The Knutty Knitter

Time For Cake...

2008-10-20T17:20:00.000-05:00

One of our favorite cakes around here is carrot cake. I was bored yesterday, so I decided to make one. They are so easy to make from scratch, although I'm sure they have mixes as well. Looks good, doesn't it?

If you'd like to make your own, here's my recipe:

Carrot Cake

4 eggs
1-1/4 cups vegetable oil
2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
3 cups grated carrots
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9x13 inch cake pan. In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, white sugar and vanilla.

Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and pie spices. (Note: if you have an aversion to cloves, substitute the pie spices for 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon.) Stir in carrots. Fold in pecans if desired. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1/2 cup butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

In a medium bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and vanilla. Beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Stir in chopped pecans if desired. Frost the cooled cake and ENJOY!

Hunting Mitts...

2008-10-15T19:05:00.000-05:00

My brother's birthday is next month, and I promised him a helmet liner and some fingerless mitts to use over Thanksgiving while he hunts. So I got started on the mitts the other day after I finished up my socks (so much for that mission to finish all my un-done pairs this month...) and they are turning out quite nicely. What do you think?

Probably a little hard to see in this state, but they are too big for me, so I was having a hard time getting a pic while wearing them...

Red Thatched Roof

2008-10-13T21:57:00.001-05:00

I finished another pair of socks today. I've actually had them on the needles for far too long. I have too many pair of socks on the needles to be honest. I really need to finish them up! So, I'm on a mission to get a bunch of second socks knit up this month. Here's the first completed pair of the 5 I've been putting off finishing for one reason or another...

Pattern: Socks of Kindness
Yarn: Colinette Jitterbug in Fire
Needles: US Size 3 DPNs

This yarn made a really thick and stretchy sock on these needles. I think that I could have gone down a needles size most likely, but even though this yarn is billed as fingering weight, it just seems heavier to me. Probably not quite sport weight, but still seems heavier than fingering. All in all though, I do like the yarn and the colorway is beautiful. These are going to be some warm socks for the coming winter.

Sock Yarn Club Deadlines...

2008-10-07T11:46:00.005-05:00

The Quidditch Teams of the World Sock Yarn Club will close to sign-ups on October 10th. Space if very limited. This is a six (6) month club, and will feature 100% Superwash Merino, Superwash/Nylon Blends and Bamboo Sock yarns. The club also has a concurrent contest for Club members only. I can't reveal the details of the contest here since it is a surprise for members, but prizes will be awarded at the conclusion of the Club. Shipments start immediately.

This Club is open to U.S. and International residents alike. If you'd like to subscribe and join the fun, simply click the appropriate link below.

U.S. Residents can subscribe here!

International Residents can subscribe here!

Hope you'll join us for the best game of Quidditch ever!!

Reaping What You Sow...

2008-10-03T16:09:00.000-05:00

Well now that autumn is here, we are enjoying the spoils of our labor from the summer garden. To be honest...we have tomatoes coming out of our ears! So, this afternoon I whipped up a batch of pica de gallo for the kids to enjoy with some tortilla chips tonight while they watch Halloweentown High on the Disney channel. Knowing my brood, the entire bowl will be gone inside 20 minutes! What do you think?

We used ingredients we grew in our garden, but you can purchase the same items in the produce department at your local market and enjoy your own anytime of the year. Here's how it's made:

Pica de Gallo

8-10 fresh ripe tomatoes
6-8 scallions (red onion is a good substitute if you don't have these)
Cilantro (a small bunch will do)
1-3 jalepenos, depending on your temperature tolerance
1 lime (optional)

Chop tomatoes, scallions, cilantro and jalepeno to a fine dice. Mix in a large bowl. Squeeze the juice from the lime into the bowl, stirring to mix thoroughly. Cover, and let sit in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. (The longer the pica sits, the "hotter" it becomes as the flavors meld.)

Serve chilled with chips or over your favorite Mexican dish. YUM!

Starbucks & Yarn Swap - Fall

2008-10-01T18:47:00.004-05:00

Today's the first day of the Fall Starbucks & Yarn Swap! I got my Blend members and their matches last night, and sent everyone their info today. I'm can't wait to get started on my buddy's package!

Twilight Personality Quiz...

2008-09-29T10:26:00.005-05:00

Which Twilight saga character are you most like? Take the test for yourself here. My results say I'm:

Jasper Hale

You are most like Jasper Hale. You tend to be off to the side. You are soft-spoken. But you get the job done. Not to mention you never fail to cheer a friend!

Hmmm...I guess parts are right, but those of you who know me know I'm not the least bit soft-spoken! ROFL!

Twilight Package Arrived!

2008-09-22T21:36:00.002-05:00

My Twilight Swap package arrived from Chenoa Cliffs (Jacqui722). I was so excited I couldn't wait to open it! Look at the great goodies I got...

There is a great peridot colored bag, which is the perfect size for a sock project. I love it!! Also there was a great sock pattern, DPNs to knit it up, beautiful stitch markers, some Twilight stickers and a Twilight pin, "T" post-it notes with designer binder clips, designer tissues for my knitting bag, a journal, a giant Hershey's bar with almonds (YUM!), sour vampire bites, a bottle of wool wash, and...get this...an advanced reading copy of a book that isn't even published yet! Having a literary guru for your swap parnter has it's perks people!

Here's the yummy yarn that was also in the package! It's Colinette Jitterbug in the colorway Morello Mash. I'm telling you the picture doesn't do it justice. It's the most perfectly varigated bloody red! I can't wait to knit it up. It's so soft and smooshy!

It was a really fun swap. You can find the group on Ravelry here, and the blog for the swap is here. The New Moon swap will begin soon with signups, so jump on over if you love Twilight! The groups this time around will be Coven, Pack & Volturi!

Twilight Saga Sock Yarn Club - Month 2

2008-09-21T18:42:00.003-05:00

The yarn and pattern for Month 2 is packed up and will be out the door tomorrow. I had a very busy week last week back and forth to the hospital, so I was a few days behind in getting the September shipment out. But...it's all set now! What do you think?

The yarn is called Jacob's Forest, and it's self-striping. The pattern that I wrote for this month has a band around the leg of little arrowheads and is called "Heritage in La Push". I really enjoyed coming up with it. I hope everyone will enjoy knitting it.

What a sad case of neglect....

2008-09-18T21:32:00.000-05:00

this blog is! Why hasn't someone slapped me yet? Seriously, what a pitiful excuse for blogging! In truth, I have more that one blog, so I suppose I could be being just a teeny bit hard on myself here...

