Scrappy Knitter

Thursdays

2012-02-02T13:01:00.000-05:00

Another several months goes by and my blog is empty. I guess I'm not real good at this kind of thing, I've never been any good at journeling/keeping a diary either. I am going to try something new here, see if I can keep up. I enjoy reading everyone's blogs so I need to give you all something in return besides a blank page (or the same page for months.)

I have lots and lots of UFO's in my stash closet. It's time to either finish them or RIP them out and use the yarn for something else. Starting today I'm going to be posting on Thursdays, working on my UFO's and blogging about how many rows I've accomplished or what I've managed to finish. I have to quit starting every pretty thing I see on Ravelry, it's making me just plumb crazy!~

Another problem I have is the computers. I have a big computer (this one) in my yarn room/Alex's room with the printer, I have a laptop with a printer I keep in my sunroom, a mini laptop for while I'm in the living room and my smartpphone (which isn't so smart cause half the time it's not working) and I always take pictures with the smartphone-cellphone. So, when I go to blog I quit before I start because the pictures are in my phone, not in my computers. Yes, I could put the little smartcard in the computer, but that's more trouble than it's worth and the stupid phone has so many issues I don't dare mess with that little card in the back. I've just found the Mobile Version of Blogger, so I'm going to attempt to download it onto my 'not-so-smart phone' and upload pictures from there, or if that doesn't work I'll send all knitting related pictures to my e-mail, open them on ONLY this computer on Thursdays, and blog. Sometimes having too much of something isn't a good thing. Thursdays are UFO, blogging days starting today.........................

My first UFO to finish up will be Alex's Owl. She was supposed to get it for Christmas, but, she came and spent 6 weeks with us at Christmas and there was no time for knitting Owls. This is Hedwig, a snowy white owl that lives in Hogwarts, home of Harry Potter's school of Wizardry. We are taking Alex and Lucas, her husband, to Hogwarts in March. We always promised to take her when they opened it. Who knew it would be 10 years after she started reading the books? Hedwig Ravelry Page

He only needs two eyes and a nose and he'll be done. Until next Thursday, and hopefully an FO, have a great week and lets hope this works! I need a new plan for 2012 and something to enjoy and look forward to, and I'm hoping this is one of them.

Happy Knitting!

Happy Holidays

2011-11-29T13:27:00.001-05:00

Hope you all had a nice Thanksgiving. Are you still eating Turkey? We had the most wonderful meal at our sons in Gainesville, GA. The kid can cook! I can't even remember what he called what he made but it was a bourbon glazed ham, fresh greenbeans with roasted beets, mashed potatoes with garlic, cheese and cream! Delicious cranberry relish (and I've never liked anything but jellied, this was oh, so good), glazed, roasted winter squash, rutabaga's (never had them either, we always have turnip), homemade bread (he made that too), pumpkin pie, and I'm sure I'm forgetting something else but oh what a delicious meal!

I've been knitting non-stop around here trying to just use up some odd balls of yarn. I've made the famous bandana twice, once for my youngest daughter and once for my oldest granddaughter. I've made mittens, scarves, shawls, hats, one thing that's a secret but if you're on Ravelry you can see it in my projects. The person it's for reads my blog so can't post it here. Check out ScrappyKnitter on Ravelry.com and you can see all my busyness. I'm enjoying the small projects for now and after Christmas I'm hoping to start the Creature Comforts Sweater and Jali Cardigan.

I hope you all have a great holiday season and if you do Christmas, I hope it's Merry and Bright!

Happy Knitting!

Checking in

2011-10-17T12:56:00.000-04:00

I seem to be spending more of my time posting pictures and looking at pictures of knitting on Ravelry instead of on my blog. If you are on Ravery I am ScrappyKnitter on there too. If you're really curious to see what I've been knitting that's where to find it. It's just hard to come up with something on here after posting it on there. I do read all of your blogs though, so don't give up, I'm just not good at writing or taking and downloading pictures. I've just found out that I can take a picture with my phone and upload the picture to either Ravelry or Flickr directly from my phone. Now, if I could blog from my phone, I'd be all set!

Hope you all had a great summer. Mine was way too hot, lasted way too long, but I gained a son-in-law which was fun. Now I'm thinking cold/sweaters/socks/SNOW!

My favorite to win - cause it's pink of course.

Our son took us to Atlanta for the Petit Le Mans Race at Race Atlanta
What a great day! I love the buzz of those cars.

Happy Knitting!

Owls, Ropes and Bracelets, Oh My!

2011-09-04T11:54:00.000-04:00

Wow, okay, we've recouparated from the wedding, the newlyweds are enjoying married life in their adorable little home and my house is almost back to normal.

Life for me goes from totally, 100% B.O.R.I.N.G. to crazy busy. Right now I'm in the first one. The weather is too hot to go outside (and too dang buggy), family is scattered all over the place and everyone else I know lives too far away to just go visit so I'm stuck in the backwoods of Georgia with the dogs, the cats (who aren't much for visiting, they're always outside) and my knitting. So, for now I'll knit. I'm knitting sweaters, scarves, bracelets, mittens, hats, lace, lace and more lace and the usual house work, the least amount that I can get away with.

CeCe with Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece in Terracotta Canyon

Just a big, long knitted rope. Hand dyed wool from
John C Campbell Folk Festival in 2009
Big needles and big yarn = instant FO!

Trying my hand at crocheting a doily
This is another free download from Ravelry
and extra special cause I used my Great Grandmother's Steel crochet hook
(this isn't even in my projects page - will find pattern and post link ASAP)

Owl mitten for my oldest granddaughter
Free pattern on Ravelry

Fun little button bracelet
Another freebie on Ravelry
Made this for my granddaughter's friends

Right Hand mitten
Give A Hoot!

Left Mitten
These are dark, chocolate brown
Cascade 220 - not quite one skein for both mittens
Hat coming soon.

Now I must go type some papers for BTB and find some meaningful things to do around here today. It's hot, humid and the B. Pressure is messing with my head and sinus's all thanks to TS Lee and Hurricane Katia.

Happy Knitting! And, I'm ready for WINTER Stringplay!!!!!

Best Little Southern Wedding Ever!

2011-08-14T17:03:00.000-04:00

The Ring Bearer, the Groom and the MOB practicing

The Grooms Mom and the Brides Mom

Father of the Bride and his Baby Girl!

Libby approving the flowers

Me, pinning grandmother of the brides sunflower on (Mother and daughter)

Mrs. Lucas Walsh

Oh, to have her hair and her curls again!

Bride and her Dad (my favorite picture)

Grandparents of the Bride (My parents)

Alexandria Elizebeth

Handcuffed groom with the brides garter (Made by Me)

Brother of the brides contribution to the festivities

Garter by Me

Ring Bearer, Aiden, with pillow by me.

It was a beautiful day and all went well. They are now happily married and living in their new house in AL!

Happy Knitting!

Wedding Week (or losing the dress battle)

2011-07-30T11:49:00.000-04:00

The weather is still hot, mid to upper 90's. The sun is bright, bright, bright and extremely hot. The humidity is in the upper 70's, which means you're wet 5 minutes after walking out the door and the heat index, what it feels like on your body, is between 103-107 on a good day. No change in sight for the week ahead. Me, ScrappyKnitter, the Mother of the Bride, is having NO luck finding anything to wear for the big day. Everyone's tired of hearing me complain about my "new size" of huge, hatred for this heat inside my body and outside my body, my gray hair and did I mention the heat? Guests will start arriving on Wednesday and I can't even begin to think about what the heck needs to be done. Thank God for the husband. Without him it wouldn't be possible to have all this ready by next Saturday.

The bride and groom are getting excited. The Mother and Father of the Bride are getting excited. We're just all so tired. More from thinking than doing. Not much to do for an outdoor wedding until the few days before. Our oldest daughter will be the photographer so I'll have lots of photo's to post when I recuperate from the big day. Seems weddings are much different now than they were 36 years ago when i got married. No wedding cake, she wants cupcakes done in a tower on the table. No veil, but she's got such a beautiful head of the most perfect curls she really doesn't need one. Bare feet (not me, I've been bitten enough by fire ants to last me a lifetime). Informal, very informal. I get it cause it's just like her, the way she's always been. She doesn't want to be like everyone else, she wants to be what she is. Plain, simple and beautiful. So, our yard will be all done up in colorful lanterns, lots of sunflowers, close friends, close relatives, and nieces and nephew and I pray it all goes the way the Bride and Groom want it and just one small prayer that the Mother of the Bride makes it through the week. The Father of the Bride too, who is in charge of the lawn, the weeds, the dog piles and keeping us all sane. In this heat. This unbearable, stifling, heat.

Ok, I feel better after my rant. Must go put on the smallest amount of clothes that are legal and see about washing some outdoor deck furniture, the deck and putting all my plants/cactus somewhere. If you're down near Savannah, GA next Saturday, stop in, we'll give you a hotdog or a hamburg. Oh, did I mention that........she wants a cookout after the wedding with hamburgs, hotdogs, all the fixin's, a fire in the fire pit to roast marshmellows and the wedding's at 7 p.m. You'll find me leaning up against one of the pecan trees in my back yard with my eyes closed.

Itty bitty bags. Sometimes you just have to do something to keep your fingers nimble till you can knit again. This is a free pattern on Ravelry and we put 1/2 of a dryer sheet in each and hung them from our rear view mirrors in our cars. Mine is pink (of course) and the Brides is green. Quick and lots of fun.

Happy Knitting!

35 Years of Camping Shawl aka EZ Camping Shawl

2011-06-27T20:45:00.000-04:00

35th Anniversary Camping Shawl

Close Up

A few mistakes but lots of fun, except blocking. Back breaking and wasn't sure how to block out the little scalloped edges.

It took up my entire dining room table, and then some.

Here's a bargain. If you live near a Wal~mart RUN and get some. They were only $5.00! They are 12" square and there's 9 squares. I figured that was a great amount for blocking scarves, small items like socks, cowls, mittens, etc.

I also found crochet hooks in the smaller sizes (B, C, D, E) for $1.28, also at Walmart! Fun shopping trip today.


That's my measuring tape. It measured 39" long and the wing span is approximately 71". I used 228 pins and 8 blocking wires. Took me a long, long, long time to bock it. Now, what to do with it.

Happy Knitting!

I'm a Once A Month Blogger!

2011-06-24T13:31:00.000-04:00

I can't believe it was May 23rd when I blogged last. Well, lots has been going on and I've been either busy, sick, or busy. Actually, I haven't been that busy, except I consider my knitting being busy. I've just been diagnosed with Thryoid Disease, which isn't a bad thing because I thought I must be dying a slow death of something mysterious that no-one could figure out. I've had no, and I mean NO, ambition, never feel good, tired beyond tired, major weight gain, depressed, all kinds of things. So, my youngest and my Mom insisted I go and have a blood test to check my T3-T4 and TSH (?), which are thyroid hormones. Well, they came back high, I'm on thyroid meds and HOPING they make me feel more like myself instead of an 80 year old woman on her last leg! 'nough said.

The Baby Girl, her fiance' and her best friend are in Africa again. This is Alex's 3rd trip and she'll be gone for 6 weeks, then back 8 days and then her wedding. My oh my that child has a lot on her plate and flew away to Africa. Now I'm getting e-mails that "I forgot to do this, I forgot to that," so I have things to do besides knit. They are having a blast and I'm looking forward to my 3rd skein of "African Yarn."

Jeck Sock One down, one to go

Add captionWendy's Mystery shawlette KAL


My little Japanese Bear to help Japan rebuild

Wendy's Mystery Shawl before blocking


Made this for one of Alex's friends in Africa.

Saroyan for Africa

Annis in Lotus Blossom Aurora

Citron


Knit One, Crochet Too Crock-O-Dye Wendy's Mystery Shawl KAL

I also finished my EZ Shawl that I started last summer around our 35th Anniversay, since it was 8/9/10 and EZ's 100th Birthday was the same day. Only took 10 months!!! I am now finishing up the Goddess Knits Anniversary Shawl. If you look on my projects page (ScrappyKnitter on Ravelry) you'll see that took a whole lot longer!

The cute model showing off all my knitting is my youngest granddaughter Lyssa (nick name Baby Jane). She loves to model, even in this hot weather. Notice she has on a shrug? Ick! Too hot for that. Thanks Baby Jane!

Off to knit. Hope it's cool where you are because here there's nothing else to do this summer but sit in the a/c. It's even too hot to get in our pool. Had 4 days this week over 100, with the heat index up around 104. Too hot for this Northerner!

Happy Knitting!

Knitting, Wedding Parties, Family and Camping

2011-05-23T15:05:00.000-04:00

Because Sonja put this on her blog, and I read it, I decided it was time for me to do another KAL (knit a-long). The first one I ever did was with Wendy at Wendyknits. This is the Summer Mystery Shawl.

The Baby Girl had a camp out with her wedding party, Mom (me) and Dad, Libby and Maggi (the puppies), her Big Sister, Big Brother and niece Lyssa and nephew Jay. We had 3 tents and 1 camper (Mom and Dad's) all lined up. 14 people and lots of site seeing around the park, campfires, roasted marshmallow's, hikes in the woods and card games.

Actually got my 'son-in-law to be' to hold up my Jeck sock.

Then, his groomsman, Ben got a turn (notice him looking?).

Then it was Neal's turn. Now, Neal didn't want to just hold it for a picture, he wanted to know how the "heck you make a sock?" So, he studied it real hard, I showed him how to knit one stitch and that was it. That's the Baby Girl looking, and laughing. She can't figure out how I make them either (magic, right?) but she sure likes wearing them. She didn't even ask if this one was for her.

Happy Knitting!

To Knit? To Ravelry? Which?

2011-05-14T17:05:00.001-04:00

I feel as though I do nothing but knit, but after lots of thought on the subject, I've come to the conclusion that I do a lot of surfing on Ravelry, perusing knitting magazines and thinking about all the things I wish I could knit but just never get around to actually knitting because I spend so much time doing all of the above. Vicious cycle.

Saroyan for the Baby Girl to take with her on her trip to Africa this year.

This is me! I had a lesson in shooting a 22 semi-automatic handgun. Fun, I enjoyed it but I can't see me doing that for anything but target practice. By the time I remembered where to put my left hand, where to put my right hand, where to put my feet, how to lean, the bad guy would have been there and gone. Not so sure I could shoot a person anyway, no matter how bad they were. I had NO trouble shooting my "paper man target" though. I was given 50 bullets and that bugger had 49 bullet holes in him, most through the heart and the head. YAY ME!

I think this cute little guy is some type of Warbler. It's so tiny! It comes to the feeder twice a day but we only see one at a time. My Grandmother and my Mom have always loved birdwatching. I thought it was for "old people." Well, I've been enjoying watching birds for about 25+ years now so I guess I was wrong, or I'm old. NOT!!!

This was a very fun, enjoyable, fast knit. After reading the Rainey Sisters blog on the Herbert Niebling Doily I thought I should try a simpler one and loved it. I've said before that my Great Grandmother crocheted with very thin crochet cotton, things like bedspreads, wedding bells on all our pillowcases she gave to her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and I think I have her love for thread. I loved this project.The Queen's Lace, Piecework Magazine, Lace Special

The middle, or beginning, is the hardest part of the whole thing.

Bath Time

Uh, dropped a stitch, which turned into 5 stitches. Well, guess I'll fix it later.

Put a knitting needle into the 5 stitches to deal with later.

Love the middle but don't look too close. This was a fun knit but boring at times and there's a few mistakes.

This is the Insignia scarf by Cecily Glowick MacDonald. I'm doing it in Banana Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece. Kind of a relaxing knit since it's all garter stitch. I love garter stitch and will save this for the "Wedding Parties" camping trip next weekend. I'm looking forward to that, and as of right now all 3 of my kids and 2 of the grandkids will be there, along with lots of young, energetic friends of my daughters and her future husbands. I'll need knitting for 4 glorious days in the sun! Yeah!!!!

Carolina Wrens Not too old as they thought this was the nest and just laid there and rested. I took 10 pictures of these 2 cute little things.

This is a Beach bag from Lion Brand Yarn on Ravelry I started last night. I had the urge to crochet and had some crochet cotton (and might have bought a few colors to add to it.)

My new sock Jeck, free from Ravelry. My Sunshine holds my stitch markers. Isn't he cute?


And, the Nantucket basket my father made for me is just the right size to hold a skein of sock yarn so it doesn't roll on the floor and get covered in bright white pug hair! Back to knitting/Ravelry/NCIS - oh, that's my Knitting Show. I bought every season from the beginning and Gibbs and the gang keep me company while I knit, check out Ravelry or read a knitting magazine. Being a retired SAHM is kind of boring so I have to have company............. Happy Knitting!

A Mother's Day!

