it won't kill you, really. now do it.
2007- 7 pairs so far! 
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10/31/2006
Trick or Treat!
It's been a busy, busy weekend! We woke up to this Saturday
SNOW! ACK! Mike and I had to go shopping to buy stuff for his trailer, that I haven't told ya'll about. Here's the low down. Mike has purchased a 5th wheel trailer to use for work, so he doesn't have to stay in a hotel and constantly eat out. Now, my Mike doesn't make things easy nope. Not my Mike. Remember, we live in Western Pennsylvania. He bought this trailer... from California. It was supposed to be shipped on Thursday, shoulda been here yesterday. They have no idea where the guy is. Mike's last day of break is Thursday. Even better they forgot to put something in the trailer before it left and supposedly shipped over night it Monday. Yup, my Mike doesn't always make things easy! But if you could have seen his face at JC Penny's white sale Saturday, ohmygod it was priceless!! He had to pick out sheets and towels for his trailer. *snicker* He was very overwhelmed!
Sunday was trick or treating in our neighborhood. I had to leave early to pick up Corra and Bryce at their Dad's. Here comes the trick part of the title. Ya might have to click to embiggen this pic
urgh. Closer? Click here. urgh. If you where driving up the road we live on, you can turn left and continue down the next road, go up the dirt road which is straight or turn right into our driveway. I was coming out of our driveway and a truck was coming up the other road in front of me. The guy that lives across from me parks his truck right in front of the stop sign, so people have to stop on the wrong side of the road (where you can't see them if you are coming up the road) Anyway. He was on my side. Being pregnant and all I thought it best to stop where I was, and let him go by. So He wouldn't hit me. Well... I was a little closer to the brick wall then I thought I was. URGH! double URGH!!!
The kids had tons of fun trick or treating that night, don't they look cute?
Allysa as Minnie Mouse (she refused to wear her ears, Corra as tinker bell, Mr. Bryce as "the Thing" from Fantastic 4, and Captain Grumpypants. hehehe I got to hand out candy this year!! yay! It was chilly but we all had a blast!
We carved our pumpkins last night. better late then never! Corra's pumpkin rotted so she got Allysa's pumpkin and Allya's got the baby's pumpkin. Check out all the gooey fun
11:25 Permalink | Comments (16) | Email this
10/26/2006
Funny story... really...
It's been a few day's since I've posted. At least it feels like it been! Its a funny story really, of why I haven't had the chance to post... we came back home from Mom's late Monday night.
Tuesday morning while driving the kids to school. I stop at the light, while waiting for it to change the local cop passes me down the road. I go straight to go to the school, using my turn signal when I turned, please note I was *actually* going the speed limit. I look in my rear view mirror, and see flashy lights. Ok, turn signal on and pull over. The cop stops behind me. Shit. What did I do?? He comes up and says "I bet you don't know why I pulled you over." I had to tell him, "No, what did I do wrong??" He proceed to tell me that my inspection was out (shit!) he looked at my license and noticed both the time and the kids in the backseat and asked if they would be late for school. I told him, yeah, but that's ok. He handed me back my license and told me to get the inspection done. The rest of that day I spent cleaning the house, running errands, getting groceries. Very little knitting was done this day. Mostly because Corra and I spent the evening making her mask for her class Halloween party.
shiny!
Doesn't she look perdy? I had a hard time coming up with an idea, something that we could do together. Note for future referance, foam sheets. Won't go through my printer. Need I say more?
