tulips

are a girl's best friend...
Thought I'd show you mine. I really love the color. Perfect pick me up from a sweetheart











Including a couple of better pictures of the cloths... these are taken with a real camera.

3 down 197 to go

I made my SIL these 6 cloths. I intended them for dishes but she says she won't use them for that cuz they're too pretty... crazy girl. I used the 365 knitting stitches a year perpetual calender for all of them and lily's sugar 'n cream cotton in white (her preferred house color)

Jan 28 - fagotted lace panel CO 43


Feb 9 - feather and fan CO 4O


Mar 4 - crossed stockinette CO 42


Nov 6 - star CO 43


Dec 25 - rice CO 43


Dec 31 - bamboo CO 41


Yarn: Lily Sugar 'n Cream
Color: white
Needle: US6


No school today because of ice. This is good because it changes the day that Tuesday is next week. Don't ask, it will make no sense... but trust me. I was happy! I could go for a late start tmrw. I'm really not feeling the love there. I feel overworked and underappreciated. But a short week now this week. Next week is my birthday and the concert and then the following week is short because of MLK day and the fact that I took a class this summer for a trade day.

My neighbor is driving me nuts of late. He plays loud music very late. It's almost midnight and I hear wild drumming through the wall (we live in half a double) I'm wondering if he has rockband for PSP or Wii.

I've been pretty good about working out on Wii... missed today though because everyone was home and I couldn't get on. Now DS2 is sleeping in front of the TV so I hate to move him and wake him up and I can't work out there.

Natalie and I got together and worked on the stuff for the spring concert. Earth Day in the park with all environmentally consious songs. I'm excited for it, but want to get the winter concert over with first. I made her a CD of our concert together from last year. I think she was really happy!

K off to do some lunch packing and get prepared for the am... blech. I love my job when I'm with the kids, it's the other adults I can't stand!

where does the time go?

I realized that I didn't post pictures of the skeins I've made.
This is Finn that was navajo plied (my first) and then dyed with McCormick Food (black and neon blue) coloring and kool aid(tropical fruit punch mixed with lemonade - a little red goes a looooooooong way) Not exactly what I was going for but....I think it will become socks. Still have to measure the wpi on it and this next picture which is the BFL for DH's Christmas (crossing my fingers) vest. I ordered a book from amazon mentioned here but I'm still waiting on it. Anyway, these three skeins are a smidge over 450 yards. I have 2 more bobbins of single ply finished and I'm working on the third so I can triple ply more this week and hopefully finish before the Champs-Élysées. I'm so enjoying watchin the boys race. DH doesn't get my sudden interest in bicycling, but it's good company while I'm spinning in my own race!



We have a new bunny chomping on the clover in the yard. I wonder if it's a relative to the ones we had in the beginning of the summer and our wild 'pet' from last summer. This guy is definitely not used to us though. The one from last summer would stay in his/her spot no matter how close we got.

And I've finished another square of the Lizard Ridge. Color 147A


My ravelry dishcloth partner got her package today so I can post some pictures :-)

Pattern: wave pool by Carol Bristol
Yarn: Sugar 'n Cream Stripes
Color: Tie Dye Stripes
Needle: US6

The exchange is for a dishcloth and a ball of yarn and the theme was summer so this is what I sent. My partner seemed very happy with her package and for that I'm very glad.

Opening day for the other exchange I participated in is August 1, so those pictures will have to wait!

DH proved himself the repairman on Saturday. We bought a used radio/CD/tape player from a junkyard in TX for our van to replace the one that DS2 used as a piggybank and the man did all the work himself. I was impressed!

Sunday we had a family get together for all the July birthdays (there are 4 in the family) Food aplenty. The theme being the birthday peoples favorites. There was hamburgers (my brothers) twice baked potatoes(nephew) potato salad (DH) asparagus salad (DH) pea salad (SIL) deviled eggs (EVERYONE) fruit salad for the kids and my mom who shouldn't eat all the tempting desserts: Penn State Cheesecake (nephew), chocolate cake (DH), cherry cobbler (SIL) chocolate chip cookies (brother) not to mention ice cream and an ice cream cake that I don't think we got to! Good food... and we got to see the 5th Harry Potter movie (which we don't own) I'm getting hooked on Hogwarts!

