Home for the Holidays

I am home visiting for the Holidays. I return to Indianapolis on Saturday. I will miss my daughter. But I am looking forward to getting back to work though and the weather there is nicer than here! It is snowing, icy and below zero here. There it was nearly 70 f one day last week.

I have been knitting. My mother asked me to knit her a sweater for Christmas. She bought the yarn some time ago but hadn't started the sweater yet. I received the yarn when I got home on Christmas eve and I have nearly completed the back. I think I will do the sleeves next then then front.

And so - back to knitting!

Almost, but not quite

So I had planned to go to a new yarn store today. I've been in IN for a while now and it seemed like time to strike out and find a few more of the vital necessities.

Until last night. Indeed - I was looking for something new to knit (three pairs of socks and two sweaters being insufficient to hold my interest). Okay - you know - I didn't bring that (THAT) much yarn with me. But my dear - I could knit a pair of socks a day and not make a dent in what is here. I don't quite have enough to insulate the room - but really - not even my house!

I know there is no way on earth I can be anywhere near a yarn store and not buy some new yarn. So I decided it was the better part of valor to stay away from the source of sin and start a new pair of socks. I'm a loony - no doubt about it. But I have the toe on the first sock completed and I'm happy as a clam.

I still want to make a pair of the Vintage Socks. I just don't know why - they are tooooo busy. But I want them. Completely nuts. I do have some mad money I haven't spent yet, so there is a chance I would be able to purchase such a kit. I'm still pondering that one.

Indiana

I am here. It is snowing. The drive was uneventful.

I will have to find a new yarn shop or two - maybe next weekend. I only brought one trunk full of yarn with me and I might run out of knitting! That would be very bad.

With any luck knitting will appear here sometime in the next few posts.

New News

I should have something substantial to put here. I have finished items that I need to post about but I've been rather busy with other things.

I'm moving, to Indiana, for work. I do not know what my internet access will be in the immediate future. I assume there will be free access 'somewhere' but right now I do not know how readily and how often I'll be able to use it.

Of course, addict that I am, I can't imagine that it will be long before I have a permanent set up.

Sock Quest Success

Here they are - the socks that won Sock Quest:

On Saturday I picked up this! (It was here on Friday but the PO didn't leave it. So I had to go and pick it up). It was VERY exciting.
Inside the box was all of these good things!
Patterns (two for socks and one for a shawl) and a great sock book
Spa tools for relaxing after all the 'hard' work of knitting the socks
Pink Jello (are we allowed to eat this? It looks delish - strawberry creme) and hot cocoa to sip while I write cute little cards.
And contemplate what to make with all this lovely yarn - the center is blue alpaca that came in the little pink bag with a shawl pattern. The blue cone is shetland (A WHOLE cone!) and the brown is also alpaca. So soft! The spools are wooly thread and the bag of skeins is cotton and bamboo. Great colors.
There were also these tools - knitting clips, a WIP tube and a baggage label. The pink cloth also came with it. It is beautiful and soft.
And even a nice cat toy! How ever did Sheri know?

A great prize. I feel bad that I only knit one pair of socks.

Alas

Well - There is no way I'm going to even come close to a post a day in November.

I spent today learning to use the knitting machine my grandmother gave me. I did manage to get a few knitting type things done. I cast on, which has been a problem in the past, and knit a sleeve including false ribbing and hemming the sleeve on the machine. I am probably going to just dump the practice bits I made today. It's some crappy acrylic yarn I got free somewhere, so I'm not going to wear it. But I am going to work with it until I can manage something blanket size without too much difficulty.

Otherwise some progress was made on getting my crap together but, as with all cleaning, there appears to be more mess rather than less. I am not disturbed by this. I am not enjoying stepping over the stuff. I need to move a box of yarn and a pile of fabric in order to put a few other things in the boxes they belong in. I don't want to and that has become the mini roadblock. But it won't last long. I have a plan!

Oops!

I forgot to post yesterday. I tried to get rid of a tub full of yarn today but failed. I suppose I am going to have to make something out of it. I'm going to have to work fast.

Monday

Tonight I finished a dishcloth and worked on the sweater some more, as well as, reading a benefits handbook, shredding until the shredder overheated and threw away a BUNCH of stuff. And still there is more stuff in here than I know what to do with.

So very exciting!

A Day Spent not Knitting

Today I didn't knit. I spent nearly all day cleaning in my knitting/sewing room. I threw away stacks of papers and old catalogs. I filed patterns and technique sheets. I need some new three ring binders and then I need to spend some time sorting the patterns.

I took a look at the junk room and shuddered. I am going to have to get through it and sort that out too. It could take a lot of time. In the end it will be nice to have it done, but it is a little daunting at the moment.

November Post A Day Time Again

I have really fallen off the blogging wagon. So to jump start my blogging I'm going to try to blog every day for the month of November.

