Nothing to report

No knitting getting done today......yet. I have been cleaning the house for the last 3 hours!!! My house is really not that dirty....really, it's not! It's the clutter!! It's amazing how much clutter such a small person can amass! Don't tell Noey, but I filled up a garbage can full of her junk!! So for the next 5 minutes my house is clean!! I made a mistake on Midwest Moonlight and tried to talk myself into ignoring it, but I just can't! So it will be ripped out once again.....let's see, this must be the 459th time? Ugh!! And I cast on Upbeat Top last night and worked a couple of decrease rows, but I'm not really happy with it, so I will be ripping that one out too.

Beautiful Crochet Work

I wanted to share this picture of Noey's Baby Afghan that my Great Aunt Roberta (Noey's great great aunt!) crocheted for her just before she was born. It is beautiful and has gotten a lot of use. Aunt Robert made one for every newborn in our family so there are hundreds of these floating around! Unfortunately Aunt Roberta passed shortly after Noey was born, but we feel blessed that she was the last baby in the family to receive such a treasure.

Aaaaaah....the Park

Noey and I went to the park. The sun was shining and the sky was so blue....I wish I had my camera with me. I did my swatch (the second one) for the Upbeat Top, and I'm now ready to start. Maybe I'll cast on tonight.

Giving myself a big pat on the back

I'm so impressed. My Midwest Moonlight is going really well. This is 7 repeats and 1 skein of Merino Style. (and a cute girl and a mouse!) This is really giving me confidence in my knitting. I had a knitting revelation yesterday! Something finally clicked in and I am starting to understand more and more. I stood in the yarn aisle of Michael's yesterday looking at book after book of patterns.....and I understood them!! I was so excited! I ended up buying Knitted Shawls, Stoles, & Scarves solely because I understood the patterns!! Now I feel like I really can knit a sweater or an intricate shawl!! Last night I ordered 2 back issues of Interweave Knits and some Jo Sharp yarn. I read about the Remembering Honey sweater in Daily Fiber Therapy and want to give it a try. The Jo Sharp yarn is for Misty Garden from Scarf Style. I am now awaiting 3 packages to arrive. I live in fear that DH will get home before me and find them waiting on the doorstep!

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood

This is the view from our balcony. It's lazy Tuesday at our house. We stay in our jammies until the last minute and then we rush out the door to G&G's where Noey stays while I'm at work. If I'm lucky I get a little knitting done.....usually not. I've noticed that other knitting bloggers go to "Sit and Knits" or have a great LYS where they go and hang out.......I wanna go! I don't know of anywhere I can go to hang out with other knitters! Sad, so sad. I worked on my MM Scarf last night...only had to rip once!! I've now completed 4 repeats....only 21 more to go. I've realized I cannot work on this and talk or watch TV or do anything else or I lose track of where I am. I'm gaining more confidence about my knitting skills by working on this project! Now I feel like I really can knit the things I want......except for socks......I still don't get it! That's why I need a group of knitting friends who can show me. :)

I may be in over my head

I don't know if I can finish 4 of these by June! The pattern is really not that hard, once I figured it out! But I keep having problems! I keep losing stitches and then gaining stitches, and then there was a harrowing 15 minutes when I couldn't figure out what I did, and I couldn't figure out how to fix it.....and I really don't know how I fixed it. Whew! This is work! But it's really pretty. This is 2 repeats. I'm learning a lot too....I learned K2T and SSK and maybe a little patience too!

Teacup Dishcloth

It's kinda hard to see, but the light blue dishcloth has a teacup and the word "tea". It's really cute! I got the pattern here. They have lots of cute patterns including all of the states!! Maybe a California dishcloth for myself!!

Closeup of teacup. 

The finished potholders and dishcloths. 

