tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-292272102024-03-19T04:40:49.602-07:00BlueSky's Adventures in Life (& Knitting!)Just a little blog about my adventures with my daughter in life and knitting, of course!blueskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13733736867051332123noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29227210.post-84790175214841030662009-01-21T21:38:00.000-08:002009-01-21T21:55:21.800-08:00I'm BackOk, well, it's been a while! Things got crazy there with the Christmas knitting and fun weather we've been having. First off, I finished three pairs of socks for people as Christmas gifts, all well-received. Here is the pair I gave my brother:<br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293989040193167426" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCED7O6ZNR8VkM6Oshllbk7aViwsv6c-OB8-dPOJe2yOj_3U_9JFB2-A80Ta9_V9xppy6JCu5a4Ouo1VI1jhVt2-a1OLKr3bQ21FMadW0wvY-8Z8NrknCAJBop9WQi3gp-6Yg1/s320/IMG_1696.JPG" border="0" />I used a pattern from Sensational Knitted Socks, although I've already forgotten which one!! How awful is that. But my brother says he really likes the socks. He lives in San Francisco, and says they keep his feet nice & warm in his condo.</div><div> </div><div>So the Seattle area had some unusually snowy weather right around Christmas. I won't go into too much detail, but suffice it to say I missed my flight to California the Monday before Christmas, despite a heroic drive to the airport. On the way back home I got stuck in the snow right outside my garage:</div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293989041408801522" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUyfWVLKuoD-6sIOSQThw1U9x_BNZVrqCIQ0nibwXIFNc47wIka6Tfs6dMX4X-R0wC68OffieYoplzXpNdv3VZhyphenhyphenNt1gkYQhj6_kU1LQuAWzAy-Glb2cp2CNXjM8LuosIw_7bS/s320/IMG_1635.JPG" border="0" /><br />Someone told me I was "high-centered". A term I've never heard before, being the California girl I am. It took an hour of digging and five men to finally get my car into the garage. I was lucky a bunch of guys were doing some construction on a nearby condo, and were willing to push my car. After getting the car inside, we were stuck at home for the next four days. We finally made it out at 8:30pm on Christmas night, arriving in San Francisco at 10:30. Luckily my family was willing to hold "Christmas Day" on the 26th. We had a great time once we got there! The weather was wonderful - in the low 60's mostly. It was such a relief to get out of the snow.</div><div> </div><div>The funny thing about snow in Seattle is what normally happens is that it snows an inch or two, the world shuts down (schools close, nobody can drive anywhere because of the hills) and then it all melts in about 24 hours. This time we had snow for over a week. It was really amazing.</div><div> </div><div>We had a great time in California. Great gifts were given and received, and one day we went to Pier 39. This is a view of Coit Tower and the Transamerica building from the top level of the Pier:</div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293989046507235698" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_jASTwWuQDuAnZ1x_EiFnVLfsp84IQxWkFFhyWsEgnJV1Bl2QBiacan5WQPZm6lGLJNieSSRzjLdvdKA-oCIlRYpYUN7fCrUlhatDOwZeoaoJebwVp3uXzwgkjyP39mCWvCIm/s320/IMG_1671.JPG" border="0" />I lived near SF for most of my life, and just realized that some of the best views can be had right from Pier 39!! </div><div> </div><div>I hope everyone had a great Christmas/New Year, and is looking forward to a wonderful 2009!<br /></div><div></div>blueskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13733736867051332123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29227210.post-16775891399547064692008-11-06T22:10:00.000-08:002008-11-06T22:24:35.883-08:00Christmas Sock KnittingWell I've finished a few things. Unfortunately, I didn't meet my goal of knitting 600 yards for the Stash and Burn <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Socktober</span> challenge, but I did manage to finish these (I only finished the 2<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">nd</span> sock for the challenge - the first one was done earlier):<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265794757382999346" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiffbyeAc-55fhOK93YDNgzeGa2rciU86cMb60LC3Uzyz5k4STmx3HpAI4KNGXxm1DOnr1fIYDwnBvdvUhyphenhyphen8Uu-DSj9qYGjODPCsnxnSA5pn-5_pUw53JdvJphpAQI0DEYligZQ/s320/IMG_1410.JPG" border="0" /><br /><p>These were done in the Basket Weave Rib pattern from Sensational Knitted Socks. The yarn is <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Fortissima</span>, and I cast on 80 stitches for this sock. They are for my dad. I sure hope he likes them, because they took forever to knit!</p><p>The other sock I finished in October was this one:<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265794759589058882" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuqQXbuj5inEA6vkiwlwW8mUYLOjGNUI2QwSANLETr0BZNfXa8um6UMU_UCebdjOMei0DxSDFeS94cjf1R2HQXDxinuKVDbCqOLsKNLCJvUBIDVH3UZ2NqY5XJV2jxDmSP-ygJ/s320/IMG_1432.JPG" border="0" /></p><p>This sock is for my dad's girlfriend. The 2<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">nd</span> sock is currently in progress - I'm about halfway down the cuff. This pattern is a fairly simple pattern called <a href="http://www.dawnadcock.com/sockpatterns.htm">Shapely Secrets Socks</a> by Dawn <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Adcock</span>. I've knit a pair before for myself, and they fit really well. They have some graduated ribbing at the top, and some extra heel shaping that makes the socks really hug your feet. The yarn is Opal yarn - I have no idea which kind, I've had this yarn in my stash forever and I can't read the ball band. However, I LOVE Opal yarn - it wears like iron. I've washed & dried my Opal socks for years and they are still going strong.</p><p>Can you tell my family likes blue? I love it, my dad loves it, and I'm assuming Alice (my dad's girlfriend) loves it too, because she wears a lot of blue. </p><p>Just for fun, here's my daughter at Halloween. She didn't go trick-or-treating this year for the first time (sob, sob - she's growing up!) but she did go to a party on Saturday. I kind of had to laugh - as I dropped her off at the party I saw the other girls dressed like ballerinas, butterflies, dolls - and here comes my daughter, the pirate!! It was kind of funny.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLcurRRCWbegXdlDGryvJZrUSc9OdVgFLe3jCSDMPqgSs-mUzHknSwj3dxtKw0dVfFfaD0cRv3PuzvpwqnL-dyuieDzLmWY-Wk0XVHxDVYvRcscvgTANjcDhNr8xzp1dJ9LgSD/s1600-h/IMG_1429_edited-1.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265794769410911746" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLcurRRCWbegXdlDGryvJZrUSc9OdVgFLe3jCSDMPqgSs-mUzHknSwj3dxtKw0dVfFfaD0cRv3PuzvpwqnL-dyuieDzLmWY-Wk0XVHxDVYvRcscvgTANjcDhNr8xzp1dJ9LgSD/s320/IMG_1429_edited-1.JPG" border="0" /></a> I hope everyone is doing well with their Christmas knitting if that's what you are doing. If not, I hope whatever you are knitting is coming along nicely!</p>blueskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13733736867051332123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29227210.post-37205054220209628882008-10-18T16:45:00.001-07:002008-10-18T16:55:33.713-07:00Slow KnittingI think I am a slow knitter. It seems to take me forever to finish anything. I know knitting on size one needles with fingering weight yarn is going to take awhile, but I keep reading about people who finish off socks like candy! I am taking part in the <a href="http://www.stashandburn.com/">Stash and Burn</a> Ravelry group Socktober challenge. You have to list how much sock yarn you have, and how much you want to knit up during October. As mentioned before, I discovered I have about 15,000 yards of sock yarn, and I was planning on knitting about 600 yards, or about 3 socks. Actually, 3 socks is probably more like 650 yards, but who's counting.<br /><br />Since I joined the challenge, I finished the first sock of the pair I'm knitting for my dad, which was basically the last inch or so of the pattern plus the toe decrease, and I'm down just past the gusset decreases on the 2nd sock. Now, granted this is a sock of man-size proportions - cast on 80 stitches, size one needles, etc., but still - I'm still working on one sock while others in the group have completed pairs and pairs, or several single socks. I am either very slow or other people have a lot more time than I do!!<br /><br />I will post a picture of the finished socks once I'm done. I already have a plan for the next pair of socks - they will be for my dad's girlfriend out of some Opal yarn I have, and the pattern will be more plain, not a basketweave (no dreaded purling!). I'm also slowly working on the Twilight socks for my daughter, but since I decided I really want to finish my dad's sock I kind of put the Twilight ones aside for the moment.<br /><br />Off to my knitting!blueskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13733736867051332123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29227210.post-2326740592269826642008-10-04T11:37:00.000-07:002008-10-04T12:44:20.661-07:00How Much Sock Yarn Does A Girl Need?15,000 yards, that's how much!! I joined the <a href="http://www.stashandburn.com/">Stash and Burn </a><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Ravelry</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Socktober</span> challenge to find out how much sock yarn I actually have, and to say how much I will knit up this month. So last night I took a deep breath and pulled out all my sock yarn and added up the yardage. I found out that it wasn't actually quite as bad as I thought, although it is still a lot! I am going to try and knit three socks in October (around 600 yards) - the 2<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">nd</span> sock of the pair I am knitting for my dad, and the entire pair that I am planning on knitting for my dad's girlfriend. They are both Christmas presents. I took a picture of my stash (sock yarn only, let's be clear) for posterity:<br /><div><div><div><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnYCKYUpG540rZIEnzukR_HViXoIpujFLLS-Ba0jEfKqxBBzAsPU_A6HEvO5_5kjrQ5419joEKD9_YJoxLHgXOu0MCUvoWI69A4otvgUa8inoi4vADwnhs9iXE1pFnnKzjt6Bf/s1600-h/IMG_1393.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253372875016651522" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnYCKYUpG540rZIEnzukR_HViXoIpujFLLS-Ba0jEfKqxBBzAsPU_A6HEvO5_5kjrQ5419joEKD9_YJoxLHgXOu0MCUvoWI69A4otvgUa8inoi4vADwnhs9iXE1pFnnKzjt6Bf/s320/IMG_1393.JPG" border="0" /></a> As you can see, I have a fondness for Opal :} It looks like Trekking is coming in second, and I have a fair bit of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Regia</span> - although that black, gold & gray yarn I've had for probably 10 years. I can't remember what I was thinking when I bought that gold yarn, it is so not a color I would generally buy. Sorry the picture quality isn't so great - I did this last night after work, and I didn't want to leave it laying out all night. Who knows what my cats would have done to it!</p><p>Here is my dad's sock in progress - as you can see I am almost done with the first sock, hopefully I will finish it today. I ended up having to go buy a 2<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">nd</span> ball of yarn, since this sock is taking a lot more yarn than I realized it would. I'm knitting the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Basketweave</span> Rib from Sensational Knitted Socks on size one needles, and I casted on 80 <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">stitches</span>. My dad wears a size 9 shoe, so I think these will fit him pretty well. <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253380469076686594" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSKrKvulUcaUNkOH6G3OsSVTPU63XqtpfVXwV7keH0D_MW5PDrpEqJmMztxu1OQOIUdRwQBx9yOoeJ2E9Ssgvdt4cfQAGbUAT4C_u23Av-4wp5oEhXwqTGwCpPtPxyOcGDsbNI/s320/IMG_1396_edited-1.jpg" border="0" />The only reason I will be able to get so much knitting done today is that my daughter is away on a choir retreat. I guess they are all "bonding" which will help them sing better together. I hope she is having fun. She loves being in this choir, so I'm sure she is having a great time. I have to go pick her up tomorrow morning, and they are about an hour away from here. Nothing like a Sunday morning drive! Due to traffic, the choir leaders decided to bus them all up together Friday night, thank goodness. But we, the parents, will be in for a mini-concert when we pick them up tomorrow, which will be fun.