Knitting...and other stuff

..so with the completion of the previously posted socks, I now have 3 current projects and 3 old ones. There is the SoTS which found some quality time on my needles and is now almost halfway through Clue 4. I have clues 5, 6 and 7 to do yet, plus 8 comes out this Friday. Here's some math: it takes me about an hour to do 10 rows (5 pattern and 5 WS). Clue 4 is 72 rows, and I am on row 31, how long before I finish clue 4? For me - I want to finish it tonight so I can start #5 and possible be on 6 before Friday. Since I bet some people don't believe I am actually knitting this (due to complete lack of photos to date, it is here on Flickr.
If anyone can clue me in how to actually put the pictures from flickr on the blog, I'd love the help.
The Cinderella for big gurl are on their way - sock #1 has two complete pattern repeats done and another one is needed before the toe turn. Love the way it looks in the yarn and no, there are not photos yet.
Project # 3 is a pair for little gurl - two colour socks, same yarn as big gurl'z but have only about a cm of the cuff done so haven't quite decided what to do. The pattern suggests purling whenever a one of the colours shows up and that could be neat as there are 4 in the yarn. I have them working 2 at a time on a 2.25 mm circ (Yarn Pirate's) and they are looking just right.
Old project #1 is the baby blanket with matching sweater. The sweater is done the knitting part, I just have to sew it together. I hate sewing together and if I ever make another baby sweater, it will require no seaming. (on a funny note, I knit my oldest nephew a lovely sweater in Tivoli, when he was 3 or 4 and adapted the pattern so it was knit in the round, with pockets. I need to find a picture of it for you- involved intarsia and all) The blanket has 1.5 more balls of lovely baby yarn to go. Not exactly speed knitting. the hat I made to match - little gurl wore for her first halloween - a lovely pumpkin hat.
#2 is my Moebius ring, for which I found the *photocopy* of the pattern last week, but still have not found the original book. Is it wrong if I did have the pattern book or magazine, but just don't anymore? Feeling slightly criminal here (and on Sunday to beat the band). I still have at least what is knitted to go yet and really not that crazy about the yarn.
#3 is just a fun scarf for someone. Lovely yarn all soft and fluffy with big and little areas and hateful to knit with. Maybe someday it will be done. I finished one for my sister (after I mailed her yarn, needles and knitting instruction book for her birthday, which were returned to me, the next time she came home)
But, that means I only have 6 live projects right now. WOW.
And me with enough yarn and needles to cast on about 20 more. I need to get rid of the castonitis itch and finish something already. Really want to restart my firestarters or my own pair of I love Gansey.
But, I also need to do some sewing/quilting but the sewing machine needs fixing first. Thought I had got around that issue by having Mom bring the 'gets around' machine to my house (it was given to my oldest bro by an old lady his wife ministered to, and has been back and forth between Mom and me twice now). It came in the house on Friday night and on Saturday morning returned to the car as Mom forgot the box of accessories (read EVERYTHING but the machine). She THOUGHT there should be more but couldn't find it.
I love my Mom - she helped me get the outsized winter ready - we had over a centimeter in snow last night between the time we left for the garden center at 4:00 pm and when we got home at 5:00pm. But today was sunny and crisp and things look much better around the outside of the house - the basement is a different story as all those items with an outside summer home, have found their way into it.
As many are aware, the Canadian $ is currently equal to or greater than the American $. I live about 1/2 an hour from 3 different bridges to the US, where there are a vast number of stores. So, on Saturday, Mom, big gurl and I (little gurl is not quite a shopper yet) headed to the Pen Centre- the St. Catharines, Ontario mall - at 9:30 am we arrived. We were home by 2:15 fro lunch. Major bargains - bras - $2.00 each, maidenform brand fit like a DREAM!!! Seriously, for $50 I bought 5 bras (2 were only 30% off, and 4 underwear package of 3 only 30% off). One of the bras regularly sells for $42. I bought it for Mom. I didn't ask her to pay me back. This was at Sears. Big gurl hit pay dirt in Old Navy - less than $50 and she has a gorgeous jumper outfit, and 3 or 4 tanktops and 3 pairs of socks. Also a pair of pants for me from Reitmans for $20. HomeSense? - I think Mom spent $70 there and we got an 8x10 picture frame, 4 baskets(3 Christmas box ones and 1 soft sided one claimed for my upstairs knitting (so I don't stub my toe)), as entryway carpet, a cutting board. We had a 20% off coupon from my Dad, the real estate agent. At Vermeer's, the garden centre, we found some lovely Christmas decorations, some spring bulbs (50% 0ff which were planted today) and some little somethings for my swap pals. We were exhausted. I could not imagine adding a 2+++ hour wait to pay duty on my bargains. Shop local everyone (except for yarn - you must go where it is for the yarn you want)
Have a great week, must go knit knit knit so I can maybe finish clue 4.

