorial Day has really hit me hard. Most of you know I lost my son last September. This year has been a year of firsts for me: the first Thanksgiving without him, the first Christmas without him, etc. Today was the first Memorial Day I have spent decorating his grave. It's been a beautiful, yet difficult, day. I was very comforted in that so many people remembered him. I hope you won't mind my posting a picture of his cemetery plat in remembrance of him today. I love you, son!

2006-05-22T09:55:00.000-06:00

Sockapaloooza Socks!

Upon returning home from work one day last week, I noticed a package next to my mailbox. Thinking to myself, "Huh, I don't remember ordering anything," I picked up the box and noticed right off the return address was Tokyo, Japan. Double checking that it was, indeed, addressed to me, my puzzlement increased. Upon opening the package, I found the wonderful contents.
Is that the cutest wooden box you have ever seen? There is also a gorgeous postcard of a Tokyo train station. Not just any old postcard, either; this one is hand-inked by the artist, himself. How cool is that? And to top it all off, look at that fun Japanese candy!!! My brain has finally clicked into the fact that all these wonderful goodies are from my sockpal. Yep, upon opening that darling box, I found these inside. The socks are gorgeous and fit me perfectly! They were knit with some lovely yarn purchased in Switzerland and are that fabulous Pomatomus socks. My photo does not do these socks justice (I'm blaming crappy lighting), but take it from me, the socks are works of art. I absolutely love them!

So now all can be revealed: my fantastic sockapaloooza pal is Kat. Kat is an Australian, married to an American, who is living in Tokyo. Cool, huh! Thank you, again, Kat!!!

2006-05-15T12:38:00.000-06:00

Peruvian Hand Knits

My nephew just returned from a two-year LDS mission from Lima, Peru. He brought home a lot of gifts and souviners, some of which were hand-knitted items. They are so beautiful and well-made.

First is my nephew wearing an alpaca sweater his "pensionista" knitted for him, and also a chullo hat. He is holding a picture of himself wearing the hat that was painted of him by a local that he befriended.

Next is a gorgeous hand-woven authentic Aztec poncho like garment (I do not recall its actual name.) The colors are gorgeous!

Finally, my sister wearing a hand-knit alpaca sweater. The yarn is fingering weight in natural shades of alpaca. Don't you love the llamas and other characters on it? Again, the workmanship is impeccable!

I just had to share!!

2006-05-09T17:59:00.000-06:00

Finished New England Socks!

Just a fly-by post of the New England socks, finally finished for Sockapaloooza. I am very pleased with how they turned out. Hope my pal likes them!

The pattern was a much enjoyable knit. I recommend it very highly to those who have not knit it.

I am excited to be able to knit something else, just don't know yet what it is going to be. Too many items are in my queue.

2006-05-03T10:49:00.000-06:00

I'm a 'looozer!

(Cue The Beatles; sing-along "I'm a loser, and I'm not what I appear to be . . .")

I am still trying to finish the socks for my pal. I hope she isn't waiting by her mailbox tomorrow, or even Friday. I plan to get them in the mail by Friday or Saturday as they are theeeeese close to being done. Have your read the poem over at Pip and Tom's dedicated to we 'looozers? If you haven't seen it yet, you must go read -- NOW! Quite a kick!

Life has been a bit crazy for me this last week or two. Not that I am trying to make excuses for my sock tardiness (well, maybe I am), but I have had a lot going on.

1. Noall Wootton, a good friend and my boss for 16 years passed away Thursday. Besides being a wonderful man, he is probably most known as being the person who prosecuted Gary Gilmore. There was a nice write-up in the newspaper. If interested, check it out here. His memorial was yesterday. It would have been extremely tacky to have taken my sock-in-progress along, although I would have had a lot of knitting time while standing in line.

2. May is a month of birthdays (3 nephews), Mother's Day, graduations, Memorial Day. I am trying to attend everything, and I am budgeting my paycheck for lots of gifties. Nope, no one is getting anything hand-knitted.

3. I had a stamp class last night. There was a very nice turnout and everyone made some cute things to take home (plates, cards and a few scrapbook pages). Of course, no knitting there.

4. My nephew, who has been serving a two-year LDS mission in Peru, gets home 1 week from today. There will be a lot of celebrating his return, as we have sure missed him! (My family is extremely close -- my nieces and nephews are almost like my own children!)

5. My son, who has been "away" (don't ask) since October will be home next week. I am having quite a bit of angst about this. (Ditto "don't ask.")

So, blogging will be erratic for the rest of May; knitting time will be found here and there like during my lunch breaks and before bed. I'm not going to be on the 'looozer list for long!

2006-04-24T12:45:00.000-06:00

All New England All the Time

In an effort to finish my sockapaloooza socks by the deadline (1 week), I have only been knitting on the New England socks. I won't bore you with another photo as it looks just like the pic in my previous post, only shorter. I hope I can get these done in time!

So, for all you romantics out there, instead of more sock pix, I am including some photos of my beautiful niece who was married last Friday. Their ceremony took place in the Salt Lake LDS Temple, and the grounds were in all their springtime glory. We had a wonderful day! (Please excuse the copyright in the center of all the photos. Hope it doesn't detract too much.)

Enjoy!

2006-04-16T14:53:00.000-06:00

One down, one to go!

Very quick post to let Alison know I really am working on my sockapaloooza socks. I have one all knit, and the other is on its way. The pattern is Nancy Bush's New England socks from Knitting on the Road. Yarn is Koigu in a scrumptious orchid.

I was the lucky recipient of socks from this pattern in the first sockapalooza and love them so much I wanted to knit a pair for my pal. I hope she will like them as much I like mine!

2006-04-07T17:51:00.000-06:00

Yep, I'm a Tweaker

No, it's not that!

My poor blog has been ignored far too much. First, I post so infrequently it is almost senseless to even have a blog. Second, it seems the network that has been hosting my images is down more than it is up. So, when I do get ready to post, I can't. While I loved my old template, I just could not continue to use it unless I stayed with my old network (it is my nephew's and, therefore, free). For now I am just using one of blogger's templates, and I am loading my images to photobucket (can you tell that "free" is a big thing with me?)

I have been tweaking it a bit here and a bit there. Just when I think I like how things are looking, I decide, "Yeah, but what about this?" and make more changes. Please be patient as tweaking leads to addiction. I may not be able to quit!! Stop me before my blog becomes a big mess!

P.S. I hope I don't offend with the whole "tweaking" thing. But (and this is much more information than I usually divulge), as the mother of two sons who are/were drug addicts, I am entitled to joke about it a bit. Sometimes laughter is the only way to get through the tears.

2006-03-23T11:38:00.000-07:00

Is it Spring yet?

For the first day in many, today actually looks like Spring here in Provo, Utah. We have a blue sky, moderate temps, and I have seen a few daffodils peaking up their heads. With the weather change comes a desire to knit something new, something light, something in a bright color and fun pattern.

Have you seen Kim Hargreaves Spring and Summer collections? I love Carrie:

This is knit with Rowan 4-ply soft, a yarn I have in my stash. I sure wish Kim's patterns were available for purchase without the yarn. With the exchange rate of the dollar to pound, it is getting pretty pricey to purchase from across the pond.

I am still planning to knit the cute farm sweater for the expected little man, but have yet to make it to SLC to purchase the yarn. You would think I lived further than a mere 45 miles away as I sure don't get to the "City" much anymore. I could buy online, but for some reason I want to actually pick out the yarn myself, as in touch it, smell it, choose just the perfect shades, etc. (Does anyone else smell their yarn prior to purchasing? I always do, but have been questioned a couple of times about it. I do it because I love the smell of yarn! There is just something about it being a total sensory experience that buying online will never be able to accomplish).

2006-03-06T14:46:00.000-07:00

Old MacDonald had a Farm

I have been surfing knit sites every evening in my quest for the perfect sweater for my expected grandson. My favorite so far is this cute little sweater from Dale of Norway. Don't you just love the cows and pigs, not to mention the chicks!

I have purchased the pattern book, but still need to find the yarn. My LYS carries Dale of Norway patterns but none of their yarns. Weird! I am excited to begin this!

