I Love My Kids!

From the kid who said he'd never spend a dime at their bookstore for clothing..

look what the kid finally got to me?

yep...proud mom.....add this to the other two sweatshirts I have...waiting now for the middle daughter to transfer..and complete my set of 4 sweatshirts...ehhehe..no pressure there daughter..none.at.all...I LOVE MY KIDS! (and if you look carefully, he's wearing one, too)

I'm thinking..this summer's gonna hurt.....

Red Wings Baby Surprise Jacket

It's finished and ready to pop into the mail!

The red set began back in March with the posting on the 3rd with a teaser. The AC4C yahoo group for the month of March was making baby layettes to send to the ABC Infant center in Michigan. All kinds of 'themes' were created. Being a Michigan girl with a certain 'fondness' for the Red Wings, I picked this set. The NMCRS Basketweave blanket in Cotton-ease and Elizabeth Zimmermann's Baby Surprise Jacket in Lion Brand's Wool-Ease are my contributions. Placing the white stripes on the cuffs and the bottom of the jacket I hope resembles a Wings' jersey. The red buttons at Joann's weren't enough of a match to the red of the jacket, so black were used to resemble hockey pucks. Sadly, with all the other sports themes in the button department, not a single hockey themed button could be found. But if you want golf buttons? Go to Joann's! Or football, or basketball, or baseball. They've got 'em all!

Taking pictures of a red sweater on red blanket, is a lot of red! The only thing I'm not happy with is the left edge of the white stripe on the bottom. Guess I picked up the stitches on the wrong side and that will be fixed with the next sweaters I make. I'm really happy with this jacket over all. In fact, while searching to find buttons, this little one was made, too! Lickety split and a wee bit smaller.

For the Red Wings BSJ, Gauge: 20.5 sts/42 rows=4"/10 cm in garter stitch, with (US) 6 (4.00 mm) Addi Turbos. Chest size (measured just under the sleeves) 17"/43.2cm, which makes it larger than a newborn size, maybe 3-6 months? I'm guessing. Lion Brand Wool-ease, Ranch Red and White.

The hat is the Umbilical Hat from the first Stitch and Bitch book made with the same Lion Brand Wool-ease. I tend to shorten the I-chord on the top, but I just love the top of this little hat. I used it last weekend for the preemie set adding the pattern stitch to match it to the sweater. It's fast, it's easy, and with the rolled-brim knitted in the round, very soft for a baby's head to wear. Not to mention no sewing up a seam!

The little pink one for the soon to be addition to my cousin's family, was made using Hobby Lobby's Baby Bee-Sweet Delights Prints in Bubblegum. It is some veryyyyyyyyyy soft yarn! It feels so 'cushy' and I can't wait to use some more. I'm thinking that this would be a very soft yarn to use with preemie blankets? After the past week of preemie knitting, it's been on my mind a lot. Not having a Hobby Lobby in California, I'm going to have gather up a bit more next trip home. Dad's asking when I can come back again. I'm thinking possibly in June. Hopefully he'll be up to some company by then. AND.NO.MORE.SURGERIES! But, I digress.

The Sweet Delights - Prints is a blend of 60% Acrylic, 40% polyamide. 115 gms/4 oz, 345 m/ 377 yards. It's label says it's a bulky weight. Hmmm, I disagree. It says 20 sts/36 r for 6" x 6"/15.2 cm using a (US) 10 (6.00mm) needle. To make this little BJS, I used a (US) 4 (3.5 mm) Boye Balene ll circular. I think I'm sticking to my Addis from now on. While the tips of the Balenes were nice and pointed and the flexibility of the needles was ok, the plastic cable about drove me nuts. I used the hot water method to straighten it out 3 times and it wouldn't stay straight. How does the saying go? You can put a man on the moon, but.... Again, I digress...

The finished sweater ended up with a 15"/38.1 cm chest which is perfect for the typical newborn size. In garter stitch my gauge ended up at 24 stitches/49 rows = 4"/10 cm. Yep, I really like this yarn and this size for a newborn baby gift. The buttons are little pink flowers from La Petite brand during our Hancock Fabrics store closing sale. Perfect color match if I do say so myself. Almost makes you want to have more babies.....NOT. I'll just keep knitting for others...they can have the teething/potty training 'experience'. I like having the 19, 21, 24, 26 year old experience of children!

