Nelda the Knitting Nurse

Still Alive

2010-01-24T14:11:00.000-08:00

Wow! has it really been that long since I posted? Well a lot has happened since then. I haven't had a computer that I could post pictures with in a while. I used to use my work computer but could no longer do that. Hubby is still working in Wyoming. The biggest thing that happened is that my dd graduated and ran away to college. That is going really well. Now that I have this computer, I will upload pics of the knitting I'm working on very soon. In the mean time go Beavers!

Secret Pal

2008-10-01T16:22:00.000-07:00

Wow, I have not posted in forever! I guess time got away from me. I wanted to post about my final secret pal package, here is a picture of its contents

Here we have some yummy shower gel and lotion, the cutest pens ever and post-its, shower gloves for exfoliating, a cool nail filing block (it makes your nails really shiny), a sheep pez dispenser (so cute), some awesome sock yarn, and a kit for a carry-it-home bag which I have been wanting to make, I love it all, Nikki was a great pal you can find her here,Thanks again!!<

Question of the Week #11

2008-08-22T08:50:00.000-07:00

"What's the best thing you've ever received in the mail?"
Wow, that is a hard question because I have loved everything from secret pals, past and present, swap partners, etc. I remember placing my first yarn order online from knitpicks, when I got that it was pretty exciting!!!

Life and Knitting...An Update (picture heavy)

2008-08-04T13:19:00.000-07:00

Where to start.....Well let's see one of my cousins got married, congratulations to Michael and Michelle

I bought a new car, isn't it cute!! I think I need a name for it so if anyone has suggestions.... It's a Mazda5 and it gets great gas mileage (bonus)

I also had a birthday which started out crappy but turned out to be quite nice.
My daughter and her friend baked me a cake:

Don't laugh, it was delicious

I also received some flowers, handmade by my DD's friend's mom (thank you Jeanette)

I received a birthday package from my secret pal that day too! Thank you again SP! Here is a picture of it's contents, what fun...I love it!!

I finished some Monkeys out of Lace Wing Sock in the Tropical colorway

Phew! We're almost there...

Finally, poor little son of mine has been to the ER 2 times in 2 weeks, first time was a possible growth plate fracture, so he had a splint and crutches, that turned out to be negative. This time he was cracked on the head with a piece of wood that had a screw in it. All of these things are accidents that happened at the neighbors'
house. Here are the pictures of the last visit, don't look if you are squeemish:

Here is my little man waiting for the numbing medicine to take effect so he can get staples:

Here are the staples

I think that about sums up what I've been up to, never a dull moment around here lately!

Lost

2008-08-03T08:12:00.000-07:00

I have lots to show you, as soon as I find my camera cable! Kids!!

Question of the week #7

2008-07-23T11:08:00.000-07:00

What is(are) your favorite place(s) to knit? I have my place on the corner of the loveseat by the end table, usually I have stuff piled everywhere there, everyone knows not to sit there!

What supplies (besides yarn & needles) make the setting perfect for
knitting?
Usually I have a big glass of ice water and my Zune so I can catch up on Lime and Violet episodes

Question of the Week #5

2008-07-09T09:25:00.000-07:00

1) Where is your favorite place to go for vacation/holiday? I hardly ever go on vacation but my favorite place that I went was Cancun.

2) Where is one place you'd like to go? Here

The Garden Gate

2008-07-01T16:46:00.000-07:00

This is a picture I wanted to share of my beautiful roses that are blooming over my back gate, aren't they pretty!!

Black Sheep, SP12, Argentina

2008-06-23T11:22:00.000-07:00

So this is going to be a huge update post... First of all, I got a package from my SP 12 on Friday and want to say a big thank you! I was having a horrible day and you cheered me up. Here is what i got:

It's a skein of Trekking hand art, which I have never seen before so that's exciting plus the colorway is gorgeous. There is also a cute bookmark which I actually needed, so thank you so, so much SP :o)

This weekend I trekked over to Eugene for the Black Sheep Gathering. At the gathering I purchased many skeins of STR millends, I love these because they cost less and the flaws are minute. I also got a skein of tofutsies and one skein of Lace Wing sock yarn which I have never heard of but they have many colors, I'll let you know how it knits up. Here is the huge haul picture:

Also of note, my friend Juanita went to Argentina to visit her daughter and she brought me back some yarn! EXCITING!! 3 skeins of a cobweb weight silk and alpaca, I was scared to touch it at first but casted on for the candle flame shawl:

I also want to say congratulations to my SP 12 hostess who had the cutest baby boy last week! Congrats Robyn! Until next time.........

SP 12 Question of the Week

2008-06-12T11:41:00.000-07:00

What is your favorite summer time beverage? Well this sounds totally boring but water! I don't drink alcohol (doesn't mix well with my meds) and I can't have too much sugar like in lemonade and such, and frankly, water is the only thing that will quench my thirst!!

SP 12 Questions

2008-06-04T10:29:00.000-07:00

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? I love handpainted superwash sock yarn and I love soft natural fibers What fibers do you absolutely *not* like? Not a big fan of scratchy acrylic

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? My straight needles are in a vase for decoration and my others are loose in my knitting bag

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? 2.5 years, I taught myself Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? Intermediate

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? Yes

5. What's your favorite scent? I love tropical fruit and citrus smells

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Yes but I'm not supposed to have high sugar foods. Before my favorite was Reese's and anything with peanut butter.

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? scrapbooking and stamping Do you spin? No

8. What kind of music do you like? Most all types except country Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? yes

9. What's your favorite color(s)? I like pretty much any color, I'm not hard to please in this department.

10. What is your family situation? married with 2 kids ages 17 and almost 9 Do you have any pets? yes, 1 cat

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? Yes to all but ponchos, and hats usually fit my head weird but I wear them.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? definitely socks

13. What are you knitting right now? 1 pair of socks and a sweater.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts? Yes

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? I like bamboo mostly and use both straight and circular, depends on the size of my project.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? Yep, I got them for christmas

17. How old is your oldest UFO? 1.5 years

18. What is your favorite holiday? Christmas

19. Is there anything that you collect? just yarn

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? I get Interweave Knits

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? Hmmm..... maybe entrelac

22. Are you a sock knitter? Oh Yeah! What are your foot measurements? 9 inches long and about the same around.

23. When is your birthday? 7/28

24. Are you on Ravelry? Yes If so, what's your ID? neldyg

Some FO's

2008-03-11T11:41:00.000-07:00

Well I told you I have been knitting a lot due to not sleeping so here is the evidence, first off we have my first Jaywalkers, I know I'm late jumping on the bandwagon. They are made from Claudia Handpaint in the Roasted Chilies colorway

Next are the Retro Rib socks from th "Favorite Socks" book that Interweave did. These are made from Louet Gems in the Cream colorway. I figured I needed some socks that were a color that would match anything, they are very soft.

Next up is a pattern that I found online called "Little Shells" I can't remember where exactly I found it but it knits up so cute. I made these with my Mama E's cyeber fiber, it's the colorway called Gayle.

Here is a close-up of the stitch pattern.

So as you see I have been a sock knitting fool, I am sleeping better now thanks to the miracle of Ambien, but I am still knitting more socks. I cast on some River Rapid socks from Sock Bug.
And now I leave you with some art from my son, I love this picture, but this dude needs his thyroid checked ;o) Have a good one everyone

A Quickie

2008-02-21T15:47:00.000-08:00

Just a quick note to say that I am still alive, I haven't jumped off of a bridge or anything :o) I'm on the road to better and I have knitting content to update you with soon. I guess one good thing about insomnia is that I have knit 2 pairs of socks in a month or less, pictures to come.

Insomnia Sucks!!

