Drats!

I got the energy to do some finishing work on Ahren's sweater and after piecing the front and back at the shoulders and picking up stitches all around the neckline for the collar (to be a simple 1x1 rib), AFTER FINISHING the collar and thinking it looked rather odd, I realized that I was supposed to use a smaller size needle. Argh! This is probably something that only a beginner at putting together a sweater would do. I decided that I need to see some kind accomplishment of some sort on that sweater. So I'm working on the sleeve and seaming the side. I had Ahren try on the parts that were done, and it is really running big, I don't quite know why, I was doing the sweater to the gauge in the book and blocked it to the measurements, but for some reason, perhaps a size 6 is not what she is, oh well, she will grow into it.

Holiday decorating

Today we started decorating for the holidays. Dragging the boxes from the attic is such a pain, and we are only part way through the boxes, but there is progress. Pete took care of the Dept. 56/Dickens Village on top of the piano and that is looking nice. We also hung the stockings up. We decided that we would get another stocking this year for Angelina (the baby that we lost this summer) as a way to remember her at Christmastime (I was due the end of December).

Okay, back to dealing with the boxes and decorations.

Happy Thanksgiving!

We had our Thanksgiving Dinner on Friday this year since my sil, Lucia and fam were spending Thursday with her parents. Here are some of the highlights....

I spent most of Wednesday and Thursday cleaning and cooking so that on Friday I would be able to just pop things into the oven - I even cleaned the fridge and the oven and all the countertops were cleared - a major feat for my kitchen - I even have the pictures to prove it:



That is it, my entire kitchen - can you say tiny?? But hey, at least it is (er, was) clean.

Moving along to the turkey. Pete was in charge of the turkey, and boy did he do a great job - it was a beauty!


Funny story: On Wednesday evening, Ahren announced that she wanted to dress in an old-fashioned outfit - including a bonnet. I tried to explain that there wasn't enough time to find her a dress or even for me make one, but assured her that we would figure out something. She had a prairie-style dress that agreed was a bit old-fashioned in style and I stitched up a little white bonnet from an idea I found on the internet. Luckily, we had all the items needed on hand. I think she looked awfully cute with her braids and her pilgrim bonnet.



What's Thanksgiving if you don't burn something?, I present for you the crescent rolls (that's me holding them when I realized they were still in the oven after the meal was over):


I was actually able to get some knitting done, too. I finished Baby Einstein (forgot to take pics today) and even finished the second sleeve on Ahren's sweater (which isn't even a Christmas gift, I don't know why I felt I needed to finish it today??). Right now Ahren's sweater is blocking.

This is really the first thing that I have blocked. I made a makeshift blocking board, but I think I might look for a good deal on a cheap area rug like Bonne Maire does. While trying to figure out how best to do the blocking, I found the very helpful on blocking at Knitty. Love Knitty!

Now to try and make the kitchen look like what it looked like this morning. Wish me luck!

Getting There....

I've been plugging away at my gifts-in-progress, with a little diversion to make myself a Bucket-O-Chic - whipped it up so fast that it never made it into the Knitting Basket! Then I realized that I needed a little baby cap and decided on the Whirly Hat, started and finished it within 24 hours! Pictures may come tomorrow, depending on how much cleaning I get done for Thanksgiving.

Now if I could just finish the two tiny cardies that are on the needles! I have about an inch and half of the 2nd sleeve on the Baby Einstein, then weaving in the ends (I hate that part) and seaming the sleeves and that puppy is done! Haiku is coming along - I'm on the left side - then of course, both sleeves, but so far it is looking pretty good.

I also started casting on for the next Booga J Bag. I still have some Icord for one other one and then I can cross that off the list.

My goal for Sunday night is to have at least the Baby Einstein finished (!) and hopefully be working on the 2nd sleeve of Haiku and have the Icord done for the purple Booga J Bag. Only then will I allow myself to work on the next Booga J Bag that is started.

Whew!

I rearranged some things on my blog template tonight and for a little bit everything was screwy, but I was somehow able to get it figured out and fixed.

I added my gift-making list to the side bar. I have to be somewhat incognito since family and friends sometimes read my blog. Although I'm sure that they will be able to figure some things out.

Bucket-ing

As if I don't have enough to do, I decided this morning that I really need a decent hat. Of course, Bucket-O-Chic is at the top of the list, so I sort through my stash and determine that I have enough Encore Superwash to make a hat for myself. So this morning I began casting on for my Bucket. I think I might join the BucketALong to help keep me motivated!

Since today is the last day that I can purchase yarn due to the upcoming yarn diet, looking at my stash made me realize that I really need more felting wool for the rest of the Booga J bags I need to make. So at $2.25 a skein, I ordered some Peruvian Collection Highland Wool from Elann. I got 6 skeins for $18 (plus change) INCLUDING shipping! Don't think I've ever walked out of a LYS spending any where near that little for my purchases.

