Listmaker, Listmaker, Make Me a List

Remember last weekend, when I ordered this pattern? Well, I ordered a couple of skeins of yarn to make them out of, too. (Of course.) I decided to go with the Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride worsted because:
1) Fiber Trends recommends it for this pattern and
2) I have used it before for felting projects with much success.

I ordered one skein each of:
1) Onyx
2) Grey Heather (which is quite a bit darker in person) and
3) Oatmeal"

Now. In this picture, at least on my monitor, the Oatmeal looks sort of like a dirty cream/mottled off white. I thought this would work fine because:
1) Web's didn't have any of the White Frost and
2) I have used the Creme before and IMHO it is too yellow for a sheep.
3) Real sheep aren't always super duper white anyway.
4) I have heard that the "bleached" white wools don't felt and I was trying to stay clear of that.

Unfortunately, the Oatmeal is pretty brown. More brown and, well, overcooked oatmeal colored than I had expected/hoped. So I am unhappy with this choice. I do not want any sheep this color. So I am seeking your assistance/input.
1) Does anyone have any Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride in White Frost that they would be willing to sell/trade?
2) Any possiblity that I could bleach out the Oatmeal to make it work? (If I were to bleach it, would it still felt?)
3) Any recommendations of a different yarn that would knit to about the same size/gauge as the BSLPW and would be whiter than this Oatmeal and look sheepish?
4) Does anyone have an alternative yarn that would be "just perfect" for this that they would like to sell or trade? I am really really open to suggestions here.

Edited to add: Yes, the pattern for these sheep recommends the Baabajoes Wool for the project for the whites/lights. I haven't had any luck finding this yarn. Except in one place...in a kit...and that is not what I want. I need another option.

I am counting on the collective expertise of the online knitting community to help me out with this. I am devoting a lot of my spare minutes to the Grandmother Purl Blanket Project, which is ticking along right nicely, but leaves very little time to go looking for these answers. Any help ya'll can offer would be greatly appreciated.

Oh yeah. Did I mention? I joined a scarf exchange a while back and I really should be knitting away on that. Since the great deconstruction, I have only knit one repeat of the pattern. I think I will take it with me to the HS football game Friday night when I go to watch my niece cheer. Yes, that should be sufficiently embarrassing for her.

Keeping My Options Open

Just Because it is the Right Decision Doesn't Mean it is an Easy Decision

I am a little ashamed to admit it but admit I shall: I am an emotional knitter. More accurately, I am an emotional unknitter. You know the type: happily toddling along on a nice little knitting project and then, one little bump in the road and all hell breaks loose. One minute I'm all warm and fuzzy about a project and the next: I'm mad at the knitting. Cursing it, trying to reason with it, shoving it unceremoniously into my bag - with little or no regard for whether or not the stitches even stay on the needles. I pull it out and stare at it some more. I fiddle with it, I look at it in several different lights, from several different angles. In disgust, I photograph it, I parade it around the internet as if to shame it into behaving.

And in the end, I drink wine and I put it out of its misery. Then, as if to say, "Move along folks. There's nothing to see here," the yarn that was a botched side two is now peacefully and contentedly back in three nice little center-pull balls.

Thank you all for your advice. I did go over and try the cable fix at the Yarn Harlot's place but it just didn't come back together in the way it should. It was obvious it had been monkeyed with. So I took the opportunity to embrace a clean slate for the second side. I really did want to go along with your well wishes and just find the zen in it. But I couldn't. I kept looking and looking at it and all I could see was the mistake.

As a show of good faith between me and the Pima Cotton Silk, I immediately cast on again.See? No hard feelings.

When The Going Gets Tough, the Knitters Buy Yarn

Aside from the wine, what is the best cure for the battered heart of a knitter? New yarn, of course! And what could be better than yarn on sale for 50% off at the LYS where you have a gift certificate!?! This was not, however, just compulsion yarn buying. This is called having a contingency plan. If I can't make myself happy with the Cables in Relief scarf (though hopefully, I can, because I still love the softness and the originality of it.) Worst case scenario, though, if I have to kick the Cables in Relief to the side of the road, I bought these two skeins of Cherry Tree Hill Supersock, 100% luxury merino fingering weight in the Tropical Storm colorway. It is very pretty and very soft and perfect for the Cozy pattern from Knitty, which was my other top choice for this project. It was a debate between the two.

