tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-186491912024-03-07T16:33:00.482-05:00lostpurlLost in a sea of yarn and needles. Lusting after handmade socks and all things lacySuzannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14251259628881359617noreply@blogger.comBlogger135125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18649191.post-76072876281571654802008-10-09T21:24:00.003-04:002008-10-09T21:30:20.334-04:00MovingFor a long time I have wanted to combine my tatting website and my knitting blog. I have now got it mostly going. There will be more tweaks in future. The template is still a work in progress. But the content is all most all at the new site. So all new blog posts will now be here<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><a href="http://suzann-does-it-all.com/">suzann does it all</a></span> <br />I wanted to add "badly" to the domain name, but I was out voted. My daughter thinks this domain name will attract a bunch of porm spam. How disappointed they will be :-}<br /><br />Thanks to everyone who commented here and cheered me on as I tried to learn to knit. Thanks!Suzannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14251259628881359617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18649191.post-13315449689750290032008-09-22T11:07:00.002-04:002008-09-22T11:24:04.238-04:00afghans For Afghans Socks<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3014/2878444629_042f2f9cd7.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3014/2878444629_042f2f9cd7.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3292/2879277868_42940917f2.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3292/2879277868_42940917f2.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />I think this will be my last pair of socks for the current campaign. The yarn is Ella Rae Classic something. It runs like mad. Five washes before it ran clear. But the socks still seem nice and bright. Winging Worsted Weight Socks from Stitches of Violet. But I broke out of the box and did Fleegle's short row heel. I can't tell you how proud I am of this heel. First short row heel that didn't look like Swiss Cheese heel. It is dead easy. And that is saying a lot from someone who only likes to decreases.<br />Cast on 40 stitches. 1/3% of the 40 stitches for the ribbing. 2/3 of 40 stitches for the leg. Short row heel. 40 stitches for the foot and decrease away for the toe. Done and Done.<br /><br />Dawn's gloves. The glove pattern from Ann Budd's Knitting Patterns. Very basic. Only one change. Instead of casting on two backward loops between the front and back of the finger. I kfb in the last stitch and kfb in the first stitch. I am doing this with two circs. I think it makes a neater join. A lot of cheek since I have never knitted a glove before. The yarn is Opal Lollipop purple something. The band is long gone. I am using 2.25 needles getting 10spi. Since I have so much yarn, I offered to match the fingers up yarn pattern wise. Dawn told me to get over it. She likes the weird effect. She has been looking at glove patterns at Ravelry. This would have been much easier if I had some sportsweight yarn. Which I don't, but I will soon. They fit so far and she likes them. What the heck else could a knitter ask for :-}<br /><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3151/2879277810_34ecac346b.jpg" />Suzannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14251259628881359617noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18649191.post-40375000996890186672008-09-17T20:37:00.002-04:002008-09-17T20:50:27.546-04:00Thats My GirlDawn has been asking me for fingerless mitts to wear when she is out photographing in the cold weather. She picked out the yarn from my stash. <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=32548">Fearless Fibers</a> Hendricks. A beautiful merino in shades of purple. It is hand wash, probably not a clever choice for gloves of mitts. And it is fingering weight. The pattern calls for DK or Sportsweight. The pattern is <a href="http://knitty.com/ISSUEspring08/KSPATTspirogyra.html">Spirogyra</a> from the Spring Knitty. If this patterns looks familiar it is very like the Tidal Wave sock pattern. What I had were hands that were larger then the pattern, and yarn that was finer then the pattern. Nothing like a bit of a challenge, right? I swatched a bit. Adding one repeat was still too small, adding two repeats made it too large. Instead I added a stitch to each repeat. This gave me 8 extra stitches around. Perfecto. It also made each repeat two rows longer. Also good for Dawn's larger hands. I cast on with the 3.25mm needles and did the ribbing with them. Then I switched to the 2.75mm for the rest of the mitt. This gave me a nicer fabric. The best part is they are done they fit and she loves them. I would like to give making gloves for her next. She always ends up having to buy mens gloves. And that is no fun at all. I think (hahaha) I can do fingers. We shall see.<br /><br /><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3091/2866041818_561e6330df.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3073/2866041784_424d690240.jpg" />Suzannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14251259628881359617noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18649191.post-39037471324971686822008-08-15T09:25:00.002-04:002008-08-15T09:46:41.155-04:00Great NewsI pestered anyone who had the Elann Puzzle yarn in their stash at Ravelry. I have no shame. I pleaded charity knitting, I begged, I threw freezing children into their minds. A wonderful lady <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/people/LisaknitsinGA">LisaknitsinGA</a>answered me. She was glad to get rid of the yarn and I was glad to buy it. I have the yarn at hand now. I am going to frog the front down to the ribbing. Then add the new yarn so the front and back match. For the sleeves I think I will stick to just the blue on blue sock yarn. And I will be so glad to sew that puppy up. I have till Oct. to get it done. <br />In the mean time I have been knitting socks for the RavOlympics. These are also for A4A Youth push. Patons Classic Merino in the brightest colors I could find. I am using <br /><a href="http://stitchesofviolet.blogspot.com/">stitchesofviolet</a> sock generator. Works like a charm. It is based on a percentage system. Sort of like EZ. I cast on 40 stitches. 