2006-02-27T09:56:00.000-07:00

Baby Boy Knitting Patterns?

My son's SO is expecting a baby and we just found out it will be a boy! Of course, I must begin knitting for him. So I am asking, what is the most darling knitting pattern for a little guy you have ever seen?

The baby is due in July. He would have been conceived within days of my elder son's death, so I am already feeling extremely attached to him. I am really excited!

My other knitting has been relegated to mostly socks. I caved and have been working on a pair of Jaywalkers in STR Lapis. One sock just needs a toe. I have also begun my sock pal's sock for Sockapaloooza. I am knitting the New England sock from Nancy Bush's Knitting on the Road socks book using Koigu in a pretty shade of orchid.

I am still in a rut in that I can't seem to focus on a large project right now. There are a lot of things I want to knit, just can't seem to get in the right mood.

Your baby boy pattern suggestions would be very much appreciated. TIA!

2005-12-29T17:17:00.000-07:00

So Many Sweaters, So Little Time!

With year 2006 just around the corner, I started a list of sweaters I want to knit during the new year. This list includes a few sweaters that were begun in 2005 but never completed. Considering the only knitted projects I finished in 2005 were socks, I am sure I am biting off more than I can chew. However, I can dream (fantasize, pretend, etc.).

1. Eris by Girl from Auntie. I began this sweater during the summer but have not even completed the collar. This is so, so sad because the sweater design is gorgeous, the yarn is perfect, and it is fun to knit! This is one of the projects I was working on before my son passed away, and I cannot bring myself to pick it up again. It's like I have a life before his death and another separate life after his death. I know this sounds weird, but it is truly what I am dealing with right now.

2. Mermaid by Hanne Falkenberg. I have the kit in the Turquoise, Sage and Sea Blue colorway and have actually completed about 3 whole inches. This should be a fun, relaxing knit.

3. Pearl Buck Swing Jacket by Kate Gilbert in this Winter's IK.

I recently visited my favorite LYS (Black Sheep Wool Co.) and purchased some gorgeous wine colored merino wool by Lane Borgosesia called Merino Sei. I love, love the design of this jacket and cannot wait to get knitting on it.

4. Marilyn by Beth Brown Reinsel in rust Black Water Abbey yarn.

This is another beautiful pattern and lovely yarn. I purchased the pattern and yarn at the beginning of the year hoping to knit this sweater for my Mom for Christmas. Since it didn't work out for this year, perhaps next? We'll see.

This has gotten to be a rather long post, and I am only halfway through my list. Check back tomorrow and I'll share the rest. Jeez, if I am having a hard time typing the list, just think of the trouble I'll have finding the time to actually knit!

2005-12-04T16:12:00.000-07:00

One Sock and a Card

One of the socks I am knitting as a holiday gift is done, done, done!

I am very pleased with this sock. The colors and pattern are quite masculine.

Oh, and I finished making my holiday cards, too.

Now to get them in the mail! (All supplies are from Stampin' Up!)

2005-11-28T18:08:00.000-07:00

Getting There!

I went to the doc for a follow-up exam of my knee. I only had one concern (or two). I have two tiny sores, one on my shin and one more on my knee, that will not heal. The doc fiddled a bit with the sore on my shin and pulled out an errant stitch. Hey, those were supposed to dissolve, weren't they? Anyway, sans a little stitch that had tried to break free, that sore should heal. Doc wasn't sure about the sore on my knee. Guess I'll just have to watch it a bit. Oh, and no more therapy! Yay!

My BIL's socks are coming along. A few more rows and I can begin the toe shaping. And more proof that things may be getting better -- I am dreaming of new projects. Not just socks, either (although several are on my list). I find I really, really want to knit a sweater, for ME. Call it my healing sweater, or my getting back to me sweater, or my just 'cuz sweater. But I think I'm ready.

I have also got some scrapbook pages finished. Here is my most recent page of my two sweet GD's:

Finally, here are my choices for Kristy's Blogs of the Week:

Cara http://www.januaryone.com/
Amber http://iamambernichole.blogspot.com/

2005-11-23T16:57:00.000-07:00

Just Socks

The only thing I have the stamina to knit lately are socks. The last few months have been rough. It goes without saying that September was pretty much the worst time of my life. I took Green Day's When September Ends as my theme song. Those days dragged on and on.

So if that wasn't bad enough, I had to have knee replacement surgery in the middle of October. Want to see my scar? Sure you do!!!

After several days in hospital, and 2 weeks at Mom's recuperating, I was back to work full time. However, I had therapy 3 times a week right after work, and then I was just too wiped out to knit.

Now I am back knitting a bit, but socks are about all I can handle right now. My brother-in-law loves my hand knit socks and has been hinting to me that he needs more. So guess what he is getting for Christmas?

The pattern is Uptown Boot socks from IK Winter 2003, and the yarn is scrumptious Cherry Tree Hill in Java.

I ordered some Alpaca Yarn Co. Classic Lite to knit up a couple of new Nancy Bush designs -- Family Adventure Socks and Kickin-Back Socks.

The yarn is 100% alpaca and is yummy soft. I am excited to begin the socks! Finally, something to get excited about!

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

2005-11-21T13:53:00.000-07:00

What Makes a Blog Interesting?

In today's e-world, it seems everyone has a blog. There are news blogs, political blogs, celebrity blogs, music blogs. Even convicted murderers have their own blogs. So, with so many blogs in cyber world, what makes certain blogs stand out or more interesting?

I spent a good part of yesterday exploring a few blogs outside of the world of knitting. I mainly focused on some of my other hobbies, i.e. scrapbooking, rubber stamping, and daily news blogs. There are some really superior blogs out there, and there are some pretty horrible blogs. My criteria for a superior blog is:

1. Good writing. I can overlook an occasional grammatical error or mis-spelled word if the overall writing is creative, cohesive, interesting, and informative.

2. Pleasing to the eye. I am attracted to blogs that have good lines, are easy to read, have some structure and/or order, and utilize graphics and colors that draw you in and invite the eye to scan the blog's entirety.

3. Personality. I find the blogs I revisit time and again are those that offer a glimpse into the personal life of the blogger. Blogs that describe opinions, emotions, passions, desires.

4. Photographs. I do not need a photo in every blog entry, but frequent photos relative to the subject matter makes a blog more entertaining. The photos should be clear, accurately describe the subject matter and shouldn't take eons to load. I am not a patient person when it comes to waiting for a blog to load.

5. No broken links. Nothing aggravates me more than to click on a link that does not work. If a blogger takes the time to put in a link, it should be tested to confirm its accuracy.

Using the above criteria, I found my own blog sorely lacking. I plan to correct this.

But today, I am going to declare Monday on my blog &ldquoKristy's Blog of the Week&rdquo day to recognize blogs that I deem outstanding. Without further ado, here are today's picks.

Cheryl's Dream in Color
Eilene's Ei Knit

Enjoy!

2005-09-20T11:20:00.000-06:00

IN LOVING MEMORY ---

My son, Reggie, left this earthly world on September 3, 2005. He died on his birthday and was 31 years old. His brother and I miss him so very much. In the above photo, he is wearing his Salt Lake 2002 Olympic sweater I lovingly knit for him.
I love you, son!!!

2005-08-22T19:53:00.000-06:00

I am a Joiner

I have joined some more knitalongs. I know, all I need is a few more projects! It's a sickness, I tell ya! In my twisted mind I am telling myself these new projects will be holiday gifts. My intentions are good, anyway!

Here is the beginning of new KAL number one, Eris.

If you haven't seen this gorgeous sweater, check it out right now. Like last year's Rogue, this sweater is Fall 2005's must have sweater. I am knitting it with Classic Elite Skye Tweed in MacAlister Orange, a rich brown with rust and gold flecks. Lovely yarn!

Oh, and for Alison, I really am working on my Sockapal2za socks. Here is my Mermaid sock so far:

These socks are so much fun! I just hope my pal will enjoy their silly charm. They should make for happy feet.

2005-05-15T20:48:00.000-06:00

Shopping!

