I found a new swap!

I've been looking for a new swap to participate in, and I've found one! It was on the ClicketyClack blog. It's a Hot Chocolate/yarn swap, which sounds really good with all this cold wet weather. Sign-ups run from Dec 16-31, or until they get 100 players. Nifty! And, the packages are supposed to go out the end of January, which is perfect timing, about a month before the new baby is expected.

Also, the swap is having a contest, now, before the sign ups start. So, if you want to enter the contest, head over to the swap, and let them know that I sent you :)

Childhood memories

I'm terribly grumpy tonight, so, I'm going to write about something totally unrelated to today.

Sesame Street! (Okay, so Little J did watch it today, but still...) Sesame Street is a TV show that I remember watching from when I was really little. My mom used to say, that when I was only about 2 or 3, she could put me in front of the TV, and be certain that I wouldn't move. (Very important, it was on a farm, and sometimes she absoulutely needed to go outside without children.) And later, I remember watching it during when my brother and sisters were little, too.

I was on the phone with a friend, and she was talking to me about seeing an article about Sesame Street. They're putting warning labels on the DVD's of old episodes!

on Volumes 1 and 2, “Sesame Street: Old School” is adults-only: “These early ‘Sesame Street’ episodes are intended for grown-ups, and may not suit the needs of today’s preschool child.”

While I appreciate Sesame Street's commitment to educating children, and, true, standards have changed since the 1970's, this is taking politically correct waaaay too far.

Here is the corrected Clessidra. Yay! If you compare it to the first photo, there is now another crossing of the cables.

Clessidra progress (sorta)

Last night at Knitting at Panera's, I ripped out the cable section on my stocking. Ouch! It was painful to see all the loose threads in my knitting. But, the knitters gave lots of support, and, it all turned out right in the end. Whew! Thank goodness. The cable section now has almost two repeats of the pattern, b'cause I found my mistake and corrected it this time. I'll put up a picture of the corrected stocking later today. This may be the last I knit on Clessidra until after Christmas. Or, perhaps I can pick it up again when we travel to KS for Christmas.

Also on the knitting front, I'm hoping to cast on for my second Christmas in Tallin christmas stocking today. I need to get that started. After that, I have one more christmas project to work on, and it's going to be a doozy.

In about 15 minutes, Little J and I need to hit the road. He's got an appointment to get a booster shot. It's for Hepatits A, which isn't a common one in this country, but he had needed it for when we traveled to Thailand. And since he recieved the first shot, I'm darn well going to see that he gets the booster for permanent immunity. Someday, remind me to tell you about the wierd vaccines that I've had...

Thanksgiving Travel

I am glad to be home again, with almost a month before we travel to Kansas for Christmas, and we had a really nice time in Wisconsin. When we drove up, it was cold, rainy, and snowy, but Thanksgiving itself and the Friday and Saturday were nice. Cold, but nice.

As I put in the previous post (I thought I'd separate them out) I did get some knitting done. I was pretty actively directing (doing directions?) while we were driving thru Chicago (coming and going), and my knitting in the dark is limited to simple stockinette and ribbing, so I didn't get as much time in the car as I had thought I would.

Thanksgiving itself was very nice. We spent the day with BigJ's sister (SisterJ!) and her family. Her husband cooked a wonderful turkey dinner (BigJ wants me to fix the butternut squash risotto. must find recipe...) and Little J loved hanging out with her big kids. Me, except for the time spent eating, I plopped on the couch and worked on my Clessidra knitting. Little Sister spent Thursday and Friday nights over at her house, so Big J and I had the hotel room all to ourselves. Well, while the little one was asleep.

Friday, Big J and I did touristy things. We drove around Kenosha, mostly. We found Fiddlehead Yarns, a LYS I'd seen on Knitmap.com, and I shopped. Big J was feeling a bit left out of the shopping experience, so we drove around looking for a shop he wanted to buy something at. Can you believe, Kenosha dosen't have any major Bookstores? At least, we didn't find any. We DID find a toystore. The Learning Express. Wow, that place was fun. Little J was occupied with the toy dinosaurs, so the husband and I took turns looking at everything else. Eventually, we left with a stack of goodies. Some things are for Christmas, and some aren't.

My friend Fleur, and her neice, B, came down from Green Bay to see me. Yay! I hadn't seen Fleur in ages, so this was really really nice. We went and visited the Kenosha Dinosaur Museum, and the Kenosha Public Museum, then had supper at SisterJ's house. we ate Turkey Day leftovers, of course! :) BigJ and I drove Fleur and B to Milwaukee, so they could catch a bus back to Green Bay. We had an interesting time getting there...good thing BigJ and Fleur insisted we leave early. Let's say, if I could remember where everything I saw was, I would be able to give you a detailed tour of downtown Milwaukee. And then it took BigJ and me an hour to get OUT of Milwaukee, because we managed to get lost. Oh well.