99 posts about me on the blog...

Wow!
Good thing I didn't stick to my post a day rule.
What have I learned in the last 99 posts and my venturing through blogland?
1. I am not alone - there are other mothers out there who feel the same way I do. Here is a prime example of what I mean. Mother who knows it all
2. Frogging is good and shows I learn from my mistakes. Even if I should have frogged the Firestarter right away instead of turning the heel and an inch.
3. A good yarn stash is essential for a balanced knitting/crochet life. Even if when you look at it for yarn it never has the right one for the pattern you want to do now.
4. WHO CARES WHAT OTHERS THINK!!!!! If you like the yarn and the pattern and you are making it for you, you can make purple Beanis or pigeon coloured socks. If it satisfies something within you creative genius, that is all that matters.
5. You can knit at home alone and still be linked to so many people. This is the ultimate. The Secret of the Stole Kal (for which hint 2 has stalled around row 115 as I now have the computer again); SAM4 well can 2 complete socks that don't match count - wait a minute don't even have that for October; Harvest Sock Swap - no need to worry about SSS as you only have to knit one (unless of course the pattern you give is also the pattern you receive - not my problem this time around!) and SP11 - I have the best pal and she seems to know just what to say and send to make my day and knowing, that something I sent someone, also makes their day is awesome.
6. It's okay to change the pattern or yarn or needles. Everyone has different tensions (for crafting and other things) and I have to figure out what works for me.
7. Just because someone has 3 or more books out for sale, does not mean that they don't still have to pay bills or fix problems or fly regular class or ... They are just people doing their job - which involves being paid for something they love!!
8. The housework does not get done if you knit for the evening or the weekend. This used to happen to me when I went to the library on Thursday night and checked out 4 new release novels with a 7 day loan rule and read them before the weekend was over. There is no housework fairy - or she doesn't live in our house.
9. Go to sleep when you are tired because a tired knitter makes mistakes and then has to fix them later (or refuses stubbornly to go to bed until the mistakes are fixed and causes all sorts of other problems).

That's all I have for now. The gurlz are well and I am well and now I must quick make some icing and then off to bed (cause the dishes don't run away if you don't wash them).

Thanks for all your support and comments and well, must find something special for someone.

Weeklong Absence

I am sorry I have not been here.
Actually that is not true, I have been here, but my #*&$%^&%$$$#$#% computer has not.
It is now fixed but lovely patterns and pictures and emails and links and...
You name it, it has departed for the nether land of computer world.
Arrgghh.
Knitting has been good - I am 1/3 of the way into hint 2 of the Secret of the Stole, 2/3 of the way through a pair of Fetchings and well, let's just say I have 3 separate socks on the needles, two of which have been to the frogpond and Firestarters, that will be visiting the frogpond.
I need to find my sites and my background settings and my brain and my ...
We are well and breathing, if not slightly stressed.
Does anyone know what website it was that gave a Nunavit windows setting?

2nd pair of socks syndrome

So I am trying to make myself a second pair of socks.
The first try - vanilla with Marks & Katten, went to Mel (okay they are still here, but they are for Mel).
The 2nd try - own pattern, Skinny Duet, frogged, 3 times and currently on time out.
The 3rd try - Super Soxx, turned into a fingerless mitt and then was frogged as too tight.
The 4th try - Monkey socks in Yarn Oddity - too small and frogged (will happen someday)
The 5th try - going to Mom as she loves them and they fit her perfectly.
The 6th try - Firestarter in Pomtini. Unintentional editing occurred but given my interpretation of the measurements, appeared fine as my foot is much smaller than the measurements given (or was but is now a cm longer>!>!>!>). Anyways, I am plodding on until I turn the heel. I will see the size then - if it is just too snug - my sister will get them, if it is a lot too snug, they will be frogged. stupid that as there is only one that has been worked on and I still have another to go. partly due to the previous post about my mother and the fact that I am a starter of some things and perhaps not always completed (dishes, men, knitting, sewing, relationships) you get my drift.
Why not frog on Sunday? well I am afraid the yarn will not frog well which will mean a ruined skein and I have to frog the little gurlz sock so another frogging will feel like a flogging and I may give up knitting entirely to sew and crochet.
On a fun note, I bought the Simply Knitting due to the delightful knitted Noah's Ark by Alan Dart. Will I knit it? I don't know, I have a delightful Crocheted Noah's Ark Pattern and a knitted Creche (or is it crochet) that have never been started either.
So, if anyone out there has a desire for this magazine and the Noah's Ark Pattern, please let me know. There is a lovely stole in it that I would like to try, however, I have the SOTS to do.
Oh and I think I am close to 100 posts so - on my 100th post there will be something going on. What I don't know, cause I don't kno-ow much, but I know I love you-ou and that may be-e-e-e all I ne-ed to know! (couldn't resist that).
Off to bed with me now...

