Knitting

The one where she now has an

February 19, 2011 mud&stringLeave a comment

abundance of projects on the needles. The Omega Sinfonia has been reborn as Elisa’s Nest Tote. It’s a free pattern from purlsoho.com that I found on Ravelry. Nice, open lace pattern. See –

I started Wilma Becker’s Celebration Toe Up Socks last night with some ancient sock yarn I ran across when cruising my stash. I’ll post a picture tomorrow while it’s sunny, artificial light really doesn’t do it justice. Dark blue, purple and orchid (I guess that’s what you’d call it). Putting it on the to do list right now.

I baked a pan of Hello Dollies on a whim this afternoon. I had high hopes that I might get a pic before Mr. Iknead helped himself. Fail. It happened while I was fetching the camera. Sigh. Here’s the not so perfect product

It’s never too late to be who you might have been. George Eliot (1819-1880)

Knitting

The one where she gives

February 18, 2011 mud&stringLeave a comment

the Wollmeise socks the boot (no pun intended). I took a close look at the yarn I was using and decided that the Sinfonia yarn was totally wrong for the project, for any sock project actually. If I had kept going, my socks were going to be way, way too thick to ever wear with shoes. So, as much as I liked the color and the sock pattern, I frogged them completely. Note to self: Sport weight yarn is not sock pattern friendly. The yarn’s not dead, just waiting for the right project, maybe a scarf or hat.

So, I really have nothing to share tonight, but I’ll do better tomorrow, I promise.

Wisdom is knowing what to do next; virtue is doing it. David Starr Jordan (1851-1931)

Knitting

The one where she gets started

February 16, 2011 mud&stringLeave a comment

on the Wollmeise Socks. Now that I’m a few rounds in, the size 0 needles are way too small for the yarn, it’s way too tight. Dang it – once again the ball band is MIA. I know I made a conscious decision to put in in the knitting bag with the just started socks, and now, of course, it’s missing. Seriously. Or maybe not, since I found it. Must quickly get yarn info posted before it has another chance to get loose. It’s Omega Sinfonia, 100% mercerized cotton, Matizado Azules. Maybe someone can translate that for me, I think it’s probably Spanish.

OK, here’s my WIP Wednesday, as usual, better late than never –

Again, it’s the Wollmeise Socks from Loopy Ewe. I frogged the tiny bit that I’d done yesterday and started over with 1.5 needles. Much better, but the cotton having no “give”, it’s little harder on my hands.

The Papoose has an ear infection. She started running a fever yesterday afternoon and just not acting her usual, happy self so Lindsey took her in to the Dr. today. Got amoxicillin (what we always call the pink stuff) and should be feeling better by tomorrow a.m. Poor baby.

Abundance is, in large part, an attitude. Sue Patton Thoele

Knitting

The one where a sock

February 15, 2011 mud&stringLeave a comment

pattern is decided upon: Wollmeise Sock from the Loopy Ewe free pattern.

I finished “A Piece of Cake” by Cupcake Brown today. This one gets a huge thumbs up. Being in recovery myself, I totally could relate to Ms. Brown at the start of her disease, in the middle of her disease and finally coming out into the light in recovery. This memoir screams “WE DO RECOVER!”

No pic tonight. Camera fail.

Life is a long lesson in humility. James M. Barrie (1860-1937)

Knitting

The one where she gets way too

February 14, 2011 mud&stringLeave a comment

excited when she finds out that her Fayetteville LYS still has some Cottontail yarn in stock and will hold it. Same color number, same lot number, same everything. Now I can sit back and enjoy the Minnowknits Pinafore Dress that is slowly growing on the needles. I hate to worry about whether I’ve purchased enough yarn to finish a project. Actually, for this reason, I usually buy at least one extra skein, just to make sure. Of course, this makes my stash grow by leaps and bounds, since usually the pattern calculations are pretty accurate, but, as we all know, a stash can never be too big! See how it’s growing?

In honor of Valentine’s Day

Love flies, runs and rejoices; it is free and nothing can hold it back. Thomas a Kempis (1380-1471

Uncategorized

The one where she notices

February 13, 2011 mud&stringLeave a comment

that there’ve really been no posts about books and since that’s something I wanted to blog about, I decided to get on the stick and give the latest read some blog time. Right now, I’m just a few pages into “Henry’s Demons, Living with Schizophrenia, A Father and Son’s Story” by Patrick and Henry Cockburn. Don’t have an opinion quite yet, but I’m sure I’ll have one in a day or two. The last book I read was “An Unbearable Lightness” by Portia de Rossi, about her struggle with anorexia and bulemia. It was difficult to read at times, but I found it by turns depressing, scary, exciting and hopeful. Good book.

Here’s the necessary blog picture, since I’m told all entries should have a picture

A random picture of Josie. She’s beautiful isn’t she??