Just My Size for Little Miss 'R'-UPDATED

Little Miss "R's" knitting, is finished. Not having time to waste, I picked the 5-hour type sweater that I've been making for many years. I liked this one because it doesn't have buttons. For such a little one, I wanted the sweater to be all soft. Back in the mid 1980's, a lady from my church shared this pattern with me that she made for NMCRS(Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society). At the time the group was knitting a sweater for each baby born in the Navy hospital and on the bases to the sailors and Marines. Today, our Naval hospital has been replaced by a movie theater, Michael's, Sam's Club, Pet center, and lots of other retail stores.

The full sized sweater that I have here in purple, fits a 6-9 month full term baby. It uses either two strands of a sportweight/dk yarn (which I did with the purple sweater) or a single strand of worsted. I used a single strand of Bernat's Softee Baby yarn for Miss R. Rather than the written size of 10.5 needles, I used a (US) 4, (3.5 mm) addi turbo circular. With a gauge of 24 sts/33.5 rows for 4"/10cm., it gave me a 13 .5"/34cm chest. I didn't change a thing in the pattern other than the weight of the yarn and size of the needles. It's very obvious how different the sizes turn out.

This one will probably be large on Miss R, but I did that on purpose, At the time of her birth, she was 3 pounds, 15 ounces. That's nearly 4 pounds. Years ago babies didn't go home until they were 5 pounds. I'm guessing since everything seems to going well for her, she'll probably go home a bit sooner. You know how insurance companies are...they'll boot you out the door every chance they get! Even my dad went home last week before we thought he should have.

When it's time for Little Miss "R" to go home, I hope she's wrapped in lots of softness as her Mommy and Daddy start the real work of bringing her into the world. Yes, labor is only the beginning. The real fun starts post labor..the laughter, the smiles, the giggles, and then...a few years down the road...the phone calls from the boys, the prom dresses...the shoes, the nails, the hair, the limo..the. the. the....oh never mind. We'll let Mom and Dad learn that part down the road!

UPDATE 4/11/07: in reference to Shelly's question in the comments: This pattern is a variation on the 5-hour baby sweater called the Jiffy Knit Baby Sweater. This particular pattern came to me from NMCRS back in the 1980's. I don't have the copywrite, so at this point I can't post the exact pattern. However, if you google 5 hour baby sweater, some of the many takes on the pattern can be found here: http://www.bevscountrycottage.com/kp3.html , http://www.fibergypsy.com/patterns/5hrpatt.shtml , and http://www.woolworks.org/patterns/5-hour.txt . There are a lot of different varieties. The main difference in mine: cast on of 43 stitches, rather than 33 or 34, eyelets around the neck (k2tog, yo) to thread ribbon, crochet chain stitch, or i-chord through instead of buttons and button holes, and the texture pattern is repeated 4 times at the bottom of the sweater to match the yoke. I hope this helps. Until I can get permission to repost the pattern, this is the best I can do.

Just My Size

The Just My Size Basketweave Preemie Baby Blanket is ready. Here are a few ideas about preemie blankets now that this one is finished. Little fingers get caught in lace patterns. For preemies especially, it's best to have a denser fabric. Working for time and using the same size (US) 10 (8.00 mm) needles with this blanket that I used on the full sized baby blanket, I should have probably used a smaller needle. I'm happy with the look and the speed in which this blanket was finished, but it could have been better. I'm thinking a size (US)7 - 8 (4.5 - 5.00 mm) needle with a DK /sport weight yarn might have beeen a better choice. Looks like my 'to do' list just got longer. It's also dawned on me that being a knitting Mom of four 'adult' children who have many friends, having a couple of preemie sized blankets premade wouldn't be a bad idea. Trying to get something made up in a hurry for an immediate need means speed rather than detail as the priority. Statistics suggest it would be time well spent.