While I'm in the Neighborhood...

Since all of their yarn was on sale for 50% off, I decided to buy these, too.

Two skeins of Kraemer Yarns' Mauch Chunky, one skein in Kiwi and one in Plum. My SIL Lori said she liked these colors together and wanted something felted from them. So I got these and now I have to figure out what I am going to make for her. Each skein is only 120 yards so it isn't going to be a big something. I am thinking maybe I will modify this pattern. I like the pouch concept but she isn't really a fanny pack kind of girl. Or, more likely, I will just make something up when the time comes.

I Tink, Therefore I Am

With my apologies to Mr. Descartes.Do you see that? Oh no?

Try this closer shot. Do you see it now?

Yes, intend that is yet another glaring you-call-yourself-a-knitter-you-careless-incompetent type of mistake. I’m not sure if this is a case of zigging when I should have zagged or if it is a complete lack of zig or zag. I am thinking lack of. I am going to look at it more closely. When I saw that big wave where a small wave should be this morning, I just put it in my bag and tried not to think about it.

Unless I come up with a way to undo and fix just that section (any thoughts?) between now and my knitting time this evening, I am going to be doing some more unknitting. I have never had so much frogging in one project in all of my knitting days. I hope my pal loves this scarf when it is (eventually) complete.

On Saturday, I got the first half to 33” and so I set it aside and cast on for this second half. Do ya’ll like the single black strip? I wanted it to have some character…

I have a good excuse for the mistake riddled second scarf half: All of the knitting you see in that picture (as well as three different incidences of knitting and unknitting) was completed at the ER yesterday. I was there all day – nearly 12 hours – with my husband. I won’t go into the whole mess but, needless to say, my mind wasn’t very focused on my knitting. (He is doing ok now and is at home.)

I tell you that as explanation for my stunning display of knitting ineptitude and also to tell you a funny story. The room my husband was in was one of the small trauma areas. The room has four beds that can be curtained off from one another. Of course, we all know that, while curtains will shield your personal bits from prying eyes, they do nothing to prevent the patient and loved ones in the next bed over from hearing what’s going on behind the curtain. Mid-afternoon on a Sunday is apparently not the busiest time in this particular ER so at the time this incident occurred, it was only my husband on one end of the room and a “lady” who’d been brought in by ambulance on the other end of the room.

In the relative quiet, all we could hear was the (mercifully) soft beeping of his monitors and the conversations going on at the other end of the room. When they first brought little miss other end of the room in, she was screaming and being hateful and belligerent (this could have had something to do with the restraints they’d used to strap her to the gurney) and being escorted by police. Over the course of…maybe an hour or two or more, I guess. I sort of lost track of time…we heard her story.

Apparently she had overdosed on her daily Wellbutrin. She’d taken several times what she was supposed to take because, as she explained to the doctor, she couldn’t remember whether or not she had taken it so she took it again. Later on the doctor came back to give her some rest results at which time she became a little more forthcoming. He told her that the results of her toxicology reports showed that she had indeed overdosed on Wellbutrin, however, the high levels of cocaine in her system MAY have contributed to her condition.

At this point, she started crying and explained to the doctor that, once she realized she had taken too many of the Wellbutrin, she started feeling sluggish and tired so she did a little cocaine to “perk up” but about 30 minutes after doing the cocaine, she started to feel crazy, like her heart was beating too fast and she had too much energy. So, to counteract this manic feeling, she drank a bottle of bourbon to calm her nerves. Yes, yes indeed. An entire bottle of bourbon.

Hospitals and airports really are the best places for people watching.

