Thursday, May 31, 2007

7 Random Things About Me
I got tagged by 3 Sleeves To The Wind to tell you 7 random things about me. I have no earthly idea where to start. I am a pretty boring person as far as I am concerned. So here goes.

1. I met my husband on a blind date that his best friend arranged. I dated him for 10 days and after 7 months of letter writing and a long distance romance, we eloped and now have been married 28 years. …and they said it wouldn’t last!
2. I ambidextrous.
3. When I was 19 I did some hair modeling for Jermac Hair Products. I was discovered when I was about to get my long hair all cut off. The person freaked and said I needed to keep my hair to do the modeling and I did.
4. When I was in the 4th grade I lived next door to a girl whose father had Playboys under his bed. We used to sneak in and look at the pictures. I secretly wanted to be a Playboy center fold until I was about 14. I didn’t know that they didn’t take 5’2” freckle faced girls. I was devastated. I got over it.
5. I am a chocoholic.
6. I have had gastric by pass surgery and lost 110 lbs. Sadly I have gained about half of that back.
7. I am a city girl, but lived on a dairy farm my last few months of high school. I can milk a cow by hand.

Monday, May 21, 2007

Still Here
I really am still around. I have been busy trying to finish things on my knitting list. Yes, I have a knitting list. It's posted right to the left of my computer on a bullentin board. I see it everyday when I sit here. I try to keep a running list of things that I would like to do and who they are for. I know that seems a bit strange but I find that having a goal helps me to stay focused. I could go bonkers and buy yarn constantly with no project in mind. I know plenty of knitters who do that, but I don't have the money or the space. So...

The list


As you can see I have crossed some items off the list, but when I cross something off, I end up adding more to the bottom. Since I have not figured out how to list all my projects and the progress bar on the side, this works.


I have finished another Mary scarf by Wallis Knits and have another one on those lovely Addi Lace Needles. I just can't rave about them enough. If anyone knows me (hint, hint-Joan and Patty), they would make lovely Christmas presents. You just can't have too many of them. Plus I have a lace shawl by Lily Chin (Fiber Trends-Charlotte's Easy Lace Shawl) on the needles and it's going to have to be ripped out again. Which by the way, I have done at least four or five times now. I set it aside because I was getting cranky when anyone (hubby) would talk to me while I was trying to keep track of my rows. I also have a pair of socks on the needles and they have been sitting there for over a month now. I will get to them later this summer. I have four of those Wallis Knits scarves to finish by August.


I was so digusted about having to rip out the Lily Chin shawl so many times that I had to get to some "Stupid" Knitting. That's what one of the knitters I knit with every Thursday calls it. I agree completely, but surely there must be another name. "Stupid" knitting just sounds so mean.


I have finally finished an acrylic shawl I started months ago. I have some before and after shots for you. Here is the before...


It was still on the needles when this picture was taken earlier last week. Now the after picture.Can you see what is missing? Yup, the fringe. I hate fringe. Someone else pointed out to me that if the shawl is going to a nursing home, no one will take care about the fringe when it is laundered. So, I spent and hour plucking out what I had already done. I am glad I listened to reason.

It's a nice size triangle shaped shawl. Here is another view...



Not only have I finished that one...I have started another project made from donated acrylic yarn that I picked up at the Knitting Guild meeting. I need an easy mind numbing project to do while knitting on the 4 lace scarves. I am surprised that I like it and it's going pretty quickly. I won't have enough yarn to make it as long as it says it should be, but I don't really care. I just want to use up the acrylic stuff and give someone a nice throw. This is the pattern card from the box set called The Little Box of Knitted Throws. I love the little projects in the box. I got it a while ago and have only made one throw from it, but just knew it would be worth having, and sure enough it was. This pattern is called Rhythm in Blue. The top and bottom edge is the seed stitch and the rest is called Flame Wave Pattern. Here is what mine looks like after two skeins of knitting... I have a ways to go, but I am sure that someone will be glad that I am totally frustrated with knitting lace right now. So I haven't been slacking, honestly!

Sunday, May 06, 2007

Maryland Sheep and Wool 2
I am just tickled pink that I was able to attend the Maryland Sheep & Wool Show again this year. I don't think it was my imagination When I say that it didn't seem as crowded this year. I am not sure whether it was the overcast sky, cooler tempertures or the impending threat of rain that did it, but who cares; less competition for me to worry about.

I went on the Knitting Guild's bus with about 31 women. We left at the crack of chickens yesterday and got back long after a respectable bed time. Hubby was waiting with the van when the bus arrived at the Mall parking lot. It was raining and I was thrilled to be home. My bus buddy Susan and I were pooped. I think we started talking before the bus ever pulled out of the parking and stopped talking when we hugged goodbye and went home.

As much as I love to shop, it was exhausting! My credit card is cooling off on the desk beside me and has told me it won't even think about recovering until the next billing cycle rolls around. Compared to Susan J, I was conservative in my spending. She was a MS and
W "virgin" but I had one year under my belt to decide what I wanted to buy and where to go. I felt priviledged to get a copy of the offical copy of theMaryland Sheep and Wool Festival book from shop owner Susan S to take home with me. I went through all the vendor ads in the book to see who I wanted to visit. I also printed off the vendor list from the internet and then promptly left it sitting right here with all the highlighted vendors on it. I made notes and more notes. Good thing I remember many of them off the top of my head. My mission this year was way different than last year.

This caught my eye at the end of the day after I had already bought some different yarn someplace else. This is On Live. The colorwary is called Beach. It's German and is a superwash. I can't read German but I did pick a key word on the label-Machine. This means to me, that what ever I make from this, can be washed in the washing machine. Yeehaw for machine washing! Next...This sock yarn was purchased from Tess Designer Yarns. I had never been to their booth before, but let me tell you! It was a color Mecca. All the yarns were grouped according to their colors. It was a feast for the eyes, and packed to the gills with crazed women. They had two or three tents connected together outside and it was still too small. When I see a line someplace, I know they have something good. I really regret not taking a picture of their booth; too many people in their to get off a good shot. Take my word for it; it was fabulous. This yarn is Super Socks and Baby. Again, it's a machine washable yarn. It's 80% wool, and 20% Nylon. There is about 450 yards in each of the two skeins that I bought. While I don't usually wear a lot of yellow socks, I just love the softness. The color is like a butter yellow. I have no idea what I will make from this, but who cares!
These three skeins were in a plastic bag together. I just couldn't seperate them so I bought all three. I have a project in mind for these but no pattern as of yet. This was also purchased from Tess Designer Yarns. It's a superwash 100% Merino lace wool. I am not a huge fan of pink but they were so pretty I just couldn't resist. Are we starting to see a pattern here... Again, I was on the lookout for lace yarns and I purchased this from Spirit Trail Fiberworks. It is 110% Merino lace. It has 500 yards. This is also from Spirit Trail Fiberworks. Again it's lace weight and has no purpose intended other I just loved the colors.

I really had a good time this year and hopefully with a new job next year, I will be able to attend again. Every year I think a become a better consumer. With all the talking with Susan J and the constant shopping, I can't believe that I only got one picture of Cashmere goats at the show. They are cuties, but I will have to do better next year.