The Knitting Librarian

It's been a while

2011-02-25T21:16:00.000-05:00

It's been a long time since I last posted. I have not been knitting as much lately. I did start a blanket for our baby that is due in June. It's the Garter Rib Baby Blanket. It called for size 7 needles and was very easy to follow. I worked on it for a while, but got frustrated because it was such a slow process. I ripped it all out and started again by doubling the yarn and going to size 15 needles. The result is much softer and moving along quite nicely.

I'm also looking at some hat patterns for the baby. My new favorite is the Button-flower cloche by Jennifer Little. I think I have some yarn in my stash that I can use to make this. I also want to make a pumpkin hat for the baby. Hopefully, I'll pick up my knitting bit more in the coming months to complete all of these projects.

My First Pattern

2010-08-07T22:44:00.001-05:00

As I said a few months ago I was working on a pattern of my own design. I had never designed anything before. My friend loves to bake cupcakes so I wanted to make her a cupcake scarf. After many attempts on the first few cupcakes I finally got it the way I liked it. The result, in my humble opinion, was great. And my friend was so happy with the scarf she was in tears.

I wrote up a pattern for this scarf and currently have someone looking it over to help make sure it make sense. Once she finishes I am thinking of putting it for sale on Etsy...we'll see.

New Pattern

2010-06-10T18:26:00.000-05:00

So I was on Etsy one day and saw a crocheted scarf that I would like to make for a friend. Since I don't crochet and there was no pattern I'm going to have to make my own. I wrote something up borrowing from a few different patterns, but don't know how it will work yet. I am going up to WEBS on Tuesday and will get the yarn at that point. So once I work on it a little I'll update whether my pattern worked or not.

Spinning Lessons

2010-04-19T11:30:00.000-05:00

My wonderful husband got me a great birthday present this year. Last year my parents had gotten me a spinning wheel and all year I've been trying to learn how to spin. I've watched some people spinning and a few weeks ago at fiber event I was able to try to spin, thanks to a very kind woman. I have still had problems with it though and have not been able to make yarn. This year for my birthday my husband got me spinning lessons at Rumpelstiltskin Yarns, so on April 27th I'll start my spinning lessons. I get 6 lessons and hopefully it will turn into a new hobby for me.

Ravelympics 2010

2010-02-21T22:59:00.000-05:00

I'm a Ravelympic champion. I finished two events in the first 9 days of the Olympics. I originally signed up to participate in the Bag Jump. My mother-in-law had got me yarn to make the Formal Boot Bag from Bag Style. I cast-on at 9pm EST on February 12th when the Olympics started. I finished knitting the bag itself on Saturday. It then needed to be felted, which I didn't do until Thursday the 18th. It took three rounds in the washing machine to get to the right size. The panel that gets sewn onto the bag was finished on Friday the 19th, but I was still waiting for the bag to finish drying. It was at that point that I decided to make a second project. I wanted to make a hat to go with my purple scruncable scarf and found the pattern for the Calorimetry. I entered the Hat Halfpipe competition and cast-on on Friday night. It was finished on Saturday afternoon. Saturday night I pinned the panel to the bag. Sunday the 21st I sewed the panel to the bag, sewed on the buttons and attached the strap. It's been a great Ravelympics for me and now I just am waiting for my medals!

Scrunchable Scarf

2010-02-11T17:23:00.000-05:00

I was at A.C. Moore the other day picking up needles for my knitting club and found yarn on sale, Bernat Satin. They have a gorgeous rich purple color called Plum Mist Heather. I found a pattern on Ravelry for a Scruncable Scarf. It was a really easy pattern and knit quite quickly.

I had to look up the word selvage though to figure out what I was doing wrong. The pattern says to cast on a multiple of 3 stitches, which I did. I started right away with the pattern, which is not what you are suppose to do. With a selvage you are suppose to slip the first stitch of the row, follow the pattern and then knit the last stitch of the row. When I did this the pattern started showing up correctly.

I'm so happy with the result, the scarf is so soft and squishy. I just love it.

Penelope

2010-01-18T12:33:00.001-05:00

She's finished!!! I was nervous about making this cute little monster doll, because my past attempt at making a doll didn't work very well. I didn't follow the directions exactly this time. The designer said to stuff everything then sew together, I knew I had problems with that...so I stuffed the ears and sewed them to the empty body. I did the same with the arms and I sewed the eyes too. I stuffed the legs and closed them and as I sewed the bottom of the monster together I sewed the legs into the seam. I finished stuffing the doll and then closed up the bottom. This worked very well for me and I think the result was great. I'm really happy with the result and can't believe I'm going to be giving it up in a few weeks. I'm sure the recipient will love it though.

Koolade Blanket

2010-01-16T19:13:00.001-05:00

I finally finished the second baby blanket I was making. It was like a dark cloud hanging over my head and now it's DONE!!!! The first baby blanket I made took 24 days to knit and that was with starting a new school year. This second one took 4 months. It's the same pattern and it's very easy to knit, I just wasn't crazy about the colors this time around. So it's finished now with 4 months to spare.

Now it's time to think about my Ravelympics 2010 project. I had planned on continuing a WIP, but I'm not so sure anymore. The WIP is a entrelac shawl that I started over Thanksgiving. I've worked a little on it here and there and could really work on finishing it over the two-week Olympic period. But I also got new yarn for Christmas this year. My mother-in-law got me the book Bag Style by Pam Allen and got me two different types of yarn to make two of the bags in the book. I'm thinking of starting one of those for my Ravelympics project. Decisions...decisions. Well, I have 27 days to decide.

Christmas Time is here again

2009-12-20T16:49:00.001-05:00

It's that time of year again. Luckily, I don't have any Christmas projects that I need to finish. I've been working today on the Easy Shells Baby Blanket. I really have only had a chance to work on it during my knitting club on Thursdays, so today with all the snow it was the perfect opportunity to continue to work on it.

School let out on Friday with a half day. It's so nice to know that I do not have to get up for work tomorrow morning. That just means I can hang out watching movies and enjoying the Christmas mood in the house.

The dog is waiting for Christmas too!

Fall Days

2009-11-14T15:58:00.005-05:00

Right after Rhinebeck I quickly knit up the ribbon yarn into a scarf. I did another Twisted Drop Stitch scarf because I figured that would make the scarf the length I desired. The ribbon yarn knit up beautifully and I finished the scarf in a day. I've worn it to work a few times and get compliments every time. The colors are perfect for fall, so I'm glad I knit it up quickly to get the most out of it.

I've also been working on another baby blanket for a friend. It's the same pattern as the Jelly Belly blanket, but the colors are just a little different. This yarn is called Koolade and it has yellow instead of purple and the blue is darker. I'm not as crazy about these colors and find that I'm not as excited to knit it. Good thing she's not due until June, I have time to finish it.

Rhinebeck!!!

2009-10-21T17:03:00.005-05:00

I had such a great time at the NYS Sheep and Wool Festival this past weekend. Mom and I drove up on Friday night and spent the whole day on Saturday at the Festival. We got to see a spinning demonstration, go to all the buildings (last year we missed some stuff) and then we even got to go to the Ravelry Party Saturday night. I got some great yarn and some roving. I still think I need to take a spinning wheel lesson though. I tried last night to use the wheel and it just wasn't working for me.

The great thing at the festival is that everyone is so friendly and ready to help you. My mother went into a booth for American Heirloom rugs and the woman taught her how to make the rugs and let her sit and try it for a while. My mom, of course, walked away with her own project, but it was so nice that she was able to try it out before purchasing. Also, the woman giving the spinning demonstration answered so many questions and was very helpful with tips.

At the Ravelry party I got to sit with some people that spin and they were also helpful with tips for spinning. Everyone was so nice. It was really cold, but I wore tons of layers and didn't feel too cold which was great. I suggest if anyone is in the Northeast that you should attend the festival next year, it's a really great time!

A new blanket

2009-10-10T22:06:00.001-05:00

I've started a new baby blanket for another friend who is pregnant. It's the same pattern I used before, but with a little change in color. I'm using Bernat Cottontots Ombre Koolade. This one has the same green and blue, but has yellow instead of purple in the pattern. I'm hoping this will knit up fast, but it is a great pattern and very enjoyable to knit.

Everything seems to be working

2009-10-06T06:10:00.001-05:00

I think I've finally got it. Still need to add a few things on my sidebar, but on the whole I like the new layout.

