Midwest Moonlight Scarf

Pattern: Midwest Moonlight from the book, "Scarf Style"
Yarn: Classic Yarns Cashsoft DK 57 ultra fine merino, 33% acrylic, 10% cashmere
Needles: Size 8

The scarf pattern from the book pictured above had several false starts. I frogged several times before getting it right. It was knitter fatigue, I decided.
The scarf is fairly wide and could be used as a head scarf which I love the feeling of being enveloped in warmth and softness on those days when snowflakes are slowly falling. If you are in a warm climate, does the thought of snowflakes make you feel cooler?

I'm told the pattern looks like the quilting "Falling Blocks". Kim help me out on this one!!! Kim is the greatest quilter so check out her blog.
I included the above picture as can't you almost feel the softness. Just 10% cashmere really makes a difference.

I'm keeping this scarf for myself. It almost, now I said almost, makes me wish for winter. (Someone please take my temperature!)

The weather has been beautiful. Our local fair has been the attraction this week. They predicted 350,000 people would attend. (Can that # be correct?) Anyway, I think they were all here today as the Jonas Brothers were having a concert.

Regarding the info on adoption on my blog the other day, several of you rightfully expressed concern. The adoptee, first thought to be a baby by my daughter, is actually a 14 year-old girl who was an exchange student with the family who adopted her. They have no other children. I don't know the details of how she became adoptable but she is safe with this loving and caring family.

I've been closely listening to the news today. I pray that people down South will be safe. Gustav is predicted to be the storm of the century.

If You Were On Yahoo 360

If you were a longtime blogger on Yahoo 360 and miss some of those features like I do, but miss none of the frustrations that Yahoo 360 so freely handed out at the end as most of us found other avenues to blog on, then you will like the latest Blogger feature called Follower (<--click).

In many ways it mimics Yahoo 360 friends list. You can either manually add the blogs you read or select Google Reader and go from there. It's easy as pecan pie. You can track who is reading your blog as well unless they have selected anonymous.

Give it a try if you are on Blogger. In the meantime.........

Happy Knitting!

Pink Rosebud Baby Socks

Pattern: Combination of a couple
Yarn: Knitpicks Palette-Blush
Needles: Size 3 dp's

I certainly didn't need to start knitting another pair of socks! I have several single socks already waiting for mates. Actually, so many that I have stopped posting these projects on Ravelry as I have to own up to the fact that the project is not yet completed.

However.....my daughter started a pair of baby socks for a co-worker who is currently in Russia to adopt a baby. She ran into difficulties with the pattern and called the "Mom Knitting Help Line" (that's me!!) So being a mother who wants to keep her daughter interested in knitting and not get discouraged, I started the sock myself so I could help her.

There is a serious error in the pattern that I was not able to figure out so I frogged back to just before the heel flap and used one of my standard baby sock patterns. I will incorporate some of the features from the other pattern into this one before I am finished. It will have a ruffled edge on the cuff.

I've started the second sock so that I don't have one more lonely sock to look at.

I've started a new scarf and shawl that has really been "growing" on me. I'll blog about it tomorrow or on the weekend once I've had the opportunity to take pictures.

Update: I just received an e-mail from my daughter. Boy, (or girl) did she ever get her wires crossed (or is that knitting needles)!!! The opening line to her e-mail said, "No need to hurry on the baby booties". The child that is being adopted is not a baby but a teenager. Quite the transition that will be but fortunate to be able to be adopted later in life.

Happy Knitting!

Ridged Lace Cowl

Pattern: Ridged Lace Cowl (<---click)
Yarn: Debbie Bliss Alpaca and Silk DK - Cream Colorway
Needles: Size 8 (???)

I'll find the info and update the blog in the next couple of days!

I'm on a cowl kick!!! I just love them! I can wear them at the office on those chilly February days and have it look like at accent piece!


A closer look!
And even closer!!
The yarn is wonderful and so soft. However, it quickly looses its shape. I knitted the cowl quite a bit shorter than the pattern called for. I wished that both edges could have been the same but I was not able to do that. I even started a second cowl with the intention of crochets the ripple edge and because of the increases and decreases in the knitting, that just did not work either.

I'm still quite happy with it!

I've been promised pictures of last weekend by the end of the week. Wait till you see what my daughter's surprised me with.

Happy Knitting!

Remember the sweater I blogged about shown below? Click this link for more info. Scroll and keep reading for a much nicer picture.

Someone asked to see a picture of the baby wearing the sweater. Well, here she is...Gracie Mae. She is my daughter, Amy's, godchild. She was born Easter Sunday.

Here's another pic of her in her Christening dress that her grandma made for her. The event was early July.
This picture is just too precious not to include in my post.

I have returned from Rhode Island. Amy's carpal tunnel surgery was successful and I had a grand time celebrating my birthday. Much more on that in the next post. I'm waiting for pictures from my daughter.