Let's see...how to catch up? Well, now that the sock yarn clubs are up and running, that is taking up a grand amount of my spare time. I've also gotten the sock yarn website up and running in the last month. The second month of the Twilight Saga Sock Yarn Club went out today. I really love this yarn. I won't say anything just yet, since they haven't been delivered and I don't want to spoil it for anyone that still might be checking this sorry excuse for a blog, but I'll post pics after I'm sure that they've all made it to their destinations.

In other news, DD made the volleyball team at her school. She's had 3 games so far, and they are 1-3, but they are having a great time! I'm in the market for a new camera since mine is acting up, so I'll be sure to get some decent pictures of them posted as soon as I remedy that! They start a tourney on Friday night, and she's really excited, so hopefully I will have my new camera by then.

Catch Up...

2008-08-01T08:21:00.005-05:00

Well it's been a long while since I've last posted. What a slacker!! Actually there has been quite a lot going on around here... Aside from everything going on around the house and at work, swaps are ending and new ones are beginning.

HSKS5 finished up in grand fashion, and I'm already looking forward to the next one, which at this point is scheduled to start in September. HSS4 is underway...signups closed on July 30th. I can hardly wait to get my partners info so I can start knitting her some socks! I'm nearly finished with my Starbucks Swap & Yarn package, which I am planning to get sent out this weekend to the lovely Jazzy Jean! I do hope she will like it. I did some custom dyeing for her...since she knits socks, it is of course, sock yarn. And...it's self-striping at that!

There have also been some swap packages that have gone missing. A package that I was suppose to get from a swap on Swap-bot never arrived. Also my Reducio Sock Swap and my Wee Tiny Sock Swap for July never arrived. Likewise, my Reducio package never made it to my partner so I am going to whip her up some new mini goodies this weekend. Strange things going on in the Postal Service these days. Sort of annoying to be honest.

The Ravelympics are also coming up! I'm on Team Hogwarts and even though the games haven't started yet, it's already been so much fun! I'm in a few different events, so we'll see how I fare.

First Summer of Sock Pair!!

2008-07-02T09:24:00.004-05:00

Last night I finally finished my first pair of socks for Summer of Socks '08! YAY! I was so seriously sidetracked by the Twilight series, but I made it in before the first bi-weekly drawing. Exciting! Here's they are:

These have a 3.5" ribbed cuff (2" is the minimum allowed by the contest). I used US Size 2 DPNs and cast on 72 stitches working in a 2x2 rib for the cuff, and continued the ribbing along the top of the foot after the heel, which is worked across 36 stitches. (These really are just a shorter-cuffed version of my Ravenclaw Spirit Socks.) I used Lion Brand Sock-ease for the first time here in the color Sour Ball. It's pretty comfy yarn, very nice to work with as well as economical, and I'd definitely use it again.

So, and easy-peasy pair of socks for the first pair! Next up...Squoosh!

Starbucks Swap Q & A

2008-07-01T15:07:00.004-05:00

So we need to have a little Q&A so that Spoilee and Spoiler can have a meeting of the minds. As Hostess of the House Blend Group, I figure I better get my questionnaire up pronto! So, without further ado, here's my little Starbucks Swap assignment...

Full name: Trisia
Ravelry ID: ttknits
Handmade item you desire in the swap (bag, cup cozy, etc.): I might lean toward a bag simply because a girl can never have too many, but I think the fun of the swap is that my Spoiler have fun creating whatever she feels most comfortable tackling, so I guess...surprise me!
Starbucks item you desire (gift card, mug, beans, etc.): Again, surprise me. :D
Favorite Starbucks beverage/bean: Caramel Frappuccino, winter or summer!
Favorite snack food: White Cheddar Cheez-Its
Favorite color(s): Lime Green and Orange, or anything else bright and cheery
Favorite fragrance: Hmmm...I like lots of scents, let's see. I like berry smells like Mulberry, Raspberry, Grape, etc. I also really like the smell of an apple pie baking or cinnamon rolls. ;o)
What types of things do you like to knit? I mostly knit socks or bags/totes/purses
Do you spin? Not yet, but I intend to take a class this summer.
Do you dye your own yarn? Absolutely!
Favorite yarns: Wool/nylon or Wool/Bamboo blends for socks - Noro, Cascade 220 or Brown Sheep wools for bags
Favorite needles: DPNs for socks - Circulars for bags (Knit Picks Harmony's being my fav!) :)
Do you have any allergies? None
Would you be willing to prepare an angel kit if necessary? Without question!
Do you have any special requests? Just that my Spoiler have a bunch of fun. ;o)
Do you have any pets? 2 dogs and a cat
Is your home smoking or non-smoking? Non-smoking

How fun is this going to be? I just want to run out and get a Caramel Frappuccino just thinking about it! Now...off to stalk my Spoilee and get started. ;-)

Off for some Hillbilly fun!

2008-06-27T07:23:00.001-05:00

Well...we're off to the Hillbilly wedding! It's only about a 4 hours drive and the wedding isn't until tomorrow afternoon, but we figured we'd leave today and get up there so we can have even more fun! The hotel has a pool, so the kids already can't stop talking about that! Now...if they can just focus on that instead of blurting out, "Are we there yet?" every 10 minutes, I'll get there sane! ;-)

And away we go..................

Now What?

2008-06-24T15:20:00.002-05:00

Well...I finished them all. I didn't get them done on Sunday like I wanted to since we were so busy. Yesterday I worked and only had a few hours to read. Today I got out early though and came home to finish up the last few chapters. I have to read them again...they were just too good. Now...to creep off to the Book Discussion thread for the knitting swap group. I promised myself I wouldn't peek until I finished all 3 books.

Now I really, and I mean really, need to catch up on some knitting! Summer of Socks started on Saturday, and I was so interested in reading I couldn't get much past a few inches of the cuff on the first sock. That will just never do!

Can't Put Them Down

2008-06-20T18:12:00.001-05:00

Last night I finished Twilight and this morning I started New Moon (book 2). Those gals sure weren't kidding...these books are SO good you just can't put them down. I had such a long work week this week with my partner on vacation it feels great to finally have the time to sit here and just read. I honestly haven't been so engrossed in a book (or books in this case) since the Harry Potter series. I highly recommend them, and have to thank Carma again for loaning them to me!! I'm hoping to get through Eclipse by Sunday night since I'm back to work at 6:00 am Monday morning... I don't know though since Sunday is a pretty busy day for the us with Church and the company picnic. So...back to the books. :)

There Here!!!

2008-06-18T19:04:00.001-05:00

The Twilight books that Carma sent me arrived in the mail today! She even stayed up late the night before sending them out to finish up Eclipse (book 3) so she could send that along too. She is just the BEST! I can hardly wait to get started. Once I get the kids down for the night I'm definitely going to be doing some reading. I wish I didn't have to be to work so early in the morning or I'd probably stay up all night!!