</p><p>In other news, I got my Harry Potter sock yarn from <a href="http://www.simplysockyarn.com/servlet/StoreFront">Simply Socks Yarn Company</a>. I woke up one morning (Monday, maybe?) to find an email stating that the yarn was available to purchase. Before I was even dressed or had my coffee I had credit card in hand. Shipping was so fast - I had the yarn by Thursday. I totally love it, and can't wait to knit it. Unfortunately it will have to wait until after my Christmas knitting is done, which might be a while. But aren't these colors great? I ordered, from left to right: Hedwig, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Tonks</span> & Draco. I didn't much care for the other colors, but I thought these three were wonderful.<br /><br /></p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253378871617269890" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzwg_Oie6B0rJeTtMWO3f5y0-T4NMvB8GkP8f5ClOt2SZzNpPUTZvv3lMoVxtCy76vnx4g9tRaF5pyH078DZqINst3rZc_xshFkBRE8hDcH7y8AgS_6cicGQFk5ppUGTgSv5nI/s320/IMG_1395_edited-1.jpg" border="0" />I have another pair of socks I want to knit for my <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">daughter</span> for Christmas, but I don't know if I can pull it off. They are the <a href="http://jpmknitting.wordpress.com/my-patterns/">Eclipse Socks </a>based on the 3rd book in the Twilight series. We both just read all these books, and loved them. I think I might be able to knit them while she is in choir practice - I have about an hour and a half of time twice a week. I don't even have the yarn yet or anything, so we'll just have to see. She would love them, though! </div><div></div><div><div></div><div> </div></div></div></div>blueskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13733736867051332123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29227210.post-36772499037583247152008-09-27T18:24:00.000-07:002008-09-27T18:38:53.368-07:00Another School YearBoy, it's been almost a month since I posted anything. Could it have something to do with school starting again, along with all it's associated activities? I think so.<br /><br />But I do have one <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">FO</span> to show, and here it is:<br /><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4WGEEUFOIX6t0nOlKvX9yDS06ZMIY5fQG5iTF7mHDBOz9UCe27IWlg77bxngZx1imKz5QOXbKeSByPOD9eioPRGEXy-ZmkS4ICzmbh75rOfVGtxGuBI5fPSaPHYSrBLzDaDwN/s1600-h/IMG_1383.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250877637220548130" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4WGEEUFOIX6t0nOlKvX9yDS06ZMIY5fQG5iTF7mHDBOz9UCe27IWlg77bxngZx1imKz5QOXbKeSByPOD9eioPRGEXy-ZmkS4ICzmbh75rOfVGtxGuBI5fPSaPHYSrBLzDaDwN/s320/IMG_1383.JPG" border="0" /></a> Yep, I finished one of the fingerless gloves for my daughter. I can't tell you how close I came to throwing this thing across the room! I finally got the lace pattern down OK, but when it came to knitting the thumb gusset I had to try about four times before finally getting it right. I'm really not looking forward to the 2<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">nd</span> glove. My daughter took pity on me and told me very graciously that I could take a break before knitting the 2<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">nd</span> glove to knit some socks. Since I have about three pairs of socks I'm planning on knitting various people for Christmas, it might be awhile until I get back to the 2<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">nd</span> glove. I have to admit they look good on her, so I really should finish them, though.</p><p>I didn't take a picture of the socks I'm working on right now, but I'm down to picking up the gusset stitches on a pair of socks for my dad. I'm using the blue <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Fortissima</span> yarn I bought a few weeks ago. I decided on the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Basketweave</span> Rib pattern from Sensational Knitted Socks. I think it is making the sock a little thick, but I'm pretty sure my dad will like it. Once I finish these, I will be knitting a pair for my dad's girlfriend and then another pair for my brother. I'm thinking I'll use some self-striping Opal yarn for my dad's girlfriend and just knit a pair of "plain vanilla" socks for her. I'm not quite sure yet what I will do for my brother.</p><p>Before the summer ended and school started, I took my daughter down to the Seattle waterfront to visit the aquarium. Here is a shot of her while we were outside at the aquarium with the Seattle waterfront behind her:</p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibMImEKYgyr9o36Ege1gxPbP6COo_tsmPKNJkdpuBzMaGy5ZIC5qnk6qOYf3J2R5EYDlc_yziTtskfvufZAicOkPd_HdZb2x8LEVht8Pex39spkWZsNT0c-vQvltKKhERtmoDH/s1600-h/IMG_1369.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250877644219757746" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibMImEKYgyr9o36Ege1gxPbP6COo_tsmPKNJkdpuBzMaGy5ZIC5qnk6qOYf3J2R5EYDlc_yziTtskfvufZAicOkPd_HdZb2x8LEVht8Pex39spkWZsNT0c-vQvltKKhERtmoDH/s320/IMG_1369.JPG" border="0" /></a> And just for fun, the first day of school! This is always a fun day - she picks very carefully what she wears to school. In fact, this year she and her best friend went through her wardrobe and actually took Polaroid pictures of outfits she planned to wear for the first week of school. They had all the clothes laid out on the floor, including accessories. It was hilarious.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5HENe3CxCFjtMzCNTboJy9k7Nkk0YRfziRaf0YTQMvAGB2q4H2AMi1ciX9tDRmtx_h1WQwi7LLaAW2PSLVB5JugvpQe1f4cc1KdRyFp9aAxncHWGpUFR3Sb5OR59MO_1OppRR/s1600-h/IMG_1376.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250877649843501746" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5HENe3CxCFjtMzCNTboJy9k7Nkk0YRfziRaf0YTQMvAGB2q4H2AMi1ciX9tDRmtx_h1WQwi7LLaAW2PSLVB5JugvpQe1f4cc1KdRyFp9aAxncHWGpUFR3Sb5OR59MO_1OppRR/s320/IMG_1376.JPG" border="0" /></a> We are having a beautiful weekend here in Seattle. It's been a bit grey & rainy for the past couple of weeks, but today is about 70 and sunny. We are enjoying it <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">immensely</span>!blueskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13733736867051332123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29227210.post-17005469573053232512008-08-30T17:10:00.001-07:002008-08-30T17:37:50.335-07:00Labor Day Shopping Extravaganza<div>Holy Cow. My daughter and I went out to run a few errands, and came home with a haul. First, we hit the Redmond Farmer's Market, which was brimming with great fruits and vegetables. We started off eating Hawaiian hot dogs, which are totally yummy, then we picked up some blackberries, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">pluots</span> (a combination plum & apricot), apples, pears, an onion, and some peaches. Oh, and I got something called a lemon cucumber. I can't wait to try it in a salad with some of the cherry tomatoes I'm getting off the plant on my balcony.</div><div></div><br /><div>Then we went to Borders. I had a 30% off one item coupon, and of course we bought way more than one item! I got this:<br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwIonWHDXFYFxj6cbBK0XzkFYg1goJYi4KKgp81g-nitJfELU5TYcf3dQP30f9YPzk6EPIuSou57ijwbgHHHEqggf7IssZ1RzFVQ9SWRxijqjlCHPLigjGSo981Tdflu2FePVw/s1600-h/IMG_1366.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5240469082744983282" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwIonWHDXFYFxj6cbBK0XzkFYg1goJYi4KKgp81g-nitJfELU5TYcf3dQP30f9YPzk6EPIuSou57ijwbgHHHEqggf7IssZ1RzFVQ9SWRxijqjlCHPLigjGSo981Tdflu2FePVw/s320/IMG_1366.JPG" border="0" /></a> There are some really cute patterns in there, plus a few sock patterns that I really liked. My daughter got the 2<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">nd</span> book in the Twilight series, and we picked up a few other odds & ends as well. Then we headed off to Bath & Body Works where they were having one sale after another, and I picked up a few nice smelly things for home & bath. Then......drum roll please....off to Ben <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Franklin's</span>. Oh my. I went in for this:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrgGNEDc1I_eVBPlKtO8XcWeOb5V4V7hlDG0khZ66F0LAvpxh0jZqNtqLDJMfcPN60KoSbc-Mwpo703Ohob1-SeNnyJLjhzvWi4vmv2wynkalRI7HKu3N41dPxdMdrOqFHOIo1/s1600-h/IMG_1364.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5240469090795520802" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrgGNEDc1I_eVBPlKtO8XcWeOb5V4V7hlDG0khZ66F0LAvpxh0jZqNtqLDJMfcPN60KoSbc-Mwpo703Ohob1-SeNnyJLjhzvWi4vmv2wynkalRI7HKu3N41dPxdMdrOqFHOIo1/s320/IMG_1364.JPG" border="0" /></a> and came out with this:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO35aUdrguo74TXY5dNRsU9MjyyZo-G2dNz7VTBKKaG5D25UeZMcezyDI0Ti9xnN1R5m6IkrY7fZrp0BssZEFoRK9WpbFHrnrnJWnN-QTmH-Mt5wEkxG1udRjBCiDFbTfExHf2/s1600-h/IMG_1365.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5240469098231973650" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO35aUdrguo74TXY5dNRsU9MjyyZo-G2dNz7VTBKKaG5D25UeZMcezyDI0Ti9xnN1R5m6IkrY7fZrp0BssZEFoRK9WpbFHrnrnJWnN-QTmH-Mt5wEkxG1udRjBCiDFbTfExHf2/s320/IMG_1365.JPG" border="0" /></a> A sad state of affairs I tell you! Every once in a while I get a 40% off coupon to use at Ben <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Francklin's</span> through my email, and I tend to go in and buy a skein of sock yarn with it. Today I bought the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Fortissima</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Socka</span> with it, intending to make a pair of socks for my dad for Christmas. Then my daughter fell in love with that book in the picture, Creepy Cute Crochet by Christen <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Haden</span>. I have been desperate to get her interested in knitting or crocheting, or some type of fiber hobby. She loves building <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">legos</span>, but that gets expensive after a while. So I caved in and bought her the book, a crochet hook, some yarn, and the googly eyes. I'm afraid she will get bored quickly, but I'll keep my fingers crossed. She also likes embroidery, so we bought a package of white pillowcases for her to embroider on. She got the bright idea that if she gets bored with one thing she can switch to the other, which brought to mind all the knitters I hear about with multiple <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">UFO's</span> - she'll be like that, only switching between hobbies! As you can see I also have some candles there. They are all fall scents, which just smell so good.<br /><br />We also ran a quick errand to Staples to pick up the last couple of things we need for her back-to-school supplies. Thank goodness we didn't leave it all to the last minute, because that place was a total zoo! We only needed a protractor & some pens, and then we high-tailed it out of there!<br /><br />I'm currently knitting my daughter a pair of fingerless gloves. The yarn is Paton's Stretch Socks in a black & white variegated color. I've not done very much lace, so it's a little on the hard side for me, but I think they are coming out pretty good:<br /><br /><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOTbv9wi73LzOZi2maBwjW0dLbPmm8gt9d6x4bYmXq4jn8pw3zmLE7eO6-fjiCnHW45G3hjU0wi24Lh-pXGpp0WNjPMKHmq1LZYtKQaD-ZzIKDGlSsmI6MU4oAcYSNeKW3QHRU/s1600-h/IMG_1363.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5240469102522474658" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOTbv9wi73LzOZi2maBwjW0dLbPmm8gt9d6x4bYmXq4jn8pw3zmLE7eO6-fjiCnHW45G3hjU0wi24Lh-pXGpp0WNjPMKHmq1LZYtKQaD-ZzIKDGlSsmI6MU4oAcYSNeKW3QHRU/s320/IMG_1363.JPG" border="0" /></a>For some reason I'm not really enjoying knitting these. I don't know if I don't like the yarn, or the needles, or both. I feel the pattern is not very well written, but I've been able to figure it out as I go along. The pattern is out of a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Patons</span> booklet written for this specific yarn called "<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Patons</span> Stretch Socks Sweet to your Feet." It's Pattern #4, the Lace Wrist Warmers.