I've been very busy knitting and have lots to show you in the next few days. It's feast of famine with my knitting and blogging.

Happy Knitting!

I'm Back To The Blog World

Sorry for any inconvenience you folks may have experienced. I was trying to change some settings on my blog and really messed things up and was interrupted and couldn't get back to it. If I don't get any comments I'll know to tweak my settings some more.

I'm still having problems with the formatting on my previous posts ...so be it!!

In the meantime, life continued. The TV died, had to figure out why the darn phone kept hanging up on me, and the battery to my camera went dead. Enough for this week.

No time to take pictures now. I'm trying to get ready to head out to R.I.

Will read blogs and answer e-mails when I return unless I find a few extra minutes.

Happy Knitting!

5th Wheel Spinners

Where do I begin? It was such a wonderful day with these very friendly and talented women who belong to the 5th Wheel Spinners Guild out of the Middlebury, VT area. Please read on even if you are not a spinner and see the view I had today.

These are just a few of the women. There were more behind me. They were absolutely inspiring. But first.....

Today's event was held at one of the spinner's B&B (bed and breakfast). http://www.russellyoungfarm.com/index.html I used to live in Addison County and it is truly beautiful.....mountainous and beautiful. I now live about an hour away. The sign gives you an indication of how steep and treacherous the roads can be in the wintertime.

This was the view from the porch. (The ladies were having a pot-luck lunch.) Can you see the pond? I wish you could smell the wonderful clean and crisp air. Imagine...no traffic noises. You hear the sounds of the birds and can truly enjoy the serenity of the area.
A closer look at the pond! A yellow and inviting kayak on the left.

Breathtaking views!!! The cost of living is very high in Vermont but the quality of life can't be beat!

I am so fortunate. All of this came about when I met "Sue" at the doctor's office when I needed emergency eye surgery. Hmm....a positive definitely outweighed a negative. :>)

This group meets once a month in someone's home all around the State of Vermont. There are no dues. The guild meets one evening a month and the dues are $7.50 yr. Can you believe how little $$$. They have loaner wheels to encourage someone who might be interested but is not sure if she/he wants to make the investment. They also have guest speakers. October will be needle felting. June is usually yarn dyeing. Whatever is scheduled on the other months, I'm sure will be interesting.

I'm way behind in posting. I have several progress pics and a completed project to blog about.

How ironic that the hostess, who I met for the first time today, grew up in the same town in R.I. where my daughter now lives and her daughter-in-law's maiden name is the same as my daughter's married name. Related??? Not sure as there are two very large families in town with the same last name who are not related.

Happy Knitting!

Is It Knitting Project Theft?

I posted earlier today and quickly deleted it. I wrote it in the "heat of the moment" and thought I needed to run it by a few people before posting about it. Read on to see what happened.

A short time ago I read on someone's blog that their knitting project pictures were being stolen and used on other blogs. I'm told there are blogs out that are sponsored by advertisers that earn money for each visitor to the site. To improve the # of visitors, of course, they have to post regularly and thus the plagiarism in the knitting world.

I was on Ravelry and recognized one of my knitting pictures on someone else's project page. There was no doubt about it, absolutely none. I was not a "happy camper" and quickly sent her an e-mail telling her I did not appreciate it. The project (mine) on her page was also tagged for a knitting Olympics team that she belongs to. Well, looking closely at the page, in her comments section she states that she did indeed take the picture but if you are familiar with Ravelry, my project should have been on her "favorites or queued" page. Though not completely dishonest, it certainly was misleading.

I completed a quick project today that I am very happy with. Pics to come after I have had time to weave in the ends.

I will be spending the day tomorrow with the "5th Wheel Spinners" from 10-4 including a pot luck lunch. They meet once a month and this will be my first time with the group. I do know a couple of the members. The drive is about an hour through beautiful farm country and the weather is "promising".

Happy Knitting!

Feather and Fan Socks

Free Pattern: Feather and Fan Socks (<--click)

Yarn: Classic Elite - I've lost the ball band but there is some angora.

Needle Size: 2 - Magic Loop Method

I'm trying to destash. This Classic Elite yarn is wonderful to knit with. There is angora content which makes it very soft. I looked a long time for this pattern as I wanted one without the traditiona K1,P1 cuff.
A close up.............notice the twist in the yarn cake. It's not as tight as I would like it to be so I hope these socks will wear well.

I'm down to picking up the stitches on the second Diamondy Socks (see two posts back). They are probably my favorite socks thus far because of their simplicity and beautiful design. I'm trying to have several knitting projects at various stages as my eyes are too tired in the evening for "fine" work.

What do you think is a proper amount of time for someone to respond to a hand-knitted gift?

