KNITTINGGAL

2011-10-10T19:43:00.002-04:00

Well I have spent some time checking out my old friends. I have been so busy. Both daughters are getting married this year. My oldest was married on September 10th and my next wedding in December 31st. Much work and many tears have gone into this year. I hope to come back to blogging in the future. Stay well all my blog pals and keep on knitting.

2009-09-17T17:12:00.006-04:00

I have been busy working on my Christmas afghan for the living room. I felt like crocheting so I have made it out of granny squares. When it is finished I will post picture. So far it is a work in progress. I am knitting heavy weight socks for hubby in a lovely tweedy green and have purchased the items needed to try out knitting two socks at the same time on two circular needles. Found a good book on the subject and will try out within the next week or so. I want to get the other socks off of the many double pointed needles I use now.

I am also knitting a lovely baby sweater for my physical therapist who is expecting in January. It is in white, Softy Baby by Red Heart Yarn and is a pattern from Easy Baby Knits. So far I love it.

Knitting and organizing

2009-09-02T10:19:00.005-04:00

Today I have been updating all my email accounts as we have changed to Fios. So far we like it and I enjoy having the DVR feature.

My middle daughter is moving to Washington D.C. on Friday for her new job. Another little chick is leaving the nest. My son went back to college, and my oldest is contemplating a move to California. To sooth my jangled nerves and distract my sad thoughts I will turn the spare room into a little knitter's haven for myself. I will include some pics as I progress. I will start this Labor Day weekend and see how far I get. I have an extensive collection of knitting books and my stash is in several places around the house-so I need to incorporate it and move everything to one place. I hope this will distract me. I am so thrilled for all of them and proud of them-but I miss my little munchkins from so long ago. Ah well- time marches on and I still have Oliver-that big bundle of warm brown fluff and wet nose. Everyone have a great day and keep on knitting.

2009-09-01T15:48:00.000-04:00

Newest book purchase-Love it! Many helpful tips and techniques.

New Knees and a few stitches at last

2009-09-01T15:26:00.003-04:00

Have been very busy girl! I had surgery in June and now I have two new knees. It was an ordeal but the worst is over now. If you can believe it I was home for two months and didn't knit a stitch. I laid around like a lump and went to my physical therepy sessions three times a week. I don't recomend this surgery for the faint of heart! However, I can now walk wherever I like and not have any pain. So in the end it was worth it. I am glad that I did both at the same time as I would not want to go back for another. I hope that everyone is well and knitting up a storm. Now that I am back to work I have been working on some baby items and trying to finish a reversible cable throw. Hi Ho-back to work now and then home to cook dinner-maybe I'll get a few stiches in tonight.

New post for old friends

2009-04-14T11:12:00.002-04:00

Hello to all my old friends online. I have not been blogging for lack of time. I have been knitting, working, taking care of family stuff and basically just living. I hope everyone in well and I am sending a woof from Oliver to all his doggy pals out in blog land. Miss you all and hope to return someday.

A little house cleaning.......

2008-09-20T18:19:00.015-04:00

I have been fooling around with pictures and colors for my blog and I think I like what I have so far. It seems pleasant and not to busy. I hope you enjoy it too.

I have been listening (and watching) videos on you tube too. I am enchanted by the old movie clips and and songs. I wish I had stumbled onto it sooner.....all my old favorites. I though I was the only one around that loved the music and movies from the 30's & 40's. Not true. There are thousands of us out there! I know some folks like to watch old movies occasionally, but I watch almost every day. I never watch regular TV programs. I am always watching TCM or else watching my own DVD collection as I knit in the evenings. Now I can check you tube for more favorites too. What a great time we live in. You can watch whatever you like from the past right now on technology from the future. Isn't it amazing. I think I like that long ago time so much because I spent so many happy afternoons after school watching the Million Dollar Movie and doing my homework while my mom got dinner ready. Then in the summer I would watch the Late Show and even the Late, Late Show with my mom or sister. Those were happy days indeed....long ago and far away.......

I have been busy finishing projects. I just need to finish up the toes on these two pair of socks and they will be finished. I gave the pedicure socks to my daughter and she loved them. Not a great picture but I am using my cell phone and sending to my email. I find this much faster than fooling around with the digital camera and hooking it up to the computer and all that jazz. So if the pictures are not the best please excuse them.

I am just about done with the stole. I love the pattern and the warm color. I have one more skein of yarn left and then I will be done. I have enjoyed this easy intro into lace knitting.

Everyone have a good weekend and enjoy this heavenly weather we have been having. 70's during the day, sunshine, blue skies, and in the 50's at night with stars in the sky. I could stand this all year long.

I have been having fun......

2008-09-13T15:19:00.010-04:00

I really have been enjoying the new slide show feature that blog spot has now. I have added it to my blog and also to the blog I write for work. You need a account at one of the free online photo sites and it imports your pictures right from there like magic. It is great. I also have been looking for music for my blog again as the server I used before went off line. i have found one and will be adding it soon. The Internet is truly amazing. So many people out there doing so many different thing.

This is my newest knitting book purchase. There is a project for every month of the year. It has some great patterns and much inspiration. Oh, I just remembered that way back in January I was trying to knit a project a month to put away for Christmas gifts ( did I just mention that word??). Well, needless to say that never happened so maybe this new book will help me keep that dream alive for 2009! I will now make a pledge to myself- I WILL NOT plan on making knitted items for anyone for a Christmas gift. If by chance something works out that way-then so be it. But I will not be knitting like crazy on Christmas Eve to finish a gift for anyone.

I have taught another young girl to knit over the last two weeks and the enthusiasim of this 7 year old is contagious. She is so excited that she knits in the car and in bed with a flash light! How great is that to have so much love for knitting that you will do it under the covers by flashlight? Right now she has a most beautiful scarf in garter stitch with holes and dropped stitches and it is lovely. I love teaching young children to knit and knowing that they will have something that will give them pleasure for years. I am off to knit and then knit some more on my lace stole. Have a great weekend and see aroung the blog soon.

Been away for awhile..........

2008-09-08T11:15:00.008-04:00

I think I finally feel ready to blog again. I just ran out of steam back at the beginning of Summer. I felt that my blogging was keeping me from actually knitting. I was so busy trying to take pictures and write about what I was doing that I wasn't actually knitting much....working kind of gets in the way of so many fun things too......so that is my story and I am sticking to it!

I have been knitting a Lace Stole from Lion Brand using their Cotton Ease in Taupe and it is soft and has a very nice drape. I will at some future time provide a picture as this lovely young lady is obviously not me! The stole really does look like the picture of it though. The instructions were written out so I made a chart to follow and that worked like a dream. I also added stitch markers and presto-I was knitting lace.

I am still slogging away on my cable afghan made from the Aran yarn I brought back from Ireland. It is large now and it really needs to be cool weather to have all those reversible cables sitting in my lap. I am also working on a sweet pair of pedicure socks for my daughter. She can wear them when she goes to have her little tootsies done in the cold weather. I am making them in Lion Brand Micro Spun and they are so soft. Pictures to follow. I am using yarns from my stash as I am trying not to buy any new yarn right now.

I want to shout out to all my friends that have emailed me and asked where I was....thanks. A big thanks to Hope and Cindy for being such great blog pals and encouraging me to come back.

I have missed everyone and hope to visit all of you so we can start blogging together again.

Posting on a day off from work...

2008-06-16T15:16:00.009-04:00

I haven't been posting at all and what a slug I am. I think I ran out of things to blog about. I have been busy at work and when I am home I have been gardening and grilling, and all that summer stuff. Last week we had power outages with the extreme heat we had. For three days it was over 100 degrees. Uck! Thank heavens the power came back on. I hate the three H's. Hazy, hot and humid. That pretty much sums up life in New Jersey for the summer. I spend some time indoors with the central air on and don't venture out unless it is to the beach. We are minutes from the beach club so I spend time there to catch the cool sea breeze and do some reading.

I have been a busy bee finishing up all my stray socks and now I just need to do the Kitchener finish and I will be complete. I want to start a pair of very cute manicure socks for my daughter and I for when we have mannys and peddys.

My graduate is job hunting in Manhattan and has some good interviews last week and this. She should be working very soon. Graduation was fun and sad to think of that part of her life over. But she is excited about working and then getting her apartment in Manhattan. My oldest daughter is working there now and her baby sister wants to follow in her footsteps. She is interviewing at Wall Street companies and we are keeping our fingers crossed.

Mother's Day and assorted thoughts.............

2008-05-12T17:41:00.008-04:00

I hope every one had a nice Mother's Day. I had a lovely breakfast out and then moved my knitting paraphernalia to another space as my daughter is reclaiming her room while she is job hunting. Graduation is this weekend and I will be happy to have her home for the interim. I will be sure to take lots of photos to post-we are having a very nice luncheon after the graduation in Georgetown. I hope the weather is good. So after I set up all my knitting goodies I pared down and now I am going through all my magazines and removing the patterns that I want and filing them. The mags take up too much room and there are so many things in them I will never make. I think this will work out well. All my yarn is stashed in boxes by categories and all my needles too. I have supplies and odd skein of yarn organized in a rolling draw bin that came home from college and found it's way into the basement. I am happy too as now I have space for my printer and much better lighting. Then I was treated to dinner out and the third installment of "Cranford" on Masterpiece Theatre.

I am joining a KAL at Lionbrand for the Tree of Life Afghan. The pattern is free for the next two weeks and it is a lovely afghan. It would make a great wedding present too. Check it out.

I have been reading blogs and some of us are feeling the pinch time wise for blogging. I have decided to blog twice a week and read blogs for 1 hour each time I blog. That way I can still have time to knit and enjoy my blog and reading all of yours. When I started blogging it was to talk about knitting and see what everyone else was up to. But now I spend more time lurking on blogs and trying to remember to take pictures and update mine and then feeling bad when I haven't done been able to. So I am giving myself permission to enjoy blogging again and keep my knitting paramount. I do so love every one's blog so I hope this works and I will still have time when I am home for cleaning, cooking, laundry, gardening, telephoning assorted relatives, and then get up and go to work and start all over again.....ah woman hear me roar!!

P.S. I have enabled comment verification so that I do not get any spam comments again. Sorry for the inconvenience, but I hate spam!

i am not sure waht i am diong

2008-05-08T09:59:00.003-04:00

hlelo tihs is olievr i tlod mom taht i wuold tkae oevr if she ddint do a dogs on thrusday tihs is my fvavoirt pcitrue i tihnk it sohws how smrat i am dont you agree i wnat to do a bark out to all my dogs on thursady pals and encourage you assert yourself and take charge......oh-oh her comes mom i better trot off now and xiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

Oliver has requested that I finish his post. He says that his paws are too big for the keyboard. I think he is too big for his breeches! But that is for another time-

Hope everyone has a happy Dogs on Thursday and rest of the week. Enjoy this beautiful spring we are having. I have been out in the garden fighting the weed enemy and just enjoying all the gorgeous blooms everywhere. Not too much knitting getting done but I will be driving down to DC this weekend to bring home my son from college-so as hubby actually does the driving I will be working on some socks I just started. Next week in my daughter's college graduation and we are so proud of her. The celebration will be exciting with all my family there and some of my husbands. We have a lovely luncheon planned after the ceremonies. I will post some photos of all the fun. Two down and one to finish- I am kinda proud of my husband and I for accomplishing this goal that we set out on over thirty years ago. I am so proud of all 3 of my children and feel especially blessed. Life can be sweet! TTFN-keep knitting

p.s. Oliver is really a sweet puppy-he just craves attention like all of us! I have to admit that I think he is the best!

Knitting Grafitti!!!!!

2008-05-04T10:24:00.008-04:00

I have seen the coolest thing!! Knitting Graffiti!!! I would love to do this...do I have enough nerve? Check out this site Knitta and be amazed!

I have finished the hubby's sweater and I am some what happy with it. I made it with inexpensive yarn to see how it would go. So now that I have the size issues figured out and I can see that I want to do a pattern and not just stocking stitch- and definitely use a softer green color. I will order the good yarn now and start the vest so it will be ready for the fall. This process worked well for me (doing it first on the cheap) as I usually don't make adult garments. Now that I have the confidence and have seen the pitfalls I feel more confident about producing a wearable garment.

I have been longing to go to Camp Stitches in June, but the cost is so prohibitive (with two children in college) so I have promised myself next year will be my chance to go. My second daughter is graduating from college in two weeks (I am so proud of her!) and we will only have our son left to finish three more years. YEAH!! So, hopefully I can go next year. I really miss not having a knitting group to work with. I keep telling myself to start one for the evenings but never get around to it. My LYS has one but the group that meets at night is for the 30 somethings-really she advertised it that way-20 & 30 somethings only. I guess she figures us oldsters only knit with acrylics and make toilet tissue covers! So I will not even shop at her store. The next nearest is 40 minutes away and I need to check it out and see what groups that store has to join.

I have been reorganizing my knitting area and I am excited about it. I hope to finish today and will post pictures of that. I have nothing to show for new projects. I have two in the thinking stage. A lovely stole I saw a pattern for and I want to start more socks to add to my holiday gift giving stash.

I just bought a new book called Twelve Months of Knitting and it has many great patterns. Hope to get some inspiration there too.

Oliver wants to say hello to everyone! he is very annoyed with me for missing Dogs on Thursday again. You can see how serious he is about this. He has threatened to take over my blog and make it all about him-I told him that it is mostly about him anyway and that without an opposable thumb he might have a problem, He said just wait and see.....hm mm what could he mean by that!??

Contest boodle and stuff I have finished....

2008-04-22T19:48:00.009-04:00

I want to give a big thanks to my blog pal cat girl for sending my prize out. I just love the book and I have never had fingering weight yarn before. It is from Knit Picks and called Jewel. I will have to figure out something special to make from it. I can't wait. Plus the book is very special. It teaches you about magical knitting and the moebius pattern. It indeed looks very magical. I do so admire Cat Bordhi's philosophy about knitting. It takes you to another level of experience and you end up with something quite extraordinary. So, many thanks cat girl!

This project is for a friend whose daughter in law just had beautiful identical twin girls. I hope they like their little hooded sweaters. I adore making baby items and I have two more expectant moms to knit for. I have to get moving on the items as they are both due in the next month. But that is what I like about baby clothes. They knit up one-two-three- and look too sweet for words. I rather like these sweaters. I made them from Jiffy from Lion Brand and the pattern is on their web site. I do love making patterns that are intended for the yarn. It makes life so easy. I often drive myself batty by making an item with yarn from my stash and hoping for the best. Baby clothes are very forgiving, so I tend to make them from my stash. I was lucky to find a pattern that went with yarn in my stash. If I want something to come out just right I buy the yarn for the pattern and actually do a swatch! Not often, just when a lot of money is involved. These little sweaters cost around four dollars to make as I purchased the yarn at Joann's clearance and I knew I would use the yarn someday!

My hubby's socks are made from Knit Picks Essential-Grass. I loved the color and the feel is very soft and comfy. The pattern is a mock cable and is from the book Sensational Knitted Socks. How I love that book for socks. If you want to make great socks that is the book for you. The instructions are clear and you have so many options. Check it out if you are a sock knitter. Even if you are a newbie, there is a class sock to start off with and it explains the anatomy of the sock. Really marvelous. I finished them while on vacation with my sisters and mom. We had a wonderful time and our children have virtually grown up together. They are close in ages and we have watched as they grew up and then graduated from college and are now going out into the big wide world. It has been a very happy experience for me and I have been blessed with a wonderful family.
Try the music that I have on my sidebar. It is some of the loveliest music ever written. I have it running often when I am blogging or just goofing around on my computer. Once you navigate away from my page it will stop, so I just open another tab and shrink it. It is so soothing. I hope that you enjoy it too. I do update the music from time to time, so be sure to check. I have a fondness for "pretty music". Especially classical and opera music. I just recently found a you tube piece with a young man conducting the Prelude and the Liebestod from Tristan and Isolde. Even if you don't like classical check this out-it is lovely-especially part two. I am sure the music will be familiar to you. Well, time to go. I see I have started using dashes and the word lovely keeps cropping up. So, before I start using parenthesis and any more comas I better stop. ( Although I actually quite like parenthesis!) Take care.