New Swap

2008-06-16T20:53:00.001-05:00

Well...I've found another swap. Egads! I'm actually really looking forward to it. I've been following a thread in the Sock Kit Swap I'm in about the Twilight series of books by Stephanie Meyer. They sound really good, and I would love to be able to get into another series that I liked as much as the Harry Potter series! One of the girls in my Sock Kit Swap is going to ship me her copies so I can get started right away. I knew I wouldn't have time to get to Barnes & Noble before the end of the week. Wasn't that so nice of her?? Now I'll be all ready for the Twilight Knitting Swap!! It sounds like too much fun to miss out on.

Stormy Afternoon Fun!

2008-06-06T20:45:00.005-05:00

Well the weather here was SO crazy today. We had 2 tornados touch down, and between the rain and ridiculous winds, the sun was shining. So strange!

As long as Mother Nature couldn't make up her mind, I decided I was going to dye some wool. The Girl wanted Grandma's Lilac Bush, so purple and green was on the menu. Of course the kids were all about the help, so we used some Mix-ade to dye with today.

I think the green could use an overdyeing with some Jacquard Emerald, but she likes it just the way it is, so that's how it will stay. Here is our inspiration...

This wool has already been spoken for too... Seems this fiber is destined to be a pair of legwarmers for The Girl.

Let's Duel...

2008-05-31T14:04:00.003-05:00

Oh I don't ever want to see another ribbed sock pattern as long as I live. Ok...maybe not that long, but not for a while at least! I joined a side activity in the HSKS5 swap I'm doing called The Dueling Club. The principal behind it sounded so fun I just couldn't resist. Basically, on a specific day at a specified time, a sock pattern is released, and you then "duel" your opponent by knitting that pair of socks for them. However you must get your pair of socks to them before they get the pair of socks they knit to you. The person that receives the pair of socks first is eliminated, having been "killed" in the "duel" by their opponent. Sounds super fun, doesn't it?

Well...the pattern was released on Thursday morning, and as soon as I got out of work I started straight away. From then on, for the most part, I knit my little fingers off until the pair of socks was finally finished this morning. As soon as I was done I wrote a quick note to my opponent, tucked it into a Priority Mail envelope with the pair of socks and some candy, sealed it up and drove it straight to the Post Office. Now it's a waiting game...Did she mail me her socks before I mailed her mine? Stay tuned...

The Zoo

2008-05-23T16:27:00.000-05:00

Another Friday off, and how nice that I get to go with my youngest son and his class on their field trip to the Zoo! I love the Zoo! There were several other parents that went with so we were able to have groups of 2 students each. Their teacher prepared a sheet full of trivia questions and we were unleased to find the answers.

We found a HUGE tiger! He was rather skinny to be honest, but he was quite big. He's nibbling on a small piece of meat.

The pelicans were much larger that I remembered. You could also get MUCH closer to them than you use to be able to. They scared the boy that was with my son and I in our group.

I have a friend who LOVES peacocks and peacock colors. I had to snap a picture so she'd know I was thinking about her! HI Neila!!

There were some new baby meerkats and they were adorable! It was so fun the watch them play and wrestle around. The boys were laughing away.

This Mother Goose made her nest in a very strange location. She's right on the wall between the giraffe and the rhino. And you can get right up next to her. She didn't even flinch. I'll bet when those eggs hatch she'll be a bit more ornary!

A stop off at the petting zoo to see the little animals revealed some pretty hungry little goats. They were really craning their necks out to try and get some vittles.

It was a really fun trip! After the Zoo, we walked along the lake and snapped a few "class" pictures, which turned out great! Before heading back to school, we stopped at the new playground they built at the beach! The kids all had a great time. (So did Mom...)

Slythering Bag Re-Do

2008-05-18T13:12:00.003-05:00

Well, I learned a valuable lesson... I finally learned how important it really is to swatch when trying new yarns and patterns. I usually never swatch. I hate swatching, I think it's wasting my valuable knitting time, and I have no idea what I'd do with the swatch once I've finished it. So...I usually never swatch. Well, that finally bit me on the butt!

Remember that Harry Potter swap I was in? Well I volunteered to send an Angel package to one of the Slytherins who didn't get a package like they were suppose to. I got all the goodies together, the pattern(s), the yarn(s), the needles, little extras, knit the bag, went to felt it, and WHAM!, there that lesson was smacking me right in the backside! WAY to small...even for a sock project! I felt horrible, but the next round of HSKS was scheduled to start so I sent her everything that was suppose to be in the kit, plus the goodies, along with a note letter her know that I'd have the bag to her as soon as I could. In any event, I decided NOT to use the same yarn that I did for the first bag. In fact, I decided not to make her a felted back at all. This is the new bag. I have only to finish the handles and it will be ready to be sent off. I hope she'll like it! I really enjoyed making this bag and think it came out to be a fairly good size. I think I'll have to make one for myself as well!

It's My Birthday!!

2008-05-16T22:20:00.002-05:00

What a fun day! This has actually been the funnest birthday I've had since I can't remember! I had the day off, which is always a plus! Then after dropping the kids off at school, I had to run to the Post Office, and as I was going through the doors to get inside, a man was walking out and say, "You're very pretty." I can't remember the last time someone said that! I think I smiled for at least an hour...

After that I got to do some knitting, which I always love. Then I went with a few girlfriends out to lunch, which was super fun since we hadn't seen each other without the kids for a while now, so I laughed a good chunk of the afternoon away.

At the appropriate time, I ran up to the school to get the kids, dropped their backpacks and lunchboxes off at home, and set out for my parents house. Once I got there, there was flowers waiting for me. My Pops cooked the best steaks ever on the grill, and after dinner there was my all-time favorite cake ever...German Chocolate! YUM!

How blessed to have such a great day with the people I love! :)

How "Taurus" are you?

2008-05-15T15:17:00.001-05:00

Well, since tomorrow's my birthday, I figured I'd see just how Taurus I am...

You are 93% Taurus

How Taurus Are You?

Well...no big surprise there!

The Twins Hit Double Digits!!!

2008-05-12T20:51:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday to you...Happy Birthday to you...Happy Birthday dear Twin-kies...HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!! My twins turned 10 today!

Here they are taking a little break from the homework to make a wish and blow out the candles. Happy Birthday babies...I LOVE YOU!!!

Want to Come and Join the Fun?

2008-05-03T15:37:00.005-05:00

The next round of swapping at Hogwarts is about to begin and sign-ups are underway right now!

Do you love Harry Potter and his magical world?
Do you love knitting socks?
Don't know if you love knitting socks, but always wanted to try?
Do you love to have fun with other knitting friends?