2008-02-08T09:09:00.000-08:00

I have insomnia these days and it's driving me crazy! I hate the feeling of being so exhasuted and then not being able to sleep, it cranks up my anxiety level to epic proportions, but I have been given some medication from the ER last night that should help reset my internal clock and get me to sleeping. Right now, at this moment, I feel like I'm strung out after a week long bender.
Here's what's been going on for the last week though, last Saturday was the Winter Formal at our high school. This is my DD and her beau before the dance

She's such a beautiful young woman, and very happy!

Monday she got her braces on, doesn't she looked thrilled!?!

I got a you make my day award from Shelly, thank you for that, although I am too wiped out right now to award it to someone else. Shelly, are you coming to our little fiber market in Prineville in March? If so we should hook up for lunch or something.

I have been knitting, I finished my retro rib socks from Favorite Socks, no pictures yet though. Have a nice weekend!!

Cocoa Swap Received!

2008-01-30T15:23:00.000-08:00

Last night I received my cocoa swap from the awesome JoAnn and I am blown away! I love It!!! Let me show you what she sent, here are the contents in their entirety:

Yummy cocoa and handmade marshmallows from Williams Sonoma, Knit Picks Harmony DPN's, chocolate, Popcorn (because I'm addicted), 2 books, a cute Tinkerbell mug, 2 candles, cute crocheted Oreo cookie magnets which I already put on the fridge, monogrammed note cards, journal and note pad, and C*Eye*Ber Fiber coordinates sock yarn, oh yes, you heard me correctly!! So pretty. Here it is close up, I've been lurking on Mama E's site for some time now but haven't been able to get any, so I'm excited to try it out!

Here is a close up of one of the Oreos, how cute are these!!

Oh and I almost forgot, she also sent these cute, springy stitch markers, very cool!

Thank you again to JoAnn for making my winter brighter, I love everything!!

FO's!!!!!!!!!

2008-01-23T10:27:00.000-08:00

Finally I have something done to show you! First of all, I finally blocked my chevron scarf, the poor thing has been waiting for ever to be done. It's made out of Socks the Rock in "Highway 30" and "Lunasea" colorways. It was very hard for me to use that yarn for this due to my sock addiction but I persevered and here it is, socks for my neck!!

I also finished some socks. These took a little longer than normal for me due to the fact that I finished one, didn't like the fit, started the other one with modifications and frogged the first one, whew! but now they are finished. This is the slippery pattern from the new Knitty. Let me tell you, this is designed by a high school girl and she is way smart! She is definitely an A+ math student! Here is the finished pair, I just so happened to have in my stash a similar and almost identical colorway to the one used but mine is Pagewood Farm

Here is a close up of the stitch pattern

The first picture shows the brightness of the colors better but they are too cool. Now I have cast on for the retro rib socks in the Favorite Socks book that I got for Christmas! See you next time!

Cocoa Swap Topic of the Week #2

2008-01-16T16:17:00.001-08:00

Question: Now that we're in the thick of 'Winter'... has your knitting changed to match the season? Are you moving on from dishcloths, and tank tops to afghans, hats and mittens? Has your yarn changed from silk or cotton to wool, superwash or heavier cottons? Not really, I am an avid sock knitter, good knitting for all seasons!! I have made some fingerless mitts though in honor of the cold weather. Next week I'll be thinking about knitting warmer things though when we dip below zero!! brrrr......

One Of Those Days...

2008-01-15T11:52:00.000-08:00

OK, so I am a public health nurse and we have a mobile medical unit at work that we use to take to outlying areas to do WIC and immunizations,etc. So this morning I was supposed to take it out for a WIC clinic 50 miles away. Everything that could go wrong did! First the mobile would not start, dead battery. Then the generators would not work, so we got them fixed, we take off. We start out of town and I notice that we need gas so we turn around and head to the station. We get there (it's one of those card lock systems) the driver card that I brought says invalid!!! So a co-worker brings us a card that works. We get gas and on the road again (we are supposed to be there by now). We get about 10 miles out and the road turns to ice!! OK at this point I'm thinking that it's just not in the cards for us to get to Post or Paulina today so we turned around and went back to the office. Let's hope the rest of the day is better!!!

Cocoa Swap Scavenger Hunt

2008-01-08T11:07:00.001-08:00

1. Who's favorite animal is an Otter? Criquette
2. Name someone who prefers whipped cream with their hot cocoa: Alex E.
3. Find 3 people who live outside of the United States: Alex E., Ana Sofia, Tricia R.
4. Name a fan of Harry Potter: Lesley
5. Name someone who crochets: Alice A.
6. Name someone who DOES NOT have a healthy supply of notions: Ana Sofia, Clarissa
7. Name someone who has NOT put up their questionnaire yet (just put a date with your answer in case they put it up after seeing their name listed somewhere ;-) )Emily H-K 1/8
8. Who likes to have Kahlua, Baileys, or Peppermint Schnapps in their cocoa?
Annemarie M.
9. Name someone who knits fingerless gloves as a 'quick knit': Rachel C.
10.Name someone who's looking forward to gardening this spring. Michelle
11.Who's favorite way to drink cocoa is with a gorgeous Frenchman, while overlooking the eiffel tower from a French Cafe? (I'm right there with you... well at the table next to yours!): Kris L.
12.Name someone who's favorite animal is NOT a dog or house cat: Heather P., clarissa R.
13. Name someone who's favorite treat is NOT chocolate. Alice A.
14. Who plays Candyland? Criquette
15. Name someone who DOESN'T get the winter blahs: Criquette

Cocoa Swap Questions

2008-01-07T08:35:00.000-08:00

Cocoa:
1. What is your favorite way to drink cocoa? Prepared with milk; from home made recipe or store bought? hmm, haven't had home made before, maybe I'm missing out, In a tea cup, or big mug? big mug!!
2. Marshmallows or whipped cream? marshmallows

Yarn/Knitting/Crochet
1. What is your favorite type of yarn? sock yarn in any color
2. Do you knit or crochet (or both)? Knit, haven't learned to crochet, maybe someday
3. What are your favorite type of needles, would you like to try something new? I like the bamboo best but I'll try anything new
4. Do you have a healthy supply of notions? Not sure what a healthy supply is, but I have a handful of things
5. What one thing do you keep thinking you need to buy for your knitting habit (outside of yarn)? well, I wanted a winder and a swift but hubby got me that for Christmas, so I don't have anything else, at least not yet!
6. What is your favorite 'quick knit/crochet' pattern (quick gratification)the London Beanie was quick and easy so I guess that

Miscellaneous
1. What is your favorite thing to do in the Winter? watch football
2. What is your favorite animal? my Cat
3. Do you get the 'winter blahs'? not too bad
4. What is your favorite way to beat the blahs? at home curled up with my knitting and a cuppa something (coffee/cocoa) and watching football
5. What is the thing you are most looking forward to this spring? all of the trees and flowers coming back to life
6. What are your favorite treats? I am addicted to popcorn, I try to stay away from sugar
7. What is your favorite board game? hmmm, I guess Sorry, we used to play that all the time
8. Do you have any children (furry or human)? yes 1 cat and 2 kids
9. Do you have any allergies or special considerations you partner should know about?nope

Goodies!

2007-12-24T15:51:00.000-08:00

OK, so for my work we go to Mitchell (a small town in the middle of nowhere) to do WIC every 3 months and a lady that works at the school there asked me and my friend/co-worker about the socks we were knitting. She said her mom knit all of her Dad's socks and she also said she has sock patterns that we can have. So she runs home and brings back a folder full of sock patterns, most of them are argyle or plaid and they are from the 1940's and 50's, and they are so cool. I haven't made argyle socks yet but I'm going to now!! How cool are these!!?!

Long Time, No Post

2007-12-05T16:14:00.000-08:00

Sorry for my absence, I have not been feeling well for some time now and because of that I've been a bad secret pal on both ends. I have received 2 packages from my pal since my last post. The first I have no pictures of because I took everything to work, it was work related stuff (stethoscope and IV drug book). The second was filled with goodies (see picture below):

a magazine, cute note pads, a bunch of yummy smelling bath stuff and some soft, squishy alpaca yarn, this yarn screamed out to me and wants to be gloves and a hat!! It's delicious, see....

