Mistress Stash Enhancer
The knits of raising 4 small children,the purl-ils of life, and random Stash Enhancement ExpeditionsArchive for Uncategorized
Halloween recap, with the costume snob
yes, weeks later. Hey, I never said I’d be on the ball here. I really wanted to share the kids costumes this year since I’m an apparent costume snob. It drives me crazy that Halloween costumes are so expensive and yet most are made with crappy, crappy fabric. Especially since I know that some costumes I can make better than what I can buy. Anyway…
In September I asked them what they wanted to be, and told them to think about it for a few days so they would be sure. So help me God, because if I had to make their costumes I need time I told them, and time doesn’t mean 2 days before their classroom Halloween party. We went to the big W place and looked around to start getting idea’s. C was dead set on being a pirate, A was torn between being a horse (ok, I can do that) and a princess possibly snow white, B wanted to be something from Star Wars, and K would be anything we decided to dress her up as. We found the white storm trooper (?) (ya’ll know I’m wrong it was probably not a storm trooper. I don’t pay attention during movies.) which B said that he wanted to be. OK. Now I bought the costume and we went home… see where this is going? Yeah. me too. cause it was way to easy, and I knew he wasn’t as happy as he should be.
a week or two after we bought the white star wars-whatever costume B fessed up that he would rather be a sith. But a good one (which I think is a Jedi, but I really have no idea), not a bad one like Darth Maul. You have no idea how bloody confused I was, am still am. There is so much about Star Wars that I have no idea about. Really I think he is picking out his costumes based on the weapon that goes with it. He didn’t want to be Anakin or the other guy from the first (or do they call it the forth one now?) movie, Hans Solo (I think, all I remember is that the character was played by Harrison Ford and he was so hot in that movie.) He wanted his own set of Jedi robes. I looked around for a costume, looked in local stores and online. Now the costume snob in me came out. I have a *really* hard time buying a $40 costume when its made out of crappy thin polyester crap. Yep double crap. Its even harder to do so when I know that I can make a better one for less. Abi came to my rescue with this link on how to make a Jedi robe, and with a brown flat bed sheet and a few yards of off white muslin I was on my way. Best thing is this pattern is exactly what I love, no real measurements just winging it. I did make B’s robe a little short by double folding the hem so he wouldn’t trip over it while we where out trick-or-treating, I let out the hem the next day so its long, billowy and very Jedi like. We took full advantage of K being unable to decide and/or tell us what she wanted to be for Halloween.
so we dressed her up as Yoda. Robe is just like B’s, I used a pair of K’s pjs to figure out the measurements, the arms are short because I ran out of fabric. Hat is raveled here. I used this pattern with some Lion Brand fisherman’s wool that I dyed with kool-aid a few years ago. I had to use some leftover cascade 220 for the ties that ended up getting cut off because K wouldn’t allow them to be tied. Following the pattern authors advise, the ears where stiffened using watered down white glue, they took three days to freaking dry. Thank goodness I thought about this a week before hand, small miracle in itself. Now A decided that she didn’t want to be a horse, she wanted to be a princess. We talked her into Snow White. I purchased her costume from Disney’s website, it was a really good price and is very well made. Even though every time she wears it freaking gold glitter ends up everywhere.
C still wanted to be a pirate, and again my costume snob came out. I couldn’t find a pirate costume that was 1. appropriate 2. not expensive and made from crap and 3. again with the appropriate for a 10 year old. Turning to the internets I found this pattern. Measured my kid and smarty pants me made a practice one out of muslin. Which is a good thing because I had a hell of a time with the waistband and ended up doing my own thing, thanks to what I learned from my practice skirt, and a frantic phone call to my mom. I cut my waistband 2″ longer instead of 1, folded it in half and then sewed it into the skirt leaving the ends open. Basically I made a casing. Then I threaded the elastic through and had my kid try it on, pulled the elastic tight but not too tight, marked it, had the kid take it off, sewed the elastic together where marked and then sewed the ends of the casing shut.
Sounds confusing but it was way easier than what the author wrote to do. And the skirt had give this way, so it can actually go over the thighs, imagine that. I purchased from white and red fabric from Joanns for the pirate skirt, white shirt from my mom embellished by me with red ribbon, wide belt that was never worn with the jeans it came with, black boots, black leggings, red handkerchief and a pirate hat from Kmart. I was going to make a hat but I ran out of time. Thanks flu. I think she makes a pretty cute pirate.
