Sunday, full of fun Sunday

It is a beautiful breezy day today.

I started the day by snagging the leaves that had fallen into the pool. I like this job. It is similar to my “please don’t eat me next” game I have forever played with food on a dinner plate. I truly love playing this game with the leaves that have been silly enough to land in our pool. The joy and accomplishment of snagging every single leaf in the leaf snagger/skimmer on a long stick may seem strange to you, but to me, it is FUN!

So, after the leaf snagging, I was sweaty and decided I needed a shower right now. Took the shower, got out. Thought to myself….”There are no kids in the house all day.” Son #1 and Son #2 are off in college, and Son #3 is visiting his mother in Texas. Just me and hubby, home alone. And hubby is off to the hardware store, so I’m totally home alone!

About this time, I think about this lovely windy breeze coming in through the open sliding door in our bedroom. Right then and there, I decided today is the day I sit around NEKID all day long. Need a soda? Walk to the kitchen totally nekid and get one. Need a tape measure to measure your progress on your needled knitted Yarn Harlot One Row scarf? Slowly and confidently walk nekid to the other end of the house and get yourself one.

If you ever get the chance, you should really have a totally nekid in your own house day!

I even have pictures! Look:

Sitting up nekid in bed, I read the entire funny and inspiring Crazy Aunt Purl book, enjoyed knitting on the scarf and listened to The Satellite Sisters podcast. I was totally enjoying the fun of this breezy nekid Sunday. Out of nowhere, I hear a bang. Then another bang. Crazy, loony neighbor has chosen today, MY NEKID FUN breezy SUNDAY, as the day to practice with his <shiver> gun. Sure, the neighbor lives across the lake, on his own 3 acres and is certainly entitled to buying guns and actually shooting them…but doing so totally gives me the right to refer to said neighbor as crazy and loony.

Hubby just came home from the hardware store (hardware stores excite my husband as much as a yarn store does me) and stated “OMG you are still nekid!” I just smiled hugely. This is so fun!

I stopped knitting so that I could take a look at the blogs in my google reader waiting to be read…and to top off my Sunday fun Sunday, I discovered that I won a blog contest/prize on Knitterella’s massively inspiring blog! Yahoo Mountain Dew!

What a fun Sunday!

Corrugator progress, knitting book and massive yarn

I finished the first skein of Lorna’s Laces Lion and Lamb on my corrugator scarf it is about 30 inches long. Sad news is, I thought I had a second skein. Turns out, I have Lorna’s Laces sock weight, not Lion and Lamb. Sigh. It is times like these that I really wish I had a job so I could just rush out and buy the skein of yarn I desperately need RIGHT NOW! But, alas, the corrugator scarf will have to wait.

Son number 2 sent me a surprise! It arrived today and I couldn’t wait to share it with everyone! (Teary eyed because my son was in a thrift store and thought of his Mama when he saw a knitting book. How cool is that!)

The book was published in 1972 by Octopus Books Limited in London. It has 80 patterns and lots of awesome 1972ish pictures! Here are a few of my favorites:

Don’t you just love the sideburns? My daddy had sideburns like that! I love the scarf, hat and purse pattern on the third shot. I just might have to make those!

Check out this massive, huge, gigantic spool of yarn that was gifted to me! I have no idea what I will do with it. Because it is thin decorative yarn, I will need to mix it with another yarn. This photo is NOT blown up. This yarn spool IS this huge! It weighs like 4 lbs! Any ideas out there, what should I do with it???

my so called scarf

I have been wanting to try this scarf forever! But being new to needle knitting, I was totally confused as to how to work the stitches. I was so happy to find this video!

1970 ABC Friday Night TV Promo

Flashback! I was ten years old and we had a color tv! I remember loving Friday night television! Saturday night was The Grand Ole Opry and He Haw night. Oh the memories.

Corrugating

 

I’ve been busy knitting along on my Corrugated scarf. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to rip back and re-do. I’m really not a perfectionist, but if you make a mistake in this scarf, it is very easy to see…because the slip stitches line up so pretty! So, I have to be very careful and make sure I am on track after each and every row. All a part of being new to needle knitting I guess.I had one episode where I had ripped back, and apparently put the knitting back onto the needles backwards. I didn’t figure that out until I was five or six rows further. So rip, rip, rip.

I’m now up to 12 inches. This is going to be one cherished scarf by the time I finish!

I am futher along on my ripple scarf that I am loom knitting. It too is turning out so pretty! Funny, I just noticed how close in color these two scarves are.

I started listening to a new-to-me podcast: Quirky Nomads by Sage Tyrtle. I totally love it! Especially the Quirky Quizes. Brenda Dayne of Cast On is hysterical on the quizes. Talk about competitive!

