Tiny Dancer Knits Too

2011-06-05T16:02:00.000-07:00

Charity Hat # 1 for 2011

2010-08-08T13:01:00.000-07:00

Turns and Leaps, etc

2010-06-20T06:26:00.000-07:00

Turns and Leaps class is for anyone! It's a drop in class Thursdays 4-5. This week we had a 17 yr old, a 15 yr old and an 8 yr old. It was a great class!

Schedule is up on the website, take a look, let's hear some feed back. Love it, hate it, change it?

Beach Baby Mini Camp starts this week. It should be quite fun! Need to finish up my planning and to do's for this today. Got the snacks, just have to package. Got the crafts, just have to make sample, etc. Got the beach balls, all blown up! Got the pool! Got the song, need to tweak the choreography since all dancers enrolled are 3 yr olds.

2010-06-20T06:23:00.000-07:00

Tue June 15 - Appt with Dr. Lawrence, started a blue Jiffy scarf in seed stitch.
Made a dish with has browns cooked in broth with broccoli, added cream, topped with Chicken simmered in broth with onion, carrots, etc. Added noodles to rest of broth.

Wed June 16 - Did not knit. Made brown rice with peas for lunch, stir-fried leftovers with an egg for dinner. Out with friends in the evening.

Thur. June 17 - Awesome turns and leaps class at studio. Dinner : sliced sausage, zuchinni, summer squash, carrot, all sautéed, ½ can cheap spag sauce, whole wheat fusilli . I put plate down, phone rang, Sid left. I ate it and it was great!. Watched SYTYCD, since I didn't get to see Wed performances I wasn't too invested in which dancer left, but did enjoy the 4 solo's and the group number!

Frid. June 18 - Lots of errands today! Made easy dinner of grilled burgers, froz corn and sliced strawberries with cool whip. Had planned to make cookies, but....

Sat. June 19 - Went to Prairie Lavender Festival. Not very festivally but really interesting . learned a lot, had a good time with friend Mary H. and Peggy H. Dinner was Pastrami on pumpernickle rolls, toasted in broiler with swiss cheese, fresh asparagus and strawberries on shortcake. Finished Seed Stitch Scarf in evening. Itching to start a new dishcloth, but must work on socks for fair, also need to re-start mom’s scarf. Need to look at my minimal FO pile to see what I can enter for fair and what I might need.

Festival Knitting 2010

2010-06-14T09:16:00.000-07:00

I knit 2 baby hats and a ball band dishcloth at this festival.
One baby hat matches the sweater, one is just for the gift box.

Back to knitting

2009-08-28T10:48:00.000-07:00

I'm able to knit a little better now, not so painful. I am working on the foot of the 2nd sock, and I'm excited to be able to wear them. Several older pairs could use the toes re-knit, out of white yarn, but I'll find "something".

Slowly getting back my abilities

2009-07-26T09:48:00.000-07:00

I am slowly getting my my abilities as my rehab produces benefits every day.

I am working a little each day (very little compared to my previous compulsive knitting) on my sock. I am working on the gussett. I love the bright and cheerful colors of this particular sock yarn, they remind me of jungle parrots.

Sunny but restless

2009-06-21T12:38:00.000-07:00

So, yesterday's black mood has passed with the storms and today is much sunnier outside and in my self. I'm pushing the pain pills to 4.5 hours instead of 4 and so far, it's okay. I slept well in the recliner last night, see the wisdom of it, because when my thumb slips out of the loop, my elbow slips back, in the recliner it can't go far, but in a bed could go far enough to cause damage. I can do this. I knit 1 round on my sock, as much as I could let myself. can't push it, simply can't. i recognize that my drive to do could be detrimental this time.

Blocking the pink and yellow baby hat. It is the sweetest thing! After the fair I'll sell it, either at the studio or on etsy.

So far this year, I've been a dancer who can't dance and a knitter who can't knit. The lady is trying to tell me something!

rainy day

2009-06-20T08:56:00.000-07:00

it's a really glooomy rainy day today. L is out of town with a friend, S is wroking on emergency preparedness project and I'm home alone. I'm out of sorts today. I know that it's a combo of the drugs and the lack of use of my arm and fear for the future, but knowing all that doesn't make it different. I slept fairly well in the recliner last night, better than 1st night, so adapting to life in the living room. Staying on pain med schedule every 4 hours is helping, odd that hospital wasn't careful about that. I did knit 1 round on my sock this am, 1 needle regular and two continental, both had diffuculties, think that as healing progresses I will still lean to regular as C is hard to establish any kind of tension. Photos are Spaz the puppy and Scamper with my shrug.

The Shrug is Finished!

2009-06-14T21:50:00.000-07:00

Finished the Lion Brand KAL for the Textured Circle Shrug today. I like it except for the bubble in the back, which is probably my fault for not doing the pattern correctly. I made a mistake and did equal rows of the stockinette and reverse (5 each) instead of 8 and 5, didn't discover it until sleeves were finished which meant 3/4 of the way finished so I left it.

I used Vanna's Choice in Green. Because it's an acrylic, don't think I can block the bubble out of the back. Oh well.

Sweater and Hat

2009-05-28T21:43:00.000-07:00

This is a photo of the blue and white sweater I designed. It has small accents of yellow.
The pink hat is a little funny looking, I blocked it over a jar and it's tube-like! I think I'll re block it with a balloon!

I've had such technology issues, computer went down 2x, lost programs, re-installed programs, etc, etc. that it's been 5 full months since I've posted to this blog! Crazy.

No time, no time.

2009-01-27T07:58:00.001-08:00

Today, I find myself with time to blog, simply because I have hurt my knee and cannot substitute teach. It's subbing that keeps me from blogging, but it pays the bills and I like it.

My computer is down, so I can't post pictures, not that I think many people look at them, especially when I blog soo infrequently!

I have made a lot of charity hats in the interval, many baby sweater sets.
WIP: socks in Opal Rainforest...an ugly color combo IMHO.
A lace scarf called "Christmas Wreath" for some odd reason, in a really lovely yarn. I don't remember name of it and am unwilling to crutch to the living room to look it up right now!

1st day

2008-08-18T18:35:00.000-07:00

1st day of substitute teaching for the year. 4th grade. Kinda crazy, bored them to tears in the am with the reading lesson....guess there was supposed to be fun stuff too, but I didn't understand it in the plans...oh well...

Finally got the right front of my sweater re-knit (record number of rip backs for me!) and am working on the decreases and the lapel increases and it should just be "rollin" now.

Got a pork roast in the oven this evening for tomorrows dinner as I'll get home late and at least that will be ready. My crazy schedule begins again in earnest. Job 1 Studio, Job 2 Subsitute teacher, Job 3 - Family. good thing Job 4 - Nutcracker isn't happening this year!

Fair Results

2008-08-15T07:31:00.000-07:00

Fair results: All color work marked down because judge said I carried yarn floats more than 3 stitches. I was taught 5 to 7 as the catch down shows a little.
Halloween vest - blue (floats!) “Good job, cute, don’t carry floats more than 3 stitchs)
Sideways cuff socks - blue - “good job!”
Striped child socks - blue (fraternal - judge wondered if miss matched pair!)
Faroese doll shawl - blue
Variaged baby sweater - blue - judge says “nice work, good job knitting”
Variegated baby booties - blue
Open finger hot pink mitts - blue
Brown and pink Felted purse - blue - judge notes no money in purse (ha! She does have a sense of humor!)
Mary Had A Little Lamb Set - red “Don’t Carry floats more than 3 stitches”
Beret - red “Don’t carry floats more than 3 stitches”
Lace dishcloth - red -“edge a little tight” (I agree with this comment)
Lime green hat with flower - red
Felted clutch purse - red “Cute“ (I actually thought this was a better piece than the brown and pink purse)
Firetruck sweater - white “Don’t carry floats more than 3 stitches”
Handspun scarf - no ribbon - “lots of competition”
Sewn tribal hip scarf - red - forgot to take out basting stitches on trim - I felt dumb when I read that! I
Total 8blues, 6 reds, 1 white,

2008-07-29T09:07:00.000-07:00

This is the Bastille Day Beret I made for mom. The band features the French Flag, while the top of the hat contains the colors of the flag and small fleur de lis symbols.

The Vive La France beret is finished and will be sent to mom, she can either give it to Berthe or the alliance to raffle off for scholarship $. It did not turn out quite as I had planned as I wanted to put Eiffel towers on the top but I grew frustrated with bad graphs and abandoned the idea. Graph patterns adapted from 45 Fine and Fancy Hats to Knit by Anna Jillborg. (think I spelled that right).

Working on a neutral colored cropped cardigan for myself. Reminding myself once again that I am not fond of cotton yarn.

The menus from www.e-mealz.com are working out pretty well. I've actually been cooking about 4 days a week, but school will start soon and we'll see if I can keep it up. My plan is to spend part of Sundays cooking several meals at once, which will be fun to do and nutricious. The e-mealz tend to be high on sodium, but I'm learning to do some adapting.

Wed June 2

2008-07-02T12:34:00.000-07:00

I had a great time visiting Mom this past weekend, even with the incredible windstorm! I gave her the beret and she loved it! Promises to wear it to the Bastille day party. We'll see if that happens...

Working on blue contest socks, part way through 2nd diamond of 2nd sock.
Working on Berry cherry sock 1
Contemplating a number of other projects.

Got sub info in mail today...pay went up $10.00 a day...yay! That much more to slam on a credit card and inch my wayout of debt. Think of how much yarn I can buy when I'm debt free.... or at least cc free, 'cause that studio buildings gonna take a loooong time.!

Me day

2008-06-22T09:32:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I took a "me" day. I concentrated on doing what I wanted to do. I did listen to a little music for a student, but mostly did not work. (You know how hard that is for me!)