2011-05-08T18:44:00.000-04:00

My day has been amazing. My youngest came home with her finance' for the weekend, my oldest were here with the grandkids, my Mom sent me a beautiful card and my son also sent me a great card. My son's card said I could sit in bubbles and drink bubbles all day. That would have been great but instead I was treated to hamburgers on the grill, a chocolate cake with white frosting, a small heart shaped cake for my breakfast tomorrow (I love chocolate cake in the morning), and a little pink bag filled with goodies to keep in Ruby. I had a pedicure, I gave a pedicure, I talked to my oldest granddaughter on the phone, had a great conversation with my Mom and I'm sure will have a conversation with my son before the day is over. It was a great Mother's Day weekend for this Mom. I hope all of my Blogger and Ravelry friends also had a great Mother's Day!

Happy Knitting!

Spring + Flowering Shrubs + Trees = Pollen! aaaacchhhhuuuuu

2011-03-19T16:06:00.000-04:00

I've been knitting - but not much. I'm trying to finish up the back on the sweater I started for the wedding. I have so many projects started I wonder which one will be done first. I'm a great starter and terrible at finishing.
I don't really have anything new to show so I'm going to hunt through my pictures and stick ~~one~~ a few in here so you'll have something to look at. Until next time, enjoy the sunshine, I hope the pollen isn't getting to you! I'll be sneezing and blowing my nose and hoping it ends soon so I can look down to knit without....................well, you know.
Happy Knitting!

Japanese Magnolia

Camellia Tree

Tybee last year. Can't wait to go back!

Spring Has Sprung!

2011-03-09T19:25:00.000-05:00

This is The Briar Rose Wrap by Melanie Gibbons, aka Pink Lemon. I've done several of her patterns and love them. This is Louisa Harding Cashmere DK in the prettiest lavender. Soft and squishy!

Spring Fling, free at Knitty. This has been in my favorites for awhile and I thought it was a good choice for the festivities at the wedding but even in 100% cotton I don't think it'll work. It is VERY hot in Alabama in August! I might just buy one of the little lacy sweater thingy's (I wouldn't call them sweaters, but not a bolero either, so whatever it is). I've been told I have to wear a sundress, so MUST have something to cover.....................

First sleeve is all done. I did a sleeve first so I could get the pattern in my head so I wouldn't have to dig out the pattern when I have 10 minutes to work on it. It's very easy once you get the pattern figured out.

My grandson spent the day with his Grandfather last fall and he planted 150 daffodil bulbs. They are coming up now and are so beautiful! I love daffodils and can remember going to my Grandmother's each spring and cleaning the branches and such that had fallen into her garden of daffodils. So many memories. Now I have daffodils. Thanks Jay!

Happy Knitting!

Happy 6th Blogaversary to ScrappyKnitter!

2011-02-28T21:13:00.000-05:00

Terrible picture but I wanted to put a cake on here. Hubby made this for me on my last birthday and gave it to me for breakfast. :o) He also used a votive candle. Gotta love him.

I can't believe it's been 6 years! I've learned a lot in those 6 years of blogging. I've learned a lot about knitting in those 6 years too. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd be able to figure out how to read a lace chart. I took a class and figured it out. Never thought I'd figure out how to knit a sock, but I did, following all those links that bloggers put in their blog pages. I've been knitting since I was 6 and never knew there was so much to learn and love about my favorite hobby. My "therapy." My Mom used to ride horses. She always told me it was her therapy but I never knew what she meant. I do now.

Thanks for reading my blog, thanks for keeping me company all these years, and thanks for stopping by.

Happy Knitting!

Wedding Bells will be Ringing!

2011-02-23T14:07:00.000-05:00


February 22, 2011 Our youngest, the Baby Girl, got engaged last night to her Prince Charming, Knight in Shining Armor, Lucas. Wedding bells will be ringing in Alabama in a few months. That is her engagement ring. Thank goodness for text messaging, Facebooking and e-mail or I'd feel totally disconnected from this whole thing. She keeps me updated minute by minute! Thanks Alex. I love you!

I had to share this little guys picture again. This morning he came to the feeder right outside my sunroom/knitting room window. I must have taken 25 pictures before he sat still to get this one. Isn't he beautiful? You can see his backside colors over in my side bar. He's taking off from the feeder below, perfect timing. These birds have gone through 40 pounds of sunflower seed in less than 2 weeks. Time for them to clean up the ground for a day or so, then we'll refill all 20 feeders again. They empty them in less than 24 hours! P....I....G....S!

This is my Martha Cowl that I made awhile ago but never posted. For some reason the girl who wrote the pattern took it off of Ravelry. It was very easy and fast and crocheted but I used 1824 Cotton and it is not at all stretchy so it's not as big as I'd like it to be. I do love that flower though. I'll just add it to the basket with all the others. ;o)

Adding the ribbing to the Elbow Room Sweater last night at 11:30 when I was too excited over the engagement to sleep. This is 1 inch of ribbing.

It was supposed to have 5 inches of ribbing but with the one skein of yarn I had left I was only able to get 2 3/4 inches. I need to wash it, block it and then sew the side seams and it'll be done. This came out beautiful but when I make it again (and I hope I do) I will have enough yarn for the 5" ribbing and I won't use this yarn. I have the sorest armpits in the world from working on it! Don't ask me why armpits, but that's where it gets me.

Saroyan and my cute sunflower man. I only work on Saroyan when I don't feel like thinking or reading instructions, charts or directions so it's slow going. I'm on the 3rd straight piece.
I got this cute sunflower man while at a festival in Gainesville (Mule Camp Market Festival) with my son, Nick. I love it and it reminds me of an old man. It's great to keep all my cute little stitch markers in.

The beginning of Mom's Nantucket Jacket! Finally. Going to work on this today and then some socks. I'm enjoying having my 3 projects going at a time. My hands seem to be getting stiff when working with small sock needles (age? Lord!) so when I start making mistakes I know it's time to switch to something else. Fun, get to blog a lot so that it seems like I'm a Bionic Knitter! NOT.

Happy Knitting!

Cabled Socks for my Baby Girl Complete!

2011-02-19T14:02:00.000-05:00

Thanks for the comments on my new RED blog. I really think red is so pretty and it does POP! It's fun to make time to play with this once in awhile.

I had to change my RSS feed subscriber (or whatever it's called)because the one I was using went out of business so if I don't have your blog listed in my sidebar could you send it to me? I tried replying to Beth but your blog isn't listed on your page. :o( I've lost so many of my favorite blogs, makes me sad.

Okay, happy news! Alex's socks...................DONE!

These seem like they took forever (don't all socks?) but after posting the finished pair on Ravelry I realized it's only been a month. That's not bad. The worst part about knitting socks (besides the knitting of the socks) is the cost. When I think of the sock yarn I have stashed in the closet, and the amount that each skein/hank costs, well, I could buy enough socks at the store for every person who reads my blog plus my whole family. BUT, have you ever seen socks like this in your store? Me either! So, would these be Maternal or Paternal since they don't match exactly? That would have just been crazy to match stripes! Nope, not for me cause, well, you know, I hate knitting socks!

Next is a pair of the Firestarter Socks for me! Have to go look through all that sock yarn and see if I have red, cause why would you make those out of any other color?

Finishing up my Elbow Room sweater. Keeping my fingers crossed I have enough yarn left. I have the ribbing to do around both fronts and the neck and only 1 skein of yarn left. I'm sure my ribbing wont be 5 inches like the picture, but I'm hoping to atleast get 3 or 4 inches. If I don't even get 2 inches I'll be a very upset knitter!

Our Painted Bunting came back for the 3rd year in a row, sitting w a male Cardinal and a purple finch

We're enjoying 70+ degree days with lots of sunshine, but I'm still not ready for winter to be over. I enjoy the cold and the slight, slight possibility of snow but I guess it's pretty much over this year. Our feeders are full of birds, our trees are starting to show signs of buds and there are spots of grass turning green in the lawn. I just really am not looking forward to the hot, humid, and more humid weather we have here in the Southern Summers!

Happy Knitting!

Happy Valentine's Day!

2011-02-11T16:57:00.009-05:00

Valentine's Day 2011

I think I am loved! I got a dozen CHOCOLATE cupcakes with PINK frosting!

Flowers!

Love!

What more could a girl ask for?

I have gotten more done on my Elbow Room Sweater but that yarn really hurts my hands (am I getting old?) and I can still only do about 4 rows at a time. I'm not too sure about this sweater but I love knitting it sideways, just because it's different.

The baby girls socks are coming along. One down, half of the other to go. And I STILL haven't finished her Bouldering Chalk Bag but I will, eventually. She hasn't been bouldering in awhile, so I haven't gotten in too much trouble yet.

The sun is shining today for the first time in what seems forever! I'm hoping everything dries out today so tomorrow I can take pictures of my knitting, but who doesn't enjoy looking at chocolate cupcakes and beautiful flowers?

Let me know what you think of the new blog style. I went with simple and my favorite color. Is it easy to read? Hard? Too bright? I'm open to any and all suggestions. And thanks to Beth and Alex for helping. I decided to ditch the picture.

Happy Valentine's Day to you all and Happy Knitting!

Picture in Header

2011-02-08T15:34:00.000-05:00

Scrappy Knitter is trying to get a new look, but like the human Scrappy Knitter I'm having trouble fitting into things. If you know how to make my pictures the size of the space in the header for a picture, please let me know. I'll be back after playing with this.
Happy Knitting!

Even in the very south of GA we get icicles!

Merry Christmas! Happy New Year!

2011-01-30T14:15:00.000-05:00

Yes, I'm late. Nothing new.


February 4th is Go Red for Women So be sure and wear RED for YOUR heart.

I have gotten a ton of knitting done but instead of spending 2 hours putting them on here (slow broadband at my house) I will direct you to my Ravelry Page. There you will find all the knitting I've done lately.

Now, for the new knitting. I'm working on the Elbow Room Sweater vest and not having much luck with the first row of the cable pattern. I tore it all out again (3rd time's a charm) and figured out what I was doing wrong. I just haven't been in the mood to pick it up again. Later, maybe.

I'm working on socks for the Baby Girl. I hate knitting socks, did I ever say that? But, they will be done before winter, next year.

We think this is an Orchard Oriel

I've been giving some thought to making THIS sweater. I have 2200 yards of Ecru Casacade 220 Superwash that I bought to make a sweater years ago and think it's time to use it up. I need to do cables. There are some on Alex's socks but I need lots of cables. I think I'm going to start either the end of February or the beginning of March. I know it won't be done till next year, but I really doubt I'll need it around here anyway, so no hurry, I just like the sweater. It's been in my queue forever so time to start.

I'm not going to promise I'll do better at blogging in 2011. I've said that a bazzilion times and haven't been very good at it. I just don't have the "gift for gab" like I did when I started it. I'll just post when I feel like it but I do try to update my Ravelry page regularly - whatever that is.

Alex, aka The Baby Girl, her boyfriend Lucas and friend India with their gingerbread house.

So, happy New Year and hope you all had a Merry Christmas.

Happy Knitting!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-30T16:50:00.000-05:00

I never have been on time for anything. Hope you all had a wonderful time with family, friends and Tom the turkey.

I'm making a list (and checking it twice LOL), but it's not a Christmas List, it's a UFO list and I've decided that 2011 was the year to finish them or RIP them. Most of them will be finished. There's a few that don't need finished, they need undone. Here's my list, to remind myself that I MUST DO THIS


EZ Camping Pi Shawl

Easy Neck Down Sweater KAL w/Spud and Chloe (Wendy Bernard)

Isabeau Purse


http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/one-skein---a-stole-english-version

Then I have the Goddess Anniversary Shawl, mine is here.
Log Cabin Afghan
Dawn's Aeolian Shawl
I also have a black and white Norwegian Sweater that needs to be RIPPED. I've grown. :o)
Gray Silk Cowl
And I really need to get going on my Mom's Nantucket Jacket. And that's my New Year's List so far. Never know what I'll come up with between now and January 1st.

Enjoy the month of December. Stay warm, knit lots and happy knitting!

Temperatures in the 70's, FINALLY!!! Happy Fall!

2010-10-16T16:23:00.001-04:00

Oh, the weather is changing, every day I can feel a little bit of a nip in the air! Today I told BTB that it almost felt like someone left the door open, on the deck, and the air conditioning was blowing at us. Such a nice change from those awful, AWFUL summer temps of over 100 with the heat index. Where I come from we had wind chills, we didn't have heat index's. Thank gosh the "heat index" is almost a thing of the past for another year.

I just returned from another "Round-a-bout" and almost finished my Something Burnt/aka Something Red sweater. I should have it done tonight, I just have to figure out where to put the button hole and then do about 4 more rows on the button band. I love it. It fits really well. Hopefully I can wear it soon. Pictures are coming but I haven't taken any in awhile. It's orange, it really doesn't look different, just longer and it now has sleeves. :o) Wait till you see the button I bought. I just love it!

I'm also making slow progress on my purple crew neck sweater I'm doing with Spud and Chloe as a KAL, although most people are probably long finished by now. I started late, but I needed something easy and that didn't require counting while traveling. Ended up working more on the orange one, but, the purple one will be my priority knitting by tomorrow.

I have a few little things I'm doing when I feel like doing something different (EZ Camping Shawl, Honey Cowl and the never ending scarf ) but I'm really getting anxious to make my annual pair of socks. I don't like making socks, but about once a year at about this time, I get the urge for knitting a pair, so, I'll probably start them this weekend. I found a pair on Ravelry that I really like and I want to start working cables so I can read cable charts faster. I'm awful at them. I do so much better reading line by line with cables, but I'm worried they're going to quit writing the instructions out the long way, so, must learn. My brain has a hard time crossing this and crossing that and figuring out left and right. :o)

Here are the pictures of my sweaters. The "Something Burnt" is now blocking so modeled pictures soon.

Mitts for DGD

My Mitts - Angora!

KAL Crewneck Close up

Close up of Something Burnt

Something Burnt in a Basket (by Darrell)

Backside of Something Burnt (Red)


Close up of KAL Sweater

Everything Changes..........

2010-09-26T18:57:00.000-04:00

Evidently Blogger has changed around the way they do things and now that I finally have some pictures to share and knitting to show I can't figure out how to get them in here. So, until I figure it out I guess I'll be on hold. I don't have the patience to fiddle with it again. Does anything ever just stay the same?

Happy Knitting!

I'm Melting..........................

2010-08-09T22:54:00.000-04:00

Uh. When is winter going to be here? The only thing doing really well in this heat are my cactus, if I could just figure out how to keep the dang squirrels from burying the pecans in their pots. They've already dug up several of them.

I'm trying to figure out which sweater to knit. I think I'm getting burned out on shawls, I need something different. I'm terrible at sweaters though, I keep making everything too big. So, this time I'm going to go down one size smaller than I would usually choose and see what happens. Here are my choices so far: #1 Something Red which I would do in a rusty/brownish/orangy color using this . #2 CeCe which I tried once before but it was huge so was frogged. I would do it in a Banana colored Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece. #3 is one I just found tonight that is very cute, but I'd have to buy it. I don't mind buying patterns but there's really no need to when there are so many beautiful free ones. I did buy Something Red, but quite a while ago. Anyway, #3 Bellevue Cardigan. I love that one and though I'm not sure which yarn yet, I might do it in a yellow Cotton Ease (Pineapple) or a yellow Loisa Harding Cashmere Aran. Which one do you like?

This story is going to make this post really long but I have to share what I'm making (well, one of things). My Uncle, who has always been a farmer in RI, was hurt pretty badly about 10 weeks ago by a calf he was trying to get to drink from another cow. Something startled the calf (calves can weigh upwards of a couple hundred pounds, not a cute little cuddly baby calf) and the calf got the lead tangled up around my Uncles legs and flipped him up and slammed him into the ground. Well, he broke ribs, shoulder, the rib punctured a lung (he already has oxygen),and if he didn't break it he bruised it. He's still in the hospital after 10 weeks and progress is slow but he's gaining. I decided I needed to make him something, just because he's such a riot and I can't be there to help keep him company or anything. So, I have a 6'3" Uncle (he'll be 75 next month), laying in a hospital bed 1000 miles away and guess what he's going to get from me? Homemade booties in chocolate brown Cascade 220! I sure wish I could be there when he opens them to hear his reaction. He'll pretend to be all mad and want to know what, I thought he was an "old man that needed booties." But, he'll love them, he'll wear them and I bet atleast once or twice throughout the winter, which can be really cold in RI, he'll think to himself "hmm, sure am glad Sheri (he doesn't call me that but what he does call me would take another blog entry all by it's self) made me these crazy looking things, they're keeping my feet warm." Oh yeah, they found out about 4 weeks after the accident that he also broke his hip, which he has since had replaced which turned his toes blue, so I'm thinking the socks/booties are going to be very welcomed!

Happy Knitting!

