Saturday, June 30, 2007

My yarn

My yarn is here. It's awesome. Check out the pics at Vanilla KAL

Dog Days of Summer Questionaire

  1. Do you knit, or crochet, or do both? How long have you been knitting\crocheting? My grandmother taught me to crochet when I was a young girl. I did a lot of crocheting up to about 15 years ago. Nobody knit in my family so I wasn't exposed to it. One of my first jobs was a bank teller, back in 1984. One of the other tellers was into knitting and she convinced me to try it. I attempted a sweater, never got much past the body and that was the end of my knitting . My oldest son was born in 1985 and the next 15+ years were too busy ...I have recently, within the last 2 years, jumped into knitting in a big way.
  2. Have you knit dishcloths or dishtowels before? yes, I have. I previously had done just the plain garter stitch type. Just attempted a patterned one, which is posted below.
  3. What are your favorite cotton yarns? Is there a cotton or linen you’ve been dying to try but have not? I have only used "sugar and cream" - I am not even sure what else is out there...
  4. Are there any cotton yarns you don’t enjoy knitting with? See the above question
  5. What type of needle do you prefer using? (Metal/Wood/Plastic) I prefer wood - it just feels sooo smooth - I have a lot of metal -
  6. What other projects do you enjoy knitting or crocheting? I really got into mittens last winter, made tons of pairs. I also did a lot of felted bags - just started exploring socks...They seem too mind consuming for me. I like mindless knitting.
  7. Do you have other hobbies or enjoy other kinds of crafting? I own over 60 Stampin' Up sets. I have been into stamping for a long time, which has lead into scrapbooking. I like to read, although I must admit I haven't taken much time to do that lately.
  8. What kind of treats do you like? Chocolate? Candies? Nuts? Dark chocolate, cinnamon candy, and sometimes sour candy (not so much into the nuts - although I have been known to eat an entire bag of pistachios)
  9. What colors are your kitchen and bath decorated in, if any? I am not very good at decorating. The kitchen has a sage green curtain and white walls (which hopefully will be painted sometime this summer) My bathroom colors lean towards the browns, pink tones.
  10. What are your favorite colors and what colors do you dislike? I really like the browns/pinks/mauves/ - I would say - "earthy"
  11. Do you drink coffee? Tea? Other beverages? coffee only in the morning with Irish cream creamer - otherwise it's Cherry Coke - straight up - not diet
  12. Do you have any kids (human or pet variety!)? I have four of the best young men anywhere as my sons. Jeremy is my oldest at 21, Andy is second at 19, Chris is 16 and my youngest, Nathan is 15.
  13. Do you have any allergies? None that I am aware of.
  14. Please share 3 tidbits about yourself that you think your pal and other swappers might find odd or interesting.
1. I am half "Hawaiian" - my biological Dad lives on the island of Maui. I have met him, he's awesome, but I have never been to Hawaii. It's on my list of things to do before I die.

2. I went back to college at age 36 - got my BS in Secondary Education, Mathematics and a minor in Special education. It was the hardest thing I had ever done.

3. I am the oldest of 5 children and our names go in alphabetical order: Alaina, Benita, Corina, Darren, and Erica. I don't know if that falls under the "interesting" or "weird" heading of information....

Second attempt

This is actually the third attempt at a bag made out of the yarn I originally bought for the felted slippers. I have frogged it twice already - and it might still be too small. (All of you experienced knitters are thinking..."someone tell this woman about gauge" )

I am kinda following a pattern - we'll see how it all ends up...I don't think I am going to do the i-cord for the handle - I am going to attempt more of a formed handle to sew onto the side. I am thinking I should make them out of the second skein, so I can totally use up the yarn on the body of the bag without worrying about the handles... make sense?

It's knitting and it's summer and it's all good.

Friday, June 29, 2007

Button, Button, whose got the button?

Well, I got the pictures of the buttons to show up - they are just not linked to anything. Suggestions??

Shopping

Look at all those colors!!!! I went shopping yesterday with my dear friend Becky. It was all ON SALE!!!! We lunched, we laughed, we shopped...it was awesome.

Having four sons is very special in many ways - shopping is not one of those perks. When I find myself asking fashion advice from a 15 year old boy...well, let's just say it happens more often then it should......sad, huh?

AND...when I got home... my YARN was here!! Oh happy dance!! More on that later.

No knitting or blogging today. I am loading up on the hairspray, determined to "keep those bangs UP"...He asked me to help put siding on the garage... so I am off to play carpenter. "If I were a carpenter, and you were a lady, would you marry me anyway?" Don't know where that came from - but seemed appropriate.

Back soon with tired arms, flat hair and pics of my lucious yarn...and it is soooo lucious.