Well then come and join the fun!! All the information about the swap, as well as a link to sign-up, can be found on the HSKS main site!

Accio FUN!!

Sunny Vineyard

2008-04-30T17:23:00.003-05:00

I made some crew socks from the yarn that we made when I taught the kids to dye the other weekend. They turned out pretty nice. I wasn't knitting to gauge, so my stripes are a bit off, but the socks fit great, so I'm happy with that.

I need to do some more dyeing this weekend since I got a request from a friend for some knee-length baseball socks that are bright and colorful! She wants to run around the bases wearing rainbows. Should be fun...

Ravenclaw "Minee" Sock

2008-04-29T17:58:00.003-05:00

I dyed this yarn for the Ravenclaw Riddle Winner in HSKS4 this term, and I just could not resist knitting up a little bit of it! I just LOVE the way the bronze came out. In socks the stripes will be more narrow, but it made a cute wee sock, nonetheless!

After I took this picture I beaded some tiger wire and hung this from my rear-view mirror! I love it. :)

Oooooo! Secret Mail...

2008-04-28T17:40:00.002-05:00

I got the GREATEST card today! And...I have no idea who it's from! It's a lovely card, complete with fun little doodles, from my swap partner. She had been checking out my profile on Ravelry to see what my interests were and wanted to tell me she's got some fun ideas and she even hinted that she might spin me some special yarn! Now I am even MORE excited!!

Isn't that cool!?!? Thank you secret swap pal, whoever you are! You made my day!! :)

It's another Wee Tiny Sock Swap!

2008-04-27T22:44:00.000-05:00

I got my partner's name for the Spring Wee Tiny Sock Swap on Ravelry. I already had the yarn picked out. We were suppose to use Spring colors - yellow, green, pink, purple, or any combination thereof. Since I had just taught the kids how to dye a few weekends ago, and they came up with the greatest green/yellow/purple combo, that's what I went with. It turned out pretty cute, don't you think?

The deadline to send out is May 1st, but I'm going to do up a hand-made card in the same colors tomorrow morning and get this off to her right away. I hope she will like it.

Wanna Hear Something Cool?

2008-04-22T19:55:00.002-05:00

I was on Ravelry today, and I got a PM from Quietish. She commented on the Fair Isle House Pouch I made, which is her original design. She just PM'd to tell me that it turned out beautifully.

Now how cool is that? It made my day. :)

Dye, Knit, Knit, Dye...

2008-04-20T15:20:00.008-05:00

So many fun, knitting related things to do... This weekend I let the kids do some dyeing. They always love helping me but they really had fun doing it for solo. Yesterday I blogged about the yarn the twins made, but last night my youngest got into the act and created some really cool tie-dyed type yarn.

I can't wait to knit up some socks with this stuff. It's a funky red/purple/orange/white mix.

I also finished up a few socks this weekend. The first one I made from a baby yarn. It's an acrylic and polyamide mix. I knit this up on Size 3's casting on 68 stitches. It's the Burning Rings of Fire pattern. I needed some socks that were on the thicker side since we like to sit out on the deck after dinner this time of year and watch the sun go down.

These are super soft, and nice and warm. They'll do nicely to keep my tootsies nice and warm.

After I got the kids to bed last night I also finished up another sock I as working on. This one is made from Fortissima Socka. It's a self-striping blue and gray mix - Color #0011. For this one I just used my Ravenclaw Spirit Socks pattern, making the leg portion slightly shorter so these were be true crew-length.

I really love this yarn. I knit these using Size 2's, casting on 64 stitches.

Let's see, what else? Oh, of course... This morning I dyed some yarn for a well deserving Ravenclaw. She showed her wit this term and came out on top in the Ravenclaw Riddles standings. So, she won the Ravenclaw sock yarn.

Our Ravenclaw prefers book colors, so I did blue and bronze. It's self-striping and will have a bar of blue and a bar of bronze both separated by narrower bars of white.

What do you think? Not bad for finishing up some projects this weekend, huh? Now...I really need to get my sister-in-law's vest finished since her birthday is in 4 days!

Gloomy Saturday Adventure...

2008-04-19T16:03:00.010-05:00

While it's perfectly sunny and beautiful now, the day started out gloomy and cool, with clouds threatening to let loose any minute. So, what's a mom to some super creative kids to do? Why, teach them how to dye yarn of course!

First we set out the chairs and started to wind our yarn around it. We wanted self-striping colors for our sock yarn, so once we had the entire hank wound around the chairs, we marked off some equal lengths for our main colors which were a bit longer than those that we would leave un-dyed. (We started out with yellow Pace sock yarn.)

I took the yarn off the chair for them and put it in the sink so they could get it prepared to dye.

Since the kids were doing the dying today, I thought it best to use the Kool-Aid dyeing method. They mixed up their colors while their yarn was soaking. It smelled pretty yummy!!

Since we dyed on the stove-top, I supervised them a little more closely. No need for any unnecessary first aid! See...almost all the color is out of water and into the yarn. We're nearly there.

Once all the color had disappeared from the water, I took the toasty pans over to the sink for the kids and dumped them in so they could rinse their yarn. They left two striped yellow, dyed one green using 3 packets of Lime, and dyed the other stripe purple using Blue Raspberry/Grape/Tropical Punch.

Once their yarn had dried, I wound it up into a center-pull yarn cake. They decided to call this one Vineyard. Super cute and ready for some socks!!

Monster Mash...

2008-04-13T20:47:00.002-05:00

Your Monster Profile

Iron Dictator

You Feast On: Pickles

You Lurk Around In: Shopping Malls

You Especially Like to Torment: Groupies

What's Your Monster Name?

(This is actually sort of funny to me since I love pickles. I love them so much it's sort of a joke around here...)

Ravenclaw Pouch

2008-04-11T20:51:00.005-05:00

I started a Ravenclaw HP Fair Isle House Pouch the other night following the pattern Quietish has on her blog. I'm using Knit Picks Wool of the Andes for this one and making it in the movie colors. I was planning on casting one of the beauties on for myself next month in book colors, but with the end of HSKS4 here, it seems that one of our Ravenclaws is in real danger of getting stiffed by her Spoiler, so I bumped this up in case we need an owl to fly off to her with an angel package. It's my first fair isle attempt and I have to say it's turning out quite nicely. I'm using a much smaller needle that I normally would with this yarn (a US Size 3 16" circular), but I wanted the bag to stay true to the size Quietish intended for it in hopes that it would make a nice pouch for carrying around the current sock project.

