Cast On Report

Candle Flame Shawl created by Debra Bright
in Grape Hyacinth Alpaca Silk Blend (Knit Picks)

Toe Up Sock created by Kelley Petkun
in Bernat Sox Grey
and Bernat Sox Army Camoflauge
2nd socks of pairs

Cuff Down Socks by Nenah Galati Knitting Korner
in Memories Redwood Forest (Knit Picks)
and Memories Yukon (Knit Picks)

Columbine Peak Sock by Cat Bordhi
in Essential Solid Burgundy (Knit Picks)

Broadripple Socks by Rob Matyska
in Lisa Souza Lime & Violet
Had to rippit, dropped a ssk on row three and did not see it until row six. Have to start this one again.

Super Pal 9 Report

My SP9 Pal struck again. Yesterday I received an unbelievable gift box from my Secret Pal.

Just feast your eyes on these Goodies:
3 hanks of Berroco Cotton Twist in a variegated pink colorway. The gold in there may not show up well in the photos - but it really sparkles. A very cute, and extremely useful, Stationery Tool Kit containing miniature tape dispenser, tape, hole punch, staple remover, stapler and staples in a handy little carrying case. Needless to say that was popped right into the project bag. And beyond the limits - a set of NAMASTE knitting needles. DIG THAT CASE. Oh my goodness, this is a gorgeous set!! Once again my Secret Pal 9 has me doing the happy dance. Thank you so much.

Sweater Report

Both front pieces are coming along about 4 more inches to the armhole.

Sock Report

Nov. 24, 2006
Cast On:
Second Grey Bernat Sock
Second Camouflauge Sock
First Knit Pick Essential Burgundty Sock

Still have afterthought heel to insert in First Grey Sock and First Camouflauge Sock.
Hate the toe up - afterthought heel method!!!












Completed both pairs of CUFF DOWN Knit Picks Memories socks
in Pansy and Smores colorways.

Family Feast

My Sister hosted dinner today and it was an absolute feast. Hor d'ouvres were cheeses, salami, nuts, chocolates, crackers and stuffed mushrooms with white and red wine, sparkling ciders, sodas, tea and water. Main course was roast, potato and carrots, au jus. Turkey, stuffing, gravy, greens, string beans, yams, macaroni and cheese, crescent rolls, cranberry sauce and jello molds. Desserts, 5 potato pies, 2 cheesecakes, brownies, pinapple upside down cake, pecan pie, whipped cream, and coffee. Leftovers and greenies for the dogs.

Thanks Given

I am thankful for my family, my friends and some of the people I work with. I am thankful for my house, my dog, my new car and my American Express Blue. I am thankful for the skills, creativity, and stick-with-it-ness I have inherited. I am thankful for priority mail, usps and media mail. I am thankful for my laptops, my desk top computers and my iPods. I am thankful for writers, binders, designers, spinners, dyers and those who make/manufacture needles and hooks. I am thankful for my dog, yep twice, cause he's so darn cute and gives me unconditional love, even when I don't want doggie kisses. I am thankful to be able to see, to hear, to walk, to speak, to reason, to know, to wonder, to cry, to try, to discover, to taste, to feel, to heal, to read, to knit, to crochet, to watch, to listen, to create, to improve, to teach, to laugh, to protect, to give, to encourage, to bless, to pray, to play, to rub bellies heads and behind the ears.

I do, however, wonder what it would have been like here if Columbus had not found America. No thank you.

