Hospital knitting

I've gotten a lot of knitting in over the last 9 days while staying with my grandfather while he's in the hospital. I finished my mom's Sedona sweater. I started my shawl for the shawrl KAL that the owner of. my lys is starting next month. I'm doing the Eyelets & Lace shawl in Hearthside Givers Star Dust yarn in the Teal we meet again colorway. So far so good. Love the hint of sparkle in the yarn. I was planning on socks for a knitting project, but right now the shawl is like a prayer shawl for me. I'm sure I'll knit a few more of this at some point.

consumed in knitting

I am not much of a monogamous knitted, but lately I have been. The only project I've been working on is my mom's sweater. Think my next project is some slippers. Although the Sedona pattern has become like potato chips. I will probably knit a longer one for myself with a longer collar. Although, I have 3 other sweaters to knit first.

Happy New Year & 2012 Goals

It seems like 2011 went by in a flash....I'm sure it didn't but it sure as heck seems like it did. I don't normally make resolutions or goals, but here are some for 2012

Not knitting related:

-Get healthier in all aspects of my life.

Spend less time with my parents (but that's not likely to stick)

Knitting related:

-Finish the shawl of doom (aka Firaments Lace Shawl)

-Get Will & Matthew's sweaters done

-Get Mom and Jenny's sweaters done

AND

Knit another sweater for myself - like I need ANOTHER sweater)

It's a Stargate & Knitting Marathon

I got some yarn yesterday for Christmas, but knew it ahead of time because I filled out the KnitPicks order form for my mom so she could get it for me for Christmas.   I got 5 skeins of Palette in Silver.   I need to get two more balls of it for a Little Mermaid Shawl.  Today I'm watching ALL Stargate series and movies.  Well when I'm not out and about with my mom and daughter getting seed beads for my shawl as well as some size 6 dpns.  

Right now on the needles:

Daughter's Sedona sweater (almost complete - at the bottom ribbing, what's left - sleeves)

On Deck:

Mom's Sedona (had her pick out her color yarn of two choices - nice daughter aren't I)

Sedona for Jen (sent her a picture of five or six colors of Deluxe worsted by Universal yarn and had her tell me what color(s) she liked.  She asked what it was for and told her a sweater, but neglected to tell her it was a sweater for her)

I am watching Stargate Continum right now, then I think I'll watch SG-1 (probably should have started with that first and then watched the movie, but oh well) then Atlantis, and then finally Stargate Universe.

Christmas knitting is DONE!!!!

I got everything done, which includes weaving in ends. All I née now is yarn to finish Aly's sweater. I started working on Matthew's Christmas present for next year. I don't crochet a lot Sao this will be interesting.

I can't believe Ii'm starting next years gifts already (so not me).

Christmas knitting

Ok, I've neglected my blog again. Christmas is less than two weeks away and I am slowly finishing gifts. I just noticed I am missing one dish towel. I don't know if I'll have time to knit another one. Done so far: Jenny's gift (and mailed) Henry's gift (needs a button) Dad's gift To finish: Scott's Cherie's Leah's Eric's Bob & Jill's Aly's Aly will probably be getting a spa set like I did for Jen. Her sweater will be her birthday present. I need to order more yarn. It will be Sao pretty. I hated the color way when I first started knitting it up. But thanks to some input at a VKN I started to like it again. I also need to get started on Will and Matthew's gifts for next year. I have some yarn to start one of their sweaters but we'll see how it goes. Won't be buying yarn til May anyway. I will be getting yarn for Jen's sweater then too.

Sweater KAL progress and a few other things

My sweater is really coming along. At last check I was at 9 inches for the body. I have 4 inches left to knit until I start the ribbing again. I am loving the color, not so sure about the 100% wool though. Not that I don't love wool, I'm just getting tired of it.

My Firaments Lace Shawl is in the edging stage, although ripping it out at the moment. I dropped a stitch somewhere and not sure where. So it's coming out only to be redone again, at somepoint, just not sure when. Probably when my sweater is done.

Okay back to my sweater, I can't believe how fast it is knitting up. I may have it done before a football game on Aug. 26th. I will probably be done with it, but we'll see.

Time to go get stuff knit up before knitting group.

Online Friendships: What makes them so invaluable?

