Knitter in Progress

Just finished my Chutes and Ladders sock from the Six Sox Knitalong. I made them with the KnitPicks dye-your-own sock yarn which I dyed with 5 packs of cherry kool-aid. I would have liked the color to be darker, but I kind of like the variegated effect I got with this pair--it was my first attempt at dying--live and learn, right. I used the instructions in the Knitty archives for dying. Chutes & Ladders This pair was lots of fun. I plan on doing a pair for my son with some Dreambaby DK that I have in my stash. I think I may be putting socks on the back burner for a while. I want August to be my "month of lace" and then I would like to work on a few sweaters(one for my son, one for my daughter, two for me LOL). Knowing me I'll crack and still have a pair of socks "on the sticks"--they are such a great portable project that they are hard for me to resist :) Happy knitting and happy weekend, Aloha:)

No knitting content today--hopefully a finished object will be coming in the next couple of days :) Happy knitting and reading, Aloha:) Onto this weeks "Booking Through Thursday" question: Booking Through Thursday I bought a sweatshirt for my husband some years ago that says, "Celebrate freedom. Read a banned book." The shirt then goes on to list ten books that were currently banned somewhere in these United States. Here are a few examples: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger, The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, The Call of the Wild by Jack London, and Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell. (For more information, see banned books online , and other sources.) Have you ever knowingly read a banned book? Yes, and pardon the mini-rant here but when are people going to realize that banning anything is pretty much a sure way to get anyone to do it/read it. What really sets me off are the people(usually devoutly...

Today's "Stitching Blogger's Question" is: What is your most unique/interesting stitching quirk? (This could be something concerning the way you stitch, how you organize your stash, etc.) I don't really know if these things would be considered quirks or not. I have to have my floss organized in numerical order at all times. When I sit down to stitch, I have to have my materials organized: my needle/scrap holder on the left side of the chair, my piece in its q-snap, my floss on my lap, my pattern(depending on how big)held under my scrap bag or on a table or stand to my left. And I'm really careful about storing my pieces when I'm not working on them--they're each in individual zip-locs(I do the same thing with knitting stuff). I don't know if those things are quirks or some form of OCD or maybe they're both the same thing LOL! On the knitting front, I should be finishing my socks by the end of the week. I don't know if I'll be doing...

Of course not!! BUT I have finished this: Ravenclaw Bookscarf My Harry Potter Bookscarf, which Laura was kind enough to share on her blog :) Thanks again for the great pattern; I had lots of fun with it! I got to try the provisional cast on for the first time and it actually worked(I'm always pleasantly surprised when I can make something work). This is a Ravenclaw bookscarf(movie version) which goes along with my Ravenclaw scarf I finished earlier in the year. I have a couple more I'd like to make, but I really have to get more stuff put away first. Thanks, Laura, for giving me a welcome break!! Happy knitting, aloha :)

Children's books With J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince making its sensational debut last weekend I started thinking about children's books. There have been a lot of wonderful ones over the years, The Cat in the Hat, Where the Wild Things Are, Bambi, the Mother Westwind stories, the Chronicles of Narnia, the Chronicles of Prydain, Nancy Drew, and on and on. As an adult, do you own children's books? Most definitely yes! I am a secondary reading specialist so it's kind of my job to read young adult lit. And many of the stories that are out there now are great. I would say that at least one third of my book collection are children's books(maybe more). If you do, do you still read them even when there are no children around? Of course--I read them even before I had my own kids. What were your favorites as a child? Now? As a child I loved books about horses, non fiction and fiction(The Black Stallion especially). Then in my early teens I star...

I went out today and got some perle cotton for my bookscarves(2 Ravenclaw and 1 Gryffindor). The colors I thought were closest were: #336(blue), #498(dark red), #783(gold), and #318(grey). The problem with liking Ravenclaw is that the colors for the house are different in the books and in the movies so that makes it necessary to do stuff in both colorways(at least if you're compulsive like me--LOL). Ravenclaw Scarf and Bookscarf supplies SBQ: Today's "Stitching Blogger's Question" is: Have you ever done a color conversion? Yes, I have. It was only a small thing. I changed the hair color of the bride in "Lavender and Lace's--The Wedding". I changed it from blonde to brunette. If so, what did you think about your results and would you do it again? If not, would you like to try someday? I thought my results were okay, but they could have been better. They didn't really blend as well as I wanted them too. I would love to try it again--it...

