Sunday, November 27, 2005

Sometimes, you need to just stand back and let it veg!

After finishing the tunic, and in between another project I am working on, I decided to start working again on the Twisted Sisters Yarn. It was a major investment AND I want to do the Mermaid Jacket from Hanne Falkenberg, but it is another MAJOR investment and I cannot do it until the Twisted Sisters is complete in one form or another. I started the Pyth Jacket sometime ago with modifications and as some will remember it just was not working out. So I left it and started Desdemona. This is where it is. And I am just not sold on it.


So, I laid the three out on the couch and let it sit all day Saturday, walkin by and trying to decide what to do. The far right is my finished Pyth in another yarn with added bands for length. The middle is the new Pyth with modifications. Problem is the back comes all the way to where the front is. And there is no real solution for this unless I modify the front too. The left one is Desdemona with three colors and I just don't like it.


So I threw it on the dining table late last night and decided I would deal with it today. Then, this morning or last night in bed, I thought what if I take the colors of the Pyth jacket and put them into Desdemona? The result is here this morning, I just laid Pyth next to Desdemona. I like it! I just hope I have enough purple to do it.


Sometimes, it pays to let it sit or take a picture and put it on the big screen to see how it really looks. Now, I am ready to proceed, cause I want to do that Hanne Falkenberg Mermaid Jacket!

Friday, November 25, 2005

I Had A Great Thanksgiving, How About You?

We had a great day at the inlaws. Good food, the family was there, played some cards, won some prizes and knit a little on the scarf for Betty's birthday. Came home had wine and cheese, sat with the t.v. on the candles lit and slept in the chair. All was perfect.

The day started off great. Wednesday night, after posting I sat down in my chair, with my blankee and some coffee. I was all settled in and noticed that Betty's scarf was across the room as well as my glasses. I was hoping for telekinetic powers to make them come over to me. They didn't! So I looked down in the basket sitting next to me and saw the tunic with the un-finished last sleeve just looking back at me. So I figure, what the heck, I'll knit on it until the coffee is gone in my cup and when I get up, I'll get the scarf and glasses and knit on it. Well, I did eventually get up to get more coffee, but I just kept right on knitting on the tunic sleeve. And on Thursday, I got up before everyone else (I love doing this),watched the Today Show and QVC, drank some coffee and finished the tunic. I was so proud of myself! It's done! 14 Balls of Debbie Bliss Aran Yarn later (I have one whole ball left) The pattern is a combo of Carol Anderson's Wallaby and Tunic Sweater pattern.





What am I doing today? Shopping via QVC (already bought myself something), knitting in my chair and drinkin coffee. Sure, I'll do a little laundry and I want to do a little lia sophia shopping for others for Christmas, but other than that, I am a chair potato today!

Wednesday, November 23, 2005

WoooHooo! It's the Weekend!

4 Luscious days to do nothing. Well, tomorrow I do, but after that.....
Well, I do have to do a little cleaning, the laundry, finish a project that I am writing/clip art for the Girl's Christmas Party.

Okay so it is not a whole 4 days without doing anything.....but at least other than tomorrow, I don't have to get out of my pajamas. Well, okay, maybe on Friday, because one of my lia sophia hostesses is stopping by to pay me. So, I guess I will have to get dressed!

But, I don't have to shop! If anyone shops, it will be up to the tall guy to get it done.

Happy Thanksgiving to you all! May you have too have 4 days where you don't have to do anything you don't want too!

Tuesday, November 22, 2005

Scarf #25


After a Fall of scarf knitting for a benefit, for a bazaar and for a friend's birthday next week, I have knit 25 scarves so far. The whole time I am knitting this latest one from Lion Brand Fun Fur Stripes, I am telling myself this is it. No more, back to my regular scheduled knitting!

