hoT hOT HOT

I would pick the hottest day of the year to be working on the last stitches of this:


Pattern: Lizard Ridge by Laura Aylor
Yarn: blocks Noro Kureyon, seaming and attached i-cord recycled Abercrombie & Fitch sweater
Colors: 40U, 52P2, 95, 102Y, 116D, 134C, 147A, 148A, 149F, 153A, 157A, 156B, 163D, 164E, 165C, 170, 172E, 175C, 178C, 182D, 184E, 185D, 188D, 194C and charcoal
Needle: US8 and US10
Modifications: I made it 6x5 instead of 6x4 in order to wrap my body in it.
Recipient: Why ME of course!

I skipped walking yesterday and opted for sleep... today i walked 6 miles... and it's super hot.. I probably had a slight case of heat stroke while waiting for the kids at swimming lessons.

DH replaced the garbage disposal... I promised him a key lime pie, so now that I've recuperated from the heat, I guess I best get moving on that... squeezing all those little limes... jeesh!

Have to look for cording to either cover or head out to Joanns to buy some covered so I can make the window seat pillow.. want that done b4 the SIL comes.

last night we had a decadent life. Watched the Phils win, put the kids to bed then took the laptop in bed and watched Must Love Dogs.. that movie is really to cute..we laughed so hard!

I decided not to go in to work this week. No one cares and frankly, it's too bloody hot to be there with no A/C.. I'll start plans from home.

Stay cool!

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!

FO friday

ok.. not really many but here's what I've gotSquare number 7 for Lizard Ridge in color 156B. Next block up in 40U







and the Mid month KAL for the monthly dishcloth group

Pattern: Every day any day by Sue Schaefer
Yarn: Sugar 'n cream
color: countryside ombre
needle: US6

on a frustrating note, the superdrive in my G4 isn't working.... and my warranty ran out about 5 weeks ago (it wasn't working then either, I just was too lazy to take it to the computer store) so I'm kicking myself in the arse... hope my dear nephew can fix it for me... (with pay of course)

YAY!

the PSSAs are over!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! hip hip hooray!

the knitting was really a success. I was much more laid back this year and the kids really enjoyed it. We'll see how much of a blanket we get made. But I have some that I think will be lifelong knitters...so I am happy. I'll post pictures of them all later. They're in my other camera.

I finished another LR block today. This is Noro color 102Y. It's really more subdued than this picture more pinky and less orangy.

I also fixed my friend's Louis Vitton bowler's bag today. The handles were coming off, so at lunch I grabbed a needle and some 8 pound fishing line (that's all I had at work.. well actually she had it in her desk) and fixed it. She's thrilled.. glad I could help!

It was a beautiful day and the kids and I sat outside for quite some time after I got home from work. While we were outside, my long lost friend K and her dd stopped by. It was so good to see her... wow a sight for sore eyes. It really made my day! Thanks K, if you ever read this and let's not stay away from each other for so long anymore! While they were here, I actually looked out front (boy do I need to work in the garden) and saw that there were grape hyacinths blooming... so cute and petite. Like perfect little bells.


am so tempted to cut my daffs and bring them in and shoot proper pictures of them. And I am reminded that I MUST plant more bulbs this fall, because I love them so much in the spring. I'd also like to get some of those miniature ones.. they are so cute. Our neighbor has them in her backyard (which is an impeccable garden) and they take my breath away every day!

I'm going yarn shopping on Saturday morning to a listing from craigslist. And I can't wait. I know I'll get some amazing bargains. I'll be sure to tell all about it later.

Oh and say a prayer that I get the taxes done on time. Why do I always procrastinate so long?????

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

catchin' up

Lest anyone think I've been up to nothing (or no good) I thought I'd post some pics of WIPs


The recent Lizard Ridge block in color 148 lot A

I was up in the air about what scarf to make my pop for Chrismtas this year. At first I thought something with a cable to match the hat I made him last year, but I don't have enough of that particular colorway so I opted for something that would compliment instead. It came down to a choice between Grumperina's Shifting Sands scarf and the My So Called Scarf. The latter won out (it fits wiith the 100purewool that I wanted to use better) I really love this pattern, it's a brainless knit. I was going to use chocolate fantasia, but opted for aquisgran instead. This stitch pattern really uses the varigation to it's advantage. I think it would make a great dishcloth pattern too :-) At any rate, I wanted something cozy and soft for him. He's so sensitive to wool. (If you don't recall, I lined knitty's coronet with fleece for him last Christmas)

i did some spinning last night as well. I'd like to finish the Targhee, but the entire fleece isn't ready (still flicking and carding to go) I have 2 or 3 more fleeces to wash (let's not talk about how many need to be carded. And I just 'won' 1 pound of white BFL top off ebay. I'm going to start dyeing the top that I have before I spin it to see if I can make a more interesting yarn. I've been loving what jared has been spinning with roving (check out 8.24.07 entry) from spunky eclectic.

In yarn acquisition show offs Both of these are from ebay:
4 skeins of malabrigo in an olive green color. I see some manly gifts from this... maybe has, mittens and a scarf?

And 3 skeins of Noro, one of which I'll use for Lizard Ridge and the other two????

Slowly but surely, the stash is being put up on ravelry.. it's almost sinful... OK it is sinful. I've started to queue projects, my books are up and my FOs are getting there. Hopefully before too long I'll be caught up so I can play (and knit) more!

how many pointy sticks

does it take a knitter to make gloves?


well this one uses too many. I need to put the unworking stitches on a circular, less points to jab myself with. But I have to say I'm loving those 5" for doing the fingers... works out much easier than with the 7" that I used last year. Yes, E, if you're reading this, it IS your Christmas present... the knitted finger you see is the trigger fingers. The rest will be made for the convertible glove/mitten part and the left hand will be completely convertible. Hope you like them my dear!

Other news.... the plumbing is fixed (cross fingers please) THe plumber has been to my house 4 times in the past 2 weeks. Twice because of back-up in the toilets and shower in the basement and off-kitchen bathrooms, once to check out the leak inthe bathroom tub that made the dining room cieling start to fall (yes... that's fixed now too thank you very much... should have taken a picture when the hole was still there!) and once to put a camera down the main to check to see if there were any problems that could be related to the first and third visits.... He's a nice man, but I hope I don't see him again for quite some time.

ON the LIzard Ridge front, I finished square #2. I was going to frog it, because I wasn't sure I liked all the greens together. But now that it's finished, it's growing on me.... I like how it's almost symmetrical
I almost have enough skeins of Noro to complete this project now :-) All I need is the time LOL

I've been spending way too much time on ravelry, just trying to get my stuff up. I started taking new pictures of the stash, because of the way that whole area is set up. What a great website... have I told you that I love it there?

DD and I went to Michael's to get ribbons that I needed for school on Sat. Serendipitously they were on sale :-) so I had to use my 40% off coupon from ACMoore for something else. I bought Nicky Epstein's Knitting on the Edge. THey didn't have much of a selection and that book has been on my list for quite some time. I also bought a skein of Bernat bamboo yarn (also on sale) to try out.

I volunteered for the crisis committee for our teacher's union. I hope that it is time spent that we really don't need....


And last but not least, my periodic insomnia kept me up last night... at least I worked on this: