Interesting...

First off, thank you to any and all that sent out good mojo for me and my interview. I haven't heard yet, but the mojo must be working as I have had 3 interviews in the last week.  Please...keep the mojo coming! I greatly appreciate it!

Knitting content...about 2-3 years ago, while we were on vacation in Montana, we stopped in Kalispell, MT and I went to this little yarn shop. I purchased lace weight alpaca, size 2 addi lace needles and a lace pattern...I cast on in the car for this lace and named it "Insanity"

 This poor stole had been in a drawer for a while because I had been too lazy to block it. The act of blocking lace is truly magic..."Insanity" truly is beautiful and soft...

I did something very interesting yesterday and today...Since I am looking for work, I am generally on the computer applying on line, emailing resumes and such buy the time the kids get up.  Yesterday, J asked me if I would sit with him while he ate his breakfast...so I did.

J and I had the best visit. We talked about school starting, we reviewed counting and ABC's and some math and spelling. We talked about what he wants to be when he grows up. We also discussed the family game we play most evenings...more on that later.

Yesterday was so nice, that today, I brought my knitting to the table specifically to sit and visit with him this morning...

6 year olds are very interesting to visit with...

Oh, and it WAS NOT ME last night...TTFN!

Yes...It was me

After several weeks of being good...I fell...

I have been trying not to be the one starting those conversations at our knit night...

This week...

          IT WAS ME!!!

dammit...

Off The Deep End

Still out of work, but I do have a job interview on Friday, so if there is anyone out there reading...please wish me luck and send some good mojo my way!

As days go by and life gets crazier and crazier, I struggle for control. Why is it when I need to get control that I feel the need to work on very complicated items? I don't know...

Enter...

 Off The Deep End aka Frost Flowers Stole. It is from 2008 Interweave Knits Holiday Gifts and is by Charlene Schurch. The reason I called it "Off The Deep End"? It has a cast on of 992 stitches...yes...992 stitches. My friend N, she says I'm insane and that I have gone off the deep end. I thought it was appropriate.

In other knits, we had a very nice young couple join our Wednesday group and she had knit him Sack Boy.  Sack Boy was her very first knit for her husband, who knits, and she had trouble with the pattern.  Another of our knitters helped her and occasionally asked for my opinion on the pattern. In the end she made a wonderful Sack Boy! He is adorable.

Well, I got to looking at the pattern as daughter R's partner went nuts about the possibility of there being a Sack Boy out there. He's a good boy, he appreciates hand crafts! So long story short, since R was going to attempt to knit the pattern I decided to see how hard the pattern was. So on Friday I cast on for the body and away we went...

May I introduce...

Haggis, my version of SB's Scottish cousin!  I intend to get some embroidery floss or pearl cotton and chart a tartan and knit him a kilt.  My family has a tartan, as does a few of my friends families.  As soon as I can find a good source for pearl cotton in many colors I will post a picture of the chart and the tartan in progress.  I made some definite changes to the pattern and I may write up the changes, but I'm not sure yet.

Haggis was a hit though! I started him on Friday morning and sewed and stuffed him on Saturday evening. He was a quick knit and not too complicated.

I'm still plugging away on "Coming Home" as we have about 5 weeks or so before J comes home. I am currently on row 126 of 159 so not too far. I have used about 700 yards of lace weight so far and looks like I will have to attach another ball to finish. I will post another pic as soon as I get done. Right now...it looks like a giant deflated jellyfish.

Oh!!! I am also in the process of getting my sewing room set up. We have a spare room and while we were going to tear down the walls it hasn't been used for much. D's father is getting older and we have decided to leave the walls up just in case we need to make it into a quick bedroom should he come to stay with us sometime in the future. So...until then...I have a sewing room!!!! As soon as I get it set up I will post a couple of pictures!

Gotta tend the dragons....