I'm also making head way on Haiku. I have the right front and underarm done and am working on the 1st box stitch pattern section on the back. Love the way it designed with such minimal finishing!

Gotta throw some laundry in before I get back to the needles.

Progress!

I have been making some headway on some projects, others seem to be slightly stalled, which means I might have to re-evaluate the Christmas plan for some things.

Look at what the lovely USPS carrier brought to me yesterday from Elann.com :)



I was most excited by the lovely black mohair blend that I bought to for the Lo-Tech Sweat that I plan on making in January - for myself!!!! Now, keeping it off the needles until then, well, that will be a challenge! Take a look:



And with the new yarn, I couldn't wait to get started on Haiku for my neice, Madison. She's so cute and I think she will look lovely in the pretty lavendar color. So far I have the first side started, and am working on the box stitch. Took me a little bit to get the hang of the box stitch but now I seem to be cruising right along.



I've been plowing away at the FlatKnit Mitts from _The Knit Stitch_ and I really love them. The pair seems to fly off the needles, heck, I haven't even had a chance to mention that I had started them, and now they are almost finished. The only thing that is a bit is that they seem to be quite large. They fit my dh's hands pretty good, so I may just try and tweak the pattern a bit. Still trying to decide if I want to try the FlatKnit Hat that coordinates. I may have to wait on that.



And then there are those ties.....tell me, why did I start them??? I am crazy?? They are sooooo slow going, although maybe I just need to sit down and bang out a few good inches on each of them, maybe.



I think that is all for now. Back to the needles.

Looks like Blogger is fixed -- YEAH!

Well, like many others today, it seems that BlogRolling has been hacked or has some other technical problem that caused all the link to all point to the same page. Sheesh! So for now, I have disconnected BlogRolling.

I think (I hope!) that I am done purchasing my yarn for Christmas gifts for this year. So I am going on a yarn diet. Although, I might have to double check if I have enough Lamb's Pride for as many Booga J bags as I need to still make.

In any case, from November 19, 2003 until January 10, 2004 I will be on a yarn diet! And here is the button to prove it (and remind myself!):

Parade of WIPs!

Without further ado.....

Two bags ready for felting (I'm waiting to make the purple Icord until my handy magic knitter comes!). The first one is the purple bag with Dazzle on the top. When it came time to add the eyelash I did a little reverse thingy so that the purl side was on the outside, since that is where most of my *lashes* were - wouldn't want to waste them on the inside.



Here is the bright felted bag, I've been working on. I changed the pattern a little, I hope that it felts up okay.



Here are two ties that I am working on. After visiting my lys, I'm wondering if I'm just plain crazy. Dagmar, the owner of the shop was saying that when she made one tie out of the Regia sock yarn, she swore she would never make another - because it took forever. Oh dear, what have I gotten myself into???

The first one is with Sockotta yarn on size 2 needles.



This one is with the Regia Sock yarn on size 3 needles. I am planning for this one to be for Pete.



Here is the progress I'm making on Ahren's sweater. I was a bit stalled on it because I ran out of yarn. But I fixed that today with a run to AC Moore.



I also got the keepsake bag finished, I still have to work on some kind of closure, not exactly sure how to that, I should have planned this better, but I was experimenting, so it's okay.



Purchases!

Well, since is pay day (for dh at least!) I got some much needed supplies. At AC Moore, I was able to get the rest of the yarn for Ahren's sweater, while there I had an extra coupon that I used for a new pair of bamboo circ needles (sz. 10 1/2), I really needed them since it seems that that size always has something on them (usually a Booga J bag), and it was creating problems.

I also did some damage at www.elann.com - baby! talk about awesome deals - I got yarn skeins for less than $2.00 each - whoa! I was quite thrilled and am a little bit fearful of the damage that this could do to my checkbook!

I have cleaned the scrapbooking room and have started getting the gifts and displays all ready for Saturday, but I still need to finish the rest of the living room/dining room and finish the gifts. I'm hoping that Sean will fall asleep at a semi-decent hour tonight - uh, it's now 9:42, I don't think it is likely. :(

Yippee!!!

After reading that the Barbie Knitting Machine *could* work for the Icord for the felted bags, I have been bidding and losing at several ebay auctions for one. Well....I've finally won an auction for a Magic Knitter!!! I'm so happy. I know that I was procrasinating doing the Icord for my two WIP felted bags!

Veteran's Day Happenings

Today was spent putting the new kitchen door on. What a job. It really needed to be done since the *old* door didn't close at all, unless it was slammed closed and then it was iffy. With winter rearing it's freezing head, we couldn't put it off any longer. So we finally did it! How cool to have a door that actually works.

Back to Knitting...