Just let it be...

I love my Mom.
(obviously - she is getting a second pair of socks before I do - maybe)
But, when she says you should really talk to PE (brother's MIL) about socks, she really doesn't get it. It's not that I can't do it, it's just I haven't found the perfect pattern.
I'm trying to make socks for the big gurl (and then the little gurl). She picked out Regia, 4ply crazy color in a rainbow of colours (mostly pink and purple). I tried the toe up formula, but the needles are wrong. Well, in order to avoid the provisional cast on I have to use a circ and I don't have a circ in that size. Mom sees that as well maybe you can't do it.
So I compromised, I cast on my Firestarter socks, ordered some yarn for my SP11 (and myself) wishlisted some other yarn and joined the Six Sox Kal (more for my autumn sock swap) but also cause I really love the I Love Gansey sock. I'm seeing my ILG in blue - cherry tree hill blue, but am also going to find a solid blue for my ASS (hmm not a good abbreviation) WELL DOH it is a HARVEST Sock Swap. HSS much better(couldn't take out the other though).
Must organize yarn and needles better so would know if had the right ones or not.

(from the to do list of previous post - 3 loads of laundry done, 3 quilt blocks total done, firestarter started, #11, first half of #4, and well working on #2, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12 and 13).

There is always tomorrow.

Gene disorders

You know how it is when you're doing something and it's like a flashback to your mother or someone else related to you?
Been having a few of those as I work on the quilt blocks - finished the ones for the gift quilt and one star block for the gurlz quilt. Even got going on the second block, but was a little weary.
Now am a lot weary and going to bed.
My to do list:
1. Finish Mom's second pair of socks.
2. Redo swatch for secret of the stole (1 week away)
3. Start Firestarter sock
4. Frog and work on big gurlz sock
5. Do at least 2 more quilt blocks
6. Fix front stairs with new wood and figure out a mounting board so can work around wonky front yard.
7. Finish the week of dishes.
8. Clean the house
9. Church books
10. Laundry
11. Something with the big gurl for sure this weekend
12. Figure out little gurl'z birthday (oct 5th)
13. Everything else.

Nothing too major eh.

FOs, new projects and sad news

Finished work - Needy socks (Australian Merinos by King) and Monster hat (sans monster unless you count the gurl monster).

The hat is from Insubordiknit and also includes a felted eye patch, but I haven't decided if it will go on yet. I loved working with this yarn Jacey!!!!

New projects - one is a wip that didn't get frogged, I'm calling them my rainbow socks. I have just cast on for the second (during the cavity filling session for the big gurl).

I have joined the Firestarter Kal and am just deciding which pink yarn will be used.

I am also part of the Secret of the Stole on yahoo. (please don't ask me how to link that, cause I am still trying to figure out how to put a button up here!!! I bought my yarn, beads and needles today at the Knitting Habit. That is my sad news. Susan has decided to close. The worst part (for me) is I would have paid full price for the stuff regardless. Thought of that after I got home - should have told her not to discount it!!! So if you are in the Niagara Region, she is here and will be having an online store too. Right now almost everything is 30% off (not sock yarn or needles) and there is lots to go.

Other not so great news - the big gurl was brave and good for the dentist and then had a total melt down - kicking and beating mommy while screaming. So I took away her prize for being good. Arrgghh. She doesn't like me very much right now.

The little one had me at home for the last 2 days with something wrong. She had diarrhea on Monday and Tuesday with a temperature and no appetite. Back to normal eating habits today SHIT need to remember picture day and Blood Donor Clinic tomorrow and the big one's library book and the laundry is still only half folded and the quilt blocks need to be worked on and my mom may come down and ....

PARENTING is not for the faint of heart who just want to sit at home and knit. (for just one day....please).