Socks by 2, Shawl, and Something about Shoes

There is a very happy little girl in my house. She is wearing her very first pair of handmade socks. Mommy made her a pair since she has been wanting a pair for a long time. I think I got them pretty close to matching. She really likes them. She was telling everyone at school today about them. It is really exciting to have somebody appreciate your knitting.




My friend, Linda, bought some of the dreaded Noro Sock Yarn. I asked her what she was going to do with it and she said socks. I told her "Good Luck" with that. I guess she inspired me to try to use mine again. I am not a fan of toe up socks. I don't know how to to the heels very well but, I am giving it a go again. This is the Anastasia pattern from Ravelry. Yes, Linda, I am being a copy cat. I didn't have too much trouble with the toe but we shall see how the heel goes. If anyone knows some place I can look online to find out how to do a heel flap for a toe up sock let me know. I never like how my short row heels turn out.




I am really enjoying this shawl pattern. I am on the seventh repeat I think. I am not sure how many repeats I will end up doing. I am not really sure how big I want it yet. I know that I am constantly looking for triangular shawl patterns on Ravelry. I have decided that I like shawls that have repeats that I can memorize.




I am really impressed with this little girl. This little girl learned to tie her shoes yesterday. I only had to show her twice how to do it and she was off to the races. She even tied her own shoes for school this morning, which gave me time to get Little Buddy ready to go. Now if I can only get him potty trained.




Bye for now, the knitting is calling to me.

Ranting and Knitting

I am going to rant about things that are really making me angry for a bit and the knitting is at the end of this post. I promise there is a FO. I am not trying to cause a rucus or anything, these are just my views and I wanted to put them out there.

1. I am sick and tired of mud slinging campaigns. I don't want to hear in commercials what is wrong with the other guy I want to know what you are going to do to fix the problem.

2. If you run for President and you lose, resign your Senate seat.

3. If you are running for office, vote on the bills and laws that are being voted on in the Senate. The people that put you there did so they could be heard. It is your job to do what the people put you there to do. Yes, that means you will have to be responsible for how you vote during the campaign, and you might have to defend it. DUH!!!!

4. When you are in a debate, quit avoiding the question and answer the question. That is the purpose for debates so the public knows what you are going to do instead of just dancing around the subject or changing the subject all together.

Okay I am done ranting for the moment.







I have a finished object. These are my Spring Forward Socks. Blue Moon Fiber Arts Hot Flash in the lightweight Socks that Rock. This color is on hiatus for a bit.



What do you do at 12:30 in the morning and you can't sleep. You get up and cast on a project is what you do. I cast this on after I ripped out my Secret of the Stole 3 project. Life is too short to knit stuff you don't really like. I am really enjoying this shawl. It is the Kiri Shawl that I found on Ravelry. I am using some KnitPicks Gloss Laceweight for it.




Punkin has been wanting a pair of socks for a while so I cast on a pair of ankle socks for her yesterday. I am almost done with the heel flap on the first one and hope to work on it some today if I get a chance.

Sewing up September

This month just flew by, the girls went back to school, I got a year older, we went on a trip, and this morning someone was scraping the frost off their windshield. I have a feeling that winter is going to be here sooner than later. At least it is good handmade sock weather.





I finished the roving I got from the Loopy Ewe. It is the best yarn I have spun so far I think. I got about 348 yards of a fingering weight. I really like how it turned out. Not quite sure what it is going to be yet.






My friend, Linda, took a dyeing class on Saturday and inspired me to dye some roving. I decided I wanted to make something Christmasy so I split it in half and dyed half green and half red. I am still trying to decide if I want to mix it while I am spinning or spin the two colors separate and then ply them together. My husband thinks I should go with the latter. This is some Blue Faced Leicester that I got in Kansas earlier this year.




To end up this month I am hoping to being sewing the toe of this sock together sometime today. So hopefully a FO will be in my very near future.

T is for

Trip.





Last weekend, I surprised the girls and picked them up from school around lunch time. I had the bags packed and we were off. Grandpa and Grandma P. were nice enough to let us come to Kansas to see this.







This being High School Musical on Ice. The girls loved it. Punkin sang and wiggled the whole time while Punkinbug was just in awe. They had lots of fun.





