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Showing posts from May, 2010

Reading YOUR blogs

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Well things are slowly getting back to a more normal state here at irisheyes.. I don't have much knitting to show, so I'll give you an Iris. I have been pretty busy and wish I had more time to knit since Monday. I hope to catch up on your blogs, friends. I'll be working this weekend, but that is fine. Im off for the actual holiday. What are you doing? Knitting I hope. :) Fireman is getting better each day. We are rooting for the Blackhawks and that will be exciting for the next week here in Chicago. I talk more in the comments!

This Pool is COOL

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Why can't my Yarns pool this cool? My friend Abby turned her first heel yesterday on this pretty sock. I was happy to have her to the porch for such a momentous occasion. Her husband didn't grasp the significance of this moment in a knitter's life, but I have to say Fireman did. (Perhaps because he was going under the knife and knew this knitter, his real nurse for the week, would appreciate a tiny show of enthusiasm.......... he raised one eyebrow every so slightly at her husband and shot him a code look that said :to them it is a Big Heel deal. ) What felt neat was Abby's saying how proud her own grandmother would have been to see her turn that heel. I love the generational stuff. So Fireman did really great today. Thank you all for the support, prayers and thoughts. I can't say enough how much I appreciate it. I finsihed one sock body and toe while he was in the OR. Our operating room has this strange board that is like one at an airport. You follow the

The subject is Chocolate knitting

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Stay with me here. These are Chocolate covered salted caramels. Within the last year we discovered these gems. Fireman and I love them. They are for very special occasions. This little pack was for his birthday a few weeks ago. They come in light and dark chocolate. I have to send you over now to Bianca's site : lansingerland.blogspot.com to show you her chocolate socks. She created this pattern and the socks are beautiful. The are published with the pattern in Yarnforward Issue 26 as well. RIght now my socks are very simple. I let the yarn color do the work. It soothes me not to have to think very hard right now. Someday I want to knit these socks on Bianca's site. I admire you all who knit complex socks and create the patterns. wishing you chocolate or caramels or knitting time this weekend. The weekend can't go fast enough. Fireman's surgery is monday. :) Thank you for the well wished a prayers. I talk more in the comments!

Only funny because it wasn't my dog!

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Cricket and I were out walking when we caught this guy in action. He was clearly enjoying his electric fenced yard with easy access to full garbage cans. He must have taken 5 things out and careful put them on his lawn before devouring them paper and all. As for knitting, I put the awful sock yarn aside. When I showed it to my friends Lesley and Karen this is what happened. Karen so gently examined it and tried to fix it where I'd dropped a stitich. I was having a terrible time with a ridges at the needle joins. She gave me a tip to snug up the yarn for a stitch or two after I go to the new needle. Les on the other hand looked at the yarn on the needles. I had knit to the cuff and was ready to start the heel flap. "WHAT are you knitting with? HAIR?" She was right. The lousy yarn was like knitting a sock with hair. Worse than lace weight. Enter Plymouth Yarns Sockin'Sox Color 6. It was the brand I fell for when my neighbor came over last weekend. For

Thou Shalt Not Covet Thy Neighbor's Yarn

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My neighbor Abby wants to start to knit socks. She brought over her yarn to show to me. It is gorgeous. I couldn't write the name of the label down while she was here. I promptly forgot it. Now my last chance yarn is even less appealing. I've told it if it lets me turn the heel nicely tonight, I'll keep at it. But there is new sock yarn hunting going on here at our house. I loved this particular flower when Cricket and I walked by it. I saw it the other day. I brought the camera all the way back to the flower today to show it to you. Isn't it neat? So very pale and yet stunning. I think a fairy must live in there when the leaves curl together... I talk more in the comments!

Happy Sunday

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Thought you might enjoy the little robin's egg. I am seeing them as I walk Cricket these days. Boring little robins come from spectacular blue eggs. I am still on cheap thrills I guess. I am giving some yarn a last chance. I have had it in my stash for too long. I think I bought it at a Stitches event long ago. It wasn't a brand name. The colorway is browns and greens. I think I was expecting more when it knit up. I'm undecided. It will make a pair of socks. I'll let you know if I pursue these socks. Otherwise the yarn and I will part. And that's that. May all your troubles be little ones today. I talk more in the comments!

