Knitter in Progress

Booking Through Thursday What is your favorite kind of reading? Novels? Biographies? Mathematical textbooks? Novels and Textbooks What do you like best about your favorite kind of reading? What keeps you coming back to that kind of book? Following a gripping story? Watching characters develop? Being educated about things and places you didn't know about? Letting your mind relax into someplace completely different? I love novels because they take you to places and introduce you to characters that you would have no hope of coming in contact with in real life(at least in the books I read). I like textbooks books because I love to do research(that's weird isn't it?)--if it's a topic I'm interested in then I'll look up everything I can about it. I also really like learning about learning--I guess that's why I went into education :) Booking Through Thursday Have you ever wanted to travel to a place described in a book? Yes. I have read so many books set in Ne...

Magic Witch(18720 stitches) We have a face!! Finally :) I really feel like I am heading for the homestretch now; I'm almost 60% done and I hope to be 100% done by October 1. It's a lofty goal but I think I can do it. I started Magic Witch as my April Project Spectrum piece(for the yellow in the candlelight) and since September will be the tie up loose ends month with Project Spectrum I'll try and finish this and my top down raglan(March's red project). Today's SBQ was suggested by Carolyn (http://www.takingonestitchatatime.blogspot.com/) and is: How do you share your finished pieces with others? Do you frame them, scan and/or photograph them, or do you have another method that you would like to share? I frame them if they are gifts or for display in my house. I photograph them for my finished object album and for different bulletin boards and my blog. Today's SBQs was suggested by Anna M. (http://annamspeed.blogspot.com/) and is: What do you keep your WIPs ...

Trekking Socks--for Trek Along with Me Trekking Socks(#110)--fini!! I used Teri's Nancy Drew pattern and, of course, Trekking XXL in colorway 110. I even have enough left over to make some socks for Little Rage.

This is actually a knitting post!! Can you believe it? With Fall quickly rolling in, my knitting mojo seems to be returning. Besides the Autumn Knit List I posted before, here are the current WIPs that need to either be finished or ripped: (1) March Project Spectrum --red top down raglan--this will get finished. I love the yarn(cascade quattro) and the pattern(knitting pure and simple). Top Down Raglan(Project Spectrum March) (2) Beginner's Triangle--for Amazing Lace --I'm on the decreases so the end is in sight--this will get finished. It's in Knit Picks Shimmer Turquoise Splendor Beginner's Triangle--homestretch (3) Clapotis--I love the yarn(Mountain Colors Bearfoot in Rosehips) and love the pattern(great for knitting group knitting)--this will get finished and I have yarn for another. Clapotis (4) Diva's sweetheart scarf--okay here's the thing, I LOVE the yarn and the pattern BUT it takes forever and I don't think Diva will wear(let alone keep tr...

Magic Witch (18320 stitches) I have finally started her face--I was a little worried about the purplish-blue, but I think it's the shadow cast by the brim of her hat. Today's SBQ was suggested by Ami (http://stitch.thirani.net/) and is: For those of you who use hand or over-dyed floss, how do you store it? I don't really use over-dyed floss. I only have one project(so far) that uses it and those are wound onto cardboard bobbins waiting to be stitched. Today's SBQs were suggested by Ami (http://stitch.thirani.net/) and Anna (http://stitchbitch.blogspot.com) and are: Do you have an organizational system for your fabric? If so, what is it? If not, what do you store your fabric in? I have no organizational system for my fabric; I haven't actually gotten into the fabric hoarding thing(knock on wood). I usually buy fabric when I need it for something I am starting. I have a small stash of 25 and 28 count lugana for HAEDs but it's all white and not really a lot. How...

This week the can kicked me. DH was out of town and I don't sleep well when he's not around, SO Wednesday and Thursday I had a total of three sodas(2 Wed./1 Thurs.). The sad thing is that they didn't even give me the desired effect(waking me up)and they have kind of lost their luster with me. I guess the second part is a good thing, because I don't really WANT any more. So a small hiccup in the road this week but I'm back on track now :) Happy Weekend Everyone!

I'm participating in a stitch-a-thon this week over on the HAED BB(see sidebar for link). Of course Magic Witch is my piece of choice. I need to post a before and after pic--as well as count how many stitches I get done between now and the 20th. Let the insanity begin! Before pic(August 14): Magic Witch(14940 stitches) After pic(August 20--11:30pm): Magic Witch(17120 stitches) So over the course of the week I put in 2180 crosses which brought me to 17120 stitches or 54.6% done--hurray!! I'm sure it won't be enough to win anything in the contest, but I'm pretty happy with what I got done. Especially since the past week has been very hectic with back to school stuff for Little Diva and the usual life things ;)

Well, today officially begins day 8 without any diet Coke/Pepsi. I haven't had any soda at all since last Friday(August 11). The first day was actually the worst--headaches and general crankiness--but it's gotten progressively better as the week progressed. I actually expected to be exhausted all week but I've felt fine AND I've actually slept better. Don't think that I've been caffeine free though; I have been drinking iced tea, but not nearly as much as I was of soda.

