I've Got Socks

I am quite impressed with myself! My arm hurts from back patting! I cannot believe I can knit a pair of socks. I can read a pattern and figure out the simple things, know who to call or where to look (Socks 101) for the things I can't figure out. I can drop stitches and pick them up. I can find all the mistakes I made, sometimes I backtrack to fix them. Other times I say it's a lesson. When doing the next pair, I will count my rows on sock one twice or three times before going on with the next step on sock two. Maybe they will turn out the same length and not 2 rows short!!!

But I don't care, I have a pair of socks.

My next pair will be a on the needles this week. I am going to use the same pattern but only rib the cuff. Now I need to find the yarn. The TLC yarn I bought is a little hard to work with because it has bumps of color in it. I think I'll save that for something esle. But in the mean time I have alot of dishclothes to work on.

We will be leaving in a few days to spend some time with Crystal, Mike and Elliot in Arizona. I will take my knitting with me to work on if I have time. I'm going to be pretty busy smooching all over Elliot. I have to do it now because in no time, he won't let Gramma kiss him at all! Boys are like that!!!

Now, I have to do the weekend stuff--you know the stuff you have to do to survie until next weekend. And I have to start packing and getting the house ready for the house sitter. I don't see much knitting in my future for today. But I am still training a new person at work so I get to knit there!!! Some days I love my job.

TaTa For Now. 

Socks, I'm Knitting Socks...

...or I've Started A Sock! Whichever!!!

Socks 101 has the most awesome sock demo. I have been searching online for a basic teach me to knit socks site and this is what I found. So on my day off today, I made a mad dash in to town to get some more printer ink (I need this to be portable), double pointed needles (couldn't remember what size so I bought 4 sets--just in case!) and some Lion Wool Prints yarn and some TLC Wiggles sport weight. The wool color is Autumn Sunset and the TLC is called Cherry.

I start to wonder what I am thinking at times but this has become an obsession. I have dishclothes #9 and #10 started. #9 is on the couch for TV time and #10 is at the computer for pokie ole dial up load time. Mind you, I'm not getting bored with the dishclothes. Just yesterday, I bought a book and 6 more balls of cotton yarn. I love using them and want to share with my friends and family. It's just this stupid sock thing I have going on in my brain. I even dreamt about socks last night.

So I've jumped in with both boring white sock covered feet and I'm determined to knit some cool socks. I've never used double pointed needles and that was a challenge. After some serious lip biting, I think I have the hang of it. I just kept refering back to my Socks 101 photos on how she hold the needles. I guess what I'm really saying is I am not afraid of the boogie man. The worst that can happen is I'll have to rip them out and start over. Would that be worse that just giving up?? I'm not going to do that, I've seen too many photos of cool sox. Check out these photos from the Socks 1o1 Lady. I want to be just like her when I grow up! Like that's gonna happen anytime soon.

I was just so excited about my bit of progress that I had to share. With any luck at all, my next post will have a photo of my foot/feet decked out in an Autumn Sunset Wool sock/socks. Hopefully one of those feet won't be in my mouth.

TTFN, gotta knit before I start dinner.

PS Happy Birthday Mom 

I Need To Sit At My Sewing Machine...

...instead of at this computer. But there is so much to read in blog land. That is where is am spending too much of my time now.

This is the last quilt I quilted--November! It's called Pinwheels on Parade from More Nickel Quilts by Pat Speth. It's been a UFO since last November, but now it's done. I even used it for a comfort quilt while I was sick and sleeping on the couch! Worked pretty darn good.

I did get to spend some time this week at my machine. We had an awesome snow storm and I got to be housebound for 2 full days. No husband, no dog, no job. Just me and my room for about 10 full hours each day. I did get some house stuff done but I use the theory of "If it wasn't snowing out, I'd be at work and house stuff wouldn't be getting done anyhow!" That kept the guilt at bay.

While I was cruising around blog land, I happened upon this post by Patchalot More. I was totally intrigued by this design so I went looking for my Open A Can Of Worms book by Debbie Caffery, remembered that I've loaned it out, so I got out the graph paper and started to draw. After a few attempts, I figured it out (mostly) and got busy. I dug out a pile of scrappy 9 patch blocks and now I have a top ready to quilt.

I have the batting pieced together to get it out from under my sewing table, the binding is ready, the thread colors chosen, even the quilting design is picked. All I need to do is make the back. I am going to piece together my 10 1/2" blocks to make a fun scrappy back for it. Then I can get it quilted and gift it to the person that babysits our dog when we are out of town.

So now I will get off of here (after I check out the Big Horn Quilts sight where I saw a Debbie Caffery book I don't own) and get the back together.

TTFN

My Latest Obsession

I want to knit socks! Everyone else is knitting socks. I want to knit socks.