So back to knitting news... I've become part of a competition on Ravelry. It's a Battlestar Galactica challenge. You sign up to do "missions" and receive points for your team when they are completed. Currently I'm only signed up for one. I'm working a shawl with some yarn I had gotten for Christmas last year. It's going pretty well; the trick will be when I need to block it, as I have no place to do blocking.

I also started to knit Penelope the Empathic Monster doll. It took me a while to get going because I needed to find size 5 circulars that were small enough to knit in the round. My mother-in-law saved the day and I was able to get going on this adorable monster.

I have also ordered yarn for another Easy Shells Baby Blanket. Another friend from work found out she's pregnant and I had so much fun knitting the other blanket I decided to make one for this friend. I'm waiting for the yarn to arrive, hopefully before the end of the week.

Fresh Fall Start

2009-10-04T21:35:00.001-05:00

Trying out a new template for the blog. Not sure about it yet.
I like this one better, but I can't fix the links at the top. Bare with me through these changes.

Jelly Belly Baby Blanket

2009-09-18T19:43:00.005-05:00

One of my good friends from work found out she is pregnant. I decided right away to knit her baby a blanket and maybe some other things. My mother-in-law had used the pattern for the Easy Shells Baby Blanket previously and suggested it for me. I ordered the same yarn she had used as well. It is Bernat Cottontots. The pattern is knit with two strands of yarn held together. I chose white and Jelly Belly (not know whether the baby is a boy or a girl).

I loved knitting this blanket. I really love the way the colors worked. The pictures do not do it justice. The blanket almost looks tie dyed.

Now it's on to the next project. I plan on knitting Penelope the Empathetic Monster for my friend's baby as well. I can't wait to start!

I also need to start looking for more patterns, so I'll have a better idea what I would like to buy at Rhinebeck this year. last year I felt so overwhelmed because I didn't have patterns in mind. I plan on being prepared this year, armed with patterns and ready to find the perfect yarn to match them.

Bella's Mittens continued

2009-08-16T12:47:00.003-05:00

I finally finished Bella's Mittens. They weren't hard, but I was slacking again after our trip to Lake Placid. So I finished them today. I liked working them with the dpns instead of magic loop (mainly because I don't know how to do the magic loop), but I found it a little difficult at the top of the mitten when I had to do all the k3tog and sssk, it got a little tight. Anyway, glad they are finished and now my mom is working on her own because she loved the pattern so much.

Bella's Mittens

2009-07-19T12:55:00.003-05:00

Two weeks ago we went up to Lake Placid and I was able to get the Catalina Baby Alpaca Chunky yarn to start Bella's Mittens. I started right away when we got back to the cabin. I finished one mitten by the next day and almost needed them for fireworks over Mirror Lake (who would have thought July 4th would be so cold). I'm still working on the second mitten, but really enjoy the pattern. I decided not to use the magic loop method that is written in the pattern and instead am using dpns.

I started camp after that weekend. The weather seems to finally be cooperating and it actually seems like summer. We had some beautiful days at my beach camp where it was low 70s and clear. The humidity seems to have picked up, but still not terrible. Next week we head to New Hampshire for camping...let's hope it doesn't rain then. Hope everyone is enjoying their summer.

Vacation

2009-06-24T16:30:00.003-05:00

Summer vacation is here! It seemed as though it would never come. I've still been slacking in the knitting department. I worked a little on my log cabin squares, but didn't continue for very long.

I did find a pair of mittens that I want to make so I'll have them done by the time the weather gets cold. I wanted to make them to match the hat I made up in Lake Placid. So, I emailed the store up in Lake Placid and asked if they had any more of the Catalina Chunky yarn. They said they did and have put it aside for me. I'm going up next week and hope to get started on the mittens then.

It's been slow

2009-06-01T20:25:00.002-05:00

I haven't been knitting. I don't know what's going on, but nothing holds my interest and I just haven't picked anything up in a while. I had knit a baby sweater for my friend a few months ago, but never sewed in the ends. This past weekend was her baby shower, so I was forced to sew in the ends. She really seemed appreciate it. Hopefully sometime soon I will find something that I want to knit.

Who says turning 30 is bad?

2009-04-26T09:50:00.006-05:00

I've been a bad blogger. Nothing for 2 months, that's bad. I was in a bit of a knitting slump. I really couldn't find a project that was holding my interest. Then I found the Lace Spiral Scarf in 101 Designer One-Skein Wonders. I had bought some Mohair yarn at Rhinebeck with a project in mind and it turned out it really didn't work for it, so it's now becoming the spiral scarf. I'm really enjoying it. I'm using my new Harmony wood interchangeable circular needles.

Last week was my birthday. It was fabulous. My husband gave me a beautiful diamond cross, some books, a DVD and a trip to DISNEY WORLD!!!! Disney is my favorite place in the world, so this is the most wonderful present I could get. We haven't booked it yet, but we'll be heading there this summer. My in-laws got me tickets to see West Side Story on Broadway, which I can't wait to see.

The final present I got from my parents a few days after my birthday. My mother had heard me talking about learning to spin and my parents decided to get me my very own spinning wheel. I'm so excited. I need to take some classes to learn how to use it properly, but I can't wait to start spinning my own yarn.

All in all I would say I had a great birthday. I can't believe how lucky I am.

A Lovely Long Weekend

2009-02-17T21:41:00.010-05:00

This past weekend my husband and I took a trip up to Lake Placid. It was beautiful and sunny all weekend long. We tried to go to the Saranac Lake winter festival, but looked for parking for at least a half an hour and finally gave up. The drive was beautiful and for the first time I was able to see the top of Whiteface Mountain.

We spent Sunday walking around the town of Lake Placid. I got to go to Adirondack Yarns and I bought some lovely Catalina Alpaca Yarn. The lady was kind enough to make a copy of the Foliage hat pattern from Knitty (I didn't have any Internet access up there). I started knitting it on Sunday night and finished it on the car ride home. We stopped in almost every store on main street and also took a dog sled ride. I was sad to leave on Monday, since I have the week off from school, but my husband had to go to work. Hopefully we'll be heading back sometime soon.

I'm still here

2009-02-09T18:08:00.005-05:00

It's been a while since I've written. I have been in a bit of a knitting funk. I got a lot of yarn for Christmas, but every time I go to start a project I get frustrated and stop. I just recently started a Quick Baby Sweater for a friend. This seems to be pulling me out of my funk and hopefully after I finish this I'll be motivated to do other things.

Secret Santa

2008-12-21T23:08:00.004-05:00

I participate in the Secret Santa at my school and I was so happy this year. My Secret Santa was the best. We all fill out a little form telling a little about ourselves. I of course mentioned that I like knitting. My Secret Santa got me some beautiful yarn from a local yarn shop. It's Trendsetter's Love, and I love it.
So of course I had to start knitting something right away. Because I couldn't find anyone else on Ravelry who has used this yarn I decided I'd make a scarf. My requirement was that it had to show off the beauty of this ribbon yarn. I settled on a Twisted Drop Stitch Scarf pattern that I found on Ravelry. I added an extra knit row after the last twisted drop stitch row to keep it even with 3 rows of knit between every twisted drop stitch row. It only took me about 2 days to complete it and it's super long, which I love. Yay Secret Santa!!!!And just to get you in the Christmas spirit here's a pic of the dog a few days before Christmas.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

2008-12-15T17:57:00.003-05:00

I've been knitting away trying to make Christmas presents. I think I've finally finished them. Although there may be one more that I need to do. Anyway...my sister-in-law asked for a hooded scarf and had found a picture of one that she liked. I interpreted the picture and made my own pattern of it. I began to call it the scarf of death, because it seemed like it would never end. I'm glad it's finally done.

After I finished the scarf I decided to make her a pair of handwarmers that I had seen on Ravelry thanks to Nicola. I am very happy with the end result. I found that I really have to pay attention to the pattern and it gets a little tough with 5 needles, but they are beautiful. I actual plan on making myself a pair now. The annoying thing was that I had gotten a ball of Bernat Alpaca to make these and with 3 rows left on the second glove I ran out of yarn. Now I had to go get more yarn just for 3 rows!!!!! Well with the rest of that yarn I decided to make a quick scarf for my grandmother who just turned 94 in November. I added some pink mohair to it (her favorite color is pink) to give it some color. I'm calling it the Cotton Candy Scarf. It's very soft and I'm sure she'll like it.

So there you have it. I have been busy knitting, just not busy posting.

