The end of 09

I know people are thankful that this year is over or that it was a really bad year for some. For me it depends on how you look at it. To dwell on the negative yes it has been a crappy year but how I really look at it is even though there were bad times, we end this year all healthy warm and fed. We have a new year ahead with new possibilities.

I was looking over my little blog and I want to change somethings. Blogging more is always a good idea = ) I would also like to actually blog what I am doing. I made many things that never made it to the blog and since this is also a journal of what I have made well that doesn't work out too well now does it.

I also want to be more positive in everything. Yes there are things that have happened to me that really suck but to be negative about it really doesn't help much. Now that doesn't mean that I will not give into an occasional cry or pity party - those emotions need to come out and do not make one weak. Keeping things bottled up does not help anyone.

I also want to use more of what I have. The whole "cold sheeping" as it is called over at Ravelry. I did use or give away (to hubby's aunt) a good amount of yarn and have a lot more space but I still have a lot more to go. I am not totally ruling out buying but I want to use what I have first and only if i do not have anything then I may buy.

Which leads right into exactly how much did I use in 09. Well in yarn it was 19,575 yards which is a lot - problem is I bought 11,093 yards. So actually minus is actually 8,482 yards. Thankfully it is a negative amount.

I also used 1,137 yards of my handspun. I made 2,727 yards of handspun and reduced my fiber amount to 103 oz.

For kicks I kept track of how much fabric I used 33.5 yards. Mostly quilts were made. For an update I never got to finish the last two quilts. My machine broke and will cost more to fix then buy a new one. I had that machine for over 9 years. I got a lot of use out of it. I asked for a new one for my birthday. fingers crossed.

So to everyone out there - Have A Happy Healthy New Year!!!

Code-Man quilt

Skywalker's quilt

Made from his outgrown shirts that he loved

Boodee's

Yes I made it

4:30 I finished the last of my three kids quilts. About half an hour
ago I finished my stepsons. He should be here any second. I had about
three seconds to take really bad iPhone pictures. This is drama's and
was the one that has been done for about two months. Oh he is here
rest in a few minutes

8:30 christmas eve

Good news - I do not need to have 2 quilts done until after Christmas. So 4 need to be ready by tomorrow morning. 1 of those 4 is the finished one so that leaves 3 to be finished and the good news on that is all that is needed is the binding sewn on. The bad part of that is that for me is the slowest part. I see lots of coffee or soda in my future. I can do this I can do this I can do this.......

Update

Okay it is almost midnight and I have made some progress.
Quilt a is still done
Quilt b still needs the binding finished
Quilt c, d, and e are put together and basted. Just needs quilting and
binding

That's the good news. Bad news is I forgot one. There is a quilt f.
Top is about 80 percent done. The best part of all of this is I came
up with this great idea of making quilts back in May. So why did I
wait till now?

Break over back to work.

Sent from my iPhone

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Ok it is 2 days to Christmas. Knitting is 99% done. Sewing not even
close. I need 5 quilts done. 1 is done, 1 just needs the binding sewn
on, 1 top is done, 1 top half done and 1 isn't even started! Can I do
it? Better yet can my sewing machine handle it? Wish me luck! : )

Sent from my iPhone

20-24 inches

Is a lot of snow. The picture of our snow loving dog is in the front
yard. The wind knocked the snow down to about 16 inches. Later on we
all were in the back yard were Snick was having so much fun. She tried
to chase the kids but well the snow was to deep. After a step or two
they would fall. One drift in the backyard was to my hip and well I am
almost five ten people. This was snow like I had when I was a kid. We
had lots of fun. It was really really cold so we wer only out for
about 10 minutes before the kiddies were getting cold. Falling every
step didn't help. ( I say 24 inches The news channels were saying
either 20 or 24 for our area depending on which I was watching). : )

Call me Lemming

Now a while ago I saw a pattern for the cutest slippers I have seen. Thought about it but put it aside because it was the middle of the summer. Now the Yarn Harlot is blogging about them and knitters all over the place are making them. I wanted them then and I want them now. So I did it, bought the pattern, I have the yarn I want them. Now I have to finish gift knitting first but boy it is going to be hard. The pattern is French Press Felted Slippers - Ravelry Link. Non Ravelry link here.

