Yarn Along

For my knitting this week, I was a teeny tiny bit side tracked.  On the way to my dad's for Thanksgiving, I decided to whip up a pair of fingerless mitts for my son before he goes back to university.  While I was knitting the the car my husband said "are those finally mine?"........Okay now I have decided to whip up TWO pairs of fingerless mitts!  I am proud to say that the pattern is memorized.  I guess if you do something enough it is burned into your memory.  My on the needles project on the right is my purl ridge cowl.  I pick it up once in a while and work a couple of rows.  Easy peasy.  I am still working on my husband's sweater, no new news there.

For reading this week I had to buy this book "More Last Minute Knitted Gifts".  I will blame it on my blogger friend Lori Times Five who made this gorgeous sweater that I love to pieces. I knew when she casted on this project I would be buying the book eventually.  Well eventually arrived over the Thanksgiving weekend.  My other read this week is "Jane Austen Knits" which has quite a lot of patterns that I would knit up.  I will shamefully admit that I am still reading the Deilverance Dane book....

This has nothing to do with knitting or reading, but I think I am getting a cold  :(

joining Ginny at Small Things

Yarn Shopping

 I was lucky enough to spend the day with my sister on Black Friday out and about in the Pittsburgh area.  Let me tell you that there are no lines at yarn stores and everyone is pleasant and kind.  Best of all they have what I want.....yarn!
Our first stop was at Natural Stitches as shown in the above photos.  The first photo is an entire wall of Cascade 220!!!  Isn't it great?  I just love to stare and wonder what color I like best.  I could have spent the whole day there but I got hungry and it was lunch time.  Food gets important as I age :)

The second yarn store that we visited was Yarns Unlimited in Sewickley, PA.  This store has quite the collection of yarn as well.  My sister and I have been going to this store for years....(I want to say a decade, but not too sure.)  So when I enter this shop it is like visiting an old friend.

I ended up buying fingering weight yarn for some shawls designed by Romi Hill.  I think the year 2012 will be the beaded shawl year, eventually!  I bought lots and lots of beads at JoAnn Fabrics.  I am ready.  Now to just finish up my other projects that are on my needles.  Of Course I did buy some Cascade 220 for another sweater and some sock yarn.  Overall it was a great outing and I am not shopping for any more yarn any time soon (so I say now).

Giveaway Winner

Thank you everyone for participating in the giveaway.  I wish everyone could win!!  Now for the results.
Drum roll...........

The winner of my birthday giveaway is cpcable who wrote:

Oh, Happiest of birthdays, Karen! And so sweet of you to give something away to celebrate. Hope you have a great holiday as well! :)

Weekends

My weekend contained:

-lots and lots of time in the car!  We drove to see my side of the family and then we had to get the kids back to their schools.
-pulling out the decorations and decorating the main floor for the holidays.
-being very achy and sore from all the decorating (I refuse to believe it is my age!).
-running a dishwasher because of having a full house.
-making more fingerless mitts for my husband and son.  Almost done!!!
-reorganizing my knitting corner because of the Christmas tree.
-another wonderful afternoon with my knitting friends.
-going to Mass with the new Roman Missal being implemented....really was no big deal to me.

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Shades of Autumn Finale

This Moment

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Yarn Along

Yes you do see a new project even though I have that sweater that is taking forever.  I just could not resist.  I really wanted a triangular shawl with fingering weight yarn (I did buy the patterns on Ravelry--going to go yarn shopping soon) so because I have to wait, I casted on a lovely blue lace weight rectangular shawl.  I have made this pattern before and I knew when I made it I was going to make it again.  It repeats easily and there is a knitting flow that I got into with the charts.  You know what I mean?

For my husband's sweater I am on the ribbing.  I have blitzed through the body of the sweater with the aid of two Harry Potter movies over the weekend.  I was going to go into a knitting coma if I had to continue stockinette with my podcasts.  I needed visual input with my listening entertainment.  I think I might do a broken rib for the ribbing.  It has to be a multiple of four or eight that I know for sure.

I am very nearly done with The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane and I have to say I have been enjoying it over all.  It is entertaining and fills me with ideas of visiting Salem Massachusetts.....now to convince my husband of a trip!  We'll see about that.  Underneath my book pile is a very beat up copy of The Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.  I haven't read it in a couple of years and I just felt in the mood for Scrooge like attitude.