We came back on Saturday, and I was just exhausted. I'm feeling better today, and tomorrow, Little J and I will be in our ordinary schedule. Hope y'all had a good holiday too!

Knitting Progress

I didn't get as much knitting done as I had hoped. Watching Little J is a full time occupation, and I found out that co-pilot (while driving a car) can be a very active position. (Chicago and Milwaukee are confusing! Especially in the dark!) However, here's what we have...

First up, Christmas in Tallin Stocking #1. This has been done for awhile, but I didn't have a finished pic of it. I think on the next one I'll do, I'll make the foot a bit longer. The pattern was done in fingering(?) weight yarn, and I didn't know how long I should knit it in this worsted weight.

Side 1:
Side 2:

And, the Sage Clessidra Stockings. I worked on these on Wednesday. I can work ribbing in the dark! Not the rest of it, though. I did try. But on Thanksgiving I had several hours that I worked on the pattern. I was very impressed with myself, until I reached the 23 row of the pattern. umm....i'm no longer full of myself. The main cable pattern isn't where it was supposed to be. And, I think it will make an obvious difference when I knit the second stocking. So, I'm going to undo the main cable section and reknit it. Just the cable section, b'cause I don't want to rip the entire thing.



And, my beginning of Yarn Harlot's Unoriginal Hat. If you're looking for it on Ravelry, I'm calling it the "Cool Kid's Hat". I haven't did very much (I started it after I realized I had a problem with Clessidra) but I think the gauge is working out okay, even with larger needles than the pattern called for.

WI - Kenosha

We dropped in at Fiddlehead Yarns, and they were very nice. There was a small group in the back knitting (I think a class) who laughed at my Little J going stomp, stomp, stomp down the hallway. And, when I was paying for my stuff, talking to the sister of the woman of owned the store (No, I didn't get any names :( ) I felt like an absolute idiot after I asked her if she knit. Duh! She had been casting on for something when we walked in. What can I say, it's an example of my mouth running off before my brain kicks into gear. Hope she dosen't think I'm too much of a silly. But the store was lovely! Small, but full of wonderful yarns, and delightful kits and notions. And, a larger-than-expected selection of knitting books.

I would like to say, it wasn't where I expected it was. On KnitMap.com, the map showed it on Hwy 50...not there. We had to go south several blocks before we actually found it on the corner of 75th St. It's in the same building as U.S. Mobile. It shares the side entrance with the cell phone store - I wonder what they think about the knitters passing thru? The parking is either in the front, along the street, or, in the back of the store, in a church (wierd looking church! Part is up on stilts!) parking lot.

I picked up a copy of E.Z.'s Knitter Almanac. I would have liked to get it at Clementine's in Franklin, but I needed the pattern for a December Christmas project (Hurry Up Sweater), and Cami just wasn't sure when she would get it in. Also, I tried to find the needles I need for the Yarn Harlot's hat. Oh, they had the needles, but, my brain, for some reason, thought I needed 10 mm needles. What do I actually need? The pattern calls for 7mm. That is, #10 needles are needed, not #15(10mm). Pbththth! My brain has been doing this a lot this weekend. Knitting dyxlesia? And, this darling little kit for a child's hat called my name. It's from bullywoolies, and is adorable. Shouldn't take too long to knit up, either.

Back to that swatch...

A while back, I had knitted up a swatch of my hummingbird Louet Gems. Today, I took 15 minutes to sit down and measure it. On #1 needles (sorry, I don't know for sure if they are 1's or 1 1/2's) I have 29-30 stitches per 4 inches. I knew I knit tightly, but this is ridiculous! The recommended gauge is 20-24 stitches. If I get the same guage in the sage Louet (I should, but I'm going to swatch to make sure) then I think it will work fine for Clessidra. They'll be very solid stockings, though!

Oh, and Top Hat? thanks for the comment. I do like Wisconsin, I went to college for two years up there, I just know how cold it can get for Thanksgiving. And I hate being cold :(

Next expedition

Will begin tomorrow. After Little sister gets home from school, we'll be driving up to Wisconsin. (I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed. I still have a list of things that I have to do...and with the girl not telling me that she still had to finish packing until we got home from the shopping tonight, not terribly happy, either.) We're visiting my sil and her family for Turkey day. Hmmm...next year, how about everybody come to our place? Honestly, I'd rather cook. I LIKE cooking...and i really do not like traveling while pregnant.