DH was convinced that I was going to have to head out to get a copy of my birth certificate so that we can go Canuk for a bit. (our passports have expired) but I sent him back to the bank to check the safety deposit box again because he wasn't too convincing that it wasn't there (after I spent over an hour looking for it here at home) and sure enough, there it was with some other important papers like our marriage certificate... well at least we can go now without wasting a day to get the paperwork!

well I really should card some wool and finish Ghandi so I can send it back to Netflix. I sent for it and DH has no interest in seeing it (again)

they're here!

I meant to post pictures of FOs yesterday, but never got around to it. The in-laws arrived and miraculously we suddenly on the Argentine schedule. I hate when that happens cuz it really goofs me (and the kids) up... I don't like eating dinner at 9 PM.
nuff complaining...

now for the belated FO friday post.

Lizard Ridge block 9 in color 52 lot P2



Pattern: Tulip Dishrag by Pam Walker of Knitter's Nest
Yarn: Sugar 'n Cream Twists
Color: Natural Twists
Needle: US6

I'm thinking of making this for my MIL in a cloth and matching towel set for her kitchen in yellow. She loves tulips.


Pattern: garter slip stitch cloth
Yarn: Sugar 'n Cream
Colors: Tea Rose and Rust
Needle: US6
This is for another colleague that was kind of whining when she saw the trio of cloths I gifted to our mutual friend. Now she's happy.... and I still love making this cloth :-)

Our kids continue to be spoiled by their relatives. The abuelos bought them each a scooter. The two olders got the Razor A scooter rated for up to 130 lbs and the little guy got a Radio Flyer scooter that has 3 wheels: 2 in the front, one in the back and the place for your feet is nice and wide.
They also got some clothing... DD a cotton sweater made by aba (I'll post a picture later... it's beautiful) and a t-shirt and the boys each a matching t-shirt and sweatshirt. Their aunt sent them backpacks.

We were also spoiled. Me a wool shawl made in Patagonia (pictures forthcoming) and DH a cotton vest, 2 coffee mugs and a wooden serving tray made of palo santo (a special indiginous wood found in the NW Argentina) My sister-in-law sent me a gorgeous amethyst necklace and sent DH a hammock.... where will we hang it?

at any rate, we're in for a fun 6 weeks ahead. Everyone is at gymnastics now, so it's time for me to start my day.

happy crafting!

knitting news

The soap sack is finished. It doesn't even deserve a special place here... but just as a record there's a picture... I knit it with cotton chenille I bought last year from ebay (a 2 pound cone) that is lighter weight than dishcloth cotton, but I wanted something really soft for dad's skin. Who knows if he'll be back in the apartment to use it. The poor guy. Now they're talking of doing a bone marrow test on him because of his unexplained anemia (ouch... I've heard they really hurt) and he's very confused a lot of the time. It looks like when he gets out of the hospital, they'll put him in the PCU at the Village... it's not far from the apartment, so mom can scoot down there and visit as much as she'd like, but still.... it's really depressing me.


The weekly KAL for dishcloths at ravelry was the garterlac. I've always wanted to try it. I'm not too happy with how mine turned out. I think I goofed up the picking up of stitches to make the new squares and triangles. Oh well... It's only gonna warsh dishes, right?

Pattern: Garterlac Dishcloth
Yarn: Bernat Handicrafter cotton
Color: Beach Ball Blue
Needle: US 7


Saturday evening, I visited my folks. Dad is still in the hospital, but I took the vest back down to try it on him. the man has unusually deep arms... from armpit to shoulder. I have to rip back both shoulders and make the armhole deeper. My mom says that that part of his body matches his ears.. she could have a point! Mom is enjoying her shawl and the attention that it draws. The ladies at the village really like it, so she's very happy and so am I!

