Knittin' and Lovin' It

Meandering, Babbling and General Craziness

Sounds like the title of a good book. It would definitely work as a great title for my memoirs. Note to self, must add that to my bucket list. I think I could sell all of maybe 5 books if I published it. Naw, scratch that my life has been rather boring and uneventful, well to me it hasn't been boring but to the everyday Joe my life would be rather dull so maybe unpublished memoirs would be the way to go for me.

Shawn's retirement is now official and he should be seeing his official orders here soon. Hard to believe it's all done in 226 days. He's started the job hunt and we've had a few nibbles but nothing to write home about. There are a handful more that would be great but now it's a frickin waiting game. We've start checklists and have a million and one things that need to be done. We're doing a partial move so that we have our clothing, beds, etc. The stuff we can't live without while we're living with my sister since we don't know for sure how long it will be before we get out own place. Uncle Sam will pay to move the rest and for a year of storage for our household goods so that gives us time to either buy a place or find a house to rent. My sister and I spent 3 hours on the phone talking about the move and getting all excited about us coming home.

I had a mini freak out moment when we signed the lease. I might also want to add that I was already upset because I found out my great uncle had passed away. Our base housing is going through the privatization process so we had to sign a lease with the company that's taking over and I started reading their stupid little booklet on responsibilities and such because I'm smart like that and I want to know what is going on before names are signed willy nilly. I get to the carpet replacement price and see that it starts at $1400 and goes up in price and my little mind starts chanting "oh shit oh shit oh shit". I have dogs, birds and kids plus my carpet has seen two other families besides mine so it's looking shabby and crappy. It's cheap carpet and even cheaper padding, Uncle Sammy only pays for the best for his military troops (must insert a lot of sarcasm here). Then I hit the next part that starts talking about how you have to pay to have your carpets professionally cleaned when you have pets in the house when you move out. Now I'm chanting "oh shit, oh crap, wtf are they "F"-in crazy" because it would cost in upwards of $700 to professionally clean the carpets in my house from top to  bottom. My house is frick huge and I live in a two story house. I have 14 stairs and it would cost me an additional $3 per stair....the prices are damn crazy if you ask me!!! Note to self, no I repeat no carpet in my house when we buy one!!! My mind was so not G rated that day. So I'm ranting and pissed and complaining about how in the hell they expect military people (who don't make that great of a paycheck to begin with) to pay for this crap. So of course I pissed Shawn off because apparently I'm not suppose to be pissed about having to come up with $700 we weren't counting on for the move. It's not as if the uHaul (they want over $900 for one of their crappy frickin vehicles) and house cleaning fees weren't bad enough. So Shawn's nonchalant, don't worry be happy, can't change it so why get pissed attitude pissed me off even more. His comment was like oh well guess we're going to have to use the income tax refund to pay for it. Nevermind that our income tax refund was for paying off some damn bills we really need to pay off. If I would have had a frying pan I may very well have walloped him on the head with it. Apparently he's not been paying attention over the last 13+ years of marriage that I need to rant and bitch which needs no response from him at all. It's not as if I was doing it standing there in a public place (something I would never do) we were in the car/at home. Anyways back to my freak out, all is well that ends well, after a nice chat with the military housing office and the new civilian company taking over, we are not responsible for the carpet at all because it's already past its 7 year life cycle. It's the original carpet that was put in the houses when they were built like 10 years ago so all we have to do is vacuum because they're ripping it out. So I guess Shawn's don't worry attitude would have been better but I vented my stress and anger so at least I know I won't explode now. When I internalize stress it never ends well.

Anyways on to knitting and other fun stuff.

I received my TLE #9 swap in the mail today.

 

I love everything! I got stitch markers, hot cocoa, chocolate coffee, hot tamales, a lovely pair of socks made with Hazel Knits artisian sock yarn, Koigu Kersti, BFL/Seacell fiber, and an emergency fix key chain.

My It's a Wrap mini kit from Woolgirl.