Aren't they adorable!
= )

Are you blogging? He asked

Sure Code-man hold still. What is on his head is part of his Christmas
gift. Yes he knows about it because he dyed the yarn for it. I will
have better pictures when it is done. He was busy killing zombies with
Hubby to really pose. : )

The Sun is out!!!

Not sure for how long. There were clouds in the sky and our forecast for the past few days was mostly sunny and we were cloudy. Now it is calling for mostly sunny. I take any sun at this point.

So here is the Secret Project. Scowl by Samantha Roshak - That is the Rav link. Non Ravelry link here


(close up)

The construction is different and that is a good thing. Honestly I do not like knitting scarves but this one kept my attention.I could watch tv and knit away. It would have been completed in way less time but well mean old RA decided to flare on me as I was just starting this. I did finish by the deadline so there RA!


(Drama wearing it like a scarf)

The Scowl is a scarf and cowl in one. Add a pin and ta da cowl!


(Boodee wearing it as a cowl)

I think it is a great idea. I like long scarves but they get in the way more often then not. So as a short scarf it is a nice length to wrap around and as a cowl it is wonderful.

Pattern details: Yarn is Artyarns Ultra Merino 4 (it is a sportweight yarn) I used a full skein plus about 25 yards from the second
Needles: 3 sets of size 4 (yes 3 sets, It can be a little clumsy in the beginning but really is is easy)

I really liked knitting this and in fact I want to knit another one.

So there is the secret knitting. I am currently working on a pair of socks. Which is surprising since I have not knitted a sock in about 6 months! It was kinda funny when I was at the point to turn a heel and instead of turn it I added a short row heal! Yeah it was kinda funny looking. I of course didn't notice until I was almost done with the gusset decreases. I actually had to look up how to turn a heel! Of course as soon as I saw the pictures I was all DUH! I couldn't believe I forgot. Oh well. Sock 1 is almost finished and I can not show you because well the socks are a Christmas present. I will have something else to show soon.

=)

It is like she knows

That something is wrong. She has been more my shadow then normal. She
does this really cute thing of resting her head on me like she saying
I here for you. I know this my sound strange to some but for someone
who has always had animals around, there is a connection that is
there. Snick is always watching over me it seems and lately even more
so.
Oh and pictures are coming I promise. I am just waiting for some
freaking sunlight. I have tried flash and well ew comes to mind. : )

Yeah..

I know it has been 11 days with no posting and believe it or not I feel bad about it. I do have reasons and updates.

Gift making has been going steady and I have made progress. So much so that I even gifted one gift. Plus I totally forgot to take pictures. I will hopefully remember. (or Mom wanna take a picture for me? )

Thanksgiving was great! My Mom came down here to Long Island for Thanksgiving and stayed overnight. She is the best and I miss her very much.

Os-Karina decided she wanted to be like Nemo. Woke up to the filter making weird noises and hardly any water coming out. Oscars are curious and well if you have seen the movie.... The thing I can not figure out is how a fish that big made 2 90 degree turns and went through a very small opening. Hubby had to take care of that cleaning job.

My girls did something that I am very proud of. They both wanted their hair cut and have been annoying me, i mean asking me, about it for a few weeks. Well friday was the day (and my mom was here). Over 14 inches of their hair is now gone. Why so much? Part of the reason is the wanted to give it to little girls who do not have hair. 2 Ponytails of hair will be going to Locks Of Love. I am very proud of them for this. I told them about Locks of Love (I have donated in the past) and that was all they needed. They actually asked because we were watching a re run of Extreme Makeover House Edition and they did a little fundraiser of hair in the episode. They asked, I explained and thinking back that is when they really wanted to get their hair cut. I am one Proud Mama.

Okay here is the reason part of this post. I wasn't even sure I was going to post this. Some of you know I have RA. I was in remission for almost a year. Notice past tense. About 2 weeks ago I noticed some signs of a flare starting and well promptly ignored them. Denial baby! Well it got to a point were it could not be ignored. So I found a new RA doctor (my old one decided to move to be closer to her family) and I am testing away. This is not fun people. Personally I hate it. I almost forgot I had it, with hope that it would never come back. I am a little down about it but I am trying to be cheerful as much as I can. Funny one of the first things I thought about was that the flaring was going to mess with my gift making.

