Here we go.........again

This post is picture-less. I'm supposed to be packing to leave for Son #2's wedding which is on Saturday. We're leaving tomorrow morning. I would've been packed and ready but it seems there was a snafu. I have asked husband for 3 weeks to try on his suit. He refused and fussed that it was fine. I was not convinced and I reminded him that he had not worn the suit for a few years. He continued to insist the suit would fit. Well he tried it on this evening and guess what? The pants did not fit. So we had to make a last minute run to find dress pants. I'm curious. Do you think it is the evening bowl of ice cream that caused the pants to shrink? LOL

You should've seen the shirt he thought he was going to wear (eye-roll here). No, it wasn't the old flannel but it was close. Husband is a casual kind of guy.
We found the pants on sale and a new dress shirt that was on clearance in the first store. Not that we have a lot of store choices. So we were fortunate.

The knitting bags are packed. Yes, I said bags. One never knows which project to work on for the car ride and the down time during the visit.

Off to finish the packing........Have a good weekend!

Friends

Chan presented me with a Friend's Blog Award. Thank you, Chan.




“Blogs that receive the Let’s Be Friends Award are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers.Blogs that receive the Let’s Be Friends Award are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers.”

So, my eight are…

1. Anita

2. Jessi

3. Ann

4. Diana

5. Laura

6. Shelly

7. Becca

8. Gaylen

Spin Forward

Knitting is on a roll here in between the spinning. Chan is making one of these so I had to snoop and find the pattern. Found it! Now to look in the stash for yarn. Found that too!
I bought this cotton fingering yarn at MD Sheep and Wool ions ago. I have no intention on making cotton socks. So I put the two together and started another project.
It's easy. It's mindless and I need this right now. It is a great project to drag along in the car. Love it!






This is a blend I finally spun. It is a mohair/wool blend. Those Mo's are a little scratchy (lol) so I'll be careful to make something that isn't close to the tender skin. I don't spin for perfection, I spin for enjoyment.

Spinning has taken a first seat to knitting these days. Of course, I have no support or encouragement from family members.
As Mr. Smarty Pants DH put it to the DD,
".....oh your mother gets on this wool thing every year at the same time right before the MD Sheep & Wool."
On top of that, Lil Miss Smarty Pants DD had the nerve to ask last evening, "...so how long is this spinning/wool thing going to last?" (she's just like her father)
I have no idea what these people are talking about. I admit there are a few rather large bags of wool in the spare room. Wet wool is drying on the deck and containters of batts and roving are in the rec room patiently waiting to be spun.





I love summer food. Although I'm still purchasing at the market, I just love the food choices. Baby greens, cucumbers, red peppers, strawberries & pecans. Add a little poppy seed dressing and Yum!

Quiet Thoughts

Forgive the photographer and her lack of camera skills:).
It's morning and I wanted you to see that I did a little yard work/planting this weekend. Do you see Phoebe and Molly waiting at the door?

We hung the flag earlier than normal this year. I think we all need to be grateful for our freedom and human rights. So often we as Americans take our freedom for granted. I salute our military who sacrifice so much so that we may have and enjoy that freedom.

The DD attended a tea luncheon this weekend to benefit her flute teacher's missionary work in Ethiopia this summer. She and the DD played duets for the luncheon and it was a very nice Saturday afternoon.







I finally finished this project. I love this pattern.
The DD's flute teacher will be presented with this at the recital later in the month.
The colors are perfect for her and I know she will appreciate the shawl.







This shawl is a comfort shawl for my future DIL's mother. I named it The Angels' Hug.
Our #2 Son is getting married May 2, 2009. i will be certain to post pictures after the wedding next weekend.
In January I mentioned there was a family illness that I would disclose later. Our future DIL's father was diagnosed with brain cancer.
This wedding will be beautiful but bittersweet.








On a slightly lighter note I drum carded some pink BFL with cashmere. Reminds me of cotton candy. I love the color and I can't wait to spin it into some beautiful yarn.

Spring Into Action

It's Spring and I needed a pick-me-up so I convinced the DH to paint the bedroom. It was a dull drab taupe and I wanted something cheerful.
I found this color and fell in love with the color. It is a soft yellow and the vintage flowered bed spread that I purchased a while back matches perfectly.

Mr. Bettis swiped his tail on the wall and he threatened to tie a paint brush to his tail so he could help paint. Gypsy ended up with paint on her head and I have yet to figure out how that happened. Unless of course, Mr. Bettis swiped her head with his painted tail.
The end result of the room is pretty and cheerful and I like it.



I still have "Startitis". I found this pattern to use up left over sock yarn. It started out as a pram blanket but it is going to end up as a rectangular shawl for yours' truly.








This project has been started many times only to be scrapped in the end. The sock yarn blankie with Square #1 finished.

We'll see how far I get on this one. I've seen pictures and I really like the finished look of it. So......here I go again.









As if I have nothing else to knit, I made these to celebrate Spring. Talk about gratifying knitting, I love 'em. They're quick and fun and were made yesterday afternoon.
I plan to gift them to a few little girls that I spoil from time to time.






This yarn took a dunk and it's mine. All mine. Not sure what to make with it but I like the color.
I'll ponder this one for awhile.

I haven't forgotten you, my blogging friends. I still read blogs even if I don't comment. It's just a busy time this year with Son #2's wedding, DD's events and her upcoming graduation. So please bear with me.