Just to give you all some perspective, here is the Just My Size blanket on top of the full sized blanket that I'd finished from my March 16th post.

Again, here are the two blankets all folded up. I generally fold my blankets in thirds, two times, before wrapping them up. And little Miss "R", isn't the smallest of babies born! I have to say, having these sit side by side really made me stop in my tracks. I know that I made the blanket larger than I originally planned, and it still struck me as quite small.

Now, I'm onto the task of picking which sweater to make for this little bundle. Oh, and the ends of the F & F Rainbow blanket.

Just My Size Basketweave Preemie Baby Blanket
© Cathy Waldie, April 5, 2007

1 1/2 skeins Red Heart Lustre yarn [Label: 18 sts/24 r = 4"/10 cm, worsted weight, 3 ply, 5 oz, 140 g, 253 yd/231 m]
(US) 8 (5.0 mm) and (US) 10 (8.0 mm) 29" circular needles (blanket is knit flat, circular needles are used to hold the stitches in your lap, keeping the stress off of your wrists)
Chibi needle
Finished size: 20" x 21" (50.8 cm x 53.5 cm)
Gauge in pattern on larger needles: 15 sts/24 r = 4"/ 10 cm

*slip the first stitch of each row as if to knit

Using the smaller needles, Cast on 76 stitches.

1-6: Knit

Switch to larger needles

7: and all odd rows, Knit

8, 10, 12, 14, 16: K5, P6, (K6, P6) 5 times, K5

18, 20, 22, 24, 26: K5, K6, (P6, K6) 5 times, K5

27 - 126: Repeat rows (7-26) 5 more times for a total of 6 pattern repeats.

Switch back to the smaller needles.

127-133) Knit

134) Bind off in Purl.

Cut yarn, weave ends, wrap gently around baby and lavish with love.

Just Her Size

Back when my youngest daughter was in elementary school, being the youngest of four, she generally took the smallest of anything she got to pick out. She said it was JUST HER SIZE. Maybe that's why today she's a size puny..and I'm not. ha.

Over the weekend, there was a tiny, but adorable baby who entered this world. She is the soon to be recipient of the Feather and Fan Rainbow Baby Blanket from a week or so ago. Yes, I still have to finish the ends...which will take a slight back seat..why? Cuz adorable baby "R" came into the world at 3 pounds, 15 ounces, 15 3/4" long! That's not much longer than a ruler! And since the Feather and Fan pattern is lace, I'm reworking the Basketweave pattern tonight in a pretty pink yarn down to a 'JUST MY SIZE' size. If I play my cards correctly, I'll get a sweater done too before little Miss "R" has gained enough weight to go home next week.

I had to go in search of size information for the little one. My kids were 7# 13 1/2 oz, 7# 15 ozs, 8# 10 ozx, and 7 # 15 ozs. I can't fathom one who came into the world under 4#'s! But, I will knit for her!

Oh, her Daddy works with my middle daughter, the one who loves the Rainbow blankets. And yes, she's now requested a total of four of them! Why? Because another co-worker's wife is pregnant! SHE'S.NOT.ALLOWED.TO.DRINK.THE.WATER!!!

And I forgot to put up last weekend's picture....

A Little Bit of Cable

Last Christmas my niece wanted some wrist warmers. Actually she was using some make-shift ones last summer while visiting with Grandma. I decided that she needed something 'proper' and she'd get them from her Aunt Cathy.

I used the Voodo Wrist Warmers pattern by Bonne Marie Burns found here: http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEwinter02/PATTvoodoo.html. Since they worked up so quickly, I had plenty of time to add a scarf and hat. As I started to make the scarf nice and thick by using two strands of yarn at once, it looked a little plain. Since I'm a cable girl, I threw in a couple, but not for the whole scarf. After all, it's the ends that are going to show as the scarf is worn. Why make cables that are going to be hidden behind the neck or under long hair?