1/3 of the cast on amount for the ribbing then the remaining 2/3 for the leg. One third for the heel flap and the remaining 2/3 for the foot. This system will also work on adult socks in fingering weight yarn. The only thing I would do different for an adult sock is to make sure to measure for the heel flap and adjust the rows knitted for that. I knitted the heel flap on the kids socks a bit longer. If it is too large the sock will bunch up around the ankle. But if the heel flap is too short, the sock will pull under the foot and be uncomfortable and wear out more quickly. <br />The green pair are knit plain. Eye of The Partridge heel stitch, with a garter stitch edge. The toe is a bastard version of round toe. It took me a day to do each sock. But I am a really slow knitter. People are knocking out a pair in a day.<br /><br /><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3110/2764651795_6d8bb2b80c.jpg" /><br /><br />The Hot Pink sock (It is s truly eye blinding pink) is Garter Rib with the same heel as the green pair. I should finish this tonight and cast on for the second one. <br /><br /><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3154/2765497158_dc38eb466b.jpg" /><br /><br />Thank you everyone for you suggestions on fixing the sweater yarn debacle. I really appreciate it :-)Suzannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14251259628881359617noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18649191.post-40948703474904881002008-08-07T11:14:00.001-04:002008-08-07T11:14:15.491-04:00oh crapI finished the back of the garter knit sweater. As I said before I was using two strands of sock yarn with the Elann highland wool. The carry along yarns are a rather violent mix of yellow, blue, green and red. I am about half way up the front and took a good look at it. The two balls of sock yarn I have left are blue, green, red and white. No yellow. If I had look more closely I would have seen they were different color numbers. But I didn't :( <br />As a result the front look much lighter and cooler then the back. I don't know what to do. I don't see much chance of finding anymore of the yarn with the yellow. I tried Elann and Ravelry, no luck. I could frog the back I guess. What do you think?<br /><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2100/2740876103_e0e98b4e7c.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3079/2740876127_7e1876ed44.jpg" />Suzannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14251259628881359617noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18649191.post-84116268558625681692008-08-02T21:21:00.003-04:002008-08-02T22:48:00.890-04:00Done de Done, DoneI finished the Patons Upside-Downer sweater. This is the first time it has been sunny enough for pictures. There are many things about it I don't like. Mostly to do with my lack of knitting skills. The pattern is dead easy. My increases do need work. <br /><br /><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3286/2725508141_04eeed8289.jpg" /><br /><br />The next sweater is well on its way. This is <a href="http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEspring03/PATTduo.html">Duo</a> I didn't have yarn that would work to the gauge, 4spi. But then <a href="http://you-cant-read-my-mind-i-scribble.blogspot.com/">Bets</a> came to the rescue. She told me to beef up the yarn I had with sock yarn. This was pure genius. Awhile ago when Elann has the Sock It To Me Puzzle yarn on sale, my DH gave me two bags of it. It has been sleeping in the back of the closet. I dug it out. Two strands of sock yarn and one of Elann HW equal 4 spi for me. Happy dance all around. I tried the sock yarn trick with some HW Chunky, but it was more like body armor then a sweater and it came out too red white and blue. When the HW was on bag sale I got a bag of a lovely violet. Added to that is a sock yarn with red, yellow and blue. It sounds awful. But is knitting up like confetti. The sweater is done is garter stitch, so is thick and comfy. I have no idea why the picture is blue, but trust me it is much more violet. The back is almost finished now. <br />I am knitting the largest size and added a stitch on each side for seaming up.<br />The directions call for 4spi on size 7 needles. I am thinking you would need to be a really loose knitter to get that gauge with those needles. I am picturing someone with thicker yarn trying to knit is with those size sevens. And wondering what is wrong with them. <br /><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3041/2726333256_1700bf9162.jpg" />Suzannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14251259628881359617noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18649191.post-75086567503356298932008-07-19T09:56:00.003-04:002008-07-19T10:21:31.736-04:00Hello Out ThereIt has been awhile, I know. Lets see I was a bit under the weather for awhile. The fires in the Great Dismal (which it isn't) Swamp kept filling the air with smoke and the smell of wood burning. Not helpful if you are trying to recover from anything chest related. Not of course that it happened just to bother me. The fires in the Swamp and in North Carolina have mostly died down. But they are peat fires so they will be smoldering for awhile. I don't live near the swamp, but people who do found brown bears in their back yards. Eagles and hawks and other critters escaping from the fires. <br />I knit a square for Benne's blanket. The only thing I knew I could finish a garter stitch log cabin square. My daughter sewed in the ends and posted it off for me. Wonder child that she is. <br />The colors are so faded in this picture. They are really dark. Chocolate brown, Spiced Wine and Harvest something, Elann Highland Wool. <br /><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3039/2606822027_3173f27e2e.jpg" /><br />The other project I was working on was a shawl for the new mothers at the Cure Hospital. Afghans for Afghans. I started it, but then I just couldn't work on it much. As it required more brain power then I had available. Elann Superwash Merino in Ruby. I frogged back to the Candle Flames and started the straight part again. It is now about half done. I have put it aside for now and will continue to work on it as I can. There is no way I could have met the deadline.