My last post of the year . . .

will be a retraction to my threat to list S on eBay. To my absolute horror, I have the DPN but forgot. I tore apart my house yesterday looking for it assuming the only explanation was that S had acquired the needle and hid it somewhere outside of mommy radar.

no . . . wrong. . . I'm a, well for lack of better words, dumbass . . .

If I had only remembered that I was doing a cabled scarf for DH, if only had I remembered using it at Lauren's birthday party of Friday morning, if only. . . I found the missing size 3 Double Pointed Needle in my Knitter's tote bag sitting pretty with the size 7s. I lost my cable needle and decided to use the DPN as the cable needle.

Yep, I'm not perfect, that's the last thought I'll leave for 2006. It's harsh thing to realize about myself. =) At least I won't have to sell S. I kind of like having him around!!!!

Would you think it was wrong of me . . .

to list my 2 year old on eBay b/c he "misplaced" one of my Size 3 DPN?????

The Shawl is done!!!

The never ending - taking forever - can't do anything else - forgot what my husband and child look like shawl is FINISHED and mailed off to little ol' Northeast Georgia for SP. Her engagement party is tomorrow night so I hope she can wear it.

I was up until midnight on Wednesday finishing the shawl. I bound off and found such a feeling of accomplishment. I went running into the bedroom around 11pm, waking DH up from a dozy state and was doing my happy jig which I only reserved up to this point for when DS pee-pees on the potty. DH was thrilled, but not too much when he realized that I still had to hand wash and block the shawl.

Ever so gently, I placed the shawl into a sink of cool water and daily shampoo (I realized at 10pm I had nothing else to wash it in!), massaging it just so, hoping not to mess it up. I have NEVER put a finished piece into the water completely to block it, but I knew that I wanted SP to wear it on Saturday. It had to be clean!!! So I hand washed it for about 10 mintues carefully monitoring the temperature so it never got too hot or too cold. Once the water ran clear (this stuff ran a lot) and bubbles were gone, I wrapped the shawl up in a towel. I was SO careful not to stretch it. I went through about 5 towels to get it dry enough to block.

So upstairs I went. The guest bedroom has a queen bed, quilt rack and a night stand. It is supposed to be a 2nd nursery, but since I can't get pregnant what better use then to be a blocking room for my knitting!! The cats were ever so curious and kept jumping on the shawl. DSs room in right across the hall, so I couldn't possibly shriek like a banshee at the cats b/c S would have woken up!! So I shooed them quietly out of the room.

Here we were, my Moby Dick and I. I just looked at this piece and knew I had done a good thing. As I shaped it on the bed I thought about SP's reaction and what her mom will say when the open it on Saturday (yes, 5 days late for a Christmas present). SP will definitely appreciate the shawl. She's just that type. The shawl spent all night with a fan whirring above it and by 8am on Thursday morning it was dried and finished. I was so pleased. Of course, L got the phone call . . . "It's done do you want to see it??" So I rushed to her house with S and lucky for me L's mom was visiting so I could get more accolades! I think I knit sometimes for the satisfaction of others praising my work. I guess we all deserve a little selfish pleasure when we knit for someone other than ourselves . . Right???

I packed it up and sent it UPS 2nd Day air to a tiny little town for a wonderful woman!! I feel such a sense of accomplishment! Here are the pictures!

Happy Knitting Anniversary to me!

One year ago today I picked up my first set of needles and some cheap yarn from JoAnns. R helped me through some AWFUL instructions for about an hour before we realized they sucked. The next day I went right to Borders and got Stitch'n'Bitch. Love this book forever!!

I started knitting b/c my Mom's group (we were MOMS International then) had a night out and took a knitting class. For one reason or another (most likely a business trip for R) I missed it. So many people spoke about the fun they had. I waited a few weeks and it seemed that many of my friends were sticking with it. I had to do it.

Thank God and the Goddess I did!! I really enjoy what I do. It is the best thing in the world. Off to toast my needles, yarn and me for a year of creation and happiness!!!