Every Saturday my mom, two sisters and niece go out to lunch and then hit the malls. EVERY Saturday! One of my most favorite things to do in this whole wide world is go to lunch with the girls. However, I absolutely hate to shop. Yes, I know. This is a sacrilege to all womankind. I can't help it. Malls make me nauseous, make my head hurt, and give me claustrophobia. Just thinking about all the noise, lights, and crowds gives me the heebie geebies.

That said I love to go to yarn stores! The calming effect of all those glorious yarns, comfy sofas and chairs in which to sit and look at the newest magazines, and lovely people who talk in nice voices about knitting, and I have gone to paradise. My heaven is going to have cobblestone streets lined with yarn boutiques and cafes.

So, while Mom, sis1, sis2 and dear niece fought the crowds at the Clinique counter in Dillards, I went on a yarn trek. I actually found a yarn store I had never visited, called An Unraveled Sheep, located in Sandy, Utah. This was a small store in a strip mall (I can handle strip malls as I can escape to the outdoors very easily). The yarn arrangement was quite fun! All the novelty yarns were arranged by color and placed in wire bins hanging along one wall. All those skeins/balls of eyelash, boucle, thick and thin, silk ribbons, etc. all bunched together in pinks, greens, and yellows were major eye candy. I wish I had brought my camera so that I could share the joy with you.

Knitter's Magazine's Summer 2005 issue was on the table, and I picked it up to give it a very quick browse. You know, I let my subscription to Knitter's expire and have not renewed 'cuz it has been so disappointing and uninspiring lately. However, I found several items I want to knit from this issue and picked up some yarns for Elsebeth Lavold's Latigo vest and Katherine Hunt's Whispering Rose vest.

My next stop was The Wool Cabin where I found some Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece to knit the Spring Forward Cardigan by Janet Szabo. I have wanted to knit this for quite a while, and now have the perfect yarn to give it a go.

My last stop was my favorite yarn store: Black Sheep Wool Company in Salt Lake. After fondling so many new, fun yarns, I came home with Frog Tree Pima/Silk to knit the Italian Tee Shirt by Crystal Palace. The pattern is free online here.

Have a peek at my newest stash enhancements:

Yummy stuff! I am sure I had a much more pleasant day perusing yarn stores at my leisure than I would have had chasing the sales racks at the mall!

I leave you with some progress on Martha. I am just about to begin the armhole shaping.

2005-05-03T18:51:00.000-06:00

Martha Progress; SIP

Last week I visited my most "L" LYS to pick up a size 3 needle so I could begin Martha. I bought an Addi bamboo 24" circular, bamboo because of the cotton yarn. Cotton yarn knits easily on wooden needles. Anyhoo, several inches into Martha and POP!!, my brand new needle broke. Before all those little loops could escape, I hurried and caught them up on the size 1 needle used for the hem. After another trip to the LYS (where they graciously replaced my needle, no questions asked), I was able to knit a tad more last night. She is looking very Springlike:

And since I always must have a SIP along with many WIP's, here is my current sock:

I am still highly entertained by the patterns made with Opal sock yarns. This particular sock is becoming a favorite!

2005-04-21T20:16:00.000-06:00

I really do knit!

Okay, I hardly ever post about actual knitting being done. So here is my photo flick of my recent projects.

I am knitting Plaza in RYC Cashcotton DK. This yarn is so yummy! Every stitch is knitting nirvana. I have completed a sleeve and have started the 2nd sleeve. Why start with sleeves you ask? Well, I normally hate to knit sleeves; so doing them first gets them out of the way. I am not as apt to throw the project aside to lapse into UFO kingdom if my sweater has sleeves!

I purchased some lovely cotton yarn from Elann called Lara from the Endless Summer Collection. This is a sport weight yarn and so far has knit like a dream. The pattern is Maddy Laine's Flower Boxes. Lots of fun stitchwork to break the monotony of endless st st on Plaza.

I have knit a couple of complete pattern repeats of the Phildar Chanel jacket. The colors are so fun. I usually hate novelty yarns, but am finding this combination quite pleasant to knit. The pattern is extremely simple but shows off the yarns to their best advantage.

Oh, and lastly, here is a pic of my peach yarn for Martha.

I thought it would be more of an apricot rather than a peach, so was a tad disappointed. However, it is growing on me. Martha may just like it, too. I think I'll go swatch her up.

2005-04-18T14:18:00.000-06:00

You Are My Sunshine

Look at the gorgeous Rowan 4-ply yarn I won on ebay yesterday!

I just love this color! It looks like a little ball of sunshine, don't you think? I had swatched for Martha with some blue Rowan 4-ply, but I think I will use this yarn instead. I am usually not too fond of orange, at least as clothing. However, the bright yellow infused throughout makes this a color I am adoring. Every time I look at it, I want to smile. I can hardly wait until it arrives in my mail so that I can get started on Martha. She is going to be lovely!

2005-03-31T15:47:00.000-07:00

I'm In Love!
Do you believe in love at first sight? I received the new VK in my mailbox yesterday. I always do a quick flip through before taking my time to read articles and peruse instructions. But my first time through the pages, I was stopped dead in my tracks by this lovely sweater:

Isn't it gorgeous! I am totally besotten. Once I could breathe again, I ran to the computer to look up the yarn used: Trendsetter Spiral. Imagine my dismay to find that this yarn has been discontinued! How can that be? A new design in a new publication that features a discontinued yarn? Sheesh! I know, I know, I can always substitute. But part of the beauty of this sweater is the yarn, dontcha think? So, has anyone seen this yarn at their local LYS? Can you recommend a gorgeous substitute worthy of this beauty?

2005-03-25T11:01:00.000-07:00

Think of Lara

I used to be a big General Hospital fan. Anyone remember when Laura came back after having been kidnapped by the evil Cassadines? Luke did not know she was back, but kept thinking about her in all sorts of flashbacks. The background music during Luke's daydreaming was, "Think of Laura." Makes me tear up just thinking about it. Sigh...

[Insert background music] Well, I was thinking about Lara yesterday. Not GH's Laura, but my Debbie Bliss Lara, long neglected. I spread her out on my rug to see just what needed to be done to bring her back to life:

It looks like Lara needs one more sleeve and a fix of one of her front bands. Notice how one band is half the width of the other. My big mistake! Probably why she was tossed aside and forgotten. I promptly began knitting her other sleeve and promise not to ignore her until she is completed. Poor thing. [Music fades ...]

2005-03-18T12:16:00.000-07:00

This 'n That

I finally finished my sockapalooza socks, blocked them on my sock blockers, and mailed them to my pal yesterday. As I am already a day or two late, I hope she will get them tomorrow. I am watching her blog closely to see if she posts about them.

With the socks completed, I can now knit at my leisure as I have no deadlines for any project coming up soon. With that in mind, I have been tinkering with the Phildar pattern for the Chanel inspired cardigan. Phildar is offering this pattern free on their website (in French, of course), and I did purchase the pattern book from Breiweb in the Netherlands. My problem is that I do not know either French or Dutch. With help from both wiseNeedle and Babel Fish, I think I have most of the translation complete. The only portion I am stuck on is the very last few paragraphs. I am thinking this has to do with sewing on the buttons, but am not sure. If you are interested in this pattern, click on the photo.

Chanel Jacket
My attempt to translate to English

Also, if you note any needed corrections (including the last few paragraphs) please let me know.

You Are 95% Left Brained, 5% Right Brained

Are You Right or Left Brained?

I had taken a test in college that told me I was not only left brained, but was one of the most left brained people that had been tested (at that college) to that date. I was curious how I would come out in the above test, but see it agrees with my previous tests. Very strange, I know.

2005-03-13T20:26:00.000-07:00

Super Sockapalooza Socks!!!

Look what I got!! Look what I got!!

My socks from the sockapalooza exchange arrived with my Saturday mail. Aren't they scrumptious!! I love everything about them -- the pattern is way cool; the color is perfect; they fit like they were made for me (oh wait; they were made for me!)!!! The fantastic knitter of these gorgeous socks is Brynne Sutton. I can't thank you enough, Brynn. They are just perfect! Your knitting is impeccable! And Alison, thank you again for organizing the sockapalooza. I vote we should do this again soon.

