earthquake day

Well the east had an earthquake today. The first that I've ever experienced. I was at school sorting band music, putting the mess in order that my predecessor left. I was wondering what the custodians were doing that would shake the building... turns out it was an earthquake. Whodathunk??

I made Betz White's cashmere bunny for two baby gifts. Paired it with a copy of the Velveteen Rabbit. One couple are both colleagues from work. The other mom was a student of mine for my first years of teaching.


DD needed a few more things tonight for school and I noticed a sale at Staples. We got a boatload of stuff: 6 one subject notebooks, 5 retractable bic pens, 12 dixon ticonderoga pencils, a package of 6 mechanical pencils, 2 reams of copy paper, an 8MB thumb drive, a clear 18" ruler (for me), 20 pencil top erasers, 2 sharpie markers, 100 sheets of notebook paper... between the $5 off coupon, and our staples rewards and the sale. I spent $1.53 and we put in for $11 in rebates... ROCK on thrifiness :-)

My Phillies won tonight and the Little League team from PA won too!

Peanut butter cookies surrounding Reese's peanut butter cups baked after dinner.

Great day!

no brain have i.....

i forgot to post this in the beginning of Jan....
DS1's teacher had a baby boy so before she left for her leave I made this

Pattern: cocoon baby stork sack
Yarn: Pisgah Yarn & Dyeing Co., Inc Peaches & Creme Solids
Color: Royal Blue, tierra firma
Needle: US 15
Rcipient: Baby Simmers

I held the 2 yarns together to make a bulky yarn. It's cotton so it's a nice covering for a new baby that wants to be swaddled. Hope she uses it ;-)

I'm working on my 9th cable repeat for the every way wrap.... not much else to say. The new principal started on Tuesday.. juries out on that yet.

not the greatest picture

but it does in a pinch



Pattern: Baby Kimono from Mason Dixon Knitting
Yarn: Bernat's Cassino
Color: Lavendar
Needle: US6
Recipient: Violet Phillips
Buttons: From Grandma Gentry's stash
Modifications: no i cord tie... put in 2 buttons instead one facing out and the other facing in.

Hope she can wear it for a bit. I took this with my phone so sorry for the lousy picture. Color is bad and everything..... oh well.. that's all I have of it now!

stripey socks

for babies are such a quick knit! And yes I did make 2... feet come in pairs after all, s should socks!

Pattern:Pitter Patter socks by Jacqueline ZIegler
Yarn: Knitpicks Swish DK
Colors: jade and hollyberry
Needle: US5

These go with the gnome baby hat below.... for the same baby...

Next on to teacher gifts!

Tonight I started to ply some samoyed chiengora... it's really soft :D

babies, babies

it's in the air..... I know so many pregnant women... thankfully it's not me!

So one of the mom's in DD's girsl scout troop (or the brownie affiliate) is due very soon and there's to be a shower for her at Thursday's meeting... WHat to give he? Of course something handmade...

The baby is due mid-November so I was thinking Christmas colors:


Pattern: gnome baby hat by Hannah Ingalls
Yarn: Knitpicks Swish DK
Colors: Jade and Hollyberry
Needle: US5 (pattern calls for a 4)
Recipient: Shively baby


There is a pair of socks in the making to match.

I've been spinning samoyed while watching baseball...... GO PHILS!

stitch or frog

I've been spending so much time unraveling thrift store finds lately that I was thinking/fearing I had lost my knitting mojo. That and the fact that all I can do lately it seems is sleep.....

But DH was at the NATS meeting yesterday (an all day event) so I had the 3 cherubs to tend to myself. And DS2 had gymnastics class in the AM... Off the 4 of us went the older to with their Nintendo DS in hand and me with something to frog and a project (with yarn and needles) in mind. A friend had a baby boy in May and I finally gifted her with a hat that I had knitted up during the ravelympics. There was yarn left and I was thinking a
nice pair of thumbless baby mittens would be a nice accompaniment. Never got to it.. until yesterday morning. Here they are with the pattern to follow. I think they may be a bit big, but the longer they'll last that way.



