Friday Fill-In & Me on a mission
1. “In a hole in the ground there lived a beautiful land where yarn grew from trees, was always soft, was free for the taking; the need for swatching was obsolete; and handknits were never lost, unwanted or shrunk in the wash.”
2. “It don’t fit but that ain’t no matter, you knit it special for me.”
3. “After dark the rain began to fall again, and I was warm and toasty under the handknit afghan.”
4. “Captain Jack Sparrow was brought from the hold of the Spanish galleon.”
5. “There was a hand in the darkness, and I warned that it better not move one inch closer to that cashmere if it wanted to remain attached to its owner.”
6. “Accidents ambush the unsuspecting, knitter; and we must not fear frogging when these events occur.”
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to not being at work, tomorrow my plans include going on a “date” with Hubby and Sunday, I want to clean the house that has been sorely neglected in the past few weeks!
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Yestarday, I went to the book store and purchased the new Verena. Here are just a few examples why:
Flower Garden (Ravelry Link)
Old-Fashioned Girl (Ravelry Link)
Swiss Miss (Ravelry Link)
I am completely obsessed with the last one. All I can think about is knitting it to wear every single day with all my jersey knit dresses and skirts. The only problem I forsee is that the recommended yarn is a soy/cotton/bamboo blend. Oh, and that it calls for 1,936 yards of worsted weight. Adding in the fact I am an amazon with monkey arms, I think to be on the safe side, I will need 2,200 yards. Wow! That is a lot of yarn. I think I’ll be able to swing it if I can order more skeins of yarn I have already in the stash. I do have that gift card to WEBS. Hummmmm. I’ll have to check the stash tonight and do a quick swatch.
Booya! The knittng mojo is BACK!
Red Envelope Project
I urge everyone to click on the image above and participate. I think even if you are not interested/involved/concerned about politics or the state of the country, you should participate. I understand that people make, and will continue to make, bad choices. I just think a child should not have to pay for those bad choices. There are so many other options. There are many people out there who deperately want to have children but can’t. Maybe the bad choice one person makes is a gift from God to another, but an abortion can take that gift away. I don’ t think 42 ¢ is too much of a burden if there is a chance it will save a child.
I’ll be sending mine out, and I can guarantee it will be more than one.
If misery loves company, I want to be alone
My knitting has been letting me down lately. As a matter of fact, I knit not one stitch yesterday, and I barely missed it. I have several UFOs at the stage of almost completion and can’t even bring myself to even think about finishing them. The Sweet Pea only needs to be seamed. I didn’t finish the Lisle on vacation. Apparently Magic Loop and Lisle do not get along. I didn’t have any dpns to finish up the sleeves. Now it is sitting in a bag next to the coffee table with the finish line nowhere in sight. I started the Nolicare Cardigan twice. I’m liking how it looks, but I just can’t bring myself to work on it. I think the best thing to do is work on something easy and mindless. So for the next couple of days, I will be knitting a huge square of 2×2 rib. Eventually, it will become a shrug from this book. I’m hoping my mojo will come back soon. If not, I may have to write a letter or maybe go to couples’ counseling.
I need a vacation to recover from my vacation
We arrived in Tennessee last Monday. This is the cabin were we all stayed.
Later that night, we celebrated the fact that I am now old. Like my rice cake?
I fulfilled #86. We took the kids horseback riding. Boy Child had never been riding other than in a circle at small fairs. At first, he seemed hesitant and not all that excited about the adventure. Afterward, all he could talk about was his horse Buttermilk and how he wanted a horse of his very own.
Meet Beau.
Beau and I had a lovely time. He even gave me a little trot to make the ride more interesting.
We also went hiking, and the knitting saw Laurel Falls. It is the most visited waterfall in the park.
The knitting continued to grow until it stretched all the way from Tennessee to North Carolina.
It also saw another waterfall. I don’t know if this one has a name, but it was pretty.
Boy Child had fun at Wonderworks.
He and his cousins also spent a HUGE amount of time in the hot tub. I’m surprised he didn’t turn into a prune!
He also took bunches of photographs. I was shocked at his natural talent with a camera. We may have a future artist on our hands!
Boy Child wasn’t the only one discovering new talents. I think I missed my calling as an architect.
I also was able to cross #58 off my list. I FINALLY beat Hubby in a game of pool. He will deny it, but I did it!
Boy Child wasn’t left out of the tournament. I think this little get-away convinced Hubby that we need a table of our very own. Yea!
Hubby also had his own own special adventure. Yum!
I saved the best for last … snow tubing!
I have to say, this is probably the most fun I can ever remember having! OMG! If I could, I would jump in the car right this very second and spend all day riding up and sliding down!
By the end of the trip, we were all tuckered out.
I’m back, and I’m 30!
Well, Spring Break is officially over, and I want it back! I was not at all prepared to go back to work this morning. While it was good to be home, I did not miss the office one bit. I went in and had over 100 emails to read, print and save. That was in addition to my regular daily work. Sigh. Luckily I was able to get it all done, but I am pooped! I also noticed I was very aware of the time today. I guess it’s because I paid no mind to it when I was away. Oh well, back to the grind.
I’m waiting on photos from the family, so the recounting of our trip will have to wait. For now, I want to share my wonderful birthday celebration. Every year on my birthday, I eat Japanese without fail. If we are going to be out of town, the first thing that gets done is finding a Japanese restaurant. We were able to find one in Pigeon Forge, and we all gathered on Monday, my actual birthday. When hubby asked how long this tradition has been going on, I was shocked to realize that it has been 17 years! Wow! I’m sure it will continue for that many more. I luv me some good Japanese food! The one thing that is remarkable about this particular restaurant is that they cooked the vegetables at the beginning of the meal. This is perfect for me. I really enjoy them but often am too full to eat more than one or two bites. All I can say is yum, yum! I also was able to indulge in sushi. Since both my boys refuse to eat sushi, it is a rare treat. Again, yummy!