I dyed my Knitpicks Bare fingering yarn with Berry Blue and Black Cherry Kool-aid. This was the 1st time I have dyed yarn and it was really fun. I enjoyed the process and anxiously awaited the drying process (sped it up by hanging outside on our 89 degree day!). In the evening I got out my swift and ball winder and wound it up and cast on (60 stitches, size 2 needles) I did the ribbin 1.5 inchs 2x2 and started the stockinette. This will be a plain sock, just for the knitting enjoyment of it and to see how the yarn colors play out. What fun that was! When I finish these, I may let myself order another skein as I have lots of Kool-aid left (green, berry blue, black cherry and raspberry.)

In the afternoon, I cut out and sewed a hipscarf from parrot fabric for a friend, learning better how to use my two-year old "new" machine (bought it 2 years ago, haven't been able to or had time to use it since). I can now strait stitch with the best of them. Pulled yarn out of stash to make yarn fringe for it. Been thinking this am that it might need a few tassels...lots of those colors left in the stash.

Read a little in my book "2nd Chance' by James Patterson.
Made grilled chicken, fresh greenbeans, wheat roll and strawberries for dinner (yes, it's true, I cooked 2 days in a row...tonight will make 3...heartstopping, isn't it?)

Today, I must do a little more work but not much...
Finished contest sock this morning, ready to cast on the left foot. Must work on Vive La France if I'm to get it finished in time. Berry Cherry sock will have to wait, actually it will be a great Omaha sock, as there will be nothing to concentrate on and can just talk to mom.

dyeing to knit

2008-06-21T09:58:00.000-07:00

As usual, I'm wayyyy behind on trendiness! I've just made my 1st attempt at dyeing yarn with kool-aid and it was fun! I'm waiting for it to cool down (or is that kool down?) so I can hang it outside to drip dry. I used berry blue and black cherry kool aide and knitpicks "bare" fingering yarn. I can see how addictive it could be to dye your own yarn....knitpicks sock blanks might be fun too, and maybe easier to get an even color satuation, as I think the back side of my skein will be a little lighter than front, but should work out when it knits up (I think!) but this was fun.

I'll resist the urge to log on and buy more skeins of yarn until I've knit this up! Must have a little control of the stash. Just found a new baby sweater pattern on knitty that might help me use up some of the red heart that just doesn't go away. ...and I'm going to say right here and now that I'm really tired of the festival yarn, I just want to knit with yarn that's not in pieces!

Festival!

2008-06-16T07:17:00.000-07:00

Mmmm, I had a good time at Salina's River Festival. I ate (not all at once) an apple dumpling, chocolate dipped cheesecake on a stick, an Indian Taco, Bratwurst with sauerkraut, Island Noodles with vegetables, Gelato, Kettle Corn, Chicken strips, Grilled chicken sandwich, a few bites of a blooming onion and drank more water than I would have thought possible for myself!

Bought a new art piece for the studio, a glass paperweight for my mom, and a Randall Spangler print for my hubby. Listened to good music and saw fire dancers. How cool was that?

I finished knitting the body of the firetruck sweater, and did a hat with festival yarn and a scarf with festival yarn. (the firetruck sweater slowed me down). I decided to make the truck sweater a pullover instead of my usual cardi and that may have been a mistake, it's not stretchy! But, I think I'm going to leave it as is, and put a zipper in the side seam (two new things in one project!) and go ahead and finish it. Experimental knitting at it's finest!

Jan 12 post that went astray

2008-05-31T07:45:00.000-07:00

Today was my husbands 60th birthday party. We celebrated it today as I will be out of town on his real birthday the 19th. We had a nice time, he certainly enjoyed seeing everyone who came. I bought much too big a cake, but he's taking it to work and I doubt it will last long there!I finished the socks I had been working on, just in time as another pair has bit the dust. I will reknit the toes once, but when the sole blows out, it's time to say good by to that pair and knit another. I also started a pair in Trekking that I bought just before Christmas. The colorway is surprising me, I thought it would be short bursts of color but these are rather long and blend very subtly into one another.I also finished hat #25 and started #26. This time I'm using larger needles and double yarn just for the heck of it. No photo's today, don't want to take the time to upload them and move them around.

Jan 17th post that went astray

2008-05-31T07:43:00.001-07:00

I knit a little on my 2nd sock at coffee this morning with friends R and P, that was pleasant! Need to finish white bobble/red Festival scarf and start a hat for the newspaper interview on Sunday. Cake in the oven, guess I'll go knit a little.

Berets

2008-05-31T07:26:00.001-07:00

The beret on the left is the 2nd one I knit. I made it with yarn left from the 1st beret. The 3rd photo shows the detail from Beret # 1. I changed the charts up a little to use the different colors of yarn. So far, everyone likes the colors of #1 better. The hats are from Anna Zillborgs "45 Fine and Fanciful hats to knit". I didn't have much problem with these, but the 3rd beret from a different chart has given me nightmares! The chart is not written out correctly and I've had to go back to the chart for #1 and #2 to try to figure out how it should have been written. I knit and ripped out the same 6 rows twice yesterday (no small thing at 144 stitches per round!). Googled eratta and found many complaints and a link for the publisher for eratta, (and some complaints about the eratta paper some have recieved!) but think I've got it licked now. I just was too tired and frustrated last night to continue on. This beret is a Bastille day gift for my mom and I want to get it done! grrrr

A few more charity hats

2008-05-17T06:14:00.000-07:00

I had a big ball of off white that I started using for the cuff, then used all the small ball of whatever, then finished with the off white. I really have lost track of how manyhats I've done now!

Drury Place

2008-01-13T19:50:00.000-08:00

What a delightful performance we had at Drury Place on Sat. Jan 12th. The Starfeet dancers premiered their new dances for this season and the youngest dancers did their holiday songs to everyones great delight. The only mar was when the Live and Let Die cd Ian had burned for us proved to be not playable. I don't understand why but it simply will not play on any player I've put it on. The girls looked so nice in their new costumes too. Oh well, I'll just edit the music myself this time and burn a cd in my computer. Photo's soon as I can! Check back.

Branching out Scarf

2008-01-02T08:56:00.000-08:00

Here is a photo's of the Branching Out Scarf from http://www.knitty.com/ that I am making for my mom in Bare from http://www.knitpicks.com/

Also hats 22,23 and 24 from the Festival yarn project.

Baby Sweaters

2007-12-31T09:26:00.000-08:00

The primary striped set is for Lynne's baby to be. (son John).

The White/ green set was for Pam's Grandbaby Reagan. (Son Jimmy)

The Baseball set was for Rose's grandbaby (mom Lori)

Not pictured...blue set with teddy bear buttons for Sharon's grandy baby Xenubu. (son Chris)

I thought I had taken pictures of all, but apparently not!

Long overdue update!

2007-12-30T09:48:00.000-08:00

When you work two full time jobs (substitute teacher and dance studio owner/instructor) and have competition students and have Nutcracker rehearsals every Sunday there isn't much time to blog! But, I have found some time to knit.

Festival yarn update: 23 hats, 3 scarves, 3 teddy bears, 3 pair mittens, 1 pair wrist warmer , 1 headband.

I guess the newspaper is going to do an article about this project so I'd better get a few more hats done, or it won't be too interesting an article! Hat # 24 on needles this am while talking to my mom.

Sadness

2007-08-11T08:18:00.000-07:00

Due to a mixup in dates, I was unable to enter any of my items in the Tri-Rivers fair. I was very dissapointed as I'm very competitive about this and really wanted to win! grrr...I know there is next year, but it's a year a way!

Sunday 7/8/07

2007-07-08T08:44:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was supposed to be a lucky day, didn't seem to be much difference to me! Lisette and I did go to Hobby Lobby to look at flowers, no decisions made yet, but she did find the materials she wanted for her girls necklaces and today there is a 40% off coupon, so I'll give her some money tomorrow and have her go get the stuff. 1 more thing to check off the list. Actually, I need to make a list so I can check it off!

These are festival hats 1,2 and 3 of a fuzzy red acrylic with some yellow in it. The 3rd had has stripes of a yellow "fancy" yarn. Various number of stitches on size 8's.

I finished Lauren's tube socks last night...these were more trouble than they were worth with having to rip out the 2nd one nearly to the beginning because somehow my stitch count was off by two stitches, enough to make a difference! Cut off the toe and began to reknit a pair of mine that I will hand off to Lisette now as my drawer is a little crowded, and I have yarn for at least 3 pair in line to be made. Reknitting toes is a little time consuming but not nearly as much as knitting a whole new sock!

Pulled a little more yarn out of the spiderweb yesterday (I was supposed to be choreographing Daylight Dancer but was having a hard time getting motivated!). I need to start a new hat, have enough red, white and blue pulled for at least one and maybe two. There's a lot of the blue so might get a RWB and a Blue and white one done. There is some beautiful turg blue wool in the web that I've pulled quite a bit of, but don't think I'll do a charity hat with that as someone might wash it and shrink it and then it would be of no use to them.
This is festival hat #5, a Red-Heart like acrylic, in 8 row stripes of RWB on size 8's- 66 stitches. .

Little Lamb Sweater

2007-07-07T16:08:00.000-07:00

I was so excited yesterday to find the only 6 lamb buttons in all of Salina to finish my sweater. It is just so cute! (even with the flaws in my colorwork process, it's darling!)

1st photo is of the words in the back.

Friday June 1

2007-06-01T20:15:00.000-07:00

Well, I discovered I had 2 stitches too many on the baby sweater sleeve, ripped that out and reknit it...2nd sleeve to go, then hat and 1 bootie (have 1 already done) and that gift will be finished except for buttons. I think blue sweater set has 1 sleeve shorter, It sure looks like it to eyeball it...can't believe I could make such a dumb mistake, I'm usually so careful...put it down to stress I guess. Beginning to think about fair items and realizing that I don't have what many done....if I want to enter 1 for each category again..which was kind of fun...don't think I'll make it but who knows... just printed a dishcloth pattern for that category. A baby fern stitch from dishcloth boutique. Looks fun.

Summer begins!

