I'd Sooner be knitting

So sad today

2011-05-23T03:48:00.000-07:00

How ironic that my last post is about knitting hats for the men who helped my daughter move. Today I was asking my daughter if those men are all right.

I'm asking for prayers for Joplin, Missouri. My daughter lives there, and thanks to God, she is okay. Many of her friends have lost their homes and, so sadly, at least one friend lost her life. A theater where my daughter has performed was leveled; people were there cleaning up from their last performance, and, while they were in the basement, one lady lost her life and a young man is in serious condition with a head injury.

I am looking at pictures, and I can't even recognize places that I have been. The large Home Depot is a pile of twisted metal. The largest hospital is now not usable.

It's hard for me to imagine how Joplin will come back from this. So many businesses are gone; so many people will not have jobs or homes.

I'm not going to post pictures; I already hate looking at what used to be a thriving town.

So much for posting every month . . .

2010-12-26T15:51:00.000-08:00

I have been a terrible blogger this year.

Changes have been a problem, but mostly I have just procrastinated.

There has been knitting, but no pictures. I stopped all projects to make caps for the nice men who helped my daughter move. I have worked on my brother's socks, but I stopped working on the second sock during my divorce trauma, and now I can't remember how to do the twisted stitch and can't make the second sock look like the first one! Even the people in my knitting group can't make them look the same.

And now I need to get moving on yet another baby cardigan because my niece goes in for a C-section Thursday, and all I have is a bag of yarn. I'm not too worried because I bought cotton, and I am aiming for something she can wear in the spring, but I need to start.

There have also been some times when I just sit and stare into the flames in the wood stove and ponder life. There have been some trials in my family in the past few months, and I know they are not done, but this holiday season mostly what I can see is how blessed we all are.

So belated Merry Christmas and good wishes for the new year!

I Have Been Neglectful

2010-10-29T17:15:00.001-07:00

Wow - I have been a terrible blogger.

There has been knitting, but there also has been the start of school - a school year with several changes that have caused me to adapt and adjust.

I also made it to the Taos Wool Festival, but unfortunately I forgot to charge my camera batteries, so there are no pictures.

I did take a Harry Potter personality quiz (Meyers Briggs) with these results:

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Harry Potter Personality Quiz by Pirate Monkeys Inc.

Whole Lot of Things Going on

2010-08-06T09:13:00.000-07:00

Even though I haven't been posting, there have been things going on.

I finished the Baby DNA Model for my grand-niece. What a fun toy to make! I hope she enjoys it. Pattern is on ravelry.

Then the knitting group had a yarn dyeing day. I haven't photographed the yarn I dyed yet, but this is my first attempt at roving. I need to learn how to adjust my camera because this is really a bright turquoise, apple green, and dark purple. I learned a lot doing this because my intention was to have a light turquoise, yellow and lilac. I think I put at least 3 times too much dye in each bottle. However, we had fun, I learned a great deal, and I didn't felt my roving, so I think the day was a success.

Lastly, I took a fast trip to New Mexico with friends. We left very early on a Saturday to go to Santa Fe. We managed a lot of shopping in Santa Fe, then tried to eat at a hamburger place that Frommers put on their Top 10 Burger list, but there was a long wait. So we went on to Las Vegas and ate lunch at the Spick and Span. Then on to a friend's cabin (we are walking the trail in the picture). It was very rainy, so we didn't get to hike or fish, but we had a lot of fun playing games and eating junk food. We left the next morning, passed the alpaca ranch outside of Mora (wasn't open) and on to the raspberry ranch, back to Las Vegas for more Spick and Span and then home.

And so ends my summer vacation. I am spending the last few days finishing up all the deep cleaning I planned to do in June and finishing minor repair projects.

I think I had a successful summer. I had a couple of fun trips and got some minor repairs done. I pulled out all my yarn stash, cleaned it out and reorganized what was left. Yes, I gave some away and even threw some away (gasp!). I am nearly through with knitting books and magazines - will be giving some away and posting others to ravelry for destash.

Best of all, I had several rainy days this summer where I could just sit and look out the windows and knit - heaven!!

the Kindness of Strangers

2010-07-22T15:06:00.000-07:00

I am an independent soul. I don't "depend on the kindness of strangers." I really hate to ask for help.

However I was absolutely blown away today. I have had trouble with my mower, and a good friend (same one from a previous post) came over last night and fixed it again. It was too late to mow, and I spent most of today at my mom's house waiting for a plumber, so I was planning to get up and mow tomorrow.

I came home and my front yard was mowed!! I have no idea who did it, but I am doing some investigating mainly because I want to thank them and maybe take them some cherry jam.

But, how kind is that!

WWKIP

2010-06-20T06:33:00.000-07:00

I started this day with getting family to help me with a photo scavenger hunt for Sock Knitters Anonymous. I racked up points for non-knitters, children under 12 and animals. Thanks guys!

Then I met the knitting group at a local restaurant. We had planned to meet in a park, but the forecast was for high temperatures, so we opted for air conditioning and margaritas.

The group was kind enough to go with me to the Cadillac Ranch, so I could get a picture of my sock with an internationally recognized landmark - got 5 points for that!

It was a fun day. I didn't rack up enough points to win a prize, but I enjoyed planning the pictures and have some ideas for next year.

Showers of Blessings

2010-06-12T06:58:00.001-07:00

I've had a frustrating start to my summer. I was taking my dog to the kennel, getting ready to leave town when my car started overheating. I zipped to the car repair place where they thought it was just a water pump, but it turned out I needed a new head gasket and a water pump and . . .

Then my sister offered me her car, so I could take my trip anyway. What a relief!!

Then I came home and couldn't get my mower to start. The husband of a lady in my knitting group looked at it, and I did what he said, but it still wouldn't start. So, a good friend came and worked on it last night, got it working, and then insisted on mowing some for me. Again, what a relief!

So, I didn't have to buy a new mower, and the repairs to the car actually came to a little less than the original quote (although ironically it was only a few hundred over what I will earn at my summer job - like they knew what I would be making.). I take this a lesson to me to have some faith! I have been blessed beyond measure with family and friends that are willing to help, and I know that when things happen, a way to work them out will come clear.

I have told them all in person, but one more time - Thank you so much!!!

Reflections on a School Year

2010-06-11T05:53:00.000-07:00

No knitting content - at least no pictures.

I listened to my district's high school baseball team play in the state finals yesterday. They lost, but still what an accomplishment.

My district has only had a high school for 6 years. During those 6 years, the volleyball team won state twice, the football team went to state finals, and now the baseball team has gone to state finals. We have had three athletes go to Division I schools, and many more get scholarships to smaller schools.

Our academic standards are high also. This year it looks like we may be an exemplary district, and for sure the middle school where I teach will be exemplary. I take that with a little bit of skepticism since the rating is based a great deal on state testing scores, and I believe the state testing is just on a basic level. However, I did have 66% of my students score at the commended level on the Reading test - the highest level I have had.

So, I am bragging. I am proud of what our students have accomplished, and I am proud of the people with whom I teach who have helped these students excell. We are a small district although we have grown immensely since the high school was built. When I started at the district 20 years ago, there were 225 students in K-8. Now we are over 1,000 and are completing additions at every campus to accomodate the increased numbers.

So - woo hoo to us!!

Good Contest - Good Cause

2010-05-06T16:39:00.001-07:00

Just saw a contest listed on ravelry whose cause is near to my heart. Go to

http://www.knittypitty.blogspot.com

for a raffle of Golding spindles, Namaste bags, Sundara yarn and more. Just donate $5 to American Animal Rescue Society for a chance to win one of these. There is a link on the blog, although you must use Paypal to donate.

I have 6 cats rescued mostly as strays, and one dog from a shelter. Of course, my daughter has 9 (!!!) cats and 2 dogs, all rescues.

Top 100 Childrens' Books - How Many Have You Read?

2010-04-26T19:02:00.000-07:00

From School Library - Top 100 Childrens' Books via KnitNTeach's blog

I have read all but 13. I plan to look for 12 of them, but I will not read Where the Red Fern Grows. I don't read "dead dog" books if I can avoid them

#1 Charlotte's Web by E.B. White
#2 A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
#3 Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
#4 The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
#5 From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg
#6 Holes by Louis Sachar
#7 The Giver by Lois Lowry
#8 The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
#9 Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
#10 The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
#11 The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin
#12 The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
#13 Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
#14 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling
#15 Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
#16 Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh
#17 Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli
#18 Matilda by Roald Dahl
#19 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
#20 Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt
#21 Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riodan
Haven't read #22 The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup, and a Spool of Thread by Kate DiCamillo
#23 Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder
#24 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
#25 Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
#26 Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
#27 A Little Princess by Francis Hodgson Burnett
#28 Winnie-the Pooh by A.A. Milne
#29 Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland /Alice Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll
#30 The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper
#31 Half Magic by Edward Eager
#32 Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O'Brien
#33 James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
#34 Watsons Go to Birmingham, 1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis
#35 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire JK Rowling
#36 Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume
Haven't read #37 Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred Taylor
#38 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
Haven't read #39 When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
#40 The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
#41 The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare
#42 Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder
#43 Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary
#44 Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume
#45 The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
Haven't read #46 Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls
Haven't read #47 Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis
Haven't read #48 The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits and a Very Interesting Boy by Jeanne Birdsall
#49 Frindle by Andrew Clements
#50 Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell
#51 The Saturdays by Elizabeth Enright
Haven't read #52 The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
#53 Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
#54 The BFG by Roald Dahl
#55 The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson
#56 Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
#57 Ramona Quimby, Age 8 by Beverly Cleary
#58 The Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken
#59 Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
#60 The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi
#61 Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli
#62 The Secret of the Old Clock (The Nancy Drew mysteries) by Caroline Keene
#63 Gone-Away Lake by Elizabeth Enright
#64 A Long Way from Chicago by Richard Peck
#65 Ballet Shoes by Noah Streatfeild
#66 Henry Huggins by Beverly Cleary
#67 Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher by Bruce Coville
#68 Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech
#69 The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart
#70 Betsy Tacy by Maud Hart Lovelace
#71 A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket
Haven't read #72 My Father's Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett
#73 My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George
#74 The Borrowers by Mary Norton
#75 Love That Dog by Sharon Creech
#76 Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse
#77 City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau
#78 Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes
#79 All-of-a-Kind Family by Sydney Taylor
Haven't read #80 The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Haven't read #81 Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin
#82 The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander
Haven't read #83 The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner
#84 Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge
#85 On the Banks of Plum Creek by Laura Ingalls Wilder
#86 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
#87 The View from Saturday by E. L. Konigsburg
#88 The High King by Lloyd Alexander
#89 Ramona and her Father by Beverly Cleary
#90 Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan
#91 Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar
#92 Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
#93 Caddie Woodlawn by C. R. Brink
#94 Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome
#95 Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren
#96 The Witches by Roald Dahl
Haven't read #97: The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo
#98 Children of Green Knowe by L.M. Boston
#99 The Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks
#100 The Egypt Game by Zilpha Keatley Snyder

And There is a Winner!!

2010-04-15T14:36:00.000-07:00

This was a somewhat low tech drawing because I only had three people donate in the yarn raffle. So, I put their initials on paper - one piece of paper for each $2.00 donated - put them all in a bowl, shook it up, and drew one out.

You can see by the "J" that Panhandle Jane won! I will message you on ravelry to get your address and will get your beautiful yarn on its way to you.

Thanks so much to all who donated! I more than made my goal, but better yet, we all are helping fund research for a cure for MS.

Now I have to go find my rain coat. The forecast for Saturday is for thunderstorms. I was optimistic and bought some orange framed sunglasses last week for the walk.