So to the family out there, Your gift may be a little late. Think of it as spreading Christmas out longer = )

=)

Yes I know no pictures. They are coming as soon as the battery charges.

Os-key has a friend

Poor Os-key was feeling lonely. After playing with and eating his food
he was all alone. Well except for the last guppy, he was really tiny
and fast and well Os-key the glutton couldn't move too fast since he
was stuffed. Seriously he ate19 guppies! Where he fit them in I have
no idea. Anyway here is Os-Karina. Os-Karina is a red tiger
Oscar and just a baby. Most likely not even a month old. It is hard to
see but she is black with red stripes. Very pretty. Well once you
forget about the whole fish eating part, which thankfully happens
mostly at night.

Well I should be holiday crafting

but I am test knitting instead. Nothing like putting more pressure on
myself : ). I will share more details when I can. I have to keep
going since I have a deadline in 4 days for this.

Os-key

Here is our new addition. He is an Oscar and his name is Os-key the
Oscar. I know I know. He was named before he was even out of the pet
store tank. Just in case you don't know this about Oscars is well (I
had nothing to do with this. He is Hubby's fish) his dinner is
swimming with him. Swim little guppies swim!

Thanksgiving Meme

Totally took this from Karen. =) Can you believe Thanksgiving is next week?!?!?! I personally love Thanksgiving. It is my favorite holiday. Some years are better then most but to have family all together and good food makes me very happy.

FYI- for those that do not know what a meme is, it is like those get to know someone emails that are always going around but in blog form

1.What are the traditional favorites?

Family getting together. When I was growing up it was at my grandparents house. Man Grandma could cook. Miss her very very much. Now we are usually at my in-laws and then have a second at my mothers for my side of the family. But this year my mom is coming here!

2.What new recipes will you try this year?

My MIL usually cooks and every year she tries something new, usually a side dish. I think it will either be a new green beans or brussel sprouts recipe. My kids like brussel sprouts, especially my son. He has freaked people out in the store because he asked if we could get some.

3.What part of the meal do you never compromise?

Well I love everything but sometimes the "experiment" dish bombs. I look at it this way though you never know if you will like something until you try it and that is how my kids are being brought up. That is probably why they like brussel sprouts.

4.Who gets to carve the turkey?

My FIL does it.

5.Family style around the table or buffet style and everyone sits wherever there's room?

What ever course we are eating is on the table. There is always so much food that we know have courses.

6.How many will be at your table this year?

We will have 7 or 8 not sure yet.

7.Three best pies for Thanksgiving dessert?

my grandmother's apple, pumpkin and my grandmother's apple

8.Cranberry sauce...yeah or nay?

Yeah!!! Either way canned or fresh though I lean toward fresh homemade

9.What time do you eat Thanksgiving dinner?

Usually between 2 and 3. We are not done until after 6 most of the time

10.Favorite leftover?

Mmmm all of them = )

= )

COLTS WIN!!!!!!!

Take that Tom Brady!!!!!! = )

While all of the gift

Making has been going on, I made myself something. A new bag! I love
it !!!! The amazing parts are this: 1- the pattern is free 2- it only
uses 1/2 a yard of two fabrics and 3- it is the perfect size.
Pattern is Phoebe Bag from Artsy Crafty Babe. She is amazing with her
patterns and anything she does. Her blog is
artycraftybabe.typepad.com. (Phoebe pattern is listed on the right
side under free patterns)
Yes I know the picture is not the best best is horrible outside. I see
myself using this bag often so I will definitly get a better picture
soon.

Breaking News!

I did something today that I have not done in months! I dug out my sewing machine and sewed! I was able to get a little bit done. Nothing compared to what I would normally be able to do but heck I did sew. Needless to say my back was screaming at me and I listened (eventually). Baby steps I know I know. I also was able to get some fabric cut out for a third project. Cutting and ironing are the easy parts since I am standing. Any body know of a way to sew standing up? Then I would really be able to fly along.

That little bit of sewing totally made my day. =) Now to go finish ironing so I can sew a little bit more tomorrow!

