Cup of Joe, Anyone?

Not a lot of knitting has been going on around these parts lately only a couple of rows here and there. Since the the Quilt Show earlier this month it seams that the needle and thread have somewhat taken hold. Not just with me but with the rest of the girls. Susan is working on a skirt, Jessica is trying to find the ultimate pattern for her Japanese fabric, Kim is Yo-Yoing herself a dog, and Nancy is working on quilts for all of her children. And our long distance friend, Heidi is pondering summer cover-ups for the afternoons at the pool. I've made an apron and a pair of pajamas (pictures to come) and we are collecting fabric. With bags and French Press Cozies in mind. It's too funny on how infectious it has turned out. While in my hunt of fabric that I must collect I came across Aunt Martha's iron on transfers. Didn't give it much thought. I had seen them before and never paid much attention. Don't ask me what happened because the other morning, like a sudden surge of energy, I decided that I must try embroidery. And try it now! So off to the craft store I went. I've cross-stitched before (which is a totally different post) but never anything without predefined holes. When I saw the coffee transfers that was all she wrote. I'd seen red work and blue work before.... decided on brown work. I figured that if I wasn't worrying about what color to use where that I could focus on creating even stitches. Plan worked well. Below is my first finished product. I loved the entire process! Now I don't know if it is because it is new and exciting or if it is something that I'm really going to enjoy.... but its got my attention right now!

On a side note - I am frustrated that the flour sacks you buy today are not even close to the quality of that actual flour sacks that were used in my Mom and Grandma's kitchens.

Busy

The past couple of weeks have been busy in my little neck of the woods. I should be showing you pictures of all of the adventures however I just couldn't get it together. For some reasons I didn't understand the concept that in order to take a picture you must have a working camera. You can't leave the battery on the charger or the memory card in your laptop and expect your camera to work. It just isn't possible. But if you figure out how to take a picture without those two key items please let me know as it appears that is my new M.O. on my trips! Towards the end of March I went to the Tri-City Annual Quilt show with Jes, Nancy, and Kim. Not only was I overwhelmed by the gorgeous quilts and handcraft but I was overwhelmed with future plans zooming in and out of my head. I'd love to show you some pictures however on this trip my memory card decided to stay home. The Quilt Show did spark up my interest in quilting again. I ended up coming home with a Jelly Roll and a variety of half yard fabrics. We did locate some fabric with a knitting print and planned a future sewing day to make bags. The first weekend in April it was announced that one of the local yarn stores was closing the end of the month! I was very good in staying away from the 40% discount temptation until I found out that no one else resisted. So a little trip with Jes and Kim was planned. Shopping with Kim is very difficult. You usually end up buying more than you intended. I was quite impressed with myself and resisting her. I ended up with 4 skeins of Silky Wool, a skein of Mtn Colors, and a skein of Manos. Although resisting Kim's enabling drew a large appetite so we all had to go to Fat Olives afterwards. I strongly suggest the ABC sandwich. Gourmet grilled cheese with Bacon and Green Apple is where its at! Our first spring hike commenced also. We went to the Petrified Forest near Vantage. I was really expecting to see large upright stone trees and was some what disappointed when they were all in the ground. You stood looking into the square grate covered cutout in the ground. A couple miles further up the road Kim showed us the Desert Violets that were blooming along with Yellow Bells and Buttercups. Of course my battery for the camera was at home on the charger. On the home front the garden is prepped and ready to be planted. DH did some pretty fancy tilling and irrigation this year. In years past we typically just do the pumpkin this. However our need for a large pumpkin patch is dwindling so we can now plant a traditional garden. Carrots, radishes, cucumbers, pumpkins, sugar snap peas, and strawberries. Our neighbors also gave us a bunch of raspberry plants promising that I will have fruit this summer! I'm more excited about the berries than anything else! So stay tuned and I promise that I will figure this whole camera needs battery and memory card thing out!

Tuesday Ten

Most knitters that I know are not monogamous in their knitting. They are also typically not monogamous in their hobbies. Not very often do you hear a knitter say I only knit. Usually it's I knit, spin, weave...........oh I do a little beading on the side.......... wondering if I buy the large print if I can knit and read at the same time...................

What are your 10 hobbies? (I know you do more than one?)
1. Knit
2. Crochet
3. Spin
4. Weave
5. Garden
6. Hike, Fish, Camp
7. Sew (that one comes and goes)
8. Read (not a regular)
9. Stamping
10. Internet (yes if you are reading this the Internet is one of your hobbies too!)

