A little of this, a little of that....

I've been knitting, but it's been slow going. I am still not feeling good. The doctor gave me some medicine, so hopefully things will be back to normal soon.

I'm stringing beads. For a sock. I need 140 for each sock, and am cutting it really close. But I want to use these matt gold beads. I'm just not sure I have enough. The socks are going up tonight. One sock yarn ball already has 140 beads, hopefully this one will too.

I bought yarn today. I stopped by a Knitted Peace on the way home. The yarn is for a summer sweater out of this book. It's a surprise. Can you guess which one it is?

And I was given some yarn today by Leanne www.purpleprincessknits.blogspot.com. It's in Gator colors - yes orange and blue. I took a picture of it, but for some reason, it's not loading.

That's all for today. The brain is slow today, all it can handle right now is counting beads.

We interrupt our regularly scheduled knitting.....

Okay, it's Memorial Day Weekend, and my beautiful first born's birthday was Saturday. And I had plans. But there was something else in store.

The youngest and I woke up sick Saturday morning. I felt like I had the flu, hurt everywhere, including the hands so knitting was not much of an option. The youngest's temperature went up to 103.5, and he lost his cookies numerous times during the day. Oh, it was not fun.

I felt so bad for my oldest. Two of us sick, on his special day. So the other half spent the day with him. I guess they played catch and hit balls at the park, went to lunch, played miniature golf, and did other assorted boy things. I was told it was fun, so I felt a little better for my boy.

So, yesterday - Sunday, I went in the yarn room to take a nap because mom was still sick (it really is the guest room - but I dare anyone to find room to let a guest stay in it). Instead of napping, I started looking at yarn, and projects, reading Maggie Sefton's new book (already finished it) and getting distracted.

So I pulled out some lovely, purple, Mongolian cashmere that I had put up for a shawl over a year or so ago (probably more). Started knitting (I am supposed to be sleeping, I still feel like crud) and then stopped and looked at the shawl which was about a foot long at this point, 175 stitches per row on size 2s and thought something's not right. I checked the pattern - yep 175 stitches per row. This baby was supposed to be 23 inches wide. I thought there is no way, this is looking huge. But it had been so long since I had started this.

So now I knew I wasn't going to get any sleeping done. I pulled out a tape measure and measured it. It was 32 inches wide! What in the world was I thinking? I sure couldn't remember. So ripppppppppppppppppppp! And cast back on. This time, 139 stitches. I am on row 9 of much more to go. No nap, but we have progress.

Okay, so I didn't rest. Then I decided to garden, in the heat. I'm an idiot. I had two new rose bushes to get in (I lost 3 during the heavy snows we had). I also had a cherry tomato and beefsteak tomato to get in. So I planted and weeded, and found aphids on the Aspen trees. I have a neighbor who has taken Master Gardener classes - she is such a great resource for whatever crap decides to come live in my little garden. So she gave me the name of a guy who treats trees with natural defenses not chemicals - so aphids beware! Your days are numbered.

And I did cast on a pair of socks this weekend. Actually, I cast them on in honor of Laura, http://knitalife-laura.blogspot.com/ a fellow Sea Sock cruise traveler who lost things on the ship WHICH WERE NEVER FOUND!!!!! Okay - so a little of my irritation is showing through. She lost a knitting bag. How could you not find that? So the cast on socks are Monkey socks, for the monkey business they call lost and found with Royal Caribbean.

Progress reports - 3 inches on the Dale sleeve. Garter bottom, base triangles, and the beginning of tier one on the Forest Path Stole. Not bad for feeling like crap.

It's Memorial Day - get out your flag, be glad we live in the country we live in, have a great day, I'm planning to (after I go to the grocery store!)

Rip and re-knit

Okay, so this week has been a rip and re-knit week. I was off gauge after I finished the brown pattern work on the Dale and moved into the navy solid area. What was a beautiful 6 inches to the inch jumped to 5 stitches to the inch. So 4 inches of sleeve were ripped back. More than 1/2 a skein of knitting. But I'm back past the rip point so there is progress.

And there is progress on the Forest Path Shawl. The 20 rows of garter are done (20 rows of 141 stitches each) and I am now working on the base entrelac triangles. There is progress, slow progress. But I am moving on. Time to get to the pretty part.