</p><p>One of the things I bought today at Ben Franklin's is a set of bamboo <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">dpn's</span> in the size I need for these gloves to try with the next glove. I'm thinking maybe I don't like the metal needles. I hope switching from metal to bamboo won't change my <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">gauge</span> too much. I need both gloves to come out the same!</p><p>We are having a beautiful fall-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">ish</span> day here in the Seattle area today. The sun keeps coming out from behind the clouds, but it's only about 65. The sun feels good, not to hot! I'm going to go enjoy my balcony for awhile now.<br /></p>blueskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13733736867051332123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29227210.post-28822776163623145312008-08-26T19:25:00.000-07:002008-08-26T19:51:35.212-07:00Crossed the Finish Line & Vacation TimeWow! I managed to finish a pair of socks in 16 days - even less than the 17 days that the Olympics lasted. I had planned on blogging my progress each day of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Ravelympics</span> - obviously that didn't happen. But here is my finished pair of socks and my medal:<br /><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Krck3lZ1wyUqq3hyphenhyphenATCCQv5ae7clKruTak8TD1F4W47Ug3QImDuUS59mCuvUz66Srv_5r6hHRVVvd9JNKhO0vpK7BZyn_rWOUiVAB82GxcBcda5O4rBPzzeUy7bIp1KlNnPs/s1600-h/IMG_1351.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5239019255075833810" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Krck3lZ1wyUqq3hyphenhyphenATCCQv5ae7clKruTak8TD1F4W47Ug3QImDuUS59mCuvUz66Srv_5r6hHRVVvd9JNKhO0vpK7BZyn_rWOUiVAB82GxcBcda5O4rBPzzeUy7bIp1KlNnPs/s320/IMG_1351.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYnFyw4LdZCqO2uXEXgwKHjfd3AORqNMRBM2d-1y4-laFf1t1W93JbPubhHqDl-DIb-pwbBM1oOVKMOFSKmPC-48MTZaKWotpgWgLW_8m8Md4ZlGy4kxJHujRCs-uhMJzb51pu/s1600-h/Sock08Ravelympics.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5239019260110991170" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYnFyw4LdZCqO2uXEXgwKHjfd3AORqNMRBM2d-1y4-laFf1t1W93JbPubhHqDl-DIb-pwbBM1oOVKMOFSKmPC-48MTZaKWotpgWgLW_8m8Md4ZlGy4kxJHujRCs-uhMJzb51pu/s320/Sock08Ravelympics.jpg" border="0" /></a> I'm so thrilled with my finished socks. I am gradually getting faster and faster at finishing socks!</p><br /><p>I also participated in my first swap this summer. It is the Sock Yarn Swap From Your Stash (a group on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Ravelry</span>). My spoiler, Nancy from MN, send me a wonderful box of goodies. I absolutely love the yarn. I haven't started knitting it yet, but it is definitely up there in my mental list of what's coming up. The Spam and the Trix are locally made in her area - I haven't eaten Spam since I was a kid, and I think it will be fun to have it for dinner some night! My daughter is anxious to try it too as she saw it all over the place last year when we were in Hawaii.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj00LBHb5ThSKdpD5I1-jY6TxZt8TFT-gY3SpRIPmfbHFxiO8dLPRIUw5290ybGPt8YyBooICQqeY4T_4hTq-arTNythKNuJ6ujrRczS_L8J5EOaWqRsqqRgRZyDKt_JVCxteYS/s1600-h/IMG_1310.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5239019270678154354" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj00LBHb5ThSKdpD5I1-jY6TxZt8TFT-gY3SpRIPmfbHFxiO8dLPRIUw5290ybGPt8YyBooICQqeY4T_4hTq-arTNythKNuJ6ujrRczS_L8J5EOaWqRsqqRgRZyDKt_JVCxteYS/s320/IMG_1310.JPG" border="0" /></a> For a few days during the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Ravelympics</span>, my daughter and I headed to Ocean Shores, Washington for a little vacation. This picture pretty much sums up how it went:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0YFR5IRh2D74fv870IYsqM6Ijcqp6U82X_dzJ4lJ8b_IZWgVXz87n4QkrrJzBhB9vsIO20it7T2OTue6gFHWKHwOYHAR0k31RA-CnqKn7n_-Y8oQ2bspmbvjUPLT9jWOaJiBm/s1600-h/IMG_1326.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5239019279197476066" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0YFR5IRh2D74fv870IYsqM6Ijcqp6U82X_dzJ4lJ8b_IZWgVXz87n4QkrrJzBhB9vsIO20it7T2OTue6gFHWKHwOYHAR0k31RA-CnqKn7n_-Y8oQ2bspmbvjUPLT9jWOaJiBm/s320/IMG_1326.JPG" border="0" /></a> For three days before we left, we were in the middle of a sweltering heat wave (for the Pacific Northwest, anyway). It had been <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">around</span> 95 degrees each day. The day we left for Ocean Shores (Monday), the temperature dropped about 25 degrees and it started raining. And it kept raining. And raining. We took walks on the beach in the rain and wind. Then we gave up and hit all the gift shops in town. I bought this: <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5239021890033643922" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh56d_aDLEuOWmgN45bCvdTdc6OcpBXyKqTWnjMlICZ_97qK01OIMbeXZmAOfc4m7_s5mglKtJifiptGimf3c3p8VhEkJCrJ3L2UTvRVGOMHlA1BePGtPZlKBL65Vxndc9qFVt1/s320/IMG_1350.JPG" border="0" />at a store called Blue Heron Fabrics. They had both quilting and knitting items. Not a huge selection of yarn, but they had a lot of sock yarn that I hadn't seen in person before. I also got a mini-lesson on knitting socks on two <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">circs</span> - it looks pretty easy, I am going to have to give it a try!</p><br />The day we left Ocean Shores, the sun came out! Do you believe it. So we crammed in a game of mini-golf and a long walk on the beach collecting shells and rocks before we left for home.<br /><br />Today we went to the Evergreen State Fair in Monroe. We had a ton of fun looking at all the animals. We watched a dog show, horse exhibition, went through all the animal barns and of course the textile arts building. There were also art exhibits, canning and cooking exhibits - it was what I think of as a "real" fair. In one of the sheep barns a lady was spinning and selling her <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">handspun</span> yarn. Yes, I bought this:<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGiIiW8chlgbDbVgws1y7itBqPXj3C_dERd9l1512StgK1DBtLEUg78CRhlcWEmOSEO9gbpaKEtkTpFLPpibQNO4vj6CXin74dxizxmnytmwIpXAPWUuRDZB7gs3jvBis7RPPP/s1600-h/IMG_1360.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5239019287321488946" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGiIiW8chlgbDbVgws1y7itBqPXj3C_dERd9l1512StgK1DBtLEUg78CRhlcWEmOSEO9gbpaKEtkTpFLPpibQNO4vj6CXin74dxizxmnytmwIpXAPWUuRDZB7gs3jvBis7RPPP/s320/IMG_1360.JPG" border="0" /></a> I can't wait to use it. I'm thinking either a scarf or some fingerless gloves.<br /><p>I have to go back to work tomorrow. At least it is only three days, and then I get a 3-day weekend! And thank goodness school starts again the day after Labor Day. If I hear "I'm bored" one more time I am going to scream!</p><p><br /><br /><br /> </p>blueskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13733736867051332123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29227210.post-59366014610883361232008-08-09T09:37:00.001-07:002008-08-09T09:48:41.304-07:00Ravelympics, Day 1So here is my progress for the first day of knitting in the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Ravelympics</span>:<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5232558431053815042" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHRMTskOq6IqSlwLiCrKE7GPENOoc8CxkUxD_zWWkZW07m0dgyDJBQWCiFGvj5ee1LD_aVSzJDKgXu-fqFvLcO-jQANJ6uNjAhYAAWqG2aVpgD2JVlSfUahBPlHbkr_E0hcyfb/s320/IMG_1309.JPG" border="0" />Pretty good for one evening of knitting for me. Even my daughter commented that I had "knit a lot, mom!" Could it be because I knit from 8pm until midnight? I think so! I even knit in between my turns of playing Parcheesi with my daughter. She didn't mind. She thinks it is hilarious that I entered the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Ravelympics</span>.<br /><br />Although it was "legal" to cast on at 5am, which is when the Opening Ceremonies started in <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Beijing</span> (8pm their time), I couldn't bring myself to get out of bed that early :} And I had to work all day, so I just cast on and knit away while watching the Opening Ceremonies on TV. Boy were they beautiful. The Chinese did a great job.<br /><br />The pattern I'm using is called the Dublin Bay Socks, which is a free pattern from <a href="http://nwkniterati.com/movabletype/mossycottage/">Mossy Cottage Knits</a>. I'm finding it to be a perfect pattern for me - a little lacy insert up the side to keep my attention, but mostly stockinette for faster knitting. The yarn is Opal Neon, in color 1931. Love the colors.<br /><br />I hope I can get a lot of knitting done today!blueskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13733736867051332123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29227210.post-60616047094923558092008-08-03T20:49:00.000-07:002008-08-03T21:09:41.919-07:00Ready, Set, Go!Done, done, done - yes, I have finally finished the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Horcrux</span> socks. Here they are in all their glory:<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5230505276672769986" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOPQ4lWPSkJGqZmxar9Mp2LEvwxdQXiwmSnUGb22YE1szziRD5pF9eGgUlS3mmZlfWZwUSoLBpP_zpgwfgK1AIfNxebuGkxK2swm0HdHn4sLSPypkRq3aN5vCQI_wQ-5hRsTZQ/s320/IMG_1307.JPG" border="0" /><br /><p>I love the colors in this yarn, and the striping pattern, but the yarn itself was kind of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">splitty</span> for me and hard to work with. Part of it might be the dark color of parts of the yarn, but I had more trouble with these socks that any of the other socks I've ever made. I dropped stitches right and left, and there are a few mistakes in there, but I still like them.</p><p>I have a pretty good amount of yarn left over because the cuff of the sock is shorter than most of the other socks I've ever made, so I think I am going to try making some <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">footies</span> for my daughter. </p><p>While I was out and about yesterday I was near the Redmond Ben Franklin's and had the urge to stop in and see what was new. A little stash enhancement ensued:</p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5230505284915339634" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyWxDq25cIJj_gbWwjB_jy0NOq2NU1DCSlK8_c8V1077gMwQ3l9eT_8AtZRv1ReamqSEj7dgVCm4dKiLsbUtWfB9jEa7r64Dub7wTwknMkFovF9UU9lSXerF-yMiOYMrfLZ_Th/s320/IMG_1305.JPG" border="0" /></p><p>I totally love that Trekking yarn! I can't wait to try it out. The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Patons</span> is new to me, but it is a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">stretchy</span> cotton blend yarn. I bought a pattern booklet made for the yarn which had some really cute patterns in it, including some lacy wrist warmers that I thought my daughter would like. They also had hats, and socks of course! We'll see who ends up with which color of yarn. I was going to make socks out of the turquoise, but my daughter decided that she would try to knit a headband that was in the pattern book - so either I'll wait until she tires of the knitting (although I hope she decides she likes it), or I'll just make myself some black/white socks.</p><p>Now that I have finished the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Horcrux</span> socks, I can be ready for the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Ravelympics</span> 2008! Here is my yarn, pattern, and needles all ready to go:<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5230505291701427490" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuZot0OuMG7Yef9KW0LiOz-3jFrUevbYj5hQzMNOoTqY4-g4Oo4ecLqC-HmDFCdfzhC3hieZcr1pBnxuCNKYu8IMuiWoxAu6A634A4BTjRizax3oZYLlVCR5Vdspd3EYfiJY2I/s320/IMG_1304.JPG" border="0" /></p><p>This pattern is mostly stockinette, but it has a lacy insert up the sides. The idea of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Ravelympics</span> is to knit something that is a challenge to you during the 2008 Olympic Games. Cast on during the opening ceremonies, and hopefully finished before the flame goes out 17 days later. For me, knitting a pair of socks in 17 days is definitely a challenge! The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Horcrux</span> socks are the fastest socks I've knit so far, and that took a little over a month. It's not that I knit so slow (although I am not the fastest knitter in the world) but it's about how much time I have to knit. I'm lucky if I get an hour a few nights a week. However, I love the Olympics, plus I have a vacation coming up during the Olympics, so I may just be able to pull it off. And the pattern I picked is fairly simple, but still interesting. So we shall see!