I've been "tagged" by Dorothy!
7 Random Facts Meme

Here are the rules, and they must be posted to your blog.
Link to the person’s blog who tagged you (see above).
List seven random and/or weird facts about yourself.
Tag seven random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs.
Let each person know that they have been tagged by posting a comment on their blog and also so they can look at your blog and not tag the same people all over again!

1. I say "thingy" all the time, when I can't remember the name of a common object. Drives my friends and family crazy. They call me Dory (Finding Nemo) or Hammy (from Over the Hedge).
True on both accounts.

2. I saw "draw" instead of "drawer"...it's what you put your clothes in. There are 4 draws in my dresser.

3. I became a Neonatal ICU nurse after graduation, moving to Virginia on a whim, and met my wonderful Hubby. We knew each other for...9 weeks, and then we were engaged! It's been a great 21 years so far. :)

4. My favorite book series is...The Cat Who...by Lillian Jackson Braun. I especially like this series to listen on my iPod when knitting.

5. I'm a snow-phobic, now that I'm in my 40's. Yes, I'm a born Yankee, but I want my family HOME AND SAFE, and off the roads when snow accumulates in ANY amounts. I sort of freak out. I need to trust God on this one. I feel like a mother hen who needs her baby chicks safe under her wing when a snowflake is seen here in New Hampshire.

6. I love Schnauzers. I inherited one from a patient of mine who passed away shortly after I graduated from college in 85, now I'm on my 3rd Schnauzer "daughter". Current is actually a "Schnoodle", Annie, who is 11 months old.

7. I had Gastric Bypass surgery 5 years ago. It was a life saver, and I'm happy with the health results. Gained back 20 pounds, but no more. Loss of 130 total.

8 (a freebie "fact") My very first blogs that I read were...you guessed it...Wendy Knits and the Yarn Harlot. Thank you both to introducing me to the world of blogs and knitting blogger friends.

Whom I will tag:

Casey (of Knitting at Night podcast!)
Deb
Marly (Woo Hoo! of Yarn Thing podcast)
CurlyKnitter
Meghan (of Stitch it! podcast)
Barbra (great etsy shop!)
Nancy

Have fun!

Mid January, and I'm Posting! (January 24th, 2008)

Can you say...Vogue Knitting... 1939?

Now, it's NOT 1939, but here are some articles from Vogue's knitting book from 1939 (Book Four). Notice the fitted garments. Most of the patterns are listed for size 16.





















Next, is the Tramline Cabled Pullover by Vermont Fiber Designs. This is the "bad" project/ yarn that I had to frog so many times, due to my inability to read a simple cable chart! It is an easy pattern, and I especially like the fact that I've finally learned to cable without a cable needle, except for large and difficult cables. Yes, I do like this pattern for my first cabling except for a scarf and a bag.
OH, and here's hubby's tie...in Rowan Tapestry. It needs to be blocked better, I think. Yet, he wore it. Good guy.


Here's my Hemlock Ring Throw...Blocked and yet...not great photos, sorry. Go to Brooklyn Tweed's blog for beautiful photos of his throw, as well as other gorgeous knitting projects. It came out to be about 5 feet in diameter.




















Short and sweet...
1. hubby is home (seeking employment after an early Dec. layoff)
2. due to #1, computer is not available for my whim/use. :)
3. Finished objects: garter stitch tie for hubby, socks for mom, and the hemlock blanket.
4. My latest (#3, and only since late November) trip to WEBS in Northampton, Mass.
5. On my needles:
Tramline Cable Pullover, design by Vermont Fiber Designs
Yarn: Plymouth Galway, in a light sage green colorway, size US6 needles.
Casted on 5 times, now about 10 inches are completed!
Ripped out...4 times...within a 5 day span. Fifth time was a charm...must of had something to do with PAYING ATTENTION to reading the chart! Duh, Kris. :)


Above, is the Cabled Scarf by Tanis Gray, as found in Vogue Winter 2007/08. I am knitting it in Cascade Bollicine Victor, an Italian yarn that is 3.5oz./100gr./114yds. in a darker burgundy red color than is seen here..it is actually color #24. It is a tangled cable pattern with skinny ribbed edges, and I'm involved in a KAL with the Yarn Thing forum on Ravelry. Join the fun!

Lastly, here's a magazine that someone gave me...it's Coats & Clark's Book #515 from 1957...it was for 25 cents.

Knit Fearlessly!!!!