Wollmeise Raffle

2010-03-30T15:57:00.000-07:00

I need some help! I will be doing an MS Walk on April 17th as part of the team Siblings Against Multiple Sclerosis.

One of the siblings, Shay, is a member of my knitting group. We have more than knitting in common - we are both avid readers, and we had the same HS English teacher albeit many years apart.

I need to kickstart my pledge, so I am putting up a skein of Wollmeise Twin for raffle. It is the Rotkappchen colorway - 80% Merino Superwash/20% handgefarbt (?); 510 yards.

For every $2.00 donated, you will have one chance at winning this yarn. For example, if you donate $10, your name goes into a random draw 5 times. When you use the link below, your name and the amount donated is automatically listed. I will also need an email address, so I can notify the winner.

I will close this and draw for a winner on April 14th. Then this beautiful red yarn will be sent off to its new home!

http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/englishtch

This is the link to my page for the walk. You can use this to make a donation.

Thanks for the help!

There HAS Been Knitting . . .

2009-12-22T12:51:00.000-08:00

I was shocked when I saw that my last post was from August. I have been really busy with the new school year, and I have spent a lot of time with friends who have been having difficulties, but I sure thought I had posted at least once.

Anyway, there has been knitting. These are Kristen Kapur's Socktober mystery knitalong socks. I love the pattern, but next time I will use a solid so the pattern shows better.

And, I have a new great niece born the end of June - Margaret Ruby. She lives in the south, so I found some nice cotton yarn, Sublime Organic Cotton. The only problem with this cardigan was that I had to use a provisional cast on, which I have never done. I am so grateful for my knitting group - Heather Lyn, a great teacher, showed me how to do the cast on, and the rest was easy. This is the Chevron Cardigan from Nashua's book, Bloom.
I also loved the ruffle edged cardigan from the same pattern book, so I made it in KnitPicks Swish. While I got gauge, I'm not sure I like the way the fabric turned out, but it is not horrible, so I am sending it along also.

I have one more Rose Red beret to finish and a pair of Reader's Mitts for a colleague who will get them when we go back to school, and then I can move on to some other things.

My resolution for this year is to finish some things that have been hiding in my closet (although these have been on my "resolve to finish" list for the last couple of years. I have half a Rogue Hoody done, and 2/3 of an Audrey, both for my daugher, and I am determined to finish them.

If I have any readers, I hope you have a great holiday season and a wonderful start to the new year.

Ta Dah!!

2009-08-10T12:54:00.001-07:00

I have a wheel!

It spins properly (I think). I haven't had the courage to actually put any fiber into it yet, but I have practiced treadling - managed to scare a cat with that.

Maybe tonight I will try some fiber. I have some roving that I bought in Taos a couple of years ago - didn't really like the color, but I wanted to practice on my spindle, and it was inexpensive. Well, I really don't like spindling. I think I am going to like spinning on a wheel though because it feels so comfortable to treadle. May be a different story with fiber in it, but I hope not. I have been very inspired by the pictures on ravelry of fleece to project.

This was relatively easy to put together except for my mistakes and one small problem with a messed up locking nut. I made a quick trip to the hardware store and got that taken care of. However, after I got the wheel on, I realized I had bolted on the sidebars upside down. So, I took them off while holding the wheel upright and reversed them. That led to some difficulty in lining everything back up properly, but I managed.

Anyway, fun to do already. I didn't even take time to put away the drop cloth. I just had to try it out!

New Model

2009-08-09T11:09:00.000-07:00

The newest model for my knits - great-nephew Michael! He is very cooperative especially when cookies are involved (hence the crumbs on the mouth. Too bad pink is not his color.

2009-08-08T07:45:00.000-07:00

First of all I have a finished project! Long trail to this pattern - I had been listening to knitting podcasts and was attracted to Knitter with critters because I have cats. I wasn't altogether impressed with the podcast, but I looked at her projects on her blog and saw the Rose Red beret by Ysolda Teague. My daughter wanted a slouchy beret, and this seemed perfect. What an easy pattern! I started it Saturday, Aug. 1st, finished it Wednesday, Aug. 5th. I also drove 500 miles home in that time period. In the picture it is blocking over a plate (the red spots are the cherries on the plate) because I thought it looked too small. I am hunting for a model to pose with this on and will post another picture when I find one. I used Sublime's merino/silk/cashmere blend. I can't remember exactly what it is called, and I threw the labels away. I made the smallest size, but next time (I already have yarn for another) I will make the medium. This is tight on my head!

Secondly, I have finally gotten finish on my wheel. I ordered this early in July, but because of teaching and traveling, I had not gotten a finish on it. I had intended to put it together this morning, but when I opened the hardware package, I found two tension knobs that also had to be finished. So, when they are dry, I will get this together and post pictures. It is an Ashford Traditional, and I finished it with two coats of Danish oil. I am going to go look for some wax today also, just for extra protection. Just as it is though, isn't this beautiful wood!

Anyway fun stuff! I have to get the wheel together soon because I go back to school Wednesday. Actually I have to go back Monday because I was asked Friday to put together a two hour inservice presentation for Thursday, and I need to prepare. I really want to try spinning though. I found a beginning spinners group on ravelry and have been drooling over the pictures of fleece to finished project.

Oh well, all things considered, summer has been pretty good. I thought it would be tough since this is my first summer alone, but good friends and family have made it easier.

Woo-Hoo! Finished a Knit-a-Long

2009-07-15T13:38:00.001-07:00

Hedgrow Mitts - started June 15th and finished July 14th. Dream in Color Starry in Blue Lagoon. I used size 1 DPN for the first mitt, but the Harmony circulars I ordered came in, so I used those for the second. I really like Magic Loop!

I love the shaping on these mitts. I think they are too long for me though. Good that these are for my daughter who has long slender hands. I'm going to make myself a pair although I am thinking about a different yarn.

But - mission accomplished. I joined a KAL and actually finished - a new experience for me.

Next up is a very old WIP - Rogue Hoody which I have been working on (or ignoring) for at least 4 years. I have set up a carrot - I bought some gorgeous lace weight for the Evergreen stole that I want to wear to symphony this year, but I am not allowing myself to touch it until I finish Rogue. I will see if I have any self discipline - well actually if I had any self discipline, Rogue would have been finished already. Anyway, I have done the body up to the arm openings, and I have started both sleeves, so there is not much left.

How could I forget??

2009-07-11T08:11:00.000-07:00

I don't finish that many projects, but I had forgotten to post about this one. My screensaver is a slideshow of my pictures, and this happened to come up. I don't want to look like a total knitting slug, so here it is - I really do finish some things!

The picture doesn't show how this fits, but I made it for the child of someone I don't really know at the request of a family member, and so I didn't get to see it on the actual child. The pattern is from sweaterbabe. The front has almost an empire waistline and the cabled part is gathered at the top. The raglan increases also have a sort of lace look because there are YO before and after each increase. I hadn't put buttons on yet because I wanted the person who requested this to pick the buttons.

This was an easy, fast knit - top down construction is the best! I have filed this pattern in my "make again" folder. I think next time I will put a lace panel instead of the cable.

I made this in Lion Brand Wool, and I think it took two skeins.

I also finished a lace panel scarf in some odd yarn I bought several years ago - plies of different pink ribbon with lumps of metallic pink and silver. It went to a 5 year old - daughter of one of my daughter's friends. However, I totally forgot to take a picture.

All right - back to Hedgerow. I am nearly to dividing for the thumb one the second mitt.

Hedgerow #2

2009-07-05T04:43:00.001-07:00

There has been progress! I finished the first mitt a few days ago. I really like the fit except for the length. These are for my daughter who has long hands, so they should be fine. When I make the pair for me, I will shorten them.

I have made some progress on the second mitt also. It has been hot where I live - I don't deal well with heat, so there have been some naps instead of knitting. However, I have to get over that because I told my daughter I would finish at least one of the sweaters that have been languishing in my closet for more years than I want to admit. I really like the yarn I have been using for these - Dream in Color Starry in Blue Lagoon. It's not the softest, but I love the color.

Hedgerow Knitalong

2009-06-19T06:02:00.000-07:00

I have joined my first knitalong - the Hedgerow fingerless mitts that a group from Knitters Review is doing. I think the attraction for me was the justification to buy some of the Dream in Color Starry I have been eyeing. This is Blue Lagoon, and there is enough to make a pair for my daughter and a pair for me.

This is the progress at the end of Day One, although I have to admit there is not much more. I am to the point of dividing for the thumb. I truly enjoy this pattern - it is easy to memorize and I like the look of it. However, I have another project that has to be finished - a stole in Homespun for someone in a nursing home - so I have to put these aside for a few days.

On another note, I picked up friends at the airport who had been on a Baltic cruise, and they surprised me with this - a skein of wool from a shop in Tallin, Estonia. It is locally produced wool and has a very interesting feel. Of course, I can't read the label, but I'm pretty sure there is some lanolin left as this has a somewhat lotiony feel. With 200 grams of a natural colored wool, I am thinking about making mittens. I thought this was a great gift from a non-knitter!

WWKIP 2009 in the Texas Panhandle

2009-06-13T15:49:00.000-07:00

This was a very different WWKIP than I experienced last year when I was vacationing in Seattle, but there are very few knitters here where I live, and we aren't very organized. Not having an active LYS makes a difference. However, there is a group, and today was my first time to meet these great ladies. We met in one of the local parks (all 5 of us) and knitted and talked and snacked.

The really creative one decided to make and leave some knitted graffiti, so the tree has a striped sleeve.

I had a great time and got to know some wonderful knitters. I have high hopes for more meetings and more talk about projects and yarn and food and . . . .

Teacher Appreciation Week

2009-05-15T16:26:00.000-07:00

Does it seem like the picture and the caption don't go together??

My school's PTO scheduled a week of events for teachers including hiring a "toe nail artist". I decided to at least try it. I made it through the week with polka dots, but right after I got the picture, I got out the remover. I have a week of training coming up and somehow polka dots on my toe nails just doesn't seem very professional.

The best thing is 4 days of training gets me out of school. When I get back, I have 5 days left with my students. This has been a good school year though - for the most part these students have worked and been pleasant to deal with. It doesn't hurt that they all passed the state reading test!

I have plans for knitting for the next week, so maybe some actual knitting content for the next post.

The Crew

2009-05-04T16:19:00.000-07:00

Since I don't have any knitting to show, and I wanted to post at least once a month, I decided to share pictures of my buddies.
This is the Kittyboy (terrible name I know - long story) who is the most important cat. He arrived in my back yard early one morning. My dogs chased a tiny kitten up the fence, but when I put up my hands to him, he stepped down right into my hands as if he were home. He pretty much rules this house - I get up early every morning to get him wet food for breakfast. I don't have a solo picture of Alice. She is the oldest and the crabbiest, and this is what she does most of the day.

This is Agatha. She arrived when a friend's mother-in-law had to go to a nursing home. The friend is definitely not a cat person, so Agatha moved in with me. She has to be one of the blandest cats I have ever been around.

I have posted about Kate earlier. She came wandering out of the woodpile one Thanksgiving. She is such a funny cat. She makes a lot of noise but seldom opens her mouth - so not meows but more like muttering. She stomps through the house like a little bulldog and torments the other cats.And lastly, Oscar. He doesn't actually live with me - he lives with my daughter who thinks he is her cat, but I try every time I visit to bring him home with me. He is such a sweet cat. Actually it is probably better for him to not be with me because Kate would make his life miserable.

I'm not quite a crazy cat lady, but I certainly enjoy this crew.

