This Should Solve All my Problems!!

SP7 Revealed

My final SP7 box arrived today. Oh my! My SP7 pal is Karen from tangles.typepad.com
Her final box of goodies were unbelievable (as they all have been) .

She sent 660 yards of PURPLE Nashua Creative Focus yarn - alpaca and wool. I almost bought myself that same color in Creative Focus in Feburary when we were in Seattle!!! Unbelievable that she thought of it too. Karen sent me Brown Sheep Hand Painted Mohair and it's the first time I've seen it in person. WOWWOOWOWOOWWOOW. I am trying to not stay up all night to find the perfect pattern to use it in. I also have to stop my self from eating all 7 oz of Good & Plentys that was hidden under the yarn. Everyone else can have their silly chocolate, just stay out of my Good & Plentys. And in the package was natural blackberry soap, the soap smells almost (almost I said) good enough to eat. Karen also sent a tuxedo cat magnet, Clover point protectors and Clover stitch markers! Wow!

My helmet arrived today at the LMS (local motorcycle store) so now I can officially start riding my new giant knitting bag. I've created a blog for it too, just haven't published anything there yet. You will eventually be able to read it at VinoBella. Like you care.....

Heels Keep On Turning

I'm ready to turn my heel flap on my Thuja socks so I figured I'd better get my butt in gear last night and hand dye some heel stabilizer. Used my favorite Wilton's in violet. I think its a great match for the socks. I'm probably going to start selling my hand dyed heel stabilizer. I gave my Mom her Simply Lovely Laces Socks last night. Perfect fit and I think she liked them.

Cristina swatched the yarn I spun for her as part of our exchange. WOW if I may say so myself! My goal was to dye, spin and ply so the yarn looked like something out of the Twisted Sisters sock book. I think I fulfilled my goal. OK Cristina, I found out we are both wrong. I sent you a hare!!! They have longer ears than rabbits (but still isn't a dog ;-) Has everyone gone to The Brown Sheep to see her photos of Barcelona? I've never had the desire to go there to see the few archectural pieces that I was aware of until now. OMG I want to go now!!!!! Here is an example of something from her trip. I knew there was a lot of tile and mosiacs, I knew there was outragous buildings but now I wanna go!

If You Aren't Awake Yet

This should do it! Doesn't that just about poke your eyes out? I wish the forsythia in my yard looked like this. Mine have barely budded.

The Mountain Colors Weavers Wool is knitting up so buttery soft. It would make a great next to skin garment. Ok socks are next to skin too I guess, but you know what I meant.

Ultimate Knitting Project Carry-All related

Ok fans, which seat cover fabric do you like? I can't believe that when I went back to the fab store that I found Hello Kitty fabric that I'd overlooked on my last trip.

Or do you like the Maui special?

FNKN Recap

Forgot to recap Friday Night Knit Night. We had it at a different location. The coffeeshop had been a Tesero gas station that had been sitting empty for quite a while. Its now a latte shop with seating, fancy lighting and a wall sized painting on the back wall. If you put your back to the door you almost forget you are at a now Shell gas station.

We filled the place. Not sure if we are meeting there next Friday, it has its pros and cons.
Pros

• Closer to our house by a mile
• Less stop lights to get stuck at
• Giant square table to really spread out show and tell
  
• Sugarfree Italian Sodas
• Order at the counter and they will deliver to your seat
  
• No one staring at us and asking stupid questions
  

Cons

• Unless you were lucky enough to grab one of the good overhead lights you were pretty much knitting in the dark
• No knitting magazines and books to browse or buy
• I didn't have any but most people complained about the pasteries
• No dinner type items on the menu
• No one staring at us and asking stupid questionsBetter picture of Simply Lovely Lace Socks.

The iPod Shuffle Meme

Amy at GoodToBeGirl had this meme on her site. Looked fun so here are my results. You put your ipod (or whatever you use) on shuffle and write down the 1st 10 songs it plays.

Fashion Victim – Green Day
Stacy’s Mom - Fountains of Wayne
Rainy Day Woman – Bob Dylan
Back Porch – Sister Hazel
Deed I Do – Diane Krall
How Insensitive – Shirley Horn
Lewis and Clark Corp of Discovery sound track
Cecilia – Simon and Garfunkle
Track 6 of ECM Contre Contre
I Know you by Heart – Eva Cassidy

I wouldn't have picked Stacy's Mom as a good Fountains of Wayne, not my fav of theirs and way overplayed. Plus Diane Krall. Time to de-pod her. The next few songs after these ten were very good; they included Benedictine Monks chanting, Billy Holiday singing I'll be Seeing You, and Deep Purple's Hush.