Holiday knitting

Well some knitting will be blogable. Here is one. It is a Clapotis
scarf. It seems like almost every knitter has made one and well a
certain person on my list wanted a scarf like this. I figured no
problem it is a very easy pattern. Thing is now that I am about a
quarter of the way I remember why I do not knit scarves. I am done but
it isn't. Oh well a little each day and stop before I want to throw it
across the room. : ). It will be a very nice scarf when it is done.

I am a little behind

On the holiday knitting/sewing/ and crafting. This is just the
knitting. I am not about to show the sewing since well it would
probably totally discourage me. I am still being hopeful here
eventhough I am starting about 6 weeks late. Ok maybe I shouldn't have
thought about that. : )

I stumbled across

My beading box and made myself this bracelet. The 3 main rings say
sister, wife and the last says mom. I love it! Nothing like making
yourself something pretty. : )

Karen totally made my day!

I got a message today from a fellow blogger, Karen. I have a blog award! Karen is a real sweet heart. Hardly knowing me, except from a few comments she helped and "held my hand" when I had to learn how to self inject my RA medication. Seriously. On the big day I must have received about 5 emails asking how I was doing. I do not think I would have been able to do it without her. I self injected for about 6 months and she was right it became such a habit that I could do it standing in the kitchen. This did freak out Hubby (he doesn't like needles) when he walked in on me stabbing my thigh. Sorry Honey =) From then on we keep in touch, checking in on each other and sending support when life becomes a real pain. She is also not that far. Just the Long Island Sound is between us. We have both been at Rhinebeck and missed each other (well trying to find someone in 30000 people is a little hard especially with all the yarn and fluff around) One day we will.




The Neno’s Award Rules and Regulations:
1. As a dedication for those who love blogging and love to encourage friendships through blogging.
2. To seek the reasons why we all love blogging.
3. Put the award in one post as soon as you receive it.
4. Don’t forget to mention the person who gives you the award.
5. Answer the award’s question by writing the reason why you love blogging.
6. Tag and distribute the award to as many people as you like.
7. Don’t forget to notify the award receivers and put their links in your post.



Ok why I love blogging. Hmmm....... Great people. Lots of help when needed and not just with learning how to stab oneself with a needle. To me it is like living in a small town when you don't.

Tag Oh boy! Who to give this too. I tag Toni and Abby

Toni - I met her through a stash group. Then I read her blogs and we "talk" on Ravelry. She makes me laugh with some of her posts and think with others. We are also part of a "cold sheeping group" trying to get the stash of yarn down. We both knit and sew and maybe one day she will get into spinning! ; )

Abby - I know abby from the stitch n bitch forum days. She has 2 blogs and it was her gardening blog that really brightened my days when I was stuck in bed. Her pictures are lovely and really cheered me up.

How I feel

Ok I had come to the conclusion that trying to sleep at night is the hardest thing to do while sick. Of course I could nap all day long fine but at night not a chance. Ugh!!!!!!!

My day

Tea, tissues and my shadow. Yep I am sick, so sick I do not want to knit. Knitters will know how sick that is.

Btw I am the one who tied the girls braids together. I did untie them, eventually.

: )

I just couldn't

Help myself. My girls were sitting in front of me.

Yeah I can blog on my phone with pictures!! November here I come !!

Test

This is a test of my mobile blogging. Fingers crossed : )

Holy Cow Bat-Man!!!!

I know I haven't posted in a long time but July!!!!! Wow Wow Wow!!! Well I do have very good reasons on not posting. Back surgery is one. Plus all of the lovely things that go along with that.

I can sit for a few minutes here and there and not even sure if the surgery worked. It was a small I guess you could call it, to see if it would work. If not then it is major back surgery is next. As of now I am as good or bad depending on how you look at it as I was before surgery.

Knitting has been going on but very slowly. Basically all knitting is being down while lying down. Granted I am working my arm muscles out, but I can only knit few a little bit. Spinning has not happened since I can't sit. and there has been just a tad of sewing. Boredom has been a big thing with me lately needless to say.


Well I do feel a little better posting. Well it is November. maybe just maybe I can find a way to post every day. Maybe

=)

TdF update (another one)

The Forever Blue yarn is done done done. This one really took forever. A whole week of spinning everyday to get this done. Thankfully it is a balanced and even yarn. It really turned out great.