A Brief Distraction

Full Disclosure

I couldn't find my camera cord the other night when I was posting (of course, I didn't try too hard to find it, either) and so I wasn't able to show ya'll the sad photo of the unknitting of my scarf exchange scarf. Here it is:

(I promise that one day I will again show you pictures not taken on my laptop. One day.)

After rewinding that mess you see above, me and the scarf forged ahead. And here we are this morning:
Not the most revealing picture but it shows the progress. There is more scarf hanging over the back of the monitor. The little bundle there on the right is what is left of the first skein. Current length: 28". I am aiming for 70" or so. I know that I can block the sides and calm that little roll under thing that is going on but I'm not sure this pattern/yarn combination is going to lend itself to aggressive blocking in regards to length. I'll keep you posted.

I Felt the Need

I was glad to hear that so many have had good experiences with the Fiber Trends patterns. I was really hoping that was the case. I did decide to go ahead and get the FT pattern for the felted lambs. Aren't they cute? I am planning to do at least one white sheep and one black sheep. After that, we'll see if I want to make anymore.

Did ya'll watch the season premiere of Grey's Anatomy this week?

I really should be knitting on my scarf...

You Win Some, You Lose Some

Ladies & Gentlemen, I am sad to report that my wandering mind has gotten the upper hand. Last night I had to rip out three and a half repeats of my scarf. Slightly less than half of what I had completed. I am sad about this. (LOSE category) I love this scarf pattern and I love this yarn and I am really enjoying watching it grow but it is, as always, disheartening to have to undo so much work. Ya'll, I can't tell you how much I really like my pal. She is a sweetheart and I can't wait to finish this scarf and get it in the mail to her. And of course, I am also anxious to know if she likes it as much as I do. (I am contemplating sending her some separate yarn in the final package in case she hates it and wants to knit herself something else!)

Things are moving right along over at the Grandmother Purl blog. We have had (at last tally) 160 people sign up to knit squares. Now I am just hanging out, working on my scarf, trying to keep up with all the wonderful comments/emails and waiting to start receiving squares! Stop by some time. This is definitely in the WIN Category.

My ankle is still on the mend. I'm only going to have a very small scar (I will spare ya'll a picture.) Theoretically, four more weeks of zero weight bearing but only two weeks from my next check up, with x-rays and decision making and all that business. So we will see. I am secretly daydreaming that he will decide then that I should be walking. Keep your fingers crossed.

Have any of you used any of the Fiber Trends patterns? I found the pattern for these felted sheep at Mielkes Farm. I have never used a Fiber Trends patterns. Are they worth ordering? I have had a wild hair to knit and felt something and I am really thinking maybe this is it.

Scarfin' Around

And Now Back to Our Regularly Scheduled Program

My picture taking skills are somewhat lacking these days. Not that I haven't been taking pictures, just that I haven't been very successful at it. I'm not afraid to share my less-than perfect pictures, though, lucky for you. ha

I briefly mentioned in yesterday's post that part of my yarn has arrived. Want to see?




Here is the Misti Alpaca Pima Cotton Silk in Mediterranean Blue. (Thank you, Lori, for lending me your new purse for a backdrop.)








Here it is on the ball winder. (This is one of those less than stellar picture taking moments I mentioned before.) And yes, that is my ball winder clamped to the closet door. Me and my still-on-the-mend ankle can't manuever to its usual locale.








This is the stitch pattern I finally decided on. It is a slightly modified version of the August 22 stitch pattern from this perpetual calendar.










I swatched and ripped. I debated and discussed. I looked at so many options and so many scarf patterns and nothing really stood out in my mind. Three times I was sure that I had made up my mind but then I saw this. August 22 jumped off the page at me and really stuck. The pima cotton/silk is pretty soft and somewhat lighter than the yarn in the sample so I wasn't sure if this yarn would take to it. What do ya'll think?

This is 9" worth of scarf (it is approximately 5.25" wide) for my dear, sweet exchange pal. She (the scarf) isn't the most photogenic but I am very happy with it. This is my first real foray into cables other than a slew of sample swatches and other various practicing. It is a pleasant, satisfying knit...an easy-to-memorize 12 row pattern repeat. I have heard at least one other ISE knitter bemoaning the amount of yarn that cables seem to consume.