While the three children were spending the night with Grandpa and Grandma P. at the hotel Friday night, I was able to catch some football. Awesome Rose Hill Rocket football. See that number 53 (the second one from the left walking towards the center of the field), he is my nephew, who happens to be one of the captains of the football team this year. They won 56-26, the nephew didn't get to play in the fourth quarter due to the lead they had but it was fun seeing him play his senior year.

1988

Saw this meme on Beverly's blog and had to steal it. So you get two posts from me in one day.

The rules:
A.) Go to Music Outfitters
B.) Enter the year you graduated from high school in the search function and get the list of 100 most popular songs of that year
C.) Bold the songs you like, strike through the ones you hate and underline your favorite. Do nothing to the ones you don’t remember (or don’t care about)



1. Faith, George Michael
2. Need You Tonight, INXS
3. Got My Mind Set On You, George Harrison
4. Never Gonna Give You Up, Rick Astley
5. Sweet Child O' Mine, Guns N' Roses
6. So Emotional, Whitney Houston
7. Heaven Is A Place On Earth, Belinda Carlisle
8. Could've Been, Tiffany9. Hands To Heaven, Breathe
10. Roll With It, Steve Winwood
11. One More Try, George Michael
12. Wishing Well, Terence Trent d'Arby
13. Anything For You, Gloria Estefan and the Miami Sound Machine
14. The Flame, Cheap Trick
15. Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car, Billy Ocean
16. Seasons Change, Expose
17. Is This Love, Whitesnake
18. Wild, Wild West, Escape Club
19. Pour Some Sugar On Me, Def Leppard
20. I'll Always Love You, Taylor Dayne
21. Man In The Mirror, Michael Jackson
22. Shake Your Love, Debbie Gibson
23. Simply Irresistible, Robert Palmer
24. Hold On To The Nights, Richard Marx
25. Hungry Eyes, Eric Carnen26. Shattered Dreams, Johnny Hates Jazz
27. Father Figure, George Michael
28. Naught Girls (Need Love Too), Samantha Fox
29. A Groovy Kind Of Love, Phil Collins
30. Love Bites, Def Leppard
31. Endless Summer Nights, Richard Marx
32. Foolish Beat, Debbie Gibson
33. Where Do Broken Hearts Go, Whitney Houston
34. Angel, Aerosmith
35. Hazy Shade Of Winter, Bangles
36. The Way You Make Me Feel, Michael Jackson
37. Don't Worry, Be Happy, Bobby McFerrin
38. Make Me Lose Control, Eric Carnen
39. Red Red Wine, UB40
40. She's Like The Wind, Patric Swayze
41. Bad Medicine, Bon Jovi
42. Kokomo, Beach Boys
43. I Don't Wanna Go On With You Like That, Elton John
44. Together Forever, Rick Astley
45. Monkey, George Michael
46. Devil Inside, INXS
47. Should've Known Better, Richard Marx
48. I Don't Wanna Live Without Your Love, Chicago
49. The Loco-Motion, Kylie Minogue
50. What Have I Done To Deserve This?, Pet Shop Boys and Dusty Springfield
51. Make It Real, Jets
52. What's On Your Mind, Information Society
53. Tell It To My Heart, Taylor Dayne
54. Out Of The Blue, Debbie Gibson
55. Don't You Want Me, Jody Watley
56. Desire, U2
57. I Get Weak, Belinda Carlisle
58. Sign Your Name, Terence Trent d'Arby
59. I Want To Be Your Man, Roger
60. Girlfriend, Pebbles
61. Dirty Diana, Michael Jackson
62. 1-2-3, Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine
63. Mercedes Boy, Pebbles
64. Perfect World, Huey Lewis and the News
65. New Sensation, INXS
66. Catch Me (I'm Falling), Pretty Poison
67. If It Isn't Love, New Edition
68. Rocket 2 U, Jets
69. One Good Woman, Peter Cetera
70. Don't Be Cruel, Cheap Trick
71. Candle In The Wind, Elton John
72. Everything Your Heart Desires, Daryl Hall and John Oates
73. Say You Will , Foreigner
74. I Want Her, Keith Sweat
75. Pink Cadillac, Natalie Cole
76. Fast Car, Tracy Chapman
77. Electric Blue, Icehouse
78. The Valley Road, Bruce Hornsby and The Range
79. Don't Be Cruel, Bobby Brown
80. Always On My Mind, Pet Shop Boys
81. Piano In The Dark, Brenda Russell Featuring Joe Esposito
82. When It's Love, Van Halen
83. Don't Shed A Tear, Paul Carrack
84. We'll Be Together, Sting
85. I Hate Myself For Loving You, Joan Jett and The Blackhearts
86. I Don't Want To Live Without You, Foreigner
87. Nite And Day, Al B. Sure
88. Don't You Know What The Night Can Do, Steve Winwood
89. One Moment In Time, Whitney Houston
90. Can't Stay Away From You, Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine
91. Kissing A Fool, George Michael
92. Cherry Bomb, John Cougar Mellancamp
93. I Still Believe, Brenda K. Starr
94. I Found Someone, Cher
95. Never Tear Us Apart, INXS
96. Valerie, Steve Windwood
97. Just Like Paradise, David Lee Roth
98. Nothin' But A Good Time, Poison
99. Wait, White Lion
100. Prove Your Love, Taylor Dayne


