knits and knitability

Be Saavy, Not Fearful!

2011-09-27T10:56:00.001-07:00

I've been pondering the whole "green" movement with all its trends and legislature. Perhaps its because I was raised conservatively that it seems rather silly to me that it has been made into a fanciful, lucrative industry. We were always taught to turn off the lights when we left a room, to reuse non-biodegradeable items and not to take more than we needed. The difference is that we weren't taught these things to "save the earth". We were taught to control our personal covetous and greedy desires. I'm not saying we were perfect and that there was never any waste, but the idea was to be a good steward of whatever we were entrusted to whether it be relationships or things. So for me, as an adult, its perfectly natural to save plastic bags for reuse. I use them for many things from insulating windows in my garage (small spaces at the bottom of the windows)to putting them over the kids' socks before they put on their boots in heavy snow (to prevent moisture getting into the feet). My "Tupperware" consists of old butter and/or sour cream tubs. I have only on very rare occassions used paper towels. For us growing up they were too expensive. We used kitchen towels or rags for spills or clean up. I do the same today. There's no need to buy expensive "all natural" cleaning brands either. I used vinegar, Dr Bronner's and water for my hard floors. I clean almost everything in my house with Dr. Bronner's castille soap. I use eucalyptus oil for flea and tick control and sometimes a bit of diatomaceous earth. When a heavy scrubbing is needed I use Bar Keeper's Friend. It has the nice side effect of polishing as you scrub. I sprinkle carpets with baking soda for a fresh smell and keeping fleas and ticks away. I use Borax for fleas, ticks, fungus, laundry, you name it. I use diluted vinegar for windows and mirrors, and used them all in the same plastic spray bottles for years. I know the spray bottle I use for Dr. B's is about 5 years old and still going strong. I used cloth diapers on my kids when they were little. Its less expensive, healthier and they just look so cute in them. I am a huge proponent of teaching my children never to take more food than they can eat. Waste is a sign of glutony and we don't encourage it here. That doesn't me we don't love to indulge them, give them gifts, etc.. We just want them to appreciate the value of God's creations and all His abundance. But I say this all to end with my own personal sentiment that remains. We don't do these things because we fear limited resources or that somehow God will forget us in the future. I have had times when I've had much and times when I've had very little. I've not been forsaken. Nor will I ever be. So, we opt to be responsible with what God has provided with the attitude and philosophy of good stewards rather than fearful people who believe their God will fail them. We're not perfect, but He is. Phew!

Happy Summer!

2011-06-21T10:24:00.000-07:00

Model: Bethany Bressler
Photo: Christine H. Wilkins

Happy Summer to all! I'm not a huge fan of the really hot days, but I like them better than I do the really cold ones. I guess that might be strange for a knitter. It kinda goes against all those lovely hand knits that sit in my cedar chest during warmer months, but I have designed a solution to that. My new design is a Summer knit that goes easily over tank tops or tees to give them that little extra something that they need. This pattern is available on Ravelry. The pattern is called "Giselle" and if you want to find me on Ravelry I'm Gertrudeperkins. The pattern is only 1.99 and is so easy and fast that it can be knit in a weekend! It is going to be a breeze for experienced knitters as well as beginners. Let me know if you try it and have any questions. I would be glad to help.

Lynyrd Skynyrd

2011-04-29T09:35:00.000-07:00

Here's the comment I left on their website.

I had to drop in and say that even though I've been a fan since I was very young I had never seen LS live before until last night. It was sort of a short show in a smaller venue than I'm sure they've played in years gone by, but LS was tremendous. Innsbrook was rocked by one of the very few (anymore) extremely talented group of musicians who actually know how to play their instruments and play them WELL. I wonder how many of the audience actually knew it. We did. My children were totally into it too. From my 16 year old to my 6 year old, they were dancin' and enjoyin' the talented performance that is Lynyrd Skynyrd. Not only was this performance noteworthy on so many levels that I cannot do it justice, but LS is also an iconic representation of southern rock n roll on the whole.

I was caught off guard recently when mentioning of few of my favorite bands, Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Allman Bros., Boston, etc. when I realized the young person I was talking to had no idea who any of these bands were. Yikes! In a current age of snot nosed, gimme gimme gimme a free hand out, Obama gets a nobel peace prize, Justin Bieber and Lady Goo Goo are somehow talented or artists kinda world I just have to ramble a little. I say make sure you go out and see these bands. Enjoy the sound of real instruments being played by real musicians, true artists who make ya feel the natural vibes of real life. Take a moment to spend 20. or whatever it is to see these guys (and gals) and grab a piece of musical history that just may spark a new generation of talented people who don't rely so heavily on effects, computers and synthesizers to make them sound remotely listenable.

We maybe older and not as able to "whoop" as loud as we used to, but here in Virginia we appreciate Lynyrd Skynyrd for all their musical talents and their heart. Thanks for coming to my town. Hope to see you again!

For tour dates.

Ballet and Knitting

2011-04-14T09:55:00.001-07:00

Last night I jumped in on the Adult Ballet II class. Wow, what a workout. I knew all the movements and steps. I just wasn't used to executing them that fast. The combinations were so fun and challenging. My pirouettes stink, but I have already made it my goal this year to be able to perform atleast a single, clean pirouette from fifth and fourth positions. Also, I will be moving up to Ballet II. Our instructor is so sweet and really gives attention to her adult students which I hear is pretty rare. I don't know how one can get so addicted to an activity that causes so much muscle soreness the next day. I read where a company member at our school said he was addicted to the sore muscles. I think there must be some truth to that for me. I can see my body getting stronger. My daughter is getting stronger too. People at the ballet keep telling me how gifted she is at ballet and how graceful and beautiful she is. She really loves it. I am so grateful to the Lord for leading us in this direction. I admit; she is a joy to watch. I am so looking forward to her performance in a couple of months.

I am excited about my newest pattern published again in Cast On Magazine May-July 2011 Issue. I hope someone (anyone?) will knit this pattern, and let me know what you think of it. Feedback is important. :-)

Happy Spring!!!

Underrated Artist David Wilcox

2011-03-24T12:24:00.000-07:00

Keepin' It Simple...Keepin' It Real

2011-03-15T14:04:00.001-07:00

Sometimes after knitting tedious projects such as three stranded colorwork, complicated celtic cabling, a sweater coat large enough to fit your XXL husband or ANY type of lace work your hands need a bit of a break. I would say they need a stretch of the legs, but I think you take my meaning. Sometimes you just need to knit something simple in between mind boggling patterns, something your hands can just fly through, something that can be completed in a day or two. I've been designing now for a while, mostly for Cast On Magazine. I am such a perfectionist (not to be confused with "perfect") that I go over and over and OVER directions, stitch counts, etc. that I almost can't even see the pattern anymore. So I sat down and decided to knit myself a pair of Lion's Brand Fisherman's Worsted Weight
2X2 ribbed socks to put on over my ballet shoes when its cold and my feet need to warm up fast. I can't tell you how rewarding they are. They aren't pretty. They're even a little scratchy against the skin. They're the color of dirt. They don't make anyone say, "Wow, you made that?" They're purely functional. Ahhhh! :-)

You know what I mean...don't you???

A Little Catching Up

2011-03-02T11:04:00.000-08:00

I guess I'm just in a sock period. I am working on designing a sweater coat that I am very excited about. I'm gonna try for my first pattern (for sale) on Ravelry. We'll see. It has been sorta slow moving. The socks, however keep flowing. I was published last quarter in Cast On Magazine for a pair of socks called "Deco Socks". The colorwork in this pattern is so easy, fun and great for a beginner to colorwork. I was worried at first that the top of the sock wouldn't hold up without a proper ribbing, but this has not been the case. Actually, they hold up great. I can't stand sinking socks. Bleh. I have a lace sock pattern coming out in the next issue of Cast On that was very fun to design. I happen to love these socks. They are so feminine. I will post a picture after the issue is out.

I'm so busy these days with homeschooling, ballet and my 5 wondeful kiddos that I don't have much time for blogging. I guess this is my token blog since its been about a year since my last entry. I can hardly wait for Spring. Around here we have one cold day followed by a warm one, so I can tell its trying to break through. I wonder how I could give it a little push? :-)
My daughter laid claim to the felted clogs I was making for myself at Christmas time.

This pattern is much easier than it may look. I did have to wash them a couple of times in order for them to shrink properly. But I love the end result.
I also put up a new FREE pattern on Ravelry. Its called "Tendu". It was designed for my daughter who takes ballet. The pattern is very easy to size up for an adult. Just add more length. I strongly recommend using cotton for that project if it will be worn for functional purposes.

You can message me if you are having trouble sizing up or down. I'd be glad to help.
Happy End of Winter! :-) ...hopefully soon.

Beach Baby

2010-06-22T13:21:00.001-07:00

"Beach Baby" is finally out published in the Summer 2010 Issue of Petite Purls . I am so excited about this pattern. It is relatively easy to knit and comes out so cute. I have knit it three times so far myself. I love multi-color stranded knitting. As many little people as I have in my life it makes sense I'd have to come up with something like this eventually. I hope you enjoy the pattern if you decide to knit it. Feel free to pm me on Ravelry if you have any questions. I am GertrudePerkins.

Ballet is going great. I am finally doing my developpes correctly and not raising my stubborn ole hips. Hoorah!

Happy Summer!

No Swan

2010-05-14T09:10:00.000-07:00

I'm still taking classes and just loving it. My wonderful hubby took me to Swan Lake last weekend. It was fabulous. I'd never seen Swan Lake. I've been to see the Nutcracker a few times, and I saw Cinderella at the Bolshoi. This was the best. If that wasn't enough he also made a studio for me in the garage. Mind you, the floor is concrete so I won't be able to do any big jumping, but there is a large mirror on the wall with my own barre and even a video monitor overhead for me to practice with videos. He's such a sweetie! I'm no swan...but I want to learn this so badly. I have really come to love ballet. I'm addicted for sure. When I started ballet in December I could barely lift my leg 4 inches off the ground while standing in first. I feel so strong now.