Back to blogging basics....plus Dogs on Thursday

2008-04-08T10:11:00.008-04:00

I have been absent lately due to some health issues. I had a CT scan last week and am happy to say all is well. I just have not felt like writing but I have been knitting with a vengeance. I have finished two baby sweaters for a set of twins and a pair of socks for my daughter, plus I am 3/4 of the way through a second pair of socks for my husband!

Other exciting news is that I have won a contest! I won Cat Bordhi's new book and some lovely yarn from knitpicks. I am so excited to win a contest and really enjoy the blog. Give a look at catgirlknits to check it out and a big thank you to catgirl!

Plus my Dogs on Thursday swap box came! The theme was the mud season and boy did I get some great goodies. Oliver was so happy with his new friend and hubby loves the micro fiber towel. I love the teas and chocolate cookies. What a great swap partner. A big shout out thank you to soxnitter.blogspot.comf or all the goodies. Oliver hangs out with hubby at his office and always has a good time there. I brought his basket to him and he really was excited. Of course the frog looks nothing like this picture anymore. I will take an after picture to show you. Hoping everyone is well and I will post some knitting pics for next time.

Missed Dogs on Thursday again!

2008-03-27T17:12:00.003-04:00

Oliver is not too happy with me. I have again gone dogless on Thursday. I have some cute pics, but I am at work and can not access them! All I have is this one I used before. Oh well it will have to do. (Work always interferes with everything!) I am sorry to all the Doggie friends and will get him out here for next week.

I finally figured out how to keep updated on every ones blog without checking them all individually. I am using Google reader and it is very easy. I tried Blog Bot, but it didn't seem to work for me. I am not a star pupil with the rss feeds and stuff like that. I need someone to do the work for me and all I have to do is type. I find that I get so far with something and then a curtain comes down and that is all I will get. It happens whenever numbers or logic is involved. I think that is why my knitting isn't really the top. I can follow directions and I get things pretty well after a couple of times, but don't ask me to write a pattern or figure out a change in gauge or yarn. Ugh! I stick to what I know.

Everyone have a great weekend and I will be posting some pictures of two little sweaters I am working on for twins that are coming very soon. Take care.

100th post and socks completed!

2008-03-24T22:18:00.004-04:00

Back from Florida and I had a great time. Weather every day 80 degrees and the beach was the best. Blue water to swim in and warm sand to lie in. Lots of pretty shells to pick from too. I had fun with my sisters and my mom too. I finished a sock and a half on vacation (Sockota yarn- cotton and wool blend) and then finished the rest at home. I like the way they came out and I did the Kitchener stitch like a pro thanks to a You Tube demo from a nice lady called Judy. She made it so easy and now I can do it just right. I love You Tube. That is where I learned to darn holes in handmade socks and now I learned the weaving stitch just right. Before I always had lumps or the stitches didn't match. There is nothing like watching someone do it. How nice of folks to take the time to share their skills. I always say knitters are the best.

And, yes this is my 100th post. I can't believe that is has been just a year since I started to get to know all of you. I salute all my blog friends and fellow knitters. You are all the best!!!

Florida, here I come!!

2008-03-11T18:08:00.004-04:00

Sung to Peter, Paul and Mary's "Leaving on a Jet Plane" and I hope that they will forgive me the pun!

All my bags are packed, I'm ready to go

I standing outside my sister's door

I kissed my husband a long goodbye

The dawn is breaking and we must leave

Otherwise on the turnpike we will be

stuck in traffic and missing our flight

My sister's husband is blowing his horn

He just loves dropping us two off....

So kiss me and smile for me

Tell me that you'll keep the bathroon clean

I 'm leaving on a jet plane

I don't know when I'll have such fun again

Oh, babe I'll hate to come home!!!!

So folks, have a wonderful week. I will take pictures and post when I can. My sis in Florida has a lap top, but with her and my other sis and me trying to get at it, it might get ugly!

My big sis has a great place in Melbourne Beach, Florida and my younger sis and I plan on swimming and sipping and talking till we wear our gums out! My mom is living there too so 4 women all under one roof-phew it should be a blast. I will keep you all posted if I can. Otherwise pass the sun tan lotion and call that pool boy over here for something tall and cool!

Meme for Oliver! And my own invention-Dogs on Saturday!!!!!

2008-03-04T14:37:00.006-05:00

Well, Oliver was tagged by his best beastie friend Grover! It took him awhile to get back to me with the answers but here goes:

What three things would you do that you have never done before; If you knew you wouldn't get caught, Get in trouble or suffer any consequences?

1. Run free everywhere without my leash. I hate being confined and would just love to run free throughout my neighborhood. I would especially enjoy visiting this really cute pup-chick down the street. She is one sweet looking pit-bull!

2. I would really like my humans to set a place for me at the dinner table. I just can not understand what they are thinking every night when the sit down to dinner. I mean, there I am in all my 100 lb glory (I mean you can't miss me!) and they ignore my request every night! What is up with that?!

3. I pretty much have the run of the house. You know I sleep on the bed a lot, and I hang out all day with my humans, but sometimes a guy just needs his own space. I have a nice big round bed and my basket with toys but I would like a private spot to bring the friends home to. The last time a brought a friend in the house the human lady went nuts and chased him out. So, I definitely need my own private space.

Thanks to Cindy for tagging Oliver and this is the place it came from.

I would like to Tag: JackJack, Abigail & Ella. Have Fun!

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!! WE HAVE TWO WINNERS!!!!!!!

2008-03-02T15:47:00.007-05:00

I want to thank all my visitors for entering my contest( 71 !!) and I hope that you will continue to join me in my ongoing ramblings about life and knitting of course.

Congrats go out to:
Hope and Cynical Gal!!!! Thanks for entering my contest and hope to enjoy our online friendship for sometime to come. It was great to read posts from folks as far away as Japan and all the way right here in Jersey. (Sorry about the out of focus names....I tried so many times to get them clear. I think my bad eyesight might have something to do with it. What looks clear to me on the camera keeps coming up blurry!)

So just email me at knitinggal@gmail.com with your snail mail address and off your books will go!

Now everyone else, don't despair, I see that I am coming up on 100 posts and I think I will have to celebrate that too!

2008-02-24T18:10:00.012-05:00

I have finally gotten my new screen and I am back on track again. We were out for breakfast on Sunday and during our conversation I said how much I missed having my own spot for blogging. So after we finished breakfast hubby said let's look at Staples. We went in and they had a nice 20" screen on sale, so we got it and as soon as we got home from also doing the grocery shopping hubby hooked me up! Yeah!! So here are some pictures of what I have been working on.

After my debacle with the gloves, I have put them aside as many of you suggested (Thanks for all your kind and helpful comments. I couldn't have picked up my sticks again if it wasn't for all of you!) and I decided to make fingerless mitts with a mitten flap. I have the one mitt done and will be working on adding the flap. I like the way it came out and I went up to a sport weight wool instead of a fingering weight sock yarn. The yarn is from Tess's Yarn and I love her product. It feels like butta! I ran across her booth at the last "Stitches East" convention that was in Atlantic City. ( I hope they come back again. Baltimore is too far!) Her color ways are incredible and she has wonderful patterns too. Check her out.

I stumbled across this tessellating pattern and I love making the little "fish" . It uses up scraps from the stash and I think it would be a great throw for a boys room. Check it out and try one-betcha you can't do just one!

Finally Oliver would like to thank all his Valentine's Day Buddies out there. He was very happy with his Valentine notes and hope that everyone enjoyed theirs too!

One thousand approaching!

2008-02-15T12:21:00.006-05:00

I just noticed that my blog is appraoching 1000 hits!!!! Wow am I excited about that. I think a contest is in order for that mile marker. Everyone so enjoyed the books last time that I think I will do that again. I have two great books in mind, so if you love knitting books enter my 1000 hits contest. Here are the rules:

1. Post a comment

2. Post a link to your blog

That is it-easy peasy! I will be giving away two great books(see below) so join in and spread the word. You only need to post once and I will draw names at midnight February 29th in honor of leap year.

Blog Contest and Happy Valentine's Day

2008-02-14T14:30:00.006-05:00

Hi Dogs on Thursday blog pals....Oliver has been very quiet lately and sticking close to home. I have to tell you though- having him sleep on the bed is getting old. Last night I woke up hanging on the edge of the bed. My hip is so sore this morning I gave him a very hard look. So from now on he is going to get the boot from me. He sneaks back up when we are sleeping-and yes we don't hear him coming-hard to believe I know. I figure that if I shoo him off enough he will get the hint. Golden's have that very sad look and their eyebrows wiggle all around and I just cave in- silly huh! I know that the guy on the Dog Whisperer says that dogs are happier being treated like dogs but we have never been good at that. Ah well, Oliver seems happy enough especially when I am hanging off the bed and he is streached out across my side!

Check out Nancy's blog for a Anniversary Contest mspalmtree.blogspot.com/. She asks for knitting tips and it is so easy to enter. All you need to do for one entry is reply to her posting. You can get additional entries by following additional steps- Good Luck!

Feel like I am loosing my best friend........

2008-02-13T15:03:00.004-05:00

O.K., here’s the thing- I have been so out of tune with my knitting lately. Everything I touch turns out wrong and I do not like the way anything looks. I think I have reached a turning point-either I have to improve or I will stop knitting. My Waterloo was the gloves I tried to make for my daughter. I used great sock yarn with an easy pattern from Knitty.com. I took my time and I thought everything was going well. Then my daughter tried them on and I had made two left handed gloves! There I was standing with the camera in my hand-I was so upset and embarrassed. I should be better than this after knitting all these years. Why has my knitting reached a certain level and never progressed past average. I see what other folks work on and I am awe inspired and know that I will never reach those levels…but couldn’t I just make a right and left glove? What is the answer? I am so angry with myself and really almost past caring. I don’t even want to finish what I have in progress. And I guess the biggest set back has been with my blog. I did loose my screen on my computer, but I haven’t been able to replace it because every time I think I might another financial crisis rears its’ ugly head. So, screen is on hold. Plus all my photos and goodies are on my hard drive and it isn’t the same when I use hubbies. I just haven't wanted to even blog about knitting. Blah, bah, blah….you have all heard it before. So, I tried to make another glove with a different pattern…this time the fingers are too skinny. I didn’t do a gauge and I changed the needle size because the yarn was a different weight…..I guess the morale of the story is to do a swatch and quit complaining. But it is more than that…perhaps gloves are too complicated, but they looked not too hard….so for now I am licking my wounds and putting my needles down for a bit until I work out what my trouble is. Maybe I should be happy being an average knitter….and stick with less complicated projects. Sigh……..

I want to say sorry to all my Dogs on Thursday pals….I haven’t been posting but I have been checking out everyone……….

I hope to be back on track soon and feeling better about something that I love very much

Stricktly Dogs on Thursday.....

2008-01-24T15:23:00.000-05:00

I have a picture today of a great pup friend that has be gone for a year. He was my other Golden's (Holly)best friend and we loved him dearly. I have such good memories of him that I thought I would share his picture and a quick story about him. Our friend works construction and found him on a sight he was working on. The pup was there for several days and so he took him home. Our friend is also our neighbor and the first time I met "Petey" was hearing him "knock" at our back door. He would bang is large head on the door and wait for Holly to come out and play. He loved to run in our house and jump on a bed. We watched him when our friends went on vacation and he slept just as you see him, all cuddled up on pillows and snoring away! We loved him dearly.....So in keeping with the sleep theme here is Oliver having a nap after a hard day playing. So innocent looking!! Stay well and knitting goodies to follow.

Bloggers and Knitters are the best....

2008-01-22T15:52:00.000-05:00

It was so nice to read all your comments. You are great friends and thank you hanging out with me.
I finished the gloves and am now working on the mitten part. I will take pictures as soon as I can. I will then work on finishing the reversible cable afghan. I also read about someone doing a holiday gift a month and putting it away. I am going to try to do that for this year's holiday. I must say that everyone really like their knitted gifts. I was very surprised. Usually folks are not too thrilled with knitted gifts. Or maybe my knitting has improved and the items look better? Whatever it was I was thrilled that everyone liked their presents. Hence the project a month. By November I should have 10 assorted knitted items and have lots of extra gifts that I don't have to buy. I thought that scarves, hats and mittens are good. As well as felted bags and felted cosmetic bags for the ladies. I want to keep it doable with small items that I can finish each month. Time will tell!
Oliver has been a very good boy and is such good company for my husband. They love their walks together and I have gotten so accustomed to him on the bed at night. He curls right up into the curve of my legs. It feels so snugly. So much that hubby has taken to shooing him off when he feels neglected!! I will be updating on Thursday with some fun pics of him. Well off I go to finish up at work(shhhh!!!) and then home to fix dinner and knit.

P.S. The picture is of a Tree Sweater Cosy knitted by Carol Hummel. Check out her work here

Back on the Blog Roll............

2008-01-14T15:56:00.000-05:00

I have been ignoring my blog- but with very good reasons.....holiday stuff, exhaustion, and then a bad head cold. Plus I couldn't get near a computer with the chicks home from college. We have three regular computers and two laptops and I couldn't use one of them for any length of time. And to top it off we were closed at work for three days to inventory around 30,000 books. I weeded about 40 boxes of books that haven't seen the light of day in five years. Then we moved bookcases and re arranged shelves to utilize the extra space. So I was too tired to even type last week. I feel asleep every night as soon as I came home. Woke up around 7:30PM, made dinner and then went back to bed. I think I am getting too old for such hands on work anymore. Thank heavens that I have two hard working gals with me and my chicks came in to help move the heavy stuff. Everything is spic and span and the patrons are enjoying the additional space. Libraries are hard work! Everyone thinks you sit around and read books all day-not hardly!

This is sweater vest for hubby. Back is finished and nearly done with front. I have been fooling around with the tessellating fish pattern. I have made about a half dozen and they are fun to make. Also I am trying to finish the gloves. I finished the thumb on the second glove and now must do the four fingers. I haven't been in the mood to knit lately. So that has been about all I have worked on.

I hope everyone is well and I will catch up with all my blog pals this week and then update for Dog's on Thursday. Thanks for being so patient and look forward to visiting with everyone.

After Christmas wind down....

2007-12-27T22:25:00.000-05:00

I have given Oliver a rest this week as he was getting quite sassy from all the attention he was getting. He attacked every piece of tissue paper, every box or bag, and begged for food shamelessly. Therefore he is flagged this week because taking his picture just gives him such pleasure that he will be out of control. He is a little miffed, and claims that he will start his own blog but I have not given him the password to my computer. Sometimes we must be the pack leader and do what is best for the pack. He will be returning next week pending a review of his behavior.

Now as I fly back from the other side of the rainbow........

I am still working away on my afghan that is for my one sister. I will see her on Saturday and it must be finished by then. I will take a picture of the finished product if only to remind myself how much I hated doing it. I changed the pattern and have been picking away at since early December. I just can't wait to finish it and then finish my last four projects started in 2007. That way I will feel better about the New Year and any new projects. I know that I knit for the pleasure of knitting, but I do think that projects need to be completed unless absolutely awful and then they go to the frog pond.