 

I test knit this a while back and I've been patiently waiting to post about it. I'm co-hosting a KAL with the designer. I can't wait to get started on this. The yarn is Miss Babs Yowza worsted weight which I absolutely adore. The colorway is Tulipa which is a lovely deep purple.

I knit a Darkside Cowl (ravelry) for Bree.

Of course it's warmed back up and now she doesn't need it but it's ready for when the temps drop again. The yarn is the Premier yarns serenity sock yarn that I picked up on sale at JoAnn's. I held it double stranded and let me say that I think I'm going to knit more of these double stranded with sock yarn. I just need to add more stitches for myself and Kaity. This is a great pattern and double stranded with sock yarn makes it extra squishy and warm.

Yarn for a baby blanket for my cousin M.

She's due this summer with her second child. I need to check with my aunt to see when little dude is due to join this world. The yarn is Knit Picks Comfy Worsted and the colorway is called Macaw which this does remind me of the green on some of the Macaws. Cousin M already has a blue baby blanket so I figured I'd change it up a bit and use a non standard baby color.

Finally I finished the first part of my 2012 Quarter one challenge from TLE.

The pattern is Malabrigo Silky Merino and the pattern is Princess Mitts (Ravelry)(non Ravelry) from The Knitter's Book of Yarn. It's also a free pattern. I think it was one of those patterns that Potters Craft released as a teaser for the release of the book. The pattern had a error in the thumb chart but by the time I noticed it it was too late and I was too lazy to rip and reknit. The error wasn't that big of a deal for me. Note to self, check for errata before starting to knit, bone head!!

I'll leave you with a shot of George and Bill hanging out and getting to know each other over pop corn.

 Bill is on the left and George is on the right pigging out on the popcorn. Bill and George will be getting separate big cages not because they don't get along because they're not to bad together it's because George absolutely hates Shawn and Shawn's afraid George is going to hurt himself if Shawn puts his hand in the cage to get Bill. George freaked out when Shawn uncovered him this morning and ended up rubbing his wing so hard it bled. So each birdie will be getting their own big, sturdy cage and Shawn will ignore George from here on out. I'm aggravated with the both of them.

Till next time......Happy Crafting!

On the Mend

I woke up the other day (mind you, I started this post on the 9th of July) feeling great without a care in the world not knowing that later in the morning my back would starting screaming in pain for apparently no good reason. I suffered with it for one day, went to bed early and woke up the next morning in even more pain. So when you're in pain, what do you do? Why call your doc to see if you can get an appointment. The military treatment system being as suckish backed up as it is didn't have an appointment till mid Aug....uuuuhhh, nope not waiting for that appointment. Thankfully we can go downtown to be seen in one of the the walk in clinics, which incidentally are 500 times better and staffed with much more friendlier, helpful, caring people then a military hospital. Amazingly enough the clinic wasn't to busy and I was only in there for a little over an hour. Turns out I was having a severe muscle spasm and possible muscle strain.

Just as my back pain was easing up I came down with some kind of virus. You know the routine, fever, sore throat, body aches so bad you want someone to shoot you. Except this time I ended up with the most unbearable dizziness. I was fine if I laid down but with two kids at home that really isn't much of an option. I finally figured out I could stop the dizziness if I chewed a piece of gum. The dizziness went away a few days later. I think it was a combo of headcold/allergies.....as if the allergies aren't bad enough.

So now that I'm on the mend I can get back to my some what irregular blog posting. It's been a very long time since I last posted. I'm trying to figure out where in the world to start first. This post is probably going to bounce around a bit between FOs, WIPs and stash enhancements.

I finally acquired my first skein of Numma Numma.

I swapped with a fellow Ravely user. I love the colors. The colorway is called No Substitutions. Now to find a pattern and knit this up. Hahaha yeah right it'll probably sit in my stash for the next 6 months before I figure out what I want to knit.

I finished my Hearts and Flowers Socks (Ravelry).

