LADY BUGS IN THE LAUNDRY ROOM

Skinny Scarf: Malabrigo and di'Ve Tiwi
Designed by: Kissed Knitter










It's that time of year again. The leaves are turning into brilliant colors of red, orange and yellow and look like flames of fire flicking from the tree branches lighting up the forest behind our home. The lady bugs are migrating into my laundry room. Not as many as the first year we lived in this house. They've become fewer and fewer each year. Nonetheless, they've found their way again this year. The weather is beginning to become cool, finally. The Christmas parade is this evening. There are 38 days until Christmas. Are you ready?

IT'S OCTOBER?!!

Well, it's been quite a while since my last post. I've been a busy person and could go on and on about what I've been doing and I think I will.

In July my husband and I took a very nice vacation with some long time friends. We visited Los Cabos, Mexico. We actually stayed in an all inclusive hotel located in San Juan Los Cabos. We had a great time lying by the pool, sipping cool drinks and relaxing. We would spend the mornings after breakfast at the pool, grab a snack around lunch and go out for dinner. By the time dinner was over we were ready to crash (yes, old fogies!) We would go to the beach or sit and listen to the bands that might be playing at the hotel. Needless to say, I gained a good 10 pounds before leaving Mexico. We had a great time. No knitting was done on vacation.

When we returned it was time to concentrate on getting my college Freshman (I'll call her Sweatpea)ready for college. She got a job after high school graduation and I really didn't get to see her much during the summer. I guess that's the way it's supposed to work....the gradual separation of the apron strings. Didn't like it much. She is now settled in her dorm and getting along pretty well. She's been home several times and it seems like there is never enough time to be with her or see much of her. Seems like the time is just too short. Anyhow, by the end of August kids were back in school. I miss having her around. I don't miss her scrapping with her sister. A little knitting was done. I knitted a few washcloths and a trinket bowl for her vanity stash.

My youngest daughter (Rainbow) entered high school as a freshman. She's been very busy taking after her older sister playing volleyball. We've been busy traveling on weekends to games, mostly out of town. She had a great season. She played on the Freshman and JV team. She got play briefly in one of the regional games with Varsity and lettered. She's a pretty good little player. Our Varsity is going to state this year and have a chance to get farther than any other team from previous years attempts. State games are this weekend. She won't be playing but she'll be there to cheer them on. Her Freshman team actually could have a chance at going to state by the time they reach Varsity play. I can't wait! Did I mention she's a left handed, jump serving setter? AI little knitting was done during the weekend treks out of town. I knitted the skinny scarf and began Teva Durham's mock cabled capelet. The yarn for that was purchased on a quick stop in a LYS on my way to one of the volleyball games in a nearby community. It was a lot cheaper than the yarn called for in the pattern, yet still expensive. I got two capelets out of it....more on that below.

The beginning of October was dry and hot! I was so looking forward to Fall, cool, crisp weather and colorful leaves. No such luck! It was HOT DON! I was invited to visit with my college roommate at her newly finished cabin located along Nolin Lake in Leitchfield, KY. It was actually about an hour and half drive to the location from my home. On a Friday afternoon, after work, I drove through the winding roads looking for colorful leaves through the late day sunshine. It looked as if it should have been a chilly day. But it wasn't. But it wasn't steaming either. I had packed my swimsuit because we were going to boat on the lake on Saturday. Guess what, it was a gorgeous, summer day! We had a great time, we slept late, packed a lunch and gear and took off on the gator to load the boat. One on the boat she showed me the area and then we anchored to sit and catch up on each other's life. It was such a nice day, and nice to visit with a long time friend. Being with her is always so comfortable for me. I hope it was for her too. Needless to say, no knitting was done.