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Pumpkin Leg Warmers-Complete

Well these photos could be a bit better....but it is all I have at the moment.  I finished them!!!  Of course I have no idea whether they look good on legs yet.  I am waiting for my daughter to arrive today and then I will give them to her.  I am absolutely terrible at waiting until Christmas when I knit for the kids.  Plus she can wear them until Christmas and still be in the fall season and in an orange mood.

The ravelry page is here.  The pattern was very easy to follow and it was all charts, which I love.  I was able to knit these and watch tv!!  I hope I can remember to snap a photo of the leg warmer's being worn.

Giveaway

I have a wonderful giveaway planned to celebrate my birthday.  I just wanted to thank all of my internet friends for the lovely comments that you leave on my blog.  I also enjoy visiting your blogs and getting a peak at your busy lives.  Blogging has been so much fun for me.

My sister has graciously given me this zipper pouch that she whipped up in her sewing room.  This pouch is perfect for all of your stitch markers.  To start you out she has also made two stitch markers that coordinate with this pouch.

To be considered for the giveaway, please leave a comment on this post.  I will choose a winner using a random number generator around 8 p.m. next Sunday (11/27).  The winner will be announced on next Monday's post.

Weekends

This weekend contained:

-a lot of alone time-my husband had a business trip that gave me a few days alone with Frodo.
-finally finally remembering to walk in the afternoon, I missed walking so much that my body screamed it needed some fitness.
-eating leftovers so I would not have to cook
-my birthday!!  (which is today)
-my husband returning home in time for my birthday :)
-a cheap dinner picked up at the grocery store along with mini cupcakes.
-watching two Harry Potter movies (4+5) so that the boring stockinette knitting of my husband's sweater would go faster in my mind.

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This Moment

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Shades of Autumn Challenge: White

Thank goodness it snowed a couple of weeks ago so that I had the color white.  This photo challenge made me realize that this year my autumn colors were predominantly yellow and red.

The above photo is my driveway and the snow arrived way before we mowed up (we do not rake here) all of the leaves.  My husband likes to wait for them all to drop and do the mowing one time.  I do not blame him.  I am glad I don't have to rake.

I love this white pine that is in our side yard.  I'm looking forward to seeing everyone's photos this week!!

Yarn Along

This week for the yarn along I think I am doing the same knitting and reading as last week.  For knitting I have finished one leg warmer and am on the second one.  My goal is to have it finished before the kids are home for Thanksgiving....the race is on!  The pattern is quite easy once you decide which needles to use.  My husband's sweater is chugging along.  I can honestly say I have barely worked two or three rows because of the leg warmers.  I am hoping that seeing it in the photo will spur me to pick it up.  I am two-three inches into the body.  The purple cowl is a knit for me that I started a week or two ago.  Just something quick and easy.  Again, I have been mainly focusing my knitting efforts on the leg warmers.

I continue to read The Physick book of Deliverance Dane.  Which is a very compelling read!  I have been drawn into the mystery and I love how I am getting a history lesson into the Salem witch trials.  The book has been flowing along for me and I do love when an author switches from different years while telling the story.  Give it a try!

Joining Ginny at Small Things.

Just a note to thank all of my fellow bloggers and sometimes worriers for the kind comments yesterday.  I am very happy and worry free at the moment.  Which is just the way it should be :)  I also have many ideas for future shawls, stay tuned!

Happiness

I have decided to embrace happiness, there I said it now may it become true.  I sometimes find myself wasting time by doing stuff that does not increase my happiness factor.  I tend to be a worrier.  Sometimes I just pick something anything and just worry myself into a snit.  Yesterday I woke up and vowed to fill my thoughts with endless happy ideas so I would not waste any part of my day.

So what is a good way to fill a mind with happiness? Why thinking of a new knitting project!  I really love my traveling woman shawl and my noble cowl.  I wear these so much since the weather turned cooler. Right now I am leaning towards another triangular shawl in fingering weight.  I am just not sure if I should do a repeat of what I love or branch out and choose a new pattern.

