Out with the old...

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...in with the new. The Shawlette was frogged and a new style started. This is just a simple raglan beginning. Started with a CO of 101 sts. K12, PM, K1, PM, K24, PM, K1, PM, K25, PM, K1, PM, K24, PM, K1, PM, K12. Garter stitch for about 10 rows using M1 increases on either side of the markers. Switched to st st, using YO for the increases until there were about twice as many sts in each of the sections. The st st until I run out of yarn. I'm striping with all four kinds of yarn I used in the original. The plan at this point is to put two loops and buttons and the top. If I knit diligently.....I may be able to get it in the mail by Christmas. Or should I turn instead to a pair of socks I know I can finish in time to mail???

Isn't this a cute idea from ragstorichesart? I may have found a use for some of my acrylic yarn. Wonder what a bag of different sized Styrofoam balls and a wreath would run....

And wouldn't these easy to make napkins from Rants 'N Random Ramblings look great on a buffet table?

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Keeping the "We" in "Yes, We Can!"

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Printable gift coupons for the whole family.

Small things that make a difference: (click so you can read it)

Still knitting.....

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I did my three panels on the shawlette...right on schedule (despite the fact I spent most of the afternoon reading Casting Spells from cover to cover! Then I tried it on, laid it out and discovered, I think, I must have somehow lost several sts in the main part of the rows, cuz the newest stuff is much, much shorter than the old rows. IOW, it'll either be a fashion statement with one side shorter than the other, or it'll have to be frogged. Disaster on several levels:

1. Frogging Mohair is not easy or fun.
2. No time to knit another gift (not really true...I could easily make a pair of socks in time)
   

I'm sick...and a little scared to go upstairs and really find out if all this is true, or just a figment of my exhausted mind. I guess I'll spend some time looking through Ravelry for new ideas, JIC.
ETA: It's about an inch shorter....it's a gauge thing. The newest yarn isn't as bulky as the original yarn. I'm thinking pretty much it needs to be frogged.

Isn't this a cute idea?

Casting Spells by Barbara Bretton

rating: 5 of 5 stars
Oh what a great story! It's the LYS in Hogsmead! Knitting and magick together!

Chloe, the owner of a yarn store in Sugar Maple, VT, "where your yarn never tangles, you always get gauge . . . and the knitter sitting next to you comes out only after dark."

The residents of Sugar Maple are not your average New Englanders. Here the vampires and the Fey, and a few shapeshifters all get along....most of the time.

Chloe must find a way to connect with the magick her mother left behind and save the town from, you guessed it, the evil sorceress. All while teaching knitting classes, running the store and, oh, yeah, falling in love with the outsider human cop that she has to keep from finding out the town's secret.

I couldn't put it down.

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Keeping the "We" in "Yes, We Can!"

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What Dr. Suess says about no presents for Christmas:
Then he shook! What he saw was a shocking surprise!
Every Who down in Whoville, the tall and the small,
Was singing! Without any presents at all!
He HADN'T stopped Christmas from coming! IT CAME!
Somehow or other, it came just the same!
And the Grinch, with his grinch-feet ice-cold in the snow,
Stood puzzling and puzzling: "How could it be so?"
"It came with out ribbons! It came without tags!"
"It came without packages, boxes or bags!"
And he puzzled three hours, till his puzzler was sore.
Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before!
"Maybe Christmas," he thought, "doesn't come from a store."
"Maybe Christmas...perhaps...means a little bit more!"

I'm peddling as fast as I can!!!!

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Knitting on. I did my three sections on the Shawlette yesterday. Twenty-one of 30 something points are done. If I can keep to my goal of three points a day, it'll be done Monday and hopefully washed and blocked by the time I go to bed.

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Keeping the "We" in "Yes, We Can!"

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Everything you ever wanted to know about re-gifting.
How to make your own fabric labels for hand knits, etc.
Fuse grocery bags to make your plastic fabric for reusable grocery totes, knitting totes, lunch bags, etc! (Or you can buy a handmade one!)
Chocolate Christmas Mice!
The real spirit of Christmas, saving lives.

Shawlette

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Not much to see...same as last time. However, progress has been made. All the loose ends have been woven in, so it's much pretty to work on. And I've switched to just one color of yarn so there will be no more, relatively speaking, loose ends to weave in! I think I also figured out why I wasn't enjoying working on this. The yarns are wool and mohair and are slippery. My Boye circulars are metal and the stitches were just too slippery. I switched to my Denise needles, which grabs the yarn just a bit more. So far, so good. This will be my only project until it's done. It needs to get in the mail in less than two weeks!

