knittinggenes.blogspot.com

Oh Yeah. Robert Redford is throwing out the first pitch.....sigh.... I WOULD LOVE YOU TO LEAVE A COMMENT>

So , whatever happened to a knit projuect is today's topic. Well, here is Marta with the cowl I knit up on our Arizona vacation. Her smile says it all! She loved it. Whatever happened to my oldest FO? The ugly/cute crocheted bear squares? Well, they are just lying around for inspiration one day. I can't bear , pun intened, to throw them out. They are from a cheap scratchy old acrylic yarn of years ago. Yet I think if they were backed with a soft fleece they could make really cute little mini blankets. Too bad I do not sew. The fate remains unknown. Someday, I suspect I'll show them to a friend who sews, and in a perfect world she'll offer to make them into something cute. As long as we are what ever happening, what ever happened to the moon that was so close to us a few weeks ago? Ours was completely covered with clouds and I never saw it. Did you? Did you bless your garden? What ever happened to PDQ? Fireman loved that stuff. It was a chocolate ...

For Eskimmi question today: How do you organize your stash....I cannot even begin to answer without Fireman totally laughing me out of the house...Im a messy organizer...but I do know where everything is! When we were in Arizona we saw these cliff dwellings. I found them fascinating. I think God knew not to have me live in that time, because you'd have to love heights to live in those dwellings. No thank you. I did, however, gasp at the mere thought of the view they had from there..... There were some other hikes in Arizona, and I skipped the last one while the boys went. I knitted at the trailhead with my broken needles. The Marta cowl is officially finished not because I ran out of yarn, but because I couldn't bear knitting with the broken needles anymore. I am the boss of my knitting. Karen of Knittraps.blogspot.com told me that Tina Faye says you'r are nobody until someone says you are bossy. IM SOMEBODY! and have been for quite some time apparently! Are...

Carter is all melt your heart these days! Noah is too, but both have eye infections going on and Noah is less than perfect for a picture. She's going to hate me when she grows up if I show an image of her today! Kids......you know how they are! I have given my eye worries about the kittens to the worry dolls on the barette I bought in AZ. I also GIve my worries to St. Francis, and so they will be fine. Today's Eskimmi thought for bloggers during blog week has to do with reflecting on how you ve grown during the last knit year. Well, I will play the pity card and say that much of the last year was difficult personally with health issues. THat said, I stuck to mostly basic socks and fingerless gloves for my knitting. I cannot say my knit skills grew very much. I did however, create and run the Swap which was hugely fun. I also wrote the article for Ravelry which has been read by over 5,000 now. These two accomplishments came oh so easy to me. New KNit skills are m...

(Stay with me here...the image is from P. Allen Smith's site. What a cute trowel holder! eh? I may just have to find an old croc around here....) Okay, now to stay on task...I am joining so many blogger knitters this week on the same topics each day. Today: a yarn you love or hate and why. Well, after touching all my FO's around here, I have to say my favorite yarns are Great Adirondack Yarn Company's yarns in cotton blends. I just can't wear wools you know, except on my feet and hands. What I really love in this Chicagoland area, during so many cold months is a warm scarf, hat or shawl. THe kind that lies right on your bare skin and hides you from the wicked winds. Now that I mentioned Chicagoland, I have to say that Zach told us that term made his roommates laugh. He said people from other areas find the term Chicagoland funny. We say it all the time. As in: We in the Chicagoland area, are freezing our butts off this March day. Chicagoland area incl...

We just returned from Arizona. I was overwhelmed with the beauty, the blue skies, the warmth, and the desert. I had never been there and was completely taken with it. Sedona was amazing of course. Maybe the VORTEX got to me. I dont know, but it was 5 very amazing days surrounded by new beauty for me. I knitted at the Cubs/White Sox game at Hohokam park. GO Cubbies, we did win! IT was so warm at the game, at only 78 desert degrees, that I had to go cool off in the ladies room twice. I knitted the colorful STR cowl often during the trip. I am a nervous traveler and knitting calms me down. In crowds, I really search for my knitting to settle me. I broke my needles yesterday before we left the resort. I broke the tip off my plastic circulars. I was able to keep knitting as long as I moved all the stitches so the active tip was in my right hand I am right handed. The desert flowers were just starting to bloom. Amazing. THey reminded me of delicate poppies here. I ...