So thank you so, so much to my secret pal, I'm sorry I haven't been the best communicator this round :o)

I also have an FO, here are Seduction Socks by Ann Budd that were made with Pagewood Farm in the Crayon colorway.

It was a civil war weekend here in Oregon, but we can all still get along ;o)

Knitters Coffee Swap Box!!

2007-11-13T14:57:00.001-08:00

My swap box was waiting patiently for me when I returned home from a business trip. If I knew I had a package, I would have driven faster ;o) Here is a picture of the awesome contents:

There's Claudia Handpaint, yummy caramel and vanilla coffee, some super cute stitch markers (my first fancy ones) and some yarn themed note cards. Here are the stitch markers up close:

Thank you so much to KAT, I love my box and I hope you like what I sent you as much as I like mine ;o)

My Poor Car, Booty, and My Beasts

2007-11-02T13:40:00.000-07:00

Warning: this is what your car may look like if your teenaged driver goes "deer hunting" on a Saturday night. The poor deer never had a chance! Everyone is OK, maybe a small bit of PTSD but I hope that won't last for long.

Unfortunately, I have been so preoccupied with getting repairs done along with doing mega flu shot clinics and caring for a sick son that I have been a bad pal and haven't posted about my booty yet. Here is a picture of what I received from Barb for the Booty Swap:

There's post-its with my initial, a shopping list magnet (I needed that btw), melon lotion, some needles, a hot pink hat, some hankies, and of course sock yarn which I have already cast on. I Love the colors! Thank you Barb so, so much!!

And I leave you with pictures of my ghouls on Halloween

Secret Pal Box!

2007-10-12T10:47:00.000-07:00

I got a box from my SP and here's what I got; 2 skeins of Noro Airisu (the white/green/magenta one) and 2 skeins of Araucania Pahuen which is a really cool cotton, I don't know what to make with these but they are so cool. I also got a cute journal and an issue of IK. Thank you, thank you, to my secret pal, whoever you are :o)

Here's a picture of the goodies:

Knitters Coffee Swap Questions

2007-10-09T08:26:00.001-07:00

1. Whole bean or ground? either is fine, no real preference to one or the other
2. Fully-loaded or decaf? fully loaded please
3. Regular or flavored? flavored
4. How do you drink your coffee? with cream and splenda
5. Favorite coffee ever? Starbucks Carmel Macchiato's are it right now for me
6. Are you fussy about your coffee or will any old bean do? not too fussy I just don't like something too bold
7. Favorite treats to have with your coffee? hmmm.. don't usually have a treat with my coffee
8. Anything else about your coffee preferences? nope
9. Yarn/fiber you love? pretty much any sock yarn, I haven't met any that I didn't like yet :o)
10. Yarn/fiber you hate? acrylic
11. What's on your needles? socks, an irish hiking scarf and a sweater
12. Favorite colors? I like pretty much any color
13. Allergies? nope
14. Anything you really love, really don't like, or just need to get off your chest? nope, I'm pretty easy to please

I Promise I'm Still Knitting...

2007-10-02T13:49:00.000-07:00

I have 2 finished pairs of socks to offer, the first is a victorian lace pattern from Six Socks KAL, I used Knit Picks essential solid in burgundy.

The second is a pair of Tidal Wave socks, pattern from SWTC, and yarn is Tofutsies. I really liked this yarn, it split at first but once I got going it was fine. the finished product is so very soft.

Here's a close up of the stitch pattern

I also finished my chevron scarf for that KAL but it still needs blocking so stay tuned for those pictures.

I'll leave you with a super cute picture of my kiddos, all together now..AWWWWW.....

Extreme Home Makeover: Part 2

2007-09-07T12:59:00.000-07:00

FINALLY we are done laying the new floors, whew, that's a lot of work. All of the walls also got a fresh coat of paint, even the ceiling was painted. Here is the floor before (this is after I ripped up all of the carpet and some linoleum:

And here it is after:

It's called Williamsburg cherry and I love it so much. Makes the house seem so much bigger and cleaner :o) Now we just have to do the trim and put all of the furniture back in the house (it's stashed in the garage) and we'll be done :o)

Extreme Home Makeover: Part 1

2007-08-24T10:20:00.000-07:00

So we've been doing some work around the house. My daughter wanted to paint her room, this is what she ended up doing to it. Very creative I must say. The walls used to be pink.

We got new furniture, this is the couch. There is a loveseat and chair that match. I love them so much. There are 5 recliners within the 3 pieces. My old furniture was 17 years old and was showing its age.

This is my kitty Mango enjoying his new couch :o)

It's also been almost as long since I've gotten new a washer and dryer so I got those too, here they are, so much better, it almost makes it fun to do laundry

We're also ripping out old flooring and putting in new. This is a picture of the bathroom after I ripped out the nasty linoleum.

And here it is after hubby laid the new tile, it's gorgeous and I love it, we still have to put the trim back on but it's basically done.

Next I'm going to touch up the paint in the living room and hallway in preparation for putting in wood floors. These will be in living, dining room, kitchen and hallway. These should be completed in a couple of weeks so stay tuned :o)
I have been doing some knitting but not as much as I'd like. Hopefully I can get some done while hubby is bow hunting this weekend. I need a FO!!

Sockapalooza!

2007-08-16T14:30:00.000-07:00

I received my socks from my sock pal last week and I'm sorry I haven't had time to blog much. They are so pretty and soooooo soft. I've worn them to work twice already!! They are Claudia hand paint which I haven't used yet, so yummy. So thank you Sabrina very much, you did a great job.

Sabrina also sent me a ball of Tofutsies which I have been dying to try. I immediately cast on the tidal wave socks. The yarn was a little splitty during cast on but is now fine, I'm going to fall in love I think ;o) Thank you, Thank you, Thank you

SP 11: The Questionnaire

2007-08-13T11:07:00.001-07:00

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? I love handpainted superwash sock yarn and I love soft natural fibers What fibers do you absolutely *not* like? Not a big fan of scratchy acrylic

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? My straight needles are in a vase for decoration and my others are loose in my knitting bag

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Almost 2 years, I taught myself Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? Intermediate

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? Yes

5. What's your favorite scent? I love tropical fruit and citrus smells

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Yes but I'm not supposed to have high sugar foods. Before my favorite was Reese's and anything with peanut butter.

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? scrapbooking and stamping Do you spin? No

8. What kind of music do you like? Most all types except country Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? yes

9. What's your favorite color(s)? I like pretty much any color, I'm not hard to please in this department.

10. What is your family situation? married with 2 kids ages 16 and almost 8 Do you have any pets? yes, 1 dog and 1 cat

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? Yes to all but ponchos, and hats usually fit my head weird but I wear them.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? definitely socks

13. What are you knitting right now? 2 pairs of socks, 2 scarves, and a sweater.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts? Yes

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? I like bamboo mostly but use both straight and circular, depends on the size of my project.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? neither but would love to own both

17. How old is your oldest UFO? 1.5 years

18. What is your favorite holiday? Christmas

19. Is there anything that you collect? just yarn

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? I get Creative Knitting and IK

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? Hmmm..... can't really think of one right now

22. Are you a sock knitter? Oh Yeah! What are your foot measurements? 9 inches long and about the same around.

23. When is your birthday? 7/28

24. Are you on Ravelry? Yes If so, what's your ID?neldyg

Last Weekend

2007-07-23T08:31:00.000-07:00

OK, so it's taken me this long to recover from my trip last weekend, I think I'm getting too old to stay up 24 hours anymore!! So my friend calls me on Friday the 13th and says "hey, what are you doing tomorrow?" I wasn't doing anything to speak of except maybe knitting so she says "Good, because I'm taking you to Ozzfest" What? you're kidding, right? Nope! So she picked me up at 5:30 AM the next morning, we met up with the other 2 people that were actually driving there and away we went. It was an interesting journey. I took some pictures, the Gorge at George, WA is one of the most beautiful places, if you haven't been I highly recommend that you go. The Columbia River Gorge is the backdrop, it's fabulous, especially when the sun sets behind the stage.