I brought back the chicken and the cut glass bowl from my grandma's house (they were her mothers) as well as some loaf pans and tiered cake pans... never know when they could come in handy. Soon the auction house will go through the stuff to see what they feel they can sell.

I must go to bed.. I'm very very tired these days. Thanks for all your prayers.

Happy crafting and tell your family and friends you love them!

more snow

it started very early this morning around 1 AM.. .and it's been stead since. Very fine flakes though so the accumulation is only a couple of inches. I hope the wintry mix doesn't come. Just once I'd like to see a plain old snowstorm.

My ebay camera purchase arrived today :-) I'm so happy. Remember the old Kodak mysteriously fell off the basement window sill and broke a few weeks ago. I was using a little panasonic that is 6MP and was happy that it was available, but I missed MY camera. the one that I was finally getting used to using. The one that I have the cool macro and telephoto lenses that fit on it. I took it to the local camera store last Sat and they said it wouldn't be worth fixing. So I found a used one on ebay. I already have the dock so didn't need that. Anyway it's here and I'm taking pictures when the kids aren't looking. DD knows it's here but I'm not telling the boys... and it's in a very safe place and my lesson has been learned. I'm interested to see the difference in the pictures. Here are some pictures of the cloth with the 'new' camera


Pattern: Mason Dixon Ballband
Size: CO 37 stitches
Yarn: Elmore Pisgah Peaches and Creme
Colors: mauve and verde green
Needle: US6
I'm not nuts about the color combo but it matches the monthly dishcloth KAL colors so I'm doing a couple of cloths to get a gift set together.

I'm working up swatches for pop's vest. I tried a needles in 8 and 10 and now i'm trying an 11. It's bulky wool, so I think the 11 could work. Would make a quick knit too.

Well happy snow day. I love long weekends, even if it means Easter vacation is goofed up.





picture with other camera

more cloths

I finished the monthly dishcloth KAL a day early yesterday. I'm not quite sure that the ending follows the pattern. I'm also not crazy about the color choices that were assigned (mauve and verde green from Elmore-pisgah peaches and creme). I love the pattern though and I'll be making it again in my own color choices.

So I decided to start a ballband in the same colors and also I'll make some tribbles and use it as a hostess gift set or something. For some reason my brain just isn't working with the ballband though. I've needed to rip almost as much as knit... keep forgetting to switch the yarn to the back on those return knit rows in the bricks.


I finished another block of the Lizard Ridge though. That makes four completed blocks. This is color 170. So pretty. I'm loving the pattern and the yarn the more I work with it. just need to make sure to knit on it when I can count unencumbered by too many 'mom' interruptions.

I need to do the math for dad's vest and cast that on. Work on the flower power rug for DD and swatch for socks for DH....

I'm almost wishing for a snow day tmrw... even though I'll still be home alone with all 3 kids. The lunar eclipse last night was so cool.. wish I had been outside for more of it and had remembered to try out the moon scope. That should be fun to do with the kids this summer even without an eclipse.

well if school's cancelled tomorrow listen hard and you may hear the clicking of needles :-D

happy crafting

happy president's day

another day off from school. I'm not complaining. kids are off too and a bit nuts. it poured around noon.. i mean cats and dogs. so off to do the chores: laundry, cooking, cleaning up after DDs family party yesterday..wow did we have fun! And everyone was too generous as well.

I finished this cloth last night:

Pattern: Be My Dishcloth by Kris.
Yarn: Lily Sugar 'n Cream
Color: Hot Purple
Needle: US3

I've never knit a cloth on size 3 needles. It is tight but the picture really pops!
Kris has put a couple of really beautiful designs on her blog so check her out!

I also got the opportunity to measure my pop at the party so I'll do the math to figure out how to start the vest. Guess I better get knitting on that before the weather gets too warm.. it is 63° here today.