This leads me to my next dilemna.

When I originally ordered yarn a week ago Friday, I had decided on the Farrow Rib Scarf. I was certain. The Farrow Rib would have required about 380 yards of yarn for a 70" scarf. Since I had it in mind to make a slightly longer scarf (72" to 75"), and a skein of PCS is 191 yards, I ordered 4 skeins. I wanted to make sure I didn't scrimp on yarn. So I ordered two skeins of black and two skeins of papaya. Then I got squimish. I was afraid the papaya might show up a little orange and I didn't want this scarf to turn out even a little Halloween-ish. By the time I had this moment of clarity, Web's had already shipped my order via UPS. So I ordered the two skeins of the Mediterranean Blue. The blue got here (via mail) first and I, of course, couldn't wait to start knitting (as pictured above). I don't have enough of the blue to make the scarf as long as I would like and I am not ordering more yarn.

I'm happy with the decision to do the black and blue together but I can't decide in what configuration. What do ya'll think of four 20" segments, blue-black-blue-black. Or maybe five 15" segments blue-black-blue-black-blue. Umm. I love this stitch pattern and I want to make it just right. What do ya'll think?

GRANDMOTHER PURL'S BLOG

Thank you, thank you, thank you! The response so far as been really amazing for people interested in knitting squares for Laurie's grandmother. I don't want to miss anyone or let this overwhelm me...so in order to keep better track of all those interested in participated, I* set up a new blog home for this project. (*when I say I, I really mean WE...endless, endless, endless thanks go out to my sister Cindi for doing all of the set up work and teaching me about things like Mr. Linky. All I've done is try to boss her around and write a couple of posts.) Also, Cindi is setting up a PayPal button for us. I've had several comments and emails from non-knitters who want to contribute. There's more about that over at the new blog, too.

From now on, please visit www.grandmotherpurl.blogspot.com for the guidelines, suggestions and latest info on the blanket for Laurie's grandmother. Of course, you are always welcome to visit me here anytime and I will make a note on this blog whenever I post something new over there. If you are a knitter that blogs, it would be great if you could mention this project in a post and send more knitters this way. The more squares the merrier.

By the way, I've been so busy talking about the Grandmother Purl blanket that I've forgotten to share my exciting news: the first of the yarn I ordered for my ISE3 Scarf arrived yesterday. The Pima Cotton Silk is so amazingly crazy soft. I am so unendingly happy with my choice. This yarn is super duper fabu. Of course, the other color is coming in a separate shipment (that's a whole story of its own) so I can't make a whole lot of progress but I am still glad to have my yarn in my hot little hands. And hey, if I have some yarn left over, I can use it to knit an 8" square!!!

Laurie's Grandmother

Ya'll all know Crazy Aunt Purl, right? Well, that's the Laurie I'm talking about. And Laurie's grandmother has been having a bit of a hard go of it lately. (Read about it here.) She is in a convalescent hospital and Laurie is making the long drive back and forth to see her. (What a good granddaughter!)

So I was thinking, what's the point of all this warm-and-fuzzy online knitting community if not to do something nice for someone who needs and would most certainly appreciate it? I've seen so many successful blanket projects where a bunch of different knitters have each knitted a square or two and then they've all been sewed together by someone (in this case, that'd be me) and they've all turned out so so beautiful. I think we should knit a blanket for Laurie's grandmother. What do ya'll think?

Nursing homes, in all of their various forms, aren't really known for being the most warm and cozy places. I think a knitted blanket would warm her both inside and out. I know from my experience working in a nursing home that any little treasure that shows up is dearly loved - and the stories behind those treasures are loved at least as much if not more. I sorely regret that I didn't knit when my grandfather was still alive and in a nursing home.

I'm still figuring out the details (8" squares? 9" squares? 7" squares? Cotton? Wool? Blends?) So please bear with me. If you'd like to participate, please leave me a comment or an email and I'll do my best in the next day or so to post the criteria.

