movin' right along

do-da-doo do-da-doo
Now I have that song from the The Muppet Movie in my head. "Bear left, frog right" hee-hee, it kills me. Oh, I'm back now.

Moving right along on Potus. I have finished the first repeat of 22 rows and have successfully rearranged the stitches. This is my first time with bamboo US size 1 and I have to be careful to be relaxed when knitting and not snap the little guys in two. So I knit 11 rows and rest. It is turning out beautious.

*knock on the door*

That was UPS with my QVC order. I ordered shoes. I still don't believe it, but I live out in bufu now and getting to a shopping mall is ugh! They are these clogs and they are like butta.

Ok, I have purchased new clothes, new shoes, I am getting my hair trimmed - all I need now is for one of the 300 companies I applied with to call me for an interview. Like NOW!

we be jammin'

For his birthday the boy bought himself a guitar. His 3rd. His first acoustical. It was delivered yesterday,and I have been serenaded ever since.

if the toe fits......wear it!

Finished, the Child's First Sock. Uh-not. So these were started from this book that I had out from the library. I wasn't keen on the pattern so I decided to stop the pattern at the heel flap. I returned the book and went to my own resources.



Here in lies the rub. The sock was a 64 stitch sock, so I went to the toe instructions in my book and knit on. All would be well if I hadn't missed this one line of pattern instructions......you know the one that reads.
Rep rnd 1 only until XX stitches remain. Opps - missed that one on sock #1, so I had to repeat this "design feature" for sock #2. And voila - pointy toes.



But hey they fit, so all is good.

quiet please, I'm kitchenering.....

You would think I had this memorized by now! I finished my 2nd Child's First Sock last night but waited until this morning to kitchener the toe. I need ALL my brain cells for that. :-D

talk amongst yourselves, or take this quiz



Which Princess Bride Character are You?
this quiz was made by mysti

this is SO me.

Are you ready for some football?

My knitting is!

I got a little motivated today and made some bags. (I can see the top of my dining room table again) The football ones are for me and mom for football season - der. And the penguins are my knit 'n go bag for Sock Wars. I ordered more needles (knit picks this time) and yarn. I am ready. Gotta go, Seahawks are winning. Must knit on POTUS.

YEA!!!!! It's here

Can you see? Can you see the swap-y goodness?
It is my KSKS package. And I LOVE it!
Jen L spoiled me but good. I am humbled by her generosity. I have already casted on for the Potomo, Pomtoma, Pomato- heck you know the ones. I have named them POTUS with the Koigu yarn in the most yummy of colors - so fall! I got hand dyed wool. For me? Wow. So special. She made me stitch markers. These are too cute. I love the small ones best, how did you know? And the needles and case? Can you believe just yesterday I was noticing that my cheapy Boye #1's were giving me trouble and my thoughts wandered to new bamboos, maybe Clover's, and here they are. Spooky! The soap, I am a smelly soap kinda girl. The patterns, so cool. I will master the toe-up. Little notions that if you can believe I didn't have which brings us to the bags. Jen did a wonderful job. I can't wait to fill them up again and take it all to my SIL's this weekend to show off.
Pockets, ooooh it has pockets inside. *squeal*
I'm like a kid on Christmas morning.
Thanks again.

My baby

16 years ago at 6:56 p.m, 4 minutes before kickoff of a Thursday night Chicago Bears game, my angel was born. My baby is 16 today. Yikes that went fast. He has always been and still is my best bud. He makes me laugh each and every day. Even during those dark sad times we shared we always had a laugh. It was what got us through I think. Being an only child he was always a bit more grown-up for his age. He now stands on the brink of manhood. This next year will be a big one for him, me too I guess. For I will need to start that painful process of letting go. You want to talk about apron strings? They are clutched tightly in my white knuckled hands. This year he will get his drivers permit, a license, take the car out on his own, maybe have his first love, or even his first heartbreak. (let me at her!) There is talk of colleges and choices for a major of study. It all sounds so grown-up. I am very proud of my man-in-training and love him very much.
Happy birthday baby.

pictureless post

Blah
Is everyone on Blogger having this problem? Day 3 of trying to upload a picture only to have my browser (I'm on broadband) shut down. At least now I try to upload first - write blog second. Man it only took me 2 days to figure that out!

Anyway,
I am moving right along on my second Child's First Sock and I am about to start the heel flap. My Babe is all ready for a personality and clothes. I think she will be an avid football fan and I have some creative ideas floating around in my head for her.

My dining room table is LOADED with fabrics/notions/yarn all making me a bit crazy. I need to put some of it away so I can think and create. Too much chaos = no creative juices.

I want to knit, sew pillow covers, and pick up my book and the library - but I must go outside (67 degrees F) and stain that blasted lattice.

Pictures to follow when it will let me. Big day tomorrow!