Texas Spring

2009-03-28T07:53:00.000-07:00

Typical of the Texas panhandle - 70 degrees on Thursday and then this blew in during the night. It snowed most of the day Friday. I think every school in the area was closed along with many offices and stores, mainly because of the 50 mph winds blowing the snow everywhere. These pictures are from Saturday morning. Unfortunately my firewood is under this drift!

Here is some irony. My lilac bush leafed out and starting buds - behind this 3 foot drift!

Has it really been two months since I blogged??

2009-03-16T14:41:00.000-07:00

I haven't totally dropped off the face of the earth nor have I stopped knitting. Unfortunately I have found that there are definite peaks and valleys in this divorce experience, and I have been struggling through a valley where I found it hard to concentrate and get anything done. I'm climbing back up and have some knitting to show.

This is one of the socks done with the yarn I dyed at Gourmet Yarns sock dyeing workshop back in September. The odd thing is the striping. The first time I dyed sock yarn, I very carefully measured and dyed it specifically to get nice stripes. For this, I just put the hank of yarn in the container and blobbed on dye. Voila - stripes - at least sort of stripes.

I like this yarn even though I picked up the wrong dye container and put way more blue into it than I meant to. Blue is just not my favorite, and I really wanted more gray. I learned a lot though, and now I have a list of dye that I want and a plan for some colorways to try out this summer when I have more time. At least theoretically I will have more time. I will be out of school, but I already have a summer job lined up. I'm taking the kid to New York City for her birthday, so I will need the extra cash.

Of course, I would have more cash if I could ignore things like this. But who could resist a ball winder for only $20?? Certainly not me!

I saw this mentioned on Ravelry - KnitPicks new ball winder. I haven't tried it yet, but that is my plan for this evening. I have a lot of sock yarn that needs to be wound, and this should make the process go way faster.

I need the extra time. I have a baby sweater that is again down to the sleeves that needs to be finished soon - due date is April 23. I have another one started that is going to be for next fall, but I have two more sets of yarn and new patterns for my niece's first - due in June. Those two are cotton because she lives in the South, and I am always slower with cotton, so I need to get with it. I have a week of training coming up in May in Austin, so maybe I'll get some knitting time then - I hate driving around in Austin, so I will probably stick around the hotel.

My new motto - onward and upward!

Swaps are Great!

2009-01-17T07:19:00.000-08:00

Wow - this was a great swap! I have never participated in one where my swapper put together a themed package.

This was within the group of knitters who read mysteries from Ravelry. The theme of this package was chocolate covered cherries, so the mystery is Murder of a Chocolate Covered Cherry by Denise Swanson. Also included was two patterns and the yarn for each - Cherry Blossom socks and a Cherry Blossom hat. Also a box of delicious Cherry Supremes and the Knitting Pattern a Day calendar.

I have already finished the book and now I'll be going to the library for more Scumble River books - it was a fun read. I found a stack of patterns in the calendar that I bookmarked, and I am trying to clear my sock needles so I can start a pair for me. I love the pink and gray cotton yarn! And I have already cast on the blue and brown yarn although I'm making another baby cardigan - this will be perfect for my colleague's new grandson.

Thanks danaew!

A Boon

2009-01-11T12:00:00.000-08:00

This makes the knitting time worthwhile.

I certainly enjoy knitting - it is my main source of entertainment (besides books), but it is such a boon to be able to see someone else enjoying the results of my entertainment.

One More Finished!!

2008-12-30T15:58:00.000-08:00

I have been dithering around with the sleeves and bands on this one for several months now. I finally just sat down and finished! What a relief!

I love knitting with this yarn - Patons SWS. However, Michaels now has it on 75% off, so I am afraid it is discontinued. Just in case, I ran in and grabbed 3 more skeins to try an entrelac scarf sometime in the future.

Just a Silly Meme

2008-12-30T14:49:00.000-08:00

I saw this meme on Addicted to Knitting, and I thought it might be fun. Here goes:

1. Were you named after anyone?
Not that I know of. My mother really wanted simple names because she hated her names so much. She wanted to name my sister and me Melissa and Melinda, but my dad talked her into Michelle and Melanie.

2. When was the last time you cried? That's a hard question. If you have read previous posts, you will know I am dealing with a tough time right now. Crying is a daily thing, although getting better all the time.

3. Do you like your handwriting?
No - I am a product of the 60's when handwriting was not pushed in school. When I was working on my teaching certificate, I had a teacher who gave handwriting (on a chalkboard) tests. I worked for over an hour and finally failed all together.

4. What is your favorite lunch meat?
I love maple turkey. My indulgence however is liver cheese which I eat maybe twice a year. That was my dad's favorite.

5. Do you have kids?
I have one daughter and son-in-law - they are the center of my life!

6. If you were another person, would you be friends with you?
I think so. Over the last couple of months I have received a great deal of support and encouragement, some from people I haven't seen for several years, so I guess I am a good friend. I would like to have a friend who loves books and knitting just as much as I do.

7. Do you use sarcasm a lot?
Absolutely - it is one of my greatest skills. :)

8. Do you still have your tonsils?
Yes - I have been blessed with good health for the most part. I have only been in a hospital three times, once for childbirth.

9. Would you bungee jump?
My first reaction is absolutely not, but I have tried some things that really scared me over the years and was glad I tried. I am terrified of heights, but I have managed rappelling several times.

10. What is your favorite breakfast cereal?
I seldom eat breakfast because I much prefer to sleep a few minutes more, but when I do eat cereal, Raisin Bran with extra raisins.

11. Do you untie your shoes when you take them off?
Always.

12. Do you think you are strong?
I KNOW I am strong!

13. What is your favorite ice cream?
I love ice cream, so there are several: Blue Bell's Cinnamon or Mocha Turtle Fudge or Peaches and Cream; Ben and Jerry's Cherries Garcia

14. What is the first thing you notice about people?
I look at eyes first, and then I look at hands. I am drawn to people with long slender fingers.

15. Pink or red?
Both. I like deep blue reds - don't like fiery orangey reds.

16. What is your least favorite thing about yourself?
That's a hard one. I don't like that I cry easily. I don't like myself when I back down to avoid conflict.

17. Who do you miss the most?
I miss my dad, I miss my father-in-law.

18. Do you want everyone to do this?
Anyone who wants to. I was intrigued by the mixture of trivial and deep questions.

19. What color shoes are you wearing?
Red house shoes. It's the holidays!!

20. What was the last thing you ate?
A chocolate dipped peppermint stick. Again - it is the holidays!

21. What are you listening to right now?
A purring cat. I have a fleece bed that they all love so much that they start purring as soon as they set foot in it.

22. If you were a crayon, what color would you be?
My favorites as a kid were always Pine green and dark red, so I guess those.

Anyway, this was fun to do - silly but fun.

Merry Christmas to all

2008-12-24T04:00:00.000-08:00

I have learned this year how valuable family and friends are. I have learned to appreciate them and let them know how much I appreciate them because I have also learned how impermanent people can be. I have also learned that I can have friends that I have not actually met face to face - through the wonders of blogging. Thank you for the comments - they have helped me greatly.

So, my Christmas wish is for others to have time with those that are important to them.

I get to see these two in just a few hours, so I get my wish for myself!

Warm ears for babies

2008-12-14T13:56:00.000-08:00

I didn't get a picture of the first one, but here are the next three baby earflap hats. I used the Sherlock hat pattern from Zoe Moeller's Head to Toe Knits and used Patons Classic Wool. These are so easy to make - I could finish one in 2-3 evenings of television watching. However, I will knit the next ones in the round and eliminate the back seam. All my size 8 circulars are in other projects, or I would have done that with these - I hate sewing seams!

Knitting Can Heal

2008-11-15T06:04:00.000-08:00

This is an insight for me; I know there are probably thousands who have already discovered this.

Being dumped is a devastating experience. I have been blessed to have family and friends who have been incredibly supportive - to the point that I have felt wrapped in a warm blanket. However, the reality is that this experience caused me to feel worthless. I was not able to knit because a) I saw no purpose in it; b) I couldn't concentrate; c) I didn't have the energy to pick up needles.

Then one of my daughter's coworkers asked her if I might knit her baby a hat. I had knitted a sweater for her baby when he was born. I am a sucker for baby stuff, and I had a pattern that seemed perfect. The mother loves the movie, Christmas Story, and wanted a hat like Ralphie's. I had a pattern called the Sherlock hat that has a front flap that buttons up and earflaps, so I tried it. I loved the way it turned out and so did the mother. (I hope to have pictures later.)

Then a colleague told me about her friend's son in Afghanistan and how cold it was getting. I had knitted helmet liners a couple of years ago, and I had gotten some yarn at the Gourmet Yarn in Oklahoma City - it must have been meant! So, now I am about 3/4 through with a helmet liner.

I had knitted sweaters for a friend's daughter's child, and had started one for her new baby but had put it aside. The friend mentioned that the two sweaters (they match) would make a good picture, so I pulled it out again. All I need to do is finish the sleeves and do the neck and front bands. So, I am working on that again.

It is really cold where I live this morning, so I pulled on a pair of socks - the ones I knitted while in Portland and Seattle. I found myself sitting and admiring them which is what led to this post. I realized that I have a lot to contribute to a lot of people. My husband may no longer want to be with me, but I have others that do. And I have talents and skills! And I'm not a bad person!

So, no more posts about depressing junk! I am moving on and moving back to knitting!

No Knitting, Nothing Good

2008-09-01T17:38:00.000-07:00

My husband of 29 years came home a week ago and told me he was moving out - told me he was divorcing me.

So right now knitting doesn't seem very important any more. I don't know when I'll be back here.

What a wedding!

2008-08-10T07:36:00.000-07:00

My husband and I traveled to a family wedding this weekend. The groom is a cousin that I don't know that well, but we always support family! And, I am so glad we did.

I love weddings that portray the personalities of the bride and groom and you can see from the picture above that this one really did. The groom is on the right. The mannequin with the picture wired to it is his brother who could not be there. The pirate? Well, I am guessing he is a friend.

How many weddings have groomsmen in kilts with swords and a pirate??

I LOVE swaps

2008-07-31T10:36:00.001-07:00

This one was particularly nice because it was between teachers who are knitters. So, my sender gave me bookmarks and notecards which are great in the classroom. However, she also sent me neat things just for me such as coffee, chocolate covered hazelnuts, marionberry jam, a new mystery novel and of course great yarn. She also sent lots of booklets about Oregon - I loved Portland when I visited in June, and now I really want to go back.

Isn't the yarn pretty? I used Homespun to make a prayer shawl for a colleague and had many compliments.

I hope my swappee is as happy as I am!

Mice in the House!!

2008-07-28T06:31:00.000-07:00

Can you tell I'm an ADD knitter? With two baby sweaters to finish, and at least 5 socks on needles, I make mice!

These were such fun to make though. I got to use up some leftovers, and these were amazingly quick to knit. I timed one; it took me approximately 45 minutes to finish the knitting. Of course then I had to felt them, stuff them (including catnip) and sew them up. That was easy except for fighting off my cats while I stuffed them.

The pattern is in a book, Kitty Knits. I found at least 3 other projects in there to put on my list.

It helps to have appreciative recepients. This is Kate who appears somewhat wasted after half an hour of rolling, rubbing and biting her mouse.

This may look like a lot of mice, but my extended family are all cat lovers. In fact, four mice have already been delivered to other homes, and most of the ones left will be going to my daughter's home - she has eight indoor cats!

Now back to the baby sweaters and socks. I have to get some of these finished because I go back to school in three weeks!

