Ooo Baby Knits

What I Did Last Weekend

Thursday: I know, technically this is not the weekend (although it was in college as we considered Friday classes optional), but it does have some bearing on the rest of the weekend. So… Thursday I read Sharon’s blog. She’s going on a yarn diet. Rule: For each 5 lbs. she looses she can buy $50 of yarn. I’m in. And I lost 2 pounds last week.

Friday: Dad and I take DD#2 to The Cove in Asheville for the weekend. That is an amazingly beautiful place. It rains as we drive up making everything look so shiny and new, then it snows Sunday morning as they have devotions.

After we drop her off and get her settled in her cabin, we go to the Wilde & Wooly Yarn Shop in Black Mountain. My favorite yarn shop- and the only one I ever get to go to. I figure I have $20 to spend on yarn. So I buy this:

I spend more than $20, but only $20.50 is actual yarn. The Skacel Posh is the softest yarn I’ve ever felt. It’s for a scarf for Mom. The white is La Gran mohair. Not terribly soft, but lovely and fluffy, so I’ll probably use it with other yarns for a creamy shawl. When I get the other yarns.

The other goodies:

I love, love, love Adrienne Vittadini patterns! Every pattern in this book (vol. 21) is beautiful and elegant, and actually comes in a range of normal people sizes! I’ve been so disappointed in all the knitting mags lately, but this book is inspirational enough to make me want to knit something. (Okay, I always want to knit something, but it is a really good book.) My buttons were a deal. They have lots of gorgeous ones in the stacks of plastic tubes, but the ones I liked best are $7-$15 each! These pretties were handmade in South Africa, and on sale for $2 a card. Happy me.

Dad drove so I could knit and listen to the great stories he tells, so I started a Guidepost Sweater on an old set of #7 circs. Not pictured are the Addi Turbos I decided to replace them with while I was there.

Saturday: I’m not really sure what I happened Saturday. I was awake and breathing- I think. I’m sure I did something, I just can’t remember what. Ever have days like that?

Sunday: Ditto. I hope I had a nice day.

Monday: Now I’m pushing it, but guess what this is?

I have been a lax blogger. Sammie is now bigger than her big brother Max. Hubby built a deck. And I'm teaching my little sister to knit. Life is good.

A boy and his dog- it's a beautiful thing.

My daily French: Qui suis-je et est-ce que que je fais ici? I have no idea how to pronounce this one.

Oh, What a Beautiful Morning

Oh, what a great day to play,

I’ve got a beautiful feeling

That I’ll cook no dinner today.

It’s a good night to go out. I’ve been working in the yard, pulling weeds and getting ready to plant my annuals and herbs. My Grandmother's lilies are getting ready to bloom and the bees are buzzing.

The yard is beautiful- some people may call wild violets and dandelions weeds, but to me they are an extension of my garden. We’re building a deck which makes it too tempting to sit outside and read while the dust bunnies inside multiply like, well, like bunnies.

I have done some knitting- a little progress on my peach cables

And a hat I started watching DD#2’s soccer game.

DD#2 went to the NJROTC ball Saturday night- her first formal with a very nice young man and everything.

Well, back out to play with the pups.

Today’s sentence: Je ne fais pas cuire. Je jouerais plutôt.

Let the Procrastination Begin!

The last piece of my shapely Vogue cardigan is complete. Have I begun the finishing? Heck no. Why finish when I can start? Here's my upstairs project- the beginnings of my EZ %age sweater:

I decided since it wasn't to be car knitting, I needed something simple, but a little more interesting than stockinette stitch. There are prettier cable patterns, but this one will divide nicely at the V-neck. I'll do a cable up the sleeves, too. And there's no sewing, so I'll actually finish this one! The yarn is Bernat Aspen Soft, a merino wool blend from Smileys Yarns. I love good woolies, but there is something to be said for washable, especially when it 's to be worn against the skin.

Downstairs I'm working on...

for The Ships Project. I'm using Cervinia Sorento (again, from Smileys) which I think is a very nice acrylic yarn. It's made in Italy, so I feel very international when I knit with it. The patterns are somewhat from EZ's Knitting Workshop and partly my own.

