bed blogging

Well this is something new for me. I am now blogging from the comfort of my good old bed. The foot is still an issue have a bit of infection so back to bed with the blasted thing up on a pillow. I survived Christmas, the joy on the Grandchildren's faces was something to behold. My goodness the man in the red suit did come. How pleased they were.

Now I am working on an endless sweater. It is for me sweet Uncle but a mans Large at 8 stitches and 10 rows per inch is slow going. Lovely lace weight merino on 2.5mm needles. It is helping now that I can put a DVD in the laptop and sit here and knit. Hopefully by Thursday I will be out of here and getting some real work done.

I think I shall s et a goal for myself. A pair of socks a month...next Christmas would then be a walk in the park. Anyone care to join me with this. We can post our pictures and encourage each other. I do so much better with a goal in mind. I am going to make 2 pair in February as January will not produce any socks until this sweater is finished. Patterns will be fun to compare as well as yarns. I promise to knit up my stash first. How about that one?

Joan

BON BONS

Now just where have I been? You know the old answer sitting on the sofa eating bon bons. Exactly what I am doing around here. Usually I am the most last minute in a fluster person for Christmas. This year.....Wrapped and ready. Now this does require a bit of explanation. In order to be ready for some "get out of the snow trips" ut gas been necessary to have some surgery on my foot taken care of now. So here I am with a bandaged foot and a box of Godiva. Does it get any better?

I have made multiple pairs of the wonderful "Maine Morning Mitts" and we are loaded and ready to roll on Monday to see the grandchildren enjoy Santa and all he brings.

It has been frantic here since Thanksgiving. I also have a new computer and naturally new things to learn and learn and learn. Most exciting as this is my first new computer. A MacBookPro and I have yet to learn all the nifty new things it will do for me. So between doing a bit of reading, a bit of knitting and lots of sleeping life is moving along nicely. I have about 3 more weeks of not using the darn foot and hopefully I shall be off and running once again. Sure is a good thing to have wireless and I can operate from my bedroom.

Best wishes to all of you for the greatest holiday season.

THIS IS HELP????

My class knit along project is making progress but with help like this who knows if I will be finished at the proper time. Sammy just loves to knit. At least I think that is what he is doing. I have frogged his previous attempt and now have this one to think about and tink.

Also on my needles is a sweater for a special family member that is taking a ton of time. He asked for a plain fine knit sweater, I am working working working on it. At 8 stitches to the inch and 11 rows. A man's 44 seems to be taking me forever and ever. Slow going but I shall keep working.

Happy Thanksgiving to all I am off to eat turkey with the grandchildren.

MISSING IN ACTION

No not abducted by aliens, not lost in the woods . I just have not had any time to do the blog. Life sometimes gets in the way.
The chair redo was the big job #1. Daughter purchased it at a charity rumage sale. Then delivered it to me. So many coats of paint later, a new cushion and all it is ready for Thanksgiving delivery. Hubby was in charge of paint, Paint he choose not to do so off to the auto body shop for a good spray. That was all well and good, but please dear hubby remove all the old fabric first. So then we had paint filled old fabric which had to come off. Many new vocabulary words later, that was accomplished, then the new base to go under the cushion had to be recut. I now have words I could use that is if I choose to that I have not heard before. Four "snits" later he had it ready for me. Then the sewing began. I am quite pleased with the chair and know Kathy will be as well. She plans to use it as a knitting rocker. YES YES YES.

Following this sewing marathon I made new curtains for one bedroom in the hunting camp. As the boys and I use that term loosely are getting older, the camp gets more like a second home for them. They now have a bathroom newer than the one in our home, laminate floors, new windows, heat and lots more goodies so they are not "stressed" when they go to hunt. My translation of their hunting is .......HUNTING A WARM PLACE TO SLEEP AND EAT.......



I am also teaching three classes of knitting a week. WOW I love each and every one of my students dearly. We are doing stranded knitting using two hands in one class. I created a double knit headband for this class. I like the idea of a waste yarn cast on then some stocking stitch in the round. A purl round and then the pattern, another purl round the plain stocking stitch and kitchner stitch together. Makes it warm and nice inside and out.

I shall post this get the other photos and catch all of you up to date with the other knitting in progress.

More later today.

