Knitter in Progress

Here's what I accomplished in 2005 with some needles and yarn(and I am so close to finishing my Jaywalker socks I have turned the heel but there is no way I'll be done by midnight--too much to do today--I guess it will be my first finish of 2006!). The finish line: **Aran Baby Blanket--Encore yarn--from Knit Baby Blankets **Counting Sheep Blanket--Stylecraft yarn--from Vogue Knitting On the Go, Baby Blankets 2 **Hearts and Stars Baby Blanket--LB Pound of Love--from Adorable Knits for Tots **Baby Roll Brim Hat--Artful Yarns Candy--from the yarn label **Baby Roll Brim Hat--LB Pound of Love-from Candy label **Child's sock--Lorna's Laces--from Classic Beginnings, Socks for the Family **Stashbuster Spiral sock--sock yarn leftovers--from Six Sox Knitalong **Chutes & Ladders sock--Knit Picks merino--from Six Sox Knitalong **Adult sock--Socketta(I think, can't find the label)--from Classic Beginnings, Socks for the Family **Log Cabin socks--Cascade 220--from handknit H...

hanne and Chris 2 : I need blogs from you in order to sign you up--there are none in your profiles. Everyone already signed up: Happy shopping tomorrow--if you are so inclined. I will probably be posting progress reports on Tuesdays--so if you have anything you would like to report you can leave me a comment OR I'll figure something out as I do a weekly blog patrol :) Anyone wanting to sign up: Sign ups will close at 5pm Mountain time on January 1. Happy early New Year! aloha :)

Stashalongers--first off--WOW! I am blown away by all the people that already signed up--thanks :) I know how hard it is to "not" buy yarn--especially when you are making an effort not to--hee hee. I figure that I'll be strong through January, February I'll start to waver, and March will be downright difficult. Enjoy tomorrow and Saturday--finish any last minute ordering and stocking up :) A few thoughts on some comments: Andrea : No pressure to finish too many things(maybe finish something you have on the needles--like, I don't know, Rogue for example)--no pressure though LOL) I don't think some things are finishable(is that even a word?) in three months. Wanda : Buying yarn you had on hold--not a problem--I mean you "have" to buy some yarn with that first paycheck, right? Kate : My husband is beyond thrilled that I'm on a yarn diet--of course, he's not thinking ahead--shouldn't tax refunds be here by the end of March ;) Joanne :...

My Christmas stuff(which is actually for family who read this, but you're welcome to peruse if you like): (1) 30mg iPod(which you all knew about as I got it in November)and two iTunes certificates iPod how I love thee :) (2) Sirius Black's wand( Teri you were so right--separated at birth, I say!) Useless(yet cool) HP item (3) Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone Special Edition (straight from the UK) (4) Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Special Edition (also from the UK) (6) Random knitting goodies(mini Kacha-Kacha, orange chibi(with awesome needles), and Koigu) stash fodder (7) 5 HAED charts( QS Tomboy, QS Storykeeper, QS Motherhood , Faery Tales , and Forest Light -the last was a very pleasant surprise)and some Piecemaker needles (8) Pittsburgh Penguins Uniform for Merino the Lamb(seen here hanging with Tolkien the Bear who belongs to Little Rage). Merino and Tolkien I think I had a some type of regression this year all I wanted were toys :) Special thank yo...

Sign ups have ended. EDIT: Sign ups end January 1 at 5pm Mountain time. Anyone interested in using some of your stash in order to make room for some new spring stuff? Join me in a very informal knitalong. Here are the rules: (1) Must start and try to finish something from your stash yarn(I say "try" to finish because if you pick something huge like an afghan or sweater finishing in three months may not be realistic). (2) You have 3 months and during that time you cannot add to your stash in any way(things ordered before January 1 but not yet delivered do not count--hence the early warning--get it out of your systems, ladies). Of course realistically there is no way to police this, so the honor system is in place. (3) I am beginning on January 1, 2006 and ending March 31, 2006(if there is interest, I'd be glad to start another one after that). (4) Keep me posted on your progress and I will post it once a week--probably Mondays or Tuesdays. I've never attempted to s...