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday with family and friends....ours was a mixture of dread, cooking, cleaning up, followed by a day of vegetating on the couch. Now that the pressure is off I am enjoying all the little chicks home and on Friday night we will have our annual Christmas outing to a movie for the family. I think the 2nd National Treasure will be the choice. Each year after Christmas all five of us go to dinner and a movie. We have done it since the chicks were little and the movies have ranged from Beauty and the Beast, & Harry Potter, to James Bond. Now that the kids are older we venture into the pg 13 and r rated movies. I have drawn the line at Sweeney Todd, how ever. I do not like gore with my movies. So hope that you enjoyed the holiday time and are looking forward to the New Year. I have noticed that I am getting closer to 100 posts and I plan to celebrate with a contest for all my blog friends. Right now I am in the high 80's so 100 isn't too far to go.

See you all next year!

Can this count as Dogs on Thursday......

2007-12-20T13:53:00.000-05:00

My last post has a great shot of Oliver.....really haven't been able to do much of anything except work, bake cookies and frantically knit on last gift. Splease scroll down to last post and you can see the sweet boy is as pooped as me!

P.S. Knitting Daily has a chance to win $300.00 in cashmere yarn. Just name your favorite LYS. Check here for details!

College students home safe, parties, tree decorating and shopping.

2007-12-16T23:52:00.000-05:00

Has been a very busy three days. The children arrived home safe from college and the house is hopping again. Music, television, phone ringing and food flying out of the cabinets and fridge. Sleeping seems to be high on my son's agenda. If he sits down for more than two minutes he falls sound asleep. Laundry is a mile high in the laundry room and my hubby has retreated to the bedroom to watch the football. It is so great to have them home. It feels like a home again too.

Went to our first Christmas party on Saturday night and it was a bit of a yawn, but we were glad to get home early. We watched "Deck the Hall" with the kids and then they put us to bed around midnight. Today was our nieces fist birthday and it was a good time. Pizza and cake for the children and apple martinis for the adults. Green for the holiday you know!

When we came home we decorated the tree and now everyone is snacking and getting ready for bed. Even Oliver is pooped from snooping in every box that came up from the basement. Each ornament has been lovingly sniffed by him and meets his approval (Not the best shot of the tree. I don't know how to adjust the lighting. I guess I should read the instruction book)!

Off from work tomorrow to hit the stores for the last push to finish up shopping and then the wrapping and baking begins, in between work and three more parties. No knitting is being done and what is finished will go out as gifts. What isn't finished will be done after the New Year and saved for the next year! Maybe that way I can get a jump on next Christmas. Have a great start of the week and take some time for yourself.

Dogs on Thursday

2007-12-13T09:30:00.000-05:00

Oliver hasn't been up to anything unusual lately just his regular puppy stuff. He plays, he eats, he goes for walks, and he goes to sleep. I think I want to come back as a Golden Retriever. First off, they are blond. Now, be honest, blonds do have more fun!! Well, Oliver certainly does. He reminds me of that Seinfeld episode were Elaine is in love with a blond, good looking guy that Jerry describes as a male bimbo-a mimbo! Oliver fits that bill. He is cute, fun and always checking out the babes in the area. He has a girlfriend down the street called Jersey. A pit bull that Ollie just loves and everyone else stays away from. She is actually a sweet girl and we love her too. Anyway, here is a photo of him and his good friend across the street, Ginger. ( Ginger does not like Jersey. He runs away whenever she come out to play.) They look like "Laurel and Hardy" but they have fun together.

On the knitting front I have finished one and a half scarves for extra gifts for my nieces, and need to finish the mate to the one glove I finished. You know, I would love to be home for a month and knit when ever I felt like it. I have been thinking of taking one of those knitting cruises, but I wonder how much fun they are for the person that comes along with you ( a non-knitting husband). It sounds like fun and very relaxing, but not if the other person isn't enjoying it. Has anyone taken one of these cruises? Let me know if you have, I would love to hear about it. I am off to mix up a batch of shortbread cookie dough. The recipe is from Martha Stewart and you roll it into logs and can freeze or refrigerate. I will bake them when my daughter comes home from college this Saturday. After they bake we will dip one side into melted chocolate and let them set. They have chopped cranberries in them. I hope they will be good. Have a great day and keep knittn'.

P.S. I have been meaning to tell you about a blog pals Esty store. Nhknittingmama has beautiful hand dyed yarn and shipping is free!!! Wow isn't that amazing. Check it out here.

Just lurking around!

2007-12-12T16:42:00.000-05:00

I haven't had too much time to take photos or post. I have been lurking and reading blogs here and there. Everyone is so busy knitting and getting ready-I feel like a slug! Work has been a disaster with blown servers and such and I would so much rather be home finishing all that needs to be done. I think once the kids are home from school and my oldest comes in from Manhattan I will have more holiday cheer. I have some good pics that I will post later this week. Until then hang in and keep knittin'

Oh- my oldest put together a fun quiz for all of you that love the movie "White Christmas". Come on, you know you are out there. We watch it every year along with Holiday Inn and The Christmas Story-right! Well here is half of the quiz for today and then the rest next time with the answers for today. Enjoy and as my daughter would say-"Joyeux Noel" (her boyfriend is from France!)

1. What actor was originally intended to play the part of Phil Davis ?

2. What famous choreographer worked on the movie, but wasn't credited ?

3. What famous character actress plays the roll of Emma Allen, the housekeeper ?

4. What well known composer's work was featured through out the film ?

5. What is missing when the group arrives in Vermont ?

6. What is the name of the town in Vermont ?

7. Why does Emma send all of the General's clothes to the cleaners ?

8. What gift does Betty give Bob as a present ?

Have fun and I will post answers next time!

Thank you to all my Blog Pals

2007-12-07T14:21:00.000-05:00

I want to thank everyone for their nice comments about Oliver. He enjoyed his special day and is still strutting around today. My youngest daughter called me and said that for a knitting blog there sure was a lot about Oliver. She was right. He does seem to be all I post about. I will endeavor not to be such a proud "Mom" and stick to the knitting. I think I just need to post other days beside Thursday! Everyone have a great weekend and try not to work too hard towards that big day coming up. Hopefully in January I can get back to some serious knitting and blogging about knitting. A big woof and slobber goes out to Oliver's best blog friends Grover and Tucker. He also sends a woof to his new blog pal Mugsy. Mugsy is his Holiday swap pal. Keep knittin' everyone!

2007-12-04T07:56:00.001-05:00

This is the first fingerless glove I have tried. I took this photo before I started the fingers. I have actually finished the first glove and now will start on the second. The pattern is here at knitty.com and it has a mitten top. Each half finger was much easier than I expected. The trick is to twist the stitch at each finger gap. It worked pretty well for the first time. It is still a little holey at the finger joins so I must reinforce those areas. The thumb is worked like a standard mitten thumb, then you knit a separate mitten top and attach it to the glove. I think the pattern explains this much better so have a look at it. It really is fun to knit. I used Regia 4 ply on number 2 needles and the clove will fit a medium hand. I think if you have a smaller hand you will have to adjust the number of stitches.

Now for the really big news.......Oliver has been asked to be the "Dog on Thursday" by Natalie. I am so excited and will endeavor to take a nice portrait picture of him! He really is a very dignified fellow.......not! I am sure he will do his best to cooperate. He has told me that there are some hotties on the list and he wants to look his best. If you are not on Dogs on Thursday check it out here and enjoy. Anyone can join so have a look and join in on the doggie fun

I have almost overdosed myself on Christmas music already. I have it on in the car, at home and at work. We have XM radio and they have 4 or 5 stations that play nothing but Christmas music. I am in heaven. Also please click the player at the right and listen while you read. I have selected some of my favorites and will change them from time to time. They are really old time favorites that I grew up with but I will add some newer tunes too! Everyone have a lovely week.

Dogs on Thursday

2007-11-29T11:04:00.000-05:00

Here it is Thursday again. I love doing this post, but I know how much time it takes to go through the list of names to visit everyone else. So I will make this short with pictures of the dog, and then do a knitting post tomorrow. I love to visit each blog and see the pups but it takes me around two hours to read each post and leave comments. So , long story short (way too late for that!) here is the pup and some of his antics today! Love all you gals out there and please have a wonderful day!

Having a nap among the leaves!
Up and ready to roam!

P.S. Doesn't he blend right into the landscape. I guess it is time to rake some of those leaves!

Hey I have been tagged!!!

2007-11-24T18:16:00.000-05:00

My first time ever being tagged. I think it is fun. If I tag you and you don't like to do these things then no problem, just ignore. Otherwise follow the instructions and have fun with it!

I was tagged by April the other day for the 8 Random Things about me "Here’s the deal: Once tagged, you must link to the person who tagged you. Then post the rules before your list, and list 8 random things about yourself. At the end of the post, you must tag and link to 8 other people, visit their sites, and leave a comment letting them know they have been tagged."

So, I guess all this is in aid of having more traffic to your post. I don't know about you but I could always use more traffic to my postings. Sometimes I think that they are so boring folks nod off and I can hear their heads hitting the keyboards! Oh well, so here goes...8 random facts about me....

1. I guess it is no surprise that I love to knit...but I even knit in my dreams. I have dreamed of myself sitting there with needles and yarn and clacking away like Madame deFarge and mumbling out the pattern.

2. I hide chocolate so that everyone else can't eat it!

3. I love to watch movies from the 1930's & 40's. All the time!

4. I would love to own a yarn shop! (Some hope huh!)

5. I drink orange juice out of the carton--ugh-right!

6.I really don't read too much anymore even though I am a librarian. I read so many reviews, previews, catalogs, publisher blurbs, tech manuals, brochures, and synopsis that my love of reading have been knocked right out of me. I use to read two or three books a week. Now maybe two or three a month! Very bad for a librarian.

7. I also think the decrease in my reading is due to knitting. I would rather knit than anything else right now.

8. I feel really bad about 5.

O.K. here are my lucky targets (or unlucky depending on how you feel).

Amanda , Cactusneedles , VTfriend, Marcie, Yvette , Nancy, Pooch, & Donna Lee.

Check out my friend Hope's blog. She has a great story here that will make you think!

I have been knitting the same row on an afghan for a week now. I am so annoyed. I don't want to give up but I think I will put it aside for a few days and work on some mittens. The pattern has yarn overs and psso, for the pattern row, and then reverses the yarn overs and psso on another row. I get along so far and then bang, I have one stitch too many or too few at the end of the pattern stitches. I even do it in quiet and count out loud. So then I added or deleted the stitches to make the pattern row, but I know I will come to grief doing that. It is a lovely pattern. It looks like large honey comb. So, I will try again later. Oh well...some things were not meant to be made.

Happy Thanksgiving

2007-11-21T10:08:00.000-05:00

Just a quick hello to wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving day. I hope that your day is full of family, love, food and fun. Drive safe, eat lots and see you on the other side of the holiday! P.S. Please enjoy the holiday music on my sidebar. Just click the left button and listen!

Saturday afternoon

2007-11-17T13:09:00.001-05:00

I have been knitting but without any success. I have frogged the same row ten times. I can't knit a pattern with yarn overs while watching TV with Mom! She is a chatter box and makes me laugh, but I am afraid my knitting will have to go on hiatus! So no news on the knitting front. I am anxiously awaiting a book I ordered. It is going to show how to knit two socks on circulars at the same time. So I will just putter around and read blogs until my Mom's visit is over. Everyone have a great weekend and I am off to make lunch and the to watch a great mystery with "Mama". So I will leave you with some eye candy today. In my opinion the best James Bond ever.

Mom on Thursday and dog too...

2007-11-15T10:10:00.000-05:00

I can't believe I haven't posted since last week. I am doing this post on the fly as my mom is visiting from Florida. My two sisters take care of my mom for about 99% of the year. They are so good and it is a lot of work every day. Once a year Mom comes up from Florida and my sister here in New Jersey has her for most of the time. But this week Mom is visiting with me as Sis is going away for a few days. On Thanksgiving Mom will be staying with my sister again. She will be here in New Jersey till after Christmas and then my sister that lives in Florida will come up and they will go home together. It is hard on Mom but my sister in Florida needs a break at least once a year. So, my sister and I try to help out. As I say, mostly my sister here. She is a champ! Anyway, I don't like to leave her by herself for too long as she gets lonely. She is lots of fun and loves to watch old movies, and Agatha Christie mysteries like me, so we get along great. Mom is 85 years young and still going strong. She has short term memory loss but is always upbeat and game for anything! She loves to read magazines and do puzzles so she keeps busy. My mom taught me to embroider and crochet and bought me my first sewing machine. We always had fun together. She plays a mean game of poker and my son gets really annoyed that she beats him still!
She loves Oliver and we always have to put him on a diet after mom leaves as she feeds him whatever she has! He loves it and she thinks it is great fun. So guess who has a new buddy this week. Yup, my mom. He sits right by her and lives in constant hope of goodies coming his way. Hubby took some new pics of the pup and I am starting to think that he is a big ham! The first picture is my street and the pup going for his walk and then the rest are him hamming it up in the yard. On the knitting front I have foolishly started an afghan as a Christmas gift and am hoping for the best. I have two more scarves to make and then I am finished. I will have pictures of projects as soon as I have a minute to grab the camera. I am off to work and I am so lucky that my darling hubby works from home and loves my mom. He will take good care of her until I get home. Have a good rest of the week and hope to post again soon. (Fingers crossed!!) (You know I can't have a whole post without parenthesis!)

Dogs on Thursday

2007-11-08T10:08:00.001-05:00

I finally had pictures from the drowned camera (sad story here) processed. So I have a few more pics of Oliver on his vacation. He enjoyed every moment as much as we did. Isn't he sweet? He loves to pose for the camera the ham! I am not in such a hot mood right now as hubby has been "talking" to me about not letting him know that I let Oliver back in the house without telling him. Well the thing is, he found a loose Labrador and I called the owner (number on tag) and they nonchalantly said be there in a few minutes. I know this family as the mom comes into the library were I work and we had a conversation about her dog always getting loose. She doesn't look for her any more and relies on folks calling her when they find her dog! Anyway, Lab is in the house with me, Oliver is outside with hubby. Oliver is going nuts as the Lab keeps coming to the door with his toys in his mouth. Hubby is removing the dead flowers from the pots and waiting for the guy to come. Lab runs to the back door, Oliver bolts around the house and watches as Lab has another of his toys in his mouth! It was a little funny. As if the Lab knew what was going on. So, Oliver at back door, hubby in garden in back, bell rings, I go to answer. Lab follows me, Oliver runs around to the front, Lab goes out, Oliver comes in. Simple, right! I finish making breakfast. Where could hubby be? Bang, Bang at back door, "DO YOU HAVE THE DOG???!!!! Well, yes he came in when Lab left. You could have told me.......yattta...yattta...yatta". You get the picture. I am pissed, hubby is steaming and then he says" Did the guy even thank you?" What can you say to that. He is such a lamb and then boom....he makes no sense and I am left wondering if I am the crazy one! Gotta love him.......he is so kind and really helps out at home and never complains...just every once in awhile he gets miffed. I will survive, so here I am ranting away...but I though it was appropriate for Dogs on Thursday. And now as I read this back for my numerous spelling mistakes I am smiling and on my way to give him a big kiss (Hubby that is, not Oliver!)

On the knitting front I am working a baby bib from "One Skein" and it involves wraps and short rows. So, that has been holding my attention. If it is not to ugly I will post a picture. I wanted to use up some nice cottontots yarn that I had. I am also still slogging away on my reversible cable afghan. Someday it will be done.