</p><p> </p><p> </p>blueskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13733736867051332123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29227210.post-13387746083165639072008-07-26T16:56:00.001-07:002008-07-26T17:23:33.390-07:00A Not So Lazy Saturday!Today was pretty much the opposite of a lazy Saturday. This weekend is the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Bellevue</span> Arts & Crafts Fair, sponsored by the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Bellevue</span> Art Museum. There are basically three arts & crafts fairs going on at the same time, all within walking distance of each other. The "fancy" one is the one sponsored by the art museum, and it is held on the bottom floor of the parking garage at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Bellevue</span> Square, our local shopping mall. Having it on the bottom floor of the parking garage keeps the art safe from rain, which around here is a good thing (although this is supposed to be statistically the driest week of the year for us). This is where they have the expensive stuff that I love to look at, but pretty much can't afford. We walked through this one first. There is some really beautiful art out there! <div></div><div><br /></div><div>Then there are two other street fairs, one in the Cost Plus parking lot, and one called the 6<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">th</span> Street Fair. We didn't go to the Cost Plus one, but we did go to the 6<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">th</span> Street Fair. I bought a nice variety of things at this fair!! You can see them in this picture:</div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5227477771595014194" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxqUFFBZ9smcCft8nGDtTz9IK3HwsbMQrsHGq6YxJTTZuICJzSerthyphenhyphenrh7pi0tYPzpIfPHm9y0lWF0GewDopA3HMeHV1Ac-8FjpyTr6hHaCVtqHmkqKs0SXGXPRU-jG9XO04vX/s320/IMG_1299.JPG" border="0" />Working from the top down: A variety pack of handmade soap, all very delicious smelling; hand-dyed yarn in a colorway called Dragonfly; an eclectic key holder to mount by our front door; a fused-glass pendant; and a pair of silver & gold earrings. Quite a haul, wouldn't you say? I thought it was pretty cool to see a yarn vendor there. Their name is <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Shoalwater</span> Bay Textiles, but I don't think they have a website. The lady manning the booth said that her grandson asked her to dye a yarn in the colors of a dragonfly, and thus the name of this yarn. It is a worsted weight yarn, so I think I'll probably make a scarf or maybe some of those fingerless mitts I've seen. I love the colors.<br /><br />The key holder came from the "fancy" part of the fair. There was a guy there who finds vintage books and makes the coolest looking bookshelves out of the books. They have all this weird stuff attached to them like wooden spoons, oars, etc. Really interesting stuff. My daughter wanted one so bad, but I couldn't afford $200 or more for some bookshelves, so we settled for the key holder. I just think it is the cutest thing.<br /><br />Speaking of my daughter, she loves <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">legos</span>. Here she is with her latest creation, a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">VW</span> Bug. I really wonder if she will grow up to be an engineer or something.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5227477782692381234" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1MhEEjsDOHXoViR6pFLpA1gUHK6pgVWcksb4YbVtYcLEoW78tWnZSgg_O2M2SVkaggnizo5E2FBUIt6ZRd4a4ui9c3qPFI_EB3B6ISMliXUptxFJoBSiVV3I_s9b7h-UQqdLH/s320/IMG_1292.JPG" border="0" />And in knitting content, here is my latest sock-in-progress. For the life of me I can't get this picture to upload in the right direction, so you'll just have to look at it this way :}<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5227478260725354546" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrSYPphFyhJUwfshFBwMOPa4AoeThUGK8XrYVRfcqYCJxX6fmalyodr_OZ5yxCpw_l7ty2R9qm11AdadJ8By6RF8THS8pGb1M0HWf-6N7iGERby9dvbaKWyuKqRuZQ9dUdheho/s320/IMG_1286.JPG" border="0" /><br />I've actually already finished this sock, and and halfway done with the second sock. I have to <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">finish</span> these because the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Ravelympics</span> start on August 8<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">th</span>, and I signed up for the Sock Put for Team Seattle! Go Team!blueskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13733736867051332123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29227210.post-85383662629039088352008-07-12T17:19:00.000-07:002008-07-12T17:41:43.018-07:00A Lazy SaturdayMy daughter has been back from camp for a week now. It is so good to have her back! Today we didn't have much we had to do, so we went to see the movie "Get Smart" with Steve Carroll and Anne Hathaway. It is hilarious - well worth seeing. We lunched on popcorn, candy and soda, and then attempted to hit the Redmond Library. Unfortunately our city is having something called the "Redmond Derby Days" and the area around the library was blocked off. Since I desperately needed to use the restroom, and a soccer team full of girls beat me to the restrooms in the movie theater, I opted to stop at the nearby Ben Franklin Crafts & Frames to use their restroom. Wouldn't you know it, the yarn is right on the way to the restroom!!!! (Like I didn't know that) <div></div><div><br /></div><div>They actually have a pretty decent selection of sock yarn. It's gradually been growing, I think, over the last year or two. I noticed <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Fortissima</span>, Happy Feet, Trekking, and there was probably more I didn't see. I came away with this:</div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5222289003271277106" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEC5mT2pMBhCg76peBaLZckgvtG6C6m2Rhb9USc7GhYjEJHJe3AVRkqajs2iD2A4l0r7V_R6Cpah8eJiDBSI7Bu2J94UtQkdkU7uqCC5x8Ypl1m3OlR-rcT1_g8uX9tHs6ormz/s320/IMG_1282.JPG" border="0" />Now, you may be thinking "With all that selection, she picks the Sock-Ease?" I'll admit, I was sorely tempted by some of the yarn I saw. But really, I already have those other yarns just waiting their turn to be knit up, and I am curious as to how the Sock-Ease will turn out. So I picked this skein, which is a colorway called Cotton Candy. I guess they named it well, because before I even looked at the color name I was calling them my Cotton Candy socks in my head. <br /><br />I have to wonder what makes one sock yarn cost more than another when they are made from the same fiber. Both the Sock-Ease and the yarn in the bin above it (which of course I can't remember which brand it was now) are 75% <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">superwash</span> wool & 25% nylon. Yet the Sock-Ease is $10.99 a ball, and the other one was $15.99. And other types of yarn, like Opal, are even more expensive than that. Now I know that Opal has that <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">polyamid</span> or whatever it's called in it, which I'm guessing is maybe more durable than nylon. But when two brands of yarn have exactly the same fiber content, I wonder what makes the difference in cost.<br /><br />After our fun in Ben <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Franklin's</span>, we opted to drive up to the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Sammamish</span> Library. My daughter LOVES to read, and she wanted to stock up on some books. That's a nice library, even though it is small. She came away with this:<br /><br /><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5222288356602168898" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEP43UOM1kCc5zyK8ExhdIvKr2iTHf4_h-Xd1AJEbeui0cVEj0lNgz9C6Lwn83RPQmncar7hCPZhsOSjZNPeT-c3hyWlwWQ30FEOS3znApDcxk7h1_1mC-7_0xOCZ6xid1918Q/s320/IMG_1284.JPG" border="0" />Easy to tell they are all girls book, isn't it! They ought to last her a week or so. </p><p>Now I'm off to knit a little on my <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Horcrux</span> socks. I'm working on the foot of the first sock. I've dropped at stitch her and there, and managed to pick them back up, but one of the gussets looks a little rough around the edges! I hope I do better on the second sock. I'll take a picture when I'm done.<br /></p>blueskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13733736867051332123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29227210.post-75366535276419440412008-07-03T21:15:00.000-07:002008-07-03T21:30:03.694-07:00New Socks in ProgressYep, I'm back to socks. Can I say how much I love, love, love the color of this yarn? I can't wait to be able to wear these socks. I think I put a link in an earlier post to the blog of the lady who wrote the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Horcrux</span> Socks pattern. These are really fun to knit. The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">zig</span>-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">zag</span> pattern is slightly challenging (for me), but it doesn't last long enough for me to get frustrated with it. Now I am on the simple k3p2 ribbing, which will be perfect for a long car ride I need to take this weekend. Here are a couple of pictures - one of just the started sock, and one with the ball of yarn:<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5219008789165221714" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpCAh2KZRLWPhvV_5m575Thf-RWVD4Ud86fVuX8zgxpvx1RiWt6AMw6uI66SJlOBN7jJBaCFF55_S8cIg_kk6-FEhPbG4W9WSDVp2y5SU_zJeWxx5ro_stV2gGcDjmI_Xhlysf/s320/IMG_1280.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5219008799237368994" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXXGxE4WVRenIVWVPWodaHOkgxjsPGLv1Ot0FXSr1ez5V5IyeTc57-47l8qm9MEHzPLENLw1B5LRH2RSVvnof498UnYURa756xOoZbL_h4gLKAq84jGT9FPi7jqaR3u8enLCSh/s320/IMG_1281.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div></div>I am making this from <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Austermann</span> Step, a yarn I haven't tried before. It has Aloe Vera and Jojoba Oil in it - maybe my feet will be a little softer after wearing these, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">lol</span>! I go barefoot all the time, so the bottom of my feet are very rough, especially my heels. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">TMI</span>?<br /><br />So anyway, I am driving up to Canada on Saturday to pick up my daughter from camp. She has been gone for two weeks, and I am looking forward to having her back. It's much too quiet around here without her. But I've been having fun doing everything I want to do without interruption while she's been gone......like knitting as much as I want to without hearing "Mom, can we play a game?" Or, "Mom, I'm bored"....you get the picture. I've also been eating all the stuff she hates, like spicy food, lots of ethnic food, etc. She likes pretty plain food.<br /><br />I am making this drive with the mom of another girl at camp, and she is doing the driving (he he) so I am definitely taking my knitting. It's a three-hour drive at least, with a wait at the border. We are leaving at 6 am, so there probably won't be too much of a wait, but it's better to be early than late.<br /><br />Here near Seattle we have been having a lot of thunder and lightning storms, followed by a downpour like even we don't usually see. It's really weird. In the past, we've had the rare thunderstorm or two, but these have been going on for almost three days. Today at work we could hear the overhead speaker system crackle <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">every time</span> there was lighting. I kept thinking that the building was getting hit, but I don't think it was. Thankfully these are supposed to stop, and actually I think they already have. I haven't heard thunder since about noon.