Cool Video

Check out this video Making of Natural Gas. It is the making of a commercial for natural gas using the warmth of wool to demonstrate.

Oops!

I wasn't going to buy the yarn for a new project until I finished 10 projects from my stash and queue. Well, I'm close. If you count the Monkey socks which are 3/4 ths of the way finished and the plain vanilla socks which are half finished and the CB which has all the knitting done, I'm there. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.



So off to my LYS I went yesterday with the intention of paying for the toe-up sock class I'm taking next week and the thought of just looking at yarns that I might use to make this really cute sweater

This is the February Fitted Pullover that takes the lace pattern from the February Ladies Sweater and makes it into a pullover. I have the FLS as my next sweater project, but I think I will bump it back and make this next. Of course I found what I think will be the perfect yarn, so I fell off the wagon and bought it. Actually, I haven't made a yarn purchase in 3 months, so I guess I was overdue.

I am still going to go ahead and splurge on the new Knit Picks sock yarns when they come in. After all sock yarn doesn't count toward stash.

Saw the first robins yesterday. Yeah spring. But I am deeply resentful of losing an hour of sleep and will complain about it until I get it back in the fall.

Socks, Socks, Love the Socks

One of the reason that I decided against completing the Mystery knit along (I had finished the first 2 clues) is because of this sock: My first Cookie A sock! This is the first of a pair of Monkey Socks.Not a difficult lace pattern. I really shouldn't try to work on this while watching "The Marriage Ref" however, as I need to reknit a few rows. Ricky Gervaise just tickles me. I think he could recite the phone book and make me laugh!

I am moving beyond plain vanilla socks and getting inspired by the yarns already in my stash and the prospect of these delicious new yarns and colors from Knit Picks They are totally teasing us with these pictures. The yarn will be in by April and I am saving up to buy as many as I can afford. The greens and yellows and oranges are especially appealing! Need some spring color!

Birds

This link is addictive. I have it up and keep watching to see if I can spot the eggs in the nest. When she's facing the camera, you get a look at her ruby throat. It's going to be a few months until the hummingbirds come to my back yard.
I heard a robin's song a few days ago but haven't spotted any as yet. Maybe this weekend, when we are supposed to get some rain that will hopefully melt the snow and make the worms come to the surface.
I have had second thoughts about making the mystery knitalong project on the Knitting and Tea and Cookies group. I am too focused on getting my current projects completed to play right now. Maybe later :-))

Spring's Around the Corner

It's been sunny and in the mid 30's for the last week so the snow is actually disappearing and there is a bit of grass showing. We haven't had the big winter storms that have hit so much of the country this year. Instead we got an few inches every few days with no thawing. As a result there has been snow covering the back yard since January! See the grass?

No wonder I am craving greens and yellows when I look for something to knit. It was nice enough to go for walks this weekend. I'm easing into the exercise, testing my knees. So far, so good.

I am knitting non-monogamous, lately. Central Park Hoodie, winter socks and monkey socks, along with piecing together the 80 CB squares. Here's the bin with all 80 squares. Intimidating isn't it?I am sticking closely enough to my plan that I started a mystery knitalong with the Knitting and Tea and Cookies group on Ravelry. (I know a broken promise, no knitalongs.) But I didn't have to purchase any new yarn. I'm using yarn in my stash and it is small enough that it won't take up much time and a mystery knit makes for added interest.

I thought Barbra would bust her buttons when she announced the winning woman director during the Academy Awards. Was that a setup, do you suppose? How appropriate. Barbra's been fighting the fight for many years in Hollywood.

Olympics Are Over! Now What Do I Do?

Let's get the mourning over with first.

I really, really wanted the US hockey team to beat Canada. I really, really did. It was a great game and the team has nothing to be ashamed of! They gave it their all. Tying it up in the final few seconds and going into overtime, what a great finish! Ryan Miller's interview after the game was heart wrenching, he was so dejected.

I would love to know what coach Lindy Ruff told him as they hugged at the end of the game. It looked like some really intense moments. Imagine what you would tell an opponent, who the next moment is the backbone of your hockey team and will have to get his head back in the regular season!

I was glad to see him enjoying himself at the closing ceremonies. After all that's a silver medal around his neck. I just wish there was a little less rubbing salt in the wounds at the final moments of the ceremonies, Canada.

So back to knitting. I finished the little Citron shawlette, and I do mean little. Possibly it will get a little bigger with blocking. Maybe just a neck warmer, but it was an easy knit and looks great. I may make this again, but a bit bigger by about half. I had to break into another ball of yarn which was a different dye lot and with kettle dyed yarn that is saying it is almost a totally different yarn. I alternated it row by row and it blended in beautifully.

I wanted to start some new projects, so I cast on the monkey socks and the Central Park Hoodie. I also want to work on a Vanilla sock pattern of my own, for knitting up all the sock yarn I seem to have acquired in the past few weeks. Seems like all the craft stores are having sales on their yarn. Who can resist! Apparently not me.

We watched the kids every day last week, because the aunt had sick children. Did not want to have germs go back and forth. We also had Nathan and Mya sleep over on Saturday. Frankie loves to have friends over. It was about 34 degrees, and no wind so they were out most of the morning on Sunday. Frankie hasn't moved since Mya went home. All tired out!

The Finish Line

I totally nailed it! I finished the last of my CB squares last night, 5 days before the end of the Olympics!

Here are the final 20 squares. My only concern is that I miscounted (even though I've counted them many,many times) and I will have one or two less than the 80 squares I thought and will have to make more.

As a reward I cast on the Citron shawlette. Imagine me, knitting a project that, as Kay of Mason-Dixon knitting says, is "one of those viral knits that all the cool kids are knitting". Me, who just finished the squares for the "30 year old bedspread". Which I pointed out to DD#1 won't even fit my bed which is a queen size, the bedspread is a regular full size. I guess my bed put on weight over the last 30 years! Middle aged spread!!!!