First Christmas Present finished

2007-11-04T21:12:00.000-05:00

I have finished my first official Christmas gift this weekend. I found a pattern online call Irish Hiking Scarf and I like it a lot but really didn't have any yarn to suit the pattern. I was out shopping and stopped in at JoAnn's Fabrics and found the Lion Brand Wool-Ease on sale. I really liked a multi colored yarn called Wood. I just grabbed 2 as they were 2/$5.00. I started the pattern and thought is looked well together. I won't say who it is for in case they visit me. I also finished two mohair potato chip scarves that I won't show as they are definitely for some one that looks at my blog. I feel good for having started the gift process. I won't stress myself with big plans, just little gifts that I can finish between now and the big day.
I also want to send out a big thank you to Aman da. I won a contest on her blog and my prize arrived Saturday. I was thrilled, it is the first time I won a Blog contest. So, thank you, Amanda! I love the Addi-Turbo size threes, just right for all the baby goodies I knit, the sweater stone has been used already on some of hubby's pilly sweaters and I love the dish/face cloth. I love receiving something that someone has ade. My Lovely daughter Megan went to visit Salem, Mass. a few weekends ago and visited a LYS just for me. She said it was a great place. It is called Seed Stitch and she bought me a skein of Sockotta sock yarn. It is lovely, and she bought it for me! Wow, that is a new experience for me. Someone buying me super yarn! Megs know how much I love to knit and she made me very happy thinking of me. Actually both of my daughters are very supportive of my knitting. Kate took me to a LYS on my last visit to see her. It was such fun. They are both honeys! Everyone have a great start of the week and Happy Knitting.

A Cool Contest from a cool gal.....

2007-11-04T14:54:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone! Cass is have a fun contest all about her 333 post. Check it out. It is running until November 11th with many wonderful prizes. See you there.

Dog's on Thursday and some knitting too......

2007-11-01T11:37:00.001-04:00

One of my favorite pics of Oliver from our vacation. I think it really shows his personality. His eyes are bright and look right into you, his tongue is hanging out, and he is just waiting for you to join him for the fun. I can't tell you how special he is to us and how much fun we have with him. He is sitting right next to me now and he will stay for awhile and then he will go sit with hubby and keep him company. He is a gentle giant.

I finished this dress for my niece . It will fit a toddler up till 2 years old. It looks rather big for the 12mos old size it was made for . So all to the good as she will be two in December! I really liked working with this yarn (Sensations from Joann's ). It is soft and handles very well. I have tried to find it again at my local Joann's but no luck. Maybe when I travel. I will say I am not a yarn snob. I will work with any yarn as long as it is made well. I do prefer natural fibers, but they are often pricey and so I try to scoop them up when on sale. I do use Knit Picks, but when I visited Green Mountain Spinnery they were quite emphatic that Knit Picks didn't pay fair wages to the growers from whom they purchased. I have no proof of this at all, and Knit Picks talks about supporting local growers and workers, so I continue to use them when I can. My LYS is not very friendly, so I go only when necessary. She isn't rude, just superior, and makes me feel unwelcome. I have heard this from many sources so I know it isn't just me. So that leaves AC Moore and JoAnns, or online. I kinda like instant gratification so I usually try to buy the best on offer at either place. So far, so good, as they say. Plus I have noticed that both stores are selling more natural fibers and I have found organic bamboo at AC Moore! (I have noticed a tendency to use exclamation points and parenthesis on my part. I am trying to control that!)
I have meet a gal through my blog that actually lived in my town and that I knew casually. Isn't the blogging world amazing. Here I am blogging away about knitting, and ten states away is a person blogging away about knitting and we use to live in the same town. Too much. We exchanged email addresses and have been writing about old times. I love blogging. I also am going to meet my Fall into Autumn swap pal. She mentioned that she did costumes for the University productions where my daughter goes to school. So, Viola! We are going to meet at the LYS and have coffee too, the next time I am in the area visiting my daughter. I so look forward to it. I love our knitting blogs! Have been busy on Ravelry too. Loaded some stash and projects. I am getting organized plus. Now I need to organized all the these picture files I have all over the computer. Hubby would love that!
Have a happy weekend and don't work too hard raking those Autumn leaves!

Check out this blog for a fun contest!

Fall Into Autumn package arrived!!!

2007-10-28T22:05:00.000-04:00

This is the first swap I have ever done and it was so much fun. Thank You Alanna, my package arrived on Saturday while I was painting my bedroom. I put it aside with great restraint so that I could take pictures of all the fun. Here they are:

1. I carefully opened my box of goodies. Look at the lovely paper and the oh so nice card.

2. This is what I found inside. All wrapped up so pretty. I hold my breath and then I attack each package!

3. Look at all my loot! Thank you Alanna, everything is wonderful and the dishcloths are so beautiful I don't know if I can use them. Thanks for the awesome patterns and I am afraid some of the candy is gone already! The Bee soap is wonderful and I look forward to using it. Also I love Moose Munch and have hidden it from the wild moose that is loose in my house! The hand dyed cotton yarn is, well I am running out of adjectives, but let me say that is is pretty darn nice. You sure know how to pack a goody box. Thank You very much. What fun I had. I can't wait to do it again.

Dogs on Thursday

2007-10-25T11:49:00.000-04:00

Oliver had the best time of everyone on vacation. He romped in the waves and dug in the sand and did his usual thieving of personal objects, fortunately to the amusement of my family. Except for my brother-in-law, who was personally insulted every time Oliver stole one of his sandals or hats. I don't think he is a "big" dog lover. Anyway, Oliver enjoyed himself and I think he made the vacation for me. He was fun and well behaved on the ride down and home. Plus he enjoyed every minute he was away!

Is this a too cute face? Blondes need extra protection from the sun.

A boy and his dog. My husband just loves Oliver and they have fun together!

On the knitting front I finished two potato chip scarves and my little toddler dress. Pictures for tomorrow as I have to buzz off to work now. Everyone have a great day!

Vacation Photos...and Yeah for sisters!

2007-10-23T22:34:00.000-04:00

View from Balcony- The House- Main Room

Swimming

Beautiful Sunset...... We had fabulous weather the whole week. Sun every day and warm enough to swim too.

Where the road ends and the ocean begins. We also visited the Lighthouse at Currituck

Having a great dinner out at Awful Arthurs- Bay seasoned shrimp and King Crab Legs--yummmm!

My wonderful sister Mary Kay sent me her photos for the blog. Is she an angel or what! Barbara you are too, just not with the computer! (My other sis.) I do have the world's best sisters and they are the most fun on vacation. Well, anyway I will let the photos speak for themselves and I have saved the Oliver ones for Dogs on Thursday. Thanks to you all for stopping by and I will have knitting pictures as soon as I can get my hands on the new camera!

P.S. Sorry about the size of the photos. My sis used different image sizes on her camera for different pictures. I tried to re size but couldn't get it to work.

A very sad :o( story.........

2007-10-22T15:01:00.000-04:00

Well here I am posting from work still. My computer is the very last one to be done as we paint and unpack from room to room. I could use my son's or hubby's, but I want my own back up and running. I need a solid day to catch up on posting, ravelry, and email. You don't realize how much you use the computer until you don't have it for awhile. Anyway, that isn't the sad story. Here it is (now no laughing it really is supposed to be sad!). Early one morning on vacation my husband awakes me from a dreamy dream and says "let's go watch the sunrise!" I am excited, we haven't done this since our honeymoon days of marriage. So up we get and out we go. Of course Oliver (our Golden Retriever) comes along. Out the door and down the steps to the beach. We walk around and play with the dog for a bit. It is a cloudy morning and we really won't be able to see the sunrise. I walk into the water and hubby follows with Oliver splashing around. I turn around and there is husband pulling up the swim trunks that the dog has pulled on and out of his pocket pops the camera and down it drops on the sand as I try to scramble for it. At the same time the surf is rolling in and guess what hubby is doing? Tucking in his shirt! That's right, as our $250.00 camera lies in the sand with the surf rolling in he is tucking in his shirt. I scream, the water flows over the camera and he tries to grab it but too late. It rolls around in the surf and finally he catches it!!!!! (Insert unbelieving expression on my face quickly replaced with shock.) Now, may I digress at this juncture. Some of you may have one of these husbands or significant others at home. When you do something stupid it is followed by admonishments and long serious lecture on how to be a more responsible person. For your own good of course. But when the shoe is on the proverbial other foot there is always a very logical reason for said actions. O.K., back to the story. So, knowing as I do what will follow I say very calmly: "Why didn't you pick up the camera when it first fell?" Simple, right, to the point. He says: "I didn't think the water was coming in so quickly." My mind is trying hard to grasp this stupid, umm...dumb, no, no, moronic answer as he stands there trying to get the camera to work. I think to myself, is this worth going into a big production over or should I just let it pass. Well, of course I let it pass. No point in beating a dead horse. So, anyway that is my sad story. All my picture taking went out to sea, and I will be trying to salvage what I can from the memory card. I will take it to a store and download it to a disk in the hopes that they are still all right. My sister promises any day now to forward hers on to me through email. So I hope to have some photos to show you my vacation. Yesterday we bought a new camera and bang goes my hope of getting one for myself. Husband uses his for work. So there you have it. Read it and weep. I just did. I even had photos of lys in Southern Shores. At least I can take pictures of my wips and post them as soon as I am set up again. Please don't cross me off as a knitting blog...I really am knitting some fun stuff. Two afghans and the second sock of a pair. Plus I have goodies to finish for the FIA swap and my secret pal. I will have pictures of knitting again. How about my new favorite eye candy to brighten up the post!

Back from vacation.....but no computer

2007-10-15T14:58:00.000-04:00

I am back from a great week off but my home is upside down from having the floors redone. All the furniture was moved out and now we are painting...it may be another few days before things are back to normal. I hope to post about my vacation then. Also the winners of my contest, your books arrived and now I need to package them up and get to the post office. Have no fear they will soon be winging their way to you. Thank You for your patience. I also have to get my secret swap pal package out this week...so I will be busy. Hope everyone is fine and miss you all!

Just a quick note

2007-10-09T08:55:00.000-04:00

It is early in the morning and just Oliver and I are up. We watched the sun come up over the ocean from our balcony. I took some pics and will post next week. It is quiet and the gulls are calling out and Oliver is very interested in them. We are having the best of times being together with my sisters and my mom. The hubbys are playing golf and we are making cocktails and swimming in the pool. We decided that we should try and see some of the island so we might actually leave the house today. It is 80 degrees and sunny here on October 9th! Such beautiful weather. Thinking o you all and I have actually knitted for about one hour yesterday. I brought all my unfinished projects with me..I thought I would get to them...LOL hope springs eternal. See you soon..........

Can You believe this!!!!

2007-10-05T10:00:00.000-04:00

Just a quick note.....drum roll please......I GOT MY RAVELRY INVITE!!!!! YEAH!!!!!!!!!! It is so great and I just spent 10 minutes looking around and already I love it. Now the bad news....We are having our floors redone, at home, while on vacation and my computer will be packed away for at least a week or more when we get home. I could cry.....oh well.....so, fair thee well until I return sometime during the week of October 15th....I will just have to squeeze it in at work. But you didn't hear that here! No sir, not me....I only do official knitting business....oops I mean only official library business at work of course! Love to you all and have a smashing week and a half!

Outer Banks Vacation previews!

Washington weekend and and Outer bank's Vacation!

2007-10-02T22:46:00.001-04:00

We had such a great time in Washington this past weekend. It was great to see my children, and how happy they both are at college. My daughter and I had a fun afternoon on Saturday. We took a little trip to a yarn shop that I had found out about in Bethesda, Maryland. So we went exploring there and found a farmer's market in progress, ton of great shopping and the nicest LYS. It is fun to shop at the yarn store with my middle daughter. She can always find the best yarn and the coolest projects for me to make for her! I love to knit for both my daughters and they do enjoy wearing my creations. After exploring the shop and around town we decided to have a pedicure and manicure which we enjoyed enormously.

We meet back up with husband and son to get ready for a lovely dinner out at The Dubliner in D.C. near the Capital building. It was a most pleasant evening so we sat outside and dined al fresco. We all enjoyed our dinner and headed back to the hotel. The next day we had a delicious breakfast at the cafe, Bread and Chocolate, near the eastern Market. Afterwards we shopped for essentials for son and daughter to make it through until our next visit. And of course on our drive home we stopped for dinner at our favorite on the road place, the Cracker Barrel! Hew-Haw! Fun time had by all. I want to say farewell for a week as we are headed out on Sunday to the Outer Banks for a week of golfing, lounging in the hot tub, and exchanging gossip with my sisters. We are all meeting there to hang out together for the week sans children, while the hubbies play golf. Pictures and stories to follow. Of course I have all my knitting projects packed and ready to go even before I packed my clothes! I know that the house is Wi-Fi and hubby is bringing his lap top, but I think that I will really take a vacation from all the things I do each week. I want to relax and really have a good time with the sisters. So I will be back blogging on or about October 13th, unless I just can't stay away! You never know. Everyone have a pleasant week and a half and keep knittin' kittens!

P.S. For Dogs on Thursday bloggers, Oliver is vacationing with us and will not be appearing for the next few Thursdays. Fear not, I will be sure to take pictures of all his carrying ons to be posted at a later date. Woof-Woof for now!

P.P.S I am a lousy photographer. I tried to get to artsy and take night shots. That is the Dubliner restaurant on the left and the Capital building on the right!

And the winners are......

2007-10-01T16:03:00.000-04:00

I want to thank everyone that responded to my contest. I put everyone's name in a hat and picked three names at random. I hope that you all enjoy reading my blog as much as I enjoy all of yours. I will be having a big contest for my one year anniversary in 2008 so keep checking back for information on that.

If your name is listed as having won please contact me at my email address kniting mailto:knitinggal@gmail.com so I can get your snail mail address. So here are the winners for my latest contest:

Cindy, congrats you will be receiving a copy of Knitting nature!

Cass, Congrats, you will be receiving a copy of Lacy Little Knits!

Rachel, Congrats, you will be receiving a copy of sensational Knitted Socks!

Oliver on Thursday............

2007-09-27T08:18:00.000-04:00

We have been having a debate at my house about taking our pup to visit the kids for family weekend at their college. Now, you know that Oliver is a large Golden Retriever, even for Goldens. He weighs in at 95 pounds and is very active and curious guy (that's the big boy in the chair). We have a lovely family across the street from us that will take him into their home and watch him for the whole weekend. So no worries there. My son at school told his dad that he misses his pal and wants to see him. The Hotel we are staying at needless to say does not take pets, and my daughter that lives off campus has a roomie that is terrified of dogs! You would think that would end the discussion, but no, it was still going on until I finally said that is wasn't going to happen. The pup is coming on vacation with us in two weeks and he will just have to wait until then! Oh did I mention that the person causing all the ruckus was the hubby. He is so attached to his pup that he hates to leave him behind at any time. So what a good reason to have him come! Our son misses him! He will just have to miss him this weekend. Any way I am looking forward to seeing the children and having fun with them. I told my hubby he could always look at my blog if he misses him too much! I am mean, I know. But sometimes I have to come before the pup! LOL! P.S. He loves to sit in my chair that I sit in when knitting. Maybe he thinks the yarn will roll out for him and he can attack it! Who is the boss in this house? That's right it is Oliver, and he knows it!

Not too much happening on the knitting front, working on my swap package for Fall into Autumn and I finished a baby hat for one of the many moms that come into the library that are preggers. I try to make each new baby a hat and some booties. I will take pictures before I take them to work. Also to my Let's knit socks buddies....I will be back with a second sock started. I have really fallen of the sock wagon because I was so bummed with the way the toe finished up on the first sock. But I will start it in the car this weekend. Hope to have some great pics of Washington too.

500 hits and counting.....New Contest too....