THE GOOD THE BAD AND THE UGLY

I have returned home from a glorious visit with the grandchildren that included seeing them all dressed for Halloween. I arrived home to find this wonderful package from my " Fall Into Autum Dish Cloth Swap" partner. Cindy from Knitsabouttime,blogspot.com sure did her home work on me.
All the favorite things I love, take a real good look, pink yarn, hand lotion, sweet soap with flowers and one with roses my favorite flower, note cards and mmmm the best jasmine tea. It does not get any better. I call this photo THE GOOD. What pure joy to find such thoughtful gifts....Family who have known me for 50 years never even get close to knowing the things I dearly love. Just amazing.
Now we come to the BAD


I always carry socks to knit with me. In my purse were these socks, not finished and the purse not completely zipped. The Bad who is named Sammy did this to my socks, hense the name bad. Did you ever see such an ugly mess. It will take me hours to get this all back on track.

Time now to get caught up after the trip.

The UGLY

now here is the ugly mess Mr. Sammy created. I shall work on two things now, fixing this mess and keeping things farther away from the little devil, I am having posting problems today so things are a bit out of order just like the knitting. sometimes days go like this in life and in knitting.

Ugly

Things are not working this morning. Pictures are reversed and I can not post the picture of the sock. Be patient perhaps later to day.

AHHHHHH!

That's my girl! Now isn't she just the cutest thing or what?

When Science Meets Knitting

This is Katie, Susie's daughter. At my mother's request I am writing about my world of knitting. For background purposes you must know that my parents are the enbodiment of the saying "opposites attract". They are like day and night. He is an engineer who wears plaid. Mom is the star of the party. So as the progeny of the two I am a strange mixture of science and creativity. I have a BA in Music in Open Studies, which basically means I took music and a lot of other stuff, namely chemistry, biology and math. I am now studying to be a medical technologist and hope that some day I can open a knitting/sewing store called "Sew Ewe".

Having said that you will understand that I approach knitting from a math/science perspective. I love charts and spreadsheets. There is a place for everything and everthing is in its place. It is not enough to just have an idea of what is in my stash I must have a spreadsheet detailing exactly what is there. There are calculations for everything. If I have a partial skein I can weigh it and calculate appoxamately what is there. I have a running total of how many yards of yarn I have. At this point I am close to having 20 miles of yarn (ironically this is the distance to the nearest knitting store). I can also find yard substitutions based on yds/gram of the original yarn and how much is needed. I have arranged my stash in order of the visible light spectrum and have all of my patterns arranged by subject digitally and in physical print-outs.

Knitty people are in general veiwed as quirky people...I have brought this to a new level of eccentricity.

Katie
Knitter and Spreadsheet Queen

New Rules in the House!

Alright ladies, let's just all admit it. We see yarn, we love it, we buy it with the most honest intentions of using it and two months later we can't remember what we bought it for. The STASH grows. It's like the blob that ate Chicago. Or someplace else really big! What can we do to relieve this horrible feeling that we'll never catch up?

If you have a daughter or son, all is not lost. You must teach that child the skills you have. ALL of the skills. With my daughter Katie I started with embroidery. Cross stitch at 7 years old, then when she was 9 I took her to the AQS quilt show in Paducah, where we live and it was ON! She wanted to try everything. Vendors loved it because if adults saw a small child there ready to try something, they assumed they could do it as well. And off we went. Paper pieces, Brazillion embroidery, Silk ribbon embroidery, general sewing, and finally knitting. She was hooked. Her first real job at the age of 17 was Quitlers Alley in Paducah. They loved her and she loved the job. She became really skilled at handwork. I would take her to a class with other adults and they would complain because a child was in the class until they saw her nimble little hands work. Before the class was over they would ask her for help! OH YES, Get you somma that!

So, back to the stash. Katie met a cop, (long line of cops in my family, Father, Uncle, Cousin, Son) they fell in love and married. The way they met is a fairy tale and would be a whole other post but they did meet and married. After she graduated from SIU, she became a manager at a Joann's store. She was the only person in the store that could actually sew. Imagine that????

Last week I set out new rules for My House. So I called her. "Katie, there are new rules for coming home!" Since her mother is the ADHD poster adult, she said, "Okay, what are the new rules?" I know she was snickering although I couldn't hear it! "This is the deal", I said, "Every time you come to my house, you must take home some sock yarn and some regular yarn from my stash". She was puzzled, but I went on to explain. "I have far more yarn than I will ever be able to knit up, even if I live to be 100, you must start to relieve me of that burden", I said. She was a happy little daughter. We all remember when we were first married and couldn't afford the things we wanted to do. Katie has gone back to school for her second degree and is only working part time. She needs yarn to comfort her and can't be spending a lot of money right now. It's the perfect solution for both of us. My stash grows more manageable and she gets things she really loves. I think I shall expand this rule to include other crafts. The fabric closet is so crowded, and the DMC is a bit out of hand.

