Regardless of the temperature...

Or the date on the calendar....

Kids around here seem to think it's time for FALL!

... Saturday Football...

and after game hugs...

But to me, it nearly feels...

like Christmas!

(US) 5 (3.75mm) tips came for my Addi Click needle sets....

Books that have been on pre-order and back order, have come in this week! Alice Starmore's Book of Fair Isle Knitting, Elizabeth Zimmermann's A-B-C SJ from Schoolhouse press #5, Kyler's Kardigan from Cottage Creations (thanks to Major Knitter's 'obsession' with knitting more sweaters that she had time for...ahahaha..)and another Sirdar pattern book for babies- Little Stars in Stripes.....

The August Dishcloth swap from Ravelry's Dishcloths R Us arrived from Barb in Florida...

aren't they pretty! Such yummy colors, makes me want some swirled ice cream every time I look at them! But the patterns are really neat, too. Isn't it fun to get something that's been knitted - just for you? After all the things I've knit for others, it's rare, without being in a swap, I get presents knitted for me.

And then...from Canada, my good friend Norma found the King Cole pattern I could find here for me! And then send me the latest Creative Knitting Magazine, too! What a great surprise!

and now that I've had the cyst drained yesterday...

I can finish the baby blanket and...

...the baby hats I started at the game today, so I can get the rest of the to-do list finished.


After all, I have a lot of new ideas ready to burst forth after opening all those packages!

In the meantime, I got my 'regular' flu shot today...when are you getting yours?

Did you know you can now order the downloadable copy of the calendar as of today? http://www.dishclothcalendar.com/ is where you need to head if you don't have a copy ordered yet! I don't have mine yet, in hand, and I just KNOW my to-do list is going to get even longer when it arrives!

BSJ #8 and #9

Are now FINISHED! Yea!

Here's the up close look at the buttons.

Details:
EZ's BSJ pattern, Baby Bee, Sweet Delights Pomp yarn in Blueboy and Sunshine. Each used ~322 yards/109 grams total...~25 yards of the yellow in each sweater. I used (US) 6 (4.0mm) needles for the body of the sweater, (US) 4 (3.5mm), (US) 6 (4.0mm), and (US) 8 (5.0mm) needles for the collar. The 'extra' details for the I-cord Bind off and I-cord Seams can be found in the tutorials on the left side of this blog. Adding the collar, I learned from the Yahoo Knit Baby Surprise group-link under the yahoo groups also listed on the left side of this blog. Love this pattern, Love the yahoo group!

Now, since these were made for a set of twins (boy and a girl) due in November whose Momma was my daughter's UCLA roommate a few years back...I added the 'Bruin' Buttons to round out the cutey-pie sweaters. Hope they all love 'em!

Now, it's time to finished the matching blankets...and 2 more sweaters in larger sizes...

Why, Why not, and Why, Why, Why????

Why?

..are there doors...

and...look closer.....

with doorknobs on them up so high?

Why Not?

...use your hooded sweatshirt..

...to hold your yarn while you're knitting and crocheting so it won't fall on the ground..

(I tuck the sleeves around my waist and lean on them against the back of my chair, creating a bit of a cushion for the small of my back.)

and the biggest of all...

Why, Why, WHY???

slow moving these days

Now that the purple Wallaby sweater has been delivered over the past weekend, here's a picture of the back of the sweater, with the kitchernered hood shown. It's getting better, but I guess I need to make a few more to practice the technique! I noticed today that Major Knitter has a couple of more on her needles. This whole Wallaby thing, I blame on her! *wink wink*...now there are 2 of the yahoo groups that I posted on that are in search of the patterns! I'm telling you, it's a quickie but a really good pattern to knit up..and fast!

Now, I have a little sneak peek here...one part has been sent for a swap...the rest are waiting for the future...

The Twins' BSJs are moving along, but quite slowly....here's the past two weeks worth of progress

Now, why is the knitting slow? well.....

Here's a wee bit of a clue...I have developed a cyst on my wrist. The doc said massaging it would help, but so would not using it...ulg. I don't like that suggestion. So I've been going slowly...if you look carefully at the BSJ's pictures, you'll see I've also started one of the last two Crayon Ripple Throws needed for the twins, too. I am hoping that with a little bit of work here, and there, and switching knitting for crocheting it will let me get some advancement done with changing the angle that I'm working on while slowing down...and it can get better while I still get some work done. Let's hope it's fast! Because check out what I saw today....

And you KNOW if these are all lined up....school is ready to start..which means November won't be too far behind! (November is when the Twins are due!) So....keep on knitting...but be good to your wrists...and they'll be good to you!

Aloha Kitchen Set

Would you like to see what my pattern set looks like in the 2010 calendar?

http://www.dishclothcalendar.com
Pre-orders Started Friday, to be shipped on September 5th.

