Finished objects and such...

I had a list in my head. Maybe I should have written it down and I could have slept better. It was one of those seemingly never ending lists of things to do. It had things to do like finish the booties, get the stocking done, fill out the Bar application, go Christmas shopping, prepare for the blizzard, get some baking done...and study, study, study. Besides that work 50 hours a week, travel to Seattle, and be some semblance of a good mom. Work out.

So today is the 27th and there has been progress. The stocking was done as were the booties. Christmas came and went, and the kids and everyone liked their presents. I saw my bud Joanne at a Knitted Peace. I mailed the Bar application yesterday. I'm behind in my studying. And I have holiday poundage.

Well, I updated the blog. I am trying to learn more things about blogging in the minute amount of time I have for recreational reading. Right now the rest of my brain is filled up with torts and then on to contracts. There will be time, just not until after February 22.

But I cast on a shawl on Christmas. The lovely Casino from Anne over at http://www.knitspot.com/. I had some lovely Lorna's Laces Helen's lace in the stash that I bought from Lorna at her house in Placerville over 4 1/2 years ago, before she sold the company. She had it hanging in the backyard to dry, beautiful colors of red, and Cabernet with a little yellow thrown in. Reminds me of fire.

I have worked on other things, the little guy's pirate hat, my mandarin jacket. And I tried to organize some of the yarn room. My other half gave me the standing wrought iron basket rack from Lantern Moon for Christmas. (Thanks for the hint Greg!) I have recent projects in it, a boat load of Socks That Rock to knit up, and other things.

Speaking of socks, I cast 3 pair on during last week's blizzard and snapped 2 size 1 double points. Cassidy asked if I was knitting mad. Nah - just cranking down on the wrong type of needles. Only one pair has stayed up. So much for blizzard socks. Let's see what snow gets dumped on us today. I don't think I'm going for the socks.

Speaking of the last blizzard, we had 3 feet of snow dumped on us last week. Everything shut down - even the Post Office. The grocery stores are still very low on veggies and milk. But we had fun. The pirate flag went up 2 doors down so there the party went. It was 2 kegs out in the snow, hot buttered rum, the kids playing on the 8 foot piles of shoveled snow, a bonfire for the adults, the streets not yet plowed, and my other half throwing m80s in the snow to see how fireworks light up the piles. It can snow as much as it wants to today.

Well, I have to think what we will do today to entertain the boys. Yesterday it was the Children's Museum and the Aquarium. Maybe some baking later on.

Merry Belated Christmas!

The Knitters' TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS

The Knitters' TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS

'Twas the night before Christmas and all around me, Was unfinished knitting not under the tree. The stockings weren't hung by the chimney with care, 'cause the heels and the toes had not a stitch there. The children were nestled all snug in their beds but I had not finished the caps for their heads. Dad was asleep; he was no help at all, And the sweater for him was six inches too small. When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, I put down my needles to see what was the matter. Away to the window, I flew like a flash, Tripped over my yarn and fell down with a crash. The tangle of yarn that lay deep as the snow Reminded me how much I still had to go. Out on my lawn, I heard such a noise, I thought it would wake both dad and the boys. And though I was tired,my brain was a bit thick, I knew in a moment, it must be Saint Nick. But what I heard then left me perplexed-ed, For not a name I heard was what I had expected "move,Ashford; move,Lopi; move,Addie and Clover, Move,Reynolds; move,Starmore; move, Fraylic--moveover" "Paton, don't circle round; stand in line. Come now, you sheep wool work just fine! I know this is hard semi, it's just your first year, I'd hate to go back to eight tiny reindeer." I peered over the sill; what I saw was amazing, Eight woolly sheep on my lawn all a'grazing. And then,in a twinkle, I heard at the door Santa's feet coming across the porch floor. I rose from my knees and got back on my feet,And as I turned round, Saint Nick, I did meet. He was dressed all in wool from his head to his toe And his clothes were handknit from above to below. A bright Fairisle sweater he wore on his back, and his toys were all stuffed in an Aran knit sack. His cap was a wonder of bobbles and lace, A beautiful frame for his rosy red face. The scarf round his neck could have stretched for a mile, And the socks peeking over his boots were Argyle. The back of his mittens bore an intricate cable, And suddenly on one I spied a small label. SC was duplicate stitched on the cuff, and I asked "Hey Nick, did you knit all this stuff?" He proudly replied "Ho-ho-ho, yes I did, I learned how to knit when I was a kid." He was chubby and plump, a quite well-dressed old man, And I laughed to myself for I'd thought up a plan,. I flashed him a grin and jumped up in the air, And the next thing he knew he was tied to a chair. He spoke not a word, but looked in his lap Where I'd laid my needles and yarn for a cap. He quickly began knitting, first one cap then two; For the first time I thought I'd really get through. He put heels on the stockings and toes in some socks While I sat back drinking Scotch on the rocks!! So quickly like magic, his needles they flew, That he was all finished by quarter to two. He sprang for his sleigh when I let him go free, And over his shoulder he looked back at me. And I heard him exclaim as he sailed past the moon, "Next year start your knitting sometime around June!

