Long Lost and I need a lesson from Miss Manners!

First, right off the bat, I need to apologize sincerely to my Fall into Autumn dishcloth partner. I received the box before Veteran's Day but that's when my school schedule got very ugly. Professors moving things up to be done before Thanksgiving and moving them after to help us out. That, of course, didn't help at all!! Then I proceeded to lose my partner's info- swift move on my part so without further ado and no excuses for my ungracious reply...Thank you Sharon for my great package...
. BTW she made the soap which of course I didn't remember until I got her info remailed to me. Thank you so much Sharon, the dishcloth is wonderful and has joined the others in my kitchen!

In between classes I have managed a bit of knitting but I am way behind on the Christmas presents. I made this...
a coffee mitt from One Skein Wonders and I also have finished one sock
for one of my brothers in law from Knitting on the Road by Nancy Bush. It's the Spey Valley sock pattern and I made it from some KnitPick's Landscape yarn in Cape Cod.

This is finals week so I'll be free until Martin Luther King weekend but I do have to throw in Christmas, a visit from my mom and a trip to Pigeon Forge with the Woods family for New Year's. Hopefully I will post at least one more time before 2008!

TTFN!

October Knitting

Hello dear readers! I am surviving Chemistry as well as Oral Communications and English Composition II. But the workload is keeping me very busy. However, I have been getting some knitting done.

I made an Irish Hiking Scarf
to go along with a knitalong that I'm running in the Knitters Love Nora Roberts group on Ravelry. We read the "Born In Series" and knit the scarf for September but it took me until October to complete it!

Maria, if you are reading go away now and come back next post...

While she's leaving, I finished a dishcloth for my Fall into Autumn Swap. It's the Shapely Diamond Cloth from Kitchen Bright Dishcloths. I made mine from some Lily Sugar 'n Cream


. I really like the stitch detail in this pattern. Hope my swap partner likes it.

Ok now that Maria's gone, I finished up her socks for Christmas. Remember the Jaywalker UFOs??
. They're now complete and will make a nice gift for Maria.

My latest installment of creative knitting is this. Wonder what Harley-Davidson would say?

TTFN!

Catch up

Hello all! Chemistry is kicking my butt. Anyone want to explain the electron configuration of a charged molecule with covalent bonds?? Anyone? Bueller? Didn't think so.

Lots going on in knitland. My dogs days of summer partner had some personal crises and my swap came late. I did get some great yarn
but the swap people felt bad for me and Pecan Nut sent me another package to make up for it. Check out my new dishcloth...
and some great yarn...
. Thanks so much I love everything.

Speaking of the dishcloth exchange... I'm a bit behind the questions so I'm going to catch up right now!

Now that in some geographic locations the weather is starting to turn cooler, do you change the type of yarn(s) you knit/crochet with? This is Memphis- that means that its finally below 100 degrees on a regular basis. We don't see cooler weather until Halloween and maybe even to US Thanksgiving. All that means for me is that I'll knit outdoors away from the A/C (that's how I knit all that stuff this summer, Tanya- in the A/C under a fan!)

When you knit or crochet dishclothes, washclothes or face clothes, what do you use? I'm usually between a 5 to a 7 needle and I usually use circs because they're easy to travel with. I'm usually knitting during my 2 hour break between classes so I need small, portable projects to fit in with my 20 pounds of textbooks! Is there a particular yarn you love and use all the time for cloths? I use Lily Sugar N Cream because that's what's available in my local Michaels and Hobby Lobby.

Autumn has now officially begun here in the States!! What is your favorite thing about Autumn/Fall? Why? Mountain Day!- oh wait I'm not at Smith anymore...damn...anyways it was break from classes that was declared by the president of the college and bells rang all over campus to announce it. We never knew when it was. I miss fall in New England- there's nothing like it but fall now means it's time for the 4 month house decorating season- fall, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. I furnish my house ala Christmas Tree Shops thanks to living in Newport for a year and my mom who regularly sends stuff.

