Last Call for…

…the tea swap sign ups.

That’s not what you were thinking, is it? Are you kidding?! There’s no such thing as last call for alcohol at our house. There’s a glass of wine or a bottle of beer for any guest still capable of appreciating it. The dogs and I might retire before you leave, but the Knight will host on…

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go knit a blankie. Sigh. Didn’t I vow not to wait until the 11th hour again? (It’s her first. She’ll be in labor for HOURS, right?! And she’s not *IN* labor yet, so I still have time!)

Get Your Trivia…

I completely forgot that we’re supposed to be answering trivia questions for House Points. So, if my prefect is looking, the answer is Voldemort and Dumbledore. That’s a nice, Ravenclawish blue there, to help her find it! I still can’t believe that I get to combine two passions - knitting and Harry Potter - not once, but twice! There are the Hogwarts Sock Kit Swap and Charmed Knits, one for rather selfish fun, and the other for a great cause. I plan to start my first Charmed knit probably next week. I have that KAL dishcloth to finish, and the first sock to hopefully polish off this weekend, and that will allow me to whip out one last dishcloth for my mother inlaw’s Mothers Day assortment. The first hat comes after that. My husband’s blanket’s yarn is now back ordered (just the yellow, but then two other colors I’d selected were from an outdated color chart), so we’ll be well into May before I can start that. I’m not happy, but such is life. I can say I’ll be ordering most of my yarn online from now on.

Oh yeah. There are the baby blankets too. Both will be in non-gender-specific colors, but they’re not due until July. The blankets, that is. The babies aren’t due until August and September. Lots of knitting will be happening here!

Learning Curves

I’m learning. Patterned dishcloths are best done on solid colors, especially if the pattern is an OBJECT. The first photo is a nurse’s hat, as my mother was a nurse (and so was HER mother), and the second is a Mothers Day tic-tac-toe board. Sigh. Live and learn. I bought lots of solid colors today.

I also bought the yarn for my husband’s summer/cotton blanket, which won’t likely be done for THIS summer. It’s a Lion Brand Pattern. If you search under “fireman” you’ll find it. (It is of the for sale variety, so there are no good pictures, really.) The pattern says to “cross stitch” the designs over the finished sections, but I’ve decided I don’t think that will look right, nor will it stand up to a man who likes to have his dogs sit with him. So, I’m going to attempt to turn it into my first intarsia work. Joy! I also had to order the yellow, the black, the grey and the taupe I’m using instead of the second grey, because fire hoses aren’t really grey, except right after a fire. My husband also wants the engine to be green and white, because our station’s fleet is indeed green with a white top, and he wants the helmet to be white, because he’s a battalion chief. We’ll see about that one; I wear black, he’s worn black, red, yellow and white, so he’ll get whatever helmet I feel like giving him. The white might not happen simply because I’m not buying skein # 18 just so he can have a white helmet. If the dalmation doesn’t use up all the white, he’ll get a white helmet. I’m using Brown Sheep’s Cotton Fleece.

I also need to do the dishcoths for my mother inlaw’s Mothers Day gift, but I had the yarn for that. It’s just flecked with color, so I hope it will work out okay. I bought some Lions Brand Cotton Ease in terracotta to try, because it felt great. I also bought a linen cotton blend to try, because another customer in the LYS whispered that she liked that best. Same customer also recommended Knitter’s Stash, which I then rushed to my local bookstore to buy, as the LYS was sold out. I grabbed three knitting magazines while I was there, and one of them will go to my secret pal, so I can’t tell you about them, or about the other goodies I picked up today. I plan to ship out on Monday, so maybe by the end of next week, I won’t be anonymous anymore.