I will have a new pattern published soon in Petite Purls if you're interested.

Fulfilling Childhood Dreams

2010-02-21T15:21:00.000-08:00

"When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things."

When I was a child I wanted to be a ballerina. I don't think its too uncommon a dream for a young girl. When I was about 6-7 years old I used to put on the Nutcracker and make any guests my parents ever had sit down and watch me "perform". Now I am older and long past the years at which point a ballerina retires. But I'm outta shape. I'm looking for a a personal challenge, and the silly girlhood dream and the necessity to get fit have converged.

I took my first real class last Saturday. I was so nervous that my tight covered knees were literally knocking. Slightly late for class I took my place at the back of the line up at the barre. I worked hard, tried to utilize the proper technique that I have been learning through ballet dvd classes and found that I had really learned alot from viewing them. The instructor was great, and class was a blast. I had so much fun that I left with a spring in my step and a smile in my heart. I can hardly wait for the next class. My personal goal is to get en pointe. I know it takes long, real, hard training, but that is my goal.

Here's to not acting like a child in that we put away childish thoughts and reasoning and to a God who loves us all as His own children and gives us the desires of our hearts. Cheers with chocolate cookies and a latte'!

Demi Knitting

2010-02-08T11:32:00.000-08:00

I've wanted to knit Demi since I ordered this Rowan book a couple of years ago. I started to knit Salina and just got too bored of it and frogged it. I decided that the Reynolds Whiskey I've had FOREVER and the Demi pattern must be destined for each other, and so it begins. I've already made a couple of mistakes on the back section. They aren't noticeable enough to rip. I can hardly believe I'm saying that since I am a true perfectionist, but I really just don't feel like it. The snow is still piled in my yard. Its dreary and cold outside, and I hate to complain or wish it away, but I really am a little anxious for spring. I guess I'll just knit to pass the time. Nice excuse to knit, huh?

I also decided I'd knit little squares in garter stitch to used up odds and ends that won't amount to much of any kind of garment. I hate waste, so I'm thinking it will all turn to be a nice afghan some day.....slowly, but surely.

Finished!

2010-01-30T09:33:00.000-08:00

Maybe everyone knits this fast and easy, and I'm just not aware of it. I can't say it enough. This is truly a great knit. I've enjoyed every hour of it. I cannot say that about most patterns I knit. There is always some boring bit with yards and yards of stockinette or garter stitch or worse, there are the ones that I just can't seem to translate the right handed writer of the pattern for my left handed brain. Those buggers make me wanna give up knitting all together. My kids know that when mom says "shit" it means she's got some frogging to do.

Try this pattern. You won't be disappointed. I only used three skeins of Knit Picks Palette in Tumeric for this project. That makes the yarn a little more than 12 dollars, and it took me 6 days to knit.

Blocking (last night)

Its Growing!

2010-01-29T10:18:00.000-08:00

This shawl is probably the easiest thing I've knit in a long time. It is beautiful and intricate looking, but looks can be deceiving. The repeats are easy peasy to memorize. I find I can easily answer math questions, break up sibling arguements, keep an eye on dinner and even watch the news while knitting this baby. I highly recommend this for beginners in lace. I'm at the edging now. I've only been knitting this shawl for about four-five days. Yes, I'm a fast knitter (as you see in the video of me knitting), and I've been knitting for a long time. You try it. You'll see what I mean. This is a great pattern. Its easy to modify the size by reducing the repeats which is what I had to do to incorporate the larger gauge yarn. It takes no math at all to alter for size and gauge. I give it two thumbs way up!

Birthdays Coming Up

2010-01-27T06:46:00.000-08:00

I have a couple of birthdays on the horizon. My niece and my mother have birthdays in February. I just started the Fountain Pen Shawl by Susan Lawrence. It is printed in the Spring 2009 Issue of Interweave Knits. I actually ordered this to do Eunny's vest in this issue and still haven't knit it. I'm so tired (for now) of fretting over writing patterns I wanted to take a break and knit someone else's pattern. I really like this one. Its fast and easy. Don't be intimidated by the fact that its lace. If you can do deacreases and and yarn over you're good! It woud be a great first lace project for someone. I'm loving it. I'm knitting it in a golden colored fingering weight yarn. Its Palette by Knit Picks in case anyone is interested. Its not the gauge yarn called for, but I love this color and I like a slightly heavier shawl personally. I wear very few things only because of the way they look. I absolutely demand that they be comfortable. This will be more of a winter shawl for sure. She may even decide to leave it draped across her couch. We'll see. I'll keep ya posted on any modifications I need to make while changing the gauge.

Love Ewe

2010-01-13T10:11:00.000-08:00

I designed these little sheep last summer. My children love to play with them. I have always preferred my children to play with Waldorf-esque toys to plastic, battery powered junk. Somehow it just seems like they are using their own imagination more without all the fanfare.

These really are a quick and easy knit. It is also a great opportunity to use up bits and pieces from your stash. I used Cascade worsted 10ply, but any ole worsted weight would do.

Working the body.

The inside before stuffing.

This pattern is available on Ravelry for free. Just click on the link to the right.

Enjoy!

Top Ten Things I Learned This Year

2009-12-24T08:35:00.000-08:00

10. All increases are NOT created equal.

9. Just because something can be knit doesn't mean it should.

8. When faced with opposition of the aggressive type you'll never lose when you respond in LOVE.
7. I would rather have crab grass than no grass at all.

6. Marriage is work.....no matter who you're married to...if it isn't, you're not doing it right. (The same applies to children.)
5. Having a real tree in the living room is kind of a cruel thing to do to dogs and toddlers.
4. Never leave my toddler alone with a chair. He can get into all kinds of mischief to put it mildly.
3. Neighbors can be good things.

2. I need some Ravelry time limits. :-)

1. When someone comes around promising change no matter how charismatic they are make sure its the kind of change you want before you consent.

Merry Christmas!

There Is No Such Thing As "Spare Time"

2009-12-10T12:43:00.000-08:00

There just don't seem to be enough hours in a day to accomplish all I'd like to do. So I'll have to settle for prioritizing my projects and my time. Ugh! Christmas is fast approaching. I've made jewelry for my sisters and mother this year. I think they've gotten a little tired of knitted gifts. We'll see if they are happy or disappointed. My hubby requested I design him a sweater coat. I get tons of wear out of mine and now he wants one. So its not that big of a deal except he wears a 2X and its a COAT. So its getting pretty heavy (100% peruvian wool) eh hm....and I'm really tired of the design pattern already. Thank the LORD I finally figured out how to cable without a needle or this would be a Christmas 2010 present.

We did finally finish the chairs, and they are well loved already baby!

My grandmother requested I make her a bib. Apparently in the retirement community she lives in they are all the rage. Here's a picture. The pattern will be up on Ravelry tonight I'm sure.

Anywho, I have Christmas cookies and yulecaka to make. Hoorah!

And just a peek at the hubby sweater sketch....

Yippee! The set is finished!

2009-11-16T06:43:00.001-08:00

I didn't think he'd do it. The first chair took a couple of weeks to motivate him to finish. Lo' and behold he goes and gets the materials for the second chair and even designed the table at midnight to complete the set. I'm blessed. :-)

I'm out in this quarter issue of Cast On. Its the November 2009-January 2010 issue if anyone is interested. You can look for retailers here.

Here is the hat in Trekking XXL.

My Birthday Present

2009-11-09T10:58:00.000-08:00

My man made this for me for my birthday this year. After much consideration I've decided to stain them instead of painting them. I so prefer the natural design of the wood to painting these days. Hopefully soon this adirondack chair will be accompanied by another adirondack chair and an adirondack table for my porch. I'm so excited. He did such a great job.

When Creativity Gets Frustrating

2009-11-05T06:50:00.000-08:00

We're coming up on my third published pattern. The first two were a breeze. The third has turned out to be quite a bit more frustrating. A few times I've gotten to those moments when you just want to throw the knitting across the room, use your needles for darts at the computer screen and say "forget it". The problem is that I enjoy this so much I can't stop myself. So I push past the frustration and go for it. I guess I'm addicted to it now. I knit the Veronique Avery's Lace Ribbon Scarf just to prove to myself I could still knit someone else's pattern. I've submitted a pattern to Knitty more than a month ago. I still haven't heard back from them. People on Ravelry keep telling me that the long wait usually means good news and a quick response is usually a reject. I guess we'll see soon. I have a mountain of stacked designs in my head just itching to get on my needles. My husband wants me to design him a cardigan for Christmas. I just finished a lovely vest I'm calling The Lady of Chalot. I can't show all these designs anymore on my blog because most companies want pattern submissions that haven't been shown anywhere. So you'll have to take my word for it. Its adorable. I've got a fairisle baby sweater pattern I'll be sending off to another magazine shortly. I've got to design a size up for it. My 5 year old saw it and claims he must have one. It is pretty cute. Its called Beach Baby. I've been sewing dresses for my daughter and myself for the past three days. My back has been hurting so much I had to get up from the knitting for a bit and sew something. Winter is almost here and with it comes the necessity for sweaters and knit socks. I only wish I could knit faster.