Author Unknown

Am I going to get home today?

Well, I'm in Seattle and the weather report is not looking too good right now for my 3PM flight. When I arrived here yesterday, the wind gusts were so bad that the wings rocked on the plane. Thank goodness for great pilots. We all clapped when he got that bird on the ground. The winds yesterday were up to 45 miles an hour. Today is going to be worse. There's a monster of a storm heading right this way, and they are expecting hurricane force winds later today and tonight of maybe 85 miles an hour. Oh my!

But, I do have yarn, and a hotel I can check back in to, but I do not think I want to be back on the 26th floor. I went walking down by the waterfront and found So Much Yarn (www.somuchyarn.com) at 23rd and Bell. Very nice shop, yarns pretty close to what Cassidy has at my LYS, but I did find some really nice things. I bought a new bag, as if I needed another one, but it has beads on it, the girl does like bling! I bought some new Karabella Cashmere/merino blend that is oh so soft in a beautiful sherry brown for a scarf for me. I bought some yarn for presents, so I won't say what I am making out of it, some needles, and Chibis since I forgot mine.

Afterwards, I went to this wonderful Thai restaurant recommended to me by the nice guy, yes guy working at the yarn store (2 guys were knitting when I arrived). Oh man, was that good! I had a nice, dry Chardonnay with Phud Thay which was nice and spicy and Yummy! It had salmon (of course, I am in Seattle you know), squid, shrimp, lemongrass, assorted veggies and chili paste. Man oh man, I hope I come back here soon, because I know where I am eating.

Well, I need to get to work, maybe I'll be home tonight, maybe tomorrow, it is my birthday then you know. ....K

Finished Objects

It’s finished object week. I have so much on the needles, and so much more that I want to work on, that things have just got to be worked on and get out the door. The Christmas stocking is a high priority, as is the matching angora bootie for Ms. Amelia Grace. I have a quick trip to Seattle this week, which will add some knitting time for me.

What can you get finished this week? I’ll show you mine if you show me yours…..

Wednesday already!

Is it Wednesday all ready? I am losing all track of time. With the other half in DC, me being single mom for the week, and too many projects I want to knit on, my real job is really getting in the way of my knitting!

I’m having a party on Friday at the LYS. My birthday is on the 15th, I haven’t had a party since I was probably 8 years old, so I decided I want to have a party. It’s the holiday season and I just wanted to get together with my knitting buds and have a good old time. So Friday it will be. We will eat, and knit, and laugh, and I hope the sock yarn exchange/steal will get really nuts with a bunch of stealing. And there will be goodie bags. My kids get them when they go to parties, and so will my friends. Doesn’t that make you feel like a little kid again?