Wow, seeing some of these songs really brought memories back. I may have to check iTunes to see if I can find some for my iPod.

S is for

Sundays.


A typical fall Sunday when the husband works, I get up. I make coffee. I drink coffee and chat for a few minutes with my friend Linda and get ready for church. Get the kids ready for church and off we go. We get home around 12:15, there is something great about living in a small town where the church is. Eat lunch.

Then I do a few minor tasks, then I sit, knit and watch football. I am sorry to say that I am not a Vikings fan. My Kansas blood just can't wrap my head around that one. Maybe someday though but don't hold your breath.




This is the pair I finished last weekend as I watched the Chiefs and the Patriots play. Sad to say the Chiefs lost, even though I am not so sad about Tom Brady being done for the year. I feel bad that he was injured I am just glad that I dont' have to listen to every sportscaster tell me how wonderful he is. No offense meant to Patriots or Brady fans.






Yesterday instead of watching football, I couldn't get the Chiefs game and the Colts were losing at the time to the Vikings, I decided to spin for a while. I forget how much I really enjoy it. I started this bobbin.





And I finished this one. I am hoping to get some more spinning time in today between laundry and other household chores.

R is for

Rant.

If you don't want to hear about what is bugging me than this probably isn't the post for you.

The State of Minnesota's drivers license requirements. They need a certified copy of my marriage license for my driver's license. The state of Iowa and the US government agrees that I am married to my husband so why isn't the copy from the church when I got married good enough???????


Stupid drug dealers and people that make illegal drugs out of cold medicine. Due to weird Minnesota law from the drivers license I just have this piece of paper for my ID, it doesn't have a Minnesota ID number therefore I was unable to buy some Advil Cold and Sinus medicine for my husband who was going to use it for the purpose that it was intended. To get over his cold. I think it is great that they are monitoring don't get me wrong. I just hate that it has gotten that it has to be monitored hence the stupid drug dealers that are interrupting my life.

On the annoying side also, why is it when I think I have the laundry and dishes done they are all piled up again. Explain to me how five people make such messes so quickly.

Why do little boys think that spilling water all over the bathroom floor is neat?

Why do little girls think that the world will end if they don't get to wear a hair barrette in their hair????

Why do shirts not iron themselves????

Why do not beds make themselves????

And last but not least, why does the big chain store that I have to go to for groceries have to quit carrying things that I like.

Okay my rant is over now.

Today was a Good Day (although a little sad)!!!!!!!!

Lunches were made.



Two little girls went to school.





One little boy, ate pizza, cookies and played with his friends.














A little knitting was accomplished, along with dishes, cookie baking, pizza making, kid picking upping, and being a little sad as I realize that my little girls are getting so big. Someone needs to remind kindergarten teachers that it is hard on moms so the sappy stuff that makes us cry is hitting below the belt. Even though I do appreciate that they think of us.

Q is for

Quiet voice. That would be the one that I ignored while making this. I should have known that it was going to be too big when I put my arm through the sleeve and it was almost to my elbow and I wasn't even done decreasing the sleeve. I just kept knitting though. Knitters denial we have all heard of it. I did a gauge swatch, I washed the gauge swatch, and I got gauge. Yes they do lie but that is ok. I have since frogged this mess and I plan on reknitting. It will not get the best of me. I am looking forward to reknitting this for some reason even though towards the end I was wondering if I was ever going to finish it.



I think I might have a little chef on my hands. Buddy helped make salsa the other day with me. We started with 60 tomatoes and ended up with 7 pints of salsa, even though one of them is now in the process of being eaten since hubby opened it last night. It is the first batch that the husband says was hot enough. I have been trying for three years to get out of him. Yay me.