2007-05-29T06:55:00.000-07:00

Summer begins for me with a feeling of freedom and time. This morning I woke up at 6:30, and after breakfast felt I could afford the time to knit a little bit while watching GMA. How pleasant! I am knitting on a blue and white baby sweater for my friend Rose's grandson-to-be. I think it's turning out nicely with 8 rows blue and 4 rows white. I'll have plenty of yarn for matching hat and booties too. I'm liking this pattern a lot. www.jimmybeanswool.com was where I found the free pattern. It calls for Lorna's Laces Worsted, which I'm sure would be beautiful but I'm using Plymouth Encore from my LYS YARNS in Salina, at half the price. I may try to use up some Red Heart stash for charity giving too. I think guage would be about right. Picture when I can get computer to recognize my camera....long story....

Mom sent back the Halloween vest so I'd have it for the fair. I need to start a nice dishcloth pattern too so I have one to enter. I think I have a Kansas Wheat pattern that would go with the yellow sugar and cream I have.

I'm Back

2007-05-07T06:30:00.000-07:00

Haven't posted in like 5 months as I have been 1) incredibly busy with substitute teaching and the studio and 2) I got a new camera that drives me nuts and I have been so frustrated with it that I haven't posted any photo's.

The Halloween vest is done! Yay hooray!

In a baking mood

2006-12-30T08:59:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I baked a batch of chocolate chip cookies using a bag of Hersheys mini bars I found on the mark down aisle. Said it made 36 cookies, but I only got 24 and they weren't monster cookies either...oh well, 24 is enough.

Also baked 2 dozen blueberry muffins for hubby's breakfasts at work and today I'm baking raspberry muffins. Out of splenda so they are "full sugar" not so good, but not terrible for him either. Double recipe calls for 2.5 cups of sugar and I usually do .5 to 1 cup with the Splenda since he's diabetic. Only had 3 eggs and needed 4 so sent him off to the store in the rain to get more eggs. Figured it was his muffins he could do the drive ha!

Finished one wrist warmer last night in lt blue with navy stripes. Will cast on for the 2nd today. Want to start my felted back too! and dye my yarn for the bulky scarf! So many projects, so little time!

burning the candle at both ends!

2006-12-07T13:21:00.000-08:00

I'm working full time as a long term para sub at a highschool and of course at the studio and I'm finding myself with NO TIME! all the hours I spent doing "work" on studio paperwork, etc, blogging, housework, email, are now spent at school. I'm very much enjoying what I am doing, and am hating the thought of it being over, but the no time issue is huge. Must get to the studio NOW! and off I go!....

Gove # 3

2006-11-10T07:57:00.000-08:00

I finished the 1st of the # 3 set. The photo color is really off due to my scanner, it's really a lime green! looks kinda sick olive in photo.
Yarn : Caron Simply Soft
needles: size 6
Pattern: adapted Nina's Sox by Jeanne Townsend
6 rows ribbing, pattern on 15 stitches, knit rest plain.
6 rows ribbing after thumb bind off.

After I finish this post I'm going to try to vacumn. Living room floor hasn't been vacumned since Nov 1 when I had my surgery...5 cats, yarn bits,, ooo it's gross.

Using 1 crutch today just to keep me upright so I don't re-injure the thigh muscle that I hurt playing quasimodo trying to be superwoman and walk unaided on Wednesday.
I'm missing coffee with the girls this am, darn this not being able to drive thing grrr...

Thur Nov 9

2006-11-09T08:12:00.000-08:00

Each day the knee is better and better. Yesterday I pushed and walked without the crutches. Kind of quasimodo like since knee won't fully straighten...I think I pulled an upper thigh muscle doing that so today I am being less stupid and using 1 crutch for support and taking it slower. The bending thing is not happening yet and frustrates me as dr wants it to be able to bend so that I can sit on chair with both feet flat and legs at right angles like "normal" by Monday am! ack! I just need to be paitient and not push myself so that I end up taking a step backwards to pay for two forward!

Swap partner Becky got my box so I can post photo now. She liked it and I'm glad. I don't think she reads my blog but wanted to be careful just in case.

Finished #1 of 2nd pair of gift gloves. I know my nieces don't read this so I'm gonna post. The photo looks like it's orangy but it's bright hot pink and lime.
yarn: Carnon Simply Soft. Needles: size 6.
Cast on 32 stitches. Knit any pattern until long as you like.
Begin a thumb gusset by placing marker, increasing 1 in each of 2 stitches, place marker.
Next round knit plain.
Next round increase 1 after 1st marker and before 2nd.
Knit next round plain.
Continue until have 14 stitches between markers.
Next round bind off 14 thumb stitches and finsh knitting round.
When you come to the bind of stitchs cast on two (I use the thumb method) and finish round.
Knit 5 rounds and bind off in pattern.
Easy as pie.

1st pair I did a mock cable twist (knit in back of 2nd stitch,knit in front of 1st stitch, drop both off needle). 2nd pair 2x2 rib with lime green stripes.

3rd pair I think I'm going to use Jean Townsends snowflake pattern with the lime yarn.

Fortissma 1776 socks

2006-11-07T09:58:00.000-08:00

Here is the Fortissma 1176 socks. I'm so dissapointed with the blue band. Not only not stars, but not even a nice random pattern. Other photo is the close up of the afterthought heel that looks like a toe. Don't like it.

knee surgery, and knitting

2006-11-05T06:44:00.000-08:00

Well, the surgery is over, I'm recovering, it's been harder than I thought it would be, more painful too, and I'm not usually a weenie about pain. Tomorrow am the dressing comes off and I suppose some physical therapy starts. I've knit a little the first two days, I'd knit a round and nap but yesterday I did quite a bit. I ordered a ball of fortissma 1776 from wildflower knits when I ordered my needles. I'm dissapointed with how the blue band turned out. I'm using 2's, and I even made a swatch "gasp!" with the yarn I had pulled off to start the sock using 1's and it still made a mess. Using 60 stitches and not sure what you need to make it "nice" oh well, I wanted mindlesss knitting, and they will be usefull. I'm doing an afterthought heel so as not to mess up the striping. Not my favorite heel, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. I'd post a photo but DD took my camera again. Guess I need to give her one for Christmas.

Nov 1

2006-11-01T07:04:00.000-08:00

Just 1 hour until I go to hospital to have my knee worked on. A little nervous!
Finished 3rd baby hat for C. last night, she goes to get her babies on Nov. 15th! They might be too big for babies now, but I'm sure they'll grow into them!
Also finished the STR socks for ME! Soft and cushy, and not a color I probably would have chosen. I pre-registered for the club, but having 2nd thoughts about the amount of money, given my budget this year. Have a little time to think about it. I have liked all the patterns but the sideways cuff one. Need to sew buttons on 2nd one and try to wear them, might like them afterall. The Hippy Crunchy drove me nuts so I used Toni's Tootsies instead, so I guess I didn't like all the patterns afterall!

Well, Blogger is being stubborn and won't upload the photo of the hat so you'll just have to wait! :)

I have a reader! Hi Martha!

Didn't have very many Trick or Treaters yesterday, bought too much candy ...oh well...I'll enjoy it even though I'm supposed to be losing weight. Daughter L and friends came over to show off costumes and raid the candy bowl.

My bamboo circ came from Wildflower (www.wildflowerknits.com) and a skein of the 1776 Fortissma Stars and Stripes. It was $18.00, about what my LYS is selling it for, can't understand how Astrid (www.astriddutchobessions.com)(I think that's right) can sell for $9.50! crazy. Anyhow, now I can finish the Halloween vest...I got so frustrated with the slippery addi's that I just let it sit in the basket until I found needles I could work with.

No photos

2006-10-26T07:32:00.000-07:00

My daughter has my camera so I can't post any photo's! Lovely child, but she doesn't return stuff.

I finished a baby hat using the same pretty lace pattern that I'm using for my STR socks. Finished a pillow for my friends art gallery.

Finished the gussett of sock two, can't wait to wear them, so pretty!

Need to shop for my JLT swap partener today or tomorrow. Want to get it done before I'm no longer mobile! So many choices for her! Sssh...she might read this, but probably not, I don't think anyone does. No matter.

Working as a para sub again today for E. She's really sweet but I can see that her life will be difficult, hopefully some special classes in her future to help prepare her for life. Gotta run!

Baby Hats

2006-10-19T11:31:00.000-07:00

Wed as I'm tying on the cards and getting the warmupamerica package ready to mail, I realize that I only have 10 hats! There are 12 from my mom and only 10 from me...ack! So this am I finished knitting the 2nd hat. DD took my camera, but 1 was a burgundy tweed yarn and 1 was white red heart with a purple stripe, just cause I got bored knitting the plain white.

Mailing it tomorrow as well as as the lace baby hat. Glad someone will get use out of it.

Sat is the day the Townies get their swap parteners! I have to work 9-3 with Nut rehearsals then run to the flu shot clinic before I can get to computer to see who I have, then out to YARNS to buy my parteners yarn. I always feel guilty that I don't support them (as you know I have been knitting up stash yarn since Jan!) (although I was mighty tempted by the Uncle Sam Opal at astrids site! Since I found out that JKL needles was out of business (even though the site is still up and acts like it takes your order!)I'm still searching for new needles for the halloween vest because the addi's are driving me nuts.

AND TODAY MY COMPUTER GETS WEIRD! Music teacher gave me a cd to copy off the song I'm doing choral-ography for the boys for. It ripped okay, but NOW I can't hear any of my music files! I've tried all the troubleshooting stuff and still nothing, only sound coming out of speakers when I try to play a music file is a "purring" sound. Computer makes all it's other sounds (dings, chimes, etc) just won't play my music.
sigh...this is serious...I can't edit my studio music if I can't hear it.

Friday the 13th!

2006-10-13T07:49:00.000-07:00

I've never minded Friday the 13th...and after Monday the 9th...this can only be a breeze! Monday was one crisis after another, including my "almost-daughter" D getting seriously injured in an incident at school when a weightlifting bar slipped and fell on her neck, striking her in the head. 1st cat scan showed neck not broken, 1st MRI showed concussion, waiting results of 2nd MRI to show if there is a tear at C3 or not. A scary time for her family and those who love her.