You had to be fast to take pictures of our now gone, Fiona. She was not one for the camera. Here she is in a blur with her Allison. She began as and ended as, AL's cat. She loved Zach too. She became extremely loving to Fireman and I after the kids moved out. I'm grateful for that personality change. It is odd without her, and I am quick to change the music I listen to, from meloncholy to upbeat. We are missing her...... We could blame it on grief, but I bought some cotton yarn yesterday in a lovely spring pink. I will give this cotton a try because it has a slippery feel to it. Most cottons hurt my wrists. I think it is destined to become a cowl or a bandanna. The knit time should be short with either option. First, however, I need to finish the Southwest colored cowl and Zach's tie. I think I have startitis. I have never had 4 items on the needles at once in my life. 1) Mirror Mirror vest. 75% completed 2) Southwest cowl: 75% completed 3)Zach's Bac...

*Oh yes I am going to do it again this year, and root for our Cubs. *I love to knit to baseball games *The boys of summer are fun to watch *My goal: go to a Stitch n Pitch game...soemwheres *I should start knitting a blanket in April during the first freezing days and keep it on my lap *Who is your team? *What do you think of us Cub fans? BE honest. Are we whiney? WE do think we have the greatest field in baseball that is certain! I WOULD LOVE YOU TO LEAVE A COMMENT>

I must learn to imagine the look of the colorway knitted up. The yarn is just so sneaky to me. It looks one way in the hank and completely different knitted up. Almost every time. Do you have a tip for me ? This Garden Haze str yarn is looking very southwest knitted up. I am going to make it a gift cowl to my old maid, Marta. We gave up her cleaning services, but still remain friends. She wears these colors and loves reds. I must have her over for an emergency spring cleaning day..... I absolutely must by a tractor seat. I put my Half irish arse down in one yesterday and fell in love. It cradles your behind like no other chair.....Have you ever sat in one? Well, you simply MUST. Do you have a MUST for today? I WOULD LOVE YOU TO LEAVE A COMMENT>

Thanks for all your love and support. Saying goodbye to Fiona was sad but it felt very right to end her suffering. I took home some fur and let the other kitties smell it. They know, I am certain..thanks again. I think the first time I sent this post through I forgot to attach the images. Sorry! I am still worn out from the days events. ! Our Dairy Queen has opened for the season. My first choice of the new year was a strawberry kiwi artic blast....it came with a head freeze.... My sister's German shepherd had an injury and is doing rehab. Look at that girl do her workout on the ball. She's amazing. Such a smart dog. Here's hoping she is back to doing agility soon. I finished another cowl. This one is for me. SOft acrylic and warm too. It is blue Jean colored done in Vanna's choice. I am already knitting another cowl in the Garden Haze Socks That Rock colorway from the Take and Replace Swap. So Im on a cowl prowl. Have a Happy Monday!

Have you seen the knitters periodic table of fibers? Cute eh? Reminds me too much of my science days. Science was my poorest subject. How then did I get through nursing school? Angels helped me, of this I am sure! I am hoping some angels will get me through tomorrow. Time to buck up here and put on the big girl panties. Our oldest cat Fiona, has in inoperable stomach tumor. Tomorrow Al and I will put her down. She is almost 18. She has been a quirky and wonderful family cat. She is at the point where the tumor is completely obstructing her intestines. No wonder she hasn't wanted to eat lately. Fiona bona. Our little Fi. I know you all will sympathize because you are a great group.....and I know Huck will be there to meet her. I WOULD LOVE YOU TO LEAVE A COMMENT>

So it was a nice shawlette before I frogged it, I agree. BUT, isn't the cowl awesome???? It is a gift and will be given shortly. I love this simple pattern of Dorisann's called the Sock Yarn Scrap Bag cowl. It is a freebie on Ravelry. I've cast another on, in washable acrylic Vanna's choice for ME! Karen and I had a private lesson yesterday and I learned lots. I learned how to cast on an appoximate number of stitches based on the size of the finished garment with a different yarn. I was able to put it into play last night. THe original pattern calls for thin sock yarn and the cast on is 120 stitches. THe Vanna's choice is sport weight so I used Karen's formula, (inches of garment times 3.5 = Number of stitches to cast on) and I got 88. I cast on 88 and then knit a few test rows. I took it off, popped it over my head, to make sure it was size worthy and yes it was! Have you used this formula before? Karen also taught me to pick up dropped garte...