babymitts


Pattern: my own - see below
Yarn: Paton's Rumor - alpaca blend
84% acrylic, 15% alpaca, 1% polyester
Weight: Bulky
Color: Halcyon Heather
Yarn Gauge: 12S x 17R = 4x4 inches on US 10.5 needles
My Pattern Gauge: 13S x 18R = 4x4 inches on US9 needles
Needle: US9 dpns (set of 5)
Recipient: art baby

NOTE: If choosing a worsted weight yarn, you'll have to do the math to get gauge.
PATTERN
CO 20 stitches with the longtail cast on.
Divide over 4 dpns 6, 4, 6, 4 (stitches per needle)
Mark beginning of round
Join in the round with K1P1 ribbing for 5 rows
Divide stitches evenly over the four needles (5 stitches per needle)
Knit even for 10 rows

Decrease
Round 1:

• Needle 1: SS k2 together then K remaining 3 stitches
  
• Needle 2: K 3, K2tog
  
• Needle 3: SS k2 together then K remaining 3 stitches
  
• Needle 4: K 3, K2tog

Round 2: K even
Round 3:

• Needle 1: SS k2 together then K remaining 2 stitches
  
• Needle 2: K 2, K2tog
  
• Needle 3: SS k2 together then K remaining 2 stitches
  
• Needle 4: K 2, K2tog

Round 4:

• Needle 1: SS k2 together then K remaining stitch
  
• Needle 2: K 1, K2tog
  
• Needle 3: SS k2 together then K remaining stitch
  
• Needle 4: K 1, K2tog

Place the stitches from Needles 1 and 2 together on one needle
Place the stitches from Needles 3 and 4 together on one needle


Kitchener the 8 stitches (4 and 4) to close


Crochet a single chain to attach to the mittens or knit a single stitch i-cord (if there is such a thing)

I used less than 1/2 of the skein for these mitts, including the attached cord.

©Carole Burkhardt 2008. I retain all rights to this simple pattern.
Feel free to use this pattern, but please link to my page rather than repost it as your own. I hate that I would even have to add that
If you use this pattern, I'd love to see pictures! Enjoy

I found the yarn on sale at Michael's (perhaps a close-out) for $2 for the skein. There was only 1 skein in the bin. Maybe your local big box has some that they're still closing out!



OK... back to dyeing more sweaters green. So much to do, so little time!

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!

quickie

post that is....

Today was another hellish day, well at least it started that way. I forgot the keys to the Elementary Center, not the end of the world, but a bit of an inconvenience. I spilled coffee down the front of my white sweater and then while making a U turn, I ran into the curb a tiny bit but blew out the tire.... then DS2 decided (while I was still in the hallway at school) to go into my office. His morning routine is to draw on the chalkboard... which is fine, but not with the black marker that he chose this morning. Fortunately, I got it all off while it was still wet. Then we had Officer Phil come in. So I missed 2 classes... why am I complaining, you might ask? Cuz I much rather be teaching than sitting in an assembly (not once, but twice) Oh well. Lily, tomorrow will be better (thank you Kevin Henkes and Lily and the Purple Plastic Purse)

I forgot stuff at the older school and had to walk back over during my only free 20 minutes to get it.

On to better stuff. This is the yarn I won at Kathleen Taylors site. Purty isn't it? I'm thinking a BSJ jacket or perhaps mixing it with Lambs Pride Cotton Fleece for a stripey blanket.


Recently finished (and already gifted) were these booties:

Pattern: Grandmas' Favorite Booties from the 2007 Pattern a Day Calendar (May 26/27) by Doreen L Marquat
Yarn: Red Heart Eco-Cotton Blend (75% recycled cotton)
Color: Almond
Needle: US6
Recipient: Grandbaby Smale

There should be an additional Purl row (row 20) before the instep shaping is begun. I noticed this the first time I made these booties (and didn't add it) so I made sure to put it in this time.

The package all together looks pretty good if I have to say so myself. The baby will be delivered via c-section Monday morning, so I gave the gift to grammy yesterday at school.

Still working on the wild stripes and that baby was delivered today..oops. For some reason, I have been sleeping like crazy (read going to bed before 10) That has to stop now.

I got Warm Fuzzies in the mail today. Can't wait to make something from it from those many sweaters I have in the basement that won't be frogged!