Random Bits

SAT
*worked my tail off organizing drawers, closets and the bonus room.
*watched Bears pre-season football game - Woo Hoo they kicked butt!
*TT finally made it to her destination. That only took 11 days.

SUN
*did some laundry
*started Child's Sock #2
*finished 2nd Knitted Babe
*watched Seahawk's pre-season football game - Woo Hoo they kicked butt!

MON
*back to Home Depot for more stain
*Costco run, bought more stuff than food.
*discovered Tacoma Boys produce - WOW
*finally sit down to blog and AOL logs me off as I am uploading a pic - twice!

pointy toes

This here looks like a really pointy toe.


But I guess my toes are pointy, because it fits perfectly. 1 sock done, another begun. I ward off SSS by immediately casting on and plowing through the ribbing on sock # 2 after the kitchener of sock #1 is completed.


Finally this is what you get when you sit down to watch the finale of SYTYCD. (no spoilers but I picked it!!!) An alomost complete Knitted Babe knitted in the round. Way Cool peeps. I hate finish work - so knitting this little one in the round - brilliant. Not my idea, but brilliant just the same. This one is knitted in Knit Picks Palette, Twig.

Natural Cedar

As you can see we have been busy this weekend. To my right is a natural 1 yr old cedar fence panel. To my left is a fence panel stained "natural cedar." It is like brand new. Oh how I loved that lattice when I moved in last year. It is the only fence in the development still that has lattice. A nice detail, uh until you have to stain it. Man is my arm sore. We stained the "public" side over the weekend and the boy and I are in the process of staining "our" side. This is officially where the 5 gallons ran out. I did buy 1 gallon extra while at Home Depot but now me thinks I will need to return the 1 gallon and buy another 5 (at $120!) to finish. You see I have 2 more sides of the yard to stain. But with our outside chore for the day complete - I am now ready for some fun time.



an updated pic of me with my chopped off haircut.

Magic

Remember this?



It now looks like this. I love turning the heel on a sock. It is like Magic to me. These are mom's rejected sock yarn and rejected sock pattern. They will now be mine. It is a pretty pattern but one that gives me a headache after only 1 repeat. So these will be boot socks, where the pattern is only on the leg and the foot is stockinette. These are the only Wip I have. I feel better with just one project on the needles. I did go to the library though.....



Hmmm...

are you ready to rumble?

Yarn Monkey has thrown down a challenge. If you are interested check out Sock Wars. It sounds wild. I never played this type of game before and I may be in over my head - but what the hell. I signed up. Sign-ups are open until Sept 8 so you have time to ponder. I had a blast with sockapaloooza and I am ready for more.

p.s. still waiting patiently for my KSKS goodies.

Job Hunting

UGH! I haven't looked for a job in 24 years. You read that right. I worked for my former employer for 23 happy years (in IL) and the past year here in WA I have been a lady of leisure. But leisure time is coming to a close and I need/want a job. So I have been looking in the papers and on the job sites and sending out applications and resumes. Keep your fingers crossed.

In knitting news, my Knit Picks order came today, so more Knitted Babes to come.

Terrible Tania

Meet Terrible Tania
This is her story: The Real Tania is a friend's boss. As bosses go, Tania is well, terrible. My friend has her hands full just trying to get through the day without choking her. So, I made Terrible Tania Babe(TTB) for her to take her aggressions out on. Don't worry TTB will not feel a thing. I forgot to tell you my friend is a witch. (no really, spells and everything) A white witch to be exact - so she only casts good spells. No good spells for Real Tania, but a feel good spell for TTB.



Look, I made her blood red panties - and check out her black heart. added for authenticity.
I hope she helps.

Moving along

The artsy shot. I am almost finished with the gusset decreases on sock #2. I am a bit nervous about my cast off edge on sock #1. I think it is too tight. Mom will be over soon for the try-on.




Did I tell you she had small feet. Those are my size 7 1/2 for reference.
The Annual Art Festival is this weekend. A big to-do in my town. The boy is already there with his posse, and I was instructed not to attend until his crowd leaves.
Ugh, teenagers. They think they are in charge. Who wants to dare me to run up to him and give big hugs and kisses????? ;-D

gone weeding

Nakid Babe

Now comes the hard part - her personality.

Knit to pieces

I have all the pieces knit for my friend's doll and I finished mom's sock #1. So today's goal is to sew up the Babe and start the toe for sock #2. This is a toe up sock but with a heel flap/gusset. Hmm, me thinks I will stick with the top-down version I know and love so well. It has a heel flap - sort of, and a heel turn - kinda, and a gusset - backwards......but I am not sold with the look of it. Mom thankfully likes it and is waiting for sock #2 to be knit.

Non knitting chores today include weeding (will it ever end?), a trip to the library and a stop off at the bank. Can I push off grocery shopping until tomorrow?........hell yeah.