Rambling

ISE Scarf (Revisited)

I think I have changed my mind again about what scarf pattern to use for my secret pal. (Yes, I know. This is a familiar song.) Damn slow shipping. I ordered yarn last Friday and per the UPS tracking, it will not be here until next Monday. That gives me all sorts of time to discover other patterns. Other patterns that do nothing for the yarn I purchased. Other patterns that are not warm, comforting soup patterns but in fact, fussy frilly vichyssoise and lobster bisque patterns. And frankly, I am feeling a little delusional these days and I have a hankering to knit these instead. What the hell is my problem? Once I cast on and actually start knitting with the actual yarn for this project, I will be fine. It is knitter’s anxiety I guess.

I like this quote, which I had heard before but came across again last night in The Yarn Harlot’s book At Knit’s End.

“And isn’t sanity really just a one-trick pony, anyway? I mean, all you get is one trick: rational thinking. But when you are good and crazy, ooh ooh ooh – the sky’s the limit!” The Tick (Ben Edlund)

Once again, I have no actually knitting to report. Last night I swatched for a new possible scarf pattern. It is kind of lacy so I am not certain how it would look with the Pima Cotton Silk I bought so I’ll let you know. We’ll see. I pretty much shot my yarn shopping wad on the PCS so that is what I am going to have to use. There is no possibility of changing the yarn to suit a different pattern. I’ll let you know next Monday, I guess.

On Another Note

I have spoken here before about my sister-in-law Lori. She is not a knitter but she is a lover of knitters. She pretends to care. She acknowledges knitting as a spectator sport. She holds the soft yarn and nods and smiles when appropriate. She says, “Uhh, cable, yes, I know.” And other equally profound things but in reality, she is not a knitter. Furthermore, before this week, she wasn’t a blogger either. Now she is. Please take a minute and stop by her little corner of the WWW and say hello. Welcome to Blogland, Lori! Later we can all gang up on her and encourage her to take up the needles.

A Generation Changed

I remember when I was little and people would say that they remembered exactly where they were and what they were doing when they first heard the news of the Japanese attacks on Pearl Harbor. Or heard of President Kennedy's assassination. Or when they found out that Elvis had died.

There are events that - rightfully - stop us in our tracks - that sear into the very fabric of our beings, individually and collectively...events by which our lives are measured.

Prior to September 11, 2001, my generation of Americans had never really felt the sting of the world's hatred or tasted the bitterness of war. Sure, we were born at the tail end of the "cold war" and we have never known a world without the "war on drugs". Yes, our childhood was shadowed by the first Gulf War, but really, that was hardly a flash in the pan compared with the Vietnam War, the Korean conflict and the two World Wars fought and endured by our predecessors.

And you know what? We were blissfully ignorant. We were content to be noteworthy because of our sheer lack of noteworthiness. We were a generation of lovers, not fighters. As a whole, we weren't known for our selflessness or our patriotism. If anything, we were known for our apathy and our lack of any real distinction. We were children who watched Oliver North and Ronald Reagan conveniently forget. We came of age under a president who had to have attorneys explain what "it" meant. We are a generation that understands the draft on a textbook level and nothing more.

We were sort of a frivolous bunch really, if we are honest.

After September 11, 2001 everything changed. Everything was redefined. New lines were drawn, new standards set. We watched our loved ones suffer and die that day. We also watched as we - the twentysomethings, just discovering and grasping adulthood - scratched and clawed and struggled to help, to put things back together. To join with other Americans of every age, to move ahead. To show those that had brought us harm that we are not apathetic. We are not ne'er do wells. We are fighters, too, when we are called to be.

We as a generation came of age that day and in the days since. We as a nation have become more than we were, somehow. I am thankful for that. While I remember this day with sadness and reverence, it also symbolizes a new era for us as a nation. We are stronger, more resolved, more resilient than any one knew on September 10. I hope that those who lost loved ones on that day know that their deaths were not in vain. That we are a better people and a better nation because of their sacrifice that day.