<br /><br />Well, off to my knitting and "So You Think You Can Dance!"blueskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13733736867051332123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29227210.post-83083270817264192422008-06-29T14:23:00.001-07:002008-06-29T14:41:16.281-07:00More Finished Objects!Well, I am on a roll now! I finished this baby blanket Friday night while watching "Knocked Up" that I got from <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Netflix</span>. I thought the movie was only OK (too much swearing for me), but I think the blanket came out really nice. Towards the end it got a little boring to knit, but it gave me some practice in knitting without looking at what I'm doing. I actually started to get the hang of it - I could watch some good portions of the movie while knitting & not looking at my needles. The pattern is from the book "Natural Knits for Babies and Moms" by <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Louisa</span> Harding and is just called "Blanket and Hat". I knitted it in Lion Brand Cotton Ease, and I like the feel of the finished blanket - it's pretty soft.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVzrOVXnrIZ24-m769a64840JMiUSihOhss0yu6NaDhtqLFL6uICQegkNJYd8yCA0eLeOOTdrkTIKq5XAjDDz-tpGbh2Tz5iSdCt9SHDXYiN0OTyWIDBfPwQtifMGWJfj5E6ky/s1600-h/IMG_1274.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5217417882867228994" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVzrOVXnrIZ24-m769a64840JMiUSihOhss0yu6NaDhtqLFL6uICQegkNJYd8yCA0eLeOOTdrkTIKq5XAjDDz-tpGbh2Tz5iSdCt9SHDXYiN0OTyWIDBfPwQtifMGWJfj5E6ky/s320/IMG_1274.JPG" border="0" /></a> And yes - I made the hat too! I don't think I've ever knitted something in one night before, but I made this last night (Saturday night) while watching TV. I was watching "The Next Food Network Star" on On Demand, and then I watched "Ace of Cakes" on regular TV. Love both those shows. Anyway, here's the hat on my daughter's Build-a-Bear:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiExyk029gmNeMo-j_5PE4RoDAFJj_VZU4xQZK_2eqQOcIzFITCw5b_LN-HsnCA7z1qdmIBisPE-eiZvnyfT4i1QgH6R1Kw8lFAcFtUjcNAkw8d1MVryUYhw3z-BRy7DYSSrPJe/s1600-h/IMG_1278.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5217417965271096002" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiExyk029gmNeMo-j_5PE4RoDAFJj_VZU4xQZK_2eqQOcIzFITCw5b_LN-HsnCA7z1qdmIBisPE-eiZvnyfT4i1QgH6R1Kw8lFAcFtUjcNAkw8d1MVryUYhw3z-BRy7DYSSrPJe/s320/IMG_1278.JPG" border="0" /></a> I still like the yarn, although I may not be great at seaming up hats! This hat is knit flat and then seamed at the end, not knit in the round, and I'm not sure the baby will like laying on the seam. I tried to make it small, but I can feel it when I put my hand it there. This hat <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">could</span> probably easily be done in the round, but it is too hot here to think about it! Yes, it is over 90 degrees near Seattle, and I am sweltering. <br /><br />One of the other things I did this weekend was get some plants for my balcony. The picture below only shows one part of the balcony, but as you can see I am trying my hand again at <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">growing</span> a tomato (the plant in the corner). The other blue pot has lettuce and carrot seeds in it, and the rest of my pots are all flowers. A little summer color!<br /><br /><br /><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizGacABpW2RdQ6FDIdxrKf9gC3mAkIIgtt_2Z0rc5EJh71x5NhvIZAXpyy74hYmuaGQ9_Z9NMnRX709pWkEVoM480XobiS0ZKyNx9LBM-7vwWt4FbBv4t5x0gQk1e9MJJOgbrZ/s1600-h/IMG_1275.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5217417975550397794" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizGacABpW2RdQ6FDIdxrKf9gC3mAkIIgtt_2Z0rc5EJh71x5NhvIZAXpyy74hYmuaGQ9_Z9NMnRX709pWkEVoM480XobiS0ZKyNx9LBM-7vwWt4FbBv4t5x0gQk1e9MJJOgbrZ/s320/IMG_1275.JPG" border="0" /></a> </p><p>Now I am off to start a pair of socks, the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Horcrux</span> socks I mentioned in an earlier post. Mostly I will just be trying to stay cool!<br /></p>blueskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13733736867051332123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29227210.post-4944706261374176262008-06-26T21:25:00.000-07:002008-06-26T22:09:52.945-07:00A Finished Object & Stash EnhancementWhew! It only took six months, but I finally finished my "ice cream sherbet" socks as I am calling them. I started them in December while visiting my Dad for Christmas, and it's almost July 4<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">th</span> now. However, I did have to stop to knit a couple of baby blankets in between, so I guess it's not that bad. I think they came out pretty good! I have a feeling my daughter is going to steal them, though. I knitted these on size zero needles, and they might be just a tad small for me. They look a little better on her feet than mine :} For my next socks, I am going to try size one needless to see how that goes.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0v7grYMjviHURQ_hEibUETkpHmz_tuLY7U8ES27gKKXao3WIoZFTcBHld6GpnkNgQVN2x-k9w9o4_5Bge4VGjWbLprptJOPae7oHlFthnJvA81fBoO-Og4ogugNxuPIr9iGk1/s1600-h/IMG_1273.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5216414288331618402" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0v7grYMjviHURQ_hEibUETkpHmz_tuLY7U8ES27gKKXao3WIoZFTcBHld6GpnkNgQVN2x-k9w9o4_5Bge4VGjWbLprptJOPae7oHlFthnJvA81fBoO-Og4ogugNxuPIr9iGk1/s320/IMG_1273.JPG" border="0" /></a>In stash enhancement news, I bought some yarn from <a href="http://www.littleknits.com/">Little Knits</a> (yes, I finally figured out how to do the hyperlink thing). They are having a great sale on Opal, plus I had to try out Plymouth Yarn Co. "Happy Feet" yarn. I've never tried it, or even heard much about it, but I loved the colors so I'm going to give it a try. It's 90% <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">superwash</span> merino wool and 10% nylon. I don't know how that holds up compared to the Opal content of 75% <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">superwash</span> wool & 25% <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">polyamid</span>. <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNaVjeReZqy0t2FDnihHlX3Ik-Sw5he_sqEj78V3cCu9NiIZpphOQXFJMitAtG2W2eUeR4k0KbGtS_peSMJxETL9BVg8A281H-7vLfw_FvmTpzyb4qOjJblgDuRhJnCVlARxi8/s1600-h/IMG_1256.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5216414299255528130" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNaVjeReZqy0t2FDnihHlX3Ik-Sw5he_sqEj78V3cCu9NiIZpphOQXFJMitAtG2W2eUeR4k0KbGtS_peSMJxETL9BVg8A281H-7vLfw_FvmTpzyb4qOjJblgDuRhJnCVlARxi8/s320/IMG_1256.JPG" border="0" /></a> Don't you just love that beautiful blue Opal? I'd give you more specifics but I can barely read the ball band! But I've always wanted to try a pair of solid-colored socks, and thought the blue would be nice. I am like a moth to a flame with the variegated and self-striping yarns, but I also want to try out some nice textured pattern socks, which don't show up so well in the more colorful yarns.<br /><br />In other knitting news, I am almost done with the boy's baby blanket I started a few weeks ago. Amazingly enough, the baby isn't due until October. I don't think I've ever been this far ahead! I think now that I've finished the ice cream sherbet socks, I'll finish the baby blanket, and then start another pair of socks. I've already got the pattern & yarn picked out. And it's not even one<br />of the yarns I just bought!! I have to admit - I actually started them once already but had to rip them out. I traveled down to the San Francisco Bay Area last weekend, and since I was almost done with the ice cream socks I didn't want to be in danger of running out of knitting. So I started the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Horcrux</span> Socks which can be found on <a href="http://knittingasfastasican.com/">this</a> blog. It's got a slight lace pattern up the leg, and I did part of it perfectly but then I messed up and got so mad I ripped it all out. So they're up next.<br /><br />Speaking of San Francisco, I stayed with my brother in his condo which is right near AT&T park. How fun was that? He can walk to EVERYTHING. He has a Safeway, Starbucks, and Borders Books on the ground floor of his condo building. I'd never have to leave. The weather was a nightmare - I got on the plane in Seattle where they told us the temperature in San Jose (the airport I flew into) was 103! 103!! The entire plane gasped. It was at least 90 in SF, so after my brother picked me up we drove over to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Pacifica</span>, a city right on the coast where I used to live, and had dinner there. I snapped this picture as we watched the sun go down:<br /><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsUmrD57hU_VkmASC0YpAqSbrEGIq_sy7gjs3NMsfXUxk9FMtL0mep5NZaD28XNDxHMmG0LhAivKB-yYzSaPy7WqgtTJPeWb9qQw76ALOIsjCelfIHwZauHmV5v5AySflsUe3B/s1600-h/IMG_1261.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5216414300731220274" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsUmrD57hU_VkmASC0YpAqSbrEGIq_sy7gjs3NMsfXUxk9FMtL0mep5NZaD28XNDxHMmG0LhAivKB-yYzSaPy7WqgtTJPeWb9qQw76ALOIsjCelfIHwZauHmV5v5AySflsUe3B/s320/IMG_1261.JPG" border="0" /></a> It almost makes me wish I still lived there. Even along the coast it was probably 80 degrees, and no breeze which was really unusual. It didn't cool down until Sunday - when of course I left to come home. There is a lot I don't miss about the Bay Area, but I really, really miss living close to the ocean. This summer my daughter and I will be traveling over to Ocean Shores on the Washington to coast to see what the Washington beaches are like. I've lived here 13 years and never gone over there! Time to explore!</p><p> </p>blueskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13733736867051332123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29227210.post-36411144831092120142008-06-07T18:17:00.000-07:002008-06-07T18:37:35.621-07:00Do You See What I See?I was happily knitting away on my sock the other day, when I noticed this:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS2UMwTHdLiB6x7y-hLs6eMcEX2T8MRNTLoJWnsfC8xI7KBiH-JRt9d1VY3X0Xq2r-WwjPuVWAV3J6c_ogKtgDY06IefqJqdPLEHoW9ACoerrvTGKKbiW_80ffL9qqxC1unE7U/s1600-h/IMG_1250.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5209314312061364882" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS2UMwTHdLiB6x7y-hLs6eMcEX2T8MRNTLoJWnsfC8xI7KBiH-JRt9d1VY3X0Xq2r-WwjPuVWAV3J6c_ogKtgDY06IefqJqdPLEHoW9ACoerrvTGKKbiW_80ffL9qqxC1unE7U/s320/IMG_1250.JPG" border="0" /></a> Do you see it? It might be hard to see in the picture, but yes, I dropped a stitch right about where I started the heel flap, and it has pulled back several rows. I have decided not to rip back & start over. I just can't deal with it on small needles like this - I don't think I would ever get the stitches picked back up properly. I think I am going to take a crochet hook and try and pick up the stitches back down to the start of the heel flap, then push it through to the other side and sew it down. Hopefully I will do it well enough that it doesn't unravel later on during washing! How totally annoying.<br /><br />I have taken to knitting on my socks while I wait for my daughter during choir practice (an hour-and-half wait twice a week). I have also started listening to some <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">podcasts</span> while I knit. It makes the time go pretty fast! I knit on the baby blanket while I am at home at night, since it is bigger and less portable. But choir is over in another week, so I'll have to see what I work out then! I'd better get this sock done before the summer is over, that's for sure.