What projects am I working on? Not enough, that’s for sure! Well, I have got to get that Christmas stocking done, and the Latvian mitten second class is Saturday and mine have not been touched. And then the other half saw yarn he coveted at the LYS and now I have a hat and scarf added to my need to knit pile. I need knitting time! I did find that I can knit mind numbing knitting while I am studying, but not much of my projects fit that category.

I need a vacation on a beach somewhere with the guy from Casino Royale to be my cabana boy…

Purple and other things

Do you know what I am making? I cast it on last night, and doesn't it just go with my purple cowboy boots? I'd like to get it done in a week. I don't know if this is humanly possible with working 50 hours a week, and the other half set to catch a plane on Sunday for a week long business trip, so I'll be single mom for 6 days.

This has been rather a busy, crazy week. Work is busy. I'm acting Deputy Counsel for at least the month of December. This means more travel, this time to Seattle. And isn't it fun that Great Yarns isn't that far away in Everett? Today I spent the whole day packing and moving my office to the other side of the building. I have four broken nails, I am not too pleased, though to be honest, I broke one, make that two of them during paint ball yesterday - which was a work related function. I wasn't too thrilled with doing officer survival in 15 degree weather, but I kept warm, probably with all the adrenaline pumping, there was no way I was getting shot.

I also have too many knitting projects to get done, while I am trying to study for the bar at least an hour a day. I try to knit and read, but let's be realistic here, knitting is a heck more exciting than trying to remember torts which was flushed from this girl's brain 8 or more years ago.

Well, back to the books before the pizza gets here. It's pajama and movie night with the boys.

If you want a laugh check out this article, look at the picture:

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/other_business/article/0,2777,DRMN_23916_5167303,00.html

A Day of Thanks

It's 4:30AM. The house is quiet, everyone is asleep except mom and the cats. Before the chaos of the day begins, it's time to stop and give thanks for the past year. It hasn't been a bad year. We are well, Brian and I are still gainfully employed. Sure there have been disappointments and setbacks, but in the grand scheme of things, nothing was that bad. My mom's recent eye surgery went well. We are living inGod's country. There are projects that didn't get finished, people who have recently royally pissed me off, but again, when you compare it to everything else, it wasn't that bad. We have friends and family, a roof over our heads, and a amazing yarn stash, who could ask for more? Well, I have some cleaning in the kitchen to do, a turkey pan and rack to find, a pie to get in the oven, and some koigu that is calling my name before the parades start on TV. Happy Thanksgiving!

Is there smoke in here?

This is what happens when you hang Christmas Stockings on your mantle, have a husband who does his manly thing and builds a warm, blazing fire, and then forgets to open the chimney flue. These are the remains of the stocking I am going to recreate. The woman I am doing this for only had a picture of the stocking from about 35 or so years ago, but then when she visited her daughter this summer, she actually found this. Her daughter doesn’t know that mom took it, or what mom is up to.

What’s interesting after looking at these charred remains is that you can tell it was made of wool. Wool stops burning when the fire source is removed. If this was acrylic, there would be melted fibers. Luckily for me, the intarsia section is pretty intact, so I am going to chart it out using my new software Stitch and Motif maker, and then it’s off to the races. I am going to use Cascade 220 with a little angora for the Santa’s beard.

Had a sock class at the LYS last night, and Louise showed up with a nice Cabernet. Knitting and wine, as always a lovely combination. The socks are looking good, there are some over achievers that have two going at once.

I have to get charting on the mittens, after I figure out my software. Looks to be a lovely day here in God’s Country. Don’t you just love those bright, crystal clear blue skies?

Where did the year go?

Thanksgiving is less than 2 weeks away, and Christmas is right around the corner. It just seems to me that this year has flown by. Maybe it’s because I was on and off airplanes for most of the past six months. Maybe it’s because I’m in the middle of a big case at work which has consumed my attention and energy for what seems like months. Maybe it’s because of how big the boys look; they are just not my babies anymore. And the little one just switched to swimming lessons in the lane pool, which of course scares him, but puts him in the big boy category.