Fun, funky, bright, warm, useful socks. I am going to make socks. Only problem--I don't know how to knit. I don't have time right now to take a class so I am teaching myself to knit.

I am making dishclothes. Do you know that there are a gazillion free dishcloth designs on the web. I Googled free dishcloth designs and opened a few pages where I found Knitting Pattern Central whick led me to the Dishcloth page. So on my next trip to town (so I made a special trip--I have a new obsession!), I bought some cotton yarn, some knitting needles and a teach me to knit book. I'm doing pretty good. I am on dishcloth #5 now. I gave one away and am using one. I also picked up a few more balls of cotton yarn.

I'm getting braver. I am actually following a pattern now and I'm doing a pretty darn good job. Only problem is my arm. There seems to be muscles in there that haven't been awake for a while and constant knitting is playing havic with them. Today I will try to rest my arm a bit but tomorrow they will work! I need to knit. I want to knit socks!

Have a great day. 

Blog Cruising Leads to Shopping

I was innocently cruising along in blog land, you know where one blog links to another. I don't know about you but after a while, I have about 10 windows open all trying to load at the same time and on pokey ole dial up, that could lead to a major shut down but that night it didn't!

I had linked to Fringe Notes and right there in the 1st post I saw Studio Sale, Phase 1. So to add to my scrap fabric addiction and to my over flowing scrap basket, I emailed Laura and offered to buy the box of tidy scraps. I used pay pal on Tuesday evening and on Friday, I had a message from that I had a package up at our little store. I couldn't wait to get my hands on that box! Look at that photo. I could not believe how much fabric was in there. Also Laura included that art piece you see in the photo. Thanks Laura. I love stuff like this and it is now on my wall.

So this morning as my dear hubby sleeps in, I am going to start sorting (sounds like another word for fondle) those scraps. Some will go into the scrap basket or the string basket, but most will go into the bin for big chunks of fabric.

Oh what fun.
TTFN

 

It Was Soooo Worth It!

Look at my spare room now. Isn't it pretty? I love the floor. I love the paint color (although some one else didn't like it at first) . I love the new bed. I love the new pillows and pillow cases. I love the new comfortor. I love that I can display my flannel wonky log cabin quilt on the bed and it looks great.

Now I want to make a couple wall hangings for that room but that will have to wait for the bathroom and hall to be finished.

Until then, I will work on my next HIP plan!!!! 

H.I.P.s

My Darling Husband hates HIPs (Home Improvement Projects)! I come up with a brilliant idea, share my idea with him, jump in with both feet, then scream for help!

My favorite phrase "Alls ya gotta do is...!" He hates that phrase. Everytime I say it, I imagine him with his fingers in his ears and singing lalalalalalala until I go away.

I painted the tree on the wall several years ago when I turned this room into a play room for the Grandkids. Now that Crystal has moved, we need a guest room for when they come to visit. The room needed a new floor and new paint.

See the shelf in the right side of the picture? That is the shelf you must slam in to when you go in the room. I don't know why I put it there at that height but I did and it stayed there for a long time. It will not be going back into the room.

Catching Up With Myself

Wow, it has been a while since there's been an update. I'm still here with lots of good things going on.

Have you ever seen such perfect little faces? How do you get 5 angels (according to Gramma!), ages 10 1/2 months to 12 years to all smile pretty at the same time? I know my photographer daughter can, but it takes lots of shots and lots of patientce. Actually, she took this picture with my camera and I love it. I have to have at least one picture each Christmas of all the grands.

We spent Christmas Eve with the family at Jenny's house. It's now a tradition that it's at her house. When they were talking about leaving for the holiday, I told her to be sure to leave us the keys for her house. It must have scared her because they stayed home!

There has been very little sewing around this house. We have been working on the house for the last month or so. New floors in the spare bedroom, hallway and bathroom. Actually the bathroom got a complete facelift--almost. The only thing not new in there is the toilet. I just finished painting the ceiling and the walls and will have to put one more coat on. Then Ernie can get the trim done and I can move the bathroom things back in. I'm so afraid he is going to throw out the big garbage bag that has all the towels and extra tp in it!

Our house is quite old, belonging first to my grandparents. We've lived here for almost 32 years (wow!) and have done some remodeling but not alot. We were too busy raising our family. It is now time to take care of some things. So there is only one room left to redo the floor in and that is my old sewing room. I am so afraid to go in there. It was a disaster before but now it is down right scary! It has become the dumping room for all things without a home. So after the hall cupboards are painted and we get back from a trip to Arizona, I am jumping in with both feet and a box of garbage bags. Lord give me strength!

Mike loaded Picasa2 onto my computer so I can upload pictures to my blog but I haven't figured out how to upload more than one at a time. Guess that means I will sign off this post and create another.

TTFN