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Still working on those buttons

My problem is (well the one related to this situation, I have a couple others that could be discussed) is once I get to the "template" tab - I can find "edit html" then I get lost - I can not find a way to "upload" an image.

When I visit someones site and want to take the button - do I right click and "save link as" or "send link" or just copy the image?

I am hoping that I am making this harder than it needs to be.

Attention you expert bloggers - take pity on this helpless newbie floundering around in this sea of confusion. (All you English teachers (especially the newest Title One teacher for Greeneville Middle School) - keep in mind I am just a lowly Math teacher) - my attempts at commanding the English language is ...well, the word escapes me - cuz I am just a math teacher - out of my realm.. Quick..... think.... logarithms, pi, infinity, standard deviations....ohh back to stuff I know..sigh.

Anyways - enough of my random ramblings..I need some serious help if I am going to figure out this button thing...I admit it..I am defeated. (big sigh)

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

stitch markers



Here are the pics of the markers I made - I was really happy with how they turned out - am going to try and make some for my friend Linda...

I am such a softy for a man with a hammer...

He used his charm - He persuaded me - He begged - I finally gave in...I dug around and found my "toolbelt" and buckled it on for the first time in 2 years...

He was "one guy" short for a garage He is building. "Please".. He said.

I spent the morning on top of a 9 foot ladder - "flipping" 24 foot trusses with a 4/12 pitch... all 23 of them (including the gable ends)

I discovered a couple things along the way...

1. I am out of shape.

2. "Hammared" isn't as funny when you're talking about the actual tool.

3. That flab that jiggles under my arm - really is flab - not loose muscle as previously thought.

4. I am out of shape

5. Even hairspray doesn't keep your bangs "up" when you are sweating like a "little piggy"

6. I am out of shape

I should have brought a camera along to post a pic.

It will be interesting to see how high I can lift my arms tomorrow....He might have to rub soothing oils all over my body.....

Monday, June 25, 2007

I AM going to figure this out...

I am trying to figure out how to get the side buttons to show up... I just successfully figured out how to link within the text such as: Dishrag Swap



But - I just can't seem to figure out how to add buttons..Did I mention that Computer Science WAS my original minor in college - b/4 I switched to Special Ed?????

stitch markers

I've been snoopin' around checking out different stitch markers. Decided to jump on in and make some myself... So, went to "THE bead expert" my friend Dawn. After numerous hours of laughter, raunchy jokes, solved a few world problems... I now have one set of 5 and another set of 4 stitch markers... I am sooo excited - way cool!

Off to Duluth to buy more supplies... Yeah!!! Pics coming soon..Don't have time to post them now - it takes forever to upload here at home and I'm being booted... (19 yr old son wants internet for G4s "Free stuff" - if ya don't know what that means - you don't have a teenage geek in your home. hee hee.)

Dishcloths...

I have been practicing - I am not going to be "the weakest" link in the upcoming dishrag tag!!! Go team #5.

Sunday, June 24, 2007

Too small

I finished felting the slippers - unfortunately - the slippers are too small. I washed them twice -I did check gauge... I don't know what I did - they turned out really cute - just won't fit me... or anyone in my house - (My boys are all size 13 shoes) So, I am looking for a little girl to give them to...

Guess I'll just Have to go to the yarn store and buy more yarn... sacrifices we all make..(big sigh)

Saturday, June 23, 2007

Ready for felting


They're in the washer.....One looks larger than the other in the pic - They are actually the same size - I think it's just the angle of the pic that is tricking us.

A mom's dilemma

In my opinion there is sometimes a very fine line between protecting your children, being a good parent and "over-protecting" your children. (I have been accused occasionally of being over protective.) Yesterday was one of those days that I got caught in the middle - trying to decide which side of the fence I was on. The boys (ages 15 and 16) wanted to go swimming at the local lake with their friends. They wanted to go with their friends, not their mother.

In order to get to said lake, they would have to ride their bikes about 3 miles on a sparsely populated, wooded dirt road. In my day, I wouldn't have thought twice biking that road - I did it many, many times. In today's world of "icky" people - I don't like my children biking on such an isolated road. Now, my boys are not small children, they both play center for the school football team. They have also been taught to be polite and respectful of the people they meet as well as how to handle themselves if they were in trouble.

I let them go...I worried about them... I made them call me at start and finish and before they started for home. Protective or over-protective? I don't know - I do the best I can and pray a lot.

Slipper update

After thoroughly investigating the situation - I ripped out the first attempt - made a mad dash to the LYS (30 minutes till closing) - bought new yarn and am happily knitting away on my slippers... one down...one to go. I checked gauge - I was off - I looked closer at the pattern - it calls for bulky weight - I was using medium. I now have the coral striped yarn and absolutely no idea what to use it for. Maybe a small summer purse - so am searching for a pattern other than a booga bag....