2010-07-24T21:55:00.000-04:00

Wow! What a busy, hot, humid summer. In the high 90's every day with a heat index (opposite of wind chill for you Northerners) anywhere from 100-114. Too hot to move!

I always think I should put something on my blog that is interesting, news worthy, fun, like this blog that I love to read. She always has great links and I always seem to learn something interesting. My blogs are a little crazy, no format what-so-ever and far and few between. I try, but I'd rather be on ravelry, looking at all the beautiful knitting projects while I knit than trying to figure out what to write. I used to love to write. I used to love to create things on my computer. I don't anymore. Not sure why, but I notice when I write I ramble, so I quit writing. So, how about some pictures? With captions, so you'll atleast know what they are pictures of. Here goes.........


Nantucket Basket my parents gave me for my birthday (cellphone picture, so fuzzy). Love it! This is my 5th or 6th one. My Father makes them, so I pick which one I want next. They are great for keeping my knitting in.

The best House/Pug/Cat* sitter ever, modeling my Citron Shawl
Brittany is The Baby Girls best friend/roommate and since she has been home for the summer, we asked her to
stay at our house while we did the round-a-bout. Such a nice trip, one week with no dogs, no camper, just BTB and I and Ruby! Thanks Brittany!!!! (that's my new computer in the Baby Girls room, which is now my office/sewing/knitting room but there still isn't enough room. The Baby Girl is home until the beginning of August so it's a bit crowded with her stuff and my stuff and nowhere for any of it to go.)


Milk Jug Cover This is supposed to be size 80 crochet cotton, which I don't have, so I used 10 to practice. Love this pattern and can't wait to get to Hobby Lobby to get some size 80! These will make great gifts for family, my Grandfather was a dairy farmer! Old MacDonald had a farm, and his name was MacDonald!

African Sunset
This is the Baby Girls picture of Africa. I think it's beautiful. She went for another month this summer and has informed us she'll be going for atleast 2 months next summer. Oh well, as long as I keep getting yarn from Africa, I guess I'll have to let her go.

I will leave you with this. It came right up to the window of the car she was riding in, and had fallen asleep in, and did whatever noise it is that elephants make. She said "Mom, it doesn't sound anything like it does on TV and He was LOUD! Gotta love the stories.

Till next time, Happy Knitting!

I am bad! But.......

2010-07-03T21:24:00.002-04:00

I do have a lot of new things to show you, as soon as I remember to take pictures, upload them and then download them to my blog. I'm changing around my computer room (I'm taking over the Baby Girls) so things are a big mess and I never know where anything is. I'm trying to get it together.

Speaking of the Baby Girl, she is 22 years old today and just like last year she's in Africa. We go get her this coming week and I can't wait to get my hug. She has had a wonderful time, accomplished what she went to accomplish and is ready to come home, till next time. So, Happy Birthday Alexandria. You've been a joy in my life.

I also want to wish you all a very Happy 4th of July. I hope our country can survive the termoil it's going through right now and wish it the very best. Liberty, the pug, will be 7 tomorrow (the 4th) so Happy Birthday to the pug. :o)

Pictures soon, really! Happy Knitting!

Sheep in Shakespe Park

2010-05-25T14:46:00.001-04:00

Sheep in Shakespe Park
Originally uploaded by shez7557

Burberry for Alex

2010-05-25T14:45:00.001-04:00

Burberry for Alex
Originally uploaded by shez7557

Brittany's Birthday Bandit

2010-05-25T14:43:00.001-04:00

Brittany's Birthday Bandit
Originally uploaded by shez7557

No Sand Bag

2010-05-25T14:42:00.001-04:00

No Sand Bag
Originally uploaded by shez7557

Happy Spring!

2010-05-25T14:24:00.003-04:00

Oh my, it's been almost 2 months? Terrible! I've been knitting, been traveling, been packing up the college baby's bedroom (more room for yarn) and now I'm getting ready for my next trip around the "circle." The college Baby is leaving for Africa in June so I'm going to stay with her a few days before she leaves, then after dropping her off at the airport I'm going up to the mountain's to stay with my parents for a week and then I'm going down towards the Atlanta area to stay with my Baby Boy who has just started college (at the age of 29 1/2) and gotten himself a new apartment. Must see it, and I hear there's a balcony for knitting Mother's. Then I'll stop about 45 minutes up the road from here to visit the oldest child and the grands, then home 2 weeks later to my DH. Love the big city's and so glad I have a place to stay while visiting said city's, and, of course, the kids.

I've been knitting, non-stop, getting rid of yarn (very sad) and books (also sad) but now it's all a little more organized. I'm still not happy with it all put into plastic totes and stacked in the closet, but that's all I could come up with. It's looking pretty good and now the college baby's room is full of her music awards, pictures and knickknacks and Mom's knitting and sewing loot.

Guess I Can Still Knit!

2010-04-01T23:04:00.002-04:00

I've been finishing things! Some things I just got tired of working on so decided they were done and some were really fun. Here's the run down.

1st is the Montego Bay Scarf
Yarn:Handmaiden Sea Silk color Ocean
Needles: size 8 Brittany

I tried this scarf a few years ago but because it's such an easy knit, I kept messing up cause I could never figure out what row I was on. It's only a 4 row pattern! I think alot before I actually start doing, and I thought about this one so much it about drove me crazy till I came up with a plan! So, it's moving right along, although I usually only work on it when I'm waiting.

This has to be my all time favorite knit! It's beautiful and it was interesting and a very relaxing knit. Took me 9 days! I will definitely be making another one.

Pattern: Hanami
Yarn: Cleckheaton Country Silk DK
Needles:Knit Picks 8 circular

This is the Springtime Bandit Shawl that I've named Brittany's Birthday Shawl. It's for The Baby Girls Best friend/Roommate whose birthday is the same day I will arrive for a week long visit.

This is my Lamb friend Louie. :o) He's my biggest in my collection of sheep. He's my new model.

5th Avenue Infinity Scarf/Wrap/Cowl
Yarn: James C Brett Marble Chunky
Needles: 10 1/2 Brittany

I have to say, I was never too fond of acrylic yarn once I found all the yummy yarn in LYS's, but this is a great yarn for someone who can't handle wool. I love it and I'm so glad I bought that 1st ball. If you see it, try it, it's great for just about anything. Comes in worsted too. BTB wore this while painting my friends deck in Atlanta, where it just happened to be in the teens (11 that morning) while he was scraping. I was working on this on the ride up and had finished it when he asked if I had something he could put around his neck. He had this, a hat I made while we were there and the mitts that I had made myself several years before and the deck is all scraped, painted and looking wonderful!

I hope you all have a wonderful Easter and enjoy the beautiful spring weather. I'm kind of stuck in the house till the pollen goes away. Oh my is that stuff bad here this year. Looks like someone went around the neighborhood sprinkling green flour all over everything! UH!

Happy Knitting!

Late Again!

2010-03-21T16:21:00.002-04:00

I'm still here and I'm still knitting! My biggest problem is I'm hooked on "Farmville" on Facebook. But, I'm splitting my time as of this week. 1/2 for knitting, 1/2 for Farmville. I'll cook and clean somewhere in between.

Can you believe the Scrappy Knitter blog has been around for 5 years? I missed the blogaversary by a month or so, it was the end of February that I posted my first time. 5 years! That's a long, long time ago. Sad thing is most of the yarn in those old pictures are still in my closet!

I'll be back with some photo's, as soon as I take them.

Hope you're all having a nice sunshiny Spring!

Happy Knitting!

Kitty toys and Beach Hats

2010-03-04T20:09:00.005-05:00

I guess a month is how long it takes me to think of something to blog about. I knit just about non-stop but never think to put stuff on here, or I forget to take pictures.

This is my new summer beach hat. I've had this yarn forever and finally decided to just sit down and make something with it. I have one more skein left so might make a bag to match.It's really cute, quick and fits great, and I'm not much of a hat person. In the south you need to wear a hat or have an umbrella. This is 100% cotton.

This little thing is for my new "Grandkitty." My youngest got her as soon as she went back to her new apartment after the holidays. I figured on a college budget she might need some kitty toys. Sometimes having a knitter around comes in handy.
My husband and I just spent 2 weeks in the middle of the state. Now, this is the state of Georgia, where it's usually starting to get warm this time of year. My husband was going to do some work on my friends house. I ended up making him a hat, the 5th Avenue Infinity Scarf I had started and he wore the pair of mitts I brought for myself to wear because it was so cold. We woke up one morning to 11 degree's with the wind chill. He sure was happy to have a knitter around. Now he wants a scarf and "manly" mitts. Okay, I can do that, but........

Everything I seem to try, start, or work on is boring, or I'm tired of doing the same type of thing. I think maybe it's time to take a break from knitting but then I wake up, look at Ravelry and find something else to start. Time to find something and stick with it or put it all away and take a break. Gosh, that doesn't happen very often.

So, until next time, whenever that is,

Happy Knitting!

Talkative Today, But Lots to Share

2010-02-04T11:52:00.007-05:00

I think I've shown this before but I re-blocked it and "stretched" it to fit me and for around the house I like it. I'm not thrilled about the itchy yarn (Nashua Vignette), but I just wear a long sleeve shirt under it. This is from the book Folk Vests. I love the patterns in that book but won't make anything with this yarn again, and I have a lot left!

This sweater was so much fun to knit and my first ever steeked front, but, like all good things, it must come to an end. Good thing my Mom doesn't have Blogger (hey, but they do finally have a computer). She loves this sweater and is always asking me "is it done yet." But, somewhere along the way I screwed up the sleeves and they're so tight along the ribbing it's very uncomfortable and I am not at all happy with the way the ribbing along the button band came out, or the neck band, so I'm thinking it's going to get ripped out. I was going to give it to my Mom as a surprise but if it won't fit me right it won't fit her, we're almost identical in size/height. Soooo, still thinking about this one. You might end up seeing it again in the future, rolled into balls.
I love this picture of it. That pattern was really fun to do and the yarn is so much fun, but, it's itchy. I live in the deep south, I don't do itchy!
This is the Tudora Cowl. I didn't like the asymmetrical way it goes so I gave it to my Baby Girl, who loves it and told me that everyone in Europe wears things like this. What do I know, I've never left America. Not sure I want to right away either. Anyway, it was fun to knit and I love the button she picked out for it. I used Louisa Harding's Kashmir Aran yarn. Now, that's some nice, squishy yarn for next to your skin! Oh, and that's Santa waving to you. Two more skeins down.
This is my oldest grand. She is a trip! She stayed with me last weekend and everything I've made over the past few weeks I told her to go through and see if there was anything she wanted. She decided to put it all on at once. LOL That's a little head scarf with cables and I made it too long, so no-one wants that, but I do love the lavender color. The red scarf around her neck I didn't even make, it was just in the pile of scarves, but there is another one I did make, under it. Um, she didn't go home with anything either.
Isn't she adorable? Such a nut. This is the My Kind of Town Cowl made with some soft, squishy Alpaca yarn that my Baby Girl gave me for Christmas a few years ago. It's Plymouth Baby Alpaca Grande. I had just 1 skein for this cowl and I love wearing it when it's chilly, even in the house. I just wear them like a necklace. It's not like it's ever cold enough in Southeast Georgia for knitted cowls/hats/mittens/gloves/sweaters/scarves, but I keep on knitting them.

This picture very dark but it's the best I have. When I went to visit my son in January he asked me, YES, HE ASKED ME, if I could make him a hat that would come way down over his ears. He works outside every once in awhile installing the signs on glass doors, windows, whatever, and it does get a little chilly up there near Atlanta. We went right to Michael's and bought some yarn and here he is, modeling his new crocheted hat by his Mommy! Made my day. I would like to make him one of the hats like Jared did, but I think I'm losing my knitting Mojo and just can't get in to anything, though I've tried and I have stuff everywhere that only have a few rows done. But, some day Nick, I'll make you a real knitted hat. :o) If you click on it maybe you can see it better (and him).
Another one that wanted to try out my Green Cowl (My Kind of Town Cowl).
My Mustard Scarf. Fast, fun, quick, did I say fast? I love, love, love it and it's made with Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk Aran and is going to get a lot of use. This one is a keeper, even if just to look at. Size 15 needles means FAST! Two more hanks from the stash gone. Only about 4000 more to go.

Artistic I'm not, but I love this picture. My needles, label and a finished object. Love it!
Hopefully most of you know this, but tomorrow, February 5th is the 7th annual Wear Red for Women Day by the American Heart Association. Heart disease/heart attacks are the #1 killer of women and we need to get the word out there. So, do your heart a favor. Wear RED tomorrow for all the women in your life, including yourself. Wear a RED scarf, RED shoes, carry a purse, but have something on you that's RED for all of those who suffer through this horrible disease/illness. And I pray it will never be you.
Happy Knitting!

My New "Dog"

2010-01-22T12:28:00.006-05:00

Hello Knitting People.

I just had to laugh at the comment that stringplay left on my blog last time. She said "Boy, your dog looks different. Just kidding" and it took me the longest time to figure out what she meant. Well, all great things come to me at 3 o'clock in the morning and I actually woke up giggling at 3 o'clock one morning realizing she didn't mean the pug;
She meant the ram from Corinth;
I also received some beautiful yarn from Corinth and my Baby Girl actually watched it being carded and spun. Guess she was so interested, and commenting on her mother being addicted to knitting, they gave her some pieces. They're short pieces but all the same colors, so I might try making something with them, but right now I'm enjoying just looking.

She also brought me this black Angora which is super soft. The label is written in ?Hebrew? but it does say 602 yards in English. Enough to make a nice little shawlette or a scarf. She was in Europe for 3 months and also got to go to Paris for a weekend. I told her if she brought me a skein of yarn from each country she visits, I'd let her go. So far she's done very well. :o)

This is my first project for 2010 and my first finished project for 2010. I LOVE IT!

It's the 3 Way Wrap from Ingrid Nicholas on Ravelry. I used Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Chunky, size 10 1/2 needles and made it in about 2 weeks while on vacation. Great "talk while you knit" knitting.

You all know that I'm fighting the battle of the 30 pound bulge. Well, I read in a magazine that knitters use 100 calories an hour and a 5 hour knitting session is very good for you, so, to all you knitters out there that need to lose some weight - KNIT!

Happy Knitting!

Happy New Year!

2010-01-13T14:52:00.004-05:00

2010 already. I've decided that I must get back into blogging and quit ignoring it for FaceBook. Yes, I'm addicted to the Farming on there and most of my computer time is spent tending my crops, livestock and sending out gifts to my fellow Farmers. :o) My Grandfather would be proud, he was a dairy farmer in RI for over 50 years. So, I now have to share my time with Ravelry (the number 1 on the computer time list), FaceBook and blogging. I'm ScrappyKnitter on Ravelry and if you want to be my friend on Face Book, just leave me a comment and I'll send you my FB name.

We had a great Christmas with all 3 kids home, all 3 grandkids, my parents and one "guest." Full house! We spent a very quiet New Years, just the 2 of us, and then BTB moved the Baby Girl into her new apartment in AL and when he got back I went out and stayed with her for 4 days, then went to see my granddaughter on my way to my bestest friend and my sons in Atlanta for 4 days. Wonderful time and can't wait to do it again. I can make a big circle and cover 'em all.

I've been doing a lot of knitting and will just post a bunch of pictures here to cover them all. I WILL be much better at posting as each project is done I hope, but I'm great for giving them away, or packing them away (I don't give away too much of anything) and forget the pictures. So, happy New Year and I'll be back within the week!

Just Enough Ruffles - gave to my friend, Dawn for Christmas - Malabrigo (Heaven) in Red Pearl
Brides Sachet Bag
Baktus - made from some really ugly sock yarn I've had forever, but it turned out pretty
This one is pure heaven around my neck but I can't remember where I found the pattern. It's just a YO, K2tog pattern and silky soft. I also can't remember what the yarn is called but it's gorgeous. Not sure why this is blurry.

Happy Knitting in 2010!

I Found It!

2009-11-09T11:16:00.003-05:00

I'm back! I finally found my password to get back to myself. :o)

Stay tuned, lots of FO's coming soon.

Happy Knitting!
(if I still have any readers, I've been reading, just couldn't comment or blog and I missed every one of you)

Lots. But nothing

2009-09-11T11:34:00.002-04:00

I got all ready to update my blog and realized I have no pictures in my computer of all the knitting I've done this summer. I think they're all on Face Book. So, I have to go take some pictures. I've done a lot of knitting and put a very small dent in my stash, but I'm still working away and hoping to have another dent in it by Christmas. I'm going to clean out my yarn closet today and make a pile of yarn that I know I probably will never use, so be on the lookout for pictures of my "give away pile" and you might get yourself some yarn, for free!

