finally

after much consideration and processing of opinions, the verdict was don't be a schmuck, do the embroidery. So I did and it's done! YAY!!!!!! I'm as happy about that as the Phillies winning the world series. I figure that could be once in a lifetime event for me and perhaps this blanket will be as well. Unless my neice has a baby and wants a blankie like this.

So of course, this post will be loaded with shots of the blanket. What would you expect? I feel like a HUGE weight has been lifted off my shoulders and Baby Laura can have her blanket for her trick or treat. Nice Halloween gift, no?


Less that a week after she was born, I gave her 3 pair of the booties I had made during the olympics, included in which was my favorite pair the felted old world booties. Hope that she could wear them. I'd be really happy with this blanket were it for me... hope the baby likes it. Yes those are her initials and birthdate embroidered in the back of the blanket. The thing I really love about this is that it's not 'baby' looking and you could have it as a lap blanket if you wanted. Love the colors and it's a nice weight.

No tmrw night maybe after the brownie party, I'll wind the skeins of yarn so I can start DHs Christmas vest.

shiver me timbers!

DH got ready for his women's chorus rehearsal tonight and their annual Halloween dress-up. I have a matching wench costume for Halloween... not that we're going anywhere, but you never know!

I've decided to do the knots and the running stitches... hope it's done by Friday.
I have a lot of school work to do tonight, so I think I'll be up for a long time tonight... well the computer has most of the work to do, so I can work on the embroidery then.

I'm still thinking about the horror movies for 10 on Tuesday... I may add that to the post later.

on the fence

about whether or not to add the embroider touches to this blanket. You can see the original pattern here And this is my version, maybe, so far:

Wild Stripes by Kristin Goedert
Yarn: Knitpicks Swish DK (superwash merino)
Colors: asparagus, beach glass, cornflower, dusk, frost, grain heather, jade, maple leaf, moss, skyborne, storm, terra cotta
Needle: US5
Fabric Backing: I'll have to look it up
Piping: Wrights Maxi Piping
Recipient: Baby Laura

So what's your take should I add the french knots and running stitches or leave it be?
Here's the backside of the blanket to help you decide.

I started cutting up some squares tonight for those felted wreaths. I dyed a white thrift store sweater green last Sunday ibefore felting it in preparation for this. Friday night I used my 50% off coupon at Joann's to buy a self healing cutting mat to use for the project. I have a rotary cutter from mom's stuff (thanks mom) that and electric scissors should be helpful in all the projects in line for Christmas.

I was at the thrift sotre this weekend with the boys. I gave them the job of scoping out for the yellow tags (color of the day for 50% off) They were really helpful and so proud when they found a sweater I'd buy. They've learned that mommy doesn't want polyester or acrylic and right now I'm not looking for cotton. I found for myself a brand new with tags Eddie Bauer cardigan in a camel kind of tweed that is a lambswool/nylon/cashmere blend for a whopping $5. It's a tad tight to button, but I'm not planning on wearing it that way. It's also got this cool very open cable thing going on. I love it! And a 1000% lambswool flannel grey color mock turtle from United Colors of Benetton for $3. I'm sure I'll get lots of use from that. The aran cable hand knit Irish sweater I bought last week for $3 has served me well already. I love it. It's so cozy and warm I wear it ALL the time. Someone felted it so it's virtually windproof.

I really need to finish the soup and go to bed. I'm feeling tired and would like to be asleep before DS2 wakes me up in the middle of the night. I should be grading papers, but eh! At lesat the plans are done!

I realized I never posted pictures of last weekends pumpking picking. We took two children of friends along with us. Actually the siblings of the recipient of Wild Stripes. She's still a bit young to be picking pumpkins. All the kids had a blast. Now to carve a couple. I want to try the technique in which you don't pierce the whole pumpkin, just shave off outside layers so it's translucent. I should have some time to do all that if I don't sleep at all this week!

