My Favorite Things.....

Thanks to Angela I have pictures for my blog---I actually took them from her blog.  I couldn't resist.  Just look at this face.  Hmmm, this is a good advertisement for the clothing company "Just Ducky"--see the tag on his little shortalls (a local company around here that sells all over the south through home shows and Alicia sells them from her home.  She does mostly catalog parties, but has done actual trunk shows.  She usually sells enough to get herself a little discount on some of the clothes for Maggie and John.  Anyone interested, give me a shout and I'll have her send you a catalog.)  Sorry---just took advantage of the moment for a little plug for Alicia.  Anyway---here's Nathan:

This was taken on Father's Day and it was at the end of a long day and Nathan was ready to go home and take a nap.  However, Angela said that he couldn't hold that pout very long:

Isn't that precious!!!

Then she got a great photo of Seth and Nathan together (actually it was taken before the poutting started).

Thanks, Angela for the pictures.

I have spent my day running errands and cleaning out the Koi pond.  The water has been evaporating from the pond and it got just a little low so decided to take the opportunity to do a little cleaning.

I did manage to get a little knitting in.  I'm still working on the Leafy Lace Cardi.  I'm working my way up the arm holes right now---just about to the top.  I divided the fronts and the back and am knitting them all at the same time.  Decided that would be the best way to have them all come out even with the decreases.  It's working!!!!

I also spent some time looking through Ravelry.  There are some gorgeous patterns out there and some pretty good knitters to boot.  Margene was talking about the possibility of knitting some gloves.  That got my interest up.  Do you know how many gloves patterns are out there?  A lot!!!  I don't know if people don't like to knit the fingers or what, but there are an awful lot of fingerless gloves showing up.  I've never knit a pair of gloves before, so maybe it's about time to give them a try.

It's A Wrap!!!!!

All done, as the little ones say.  I finally finished my July socks for Summer of Socks.

Yarn:  Shi Bui  in Color 3602. Needles:  Size US # 1 (2.50mm) double points.  Pattern:  Just a Plain 'Ole Basic Sock Pattern

I just love the color variagations in these socks--from aqua to green to yellow.  Shi Bui is a great sock yarn.  If you haven't already tried it, you should.

Now I'm contemplating on what pair of socks I will knit next and what pattern (I will do a pattern this time)--I have all that sock yarn that I showed you in my stash to choose from.  (However, I bought another two skeins of some more when I went to the yarn store last week to get the yarn I need for my classes at Stitches next month.)

For now, I'm going to continue working on my Leafy Lace Cardi.  I'm almost up to where I need to divide for the fronts and back. I put it down for a few days so that I could finish up the socks.  Still not ready to show you a photo---but soon.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ANGELA!!!

Hope you have a wonderful day!!! Wish we could be with you to help you celebrate.  We Love You!!!!!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!    

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ALICIA!!!!!

 

Hope you have a wonderful day!  Wish we could be up there in Washington to help you celebrate.  We Love You!!!! 

Happy Birthday!!!! 

Optical Illusion.......

Take another look at the Lacy Leaves Cardigan that I started the other day.  Can you see the optical illusion?  Hint:  Look at the vertical lines that go up beside each leaf----  At times when you look at it, you can see the lines popped out.  Look long enough, and the lines seem to sink in like ditches. 

Sorry for the "by the way" moment.  Just thought it was interesting. However, here is another "by the way"----this has been sent to the frog pond.  Alas, I got the back and one side completed and took another look at the yarn I had left and I didn't have enough to finish the sweater.  Rather than work any further, I decided to rip it all out and save the yarn for another project.  I started going through my stash and found some Noro Lily in the color "Purl".  It's not as vibrant as the peach, but it's making up into a very soft subdued fabric.  I decided to knit the fronts and back together to the arms and to purl through the front instead of the back of the stitch.  I'm not far enough along to show you a photo, but it won't be long.  This is a fun knit and I am determined to have a finished sweater in no time at all.  ----hmmmmmmm I really like that peach color---just have to find the right project for the amount of yarn I have.

Happy Knitting!

New Beginnings......

In my search for a short sleeve cardigan, I found this gorgeous pattern in Ravelry.  I have almost finished the back.  What a fun pattern.  Just enough lace to make it interesting, an easy pattern to follow, and some nice yarn (King Tutt 100% Cotton)  The pattern called for Rowan's Cotton Glace .  For those of you who are not on Ravelry, you can find the pattern here.  I hope these links work for you.  Here is the original photo of the sweater:

Since the yarn I'm using is a heavier guage than the Glace, I decided to go with a size 36 and using the US#5 needles.  So far, I think it is going to be ok.   Here's a very poor photo of a little of the sweater.  The true color is peach----looks like yummy sherbet.

I am almost up to the top of the back now.  It seems to be a quick knit and fun.  If I were to start this again, I would do the leaves in a different way.  The pattern had you purl through the back of the stitches of the leaves.  If I were to do it again, I would just purl them.  I think it would look better.  I'm sure not going to change now.    Go check out the pattern for yourselves.

