Holy Cow Batman, She's Been Knitting!!

No more crazy Sally, no more crazy Sally.....

oops, sorry, I'm still on Cloud 9 over that one :) It was amazing quiet and calm at work today. The crazy woman has left the building for the rest of the week, so I get to finish out my days in peace. *There is a God*

Well, as we all know WWKIP Day was last Saturday and of course my SNK group participated! We went to a local strip mall and hung out in the court yarn area. It was terrific. Harris Teeter had just opened up and our fearless leaders went over and demanded that they cater to us *just kidding!, but they did inform HT that we were there and if they could do anything for us we would greatly appreciate it* They brought us this cart of bottled waters, bins with ice to cool down the water, boxes of cookies, bags of chips, platters of veggies, it was AWESOME!



Looks like one of the local kids had fun putting some soap in the fountain!


And, what you have all been waiting for..... drum roll please....

Knitting updates!!

First up is a hand towel.

Pattern: Mason-Dixon Moss Grid Hand Towel
Yarn: Kraemer Tawany Tweed DK in Lime (1 skein)
Needles: Addis size 5
Modifications: 11 repeats instead of 12.

This yarn was very nice to work with, and the pattern was quickly memorized.

With some leftover cotton yarns I made a Swiffer cover. I'm tired of buying those damn pads all the time and throw them away after just one use. So I've decided to use left over cotton yarns and make me some swiffer covers!

Pattern: Ballband Dishcloth Reusable Swiffer Cover
Yarn: left over cotton yarns
Needles: Bamboo size 7
Modifications: None

All I need to do is sew up the site and put that sucker on my swiffer and start swiffering! This was such a quick knit, I have a 2nd one started already!!



I started a pair of socks for my father. They were suppose to be a Father's Day gift. As you can see, I did not get them done in time, but since it's summer and my father rarely wears socks in the summer, I don't feel guilty, Well, that and the fact that my sisters and I went in on a Bocci Ball set for him :)



Next up in the Luna Moth Shawl. This is my sister's birthday present *we won't linger on the fact that her birthday was back on June 9th* Do you see a slight procrastination theme here in my knitting?? I'm not sure I'm going to have enough yarn to finish it! Bummer!! I have to call the store that I bought the yarn from and pray that by some miracle of miracles they have another skein in that same dye lot. If not, I'm screwed. I also added beads to jazz it up a bit.



Dum-dum-dum!! *music crescendo* That dreaded Shetland shawl. I have finally finished it, but I'm not sure it's big enough! I am debating on frogging back the edging, winding up the other skein of yarn and continuing in the pattern till it's a bigger size. Then Tulabug can arrange the dye party she wants to have in Sheila's studio. But I need to make a decision quickly, because I need to have it dyed and blocked before my surgery since my other sister's birthday in August 9th!



I am still knitting along on my Secret of the Stole II mystery knit. Although the KAL is long over, my shawl is only about half-way knit. I have completed clue 4 and am starting clue 5.



And last, but certainly not least...
Finally, something for myself and I do plan to finish this one *that is if I can ever get gauge* I purchased this neat cardigan pattern at MDSW this year along with the yarn - Autumn House Sagamore in Antique Garden. The problem is that I did not pay attention while at MDSW *I blame is on the high from the yarn fumes and my fondling obsession* The pattern calls for a yarn that is thicker than the yarn I purchased! The pattern was on display right next to this stunning colored yarn that I just naturally assumed *yeah, I know what assume breaks down to, you don't need to remind me* it was the yarn called for on the pattern. Live and learn. But I wasn't giving up,. I hunted my LYS and online to find a yarn that I could add to the Sagamore to make it the thickness that I needed. I bought some nice light fingering weight yarn in bamboo. Unfortunately, I knit up a swatch last night and I don't have gauge *grrrrr* I don't think the bamboo yarn is thick enough. I'm thinking of purchasing linen to add to it this time. Maybe some Euroflax. I just love how the colors look in the swatch. I can't wait to have this cardigan finished! I swear I'll wear it in bed while I'm healing from my surgery! *giggle*



To wrap up this post.... I have discovered that my kitty likes Spinach and Artichoke Hummus! Who'd a thunk it??

KIBorders

Wednesday nights my Stitch 'n Bitch group meets at the local Border's Cafe ad has a blast for a few hours. Here is our fearless leader Lynn, and sitting next to her is her partner-in-crime Denise. Between the two of them, there is nothing they can't help someone in the group fix or figure out :)



Our little group has grown from about seven to almost 20 weekly!! We love it! So does Borders :) *thank goodness since I don't there there is any other place in town that would take us in*giggle* Because each of us is so different in this group and yet we have a total blast together, one of the ladies has nicknamed us "The Island of Misfit Toys" I L-O-V-E it!!



This week we had a special treat. Cass and Bri both had oodles of skeins they needed to wind into balls and Denis just happened to have her ball winder AND swifter in her car *Now THAT's what I call a knitting addiction!* Don't worry, we love you Denise!

Picture Title: How many gals does it take to wind some yarn?




Yes, we got some very strange looks for the other customers as to what the heck they were doing *giggle*

Here's the end result - and no those gals didn't finish winding everything, least I don't think they did, but then again, I could be wrong. It's been known to happen, just not very often *laugh*


Knit On Ladies!!