Katie is coming by this weekend, should I run down to the LYS, "With Ewe in Mind" and pick up a few new things? Nah, I think we'll have plenty to choose from.

Take a lesson Ladies, "Pass the Needle". That's what Katie and I called it when I taught her to do something or we took a class together. It works for me! Just last week my Granddaughter said, "Nana, I wanna Net". What? She's a bit southern in her accent, so I wasn't sure. She actually was saying "Nana, I want to Knit"! Yes! The next stash reliever! Life is good!

A BEAUTIFUL FALL DAY

I took these pictures yesterday to mark the end of the most beautiful fall. We have heavy rain today and that will be the end of the leaves. It has been one of the most beautiful leaf years I can remember.




Now it is time to get on with the projects. Our local library is celebrating the reading of one book, a bit like the Oprah book club. To raise funds for this celebration local artists. (yes they called me one?) and asked me to I transform old avacado green plastic books ends into something nicer. I choose to make covers for them in crazy patch. Mine are in shades of what would you think PINK. I titled them "IN THE PINK". I deliver these tomorrow and they will be on display November 1 in the downtown windows and then be sold. Like all the things we create it took far longer than I could have ever imagined. Now I am finished..... it is a good feeling.

On to the 8 stitch per inch sweater. I think the ribbing is the "black hole" it never seems to get longer. Will start bloging about this later this week.

YARN YARN EVERYWHERE

I have now been to the great show. Stitches East in Baltimore last weekend. It was a wonderful event. I met my friends and had 3 days of knitting shopping. It was just wonderful. We shopped, talked knitting, ate and then repeat again. How fortunate I was to be involved in this great trip. My knitting friends and I go back 20 years so we have the greatest relationship. We met at camp with Elizabeth Zimmermann. We are still going strong. This is the same group I went to the Gunflint lodge with plus a couple more old friends as well.

I did not get any great feel for where the knitting world is headed no particular theme. Still lots of socks and lace and great modular knits.

Did I come home with anything? Now really what do you think? Yes indeed some lace weight for a sweater, yes I know it will take quite a while to knit but I am on a mission and will tell you all more about that later. Lace weight for yet another knit along. And lots of things to make the knitting fun. "Knitting Jewelry" is what I call it. Bracelet counters, stitch markers, scissor fobs and the like.

Then the neat little weighted bag to hold the yarn. Now Sammy the puppy stealing pooch is just out of luck I hope I have outfoxed him this time. In case this alone does not work I purchased the "clam shell".. You place the yarn end through the hole in the top and snap on the base. Now this is new and I had not seen one before.

I pick up Mr. Sammy today at my daughters we shall see how all of these things work in real life. I will travel to baby sit tonight and then back home and will fill all of you in on the rest of my trip.

HEADED HOME!!!

Pictures will come later when I get chance to unload the camera. I am headed home from a grand week. First at Stitches East where naturally I got a bit of yarn.

I did not get any great sense of what the knitting world is headed into next. Socks still are all over the place. Lace still showing its lovely stitches. Traditional sweaters are still arround and some glitz remains. I got no definite idea where things are headed. Yes I purchased patterns and some beautiful other gizmos but that I shall save for later.

Then to visit my knitting friend Sally and now I am in Cape Cod, Mass until tomorrow visiting with the most wonderful Aunt and Uncle a Girl could wish for. I hope tonight at dinner to have a picture for you. When I get home I will be mailing my Fall into Autumn Swap package. I waited until after Stitches to send it as I always find wonderful fun items there. So that will be on its way by Friday morning and I am sure will arrive in plenty of time.

What I am knitting

Yes books are just grand to own but I do use them. Here is the knitting from the past few days. In honor of fall the felt pumpkins. Thee is now web site for these delightful patterns but you may contact Marie Mayhew 1791 Portland Ave
St. Paul Minnesota 55104 phone 651-6491505. Just the most fun to make. Then there is my own pattern the Surprise Mitten and Lillie's Little Sweater done in blue for a little boy soon to arrive. There is more but time is flying for me and I am off to Stitches East. Yes Yes Yes.