Knitting Club

2008-11-19T17:07:00.003-05:00

I started a knitting club at my school. Right now I have one student and two teachers. I'm hoping that in the next week I'll get more kids to sign up (especially when they hear the P.E. teacher has joined). It was a lot of fun today and I hope it will generate more interest. But in the meantime I'm glad to have some colleagues that are interested.

I'm currently working on a Christmas present. It's going really well, especially considering I figured out the pattern just from a picture of the project. The only problem is that I seem to get a little bored working on it. I just hope I will finish it for my Christmas deadline.

Rhinebeck

2008-10-19T20:49:00.004-05:00

I drove up to Rhinebeck, NY for the Sheep and Wool festival this Saturday. I wasn't there for the full day, but I got a taste of the experience. The amount of vendors was staggering. I really enjoyed my time there and plan on going for both days next year. I did purchase a couple of things:

It's finally finished!

2008-10-09T10:05:00.004-05:00

I started my Cabled Hobo Bag in March of 2007 and it is now finally complete. My mother's friend had sewed in the lining of the bag for me, but left the handle for me to sew. I am terrible at sewing and the two times I tried I screwed it up. Last night I finally asked my mom to help me and she showed me how to do it correctly. So I finally got the handle sewn and now it's ready for me to use.

Is it Moebius or Mobius?

2008-09-12T19:05:00.012-05:00

I can't believe I forgot to post about my Moebius scarf. Right before I went on my cruise I watched a Knitty Gritty episode where they demonstrated the Moebius. I became intrigued and decided I wanted to make one. I ordered the Cashmere yarn suggested and after my cruise it was here waiting for me. I started pretty much right away. It's an interesting cast on and was fun to work with. I love the way it came out. I have another skein of yarn, so I may be making another one soon.

I don't know which way to spell Moebius/Mobius. It seems as though both spellings are acceptable. On Ravelry the pattern is spelled with an e, but on the DIY website where I downloaded the pattern it's spelt without the e. I guess it will remain a mystery.

Shrug 2

2008-09-12T18:29:00.004-05:00

So after my success at Ravelympics, my sister-in-law asked for a shrug just like mine in grey. One day after work my mother-in-law and I took a trip to Three Black Sheep and I bought some yummy grey yarn. It's Debbie Bliss Rialto Aran. This knit up very nicely and I hope that she is as happy with it as I am.

I also made myself a little card that I will use to tell people that I hand knit the present.

Tagged

2008-09-04T16:22:00.005-05:00

I've been tagged for the 6 quirky things meme by ktb38.

The rules:
1) Link to the person who tagged me
2) Mention the rules
3) Tell six quirky yet boring, unspectacular details about myself
4) Tag 6 other bloggers by linking to them
5) Go to each person’s blog and leave a comment that lets them know they’ve been tagged

The meme:
1) My hair is naturally curly.
2) I hate spiders.
3) I wear a size 10 shoe
4) I love movies, there are very few that I don't enjoy
5) I love Disney

I tag:
CactusNeedles
Becky-Dee
Coley
Melissa
Vagabond Bettie
Auntie Tracy

Left over yarn

2008-08-10T20:35:00.006-05:00

I had some left over yarn from my shrug and wanted to use it up. It wasn't enough to make anything big, so I decided to make a cell phone carrier. I am getting a new phone on Wednesday and it seemed like the best thing to do with the yarn. It's a great small project to knit without too much thinking. I started it in the afternoon and finished it this evening while watching the Olympics.

Ravelympics

2008-08-09T23:42:00.002-05:00

Well my Ravelympics project is finished. I was all worried that I wouldn't be able to do it and I finished it on the second day. Guess I didn't have anything to worry about. I made sure to record my casting on time and my finish time. This shrug was really easy to make and there was no sewing, which makes it that much better. I think if I make it again though I would make the body part a little longer. Here are the pics.

I am now awaiting my medal from Ravelry to show that I have completed my Sweater Sprint in the 2008 Ravelympics.

A new project & the Olympics

2008-08-05T02:33:00.012-05:00

So when I had gone down to New Orleans I bought some yummy green yarn and started making a Reversible Cabled Brioche Scarf. The pattern is beautiful. My problem was that my yarn felt really tight and I just didn't like the way it was looking. So, as I normally do if I don't like a project, I frogged it. My husband and I then went up to his grandfather's lake house for the weekend and I knew I wanted to bring this yummy yarn and begin again. This time I chose the pattern Falling Water by Bonnie Sennott (free download on Ravelry). I love the pattern and I am loving the way the scarf is coming out. Of course this picture is of it unblocked. It will look more lacy once I block it.
On to the Olympics, or rather the Ravelympics. I was not going to participate in this first Ravelympics because I'm away for part of it. In the end I decided it's the first one I have to participate. So I joined. I'm entered in the Sweater Sprint making Shrug This from the book One Skein Wonders. I am very anxious to cast on. Only 3 more days! I have to finish before I leave on my trip August 21st, so wish me luck!!!

Craft Show

2008-07-23T19:08:00.003-05:00

I just wanted to show the beautiful necklace I got at the craft show in my town this past weekend.

I collect seaglass during the summer at my camp (and if I happen to go to any other beaches) and when I saw this I knew it was perfect.

Katja

2008-07-18T20:42:00.003-05:00

The secret project was given this past weekend to the recipient. It was a Katja halter top. My best friend had a beautiful baby girl in May and last weekend I went down to New Orleans to visit her. I wanted to bring something for the baby and wanted something to knit on the plane.

This was a very easy project. I had made the cups and attached them together. I left the rest until I was in the airport. I had to wait about and hour and a half for my flight to board, so I worked on it then. After that I worked on it for the 3 hour flight down to New Orleans. I finished about 20 minutes before we landed. It was very cute and my best friend loved it. It's still to big for the baby, I can't wait to see it on her though.

Another Secret Project

2008-07-03T20:26:00.000-05:00

So I started another project. I wanted something that I could bring on a plane, so it had to be small and easy to knit. The project is started, but I won't post more about it until it is finished and given to the recipent.

CPH: Part Deux

2008-07-01T19:58:00.004-05:00

I know it's been a while since I've posted. I have been knitting, but work has done it's best to keep that from happening. The Central Park Hoodie is moving along slowly. I have finished the back and the left front. I just started the right front the other day. Hopefully with this long weekend I'll be able to get some more done. Here are some pictures...

CPH: The Beginning

2008-05-10T10:14:00.003-05:00

For my birthday my in-laws got me some beautiful Malabrigo yarn in Applewood and the pattern to make the Central Park Hoodie. My mother-in-law had heard me comment on it when we went to Three Black Sheep. So I've been waiting to finish the Lady Eleanor before I started this project. This is my first real sweater (the baby one didn't really count) so I was a bit nervous. I went to the knit along at the shop last night and started. This yarn is so nice to work with. The ladies were very nice and I had a good time. I learned that because of the nature of the Malabrigo yarn I have to alternate skeins so that it won't look all blocky. In order to do this I have to carry the yarn up the side of the project, so I can alternate them every 6 rows or so. I'm looking forward to the next knit along night and in the mean time I'm loving working with this Malabrigo yarn.
I also got some cute place markers as you can see in the picture.

Catching up

2008-05-05T15:19:00.002-05:00

I had finished some projects earlier in April, but never posted because they were for a friend's baby shower. My best friend is having a baby girl in June and I made three things to give to the baby. The first was an Upside-down Daisy Hat from Itty-Bitty Hats.

I also made another pumkin hat.

I made another Oh So Soft Baby Blanket. This one I did in purple and yellow. My friend, who lives in New Orleans, said that the purple and yellow would go with the sage green of the room, making it Mardi Gras colors. (I forgot to take pictures when I finished)

The Lady is Done

2008-05-04T15:06:00.005-05:00

The Lady Eleanor is finished. This was such a fun project and I loved working on it. I only had problems at the end with the weight of the project, but otherwise it was great. I did not knit "backwards" as is suggested for entrelac projects. The fringe was a little frustrating, but came out beautifully. I did not crochet the edge like the pattern says, because I tried and it looked wrong. This could be from my lack of crocheting abilities.

Lady Eleanor

2008-04-08T20:38:00.004-05:00

I started another new project. I went to A.C. Moore the other day and found Paton's SWS on sale, so... I started the Lady Eleanor from Scarf Style by Pam Allen. The colorway is Natural Violet. When I first read the pattern I wasn't sure if I could do it, but it is quite easy. Enjoy pictures!