See what I got with my tax refund.

I have wanted a spinning wheel for soooo long. When I found out I was getting a bit of a refund, I decided to go for it. I am so happy with my new wheel. I have only spun on a drop spindle before, so the yarn I am spinning on my wheel is far from perfect. But I am having a blast playing and practicing!

Here is a bit of what I have spun lately.

I hope to one day actually spin yarn good enough to knit!

2005-03-04T12:58:00.000-07:00

RYC Classic

I have been waiting for the arrival of the Rowan's new RYC line of patterns and yarns to arrive in the U.S., but have worn out my patience. Thus, I placed an order to Colourway for both the Cafe and Garden patterns books, and the yarn to make this gorgeous sweater:

I ordered this lovely blue, called "cool."

Now comes the waiting game for the package to arrive. Does anyone else get that fun anticipation feeling, kind of like waiting for Christmas, when you are expecting something in the mail? I love it!

2005-03-03T10:26:00.000-07:00

Socks and Spring

Daffodils, tulips and pansies are peeking out of the soil all around my neighborhood, a sure sign that Spring is fast approaching. Also, I am sneezing, have watery eyes, am losing my voice, all from my hayfever, which means Spring is fast approaching. So what is a girl to do but begin planning her Spring knitting. See what I have purchased thus far.

click on me!

I am blaming the fabulous Becky for enabling me to buy that gorgeous yarn for the Chanel inspired jacket on the cover of the new Phildar Tendances. I so love pink and am drooling over these lovely yarns. I ordered the yarns from Brieweb, and received my package in a short two weeks, all the way from the Netherlands. Brieweb rocks!

Oh, and sockapalooza pal, if you are watching, here is a finished sock:

click on me!

I was a wee bit nervous about how this sock was turning out, but now that it is completed, I really like it a lot. The color is very vibrant, but my pal said she liked bright colors. Just gotta complete the second sock and I will be ready to mail when Alison gives the go ahead.

Tune in soon for my list of projects I am planning from the Rowan and Rebecca mags I received from The Knitting Garden.

2005-01-23T11:02:00.000-07:00

Mariah Progress Notes

I am so loving knitting the beautiful Mariah! The Patons Classic Merino yarn is yummy, and the pretty real red color makes me smile. I have completed the first sleeve:

It looks very long to me. In fact, it is about 1 1/2 inches longer than the pattern said to make it. The problem was that in order to get all the increases completed, I had to knit a certain amount of rows, and this was how long it turned out after those increases were finished. Usually, I don't mind my sleeves in jackets to be a bit long as my hands are always cold. The extra length to cover my hands is often very welcome. However, before knitting the other sleeve, I am going to ponder this one for a while.

Would you like to see a closeup of the cable pattern?

Lovely, no?

Good Sunday to all! I'm thinking of you all back east who are in the midst of a snow blizzard. Be careful out there!

2005-01-20T21:10:00.000-07:00

Sockapalooza, Baby!!

Progress is a happinin' on the groooovy sock for my sockaPALooza. My "pal" said she liked bright colors, and these colors are pretty wild. I wasn't sure I would like them, but now that there is enough knit to judge, I am liking it a lot. Take a peek:

click on me!

Would you like to see a bit more? Here's the heel flap:

click on me!

And now for a close-up of the dutch heel:

click on me!

It has been quite a while since I have knitted a sock, and I forgot how much fun they are! This pattern is great: a picot edge top; a little lace to keep the knitting interesting; some broken rib to breeze through; a unique heel flap; a dutch heel; and now it's on to the toe. I am having a blast! Hope all you other sockapaloozers are enjoying this knitalong as much as I am!

2005-01-12T23:21:00.000-07:00

Okay, I was Bored
Courtesy of Nake-id Knits:
Grooming Products
Shampoo—Herbal Essence
Moisturizerz—Clinique Yellow Lotion
Cologne—Very Sexy by Victoria Secret
Razor—Intuition
Toothpaste—Colgate Max Fresh
Electronics
Cell phone—Motorola
Computer—A little of this, a little of that — Put together by nephew
Television—RCA
Stereo—Sony
Home
Sheets—Cream cotton with wide lace trim
Coffeemaker—None
Car—Pontiac Grand Am
Stationery—Don't use it
Beverages
Bottled water—Don't drink it (just plain tap)
Coffee—Don't drink it
Vodka—Never
Beer—No thanks
Clothes
Jeans—Old, faded Levi's
T-shirt—Vacation souvenirs
Briefcase or tote—Antonio Melani
Sneakers—Echo
Watch—Christmas present from Mom & Dad
Favorite Places
Snowbird Ski Resort; Moab
Necessary Extravagance
Nice yarn; Art supplies (especially inks) books

Go ahead and post your responses, too. You know you want to.

2005-01-10T19:30:00.000-07:00

Monday is Photo Day

A bit of progress has been made here at Simple Elegance. First, here is the first sleeve of Mariah. I have complete almost two pattern repeats. I love the cabling.

Next is a little bit of a sneek peek at my sock for the sockapalooza. The pattern is Whisper Rib & Shepherd's Lace by Anne Carroll. I have made several pairs of socks from this pattern. The top is a pretty picot edge; there is a bit of a lace pattern down the front; and the remainder is in whisper rib stitch. This little bit does not show much, but you can get a little hint of how it will look.

And lastly, my yarn and swatch for Ribby Cardi. I got gauge my first try, which almost never happens. I feel good karma with this project.

I have got to learn the code that creates a pop-up window so my pictures can be viewed in a larger format. Anyone want to teach me how?

Gotta go knit now.

2004-12-30T11:54:00.000-07:00

New Projects for a New Year

I do not know what it is about starting a New Year, but I always want to start new knitting projects. Succumbing to the temptation, I have joined two knitalongs. The first is the Ribby Cardi knitalong hosted by Carole. ChicKnits beautiful pattern is used (it can be purchased here). I have been looking at this sweater for quite a while now, having purchased the pattern over a month ago. I waited a bit too long in finalizing my decision to knit this, so when I finally placed my order with Elann for the yarn, the colors available were not really what I had envisioned. I settled on two shades of dusty rose. I really wanted a navy blue and light blue, or dark chocolate and pink. Lesson learned: when the knitting bug bites, do not try to fight it off, just give in to it's poison!

The other knitalong I have joined is the sockapalooza hosted by Alison. I participated in a similar type of sock exchange and loved receiving socks knitted by someone else! I can't wait to find out who I will be knitting for and get started. I have several patterns in mind, but will wait to make the final decision after finding out a little bit about the recipient.

So, what new projects do you have for the New Year?

2004-12-27T12:42:00.000-07:00

New Year's Resolution No. 1

My first New Year's Resolution is to try to post regularly on my blog. I have been tweeking the template a bit this morning and updating my projects.

As you can see, not much progress has been made on CardiRaye or Audrey. They have been sadly neglected in favor of some new projects.

Lara is heading towards the finish line as I just have the last sleeve and the finishing to do. I love the Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk yarn used in this sweater; however, I have had a lot of knots in my skeins of yarn. This has been very discouraging as I have had to break off and start new yarns in so many places. Since I do not like to break and begin new yarns in the middle of rows, and because of the long rows in many parts of Lara, I am afraid I may run out of yarn. It will be a pretty close call.

Because it is my knitting and I can do what I want, I have started another project even though CardiRaye and Audrey are being ignored. I am knitting Jodi Green's Mariah from the Winter issue of Knitty. I am using some Paton's Classic Merino I won on ebay in a beautiful dark red. One pattern repeat is completed on the first sleeve. It looks good so far.

I have also been knitting a poncho for my granddaughter, Bailey, who will turn 4 in January. I used the Children's Poncho pattern by Knitting Pure and Simple. It just needs its fringe to be completed.

Tonight, I plan to take some pictures of my projects to share with any readers who stumble upon my blog.