Now … Year in Review meme The drill: Go back through your blog and post the first sentence of the first entry in every month. January and February: No blog. March: Well, I'm not exactly sure how one starts a blog. April: As promised April will be the month I attempt to start Albertville(Dale of Norway Olympic Sweater Pattern). May: Yes, it's true. June: I finished my daughter's socks today--normally I am pretty good at knitting socks, BUT I had to unravel the toe decreases on both of these socks TWICE because I kept getting the length wrong. July: Happy 4th and Happy Belated Canada Day to all who celebrate those things :) August: During my morning bloglutions, I find Margene's post about her knitalongs and in that post I find a link to Eris. September: Firstly, hooray SBQ was suggested by me this week :) October: Arwen and Aragorn have made an appearance this week. November: I finished these last night but waited until today to post so I could get a daylight pi...

I held off on this post because I was hoping to have one finished sock to show off and now I do :) Jaywalker 1 There are things on the hobby agenda this weekend: (1) stitch on Storykeeper (2) finish 1st Jaywalker sock--done Will both of those things get done? I'm not really sure. I have to get my Christmas cards done. I used to be so on the ball with that; I used to have them done by December 1st. That hasn't happened in the last two years. My goal for the last two years was to have them out before New Year's--pretty lame, huh? I also need to find time this weekend to start the XMAS '05 wrapfest. You know next year I am sorely tempted to get everything online and have it wrapped--wouldn't that be awesome! On the plus side I am almost done with shopping. The kiddos are done--well, except for an outfit for Little Rage(but what little kid actually likes getting clothes for a gift--that's why I am not too stressed about it). The kiddos aren't the only o...

Today's SBQ isn't about stitching: It is about blogging and was suggested by AngelSan (http://angelsan.free.fr/blog.php ). Take a minute to reflect on your blog reading habits and preferences. What do you prefer to read in stitching blogs? (Progress, tips, family life, experiences, etc.) How much do you think you are influenced by other stitching bloggers? Great question this week! I actually read more knitting blogs than stitching ones; I'm always searching for really interesting stitching blogs. I love Big A** Projects and blogs that cover that are my primary stitching blog interests. I think that works in progress are what primarily draws me to any blog, but it's also fun to read someone with a sense of humor(which you usually see in stitching mishaps or family stuff). Most blog stuff with me has to do with a connection I feel with the writer: similar interests, similar family issues, similar choices in projects, interesting writing style. Booking Through Thursd...

I finished the Christmas Rose Bag from Handknit Holidays. I did it in lilac and hyacinth Palette yarn from KnitPicks. I only did one repeat of the pattern because I needed a small gift bag for a small gift :) I'm using ribbon for the ties because, frankly, I didn't feel like doing the i-cord. It was fun to knit and great practice for two color knitting. I think this would be a great bag to do in Lamb's Pride Bulky--it would be pretty large. Mini Christmas Rose Bag I started my Jaywalker socks, but I'm a little nervous considering all the problems people have been having with size. I'm a tight sock knitter anyway--I can usually get 10 stitches per inch without trying too hard, so with that in mind I'm knitting this with the help of: size two needles, the largest size cast on, and a bottle of Captain Morgan's(to be mixed with diet Coke or diet Pepsi, of course)--the Captain will help me relax so that I'm not hitting the 10 stitches/inch mark; at least...