I started Face Book to keep up with my kids. They're all over the place and calling or texting on our phones sometimes wasn't convenient, so we're all on FB. The Baby Girl had a great time in Africa, got a little too close to elephants, lions and zebra's, but had a blast and brought me home some cool things. Jeesh, not even pictures of them on here. Terrible! Well, now she's on a 3 month Study Abroad Program and right now is in Greece, then to Turkey and then she'll be in Israel and will be home 2 days before Thanksgiving. Imagine! 21? I was married and had a baby at 21 and this one is all over the globe. So, so happy for her.

Okay, not writing a letter here (although sometimes I forget that) so I'll go snap some pictures and be back over the weekend. My brand new LYS is having their grand opening tomorrow and I've decided even though I don't have a knitting buddy near me and BTB is going in the opposite direction, I'm going to it anyway, all by myself! I've been in it once and they're awesome people and I love their new shop. Great yarn, great prices, LOVE the little do-dads and can't wait to go back. I'll let you know how it goes.

I hope you all had a nice summer. I've been reading the blogs, just couldn't comment because I forgot my password. When you travel it's hard to carry around the index file with all of them so I had to change it, forgot to write it down and.....................................that's my story!

Happy Knitting!

Over 2 Months?

2009-08-21T15:08:00.006-04:00

Summertime isn't a good time to have a blog. I really need to figure out how to do this on my Pinkberry so I can do it on the go.

I've been traveling. In June I went to visit my parents for a week then went and stayed with my friend near Atlanta and got to see lots of my son for another week. Then I went to the Atlanta airport to say goodbye to the Baby Girl who left for a month long mission trip to Africa. When she came back at the middle of July we went and spent a week with her in Alabama. 2 weeks after that we went on another trip for 5 days for a clay shoot BTB was in and now I think we're home atleast till September.

I have done a lot of knitting but I'm getting really bad about taking pictures of everything. I'm at that age where I'm becoming overloaded with "stuff" and I'm sick of the "stuff" and pictures are one of them. What do you do with them all? So, not too many pictures.

This is Truly Tasha's Shawl
, a free pattern from Ravelry. Great, fast knit till you get to the edging, then it takes forEVER! I used size 6 needles and Plymouth Yarn Platinum (Aran / 10 ply Nylon, Rayon, Angora) and it's squishy soft and a great size for covering my shoulders when it gets chilly. Finished pictures as soon as my model comes to visit.

I've also finished the Just Enough Ruffles scarf, also on Ravelry. I don't usually buy patterns, there's too many free one's I want to do, but that was one I just had to knit. I used my Pearl Red Malibrigo Worsted and it came out really nice. This is the same yarn I did my father's hat and scarf in. Pictures of that also when my model comes to visit.

My Oldest DD was in the hospital for a week and home a week and her youngest went in for 4 days with pneumonia! My big orange cat, Morris, who was 14 in April, died in between them getting sick. Hard to get used to something being around for that long then they're gone. When we went camping this past weekend my friend and I looked up and saw this
. I asked the owners of the place and they said they had a litter "up in the shed." When I asked if I could have it he said "Ma'am, I can go get you a couple more too if you want." Nope, one was fine and she's adorable and playful and hasn't missed the catbox once! I named her Abby after the girl on NCIS who is the forensic scientists.

Happy Knitting!

Sandy Beaches, Sunshine and Fun (oh, and knitting, of course)

2009-06-13T15:42:00.006-04:00

What do I do when it's 96 and 110 heat index? I go to the beach!

Got my chair, my umbrella, lots of water, towel and ......................
My knitting. This is the Bride's Sachet bag from Knitting Daily.
And to have lots of fun in that water I take my 13 year old granddaughter.
It also helps that BTB is remodeling a house on this beach. We get up at 7 and ride 1 1/2 hours to get here, but it was well worth it! I was born and raised on a beach and I really miss it so this was like a mini vacation for me.

And next week? Next week I head to the mountains. The Baby Girl is flying off to Africa to do mission work with her school and I'm going to my parents, she's going to my parents and I'm going to drive her to the airport. Can't have her going that far away, for a month! without a big hug from her Mommy! More gray hair for me. So, I won't be around for awhile blogging but I will have my Cute Little Pink Thing and my Pinkberry, so I can keep up with what everyone's working on.

Have a safe, happy, carefree summer.

Happy Knitting!

eta: Gregory House's birthday was June 11th. He was 50 years old! Happy Birthday Dr. House.
(Thanks to Stringplay for that little piece of information!)

Sunshine, Socks and House

2009-05-30T12:54:00.005-04:00

Just a quick post today because there's a House Marathon on and I'm going to watch it. I love House and I knit really fast if I'm watching him.

This is a pair of socks that my oldest granddaughter asked me to make. They are not going to be hers however, they are too small. So, I have a new pair of socks and I'm in the process (very slow process) of making her another pair. I'm not a sock knitter, but I'm trying, just for her.

Still working on all the other things from the last post. They're all a little longer but not really much to show.

Have a great weekend and if you live in Georgia, enjoy the abundance of sunshine that is finally upon us!

Happy Knitting!

Scrappy Knitter Knits, Just Not Fast Enough!

2009-05-21T14:57:00.006-04:00

We'll call this blog post Catch Up! I've had startitis so bad lately but then I got to thinking. What difference does it make? I have a lot of yarn that I love, lots of time now that we're "empty nesters" and I have no trips planned for atleast 3 more weeks and thanks to Ravelry and all you other bloggers, there's a ton of patterns out there that I want to knit, so, I have bunches started. Every day I feel like doing something different. Today it might be lace, tomorrow something a little thicker, so, I get out whatever calls to me and work on it. Sooner or later I get them done. I've got all the time in the world. So, here's my May Show and Tell!

This is Truly Tasha's Shawl, a free download from Ravelry by Nancy Bush. This is the perfect traveling knit because you don't have to think too hard, just have to remember that first yo. I'm doing it in my pink Knit Picks Shine Sport because eventually something made out of that yarn is going to work.

I just wanted to show you all this. If you ordered a yarn, sight unseen, called Snow Bird, would you automatically assume it was white? I did, and much to my surprise I got this. I think it'll be very pretty knitted up into some type of lace, but I sure was surprised it wasn't white!
A bit of Baltimore came to visit a few weeks ago. There were 2 or 3 pair of them that we got to enjoy on our feeder. This feeder used to hang outside my sunroom window but it broke from the hook and crashed to the ground so we had to replace it. Oh, the bird is a Baltimore Oriole if you don't have them in your area. And next to him is a little gold finch. Lots of those this year.
StringPlay mentioned she hadn't seen this shawl so I thought I'd put up a picture. I think I must have posted a picture while I was working on it but never one when it was finished. I call this my Emerald Bay Shell Diving Shawl. I have little pink beads in it that represent the shells that BTB and I found while on the Gulf Coast this past January. We had so much fun diving for shells and this color is almost exactly what the Gulf waters look like. This was a LYS pattern.
This is the beginning of the first shawl in the book Best of Knitters Shawls and Scarves. It's just called Lace Shawl. I only have 12 skeins of that beautiful teal colored yarn but I'm hoping I can get it done with that. Might have to order some more and interchange the old with the new but I love that shawl. It's the first one I picked out as soon as I got the book.
Triangle, also on Ravelry and also another small shawl/scarf. I love doing these and I have some squishy, gooshy, soft yarn that is so pretty I couldn't wait to start something wtih it. This is Dream in Color Smooshy that I got on the way home from my Boston trip at the not so local yarn shop. When you have a 5 hour ride from your friends house to get home, there's nothing better than finding that LYS to break up the trip.
And this is what I'm trying to keep up with but so far I'm not doing very well. It's the Goddess Knits Anniversary Shawl KAL 2009. It's a Faroese shawl done in cashmere. The color is called Watermellon and it's so pretty! I'm supposed to have the first 95 or so rows done by Saturday but dang, life just keeps throwing wrenches in it. I did a knit along last year with the Goddess Knits group and still haven't finished it, but this one was a style I've never done so couldn't pass it up. I'll work really hard tonight and tomorrow and I might make it to the last row of clue 1 before the new clue comes out on Saturday.
First time ever knitting from a spool. This yarn is from ColourMart.
So, yes, I knit, I just knit lots of stuff so it takes lots of time to get something finished. That would drive my Grandma crazy. She always said finish one project and go on to the next. Somewhere in life my brain could never wrap itself around that idea. :o)

Happy Knitting!

The Traveling Scrappy Knitter?

2009-05-07T16:14:00.005-04:00

How's that title? My one (and probably only) reader said I should change my name to the TavelingKnitter, so I compromised for this post. I'm embarking on another venture so thought I'd update the blog before I go.

Alot of knitting has been taking place here and I even have an FO! Maybe I'll have a few more next time.

This is the beginning of a pair of simple 3/2 rib socks I'm [trying] to make for my oldest granddaughter. She has really big feet and I hate knitting socks, so the two are not going together nicely. It seems to take forever. She's worth it and I shall prevail! Just for her.

This is the yoke of the February Lady Sweater, a free pattern on Ravelry. I'm just using some Lion Brand Cotton Ease in Candy Blue (Candy Blue is discontinued). I'm determined to use up the yarns that I've had the longest. So far it's been an easy knit, just sometimes it's so easy that I forget what I'm doing and just knit away on it then realize I'm way ahead of myself. Had to rip out about 5 rows after going past my total number of stitches. No hurry for this one, I live in the South. No need for much of anything this time of year.

This is the bottom 4" or so of the Decimal Sweater, free on Knitty. I'm all about those wonderful free patterns. I'm doing this one in Knit Picks Shine Sport in Cherry. Love the pattern, love the yarn and my favorite color is, of course, RED! No hurry for this one either.

Cables. I needed to practice cables for my Mom's sweater, so I made Mr. Greenjeans (from Knitty but that's the Ravelry link). I love this sweater. It took awhile, but it always takes me a long time to make sweaters cause I get bored with them and put them aside. But, it's now done and ready to wear this weekend on my trip. Soon I need to start the Nantucket Jacket (Interweave, Winter 06) for my Mom. She picked the yarn out a long time ago but there's a lot of cables in that sweater and even though I can do cables, it's really hard right now to concentrate on bunches of cables. Hopefully I can start it in July (my goal) so to have it done for Christmas. Hope being the key word there.

And I call it Mr. Maroonjeans, cause, well, it's kind of maroon. Big wooden button was in my button box and was perfect, even fit the buttonhole.

Pattern: Mr. Greenjeans aka Maroonjeans-Ravelry

Yarn: Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece

Color: Candy Apple

Size: M-one thing I love about knitting. It's the ONLY think I wear that is a Medium. :o)

Needle Size: I'm guessing about an 8 but don't remember

There have been a few other projects, mostly just little things, but I don't have time to get them in here. If I don't go pack up that camper we'll have to run around the tournament hungry and.....well, you know, I've got things to do.

Sweater, n.: garment worn by child when its mother is feeling chilly. ~Ambrose Bierce

I hope all you Mom's out there have a wonderful weekend, a Happy Mother's Day and be sure and make time to knit!

Happy Knitting!

Easter, Dents and Growing up

2009-04-11T12:47:00.006-04:00

Let me first wish whoever stops by the Scrappy Knitter blog a very Happy, Blessed Easter.

We had another minor mishap with a car. Nope, not Ruby this time, she's had enough bangs lately. And no, it wasn't the oldest daughter, whose car we just paid to have fixed after her little mishap at a red light (yeah, sometimes the guy in front of you stops, then goes but you must pay attention to that second stop - gets you every time when you're not looking.) It was the Baby Girl and Silva! Remember Silva, my Honda CRV? It's hers now. We went shopping yesterday for a dress for her upcoming Formal (that I can't even be there to see) and when she was leaving a really nice guy in a red pickup backed out almost at the same time as she did and he clipped her right on the back corner of the car. So, another dent to fix, another insurance paper to file, another gray hair for me. That means that the 3 women (are they really women already?) in this family have either hit (2 of us did the hitting) or been hit and damaged our cars in the last 4 weeks! That's scary. No picture of Silva's dent cause they aren't home today, but it's there, plain as day.

Okay, this part might sound winy, but I'm really not wining. But, if any of you are empty nesters (I know one of you is), what in the world do you do when there's no kids around? When my kids are here I'm so busy, running around waiting on everyone, keeping the little one's entertained, keeping the Father/Grandfather out of everyone's hair (he's not as kid 'friendly' as I am), but then they all leave and what do you do? Even the oldest granddaughter comes over and is perfectly happy sitting on the couch playing with my computer or texting her friends, but I'm there to laugh with them, polish fingernails, laugh at whatever silly thing she did in school. Then she's gone. The Baby Girl comes home from Alabama and we go shopping, eat lunch out, talk, stay up late and watch every episode of House (my "other man"), talk, then she goes back to Alabama. The oldest doesn't come over much anymore cause she's in school, works part time, and then has kids to deal with when she's not at school or working. The Baby Boy lives so far away I don't see him much unless I go to Atlanta to visit him. We have so much fun in the big city. We eat out just about every night, we shop, we stay up all night being goofy (we both love to sing), we share the same best friend. Then I have to leave and go back home. It's really weird to me to not have any kids around. I always wanted to have lots of kids, till I found out how expensive they were, then I settled for 2, but then we were surprised with #3, the Baby Girl. Now we're empty nesters, he's out of work and home almost every day and I'm going to go nuts not having anyone around to wait on (he waits on me), talk to ( he's not much of a talker), sing with (I DO NOT want the man to sing), laugh with (that we do), so, there's only one thing left to do.

TRAVEL....................
Heading out next week for a long weekend, going to the mountains for a week to visit my parents in June (more on that next time), Florida to stay with my friend down there, Atlanta to see the Baby Boy sometime over the summer, Americus for a week for a Clay shoot with BTB (that means a week of knitting for me), St. Simon's Island for a long weekend with the Oldest Daughter and grandkids (she's going to a wedding and they asked her to stay at their house while they're away, she didn't want to stay along. Heck, it's a beach, I'll go and protect her so she can protect her friends house, yuppers), and then maybe, just maybe I can get to Alabama to visit with the Baby Girl. So, those tail lights are about all you'll see of Ruby and I this summer, but, remember, I have my Pink Mini so I'll be reading blogs, drooling over Ravelry and maybe blogging once or twice.Happy Easter! Happy Knitting!

Where's Center?

2009-03-29T15:23:00.005-04:00

My list is getting smaller. The little sweater that I made for my friends baby just fit him so we decided it should be a little bigger. Tore it out during Wed night church service and will make another, bigger.

Something really strange happened to the Ene Scarf. Never happened before, hope it never happens again but I really don't know what happened! I was knitting away but kept thinking "there seems to be more stitches on the left than there are on the right of the center marker." Well, instead of stopping and just looking I just kept right on knitting. Who has time to count when you only have so much time to knit in the first place. Well, yesterday I counted.

See how many stitches/markers are on the right side (backwards from what I said above)? See how many on the left?

Here's center. It was way over on the side, not in the middle. Now what do you suppose I did? I can't figure it out. No clue. Just kept happily knitting along! I had 18 pattern repeats on one side and 27 on the other. Did I turn too soon? Fall asleep at the circulars? What?
Then I got mad. Know what happens when I get mad at my knitting? It goes back to the cake state and gets put away. This is the 3rd thing I've tried to make with this yarn and I think it's jinxed. It's staying in the yarn closet for a long, long time now!
Remember poor Ruby? Her tail light? BTB fixed her all up and she's now happy as can be. She'd love a bath to get rid of the pollen that's all over her, but she's really happy with her new "lens." Bath this week now that we don't have to worry about any shorts. Poor Ruby!
Another new lamb for the collection. This is actually bigger than the one I posted about in my last post. I really didn't want to get it cause, well, you can only have so many lambs, but I just couldn't pass her up. She was just sitting there waiting to go home with me and meet the rest of the Scrappy Knitter Lambies. She's very happy here.
The Baby Girl is back in school, happily eating everything in sight, singing and enjoying life. She has had to give up so much with this thing. Her clarinet, singing, things you just don't think about being connected to your jaw. Now we just need to wait for her body to heal from it all and then maybe everything will be back to normal. She sure was a happy kid when she could belt out those church songs! I hope she sings forever, she has a voice like no other.

Happy Knitting!

UFO's

2009-03-24T15:02:00.005-04:00

Isn't this little guy adorable? He's the newest member of my Lamb Collection. He's from the people who make Soy Silk and he's made out of Soy Silk and he is SO SOFT! Lovehim, lovehim, lovehim! I got him at a wonderful LYS.

I made a list. I never make lists. If I make a grocery list, I forget it when I go to the grocery. If I make a "To Do" list, I don't do a thing on it, I do something totally different. So, this new list is just a list, but I'm really hoping to work it just right. I'm going to post it here so that maybe, every now and again, one of you Scrappy Knitter readers can pop into this blog and ask about one of the things on my list. Got that? Okay, here's the list:

Harry Potter Scarf
Kauni Sweater
Norwegian Sweater
Aiden Jackson's Sweater
Rib Warmer
Red Vest
Striped Vest
Goddess Knits KAL Shawl
Mr. Greenjeans Sweater
Hemlock Ring Blanket (brooklyntweed)
Log Cabin Afghan
Swallowtail Scarf
Ene's Shawl
Recipe Shawl

Isn't that scary? For some reason (attention deficit?)I get very bored very fast with my knitting choices. Why? What is so hard about finishing one project before going on to another? Beats me, but if you know, share, please!