I've been reading that the March full moon is the Faery Moon. You are supposed to bless your garden in the moonlight this month. I decided to google Yarn garden and see what came up. Lots of cute yarn boutique's are called the YarnGarden. If I renamed my blog it would be the Yarngardenblog....Hmmmm I wrote a blessing for my garden in the spirit of the IRish Holiday: Faery Moon Blessing May the weeds be less and the flowers be more and all of the slugs and grubs hurry next door May the rain fall, right, here and the winds softly blow and may all of the earthworms enjoy the below May the rabbits eat elsewhere and the butterflies come and the sunflowers faces bask in the sun May the moonlight come gently and my friends wander near and may fireflies light up the dark nighttime with cheer. I WOULD LOVE YOU TO LEAVE A COMMENT>

This is the old simple shawlette being re-knit into a cowl. I love the colorway in either form. That is a first I think, for me! If talent was no object, I'd knit this sweater for my 17 year old niece. She would love it. My sister, my baby sister, visited unexpectedly last week with her 4 girls. Nora, the oldest, loved the fingerless I gave her. She said she'd wear them till she was 60! So cute. So appreciative. The littlest one who is 5 was having a time, understanding how her mom and I were sisters....and how her mom could by my baby sister when I am sooo short! Here are some links I love and want to share with you: feel free to add to them: myowlbarn.com tinybuddha.com nevernotknitting.blogspot.com savoryknitting.com I WOULD LOVE YOU TO LEAVE A COMMENT>

Karen from Knittraps.blogspot.com sent me this image. What a fun way to start my day after waking up from night shift. Let me just tell you how happy I was when 0200 became 03oo in a literal heartbeat....I was singing "its the most wonderful night of the year." Everyone at work was smiling for Daylight Savings Time change. I know most of you didn't like losing the hour of sleep, but for those of us up working we loved it! In knit news....I frogged the Really Simple Shawlette.....saw some errors.... I am now knitting a cowl with the yarn.... Tah tah for now! Pomogolightly.com is having a contest, go over, leave a comment and win a chance to win great prizes...Tell her I sent you! thanks tah tah for now again I WOULD LOVE YOU TO LEAVE A COMMENT>

This momma cat does all the work. She's great with them. Just fostering all 3 until they can safely get adopted out . I got to name them Mom is Julianne the kittens are Carter and Noah.... get it? I WOULD LOVE YOU TO LEAVE A COMMENT>

I'm trying to simplify...things....all around me. Maybe I should say that things around me are simple and I am working on not complicating things....Yes, Let me say it that way. This is my Really Simple Shawlette (pattern by aitchcreatvies). It is more than half-way done. I am using color #105 Artyyarns Supermerino that someone put in the swap box. So soft, so natural looking. The colors say "Floral" to me. Greens and pinks shades are universally floral in my mind. I'm trying to keep other things from getting complicated around here, like: My dad had a small little post op complication. It took up some of my energy yesterday on an already busy day, but the outcome is good. No complications would have been better, but I know better than most, that medicine is not math. My sister is visiting unexpectedly from PA. She has 4 daughters. I adore them . We are hosting the oldest two. Nora is 18 and Jeanne is 15. We are keeping it simple. Just spending ...

This is the awesome STR yarn that I won recently. Oh it is so pretty. I just can't decide what it will be.....another small shawlette? A pair of socks.?? Another tie....one for fireman???I just don't know, dont you know! Don't you just love the pregnancy pen I got at the March Of Dimes conference last week? It was quickly given to my nephew's wife who is 14 weeks with her second baby!!! Al has me totally hooked watching Lifetimes' s One Born Every Minute....you'd think I would get enough at work you know? Do you watch it??? I simply could not be a Labor and Delivery nurse. They are saints and angels. I had this weird thought yesterday... can you imagine being a nurse and spending your whole career with MEN who had crotch pain??? No one would sign up for that!!!! No wonder God only lets women have babies.. I WOULD LOVE YOU TO LEAVE A COMMENT>