Addie and Maria- if you're reading this...stop...go away....


Ok well, I've finished the first Christmas present- socks for Addie-
These are the small columns socks from Sensational Knitted Socks. I used some Shepherd Sock in Somerset from Lorna's Laces. Remember my UFO Jaywalker's? They're becoming Maria's Christmas gift. I only have the gusset and the foot of the second sock to finish and I know she'll like the colors. There's that present solved. Anyone else knitting for the holidays??

Ok, here's my truly weird knitting for you.

TTFN!

Some Knit alongs

Well, I've joined 2 knitalongs recently. First, I've finally joined the bandwagon and am knitting the Irish Hiking Scarf. I'm doing this in conjuction with my Knitters Love Nora Roberts Ravelry group. We're reading her "Born In..."Series and knitting this scarf for the month of September.
I'm using some Cascade Quattro for yarn. Scarily, I've already finished the books.

I also joined the Chevron Scarf frenzy. That pattern can be found in Last Minute Knitted Gifts.
I'm using some great Koigu for this scarf.

I've collected some fun and strange knitting sites so I'll be ending my posts with one from now on for your entertainment. Go see this. Do you think my Chemistry professor would have a problem with me wearing that sweater to my final??

Fall into Autumn Questioanire

1. Do you knit or crochet? How long have you been doing it?Only knit and have been for about 3 years

2. Have you made dischloths before? Do you use them yourself, give them as gifts, or both??Made many and do both

3. What's your favorite cotton to make cloths from? What cotton would you like to try that you haven't before ??Lily Sugar and Creme and I'll try any

4. If you knit, do you prefer circular or straight needles? For all, do you prefer wooden, metal, or plastic needles?Don't really like plastic but will knit with most else

5. What are your favorite colors? Any colors you don't like much??Blues, Greens, Whites/Creams/Yellow, not particularly fond of brown

6. What do you like best about Autumn??The smells, but I really miss New England falls. They're the best!

7. Pies: Pumpkin? Apple? Pecan? All of em? or No Thanks!?Apple and Sweet Potato

8. When you were a kid, were you the one who couldn't wait to get started with school , or the one who overslept on the 1st day??Overslept- stiill do!

9. Do you celebrate Halloween? (The real key here guys is especially knowing if you have an aversion to the holiday or little goodies/decorations associated with it, given the timeframe of the swap)?Oh yeah, love to decorate outside more than I do inside but strangely I'm not into the costumes

10. If you had to choose just 3 edible 'goodies' to eat for a full year, what 3 would you choose??Chocolate,chocolate and oh yeah, chocolate (no nuts!)

11. Do you have any pets? Kids? Husbands who seem like kids? ;)?One cat, 2 girls ages 11 and 15 and 1 hubby

12. If you were to describe a particular yarn that shares traits of your personality, what would it be and why??no clue but probably Noro Kureyon because of the crazy colors and the slubbiness and irregularity of the yarn.

13. Do you use your cloths mostly for dishcloths, or as facecloths??Dishcloths and doilies

14. Favorite Fall Holiday: Halloween or Thanksgiving and why? (Feel free to share another fall memory if you do not celebrate either of these holidays)?Halloween

15. Do you have any allergies or aversions your pal should know about??Other than not being a big nut or coconut fan, nope

Lots of FO's for the neglected blog

I have lots to show you... I knitted this for Hubby's cousin who is going through leukemia for the third time (I'd appreciate it if you kept Christopher in your prayers). It is Halfdome from Knitty. I used some Tahki Cotton Classic for the brim and Marks & Kattens Jeansgarn for the body. It came out rather loose. I'm going to donate this hat and make another with a few less stitches to tighten the circumference.

I made this great dishcloth for the Dog days of Summer Swap. It's from the January 2007 issue of Creative Knitting.

