Merry Christmas!

I hope everyone has had a wonderful Christmas Day filled with visits with family and/or dear friends!

Always remember that the beautiful baby boy that was born in a manger so many years ago, came to this earth to die for our sins some 30-odd years later. He lives in our hearts and we eagerly await His triumphant return to earth. God Bless.

Angie

p.s. I will update on knitting later.

October KAL

Here are the finished October cloths from the Monthly Dishcloth KAL. (I posted it last week but with one click of the button I erased the entire post. Better luck this time!!!)





With this angle you can see the picture of the candy corn more clearly. The next shot is not so angled.

This is a fun cloth to knit. It teaches several techniques: shadow knitting, carrying the extra yarn up the side, and color changes.

Pattern: Candy Corn

Source: Monthly Dishcloths KAL

Yarn: Lion Cotton (Black)
Sugar N Creme (Yellow, Orange, and White)

Needles: US7





Here is the kitty cat cloth for October. The eyes are made by two single purl stitches. The photo doesn't show it clearly, but it makes for a cute cloth in person.

Pattern: Kitten Cloth

Source: Monthly Dishcloths KAL

Yarn: Sugar N Creme

Color: Taupe

Needle: US6

Sit Com Chic Finished!!

Yipee, I finished the Sit-Com Chic sweater from Knitty. I changed the pattern slightly. Instead of binding off the stitches for the underarm, I grafted them together after finishing the sweater for no seams. The pattern is very easy to follow and knits up fairly quickly.


This picture shows the eyelet detail.


Pattern: Sit-Com Chic
Source: Knitty.com
Yarn: Cotton Ease
Color: Popsicle Blue
Needles: US5 & US8 (circs & dpns)

Still Here!!

Well, I am still here. Life has interfered with posting. In the last month, we have had 3 children's'
birthday outings, my mother's birthday, and my MIL's birthday. My brother's birthday is Wednesday. A lot of birthdays all at once. However, I have still been knitting.


Veteran's Day Parade

My (recently turned) 14 year old marched in his first school band parade on the Friday before Veteran's Day. He is the tall middle tuba player. The band sounded great. Much better than some of the high school bands that were there. I have never been to a parade before, so it was a great experience.

There were several high school and middle school bands, a lot of ROTC units, and several veterans organizations that marched. The two younger children went with us and thought it was a lot of fun.

Socks, Clowns and Teeth

To My Mom: Happy Birthday!!


I have been busy lately, but I have a few things to show everyone.

I finally finished the Koigu Socks. This is the same dye lot. Can you see the problem?? The bottom sock is lighter than the top. Hopefully, it won't be noticeable on a moving target. But, I really liked working with the Koigu yarn. It has a very nice feel to it.


Pattern: Classic Socks
Source: Nancy Bush
Yarn: Koigu KPPM
Needles: US2

This is not a rehearsal for Halloween!! This is my son's friend from church. He is involved with the clown ministry. Great makeup job!!

Here is the second pair of socks for Socktoberfest. These worked up a whole lot faster than the last pair. They feel very nice on the feet. BTW, I am wearing them right now with my crocs.

Pattern: Classic Socks

Source: Nancy Bush

Yarn:Mountain Colors' Mountain Goat

Color: Mountain Tango

Needles: US3

This was actually knit from one skein, with several yards left over. There is only 230 yards on a skein, so I just did a 4 inch top instead of the usual 7 inches.

Not to be left out: Here is my 5 year old daughter. She lost a tooth today. After I put the tooth in a bag, she brought me the camera. "Mom", she said, "Put my picture on your internet, like you did P***'s!" ( See Archives)

So, here you are, Sweetie!!:

Socktoberfest

Well I went and did it. I joined another KAL. This time it is Socktoberfest. It sounds like a lot of fun. It starts tomorrow on October 1st. A very laid back and non-stressful KAL. I was even able to put the button on my sidebar. Normally, I can't figure out how to add the buttons. Now: on to sock knitting.

Sept Mid-Month KAL Finished

I finally finished the September Mid-Month Dishcloth for the KAL. It really made a pretty dishcloth. Much too nice to wash dishes with it. I will probably gift it to one of the teachers for Christmas.