The oldest UFO on the list is the Harry Potter Scarf. The Baby Girl asked for that way back, like in high school and she is now a junior in college! I HATE working on that scarf. Its a circular needle that's too short, doesn't bend and you just go round and round for 16 rows, then change the color and go round and round for another 16 rows. But, that's got to be finished! The last 3 items on the list are things I've just started in the past few weeks and am working on a little every day. I have to set up some type of schedule to add in my UFO's. Most just need to be put together, buttons put on or a small amount of knitting to be done. A few, like the Norwegian Sweater, made me mad so got put away. It's all done by chart, black and white, and one of the stitches was off and I couldn't figure it out. So, some need lots of work, some need very little.

I've been knitting since I was 6 and I don't remember having more than one project going at a time until I found all the wonderful knitting sites on the computer. Now, I'm not blaming anyone here, I'm just saying, if I didn't see all the gorgeous yarn, beautiful patterns, amazing knitting projects that all the folks are doing on Ravelry, Blogs, Knitty, I would be very happy working along on my child's boring Harry Potter Scarf until it was done, then go out and buy some more boring yarn at Walmart (who'd have thunk that all that gorgeous yarn you see in the magazines can actually be bought in a LYS or online, right at your fingertips?) and knit something else till it's finished....... That's how I used to knit. My Grandmother always told me I couldn't start something new until the something old was finished. I never did, till about 4 years ago. Sorry Grandma, I'll try to remember that but so far it's just not working!

So, my goal (never had goals in my life, and if I did they didn't work)is to TRY and finish one UFO a month. Maybe that'll motivate me to finish them all fast enough so that it doesn't take me 14 months to finish.....that's over a year! Wow!! Let's also hope that I don't add anything to this list before atleast a few things are finished! There are so many beautiful patterns popping up that I want to do. I've already got yarn and pattern for this beauty, and this one. I think I need AA for Knitters. Is there one of those somewhere?

This is my newest toy. I bought it to take with me to Boston but of course, it didn't come in time. I, for some reason, can't get Ravelry on my Blackberry (don't laugh) so thought I'd get this. It's 9"! And pink! And I just love it! The Baby Girl has had it on the couch and in her bed while she's recouping, but once in awhile I get to play with it again. Does everything the big laptops do but mostly geered for surfing the internet and e-mailing. Awesome little gadget. It's a Dell Inspiron Mini 9" and because I ordered it in pink (lots of colors to choose from), $5.00 went to Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

This silly little pug was chewing on this bowl that I had on the floor to hold my yarn while I wound it. When I was done she decided to start playing with it and with her head in it, she fell asleep! The reason I looked down at all was because she was snoring but it sounded funny. Yup, sounded like she was down in a well. Nope, she was down in a cool whip container. Love that pug!

Thank you for the well wishes for the Baby Girl. She's doing very well, eats EVERYTHING, and goes in Thursday to have her stitches out and for a checkup. She is soooo enjoying being able to eat real food again. She was getting quite tired of Slim Fast, mashed everything and soup. I've loved having her home and babying her (as much as she'll let me).

Happy Knitting!

Surgery, Medical and otherwise

2009-03-20T11:10:00.004-04:00

Yup, left here at 5:15 a.m. to get the Baby Girl to the hospital for her 8 o'clock surgery and I backed right into her friends truck. NOT happy! 'nough said.
Pretty sad, but I love what they did to her hair. She has really curly hair, like banana curls, and I'd say someone liked playing with it cause usually after this it's tucked up in the bandages to stay out of the way. She had 5 stitches on each side and the incisions are where they'd cut if you had a face lift. So, if she ever does, she won't have to worry about new scars, they'll already be there.

We were home again by noon! She got up this morning and took her meds and ate pancakes! HALLELUJAH!!!!! Lets hope this is the final TMJ surgery for this child.

I'm battling the extremely thick pollen and have a wonderfully painful sinus infection, so, I'm finishing my tea (an actual tea bag cup of tea, imagine that? first time ever!!!) and going back to my chair. The pain has got to go away sooner or later.

Happy Knitting!

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggitey Jig

2009-03-14T18:13:00.004-04:00

Now, if this post was written by my friend Stringplay, she'd look up that poem and have it all written out here for you, but, since it would take time from my knitting I'll let you look it up. LOL Google is my best friend.

I'm home. Boston was AWESOME! Spending 4 days in very close proximity to your hometown in the dead of winter is more fun than I could tell you. AND, we had a mini blizzard the day we left and I had to sit on a plane and watch it be deiced! 15" of that beautiful white stuff I got to walk through, kick, shiver in and fly back to Atlanta in. I wasn't "scared to death" but I was thinking "how weird is this. I hate to fly (used to), always said if I had to sit on a plane while they deiced it I'd just have to get off." Well, I didn't, sat right there in my seat and never once thought - what if. I even knitted while on the plane. I NEVER have been able to do anything while on a plane except pray, A LOT! Great time, great time. I'd love to show pictures but I have a slight problem with that too. My adorable son took some great one's too, but I got home, took the smart card out of my camera to have the pictures printed at the store, decided to wait till I went to my oldest daughters store (less crouded) and now I don't know what I did with the smart card. I know it's around here somewhere. So, when I find it I'll be sure and plaster my snow pictures all over this blog.

Okay, yes, I do knit. So, here's the knitting of late:This is Ene's Shawl by Nancy Bush

from Scarf Style
I'm doing it in Knit Picks Shine Sport. I want a big, big shawl to wrap around myself when I'm cold, reading, sick, and it has to be big enough to wrap a pug and hotdog in cause if I have a blanket they have to be under it too. And this Shine Sport is cotton and modal so it won't make me itch and it's super soft.

This one I call "Waiting." But it's actually a recipe on Ravelry by Orlane and it's a really fun, easy pattern and I'm doing it in some DK weight cotton that I have, again cause I can't stand itchy yarn. Why "Waiting?" Well, the Baby Girl is home for Spring Break and she goes in Thursday to have her jaw operated on again. This is the biggy; incisions on both sides, just in front of her ears, they're taking out the cartilage and sanding down the bone/hinge of her jaw because she has bone spurs! It's still outpatient surgery but they said it would take longer and there's a longer healing time, so, while I wait, pace, worry, and pray, I'll knit "Waiting." Send good thoughts our way for her, she's really suffered with this thing long enough.

So, aside from all the things I don't have pictures of (like the beautiful Boston snow storm), that's about it. I'm staying home for awhile, need to do some spring cleaning, give the honey and the pug and the dachshund some attention, then I'll be going again, I'm sure. But, for the next several weeks I'm staying put.

From a Scottish Yankee, Happy St. Patrick's Day to all. Are you making corned beef and cabbage? Got mine all ready to go in the pot! YUM, I can smell it already.

Happy Knitting!
PS Here's a special hello to an "old" online friend who also has heart problems. Here's to you kid! And here's hoping your heart is fine!

Here Today, Gone Tomorrow

2009-02-12T16:17:00.004-05:00

These are some of things I worked on while on my 2 week vacation in the freezing cold state of Florida. Broke the all time record for the coldest night 3 nights in a row! Good thing we have Northern blood in us.

I'm calling this Emerald Beach Shell Diving Shawl. It's almost the same color as the Gulf of Mexico water and the place we stayed was Emerald Beach. Not sure if you can see in this picture, but there's pink size 6 seed beads in it to represent the shells we found.

Pattern: From LYS but named Emerald Beach Shell Diving Shawl by me
Yarn: Dream in Color Smooshy (my new FAVORITE yarn) from same LYS
Needles: Denise Circular size 10 1/2
Beads: pink seed beads size 6 from the Beadwrangler

I'll post another picture of it when it's done. This one's not quite finished yet.
Need another vacation to gether done.

This is a free Ravelry pattern and I love it! Loved making it and love the yarn.
Pattern: Thermis
Yarn: Mongolian Cashmere
Needles: size 7 KP circulars
Soft and cozy

I sure do get alot of knitting done when I'm in the sunny state of Florida. I could sit on a beach and knit for ever and ever. Not on the first week of the trip, that was so cold we walked to stay warm (and I lost 5 pounds!). The second part of our trip was in the Panhandle, on the Gulf side, that was nice for about 2 days.

Here's a pair of quick Mary Jane Slippers. This too is a Ravelry pattern. I'm really enjoying all these quick knits. It's nice to actually finish things.

I also made the oldest a Ponytail hat like the one I made the Baby Girl {here}. She's supposed to be sending me a picture of it on but I think she's a little busy with 3 kids, college and a new job.

I've started a couple of cowls, another scarf and hope to finish the shawl from above. Leaving tomorrow for another mini vacation so maybe when I get back I'll have time to post pictures and tell you why on earth someone that lives in the warm (75 today) sunny southeast could possibly need cowls and scarves. Stay tuned.

And Happy Valentine's Day! And Happy President's Birthday Day! And a VERY Happy Birthday to my favorite man in the whole world. Happy Knitting!

Pretty in Red

2009-02-08T16:47:00.003-05:00

My favorite color! This was the most relaxing scarf pattern ever! I started it on our trip and finished it within the first 7 days. I've always wanted a red scarf. This one was perfect.

Started: Jan 19, 2009
Name: Pearl-Barred Scallop Scarf (free download from Ravelry)
Yarn: Cabin Cove Mercantile 100% Superwash Marino
Amt: 400 Yards
Needles: Size 9 Lantern Moon
Finished: Jan 26, 2009

Our trip was totally freezing but we had the best time ever. We went shell diving, ate shell fish, and sat around and watched the water, some of us knit, some of us napped. Great vacation!

More pictures next time. Getting ready for another trip but I'll try to get pictures and post them before we leave.

Happy Knitting!

A New Sheep Added to the Flock

2009-01-17T19:05:00.003-05:00

The label said "Quilt Sheep." I do know how to quilt, I've made quilts, so, he had to come home with me. Looks good sitting on the back of Ruby, huh?

I'm headed out of town tomorrow for my annual trek to warmer weather. Until this week we've had warm weather here this year, but, I want to go to warm weather where you can see salt water at the same time. So, we've packed up and are ready to go. I still haven't been able to get my laptop fixed but I will have my Pinkberry with me so I can read my mail. Just wish I knew why I can't get Ravelry on it. I'm going to miss that, no new patterns to look at for 2 weeks! Ouch!!

Hope you're all staying warm (it was 21 here this morning) .

Happy Knitting!

It's Still a Mess

2009-01-08T18:46:00.004-05:00

The Baby Girl is on a trip with her University Chorus group to Michigan and she asked me to make her a hat. The hat I referred to in my last post is kicking my butt, so I gave her this one so her ears wouldn't freeze up! It's the Colorimtry hat from Bonne Marie at ChicKnits and was a lot of fun and really fast to make. I did make a few changes, like not doing about 1/2 of the increase rows. She likes is and it covers her ears, so that's one more skein of yarn out the door!

The yarn is almost done being organized, but I've run out of room in the closet. I really hate having this mess. From this day forward I WILL NOT BUY YARN UNLESS IT'S FOR SOMETHING SPECIFIC! Alot of this yarn I bought when my LYS went out of business but now, looking at patterns to use it up, there are very few people using these yarns for anything. I guess I'm going to be knitting alot of scarves, hats, mittens, wrist warmers and such. BTB suggested afghans, so I think I'll use the heavier yarn for that. We live in the South, where the temperature so far hasn't dropped low enough to wear a sweater, never mind hats, scarves and all that. Jeesh!

This is what BTB gave me for Christmas this year. It's a sheep! He is the cutest thing and he's holding an ear of corn. Oh, and the TV? That's my new flat screen TV to use with my Wii Fit. Makes walking that walk alot prettier!

Happy Knitting!

PS Marissa, thanks for stopping by. I couldn't e-mail you cause I don't have your e-mail. Nice to meet you though. Stop by again.

And now the mess

2009-01-05T18:59:00.005-05:00

Mess #1 Sorting it all! (on the table)

Mess #2 - Socks and Lace weight only (boxes under the little Holly Hobby Wallhanging)

Mess #3 All counted, inventoried, bagged and ready to go back into the closet. (large pile of totes)

Someday! I hate this blogger stuff. The pictures never go where I put them.

Stay tuned! and Happy Knitting!

I Am Not An Organized Person

2009-01-02T21:17:00.007-05:00

But I am determined to be an organized yarn hog. If I can't see it, I don't know I have it, so it's all coming out of the plastic totes and going into ziploc bags. Stay tuned for more pictures. The Baby Girl is leaving us again tomorrow, so I have to find something to keep me busy.

More tomorrow. I'm determined to have this done by the end of the weekend! Wish me luck

The box furthest from the camera is just sock and lace weight yarn!
The box closest to the camera is all my single skeins or leftovers.

These are waiting to see if they have some matching friends somewhere
and some are favorites that I don't want to pack away - I like looking.

Happy Knitting!

It's not a Resolution, Really!

2009-01-01T20:26:00.002-05:00

Big plans and big things happening around the Scrappy Knitter household. Oh, hope you all had a great New Year's Eve and New Years Day. We sure did. Ate all that "bad for you stuff" like chip and French onion dip, buffalo wings, bagle bites, pizza, cheese/pepperoni/cracker tray. Yeah, all that yummy stuff I'm not supposed to eat but, we did have a veggie tray. Only problem was someone I know likes it so much all the good stuff was gone by the time I got to it. We just won't mention any names (it was the oldest child of mine, but, no names).

Anyway, the plans. I've started working on them but forgot all about pictures. So, tomorrow I will see if Mr. BTB will take some of the mess I've made, that will eventually, I hope, turn into a much more organized system. Doesn't that just make you all wonder? Hang in there, I'll really try to get those pitures up tomorrow.

That's it, gotta run. The Baby Girl is leaving the nest AGAIN to go back to school on Saturday and she's in dier need of a nice, warm hat for a trip to Michigan she's taking next week. So, I'm off to make her the cute little Paperboy hat shown here on Ravelry.

See you tomorrow. Happy Knitting!

Out with the Old, In With the New!

2008-12-31T20:46:00.002-05:00

To all of my knitting friends, new and old, we would like to wish you all a very Happy, Prosperous, Healthy New Year. Here's to 2009!
Happy Knitting!

A Harlotty Scarf Cause Baby it's Cold Outside!

2008-12-13T17:59:00.005-05:00

Yes, even in the sunny South. 50 is considered cold down here. Eat your hearts out all you New Englanders that are getting snow!

This is the Yarn Harlots One Row Scarf done on size 9 needles.
Very easy, very relaxing and oh, so soft in Malabrigo worsted. I have 3 more skeins. Might make 3 more things. Gift? No. For me. I wanted to use up every last drop of yarn. This is the pattern stitch close up. I haven't blocked it yet, or washed it, but hubby and I keep putting it on. It's so snuggly!
The Baby Girl is coming home tomorrow, then to the Drs. on Monday about her jaw again. It's bothering her, so a CAT scan has been ordered to see what it's all about. Then, well, then Tuesday she's leaving me for 4 days to go to the mountains with her friend to visit her Grandma- my Mom. Do they ever stay home and just visit? Nope, didn't think so. Keep your fingers crossed about the jaw. Jeesh, we don't want to have to go thru all that again!

And since she's leaving, I figure I may as well leave too, so I'm headed in the opposite direction with the oldest Baby Girl to find a new yarn shop I've never been to. And she's got a friend that lives over there that's going to drive us around! He wondered if I'd be upset if he sat in the car while we shopped at the yarn shop cause he doesn't know anything about yarn. She told him "heck no, when Mom shops at a yarn shop she likes everyone to stay out of her way cause she doesn't like anyone knowing how much money she spends." Whatta kid! Gotta love em.

Happy Knitting!
oh, and the grandfather will be just fine. He offered to stay at the oldest baby girls house to wait for the bus! How can you beat that? We have no curfew!!!!!!!

They'll be Home for Christmas!

2008-12-11T17:57:00.004-05:00

Just found out that they'll all be back, the Baby Girl (of course, expected her to come home), the Baby Boy, my Parents, and the oldest Daughter will all be here for Christmas. The grandkids are all going to their father's for Christmas and the oldest isn't too fond of waking up alone on Christmas morning, so she'll be spending the night here Christmas Eve to have an old fashioned Christmas morning, just like when she was a kid. The Baby Girl will be driving home this weekend and will be home for about a month! YAY! And, the Baby Boy will be arriving Christmas Day, after his Christmas Eve traditions he started when he moved up near Atlanta. The parents will be here the Tuesday before Christmas. So, I'm having Christmas dinner, first in 2 years, and everyone's gonna be here. Yup, I'm happy!

