knittinggenes.blogspot.com

Isn't Interweaves' gathering flowers bag lovely? I'd do it in a limey green. I wouldn't put flowers in it. When you are really short, as I am, this bag would look like I was playing the bagpipes or something... and it would be horrible for my shoulder..... but a girl can dream! Oh yes she can! Apparently Kate G is dreaming on Dancing with the Stars. OH wait, I am a nice blogger. She made Buzz look like he could dance. That was so nice of her. I know we are trend setters as knitters, so I just wanted to mention that J. Jill now offers a EASY SLUB HOODIE. I don't like knitting with slubs, or worms I call them. But J Jill's ad makes them look so summery. I'd consider buying one if it was sleeveless. Also I have to mention that I am doing my part again for bringing back the babushka. I think we'll have a babushka contest. Should we? It is babushka weather........winds off the lake you know I talk more in the comments!

It took me an entire month to knit these fingerless. They are a bit big on my hands, but that is good, They are a gift for someone with bigger hands than I. I'm 2 for 2 in 2010. Two pairs of fingerless knitted. I feel so slow. I do believe that you lay the foundation for a lifetime in the first few months with a pup. I admit there has been less time to knit. Cricket is learning, "Im knitting now" and leaving me to knit when he is tired in the evenings. With my new work schedule, I don't knit at all from sat to monday noon. I work and sleep and thats it. Very few people seem to understand this schedule. I think if you don't work it or live with someone who does, it is so odd you keep forgetting. I am still really liking the schedule, I just have to stop feeling guilty that it leaves me less socialization time. It is where I need to be right now. I've given up on my sweet parents, they will never get it! When I am knitting I am loving it. I a...

*My Tye Dye in Minerals arrived yesterday. *I had great customer service from Yarnmarket. First try with them. *Nearing the finish with the blue jean fingerless; seriously, I will likely finish today. *Cricket's fence is up. The long 6 weeks with a pup and no fence is over. I never stake a dog, so we have been busy with potty walks for many cold days and eves. *Al got a job. ER in the city. Near her. She will work as a nurse very soon. *Spring break with Zach at home has been so nice. So very nice. He and Cricket are bonded. It took about a minute.... *Crocus are blooming. *Radar warmed the foot of my bed up right before my nap yesterday........ *I discoverd that one of the hats I knitted for Zach, has mixed fibers. The top of the hat is felting.....Zach says it gets too loose so he feels the felting is a good thing. What is your good thing? I talk more in the comments!

or: Cricket gets a fence!

Well this is a new way to post for me. I want to connect before I head out this morning. There is something in the water at work. We have many pregnant nurses and it is so exciting. Of course, I am thinking of knitting gifts, but I just hesitated this minute. If I knit for one I should knit for all. There are twins involved also! Perhaps I'll forego the knitting for favorite books for children. Hmmmmm. Thinking on this one..... Knitting infant gifts would mean getting away from my sock yarns. I am really enjoying my arm feeling great. Why break it if it isn't broken eh? Some of my favorite books to give families are: The Napping House Jan Brett books, anyone of them The House that Jack Built (I love good cadence in a book) THe Five Chinese Brothers Bread and Jam for Francis Its Easy to See Why..... And yours?

I don't worry about the snowdrops. Even with today's march winds and snow. I like thngs I don't worry about. I dont worry about Al and her knitting. She hasn't really knitted much in the last 2 years. I know she can knit to the very difficult level and she'll never lose that skill. She has five or so, unfinished projects. More important that she finished school and is working and having social fun. She is not at a time in her life when she waits for others much. She is on the go at work and exhausted at home. Playing with a new kitten doesn't go too well with knitting. I'm not worried. She'll go back to knitting her wonderful knits. The great thing about knitting, it stands the test of time. It will be there, when she returns to it. I'm not worried about the garden this spring. We planted mostly perienniels and that makes it so easy. I'm not worried about what's for dinner anymore. We'll eat. I am sure of it. I'm not w...

My fingerless have become guantlets. I chose the thumb that made the length longer for the whole glove. I mean gauntlet. So if you can see this, the cuff and hand portions are a waffleweave variation. The rest is beautiful boring straight knitting in the round. I continue to love the denim like color. I cannot believe how time consuming this is. I want to run out and by something bulky for quick gratification. I won't . I will cast on for the second one today. I'll show them both to you when they are a pair. So you may have an abundance of not my current project images on this old blog. Today is the day I take down Grace's snowflakes. It is 2 days before meteorolic spring! St. Pat's is over, and you all know how much I love when it is over I love when I the snowflakes up on the tree, but I also love when it is time for them to sleep for 3 seasons. I am on my way to the big city for the afternoon. It is great to have grown children that draw you into plac...