<br /><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3189/2629912388_20e26f1758.jpg" /><br />I saw that someone had done this with the Candle Flame shawl pattern at Ravelry. The body is simple Yo, K2tog. With the Candle flames at each end. I have one candle running up the edges on each side of the body. I reduced the size of the candles for the edging as the ones in the body looked to large for an edging.<br />I am now working of a top down raglan sweater for the Afghan for Afghans Youth project. This is a first for me. And you can see my raglan increases needed work. I considered frogging back to improve the increases. But I realized that I would miss another deadline if I kept frogging. When I die they are going to put Born To Frog in my tombstone :-}<br />The body color is a sort of denim blue, the cuffs are Elann Highland Wool in Ruby. I threw in some mosaic patterns in the body, more red and some golden color. I will repeat on the sleeves. The body in almost done. Then onto sleeveville.<br /><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3086/2682529268_df19f581d3.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3251/2674934581_58acaa9810.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3280/2674934627_907ce6a6b2.jpg" /><br /><br />My dishwasher broke, my mouse died and then the headset. I hope nothing else decides to throw itself on the sword.Suzannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14251259628881359617noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18649191.post-91839841002837875802008-05-10T20:38:00.002-04:002008-05-10T20:48:21.148-04:00Happy Mother's Day<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2306/2479027661_7dd504b800.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2306/2479027661_7dd504b800.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Happy Mothers Day To All the Moms out there</span><br /><br />My daughter took this picture of Zola and her cub Gramby. Zola had two cubs which was a real surprise to the zoo keepers at the Norfolk Zoo. I love how the picture captures the cubs attachment to his mother. I take pictures that record a thing exists. My daughter takes pictures that record the soul of a thing.<br />If you would like to see more of her lion and animal pictures please visit her divantart gallery <a href="http://lyricalwolf.deviantart.com/gallery/">Dawn's Gallery</a><br />Mother's Day is a little sad for me, because all the Moms are gone. But I remember my own mother with love and more then a small bit of laughter.<br />I hope everyone has a wonderful day!Suzannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14251259628881359617noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18649191.post-47789695021315115642008-03-19T22:01:00.003-04:002008-03-19T22:11:24.422-04:00Cause You Know You Want ToIt is time again for the Wee Tiny Sock swap. This is the most fun, the quickest and least expensive swap going. Make you tiny sock, stuff it in an envelope and mail it off. Soon one will be heading your way in return. So if you are slogging along with a big project, take a half hour out and have some fun!<br /><br /><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2055/2346050035_37ee65300a.jpg" /> <br /><br />Head over to <a href="http://yarnmiracle.com/">Yarn Miracle</a> for more information.<br /><br />Thanks for the kind words on the socks. I got the call from Afghans for Afghans and they needed socks. I undid the round toe to make them a bit shorter and mailed them off. It must have been meant to be. Since they had been sitting in the bottom of my basket for almost a year.Suzannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14251259628881359617noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18649191.post-86663432073885139222008-03-03T21:48:00.002-05:002008-03-03T21:59:11.467-05:00Another pair of SocksI was not sure if I would have enough yarn to complete the socks. I had used some of it to make two pairs of baby socks for Afghans for Afghans. The first socks was stuck in the bottom of my basket. I really needed something mindless to work on, in between my nursing duties and waiting at the doctors. As I was knitting the first sock the yarn was coming out so tangled that I decided to rewind it into two balls. I weighted the yarn that I had and the part sock. Took a leap of faith and divided the yarn. When I finished the first sock I had 8 inches of yarn left. eek. I weighted the completed first sock and decided I would have enough to try and match the pattern on the second sock. Gulp, I cast on the second sock. I was about two rows off in the pattern. To match better the cuff is two rows shorter then the first sock. After that the patterns between the two socks matched up perfectly. In the picture they look a tad too long. They fit fine, except my photographer was in a hurry and didn't give me a chance to pull them up all the way. <br /><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3194/2309333552_8b603508f1.jpg" /><br /><br />And to the brat snapped this picture while I was trying to get the socks pulled all the up. I look like Thing from the Addams Family :-) I had just washed my hair, which is why it is all over the place. Usually it is neatly braided. She thinks it is hysterical. Sharper then a serpents tooth. See if I refrain from posting pictures of her in her diapers from now on :-P<br /><br /><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2197/2309333570_01e3cbb687.jpg" />Suzannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14251259628881359617noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18649191.post-58293387225287591582008-01-21T13:55:00.000-05:002008-01-21T13:57:06.283-05:00Martin Luther KingI think I mentioned before that sometime ago my brother and I were driving one evening to Chattanooga, Tennessee, from Atlanta. He was driving the car. And for some reason the drivers were very discourteous that night. They didn’t dim their lights; hardly any driver that passed by dimmed his lights. And I remember very vividly, my brother A. D. looked over and in a tone of anger said: "I know what I’m going to do. The next car that comes along here and refuses to dim the lights, I’m going to fail to dim mine and pour them on in all of their power." And I looked at him right quick and said: "Oh no, don’t do that. There’d be too much light on this highway, and it will end up in mutual destruction for all. Somebody got to have some sense on this highway."