Happy Halloween

My daughter and her BF carved a great pumpkin for me this year...and I got ALL the seeds!


And here's a little something I've been working on (between other projects and handing out candy.) Javajem inspired me to do a Clapotis...can't wait to start dropping stitches!!

Tuesday, October 24, 2006

Woo-hoo!!! We don't care if you come with Bledsoe or Romo and TO was so-so!!! It's nice to be at the top of the NFC East all by ourselves!! GO GIANTS!!

Tuesday, October 17, 2006

Here's a little something for my friend Tia's tiny baby, Joy (3lbs. 8 oz.):



I hope Joy likes it!!

Monday, October 16, 2006

We had a great day at the Knit-A-Thon last Saturday. Lots of scarves, preemie hats, chemo caps collected and worked on while we sat around the Lakeside Cafe.

I've finally finished the multi-directional scarf I started weeks ago and made a cabled headband to match. The yarn is the super yummy Tapestry by Rowan...beautiful colorways, beautiful hand:




I also went to a Stampin' Up workshop given by my friend, Diane. We had a great time and made three projects:

Friday, October 13, 2006

Well, folks, here he is. The one you've been waiting for! The one and only Fred, the Wonder Dog!!




Isn't he handsome!! Quite the elder statesman at almost 12.

So here's some knitting. (Can you tell I got my new digital camera?) Now I just have to figure out how to make the pictures smaller. Uh, Jody, little help here!

I made up this cable sock pattern yesterday. Very simple, I agree, but I like the way things are progressing. I'm working with Austermann Step on size 2 dpns.




More to come...

See you at the Knit-A-Thon tomorrow!

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

We beat the Redskins!! We beat the Redskins!! Woo-hoo the defense FINALLY showed up on Sunday!

Okay - I'm better now.

It was a great weekend (we beat the Redskins and are 2-0 in the division...maybe I'm not really better, yet). On Saturday we drove up to Towson U. for Family Weekend. My daughter wanted us to taligate before the football game with her boyfriend, his family and his fraternity brothers. That was a great plan, except for the rain! We had fun anyway and then went into the game. Unfortunately, the Towson Tigers 4-0 record did not stand up to the Black Bears of Maine. At least we didn't get any wetter - we couldn't! After that it was back to K.'s apartment for a bit of crafting and then on to the Crab Feast. She loves those bugs!

On Sunday I finished the second sock in my red pair (while the Giants were beating the Redskins - have I mentioned that?) Well, they're not quite a pair anymore. I did the first one on fives and didn't really like the way it came out, so I made the second one on fours - much better. Now sock #1 is back to being a ball, but I'll get to that tonight. I also ripped back about five inches of a sweater I'm doing. Why is it that even if you make a swatch and your gauge is dead on, sometimes the thing is just too darned big. Oh well, that'll get back on the needles this week, too.

Yesterday was spent on chores and shopping. Need to start collecting things for my Secret Pal afterall!

Anyway, now I'm back at work wishing I was home casting on that second (third?) red sock...

...and yes, I know, my Yankees did not win. :-(

Friday, October 6, 2006

Went to my Sit and Knit last night. I have to say that the women there have really made me feel like a part of the group after only two weeks. Ain't knitters grand!?

A special thanks to Margaret for confirming that my Rib-of-Doom sock is messed up! I'm starting the second one today and hoping for the best. Maybe I'll just have to rip out the first one...but my grafting was so GOOD! :-)

We're off to Towson University tomorrow for Family Weekend...tailgating, football game, Crab and Bull Roast. It should be lots of fun as long as the weather holds - it's pouring here in central Maryland today. But no matter what, it's still nice to see my lovely daughter of whom I am extremely jealous! She's taking an Art History class in Florence, Italy in June!! Three weeks in Florence, Sienna, Luca, Rome, Venice, the list goes on! I keep threatening to lock her away in a closet, steal her passport and take her place. I'll just tell the customs people, when they wonder about the picture and age on said passport, that I've been ill for a while! That'll work, don't you think?

Okay, Holly, I'll add to your list of charties with a couple of worthy causes I saw in the newspaper today (Life Magazine, actually): 1) For soldiers - www.theshipsproject.com/Home.htm (slippers, hats that can fit under helmets), 2) For the homeless - www.warmupamerica.org (7" X 9" rectangles to be used for afghans), 3) For premature babies - www.carewear.org, and 4) For troubled teens - www.binkypatrol.org. I haven't checked out all of these websites yet, but for folks who are interested, here you are.

So have a great weekend all! Holiday on Monday - woohoo!!!

Thursday, October 5, 2006

There goes that Javajem again, dragging my sorry butt to yest another knitting related event. I am such a sheep! Get sheep...wool...knitting... Yeah, well, I'm tired, okay!! That's the best I can do!

Some more SP9 ?????
1. Where is your favorite knitting spot? My couch - the left end.