Cell Phone Cozy

2009-08-29T08:22:00.000-07:00

Here's a new free pattern for you guys.
Cell Phone Cozy
By: Christine H. Wilkins
Okay, so I know you’re saying to yourself, “A cell phone cozy, does my
phone really need a cozy and why should I take my precious time to
knit it one?”
Reasons to knit your cell phone a cozy:
Your cell phone works hard for your every day…What have you done
for “it” lately?
The tea pot has a cozy, the Ipod has a cozy, even the coffee mug has a
cozy. All day, every day your cell phone has to know that it’s the only
appliance now without apparel.
Just look how snug and warm the cell phone in the picture looks. You
really don’t want your cell phone to catch any of those crazy viruses
out there.
For less than ten cents a day you can support your cell phone (and
others like it) by taking a few moments a day to knit a round or two
towards helping your cell phone have a brighter and happier future.
Really? I mean, don’t we have enough knitted “things” by now…its all
about the yarn addiction baby, and you know it.
Materials:
Leftover sock yarn (Regia), about enough for one baby sock (2oz.?)
Color “Rio”,
Co 48 sts
K 3 rounds.
*Yo, k2 tog*, repeat to the end of round.
Knit plain stock st rounds to 4 “from co edge or to just a “tad” longer
than your cell phone.
Turn your work inside out and bo off all sts using the three needle
bind off method.
Seam co edge to inside of cozy so that your picoted edge becomes the
opening edge.
Enjoy!

You Learn Something New Every Day

2009-08-23T14:25:00.000-07:00

Atleast I feel like I learn something new every day. A few days ago my mother in law (also a knitter) sent me this interesting "Flat Feet" product. Anyone seen one of these before. Maybe I'm just behind on the times. That wouldn't shock me at all. I had never seen one and can't wait to come up with a pattern for this yarn. I was thinking maybe striped with black yarn? Hmmm. Any ideas?

I had some left over Regia sock yarn I thought I'd use for something little. Here ya go....a cell phone cozy. Its all I had enough yarn for. I'll put it up as a free pattern on Ravelry soon just in case anyone else is interested.

So glad its cooling down some here. This heat is oppresive. I'm thinking next year we'll get the a/c fixed. :-)

Why Is Knitting For Babies So Much Fun?

2009-08-15T20:29:00.000-07:00

I can start a new design or something for myself and it seems to take forever, but along comes a cute little baby and the knitting just flies! I was babysitting a cute little bundle this week which also happened to be her birthday. Lucky me! I got inspired by the cute little fat rolls and big blue eyes.

On the other hand I have ripped/frogged about a dozen different designs that started off pretty cool but sorta petered out toward the middle. I dunno what's got into me. I seem to have knitters block or something. I finished the Ribbon Lace Scarf by Veronik Avery last week for a friend's birthday. That was fun. It was actually a relief to knit someone else's design for a change. It was almost like taking a vacation from designing. Have I knitted the heck outta the fun of designing? I hope not. I'll be out in the winter issue of Cast On. I'd like to be in the following issue as well. We'll see.....maybe its the heat? Hmmmm...I'll blame it on the heat. :-)

Its Out!

2009-07-27T09:17:00.000-07:00

The waiting is over. My pattern is finally out in the fall issue of Cast On. These are some lousy pictures...but some of my friends wanna see. Right? It isn't a fancy pattern. I know. I'm a little nervous that there will be alot of errors or something lame like that. Thanks for all the input and support you guys!

Mates

2009-07-14T12:45:00.000-07:00

I scrapped the last blue cotton sweater. The lattice (I felt) was just gonna be too stretchy for the sleeves. I was concerned that with regular wear it would get all droopy. I am really loving this plaited sleeve though. Tell me whatcha think! Also, gratuitous pic of my Phoebe's new mate. Of course he's gotta get a little older, but ain't he cute??? He is a present for my daughter who cut off ten inches of her hair to send to Locks of Love. We were so proud of her. It was all her idea. She couldn't bear the thought that some little girls didn't have any hair at all.

This apple pie was made by substituting half of the normal white flour for whole wheat. It came out lovely!

They Just Keep Comin'

2009-06-18T08:46:00.000-07:00

I barely finish a garment I've designed and a new pattern pops into my head. I hastily and nervously pick up my pencil and begin sketching a new idea. I get excited about the new design and either put down my current project to see if the new one will work out or finish it with speed knitting in order to move on to the next new design. This seems to be the pattern lately. No pun intended. :-) They just keep coming.

I was reminiscing the other day about how my first project designed in the round consisted of a gazillion yo's. This, due to the misinformation that all increases were yo's. Can I get a big OOOPS!?! Needless to say back then I just filled all those tiny holes in with thread. Duh! Now, these days I much prefer a good lifted increase to any other method. For some reason I'm attracted to the way things fan out with the lifted increases, there are very discreet discrepencies in the knitting and it has a sorta relaxing rythm to it that keeps my knitting peaceful.

These two new projects are a result of some yarn bought for me for mother's day. I don't think I need to tell you they were out of the package and on my needles before anyone could say "what's for dinner mom?"

And I Thought I Was Taking a Break

2009-05-21T13:26:00.000-07:00

Lacrosse season is over and Woo Hoo...I'll miss it though....all those knitted dishcloths during practice.

Usually I take a break from knitting in the spring/summer months. Let's face it, when it gets to the hotter months its just no fun having a lump of wool in your lap especially if you live in humid places. Nevertheless, I just can't stop myself this year. I am getting published again! ....in Cast On Winter issue. So don't forget to buy fall and winter Cast On issues. ;-) I am designing a top down, in the round raglan sweater for myself hopefully to be published at a later date in a book? That's my sorta extravagant idea. Now that my second pattern has been accepted I gotta knit up the garment for the magazine. They sent me this lovely yarn from Kollage so aptly named "Scrumptuous". It is sooooo soft and yummy. I know the price is outta my league, but if you guys can afford it....go for it. The color is so rich and genuine.

Back to the top down raglan for a second....the short rows underneath the armpits really gave me a bother. That is putting it nicely I assure you. I got on ravelry and asked everyone I could bother about it. I searched You Tube for videos explaining short row hole closures. It just wasn't working for what I was trying to make it do. I kept ending up with the dang HOLES. Blast! So, what finally figured out is that it just takes some fiddling with. I did the wrap and turns, but I also on subsequent rows lifted stitches from behind the holes and knit them together with stitches. It ain't perfect. In fact, I think I was hoping for totally invisible short rows. However, in light of it all it does seem to work into the sorta decreases I want to do on the body shaping part so all is not lost. Yea!
Here's a peek at the progress and the short rows.

Just some little remnants. I ALWAYS try to used them. I hate waste.

Spring Projects

2009-05-04T12:38:00.000-07:00

Well, I haven't taken on any big knitting projects for a while. My hubby and I are in the middle of making a window seat for my daughter's bedroom. It isn't much to see at the moment. Our family is getting a kitten in three weeks from a friend. I made her a bunch of ballband dishcloths as a "thank you". I think I need a break from dishcloths now. Phew!

Free "Kitty" Eye Patch Pattern As Promised

2009-04-15T08:36:00.000-07:00

“Kitty” (eye patch)
“Kitty” is an eye patch designed for my daughter who has a lazy eye. “Kitty” can also be used as a headband.
Materials: Left over Sockottta sock yarn, size 1 dpns, tapestry needle
“Kitty” is described here as a one size fits all pattern. However, it would be easy to size up if you just added more length to your I-cord.
Ears are worked first, one at a time and left on the needle together
First ear
-*CO three sts
-knit in stockinette stitch for three rows
-on fourth row K1, Inc 1, K1, Inc 1, K1
-work fifth through eighth rows in stock stitch
-ninth row K2, Inc1, K1, Inc1, K2
-work 10-13 rows in stock stitch
-14th row knit across all sts and leave on needle*
Second ear
-Repeat from *-*
Head
-Having both finished ears on the same needle begin on ws by purling across all sts joining them together
-Knit 2 rows in stock stitch
-Next row, (RS) K2, Inc1, six times total
-Work 17 rows in stock stitch
-Next row (RS) decrease 1 stitch each end of every row 7 x’s
-bind off
Repeat these instructions for a second head and use a contrasting color.
Make an I-cord for the strap. I used a 9 stitch I-cord that is approximately 14 inches long. Embroider your cat eyes, nose and mouth on the front of the faces (RS). Turn faces together inside out and stitch them together leaving ½ “ opening
at kitty eye level for sewing in the I-cord. Seam in your I-cord and you’re done!

"Henley Perfected" in "Whiskey"

2009-04-12T12:54:00.000-07:00

So, I finally finished my Henley Perfected from Interweave Knits magazine. I love, love, loved the Reynolds Whiskey in this pattern. However, even though I got gauge the sweater is a little snug. I'd prefer atleast a half inch of ease all the way around. I don't wear sweaters unless I wear a tshirt or a camisole underneath so the itchiness of Whiskey won't bother me. If you're thinking of doing Henley Perfected in Whiskey I suggest you take into account the "itch" factor. The color is Tobacco and is just lovely in the light. I don't know if you can see it well enough here. I finally sent off my finished pattern to Cast On magazine. I pray pray pray there are NO mistakes in it. I guess we'll see. I did tell you I'd post the free pattern for my eye patch. I will get around to that soon. I have been busy refinishing old furniture and doing the usual spring time sprucing up around here. Isn't spring great? With the help of some great new Hawaian coffee my husband ordered everything is shaping up nicely. :-) My next big tackle is exams this week. Bleh.

Thanks Mason -Dixon Ladies

2009-04-07T12:35:00.000-07:00

I was given a beautiful set of dining room chairs by my neighbor. One man's (or woman's in this case) trash is another man's treasure. Right? So I wanted to knit her something quick and easy to say thank you. I had wanted to knit the ballband dishcloths from Mason-Dixon Knitting for a while now. I knit her three and gave her a bar of all purpose hand-made soap (made by a friend). Then I started knitting some for myself. Now I have the pattern memorized along with my favorite sock pattern. I think I can knit these in my sleep now. Ha. :-)

In addition to that I have been totally into this today. I want to finish my window box maybe with somethings from the sewing and gardening sections.

Winter is over...hopefully.