I really do like this bag, and the pattern is quite well written. It also knits up much quicker than I expected. I think this could easily be a rainy weekend project. I'm definitely going to be making one of these for myself, but I think I will go up a size or two on the needle next go around just because I think I'd like my bag a bit larger.

I can't wait to block and line this one so I can see the final product.

April Showers

2008-04-10T20:17:00.002-05:00

Well, another Spring, another flooded street out in front of my house. We've lived here 10 years, and it's always been the same. Every time it rains, we get a flood. Of course, no matter how many times I call the Village, they never do anything about it. The past few rainfalls they've actually driven out and placed signs on the road that warn of high water. Pretty helpful, as someone driving down the road might not notice they are about to drive into a lake... As the spring wears on we will get a mallard and his mate that will come for a swim in the street.

We are suppose to have rain all weekend. Any bets on how close the water will get to the front door?

Another Pair of Socks...

2008-04-08T18:07:00.000-05:00

I'm in the 2008 Sock Knit A Long group on Ravelry, and our April KAL is to create a pair of anklets. Seems fitting since summer is right around the corner. So, in an effort to feed my current addition for knitting socks, I've whipped these up. They are loosely based on Alli's Anklets, although I didn't use worsted weight yarn or larger DPNs. I really like Knit Picks Risata, so for this pair I used 1 skein of Grass, and some leftover Ash that I had on US Size 2.5 (3.00 mm) DPNs. Another super quick knit. I just love ankle socks. I wear them often, even in the winter. This was a really easy pattern, and it was quite simple to adjust.

Hmmm...If the gray were a bit lighter I'd have to say my Slytherin alter-ego was peeking out. Oh hell, it is, who am I kidding?

Hogwarts Sock Kit Swap

2008-04-06T22:20:00.001-05:00

My swap kit went out on Friday as scheduled. It's just a short trip since it's going to Minnesota. They said it should most likely be delivered tomorrow. I'm excited for my Spoilee to get it. I really hope she likes it. It was very fun putting it together.

I received an email from my HSKS4 Spoiler today. She wanted to let me know that she hasn't knit the bag, and so her kit to me hasn't gone out yet. She wasn't very specific on when it would be mailed. I got in touch with the House Prefect, who's also 2nd in command, to keep her informed because I know that they were trying to keep track of all the mailings. I really wasn't worried at all until I got her response... Seems this same person was her Spoiler in the last round, and did the same exact thing. At the end of the swap last round she emailed that she didn't have the bag ready, etc., etc. Then, six weeks after the swap ended, she sent her a kit, without the bag. Bummer, huh?

Where Do You Belong?

2008-04-04T09:50:00.002-05:00

You Belong in 1982

Wild, over the top, and just a little bit cheesy. You're colorful at night - and successful during the day.

What Year Do You Belong In?

It's Here...

2008-04-03T15:11:00.002-05:00

I received my Wee Tiny Sock today in the mail. It came from Washington State, from JoAnne, and is SO very cute!! It's made from A Swell Yarn Company's Original Duet yarn, using only the main color. (Original Duet is a yarn that comes with a main color, which is varigated, and a contrasting color, a solid, for the heel, toe and cuff.) It's SO lovely! It's already happy at home on my mini sock blocker keychain. :)

HSKS4...Ready to Go!!

2008-04-01T19:21:00.003-05:00

Well...after such a fun "term" in HSKS4, the kit I put together for my Spoilee is ready to be shipped off. I won't be able to get to the Post Office to send it on its' way until Friday, but Friday is the deadline, so I'll get it off just in the nick of time!

I had another 1st Year in the swap, and she was also in Ravenclaw.

Here's what I put together for her:

~ 1 Knitting Tote (sewn by me)
~ 1 DPN Needle Roll (sewn by me)
~ DPNs in Sizes 0 through 5 (placed in the needle roll)
~ 2 skeins Knit Picks Essential in Riverbed Multi
~ Binder FULL of sock patterns
~ Set of 7 Stitch Markers (Ravenclaw Blue & Bronze, of course)
~ Small Stitch Holder
~ Handmade Coca Cola Sock Blockers
~ Journal
~ Harry Potter Calendar
~ Travel Set of Lotion, Shower Gel & Hand Cream
~ Kwikspells Konfections Sour Dragon's Blood Balls
~ Kwikspells Konfections Jellied Nightcrawlers
~ Kwikspells Konfections Chocolate Milked Balls
~ Kwikspells Konfections Never-Ending Tooth Crackers
~ Gummi Eyeballs
~ Licorice (Black)

I do hope she will really like it. I had a great time gathering things to put in it. I almost can't wait to see which pattern from the binder she will choose to knit up her socks.

Wee Tiny Socks...

2008-03-31T07:53:00.000-05:00

The Wee Tiny Sock Swap 2008 ends today. Well, mailing must be done today. This was such a cute little swap. On Friday, March 29th, we received our Wee Tiny Swap Pal's name from Emily. Then we had the weekend to make out Pal a Wee Tiny Sock. We were to wait until today to mail them, but they needed to be mailed today.

This is the first Wee Sock I knit for my Pal. I used Size 0 DPNs to make this from Knit Picks Essential in Shale Multi.

I really liked the brown one, so I decided to make another one. I made this one using some of leftover Red Heart Luster Sheen I had from the pair of socks my daughter wanted me to make her.

I ended up stamping a card for my Pal and sending both! What a fun little swap this was. I can't believe I have to wait another whole year for it to come around again. :)

Java...

2008-03-29T09:46:00.003-05:00

I am 67% Addicted to Coffee

I'd have guessed more than that...

Hmmm.... Um, Yum?

2008-03-25T21:41:00.002-05:00

So I had this nice ripe red tomato that I was going to put on some ham sandwiches for the kids at lunch today. When I cut the stem out to slice it up, I saw something green in there. Green? In my nice red tomato? So I split it open and this is what I found. That has GOT to be one of the weirdest things I've ever seen. I wonder if these would actually grow into tomato plants...

Found a New Swap!

2008-03-22T17:56:00.005-05:00

Yay me!! I found a new swap and it's perfect!! It's called Wee Tiny Sock Swap 2008, and it's so perfect for me since I just got my fun little sock blocker keychain from Trish in the HSS3 swap. I just signed up today and should have my partner around March 28th. How fun is that?? I can't wait...

I want to wish you all a very Happy Easter!! I hope you all find your baskets right away. ;o)

Oh my Goodness More Snow!

2008-03-21T19:51:00.000-05:00

It has been so nice lately that I think we were all spoiled! Guess what? It's snowing again today. And I mean snowing!! I got up at 6:00 this morning and it was already snowing. The kids played outside all day, and now at almost 8:00 in the evening, it's still snowing. WOW! I think we are at about 14" so far, and it's still coming down lightly. The forecast predicts a 50% chance for more snow tomorrow and a 40% chance for snow on Easter Sunday, then, if you can believe it, RAIN on Tuesday. That's Wisconsin weather for ya!