One Entry was Finished

Well after wasting precious Ravelympic time on a scarf that I didn't even have entered, I was able to finish one of my projects.






These are my Go USA socks.

Yarn Lorna's Laces in Liberty
Pattern Vertical Waffle from More Sensational Knitted Socks
Needles Hiya Hiya DPN's size 0
Started on August 13, 2008
Finished on August 24, 2008










Now that those are finished I can finish the other one for the sock on the right. I will hopefully get these done before the end of the week. I just realized that when I get the other sock for this pair done, I have three pairs of socks that I haven't even got to wear yet.


Want to know the sad part???? The scarf that I was working on still isn't done. Oh well.

P is for Produce

The produce is starting to come from the garden here at our house. I picked these a few days ago. I dried the jalapenos in the dehydrator and turned most of these tomatoes into salsa yesterday. I only got four pints but my DH loves it, even though I can never seem to get it hot enough.

I also want to say how proud of our Punkinbug I am. Yesterday she went and got 10.5 inches of her hair cut off. She donated it to Locks of Love. It was so amazing to see her ponytail gone. I asked if she was going to grow it out again and donate it and she said yes. Good Job Punkinbug.

O is for

Outdoor photo shoot.



Since we put all that work in on that swingset I thought it might make a good background for a photo shoot. This is some handspun of mine. I got this fiber at the Yarn Barn in Lawrence when I went on vacation in June. It is a Merino/Tencel blend and it wasn't as hard to spin as I thought it was going to be. I think it turned out pretty good. I have about 238 yards of this Navajo plied yarn.




Before Ravelympics started I started a pair of socks. I just finished closing the toe on the first one of these this morning. I am hoping to finish this pair before the end of August. It's mate will have to wait until Ravelympics is over since I have to get my Go USA socks done for the Sock Put.




This is the yarn for my Go USA Sock Put socks. It is Lorna's Laces in the Liberty colorway. I thought it would make good Olympic knitting. I have actually got these casted on and both are wound into balls for easier knitting so hopefully I will have progress to show in the next couple of days.





One more thing on the O post, does it mean that I am old now that Rick Springfield music is considered an Oldie. I rediscovered his Greatest Hits CD the other night in my collection and have been listening to the songs alot lately.

Off to listen to my iPod and knit.

Saturdays and Sundays are for Socks

I guess this weekend was for sock knitting. I was able to finish the California Dreamin' Clog socks. It was a pretty easy knit and I am happy with how they turned out.





Sock Specs
California Dreamin' Clog Socks
JKnits Supersock in North Carolina
Needles 0 Addi Turbos
Started July 2, 2008
Finished August 3, 2008






Since I got all but the toe sewed up on the other socks yesterday, I started the Six Sox Knitalong Sock that came out on Friday. I am using some Dream in Color Smooshy in Brouhaha that was a special edition colorway. I am using size 1 KnitPicks Options DPN"s. I am sure you were able to tell that by the picture. Those needles are wicked looking with a flash on the camera. Hoping to whip these out pretty quick.

N is for a NO Knitting Content Post

I am a little behind on the ABC along so I am going to try to catch up in the next week or so.

This is a NO knitting content post.

It is time for Sturgis. That means that the highway is home to a long string of Harley Davidson's going down the road. I went to Sioux Falls today and on my way home I counted 150 Harley's and 15 closed trailers, that I would put money on, that they were transporting the motorcycles. It always amazes me every year when this time of year rolls around that so many people just head to this town in nowhere S.D. to go to a party. It is always fun to look at the bikes though.

Have a great weekend.

Just Keep Knitting or Not

That is what I tell myself when I am getting worried that I have no idea what I am doing. I will admit that sweater knitting freaks me out just a little. I started that sleeve and noticed that if I kept knitting I would have sleeves that went passed my elbows and I didn't really want that. This is a Henley T-shirt pattern after all. I decided to stop a little shorter of where that pattern said to go. It also said or until you reach desired length so I went with that option. I think it is turning out okay so far. This is a picture of the first sleeve done. I also have the collar done so only the other sleeve and the neck opening placket are making me nervous at this point. Hopefully I will have it finished soon.




I am still working on the second of the North Carolina socks. I am in the process of turning the heel. I was actually working on it as I waited for the pictures in this post to upload to blogger. I should have these knocked out in the next few days.