2009-03-27T10:51:00.000-07:00

With all the cold weather we had this year we only had one good snow day to show for it. We were able to build a snowman, and our great pyrenees just thought he was in heaven.

I'm a little cold shy though. Thank God spring is on its way!!! I am so looking forward to warmer days. Still, the winter gave me time to work more with my Breadman machine. On the days my kids have lacrosse and baseball I can time the Breadman so that fresh baked bread is done the minute I walk in the door. How nice. I also made some cinnamon buns. The dough was made in the breadman. They were delicious.

I am finally done knitting up the garment for my pattern in the fall issue of Cast On. I just need to type up the pattern now and send the bugger off. Thank you for all the kind words and congratulations. I feel undeserving as there are so many more talented knitters than myself out there...eh hem....eh, Eunny Jang...for instance. Still, people like that inspire me. I appreciate great artisans. Happy Spring everyone!!!

Projects in The Works and a Free Pattern

2009-03-17T09:37:00.000-07:00

As stated earlier I am getting published for the first time. The yarn they sent was waaaay off gauge, but I was not inclined to complain as this is my first attempt at submitting a pattern and product. It has a taken a bit of tweeking my original pattern (in aran weight silk) for the yarn they sent (a fingering weight milk/wool). It helps that the yarn they sent has a wonderfully soft and luxurious feel to it. It makes the frustration easier to deal with. ;-)

Just look at that squishy, yummy goodness. Its Kollage 1/2 N 1/2. I had never used yarn made of milk before.

Just a sneak peek. :-)

My other little project I will post here for anyone who might be interested. It was inspired by my daughter's hating to wear her eye patch (due to a lazy eye). The eye patches are ugly and plain...you know, not girly. So I decided to knit her one. I was first concerned about the fibers getting into her eye. Knit tightly and using a cotton blend helped this problem. This patch is reverseable and cute (imo). I will post the finished product soon.
Cute little kitty heads.

...and an I-cord.

My last photo is just an update on my "Perfected Henley" from Interweave Knits Mag. I only have the sleeves to finish, but what can I say??? I get kinda flighty when i comes to finishing these things sometimes. I was so excited to do my project for Cast On that I put it on hold. Hopefully it will be done and I'll be able to wear it before it gets too warm out. :-) I'm hoping blocking is gonna do wonders for this puppy.

If anyone knows how to publish patterns for free on Ravelry and has a moment to explain this process to me I'd love the input. Thanks.

Woo Hoo! I'm getting published!

2009-03-06T07:56:00.000-08:00

I'm so excited, thrilled and nervous. I'm getting published in Cast On magazine. I hope you guys will buy the issue. I'll let ya know which one it is as soon as I find out. I just received my acceptance email today. :-)

Lovin The Soft Stars

2009-03-03T12:15:00.000-08:00

I bought my first child a pair of soft star mocassins 13 years ago in a little orgainic grocery store in Nashville, Tennessee. I loved them so much, and they seemed so cozy on my little guy (now size 12 1/2 wide!!!) that I kept buying him pair after pair over the years. Now I have a sort of "collection" of Soft Star mocs. We have black ones, brown ones, ones with crepe bottoms and those with soft fuzzy fur inside. I liked them so much that I convinced my grandparents to get a pair especially made for themselves. I purchased a very large order of about 20 pairs with my natural families group years ago. Currently, we have 8 pair in several different sizes. My two youngest children now 4 and 1 have inherited these shoes. Amazingly, they have done well over the years, and I get to see my little ones wearing these adorable little mocassins all over again. Soft Star shoes is owned by some pretty neat people, and I highly recommend their products for the little people in your life. They are here if you are interested. *Of course the best combination is hand knitted socks WITH your Soft Star shoes. :-)

Twin Sons of Different Mothers

2009-02-23T07:33:00.000-08:00

I have observed that there are many bloggers out there that post pictures of their cats. So I felt obliged to post a pic of my own two kitties.

And what they would look like if they were humans.

She Likes It

2009-02-21T08:38:00.000-08:00

I have knitted a few things for my niece. This is the only item she sent pictures of herself in it. I am assuming that means SHE LIKES IT. Ain't she pretty though? She's such a sweet girl. I had to post her pretty picture here.

New Patterns in The Works

2009-02-02T12:38:00.000-08:00

I wanted to share to projects I am currently working on and hopefully will publish somewhere. If nobody wants them anywhere I will just publish them here. :-) No worries. I just like sharing the ideas that pop into my brain. I am currently working on a fair isle sweater for my 1 year old shown here in gray and cream. THe design was inspired by reading that originally all Norweigan stranded contrast knitting was done in black and white. I thought I'd give it a go. The tan colored yarn was salvaged from an old sweater of my father's that was always to big for me to wear. My father died a few years ago at a fairly young age. I still miss him. I thought it would be nice to be able to wear atleast the yarn so I ripped it and designed my own sweater. The multi colored baby sweater is done just from some scraps I had around here. It was also designed by myself. These are some preview pictures. More to come later.

Ahhh....babies.

2009-01-29T18:14:00.000-08:00

Why are babies so fun to knit for? Is it because they are just so deliciously yummy and cute? or is that the knits are always quick and satisfying. Either/or, I just love knitting for babies even when the baby in question is not my own.

Adventures in Dog House Making

2009-01-04T14:32:00.000-08:00

Almost the beginning...atleast where I remembered to take pictures.

All products tested by a four year old!

The finished product!

My husband and I are pretty impulsive people at times. We had been talking about buying a doghouse for quite a while. Our great pyrenees isn't the brainiest of dogs. He usually hasn't the sense to stay sheltered during incliment weather. Still...he deserves a place of his own. He'd eat my house if I let him in. He's huge. My guess is that he's about 130-135 lbs now. He's only a year old. So it started last weekend when we decided we'd use some scraps to make a house for him. We decided we'd forgo the plans and put our heads together. I was so pleased with the results I had to post and share.

Happy New Year!

2008-12-27T10:36:00.000-08:00

I am so excited. I have one Norwegian Stocking down and one to go! This is got to be the first pattern I have ever followed to a "T". I did the heel double up in black because I wear heels out fast. I must shift all my weight there or something. It looks like a difficult pattern, but don't be intimidated. The color work on the leg is just two stranded and required very little weaving of ends. I was concerned my knitting would be too tight and therefore "pucker" a little. It doesn't and this one fits nicely.
I finished my children's mittens the night before Christmas. I thought I'd show them off even though they aren't very fancy. They like them very much. Evidently they go very nice with a Batman costume.
Have a Happy New Year blessed with Peace, Love, Joy and Health!

Merry Christmas!!!

2008-12-22T12:37:00.000-08:00

I hope all of my blogging friends have a very Merry Christmas. I have knit a total of 11 mittens for my children so far. A Christmas song along these lines might go (to the tune of "The Twelve Days of Christmas")....On the first day (okay it took more than a day...play along) of Christmas I knit for thee a pair of worsted weight socks. On the second day of Christmas I knit for thee another pair of worsted weight socks. On the third day of Christmas I knit for thee another pair of worsted weight socks and a pair of mittens for my second to the eldest child. On the fourth day of Christmas I knit for thee a hat for someone that only turned out to be too small. On the fifth day of Christmas I knit for thee a pair of pink heart mittens for my only little girl. On the sixth day of Christmas I knit for thee a pair of leg warmers and some fingerless gloves for my eldest child. On the seventh day of Christmas I knit for thee a pair of "fetching" mitts for the piano teacher. On the eighth day of Christmas I knit for thee one lone mitten for my second to the youngest child. On the ninth day of Christmas I knit for thee another pair of mittens that I don't know who to give to. On the tenth day of Christmas I knit for ME one Norweigen Stocking by Nancy Bush.

Getting Things Done

2008-12-02T06:30:00.000-08:00

The weather is definitely cold now. I am finishing up painting our neighborhood signs. I'd like to finish them before Christmas. I have knitting projects that need to be finished before Christmas also. I actually had a few requests this year for knitted items. That must mean that they aren't tired of getting them for presents yet??? I wonder how many other knitters out there give knitted items for Christmas gifts? Wanna share?

I finally finished Honeycomb. The cabling was a bit time consuming, but I am very pleased with the fit. Maybe I'll post a picture of me wearing it later. My kids requested mittens this year so I'm working on that. My sister requested some leg warmers that I have already finished and my sister's daughter requested a slouche hat. So there is plenty to do between now and Christmas.

Cheers all you Christmas knitters...may your cup (of coffee) be full and your needles be swift!

Happy Birthday To Me!

2008-11-13T12:26:00.001-08:00

My mother in law sent me this great sheep knitting card. On the inside it says "To Someone Of Rare Ingenuity And Resourcefulness". It cracked me up. She is also a knitter and understands.

The dog is my sister's dog. "Rufus" (after Rufus Wainwright) is staying with us for a while due to my sister's life being in transition. It has been rather cold out and the little guy had lost some of his fur. So I felt sorry for him and designed him a sweater.

The folks in Montana finally sent me a picture of the baby in her hat and booties. She's such a lovely little thing.

New Baby In The Family

2008-11-09T19:07:00.001-08:00

So my husband's sister in law (a good friend) just gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. I had been waiting on knitting needles to hear whether it was certainly a girl before I knit her something. I finished these in a couple of days. I was so excited. Saartje's booties were so much easier than I had anticipated. The little matching beret just birthed out of my brain as something that might match the cute little booties. I am waiting now for them to arrive in the Northwest and for them to send me pictures of her wearing them.

Red Argyle Mittens Free Pattern

2008-10-23T10:37:00.000-07:00

This design started as an expirement as most of mine do. My son has already claimed them for himself. There were made in lion brand cheapy worsted weight yarn from Walmart. It is a very easy pattern.