I ordered the two Pink Martini CDs from Amazon. If you haven't listened to them they are a treat. They are from Portland OR. I can't wait to get them and load them to my iPod. My latest loads were The Mommas and the Papas Gold and Cream Gold.

Simply Lovely's are Simply Done

Worked down to the toe increase at Friday Night Knit Night, then finished them up while we were chatting with Judie at Sheeps Clothing this afternoon. Would I knit them again? Probably, they were easy.

Cast on Bobby Ziegler's Thuja socks in the Mountain Colors my SP7 pal sent. Hope I can get 2 socks out of it! Coming along nicely, Ruby decided she'd jump into the picture so you can see how magenta yarn looks with red cat fur. My scooter helmet didn't come in yet so no riding.

Girly Girl Pink

Clashes too much doesn't it? Oh gee, that means another trip to the fabric store. I am soooo sad. But maybe I can find some Hello Kitty fabric that will go with the red Vino. Or maybe I'll go with the snow leopard valboa. Or sushi. Yes yes yes, sushi fabric would be very good.And Cristina, guess what came in today's mail? I LOVE MY NEW PILLOW! It's beautiful and oh oh oh so cushy. Excellent job! Cristina also sent Bumble Bee Firecrackers. (hand rolled bee's wax candles) Yum! I love Fridays!

Knit a little talk a little knit a little talk a little knit knit knit knit

Ok who can tell my what musical was going through my head this morning? No cheating!

Dave got home last night and we were both pretty chatty about our week. So it was like knit a row of Simply Lovely Lace, talk a little, knit a little. I was going to surprise him with his very own Vino key on a matching red split ring, but he asked if I bought it before I could take him to the porch with his eyes closed and surprise him. He loves it. He thinks I am crazy but he loves it. We're calling it my perimenopause mid-life crisis toy. Got my MC permit, written test was a breeze considering that I didn't open the book. The only question I flubbed was "when carrying a loa, what is the best position?" I answered low and over the rear axle. The correct answer was low and forward or in front of the rear axle. Well that may work on a regular motorcycle but doesn't on a scooter. I was planning on putting any loads under the seat anyway.

Thank you secret pal7!!!

Dear Secret Pal 7,
You probably thought I was dead or ungrateful or ungrateful dead!?!?!? Thank you so much for my second wonderful package. I finally got our mail off vacation hold (even though we hadn't been away for a few weeks now) We can just never get to the PO the hours they are open. At least it was safe.

For the rest of you to feast your eyes on, my SP7 pal sent me Mountain Colors Weavers Wool Quarters in Wildflower. The actual color is even more vibrant than the picture shows.
I am so far behind on the knitting of all the wonderful yarn I've been sent. My first thought with this yarn was gloves!! Of course as you noticed below I'll never be able to mentally afford to buy yarn again. (that means I may slip up once in a while and order more from Jessie)

The Ultimate Knitting Project Carry-All

Tonight I picked up the ultimate in knitting project carry-all's, my Yamaha Vino 125! Gas prices have been going up 4-5 cents a day again. My truck gets, if I am lucky, 19 mpg on the hiway and I don't do very many hiway miles. The Vino real world MPG is in the 70-80 mpg range. Riding weather is here and daylights savings time is just around the corner. And if any of you are worried about the skein capacity of the Vino 125, take a look at how little room a Simply Lovely Lace Sock and it's skein of yarn take up. Now imagine the underseat storage filled to the brim with yarn! Of course I will never be able to afford yarn again....

Lovely Progress Report

Turning the heel on sock 2. Now I've changed my mind again and think I'll cast on another pair of socks as soon as I am done with these. Maybe basic, maybe something from Sensational Knitted Socks.

Sheep for Cats

Today was cat food buying day, the giant sized bag for my three little ones. So you know I just had to round the corner to take a look at cat toys. Like they don't already have toy box full. (some are in such torn up shape they really should be thrown out). Shuffling through the $1.86 style (ok, gotta love that price on a katnip toy) I found birds with crunchy wings, fuzzy bugs, shiney mice and what the????? A sheep???