Birthday Blast!

Well, despite the fucked up disturbing dream that had me in tears the morning of my birthday, my mood was lifted when I came in to work and found these on the desk next to my computer.

My gf and co-worker, Tracey and Dana left a birthday surprise for me. Just what I needed to lift my spirits. It was a pretty nice day a work. Hot as all hell though! Friday also happened to be the big 5th grade pool party. Around noon, Tracey and Dana come back by the school to pick me up so that I could go to the pool party for a little while. This group of students started kindergarten at my school the same year that I started working there, so it was a bit special for me to see them move on.

After work, Tracey came by my house to pick me up *yes, so that I could drink and not worry about driving* and then we headed down to the Ram's Head Tavern for fun! It was quite a night. KozyKitty met us there as well. KK's son is a waiter there, but he was working upstairs in the dining hall. He came down a few times to check up on his mom and her crazy gfs *giggle* KK's DH also met up with us and we all just had a blast. I think we got several strange looks from surrounding tables when KK's DH lit a straw on fire to try and sing Happy Birthday. Three *or was it four* Long Island Iced Teas, a French Martini, a Cosmopolitan with pear vodka and a double shot of tequila later it was time to go *and yes, that was just what I drank* I was OK up till the bartender poured me a double shot of tequila for my birthday - but then again I am not about to turn down tequila :)

As we were leaving the tavern KK's daughter showed up too. It was quite the gathering in the parking lot. Then my sister and the rest of my family in NY called to wish me a happy birthday. I was three-sheets to the wind and ended up passing the phone on to Tracey. I don't remember much of the phone call *shock surprise* but apparently they were all at my mom's celebrating my birthday without me *laugh* Every time the phone went back and forth between Tracey and myself there was someone new on the phone. Tracey then drove me home and we sat on my front porch enjoying one last drink and chatting. Somehow the conversation did bring up men and we were both in tears for a bit. I'm usually a very happy drunk, but if something taps into the sadness in me I just can't guard against the tears. Luckily, it was short lived.

She went home and I went upstairs and passed out on my bed. I slept like a freakin' baby! But my body got me up at 9 AM! I couldn't believe it. And once I'm up, I'm usually up for the day. So I piddled around the house, ate some food and started to think about what I was going to bring to the Knit in Public day event that was scheduled for 2pm. I did lounge a little on my back deck. My cousin gave me this solar light fairy *yes, more fairies around me house* as a house warming gift last year. Unfortunately, I don't get a lot of sun around my house, so I had to put the fairy on the back porch, on the only corner of the railing that gets any sun at all in order for the orb to glow at night.

Then I contemplated for a bit of what I could do in my pitiful backyard that gets no sun and has 6 huge trees. This picture only shows three of them, but you can see the bottom portion of the 4th one way over to the left of the pictures. There's also a huge maple tree just off the back left corner of the deck one dead pine tree next to that tree. I would really like to get those two trees removed, but I have to get permission from the HOA before I can do that and in my HOA I would have to get the stumps ground down. Right now that is more $$ then I can afford. *of course if I stopped purchasing yarn for a while I would probably have that $$, but then my sanity would be compromised *laugh* I would really like to do something back here to cover all this dirt, I just did not inherit my father's green thumb for the outside *I just inherited the temper and genes for big boobs from his side of the family* So much work needs to be done to this yard and I am not much of a gardener that I don't know where to start.

Then I headed out to Knit in Public day and Lake Elkhorn. I was a beautiful day *in the shade that is* Here is Lynn. The wonderful woman that organized the event. She was so worried that no one would show up! Can you see the gazebo behind her and the dude at the tripod? Someone was having an outdoor wedding in the public park.

Here are PhD Knitter and KozyKitty just knitting away. Check out those funky glasses on KK! She's working on the Rusted Root pattern while quietly cursing the yarn she's using under her breath *OK, maybe not so quietly - but you know I luv ya KK!* while PhD is working on a cabled baby blanket.

Here is Denis diligently working on yet another pair of toe-up socks. Someone has turned her into a sock addict! Denise I wear a size 10! *hint hint*giggle*

Here are some more knitters. I completely apologize as I do not recall everyone name. Terrible I know.
The one in red in Ivee. I can't believe that she was wearing a sweater that day!

Afterwards, they all went to Lynn's house for dinner and yarn swapping while I went to my sister's to celebrate her birthday *and had several margaritas!*. Yes, for her 6th birthday she got me as a birthday gift the day before! Of course, she told my parents she didn't want a sister because she had her dolls to play with! At the end of the day I just sat back and relaxed on my sofa and Frisco snuggled up beside. All in all what started out as a depressing birthday really turnout out to be a blast *and drinking fest*

He doesn't look very amused that I was taking his picture.

Knit in Public

It's just around the corner! World Wide Knit in Public Day!! The Columbia Knitting group is organizing a knit in public event.

Invited: all kntting/crochetting enthusiasts!
Where: Lake Elkhorn (gazebo)
Date: Saturday, June 9th
Time: 2:30 PM
Bring: sunblock, lawn chairs or blankets, yarn-needles-or hooks!