Love is life. And if you miss love, you miss life. Leo Buscaglia (1925-1998)

Knitting

The one where she spends

February 12, 2011 mud&stringLeave a comment

Saturday doing a whole lot of not much. I did do some stash organizing and such. I had completely forgotten some yarn that I excavated. I need a new sock project, I went through patterns I have and just can’t make up my mind. Sometimes I have to let an idea percolate before it’s ripe enough to pick. All in good time.

Tact is the knack of making a point without making an enemy. Isaac Newton (1642-1747)

Knitting

The one where she casts

February 11, 2011 mud&stringLeave a comment

on her newest project, Minnowknits Pinafore Dress.

I’m using Jil Eaton Cottontail, #7520, Aqua.

I can see Susannah in it already. Come on Spring.

On the subject of Spring, it’s hard to believe that about 48 hours ago, Little Rock was in the middle of a snowstorm, with temps in the 20s. Today, when I left work, the sun was shining, birds were chirping and the temp was around 50F. That’s Arkansas weather for you, if it doesn’t suit you, wait 30 minutes because it’s going to change.

I think cupcakes are going to be the project this weekend, haven’t decided what kind, for some reason, cupcakes are ringing my bells tonight. Maybe a nice yellow cake with strawberries incorporated some way. Hmmm…

You cannot be mad at somebody who makes you laugh – it’s as simple as that. (Jay Leno (1950 – )

Knitting

The one where the long neglected

February 10, 2011 mud&stringLeave a comment

Quickset socks pass out of the realm of the wip and into the heaven of FO. I wish I’d known how quickly they’d be finished, they probably wouldn’t have languished as long as they did. No matter, I now have a new pair of beautiful, fit like a dream, socks. As soon as I find the ball band, I’ll share yarn specifics. Check these out!

I give up. Feeling optimistic, I launched an assault on my stash, no go. The ball band has gone wherever ball bands go when it seems imperative that they be found and posted. Somewhere, a ball band is laughing….

Back to the real world tomorrow, snowmaggeddon has come and gone and work awaits.

If you want to make peace, you don’t talk to your friends. You talk to your enemies. Moshe Dayan (1915-1981)

Knitting

The one where the pressure

February 9, 2011 mud&stringLeave a comment

is off re: Snowmaggeddon. It started snowing about 7 a.m. today and snowed hard for a solid ten hours. Mr. Iknead measured it about 4 p.m. and according to his ruler, we had about seven inches. Needless to say, life as we know it has come to a (temporary) skidding halt and will probably stay that way through tomorrow. Here’s what happened at my house today: I baked another Topsy Turvy Apple pie and have nearly finished the Quickset socks; I decided to kill two birds with one stone with the photo today –

and made a pot of baked potato soup. Very good on this cold, snowy day.

I took these pictures looking out the front door about 10 a.m. Amazing –

Hide not your talents, they for use were made. What’s a sundial in the shade? Benjamin Franklin (1706 – 1790).

Knitting

The one where she’s

February 8, 2011 mud&stringLeave a comment

still obsessed with the weather. Snowmageddon is scheduled to descend around 1 a.m. tomorrow. Rats, all this means is that I’ll be up every hour on the hour to peek out the window and see what’s happening. I’m thinking snow day tomorrow just on lack of sleep alone, with checking and all. Patting myself on the back all afternoon for going to the store yesterday. Yes!

OK, I’m ready, got yarn, got computer, got food. Bring it on!

Reality continues to ruin my lift. Bill Watterson (1958 – )

Knitting

The one where Snowmaggedon

February 7, 2011 mud&stringLeave a comment

is predicted. OK, Arkansas has had more snow in the past two weeks than the years previous. I get that compared to someplace like Minnesota, Maine, Canada, etc., we’ve not had even a drop in the bucket. I get that, but, since this is Arkansas and all the weather guy has to say is maybe, possibly or, could but probably won’t, everyone and their dog decides that They Must Go To The Grocery Store Immediately, If Not Sooner and they don’t dare take a chance on running out of frozen pizza, ice cream, chips or any other junk food items even for a few hours. So, it’s been forecast that “Snowmaggedon” will arrive sometime Tuesday, my grocery list has already been started and I’m debating whether to try to beat the crowd and go tonight after work or take a chance and wait until tomorrow. Flip a coin.

I caved and went to the store after work. Had to get butter, eggs, cream cheese, bacon, health food you know. Now they’re predicting 8+ inches for us. Wow.

I picked up a pair of socks that I tossed aside about six months ago when my head was turned by a cuter pattern and prettier yarn, but unearthed the sock project accidently. The pattern is Quickset Socks by Megan Marshall and who knows about the yarn. That wasn’t unearthed during my initial wip excavation. If I find it, I’ll post it. Here’s the stitch detail –