2004-11-05T12:12:00.000-07:00

A Quick Post to Prove I'm Alive

What a horrible Fall I have had! First, I hurt my back at work -- nothing serious, but enough to be painful. A couple of months of therapy helped (or maybe just the couple of months), but not much knitting was done.

Just when things were getting back to normal, I started feeling really awful. I was so tired all the time. Seriously, I could sleep for 48 hours, just getting up occasionally for a drink of water and a trip to the bathroom. I went to the doc who took several vials of blood to run tests. A week went by with no word from the doc, so I was beginning to feel like I was crazy and it was all in my head. Finally, the doc called and said he had my test results: I have Epstein-Barr (Mononucleosis). What? Where did that come from? Seriously, I am much older than the normal age group that gets mono, I have not participated in any intimate exchange of saliva with anyone who has mono, where did this come from?

Anyway, I am back working fulltime, but I still get really tired. The doc said it would take 2 to 4 months to get it out of my system. So, still not a lot of knitting taking place.

Oh, and I have been booted off knitting bloggers webring since I have not posted in so long. So today, if anyone is reading this, instead of knitting content, I am giving you my "What Kind of Knitter Are You?" results:

You appear to be a Knitting Purist.
You are an accomplished knitter producing beautiful
pieces with a classic feel. You sometimes
lament losing half of your local yarn shop to
garish novelty yarns. Perhaps you consider fun
fur scarves the bane of knitting society and
prefer to steer new knitters towards the wool
and cotton blends. Some might call you a bit of
an elitist but you know that you've been doing
this craft long enough to respect the history
behind it and honor it with beautiful piece
that can last a lifetime.
http://marniemaclean.com

What Kind of Knitter Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

I have to say, this quiz nailed me cold. This is so me!

Take care of yourselves!!

2004-08-19T13:17:00.000-06:00

Summer Knitting

Okay, I have to come clean. I have not been knitting much lately. I have a new calling in my church that is taking up way more of my free time than I had been led to believe when I accepted the position. I am really not complaining, just justifying why I do not get much knitting accomplished and why my blog has been neglected. However, that being said, I have made some progress on Cardi-Raye. The back and both fronts are completed, and I have a good start on the first sleeve. So I updated the little percentage bar on the left of my blog. I have vowed I will finish Cardi-Raye before beginning anything new. Now you all have to hold me to that promise.

That being said, I have been looking forward to Fall knitting. Two projects on my list are Lisette from Rowan 36:

and Lara from Debbie Bliss' Alpaca Silk book:

Both designs are lovely, do you agree?

2004-07-07T10:36:00.000-06:00

Today is My Birthday!

Yes, as you can see from the left side-bar, my birthday is today! What am I doing to celebrate? Why, go to work, of course.

Seriously, ever since I can remember, my family has celebrated my birthday on the 4th of July. It is really a lot of fun because my extended family is there to help celebrate as well. We always barbecue, make home-made ice cream (fresh raspberry and cookies and cream this year), open my presents, and then go to Stadium of Fire. Stadium of Fire is a huge event held at BYU's LaVell Edwards Stadium, which holds 65,000 people (it is always sold out). It is produced by the Osmonds. This year's headliner was Reba McIntire, host was Sean Hannity (not my favorite, but he does a good job), lots of patriotic tributes, and an enourmous fireworks display (thus, "Stadium of Fire"). It was a wonderful show!

Since Monday was the official federal holiday, I did get the day off work, and my immediate family took me out to dinner. So today, my real birthday, is just another day in the neighborhood. I do expect my Dad will call and sing to me (another tradition).

So, to make this entry somewhat knit related, guess what one of my birthday presents was -- an Ott Light!!! I have wanted one of these for so long as my house is pretty dark. I was really surprised, though. I couldn't imagine what was in that long skinny box (a patio umbrella? I do not have a patio).

Everyone have a happy day, on me!!!

2004-06-16T11:36:00.000-06:00

Mail Bag

I absolutely love getting packages in the mail. Look at some of my new goodies!

First of all, the guys at Threadbear Fiber Arts put together a great color combo for me to knit the Charlotte's Web shawl. I told them to go for violets and blues, and look at the gorgeous Koigu they sent me!

I have actually been knitting this rather quickly. I love the yarn, the colors, the pattern - oh, just all of it!! I will post a picture soon.

Scrapbooking is one of my other hobbies, and one of the big reasons I don't get as much knitting done as some of the rest of you (did you think I was just a bit lazy? Not so, not so!). Croppin' Paradise sent me these lovely scrapping treats - paper, charms, all kinds of lumpy stuff - wowza!

Last, take a peek at my new birkies. I love the red!

That is it for now. I am off to do my "real" job. Oh how I wish I could stay home and play with all my new stuff!

2004-06-07T16:38:00.000-06:00

Knit Lust

Is it possible to be in knit lust? Having taken a peek at Joanna's gorgeous shell, I have been thinking of nothing else. I have to have this shell! The design is by Kirsten Cowan and is No. 12 in the Spring/Summer 2004 Vogue Knitting. The yarn used in the Vogue version is Skacel Hillary, a very pretty ribbon yarn in lovely colors. However, I am presently knitting a vest in a ribbon yarn, and it is driving me crazy. I have to stop and untwist the yarn about every 5 stitches. So I am looking for alternative yarns to use. Joanna used Lana Grosso Brillo (take a peek at Threadbear's), and her top is so beautiful. However, I was thinking of something in pink. I love pink! When I find just the right yarn, I'll let you know.

Another project?!! Yee-gads!

2004-06-03T19:30:00.000-06:00

Checking In

I have been a very bad blogger the last few months. So many things have been going on in my life that I have had very little free time. Even my knitting has been in stall mode. I have not completed a project in ages. I have been dream knitting, though, and actually visited my favorite LYS (Black Sheep Wool) last Saturday.

I came home with several purchases:

1. Berroco Pattern booklet No. 224 to knit Charmaine:

2. Berroco Echo yarn in Sangria, gorgeous plum colors, to knit Charmaine.

3. Three balls of Dale of Norway Stork yarn in a dark blue to knit the Oat Couture Baby Fisherman T-Shirt (more on this tomorrow).

4. Two of Miss Bea's books: Miss Bea's Colours and Miss Bea's Band. If you knit for children, you have got to check Miss Bea's books out. The patterns are sooooo cute! I have already put two on my list of must-knits for my two darling granddaughters (ages 4 and 3).

Okay, so now it has taken me almost 2 hours to update my blog and post this entry. As a reward, I am going to pour a Diet Coke with Lime in a large glass of ice and go sit on my porch bench and knit.

Ta for now!!

2004-04-14T20:33:00.000-06:00

Lots of changes!

I have a job interview tomorrow. It is for a paralegal position in the office of corporate counsel for Morinda, a corporation in the business of selling, producing, researching, etc. Noni Juice. I am excited about this. While I like my current job a lot (I am a legal assistant for a trial attorney), the pressure and stress of working in the field of litigation is tremendous. How fun does it sound to work for Noni Juice? The position calls for some litigation work (which after 17 years of experience, I think I can do in my sleep), but it also incorporates some trademark law, contracts, and the like. The pay is quite a bit more, but I will need to see what they will offer in the form of benefits. Wish me luck!

My nephew is leaving on May 5 for Lima, Peru, to serve an LDS mission (no jokes, please -- LOL!). His formal "farewell" is this Sunday, so I have been busy helping sis with food, invitations and that sort of stuff. Then, one week from today, the entire family clan is heading for Disneyland! Bryson (the nephew) wanted to go -- kinda like a last hurrah of sorts. So, the whole fam damily is going along for the ride -- 26 of us! Anyone wanna join in? One more won't make much of a difference!

So, lots of excitement and lots of changes here. Now if my Rowan Calmer arrives in the next day or two, I can add a new project to the list of changes!!

2004-04-12T10:49:00.000-06:00

Another New Project? Yikes!!

I have just about completed the right front of my cardi-raye. I am so in love with this sweater. The vibrant colors are so cheerful, and everywhere I take it along to knit on it, I get rave compliments. Hopefully, the finished sweater will live up to the knitting of it.