Wednesday I had to go to the dentist. Oh, Lordy. I know, and can now freely admit to being a difficult person at times. I was running a bit late Wednesday morning, dropped Allysa off at the sitter's 10 minutes late and flew out to the dentists office which is 20 minutes away. My appointment is at 10. My cell phone rings at 10:03. Its the dentist office asking if I'm coming. Mind you, I've never been late, always early. I have canceled appointments the day before(which you are allowed to do, right?) The last time I was there they kept me waiting for 30 minutes *gr*. Anyway... all I can say to the secretary is "It's 10:03. IT'S.10:OOOHHHTHREEE!! It's 10:03!?!? I would be THREE minutes late right now." I just couldn't believe that she was calling me when I was a measly 3 minutes late asking me if I was coming. 3 MINUTES!! I told her, "Yes, I'm coming, its only 10OHHHTHREE!!" Isn't there some 20 minute late grace period? How come its ok for the Dentist to be running late, but its NOT ok for me to be 12 minutes late? URGH! 10OHHHFREAKINGTHREE for crying out loud!! URGH! I had a bit of a pregnatude this day. No knitting was done, till late that night. See the pic? Very little knitting. gr.
clicky
And that brings us to today. Thursday. This morning was hectic to say the least. Kids got dropped off at the sitter's, I dropped the van off at the dealership for the inspection and oil change, and I was off to the Dr's for my 28 week check up. L5 the clown car and I where only together for a small bit of time. Not enough for a photo shoot. oh. pooh. While at the Doctor's office waiting (for one bloody hour) I was able to knit quite a bit. The nurse asked me if I was knitting a scarf. Granted it could pass for a scarf, but why does every non-knitter/crocheter ask if what your knitting is a scarf? After my appointment, I discovered the dealership called. Inspection couldn't be completed, Mike didn't sign the owners card. Damn. Back to the dealership, where I wait. and wait and wait. for them to stick the sticker on the van. Got some knitting done there! Whoohoot!
I have to order more ball of WOTA to finish Dad's Christmas socks. Mike comes home for his break tomorrow! Yay! Do you think he would believe me if I told him I didn't dust because I was saving the cobwebs for Halloween? *eg*
19:45 Permalink | Comments (12) | Email this | Tags: knitting, knitting (english), socks
10/22/2006
Rhinebeck 2006
Saturday morning turned out to be a lovely day,
Mom and I followed the masses yesterday to Rhinebeck Sheep and wool festival. We woke up early (7am), left Mom's house at 8 and arrived at 930. To our surprise, we where able to go in early. The first stop on our list was to the fold to score some STR. Among many others, I really I couldn't help myself.
While we where still at the Fold's booth, Mom and I met Amy from I heart knitting and Valerie from Knitting in pink!
From left to right: CTH supersock potluck colorway brights, Socks that rock medium weight in colors purple rain, rockober, rhodonite, puck's mischief, sock candy in kiwi. In the next pic the softest merino eva (Really. EVER.) from Greenwood hill farm in silver and 5 hanks of Moorland Tweed in Skye from Autumn House farms.
Next year, honestly if I have to pick one festival to go to. Its going to be Maryland. Rhinebeck was nice, but there wasn't very much room for moving around. The barns where too small for all the people milling around, the parking attendants. Well.. it would be nice if they stuck around for the whole day to direct people out. Tomorrow the kids and I go back to PA. As always our trip isn't long enough.
19:25 Posted in Saturday Sky , Stash Enhancement , travel | Permalink | Comments (19) | Email this | Tags: knitting, knitting(english)
10/19/2006
just the sock stash...
just waiting for their cast on day, 40 pairs of potential socks... just waiting... for their turn on the needles...
Lolly said it best "every stash tells a story". I can remember where I bought each one, (hell if I can remember why I just walked into the kitchen but I remember where I bought my yarn!) 10 hanks came from my trip with Mom to Maryland Sheep & Wool just this past year. 3 where gifts, quite a few followed me home just because I had to have them.
a few have plans, the fleece artist autumn a pair of lacey leaf socks, blustery day or CTH birches either cablely socks or vanilla socks with a picot edge... when their time comes its really about what is going on in my imagination.
going through my sock yarn stash brought back memories. None going back more than a year unfortunately as I haven't been knitting socks all that long. The aquamelon and fire in the sky I bought with mom's special order Vesper yarn, the LL knit happens Mike bought for me all by himself. The girls that work there still remember him... is that a good thing? Or is it because you could never forget someone as cute as this? The strange little momma, is one of the best birthday presents I've ever received!