On a sad note, there is no hope of getting the back of my jacket back from the ship. Royal Caribbean said no luck, never found. How can you not find a beautiful piece of knitting that took at least 45 hours to knit? With 11 different colors of Koigu? I don't know if I can knit it again....It's just so sad.

It's late, time for bed.

It was a tough week.

I'm not unhappy to see the back end of last week. It was a tough week for me emotionally. First - I'm not sure I want to teach knitting anymore. I like interacting with the students, and think I have a lot of knowledge. But, there are other things which are making me seriously evaluate whether I want to continue.


Then, the other half did some things which hurt me to my very core. And we had a major blow out about them yesterday. The first issue was is that there are certain things that I think you should make a person feel important about, certain days in their life. I am not saying you have to buy them expensive things, but you just make a big deal about them on that day. Now outside the immediate four of us, I will admit that I have dropped the ball, been late to honor an occasion, even with my family, but I have never not made sure the boys (including my husband) have felt special on days which I consider their days.


But I am not afforded the same, and there is always the excuse, you were out of town, how could I have done anything? Well, I am so tired of it. On days that reoccur every year I think there is plenty of time to do something, because you have 365 days to do it. And it's not the same if you don't make a big deal on the day the occasion happens.


Then I found out that he deeply resented me going on the cruise from hell. In my anger I told him that he should have been very happy that I was sick the whole time. He told me that I am not single. You know what, this was a reward to me for all the studying I did, and I knew for sure he wasn't going to do anything as a reward for my efforts - as indicated above. For goodness sake, what does he think we do on knitting trips? I told him about some husbands who follow their wives around on these things and are bored to tears. Let me tell you, he's going on one, and I'm going to make sure there are classes from morning until evening, fashion shows, and anything else to bore him crazy!



Enough of my ranting and irritation, it's out in the open now. So I am back to knitting. I am working on items I never should have pushed to the back of the line. The one on the left is a Dale man's pullover. I want it done. The other is the Forest Path shawl. Cast on for the 3rd time this morning. I was never happy with the 2nd cast on, so here we go again girls. I am on row five. And both of these will be FOs. I am promising myself.


I had a May FO to show, but I forgot to take pictures. They were cute little beaded booties for Cassidy. But I gave them to her on Saturday - so no pictures.

Tag - You are it!

I've been tagged by Leanne! Each person tagged gives 7 random facts about themselves. Those tagged need to write on their blogs 7 facts, as well as the rules of the game. You need to tag seven others and list their names on your blog. You have to leave those you plan on tagging a note in their comments so they know that they have been tagged and need to read your blog.

Okay – seven random facts about me, let’s see….

1. I took ballet for over 15 years. When I was in either 5th or 6th grade, I had the lead in Goldilocks and the Three Bears. The funniest thing about it, I pretended to sleep during most of my time on stage, because Goldilocks had a dream while she was sleeping in one of the bear’s bed.

2. I used to work at a flight school in Fort Lauderdale. I rented small planes to pilots and was working on getting my pilot’s license. I never finished getting that license. I did date several of the pilots though, and flew over to the Bahamas when I could.

3. I was a sub machine gun operator (the third female in my agency) and was a firearms instructor for thirteen years.

4. I can whistle (ear-splitting loud) by putting my two pinkies in my mouth.

5. When I entered college I was going to be the first “female” Jacques Cousteau. I was a marine biology major. I was then told that after breaking my nose (3 times) that scuba diving was not a good choice. Heck, what I am doing today is miles away from that isn't it? Who would have thought?

6. My favorite color is yellow.

7. I cannot roll my tongue. I could never say that commercial - “Ruffles Have Ridges” with a tongue roll. My attempts are rather pitiful.

I am tagging Joanne and Diane. If there are five others that want to do this, leave me a comment.

It’s a beautiful day outside. Wish I was out in it. Enjoy your day!

I can never knit all of my stash in my lifetime, so girls I'm having a Stash Reduction Sale!

The first yarn up for grabs is Bonnie Chase Merino Wool. 5 stitches to one inch on #7. This is a hand paint in shades of blues and purples. 4 skeins of 550 yards each (I wound 3 of them). Originally $24.95/skein. $70 for all four.