It ended up raining during the morning of Halloween and trick or treating was smack in the middle of K’s nap, Mike stayed home with her while she napped even though it was his turn to walk the kids around. We where pretty lucky that it didn’t rain while we where out, but the kids where done after an hour (trick or treating here is 2 hours long) and ready to go home. I’m still in shock with that one. B is still wearing his Jedi robe constantly. Which makes this momma happy.
the costume snob too.
PS. its been one hellva week here. A came home last friday with head lice. OMG it was hard not to scream when I saw them, instead I resorted to my usual “Crap.” . I’m very paranoid about them and do a quick check when my kids come home, while they are doing their homework. Heck when my older kids where in 2nd grade they don’t have lockers they have a closet, yep, my kids get plastic bags to put there stuff in when A and B get to 4th where the classrooms have closets again they will get plastic bags too. There are four of them people, kids that is. Could you imagine how horrible it would be if they all got it?? My mother says I’m this way because she must have traumatized me when I had it as a kid. I think that 1. its traumatizing no matter what and 2. I don’t want them again, even if it was 20 years ago that I had them last. I have never done this much laundry in so many days in my life. The dryer didn’t stop till yesterday, and my van is finally sparkly clean. (people I vacuumed everything, couches, mattresses, chairs, car seats everything that might have possibly been touched or been near. I realize this maybe a bit overboard but this is the only way I can sleep) I haven’t found another nit on her head yet (I’m checking twice a day, when she wakes up and when she comes home from school. She shares a locker with another kid. Who when I called her mom to let her know {I was worried if that kid had it and the mom didn’t know my kid would get it again} the mom said “oh I didn’t know they shared lockers.” Srsly, you did. Open house, your kid told you lady.) The one thing that has been bothering me is… What happened to the one louse that laid the nits, where did that one go? *shiver* I think if I call my sil again to check my head she’s going to kill me.
PPS. I’m really proud of this, before the head lice drama I replaced the dryer vent the cats had ripped. Mike forgot to do this when he was home. After I was finished I only hurt myself twice and required one band aid.
PPPS Mike had to tighten the clamps up when he got home because I couldn’t get the one screw to tighten down. I sorta gave up after I stabbed myself in the hand with the screwdriver. Apparently I don’t screw well.
PPPPS. I’m still really proud of myself for fixing it, even though I didn’t really…
Happy Mitten Monday
It started last year at Rhinebeck. Mom and I have a tradition of going together, having lunch with knitting friends, then Dad comes over later in the afternoon to look around at the yarns, the finished knits and his (mine too) favorite the people watching. Last year he saw a pair of mittens that where lined, I think he said that they where alpaca (just thinking of alpaca makes me all itchy), and not as densely knit as he would have liked. He told me that he once had a pair of lined mittens, and they where the best ever. And he hasn’t been able to find a pair like it since.
We walked around some more, looked at some other booths. Talked about how alpaca seemed to be all over the place that year (it was 2008 and it was freaking everywhere). We talked more about the mittens, cause I love knitting for my Dad. He understands handwashing. Man even gave me a lecture about it when I was a teenager and I was doing laundry. He had already received many pairs of socks from me and kept talking about those mittens. (Holy Crap! I just realized that I’ve knit my father 4.freaking.pairs.of socks!!)
We talked some more about those mittens, about whether or not he wanted them to be plain or have a fair isle pattern. What colors would be nice, and most importantly what to line them with. And I stupidly said, I would knit him a pair for his birthday. However I didn’t specify which birthday. (Thinking back I think it was the one a few weeks before that Rhinebeck…. but its 4 freaking mittens. So it’s really like 2 presents right? He did get a book this year too, and a really cool pirate knife with a retractable blade which I bet my mom is LOVING right now. haha)
When my parents visited that April my Dad did see my fiddlehead mittens and I asked him if he would like a pair like those. He liked the pattern, but wanted something different. Luckily I had just borrowed magnificent mittens by Anna Zilboorg from the library (it was out of print, but its coming back in print soon!! I just can’t remember when) after flipping through the book, and commenting on how silly the sleeve bell things seem. (I get how they would keep your arms warm but if you where doing something in the snow wouldn’t snow get in them? And yes, they look a wee bit silly and I don’t need much help in that department.) Daddy mentioned that he really liked the pattern from Chapter 5 pattern 1. And I being the glutton for punishment that I am, decided to change them up a bit.
pattern stats:
pattern: Magnificent Mittens – Chapter 5, Pattern 1 by Anna Zilboorg (rav link)
size: to fit 8.5″ hand
yarn: Patons Classic Wool Merino less than one skein of 00227 (dark brown contrast color) and 00229 (light heather gray) and .25 Jade Sapphire Mongolian Cashmere 2-ply in mahogany for the lining (I know right? they are niiiice!)
needles: US 4 / 3.5 mm
Started July 31 2009
Completed October 7 2009
raveled here.
notes: mashed Adrian’s fiddlehead mittens with the magnificent mittens pattern that my father picked out. I wanted a thumb gore (think that’s what they are called) but didn’t want to have to figure it out. To make the numbers work I added four extra stitches to the sides. (The column of stitches that run up both sides of the mitten is usually 1mc, 1cc, 1mc. Mine are 2mc, 1cc, 2mc) The fair isle patterning for the thumb is from the fiddlehead chart. I started the first mitten July 31 finished the second Aug 8, it took the pressure of his birthday coming up to get me to start and finish the second mitten, then line both of them.