Still learning the ins and outs of this computer. I generally use Firefox as my browser. However, I just discovered that my local library web page no longer responds when I click on a button. I have a neat add-0n on my Firefox which will open a tab in Internet Explorer. If I do that, I can use the library's web page.... weird. Hopefully Youngest Son will be able to help me figure this inconvenience out. Isn't it funny how our machines can get us to jump through loops to do what we want to do?

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Keeping the "We" in "Yes, We Can!"

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Awhile ago, I suggested you all watch Bill Nye the Science Guy in his new show, Stuff Happens. I have had to give up watching it.... I've discovered, barring giving up everything, going green is very expensive. The episode I started to watch last night was about eating breakfast.

I like bacon. Pigs eat anchovies. Penguins and sea birds in South America are starving because the fisherman catch the anchovies and ship them to North American pigs so I can have bacon for breakfast. Coffee is a whole 'nother story and to buy the coffee that doesn't exploit people or the environment I'd have to give up the cost of my cable TV and internet connection. I quit watching when we got to the way the hens that give us eggs are treated. And don't drink anything but hand squoozed or fresh squoozed OJ. No more frozen concentrate.

Who knew goin' green doesn't sit well with spending less....

...We Have Knitting!

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Progress! I added two panels to the Shawlette. I am about half way done with it, so as long as I keep to my "one panel a day" it'll be done in plenty of time for the holidays.
I've added several rows on the Pelegrine. Although I don't know if it'll be done by Inauguration Day, I'm planning on it!Ray has his own Inauguration Day Challenge! Check it out!Does this bother you? I agree with Rabbitch and the commenters on this one!

It's just a point of view: “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” Albert Einstein

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Keep the "We" in "Yes, We Can!

President Elect Obama's First Radio Address. Again the economy is spiraling down. How can you save money?

1. Go to the library instead of the bookstore. (I know, no coffee there, but hey, that's saving money!) Use the library's catalog to look for specific books, and then reserve them so you can just go pick them up when they are available. Many libraries are on line and you can do it all from home... except the picking up part! If you have to visit the bookstore, take a notebook and write down the titles that you want, then go to the library! Libraries have books on CD and downloadable MP3 format books, videos, magazines, newspapers. All for FREE.
2. Clipping coupons are great...but only if it's for items you already use. And for staples. Prepackaged foods are not that nutritious for the most part. Learn to cook from scratch. It's no harder than following a knitting pattern. Lots of recipe sites on-line: CD Kitchen, and Allrecipes.com are two of my favorites. Coupons are good for non-perishables: soap, shampoo, soaps, diapers, TP and PT.
   
3. Check out the discount stores, i.e., 99 cent Stores, Dollar Stores, Big Lots, etc. The brand name items there are not of less quality. Often times they end up in these stores because the manufacturer has changed labels, or size of cans or some other such reason. National Brand _________ is National Brand ________, no matter what you pay for it.
   
4. Using your bank's on-line bill pay feature will save stamps and envelopes. And it's good for the environment.
5. Pick one day a week to do your errand running when at all possible.
   
6. Make your own cleaners (see yesterday's post).
7. While at the library, check the newspaper for free events, or find the newspaper on-line and look for them there. No, you'll not get to see Rod Stewart in concert for free, but there are lots of great places to go and people to see that won't cost you anything except your time and transportation.
8. Turn off lights that are not being used. Replace burned out bulbs with energy efficient ones. Rinse your clothes in cold water. Wash dishes once a day. Make sure your refrigerator is turned to the proper setting and the freezer is full, even if you fill it with jugs of frozen water.
9. Knit from your stash! There's been a big discussion about this in one of the groups I frequent. The statement was made that commercially dyed sock yarns sales is going down. Did this mean the sock knitting craze was slowing? Most knitters said, "Not so." My thought is more sock knitters are knitting from stash.
   

Every penny saved is a penny saved. Although they might not look like much one or two at a time, with persistence and in the long run, it does make a difference. Especially if many people save a few pennies a day. This is gonna be a rough time in our lives. We are gonna have to cut back on our spending. Or go deeper and deeper in debt, which will do no one any good. It'll be much easier if we do it together and encourage and congratulate our small but important steps. Please take the time to do your part in keeping the "We" in "Yes, We Can."

She's such an old bag....