I just received the most fabulous gift from my Secret Pal who I now know as Valerie . Pop by and check out her cool blog--very mod indeed. She's also going to be a published author; so send congrats her way! Thanks again, you were an awesome pal!! In this package I received: Nancy Bush's Knitting on the Road(very cool book by an author from my old stomping grounds), 2 skeins of Opal sock yarn(which will be placed on a pedestal and worshipped daily, until they are made into socks), a disposable camera, a little photo album, Christmas soap, bath confetti(in a cute Christmas bulb no less), lip balm(which is especially cool since the picture on it is very HAED oriented--reminds me of my cross stitch stuff), and last--but definitely not least--stitch markers(which I love, love, love--seriously you need to come here and give me lessons, they are absolutely beautiful!!) EDIT: Forgot to add the bottle of Eucalan woolwash--which I have been dying to try--I think I'll give Rogue ...

I was in St. Marks Hospital in Salt Lake City waiting to give birth to my Little Rage. It was a pretty uneventful induction; except for a few heartrate problems near the end. At 8:16pm, Little Rage popped out; all 8lbs. 5oz. of him. I think the best line from the delivery was from DH; when the head came out he said he was thinking(even though he felt bad saying it)that it was a pretty homely girl--although honestly who would look stunning in that particular position. Imagine our surprise when a boy showed up :) We both started tearing up when we saw him. We didn't find out what we were having with either kiddo and I was wrong both times--so much for a mother's intuition. Happy Birthday Little Rage--may the terrible twos be a thing of the past :) We went out yesterday to see Goblet of Fire; DH and Little Diva wanted to see it and I wanted to see it again. Any of you who have know that 2.5 hours is a long movie for an adult, with a 5 and nearly 3 year old it was a crap sho...

TEN random things you might not know about me. 1: I can't stand tardiness. 2: I love red velvet cake. 3: I can't stand apple pie. 4: I really can't stand barbecue sauce. 5: I can't eat pineapple without tasting Vodka(college drinking issue). 6: I taught aerobics/step for almost 3 years. 7: I am prone to road rage issues. 8: I don't like it when adults act like children. 9: I played the clarinet from 5th-12th grade but I've always wanted to learn cello. 10: I am really picky in my music/reading choices NINE places I've visited 1: Toronto 2: Montreal 3: Las Vegas 4: Los Angeles 5: Disney World 6: Disney Land 7: Nashville(if you know my taste in music you'll get why that was a slice of hell) 8: Maui 9: USS Missouri and Pearl Harbor EIGHT ways to win my heart 1: bring cake(not chocolate though) 2: bring yarn 3: bring stitching stuff 4: bring addis 5: iPODs(wait dear husband got that one) 6: be funny 7: be intelligent 8: be supportive SEVEN things I want to d...

I finished Little Diva's mittens, which she has worn to school daily since their completion. Finished object: Little Diva's Mittens WIP Friday--on deck for this weekend: (1) Knitted Gift Bag from Handknit Holidays--I'm using some of the Knit Picks Palette yarn--I chose lilac and hyacinth. (2) Debbie Bliss sweater for Little Rage--Still haven't worked on it; but I'm getting very close to the neck decreases. What I need to start: (1) Jaywalker socks--I already have yarn picked out; I just need to start them. (2) Little Diva's sweater Nano postscript: I was taking a final look around the Nano site yesterday and I noticed that there were 59,703 authors registered and only 9765 actually had verified novels. Just a stat for me--for posterity :) Have a great weekend. I'm off to stitch, knit, grocery shop, Christmas shop, read, parent, and all the other required things :) aloha :)

Sorry I've been MIA most of the week. My eyes and brain needed a break from the monitor after the month long Nano madness. Back to the regularly scheduled programming :) I started another project from Handknit Holidays today. It's the Christmas Rose gift bag. I thought it was going well then I had to rip it out and start over. Stranded knitting and I have a love/hate relationship. I love it but I hate that I'm not very good at it which is a catch 22 because the only way to get better is to do it more. I'm knitting on sz. 3 dpns which is kind of a problem because I've never stranded around the joins--does that make sense? Anyway there are some tension issues there. This weekend I'm starting to stitch on Storykeeper--which I am really looking forward to. AND that's not all, I actually get to start reading a book this weekend. Earth shattering I know, but I put myself on a reading diet last month because I didn't want it messing up my novel. I th...