Aloha Kitchen Set

Aloha Dishcloth

Aloha Kitchen Hanging Hand Towel

Aloha Placemat

Aloha Sack Sock

Thanks for celebrating this with me!

Dishcloth Hangups For 2010, Gifts From The Heart...Back to Basics

Now that I'm able to connect to the Internet again...sorry for the delay, but..it's noon somewhere..right?

Remember this button picture?

How about this I-cord picture?

Want to know where you can see these patterns and whole lot more? You've come to the right place!

I am proud to announce that Pre-orders for the 2010 edition of the Dishcloth Calendar begins today! AND, if you go to http://www.dishclothcalendar.com/ and click on the "About the Designers" tab, you just might see a familiar name, or 10!

My patterns for the Aloha Kitchen Set are included in the calendar! You'll find the Aloha Dishcloth, Aloha Kitchen Hanging Hand Towel, Aloha Placemat and the Aloha Sack Sock included with the rest of the 38 patterns included in this year's "Dishcloth Hangups For 2010, Gifts From The Heart...Back to Basics".

Please allow me to take this moment to publicly thank Sue Schaefer of Harvest Moon Designs and Janet Nogle for including me in the company of these designers! I am thankful to Sue for suggesting my name and am also grateful that Janet was so very patient with all my last minute questions.

Pre-orders begin today for the printed calendars to be shipped on September 5, 2009.

I'm so excited about this...question: Does this mean I've been "Published"?

Stay tuned!

Be watching here tomorrow....about noonish..for a really neat announcement...well...I certainly think it is...I'm really excited!

2:34 am - finished

Daughter's plane leaves at noon today, and at 2:34 am, the last thread was tucked in and snipped. I had to wait until now to get pictures. But, I made it!

Wonderful Wallaby - W03, Cottage Creations
Child's size 4
I Love This Yarn! Grape, 1.41 skeins, ~504 yards
~3 days worth of knitting...give or take a few moments here and there.

Yes, I'll make this again..over and over!

See?

This is where I stopped last night. I'm really hopeful that I'll finish this tonight. Too bad I didn't wear a child's size 4 so I could make one for me this fast! But then we have some Rice Krispy treats that need to be made yet today, too!

Update in the afternoon....

Kissy Lips and Hearts with all the Love in it...compliments of the cute 7 year old. Ah...summer is good when the kids are all home.

Wow, this is fast...

I can't believe how fast a knit this is! I started this late Friday night, and didn't spend too much time yesterday working on it. Then, a little bit last night and a little bit more today and see how far I am? I'm about to attach the sleeves to the body and begin the yoke. With luck, that will be finished tonight, the hood tomorrow, and daughter can pack it to take with her on Tuesday.

The count down for her return to NY is upon us. I hate that part. However, as I told her last night, she can't finish up there, if she doesn't go back. I'm praying that her next 2 semesters go as fast for her, as this little size 4 purple Wallaby has been for me!

Trying to play catch up here

When I came home from Michigan, I had stuffed the two sweaters for the soon to be twins into a box and mailed them home. I pulled them out the other day to take some pictures now that I'm able to stand and sit for a reasonable amount of time in a vertical world. They have gotten a little bit wrinkled, but they are underway. I'm thinking they'll shake out soon.

I was also able to finish the 2nd of 4 rainbow baby blankets.This is the 'Crayon Ripple Throw' from http://www.lionbrand.com/ only I've gone down to a size 'h' crochet hook for a baby sized blanket and used the Simply Soft yarns from Caron.

The other night we 'camped' in the backyard for a little while so we could make some s'mores. Giggles were all over the place...while we were roasting the marshmallows..but...

Have you EVER made them with a Reese's Peanut Butter cup? OHHHHHHHH My! They were good!

See?

Then one big sister recreated old bedtime singing with the 'Free Willy' song to remind little brother how it used to be..but let herself know he's not the little baby anymore..he's getting ready for 2nd grade! And a lot bigger to cradle these days. I think they'd all like to make that clock stop for awhile.

This morning, I got to recreate the roll of Mom with a camera as the oldest (temporarily renamed 'The Freeway Girl"can you tell why?) ran her first 10K run. She found a run while out here to participate in, as she's getting ready to run a 1/2 marathon in September. Oh, I just love that title...Mom with a camera!

While she was running, I had the chance to work on this fun knit. I started it last night-it's a Wonderful Wallaby from Cottage Creations. I am using some Grape, I Love This Yarn! in worsted weight for a size 4. I would have started the sleeves if I had not forgotten the smaller needles this morning. I started it last night and by 9am this is how far I had gotten. What a quick knit! Can't wait to make one for me, now! Major Knitter...I see what attracted you to this pattern!