Thanks

First off, thank you for all the well wishes. Details are still a little sketchy, but it seems Stepdad has an infection in his colon. (It just sounds painful annd unpleasant.)

Anyhoo, let's move on to something more pleasant,shall we?

A finished baby bonnet...

...Right before it went into a box headed for Cari.

I started this ribbon top, only to realize that this is not a good look for me.
I LOVE the pattern, but if you look at her picture, the ribbon yarn in the steeks lays so nicely against her skin. Not so with mine. I guess I just don't have enough real estate between my shoulders and my bustline.

So, instead I'll be making a ballet tee from the loop-d-loop book, only in a smaller gauge.

I also bought some Tahki cotton classic to make a tank to go with this skirt.

I've set aside all my socks, except my embossed leaves, but I haven't really been working on them.

After I finish these, I plan to finish the intarsia parts of the wicked socks so they will be more portable.

I've also been commissioned to make another pair of mary jane booties from the Adorable knits for tots book by Zoe Mellor.

And on a very happy note, Carma will be coming to visit me on JUNE 1st! YAY!

Things will be a bit spordatic this week. My apologies. Stepdad was rushed to the hospital again today. No details as of yet.

randomness

Yesterday I took a long look at my mountain of WIPS, and I have decided there are a few things that get to jump to the front of the cue.

A baby bonnet, using knitpicks merino style.

AND a few pairs of socks.

my re-restarted embossed leaves

my tekking (color101) socks

my deutsche pride socks.

and a pair of petticoat socks.

(There were suppose to be pictures above as well, but they've all come out blurry.)

Also, I got this book for Mother's day., and I've been playing with some of the stitch patterns inside.

Jess has fallen in love with the HoneyBee yarn, so I'll be ripping that sock out and possibly making her some knee socks.

I'm still trying to decide if I want to make the lotus blosssom tank from the summer IK. Like I've said, I have that yarn, but I'm afraid that after I make a few modifications to the pattern, I won't like it.

I also, have ordered some yarn to make this top, as well as some denim yarn for more Sweet Mary Janes.

Bees, Buttons, or Bust

Ok a modelled shot of the soysilk tank.

You can all thank me later for cropping as much of my self out of it as I could. (It was frightfully unflattering.)

My second package came yesterday.

I have a budding obsession with buttons. (Unless you talk to my mother. She will tell you about the collection I had when I was little.) But the Moustache Factory has been a tremendous enabler. You need to go check it out.

Be sure to read the little descriptions that go along with the buttons.
Here's my new batch that came yesterday, making friends with the ones I previously had on my bag.

Also, proof that I am terribly weak-willed.

Beginnings of my Intertwinement yarn socks. I'm already smitten.

*Come on now, give me some sugar...

...Give me some sugar, little honey bee
Don't be afraid, not gonna hurt you
I wouldn't hurt my little honey bee*

The tank, she is done. I REALLY tried to get a modelled shot for you all, but it was just not working. Maybe I'll get one today, since I'm wearing it today.

It fits exactly like I wanted it to. I'm very happy with it. The pattern was me just making it up as I went along, with the exception of the cable on the side, which I borrowed from my Rogue pattern.

Look what came in the mail yesterday! I ordered this Honey bee sock yarn from Wendy and it arrived superfast. I love it There's a little fact about bees on the label, it's superwash, and although it's a bit thinner than most sock yarns, but I don't see that as a problem.
Now I just need to finish a pair of socks or two so I can start these.

Wendy also sent me a special little gift.


Squirrel stitch markers. I love them. I can't wait to go back and buy a few more things I've had my eye on.

* this song has been going through my head....bonus points if you can tell me name/artist.

Weekend update

Progress of my tank.

Now I would have finished this yesterday, if I hadn't ripped out the armhole shaping several times until I got something I liked. As it is now I just have to finish the front.

I ripped out my embossed leaves socks. (I might not have posted these yet, but I had one to the point where the heel is turned) Jess pulled my needles out of it, and the more I tried to feed them back on, the more I screwed it up. I decided to just start over.

Remember my Wicked socks? Yeah I didn't either until I found them the other day. I really need to finish those up.

I sent Carma a package recently, which included her cardigan. I know she has gotten it, but I haven't had a chance to talk to her yet. BUT, she is coming out to see me The first weekend in June, so if anything, I'll have pictures by then.

I'm all excited that Mason Dixon is coming to Indy, and I'm trying to swing a trip down there on the 10th.

what, no sock pictures??

Well, here's my limited progress on my soysilk tank. I wanted it to have some shaping, but the thought of a plain ole' Stst tank was boring me. So, I dug out my Rogue pattern (You remember my Rogue? Yeah it's still stuffed in a box with just some sewing keeping it from being a FO.) I though I would use the cable pattern that shapes the Rogue by running up either side, on my tank here. I'm not sure if i'll like it, we'll just have to wait and see.

Plus I think I might have a sock problem.

Pairs of sock currently on the needles: 6.

Who knew I had that many double points?

OH! How could I forget Mr. Dangly. (Or as I have been calling him, Mr. Bluedangles.)

Not much else to show. I spent most of the day cleaning the bedroom. I pulled the bed out to vacuum under it and found dog hair. DOG HAIR! I'm not about to disclose when we last had a dog. (She was hit by a car. She loved to wedge herself under our bed.)

Yup, I'm a dork

So, I had so much fun with Sockapaloooza, I wanted to do something for Alison. (I can't imagine trying to keep up with a knit along that big.)

Also, I wanted to try making a pair of Sweet Mary Janes in Denim Yarn, so the choice was obvious for me. The denim Mary Janes were going to the home of the blue blog.