Tomorrow morning, hopefully before noon, we will have the van all packed and will start our drive to my parent's house in Massachusetts. Hopefully we won't forget anything, or anyone. Mom and I will be at the blogger meet up, I'm praying for anything but rain, I'm sure plenty of sock yarn will follow me home.
I'll be there, will you?
23:23 Posted in socktoberfest '06 | Permalink | Comments (14) | Email this | Tags: knitting, knitting (english), knitting_(english), socks
10/18/2006
Tiger's eye
These socks aren't my colors, it was the color ways name that drew me in. Ya see, I have always had this "thing" for rocks. My parents are still finding rocks I picked up outside as a child and hid their house. One Christmas one of my Aunt's gave me a rock tumbler. I was thrilled! Constantly looking for new rocks to put in there, just to see how they would turn out.
In middle school my favorite book was Judy Bloom's book tiger eye's. How Davey (the main character) over came the death of her father, found her self while she explored the canyons and how she learned to love again after the great loss of her father. I've always loved the tiger's eye stone. When you turn it the gold just appears.
Check out those stripes! Some how they match, how cool is that? Enough babble really, Here's the stat's:
Notes: I'm not to keen on the medium weight STR. Its to bulky for me. These socks are nice and comfy, a little baggy around the ankle, which I'm thinking up ways on how to fix that, any suggestions? I'm surprised I didn't get more pooling around the gusset area because of the flap heel. These really aren't my colors, but I'm loven the stripage.
Honestly I can't think of anything more about these socks! I'm on the phone with Mike and he is (still) talking about the 5th wheel rv he wants to buy. I swear to all that is Holy. If he doesn't shut up about it soon, I'm not packing any socks for him next month. Geesh!
23:30 Posted in Finished Object , socks, socks, socks!! , socktoberfest '06 | Permalink | Comments (13) | Email this | Tags: knitting, knitting(english)
10/16/2006
Presenting...
The washcloth that kicked my arse
(click it! click it! ya know ya wanna)
First round: I cast on 150 stitches twice. Because the first time I didn't start with enough yarn.
Second round: Subconscious decided that 12 bobbles was much better than the called for 6 in row 2. Decided this wasn't so grand in row 4. Did I mention 150 stitches?
Third round: Casted on 150 stitches, created the correct number of bobbles, knit to row 5 (FIVE) and realized that it was twisted. Yep, like a mobius. Somehow the: "do not twist" part alluded my incredible brain. duh.
Was I going to let the washcloth win? was I going to cast on for a 4 (FOURTH!) time? Or was I just going to smudge it cause its a washcloth for crying out loud, and create a nifty hanging loop to camouflage the funky hole. Yep. I did that.
Stupid washcloth.
Updated: think its going to rain?
21:15 Posted in Finished Object | Permalink | Comments (14) | Email this | Tags: knitting, knitting(english)
10/14/2006
my sock history in a nutshell
I'm a little, ok more than just a little, behind in posting my sock history. My camera and I have been having "issues". I say turn on, it says nope. Then there are the re-chargable batteries, that the camera is eating like candy corn. *gr* Here is my story of how I walked down the road of sock knitting
When did you start making socks? Did you teach yourself or were you taught by a friend or relative? or in a class?
There is a bit of controversy on this one... I have two posts that mention my fall into sock knitting. Honestly I can't tell you which sock I started first the one in this post or when my mom gave me a copy of The knitter's handy book of patterns by Ann Budd, some Moda dea sock yarn, and let me borrow 2 12" addi turbo's size US2. Mom, do you see what you've done? ; )
What was your first pair? How have they "held up" over time?
ohhhh, boy. This is where I open the closet door and (a few) skeletons fall out. This isn't exactly my first "pair" per say. Mom knit the first sock, and didn't like how it turned out (yeah right) so she gifted it to me, along with the rest of the sock yarn to complete the next sock. (she had a PLAN you see, a PLAN!) If you click on the pic to embiggen it, you'll see how the sock on the right that mom knit has no ribbing on the foot. While my sock, on the left, has ribbing down to the end of the toe. They have held up just fine. Why? cause I never ever where them. They make my feet sweat (your welcome!) and are not even a little bit warm. And that's why neither sock has a "real matchy" mate.