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I have no knitting pics to share, mainly because showing you pics of the same thing over and over really gets boring. I added another panel to the Shawlette and added an inch to the Pelerine. Today I might start making a grocery bag....
Urban knitting! Click on the pics. Go to the website...more pics that are really interesting.

This economy thing...I don't know if it's gonna get worse before it gets better, or it's just not gonna get better for awhile.... It takes just as long for it to get better as it did to get worse....

What can we do? I feel like I'm back in the '90's trying to save energy. Turn off that extra light bulb, keep the thermostat down in the winter and up in the summer. Crock pots are our friends.

Martin Luther King, Jr., has been in our minds alot the last few weeks, and we all hope he, John, and Abraham are looking down with smiles these days. However, Dr. King had something else to say we might take to heart:

"We must rapidly begin the shift from a thing-oriented society to a person-oriented society. When machines and computers, profit motives and property rights are considered more important than people, the giant triplets of racism, militarism and economic exploitation are incapable of being conquered. A nation can flounder as readily in the face of moral and spiritual bankruptcy as it can through financial bankruptcy."

Dr. Martin Luther King, April, 1967

People before things. Although I've always known this is a good recipe for personal happiness, I have never given thought to the idea that it could also contribute to the rescue of our economy and our planet. It does make sense that if we put people before things, our fear factor will go down and when the fear factor goes down, racism, elitism, and all the other isms will go down, too.

What can we do? How can we keep the "We" in "Yes, We Can!"? One of the things I am working to add to my life is a philosophy of anti-consumerism. Many years ago, when I was a Le Leche League Leader, we used to suggest, for a healthy diet, to eat foods as close to their natural state as possible. Like raw or lightly steam veggies, rather than canned or frozen. If we follow that concept out to buy necessities in as close to their natural state there is less processing, less money to manufacture, less pollution being generated, and on it goes.

1. Buy local and regional foods. If not local, then organic. If not local or organic, then the option with the least packaging.
2. Purchase more raw and bulk foods and fewer processed foods + drinks.
3. Bring home (or to work or send with my children to school) all my food in reusable bags in reusable or recyclable containers (preferable not plastic).
4. Compensate for the increase in food prices by eating less: smaller portions, fewer meals
5. Eat less meat
6. Eat out only in restaurants that serve wholesome, nutritious food. (Don’t kid yourself - fast food is NEVER nutritious.)
7. Drink more filtered tap water.
8. Explore my emotions (stress, anxiety, fear) rather than turning to food, drink, shopping or recreational drugs for comfort.

These are lofty goals, and probably overwhelming, or for us poor people already in our lifestyle. So what can we do that's within our realm? Let's start out by not using plastic grocery bags. We all have totes we get from here and there. Pack them up, put them in the car and do what you need to do to remember to use them when you go shopping. If you don't have enough, make it part of your grocery budget to get one more each time you do your regular shopping. Browse through re-sale stores. There is always a bunch hanging around there. Or make your own!
Creative Thimble All Free Crafts Morsbag Wisdom of the Moon produce bags Wisdom of the Moon Grocery bags Creative Kismet Pillowcase Totes About.com Denim Tote and here is a list of dozens more.

For the knitters: Lion Brand From recycled grocery bags Demonic Progress Houghton Avenue

And crocheters: Frayed at the Edges Reduction Tote Bag

Choose your skill, or learn a new one, and save the planet, one bag at a time. And they make great gifts....cutting consumerism....and saving you money....and less plastic bags from retailers when you purchase gifts... A circle good for everyone! Not to mention, something to knit. I know many of us get stagnate and just go looking for something to make. And many of us are stymied when trying to find a gift for the person who is so picky or has everything. Make a statement and help the economy as well as the environment! And if you really think those bags are free to the consumer...check this blog out.

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I received my prize from KnitWitch yesterday! Two gorgeous skeins of sock yarn! Yummy!

Went to visit my BFF, F, yesterday and worked on one more panel on the Shawlette. I'm committed to do a minimum of one panel a day in order to get it done on time!
I also worked a bit on my Pelerine. I have 5 inches finished on it now. The deadline on that is Inaugural Day which you can see time ticking on the sidebar.

I think my sinus infection is fighting back! I woke up around midnight in more pain than I've been in since his started. It took two hours, two Aleve, two Sudafed and two hot packs to get back to sleep. Too, too much! Of course this morning there is no pain at all.

I'm looking forward to my three hours of down time while Youngest Granddaughter is in school this morning. Feel like I've been going at a breakneck speed all week.