Mr. Maroonjeans; aka Mr. Greenjeans from Knitty Just have the sleeves to go and it's all done. I'm doing it in Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece, color Candy Apple, 3/4 sleeves. Loved working those cables without a cable needle.
Guess I better go decorate some more. Lots to do and today nothing got done cause of the weather. When it's this bad my sinus's don't cooperate. We've had severe thunderstorm watches/warnings, tornado watches/warnings and lots and lots of rain. So, I had a nice long nap with the puppies and not much else.

Happy Knitting!

Itty Bitty, Teeny Tiny Bears and Socks

2008-12-07T19:45:00.005-05:00

Teeny Tiny Little Bear
From: here to here
Yarn: Palette by Knit Picks

Tiny Christmas Stocking
From the same place. I went to So Much Yarn, So Little Times sight and found this website for the stocking and the bear. Lots of fun and super fast.

Got a dang toothache so that's it from me. Why is it you never need a Dr. or a Dentist Monday - Friday, it's always on Friday night, Saturday or Sunday? My own fault, should have gone a long time ago.

Have a great week and Happy Knitting!

Turkey's, Cakes and Beret's

2008-12-02T19:02:00.003-05:00

Did you all survive the big Thanksgiving feast? Wow, I need to do the Wii Fit every single day between now and Christmas if I'm going to eat like that again! I know better too. I can't eat all that stuff, but it sure did taste good. It's all gone now, so back to eating right. We had dinner at our Oldest Daughters. Here's 1/3 of the table. This table spans the length of her livingroom AND her diningroom!
She not only made the whole dinner, she also made this to celebrate the 2nd Anniversary of my Heart Attack. My favorite cake - chocolate with white frosting. My heart was very happy!
I made this tam for my oldest Granddaughter. I've had this yarn forever, and this hat only used a little over a skein. I was hoping to use it up. I'm trying to knit with yarn I have because, well, I have way too much!
Ravelry pattern:Baroness Beret by Susan Power
Yarn: Green and white GGH something (This is unblocked)

Happy Knitting!

Pug Knit Swap

2008-11-22T20:18:00.003-05:00

This was a fun swap, even though we kind of got off to a bad start. I was away on one of my mini vacations when I was supposed to reply with my name and address, or something and my Blackberry cannot sign in to Ravelry for some reason. But, we figured it all out and this package was awesome!
My swap partner, Smatchell, made these. I love them! They'll work with so many projects and my favorite color, too. They came in the cute little red change purse, my other favorite color. This one couldn't keep her head, nose and body out of the box! She could smell something good in there. First thing she pulled out was the box of chocolates, but I quickly told her they weren't for her. She was so funny, just grabbing at anything she could get her mouth around.
Thank you Smatchell. We love every bit of that box, even the pretty purple fabric that everything was wrapped up in!

It's a Bit Nippy Outside!

2008-11-18T14:48:00.006-05:00

Even for a "Misplaced Yankee" it's a bit nippy outside. The temperature today isn't supposed to get out of the mid 50's and it's going down into the 20's tonight. Brrrrrr! So, the Christmas cactus came in and tonight hubby is bringing in my geraniums because they are full of buds and just beautiful and they need to stay that way so the WHOLE family can see them. I love pulling out the sweatshirts and sweatpants, socks, all the nice "stay warm" gear. In the South you have to get used to doing everything opposite of what you did up North. You wear shorts and t-shirts here 10 months out of the year. Up North I was lucky if I could wear shorts and t-shirts for 2 months. So, everything's totally different, so when this little freeze comes a little earlier than usual, this is one happy North/Southerner!

I have been trying to spend less time on the computer (have you noticed?) and more time doing other things, like knitting. I finished this and blocked it last week and just love it, and love the color.

Clapotis at Knitty

Yarn: Shaefer Laurel 100% Pima Cotton

Weight: Worsted

Needles: Size 8 Brittany

Color: Can't remember - I'll find it sometime.

Bought at Stings and Strands in Atlanta on my trip with DH.

The shawl under it is one that I made way back when I first started on this journey of lace knitting. The pattern is in one of my knitting books but it's been so long since I did it I don't remember. I have a huge bookcase and it's full of knitting books, magazines, and trying to find one quick isn't easy. Very unorganized bookcase.

Kauni Sweater
I've also finished this sweater from a knit-a-long I did last winter. I finished it in quick order but then died out on the sleeves. I still don't like the sleeves but they're going to have to do. It's not like I'm ever going to wear it. It is cold here, but not cold enough for a 100% wool sweater. I don't like wool.
I liked that the sleeves aren't exactly the same. Some people did them exactly alike but it's the character of the sweater and the yarn. Doing sleeves from the shoulder down, in the round, on double pointed needles is not fun. Next time I'll try a different way, or just do them flat and sew them in. Finishing a sweater is a chore, but once I get the needle and thread going it doesn't matter if I have to sew in sleeves. And the join will look a whole lot better than where the end of the round is when using double pointed needles.

This is it all folded, nice and neatly without all the ends hanging out. You can tell I still have to block it and hope that the button bands lay down. If not, then I guess that comes out next so I can redo it. The ribbing is all done in Corrugated Ribbing, which I love but it's an easy process to forget, so I have to go look it up each time I put this away for awhile and then come back to it. Pretty though.

This little guy is my new Christmas candle holder. Isn't he adorable? I bought him

last weekend on my coupon shopping spree. I got him in Bath and Body Works if you want one. He has a candle inside (take off his head) and this one is Spice. They also have Evergreen.

That's all of the yarn I have left after the sweater. It was 2 skeins of Kauni in the EQ colorway. That's a lot of yarn. I bought more too, in pinks, to make a shawl/stole. Someday. Just not enough hours in my day to knit all the things I see that I want.

If anyone can explain to me (again) how to get the writing beside these pictures instead of having to keep writing either on top of or under them, please tell me. I need to spend a day just reading all this blogger stuff so I can figure out what the heck I don't know. I can't get a picture in my header either, so, still a boring blog.

Happy Knitting!
Edited to Note! Well, I decided my little Penguin would look better above my writing and when I moved him, all the writing went along side him. So, guess I sort of figured that part out, accidently. Jeesh!

Happy Veteran's Day/Happy Birthday

2008-11-11T13:51:00.004-05:00

Every year on this date I'd send my father-in-law an e-card, thanking him for all his dedication and sacrifice for our country. He passed away 5 years ago, but I still like to mention it here on November 11th. This year I'd like to wish all the service men and women a very Happy Veteran's Day and a big Thank You for all you've done to keep us safe.

Free Comments and Graphics
And, you know what I was doing 28 years ago today?Giving birth to this handsome kid! Happy Birthday Baby Boy. I love you lots and lots!

My Clapotis is now an FO and is blocking. My Kauani Sweater just needs the ribbing around the edges of the sleeves. Not much else going on, just enjoying this beautiful weather and getting the house ready for Thanksgiving company. The Baby Girl, The Baby Boy, The Grandson and the Parents are all going to be home for the big bird this year so we're all getting pretty excited.

Happy Veteran's Day to all and Happy Birthday kiddo.

Happy Knitting!

Anniversaries and Clapotis!

2008-10-28T19:19:00.005-04:00

Can you believe it! I forgot my blogaversary. It was in June and I am always thinking it's in February for some reason. How sad. I bought a new car and couldn't think of anything else. So, Happy 3rd Belated Blogaversary to the Scrappy Knitter blog!

I've also been knitting. It's kind of hard to go away and spend 4 days at a campground with 2 happy dogs and a husband that's off shooting clays and not have some knitting to do. And, because I wasn't interrupted once, I actually got alot of it done.
This one spends all her time on the table. Bad pug! If you look behind her you can see the ball of yarn on our bed for the Clapotise. Only the decrease rows to go and it'll be done. I'm making it in Shaefer Yarn Laura, in a buttery yellow with white, darker yellow and pale grey. Lots of fun. It's not a shawl, I made it narrower so I can use it as a scarf.

I'm doing a Pug Knit swap with the Ravelry Pug Group and have to have it all in the mail by Friday. This is my first official swap and it's lots of fun collecting things for your partner. I'll show pictures of it AFTER she gets it. Never know when someone might actually pop in and read this blog.

No more traveling till after the holidays. Ruby (the new car) and I need a break. I had a great visit with my son and my best friend. We shopped! And we shopped some more. And when we got tired we'd eat and then shop some more. Great time! Now we're staying home to get ready for Thanksgiving, my 2 year anniversary (non-smoker and heart attack surviver) and the whole family coming for dinner at the oldest daughters. I can't wait! We'll all be together again for 4 whole days.

Happy Knitting!

I've been tagged

2008-10-16T13:18:00.005-04:00

The Nautical Knitter tagged me. Thank you DK! This is the first time I've ever been tagged. Here goes. I also got that cute tag above from her. It's a picture on my blog, I had to use it.

When I was a child I showed Ashyire cows, in a show ring. Gramp was a dairy farmer, and that's what dairy farmers' kids and grandkids did. It was a lot of work, but I loved it.
I met my husband when I was 11, became his girlfriend at 13, was engaged to him at 17 and married him at 18. We've been married 33 years, 2 months and 1 week. :o)
Our oldest daughter was named after the county/burrow we honeymooned in. She is the only person in the USA with that name, although there is a farm in Ohio with the same name. And JFYI, she was born 2 years after the honeymoon!
I have never knit myself a sweater. I've knit scarves, bags but never a sweater or anything to wear. Why? I've tried. They never fit. My Mom has a closet full of knit sweaters. :o(
I never bought LYS yarn until 3 years ago when I read my first blog. Now I wish I hadn't bought so much.
I collect bags like most people collect Santa Clauses. I can't get enough.

So, there's a few things I'm assuming you didn't know about me, unless you happen to be related, then it doesn't count.

Knitting wise I've done very little. I've torn out almost everything I've started, so now I'm just wondering if I should just give up on it for awhile. I also have a really sore left elbow that I think is either a pinched nerve or a really fast case of arthritis that set in. I'm going with the pinched nerve. It really bothers me after working on something heavy, like that dang February Ladies Sweater that I want so bad but just can't seem to get right. So, not much knitting.

I'm off to Atlanta for a week. Hope you all have a great knitting week while I'm gone.

Oh, yeah, I have to tag 7 people. Wow, I'm not sure I know 7 people to tag.

Stringplay
Nautical Knitter
RedDirt Knitter
GaTeach11
Felt Like Knitting

Well, 5 isn't bad. I received the invite a week ago and have been thinking about it and making notes since. Give it some thought, it's fun.

Happy Halloween!
Percival Pumpkin: by the Baby Girl

Happy Knitting!

How About a List?

2008-09-29T10:27:00.003-04:00

This is the worst blog ever, I'm sure. I've done alot of traveling this summer and have issues with both computers, so things around ScrappyKnitter Blogland are slow! Here's the list of where I've been:

Atlanta (3x)
Macon/Atlanta - 9 days
Palm Coast Florida - 7 days
Blairsville, GA - 9 days
Several weekends at different places for shooting tournaments

What I've been knitting (and sorry, no pictures because of the computer issues again):

February Lady Sweater - totally frogged after 2/3rds done
Still working on the Goddess Knits Anniversary shawl
Baby sweater for a friend-about 2 inches of the last sleeve to go
Jared's doily afghan- that'll take forever, but I'm in no hurry
Log Cabin Afghan-work on that when I need to talk/visit
Nantucket Jacket, in pink, for my Mom - special order!

I'm also getting real anxious to sew again. Another great blogger (Stringplay) had a link to a fun little bag to sew and while spending the week at my Mom's she and I made one for the Baby Girl. I'm going to make another one for me, it's a great little project bag to keep in the car.

I joined a pug swap on Ravelry but my Blackberry can't/won't get Ravelry and while I was at my Mom's we were all supposed to send in our address and all, but, since I couldn't get it on my phone I missed it and I guess they've dropped me. I was kinda sad cause I've never done one and thought it would be fun. Guess next time I better take my laptop, even though it's not working right now, atleast then it did and I could have done things on time. Poo!

I'm going out of town for another week to visit a very good friend and my Baby Boy so I might not have another entry till the end of Oct, first of November, but I'm always thinking about what to write and tell you all (all, like I have a ton of people out there in the world reading this sad excuse of a blog). And of course, I'm always reading yours. I can read them on my phone so that's my nighttime reading when I'm out of town. I love it! I'll try to figure out how to get pictures in here too, or, get the dang laptop fixed.

Happy Knitting!

2008-09-07T22:37:00.006-04:00

Another month. Someone needs to invent a way to get time to slow down just a tad.

I've been traveling! The beginning of August we took the Baby Girl to her new college. After a few days BTB had a Tournament so we spent 9 days near the big city. We stayed in a beautiful campground and while he shot clays I worked on this. The pattern is Ice Queen from Knitty. I did it in Kidsilk Haze, on size 5 KP Options and used caramel colored clear seed beads #8. It's as light as air and so pretty. It's a smoke ring/lace cowl/wimple.

Went to 3 different yarn shops but I think Creative Yarns in Macon was my favorite. And this is BTB favorite bag that I've ever purchased. He loved it. I love it! It's a knitting bag with enough room for everything - including the kitchen sink. It's a Namaste bag in the Cali Collection, Laguna, color Saddle. If you go to the website (click on link) be sure and click on photo's, under the big picture - it's huge!

Here's BTB getting ready for his next shoot. It was lots of fun, being outside in the gorgeous air and watching the love of my life doing something he enjoys!
Can you guess who this is? She had just come from seeing the new Superman Movie. Yup, that's my 20 year old Baby Girl. The house is empty without that face! Oh, and she can open her mouth all the way! She came home the end of August for her 3 month checkup and her doctor said "go, eat what you want, just remember, if it hurts, don't eat it anymore. Play your clarinet, do whatever you want as long as it doesn't hurt!" So, where'd she want to go for lunch that day? For a steak!
This is the Goddess Anniversary KAL Pi Shawl I've been working on forever (well, May seems like forever for one project.) It takes me a little over an hour to do one row! I'll love it when it's done but it might not be for another 10 years.

Been working on other stuff but some things made it thru, some things haven't. My February Ladies sweater, which I loved, got frogged because of some mistake I made in the yoke - it puckered and I couldn't figure out why so frogged it. I'm working on an adorable baby sweater for a friends little, brandy new baby boy, but that too has been ripped out 5 times now! Tonight I started it again for the 6th AND FINAL time! I'll try to get pictures this week, if it continues to grow!

I spent a week in Florida with a friend whose husband has been in the hospital for 80 something days. She was so happy just to have someone to talk to at night, drive her to the hospital and home again and someone to eat lunch/dinner with. He's doing much better and hopefully he'll be home soon.

Next week I'm leaving for another week, this time to the cool mountains to spend time with my Mom and Dad. My favorite spot when life gets too crazy is on their front porch watching the sun come up, then watch it go down and walking around the neighborhood. You can't beat that cool, crisp air in Sept! It's still pretty hot and muggy here in the Southern end of the state. And I have word from a very reliable source that there's a nice yarn shop further up in those mountains, so I'm hoping to talk them into taking me for a "ride" one day. After that trip I'm going to go spend a week with the friend I made the Ice Queen for, and my Baby Boy. We can shop till we drop and eat at all the best places for a solid week! She said to skip the diet for a week, so I'm skipping it! My grandkids tell me I never stay home now that I have Ruby, my new car. I think they're right, but it keeps me busy, gives me something fun to do and most of the places I go are easy to get to. With that car it's really, really easy!

Maybe I'll get with it and get some pictures of my "yarn haul" from my trips. Didn't buy any, not one bit, while in Florida but I bought a few beautiful things on our other trip. Had to put something in that big ole bag.

Have a great September and Happy Knitting!

ETA! HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my Oldest Baby Girl, who turned 31 (ouch) on the 4th of September!
And, a HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my beautiful middle grandchild who turned 11 on Sept 3rd. Happy Birthday you two, I love you lots and lots.

StringPlay, This One's for You!

2008-08-04T15:39:00.003-04:00

Bluebird of Happiness
I had to add something to help make it better!

I met a wonderful person when I went to Atlanta last September to see the Yarn Harlot at Knitch. We ended up sitting next to each other, started talking (she even gave me a piece of her Hershey Bar!) and have talked ever since via blogs and e-mails. She does some amazing things with "string", not just with yarn. She gets after me every now and then for not blogging. She's right, I don't, but I'm just not feeling the "love" for this blog that I once did. For one thing I don't understand it, how to make 'this turn into that' and all the stuff my 12 year old granddaughter can do with her eyes closed. So, this post is for you, StringPlay.