STASH

I am loving all the swaps out there in blog land and so I have joined the "Fall Into Autumn Dish Cloth Swap" Each Monday there is a discussion topic. Today it is about stash. Yes indeed I have quite a yarn stash but one of the suggestions was for the book stash. How interesting that this weekend while my daughter was here she did a big job of putting all the books back in alphabetical order for me. I had them this way once upon a time. Then as the stacks of books out grew the shelves I purchased new shelves and more new shelves and the books just landed any place. This is not a good thing when you are looking for something. I also had a wonderful list of all books by author. They quickly was no longer accurate. Are you all out there aware of the dreadful thing book publlishers do to us. "SAME BOOK NEW COVER". This really makes me angry. Now when we cleaned the shelves I find several I have more than one copy of I am so pleased my darling daughter loves to knit and so she was delighted to take home the extras. Some I just forgot I owned and so purchased them the second time. Now I will get to work on that new list. So for all of you who like to view someone elses stash here are the pictures of mine. First let me tell you I have been buying knitting books for many many years and some of the old valuable ones I purchased when they were published. Some others I purchased from a used book seller when no one wanted knitting books. That was one of the best investments I could have made. I had no idea all these first additions would turn out to be something wonderful. so for all of you to enjoy take a peek at my stash.

Fall Into Autum Swap question of the day

Oh how easy to answer the dish cloth swap question today. In fact when thinking of wonderful things to cook for the fall I did not have to search far. Susie sent me the easiest and most delicious recepie for stew....It atkes 5 hours and no peeking but mmmmm is it ever good and the house will smell fantastic. So my contribution today is from Susie my parallel friend.

5 Hour Beef Stew

2 lbs. Stew Beef 3 tbsp tapioca
4 to 6 carrots cut in 2-3 in. slices 1 _ tsp salt
1 -2 medium onions chopped black pepper
4-6 potatoes cut up 1 tbsp sugar
1 cup celery chopped 2 (12 oz) cans V-8 juice
1 green pepper chopped

Place the meat in the center of a prepared Dutch oven. Place the vegetables around the meat. Mix the tapioca, salt, pepper and sugar, then add the V-8 juice. Pour over the other ingredients in Dutch oven. Cover and bake for 5 hours at 250. Do not open during the 5 hours.

For a hot stew, add hot peppers or use spicy V-8 juice.
Serves 8 people.

A FAVORITE CAST ON

Many times it is necessary to use a cast on in your knitting that can be removed. Here is my favorite. There are many others but I particularly like this one. It can also be used without a waste yarn as your regular cast on. It has a nice chain edge. Please excuse my lack of photo skills. Working on getting a better camer and new computer so all of you in blog land please be patient. #1. Place a slip not on a crochet hook using a smooth cotton yarn.
# 2. hold the crochet hook above your knitting needle.
# 3 wrap yarn around the knitting needle and slip stitch through the loop on the crochet hook. #4 repeat this for the number of stitches called for.
#5 when you have all the stitches on your needle required remove the loop from the crochet hook and place a coiless pin in this loop and fasten it to the chain edge you have created.
# 6 begin with the main yarn and knit away.

I did not invent this but was shown how and later told this is something that machine knitters use, but does it ever work well for hand knitters. # 7 when you wish to remove the waste yarn, take out the pin, give a little tug on the waste yarn and there are your loops to finsish off or pick up stitches from what ever you choose. Happy Thursday knitting. I have a baby sweater to finish today to get in the mail tomorrow.

Fall Dishcloth exchange question

This week the question is whay do you love fall. I think the pictures from yesterday tell it all. It is just sooooo beautiful and I know serious knitting time is coming up. All warm and cozy with yarn and needles in frot of the fire. I think that says it all.

FALL IS IN THE AIR

You know what time it is by these photos. I love the way it looks and know there will be lots of time to knit later. I just need to enjoy all the beauty outside. Both pictures are taken in our yard. The lovely flower garden that bings me these last blooms from summer and the trees on the side yard. The air is cool but the sun warm. It is one of my favorite times of the year.

Now I shall return to knitting and will send some tips your way later today.

SOME FAVORITE THINGS

I'm Sinking!