My friend Carolyn and I were IMing on Yahoo last week and she told me about a comment she posted on someone elses blog about our friendship. She also mentioned to me that she was going to blog on her own blog on Monday to watch for it. So now it's my turn to blog about the subject :).

I've had some frienships come and go, both online and real life frienships. I've got one friend who I met while Role Playing soap operas (something I have not done in YEARS). She and I have been friends for about 10 yrs. And have lived somewhat similar lives. I tell her just about everything, there are somethings I don't tell her but most of the time I do tell her.

I have another friend who I met online and then met in person. I was going through a rough time in my life, and realized I needed to lose weight, so I joined TWO weightloss sites. One of them no longer exsists, well the site does but the forums don't (Carolyn, correct me if I'm wrong). Tiffany I met on the slimfast site. We emailed every day and she was helping me through some personal things and when it came to Christmas cards she asked for my address, so she could send me a card. I sent it to her and asked for hers, and she sent it to me and then I got her phone numbers with "in case you need them" which I did. My grandmother had been pretty sick and did pass away shortly after Tiffany sent me her numbers. So I called her, and let her know. We had to have two memorial services for my grandmother one here in Wisconsin, the other in Florida to lay her ashes to rest. I was able to meet Tiffany the day after Christmas. We had a fabulous time. Our friendship has only grown stronger since 2003.

My other online friendship with Carolyn is similar, but haven't met her, YET, although who knows if the opportunity to meet will present itself. Carolyn and I have been friends for close to 10 yrs, I started somersizing in 2001, but then with the health of aforementioned grandmother I was really stressed out, and fell off the "wagon". In 2003, after dealing with my grandmother's death I revisited the somersize site and somehow started communicating with Carolyn more regularly. I knew of her in 2001 through the chats we'd had with other members, but then when I came back to the site something changed. We became co-leaders for the somersizing board on ivillage.com. I was asking carolyn to put in a word for me to help co-lead another board when she asked if I would be interested in helping her with the somersize board, so of course I jumped at the chance. When she told me and the Community Moderator that her husband was being transferred to London, I was crushed. Don't get me wrong, I was happy for her, but I felt like I was losing a part of something. I never told Carolyn how crushed it made me though (well til I posted on her blog earlier today). It didn't change our friendship in anyway, she was just SEVERAL hours away. We would send emails and catch up through IMs and on the board, but like I said, I felt like I lost something. When she said she was coming back to the US I was estatic, probably because she was just an hour ahead of me instead of the said several before.

Are Sarah and Carolyn's friendships any different to me than my frienship with Tiffany, ABSOLUTELY NOT! Just because I haven't met them does not mean that they are any less of a friend than she is. I may get to talk to Tiffany a bit more because I can call her or say "hey I want to come visit", but I know that Sarah and Carolyn have my back when something in my life goes crazy. Carolyn and I have daughters that are close in age, actually about a year apart, so if I'm going through something with my daughter I know I can always ask her what to expect. But that hasn't happened lately. I may not be able to call her up and ask if I can come over to just talk but I know that I can leave her an email or send her an IM and know that she'll respond.

Holy no posting! I forgot my password, OOPS

I've been knitting up a storm lately, which is good. I started my Kalediscope Fibers KAL sweater June 25th. Um, slight problem with that, I may be done before the KAL even STARTS! The KAL doesn't start until the 27th of this month. I am almost half way done with the sweater. I have two more to knit though so maybe if the one i'm doing now (for me) is done, I can do my daughter's. Then hopefully I have time to do a few more for gifts.

Speaking of gifts, it's almost 6 months out to Christmas (Carin I know you're gonna say something next week possibly about the Christmas countdown, oh well). Let's see....

My mom... a tank to go with her Dofuku kimono from TWO years ago.