But what really points out to me how fast the year has flown by is a couple of things. First - all of the different projects that I have taught at the LYS, and the many friends I have met there that add their own special threads to the fabric of my life. The second is all the projects that I thought I would get finished during the year, which are still up on needles. There are so many of them that I would like to be wearing in this nice, cool Colorado weather. There are so many I want to finish by Christmas. I need to spend some serious time in the yarn room and prioritize some projects.

To add to the mix, I am probably going to knit a project for a woman that contacted me last year. It’s just a Christmas stocking, but I am going to be recreating a stocking from a picture and the remains of a burned stocking – I don’t know the details of what happened yet. I am meeting her today to see what she has, and what I can come up with. I really don’t need to add this to my list of projects, but she seems like a real nice woman, who wants to surprise her daughter.

I have my new knitting software to play with. I am going to try to chart out Latvian mittens for my class on Saturday. If this doesn’t work, it’s back to the colored pencils and knitter’s graft paper.

Oh, I promised some more Stitches. On Friday morning of course I spent more time in the market, doing a leisurely stroll among the booths to see what I didn’t see Thursday night. In the afternoon I attended a hounds tooth class given by Jean Frost. She gave us about 14 different stitch patterns, and of course she had a few of her gorgeous jackets. After swatching many of the patterns, I found that I liked the looks of the slipped stitch hounds tooth best. And it really looks nice in Alpaca. I’m putting that on the future list for a jacket design. Friday night was the designer fashion show. Lots of lace from Victorian Lace. What was disappointing was that they used stick thin models with purchased chests. Things just did not look right. Stitches West usually has some models that look like normal women. My outfit that I bought from Great Yarns looked great, and there was a killer Jane Slicer Smith coat that will be in the next issue of Knitters that is definitely going to be made by me.

Well, time to get back to my real job.

Mail call

Look what I found in the mail today! Not that I need new yarn, and not that I need to start some more socks. But isn't it pretty? I've never knit with this yarn before. The color name is Jolene, and named after a sunset she saw. The company is Mama-E's C*EYE*BER FIBER SOCK. I know I owe you some more on Stitches East, but frankly this girl is still tired. I have some sock knitting to do today, and two sweaters are badly in need of some attention. I leave you with this pretty yarn, and promise to do some better blogging this week. I know why I am so tired, I'm getting back in to a workout routine and did some heavy lap time in the pool at 6AM this morning. I'm just not happy with my back view you know? Catch you tomorrow.

I'm back!

I am back and I am tired and much poorer than I was before I went to Stitches East.

First of all, let’s start with the grey shawl. I am happy to say that it was finished and packed for the trip. And boy is it nice. I wore it on Friday and received many nice compliments. While walking through the Stitches market I was stopped by several knitters who asked me about it. I directed them over to Marilyn’s booth, Black Water Abbey Yarns. I don’t know how many bought yarn, but I think the booth did well. I bought a beautiful shawl stick pin that goes great with the grey yarn.

Well, let’s start with day one - Thursday. We attended the opening and were wowed by Kaffee Fassett. Needless to say, his combinations of colors, both in quilting and knitting are remarkable. He’s quite a speaker, very much at ease in front of a crowd, and was very responsive to questions. Later that day I attended a labyrinth knitting class with Debbie Neu. Let’s just say, I have no idea how this woman’s mind works, but oh my goodness, are the end results wonderful. Don’t ever expect me to knit a teacup or boat, but I will someday attempt to design a sweater using her techniques.

Later that day was the market. I was approximately 10th in line (no surprise there). And I was the first at the Socks that Rock booth. I needed to buy 4 skeins by request, and I wanted to obtain them before they sold out. Let me tell you, walking by the booth on Saturday showed very slim pickings. I bought 6 different colorways, and yesterday my boys picked 2 for mommy to keep. So the 4 of you out there can figure out which one is going home with you. What else was purchased at market? Several patterns for ideas for upcoming classes. Lace weight of course for 2 shawls. Cashmere from Australia. Like butter folks. This is for 2 scarves. An alpaca teddy bear for the yarn room. 2 knitting bags. An outfit from Great Yarns. Wait until you see this one. Some ribbon yarn for a sleeveless top. There is more, I just can't remember right now.