Crazy Train Has Rolled Into The Depot

I realize that it's been a while and I apologize. I have had some major blue going on. I wish I could say that I had started a new job, but no such luck yet. Still looking and working on not being too awful upset that the job hunt is going so slowly.

First things first...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY S!!!!



Today is my daughter S's 15th birthday. So proud of the young lady that she is and excited to see what she will become!

Now, on to the Crazy Train.

Beginning the Steeking

Deep Breathing was going on to keep from passing out.

It didn't explode and unravel!!!!!

Gave it a bath and pinned it out.

Put a beautiful Batik back on it.

And finally finished Crazy Train!

I am very proud of Crazy Train. I really enjoyed this project. It was a relatively quick knit considering how large it is and that it is color work. I really feel like someone new to color work could manage this project.

Pinneguri, the creator of this beautiful pattern, is incredibly talented and has many, many more beautiful color work patterns. I would happily knit any of The Needle Lady's patterns anytime.

R was at my house when I finished the blanket and was excited to have it. I hope that Josiah will love it as much as I loved making it for him.

On to other things...

I have determined that July is going to be a month of UFOs. I have far too many hovering around and must get some finished. I have to say that I currently have...24 projects in process. This seems extreme...or rather I have been informed that this is extreme.

I am trying to figure out how to post a list of projects on my side bar, if anyone reads this and could tell me how, I would appreciate the help.

The top three in rotation are currently...Coming Home. I am currently on row 121 of 159. I also have 6 weeks until Josiah gets here. Tick Tock.

The Belt Bag. I am currently knitting the sides and bottom, it's one piece...it's just boring as all get out. 17 stitches in stocking net forever! I have it about half the way done. I haven't decided if I am going to do the cabled belt that goes around the purse yet.

Last but not least...Clapotis. I have actually frogged and restarted this project. I discovered about 3 repeats into the decrease section that I had neglected to drop stitches on both sides...Yeah...it is actually about the same place as the picture on my Ravelry pages. So it's OK.

I hope to clear off a few things and get them out of the way. Then I can move on to bigger and better!

TTFN...gotta tend the dragons.

South Paws and Other Things

I am unsettled today...really I have been for a while now. I can't seem to get focused and get things in order and focus...I really REALLY gotta find a job, start classes or something. My brain is turning to mush!!

I've been on a bread baking jag lately. I found this wonderful website, "The Fresh Loaf" and I have been playing with the Lessons that the site offers. Lesson one is a very basic loaf and it works beautifully. Lesson two is a little more advanced and makes an even better loaf. I actually turned that recipe into a really nice olive/ feta loaf. Worked very well and was quite tasty. 

With the same Lesson Two recipe I attempted to make hamburger buns, I weighed out the dough at 2.5 oz each, let them rise and cut the tops. Let's say that they were good, and everyone likes sliders...My sliders just happened to be a really good BBQ ed burnt ends.  If you don't know burnt ends...they are the wonderful trimmings from smoked brisket. Ours come every week from "Cotton Eyed Joe's BBQ", food is great, people are wonderful. We eat there every Sunday. If you are ever in Noel, MO definitely worth the trip!

This morning I set a sponge to rise and ferment over-night, this is from Lesson Three. Lesson three says to put it in the refrigerator, but I may just let it sit on the counter. I haven't decided yet. Then you finish the dough the next day and add the sponge for the flavor.  I will definitely keep you posted!

After the "Orange Roving of Death" I finally started to spin the brown Icelandic/Alpaca. I am happy to report that it was the orange roving. I don't know what the heck the dyer did to the wool, but my Lord, I couldn't spin it to save my life. I am spinning the Icelandic/ Alpaca for the Stripe Study Shawl I have a light brown in Icelandic/ Alpaca for the contrast color.

I am really happy with how it is turning out so far. I usually try to spin really thin singles and that may be the problem. I am working really hard to spin this a bit thicker to try and get a fingering/sock yarn once I finish and get it plied. When I pull it out and let it spin back on itself it looks like it may turn out really nicely.  I have hope!