A Little Bit of Cable Scarf
© Cathy Waldie, December 15, 2006

3 skeins Lion Brand Wool-Ease, worsted weight (~600 yards/ 540 m) (9 ozs/255 g) – used double stranded
(US) 11 ((8.00 mm) needles
crochet hook for fringe
chibi needle
gauge in ribbing: 21 ½ sts/16 rows = 4”/ 10cm (unstretched)
Finished length: 7” x 68” without fringe.
Cable needle

Before you begin the scarf, cut the strands for your fringe and set aside (120 pieces 11” in length)
If you wish to have a different length scarf, shorten or lengthen the number of rows between the two cable sections.

*C6B = slip 3 stitches from your left needle onto your cable needle, and hold your Cable needle (CN) behind your work. Knit the next 3 stitches from your left knitting needle. Knit the 3 stitches in order from your CN. Continue with pattern using the stitches on your left knitting needle.
**C6F = slip 3 stitches from your left needle onto your CN, and hold your CN in front of your work. Knit the next 3 stitches from your left knitting needle. Knit the 3 stitches in order from your CN. Continue with pattern using the stitches on your left knitting needle.

Cast on 30 stitches.
The majority of this scarf is a rib-knit scarf.

Row 1 and most odd rows: K4, K2, (P2, K2) 5 times, K4
Row 2 and all even rows: K4, P2, (K2, P2) 5 times, K4

Repeat these two rows for the scarf, with the exception of the following rows:

21) K4, C6B*, P2, (K2, P2) 2 times, C6B, K4
31) K4, C6B, P2, (K2, P2) 2 times, C6B, K4
41) K4, (K2, P2) 2 times, C6B, (P2, K2) 2 times, K4
51) K4, (K2, P2) 2 times, C6B, (P2, K2) 2 times, K4
61) K4, C6B, P2, (K2, P2) 2 times, C6B, K4
71) K4, C6B, P2, (K2, P2) 2 times, C6B, K4
191) K4, C6F**, P2, (K2, P2) 2 times, C6F, K4
201) K4, C6F, P2, (K2, P2) 2 times, C6F, K4
211) K4, (K2, P2) 2 times, C6F, (P2, K2) 2 times, K4
221) K4, (K2, P2) 2 times, C6F, (P2, K2) 2 times, K4
231) K4, C6F, P2, (K2, P2) 2 times, C6F, K4
241) K4, C6F, P2, (K2, P2) 2 times, C6F, K4
243-262) repeat rows 1 and 2
263) Bind off in pattern. Cut and weave in ends.

In groups of 4, add 15 sets of fringe on each end. Trim.

A Second Helping of...

Last night while knitting up a new 'copy' of Mom's Broken Rib Dishcloth I realized that my knitting has changed since I wrote that pattern. This cloth felt loose to me. It was originally made with the smaller size Mom likes for washing her dishes. After I finished it I knit up a second one with smaller needles and a few more stitches. I like this newer version better. Can you see the difference in size?

Just a few extra stitches, a couple of more pattern repeats, and the drape feels much better. See the back?

I like the texture here, too. It's great for scrubbing dishes. Yep, I use my dishcloths and so does Mom.

Mom's Broken Rib Dishcloth, Take Two!
© Cathy Waldie, March 30, 2007

(US) 7 (4.5mm) needles
100 % cotton yarn
Finished size: 8” x 8 ¼ "

C/O 35 sts
K6 rows (slip the first stitch of all rows, then beg pattern)

1: Sl 1, K across
2: Sl 1, K3 (edge stitches), P 1, (K1, P1) 13 times, end K4 (edge stitches)

Repeat rows (1 and 2) 19 more times (total of 20 pattern repeats).
K7 rows, B/O in purl.

My daughter got her Second Sparkly Hat (SSS Hat) this week and was very pleased with it's fit. You can bet I'll be making her a few more very soon! In fact, I have both brown and camel colored Encore skeins waiting to hit the needles with her name written all over them. It's fun to think that I've made enough hats over the past several years and can now custom fit hats and beanies for the kids in just their preferred sizes. She likes the way the edges fit snugger (smaller needles for the cuff) than the main body of the hat and the way it comes down just below her ears. The older ones she had were 'just that much' too short. In my opinion it's easier to figure out how to make a hat fit when you have the daughter in town to try on hats and measure her head. I'm just sayin'....