Well, that's about all I've been up to. I have finished two capelets. I began the mock cables capelet but found the pattern had a few mistakes. The pattern had chart for the cable portion and it was my first time using a chart. It was daunting at first. But I had enough since to realize the chart was amiss. I wrote to get it clarified and did receive an edited pattern....but it still had a few mistakes so I made do with my novice abilities. Speaking of my novice abilities, I started that capelet using the beautiful Rowan yarn pictured above and frogged it about 6 or 7 times before finishing. My novice abilities hinders my mastering gauge. It fit, but a bit shorter than I had wanted it to be. I had enough yarn left (obviously I was supposed to double strand it but didn't) I made another with a real cable that I used in place of the chart for the mock cable and also lenghtened. I just could'nt fight that pattern again. It was a great pattern but it would've been a lot easier and more enjoyable to knit without the mistakes. Anyhow, the finished projects!

This is my version with a cable ......................................................Pattern version

WHAT IS IT ABOUT YARN?

As promised, a little addition to the stash was made when I visited our LYS for a fab sale on Labor Day! Scored some Noro, Patons, Misti Alpaca and a chibi!


Here is one of the wash cloths that I knitted up for my daughter to take to college. I will be knitting up a few for her boyfriend who used one of them and liked it. I think I'll use that Patons in my stash!

Here I Am!

Sorry, it's been a while since I've logged a blog. A lot has been going on this summer. After our trip to Mexico, we began to prepare my oldest daughter for college - it's her freshman year. Dropping her off wasn't as bad as I had imagined....although some deja vous did creep in from my college experience when I tried to help her unpack. She gave me the same reaction that I gave my mother when she tried to help me on that first day. When I saw it, I recognized it immediately and tried my best to back off. I think I did alright. When we finally left her, I was ready to go. She's been doing fine. Actually, the hardest part of her being away is that I can't actually see her enjoying herself.

Once she was settled, I began work on an ad booklet for my youngest daughter's volleyball team. I thought it would be easy to do this year because I had actually did last year's and thought all I would have to do was drop in the ads that weren't already there. But, all the rosters of the different teams had to be changed and some other stuff. It ended up becoming a bit rushed because I didn't give myself enough time to get it done. But it turned out pretty nice.

Now I am helping my sisters and brother plan for my dad's 70th birthday. I am in charge of making a video for the occasion. I have yet to begin. I will have a lot of pictures to scan in on the computer and it will take time. I've yet to pick out very many good pictures. Hopefully it will fall into place.

I've also been very busy as work trying to get caught up or stay caught up. My house has become very messy and not much knitting has been attempted.

As you can imagine, not much knitting has been done. I did knit about four face cloths for my daughter to take with her to college. I also knitted her a change bowl. My first bowl. It was a bit larger than I had intended. Hopefully she'll find a use for it.

I also started an oven mitt which lacks the thumb and needs to be felted before finished. This past Saturday I started a skinny scarf that I finished this morning.

I am getting excited about Monday because Ragged Around the Edges and I planned a trip to our local yarn shop which is holding a holiday sale. She called me on Saturday to let me know that another fellow knitter/blogger will be joining us. I am excited to meet her. I've heard such good things about her and she's very good at knitting socks......a sock knitting champ I believe. I think she taught Ragged to knit too.

I have some great projects planned......I just hope I can get the patterns and yarn and start on them. I am getting excited about knitting again. More on our finds later!

SUMMER TIME, SUMMER TIME!

Since SP10 has finalized, I've not been diligent in posting. I've been busy working and getting ready for vacation! My husband and I are going to Mexico! San Jose del Cabo to be exact. We are going with two couples who we've been friends with for a long time. With this trip, we are celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary as well as one of the other couples. It's going to be so much fun! I'll bring back pictures to post....and maybe some yarn if I can find a shop! One of the best things about summer is VACATION!

I have been knitting! I've knitted four face cloths for my daughter to take to college as well as started a sweater and a almost finished one sock of a pair. Unfortunately, I've decided not take anything with me as it sounds like to much trouble to get through the airport, customs etc. I'm nervous enough having to use a passport for the first time.

Happy Summer!!!!