My sweet friend Joan emailed me to say, LORD! Where are you? You see, she had a Cosmo, my favorite and thought of me. I'm absolutely covered in work. I thought after I turned 50 I would be able to slow down and do the things I wanted to do all of the time. Not so. I work full time in a diagnostic center in a Vascular Lab and take call for a vascular lab in a hospital. Between the two of them I am whipped right now. It's time to start the big time fall and winter sewing. Mallory has decided to be Belle for Halloween. Not a big deal but involves 5 yards of satin. Yikes. Need to start on that. She will have to have a new Birthday outfit in November. A cute Halloween outfit and a Christmas dress. So much to do, so little time. I need a twin.

Two years ago I made her a Christmas dress that will forever be my Daughter in Law's favorite.

Chocolate velveteen, blue silk dupioni, silk embroidery flowers. It was so pretty if I do say so myself. Now every year I will have to try to top that. Last year was a disaster and had to be chucked! This year will be blue velveteen with a smocked collar similar to the Easter design of two years ago. Maybe long sleeves, the Swiss trim has blue embroidery on the edge.

No plan yet for the Birthday or Halloween outfit. It will probably come to me during the middle of a sleepless night. We shall see!

I've considered quitting my jobs and risk homelessness but with that comes "NO STASH". Who could face that?????

So I trudge on. Meanwhile today, that yellow satin is calling my name from down the hall. NANA! Mallory wants you to work on me today!

More Dish Cloths?

OK you got me I am now involved in more dishcloth stuff. This one is a secret pal exchange and every Monday there are questions I need to post here and answer. I think it will be interesting for anyone to read as it tells you preferences I have or yarns and knitting items. Later I will get to the full report on the trip. Promise.
Today's questions.
When you knit or crochet dishclothes, washclothes or face clothes, what do you use?

I just use what ever cotton yarn is around in the stash. Sometimes yarns made for this purpose and other times some interesting all cotton yarn from the stash...

What size needle or hook?
I use a 7 or and 8 it sort of depends what I pick up first but usually a 7.

Wood? what type? Metal? Plastic? A specific Brand? Why do you love that needle or hook so much?

I am still in love with my Addi Turbo's but am really devoted to the original Balene. Not the ones you can now buy but the original. I still have quite a few but they are not as durable as the Addi and some have broken and I can not replace them. I do however like the silver Options from Knit Picks. I just prefer metal needles as I feel they knit faster for me.

Is there one you are dying to try? No not really I think I have tried every needle out there, rose wood, ebony, plastic, aluminum , bamboo you name it and I have tried them. I presently have quite a needle stash but the ones mentioned above are what I love and use the most.

Is there a particular yarn you love and use all the time for clothes?
What is so special about it?

I do lots of knitting for my grandchildren and my all time favorite is Cascade 220 Superwash. I think it has body which some super wash yarns do not have, it washes like a dream and has the warmth of wool. It is just a practical yarn to use when you need washability. For machine wash and dry this is my absolute favorite. Great yardage as well.

I am never shy about telling what I love the most. If you are talking socks I dearly love Opal. I think the yardage is better and it seems to really wear well with a bit more loft than other sock yarns.

Next monday there will be more questions for me to answer.

1st place dish rag tag

http://dishragtag.yarnmiracle.com/images/dishrag1.png

I still am in shock about winning first place in dishrag tag. Now I can show all of you the button. Tomorrow should bring some news about my knitting life.

Fall into Autum Swap

Soon I wil be home where I can post the cute picture but at least I can answer Mondays question. I am not much of a cotton knitter. Sooo summer is for lace. Also where I live it is not very hot so I knit with wool and wool blends all year long. I am always knitting socks. My traveling companions whether it is to the grocery store and I get stuck at a railway crossing or on a long journey. The sock knitting kit lives at the back door and always leaves with me. I have a retired husband and we do errands and I take socks you have no idea how much knitting time I get while he chats with his old buddies. Vacation should end tomorrow and then 3 days drive and I should be home.

