A new year of knitting..

Well this is the last year of 2007 and I have already started planning my knits of 2008. So far on the needles are a pair of Dashing for my Nana -- she really liked the ones I knit for hubby myself. I also have a black and white scarf that was requested by J's brother Randy two years ago. I kept telling him that I hadn't made it because I hadn't had time I hadn't found a pattern that suited me yet that was until I stumbled upon Danica. Then there is another quant I decided to make, it is smaller than the original -- it's made with a smaller gauge yarn and on US #6 needles.

Here are some pictures:

Randy's Danica


Quant #2

I decided to make another Quant because
A. it is such a simple and quick pattern
B. I love the results.

I think I will be making quite a few of these for Christmas present next year. I just need to buy some Patons SWS -- I think they will look great in the natural colorways.

Things I am thankful for:

1. I am thankful that I didn't get hurt in the wreck I had with the deer last week. (more about that later)
2. I am thankful for diving into the wonderful world of flavored coffees. (I recently began drinking coffee)
3. I am thankful for the wonderful life that my Savior, Jesus Christ, has given me.

Its the little things.

Its the little things that mean so much to me. First off, I hope everyone had a great and safe Christmas and I hope that everyone has a great and safe New Year's. I was definitely blessed to get most of the things that I had requested for Christmas.

As far as the little things go, all of the gifts I knitted were definitely loved. My MIL really surprised me at how much she liked her fingerless gloves. My SIL adores her Dragon Scale Gauntlets just like I knew she would. My mom, my aunts, and my grandmothers all loved their dishcloths.

In spite all of this --- the one present that I almost didn't make was the one that meant the most to me. It was the little shoulder shawl that I made for my great-aunt; see my great-aunt Mim has Alzheimer's. I was sitting on the couch watching a movie Sunday night and all I could think was I should have made her something to help keep her warm. I went through my stash and found the perfect yarn and proceeded to knit over half of a shawl in less than 3 hours. It was just a simple pattern where you increase by one every row but I just felt like I needed to make it for her. I didn't work on it at all Christmas Eve because of family functions. I got up early Christmas Day and began working on it again. By the time we arrived at Nana's I had finished and wrapped it.

Once we got to Nana's, we all began unwrapping presents. I gave Aunt Mim her present and once she opened it I wrapped it around her. I told her that I had made it just for her and she cried. At that moment it didn't matter whether or not everyone else liked their gifts, it just mattered to me that she knew how much all of us cared for her. She may or may not remember that I made it or that I gave it to her today, but she knew on Christmas when she opened it and that means a lot to me.


Starting today I'm going to try to post at least 3 things I am thankful for everytime I make a post just because I think we all forget how blessed we are from time to time.

1. I'm thankful for learning how to knit.
2. I'm thankful for all of the friends I have made through blogging.
3. I'm thankful for the little things that we sometimes take for granted.

I'm loving this.....

How good is this going to look?! I have been knitting away the past couple of days on this lone skein of Noro Silk Garden which I received from the lovely Mrs. Poops for participating in her blog contest last year. I can't wait to finish it to see what its goint to look like but right now I am so loving it. Once I get some extra $$ saved up I will definitely see about purchasing more of this yarn. I have heard a lot of negative things about it on Ravelry but I have not had any problems with it this far. The texture is something to get used to though.

Someone Pinch me please

Please someone pinch me (just not too hard) Okay? I am finished. Done. Completed.

No more Christmas presents are on the needles. All are done. I am so proud!

I will be starting on me knits next. I only have a few birthday presents I will be knitting this year and after seeing the reactions of my other knitted presents, I may or may not knit for Christmas next year.

So as of today I will be:

• Knitting a pair of armwarmers for my Nana's birthday --per her request. I figure its the least I could do since she taught me how to knit :)
• Knitting me a Quant from the skein of Noro Silk Garden I got from Mrs. Poops last year. I wanted to find the perfect pattern and I do think this will show it off well.
• Knitting my mom another set of handwarmers so that her hands won't get so cold while she's out tracking down parts for planes in the hanger.
• Then I think I will make me some other things.....I have grand plans for myself.
• Oh yeah, I need to pick up where I left off on Hubby's mitered blanket.