Whole Lotta Knittin' Goin' On

2007-07-09T09:16:00.000-07:00

First up are Patty's socks. My friend Patty gifted me this yarn after discovering that she hates small yarn and socks, oh the horror, so I made her some socks, she doesn't know yet so don't tell her! Also these are my July socks for the SAM3 KAL

Next up is a baby cardigan that I made for my cousin's DD, she's having a girl. I'm going to make a hat and booties to match.

Here is another baby sweater for same baby, this is from LMKG. It just needs buttons on the placket and it's done. I want to make these to match

And last is my Chevron scarf progress for the KAL, I think it's turning out very nicely.

Wow, I'm Back

2007-06-25T09:36:00.001-07:00

What a fun time I had at the Black Sheep Gathering on Sat. It was a bit of sensory overload though, so many things to see and touch and smell! I did come away with a few things though.

From left to right: We have STR colorway "Highway 30" and "Lunasea", these have been selected for my scarf for the chevron scarf KAL. I can't wait to see how they knit up together! Next is another STR, it's a millend, I love the colors and didn't really see any flaws during winding. Next is a colorway called Ocean from Butternut Woolens. The colors are spectacular.
I also got LMKG book and the needles for my scarf. Oh and I got some STR yarn for my SP10 which is not pictured here. I can't wait to do it again!!

If you need me....

2007-06-22T13:03:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow, I'll be here

If you're going to be there, and you see me, make sure to say hi!
Oh and this is me:

I'm soooo excited, see you there!

Flash My Stash

2007-06-15T11:43:00.000-07:00

We're flashing our stash for SP10 so here goes...

This is the cotton stash that I said I was going to make wash cloths with:

These are miscellaneous wool products, a skein of Colinette ?? for another spiral bag from the "One Skein" book and a couple of leftover skeins from my hubby's sweater:

And this is my small stash of sock yarn which I plan on adding to at the Black Sheep Gathering on the 23rd. Socks that Rock here I come!!

Funky Monkey

2007-06-13T14:29:00.000-07:00

Oh how I love the Monkey pattern. Since the pair for my sock pal flew off of the needles so fast I decided to make some for myself! This is the yarn I got from Elisabeth for the KT Exchange, it is beyond beautiful. Here they are, this picture doesn't do them justice. Here is a close up of the yarn and stitch pattern, see all of the pretty colors. Very bright and vibrant. Thank you again Elisabeth, the yarn is great! I think I even have enough left for a matching hair band or something.

Now off to make the Victorian Lace sock for Six Socks KAL...

SP Strikes Again!

2007-06-05T16:47:00.000-07:00

I got a great package from my SP Monday night. Thank you SP, I really love what you sent!. Here is a picture of the box contents:

There were 2 skeins of Sock Garden, 2 skeins of Dancing, both Knit Picks, a Yarn Harlot book that I've wanted to read (I think she's so funny), a knit mag., lots of lotions, including the Knitter's Little Helper that I love, some cute needle holders shaped like sweaters, and a sock blocker key chain and the pattern to make a sock for it, too cute. I can't wait to make that! Now..... which yarn to use, or maybe I can make a bunch and change the color with my moods! Thanks SP, you are great!

I also finished one of my WIPS, my DD calls them Mardi Gras socks! These are for June SAM3 KAL:

Done Monkeys and Weird Weekend

2007-05-29T09:56:00.000-07:00

I got my Monkey Sockapalooza socks done, they are so cute! This pattern works up so fast, I will have to make some for me next! These also count as May socks for sock-a-month. Here they are (sorry so blurry)

Here is a close up of the stitch pattern:

The yarn is from Pagewood Farms in the Bird of Paradise colorway, this yarn knits up so nice, I love it!
So I ended up being sick for the long weekend, not that I had any big plans anyway. I have a raging kidney infection, I think I've had it for awhile but ignored it. Nurses are the worst patients you know :o) Anyway so I was kind of in a fog all weekend. When I did get up and around, my DD drove me to the store, when we were almost done, this store worker ran me over with a bread cart! Yes you heard me, RAN ME OVER!! She was very sorry, I know she didn't do it on purpose. At least she hit my right side instead of my left (my poor kidney couldn't take that). Now my hip and ankle are quite sore and bruised. The person in charge didn't seem to really care. Good thing I'm nice or I'd sue them or something!

WIPs for Robyn's Contest and KTE Package

2007-05-21T13:05:00.000-07:00

Here are my current WIP'S for Robyn's SP contest:
This is a Monkey sock that I'm working on for Sockapalooza 4. Loving these colors.

This is a Sockotta sock that I've had on for about 2 months. I had 2 balls of this yarn, finished one pair for Sock a Month 2, started this second pair and got bored I guess.

This is a sweater that I started about a year ago, I thought I would love it, but the color started losing it's appeal, I may finish it one day!

I have one other WIP but I can't post it's picture now in case my SP spoilee reads, she knows I'm making this. I will post after SP though. It was an FO but I ended up not liking the way the bottom was so I ripped it back, close to 5oo yards worth of ripping! Yikes! I think I will like it better though.

Now for the KTE package. I received the box from Elisabeth, she is in Halifax, Nova Scotia! It actually arrived on Saturday but I wasn't home so only received a slip in my box! I had to wait all weekend to get it, that was hard! Here are the contents in their entirety:

Here is what you see: Vogue Knitting mag, some sock yarn from Lucy Neatby, (love those colors), Burt's Bees body care kit (so yummy), a sock knitting CD with upbeat songs (can't wait to pop that in), some clippy things that look to be perfect for seaming, some cool pens to support breast cancer awareness, some kitty stickers, tattoos, a cool take-out container with chocolate and a cute sheep stamp, some other chocolate bars (thank you for the reduced calorie ones!). Oh and if you're wondering what the beautiful red thing is behind there, it's a scarf from Egypt, so pretty! Thank you Elisabeth (and Shawn)! I really love what you sent, thank you so much :o)

I've Been Tagged

2007-05-16T08:40:00.000-07:00

by Ingrid. She wants me to list..

8 Random Things About Me...

1. I have sort of a hair phobia. Loose hairs on my clothes drive me crazy. When washing my hair it also drives me nuts when loose hairs wrap around my fingers or get anywhere on my body. I have to make sure all of the hairs are washed off! (Yes, I have a touch of OCD)
2.I took piano lessons from age 6 through 17. I can still play but my piano is way out of tune.
3. I lived in Chile for 3 months.
4. I also stamp and scrapbook, although knitting has taken over that part of my brain. I even sell Close to My Heart, you can check it out here
5. I love popcorn and diet Pepsi. When I'm not feeling good, that always makes me feel better.
6. I was adopted at 3 days old.
7. I don't like seafood. The smell of it makes me gag.
8. I hate speaking in front of others, I do it as part of my job but it terrifies me.

I don't know who to tag so if you read this blog, consider yourself tagged!!

Trying Some Dyeing

2007-05-09T08:25:00.000-07:00

I've been seeing this Kool-aid dyeing online for awhile now and decided to give it a try! I used Lemon-Lime Kool-Aid and Knit Picks "Bare" yarn. Here it is stewing in the pot...

And here it is hanging up to dry...

There are a couple of spots that didn't take up the color, I assume that I can do it over so that there is even color. If I'm wrong somebody let me know. I think the color is fun and I'll probably be doing more of it!!

My SP Rocks!

