Return To Center

Still no Yarntini, but something did come in today's mail: Sock Innovation by Cookie A and Knitting Socks with Handpainted Yarn by Carol J. Sulcoski. Going to pick up YS from school, then plan to settle down with a nice cup of coffee and browse through these this afternoon. The HWWTM is out of town for a few days, so things are a little more laid back around here, i.e. I don't usually cook when he's not home. ha





Isn't this scarf coming along great? I'm gradually increasing the number of rows of gray, while decreasing the maroon. The other end of the scarf will be all gray. I borrowed this idea from Janice over at Willow Way Knitting. Thanks, Janice. It does eat up a lot of yarn though because it's done in the round, but it is going to be nice and thick and super warm. I hope to finish it in the next couple of days.






I'm almost finished with my Rogue Roses socks; I'm on the last repeat and then have to decrease the toe. Will post pics later this week.

The yard work continues...the HWWTM and I went to the nursery yesterday and bought some plants and flowers. All of the pots are being filled as I type this.

Remember this little area right outside the side door that was dug up and cleaned out last week. It's been completely replanted. Isn't it nice?

The weather here has been crazy, as is the norm in southeast Louisiana. This past weekend it was in the 80's and humid. Today it's in the 50's with 20-30 mph winds blowing, and tonight we're expecting a freeze. FPS. As soon as the plants are all in their pots, they'll be brought into the garage for a couple of nights until the weather decides to cooperate again.

Almost forgot - started my Monday off with my usual yoga class. Today's saying. . . "let's return to center". Usually when stretching at the beginning and end of class, you do a pose, then the instructor tells you to "return to center". When you think about it, it's a pretty neat saying. You could use it when you get into it with your kids or husband or boss or friends. After it's all over with, you can "return to center", and things can get back to normal. Sounds like an excellent idea, don't you think?

It's Friday!

As if I didn't have too many scarves on the needles already, I started another one last night. Yesterday was one of my good tennis friend's birthday. So, being the procrastinator that I am, I started her birthday present last night. Ha. Actually, I couldn't figure out what to get her. I've given her knitted socks for the past 2 years, and, while she loves them and wears them, I wanted to do something else. So, you know how some things just come to you. Well, this just came to me last night. I had bought this yarn at my LYS a couple of months ago. It's Classic Elite Yarn in maroon and grey. I always stock up on these colors when I find them because it's our local high school colors. And my friend's children attend school there, and they play soccer, which is an outdoor sport, usually during cold weather. So I think she'll appreciate and use a scarf in these colors. Just need to get busy on it.




These are my 2 little dogs, Coco and Cubby, after a day at the groomer. They come home exhausted and usually lay around and sleep the rest of the day.

Isn't this a funny shot? I put a couple of plants and flowers behind my bathtub, and look at how the flowers grow toward the window. "Go to the Light"...

Hope you have a good weekend. Was hoping to have a shot of my March Yarntini to show you, but it hasn't come in yet. It was promised this week, so maybe tomorrow.

Random Things...

First, a finished sock...



I noticed this hanging on the chair at the breakfast table. Think I have a thing for blue bags. Those are all of my current WIP's, and, yep, they're all in blue bags. Oh, I have bags in other colors, but it seems I subconsciously gravitate toward my favorite colors. I didn't even realize it.

And the cause of the noise outside and the dogs barking constantly - yard work. It seems the HWWTM has decided to change some things. He is having flower beds pulled up and replanted, stones put in, trees taken out, grass extended into the lot next to us, etc.

He is even having the pool decking re-done:

I'm off to knit something out of one of my blue bags.

A Couple of FO's

Here are a few finished objects from last week:



This little girl's sweater is going to my cousin's daughter in South Carolina. It is made out of Miss Babs Yowza - Frogbelly colorway, size 8 needle. The pattern is Plymouth Yarns #1440 Kids Kimono. I did the size 6. It's so cute. I wish I had someone to try it on and model it for me. I'll get my cousin to send pics of E-G in it.



Next are some socks:

These are done in What Not Sock from Union Center Knits, Baby Blue color. This yarn is so soft and easy to work with. The pattern is Hawaiian Leis Socks from my calendar (not one of my favorite patterns). Done on a 2.25 mm needle. These are being gifted to a tennis friend whose birthday was in February, I think. She is a relatively new knitter, so I know she'll appreciate them.