This is one of the patterns out of WendyKnits toe up sock book. I have plans to start another sock from her book soon. The yarn is Dream in Color Smooshy, color Plum Paisley. I just can't get enough of this yarn. The only mod I made was to knit 4-5 rounds before starting the picot edging.

I started a pair of fingerless mitts for my mom.

The pattern is Merletto Mitts (Ravelry). I have no idea who dyed the yarn or what brand it is. I can tell you it's soft, it's definitely superwash and it's a tad heavier then fingering weight yarn, maybe sports weight. It was part of the winnings from one of the contests Woolgirl had on her blog.

I've acquired a good amount of fiber since my last post. I'm not going to post all the pics here but you can see them here on Flickr if you want.

I did acquire this lovely skein of BFL sock yarn from Zen Yarn Garden.

I placed an order when Roxanne opened up her new shopping cart and had a 10% coupon. I picked up 2 different fibers, BFL and Merino/Seacell. I'm currently spinning the Seacell right now. Anyway back to the sock yarn, this one is a new BFL sock yarn that ZYG is carrying called BFL4 Sock. It's absolutely delicious. I've been pondering what I want to make with this, socks or a cowl of some type.

I finished another pair of socks the other day.

These socks were a nightmare to get started. The yarn wasn't playing very well with any of the patterns I picked. I finally went with the Seeded Ribbing (Ravelry) pattern from More Sensational Knitted Socks. The yarn is a skein of Mountain Colors Bearfoot that I acquired as a pick me up when we first moved here. Some of you may remember that we found out we weren't going to get our house for over a month and were stuck in TLF (TLF means Temporary Lodging Facility, it's a military hotel for families). It was one of my very first purchases from the yarn shop here in town. I really liked knitting with the Bearfoot yarn but from here on out I will be sticking with their semi solid colors.

Here's the latest skein of handspun.

It's approx 148 yards of thick and thin yarn that's between worsted and bulky. I spun this using the Yarn Love Marianne Dashwood roving I picked up from TLE. The colorway is Bayfield Apple. This picture was taken before it took a dip in the woolwash. It's currently hanging out to dry right now.

I'm working on a new pair of socks for my mom.

This is the Halema uma u Socks (Ravelry) pattern from the TLE Anniversary kit I purchased last year. The pattern will most likely be made available on TLE's site for sale in the future....most kit and club patterns are made available 6 months or so after the kit is sent out. Actually I found a Ravelry user who was destashing so I have two skeins of this yarn. I bought the second skein with my mom in mind since she commented on how much she really liked the color. The yarn is Handmaiden Casbah and the colorway is Loopified. I'm not following the pattern to a "T". I cast on more stitches for a less narrow toe and I've opted for an afterthought heel since I really liked the striping that I was getting. I didn't want to mess that up.

My "on the go" socks have a heel.

Yup, I know, exciting stuff! Plain stockinette socks with self striping yarn, can't get much more easier then that. I knit them in the car and when I have doctor/dentist appointments. No pattern required and I don't even have to look at them while I'm knitting. The yarn is Paton Kroy self striping that I picked up from Michaels. The skeins were completely messed up due to one of the them having a knot part way through so there was no way to make the stripes match. To keep my sanity I decided to knit not matching pair. I like them so that's all that matters.

I've also finished a few more test knits for Woolgirl and I have another one to start that the mailman just dropped off. I'll be able to show you two of the knits in my next post.

On the upside my tomatoes are doing wonderful. No red ones yet but we have a few that are getting really close. In the few days I was down from the virus the amount of tiny tomatoes I had tripled. I can't wait to get my first tomato...mmmmmm!

Bree says she can't wait too!

Stay tuned! I'm gearing up for a blog contest. We have some celebrating to do since we made our final payment and are now debt free!!! I'll post more about the contest in the next few weeks.

Happy Crafting!

Happy Blogiversary To Me

Wow. It's hard to believe that it's been 2 years since I started this blog. I know I've been kind of erratic with my posting lately. Thanks to all of you who have hung on through the blog blahs. I'm not going to do a contest right now but will be holding one after the first of the year.