I am ready to do the heel flap of my lace sock #2. I may save it for Mom for Mom's Day. That would mean for once I'd be like 2 months ahead of my self on Mom's Day presenting!!!

Secret Pal 6 Lives On

Look what my Secret Pal 6 pal made for me in our creative exchange! Cristina knows my house is all done up in "vintage 1970's, with a 14 yr old couch, and various antiques from the 19th and 20th century". Mainly '70's because the house was built in 1977 and the carpets are still the now becoming popular again ~ browns, rust and gold. When I spin I just sit on the edge of one of our antique dining room chairs and when I need lumbar support I grab a rolled towel. My new pillie-o will now have a place of honor in our home as my spinning pillow!

You may poo-poo the carpet colors but let me tell you, medium brown carpet in a boy's bedroom is the perfect color when he is growing up! The gold carpet in the family room and hallway thank goodness is more golden wheat colored so it's never been too bad.

Jessie did it again. You know I just should not go look at her blog. I am also not going to give you all a link so you can beat me to her sock yarn!! Jessie decribed the color as "tawny like caramel and orange tabby cats mixed together. It's gold and brown with a hint of rose." I have one of those cats - my little Ruby!! Is this a fun colorway or what??!!!

Yarn Porn, B.O. and Chatty Hubby

Artsie fartsie shot of Cristina's yarn before I make 2 center pull balls out of it and mail it to her. As I mentioned to Cristina, the shot location was picked because 1) if you look at the very highest point of the yarn in the picture, that is about the location of my house, and 2) the little park where I took the pic is the farthest upstream that Lewis and Clark traveled up the Columbia River on their trek west. (I just noticed that Cristina started her blog with these very same facts!!)

If anyone has tried and true patterns for DK weight, toe up socks that take under 260 yards of yarn, please pass on suggestions to Cristina and I. Or for that matter any top downs that would look great in the yarn above!!

Now that I finally tried knitting lace, I think duh what took me so long?? Simply Lovely Sock number 2 was started last night. I am on about pattern repeat number 3. So, I've decided that my next lace project is going to be B.O. (the Branching Out Scarf). Dave claimes to have just the perfect yarn for it in his stash, which I don't doubt. My goal is to make it for Mom for Mom's Day.

I am only on pattern repeat number 3 because I swear I spent more time de-knitting than knitting last night. Dave was in a chatty mood last night (he wasn't knitting) and I found that I couldn't multi-task watching American Idol, knitting lace and holding up my end of the conversation all while entertaining the cats. I can usually only do 3 out of 4 of those at a time. Dave will be on travel for the next two weeks so I can concentrate!!! (ha ha ha)

Andy Warhol Lives

I'd forgotten to mention that Dave added to my stable of fantastic knitting project bags over the weekend. He even kept to my recent theme and pallette. Neon lime green, neon pink and '60's pop art! Take a look. It's a messenger bag, pockets inside, key ring clasp, an attached coin purse with a cow on it. On the outside, removable Warhol prints of a banana, Mao, more cows and ... wait... is that Andy as a young man? Or is it Graham?

The messenger bag's has this tag printed on muslin that must be Andy Warhol when he was probably 35, taken in one of those 25 cent/4 photo photo booths. What struck me was the photo not only looks like Graham but also are classic (silly) Graham poses. I'd love to have Graham recreate these photos sometime! Here is a better picture as part of a collage http://www.warholfoundation.org/righthome.htm The pics were taken in 1963-64. Warhol is described as "Unconventional, smart, edgy, innovative" and so is Graham!

Simply Yummy

Finished Cristina's yarn last night. 260 yards DK. I'll get you a better picture, I promise.
Finished Simply Lovely Sock One tonight. Darn, I can spot the mistake from here.

Illegal Socking?

In my search for someplace more entertaining than my kitchen table to take a sock progress pic, I decided to take it in our Parkade - Richland's Art District. (you can all stop laughing now). I parked in front of an antique shop and crossed the near single lane (one of the many reasons no one shops there) to the opposite side of the street to place the sock on top of a piece of decorative basalt. About this time a Richland police officer drove up and stopped. Was I looking suspicious???? As I took the picture, the camera battery ran out. So I had to cross again and put new batteries in. The cop drove past and parked in the middle of the lane just a few feet up from the basalt. He stayed there and watched until I was done and I drove away. In my haste, I took a blurry picture. Sorry. Maybe he just thought I was insane?