Look what I won on ebay:

Looks like I may have to join the Audrey knitalong. Doesn't take much to urge me to the dark side of more new projects -- show me some gorgeous yarn and a novel pattern, and off I go. I'll refrain from putting up the Audrey button until the yarn arrives. Maybe by then I'll have more progress on my other projects, thus, reducing the guilt level of yet one more. Sigh!! What is a girl to do?

2004-04-05T16:18:00.000-06:00

Time sure does whoosh by quickly! I could have sworn I posted an entry since March 27, but, obviously, not. I have a couple of small things to report.

First, remember the Victorian t-shirt I knitted for my office mate who was having a little girl? Well, she had her baby this morning -- a boy! Now, there is nothing at all wrong with baby boys (I had two myself), but the Victorian t-shirt just will not due for a boy. So, what can I knit quick like for a new baby boy? Any suggestions?

Second, does anyone know of a person who can translate knitting instructions from Dutch to English? I ordered some Phildar books from Beiweb and was surprised when they came written in Dutch. Why was I surprised? I mean, geez, who did I think I was ordering from, anyway! Big, big DOH!! (Imagine smiley icon hitting itself over its head.) Anyway, there are two sweaters I really want to knit, so I need an interpreter. Any suggestions?

Last, but definitely not least, I finished the back of cardi raye, and she is very pretty if I do say so myself. I immediately cast on for the right front and straightaway had a "huh?" moment. The instructions say to cast on an odd number of stitches and to work in 2x2 ribbing beginning and ending each rs row with a k2. Now, if you divide an odd number of stitches by an even amount of stitches, you are going to come out with 1 stitch too many, no matter what numbers you plug into the equation. So, I began with a k2 and ended with a k3, deciding that the extra knit stitch will be used as the pickup row for the button band. I am already thinking ahead to that button band trying to decide how it is going to be handled. I know I do not want to sew on the bias tape as shown in the pattern, but am not sure yet just what I do want. One thing is for sure, at the slow rate I knit, I have plenty of time to figure it out.

Ta for now!!

2004-03-27T12:33:00.000-07:00

CardiRaye

After a very bad week for me, I finally made it to Saturday. I am going to take the day to relax and rejuvenate, both my body and my spirit. I wish I could learn to turn my brain off, too, and give it a bit of a rest. I have tried to learn to meditate, but clearing my thoughts and thinking of absolutely nothing (except breathing) is so completely foreign to me. My mind is always racing ahead at warp speed. But I am practicing, and can actually achieve a minute or two. Baby steps, right?

My beautiful CardiRaye has kept me company throughout the week. There were a few times when picking up my knitting was just too hard, but for the most part, my pretty CardiRaye kept my mind focused on it and off other things. I am not sure if knitting is healing, but for me, this project has put several smiles on my face and even a giggle or two. Just look at these gorgeous colors!

And the tiny sparkly thread that Alison hates (tee-hee), why, it just adds a bit of sunshine to this sweater. It makes me feel like Spring -- a time for regrowth, renewal, healing, and the return of beauty after the storms. Yes, maybe my knitting can be healing.

2004-03-24T09:59:00.000-07:00

Oh my gosh, I am having such a bad day today. I wish I were able to be more open and express what is going on in my life to all my cyber knitting friends. But I have always been a bit quiet and withdrawn. I’m one of those people who keep their feelings bottled up inside (I got ulcers when I was 16!). I love to read other knitting blogs and feel from the personal posts that I almost know some of you. I am sure you don’t get that from my blog. However, I am really going through a bad time right now, and if any of you could send some prayers my way, I would really appreciate it. Oh, and please keep sharing your life on your blogs. Sometimes, the only smiles I have during my day I derive from my favorite knitting blogs!

2004-03-22T18:02:00.000-07:00

Quick Pix

Just a quick entry to post a couple of pictures. First, the Oat Couture Victorian T-Shirt, and none too soon. The mom-to-be is going to be started two weeks from today. She is beginning to feel a bit miserable, so I am not sure how much longer to expect her at work. I think I will give her the sweater tomorrow. I still need to make a cute baby card to go with it, though.

Since I have gotten a bit of the Spring bug, I started CardiRaye, even though I have too many current WIPs to mention. Here she is so far:

I love the colors in this sweater. The knitting is a bit addicting because I can hardly wait to get to a new color. Also, I am liking the sparkly yarn that is carried along with some of the stripes. I do not usually go for glitzy stuff, and normally hate any yarn that isn't one hundred percent natural fibers. But, heck, spring/summer fashions are supposed to be bright, colorful, and fun -- right? Right!!

More later, promise!

2004-03-16T14:28:00.000-07:00

Spring

Spring is my least favorite season. Here in Utah, the definition of weather for Spring is: Sunny, warm, rainy, windy, stormy, snowy, and cold. In other words, if you don't like what you are getting, wait 10 minutes and it will be totally different. That being said, the past week has been gorgeous! Blue skies, sunny, but still cool. We haven't lost our snow on the mountains yet, either.

I still have a lot of knitting left to do on my winter projects. Rogue is complete through attaching the pouch, but I'm not quite to the armholes yet. My Must Have Cardigan is stalled at the back, with only one sleeve completed. And my poor Cable Clouds has been neglected for over a month. So, with all this left to do before Spring, I really, really want to start something bright and sunny to go along with our current weather. I got a package in the mail yesterday that included Phildar's Tendances for Spring, 2004. I want to knit this:

It is knit from Phildar Plaisance in a beautiful orchid shade called meringue. The thing is, I want it NOW!! I wish, oh how I wish, that I could purchase Phildar yarns from somewhere in the States. Breiweb is great, but it takes nearly 3 weeks to receive an order. By the time it reaches me, it will probably be snowing.

Oh well, that will just give me an excuse to work more on Rogue, the Must Have, and Cable Clouds!

2004-03-10T18:32:00.000-07:00

Is It Spring Yet?

I've been reading up on knitting blogs lately and notice most bloggers are getting spring fever. Spring Knitalongs are being planned and knitters are flocking (pun intended) to join. Here are a few of which I have taken note:

CardiRaye hosted by Angela and Kimberly.

idoOndeonde hosted by Bonne Marie, Sylvia and Leya.

Spring Fling hosted by Alison.

Ingeborg hosted by Wendy.

I've also seen knitted sweatpants, dish cloths, socks, and tanks. So, what are you planning to knit for Spring?

No new projects have been started lately here at SE. I have the Oat Couture Victorian T-Shirt all knit and plan to begin seaming tonight. Pix soon, I promise.

It was my Mom's b'day on Monday, March 8. We celebrated over the weekend by taking her to lunch and shopping. Sunday was the big family party. Here she is with the grandkids. Cute, huh!!

2004-02-25T14:57:00.000-07:00

Who Are You? Who-oo, who-oo!

I have been elaborating eloquently my thoughts on The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown, writing all kinds of amusing ideas that came to mind whilst reading this fun book. I had intended to post what has become an essay rather than a journal entry, but decided not to bore you all to death with my ramblings on gods, goddesses, grail legends, symbolism, and the lot. So, instead, here is my paltry entry:

You are bamboo.
Warm, cozy, and thoughtful, you take your time and
enjoy how things feel, smell, and taste. You
love the craft and beauty of traditional
things, and you value the comfort and
experience of knitting as much as the results.
But while you are reveling in your warm cozies,
don't get stuck. Warm is wonderful, but so is
the whole wide world!

What kind of knitting needles are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

No complaints -- I love bamboo needles!

2004-02-24T16:15:00.000-07:00

I Won a Prize!!

Knitting Beyond the Hebrides, an email group of fantastic, witty, wonderful, talented knitters, is currently hosting "aranmania," a virtual conference on (you guessed it) aran knitting. Along with great classes and contests, door prizes are given each day. I got the news this morning that I won yesterday's door prize!

The Green Mountain Spinnery Book

I absolutely love Green Mountain Spinnery and their yarns! My most favorite sweater of all time is the Enchanted Forest that I knit with GMS Mountain Mohair. I knit Rosemary's Middle-size Sweater with GMS Silkspun (they no longer carry this). Both sweaters have been worn and worn and show little wear and tear.