I have exciting news --- and no I didn't forget I just hadn't had time to inform all of you. You know that blanket the Hugs and Kisses one I worked so hard on for T & L's baby????

-----Well T & L's baby arrived shortly after 11:30 pm last Tuesday, December 11, 2007. Weighing in at 7 lbs. and 20 inches long with a head full of black hair. She looks just like her big sister (who is 2) did only she's not bald :)

I still have to finish that Log cabin blanket for baby Mc -- he arrives next month -- the 10th I think.

Finally Friday!!

Thank God this work week is over! Lots of pictures to catch up on now! My work computer has hated me and the Google site yesterday and today. I have blog reading to catch up on and I am late in posting today. My computer decided it hated google sometime Wednesday night after I left work but it must be acceptable due to the fact that I am now posting.

First order of business:
MIL's fingerless gloves


This pattern is ok in a pinch which is what I was in. I just hope that she likes them. I intend on making her prettier ones next time. I figured she could wear these to work out in the yard picking up pecans or just to wear to her flower shop.

Next, more dishcloths --- I have to photograph the last three still. One needs to be sewn, one needs to be finished and another still needs to be knit!


Last but certainly not least -- my prize from the lovely Gnat over at Barknknit.
I opened the box to find this:

Then I carefully unwrapped everything and this is what I got:

This lady is after my heart! She gave me kitchen cotton which I will be making into dischcloths for me and maybe a soap saver sack. Plus she included my absolute favorite size of knitting needles US #7 AND they are bamboo. I think the knitting needle thing was just a mere mind reading coincidence but I still think its great. My other bamboo sevens are on the brink --- they are starting to catch on the cotton and have gotten very blunt.

Check out this awesome card:
You can get them here.

Have a great weekend ! Happy Knitting!

Pictures Friday??

Well since I have been so lame in forgetting my camera all week. I hope that I will remember to put into my little knitting bag I take with me to work when I get home today. I have one dishcloth on the needles and one more to make after that then I won't have anymore of them to make for Christmas I hope! I will be weaving in the ends of the fingerless gloves tonight so I can take a FO picture of them.

For those of you who responded on my week from hell, I do apologize for sounding whiny! Wednesday was just as bad as the first two days! I had a crick in my neck and Lawsy Mercy I could not hardly move at all yesterday without being in pain. Once I got home and got supper cooked last night, Gene massaged my neck and shoulders and was able to get all of the stiffness out which enabled me to get a good night sleep. Today has been going pretty well so far. I think that once I get through today and tomorrow I will be much better and can start a fresh new week come Sunday.

I officially have only twelve days to finish my Christmas knitting. I think it can be done since I only have a couple of things left. I might just be able to squeeze in a pair of these for my Nana. I thought it would be a fitting gift since she is the one responsible for this knitting obsession of mine. She loves cables so I think they will be perfect for her. If I don't get them done I will definitely give them to her for her birthday in January.

Bad Ju-Ju

I think I might follow the lovely LesleyD's example and knit me a Bad Ju-Ju! This week has been absolute hell and it is only Tuesday! I just need something to put all of this negativity into and get rid of it! I am almost always the person that perceives the glass half full but good gravy this week is getting to me!

Monday: I locked my keys in hubby's car (the Mustang) upon arrival at the gas station. I had to call hubby to come unlock it so I could get to work. I arrived late at work by a good 10 minutes.

Today (Tuesday): I had a flat tire---in the Mustang---on my way to work. I was only about 30 minutes away out in the middle of nowhere and the passenger front tire decides to deflate. About 30 minutes and that many cars later this sweet black gentleman in his super nice Pontiac pulls over to see if I needed assistance. I graciously thank him for stopping to see about me and let him know that someone is on their way to see about me. I had already attempted to change my tire (yes, I can change a tire) but due to the Mustang being low to the ground the car jack I had just was not going to work. Thank goodness that my co-worker who came in our service truck had thought to bring a floor jack because that was the only way we were going to be able to get that baby off the ground.

I finally got to work after having to take 45 minute slow drive (which would have normally taken me 20 minutes) with the spare tire.

But I am grateful that I am still alive and the car didn't decide to take me on a wild ride when the tire blew. Well, Ok it didn't really blow it just kind of went flat very quickly.