Above is what you could call my first real "pair" and I wrote about here. I used Plymouth sockotta in color 5616, and size 3 dpns. You could say they have worn very well, cause they also haven't been worn that much! I didn't know all that much about gauge back then, I followed the directions in the book for the pattern I liked. Even though I used a lighter weight yarn it didn't occur to me to use a smaller needle! doh!
What would you have done differently?
With the mod dea sock knit tighter, maybe moved a few stitches back and forth where the 2 circs met up to prevent the gapping ladders, stopped knitting the ribbing when I reached the toe decreases, and used different yarn.
The sockotta sock paid more attention to gauge. Much closer attention to gauge. Stupid gauge.
What yarns have you particularly enjoyed?
Honestly? I *heart* Vesper. My Neapolitan socks are my absolute fav. I really enjoy knitting with Schaefer's Ann, Claudia's hand painted, Socks that rock and Lorna's Laces.
Do you like to crochet your socks? or knit them on DPNs, 2 circulars, or using the Magic Loop method?
5 DPNs all the way babeee! I've knit with 2 circs before and it just killed my hands when I got to the heel flap and the gusset. 4 dpns doesn't work for me either, the way I have to hold hold the needles to knit cramps my hands. I really like how complicated and dangerous knitting with 5 dpns look. Although crocheting is lovely, and can create some beautiful pieces, It doesn't create a fabric that is right for sock making.
Which kind of heel do you prefer? (flap? or short-row?)
Flap, Flap, Flap! (*snicker* Mike and I say that to each other all the time. "Flap, flap, flap I'm feeling the love here!") Flap heels fit my heel better than short row. I love the look and feel of a traditional heel (k1, sl1 to end, purl next row)
How many pairs have you made?
14 pairs of adult socks, 1 pair of baby socks, 1 sock for my SSS pal Stacey and 2 pairs of itty bitty teeny socks. I've gifted a few pairs to my Dad, a teacher at Bryce's pre-school and my daughter Corra.
Here is a pic of most of my finished socks, there will be many more to come as I've found that sock knitting is portable, fun and creates a very useful finished product! Someday I hope to have a drawer full of hand knit socks!
16:50 Posted in socks, socks, socks!! , socktoberfest '06 | Permalink | Comments (14) | Email this | Tags: knitting, knitting (ENLGISH), socks
10/12/2006
that UPS man...
he's a sneaky one, really he is... He is almost as good at hiding my packages as the mail man. At least the DHL guy just tries to run me over, just like I try to run him over (fun game, really. He flies up my driveway, I fly down my driveway. Good thing one of us was paying attention. Surprise! It was me!) sooo.. guess what!
(clicky on all pics to embiggen in this post)
My shoes came and they are too small (!?!). Even better, there isn't another one to be found in any of the other stores in the district. Think that's going to stop me? noooo... David at my local Sears, apparently felt bad for me when he called me back to say there aren't any anywhere. He told me that he is one of the lucky to unload the truck tomorrow. He promised to call tomorrow if there are any size 8's on said truck. (he better or I'll bring all, count em' 3 kids, with me to the mall and they'll be high on sugar buddy!) If there isn't, I'm ordering a pair online. If that doesn't work. Damnit I'm calling every freaking store in New England, I want these bloody shoes. damnit. triple damnit even.
Lookie see my first socks of Socktoberfest! Whoohoot! I know they look cute in the shoes, but check em' without:
Kid update: Corra's feeling much, much better. I think it might have been the house call by Dr. Allysa.
Bryce is now sick, and Allysa is a bit sniffly. First cold of the season. At least it was this week, and not next week!
Notice I changed the blog around a bit? Moved the buttons a bit, changed the look of my blogroll. If you want to see the blogs I read click on the sheep to see them. Many thanks to MandyJ who resized the pic for me, and is back to blogging! Yay!