Pattern: Leaf-Patterned Lace
Source: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MonthlyDishcloths
Yarn: Lily Sugar N Cream
Color: White
Needles: US7

Spiders

Here is a surprise my children found this afternoon. It is hard to see, but it is a black widow spider. It was in a web attached to the house by the back door. It is a good thing I already have an appointment for the bug exterminators to come out tomorrow. I don't want the kids to find any more of these critters around the house. Of course my husband didn't want to kill it but to keep it for the bug people to see tomorrow.

Such is life in suburbia. At least it wasn't a snake.

Scrap the UFO

This is the Child's French Sock Pattern from Knitting Vintage Socks by Nancy Bush. After working on this pair of socks for nine months, I am conceding to defeat. I have decided to frog (rip it, rip it) and start again in another pattern. The sock is very pretty, but it is too tight for my fat legs. I thought about finishing the second sock and giving the pair away, but I cannot go through the agony of knitting the chart again. I have a hard time reading charts and the first sock gave me fits to complete.

I plan to start on Sock Hop out of Creative Knitting July 2006 issue. It starts off with 96 sts on the cuff and then decreases to 48 sts. Maybe that won't be so tight on my leg.

Anyway, the yarn is Wildfoote Sock Yarn by Brown Sheep. I found it on e-bay last year.

What is up with Blogger??

Happy Monday All.

What is wrong with Blogger? I have been trying all day to post new pictures. It takes several minutes to load and then pops up "Page Not Found". I will not give up but continue to try and post.

Till Later.

Missing teeth & Dishcloths

Here is Parker minus one of his teeth. Out of four children, he is the only one brave enough to pull his own teeth.




I am finally posting a picture of the current KAL from Monthly Dishcloths. This is a nice easy cloth. I especially liked how the border worked up in the seed stitch pattern.




Pattern: Oak Leaf Dishcloth
Source: Monthly Dishcloth KAL - September
Yarn: Sugar N Creme
Color: Yellow
Needles: US7

Monthly Dishcloths

I have been working on more dishcloths. Going left to right: the current cloth for the Monthly Dishcloth Knit-a-long, another garterlac, and the Mid-Month cloth for the Monthly Dishcloth KAL.

Current Month
Pattern: Mystery (pattern is sent out a few rows each day)
Yarn: Sugar N Creme
Color: Yellow
Needles: US7

Do you see the stitch markers separating the borders? I made them. That is a fun, easy and fast craft. Why use boring markers when you can make your own?


Garterlac Cloth
Pattern: Garterlac Dishcloth
Source:Criminy Jickets
Yarn: Unknown Cotton from Stash
Color: Blue variegated
Needles: US7

Mid-Month Dishcloth
Pattern: Three in One Checked Cloth
Source: Monthly Dishcloth KAL
Yarn: Sugar N Creme
Color: Cream & Butter Cream Ombre
(Left over from Textured Slip Stitch Dishcloth)
Needles: US7

BTW, I completed seaming up & adding the finishing touches to the Cancun Tee. Hopefully, pictures to follow. Now I need to go to Hancock Fabrics to find material for a skirt to match.

Cancun Tee

Or why can't I finish what I start?

This is the front of the Cancun Tee I am working on. I have completed the front, back and 2 sleeves. So what is the problem? Why haven't I seamed it up and crocheted the edging? (It has been done for a month.) I don't know. I think it has to do with handsewing. Knitting is great but then you have to sew it up by hand. I have always considered sewing by hand a four-letter word. If I can't sew it on the machine, I just don't sew it. Well I don't have any tiny elves that come and do the finishing work on garments, so I guess I will have to bite the bullet and do it myself.

Onto other Knitting news

I am through with the Mid-Month Dishcloth KAL. I still need to weave in the ends. (More sewing by hand). It turned out real pretty. I will post a picture on my next update.

Garterlac Finished

I am really getting into this dishcloth knitting. I keep cranking them out. They are portable and quick to make. I hope my children's teachers like handmade (never homemade) dishcloths for Christmas gifts.

Here is the mid-month cloth for the Dishcloth Fun KAL.

Pattern: Garterlac Cloth

Source:Criminy Jickets Blog

Yarn: Lily Sugar N Cream

Color: Violet Veil Ombre

Needles: US7

I will be making more of this pattern. It turned out great. As a matter of fact, I have started another one already.

Dishcloth Fun KAL

Here is the Textured Slip Stitch Dishcloth for the Dishcloth Fun KAL. I finished it just in time to start the new KAL. We were to edge this cloth with the stitch of our choice. I used a single crochet stitch on the sides.