In addition to wonderful food, I also received wonderful gifts. Hubby and Boy Child presented me with a gift certificate to Ross Bridge Spa. I absolutely love this place. They are one of the more expensive spas in town, but it is well worth the price. First, no cell phones or children under the age of 16 are allowed. They have a huge hot tub, steam room, and quiet room with complimentary tea and water. They also have showers should you need to return to work or an event. I personally will be taking advantage of my gift card to try the hot stone massage. I have always wanted to try it, and now I will be able to.
From Mom & Papa Buck, I received a gift card to Webs. It is tempting to spend it now, however, I know they have an annual sale that is coming up soon. I think I am going to hold off until then. It is hard, though. There is so much I want to try! I’ll be strong. I also was given cash from MIL and one of the attorneys at work. I have quite a little savings to indulge in the sale. I was able to treat myself to a yarn purchase while away. I’ll reveal this tomorrow with the post about our trip. I will tell you, it is sitting on my coffee table so I can look at it.
In addition to a great and indulgent family, I have a wonder friend in Mrs. S. I came home to find a package filled with wonderful treats. It is great to have someone who understands you. Mrs. S had the brilliant idea of using the fasteners that come on bread as holders for little yarn bits from cast ons or in color work. Since all my bread uses twist ties, she collected some in a little holder just perfect to fit in my notions bag. Since I have not been able to find the long M&M containers to hold my dpns, she added them to my package! She also got little tags that declare the garment is handmade by me! This will come in handy when I began my new sewing hobby. This new adventure will also be greatly helped by these:
She also enclosed a gift certificate to Hancock Fabrics. Mrs. S is a great friend. She knew that I had small resourses for my new interest. She knew I would need to increase my fabric stash. She provided. I thank her whole heartedly. Thank you! My only problem now is deciding which pattern to make first. Hum.
Friday Fill-in #115
And…here we go!
1. When I look to the left, I see what is to the left of me, duh.
2. The kitchen is the room that has the best view in my home.
3. Let it work at all.
4. Nothing is done dirt cheap, except maybe mud pies!
5. Voting is a responsibility that all qualified citizens must share, though we may differ on what ‘qualified’ means.
6. If you have any advice feel free to tell someone else.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I\’m looking forward to not being at work, tomorrow my plans include packing for our trip and cleaning the house and Sunday, I want to finish Lisel!
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I just realized that Lisel will satisfy #27 on my list. Malabrigo was one of the yarns suggested, and that is that I’m using. Yea! I’m hoping I will be able to mark a couple of more on this trip. I know I promised a photo of Lisel, but eh. There is not much to show. Besides, I like the reveal. It’s so DA,DA,DA. (It’s better with the sound effects. Use your imagination.)
Now that I may finish Lisel before we even leave, I’m not sure what knitting I’m going to take with me. Hum. I know I’m going to take Coraline. I’m afraid I’m going to finish that before we come back. I don’t know what a good second project is. I guess I have at least 2 days to figure it out. I just checked. There is one yarn store near where we are staying. I’ve been there before. In a pinch, I could make due, but I would rather be prepared. I’m sure my queue on Ravelry will give me an idea. So, I’m off to check it out.
Have a great weekend.
Hello life, you’re boring
Nothing big happened today. Leisl is coming along. I misread the directions when seperating for the sleeves which lead to 2 1/2 hours of counting, knitting, counting, frogging and counting more. It’s all worked out now, and I’m knitting right along. So, because my life is boring, I will direct you to other blog posts that for today are more interesting than mine.
- This is why I won’t be buying Vogue Sewing any time soon.
- OMG! That is so cool!
- I’ve never heard of crochet button loops (scroll down), but I have a feeling this will come in handy. I’m always forgetting to make button holes.
Also, these are things I want to make:
- The new Knitty is up and I want to make this, this, and this.
- See this dress? I want to make it so bad, I can not stand it. In more recent posts, it has been revealed that a pattern is being worked up for it. It’s planned release is “early summer.” I couldn’t wait that long. I already ordered the fabric. It is lovely. I will also have enough left over to make a bunch of other stuff. (Another post will reveal what.)
- I think this will be my project over spring break.
- I want to make these. I am so tired of never being able to find any long enough. Problem solved. I will make my own.
- I found this dress today. I really have fallen in love. I think I might have to try making it my very own, sans pattern.
I’m hoping to have made more progress on Liesl by tomorrow. Regardless, I will post photos.
Woo hoot! Woo Hoot!
Henrietta is done!
Yarn: Lion Brand Fisherman’s Wool
(yarn held double)
Needles: US 10 1/2
Started: March 3, 2009
Finished: March 11, 2009
I still have not decided about the closure. Though, looking at this photo, I think I may like the wooden pin. It kinda looks like a branch.
It does need a good blocking and some eyes.
While I am glad I knit this (twice), I’m not sure I like the yoke sweaters. I’m not sure they fit me well. I have quite wide shoulders, and the yoke does not seem to work for me. I think I may stick with the raglan or set in sleeves. Even without the eyes, I am calling this one done.
* sorry about the blurry photos. It’s getting late and can’t seem to take a good one.
Sunday Snapshots
Even though I have finished the body and one sleeve and am a good way into the second sleeve of Henrietta, I could not wait to start on my Liesl.
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