Harry Elefante

2008-03-29T16:26:00.002-05:00

So in my typical fashion once I finish one project, even though I have others started, I have to start something new. I searched Ravelry and found the Elefante pattern by Susan B. Anderson. I thought it was cute, so I decided to make it. I had some problems with the body at first, but got through it and it didn't look too bad. Today though I finished it and sewed the head onto the body. Let me preface this with I DON'T SEW. Therefore, he looks a little goofy because of my sewing abilities. He is finished though, except for eyes. I have to go get some black thread to make his eyes.

Moonlight Scarf

2008-03-20T16:04:00.002-05:00

This past weekend my husband and I went up to Lake Placid. While he went skiing I sat in the lodge and knit. A couple of weeks ago I had to rip out the Midwest Moonlight Scarf because I kept ending up with more stitches. I restarted it in the lodge at Whiteface Mountain and it's going very well. I love the colors.

I have been knitting...

2008-02-24T09:52:00.003-05:00

I've had this past week off from school for our February break. It's hard to believe it's over. It's been a nice relaxing week though, and I was able to get some other projects done. Some of the projects however are secret because the person may read this.

I have made another present for my cousin's baby. A Little Pumpkin hat from the book itty-bitty hats by Susan B. Anderson. I used RYC Cashsoft DK yarn in Clementine and Sage.

I also made a Swift Cell Phone Carrier from One Skein Wonders for my friend from work. It's from some leftover pink yarn and very cute.

And of course I had to start a new project. I'm making the Midwest Moonlight Scarf from the book Scarf Styles by Pam Allen. I'm using Patons SWS Natural Earth. I love the colors and can't wait to see the finished product.

So there you go, I have been knitting.

A Sweater and a blogiversary

2008-02-05T20:42:00.000-05:00

Well, I've been sick as a dog the past couple of days. I started with a cough last Thursday and progressively got worse the whole weekend. I went to work yesterday, but sounded like I had a frog in my throat. I stayed home today, but I still feel horrible. The only good thing about it was that I started a new project and was able to finish it today sitting in bed and watching movies. I had an extra ball of TLC Baby Amore Seaspray left over from the baby blanket. I decided to make a sweater. I found a really cute pattern on Ravelry. I like the way it came out, I just need to get better at picking up stitches under the arms (there are a few holes, nothing huge, but still there).

Today is also my first blogiversary. A year ago today I wrote about doing my first cables and now I'm making baby sweaters. Yea me!!!!

I'm hooked...

2008-01-30T20:51:00.000-05:00

On the Yarn Harlot's blog she mentioned a game that she couldn't stop playing. I started and now I can't stop. Have fun with flying hamsters.

Ugh...Tam

2008-01-27T20:39:00.000-05:00

Well it is not pretty, it's done, but now it's my Pooh Bear's hat and not mine. It came out way to big. I didn't bother making flowers for it because of it's size. Gauge does matter...and I didn't pay attention to it.

Casting on new project

2008-01-26T13:14:00.001-05:00

I finished my cousin's baby blanket. It is beautiful and soft and I love it. I bought yarn to start another blanket, but haven't been able to cast on yet. The wonderful box that my husband made for the yarn (so it doesn't tangle) was a bit to small, so he is going to fix it. He hasn't had the time though, so I'm without a box. I don't want to start the blanket for fear of the yarn getting super tangled like it did previously. So, I have the scarf that I can knit, but don't really feel like knitting that right now. Therefore, I think I'm going to start a hat project. I am going to use the Basic Tam with Flowers pattern from my One-Skein Wonders book. Now to decide which yarn to use...

New Scarf

2008-01-14T21:18:00.000-05:00

My major project right now is my cousin's baby blanket. The problem is that it is getting big and with the wonderful box my husband made I can't transport it easily (not that I mind because that box is wonderful). So I wanted a small project that I could take to knitting club and other places and why would I continue with any of my other wips? So months ago I had gotten some beautiful yarn from Three Black Sheep in St. James and I started a pillow. My problem was that with all of the colors I really was having a hard time seeing the pattern. So....I frogged it. With that marvelous Patons Decor First Spring Ombre I have now started the Drop Stitch Scarf. I like it and the colors do not distract from the pattern.

Hand Warmers, Cell Phone Case and a Baby Blanket

2008-01-05T23:51:00.000-05:00

My holiday break was great and I hope everyone else had a great time. I had leftover yarn from my first pair of hand warmers and decided to make a cell phone carrier. It still has to be sewn together and a button has to be put on, but I am happy with the result.

I finished a second pair of hand warmers. I used green Cascade Pastaza yarn. The first one was started on New Year's Eve and finished around 10pm. I started and finished the second one on our drive home from New Hampshire on New Year's Day.

The baby blanket is not close to being finished, but it's the current project that I am working on. I decided that the Basketweave Blanket I was originally making for my cousin was too time consuming (because I have other things I want to accomplish). This Oh So Soft Baby Blanket is moving quickly and I'm very happy with how it is coming out. The only problem I've had is with the yarn. I'm using TLC Baby Amore and I found that it gets tangled easily. My husband helped me untangle the yarn and made a box with cardboard tubes to hold the yarn. More problems came when the cardboard pieces fell off the end of the tubes and the yarn started to get tangled again. He has now made me a solid wood box. The tubes that hold the yarn are aluminum and they are held in place on brass dowels. It is much easier now to pull and so far it is not getting tangled.

Hand Warmers

2007-12-29T17:05:00.001-05:00

From the yarn that my in-laws got for me and the pattern from One-Skein Wonders I give you The Wave Hand Warmers.

These were very quick, easy knits. I finished one in an evening and the other in an afternoon. It was very nice to feel a quick sense of accomplishment. I have another skein of yarn from my in-laws to make another pair of these lovely accessories.

Merry Christmas

2007-12-26T00:46:00.000-05:00

This was a very good Christmas for me. My in-laws got me 3 knitting books...

I also got two skeins of Cascade Pastaza to make The Wave Hand Warmers from One-Skein Wonders, along with a set of size 8 dpns.

I got a new iPod from my husband (a silver classic). After uploading my music, videos and pictures to the iPod, I searched for knitting podcasts (I never really looked for them before). I downloaded Pointy Sticks. I'm looking forward to listening to these episodes (except for 8, it wouldn't download for some reason).

I also gave my mother-in-law a Chevron Scarf that I started in August. I've been working on it when time allowed and when she was not around. I finished a few days before Christmas. I used Moda Dea Dream Solid yarn which was nice and soft.

Hope everyone had a great holiday too!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

Hug

2007-12-09T21:15:00.000-05:00

Today we celebrated my sister-in-law's birthday. A few months ago she showed me a picture of the "sleeves" she liked. I found the Hug pattern online and ordered the yarn (my husband picked the colors). It was relatively easy to knit. I found I had to write the pattern out so I could follow it. The smiley faces were used to mark when I finished a row. It definitely helped me when I would leave the project and come back to it.

I used Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Chunky yarn. It was so yummy! Nice and soft.

I have enough left over now that I can make something else. I haven't decided what yet, but my sister-in-law did say she liked some of the Fetching patterns she happened to see. So I searched Ravelry and found Fetching by Cheryl Niamath. Of course I have a few other projects on my plate right now, so the Fetching may need to wait.

On another note, the teacher's in my school are involved in a competition. We are all wearing pedometers and working to get over 10,000 steps a day. I did well during the week, reaching over 10,000 each day. This weekend though I seriously slacked. I'm hoping this coming week and weekend I can reach that goal everyday.

On a different note...

2007-12-01T14:03:00.000-05:00

Nothing to do with knitting or books, but I found these cool online activites. Have fun!

Make your own snowflake

Make your own snowman

Cousin's Blanket

2007-11-14T18:14:00.001-05:00

I've started a new project. My cousin is pregnant and due in April. I've started a baby blanket. It is based on a project I found on Ravelry. A basketweave stitch with a seed stitch border. Of course I have other things to work on, but I continue to focus on this instead.

This week is Children's Book Week. A great week to share fabulous books with kids. In my library we are studying Caldecott Award winners and have upper school students sharing with lower school students.

Knitting Club

2007-10-28T19:12:00.000-05:00

This past week the art teacher and I started a knitting club in school. We offered it to the 5th-8th graders. We had 4 girls and 2 boys show up. 5 of the kids were first time knitters. We were teaching them basic garter stitch, but with only 20 minutes there was barely enough time. We'll continue each week, and hopefully they'll make a scarf at some point.

Happy Anniversary!

2007-10-21T09:33:00.000-05:00

Today is our one year anniversary. As my husband says we are no longer newlyweds. Unfortunately I have to go to work today, so I don't get to spend the day with him.