My dad... a pair of socks, I think (don't normally knit for him)

My brother in law.... a pair of socks (knit him a pair two years ago, time for a new pair)

My sweet little girl... a sweater and possibly more wrist warmers

My cousin and his family... dishcloths and baby things (Rachel will also get a shawl)

My cousin... dishcloths and a shawl

My uncle and step aunt....dishcloths and a shawl for my step aunt

My inlaws are NOT getting anything this year handknit wise, they have been terrible to me (the one brother in law I'm knititng socks for is on my side of the family not my husbands, so it's all good)

I'm doing the Sedona Knit by C2knits. SO fun and easy. I have the collar done and the sleeves are on stitch holders for later, and about 2 1/2 inches of the body is done. I have 11 1/2 inches yet to go. Should fly, although it's in stockinette stitch for most of it and 2x2 rib for the edging. But I'm sure it'll go fast. I just need to get more yarn whenever idiot husband can send me some money (stupid inlaws are being terrible about his spousal support to me, but whenever a marriage goes south with him, they always blame the ex, dont' get it cause he's the one that fouled up with the affairs not the other way around).

I am also working on a Firaments Lace Shawl for myself, which is ALMOST done, I just have some more of the last pattern row of repeat eight to go, then a plain knit row then I can start the LAST repeat of the body and then work on the dangblasted perpendicular edging, that sounds like SO much fun!!!

Shawl, Baby items, and a broken shoulder

Okay let's start with the last thing, my broken shoulder is getting better, but I suppose I shoudl back up.... the Tuesday before New Year's I was in a car accident and managed to break my right shoulder. Lucky me, huh?

Okay, now to the shawl. I am ALMOST done. Will be glad when the doctor okay's me to start knitting again, cause right now I'm staring at it along with a pair of unfinished socks that I really want to finish. I am going to send it to my mother-in-law for her birthday, which ironically is the same day as my ex's.

The baby items..... I have stuff to knit for baby Shawn, a sweater and some bibs, Chase is getting a baby blanket, a sweater, and some bibs, and my favorite baby (who isn't made his arrival yet) Henry, a whole SLEW of baby things, think I'm spoiling cause Henry's family. Doing my basic baby sweater pattern for all three, with a crochet edge around the botton of the sweater, the edges and the sleeves. Same with the baby bibs although Henry has one already (gave it to Eric and Rachel as a Christmas gift). I suppose I could knit some stuff for Brookelynn (my grandaughter) but I'm not sure I'm ready to go that route yet. The only reason I am giving the shawl to my MIL is because she's done so much for me (on the lookout for certain yarns for me when I run out).

Christmas Knitting end in sight

Just finished knitting Aly's wrist warmers. YAY! I also figured out where her sweater was (thanks to a phone call with my mom where she stated there was a project of mine in her office at her house). So now that's currently my focus to finish.

We are having our family christmas with my uncle and his family the day after Christams, which means I need to get working on gifts for them. Which means eitehr baby sweater for Eric and Rachel or a baby blanket or both. For my uncle and his wife I think I'll make fudge. I am thinking that maybe I'll make a pair of wristwarmers for my cousin Leah.

I am now working on Aly's birthday present. A Dofuku kimono from Knit Kimono by Vicky Square in Lorna's Laces Sheperd Worseted in the colorway Midway. Have a month to finish :)

6 Months later :)

I have had the best time reconnecting with my fisrt boyfriend. Terry has been a blessing since June, divorce is hell, but I couldn't have asked for someone better to lean on through hte whole thing. Guess having a history and good chemistry still is a plus : )

Christmas knitting wrap up

I had every intention of getting Aly's wristwarmers done for Christmas but with my new schedule at work (I went from three days every week to 4 days one week and five the next - considered full time) I have NO time, and the days I have off are spent trying to get divorce papers filled out and off to my dad to go over (love how he went from a divorce lawyer to soon to be retired teacher in my life), I haven't had time. And not to mention still trying to train the dog to go potty OUTSIDE, not in the house.

Jen's Christmas gift is blocking on the guest room bed, Aly's cowl is done and in a box under the tree at my parents. Not sure where her sweater went that's for her birthday (I am thinking it grew legs and just walked out the door - meaning my husband accidentally threw it away). Wristwarmers are now a birthday present.

Christmas Knitting

I have one of three gifts done now, YAY!! I am currently working on a cowl for my 10 yr old. Then I have one more to go for her. That will be the extent of my Christmas knitting this year. My best friend's shawl is done, I just need to block it. I am going to make the same shawl for myself, and can't wait to start it, but have to wait til Christmas AND birthday knitting are done, sinec my daughter's birthday is a month after Christmas.