Lion Brand worsted weight yarn (100% wool)two contrasting colors, 5 size 5 dpns, one stitch holder

knit gauge is 21 sts= 3" down, 18 sts= 3" across

cast on 42 sts in mc, divide sts on three needles, needle no 1 should have 10 sts, needle no 2 should have 22 sts, needle no 3 should have 10 sts, knit one round in mc, knit one cc purl one mc for five rows for ribbed cuff, knit two rows in mc, begin chart (i'll post later at request or you can just follow the picture)til thumb gusset (3 1/2" from beginning), put five stitches on holder (for right hand: five sts before your last three, for left hand it's the reverse (obviously) with one extra increased stitch in pattern between each stitch til you have 10 on your holder, continue in pattern til work measures 5" from beginning, knit rest of mitten in mc until work measures 6 1/2 " from beginning, begin deacreasing 1 st every other round at the end of each needle until there are 6 sts on needle 2, break off a six inch tail and pull through all remaining sts, secure on the inside by weaving the end, for thumb pick up your ten sts on the holder and cast on two extra stitches from inside of thumb, knit your thumb in mc rounds until thumb measures 3 3/4", decrease a few stitches in your last round, break off a tail and thread it through remaining sts securing on the inside of the thumb, turn inside out and weave in all the ends. (I know...not the fun part).

Enjoy! Let me know if there are any boo boos. I'll try to help.

His and Hers

2008-10-09T18:54:00.000-07:00

What is cooler weather without Guiness??? It is like a meal in an of itself. It is the "stew" in a world of "soup" beers. My husband and I are so much alike that we both love Guiness. Of course there are always your little differences like...she likes Guiness Extra Stout, and he likes Guiness draught. We love our chuthers. What can I say?

Did anyone catch the debate the other night? I must say...I was quite unimpressed with Obama. I admit he was good about sticking to the topic for the most part. He was just not all that these liberals seem to be raving about. I really couldn't see the charm. Could anyone tell me please what you see in this guy...I mean without quoting me his very short resume? I really would like to know.

Fall is Welcome!

2008-10-01T09:22:00.000-07:00

I actually finished this "Oregon Vest" last year. The weather is almost cool enough to wear it in the evenings and early morning.

Fall tends to drive me to bake. I am also dieting. While trying to avoid crusts and too much pastry I baked these apples with just a little cinnamon, brown sugar, a tad of butter and topped it off with some blueberries and Kashi Crunch cereal. Yum!

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My son said it wouldn't be right to not post the main course which was dill pork chops and scalloped new potatoes. My guys love their meat dishes.

Anyway, all this to help welcome Fall.

Making Progress with Honeycomb

2008-09-25T11:04:00.001-07:00

I have finally finished the back and have cast on for the front of Honeycomb. I fumbled my way through the back twisted rib using my bamboo circulars. I wanted to fling it out the window. The points were not sharp enough to do the twisted purled stitches without great effort. Then (big duh) I remembered that I had metal circulars in this size. What a relief! Now I'm flying through that twisted rib with ease.

Mushrooms

2008-09-18T10:10:00.000-07:00

I came back from my second day training for running and found these lovely little things growing in my yard. Aren't they cute?

Babies Like Yarn Too!

2008-09-08T06:20:00.001-07:00

Yes, he's crawling, he's cruising and he's getting into everything including the yarn stash. I couldn't help but laugh yesterday when this little dude was sword fighting his soon to be four year old brother with a straw. Hilarious. Still, it can be quite frustrating trying to keep things tidy when you have a busy baby around.

Regardless of any frustration I love him and savor every moment. I just have to say...isn't he cute in his new socks knitted especially for him by mommy? He has so rarely worn anything on his feet so far that he really seemed engrossed in his new socks. Oh how nice to be so easily entertained.

Polka Dots

2008-08-25T09:59:00.000-07:00

What to do with left over polka dot material? Hmmm. Make matching dresses, a top and a skirt for four sisters. These are all my designs. Most of them seemed to fit okay even though I didn't have measurements for them. I wondered about the polka dots. I didn't want them to feel like they looked like clowns. They turned out well indeed. I was pleased in the end.

Endpaper Mitts

2008-07-30T10:00:00.000-07:00

This is about all I have accomplished so far on my Endpaper Mitts by Eunny Jang. I am really excited about the colors. I love the way they are turning out. I had to put them down for a bit though. My 7month old is quite the busy bee.

Adventures in Rosemaling

2008-07-28T11:05:00.000-07:00

I enjoy refinishing furniture as much as any other craft I am acquainted with. I finally got around to refinishing my daughter's bed. It was my bed when I was a child. It used to be a canopy bed. It was very plain. The posters were warped from time, and the color was too drab for her room. I decided to compliment our Norweigan heritage by trying my hand at Norweigan Rosemaling. I had to used colors that complimented her personality and the other items in her room. I forgot to take a before picture of the bed, but here is a picture of the matching dresser before I refinish it. They orginally matched. You can get an idea of how boring the bed was before it's transformation. I replaced the old posts with a ball top that I found at Home Depot. I had to used some wood filler to fill in the gaps. I used a flat latex off white for the base coat. I then did the rosemaling using an old family antique tine for a guide and some craft acrylic paints. I washed the entire headboard and footboards with an acrylic mixture of mostly brown/red hues that were very watered down to provide an antique effect. To finish I sanded down corners and strategic areas to make it look old and worn. It was such a fun project that now I am venturing to do the dresser to match.

Are You Being Poisoned?

2008-07-24T10:41:00.000-07:00

When I was just a small child I received my first silver filling. Nah...I don't necessarily remember it. My mother was in dentistry. I probably went to see the dentist she was working with at the time. Over the course of my life so far I have acquired two more. They're little specks of silver/gray looking metal no more than an eighth of an inch big. I try to look at this as an accomplishment considering that I hardly remember brushing regularly at all as a child and since most the people I know have far more fillings than I do. I do however remember being in the fifth grade when some kids down the street were playing with some shiney liquid metal in a dish. I thought it was so cool I rushed home to tell my mom about it. I was shocked and a little scared when she nervously asked if I had touched it. I replied that I hadn't and she seemed to relax a little. Years later I realized this same stuff that she was so vehemently against me touching was the same stuff that was in my mouth.
So I am no chemistry major. I hold no degrees in the sciences of any kind. I do however love to do research. I wasn't really until years later when I married my husband that the subject came up again with any potency. My husband used to be a connisseur of tic tacs. When I met him he already had one root canal, several fillings and a few gold crowns. He had several teeth pulled as he was informed he had many "extra" teeth. When I met him six years ago he also had one deformed fingernail and few small patches of red scaley skin due to an autoimmune disease known as psoriasis. This disease seems to run in the family. I
I remembered some things from studying bits and pieces about heavy metals and tried to discourage my husband from further recommendations by his dentist to have more amalgam fillings. Incidently, silver amalgam fillings consist among other metals of 50% mercury. My husband's dentist insisted that he get the silver fillings due to the fact that they were cheaper than other materials. My husband conceded. His teeth now consist of about 40% silver amalgam.
Over the following few days my husband experienced great jaw discomfort, swollen jaw, sinus trouble and some serious night grinding of the teeth. He would sweat most profuse in his sleep. Many times I rolled over to put my arm around him and found him soaking wet. These first symptoms seemed to disappear over the course of a couple months. The following few years were another story. The lone psoriasis fingernail had now spread to all fingernails and toenails. He developed large patches of scaley red skin on his scalp, ears, hands and various other places I won't mention. It became painful for him to wear certain shoes and there was always the scare of bumping one of his swollen, 1/4" thick fingernails or toenails. It also became a source of personal emotional discomfort as many people seemed to accuse him of having some sort of fungus. He promptly went to another dermatologist who confirmed the psoriasis. If you know anything about psoriasis you'll know that there really isn't anything you can do for it. You can try to "manage" it...but it is genetic and incurable. What do most people do when they've been told their disease is incurable? I think most would say they just try to get by by managing the symptoms.
My husband's step mother was recently diagnosed with mercury poisoning. Sure, she ate alot of salmon, but the chief concern in the mind of her health professional was her silver amalgam fillings. Shortly after having them removed by a professional experienced and specifically trained biological dentist she claims that she feels soooo much better. So I started to look into it. I started researching other's claims to healthier lives after having their fillings removed. Well, they are out there. There are many of them. Here are a few... http://www.toothandbodyconnection.com/success-stories , http://www.vaccinetruth.org/posion_in_your_mouth.htm , http://www.mercurypoisoned.com/,http://www.mercurypoisoned.com/bedford_bulletin/news05.htm These are only a few people who have experienced relief after having their fillings removed.
I don't think there are many people who truly like to admit that they are wrong. Medical science seems even more reluctant due to the fact that you might possibly be able to sue them for any negligence. There is a reason they have to carry such heavy duty malpractice insurance. Despite the fact that there are many references out there detailing the dangers of mercury exposure dentist still use this toxic heavy metal in their fillings. Here are just a few references about toxicity. http://www.mercola.com/article/mercury/no_mercury.htm , http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2001/may2001_report_mercury_1.html , http://cobweb.ecn.purdue.edu/~epados/mercbuild/src/poison.htm , http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10370_12150_12220-26953--,00.html . The ADA American Dental Association seems to say that mercury becomes stable when combined with the other metals. Please see this and this. (for the second one scroll down to 60 minutes episode).
I made an appointment with a biological dentist to have my fillings removed. I only have a few small ones. My husband has many and it will be very costly to have his removed. He paid a bundle to have that poison put in his mouth, and now we have to pay a bundle to have it removed. Regardless of whether or not the mercury exacerbated his psoriasis (as this is yet to be seen) the research on the effects of mercury poisoning show that there is a great price to pay with your health whether the effects are now or later. I posted this information because I believe that dentists should not only have consent from us to use such materials on us...but INFORMED consent. I write this to encourage anyone to take resposibility for your own health. I write to validate others in their search for truths. Don't let anyone tell you something is "safe" without doing the research! Once you've done the research I feel certain you'll come to the same conclusion.