The blue pillow is a stash buster...just used up some odds and ends of blue stuff. Kind of cute I think.
The sock is STR Club sock color Tatania, pattern Central Air. Colors are much prettier than they show!

2006-10-06T08:15:00.000-07:00

Friday Oct 6,2006

2006-10-06T08:03:00.000-07:00

Well, I have ripped back, reknit dropped stitches, and reknit rows on that Halloween vest and even got 1 new row I'd never knit before done! I always think it's going to be fun to make these incredible color work things and I end up driving myself nuts. Can't wait for my Crystal Palace needles to show up, I really, really, don't like these Addi turbos's. The Socks are STR Tatania (club sock #4) in the simpler Cabin Air pattern. I really like the colors, I don't have too many darker toned socks. I decided not to carry the pattern down the foot as my sneakers press on the top of my foot a little and I don't like the feeling with a patterned foot.

My knee feels soo good today, the cortisone shot kicked in, nearly pain free for 1st time in 6 weeks! woo hoo!

Sunday 10/3/06

2006-10-01T16:20:00.000-07:00

Last night was so much fun at my friends Gregg and Shelley's 30th Anniversary/50th Birthdays party. Always fun to be with the cyrcle! Tried to dance without using my knee but it really hurt this am, so much not have been successfull!

Knit on the halloween sweater and the socks today, trimmed some more iris, read a good deal of Rocky Road to Romance (love Janet Evanovich!) and wrote payroll checks! Busy day for a goof-ooff day.

Tomorrow I take Kate the Russian Ballerina to the Manhattan,Ks airport to leave on the next leg of her training tour for the Moscow Ballet Nutcracker. We've had a very nice visit, but I'm a little concerned because she stayed in her room all day today. Don't know if she's just resting or whats up? Enjoyed having her stay, and hope to keep in touch with her as she returns home.

Friday

2006-09-29T07:39:00.000-07:00

This is Michaela's Sweater knit of Caron Simply Soft. I think it's cute (the buttons are tiny flip flops) but if I do it again I will drop down a needle size. I got gauge, but it feels "flimsy" to me.

The Halloween vest will probably go to Alex for next year, after I enter it in the fair. The needles (Addi turbo) are driving me nuts, every time I use Addis' I hate them, so slick, I just wrestle the stitches and when doing color work like this that's double hard! Gonna go online and search for clover or crystal palace in size 3 24" to save my sanity.

BTW there is an error in the Knitpicks pattern...they say ribbing color is white, orange, yellow, but that's wrong..it's white yellow orange. There is no photo of the Halloween vest in the booklet, but is one on the website...I got the ribbing done, started on the chart and thought this is weird looking....started looking for the photo and yep...eratta...I wrote to them, but no response. Also can't tell from chart which is "green" and which is "grass" so I arbitrarily decided that since there were three bands of greeny I'd do the bottom and top in the lighter color (grass) and the middle in the darker (green). I think I'm going to have TONS of yarn left...especially the "green" as there's only 2 rows of it. Might have to do the crayon vest next. I'd make socks but this is not superwash and hubby (aka the obsessive laundry fairy ) would dryer them for sure! and my American girl doll would have felted Halloween socks! I could put big photo's up over the washer with a large stop sign..stop..do not wash or dry this item! ha! He does laundry, I'm not complaining, no... not complaining at all.

The steeking is different that I've ever done, so I'll be pulling my hair out for that I'm sure...Hope no erratta's there! I'm a long way from that point, not nearly at 8 inches yet, time to fret still.

Lots of down time, lots of knitting

2006-09-28T07:06:00.000-07:00

These are the "triplett" socks I made for my friend Cindy who is expecting the arrival of her newborn triplett boys from Eithiopia in early November. I wanted her to have something "real" until they got here. Made from leftovers of
Treking, Regia and Regia. All 32 stitchs on size 2 needles. 8 rows ribbing, 12 rows leg, heel flap, gussett decreases, 5 rows foot, toe decreases, graft.

Well, my knee is better every day, but I've overdone it the last 4 days...however, my house is now looking much more like I want it too! Daughters old room is now a guest room, spotlessly clean and fresh! Even found a bargain on new sheets for the oddly sized super single water bed, Target had extra long twin sheet sets on sale for $6.48, so I bought two sets, put the fitted ones into the garage sale box and have 2 sheets that fit and two pillow cases! Yay!

Trip to Wal-mart!

2006-09-03T15:08:00.000-07:00

Whoo hoo! Just came back from Wal-mart! First shopping trip since I got back from Chicago, used one of their motorized carts, what a blessing instead of having to walk. I'm tired out though and I'm going to go lie down for a while.

Bought buttons for Michaela's sweater but they're too big, oh well, I'll try again. It's so plain, it needs "dressing up".

These 12 hats are the one's my mom made for warm up america, and the other photo are the measly 6 I've made!
My mom's a "machine" fast and even tensioned all the time.

Tiny Baby Hats

2006-08-30T12:38:00.000-07:00

My mom just sent a package of 12 baby hats to add to mine for donation to warmupamerica. Yay mom! She knits so much better than I do. I'm more adventuras in things I will try, always looking for new "fun stuff" but she just knits like a dream. Will post a photo soon.

I'm Back

2006-08-24T07:12:00.000-07:00

Haven't posted in sooo long, (not that anyone really reads this!) . I've just been too busy.
Fair results:
Blues: Lisa's Shawl, Pink Flower Hat, Karim's sweater and Hat, Black scarf, Lauren's Pink Socks, Yellow Lace Baby Hat
Reds: Pink Purse, Blue Mittens
White: Red/white dishcloth

Working on: STR socks in Jean Townsends Toni's Tootsies pattern. This is the club yarn but I HATED the club pattern, and after row 34 said "I don't like it" and ripped it out! The yarn didn't like it either as it's pretty colors didn't show and now they do.

Caron Simply Soft Watermelon (hot pink) garter stitch sweater and hat. Was going to be for Sharon's newly adopted grandgirl Meserach, but it's going to be MUCH to big so will go to Michaela. I keep noticing single knit stitches in the garter pattern and have ripped back wayyy more than I'm used to!

Going to Chicago with Cyrcle tomorrow for a short trip. It will be fun. I'm having a hard time being excited, studio worries are pressing on me, but I'm going to have fun, I'm determined. Knees hurt and that kind of sends me down the roller coaster too.

Time Flys By!

2006-07-27T11:54:00.000-07:00

A month since my last blog! July has flown by...just working at studio, getting more involved with my belly dancing, knitting.

Made 2 pair of socks for Jackie for Sturgis. The photo's above are of the "Weaving our Way to Sturgis" pair, made with woolease worsted, size 4 needles. I've also made a purple Red-heart Hat for charity, and am still working on the 2nd Rock n Weave sock for me. I'm nearly at the pick of stitches part, so then it will roll along. Yarn arrived for the next one and it looks so pretty. I hope I like this pattern better than the last. I suppose I could have just done a plain sock but part of the reason for joining the club was to learn new stuff, wasn't it?

My self-imposed yarn boycott ends with my birthday on Sunday... but I still have so much yarn that I may keep myself restricted. Have a $15.00 gift certificate to Yarns (thank you, Lynne!) that I'll have to use of course, but other than that...I need to use some stash, probably for more charity stuff.

Saturday, June 24

2006-06-24T06:58:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it's the end of June already! Amazing!
I "survived" Talent on Parade Nationals...dancers danced well, brought home 2 Top 2nds and 3 1sts, so all is okay. I knitted 3 hats and started a Woolease boot sock for a friend during the 5 days in Des Moines, Iowa. Friend Terri is an awesome navigator...we found several shopping centers and used bookstores (her passion)...I didn't even look for yarn stores, as I'm still on self-imposed embargo until my birthday July 30th. We ate some very nice dinners, a delicious soup and salad bar at "Crystal Tree", split a nice reuban so we could each have PIE at Perkins, split a chicken/avacado salad sandwhich so we could each have CHEESECAKE at Cheesecake factory, and several very late night breakfasts at Perkins when comp didn't get out until 11pm and there was nothing else around. On the way home we stopped at the Mad Greeks in Lawrence (no, I didn't even go down the block to Yarn Barn), where I had spinach pie and tiramisu...yum....trying to be very sensible about what I eat this week!

Limping around with a strained medial ligament on my left knee..boy oh boy does that hurt! I am planning to do some cleaning and a little non kneeling yard work this am, then sit and ice it while knitting on the 2nd sock. After working with all wool, the woolease doesn't feel quite so nice.

I bought some colored pencils and am going to print out knitting graph paper and color out the pattern for the pink hat...I'm quite proud of that one...my own "design" .

AGGREVATIONS

2006-06-13T08:15:00.000-07:00

Aggrevation doesn't begin to describe it.
1)I have to put about $1500 into my 1993 van because a/c blew out and took some stuff with it. I have road trips to make or I'd just let it be, don't really need air going from house to studio or house to wal-mart. Has to be done in time for me to leave for nationals.
2) my studio credit card got hacked, account has been blocked, can't get me a new card in time for me to leave for nationals.....grrr
3) bogus charge on my phone bill... a $5.52 charge for directory assistance from ILD Services, got it taken off but still....
4) too much to do, to little time to do it...
5) computer locks up every blasted chance it gets! We have paid for the windows "upgrade" to "genuine" ... it was genuine, but it's a long story...anyhow, we've paid but haven't had time to do it, and until we get it done, I'm basically handicapped.

Rainy Day Monday

2006-06-12T07:14:00.000-07:00

It's pouring down rain this am, good for plants, bad for plans!
Festival is over, we did our jobs, had fun, I bought a piece of art for the studio, a little glass fused piece that says dance that artist is making for me...she had bliss and serentity and stuff like that but said she'd make me a dance one. Only $36 which was well under my self-imposed $50 art budget. First year I bought a heart and stars hanging, 2nd year a drawing of a ballerina, and now this....each a different style..fun. When daughter returns camera and I get the item I'll post a photo of it.