In the mail...

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Socks are finished, washed, blocked and in the mail! They will get to Tennessee in time for his birthday on Sunday!

I finished one more panel on the Shawlette, too. If I continue with one a day, it'll be done by Christmas mailing time.

I cast on this Neckwarmer. I think I'm just about done with the ribbing. Can't decide if I should add the extra warmth with a folded collar or not. It's for the same son I made the socks for. He works in a factory and it's cold....but the average winter temperature is in the 40s or so...
Oh, and we have a stove again! They finally delivered one right before it was time to start cooking dinner on Tuesday!

Isn't this Child's Placket Neck Pullover pretty? I may have to make one of these for another of my ungrateful kin. Or I could donate it.... "Dear Ungrateful Kin's Parent(s): I knitted this sweater in your child's name donated it to the cold Native American children in central South Dakota. Enjoy." Morrighana just made one of these sweaters. She has family that requests her knitting. How unique!

Those are some serious fires out in CA!

Mish Mash

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When Youngest Granddaughter had her visiting Speech Therapist, Mr. Potato Head was one of the tools used to get her to converse and ask for things. YG loved it so much, while we were at Disneyland, I spent a good amount of money on MPH stuff. And she got more for her birthday. So while Second Son and Third Grandson were visiting, we got it all out and they all had fun creating a Potato Head parade!I got quite a bit done on the Work Sock for Third Son. Gusset decreases are just about done, so with luck the sock should be finished up today or early tomorrow. Off in the mail as soon as possible to arrive, hopefully, by his birthday this weekend.
I got another panel done on the Shawlette, too. I've pretty much decided that is my TV watching knitting in the evenings and can easily get a panel done each night. I'm about a quarter of the way through it now, so my estimate of around 24 panels seems to be about right. I'm hoping it will be big enough so it can be seamed up the "front" to make it a slip on.
Still no stove.... YD talked to the people at the office yesterday and they said, "This afternoon." That would be yesterday afternoon. Maybe today... I did learn how to boil spaghetti in the microwave, though. So we had a relatively decent meal of spaghetti, meatballs and green beans last night. It's good to know how to do that, as in the summer, when we don't like to use the oven or stove top, meals that don't create alot of heat are a good thing.

Isn't this a great seasonal shot from Melissa? Check out her blog for more.Does not this one from What Housework? just say, "Here I come, ready or not!"? More wonderful pics there, too.Franklin apparently has a new calendar for sale, except there are none at his etsy site.... Maybe later!
This, Pumpkin Pie Squared, is on the list of things to bake whenever I have an oven again. It sounds wonderful!

Dear Santa, Agnes has the right idea. Me, too, please!

One more panel

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I actually did two panels as one (second from the bottom) had to be frogged and redone. Again, it felt good working with this nice yarn. I also worked a bit on the work socks I need to get done this week for Third Son. I'm going to have to discipline myself to work only on them for the next few days and get them done.

I had one TV show to watch downstairs, so worked a bit on the long forgotten Deathly Hallows sock, too. These were my vacation project that got very little attention while on vacation.
Vicki, at Simple Knits, is having a hat design contest. The pattern for the hat is here Freedom Hat. The challenge is to use it for a base line and create a new hat from it. There is also a challenge to knit one of the hats and donate it to charity. Seeing that Hatz at Native American Support is in full swing.... Unlike a lot of design contests you can enter this one as often as you like. However, the deadline is November 3rd..... So hurry up!

Knit with a nice yarn....

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Pattern: Neck Warmer
Modifications: I lengthened the number of sts in the central area to make it into a shawlette
I'm using four different yarns, alternating on each point. Each one is a relatively quick knit, but how man of them I'm going to have to do.... Over twenty. It feels really nice to knit with mohair....I think I've found out the source of my winter of knitting discontent. I really want to knit things I want to knit and not things I'm "supposed" to knit for gifts. IOW, I haven't got Christmas Spirit. Which I generally have by now. Wonder if it's the 80-90 degree weather that's delaying my Ho Ho Ho spirit?
3rd Degree by James Patterson

rating: 5 of 5 stars
This was a good book. I'm glad that the last one was either a fluke of bad writing or the narrator just didn't know how to read.

Lindsey is on the trail of another killer....this one has been holding on to his anger for years and has decided that killing lots of people to get to his one victim is an okay thing. And then it gets really personal to Lindsey and the rest of the Women's Murder Club.

View all my reviews.


Some really cute animal pictures at Cuteoverload.com.