Oops! I did it again

I accidentally ordered more yarn! I swear I didn't mean to! I happened to be at the WEBS site, and I've been wanting to try Cascade 220 to felt.....well I just had to order 6 skeins.....several for Sophie bags, and maybe a hat or socks. I have been trolling knitting blogs all day, it does my heart good to see that other knitters are as obsessed as I am. My stash, although growing daily, is nothing in comparison to some I've seen. I love to see all the finished projects. I've gotten a lot of ideas from you all! I don't know how to add my favorite blogs to the sidebar, so I'll just name a few: The Crochet Dude, Neophyte Knitter, On My Mind, Knitting Satori, , and my all time favorite and personal hero - Crazy Aunt Purl! I do feel like I'm getting somewhere. I had to stop working on my MM scarf for the moment and work on mom's last potholder....just realized Mother's Day is just 2 weeks away. I finished last night. I also started and almost finished the last poncho for one of Noey's friends. It'll be done tonight, and then I can get back to the MM scarf.

Now I need more stuff

I went ahead and ordered more yarn from Knitpicks to make the rest of the Midwest Moonlight scarves for Noey's teachers......and I got a couple of goodies for myself. Now I think I need a blocking board. I found Sew E-Z Board at Joann.com I'm gonna check the Joann store to see if they have it in stock before I pay for shipping. I really think my MM scarves will need a good blocking.

Noey won 2nd Place in the Pinewood Derby contest at Pioneer Kids! She was so proud of herself!! 

A new home for Noey

Noey found a new shell at the aquarium! This is relevent because we have 6 Hermit Crabs as pets!

My Rich Boyfriend

DH asked me what my boyfriend's name is.....the one who is paying for all these packages that keep showing up. (full of yarn!) I told him his name is VISA! Not a lot of knitting getting done lately....except for the 400 attempts at Midwest Moonlight. I need to order more yarn....I need to make 3 for all of Noey's teachers. We went to a birthday party yesterday at the Aquarium of the Pacific. I seriously considered taking something to knit with me....good thing I didn't.....there was no time for sitting and relaxing.

Not much progress to show for hours of work! I ripped this out 400 times.....well, okay at least 10 times, trying to figure out the pattern. I would have too many stitches and then I would have too few. I read and reread the directions, and finally I got it!! This is actually only half of the first repeat.....I have to do it 25 more times! It's called Midwest Moonlight from Scarf Style. I'm using Merino Style from Knitpicks. I'm hoping to get a few of these done for teachers gifts. 

It's official.....I'm addicted!

I just can't stop buying yarn and accessories! I got all my orders and have been having fun playing with my yarn! I started knitting a hat, my first ever, for Head Huggers. I'm really hoping it turns out. Seems pretty straight forward. So far, so good. I finally figured out my gauge problem with the Perfect Pullover. I needed a bigger needle, not smaller. Doh! But don't think I want to work on that right now. I want to start the Upbeat Top or Raglan Pullover. Still can't figure out the socks......

Looky, Looky what I got!

All my orders have arrived! This is from Knitpicks. Two scarves and a shawl. Nice yarn! and good prices too. I can't wait to get started on some new projects.

Four new books!! I haven't had a chance to look at Learn to Knit Cables yet but the other three are great!! I can't wait to knit up a purse or two, and Hip Knits has lots of good stuff! 

Pretty in Pink

This is from Knitting Warehouse for the Upbeat Top from Family Circle Easy Knitting Magazine.

I finished one pot holder and one dishcloth for my mom's Mother's Day present. Here they are being blocked.....yes, it's that small and that dark....this is my ironing board - on top of my washing machine. 

I finished the Crystal Palace shawl. I worked up the nerve to put on the fringe last night. It sure is beautiful! I know my friend will love it.....sob,sob! 

Feeling better

We went to the park, the sun was shining, I sat on a blanket and knit. Surprising how much better I feel. I told Noey we could stay longer at the park if she let me knit.....she said "Mommy, you can knit all day!" I worked on a potholder for my mom. Not as easy and mindless as I thought it would be.....3 strands of cotton on size 7 needles.....but I figured out a couple of things. I will give my CP shawl to a good friend who will really enjoy it - she loves pink, then I'll order more yarn and make a shawl for me a little bit bigger. And I think the best thing for me to do at this point is to take knitting lessons at my LYS. It's a drop in kinda class, they'll teach you whatever you want to learn. I think that's the only way I'll figure out the sweater and the socks. All my problems resolved through knitting!

