Bye-bye '07, Hello '08! One Project done, a new one cast on!

Well, a Happy New Year to any and all who may read this!
My completed project, as of last night, December 30, 2007, the "Waiting Room Socks." Here they are, in all their glory:

A bottom view: Between "Second Sock Syndrome," the holidays and the Bass Section hats for Chicago, I was beginning to think they'd never get done. But done they are.

And now, for my next cast on...Michael's sent out a mailer for their current sale, 30% of all yarn!! And a 50% coupon good for one regular priced item...so I bought Mason Dixon Knitting (yay!) and enough yarn to knit up a Log Cabin Moderne! I bought this yarn:

It's brand new to my Michael's (at least around here) and to me. I liked the way it felt in the skein, a little more weight and body than Simply Soft, and quite a bit softer than Red Heart. I was thinking Vanna's Choice, as I've heard some good things, but I preferred these colors. Of course if I had the budget, I'd have gone nuts at Tempe Yarn and Fiber, but that's just not in the cards right now. Hopefully it will wash well!! I'm going to swatch it up today (if I ever get off this computer) and decide on a needle size.

I'm hoping to get several projects done this coming year. I'd like to complete the Log Cabin, and an afghan for Naomi (the Babette Blanket, as mentioned in earlier posts.) Also I would love to do a pair of socks every (other???) month, and complete the projects to the right. Beyond that, I have a HUGE Ravelry queue, and would like to try to do a project or 3 from there:) Maybe begin my first sweater???

The kitties are looking forward to being spoiled for another year, and I think Frosty has a future in computers, or at least computer decor:


By the way, notice he's on Ravelry!!!

Well, Happy New Year, once again!

Christmas come and gone...

Well, I got through another Christmas. While I am so amazingly grateful for the birth of Jesus, since Mom died in October of 2005, it's just been really tough.

We had a nice, quiet family time this year, really all I want or can handle. On Christmas Eve, we got the tree up, and baked some cookies. The day before, Naomi and Anthony did a bit of decorating in the house, they were so sweet. We also made the fudge and divinity that day. Yesterday we opened gifts, talked on the phone with a few friends and family, and had Mat, Tabitha, Brennan and Austin over. We did our brunch with them, then hung out and watched movies and played games. Cassie worked, and when she got home she joined in, and we exchanged gifts with her. Ron, the kids and I never got out of our jammies!

Frosty got into the spirit, investigating boxes. I wasn't quick enough with the camera to get a pic when he was inside the box, looking out at me, but here he is snooping around it!

And here is little Austin Shane, on his very first Christmas:

Now it's time to get to enjoying the vacation time with the kids! And back to getting to work on finishing some of the UFO's!

I seem to be drawn toward afghan projects, so I'm hoping to do some. I want to make a throw for my cousin and her new husband, who ran off and got married. Congratulations Nicole and Lance! I need to make the Babette Blanket for Naomi, as mentioned in an earlier post. I also want to do a Rambling Rows afghan (for Cassie), a Log Cabin Moderne (for ME!!!) and for Brennan, a Joseph's Blankie of Many Colors.

And, of course, Ravelry keeps inspiring me and giving me multitudes more ideas....that queue just keeps growing!

Christmas rush...finally back to my socks!

Well, DH and I did our shopping yesterday, finally. With finances what they are, it was as minimal as possible.

In trying to get everyone together to do anything in the way of baking and decorating (no, I don't have a single light up!) I have discovered how things change when you have teenagers. Josh got back from the trip on Friday night, went out last night, and will be gone to a party and a gig tonight. He seems to think we can cram it all into Christmas Eve. Sigh.

As for my knitting, I'm working on the gusset decreases on the waiting room socks. My Ravelry queue keeps growing, especially with big projects (i.e. afghans and more afghans, plus a couple of sweaters from the Starmore book I checked out from the library...I think St. Brigid may be the most beautiful thing I've ever seen!!). My feet may never get warm again. I didn't buy any socks this year, thinking I'd knit a sock wardrobe...I've been wearing lots of thin and holey socks. The next pair up is New England from Nancy Bush's Knitting on the Road. I love the pattern, and they look so warm done in a sport weight. I've got 2 skeins of Nature Spun Sport ready to go!

Today is fudge and divinty day, they need to set, and I will want some when we trim the tree tomorrow. Sorry Josh. We'll do the spritz cookies tomorrow.

If I don't post, I wish any and all who may read this the merriest of Christmases!!

Josh is off...scarf done, but no photo!