<br /><br />In other news, my daughter is off at a friend's bat-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">mitzvah</span> party right now. Unfortunately the ceremony itself was this morning, and we had another appointment that conflicted. But the "after party" is going on now, and she is there as I write. She got all dressed up for the occasion - a cute sun dress, and shoes that cost thee times the amount of the dress! We found the dress on sale at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">JC</span> Penny at a very reasonable price. But oh the shoes, the shoes....we couldn't find anything acceptable at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">JC</span> Penny, Macy's, or Sketchers. So we went to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Nordstrom</span> who was having their half-yearly sale for women & kids. What a zoo. But we found shoes. Not on sale, but the perfect shoes. Shoes that make her taller than her mom. Here is a picture of the whole outfit:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMTWzq4whpyzyvQWqQwF2OXL_PFjA75D30VaiNo8o_509fbrS1fFRo0o8zu4JQWJDbOZ_7lavy6xouvJTdrfhyphenhyphen_rq4Q14vwzZqH6pNNPiERjVlgWVb8kP3yeE9oC2eamd0M4ZW/s1600-h/IMG_1246.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5209314327864734322" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMTWzq4whpyzyvQWqQwF2OXL_PFjA75D30VaiNo8o_509fbrS1fFRo0o8zu4JQWJDbOZ_7lavy6xouvJTdrfhyphenhyphen_rq4Q14vwzZqH6pNNPiERjVlgWVb8kP3yeE9oC2eamd0M4ZW/s320/IMG_1246.JPG" border="0" /></a> And here are the well-loved shoes. I find amusing the contrast between the heels and the other two pairs of those in the picture, which are the shoes she wears to school pretty much every day.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-XR-JHZnOlE75oz2TZ1DnsUOxjNlznCHCjSPXTyrmlwHadaMWwWyVast3xK5ObD5EBh1fnOLC772FbyemErqtNQIopKpYcIuwACPEzwPjOpKAKHRdlmyJfAUA9x0Yv4wyX8NZ/s1600-h/IMG_1244.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5209314338663455362" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-XR-JHZnOlE75oz2TZ1DnsUOxjNlznCHCjSPXTyrmlwHadaMWwWyVast3xK5ObD5EBh1fnOLC772FbyemErqtNQIopKpYcIuwACPEzwPjOpKAKHRdlmyJfAUA9x0Yv4wyX8NZ/s320/IMG_1244.JPG" border="0" /></a> What's really funny is that she will make her entrance with the "fancy" shoes, but she took a pair of flip-flops to wear when the dancing starts! Hilarious! I hope she has fun. I am about to either sit down and knit or play the Sims. I think the Sims is winning.blueskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13733736867051332123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29227210.post-68848181514704883492008-05-31T12:50:00.001-07:002008-05-31T13:04:10.070-07:00I Love the Farmer's MarketI'm not really an early morning Saturday person. Saturday is for sleeping in, both for me and my teenage daughter (especially my teenage daughter!). However, aforementioned daughter is taking a babysitting class today, from 9am to 2pm. Since I had to be up anyway, I hit the Redmond Saturday Market early. Below is my bounty:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEYMNwUspsevd6NZPHlsLo5RLTUp5QfLyoJBe3fhvPA1q-rFCGTZji-dWrKdaKx0EisYYXhEQC08ijupfdKUTNxyMCRJYHP_SqMo7yD-tOVci4VL68bW5qxRoh9iV0XulxV619/s1600-h/IMG_1243.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5206631937762797442" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEYMNwUspsevd6NZPHlsLo5RLTUp5QfLyoJBe3fhvPA1q-rFCGTZji-dWrKdaKx0EisYYXhEQC08ijupfdKUTNxyMCRJYHP_SqMo7yD-tOVci4VL68bW5qxRoh9iV0XulxV619/s320/IMG_1243.JPG" border="0" /></a> I bought the "official" bag of the market. I think they deserve the support, and I also would like to be environmentally friendly! There's not a ton of produce available at this time of year, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">mostly</span> lettuce, asparagus, and apples is what I saw. But it's good enough - I happen to LOVE asparagus, so I bought some. Those apples are the "Pink Lady" variety which I've never had before. The vendor gave me a sample, and they seem to be rather tart, but good. And of course, the bread vendor. Who can pass up good homemade bread? Besides, he was totally cute! <br /><br />It's way different going to the market in the morning instead of the afternoon. In the afternoon, we love to get the Hawaiian hot dogs, which are marinated in pineapple juice & beer before being grilled. And if it's warm, we also get a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Hawaiian</span> ice. A lot of the produce is gone by the afternoon, but the craft vendors are always there. <br /><br />Today I also bought a tomato plant to put out on my balcony. Last year I <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">successfully</span> grew a tomato plant, but the fruit wasn't all that great - kind of mealy inside. This year, I got a "Sweet Million" type of plant - the girl said it would be good in a pot, and gives cherry tomatoes. So we will see! Too bad I don't have enough dirt to plant it. When I got home I realized that the bag of dirt I have is not enough to fill the big pot. So later today I will have to stop & get some.<br /><br />Haven't done too much knitting in the last couple of days. A few more rows done on the baby blanket for my coworker, but that's about it. And now I'm off to pick up my daughter from her baby sitting class. I hope she had fun. When I left her she was sitting at a table full of girls who don't know each other and none of them were brave enough to say hello to each other!! Teenagers!!blueskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13733736867051332123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29227210.post-63946472126183087492008-05-27T21:53:00.000-07:002008-05-27T22:26:34.339-07:00Vacation Time and StashingSo I have a couple of days off. I extended my Memorial Day weekend by a few days - two before and two after. Here's what I did today (on my first "after" day):<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi1Z1RwyBVxtol5YWhA_s2vTS2HgwoG_6wBZBh066NfDyt21jtyqv7A8Q_CWpeSTzMss2mvAwqvjpUKEW_i2IS035MHqfC-IYc_mMr0-Mw9AzGXBxp-ez_UySm4dcME0-ZZSC9/s1600-h/IMG_1240.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5205288188524767042" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi1Z1RwyBVxtol5YWhA_s2vTS2HgwoG_6wBZBh066NfDyt21jtyqv7A8Q_CWpeSTzMss2mvAwqvjpUKEW_i2IS035MHqfC-IYc_mMr0-Mw9AzGXBxp-ez_UySm4dcME0-ZZSC9/s320/IMG_1240.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />I was running errands when I saw that the local Jo-Ann Fabric & Crafts is closing. I don't much like Jo-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Anns</span>, I probably would if I quilted or sewed, but I've never felt they had much of a knitting selection. Tons of fabric, not much in the way of yarn. However, seeing that everything was on sale, I decided to go in and see if there was anything I might be able to pick up. I was thinking maybe needles or something, but instead I found this beautiful yarn. It is Lion Brand "Landscapes" in the Rose Garden colorway. I bought 5 skeins at 30% off. Not that "wow" of a sale, but OK. I totally love the color, and am already thinking I will use it to make a scarf for a friend for Christmas. Actually, I bought enough yarn to make a few scarves, I think!<br /><br />And here is what my daughter did today after coming home from school:<br /><br /><br /><br /><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga9WncwzMR-ZRmdbx6lQK4-iyHwKr-AumimReNSPJ2YABlcxDT0rBVXzQlW1tJ_vITDcMDvAQM6z96dyTMaIIAZOS6yGYnLfoiKwULGMbPZIwUosbqLSApyQcIAlxSrwdX6sW9/s1600-h/IMG_1236.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5205288192819734354" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga9WncwzMR-ZRmdbx6lQK4-iyHwKr-AumimReNSPJ2YABlcxDT0rBVXzQlW1tJ_vITDcMDvAQM6z96dyTMaIIAZOS6yGYnLfoiKwULGMbPZIwUosbqLSApyQcIAlxSrwdX6sW9/s320/IMG_1236.JPG" border="0" /></a>Our poor cat! She (the cat) is extremely patient. She was given to my daughter for her 3rd birthday. She is now 13, and loves this cat to no end. Obviously the cat loves her too to allow this humiliation! In every picture I took, I feel the cat is just saying "You've GOT to be kidding me!"</p><p>Now here is what we did during the Memorial Day weekend:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRUcnPCSX42VuKXYqQD8Pc2IvkeMmXQCPUZ1bcF2V_r2l-5iyyMmc9_d0eM2WQv3aSuyFb-4iDt6E4MHi9CbyT5lKu_OLm4q3A_yr038aWVZuBVMbijx4zqe3VCIH-MQFxMni5/s1600-h/IMG_1233.JPG"></a><br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNeBMmFbhlVbbD1Kv9ecNnPACC-LEfZ8b5fKcdlTNUd7yoZ22HG3SgoLEN10YhDgWoFqdd1lmbZhlstJxqBGY2S0butl9wKBcut8YX770Wmr9oCCwET8YM2z23VEpne3AC-6We/s1600-h/IMG_1215.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5205288209999603570" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNeBMmFbhlVbbD1Kv9ecNnPACC-LEfZ8b5fKcdlTNUd7yoZ22HG3SgoLEN10YhDgWoFqdd1lmbZhlstJxqBGY2S0butl9wKBcut8YX770Wmr9oCCwET8YM2z23VEpne3AC-6We/s320/IMG_1215.JPG" border="0" /></a> Yep - visited the Space Needle. My dad and his "significant other" visited for the weekend (thus the two days off PRIOR to the weekend for cleaning, etc.). She has never visited the area, so we did the touristy things. Sadly, I was unaware that this weekend was also the Northwest <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Folklife</span> Festival at Seattle Center (where the Space Needle is located). We ended up waiting an hour and a half just to ride the elevator to the top. However, I do have to say it was magnificent when we got there. Because it was a nice day, there were great views. After the Space Needle I managed to get lost trying to get down to the waterfront and Pike Place Market. Eventually we got there, fought for parking, climbed the "<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Hillclimb</span>" up to the market, swam like fish upstream to find the flying fish guys, who weren't throwing fish at that time, and then decided it was way, way, way to crowded to spend anymore time there. So back down the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Hillclimb</span> to the waterfront, where we promptly found a restaurant and fortified ourselves with a late lunch. The lunch part was actually fun - the rest not so much. I enjoyed being at the top of the Space Needle and my <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Mahi</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Mahi</span> fish tacos for lunch, but by the end of the day I was hot, sweaty, and tired. I was so glad to get back over to my <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Eastside</span>!</p><p>In other knitting news, I am knitting a baby blanket (another one) for a co-worker. He and his wife just found out that they are having a boy, so I did the typical thing and am knitting a blue blanket out of Cotton Ease. I took a picture but for some reason it keeps coming up rotated the wrong way. If you want to see it here is the link to my <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Ravelry</span> page:</p><p> <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/bluesky59/blanket-and-hat---blanket">http://www.ravelry.com/projects/bluesky59/blanket-and-hat---blanket</a></p><p>Someday I have to learn how to do hypertext - I think that is what it is called! Right now I am too tired to figure it out.</p><p>I have one more day of <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">freedom</span> before returning to work. My plan is to stay home, knit, play video games, and veg out!</p><p> </p><p></p><blockquote></blockquote><blockquote></blockquote>blueskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13733736867051332123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29227210.post-19325612083691139252008-05-10T18:19:00.000-07:002008-05-10T18:37:41.787-07:00Getting ThereSo I finished one sock. I was looking back through my blog, and see that I started this sock in December while at my dad's house during Christmas. How sad is that? As soon as I finished the toe on this one, I cast on for the second sock - and I have about two inches done. It's those darn baby gifts that take me away from my precious sock knitting!! Here are a couple of pictures of the finished sock - modelled on my daughter's foot (I have a feeling I may not have these socks for long myself):<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUbIHB8ZKNwGbTTKD6bmo5UIivaHL0WzhrP-Mpx5kBzgxDOc6tqq2IVwpfRHXh0T3BEhVIDH2C5XIMnqeKCcggwLg6XU_AivRR3iUFAw3Jzm_PUqQMYkB_1TPEJcD0JzcnTd6S/s1600-h/IMG_1194.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5198924723792885650" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUbIHB8ZKNwGbTTKD6bmo5UIivaHL0WzhrP-Mpx5kBzgxDOc6tqq2IVwpfRHXh0T3BEhVIDH2C5XIMnqeKCcggwLg6XU_AivRR3iUFAw3Jzm_PUqQMYkB_1TPEJcD0JzcnTd6S/s320/IMG_1194.JPG" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNILqjtRUK24paR1YZQoGlGt-NrKnge4K2NCYWkL05LnlZwaaSdG6ndrgnAIqnZVCmv2of2-EJoJA5YstwQx8C2uk7FAOALc7PxE6D4nBrcW0vhRnGSqDFwHEjrWW0PKvoSNTv/s1600-h/IMG_1195.