One Finished Project and Another in Progress

Finished are the superwash wool house socks for my friend Celeste. She will be celebrating a birthdya in the middle of January and amazingly enough the gift is done! I used Lonesome Stone superwash wool I purchased at Mad About Ewes in Lewisburg. A nice bright combination of colors. The pattern is a simple tube sock but it will keep her warm.

Started is a nice neckwarmer for myself. Using yummy worsted weight Lorna's Laces and a fun Feather and Fan pattern. I like the design -- size 6 needles to start so the cowl lays nicely on ones shoulders -- at least that is the designer's plan -- and then size 4 needles on the rest of the garment. Will continue with more photos. Took this one early today and have made a lot of progress since this morning.

However, the neckwarmer has been put aside for some sock knitting. A pair I started a while ago. I miss knitting socks so decided to work on a pair in sport weight yarn. A photo in a few days.

Yarn Shopping in New Jersey: Part Two

Mericash handpainted on the left and Merisock handpainted on the right. Don't you just love the colors?

The day before going to Princeton decided to visit a yarn shop that is less than 5 miles from my home of my brother and sister-in-law. The shop KnitKnack is located in Maplewood, NJ. There are lovely glass windows for colorful displays and completed garments.

Once inside the shop I was stunned. Let me quickly say, very pleasantly stunned. KnitKnack is a small one-room yarn shop whose owner has used every square inch of space to the max! The built-in cubby spaces for yarn were neatly organized and filled with fibers of all sorts -- many of which I had only read about and never seen. This was a knitter's dream shop!

Regretfully I neglected to get the owner's name, but she is such a nice person and a very talented knitter. She is quite helpful, but not pushy. A rare combination in retail. I also enjoyed the three other ladies who were there knitting away on a variety of projects. Those lucky knitters and others were lucky this weekend when designer Jared Flood (aka Brooklyn Tweed) was at the shop for 2 days signing his new book and also giving classes.

I have Jared and his wonderful website to thank. His listing of classes was where I found the information on KnitKnack.

I purchased a lovely little silk project bag, two skeins of yarn, and an Addi Turbo lace circular needle. The yarn is Mericash and Merisock. Both are for me. The Mericash will be knitted into one of Ann Budd's neckwarmers that I am cranking out repeatedly for friends. The other of course will be socks or perhaps a small shawl that I would use as a large scarf.

Time will tell.

Yarn Shopping in New Jersey: Part One

Pagewood Yarns for a pair of socks and a small shawl
Koigu yarn for the drop stitch shawl

Part One: Since I visited two stores in NJ this weekend, I will do a post on each visit. Today's is about the shop in Princeton.

Spent a really nice Thanksgiving weekend in New Jersey visiting with family and friends. A tradition started about 6 years ago is the annual Saturday-after-Thanksgiving trek to Princeton for lunch, shopping, people watching, and looking at the gorgeous greenery/white lights/red ribbons that decorate the shops and downtown. There were no carolers on the corner this year, but we have seen/heard them in years goneby. This year there were four beautifully decorated horse-drawn buggies parading through town.

Since my really good friend Roberta moved from Central PA to the South almost 2 years ago we have added a wonderful element to the Princeton trip. Roberta travels to the central NJ town from either her brother's or sister's homes in PA/NYC and we spend the afternoon together. This year a large amount of time was spent in the Pins and Needles yarn shop.

We decided to do a two-person "knitalong" and chose a "Drop Stitch Wrap" complete with a ruffled edge. Absolutely adorable. However, we just can't leave well enough alone...we made a slight variation to the pattern by shortening the length. The wrap is knitted lengthwise, on size 3 or 4 needles, from Koigu. But, it is designed to be 90-inches long. Since Roberta and I are neither one over 5-feet tall, a 90-inch wrap is unnecessary. We opted for a 60-inch length which means less yarn needed to be purchased and it won't take as long to knit...a win-win!

I also purchased two skeins of Pagewood Farms sock yarn. Love the stuff. One will be used for socks and the other will most likely be knitted into "Ishbel" which is designed by Ysolda, a young and very talented Swedish knitwear designer. At this point I cannot decide which skein will be used for which project. Will see how the spirit moves me when I get that far.

To be continued....

Patches 8/2/98-11/20/09

My sweet cuddlebug is gone. The constipation proved too much and her body could no longer work the way it should. She tried so hard at the vet office but it just didn't happen. Surgery would have been a very temporary "fix" and she again would have been in pain. I didn't want a colon rupture when I was away working. Patches would have been in so much pain. I would have never forgiven myself. Rest in peace my love. You are now with your Golden brothers. I will love you all always.

Christmas Ornaments

I decided to use some leftover sock yarn to knit Christmas ornaments. Boy are they ever cute! ... if I do say so myself. The patterns are from Kalamazoo Knits and I bought them last fall at Stitches East in Baltimore.

I have two done and as soon as I finish this post will start a third from blue and white sock yarn...Penn State ya know. The patterns are easy and knit up quickly. I bought a box of 8 ornaments at Wal-Mart for $6 so they are inexpensive to make. Would be nice gifts.

I am now searching for a metal tree to hang them from for Christmas. Better start internet surfing.

This is October??

Today's post will again be basically photos. Mother Nature played a cruel joke on this part of Central PA today....first heavy rain which turned into snow...on October 15! The major problem is that the trees are still laided with their leaves and this heavy, wet snow is causing many branches to come down. Here are some photos from my yard. This nasty weather is not to stop until tomorrow. I hope the trees don't fall on the house or cars.