Astronaut Steven Lindsey once said, "The anniversaries remind us that we can never be complacent about anything. [They] help us remind each other, each year, to refocus. . ."

I hope we never stop reminding each other, each year, to refocus.

Pima Cotton Silk, You're the One

I have decided on the Pima Cotton Silk. I ordered it from Webs last night. I've decided on a slightly modified version of the Farrow Rib for my scarf. (I think. I'll let you know once I've swatched.) So today, since I'd made a decision and ordered yarn, I did what every reasonable knitter does...I went to the LYS (ha) where I bought a couple skeins of Cascade Sierra to just knit around with. Have ya'll seen this yarn?

It is really quite nice. It is a Pima Cotton/Merino Wool 80/20 blend. It is very nice and quite affordable - $7.50 for a 191 yard skein. I needed to buy yarn today. Ya'll know. This was the right price for a fix, after I'd spend .... umm, considerably more than the ISE minimum at Webs. But I did it gladly because I love my pal, so much that I wish I could tell ya'll who she is so that I could introduce you to her. In time!

Of course, if not for my absolutely super snazzy fabulous sister-in-law Lori, there would have been no visit to the LYS...there would have been no outing today at all. It is frustrating and discouraging having a broken ankle and the driving prohibition makes it that much harder. My husband has taken great care of me and taken up the slack around here better than I could have even hoped. Too, though, I've got Lori who has made things so much easier. It's not just the fact that she has driven me back and forth and all around in these last four months (and loaned me the use of her shower with the bench) - but even more, she has done it kindly and willingly and not made me feel like a burden. My brother did us all a favor when he married her. I hope all of you have a family member or a friend like her. She is a blessing. Thank you, Lori.

Its very late and I'm being sappy.

Little Helper

Look who has come to help me with this post.

She's doing great. We are still being cautious and she is still spending more time than she would like in the cage but she is improving. She wants to go crazy, with the running and the jumping so we have to watch her. She is still not completely sure where her back end is, which would be funny if it wasn't heartbreaking. It is a few weeks more before we have to make another visit to the vet so we'll see.

Has anyone noticed that Blogger's spell check doesn't know the word skein? What a twisted world we live in. Is there anyone who can tell me why it is that Blogger wants to change my font size, after I've posted a picture?

haven't knitted today so the above update on the ISE decision making is the best I've got for you on that front. If you wander through here and you haven't been over to Dorothy's in the last couple of days, please go see her and consider making a donation for the ovarian cancer research she is talking about. She's doing a drawing that includes yarn and needles. A great cause and a chance at winning...so go.

Let the Yarn Shopping Commence

Thank you to those who've commented and emailed and claimed the orphan yarn from my previous post. Special thanks to my sister Cindi for taking the last of it. For the adoptive mothers, I promise your yarn will be in the mail within the next 7 days.

So, before I can purchase yarn, I have to decide on a pattern. I don't want to reveal too much about my pal because I'm oh so very keen on the secretive part of the exchange but I will tell ya'll these bits:

1) She lives in a cold climate. This is joyful news for a California knitter who has been looking for a good excuse to knit a scarf for actual use and not just decoration.

2) I greatly fear that she is a much more talented knitter than I. Furthermore, she has exquisite taste (from what I can observe over at her home on the www) and is a very discerning consumer. Oh the pressure.

3) She likes teal and blue and red and rich colors and warm colors. She also likes natural fibers and dislikes the acrylic, the nylon, the Fun Fur. I agree with her on all those points.

I think this is enough for you to help me a little bit.

It had occurred to me to knit something fancy and schmancy and lacy and fussy but I've ruminated on it a bit and I've decided. . .I don't want to. I want to knit something comforting and cozy and practical. I want to use nice yarn - not expensive pretentious fussy yarn - just high quality, soft, great yarn. I want to knit the scarf equivalent of homemade vegetable beef soup with a perfectly yummy, crisp on the outside hot and melty on the inside grilled cheese sandwich.