*If you do decide to have your silver amalgam fillings removed make SURE it is done by a biological dentist trained in the safety of their removal.

Here are some... http://mercuryfreedentists.com

Blessings and Good Health!

Second Half of Resume

2008-06-12T09:43:00.001-07:00

A Partial Resume

2008-06-12T09:26:00.001-07:00

Warning...there are many photos in this post. My son took them and by no means is a professional photographer so excuse the blurry ones. Anyone is of course free to look and read. I posted this mostly for Debbie's friend seeking someone to exhibit her alpaca yarn in handknits. This is a partial resume/portfolio of just a portion of my knitting over the years. I have been knitting now for 11 years. I can crochet a chain and that is the extent of my crocheting abilities. I knit left handed which doesn't seem to be a problem with patterns. I haven't had to reverse anything yet. I very often design my own patterns or alter a pattern to fit more to my liking or taste. Most of the pictures you will see here are my own designs. I know this doens't seem like alot. You can click back to older posts to see many other projects. Keep in mind that most of my knitting is given away as gifts. I hope you enjoy, and feel free to leave a comment if you so desire. Also, you can ask Debbie for my number.

In a Very Zekey Hat

2008-05-29T11:27:00.000-07:00

I don't have much to say...shocking for those who know me. I just wanted to share a cute picture of my baby in a hat knitted by his grandmother. Ain't it cute?

Rock Band

2008-05-06T06:13:00.000-07:00

I love Guitar Hero. Grandpa came for a visit and brought an XBOX 360 for the kiddos (fyi that includes my husband and I). We ended up getting Rock Band in the same weekend. It really is a blast though. I highly recommend it if your kids like video games and you want to relate to them while doing something they enjoy. My hubby and my boys are big into video games. My dh's fav is World of Warcraft. I admit. I made my own character myself and did a little quest. It was fun. Right now we are totally digging Rock Band though. My husband is the drummer, I am the singer (with my daughter), my oldest son plays guitar and my second son is the bass guitarist. It is a hoot. We already have several gigs booked and are earning money. I wish the songs were more my cup-o-tea...but it's still fun. I wish there were some more of what the radio now calls "classic rock" on there. Most of the songs we have unlocked so far must be new. I've never heard many of them before we played them. Anyway, I am NOT your usual video game player but I'm having fun with this. We laugh alot with this game. Check it out!

Hurt and Confused: My Own Version of Ms Manners

2008-04-22T12:26:00.000-07:00

I so needed a place where I could vent, and then I remembered my blog.

I have been planning my son's 13th birthday/bar mitzvah/confirmation party for two months. I had never planned a party this big before. The list of invitations included 45 people and all but 3 came. It was alot of work as I did most of the cooking myself. We did purchase the fabulous Pierce's BBQ for the main dish. The invitations were RSVP so I wouldn't overcook or over purchase BBQ and be left with enough to feed us for a year.

For one, I don't think people know what RSVP means anymore. Let's clarify. Wikipedia defines RSVP as Répondez s'il vous plaît", a French phrase that translates to "Please respond". It is with this meaning that invitation cards and similar documents are often marked with "R.S.V.P." One very good reason for RSVP is so that the host (or hostess) in my case doesn't overcook, overorder....whatever...she's prepared. Would you believe only ONE person RSVP'd out of 42? I actually called people the week before to find out if they were coming and to confirm my food order.

My son had a wonderful time. He got to see family and friends, he got to play and be silly with lots to do and lots of gifts. He was exhausted as the evening began to approach. We still had alot of food left over as some of our guests hung around until dinner time. I offered the BBQ again and told them they were all welcome to it.

I could hardly believe it when I found out in the next few minutes that they (two families I'd known for about 10 years) decided to order pizza and have it sent to my house. I was shocked. I couldn't believe that after all my hard work my two closest friends would insult me like that and never even have the nerve to ask me if it was okay with me. Of course all the guests that were left over wanted pizza after that and I can tell you the steam was bursting out of my ears. I kept my cool until they left. I feel so offended and I am NOT someone who is easily offended. If you read this and you have an opinion...share. I'd really like to know how you would feel if this happened to you. I personally cannot imagine going to any RSVP party at anyone's house and ordering and delivering other food. What do you think?

Signed,
Hurt and Confused With Ten Tons of BBQ

http://www.pierces.com/

Sew and Sewability

2008-04-13T08:12:00.000-07:00

Most people that know me know my love for all things feminine and frilly. I'm not talking pink lace and fru fru. I mean feminine with a touch of Jane Austen. I just discovered this http://www.sensibility.com/pattern/welcome.htm and this http://www.sensibility.com/pattern/welcome.htm.

I recently ordered a night gown from a reputable designer who shall remain nameless in this post. It was very pretty in the online pictures, but when I received it it was cheaply made (much to my surprise), thin material, ugly color etc. I had paid 70.00. for it. This may seem inexpensive to some of you and expensive to others. When I pay 70.00 for a nightgown I expect it to be quality. I sent it back. It did however evoke a curiosity in me as to whether I could create my own. I didn't like any of the patterns I had for the task. I don't know if anyone else is like me in that when you have a hankering to design something specific it consumes you. You think about it at night while you toss and turn and if you do sleep you dream about it.

The next moring and over the next few days I designed my own bed wear. I designed two gowns and a robe. It was so much fun. They even fit in with my Jane Austen visions.

Also, go over and visit http://nannybird.blogspot.com/ . She has an interesting contest going on.

Fun With Socks

2008-03-25T09:16:00.000-07:00

The first socks are some I finished about 3 or 4 months ago. (please ignore the very pale pastey skin.) They are made with some lovely Trekking XXL that I purchased at Sassafrass in Kalispell, MT. (I miss Montana.) I love the ribbing, and the yarn washes nicely!

The second pair of socks is well...not so pretty. (be nice) The pattern and the color together make them look "reptillian".

The third pair are a work in progress. I started them last night while watching the Laker's kick the Warrior's behinds. GO KOBE! The black yarn is Knit Picks, and the lighter yarn is the multi (greenish) Trekking XXL again. (I had some left over.) I thought about using them to make Eunny's Endpaper Mitts, but the yarn wanted to be socks. Far be it from me to squash the yarn's dreams of becoming stripey socks. Hey, I'm a nice girl. What can I say?

Spring Means Sewing

2008-03-21T21:34:00.000-07:00

Spring means sewing and not just the kind you do on the sewing machine. My husband just bought another bag of bulbs for me to plant. Last week my children and I planted Gladiolas all along the fence. Last summer my daughter and I planted Irises in various places all over the yard (maybe thirty?). This winter she and I planted eighty tulip bulbs around the yard. The tulips are already poking their green leafy parts out of the ground. The irises also have about 4-5 inches of greenery showing. It reminds me of hope. When we bought the house nine months ago it was all moss (instead of grass) and not one flower on the premises. There still is no grass...but how sad...so little green. I would post a picture, but there just isn't anything to show yet. My dh and I mulched flower beds a couple of weeks ago, and I planted pansies and some evergreen ground cover thingy that was quite pretty with just a bit of purple in it. I realized that the yucky looking twiggy things along the fence I cut way back last fall turned out to be forsythia. Oops! We have a chain link fence so any cover is welcome. I am thinking of growing ivy over it to give us more privacy. I have one measly rose bush as my yard doesn't get much sun on account of the many oak trees on our property. Still...this is my house. It is the first one that belongs to me. I want it to reflect me. I have and always will be an artist at heart. I haven't painted any paintings in about a year and a half. My lawn and my flower beds have become my canvas. Gardening is therapy. All that sunshine is worth more to me than any other kind of therapy. Spring is certainly welcome. I have been yearning for it. I feel like parched land finally coming into some rain. I can just feel my body soaking up the sunshine soothing my winter blues. Sewing is so much fun...though it takes a bit of patience. I am anxious to see what comes of it.
I have also done some recent sewing of the other kind. The happy recipients pictured here. Aren't they beautiful? I had to post the picture...not just because the designs were mine but because they also reflect spring in their dresses and their sweet smiling faces. The other is just a kitchen apron I made. I had been so inspired by the many I keep seeing on other's blogs that I had to make one for myself. There is also the nasty habit I have of wiping my hands on my clothes while cooking. I love the fabric print. I seem to really be into pink, red and yellow lately.

Moving Right Along

2008-03-16T11:03:00.000-07:00

Upon the advice of the veterinarian who put down our Huck my dh rushes right out and purchases our new addition/addiction. Introducing Stanley, our 11 week old great pyrenees. He seems to get along with our poodle well and just LOVES the kids. It is amazing the difference purebreds make. I don't mean in that they are necessarily better dogs (disclaimer for those who love mutts...yes, mom, I'm talking to you.), just that the pure breeds have predictable temperments. Pyrenees are great with kids and families. We can tell already that Stanley will fit in just fine. I did however ask my sweet and thoughtful husband if he would PLEASE not bring me anything else that poops for a while.

If you read this blog you will know that I have five kids and homeschool them all [translates] I am busy!!!. I love my career, but yes, it is time consuming. Some people assume that because you are busy you are unhappy. Not me. I love being busy. I also take the advice of my elders very seriously. I have had so many older men and women tell me to enjoy my children to the fullest while they are in my care. "It goes too fast" they all say. I can believe it. I try to relish every moment. I want to spend as much time with them as possible til they grow up and have their own lives with their own families. AND if I do a good job, maybe they'll let me come 'round to visit my grandchildren. Smile.

Baseball season is starting which means there will be less frequent posting for a while. I don't knit often in the warmer months. I like to be out gardening during this time if I can. I have been mulching and planting like crazy. Therefore I have nothing to show for myself in terms of knitting, but here is my littlest one wrapped up in his Nana's knitting. Ain't he cute???