2007-09-24T10:46:00.000-04:00

I am so excited to see that I am only 7 hits away from 500! Should I go in and out seven more times??!! No, really I have never done that...really I haven't. It has been such a fun journey from February till now. I can't believe all the friends I have made and the fun people I have blogged with. I passed the seventh month anniversary on September 12 and I am looking forward to hitting the one year mark. I hope to have a big celebration then. But for now I thought I would have a little contest to say thank you to all my blog buddies out there. This one is really very simple. I thought that because I am also a librarian I would include both my loves in this contest. Just leave a comment and tell me your favorite knitting book that you don't have. I will then pick out names at random and I will be sending three lucky winners their favorite knitting book. Only one entry per person, please. I hope that you will all enter and I am sure that a few surprise goodies might just make their way into the winner's boxes too! So put your thinking caps on, post your reply by October 1st and thanks for stopping by.

If you would like to post to your blog please feel free to do so. The more the merrier!

Should be knitting right now........and Dogs on Thursday!

2007-09-18T15:56:00.000-04:00

I am in knitting purgatory! I am making sure I finish one project before I start any new ones. So I am working away on project one right now, a sweet little dress for my niece, and then will address the two partner less socks I have in the basket. I put each unfinished project in a bag and then stacked them in a basket. I put all my stash in plastic containers (keeps it away from a certain puppy too!) and stacked that away out of sight. I put the project I am working on in a little shopping bag with knitting supplies and extra yarn. I take it everywhere with me so that I can utilize any down time and thus I will finish this project. I am determined to be organized and serious about my knitting. I love to knit and I think I need to turn out my projects in an orderly and organized way. I am tired of being scattered and jumping from one project to the next. So with all good intentions I headed out shopping this past weekend..... Ah well, I guess I was having too much fun and flew to near the sun. I came in (sneaked in really) with a large purchase from LYS and was summarily asked if I had finished all my other projects...well I guess I'll show him! Really he is a great guy but just doesen't get the knitting thing. Knitting fingers to the bone here in New Jersey................

Dogs on Thursday..................Is this the face of a criminal? He is a chicken bone stealing, low down, garbage swilling, sneak of the week! Sitting at my computer I thought I heard the sound of crunching...but no..not my puppy....I checked it out anyway and low and behold there he was chompping away on the chicken bones from dinner. Did I close the garbage lid? You bet I did! Did I wrap those bones in a paper towel and shove them way down? Again, you bet I did. Was that enough to stop a chicken bone thief? Apparently not! Did I shove my hand down his throat and remove the remains of his chicken bone sortie? How course I did. I only hope that I got them all. What a very bad dog. I will now remove all yummy items, such as bones, fat, skin and other misc. parts of the bird and put them in the outside garbage. He was very contrite and very abjectly posed for some pictures......he looks sorry doesn't he? (Until next time that is!) who me? See you all next Thursday...woof...woof till then.

Yeah....finally found the weekly question.......

2007-09-14T13:58:00.000-04:00

Is my face red. I have been having the worst time figuring out the ins and out of the Fall into Autumn dishcloth swap. Not that the gals running it haven't been angels to me. They have patiently answered every inane question of mine. I finally figured out my problem. I had the data from a past blog entry for the Fall Into Autumn page in my HTML for the button. The shoe finally dropped this afternoon when I used the link I was sent by the coordinator instead of using my button. And viola! There was all the info I had been looking for. Thick as a brick. I am all set now and planning such goodies for my swap partner. I want to also say hello to my secret pal and wish you a happy weekend. Thanks for reading my rant.....I feel better now.........

Fall into Autumn Dishcloths

First week Topic Question.

Now that in some geographic locations the weather is starting to turn cooler, do you change the type of yarn(s) you knit/crochet with? If so, what do you now knit/crochet with instead and why? If not, why do you not switch and what do you knit/crochet with?

Well, I tend to knit whatever I feel like. I don't work according to season. I will use cotton and put the item away until warmer months. But I don't knit outside with heavy yarns in the Summer. I tend to stick to smaller and lighter projects. I do like the colors of Autumn and Winter versus the spring and summer colors.

Snips and butterflies and puppy dog tales......

2007-09-13T11:19:00.000-04:00

Thursday again....let's start with puppy dog tales......Oliver has been his usual scampy self. He keeps coming into my craft room and stealing yarn. He has very discerning taste and goes right for the merinos and the mohair. I don't understand the attraction. He takes it and rolls on his back and holding it in his mouth he throws it up and down from his mouth to his paws. The result is a big tangled mess. I am going to leave the camera out so I can catch him in all his glory. This weekend I am going straight to the dollar store and buy more storage containers to put the yarn in. It looks good in baskets but it is too tempting for the poor pup. So for now I have a picture of the evil doer looking very innocent and longingly over the fence to freedom.

While I was in the yard I saw a beautiful Monarch butterfly having lunch in my garden. We see so few of the beauties here in my part of New Jersey that I couldn't resist. I just couldn't get him to open his wings no matter how much I coaxed him! Still a beauty though. That is the last of my Black Eyed Susan's and the still lovely Lantanias.

I Am afraid I have not been taking pictures of my knitting because I am in a knitting pickle. I have started too many projects and I don't know which one to work on. I keep starting things I want to make and not finishing them. I guess it is time to get tough with myself and put away all the projects but one and finish that one. Then move onto the next. I am also doing socks for a KAL and I have only done one sock and not even started the other! I must get back on track. Also a funny little problem keeps me from knitting more....WORK! I work and then think about knitting....I work some more and wish I were knitting...I bring my knitting but it is so busy all I am doing is carrying it back and forth.....I work with the public so I feel they would think it strange if I helped them and were knitting at the same time....sigh....:0( When I retire I think I'll try and get a job in a yarn shop. I love my job ( librarian) but knitting really has it's hooks (needles!) in me. Have a great weekend and I will be posting wonderful pictures of completed projects!

.....And now for something completly different!

2007-09-09T22:36:00.000-04:00

I want to thank everyone for their kind comments about my little pup Chelsea. I hesitated to tell her story but she was so special to us, that I felt she deserved it. What a brave girl she was! I will post more funny stories about my other special girl, Holly too. She was a gentle creature. And what can I say about Oliver......well you'll have to check in on dogsonthursday.

I had a great Sunday with my lovely daughter in Manhattan. My husband and I drove in and picked her and her roommate up at their apartment and we had a wonderful bunch at a restaurant called Good. So what else could it be but good. The omelet was to die for, with basil, roasted tomatoes and goat cheese. Served on toasted sour dough bread. Yum! And of course a drink was in order. A most delicious Bloody Mary made with roasted chipolte peppers. Excellent. We had a marvelous time and talked and ate and had passion fruit mimosas too! What fun. Afterwards we took the girls home and dad got to do a few chores for her, hanging pictures, and moving furniture. We headed home happy and looking forward to another visit. Of course I worked on my Fall into Autumn dishcloths in the car and I am endeavoring to finish this sweet little dress I started for my niece months ago. I have made some headway on it and have reached the bodice at last. Now I get to do some plain stocking stitch which will be relaxing after the rows of lace I just screwed, um mm...I mean knitted up! So all in all Had a good weekend and am not missing my two others away at college too much.....(insert tears here). Hope everyone has a great new week and I will get some pictures of knitting as soon as I have something respectable to post.

Dogs on Thursday...almost Friday!

2007-09-06T21:53:00.001-04:00

I have joined Dogs on Thursday so I am writing about my canine friends each Thursday. This Thursday is almost over but I couldn't get here any faster.

I thought I would start off with a tribute to a pup that has left us. She was with us for just a few short months but she was the absolute best puppy and an angel from above. We called her Chelsea.
A friend of my daughter Megan knew a breeder that was going to put this pup down because she was the runt and the other puppies would bite her and her own mom bite off half her fluffy tail!

So, we rescued her at 4 weeks old and feed her puppy mush with milk and loved her and played with her. We had another Golden Retriever at the time (that is what Chelsea was) and she would lick her and love her and tolerate it when Chelsea would bite onto her tail and Holly would run around with Chelsea flapping away at the back. She was so funny and happy, and loved to sleep curled up on my son's bed. Her head would pop up at the window whenever he came home. Everyone on the block and in the park knew Chelsea. She was sweet and gentle. So petite and pretty. Such a young lady, and so dignified. So we settled down into a routine of walking and playing and rescuing Holly from her mischievous attacks.....until one day Chelsea fell over after a romp in the park. We took her to the vets (specialists too) and no one could find anything wrong. So this would happen whenever she got over taxed. We called it her "jelly legs". We were very concerned and decided to take her back to the vet again. Still nothing found. Around about when she turned 8 mos. old Chelsea started having breathing trouble and would not eat. We rushed her to the vet specialists and they keep her over night for observations and to see how they could help her. We came back the next day and the Doctor told us that Chelsea had a malformed heart valve that would pump her blood backwards in her heart. The blood would back up and then overflow into her lungs and liver. There was nothing they could do. We were stunned to say the least. They don't do heart transplants on dogs they said, put her to sleep they said. So we took her home for a farewell to everyone which was so painful it physically hurt. My 17 year old son wept and hugged her and said goodbye. I went with my husband to have her sent to heaven. I though I could stay but I couldn't. I hugged her as she lay so quietly on the table and took in deep long breaths of her so I would always remember what she smelt like....Vanilla sugar cookies. I left the room sobbing, about five minutes latter my husband came out. We left her there for private cremation.

I will always remember Chelsea and how brave she was and how she taught me about courage and loyalty. My son will always remember her because she was the first great loss in his young life and my husband who loved her so dearly and walked her and feed her, and played with her, will never forget the little pup that came to us one summer and only stayed for a season.

Since then we have lost our "other girl", Holly. She lived a long happy life and left us after 15 years. I have happy memories of Holly and her life with us. She was one great girl. So calm and sweet natured. I think that is why she loved Chelsea so much. She never had puppies but Chelsea brought out the Mother in her. So much love and happiness mixed with so much sadness. We swore no more dogs....but as those of you who have read my blog before know that there is another pup in the house and his name is Oliver. Check next week for his next great adventure!

Another contest!

2007-09-01T00:14:00.000-04:00

I was googling Ralvery and I found this easy contest. You just need to post a comment. So check it out! moosieknits.blogspot.com

Fall into Autum Dishcloth Swap

2007-08-30T18:52:00.001-04:00

Here is the questions and answers for the dishcloth swap. I am looking forward to this. It is my first swap so I am a little unsure how it works. But here goes!

1. Do you knit or crochet? How long have you been doing it?
I have been crocheting since I was a young girl. My mom taught me how to do it. Around the age of fifteen or sixteen my girlfriend taught me to knit. So I have been knitting of and on for about thirty five years.
2. Have you made dishcloths before? Do you use them yourself, give them as gifts, or both?
I have made many dishcloths and give them as gifts, and use them myself.
3. What's your favorite cotton to make cloths from? What cotton would you like to try that you haven't before ?
I have regularly used Sugar and Cream and had good results, but I have often wanted to try Patons line of cotton.
4. If you knit, do you prefer circular or straight needles? For all, do you prefer wooden, metal, or plastic needles? I think it depends on the project what kind of needle I use. I have many of both, but just lately I have started collecting hand painted or hand designed bamboo needles. I must say that unless I really have to use circular for a big project I prefer straight needles and bamboo are my favorite.
5. What are your favorite colors? Any colors you don't like much?
My all time favorite color is sage green. I like just about any color green, but that is my favorite. I like all colors.
6. What do you like best about Autumn?
The color of the leaves, the cool weather, crisp apples, and the start of long winter evenings.
7. Pies: Pumpkin? Apple? Pecan? All of em? or No Thanks!
Pumpkin is my favorite!
8. When you were a kid, were you the one who couldn't wait to get started with school , or the one who overslept on the 1st day?
Well, when I was younger I always looked forward to the new school year, but as I got older it was hard for mom to get me out of bed!
9. Do you celebrate Halloween? (The real key here guys is especially knowing if you have an aversion to the holiday or little goodies/decorations associated with it, given the time frame of the swap)
Love Halloween and all that goes with it!
10. If you had to choose just 3 edible 'goodies' to eat for a full year, what 3 would you choose?
Chocolate of course, then gummy bears, and finally Jolly Ranchers!
11. Do you have any pets? Kids? Husbands who seem like kids? ;)
I have three talented and beautiful children of course! Two in college and the oldest a working Girl with a masters degree from NYU living in Manhattan. I also have a beautiful Golden Retriever named Oliver that can be seen regularly on my blog, and a very sweet husband that I love.
12. If you were to describe a particular yarn that shares traits of your personality, what would it be and why?
This is difficult, I guess I'll say a good sturdy wool that is good for multi purpose tasks. That seems to be me, long lasting and useful where ever!
13. Do you use your cloths mostly for dishcloths, or as facecloths?
Dishcloths but I should try them out as facecloths. I tend to use shower gel with a scrunchy!
14. Favorite Fall Holiday: Halloween or Thanksgiving and why? (Feel free to share another fall memory if you do not celebrate either of these holidays)
My best Thanksgiving memory is laying on the rug in the dining room while my Mom is getting dinner ready in the kitchen. Watching her coming in and out and putting the dishes on the table.
15. Do you have any allergies or aversions your pal should know about?
None at all.

New Contest and Kal....

2007-08-29T10:20:00.000-04:00

As I was browsing this morning I found a great contest and KAL. It is called Fall into Autumn and has a great button to add to your site. You do a dishcloth swap with a special friend. I have been wanting to do a swap since I started reading about them a few months ago. So if you are interested head on over to Fall into Autumn and join up too.

Working away.....

2007-08-28T20:24:00.000-04:00

I finished my sock and I think it looks o.k. I always mess up the Kitchener stitch at the toe. I try so hard and blow it any way. I think I may try a toe up sock one day. I just started another sock (no, not the partner to the one I just finished!) that spirals down to the toe. It is so much fun. I found the pattern in a book call "Kids knitting". It is very clever. By simply adding one more stitch after you finish the cuff ribbing the sock spirals around and around all the way down to the toe. You can do it in many different yarns and it knits at 18 stitches to 4 inches. I am using a sport weight on size 4 needles and it will make a very warm house sock. Just what I need for cold winter nights.

Some folks asked for pictures of my new work space. I took a few and as I look at them I see that they never look as good as the whole. But I think they convey how I have everything set up. I just love my new space and look forward to spending time there everyday. I hope that they don't disappoint anyone, it is just something I set up quickly and I still share some of the space with my daughter at college. I would have felt funny clearing out all her things as she will be back in May. My computer is off to the side. I should have taken a picture of my new flat screen.

Projects I am working on are in the plastic bags. Extra yarn is stored in baskets and boxes under the desk. This is yarn I am using for works in progress. My favorite needles are on display, and all my different needles are in containers ( some with a previous existence!) Small items like buttons and tools are stored in the little draws. Yarn that I am going to swatch is waiting ready to go. All of my reference books are handy for any help or inspiration. My husband is so glad to have all that stuff out of the bedroom. So am I. I will be purchasing some extra containers and slowly move more of my daughters things into storage. I am very happy with my new space and I hope you enjoyed the tour.

Back from College and knitting again.....

2007-08-25T22:14:00.000-04:00

We went out to dinner at a very nice pub called the Capitol Brewery. Food was good and so was the beer. We met my daughter's boyfriend's family and enjoyed ourselves very much. After that we headed home and just fell into bed. We left everything until today. My hubby and I spent most of today putting the house back in order and setting up my computer and knitting room! It is so fun to have a room of one's own! (I've heard that somewhere before!) I have my books at my fingertips, my projects lined up in baskets under the long desk and all my tools in plastic boxes ready to be used. I still have my knitting basket next to my chair where I do most of my knitting, but I have moved all my knitting paraphernalia from my bedroom into my daughter's room. I will be all set until she comes home in May. I will cross that bridge when I get there. My husband is thrilled to have all my stuff out of the bedroom and off of the floor in every corner. So as I sit here at my keyboard my knitting is around me and I am happy. Now I can watch my knitting videos and knit and be comfortable all at the same time.

