My Teenager

It hardly seems possible that 13 years have gone since Joseph was born. I remember that time so well. He wash't due until mid January and suddenly my blood pressure decided to spike. The doctor promptly put me in the hospital and after 24 hours decided it was best to induce. I cried and cried and cried because my ex's birthday is December 22nd. I wanted my child born any day except the 22nd. It wasn't meant to be. I laugh when I remember that time and just how upset I was. He is such a young man now. I grow more and more proud of him each day.

Someone swiped the hat that they had at Montana's so they now have this new one. I liked the old one better but no matter which hat, Joseph looks great.

This is the final package from my SP11 spoiler, Penny. Just look at all this stuff. The fibre is from Lorna's laces and its called Purple Club, I believe and it's 100% merino. The cinnamon candle, at first I thought it was a real cinnamon bun. It smells just like one. The earrings and necklace are great. Paul and Joseph will enjoy the marshmellows. I hope they are gone by the time I get back from NY. I've had the tea before and it is very good. I haven't tried the other stuff but I am going to take the hand cream, shower gel, and lip balm to NY with me. Once again, thank you Penny. I love everything you sent. I'll let you know in April what I get from Red Bird Knits when I get something at the Knitter's Frolic.

The first of my Regia Galaxy socks is almost done. I was afraid they wouldn't turn out like the pictures but they look great. I love the way this yarn is working up. I hope I can get the second sock done while I am in NY but I am not sure how much knitting time I'll get in. I know from past experience that if I get to pick up my needles I'll be lucky. I can always hope.

I was going to bring the Louet Victoria with me but Paul said I should wait and take it in the summer. He is worried the wheel won't survive the trip if I pack it in a suitcase. So I am going to take his advice and wait.

I don't know how much blogging I'll get done while I am away as well so I am going to sign off and wish everyone who is celebrating a Very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. I look forward to another year of blogging. Thank you to everyone who reads my blog.

November 5th Already?

It is unbelievable to me that more than a week has flown by since I last posted. I know that November is National Blog Posting Month and here it's November 5th and this is my first post. In my defense, I guess life has been way too hectic. I'm working on something that I can't really blog about right now but I'll have more about that later in the year.

Saturday was the most fun day. I met Shannon early in the morning and headed up to Gemini Fibres for their carding class. The instructor was Wendy Whelan. I've had the privilege to take a few of her classes and they are always great. Shannon is all set and ready to go. Always bubbly and always fun. It was great having her along in the car for the drive back and forth. Thank you Shannon for joining me.

Amazing Maggie met us at Gemini. I am in such awe of her talents. Her spinning is amazing. I can't even put into words how wonderful she is at dyeing fibre and yarn. Once again, she didn't disappoint at the class. She did an amazing job of blending her colours.


Speaking of blending, look at all the colours. There was a cool set and warm set of red, yellow, and blue that we used to blend and make other colours. 50% red and 50% yellow, weighed to make sure they weighed the same, and blended to make orange, etc. We did a colour triangle of 9 colours and we had white and black to make tints and shades. Once I get my triangle together I'll post pictures. Don't hold your breath. Too much in the wings that has to get done first.

I also managed to buy the last thing I wanted to send to my ISE5 partner and another goodie for my SP11 partner while at Gemini. I am hoping that package to my ISE5 partner will go out tomorrow. Now I just have to find a box to put everything in. The package for my SP11 partner has to go out a little later in the month. This is the big reveal package so I hope she will be happy with all my choices. I have one more thing to pick up, hopefully tomorrow, and then that package will be ready to go as well.

On the non knitting front, the doctor changed the antibiotics. I've been taking Sulfatrim since the end of June. I guess the infection isn't clearing up as quickly as the doctor would like so he's switched me to Macrobid. I HATE that stuff. I am struggling with it but it's only been a day and a half and I am hoping my system will adjust. On a positive note, I'm not paying homage to the porcelain queen like I did the first and only time I took this stuff about 14 years ago. It has made me more dizzy but so did the Sulfatrim and that got better in a few days. I am just keeping my fingers crossed that the same will happen with the new stuff.