10 on Tuesday

Ten favorite things about Daylight savings (yes I look forward to it)

1. Another sign that spring is almost here.
2. Don't have to drive home from work in the dark. It's bad enough that I have to go to work in the dark and then work all day in the dark.
3. Magically I'm less tired at the end of the day. Yes even though I lost an hour.
4. Light enough outside to be able to knit on the patio in the evenings.
5. Officially okay to start verbalizing my outdoor yard plans to DH.
6. I find people to be less grumpy all around. Or maybe it just makes me less grumpy?
7. You can really start to see the days getting longer at this time of the year.
8. The very old funny joke about "where are they saving all that time at." My father use to tell me a hole in the mountain.
9. Did I mention that it meant spring is right around the corner?
10. Not changing the big clock on the wall and waiting to see how long it stays that way until DH changes it. It's a bugger to hang back up and I said that Daylight savings makes me less grumpy not less evil!

Cheers!

Cassis

I finished Cassis last weekend and have worn it three times so far! Cassis is all that I had hoped for and then some. It works great with heels and slacks just as good with my jeans! Knit from the top down I was able to get the perfect length for my shorter than normal stature.

Tuesday Ten

Top Ten Shows that Eat up my evenings

1. Grey's Anatomy
2. Two and a Half Men
3. NCIS
4. NCIS LA
5. House
6. Sons of Anarchy
7. White Collar
8. Desperate Housewives
9. Burn Notice
10. Bones

It wasn't until the past year or two that I really started paying attention to any of the series. I used to be so far behind that I didn't know that a show existed until it was cancelled and they were only playing reruns! However with these I am pretty current and of course when a rerun is on my remote freezes!

Olympic Peninsula

As promised the pictures from our trip to the Olympic Peninsula over President's Day weekend.

A very windy Kingston Ferry ride. Little man explored as much as the ferry as he could in the 30 minutes. Pausing for photos with Mom was not at the top of his list however.

In Sequim we were able to get a vacation rental right on the beach.

Amazing Sunsets near the Dungenous Spit.

Full moon weekend Our sunrise view from the deck

Tongue Point Campground

My little Captain Morgan

Shi Shi Beach Hike

I think every child should be in one of these pictures

Captain Morgan with his prizes. He got the orange one as it was coming onto the beach. Point of Arches

Mud, Mud, Mud

Cape Flattery - we all agreed that pushing dinner out another two hours was well worth it.

My men on the most northwesterly point in the Continental US

Said the......

"Sob sob sniff sniff" said the knitter......

"Grrr" said the far away friend............

"Oh that's bad, huh?" said the son......

"What another Knitting crisis?" said the husband......

"Rip Rip Rip" said the sweater for 220 yards.....

"Sorry no more in that dyelot." said the store.....

"I thought you checked that stuff before you started" said the ornery coworker


This weekend while on our trip my plan to finish Cassis fell completely apart. I have two different dyelots and didn't realize it until after I had knitted a total of 880 yards with the last 220 being a completely and utterly noticably different shade. With no more to be located I have not only not finished it but had to rip 220yards. As a path forward it is appearing that working from both dyelots at the same time it is blending....hopefully it works.. Hopefully I will be able to live with it after I am done......

President's Day Weekend

Typically in February DH and I do not exchange Valentine's gifts, instead we take a weekend in which the two of us go away. For us this is quite the experience as we really don't cross the street without at least one of our boys. However this year little man has had some medical issues and we could not would not leave him behind. So we tossed our snowshoeing plans and spent too many hours trying to figure out a different plan of attack. Early week while in the shower, (hey that's where I do some of my best thinking!) I came up with the Redwood National Forest. It is only 530 miles from our front door. But 530 miles equates to 10+ hours of driving. A little much for a 3day weekend. So we settled on the Olympic Peninsula. Only 6 hours with a ferry ride!

On the knitting front I am still chugging away at Cassis. I have about 5 more inches on the body before the 2inches of ribbing. Sleeves next and then I'll be the styling mom on the baseball field staying toasting in her new hand knit sweater.


Stay tuned for Olympic Penisula photos and a finished sweater!

10 for Tuesday

10 Things about .....

10. Married
9. Mother to one and a half
8. Bounces between blue and green
7. Loves to knits sweaters.... struggles to knit that 2nd sock
6. NCIS, House, Desperate House Wives, Grey's Anatomy
5. Pork Chops, Fried Pears, Mash Potatoes, and Sauted Green Beans
4. Enjoys hiking, coffee, and quiet Saturday mornings
3. Very straight forward and most often perceived as abrupt (yes I can admit it)
2. Muti tasker - all of my UFO's prove it!
1. Constantly cold... hence all the sweaters!


..... me

10 for Tuesday

10 things I love (miss) about home (Montana)

10. Weather - the saying is that if you don't like the weather in Montana wait a couple of hours and it will change. From blizzards to summer thunderstorms by far it is the best!

