Birthday wishes

We've entered the family birthday season. It began yesterday with the first. We celebrated our daughter's 19th birthday. Now every 2 weeks for the next 6 there will be a birthday in the house. Here she is with her best buddies before we went out to dinner yesterday.

This has spurred me to finish long ago request. My other daughter requested a scarf last winter/spring. Unfortunately, I haven't got around to it. Well her birthday is next and I thought I'd surprise her with this.

I've been working on it when she's not around so she won't see it until she opens the gift. That has meant a lot of late night, early morning and knitting at work to complete it on time. Wish me luck.

Out of the mouths of babes

Why don't you stop reading about knitting and knit...Per my 13 year old daughter.
We spent the day Saturday reorganizing the stash. I've been thinking that my stash was getting a lil out of hand. I had various stash hiding places around the place. Some was in a bedroom dresser drawer, the garage, a hall closet and the patio room. I decided to take the time to go through it all and catalogue it. This is it all on the patio floor. Much more than I realized. Here are some of the highlights.

The whole enchilada:
Cottonease:

Koigu:
Lorna Laces:
Various Sock yarns:

I plan to post some of it at the destashing blog later in the week.
One of the things I realized is I have two various buying habits.
1. I buy for specific projects. Once I see a project that I like, I'm obsessed with the thought of buying the yarn/pattern etc until I buy it.
2. Impulse buying, if I hear of a yarn sale, of the perfect yarn that everyone is coveting, I have to buy some just in case. The first habit I can live with, the second I realized turns out to be most of the yarn I plan to sell.

So, what have I learned? No more impulse buying without a specific project in mind.
Now you didn't think I'd say that I was going on a yarn diet. That would be absurd. :)

Despite my best efforts.....

Some minor stashing occurred this week. I happened to drive by a not so local yarn store Wed and I couldn't resist the urge to stop. I picked up a few treats for a couple of patterns that I've had my eyes on. I love the colors in the Katia Jamaica. I'm very close to some finished objects, so now I'm at that point of trying to determine what to knit next.

**Update** My son and mother in law are doing great. There were no lasting side effects from the accident. Thanks for all of the kind words.

Mom........... Everyone's ok

Not exactly what you expect to hear when you receive a call on your cell phone from your 19 year old daughter. However, those were the words she said to me when she called to tell me that my mother in law and my son were in a car accident yesterday. After a deep sigh of relief and my heart rate calmed down, I proceeded to ask ok what happen. This is when it temporarily got worse. Apparently, my MIL car was hit by a car from out of nowhere ..... Her car proceeded to spin, a couple of times, deploying both air bags, finally stopped facing the wrong way on a major local street. Both were taken to the hospital via ambulance and observed for many hours. Thank God, both were only banged up and bruised, but essentially ok. My daughter, who was not with them at the time, happened to call my MIL just after the accident occurred. She immediately drove to the scene and made the call to let me know what happened.
It just so happens, I was nearby with another daughter, and was able to get to the hospital quickly.

Today I stayed home from work to keep a close eye on both of them, they are indeed fine. I've spent most of the morning counting my blessings and thanking God for airbags. Without them, the outcome would not have been good. Oh and the car.... It's totaled, but who cares it's replaceable. My family isn't.

All I want to do is knit.......

But, I don't. Actually there is a reason. I've been working my butt to the bone,if only that were true, but I have been working 12 + hrs 3-4 days a week. I can't seem to catch up since my vacation and I'm actually doing the job of 2. The good thing is that relief is in sight. My manager is hiring another case manager, ASAP. We hope to have good candidates so the job will be filled quickly. My thoughts are 1 month till hired, then I'll train her for 1 month, then my life will be mine again.
I've been working sporadically on the camisole but not on my socks at all. I also cast on for a longer term project, the bias wrap shawl from the new valley yarns co. I'm in no hurry to finish it, especially due to our warm weather.
Some minor.... ummm a little stash enhancement occurred recently. I couldn't resist some knit picks main line when it was on sale. The colors are very pretty. One day, month or year it will become a cardigan.
I getting the urge to do a major stash reorganization soon. There are some things I know I'll never use and I plan to get rid of it. I'm not sure if I'll sale it or swap. More on that to come in the next few weeks.