So, I've narrowed it down to these two recipes. (And yes sirree Bob, they are both from the Little Boxes of Scarves.)

Blueberry Scarf
Farrow Rib Scarf

Both patterns are fairly easy knits...straightforward, tidy. The Blueberry calls for Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran. I do not like this yarn. The Farrow Rib calls for Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride worsted. I do like this yarn, however, I'm not sure I love it for a scarf. Personally, I don't like any scratchiness against my face/neck.

So I am contemplating these yarns instead. They are roughly the same gauge...close enough at least. Ya'll know...I am a lover of the cotton, so of course, these are cottons and cotton blends. What I'm thinking about and what I want ya'll to think about and tell me your thoughts:

1) Will these yarns be soft and snuggly but still make the wearer feel happy and special?

2) Will these yarns do justice to the patterns? Will they hold up and showcase the stitches in a way that makes you want to look at it and touch it and treasure it?

These colors are just for thinking purposes. I obviously haven't made any color decisions so feel free to toss in your 2 cents on the colors, too. The contenders:

Cotton by Blue Sky

Pima Cotton Silk by Misti Alpaca

Four Seasons Cotton by Classic Elite

In case anyone cares, I am kind of partial to the first two. And maybe I'm even leaning toward the Pima Cotton Silk, in this Mediterranean Blue. I think it would show the pattern well. But that's why I'm talking to ya'll now...cause I need help.

Bits & Pieces

International Scarf Exchange

I got my "assignment" and now I just have to make up my mind what to knit for her. I like her - though I don't know her...all I know of her is what I've read on her blog but still, I like her. So I want to make her something nice. And guess what? I have these:

and I've never ever knit even one project from these two boxes. And there are some patterns that really, really interest me. I haven't picked one yet but my ISE scarf is going to be one of these. I think it is about damn time.

Golf Clap for Me

This isn't really something to celebrate. In fact, it hardly deserves even a half-hearted "yah" but I'm happy about this minor accomplishment. If you've been paying any attention to this little blog for any length of time, you've probably noticed that I don't do a lot of colorwork. Intarsia isn't a word we use very often here at House of Ok! What Next?? But last night, I made up this little tidbit...not exactly on the fly, but over the course of a few hours.
Cute, huh? I've got to adjust it a little so it will be a 5" x 5" square for Warming Grace. As it sits, it is a 4.25" x 6" rectangle, but the needed adjustments will be minor.

Free to Good Home

Ya'll I've been doing some evaluating. I need to get rid of some yarn that is muttling up my stash. Yarn that, if I'm honest, I know I will never use. Yarn that isn't bad yarn really, just not yarn that I am going to spend time knitting. But someone might. First come, first served. I'll mail it to you, some cheap probably slow way unless you want to pay shipping. If you want something, please take everything it is pictured with. That seems fair to me...Here you go:

12 skeins of Moda Dea Dream. It is very soft. It is very cushy. I really do love this yarn but I gave up on the project I bought it for and I just want to be rid of it. The pinks are all the same dye lot as are the greens and the blues. I did use some of one skein of the pink and some of one skein of the white. This yarn has been claimed

A Fun Fur sample pack. The four skeins at the top all match. A friend of mine wanted a scarf made from that. Then she changed her mind. The others are just a mixed lot.

Here we have four skeins of Lion Brand Homespun. The two in the middle match. The other two don't. These are full or just shy of full skeins. I've done a swatch or two. You know how it goes. This yarn has been claimed

Now appearing: two skeins of Paton's Carmen and two skeins of Joann's Exclusive Halo. They are both soft - very, very soft. Almost creepy soft. A little slick to knit with but very nice. I made projects from both of these yarns - I'd simply bought too much.

And last but...well, yeah, least too: Three skeins of Caron Perfect Match acrylic. The colors are actually really very nice. I used several skeins of these previously (potholders, I think, if I remember correctly. It was early in my knitting days.) Knit something for your grandmother. Knit some potholders. Whatever. Just take them. Please.