2. If you suddenly could never knit again (shudder) - what would you do instead? Read, read, and read some more.

3. If you could travel anywhere in the world - where would you go and why? Paris - don't need a why for Paris!!

4. When you were little - What did you want to do "when you grew up?" Are you doing it? I wanted to be an astronaut. I was obsessed by the space program and devoted an entire wall in my room to pictures, moon maps and newspaper clippings. I am not currently in the astronaut business.

5. What is your favorite flavor of ice cream? Mocha Chip

Wednesday, October 4, 2006

As you can see, I'm still trying to find myself titlewise. I'll need to seek inspiration from the great Dali Blogga.

So now Javajem has dragged (hehehe) me into another knitting adventure...Secret Pal 9. I'm actually pretty excited about it and herein are my answers to life's buring questions:

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? Right now I'm using a 50-50 blend of Merino and silk and I am absolutely in love!! Otherwise 100% wools, cashmere, alpaca - you know, the cheap stuff! :-) What fibers do you absolutely *not* like? Some of the cottons and other fibers that cut your fingers to ribbons.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? Uh, store? What means store? I sort of scatter.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? I learned as a kid - probably around 10 or so. My Mom, who was a WONDERFUL knitter, taught me. Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? Probably intermediate.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? What I have is a watch list on eBay and I've been doing pretty well so far!

5. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products, etc.) Candles - it depends on the season. It's getting to be spicy season but in the summer I like clean, fresh scents. As for bath products, I'm addicted to anything by Philosphy... can you say Cinnamon Buns Body Wash?

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? I'm more of a salty girl. Favorite candy? Godiva's chocolate covered strawberries.

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? I do rubber stamping (I make all my own cards) and I do most of my own home repairs, painting and the like. Do you spin? Nope - I'd like to give it a try, though.

8. What kind of music do you like? I like just about anything except rap and really heavy metal. My iPod has a pretty varied mix from country to show tunes and everything in between. Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD) Yes, my computer can do anything!

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Well, if you looked in my closet, you would say black, but I also love soft, fallish colors (browns, rusty oranges, golds, sagey greens). Any colors you just can't stand? Super bright yellow and muddy greenish-browns.

10. What is your family situation? I am a single parent of two daughters. Amanda is 22 and Katie is almost 19. Do you have any pets? Yes, Fred the Wonder Dog! He's almost 12.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? Yes, yes, yes, never had one, but would wear one.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? I've done lots of different things - I really don't have a particular favorite, although I'm really into instant (or as instant as knitting can be) gratification.

13. What are you knitting right now? Multi-directional scarf (NO. I'M NOT DONE YET!!), socks, preemie hat for a friend who just has a baby.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts? LOVE THEM!

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? That depends now, doesn't it? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? Bamboo.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? No and I really need a winder.

17. How old is your oldest UFO? 8 years.

18. What is your favorite holiday? Thanksgiving.

19. Is there anything that you collect? Yarn, rubber stamps, purses.

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? No, because I just buy what I want. What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? Interweave Knits, Knit, some online newsletters.

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? Entrelac, Fair Isle.

22. Are you a sock knitter? I'd like to think so although I'm really only on my first pair. My first two attempts are what I like to call "prototypes". What are your foot measurements? I'm a woman's size 8.

23. When is your birthday? (mm/dd) 03/22.

So that's me!

Later!

It's October - Yea!!!

I really love October. It's my favorite month, except for the ones in which I receive gifts! :-)

Special thanks goes out to Javajem for the pretty button you made for me... Now, if I only knew what to do with it...

Well, so last time I was talking about my many started projects. I'm happy to report that the beaded bag (Best Friend Bag from Knitty.com) has been (mostly) completed. That means I still have to put to together, but that's just a minor detail.

As for the felted rug, well now, that's a different story. I know that many knitters have various philosphies about the sport, but here is mine: READ THE FREAKING YARN LABEL!! Yeah, that's it. Read the label - BEFORE you start the project. What I thought was a 56% wool yarn (which I know would felt because I made a bag out of something similar) turned out to be - are you ready? here is comes!! - 10% wool!! Guess what? There is no way that would felt - no way! I don't know where my head was when I bought the stuff! I know I was trying to cheap out because, afterall, I was going to walk on the stupid thing and couldn't really bring myself to make much of an investment, but I can read! Oh well, at least I only had 16 rows done and hadn't started my stripe pattern yet so I've got lots of full balls to return. So much for my grand philosophy of knitting.

I stopped by the Celtic Knot yarn shop in Ellicott City, MD on Sunday. It's a very nice shop with extremely helpful staff. They didn't have what I needed for the sweater I'm contemplating - it's in a freaky gauge - but that's okay - I'll be back anyway.

My Giants had a bye this weekend (for the uninitiated, that means they didn't play), but the other two teams in their division that had games won (Philly plays tonight). That means they have to win next week when they play the yucky Washington Redskins (a division game) who, as much as I hate to admit it, looked pretty good yesterday.

Okay, so now that the bag is done-ish and the rug is kaput, it think I'll make a PAIR of socks! He-he-he. Not for him, though!! The dirty sock-basher! :-)

Cheers!