Daddy really likes his mittens, and I was happy to give them to him in person when the kids and I traveled up for our long Rhinebeck weekend visit. I don’t think Dad knows that I took that picture of him wearing his mittens at Rhinebeck with my phone. He did however keep mentioning how nice they where to have since it was chilly. Which I was happy to hear, however it’s going to be a loooong time before I knit another pair like this. Don’t worry Mom, not that long. Don’t worry about Dad either, there will always be handknits in his future. He would really like a vest next. Cute huh?
Recently I finished a pair of owl mittens for Allysa to match her thorpe hat I just finished for her. Once I saw thea’s I had to knit a pair. While I was taking Allysa’s picture this afternoon she kept saying “Happy Mittens! Happy Mittens!” I think she’s happy with them.
~remember click on any pic in this post to embiggin~
pattern stats:
Pattern: Give a Hoot by Jocelyn Tunney
size: smaller, to fit a 5 year old hands.
Needles: US 6 / 4.0 mm for the ribbing and US 7 / 4.5 mm for the rest.
yarn: Malabrigo Yarn Merino Worsted 12 yards in little lovely and 46 yards in Roanoke.
Started October 22 2009
Completed October 26 2009
raveled here.
notes: I prefer a looong cuff on my mittens, so it will stay under a sleeve. I didn’t add any length to this cuff, it was already long enough. Also cast on and knit one row with the pink to help tie it together with her hat. Knitting these mittens at a denser gauge gave me just the right size for Allysa’s little hands with a bit of room to grow. I know lots of other knitters have said this but I love the thumbs on these! I didn’t add buttons because I didn’t have any that where small enough, instead I used some of the pink to make little french knots for eyes.
I keep thinking of other mittens or fingerless mitts to knit, but my exhusbands wife is expecting a baby any day now and every baby needs a handknit sweater. I started yesterday even though I’ve known for months, I do hope that baby hasn’t been waiting for its sweater….
PS. phew 7m left of Monday!
PPS. I still have a bit of a cough but much better. yeah Carrie your right it takes forever to go away!
PPPS. I made pumpkin muffins with dark chocolate chips in them today. So.freaking.good. Since they are pumpkin and its dark chocolate they are good for me right??
PPPPS I just realized that I forgot to order that book for Dad…. crap.
end of socktober and one more pair of socks for the pile.
it was a push to finish these by the end of socktober, with the beginning of the month most of my knitting time was given to the finishing of Daddy’s mittens so they would be done in time for his birthday, then the sleeves to my Wisteria sweater so they would be done in time for Rhinebeck, then a quick little ear warmer for Rhinebeck too, and then finally a pair of fingerless mitts that I haven’t said anything about yet… anyway there has been loads of knitting time this month. Many of it because there has been lots of cuddle time where Kailey just wants to sit with me. Now that she’s feeling better I’ve been trying to find the house. Never ending mission I swear, I’m getting there but as long as the floors are clean, kitchen sink is clean, bathroom is habital and laundry is washed I’m ok. Gotta keep the expectations low with 4 kids, so something feels accomplished. With a few nights of tv knitting, and Corra’s basketball game yesterday morning where Mike stayed home with the other kids (we had to be in the next town 15 mins away at 815am. There was no way I was going to bring the younger kids with me if I could get away with it. By the way her team won 28-2 this was her first game of the season since the flu wiped us out, she got a 2 point shot during the game, and you wouldn’t BELEIVE the fouls the ref didn’t call.) I have a pair of finished mystery socks.
project stats:
Pattern: Mystery Sock ‘09 by Kirsten Kapur
Started: October 1 2009
Completed: October 31 2009
Yarn: Handmaiden Fine Yarn Casbah Sock colorway blue lagoon purchased from the Loopy Ewe
Needles: US 1½ (2.5 mm) for the cuff and US 2 (2.75 mm) for the rest.
notes: I made one little mod, only because I’m not that fond of lace on the foot of my socks (its cold here in January!) I knit through the back loop of the yo’s on the foot. This does change the fit a bit, since there isn’t as much ease.