Thumbs Up!

I am the Thumb

You’re unique and flexible. And you defy any category.Mentally strong and agile, you do things your own way. And you do them well.You are a natural leader… but also truly a loner. You inspire many but connect with few.You get along well with: The Middle Finger Stay away from: The Pinky

What Finger Are You?

What I’ve been up to

Every day it seems that I find another project I just can’t wait to start. I already have far too many projects in progress…but that doesn’t seem to stop me.

Check out Lime and Violets Daily Chum and you too will be inspired to start yet another project!

I finished a loom knitted purse this week. I may have to work on the flap, as it is rolling. In the picture, I am blocking it, to see if that does the trick.

I’ve had a scarf on my Ashford Knitters loom for weeks. The pattern calls for 8 different yarns. I can’t seem to focus on this, the switching yarns just seems too time consuming.

Since I have no problem frogging a knitted item, I decided that I shouldn’t let the knitters loom sit unused and I cut off the warp.

I do love the pattern, I just can’t seem to concentrate on the number of yarns used. So, now, instead of a scarf, I have a cute little coaster.

One of the reasons I was also anxious to get that warp off my loom is I ordered yarn from Doodlebirds Creations. I love this shop! I instantly knew that I wanted to weave with the colorway Courage and emailed and asked that she suggest a solid color to match. She dyed up an awesome Navy Blue that will be perfect! I can’t wait to see how they will blend together once woven. I will be warping the loom this week!

I received an awesome package this week! Laura from the newly renamed The Handpainted Sheep sent me this adorable little skein (and a tiny knitted sock pattern) in the colorway that was inspired by hubby’s photo. I had commented to her on her blog that I may never get to knit up the skein, as hubby is so proud of it that he has it prominently displayed in our living room, alongside his framed photo! Thank you Laura! What a great surprise and how very sweet of you!

I’ve come to my senses. After ripping back several times on the sweater I am knitting with needles, I decided to try a smaller project for my first needle knitted adventure. I will finish that sweater one day!

I am totally in love with Lorna’s Laces, Lion & Lamb…50% wool and 50% silk. Oh my, how wonderful this yarn feels in your hands. And it is so pretty! Here is what I have on my needles(It is just so fun to actually say “what I have on my needles heh heh ):

The colorway is Watercolor. The pattern is The Corrugator, a garter stitch scarf. You can find the free pattern here. This is the perfect project for a first time needle knitter! Only two rows repeated in the pattern. I am very very slow with needle knitting. But I am enjoying each and every row!

And lastly, a photo of a few visitors to our quiet lake this week!

 

The Chopin Manuscript

I am so excited about this, I couldn’t wait to share it with everyone!

15 top selling thriller authors come together to each write a chapter only available from Audible.com called “The Chopin Manuscript.” Starting September 25th, you receive a single chapter each week. Each week you experience a different writer. Pre-order now and save 20%!

I can’t wait for the first chapter!! If you join me in this journey, leave me a comment. I just know I will want to have other people to talk to about each chapter!!

String Cheese Incident

For my sons.

The String Cheese Incident is a jam band that has now disbanded. Much like other jam bands that tour the country extensively, the String Cheese Incident had a large and very loyal following of fans. Many of their fans, my sons included, traveled in caravans from show to show and saw one concert after another. The improvisational nature of the music allowed for a totally different experience each night, so it was never like seeing the same thing over and over. They provided my sons with lifetime memories and good times!

The String Cheese Incident at Red Rocks 8/9/07 – Birdland

Taste of Germany

Feeling better today! Thank goodness for antibiotics when you need them.  Yay! Check out the Taste of Germany kit I got from Bockstark Knits. It is hard to pick a favorite, but my favorite is the MariSilk in the center of the picture. I am certain I am going to want a LOT more of this!

MariSilk is 70% silk and 30% sea cell and soooooooooo soft!

Here is the finished Malabrigo scarf I made with the Waves of Lace pattern. I made it long, about 70 inches. It is a killer, soft scarf! I’ve only blocked the left side, so the right side is much skinnier at the moment. I like the backside of this scarf as much as the front. See the difference between the right (back side) and left (right side)?

Here is my progress so far on my needle knitted sweater. I’ve got a long way to go! I am enjoying the knitting, even though I am clueless as to whether I am knitting it correctly! I think I’ll stop by a LYS where I bought these needles and just see what they say. I really ought to just sign up for a needle knitting class. But I kinda like figuring it out.

I haven’t done much weaving, as I stripped the end blocks on my Beka, and am waiting for replacements. I was really careful with the ends, I don’t know if they just wore out, or I wasn’t as careful as I thought I was. Here is the shawl so far.