Working on my Rock and Weave STR club sock...not sure I like it at all, but it's a learning experience for sure..learned linen stitch and picot bind off. Also learned an i-cord bind off through helping a friend, quite sure that's much more trouble than it's worth!

Working on a little girl hat in a "design" of my own...doing it on the fly without drawing or color ing on charts so not sure how it will turn out..the hearts band is pretty, we'll see about the flower band...again...no camera!

Hot hot hot

2006-06-10T06:44:00.000-07:00

Festival was soo hot yesterday! I drank tons of water, 1 diet doctor pepper, 32 oz of powerade.
For brunch I ate an apple dumpling (yum) whjich was an apple baked in a piecrust wrapping with cinnomon etc in side, kind of a one person apple pie!, for lunch a "European Stuffed Seafood Sandwich"...what I would call a calzone with shrimp, onions, peppers etc ... it was very good, a roasted ear of corn with lime pepper for snack, for dinner I had a chicken and artichoke gyro which was also good and for late night I had a chocolate dipped cheesecake on a stick! ooo so good! ( know you are wondering how I have had time to knit or look for lost youn'uns. ) I have spilled something on myself each day so far. Our shirts are "safety green" which is kind of a floresecent glo yellow...Friday it was the salsa my Indian Taco was swimming in, and a mystery black spot, yesterday some of the cranberry drink Carol had....those little packets of flavoring that go in your water...well, Carol found "sparks" a caffenatied cranberry flavor..good but too strong for both of our tastes, we kept drinking a little and adding more water, and a mystery spot that may have been chocolate! Shout took out all but yesterdays mystery spot..fortunately it's little and on the pocket. We have 2 shirts each, but hubby has been dropping both in washer and dryer when we come home each evening, and I've decided since this one already has a stain that didn't come out, I'd just keep wearing it as I'm sure I'll spill something else today!

Finished a childs sized checks and charms hat, and STILL have wool left over so will make another but change up the colors, I think I'll start with the pink this time. I am ready for the 8 rows of leg then heel of the STR club socks...it's an interesting technique, one that I'm not sure I'll repeat again,but I have learned how to do the linen stitch, which I'm thinking would make a great strap! or dense fabric for a little phone or ipod case. have a phone...no ipod.

Festival!

2006-06-09T06:28:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the 1st day of River Festival. I work the Lost and Found booth with my husband's Ham radio club. The core of the L&F is hubby, me and 2 friends from Great Bend. Carol and I both sit and knit most of the festival. I'm working on hat for great niece and the STR Club sock and she's working her way through her MIL's stash of redheart making charity scarves. Other than knitting, we listen to the music, and look for lost youn'uns and parents. Yesterday we had 3 cell phones and a wallet turned in, all claimed by end of evening and 6 kids. The last was a 9 yr old girl who had been dropped off in park with instructions to look for family friend! There were 9,700 people in the park last night! Finally had to involve police to track down phone numbers for a grandfather who came to get her! She was so panicky she wanted to walk to grandparents home. Like we could let this pretty little child walk anywhere at 9:30 at night. Honestly, you have to pass a test to get a DL but anyone can have kids!

Back today for a long day of sittin' and knittin' in 100+ heat...whew....

Checks and Charms finished

2006-06-06T07:15:00.000-07:00

Checks and Charms set is finally finished....some really bad thumb holes that I had to "take care of" by weaving and snugging. I told hubby that these were absolutely never to go in the washer and dryer, that they would shrink down to doll clothing! Started a child sized hat with the left overs, didn't bother to look at the pattern and already made a "creative choice" regarding color work...ha! we don't need no stinkin' charts!

Interviewing another teacher candidate for the studio today, yesterdays girl was so sweet, but her skills were not as advanced as I needed them to be.

I'm excited to start working on new dances, it's like working endlessly on a sweater, finally finishing it, and picking up new yarn for a new project, you like the old, you are glad you did it, but new...what fun!

Made tortelli for dinner to serve with the left over pork roast and my fingers are so swollen today that I can hardly bend them to type...wow! should have looked at the sodium content closer! oh well, lots of water will help flush the salt out.

chugging along

2006-06-01T07:40:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the studio party day. About half the students showed up to get their trophies and photos. We had a good time watching the dvd, except that I thought we had only gotten cd's 1 and 3, and that we hadn't gotten #2, well...when I went to throw away the fed ex packaging, I realised that cd #2 was stuck into the bottom! oh welll....

Worked on mitten #2 of the checks and charms mitten. Finished sock #1 of FNLaurens purple socks...so not happy with the work on the leg, looks worse than 1st pair of socks...so tempted to rip out and start over but bday is June 12th!

Summer reg at studio tonight, going over in 20 minutes to work in peace and quiet on the forms I have.

RECITAL DAY!

2006-05-27T09:36:00.000-07:00

Today is Recital day! Whoo hooo! Like having a baby 9 months of hard work pay off today! Our shows are at 2:00 and at 7:00, and are going to be pretty good. I thought last years was my best ever, and I'm not sure I can say that this year, but it's going to be pretty darn good.

Knit a few rows on the Lorna's Laces socks for FN Lauren lat night....I'm really tempted to rip back, as the 2 S 2 C method left me with such sloppy ladders and workmanship....I keep telling myself that FNL won't mind...but I think that I do...however, I have so many more interesting projects calling to me that I'm not sure I want to waste time "redoing"..sigh...

Kim in KCK the hat pattern is called Checks and Charms, it's from Knitpicks, a purchased one, not free but pretty close I think.

Hats and Mittens

2006-05-21T12:16:00.000-07:00

Karims sweater all finished, even the ducky buttons sewn on...this is the hat before I realized it was big enough to fit his mom! Almost done re-knitting it in a more suitable size. Checks and charms hat is finished, having a little more trouble with the mittens. For some reason, the round joins are not nearly as nice on the mitten as on the hat. ..hmmm. Anyway, I'll finish the Hat, then the mittens, then I can start on my NEW STR CLUB SOCKS! Such pretty yarn, I had thought of giving club sock 2 to my sister, but when I saw it I knew it was mine..all mine.

Have an "order" for 2 pair of Woolease socks for a friend to take to ...ooh, brain freeze, big biker rally....can't think of the name..anyhow...need to do those by August. hmmm I can do it, just have to buy yarn...and I told my self I wouldn't buy any yarn until after my birthday July 30th...this presents a pretty problem...

Back to Blogging

2006-05-14T14:05:00.000-07:00

I've been really busy and haven't blogged much but have done some knitting.
Pink hat is classic elite just a basic hat, size 8 needles I think.
Yellow hat is Pretty Petals pattern in Caron Simply Soft, size 6 and 8 needles.
Socks are my STR Club Rainforest Jasper. I have really short fat feet, so I make short fat socks, just to explain to those that think they look a little funny.

Busy, busy

2006-04-12T12:14:00.000-07:00

I'm so busy right now with Dancers for Cancer (April 23) , Middle School Choralography, Recital (May 27), trying to get Nurshing Home shows scheduled, find volunteers and $ for D4C, and my own daily life, including hubby, DD and cats that I'm feeling really scattered! Have too many knitting projects going, keep printing off new patterns, fighting the urge to buy more yarn...feeling kinda manic to be honest.

Going home to Omaha for Easter, hoping for a nice visit with mom and siblings and assorted inlaws and nieces and nephews.

Finished sock one of STR club sock, about 2inches of cuff. Can't wait to wear them, can't wait to see next shipment to see which one I should keep for my fair entry! I think they striped and pooled in an interesting way. I am also itching to try the pattern on a hat.

Kids, Kats, Knits

2006-03-29T07:56:00.000-08:00

Frank and RickyFish took the opportunity to steal a few bites from the food container after I had just poured the new bag in and before I could shut the door of the bin. They looked so cute I let them nibble a bit while I got the camera.
I also realize how much bigger Frank is than RickyFish! who is a delicate little lady.

I knit these toddler socks of Knitpicks parade yarn. The yarn was left over from my hat and mittens and I didn't bother matching stripes. I think they are quite cute even if they don't match. They'll go in my charity box for CIC. Last year I didn't send any and felt bad about it, so this year I have at least one pair!

Karim's mom sent a photo of him exploring the taste of dirt! She said he was so quiet that she knew he was into something he shouldn't be! Don't we all remember that phase!

This is Karim's sweater blocked and drying. Next step is to sew together. I never feel like I do a really good job on this part.

Pet the yarn or pet the cat?

2006-03-23T16:48:00.000-08:00

Frank was a little jealous of the attention I was paying to the STR Club package.! The yarn is so soft and pretty! I have had to have great will power. I had to finish the charity socks on the size 2 needles 1st AND I had to finish the chainmail hood and sleeves. I allowed myself to wind up the ball yesterday. Ran out of yarn for sleeves tonight, and ordered more. Was extremely fortunate to find this yarn for $3.97 instead of the $11.25 the theatre paid for it! Even with shipping the 2 skeins came to $6.48 each, still a savings. So...tonight I get to cast on my club socks! Yay me! Had an unexpected 2 hrs free at studio tonight so ran home to have a dinner with hubby...but he had a meeting, so I'm eating rerun goolash at the computer. oh well.

and the best news? DD's car is nearly finished (3 weeks now!) (got told today that brakes were metal on metal sigh...) so I will have MY CAR back by Monday and I can put my bumpersticker on it!

yeah....too cool...I know I'm weird, but hey....

STR socks :Laurens Lace Ladder

2006-03-19T12:07:00.000-08:00

Yarn: Socks that Rock, 1 skein

Color: Rose Quartz

Needles: 1.5 Crystal Palace DP

Stitches: 48, 10 rows ribbing

Pattern:

Row 1:Knit 3, yo, slip 1, K2tog, pass slip stitch over, yo Repeat to end

Row 2: knit

Repeat for 12 patterns.

Knit 6 rows plain.

I wanted yarn to show so did heelflap in stockinette with 3 garter stitches on either side.