I'm In Love with Simply Lovely

Can't You Hear Me Knocking - Part two

The reason the song was stuck in my head added with the luck of the Weenermobile became evident when I walked into the middle building of the antique show and the Classic Album Kids were there. (I call them that because the couple running the booth are in their early 20's)

I asked for - It's A Beautiful Day by It's A Beautiful Day and the young man said - Sure we've got that for 50 cents. NOOOOOO, yes he assured me, give me a minute and I'll dig it up for you. IN my hands after all these years. Sure I could have bought it off eBay for tons of bucks but doesn't it feel so much better finding it at an antique show for 50 cents? I'll list my other treasures later.Oh and so there is knitting content here, I also bought a darning egg.

Oh I wish

How does that go? If you see the Weenermobile you'll have good luck the rest of the day? If you read the license plate you'll smile the rest of the day? Something like that.

Can't You Hear Me Knocking

For some reason the Rolling Stones song "Can't You Hear Me Knocking" has been running through my head all morning. Don't know why. I haven't even been to a Stones concert since June of 1972. Maybe they played it then. Stevie Wonder was the opening act. But anyway....you know how once a song is stuck in your head it stays there till something smacks it out of the way to replace it.

I made some stitch markers for Judie last night to thank her for her assistance in the lace sock de-knit. I knitted up to the point of starting the heel flap last night. This afternoon I'm going to our local 3-day antique show, then to Friday Night Knit Night.

Mountain Twilight

I was pretty sad all day about my stupid simply lovely sock mistake I'd made last night. Called Sheeps Clothing and they said no problem they'd try to help me back out of the mess I'd made. So after work I drove over. Of course to get there you have to drive right past Knitty Gritty. And Lin had sent an email out about their new shipment of Mountain Colors. AND I just happened to have a few filled out Knitty Gritty cards in my wallet. (you know - the spend too much and get rewarded with $10 of your next purchase kind of thing)

Nothing feels better than Mountain Twilight Mountain Colors worsted when you are feeling bad about messing up your first pair of lace socks. Doesn't it make you feel better just looking at it?
Got to Sheeps Clothing and Judie did a quick diagnostics on the sock, then de-knitted back a row for me. When I de-knitted and then reknitted a row I'd twisted a few stitches. Otherwise I hadn't messed up too bad. Well actually I messed up pretty bad but I had been able to recover pretty decent.

Damn Damn Damn Damn Damn

Last night I was knitting merrily, confidently away on my Simply Lovely socks when the phone rang. It was Dave calling to relate his day's adventures in Pasadena. I'd left my sock on the couch and when I came back to it, started knitting again and someone knocked on the front door. It was Jared (home on his university spring break) - Graham's best friend, stopping by to say hi and to pick up some items Graham needed at school, as Jared is/was supposed to go visit him for the next few days. We chit-chatted, packed up the goodies for Graham, looked at my current knitting projects and checked the pass reports. (not looking good right now, west bound traffic stopped at MP 61. Can you even see the freeway in this pic??) Sat back down, knitted a few stitches and then noticed that Graham had sent an email. Read it, answered it and sat back down. When I picked up my Simply Lovely I noticed I had an entire needles worth that did have the latest row of the lace part of the pattern. Four rows back. No problem I thought, I'll just reverse knit it...

Ya, well I reversed it all right. Into the biggest darn mess. Damn Damn Damn Damn Damn. Guess I have to go grovel to Judie or someone that can help me dig out of this hole. I do not want to start over.

Lessons Learned:
1) Don't get so cocky and over confident when it is your (I am addressing myself here) first lace knitting advetnture.
2) Do actually look at where you are in your pattern if you come back after being interupted. Three times.
3) Don't get interupted.
4) (And I blame this one) Don't get all comfy at home, open the refridge and decide that you just can't bare to eat leftovers again and decide to pick up an order of Cheeseburger and Fries at the local tav. Then don't just because the tav was basically empty (because of the Washington State Smoking Ban- YES!!!!), decide to grab a magazine out of the truck and have dinner sitting at the bar. Then don't stop yourself when your brain says order a club soda with lime and your mouth says I'll have a Heffie please. And these aren't dainty little 12oz Heffies, they are a pint. Then don't finish the Heffie just because it is sitting in front of you while you swap childhood adventures in Seattle with Brad the Bartender. I usually can't finish a whole beer and pass 4-6 oz to Dave when we eat there.