2007-05-07T15:12:00.000-07:00

Lookie what I got...

This is a Posey Sock Sack made especially for me by Nana Sadie Rose. It is a sock project bag, it's so cool. It has a shoulder strap...

And inside pockets to put your stuff in...

What a thoughtful gift, I even got to pick the material. I really love it! Thank you SP!!
You can get yours here. I'm going to have to cast on some new socks just so I can fill up my new bag!

April Socks and other FO's

2007-04-30T11:39:00.000-07:00

I finished my April socks for the sock-a-month KAL. They're just plain black boot socks for my hubby. I am glad to say that I got him to try wool. The others have been a yucky white acrylic that he wanted and boy did it make his feet reek!

Other finished things not yet photographed are a sweater for my hubby, he got this for Valentine's Day. My first sweater. It's a copy of one that was in Creative Knitting.

And finally my new fave purse. I can't decide if I want it lined. I do have a button for it but it's not yet attached. I'm using it anyway!!

Much Ado About Nothing

2007-04-29T08:08:00.000-07:00

Not much exciting going on. Last night I went with my friend Renee to "Much Ado About Nothing". It was put on by some youth at her church. They were great and it was a lot of fun. My daughter went too and she also enjoyed it very much. It was a nice night. Then we came home and watched "Click".
Earlier in the day I went and finished up shopping for the Knitters Treat exchange. I will be mailing that tomorrow. I also signed up for Sockapalooza 4 so I am waiting to be matched with someone so I can start knitting up some more socks. I finished my hubby's work socks, I'll post their photos tomorrow from work.

MIA

2007-04-17T09:51:00.000-07:00

Sorry for my lack of posts, I've been busy!! I had to go to Portland last week for an HIV case manager training (for work obviously). That drive was not fun due to the terrible weather, or maybe I'm just a wimp. I have been doing some knitting also, I'm making a cardigan and trying to finish some work socks for my hubby. Will post pictures later. We did some major Spring cleaning this weekend too, wow we threw away a lot of crap! It's truly unbelievable how much stuff you accumulate.

March Socks and My Weekend

2007-04-02T08:31:00.000-07:00

March Socks
First off, here are my march socks for the sock-a-month KAL. They are BFF socks from Cookie A. I used Knit Picks essential solid yarn that I had in my stash. I have to say I love this pattern. It's very stretchy and it's easy to remember. For Robyn's favorite pattern contest for SP10, this is it. So far this is my favorite sock pattern!

My Weekend
This weekend was the 10th Annual High Desert Wool Growers Fiber Market Day. I had such a blast! Some of my Wednesday knitting group gals met up with me down there and we did a little shopping and drooling.
These guys were there

And this cute little girl was there

These little goodies came home with me

Some Lorna's Laces and some hand dyed merino and silk from Finney Creek Farm

We all thought about becoming spinners, I don't know if I'm ready to take that plunge yet. This is Patty trying out a drop spindle

And then Jasper from Gossamer showed us a drop spindle that she made from a CD and a dowel. Now this may not be news to some of you but I had never heard of this before. Barbara (from my knitting group) and I decided that we could handle making our own and try it out. Here's Jasper showing the CD drop spindle

And I bought this to try on my new CD drop spindle (As soon as my hubby makes it for me)!!!

I'm excited at the prospect of being able to spin this into yarn but we'll see. I had such a great time, thanks to all of my knitting group buds for making it such a great time! I hope everyone in blog land had a great weekend too.

Yeah Babee!!

2007-03-26T16:18:00.000-07:00

On Friday, my DD went and took her driving test and passed with flying colors. I knew she could do it because she doesn't scare me when I ride with her anymore :o) Man, time goes by so fast, she's so grown up...boo hoo, that means I'm old...yuk! But I am definitely proud of her! Great job Britt!!

Knitter's Treat Exchange

2007-03-23T13:45:00.001-07:00

1. What's your favourite type of yarn? Any yummy sock yarn is my favorite.

2. What's your least favourite type of yarn? Acrylic

3. What's the first thing you do when you visit a new yarn shop?
I walk in, take a deep breath to inhale the new yarn fumes and then hunt down the sock yarn stash :o)

4. What other crafts do you do / would like to do? I stamp and scrapbook, though not as much since I started knitting

5. What magazines do you currently subscribe to?
Creative Knitting

6. Put this type of magazine in order of preference:
A. Knitting
B. Other Craft
C. Garden
D. Home
E. Food
F. Fashion
G. Celebrity Gossip
H. Crochet

7. What items do you like to knit / crochet? Socks mostly, sometimes I branch out a make a bag or sweater.

8. Are you allergic to anything? no

9. What do you like to* smell of? Fruit
(*This is not a typo. The question is: What do you like to smell of)

10. What's your favourite way to relax? Kicking back on my sofa with my knitting and watching American Idol.

11. You're stood in front of a Victorian style sweetshop, an Italian cafe, an old fashioned bakery and a dainty tea room. Where do you go first? Italian Cafe

12. What do you come out with? A cappuccino

13. Where do you go next? Bakery

14. Any other words of wisdom for your pal?I like most things, not terribly picky. It's exciting to get surprises in the mail :o)

My Favorite Accessory

2007-03-20T10:58:00.000-07:00

Well, I live in the high desert of Central Oregon so my hands stay very dry. The air here has no humidity so my skin is basically dry all of the time. I found this at a local yarn store and fell in love.

It's called "Knitter's Little Helper" and it's from Blue Sky Alpacas. It keeps my hands moist so that I don't snag my knitting, plus I love the smell of it.

Do I have a life??

2007-03-20T10:11:00.000-07:00

180, I think not....
You put an X next to movies you've seen and if it's more than 85, you have no life...

