Knitten up a Storm

I have really been pouring on the coals, trying to finish my diamond blossom scarf for the multidirecional yahoo group promo. I made it! with a whole 45 minutes to spare! Eeek. I hope that doesn't happen again. It is just to nerve wracking. I am going to start right in on my ZigZag scarf for that promo, right away. I only have until 12-15-05.
Here is a pic of the scarf. I will be sending it to Stand up for Kids after I make a hat to match. Not the greatest pic, doesn't do it justice. I made it out of Bernat Super Value color # 00478 which is really a variegated with burgandy, navy, teal and ecru, less than one 6 ounce skein. Not my favorite yarn, but I don't like trying new techiques with costly yarn. I have some Artyarn for the ZigZag. I feel a little more confident about this technique now. what great yarn, Artyarn is costly, but just the best yarn. I will be using their Supermerino in color # 102.
I also knitted a hat for a homeless man this week. forgot to take a pic, duh! We donated one of Bob's brother's coats to an effort by the local sherrif deputy and I couldn't stand to let it go without a handknit hat in the pocket. The deputy laughed when I told her. I am so goofy.
I also just finished another pair of booties for WHWB in pink 4 ply. It's that Bernat Super Value, too. At $1.88 per 6 ounce skein, it makes it possible to stretch my charity knitting dollars a lot further and it's a serviceable yarn, just not up to yarn snob standards. As I'm sure I've stated before, I'm yarn snob at heart, but not in my wallet.
Gotta go eat and then cast on for something, I have too many empy needles!
DJ

Impatient Needles

I finished the knitting on all the mittens and hats for the local Head Start on Sunday night. I usually knit-in a lining on my mittens, but I would like these to get on the little ones next week when they come back from their holiday. So, I picked up a yard of light weight fleece at Wally World for $2.47 and I will line them with that. I only line the 'hand' part, not the cuff. I won't be lining the thumb either this way, but I think that this time it's more important to get them done than to have them done the way I usually do them.
Anyway, I'm still fighting with the heel flap on my fraternal stripey socks and I'm finding that I can't do the flap while I read my email. For that reason, I am starting a hat for Stand Up For Kids. I got a nice thank you note yesterday from them for the last bunch that I sent.
My needles have been itching to do some fast socks, I mean, really itching. I finally gave in last night and cast on some Lopi and started a pair for CIC. I did the ribbing in a pretty orchid-y pink that I had a bit of and the rest is in a light silver grey. I am already picking up the gusset on them. Now I remember the other reason that I like making socks for CIC. They are f-a-s-t! My needles are satisfied now, they are busy again. It's so hard to resist when those needles get to begging, I just can't stand the pressure. LOL
Got to answer the call of the laundry now. Only because I need to wash that fleece for the mittens. Otherwise, It could call my name till the cows come home and as long as I have something on the needles, I can resist. No sense getting in hurry, the stuffs just going to get dirty again, right?!
DJ

Sock Psychology!

Sock Musings:
As I was sitting in my favorite chair knitting on the last pair of mittens for the local Head Start Center, I started thinking about getting online and about the knitting that I am currently doing while online. I always keep something on the needles that is kind of mindless next to the computer. I can't just sit here and read e-mail, I have to knit!
Anyway, as I was thinking about gettting online, I started thinking about my current project, which is a pair of fraternal stripey sock for me, myself, and I. I just started knitting the heel flap during yesterday's e-mail session. As I thought about coming in and reading my email, I found that I was putting it off because of the heel flap. I mean really; slip, knit, slip, knit, slip, knit......boring!?? Well, be that as it may, I really do like the heel flap knitting, and I like the picking up and knitting of the gussett, too. Yet every time that I reach that point in a pair of socks, I find myself putting it off. What gives with that?! Is it because I want to prolong this part, rather than avoid it? as I first thought? hmmmmmmmm What to call this psychology of the sock??? Is it 'psockology'? Does that make me a Psockologist? or a Psockiatrist?
hee-hee-hee your guess is as good as mine! Psockotic is the likely answer!!
More knitting:
I am currently working on my last pair of mittens and then I will have to knit one more hat. Then the fun starts, the sewing up and weaving in. I had hoped to have all these little mittens and hats done for the Head Start Center before the snow started coming down. We haven't had a lot of snow yet, but we have had some. Hopefully, I will have the hats and mittens all done before the little ones get back from their holiday this week. Next year I am going to start earlier. But, the idea came to me late this year. Next year I will start when school starts and then I won't be rushing like I have this year. In fact, if the mood strikes I will make a few thru-out the year and not have as many to do in the fall! It has been fun, anyway. I am using RH in crayon variegated colors and making the hats and cuffs of the mittens from Bernat Super Value in matching/co-ordinating solid colors. Pics to be posted when they are all done and ready to deliver.
Well, back to the socks and the email for now, and finishing mittens; later.
DJ