joan

The Knitting Vacation

This shows our travel mode as we left for the North Woods. We did have a sign that fell off at some point that saind"WARNING KNITTING IN PROGRESS". Lots of strange looks as we went down the road. After 13 hours driving we arrived in Madision, Wisconsin. Do not get out of the car as the mosquito population was something to behold. We had a wonderful dinner with my knitting camp friend Ann and her husband Fritz. Then onward to the North. Second night was near Duluth, MN. We stayed at a casino motel. I knit and did not gamble. I am not lucky that way. They give you tokens to use for your visit. $5.00 worth. I ended up loosing all of those and decided it was a sign from the Gods. Go back to your room and KNIT!
On Wednesday we fifnally reached our destination. The Gunflit Lodge. It is peaceful and great knitting. I have nearly finished a Wallaby size large, worked on socks, some lace and done a lot of reading. Truly a vacation. We have had very cool weather and rain. Much needed here after the big fire in May. We had 6 1/2" on Monday and more drizzle each day. Today it is lovely but cool. Our evening meal is most interesting each evening. We make a reservation in the dining room and then sit and look at the lake and enjoy!

There are escorted hikes and educational talks and walks. I am knitting knitting knitting. I was not able to post for several days as cloud cover made it impossible to upload pictures. Hope you enjoy reading and seeing where I am.

Little scissors & cases for the gift bags

Ready to travel

This is the last blog from home the knitting vacation starts tomorrow. Our driver (aka husband) says 6 a.m. is the time we are leaving. That is in the middle of the blooming night for me. He has a phrase. "Joan we got a lot of miles to haul" I hat that phrase more than I can tell you. Now here is the scoop on a KNITTING VACATION...

For over 20 years I have attended the knitting camp in Wisconsin held by Elizabeth Zimmermann and later by her daughter Meg Swansen. There I met my special friends Ann and Sally. So it has always been a knitting vacation. Our husbands have become friends and started their own summer event. They go to the Boundry Waters in Minnesota, to canoe, camp and fish while we do the knitting. We call them “The Adventure Boys” . This year the "boys" wanted a later trip for cooler weather, and have told us how wonderful this lodge called the Gunflint is so we have decided on spending our time here and not going to camp. Now I heard lodge in the woods with great fear and apprehension. Well let me tell you we have a cabin the word makes me shudder. However this cabin has it all, washer, dryer, whirlpool bath, 2 bathrooms and lots lots more. This is not a cabin to me it is a glorious home on the lake. I also should add the Gunflint has a reputation for glorious food and this is our destination.



Each year I have embroidered golf style shirts with a canoe or a tent or some such item. This year the “girls” choose the shirts. Can you tell?

Another tradition has been to take knitting theme gifts to each other. So this year here is what I have for each of them. I machine embroidered on felt little scissor holders, made fobs from cell phone leashes and charms, and the little paper gift bags. The gift bag pattern is from: http://www.thetoymaker.com/Toypages/08Flowerbag/08flowerbag.html

I really love having these little bags on the computer as they come in handy for so many little gifts.

It is my hope to be able to keep you all up to date on the travels but who knows what kind of internet service I will find. I am told there is a conference center with wireless. Hope we can access that. Until then packing yarn is on my schedule.

Lillie's Little Sweater

Put me in a car and give me some knitting with hubby driving and all deadlines can be met. I finished the baby sweater I was working on for tomorrow's Christening partylast night. This sweater has been part of my knitting life for many many years. I use an outline form of this sweater to teach beginning knitting. Amazing what they could do. It starts at the top of the hood, then down the back is the same as turning a sock heel. Downward it goes. Worsted weight yarn makes it easy and quick to knit. Several years ago my knitting camp friend Carol Anderson saw one and asked if I would work with her to publish it for others. Share sure I will, she took the directions and fine tuned them. Lots of pictures and helps. Carol named it "Lillie's Little Sweate" after my granddaughter and even used her in a "centerfold" picture. I always make this as a baby gift. If you are interested in a pattern contact your local yarn shop. If they don't have it or can not carry it write to Carol at: Cottage Creations Carpenter, Iowa 50426-0070. Yes indeed it is the same place there are lots of other fun patterns. Now I need to work on getting things ready for Monday's Blast OFF!

Fall Into Autum Dishcloth Exchange

Now who would have thought making dishcloths would have produced so many new friends and such fun. That being said I think I shall try a swap. Toooo Cool!!! First I will answer the question for the Fall Dish rag swap and then hopefully work on getting that button on my blog. We shall see. I am getting a lot of help from my blogging friends and will do my best. I don't have much time as I have to pack yarn to last 2 weeks of travel. My knitting vacation. YES YES YES.

1. Do you knit or crochet? How long have you been doing it?
I knit but I can crochet I just don't unless pushed for an edge on a sweater or something smilar. How long let us just say over 50 years.