(X) Rocky Horror Picture Show
(X) Grease
(X) Pirates of the Caribbean
( ) Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man’s Chest
( ) Boondock Saints
(X) Fight Club
(x) Starsky and Hutch
(X) Neverending Story
(X) Blazing Saddles
(x) Airplane
(X) The Princess Bride
(X) AnchorMan
(X) Napoleon Dynamite
(x) Labyrinth
(x) Saw
(x) Saw II
(X) White Noise
(x) White Oleander
(X) Anger Management
(X) 50 First Dates
(X) The Princess Diaries
(X) The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement
(X) Scream
(X) Scream 2
(X) Scream 3
(X) Scary Movie
(X) Scary Movie 2
(X) Scary Movie 3
( ) Scary Movie 4
(X) American Pie
(X) American Pie 2
(X) American Wedding
(x) American Pie Band Camp
(X) Harry Potter 1
(X) Harry Potter 2
(X) Harry Potter 3
(X) Harry Potter 4
(X) Resident Evil 1
(x) Resident Evil 2
(X) The Wedding Singer
(X) Little Black Book
(X) The Village
(X) Lilo & Stitch
(X) Finding Nemo
(X) Finding Neverland
(X) Signs
(X) The Grinch
(X) Texas Chainsaw Massacre
( ) Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning
(X) White Chicks
(X) Butterfly Effect
(X) 13 Going on 30
(x) I, Robot
(x) Robots
(X) Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
(x) Universal Soldier
(x) Lemony Snicket: A Series Of Unfortunate Events
(X) Along Came Polly
(X) Deep Impact
(X) KingPin
(X) Never Been Kissed
(X) Meet The Parents
(X) Meet the Fockers
(x) Eight Crazy Nights
(x) Joe Dirt
(X) King Kong
(x) A Cinderella Story
(X) The Terminal
(x) The Lizzie McGuire Movie
(x) Passport to Paris
(x) Dumb & Dumber
(x) Dumber & Dumberer
(X) Final Destination
(x) Final Destination 2
( ) Final Destination 3
(X) Halloween
(X) The Ring
( ) The Ring 2
(x) Surviving Christmas
(x) Flubber
( ) Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle
(X) Practical Magic
( ) Chicago
( ) Ghost Ship
( ) From Hell
(x) Hellboy
(x) Secret Window
(X) I Am Sam
(x) The Whole Nine Yards
(x) The Whole Ten Yards
(X) The Day After Tomorrow
(x) Child’s Play
( ) Seed of Chucky
( ) Bride of Chucky
(X) Ten Things I Hate About You
(x) Just Married
(x) Gothika
(x) Nightmare on Elm Street
(X) Sixteen Candles
( ) Remember the Titans
( ) Coach Carter
(x) The Grudge
( ) The Grudge 2
(X) The Mask
( ) Son Of The Mask
(X) Bad Boys
(x) Bad Boys 2
( ) Joy Ride
( ) Lucky Number Sleven
(X) Ocean’s Eleven
(X) Ocean’s Twelve
(X) Bourne Identity
(X) Bourne Supremecy
( ) Lone Star
(x) Bedazzled
(x) Predator I
(x) Predator II
( ) The Fog
(x) Ice Age
(x) Ice Age 2: The Meltdown
( ) Curious George
(X) Independence Day
(X) Cujo
( ) A Bronx Tale
(x) Darkness Falls
(X) Christine
(X) E.T.
(X) Children of the Corn
(x) My Bosses Daughter
(x) Maid in Manhattan
(X) War of the Worlds
(x) Rush Hour
(x) Rush Hour 2
( ) Best Bet
(X) How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
(X) She’s All That
(X) Calendar Girls
( ) Sideways
(X) Mars Attacks
( ) Event Horizon
(X) Ever After
(X) Wizard of Oz
(X) Forrest Gump
(x) Big Trouble in Little China
(X) The Terminator
(X) The Terminator 2
(X) The Terminator 3
(X) X-Men
(X) X-2
(X) X3
(X) Spider-Man
(X) Spider-Man 2
( ) Sky High
(x) Jeepers Creepers
( ) Jeepers Creepers 2
(X) Catch Me If You Can
(X) The Little Mermaid
(x) Freaky Friday
( ) Reign of Fire
( ) The Skulls
(X) Cruel Intentions
( ) Cruel Intentions 2
(x) The Hot Chick
(X) Shrek
(X) Shrek 2
(x) Swimfan
(X) Miracle on 34th street
(x) Old School
(X) The Notebook
( ) K-Pax
(x) Krippendorf’s Tribe
(x) A Walk to Remember
(x) Ice Castles
( ) Boogeyman
(X) The 40-year-old Virgin
(X) Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring
(X) Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
(X) Lord of the Rings: Return Of the King
(X) Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark
(X) Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
(X) Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
( ) Base-ketball
(x) Hostel
( ) Waiting for Guffman
(x) House of 1000 Corpses
(x) Devils Rejects
(x) Elf
(x) Highlander
(x) Mothman Prophecies
( ) American History X
( ) Three
( ) The Jacket
( ) Kung Fu Hustle
( ) Shaolin Soccer
( ) Night Watch
(X) Monsters Inc.
(X) Titanic
(X) Monty Python and the Holy Grail
( ) Shaun Of the Dead
( ) Willard
( ) High Tension
( ) Club Dread
(x) Hulk
(x) Dawn Of the Dead
(X) Hook
(X) Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
( ) 28 days later
( ) Orgazmo
( ) Phantasm
(X) Waterworld
(X) Kill Bill Vol. 1
(X) Kill Bill Vol. 2
(X) Mortal Kombat
( ) Wolf Creek
( ) Kingdom of Heaven
(x) the Hills Have Eyes
( ) I Spit on Your Grave
( ) The Last House on the Left
( ) Re-Animator
(X) Army of Darkness
(X) Star Wars Ep. I The Phantom Menace
(X) Star Wars Ep. II Attack of the Clones
(X) Star Wars Ep. III Revenge of the Sith
(X) Star Wars Ep. IV A New Hope
(X) Star Wars Ep. V The Empire Strikes Back
(X) Star Wars Ep. VI Return of the Jedi
( ) Ewoks: Caravan Of Courage
( ) Ewoks: The Battle For Endor
(X) The Matrix
(X) The Matrix: Reloaded
( ) The Matrix: Revolutions
( ) Animatrix
(X) Evil Dead
(X) Evil Dead 2
( ) Team America: World Police
(X) Red Dragon
(X) Silence of the Lambs
(X) Hannibal

There are some that I think I saw, but I can't remember exactly.

Finished Objects

2007-03-19T10:21:00.000-07:00

OK, So I have been doing some knitting and here a couple of FO's to prove it. These are my February socks, the famous Pomatomus sock pattern. These I made with the Mama Llama yarn that I got from Amy in SP9. The yarn is soft and yummy, I love the colors

This is my DD modeling the Chevron Moebius that I made. It's getting too warm for this now but it sure was nice in the cold of Winter!! I found the pattern online somewhere and I used Cascade 200 yarn. Nice and toasty!

Stay tuned for more, I'm getting trigger happy with my new camera, yippee!!!

Basketball Jones

2007-03-14T10:10:00.000-07:00

My DD played basketball for the first time this year, she did OK but still has a lot to learn. Here she is (left) with her friend from the team. I kind of miss the games, it was pretty fun. Hopefully she'll do it again next year!

Finally some pictures....

2007-03-13T16:45:00.000-07:00

OK, so I got a new camera and finally had the time to sit down and upload some stuff. Here are the presents from my SP9 that I was unable to post before:

Here is the box of goodies

Here is the yarn that was inside, so nice and soft.

This is the book that I received, I casted on the bag on the front, very pretty colors

Here is a look at the rest of the goodies in the box

Everything was so great, sorry it took me so long to post it. Has anyone had trouble uploading pictures to the new Blogger? I finally figured it out. Next I will post pics of my finished objects!!

Paxil is EVIL!!!

2007-03-07T15:23:00.000-08:00

I'm currently tapering off of it and trying to get totally off but it is one of the hardest things I've done! Withdrawals are so bad that I'm tempted to stay on the shit for ever!!!

Yippee!!

2007-02-21T11:15:00.000-08:00

I got a new camera so watch for a picture heavy post coming soon!!!

SP 10 Questions

2007-02-04T08:19:00.001-08:00

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? Natural fibers are the best and superwash wool is way up there on my list What fibers do you absolutely *not* like? Scratchy acrylic
2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? I have a messenger bag and they are in one of the pockets
3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? 1 Year, 4 months, I taught myself with the help of books and the internet
Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? Intermediate
4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? yes
5. What's your favorite scent? I like fresh and fruity smells
6. Do you have a sweet tooth? I do but I'm trying to quit due to my blood sugar
7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? I scrapbook and stamp
Do you spin? No
8. What kind of music do you like? I like most types of music, not country though
Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? yes, My stereo can play burnt CD's
9. What's your favorite color(s)? I like most all colors Any colors you just can't stand? Not really, not a big pastel yellow fan though
10. What is your family situation? married w/2 kids Brittany 16 and Gavin 7
Do you have any pets? yup, a cat and a dog
11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? never wore a poncho, but I might. The rest, yes
12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? Definitely socks
13. What are you knitting right now? I have socks on the needles and a bag
14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts? yes
15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Right needle for the job
Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? I prefer bamboo, but I'll use whatever is available
16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? neither
17. How old is your oldest UFO? Almost 1 year
18. What is your favorite holiday? Christmas
19. Is there anything that you collect? Nope, Just yarn ;o)
20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? Any of the Yarn Harlot books
What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? Creative Knitting
21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?
22. Are you a sock knitter? Yes What are your foot measurements? 9" length, most women's patterns fit me
23. When is your birthday? 7/28

SP9

2007-02-03T09:28:00.000-08:00

I got an amazing package from my SP9 Amy . I don't have a camera right now so I'll just tell you about it. There is a book, the coolest book I've seen called "Knit: Handmade Style" It's filled with cool things. I already casted on for the bag on the front cover! There was also a photo box filled with more lovely things. There are 4 balls of lavender angora blend yarn, it's so delicate and beautiful and also 2 skeins of Patons SWS, which I have been wanting to try out. There were cute notecards and stitch holders and markers, cute valentine stickers and a cute bandaid stamp. There were also circulars to use with the angora yarn. Now what to make with it??? Thank you Amy, I really enjoyed Sp9, I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did!