I finished HP6 earlier today--don't want to give anything away, but I will say that it is getting good and I can't wait to see how JKR wraps it all up(unlike book 5, I will definitely reread this one). In the interest of fueling anyone else's HP mania, I have a couple of links for you: Patch Palace (for HP replica uniform patches-I'm thinking of getting one for a "staff" sweater) and this really cool HP bookscarf (it's a book mark and a very clever/easy gift for the HP fan with everything). I plan on getting the materials for a bookmark when I finally decide to venture out and explore the area. I also would like to make a PoA scarf to go along with my Ravenclaw scarf I made last year. So today I did NOT unpack a single box. I read, looked after the kiddos, and knit. On the knitting front, I have a couple of things that are almost done: the hooded t-shirt front is almost done--which only leaves the hood and sleeves and I am about 1/4 of the way done w...

Of course, I must pay tribute to my Harry Potter obsession--book 6 has made it into my hands at last(along with the cool bracelet they gave away with it--modeled by my phone)! HP6 Here are my book purchases while on vacation: Pattern SEX Here's the true sign of an addict; I had yarn delivered to my parents' house while I was on vacation(Knit Picks lace yarn in moss, midnight, and happy dance): Knit Picks SEX Six Sox Knitalong progress: Chutes and Ladders Here's my progress on my hooded tee; I'm working my way up the back only a few more decrease rows to go then I start the front. (Michele--sorry I didn't put the pattern picture in for you; you had asked about it a while ago. It's buried at the moment): Hooded Tee Happy weekend--back to unpacking(whoopee!), Aloha :)

You Know You're Addicted to Harry Potter When... You make a wand and try to use it. You call your least favorite teacher Snape. You call your favorite teacher Dumbledore. You wear robes to school or work. (that would be fun) You make "floo powder", get in the fire, and try to go to your friends' house. You have read all the books more than four times. (many more than that actually--except book 5; only once too upsetting) You've been bookstore at midnight to get the latest Harry Potter book before all your friends. (guilty) ... And then you stayed up all night reading it. (maybe this year) You've worn a Harry Potter costume in public. You have a crush on one of the Harry Potter characters. (yup and JKR killed him) You've gotten at least one of your friends addicted to Harry Potter. (guilty and family too) You actually caught the "Wand Order" mistake before you heard/read about it. You are upset at the New York Times for creating a seperate childre...

We're back! We just arrived home to begin our new adventure in Denver. The trip to New York was just what the doctor ordered--I got done about half of what I wanted to, but isn't that always the way with trips to visit family. My darling son refrained from a repeat of the "psycho-rage" we encountered on the trip to New York--our return trip was fairly uneventful. Until we went to dinner and I had to leave the restaurant before we got our drinks, because he completely lost his 2.5 year old mind and started screaming at the top of his lungs. My darling husband of 7 years(anniversary was Tuesday) took young rage after he finished eating, so that I could eat my dinner and finish my Long Island Iced Tea---mmmmmm! So now all is right with the world and I will exact my revenge when I take him up for his bath and wash his hair(he REALLY hates it);) On the knitting front--I hope to have a collection of WIP pics tomorrow :) I have a knitting question for all of you(it c...

First, I would like to send my thoughts, prayers, and deepest condolences to the people of London and any who were affected by the horrific events of today--I'm just so, so sorry. I had the same sick feeling in my stomach as I had on September 11; it really makes you wonder about the world we are bringing up our families in. I really don't want to vent too much about this because I try to keep my political views to myself. So again I will just say my thoughts and prayers are with your city and country--God Bless. Booking Through Thursday: Coffee table books My own personal definition of a coffee table book is a book that is large, over-sized, has lots of pictures, is about a specific theme (e.g., Georgia O'Keeffe's 100 Flowers, steeple chasing, Disney Animation, the Golden Gate Bridge, etc.) and generally speaking not something that most people would sit down and read in an afternoon. Coffee table books are often displayed singly or in piles for the benefit of guests...

On the knitting front--I have started the second sock in the "Chutes and Ladders" pair(six sox knitalong) and I fully intend to get a picture of said sock at Niagara Falls before I leave next week. My sister has successfully cast on, knit, purl, knit/purl in the same row, and cast off--now it's onto her first project, a dishcloth/washcloth!! My Mom and I set out this afternoon to check out one of the knitting shops here in the Buffalo area--"Yarn It All". It was a cute place with lots of space for classes and if you are into novelty yarns and acrylics then this is the place for you--that being said I have 2 more shops I'd like to check out before I leave. My Mom got a pair of clover circulars--I keep telling her she might find them more manageable(we've had some trying moments in my quest to get her knitting--she knows how to knit and purl, but we've had some "debates" on casting on and pattern work). She also got the portable Vogue kn...

Happy 4th and Happy Belated Canada Day to all who celebrate those things :) I'm loading up my hooded T-shirt WIP, sunscreen, kiddos bathing suits, portable camera printer dock and camera, 7 layer dip with Tortilla chips, and my 6 pack of Molson XXX(oh, Molson how I have missed you) and heading over to my sister's house for a holiday romp in the sun!!!! Have a fabulous day! Aloha :)