I never win prizes! Can you tell I am psyched!!!

2004-02-23T17:42:00.000-07:00

Not Much Progress

Not much knitting progress here at Simple Elegance, so not much blogging. I started on the Rogue Pullover and am just about to begin the pouch. However, I am not sure I like the yarn I am using. Actually, I love the yarn -- just not sure it is right for this project. Take a peek:

So while I think this over, I am doing a quick knit -- a baby sweater for a girl I work with. She is expecting a girl in about 6 weeks. I picked up some Baby Georgia and began the Oat Couture Victorian T-Shirt. I love this pattern! This is the front up to the armhole decreases:

So, other than tweeking my site a tad, that is about it, folks. Look for more posts in the future (hopefully)!!

2004-02-08T18:47:00.000-07:00

Another One Bites the Dust

The weekend has whizzed by so fast I can hardly believe it! Why don't the days of the work week go by as quickly. I swear, it feels like all my time is spent at the office. But if I want to buy more yarn I must go to work!

I did get a sleeve complete on my Must Have Cardigan:

This project is so much fun, and I love the yarn. Why Classic Elite has been doing away with most of their classic yarns is a puzzlement. This Maya yarn is gorgeous, and feels so wonderful while knitting it. I sure wish I could buy more of it -- but alas, 'tis gone the way of other beautiful natural yarns to make room for more flashy, funky, novelty yarns.

I received the Jo Sharp Silkroad Aran I ordered from Ozeyarn for the Rogue Pullover. From the day I ordered it to the day it arrived on my doorstep, only 7 days elapsed. That is all the way from Australia! And, because of the currency rate, it was less expensive than if I had purchased it here in the states, even with shipping. Take a peak:

And because God seems to think we need even more snow, here is the new six inches we received overnight:

Well, "Kiss the day goodbye" (A Chorus Line), and have a happy Monday all!

2004-02-04T09:45:00.000-07:00

Cable Fix

On the knitting front, I am just a few rows away from beginning the shaping of the sleeve cap on my Must Have Cardigan. I am really enjoying this project. The pattern is simple enough that I can watch American Idol and my new guilty pleasure, "America's Next Top Model." I do not usually get into these realty shows -- I've never watched one single episode of Survivor, The Bachelor, Who Wants to Marry a Millionaire, etc., etc. Normally, these shows just do not appeal to me. But for some strange, unfounded reason, I've been sucked into Top Model. So, while engrossed in wacky Betsey Johnson's antics of trying to get these model wannabes to show some style, I looked down at my knitting and noticed I had crossed a cable in the wrong direction. Dang!! It was only 4 rows down and I really didn't want to rip. Therefore, like a good little knitter, I knitted across the row to the wrongly crossed six stitches, dropped all six stitches down four rows, crossed them in the correct direction, took my trusty little crochet hook and caught up all those pesky little loops. Viola! (Little Mermaid) Cable fix!! Hopefully, tonight I can get this sleeve completed.

2004-01-31T14:19:00.000-07:00

New Pictures

I have been playing a bit with my camera. As you may notice, I deleted the pix of my WIP's. My blog was taking much too long to load. So, here are some new pictures.

My Must Have Cardigan:

My Phildar:

As you can see from my side bar, I am a Stampin' Up demonstrator. This is my new scrapbook from SU -- the cutest little 6x6 brag book:

And, this is a picture of my niece, Kylie, who was baptized today. Isn't she sweet!

Have a great weekend, everyone!

2004-01-29T10:33:00.000-07:00

A Sneak Peak at Rowan for Spring

I haven't knitted enough to warrant new photos of my WIP's. Instead, take a peak at what Rowan has in store for their Spring/Summer 2004 line:

Gorgeous stuff!!

2004-01-27T11:36:00.000-07:00

Hooray and Hooray!!

No. 1 Hooray! If anyone has stopped by my blog in the last few days, you will have noticed that none of my graphics were running. The network I upload my images to was down for several days. Everything is up and running now, and my blog looks pretty again!

No. 2 Hooray! I bought a new camera! My digital camera was stolen about a year ago (long story -- don't ask). After saving my pennies, I was finally able to purchase a new one. Now I can share photos of my WIP's, FO's, my cute family, my beautiful Utah -- I am so excited!!

I think I took the pictures with a much higher resolution than needed. I am going to have to practice.

2004-01-20T18:42:00.000-07:00

Knit-alongs

What is it about knit-alongs that is so contagious? I need another project like I need a hole in my head (I'm already crazy), but could not resist joining the Must Have Cardigan knit-along that is being hosted by will knit for food and bagatell. I am using the upsize directions that Kate so kindly worked out. This is being knit with yarn from my stash, a beautiful deep brown/rust shade of Maya, a discontinued yarn from Classic Elite.

The cable patterns really stand out in this yarn, and it is very soft -- a pleasure to knit.

I have not abandoned my Phildar. It, too, is coming along nicely, albeit slowly. Small gauge and 200+ stitches per row = not much progress per day. I am having fun knitting it, though.

Oh, and do I see perhaps another knit-along on the horizon? Take a look at the gorgeous rogue hooded pullover by girlfromauntie. Does anyone else want to knit this with me?

2004-01-05T12:38:00.000-07:00

New Year, New Project

On New Year's Day I began my Phildar Irlandais. I thought I deserved to begin a new project for the New Year even though other projects await finishing. I don't know what it is about beginning a new knitting project, but it is like eating chocolate -- the feeling is wonderful!

After swatching, I realized I needed to go up one needle size for the yarn I am using. So I casted on all 208 stitches and knit 2x2 ribbing for 35 rows (what amounted to be 4 inches). Let me tell you, I sure was sick of ribbing after that many stitches and rows. I have only knit 4 rows of the pattern since completing the ribbing, but just getting the ribbing done felt pretty good.

This pattern has a ton of cables. On row 3 of the pattern, every stitch (other than the selvedge stitches) is involved in a cable. All the cabling is done on the right side rows, so I get a break by just knitting the knit stitches and purling the purl stitches on all wrong side rows. So far, I am doing all the cabling without a cable needle. Don't know if it goes faster or not, but it is kind of fun to use this technique for a change. Also, it does not seem like the cable stitches are getting stretched out like they sometimes do with a cable needle.

I nicknamed this sweater "Cable Clouds" because of the beautiful pale blue color and the softness of the yarn.

So, is anyone else starting a New Year project?

2003-12-30T20:54:00.000-07:00

Digging Out & A Lighter Shade of Pale

WOW!! We have got snow, snow and more snow! A big storm hit on Saturday, then another on Sunday. I took my yardstick and trudged out to the middle of my backyard and measured 24 inches. On Monday, we got another 3 inches. That makes 27 inches right outside my door. The snowplows have been working overtime. It really is pretty -- see:

This picture is of a woman walking her dog at the Bonneville golf course (courtesy of The Deseret News).

While it is gorgeous to look at, it is horrible to drive in the snow. I swear, people forget from year to year how to maneuver through snow and ice. So once I make it home from the office each evening, I just stay inside and knit.

I have finally begun my Phildar. I am knitting this from Filatura di Crosa's Zara yarn in a very pale shade of blue. (How does the old song go? "A lighter shade of pale?" Perfect description!!) I love the color -- it feels so calming and relaxing. And the touch of the yarn is like lying in a pillow of clouds. I've never felt a yarn so soft.

I scored some more yarn off eBay: some Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool and more Noro Kureyon. I can hardly wait until it arrives. Is there anything better than coming home from work to a package of yarn?

Well, stay warm, wherever you live. And if you would like some snow, ask the Good Mother to send it your way. We have enough, thank you!!

2003-12-17T10:17:00.000-07:00

My Holiday Knitting is Done

All of my knitted holiday gifts are complete -- woo hoo!! After two trips through the wash cycle, first with jeans, then with towels, booga bag #2 turned out great. I made this one a bit bigger than the first one. I just increased from 34 to 38 stitches on the bottom, and knit about 6 extra rounds on the body of the purse. I like this size much better than the first one I did, and if I knit more bags in the future (for me, maybe Mom, some office mates, etc.), I will definitely make the larger size.