It has been a really, long time since I’ve knit a flap heel. I miss the magic of turning the heel. There might be a few more of these heels again in my future. Its really neat how Kirsten continued the pattern down the heel, a first for me. And I quite like how the calf pattern changes into the foot. Very cool. And the toe, awesome how she incorporated the decreases into the pattern!
Socktober always makes me think about how many socks I have knit, which in the end reminds me how far I’ve come from the first sock I have ever knit. Oh wow, that was a doozy. 4 years of knitting socks brings 51 pairs of socks I’ve come a long way. I put them all together in a set on flickr.
clicky here to see it.
see, that totally justifies my sock yarn stash…
PS. I almost have my voice back, but the darn cough won’t leave just yet. Still feel a little crappy, but not as craptastic as I did earlier this week.
PPS. I’m going to start a sweater today in fact since Mike has the kids so well occupied I might sneak off and wind up the yarn now…
the one thing they share…
Yes, we’re sick. We’re all sick, according to the kids pediatrician the kids have the swine flu. Anyone with these symptoms, (fever of 99.8 not higher, maybe lower), croupy cough, headache and runny noise they are calling it the swine flu. Not confirming it mind you, which makes me wonder if this whole swine flu thing is really bad as they are saying it is. The older kids got it first, and when Allysa starting showing symptoms I called in and asked (demanded, whichever) for tamiflu, she has asthma. She has a bit of a cough and so far hasn’t gotten as sick as the others, Kailey has a cough and runny nose. So far its been pretty mild, and they seem to better. I’ve been filling them with fluids and disinfecting every.thing. And yet, I still got sick.
The one thing they share.
Its pretty darn comforting though is to wrap myself up in a handknit worsted weight shawl (even if it has a bit of cat hair, oyi) with a hot tea, and cuddle with my littlest one. Even better when the shawl is full of memories of previous knits and knitting friends. The multicolored handspun was a prize from Gabby, the green was leftover from Bryce’s drive-thru sweater, and the dark purple is leftover from my February lady sweater. I still haven’t blocked it, so I’m sure it will grow a bit more when I do.
Started July 5 2009
Completed July 29 2009
pattern Feather and Fan comfort shawl.
yarns- Targee DK handspun from the Gabby Knitter, Dream in Color Classy in vino veritas, Queensland Collection Kathmandu DK in 433 foresty green.
needles- US 9 (5.5 mm)
raveled here.
The one freaking thing they share….
PS I’m completely aware that sweatpants and a pink corduroy jacket don’t “go” together.
PPS. I’ve been knitting away on my TTL’s mystery socks because I would really like to finish them before Socktoberfest is over.
PPPS. Not actually going anywhere lends itself to more knitting time. So does ignoring the mountain of laundry cause your sick. 
PPPPS. Like my “new” reading glasses? (I say “new” because I’ve had them since August, it has become harder to read the computer screen and other things upclose….)
sheep and wool love
Why is it that re-entry from any sheep and wool festival is so hard? We make a long weekend out of the occasion since we spend it at my parents house and it gives us some extra time to visit. Especially since we won’t be going back up until Spring. Someone here has learned her lesson about driving 320 miles North during the winter months, there is a very high probability that one will be driving in a Nor’easter. And that’s no fun. I really enjoyed myself this year, there was one purchase that I had been planning for and stopped early. That would be the natural white merino from Greenwood Hill farm. Nothing can beat this stuff, its amazing and after a short convo with the owner not only is it because their sheep are pure breed merino’s its because of their diet too.
and of course a stop at creatively dyed for some sock yarn (like I *need* more), and Autumn house farms where I found the blue bulky for a really great price. Mom and I wondered the barns some more and I picked up some hand dyed roving, and then we met up with Karen and her husband for lunch.
pst, I knit up that little ear warmer real quick its raveled here.
It was a good lunch even though my pot pie kinda sucked. Way too many peas. Some how we missed the meet up again this year, I had it in my head that it was at 1, not 12. Yeah, next year cause I missed seeing bunches of people. Mom and I wondered around some more before Dad came over, I purchased some amazing Cormo from Foxhill farm, which I had no clue was in Lee, 15 min from my parents. I can’t wait to knit with it! We saw Kim at the big sock, both mom and I knit for a bit on it. (Kim will be at stitches east too with the big sock, booth # 526)
We walked around some more and saw the sheepies,
Before we made our last purchases of the day and went home
The kids and I stayed till Tuesday morning before coming home to PA. Boy did I miss sleeping in my bed, and drinking real coffee from a coffee maker not freeze dried astronaut coffee (love you Dad, just not your coffee so much). Its good to be home even though the kids are sick with possibly the swine flu. I sort of disagree with our Dr, since he just read their complaints and said anyone with these complaints they are calling it the swine flu. Their fevers having gone over 100.4 and they have this horrible croupy cough that sounds like bronchitis. I’m pushing liquids like crazy, and am starting to sound like my mother more and more.