My computer has decided that it no longer wants to download pictures from my SmartCard so I haven't been able to put pictures in here in quite a while. I'm a picture taker too, but just haven't sat down to figure out the problem. When my kids computers act up I can fix them in a second, when its mine it takes forever! The only way to take pictures is with my new phone. Oh, it's a SUPER phone! I can take a picture, send it to my own e-mail address and then open it in my e-mail and save it to my computer. Problem is, I live out in the middle of nowhere-ville and the internet connection, even though I have a Verizon phone and a Verizon tower less than 2 miles from my house, doesn't work. I can't think of any other way to get them on here.

Here's the list. I'm doing the Goddess Knits Anniversary KAL, I'm working on a surprise for a good friend (must remember to put it on Ravelry, she doesn't knit), I'm working on the February Lady Surprise sweater (a few more repeats of the pattern rows and it'll be done), Hemlock Ring Blanket in a pretty green All ready with yarn and beads to start the SOTiii KAL on the 15th of August (Secret of The Stole #3) and signed up for this years Mystery Stole 4 with Pink Lemon Twist and her Mom. Actually, it's her Mom this year, but she's helping out. I have all my yarns ready, patterns printed out and beads and needles picked, ready for the day to begin. I also need to get a baby sweater in there somewhere but I don't think the little guys going to need it right off quick around here. It's 99 in the shade and the humidity is right up there around 80 something. Real pleasant! Now you know why I have a ton of lace to knit. Too hot for much else. He'll have it by the time it's getting chilly around here'; around Thanksgiving (on a good year) or maybe Christmas.

I was in Atlanta this past weekend and if it weren't for the crazy traffic and CRAZIER drivers, I'd love that city. A word of warning to any of you not from Atlanta that want to go visit. If you're not accustomed to driving 85-90 MPH, stay off Interstate 85 and 75. They'd rather run you over than just slow down a minute. Whew, glad I've got the new car - move you must! Anyway, back to my trip. I didn't visit any yarn shops this time but I'm going back again next week and hope to visit several of them. Not that I need yarn, I'm on a yarn hiatus - I can't stand having this much yarn. Yeah, sounds crazy but it makes me feel like I have to be knitting 24/7 - cause, well, I bought it, I better use it. I'm a sucker though and walk into these yarn shops I've never been in and the first hand painted, silky, hand spun yarn I see has to come home with me. But, they don't count, they're my souvenir yarns.

Saturday we're headed to Alabama to take the Baby Girl to her new college. Yup, no more lunches with her 45 minutes up the road. I will now have to travel several hours (she says 4 1/2, her Dad says 6) to get to her. I'm real happy for her for being accepted to the college she wants to go to and getting lots of scholarships to go there, but I'm really sad ( these dang misty eyes, that's just NOT me) she'll be so far away! Now you know why I have the new phone. Got her one too so we can "keep in touch." We're also going to Atlanta to visit our grandson and hopefully catch up with our Baby Boy for a meal and LOTS of yarn shopping - I mean, looking.

How much more boring can a blog get? No pictures, no yarn, just blah!

and his little friend

Happy Knitting!

July is Birthday Month Around Here!

2008-07-04T22:07:00.008-04:00

HAPPY 4th of JULY!

This one turned 5 years old today.

This one turned 20 yesterday. She got to spend her birthday having surgery to repair her jaw due to TMJ. She's been battling this for a couple of years and the past year has been the worst. Hopefully she is now on the road to recovery.

Happy Birthday Liberty. Happy Birthday Baby Girl. >

This is the Goddess Knits Anniversary Mystery Shawl KAL. I was keeping right up with everyone till this week. It's been a little hectic and I'm only up to row 5 or 6 on the 3rd chart and the 4th comes out tomorrow. Well, I'll catch up once I stay home long enough to work on it.

Hope you are all having a wonderful 4th of July. Happy Knitting!

Knitting and News, News and Knitting

2008-06-18T17:00:00.008-04:00

I got a new car! Isn't it pretty? It's a 2008 Dodge Avenger complete with sunroof, spoiler and a My Gig system. I love it! 4 Days after it arrived I took off for 2 weeks.
I started this scarf and got about 1/3 done with it when I realized I wouldn't have enough yarn. So, it's now a ball.
This is a vest that today is almost done. It's from Folk Vests, called Sakiori II. Lots of fun and quick.
I had one skein of Schaefer Yarns Anne and it was such a bright color I wasn't sure what to do with it. I made these 3 bags for my 2 week vacation to the No. Georgia Mountains.
A little blue bird, just cause I needed something quick that wasn't going to NOT fit.
And, another, bigger blue bird. Both patterns were free on Ravelry.com
This is my apothecary jar. It's huge! It's the perfect size for holding some of my lace weight yarn.
Jared's Hemlock Blanket. It's alot bigger than this now. Great knit and fun to see grow.
Yup, The Baby Girl is still battling the jaw/teeth/ear thing. She's having physical therapy here. They've finally decided it's TMJ. She had exploratory surgery this past Monday and goes in on her 20th birthday to have the surgery to fix it. Does it ever end? Nope............
This one fell sound asleep on the arm of the chair in the livingroom and fell off it, hit the floor, but got up and walked around. She limped alittle, but that was it. 3 months later we take her to the vet to find out why she's so sick looking and the poor thing broke 2 vertebrae in her back! So, she gets carried around alot and has to take an aspirin a day. Yup, it's pathetic around here.
This is my niece from RI. She came to visit in February.
This is the Baby Girl. She went to visit my niece in RI in December/January. Her first solo flight without Mom or Dad. Yup, we were a wreck!
Mittens - in the South? Well, I wanted to try them and they are pretty.
A close up.

That's not all of it but that's all I have time for. Since the pain meds make the Baby Girl woozy I have been elected to drive her to church tonight, so better go get ready. Hope you're all doing okay and are enjoying your summer.
Happy Knitting!

Kids, Grandkids and a Short Vacation!

2008-02-07T21:44:00.000-05:00

It seems I really am bad at blogging on a regular basis! I can't believe it's been almost a month since my last entry. I have been busy, knitting/ripping and a few other things.

The Baby Girl was having trouble with her jaw, couldn't play her clarinet and was always in a lot of pain. Took her to the dentist, he couldn't do anything because he thought it might be TMJ. Sent her to an Oral Surgeon and he couldn't do anything until he removed ALL FOUR wisdom teeth! So, an appt. was made and the following week she went in and had all 4 of those suckers removed. She lived on my couch for the weekend sleeping, eating soft foods and being spoiled like Baby Girls should be. It's the first time any of my kids have had to be put to sleep so it kinda made Mom nervous. That was about the beginning of February. Here she is, rinsing with salt water and hating it.
On the 23rd of February BTB took me to Florida for our 2 week vacation of sunshine and sandy beaches. It was wonderful! We kept in touch with the Baby Girl and The Oldest Daughter to make sure the Baby Girls jaw was healing okay. Didn't sound like she was having too much fun with it.

We went to Marco Island, Naples, St Petersburg on the Gulf side and then crossed over to Kissimmee on the Atlantic side so we (BTB) could get our (his) one day Disney fix. We also went to the Kennedy Space Center for a day. We forget how amazing it is that they can fly people up into space. After seeing it, including the rocket boosters on the launch pad for the launch of the next shuttle, and then seeing it go up today, just amazing. If you ever have a chance to go there, I highly recommend it.

My oldest Granddaughter has been having severe pain in her stomach and her pediatrician can't figure out what it is. The poor kid looks awful! She doesn't eat much cause she says it hurts too much and she's losing weight way too fast. So, we're all concerned about her. More tests soon, but..................

The Oldest Daughter, who is a single Mom of 3 kids and a full time college student spent last evening in the emergency room after twisting her let the wrong way. So, after spending the evening, with the 3 kids, in the emergency room, she left with a pair of crutches and a brace on her knee and orders not to use it for 7 days. Torn ligaments. She's not happy - her car is a standard (has a clutch), and she can't push the clutch down. She drives her kids and picks them up every day from school. She also has been walking for exercise since she has to park so far from her classes at the college. Well, that distance is great when you're trying to burn calories but not so good when you're on crutches. It's a long, long walk. Baby Girl to the rescue - she went and picked up the kids, drove them to school, took the Oldest Daughter to her class and then went back to her dorm and went back to sleep. Her classes don't start till afternoon.

So, still no answer on the Baby Girls jaw. Still no idea what's wrong with the Oldest Granddaughter, not sure how the Oldest Baby Girl will make out with her knee, and wishing my Vacation had lasted another 2 weeks!
Hope everyone is doing well. I'm trying to catch up on all the blogs but they sure do accumulate fast!
Happy Knitting!

January 12, 1996

2008-01-13T22:45:00.001-05:00

Happy Birthday to my oldest granddaughter. It's hard to believe it was 12 years ago that I anxiously awaited her arrival. She's a great kid and so like her Auntie - the Baby Girl.

Happy Birthday Lexie Pooh!

I have some FO's to show off, finally, so stay tuned for pictures and what I'm going to knit next.

Happy Knitting!

Edit! The Grandpups name is Cassie Mae, not Callie as in the post below. Sorry Cassie, my bad!

A New Year, Ta-Ta to An Old One!

2008-01-01T22:34:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year! I hope 2008 keeps you all healthy, happy and knitting!

There are only 2 things I can think of that I'd like to accomplish in 2008. Here they are;

Knit ONLY from stash

Lose 17 pounds and MOVE

The stash - I have a closet full, literally full to the brim with yarn. That makes me crazy. I was always a "buy as you go" kind of knitter until I found blogland. I wanted to try everything you were all talking about, but, now I have to use it up. I really can't stand having that much in there. Ravelry has been great for ideas, so I'm trying to get the yarn paired with a pattern so in 2008 I can empty out that closet.

I went to the Drs. again just before Thanksgiving, my 1 year checkup, and dang if he gave me heck again for not losing the 17 pounds I've lost and gained 3 times in that 1 year. I think it's the meds, he thinks it's me. So, I've joined SparkPeople (awesome website), I'm TRYING really hard to make myself do 30 minutes of cardio every other day and the 2 days of strength training. I live 30 minutes from the Y and don't live where I want to go out and walk around the neighborhood by myself so I've been trying Leslie Sansone's video's. I've been doing them for 2 months or more and haven't lost a pound. Heck, I haven't lost an ounce. Funny how everyone tells you all the stages of your life that you're going to go thru but no-one ever warns you that when you get ready to go thru *menopause* you could have a heart attack, you need to move more than you need to watch what you eat and that you'll get fat where you've never been fat in your life! I have always been on the thin side until I hit about 45. Now I have hips, thighs and a belly like never before and it's making me really mad. I have acne (they call it *menopausal acne*, great name huh?), my joints hurt from all the meds I'm on to lower my triglycerides and sometimes I wonder what's going to happen next.

Okay, enough of that, but you can see why I've been missing in action for awhile. I didn't start this blog to whine but I can't even get a knitting project going that is interesting. Life is going to be better in 2008, I'm going to get healthier in 2008 and I'm going to lose this weight in 2008!

I forgot to take pictures of the Christmas gifts I made, but, they were for the Baby Girl and her best friend so maybe I can get a picture for the next post. She is in New England for a week, flew all by herself the Saturday after Christmas to go spend a week with her cousins and Aunt and Uncle. She's really hoping to see snow (she was too young when we moved South to remember the snow) and to go sledding. So, when she gets home I'll try to remember to post the pictures.

Happy Knitting and I'll try, once again, to post sooner next time.

Sheri in GA

I Feel Like An Elf

2007-12-15T21:10:00.000-05:00

I can't post any pictures of my knitting on the blog cause they're all gifts. Most of the recipients of these gifts sometimes visit this blog. So, how about some cute puppy pictures? Will that do?

This cute little thing is my new "Grandpup", a purebred Boxer named Callie Mae. Isn't she adorable? She belongs to my oldest granddaughter and is very spoiled, very loved and a wild little thing. This is her on Thanksgiving Day, leaning up against Grandpa after dinner. Yes, she sleeps with a blanket.
This cute little one is my "Sisterpup", she's part black lab and part schnauzer and her name is Margie. She belongs to my Mom who has always loved dogs and after losing Sadie I knew it wouldn't be long before she had another one. Margie is perfect, they go for long walks several times a day and my Mom is losing weight faster than I am now! I need to borrow Margie for awhile.
Cause this one would rather hide here than go outside and walk. This is where I found her when she was missing. Is that not one sad looking little pug? What a ham.
All of the sweaters I showed you in my last post were sent home with my Mom when she was here for Thanksgiving. Every one of them, except the multicolored one, fit her perfectly and she loved them so I sent them home with her. No more sweaters for me until I figure out why they're either too big or too small.

I'm trying real hard to get into the Christmas thing but it's harder this year than it was last year. There's alot going on around here, the temperatures have been in the 80's and I just can't get going with the shopping and all. I've only got one person finished and 1/2 of another one. I really need to get going.

Here's my Christmas card to all of my on-line friends. I hope to blog again before the big day but if not, have a wonderful, fun filled, Merry Christmas.............
and Happy Knitting!

Eat, Knit and be Merry!

2007-11-21T23:02:00.000-05:00

To all my knitting friends and all my non-knitting friends, from my house to yours:

Happy Thanksgiving!

Eat well, knit fast and take a nice long walk for your heart.
Then do what Libby does, take a nap.

Happy Knitting!

Behind The Scenes

2007-11-13T23:04:00.000-05:00

Someone said they were checking my blog and nothing was happening. You're right, the blog takes time and I've been busy. And, Ravelry doesn't help at all! Wanna see what I've been up to?
This was a prize I won on YarnBeans blog. It's Somoko yarn from Handmaiden. Gorgeous! Thank you so much YarnBean! I love it.
Horcrux Pattern at I'm Knitting as Fast as I Can Yarn: Elann Peruvian Sierra Aran This is my second pair. They keep my feet nice and warm in the winter.

I think the pattern for this was in last summers Interweave Knit. It was "something" Latte' so I call it Pink Latte'. It's too big and I'm not sure if it's made for this body. Might try it with a t-shirt underneath and see what happens. I started this last summer and just got around to doing the front bands, twisted cord and putting it all together.
Close up of the twisted cord woven thru the edging. The pictures will all get bigger if you click on them, for more detail.
Peek-A-Boo Sweater by Knit One, Crochet Too, Yarn is Italian Ice. I made a 44" size and it's too big. Guess I've lost something with all this exercise I've been doing, or, I keep picking sizes too big. I also started this last summer while at my Mother's. Might make it again with different yarn. That Italian Ice is too expensive when I can't seem to get anything to fit.
The backside.
Flower Basket Shawl, made from 3 skeins of di-Ve' yarn, Blues. It's not on their web site so maybe it's discontinued. It's a worsted weight yarn so was very fast. Beautiful colors. This is for my oldest daughters friends Mom who is battling an illness.
This is all the yarn I had left, with one stitch to go!
This is for the oldest granddaughter. Just a simple shrug to keep her warm in school. Made from Lion Brand Cotton Ease
The Baby Girl came home for a weekend and woke up freezing and hungry. She got an omelet and Mom's MS3 Stole, to borrow.
Crochet? On a knitting blog? Well, I do crochet, and this yarn from Fearless Fibers is wonderful and such a pretty color. It's a merino lace weight in the color called Miracle. I'm knitting the Olde Peddlers Shawl, which can be found on her Etsy shop.
The beads go on at the end, with the edging.
There's a few more pictures but it's bedtime so I'll try to get them on here sometime before the weeks over. I still have lots to show and lots to talk about. So, till next time..............
Happy Knitting!

Frog Pond and a Prize

2007-10-23T19:46:00.000-04:00

I'm still alive! We had a great vacation, I got to go to a yarn shop, went "grubbin' " and found some ruby's, saw my Baby Boy, saw my parents, walked alot and did some knitting. But, if you remember the "blueberry sock" I had on my last blog entry, well, it's a ball of yarn again. I had both of them finished up to and includingthe toe but I didn't like the toes, they were too pointy, so I frogged them both. I'll try again when I'm over it.

I got an e-mail today from Yarnbeans and I was so excited I was screeching. I won her birthday contest! Scared poor BTB, he didn't know what was wrong with me. Go see my skein of yarn, it's gorgeous! Scroll down a ways after reading todays entry, it's the Sokomo, which I've never heard of but love those colors. Thank you so much Yarnbeans!

I'm into this cast-on-itis but nothing's getting done. I've still got a good 5 or 6 inches to go on the last sleeve of Kauna, but I'm getting there, little by little. It's still in the 80's here so it'll be a long time before I can wear it. I've started the beautiful Bee Fields Shawl and I'm loving it. What a fun knit, I haven't gotten bored with this one! I also started the Flower Basket Shawl with some big yarn I had. I only have 3 skeins of it, 360 yards, so it won't be delicate, it'll be to keep me warm. Might save it as a gift or might use it myself. Haven't decided. I've finished my granddaughters shrug except sewing together the little sleeves, so I can give it to her on Thursday. I still have my Dale sweater to finish, but again, it's still so warm here I'm not thinking sweaters. I've got so many things started and everything is growing but nothing is growing real fast. I'm also trying to get 4 things sewn together that have been kicking around for a year or more. I guess when you knit, sewing takes a back seat. I'd rather knit it than sew it together.