It's Lavender Baby

My Secret Pal 9 sent some of the loveliest soap to me today. It smells so good that I probably won't want to use it for washing. It is especially made for knitters. The bars are soft and creamy and fabulous. Soapmaker: Soapy Soap by Plimoth Sudsy Soap Shoppe. You have to smell it to really appreciate the quality and fragrance.
Thanks Pal
000OO0OO00000

Gallery of Finished Projects

I have finally gotten my Gallery up and running. There is a link in the sidebar to the Gallery of Love [http://gallery-of-love.blogspot.com/]. I am uploading more photos all the time and more projects will be added shortly. I am almost finished with sock #2 for my sockret pal, and my grey sock. I have added 6 rows to my Lime & Violet shawl. I am dying to cast on more socks and my lace shawl. I now have a dilemma regarding the lace shawls. I have too many patterns to choose from.
Top Contenders:
Adamas
Pearly Elegance Shawl
Triangle Cover Shawl
Half-Pi Shawl
But I must finish the front of my Cardigan and cast on the sleeves before I start any more projects.
I updated my inventory and added all of that fabulous yarn previously posted, my new tools, purchased patterns, and knit picks needles that I recently purchased. That is why I am so anxious to cast on some of these projects I bought all of these materials for. Soon and very soon ***

B&N

I renewed my Barnes and Noble membership at last. I bought my 2007 Castles Calendar, Anne Rice's Mayfair Witches audiobook on CD and a cute Posh Pooches knit set. So I am one third of the way through the $25 outlay for the membership and will be getting the "real" discount soon. I received e-mail coupons, one for a Scrabble set in Black Onyx, yum, sounds beautiful. The other coupon is for James Patterson's book CROSS. I was going to get that anyway, but with this coupon it is less than $14 bucks. Cool.

It is freezing today. My poor dog son is stuck outside today too. I just hope it does not rain.

I dropped a stitch on my sock laughing at Lime & Violet last night. They are really doing big things though. Too bad plutonic boyfriend is moving, he had finally come out of his shell and was sharing his perspective on the male knitting world. After listening to David and PB, I realized there is a major shortage on patterns for men. I received my Interweave Knits magazine yesterday, and there were only two patterns for blokes. But at least one of the sweaters listed the designer, I am going to google him tonight. Though the man in my life has four legs, long hair, and won't wear clothes - I might like to knit something for a guy someday.

What's Around my Bookmark

I finished The Amber Room. Not a surprise ending. I am now reading 24 Declassified. The TV series is very well done, Kiefer Sutherland's best role since The Lost Boys. I am glad they novelized several of the episodes. They are perfect for commute travel. I listened to the first three episodes of David Reidy's Sticks and Strings podcast - about a bloke in Australia who knits. I have to admit, I don't know half of what he said at the end of episode two. By the time he was half way through I was fantasizing about a bloke in Australia who knits and has fat contented cats and letting his voice fill in the blanks. I will listen to that episode again and try to actually listen to him. :~>
I do know he made his Mum a striped cardigan for Christmas. Sounds very similar to the cardigan I made my Mom for her birthday. I look forward to his pictures being posted.
Check him out http://sticksandstring.com.au/

Ouch - more Needles

Oh yeah, while I am on the stash issue, I ordered more KnitPicks options needles yesterday. I HAD to, the 24 inch cables are too long when I am only doing one sock at a time. I NEEDED the 16 inch size 3s I am sure you understand. A person cannot have a lopsided stash, how can I ever work up all this yarn if I don't have needles for every colorway? DUH?!?

Confession is good for the soul right?? I ordered more Knitz & Glitz stitchmarkers too. I have always loved Seahorses and those Las Vegas Dice - perfecto mundo.

Okay, that's all. Really, that's all. I don't get paid until tomorrow :D

Alrighty Then

My Sockret Pal has received her goodies and acknowledged them on her blog. Lovely, lovely. I myself was bragging on my Secret Pal 9 and Sockret Pal today at Chicks With Sticks. They both selected Silk blend yarns for me and the colors are really fabulous together. I am going to use them on my next project. They are both sock weight and the needle sizes are within the same range. I am thinking a lace pattern. Hmmm cannot wait to get started - oh, but I must. I just cast on the second sock for my Sockret Pal. I have completed the cuff and I am about one inch down the leg. I will have to order more of this yarn because I absolutely love these socks. I want some too. My smores socks are nice and toasty. I still have one Grey and one Camoflauge sock to complete. Toe up just is not my thing. I can do cuff down socks in a couple of days. Now I know. . .

