Saturday, November 30, 2013

Little Secrets

 I've been making lots of little project bags. I can't say why.


 I can say that I have had a devil of a time keeping the little beaded drawstrings from tangling and that's all I have to say about that. All the crazy details will be here on display December 26th and when I say crazy I mean CRAZY.




Friday, November 29, 2013

Thankful for the Little Things


I was pretty sure that this was going to be one of those holidays where I would spend the day blubbing over things lost. The older you get, the easier it is to get lost in the past.


 What I hadn't counted on was that this was to be a holiday unlike any other. We were celebrating with a brand new someone who was no longer just a lump of baby in a bed.



That amazing turkey btw, was cooked by Son in Law on the barbeque. I don't eat meat but I can tell you it smelled so good I was sorry I didn't.


The veggie eaters had nothing to complain about. The Sons made side dishes that were out of this world good.


Under Grandbaby's watchful eye, Daughter, added finishing touches.



Plates were filled and little tummys quickly got full.



After dinner there was some serious playtime.



The Mister's little doggie was not amused. She didn't appreciate not being the cutest thing around anymore.



The day went by too quickly. All too soon it was time to play stuff the baby in the winter gear and then send him off into the night.
Soon we will be all together again for a first birthday. Ain't life grand?










Thursday, November 28, 2013

Giving Thanks

 I'm getting old. I am having a big birthday in a few weeks but what makes me know that I am really getting old is my need to buy ceramic turkeys at Thanksgiving. It won't be long before I am sticking plastic flowers in the pots on the stoop.

I'm not having people over today. I am going to Daughter's. The weather has been like this for the past few days so I am happy not to have to clean for guests. There are leaves and mud all over the place.


I am not hosting but I am cooking.


I love it when the counters are filled with holiday food to be.



It's not exactly fruitcake weather but I think it's time to get serious about it anyway. While everyone is out shopping this weekend, I will be home, making fruitcake-which makes perfect sense to me.


Happy Thanksgiving AND happy Hanukkah everyone. Tonight the candles will be lit in memory of Little Sister's much loved father in law who departed this world on Tuesday afternoon. I certainly don't envy his family their grief but I do envy the fact that they had a lifetime to know him. He was truly one of a kind.


Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Knitters to the Rescue

I hear it said all the time that knitters are the nicest people.When this kitty was in need, it only took a blog post to get things to happen.


It didn't hurt that yarn was involved. I was more than happy to send some support their way when what I got in return was this beauty. If you are looking for beautifully dyed yarn and lovely patterns AND you want to help a cute kitty get the surgery it needs, follow that link above. You won't be sorry.



Tuesday, November 26, 2013

What's Wrong With This Picture?

Look at this ribbing.


Now look at this ribbing.
The second skate cover has 2x2 ribbing and the first one has 1x1. I didn't realize this until I had finished the second one. I was doing my FO happy dance when I noticed something was wrong. Since you start at the bottom and work up the whole thing had to be ripped out. I was not amused.

Monday, November 25, 2013

Ice, Ice Baby

I've got a pretty crazy project going on.


Daughter requested of all things....


Knit boot covers for her skates. It's been COLD here and being out on the ice in the wee hours of the morning with her students has not been pleasant.



I had to modify this pattern  for size. I found it on Ravelry but so far it's been a pretty painless knit. I am worried about the wool snagging around those lace hooks though.



The last piece to fall into place will be some way to hook this together under the blade so it won't pop up. Much to Daughter's dismay, I'm still working on it.

Sunday, November 24, 2013

Happier Than I Should Be

 If you are going to have a cuppa this.....


...you have to have one of these. I was so sad when my grocery store stopped importing them.


Now picture the happy dance I was doing in the aisle, in of all places,Walmart. When I found them in the cookie aisle. I was beyond happy.



They even have the ones with the chocolate on the back.
I went back three times in the past few days to buy more. You just can't have enough cookies.

Saturday, November 23, 2013

Whoville


Today, along with most of the rest of the world, I will be glued to my telly to watch the 50th anniversary episode of Dr Who. My two favorite Doctors, side by side. Be still my heart.


I'm very late to join Who-mania. I only came aboard in the past year thanks to Netflix when I discovered the relative hotness of Dr. Number Ten. He was MY Doctor. There could be no other until.....


....Doctor Number Eleven showed up in my queue.


In case you are wondering, ( and I would have been if reading this at this time last year) The Doctor rides around in this blue box, going in and out of time, finding adventure and people to save everywhere he goes. You get hooked because it's really just a soap opera in space. Yes, the monsters are cool and the plots are all twisty-wisty but what you are really watching is the love stories that are woven in and out of the series as a whole. Never count anyone out. They always seem to pop up again when you least expect them and it always makes you cry big, blubbery tears.


I hate to admit it but I am old enough to remember this Doctor. It was on PBS during the afterschool hours and I hated it. Old men fighting with monsters made of cardboard boxes-no thank you. I had Dark Shadows to watch. Hot vampire dudes trumped old men with funny accents in weird hats.


Now I have to face the fact that my lovely alien eye candy will regenerate into this guy in the near future. That's how it works. Doctors become other Doctors and you have to adjust. I am certainly not against men of..ahem... a certain age but there better not be anymore young hot babes as companions (yes, I am talking to you Clara). I better see some ladies of that same certain age manning that TARDIS along side Number Twelve. Seriously.

Friday, November 22, 2013

This Makes Seven

 I have been spinning Elizabeth, the Clun Forest fleece, for what seems like forever. I've been taking my time and enjoying myself.


 I finally finished a big skein of white.


Next up is the gray batts I dyed back in the summer. After these are done...


 ...I am going to have eight colorful skeins seriously in search of a project.


Thursday, November 21, 2013

Monkey Business

 Daughter called me up and told me to get myself to Target. There was something there I just had to have.


 You just can't have enough knitting monkey pajamas, can you?


All together now....awwwww.
They are by Nick and Nora and you can find them here.




Wednesday, November 20, 2013

More in the Drawers

Socks, that is. All three of my Rhinebeck projects are finished.


I've got my very own Crazy Zauberball and Socks That Rock woollies for my very own feetsies.


I think I am really going to like these.

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

November Daddio Update

 I am always looking for new things for Daddio to do. He loves to cut up material and I had an empty rigid heddle loom so making a rag rug seemed like a good idea. In no time, he had a box of strips for me.



 I had made a few wool rugs before so I used some leftover cotton for the warp.



 Daddio was still cutting while I was threading.


 Soon we had an assembly line going.


Sewing the strips together was fun....


....but truth be told, I had no idea what I was doing.



We were getting something that kind of looked like a rug and that tickled Daddio to death. He loves to make things that people need. Now he wants to make one for everyone he knows. Goodness, look what I started.
Here is a great tutorial on how to do it the right way. Our next one will be awesome.