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5198924728087852962" style="WIDTH: 420px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 318px" height="318" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNILqjtRUK24paR1YZQoGlGt-NrKnge4K2NCYWkL05LnlZwaaSdG6ndrgnAIqnZVCmv2of2-EJoJA5YstwQx8C2uk7FAOALc7PxE6D4nBrcW0vhRnGSqDFwHEjrWW0PKvoSNTv/s320/IMG_1195.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Today was a fun day - we went to the Redmond Saturday Market at Redmond Town Center. We mostly ate - there wasn't much in the way of produce for sale, but I did get some beautiful flowers and some asparagus. While we were there we ate some "Hawaiian hot dogs" which are marinated in pineapple juice and beer (I think) and then grilled. So good! We also bought some kettle corn and some homemade brownies. Yum!<br /><br />Then we hit the Borders located at the same mall, where I ended up buying a new knitting book. Yes, I am a sucker for a good knitting book. This one is called "Natural Knits for Babies and Moms" by Louisa Harding. There are a ton of cute patterns in this book. Since I have another baby gift to knit, I think I have a good excuse for buying this book. Uh-huh, that's it.<br /><br />I think I am going to make the Cot Blanket for my next gift, although I really like Jasmine Lace Edge Cardigan too. But they would have to be having a girl for that, and we don't know yet. Decisions, decisions!<br /><br />And just for fun - a picture of my daughter and her friends before the school dance last night. Why do they love to do the "Charlie's Angels" pose all the time?<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjci37t2IxCpITYm333uO1gyuSZpbrCuuHbUaaH5jdbs_9RCtl1GFKfBcUMzYiC4RRIFQdMsceZb3TOCgH678jkNO6RJbIa2fA6mKhhK1AgUWjreTJ_kqv8bgJSTCUyBcnw7U_t/s1600-h/IMG_1214_edited-1.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5198924736677787570" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjci37t2IxCpITYm333uO1gyuSZpbrCuuHbUaaH5jdbs_9RCtl1GFKfBcUMzYiC4RRIFQdMsceZb3TOCgH678jkNO6RJbIa2fA6mKhhK1AgUWjreTJ_kqv8bgJSTCUyBcnw7U_t/s320/IMG_1214_edited-1.JPG" border="0" /></a>blueskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13733736867051332123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29227210.post-12356104826096517562008-05-04T21:23:00.000-07:002008-05-04T21:53:59.430-07:00A Finished Object!So I did it! I finished the baby blanket for my co-worker. Good thing too, because on Friday she had some contractions while at work. Two of my other co-workers took her to the hospital. Quite the excitement in our accounting department! It turned out to be a false alarm, but still, it means it won't be too long before we get to see this baby girl. I hope she likes her blanket :}<br /><br />Here are a few pictures of it. In the first one it is being blocked on a bath towel. Oh, did my cats<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbmbrHq-n9JpPad7Z5IiK06WyghZ6h5EAQY7LvLADsUPP1DS9mVGFzlqt7mMsZytxhklUcoLcJecOaNAj0lYp5EU1UkR9cftEIB4v1PKPsQXcz2RXIqUoza2Hf4LamOXaLfFdS/s1600-h/IMG_1190.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5196746033899538402" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbmbrHq-n9JpPad7Z5IiK06WyghZ6h5EAQY7LvLADsUPP1DS9mVGFzlqt7mMsZytxhklUcoLcJecOaNAj0lYp5EU1UkR9cftEIB4v1PKPsQXcz2RXIqUoza2Hf4LamOXaLfFdS/s320/IMG_1190.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />love this! I sat there pinning and spraying, pinning and spraying (I decided not to just wet the whole thing in the sink or tub & stuck to just spraying it). They couldn't figure out what they had done wrong, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">lol</span>!!<br /><br />This pattern is called "Springtime Patchwork" from the book "Total Baby Knits" by Candi Jensen. This pattern alone caused me to buy the book. I just thought it was so cute and girlie. However, like so many patterns I like the look of, I would never knit this again. While I love how it came out, it is some very mindless knitting! (Although I did make a mistake, can you find it?) As you can see, there are 20 blocks - either stockinette, or a simple knit/purl pattern. Thank goodness for American Idol & Dancing with the Stars. I thought I would go crazy if I had to knit another plan square. For some reason, I didn't really mind the sewing together. Towards the end it got a little tedious, but I guess I was just so glad to be almost done I was happy to do the sewing. <br /><br />Here are a couple more pictures - one of the blanket after blocking, and a close up of one of the embroidery squares. I had a hard time with the embroidery. I found it hard to embroider on knitting. I almost gave up, but I finally found the groove and I think it came out OK in the end.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3DK9s8-NkVNHpJ-aqvCBorQ4NwqLaPl1sGjg_Zo4M1kH-aSpjflxam1B73iakkpyyCfeHfU5lzeLVFLUR9KCZPn58AZkAasD9t9SThn2mRWjq9goe9pGj_9H8JtORKhZCBSOQ/s1600-h/IMG_1193.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5196746038194505714" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3DK9s8-NkVNHpJ-aqvCBorQ4NwqLaPl1sGjg_Zo4M1kH-aSpjflxam1B73iakkpyyCfeHfU5lzeLVFLUR9KCZPn58AZkAasD9t9SThn2mRWjq9goe9pGj_9H8JtORKhZCBSOQ/s320/IMG_1193.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><p align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv5-2tKqDRGcJFMKFP6oAWdmimK_gI5Ect8U4j1-q6rR7BVJyg6nfY1kW5MlT1zdFLtpmPixRzdGj_zzUtYOhRKcL38Sr0MlTMUGv6Uu16xzX_1LfPQlkYWAcw80TnKj9KGZUV/s1600-h/IMG_1191.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5196746046784440322" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv5-2tKqDRGcJFMKFP6oAWdmimK_gI5Ect8U4j1-q6rR7BVJyg6nfY1kW5MlT1zdFLtpmPixRzdGj_zzUtYOhRKcL38Sr0MlTMUGv6Uu16xzX_1LfPQlkYWAcw80TnKj9KGZUV/s320/IMG_1191.JPG" border="0" /></a></p>The yarn I used is called Fantasy by Dark Horse Yarns. It is a blend of 50% nylon, 50% acrylic, and it is very soft. I think the mix of fibers is good for a baby item, as it can be tossed in the wash. I've noticed that this yarn does have a tendency to split as I knit, but I still really like it for it's softness. It also comes in a TON of colors.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />On another note, today we had a beautiful, warm sunny day, and we made a little addition to our<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6yPK3c5cW_df7XPYFruc32cT0QFk9pSNjPD0hK8fM9NVGhNKTdIBbt3NN1QcsTmGiQxnHG1F39gc4jaCCDyLuViP5Ke8l5dHU60QW8zf5ub6-u_ozO7ioZi3D0OvCPHJoJB-o/s1600-h/IMG_1192.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5196746051079407634" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6yPK3c5cW_df7XPYFruc32cT0QFk9pSNjPD0hK8fM9NVGhNKTdIBbt3NN1QcsTmGiQxnHG1F39gc4jaCCDyLuViP5Ke8l5dHU60QW8zf5ub6-u_ozO7ioZi3D0OvCPHJoJB-o/s320/IMG_1192.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />balcony. Hard to believe that only a couple of weeks ago I was taking pictures of snow out there. Today we went out and bought this umbrella and the cushions for our patio chairs. Our balcony faces south, and the sun beats in all day. I figure the least we can do is have some shade to sit out there. Soon we will be adding some flowers, a tomato plant, and maybe some other vegetables. I hear you can grow lots of veggies in pots, and I want to try.<br /><br />Last year I grew a tomato plant. It went pretty well, with all the sun we get it grew well and got lots of <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">tomatoes</span>. The only thing was, they didn't actually taste that great. They were kind of mealy inside. Not juicy like you would normally think of a home-grown <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">tomato</span> (the kind my dad grew when I was growing up!!).<br /><br />That's it for now - I've decided to make a few baby booties with the leftover yarn from the blanket - we'll see how that goes. Hopefully she won't have the baby first!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6yPK3c5cW_df7XPYFruc32cT0QFk9pSNjPD0hK8fM9NVGhNKTdIBbt3NN1QcsTmGiQxnHG1F39gc4jaCCDyLuViP5Ke8l5dHU60QW8zf5ub6-u_ozO7ioZi3D0OvCPHJoJB-o/s1600-h/IMG_1192.JPG"></a>blueskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13733736867051332123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29227210.post-28017883499903460792008-04-27T17:32:00.000-07:002008-04-27T17:55:08.341-07:00I Am A Pathetic Blogger!So much for my attempts at blogging more often. It's been a couple of months, so what have I been up to? I am almost done with a baby blanket for a co-worker. That's what I've been spending all my time on these winter nights. Watching American Idol (go David Cook!!), Dancing With the Stars (go Kristy <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Yamaguchi</span>!) and knitting this blanket. I am almost done, so I will post a picture before the baby shower, which is May 15<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">th</span>. I also have a pair of socks in the works, but haven't been working on them much. I'm down to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">kitchenering</span> the toe of the first sock, and then I will immediately!!!! start the second :}<br /><br />And I just found out that the wife of ANOTHER co-worker is <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">pregnant</span>. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Geez</span>. I can't knit anything for myself because I keep spending my (precious little) knitting time on baby gifts. Not that I don't enjoy knitting them, but I don't have much to show for my time!<br /><br />Right now I am excited about a new (to me) knitting book I bought yesterday. It is called "Sarah Dallas Knitting" and I found it at Half Price Books in Crossroads Mall (this is in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Bellevue</span>, WA). It was only six bucks, and it's in great, just about perfect shape! Full retail was almost $30! I so love that store. And I absolutely love a ton of the patterns in the book - it is arranged around color themes, and each color group has blankets, cardigans, socks, pillows, etc. I especially like Blanket Cardigan, just about all the afghan patterns, and of course all the sock patterns. Although I noticed that the socks are made of wool that has to be hand-washed, so that's not for me. But I could use the general pattern idea with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">superwash</span> sock yarn.<br /><br />I even like the pillow patterns, and I don't usually like the idea of making pillows. But there is something about these that I like.<br /><br />Maybe I like all these because I grew up not too far from the ocean in the Bay Area of California, and we spent a lot of time at the beach. Her inspiration for the patterns in this book was a vacation near Dorset, England (which I assume is near the ocean, since there are lots of ocean pictures in the book). The atmosphere of the book just speaks to me, I guess!<br /><br />We'll see when I actually get to knitting any of these patters, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">lol</span>!! But I can dream.blueskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13733736867051332123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29227210.post-24579724006078421962008-02-03T17:02:00.000-08:002008-02-03T17:17:25.572-08:00I Am Officially the Mother of a Teenager!Yes folks, it's true - my daughter has turned 13. I am officially the mother of a teenager. Puberty. Boys. Driving. Not neccessarily in that order, heaven help me. I am very grateful that my daughter is a great kid. She is kind, caring, gets good grades, and is generally helpful. Although I have to "remind" her quite a bit about stuff around the house! But she's not rude, disrespectful, into drugs or drinking (nor are her friends) so I know I have a lot to be grateful for.<br /><div></div><br /><div>She had a sleepover party last night. We had five 12- to 13-year old girls here. I never knew girls could make sounds like that. The squealing, squeeking, and screaming that went on is amazing. I told her she doesn't get another party like this for several years! Here is the evidence:</div><br /><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162926395079803602" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgysRL_AFQBbkx3w7C3Xl3_BRGF-FRcDnBGlCmNjNJUv2vJhGRqvOY5slyRjnDguzmKvnqFmK-iYP2k0ZxrJRngC3h5tGtgBDAuDkBali1sN21DgI-Gd42yIR1WCE9bB2fbHMzo/s320/IMG_1022.