Sandi Wiseheart, the wonderful editor of Knitting Daily has put forth a challenge for 2008.. Here is a snippet of her New Year's Day entry (the full article is here):

"How about you? Did you Knit Fearlessly? What would you knit in 2008 if you were really the knitter you've always dreamed of being?

Here's some things to think about:

• Is there something you haven't tried because it seems Too Scary?
• Is there a technique you want to learn, or learn to do more skillfully?
• Is there something that stumps you?
• Is there something that you are dying to try, in your secret knitter's heart, but haven't dared because you think you're not a good enough knitter?
  
• Are you always knitting The Same Old Things, and you'd like to try something new?
• Do you always knit for others, and never for yourself? Or perhaps you only knit yourself accessories, but never a lovely cardigan or pullover to wear?
  

What would you knit if you were truly a Fearless Knitter?"

What a challenge, and I'm taking her up on it!
I haven't been able to put time into keeping current on my blog entries, but here are bullets of what's currently on my needles, knitting ramblings, and life in general:

• I'm rambling today...the 8 yr old has a tummy bug, and has been up during the night. I'm caffeinated, but not really functional. :)
• Please still keep hubby's employment situation in prayer, as he finds a new job (laid off a month ago at workplace) after 13 or so years in this particular manufacturing supervisory position . The construction business slow-down is taking a toll here.
• On my needles: Garter stitch tie for hubby in Rowan Tapestry is just about completed, he'll be wearing it to church tomorrow. Trust me. He promised. Nice pattern, and a no thought project to take with you .
• Sampler Gansey! 3/4 of the way completed.I'm so glad to have used Beth Brown-Reinsel's Knitting Ganseys book. She's a great instructor! I have NO photos, as I found out a half hour ago that my batteries in the camera are dead.
• I received in the mail a great random drawing gift from the HolidayKalCal. It's a cute knitted aqua cell phone holder and a matching gift card/lip balm/sweetener holder. And the buttons....so adorable! This gift was from Barbra's etsy shop, All About the Buttons. Go check out her store...cute knitted organizers, pins, barettes, bookmarks, etc. My organizer set is beautifully crafted AND useful! Thanks, Barbra! :)
  
• I actually had some "mommy"/adult knitting time this week! My friend Christine and I went to a new Chinese/Japanese restaurant in town. Good talk, great food, and no kids. Then it was off to the local knitting group at the library. This is a fairly new group, with knitters of all ages (about 4 to 80 years old!) and abilites. I'm really not a "group" person, but it's a drop in group on Fridays from 1-3 pm, and every one seems friendly. Also, my 8 yr old can peruse books for hours, so he enjoys his library time as well. I'll have to take photos next week, if I go.
• No, I haven't blocked my Hemlock Throw yet. I may have said I'd do it....but I haven't. Sigh.

Well, my computer has gone black screen twice this morning so far, so I think I'll stay off for the day. My sleeplessness is catching up with me, and the coffee and Swedish Fish (yes, I ate the whole bag) is wearing off. Have a great Saturday!

Therefore, being justified by faith
we have peace with God
through our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 5:1

Knitting Year 2008....Year of Projected Projects!

Happy New Year! I pray that it is a year of blessings for you and yours in 2008!

Okay...Now back to knitting! And, no reason for the picture below...I just like it.


This is my future Sampler Gansey from Knitting Ganseys by Beth Brown-Reinsel, a great book and guide on the history and how-to's of knitting traditional Ganseys. I'm making the mini Sampler Gansey as listed in the book, and then it can be used as Sam's bear sweater, perhaps. You can see it here on WhitKnits blog, or in the Ravelry patterns, if you're on Ravelry already! I plant to start it today (New Year's Day), although I said it yesterday, too. I'm finishing up hubby's tie that is knit in Rowan Tapestry on size 3 needles.


Below is some of the gansey yarn to be used for a Gansey for myself, after completing the sampler sweater. It's a local yarn in the plum colorway of Elegant Ewe Custom Spun New England 100% Wool.