Miracles DO happen

Well mom is in her new digs. Dad is SO much better... thanks to all of you who held him up. They moved him out of CCU yesterday to the telemetry unit. His BP is stabalized without meds, his kidneys are fully functioning with drains in them to 2 bags because both ureters are blocked (which explains why he wasn't urinating... hard to get it out) So his potassium levels are great now instead of deadly and the creatinine levels are good as well. He does have MRSA in his bladder, which needs to be dealt with but it's really a miracle that he made it through all he did. Praise the Lord! Pop said to me Friday night he guesses he has something else he has to do in his life.

On to knitting, which of course is kind of the purpose of the blog.

Cloths for the rents new apartment:

Pattern: Zigzag lace by Maile Mauch
Yarn: Lily Sugar n Cream
Color: Potpourri Ombre
Needle: US7
This doesn't look like the example on Maile Mauch's page at all. But it is really pretty



Pattern: Tuscany Tile Roof by Maile Mauch
Yarn: Lily Sugar n Cream
Color: Potpourri Ombre
Needle: US7



Pattern: Carlsbad Flower Fields by Maile Mauch
Yarn: Lily Sugar n Cream
Color: Potpourri Ombre
Needle: US7




Pattern: Mad Dash by Maile Mauch
Yarn: Lily Sugar n Cream
Color: Potpourri Ombre
Needle: US7

The center of this cloth is completely screwed up. I was knitting this at the New Year's Eve party when I got the call about dad and tried to knit it off and on in the hospital, when I wasn't holding his hand.. but I really wasn't concentrating on the pattern and it's obvious when you look at the cloth!

And finally, the last installment to my SIL's Christmas set:

Pattern: Snowbird by Sue Schaefer at Harvest Moon Designs
Yarn: Lily's Sugar N Cream
Color: wine
Needle: US6

frantically knitting

to finish the dishcloths. 5 of 6 are complete. Pictures to be added later. TOnight I have to go down to pack up some of the rent's things as the move is scheduled for tmrw.

We almost lost dad Monday night... and things are looking pretty grim Just taking one day at a time. So it won't be until after the weekend when I post. Keep him in your prayers....

they're back!

the progress trackers, that is. Not precisely what I wanted, but it will do until I can conquer the cute little ones that indigirl used to give out the code for. These are also not the ones that I had originally, but like I said, they'll do.

I've been busy d/l patterns galore. But today (well technically yesterday) I managed to knit the first of 6 cloths for my parents to welcome them into their new apartment next Saturday, where they won't have a dishwasher. So they'll need dishcloths. And what says love more than a handknit one or two, or three...... I give you

Pattern: Slip and Slide cloth by Maile Mauch
Yarn: Lily's Sugar n Cream
Color: Potpourri Ombre
Needle: US7

My idea is to make all 6 cloths from the same yarn (I have a 12 oz ball) and to make 1 a day so that on moving day I can deliver them. They'll need something to make them smile. I wish they had made this move sooner when they could really enjoy all the place has to offer.

Dad's really not doing well. He's in a lot of pain and I can't help but wonder if it's related to the drug therapy he's on for the treatment of his cancer. I was down on Friday to try to help them start to pack up but feel as though I accomplished nothing. Of course, mom sent me home with more stash: 600g of Brunswick Germantown wool in Winterberry Heather and about 200g of the same, I think, in white. As well as 3 containers of sewing notions: buttons, elastic, bias tape, thread, ribbon, needles, etc. and a cute little box to help house some of it. I did manage to find the dishes and glassware that is still boxed that they can start out with so we don't have to scurry to pack the stuff they're using right now up.

I also finished the last cloth for my SIL on Saturday. I'll post a picture of that after I block it. It needs it.

DD went to a sleepover last night. Surprisingly, I was feeling lost without her. I guess my little girl is really growing up. DS1 was so jealous. He claims he wants to go to a sleepover too.

We were at Hershey Park Thursday evening with our friends. The kids had a blast. It wasn't too cold either. But it's a late night until we get home and everyone (asleep) in the house and in bed. We'll see these same folks tonight to ring in the new year.

