WIPs

The tree is actually a FO, finally. The kids had great fun decorating last night while Youngest Daughter pointed out places that needed "something". Somewhere there are a couple more boxes of Christmas stuff, but enough for now.

Here's my progress on the shawl. At one point I had to frog it back to the burgundy because I'd miscounted. Now I've developed another system for keeping track of where I am, so I'll not have that problem anymore.


And this is the first 11 ridges on the Tomten Jacket. Got most of this done while waiting for my eye appointment. I checked in 30 minutes early and they were still 30 minutes late on calling me. Lots of knitting time then and while waiting for the dilating to take effect. No changes in my eyes at all...everything looks like it has for the last three or four years.

Youngest Daughter is going back to work today. She's quit recycling food and just has a bad cough. Today is Thursday which means I have to pick up one of my grandsons and family friend from kindergarten at noon and watch till 3:00 when the older kids get out. "Family Friend" is a little girl that talks (and tattles) incessantly. OMG.... I'm totally wiped out by the time I drop them off. This will probably be the last Thursday I have to do it. As far as I know, they are moving to Houston over the Christmas break. Unfortunately my Eldest Daughter and two grandsons are following them in the spring. I'm sick about it, but I guess lots of people have children living all over the US. I just never planned on it happening to me....

On the up side, my son and his wife have invited me to come visit in March. I haven't seen their son, my youngest grandson since he was born last December. His first birthday party is this Saturday.... :::heavy sigh:::

Gee, this turned downhill suddenly. I hope to CO the second Skully Sock today. But with all the hoop de la, I'm not hopeful.

Vegetative State

I really feel like I'm not doing much of anything but sitting in front of the computer with my basically brain dead knitting. Feather and Fan is as close as one can get to miles of garter stitch and not fall asleep from boredom. With all that said, this shawl really is fun to knit. I've been pretty much been changing colors at each pattern repeat. It's using up small balls of leftovers at this point.

Now I have to decide what I'm going to do when it starts to get really long stripes...I have probably 150 sts on the needles now and when it gets to be 400 or so it's going to take a lot of yarn to make one stripe. Most of the skeins I have that will accommodate a pattern repeat that big are in neutral colors: black, white, tan, brown, etc. All were acquired on Freecycle or the resale shops. Maybe I'll have to buy a few bright colors to alternate with the neutrals.

Is anyone else interested in participating in my PAY IT FORWARD? If so, let me know and put the info on your blog!

It's still cold, although the rain seems to be out of the forecast till closer to Christmas. We seem to be developing lots of fog, though. It was really kinda scary driving yesterday. Although visibility was about a half block, which should, if drivers are paying any attention at all, not be a problem, but when drivers are used to clear weather about 360 days a year....they just don't seem to make allowances for "weather". Anywho, fog yesterday and fog today according to the Weather Channel.

Fifteen Days Till Christmas....

This really IS the last pair of slippers this year. (I hope...) There is the wisdom of not using two different kinds of wool yarn when fulling. I used Elann Peruvian Highland on the toes, and Colorado Vail for the foot. Probably because it's white, the Vail just doesn't full as well. However, they still turned out okay with a nice firm toe!

I CO a shawl yesterday. Now I've CO many shawls and frogged them all for the most part. And I've never finished one for myself (or anyone else for that matter.) So why I'm doing this, I don't know.... This is the Feather and Fan Comfort Shawl. I remember seeing this pattern when I first started knitting and deemed it far to complicated for my little knitting brain. Well, with a few years knitting under my belt, it's not hard, it's relatively easy, and it's so very pretty. And it's a great way to use up bits and pieces of yarn. This one may see completion as I've learned the value of "brain dead" knitting. Sometimes ya just need an uncomplicated project to while away the hours.

All my nice wool socks are really coming in handy! In the desert we don't have basements and houses are built on concrete slabs. When it gets cold and rains and rains and the water creates swimming pools in the back yards, the concrete gets cold. Consequently those of us that walk upon the carpeting laid upon that concrete get cold feet. As I said, "All my nice wool socks are really coming in handy!" Those along with the felted clogs F made me, keep my tootsies nice and toasty.

February 21, 2007

Tofutsies #1 is Done!

Well the first Tofutsie is done! Ya know, for all the bitchin' about the yarn, the sock is absolutely divine! Soft, thin, stretchy..... :::heavy sigh::: The socks are so nice I may have to force myself to use more of the yarn. I hate when those kind of juxtapositions happen in my life!Will CO next one this morning so Second Sock Syndrome (SSS) doesn't set in.

Wanted to show you a pic of a shawl I crocheted several years ago. All kinds of yarns...some handspun, recycle sari silk, wool blends....

I got a compliment at the Ren Faire for it and for my "Walkin' on Sunshine" socks! Makes a person feel good to have someone notice!

February 7, 2007

Socks, Shawls, & Knitting Class

I worked on my shawl last night while watching TV. It's coming along nicely.

Here's how far I am on my second Pedicure Sock. I worked on it yesterday during the day and while at the Knitting Class.

Miss "Ran-Out-of-the-Room-in-Tears" didn't come to the class. My left handed student is already scoping out patterns and making "things." She got a book on making knitted toys and the one she's working on is made from just a garter stitch square. So, she's off and running. One of the other students who really wasn't sure if she wanted to learn to knit or if she just thought she did, turned the corner when she found out she was going to be a grandmother for the first time. Now she's really making progress! And another brand newbie arrived last night. One of the kids tried to teach her the knitted cast on and gave up. So I finished it off and got her knitting on the first row. She was really a newbie as her first questions were: "How much yarn do I need to cut off?" and "Do I have to use needles?"

Not too much else new going on around here. Maybe, when it warms up today, I'll take the baby out in the back yard along with my spinning wheel and I'll do a bit of making yarn instead of making something out of yarn!

February 5, 2007

Dogs & Shawls

I have been noticing my dog is really shedding alot of her undercoat-which coincidentally is the part of a dog's fur one can spin!! So I grabbed my carders today and used them as doggie brushes. (Yes, I was careful!) She loved it! This is her nasty coat when we started Here's the actual "brushing" On the carders A pile of dog fluff And the happier, lighter, cooler doggie is in the pic at the top of the post. I got a grocery bag full of fluff that I'll hold on to and card with something else--probably wool--and spin eventually.

So, I decided I'd CO the Thinking Woman's Shawl to take with me if I have jury duty tomorrow. The pattern is very easy to memorize and I have some pretty purple wools to use. Edited: Jury duty postponed till the 13th.

I'm so late with my post today because we decided once we got the grand daughter off to school, we'd run down and visit the Gem and Mineral Show in town. My daughter is a beader as well as a knitter and crocheter. She needed some "parts" and I thought I'd pick up some rings for stitch markers. Not gonna make any fancy dangly things. Have some of those. They are nice, but often just get in the way of the knitting! So, I'll stick to just the plain silver rings.