In Loving Memory

2008-03-07T08:41:00.001-08:00

Our border collie/chow had to be put down this week. He bit my toddler on the shoulder in an unprovoked manner. Huck had become increasingly hostile towards males over the past year. I had people tell me that Huck almost bit them but never believed it, as he had always been friendly to family. Still, he made us feel safe at night, as he was an excellent watch dog. I had trouble with the whole idea of putting him down, but when border collie rescue and the spca wouldn't take him because of the biting thing I knew I only had two options. Option number one would be to take him to the pound. This seemed unusually cruel. Even though our dog we'd loved and cared for for two years since he was a puppy had been deemed a "biter"...I just couldn't bring myself to think of him sitting in a jail cell awaiting his walk down the "green mile". I called the vet to make an appointment. They made me feel like SHIT for my decision. I already felt like shit. I couldn't believe that they'd make it harder for me. Some young, fresh just outta highschool gal just poohed and sighed at my questions as if she was annoyed at me. She couldn't possibly understand what it takes to make this decision about your oldest child's pet. I wanted to smack her. So I called another vet. This time the vet was supportive. I turned out to be too wimpy to take him. My husband stayed there with Huck until he gently went to "sleep".

I'm not much of a dog "lover". I love my dogs mind you. Its just that I don't pour over them like some people letting them lick my face, sleep in bed with me and putting clothing on them (except of course for the poodle's dog sweater). I mean stuff like this http://www.cozypetclothes.com/product/e19021100 That, to me, is SICK. Sorry. If you think its cutesy...look at the price. Some people are nuts...or maybe just really really bored. Anyway, I don't believe my dogs speak English except for the commands they hear regularly repeated. I don't believe they have souls. I just know I like the little buggers, and I appreciate the companionship and unconditional attention they give. They truly are great to have around. I am equally as much against abusing an animal though (if not more against). I think a person who can inflict pain (on purpose) to an animal is cruel and something is wrong with their heart. I do believe that animals are good for us. People in hospitals seem to heal quicker http://www.therapydogs.com/ and children have a companion at all times who is quick to protect them and listens no matter what tone they take. Yes, I believe they were designed for our enjoyment. So this is in loving memory of all the pets I've had since I was a child especially Huckleberry who will be sorely missed. :-(

Blue In Green

2008-02-28T14:05:00.000-08:00

Okay, maybe it should be blue & green...but its not a typo. One of my favorite songs is Blue In Green by Miles Davis. I once entitled a painting after the song chiefly because I listened to the song over and over for hours while I painted it, that and the entire painting was done only in blue, green and black. I gave it away. I wonder if I have a picture of it somewhere? It sends me somewhere (the song) far away every time I hear it.

Blue and green are my favorite colors. They represent nature to me...the sky, the grass, the trees. You get the picture. These colors soothe me, maybe because they are so predictable. Don't ask me to explain that. If you don't know don't ask.

Then there are my littlest boys here today in their green and blue. It wasn't planned. The first picture is the new sweater I knitted and designed for my kiddo. (You gotta love the peanut butter on his face.) I got a little worried he wouldn't wear peruvian wool, but he doesn't seem to mind. I think they know when I knit them something that its full of love. I hope they do. I never dreamed I love being a mother as much as I love being the mother of my five children. What AWESOME people they are! If you have kids I hope you know that they are awesome, and I hope you tell them all the time how cool they are. It doesn't hurt if you knit them something from time to time either. Wink.

Cheers!
Mrs MJW

My Funny Valentine

2008-02-15T10:09:00.000-08:00

My sweet husband is always spoiling me. If you knew my life before my husband you might say it was about time someone did. Maybe not!?! Still, he seems to think I deserve it, and who am I to argue? I don't think in all my life anyone has ever taken the time and the effort to really know me as well as he does.

I always think of romantic relationships as petering out over time. It's not the case here. Every day I love him more. Every day I realize what a blessing he is.

The first picture is full of my Valentine's Day gifts from my hubby. The barrets are from Cubitas. They are so lovely. Look at the cute little boxes they came in in the second picture. The third is just an expirement in mittens. The fourth is some yarn my dh picked out for a sweater for himself that probably won't be enough now...oh well, yarn never goes to waste around here. Smile. I have to find him the perfect yarn. The name of this yarn was so appropriate too. He wants a non bulky kinda plain sweater. I have been on the hunt now for the perfect yarn and pattern for him for about a year. Happy Valentine's Day to all!

Ben and Jerry To The Rescue

2008-02-08T11:23:00.001-08:00

Feeling down gets me thinking...waaaay to much.

I started smoking for the first time my senior year in high school. I started because (dumb reason in retrospect of course) my friend who drove me to school smoked heavily all the way to school. I figured "what the hey" I'm getting all this second hand smoke anyway...might as well enjoy it. Ugh! That was how many years ago? eeek...too long to mention.

I quit smoking for a couple of years before my first child was born. I started again after my second child was born and quit again before the third was born. I started smoking about a year after the third child was born and smoked until I got pregnant with the fourth. I started again when my father died three months after the fourth was born. I just quit smoking about 10 months ago when I found out I was pregnant with Zeke (number 5). What a @#$%&!! rollercoaster! I said I'd quit for good after the last baby. I mean to...that is...I'd like to stay quit. I just crave the darn things so badly. I don't even smoke the ones with all the additives that make them especially addictive. I smoked American Spirits. My husband quit for the first time with this last child. I think alot of what is keeping me from smoking is feeling that he will smoke also and that is not fair to him.

I didn't quit because of popular opinions. I always smoked outdoors and took care not to annoy other people with it. I never smoked during a pregnancy. I didn't quit because of my health. I come from a long line of heavy smokers who are a pretty sturdy stock and live healthy until around the age of 90 something. I quit for good because my daughter (6 at the last quit time) told me that watching me smoke made her want to do it.

I'm not a drug taker...not even asprin...not even a motrin during any of the five natural hard and long birth/labors of my five wonderful children. I do however miss my American Spirits. I am trying so hard to resist. I think about it alot. I don't think of myself as an especially weak person...rather strong I'd say. This just happens to be my achilles heal. Anyway...I thought blogging about it might help ease the addict demons and of course a little Ben and Jerry's always helps!

Some light online shopping could cheer me up temporarily....hint... http://www.cubitas.com/jewelry/hair-accessories/hair-pins

Wink!

Mrs MJW

Name That Fiber!

2008-02-06T07:51:00.000-08:00

I am having a little contest to invoke curiosity and hopefully round up some new online acquaintances. If you can name the fiber in the first picture I will send you as a prize the hank of alpaca pink yarn in the second picture. I knit a scarf in this yarn before. It is yummy.

Lets say that the first to name the fiber by March the first will get the prize! Please be specific! Happy guessing!

Mrs MJW

Zeke's Sweater Vest

2008-01-30T12:56:00.000-08:00

Needles: Size 5 dpns
Size 5 straight ndls
Yarn: 4 (50g) skeins 4 different colors DK Merino Knit Picks

Front:

Cast on 60 stitches
K1 P1 rib for 1"
work patt of your choice for 6" (or desired length to arm pit)
CO 4 sts beginning of next 2 rows for pits
K to middle of vest (30sts)
Slip next 30 sts onto a holder
K back and forth in patt of your choice decreasing 1 st each end of K row 3X's
at same time decrease 1 st at neck edge to end of piece (2 more inches)
slip to holder and knit other side of shoulder the same way

Back:

The back is in a solid color.
CO 60 sts
K in KP rib for 1"
K in stockinette stitch for 6" (or same length as front)
CO 4 sts beginning next two rows (or same as front)
decrease 1 st at each end 3X's
K st stitch for 2 more inches (or same as front)
Slip first 14 sts on holder, 16 sts onto middle holder and last 14 onto holder (total three holders)

Assemble:

Weave in all ends on front piece
Attach front and back pieces at shoulders by using 3 needle bind off
Sew up the sides to pit
Turn right side out, pick up and knit 23sts (begin at V point)on right side of front of vest
K across back (middle) holder and increase 1 st for every 2 along the back of neck
Pick up and knit 23 sts down the left side
(Using four dpns at this point is very helpful. It helps you see the V more easily.)
Work in KP rib for three rows. On last row kp to last three sts K2 tog. Then knit last stitch and first stitch from next needle together, and then CO VERY loosely. (Caution: babies heads are large! Make sure its LOOSE. You can otherwise make it very uncomfortable for your little one if it is too tight.)
Pick up and knit 43 sts on each arm hole edge. Work in KP rib for three rows. It is not necessary to CO so loosely for arm holes.

I hope you enjoy this pattern and the pictures. I hardly ever write things down this coherently, but if you have trouble you can leave me a comment/question and I'll get back to you on it.

My babies are big. Zeke is about 11lbs. I will go so far as to say that this vest should fit a baby anywhere from 0-6mths.

This is my pattern, and you may use it if you like.

TTFN!

Zeke Says

2008-01-23T10:23:00.000-08:00

"I really don't say anything yet, but my mommy advertises her thoughts on my clothing."

More Winter

2008-01-18T12:51:00.000-08:00

I confess I was so bright and cheery last week when the sun was out and the temperature was in the sixties and seventies. I had forgotten how much the weather affects me. I love the rain. It doesn't have to be dry...just sunny. I sat on the porch last week with the baby feeding at my breast and just revelled in the sunlight on our cheeks. It felt like love and power absorbing through our skin.

Now the weather is back to fourties and fifties. We even had a whisper of snow yesterday morning. So for now I'll have to look into the faces of my wonderful little ones for the warmth and the joy. They are such beautiful little people. Here is another picture of my littlest sunshine. Zeke! Zeke means "Strength of God". How appropriate for my littlest guy. He's such a joy.