<br /><br />Somebody must have sense enough to dim the lights, and that is the trouble, isn’t it? That as all of the civilizations of the world move up the highway of history, so many civilizations, having looked at other civilizations that refused to dim the lights, and they decided to refuse to dim theirs. And Toynbee tells that out of the twenty-two civilizations that have risen up, all but about seven have found themselves in the<br />junkheap of destruction. It is because civilizations fail to have sense enough to dim the lights. And if somebody doesn’t have sense enough to turn on the dim and beautiful and powerful lights of love in this world, the whole of our civilization will be plunged into the abyss of destruction. And we will all end up destroyed because nobody had any sense on the highway of history. Somewhere somebody must have<br />some sense. Men must see that force begets force, hate begets hate, toughness begets toughness. And it is all a descending spiral, ultimately ending in destruction for all and everybody. Somebody must have sense enough and morality enough to cut off the chain of hate and the chain of evil in the universe. And you do that by love.<br /><br />Martin Luther King<br />Loving Your Enemies<br />November 17 1957Suzannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14251259628881359617noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18649191.post-44592426874430136962007-12-24T21:13:00.000-05:002007-12-24T21:25:19.451-05:00Oh By Gosh By Jolly<span style="font-weight:bold;">Merry Christmas Everyone</span>!!!<br /><br />This isn't really Christmas Knitting. I don't pile that on my back. My daughter asked for one of these, and like potato chips we couldn't stop.<br />Calorimetry so simple that it confuses us. I did the first one the solid blue with the pattern cast on number 120. It is a bit long, but I like the width. My daughter fell for the Paton's SWS and she picked out two colors she liked. This is really a fast knit. And if your tolerance for ribbing is greater then mine, enjoyable. But after all the ribbing on the Cabled Hoodie and a bunch of these I am off ribbing for awhile. We got the buttons at the house of high class, Wal-Marts. The little headband does keep the ears warm and is fairly non invasive to hair dos. I have very long hair so it isn't a problem. But dd has short hair and she likes wearing them.The two SWS are made using 104 stitches, which seems to fit her larger head better.<br /><br /><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2030/2133555771_32b636a309.jpg" /><br /><br />Dawn got a high powered camera for Christmas. Her other camera was stolen while she was in Alaska. So she took the pictures<br /><br />I hope everyone has a wonderful ChristmasSuzannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14251259628881359617noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18649191.post-39497010740635146312007-12-17T12:35:00.000-05:002007-12-22T21:05:37.801-05:00Street Smart Cable Hoodie, sort ofI love Elann Highland Wool, but I could not get 5 spi that didn't feel like lace. It always knits up like a dk for me. So I got some Paton's Classic Merino and started over. This is the what 5th sleeve. But since I had to start over, I considered the cable and bobble pattern that the original uses. I am just not a bobble person and the cable is sort of boring. I searched and found a loose sort of cable that had the similar drawing in as the original. The new one is 18 stitches the old one 15, so I had to redesign the stuff around the cable. I was careful to keep the edges the same. I have never done set in sleeves and had a strong feeling this was not the place to start playing around. YEAH finished one sleeve<br /><br /><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2353/2117578843_58858633e8.jpg" /><br /><br />I am sick of sleeves so I decided to cast on for the back. A few more changes. I was sick of reverse stockinette stitch so I swapped it out for seed stitch. Three cable columns instead of the original 4. And got this<br /><br /><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2200/2118355552_b9b4e967ff.jpg" /><br /><br />I had to go up to a size 8 needle to get gauge. Then I stabbed myself badly with the Options needles. Had a tetanus shot and was off knitting for a few weeks. I then changed to my Denise needles and had to go up another size to a 9 to get gauge. oi<br />I know it isn't perfect and some of the stitches are a bit wobbly, tension is off. I don't care. I hope to finish this in my lifetime. <br /><br />I guess it would help if you could see what it is supposed to look like<br /><img src="http://www.patonsyarns.com/data/pattern/image/image_1305.jpg" />Suzannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14251259628881359617noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18649191.post-7981299052750330732007-11-18T12:03:00.000-05:002007-11-18T12:17:45.351-05:00Cable HoodieI decided I had better start with a sleeve and see how it goes. The first sleeve I cast on for was Extra Large. The cuff was so wide I could put both wrists in it. My wrist and hands are small 6 3/4 inches around. ( how I wish the rest of me still matched the wrists) Frogged the first one. And that hurt, all that damn ribbing for nothing, grrrr<br />I then cast on for the small wrist, knit the damn ribbing again. I have done two repeats of the pattern, but I am increasing for the size large. Unlike Bets and the rest of you sweater knitters I have never knit a sweater that has to fit someone in particular. Since the sleeves are set in, I know from sewing that the sleeve cap has got to match the body arm. Not wise to fudge in that area. <br />I left off the bobbles. I like doing bobbles, but not on something I am wearing. I have enough bobbles of my own, thank you very much. Without