539 yards of sport weight. Plenty to make a few things that I am thinking about. Heck I might be able to make 2 of the things I am thinking about.


This is the latest spinning. 50/50 camel/silk that I bought at Rhinebeck 08. It is really beautiful stuff. The only problem I have with it is the silk likes to float and get all over. On cloths, in drinks, heck it even got in my mouth. That part I do not like at all. It will be done and plied tomorrow.

Sheepy the 2nd was lovingly received and had a sex change =) He is now a she. So here is Sheepy in all of her finished glory.







Sheepy's fleece is knitted from the tiny left overs of yarn from a huge ball I bought at Rhinebeck 07. Seriously this huge ball has made 3 hats and Sheepy's fleece. It was only 157 yards of super bulky yarn. Sadly I only have a few feet left. Buddah has one of the hats so she loves that they match. Oh and true to form Sheepy has been naked for half the day = )

TdF update and Knitting?!?!?!?!

I have yarn today = ) Not the main yarn, it is still soaking wet (darn humidity) but what was left over is dry. I had 155 yards of merino singles left over from plying the main yarn and well I did not want to just stash it away. So I dug out some crochet cotton and strung on a ton of beads and plied them together.

It came out really cool! It was my first time doing this and it went very slowly. It almost took me an hour!! I didn't want to over twist the yarn and had to space the beads which I just did totally random. I might just do it again but on a smaller scale first. I need more practice before a whole skein.

Now for knitting. Yes knitting. I still remember how =)

Meet Sheepy the Second.


He is to replace Sheepy. My daughter's stuffed sheep (was the stuffed sheep from Harvest Moon video game) that was loved to bare threads and mauled by a puppy (Snick) and could not be fixed anymore. It has been a while since Sheepy has been brought up but today Sheepy was and when she remembered that Sheepy was gone well she broke my heart with her tears. So what is a mom to do? Knit her a new Sheepy.



Now Sheepy the Second is not finished. I still need to embroider his face and make his coat. Yes coat. The pattern lets you change the sheep's coat and I thought that was adorable. I am sure Buddah would like a purple fleece = )

Pattern: Knitted Sheep by Flutterby (Rav link)
Yarn: Wool of the Andes undyed
needle: size 8
mods: well the pattern make a small sheep and I wanted something bigger sooo thicker yarn, bigger needles and basically doubling all the numbers makes a bigger sheep. Body is reversed stocking stitch and head, ears and legs are stocking stitch. I did it this way so when he is naked (which I am sure he will be at times) the bumps look kinda like wool on a sheep.

Tour de Fleece update

Well that is pretty much what I have been up to lately. Spinning for the Tour de Fleece. I have already spun 12 oz of fiber and around 1500 yards!!!!! I think that is close to a mile!!! Crazy!



This is the finished Elvira (from Enchanted Knoll Farm, ruby and black merino with sari silk and angelina, thats the sparkly part) I am making Ishbel out of it. I did get enough yardage 492 yards to be exact! More then enough for the shawl.



ok so you can not really see the sparkly parts but they are there. When I knit it is like little flashes of red light going off. Very pretty. When the shawl is a little larger I will try to take a picture showing the sparkly.



This is "I am going to take forever to spin so you can not spin anything else" singles. The top one is 4 oz of Corriedale and the bottom one is 4 oz of merino. Both were dyed by me. I am going to ply them together. I almost want to put them in a time out but after a short rest, meaning tomorrow, I am going to ply them to free up the bobbins. I also have some 50/50 camel/silk from Rhinebeck 09 on a bobbin that I am almost halfway done with. I need the bobbin cause well I have a little something on the way to me and when it gets here I want to spin it!!! Yes, I bought something ,12 oz of something to be exact and I do not feel guilty about it at all. 8 of the 12 is for Drama girl and if there is enough maybe Buddah. The roving is called Fairy Dance and the girls right now are all about fairies.

=)

Back to the world of the living..

somewhat. Not 100% but good. I am keeping the good thoughts that the upswing continues.

So lets see what shall I blog about. I have nothing new for the Tour De Fleece. I want to spin but sitting is still to painful. I am hoping tomorrow. So how about my first quilt!!



I showed the top finished last year sometime



Now it has a back, binding and it is quilted. Free hand on my machine no less!! Yes people I just dive right in!! It was pretty easy and now that I have done it I hear it is hard. Sometimes it is good to just go for it and ignore what people say.