My total leg cuff to end of 6th row plain knit is 3.5 inches, total foot lenght is 5.5 inches.

Lace ladder pattern adapted from Jeanie Townsends Ruffles and Lace pattern .

New Hat for Felicity

2006-03-11T07:32:00.000-08:00

Made Felicity this cute hat from leftovers from the Chunky Cable Purse. I like this yarn alot, it feels really nice to knit with. I think I have enough left to make another one, just hate all those little balls of yarn lying around being wasted.

Panicked myself the othernight, thought I had stopped the back of Karims sweater 3" too short. Re-read pattern in am, highlighting all relevant () items in yellow, and I was fine. Finished front last night, kept reminding myself, just follow the pattern, it will all work out okay, because the neckline just seemed really off... total 79 stitches, used 19 for the stage left side (right as you look at it) of shoulders/neck, put 26 on holder and used the remainder for the stageright side....but, I think I get how it works...has to do with the button band thingy.

Have been assigned to knit a cowl and sleeves for Lion in Winter to resemble chainmail. No twine and paint for these people, gave me 4 $11.00 skeins of this metallic stuff towork with! Swatched 4 needle sizes, think the 13 is the best but will show it to "boss" to make sure she's happy.

Off to KC today for a DMA workshop. Tap teacher, Germaine Jackson, knits socks too! Big dilemmna last night as I tried to decide which socks to wear with my tapshoes....decided on the Opal Tigers. Now, isn't that silly? Hubby was going to go with me, but something important blew up at hospital and even though it's a bio-med item, he has to stay in town and deal with it because "bio-med don't do weekends.", so our mini-vacation is not going to happen. sigh..

FO's!

2006-03-08T07:25:00.000-08:00

I was cleaning out my sock drawer and was motivated to take a photo of the 18 pairs of socks I have knit for myself. The white toes are ones that I have reknit the toes rather than let go of the socks. Actually, I just remembered a 19th pair in the to be repaired drawer!

Chunky cable purse actually finished! Several false starts and pattern errors later, I have a purse!

Two of the scarfs from the $1.00 skeins. The bright pink was 1 skein, the other 2 skeins. I don't really wear scarves so may donate these to the Dancers 4 Cancer auction April 23rd.

This morning I noticed that I have dropped an edge stitch on Karims sweater! I have been slipping the 1st stitch and it must have slipped off! It's way down and I really hate the thought of ripping back that many inches on this sweater...sigh...I'm going to try to knit it up, but have my doubts. Damn. 79 stitches on a slippery addi turbo size 1.... I much prefer my Crystal Palace bamboo or even the Clover wood ones. I feel like I'm just crawling on the purl rows.

I was asked yesterday to knit some "chainmail" for our local community theatre. They are supplying the yarn, I have to knit a hood and sleeves. I found patterns for just those items, but the Utah Shakespeare company used #36 twisted nylon cord not yarn, so I guess I'll just have to make guage 2.5 stitches = 1 inch, 3 rows = 1 inch.

And the answer is.....

2006-03-02T11:09:00.000-08:00

The directions are wrong! Seems they left out the "BO" before 8sts from 2nd short side. This was my next gonna try it thing so, tonight I will reknit the bottom flap again. sigh.. Gave my mom the yarn, needles and pattern as a gift, so need to let her know about the error.

Purse help and Stupid Tulips

2006-03-02T07:21:00.000-08:00

Can't for the life of me figure out how this purse bottom is supposed to go together. Stitched it together twice and it's just not right. Frustrates me as normally I'm "pattern queen " who can read and understand any pattern! Pattern says:" Begin bag bottom, K1, Loosely BO 8 sts from side, K21 sts across long side and 8 sts from second short side. K across remaining 23sts. Turn and purl across. Work 7 more rows back and forth is st sts for a total of 9 rows. BO loosely, break yarn. Seaming. Using a single strand of yarn, sew flap to bag bottom on 3 open sides. I've sewed the long edge together and then "squared" off the opening. Looked really odd with the other non-cable side piece not squared. So, ripped out seam, and sewed squared off end, then folded and squared off other end, then sewed remaining long seam. Looked odder still. Took those seams out... I'm beginning to think I didn't understand the bag bottom directions, but I did what it said... Help anyone?

My stupid tulips are all coming up wayyy too soon. It's been an odd and dry winter, and the tulips are confused. I gave up and watered them yesterday since it was 80! My big fear is that when we have our traditional St. Pat's blizzard and ice storm they will get popsiclced. In the grayer picture you can see the retaining wall that's collapsing. Summer project.... sigh....

BTW the sawdust looking stuff is biodegradable Feline Pine kitty litter. Great stuff! Turns into sawdust and you just use it for mulch. It does retain a faint "litterbox" ordor but I think that's actually supposed to be a deterent to some "critters"... anyhow, I like the idea of not filling up the landfill with kitty litter. I'm going to break down and spend the $ for more of the FP litter boxes (the sifting ones at Wal-mart won't work with the product, the spaces are too big. FP boxes are expensive, but the litter is super cheap!)

Finished gusset on STR sock, worked a few rows on Karim's sweater.

WIPS 2

2006-03-01T08:06:00.000-08:00

Chunky Cable Purse ready to be seamed. I think I understand how to do it.
$1.00 skein yarn aquistion $11.00 for these pretty skeins. Not sure what I'll do with them other than scarfs. hmmm sugestions anyone?

Must get to actual work today...need to kick my tutu into gear. Since updateing my SBC yahoo browser it's very annoying that it searchs for every damn letter I type. Not so bad on blogger here but on hotmail the message screen jumps all over the place. Wonder if I can disable this function... what's up with searching for links that begin with s .... Stupid updates fixing things that were not broken and causeing other problems.

WIPS

2006-03-01T08:00:00.000-08:00

Laurens Lace in STR "Soft Rock" Rose Quartz. An orphan skein from Toni Neil.
US 1.5, 48 stitches, adaptation of Jean Townsends Ruffles and Lace pattern.

Sunday 2/26/02

2006-02-26T09:41:00.000-08:00

Another Sunday rolls around, another week done and gone...how fast they go!

I can't figure out how to put a photo on my profile because it wants the photo's url but here is a photo of me if you want to see what I look like. (all 3 of you that read my blog! ha!)
This week I finished my purple socks, finished the back of Karim's sweater and cast on for the front...I'm realizeing that because of the self-striping yarn I'm going to have to do quite a bit of rolling off of unwanted colors to get to the right place in the colorway. Had to for the neck/ shoulders of the back, for the cast on of front, and will have to for the neck/ shoulders of front, and of course for the sleeves. Used less than 1 skein for back, but beginning to wonder if I'll have enough yarn, as I bought the 3 skeins pattern required, oh well, just have to wait and see!

Got some bargain yarn in pinks marked down to $1.00 a skein at WM, not sure what to do with it, but hats or scarfs are always a possiblity. At $1.00 don't feel bad about donating or gifting at all!

Treated myself to the STR club .. a whole year! Also went shopping at Dillards 50% of marked down prices yesterday. Got a beautiful purple "formal" long sheath dress with matching jacket $118.00 for only $11.75, (yeah that's right $11.75!), a cream 3 piece beaded jacket, shell, pants for $13.00 (pants fit a little funny, too high waisted, but could always get a different skirt to wear at that price!) .... I should save that for a real "mother of the bride" moment, but not sure if L and Tony are even thinking in that direction. Valentines day he gave her a gold heart necklace that might have a tiny pinprick diamond in it.
Also got a chiffon bias cut skirt in black for $24.00 (my big purchase) that will go with the black beaded chiffon top I got on sale last spring. And a black sweater for about $17 that I can wear on lots of occaisons, like teaching at school or todays bridal shower.

I'll probably wear the purple for recital, as I always dress up, I think it adds class to the occaison for the dancers.

Great monday

2006-02-21T08:21:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was great! I worked like a dog on statements, newsletters, senior notes, etc etc etc. Then went to studio and all classes went great! Killer choreography for Jr's, sr's, (no more chloroform choreography!) 90% of dancers in atttendance, costumes to pass out, one too small, one too big, (but big can be taken in and fortunately this particular mom sews like a dream), came home to find out more costumes had come in, crazy this year. Knit just a little on the baby sweater, so won't post a photo as not much to see. I am wasting a great deal of time this morning, just procrastinating like crazy...got to get my tutu in gear and get going or I won't be able to say great tuesday tomorrow.

Busy Weekend!

2006-02-20T07:30:00.000-08:00

Back of Karim's sweater, 1st bind offs done.
Twinkle scarf and Adora yarn. You can also see the Patternworks catalog I was drooling over!

What a busy weekend! Hardly any time to knit (boo hoo). Friday night worked on checking in costumes, my living room is such a mess!

Saturday, rehearsals, then a performance at Bethany College that went well, then the Cyrcle's annual dress up party and overnight at Peggy's loft. Got into my pretty red dress (yeah!), we ate some tasty junk food, danced, drank a little, chatted and celebrated Rose's birthday, we were laughing at ourselves for how sedate we have become over the years. Sunday a SDA (Salina Dance Association) meeting at Red Lobster (Caesar salad, grilled grouper, vegs, baked potato) good conversation, business decisions made. Then onto a baby shower for Rose's daughter Cary, which I got to only a half hour late!. Lots of baby boy clothes, and stuff, silly game of scooping cotton balls from one bowl to another while blindfolded, good cake, good punch, a good time.

Came home, napped on sofa, made simple dinner of grilled brats and baked potato and then sat of sofa watching tv and knitting. Desperate Housewives (baby sweater) Grey's Anatomy (chunky cable purse, which I am now re-doing with the yarn doubled as it should have been but designer neglected to state that in the pattern!) news and weather (Twinkle scarf). The scarf yarn is something I found at Big Lots for $1.00/ skein. Only had 2 skeins of this yarn in the pinky color, but also got 3 skeins of this pink Adora yarn. I decided I needed a pink scarf for me!

