knittinggenes.blogspot.com

Hello Mr. Squirrel.  Nice job taking the LID off the jackolantern. Enjoy.....and Happy halloween. 

  Here Lies John: He liked to cast on Here lies Tess Beetles: She preferred wood needles Here lies Pat Farino: she knitted with merino Here lies Kathy McNeel: she never turned a heel. Here lies Paige: she never checked her gauge  Here lies Mrs Whisker: she didn't like to Kitchener Here lies Jill Frock: she never liked to block. Here lies Betty Pull: she preferred to knit with wool Here lies Snicky Snook: she crocheted with a wooden hook Here lies Tom Brown: he never put his knitting down. *a new post is up at Threebagsfullcorner.blogspot.com

  I am Remembering: I showed pumpkins like this last year to you. They are so wonderfully carved each year by a Shelter Volunteer, I had to show them again.  (after all, they carved them again) I am Watching: Pie chase a motorized toy around the kitchen.  It's not a mouse, but everyday cannot be Disneyworld at our house.  I am planning: To make spaghetti and meatballs tonight.  Premade meatballs: angus beef in your grocer's freezer.  I am Knitting: what I was knitting yesterday and the sequined berry yarn Trap. Katherine very kindly gifted me the fun yarn.  It gets compliments wherever it goes, and its barely 6 inches long.  I am rejoicing: because today is the day I would have had to recertify for Neonatal Resuscitation.   I'm retired.  I don't have to recertify.  I hated that test.  I hated the written and the practical. It is a necessary part of being a NICU nurse, but I am Rej...

  I'm having fun with my new cast on.  The Ridged Wrap is an easy 4 row repeat.  I'm using the Green Mountain green wool (mohair and wool) from the Sheep and Wool Festival.    When I came downstairs yesterday morning, Something was amiss. The cats were not on the landing to greet me... they were strategically placed under the upright piano... "There's a mouse in our house!" I screeched.  I do not like mice.  At. all. All four cats, even Bless her heart, Rozzy, got into the act.  Fireman had a broom and the mouse lost the battle.  I've never even given the cats a lesson. They are so smart. For certain Beatles, born in our home, has never seen a cat hunt. Yet he had the final say in the stakeout... There are many homes being torn down this month in our neighborhood.   I slept soundly last night..knowing my little pride of lions would handle any impostors...  ...

This is not a Trick ....or treat. I began a new knit and it is not a Trap!  It is however, a pattern by the same designer as Trap.  Meet the Ridged Wrap.  Free Ravelry pattern.  I have 8 rows done.   Not using the yarn she used.  I've got that new pattern cast on feeling! So here's a question: how do you feel about dog bites? I have a history of panic about dog bites.  I was babysitting as a teenager when a dog bit someone I was taking care of....it was my sweet cousin.  I still feel guilty and I wasn't even in the room.  I was not happy when Zach got bit in Mexico this summer.  I returned a dog from a puppy store (ugh I hate to admit that one, about 15 years ago) when it bit Zach. When an old dog bites, I say it is time to put it down. When any dog bites I am inclined to have it put down. I know it is harsh, but I have no tolerance for it.  A relative got bit recently and a ...

  Beatles is modeling my latest Trap finish. Bea is camera shy.  He turns away from the lens. He is a good boy though and a sweet model.  This Trap is another Cotton blend from Misti Alpaca. Zach's Girlfriend Izzy loves rusts and reds so I paired it with a brown.  It is her Christmas gift from me so shhhhhhhh.  Silent Night on that one, as my Irish Friend Helen says when she wants you to keep a secret. !  Silent Night on that now... My unfinished Christmas Bells. The free pattern is Ravelry: Knitted Christmas Bells by Evelien Serpenti. Sorry I didn't include the information yesterday.  They knit up in a flash.  (here all the bells glad Chirstmas bells here what they say this Joyous day......love that song) 

I knitted a little bell last night.  I was challenged by another blogger and I found a darling little pattern.  Karen, my teacher, told me about the pattern.  Thanks Teach.  I think I'm going to knit some more and put them on packages at Christmas.   Do you know about Cookie Walks? The school where Zach teaches has a Holly Fair each year with a cookie walk.  You pay 10 dollars and you fill a bakery box with cookies.  The are homemade and there are tons to pick from. I took the frosted cut out trees, and the thumbprint cookies, and the chocolate crinkles, and the butter ribbon cookies sprinkled with green and red,  snicker doodles, Pecan and Powdered sugar lumps and more.  Then I brought them home.  I ate one, I gave Fireman one and reserved one for Zach. Then I wrapped the box in electrical tape and put it in the freezer.  In theory they will last until December 23rd. In theory.  Its all or nothing rea...

  I'm almost embarrassed to show you another TRAP scarf.  This is the navy/maize combo in Road to China Light.  I'm hopelessly drawn to knitting these scarves.  This has to be the most boring knit blog still in existence. Yes I have the other red/brown cotton 3/4s knitted. And Yes, I have another planned.   I want the red /brown for Izzy, to be big enough that she can wrap it around her head when the cold Chicago Winter starts a blowin'.   I love knitting these scarves.  2014 the year of the TRAP. I must write the designer on Ravelry and tell her what she's done to me.   I've already carved my pumpkin.   Crazy huh?  I always am sad if I carve on Beggars Eve and only get one night of glow.  I also read in a book from Kathy c, that you should score the lid and put cinnamon and cloves or nutmeg in the scores. Then when the pumpkin is lit your house smells fantas...