Socks and yet more sock yarn

2008-07-01T14:34:00.000-07:00

I have gotten some knitting done. These are my trip socks from Chameleon Colorworks Lichen colorway. The pattern is something I found in a stitch dictionary - no name.

I also started another pair in a twilled rib. I can't remember this yarn, and I can't find the label anymore. I messed up and made this a little tight for me, so if my daughter doesn't want them, I'll frog them and try something else.

I have always loved color, but somehow the colors in sock yarns can just knock me over. Here are the latest ones that I just had to have.

From left to right: Fresh Yarns Adirondack Memories (etsy shop) - Fall is my favorite season and this makes me long for football and the fair and soup and the smell of fallen leaves.

Tanis Fiber Arts Shadow colorway. I found this at Beehive Wools in Victoria, B.C. I love finding local (more or less) yarn when I travel. You can't see the shades of greens and blues in the gray in the picture.

Tempted Glam Grrl in Roxanne colorway - I have been trying to get this at Loopy Ewe for several weeks and finally got one. You can't see the sparkle of the silver fibers, but they are there.

Arucania in Ranco colorway. I found this at Beehive also. I seldom buy any yarn in blue, but this has such a beautiful play from different shades of blue to purples.

J Knits in AC 142 colorway. This seemed so preppy somehow with the pinks and grays. These will be great spring socks.

And so, despite three boxes of sock yarn already in the closet, I yield to the call of color. Maybe I'll just leave it all in baskets around the house and enjoy the view!

And 51!!

2008-06-27T19:08:00.000-07:00

49. Winter Study by Nevada Barr. I love the Anna Pigeon books although they are much darker than I usually read. This one had a good mystery that kept me guessing nearly to the end. I enjoyed the setting, Isle Royale in January, and enjoyed the wolf element.

50. Buried Bones and 51. Splintered Bones both by Carolyn Haines. I enjoyed the first two I read and these were also good. Buried Bones had an intriguing premise, a formerly prominent author now forgotten who was planning his tell-all memoirs is murdered; this sounds trite but this author makes it fresh.

I'm going to have to take a break now and get some knitting done. I have two socks and one new pair to do and two baby sweaters to finish.

Nearly to 50!

2008-06-26T12:05:00.001-07:00

42. Waiting for Ms. Chips by Dorothy Cannell. This is one of her Ellie Haskell series. I loved the first, liked most of the rest, but this one was really dull. She hammered on one joke about schoolgirl books until it was just annoying.

43. The Thai Amulet and 44. The Moai Murders both by Lyn Hamilton. The protagonist in this series has an antique shop in Toronto. These books all involve her travels to find stock for her store, so readers get some interesting descriptions of unusual places.

45. Crossed Bones and 46. Bones to Pick by Carolyn Haines. I found a reference to this author on Ravelry, and I am glad. I enjoyed these mysteries set in the Mississippi delta with interesting characters. I especially enjoyed Crossed Bones which dealt with blues musicians.

47. Still Life by Louise Penny. This mystery series set in Quebec has one of the most engaging detectives I read in a long time. Quite a bit of philosophical musing and varied, entertaining characters. I'll be looking for the other two in the library soon.

48. The Serpent's Trail by Sue Henry. The protagonist in this series is Maxie, a retired widow who travels from Alaska in her Winnebago with her miniature dachshund, Stretch. The characters were well written, but I found myself skipping long pages of travel description. Unusual because I usually like description but these sounded more like travel guides to me. Interesting mystery though.

Now, if the library has the rest of the Carolyn Haines and Louise Penny books, I will pass the 50 book mark in a couple of days!

I Love Traveling!

2008-06-19T05:52:00.000-07:00

I also love being a teacher with the summer free for travel - if the finances were just there.

This time we flew from Albuquerque to Portland, spent a few days there, took a train to Seattle, spent a few days there including one day where we took a ferry to Victoria, B.C., and then back home.

Loved Portland especially the Rose Garden and Japanese Garden. We found it to be an easy city to get around in with great public transportation. It also has amazing restaurants. We celebrated our 29th anniversary with dinner at Serrato - they were nice enough to bring us champagne!

We went whale watching in Victoria. Last year I couldn't get enough of watching the humpbacks off the Alaskan coast; this year we watched orcas in the Juan de Fuca Strait. They are certainly faster than humpbacks, so I have no good pictures. However, we did get to see something that the naturalist said only happens a few times each summer. We were watching random dorsal fins over a large area when they started turning and going in the same direction. She came out and said the captain had gotten a radio message that said apparently the three pods that stay in the Strait were going to meet. She said they think it might be an especially large concentration of salmon. Anyway, we took off quickly and got to a place where we could see dorsal fins starting to converge. The naturalist said the orcas got excited when they met up, and we began to see whales breaching, doing spy hops, etc. It was amazing to watch.

I also got to mark WWKIP by meeting the Capitol Hill Knitters in the Olympic Sculpture Park in Seattle. They were so nice to a transient knitter! They made me feel so welcomed, included me in their raffle, and were just generally kind. I loved the looks on the faces of people passing by.

So, now that vacation is over, back to working on the house. We have to replace a faucet out in the yard, so I have holes to dig.

And Yet More Books

2008-06-05T06:02:00.000-07:00

36. The Weaver and the Factory Maid, 37. The Famous Flower of Serving Men, 38. Matty Groves, 39. Cruel Sister, 40. New-Slain Knight by Deborah Grabien. This series all have Ringan Laine, a folklorist and musician and his significant other, Penny who runs a traveling thespian group in England. In the first book, Ringan acquires a life tenancy in an old cottage but he and Penny both experience odd sounds and visions, all associated with a song that Ringan's band performs. They research the history of the cottage and find that the song is a sort of twisted version of an actual event at the cottage. The rest of the books in the series are all along the same lines, with variations - they have an experience with ghosts associated with a folk song and must find a way for the ghost to rest. While that may sound repetitive, actually I found the writing and variations to be strong enough to hold my interest. I also enjoyed the fact that the characters also began to protest the repetitiveness! I especially enjoyed the British history and now have some notes on topics I want to research further.

41. Antiques to Die For by Jane K. Cleland. A pretty typical mystery with some information about antiques thrown in. I am a huge fan of Antique Road Show, so I enjoyed that part, and I did like the characters, but this was a somewhat forgettable book overall. I did like it enough that I will look for the first by this author.

Now I am caught up with the reading list!

More Books

2008-06-03T19:10:00.000-07:00

22. Miss Julia Speaks Her Mind, 23. Miss Julia Throws a Wedding, 24. Miss Julia Hits the Road, 25. Miss Julia Meets Her Match, 26. Miss Julia's School of Beauty, 27. Miss Julia Strikes Back all by Ann B. Ross. I'm not sure I got all of this series listed. These started out with an odd premise. A somewhat rigid, bitter and lonely older Southern lady is dealing with her husband's unexpected death, somewhat comforted by the discovery that, though he kept her short of money, he left a great deal for her. Then a woman appears on her doorstep with a ten year old boy; she tells Miss Julia that this is her husband's child and that she needs Miss Julia to keep him while she goes to beauty school and she leaves. Unexpectedly through a lot of twists and some mystery, Hazel and her son end up living with Miss Julia. These are light books, but I found myself laughing out loud and at times tearing up.

28. Death du Jour by Lou Jane Temple. I had read some of this author's Heaven Lee series, although they aren't my favorite kind of mysteries. This new series however combines mystery with history, and I found them to be very interesting. I read the first, The Spice Box, last year. This one is set in France just after the revolution. Both books have an unusual box filled with recipes and spices.

29. The Wizard Heir and 30. The Warrior Heir by Cinda Williams Chima. This is a fantasy series for young adults that has some unique touches. There are people born with special crystals behind their hearts that give them special powers. Each crystal offers specific powers, with wizards being the most powerful. The different branches of powers don't necessarily get along. I found these interesting and fun to read, and one of my students carried off my copy of The Warrior Heir the first day I brought it to class.

31. Taken by Edward Bloor. Interesting young adult science fiction novel, set in a future where children are trained in what to do when they are kidnapped, as very many are. There are some twists and some interesting characters.

32. Death of a MythMaker by Allana Martin. A Texas mystery set near Marfa with a protagonist who has a country store. This had some interesting descriptions, but the mystery was weak.

33. Constable's Run by Laurie Moore. Another Texas mystery although I have already forgotten most of the book even though I read it a couple of weeks ago. I thought it was bleak and somewhat dry, although there was a lot about a constable's job that was interesting.

34. The Body in the Gallery by Katherine Hall Page. I have read all of this series as soon as they come out. I love the protagonist, Faith, who is a caterer and a minister's wife in New England. This one had some interesting information about art and museums in the area, and descriptions of good food also.

35. Candy Cane Murder by Joanne Fluke. I enjoy the Hannah Swenson mysteries and her recipes. This was a collection of short stories by 4 authors, and I enjoyed the Fluke one and the Meier one although I much prefer the complete novels by both these authors. And, of course, each story had a Christmas theme.

I'm still reading, but this is as far as I have gotten with writing a list. I need to go back and look at my book stacks again. I have also taken some time to go back to old favorites - my favorite stress relief - but I pledged to myself that I wouldn't count those in this 50 book challenge.

50 Books in a Year

2008-06-01T06:52:00.000-07:00

I read about this challenge on another blog and thought, "I can do that." However, it turns out that reading seriously impacts the time I have for knitting and for blogging - and of course work has to fit in somehow. This should explain why I haven't blogged since February.

These are what I have read so far (not in the order I read them):

1. Dark Moon Defender, 2. The Thirteenth House, 3. Mystic and Rider, 4. Reader and the Raelynx all by Sharon Shinn. I read about this author on another blog and, since I love fantasy, decided to try them. I really enjoyed them all; she had some unique ideas which made them fun to read.
5. Aunt Dimity - Vampire Hunter by Nancy Atherton. I have loved this series from the beginning. Aunt Dimity was a sort of super woman now deceased who communicates with Lori, her best friend's daughter, through a journal. Lots of humor and interesting situations throughout the series and lots of description of England.

6. Death Walked In by Carolyn Hart. This is a great series if you like mysteries because the protagonist has a mystery bookstore. Besides the mystery in the book, there are also lots of references to other authors. I have always read these with paper and pen so I can make notes of others I want to read. I also really like Annie and Max Darling and the characters that surround them. The author always starts with a view into the murderer's mind without revealing exactly who they are.

7. The Gladstone Bag by Charlotte McLeod. This author also writes under the name of Alisa Craig. She has several series, all set in Northeastern US or in Canada. She is so funny, and I love her characters. This is one I evidently missed because I thought I had read them all.

8. The Wednesday Wars and 9. Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy by Gary D. Schmidt. Two very different books by the same author. These are for young adults, but I loved them. The Wednesday Wars is about a boy who is the only student in his school who does not go for religious instruction on Wednesday afternoons, so he is assigned to a teacher who does not want him. However, through reading, theater and sports, they find some common ground. This is set during the Vietnam era. Lizzie Bright is a take on a true story of a group of black people on a small island off the Canadian coast who are forced out so the island can be made into a resort. I can't write a description that would do this book justice. I loved both of these so much though that I am trying to get funds to buy sets for my classroom.

10. She Came Back and 11. Run by Patricia Wentworth. I love classic mysteries and these are great. I especially like her Miss Silver character (she knits!) and I love the time period (roughly 40's). These are hard books for me to find because so many are out of print, but they are wonderful.
12. The Princeton Murders and 13. The Princeton Imposter by Ann Waldron. These are interesting mysteries about a journalist from Florida who comes to Princeton to teach one course. These have some interesting twists and characters. I am having trouble finding the rest, but I liked them enough that I am making the effort. Very interesting protagonist.