Teddy Bear's Trip to North Carolina

Teddy watches the world go by

Teddy and Daddy watched too much football on TV

Teddy's first time in a hotel. Notice his stuffed babies also made the trip.

Aaaaahhhhh...just like home!

Are we there yet?

Let Us Never Forget....

UFOs

For about the past six months -- since my personal life started to spiral downward dramatically -- I have had a bad case of "startitis." Translation: I keep starting, but not finishing projects. That must change.

This photo is of four pair of socks I have started.

The orange ones are a gift for a friend. Fortunately, she doesn't know I'm knitting them so I don't feel a huge pressure to finish immediately. However, I do want to finish this month so she has them to wear when colder weather hits. These will be the second pair I complete.

The striped ones are technically a "summer" sock. Since one is completed they are going to be my first pair to finish. In fact, I'm taking them along to knitting group this evening. Theory...if you take only one project then you have to work on it. Right? Right.

The reddish striped ones go quickly because they are sport weight and I am knitting them on size 3 needles. They will wait a bit but are third in line.

Last, but not least, is the sock at the bottom of the photo. I thought there was more of it in the photo but I guess not. Well, actually there isn't much to see. It is from an awesome cashmere/merino wool blend that I can't wait to wear. But, I will wait as it is last in line.

These are not my only UFOs. Oh my no. I have a neck warmer on the needles as a birthday present for a friend. Can't say more as she reads this blog. And then there are the various shawls I have started. I am anticipating a fruitful fall and winter of knitting. At least I hope so.

Stay tuned...

New Charity Project

This little gem is a cup sleeve. What is a cup sleeve you ask? Well, it slips over the paper cup that holds your hot coffee you buy at any convenience store or specialty coffee shop. A friend gave me the pattern and I am knitting them for the Pet Pantry of Centre County. We provide cat and dog food to the food banks in the county so people who want to keep their animals, but are having tough economic times, can feed them and keep them. Pets are important to many people. I know they are to me.

I am using superwash worsted weight wool and am waiting for an order from Knitpicks. The project goes quickly and little yarn is used. These will be great lunchtime knitting projects. We are going to sell them for $1 each and of course are reusable. All money will go toward the cost of pet food and will keep those paper cup covers out of the landfill. A win-win.

Check out the website: http://petpantry.yolasite.com/

WTAJ-TV did a story on the Pet Pantry. I don't think the link is still available, but here is the text from the spot.

Centre Co. Pet Food Pantry
Reported by: Adam Paluka
Monday, Jun 8, 2009 @03:32pm
COLLEGE TOWNSHIP, CENTRE COUNTY - As the economy continues to sputter, more and more local families are making some tough budget decisions. In Centre County, two women are determined to make sure feeding the family pet is not a casualty of the recession. “Since the middle of last year was about the first that I've heard someone on the phone say 'I really want to keep my dog. I really love my dog. I can't afford to feed it,'” Kim Bierly, of Centre County Golden Retriever Rescue, said. In less than a year Bierly and Caitlin Rivers have the Pet Pantry of Centre County up and running. In three weeks the two have distributed more than 700 pounds of donated dog and cat food. They believe the family pet cannot be forgotten in an economic downturn. “People just aren't willing to give up their dog because it's inconvenient and that's putting people in a really bad spot, and it's my job to make sure that doesn't happen anymore,” Rivers said. The goal is to eventually get one thousand pounds of dog and cat food donated every month. Their efforts are not going to end once the economy picks back up. “(Think about) our senior citizens on fixed incomes. For them, it's a permanent situation. They need the companionship, but sometimes their cat or dog is the only living creature they see everyday,” Bierly said. Currently, only dog and cat food is being collected, and the ladies are using a trusted distribution system to get Fido and Felix their meals. “People are already going to the food bank for human food donations, and a lot of them are the same people that need additional support for their pets. We're using the human food banks to distribute the food primarily,” Rivers said. Some donations come from local businesses, but Rivers and Bierly hope the bulk of the pet pantry will be stocked by local residents. For more information about donating, or getting some help from the pet pantry click here: http://www.petpantry.yolasite.com/ .

Adventure Hat

The Adventure Hat is finally finished. My teddy bear model is quite cooperative and loves the hat! It is knitted from two strands of yarn. The bottom part is one strand of taupe wool and one strand of multi-colored taupe/black/grey wool and the top is two strands of the taupe wool. A stunning combination, I think AND a great leftover/stash buster.

I am helping my friend, Libby, who owns Mad About Ewes yarn shop in Lewisburg. 12 of us knitted this hat pattern for female freshmen students at Bucknell University while 12 others knitted hats for male freshmen students. Freshmen are given a list of shops in the downtown to stop in and get a special "Welcome to Lewisburg" gift. I do believe Libby's will be a hit and are wonderful. Just like Libby.

Brandeis 3-8-96 to 8-13-09

My Sunshine is gone. He was stoic and brave these last 6 weeks and was ready to sleep. I will love you forever. You were my first Golden. This photo was taken 3 hours before your death and about an hour before you went downhill dramatically. We had a wonderful summer sitting on the downstairs porch. Brandeis got fresh air, was able to see the world pass by, bark at baby strollers and bicycles, and to sit at the fence to be petted by our neighbor. The weather was cooler than usual and a lot of sun...for my sunshine.

I did easy knitting -- dishcloths -- while sitting with him. They will forever be known as "Deisy's Dishcloths" and will be sold to benefit Golden Retriever Rescue of Central PA.