I had some cotton yarn in my stash with no label and I made a Dream Swatch Head Wrap for eldest. It is supposed to be almost 4 feet long but with the yarn I used, I only made it to 30 inches. I definitely want to make another of these.

Go away Jenny...


. This Bella Scarf, made from Knit Picks Suri Dream, is her birthday present.

Finally, I had an extra skein of the Garnstudio Angora Tweed I used for the ruffles scarf. I made the wave handwarmers from One-Skein Wonders.

I'll warn my few readers. I go back to school on Monday and I'm taking such fun courses as Chemistry, English Composition 2 and Oral Communications. I will try to do better than last semester on updates, but no guarantees!

I'll leave you with this... I'm thinking I have a goal in life now but I may have to put it off until we're done with Navy moves because hubby will kill me if we are over our weight limit due to yarn!!

TTFN!

What a great July

This July was a great month, busy and hectic but overall wonderful. We started off in Atlanta visiting the Woods Family. The next week was filled with appointments but the premiere of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (which I loved!). The next eldest went off to the Diocesan leadership camp and the youngest had soccer camp, which was followed up by the distribution of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows... which was followed up the next day with a trip to Florida to visit the Cronins and a stay at hubby's family's house in St. Petersburg Beach. This is the view from the pool deck..., which was right outside the living room. A great month!

I got LOTS of knitting done! I finally finished that Ruffles scarf that has been on the needles for 2 years! I polished off 2 dishcloths, a Spinning Wheel Dishcloth for Michelle and a Honeycomb dishcloth for the Florida house. I made another mobius purse in Ravenclaw colors for my youngest. I also made a Sophie Bag for myself from some lovely turquoise Brown Sheep Bulky.

I got lucky enough to have Bronwyn as my partner for the second Hogwarts Sock Kit Swap.... She really indulged me this time. Not one but TWO skeins of Socks that Rock in Mustang Sally and 24 Karat. There were 2 sets of choclate frogs but one was gobbled pretty quickly. I love the sock patterns but I am especially happy about Cookie A's Twisted Flower pattern that I have been eyeing for months! The bag is really cute and so perfect for fall. Thanks so much Bronwyn or cimorenegal as she is known on Ravelry!

THE Baby Blanket is Complete!!!!!

aran baby blanket
Originally uploaded by castelfam

I had to do a brief post. I finally finished the epic baby blanket. It's the Aran Baby blanket from Knit Baby Blankets and I used Plymouth Encore in cream (256). I am so happy with this blanket. It is large enough to last into toddlerhood and I purposely used washable yarn. I loved the cabling so much that I'm eyeing more cable projects! Now we just need the baby to be born and he's due any second!

HSKS 2

Well, I have been very neglectful of my HSKS 1 partner. I realized that I never posted a picture of her gifties to me. The sock pattern is from Knit Picks and I don't have it yet so it's most welcome. The bag is a design of my partner, Bronwyn. Click on Knitted Dice Bag for a free pattern. She made mine from Knit Picks Merino Style. It is divine. The girls keep trying to "borrow" it. Strngely enough, she will also be gifting me for HSKS2. I can't wait to see what I get!

I recently finished the bag for my HSKS2 partner. I used the Cinnamon Braid Sling Bag from Cat Bordhi's, "Second Treasury of Magical Knitting." This was my first successful mobius project. My first, a novelty scarf, is, no joke, about 8 feet long! I used Nature Spun Worsted and now my youngest wants one in Ravenclaw colors by the Book premiere next week. I still have to finish a baby blanket by then.

TTFN!!

Dog Days of Summer Contest

Someone who crochets- Abby C.