Now then, to the South paw part of things.  Has anyone out there every heard of a persons dominate hand, ie lefty or righty, changing with age?  I noticed while spinning the other day that I can not spin with my right food treadling but I can spin well treadling with my left foot.  That's not all though. We are getting ready to paint S's bedroom and while doing prep work and feathering in around door trim and the ceiling, with my right hand, paint on everything. When I changed to my left hand...I had beautiful lines. Almost as nicely as if I had taped everything off. So I have been kind of watching and I guess maybe it's a mental thing, but I have begun to do alot of thing with my left that I use to do with my right.

Keep in mind I have never broken my right arm, hand or wrist. I have never had my right hand immobilized at all. My friend N asked it I was originally a lefty and made to change but I don't remember that. My father was a lefty and my son J is a lefty...I have always been a righty if not a bit ambidextrous.

Weird....

Some Days Are Really Good Days

Some days really are very good days...I wish that I had thought to grab a picture of this when S and I were both still sitting around the table. 

Yesterday was a really good day. S and I repaired tack holes in her bedroom walls so we can start to paint so she can have a really cool bedroom.  R came over and we all baked bread...good for the soul.

We got to see friends that we haven't seen in a long time and the kids got to play the Xbox until way past bed time...but that was also a good thing. It made them very happy.

At one point yesterday, S, R and I were all sitting around this table knitting and visiting...that was very good for my soul...to have two of my most very favorite people in the world, not to mention that I am blessed enough for the two people to be my daughters, sitting around just knitting and enjoying each other...very good for my soul. I hope it was good for theirs too.

Now...about the table!!!!

For several years we have not had a dining room table...D and I have looked and kind of kept an eye out, but never found "the table".  Last Friday, on his way to work D stopped at a yard sale on our block and looked at this table and chairs. He called me and I walked down and looked at it...I asked the lady having the sale to put a sold sign on it and I would go get cash...

The table is solid wood...I think maple...it is drop leaf and has two other inserts that are stored in the table itself, so it gets bigger! Plus I got 4 chairs, two captains and two armless...for $75...for all of it!!!

Gotta tend the dragons...

Orange Roving...*sigh*

This is the orange roving...I really loved this orange roving...the picture doesn't do the colors justice.   I blended three different colors so I would have a really pretty variegated yarn...nice smooth, consistent singles...I was going to Navajo ply them...the orange roving...DID NOT agree with this plan... I really don't know what the problem is with this roving or the blend of the three of them, but I could not make it hold a twist to save my life.  I was able to get a really nice consistent single, but then it would just...turn loose of itself.  I must have thrown away almost a half an ounce of single that just...turned loose.  I tried adjusting my wheel, how I drafted...nothing worked.

I finally decided to just see if I could ply the singles that I had and the more I tried to ply it...it just...turned loose...I am just stumped.  I admit defeat.  I cannot spin this roving...DAMMIT!!!

Anyone in blog land want to try your hand at the orange roving, just drop me a comment and I will contact you about sending it to you. I have wound the singles on my ball winder and those are also included so you can see the singles that I have done with it.  Good luck!

On a happier note! I finished my "Stroller Blanket"! This is the first completed knit for my daughter R and my grandson JL or "Little DeWayne". Two more to go before June 4...I think I can, I think I can.

I am about 12 rows away from having the blue central motif on "Crazy Train" before I begin the second green boarder! This has been a wonderful knit. I have loved every minute of it...

This is my Icelandic/Alpaca roving that I got at Stringtown in Ft. Smith...I am hoping that the bad mojo of the "orange roving" doesn't carry over to this wonderfully soft roving.  I plan on doing a fingering weight yarn to do "Stripe Study".   While the picture doesn't show it, the dark is a beautiful chocolate brown and the light is a beautiful fawn brown and I think they will be perfect!

Oh yeah...for the record...week 3....IT WASN'T ME!!!!