I just ordered the Country Hills Christmas sock yarn - all three colorways. The store bought Holiday socks I own are all too tight at the cuff. Now I can make my own and make them fit perfectly. Is that cool or what?

Okay, I know I need to address this stash thing. I actually felt bad about my stash last week. I had to move two of those collapsible hampers full of yarn out of the way to get to my sheets so I could change my bed. It was a bit overwhelming, and I thought. What am I going to do with all this yarn? I have TOO MUCH. I put the hampers back, made my bed, climbed into it with my laptop and ordered two more skeins of Socks that Rock and registered for the 2007 Socks That Rock Club. I feel better now.

No No No

I FELTED my CASHMERE scarf. Condolences can be sent to paletpc@mindspring.com

Gotta Heal the Heel

I have to rip the heel on my second Smores Memories Sock. It just came out wonky, I think the working 2 stitches past halfway is one stitch too many. I always have more stitches on one side. I did not do that with the Pansy sock heel I turned last night and it came out perfectly even, all the stitches ended up on the same needle at the same time. Very important since these socks are for my Sockret Pal. I want them to be perfect.


I am reading The Amber Room by Steve Berry, wow can you imagine, a room with intricately carved amber walls. All of the desks, ashtrays, vases, everything is all amber. Just the thought sounds breathtaking. Of course the heroes of our story have not found the missing pieces of the room yet, the nazi cave they just uncovered was empty (sigh). But at least they didn't get buried when the cave collapsed and the assassin didn't get to kill the heroine before making his escape.

Awesome Secret Pal 9

I am so excited. I was home sick today - girl problems. Feeling sorry for myself and recuperating from a long weekend trip with my Mom. The doorbell rings, and I am dreading a trip up and down the stairs because my Motrin is finally kicking in. But our mail carrier rarely rings the doorbell because I shop online and pretty much get a package every other day. So since he rang the bell I thought I'd better go on down. You can not imagine my excitement. I got my second skein of Socks that Rock in the Highway 30 colorway and a big box from my Secret Pal 9. I am thinking, Lord what all has my Pal sent me in this big old box. SO my dog child helps me back up the stairs - I kid you not, he took each stair with me, one at a time - my boy. We get to the top and I round the corner and pop my packages on the bed. I open my STR to check the colorway and then I get out the box cutter. Oh my doG I received a box load of the extraordinary Valley Yarns Bershire Bulky 85% Wool 15% Alpaca yarn in Olive. I cannot tell you all how much I love this yarn. I have almost every pattern Webs sells from Valley Yarns and I am making a cardigan in the Gray Berkshire Bulky yarn. It is soft and luxurious and feels really good against the skin. This yarn works up fast for instant gratification, it is wonderful. OKAY, now, as if that wasn't fantastic enough. My Secret Pal 9 bought me the most wanted item on my wish list - the ROW COUNTER PLUS, yes yes yes!!! The Advanced Electronic Row Counter for Knitters. Too COOL!!!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH PAL. You cannot know how good this made me feel, especially today. I needed something this great to help me face going back to work tomorrow still feeling like crap. You see, tomorrow is Chicks with Sticks at lunchtime at work and I will be showing off my gifts from YOU. Thanks bunches. Unfortunately, my child that loves me so much, took off and went to hide in his bed when I started screaming with joy over the row counter and yarn.

Socktoberfest

My sock creations.

Socks of the future.
Oodles of Sock Yarn.

Unhappy Halloween

Unhappy Halloween!!!! I left work at 4:00 pm last night and got home at 7:20 pm. Ridiculous. I did not even feel like knitting or listening to the new Lime & Violet Podcast that downloaded to my iTunes file. I was fried. Come on - little lottery balls, line up for me 4 -7- 13-21-47- and 5 Sheez, even the dog wouldn't talk to me when I got home : {