So what was I thinking?

Simply Lovely

The actual color is a little greener.

zzzzzz Oh Wait, it's Tuesday zzzzzzz

Tired again, the alarm went off too early. Dave took the o'dark thirty flight to LAX/Pasadena. The KatKids were good though and let me go back to sleep and didn't argue when I hit the snooze button for an extra 5.

I am loving the Simply Lovely Lace Socks. Granted I am only about 2 repeats into the lace section but I couldn't have asked for an easier pattern as my first foray into lace socks. Plus the Louet Gems Opal is knitting up soooo soft. I am a happy knitter.
For my Friday Night Knit Nighters, I am putting together a fiber retreat for the weekend of May 5-7 (2 nights). Only trouble is the cabin we are renting only (and barely) sleeps 12. But we can probably fit more during the Saturday that just want to come up for the day to Packwood WA and knit from the porch with a view of Mt Rainier. So far 2 spaces are reserved. I will leave flyers at Sheep's Clothing this weekend or email me at slipslipknitATgmailDOTcom. And Cristina, any biz trips up this way that around that week? I'll reserve you a space too.

Joy will be leaving today for her new home in PA. She smiled all night. I'm sad though, I will miss her. She's taking some roving with her.

I had six items that sold on eBay yesterday. All the proceeds go in to my "I think I need a motorscooter fund".

zzzzzzzzzzzzz Monday zzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Oh how I hate Monday mornings. It should be a law that you can sleep in as long as you want on Monday mornings and still get credit for putting in an 8 hour day at work. I know I'd still be under the covers....

Did I start bike sock number two this weekend? I had all good intentions. Really. Then the mail came on Saturday with the Willow Louet Gems yarn for the Simply Lovely Lace Socks. I grabbed some wool from my yarn stash and worked on trying to get the lace pattern down. I thought I was doing it wrong so I checked with Judie on Sunday and I was right about 90% of the time and a little confused every once in a while. Now I have the pattern memorized. I cast on last night during the Oscars and got the ribbing done. I'll post a pic when I am farther along.

Fun way to start the day

As soon as I started up my work computer this morning I was greeted by none-other than Cristina - my SP6 pal!! We've been having a great chat, swapping stories in real time rather than email. So she learned before anyone else that bike sock #1 was completed last night. Of course I have been working at the same time. Really.

I think the bike sock came out pretty cute except the foot looks so short and squattie. Then I figured out it is because I have short wide feet and when you custom knit that's what the socks look like. I'll probably cast on the second one tonight at Friday Night Knit Night.I just took a look at my favorite ParisDailyPhoto site. Here is today's photo. Isn't he/she a cutie?
Probaby starting the Simply Lovely Lace Socks from IK Spring 2006 as my next socks. The Willow yarn is on its way. And Rib and Cable Mitts as my next regular project. I am determined to get out of my stockinette rut! Because today is supposed to be spring like, and because it's Friday, I wore my Lime Green Wal-Crocs to work today. I think I am in a lime rut too.

Not much and you?

Gah! My office here at work is an atrocious mess. Piles of paperwork. Recycling that needs to be separated. Work emails to be answered and that little red blinky light keeps flashing on my phone. You'd think it was Monday.

After I loaded Joy onto eBay I then got 3 different offers on Joy and about the same time I got my first 3 bids on ebay. I've sent all three of you messages about the order in which I received your emails and PMs. As soon as I hear back from #1 or offer to #2 or 3 I will see how to unload off ebay.

Diagnostics please

I use the Judie Wise basic sock pattern for my socks including her recipe on gauging. My first couple of socks came out fine size wise. The last two too big. I talked to Judie about it over the weekend. Part of the problem with the bike socks is the cotton content, cotton knits/ribs flatter. She also told me to maybe subtract an inch from my ball of foot measurement rather than the 3/4" in the math. I am also thinking that if I am between cast on counts for 2x2 ribbing (let's say 66), I'll go to the lower number (64 to cast on) rather than the higher (68) Next time I guess. What do you think?