"Sometimes watching Mom knit is just too much work. I think I am tired and will take a snooze." ----Little Buddy

M is for

for Marriage. DH and I celebrated 12 years of marriage a week ago Sunday. I am so blessed to have such a great friend and husband. He is the most amazing and sweet guy. I love him so much and I am so thankful that God brought us together. I am sure you are wondering why did she take a picture of a pair of shoes?? These were my anniversary gift. I had seen them at the store and he remembered. They are so comfy and go with just about anything. Thank you again dear, and I LOVE YOU.





I have FINALLY finished a sock for the Summer of Socks 2008. I am not having much luck in this department this year. I am shooting for finishing four pairs finished during the knitalong but it probably won't get done.



I have been trying to spin more often. This is the Bonkerz that I got on vacation. I am pretty close to being halfway done with it. I am planning to Navajo ply it and make a scarf or hat with it.




Saturday was the yearly parade here in our little town. Little Buddy had a great time seeing the fire trucks and tractors. We watched on the corner at our neighbors. The kids love getting candy and one group even hands out popsicles. It rained most of the day but cleared up in time for the parade.



Horse drawn hearse being driven by the neighbors across the street. Did I ever mention that I live across the street from a funeral home??? The theme is always Christmas in July so that is the reason his little boy is wearing a Santa hat.


Firetrucks




Tractors that Little Buddy noticed right away.

Recipe for Happy Kids

Would you like a recipe for happy kids???? Here you go.

Ingredients

Two wonderful grandparents (they financed this operation)
One Aunt and Uncle with a spoiled rotten dog (they helped put it together)
Mom and Dad (finished putting it together)
Three kids (got the easy part they play in it)



A total mess in a box.




More of a mess in the back of the truck



A little bit of teamwork.

Add some persistence from Mom and Dad (trust me there were times when I wanted to burn it this last week).







And you get three incredibly happy kids and a swingset.

I think I have a Winner!!!!

Socks and I have had a little difference of opinion as of late. Okay I realize that most of it is knitter's error on my part but it still tends to be frustrating. I have finally found a pattern that I like and that it is working so far. I tried it on over my ankle and it went over fine so I think this one is a GO. I like that it is not too boring and difficult at the same time. It is a perfect pattern so far for the crazy yarn that I like.





Another project came out of hiding today. I sat and knit four rows on the Secret of the Stole this afternoon. I am almost halfway through the sixth of nine clues so I am making myself a goal to finish before the end of September. I have another lace project that I want to cast on but I am not going to do it until this one is done.

I have been spinning on the Merino Tencel from the last post but not enough to show progress yet though. It is really pretty but a little trickier to spin than the Corriedale Cross I had been spinning. I need more time in the day.

Swingsets and Spinning

This week has been pretty busy. We got back from vacation on Tuesday and then my husband's family came in on Thursday for a short visit. My father in law was nice enough to buy the kids a swingset. They spent part of Thursday night and most of yesterday (okay they went and played golf about 4:00 yesterday afternoon) to put it together.

I will post the whole progress of it when it is all finished. My husband and I will have to finish it since they didn't get it done before they left. Maybe this little helper was a reason why it didn't get done but he sure enjoyed "Hewlping"




I have been spinning more than knitting lately. I actually haven't really had much time this week to do either but I spent alot of my vacation plying this together. It took FOREVER. I love spinning yarn fine but it sure takes a long time to ply together. I got about 390 yards of it and I really like it.




This will be my next spinning project. This is some Merino/Tencel I picked up on my vacation. I have never spun this fiber before so it should be interesting.




This is some roving that I dyed up before vacation. I am hoping to get to it soon but I have lots of spinning to do. I still need to find some projects for my handspun. I am just not sure what to do with them yet.

Summer

Summer of Socks and I are having a difference of opinion. I have cast three pairs of socks and all three have been frogged for various reasons. I am trying again though. I am casting on the California Dreamin' Clog Socks in the North Carolina colorway from JKnits. Hopefully this will work now.

We are back safe and sound from vacation. I went down a little south to visit friends and family. I had a good time. I am really missing my youngest daughter. She stayed a few more days with NaNa and PaPa. I am looking forward to seeing her tomorrow.

I have some beautiful spinning to show soon. I have finished plying the peachy/pink stuff that I showed in an earlier post. I ended up with about 390 yards of a fingering to lace weight. I am excited to find something to knit it into.