Santa was good to all of us but he brought me knitting goodness. Lots of tape measures (they always seem to be awol) and WPI tool, an electronic row counter, and a bag that holds 4 skeins of yarn, looks like I'll be liearning intarsia soon. AND a certificate for the Harmony sock needle set. They're out of stock until after the new year. But I want to get in an order before free shipping goes up to $50. DH doesn't know it yet, but I'm ordering a set of blocking wires from Joann.com with a 50%off coupon... I'll need them to block mom's shawl.

OK.. off to knit. Happy new year everyone and happy crafting

Let it Snow

Pattern: Snowflake by Norah Gaughan for Berroco
Yarn: Lily's Sugar 'n Cream
Color: white (of course)
Needle: US 8

I must finish the convertible mittens before 5... think my family will notice if I ignore them?

Merry Christmas everyone, I'm sure this is the last post before the holiday... I'll try to put pictures up of the recipients modelling their gifts.

Happy Turkey Day

hope they all were able to hide! (being a vegetarian...)

We're off to my Brother and SIL's house who has graciously taken over hosting this year since our dad just got out of the hospital yesterday from his surgery. We were afraid he might still be in and they live about 15 minutes from the hospital as opposed to us (who usually host Thanksgiving) who live about 100 minutes away...at any rate, it will be good to all be together again as I don't know how many more holidays we'll have with the rents.

Just wanted to post a picture of the balaclava that I made for DS2. Of course he refuses to wear it as such (which was the whole point of making it) but DS1 loves it so he is modeling for me. Actually it fits him a bit better than it does his younger brother and he wants it so it shall be his! I'll put more details in later with a better picture.

Here's another DW cloth I finished for the Christmas stack. Won't say who this is for in case they read this blog (doubtful but you never know) If you want the specifics on the DW cloth go to the sidebar and click on the Infamous Darrell Waltrip cloth link under 2007 FOs all the info will be under that picture. I can say that the one in today's photowas knit with Early American Ombre colorway of Sugar and Cream. I love the colors!

I have been spinning VERY sporadically.. perhaps I'll take some along with my knitting today.

have a blessed holiday and happy crafting

the picture is revealed

Well the KAL ended today so I can post a picture
Pattern: Bunny by Judith
Yarn: Lily's Sugar and Cream
Color: Cream
Needle Size: 7

Visit Judith's blog. She has a lot of beautiful free patterns. She also runs the Fun Knitting Dishcloth KAL group which now has their own yahoo group in addition to the blog.

I finally CO mom's slippers the other night. I want to finish them as soon as I can. This is the yarn that I'm using. I joined the stitch for chicks KAL at stitchy. I was originally thinking of making the entire slipper blue and using the hot pink as the i cord edging. But I'm afraid there isn't enough blue. The yarn is Peace Fleece Bagdhad blue and Volgisippi Pink. I love the intensity of the colors.

The big project starts on Monday. Two groups of 24 students will be spending 80 minutes for 4 afternoons with me learning to knit (or knitting if they already can) I have to finish rewinding the yarn - 11+ pounds (another teacher is helping) and wax the chopsticks. We'll donate the squares or blanket to Warm Up America. I thought about giving them to firefly for her gracious parcels project, but the requirements for her squares may be more than these newly learning knitters can accomplish. I'll be posting daily regarding their project. Some of the kids are very excited. I know I am!

Last night I carded and spun a BUNCH of wool/yarn. I was going to go to bed early cuz I was falling asleep putting DD to bed but when I laid down I couldn't sleep. So I got up and carded, then found out we had a late start today because of the cold. So of course I stayed up way too late... oops!

Happy crafting

FO and redyed

Here's the blue overdyed with Wilton's icing gel in medium blue with a hint of dark blue (which made the purple) I really love how this turned out and can't wait to spin it!


This is the cloth I finished a few days ago. I have to look to get the info on the pattern. It's cute enough for V-day. I have another shot of it which showcases the hearts better but the color is way off. As promised yesterday the details follow :-)


Pattern: Love Day Cloth
Yarn: Lily's Sugar 'n Cream
Color: Red
Needle: Size 7 Knitpicks Options (have I said I love these needles??)


Happy Crafting