The back is just plain black cotton and the binding is black corduroy I had gotten on a scrap bundle. Yeah I know not fancy but..



the quilting shows up great on the back and I love how it looks and in the end that what matters =) It is a light weight quilt, throw size that has been at home on my side of the couch for the last few months. I love it very much and there is a sentimental-ness to it. I bought the fabric when I was visiting my father and the sunflowers also remind me of my uncle. I miss them both. It is funny how something like a quilt connects to the past and memories.

=)

Well round two is over. I am doing ok. I am still pretty well medicated though I can feel the stuff that makes one feel like they are in la la land is wearing off. Tonight the pain meds will wear off.

Right now i am doing what the doctor said and lay down and take it easy. Well as easy as I can with my 3 running around.

In tour de fleece news I did spin last night. I finished the Elvira and start something new. Left overs from my Etsy store - 4 oz of Corriedale and 4 oz of Merino braids. I started the Corriedale. They are both dyed the same to they will go well together. I am going to single ply them together to hopefully a 2 ply sport weight, maybe for socks.

= )

Happy Fouth!!

Today was one of my favorite holidays when I was a kid. I loved the picnics, getting together with family, eating anything and everything until you were stuffed beyond belief, and of course the fireworks!! I love fireworks. Sadly I have not seen any fireworks since 2000 = ( The kiddies get really cranky when they stay up to far past bedtime. I am counting down the days until they are old enough to stay up. I can hear then going off right now in the distance. Oh I really miss seeing them.

Ok lets talk about something on the happy side. Today is also the first day of the Tour de Fleece. What is that you ask? Well spinners have gotten together and invented this. It happens on the same schedule as the Tour de France (get it spinning the wheel and the bike riders spin their bike wheels). You can challenge yourself to anything really. I decided to join this year to get back into spinning and to make a dent in my fiber stash.

So today I spun for a little while and managed to spin 2 of the 4 oz I have of Enchanted Knoll Farm's Elvira. Pretty pretty pretty!!! It is ruby and black wool with angelina (sparkly strands) and sari silk. Some of the sari silk is this bright aqua that just looks amazing!



This is a true to color photo.



This picture is over flashed to show the silk and the angelina.

OK now for the spinning tech stuff

I am spinning this as a single ply and fingering weight. I want to spin enough to make one of 2 shawls. Ishbel or Gail (Sorry non Ravelry people for Ishbel, for Gail scroll down just a little). Basically I need between 350-450 yards. My fingers are crossed. If I do not make it the next batch to be spun hopefully should work.

= )

Just to clarify

about the little video. I do not agree with everything he says. I think everyone should be able to come to this country (and not have to pay thousands of dollars too) and become a citizen. I have family and friends who are came to this country.

The points I agree with are with congress. I think they should pay taxes, pay for their own healthcare and should have to fund their own retirement. They should be held responsible for what they do. They should also do what the people want them to do. The electoral college is out dated and should be done away with. Heck I think congress should fund their own staff. Maybe if they had to do these things they would remember how it is for the rest of us and make smarter choices.

I am sorry if I offended anyone. I should have made it clearer, i apologize.

=)

Ok I am getting a little political here

but this guy does have some points that make sense

The Great Granny Square of 09

=) I have crochet for today!! I can not even remember when I crocheted something. Basically on Ravlry I am part of stash busting group and one of the challenges is to knit or crochet something big that uses at least 10 balls of yarn. Well I have a ton, at least it seems like a ton, of Knitpicks Wool of the Andes. Now WOA is a nice yarn but I had a bunch of different colors in all sorts of amounts and honestly I have no idea why. I know some were left overs from other projects but others were from I have no idea,
Anyway I took out the tub of yarn and pulled out all of the now bubblegum pink and purple and was left with 23 balls of yarn to play with. That is 2530 yards or 1.44 miles!!

Right now I am about halfway through the yarn, I have used 11.5 balls. And here is the progress



ok a) it is on a queen size bed and b) boy does it clash with the quilt - ignore that part = )

This has turned into my I can not sleep because of whatever and need something mindless to work on. Which reminds me I still have to blog about my previous mindless project the Shalom Sweater. I knit 90% of that sweater laying flat on my back talk bout arm work out. I will save the rest for another post.