This is what Noey was doing while I was knitting. Cinderella was putting on a show for me by dancing all around the living room to the Wiggles DVD! 

How could you not feel better when looking at that face??!! 

The mystery shawl.....how will it look? Will it be big enough?? It's a mystery!! 

Here is the finished CP Shawl (without fringe....I'm too depressed to put on the fringe!) Looks great on Mabel! 

I'm so depressed

My knitting has been rather disappointing lately. First I did a swatch for the Perfect Pullover and was way off! So, I tried again.......still off. So I used smaller needles.....still off. I don't want to go any smaller because it seems too tight. So I tossed that aside. Last night I finished my CP Shawl. Woo Hoo! It is so pretty!! But soooo small!! I am so sad! I wanted it so bad. I tried to block it, but don't really know how and don't really have a good place to do it, so no luck there. Uggggggh! And I have been waiting and waiting and waiting for my orders to arrive. One has been sitting in the post office less than 5 miles from my house for 2 days.....why can't I have it??? On a more positive note, I did the swatch for my Raglan Sweater and it was perfect the first time!! Don't know how that could've happened!! I did start a new shawl last night and darn it, this one will be big enough!! It's from left over yarn, a few rows in random order. I've done about 4 different yarns so far, and it's really cool. We're going to the park today, so I'll take something mindless to work on to take my mind off the disappointments! Maybe the potholders for my mom?

Now I'm dreaming about knitting

After much stress and confusion about how socks are knit.....I had a dream last night about it and I figured it out!! and I was talking to a coworker today about my knitting obsession and how that's all I think about, and what's wrong with me....and she said it's great that I've found my passion! I like that!!

I bought the yarn today for the raglan sleeve sweater in Family Circle Easy Knitting magazine. I bought 9 skeins of Cotton Ease in Cherry Red. I wanted the Candy Blue but they didn't have 9 in the same dye lot. I think I can really make a sweater! I started to work on the gauge swatch (my first ever) but Noey woke up....so it'll have to wait until tomorrow night. 

My books have arrived. I have found a number of things I want to knit in Weekend Knitting, and the Socks book looks like it will help me figure this sock thing out, but I'm a little disappointed in Shawls and Scarves.....don't find a thing in there that I want to make. 

Feeling very productive

I've gotten a lot done.....last night after Noey went to bed I finished the dishcloth for my mom, and worked on my shawl.....it's coming along nicely now. I also got myself organized.....I categorized all my works in progress, pending projects, wish list, and supply list. Really took away that lingering feeling of confusion about what's going on with my knitting. While Noey was at ballet class today I was able to get more done on the shawl. Noey later asked if I would make her a shawl too!

Some Progress

I worked more on the CP shawl today. I decided not to rip it out. The more I finished the better it looked. I still don't like the metal circs but it's too late now. I think I have successfully learned the increase.....yay! I think I'll make another one for a friend in a blue colorway. I can't wait for my orders to get here....I've got 3 orders on the way. (and I'm seriously considering one or two more!!)

Slow news day

I didn't really get much done today in the way of knitting. I worked on my CP shawl, but couldn't really concentrate on it. It will be really pretty, but I am considering ripping it out and starting over again. I'm not happy with a couple rows and don't think I can live with them the way they are. I have been online a lot today finding all kinds of projects I want to start. I need to start some sort of organizational chart of all my pending projects, projects in process, and future projects.

Gone Crazy!

I placed another order this morning. Just couldn't pass up the prices on books at www.knitpicks.com. I ordered Scarf Style and 25 Bags to Knit, and yarn to make two scarves and another shawl. I am over my poncho faze and appear to have entered a shawl faze!

This is hard! I don't know if it's me, the needles, or the yarn, but this is really frustrating. The yarn is really pretty, but I can see it's gonna take a while. Oh well, at least I won't be bored! 