Friday, June 22, 2007

Too small

This does not look like it is going to be large enough. With my vast experience felting "booga bags" (is four considered vast?) the piece usually shrinks about a third of the original size. This slipper looks like it is just the right size now! I'll have to do some thinking on this - I am using size 10 and 1/2 cuz I didn't have size 11.... Jeeze...maybe I should knit up a swatch and check gauge!

In the meantime



I have been wanting to knit up some felted slippers. I picked up some yarn last night and thought I would give it a go... however...

Plain Vanilla Pullover KAL




I saw this pattern on Cass

- thought it looked like something I could handle - so, I promptly ordered the pattern and yarn in periwinkle blue.

I am anxiously awaiting arrival......
Click here to join Vanilla KAL

furry face



What would a pic be without the fat cat throwing her weight around?

1st project

I found it! This is my first scarf I attempted. And yes, it is as ugly in person as the picture shows. I got excited about doing those furry scarves. I made everyone a furry scarf - whether they wanted one or not. They all politely "ohhed and ahhed" and thanked me...and then disposed of it properly...

Thursday, June 21, 2007

Lotus Knits!: Yarn Contest!

Lotus Knits!: Yarn Contest!

Check this out! Pics of my new project... coming soon...or maybe my first project.... If you enter from my site - please give me credit - so I get another entry.

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Spiders

We decided to go to the local 'burger spot" for supper. (Burgers are 2 for 1 on Tuesdays) Being an awesome evening - we decided to take the convertible with the top down ('95 Sunbird) - Two teenagers crammed in back - top down and radio blaring - doesn't get much better.... We arrive at the burger spot - and Chris announces he's got "spiders crawling all over him" - I look behind me (yes! BEHIND ME) and he does indeed have tiny, baby spiders all over his cream colored shorts. I can't tell you how fast I bailed out of the car.... I don't do spiders. He knew better than to mention the spiders as we were driving down the road - his mother would have bailed at 55 mph. Auuuggghhh! (I still had to get in the car for the ride home...)

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

My boys...

Just realized I haven't said much about my boys. My boys range in age from 15 to 21. Two are in college (age 21 and 19) - each about four hours away (in different directions) One came home for the summer, the other is working and taking summer classes. I miss them terribly when they are away. The younger two (age 15 and 16) both have their driver's permits and are working at the local strawberry farm, picking weeds for now and then berries when they ripen next month.

Without getting too sentimental (have I mentioned how easily I cry?)...I am very very proud of each of them for the unique, awesome individual they have turned into.

Maybe I'll find a pic to post.

Chris' hat


I was surprised at how fast this actually knit up. I used Lamb's Pride - worsted weight. (love that stuff) My next attempt is going to be grey with some bright stripes. I think I will blanket stitch around in white when I line it.

Chris' hat


yup - I know the pic is sideways...do you really expect me to figure out how to turn it?
Chris is my "brand name" child. Needless to say, when he asked me to knit him a hat... I was astounded - then touched. This is the resulting hat and also my first attempt at using two colors. I am planning on lining it with fleece sometime this summer so it's ready for football pepband. I wanted to add the tassle on top but that was just a little too much for my son.

Sqeekers getting in the pic


As I am taking pics - look who had to get her furry face involved. Gotta love her.

second attempt at socks


Here is my second attempt at socks. I am making this pair again for myself. I really like the self-striping yarn and of course the blue will go well with jeans. I am going to try to make this pair a little smaller. Wish me luck - straying from the pattern... getting brave in my old age.

My socks...

My first attempt/success at a pair of socks. I am so very proud of them... don't look too closely - there are a couple "oops" in there...but all in all - they turned out okay. I can't believe I figured out how to "turn the heel" all by myself - I won't say how many times I ripped back - and on those tiny little needles.....

me

Well, I figured out how to get the pics smaller - I might eventually get this all figured out...

My pretty kitty

Meet "Squeekers"... We live in her house (at least that's what she thinks)

Monday, June 18, 2007

Monday morning

I am new at this blogging business... perhaps I have nothing to say that anyone will want to read? If by chance someone has happened upon my little corner of the world - please leave me a message - so I don't feel so very alone....

I've been thinking about my knitting - I joined the dishrag tag http://dishragtag.yarnmiracle.com/ - I am a little nervous about that - it's all new to me.

I will have to post some pics of my knitting accomplishments. The greatest ~ finishing my first pair of socks. Speaking of socks - I should work on finishing the second pair, perhaps this afternoon. I've decided that besides being a little anal - I am most definitely ADD at times - seems like I have to have at least three things going at once....keeps life interesting.