I've got two different knitting projects I'm taking along. One, is the Clessidra stockings from Knitty. I've got a lovely sage green yarn (Louet gems) that I just got from Cami at Clementine's Dry Goods tonight. Well, I picked up the extra skeins she was holding for me tonight. I originally had purchased two skeins of it, but at the time, I didn't know what I wanted to make with it. Ashley (? hope i got her name right.) has been working on a pair of Clessidra for a while now at Panera knitting, and I finally decided that I want a pair for myself. I'm hoping, that once I get the pattern started, I'll be able to do it without thinking too much. Good for knitting in the car.

The second project is the Yarn Harlot's unoriginal hat. (Oops. Just realized I need to get needles for this one...) I've got some lovely Rowan Spray super bulky yarn, that i've been wondering what to do with it. Well, some people may be getting hat and neckwarmer sets for Christmas! If I can only find the needles...

And, not least, my other sister, I haven't forgotten your birthday! I need to mail your present after this week, but, I have one for you, and it will get to you. Happy Birthday!

Oh, and I'll try to do a photo dump of Little J cuteness after we get back from WI.

Finished Stocking #1!!

Finished up with Christmas Stocking #1 tonight at Panera's! Yay! Look at it, dosen't it look like it can hold lots of goodies?

Pre-Thanksgiving expedition

I am so glad that one of the November excursions is over with. It was nice being in Kansas, and seeing all the family, but I am so exhausted. so tired. I didn't do any practical knitting, but the half skein of Noro I stuck in my bag at the last minute may have saved my sanity. I've just been doing 2x2 ribbing, around and around....it's showing off the color changes in the Noro very nicely. Now, I just have to figure out what to do with it.

We'll be returning to Kansas for Christmas. There will be more family stuff, more staying at the same hotel (which, although the people were nice, the facilities themselves have serious issues. Not the least is the double bed, which is way too small to fit Big J, Little J, and me. Let's not mention the "high-speed internet".)

I was going to give y'all a little travelogue of our plane flights. There was the flight into (and out of) Wichita that required us to walk down steps from the plane to the ground, and walk outside to the terminal (Gosh, how spoiled am I?). There was the really nice woman working the ticket counter at Wichita who made sure everything was right for our flights, and the man at Indianapolis who only gave us half (almost half) of our boarding passes. There was a two hour lay-over at Denver that turned into 4 hours. A skater dude that was very rude to an airline worker (Granted, she deserved it. And, he had been traveling who-knows-how-far with two little kids.) The Guy With A T-Shirt that said "Beware! I'm a Brain Eating Zombie"(I almost went over with a shovel to behead him...) The difficulties of lugging a car-seat around airports. The further difficulties of getting that baby car-seat onto a shuttle to go between the Chicago O'Hare airport terminals. The hottie I sat beside on that shuttle because of the car seat(heheehee...such a hottie). How extremely nice it is to be home. Finally.

Tonight is knitting at Panera's. From the sounds of the email list, there is going to be a small group of us there. Yes, it's the Monday before Thanksgiving, but I don't have anything I have to do at 7pm on the Monday before. And I could really use some serious knitting time. I'd like to finish up on the Christmas stocking, so that I don't feel guilty about not starting the next one (or guilty about starting a brand new project).

Talk to y'all later!

For the next two weekends, we're going to be traveling. This weekend, starting tomorrow, we're flying to Kansas for a funeral. Next weekend is Thanksgiving, and we'll be driving to Wisconsin. Already, I'm so tired that I'm sure I'm forgetting something I need to pack. And I can't find one of Little J's pants...even more, I can't even think about what knitting to take along!

Continuing on Christmas #1

Christmas stocking #1 is coming right along. The stranded section is going faster than I thought it would; holding the yarn two-handed really is faster, now that I've got some practice at it. I think I should be done with this stranded section tomorrow. Hopefully, I've got enough in the white skein to finish up, without starting a new skein. I'm keeping my fingers crossed! When I start Christmas stocking #2, (I must have 2, there's two kids here. I'll have to knit another one next year for the new baby.) I'm going to reverse the colors, so that white is the background color.

Poor Little J, he was feeling really icky yesterday evening. He was running a fever, and just wasn't acting normal. He stayed plopped on the couch, wanted a blanket over him, and when his Daddy asked if he was okay, his reply was a little "no". Poor baby. He feels much better today, though. So much so that he didn't take a nap...