The Saga continues...

2007-01-22T16:46:00.000-08:00

OK, so the MRI showed nothing, not one thing wrong! How can that be I ask you. Well the last week or so the muscle spasms and sciatic pain have been so terrible that one of my coworkers took me to the ER. In the ER I found a Dr. that actually listened and understood my pain. He did a trigger point injection into my SI joint and my piriformis muscle (the area next to my butt crack). It really hurt but it helped relieve some pain, he also gave me muscle relaxers and pain meds. This was the first time I've been comfortable in many months.

I have been doing some knitting, I just don't have a camera right now to post pictures. I did some more striped socks from sockotta, I finished a chevron moebius for myself and now I'm working on a sweater for my hubby. I'll post pictures when I get a camera.

My Aching Back

2007-01-03T14:04:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone out there had a Happy Holiday! I did, it was nice to spend time with friends and family and also have time off of work :o)

I went to the Dr. today and I'm finally having an MRI on my back. FINALLY! I really don't know how much more of this pain I can take. Sometimes I feel like the doctors don't believe that I'm having as much pain as I am, it's really frustrating. Hopefully I will finally get some answers. Stay tuned...

Where Have I Been???

2006-12-19T10:57:00.000-08:00

Wow, I didn't realize it had been so long since I posted! I have been trying to get everything done for Christmas, knitting and shopping and decorating, whew it's exhausting. I've also been nursing my back too. Some people know this but I hurt my back in May and have had trouble getting doctors to do anything for it. Right now I'm going to physical therapy which seems to help ease the pain a little but only temporarily. Hopefully I will be back to normal soon, it's hard to function when you are in pain daily. Some days I can't even walk! Anyway, enough of the pity party. I hope everyone has a wonderful Holiday and I'll be back soon!!

Speechless

2006-12-03T08:18:00.000-08:00

I received a package from my SP9 on Friday that was full of so many wonderful things that I don't know what to say! Here is a picture of the contents:
(sorry it's blurry)

There is a cute felted bag, stickers for scrapbooking, a Reese's zipper pouch because I can't eat the real thing, yummy soap and lotions, 2 books (Knitting vintage Socks and Socks on 2 Circs, which I have been dying to try), circ, needles,and of course yarn. Here is a close up of the yarn:

The yarn is from Mama Llama and is a colorway called Earth. I just love the colors in this yarn and I can't wait to play with it! What an awesome package I received and I can't say thank you enough to my SP9!! I love it!

Wow

2006-11-16T16:49:00.000-08:00

What Famous Leader Are You?
personality tests by similarminds.com

FO's and Branching Out

2006-11-11T19:49:00.000-08:00

I finished these work socks for my hubby, I used the rib of doom from the sock wars. They are really stretchy and he really likes them

I also finished these beauties! I used the yarn from my Hot Socks pal, she sent me this yarn all the way from Japan. They are my favorite socks to date and also my most comfortable yet.

I also started on this scarf from knitty called Branching Out, it's my first lace project and I think it is turning out beautiful. It is made from Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool in a denim color. Here it is with 8 pattern repeats done! Go Me!!

October socks and Hot Socks!

2006-10-20T18:21:00.000-07:00

My October socks are a test knitted pattern. They are made from Austermann's Step, in the Hunter colorway. The pattern is called Missy's Lobster Pot socks and will be available for sale very soon so check Chrissy's website for more info. The pattern was really fun to do, it was my 1st attempt at cables and also at reading a chart. I think they are way cool. Here are a couple of pictures to tempt you:

Not my best photography, but trust me, you need this pattern!!

Also, I received my Hot Socks package today! What fun. Here's a picture of what I received:

There was some yummy marshmallow coffee which I'm brewing up 1st thing in the morning, some awesome yarn in my favorite Fall colors. There was also some yummy bath stuff, 2 totally cute candles and some Japanese candy. I love it all, thank you Rikako.

2006-10-17T10:27:00.000-07:00

HowManyOfMe.com

There are:
0
people with my name
in the U.S.A.

How many have your name?

Getting to know you questions....

2006-10-10T15:45:00.000-07:00

1. Where is your favorite knitting spot? I have a spot on my couch that is MY spot

2. If you suddenly could never knit again (shudder) - what would you do instead? I also stamp and scrapbook so I could spend more time on that.

3. If you could travel anywhere in the world - where would you go and why? There's this place in Turkey called Pamukkale that I would love to see in person. It looks so peaceful and relaxing!

4. When you were little - What did you want to do "when you grew up?" I don't remember :o( I know that I didn't know my career path until I was about 22 when I returned to college to become a nurse.

5. What is your favorite flavor of ice cream? I like cookie dough or peanut butter cup ice cream, sadly there are not very many companies that make these in a sugar free variety.

Fall Beauty

2006-10-04T17:31:00.000-07:00

I took a little trip over the Santiam pass last week. This is my favorite time of year up there, everything is changing colors. There's no duplicating the colors that Mother Nature creates. Here is a picture that I took.

Socktoberfest questions

2006-10-04T15:44:00.000-07:00

When did you start making socks? February 2006
Did you teach yourself or were you taught by a friend or relative? or in a class? I taught myself with the help of the internet
What was your first pair? My first pair were these boot socks for my husband.
How have they "held up" over time? They've held up great, he wears them to work.
What would you have done differently? nothing
What yarns have you particularly enjoyed? I really enjoyed the Artyarns handpainted sock yarn from my one skein pal, but I really enjoy any striping or colorful yarn.
Do you like to crochet your socks? or knit them on DPNs, 2 circulars, or using the Magic Loop method? I have only knit them on DPN's
Which kind of heel do you prefer? I prefer the flap and round heel so far, I tried the short row but had trouble with the wrap and turn.
How many pairs have you made? 15 or so

Another Bag and Some Socks

2006-09-10T08:48:00.000-07:00

OK here is one of the bags I made. I made matching ones for my DD and her friend. I'm making a matching cell phone cozy too. This is the same bag pattern from the post below but with pink and brown. I also added the fur to these.

Here are my September socks. Nothing fancy, just Knit Picks Parade in Tropical and a basic sock pattern.

NO, MY One Skein Pal is the Best!!

2006-09-01T17:54:00.000-07:00

I got my final One Skein Pal package today and it was all so lovely. Thank you so much to Suzanne who has been an awesome pal. Here is what she sent me... there was a skein of Cascade Quatro which is a beautiful color (BTW I'd love to see that purse pattern!) a cute notebook, love the colors on that, a cute card and this fab pink hat (My daughter's modeling it, isn't she cute?)

Thank you One Skein Pal!!
You have been great and this has been so much fun!

I'm Hooked!

2006-09-01T10:01:00.000-07:00

OK so I tried felting and it was way too fun! I made the All in One bag from the Pursenality Plus book that I got from my SP. It's made with Cascade yarn, also from my SP. Here is a picture before felting:

Here it is after felting:

The pattern calls for some fuzzy yarn around the top and bottom but I couldn't make it look right, so I left that part off for my first time. I already started another bag for my daughter and I will put the fur on it.
I didn't have any trouble with the felting process, I guess I thought it would be super hard. I did cut myself while I was shaving the bag, man that hurts. If anyone has tips on shaving after felting, that would be much appreciated!

Secret Pal Package!!