2007-10-03T17:24:00.000-05:00

Nothing new to post about so...

You scored as Sleeping Beauty, Your alter

ego is Princess Aurora, a.k.a. Sleeping Beauty!

You are beautiful and enchanting, and as

sweet as ever.

Sleeping Beauty

81%

Goofy

56%

Cinderella

50%

Pinocchio

44%

Peter Pan

38%

The Beast

25%

Ariel

25%

Donald Duck

19%

Cruella De Ville

13%

Snow White

Which Disney Character is your Alter Ego?
created with QuizFarm.com

My Sock

2007-09-21T20:51:00.000-05:00

I started this sock in August. It's sad that it has taken me this long to finish ONE sock. Maybe it's not too long, but it seems like forever. I haven't had time to sit and knit. So tonight, being sick and watching the Yankee game I was able to finish one sock. I love the colors of this yarn.

Tomorrow on the train I may start the second sock. I'm going to the the city to see "A Chorus Line". I can't wait!

First Day

2007-09-05T21:05:00.001-05:00

Labor Day weekend was nice. I got to relax on Saturday, Sunday we went to the beach with my husband's family and Monday I planned more lessons. Not terribly exciting, but a nice way to end the summer.

Today was my first day with the kids at school. It was great. I thought I'd feel nervous, but I was very calm. I enjoyed the classes and I think the students enjoyed it too. I also thought it might be hard being a new school, but I felt really comfortable. I shared The Library Dragon by Carmen Agra Deedy with my fourth graders and The Librarian from the Black Lagoon by Mike Thaler and Jared Lee with the second graders.

Because of all of the prep for this week I have done no knitting. I'm looking forward to some time to knit this weekend.

Too Funny!

2007-08-26T20:08:00.000-05:00

What do you think his foot has done to him in the past? Has it actually taken his bone away?

Elsewhere

2007-08-23T21:23:00.000-05:00

I just finished reading Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin. It's such a good book. It gives a great perspective of death and what happens when we die. It's nice to think that we exist in this Elsewhere place and when we get to the baby stage again (as you age backwards) you are reborn. Really a great read!

Catching up

2007-08-19T21:22:00.000-05:00

This has been a hard week to knit. I had my last week of summer camp. On Wednesday I was at a rehearsal for my friend's wedding. Thursday was the wedding day. We had an awesome time. The best wedding I've ever been to. The band (Pete Moss and the Fertilizers) rocked. We got to go to lunch the next day with the bride and groom and the bride's family. We were so tired when we got home, we both crashed.

Saturday we were out on a boat with some of my parents friends. We had a beautiful day. Today we went to see the place where my parents are moving and got to walk around the different models. It was very nice and very exciting for my parents.

Tomorrow I'm heading into my library to begin to set up for the school year. It's my first time setting up and I'm a little nervous, but definitely looking forward to it.

New Socks

2007-08-10T20:11:00.000-05:00

Last weekend I was itching for a new project. I couldn't decide what I wanted to do. I finally decided to make another pair of socks, perhaps for myself. So on Monday on my way home from work I stopped at a local yarn shop that I had never visited, Wild & Woolly Wools. I walked into the shop and got a strange look from the owner, she asked me if she could help me and I said, "I'm looking for sock yarn." She then informed me that she is closed on Mondays, but would let me look anyway. So I came across three different yarns that interested me.

Fortissima Socka yarn

Austermann Step yarn

And Cherry Tree Hill yarn.

I started a pair of socks with the Fortissima Socka yarn. The same pattern that I used for my husband's socks, a simple Anklet pattern. The colors are great. I'm happy with it so far and looking forward to seeing the finished product.

Secret Project

2007-08-04T15:18:00.000-05:00

Well the "Secret Project" has been given to my friend Peggy. So now I can talk about it. It's a purse for her to carry the day of her wedding. The pattern is called Soiree Knit Bag and is suppose to use Crystal Palace Yarns Soiree which is a metallic yarn.

I used Lion Brand Microspun in Lily White and put beads on it.

It's seed stitch and then my mother helped me line it with satin.

She was very happy when I gave it to her this afternoon. I think she suspected that the Secret Project was for her, but at least I kept it a secret (I'm not very good at that).

In other knitting news I've been working on some of the patches for the patch afghan.

I do want to start a new project, but can't decide what to work on. Ravelry has offered me sooooo many options that I just don't know where to start.

Give it a Whirl

2007-08-01T19:30:00.000-05:00

The secret project is finished. I will post pictures once the recipient gets it.

I started a bag on Sunday for a wedding I'm in on August 16th. I am in the bridal party and will be in a brown dress with a pink sash. I found this pattern in an old issue of Creative Knitting it's from July of 2006. It's called Give it a Whirl Bag, so I figured I'd give it a whirl. I used Lion Brand's Microspun in Coffee and made the I-cords in the Blush colorway. I think it is cute and will be nice accessory the day of the wedding.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

2007-07-25T06:11:00.000-05:00

I did it, I finished the book. I will not give anything away here. I just want to say that J.K. Rowling did a good job. I started the book on Monday at 5pm (I had to finish homework first) and I finished it on Tuesday at 8:45pm. I had a hard time putting it down and to me that shows that it is a great book. To all those reading it...enjoy.

Finishing up

2007-07-18T06:16:00.000-05:00

Well I'm almost done with the secret project, few last things to finish up and then it will be done and ready to give. The Cabled Hobo Bag is close to done also. My mom's friend got tired of waiting for me to sew in the lining, so she did the majority of it for me. All that is left is the strap and sewing on the button.

Also I'm finishing school. I will be done with my masters next Wednesday. Hard to believe, but I'm so excited. Of course right now is crunch time, projects due in both classes and that has been a main focus.

I have had a few moments to work on the pillow. I'm really excited about how it is coming out.

It's hard to see the cables and the basketweave from the pictures, but they do look really cool.

The Yarn is Patons Decor First Spring Ombre.

Happy 4th of July

2007-07-03T07:09:00.001-05:00

I hope everyone has a great Fourth of July. The hubby and I are going up to New Hampshire to go camping with some friends.

Why do I do this

2007-06-29T07:01:00.000-05:00

I started a pillow. I really shouldn't be doing it as I have other work to do (homework, other knitting projects), but I just really want to work on this. I found the yarn at a local yarn shop called Three Black Sheep. The colors were just so amazing that I had to make something with it. Pictures to follow later...

Scattegories

2007-06-21T06:38:00.000-05:00

I found this on In the Pink's blog. She didn't tag me for this but it looked like fun. If anyone wants to do this have fun.
The game is SCATTERGORIES, and it’s harder than it looks!
Here are the rules:
Use the 1st letter of your name to answer each of the following. They MUST be real places, names, things…NOTHING made up! If you can’t think of anything, skip it. Try to use different answers if the person before you had the same 1st initial. You CAN’T use your name for the boy/girl name question. Have fun!
Your Name: Susan
1. Famous Singer/Band: Sting
2. 4 letter word: Save (keeping it clean)
3. Street: Susan Terrace (it's true I've passed it)
4. Color: Salmon
5. Gifts/Presents: Scarf
6. Vehicle: Sedan
7. Things in a Souvenir Shop: Sweatshirt
8. Boy Name: Sean
9. Girl Name: Samantha
10. Movie Title: Stargate
11. Drink: Sangria
12. Occupation: Singer
13. Celebrity: Susan Lucci
14. Magazine: Sports Illustrated
15. U.S. City: Sacramento
16. Pro Sports Teams: Seahawks
18. Reason for Being Late for Work: Snooze alarm
19. Something You Throw Away: Saran Wrap
20. Things You Shout: Sugar!!! (just like my mom)
21. Cartoon Character: Superman

Funny Book

2007-06-19T17:38:00.000-05:00

OK so I have a ton of reading for this class, but I found this funny book that I think every elementary teacher must read. It's called 32 Third Graders and One Class Bunny by Phillip Done. It is just so funny and true. You must read it!!!!

The other book is Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows. I have mine pre-ordered and can't wait until it arrives. Happy reading!

Let's Go Yankees!

2007-06-17T20:32:00.000-05:00

My husband and I went to the Yankees vs. Mets game yesterday afternoon. This was my husband's birthday present from my parents (back in February). We had a great time.
The Yankees won 11 to 8.
(A-Rod hitting)

There was a rain delay at one point and I think I was one of the only ones in the crowd that came prepared. I whipped out my bright yellow Mickey poncho from Disney World and stayed dry, while everyone else got wet.