Notes on the SSS Hat: I made the hat identical to the first one with the exception of making the cuff flat- not turned up, using the same wool-ease yarn. The pattern should look very familiar.

Steph's Second Sparkly Hat (SSS Hat)
© Cathy Waldie, March 19, 2007

size adult small
1 skein Lion Brand Wool-Ease worsted weight, white multi, label [2 1/2 ozs/70 g, 162 yds/146 m, 78% acrylic, 19% wool, 3% polyester, 18 sts/24rows on (us) 8 (5.0mm)]

(US)5 (3.75mm) and (US)6 (4.0mm) 16” / 40cm circular needles
(US) 6 (4.0mm) 24”/60 cm circular needle
Chibi needle
Stitch marker

Twisted rib stitch = Round one, *K2, P2* repeat aroundRound two=*K1 in the back of the loop, K1 in the back of the loop, P2* repeat around.Repeat rounds one and two for desired length.

Using size (US) 5 (3.75mm) needle, cast on 100 sts. Be careful not to twist the stitches. Join to knit in the round and place marker.

Knit in K2, P2 twisted rib for 12 rounds.On the last row...decrease 1 stitch (99 sts)

Switching to (US) 6 (4.0mm) needles st. st for 25 rounds.

Begin decrease rounds:

1: *K7, K2 tog* around (88 sts)
2: K around
3: *K6, K2 tog* around (77 sts)
4: K around
5: *K5, k2 tog* around (66 sts)
6: K around
7: *K4, K2 tog* around (55 sts)
8: Knit around
9: *K3, K2 tog* around (44 sts)
10: Knit around
11: *K2, K2tog* around (33 sts)
12: Knit around
13: *K1, K2 tog* around (22 sts)
14: Knit around
15: *K2 tog* around (11 sts)
16: *K2 tog* around (6 sts)

Cut yarn to approximately 18". Weave through stitches (twice), pull tight, and fasten off.Weave in tails.

In other news around the family, the KBB Blanket was made for my cousin's baby due in August. I was so sure that they would be having a boy. Guess what? She's not a boy! She's going to be a girl...and that's making her Grandpa very happy! He's always wanted a daughter. Now, after two sons, and a Grandson, he's getting a girl! I'm guessing this will be one very spoiled Granddaughter! Since none of my daughters (or my son) knit, (they were taught, but have learned to say, "Mom, I need this and this by this date, can you make it up for me?") I have offered to let them pick out something for me to knit for this little one yet to join the family. Middle daughter picked another Feather and Fan Rainbow Baby Blanket. I saw that coming! Waiting for the rest of the pickings to be, well, picked. That makes it a second helping of knitting a blanket for my cousin, and a third helping of F and F Rainbow blankets.

Dad is still in the hospital. Post surgery he was doing well enough that they gave him a round of chemo. A few hours later he started with a few issues that's kept him admitted rather than going home last Thursday. He's now looking at Monday for a possible release date.

The kids and I decided to send him this, even though it will arrive after the tournament has finished. The kids thought it was a perfect choice for the Grandpa of two UCLA graduates. Not to mention it was time to add to Grandpa's hat collection. Maybe we can convince him that his hat collection is a better hobby than surgeries and hospital stays? I keep suggesting knitting as a hobby to substitute, but he just laughs it off and declines the lessons. OY! Parents!

Ribs: Dad's, Cloth and Scarf

A couple of years ago, my dad started on a series of surgeries by accident. Literally. He was up on his step stool putting books away in his study when he fell. He broke one rib and displaced another one and at the time we thought that was the extent of the damage. A few months later, thinking he had a tumor in his stomach, while undergoing exploratory surgery,the surgeon slipped beginning a 10 day stay in the heart unit and many weeks in surgical rehab. It was something that could/should have killed a weaker man. Or woman. The heart doc said had Dad not had a daily ritual of walking 5 miles at the mall, his heart wouldn't have been strong enough to pull him through.