Now working on this while tired or medicated does have its drawbacks. While I was spreading it out I found 2 mistakes that well I somehow correted in the next round so the numbers are still right.



here is one boo boo. I missed a 3 dc but in the next rd I did crochet the proper amount with out even noticing the boo boo



here is a corner that is suppose to have 2 sets of dc and the is only one and again I did the right amount the next rd without even noticing.

Both boo boos are in the same color block and I would have to frog a lot to get back to it. Strange thing is I didn't see the mistake until the pictures so part of my brain was paying attention and kept me on track. I know that I crocheted that color on a bad night so I am not surprised I did make mistakes.

Oh well. I do not think I am going to frog it. It is too far back and they do not really bother me.

=)

Well that didn't work

I have been having computer problems lately and sadly it may be the terminal kind. From what I have researched the problems I am having may be coming from the beginning of the end of the motherboard. Motherboards are very important. My little iBook is almost 5 years old and has been used heavily. I have an external hd and I am backing everything up all the time just in case. I thought I had everything working fine but long story short file were corrupted and I lost some important things. Some can be replaced some can not. Like my youngest graduation pictures from pre-k. Thankfully Hubby took pictures on his iPhone so we do have some but there were really great pictures lost.

Well we can not afford a new mac, I have hopes for next year, so I am trying to get more time out of my little iBook. Fingers crossed.

So basically my pictures are gone of my work including socks finished , yarn made, a finished sweater (just needs blocking) and WIPS. Of course after I take picture I put stuff away so now I have to dig everything back out and retake. I know it is not a big deal just a pain in the butt.

Plus my youngest gave me her summer cold and I have no voice. My kiddies are having way to much fun with that. I also have to get everything done and cleaned up cause come monday I go in for another procedure and I will be out of commission for a few days. So much to do so little time........

=)

this is for the code man to show him I can blog from BJs

Oh well no pictures. : (. Maybe when AT&T gets there act together. Long story in that but if you have an iPhone you might know what I am talking about.

Ok I am trying this out. Email blogging!! Hopefully with pictures!!

Sent from my iPhone

Oh boy it worked!!! Just another reason I love my phone. : )

This is a test of my mobile blogging system also known as my iPhone or a Hubby calls it my iCrack. : )

Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there. Happy Father's Day Dad. I know you are watching over us. I miss you.



A Huge Happy Father's Day (and anniversary - 8 years!!!!!! yesterday) to the best husband, father, cheerleader and friend there is. I Love You Honey =)

I am alive!!!

Of course. = ) I am better now. Not 100% but I am improving a little each day. Next one happens in 2 weeks. Things have been busy while all the health issues have been happening. Life does go on. Plus I really hate it when my health issues take away from my kiddies. Honestly I already think they have taken too much.

So Skywalker had baseball. In fact today was the last game. I did coach as much as I could and this group of boys were great this year. We went to Little league night at the new Citi Field.



We had fun but did have to leave early as we had a early morning game Followed by Drama Girls Dance Recital.



(at rehearsal) Her group was amazing. They danced to Bad To The Bone. My daughter exactly. =)

My youngest, Buddah turned 5!!!!!!!! Yes I cried. My baby is a kid now. Next week she graduates Pre K. I am so no ready for this.

I also knitted her a pair of socks that were supposed to be for the SAM month of May, I didn't make it. The theme was flowers. I went overboard with the flower theme. The yarn is Cascade Fixation in Wisteria and the pattern I made up from a stitch in the stitch dictionary named bouquet. It is a little hard to see the pattern cause of the yarn but they are very cute. She loves them!






I also started something neat. It is a sock but I am knitting it on a 9 inch circular needle!! It took some getting used to but the beginning you see here is now a pair minus 1 toe. =) I heart 9 inch circulars =)




=)

12 hours

In 12 hours I will be in la la land and my doctor will hopefully be doing something that helps me. (Granted it may take up 3 of these procedures to get the full effect, but if the first one works it is a good sign). So what I am doing. Not sleeping. When I get nervous I can not sleep. The more I try to sleep the more awake I become.