Hubby and I didn't really exchange gifts this year, in the conventional manner. He's a Ham Radio operator, and would like to purchase some books/equipment when needed. Sounds good to me! Oh, and he received his annual box of Cheese-Its and a coffee mug...this year's mug is a Harley-Davidson mug. Now onto my Christmas gift...yarn related, of course.
On Christmas Eve morning, I went to a yarn store and purchased Knitting Ganseys and The Knitter's Book of Yarn. I wrapped them myself to place under the tree. For me from hubby. The day after Christmas, hubby and I went out to lunch (Moe's sub shop...a favorite of mine) and he dropped me off at the LYS to purchase myself some yarn. I came out with 10 skeins of wool for a gansey, 2 pairs of needles, a few lace scarf patterns, 101 Designer One Skein Wonders book, yarn for the Easy and Elegant Garter Stitch tie, a celtic cd for my son's 19th birthday (New Year's Eve), two skeins of a bulky baby alpaca yarn (along with pattern and needles) for my secret pal at church, and a few other goodies. Wow. I felt like I robbed a candy store, and I thank hubby for the gift of yarn store brownsing and purchasing some fiber related goodness.

This is the 10 inches of snow that arrived on the morning of the 31st, and it's starting up again today (Jan 1st) with the same amount of snow expected, more or less.

Here are 3 pairs of Giver Trends felted clogs that I knit for various friends and family members for Christmas, prior to their embellishments

And...last but not least..my January 2008 Knitting Projects (or at least to be cast on in January!)

- a tie for my hubby from 101 Designer One Skein Wonders (my LYS owner Marci is the designer) …a easy quick project
- a gansey for me…a purple one, as a matter of fact… (sampler project and full sized gansey) for myself, with the help of Beth Brown-Reinsel and her Knitted Ganseys book with local Elegant Ewe Custom Spun New England Wool in a plum colorway\
- Socks that Rock pair of socks for myself (it’s my “Year of Knitting for Kris”) in their new colorway that I received in the STR club this month.
- Central Park Hoodie! Woo Hoo! (cast on a bit after the gansey) - Lace scarf from a pattern from my LYS (Marci Richardson is a great designer and store owner!) called the Diagonal Madeira Lace Scarf in an ebony Zephyr silk/wool laceweight

So…that about covers it! I've spent yesterday afternoon putting projects in their bags…so they’re all ready to go. I like to have each project, the supplies and patterns in bags so depending on my mood, day’s events and my level of sanity, I have everything ready to go! OK, time to put a load of laundry in and swatch for my sampler gansey. Have a great New Years Day!

London Beanie for my Teenager

This is a quick knit....my son wanted a skater beanie...aka the London Beanie...this one was a bit too big (um...I didn't follow the pattern), so I recast on...and followed the pattern, and it fits perfectly as intended!
I used Caron's Simply Soft, since my teenager has no regard for use and care of wool, and loses things quickly. BUT he loves this hat! Pattern is here, and with better photos!

What? It's Mid December? AND Christmas is 5 Days Away? Yikes!

I feel like Charlie Brown in this comic strip....lots of snow, and I'm contemplating the "things" of life. But wait! I received a wonderful, special package from my SP11 Pal, Phyllis.
What a nice gift to receive...2 skeins (in Magenta and Henna colorways) of Manos del Uruguay, the IK Holiday Gifts issue, a skein of Noro (soon to be incorporated into a hat for hubby), Jelly Bellies (already in my belly), body lotion , organic chocolate truffles (yum), a beautiful embossed journal, and get this...3 skeins of Bitty Bunz (140 yd/25gm) in color #7...it's soft and beautiful. It's from Artfibers, and the content is 70% Angora and 30% Extrafine Merino. I will have some special knitting ahead of me! Thanks, Phyllis!



Hey! Thanks to Marly and Sharon at the HolidayKalCal, I've won a random prize of a cute mini purse from allaboutthebuttons.etsy.com. Woo Hoo! Thanks!

Next, I have my Branching Out scarf, blocked and on it's way to my Christmas Around the World Swap pal, Deb, in Georgia. It's knit in Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool on number 5 US.



Next, is a "Crest O' The Wave" scarf, an Elegant Ewe pattern, knit in Zephyr Wool Silk Lace Weight and it was a joy to knit...easy to memorize pattern, and the scarf is lusciously soft in the Zephyr! This is for my secret Sonshine Pal at church. The color is actually a blue, but you can't really see it in this photo...it's more of an aqua, which is one of the recipient's favorite colors.