23:16 Posted in Finished Object , socks, socks, socks!! , socktoberfest '06 | Permalink | Comments (14) | Email this | Tags: knitting, knitting(ENGLISH)
10/10/2006
mmmm, manos
Sometimes I forget why I hate going to the mall, or why I even hate shopping to begin with. Then after spending 5 minutes in the mall, including the walk in, I remember why I dislike the mall with such a passion its unreal. It might have had something to do with it being a Saturday and there was a Halloween Fashion show going on. Which a million people where attending. A million people who where walking so slow I could stop, wait, then walk my super walk speed for half a store front. I went to the mall on a mission, I wanted the shoes the girl from Sear's said should be in by Friday night. Guess what? They weren't there. surprised? I shouldn't be. *gr* The girl who did help me however, told me I could order the shoe's from a different store, not have to pay shipping and they could be at my house in a week or less. Of course, I wanted new shoes on Saturday and why didn't the girl on Tuesday tell me this?!? I wanted to walk out of the mall with my pretty new shoes! Not a single store had shoes that would show off my hand knit socks. I ordered the shoes from Sear's and picked up some chocolate from Gardner's. The candy store always has something I want! Saturday night I poured my frustration into finishing up my so called scarf, I might have also ate all the truffles I bought too.... take a look its so soft and luscious
(click to embiggen)
The Spec's
Pattern: My so called scarf from Sheep in the City
Yarn: 2 hanks of Manos in color way 109. One hank came from Jill Deal yarn shop in Milford PA and the other from Handworks in Smicksburgh PA.
Needles: size 11 Lantern Moon straights.
Time: about 3 nights of knitting.
Thoughts: Love this scarf! mmmmm Manos!! Great fall colors in this color way, the pattern was easy to memorize and I love how it broke up the colors. The Lantern moon needles where a luxurious splurge that was extremely worth every penny. The needles are so soft and smooth. I loved knitting with them!
After I finished my scarf, my needles where nakid and I needed something else to knit. Everybody together now:
awwwwww
click to embiggen
aren't they the cutest? I call them my baby Neapolitan socks. Here are the spec's
Pattern: loosely based on better than baby booties. I used the heel that they called for, but that's it.
Yarn: left over Vesper Neapolitan and a little bit of Vesper astro cause I ran out of yarn, and it used the same pink.
Needles: 4 size 0 metal dpns. (ouch!)
Time: 8 hours. Would have been a lot less if I didn't develop the inability to count to 44 and not recognize the problem till 6 rows of ribbing was knit on sock 2. *urgh*
Thoughts: awww! I have no idea if these will fit our little baby or not, but they are sooo cute! awwww!! For her next pair of socks, I'm using a size 1 needle. I don't know if it was trying to knit with yarn on a size 0 needle that was made to be knit with a size 1 needle (did that make sense?) But where the needle rested on my middle finger, owwww!!! It was a great way to use up some left over sock yarn, even if I had to dip into another skein. They are the cutest little socks!
Right now on my needles I have started a pair of vanilla socks using STR medium weight in Tiger's eye. More on that later, kids want to eat, and Corra has a sinus infection and is on antibiotics, Bryce and Allysa both have a cold. Really, what fun. That's ok though, cuddle time = knittin time! ; )
17:23 Posted in Finished Object , socks, socks, socks!! , socktoberfest '06 | Permalink | Comments (22) | Email this | Tags: knitting, knitting(ENGLISH)
10/09/2006
Happy Birthday Daddy and Aunt Liz!!
Today is a fantastic day, not only is it beautiful outside but its my Daddy's (snookie hehe) and his sister (my Aunt Liz's) birthday's today!! Whoohoo! Happy Birthday Daddy and Aunt Liz! They are twins, ok, kinda sorta not really. They are both born on the same day, different years. How cool is that?
Here's 5 reason's to celebrate Snookies Day:
- He really hates being called Snookie, but deals with it with this evil smile on his face where you know he'll get back at you. Maybe not today, or tomorrow. But someday.
