Monday, April 30, 2007

Baudelaire

This is the beginning of my Baudelaire socks pattern by Cookie A. It's in the summer 2006 issue of Knitty. The yarn is by Madeline Tosh and the colorway is Martha Stewart. I was able to do both socks up to the gusset. I am so excited they are turning out better than I expected.

Thursday, April 26, 2007

Coffee swap part 2

QUESTIONS1. Whole bean or ground?Ground is better 2. Fully-loaded or decaf?Fully - Loaded 3. Regular or flavored?I love flavored but will drink regular 4. How do you drink your coffee? Splenda and unsweetened creamer. 5. Favorite coffee ever?So far it's country harvest blend by Carolina Coffee Co http://carolinacoffeecompany.com/index.asp 6. Are you fussy about your coffee or will any old bean do?Well somewhat fussy, I don't like the grocery store coffee and yes I have found some gourmet places that have better coffee than Starbucks. 7. Favorite treats to have with your coffee?Yarn, knitting needles. 8. Anything else about your coffee preferences? No, 9. Yarn/fiber you love?Alpaca, Merino STR, Koigue, Yarn Pirate, Wooly Bully Madeline Tosh. 10. Yarn/fiber you hate?itchy wool 11. What's on your needles?socks, shrug, thong, sweater, scarf, lace poncho I'm sure I'm missing something. 12. Favorite colors?Jewel tones, colorways that look like roses, purples, greens reds, blues 13. Allergies? No 14. Anything you really love, Briar Rose Fibers really don't like, or just need to get off your chest?When I think of something I will let you know.

Friday, April 20, 2007

Secret Pal presents! Mom's vest, and roses

I came home from work Wednesday night from work to find my first present from my Secret Pal better know to me as Lucy, a special name we decided on for her, I would rather call her Lucy than SP10. I was thrilled with the stitch markers she sent, I just love them they are cats. Then there was this adorable tiny sock form with a pattern to make a tiny sock key chain.


Then there was the yarn... the yummie scrumptious Cherry Tree Hill, Glitter Alpaca. The colorway is called Martha's vineyard, deep purples, soft greens, blueberry blues, and a touch of glitter. I know it will make a gorgeous pair of fingerless gloves....

Then a sweet bag to hold my new stash in. I love it love it love it!


Lucy your the best. She is so sweet that when she heard about the tornado's that touched down she emailed me to make sure we were safe. She's wonderful.



This is the first rose of spring. This rose bush is always the first. I have buds on the others also but they are still green. The oleander has buds and finally the Confederate jasmine is almost there too. I don't know if the tomatoes will make it because of the rain they are looking a little yellow. I'll have to wait and see what happens.

Well it's finished here is Mom's vest. Yes I changed the pattern a bit, she really liked the double seed stitch that was on the wrap so I put it on the edge of the vest. I also sewed the one of the pockets on, she has the other pocket. I hope that she likes this one. If not I'll be knitting her another.

The next installment of the 12 days of Yule. I now have Five golden rings. I am now working on Rene's shrug, the thong from knitty and another square. I am having problems with the thong, I've tried to do the short rows twice now and each time they are off. I am going to have to read some more on wraps and turns.
I've been working now for two weeks. I am either grasping it or making mistakes. I have been told they like the way I write my emails, I communicate well. They are the most meetingest company.... Let me get a routine down let me learn the ropes then let me start going to meetings. We are supposed to be working two weeks out and in my first full week of being on my own I am at two weeks out. I've had the managers come and tell me they hear I am doing well. I have befriended the Senior Analyst. I still feel unsure of things, but I will say one thing it's easier than mortgages.
Tomorrow I am going to get something I have missed sorely.... A PEDICURE!!!! It's sandal season here already.







Friday, April 13, 2007

Secret Pal 10 Robyn's group contest #3






My favorite pattern? I've noticed that knitters for some strange reason will become obsessed with certain patterns we have the sock knitters, sweater knitters, the dish cloth knitters etc. My knitting obsession is fingerless gloves. The moment I saw the Eowyn fingerless gloves in an issue of Rowan I knew I had to have the pattern. I bought the issue of Rowan but I also googled knitted fingerless glove pattern and found many patterns. I have printed them, put them in a page protector and put them into a binder Something about fingerless gloves just appeals to me, I think they look sexy especially the Eowyn. I've made 3 pairs of them and have been asked to make another.


Now for the least favorite. I don't know if it's the colorway or the pattern or my knitting but I am not happy at all with the way the Bella is coming out. I don't know it might be the energy that is associated with the yarn but I have decided to frog the whole thing. I will make it again but in a different color. I will also use the tips that I have been given and maybe this time it won't come out so wonkie and look terrible. I can't bring myself to work on it.