Since the kids are sick and we are holed up in our house there has been more knitting,
Allysa’s thorpe, rav link and owl mitts for her too rav link.
the more I knit with this awesome stuff, malabrigo, the more I want a sweater out of it….. even though it will pill like mad..
sweater for Rhinebeck ‘09
nothing like a fantastic new sweater to break the blog silence… It’s been crazy busy here, but really when is it not? Kids are keeping me busy with all their sports, Girl Scouts has started up again and Corra is a Jr again, and Allysa is now a daisy. Anyway, this year I thought of knitting a sweater for Rhinebeck a little bit sooner than I did last year. I knew, absolutely new that I wanted to knit wisteria from the twist collective. The only problem is the smallest size is a 37, that’s 4″ to big for me! Thankfully its written for a worsted weight, so by knitting in a lighter gauge I’d get a smaller size. I really wanted to use Madelinetosh tosh worsted in logwood that I purchased from yarn4socks during an amazing sale, after I knit a few gauge swatches I had my mind made up. Some people say its a worsted, other say its a lighter worsted and I have to agree with them. On US 8’s it was WAY too loose. So lose you would be able to see through it, on 7’s it was still pretty loose. On Us 6’s it was perfect. So amazingly perfect. Wouldn’t you say?
I can’t express how happy I am with this sweater, so very, very happy.
I plan on wearing this baby to Rhinebeck this weekend. Tomorrow I finish packing up and Friday morning bright and early (ie 9am) the kids and I start off to my parents where we’ll stay for the weekend. I’m really looking forward to Rhinebeck this year. No so much for the stash adding, but for seeing all my knitting peeps. I’ll probably be wearing my pink vest over this, and if its raining I’ll be wearing my blue LLbean jacket over it, and my blue wellies (that Mike totally hates but he’s not going, and don’t get me started the shoes he was buying himself for the past 2 years).
There was a bit here that I wasn’t sure if I would be able to finish this in time, since I put this sweater down to finish up Daddy’s mittens in time for his birthday. I’m still in shock that I was able to finish one sleeve in a day. A day. And do laundry. And cook. And play with the kids. Yeah, I’m shocked. The other sleeve took 2 days. There was much more to do, and I actually had to get dressed and leave the house.
nakniswemodo #11 (I’m up to 12, but have only finished 11. I have lots of pictures to take)
Pattern- Wisteria by Kate Gilbert
Started September 18 2009
Completed October 13 2009
Yarn- Madelinetosh tosh worsted in logwood 4.5 hanks around 1,012 yards.
Needle- US 6 / 4.0 mm
raveled here.
note about the yarn- oh, love. It has such a nice hand, and knits up into a wonderful fabric. I was a little disappointed that there where bits where it wasn’t spun very well, and bits where it was slubby. But over all I will purchase this again. In fact I’m thinking about what colors I want next! I knit the yoke with one hank, then after the sleeves I started alternating every 3 rows with another ball until I got down to where you start the bottom cables. I didn’t do this on the sleeves.
mods- smallest size knit at a smaller gauge to make a smaller sweater. I thought all the increases where in with the cables, not all of them but most. If you are looking to make this pattern smaller you could also leave out the increases after the cables are done and before the sleeves are put on hold. One really important thing to remember when you knit a sweater at a tighter gauge is not only is your stitch gauge smaller but your row gauge too. Because my row gauge is 8 rows per inch and the pattern is 6 rows per inch I added 2 rows on each time the pattern said knit __ rows even. Also knit 7 extra rows before starting the cable on the bottom. If I didn’t the sweater would be 1” to short. Don’t think I’m all smarty pants, because I forgot this on my first sleeve and it was too short, I had to re-knit it to make it longer. Not a mod, but I color coded my cable charts to make them quicker to read. It’s easier for me to remember a color than a symbol. I find this makes reading more complex cable charts easier.
Its such a good feeling when a sweater comes out just as amazing as it does in my head. Such a good feeling.
PS. If you see me at Rhinebeck, please do say hi!
PPS I’m so excited for a day to shop for yarn with out kids, I’m already halfway packed.