Someone who's never made a dishcloth before Madonna B.
Someone who has been knitting\crocheting for less than 2 years Angela T.
Someone who has been knitting\crocheting for more than 5 years Barb N.
Someone who is from a non-US country Stephanie L

HSKS 2 Trivia

Trivia

1. "What happens if I wave my wand and nothing happens?" "Throw it away and punch him on the nose." Which two people are talking? Harry & Ron

2."If he raided our house he'd have to put himself under arrest." Who say this? Fred
3. When sitting on the wall next to Professor Dumbledore at the beginning of the book, who does Professor McGonagall bet was the wizard responsible for the shooting stars seen by Muggles over Kent?

Dedalus Diggle


4. Known by the students as Nearly Headless Nick, what was Nick's actual name?

Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington

5. When venturing into the Dark Forest with Hagrid for their detention, who is the first centaur Harry and Hermione see?

Ronan


6. We know that Parvati Patil was sorted into Gryffindor house, but what house was her twin Padma sorted into?

Ravenclaw


7. What colour do the flames turn when you use Floo powder?

Emerald green


8. What colour tie was Cornelius Fudge wearing when he came to take Hagrid to Azkaban?

Scarlet

9. After running away from the Dursley's, Harry took up a room at the Leaky Cauldron. What number room did he stay in?

11


10. While Ron, Hermione, and his other classmates are in Hogsmeade, Harry stops in for a chat with Professor Lupin. What did Lupin tell Harry he had just taken delivery of for their next lesson?

Grindylows


Picture Scavenger Hunt
The pictures can either be posted on your blog or you can link to them from your blog.

Dog days of Summer Questionaire

Do you knit, or crochet, or do both? How long have you been knitting\crocheting?
I only knit and I have been knitting for about 3 years.

Have you knit dishcloths or dishtowels before? Lots and lots!

What are your favorite cotton yarns? Is there a cotton or linen you’ve been dying to try but have not? Either Sugar and Creme or Peaches and Creme.

Are there any cotton yarns you don’t enjoy knitting with? nope

What type of needle do you prefer using? (Metal/Wood/Plastic)Any of the three but I am admittedly a snob and love my Addi Turbos.

What other projects do you enjoy knitting or crocheting?Just about anything.I like hats, socks, and felting.

Do you have other hobbies or enjoy other kinds of crafting? Photography and scrapbooking.

What kind of treats do you like? Chocolate? Candies? Nuts? Chocoalte wi/out nuts (not allergic just a preference), gummi bears

What colors are your kitchen and bath decorated in, if any? Blues, Whites and Yellow

What are your favorite colors and what colors do you dislike?same as above

Do you drink coffee? Tea? Other beverages? Mostly water

Do you have any kids (human or pet variety!)? 2 daughters, 15 & 11 and 1 old girl baby cat

Do you have any allergies? Morphine!

Please share 3 tidbits about yourself that you think your pal and other swappers might find odd or interesting.

I'm a Navy wife so my life is very portable. Knick Knacks /thcotchkis are important because those are how I decorate everywhere I live.

I'm going back to school to be a media specialist.

This is my first time living more than a day's drive to the ocean. I really miss it!

F#^% the Gods of Knitting, Yarn & Needles

I'm so over it. This is NOT my knitting week[:(!]. I admit I have 10 inches of a baby blanket and the leg of a second sock to finish so I've got that "new" project itch. Now, I'm spending next week at a friend's house so there's plenty of knitting time to complete the other 2 projects. Her's a summary of my week...
Monday- I grab a lone skein of Diakeito and cast on for the twisted top toque in One Skein Wonders. I get the band done on Tuesday and start the decreases. I switch from circs to DPNs (here it comes) and realize I've knitted the stupid band with neddles 3 size smaller than what I need[:-P]!!! No wonder I was running out of yarn!

Wednesday, I take my girls to their beginning knitters class as an offering to the Knitting gods. I also devote an hour and a half to the blanket. Would that that action had appeased them[**].

So today I decide to try and reduce the stash of novelty yarns from Hades! I did a simple shawl with the 2 skeins of Trendsetter Sorbet. A bit on the small side but I realize I can always donate it to several silent auctions that occur in the fall. As I am weaving in the ends, I snagged the join of the 2 balls which of course is in the middle. I trim away and low and behold- I create a humungous hole and the %$%&&%$# thing starts to unravel[crazy]. That is now residing in my trash.