the bobbles the cable is a bit boring. So I think I will hunt up a loose cable pattern for BW. Something more interesting to knit. Just leave the pattern cables on the sleeves and maybe two on the back. Of course I may not get to the back until 2010. If they let me play with sharp things at the Old Ladies Home :-)<br />I love the Highland Wool (no itchy stuff) and I love the color. Not much to look at yet. That is with the cuff turned up. I think if I were doing it again, I would skip the turned up cuff. But I ain't doing that cuff again. <br /><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2260/2043260605_ee7ba91d51.jpg" /> <br /><br />Cuff down<br /><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2168/2044126302_387ded75b0.jpg" />Suzannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14251259628881359617noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18649191.post-89128512818215475442007-11-07T11:19:00.000-05:002007-11-07T11:29:06.409-05:00Afghans For Afghans baby socksThree more pairs of socks for the baby push. All are done with 2.25mm needle over 40 stitches. 2x2 rib for 2 or 3 inches. One pair only has ribbing for an inch. Cause we all know how much I love ribbing. And I am lazy. <br />From left to right, Elann sock yarn, The Opal Bets swapped with me. This is what was left after doing a pair of socks for me. This pair doesn't match. I was afraid I would run out of yarn. Last pair is some Opal Petticoat in pink. Both the Opal socks have garter stitch heels (which I do not recommend for adult socks) I thought this might make the socks easier to put on the babies and allow for a bit of wiggle room size wise. <br /><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2418/1903315719_d1159fe563.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2088/1903315903_7851ff9180.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2178/1903316013_cfd86e7c55.jpg" /><br /><br />The colors are brighter, but it is really cloudy outside.<br />I think I am socked out at the moment. Time for a breakSuzannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14251259628881359617noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18649191.post-41187564607917883832007-10-30T22:31:00.000-04:002007-10-31T00:33:50.545-04:00Happy HalloweenNothing special goin on, except my daughter has discovered pumpkin carving. I think she did really well for a first attempt<br /><br /><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2139/1807051654_66ae67a72f.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2388/1806193785_dd04397605.jpg" /><br /><br />When we lived in Chesapeake, we had neighbors who loved to terrify little kids. Their teen age son would lay on the lawn and jump up as the kids came up the dive way. Most of the younger children wouldn't go near the place. My eight year old daughter just climbed over the "dead bodies" and headed in for the goodies. She told me, you know it is fake blood. Ahh you can take the kid out of New York, but you can't take the New York out of the kid :-)<br />The first Halloween, I put some candy in her bag to get her started. As her father was at sea, I stayed home to dole out the goodies and she went with a neighbor. After a half hour they brought her home. She refused to go up to the door, because she thought she had to Give them candy. Once she got it into her head that SHE was the one who GOT the goodies, she never looked backSuzannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14251259628881359617noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18649191.post-50162696363662268392007-10-29T11:30:00.000-04:002007-10-29T11:37:28.274-04:00Earflap Hats againThis one is Knitpicks Merino Style in an awful yellow. All I had handy for practice. I added the rows of reverse stockinette stitch. Did the ear flaps in the same pattern. It still looks shallow. This time I knitted the hat then picked up the stitches for the flaps and knit down to the icord. <br />The socks are Fearless Fibers Meadow. A rather violent green and yellow. 40 stitches around measures to about 4 1/2 inches. The length is 2 1/2 inches from cuff to heel. The foot measures about 3 inches with a round toe. I just did a simple 3 x 1 ribbing on the leg. Very stretchy. I am going to send the hat off to Afghans for Afghans and asked them what they think. <br /><br /><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2164/1799427578_151b8e71ee.jpg" />Suzannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14251259628881359617noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18649191.post-31632854984558919142007-10-26T12:00:00.000-04:002007-10-26T12:02:46.457-04:00Fight For KissesThis you have to see<br /><br /><a href="http://wow-factor.com/index.php/fight-for-kisses">Fight For Kisses</a><br /><br />Click on the link :-} Go Baby goooooooooooooSuzannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14251259628881359617noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18649191.post-65943669383557477382007-10-22T09:25:00.000-04:002007-10-22T09:42:31.039-04:00Afghans For AfghansRev em up. New call out for baby stuff. This is for the infant hospital in Kabul. Here is a link for more information<br /><a href="http://www.afghansforafghans.org/campaign.html">Afghans for Afghans</a><br /><br />I searched Revelry for a infant hat with ear flaps. And found this one <a href="http://heyjulie.wordpress.com/2007/03/20/babykids-earflap-hat/">Ear Flap Hat</a> Cute pattern. Let me say I have a worry factor about ear flaps going over the babies faces and I am not 100% sure of tie on hats. I worry about the babies being choked by accident. Born to worry, thats me. I have to assume they know what they want. <br />The only DK that I had handy was some Elann Superwash Merino in Ruby. Not a color I would offer up to a sick infant. But it was a test knit. The yarn is beautiful and soft. But not suitable for this project. I knit up the hat with much moaning about the SS stitch ear flaps curling around themselves and the needles. Finished off the hat and washed it. The merino just went flat. It spread out and died. I can see how this would be a wonderful shawl or scarf though.