(Jeter at 3rd)

Quick Baby Hat

2007-06-14T19:44:00.000-05:00

I started a baby hat for a co-worker's daughter on Wednesday morning. I had to frog it later Wednesday morning when a bunch of stitches fell off the needles and I couldn't pick them up. Anyway...I finished the hat today when I got home from work. I'm happy with the result. The pattern said to knit on a straight needles and then sewn together at the end. I knit on DPNs and saved the sewing.

I finished the socks. The second sock is just a little off from the first one at the toe, I must have started decreasing a little earlier. They work though.

I started another project, but because it is for someone who may read this blog I will not be posting much about it. It will be my main project though as I need to get it done.

In reading news I've been furiously reading for my class K-12 literature. It's a lot of reading, but well worth it. Each week we are given a genre, we then pick our own books within that genre to read. Everyone shares their books in class and the professor brings in a ton of books to show us. It's a great way to get a booklist started!

My husband showed me this video and it just gets funnier as you watch it over again.

Needle Quiz

2007-06-08T06:21:00.000-05:00

What kind of knitting needles are you?

You are bamboo.Warm, cozy, and thoughtful, you take your time and enjoy how things feel, smell, and taste. You love the craft and beauty of traditional things, and you value the comfort and experience of knitting as much as the results. But while you are reveling in your warm cozies, don't get stuck. Warm is wonderful, but so is the whole wide world!
Take this quiz!

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Join

| Make A Quiz | More Quizzes | Grab Code

News

2007-06-06T19:04:00.000-05:00

Things have been slow in my knitting world lately. I started classes again for the summer session and therefore have been bogged down with homework. It's a great class though, I have to read, read, read. So that has been occupying most of my time.

The big news is that I got a position as a librarian at a private school near my house. I'm very excited and can't wait to get to work in the library! Wooooo hooooo!!!!!

I'm getting close to finishing the second sock. I work on it during my lunch period. At home I've been trying to start a shawl with the microspun yarn. I started with the Elegant Shawl pattern, but have decided to try they Cozy pattern from Knitty.com.

This morning I also found a great website that is starting up. It looks like a great organizer. It's called Ravelry, you have to be invited to join and I think it's going to take a while to get to my name on the list, but I'm looking forward to working with it. Actually it looks so great that I wonder if there is anything like it for lesson plans and books, so I can organize my library (you know, at the new job!!!!).

1 Sock and a Cake

2007-05-21T21:00:00.000-05:00

Well I finished one sock today.

Last week I was up to turning the heel and I was completely lost. I tried saying it out loud to my husband, even though he doesn't know anything about knitting. He came over and was very helpful, he started writing numbers and somehow he figured out what I needed to do to turn the heel. If he hadn't helped I'd still be at the heel.

I got to the toe area on Saturday and on Sunday realized that I had messed up, so I had to rip back. I picked up the stitches and continued and had problems again, so again, I ripped it back. I finally got it and worked. It's finished! I still have to do another one, but I finished my first sock!!!! My husband is very happy and is waiting for the next one.

In other news, I had a bridal shower on Sunday and I made a towel cake for the bride and groom. I was very happy with how it came out, even though the pins didn't want to stay in on the bottom layer.

The flowers just gave it that final touch. The best part about it was that the mother of the bride didn't realize it was towels and was wondering how the restaurant got a mousse cake to stay up like that!

I've been tagged

2007-05-17T19:54:00.000-05:00

Here's the deal: Each person tagged gives 7 random facts about themselves. Those tagged need to write in their blogs the 7 facts, as well as the rules of the game. You need to tag 7 others and list their names on your blog. You have to leave those you plan on tagging a note in their comments so they know that they have been tagged and to read your blog. I've been tagged by Cactusneedles.

1. I started knitting a few years ago when my mom was going to make me a scarf. I thought it would be fun to learn, so my mom showed me how. I didn't pick it up again until 2 years ago when a co-worker was knitting at work, it got me interested again.

2. I'm almost finished with my second master's degree in Library Science. My first master's is in Computers in Education.

3. My favorite store bought cookies are Oreo's, my favorite homemade cookies are Pinoli.

4. My favorite book ever is Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. Although The Thirteenth Tale is in a close second.

5. I'm a Disney freak. I love everything Disney. Disney World is my favorite place to vacation.

6. My house burned down when I was in tenth grade. An electric blanket caught on fire. (So don't use them)

7. I'm addicted to Diet Coke. I can't live without it, if I don't drink it during the day I end up with major headaches.

People tagged...The Sleepy Knitter , Good to be Girl, Purly Whites, Whimsy, Sheep in the City, Two Wooden Sticks and a Ball of Wool, InfiKnity

Socks x2

2007-05-15T18:06:00.000-05:00

Well a couple of weeks ago I said that I had ripped out the socks that I was making. I didn't like the seam that was showing up. So I started new socks, but not just one pair, two pairs.

I'm not crazy about the Magic Stripes (not my favorite colors).
The Eclipse is going well, but a little more difficult to work with (it's probably not supposed to be used for socks, but what do I know!)

So I'm moving along and slowly getting a sock (or two).

Mother's Day Gifts

2007-05-14T20:42:00.000-05:00

I was searching for Mother's Day gifts a week ago and was really having problems, until I came across a website FabulousYarn.com. I thought it was great they would get the whole package, yarn, needles and pattern. So we ordered it and within three days it was here. Both my mother and my mother-in-law seemed very happy with the present and excited to knit the shawl. I recommend this site for anyone that has a knitter in their life and wants to get them a present that has to do with knitting.

Sheep to Shawl Festival

2007-05-06T21:11:00.000-05:00

My mom and I went to the Sheep to Shawl Festival today in Huntington. It was the first time I had seen a sheep being sheared. Look at
how the wool comes off in one piece!

The sheep looked much cuter with all of the wool off! This was just one year's growth, the woman had sheared these sheep last year at the same festival.

I couldn't believe the difference in the outer wool and what the sheep's real color of gray looked like. I wonder when they wash it if it turns back to gray or if it is permanently the yellowish color.

We saw a lot of talented craftspeople making some great things. Although I didn't get to meet the woman that was making the lace tatting I was very impressed with her work. They had lots of crafts for kids to make (yarn dolls, paper bonnets) they also had an old fashioned weaving machine that they taught the kids how to use. There were woman doing rug hooking and a couple of yarn shop people knitting.

Starting over

2007-05-03T05:38:00.000-05:00

I was working on my sock last night and realized that I really didn't like it. I like the colors, but because I was joining the yarns there seemed to be a seam. It also felt like the yarn was more the weight for legwarmers than a sock. So I ripped it out. That's right you heard me ripped the whole thing out (I was up to the heel).
So I'll find a use for this yarn and create something different with it. Maybe that sampler afghan or something else. I plan on stopping to get some real sock yarn. Someday I'm sure I'll be able to say that completed a pair of socks!

Reading progress

2007-04-28T19:16:00.000-05:00

Well, I finished The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. It was a good book, took me some time to get through it though. I had planned on starting The Clan of the Cave Bear, but changed my mind and started The Count of Monte Cristo. So far it's really good, sorry that I hadn't picked it up sooner.

The sock is coming along. I basically get to work on it during my lunch hour at work. I'm coming into my final weeks of the semester and hopefully once I finish all that work I can get back to knitting more.

Procrastination (Somewhat)

2007-04-21T15:41:00.000-05:00

So I have a baby shower to attend tomorrow. After buying gifts for the mother-to-be and baby last night I felt that I should give something handmade, since I do that sort of thing. So I started looking for a pattern, but of course it had to be something I could complete quickly. I lucked out I found a pattern that even says it's quick- Shower's in an Hour Baby Hat. I started as soon as I found it with a leftover yarn from my sister-in-laws scarf. It's beautiful colors, but a bit rough. I did finish it in an hour like the pattern stated. After that I decided to do another one this time with the soft white yarn I had used for my cabled hobo bag. It feels much better. So now I have two hats to give the mother-to-be tomorrow.

The other wonderful thing is that spring has finally arrived on Long Island. It's about time. Last weekend was so horrible with that nor'easter. Today we were up around 70. Notice the forsythia in the background, it only started blooming about a week ago.

The homework that somewhat got avoided is still waiting for me. I did finish one part, but definitely have a list of things I still need to do. At least I got some knitting in though, it just makes me feel better!

Ugh! Homework!