9. Activities - for my family Montana is the best place to go for entertainment! We don't do the big city stuff instead we hike, fish, hunt, camp, etc. Unlike my current location in Montana you don't need to drive 2 hours to do either! You just need to walk out the front door. Plus Yellowstone and Glacier are also at your fingertips if you do choose to driver over 2 hours.

8. Strangers - I know that one sounds a little strange (pun intended) However in Montana even the strangers are some of the friendliest people you will ever meet.

7. Star filled nights - Hello! We are talking Big Sky Country here!

6. Driving - It is a proven fact that Montana has some of the best maintained roads (thanks bro) but also the most deadliest. But having that open road all to yourself.... well let's just say that the word freedom comes to mind.

5. History - Montana is excellent in promoting it's history. From the Big events to the small historical ones that aren't in the history book Montana has provided to roadside sign that tells all.

4. Pine trees - I LOVE the smell of the Pine trees. I LOVE Pine trees covered in snow. I LOVE how Pine trees make the mountains in the distance look blue.

3. Mountains - I just need to see really tall mountains! I need to be able to go to the top of the mountains and see for miles all around. A girl needs to feel ontop of the world sometime!

2. It's home - I was born and raised in Montana. You can't expect me not to love it.

1. Family - All of my close family (blood and family friends) are in Montana.... enjoying it's splendor without me.

On Top of the World - Beartooth Mountain Range

Eleventh Hour Scarf

As many of you know, every year I set out to make Christmas gifts for the entire family throughout the year. It is quite comical as I usually make it to the end of January and before I forget the idea, until December of course! However 2011 is beginning quite favorable! I have already completed two pairs of fingerless gloves and a cowl (pictures to come!) Today during the Superbowl (sorry Austin that the Steeler's lost) I whipped up an Eleventh-Hour Scarf. Chunky yarn doubled, size 35 needles, and about two hours (with snacking) equals one Christmas gift down. I used Lion Brand Thick & Quick as it is intended for a teenage niece and I don't think handwashing is in her vocabulary. Not to mention if I'm going to knit for the entire family plus and handful of close friends I need to keep it economical!

10 for Tuesday

10 Things about OSCAR

10. Shih Tzu

9. Blonde

8. Loves to be rubbed (yes I am jealous that he gets more back rubs than I do)

7. Power walker

6. Chases own tail (only takes you stomping your feet to start the chase)

5. Montana born (that's a major plus in my book)

4. Growls on demand

3. Best pals with Gizmo & Louie

2. Fastest rawhide chewer I've ever known.

1. My mom's dog that I was blessed with when she passed.

Cassis

Introducing Cassis designed by Baby Cocktails. I fell in love with Cassis, like most of Baby Cocktails' patterns, at first sight. I am hoping that Cassis will be a "go to" sweater. I am knitting it out of Paton's Merino instead of the Plucky Knitter merino as I see Cassis traveling with me to spring baseball games, summer camping trips, Montana trips, etc... I am needing a sweater that I can wear to those places with no worries of hot chocolate, campfire sparks, etc. Yes, as I'm knitting it I am determining that I'm going to be okay when I wear it out with love! Now I just have about 12 inches of stockinette with a three four row repeat lace panels and two sleeves. I am still up in the air on how long the sleeves are going to be. Ravelry is showing every sleeve variation possible. Currently I'm leaning towards above the elbow as it will be more in tune with my SE Washington weather. I am sure that by the time I get to the sleeves I will have changed my mind several times, but with that much stockinette to go.... I have plently of time to decide!

Stash Guilt

I don't necessarily feel guilty about the size of my stash. Yes compared to some it is large but compared to others it is quite small. My ravelry notebook is outdated so the total yardage I possess is unknown. However the guilt I feel is guilt for the yarn. The sweater's worth of this and that. Enough sock yarn that I could probably go the rest of my life and never run out. The yarn that caught my eye and won me over in the yarn store. the yarn that traveled 500 miles from Montana to Washington. It now sits.... lonely on the shelf.... in the dark. Knowing full well that it has a correlating pattern waiting for it. But a neglectful owner that walks in, looks at it, reorganizes it... turns around and walks out the door.... only to return with more. I feel guilty that my yarn is lonely.... that I am not toting it around with me to work, through out the house, on trips, etc... turning into into a beautiful garmet.

Hello 2011, sorry about my delay

I am typically not one of those who starts every New Year with a laundry list of resolutions. Sure I usually have my knitting ones, the usual buy less and finish more, but in a sense that is an ongoing challange that many of us face. As far as life style changes, never had I made any resolutions that were related to how I lived my life. This year will not be any different. I see no sense in creating any rules as far as no more potty mouth (what if I stub my toe really bad), exercise 30 minutes everyday (what if I just feel crappy) and so on. If you have resolutions I do wish you the best of luck with them and hope you achieve your goals. With that said here's to 2011 and each to their own!