14. Turkey Flambe 15. Holy Guacamole, 16 Bon Bon Voyage, 17. Crime Brulee by Nancy Fairbanks. This mystery series includes food and recipes. The protagonist is a food writer who travels to get ideas for her books. So, you get recipes and descriptions of interesting places along with a pretty decent mystery. Her characters are interesting and funny. The opening chapter in Turkey Flambe was like a scene from Keystone Kops but I laughed out loud while reading it.

18. Sax and Violins by Mary Daheim. I have been reading this series for awhile. I enjoy the interactions between Judith and her cousin Renie and the descriptions of Judith's bed and breakfast in Northwest US.

19. The Penguin Who Knew Too Much by Donna Andrews. The titles drew me to this series, and the writing did not disappoint. The protagonist, Meg, is a blacksmith with a unique family. I think I like reading about the characters more than I enjoy the mystery. These should be read in order however, as some of the story builds from book to book.

20. Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis. Curtis is known for great young adult books, and this one is my favorite so far. It is about a colony of free black people in Canada in the 1870's. It is somewhat painful to read at times; I find it hard to read about a child who is manipulated by an adult, but this was still a great read.

21. Eldest by Christopher Paolini. I wasn't a fan of Eragon because I thought it was very derivative. However, some of my students insisted that I read the second, and I wasn't sorry. It was a fun read, but not great. I do see why my students love it but personally I really don't remember much already.

I haven't finished the list, but I need to go knit. I am working on two baby sweaters for a young man who is supposed to arrive the end of June.

Tag

2008-02-13T04:09:00.000-08:00

I've been tagged with:

Find the nearest book of 123 pages or more: Frommer's Oregon

Find the first 5 sentences.

Post the next 3 sentences.

Despite the many hardships, families were willing to walk 2,000 miles across the continent for a chance at starting a new life in the Willamette Valley. The valley very quickly became the breadbasket of the Oregon country, and today, it still produces an agricultural bounty unequaled in its diversity. Throughout the year you can sample the produce of this region at farms, produce stands, and wineries.

This tells you where we are planning to go for the next vacation. We're already booked on the Coastal Starlight train that runs from L.A. to Portland. We'll stay a couple of days there and then take another train to Seattle.

I can hardly wait to escape heat and wind and the ups and downs we have experienced this winter. Today is predicted to be a high of 70, but Friday is supposed to be a high of 30 with blowing snow.

Blogs I Read

2008-02-02T13:13:00.000-08:00

I read Panhandle Jane's list of 10 blogs she reads and was surprised to see mine listed. I find it hard to believe that anyone would read this beyond family.

Anyway, here is the list of my favorites:

Panhandle Portals: This is written by a teacher and knitter in a small town close to mine. She does beautiful work for herself and her grandchildren. She also has great comments on books.

The Pioneer Woman: Another blogger sent me to this one. She is a rancher, photographer and cook who is very entertaining.

Addicted to Knitting: This is written by a knitter in Oklahoma City. I get to vicariously visit yarn stores through this blog.

Backstage Stitches: I found this blog through Knitters Review. The blogger works in theater in California, is a knitter, and takes classes in martial arts. Very interesting!

ChappysMom: This blogger knits and reads. She periodically posts lists of books she has read with reviews. I find several I want to read each time.

Knitting Fisher: My husband found this blog when searching for a picture of Sitka, Alaska after we returned from a cruise. She is a teacher, knitter, and lives in a beautiful part of Alaska.

Looking Glass Knits: This blogger has such beautiful patterns that she has created. She designed a baby sweater with a field of lambs for the yoke that I really want to try.

I Can Has Cheezburger?: This is not a blog, but people post pictures of animals, primarily cats, with appropriate captions. These make me laugh out loud every time I look! This is also the home of the walrus with the bucket pictures. If you haven't seen this, you should google walrus with bucket and take a look.

I know I haven't listed 10, but these are the ones I read every time they post. I also appreciate Kay of Addicted to Knitting who let me in on Bloglines, so I can subscribe to blogs and then they let me know when there is a new post.

The Baby Sweaters Keep Coming

2008-02-02T13:06:00.000-08:00

I thought I was through with baby sweaters for awhile, but they just keep coming - babies that is. This one is for a friend and colleague's new granddaughter. I have another one OTN for my M-I-L's caregiver, and, as soon as Amanda knows the gender, I will start some for her newest.

This one was fun to do, although weaving in the ends from the stripes was not great. I like the feel of Cotton Ease, but I find it to be hard on my hands. I found perfect pale pink ladybug buttons which made the sweater.

On the list to do: Socks for MIL, brother, and finally, two pair for me! I had all my socks out drying the other day, and I realized they are all muted dark colors. So, I looked at the Loopy Ewe and found some in a bright pink, lime green colorway - those won't be dark socks!

It Has Been a Long Time

2008-01-07T15:03:00.000-08:00

I didn't realize how long it had been since I posted on this blog. I have been knitting, but I have also been busy with school and traveling. My daughter is now working in retail which means that she has no time off around the holidays, so we made the 500 mile trip to Missouri for both Thanksgiving and Christmas.

I finished two pair of socks, am working down the foot of the second sock of another pair, and am working down the sleeves of yet another baby sweater. I have no pictures right now, but will try to get some later.

We came back from Thanksgiving to a pond in the back yard as we had a pipe break. As we dug giant holes trying to find the break, this came out of the woodpile, squeaking and purring.

We are the biggest suckers ever for kittens, so Kate has joined the household. We lost a cat we had had for 13 years in November, so it is nice to be back up to four cats! Kate keeps the other, older cats running.

I wonder if other parts of the country are having the weird weather we are. We have had snow and ice, but lately we have been having 60's and today this is what I saw from my back window. I sure don't remember having thunderstorms in January - however these rainbows were absolutely amazing.

My Other First Swap

2007-09-29T17:44:00.000-07:00

I have been participating in the Hogwarts Sock Swap as well as the football a long, and my package arrived from my pal all the way from Wales.

She sent me a teapot, cup and saucer with a tea cozy and tea, sherbet lemon drops, mint humbugs, dragon souvenirs of Wales, bamboo needles, 4 knitted beanies for my former student in Iraq, a whole box of stitch markers, and some great socks.

I had to laugh when I saw the socks. You can see in the picture, I had started the same pattern! And, what great luck, the symbol for Wales is a dragon, and I collect dragons.

My quality control supervisor checked out the box and all the contents; he gave it all his approval.

Thank you Rowena Acromantula (Sandra).

From My Morning Commute

2007-09-24T16:05:00.000-07:00

This was the view from my school last Thursday morning.

I really love some parts of teaching in a semi-rural school. The sunrises are definitely a major perk!

My First Swap

2007-09-23T10:55:00.000-07:00

How much fun is this??

OU crimson and cream wool, so I can make a felted bag or some slippers. Crimson and cream stitch markers, a Cowboys lanyard, great coffee, and an ESPN paperweight. My pal outdid herself! And a dip recipe - it calls for Rotel and cream cheese - it has to be good!

Thanks Robin; you made my first swap great!

Knitpicks new Harmony needles

2007-09-15T13:29:00.000-07:00

I have been following the thread on Knitters Review regarding these needles and was surprised at how many said they hated the colors. I didn't hesitate to order as soon as I saw them because I loved the colors.

Anyway, they arrived today and I had to cast on and try them. One of the concerns expressed was how they would be with varigated yarn. I am using Seacoast yarn in the Acorn colorway, which is a pretty bland varigation, but I see no problems.

I know the image is sort of dark, but it is clear that the colors are not blinding. One thing though is that these are US size 2. The colors certainly could be more obvious in larger sizes.

The needles are smooth and light, the joins are smooth, and the tips are sharp. I really like these needles! I will be ordering more soon.

2007-09-09T18:52:00.000-07:00

I had a question about the pattern for one of these baby sweaters, so I thought I would repost them all. I made all of these over the last 6 months or so from the Knitting Pure and Simple Top Down Baby Cardigan pattern.

The brown in from Knitpicks washable merino, the blue is a mercerized cotton that I can't remember, the yellow is from Cotton Ease, the multi-color stripe is Plymouth Encore, and the pink-red stripe is Patons SWS.

I really love this pattern because it has been so easy to do and so easy to create different looks. Although I do hope I can take a break from baby sweaters for a couple of months at least.

Hogwarts Sock Swap Meme

2007-09-03T12:01:00.000-07:00

What type of pet do you choose as your companion at Hogwarts?

Since I have four at home, of course I would choose a cat! Although I would really like an owl, but birds and my cats just do not mix well.

While shopping in Hogsmeade you stop by Honeydukes for some sweets. What treats do you purchase for yourself?

I love chocolate and usually have something chocolate every day. I also really like peppermint.

A potion you are preparing needs an ingredient available only at muggle shops. You don't want to stand out in your wizards robes, so you resort to traditional muggle clothing. Describe your outfit in detail.

If I'm coming from work, it's usually khakis and a solid colored shirt; if it's a weekend, I'm in jeans. Whatever time, I'm always in something casual and comfortable - usually browns or greens (my husband says I dress in swamp colors).

What is your favorite subject to study at Hogwarts and why?

Care of Magical Creatures because I really love most animals.

Likewise, what subject is your least favorite and why?

I would not like Defense Against the Dark Arts or Divination. It all sounds creepy to me; I really don't like horror stuff.

Back to the potion you were shopping for ingredients for, what type of potion are you making, what color is it, what are the ingredients, and precisely what does the potion do?

I would make a form of a love potion except that I would use great pieces of writing to infuse a love of reading into my students.

And, isn't this the classic cat expression? Such disdain for this thing I brought home!

Yet Another Knitalong

2007-08-26T13:13:00.000-07:00

After watching from the sidelines and reading all the great stories, I decided to join the Hogwarts Sock Swap. While it's not finished, it has been great fun, and then someone on KR wrote about a football based knitalong.

What fun - a combination of two things I love!

So, I have joined footballalong. The first project was to knit a teddy bear outfit for the Cubs for Kids charity in your favorite team's colors. Of course, I went out immediately looking for crimson and cream - hard to find in Texas! I found something close, so here is the result.

I am still finishing the scarf, but I wanted to get this posted before school starts tomorrow.

And, the first OU game is next Saturday! Knitting may have to wait a bit.

I've Learned Something New!!

2007-08-08T15:33:00.000-07:00

. . .but I'm not going to say what it is until the Hogwarts Sock Swap is over.

Look What's Cooking

2007-08-02T08:39:00.000-07:00

I can't say exactly what's cooking since my sock swap pal knows my blog address - but it's not spaghetti! I have used pineapple, lemon, tamarind, and mango.

KPS Cardigan Number 5

2007-07-26T18:39:00.000-07:00

This is the last for awhile, I hope, of the baby cardigans. I started this one for my niece's new son, but wasn't happy with how it was looking, so I made the blue one instead. I was cleaning out a drawer however and found the buttons, and I thought they would improve the sweater, so I finished it today. The buttons are wooden acorns and leaves. My husband says it looks like a druid's sweater.

Now I'm going back to UFO's. I have nearly finished the front of the Rowan Audrey that I started nearly two years ago. When I get that done, it's back to the Rogue Hoody.

Of course, I also joined my first swap, so I have socks to do for that. I have had a terrible time finding yarn that I liked since I need Hufflepuff colors and I want to avoid the bumblebee look. However, I think I have figured that out and just need to get started.