A Package Full of Goodies...

2008-03-17T21:54:00.001-05:00

I received the most wonderful package from Tricia, my HSS3 swap partner today. She sent me a whole trunk full of wonderful things. She knit me a beautiful pair of Bellatrix socks in Slytherin colors (my House in HSS3), 3 of the greatest Harry Potter sock patterns available on the net, some wonderful sock yarns, a great sock blocker keychain complete with yarns and instructions to knit wee tiny socks for it, some GREAT items from the trolley for the train ride home, a super cute little knitting back to carry around my wee tiny sock project, a copy of the Golden Snitch pattern complete with the yarns to knit it up and some wonderful candles.

I posted pictures of all the goodies Tricia sent me on my HSS3 character blog, and send even more thanks to Tricia here than I have already. It's been so fun having Tricia as my swap partner this round of HSS! What a wonderful new friend she's become.

Swap Junkie?

2008-03-13T10:28:00.000-05:00

Ok... Swapping is SO much fun! It all started for me with HSKS4, which I cannot recommend enough, let me tell you. I also signed up for HSS3, which started a few weeks later, and runs at the same time as HSKS4. One is a "kit" swap, and the other is a sock swap. Fun, fun, fun!! I will definitely be signing up for both of these again after the current term is over.

Anyway, the fact that these two swaps are coming to a close got me thinking I really didn't want to stop swapping. So, I'm searching Ravelry for another swap I can join. I'm hooked! I'm so into socks right now, I think I'd like to see if I can find another sock related swap, but I'm sure there are lots of others as well.

Work has turned out to be much more than a part-time job. These is really stressing the kids and I out to be honest. So far it's working out... I got my first check today, and paid the kids' tuition. LOL! I suppose only time will tell... I think it will be less stressful for me if the kids get better with it.

That's all for now! Tootles...

First Day...

2008-03-02T21:31:00.000-06:00

Well, the kids have successfully (and I mean successfully) moved to their new school. They are now out of the Public School System here, and going to a local Lutheran School. They absolutely love it! But that means tuition payments, and the need for some extra cash flow... So, Mom goes back to work! My first day at the Eye Clinic is tomorrow, and I'm looking forward to it. It's a part-time position, which is perfect in many ways. Not only will it pay the tuition with money to spare, but it will allow me to still be able to stay involved with volunteering at school as well as be there for homework help every night.

Well, off to try to get a good night's sleep. 6:00 a.m. start time, so I think I'm going to need it... Wish me luck!!

February is for Socks...

2008-02-29T16:14:00.001-06:00

So I have been so into making socks lately. I just can't help myself. You know I'm in the HSKS4 and HSS3 swaps, which I'm sure is fueling the fire. It's just SO much fun! Here's some of what I've done this month...

These are ankle socks made from my favorite sock yarn, Zitron Lifestyle! I knit these up on 3.00 mm Harmony DPNs.

Here's a pair of Ravenclaw Spirit Socks I devised to bring Ravenclaw some good luck during a Quidditch match in HSKS4. Unfortunately, it didn't work, and our seekers didn't find the snitch, but it was sure fun! (I realize that posting this here compromises my secre Potter identity for HSKS4, but what the heck!) ;0) These socks were knit up using Opal Feeling on size 3.00 mm Harmony DPNs. I love these because I can wear them slouched, calf-length or folded-over ankle length.

My daughter wanted a pair of heavy socks for the house at night in her 'jammies. So, she picked out some Red Heart Luster Sheen of all things, and I knit these up for her on 2.75 mm Harmony DPNs. She really likes them. My son has asked me to make him a pair now out of the same yarn, but in black, so those are OTN now...

These socks are some of my favorite for many reasons, least of which is that this ball of yarn was sent to me by my dear new friend, Neila. She knows my passion for Pumpkin Pasties, bless her heart, and told me this yarn (Filatura Di Crosa Maxime print) reminded her of pumpkin pasties when she saw it. She was so sweet, she sent this ball of yarn in an adorable Pumpkin Pasties tin which I've added to my "tins" collection. These "footies" were knit up on 3.00 mm Harmony DPNs.

These are my leftover socks for February. I knit these up on 3.00 mm Harmony DPNs (do you see a pattern here...) using the leftover Opal Feeling from my Ravenclaw Spirit Socks (pictured above) and leftover Knitpicks Navy Essential from my top-down adaptation of Quietish's Fred and George Socks (pictured below). These were fun!

February really was the month of socks I guess! ;0)

Happy Leap Year everyone!!

Lime in a Sea of Snow...

2008-02-06T10:46:00.000-06:00

Well, I finished up my lime green ankle socks. They are a welcome reminder of the Spring to come as we are getting yet more snow. I used a worsted weight for these in a cotton/merino blend as I was thinking they'd make some nice house socks for when the weather starts to get just a little warmer. This is a basic top-down constructed sock, and I stitched up the toes with a kitchener stitch.

I'm also 1/2 of the way done with my Fred and George socks. Quietish has a pattern on her blog for these great socks, but as I much prefer knitting socks top-down as opposed to toe-up, I've sort of improvised these based on her pattern. I decided on a little wider stripes, and I've used Navy and "Bronze" colored Essential yarn from Knit Picks for these. The mate to this sock will begin with Navy for the ribbing so it's worked in the exact opposite striping. One ball of each color is more than enough yarn for the pair. What do you think?

A Week in Review...

2008-02-04T13:15:00.000-06:00

Well last week was quite the week!! The kids only had school 2 out of 5 days last week because of the miserable weather. Once it was called off because it was extremely cold...wind chills of nearly 30 below 0 degrees Fahrenheit! Then after the bitter cold, it warmed up and we got some snow. LOTS of snow!

The kids were overjoyed, to say the least, and spent nearly then entire day outside in the white stuff!

One snowman body, coming up!

No wait! This snowman body is BIGGER!

You boys fight it out! I'll be waiting over here...

Of course everyone had fun! A few of us ended up sick. We spent the weekend tending to sniffles and fevers, drinking hot tea and doing our best to be well enough for school and work Monday morning. By Sunday night as we watch the Giants show the Patriots what the NFC is all about, we were all feeling much better! Despite what was going on outside the window as we cheered New York to victory...

If you can believe it, it's actually raining now...complete with thunder and lightning! That's Wisconsin weather for ya!

Packer Backers to the End!

2008-01-30T11:59:00.000-06:00

Well, the boys both wanted new hats for the Championship game, and so I rose to the occasion. Of course, the Packers weren't able to pull it out in the end, but they still wear them with pride, nonetheless.