So in the last 3 hours I have:

Eaten my last meal until after said procedure

Organize all of my magazines (quilting, spinning and knitting magazines)

Went through my pattern binders and organized and trash ones I didn't want. (that would be 5 binders full)

and now I am knitting on my sweater. I am making Shalom Cardigan. I am using Cascade 220 in Grey Heather. I know grey is sometimes a blah color but I really liked the ones I saw in grey and well grey does go with everything. Plus the grey heather really has depth to it. I am on the third yoke tier. I do have to modify it since it is not written for my size. This is easy enough for a top down sweater. I have added rows to the 2nd and 3rd tier, Then I will try on and see if I need to do a 4th tier but as it looks now I do not think I will need to.

Well fingers crossed all goes well and I am going to go back to my "Sleepless Shalom"

=)

well

it has not been quite a month yet. I really am trying to keep blogging, especially after I heard that 70% of blogs are going bye bye. I heart my little corner of the blogosphere and will not go down quietly.

Well lets see what has the last month brought me....... Still hurt and after getting a "the doctor was this close to putting me into the hospital" case of bronchitis I am much better. Have I ever mentioned how much I hate my asthma? Any who, that little case put my procedure I my supposed to get done back to this monday. Nervous yet...... yep I do believe I am starting to become nervous. It is nothing major, just in out but I will be under and that has always scared me.


School is almost over... 2 weeks left. I am so not ready! At the same time I can not wait to see my kids more then a few waking hours a day. Oh the plans I have, we will see how many happen. = ) I know one thing that will really be happening this summer. I am going to put way more energy into my Etsy store. I have a bunch of stock coming in, more dyes in some really pretty colors and lots of ideas running through my head that I want to do. I have patterns that I want to write up. I love making things it is the actual writing that I do not like. "I know what I am doing but will anyone else understand what the heck I am talking about" - thing that I do not like. Well I figure if I just put in a few minutes each day, the whole tiny bites and before you know it you are done type thing.

Well I have not really taken pictures of much but I do have this picture



Bunny Nuggets!! So cute. So fast. I made all of them the night before Easter. Nothing like waiting to the last minute! Everyone loved them!

=)

Handspun

Well I have a few skeins of handspun that I have not mentioned and since I am seriously missing my wheel =( maybe showing what I made will help.

This skein is huge (for me) and took a long while for me to finish. The fiber is from Blue Moon. It is one of their Sheep to Shoe kits in I do believe Fire on the Mountain



I love all of the colors! I spun it in a way that I only had 2 plies of the same color line up and that only happened here and there.

Yarn: 302 yards 3Ply worsted weight
Fiber:8.5 oz of super washed merino



and yes that is our christmas tree in the background




These are the single of "Dales" fiber. I bought it from Sakina Needles (who sadly is going out of business - I did get some nice stuff from her sale)



2 hanks of 2 ply at a total yardage of 487 yards!! That is most I have gotten from anything. Granted I started with 8 oz but it was still cool.



I bought this a long while ago. Originally I bought it to spin and make something for a certain nephew of mine with the same name but now that he is almost 5, I do not think it is boyish enough.



4 simple colors, blue, green, yellow and white swirl together. I am sure I can find something for it =)

Yarn: 497 yards, 2 ply dk weight
fiber: 8 oz 100% superwashed merino


This is my favorite thing from Rhinebeck 08 (granted it is the only thing I have handled since Rhinebeck but I am sure it will stay my favorite)



This is what 4 oz of Angora!!!! Yes people I said Angora. (Bunny version of Angora not the goat version)



I found this in a little booth that had no customers in it (can you believe that!) and on the bottom of a rack was 2 packages of 2oz of angora. Oh I grabbed those puppies as fast as I could.



I love just petting it!



I love that I made thick thin yarn. Once I got passed the beginning stage of spinning it is very hard to make thick thin again.
Granted it is not a true thin thick yarn but it isn't even and that is what I wanted.



yarn: 169 yards, 2 ply, dk/worsted weight
fiber: 4oz of 100% Angora (bunny)

This was very fun to spin too. I need to find something for it. I was thinking hat but then I really wouldn't be feeling it, maybe a scarf? I have plenty already. Maybe I will make a cowl. I only have 1 and I think they are really a neat thing.

Oh boy I just used the word neat!

=)