Oh, how I love productivity!

Last weekend was quite productive. I blocked CeCe (isn't she a beauty!) and now all I have left to do is find the perfect button. It's nice that I only need one button because I feel like I can splurge on a really special one if I need to. This is one pattern I would definitely do again - I love the one in the Coffee Bean Calmer that is shown on the pattern page.

My second Satisfaction sock was also finished. Let me tell you that the movie "Happy Feet" can't even compare to how great my new pair of socks are feeling on my feet. I know the true meaning of happy feet!

I have also joined my first sock swap - Bloomin' Feet. I will admit that I am quite nervous about getting the sock to fit correctly on someone else's foot. I know we have measurements, but I am used to trying on my sock to make sure it fits right. Let me ask a question of the seasoned veterans of sock swaps. Do I make the foot the length that was given me or do I make it a bit smaller to allow a little stretch?

I have ordered some special yarn for my pals' socks and am thinking of possibly trying this pattern. I figure the lace allows for some stretchiness which seems like a good thing when I'm making the socks for someone else that can't try them on as I go along. Plus, one of my resolutions for this year is to try some new sock patterns. I keep buying books of sock patterns and I love looking through them, but have not really made too many of them. Hopefully that will change this year.

As for my other goals - I amazed myself by NOT ordering any sock yarn for myself when I placed the order for the Bloomin' Feet yarn. I will admit it was close - I used all the arguments - I'll get free shipping if I order more, I've never tried this sock yarn before, it's been a really tough time and I need some yarn. But in the end, I submitted the order with just the Bloomin' Feet yarn. And you know what? I was really proud of myself! As for my other goal, I have been walking, both on the treadmill and outside with the dog. I need to drive the different routes that I walk with the dog so that I can accurately add up my mileage. But I think I'm pretty much on track with my goal of 8 miles per week.

The List with Pictures

1. Mail off red scarf for the Red Scarf Project.







2. Realize that even though a skein of Lion Brand Micro Spun has plenty of yardage for a hat, I totally misjudged the amount of Fancy Fur needed. Go back to Michaels to purchase two more skeins - one each of the two colors I had previously purchased. Finish blue hat and start red one. (As you can see from the picture, the second hat is well on its way to being finished.) The hats are for this excellent cause.



3. While waiting to get to Michaels, pull out CeCe. Realize that there is an error 4 rows down from the current row - and not just one stitch is off. I screwed up the pattern and about a third of the row is incorrect. Think for about a second that maybe I can leave it the way it is, realize that no way will I be happy with that and slowly unstitch each stitch as I work my way 4 rows back. But the story has a happy ending. I just finished the edging along the neck and now just have to do a small amount of sewing, block it and find a great button. I tried this on while it was still on the needles and I absoutely love it. It's just what I want to wear over a tank top.

4. Help my daughter with math. Sometimes they do these math stories. Here is what she came up with. "Mom wants to make a sweater. She has 5 skeins of yarn. She needs 9. I give her 4. Now she has 9 and can make her sweater." And here is the picture we made to go along with the story. Gotta love it. By the way, those are my skeins of Black Water Abbey (bought before January 1). The plans are to use this yarn for the Flyingdales Cardigan. Oh, and the other skein is a skein of STR (Christmas Bells) that my daughter picked out at Rhinebeck. She wants me to make her a shawl - I'm thinking Forest Canopy.

Hats Again

CeCe is coming along fine. I just added the sleeves so now each row takes a while, but at least I am slowly decreasing and I am still enjoying this knit. I will be taking a short break from CeCe to knit hats for the Boston Childrens’ Hospital. The information is over here at Mini’s blog.

This cause touches me because I have a friend whose son spent some time at this hospital just after he was born. Thankfully he was discharged and went home to his family and is now busy raising h-ll. He is a great kid and cracks me up everytime I see him. So I will make a hat – or two. I did have to buy some yarn for these hats since, if I do have some bits of fun fur in the stash, I couldn’t find them. But I figure this falls under the “gift” exception since the fun fur is a special request and these hats are for a special cause. I’m using the same pattern as Norma, the pattern from the Lion Brand website. It calls for one strand of Microspun held with one strand of the Fun Fur (I’m using the Fancy Fur just like Norma since it was on sale at Michaels for $2 a skein). Unfortunately the pattern did not specify a needle size, so I emailed Norma and she answered right back. Thanks! I cast on for the first hat at lunch and am moving right along. Although I will admit that I do miss working on CeCe.

Speaking of Norma, I do need to get the red scarf in the mail. I believe the deadline is the end of January – info over here for those who need it. I also am unofficially joining the “Walk 100 miles by April 1st” group. I need to get back onto the treadmill but am also able to add some miles to the total with the addition of Bandit to our family. Bandit is out almost 7 year old husky mix that came from the local shelter right before Thanksgiving. She loves going for walks and I usually try to take her for one before I leave for work in the morning. I’m not a runner, but when I saw we could do our 100 miles in a variety of ways, I decided it would be a good incentive. Currently, I am up to 11.5 miles.

Loose Ends

Happy New Year wishes to everyone. And wishes for a peaceful and healthy new year also.