In other news, it's been a while since I've posted. This is mainly due to my involvement in HSKS4. I'm having loads of fun with it. I've met some really fun ladies and made some great new friendships.

Aside from having great fun in the swap, the weather here has been really crazy the past few weeks. We actually had tornadoes a few weeks back. In January, can you believe that? We spent a few hours here huddled under the pool table down in the rec room. After that we had some vicious cold which actually lasted quite a while, only to warm up, and today, be miserable cold again. Wind chills have been nearing 30 degrees below 0! Tomorrow it's suppose to start to warm back up again though, and then more snow for the weekend!

The kids will be thrilled...their family of snowmen melted the other day when it warmed up!

Striped Stocking Cap

2008-01-13T19:27:00.000-06:00

I finished up the stocking cap I was making for my older son last night. He just loves it and has been wearing it almost non-stop since it came off the needles.

I make these caps in 2 different sizes - one for adults, and one a bit more snug for the youth in my life. These are very simple to make and can be made in any variation of stripes or solids. This go around I chose a country red, white and blue, and used a 4 strip size repeat - 8 rows, 4 rows, 14 rows, 10 rows.

I finished this one off with a pom that I made using all 3 colors of yarn.

Now his twin sister wants one...

New Year Knits

2008-01-12T15:35:00.000-06:00

I've been neglecting the blog the past few weeks. There are a few reasons for this:

1. I've been knitting like crazy!
2. The HSKS4 sign ups opened on January 1st, and as it's a secret swap, I've been blogging on my Potter blog for the swap. (Can't reveal the link to that blog until my partner has received her package...)
3. I've been knitting like crazy!

I've completely finished one new project this year. I knit a wool bag, and as it didn't turn out exactly as I had envisioned, I decided to felt it, and get creative with the strap and embellishments on the bag. Being so disappointed with it before felting, I can't believe how happy I am with this tote now that it's felted and finished! I am in the process of writing up the pattern for this gem for sharing.

Aside from the felted bag, I have also worked up a Bramble Bag, which just needs a pair of handles and I'll have a brand new knitting bag. I've also worked up a new of slippers this year, and have a Stocking Cap OTN now for my son.

It's already shaping up to be a great year for stash-busting knitting!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

2007-12-31T21:07:00.000-06:00

First I want to wish all of you a very Happy New Year!! 2007 was a great year of knitting...I bet 2008 will be even better.

What are your resolutions this year? Me...my #1 resolution is to knit down my stash. No matter what the project, I am promising myself that I will first shop my stash bins to see if I can find a suitable yarn before I head to the LYS for more yarn.

I finished up one last project for 2007 today. It's the Tubey sweater I've been working on for my daughter. She's modeling the sleeves above, which she wanted to wear before I seamed the sweater together. I chose to make the sweater in two pieces and seamed the tubes together rather than picking up the stitches on the sleeves when I started the body. Mainly because I'm much better at seaming than picking up stitches.

But all's well that ends well...and best wishes to all of you for a knit-filled 2008!

Winter's Back...

2007-12-28T12:14:00.000-06:00

Well...after a warm snap (almost Spring-like), that started a few days before Christmas, Winter has returned. It's still nice and mild outside, but with the added bonus of the promise of 3-5" in fresh snow. I was beginning to wonder if I'd be able to get the kids out sledding during their Holiday break from school. Looks like tomorrow "the hill" is on the agenda!

With a nice cup of tea, here I sit watching the snow fall while I work on my first post-Christmas project. I have a long list of items I want to knit, but I've decided to start with a sweater for my daughter, Tubey, from Knitty.com. Since I'm on a stash-busting mission now that Christmas is over, I'm using some Caron Simply Soft in Light Country Blue that I had in my bin full of acrylics. Since it's for my daughter I thought that might be a better choice, since it'll likely see it's fair share of the washing machine. I really like this sweater though so I'm thinking of adding a cotton version for myself to my "to-do" list for this year.

Merry Christmas!!

2007-12-25T20:06:00.001-06:00

I just wanted to take a moment to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas!!! I hope you all are enjoying your time with your family and friends this Holiday season.

All the Christmas knitting is done and with a wonderful prime rib dinner in our bellies I find myself thinking about what I can knit next. I have some exciting swaps coming up in 2008... I am very excited to particiapte for the first time in the HSKS (Hogwarts Sock Kit Swap) which sounds like so much fun! I'm also starting a stitch marker swap which should be a blast as well.

My wonderful family got me a portable hard drive for Christmas, so now that the dishes are done and the kids are playing with their goodies from Santa, I think I'll sit down and start knitting a bag of some sort to carry it in. I'm thinking felted wool, what do you think?

Warm Me Ups!

2007-12-17T10:22:00.000-06:00

Well I was able to finish up the scarf to match the hat I made for my Brother-in-Law. He's very difficult to shop for since he really is a man who has everything. So I was pretty nervous at our exchange this weekend. In the end he really did like it. I gave him some gourmet coffee to go with it, and of course, as is family tradition...some lottery scratch-offs.

I hope he wins big!!

Tsk, tsk....

2007-12-14T12:54:00.000-06:00

I've been neglecting my journal this week... Two of the three kids came down with the flu, and there was a snow day. It's been a weird week! But, we are definitely going to have a white Christmas...

So...what's OTN? Well, I finished a hat for my brother-in-law yesterday and today I'm working on knocking out the matching scarf. Actually, I think that's my last gift knitting project for the Christmas season. I better double-check my list to make sure. :)

So Much For My New Bag...

2007-12-10T21:35:00.000-06:00

I started working on a new bag last night. I had a vague sort of idea in mind for what I wanted, but nothing set in stone. Anyway, I am using up some Cascade 220 from my stash. I fully intended to felt it and line it with a coordinating fabric complete with a few pockets. So...I'm getting toward the end this evening and my daughter says, "Oh! A skirt for over my leggings. I love it! Thanks Mom!!"

Sigh...

So, I promptly bind off and hand it over to her squeals of delight.

Now to start on my bag...again.

Possessed Needles...

2007-12-08T20:33:00.000-06:00

I don't know what came over me these past few days, but I've been obsessed with cleaning up open projects. I also decided it was finally time to make the kids new hats, so I knocked that out too.

So...what have I been up to?

I finally finished up that fringe on the crocheted poncho I started this fall. I also crocheted a small flower and attached it to the front.

When I originally started this project, I had intended to keep this poncho for myself. Of course, when I was done with it, my daughter was in love with it (mostly because of that little flower), and I ended up giving it to her instead.