<br />Pattern mods<br />First flap had one garter stitch on each side. Totally useless to keep the damn thing from rolling about. Although it did flatten out when washed. Second flap I worked 3 garter stitches on each side. Still rolled a bit<br />Next hat, garter stitch ear flaps. I would also start the flaps with an ICord or crochet chain, then increase to form the flap.<br />You cast on, knit across one flap, cast on more stitches, knit across the next flap and so on. This leaves a very rough looking start up row. You could crochet around the hat to even things up a bit. Or just sew the flaps on when the hat is done. Or stop moaning and get knitting<br />Flap with garter edge<br /><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2415/1689921241_9a6c8411da.jpg" /><br />Hat according to pattern, no garter edge<br /><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2312/1690776998_e9f78e97cd.jpg" /><br /><br />Thank you all for your kind posts about Violet. And your support for me to stop being a junkie. I do appreciate itSuzannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14251259628881359617noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18649191.post-1025866629405754292007-10-17T08:33:00.000-04:002007-10-17T09:54:03.882-04:00KindnessI know in our society it is much easer to give then receive. We want to pay back, be even and not in debt to anyone. And while we want to give, we refuse to allow anyone to give to us. In some strange way it diminishes us as a people. When people are kind to us and generous, we allow them to be a giver. This takes a bit of humility on our part as we must relinquish our rights on the level playing field. In my life many people have been kind to me. Sometimes they may not have even realize they were doing so. I have learned to stifle the urge to shove something in their face so we are even. This has nothing to do with always being the person who gets their lunch paid for by others. We all know about those people. <br />My Mother In Law use to say I was the kindest person she knew. Poor woman, she had a rough life. Early on, maybe even before I was married I realized I had a lot more going on inside my head then she did. Violet (I am not going to keep typing MIL)had been forged in a horrid family life and a more then difficult marriage. She pinned all her hopes on being the good wife and good mother and having the cleanest home in Brooklyn. She had the kind of household schedule that could have run D-Day. None of these things rewarded her. Her family found her constant cleaning stupid and pointless. Her husband would rather sit in a bar get drunk and gamble away the weeks wages and her children grew quickly and expanded out of her world. They were there, but their hopes and dreams had nothing to do with surgically clean floors.<br />Everyone loved my Father In Law. At least those who didn't live with him did. Good ole Charlie. Life of the party give you the shirt off his back etc. No problem giving you the shirt off his back. He had more home and if there was no money for the rent, well Violet would have to deal with the landlord. And so she did. All the while trying to present the appearance of a "normal" home. It was overall a futile effort. But she never ever gave up trying. At one point my FIL was a bag man for some minor mafia dude. He put his hand in the bag and got caught. After which he went into hiding someplace in the wilds of Long Island. Bad enough. But he came home when he knew his family would be out and robbed the place of anything that could be sold. The children's insurance odd bits of stuff. A radio that had been a wedding gift. And poor Violet's last $2.00. When Violet came in with the children, they were both very young she found the place gutted. No food no money nothing and the rent due. She told me once over a cup of tea that she just sat on the floor and cried. Her husband was gone and she was truly dead broke with hungry children. Dear husband had eaten the last of the bread she had in the house. There was nothing for it, she took the kids to her own MIL who live in the next apartment building and begged for dinner. The next morning the children went to school with lunches from their grandma and Violet went looking for a job. She found a job in a dine store. And worked hard. Worked out a deal with the landlord and didn't get evicted. Her husband was gone for more then 6 months. He would return periodically to see what pickings there were. I told her once I would have changed the locks. She was shocked. A wife can't lock her husband out. What and idea. She also had to deal with the goons who showed up from time to time looking for their money and the missing husband. In the end her uncle paid them off. Uncle Ed was a brick. He was kind and he told her he would like to see her smile again. You can see in pictures how her face changed. The pictures of Violet and my husband when he was baby, she has a soft rounded smiling face. After her face became pinched and she became as thin as a stick. Rather like she was trying to be as small and compact as she could be. The husband returned after his debts were settled and things went back to as they were. He treated the bars like home and his home like it was a nothing. But Violet had had some earth shattering change. She was earning her own money. Not much but her own. Over the years she furnished the apartment bought food and did the things most women do with the help of a partner. <br />I met Violet when she was still working in the dime store. I didn't know her or my husband. I had a friend who had gotten and after school job there. Years later when I met her again, she remembered I use to walk Rosemary home from work. (what innocent occupations we use to have) I went to school with her daughter and was dating her son. The Golden Child :-} More then likely I was not the DIL she would have picked out. I was Catholic and from a mixed marriage. I went to college and got arrested. This is not what a mother hopes for. I know in many ways I annoyed the shit out of her. I was not domestic and to smart for my own good. I read books for gawds sake. I was clever (a very nasty attribute) And not above using my sense of humor and brains to inflict pain. A nasty bit of work all together. But immature and inexperienced girls will behave like pigs. They tend to think their sensuality allows them to get away with anything.