I go back to school August 17th though, so my free time will soon be limited.

Booking Through Thursday

2007-07-19T03:47:00.000-07:00

I just saw this on another blog.

Booking Through Thursday
Okay, love him or loathe him, you’d have to live under a rock not to know that J.K. Rowling’s final Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, comes out on Saturday… Are you going to read it?
If so, right away? Or just, you know, eventually, when you get around to it? Are you attending any of the midnight parties?
If you’re not going to read it, why not?
And, for the record… what do you think? Will Harry survive the series? What are you most looking forward to?

Yes, I am anxiously waiting for midnight Friday. We are traveling to see our daughter and her husband. Marley and I will be at the midnight sale, get our books and get home as fast as possible. We have both planned snacks for our marathon read and will finish the book early Saturday morning.

This is what we did with the last book, although Marley was in Chicago and I was in Texas. We talked by cell phone as we waited in line, got the book, and read through it. She reads faster than I do; she was through by 4 am and I finished around 4:30 am.

If JKR follows archetypal writing, Harry should survive although probably with some sort of major loss. I am afraid at least one Weasley will die, although I hope not Ron, and I am sort of worried about Neville. I think Remus Lupin might be a possibility also.

2007-07-18T09:35:00.000-07:00

I'm
a Ravenclaw!

Hoorah! I've joined my first swap!

Hogwarts Sock Swap Questionnaire

1. I was sorted into Ravenclaw.
2. I wear shoe size 8.5
3. My foot length is 9.5"
4. Foot circumference is 8.5"
5. Favorite DPN: a. Bryspun Size 2 US, 4" length
b. Any other wood or plastic - metal needles hurt my hands.
6. I'm always open to trying new needles. I generally make all socks with size 2 US.
7. I am a Ravenclaw, but I have no strong preferences as to color.
8. I am asthmatic, so any strong odors can make me wheeze. There is no smoking in my house, but I do have 3 cats and 2 dogs, so there is generally animal hair in anything I knit.
9. I am in the US, but I am willing to have an international Pal.

This is really exciting, but somewhat scary - I have never knitted for someone I didn't know. I've already started looking in the stitch library books because I really want to make some great socks.

KPS Baby Cardigan #4

2007-07-11T15:22:00.000-07:00

One more KPS cardigan. This one is mercerized cotton. I thought it seemed kind of plain, so I tried embroidery. I haven't tried embroidery on my knitted things before - it was a challenge! I finally printed star patterns from Word, cut them out, pinned them on and stitched around them. The tail on the shooting star sort of droops because I don't think I pinned it enough.

Anyway, my niece had her second son last Friday (the day before her scheduled shower!), so this is ready for him.

I really love this pattern; it is so basic and it is easy to customize. I don't have another baby to knit for on the horizon, but I already have some ideas for different looks.

One More Project Completed

2007-06-21T15:18:00.000-07:00

This wasn't a UFO, but one I needed to complete. This is a baby cardigan in Cotton Ease from the Knitting Pure and Simple top down pattern. One of my daughter's college friends is having a baby boy next month, and my daughter requested a sweater.

This pattern is so quick and easy to do. The sweater seemed sort of plain until I added train buttons, so I hope the new mom likes it.

I bought a bag of three skeins of Cotton Ease at Tuesday Morning on clearance, and I have enough to do another cardigan like this and probably a hat or two.

Alaska - More About the Cruise

2007-06-19T06:08:00.000-07:00

I have had a lot of questions about the cruise. We went on Holland America, on the Amsterdamm. This was our first cruise, so I don't have any comparisons, but we were very happy with this ship. As you can tell from the picture on the bow, I am not altogether comfortable on a ship. In fact, I normallly really hate being on water, but this was a very pleasant experience. This picture was taken the first time I went out on the bow. After this, the bow became one of our favorite places unless we were at speed, because we could see so much. It was really great to be out there when we were coming into a harbor because it was quiet and we could see so much of the places we were going.

This ship was one of the smaller ones, holding around 1300 passengers. This is what we were looking for - we didn't want to be with hordes, and we didn't want to be in a perpetual party. This cruise tends to attract older people (older than we are!), so we thought it would be more sedate, which it was. That doesn't mean there weren't things to do on the ship, but there wasn't a rock wall, wave pool, no big bar/dance places. They had games, competitions, some sports things, shows, etc., but the second picture shows our favorite place which was the library although I didn't get a lot of reading done because I was watching the scenery go by and watching for whales most of the time.

Our room was very comfortable, the food was good, and the crew was great. We really had the trip mojo going because we got an upgrade which put us about two cabins from the stairs/elevators; our dinner table assignment was right by the stern windows so we had an amazing view, and our tablemates were interesting and great to talk to. Even though it's not something I would normally do, I went to the casino a couple of times; trip mojo again because I hit a nickle slot for $180!! The only time I felt crowded on the ship was the first meal when we were all put in the buffet area while the rooms were finished. There were just so many public areas that we never had a problem finding a place to sit and stare out the windows.

Finally, I would go again in a minute. I have already started looking at cruise/land travel packages. A big part of that is Alaska itself - I really want to see more, but I would choose Holland America again also.

Alaska!!

2007-06-10T13:49:00.000-07:00

My husband and I just got back from a seven day cruise to the Inside Passage of Alaska. We left from Seattle, went to Juneau, Glacier Bay, Sitka, Ketchikan, Victoria and then back to Seattle.

It was absolutely amazing. We went on a couple of excursions and saw humpback whales, a gray while, sea lions, harbor seals, sea otters, porpoises, a grizzly bear, bald eagles, and lots of birds I couldn't identify.

I took lots of whale pictures. I think seeing whales was the best thing for me. Coming from landlocked Texas Panhandle, I was just taken aback at how beautiful they were.

We also saw a grizzly bear, sitting on a small island eating grass. The naturalist on the boat told us he was probably not long out of hibernation and was trying to get his system restarted. The waterfall in the background is coming from Redoubt Lake feeding into Redoubt Bay outside of Sitka.

We saw a lot of bald eagles and some nests. Wow, those nests are huge. We saw one eagle down in the water, evidently fighting to get a fish out and saw a lot just soaring. It was hard to get a picture of those; this was was easier to catch.

We saw several glaciers, although we had to miss the Johns Hopkins glacier because of fog. We stood out on the bow of the ship and we could hear the ice popping and cracking. We even saw one glacier calve, losing a chunk of ice that we think was about the size of a Suburban. It truly sounded like thunder! And, arent' the colors amazing??

And, of course, I bought yarn. Thanks to nice ladies at Knitters Review, I had an address for Skeins in Juneau where I found some DK wt. for socks from Rabbit Ridge in Anchorage. In Sitka, we went to an Arts and Crafts center where I found yarn that had been dyed in Sitka, Raven-Frog Fiber Arts. I bought some merino/silk to make a stole in a colorway called Kelp. This seemed appropriate - we went out to kelp beds to look for sea otters in Sitka. Then in Ketchikan I found a store that had both yarn and beads - Alaska Bead Shop. I found some Lorna's Laces in a colorway called Baltic Sea - of course, I wasn't in the Baltic, but I saw all those colors in the seas we were in. And, I met some really nice people. It is so nice to travel for thousands of miles and still find something in common with the people you meet. The ladies in Alaska Bead Shop were especially knowledgable about the different yarns, and they had a lot of yarn!

So, now I have to get back to the real world, but I am determined to get back to Alaska again.

Knitting meme

2007-05-26T07:01:00.000-07:00

I have never done a meme, nor have I even wanted to do one until I saw this on Knitters Review. This made me feel really good about what I have done!

Bold for stuff you've done, italics for stuff you plan to do one day, and normal for stuff you're not planning on doing.

Afghan
I-cord
Garter stitch
Knitting with metal wire
Shawl
Stockinette stitch
Socks: top-down
Socks: toe-up
Knitting with camel yarn
Mittens: Cuff-upMittens: Top-down
Hat
Knitting with silk
Moebius band knitting
Participating in a KAL
Sweater
Drop stitch patterns
Knitting with recycled/secondhand yarn
Slip stitch patterns
Knitting with bananafiber yarn
Domino knitting (=modular knitting)
Twisted stitch patterns
Knitting with bamboo yarn
Two end knitting (?)
Charity knitting
Knitting with soy yarn
Cardigan
Toy/doll clothing
Knitting with circular needles
Baby items
Knitting with your own handspun yarn
Slippers
Graffitti knitting (knitting items on, or to be left on the street)
Continental knitting
Designing knitted garments
Cable stitch patterns (incl. Aran)
Lace patterns
Publishing a knitting book
Scarf
Teaching a child to knit
American/English knitting (as opposed to continental)
Knitting to make money
Knit lefty style (backwards)
Button holes
Knitting with alpaca
Fair Isle knitting
Norwegian knitting
Dyeing with plant colours
Knitting items for a wedding
Household items (dishcloths, washcloths, tea cosies, coasters...)
Knitting socks (or other small tubular items)on two circulars
Olympic knitting!
Knitting with someone else's handspun yarn
Knitting with dpns
Holiday related knitting
Teaching a male how to knit
Bobbles
Knitting for a living
Knitting with cotton
Knitting smocking
Dyeing yarn
Steeks
Knitting art
Knitting two socks (or other small tubular items) on two circulars simultaneously
Fulling/felting
Knitting with wool
Textured knitting
Kitchener BO
Purses/bags
Knitting with beads
Swatching (it's happend once or twice, not often)
Long Tail CO
Entrelac Knitting
Purling backwards
Machine knitting
Knitting with selfpatterning/selfstriping/variegating yarn
Stuffed toys
Knitting with cashmere
Darning
Jewelry
Knitting with synthetic yarn
Writing a pattern
Gloves
Intarsia
Knitting with linen
Knitting for preemies
Tubular CO
Freeform knitting
Short rows
Cuffs/fingerless mitts/armwarmers
Pillows
Knitting a pattern from an online knitting magazine
Rug
Knitting on a loom
Thrummed knitting
Knitting a gift
Knitting for pets
Shrug/bolero/poncho
Knitting with dog/cat hair (all the time, but not on purpose)
Hair accessories
Knitting in public

Knitting Retreat Project Finished!

2007-05-26T05:38:00.000-07:00

I finally finished the alpaca hand warmers. We started these at the Gourmet Yarn knitting retreat. I had to learn tubular cast on, Magic Loop and tubular bind off.

I really love Magic Loop, and I'm now looking for a size 2 circular needle, so I can try socks using Magic Loop. Tubular cast on/bind off didn't impress me that much.

Cat Socks

2007-05-26T05:22:00.000-07:00

No, not socks for the cat, but socks in a colorway that matches the cat.

He wasn't happy about posing, and you can't see his bright blue eyes very well, but I bought this yarn because it matches "Kittyboy".

This is a Socks That Rock line named Lucy, I saw the yarn on another blog, although the colorway in those socks made a sort of flame pattern - the mysteries of gauge!

I have been knitting as fast as I can to get these done, so I can have the needles for the cruise - we leave in less than a week. I want to start a new pair on the trip, so I will have Alaska socks.

No Knitting - Just a Brag

2007-05-12T05:33:00.000-07:00

If you don't live in Texas, this may not make sense to you.

My school got our TAKS results Thursday. I teach 8th grade English and my students' percentage was - 98% passing!!!!

And, I had 60% make Commended for Reading!!!

This is justification for me because I absolutely refuse to focus on TAKS through the year. My philosophy is, if I am teaching what I should, then students should do well on the test. I do not use TAKS materials and try not to even mention TAKS through the year. I usually use a PreAP curriculum for both PreAP and my on-level classes and just use different readings for the on-level classes. I have the reputation of being a hard teacher, and I do have high expectations.