C is for Crocs.  Al's croc shoes.... cute cute cute Channon said so - C is for Cure This pink Mask was in C'ville   Cowls  C is for cowls Cozy cozy cowls C is most surely for CAT This cat was also in C'ville and he was Content to live outside the vineyard    and an aside: The Caught Cat was not Christine's cat... it was a feral traced to Waukegan.  A Cat astrophe... Christine was crying.... C is for conquer.   Remember all those years I couldn't fly? Now I Can do ... can do.... C is for comments.....gotcha!

  Socks socks socks,  Seems like we are all knitting socks, right?  This is Stonehedge Fiber DK from Michigan, in Crazy. Purchased in Virginia.  Landed in Chicago.  These socks will not match but they will be sister socks...   If I was not officially a crazy cat lady before, I am now. We have a cat tree.  Fireman has been vehemently opposed to this object in the house.  So while he was at a SPIN class for teachers conference yesterday, I snuck out to Homegoods and Bought one.  Pie and Beatles were overjoyed about it as measured by: Scratching the carpet and Climbing the tree. Pie fell a few times coming down...but she's starting to memorize it.  The as measured by thing is nursing school jargon... I'll leave you with the view from my yard: Sugar Maples, roses and Joe Pye weed in bloom. Colors are almost peak here....

More later: but Christine, Bubs, Mom called me last night. He was caught in a KIND trap for domestic animals and he's HOME!!!!!  SO many people helped so that this could happen. Thankyou St. Francis!  Happy NEWS

  I know this turned into the Virginia blog this week, but it was just so great to see Al and play!  This is the farmhouse at the sight of the second battle of Manassas as the Confederates called it.  The Union called it the battle of Bull Run.   I must say I took a pretty picture of it didn't I?  Fireman and I had some time to kill as our flight was delayed.  Lucky for us, this National Park was on the way. I learned that A man named Letterman invented the Triage system we use today, after the Battle of Manassas.  (once a nurse always a nurse)    We will be reading Civil War books, Fireman and I .  The grounds that are the National Park are hauntingly quiet and beautiful. The fences were designed so they didn't have to place posts.   Do you love a certain Civil War book?  I cannot read all blah blah blah history stuff. I need a really good suggestion!  C'mon ladies, I ...

  Remember the poncho I knit for my work pal Abby?  Here is Sloane staying warm in her poncho! Details: Sloane: adorable, doesn't sleep much ... Mother: Nicu nurse Abby...adorable too Yarn: Two strands of Koigu held together throughout.  Pattern: Posh Poncho Details: nice ribbed neck,  steady increases in first third of poncho, freelanced the fringe. Here is another thank you photo from Lynn of her  boys Mr. Whiskers and Teddy.  They are adorable and still snuggle buds...brothers! They were from our foster litter with Lucy Lou .... There has been considerable knitting progress on two Trap scarves this week.  The navy/maize is nearly finished. The Cotton Brown/Red is nearly finished. Some progress was made on the modular shawl.  I have to switch things up a bit.... my arm is a tad sore.  I love cotton yarn, but it doesnt give much. Addi turbos don't help either, I need the 'give' in wo...

  We'll start with dogs and end with dogs today.  Sissy and Gretchen came to visit us.  This was really special because I didn't  get to meet the fur babies last year.  Sissy and Pie share eye issues so we have a special bond.  The pups came all the way to Shadwells just to meet us in the parking lot.  Then they settled back into their van while we wined and dined.   This is one of their sides....... I was all excited to see them and it was hard to get a picture of their sweet faces because I was busy petting them when they were facing  me.   Yes, Sissy has a spot of color on her back that is a paw print  !  Thomas Jefferson founded the University of Virginia and it is a Colonial Architectural masterpiece.  I was a student at Miami of Ohio for two years and our campus was lovely and similar.  Since we went to Monticello last year, we focused on new things this trip.  ...

  Pull up a chair and set a spell.....I've so much to tell. Fireman and I spent Colombus Day weekend In Charlottesville with Al and Nathan....and CHANNON and Mark and Sissy and Gg.  I'm crazy about Channon.  We met for the first time last year.  Pretend friends rock and their husbands and fur babies do too.  This year we got to meet the puppies and Mark.  Sissy was so BAYful and full of personality.  Little Gg was lucky I did not put her in my purse and take her home.  We had a memorable dinner at Shadwells.   Um, Channon very much encouraged me to share a chocolate pecan pie with vanilla ice cream , dessert.   This was after a wonderful meal.  It was a sweet ending to an even sweeter meet up.  Channon gifted me a very beautiful book about Charlottesville and local farmers.  I love it. I treasure it.  Al wanted to steal it.    This is Deb from the Blenheim Vineyards ...

So Threebagsfull has many many mini skeins of madeline tosh unicorn.  5 bucks a skein.   I was drawn to them. Upon further thought, however, I hate weaving in ends....so I doubt I'd knit much with these.   For those of you who haven't seen Unicorn Tails, beware they are enticing.   You know I love all things Halloween. My celtic roots began the whole thing hundreds of years ago. I must watch YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN each season.  I love Charlie Brown Great Pumpkin. I have two black cats and plan to have many more.  Would you unicorn?  Do you Halloween?

  Frogged   Frogged   Pre-Trap Tank University of Michigan? Comments?