The good part of the story? He didn't have a tumor in his stomach, rather it was a hiatal hernia which was fixable. It got fixed...the bad part of the story...while it got fixed, he ended up with peritonitis from the surgeon's slip. Today he's having another surgery. He has bladder cancer now. They are taking out his second tumor today while I'm writing this. This is the latest in the continuing 'effects' I believe stem from that 'incident'. Hang in there DAD!
(camera phone, good color, fuzzy picture-sorry)
Prior to the original fall and broken rib saga, I'd begun an afghan for my dad using his favorite maroon/burgundy/cranberry color. I used a Red Heart pattern from one of their little books you can pick up from any department type store that still has knitting/yarn stuff. I used Paton's Decor in their cranberry color. AND I LOVED IT! I loved the 75/25% wool blend, the sheen to it, and the way it felt in my hands. Like it would last a long time without pilling and fuzzing up and didn't break the bank. It was very warm as I worked away on nearly 300 stitches laying in my lap. It was a pattern that needed complete concentration. Needless to say, it wasn't a project that got worked on very steadily.

(35mm film, good picture, light colors)

Since I had also been 'sidelined' with injuries myself, after the surgery, I got to thinking I might want to finish it quickly and get it up to him, certainly I now had the time to finish it. I wanted him to be able to have it on his bed while he was in the hospital recovering as my way of sending him daily 'hugs' via the afghan. It got done, he went to surgical rehab, I fed-exed the afghan, and the nurses said..he can't keep it there. It was at risk of being stolen. ulg! He did get a lot of use out of it when he went home and had to sleep in the recliner. Even though I understood the reason, I was not a happy camper that they wouldn't let him keep it while he was there. I couldn't go back and I wanted him to know that I was wrapping him up in prayers, hugs, and love while he needed to get better.

(35mm camera, good long lens, not much detail)

Anyway. As I was packing up the afghan, I wanted to send something for Mom, too. She'd been driving back and forth every day, many days more than once between their apartment, the hospital and the surgical rehab the whole time. Sometimes she didn't get home until 3am, but she was always there in the am to give him his shave and his care, help with his meals, etc...Grandma would have been very proud of her, she had been a nurse. I think Mom would have been an excellent nurse, too.

Getting back to the story, I flipped through my 365 stitches calendar and found a pattern that by the name alone I knew I'd found what I was looking for. I decided to make a dishcloth for mom that she could keep in the kitchen. The title of the stitch? Broken rib. Perfect, no? I also decided to make Dad a scarf with the left over yarn from his afghan. With that, I attached notes telling them both that from this day forward, these are the only two things for the rest of their lives, that are allowed to have broken ribs in and around the two of them! Period. Forever!

Mom’s Broken Rib Dishcloth

(US) 8 (5.0mm) needles
100 % cotton yarn
Finished size: 7 ¼” x 7 ¾”

C/O 29 sts
k4 rows *slip the first stitch of all rows, then beg pattern:
1: sl 1, k across
2: sl 1, k2 (edge stitches), p 1, (k1, p1) 11 times, end k3 (edge stitches)
Repeat rows (1 and 2) 17 more times (total of 18 pattern repeats).
K5 rows, B/O in purl.

© Cathy Waldie, February 13, 2005

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dad’s Broken Rib Scarf

(US) 4 (3.5mm) needles
(US) 7 (4.5mm) needles
2 skeins Paton’s Décor claret #1657 (or color of your choice)(add more if longer length is desired)
Gauge in patt: 20 sts/27 rows = 4"/10cm, unblocked
Finished size : 6” x 56 ½”

C/O=Cast On
K=knit
P=purl
B/O=Bind off
Kfb=knit into the front and the back of the same stitch
Sl 1=slip the first stitch as if to knit

Using smaller sized needles, C/O 29 sts and K 5 rows (slipping the first stitch of each row).
6: sl 1, k6, kfb in next stitch, k4, kfb in next st, k3, kfb in next st, k4, kfb in next st, k7 (33 sts)

Switch to larger needles
7: sl 1, k across
8: sl 1, k2(edge stitches), p 1, (k1, p1) 13 times, end k3 (edge stitches)

Repeat rows (7 and 8) 170 more times (171 pattern repeats total) or until desired length, switch back to smaller needles

Next row:

sl 1, k6, k2tog, k4, k2tog, k3, k2tog, k4, k2tog, k7.
K4 rows (slipping the first stitch of each row)
B/O in purl.