In other knitting news: I'm almost finished knitting my third pair of Fiber Trends Felted Clogs...pics soon to follow. They're all knit in Cascade 220...two women's pairs, and one pair for my dad. I still need to put on the suede bottoms and some embellishments. I'm also casting on a skater beanie for my middle son, in brown and blue colorways, which will hopefully be under the Christmas tree next week.
I apologize for not blogging for the past few weeks: believe it or not, I sliced off the tip of my thumb (soft tissue only) a few weeks ago (with a Costco knife), and I could NOT type with it! Nor knit. All is well now. Silly me. I pay attention when I use knives now!
Hubby also has been laid off at work as of Dec 7th after 13 years at the company, and there were 27 people in middle management who were affected. I know that the Lord had plans for us and is in control, and I look forward to what the future holds, but in His timing. Son from Norwich U is home for the Christmas break, and it's SO wonderful to have him home!
Well, time to finish the last felted clog for Christmas, and get back to listening to my downloaded knitting pocasts. Check out Yarn Thing and She-Knits, and Stash and Burn...Now, go get knitting!

Is Thanksgiving Weekend Over Already? And...did I really have to cast on my Hemlock Ring Blanket?

Thanksgiving weekend has come and gone...
highlights at our house included (by my perspective)...

1. A wonderful Thanksgiving feast at church (our family has helped served a free Thanksgiving meal with all the trimmings at our church ever since we moved to NH over 10 years ago...so it's our family's "tradition") and I had a piece of Canadian pork pie (don't know the real name) too, that was out of this world delicious!

2. This was followed by a trip to sister's house (aka the Martha Stewart of our family)...oh my...she had the BEST sweet potato souffle, the BEST homemade pumpkin pie, the BEST homemade lemon meringue, etc...so my mom and are passing the "cooking queen mantle" to her when my mom is too old to cook, drop dead, etc. Yes, Boopie (sister's nickname) is a GREAT cook and baker. Sigh. I didn't get those family genes, apparently.





3. Seeing all the nieces and nephews on my sister's side.

4. Sneaking in wonderful knitting time early in the morning while the turkey was in the oven and watching Doris Day and Rock Hudson in the movie, Pillow Talk. I couldn't get to the White Christmas movie at that time, since geriatric dog Toby had decided to sleep in front of the dvd cabinet, and was not inclined to move himself for me at that moment.

5. Finishing my second pair of thrummed mittens, this pair for my youngest son.

6. Spending the day after Thanksgiving with my mom, and we hit the stores in New London, NH...not very exciting like the malls, BUT we had a ball! The Artisan's Workshop (great store known for "Handcrafted Items & Fashions, Eclectic Collections, Gold & Gemstone Jewelry, Silver, etc. store in PC's ), PC's (Peter Christian's Tavern) for lunch, Knit New London (two hours of yarn love, and new stash...more of that later), Spring Ledge Farm for fresh wreaths, 2 stops at the local Dunkin Donuts, lots of puppy toys, a pink fleece dog coat and such at Abercrombie & Bridge Pet store, and then more local gift store shopping. Done!



7. a new dishwasher!!!!!! Yes! My old one died approx. 2 months ago. It's not installed yet, but will be sometime this week.

8. having college boy home for the week was wonderful! Yes. Now, he's back at college for 3 weeks, and I've got to clear out my knitting stuff out of "his" room before his month long break for Christmas.


9. My friend and craft partner in crime, Christine, had me sit down at her wonderful sewing machine and cut and sew up a lap sized Yellow Brick Road quilt top, using Eleanor Burns Christmas fabrics from my stash, on Saturday morning...Really! She's quite the taskmaster, and I am thankful that she did this, as I have been frozen and fearful to start a quilt, although my quilting fabric stash equals my yarn stash. Now, my homework that she gave me is...
put the border on. Stay tuned!

10. I'm sure I'm missing more highlights of the weekend, but that's enough rambling right now.

Back to Knit New London....

OK, a great yarn store. Great assistance from the store staff and the owner...we spent two hours here...I touched everything, of course. I also signed up for the second class of the Hemlock Ring Throw and cast on, although I was strongly encouraged to wait for class on Dec 1st (easy to cast on using Emily Ocker's method).




What did I come home with?
Enough Cascade 220 for 4 pairs of Fiber Trends Felted Clogs (Christmas gifts)
2 skeins of Cascade Eco Wool for the above throw (a 100% Peruvian Highland Wool, in a grey that doesn't look the same here, but mine seems lighter (color 8049, "Tarnish"). It's a great squooshy yarn, and this throw takes only a pair of skeins, for a completed $30 project!

Lobster Pot yarn for a shawl (a yummy cashmere blend)
sale yarn Rowan Biggy Print for a cabled mystery bag on the Ready Set Knit podcast KAL
a few pairs of Addis and dpns, Soak, etc...things I needed for various projects.
Um...I'm sure I've forgotten things, but that's the jist of it. :)