My daughter picked out my BMFA Sugarplums color way for her Christmas presents. Her birthday present is a Dofuku kimono sweater. It's in a blue and purple colorway, and it's absolutely gorgeous.

Sweater KAL

Well I was told last Friday that I am no longer allowed to knit at work when I did NOTHING wrong and that bugs the crap out of me. I was knitting during downtime, UGH. I had nothing to do last friday during a staffing of an individual where I work. Since I couldn't knit I sat in the office bored out of my mind for an hour. I did have the sweater for knitting with me but didn't dare knit on it since my PM was at the staffing and I was told I couldn't knit so I sat in the office and did NOTHING, which was so boring. I mean I could have probably gotten on the comptuer and looked up patterns to knit but didn't because I don't want to break any rules. So the only time I'm knitting anything is when I am at home or at my parents. I am almost done wiht the back of the sweater though, and then it's on to teh two fronts and sleeves. It is going fast but it's boring knitting now.

R.I.P. Magnum...welcome Mishi

My beloved Shep/husky mix passed away on Wednesday. It was VERY sudden, my husband and I were in Madison for a surgery my husband had to have and when we came back Magnum was laying on the office floor dead. We drove to the humane society where we got him and asked about having him disposed of. That's when I saw a couple of dogs I could possibly adopt. The first one was Violet. She's a sweet dog but too much barking and would drive me nuts trying to sleep. Then there was her kennel mate Nena who is a long hair chiuhua. On Thursday we took Magnum's body to the humane society to be cremated, and looked at Nena one last time and I put an application in to adopt her. I got the call Friday that we could adopt Nena, which we did shortly after going to the bank getting money to get her and a few necessities for her. I changed her name to Mishi (to keep the M phase of dog names going)

Shawls shawls and more shawls

I was going to knit a shawl for my friend Marlena, but time is running out on me to get Shawn's baby blanket to her and THAT still needs ends weaved in before he gets here, oops.

I knit a shawl for my mom back in July but it snapped when I went to block it so it went in teh garbage! I started a new one out of Shibui Knits Sock yarn, OMG, I want this one for myself!!!! I was on the phone wiht my best guy friend, Terry, that i'd have to make myself one for when he came to visit me next month. Here's the deal with Terry and I, we were child hood sweethearts, never really broke up after I ended up transfering schools TWICE. Thanks to a mutual friend finding me on facebook I noticed mutual friend and Terry were friends, so I started emailing with Terry on facebook. So then we were both on facebook one day in April and we exchanged cell #'s. We haven't stopped talking since. He's a great friend who I can't wait to see again. I was able to see him in June when he came back to the Midwest from Va for a family reunion. He will be back in the midwest in Sept/Oct for his 20th high school reunion and then a cousins wedding. He's squeezing in time to see me again. lucky me!

Back to Mom's shawl, it's almost done. I am in the middle of binding off and then when I get home it will be blocked. then I will go through my patterns and figure out which one I want to do for myself. I have an idea of which one I want to do for myself.

Oh holy shawls!!!

My mom FINALLY got her shawl last month, and she loves it. I started a burgandy Firament's Shawl (Valley Yarns pattern), but somehow screwed it up pretty badly so started over with a black one and am REALLY liking this pattern. I am not quite through the first repeat of Chart B, but so far so good, not a holy mess like the last one, although it's a lot of lace it's SO pretty. I won't have it done by the time I see Terry next Wed, but that's okay.I am trying to take my time with it so I don't mess it up. This is more adventurous of me than I've ever been. I've knit one other thing in the round and that was it and it's never going to be completed because the yarn I used was discontinued :(

I have to redo Shawn's blanket cause I lost it, not sure exactly how that happened though, but oh well.

Off to a training class for now, love my job and glad this is teh last week of training.

Shawl Knitting up the rear

I finished a Multnomah Shawl for my mom's birthday (the 4th of July), but it needs to be blocked yet, oops...hopefully I can have it to her by Monday. It's been a crazy weekend. I started ANOTHER shawl on the way home from our family reunion in IL on Sunday. It is a simple Feather and Fan lace Shawl. It's in Berroco's Pure Pima in the Curry colorway. I ripped it ou and am on the first repeat of the feather and fan pattern.

no knitting today