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  Remind me never to give Pie a balloon.  Luckily it got stuck under a table; but for the 3 days I could not find it, I was certain she popped it and ate it. Thank You St. Francis for listening to me all weekend.  Thankyou Fireman for finding it when I could not.     Finished another little Gansey hat for my great niece who turned 2 this weekend. Relief, it fit her perfectly.  The Birthday cake was from Mariano's and I have to say it  was excellent.     I always learn things at our family parties. My sister in law brought a newspaper clipping from Fireman's parents wedding.  Seems They got married exactly a mile from where Al now works, in Norfolk. I find the odds of this amazing!  I think her grandma is watching out for her... what a relief~! What are you relieved about today?

  Swap is finished!   Can someone tell me what these little guys are for?? I hope you all had a great time.  There were some darling Russian doll stitch markers that someone sent this way; Al loved them so I gave them to her! Currently knitting: the Weekend Wrap is going to take me more than a weekend but I love it already.  I am using some stash yarn for the project: elsebeth lavold 's  Silky Tweed in  silk,cotton and merino.  It has lovely drape already.   Happy last weekend of September.    

  My volunteer buddy Linda is having a birthday.  She knits afghans and only afghans.  Martha at 3 Bag Full found this pattern book for me to give Linda yesterday. What a gem.  The patterns are clear and easy.  The premise is you can knit these blankets up fast and all of the patterns use 10 skeins of Berroco yarn.  Linda was overjoyed with it.   Have you seen this pattern book?? Anyone who has read this blog for a bit knows I love autumn and I love Halloween.  How come I never imagined having 2 black cats? Pie has Marty Feldman eyes here, they really aren't that buggy.  While the hummingbirds are gone, the owls are here!  Friend Karen has one near her house.  It is a great horned by the sounds of his hoot.  We call him OWLIVER.  The other night we heard his mate calling back to him.  She's Owlivia.   I get the biggest kick out of hearing these owls at night. Karen texts me when she hears him and then I buzz over and  we sit in the dark and l

  I feel in love with a vest today. Karen found the perfect pattern for me. THe Weekend Wrap by Coco Knits  is something I can do!    Here I am showing you the drape of it.   I have just the yarn in my stash.  Thank you Karen, again. Kathy C prefers the complex and this sweater is going to be gorgeous. Its not purple, it's navy but that's the flash going off.    Now for 5 quick knitterly  things : *Caroleknits Ten on Tuesday was all about books yesterday. (recommendations)  *Mere's blog had a few nice contest links *I learned the RUSSIAN join today.  Some knitters are really smart.  *I love to knit to the baseball playoffs and Series.  GO Tigers.  AL is a Detroit fan now.  *It is sunny and chilly; perfect day for a hand knit shawl.  have you fallen in love lately?

  For everyone who swapped, thanks. The first envelope arrived yesterday and cheered me up a bit, what with Al leaving and all.   Lovely lovely yarn and this beauty of a bag arrived.  I went onto the Ravelry site and saw many people used the Bambino for socks.  It doesn't seem like sock yarn to me somehow. Have you knit with this yarn?  Tank snuggled up to Al this weekend.  She admits he is very very happy with us.  After my boo hoo-ing at the airport,  I decided my Indian Name is CRIESATGOODBYES. What is your Indian name?

  There was a Union Local  Fire Dept 5K Run yesterday.  Zach ran, the rest of us volunteered. Great way to start Sunday.    There was a 5 year breast cancer free party complete with nipple cupcakes.   Do you remember this FO?  I made the vest years ago -  It is so warm.  We were outside at the party and my body felt warm and cozy wearing my vest.  I think it was a Misti Alpaca yarn and an Oat C pattern.  It is one of my best FO's.   There was a baby blanket finish!  Al's modeling it.  Finally, there was lots of sister love as Pie and Al got to know one another.  Allison, she has a HUGS tag on  and you cannot sneak her into your luggage.... I think there's going to be some BOO HOO-ing  as my girl leaves today.. Im really incredibly blessed with my family.  We go through junk together and  we know how to have fun together too.  I have to find some kleenex

  This is how Kathy B's family takes family photos.  They just don't.   Unless they are warned, prepared and begged they just keep walking.  So, from the left.(.haha) Al, Zach and Fireman at the Chicago Botanic Gardens today- I love them all so much.  Even if we are stuck in traffic together  and all on our own cell phones, I'm happy because everyone is within my arms reach for precious short time.  "This is the closest to Hana Hawaii we are going to get for a good long time" I announce at the Gardens waterfall.  Zach  was taking pictures of the same things I was taking pictures of.  The difference in our photography is astounding.  I'll get him to share a photo or two from his camera this week. I finished the baby blanket last night.  I washed it in  Eucalan (?) today.  Love me some no rinse  knit soap for a gift blanket.   It's a great weekend here at our house.  (Even the hummingbirds came back and we thought t