Before and after

Camisole top before:

After:

I've been slowly knitting this top this week, all the while thinking something wasn't right. I couldn't put my finger on it, my gauge was on, but I had too much length for where I was in the pattern. I kept reading the pattern trying to figure out what went wrong. Finally this morning, I read the increase instructions and realized I'd knit 2 additional rows between each increase row. No wonder I had so many inches. Once I tried it on my suspicions were confirmed. I also realized it was going to be a little larger than I'd hoped. This whole ease thing is still confusing to me. So I spent a few minutes ripping out my work and telling myself that knitting is not a race. I'm not in competition with all of the great knitters in blogland. The goal is to get a finished product that I'm proud of, proud to wear, not to be the first or the fastest. I think if I focus on this, I'll be more satisfied with my progress.
I'll cast on one size smaller later today. I'm off to see monster house with the kids.
Have a great weekend everyone!!

We're back

Safe and sound, after some scary moments, which included: a fire at 2 in the morning, a hurricane, and loss of power. Because of these events, we were only able to visit 2 of the 3 scheduled ports. It was a little disappointing, but overall we had a great time. This was the first cruise the hubby and I took our kids, so it was very different from our usual relaxed vacation.
Due to the additional time at sea, I was able to get some knitting done. One calla Lilly sock is almost done, and I'm to the armholes on the camisole.

I have another week of vacation so I plan to work on these exclusively.

Cruise by blogging

Ok!! Quick cruise update.
We are supposed to be in Cabo San Lucas right now, but...We are trying to outrun a Hurricane and our ship has just lost power!!!
yikes

More later.... where's my life jacket.

Cruising!

We are off to cruise the Mexican Riviera. Be back in a week. Making the trip: petals, ballet camisole and peaches and cream cotton for MDK dishcloths.

See ya
Shar

Well, I couldn't resist, I casted on for the ballet camisole with my new knit pick needles.

First the needles, one word, sharp. I didn't realize how much I push the tip of the needles while I knit. Definitely the sharpest needles I've used. But, I love them. They feel just like Addis with a thinner, more flexible cord. The join is smooth and seamless. I'm sure they will be my number one needles. The only thing I'd change would be to be able to join the cords to expand the length when you want to try on your garments.

I'm preparing my knit bag for our cruise. I'm trying be realistic and limit what I bring. As of today I'll bring the camisole, petals sock and the shawl. We'll see what actually makes it into the suitcase.

Now off to work for me.

Enhancement

Major enhancement occurred this weekend, no not my boobs; yarn, needles and patterns. I think I'm out of my knitting blahs. I've noticed when I'm not into knitting, I'm not into stashing either. But the feelings, the love is back. I made a trip to my new favorite yarn store, Unraveled, and picked up this On-line clip mercerized cotton, grey cotton classic, and four skeins of Koigu.
The On-line is for the new ballet camisole from Magknits, cotton classic will become CeCe and the Koigu is for shawl.



I picked up these patterns and trekking sock yarn from my local yarn store. I have the yarn in my stash for the sweaters. I plan to knit these once the weather cools down.

I also received the knit pick needles on Saturday. I plan to test them out on the camisole. They look and feel great and the cord is very thin and flexible.

I'm off to work. I decided not to take today off because I'm off for a 2 week vacation as of Friday.

Ole' Soleil!!

She's done.
When I first began knitting last year and I discovered the wonderful world of knit blogs, one of the first garments that drew my eye was Soleil. Initially I was so intimidated by the thought of knitting a garment, a garment with lace, a garment that I hoped would fit. As I mentioned previously, this yarn was the first real yarn I bought from a real yarn store, when I had no idea what I was buying, how much to buy, or what I would use it for.
All I can say is I love it and I will make another one soon. I bought the yarn for it already. More online Egyptian mercerized cotton in a lovely green colorway. I loved knitting with it and I love how the blocked version feels and fits. So here's the crappy mirror shot.