Today is the anniversary of the Attack on Pearl Harbor. A date in history that is more significant then my blogiversary. Please remember our veteran old and young during this holiday season or better yet year round. Visit a VA hospital, give to the USO, make a scarf, hat, helmet liner, sock, etc. for our troops. Contact your local VA hospital about donating knit or crocheted gifts to patients. There are many in the armed services who are going to be thousands of miles away from their loved ones....even the most tiniest things from home can help. Lets also not forget the veterans in hospitals who may not have family to be with this year. Everyone needs a little cheer. I highly recommend checking out some of the groups on Ravelry that are dedicated to supporting our troops. The America Supports You site is also full of info. Any one else have any good links? Please feel free to leave them in with your comments.

I do have lots to show you guys. I've finished 4 projects since my last post and have finally gotten photos, although not very good ones. We've finally hit winter like weather here which anyone in this area knows that that means colder temps, horrible winds, and lack of sunshine. The lack of sunshine is the worst part.

I finished the baby blanket.



It's ready to go to my cousin M. I really hope she likes it and gets a lot of use out of it. It's on the smaller side but should be big enough to tuck around wee one when he's in his carseat or stroller. The pattern is Baby Cable Blanket (Ravelry) and the yarn is Cascade 220 Superwash. I'd have to say it's my most favorite superwash yarn. Regular Cascade 220 kicks butt too.

I knit a square dishcloth.



The chart was sent to me by KnitTech to see if the instructions worked for me. They did and I now have a square cloth.....very cool. The only thing I'd do differently next time would be to use a provisional cast on so I could graft the stitches together or do a three needle bind off for a smoother finish.

I finished the Circles Cloth (Ravelry)(non Ravelry).



Well actually it was suppose to be another one or two pattern repeats longer but I deemed it long enough and bound off. I was getting tired of working on it and wanted to move on. It's a knitter right to do as she pleases.

I knit a pair of fingerless mitts for my mom.



She requested another pair when we were on the phone the other day and being the good kid I am I started a pair immediately. The pattern used was Irish Hiking Scarf Armwarmers (Ravelry)(non Ravelry). I really like this pattern but I need to make a few adjustments for the next pair. These mitts are knit flat and then seamed which makes it a faster knit for me. I knit these in a few hours. I used some Noro Silk Garden from my stash. I only had one ball so the stripes don't match. Hopefully mom won't mind. I had 1-2 yards leftover from the skein. If you want matchy stripes with this pattern you need to use two skeins.

I'll make mom another pair after the first of the year. I have 17 days to get my Christmas knitting finished. I have one Monkey that's just about finished and one more to go. I'll make it if I work on only those whenever I can.

I have a great start on my CPY Merino 5 socks.



These are for myself using a generic toe up pattern I generated using Sock Wizard for Mac. I used a turkish cast on, k3, p2 ribbing and will be using a short row heel. The yarn was acquired from a fellow Ravelry user. It's Crystal Palace Yarns Merino 5 Print, colorway Mocha Chai. I really like this yarn. It's making very squishy socks.

Typepad in all it's awesomeness has fixed my commenting issues. My problems all started when my blog was moved to the beta system. I sent them an email letting them know about my problem and they fixed it. So I'm back to normal again....woot!

Tomorrow evening I'm going in to have my hair cut off. I'm sick of the long hair and it's always in a bun so I might as well chop it off. If there's enough I'll be donating my hair to Locks of Love. I'll see about taking before and after pics to post.

I should be back here in the next few days for a post with some goodies in the mail. I finally got my first skein of Twisted Fiber Arts sock yarn. I found some one on Ravelry who was destashing a skein. I've been wanting to try their yarn forever!

Happy Crafting!

Snow, Seriously!

We've seen snow here already. For 3-4 days it felt as if we completely skipped fall and went straight to winter here in my neck of the woods. Really cold, below freezing temps at night and the occasional snow flurry. This is what we woke up to on Sunday morning.