I didn't think anyone would mind a Helo update. I don't have any new knitting to show today, so I just want to say that I want to find yarn that is the color of Helo. He is looking like a sourpuss (pun intended) in this image. He's just a teenager now. What a beauty he is. AL and Helo will soon enjoy some breezes through the city windows on these occasional warmer days! I am : ready to buy some new sock yarn. still enjoying the moment at work sunday during the night when the time went from 1:59 to 3:00 in a second. You should have heard the cheers that went out in the nursery! amazed at how lucky we are to have Cricket on a grapfruit juice kick in love with my new vacuum for the wood floors. Finally bought one. Hoover Flair, bagless. Perfect. waiting for my jeans to dry so I can go out going to get the taxes done today not going to do anything for St. Pats day b/c I never liked it. Ever. Not even once. getting ready for the first day of spring! happy to have t...

Karen was having fun while she made the scarf. I'd seen it somewhere in a photo, probably Ravelry, but not in person. If you don't know, or didn't surmise, as I didnt' : it is buttonholes and buttonholes and more buttonholes. Cute huh? Still working on my thumbed glove. I am working a thumb like a gusset. I didn't realize I've never done this before. I like it because it is easier to do than run around some stitches in a circle on four needles. I think I'll really like the result. I don't do well running around in circles. Period. So it is MY weekend. The weekend where I work the night shift and we lose and hour! I know the seasoned night nurses know how to feed the 2 oclock babies at a new time , but thank goodness there will be 14 others nurses there to help me figure it out......otherwise I will be running around in circles. One less hour to stay awake. What annual fun for those of us who are night shift! I can't believe we haven'...

Go ahead, make Karen an offer. I'll make sure she gets them. If you know someone who would love a perfectly knitted Olympic hat made out of Galway, Karen wants to know. It is from the Ravelry pattern. Karen from Musings, I think you too are knitting this masterpiece. Karen also knitting an Olympic rings hat if anyone would like to make an offer on that one. Or the pair! Knit friends came for early morning bagels and strawberries this morning. I have more knit pictures to show you. Cricket had a practical lesson in not jumping on guests. I chatted more than knitted. Karen also rescued me again. Seems I knit another stitich marker into the thumb part of my current fingerless. (fingerless not thumbless....) Why do I do this? I need to pay more attention to my knitting at those markers. Karen tinked it all the way back, corrected it for me and saved the stitch marker. . ( I suggested she just cut it off, but she couldn't bear to snip the wire. ) I am all excited a...

I like the turtle shell black pin the most, on first glance at 3 Bags Full in Northbrook. I realize I don't have much shawl knot finesse. I have one pin purchased a ways back, but I can't master how to make it work well either. I'm beginning to think I need the shawl sticks. I could always get my very thick long hair up with two long sticks and it would stay well. So, I ask ya, ( mona lisa vito style) : Do you need two sticks to make a shawl stay? Do you use shawl sticks? Do pins work for you? And the thing I liked best about the Oscars, was the John Hughes tribute. He grew up in the next town to the north, and he filmed his movies in suburban Chicago. The Breakfast Club was filmed at my husbands High School when it closed. THe library looked nothing like it did in the movie. He didn't finish college. Why waste his time and talent. His clarity about how to be a young teen may have been muddied if he had stayed in college. How wonderful that he knew how to w...

I don't think I can concentrate enough to do a sock heel and all the rest. Lots going on here, but I have some clarity now about something I've been praying about and hopefully I'll get my knit concentration back. I have no difficulty with concentration at my work. I go into the mode and am in sharp focus. It is when I knit and my mind has time to wander.....you all know how that is. This is my blue jean yarn. That is my name for it! It is Araucania Ranco Color 317 if you want to know the real information. I've been looking for a colorway that reminds me of all the colors a denim can be and this is it. My intention was sock or fingerless. I started them the last night of vacation in Fla. Then I came home to a whilrwind. So, I did the cuff in waffle weave, and am now knitting straight. I am now entertaining the thought of leggings. I hope that thought passes.. Isn't it funny when you have clarity about one thing, everything else can muddy? I'm m...

This gorgeous recycled silk scarf was part of a recent swap I participated in. I cannot knit with that recycled silk without arm pain, but I adore the colors. This was part of a take it or leave it box that arrived from a Ravelry swap named Cuba. 10 people are organized into a swap group. One person starts the box and it ends with that same person. But the contents really change as the box makes its rounds. Take whatever you like and replace with something of equal or greater value. There were many choices but this really caught my eye. I love it and it is a great reason to try a swap someday. This type of swap is less one on one with another knitter. One problem with some swaps is that the suggested cost of the swap is often inflated by one of the swappers and then the other feels a bit guilty that they stayed in budget. Overall my experiences have been very positive and I have made some good pretend friends from the swaps. I talk more in the comments!

So many of you had helpful ideas for Abby when she ran across some stripes issues on the front portion of her vest. She decided to knit the front in a lovely complimentary color in brown. I like that it isn't a matching color. The colors chosen compliment ALL the colors of the back. She also knit a matching hat for the gift set. I love how it all came together. She will bring it to her dear friend overseas soon. Great finish Abby! YOU inspired me. Who inspired you today? I talk more in the comments!