My other fun activity was loading up a new ipod touch (for my soon-to-be-birthday on Sunday).  I am still in the process of deciding what to keep and what to delete from the old ipod touch.  I think over the next few days I am digging out my very old nano and filling it with Christmas music for the kitchen docking station player (I am at a complete loss of the correct name of this thing!).  Wouldn't that be fun?  Assuming it works of course!!

Any suggestions for a shawl that uses about 450 yards in fingering weight???

Weekends

This weekend contained:

-getting ready for Thanksgiving and finishing up the holiday shopping for my extended family.
-knitting on a leg warmer and wishing it was the second one and I was done...
-switching from the itty bitty circular wooden needles to my tried and true DPNs....
-feeling like I betrayed my loyal metal double pointed needles...I will never ever give you up again.
-laundry (even though I have way less, I still have it!)
-knitting with friends at a local coffee shop and laughing more than knitting.
-forgetting to walk before dinner...we finally got it right on Sunday!
-having a very long streak of "good hair days", I'm thinking it is because it is fall and my hair is happy.

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This Moment

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Shades of Autumn Challenge: Brown

To me Autumn usually means brown but I was surprised to find evidence of it very close to this week's challenge.  After all of the bright colors from the previous challenges I found brown to be comforting.  Of course, I have loads of brown on my property since I am surrounded by woods.  

  

I would not mind one little bit if fall would linger on.  It is one of my favorite seasons (besides winter).  I enjoy the crisp air and the dark nights.  More time for knitting.

Only the oak tress are holding onto their last bit of leaves.  Just like that the colors are finished!

I have blogged about this tree stump before and it never stops to fascinate me with all of the fungi that is growing on it.  When we first had to cut the tree down because of severe damage, I thought the stump was an eyesore.  Now....I just think it is such a great example of nature's beauty.

Loose Thoughts

This is the centerpiece on my coffee table.  My mother made the pumpkins so many years ago and I love when September arrives and I display them.  I keep them out until I decorate the house for Christmas.  Yes do you see a tv remote tucked in that basket.  I thought it would be a good place to keep it.

The kids will be coming home for Thanksgiving break and we will be celebrating Christmas (!) with my side of the family during the break.  I feel like I have too much to do to prepare and yet when I write my list it really isn't that much to do.  So maybe it is the excitement that has me feeling a little edgy.

One of the things I most enjoy about the holiday season is that we have for years spaced out our Christmas gift exchanging.  In October we exchange gifts with my husband's parents.  It is difficult to get into the holiday season in October but because of commercialism the stores have some holiday items out for setting the mood.

November is when we exchange for my family.  I have made many cowls and just need to pick up little usable gifts this week.  So really I am ready....right? After this week I will be playing Christmas music and wrapping all the gifts, this usually sets my "in season" mood.

My other thought is that Frodo has been rolling around in something very stinky in the yard. I bathed him twice in one day not to mention baby wiped him down.  I could wring his little neck (not really).  So even though my fingers are peeling from the many soap exposures, he is meeting his doom sometime today for another bath.   He is just very hard to love when he smells.

Yarn Along

This week I have been focusing on the legwarmers that I started a couple of weeks ago.  I usually knit with double pointed needles and I decided to try out the itty bitty circular needles for a change.  Especially since there is straight tube knitting.  So far they are okay.  I am not madly in love with them but I do not hate them.  What I like is that I am on circular needles.  What I do not like is that they are wood and I always prefer metal-I think stitches slide around better.  What makes my evaluation confusing is that the yarn I am using reynolds-wash-day-wool is very splitty to knit with.  I love this yarn because of its softness and its durability.  Wash Day wool wears like iron!!

For reading this week I am still on the same book, The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane and so far I am liking it a lot.  At the very beginning, on the first page, the author was talking about a character cooking lentils then eating the cooked peas (this stuck in my mind).....I thought peas and lentils are from the same family but two separate foods?  So after I got over her pea-lentil interchangeable description I fell into the story line.  Who cares?  I love lentils and I love peas :D  I am enjoying the mystery unfolding.

What are you knitting and reading this week?

Joining Ginny at Small Things

Simple Pleasures

Well maybe this isn't really a simple pleasure to most of you, but it is to me.  Over the weekend I was thinking about my two projects left on the needles and how both of them are not for me.  I also know that I have at least three more knitting gifts to make before Christmas if I feel up to it.  So what do I do?  I dream of something for me!  I wanted a super easy cowl that is in worsted weight which would knit up quickly in case I do get motivated to knit for others.  Ahem.