Here's the real nuts and bolts of this giveway: I've promised my husband I wouldn't buy anymore yarn until I get rid of these. I don't want to have to hide yarn purchases from him so I would appreciate your help here.

Leave me a comment or email me. Thanks!

Knitters are the Nicest People

In my last post, I mentioned that I have been soaking up the comfort of the Grey's Anatomy. Tonight I watched the episode entitled The Name of the Game and I discovered a whole new reason to love the Grey's Anatomy. . . In this episode, Meredith and Izzie have taken a vow of celibacy and are replacing sex with knitting a sweater. In the opening scenes of this episode, Meredith is KNITTING IN THE BAR! Just one more reason that this show has been my favorite therapy.

I've Been Neglectful....

I've meant to mention this project several times lately but I've neglected to. I came across this project several weeks ago and I've been knitting squares from my cotton scraps and . . . I keep failing to mention it here. I AM MENTIONING IT NOW!

Warming Grace Warming Grace is Cynthia's project and (to quote from the Warming Grace website) "NAMED IN HONOUR OF MY NIECE GRACE WHO IS BEING TREATED FOR LEUKEMIA, WARMING GRACE IS AN ONGOING PROJECT DESIGNED TO CREATE BLANKETS FROM KNITTED AND CROCHETED SQUARES FOR CHILDREN DEALING WITH CANCER..."

This is her niece Grace (also stolen from the Warming Grace website).

I blame it on PMS but I confess, the first time I visited this website and saw that face, I cried and cried. What a beautiful girl. How could you not want to knit squares for this baby - or for a project named in her honor - knit until your fingers bleed???

Ya'll, there are so many wonderful knitting charity projects and knitting good deeds and ways to contribute to making the world a better place. . . it is kind of overwhelming to me how many great, meaningful causes there are. It is both thrilling and intimidating to see all of the projects we can knit for. Sometimes I contribute but I don't knit for every charity knitting project I come across but sometimes I am just compelled. Sometimes I am touched in a way that I don't expect - that's how Warming Grace touched me. I think this is probably one of the smaller projects I've seen but I hope you will go over and visit. And maybe knit a square. They are small squares - only 5". That Cynthia is pretty easy going, not overly restrictive - she is seeking "knitted or crocheted squares, blocked, any colour, any pattern, in 100% soft cotton or wool". See? Couldn't be easier.

Maybe you will want to knit two or three.

The Boredom Really Sets in

A brief pictorial review: This is the view from where I sit. Still.

Exhibit A: A much smaller bandage - and no cast!
Exhibit B: That is a hairy leg. I haven't quite reconciled "You can take a shower, just cover it in a plastic bag" and "Zero weight bearing". I'm working on this, though.
Exhibit C: That's Sally's cage. She is such a good and patient soul. She gets out of the cage now for several hours a day and seems to be doing much better. When I open the cage to put her in there, she just goes in and makes her nest. It would be almost better if she would resist.
Exhibit D: My crutches. (Nearly) 2 weeks down, 6 to go. They don't look like much but they are my new best friend. I may not have such kind words for them once I go back to work next week.
Exhibit E: The bathroom. The outer reaches of my adventures these last 9 days.
Exhibit F: That's the way to the rest of the house. I haven't gone that way very often lately but I've ventured out of this room 4 times today. Progress comes in little doses.

I've been watching a lot of Grey's Anatomy. Love this show. I'm so glad that ABC has been rerunning it this summer. God bless the DVR.

I've also been knitting. A sampling:

Jen sent Dorothy these dragonfly disclothes that I immediately loved. She sent me the link for the dragonfly pattern over at Purple Duckie and I found the pattern for this duck.
So cute. I had some Sugar n' Cream leftover from the ill-fated baby washcloths so I whipped one up. I still need to weave in the ends. Hopefully Courtney needs a baby washcloth.

I've also been working on the blocks for Mama's blanket. Only minimal progress has been made on this but in addition to the mutlicolored block I'd already finished, I've also done these:
That's the blue themed block on the top left. The bright one is about 2/3 complete.

So that's it in a nutshell. Enjoy the long weekend.