Weave in ends.
© Cathy Waldie, January 22, 2005

Nothing but...

As a Bruinmom....today I have to say:

Nothing but net...

Nothing but threads left...

and Nothing left ...

Visit to Yarn-Snob Island for the Brown Sisters

The budget doesn’t always allow me to visit that vacation Island known as Yarn-Snob very often. When the rare frequent yarn miles allow me that coveted trip (generally when my parents have sent money for my birthday or Christmas with the strict direction of buying something for myself), it’s got to be for a very special occasion or person. A couple of years ago, it was for four special some ones.

There is an LYS not too far from the address of my yarn stash who holds bi-yearly ‘bag sales’. For knitters, I deem this akin to a yarn mosh-pit. They have wire bins and racks over flowing with discontinued brands and colors marked down to 50% or so. It’s as if you’ve died and gone to heaven if you can find the perfect flavors for your patterns and cravings. I decided to venture out after reading rave reviews over and over to see what the fuss was all about.

I have to say, they weren’t kidding. The amount available was something else to this long time knitter/newbie LYS attendee. Trying to get close to the bins made me happy I was not there at the crack of dawn. Two hours into the yarn frenzy was more than enough to convince me that this was an event worth investigating at least once in a lifetime. There were more than enough colors and textures to put a mild mannered knitter into sensory overload. I got to thinking that there must be something in the mountains of fiber there that would be calling my name. I just hoped it wasn’t going to be calling me something silly.

Digging around I was picking up this microfiber, picking up this wool, that merino, putting down that microfiber, looking at this, looking at that…thinking to myself...what in tarnation were they sniffing when they concocted that one? Determined that I would not leave without something to show for my little adventure, I continued digging. I was aware that the moment I sat something down it was to be snatched up in a nanosecond, but yet, nothing was singing in my ear yet.

Until.I.found.the.gray.silk.merino. Having always lived on a budget, I guarantee I had never seen nor felt anything so soft or luxurious in my life. This was something I knew better than to chance putting down even long enough to tie a shoe, or pay attention to anything else. The next question was, what would I do with gray? I kept looking while keeping my treasure in a vice grip under my arm. And that’s when it hit me. I found the mint silk merino. And it dawned on me that I’d never knit a thing for my mom in all my 35+ years worth of knitting. All the charity things sent to persons unknown, never.once.for.mom. (Ok the boyfriend sweater that I gave to her doesn’t count. He broke up with me, and I spent far too much time on it to throw it out. But I’ve also learned, the curse-is real.) I am a bad, bad daughter, I admit it.

Continuing with my new found talent of digging through the mountain to find the needle/or the silk merino, I found some lavender and navy. Now we were getting somewhere. I’d never knitted a thing for my Auntie “M” either who’d taught me to knit when I was 7 after I’d watched over her shoulder I’m sure pestering her the whole time. But hey, with more than two colors in my little treasure trove, why not make enough for each of my mom’s sisters as well?

With four colors to choose from, I now had a plan. Four colors + four Brown Sisters (Mom and her sisters) = four scarves. We were in business…until I tried to find the perfect patterns for the perfect scarves with the perfect colors for the perfect sisters. The decision process nearly killed me.

Mom’s was easy. Well, relatively easy. I was flipping through a Holiday issue of Vogue Knitting (I believe) and found this scarf but left off the beads. To me putting a bead in the center of each pattern meant if she needed to pull it tight in the winter weather, she’d get the beads digging into her neck. While it looked pretty in the pictures, to me it wasn’t so practical to wear.

My girls needed to fly home for a family funeral just as I was finishing the scarf. It also coincided with Mom’s birthday. After all the funeral events, the girls were able to hand deliver the scarf to mom while I was on the cell phone 3, 000 miles away as she opened it. It was the first time the kids had ever been with Mom on her birthday. Cell phones in this family have allowed us to bring Grandma and Grandpa ‘along’ on many of the kids’ events-UCLA band concerts, singing in church, ‘take me out to the ball game’ singing at Dodger stadium, etc...This was the first time they took me ‘along’ for the event.