Brownies (and their siblings) went apple picking this evening at Strawberry Acres. Everyone had so much fun. They had a little lesson before hand, then rode the open bus to the fields. We saw a deer on the way back. Then pet the animals (bunnies, goats and llamas) and then played on the turbo tube. Of course, I forgot the camera. I hope Heather mails me some photos!

What a girl. She was reading my mind and sent a ton! Thank you. But this by far is the funniest of many of the moms

Can you guess which animal I chose to put my face on?

gotta go play mom

more booties????

Pattern: Bernat Cot'n Corn Booties
Yarn: Patons Shetland Chunky
Color: Blue
Needle: US7
Recipient: Ulysses
These will be sent to Spain with the tri-jester hat and some family hand knits for DH's cousins baby. Hopefully she'll appreciate all the love in the package that we're sending. Some things were made for our boys and a few were also made for our daughter. Plus these new items. Gotta keep that little fella warm! They were talking about going back to Argentina, but now that's up in the air.

Also worked on these cozies this weekend for my 2 water bottles. They still have some felting to finish. One water bottle is for the 'new' school. Because I'll bring water from home in its frozen state. That bottle has apple green trim. The other bottle is in the 'old' (read preferred) school where there is a Deer Park cooler. That bottle has turquoise trim. I think they'll be perfect. I actually wrote the pattern, so if anyone is interested I can post it!

I started the wild stripes blanket, but have to wait for the colors I didn't have to be delivered. When I first had the idea I got other colors to substitute, but now I see colors on Knitpicks that are closer to the ones in the blanket on Knitty and I like better, so I ordered them. They were sent out on Friday. Hope they get here soon.

I signed up for a dishcloth exchange of the Love2KnitDishcloths yahoo group. I wasn't going to do it, then regretted not doing it, then saw a post that they needed someone to be a partner for a member, so I thought why not? I'm psyched. Picked out my pattern, have the yarn and already bought the goodies to be sent in the package. Of course I can't reveal until opening day (Oct 1) which will kill me... but oh well.

OK... gonna to see if the felting is done. Happy crafting

hat dash

is over for me.
I finished my third

pattern: umbilical cord hat from stitch 'n bitch book
yarn: patons rumor
color: halycon
needle: US10.5
recipient: Smale grandbaby... along with mitts I'll make AFTER the olympics are done!

boy this yarn is soft!

more booties

Pattern: Grandma's Favorite Booties by Doreen L. Marquart
from the 2008 Knit pattern a day calendar May 26/27
Yarn: Lion Brand Jamie Baby
Colorway: Sherbet print 239
Needle: US4
Recipient: Dunham baby

I think there's an error in either the pattern or my brain. Everyone elses on ravelry looks fine but mine came out with the sides and top in opposite stockinette (one purl one knit side) and I'm thinking it just needs a row 20 of purl before you start instep shaping.... oh well, they're still kind of cute!

Not much else accomplished. I started and ripped Saartje's booties twice. I'm going to try them in the round next.

I'm finishing my first monkey sock...I'll never get everything done!

more fo's

finally, the linus project blanket that needed seaming (thirty-six 7" by 9" pieces) is complete.... I was thinking about an attached i-cord edging, but I need to decide on a color. At any rate, I could send it out now and here is the labor of all those kids work from March and April, many of them new knitters



it's all acrylic yarns but various companys and many knitters. My retired teacher friend has another 36 blocks in more girly colors that she is in charge of seaming. My pointer finer is actually a bit sore from that darning needle.


I also have some little magic baby booties that I knit up from scraps in the wrong weight wool, thereby forcing me to use a larger needle and messing up the gauge. So i winged the math and came up with these:

and to see the bottoms:

you can tell that the yarn is from the same skein, but they aren't a matched pair, which kind of gives them a charm of their own!

I'm trying to import pictures from flickr that I have already uploaded.. we'll see how the look is.

I finished up spinning some Colonial top from Ashland Bay that a friend has sent me a sample of long ago. It spins like a dream. Someday I'll order more.... after I get through the stash of fiber that already is in my house. Right now I'm working on another sample that the same frind dyed. I'm not sure of the fiber though.

someday I'll learn this html stuff so that I can really make my blog the way I want it to look, but for now there's no time.