Happy Easter

It's A Good Friday

These are my best friend right now. I have the classic symptoms of a virus. Sore throat, body aches, neck pain etc. Keep your dpns crossed that it really is a virus. I'm hoping Mr. Lyme didn't decide to return for an Easter visit.
Puffs with Vicks is the next best thing to sliced bread. Love 'em.








Princess Aurora was stalking the spare room window. I took a look and sure enough a nice fat Robin was hopping within 1 foot of the window. Of course the screen keeps her inside but she was licking her lips and staring for a very long time. Those Robins know the cats can't get to them so the taunt every chance they get. Much like the squirrel's antics with Mr. Bettis.
As you can see Mr. B was nosey about the fuss I was making with Aurora so he just had to see what was going on at the window. Nosey dog.



I finished them! YAY!!!! This is the Eunice pattern from Cookie A's new book, Sock Innovation. I love this book. I have a nice collection of sock books but this one is my absolute favorite. Did you get your's yet, Jess?
The color is not quite my colorway and I have no idea why I purchased it but they're finished and they're MINE!
The cuff is a bit shorter then I like but I was running out of yarn so I didn't add another repeat. I wish STR would add another 25 yards to their fingering weight yarn. (sigh) I'm dyeing another yarn color and there's 400 yds to the skein so I know it will be safe to add another repeat to the cuff.






Peanut butter eggs just in time for the Easter Bunny.












Good Friday is preparation for Easter Sunday in this household. New beginnings.
We will be celebrating with church and dinner. What are your plans for Easter?

Spring Startitis

It's Spring. Which means it's a new beginning and a fresh "start." It's also fishing season and time to "cast a line."
Spring also means allergies and in this knitter's knitting nest, a bout of "startitis." So here we go again. Keep in mind this disease is non-curable. Once a knitter has contracted startitis they have it forever. It can go in remisssion but rears it's yarn ball head any time when least expected. I have found if I even think of finishing a WIP, WHAM! Startitis hits and it's like a yarn ball unwinding, it's becomes a tangled mess.
Startitis causes one to cast on for projects that said inflicted knitter knows for a fact there are projects cast on that will never be finished. Case in point. I cast on to make a knit tote to carry my knitting. Now I'm even asking myself, "WHY?" But logic goes right out the window and I'm digging in the stash of yarn and needles and casting on anyway.

I have cast on so many projects I couldn't even post all of them. Stupid blogger only allows 5 pictures on a post. So get a cup of tea or coffee and watch this knitter' bout of startitis take control and the "logical" excuses for starting new projects.





Fresh start means starting a new project. Right? So I cast on for the swallow tail shawl.

Deadline? May 2, 2009








I saw this project on a knitting site and just had to start this project. A Baby blanket.

Deadline? June 7, 2009










These are the Harlotty socks out of Cookie A's new sock book. I'm moving right along on this sock but keep in mind I have two feet therefore I'm not sure when the second one will be made.

Deadline? Fall 2009


p.s. this is not a "new" project as I started it 2 days ago but it has consumed every waking moment with the exception of breaks to start new WIP.



While working on the above socks my mind wandered (as usual) and I got to thinking about this skein of yarn. Since I like the pattern so well I decided to cast on for another pair. Now I know what you're thinking, "why did she start another pair when she doesn't have the first one finished?"
Answer? I really don't have one except to say, "It's Spring and that means a serious bout of startitis has hit this knitter."

Deadline? Don't have one.......thank goodness

mmmm.........I wonder......is there a documented case of finish-i-tis?

Enablers

My BFF called yesterday afternoon and said this book arrived. We ordered the books a week ago from Knitpicks. She was here in 15 minutes with the book.
This book is a keeper. I promptly went through the sock stash and grabbed a skein to cast on.

So far, the problem with this book is, I cannot tear myself away from the WIP to clean, cook or otherwise function:).










This skein of Harlotty has been hibernating for quite some time in the stash container. Again, it's a skein of color that I would not normally purchase and I'm still trying to figure out why I chose colors that are not in my normal color box. I have tried this skein in quite a few patterns and I just didn't like how the colors were pooling.
But the new book lends itself quite well to the yarn.
Thanks to Chan and Anita, I have plenty of needles now so I can cast away:)





It's a cast on kind of week. Dreary, raining and dull days results in my need to cast on new projects.
Grace creates the most stunning shawls from her needles. Go take a look. They are beautiful and inspiring.
So I will cast on this yarn for a lovely shawl.

Correction: this is not yarn, it's a spiiiider's thread(yep, I say spider with an Appalachain twang)!
If you look closely to the left of the skein you can barely see the yarn er spider's thread sticking out from it. Go ahead, get your magnifier and let me know what you think.
I'm going to look into stiletto needles for this stuff. Honestly I think I'd be better off checking in with the backyard spiders for their "yarn" vs. this stuff but I'm using up stash.


What is up with this? Mr. Bettis, Miss Gypsy and Princess Aurora? Taking a nap together on the guest bed? Since when? Oh that's right, this was taken yesterday on April Fool's Day. So that explains it.
Trust me, within the hour Mr. Bettis & Co were chasing Princess Aurora down the hall. So it was definitely an April Fool's joke.

p.s. Mr. Bettis & Co had better stay away from the new sock book.