Christmas is giving me aches and pains...

I've never had a problem with arthritis (yet!) or repetitive injuries from knitting or crochet. It just hasn't happened. But I think I'm on the verge....my right hand and wrist is aching, as I type. Why? that is an excellent question! Because of the colorwork I've been doing. Here's the pic:

I did all of the lower bit, below the green and white braid, today. And, that's with yarn held in both hands. My right hand is not accustomed to holding the yarn, and it's not happy about the motions I use to throw the yarn, either. Hopefully it feels better tomorrow, or I may be taking a break from the christmas presents and working on a pair of socks.

Breastfeeding Benefits

Now, a study has shown that there is a benefit to cholesterol and BMI (body mass index) to individuals that were breastfed as infants.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21639442/

http://tinyurl.com/2daef3

New WIP

That is, "Work in Progress". Yep. Since I finished the top-secret project, tonight at Panera's I cast on for the "Christmas in Taillin" christmas stockings from Nancy Bush's "Knitting on the Road". It took me 2 hours to cast on and do the first two rows. Goodness! It's very pretty, though. Green at the top, and a pretty red and white braid below that. Hopefully, the knitting itself goes a bit faster.

FO

This post will not be put into the blog until after Christmas, because this project is a surprise for my sister.

The finished project is a pair of Elizabeth Zimmerman's Norweigan Mittens, with the alternate cuff pattern, and the Spruce tree pattern on the hands. They were knitted with KnitPicks Wool of the Andes, 2 skeins each of evergreen and cloud. I had about a quarter of each skein left over when I was finished. I really like these, and they're very warm! However, my colorwork still needs better tension. The green on the patterns was obviously looser than the white; it's very puffy. I'll wash and block these before I give them to sister, and that may help.

Weekend was good...

Although I feel like I've been cooking all day.

I have, actually. I was cooking before church, to make up a hollandaise-ish sauce for brunch. And, at the same time (and I left the oven on during church. oops.) I was toasting bread cubes. After church, I made up brunch. That was fairly quick, I put together Eggs Benedict and canned fruit cocktail. However, after that, I needed to finish up with the bread crumbs, freeze the left-over hollandaise(ish) sauce, and decide what we were going to have for supper. Oh, and wash dishes, of course.

Shall I go on? For most of the afternoon, Big J and Little Sister were putting together a new grill. That was going to be used for supper, so I put together veggies in foil packets to put on it, whenever Big J cooked up the meat, thawed out some of the meat and started bread dough in the bread machine for rolls. (I love my bread machine!). I think I washed dishes again....then, I was asked to assist with the supper, to decide what else we could put on the grill, to make sure that the meat was thourougly cooked (I'm not sure it all was, but it all tasted good.) and, I turned the bread dough into rolls and put them in the oven. Oh, and took my veggies back from the grill where they had not been cooked and put them in the oven too.

Le sigh. I'm so tired. So tired that I"m not even going to finish up the top-secret knitting project tonight. There isn't much left, really, less than half an hour, not counting working in the ends, but I'm too tired to do even that much. I'll get it done tomorrow.

And then, I can cast on for my NEXT Christmas project!

Prayer request

Please prayer / send good thoughts for my grandmother. I learned today that she had been taken to the hospital Friday night with trouble breathing, and possibly a heart attack. They (the medical professionals "they") will be doing more tests on Monday. She's in Kansas, and I'm in Indiana, so, I'm sending out my prayers, too.

Swatching on new Yarn

I needed to do knitting that WASN'T colorwork (e.g. the top secret project), so I cast on with some Louet pearl sport weight that I had, and I'm doing a swatchie bit. Size 1 needles, a lot smaller than the recommended size, so, we'll see what I get. The color is called "hummingbird", and my picture dosen't do it justice. It's three strands, a turquiose, a dark plue, and a wine purple. Loverly!

Book List

• The Bride Hunt, by Jane Feather
• So you want to be a wizard, by Diane Duanne
• Deep Wizardry, by Diane Duanne
• High Wizardry, by Diane Duanne
• The Butler Did It, by Kasey Michaels
• Equal Rites, Terry Pratchett
• A Rose in Bloom, by Louisa May Alcott
• Eight Cousins, by Louisa May Alcott
• A Wizard Abroad, by Diane Duanne
• A Wizard Alone, by Diane Duanne

sickly....

Last night, Little J woke up vomiting, right after he went to bed. He eventually fell asleep again, then woke up and was running happily in circles. This morning, I woke up with a sore throat and that icky flu-like feeling. When is it my turn to run in circles?