The yarn is Elsebeth Lavold's Silky Wool. I am using it to make the pattern "Salina" from Vintage Style by Rowan. I love this yarn. I made a shawl with it once. It feels a bit on the fragile side though.

Baby Zeke

2008-01-09T09:54:00.000-08:00

Just a picture of my adorable little bundle of a boy! He was born December 30, 2007. The labor was long and hard hard hard, but we made it.

For Baby

2007-12-22T20:55:00.000-08:00

I just had to sit down and create something for my little one on the way. He's due any day now. I knit the sweater in the round from the top down. Its my pattern...so if you want it please feel free to request it. The hat was just knit in one piece decreasing as I went up to the crown. I love how it spirals. The yarn is worsted Berocco washable (non shrinkable) merino.

Happy Holidays!

Early Present

2007-12-20T20:03:00.000-08:00

My wonderfully thoughtful husband bought this for me for Christmas. It is so cute that I had to hang it right away. Isn't it nice when you get gifts that really speak to who you are or what you do? I don't mean to sound like a grump, but I really hate getting gifts of convenience. I think sometimes "its the thought that counts" can mean you just send a personal note or card. Sending the wrong gift is worse than sending none at all. Some may disagree. I personally put alot of thought into anything I give someone else whether its big or small. I want to convey to the receiver that they are valid...valuable...I "know" them. I think being known is important. If not...then why the heck do so many people blog these days. They want to be KNOWN.

Yulecaka and Heartburn!

2007-12-14T21:45:00.000-08:00

Although the two are really unrelated I can't help but mention the heartburn as this is my fifth child and really the worst heartburn I've had yet. I can hardly wait to hold my new little boy and be rid of the foul heartburn/acid reflux yuckies.

I have mentioned before that my grandmother is half Norweigan. (other half German) so making Yulecaka is a family tradition. Now she has moved into an assisted living home and cannot bake anymore. The tradition is left to me since neither of her daughters bakes from scratch. I taught my three oldest how to bake Yulecaka today. However, I forgot how looooooooooong it takes, so I'm blogging at 12:49am waiting for the second batch to come out.

The smell of cardamom takes me back though. I keep thinking of my grandparents and how much I miss them both...together. I makes me think of snow and horses and the occasional country Christmas of my childhood. It gets me excited about the frazier fir my boys and husband will go pick out on Sunday while my daughter and I enjoy a baby shower my sister is throwing for me. It makes me think of how grateful I am for my family, my kids and my wonderful husband.

But, alas, the heartburn is getting the better of me. I need to get out of this chair. Happy family time to everyone who ventures to read this blog. I hope its the birth of Christ you celebrate, but if not...know He's thinking of you. I feel it.

Blessings!

Holiday Party and big big big

2007-12-10T09:44:00.001-08:00

I was really debating whether to go or not. My husband started a new job. I just really wasn't sure if I wanted these people meeting me for the first time 60 lbs over my usual weight. I know...VAIN! Still, I went. That must show some depth of personality on my part. Almost all our Christmas presents are purchased, wrapped and hiding under the bed...AND in about two weeks we'll have a new little baby boy! Fun fun fun! My husband has a goofy look on his face...when questioned he said he was trying to suck in his double chin. Smile.

Little Things

2007-11-30T18:34:00.000-08:00

I think these little knits are cute. I have been knitting them up in between projects. It gives me a greater sense of accomplishment somehow. Then of course there is Phoebe in her new sweater. I cut her hair a little too short. This is so she doesn't catch cold. I am NOT an advocate of animals wearing clothes! Anway, her sweater is my design in Lion Brand multi color wool.

Oh, by the way, if you haven't seen any cute recycled crafts lately cruise on over to http://nannybird.blogspot.com/ and vote on the one you think is the most creative!

Christmas Knitting

2007-11-20T17:28:00.000-08:00

In order these are a ladder lace scarf in alpaca with "fetching" fingerless gloves from Knitty. The mini skull tote is from Hello Yarn. The bag and fingerless mitts on bottom are my design. The sore spot on my ring finger shows how long its been since I knitted this much.

So...I am back to making Christmas gifts. I have enjoyed these items, but I still have many more to go. I am thirty five weeks pregnant this week and looking forward to holding my little guy. I am so tired all the time I have little strength to get on here an type, but I wanted to add a few pictures.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Sweater Coat...My Design

2007-11-13T08:41:00.000-08:00

First of all...Happy Birthday to ME!!!

So here is the sweater coat. I designed the entire thing from bottom to top. Heh. The yarn...as I said is cheap and started pilling the first day I wore it, but the design is really fetching I think. I don't think I'll write it all out here but I'll gladly share the pattern if you want to request it. The color is nutmeg in DK weight merino. It is long. It hits me a several inches below the waist. I did the sleeves extra long so they could be folded upward quite a bit. I loved how the cabling on the back turned out.

Also, I just started these socks in Trekking XXL.

Everyone is giving my husband and I a hard time about naming our new boy Ezekiel "Zeke" for short. I tried to explain to the family that their lack of approval in this matter really only eggs us on. He he.

I'm Back!!!

2007-11-12T14:05:00.001-08:00

Hello. I'm back. I have been busy. We bought our first house, and I had to make it through 6 months of nausea. You can see WHY I was so sick. I am due at Christmas time. The knitting has kinda taken a back seat. I did design a sweater coat. I hate the yarn as it pills very easily. It was cheap yarn. (eh hem...knit picks) You get what you pay for. Also, at the same time we bought our house we added another addition to the family. Phoebe is my darling little poodle. I had to put up a picture of her as a puppy and now that she is eight months old. Its knitting season again!

Stockings Cont.

2007-04-29T20:59:00.000-07:00

Okay, okay the worsted just wasn't very pretty for the Norweigan Stockings. I can admit that now. Don't they look better in fingering weight? and the colors? I feel so much better about this. I think this is the first time I have followed a pattern letter for letter. (okay, I did use dark gray instead of light gray)

New socks, Possibly New House and New Baby!

2007-04-26T13:16:00.000-07:00

I just found out I am pregnant! Yippee! I was beginning to think I couldn't anymore. The kids are soooooooooo excited!

Also, we just put an offer on a house that could end up being my first purchase!

Lastly, and yes, least importantly I designed these cute little shorty socks. Atleast I think they are cute.

Happy Knitting all!

Yorkshire Pudding Recipe As Promised

2007-04-21T08:08:00.000-07:00

Yorkshire Pudding

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

In a large bowl, beat two eggs lightly with 1 cup of milk. Whisk in 1cup of flour and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg (about a pinch). Stir in 1/4 cup of melted beef drippings, butter or bacon grease.(sometimes I use all three) Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. (sometimes 15 will suffice)

In a small ovenproof skillet (I use my cast iron skillet), place another 1/4 cup of melted beef drippings, butter or bacon grease. (or combination of two or three) Place the skillet in the oven. When the skillet is SIZZLING hot, pour in the batter. (it will look like a pancake...sorta) Bake until puffed and lightly browned, about 30 min.. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake until well browned and crisp on top, 10-15 min. Cut into squares, triangles...whatever and serve!

As most of you know already it is best served with a beef roast.

Ew Ew...and I've made progress on my Norweigan stockings! But my husband came in and said he really liked em...so I shortened them for his liking and now they will be his. It is so seldom he is enthusiastic I felt I haaad to give in. Smile.

Happy Knitting!

Norweigan Stockings and Pot Roast

2007-04-20T06:42:00.000-07:00

This post is clearly not for die hard vegetarians or those who hate anything Norweigan.

Does anything go better with pot roast and Yorkshire pudding than Norweigan stockings? Tell me...I challenge thee! No...the stockings are not for eating smarty pants.

Okay, you will notice here that the stockings are in worsted weight (I had the yarn and the colors okay?) as opposed to Nancy Bush's awesome pattern found here http://www.interweave.com/knit/books/folk_socks.asp. The book is full of fun. I plan on doing the original pattern also. You can get a good look here http://www.eunnyjang.com/knit/2005/10/. Eunny used slightly different colors and they turned out beautiful! I am part Norweigan and part Welsh...so that should explain the pot roast, the only one green vegetable we had last night and the knitting.

Happy Knitting!

Switching my blog over HERE

2007-04-18T08:55:00.000-07:00

I haven't written much here. I have most of my posting at http://knitability.spaces.live.com/. But I get very few visitors and thought this might improve things.

Most of my blogging is about knitting. I am currently working on "Clessidra" in the current Spring issue of Knittyhttp://www.knitty.com/ISSUEspring07/PATTclessidra.html

I am also trying to finish a sweater vest (my design) for my daughter. I have yet to tackle the steeking for the arm holes. Any tips? The front steeks were done on my sewing maching though not highly recommended. This was the last of my acrylic stash and the yarn didn't mesh well with the machine stitching. The zipper turned out nicely. It was also stitched on machine. If you do this make sure you don't allow your machine foot to stretch your knitting otherwise your zippered front will be MUCH longer than the rest of your sweater. Start at the bottom placing the front opening side edge in the middle of your zipper (it may slide). Then stitch to about the middle of your zipper. Cut and start other half of stitching from top of sweater down to where you stopped. It is important to stitch as close to the zipper teeth as possible without limiting your ability to open and close your zipper. It may take a couple of tries.

I plan on using several patterns in Nancy Bush's FOLK SOCKS for some sock yarn and also up and coming is a cardi/wrap (my design) for myself. If anyone has any patterns to suggest I am open. The yarn I have to use is Knit Picks DK Nutmeg and I have tons of it.

Happy Knitting!

2007-01-24T06:30:00.000-08:00

Tribute To Montana

2007-01-19T06:41:00.000-08:00

I lived in Montana for three years. It is truly one of the most beautiful places I've seen. This is Glacier National Park in Summer '05. Enjoy!

If you wanna see my knitting and painting go to http://knitability.spaces.live.com/