LL 2nd sock gussett done, working on foot, a new pair for me soon!
Too much work to do today for me to be wasting much more time this way.... 3rd week of month means statements, newsletters, calendar updates, etc.

Felicity's outfit

2006-02-17T07:32:00.000-08:00

Here's the outfit I made for my daughters old American Girl doll Felicity. I think I'll give the outfit to my FN Lauren for her "Kit". Woolease white with sparkle with trim of fun fur.

I was happy to get to the 4.5 inch mark on the baby sweater when I looked at pattern again and realized I needed to knit 6" for the size I'm making! "Last minute Baby Sweater" I don't think so!

WIPS and FO

2006-02-16T08:04:00.000-08:00

The pink chunky Cable Bag from Knitpicks, that I knit with only 1 ball of the yarn, because NOWHERE in the pattern did it say to use 2 strands. Help reply says "designer assumed you would know to use 2 strands". well... you know what they say about assume...

The socks are my Lorna's Laces Amythyst stripes that have been in stash for quite a while. I'm tying to knit in chronolgical order. 60 stitches, size 1 needles, doing an anatomical toe, decreasing more on little toe side than the big toe side to match my feet. It's an expirement.

This is Karims baby sweater in Simple Stripes from Knitpicks, pattern from knitpicks too. 79 stitches on size 1 addi turbo. Lisa's shawl finished except for finishing in the ends. 3 skeins of Homespun. Lisa gave me the yarn for my 50th birthday in 2002...finally found a use for it! I like the idea of giving back gift yarn as a FO.

Just another Thursday

2006-02-16T07:21:00.000-08:00

Working on 2nd sock of the Lorna's Laces Amythest Stripes. Working on baby sweater in Knitpicks Simple Stripes. Going to rip out and re-knit the Knitpicks Chunky Cable Handbag as I got the notice that the yarn was supposed to be worked doubled. Darn! Lisa's shawl is finished though except for weaving ends. It's LB Homespun, so don't think it'll block out. Guess I could try it though.

Little bit of a lazy day today, not too much studio stuff that can be done, as I can't do the 2A and 2B classes practice cds as I don't have their jazz and tap music from that teacher yet. Annoying. Just realized that I only have 9 blank cd's left so couldn't do those groups any how.
I feel guilty sitting and knitting during the day as I have the mind-set that I should be "working" and not "playing" but maybe I'll just rip out the handbag..and watch last nights "Invasion" on videotape.

No middle school work today as it's teachers conferences, and it's cold today and much as I'd like to go get my photo's from Wal-mart, might just stay inside until 3:00 when I HAVE to leave the warmth of my house. This weekend is going to be a busy one with rehearsals on Sat am, a basketball performance Sat at 5:00 , a party and sleepover at 7:00, a lunch meeting at 1:00 on Sunday and a baby shower at 2:30 on Sunday! Dang!

I'm back!

2006-02-13T07:23:00.000-08:00

I'm back from vacation in Cancun...tan and rested...Office manager said that if it gave me this relaxed and attitude she'd pay to send me back next year. I loved it...it was the most beautiful and relaxing week. We stayed at VCI www.royalrestorts.com click on club international. I'll be posting photo's when I get them back. This lovely resort must be sold next July (end of it's 30 year time span and by Mexican law must be sold) and the fear is that new owner will bulldoze it and build another huge monolithic gazzillion villa structure without the charm of VCI.

I've been knitting ... finished SIL's shawl exept for a few ends, and started on GS Karim's baby sweater yesterday. Had to buy new needles as Mexican inspector took mine when leaving...sigh... Also on kneedles the Chunky Cable Handbag from www.knitpicks.com and plain no pattern socks of Lorna's Laces Amethyst Stripe.

On Vacation

2006-01-26T12:59:00.000-08:00

I'm on vacation in Cancun (a birthday gift from my mom!) until Feb. 5 - will post big time when I get back.

Got 3 books, 3 knitting projects, 3 swimsuits....what more do I need!

Tiger Socks

2006-01-18T07:52:00.000-08:00

Well, I wanted to post a photo of the socks I made from my skein of Opal Tiger. Socks for me, socks for FN Lauren and a tiny pair for her American Girl Doll Kit...but Blogger is bogging down on the photo upload for some reason. One more try....

All right! photo uploaded.

Doll socks: sent socks away, didn't write down pattern but...

American Girl Socks

Opal yarn, a marble of tiger, split into 2 balls, Ivory

1.5 needles, 30 stitches, 1x1 rib 10 rows in ivory, Changed to Tiger Knit 10 rows, put in waste yarn (2 rows) for afterthought heel on 15 stitches, Knit until I ran out of Tiger, 6 rows, changed to ivory,

decrease row, plain row 3x, 9 stitches left, grafted.

cut out waste yarn, picked up stitches, knit 1 row plain, decreased as for a toe 3x I think, grafted. I'm not fond of afterthought heels but wanted all of the tiger as the sock, not on a heel flap so did it this way.

New Stove

2006-01-17T12:12:00.000-08:00

I have a new stove and new pots and pans. We thought the old pots and pans would work on the flat top, even though the skillets wouldn't, but they danced all around the stove trying to boil water for spaghetti so Sunday afternoon Sid and I went to Wal-mart and chose a new set of pots and pans. Wearever brand, non-stick surface in black. I kind of liked the red ones, but this set was a better deal and the color of the pans certainly wasn't a big deal! The black ones match the top of the stove.

We are going to deal with the walls and floors this summer, and repaint the drawer fronts that are getting scratched up, so it will almost look like a new kitchen! We're going to put a laminate floor down that will look nice with the wood look counter top.

Off to a not so good start

2006-01-03T06:49:00.000-08:00

Well, 2006 is off to not such a good start....had to buy a new stove on Monday! Realized Sunday night when a 1lb pork roast that should have taken 25 minutes to cook, still wasn't quite "done" after a hour (!) that my 30 yr old stove's oven had "hit the wall"...poor thing was huffing and puffing trying to get the job done. Got a smooth top Kenmore at Sears for a reasonable price of $550.00. Some of the stoves went up past $1000! I could have gotten a regular burner top one for around $300, but I decided that if this stove was going to last the 30 yrs the old one did it would be my last stove and I might as well get the smooth top that I wanted!

Classes went well with about half of my dancers showing up, seems "holiday" is firmly engrained in my students minds as a day with out dance, but... those that were there had fun and we started a couple of new dances for recital.

However, just as I got home from work and hat put the water in the microwave for my hot toddy (tea, rum, sugar)... phone rang .. bad news from DD that I don't think I want to put into print today...sigh...she keeps making bad choices as a young adult that are going to affect the rest of her life and as a parent, there is little I can do.

Didn't knit a stitch last night.

I love Sunny Days

2005-12-29T07:09:00.000-08:00

It's a sunny Day and I love those. I missed all of yesterday because I was working on placing costume orders for the studio and kept saying, I'll take a walk after I do "this"... by the time I got done at 5:30pm it was dark and I missed my chance. Gonna go do it now, even just a walk around the block before going to the dentist (gold crown... gettin' some bling for Christmas after all!)

Photo is of the hat series I ended up making for Kathy T who gifted me with a treadmill. What a gift! Cabled hat was 1st, turned out to small and too frilly for her hubby. So, 2nd hat which I think will fit unless he has a huge head, and then using leftovers for a hat for 18 month old Austin, I'm thinking I'll have enough yarn, hoping so, as I was going to put in a contrast stripe but none of my woolease really co-ordinates. The yarn isn't photographing well, but it's a pretty slighty varieagated blues/deep greens called "Pines" in Woolease Worsted.

If I could figure out how to do the side board link section on this blog I'd post the pattern for the cabled hat. oh well.
Kim in KCK I appreciate your comments, I thinkyou are one of my 3 or 4 readers but I can't figure out how to reply.
I knit better than I techno.

Family Portrait and Christmas Scarfs

2005-12-27T06:55:00.000-08:00

Here we are on Christmas Morning. Not the best photo of me, but what's new? Other photo is of Michaela, Stephanie, Lauren, Irene, and Alex wearing the Scarves I made them. Alex has kidnapped Michaela's Dora Slippers AND has a death grip on his own green bear.

Christmas Scarfs

2005-12-27T06:34:00.000-08:00

Well, this was supposed to be a photo of my nieces wearing their Christmas Scarfs, and instead it's Bitty wearing one of them.! Q'uelle surprise!

Christmas

2005-12-26T09:16:00.000-08:00

I had a wonderful Christmas, time spent with my husband and daughter turned out to be the best gifts of all.

Got the stocking finished. Used it. Will enter it in the fair in summer, as it turned out pretty good, don't like the Red Heart nearly as well as the wool from Elann.com, but it's indescructible and that's good for a stocking I guess. Will publish a photo later.

Being lazy this morning, surfing the net aimlessly. Will work on costume orders, Lauren's sock, Todd's hat etc this afternoon and evening.

A beautiful sunny day. I know others complain about the weather not being seasonal, but any sunny day is a gift to me.

Snow day

2005-12-18T11:07:00.000-08:00

Brrr it's cold! We got between 8 and 11 inches of snow yesterday (depending on who you listen to) so had to cancel all studio activities including rehearsals, NH show and Starfeet party. Had Sid take me to studio to do the computer back up so I could print statements at home and drag home the 100 lb bag of costume books to work on that some more! Dec. 31 deadline is looming!

Knitted, picked back and reknitted on hat for Kathy T's hubby Todd. I could have made 2 hats in the time I've been working on it if I'd just pay attention to the damn cables and which way they are going! A little afraid it's too small, but if it is, I'll just make another one. Got 2 big skeins of the Woolease worsted so have lots of yarn.

Photo is of the Ballet hat I made for niece Lauren. Hard to reach but bottom row says Ballet, top row says Hip Hop. I want to use same idea to make headbands to sell at studio.

