Almost There...

My Aran Placed Cable is just about finished. I actually only have 1/4 of a sleeve to go before having this project finished. I should be posting pix's in the next week or so.

An Excellent Coffee no Matter What Brand You Choose...

I'm referring to the Costa Rican Tarrazu (preferably whole bean). I've been drinking this for just over a year and have not one gripe about this coffee. I tried it in Starbucks one day and was hooked. I would qualify it as a medium-dark roast. It's more aromatic and deeply flavored than many other Central and South American coffees.

If you've tried it, give a holla !!!

This Project; Thick and Buttery...

I began working on Interweave's Aran Placed Cable this past weekend with my leftover Fisherman's Wool. I like how it's coming out so far.

This will be a real winter sweater. The type of aran worn more for keeping warm rather than being fashionable. I have a bunch of arans from my Michigan winters.

For me there is something calming about knitting with a fisherman's wool. Maybe it's because I find the color soothing, perhaps because I've knitted so many over the years. I like this pattern so much, I may make another one before the year is done.

Two FO's; Plain and Simple...

These scarves are knitted from Lions Brand Moonlight Mohair. It's an acrylic/mohair blend and is gorgeous. I was at Michael's to purchase a magazine and found it on clearance. The sales associate mentioned that Lion Brand may be doing away with Moonlight altogether. These are nice pictures of the scarves but pictures really don't do the yarn any justice.




















Both scarves were knit in a day each in straight stitch with #13 circulars.

Meet My Grandkids !!!

Hello Everyone,

I guess I've been a baaaaaaaaad grandmother. After almost a year of blogging, I forgot to mention that my daughter has two little ones.

First off, meet her boy Sydney. Although he has a case of the red/demon eye in this picture, he is quite spunky. He loves being chased, chasing, eating bananas, peanut butter and pellets. He hates eating greens. If you look closely, you can see a happy trail he's working on. I have no idea how old my grandson is.

Now here we have Natalie. I do know that she is younger than Sydney. She is a very serious kid. She doesn't chase, doesn't want to be chased. Her main priority is to destroy, destroy, destroy whatever she can. She is good at putting indentations at the tip of new shoes, shredding paper, chewing through electrical cords. She has even eaten through a baseboard or two.

She always growls when my daughter puts her hand in the cage. Natalie gets very angry and acts out whenever my daughter cleans her cage. Natalie almost always goes back in the cage and tears it up, throwing things around, tipping over her veggie and pellet bowls. We are thinking of putting her into counseling.

She loves her greens, all vegetables. My daughter has to give her very few pieces of bananas because Natalie behaves like an out of control addict if she can't have more nannas right away. I have no idea how old this grandchild is either.

So, these are my two grandkids, what do you think ? Cute or what?

Challenge

For the first three people that reply to this post, and who re-post this challenge: you win!!! For your prize, I will send you a gift.It might be something I’ve made, or something cool from my hidden stash of fabulousity. It might be a mix CD, or a rubber duck, or a book I think you might enjoy. A love letter, a useful object, or something else that is awesome or maybe just taking up room in my house. Whatever it is, I promise I will get it to you in 365 days of your posted comment or less, and I will need your snail mail.The only thing you need to do to receive your gift is PARTICIPATE. Be one of the first three journalers to reply to this, (make sure I can contact you via e-mail) and post this very same thing in your journal, and YOU are the lucky giftee. Just ‘cuz.

BAJANKNIT TELLS ALL: CHALLENGE#links

First Quarter Knitting Report for 2008' - 3 FO's, 1 Frogeroonie...

Good day all,

I don't have much to report in the finished objects department for the first quarter of 08'.

Let's see, I knitted a cardi for me. The DROPS headband for my daughter, and the shadow cable vest for me. Not a lot to brag about. I have a goal next quarter to knit up at least twice as much (I hope).

I could have had another cardigan/jacket had I planned better. You see, I have almost 1,000 yards of this very nice pink dk wool. I'd searched over and over for what to do with it. Should I shawl it, vest it, hat and scarf it, tank top it ? I came across the Aran Cycling Jacket (you know the one). The yardage specifications were compatible. It was knitting up so pretty too.

One day while knitting at work, a co-worker commented to me; "Ha, I didn't even know they made pink zippers that long !". This comment got me to wondering whether any of the shops in my small town even carry pink zippers, especially a lengthy one. I went to Hancock and JoAnn Fabrics. They carried only 7 and 9 inchers. They suggested I look on the web, they called their shops in Snellville and Duluth. Nothing, no lengthy zipper. Ugggggh !!!

I probably could have found a long (26" I think) pink zipper somewhere outside of this town, but I was so tired of calling and looking that I just ripped her apart.

So, I guess this could be considered an official frog. Though I didn't mess up my knitting, I still had to frog her.Oh well, on to bigger and better projects !!!

FO' - Bernat's Shadow Cable Vest

I finally got around to sewing together my vest. I am very happy with this project.

The picture to the right looks a little strange. I was holding the camera in front of myself, tilted slightly upward. What I really want to show is how sharply cut the v-neck is (I will be wearing this with a turtleneck or tank top. The v-neckline and the squareness of the top of the vest is what I like best.

My Malabrigo Birthday !!!

Last week I received my Malabrigo Birthday Gift from VY of So Knit Picky. All I'll say is YES, I'm a happy girl. My yarn is beautiful. Vy picked the Bobby Blue Worsted which is a combination of blues/aqua's. It's so pretty. You can't go wrong with this color.

Even before VY mailed my package off, I had in mind to order extra so I could make a significant project. When I saw the yarn, I just couldn't wait to cast on and knit and knit. I thought I would knit up a two cable square to post at the very top of my blog page. That little square didn't satisfy my need to knit up this Malabrigo.

I searched and searched for a pattern that called for a bit less than the two skeins. Found one !!! It is just a simple vest, a quick-knit. I shopped for the perfect buttons,knitted 90% of it, blocked, sewed the shoulders and pinned it together to take these pictures. I held off putting the shawl collar and shoulder bands because I've ordered another skein to either knit up a matching hat or scarf.

Oh, what fun !!!

Here is the front and back of my vest.

Another thing, my yarn was wrapped beautifully. Pink tissue paper, nice card and Godiva Chocolates. Thank you again VY. You are a real class act.