But then, this Encore has been taunting me. It is one lonely ball of 200 yards. Why did I only buy one ball? That won't do the seaman's scarf I always knit. It takes at least 1 1/2 - 2 balls. Oh, yea, I remember, I acutally bought the one ball to go with an eyelash yarn I had previously bought. I knit a little of the two together last summer and decided you could not see the color variations on the Encore at all. So it sat there. I wondered if I could get one more? I could from Patternworks, I see that they still have it in their catalog, but I am trying to use up some yarn and I don't want to buy it. And I wanted to knit a scarf for warmth for my friend's birthday next week, but given the way she loses them, I did not want to go out and buy two skeins of anything more.

And then it hit me. I have been knitting all of these 25 scarves on big needles and a lot less than 200 yards have been involved with them! And so I decided to come down a size of needles and knit and see what happens. I think this looks pretty good! So, I am going to knit on this one last scarf for now! It will be the Thanksgiving day project for at the in-laws. Then I am done with scarves for now, really, it will be back to my regular scheduled knitting! No, really!

Monday, November 21, 2005

The Pink Yarn That Refuses To Be Knit



Last year in the Fall I bought this pink Encore Bulky yarn for a small poncho. When I finished it, I just did not like it so I cut the yarn, and threw the poncho away and kept the leftover. Then, I started knitting with a lime version of the same yarn with a strand of Plymouth Poof. I liked the lime so much and I still had two and 1/2 skeins left of the pink, so I went back to the yarn shop about this same time last year and bought poof to go with it.

So now, I am knitting a scarf like the lime one (which I gave away), and it would appear that I am not going to use it all up! I think I am still going to have a ball left and some poof to go with it! This pink just will not let me knit it all up! It wants to live! It's starting to annoy me now!

Tuesday, November 15, 2005



I think I may be done celebrating my birthday from last week. My mother/father in law gave me this on Saturday when we celebrated. Won't he look cute with a scarf and hat upon his head!

Sunday, November 13, 2005



I'm milkin this birthday for as long as I can. These were gifts from my comrads at work. My secret pal sent me the caribe blue bath sfuff (she just got my name the day before my birthday) and Shelley, my co-worker in Purchasing bought me the portable beach and the candle so that this winter I can imagine I am there. Brenda, one of our traveling companions bought me the "Trip Money" Bank to save $ for my 2007 trip (hopefully). Kathy who used to work with me in Purchasing bought me the high heeled flip flop and Maria gave me my own street sign, Penny Lane. Do these people know me? I am so lucky to have them to work with! Stay tuned for my birthday that lasts and lasts.

I love it! Who says birthdays aren't fun when you get older??

Saturday, November 12, 2005

Today was the Womens Lifestyle Event in Peoria.

My lia sophia group had a table and we worked shifts. I had the first shift with a couple of other gals from our group. Did not book any parties or take any orders, but we had a lot of women go through who signed up for a chance at winning the Sea Grass Set. Hopefully, there will be some new names to go after for future shows and jewelry sales.

But the funny thing about Lifestyles Event is that there tons of vendors there. And of course from a far what do you think I saw?? YARN, yes Yarn. I had finished my shift and was just going to look a bit before heading home. I was suppose to go yarn shop hopping with a friend from work after Lifestyles, but we were short handed in the booth so I worked longer and told her to go without me. Anyway, back to the YARN. It was from a shop over in Bloomington called The Fiber Shop. It is in her home, and is by appointment only, but she is having a sale on December 2nd and 3rd that is not by appointment! Might have to do a little yarn shop hopping on those days.

She has some different stuff and had some knit items for sale today which were fun to look at. Some great felted flowers, that I just have to try. Her daughter had a Noro ribbed capelet (yes, I had to buy the book), I liked it better than the previous one I made. The neck of the one her daughter was modeling was not as high up as this one pictured, which would be nice to try. The Noro book had some other interesting sweaters in it so it was worth the look see.