PPPS I really hope it doesn’t rain. Gotta find that lil mini umbrella. Methinks its in the car…
all the spinning
For the past two-ish months I’ve been spinning, quite a bit. First it was because the 3oz of merino that I dyed with leftover Easter egg dye was sitting there waiting for me to finish it and it has been sitting for a long time. Finally I found the gumption to finish it. Then I wound those singles into a center pull ball and 2-plied it.
never doing that again. It was a major pain. However, from the 6oz of fiber I ended up with two hanks and a total of 303 yards of light-ish worsted yarn in a blinding bright colors. I started a pair of socks awhile ago with the first finished hank, but I’m not sure about them. I might rip it out and work a pair of kid mittens.
Then there was a braid of superwash merino from Sakina needles in the jam sandwich colorway that hopped onto my wheel while I was in between projects and wanted to start my Daddy’s mittens but didn’t really want to….which I have started, finished the outside shells. Put them down to wait for the yarn for linings, now I just have to well, start the linings… anyway….
I truly love how this yarn came out. It was amazing to spin, the fiber was so soft. I’m not sure what I’m going to knit with it, mittens? hat? a cowl? I have 135 yards of worsted weight, navajo plied. (which by the way I’m so happy with how my plies came out!) Then the kids and I started talking about mittens, Bryce said he didn’t really want thrummed mittens anymore and I asked him if I could spin the fiber that we dyed and then make him mittens from that yarn. I was ecstatic when he said yes. Strange when you become a parent that the things that make you incredibly happy are so small.
This almost a DK weight 165 yards and also navajo plied. I love love love how this one came out. It makes me so happy, I want to try to replicate the fiber so I can spin more. Wouldn’t these colors make a fantastic pair of socks? I think this yarn is going to make a fab pair of mittens.
Then because I had to order new yarn for the lining of Daddy’s mittens ( I didn’t like the yarn I ordered the first time, it was a plain grey, and it looked crappy with the tan and dark brown) I started something else to spin…. I grabbed a 4oz braid of Enchanted knoll farm superwash merino in “she sells she sells” from the fiber drawer
and ended up with 165 yards of sport weight again with the navajo plied, its so pretty and soft. Makes me think of ice cream. I have absolutely love how it came out, but have no idea’s on what to use it for.
In the end of 5 weeks of spinning and plying I have a basket of my handspun that makes me feel so very happy.
even if I can’t take a decent picture of it….
can you believe Monday I will have had my wheel for a year? It hardly seems like it.
PS. I dyed more roving to spin, I can’t wait to start on it. But should work on either Daddy’s mittens or Allysa’s sweater for school……
PPS I’m almost done with all my dentist appointments, Thursday I had the implants put it, and holy crap they hurt so much that day, but then today and yesterday I’ve been ok. Then again I haven’t really had any food you would have to chew…. I have to go back to get one crown replaced because the dentist didn’t like how it looked and sent it back to the lab. Then he’ll adjust them all and then I’ll be done.
PPPS sugar free pudding sucks. I bought it by accident, didn’t realize it was sugar free till I ate some and it icky.
PPPPS School starts here in 10 days, part of me is sad that summer is over and the other part of me can’t wait. There is also the part that feels bad that Allysa missed her kindergarten orientation because Kailey was sick.
PPPPPS Can you tell that the dentist gave me painkillers? Even though I only seem to need them at night, they seem to mess with my body the next day too.
the one with the traveling
poor neglected blog. I’m sorry I’ve left you for so long, I realize that its only been 3 weeks since my last post but it feels like its been forever for me. There has been some traveling, mostly back and forth from my ex’s to pick up the older kids and bring them to their practices or games and then back. It feels like I’m spending a lifetime in the van driving the mom taxi, I keep telling myself its not going to get worse, but it so is with middle school in 2 years for Corra, yikes! I’m still trying to convince Mike that the van would look so much cooler if it had flames. He’s not buying it. Anyway, the kids, Mike and I went up to Western Mass to visit my parents a few weeks ago for my family birthday party. (There is some FO pictures at the end of this post, and there will be more knitting and spinning! posts later.)
A tradition that my Grandmother started when I was little. Instead of sending out birthday presents throughout the year we gather once during the summer and all the kids under 18 get presents. There are cupcakes with the number candles that are used year after year after year. Frighting isn’t it? Look at the giant divot in Bryce’s number 8 candle.
and of course the pinata, which once its broken open my cousins fight over who gets to wear it as a hat. (sorry didn’t get a picture with David with Darth Vader on his head).
If we whine enough there are tractor rides, and if Uncle Bill brings his boat there is always tubing or water skiing (which I missed this year, Kailey was done by that point and very clingy)
But you want to watch a video don’t you?
that probably won’t work, cause I can never get it too, and today I just don’t feel like fighting with it to work. Linkage here.