So, that's it from here. I'll try to do better at posting but when I don't feel like taking a bunch of pictures and being on the computer for hours, I just don't get the blogging done. I'm bad, but, I do read everyones blogs almost every day so I can keep up with what you're all knitting, sewing or making.

I'm also one of those that gets on Ravelry and forgets the rest of the world! Wow, that is an amazing site. Visit me, come be my friend, my name is......what else? ScrappyKnitter All one word. Hope to see you there.

Happy Knitting!

One Down, One to Go!

2007-10-06T12:54:00.001-04:00

Look what I finished this week........I call it the Blueberry Sock cause this yarn really reminds me of them. Click it to bigger it. The second one is cast on already and is about 1/2" long.

Yarn: Kroy 4ply sock yarn, no color name, just a number
64 sts cast on
3x2 rib down the sock.
Size 1 Inox needles (my favorite for socks)
I not only made socks, I made up the pattern! Yea me!

Only 2 more pairs to go to get my 7. Problem is, someone is home for the weekend and she said it was her turn for socks (it's always her turn) and her roommate/best friend would love a pair too. Of course, when the oldest hears this (or reads my blog) I'll have an order for her and her 3 little ones who aren't so little. As a matter of fact the oldest one (granddaughter) has feet bigger than her mother and her mother has BIG feet! I see way too many socks in my future and did I ever tell you, I hate knitting socks?

Off on another camping trip this week so I won't be blogging till next week, but I'll be knitting. I started another lace project this morning and another smaller project. I'm tired of making sweaters so going to stick with little things for awhile. I have got to use up some of this stash! BTB is taking me to a couple of yarn shops but I'll try really hard not to come home with yarn, just yarny stuff.

Have a great week and I'll be back next week with some FO's.

Happy Knitting!

Many Thanks!

2007-09-29T20:58:00.001-04:00

Thank you all who left comments regarding the Swan Lake MS3 shawl/stole. We're not real good about taking pictures here but we love showing off the knitting to you. Your comments were very much appreciated!

I got my invitation to Ravelry this week so I've been busy trying to figure that out. Trying real hard not to spend so much time on the computer but shoot, that website doesn't help at all! For those of you on there already my screen name is ScrappyKnitter (all one word), so stop by and say hello. I'll try to figure out how to read it.

Just cause she's so dang cute!

Have a wonderful weekend and Happy Knitting!

Introducing Swan Lake

2007-09-28T16:13:00.000-04:00

Stats: Yarn: Zephyr Wool Silk, color suede, about 1 -1/4 skeins
Beads: Beadwrangler, #217 (clear with copper center) size 8 Seed Beads
Needles: Size 5 addi turbo (the old ones, I don't have the new lace ones)
Started: June 29, 2007 , finished it on Tuesday, September 25th, 2007
Pattern: Mystery Stole 3 by Melanie, named Swan Lake Stole
For: Me

I really enjoyed knitting this stole and was amazed at the beautiful pattern that emerged as I went from chart to chart. This is the first time I've knit lace with this tiny, tiny yarn. I usually use fingering weight. I loved working with it and can't wait to find another lace project since I have another hank of it in a pale pinky/mauve color.

I am HOOKED on putting beads on lace. This new way of doing it is so much better than stringing 2000 beads onto your yarn before you even start knitting. I had a great time with my Great Grandmother's crochet hooks. I had ordered some to use for this KAL but half way thru I looked to see if Nannie ever used hooks that little and sure enough, she used some really small ones, so I used one of hers. Made it all the more special.

I've only been knitting lace with charts and lace weight/fingering weight yarn for about 2 years! My very first blog entry, all the way back to 2005, last entry, is my first lace shawl. I never thought I'd be able to figure out all those little symbols. Now, I can't do it any other way. I'm so glad I took that class from Needlecraft University and that shawl pattern was their lace class. I've been hooked since.

Now, without further adieu, Swan Lake. (You can click on picture for closer inspection)

My little helpers
Happy Knitting!

MS3 FO

2007-09-25T19:51:00.000-04:00

Get it? LOL
After the bath.
The wing. See the Baby Girls hedgehog at the end? He got to stay home with me this year.
Close up of those gorgeous beads.
MS3, a finished object.
I will get "glamour" shots tomorrow when it's all dry and ready for the public view. BTB was putting up the trim on the stairs so I had to use the Baby Girls room, which is still jam packed with her things, instead of the hallway as I usually do, so the pictures aren't as clear. This gives you an idea of what it looks like. More pictures later.

And, I'd like to thank the following for all their help in the knitting and blocking of my MS3. I couldn't have done it without them. Thanks guys! (see Maggi over pugs back? she helped, too)
Not one taker for the Rebecca magazine! Jeesh, what is it with you guys? I have stuff to get rid of, I have to get my house cleaned and I can't even GIVE stuff away! One more try - first one to say they want it in the comments gets it. My 2 daughters don't count.

Happy Knitting!

I Held Her Travel Sock!

2007-09-21T19:42:00.000-04:00

I had such a good time! Stephanie Pearl McPhee is the best speaker I've ever heard and she had me in stitches thru her entire hour and a 1/2 talk. She tells the funniest stories about knitters, knitting, people related to knitters and strangers and the tears are running down my face and she never EVER cracks a smile. She is amazing.

The Welcome sign on stage. It was put on by Knitch, a yarn shop in Atlanta that is AWESOME and has a huge selection of yarn.

The Yarn Harlot! And yes, she kept her smile thru about 2 1/2 hours of signing her name!
The Scrappy Knitter and The Yarn Harlot. I got to hold her sock! Ha! I'd like to thank BTB for taking the picture. He got to come in after she spoke and hang out with me while we waited in line for her to sign my book. Thanks Darlin'!
The stash! I am trying to be very careful about buying more yarn. My closet has no more room for anything. I did buy some Fino (alpaca and silk) in a beautiful plum color, some Louet kid mohair and linen called KidLin in a pinkish color (really soft), a skein of Noro Daria in a multi color to make the pug a leash (yes, she's a little spoiled, but it's a beautiful leash), 2 Brittany crochet hooks, Brittany double points, size 6, for the leash, an SSK magnet for my car, a Rebecca magazine which I do not like and probably will not buy again (if you want it, leave an e-mail, be the first and I'll mail it out to you), coilless pins, a pad, a kit to learn entrelac and, are you ready? AND, a BLACK SHEEP measuring tape! Yippy! Finally.
Here's the pug, in her "traveling outfit." We all had a great time, enjoyed Atlanta (but NOT the traffic) and I loved the 2 yarn shops. Oh, we went to Macon on Thursday and found a yarn shop there. It's called Creative Yarns and is another must see yarn shop. Nice people, LOTS of beautiful yarn, fiber for you spinners and several kits. I love kits.
I am now onto clue 7 of my MS3 stole so hope to have that done by the end of the weekend. I sat outside with the pug all day Wednesday and knit in the sunshine and cool breezes while BTB and the Baby Boy and his 2 friends went to a Sporting Clay club. Camping is a relaxing passtime that our family has enjoyed from the beginning of time. It's great for a day of knitting!

Happy Knitting!

See Ya!

2007-09-18T09:07:00.001-04:00

Going to see the Yarn Harlot. Decided to make a trip out of it so we're taking the camper and puppies and spending 5 days in the Big, Big city. Get to see the Baby Boy too. I'll try to blog when we get back. Do I need to say I'M EXCITED? It's like going to see an old friend and she doesn't know me from Adam!
Happy Knitting!

I'm Maggi. I get to go camping! We have to take that little spoiled bratt too, but that's okay, she likes to take walks with me around the campground. See Ya!

Birthday Weekend

2007-09-04T10:16:00.001-04:00

Happy Birthday Lyssa Cirrie!
She was 10 yesterday.

Happy Birthday Oldest Daughter!
She is 30 today!

I don't have any pictures in this computer of either of them. I also don't have any of my knitting today but I'm working on it. I've been making lots of progress and will hopefully have a FO report on something soon. I keep running out of yarn, or need further directions on something and then have to wait. So, soon.

I didn't sell one single book, so, I guess that's not the way to get rid of knitting books. Some people are really good at it (and have a ton of readers) and some, like me, aren't.

Hope you all had a great holiday weekend and Happy Knitting!

Knitting Books List

2007-08-24T11:24:00.001-04:00

Post deleted

Calling All Knitters!

2007-08-23T22:40:00.000-04:00

She's Cleaning House! Oh NO!

I have a whole packing box of knitting books that I was going to sell on e-bay but then decided I would try listing them on my blog first. So, if you're in need of some knitting books, stay tuned, I'll be listing them tomorrow afternoon. Most of them will be $5.00 and the actual shipping cost (if I can figure that out) and I will send them "media mail" to keep the prices reasonable. So, call all your friends and watch the blog tomorrow afternoon for some great bargains! I'm cleaning house.
Happy Knitting!

Fresh Air and Sunshine Does a Body Good!

2007-08-19T18:20:00.000-04:00

What a great 2 weeks I've had! Really it's been 3 weeks but it takes me a while to get over "vacation mode" and to get back into the swing of things. I learned something while I was up in the beautiful, cool North Georgia Mountains without internet access. I can get a lot of knitting done in 2 weeks without it.
This is the Kauna sweater, although now I've got one sleeve about finished and the steeking is done. Yeah, steeking is something you have to try once to get over the butterflies in your belly, but after that, piece of cake! But, I was nervous! More pictures of this one next time. It's a great pattern, awesome yarn and I'll definitely be making another one, um, cause, I don't think this one is going to fit, but, we'll see.
Taking pictures while driving is different!

I'm way behind the norm for the MS3 stole but still loving it and can't wait to see "my" wing. I'm going to do it as written, there's enough oblong and triangular shawls out there, this one looks amazing in the finished photo's that are popping up. Melanie is awesome and a great designer! I'm just starting clue 4 but I'll show pictures soon.
Funnel Cake at an Arts and Crafts Festival

I'm so excited about this one! The Yarn Harlot, aka Stephanie Pearl-McPhee is coming to Knitch in Atlanta! I have no idea where Knitch is and I have no idea how to get around Atlanta but BTB loves nothing more than a challenge, a nice ride and camping so I went ahead and reserved a spot at Knitch for September 19th to meet Stephanie! Maybe I should call her Ms Stephanie, I don't even know her, but I feel like I'm going to Atlanta to visit a friend! I'm so excited. This will only be the second time that I've met a "famous" knitter, the first being Nicki Epstein. So, I'm off to the big, big city in about a month with camper, pug, dachshund and BTB in tow to spend a day yarn shop hopping, meeting the Yarn Harlot, I'm sure seeing my Baby Boy and Knitting! I love being retired. YIPPY!
Beautiful Mountain views up there!

The Baby Girl is back at school for her sophmore year of college. The summer went by too fast, we feel like we hardly got to visit with her while she was home. She's almost directly across from Starbucks, so she's happy. The Oldest Daughter is also back in school for her 3rd semester. She's considered an Adult Student so doesn't go by years, but by semesters. She went for the 6 week summer course, too. I have no clue how she does it with 3 kids, and 2 of them with special needs, but she's doing it and loving every minute of it. We love teasing them both, the 19 year old college student and her 30 year old (almost, not quite) college student sister. The Baby Boy is also taking college courses, on-line, so we may have 3 kids all graduating from college; 2 at the same time.
My Dads cat, Toby. This is how he sleeps.

I've started a walking program to try to get rid of these dang 10 pounds that won't budge. I've discovered that the problem is my cholesterol medicine so I'm calling the Dr. tomorrow to find out what I can do. It's not only making me gain and hold on to this 10 pounds it's making my face and scalp break out terribly and at my age I certainly don't need to be worrying about pimples! So, I'll be trying to remember to post on here how I'm doing. I'm trying to walk 2 miles every other day and one mile the other days. So far I'm doing pretty good, but, this morning the scale says I've gained 14 ounces! I HATE SCALES!
The Baby Boy, who surprised my Mom at the restaurant, where we took her for her 70th B'Day

Glad to be back to blogland and even though I didn't miss the computer while I was away, I sure did miss reading your blogs and seeing what you were all up to. Hope all is well with you all and Happy Knitting!

July 19th, 1957

2007-07-19T14:36:00.001-04:00

That was a good year! That was 50 years ago today. I am so glad that I'm here to share my 50th birthday with the world. I guess you could say I almost didn't make it, but, almost doesn't count. I'm here, that's the best part of this day.

My super wonderful kids had a surprise party for me on Saturday. The oldest daughter was supposed to be out of town and BTB and I had to go up and feed our grandkittens and our new grand guinea pig. Guess what? We forgot the house key. The oldest daughter had to let us in anyway. THAT was a surprise!

There were bunches of people standing in her kitchen, all around the table, including our Baby Boy, the Baby Girl and friends. The oldest said "the rest of your present is in the backyard" so I went to her backdoor and opened it and OH MY GOD! Her backyard was even more full of people than her kitchen was. What a great day. My parents were there, there bests friends were there, my good friend from the Atlanta area was there with her daughter and grandson, the Minister from the church the Baby Girl goes to was there with his daughter and granddaughter, there were so many people! I was speechless.

We had Chinese food and good old American food - hamburgers and hotdogs. And, my Mom's neighbor, who is also a friend of ours, made my birthday cake. Chocolate Cake people! With white frosting. THE BEST KIND OF CAKE!

And this folks is what BTB gave me! It's very special cause the ruby is actually shaped like a heart and BTB is very sentimental now about my heart. This one is perfect, as is BTB. What an amazing 50th Birthday! Thanks everyone, you made me feel very loved, very special and not so old.
And here's some more, just cause I know you want to see them. This is my newest Nantucket Basket my father made for me. I now have either 5 or 6! I've already put the Kauni yarn in it. That's last years MS2 behind it.
Coffee syrup and Dels. Do you know what that is? It's good! Came from RI. That's the lamb the Baby Girl gave me.
A huge bucket of Del's. This is from my Baby Boy. I'm going to make BTB and I one of these tonight. If I remember I'll take a picture. YUMMY!
This is from my parents. It's a Jim Shore lamb. Isn't it awesome? And Mom quilts, so I'll always remember it was from them.
This is from the Baby Girls best friend/roommate and is called the Liberty Pug. How cute is this? And it looks just like my Liberty.

I was going to post about my knitting tragedy's but this has been so much fun putting together I've decided they can wait, or maybe just get lost in the shuffle. I had pictures but haven't downloaded them yet. I've had to tear out almost 50 rows of my MS3 stole. After admiring several in blogland I realized I had a mistake way back down in the middle of chart 2. It's torn out and I'm now in the process of getting all the stitches back on the needles and figuring out where I am in the charts. Kauni had the same fate but only 7 rows had to be torn out. I only had one row in a box instead of 2 for some reason. That's all back together and those 7 rows have been reknit and knit right. That's what I've spent my 50th birthday doing, while watching movies with BTB, who took half the day off to spend with his bride.

Headed to the Mountains Saturday to spend a few weeks with my parents and to celebrate Mom's and my birthdays. She'll be 70 the 25th (she'd kill me for saying that in public) so we're spending our milestones together. If 50 is the new 30, 70 must be the new 50, right? Sounds right to me.

Happy Knitting everyone and I'll be back sometime in August.

I Cried, I Screamed, I danced!

2007-07-16T20:17:00.000-04:00

Thursday, July 19th, is a special day for me. My kids (and husband) had a party. Some bloggers found out and sent stuff. I was overwhelmed! I've never been given so many great gifts from online friends. You guys rock!

Catherine dyed yarn just for me! I cried.
Beth sent a tissue holder for my purse. I screamed!
Today in the mail Susan sent me my very own school supplies/knitting equipment! I danced.

I cannot tell you guys how much I appreciate your thoughtfulness. I can't even think of words to say to you but hugs, kisses and all good wishes to you from me!

Happy Knitting! Update again on Thursday when I show you the rest of the goodies.

Cedric?

2007-07-11T19:16:00.000-04:00

The sorting hat says that I belong in Hufflepuff!

Said Hufflepuff, "I'll teach the lot, and treat them just the same."

Hufflepuff students are friendly, fair-minded, modest, and hard-working. A well-known member was Cedric Digory, who represented Hogwarts in the most recent Triwizard Tournament.

Take the most scientific Harry Potter
Quiz ever created.

Get Sorted Now!

Going to see the new HP movie tomorrow. More updates on MS3 and Kauni KAL's on Friday.

Happy Knitting!