I'm off to click those knitting needles. It maintains my sanity during a very, very rainy summer. Guess I have to be grateful that it isn't snow.

Happy Knitting!

Making a Giant Accountable

I'm an avid Elton John fan!!! He had a concert in Vermont on July 21st. Ben & Jerry's launched a limited Elton John ice cream flavor to honor the artist's first Vermont show and raise money for the Elton John AIDS Foundation. The Vermont performance marked Elton John concerts in all 50 states and we Vermonters like to believe he saved the best for last.

I saw Elton John years ago in Montreal. It was an absolutely fantastic conert and I was disappointed that I could not afford to go this time. I could hear him from my home so I had to be happy with that. I was upset with myself that I spent money on those dang, stupid bridge lessons instead. I traded one great night of enjoyment for 10 lessons of endurement with pushy people. (sigh!)

I decided to make the best of it and drove to one of Ben 'N Jerry's ice cream scoop shops on Tuesday to buy the Ben 'N Jerry's (<--- click to see statement) "Goodbye Yellow Brickle Road" ice cream where the profits were going to benefit the Elton John Foundation for HIV research. There was none of the limited edition ice cream to be had anywhere, and nothing visible or audible that Ben 'N Jerry's had promised would be in their shops such as posters, music, etc. So what did I do to spite my ice cream hungry face? I walked out without buying any ice cream at all. First time I've ever turned away from chocolate cookie dough ice cream.

How could Ben 'N Jerry's run out of ice cream so fast? They ran out on the 21st. They advertized the ice cream would be available through the 25th. They knew it would be a hit so why not plan accordingly? Why did they give away free ice cream at the concert instead of raising even more money for the foundation? Smart advertising on their part. They get all the publicity, produce a very limited amount of ice cream thus limiting the amount donated to the foundation.

Ok, I know no one with Aids. I'm heterosexual with a few gay friends but I believe this foundation to be very important.

I contacted the local news anchor after viewing news of the event. They responded and said that they were taking the ice cream manufaturer to task for a number of promises not quite delivered. Unbeknownst to me, they forwarded my e-mail to Ben 'N Jerry's who in turn contacted me.

I was told they raised $10,000..but just imagine how much more they could have donated if the ice cream had been available for at least a couple more days. I encouraged them to not send this ice cream flavor to their graveyard, revive it and continue the relationship with the Elton John Foundation. (Yes, there actually is a flavor graveyard with tombstones, etc. on the Ben 'N Jerry's property.)

No further commitment from the ice cream giant and this is what I received in the mail....whohooooo!!!! It is good for ONE FREE PINT of ice cream. Don't let the picture on the coupon mislead you there also.

As a side note...............President George W. Bush has not visited Vermont in all of the eight years of his presidency. NOT ONCE!!! Is he also saving the best for last? Presdient Bush....you are running out of time. We are part of the United States and not Quebec (duh!). Could it be that you have not visited because one of our towns voted in Articles of Impeachment against you?

Diamondy Socks

Pattern: Diamondy Socks (<--click for free pattern)
Yarn: Knitpicks Essential
Fingering weight, size 2 needles, knitted using magic loop method

A very quick knit as most of the sock is knitted in stockinette stitch except for the 9 stitch pattern down the middle of each side of the leg. The true colorway is a deep burgundy wine... very beautiful!!
If you are in a hurry to knit a gift for someone, this is a good pattern selection. I needed something easy to knit during my commute to work and this was perfect.

One sock is completed and I must be good and finish the 2nd one. I have about 4 single socks that are pretty lonely and looking for a mate. I even joined the "SSS" (Single Sock Syndrome) group on Ravelry trying to be accountable for those single socks. There's also a group that knits one sock and then exchanges the sock, pattern and yarn with someone else who has completed one sock. The goal is to have a completed pair. In all fairness, I have completed about 30 pairs of socks so these few stray ones need not make me feel guilty.

Another rainy weekend in Vermont......perfect for knitting!

I've been known to stand up for certain causes and I'll have to blog about it tomorrow. It's been in draft form while I decided whether or not to blog about it. Just to peake your curiosity, the blog will be titled "Tackling A Giant"!!!

Happy Knitting!

Strawberry Baby Hat

Pattern: Anna Norling #10 - Fruit Cup

Yarn: Worsted Weight


I knitted the hat with a slightly darker red as I wanted it to look like a ripe strawberry. It's a very quick and fun knit.
This hat is really much smaller than it appears. It's a size 12 mos. but it will probably fit her now at age two months. The hat was inspired by the following picture:

This is Kaileigh Noella, age two months, sitting peacefully in a strawberry patch while her mom, Jodi, is berry picking. Isn't she just ever darling!!

I've been working on some other knitting projects that I will blog about in the next couple of days.

So from very rainy Vermont.......

Happy Knitting!