After picking out the colors with advice from the cousins, picking the patterns for each aunt was another matter. Each of the four Brown Sisters have their own special talents. My mother’s is organizing with a small amount of crocheting on the side. My aunts have their own gifts, but also knit. They would know if something I made them was up to snuff, or just cheesy peasey.

Auntie “M” was the one who not only taught me to knit, but had introduced a lot of needlework extras into my life. Like the hand smocked dress for my first day of school, or the bunny shaped rice krispy treats at Easter, the ribbon jello at my bridal shower to match my bridesmaids’ dresses, and the dream catchers for each of the kids in addition to all her grandchildren at the family reunion. I made her the Misty Garden scarf from Pam Allen's Scarf Style with of the lavender for her.

Auntie “A along with Uncle “D” play Santa and Mrs. over the holidays for private parties and for a couple of special groups. I’ll have to talk about their efforts in another posting down the road. They also make beautiful Tiffany styled lamps, and someday when I grow up, I want one of my very own! (In blues, of course.) I just am too afraid after all of their work, that it might not survive the trip out to California. So, I am currently Auntie “A” lampless.

I picked a pattern from a small magazine that had cables in it. I love cables. I heart cables. I have been known to pick a sweater pattern and knit it full of cables. If I could knit cables all the time, that would be very ok with me. Then along came this Irish Hiking Scarf that so may other were talking about. Curiosity bit me and I went in search of this hot topic. I knew I’d seen this before! It was the same scarf I was working on for Auntie “A” with the exception of the ends on her scarf. The pattern I’d picked up had a ribbing in a smaller sized needle to keep the ends from flaring out. I have to say, I think I like that a lot. I hate it when the ends poof out, and that happens all the time, and not just to scarves.

Auntie “N” is the baby of their family. She’s the one who PROPERLY taught me to be a Wolverine fan, and all that it entails. She was the sister who moved to AA as a single gal, and has never left that town. The summer after my freshman year of high school I was lucky enough to spend a week at her house. It was my first trip to a French restaurant, my first strawberry crepes, first bagels, and it started a really great relationship with her. Today when the Wolverines are playing their famous rivalry game of the season you will most likely find the two of us calling or emailing each other….with YA! Or ..what was that? Or….did you see that? She’s also the one who has helped to fill my house with a lot of navy and maize items! From singing bottle openers and magnets, to ‘proper clothing’ for the kids and me, she’s had my family covered well. When my daughter was marching for UCLA in September, 2000, she even offered to send me some PROPERLY decorated underwear to hide my true allegiance while at the Rose Bowl game the day they played U of M. Daughter caught wind of the plot and threatened the next 3 years worth of free tickets to all things UCLA that she would march for, and we had to abandon the ship. After all…free tickets for the mom is nothing to be messed with. (darn it).

Knowing that I was down to the gray color left, I wasn’t completely sold on the idea for her scarf. Then one of the Yahoo groups that I’d joined gave me the ‘bestest’ of ideas! Using Regia sock yarn in their nations colors, you can make a 3 x 3 rib scarf! And guess what…they had a Navy-Yellow flavor in their selection! Bingo, we have a winner here. The moment I found that color it was a done deal. I’ve since asked her if she felt slighted about not getting the silk merino, and she told me I’d picked a very good color for her.

It’s too bad that Auntie “N” was ill the day of the family reunion when Mom passed them out. And ‘hats off’ to Auntie “M” and Auntie “A” for standing in 102*+ heat while they had their picture taken for my benefit! Now that’s a couple of Aunties worth loving! In my haste to get to the post office, I’d neglected to snap a few pictures. I know..shock of all shocks…me, not taking pictures. Who’d have believed such a thing? I sit here hanging my head in shame. Thank goodness for my parents coming to the rescue.

Ya know what? I love my Mom and my Aunties….I just wish my budget would allow me to love more folks (including me) more often. *sigh*….everyone’s gotta have a wish list, now don’t they?