    My Al arrived many hours late and not one bit less darling.  Suffice to say It's a 5 Star Weekend for me  when we are all home together.   Ina Garten's Butterflied Grilled Chicken was outstanding. 5 Stars and I will make it for special occasions again without a doubt.  I used a 4 and a half pound Capon from the Poultry  store in town.  They bone the whole roaster and it is cooks nice and evenly on the grill butterflied out.    Pie and Rozzy got some chicken bits too for a treat.    I don't like chopping broccoli so I gave each of us a bundle on our plates.  I cooked them that way Too.   I just heard my neighbor give out a scream and I can bet you he got skunked.  The skunks around our area seem to have had a prolific summer.   Everyone walks with flashlights at night to stay alert.   The trouble with monogamous knitting is that I fear you get bored with my start to finish projects.  Sorry!  I will certainly finish the baby blanket tonight or t

  Senor Boyer gives these suckers to good students.  They are chicken suckers.  They are shaped like a raw roasting chicken. I don't want to try one.   I"m told they taste sweet with a hint of chili pepper.   If Al every gets to fly home today, (cancelled flights due to our thunderstorms) I am making Ina Garten's Butterflied Chicken for dinner.  Now that's a chicken I will try.   She's also worthy of fresh flowers in the kitchen.   I have no new knitting to show. I can report, however, that the swaps are nearly finished.  We are waiting for Sarah to play next.  Grace has played and the envelope is headed back home to me.  If you haven't seen Nancy 's swap scarf at Wyoming Breezes, head over.  Its great.   Now no one needs to fall over, but I finished a book last night. Homer's Odyssey by Gwen Cooper was gifted to me by Kathy at Fancy Stitching.   There were several riveting chapters.  Gwen was  unable to get to her cats after

  Still plugging away at the baby blanket.  It is for, friend, Stephanie who is having her first baby.   I'm on my 3rd skein of yarn.  I have to take out one of my children's blankets and lay it next to it for size... Tomorrow my Trauma Princess comes home!! She texted me this image early this a.m. She and I are NOT day shift people.  She says' TRAUMA at 0700 is not my thing.'  Trauma is never my thing. She gets this from her daddy-0. She looks so young to have such responsibility on her shoulders.  Who says kids today are not amazing? Not me. 

Up next: Fingerless.  Thanks to Katherine, I'm headed for a pair of fingerless.  I have never made a long, long pair so  I went looking last night on Ravelry.  What did we do before Ravelry?  My  cast on is a few days away.   I am monogamously knitting the purple cabled baby blanket but I may cave soon.  The blanket is 19 inches long and 23 inches wide as of this morning.  Up Next: AL In other big news, the countdown has begun... Al comes home for a visit on  Thursday and we can't wait!  Up Next: I"m trying to eat up everything in our freezer.  What' s left?  Nothing I want to eat, Funny how that works.  There is a box of Cheddar Pierogis ( I did not buy these), 2 bags of frozen cranberries, (I"ll make some bread today) and some icky frozen vegetables with a sauce I am not fond of.   This is not a episode of CHOPPED, thank goodness.   Up Next:  I am publicly thanking Lurker Knitter Nurse Friend Diane.  Diane thanks for the amazing Sun

Oops.  I mislead you all.  The Shibu yarn was Leslie's take.  Today I'll show you Ellen's take.  Sarah and Grace be on the lookout.  Then the goodies head back home to me.  I for one would have kept the green and yellow yarn below.  If you've never joined a swap they are fun. Try it sometime.    Miss Pie has an eye infection.  This is not a good thing.  Say a little prayer for her. I fear she may have to have her eyes removed some day if they continue to be unhealthy.   I read the best chapter yet in the book about the blind cat Homer.  Here is her fall debut photo in plaid.  Channon, fashionista, do you approve? My oops on the baby blanket this weekend was pretty easily fixed.  I went about 4 inches without doing a cable.... needless to say I ripped that part back.  What was I thinking? Any oops by you?