I have still got a bit of shopping and all of the wrapping left to do before December 25. As soon as Christmas has come and gone, I am going to treat myself to a new knit project. In the meantime, I am cyberknitting along with many bloggers and planning in my mind what my new project will be. My Phildar? A new Rowan cardi?? How about a Starmore St. Brigid or Inishmore???

2003-12-11T12:34:00.000-07:00

Boogie Nights

My evenings have been spent knitting Booga Bags from Julie's great Noro Kureyon pattern. I finally received the yarn I won on ebay, and have been speeding along on bag No. 2. This colorway is gorgeous -- all bright pinks, purples, lavenders, and a tiny touch of orange. I love watching the colors change as I am knitting. Once this has been knitted and felted, my knit-related Christmas projects are done. Yay!! Now, if only the rest of my shopping were finished, wrapped, and under the tree!

The doubleknitski hat is an FO and a great success. My son put it right on his bald little head, and it has hardly been off. Mucho gracias to Alison for the wonderful pattern.

The boss just got back from the rodeo finals in Las Vegas, so things are a bit crazy at the office with the work that has piled up while he was gone. So, I'm off to play catch-up!

2003-12-08T23:41:00.000-07:00

Mail Woes

Last week I almost went postal on the postman. Now, I know it wasn't the poor man's fault my mail was so messed up. But sometimes one must blame the messenger instead of the message. If nothing else, it makes one feel a bit better. Actually, I don't feel better, so I'm recording it for all posterity.

First of all, I finally received my package from a local LYS (that shall remain nameless herein). I was so excited! At long last, The Viking Knits Collection: Book One, was in my possessio. I love Elsebeth Lavold's designs, and was ready to devour the contents of this lovely book that I ordered over 3 weeks ago. So imagine my dismay when I opened the envelope to find not the book I had longed for, but Viking Patterns for Knitting, a book that had already been in my library for a couple of years. A quick call to the LYS confirmed their mistake; but I was also informed they had sold out of The Viking Knits Collection: Book One, which I had special ordered from them, which they called and told me was in, and for which I had immediately paid. Bother!!

Next, I was anxiously awaiting the arrival of my December kit from a scrapbooking club I belong to. These kits always arrive packaged in a large pizza box, thus securing the 12x12 paper so it won't be bent. Imagine my disappointment to arrive home and see my much desired pizza box that looked as if it has gotten soaking wet, and then either dropped from the top of a 10-story building or had a 500 pound weight pounded into it. Everything inside it was ruined. The papers were crushed, wrinkled and faded onto each other.

To make matters worse, I am still waiting for the Noro Kureyon yarn I won on ebay 2 1/2 weeks ago to arrive.

It is going to be another Booga Bag for sister #2 for Christmas. I'm starting to get that panicky feeling when things just don't seem to go my way. What else can go wrong?

2003-11-30T21:41:00.000-07:00

Holiday Knitting

Lots of knitting was accomplished over the holiday weekend. I finally received the Noro Kureyon I won on ebay, and have completed a booga bag. This was such a fun project! The knitting was fast and easy -- just right for knitting while visiting with family and/or watching movies. It felted beautifully. I had to search the house for something to use to block the bag, but finally came up with a package of Luvs diapers. I wrapped a kitchen towel around the diapers and slipped it inside the bag, and two days later !voila! -- a beautiful, booga bag. It's going to one of my sisters for Christmas. That means I'll have to get busy and make another for sis #2.

My Phildar magazines came from knit 'n' tyme, too. May I say these are just mahvelous, dawling! Design No. 20 from the Irlandais magazine is calling to me first. I'm not sure what yarn I want to use, though. I'm debating between Debbie Bliss Merino DK or Jaeger Merino DK, either in a chocolate brown or maybe a soft pink. The stores are all showing lots of black and pale pink this year. Normally, I'm not a pink person; but paired with black would look pretty chic for the office. Hum, maybe I'm talking myself into it. Anyway, I am almost an official member of the Phildar Fillies.

2003-11-21T11:39:00.000-07:00

I have been stalking the mailman all week long as I am expecting three knit-related deliveries. The anticipation of receiving knitting packages is almost as good as Christmas. However, frustration sets in each day when NONE of my packages have arrived. On their way to me are 4 beautiful skeins of Noro Kureyon (to be made into a Booga Bag, hopefully in time for Christmas giving), three Phildar magazines to accomplish my quest for a great sweater to knit to join the Phildar Fillies, and Elsebeth Lavold's new book The Viking Knits Collection: Book One.

I love Elsebeth Lavold's patterns. One of my favorite sweaters is one that appeared in Knitters a couple of years ago. It was knit with Rowan wool/cotton (mine was a sage green) and was so much fun to knit. I am now knitting her vest in this Fall's Knitters. The back is completed up to the armhole decreases. It is looking good!! Oh, and Knitter's has pix of their Winter issue online, and Elsebeth Lavold has another design called "Kara." Looks like another winner!

Well, I'm off to stand by my mailbox!!

2003-11-16T21:36:00.000-07:00

My bucket-o-chic hat is completed and really cute, if I do say so myself. This was such a fun, easy pattern. Kudos to Bonne Marie for such a fun project!

Other than finishing my BOC, I only got about 10 rows more done on my Dale cardi. My weekend was really busy, and very stressful. It's almost a relief to be going back to work tomorrow.

I'm working on getting some space on the web so I can upload some photos to my blog. My sweet, networking computer savvy nephew is setting something up on his network. Then I'll be able to show off some of my work.

Oh, guess how many days 'til Christmas??? If you don't have those projects on the needles yet, time to get going!!

2003-11-12T21:02:00.000-07:00

I won some gorgeous Noro Kureyon yarn on eBay. The colorway is No.131, a bouquet of pinks, reds, oranges, and blues. This lovely yarn is going to be made into one of Julie's felted bags. Woo-hoo!!

The brim of the bucket hat is complete and all yarn ends are weaved in. I need to get out the iron and block the brim straight before I can knit the top of the hat. Now, where is that dang iron, anyway. My iron and I definitely do not get along.

Since I have heard nothing on the Phildar magazines I ordered, I have been playing a bit with a free pattern from Phildar's website. By playing, I mean I am trying to translate it from French, and since I know only enough French to get me through 10 years of ballet, it isn't going well. Any suggestions?

Blog tweak of the day: weather pixie. She even looks a bit like me -- if you're flying over in an airplane and are peering through the clouds and straining to see through my dirty windows. Well, she kinda does.

2003-11-11T11:17:00.000-07:00

I got the band of my Bucket-o-Chic hat knitted last night. I ended up adding a few stitches to make a total of 20. My gauge was slightly smaller, and I didn't want a hat that was too shallow. The colors are great, though.

My "bigger" project of the moment (subject to change without notice) is a Dale cardigan from the Dale #126 pattern book. I am knitting it of Sisik, and really like the feel of the yarn. My only complaint thus far is that some of the tweedy nubs tend to slub off. I keep picking them up off the carpet. Hopefully, after a rinse and spin in the washer, this will stop.

I'm still tweeking the blog. Today I'm trying to add comments. If someone would care to leave a note of some kind just so I can see if it works, I would surely appreciate it.

2003-11-10T09:31:00.000-07:00

ChicKnits had her Bucket-o-Chic hat on sale yesterday, so I took advantage of my luck and purchased her pattern. I immediately cast on some Mountain Colors 4/8 Weavers Wool in colorway Alpine. I'm going to knit the plain version first to get used to the pattern. Then I'll be more adventurous in future buckets. I can see eyelash, chinchilla, stripes, knitted flower accents -- the possibilities are endless.

I have ordered some Phildar magazines from Knitntyme. Val is waiting for one that she has sold out, but hopefully she'll have it in by the end of the week. I can then join the Phildar Fillies officially. Can't wait!!

2003-11-08T11:58:00.000-07:00

A new blog to share my love of knitting and rubber stamping, and to journal my progress and knowledge of these hobbies.