A trip to my parents is never complete unless we visit the Goat farm and get lots of goat cheese to bring home.
Visits are never long enough, but my back can only take so many nights sleeping on the futon in the basement. Srsly, people if you don’t want your house guests to stay get a futon. (love you mom and dad. hmmm, bet you wonder why you get a pullout couch hehee j/k For some unknown reason Mike really wanted drive the whole way home.
So my in between socks where finished (I was already on the second sock, turned the heel too, since I left the other knitting’s extra yarn at home (crazy me thought I wouldn’t get that much knitting time ha!)) during the frigging 9 hour drive home.
stat’s:
Started June 30 2009
Completed July 21 2009
yarn- 256.2 yards of sKnitches Syncopation Self-Striping in Ocrhard Stripe purchased from the sweet sheep.
needles- US 2 / 2.75 mm
pattern- CO 52 sts worked a longer k2, p2 cuff.
raveled here.
Mike drives a lot slower than I do.
PS. I started the mittens I promised Dad for his birthday last year. I have half of the last one to go. Then onto the linning.
PPS. That’s the only thing I’m actively knitting right now, because if I start something new I’ll never finish the mittens. Maybe that’s why I’ve been spinning like crazy….
just a wee bit of lace
I don’t know what it is about me and worsted or DK weight yarn, and lace shawls. I love it. Absolutely love it. I don’t know if its because they knit so much faster, or if its because they are so much warmer. Mostly I wear them bunched up under my jacket right under my chin in the winter time. Sometimes even just over a t-shirt. Granted it might go quickly for me because I have yet to knit a ginormous shawl, and also *ahem* knit a lace shawl with real lace weight yarn, not fingering. However, I do love the heavier look of the yarn with the lace.
This yarn, omg do I love this yarn. All the colors, the blues, the purple, and a little bit of green in there too. Makes me wanna call up the yarn lounge in Richmond to order more. Sweater’s worth, cause its that frigging gorgeous. When I was down there last summer and picked up this yarn I had a feeling that it would be perfect for this shawl. I do have a little bit left over, less than half the ball. I think it will make a nice accent on a yoke sweater. Like the wave chart or something similar to that.
Loved knitting this shawl, after the first couple of rows the pattern became intuitive. When I first read the pattern and Susan had wrote that markers where not needed because you could see any problems quickly. I really did giggle and think oh, heck not me! But she was right, very right. When I made a mistake I knew right at the end of the row, that and markers just don’t work with this lace pattern. Great pattern. I’ve knit a few shawls, but this one was definitely easy and beautiful too. hmmm, I would enter it in the fair if I wasn’t going to be away this weekend!
raveled here.
Pattern: Forest Canopy Shawl by Susan Lawrence (rav link, also available here though the designers blog)
Yarn: 0.68 Plain & Fancy Sheep & Wool Co. Sport in blue variegated purchased at The Yarn Lounge in Richmond, Virginia
Needle: US 7 / 4.5 mm
Started April 7 2009
Completed April 22 2009
notes: added an extra repeat. I love a good shoulder shawl.
I might have started another shawl… a few days ago, I’m hoping this one will be ginormous. Some rows are threatening to kill me … even though right now I’m itching to start another sweater.
more on that one later, raved here. cause I realized on Sunday that its this weekend that my family reunion is going on, and I have lots of laundry to get done. Not to mention it might help if I knew where the suitcases are. That, and might need to get ready before Thursday….. since I have to leave here on Friday….
PS. My yard is a giant mudpit. See. I’m trying not to feel all panicky, tomorrow morning at 8am the big half rotted tree at the end of our drive is coming down. I wish I wasn’t going to be home for that.
PPS. I might have purchased some new yarn tonight for a new shawl. Yeah, when you use yarn from the stash you must replace the stash, three fold.
finished sock parade
I need to get caught up on these FO’s let’s start with the socks, oldest finished one’s first.
-Muddy Nutkins for Diane. I picked up the yarn for these guys at the SOAR market this past Fall, when I showed it to Diane she was, well all over it! I knew then that’s what I would use for her Christmas present. They didn’t get done exactly on time for Christmas, or mailed exactly on time either, no I didn’t just mail them out last week either! I think I mailed them out after I finished them in March, along with goodies of course. She loves them and they fit!
(click to embiggen)
raveled here.
Pattern: Nutkin by Beth LaPensee
yarn: Pagewood Farm Denali Hand Dyed Sock Yarn in mississippi mud
needles: US 1½ / 2.5 mm
Started December 29 2008 and Completed March 1 2009
notes: Worked a picot cuff instead of a ribbed one, and worked a purl row on needles 2 & 3 before starting the toe decreases. Someday I’ll be knitting a pair of these for myself, the yarn was awesome to work with, the color beautiful and the pattern is very intuitive. These where hard to mail off, but the recipient is totally worth it!