Trying to feel Christmasy

2005-12-06T09:43:00.000-08:00

I'm trying to feel Christmasy. Bought a tree at K-mart, Hubby set it up while I was gone, lights were defective, took it back for exchange (after all the whole point of a pre-light tree is to not have to mess around with lights!) . It's still in back of my van. I brought up the tub of my Christmas clothing, and I 'm wearing a Christmas print sweatshirt ... it's kind of seen better days, but it's comfy, and I traded my daily dishes for my Christmas set. Maybe tomorrow I'll tackle the mantle mess and put up my village houses. I always enjoy looking at those. Normally, I don't put up the tree until I close the dance studio, but I'm teaching until Dec 22 this year and with Lisette not living at home anymore,...there is no "normally"....have to find new ways to do stuff. sigh... not sure I like this.

Started a hat for niece Lauren just because. Pink Plymouth encore. I'm planning on working in the words dance, ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop with black. I've graphed it, and think it will work. Most patterns for encore called for size 8 needles, but that just seemed flimsy to me (yes, I actually swatched!) so I'm using 6's.

Monday, Monday

2005-11-28T07:09:00.000-08:00

Well, it's Monday. The Thanksgiving visit went well, I was sad to leave Salina without my daughter, but all was fine. Had a very nice visit with family, no one got upset, food was great, and it was all really fun.
Came home to some dissappointment as daughter had permission to use my kitchen to have a little celebration with some of her friends who also had to work/no family/ etc. Kitchen was a mess, glasses littering living room, and they had drunk all the tequila, opened a bottle of wine, and later in the evening I discovered they had drunk all my kaluha also. I guess she's not as mature as I thought she was. Oh well, I'll know better next time.
We had to put 2 new tires on her car and this morning after doing this post I'm off to do an oil change on her car. Merry Christmas!

During the visit I started and finished my winter hat. I started off with the Koigu pattern, but after 2 inches of the moss stitch I decided that I did not like the way it looked with the striping yarn, so went back to plain knit leaving the moss stitch band as a "design" element. Finished hat in the car on the way home, just intime for cold weather to hit! Also finished a plain scarf in soft boucle for a gift, will get that box mailed off to Switzerland this week, and started a MD scarf in some Red Heart. Not liking it all that much, so it may go on the sale table.

Have lots to do today, so must get to it!

Karim's stocking

2005-11-23T07:23:00.000-08:00

What can I say? I'm on the edge.

2005-11-23T07:05:00.000-08:00

I'm so on the edge of losing it right now. I have been battling this depression for weeks now. I know it's trendy to be bi-polar or manic/depressive as I first was identified but I am. The highs are wonderful, the lows are not. On my roller coaster life, this is a definate low. I worry in my sleep. My daughter lost her job (got fired) and doesn't seem to be looking for a new one as actively as I would be, she's got less than $3.00 in her checking account and I don't know how she and Tony will cope. There are resources out there for them, but they have to chase them (unemployement, food stamps, medical cards) and seem to be too "lazy" to do it. This drives me crazy and worry's me.
I've lost several hundred dollars worth of students recently, none of them seem unhappy with studio, just "lazy" "stressed with school" "daughter has basketball" etc etc but I was barely making expenses before and this is a huge loss. I'm being really proactive in recruiting new students, starting new classes, trying to think "out of the box", but it's hard, so so so hard.
We're leaving for Omaha today if I can make myself get ready. Lisette can't come and that's killing me. She and buddies are planning a Thanksgiving here and that's killing me. (I gave her a "care package" with everything for Thanksgiving but the turkey) . Even thanksgiving in Omaha will be smaller as several brothers families will not be at moms. The only Thanksgiving I did not go home, my dad died in the spring and I have this irrational fear that Mom will die if I don't go...told you it was irrational.

Okay, enough whining and wallowing. I did finish Karims stocking, and all the little scarfs for nieces. Working on a scarf for Stefan, as I tossed the modular scarf in the box for Isa, so thought should have something for dad too. I'll work on that in Omaha because it's mindless.
Still working on Lisa's shawl, I think I made an error on row 15 of this repeat and was too stressed to look at it last night, so that will wait until I come home on Monday.
Started a 2nd stocking out of some Red Heart balls in stash, will probably enter that in the Fair. Bought some nice pink and black yarn at YARNS for a dancer hat for Lauren, that I have designed in my head.
Have the Parade hat to work on, since I ripped it out, and will start again. So, I guess I have enough to do in Omaha (Scarf, Parade Hat, Stocking) also taking a skein of Red Heart Variagated and the MD scarf directions for mom, I'll probably start it and then leave it for her.

Okay, got to kick my self in the butt and get going. Trash guys will be here soon and I haven't done litter boxes or trash.

Kim in KCK and any one else who reads this, have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Behind in my life

2005-11-21T12:40:00.000-08:00

Behind in my life, behind in my blogging...apologies to all, I'll catch up soon- Vivette

Blocking the Madison

2005-11-11T08:26:00.000-08:00

I just soaked and blocked Mom's Madison Scarf and boy did that puppy grow! It stretches the full lenght of my queen sized guest bed! Ack! My mom is a short little lady, hope it's not too long.

Nutcracker day today, packing my bag o'stuff, including a fun fur scarf incase I have a moment to sit and "meditate". (Wal-mart has fun fur for $2.50)

MD scarf finished.

2005-11-10T07:32:00.000-08:00

I finished my Modular Direction scarf last night. I love the colors but not too thrilled with the look of the skp, hoping a run through washer and dryer fix that. Posting a photo of that scarf and also a cute picture of Frank cuddling with yarn and knitted stuff. I'm wearing the lace shawl right now, as house was a little chilly this am, and Frank keeps looking at me like "give it back".
Heading off to Wal-mart today, as tomorrow is too full of Nutcracker to think of shopping.

Dance Dance Dance

2005-11-06T16:20:00.000-08:00

Whoo hoo! Just finished my last nutcracker rehearsal! Show is next Friday. Mary T told me that it's okay to have dancers go to Martinelli's for the dinner, nearly everyone has paid their dinner fee, dancers look pretty good, so I think it's all going to be okay. whew

Yesterday I saw the very amazing Alvin Ailley II peformance. I was in row C and rows A + B were completely empty leaving me with THE BEST SEAT IN THE HOUSE!!! They were so wonderful. I didn't care for one of the pieces very much, but even that one was wonderful. It was simply transporting.

Came home and worked on Karim's stocking a little but was tired and eyes were jumping around on the chart, so stopped rather than make huge mistake. It's made of the Peruvian Highland yarn that everyone is talking about the pilling problems with, but hopefully won't be a prob with a Christmast stocking!

This am I ripped out the hat I'm makeing for me...that dimple/pimple at the top was making me crazy and would have every time I wore it. I will reknit it with out the annoying pook. Restarted the modular scarf last night for a mindless knit, and 3rd triangle is behaving itself this time. Yarn is just Red Heart, but it's pretty.

Tonight's dinner is sirloin steak (a splurge!), baked potatoes, LeSuere Peas (silver lable), oh yumm yumm yumm ... just wish I had some good red wine. I always forget to buy it on Sat and Sunday of course, the liquor stores are closed. Desperate Housewives/ Grey's Anatomy on tv....life is good tonight. Good food, good shows, cats to cuddle and interesting projects to knit. It would be better if DD would call or come around more but she's got to find her wings. My mom was a little cranky about the situation this morning, I just need her to stay out of it. Lisette is living with Tony, trying to stand on her own two feet and succeeding most of the time so leave me alone. Do I wish she had finished Beauty School? yes Do I wish she had lived on her own before moving in with a boyfriend? Yes but... it's her life not mine and I need to let her learn things on her own. Off to start the grill.

Another beautiful day

2005-11-03T10:25:00.000-08:00

WIP Karim's stocking FO "The Shawl"
It's 80*, I just walked a mile at noon on Nov 3rd in a t-shirt. I'm going to remember this day on a cold January day when it's -15 and I have to put a blanket on my lap to drive to the studio!

Nearly finished with mom's Madison scarf. It's very pretty and very soft. The yarn is really cream colored, not lavendar as it looks in photo! I do think I'll make the pattern again.

I keep trying to move the photo's around, but it won't let me. aggravating.

My favorite Halloween Photo

2005-10-31T07:18:00.000-08:00

Isn't she bewitching? My darling daughter Lisette.

Boo!

2005-10-31T06:55:00.000-08:00

Happy Halloween! I love Halloween, I love the dressing up and all the silliness for the children. Someday I want to have a real Martha Stewart Halloween party with a "booffet" and lots of fun, maybe next year, when house is in better shape. Of course, the studio is the perfect place..hmmm. Well, I bought mini hershey bars and reeses peanut butter cups, but there are only 32 bars. I have lollipops too (a LOT of them) but think I'll head out to store and pick up another bag or two of candy. In past years we haven't had very many kids, but think I should be prepared for at least 50. Its a bootiful day, sunny, windy of course. It rained a little this am which kind of spoiled my plans to finish planting tulip bulbs today.

I'm wearing my Garfield Got Treats shirt, so happily holiday dressed. A little extra mascara, about the extent of my Halloween makeup though! Studio is closed tonight (who is gonna come to dance class on Halloween, get real), so I can hand out treats. For years Sid did it as I took Lisette around, but now it's my treat.

Went to KC for DMA (Dance Masters America) fall convention. I think I learned somethings which is always the point, had a chance to chat a little with other chapter members. I always feel on the fringes since I don't live in KC, can't make meetings and just in general am not part of things, plus some of these members are getting their 25 yr pins and I'm just a 3 yr member!

Sid had an Army/Mars meeting Sat am, so we drove up together, I knit half of mom's Madison scarf during the meeting. Got about half of my winter hat knit too, not totally happy with the top, got a little "pook" going on, but I may disquise that with a pom pom. I had frogged the beginning about 5 times, it shouldn't have been so hard to start at the top instead of the bottom! Took about 160 stitches to cover crown of my head. It's always hard for me to do the math on gauge etc and knitting several inches of ribbing and then frogging that because it's too tight is just wayy to annoying!

Naughty kitties!

2005-10-26T07:49:00.000-07:00