Red Twizzle Socks for AL

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The other images I took are so bright they may injure someone. The true color of the socks is more berry and more dazzle. Al will have them for many cold days 9 months out of our Chicago weather year. I love this silk and merino yarn from Mountain Colors . I accidentally bought 2 % milk this week . When I tasted it, it was so good compared to skim! What a treat. Cheap thrills continue here at Irisheyes! What's your cheap thrill this week? I talk more in the comments!

A mother's day gift

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Makes me smile! I don't want to jinx it, but I am on the second sock for Al's new pair. I'm using Dazzle and it is so pretty. Expensive, yes, but I know she'll use them and enjoy them. It is a heavier weight and so I cast on 40 sts. What a joy to see my stitches. I'm a much better knitter at 4-5 stitches per inch that 7-8. Looks like most of the country is in rain and snow. I say we all need some sunshine. I wish I was not so weather driven. It is good to get out and walk no matter. Prarie Arts and Fibers up in the country in northern illinois, is closing. I loved the store but have to admit, it was too far for me to go back to from my home. Everything is 25% off starting next monday if that is your neck of the woods. I am hoping my posts will get more interesting again. I feel like I need to write through it. I love a funny post, but I am starved for good ideas lately! I talk more in the comments!

Will this get me a yarn discount?

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I hope so. I talk more in the comments!

May 8, Felted wool hat and fingerless gloves

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? Brrrr. It is cold on this Mothers Day weekend. Great inspiration for me to knit. Les and Karen from the Knit Whiz visited with me and I somehow walked out of the shop with a sale yarn from Wool in the Woods that will make incredible fingerless gloves for another Christmas gift and some sock yarn. Pictures soon. I was trying to use up some stash yarn, but as Karen says, sometimes you need new yarn to be inspired about a new project. My gift to myself and the socks will be for Al. My friend Diane has no stash yarn, She buys the yarn she needs, and then knits with it before she buys any other yarn. She's a smart cookie. I do lose interest in stash yarns over time. Do you? Karen asked me if I'd see the TInker Toy yarn swift . It is pretty clever. You can find it at Folkcatart.com blog. I am much to clumsy to use a swift. I leave it to the professionals. This little house has no room for one either. I envision yarn, cats and a myriad of other things flying through

Obedience class blues

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You know every time I think Cricket and I are doing well with training, we go to class and well, we have a long way to go. I think you can't expect too much after just 3 classes. (don't make excuses for your dog, our old trainer Gee would say!) I think I had acid indigestion, no I know I had it, last night on the car ride home. The positives are: he got better as class went on instead of worse this time. Knit to relax, knit to relax, knit to relax Just when Cricket thought a tennis ball couldnt be more fun, someone shows up at the dog park with an orange tennis ball.....that squeeks. He was actually getting possesive over it and it wasn't even his. KNit to relax, knit to relax, knit to relax I'm off for a stretch from work. I've had a busy start to my time off; hoping to find some more knit time soon! Are you knitting to relax???? :) I talk more in the comments!

Does this look like a summer jacket to you?

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I know I said that I could knit that jacket. Truth is, I could. Reality is, there was no more yarn available in my colorway that I had purchased over 2 years ago. So I would have had to buy 3 new skeins at 37.00 a skein. You know I am far too frugal to do this . But I may budget for it, and make that darling jacket anyhow later. Thankfully I had this WIck from knit one crochet too from a year or so back. The odd thing is, or maybe not, that it is very similar to the colorway of the Great Ad yarn for the jacket. Of course, it is an entirely different yarn but clearly my eyes are happy with greens and purples and pinks. This image is washed out from the full sun midday on the porch. The colors are really deeper and charming. I get to knit them on size 5 needles. It is so nice to SEE what I am doing. So far no arm/hand issues. I have to give some updates here that are non knitting related. The Hoover Flair vacuum for the wood and kitchen floors is just fine. Picks up little