My skinny scarf was so lonely without a matching hat, so I decided that I better get cracking on it. My orphaned scarf has now been adopted by it's match and couldn't be happier.

I didn't have to buy any extra yarn since I had plenty left over from my little ribbed creation. That's always a good thing!

It looks much better this way, don't you think?

Speaking of hats...the kids all needed new ones. I really like the SHIPS project pattern on the Lion Brand Yarn website. I make tiny variations to this pattern if I'm making it for the kids, but it's still basically the same, and they always come out nice.

My oldest son wanted a plain Navy hat. Voila!!

His twin sister of course wanted pink...big suprise! I did her's in a bulky yarn though that was very soft. I had to pry it off her little head last night when it was finally time for bed. She's so silly!

My youngest wanted, what else...a Ravenclaw hat. I suppose that's not a bad thing since he'll be getting the Ravenclaw scarf at Christmas so he'll be all matching and everything!

Again I was able to use what I had left from knitting the scarf, so no extra yarn to buy.

I just love that!

"Well, if you're sure. Better be...GRYFFINDOR!"

2007-12-06T14:05:00.000-06:00

I put the finishing touches on my daughter's Gryffindor scarf and it's all ready for Christmas! I just love how all three of these scarves turned out. I know I will be making my gift scarves like this from now on...whether Harry Potter inspired or otherwise. The patterns is great, and the scarf turns out gorgeous on both sides. Not to mention the fact that it's double-thick...perfect for the chilly Midwestern winters.

Work on the wands to go with these scarves is underway! Stay tuned for updates...

"Wit Beyond Measure is Man's Greatest Treasure"

2007-12-04T21:22:00.001-06:00

So says the oft-repeated Ravenclaw proverb. Ravenclaw is the House at Hogwarts that my youngest son favors. His scarf is now complete. Yay! He preferred the scarves worn in the first 2 movies, so I made him that style. I can't wait to give it to him. He keeps asking me if it's done yet...I'm so sneaky!

I started on the wands today as well. As soon as I get them completed, I'll post the final product and some instructions. You never know when one of your little witches or wizards will be needed a new wand...

I have 3 more stripes to finish on the Gryffindor scarf for my daughter, plus the fringe. I wanted to finish it up by today, but I was sidetracked by life. It happens...tomorrow's another day!

And guess what??? We are getting more snow tonight. I just love the snow...

The Joy of Recycling!

2007-12-03T14:22:00.000-06:00

There are so many knitters that love to hunt down great sweaters at the thrift shop to deconstruct so they can re-use the yarn. The cost savings can be enormous as skeins of the very best yarns can run upwards of $10 each depending on the area of the country you live in.

I had never done this, so after an inspiring post in one of my groups on Ravelry, I felt compelled to give it a try. I got some great pointers from my fellow knitters and set out to our local Salvation Army. I went immediately to the men's section of the store and starting combing the racks. There were so many nice sweaters I could have come home with a car load full, but in the end I decided on 4 and set out for the register.

I ended up coming home with a coffee colored Abercrombie & Finch 100% cotton sweater (Men's Medium) that only set me back 60 cents; a pumpkin colored Old Navy 100% lambswool sweater (Men's XXL) that I paid $3.50 for; a white Eddie Bauer 100% cotton sweater (Men's XL) that I shelled out $1.50 for; and a yellow Ralph Lauren linen/raime blend (Men's XL) which I paid $1.50. So, for a grand total of $7.10 I will end up with miles of great yarns to work with if I can deconstruct them correctly.

Of everything I came home with today I'm most excited about the Old Navy sweater since I wanted to make my brother some new hunting gloves and a matching hat for Christmas, and the color (although it might not look like it from my pic) is perfect!

I can't wait to get started!!

No Sleep for the Knitting Mind...

2007-12-02T08:31:00.001-06:00

Well after a fresh blanket of snow yesterday, then some cold winds last night, I couldn't sleep. Maybe I just have too many projects on my mind! So, rather than lying there staring at the ceiling I decided to get up and work on getting some things done...

I pulled out the Princess Poncho I've been working on for my niece for Christmas and decided to get the neck eyelash crocheted on and finish the front fringe. You have no idea how economical this little gem was to create. I used Jiffy yarn by Lion Brand and Moda Dea Zing. While spending another extended trip to Hobby Lobby one day I saw that Jiffy was on sale for $1.49 a skein. It's not usually that expensive anyway, but at almost $1.00 off per skein, I decided to jump on it. Then I found a pale pink color of Zing that was being clearanced for 99 cents. I couldn't believe my luck...it matched perfectly! So, for just around $5.00 I was able to make this "Teen" sized poncho.

Now that the kids are up and fed, I'm suddenly tired...go figure!

Heir of Slytherin

2007-12-01T16:53:00.001-06:00

My oldest son's Slytherin scarf is finally complete. We got our very first taste of winter today with a snow storm, so while the kids played, I worked on getting the fringe on this scarf.

The pattern for this scarf comes from Charmed Knits. However, rather than knitting this scarf in a ribbed pattern the book calls for, I decided to knit in the round using the stitches called for in the Year 1-2 House Scarf from the same book. I like the look of it better, and it will make it doubly warm.

I always like to give the kids some sort of gift for Christmas that promotes the use of their imagination, and with the final book in the Harry Potter series coming out this year, as well as the release of the movie Order of the Phoenix (Year 5), it's been a fun HP year. Since the kids love the series just about as much as I do, I thought this would be a fitting. The scarf will be wrapped up with a Slytherin robe (complete with House patch), a new wand, and a handmade book about the House of Slytherin.

My younger son is a Ravenclaw and my daughter is a Gryffindor. Their scarves are also almost complete, and will be added to their gift boxes too.

Now...I think I should make one for me so I can play too!!!

Charming the Sticks

2007-11-29T21:26:00.000-06:00

Work continues on the Harry Potter project I've been obsessing about for the kids for Christmas! I'm finished with 2 of the 3 scarves now (minus the fringe) and have a good start on #3. I've used patterns from Alison Hasel's Charmed Knits. Only one of the kids (my little Slytherin) was interested in the scarves the characters wore in Years 3 & 4, so the other two (my Gryffindor and Ravenclaw) will have scarves from Years 1 & 2 (the ones with the equally broad stripes).

I've been thinking on the wands as I've been knitting away and I think I know how I will make them now. I'll just need to cut some dowels to length before I can get started. I'm going to make the handles out of polymer clay and use watered down acrylics for color to make them look weathered. They look great in my mind's eye...so hopefully the finished product will be as impressive!

I still have yet to find a pattern for the robes, but I think I can just create something from scratch if I can't find something I like. I've ordered the House patches, which should be here next week. Once the robes are done, they'll go perfectly them!