Don't Faint

Okay, I know two posts in one day is ridiculous. However, this just came. I am smiling just like the box. Except not cardboard, and not black... you get the idea.

Here is what came. Woo hoo! I was just playing in my stash just this morning.
If there's no post for a while, this is probably the reason. Plus, the two posts today should cover me for a while. Don't call the authorities; I'm sure I'm okay!

Riley's Bear Hat

My very good and longstanding friend has her first grandchild. Never mind that Riley is now almost 4 months old. This pattern came from Knitting to Go and knitted up quite nicely. But I thought it was missing something.

So I added the little tuft on his head, knotted securely. I think it gives him some fun. The eyes don't show up well but are duplicate stitched in.
Here is a set of "wristers" or whatever. My oldest girl has been wearing them to school but traded them in on a costume for Halloween today. It's the only reason they're photographed. Pattern from "Weekend Knitting".
And here is the dreaded sock. I'm on the foot, probably mid-way through the decrease on the instep. It's not doing much for me but I want to finish one of them and then find a one-legged friend to give it to.
Here is the annual parade of pumpkins. I free-handed a moose well, okay, I had a photo of one and enlarged and copied it, but with my hand. Craig carved. I think it is just darling. Might become a Halloween pumpkin tradition.
Happy Halloween!

Finished Objects (posted October 24)

Here are a few things I've been doing lately. These are wine bottle cozies and they were just TOO fun!!. Check out the little blue bag on the right. Guess what that is? Sock yarn. I don't even particularly want to knit with it. But the stripes I thought would be... fun. Oh no, does this mean I have been somehow infected with some sort of knitting sock virus? I haven't finished the one sock I've been irritated with. There are no pictures of it, but I worked on it today and actually now I think I want to finish it. Stay tuned.





Here is the view of the bottom of the one -- I thought it looked pretty neat. The red and white one is some random stripes etc I thought would be fun and that pattern is called Labrador Diamonds that I think I got from a book of mitten patterns.

This is the "South Seas Table Runner" finished. It will eventually have some shells or buttons on the edges. When I finish my sock!! The candle is one of my favorites from a store in Peddler's Village in Lahaska, it is a MOOSE.

Oh, and another new discovery in my own backyard. What a cool place! By my own confession I am not a yarn shop maven but this one was completely set up by color. A warm room, a cool room, black/white and neutrals. Fun stuff!

Not a Yarn Store for miles

This past weekend, we accompanied some dear friends to NYC for the weekend. Had big plans for covering the big apple and of course I had big plans to find some yarn! But for all the preparations, I had not scouted out the locations of I'm sure all the wonderful stores in the city. So here are some photos. We had an awesome time! I had never seen Times Square before so I was absolutely enamored!!!

Here is the WTC site. I kind of like the NYC hat reflection. Amazing to see the rubble still there. Very sobering.

Here are Lindsay Steph and lady Liberty. Great weather and a very nice Liberty Island and Ellis Island excursion.
Here we are and I have really bad wind-blown hair! NYC skyline (financial district) behind us.
Here we are in the Ferris Wheel inside the ToysRUs in Times Square.
Here is Paige hamming for the camera; Times Square was really cool.
Her shirt says "I didn't ask to be a princess, but if the crown fits..."

Thanks!

Thank you for your words of encouragement. It's kind of like labor, making a sweater, I think. Now that one is done, I'm actually thinking about maybe... someday... "having another". Of course, since the last one did actually take me 9 months to knit, by the time I'd be done it would be hot again. Need to plan better. Or knit more.

I look forward to some photos of the yarn store in Myrtle Beach that I didn't make it to. Thank you in advance for my vicarious visit there!

I have a mistake (dropped stitch) in my sock and I'm seriously considering abandonment. And possibly destruction. I think I dropped the stitch doing the lace pattern so I can't even just go back and catch it. sigh.

Happy knitting!

Bring on the cool weather!

Ahh, completion!!!


The sweater is finished. Now if it was only cold enough, or cool enough, to try it on without breaking into a sweat! I really like the neck that I was so fearful about.


I understand that casting on a lot of projects before finishing those already started is sometimes a sign of creativity. I completely agree, for most people. But I think I have self-diagnosed knitting ADD. I can complete 2 rows of a project that I really like (you can read obviously not my socks in progress) and already be thinking, I would really like to work on _______ now instead. And if there isn't something in mind already, or if I have already picked up the three projects already on the needles and knitted two rows, I am nearly driven to start something else. And I can't affix a positive label like creativity to this. Most often I resist. Although, mostly I barely have the time to sit long enough to knit two rows. on any project!!


I can only imagine what would happen if I actually picked up that cashmere yarn I daydream about. I'll bet I wouldn't put that down!

Knitting in Heaven

Okay, the prompting for this post is that it is about 86 degrees with high humidity and I have been seaming a sweater...

In heaven, there will be a ski lodge type building for knitters. Rustic, country, huge windows from floor to ceiling. Fireplace open on 4 sides, blazing fire. There will be varying degrees of chilly-ness. Perfect for knitting with wool. Perfect to bundle up in that cozy throw. Perfect motivation to finish that wool sweater.

Did I mention that it is 86 degrees? Did I mention that it is the first day of autumn and I am resisting turning the air conditioning back on? I realize I choose to live in Pennsylvania, where it is not uncommon to have heat and air conditioning running in the same 24 hours period of time.

Back to the lodge ... a perfect assortment of couches and chairs. Footstools to prop work up on. Plenty of end tables to hold books, patterns and the occasional beverage. The view out the window is, what else? Beautiful snow. Snowflakes, evergreen trees with snow laden branches. A cardinal sitting on a limb. Knitters everywhere. None of us are sweating. I haven't quite worked Jesus into the scene, but I'm sure he is knitting. Or coaching knitters. Or perhaps creating a multi-colored sheep that you can pluck an end of yarn from and knit right from the animal. (humor me, it's my fantasy and God can do whatever he wants with the sheep) Maybe the sheep could double as the end tables?

Ahh, knitting in heaven.