Little Diva has returned to school this week, so even though it's August thoughts of autumn are in my mind. It must be a carry over from my childhood when school started in September. Anyhoo, my knitting mojo is coming back--it has been MIA since late spring(you have my most sincere apologies for lack of knitting content as of late)--and I am going to make a list of stuff I'd like to accomplish between now and the end of the year. I reserve the right to add onto/edit this list at anytime between now and December ;) (1) hat and gloves for Diva (2) hat and gloves for Rage (3) annual sweater for Diva (4) annual sweater for Rage (5) sweater for Mommy(I actually have one on the needles that needs finishing) (6) socks for Daddy(he doesn't want me to knit him a sweater) (7) any Christmas gifts I may want to knit I'd love to try Latvian gloves for both kiddos--they are just gorgeous and the options for them are limitless really. Michaele and Wanda gave me a link to some sk...

Lord of the Rings The Belgariad The Black Jewels Trilogy Eldest Knit the Classics(1 summer book) rereading HP4-6 rereading Dark Hunter series : finished Dark Side of the Moon : finished Danse Macabre : finished Sword of Darkness : finished Sword of Darkness by Kinley Macgregor Guernseygal thanks for the recommendation. I finished the book on Saturday. This was a really quick read and if you like the format of the Dark Hunter series, then you'll probably like this series too(as Kinley Macgregor and Sherrilyn Kenyon are the same person). This was the first book in the Lords of Avalon series and I loved Kerrigan(I'm a sucker for dark and disturbed). I'm really looking forward to what the next book brings. I think the only thing about the book that bothered me was the time travel--I don't think it was necessary in the story at all. Booking Through Thursday This week's questions were inspired by Caroline . She can't read The Joy Luck Club without thinking of...

Norma and Sandy are the braintrust behind this : I'll give it a shot. I'll preface this by saying the ONLY times thus far in my adult life that I've given up diet Pepsi/Coke were during my two pregnancies and when I was nursing I limited myself to a can a day. Today I drink at least two cans a day(usually more). I'm anticipating headaches and general crankiness until I get it all out of my system--hurray, good times, good times ;) I think the big hurdle will be that diet Pepsi is my coffee(I don't like the taste of coffee); maybe I can replace it with tea? Tomorrow, August 12, 2006, the can kicking will begin(keep your fingers crossed) ;)

Lord of the Rings The Belgariad The Black Jewels Trilogy Eldest Sword of Darkness(thanks to a recommendation from Guernseygal ) Knit the Classics(1 summer book) rereading HP4-6 rereading Dark Hunter series : finished Dark Side of the Moon : finished Danse Macabre : finished I didn't get through a lot on my vacation but I am still plugging diligently along with the Belgariad; although I may take a brief break to read Sword of Darkness. Booking Through Thursday Do you plan ahead for your reading? Work off of a to-be-read pile? A reading list? Or do you wing it, choose whatever you're in the mood for? I have a "to be read" pile which I stick to most of the time. If you do plan ahead, how far ahead? Do you have two or three books waiting in queue? Or are you backed up by dozens of volumes waiting their turn? Right now it's the list above, but that doesn't count new series books to be released or rereads. If you do not plan ahead . . . well, never ? What about if...

This trek was in July but I'm just getting around to posting it now. It was a trek loaded with danger. It was wet(as it always is by the Falls), the weather was threatening(thunder and lightning were moving in), I had to face my fear of heights, and I had Little Diva and Little Rage in a very un"childproof" situation. Trek #2 with an international view :) It all started with our drive over to Goat Island, which in all the time I lived in WNY I never did. Let me tell you it was really creepy driving over the roaring Niagara River just above the Falls--all I kept thinking was, we're going in. the dangerous view See those railings Diva and Rage are hanging over--the bottom rail is a good 1-1.5 feet above the ground--it would be very, very easy for a kiddo to slip through there and get an up close and personal view of the Falls. The only reasons I was not hanging onto them for dear life there were (1)my mom was right out view and (2)they weren't right on top of th...

My parents, like all grandparents I'm sure, want pictures of their grandkids. And they REALLY want a picture of all 7 of them together. Since my sisters and I are lucky if we all get together once a year, this presents a very limited window of photographic opportunity. Of course proximity does not guarantee a good picture--especially when 7 kiddos under 6 are involved. You're dealing with naps and no naps, fights, tattling, crying, terrible 2(and 3, 4, 5, and 6)behavior, little people who would rather swing or play in the pool than sit for a picture, and parents who are more than happy to let them do all those things rather than fight with them to get them to sit still long enough for a picture. So imagine our surprise when one sweltering hot evening, all 7 agreed to sit, briefly, on the steps of the playhouse my brother-in-law built for a picture. People were hot, sweaty, dirty, and not really dressed the way we would have preferred for a group picture, but the moment of ...

Howdy--long time, no blog! I'm back from Buffahole and the family visit. First thing is first--I have some catching up to do. July was my month to work on Magic Witch(progress in a post below--prevacation) and Eternal Promise(Arwen and Aragorn). Eternal Promise was my July Project Spectrum piece, because it is loaded with shades of purple. Unfortunately, I didn't get much done. Who knew that visiting family and chasing after 7 kids, 6 and under, would be so much work--LOL! No worries though, because I'm in no hurry with this one--which is a good thing because it is huge and it will take forever :) I'm still in the background and will be for the entire top row of pages. The second row actually lets me stitch Aragorn's head, so I've got that to look forward to. Arwen and Aragorn(Eternal Promise)--5800 stitches I have three weeks of SBQ to catch up on, so here we go: Today's SBQ was suggested by Carol (http://carolsxsblog.blogspot.com/) and is: Do you ha...