2. This beautiful 100% cotton yarn with a sheen is Filatura Di Crose Millefili. 19 stitches to 10 cm on 3.5 to 4.5 needles. 87 yards per skein. I have 17, perfect for that summer sweater. I think this sold for $7.00/ball. I will sell it for $5.00/ball, $85.00 for all of it.



3. The yarn on the left is Madil Kid Seta. This color is called Shade, it's more of a goldy mocha. I have 10 balls of this. 70% kid mohair/30% silk. 230 yards per ball. Perfect for that shawl you wanted to make. Retails for $12.00/ball. I'll sell it for $8.00/ball.

4. The yarn on the right is Lorna's Laces Helen's Lace, colorway Mountain Creek. This is some of the last of the yarn dyed by Lorna before she sold the company. 50% silk/50% wool. Retails for $56. I'll sell it for $40.



5. Yarn on the left is Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sport. Colorway Aslan. I have 12 skeins, 200 yards per skein, perfect for a light weight cardi. 6 inches/inch on size 4 needles. This was also dyed by Lorna. Retails for $10/skein, I'll sell it for $7.50/skein.

6. Yarn on the right is 10 skeins of black Noro Cash Iroha. 40%silk/30% lambs wool, 20%cashmere and 10% nylon. 91 meters per skein. Retails for $11/skein. I'll sell it for $7.50/skein.



7. More Noro. This is 10 skeins of Akogare, colorway 16. 45%wool/40%silk/10%angora/5%nylon. 94 meters per skein. Retails for $10.95, I'll sell it for $8.00. The yarn on the right is one skein of colorway 9.

8. This yarn on the left is handpainted merino/cotton. A 50/50 blend. Two skeins, one 455 yards, the other 517 yards. Perfect for a child's outfit or blanket. I paid $38 for both, I'll sell it for $30.

9. The yarn on the right is more Noro. This is 15 skeins of Silk Country. 88% Silk/12% Alpaca. 60 meters/skein. Originally $10.95/skein, I bought it on sale. I'll sell if for $4.00 skein.

10. Socks that Rock, lightweight, colorway Beryl. Was $19, I'll sell it for $15.

11. Socks that Rock, lightweight, colorway Rocktober, was $19, I'll sell it for $15.

12. Two skeins of Koigu, bright pinks and purple. I'll sell it for $7/skein.

13. Mama-E's C*EYE*BER Fiber, 80% superwash/20% nylon, 435 yards. Retails for $24, I'll sell it for $18.00.

14. Sweet Socks 75% superwash/25% Nylon, colorway The Comforts of home. $18.00.

The Celestrial Merino is not for sale. It's a gift for someone.

Send me an email, leave a comment on the blog or call me.

I'm done.....I just want to sleep.

Today was Muffins for Mommy at the boys' school. We had fun. The little guy did not want me to go. He wanted me to stay and play with the rest of the four year olds. Not today. But we will have an adventure on Monday I promised.
The girl is tired. I have circles under my eyes. I feel like I've been run over by a truck. Pure system overload. It must be everything. The pent up stress of waiting for the bar exam results. Traveling almost every week. Being sick on the cruise. Trying not to be a mad, screaming mom, and throw in there - allergy season. And to top it off, leaving my Mandarin jacket back on the cruise ship. I'm exhausted. All I want to do is sleep. No late night knitting, except of course Tuesday night when I threw something up on needles for Cassidy, and am still working at how this will turn out. (I am not posting what this is).
But I am so tired. This is a new stole I am working on. The picture does not do the yarn justice. We are talking beautiful Mexican fiesta colors of yellow, orange, teal and red. Fleece artist handpaint.






Me, Joanne, Sherry and Sharon on the first day of the cruise. In the bar. Getting drinks. I am not sick. Yet. Where's the yarn?




Here is a picture from Butchart Gardens, one of the most beautiful places in Canada. Did you know this was once a rock quarry? What a labor of love for Mrs. Butchart. She hung off of the walls of the quarry in a bucket type device, planting the many plants you see. Just gorgeous. I've seen this garden in the Summer (the roses are unbelievable) and now the Spring. Go to Victoria and see this garden.