The yarn is Ultra Alpaca by Berroco that I picked up in Pittsburgh around two years ago.  I was going to make flip mittens out of it but I changed my mind.  The pattern that I am following loosely is the Purl Ridge scarf by Stephen West.  My ravelry page is here.

Weekends

This weekend contained:

-watching the movie Iron Man and finding out I like superheros!
-sharing a dinner with good friends while laughing and talking about our kids and our animals.
-enjoying the time change Sunday morning and leisurely getting ready for church.
-being a little sad that in a few weeks the after dinner walk with Frodo will have to be before dinner or not at all because of the darkness.
-savoring a meal made by my husband-it feels like a vacation for me every time he cooks!
-chatting with both kids and looking forward to Thanksgiving vacation.
-only having two knitting projects and daydreaming about what should be my next project.
-a walk around the property with Frodo, snapping photos of all the fallen leaves and bare trees.  Only our oaks are holding on to their leaves.
-just being happy being.

Joining Amanda at the habit of being.

Shades of Autumn Challenge: Purple

I managed to uncover some purple in my yard but it required me to think a little.  Autumn usually means to me yellow, orange and red.  Imagine my surprise to find that purple is a fall color-honest!! This photo above is one of my wild dogwood trees.  

We planted this weigela bush in our front garden for its beautiful pink flowers in the spring.  Little did I know that I would discover purple leaves in the fall, thank you little shrub of mine.

This is a shawl that I knitted this summer and has been my "go to" shawl to wear during the chilly mornings.  It is wool and it is warm.  It is wonderful.

Looking forward to seeing everyone else's purple themed photos.

This Moment

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The Body of Truth-Lincoln Green

Remember this old thing?  This is the Lincoln Green Sweater I am knitting for my husband.  I am a couple of rows away from finishing the raglan shaping.  The very best way to make sure a sweater fits someone is to measure their favorite sweater.  Which I did.  However this pattern required measuring a favorite raglan sweater or sweatshirt and get the raglan length.  The sweater that I measured was a set in sleeve design.  So I am missing a crucial number.

To guess the number (accuracy is my forte!)  I did two things.  I number crunched how many stitches I needed for the sleeve width and body width and knew what number of stitches I wanted.

Then the other thing I did was lengthen my circular knitpick nickel plated needles with the knitting needle cable connectors so that my husband could try the sweater on........Ah, a live body!!  Now I know I am on the right tract.  So clever!

I love top down construction......don't you?

Yarn Along

My knitting this week has been quite productive.  I finished a mystery knit which I cannot post a photo as of yet. However, in the above photo is the very LAST cowl for a Christmas gift to my extended family.  So the only people I have left to knit for (if I want) is my husband and two children......easy peasy!!  The above cowl is the same pattern as the others.  I only casted on 120 stitches instead of the 200 stitches since I only have one skein of yarn.

I finished my featherweight cardigan and posted about it here and my ravelry page has the details.  I am thrilled that it is off the needles :)  I love tiny needle knitting but a much needed break is in my future.

For reading I picked up this book at the bookstore about a month ago.  I chose it because of the cover....I hope the story it holds is as good as the cover art.  I just started reading last night so I have no opinions at this time.  The title is The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane. 

All the snow that fell over the weekend has melted.  I thoroughly enjoyed the snow and as much as I wish it would stay, it is kind of nice to go back to fall weather.  We have gone back to our after dinner walks with Frodo.  Once the time changes next week, I do not know how that is going to work out. We eat dinner earlier than most people so I am hopeful our walks continue.

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Wren Cardigan Complete

For how long it took to knit this sweater, it was worth every teeny tiny stitch.  I love how light weight it is and the drape is fantastic!!  I am very pleased with the fit this time around.  Going down a needle size did the trick.

The ravelry project page is here.

This only took one skein of Madeline Tosh Lace.  I barely made it with the yarn though....I would have liked to have had one more inch to the collar.  I have another skein in the same colorway but just was too lazy to ball it up on the winder.  My idea to use a different leftover green madelinetosh yarn was not very nice looking.  In other words, it was a bad idea.  I cannot wait to wear this!!!