This has been a difficult year. I have had a rough class - lots of cheating, lots of defiance, lots of disinterest in school. We have had conflict in our building.

So, this is a great way to end my year. Yay for my kids!!

My First Knitting Retreat

2007-05-07T19:40:00.000-07:00

How exciting to finally get to go to a knitting retreat. You guys who have local yarn stores and who have knitting gatherings might not be able to understand how nice it is to be in a group of people with the same interests and skills, to be with people who know KnitPicks and Jo Sharp and Noro, to have someone understand when I say things like yarn over and felted.

A colleague and I drove 4 hours to Oklahoma City, shopped for awhile, and then drove east again to get to the conference center for the retreat. It was certainly worth the effort - what a wonderful group of people. We learned several new skills such as Magic Loop and tubular cast on, had some alpaca to play with and, best of all, made some new knitting friends. The setting was beautiful, the food was good, and we had a great time. I have one completed wrist warmer, about a third of a lace face cloth and many great memories

We even met another Texan - the star of the wrist warmers section - Dawn was the first to finish!

I also met someone I had known previously through blogs and Knitters Review. Blogland is great for finding new yarns and patterns - thanks Kay for giving me more to look at!

Thank you Margaret for putting this together - I'm sorry you weren't able to stay. Thanks Melissa and Nancy for all the help and encouragement and instruction. Thanks to Linda for a lot of information and advice. Thanks to Nina and Lillian and Anita for all the great book talk. To all the others whose names I can't quite remember - thanks for all the fun.

How Bizarre

2007-03-17T16:46:00.000-07:00

I had noticed the Project Spectrum buttons on some blogs, but I really hadn't paid attention until I read a post in Panhandle Knit and Sew and realized what it was. So I followed the button - sounds like a fun thing to join in on and (This is the bizarre thing) the colors for this time period are gray, blue and white. And, here are the socks I had been working on this month, before I ever read about Project Spectrum.

I seldom buy blue yarn - it's just not a good color for me, but I wanted to try this Regia cotton blend, and I wanted socks to wear with jeans. The gray socks are Cashsoft 4 play. I found the pattern stitch in a couple of books. In the Barbara Walker Treasury 2 the version is a little different, but is called Turtle Tracks.

I knitted both on size 2 needles, starting with 60 for the striped and 56 for the gray. I had some trouble with ladders on the striped ones, but my experience has been that these will disappear after the first washing.

Another view of Turtle Tracks. I really like the cable-esque look combined with some eyelets. This is an easy pattern to follow - only eight rows with YO's and decreases that move over a stitch every other row.

Four FO, One more UFO

2007-02-18T15:18:00.000-08:00

To date I have finished a baby blanket, a baby sweater and hat, and two pair of socks. I have posted pictures of the blanket and sweater earlier, and I forgot to take a picture of the college bowl socks before I mailed them, but I also finished my Socks That Rock. I started these last July while flying to Copenhagen. I broke one of my needles on the plane, so I had to limp along with 4 DPN's instead of 5. I put them away because I really wasn't thrilled with the color, but in the spirit of finishing, I dug them out last week and finished!

While looking for some stray needles, I found this T-Shirt that I started for myself last summer, out of elann's Sonata. I love the pattern, but I really have trouble knitting for myself - evidently I have a distorted self image because this sweater is about 6 inches too big in circumference. All I have left are the sleeves and the neck ribbing, so I think I will finish it and try to tactfully find someone to give it to.

The last picture is my idea of a great Sunday afternoon. I have a fire in the woodstove and my buddy on my lap. (Note the "Rock N Roll Knitter" shirt)

And more UFO's

2007-01-24T18:16:00.000-08:00

So, I found 3 more UFO's. The red is the start of Rowan's Audrey in Calmer. I can't believe I forgot this because I loved this color when I saw it in a yarn store, but they didn't have quite enough. I took a chance, bought what they had and then tried to find more. Luckily I found some online and, even though the dyelots aren't the same, they all look the same. Now I just need to get this done.

The other two are furry scarves - I am so tired of novelty yarn! Again, color caught me on the orangey one - it is a great blend of orange, pink and gold. I bought the yarn for the other scarf on a clearance for possibly gnome beards. However, it has quite a bit of metallic copper, so I don't think it would be right for beards, but a colleague thinks she would like a scarf, so I'll get it done. I only have about 6 inches left.

2007-01-21T12:25:00.000-08:00

And, here is why I had time to get out UFO's and finish some things. Snow started here Friday night, and it snowed through late Saturday night; we had around 9 inches total. I spent most of Saturday knitting in front of the woodstove. However, this picture is from Sunday morning, and the melting has already started, which is great since we have to be in school tomorrow.

UFO's - Batch #2

2007-01-21T12:07:00.000-08:00

Another sweater for me - this will be a hooded tunic out of Paton's SWS in the Earth colorway. I made one for my daughter and loved it, so I started one for me. I currently have four (actually five) socks in progress. The red are out of WoolEase and have a candy-cane pattern, so they can wait for next Christmas; The purple are Chutes and Ladders pattern, the purple blue striped are my first use of Socks that Rock yarn, which I just got bored with. The brown tweed are for my son-in-law and this is the second sock, although neither one is finished yet. I am doing parts of each one after another, so they stay the same.

Cleaning out UFO's was such a help. I found the baby blanket, and I found this sweater that is knit from Canadiana when my daughter was about 13 (she's 23 now), but I think it will still fit her because I didn't understand gauge very well then, and it's really big. All I need to do is sew it together and finish the bands. Then I have a bag of scarves in progress - the green is elann's Baby silk in (I think) a Cascade lace, the black is some alpaca I bought at an alpaca ranch in Taos, N.M., the pink is my first attempt with mohair (which I hate), and the purpley black is Branching Out in some wool I bought in Copenhagen this summer. I don't know who will get the scarves, so I don't feel much pressure to finish them. They are mainly for me to try new fibers or new techniques.

I joined a UFO group in Yahoo with the hope that public display would be humiliating, and I would get some finished. I didn't take pictures of the things that I am just frogging and/or giving away. I have 3 sweaters that need minor finishing work, but I hate them, so I will finish them and give them to a local charity - nothing really wrong with them except that I no longer want sweaters out of acrylics. I also had 3 sweaters that I gave to others to either finish or frog and use the yarn.

I also set a goal this year of knitting from my stash. I know I won't go for very long without buying yarn, but I set a rule for myself of no new yarn until at least 3 UFO's are completed. Well, I have finished two, but I also have already gotten some new yarn. I have a hard time resisting sales, and I found RYC Cashsoft 4 ply on sale at Webs, so I ordered enough to make 4 pair of socks. Oh well - I can rationalize this because I also worked 4 basketball games at my school, which paid me enough to nearly cover the cost of the yarn.

UFO's - Batch #1

2007-01-21T11:51:00.000-08:00

Here are the two that I have nearly finished. The pinwheel blanket was for a great-nephew - who turns 5 next month. However, his mom is pregnant again, so it will be great for the next one. The sweater and hat are for a former student's baby. I don't normally knit for ex-students (or current ones) but this young man is on his second tour in Iraq, and I teach with his mother.

The striped sweater is from the naturally colored cotton; I can't remember the name, but I know I bought it from elann. This was going to be a V-neck pullover for me, but I think I am going to frog it and use the yarn for something else. The other sweater is a Rogue hoodie for my daughter. You can see the body is to the armholes, and I have started the sleeves. I got off on the cables on the sleeves, so I need to rip some out and try again. I have enjoyed this pattern but it has also been incredibly frustrating.

Bowl Socks

2007-01-02T08:38:00.000-08:00

Football and knitting just go together for me, and this college bowl season has been great for these socks.

I started them on the 23rd, ripped out and restarted them on the 26th, and turned the heel on the second sock this morning, the 2nd. I would have gotten further last night, but those Sooners!! They had to play such an exciting game! Even though they lost, I am still so proud of those young men, and I know next year will be spectacular for OU.

Anyway, I have mainly worked on these during games, most of which didn't turn out to my liking. I always pull for Big 12 schools, and this just wasn't their year.

The colors are really skewed in this picture also. I used Photoshop Elements to try to get it to somewhere close, but it still isn't right. I am using Regia in a brown tweed, and am using a pattern I found on the net called Gentlemen's Socks. I really like the twist in the rib, and I plan on making myself a pair with this same pattern, probably with some self-striping yarn. It makes a really cushy sock.

Edit: After looking at this picture on my blog, I realized that one sock was shorter than the other, so I pulled out the heel and added more to the leg - much better!

One and Only Knitted Christmas Present

2006-12-29T08:47:00.000-08:00

I have not had great success in the past with knitting for others for Christmas, but I found an incredible bargain on Debbie Bliss Cotton Cashmere in a color that my mother would like that I just had to try again.

This is KPS top down raglan T-shirt. I know the picture is not great, but it is a sort of grayed lavender. We bought an amethyst pendant to go with it.

It fits, and my mother likes cotton a lot more than wool, so I guess this is a successful Christmas present.

Now that Christmas is over, I have to get back to UFO's. I have a pair of socks for my son-in-law and a Rogue hoodie that I have had for two years now. And scarves and felted slippers and hats and felted oven mitts . . . The list is endless!

Another Goal Completed

2006-12-19T13:34:00.000-08:00

My husband and I have been working on building our house for more years than I want to admit. College tuition for all 3 of us interfered for a good many years.

However, this week he finished one of the major projects - installing the woodstove and chimney! This is on the second floor, and installing the chimney was not easy, involving scaffolding and very heavy lifting very high off the ground.

But, you can see, we are already enjoying it. The next thing is to texture and paint the room, and then varnish the floor, but taking a break next to the stove is great!

Gratitude

2006-11-21T09:40:00.000-08:00

I know it's a cliche, but gratitude is on my mind today.

1. I am grateful for family - they are the best.
2. I am grateful for my job, even when I want to pound on middle school students!
3. I am grateful for my home - unfinished still, but we are still working on it.
4. I am grateful for knitting. It keeps me calm.
5. I am grateful for football and the time to watch football. I am especially grateful that the Sooners are winning!

And I could go on and on.

And, certainly not last or least, I am grateful that Addison is here and that she and her mom are both okay. She's a little early, but still healthy.

Last Baby Sweater

2006-10-27T05:18:00.000-07:00

This is the last sweater for Addison - at least for now.

I used Paton's SWS in Geranium and Knitting Pure and Simple's neck down baby cardigan pattern. I opted to do neck ribbing instead of a hood because I wanted to do a hat. This is the 12 month size.

I am such a fan of SWS! I don't know how it will wear, but it is very nice to knit with, and I love the colors. I am making myself a hooded tunic in the Earth colorway now.

Sock yarn stash

2006-10-14T17:19:00.000-07:00

This is the yarn stash that could overflow my house! And this is just sock yarn!

Looks are deceiving - there are two layers in each box. I have totally lost count of how pair of socks I could make - at last count I could make 25 pair. And, I ordered 4 more skeins yesterday.

Maybe Socktoberfest will get me going, but I have to finish the baby cardigan since it looks like Addison will come early, and my daughter wants her tunic since the weather has gotten colder. Although, I am about halfway through the hood on the SWS tunic and should be able to mail it by Tuesday. Then the plan is to zoom through the cardigan and then back to socks.

Soctoberfest Questions

2006-10-14T11:32:00.000-07:00

So, I'm a little late with these, but at least here they are:

When did you start making socks? - I started my first pair of socks on Jan. 1, 2004, using some of elann's sock yarn and the pattern in Sally Melville's The Purl Stitch. I started because I had been reading about socks for months on Knitters Review, and I decided I should just give them a try.