2. Have you made dischloths before? Do you use them yourself, give them as gifts, or both?
Yes I have made them but not given them much thought until after the Dish Rag Tag Contest proved so much fun. So now I knit them, give them and use them.

3. What's your favorite cotton to make cloths from? What cotton would you like to try that you haven't before ?
I have no preference here.

4. If you knit, do you prefer circular or straight needles? For all, do you prefer wooden, metal, or plastic needles?
I use circular needles and I like the shiny silver ones. If it is a case of a cuff and double points are needed I am not particular bamboo or casin either one, but in the shortest length possible.

5. What are your favorite colors? Any colors you don't like much? PINK is there any other color? Please no Orange or Brown.

6. What do you like best about Autumn? The colors out there to enjoy and the feel of the air.
Just wait until I post fall pictures about the first week or so of October.

7. Pies: Pumpkin? Apple? Pecan? All of em? or No Thanks!
ALL OF THE ABOVE

8. When you were a kid, were you the one who couldn't wait to get started with school , or the one who overslept on the 1st day?
I liked school but I still could over sleep, night person you know

9. Do you celebrate Halloween? (The real key here guys is especially knowing if you have an aversion to the holiday or little goodies/decorations associated with it, given the timeframe of the swap)

Oh yes Halloween is great fun. I love the faces on children who get so excited about this. They are already thinking about costumes. I think there may be some sewing coming my way. Grandchildren you know!

10. If you had to choose just 3 edible 'goodies' to eat for a full year, what 3 would you choose?
Now really only 3, homemade bread, cookies my favorite is sugar, mostly I eat anything that does not eat me first.

11. Do you have any pets? Kids? Husbands who seem like kids? ;) Oh yes kids, just one who has 2 children who are the light of my life and pets yes my Sammy my Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and a husband who I think that even tho he is on social security is about 2 or 3 years old.

12. If you were to describe a particular yarn that shares traits of your personality, what would it be and why?Cascade superwash. It is soft comes in beautiful shades of PINK and is practical. But still a lovely wool fiber.

13. Do you use your cloths mostly for dishcloths, or as facecloths?
In the kitchen.

14. Favorite Fall Holiday: Halloween or Thanksgiving and why? (Feel free to share another fall memory if you do not celebrate either of these holidays)
Halloween where all the little goblins come to my door. Thanksgiving has lost its luster as I was the designated, cook, hostess, bed and breakfast owner and clean up the mess for inlaws for far to many years.

15. Do you have any allergies or aversions your pal should know about? No allergies but I am funny about scents, I like the florals, rose , jasmine and the like. Since soap is invoved guess I should mention this.

The start of the knitting vacation

Today is the official get ready day for my knitting vacation. More about that tomorrow. First let me say it is necessary to find a wonderful place for my little dog Sammy. He has listened to Emmy and is so very much better about the knitting. Today he went to stay with my grandchildren. I am so fortunate it is less than 2 hours from where I live. Sammy loves it there, children and dogs to play with and the cat Pablo to harass. I took a picture of Lillie, Louis and Sammy just before we left. Lillie is wearing her birthday dress. I used one of the free patterns from Kramer yarns web page. I am still learning this blog stuff and not ready to give you those wonderful links but I am working on it. So in the meantime you will just have to do a regular old fashioned search. The Watermelon dress. I used cotton DK from my stash. I am trying to hard to reduce it. I think it came out really cute and she loves it. That little dog is my Sammy. I shall miss him when I am away.

I was so luck hubby drove and I was able to knit on the emergency sweater for Sunday's christening. I am almost finished and will post that picture tomorrow.

I need to finish that sweater.

A REQUEST! I'M SO EXCITED

I have a request, I'm so excited. I certainly cannot knit as fast as Joan, but I can cook and share recipes! This is a wonderful summer time treat. When fresh peaches are available my family starts hinting for this treat!

Peaches and Cream

1 - 7 inch Angel Food Cake (Freezing makes it easier to slice)
4 cups sliced fresh peaches
1 small box instant Vanilla pudding
1 can Eagle Brand Milk
1 pint whipping cream
1 cup very cold water
1 tsp almond flavoring

Combine water, pudding, eagle brand and almond extract. Chill for 5 minutes while whipping the pint of whipping cream. Slice the angel food cake into thin slices. Combine the pudding mixture with the whipping cream. Layer half of the cake, cream mixture and peaches in a 9 X 13 inch pan. Repeat layers. Chill before serving.