Happy Day!!!

My guys!!
I spent the day with these two handsome fellows. DH and DGS, Bob and Anthony(age 14). These great guys spent forever planting more spring bulbs than I could count, for me. Then after Grandpa fixed a "farmers scramble and fresh toasted homemade bread, we all went to Lake Michigan and took a walk along the beach. Can you say:Windyyyyyyyyy? We were all nearly blown away, but it was great fun and so nice to spent the extra time with 'Antnee'. I got so-o-o many terrific pics of the waves. The guys froze, but I wore plenty of warm clothes and hat and gloves, so other than being sand-blasted I was comfy. Other than laundry, cleaning and baking the bread, that's my day. Well, of course there was some knitting going on.
I was just working on some fraternal socks for myself, I guess the wind at the lake blew away my sense, because I knitted the two sox together. I got to the end of one sock and kept right on knitting across the second sock until I got to the end and then wondered why they looked funny. Duh!!! So, it's to the pond for me. Ripit-ripit!
I will finish a Head Start hat tonight and then I have to get really busy on the matching mittens. It's going to snow here on Tuesday and I had hoped to have 6 sets of hats and mittens done for them before the snow fell. Not going to make it!!
The pictures of Lake Michigan are from our walk,too.
DJ

Beautiful Lake Michigan-thru the fall foliage at DeerLick Creek, South Haven, Michgan 

Ummm....I was bad

Shopping addiction
I don't know what has gotten into me lately. I can't pass a yarn shop or fabric store. I spent a young fortune on fabric for charity sewing today and stocked up on enough groceries to feed an army for the whole winter. Must be nesting time. or something.lol Wednesday I dropped a bunch of money on yarn. What gives??
Here is my new purse, before felting. It is felted and drying now. I'll post a pic when it is dry. Now I have to start the multi-directional scarf that I am going to make to go with it. That and a whole bunch of charity knitting need to get done, like yesterday!
DJ

Shhhhhh.....don't tell

My computer is back!!!!!! But, shhhhhhh, don't say that too loud. I don't want it to hear. lol
Long time no post.......
I can't believe that I am really here. I am having so much fun using my very own computer. It is still an antique and only has so much usefulness left, but I'm appreciating every minute of its precious little life. hee-hee-hee
Knitting????
Did you say knitting??? Oh yeah, I've been knitting. I got a passle(is that a word?) of it done while my puter was down. Baby stuff mostly. Lots of charity stuff. Actually the baby hats in this picture are sewn, not knitted. We need so many to meet our goal over on the Knitting4Children Yahoo group that I decided to sew up some, they are really quick and easy. I think it took me about 2 hours to make 35 hats. I am a really slow knitter, so I felt this would be a better use of my charity time to help with that goal. I have a couple more yard of fabric washed and ready to make some white ones. I got some narrow pink and blue ribbon to put on the crown so they won't be to boring. Where is that embroidery machine that I have been wanting for a hundred years?!!?! And me with not rich uncles, pooh!!!

This is a pic of the knitted things that I sent to Parkland Mem. Hosp. from my October knitting. The large dark colored thing at the bottom of the pic is a pair of knitted slipper socks. I will try to get back on tomorrow and post the rest of my October knitting

I'm so excited, my Iris Schreier, Modular Knits book is final going to be coming in soon.
I took a little vacation from my charity knitting yesterday and today. I knit myself a little buttonhole felted purse. It should work well with my everyday jacket and the scarf that I am going to be knitting soon.
Gotta call it a night, (I guess it's really morning)
DJ