Now, I have mixed feelings about my last two children in college. It is all right so far but I can only imagine all the months ahead. I am going to keep busy working, knitting and spending more fun time with my husband. I think we are both looking forward to that. We have been raising our family for 27 years and now we can have time for us again. Now here are some photos of our handsome pup that is still home with us. I can't seem to keep him away from my yarn. I really think he thinks he is a cat! I will have a pic of my completed sock soon and I am waiting for some inspiration for Christmas projects. Well, must run and finish up that sock and start the next!

P.S. Kitten Knits is having a contest. Check it out and tell her I sent you! Thanks!

Moving to College Day.......and not a picture in sight!

2007-08-23T17:46:00.000-04:00

Today is the day that we moved our daughter and son back to college. This is my daughter's senior year and my son's first year. Fortunately they are attendending the same university so the move was all in one direction. It has been a long day starting at 4:00 am when we left the house and drove to the school. We hit all kinds of traffic as we got near Washington D.C. (were the school is) but we arrived in time to unload my son and then hit the store (Target) for things that were forgotten or decided at the last minute he needed. (Also bought Mattress for daughter's apartment.)We then went to the apartment that my daughter and roommates will be living in and unloaded the car and unloaded two thousand dollars for rent and security. We had Wi-Fi installed at apartment and now she and dad are putting the bed together while I type this out on her laptop. We are then heading to our son's dorm for tonight's orientation and then after 9:00 pm heading to our hotel! Tomorrow the full day orientation begins and there will be lunch on the lawn and professors to visit and dinner with my daughter's boyfriend's parents. We then will be heading home to spend the weekend in a prone position.I have no pictures of knitting as I haven't been doing much this week. Poor Oliver is home alone with a dog sitter so no pictures of him either. So say a little prayer that we make it to the end in one piece and have the strength to actually drive home! Kidding aside it has been a few days from H e double hockey sticks! I haven't even had time to think about missing either of them. I am sure I will when I have recovered.

Socks and such..............

2007-08-17T14:03:00.001-04:00

I have been working away on a pair of socks for the other blog I am involved with. A very nice bunch of bloggers knitting socks together. Great fun! I am also in the throws of getting both remaining child units ready for back to college. Very busy packing and shopping. Then next week we move them in. I am so proud of both of them. One is to be senior and the other a freshman. It will be very quiet at home, but I do look forward to setting up the spare room for my knitting. I will finally have some space and not have to have everything stashed all around the place. I enjoy not just the knitting but all the accouterments that go with the craft. I find it very soothing to organize my needles and put all the patterns I collected into plastic covers and file them in binders. I think it is the librarian in me. Everything has a place and a number to go with it! Everyone's blogs have been very interesting of late and I am checking them every other day. I try to always leave a comment as I think it helps to get feedback. I have entered a few contest that have been fun and you can check them out here:

http://goldenpurl.blogspot.com/2007/08/contest.html

& here:

http://nhknittingmama.blogspot.com/2007/07/mandys-candy-bag.html

My link button was not working for some reason so hence the cut and paste. I can't figure out at times what is going on with blogspot. I have looked at wordpress but I find that a little more complicated. So i am sticking with blogspot until I learn a little more about the ins and outs of blogging. There are some good books out there on the subject. (What else from a librarian!)

Have a great weekend and stay cool. Keep knittin' kittens.

2007-08-11T21:10:00.000-04:00

This is the pay-it-forward item I found on http://mommieofdrew.blogspot.com/. It links back to two other sites that I read and liked. I think that this is a very nice idea and would love to be part of it. So here goes........

I will send a handmade gift to 3 random people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join this Pay It Forward exchange. I don’t know what that gift will be yet and you may not receive it tomorrow or next week, but you will receive it within 365 days, that is my promise! The only thing you have to do if you like, is in return pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog.

Green Mountain Spinnery................

2007-08-09T22:06:00.001-04:00

The entrance to spinnery and the store.

Here is the last day of my weekend in Vermont. Convinced hubby that I need to go to Putney to see the Green Mountain Spinnery. So off we go across Vermont, over the mountains and into Putney two hours later. It is a sweet little shop. Around 12x12 and filled with the most luscious yarn. All from American only sheep, thank you! The temperature that day was around 90 degrees outside and about 100 degrees in the shop. The gal I spoke with was friendly and interested in what I was working on. I was able to peek at the factory in process and saw some of the new Fall line. I bought some yummy sock yarn and some new natural color yarn just spun that day for about a dollar an ounce. That is about all that is on sale. The sock yarn was $18.00 for 50 grams and you need two skeins for a pair. Even so I enjoyed seeing the process and it was a piece of quintessential Vermont. Independent people making a living a natural way and having fun doing it. I think that if you are in the area it is a fun place to stop by and visit. But I wouldn't make a special trip there. You can order their yarn online http://www.spinnery.com/. The whole process took about thirty minutes and then we had lunch at the Putney Co-op. Yum! We then headed home and I started a pair of socks! What else? Enjoy the pics.

The factory and fleece and more fleece.

The next adventure.....

2007-08-05T13:45:00.000-04:00

As promised this is what happened next on my weekend away...........

On Sunday we went with four cousins to the Saratoga Race Track. All the ladies were going outlet shopping so off I went with all the guys. It was the first Sunday opening and the Jim Dandy was being run. That is a very historic race that has been run for over 100 years at Saratoga. The winner then is eligible to run in the Breeders Cup in October. The day was a scorcher and no one told me that the race track had no air conditioning anywhere except for the boxes. Which needless to say we did not have one. Oh well, what can you do. When we got all settled I noticed that the gal next to me was knitting. I was so excited I asked her what she was making.....a sock of course! We started to chat and she was so nice (aren't all knitters!). I wished I had brought mine along. I just thought the guys would never let me hear the end of it. Managed to win two races and had great laughs all day with the boys. The track is fascinating and I kept imagining the ladies and gentlemen

of long ago gliding by in their long dresses and Top Hats. Quite a change to today's race goers!

I live very near a racetrack and we go occasionally. The Breeders Cup I mentioned before will be there in October. So I hope to go see the winner from Saratoga run. It is a big race and thousands of people come from around the world to see it. There is something about being at the track. The horses are so brilliant and shinny. They look regal and so far removed from what is going on around them. And then suddenly they are speeding around the course and all eyes are on them. They are truly magnificent creatures.

My next adventure took place on the way home Monday and I will post that soon. We made a great side trip to The Green Mountain Spinnery. We took pictures and I bought yarn of course! Keep Knittin' Kittens.

P.S. drop by http://letslearnsocks.blogspot.com/ and check out our sock knit along.

Back from Vermont.....

2007-08-01T22:16:00.000-04:00

I had such fun doing my contest. I made new friends and really missed blogging when I was away..........

I had the best knitting adventure in Vermont. It started on Saturday morning.......

We had left home on Friday and arrived around 11:30PM. I had to work until five and it takes about six hours worth of driving and stopping for dinner at our favorite Cracker Barrel in New York. So here we were on Saturday around 11:00 AM after popping in to say hey to various relatives in Rutland, wondering what to do until the party started around 4PM (My husband's cousin was celebrating a milestone birthday). And what do my wandering eyes perceive...yes a JoAnn's Fabric Store. Well what can a girl do? She must check out the yarn situation. Hubby went over to the sporting goods store and in I went to JoAnn's. At first I didn't know which way to go. They always stick the knitting goodies at the back of the store as if no one in the world knits. So I headed to the back. But from the corner of my eye I caught the shimmer of shinny yarn. I swiftly reversed my direction and honed in on the yarn. A sale display. What luck, I thought and then I thought again, probably just getting rid of stuff no one wants. I moved in closer and behold baskets filled with Paton's Pebble yarn. In Rainbow colors. I flipped and immediately scoped out a shopping cart. My heart was beating faster and I had a big grin on my face. Another shopper looked at me and must have thought I was nuts! I was! I was in the grip of Yarn Mania!!! I didn't need any new yarn my stash is bulging, I have three projects OTN's and my husband was in the next store. What did I care. I through caution to the wind and pulled the cart up close and started plunging skeins into the wagon. Slow down, slow down and let's think of what you can do with this yarn. Christmas gifts were looming in my mind. I then decided on two colors and grabbed eight skeins in red and blue. Oh did I mention that the skeins were marked down to $1.97 each. You bet I bought sixteen skeins! I manoeuvred my cart around to the back of the display and there I find Modea mohair in a most lovely peach color (camera made it look red.) with some silvery threads running through it. Yes, yes it too was $1.97 a skein. So, in went eight skeins of the peachy mohair. I was quite proud of my prowess at scoping out such a sale. So then I headed down to the official knitting section thinking perhaps I will pick up some needles that I need. Moving up and down the isles I was pleasantly surprised at their yarn selection and I looked at the needles but they didn't have the size I needed. Steering my cart to the front of the store to pay for my haul I suddenly noticed some skeins sticking out from a basket marked clearance. I casually went over not wanting to alert other shoppers and there in the clearance basket were seven skeins of Lion Brand Suede marked down to .97 cents. That's right .97 cents. And the color wasn't bad either. A grayish pewter color. Zip they went into my cart. As I mentally calculated the cost of my purchase I was pleased that it would not top $50.00. Up to the register and each skein scanned and then those Lion Brand skeins rolled up to the scanner. What, I goggled? .57 cents!! Not possible. They were reduced further. Let me tell you it was a yarn purchase like no other. I floated out the door and went to the car to wait for hubby (yes I was back before him). What a morning and it was only 11:50 AM. All that grabbing and paying took a mere twenty minutes. Yarn Nirvana, shopping extraordinaire.

The party was fun but what a shopping experience. I am still smiling as I write this. My next day was equally exciting and I will tell more in my next post. Must dash as Oliver is making away with my new goodies!

It's Over!...It is done!.....

2007-07-25T18:54:00.001-04:00

1. I am adding all the names at 6:30 PM EST.

2. I am shaking up the bag at 6:35 PM EST.

3. And the winner is..................

4. Here is your swag! plus a few handmade goodies from your grateful blog host.

5. Congratulations to "Mommie of Drew". Your swag will be winging it's way to you. I will contact you soon and then you can email your snailmail address to me.

Wow.....that was so much fun I will do it again soon. Thanks to all of you that left a comment. I still have a few more names to add to my blog friend's list, but rest assured everyone that left a comment was in the contest and entered per comment and link. So the more you commented and linked the better your chances were to win. I love all the new blogs I am reading and will visit you all. I think the next contest I will give away some cotton yarn for those fun summer dishcloths and some other goodies. I will be back blogging in a few days I want to neaten up my site and after seeing some of you on wordpress I might just start up another blog there. I will see, I need to fool around with it some more. I do like blogspot because it is so user friendly and I have a cable hookup so it is very quick. I am just mulling it around. Be back blogging soon and keep knittin' kittens.

p.s. the time on this post does not reflect EST with it's spring ahead time. It is 6:54 PM EST when I publish this post. Thanks.

Hello again.....

2007-07-24T11:37:00.000-04:00

Well, things are humming along and it is so great to have made new blog friends. I hope that I have everyone linked now to the right blog. A lot of you have more than one blog. Was I impressed! I can barely keep up with the one. Keep on bloggin'. So, if you see the wrong blog linked let me know and I will update you. I love them all. Everyone is so interesting and what diversity. We all have knitting in common but from there we all go in our own directions. It has really been a heart warming experience to have such a nice response and then to see how talented everyone is. So I am getting ready for the big night when I pull out the winner from a hat. Good Luck to you all and I will have another contest in the future.

The picture is of the Blarney Woolen Mills at Blarney Castle in Ireland. I bought the wool I am now knitting my reversible cable afghan with while I was visiting there. Some times I think the Little People get into those cables and twist them around they wrong way and drop those stitches on me. But I have made some good progress and hope that they stay away for awhile. This store is amazing and they have a wonderful online store too. They don't list the wool for sale but will mail it to you if you email them. I bought 18 50gram skeins of Aran wool for about $50.00 including shipping. It is so lovely to work with and best of all made from little fluffy Irish sheep! I have a very funny story about my experience with the Irish sheep in a previous blog but I couldn't find it so I will quickly repeat it. We were out with our travel guide doing the Ring of Kerry and we kept seeing sheep with different colors on their backs. I asked him what it was for. The guide said to me: "That is how they keep track of the sheep that have been mated". "Really!" says I, "what about the ones with more than one color on them?" The guide says to me: "They are the loose ones, no better than they should be!"
Dumb American Tourist! Hmm!

My puppy pal Oliver wants to say a big hello to everyone and a special hello to his blog puppy pal Tucker! Isn't he too sweet! What a big ball of fluff and fun he is. He is attached to my husband and goes everywhere he can with him. See you all next time. Keep Knittin' Kittens.

Contest Update......

2007-07-23T23:25:00.000-04:00

........View of the river where I live........

Hey all my new blog friends! I am adding everyone that left a comment to my list of blog friends so that I can visit your blogs and enjoy them all. I am in the middle of adding them, so if you don't see yours don't worry I am chugging along. Now some names left in the comment section do not link back to the blog. Soooo If one of those is the winner I will post what info I have and then you can contact me. I have enjoyed seeing each new blog and will be visiting them all regularly. Now someone left a comment and said that they read my blog but only comment when they feel something interest them.... Well that is o.k. with me. I am happy to have anyone take a peek and if you have nothing to say that is fine too. Just enjoy.

........Thinking of things to come...........

No new knitting pics but I am working away on all my OTN projects to finish them so I can start on holiday gifts! Yikes!!!! I can't believe I am thinking about that. But I saw on someone's blog that there are 155 days until Christmas so hence the feeling of a dragon's breath on my neck. I must promise not to get too crazy and just do two or three projects for gifts. That seems to be my limit. Last Christmas my daughter asked me to knit a "few scarfs" for friends as she was low on funds. She emailed me her list of 7 names and by the end I had knitters cramp! Not doing that ever again. She can knit herself this year. (Hint to number one daughter) Off to slumber land until tomorrow. Keep Knittin' Kittens.

New friends.....

2007-07-21T23:43:00.000-04:00

Thanks to all for leaving a comment and linking me up. It is fun to read the comments and visit each page. I am buzzing along on my pink hand towel and hope to finish it tomorrow. If it looks good I will make another and have a matched set to hang in the powder room. Everyone is off to fun stuff this weekend and tomorrow I get to go to a one year old's birthday party. A sweet little baby named Dalton. It should be fun. He is my sister-in-laws' sister's nephew! Phew- complicated. Anyway I am looking forward to the party. So that pretty much makes up the rest of my weekend and knitting of course. I just read recently that knitting is more than a craft it is a way of life. That is so true. I am a different person when I knit. I feel happy and creative. One of my favorite things to do is organize my stash and put all my needles in their cases and then put the like ones together in plastic storage boxes. I feel so virtuous when my stash is organized. I get new inspiration and find some great yarn and viola a project is born. I enjoy making baby clothes and home decor items. I don't think I have knit more that one thing for myself. Not that I am so generous, I just like to give knitted goodies to folks because it is a piece of me in each gift. I think that is my way of reaching out to people and making contact. Oh well enough pop psychology. I just wanted to post so that all you guys can leave another comment. I will leave you with some of my favorite eye candy as I have no new pics today! Good luck on the contest(see previous post) and can hardly wait to have a winner and send out swag. Keep Knittin' Kittens!

Ok...here is the contest.....

2007-07-21T00:30:00.000-04:00

I thought for my first contest I would keep it simple. All you have to do to enter is leave a comment! Simple! Make sure that I can contact you from your comment. Also if you leave a link to my page from yours about the contest I will enter you again. So lets start now and end on July 25, 2007 at 6:00 PM Eastern time when I will put all the names in a hat and pick one out.. How is that for shameless advertising!! Well seriously I love to give gifts and I want to thank all my blog friends out there for stopping by. So here we go...good luck and hope you like the goodies, this great little book from Lion Brand Yarn and two skeins of beautiful sock yarn from knit picks. (P.S. you can enter with a comment on each new posting until July 25th.)