2007-04-20T19:55:00.001-05:00

I haven't been able to knit at all this week. Last Saturday my husband took me out to celebrate my birthday with some of my friends, we had a fabulous time. The rest of the time was spent doing homework (not including Monday which was my actual birthday. I don't think anyone should have to do homework on their birthday!) So the homework has prevented knitting and as if I don't hate homework enough that just makes me hate it even more!

Slow Week

2007-04-13T21:44:00.000-05:00

This was a slow week knitting wise. Homework and actual work took up all the time. I have gotten a few rows done on my first sock, all during my lunch at work. It had started as a solid brown sock, but after about 10 or more rows of straight knitting in the solid brown I got bored. So I ripped it all out and started over. At least now it's a little more interesting! Rupert got interested in the sock, actually more the needles (he loves to rub) and of course he had to chase some of the yarn.

On my way to PetSmart ( I was trying to find a filter for my mom's fish tank) I saw a big sign advertising the "Sheep to Shawl Festival"! It's being held on May 6th from 12 to 4, and I will definitely be attending. It will be my first time seeing sheep sheared and the wool being spun.

Going back a couple of posts to the booklist I found I am going to start reading the books that I have italized. Right now I'm working on The Alchemist which I had started, but never finished. I have now restarted it with every intention of finishing it. After that one I'm going to read The Clan of the Cave Bear which I have heard is a very good book and a quick read. We'll see after those two where my reading will take me, but I like having a list of possible reads.

Comments

2007-04-08T21:41:00.000-05:00

Why is it that when you knit in public everyone has a comment? Not that all the comments are negative...I've a had few people tell me about projects they have made or how they knit (European vs. American?), but there are a few comments that come out that I don't appreciate.

The first comment I received was a few weeks after I got married, someone said to me, "Oh, you are like an old married woman already." Implying that only older women knit. I hate that stereotype. I knit before I got married. I know that there are many young knitters and not all are woman, so why is it that this stereotype persists?!

The second comment that really got to me was today, someone made a comment that because I was knitting I must be an expecting mother because that is what knitting means. Whatever...I don't have to be pregnant to be knitting.

These are only two comments that I received, I'm sure many people that knit have received similar comments and probably many more. I just wish that people didn't stereotype knitters. It's the same with librarians. They are thought of as old women with their hair in buns, making sure everyone is quiet. Again another stereotype that is not true!!!!

Cabled Hobo Bag continued...

2007-04-07T16:24:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I went to my mother's friend's house. Elaine is very crafty and can make almost anything. She made the lining to the cabled hobo bag. I had about a half a yard of the fabric I had chosen. She was able to create the lining with a pocket from that half a yard. We put a piece of foam board in the bottom of the lining to give the bag a bit of stability. Elaine made it that I can remove the foam board if I bring the bag to get dry cleaned.

As you can see from the picture Elaine and my mom are working hard. I cut the foam board and that was my contribution to the lining. My mother made the pocket for the inside of the lining and she crocheted a loop for a button to hook onto (once I find a button). I was also given a type of fabric that is stiff to sew onto the lining. This is also to help give the bag some shape and help it stand up. We have not determined if it is iron-on or not, so I'll have to experiment with that. So now the lining has to be sewn into the bag. Elaine says it's a piece of cake, I am not as positive as she is.

The side of the lining that will be sewn to the inside of the hobo bag.

The side of the bag that will be visible when the bag is opened.

Socks!

2007-04-06T09:18:00.000-05:00

I started my Anklet pattern. I'm using Lion Brand Micro Spun yarn in a coffe color. It's a little difficult working with four needles, but I'm getting use to it. They are small needles though, I feel as though if I sneeze too hard they might break.

The sock enjoyed an evening with friends, playing Guitar Hero.

The other night I found this online quiz to determine what kind of flower you are. Turns out...

I am a
Petunia

What Flower
Are You?

You are a tried and trusted friend who will be there for your friends when they need you. But you have a tendency to be nervous about doing things that go against the norm.

Book List

2007-04-04T10:51:00.000-05:00

I found this on Lick My Sticks:

"Found this through Dr. Girlfriend Knits:

In the list of books below, bold the ones you’ve read, italicize the ones you want to read, cross out the ones you won’t touch with a ten-foot pole, put a cross (+) in front of the ones on your book shelf, and asterisk (*) the ones you’ve never heard of."

I've added the symbol # for ones that I'm indifferent about. If I have nothing else to read...maybe I'd pick them up, but they are not on my list of really want to read!

1. The Da Vinci Code (Dan Brown)
2. +Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen)
3. To Kill A Mockingbird (Harper Lee)
4. Gone With The Wind (Margaret Mitchell)
5. The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (Tolkien)
6. The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring (Tolkien)
7. The Lord of the Rings: Two Towers (Tolkien)
8. Anne of Green Gables (L. M. Montgomery)
9. *Outlander (Diana Gabaldon)
10. *A Fine Balance (Rohinton Mistry)
11. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Rowling)
12. Angels and Demons (Dan Brown)
13. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Rowling)
14. *A Prayer for Owen Meany (John Irving)
15. Memoirs of a Geisha (Arthur Golden)
16. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (Rowling) - as Sorcerer's Stone
17. Fall on Your Knees (Ann-Marie MacDonald)
18. ~~The Stand (Stephen King)~~
19. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban(Rowling)
20. Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte)
21. The Hobbit (Tolkien)
22. The Catcher in the Rye (J. D. Salinger)
23. ~~Little Women (Louisa May Alcott)~~
24. The Lovely Bones (Alice Sebold)
25. Life of Pi (Yann Martel) - I've read half of it
26. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams)
27. Wuthering Heights (Emily Bronte)
28. The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe (C. S. Lewis)
29. #East of Eden (John Steinbeck)
30. Tuesdays with Morrie (Mitch Albom)
31. *Dune (Frank Herbert)
32. +The Notebook (Nicholas Sparks)
33. *Atlas Shrugged (Ayn Rand)
34. *1984 (Orwell)
35. +The Mists of Avalon (Marion Zimmer Bradley)
36. *The Pillars of the Earth (Ken Follett)
37. *The Power of One (Bryce Courtenay)
38. I Know This Much is True (Wally Lamb)
39. The Red Tent (Anita Diamant)
40. The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho) - I've read half
41. #The Clan of the Cave Bear (Jean M. Auel)
42. The Kite Runner (Khaled Hosseini)
43. ~~Confessions of a Shopaholic (Sophie Kinsella)~~
44. The Five People You Meet In Heaven (Mitch Albom)
45. Bible - parts of it
46. +Anna Karenina (Tolstoy)
47. The Count of Monte Cristo (Alexandre Dumas)
48. #Angela’s Ashes (Frank McCourt)
49. #The Grapes of Wrath (John Steinbeck)
50. She’s Come Undone (Wally Lamb)
51. The Poisonwood Bible (Barbara Kingsolver)
52. # Tale of Two Cities (Dickens)
53. *Ender’s Game (Orson Scott Card)
54. #Great Expectations (Dickens)
55. The Great Gatsby (Fitzgerald)
56. *The Stone Angel (Margaret Laurence)
57. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Rowling)
58. *The Thorn Birds (Colleen McCullough)
59. *The Handmaid’s Tale (Margaret Atwood)
60. *The Time Traveler’s Wife (Audrew Niffenegger)
61. ~~Crime and Punishment (Fyodor Dostoyevsky)~~
62. *The Fountainhead (Ayn Rand)
63. War and Peace (Tolstoy)
64. ~~Interview with the Vampire (Anne Rice)~~
65. *Fifth Business (Robertson Davis)
66. *One Hundred Years Of Solitude (Gabriel Garcia Marquez)
67. The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants (Ann Brashares)
68. *Catch-22 (Joseph Heller)
69. Les Miserables (Hugo)
70. The Little Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupery)
71. Bridget Jones’ Diary (Fielding)
72. Love in the Time of Cholera (Marquez)
73. *Shogun (James Clavell)
74. ~~The English Patient (Michael Ondaatje)~~
75. The Secret Garden (Frances Hodgson Burnett)
76. *The Summer Tree (Guy Gavriel Kay)
77. #A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (Betty Smith)
78. *The World According To Garp (John Irving)
79. *The Diviners (Margaret Laurence)
80. Charlotte’s Web (E.B. White)
81. *Not Wanted On the Voyage (Timothy Findley)
82. Of Mice And Men (Steinbeck)
83. *Rebecca (Daphne DuMaurier)
84. *Wizard’s First Rule (Terry Goodkind)
85. Emma (Jane Austen)
86. Watership Down (Richard Adams)
87. *Brave New World (Aldous Huxley)
88. *The Stone Diaries (Carol Shields)
89. *Blindness (Jose Saramago)
90. *Kane and Abel (Jeffrey Archer)
91. *In The Skin Of A Lion (Ondaatje)
92. ~~Lord of the Flies (Golding)~~
93. The Good Earth (Pearl S. Buck)
94. The Secret Life of Bees (Sue Monk Kidd)
95. ~~The Bourne Identity (Robert Ludlum)~~
96. The Outsiders (S. E. Hinton)
97. White Oleander (Janet Fitch)
98.* A Woman of Substance (Barbara Taylor Bradford)
99. *The Celestine Prophecy (James Redfield)
100. #Ulysses (James Joyce)

Almost There!