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY

Hope everyone has a wonderful 4th of July having picnics, playing and watching fireworks with your families.  Remember the troops who are away fighting for our freedom and independence that we are celebrating today and pray for their safe return.

Can this be right?

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Here is JULY 1st and look at the temperature on top of our mountain at 7:00 this morning!!!!!  The sky is clear and beautiful, but it is very windy.

I'm not complaining, mind you.  It's just unusual not to be having 90+ or so temps this time of year.  I love it.

While I was outside taking the above photo, I walked around to the back of the house and on to the deck.  I looked out into the back yard and was saddened to see big brown splotches in the trees:

This was caused by these ugly guys:

That is a cicada or locust that I found on the deck this morning.  We have had a month of their loud noises.  Being on top of the mountain, we could hear them much clearer because the sound permeated the air.  This was the 17-year locust, which as the name implies, comes out of the ground every 17 years to mate and then they die.  Downtown, they were more prevalent than they were up here.  They were all over the streets and you had to be careful not to step on them when walking.  They were crawling up on houses.  As a matter of fact, I didn't think we had them up here except for the occasional one that would fly into the windshield as we were coming up the mountain.  My opinion changed, however, when I looked out this morning and saw the trees.  We must have had quite a number to do that kind of damage.  All over town, the trees look like this---some places worse than others.  The locust are gone now---well at least the noise is no longer here---and the trees will come back out.  My ears are still ringing.

Sometimes mistakes are ok.........

I finished cleaning out the closet in John and Nathan's room.  As you will notice in the photo below, it's not as empty looking as the guest room because of all my knitting storage boxes, toys, clothes, and books, but at least I can open the door and walk in now:

While sorting through my knitting, I found several projects that I had abandoned and decided to put them on top where I can find them and get started finishing them up.  The first one I decided to work on was the one that had the least amount of finishing work to be done.  Actually, I finished it, but I thought the armholes were just a tad small.  I had lengthened the armholes but that's as far as I got. I still had to do the edge stitches around them, which was a simple pick up stitches, knit two rows, and cast off.  So just to remind you, here is the finished vest from 2005.  The pattern is called "Main Vest" from the Mission Falls book Quinte Scrapbook.  I used Mission Falls 1824 Wool and and 4.5mm and 5.00mm needles:

Here's where I found the happy little mistake.  I made the wrong side of the knitted fabric the right side.  Look at the difference in the photo on the left (which is blurred--- and I apologize for that--- and is taken from the book) and the photo on the right (which is what I had knit).  Actually I think the problem could have been very fixable---just rip out the button band, shoulder seams and side seams and turn everything around----but, I decided it would stay as is---what's that saying the TV artist (can't remember his name---Ross or something like that) use to say---it's my little  [knitting] world and I can [knit] however I want---Besides, I think it looks ok either way.

 

I do like the vest.  The fit is right on and I'm sure I'll get a lot of wear out of it this fall and winter. So here's to happy little mistakes that are sometimes ok!!!!!!!!

Ashamed or what??????????

NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have been cleaning out closets for the last two days.  The guest room closet was filled with some of Ryan's things (put them all away), a huge box of Angela's clothes that she left when she went back to Washington (sorted them and put them away), two big boxes of outgrown baby clothes (took them downstairs so they are out of sight), Christmas wrapping paper and bows (took them downstairs and put them with the rest of the wrapping paper), boxes of AAA travel books and maps (went through them and threw out old editions---haven't found a place to put them, so they are still in the closet) and now my guest room closet can actually be walked into, see:

Now I need to sort through all those clothes.  I have dresses in there that I just can't bring myself to throw away (ones I had made in Taiwan and Hong Kong when we were there 36 years ago on our honeymoon).  I can't even get my big toe in them now, but I have a sentimental attachment to them---maybe one of these days.

OK with that closet done, I moved on to the closet that is in "Little" John and Nathan's room (use to be Angela's room).  This is where I store all my knitting "stuff".  I have only touched the surface today.  I put all my sock yarn in one box.  Now look at this.  Should I be ashamed of myself?  Well, I'm not. ;)  I have enough sock yarn to knit up 82 pairs of socks.  I even did an inventory and wrote down the names, weights, and number of skeins I have for each one.

Why is it that everytime I go into a yarn store I end up buying more sock yarn?  Answer:  because it's pretty and because I know that it will take either one skein or two skeins depending on the yarn.  There is no second guessing.  I have other yarns as well and I love them; but, when I go into a yarn store, I have to know exactly how many skeins of yarn I need for a specific sweater, etc.  It's just easier to buy sock yarn. 

When I was sorting through the sock yarn, I found two single socks that I had made--who knows when--- and never made the second sock---I think I made them too small, so I just put them aside.  I'll have to rip them out and start over, which is a shame because they both turned out ok, just can't get my heel in--could be a major problem, don't you think?

This last one was one of my first toe-up socks using Wendy's pattern.  I'm  not too fond of the pooling in this sock.  Maybe that is another reason  I never finished them---who knows.

Ok, I'm off to bed.  Busy day tomorrow going through all the other yarn boxes.  I WILL GET ORGANIZED!!! (Have to keep telling myself this---over and over and over again! ;)