Special gift in the mail......

2007-07-19T16:40:00.000-04:00

I just got a great gift in my snail mail from a dear blog friend. Too sweet and it made my day. I wanted to share it with you all. I will enjoy using my special wash cloth and the heavenly smelling soap. Thanks and hugs to NH knittingmama. I have "meet' so many nice knitters and I truly enjoy our blog time together. I also want to thank everyone that has stopped by and left a message. It made me very happy to hear from all of you. I am working on the contest and will post asap. I just got in a fun book from Lion Brand called Just Gifts. So I will add this to the swag for the winner. O.K. I'm running for now so I can work out some questions for you all. See you soon.......

Very Sad......

2007-07-16T11:23:00.000-04:00

I can see by my counter that folks stop by but..... no comments. This makes me very sad. :o( I would like to thank those of you that do comment and it has been great blogging with you. So if you are a stealth blogger please leave a comment or a link to your blog. I would love to visit it and see what everyone is up to. Please take the survey so I can improve your blog visit. Thanks ;o)

I just had a great idea that I am stealing from my blog friend NHknittingMama. I will have a contest with questions about postings and have a kniffty prize for the one with most correct answers. I will take a picture of some really beautiful sock yarn I bought from Knit Picks and award it to the winner. Check this blog in a few days for the contest! Wow I am excited. See you soon!

Just a quick blog........

2007-07-14T00:47:00.000-04:00

Have been working on my cable afghan and it seems for every three rows I knit I rip out two! I must start paying attention and stop watching the new episodes for Big Love and Closer. I love those shows but they are on at the same time. So I watch one and catch the other on demand. Must pay more attention to pattern in future.

I was visiting my blog pal NHknittingmama and she just had a great contest on her blog with a prize for the winner. Wasn't that nice. Her blog is fun to read and it always makes me smile. Keep up the good work NHknittingmama!

I just wanted to stop in for a quick note today and direct you to the link below for a great dishcloth pattern. It is for all 50 states. I made my state (NJ) and had so many requests I couldn't possibly knit them all. I am going to make them as Christmas stocking stuffers for friends and family. Give it a try I think you will enjoy doing your own state.

http://www.knittingknonsense.com/index3.html

2007-07-10T19:38:00.000-04:00

Wow so long since my last post. No excuse except to say that I always like to post new pictures and I hadn't taken any. I have a new cell phone with camera now and I am snapping pics left and right. I also discovered how to send them to my email and then post them. Hang in there with me I am not the most computer literate person and I just kind of muddle along and try to figure out things for myself. These pictures look like my dog took them. I hope to get a digital camera of my own (hubby is a little careful with his as he uses it for work) soon and then I won't have to use such a round about way.

I hope everyone is well and able to knit even in this hot weather. I am still trucking along on my same projects as before. I must finish them all and not start any new ones. I put their pictures in the previous posting , so that is what I am working on. But the big news is that my DVD's and new knitting book have come . I am so excited. I started with "The best way to knit" and next I will check out knitting two socks at the same time on circular needles. I hope this will get me over the "boy I don't want to knit another sock" hump. I hope!

The fist DVD was a lot of fun and I taught myself to knit the continental style. It is great for knitting but still a little clumsy for purling. I might just stick with the way I do it, which is to throw the yarn with my left hand. I have been happy with that way for along time. My book has some beautiful lace patterns and I can't wait to start on. So, that has been what has been happening around here. Except that I will be celebrating my birthday soon and my sister gave a party for me and my family. We all had a wonderful time and the dinner she cooked was superb. London broil and Shrimp Scampi. Yum Yum!! She is the best....hugs and kisses to you sweetie. The one picture is of her gift to me: A gift certificate to Jo'Ann's Fabrics and a gift bag full of yarn and needles. What a girl...she sure knows me! Stay cool and keep knittin' kittens!

Finally caught up on my knitting and blog.....

2007-06-25T21:16:00.000-04:00

Click on pic's for closer view.

Hello, it is good to be back blogging along. I have been away and I won't say busy but rather not in a blogging mood. I have been working on some knitting but have a sore upper left arm so working very slow. The first picture is a sweater vest for my hubby. I am doing a run through with inexpensive worsted weight Lion Brand and if all goes well I will order a cashmere that knit picks has in worsted weight. I didn't want to order the yarn and then not have it work out or fit right. A very simple pattern from the book "Sweaters for Men". I have changed the collar a bit but I think it will look good. Just have the back almost done. Then I switched off to the Hand Towel I have been fooling with for awhile. It is a very picky sort of pattern and I only do it when I can keep close track of the stitches. I did it it in some left over Super Swish yarn from knit picks and if I really like it I am going to do it in linen yarn. (Picture dosen't do the pattern justice. It is little squares set off with purl stitches.) I kind of like the bright pink color. And last I have been fooling around with this little lace dress for my niece. But I might not give it to her. Her mom is not a knitter and never says thank you for anything I have made her. From hats, to booties , to sweaters and blankets. She looks at the gift and says ohhhh. Yep, thats all. Now I know I am not a world class knitter but come on...many people have oohed and ahhhed my baby stuff. Not her just ...ohhh! So I might finish this little dress and put it away for some other little girl. It is a sweet sun dress. I bought the yarn at Joann's Fabric Store. It was made especially for them and it had a Leisure Arts Pattern to go with the yarn. Very nice and once I figured out the repeat pattern not too bad. So that is pretty much what I have been up to with knitting. I know you must think that is small minded not to give the dress to the baby, but honestly I have given her at least 10 diffrent items and I never see them on my neice. So what do you think....give the gift and stop looking for thanks from the mom or just make the goodies for others that respect the work and can value you time and effort. I admit it does sound mean spirited when I write it down. But tell me what you think. I will more than likely give it to her I guess, but I am curious what you think about this subject. Should our gifts be given to the people who love them or just share your gift of knitting and hope for the best?

On another note my last little one just graduated from high school! (5'10'' and 150 lbs). The ceremony was lovely and we had a great party with family and friends after. I always sweat the food worried that I won't have enough and as per usual had tons left over. We ate it for about three days after. We were sick of it except for the chocolate mousse cake with raspberry mousse filling. YUM! I have to sort through the pics and I hope to post some. So now we start the rat race for getting ready to leave for college. Shopping, shopping and more shopping. With lists and phone calls to school, doctor's office and financial aid. Phew! It is like a merry-go-round. But this is the last time so it it is bitter sweet. I am trying to focus on the fun and not worry about the small details...they have a way of working out. We are so proud of our son...he will be starting at Catholic University in September and is very excited. My younger daughter is going to be a senior there and my oldest daughter is a graduate of Dickinson College in Pa. and has her Masters in Music Marketing from NYU. We are so proud of them all. Enough acting like a mom. Suffice to say we love them all very much!

I have been busy keeping up a blog for our library and it is a little different than this one. I try to keep out personal items and list events and what is coming into the library and what new web sights help our patrons. It has been fun. Every time I see a higher number on the stats counter I am happy. Well that is all for now and I hope everyone is well and knitting along. See you again soon.

What the Heck........

2007-06-14T16:21:00.000-04:00

Wow are there some strange blogs out there. I was blogging around last night and look out! I also noticed that as you follow from one blog to the next some don't have the ring code or whatever and you can't go any further. This is annoying. Many people in knitting rings don't even talk about knitting. The best way to find fellow knitters is to visit the blog sites people have listed on their pages. I have found some very nice folks out there this way. I want to give a big hello to Cactusneeddles and NHknitter. They have been great blog friends and always something interesting and fun on their blog.

Now, what is the ravelry everyone is blogging about? I am curious. Also very curious about monkey socks. I must track that pattern down. I have started a sweater vest for hubby and will try to get some pictures this weekend. I finally got a cell phone with a camera and then find out you need some other piece of equipment to get the pics onto my blog. I am a slow learner but I will figure it out sooner or later. Maybe I will just get a digital camera. That's all for now. Try needle quiz. Fun.

Knitting Never Felt Better.....just a quick note...

2007-06-12T14:58:00.000-04:00

Just got Nicky Epstein's book in and what an amazing artist she is. So much inspiration and just agog with her creativity. I liked felting but this is truly Art with the capital A. How does she do it. Each page is just amazing and I want to do all the projects. You must see this book to believe it. Check it out at the bookstore or ask your local library to order it. My library has an a great collection of knitting books( I wonder why?!). So ask your library to get it for their collection. Well anyway, have a look and be inspired and awed!

No pictures.....again

2007-06-07T15:44:00.000-04:00

Well, I haven't been writing because I have not been feeling very well. Waiting for test results and then a procedure on Monday. I feel like everything is on hold. Why does everything take so long when you are sick. Test results take weeks and you can never get your doctor to call back! I am trying to keep up my spirits up and keep doing the usual stuff. The doctor says not to worry but I am the worrying kind. So I try to keep my mind busy. Watching a lot of movies and not knitting too much. I am pleased with myself though because I mastered the lace pattern. It is simple but very attractive. Picture to come soon of the little dress I am making. I want to have enough done so that it looks like something.

Also I am just realizing how lonely it will be in September when my last little fledgling goes off to college. The house will be so quiet and my one daughter suggests I find something to go to at night. I will think about it. Maybe join a book group or take a class. I feel like my usefulness is over and now I am just along for the ride. Hmmmm I must stop feeling sorry for myself. Look on the positive side, I am sure once I feel better I will not be so down. Well, enough complaining for now.... P.S. thought the hunky picture of Colin would be a nice change!

Missing in action.......

2007-06-01T10:01:00.000-04:00

I have been very busy not knitting...so hence no pictures. Work has finally made me sick. I was so laid up last weekend with stomach pains that the doctor thought it was my gall bladder. Went for ultra sound and everything was fine!....Just stress from work situation. So I have decided to try and forget it as much as possible and concentrate on all the good in my life. For one thing I finally mastered a lace pattern I was working on. It is a sweet little summer dress for my new niece and boy did I rip that sucker out so many times until I figured out the flow of the pattern. Now I am swimming along. I should also mention that I count my lovely grown up children as one of my biggest blessings! I couldn't do anything without them. I so miss having them all home like in the good old days. Sigh :o(

My knitting group at the library for the children has finished up for the summer and the girls still want to come in. So we compromised, no new projects but I would be available for help on their own projects. Everyone was happy and this way they can drop in on Friday afternoons when ever they like. Some of them will also join our Monday afternoon group when school is finished.

I was so excited about going to stitches in the fall buy wow those classes really cost a bundle. With two kids in college and still liking to eat and all that, I may miss it. Ah well that is life. But I am thrilled that we will be going to Vermont in July. I will get to visit my very favorite yarn shop in Rutland. Lamb's Wool Shop is so amazing. It is a small store in the back of the owner's home and she packs it full of the best yarn and supplies. This is where I first found self stripping sock yarn before any place else had it in the New Jersey area. So...that is a really nice thing to look forward to. Well I must run and do work stuff. I promise to do pictures of little dress and maybe some more pics of my sweet pup. Enjoy the great sunny weather and you will find me out in the garden this weekend.

I've been tagged!!!!......

2007-05-18T18:21:00.000-04:00

Each person tagged gives 7 random facts about themselves. Those tagged need to write in their blogs the 7 facts, as well as the rules of the game. You need to tag 7 others and list their names on your blog. You have to leave those you plan on tagging a note in their comments so they know that they have been tagged and to read your blog. I've been tagged by cactus needles(sorry I am not sure of your name) and Nancy.

I have been knitting for 25 years and I still consider myself an intermediate knitter. I am also a librarian that runs knitting group at our library.
My favorite cable station is TCM. I love movies from the 1930's & 1940's.
I have a Golden Retriever named Oliver. He is a scamp.
My favorite t.v. show of all time is: I love Lucy. Seinfeld is a close second.
I love big band music, especially Glenn Miller. Honest it is the best.
I was born in the 1950's (no fair to say exactly).
I have three lovely children (notice I mentioned the dog first. I wonder what that means?) that are in college or just finished!

Wow that was fun. I almost put in a few more.

Tagged bloggers:

Have Fun!

Cables and more cables.....and Stitches too!

2007-05-18T17:23:00.000-04:00

I wanted to post the progress I am making on my Reverse Cable Afghan. It is a slow process because of the cables front and back. The number of stitches on needle seems endless too. I think it looks great so far. I have to say that I rip back any bob-boo I see so that adds to the time it is taking. I want it to be especially nice as it will be in the living room. This is a close up of the cables...I think they are going well and then next is a complete view of work so far.

It doesn't look like much but that is two weeks worth of on and off knitting there! I think it will be sometime next year when I am finished.....I hope! My daughter took the pics for me and she did a great job. She is very supportive of my knitting.

Hallelujah!!! My Stitches East Convention Catalog Came today. What a four day tour de force is in stall for us in October. Classes and shows, luncheons and dinners, plus the man himself Kaffe Fassett! http://www.kaffefassett.com/ Can you believe that. He will be there on Friday night and I will have a seat down front. I am registering for my classes tonight and booking a room. Hubby said he would come too! Doesn't get better than that. I can hardly wait. When Stitches was in Atlantic City I always went to the Market...but now I am going to be brave and register for classes and do workshops. I feel so nervous I hope I will be OK. I know I should go with other knitters...but no one I know that loves knitting as much as I do can go....so hubby will have to do! I shouldn't worry, knitters are the nicest folks so I am sure I will make some new friends. If any one out there in Blog World is going let me know and we will meet up. It is October 11-14,2007 in Baltimore Convention Center. Here is the link if anyone is interested. It is a total blast. Where else will you rub elbows with some of the best designers giving classes and some of the best yarn all in one place. http://www.knittinguniverse.com/xrx/events/brochure.php Some very serious knitting gets done there!

Some Blog thoughts......

2007-05-12T11:36:00.000-04:00

I have been going through the different knitting rings I belong to and one thing has struck me-what an amazing array of talented women (and some men) are out their knitting. When I am at home knitting it makes me feel so much a part of that special group. I always criticize or find fault with my knitting-not the surface kind of bad mouthing hoping for a complement kind, but the deep down I know my knitting is amateur kind. Now however all these wonderful women have given me heart and I so enjoy my own knitting more than ever before. It may still be that lumpy bumpy where did that drop stitch go kind but it doesn't matter. I love it! I love sharing it with the few folks that visit my blog and my family that stops by for a peek. So to all you Bloggers out there a big thanks and a tip of my hat to you! (Knitted of course!)

just a quick note....

2007-05-10T16:02:00.000-04:00

Barbara Kingsolvers new book just came in at the library...couldn't put it down. She truly is a marvel! A must read. TTFN!

P.S. This book is about living a self sustaining life style and how the family worked together to build it. The usual glorious writting by Ms. Kingsolver. I learned so much just by reading this book. Ways in which we all can help make our earth a little bit greener.

Little things in life.......

2007-05-09T20:28:00.000-04:00

This has been such an unpleasant two weeks but I think for now the tide has turned. I will keep positive thoughts and remember how much I love my job. I will do what a "blog" friend suggested and "knit up my cares". Having said that I am excited to show you a passion of mine; I like to knit small items. Not miniature mind you, but smallish items knitted on size 1 or 2 needles. I started loving to make baby items and then did teddy bear sweaters. Now I make them smaller and use them as Christmas Tree ornaments and give as gifts. I think they are adorable and they look ever so nice on the tree with all the lights and the smell of pine. Mmmmm....just thinking about Christmas makes me smile. Back to the little items. I really enjoy using up left over yarn and people I give them to seem pleased. Each year I make about 3 dozen and give them as gifts in sets of three or tie them to packages individually. I always get a head start and make one or two a month. P.S. That brown spot to the left is my puppie's paw. He always helps with the pictures!