And of course, I had to buy yarn and it is for a scarf but it is really soft. The scarf is a ribbed scarf with a cable down it. Can't wait to wind it up and then start it too... but tonight we have to go to celebrate my birthday one more time. What I really wouldn't mind is just putting my sore foot up (I'll tell you about that tomorrow unless it is a fond memory. BUT, BACK to the YARN....it is one of my favorite colors, can you guess what one?

Thursday, November 10, 2005

Happy Birthday to Me!

Thats all for today!

Wednesday, November 09, 2005

Where everybody knows your name...

Another part of the conversation that we had yesterday at lunch. Leslie and I were talking about local yarn shops and how one is missing the boat. The Radical Knitters tried several Thursdays at a knit night and didn't just quite feel the ambiance that we should have. Leslie and I discussed that a little yesterday.

So, if and when I ever when that lotto, and have my own shop, I vow that it will be like Cheers! where everybody knows your name! I miss that it a local yarn shop.

The tall guy and I discussed that if we one big, we had have to fight over who stayed working (for the insurance), I said it would probably have to be me cause I have the good benefits, he said we could both quit cause if we really won big, we wouldn't have to worry about it. Guess I'd better buy the ticket first, huh, Norma?

Tuesday, November 08, 2005

I'm having a pretty good week.

This is night two that I have got to come straight home! And tomorrow I get to too. Did not get to knit on the tunic sweater last night, I read instead and worked on doing some lia sophia business. Tonight, I knit on it a bit but, man those sleeves have a long way to go to get just one done!! I don't think my time line of Saturday morning is going to be met, but one never knows.

I'm tired tonight since I cut back on my coffee consumption (as of yesterday) and because I think I have been drinking too much of it and thought it was part of a little problem I have had. But tomorrow, I am going back to drinking it like I always do. It hasn't made a difference, and no I have not had any headaches, but I am tired and not real nice (at least at home) so it just ain't worth it! And I like my coffee!

So whatever is going on inside me is just gonna have to live with the coffee cause it is not going away!

Today was the first Tuesday of the Winter Knitting Club during lunch at work. Two showed up, one without her knitting and the other a short timer because in a few weeks Leslie will be not working on Tuesdays. She will be there on Fridays though which will be fun. We started the Winter Knitting Club because of a suggestion that we do one. I said what the heck, I usually sit in the Student Lounge anyway during the winter and I might just as well talk knitting and maybe encourage others to learn how to knit or further their skills. I hope it picks up as others see us knitting. As each person came in with their lunch today, I asked them if they brought their knitting (even of those I knew were not game) but you never know when someone will respond with a yes! Especially when they see how much fun we have!

Sunday, November 06, 2005

I know that Winter is coming~~~

I remember as a child that the weather on my birthday was cold and usually windy with a little bit of precipation. I can remember walking home from school, in my big gray fur coat with black buttons anticipating the night ahead and the fact that the next day was Veteran's Day (no school) and I would have the whole day after to play with my birthday stuff!

But, this last week and next week seems to be a little different. Weather is the upper 60s? So, we have been given a repreive, but this morning I am back working on the Tunic sweater. My anticipated deadline for it is this Friday night. I am hoping to have the sleeves completed (which will finish it), but the real thought is if I need any more yarn to complete it I could run over to Morton and pick up more yarn on Saturday after I do my stint at the Women's Lifestyle Event (Booth 136) in the morning.

I may even get to wear the tunic this Fall before the real weather sets in!

Wednesday, November 02, 2005

I Knit a bit, I read a bit!

I'm reading this at the moment


I can't wait to see who done it. I think I might even read today at lunch if I'm alone. If not, I'll knit. Life is good.

Tuesday, November 01, 2005

I just had to share this picture with you all.


These were my boss' day present from Shelley who works with us. Aren't they cute? Snoopy also has a Flying Ace costume, complete with goggles. They sat on my chair yesterday with a pumpkin full of Peanuts fruit snacks for my little visitors. Shelley bought the fruit snacks for me too. Isn't she the greatest? And she is learning how to knit!