Thursday, September 24, 2009

Friends

I have been very lucky with friends all my life. I have good friends and I am able to be a good friend. One of my friends took me for my surgery and then the next day took me back for my follow up visit. Friends have been calling, e mailing and keeping in touch extra for the last few days. One of my friends blocked my black shawl for me and it looks great! A friend picked me up today for a few hours of relaxing knitting at Barnes and Noble this afternoon.





It is hard to loose friends. In the last few days I have lost two friends far too young. the first I found out about on Facebook. She was a super sweet women who made great goatmilk soap. We worked together on learning to make lotionand wound up sharing huge parts of our lives. I know few details of what happened and she leaves behind a huband, son, daughter and grands. We will all miss her.

The second friend to pass was a member of our Tuesday knitting group. She was also young, only 43. Sharon was struck by a car shortly after getting off the commuter bus. She passed away while everyone was waiting for her to come to our Tuesday knitting group. Sharon leaves behind a husband, brothers, sisters and neices and nephews and 14 pug dogs. She was a funny smart lady who brought new ideas and lots of energy to our group. She was the one who got us started on the EZ Adult Surprise Sweater KAL. Sharon will not get to finish hers.

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Day 2

This my first day out of surgery. My friend took me back to the Doctor's office to speak with the Nutritionist. Now I'm exhausted and all I want to do is rest for the rest of the day.

The song of the frog was here again and the Swallowtail shawl was frogged yet again. When I'm feeling better I WILL find a way to knit this thing!

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Stubborness Wins


I started the Swallowtail Lace Shawl a few years ago. It was right after Bob passed and my mind wandered too much. BUT I had it in the back of my mind to do it again. So Friday, I cast on again and knit but I was having such trouble understanding the pattern. Over Friday, Sat and now Sunday the froggy song of RIPIT< RIPIT was heard over and over! Finally I went to Ravelery and looked at other's people's work and READ their comments. Now I get it. The chart I'm following only gives the six stitch repeat and only the six rows of the pattern. I realize that I just was not seeing the pattern from the chart. The chart shows the repeat which is the second half of the pattern and then the first half. Once I saw that it all made sense! I will get this done!!!!!

Saturday, September 19, 2009

Some FO's to show!



I finished a few projects recently. I started a Damson Shawl but did not have enough yarn so I finished it without the lace pattern border.The yarn is STR med weight. I love the colors. I also finished a ruffle scarf that looks like it is quick but is really LOTS of knitting.This is a fun easy pattern with short rows making the scarf twist and turn. It is my new walk around knitting so I immediately cast on a new one.

On Monday I am having elective surgery. I should be home for a week and a half and I am almost giddy with the idea of so much knitting time! Let's hope I feel well enough to get in lots of knitting!!!

Monday, September 14, 2009

finished Black Shawl!!!!





It still needs to be blocked and have the ends tucked in and there are a jillion mistakes and it will be A LONG TIME BEFORE I KNIT IN BLACK AGAIN!!!!!!

Saturday, September 12, 2009

More Hospital Knitting

Thursday had to be one of the worst days I've had recently! In the morning I found out that my insurance company is dickering around with an elective surgery I have planned for next Monday. Without going into all the gory details this is why people HATE their insurance companies. ?More drama will follow next week!

Then I found out that my son had his debit card cloned and his bank account emptied out. Fortunately the bank picked up on it and called him and most of it has been replaced but not all.

Then the worst news. My 97 year old grandmother fell and broke her hip. So yesterday she had surgery and did as well as anyone her age can do. Now on Sunday we will be looking at rehabs for her. So I've gotten in lots of knitting on my shawl, finished my ruffly scarf and snapped ANOTHER needle working on the Damson shawl. Pictures will follow when I can get to it!

Monday, September 07, 2009

Tinking Black Lace

I have knit most of today and I am about 2 rows behind where I started. I was just rolling along on this project. I had the lace rows memorized, the chart was making sense and I was thinking "Why don't I do more lace?". Yes, pride goes before the fall. All of a sudden I realized that I had a bunch of extra stitches that the knitting devils must have stuck in while I was gloating about how nice this was coming along. SO I tried to pull out a patch and re knit the mistaken part. I just was able to make a much worse mess and then in true knitter's denial I knit two more rows as if a huge combination blob and hole right in the middle of the shawl would just blend in! Not only would galloping horse's rider notice it, they could disappear in it. So I had to pick out TEN rows which took me about the same time it took to knit them!!!! So I guess it is a good thing I love the process of knitting because I have no product to show!!

Picture Catch Up






I finally took some crummy pictures with my cell phone. Here is my latest Secret Pal Box. Now I can use the stitch markers!!! I'm not sure that you can see them but they are a lovely pale blue and silver.


Here is the shawl. I'd like to retire from life for a while and just work on this! Well, I go back to work on Tuesday so there is no chance of that! I'm off to the movies then an end to summer dinner with my daughter. Although I love my job I don't want to go back to work!

Sunday, September 06, 2009

Black Lace

I have not felt very productive knitting wise this summer.BUT for the past few days I have just given into knitting the shawl Clothitde in black Nashua Ivy. It is a blend of alpaca and Merino with a bit of silver sparkle. No picture yet but I'll try the cell phone when it is light out. I'm on row 17 of the third repeat of a 20 row gull wing lace pattern. One more of this 20 row pattern then about 50 rows of spearhead lace. We'll see when I get this finished!

Yesterday I went to the 1st birthday party of the son of one of Caroline's friends. I got to visit with the quilt I made for him. I love seeing the quilts I make for these kids being used!

Today was I spent the day at the beach with my family. The last beach day of the season.

Saturday, September 05, 2009

Thanks Secret Pal

I received a great box from my secret pal. I always feel sad at the end of the summer and this box was a welcome treat. I will post a picture ASAP but here is a description of the contents:
Two skeins of blue Ambrosia yarn - new to me a blend of alpaca, silk and cashmere (yum)

four beautiful blue stitch ,markers

a chunk of handmade soap

fall gel clings for the window

a cute potholder and towel set

101 Designer one -skein Wonders

a Go Red Love your heart pin

Thanks so much,

Thursday, September 03, 2009

September Already

i can hardly believe that there are only a few more days of freedom for me! This has been a quiet summer for me, and a fast one. I made a few quilts ,did some knitting but finished just about NOTHING!!!
i am behind in keeping up withthis blog SO I will try harder -- just not today!