<br />So what does this have to do with kindness. Years after I was married and living in Virginia my in laws use to trek down here a couple of times a year. This was always a job. My MIL would inspect my total lack of homemaking skills and my FIL would encourage rampant drinking. Fun times fun times. Then one visit I watch Violet cut shelf paper and lovingly wash and put away the glasses and cups. I realize she was in 7th heaven. We will not go into mid century women and shelf paper. But there is a serious paper yet to be written about that! After the kitchen she asked me if we could organize the linen closet. Her face glowed. All those towels folded just so and lined up. Sheets pillowcases put in properly. Right another good job done. It was like watching aliens going to work. I realized Violet was burning to tidy me up. But she was also afraid that I might get angry and send a zinger her way. It was like the heavens opening up. I could do something for her. Something no one else could do. My sister in law was too neat to need help. But I am a total slob. So I made a cup of tea and explained that with Dawn in a body cast I just didn't have time for all these "jobs" And I really really appreciated her help. Would she help me clean the pit up. We both knew this was a lie. The pit was a pit because I didn't give a shit. But still. Her heart swelled and she was filled with that beatific light that people who get to be kind have. We went and got more shelf paper new kitchen curtains and a few other things. And went to work. After that we never looked back. We shared cups of tea, crocheted together and discussed the perfidity of man. We both made afghans, lots of them. Out of genuine Red Heart. (She loved VA the yarn was cheaper then NYC)<br />It was a double barreled gift. She got to clean (which she loved) and then she got to go home and tell everyone just how badly I kept house. It was no skin off my nose and gave her pleasure. And of course I got a clean house.<br />Years went on and in time she was too ill to clean for me. When we went to NYC to visit I would tidy up for her. She loved it. And supervised. It drove my own Mother to distraction. And even her son was annoyed by it. But WE understood just where we stood. After my FIL died her life became sadly contracted. Illness and a firm refusal to leave the house made her life very very small. I called her a couple of times a week. She had by this time driven her daughter to madness and they were less and less inclined to spend time with her. The last time I saw her before she died she clasped my hands with those paper thin hands that I am starting to develop and asked that when she got sick I would take care of her. Because I never yelled at her. <br />Recently my friends at Elann chat have been more kind to me that they can imagine. And their kindness has touched me deeply and warmed me and filled me with a sort of glow. <br />Thank all of you.Suzannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14251259628881359617noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18649191.post-87076829356024565412007-08-20T09:30:00.000-04:002007-08-20T10:05:36.630-04:00On The TubeFirst off I can't stand Knitty Gritty for more then 10 minutes. Knitster girrls...barf barf barf. <br />Instead I am improving my mind watching <a href="http://tlc.discovery.com/fansites/whatnottowear/whatnottowear.html">What Not To Wear</a> and <a href="http://www.hbo.com/biglove/about/index.html">Big Love</a>. I have learned a few things along the way. I need more fitted clothes. The stuff I have swims on me. I lost a lot of weight and haven't gotten a lot of new things. Not even $5000.00 worth of new clothes (an obscene amount of money) is parting me from my Def Leppard tee shirt or my hair. Like most hair stylists, Nick only knows how to cut hair. He and the make up women give lectures to victims, umm clients about "holding onto long hair as a security blanket" Strangely both the show host Stacy and the make up lady have long hair. Strange doings. He cuts their hair and stuffs it full of as he says "products" (I aways think of Something About Mary) I have a naturally dirty mind. Before the show is over the hair style has flatten out. I am guessing that the clients are thinking, how long before this grows out long enough to put up? I loved the woman with hair down to her waist, who refused to let him cut it. Did he offer to put it up or braid it? Nope he walked off.<br />I am going to lay off this show for awhile cause I had a dream, that Stacy and Clinton took my Queen tee shirt and jeans away from me. Sent me off shopping in NYC in nothing but a cami and step ins. No shoes. They said they were too disgraceful to wear in public. God knows there is enough violence in NYC without me wandering around in my knickers! <br />I have learned from Big Love that I do not have the makings of a Sister-Wife. Bill Paxton has a great looking rump. (we have seen a lot of it)But it isn't good enough to put up with 2 other wives. Now three husbands might work out. They could be Brother-Husbands. Especially if you keep replacing them as the age :-P Nothing to do with sex of course. They could all roller skate around me, as the center of their world. And of course they would have to love each other and not get jealous. I could set them each up with their own Man Cave. Leave a schedule on the fridge telling them who's day it is. Yesssss this might have possibilities. <br />The series runs along the lines off all the past night time soaps. Good guys (none so far) bad guys, drama, sex, lies and stupidity. The same as Dallas with the extra of polygamy. Ladies in Utah, set these men straight <br /><br />I am knitting. I love Grace's feet. Her feet are a bit wider then mine, so I can now knit patterns that I wanted to try but wouldn't work on my foot. Great feet Grace!Suzannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14251259628881359617noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18649191.post-65257002050252174122007-08-15T08:35:00.000-04:002007-08-15T08:51:09.221-04:00Wild and Crazy Sock YarnI got a notice from <a href="http://tinyurl.com/2xjla2">Astrids</a> a