DS1 had a friend sleepover last night. Tonight is DD's turn..2 of her friends. pulling in the last few days of summer!

so much.....

to show.

I finished the Monthly Dishcloth KAL a couple of days early. But now that everyone could be done, I'll post the picture:

Pattern: Dots within Stripes April mid-month KAL for the Monthly Dishcloth Yahoo group
Yarn: Elmore-Pisgah Peaches and Cream
Colors: Persimmon and Tea Rose
Needle: US7

I'm planning on gifting this to one of my friends from work. She's really having a rough go of it right now and I know she LOVES the cloths for her kitchen, which is orange. I'll try to whip up a ballband or two in the same colors as well.







I finished the prayer lap blanket for church.

Pattern: Adapted from Lion Brands Prayer Shawl
Yarn: Lion Brand Homespun
Color: Fiesta
Needle: US 13
Completed Size: 40" x 26"
I started this before getting the instructions from church so I cast on fewer stitches than they suggested, as a result I knit it longer so it's a bit larger than suggested, but I think it should be fine. This is really soft, but kind of a pain to knit with. My pop got the last one that the hospital had (since then they've received more from church) but it's part of the new knitting me.... you'll see more of the new side of the knitting me over time. It's a good side. I think you'll eventually agree :-)







I also finished the second Baby Kimono from the Mason Dixon book.

Pattern: Baby Kimono from the Mason Dixon Knitting Book
Yarn: Bernat Naturals Organic Cotton
Color: Cactus
Needle: US6
Button: from stash

I chose cactus because it's the color of the baby's room. I think the sweater looks much more casual knit in garter than in stockinette. I purposely made this larger by about 20%. I hope it fits little Sean.
I'm going to try to make a toy before I mail this out to Paula. Auntie Andrea likes it though, so that's good!

Hopefully you've noticed some more flowering proof of spring in this blog. I really love this season and I think the reason is the new life! The chicks in the 5th grade classroom are hatching. Tomorrow I think I'll take P up to see some.. I must take the camera along to get pictures of him with them. And one of my first grade classes had an emergence from a cocoon yesterday. I still don't know what it was. Need to do some research on that one! Maybe a buckeye butterfly, but I'm leaning more toward some kind of moth.

We hit the local annual booksale at the pool today. DS2 got a Thomas book (hardback with about 4 stories), a Beverly Cleary book (he liked the picture on the front) and the Pony train. DS1 chose Lego books and DD picked out 2 videos (spy kid and some barbie movie) and a Scooby Doo book. Me, I bought them the Rudyard Kipling Just So Stories, Dr. Suess Daisy-Head Mazie (never had heard of that one before and both were hardbacks) and I got the story of Peer Gynt (another hardback) and 2 sing along videos for work. All of that was $10.25 Not to shabby. I love thrifting :-)

more knitted goodness

finally finished the last details on the baby kimono:

For: Baby Nicholas
Pattern: Baby Kimono from Mason Dixon Knitting
Yarn: Bernat Organic Natural Cotton
Color: Mineral Spring Trim: Oasis
Needle: US7
Button: from stash

Thanks D for the i cord suggestion and trim on sleeves. I took it one step further and did trim along all the edges. Ties it together more. I was going to put 2 buttons, then decided it limited the sizing possibilities, so then thought of ribbon, but when D saw the hat she said... trim the sleeves in varigated and put varigated i-cord tie... great idea! Hope the mama likes it and it's comfy on the babe.


Also finished the Monthly Dishcloth March KAL and gifted it to my friend Sam

Pattern: The Empty Tomb by Lindy
Yarn: Elmore Pisgah Peaches and Creme
Color: Camel (reminds me of coffee ice cream!)
Needle: US6


This cloth is timely for me. Dad was taken to the hospital again Tuesday evening. Among other things, he has a bladder infection... not good. The prognosis is glum and he really would rather be on the other side. I ask for your prayers for my mom and my brothers in dealing with this. Me, I know what waits him is better than what he has now. I just hope that he can pass with some dignity and not too much pain. Guess I better hurry up and finish that vest........

I leave you with the complete baby gift..I think it looks pretty all together.