I hopefully will be playing catch up by the end of the week. My wonderful prize came in from Gnat's contest and I will be posting pictures of the wonderful loot. Hey if you are not too busy go check out her sister's website. The card she sent me was one of her sister's creations and I loved it!

I will also be posting pictures of more dishcloths that I have finished. I only have 2 more to do and I will be through with them. The thumb and end weaving still needs to be done on my MIL's fingerless gloves and I still have the other half of SIL's to do too! I will be finished by Christmas because well I have to be. :)

Happy knitting!

Purlin' Peaches

Well part of our Purlin' Peaches got together in Cordele Saturday at the Arby's. We had only planned to meet for about 2 hours but it ran over into three. I don't think that anyone minded and had we all not had other things to do we most likely would have stayed longer.

I have my MIL's fingerless gloves almost finished. I have to do some end weaving on one and finish the thumb on the other one. I hope to get them completed tonight and get them wrapped. I still have three more dishcloths to finish and I will have them all done. I wrapped most of them last night and discovered that I still had four more to go. I need to get started on the other half of my SIL's Dragon scale guantlets. I took them on the train ride and spazzed on the pattern because I wasn't paying attention so I had to frog the one I had in progress.

We are putting a baby gift basket together for our pastor's daughter who is having a little girl and I would love to make her some little knitted socks and a hat but I am afraid that I won't have enought time. They have to be ready by next Sunday. I have been knitting like a mad woman trying to get all of my gifts made.

I will definitely start at least by June next year, September at the latest if I am going to knit any gifts.

Hope to have pictures of my finished dishcloths and fingerless gloves by the end of the week.

Happy knitting!

I love my kitty!

I just dropped by to read Gnat's blog, who I found by way of Nichole over at Lapdog Creations and I must say I love this post she linked us to on her Dogs on Thursday post.
I couldn't agree with it more :)

Do you have Ghetto Yarn???

I must say I am Ghetto as far as my yarn is concerned; however, I think this is not the most efficient way of describing my yarn stash. See I am very frugal and I have to be right now considering the tightness of our budget. I don't buy yarn that often and when I do get it ---its usually from family members who have picked up things from yardsales, goodwill, etc. Ninety-five percent of my stash is primarly Red Heart or some other brand of acrylic yarn.

on another note......

I have learned my lesson on knitting Christmas gifts I do believe. I will not wait until late October to start again. I think I will begin shortly after my birthday (June) next year if there is going to be a lot of presents like there are this year that needs to be knitted. I really would like to get the Knitter's Almanac for project ideas next year. I've seen lots of little things knitted out of it on Ravelry and think it would be a nice addition to the books I already own. This will be my first Elizabeth Zimmerman though. Maybe I will get some cash to spend at Christmas :)

Speaking of new projects have you seen the new Knitty ??? Of course you have :)
I really would like to make this and this but alas my knitting skills are not so sharp.
This cute little purse would be a great gift for my SIL and I might just make one for myself. This would be great to try after my disaster with the Calorimetry.

So much knitting I want to do ------ so little time.


** My next Purlin' Peaches meeting is Saturday -- CAN'T. WAIT.

One year!

Oh my goodness! I can hardly believe it has been a whole year since I began blogging. What a year it has been. I must say it really feels like it has been much, much longer.

I have met so many wonderful people through the world of the internet and now through Ravelry. I feel blessed to have made such friends.

I have just about all of my dishcloths made for my Christmas presents. I need to sew and weave in the ends now. I will be beginning my fingerless gloves for my MIL and frogging my cabled footies. I most likely will make her a pair of the footies later on; she just won't be getting them for Christmas this year :)

Happy Knitting!

B.W.O.

Amen to this post!




This makes me feel better about how much less I have been blogging due to not having internet connection at home at the moment. I do try to blog as often as I can but some days its more difficult to actually find a break here and there at work so that I can blog. I'll post more pictures and update on my Christmas knitting as soon as I can.

The Purlin' Peaches group is getting together again this weekend! I can't wait to see the group again.

I'm hoping after Christmas that hubby and I can have some of our bills paid off so that we can fit in the satellite and internet bill! We do grow weary over watching the same movies over and over again (or at least hubby does). I personally could go without it but TV is a nice distraction sometimes.