Okay, so the Obnoxious Orange Scarf did get completed, even though I was knitting at 2 in the morning! My hands are so stiff I can barely type today! Stuff just kept getting in the way of my getting it done! But done it is. As soon as he either gets back or sends me a photo, I'll post it. It was a simple k4 p4 rib, in RH Super Saver "Pumpkin." It should be called "Traffic Cone Orange" or something. If I ever see a pumpkin that bright, I'll assume it grew near a nuclear power plant or something. I used the yarn left from the trim of his Camo Earflap hat.

As I write, the Orchestra is on the plane to Chicago, the bass section with their bows and hats, and everyone else with their instruments. Basses are being provided for them their, thank God.

Josh was so excited, and I'm excited for him, I only wish I could go, too. Here's Josh and a couple of orchestra buds on their way to a previous clinic:

A Truce!!!

Well, it's been pretty cold this week, and the boys have been scoping out whatever blankets are around. This fleece on is a feline favorite. I put it on my chair for Beasley, whose old bones suffer in the cold. (Beas is the dark ball of fur hiding his head!) Next thing I know, Milo is snuggling up with him. This isn't surprising, as they nap together occasionally. But when Frosty joined them (the cushion on the chair is one of his very favorite spots), I thought I'd have a heart attack. They were SO cute, I had to get a photo. Or two:

Of course, when Beasley woke up (about 3 hours later), the cease-fire was officially over! Oh well, you can't have everything, I guess...

Bass Section Hats DONE!!!

Well, I got the girls hats done! This is Molly's:

I did it in RH Super Saver in the hot pink, with some black acrylic from my stash. I crocheted the flower, and added a black sc border for some contrast. I opted out of a tassel on this one, and did the braided long tassels on the sides.

Here's Shandon'sThis was my first "fair-isle" experiment, and I'm pretty happy with the results! I did an i-cord on the top, adding the purple in, and double-stranding it, endid with a tassel. The side ties are also i-cord.

Now it's off to finish the Obnoxious Orange Scarf. I've decided to name it that officially, thus the capitalization!

I looked at my ticker, and I am stunned that Christmas is a mere 2 weeks away. Please excuse me for a moment while I go in the bathroom and scream at the top of my lungs....

Guess I better be off to do SOMETHING Christmas-y!!!

What's new...tea poll closes today

I'm moving right along on the hats! To keep it interesting, I've been doing something a little unique with each one. I made this one second. I striped it, and decided on a tassel for the top, rather than a pom-pom. I like the result:




I did this one next, and did an i-cord knot on top, and did i-cord on the sides, instead of braiding the yarn. It looks pretty cool, I think.

I'm almost done with the first hat for one of the girls.No pics yet, but soon. I'm doing a bit of fair-isle (my very first, and without instructions!) on one, and will probably do a flower on the other!

I'm actually having lots of fun with the hats, and will insist on a pic of the whole bass section together, in hats!!!

Today is the last day to vote in the tea poll!

Knitting Hats like a Crazy Person! Big Crochet Project(s?) on the Horizon...

Okay, so I am knitting the hats for the whole bass section of Josh's orchestra. On his dime...I'm about 2/3 of the way through one. I will post pics when I can. He even took "orders" for colors...knitting round and round and round for the next week!

As for the new project, I've been trying to find an afghan Naomi likes forever. I was cruising Ravelry, and saw the Babette Blanket, check out pics on Flickr here, and a gorgeous Hexagon afghan, pics here. She's rejected everything I've shown her so far, so I didn't think she'd like them, but I did, and wanted to make one for myself. She LOVES the Babette. Her room is in aqua, teal and other cool colors, so I'm thinking that's what I'll do, then she saw this. So I'm doing one in warm colors like these. She'll have the afghan longer than the room, so I'm good with that. It is gorgeous. Oh, and of course, me, who LOVES (dripping with sarcasm, btw) finishing, will be making this in 2008. I ordered the back issue of Interweave Crochet, so I could get the pattern. (IW Crochet, Spring 2006) And I still want to make one for myself (similar to this colorway...and Josh (who already has an afghan, btw) wants one (he likes this). Maybe I'll get him one before he goes off to college. Oh, and Ron digs the hex...link above. Funny I'm in a knitting obsession, and here come some enormous crochet projects....will my "waiting room socks" ever get done??? Will any of my socks ever get done????

I know the furbabies will love all this "afghaning," lots of yummy warm yarn to sleep on!

Only 4 days left to vote on the "What's in Your Pot?" poll!