Thursday, April 12, 2007

Mom's vest

First I am flattered very flattered Kathy from Irisheyes Knitting blog was so fascinated by the Tornado Knitting she referenced me in her blog. Thank you Kathy.
It's taking some time but I am working on Mom's vest. The back is completely finished. I work on it before I start work, during lunch, and on the drive home, Right we we are car pooling DH works about 15 minutes from where I work so for the next week we are going to car pool twice a week to see how it works, will it safe any money on gas? Don't know but I know I can knit while he drives (yes my sisters in knitting you see my diabolical evil plot!). But on those days that I drive, I do knit while I drive. Don't worry, I knit at red lights and Stop and go traffic. Most of the progress that I have had on Mom's vest is because I knit in traffic. I have changed the pattern a little bit, Mom liked the double seed stitch I put on her wrap, so I am putting that on the vest also. The original pattern is called the Albion Vest. She wanted something plain no buttons nothing at all, So I am not even making the ties. I'll just sew on the pocket she sent back
I have been working on my monthly KAL's in the evening This one is from the group From the Heart of Texas the designer is the very talented Kayleen Clements. You will have to join her group to get the pattern it's listed in the file section under monthly KALs & CAL. No I did not knit it out of cotton, I knitted it out of left over yarn. Yes another square to add to the afghan. I thought that 9 squares would be enough but it doesn't look right, so I will have to add 6 more for it to resemble an afghan, I need to get the afghan done and sent to The Lone Knitter before the end of June to be eligible to be in her contest. I need to start the Five golden rings square to add to the the blanket. I will work on it tomorrow. I also have to post something for the SP10, probably again tomorrow. I still have another coat of nail polish to put on my fingers.

Sunday, April 08, 2007

Things happen so quickly sometimes

Lets see the last entry was for Tuesday well that evening I went to my knitting group at the Starbucks at I 20 and Forest Hill. It had been raining that day. Angele got rear ended but thankfully it was not too bad. So there we are 6 of us knitting, looking through books, going over that weeks yarn porn, drinking coffees, talking about husbands, jobs, cats, sock camp etc. The last thing we expected to hear was one of the employees coming up to us and saying, "Excuse me ladies, but we have been informed that we are under a tornado warning, and you have the choice of either going to sit it out in the bathroom or leaving, but we have to lock up. Well I have never heard of anyone out running a tornado so we choose to all go to the bathroom, it was in the back away from the windows and the building is cement. Six of us piled into the bath room the employees were in the back room. We had cell phones, coffee, water, a toilet, yarn, needles, books, a flash light, and each other. Thankfully, nothing happened. The Starbucks employees were wonderful and should be commended for doing a great job. We all were safe. When I got home I found out that there had been a tornado that touched down in the area and the Starbucks we were at had a hook of the tornado over it. We were very lucky.

The next day I received my swap from the knitting book swap exchange. The book is One Skein it actually has been on my wish list. Thank you!

Thursday was the start of my new job. Yes I have finally gotten a job after being unemployed for
almost a year. I was exhausted. It's not only a change in jobs but also fields. I took a cut in pay but I am getting paid what I expected for someone with my skills and changing in fields.

Saturday was and interesting day. It snowed yes it snowed here in Texas. It was opening day at Scarborough I had to go in my jarwoll socks, my hiking boots, black jeans, thermal long sleeve shirt, sweat shirt, and my winter fleece lined cloak. It was cold. I've got a all the photos in it in my flicker account but here are a few teasers.

Queen Margaret

Queen Anne Boleyn and King Henry VIII catching snowflakes on his tongue. King Henry is quite playful especially when around the wenches.
I have made some progress on mom's vest, and actaully finished another square. I will have photos of them very soon.

Tuesday, April 03, 2007

Bluebonnies!!!

Today the mailman was nice to me, he brought me my package from the Yarn Junkies Unite Purple swap. And lookie lookie what I got. There is this beautiful sock yarn from J Knits. Looks like I have yarn porn to share at my knitting group tomorrow. We always start off with show and feel in our group. She also enclosed my first my one and only Fancy Schmancy Stitch marker. I don't buy these for myself because when one is unemployed it's a luxury one can live without. But I finally have one!!! There was also a little tube of lotion. Wow, did she look in the mirror with me this morning. I woke up and saw little faint lines around my eyes, No not the tiny crows feet in the corners the lines.!!! YIKES... who is this old crone in the mirror looking back at me? And now for a special treat, for those that don't know it the official state flower of Texas is the Blue Bonnet. The grow along the road sides, open pastures, fields etc. Literally there are patches of blue. It's a beautiful site. Last spring we got sickly blue bonnets because of the drought. This year, it rained for a few days, and the temps spiked up into the 80's and the blue bonnets popped! To give you an idea of how many is needed to make a sea of blue, here is a photo of one, just one blue bonnet.
This is allot more than one


And this too. Easter Sunday families will be out in force taking photos in their Easter clothes in the blue bonnets. No I didn't spell it wrong up on the title. When mom was able to fly and visit us she would come out here during the early spring because summer would be too hot for her. I told her that they were blue bonnets when she asked me what was that blue flower that was growing so beautifully. She repeated blue bonnies. And in our family, it's been blue bonnies ever since.


Speaking of mom, I have the entire back of her vest finished and have started the left front. I have both wrist bands done for Garren, and now working on the head band. I am also working on the Monthly KAL's for Monthly Dishcloths and the Heart of Texas groups.