Fall Fire

It's only Tuesday and it has been a very difficult week so far at work. First, I should clarify I work for someone in the life insurance business. It isn't easy for me when someone calls to tell me someone has passed on. A friend of my boss, whom I have met and spoken to via the telephone many times over the years passed away on Saturday. This one hurts a lot. He was way too young, only 47. He suffered and I know he is at peace now but he was such a fighter. I spoke to him about a week to two weeks ago and he was still cheerful, upbeat, and hopeful. He knew the end was near, I think, but he never let on. He fought to the very end. Then today my boss got a call that another one of his client's wife passed away. This one was totally unexpected and she was also way too young.

When I got home I checked the mail box and this was inside. I had received an email from my secret partner to expect a package but today couldn't have been better timed. The package was sent from Robyn's Nest and I couldn't possibly be more pleased. I forgot to mention the package is from my SP 11 Pal. THANK YOU!!!! I just LOVE IT!! The colour name is Fall fire and it is gorgeous. The pattern, also Fall Fire, is adorable. There's also a few stitch markers in colours to match the yarn. How cute is that?? I can't wait to knit these up but it will have to wait a little while because I have stuff I must finish first.

I am working on a sock pattern that needs to be finished very soon. Then, Joseph needs me to crochet stuff for school and he needs it for November. When in November? I have no clue. He hasn't advised me yet. Then I have a baby blanket I have to do for his teacher's wife who is expecting in November. Looks like I am going to spend another lacevember knitting the Sweet Dreams Baby Blanket. I did the same thing last year. Oh well. Maybe by next year I'll be able to knit something differnet for lacevember?



Entrelac'tober is almost over and have I knit anything entrelac? Not even one stitch and it doesn't look like I am going to have the time to do that either. I need to stop joining and start doing, I think. I will do something entrelac but it isn't going to be by the end of this month. Maybe by the end of the year. Only time will tell.

SP11 Contest #4

The newest contest for SP11 is to show a picture of our first FO and our last FO and tell how we have changed as a knitter. To be honest, I don't even remember what my first FO was. I've been knitting almost 40 years and I think it was a scarf but I don't have a picture of it. The socks I finished and blogged yesterday is my latest FO.

How have I changed as a knitter? I've become much more confident. When I first learned to knit my mother was still alive. Whenever I wanted to knit a sweater I would call mom up and tell her what I wanted and she would tell me what to do. She would tell me to cast on so many sts, work so many inches, decrease for the armhole, keep decreasing until you had so many sts. etc. I never used a pattern. Mom would just give it to me from her own calculations. Most of the sweaters were raglan sleeves. When my mom passed away I had to learn how to read patterns. Now I change most of my sweaters to knit in the round. I can't remember the last time I knit a raglan sweater and I use patterns as guidelines as opposed to rigid rules.

I've learned to knit socks. That's something I never would have thought of doing in my younger days. I've learned to knit lovely lace. As a matter of fact, I've become obsessed with lace and socks. They are my two favourite things to knit. I've learned I don't like colour knitting. I never used to do it. I did only aran sweaters and the like but about 11 years ago I took a class on colour knitting at a LYS and I made an intarsia Mickey Mouse sweater for Joseph. The sweater was never finished. I hated intarsia and I don't like fairisle any better. I admire people who can do that, but it just isn't for me.

Years ago I never would have bought a book that wasn't in English. Now trying to figure out puzzles is so much fun. I've learned to read charts. Not only did I learn to read them when I did my first Rose of England, I now prefer charts. Rose of England is from The Second Book of Modern Lace Knitting by Marianne Kinzel, for those of you that would like to know. It is a great book to start with charts because either that of her First Book have charts as well as a written pattern so you can follow the chart and if you are unsure of something you can go back and check out the written pattern. As far as I know both of these books are error free as well.

Now I'm spinning too but that's another story altogether.

Great Minds Think Alike

I received my Hogwarts Sock Swap package today from Michelle aka Ms. Mandy Ravenclaw. I cracked up when I opened up the envelope. You see, I wanted to send Michelle a Harry Potter note card but I couldn't find any. I didn't want to hold up sending the package so I just wrote a little note and sent it off. Michelle said almost the same thing in her card. I sent Michelle the same exact needles she sent me. I sent her a Harry Potter bookmark! I love everything she sent. Look at the stitch markers, they spell Gryffindor. How cool is that?

I forgot to mention the most important thing. The socks are a perfect fit!! I just love them. I have to get a picture of them on my feet but this will have to do for now.

If that wasn't enough, I received a gift card from my Secret Pal for SP11 today. It's a gift certificate for Red Bird Knits! Now how did she know I love that website? I am going to have a fun time deciding what I want to order.