Some blog clean up needed and being done!!!

Okay, well I've decided to do a few things before the end of the year to make this blog a little more readable and intresting!
First, I'll be adding my gigantic list of Blogs I Read. I see so many of you here and even have seen little links for my site on your blogs. I just want to return the favor.
Second, I switched my font and size. I wish I had a little more knowledge of HTML b/c I have a lot of ideas, but no way to get them on the computer.
Finally, I'm going to work my arse off to get those adorable knitting trackers on here. I have a few already loaded to my hard drive, but can't figure how to get them on the blog. You'll see some soon!! PROMISE!!

Long time no post

Well, I've been enjoying decorating for the holidays and loving being Santa!! S really *gets* Santa this year at 2.5 years old. He asks if Santa is bringing him more train tracks for Thomas or a new box of markers. It's so cute! When he realizes he wants something he tells me, "Mama, Daddy tell Santa, me want choo-choo track" I could literally eat him up when he does stuff like that!

DH is working his butt off right now so it's hard to find time to get out and about. I'll kill him in his sleep if he makes me miss one more girls' night. I've missed a wine tasting and crafting night in the last 2 weeks because of his job. Drives me NUTS I'll tell ya!! Luckily, he appreciates the fact that I don't bitch or whine at him when he calls from the office with some lame ass person on the phone ready to cry over a line in a contract. I just go on like nothing is happened. That gets to him more b/c I think he's ready for me to pull a Lizzie Borden on him being so calm. I do get out twice this week.

First for Night Out with my SAHM group. I will tell you that we have recently left the evil clutches of MOMS Club International!! They basically let us know that a dinner time playgroup that met from 4:30 to 6pm for members that had LATE WORKING HUBBIES, was taking us away from our families. HELLO . . we brought our children to the group!!!! Who else needed us at home?? Freddie the Frog needed a lettuce leaf at 5pm?? Whatever. They told our President that the decision to come to the group hindered our capability of being there for our husbands. Amazing how stupid they thought we were. Needless to say, we left and are now Moms For Moms!! I'm so happy that we did this.

I digress back to what I'm doing this week!! A few of us are hitting the malls and drinking before Christmas!! I'll be intoxicated with a credit card. Not a good combo, but I deserve some crazy time right now!!

So that is another reason I've been MIA on the blog. No DH to contain my child for me to type!!!
Yes, this is a knitting blog, so let's get to knitting.

Here's the big news:

I'M FINISHED THE 60 INCHES OF THE LANA GROSSA BABYKID

SHAWL.!!!

I'm just so happy!! I still have the ruffles to go and I'm not sure that SP will get it by the 24th, but she'll get it soon!! It's done!!! WOOOHOOOO!!!! Here's the picture of the finished piece. You can see I'm not too far in the ruffle part!! YIKES!!!

So what other stuff have I been up to???

I finished a hat to match the scarf I made for J's oldest daughter. I combined Fantasy Natural with Fun Fur and it turned out to be a delightful little set. I'm so happy with the weight of the set. I thought it'd be a better spring set, but the two yarns really knit up tight and warm. I just have to get my butt to the post office tomorrow!!! Look how snuggly this is! I think a 6 year old would love this!

Now I've got a secret! I found the world's best natural wool yarn!! Here it is! This stuff is great! It knits like a dream and I had no problems with it at all. I will tell you also that I use a ball winder and swift for the first time on Saturday. The Eco Wool is over 450 yds so there is no way I could ever hand wind that stuff. I travelled to my LYS and they got the winder out. I'm in love and would leave R for this swift and winder!!! I love how the ball pulled to when I stitched up a watch cap for R. I didn't use a pattern and ended up with a great hat! I'm so proud that it fit. Now I have my first cabling to do in a matching scarf!! Who knows when that'll get done!!! UGH!
That's all to report this time fellow knitters! Stay warm and keep on knittin'!!

Winter Wonderland!!!

48 Inches on the shawl and about 12 on the ground!!! Gotta love Wisconsin. The 1st snowfall is SO beautiful!!