Since Michael’s is next door to my bookstore of choice, I had to go in. I picked up a book there too, on felted bags, but I’m not even saying which one, because there’s a chance I’ll make one out of there for THAT pal, when the time comes! I picked up some Wool Ease there, in Ravenclaw (book) and Slytherin colors for my Charmed Knits projects. I’m generally not much on shopping, but I had to shop for my pal, and I had to buy that yarn to start hubby’s blankie, so it’s not my fault the other things found their way home with me. The LYS owner even agreed that the yarn bought for hubby shouldn’t count as part of my yarn purchases, because he asked for it!

So, not much excitement here, but there will be a few FOs this week and next, and since blankie is done in sections, progress reports are possible too. I’m also kinda’ waiting patiently to begin the socks TBL, The Pro and I are going to start in due time. I have enough yarn to keep me out of trouble for a while.

Did I mention it is finally spring here??

Just in Time

Blankie #2 was finished just in the nick of time. I needed to hand it over for delivery at the Stampin’ Up! party at 7pm last night, and I finished up around 6:52. Luckily, I live all of five miles from the party location, so I wasn’t but a minute or two late. (The sister inlaw knows it hasn’t been washed, and will hopefully whisper so in the recipient’s ear.) It got rave reviews from the other ladies at the party, although they were my friends and family, so it’s not like they were knitting critics. I doubt I’ll ever do another one like it, so it is truly one of a kind and a big ol’ labor of love.

Blankie #3 won’t be given today after all. I have an upset tummy, and I don’t want to risk it. It’s all wrapped and was ready for the big presentation, but I don’t play around with germs and pregnant women.

Here’s the scrumptious cotton chenille (Crystal Palace color 2214) I picked up yesterday for the hubby’s special facecloth. I still need to choose a pattern, because as soon as I finish the dishrag I’m doing now, I’m casting on for that and will finish it up tomorrow so he can think of me - and remember that honey do list I’m leaving - while I’m in Boston. Forgive the shadows, but I had a terrible time finding a background that did justice to the color, and then you got stuck with the shadow from my arm. (Look, I can’t learn to knit, blog AND master digital photography all at the same time, and TBL has priorities!)

There’s the work in progress, the butterfly lace dishcloth from here.

That’s all the cotton for the stuff for my mother (she doesn’t know about this blog, and I’m pretty sure she won’t stumble across it) for her May birthday and Mothers Day. I must admit, it is GREAT to have the almost instant gratification of a small project, and I love that this pattern changes every single row! I needed that after Blankie #2, my first slog along project. I’m also liking this cotton more than I thought I would. It’s softer knitting than I thought it would be, based on what the ball feels like just handling it. It’s not soft, but it’s not offensively rough as I feared. The varigated stuff does have some blue in it, but again, blame the shoddy photographer! Maybe once I master blogging, I’ll take a photography class. My aunt and uncle took a digital class together a few Saturday mornings, and both of them loved it. Quality time with the husband, maybe?

And last, but hardly least, in this post of photos, we have the colors for my sweet mother inlaw’s dishrags. She’s so dang supportive, and she hasn’t been gifted with anything since the scarf bonaza I went on during the winter, whilst I was reminding myself how to knit. It’s time. I even found a cute camper pattern for their camper (duh?), but as I found, printed it, and left it at work (or in the car?), I can’t tell you where to find it. Sorry. Maybe when I announce it as a work in progress or an FO, or… The ball on the left is for her house kitchen, and I hope I remember the colors correctly for her new camper, but whether I do or not, the right is for her camper rags. I anticipate making several of the camper rags, for my mother inlaw’s best friend (also like a mother to me - I live in the same community where I was raised for the first 11 years of my life), my sister, and probably a few other mutal friends who camp.

I’m thinking of working on the art of blogging a bit, now that the taxes are done (State and Federal, thanks so much). I thought I had an FO list, so I actually had a bit of difficulty last night, showing a friend blankie #3. She thinks that’s what she’s getting (she’s in the due in August-September batch), but since I’ve watched her grow up and she’s the closest thing to a little sister I have, she’s getting a blankie I’ll have to seam together. Yeah, I love her and her hubby THAT MUCH. (And my apologies to those who don’t get seamed blankies, but I also know they’ll love it no matter how badly I botch it. There’s also an advantage to getting blankie #4 or 5+, because I’m still on a rather steep learning curve.) Which reminds me, I need to pick yarn and pattern for hubby’s summer afghan. Ugh.