I'm still knitting the sweater for my friend. I hope to have the body done soon.

I also have four pairs of socks on the needles and about four more pair I'd like to start - as soon as I free up some needles.

Camera comes home!

The camera was returned to my care late Sunday. I took a couple of pictures but the light sucked so I will retake them another day.

I have completed two pairs of socks, and I have completed approximately 1/2 of the body of the sweater I'm making for my friend's spouse. (who is also my friend). It will not be done by November. (sad) I hope to finish the body and start the sleeves soon. If I hadn't screwed up and made it too small it would have been done by now.

Memememememeeeee!

Your result for The Classic Dames Test...

Jean Arthur

You scored 26% grit, 24% wit, 33% flair, and 29% class!

You are a little bit of everything: smart, nutty, classy, and even a little scheming when you need to be. However, you aren't exactly the most effective dame around, as you're sometimes given to fainting and mumbling incoherently. But you're pretty steadfast and true, and might I add, cute as a button, even if you're not sure exactly what you want. Still, you end up with the likes of Jimmy Stewart and Cary Grant...not too shabby!

Find out what kind of classic leading man you'd make by taking the
Classic Leading Man Test.

Take The Classic Dames Test at HelloQuizzy

I finished two pair of socks this weekend. Alas I have no photos. The spouse took the camera to Arizona and left it in his sister's car. Sigh.

I spent the weekend at my mother's house. We rode horses, visited a yarn shop and sat about knitting and visiting. A very successful weekend, if you ask me. My daughter and I had our first train trip. It was fine. We slept and since there were two of us we shared a seat with each other and it was nice and snuggly. My friend also came but she ended up sharing with people she didn't know. Next time there are three of us going we are going to pay extra for a sleeping compartment.

Long time no post

I have been knitting quite a bit but I haven't finished anything.

I did get some good news today - I passed the bar exam.

Hopefully I'll manage to finish something this week. Then there will be pictures and other news.

The never ending cabled sweater

It is amazing. I just keep knitting and knitting and moving stitches backward and forward and knitting and purling and still have a couple rows to go.

It's a lot of green yarn!

I hope to pick up for sleeves soon!

Starbucks Swap

Gentle Readers - I have been remiss. I received this beautiful swap package on the GASP 25th of August. It's a great package and as punishment I was not allowed to use the lovely contents until I put this up. Even though the box as been sitting bursting with goodness, out in the open
taunting me!
Inside the box was all of this:

Not one bag but Three! Marykz says they are addicting! but look at this!
If I made beautiful bags like this then I might find them addicting as well.

And now - I'm out of here so I can go and play with my new presents!

I should be at knitting group!

What am I doing home you ask? Waiting for a friend to pick up his camp stove so he can take a trip to the Boundary Waters.

sigh

Even if there is no pumpkin latte - there is knitting, and I guess that will have to be enough.

Amazing

A simple thing really. Just a baby blanket knit in garter stitch. It should use a bunch of yarn. It shouldn't be that bad, it shouldn't take that long really. But still I haven't finished it. It was too big to take to knitting last week and it still isn't finished yet.

I'd like to have it finished and take pictures.

But it's still not done.

But Elizabeth Zimmerman makes patterns for great things and I need to buy another Spun Out. Just as soon as I finish this blanket.

Blame the internet

Sock socks socks. I love socks. I want to knit all the patterns in my stash and a whole bunch of new ones I found while surfing the internet this week. I don’t think it is even possible to knit them all let alone wear them. I’m perfectly willing to try, don’t get me wrong. But that’s a lot of socks!

I’m working on learning Portuguese knitting technique. So far It’s going well. But I’m only knitting. I’ll try purling next and then – maybe – something more complicated. Maybe a birthday present for someone special. Do I know anyone special? Hmmm.

I’ve decided that I have to make a cedar chest for my sweaters. Buying one was an option, until I saw the prices. Just - no. I found a nice pattern and I’m going to try it out making a small chest for my other hobby. It if works then I will see about constructing something larger. Last night the spouse and I went to Menard’s and got a general idea of the cost. I need to make a cutting diagram so I can buy the fewest pieces.

The current obsessive project is a baby blanket for charity. I have about 1/3 of it finished. I have also found another cute hat pattern to try. And socks – I have three pairs of socks on needles and another 4 pair waiting in the wings. There has been no spinning this week. I have much plying to do though and I have found the parts I need for the tensioned lazy kate. Now I just have to find the pieces for the niddy noddy.

Charity Knitting

While cleaning my sewing room I found I possess a box FULL of odds and ends. I have decided that I should knit up stuff with it. After some thought I decided to knit it up and give it to charity. Some of it will go to Dulaan and some to a local charity for which a friend knits.

Here is what I have finished so far: