Thursday, May 28, 2009

More socks.

I'm in sock mode again.

Simple Stockinette Socks
Yarn: Patons Kroy Stripes - Mulberry
Size 1 magic loop - 64 st cast on.
This yarn is a bit "odd" feeling to me, but they washed up nicely, got a tad bit softer, so we'll see how they wear.


The picture on top is with photo editing, the bottom is without, and the reality is somewhere in between! It's been cloudy all day today, we've gotten 8+ inches of rain in May alone. Now is the time for the standard southern afternoon/evening "pop-up" thunderstorms. There should be another one along any minute now. I'm just tired of everyone mowing every 5 minutes. sigh.

Memorial Day I had a 50% coupon for AC Moore so we went and I got these. I scored Cookie's book for 1/2 off! I'd been seeing the The Red Heart Sock yarn on Ravelry and I just love these colors knit up. I can't wait to make my own socks out of it so I can smile when I see them on my own feet.
That's it. I've got other projects in my mind (and the yarn wound up ready to go) but all I seem to be doing is socks lately.
Happy Knitting!

Monday, May 18, 2009

Soft Waves Afghan

She's all done.

Finito.
All mine.

If I ever say I want to make another afghan, just throw something at me to bring me to my senses please.

Taking on big projects is like labor to me. You forget how much time, pain, and angst you went through when you see that finished product. In both cases, the babies you create just make you forget it all. Zap! It's all gone!

All those arm cramps, all the pain of lugging this thing around while it grew and got heavier and heavier, all the times I wondered when it would just be over with. All those blasted hours I spent yesterday to Just. Get. It. Done.

In the end you have this wonderful thing that is too precious for words and you have to go snuggle. So. I shall go snuggle now....

Pattern: Soft Waves from the book 200 Ripple Stitch Patterns
(Yarns used are on my Rav project page).
Size H crochet hook
Time: Almost a year to finish. Yikes.

Friday, May 15, 2009

Yarn Swap

I can't believe I forgot to post about the yarn swap! I had a total blast, but I think we all had a ball going through each other's orphans! I took this bag:

And came home with the same bag. Only now it's only 3/4 of the way full. (pat on back!)
I mostly brought home bits and bobs of other peoples left overs. "THE PLAN" has been
- and is - to make my girls each a patchwork Christmas Stocking. It's been nagging at my mind for..oh...maybe 3+ years now. I know I have plenty of stash for it, but there were some pretty reds and greens I just couldn't pass up! (Yes, I brought home pinks too!)

This year I'm really going to try to get my yarns together and just get them done. I hate when things nag at my mind. Especially when it seems like a really cool idea. They're both pretty special little people to me, I think they'll love them if I ever can get them done. I also got a few full skeins of baby yarn for the preemie hats I make so I scored nicely.

This isn't all of us, we had more show up, and we had the table to the right (that's barely in the picture) covered in yarn too. These ladies are so sweet and I've always felt so welcome. They probably don't realize how much they cheered this knitter up. I know that we're all in different places, we have our worries, our happy times, our troubles. But we come together for a couple of days a month and just talk and knit. It's uplifting to just be around each other. There is something really powerful about fiber arts and community.

The funny part of our meeting was that the power was out at the library. Oh my gosh, that was one HOT room we were in and it wasn't just me this time with my hot flashes! It eventually did come back on but our room never quite cooled off after that. Goes to show Knitters have fortitude. We stayed huddled in there with ALL of us, and ALL that yarn because, by golly, it was WORTH it!

It seems like every time we have a meeting lately it's like this:
But, like I said, not much can keep knitters from their scheduled rendezvous.

Today is just like this except my patio furniture is now scattered all over the back yard. It didn't look like much on the weather channel, but geez, it sure packed a punch this evening! The good thing is that now I can't walk today. My pain scale shot way UP again so now I don't feel guilty for skipping today. All I need is for lightning to strike me when I have so much yarn to knit.


I'm off to work on something....I'm not sure yet what I'm in the mood for, or even how long I'll be able to hold my needles up with my arm pain, but rainy weather makes good knitting weather.

Happy Knitting.


Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Uh oh.

First there was this:



And this:


FINALLY, after almost 9 years here we have our own Red Robin. I sure missed the ones back home! Not only because of the great food, but also the good times & memories of being there with friends and family. It's a happy place.

So.... it's back to this (first uphill spot):

See the house in the middle on the left hand side? That's the one that we grimace at when we're heading up because that's when we FEEL THE BURN. Yowza. It may not look like much, but it's steeper than you'd think.


And this (second hill we go down and back up):


This one isn't as bad as the first but it's still a hill. They were a bit more challenging today. Must have been all those fries....Yum. I hadn't had my favorite burger in two years. It was SOOOO GOOD! I can't even tell ya how happy that made me.

Anyway, we're hoping tomorrow is not more of this:


I suppose we're blessed with all the rain we get, but I can totally do without the tornado scares. And my poor allergies just can't catch a break. It's funny how the very second it stops raining people are out in full mega force mowing their lawns, literally doing it a few times a week. It's one major mowing gig. Crazy. I'm so over it and it's just begun. sigh. I need to buy stock in Kleenex.

OTN: Socks & "The Never Ending Soft Waves Afghan".

Happy Knitting.

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Ten On Tuesday

Your Ten Favorite Places to Shop

1. The Yarn Patch
2. The Yarn Company
3. The Yarn Haven

4. JCPenney
5. Belk
6. Target

7. The Loopy Ewe
8. The Knitting Zone
9. Yarn 4 Socks
10. Simply Socks

Guess I knew THAT was coming! hahahahahaha!! Designer make-up? No. Designer Bags? No. Designer clothes? No. Designer YARN! Woot Woot!! yea baby!

I wonder if I have a problem....well, it IS your FAVORITE places to shop!

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Happy Mother's Day

There's lot's of love going around our house this Mother's Day. I'm very blessed.


My beautiful girls made me cards, gave me toys, and promised we wouldn't have any (well....much) drama today!

I got EXACTLY what I wanted from The Big Guy:




Okay, Okay!! I bought it!! But he's always happy when I'm happy!

I pretty much told them to take it easy this Mother's Day. We're having tighter times around here so we have to concentrate on being more selective about what we spend our money on. It's really for the best (as I look around at my cluttered house....)

On the Left: Blue Heron Bulky Rayon Chenille in Berry that I ordered from Coveted Yarns. I've never seen this colorway before (I've been buying this yarn for years) so I was just drooling over it. Well, when I went back to order it - it was GONE!!! I was sooooo bummed! I decided to email the nice people at CY and they answered right away that they had ONE skein left and would list it again so I could order it. Super nice people. I love my BH Chenille more than I can say.

On the Right: I was directed to PicnicKnits from Lime & Violets Daily Chum recently. She was offering FREE shipping on this merino silk sock yarn. Can't beat that. And the yarn DID NOT disappoint with all my monitor issues! You can't (usually) go wrong with PINK, I have before I know, but this time I totally lucked out! I'm thinking ANOTHER pretty pink scarf for moi.

PS. There's CHOCOLATE CAKE being made today too......

Myspace Graphics


Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Slowly But Surely

I'm really a simple kind of gal. I think there's a reason I like simple stockinette stitch socks.

Patterned socks take me awhile....a LOT longer than usual. And they require a certain amount of concentration. Which is in short supply these days with all my other issues. (It's been raining for days now, so my pics are not in full daylight.)




I just like simple shaped patterns. Most patterns are easy, but the patterning itself makes them seem too "bunchy" looking to me. They remind me of wrinkly elephant legs for some reason! I know, but it's in my head and I can't get it out! But that's just my own opinion. No biggy. Just like my much increased appreciation of semi-solid colored sock yarns anymore. I'm getting set in my ways in my old age I guess.

This pattern is my style. Simple, but pretty.
Yarn: The YoYo String & Fluff
Colorway: Not Called Amethyst- Superwash Merino

Confession time: I over-dyed this skein with Purple Kool Aid awhile back. It's another one of my "monitor" discrepencies. It looked a deeper shade of purple on my screen when I bought it. Someday I have to fix that issue. Whatever base yarn she used though is absolutely scrumptious. These are almost silky to the touch. I adore them.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I was hurting the other day. Same old issues. I didn't feel up to knitting much so I pulled out the Disco Ball looking beads I'd bought recently and made myself some cool stitch markers.
I love these, I want to hustle to the Bee Gees when I see them.

Since we already have a ga-jillion beads, and I get in the mood every so often when I can't knit, my stitch marker inventory has really blossomed! I love my stitch markers! Making them is really just as much fun as using them. If I wore more jewelry I'd probably be spending as much on beads as I do on yarn.

My knitting meeting is coming up this weekend. I'd better get back to getting things ready to go to the swap. I'm a terrible procrastinator, I pulled stuff out of the closet but have yet to sort through it all. I'll probably end up doing it Saturday morning!

Happy Knitting.

Sunday, May 3, 2009

Was he testing me?

I had my Sleep Clinic consult last Friday morning. It's kind of funny that I only got a few hours sleep before I got there, but maybe that's why the whole appointment was so weird to me.

Here's how it started:

Dr: Hi, my name is Dr. A, nice to meet you. (Doesn't even look at me while he's saying all this).

Me: Hi.

Dr proceeds to ask me questions:
When do you go to bed?
what time do you get up?
do you have a hard time falling asleep?
what meds are you on?
what are your health issues?

(all of this and PLENTY more is on the 3 pages of info they had me fill out which he's basically reading while he's asking me the same questions).

Dr: So. What are you doing here? (did he just watch "Valley Girl" last night because he sure sounds like he did!)

Me: Huh? Well, my regular Dr made me come, AND Gee, I CAN'T SLEEP! (You'd understand my attitude if you heard how he was talking to me AND looking at me. Was my extra eyeball showing or something?) I then went on to explain my pain issues, that I NEED sleep but don't get much, also that I've tried different sleep meds and they don't work, etc. (again, ALL of this is on the paperwork he's reading while I'm talking).

Dr. So what do you expect me to do if you've had this going on for so long?

Me: (thinking......) Is he TESTING me to see if I'm awake because this seems like I should be on Candid Camera! Why is he being such an A$$? I mean, isn't HE the Fricken Doctor here? Doesn't he see people who can't sleep Every. Single. Day?

It started out this way (which totally weirded me out) but did manage to get better as it went on because I gave what I got once the shock sort of wore off (talk to the HAND buddy!). I was almost ready to walk out in the beginning but eventually he worked out that I'm probably NOT a good candidate for a sleep study (Him: I can tell you right now what your study will show, that you don't sleep!) and that maybe I can benefit from some Cognitive Behaviorial Therapy.

He flat out told me he didn't have a clue HOW to help me but did feel that my stress level is still pretty high (really Sherlock?) and I have to work hard to follow the bedtime hygiene rules. (Nothing but whoopie and sleep in your bed!). I admited I was guilty of doing everything else in my comfy bed too: reading, knitting, and using my laptop. My Bad. Gotta work on those, we're going to get me a nice comfy chair/recliner to put in the master bedroom to help me with that but the TV pretty much stays since I have no say in any other room about what I want to watch most of the time.

I paid to hear all that. Isn't that funny?

In the end he was peachy-keen nice to me. I think somehow I passed his silly test. He even said as much now that I remember. I never have to see him again. (Relief). I'm too tired to deal with people like that. What I deduced was he isn't much use if you don't snore and need one of those machines at night. Insomnia? Well, whatever. It's certainly not HIS problem. Deal Already! Geez!

Today was a busy day with my girls. I really think they're trying to test me too. Here's what's transpired the past couple of weeks.

Set the Scene: Us at the Mall a week or so ago

Me: Hey, since we're here, you guys should check out the shorts and capri's.

The Girls: Grumble Grumble...let's just go home.

Me: But it's getting warmer guys, you should look around while I do what I have to do.

The Girls: (taking a quick glance around) Nope, don't see anything!

The Next Scene: A few days later my youngest says to me: MOM! I NEED NEW CLOTHES!

Me: Sure you do.

And the Next Scene: A few days after that, my oldest says to me: MOM!!! I REALLY NEED NEW CLOTHES!!!

Me: (Can't write what I said.... Potty mouth and all...)


It could just be my sleep deprived mind, but I think something's whacked out in my own little universe lately!

I was really tired today AFTER SHOPPING FOR NEW CLOTHES, but I came home and got into the STASH to update my Ravelry page. I honestly just ignore it most of the time, when I buy new stuff I never put it in there (lazy). But it was a good time to finally buckle down and do it because for some reason my memory was working pretty well at the time, AND because at my next Knitting Meeting we're doing a yarn swap and I know I have things to add to the table. It'll feel good to let things go to knitters who can visualize a use when I can't. I'm going to try to be good and not bring anything home......

All yarn deserves some Love.
That's next weekend, it should be fun.
If I survive that long.