Now the little socks are for a baby. I use left over sock yarn and a great pattern that I mentioned before. They come out very nicely and they don't get kicked off by the little recipients. What a great gift and they take no time at all to do. Maybe two evenings of two hours each night. I experimented with different patterns on the top and add some stocking stitch or take the pattern to the heel flap. They are good looking in solids too.

My book group has started reading "Washington Square" by Henry James. The book gets off to a slow start but the language and descriptions are very pleasing. The protagonist is a youngish spinster living at home with a father that doesn't value her and resents the fact that his wife died giving birth to her. He feels that her got the raw end of that deal. A movie was done in the late 1940's with Olivia de Haviland in the lead and just recently with Jennifer Jason Leigh as Catherine Sloper the heroine. This book explores father daughter relations and true love vs. love of money. It also has some very feminist thinking on the part of Catherine. I am looking forward to the meeting. Well I guess that is all for now.....have a great rest of the week.

Just too busy to Blog........

2007-05-02T16:41:00.000-04:00

I have been so caught up with drama at work that I have hardly been knitting! (gasp!!) What to do? Who would think that there could be so much to do at a library. I have always thought to write an expose on the goings on. You wouldn't believe it. So I am stealing some time to talk about the little socks I finished over the weekend and will include pictures on my next update. They are sooo sweet and fun to do. This is the link to the pattern:
www.ptyyarn.com/wiggles.html

And my hat off to the creator of the pattern. The socks are very clever and fun to knit. I changed needle size to get a smaller sock and now I have upped the needle size and added a few rows to make them longer. Great fun.

I also finished the baby hat (see below). It looks OK but not like the pattern picture. I am disappointed. I will try again and if that doesn't work I will stick to doing my hats from the bottom up. I promise to include pictures hopefully tomorrow. I need to figure out how to upload them from the camera. Hubby has been doing it for me. He very zealously guards the camera and his computer. So I have to let him send me the pics in a file. Talk about possessive! I know you are all waiting with bated breath to see my pics (ha!)

A big thank you to my daughter Katie for actually visiting my blog and leaving a comment. I am still waiting for daughter number one....where are you?.....

I have been reading the book Founding Mothers by Cokie Roberts and it has been a real eye opener. She goes into detail on the wives, mothers and sisters of the men that fought the American Revolution. The book uses primary sources and is filled with wonderful tales about how the founding mothers held the country together while the boys were off fighting. This is one interesting book. I read it for book group and everyone agreed how it relates to so much of what goes on today. History does repeat itself.

Snips and snails and Irish yarn........

2007-04-23T19:55:00.000-04:00

Joy! Joy! Joy! My yarn from Ireland arrived today. The UPS driver left it on the doorstep and knocked ever so softly on the door. I was cooking dinner in my bathrobe so I sent hubby. There it was in all it's glory, with the mailing tape announcing the box was from Blarney.com (they don't advertize their yarn but they do indeed have it). How fun.

I decided to kill three birds with one "shot" and include Oliver with the box of yarn, and Oliver with the almost finished baby hat. Quite handsome puppy eh! Someone asked where I got the pattern for the afghan from and it came from a wrapper on an old kit a patron from my library brought into me. So if you would like the pattern let me know and I will put it up on the blog. So now I can finish my afghan with all the same color lot. Color lot you say on beige colored yarn. Well this is special yarn from fluffy little Irish sheep that live on the green, green isle of Inishismore. (See photos below.) They definitely have different shades of beige. I tried to match it here in the states and it couldn't be done. I just love getting packages from Eire. It is the most magical place on earth.

I can't tell you how long it took me to get this baby hat started. Going from an I cord (did you know I cord got it's name from Elizabeth Zimmerman. She said any idiot could do it so hence I cord) to 8 stitches and then 16 stitches on size 3 needles without twisting the whole dang thing up was an exercise in patients. One I could have lived without. But the hat is sweet. So I am starting another one for a co-worker whom just became a grandmother. Too bad it is a boy as I had one for a girl almost all done. Such is life! A big hello to both my daughters whom faithfully promised to read my blog. We shall see........

Sweet Baby Hat......

2007-04-21T13:53:00.000-04:00

I am working on this sweet baby hat from a pattern I purchased at the Stitches Convention. I bought the yarn from Tess's Yarns. It is hand dyed merino and the softest yarn ever. It is strong too because it is a sock yarn. I know it is strong because I have started this pattern five or six times and couldn't figure out the pattern. (duh!) So I emailed Tess's Yarns and they put me in touch with the pattern designer whose name is Sue. What an angel. She emailed me three time to answer my questions and I was so thrilled. Now I am off and running with it thanks to her. I will be sure to buy more of her great patterns in the future. You can find them at www. tessyarn.com and I recommend the yarn and patterns to anyone who loves hand dyed yarn and unique patterns. They are nice people to work with. I am not very far in this picture so I will post an update later this week.

I have been checking out other blogs and they are fun to read. I hope that I can be as entertaining. I notice some use their blog to vent but I like to keep mine upbeat. My daughter told me it sounded too down last time...so happy, happy, happy for Katie to read! My other daughter Megan has some friends that read this too so hi to Rachel and Lauren too. Let me know how your projects are going.

I have a lovely Golden Retriever called Oliver and he is really a cat in disguise. He loves my balls of yarn and tries to steal them at every opportunity. He runs around with them in his mouth and then unwinds the yarn everywhere. If I leave a project down he scoops it up and off he goes. He looks very sheepish and contrite when I take the stuff away from him, but none the less he is right back at my basket sniffing for something new. I will include some pics of him too.

A yarn shop near me is closing (sigh). Hopefully someone will buy it. But in the meantime big sales of 40-60% off luscious yarn and supplies. I hope to get over and take advantage of the sales soon. The owner said it will take awhile to sell all her supply of yarn. I hope so. What a dream to own a yarn shop. Knitting as a job. Sounds too good to be true.

Speaking of owning a knitting shop I just finished reading The Friday Night Knitting Club. I use finished in the wrong sense. I should say stopped reading it. Apart from the disjointed plot line and the confusing thoughts in some paragraphs I was disappointed in the plot device for the main character. Right at the end the character gets ill and has to overcome one more obstacle. Isn't life tough enough. I don't want to read about it in a book about a knitting shop. Stick to Debbie Macombre's books for more relaxing reading about the knitting shop genre. I just didn't care enough to finish it. I heard Julia Roberts has bought this property and his filming it. Make a note to miss that movie.

2007-04-17T20:53:00.000-04:00

No pictures today. I am working on a little hat with some fine gauge sock yarn that I purchased some time ago from a booth at the Stitches Convention..... Very pastel colors and I think I have enough to make small socks. It is a hand dyed yarn that caught my eye. The hat pattern came from the same booth. I really missed Stitches this year. Maybe next year I will go to Baltimore to visit it.

Had my knitting group on Monday and it was a quiet group. We are all so shocked and saddened over what happened at Virginia Tech. It was a comfort to be together.

Sometimes it is hard to figure out what to write about . It seems as though I have told all I think about knitting. But today I want to write about how vulnerable I feel without it. It makes everything feel normal and right in my world. It is me. Last night I was without a project that I wanted to work on. Sure I had several going but nothing I wanted to work on. So I went through part of my stash and through all the boxes that contain my needle collection. I put all the needles in their right pouches and threw out all those little scraps of yarn I hang onto at the end of a project. Not enough to make a ball, just little snips here and there. Out they went. I cleaned out my knitting basket beside my chair and then began the little hat project. It was about 11:00PM and I finally started to knit. I worked for about an hour and then was too tired to continue. But now I feel organized and in control again. My stash and needles are in great shape! Ah well that is it for today.

On the needles...

2007-04-04T21:00:00.000-04:00

This is the afghan I am working on. I bought the yarn while in Ireland and I just ordered more..As I worked this pattern (reverse cable stitch that shows well on both sides) I realized I needed more. Blarney Woolen Mills are the nicest people and they took care of my order via email. I am waiting for my delivery. I have about 12 50 grams balls here at home and I ordered 20 more. I got the wool plus shipping for $41.00. Not bad, and this is made from sheep from the Isle of Inishmore. You can't get more romantic than that! There are sheep everywhere in Ireland and while we were visiting Skellig Rock there were very craggy hills with sheep grazing some distance from a farm. As we stood on the rocks looking over at Skellig we could hear a bleating noise. Well sure enough there was a fluffy little sheep all by himself stuck on an outcrop of rock. Our guide said ....."not a problem I'll go tell the people at the office and they will call the owner".
Talk about a small island! So wonderful. And I was sooo gullible, every time I saw sheep with different colored paints on their rumps I wondered what for. Finally I asked our guide and he said .."well they mark the females like that when they are mated and the ones with multiple marks they are the slags!" He finally told me that the different colored marks stand for different vaccinations they've had. My lesson in Irish humor.

To felt or not to felt......part deux

2007-04-01T20:53:00.000-04:00

Well here it is! I took the photo and added it to my blog. I am so proud. Had help from the hubby..thank you dear! Didn't it come out so sweet. I smile every time I look at it. Very excited about felting. I know what every female on my Christmas list is getting this year. It was so much fun doing the felting, and so quick. This stuff shrinks up in just six minutes. And when I set it with cold water it shrunk just a little more. It is the Caron wool called: "Felt-it". Not too expensive and great results. Now I have two more skeins and I am starting my next bag. Pattern is on the web site www.caron.com Look under the product name for pattern. The flap doesn't felt at the same rate but I plan on adding embellishments. The pattern calls for beading if you like but I am thinking a button for weight to help keep flap in place. Just the right size for shopping or out on the town.

I haven't gotten to the dollar stores yet but plan to do so this week. I also added a web ring icon further down the page that will take you to other knitting blogs. Hope they are fun. Have a Happy Easter and will be back soon.....

to felt or not to felt......

2007-03-28T15:42:00.000-04:00

I just finished a bag that needs to be felted. Something great better happen to this bag or else. It is so loose and useless that I expect a miracle. This is my first time felting and I have some trepidation. The only good thing is I didn't spend a fortune on the wool. If it comes out right it will be a cute bag for one daughter or the other. Tune is for further felting developments.

I just ordered Aran yarn from Blarney Woolen Mill in Blarney, Ireland. I was nervous, I haven't ordered anything from so far away before. I hope that all will arrive safely. I purchased some when I was over there but not enough to do an afghan. Time will tell.

Someone told me that you can buy overstocked yarn at the dollar stores. Whoopee...I am heading out to check the veracity of this statement. I sure will let you know if true and if any good. You never know were you might find something that speaks to you. Usually I find that most yarn fairly shouts at me! So off I go with ten dollars in hand to test this story out. Let you know.

2007-03-21T20:12:00.000-04:00

Haven't written for awhile. Some knitting thoughts that have been tumbling around in my head. Why am I so addicted to knitting and what is it that makes my heart race when I enter a wool shop? Can I tell you of my disappointment when I don't buy new yarn. I have to police myself and scold, and say- ..."hey how about finishing that project you have going now, or the other one sitting in your knitting basket!".......It just isn't fair to be surrounded by people that don't understand the need to have yarn, to have stacks of it at home to choose from. And let's not forget the needles and all the little supplies that go with knitting. You can never have enough of them. I have decided that I must have straight and circular needles in all the right sizes. It seems that whenever I choose a pattern and select the yarn I never have the right needles. So, this buy-a-thon must be done in order to always be able to start a project when I want, and not at the whim of the "you don't have that needle" fairy. What a pain she is. Probably not a knitter. She probably crochets or quilts. Hmm.....

Right now I am working on a baby wrap sweater and some cute bibs for my new niece, Katherine. She is a peach. The great book Mason-Dixon Knitting has the swell patterns, good directions and fun stories.

I have pretty much given up reading novels and exclusively read knitting books. You would be surprised how interesting they are to read. Especially The Knit Lit series of books. Good short stories from all different contributors that are pulled together by the editor. Very easy to read. Books on knitting are good not just for the patterns but all the info they include. I have learned many handy tricks from reading pattern books. Finishing up now and hope someday to start adding pictures. I just need a little more time to figure it out. But then I would probably use the time to knit!

2007-03-08T12:41:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I feel that for all the years I have been knitting I never seem to get any better. I was so bummed when my Knit Picks catalog arrived this week. In it they have examples of items knitted with a yarn that I had so much trouble with. Why is their example so smooth over the stocking stitch. Mine looks wavy and bumpy. I know it is my tension but just knowing doesn't help. Why can I never improve my tension. I just am so down about this. I guess I have to avoid swaths of stocking stitch and stick to patterns. Oh well, I have to remind myself again that it is the knitting process I love and not always the outcome.

A friend is making a sweater for herself and she too is so disappointed in the way it is coming out. She has made other items that are very good. I guess everyone has their Waterloo. There is one knitter I know, I see her occasionally, she knits primarily for herself. Her finished products are breathtaking. The type of stuff you see in magazines that models wear. She is truly gifted. Very modest about her talent and very supportive of other knitters. Knitting folks are the best! Maybe someday I will feel better about my knitting. I need to apply myself and concentrate on my knitting and not always watch TV while I knit. To me the two go together but I think in order to improve I need to focus on the one and leave the other for scarves and hats and things I can do easily. Then start a project that is challenging and leave it for when I can strictly work on it. Off to work so this is short. Keep knitting and may you yarn never tangle!

Thoughts on a Saturday afternoon.......

2007-03-03T11:35:00.000-05:00

Well, here it is Saturday afternoon already. Time certainly goes faster as you get older. I just wish I didn't spend so much of my time at work. Don't get me wrong I love my job but it would be nice to have a three day weekend every week! Speaking of my job, I had my knitting group on Friday with my young knitters(2nd-8th grade). We started on a project to make a doll. Very simple garter stitch with separate legs done then added together and knit up to arms and cast on more stitches and then decrease for shoulders and head. It will teach them many new skills. I think most of them enjoyed starting it. Some of them come to work their own projects and others come to chat. But I have a group of about 5 that really want to learn new skills. They work along smoothly and ask such good questions and come to me when they really need help. The only problem with the younger knitters is that it doesn't go fast enough. But recently I have seen some of them overcome that and keep working toward finishing. One little one really tickled me yesterday. We were working along, and they love to measure their progress, so I always have a tape measure or ruler handy. One of the girls picked up the ruler to see her progress (we needed to knit 5" in garter stitch for first leg). She held it across her work and said: "wow 4" already!". Her friend next to her said: " you are measuring the width not the length", very matter of factly! They are so smart and I am always amazed at their grasp of all the components that make up knitting.

Two of my young knitters live on my block and I love when they stop in for help or directions. One of these young ladies has done so well she is making socks and purses. Her family looks forward to her knitted gifts. This is what I love about knitting. You try it and either you like it or you don't. You immediately feel the lure of the yarn and the needles and you must have some. Where ever you go you look for yarn shops and you don't ever not have a project going. People who don't knit will never get it. It is an addiction like any others, the secret yarn buying, the need to have a project going at all times, and the dread you feel if you are caught somewhere without it when you could have been knitting! Ahh.......maybe I reveal too much! You can guess I love to knit. But more than that I love everything about knitting. They way it feels in your hands the smoothness of the yarn and the warmth of the needles. And the pleasure people get from some little gift. I can't tell you how thrilled I was to see my new niece being baptized last week wearing one of the little hats I made for her. I was so excited and pleased that someone liked what I had made. I need to go off and knit some more now......pleasant thoughts till next time.

P.S.

2007-02-25T00:34:00.001-05:00

Just added a couple of links that are good. They are at the bottom of this page. Have a look.