-Vintage Monkey’s, oyi. I know these where started sometime in the Spring of ‘08. One sock was finished and then well, the other one wasn’t. It languished until the Spring of these year where I started it and finished it in a few days. I love the colors in this colorway, and how it all knit up. The yarn is a little bit soft, I’m wondering how the toes will wear.
raveled here.
Pattern: Monkey by Cookie A.
yarn: Pigeonroof Studios KALYPSO sock yarn in vintage purchased from yarn4socks. (on sale btw, I love the reason’s they have for sales)
needles: me thinks US 1 / 2.25 mm (but it might have been a 1.5, I don’t think so but might be.)
notes: I think the reason it took me so long to finish the second sock was monkey burnout, this was my third pair of monkeys. Even with that when I was finishing the second sock I thought “I really should start another pair of these….”
-Crabby McHappyCablepants, I ordered yarn from blue moon for a baby sweater and ya know, it cost the same to ship 3 hanks as it does 1. So… I ordered 3.. .and this just screamed to be knit quickly and into a pair of staggered cabled rib socks.
raveled here.
pattern: my own. My crazy notes are on my rav project page, maybe someday I’ll polish it up more… right… if your not on rav but what the notes so you can knit socks like these drop me a line and I’ll email you them.
yarn: .56 of a hank of Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks that Rock – Mediumweight in Crabby McHappypants (hehheehee love this name! Makes me think of a nickname I have for Mike ; )
needles: US 2½ / 3.0 mm
Started May 2 2009
Completed May 7 2009
notes: these worked up very quickly on the 2.5’s, 5 days for a pair of socks! I do like the fabric that it created, its dense but not not too much so.
-socks on the go, these socks where mostly knit in the car, sometimes in the house when I had time to knit but not start a new project (I have to be able to knit a few rows when I start a new project or else I feel very cranky). I started these so I would have something to knit last year during Girl Scout camp. These took a little more than a year to knit.
raveled here.
pattern: plain vanilla sock, cast on 64sts worked as many k2, p2 for as I felt like then switched to straight stockinette for as long as I wanted then a short row heel, knit for length of foot then standard toe. Tis’ the way a traveling sock goes. Easy peasy.
yarn: Yarntini Variegated Sock in cosmopolitan purchased by Mike for me from yarn4socks.
needles: US 1 / 2.25 mm
Started June 17 2008
Completed June 22 2009
It hasn’t been a flurry of finished knits over here, there has been plenty of casting on….
raveled here. Yarn was a gift from Carol a few years ago, she used all the colors from my blogspirit blog. I LOVE how this is knitting up! I was going to knit a plain stockinette sock, but after seeing how it knits up I might work something like outside in.
raveled here. Started these up the other night before my Dentist appointment, 1st of 5. Thrilled am I. So far I have had 2 appointments and the office has been either running right on time or early so I haven’t had a chance to knit there! I have a lot of dental work that has to be done, if I wouldn’t have put off going to the dentist for so long I wouldn’t have so much work, that and a lot of the work that I’ve had done by a previous dentist has to be redone. My new dentist gave me a mouthwash to use until a few months after all the work is done, mmm not so tasty.
PS my yard is going to become a giant mud pit next week, no not from all the rain. Holy crap don’t get me started on the rain mmmk? We’re having “some” excavating work done, the driveway is going to be moved over a few feet so its not right up next to the house. That means the hillside needs to be graded back 8 feet, all the dirt from that is going to be moved into the back yard and graded down so its flat(er) and the “garage” is going, so no more pictures with that great brick background. Mike and his brother where busy today emptying out all the “keep” stuff.
PPS Emily Jane is moving right along,
I have to pick up another ball of Noro Chirimen, the sleeves must match, if they are a row or two off I’m ok with that, but the stripes must be the same. My last ball didn’t have two repeats of the blue/grey so I need another ball if the cuffs are going to match. Also, I’m not sure about the sleeve length I do love it, but don’t know if I’ll love it while I’m wearing it. Still thinking of closures, crochet button loops and wood square buttons are up most on my mind.
PPPS I have red, yellow flags all over my front yard, along with white, blue and red spray painted lines marking all the underground utilities. I don’t know if it was the call before you dig that prompted the local water company to replace my curbside shut off today, but they replaced it this afternoon. I was planning on doing some laundry, and washing the floors but instead enjoyed some knitting time. The horror of it all.
2009- gettin' it on with 7 pairs so far!