I'm quite pleased with them. They are custom fitted to her foot measurements, big gauge diffence in the yarn, and I had to allow for shrinkage. I think I might try this again with Elann's denim yarn. It looks like it might be easier to get gauge.

Right now it's all socks and washcloths. (I'm going for portable, washable knits as I spend more and more time outside.)

But I have the awesome soysilk in my stash. I've casted on for a tank of some sort. Still working on the detail. Although, I should be knitting for the recent rash of babies we've had around these parts.

Congrats to Mom, Cari and Big Sister, Faith on the arrival of a sweet little girl.

Plans for today:

A trip tp the Post Office, to send a package to Carma, and one to Alison. Both with knitted goodies inside.

Pick up SIL.

Drive Jess to school.

Introduce SIL to the LYS for the first time.

Exhibit some self control in said LYS.

insert witty title here

Well, so far, the demin Mary Janes are going well. They shrank perfectly in the wash.

They now just need their straps, buttons and embellishments. Although they'll need to be washed again after I put on the strap, so they strap will shrink up appropriately.
I am starting to understand a certain knitblogger/author's obsession with ROwan denim.

Yesterday we had a case conference for Jess at her school. This is a yearly thing where we essentially review the previous education plan and then form a new one for the next year.

One more year of preschool for Jess. She's not exactly happy. All her friends are moving on to kindergarten. (The disadvantage to being an August baby.) She's going to have another Autism evaluation done, to hopefully answer that question once and for all. Also, next year she gets a cane. Now I understand the importance of the cane for her, but part of me is a little scared to supply her with a weapon.

Carma, Jess wore your cardigan last night. Mind you, it has yet to be blocked.

Extremely modified Salt Peanuts using Rowan Cork in Gleam.

I really like the lotus blossom top from the new IK, I have the yarn for it, but I am hesitant to make it. I'm going to have to add a good bit of short rows, and I am afraid that once I do that I will not like it.

sockapaloooza

While waiting to post the yesterday's POST THAT TOOK FOREVER, the grumpy postlady came to my door with a package. A SOCKPALOOZA PACKAGE!

Check it out.
My GORGEOUS socks that fit wonderfully.

And they go well with my fake Crocs.

AND came with with my very own CUSTOM sock blockers!

Thank you Donna and Donna's husband. I LOVE THEM.

Blogger hates me

So, I’ve been trying to post for HOURS now. We’re in the market for a new blog home, but I just don’t know enough to know what we want.

Anyway, I was just going to show you some finished washcloths.

The start of a burp cloth. (Why am I loving the Mason Dixon book so much?)

Trekking sock.

Deutsche pride for me; these were originally going to be Jaywallkers, but they were coming out too big.

Also, I finished these ankle socks a couple weeks ago and somehow failed to photograph them. They are the leftovers from those mini jaywalkers I made for my niece. (Lorna’s Laces, Tuscany)


I am working on a few baby gifts and tweaking my Sweet Mary Janes pattern to use some Rowan Denim. Not sure how it will turn out, but I'll keep you posted.

I leave you with a very sweet picture of Jess admiring her tulips.

respect

Saturday, we attended Miami University of Ohio's 167th Spring Commencement, to cheer on my soon-to-be-sister-in-law as she recieved her degree.

I must say though, I was very disappointed in the commencement speaker. I would have expected more from someone so "highly touted". A good deal of her speech emphasized respect, and then after she was awarded with her honorary degree, she walked off the field as the other graduates were awarded their degrees.

Hello? what kind of respect does that show? And hell, If I had to sit through her long-winded, disconnected excuse for a speech, she better damn well sit through the next 30 minutes of announcements. Geesh.

Not much else to add really. There's been some covert knitting, and of course some sock and dishcloth knitting, but that's about it.

P.S. My sockpal was Erin. Go check her out.

tease

Yet another brief post. We leave for Ohio this afternoon to attend my future sister-in-law's graduation, and my brother-in-law's (different brother-in-law) birthday.

So I've been trying to get us ready to go, and there's not much to show today. I have a gift in the works, but no pictures. I have Carma's cardigan sewed up, but no pictures, (Do we see a theme here?)

I'm waiting to see if my sockpal has recieved her package. I have a feeling she should have them by today if she hasn't gotten them already. I don't want to reveal until I know she has them though.

So see, a whole teaser post that gives you nothing. Aren't you glad you read it?

brief post

Do y'all want to see something unbelievably cute? Go check out Jennifer's blog for pictures of Jessica and Zander bowling.

Are you back? Now, I don't know how to top those darn cute pictures. So, I don't think I'll try.

More randomness

Look! WARSHCLOTHES!!!

I restarted my Wicked socks. I really wanted to have the design to fit twice around the sock, but it kept coming out too big. Finally, I was able to size them right, by going down to size 0 needles. The intarsia in the round is going smoothly. Hopefully I can finish these by the end of the month.


my corset.


I don't have pictures of my K8's, my Deutshe Jaywalkers, or my crochet army, hopefully these will be forthcoming.

Lately I've just been a bit frazzled. Nothing major, just little things coming at me all at once. And I really miss "quiet".

What do I mean? Well, let me start off by stating that Jess and I have a blast together, but lately, every single conversation we have together feels like I'm stuck in the middle of Abbott and Costello's "Who's on first?" routine and I swear it is slowing unravelling my sanity.

I got an email today from my Sockapaloooza sockpal to update me on my sock status. I cannot wait to see them. I'm hoping to send my package out tonight, or if not, tomorrow morning.

Are any of you wondering what's going on with Carma? Yeah, me too...