I think the official total for the 12th of Oct was 6.5 inches of snow. Serious burrrrr! Kaity had a blast playing in the snow. Unfortunately Bree didn't get a chance to play in it this time. I need to buy her a pair of snow mittens and snow boots. The snow showed up before I got a chance to pick them up. It warmed up Monday so the snow is now gone. We're now seeing warmer more Fall like temps.

I've been staying busy with my knitting. I'm waiting on new yarn for a test knit so I've been working on my own stuff.

Kaity informed me the other day that she needed new mittens.

The purple mittens I made for her last year are to small. Now I can't have her walking around with mittens that are to small now can I. So off to the yarn room I went to dig out some yarn for a new pair of mittens. Last year I knit a mitten inside the mitten but that turned out to be a pain in the rear end so this year I'm knitting a separate inner mitten that she can wear under these mittens on really cold days. The outer mittens are being made out of some Plymouth Galway Paint that I picked up from Old MacDonalds Craft Barn. The pattern is the Elegant and Easy Cabled Mittens pattern (Rav) from 101 Designer One-Skein Wonders. This pattern has become my favorite basic mitten pattern. I haven't decided on the yarn for the inner mittens yet. I'm thinking about picking up a skein of LL Shepherd Sport to knit the inner mittens out of. That seemed to work well for the mittens I made last year.

I'm making great progress on Kaity's bamboo socks.

This is a shot of them from a few days ago. I've actually turned the heels and am working on the legs now. I've been mostly working on these when I'm in the car. The Regia bamboo is nice to work with although if you aren't careful you can split it but it's not horribly splitty. I'm curious to see how well they wear. Kaity is rather hard on her socks but I haven't seen any holes in the socks she currently has.

I'm working on a new dishcloth.

This is the Reverse Miter Dischloth (Rav)(non Rav). This is a super easy pattern if you want to make a quick and easy dishcloth and it makes it easy to use up those leftover cotton scraps. I'm using some Sugar N' Cream that I picked up on sale at JoAnn's awhile back. I do believe that the color is called sunkissed. Nice and cheerful to help brighten those dreary sunless days that seem to happen all to frequently here in the winter.

Kaity's coat is knitting up nicely. Sorry no pics. I think they'd be kind of boring anyway since everything is in pieces. I've finished the second front piece and one sleeve. I've started sleeve number two. By my count I have sleeve number two to finish, the hood, two pockets, seaming it all together and the i-cord trim. All in all the bulk of the coat is complete. I should have it done in less then two weeks if I keep working on it.

Next up in the queue is a baby blanket for my cousin who is due in Dec (if I remember correctly) which means I should get started on this soon if I want to finish it before wee one shows up. Some socks for my mom are in order since she is sorely lacking in the handknit socks department. Being the good daughter I am I'll knit her some more. Who doesn't need more handknit socks? Finally hubby needs a helmet liner/ski mask. I want to make something warm for him to wear while he's out shoveling snow. It can get pretty cold here in the wintertime specially when the wind is ripping through here. 29 degrees F doesn't feel to bad ** unless the wind is blowing at 30+ miles per hour.

** Some may say I'm crazy for making that statement.  :~)

I hope to be back soon with some finished projects to show off.

Happy Crafting!

Last Post of 2007

As most of you may have noticed, I'm in the process of changing the blog around a little bit. I've cut out a lot of stuff I had out here and added new WIP bars. These bars link back to Ravelry so if you don't have an account with them you wouldn't be able to view my notebook. I'm still in the process of working on the bars but they are presentable.

Let me know what you think of the blog. Is there anything that is bothersome? All suggestions will be welcomed.

I finished my moms fingerless mitts yesterday.


I used the Irish Wrist Warmers pattern and Knit Picks Andean Silk yarn. It took about 60g. I knit them on size US7 needles. The only mod was leaving off the ribbing at the top. I think it made the wrist warmer to snug at the top of the hand. I still need to wash and block them before sending them to my mom.