2006-08-22T14:57:00.000-07:00

Holy Cow!!! Wait 'til you see this! My secret pal sent me the most awesome package. She sent me 3 skeins of Cascade (2 green and 1 brown) to try felting (been wanting to try it) and some cute accent yarn from Knit Picks and a Pursenality plus pattern book so I can make a felted bag, some cute sticky notes and adorable card! Heres a picture of those goodies (sorry it's so blurry):

AND... I also got this...

Is this not the cutest thing EVER!?! I love this bag, I started using it as my purse the minute I received it. I love it so much! I love it all and I can't thank you enough SP. My SP is Sarah, go check out her blog for more on the purse and how she made it!! Thank you again, a hundred times THANK YOU!!

2006-08-21T15:35:00.000-07:00

I am a
Daisy

What Flower
Are You?

2006-08-17T11:59:00.000-07:00

Your Life Path Number is 6

Your purpose in life is to help others

You are very compassionate, and you offer comfort to those around you.
It pains you to see other people hurting, and you do all in your power to help them.
You take on responsibility, and don't mind personal sacrifice. You are the ultimate giver.

In love, you offer warmth and protection to your partner.

You often give too much of yourself, and you rarely put your own needs first.
Emotions tend to rule your decisions too much, especially when it comes to love.
And while taking care of people is great, make sure to give them room to grow on their own.

What Is Your Life Path Number?

August socks

2006-08-11T19:40:00.000-07:00

These are the socks that I made from my One Skein gift. This yarn is dreamy to work with, so much so that I went and ordered some more in different colors! Thanks again OSP!! These are made from Artyarns handpainted stripes. I started out with a toe-up pattern and it went along fine but the short row heel stumped me. I tried 4 times and could not get it right so I started over with a basic pattern and this is what I ended up with, I love those colors.

Here is a close up of all of the fun colors!!

One Skein Pal Strikes Again

2006-08-11T18:06:00.000-07:00

I actually received my package a week ago so I apologize for the late posting. I received a great skein of purple cotton that I can whip up into a wash cloth or two, which is so cool because I have a couple of patterns that I have been dying to try! I also received some cute post-its and stickers, very pretty. I also received a CD to knit by that she made and I can't wait to listen to it, I plan to do that tomorrow morning while my hubby is fixing our roof!! Thank you One Skein Pal!! Here is a picture of all my goodies!

July Socks

2006-07-27T20:37:00.000-07:00

These are my July socks. I finished these earlier this month and decided to enter them in our local county fair. I have never done this before but I thought I'd give it a shot. It turns out only two pairs of socks were entered and the judges liked the others better! They are made from Cherry Tree Hill in the Champlain Sunset colorway. The pattern is Little Shell Socks that I got from the internet.
I really like the way they turned out, even if I didn't win!!
This is a close up of the toes
This is a close up of the tops
This is them at the fair

One Skein Pal Rocks!!

2006-07-07T20:18:00.000-07:00

Today I got my one skein pal package and let me tell you, this yarn is beautiful! I love it so much and I can't wait to use it. I found a toe up pattern for this yarn. This picture doesn't do the colors justice. It's a hank of Artyarns handpainted stripes. Here it is:

Thank you, thank you one skein pal!!

Sockaholic

2006-06-23T18:30:00.000-07:00

I recently had a back injury so I couldn't do much. I could knit though, so I went nuts making socks. Here are two pairs, the pink stripey ones are my daughter's and the green and blue stripey ones are for me!!

Hmmm!!

2006-06-23T16:10:00.000-07:00

Your Linguistic Profile:

70% General American English

20% Upper Midwestern

5% Yankee

0% Dixie

0% Midwestern

What Kind of American English Do You Speak?

Little Knitter!!

2006-05-24T16:40:00.000-07:00

My son seems to have gotten the crafty gene, every time I am scrapbooking or stamping, he always wants to make something too! When I started to learn to knit I never thought he would take an interest in that, but...

Here he is concentrating very hard, making sure the stitches are just right. They aren't, of course, but it makes me happy that he wants to try new things. Plus he's just so darn cute ;o)

GREEN SOCKS

Knit Picks was having a sale a while back and my son fell in love with this green yarn. He thought he was going to make the socks himself but when the yarn came, he thought it was better if I made them for him! Here they are:

Happy Mother's Day

2006-05-14T08:48:00.000-07:00

My hubby surprised me with 18 beautiful yellow roses, they're so lovely.

My son made me this at school:

He did a great job. Now my plan for the day is to knit, knit, knit :o) I may not even get dressed today! Hope everyone has a great mother's day.

May Socks

2006-05-02T15:21:00.000-07:00

I've been working on these off and on for a month or so and they're finally done! Whew! They are the Baby Cable Rib pattern from the Sensational Knitted Socks book. I bought the yarn at a small fiber festival we had here in my town from Oregon Trail Natural Fibers. I loved the color and I really love the pattern. Hope you like them.

Here is a close up of the stitch pattern:

Booty Socks!

2006-04-18T08:41:00.000-07:00

I made these for my DD out of left over Trekking XXL yarn. Aren't they cute!

More Work Socks

2006-03-20T08:53:00.000-08:00

Made these for work socks for my hubby. He works outdoors so I made these in a wool blend to keep his tootsies nice and warm.

I just noticed that in this picture the socks look like different colors. I went and looked at them closer and they are in fact the same color. Must have been some weird lighting!!

I Love These Socks!

2006-03-08T06:44:00.000-08:00

I made these with Trekking XXL. What fun colors! The picture doesn't do them justice. The colors are much brighter and very funky.
These are for me and they are super comfy. Here they are:

Socks for My Son

2006-02-26T07:54:00.000-08:00

Since he's the only one in my family that I haven't made some for,
my son said "Mommy, when are you going to make me some socks"? He picked out the left over yarn I had from making my socks and I got to work. I wasn't really sure there was enough to finish them, but I guess I lucked out. Here they are:

Olympic Gold!!

2006-02-21T19:48:00.000-08:00

Finished my Olympic socks last night. One trip to the frog pond but success at last. They seem a bit tight on my DD's feet, maybe my swatch was a tad off. She is happy with them and I guess I am too overall.

Baby Socks

2006-02-18T13:23:00.000-08:00

I took a break from my Olympic socks to make these baby socks for a friend. I plan to make a matching hat. But for now, it's back to my Olympic socks.

The Agony of Defeat, then the Thrill of Victory

2006-02-17T15:03:00.000-08:00

Well, last weekend I was knitting away on my Olympic socks and I happened to notice that the cuff was unravelling!! What!! I couldn't tell if my cat got it or my son, but nonetheless, I frogged it, I was on the heel too! Anyway, I finally got one sock done, here it is on it's owner's foot (my DD):

I Love Socks!

2006-02-06T09:25:00.000-08:00

OK, I'm hooked!! These are sooo cool! I made these from Sokotta yarn that I got at my LYS and I love it! It was such an awesome feeling to put these babies on and know that I made them!! Can't wait to make some more!

First Socks!

2006-02-01T10:34:00.000-08:00

I learned how to knit in November and ended up making everyone scarves for Christmas. My husband didn't want a scarf but wanted me to learn to make socks and make him some instead. So after much anticipation and frogging, they are finally done. They are heavy boot socks from a pattern that I got from my LYS. He wanted plain white and he is happy with how they turned out. The white got pretty boring after a while so I am excited to start some socks with some color!

Shawl Knit along

2006-01-22T08:57:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow starts the shawl knit along. I have the yarn and needles, I'm ready to go! I'm planning to send mine to my mother-in-law as a gift. I'm using her favorite color, blue. The yarn is a boucle yarn so it should be very fluffy and comfy.

A Brave New World!

2006-01-22T08:52:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I joined the sock knit along! I'm trying to teach myself to make socks and so far so good. I finished one whole sock yesterday and working on #2 today! These are heavy boot socks for my hubby. He wanted plain white so they are VERY plain. Stay tuned for pictures when they are done!