Nothing to write home about

I wanted to start my Crystal Palace shawl today, but found I didn't have the right size needle. So I ended up working on the dishcloth (yawn) some more. Took it to the park to work on while Noey played, but didn't get much done. It was so windy! We stopped at Michael's on the way home and I got the circular needles I need, but they didn't have bamboo.....I got metal....don't know if I'll like them. I'm gonna get started as soon as Noey goes to sleep. (soon I hope) I also got 6 more Sugar & Cream cotton for 97 cents......everybody's getting dishcloths!!

Spring Knitty is here!

I want to make the Tie One On Shawl, so I've been online all morning looking for yarn. I think I've found what I want at www.yarnmarket.com, but I've decided to wait to order until I've received my books.....maybe I'll need more yarn! :) At moment I'm only working on another dishcloth. I've decided to make a set of dishcloths and pot holders for my mom for Mother's Day. It feels strange to only have one project in the works.....I have a number of projects ready to go, but haven't felt like starting them.

Socks!

I can't wait for my supplies to get here. Thanks Laura for your support! (it's nice to know nice people are out there reading my blog!) I have been researching the making of socks, and I have to say I still don't get it!! But I'm hoping once I have all the materials in hand it will make sense!

Knitting News

First, I went crazy online this morning and ordered a bunch of stuff! I ordered 3 books: Weekend Knitting, Shawls and Scarves, and Learn to Knit Socks from Amazon. I am really going to attempt to make some socks!! I took the plunge and ordered a set of double pointed needles and some yarn from joann.com. Second, I am going to set up a knitting class at the school where I work. It'll be a once a week class in the summer for 2nd thru 6th graders. I'm really excited, not only will I teach the kids to knit, but I'll get to knit at work!!

My first comment!

Thanks Drew! I appreciate your kind words. Noey and I went to Big Lots today and I bought a bunch of containers for the yarn. So before work I organized all my supplies! I also got a cute lime green straw bag to tote all my stuff around in, so I can KIP!! I promptly packed it all up and put it in the car, but didn't have a chance to do any knitting in public!

I finished my first dishcloth. I think it turned out pretty good.....don't know if I actually want to use it though. I'm gonna do some more just to get the practice doing new patterns. 

Knitting Magazines

I don't have any time to knit today, so while at the grocery store I bought Family Circle Easy Knitting and Vogue Knitting.It' s the next best thing to knitting......reading about knitting!! There are several things I want to knit in each magazine....a couple of sweaters, a shawl, and a capelet. We stopped at Michael's on the way home tonight. Lily Sugar and Cream was on sale for 97 cents each, so I bought 5! I'm gonna whip up a bunch of dish cloths.

Disneyland....The Happiest Place on Earth!

We had a great time at Disneyland yesterday. It was really fun for Noey to go with friends. This was her 3rd trip!!! I finished knitting a doll blanket last night. I used a dishcloth pattern and Red Heart Kids yarn....turned out really cute. Now I think I want to start making real dishclothes! I also finished one half of Noey's Jen's Poncho, and ripped out my spring scarf. Don't know what I want to start working on next. I really want to try to knit some socks, but I'm scared!!

We went to Disneyland with Noey's friends Monica and Nicole! 

A pack of pint size ponchos!! I finished all but one, for Noey and friends. 

A Quiet Saturday

Noey doesn't feel well today, she has a fever, so we've had a pretty mellow day. I've almost finished the 4th hot pink poncho for Noey's friends. I was trying to get them all done for tomorrow.....we're supposed to go to Disneyland with her friends, but I don't know now if we'll make it. Once I finish the ponchos I can get back to my own stuff!

My shipment from Knitting Warehouse arrived!! Yeah! More yarn! The blue is to finish Jen's Poncho for Noey, the navy is for Jen's Poncho for me, and the grass is for Best Friend Sweater for me......at least that's the plan for now. Subject to change! 

Here is the Zeeby's Bag before the felting disaster. Noey likes to sneak in the picture!!