(Grace and Sarah watch for the swap envelopes to get to you! Thanks everyone for the speedy mailings to each other. It keeps the interest up.  I think the envelope mailing is very cost friendly and it seems to be mailing quickly from one person to another. Boxes seemed to take much longer.  I'll remember this in the future.   )   This is the Yarn that Ellen took from Channon's swap envelope.  I love this yarn.  The sheep buttons are also adorable.  It is fun for me to see the way the contents are changing. It has been a great swap so far.  Everyone has really moved it along. I think this keeps everyone interested and excited about participating.     Our hummingbirds are suddenly GONE.  Yesterday, however,  we were treated to the Hummingbird Moth.  This moth drinks flower nectar and flies much like a bird.  We managed to snap a few pictures and then look it up.  Have you ever seen them?   THey are yarn friendly so I like them even more! Happy Saturday!

Judy and Grace the packages are on their way.  Sarah, it won't be long for you!!!! Everyone had shared such awesome yarn and goodies.  I will post some swap stuff later here for all to see this weekend.  You are all great knit folk.   :)

  I'm twice blessed with two Black cats in my life. I never thought of them as beautiful as I grew up.  Now I know better! Happy Friday the 13th from all of us !  Pie either wants to be held or does not.  She knows and loves Zach but simply does not wish to be held in this moment.  She is a slippery as a fish when she wants to be.  (and no she doesn't scratch even with her nails out in this shot)  I put some yarn in this post because this is a knit blog. What would you knit with this one fine skein of Lace Merino chunky?   I'm still purple knitting the baby blanket.     Beatles is such a big black Beauty now.  He is still so sweet and dear.   You can hold Bea ANY TIME.   I am a lucky person.  I win things all the time. I think you need to call Good Luck to you. GO ahead call it to you; see what happens!

  I think there is no finer season in  Chicago than Fall.      Friends took us out on their boat again yesterday. The fish were not biting, but neither were the flies. In fall, you can be on the water and it is incredibly peaceful.   Larry, our friend, talked about sleeping on his boat once...... now that is a new MUST for me.  Sandy his wife laughed and said you couldn't pay her enough to sleep on their boat.. I think its sounds heavenly... The new Knitty is up and Finally there is a pattern for me:  AGATA: pattern is a great first sweater project for beginner knitters. All of the pattern pieces are essentially just big rectangles. There is no increase or decrease shaping, and it only requires knowledge of the most basic stitch patterns. If you know how to knit and purl, you can make this cardigan. More experienced knitters will find this pattern to be a quick knit. Despite its large size, it is knit at a loose gauge, and the rows of garter stitch and

My prayers are with all who still suffer from the events of 9/11. MY goal is to visit the 9/11 Museum at Ground Zero. Knit pal and real/pretend friend Jennifer (Major Knitter) promised to take Fireman and I there when we visit her in the future.    God Bless America

Leslie watch for your swap envelope.  Channon played Take and Replace today and is sending the yarn fun from Virginia.  :) Judy get ready!  Ellen is mailing your swap envelope now!

http://www.stringtheoryyarncompany.com/string-theory-free-patterns/ Pie would like you to know that String Theory has some great 'free' patterns on their site.  I have yet to get to their store, but I plan to soon.   I really like the free cozy cuff mitten pattern they offer.  Check it out!   Moving along on my cabled baby blanket.  When I work on it my mind is FREE to think of anything I wish.    Last night it was muggy and uncomfortable out on the porch.  Just as Rafa was winning the US Open my neighbor Mary called asked me to come for a swim.  What a great treat.   I was glad I happened to be FREE to take her up on the offer.   Other freebies on my mind:  Your blogs.  I'm so glad blogland is free.   Flipboard.  My neighbor Mary just taught me about this great free app.  I'm going to work on my flipboard later today.   From what I gather you choose subjects of interest and flipboard finds information for you daily.  The concept is your own Magazine

  It's that time again.  Pop quiz:  *If you are knitting cables and you lose your cable needle you can:  a) abandon the project  b) use a small double pointed needle instead c) rest assured you will sit on its pointy edge at some time in the near future and find it again.  (this is one of those quizzes which asks for the BEST right answer.....didn't you hate those?) *My wedding cake topper collection increased this weekend, due to: a) the generosity of a friend who was shopping and recalled my collection b)The two couples I had decided to have babies  or c) begging an old relative to give me her cake topper. *How can Pie put her leg behind her shoulders? a) cats have 40 more bones that humans, and they are all found in their spine giving them incredible flexibility b)she has been watching me cable this week and decided to try it herself c)I have no idea whatsoever I just wanted to post this picture of her  * When you organi