Modifications: I added another row of lace. When I make it again,I'll decrease more on the straps. They are a little wider than I'd like but overall, I'm happy.

Mail call

Yesterday I arrived home to discover a package at my doorstep. I thought my new knit pick needles had arrived. But when I opened it, I was surprised and overwhelmed by the well put together items. This is the first month of Sundara's sock yarn club, the petals collection. This month I present calla Lilly. It's absolutely gorgeous. These are going with me on my vacation next week. We are going on a 7 day cruise in a week and I was struggling with what to take to knit.




Yes, in the background that is Soleil blocking. Finally finished.

There's a new needle in town

and I have to have them. While perusing blogs this morning, I stopped by Bron's blog. She mentions the new knit pick's options needles that have hit blogland. Of course I have to take a look. Now I must admit, I own just about every needle out there. I have my Denise's, Addi's in every size 24 length, boye's,clover bamboo's, and a couple of crystal palace bamboo. I don't have any inox or ebony needles, only because I haven't been able to find them. Basically, I don't need any more. But since when does need and knitting go together. After I write this post, I will order those needles and maybe some yarn while I'm at it.
On the knitting front, Soleil is progressing, I've divided the front and will finish the back this morning. If all goes well, I should have a finished object soon. Then off to the next big project. A cotton ease log cabin quilt

Happy birthday to ...

My son, he's 12 years old. He's definitely growing up. This is the first year that he did not ask for video games for his birthday. On this years list was clothes. Basically, Basketball shorts, jerseys and a pair of Jordon basketball shoes.
All to match his remoldeled bedroom.

Oh... what are his favorite colors... One guess.

And she's off

To high school
I had a long post that I'm too tired to recreate now, maybe tomorrow.

First dance

Dress $58.00
Nails(hands and feet) $40.00
Hair $75.00

The end result






PRICELESS

Hiatus over

I'm back, I think from a self imposed blogging hiatus. I'm not sure what precipitated it but it happened.
Things have been hectic in the household. My 3rd daughter is graduating from middle school. Most of my off time has been spent preparing her for many big events. First off, the "promotion dance". Her very first dressy school dance. We found a very pretty dress, shoes, neckless, earrings, purse... you get the idea. Next is the promotion ceremony, which means, you guessed, another dress, shoes, etc. And no, she couldn't wear to same dress, or shoes or earrings ... At least we are finished, with the shopping. Next up, the primping: you know what I mean... hair, nails, hands and feet, eyebrows, whoa. So much, but she is so excited, and her older sisters are as well.
With all of this, only a smattering of knitting has occurred. I'm to the heels on my socks and to the stockinette body of Soleil.

Think pink

Lately, I've been stuck in a blue phase. It seems everything I've knit and all of the yarn I've bought has been blue. I think it was getting me a little down. It sometimes feels as if I'm knitting the same thing over and over again.
Last night I tried to do a little organizing of the stash. I'd bought a new rubbermaid tub and started to rearrange. I came across this find.
This is the first "real yarn" I bought when I first start knitting. Of course, my first yarn purchase was some squeaky red heart from Joanne's. This yarn was my first purchase from a "real yarn store"..

As I look back, I realize I had no idea what I was buying. I saw the color and picked up 6 skeins and I pretended I had a project in mind, cause I didn't want to look dumb to the real knitters in the store. I cast on last night and let me tell you, I love the feel of it. It's 100% Egyptian mercerize cotton.... and it's pink.
Below is some wonderful handpainted yarn I received from Heather for answering a question correctly on her blog. Thank you Heather!! The colors are rich and gorgeous. These will become my first pair of toe up socks. I am trying to resist the urge to cast on.



I'm beginning to notice a new color theme.

A little enhancement

In an effort to focus on smaller projects.



Ooooo,ahhhhh, ohhhhhh. I can't wait to cast on.The opal is calling my name.