What was your first pair? How have they held up? - My first pair is as described above. I gave them to my dad who wore them every week until he died in March, 2004. My dad had small feet, so the socks also fit my mom, so she kept them. They have held up exceedingly well.

Here they are, on my feet.

What would you have done differently? - I would have invested in a better yarn. I don't really dislike the elann yarn, but I now have tried other, softer yarns.

What yarns have you particularly enjoyed? - I have tried Koigu PPM, Lorna's Laces, Socks that Rock, elann's Sock it to Me, Cherry Tree Hill, Regia, Opal and Knitpicks undyed that I dyed with KoolAid. I really like the Knitpicks yarn both for the feel and the price and because dyeing the yarn was great fun. My favorite socks to wear have been from Lorna's Laces because I like the softness and the thinner yarn.

How do you knit your socks? - I stick with DPN's just because I feel more comfortable with them. I'm not a big fan of circulars except for sweaters.

What kind of heel do you prefer? - I really like the square heel flap, both for making and for wearing. It gives me great satisfaction to do the heel flap and to turn the heel. I have tried short row, but it just doesn't feel right to me.

How many pair have you made? - I stopped counting at 15. I know I have 4 pair, my daughter has 6 pair, my niece has 4 pair, and several other family members/friends have a pair each.

Okay, that finishes this set. I am trying to take a picture of my sock yarn stash, but there is so much, I am having trouble getting it all together. And, embarrassingly enough, I found some yarn that I had forgotten about - I just ordered two skeins of the same thing yesterday!

2006-10-10T17:40:00.000-07:00

Another Patons SWS - this is the top down baby cardigan from KPS in Geranium. I haven't gotten as far, but you can still see that the sleeve stripes will be wider than the body stripes. Still, this is soft and, while not machine washable, should make a nice warm sweater for Addison.

2006-10-10T17:31:00.000-07:00

Patons SWS in KPS top down, knit in the round, hooded, tunic. I posted these so others could see the stripe pattern that has developed. You can see that the stripes on the sleeves are, of course, wider. This is the Natural Plum color, which has a lot more red than I expected. The stripe pattern is not perfectly regular, but it is still predictable which makes it fairly easy to join a new ball of yarn.

2006-10-03T08:27:00.000-07:00

Trouble in bloggerland. I suddenly cannot see this blog!

This post will be an attempt to get this back on the web.

2006-09-30T17:03:00.000-07:00

ADD Sock knitter??

After signing up for Socktoberfest, I thought I should look at socks I am already making. I think I have gotten a little carried away. To the right is Socks That Rock, and I can't remember the colorway. I was a little disappointed when I got the yarn because I didn't expect so much yellow. I'll still finish them because the yarn really feels nice.

In the middle is my second pair of Chutes and Ladders from elann's Sock It To Me. That pattern, which I got from Six Soxs KAL, is fun to do - these are for a friend for Christmas. Bottom left is KnitPicks Sock Memories, and again, I cannot remember the colorway. I was making the Ribs and Cables from IK for my daughter, but she tells me no more socks for now, so I think I will frog this sock and try something else. Top left is what I actually planned for Socktoberfest, Snowflake Lace in Lorna's Laces.

I was too embarrassed to take a picture of all my other UFO's, but I counted 4 sweaters, three scarves, and one pair of ballerina slippers to finish. Football should help because I really enjoy watching football while knitting, and, since the Sooners aren't doing that well, I don't really concentrate on their games.

2006-09-22T17:38:00.000-07:00

Pea Pod set from Interweave Knits.

I wanted to make something different for Addison, this coming baby, and I found this superwash merino at Webs in just the color pictured in the pattern - I think it was meant to be. It was surprisingly easy to knit, and I am very happy with how it looks.

Hopefully the mother-to-be won't see this, as the shower is tomorrow morning.

2006-09-21T17:22:00.000-07:00

This is how the fair should be - friends and Fair food - turkey leg in one hand, corn in the other, chocolate covered banana or fried S'more to follow.

I had the stuffed sopapilla and curly fried potatoes; my husband had fried pickles with ranch dressing. We missed the deep fried Twinkies - darn!

One of the best parts of Fall - Fair food and football, although those Sooners are giving me ulcers.

2006-09-17T13:51:00.000-07:00

The other blue ribbons.

Blogger wasn't cooperating today, so I had to do the pictures separately. The scarf is Branching Out from Knitting and I used Elsebeth Lavold's Silky Wool in a gray-blue. The hat is Ann Norlings fruit hat pattern, done in the tomato. I don't remember what yarn I used, but I know I posted about it when I made it. I didn't really expect a ribbon for the hat, but I got a free gate ticket if I entered 3 items, so I put it in to save me a few bucks.

2006-09-17T13:38:00.000-07:00

Success at the Fair!

I haven't entered the Tri-State Fair in a couple of years, but they have a new building for the textile, culinary, and art exhibitions, so I decided to try. I have never entered knitting before either, but I certainly will next year - three entries = three blue ribbons and one Best of Division rosette!

These are socks made in Heartstrings Parting Ways pattern which is a spiraling eyelet rib. One rib of the spiral eyelet also goes down each side of the heel. I used Knitpicks new merino/silk blend called Gloss which is great to knit with; it is very soft! I know they are hard to see, but I am glad they are locked behind glass doors.

2006-07-14T08:32:00.000-07:00

Yarn from Copenhagen. I bought this at Sommerfuglen, a store that was recommended to me by another KR member from Sweden. It is produced in Denmark by a company called Kauni who has a website at kauni.com. I didn't see this colorway on the website, but I did see another I will think about for another project. This is I think either DK or sportweight; the label is in Danish and I am just not sure. It is 100% wool and this skein has 400m.

2006-07-13T11:14:00.000-07:00

Yes, I'm a geek - this is the picture I plan to send to Knitters. I'm standing in front of Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek - an art museum in Copenhagen. This was my first trip to Europe; we went to Copenhagen because one of my grandfathers emigrated from there in 1902 and we wanted to see where he had lived.

It is a mecca for shoppers - I loved it! I found Debbie Bliss Cathay for around $3.50 a skein - I bought 10 pale blue and 12 pumpkin. And, the one thing I really wanted, I found at Sommerfuglen, a really amazing yarn store - some Danish produced wool. I bought a 400m hank that is dark blue, purple and dark green. I don't know what to make yet, but probably some sort of lacey scarf. I'm going to use Grumperina's Picovoli pattern to make tops for my daughter and niece out of the blue Cathay, and a light cardigan for me out of the pumpkin.

We also saw castles and museums and churches. What an amazing place! I am already planning another trip back, although I need to recover from airline glitches for awhile longer.

2006-07-02T18:34:00.000-07:00

More new knitting accomplishments! My first neck down, entirely knitted in the round sweater. And, I finished it in 17 days, another first.

I am now a true fan of top down, circular knitting. I hate sewing pieces together, so this is so much easier. I will be looking for these patterns again.

7/13 I forgot to put in that the pattern I used was from Knitting Pure and Simple.

2006-06-28T08:01:00.000-07:00

Baby sweaters are really fun to make! One of my daughter's close friends is having a baby in December, so when I saw a link to a simple pattern on the KR forums, I just had to try it. I bought the Encore at Gourmet Yarns in Oklahoma City. I don't know gender yet, so this varigated seemed appropriate for either, although I am generally not a fan of variagated. Now that I have made this pattern, I will get some nice cotton, and try again, especially since I hope to know gender soon.

This was a very easy pattern - took me 2-3 days to finish. It called for I-cord instead of ribbon, but I really don't like making I-cord. I plan on using a solid color for the next one and getting plaid or dotted ribbon for the ties.

7/16: I should have put this in the original post. I found the pattern via a link on the Knitters Review Forum - dogsstealyarn.com/yoda.htm

2006-06-20T09:28:00.000-07:00

This is a wool and kid mohair blend from Brooks Farms; I bought two hanks at the Taos Wool Festival last October. I wasn't thinking - two hanks are only 1000 yards, so I have had trouble finding a pattern that would show off their great colors and stay under 1000 yards, but I finally found Knitting Pure and Simple's top down, raglan sleeve, crewneck that seems to be okay. This is my first time to knit from the neck down, and my first time to do a sweater completely on circulars, but I think I am hooked.

I also know that next year, when I go back to the festival, I will certainly buy more of the Brooks Farms yarn. It is so soft and so easy to knit.

2006-06-20T09:03:00.000-07:00

The tomato hat on the right was not something I planned or wanted to do, but I recently visited Gourmet Yarns in Oklahoma City and saw their model. The colors were perfect, so I had to buy the Skye Tweed and make one for myself. I don't know what I will do with it; surely some small child will happen along who needs a tomato hat.

Gourmet Yarns was a great place to visit; the people there were so nice and knowledgeable. I treasure opportunities to talk with other knitters. I also loved the Cascade 220 - what a selection they had! I bought a couple of skeins for the striped bag I am planning.

On the left are the stitch markers I put together. I finally found a pattern for some yarn I bought at the Taos Wool Festival, but it required 5 stitch markers which I didn't have. So, I hit the local Hobby Lobby for eye pins and found yarn ball and dragon charms. I found the bee beads at JoAnns. I made more markers, but they are in the sweater. I don't need lots of stitch markers which is too bad because they are a lot of fun to make. I'll have to find other knitters who need them.

2006-05-09T14:34:00.000-07:00

Okay, here are the completed baby derbies. I am so impressed with the Cascade 220 - it felted so much quicker than the Knitpicks Merino. I am still looking for a bowl with the right circumference for the other hat.

2006-05-08T17:34:00.000-07:00

Here are my newest felting projects, pre-felting. A colleage and I knitted these hats from Knit One, Felt Too; they are the baby derbies for another colleague's coming twin great-granddaughters. We used Cascade 220. On the right is a kind of chullo made from KnitPicks Merino Style.

I spent some time in the local WalMart measuring small plastic bowls to get something to put the baby hats over to keep them at the right size. I will be felting them tonight and then, when I find a bowl for the black hat, I will felt that. I will post pictures of the finished objects as soon as they dry.

2006-01-11T15:45:00.000-08:00

First socks of the new year!! I know this is a terrible picture, but I wanted to get them posted, and I really wanted sun to show off that gorgeous KPPM. Of course, I also got the dry, dead grass, but with drought, that's all we're going to have for a while.

2005-12-28T10:44:00.000-08:00

My quality control inspector checks out my latest project. Last year I learned to knit socks, starting on New Year's Day and ended up knitting I think 15 pair. This is going to be the year for felting, and here are my first pair of slippers. I used Lamb's Pride Worsted and Fiber Trends Ballet slippers pattern.

The felting process is so easy, and it's just amazing how fast these felted down. It took about 25 minutes in the washer. I had inadvertently turned one wrong side out, so I reversed it and put it back in for a couple of minutes, and it looks fine.

These will be the family Christmas presents for next year, I hope. Of course, I planned on doing that with socks, but I ended up just giving people their socks as soon as I finished. One of my New Year's resolutions will have to do with having self control!!

2005-12-23T11:13:00.000-08:00

My first Branching Out from Knitty. I bought the Silky Wool from Sunflower in Taos when we went to the Wool Festival. This is such a satisfying pattern - fairly easy to do and quick to finish. I have about 12" of a black one done, and then one more skein of Silky Wool in a greenish-goldish color. I tried this pattern in Baby Silk from Elann, but it is too drapey.