Gifted again!

SP goodies abound. Time to break out the spindle and practice up. Why can't I make a nice small strand like everyone else?

And in other news:

Dinner tonight was from last night's Emeril Live. Very yummy if you like seafood.

Check out the Naive Knitting weblog. Scroll down to the doggies- so cute! I have socks picked out to make them- one day.

Picts of the puppies: Sammy helping DD#2 with her homework.

Max sez- what in the world is she doing?

Beware! Boring Blog Ahead

DD#2 is in Atlanta on an orchestra trip with my camera, so no pictures today. She called last night from the Braves opening game in tears. She lost her wallet- probably pick pocketed- after being followed around by a group of drunken young men. She is so ready to come home.

Harleywood or bust!

It's a bust. My plan for today had been to go with hubby to watch him race in the Harleywood hare scramble in Bristol, VA. My knitting bags, travel pillow, heating pads, and emergency meds are all ready to go (can you tell I'm high maintenance?), but I woke up with a headache, so instead I'm fixing a cup of tea and heading back to bed. Last night I cast on an EZ percentage sweater for 3-4 hour drive, and put together a hat bag for race watching. Think I'll recklessly abandon all WIPs, and work on the mindless EZ, which I need today.

Lynne beat me- I clutzily concede as there is not a graceful bone in my body. Check out her gorgeous shapely Vogue sweater and get you photo fill of all her other spring picts.

Wishing you a day of sunshine and chocolate (but not necessarily together- the chocolate might melt.)

Confessions

This, I am ashamed to say, is my desk:

And this:

I am a self-professed pile person. I like to have everything spread before me, like a reigning queen- all that I have before me as far as the eye can see is my stuff. If I put anything in a drawer (and I do have two very nicely organized- sort of- filing cabinets) I'll never think about it again. Projects that get covered by newer projects or put way (organized away?) for later never get finished. I have sewing and knitting projects that span the generations. One day I may finish some for my grandchildren. I’m always buying new stuff because I can’t remember what stuff I already have.

I am also a collector. For years after I quit teaching and gave up my Girl Scout troops and Sunday school class, I had trash bags full of toilet paper tubes and egg cartons just in case. They were eventually given away to make room for my stashes. I have 16 plastic tubs and large boxes of yarn and four tubs and a chest of fabric. And a few garbage and shopping bags of each that don’t count because they can be tossed around as needed.

I save even tiny scraps of yarn to give to the birds in the spring, and all scraps of fabric because I may decide I like the tediousness of quilt making. (Note to quilters: I love quilts, I have several, I've tried, I know the incredible work and talent that goes into one, I just don't have what it takes.) We won't even get into the WIPs and secret stashes innocuously hidden behind coats and towels and computer and school stuff. And the piles I really will put away one day. As soon as there is room. Some I'm not sure I even like anymore, but I can't get rid of it because who knows what the future will bring? One day I may want a sweater made of wine colored Red Heart or blue variegated Sugar & Cream. Lord forbid I use it for smaller projects because unpteen years ago before I knew better, I bought enough for a sweater.

In the meantime, I will keep trying to knit more than I buy- or at least as much. Which means I have to knit two bulky sweaters before my box from Smileys arrives this week. Yeah, right.

I have used a little yarn since last I blogged. I finished the left front of the fitted Vogue number and started the right (not really picture worthy as it looks just like the back). I finished a white baby sweater and booties for TLL,

sewed up and washed a bunch of booties to go here and there,

and I’m working on a second pair of slippers from left over wool from a vest I knit a couple of years ago that I don’t wear because it’s so scratchy unlike the slippers which are very soft because I washed them. And I knit a hat with my Kool-Aid yarn while watching "Diary of a Mad Black Woman" Sunday afternoon. These are for Father's House.

I ordered a dress that I think will match the Clapotis, so time to block it and be ready. I need to finish the Vogue, also. Too warm to wear now, but I so want to start a spring cardi and all my tote bags are full.

Today’s pup shot:

Sammie is almost as big as Max. Dr. Vet sez she will be at least 50 pounds. Poor Max.

Today’s French: J’aime les oeufs et le jambon verts.