I ate this entire Mardi Gras cookie myself. I never knew how good the cookies were at the Swedish Bakery in Chicago on Clark until I tried them....have you tried a good cookie latelY? I never knew how long a man's tie was until I knitted one. I am knitting Tracey Ullman's New School Tie for Zach. He wants it to go well with jeans.....I am trying to meet his wishes. Can you tie a tie? I cannot....but I do not try to tie ties either..... I never knew how hard the couches are outside the surgical waiting room at our hospital until I tried to sleep on one,( whilst waiting for my father to get out of surgery yesterday. ) I tried and it tied my back and legs up in knots.... I never knew how tough an audience could be, until I wrote the article on" 25 ways to cut back on Housework "that appeared Saturday in the New edition of Ravelry. I tied myself up in knots worrying about it initially......I tried to let it just roll off my back....and now, I am trying to grow ...

Whom so ever put the lovely periwinkle softest yarn with the Tuesday cowl pattern in the Take and Replace box...thank you!!! Allison immediately took it She knitted it up and is giving it for a gift this very day! I WOULD LOVE YOU TO LEAVE A COMMENT>

Great yarns came my way! I am in love with the bulky merino. It is something I don't have much of, bulky that is! It is super soft. Who swapped it??? The blue/orange sock yarn is going to make lovely socks for someone as a gift.....who put that in? I adore the stitchmarkers. My sentiments exactly.....which leads me to the last note I am trying to live each day with this thought. Amazing.....it is all around us....just have to remember to find the amazing! and drop the worry! I WOULD LOVE YOU TO LEAVE A COMMENT>

*Sunset on Tuesday 3.1.11 *Poster I Love: This house runs on love, laughter and strong coffee *I am knitting the Really Simple Shawlette with the swap sock yarn I posted and said I would make socks out of.....ahhhh perogative... *I hate Lent but I love Fat Tuesday *I am also knitting my Mirror Mirror vest. I have the back and a good portion of the front done as well...... *I also have a tie for Zach on the needles. I am knitting it out of the sock yarn that Marguerite put in Take and Replace *I read this quote last weekend and loved it : God is in the reality of our lives, not the fantasy of our lives. Have you read a new quote that rang true with you lately? I WOULD LOVE YOU TO LEAVE A COMMENT>

Well, the other swap box arrived yesterday. Look at all that tape holding it together. Fireman couldn't believe it when he opened it for me. He practically jumped back when the yarn started flying out...... You are all amazing and generous people. This box too, was overstuffed with wonderful knitterly things. Books: Knit2together by Ullma and Clark, the newest Interweave Magazine, and Knitting Patterns by Melissa volume one Babies to Toddlers. Yarny goodness including Tuesday Night Cowl package with classic Elite WINGS yarn in a soft periwinkle that I adore. A little sewing kit which I desperately needed. Labels that are pink and precious . Marguerite knitted these socks for me knowing she was last and they would get to me! Oh M, you really are wonderful. I love the socks. The little green elf or doll is adorable....who knit that one? And as if I wasn't spoiled enough, Grace sent me another gift: this great headband came with her kitty blanket donations. I will...

I really try to stay away from hot topics here at Irisheyes. I like it to be a place of whimsy, creativity and positive connections. But, but but they've gone too far. Breastmilk icecream in London? I dont care if it is the fountain of youth or magic milk.......YUCK......YUCK.....YUCK....... We now resume our usual blog chatter.....

He cannot get on youtube anymore. ......on our Mac Did this happen to any of you???

So this roving was in the swap box when it arrived at my house. I LOVE the colorway....so I've never spun. I always planned to learn......but later. So plans change right?? Who amongst you spins??? Who put this gorgeous roving in the box? Is spinning difficult??? On to sock yarn. Oh this is simply delicious sock yarn. I love the colorway.. .mine all mine Who put this in the box? You gave me a thrill! Yippee I will make socks with this yarn. I will probably make a faux cable for the sock body.....Who who who among You ....put it in there? Finally this is my new lunch bag/box. I remember having a Disney lunch box with Goofy on it riding a school bus. This one is from Lynne's etsy shop that I blogged about a few posts ago.I love the colors. So what is for lunch by you today?