The Keepsake Bag -- It's coming along. I did a little decorative running stitch at the bottom and plan to do something similar along the flap. I wish that I would have done a row of 1x1 rib along the bound-off edge of the flap, since it seems to be rolling quite a bit. The dark brown accent color will also be a simple 3 stitch Icord, which will serve as the strap.




I'm really liking the bright colors of this to-be-felted bag. They are so cheery and yummy to work with! Although I still have to finish up a few more inches of Limeade (Lamb's Pride) and then do the yards and yards of Icord.

Computer Games

My 3 year old (almost 4) son, Sean is almost obsessed with computer games. Luckily, he really only likes things like Blues Clues and Nick Jr, PBS Kids and Playhouse Disney. Lately, tho' we have really gotten into the games at www.candystand.com. Mostly the Pinapple Jack game. I say *we* because I am almost obsessed with it. I can't hardly believe that this game is free - it reminds me of the video games that we used to play when I was a kid. It's kind of an Indiana Jones kind of thing, where you look for pieces of a treasure map and then find the treasure. Although I haven't actually found the treasure, we have found 3 pieces of the treasure map and I know where one is, but haven't been able to get it yet. One thing that is frustrating is that it seems like there some *cheats* that we have found, but I don't know if there is more and I don't know how to find it if there are more. This game seems to go on and on or maybe I just need a life. :)

I've done a bit of work on my blog template the last few days. I've rearranged my projects page and have started working on a 100 Things About Me, but it is going slow - hey, 100 is a big number!!

Ahren went to a birthday pool party today that was a total bust. Without getting into details, it ended with her being left in the locker room alone, when all the guests left including the guest of honor and his parents! Pete was waiting to pick her up had to go into the locker room and found her crying since she was scared. Hello??? Who leaves 6 year old girls in a locker room by themselves and then leaves the party before all the guests. I am quite annoyed, but she seems to be feeling better. Pete felt so bad for Ahren that we are getting pizza from Pizza Hut --- a major treat around here.

I've been working around the house, mostly in the scrapbooking room, since I'm having a crop/open house a week from today. I don't really talk about scrapbooking on this blog since the company that I with is really anal about using the internet to advertise your business.

I have been working on some of my projects - I have the keepsake bag almost finished - just have to do the top flap and a little bit of decorative stitching and then a small strap (maybe I cord? maybe single crocheted chain?). I also have more of the Felted Bag done. I'm at a stand still Ahren's sweater since I ran out of yarn. I will have to get a few more skeins.

I'm so excited - I just saw a real I-cord maker over here! I'm hoping that I will be able to actually find one to buy. I have had my local yarn shop look for them in their catalogs with no avail. Keeping my fingers crossed, since this would make all those Booga J Bags mucho easier!

Knitting news first:

I picked up some Kool Wool from AC Moore this past week. It's from Lion Brand which I never thought I would really like. But surprise, surprise - this yarn is lovely (don't know yet if it will wash and wear as nicely). The color is Tomato Red and it feels really good, it's knitting up quite nicely. I doing a pullover sweater for Ahren with it. The pattern is from the Knitter's Book of Patterns. At a gauge of 3 sts/inch - it is going quite quickly. :)



I also am working on a small bag (something to keep keepsakes or cards) for my sister-in-law's husbands mother (follow that?) She is recovering at a nursing home and I really wanted to make something for her, but don't know her size and don't want to do something that she would have no use for. I figure that she will have a lot of cards these days and she can keep them in this bag. Hopefully, she will like it. The design is mostly my own, although I took inspiration from a pattern in a finishing book that I have (can't recall the name of it). It is basically stockinette stitch for however tall you want it, then bind off, then pick up along the cast on row, then bind off at the top, work the flap with decreases and then seam up the sides. I think I will add some kind of decoration, I'm thinking maybe some colors in duplicate stitch? Here's a picture of it so far:



This past weekend we went to Gillette Castle for a Family Fun Day. We packed a light picnic and tossed a soccor ball around. To document our fun:



and me and Sean (acting all tuckered out):



I came across this cute idea. I like it and can't wait to see more! Knitting and Tarot - who'da thunk?! and yet, it just makes sense!

Happy Halloween! Okay so I'm a day late. I was busy finishing up Sean's bat costume. Since my mom gave me a VERY early birthday present I was able to stitch it up quite nicely. Ahren went Trick or Treating as a Pop Star - with a funky hairdo and jazzy outfit. She did look awfully cute. We gave out our traditional Halloween Play Dough which many of the kids really look forward to. We are officially known as The Play Dough House.

The kids made out pretty cool with their loot. Ahren did opt to leave her candy (except for 2 things she could pick out) for The Great Pumpkin, in exchange for a new toy. The Great Pumpkin left her a new Polly. Ahren was quite pleased. Sean chose to keep the candy (which is what I was expecting).

Here's a cute pic of them:


The pumpkin design was by Ahren, it is actually a large one-eyed pumpkin. Pete used a drill and hand saw to cut it out, pretty clever I think.