I also worked on my knee high socks but didn't bother with a pic since it's just a few extra inches on the leg. I have 10 or so more rows before starting the heel flap. I could probably finish these before Midnight to make them my final project of 2007.

Shoot, I almost forgot....I started Kaity's mittens the other day while we were heading down to Helena.


Mitten number 1 was started and finished on 29 Dec. I'm using the smallest size which is for 6" hand circumference. It fits Kaity's hand perfectly.

Mittens are a wonderful instant gratification knit. I'm using the Elegant and Easy Cable Mittens for the Family from the book 101 Designer One-Skein Wonders. I'm using Lambs Pride Worsted, color: Amethyst (M-62) and US4/3.5mm bamboo dpns. The only mod I've made was to use a left twist cable instead of a right twist cable for no other reason then personal preference. I like working right twist cables over left twists.

Have a safe and Happy New Year! See you all on in 2008!

An FO & An Almost FO

I finished Bree's socks last night.

She seems to like them.

These were a quick knit. It took a few hours, split up between two days. It's the same yarn that I used for Kaity's socks, Opal 6 ply, color 1712.

Here's my almost FO.


These are the Irish Hiking Wrist Warmers I'm making for my mom. Warmer number one is done and seamed. Warmer number two needs one and half pattern repeats. I opted to leave the ribbing at the top of the wrist warmer off. I think it makes it fit to snuggly on the hand. I want them to keep my moms hands warm not cut off circulation.

I got my box from JoAnn's in.


All that trouble for a few skeins of the striping dishcloth cotton and 1 yard of fabric. The fabric is cute...forgot to put it in the pic. You'll see it later when I get Bree's blankie sewn. I still have a few things to pick up to start the blankie so it won't get started until after the 1st of Jan.

I also received some gorgeous red Cascade 220 Heathers from Sue. Thanks Sue!


I'll probably make either the Thinking Dress or Bookworm (sweater) from Miss Bea's Rainy Day. Haven't decided yet.

I think this afternoon I will start Kaity's sweater. It's gloomy and windy. The perfect kind of day to stay indoors and knit.

Updates

I have a lot of things to talk about today.

First up, I received two books in the mail.


The first one is 101 Designer One Skein Wonders. I've already found tons of things to add to my queue. The second book is my prize from the Fall Cable KAL, Cables Vol 1: The Basics. The Cables book is awesome. I do believe that Janet Szabo is a cable genius. If you love Cabley Goodness go check out her site.

I made a pair of socks for Kaity.


Simple sock pattern (my own). I used Opal 6 ply, color 1712. These were a really fast knit (3 days). I still have 100g of the 150g ball. I'm going to make a pair for Bree here in the next few days.

Last night I started a pair of wrist warmers for my mom.


I'm using Irish Hiking Wrist Warmers pattern. These are knit flat and seamed up when your finished. I doubt these will take me very long to make. I'm already halfway through the first wrister. I'm using Knit Picks Andean Silk, color Chocolate. I really like this yarn and I'd definitely splurge on some for a sweater.

I've also finished a few dishcloths but I'm not going to post them out here. If you're on Ravelry and want to see them they're in my notebook. My user name is luvs2knit.

Today we're going to head into town to finish up some shopping. I'm making a stop at the yarn shop and may find something. I'm looking for some Lambs Pride worsted but can't remember if they carry it or not.

Wrister Completed, Check!

I finally finished the Wristers.



For anyone who's new to the blog you won't remember these unless you went through my archives. I started them back in Feb, I finished up the first one, started the second one and then they got put aside for other projects. It's been a long time since I worked on these.

Told ya I'd finish them. Now I've learned a few things since I started these in Feb. I've learned how to bind off a lot more loosely. I've also learn how to knit correctly so I'm not twisting my stitches. The first mitt was knit when I was twisting my stitches so it's a lot more snug. With that said, I'm going to wash these and give them to Kaity to play with because the first one is to snug on my hand now.