- Buying me lots and LOTS of candy when I was a kid. I still remember going to Ted's smoke shop after church, where you would buy me skittles, watermelon gum, garbage pail kid cards or baseball cards. I would later gross you all out in the car by chewing up different colors of skittles and seeing what color creations they made. Ya, Mom loved that.
- He has a sick and twisted sense of humor. He said the reason why him and mom had kids was because the cats kept running away. I'll never forget the time you fed my cat Stinky peanut butter. Twisted cat loved it, and spent the 30 minutes talking like Mr. Ed.
- He helped me buy my first car, a 65 Ford Mustang when I was 15. Its still sitting in their yard...
- Him and Mom bought me a bike for my 16th birthday. See sick and twisted.
Daddy, I love you. Have a GREAT Birthday!
- She always gives the best presents. Really, Always!
- She battled leukemia and won! whoohoot!
- She loves hand crafted presents!
- She grew up with my Dad. (she should receive a metal for that!)
- She thinks my kids are sweet little angels. (HA!)
- She is the sweetest. ; )
Happy Birthday Aunt Liz!!! Hope its a good one! (Sorry, all the pictures I have of you are on Mike's laptop, and on the server that I'm not allowed to touch with out supervision!)
Happy Birthday you two!!! yay! I'm going to eat cake in your honor. hehe
(p.s. Dad reads the blog and I think Aunt Liz's checks from time to time)
11:46 Posted in family | Permalink | Comments (3) | Email this
10/07/2006
Saturday sky & a visit from Mr. Mailman
Here is my Saturday sky
On a Saturday, taken today (Saturday) can you believe it? I hardly can! Your lookin at the big sugar maple in my front yarn that has changed to a lovely yellow this year, and that's the top right corner of our house. We have so many lovely leaves in our yard, the kids and I are having fun adding more leaves too our "collections". *sigh* I love Autumn.
The mailman has been good to me this week, he thinks I'm a "knitting machine" (his exact words) and he would really like a brown hat... I told him yes, if He stops hiding packages in between my screen door and my front door. I got a package all the way from Australia! Diane was my August Birthday pal spoil-ie (go see those cute little baby socks she knit up! She designed the pattern too! WOW! Those are on my knit list girl!) she sent me this thank you package which was out of this world! AND she just moved to London! WOW!
- and here, I wanted a little green. Just a little a smidgen.
- and here (can't find the link now! Gr! It was on etsy...) I didn't want stripes. Thought it would detract from the leaf pattern I was dreaming about.
Wanna see what I got? (Because ya know, I couldn't wait the two weeks till Rhinebeck. Cause I'm totally going to cast on for these socks before then. uh huh!)
(clicky)
top to bottom Fleece artist merino in Autumn, Schaefer yarn Anne in Kermie, and Interlacement tiny toes in color 216. What really helped me make my decision was a phone call to Allison the owner of Simply sock yarn co. I wasn't sure if the green in the fleece artist was going to be ok. (my camera did a crappy job of capturing the colors) After a few minutes of talking about the different autumny colors she had in her shop, I went with the fleece artist autumn. Allison was great, and really helped me out! Thank you Allison! The other two yarns? Well... they just jumped in the cart... had to get free shipping you know ; )
Lookie see what I started Thursday night and what I finished Thursday morning
12:00 Posted in Saturday Sky , Stash Enhancement | Permalink | Comments (9) | Email this | Tags: knitting, knitting(english)
10/05/2006
There's somethin in the water...
... everywhere you look in blogland there is round little belly's popping up. Which leads me to believe there is something in the water....
09:15 Posted in family , Special Occasions | Permalink | Comments (34) | Email this
10/02/2006
Pumpkinfest, socks of couse
This weekend was nice, relaxing and enjoyable. Saturday the rain kept us home, it was nasty outside! I was hoping to go to a local farm that holds a Pumpkinfest every year. But there was no way I was taking the kids out in that weather. nope, nope, nope! So we went Sunday instead. There was a bit downpour of rain on our way there. But once we arrived it was blue skies.
10:35 Posted in family , socktoberfest '06 | Permalink | Comments (14) | Email this | Tags: knitting, knitting(english)