My son could eat just the pudding mixture with a spoon, but he's more than willing to wait for the finished product.

Prayer Shawl Finished

Prayer Shawl is finished!
I a have been busy knitting the “prayer shawl”. Yes this is the one I used for car knitting Friday and Saturday. I promised a friend I would knit one for her. She was so interested in prayer shawls after reading “The Return to Blossom Street”. I am not sure where the pattern came from but this is the one I like to use. So soft and warm here it is from that old original pattern:

Lion Brand Homespun 3 skeins
Size 11 needles
Cast on 63
Knit 3, Purl 3 every row.
Knit up 2 skeins, from the third cut fringe. (I wrap around a VCR box) cut 126 pieces. Now finish the third skein and bind off. Fringe both ends. So easy and so practical.

Now I am working on getting things ready for a "knitting vacation" More about that event later. I even have "knitting gifts" to take care of," now does that make you wonder?
Joan

PiNK SWAN

If you notice I had to pin the front of the stole so you could see the lace. Darn it all the dining room chair has no shoulders even with my winter cape draped over it. I am most pleased with this and such fun to have something of a different shape. I have lost track of the lace shawls I have knit at this point.

I had no idea there was such a bird as a pink swan when I knit this in pink. After all when I started I had no idea it had anything to do with a swan. I just love PINK. Last night I decided to google pink swan. Guess what I found? Indeed on August 25, 1992 there was a confirmed report of a pink swan on Staten Island in New York. Mentioned in The New York Times. Then if you continue to search there is the most beautiful picture of a pink swan. I have sent an email to the photographer and asked them to give me permission to publish the pictue on this blog. Just the most beautiful creature.

Today was a glorious day. I am just amazed at how many of wonderful friends I have met through my knitting. Today I met another knitter for lunch. This was great fun we each drove part way. Had a glorious and great delicious lunch. We talked of what will be our next kitting trip.

Since hubby drove I got to knit and so I needed something to knit so I cast on the prayer shawl I had promised a friend. She read "The Return To Blossom Street" and knew she just had to have one. Nothing exciting like the Pink Swan but you know "car knitting". After row 1 it reminded me of the discussion topics I hear about often. What kind of needles do you like? This is a perfect chance to say that no one needle is perfect for all projects. For the Pink Swan I used my Options in size 3 not the recommended 4.. I don't knit tightly. For the prayer shawl I started with 11 but found the sharp tip split the yarn, I went back to an Addi turbo. This is perfect. I think practice is the best way to tell. Personally I prefer metal needles because I feel they knit fast and I have been at this knitting thing longer than I can remember.

Tonight it is a football game on TV with hubby and I will work on the prayer shawl. Tomorrow another short car trip so perhaps the lace I want to start will have to wait.


Joan

Dish rag tag team

PINK SWAN?

Yes I know swan's are supposed to be white or black. When I first became aware of Mystery Stole 3 I quickly reached into the stash and found this merino / silk lace weight yarn. White and black was suggested, however that being said when I started getting involved in the Mystery Stole 3 I had no idea what the stole was or the theme. I just love PINK! a favorite color with me. Lillie ( my grand daughter )says when it is not pink it is "Blappy" who knows what vocabulary words a 3 year old can make up. At any rate I choose pink. After all the knitting it looks dreadful.


And now the fun begins. I use crochet thread to string in the edges. I find I am happier than with blocking wires besides I loaned my blocking wires. Big Mistake! They have disappeared. Next step was to wash. I used a new product I am coming to love called Soak. It is no rinse and works great. I pinned to the cardboard cutting mat until I was happy with the results. Then gave it a quick spray to set every thing in place. I used my favorite mixture:
1 quart distilled water
1 Tablespoon vodka
A few drops of essential oil my favorite scent rose.
shake well and enjoy. The vodka is what dissolves the essential oils. DO NOT DRINK THIS!

I use this when I iron. Yes there are some of us who still do that. I use only vintage pillow cases and I spray with this mixture when I iron. Oh it smells so good. Imagine what my linen closet smells like. This and freshly ironed antique linen sheets makes for a pretty nice sleep.

Not to let it dry and tomorrow the Pink Swan appears. Sammy is banned from the dining room!

Posted by joan and susie at 8:30 AM 0 comments