Now I'm off to find some lunch for Bree and I. This afternoon I need to decide which UFO to finish up. I'm thinking I'll get Sheldon the Turtle finished along with the other Playground Mitten.

New Knitting Pattern

I somewhat blocked and took photos of the Granite Dishcloth.



I think they came out fine. If you want the pattern it's in the free pattern section here on the blog.

I finished the updated Playground Mitten last night watching Transformers...yes, Shawn bought the Target exclusive transforming DVD case.

Right now the mitt is being blocked. I think I solved the curling issue. It occurred to me that even with a looser bind off that stockinette will probably still curl. I changed that small portion of the mitt to k1, p1 ribbing for a few rows before the bind off and voila no curling. Ain't I smart one!

October's installment of the Booty Club by Yarn Pirate.....Killer Bees and yes it really is that bright in person.....I love it!

I'm sure that it's safe to post this. I've seen posts all over blogland now. I've yet to figure out how to put up a spoiler alert. If someone knows how to do it could you please pass on the knowledge to me....pretty please!

This time around we received size US1 and US2 needles....they are pink! They say that they are 24" circs but they are much longer then that. I think the cable is 24" not including the needle length. I'll be able to Magic Loop with them.

If everything goes right I should be able to block my Forest Canopy Shawl on Monday. The poor things been done for weeks but I haven't had the time or resources to block it. So hopefully I'll have some updated pics by the end of the week. No promises because the weather changes frequently. Like today, we had sun this morning and it's been gorgeous up until about 10 minutes ago when it started getting overcast.

Once again I'm off to go feed the masses. I've given up on talking them out of eating, so I'm off to cook them chicken. Happy Knitting Everyone!

Bad Mittens, No Biscuit!

Yesterday I finished up the first Playground Mitten but it's not playing nice so the second one has been put into timeout.



When I bound off the 12 stitches on the palm I think it was done to tightly because it's curling. I need to fix that. Plus I think the little flap covering the hole is to short and it doesn't lay flat....need to fix that too. I also need to knit about 2-3 more rounds in the thumb. The thumb actually fits snuggly but I want to leave a tad bit of wiggle room. Other then that the mitten came out great. Opinions on how to fix the palm and flap are always welcome....throw them my way if you want.

So while the mitten was sitting in timeout, I went back to the Baby Kimono.



I finished up the back last night and should be able to cast on the front pieces later this afternoon after I get a few boxes unpacked. The two front pieces are worked together at the same time and I'm going to work the sleeves that way too. For some reason the pattern has the front pieces being worked together but not the sleeves. It's a typical sleeve pattern that gives you the pattern then tells you to make two. Guess that was too much work to throw in those few extra words. So I'm taking the initiative and making them both at the same time. No point in having mismatched sleeves.

I'm still undecided on what sock pattern I'm going to knit next. I'm feeling like cables right now so chances are it will be a cabled sock out of SKS. I'll probably use my DIC smooshy sock that I got from Sheri a few weeks back. The Twisted Flower sock that I started before the move is going to be ripped. I'll reknit it later. It's sat on the needles for two long, plus it was a tad snug. I need to figure out a way around that because it looked like crud when I tried knitting it on the next needle size up. I may have to use a different yarn, something a tad thicker then the Louet Gems and use the Gems for something else.

I also worked on the Cabled baby blanket but I didn't take a pic because there's not that much change from the last pic other then several more rows of pattern. I finally hit the end of the first ball of Cascade 220 superwash. I thought that thing was going to last forever. Out of the first ball of yarn I managed to get the 15 rows of garter stitch border and 11 pattern repeats for a grand total of about 12 inches of baby blanket. The blanket, unblocked is about 25 inches wide. I threw a swatch in with Bree's clothes yesterday when I was doing the laundry and it washed and dried beautifully. I dry all of Bree's stuff on low.

I'm outta here for now. For some reason the kids seem to think they need lunch. There's no school for Kaity for today and tomorrow so she's home too. Guess I'd better go feed them!