I'll try to post on Friday... but in case I miss, happy halloween!

still alive

I've been busy finishing Wild Stripes. The knitting is done. I've wrestled with the backing for a couple of days now.. I think it's high time I follow the pattern instructions. Step one is to block the correct size. I'm really sick of this blanket and can't wait to get it out of the house!

I've also been harvesting yarn from thrift store finds like crazy. I think I've finished 5 sweaters. So there's plenty of yarn to knit from.

The last thing I've been doing is contemplating Christmas gifts. I want to devote most of my knitting time to DH's vest knit with my handspun. So I have some other ideas for gifts up my sleeve that I hope will be well received. I know I'd love it if someone gave this gift to me. Then after the holiday I'll finish the BSJ that's been hanging around and see if there's enough wool for the poncho (I can't believe I may have messed up my calculations on that one) And of course there are socks to be knit!

On Saturday we took all 3 kids plus 2 more to the pumpkin patch. We have more pumpkins that I care to think about. But I did get one gourd that was already dried (from last season I guess) that I want to knit a beaded cover for to make it an axatse. I figure, it's a relatively cheap way to get a cool instrument and the kids at school will be so itrigued if I take it there to do the work.

I have no pictures to put in because those from the weekend aren't uploaded yet.

I'm really tired these days. Tired and weary and just plum empty. Hope I get some kind of mojo rejuvenation soon!

small pleasures

First g-girl gave me this award a bit ago and I haven't posted it or paid it forward so it's high time that happened.

The rules are:
1- Post the award on your blog.

2- Add a link to the person who gave you the award.

3- Nominate at least 4 other bloggers and add their links:


I'm nominating:
Cathy, knittin fun, miss liz, jennifer, and fleegle


My cousins daughter came to visit today with her daughter and we went thrift shopping for wool sweaters. We hit the Salvation Army and American Family Services. I came away with a pile to felt and a pile to frog.



All but one of this pile to frog has cashmere (one 100% and the others a blend with wool and some nylon or else blended with silk) and the other is extra fine merino. So I'm hitting with some fine fiber. Just need some time now to frog and knit!

I also got a 100% white cotton bedsheet and a 100% white cotton tablecloth to turn into curtains for my room in the new building. I'll tie dye them once the curtains are sewn. Last time I found that they wanted $24 for a set of sheets. These were $6 for everything (just one sheet though, not a set).

I was thrifting last weekend and scored some cashmere as well. That and some merino. I should be set for quite some time now.

And we had 28 guests on Saturday for DS2s party. It was a full house. Since the weather was beautiful (75° F) we grilled hot dogs and hamburgers. I made potato salad, carrot raisin salad, 4 bean salad and spinach with strawberry salad as well as deviled eggs. It felt like summer. I hope everyone had a good time. Unfortunately, I didn't make the cake, but it tastes great and looked phenomenal. And my son was in awe!

Yes he's still a Thomas fan. And I'm happy for that.


OK.. off to finish some work and maybe, just maybe the knitting on the wild stripes blanket (finally... I'm really tired of knitting it!)

happy birthday baby boy

I can't believe you're 4 years old today. Where did the time go? I'd put a picture on here of him as a baby, but they're on the other computer... I really need to spend the time to organize them all.


Here's his cake for the day


His family party will be next weekend. my baby boy is growing up!

opening day

I waited and waited for today so that I could open my package from my exchange partner Sue. Here's what she sent!

TWO dishcloths (candy corn illusion and a jack-o-lantern), black and orange stitch markers (yay!) and candy corn. Thank you so much Sue. I hope you enjoyed your package

This is what I sent:


The cloth alone:

Pattern: Skully by BlackRayne
Yarn: Peaches and Cream
Color: Beige(?)
Needle: US6

I took another picture of the front porch spider but this time from the underside. It looks just like the spider hanging outside the boys room from underneath. I'll probably never see the top side of the upper room spider.

The carpet came for my room in the new school. The librarian took it before I got there. The secretary fixed it all up though :-) Gotta love that girl. So tmrw I should have a nice carpet for my kiddos to sit on. YAY!