2007-04-04T09:51:00.000-05:00

The Cabled Hobo Bag is almost finished. I completed knitting it on Monday night. Now it has to have fabric attached and be sewn together, two things I'm not sure how to do. Luckily, my mother has a good friend that is a very crafty person (She once took a dress apart, made a pattern, put the dress back together and was able to return it to the store. She then made her own dress from the pattern. Now that is crafty!) So I've enlisted her help along with my mother's and the three of us are going to get this bag together. I'm hoping that I will have it for Easter Sunday, so I can show it off.

So my mom's friend felt that I should put the bag together and then put the liner fabric in. So I learned how to do a slip stitch with the crochet hook to attach the strap to the bag. It took some getting use to, but I got the hang of it. I had to rip out the stiches on the last side I was attaching twice because the bag wasn't lining up, but I finally got it right. So tomorrow I'm going to find fabric that will line the bag and hopefully we can get it in. According to my mom's friend, "It's a piece of cake!"

In other news, now that I finished knitting the bag I for a brief time returned to my unfinished poncho, but have again put that aside and am back to my patch afghan. But tomorrow is another day and my mom and I are planning to go to a yarn store, so I have a feeling I'll be working on a new project. I'm trying to find a sock pattern to make, being that I've never made socks I want something fairly easy, but not boring. I got a pattern from my mom's friend from a book that was purchased for 10¢ and published in 1952. It's a very plain sock, but should be good since it's my first time knitting socks. Maybe someday I'll be able to make the Norwegian Stockings that I found on "See Eunny Knit", she's amazing...have you seen the stuff she's made!

The Last Knit

2007-03-15T16:20:00.001-05:00

Such a cute video

New Project

2007-03-10T11:09:00.000-05:00

I started the Cabled Hobo Bag Friday night. It took me about a half hour or so to pick the yarn (A.C. Moore did not have the kind I wanted. I was looking for Patons Shetland Chunky Tweed, but they didn't have it) I ended up with Red Heart Soft Yarn - Off White.

This picture is from Saturday morning. About 16 rows later I had to rip out the whole thing. I misread the directions and had screwed up the middle cable. I tried to fix it by ripping out up to the messed up cable and picking up the stitches there. My problem was that I wasn't sure what row to start on and was unable to get going again. In the end I ripped out everything and cast on again. Because of family coming to visit, I only got through the 8 rows and then had to stop. So today I'll try to at least catch up to where I was before, making sure that I double and triple check the directions!

It's Done!

2007-03-08T21:54:00.000-05:00

I finished the Irish Hiking Scarf. I don't plan on going hiking anytime soon, so I guess I'll just have to wear it to work. It came out beautifully and I'm very happy with it.

So tomorrow it's off to A.C. Moore to get more yarn, so I can start the Cabled Hobo Bag. I'm thinking a tanish/brownish color. My husband of course thinks I'm crazy and that I should finish my other projects first. He just doesn't understand.

Of course this weekend I should devote to doing homework for my classes, but I know I'll be spending the majority of my time knitting my new project and neglecting the homework and housework that needs to be done. But who would want to get all that stuff done when you can make a new bag instead!

Back Home

2007-03-05T20:59:00.000-05:00

Well, we made it back from our fabulous cruise through the Caribbean. We went to Cozumel, Mexico, Grand Cayman, Jamaica, and Labadee Haiti (Royal Caribbean's private beach). We were on the largest passenger cruise liner The Freedom of the Seas from Royal Caribbean. It's a tremendous ship and had so much for us to do. My husband enjoyed the Flow Rider, where he could surf and boogie board on the ship. Some family members were lost for a while, but after they were found we had a great time. The only problem with going away during February break is all of the kids. I didn't feel like I got away from work except that now I couldn't discipline the kids that were misbehaving. Oh well.

I did get to read all three of my books. I enjoyed all of them. Marley and Me did make me cry like a baby on the plane ride home. I came home to all the controversy surrounding the Newbery Award winning book The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron. Our library did order the book as soon as we heard it had won the award. We received it this past Thursday. The librarian was reading it this weekend. I unfortunately did not have a chance to read the book, as I left my library for 3 weeks to do an internship at the high school level. I've been reading a lot of the articles related to the discussion of this book. An interesting article came out today in Newsday from the author of the book.

I still have a bit to go on the Irish Hiking Scarf before I'll be done. I spent about and hour on Friday untangling my yarn. I hate when I have knots in my yarn! The exciting news is that I found a gift card to A.C. Moore that has a good chunk of money left on it...so I can get more YARN!!!! I'm going to look for something that will be appropriate for the cabled hobo bag, and the blanket will again be put on the back-burner.

Snow Day!

2007-02-15T14:00:00.000-05:00

Well Valentine's Day in New York was an icy mess. With a two-hour delay in the morning we thought it would get better, it got worse. We had ice, sleet and snow all balled into one. So of course I did not get to Barnes and Noble. Today in a complete surprise my school district called a snow day. Whoo-hoo!!! Or so I thought. I've spent the day getting caught up on homework that I will not be doing on my cruise and hanging out with the dog (she's been sleeping most of the day).

So tonight my husband and I will be going to the store. I have made some choices in my book selection. Of course they had to be beach reads because that's where I'll be spending most of my time. A few women in my school are reading Something Borrowed and Something Blue by Emily Giffin. I'm also thinking of picking up Marley and Me by John Grogan.

So now that I've almost finished my homework, I can spend the rest of the afternoon knitting!!!! Started the last ball of yarn on the Irish Hiking Scarf. As soon as that is done I have to decide if I go back to my blanket (which I should) or if I start a new project. I found this Cabled Hobo Bag that I want to make. So I'll have to decide...but off to the scarf before any decisions have to be made.

Dilemma

2007-02-13T21:27:00.000-05:00

This past weekend my husband and I went up to Lake Placid for some snowboarding. Being this was my first attempt at any winter sport (pretty much any sport) I was quite sore at the end of the day. I did, however, get some good knitting time. It was tough with my sore arms, but I persevered and got another 40 rows done on the cable scarf. I did not get any time to read though (my other favorite pastime).
So this coming week we are leaving a a week long cruise to the Caribbean. Now that is just not the place to have a scarf sitting on your lap (especially when you plan on being in the pool - and a wet bathing suit with yarn does not seem fun). So now I'll get to read...the dilemma...what to read?! Because of school work I have not had much opportunity to pick up a book for my own pleasure, now I'm going to have ample time to read, so I have to find a few books. I recently listened to the audio book The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield. It was fabulous. I was hooked by the first chapter. But now I need to find a book to keep me just as entertained. Tomorrow's trip to Barnes and Noble (provided the snow doesn't slow me down) should be very interesting and hopefully not too expensive!

Shelf Elf

2007-02-06T18:01:00.000-05:00

This tiny elf can be very helpful to librarians! There are two books from Upstart Publications, The Shelf Elf and The Shelf Elf Helps Out by Jackie Mims Hopkins and Rebecca Thornburgh. The first book is great for an introduction to the library, great to use at the beginning of the year. The second book gives help to librarians when teaching the Dewey Decimal System to younger students. There are cute poems to go with each section of the library. One page even allows students to find what is wrong with the shelf. The copies I got included lesson plans. How awesome is that?!

First Cables

2007-02-05T17:11:00.000-05:00

Who knew cables could be so much fun? My first thought when I saw someone cabling was, "There's a third needle? I just figured out how to use two!" But now that I've tried it I'm really enjoying it. I found this simple pattern on the Internet and decided this should be my first attempt at cables. Of course this project has put another project (a blanket) on hold for a little while. And that was after I put a poncho on hold. I love starting a project, but finishing it takes a while. My next question is how to make it so it could be a reversible scarf. As of now the one side has the cables and the other side is just the back. If anyone has suggestions I'm more than happy to listen.