More joining, more learning… I’m trying to figure out how to add a button without TBL. I said I wasn’t joining THIS, but after knitting with the cotton, I changed my mind. I sometimes can’t wear wool directly against my skin, so this is something I should explore! Stay tuned for the can she make a button without TBL!

Lucky Me!

Friday the 13th holds no particular meaning for me. I generally dislike Fridays as they tend to be a little grumpy and chaotic at work, but then again, Friday afternoon brings the weekend! This weekend is a little too hectic to be a great break, but I’m looking forward to my trip to Boston, even if I won’t get to see the outside of the hotel much at all. I’m looking forward to the shower where blankie #3 will be given too, but not the mounds of laundry I need to do to get ready to pack.

Back to my good luck. I had to go spend a small fortune and pick up Fred’s prescription, so that he can remain mobile and pain-free while I’m away (assuming his human Dad remembers to follow the detailed instructions I’ll leave), and pick up lunch for several of us. Well, that path took me very near one of my LYSs, so of course, my vehicle just carried me there. I found some great yarn for my KTE pal hand-dyed by a local artist, and some yummy cotton chenille for my hubby’s face cloth I want to make. No pictures, as I’m at work, but perhaps after my haircut, shopping for very large baby gift bags and cards, shipping out a few treats, finishing the LAST FIVE ROWS of blankie #2, going to a Stampin’ Up party, printing out our Federal Taxes and getting them in the mail, maybe I’ll still have the energy to post a finished picture of #2 and at least the yummy yarn I bought. I also grabbed four balls of Sugar ‘n Cream cotton last night for dishcloths for the mothers for Mothers Day, but that’s not very exciting.

So yeah, I’m lucky. I got out of the office, into the sunshine. I got some great yarn, even if I didn’t have time to venture past the one little spot in the floor where I stood and grabbed the yarn for my pal with my right hand, took maybe one step, and picked up the cotton (I can’t call it chenille too much, because I don’t like chenille!) for hubby’s little “think of me while I’m gone” gift. Then, two little steps to the right, and I checked out and headed back to work.

Life is good.

Cheat, Cheat, Never Beat…

Question - Would I be a rotten knitter and a horrible person if I just finish off blankie #2 (miles of stockinette with a built-in seed stitch border) tomorrow night so it can be given at the shower on Saturday? It’s supposed to be about 36 x 40 inches, and right now, it’s more like 37 x 34. So, I could certainly finish it up tomorrow night if I make it square-ish. Blankie #1 (the pink one) was designed to be square. That’s my defense. There are square baby blankets out there, actually made that way on purpose, not just because the knitter was bored to tears and JUST. WANTED. TO. BE. DONE.

And everyone hold the phone on the shower I’m supposedly attending on Saturday; Momma is thinking have the baby now kinda’ thoughts… I doubt they’ll work. She should just count her lucky stars that we’ve only had two 80 degree days in her entire pregnancy. Besides, that would allow me to attend the shower for which I have no gift (and I don’t think I have it in me to whip out another blanket), so there’s no way blankie #3’s baby is coming early.

Did I mention that my hubby is demanding a summer afghan, post-haste? Cotton. On big needles. But only after I do a felted bag, some dish clothes, and anything else that I can find to get me over these I can’t do another blankie blues! Either that, or I’ll do it in patches and then seam them all together, but I think he plans on using this afghan very soon. You know, once spring returns to Virginia again?

Yeah, you do see another button over there. (The Bag Lady has figured out that I respond well to polite requests that are really orders.) The lure of the sock is too great. (There’s another project to keep me from getting blankie stale again!) By August 2, I will be a sock knitter. I’d best pick a pattern that won’t hold sand; we’ll be at the beach the week before that. Last year, I took and read 7 books. I predict this will be the year my husband simply appreciates that yarn compresses better than books. Weighs less too, so there’s another bonus to this new part of my life.