Here is another new little something, the shawlette from Interweave Spring. Isn't this yarn pretty? It has a slight halo to it, there must be mohair in it, I'd tell you but if I go upstairs to get the label, I'm taking a nap, so either way, I guess we won't know until later.

It's going to be eighty degrees outside today. Wow. And the sky is such a clear, clear blue. My lilacs are blooming. Oh how I wish you could smell them. I'm taking a nap. I know it's only 10AM, but I'm going back to bed.

Sea Socks? No - SEASICK CRUISE!

I am back. And oh so glad to be on terra firma.

I am not a sailor. Which is surprising, because I used to sail sailboats. I used to do teak work on yachts and make good money doing it. All of this when I lived in South Florida. Something happened when I moved away. I have gotten seasick on one day cruises, I got seasick on a whale watching trip. Now to top it off, I managed to be seasick on the entire Sea Sock Cruise, or should I call it the Sea Sick Cruise or Sea Suck Cruise?

Now I had the seasick patch on. What’s the deal? I ended up going to the ship’s doctor later in the week, couldn’t understand him through his accent, but he was easy on the eyes, and ended up getting a shot in the butt. So I missed the chocolate buffet and the midnight buffet, and ripped out horrible knitting that I did through the worst of it. It will be a cold day in hell, before this girl gets her hiney on a cruise ship again.

I did love the land though. Marin Fiber Arts was our first yarn crawl after crossing the Golden Gate Bridge out of San Francisco. And I bought yarn. Gifts for friends and gifts for me. Did I say I was still seasick and swaying back and forth in the store? And was there an immigration march outside the store going on? (Don’t ask me why they picked San Rafael to do their march). That must be why I bought lots of sock and shawl yarn. By the way pictures will come later in the week.

We got back on the ship, which I wanted off of, and cruised up to Victoria. The seas were 10 to 12 feet. Okay, yep the girl is getting more seasick. Get me to land please. We docked in Victoria and went to Butchart Gardens. GORGEOUS!!!!! Tulips everywhere. Wait until you see pictures! Oh and this was the day I found out I passed the bar exam. YAY!! That’s over. I get sworn in on May 16th.

After the gardens we did another yarn crawl at the Bee Hive Yarn Shop. Of course more yarn was purchased. Sea silk – wait until you see this. Fleece artist. Hand Maiden. Is there room in the suitcases? Back to the ship, crap!

On to Vancouver. Someone please kill me now! I hate cruising! Get me the hell off of this boat! Bus tour through Vancouver. What was the driver thinking? I saw a hooker get into a car. I saw druggies, I saw homeless, all in the first 20 minutes. Then to Stanley Park, a large urban park bordering Vancouver. Pretty, but with many downed trees from a major winter storm that hit Vancouver. Then lunch and another yarn store. I didn’t buy anything. Can you believe it? Me neither. It was very tiny, and geared more to spinners.

We spent Saturday and Sunday in Vancouver. We hit 2 more yarn store – 3 Bags Full (Isn’t that a cute name?) and Urban yarns. I have more shawl and sock yarn. Ideas for classes, and full suitcases. And have you been to LUSH? Oh girls, stuff to pamper you. Bath products and cosmetics. Bath balls that release rose petals and butterflies. What a store!

We took the train down to Seattle from Vancouver. I didn’t get motion sickness on that. IT’S SHIPS THAT ARE THE PROBLEM!!! I enjoyed it very much. Had great laughs with Ana from Venice. (I’ve got my eyes on you!) She sells used English cars in Venice, CA and of course knits.

Then the last thing. I left the back of my Mandolin jacket on the ship. Eleven colors of Koigu. 90 mitered squares. I’m numb right now. In my mind it’s gone forever. CRAP.

Not a great ten days. Great company though. Great yarn stores. Good food. Just wasn’t what I thought would happen.

Pictures later this week. Someone please find my knitting and send it to me. Please.

San Franciso

Our ship sailed into the San Francisco Bay this morning, right under the Golden Gate Bridge. Joanne and I were out on the balcony watching. We sailed past Alcatraz and then docked by the Embarcadero in San Francisco.

Today we are going over to Marin Fiber Arts, and then we can explore San Francisco before the ship leaves at 6. There is supposed to a lot of hand dyed yarns for us to lust over, dyed by locals

Lot of sock knitting going on around the ship. Enjoy your day.