Pattern: Textured Slip Stitch Dishcloth

Yarn: Sugar N Creme

Colors: Cream and Butter Cream Ombre

Needles: US7

Now I need to start the next cloth and tomorrow the MidMonth Monthly Dishcloth KAL starts. I had better warm up my needles.

No Holes Dishcloth

Another FO

This is a washcloth that I finished along with another casted on. I love the smaller size. It is only 7 1/2 " square. A perfect size for washing my face.
I will probably give them to my mother. Her birthday is coming up in October.


Pattern: No Holes Dishcloth
Source:Knitability
Yarn: cottontots by Bernat
Color: Sunshine
Needles: US7

Selling Stash

Since it hurts my hand to crochet, I am not making afghans anymore. I have decided to sell more of my stash. It is all 100% Acrylic except for the crochet thread which is 100% cotton. The different lots are listed on www.ebay.com under seller rlrarrcpa.

All auctions start at $ .99. I am not trying to make a lot of money, just clearing out. The direct link for the auctions is: http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZrlrarrcpaQQhtZ-1.

On to knitting news:

I have finished a "warshrag" knitted out of Cotton Tots. It came out really soft and cuddly. I will try to post a picture tomorrow. Also, I am about half-way finished with the textured slip-stitch cloth for the Dishcloth Fun KAL.

New Things

New Knitting

I have finished a couple of dishcloths this weekend. The Bee Stitch Cloth turned out very nice. The picture really doesn't do it justice.

• Pattern: Bee Stitch Cloth
• Source:
• http://knittingknonsense.com/beestitchcloth.html
• Yarn: Lion Brand Kitchen Cotton
• Color: Americana
• Needles: US7

This dishcloth is for the Monthly Dishcloth KAL. Do you see where I messed up?
I ran out of yarn with 3 rows and the bind off to go. I didn't have any more of the light blue, so I used a blue variegated from my stash.

Pattern: Lighthouse Dishcloth
Source: Monthly Dishcloth KAL
Yarn: Lily Sugar'N Cream
Color: Lt. Blue
Needles: US7

New Year

Well it is official. The new school year has begun. The three older children have school today. My little girl starts Wednesday. The eight year old doesn't want to go. He'll get over it.

Mother Bear Project

Here it is: My first teddy bear for the Mother Bear Project. My favorite LYS sponsors a local chapter. Now I need to turn it in. Also, I have another on needles.

Pattern: The Mother Bear Project

Yarn: Worsted Weight Acrylic

Needles: 7US

The LYS sponsors a teddy bear sit n knit on Thursday nights. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to go last night. Sometime during the last week, one of my kids turned off the freezer in the garage. I noticed it yesterday. Everything was ruined and the smell. Ugh. I spent all day cleaning out the spoiled food and scrubbing out the freezer. With all the heat and humidity, I was too tried and sweaty to go anywhere.

On a lighter note, school starts Monday. My baby starts kindergarten. This will be the first time I won't have a child home all day in nearly 14 years. More time to knit!

I HIT THE JACKPOT!!!

Look at what I got today. 1 kilo of spun and undyed wool yarn. That's about 2.2 pounds for us non-metric folks. It is the same weight as Manos. All the thick and thin spun yarn. It came direct from the source.

I had asked my Sunday School teacher (who was in Uruguay on a mission trip) to be on the lookout for wool yarn at a market or store. At the end of the paved road, the dirt road, and the dirt path, he found a shepherd who deals in wool. The shepherd shears the sheep, cards the wool and spins into yarn. He then makes ponchos, blankets, etc. that his wife sells in Trinidad, Uruguay. I think I was his first export to the US.

I have always wanted to try dyeing yarn, so here is my chance. A great big THANKS to Mike.

UFO's and FO's

The current sock project is on the needles. I am using Koigu and size US2 dpns.
This is a very soft wool yarn. I used the k1 s1 pattern on the heels to prevent wearing so quickly.


Here is a picture of my finished July Mid-Month KAL Dishcloth.

Pattern: Lacy Mock Cable
Yarn: Lion Cotton
Color: Americana
Needles: US6

This yarn is too bright for the pattern. I would recommend a more pastel color for this dishcloth.

Dishcloths

First Post

I recently joined a monthly dishcloth KAL. Here is my first FO.




Pattern: Dolly the Dolphin Cloth - Landlubber's Version
Needles: US 7
Yarn: Lily Sugar n Cream

This is a fun pattern. I am already knitting another one to include in an afghan for my son.