Blogging is Good

Blankie #2 is about to enter its last skein. So, whether I get to the prescribed 39 inches or not, the end is in sight. That means that it might, MIGHT be ready to be wrapped up Friday night and handed over to the recipient’s sister inlaw for the shower on Saturday, not to be confused with the shower I’ll attend on Saturday, nor with the shower I will neither attend nor get a blankie to another guest to give… Phew. And still get to a family birthday dinner by 6pm.

I’m seeing the use of this blogging thing already. I was able to look back and see that indeed, I have made progress on blankie #2. When it’s a mostly stockinette stitch, little row after little row, it seems I’m just spinning needles, going nowhere. But thanks to my trusty blog, which I was all but dragged into kicking and screaming, I know that I had a very productive weekend, and the end is near.

Sending happy thoughts to The Bag Lady, who is having a rough Monday. A big shout out to my pal in the Knitters Treat Exchange, and to my spoiler. My spoiler knows who she is, but I don’t, while my pal doesn’t know anything other than that she does have a spoiler. Got that?

You Go Girl!

A big shout-out to Deb, the wonder woman who’s button for the Spring Felted Bag Exchange will allow me to allow The Bag Lady to have some peace. I like buttons. Not in “real life” but the little cyber tags that show that not only has my dear friend (TBL) turned me into a blogger, but now, I’m a joiner too. I actually caught myself Googling for KALs yesterday, but don’t tell her that.

Actually, I’m a touch sad. One of the guys from our firehouse (my husband and I are both members of our local volunteer fire station, which was founded by my father, but I digress) is taking the train to Atlanta tomorrow. Just so you know, I think his round trip ticket for this holiday weekend was a whopping $186, taxes and strange fees included. Hrmph. Oh well. I’ll be here, baking Gramma Vallie’s famous (in my inlaws’ family anyway) strawberry cake for Sunday’s dinner. And doing my taxes. And watching it snow, in Virginia, in April. APRIL! April showers are not supposed to be snow showers, and from what I hear, they won’t be snow showers. Maybe four inches of the white stuff.

IN APRIL!! (Yes, I know The Pro is laughing at me, but Alaska and Virginia are kinda’ far apart.) Snow in March, sure. It happens every decade or so. However, this is ridiculous. What if I’d actually made it to the mall last weekend and had purchased a good, old fashioned Easter dress? It wouldn’t be seen under my long, wool overcoat, now would it?

Mugsy just reminded me that I am using this post as yet another excuse to avoid boring blankie #2. I don’t have time for that. Mugsy thinks my time could be better spent playing fetch. Someone told me once that Jack Russells finally start to mellow around ten. Right. That was last year, and he’s still relentless with a ball.

Baby It’s Cold Outside

The temperature is free-falling. It was as high as 76 (F) this afternoon, but we’re headed for a brisk low in the low 30s tonight, after 80s with a low in the upper 50s last night. Cold front. Makes for good knitting weather though, and I finally finished blankie #3. The photo does justice to the pattern, but not to the pretty yarn. Even my husband commented on this combination. I hope my friend and her baby will enjoy it for many years to come, as it’s large enough to be used for a while. Now, back to #2, and then quickly to #4.

Then, a break from blankies. I think I would be tired already if not for the variety of yarns, needle sizes, patterns, etc. I still feel the call of the sock, but until #4 is behind me, I must not yield, not even to the cotton, waiting to become a washcloth for my husband. Well… Maybe I will yield long enough to whip up a cute one for him for Easter. Maybe. If I can get #2 all but done first.