And last, some progress...

...on my STR March kit, Rogue Roses. Love the colors. The pattern is fun. My roses hardly look like roses though, more like little blobs, but it's ok.

Oh, and I almost forgot. Went to yoga this morning. I missed last week, so I didn't have a favorite yoga saying for last week, but this week's is "...sitting on our sitting bones..."

Have a good knit day.

It's Heeere...

...my March 2009 Socks That Rock kit, that is. So don't look any farther if you haven't received yours yet, and you don't want to be spoiled.













Here it is:

Included are a great skein of yarn called Gertrude Skein in medium weight and a pattern from The Yarn Harlot herself, Stephanie Pearl-McPhee called Rogue Roses. I'm not a big fan of socks made of medium or sportweight usually, just because they're too thick in my shoes, but I find if I knit them tight enough, it's ok. Anyway, I love the colorway so much, it doesn't matter.

The Dyer's Notes are titled A Rose is a Rose is a Rogue, and they are unbelievably incredible and creative as usual.

And there are 3 pages of stickers to cut out and use to decorate your binder. My favorite is - Don't come knockin' if your socks ain't rockin'.

Must go now. I'm off to wind my yarn and start knittin'. I must hurry, because guess what's coming in next week...my last Happy Hour Club kit from Yarntini. But don't worry about it being my last from Yarntini, because I joined her summer club for 6 more months. Go check it out. Just don't tell the HWWTM.

Can I Have Some Cheese Please...

...with my whiiiiine, that is. My STR sock club package didn't come today. I thought it was going to come today, but it didn't. I guess it will be here tomorrow. It better be here tomorrow. I finished a sock quickly this morning, just so I could start my sock club sock this afternoon. Pooh!



But, the good news is that something else arrived - my Woolgirl order came in, all filled with Yarntini goodness (and a few other things too). Jenn over at Woolgirl always includes nice things in your orders. This time were some Easter candies and a little plastic Easter bunny, a cute little sheep notepad, and a sample of Eucalan woolwash in lavender scent.

Aren't these 3 colorways gorgeous? They are Pink is the New Yarn (love that name), Woolgirl Happy, and Happy? I think I like Happy best.

And this below is Designated Driver in sportweight. It has such pretty blues in it. I'm thinking a medium-sized baby blanket. I haven't made a baby blanket in a long time. It used to be one of my favorite things to knit, but I guess I got sidetracked. I don't even know a baby boy to knit this for, but I bet someone will turn up with one eventually. I'm thinking of the Embossed Diamonds pattern from Alison over at SpinDyeKnit. I'm dying to swatch it, but I'm still in the fondling/sniffing phase.

Have a good afternoon. Hope to have something to show you tomorrow.

Surrounded By My Yarn

I like to be surrounded by my yarn. Just seeing it makes me feel good, makes me happy. I like to touch it and smell it and rub it on my cheek. My kids think I'm weird, but I'm sure you all know what I mean. Anyway, there is a built in bookshelf in my hearthroom just off the kitchen where I keep cookbooks and whatnots. In recent months, I've added my knitting books and a little basket of yarn. I usually change the yarn out on a whim; sometimes certain colored yarns will go in the basket, sometimes certain brands, and sometimes I change it with the seasons. Since before Christmas, I've had red and green colored yarn in the basket.









I hadn't even realized that I still had Christmas colors in the basket until yesterday. Then came the decision-making...what to put in the basket. I thought about an Easter theme, but I just don't have that much light-colored, pastel yarn. I started looking at my favorite brands--Dream in Color Smooshy, Yarntini, Numma Numma--and decided on Socks That Rock.

Aren't the colors bright and beautiful? It makes me feel warm just having it in the room with me.

Below is a pic of all of my much-coveted Wollmeise that I've collected over the past few years. It is my absolute favorite. Isn't it beautiful? It was the first yarn that I put in the basket on the shelf, but as time went on, it outgrew the basket and had to be put in a bin by itself.

Oh, btw, I finished something last night. It came out so cute! It needs to be soaked and blocked and then I'll show it off.

Hope to finish a pair of socks today or tomorrow, because (drumroll) this month's STR sock club is in the mail and should be here tomorrow. I've already sneaked a peak over on ravelry. It's gorgeous. Can't wait.

Also have a nice order from Woolgirl coming - Yarntini, of course. Pics to follow. Have a nice day!