few weeks ago intruducing this new Regia yarn. I looks like marbled paper. Quite different from the usual stripes and blobs. Tempted very tempted. Except so often these self patterning yarns don't work out for me. I buy a lot of Opal from Astrid. The shipping is high but the prices are low. And she has a really large selection<br />Regia Galaxy comes in a lot of colors. Most a bit more tame then this. When I first saw this, I thought BETS!!! It seems to have most of the colors she likes. <br /><br /><img src="http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m239/bladerxp/RegiaGalaxy1556JupiterTerra.jpg" /><br /><br />The test pattern sort of sock, might make a scarf. If some idiot hadn't put a short row heel near the top :-}<br />Thanks Marie for nominating me for the Rockin Girl Blogger. I love the picot edge. You go girl. I hope the move is going smoothly. <br /><br /><img src="http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m239/bladerxp/rgbutton.gif" />Suzannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14251259628881359617noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18649191.post-7977581549683016302007-08-13T10:56:00.000-04:002007-08-13T11:18:17.475-04:00Dobby's SockWell not really, but it is what my daughter calls it. I had started a sock, didn't care for how it was turning out. I was prepared frog it. But then I thought, WAIT instead of doing flat swatches or a faux round swatch. I already part of a sock done and could practice stitch patterns or gauge swatches. This one has gotten a bit out of hand. I have another one that is a more reasonable in length. You can see the cuff and the bit below is actually the stitch pattern I use for my Sockapalooza partner's sock. There is a bit of leaf pattern in white. And some tries at working a lace pattern upside down. It didn't work. That turquoise yarn in the middle is the most beautiful color yarn. Fearless Fibers, Robin's Egg Blue. It makes me smile every time I look at it.<br />The thing is, if you start a sock and then hate it, don't frog. You can put the stitches on a life line or a spare needle. Next time you need to swatch or want to try a pattern you are good to go.<br /><br /><img src="http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m239/bladerxp/PICT0668.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m239/bladerxp/PICT0669.jpg" />Suzannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14251259628881359617noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18649191.post-77144604681829288722007-08-07T21:31:00.000-04:002007-12-22T21:04:38.477-05:00Socapalooza !!!My swap partner<a href="http://yarngardener.blogspot.com/">Heather</a> out did herself. I am so excited. No one has ever knitted me socks. And these are beautiful socks. They fit perfectly<br />First the package. Just beautiful. I was afraid I would stab the socks. Pretty pretty. See those sweet round tins. One has beautiful stitch markers the other has a matching row counting bracelet. Heather must have known about my post it tick off the row method ;-)Also a package of note cards, knitting related. Did you make them Heather?<br /><br /><img src="http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m239/bladerxp/PICT0663.jpg" /><br /><br />Rip...sorry I have no control here. Inside were these beautiful socks. Heather has done a very complex pattern. She has carried the pattern down the back of the leg to the heel. The yarn is RED, I love it. Very very soft. And they fit perfectly. Heather I envy your extremely tidy gusset decreases. <br /><img src="http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m239/bladerxp/PICT0665.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m239/bladerxp/PICT0664.jpg" /><br /><br />The pattern down the back of the leg and heel<br /><br /><img src="http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m239/bladerxp/PICT0666.jpg" /><br /><br />Thank you so much Heather, I will think of you every time I wear them. I would have modeled them, except the heat index today was 110 and hotter tomorrow. As soon as we have some normal weather I will get my daughter to take some pictures :-)Suzannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14251259628881359617noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18649191.post-56074239356104916812007-08-03T10:39:00.000-04:002007-12-22T21:09:06.420-05:00If Its Friday It Must Be Pizza NightEvery Friday, unless the temperature is above 85 I make pizza for DH and DD. I can't eat pizza. The melted cheese hates me. So here we go<br />First the<br /><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1438/997834562_0d5790de5e.jpg" /><br /><br />after a few hours we have<br /><br /><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1085/997834570_5a2d81a13f.jpg" /><br /><br />then I do this<br /><br /><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1251/997834796_9debf15d92.jpg" /><br /><br />and this<br /><br /><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1126/997834854_8a360f1ccc.jpg" /><br /><br />then you get this<br /><br /><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1299/997834862_6510b3cb0c.jpg" /><br /><br />and they do this to it<br /><br /><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1420/997834876_96444dceea.jpg" /><br /><br />So if you are in Virginia Beach and feeling hungry and it is Friday stop by. We usually have pasta on Weds night. The leftover sauce goes on the pizza along with any leftover meatballs or sausage. <br />Not food or knitting related. I looked out the window this morning and saw this.<br /><br />These two are litter mates and are always together They are strays.<br /><img src="http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m239/bladerxp/wildkittys.jpg" /><br />I finished my Sock pals socks and mailed them off. Instead of sending a lot of stuff in the box. I just added chocolates. I have arranged for different things to be sent to her over the next week or so. So her surprises will keep coming :-) I hope the socks fit and I hope she likes them.<br />Have a great weekend everyone!<br /><br />I need a new oven, this one stinks of gasSuzannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14251259628881359617noreply@blogger.com6