And I bought software. My husband has been after me to put the ideas down, so here we go. Now if I could just find the time.

More tomorrow…..

My back’s against the wall.

I fly out tomorrow. Is the grey shawl finished? No. The knitting is done. My internal time clock is WAY off with the recent time change, so when I woke up this morning at 3 AM, there was nothing else to do, but to knit as fast as my fingers could move. Which I did, in the yarn room, (which miraculously had enough room for me to sit down and knit - that's another story), praying that I had enough yarn to finish this baby. Then I got to the bind off. Now I’m thinking, don’t do it Kathy, just bind it off and get the thing in wool wash so you are not bringing a damp, smells like a wet, dirty dog, wool shawl on the airplane tomorrow. Don’t you realize YOU HAVE TO BLOCK THIS THING NOW??? Do I listen to myself, oh no. I have to be Ms. Perfectionist. We don’t want a normal bind off; we want a nice elastic, bind off with no discernable stitches along the edge. So of course that means the Elizabeth Zimmerman sewn bind off. So I grab a Chibi, cut a 19 foot, yes 19 foot tail, and start the bind off. And I bound off, pulling that length of tail through every stitch. Am I finished binding off? No. Is the shawl blocked? No. Can I work on it tonight? No, I have to pack and take the boys trick or treating. DO I wish I was anywhere else than my desk at work, and could continue with my bind off? Yes. Am I starting to feel like I am running out of time? OH YES! Is this girl going to drink some alcohol on that plane tomorrow? Stupid question – YES!

Knit a Dale in a Year - Yeah Baby!

We are up! Here is a picture of seven of the Highlands Ranch String Knit a Dale in a Year knitters, with our sleeves. The goal is to knit these sweaters over the next year, and by Halloween of 2007 have some GORGEOUS sweaters. It's slow going in the beginning, getting gauge, and modifying some patterns, but I'm thinking this is going to be fun. Next update on the sweaters, sometime around Thanksgiving. Want to join us?

No blizzard last night, and I sure didn't hear any wind , but here is the other half shoveling very heavy, wet, snow that is continuing to fall. The higher elevations already received 14 to 16 inches. We are around 4 or 5 so far, not enough to close the schools. I'm working from home today so no playing in the traffic for me, YAY! Glad I'm not trying to get to Denver today. Maybe later the grey shawl will get some attention. Stiches East is just a week away.

So where is the snow?

Here's the deal. All day long I have received weather alerts on my computer - blizzard warning, 8 to 15 inches of snow, wind gusts up to 50 miles an hour. And I'm thinking, what a great thing, I can knit all day long! So, it's supposed to start tonight, but it's 9:15PM, and there's no snow. No sprinkles, not even any rain, and I sure don't hear any wind whipping through the Aspen trees in the backyard. My thermometer says it's 53 degrees. Was this a test, getting us ready for the 3rd, yes count them, 3rd snow of October? I don't know. I thought I could still see the mountains when I looked out the window. Hmmm. I wonder what I will wake up to tomorrow morning, or maybe tonight? What's nice, our powerlines are underground, so we probably won't lose any power if this storm actually happens. As long as we have some wine in the wine cellar, and can dig a path next door to get some beer from the keg that is always ontap, as far as I am concerned, it can snow all it wants. I have yarn, I have needles, I have yarn for one, two and 3 glass of wine sweaters (how many glasses of wine you can drink while working on your sweater and not have to rip out what you knit). All I'm looking for is some snow...

YUCK!

Did someone say yuck? Because that’s how I feel. I don’t mean that I am sick or anything, it’s just that everything seems to be a pain in the backside right now.

