Happy late Turkey (or Tofurkey) Day!

So much for keeping the dog off the couch.

What a nice long weekend. Did some knitting, but more important, spent time with family and friends and did what family's do best - EAT EAT EAT!

Check out Heather's blog at "A Family Life". She has a great idea for some charitable knitting. Follow a simple pattern and use up some old stash to knit a bear for some kids in Jamaica. Visit her blog to see how to get involved.

And now for some socks. . .

(Middle Sock)
Pattern: basic sock - CO 60
Needles: US size 2
Yarn: Schachenmayr Nomotta Regia Avenue Color (mom bought it for me in Germany)
Color: Mexico 1118
Size: women's 8/9

Sock on the left:
Pattern: my own (CO 48)
Yarn: Marks & Kattens Clown
Needle: US 2
Size: Child 6/8 yrs

Blue sock:
Pattern: my own (CO 48)
Yarn: Online Supersocke 100
Color: Holiday - turquoise
Size: Child 6/8 yrs

And yes . . . I broke my yarn diet, but only to purchase yarns for Holiday gifts. So technically, that doesn't count.

Also, I thought this was very interesting. It's a friend's blog entry regarding Christmas Pudding. I never really knew what it was all about. Check it out!
So sorry for the boring post. I'll try harder next week.

Puppy Love

The dictionary meaning of "puppy love" says:

transitory love or affection felt by a child or adolescent

However, I'd like to challenge the Merriam-Webster's definition of puppy love to include the following:

2. the ability to love a puppy despite its inability to control bladder and bowel functions, tendency towards destroying shoes, toys, socks and furniture, and a strange obsession with pouncing on people's faces when they are trying to sleep, read or watch tv.


So all this clean-up and scrambling out of his way has left little time for knitting Christmas gifts and I'm starting to get anxious. I started this pair of socks for my sister-in-law who I'm sure never checks my blog. If she does, well, there you go A.A. Some nice woolly socks to keep your toes warm up there!


I am also trying to decide what hat to knit. I already know what color but the pattern is illusive. I'm considering this one:

Foliage by Emilee Mooney
free pattern from Knitty

(picture used without permission from Knitty)

But there are also a few from Charlene Schurch's book Hat's On! that I love as well. Perhaps after Thanksgiving, I'll post the patterns and take a vote!

And last, here is a better picture of the Woolgirl Sock Club yarn.

mmmmmmm. What to do with it . . . what to do . . . .

One day more . . .

I have not posted in some time and there are several reasons.

1. My socks have become painstakingly slow.

2. A friend and I started an environmental club for our kids and the first "Challenge" was to keep as many electronics off as humanly possible . . . this included PSP and my computer - gulp. So for the past week, my computer has not just been asleep - OH NO! It has been unplugged! If I get the urge to check e-mail or look your all your blogs, I have to go through the work of plugging it back in, warming the machine up and all this without my kids/husband finding out!! Gah! WITHDRAWAL!!

3. I'll tell you in a minute . . .

So quick, before anyone comes home. Here is what I've been up to:

Christmas socks - which I am absolutely head over heals for - yarn and pattern. They are not quite done, but soon . . . so soon.Specs:
Pattern: Child's First Sock in Shell Pattern by Nancy Bush
(THIS IS MISLEADING AS THEY ARE NOT CHILD SIZED)
Yarn: fingerling weight - Sweet Sheep Sweet Socks
Colorway: Vampire (I know . . . not very Christmasy)
Needles: Size 2 (Keep in mind that she must have a very loose gauge because she specifies US 1 and I used US 2 and the socks are not even close to being too big. )

Next stop - Gift Socks for a certain kid we like to refer to as Lumpy.
Simple and straight forward socks.Pattern: my own - just a basic sock
Yarn: Clown #1689
needles: US 2
CO 48 - this will fit a child - 6-8 - I have a tight gauge.

My Woolgirl Sock Club kit arrived. It's fabulous. Simply fabulous! Here's a pic:SALE!!!! You know those beautiful Noro scarves everyone is knitting?! Well Noro can be expensive but Woolgirl is having a sale 40% off and the Noro is going fast for $5.40 per skein!! HURRY! (My hands are tied behind my back (I'm typing with my nose) so I can't buy the stuff, but I want some of that bad. This is a great beginner scarf AND they make great Christmas gifts!
And #3 reason:
We picked up Leo early - we couldn't wait any longer. Here is our dear boy in all his glory!!
And he's off!!

Waiting to fill the empty spaces . . .

Four more days until we bring our little Leo home!

STASH ATTACK!!

Prepare your eyes for a feast of yarny yumminess! Yes, I am still on Yarn-Hiatus. This stuff was all technically paid for BEFORE I went into my Yarnaholic Out-Patient Therapy.

First on my list:

Yarntini "Pumpkin Spice" (paid for by my dad - THANKS!) Purchased at Woolgirl (LOVE THAT STORE)

Next stop: ShibuiKnits Sock yarn "Orange" (stop drooling) Tiffy, keep your eye on this stuff. Purchased at Coldwater Collaborative.

For December knitting I give you: Collinette Jitterbug "Raspberry" sigh. lovely.
Also purchased at Coldwater.
And lucky little me, this FABULOUS Christmas Story sock kit from Woolgirl
And a child's Christmas gift knit. Not sure yet who will get these socks. . .
Leo comes home in "9 sleeps"!!

Good Morning!

HATS ON! That's the book, by Charlene Schurch where I got this pattern for Belle's hat.
Specs:
Lace Rib Watch Cap by Charlene Schurch
Yarn: Galway Worsted Wool
Needles: Size 6
CO 100 for small
A very quick knit!

And like Guinifer over there at Halfway Down the Stairs, we have an announcement to make! "In 10 sleeps" (kid talk) we will be bringing this little fella home.

His name is Leo, AKA Mr. Red and we can't wait.

Speechless!

I received a package this weekend that was so kick-butt, it actually brought tears to my eyes! Look what my awesome sock-swap pal, Heather, sent me!! BEWARE OF EYE CANDY!!

First, this gorgeous pink tote bag for my knitting projects with the nicest letter explaining each item. (The bag gift is an upgrade from my ziploc baggies and I LOVE IT!!!!)Little sticky notes - always come in handy.
Some fabuous squooshy, yummy yarn called Fleece Artist: Cherry Swirl Sock but should be called Snow Cone because it's the exact colors of a State Fair Snow Cone!


Some Tofusies sock yarn, which I've never tried and can't wait to - and yummy wool wash.

The funniest Jelly Beans with flavors like lemon drop, grass and ear wax!!
Check this out: carved cable needles in a little case! My one excuse for not doing cables was, "Oops, no cable needles." Well now, look at those little honeys. I have a cable pattern I'm going to try out this week! I love love love them. So special, Heather!And the BEST FOR LAST - The coolest socks ever! I LOVE LOVE LOVE THEM! I put them on right away and they fit like a glove. Wore them all day and bragged to everyone I saw.

They're very soft and comfy and like I said, fit perfectly. My sneaky pal posted them on her blog, but changed the color on her computer so they looked blue! HA HA HA! I was thinking she got our Hogwart House mixed up, but to my surprise . . . GRYFFINDOR! Tee hee hee.
I love the picot edge (How did you tack it down?) and the squares of color and the instep color - they are truly socks that rock!

And a very stylin' magnet that I will PROUDLY display on my car!


And so I'm off in my new awesome socks to go find some shoes that will show them off and to enjoy all my lovely new things! Seriously, Heather, I honestly don't know how to tell you thank you enough! It was the coolest package ever!!!!!!

Watch Cap

Good, basic hat - not perfect - you can see where I purled instead of knit and knit when I should have purled.

Specs:
Pattern: Watch Cap in Stockinette from Hats On!
Yarn: Galway 100% wool - charcoal
Needles: Can't remember. If you really want to know, I'll check.

Gonna be sick . . .

Woke up this morning feeling hung-over and staring at a crumpled pile of colored tin-foil from a bedtime binge of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, bite size. Stayed in bed a bit longer, remembering what I consumed the day before.

Breakfast: Kit Kat, reese's peanutbutter cup (x2), cup of coffee (x2)

Late morning snack: Kit Kat, Butterfinger, box of Milk Duds (unimpressed)

Lunch: Nestle Crunch Bar, Milky Way, Kit Kat and a Three Musketeer, Cup of Coffee

Early Afternoon snack: Handfull of candy corn topped off with grape Nerds

Late Afternoon: Huge glass of plain water to settle my nerves

Early supper: Big bowl of 3 day old chili with spicy cheddar on top

Evening snack: Decided to skip evening snack and lay down.

Late evening snack: "a few" bite size reese's peanutbutter cups

Today for breakfast, I'm going to have an apple. (burp)

Finished a Watch Cap - I'll post it later today - GOTTA GO!