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162926407964705506" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZisvGxW42OW_c-DAw-5EsEF7YhN1uCQKu6mZEUXlMppHwqWqn4VRC7TRG4_184mrH5hm717V9l1VXLkQ9iWojHdS3WPmiXIRiCZ4sdTESvVZHgg6OTthrh3ZGlneR84wa_ESr/s320/IMG_1034.JPG" border="0" /></div><br /><p>I will be so ready for bed tonight. They were up until at least 1:30 am. That was when I went out and growled at them to be quiet so I could get to sleep. I guess they were quiet for a bit, because I did fall asleep. However, I heard stories of makeup painted on faces while sleeping, etc., all happening around 3am. I guess I am a deep sleeper! They didn't wake me up with their fun.</p><p>As far as knitting goes, I have nothing to show. I've been extremely busy at work, as well as getting ready for this party, which hasn't left much free time. I'm just starting the toe decrease on the sock I was working on in my last two posts! I doubt I'll do anything tonight. Hopfully during the week!</p><p> </p>blueskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13733736867051332123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29227210.post-64534120413382414632008-01-28T08:05:00.001-08:002008-01-28T08:29:50.860-08:00Snow Day!Happy Snowy Monday! Here is a picture of the weather from my balcony this morning:<br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5160562256101524130" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN0jG8RBQpykUjBHcTCMImySm1O5MT0wozAQbGLAsIoxyY-dpwlvYaWTnqrWRS3360pVh0LCJg4DArz1qAIMK75QweU6z83623xSIK1QixQF6kZs26xAsTNiO3Jw8IWprViK6k/s320/IMG_0995.JPG" border="0" /><br />And another one:<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5160562264691458738" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGDU3rTh70z8N5GTg54f7mod5X2RmxxVDqpTHS9r6z0QtVurSm8MmFrC6-Du7t8GQcVkt592A700c51lhlwjyw_kCNZHfa8WD2SS11BcAj9pCSHniRJwEKoo81rSK-dx9ppL6U/s320/IMG_0996.JPG" border="0" /><br /><p>We don't get snow here in the Seattle area very often, so this is kind of a big deal. Pretty much all the school districts are closed for the day. I've already emailed my boss to tell him that I'm staying home for the morning, and I'll try to be in later. We are super busy at work, so this is NOT a good day for snow! And the forecasters are predicting more of it tonight. In fact, I think the stuff on the ground will freeze over tonight, so tomorrow might even be worse. Luckily (or unluckily, depending on how you look at it) I live only half a mile from my job. Technically, I could walk, but I don't really want to in this weather.</p><p>I know some who look at these pictures will scoff at the idea of schools closing for a couple inches of snow, but there are tons of hills around here, and since it only snows once or twice a year we really aren't prepared for it. One of my daughter's friends has already called this morning, inviting her over to play in the snow "because we don't have a yard." Unfortunately I would have to drive her there, about a mile or two away, and I don't really want to. But because I am a softy I said "we'll see how the roads look" in a couple of hours. I really hate driving in the snow. I grew up in California, and never even saw snow until I moved here 13 years ago!</p><p>In knitting news, I am still working on the sock pictured in my last post! I am down to the toe decrease, and am hoping to have some knitting time during the evenings this week. We love, love, love American Idol and I am so happy that it is back on because I will make an effort to have things done so I can sit down, knit, and watch my favorite show! I will post a picture of the sock once it is done.</p><p>Off to breakfast!</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>blueskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13733736867051332123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29227210.post-46084744261349202912008-01-10T21:10:00.000-08:002008-01-10T21:39:54.445-08:00Promised Pictures!<div align="left">So here are the pictures I promised - finally! The first picture is of the socks I started while in California during Christmas vacation. The yarn is Trekking XXL in colorway 134. I hate the fact that the yarn is just called a number. It should be something beautiful, like the yarn. The yarn looks like yummy ice cream sherbet to me! The pattern is a free pattern called "Simple Trekking Socks" I found <a href="http://mimknits.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=65&products_id=180">here</a>. I'm using size one bamboo needles. As you can see, I'm down to just past the heel turn. I really want to finish this sock and it's mate, so I can move on to one of the other 99 (just kidding, but only a little!) skeins of sock yarn I have.</div><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMU6Nnn5qFDOLMJ207fZU7NHnYA7EVKBu2ZFUe9QaArLnOw2xJi3-l0zgB3O79Vijg0bRxvRcqNTdMnw0Ss5ppRv4U5bXVT9qlmYGv9_iIRrAk95Iw_eVu1kBbEcFi1yL07kEC/s1600-h/IMG_0983.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5154082842691124850" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMU6Nnn5qFDOLMJ207fZU7NHnYA7EVKBu2ZFUe9QaArLnOw2xJi3-l0zgB3O79Vijg0bRxvRcqNTdMnw0Ss5ppRv4U5bXVT9qlmYGv9_iIRrAk95Iw_eVu1kBbEcFi1yL07kEC/s320/IMG_0983.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><div align="center"> </div><div align="left">Santa was good to me - I got both "Getting Started Knitting Socks" by Ann Budd and "Scarf Style" by Pam Allen for Christmas. My wonderful boss gave me a gift card to Borders, so in addition to those two books, I bought myself "Knitting New Scarves" by Lynn Barr. There are so many patterns in all three books I would like to try. The "Knitting New Scarves" book has some really interesting patterns in it. I don't like all of them, but I do like enough of them to have bought the book.</div><div align="center"><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAe_99nwS1dgKEbQziETNbb6qUy_vVJuIMHAM3v8vBcCRh0Ni7IklncY-8SmG92SzxzlMJWYHgcUUKFR7MhhHFbXm-TvrPagm5Xlhg4kQmzSjiSSxmtdzVBAcvnh1bVNJIqwxJ/s1600-h/IMG_0987.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5154082846986092162" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAe_99nwS1dgKEbQziETNbb6qUy_vVJuIMHAM3v8vBcCRh0Ni7IklncY-8SmG92SzxzlMJWYHgcUUKFR7MhhHFbXm-TvrPagm5Xlhg4kQmzSjiSSxmtdzVBAcvnh1bVNJIqwxJ/s320/IMG_0987.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiacboDKQrrphgaUEUbbVPM4rWJsYC7rPTMlFW9gZfhv1MXzcNlDCUxh-ZPS5K0AHM0iwdPoRwigskZmS1iKS2s8Q7SyllgwqKNxw_5t0izYnY1SN9K2EKYLAP2D4ZVQBHMddDx/s1600-h/IMG_0988.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5154082855576026770" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiacboDKQrrphgaUEUbbVPM4rWJsYC7rPTMlFW9gZfhv1MXzcNlDCUxh-ZPS5K0AHM0iwdPoRwigskZmS1iKS2s8Q7SyllgwqKNxw_5t0izYnY1SN9K2EKYLAP2D4ZVQBHMddDx/s320/IMG_0988.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY2bQWeJcNCCn1WZEOE_xrkDkAwWuNaozOROc_wicTvveTu1_F2dTvrjFkNeR2KQIPJqiS0kTQXErFBgrKtF_QwVIvAJVl4l9NAq33LNaKq8gjNSjuDrwi4C3uwaT1Q11RM3zq/s1600-h/IMG_0992.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5154082859870994082" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY2bQWeJcNCCn1WZEOE_xrkDkAwWuNaozOROc_wicTvveTu1_F2dTvrjFkNeR2KQIPJqiS0kTQXErFBgrKtF_QwVIvAJVl4l9NAq33LNaKq8gjNSjuDrwi4C3uwaT1Q11RM3zq/s320/IMG_0992.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><div align="left">Last but not least, I just have to include this picture of some amaryllis plants my Dad gave me for my birthday. They arrived in early December, and have just recently started blooming. Absolutely incredible flowers! Happy Friday everyone!</div><div align="center"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2AeZo2dNbqI4dvIP2Bnw3Q6Vg_dfbPxY6_2-tiFDQiq-yPUK5-VeXNk36zMr618NuqMsESAcJQXDLs1JcE1DHSmFXuaXNsnhavCSwMRjd1RWvqaJUeZ3V5jQvuSd7e7HU68Fs/s1600-h/IMG_0985.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5154082864165961394" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2AeZo2dNbqI4dvIP2Bnw3Q6Vg_dfbPxY6_2-tiFDQiq-yPUK5-VeXNk36zMr618NuqMsESAcJQXDLs1JcE1DHSmFXuaXNsnhavCSwMRjd1RWvqaJUeZ3V5jQvuSd7e7HU68Fs/s320/IMG_0985.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://mimknits.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=65&products_id=180"></a><br /></div><a href="http://mimknits.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=65&products_id=180"></a>blueskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13733736867051332123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29227210.post-41526702736136992562008-01-05T11:29:00.000-08:002008-01-05T11:37:44.435-08:00Whew!OK, so I'm not the best blogger. My best intentions get waylaid <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">constantly</span> by the other demands in my life. However, since I last posted, I have knit too many <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">dishcloths</span> to count, given them as Christmas presents, and took nary a picture. Even though kept thinking to myself - I've got to take pictures, I've got to take pictures. But with all the Christmas rush, I never did. I'm glad to report, however, that the recipients of the dishcloths really liked them. I packaged them in a red or white basket I got from World Market. I put in two <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">dishcloths</span> and one of those antibacterial hand soaps from Bath & Body Works. Wrapped the whole thing up in <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">iridescent</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">cellophane</span>, added a bow, and there we had it. It was fun.<br /><br />Now I am back to knitting socks. I have one sock down to just past the gusset decreases. I started it while visiting my family in California for Christmas. I'll have to post a picture of that too. I'm using a Trekking yarn which is very colorful, and striping beautifully.<br /><br />For Christmas I received some knitting books which I was thrilled about, and I will take pictures and post them as well! I also got some fabulous Lorna's Laces <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">sport weight</span> yarn in the "Hawaii" colorway, which I think I will make a scarf from. Another picture waiting to happen.<br /><br />So for now I will close, until I can take those darn pictures!blueskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13733736867051332123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29227210.post-37027958810739885832007-11-13T22:36:00.001-08:002007-11-13T22:46:57.682-08:00Christmas KnittingOK -once again it's been way too long since I posted. I just have too many things going on! Lately I've been selling my daughter's old toys and clothes on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">ebay</span> - what an experience. I'm glad I'm doing it, I have been making a little extra money on things she's outgrown and doesn't want or play with anymore, but it does take up some time! However, just today I finally took the two biggest things I was trying to sell to the post office - gone baby gone!<br /><br />As for knitting, I have BIG, yes BIG plans for Christmas knitting. We'll see how far I get. Right now I am knitting <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">dishcloths</span> like a crazy person. I'll be sick of them pretty soon. I promise I will get some pictures up soon. They are kind of weird to use if you aren't used to them, but I think I like them. I don't know how other people will feel about them, but at least they are pretty and can be used even just to brighten up the kitchen.<br /><br />I also want to make a scarf for the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">barista</span> at my work. Yes, living in Seattle we have our own little coffee window existing right in our cafeteria. She is one of the nicest people I know, and I was thinking it would be nice to make her something. She is always friendly and cheerful, and totally remembers <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">everyone's</span> drinks! And she sells soup, sandwiches & salads at lunchtime, so technically I never really have to leave the office. How convenient is that (an evil plan by my employer, no doubt!!) Ha Ha!<br /><br />Hopefully I'll get my act together and get some pictures posted soon.blueskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13733736867051332123noreply@blogger.com0