I’m seeing the light at the end of the tunnel for the grey cable shawl, but the thought of knitting 36 more rows of cables, and then some 12 rows of seed stitch seems never ending. I worked on the purple swallowtail shawl last night, but I think it’s going in the frog pond. I just don’t know if it measures up to the beautiful cashmere I’m knitting with. I need to work on something new, something that makes me want to stay up way too late just because I don’t want to put it down.

It could be that I just have a case of the blahs. I hate an endless project I am working on at work. It’s just me and the boys this week while the other half is hunting. Maybe it’s just because my knees are hurting, and I wish I had the knees (and body) I had in my 20s. Who knows? But today it is just yuck!

Did someone say snow?

Do you see what I see? It's snowing, and before it's all over there may be 6 to 8 inches on the ground tomorrow morning. There are still leaves on the Aspens, and my roses still looked beautiful, and I guess we picked the last of the tomatoes on Sunday. This is what I refer to as Halloween snow, although it's 2 weeks early. We always get snow in October it seems, so the kids have to wear heavy coats over their costumes, and we slip and slide on the snow and ice. Then two days later it is gone and it's back in the 60's. Welcome to Colorado!

What knitting is going on today? Well, the lovely Anne, designer of the Wing of the Moth Shawl (www.knitspot.com) invited me to join the red sweater KAL (www.redsweaterkal.blogspot.com). Red you say? Did I have red in the stash? Of course. So I went shopping in the stash, and brought out the Jane Slicer-Smith swing coat which needs to get done, ripped out the whole back, because it was too long, washed the wool and viola! We are up on the needles. Now who doesn't need a little red in their life?

Let's see, what else? I'm in love...with my new washer and dryer. The Kenmore front loading HE4T, quiet as can be, and they HOLD A BOATLOAD!!!!!! Just cutting down to one load of jeans is making this girl very happy.

Well, I've got some work to do, some knitting is calling my name. And it's still snowing...

I'm back for a while

Hopefully all my road trips except for Stitches East are over for a while. It seems that I have been on a plane every other week for months, and although it's great knitting time, I really am behind at work and at home. The yarn room is a mess. I have so many projects I want to work on, but some I don't even know where they are in the room. I need time to organize, but I doubt that that will happen in the near future. It's too bad that I have to work so I can buy yarn.

Sucking the Life out of Me...

Do you have one of those projects? It will be gorgeous when it is done, but oh my goodness, as my friend Diane would say, "It's sucking the life out of me!" It appears never ending. If it is a shawl, you swear that it hasn't grown an inch, and heaven forbid that the thing ever gets blocked. If it's a sweater, it's not even close to the time of year to wear the thing, because it doesn't seem like it WILL EVER GET DONE, and you still need to knit the sleeves. Or what about the other sock? The first one was fun, but now the second one is just another thing to be added to the list of unfinished projects. I have about 4 or 5 of these projects, 2 of which are coats, and one of them is the grey shawl. I want to wear them in my lifetime. I just am sick of knitting them. I think that is why I start so many projects. Life is too short for knitting to feel like a chore. Oh well, back to the grey shawl.....

Close up of the shawl 

I like my cable needle...

If the picture shows up, I have something pretty to show you. I am working on Cheryl Oberle's Kilkenny Cable Shawl, and am close to being half way done. It's in Black Water Abbey Yarn. I really would like to get this finished this week. Now, I love cables, but let me tell you, it takes me almost a half hour to twist the cables over the 308 stitches, which is done every 4th row. And this yarn has always been hard on my hands. I love the finished product, after it's been in a wool wash. I'm thinking the next time I might wash the wool first. Anyway, back to the cables... Now people have tried to sell me on cabling without a needle. First there was Amy at knitting camp, who said that it was the way to go. Then Marilyn of Black Water Abbey said you should cable without a needle, it's so much faster. But you know what? I LIKE MY CABLE NEEDLE! I don't think I'm any faster without it, and you know I like to find ways to knit faster. What do you think?