Have I neglected an appropriate sacrifice? Did I miss an important feast day? Should I burn the rest of the novelty yarns as an offering of good tidings? Should I dedicate a new working to quality alpaca? Perhaps I should adopt a Merino sheep? Obviously, I am scared to play with my current WIPs. Help me break the curse!!!!

Summer Dishcloth Swap

I loved the Summer dishcloth swap!. First, here's a pic of what I made for my partner.... The yarn is peaches and cream and the pattern can be found here.

Here's a pic of the package I received... I love the windchimes from one of my favorite stores, Christmas Tree Shops". Click on the flyer if you've never experienced this place. Don't you just love a bargain! The dishcloths are fantastic and fit right in with my beach theme house, since the blue one is an anchor and the yellow one is a sun. The pattern is for a sand dollar cloth. The lemon soap is great and the kids stole the Bertie Botts- not surprising. Thanks so much Sarah.

Where I've been meme

If the state is red, I have spent the night!


create your own personalized map of the USA
or check out ourCalifornia travel guide

Happy 15th Birthday

My beautiful girl, here are my wishes for you...


You were always an easy going baby and toddler. May you always take life as simply as you did then.


You get excited about events and happenings. May you always perceive of the glass as half full.

You've also been my contemplative one. May you always reflect on and appreciate your life.

I joke that I could drop you on Mars and that you could adapt. May you always greet change with grace and style.

You are completely unaware of just what a beautful woman you are becoming. May you always remember that your inner beauty will shine through no matter what.

My dear baby, you've always look ahead with your dreams. May you use your past to shape your future and never, ever surrender your hopes and desires!

I love you more every day.

Momma

Truly International Sock Along

I am a participant in the Truly International Sock Along and I got the privilege of being the first knitter. The sock was born on Saturday, June 2, 2007 at 7:55 CST. Using leftover yarn from a pair of Trekking socks from last summer, I name this sock,"AlphaMonkey."

Part of the process involves taking photos of the sock around town ala Yarn Harlot. I now understand how she feels when people think she is nuts for doing this. I persuaded cajoled begged the girls to come with me. They finally understood when I explained that this was like flat stanley.

We first went to

Graceland. When in Memphis, you have to visit Elvis.

With so much to do in so little time, the girls and I took AlphaMonkey to downtown Memphis.

Next stop...
the Mississippi River and Hernando DeSoto Bridge. We walked along

Beale Street and saw
Schwab's
and
B.B. King's Blues Club.

None of us, including AlphaMonkey, had ever taken a duck tour so we hopped on board to take in some more sights. We passed by one of my favorite Memphis sights...

Sun Studios, the first place that Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash ever recorded! We passed
Saint Jude's Children's Research Hospital. We drove by
the Pyramid before going for a boat ride by
the bridge again on the Wolf River that empties into Ole Man River. Towards the end of the tour we passed
the Lorraine Motel, where Dr. Martin Luther King was assassinated and present day site of the National Civil Rights Museum.

After the duck tour it was time for a visit to
The Peabody to see the world famous

ducks in their fountain.

. We took an elevator to the roof to get a bird's eye view of
Autozone Park,home of the Memphis Redbirds. The last stop for AlphaMonkey was to Lansky's to see the fabulous collection of guitars...
That is a coat that Elvis had brought for repair to Lansky's just before he died. The guitar to the right is signed by Van Morrison.

The guitars are signed, from left to right, by: Celine Dion, Johnny Cash & June Carter Cash, Tanya Tucker, The Dave Matthews Band, Jimmy Dean and Hootie and the Blowfish.

AlphaMonkey had a great time in Memphis and will be departing for his next foster knitter very soon. Go to Truly International Sock Along to see who that may be!