Spring Felted Bag Exchange Questionnaire

I doubt I get any traffic at all, but just in case someone wanders here unfamiliar with The Bag Lady, she’s having an exchange. Check it out and sign up!

http://feltedbagexchange.blogspot.com/

Before I begin answering, I must confess that I almost emailed TBL and told her she knows all the answers, so she could just fill it out for me. (Yeah, that’s the kind of friend I am.) However, she’s swamped at work, so I’ll be a good sport, even though she did have time to come up with a very long questionnaire!

1. How long have you been knitting? How did you learn?

Well, that’s hard to answer. This go ’round, I’ve been knitting since very late November, 2006. However, I learned to knit as a girl, some 25-30 years ago.

2. What are your favorite yarns to knit felted bags with?

The only thing I’ve used so far is Noro Kureyon. Liked the results, but the feel of the yarn while knitting wasn’t so hot. I have two other yarns in my stash for two more bags, but they keep getting pushed aside for more and more baby blankets.

3. What are your favorite needles to knit with?

Hands down, no contest, my Knitpicks Options. Otherwise, metal is a must!

4. What are the last 3 bags you knitted (include URL for Yahoo! or flickr album or your blog if you have them!)? You can also link to patterns if you don’t have pictures of your finished objects!

http://chanknits.blogspot.com I’ve only done the two bags; see post #2, in March.

5. Do you carry the bags that you knit, give them as gifts, or both?

So far, they’re both mine, but one yarn/pattern at home is for my mother inlaw. (Mothers Day is coming. I should get to work.)

6. What is your favorite felted bag that you have knit for yourself?

The Chan bag, but I like the Booga an awful lot too.

7. What are your favorite colors? Do you like bags in these colors or choose other colors?

Pinks, reds, greens, teals. Well, the Chan is done in greens/grays/teals, and the Booga is done in pinks, so I guess that answers that question.

8. Chocolate: White, Milk, Dark, or not so much?

DARK. The darker, the better.

9. Coffee, Tea, or Milk?

All of the above, but tea and milk much moreso than coffee. I need my mug of coffee after I get to work, then I drink green tea all day, and I have a big old glass of milk at night.

10. Do you prefer sweet or salty treats? What kinds?

I’m not much on sweets except for chocolates. I’m not much on snacks, except for popcorn.

11. If you went into Bath and Body Works and could only come out with one item, what would it be and what would it smell like?

Tiare Flower anything. Otherwise, anything Gardenia.

12. Do you enjoy any other crafts or hobbies? Do you collect anything?

Scrapbooking, cardmaking, cooking, yoga, walking… I used to collect rooster (not to be confused with chicken) things for my kitchen, and long ago, I collected teddy bears. Now, I think I collect yarn and loose tea.

13. Are there any bag patterns you have not yet knit, but hope to someday?

Anything entrelac. I like totes too.

14. What is currently OTN (on the needles) for you?

Two different blue baby blankets.

15. What is your most recent finished object before that?

A pink baby blanket. In my defense, they’re all different patterns, different yarns, and I have so many more to do, because it seems that a lot of my friends are expecting.

16. What’s cutest: Puppies, Piggies or Pixies?

Puppies, but I am rather fond of my toes, aka: piggies, this time of year. I lurvers me sandals and a pretty pedicure. I lived on a farm, so the other piggies aren’t so cute to me. Pixies aren’t even on my radar.

17. Do you enjoy reading? Books, Magazines, or both?

Both.

18. Do you have any children? (kid-kind or pet-kind apply!)

I have a stepson, not living with us. I also have two four-legged boys, both getting up there in years, Mugsy the crup/Jack Russell Terrier, and Fred, the Basset Hound.

19. What are some of your favorite yarns for other projects?

I don’t know. I am almost obsessed with the need to learn to knit socks, but I have THREE baby blankets that must be done in the next couple of weeks. I also have cotton to do dishclothes too, but I don’t know when I’ll get done with blankies, and the two bags that want to be done.

20. And for the final question, one I see debated all over: Novelty Yarn: Love it! Hate it! or It depends!

I’m not much on it, but I do have a fun fur scarf to do for my sweet mother inlaw. At least it will fly off the needles quickly.