Friends

What is it about knitting that you meet the nicest people?

We had a discussion about this last night at the LYS, because our significant others just don’t get why we go to the store to knit. It’s because of friends. Friends that come in all shapes, sizes and ages. Friends who just like to knit socks, those who are new to knitting and are willing to try anything, friends who know so much about our craft of choice that they will forget more than you can ever learn in a lifetime. Friends who just make you smile when they walk in the door of the shop. Friends who are going through a hard time. Friends who make you laugh so hard that your face hurts, or you snort your drink up your nose. Friends who were very quiet and reserved when you first met them, and then you find out that they have a wicked sense of humor and can make you laugh hysterically when they describe how to use a Nastapena to wind yarn. Friends who make you rip. Friends who will join you on knitting trips. Friends you have met through blogs.

And they all appreciate your abilities, your unfinished, and your finished objects. Knitting just attracts the nicest people. To all my friends, thank you.

Is it fall?

How do you tell that it is fall? Of course, you have your obvious signs, the lovely red, orange and yellow leaves, the glorious sunsets,, the crisp “sweater weather days.” Football games. Today the boys and I saw enough leaves on the ground to rake up and jump in. Maybe we could combine some leaf jumping with our “pajama walks” who knows?

For me, there are a couple of signs. One is the first bloody nose of the season, and luckily it usually happens while you are taking a shower. At 5,390 feet it sure gets dry here and your nose pays the price, along with chapped lips and dry hands.

The second sign for me is knitting on anything, and you don’t get hot with it sitting on your lap. I was riding the lightrail into work this morning, kntting on my wrap out of Black Water Abbey worsted weight, and noticed that even though I had my jacket zipped up, and lots of knitted work on my lap, I wasn’t uncomfortable. Yep – it’s fall. Time to break out the sweaters.

There's just not enough time....

It's October already. Where did the summer go? And Stitches East is a month away. How did this happen? Surely I had all the time in the world to knit beautiful things that I was going to wear in Baltimore. Are they done? NO!!!!!! So I have to attempt to be realistic and choose a few items that I can knit on. Now some of you are laughing at this because you have some idea of the size of my stash, and that there is no way that I could possibly enumerate how many projects I have on needles. Yes, I have start"itis." I love to see what a new yarn or pattern does. I like the smell and the feel of new wool. I have been asked to leave many people my stash in my will.

Oh, and to add to the mix, I start studying for the Colorado Bar this month so I can get licensed here. (Nasty Colorado Bar examiners, no reciprocity for California attorneys!)

I will attempt to finish these items before November 1: 1. My Cheryl Oberle shawl in a beautiful silvery grey Black Water Abbey wool. 2. My swallowtail shawl in gorgeous purple cashmere. 3. My twisted sisters sweater in a nice slubby cotton, and 4. is yet to be named.

Now I will have to cast on a new sweater this month, because I'm teaching a "Knit a Dale Sweater in a Year" class at Highlands Ranch String (www.stringboutique.com).

Can she complete the task? Or is it Mission Impossible?

Just 20 rows

Why is it that when you go on a trip you think you can knit about 20 times faster than you can?

As I was packing on Monday for my trip to Washington, D.C., I decided to pack my knitting. Now, it's kind of like when you were in college. You go on vaction, take all your books, intend to study and you don't open one book. Isn't it the same with knitting? I packed 10 balls of Debbie Bliss Cashmerino. What was I thinking? I was starting a new sweater for goodness sake, out of her new book Cashmerino DK, and I guess I thought I would have the back and sleeves knit in the 4 days I am out of town.

So what have I knit since Monday at 10AM? Just 20 rows. Now I will have you know it's 20 rows of 146 stitches, but it is just 20 rows. Not even one ball yet.

I had better get knitting...

I have a blog

Okay, okay. I have joined. Joanne are you happy? I now have a blog.