I do have a few loose ends from last year. Just before Christmas, I sent off a package to Save the Children for Caps for the Capital. The total was 62 caps if I remember correctly. Two friends from work, Elaine and Maria, joined me in making hats, but the biggest recruit was Elaine's mom who donated an amazing 52 hats. Thanks to all of you for making this such a success!

I'd also like to thank Amy of Spunky Eclectic. I had ordered one of her alpaca mugs as a gift for a friend and figured I may as well order some fiber at the same time - for packing material, you know, to keep the mug safe. Don't give me that look, you know you would have done the same thing :). Anyway, everything arrived safely, the mug was a hit, and I love my new rovings! Actually, Cathy, my Yarn Aboard pal gave me the idea of using wool as packing material. She had included some brown wool in my package for just that purpose. You have to like someone who does that!

In the midst of all the holiday gift knitting, I started CeCe for myself. After all the hats and mittens (plain stockinette), I had a hard time wrapping my brain around the pattern. I emailed Bonne Marie with a few questions and she helped me immediately. If you haven't tried her patterns yet, go over and take a look. Great patterns and excellent customer service. What more could you want!!

I am actually thinking of some resolutions for this year - not something I usually do in earnest because I usually can't stick to them. But the past few months have been really difficult and something needs to change. There is a lot to think about - nothing major. Just changes I need to make since I am slowly realizing that the changes have to be with me since I can't change anyone else. One thing I need to deal with is all the STUFF I have and to deal with that I am joining Wendy's Knit From Your Stash 2007. I know I have enough to keep me busy for quite a while.

Hope everyone enjoys their New Year's Day!

Check Out The Pirate Booty

Well, the Yarn Aboard box full of fiber arrived at my house courtesy of Captain Morgan. It came stuffed full of pirate booty (don't laugh - this was in a book I read to my daughter and she thought it was hysterical). He brought some beautiful white wool (maybe I can try some more dying experiments), Good Vibrations superwash merino from Crown Mountain Farms (gee, I better get to work on my CMF The Beat Goes On roving!), a pattern with 6 different scarf patterns, chocolate, a great little project bag, the cutest elephant tape measure, coffee, a notepad, and a beautiful handmade necklace which I'm looking forward to wearing. The Captain had stopped by Cathy's house before visiting here and she sent the most wonderful treasures. Thank you Cathy and thanks again to Amanda for organizing this. And she really does deserve extra thanks for all she has gone through lately with this swap. Hopefully now everything will be smooth sailing.

Unfortunately, I did make the mistake of introducing the Yarn Aboard Captain to the Captain that had already been staying at my home (see picture at the beginning of this post). And then I made the second mistake of leaving them alone together while I went off to sleep - I guess these Captains are used to later hours than I. Well, it was a few days before the Captain was ready to take the new booty onto his next location but I am glad to say that he has left this port and is on his way to the next one. It shouldn't be long - 2 days I was told by the harbormaster. So I wish Captain Morgan smooth sailing.

And for Carrie who asked for some more "puppy" pictures - I leave you with one of a very lazy dog. Maybe she was up late partying with the Captains too??

Some Random Stuff

Whoops, I keep forgetting to do this so I will do this right now. Check out the story at Cate's. Apparently, some guy is doing some kind of project on how meme's spread. So we are supposed to mention the project and link to it over here. Then we are supposed to go and ping something over here. I think that just lets them know that you have done this. I'm probably the last one to do this, but if you haven't, go ahead. Let's show them what we are capable of.

I'm getting ready to send out some of my Knit Unto Others knitting that I've done over the past 2 weeks. If you are still hesitating about knitting something for charity, check out this post on the Soaring Eagles site. She still needs more hats - or headbands. Remember it must be easy care yarn. I'm going to send out my 3 hats and then see if I can make a headband or 2 before the deadline.

Also, one other resolution for the holiday season. I figure if I say it here then I should remember to follow through. Every year I plan carefully what I will give to everyone - I even have a list in Excel. Then, maybe a week before the holiday, I panic and think I don't have enough. And that's when it gets ugly and I buy stuff just to have more. So, this year I PROMISE that I will NOT do any last minute impulse buying. I will stick to my list and follow through!

Caps For Sale

Maybe I should title this post "Walking the Dog" or "Scooping Up Poop". This dog loves to go for walks. In the beginning I think the backyard was just for going pee and poop but now she likes being outside in the yard - as long as someone is with her. But there has been some knitting going on - mostly involving the Knit Unto Others KAL that has been happening for the last 2 weeks.


The grand total as of today is one red scarf, 4 hats for cihldren and 4 hats for newborns. The grrls at work have also been working on Caps for the Capital and one grrl got her mom involved. At last count, Elaine's mom was up to 18 caps. Wow! What a great woman!! And she's still working on more.

I also finished the baby sweater / hat set for a friend. The yarn is Manos Stria and it's a fun yarn to work with. Definitely one of my favorite cottons.

I am also behind in announcing the winner of the Kool Aid package so here it is -

Carrie K.

Congratulations. I'll be in touch to find out where to mail your prize.