Iris Down, Wavy Started

Go, go, go! I'm already getting ready for Christmas 2008. Planning stages. I'm just like Santa Claus, no rest for the weary.

Firstly, I finished Iris Afghan this morning at pre-work knitting session.





Pattern: Iris from dailyknitter.com see sidebar for link
Yarn: Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece - 5 skeins almost all used.
Needles: Knitpicks Options - Size 6
Casted on 158 sts
Started: 10/18/07
Completed 1/4/08



Secondly, I started making a Wavy scarf and I knitted all this while having my lunch today.



Pattern: Wavy - knitty.com see sidebar for link
Yarn: Cascade 220 Superwash
Needles: Knitpicks Options - Size 8
Started: 1/4/08

Also, I joined Ravelry. It's great! My name over there is PunkinPie so stop by and say hi!

Stay tuned for a peak at some new yarn and another new project. Can't have just one, can I?

Happy New Year!

Let's get serious about yarn in 2008! Take lessons from DD on this one!

I haven't been blogging but I have been knitting! Look how much I've done on my Iris Afghan! The baby, a boy, arrived a few weeks early and I haven't seen him yet. This is nearly completed and ready for gift giving. I'd like to finish it within a day or two or three and take it over to knit night for show-n-tell and then give it to them next weekend. And then, finish up my monkeys and start another pair of socks.

Being I've been working on a project that's taking alot of time, I don't have that much knitting to show you. I can show you my tree. This was taken minutes after Santa left. Just look at all those presents!

The kiddies were ecstatic with their gifts. DD, although not feeling up to snuff, was able to pose with her Little Pony.

DS was thrilled to get Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots! Just what he always wanted!

Their joint gift was a DVD Player for the car. They love it. I haven't seen it work yet being it is in the Equinox now, not the van.

After the novelty of unwrapping and playing with their toys wore off, we had a warm, dry evening. Perfect for the Holiday Lights show at the Bronx Zoo. Here's a snippet of the lights.

A good time was had by all! Even the Rhino was smiling.

Happy New Year to all of you, dear loyal readers.

May you and your loved ones stay healthy and happy in 2008!

It's FALL! There's Frost on the Pumpkin!

Well, with this freaky weather we've been having, there isn't much frost at all. In fact, it hasn't really been cold. The coldest I remember was...that week in August that we were in Lake George where the temperature didn't get much above 60 on most days. Of course, now that we're home and back to work and school, it's been HOT. This is New York, it's supposed to be crisp and cold at this time of year. the leaves haven't really even changed. They're green and just kinda drying up a bit and falling off. No real color to speak of!!!

We went pumpkin picking this weekend. This wasn't the place we went last year, out towards the eastern end of Long Island. This was suburban pumpkin picking. For my friends in the Midwest, get ready to laugh. This was a bumper crop of pumpkins though!

Suburban Pumpkin Picking 101:
They have this open field, right in the middle of an industrial / residential area. They have some corn there to make a corn maze, a shed for a haunted house and a grassy area. They cart in pre-picked pumpkins and put them in a field. People get on a hay ride and ride about 350 yards out into the field an select a prepicked pumpkin. Then, they pay for it up front, 67 cents a pound. DD couldn't decide on what she wanted so I wound up getting $45 dollars worth of pumpkins and a sack of apples for pie.








The sock picked out a pumpkin to sun itself on. Note the big expensive houses in the back of this 'farm'.


Here's a few shots of the kids, see the cornfield and the hay ride in the background?

While I'm at it, what do you think of the Iris Afghan? Coming along nicely, isn't it? This is five days worth of work, not too shabby. I have also done some work on the spindle sock but nothing overly noticeable. I really want to get this done. Nice now that you can see the texture. It's a really nice pattern and I think it's going to come out very lovely.

I suppose I should get ready to go to work sometime this morning. I guess it's going to be another hot one, high of low 70s and possible rain this afternoon. Ho hum....

New Picture Friday

Last night was Thursday, knit night. I was exhausted but I still went to yack with the ladies and sit around the big table and see what everyone was knitting. Unfortunately, I didn't have my camera. We had a few scarves, Annette and her pretty pink shawl were there, and alot of socks. Elizzabetty showed up with my present! There it is! Isn't she lovely? Interesting colors. I'm thinking about what I could do with this. Hmmn..

I worked on my Baa Baa Brown Sheep Iris Afghan for awhile..ripped it out a few times and finally have the pattern and the cast on number of stitches correct.

Here's what it looked like after this morning's knitting. It's grown a bit. It now has 168 sts in a row so doing 10 rows in the morning before work is entirely possible. At this rate, I'll make it in time for Thanksgiving for the baby that's due on Christmas Day. I think he's going to be a big boy and I have been working on this pretty diligently, let's hope I keep it up. I have also been carefully checking my work so as not to have an error 12 rows down that requires surgery. The pattern is easy enough that fixing this wouldn't be difficult but still...

I've decided that my first sewing project is going to be a nice shower curtain. It's easy and I think that I can handle that. Not ready to start it yet. Maybe the first week of November when I'm off two days in a row. It should take me about 48 hours to figure out how to do this, another 40 to measure twice and 2 hrs to cut once. It's a good beginner project and besides, it will replace the one that I got from the dollar store that I didn't think would last as long as it did. I'm thinking about keeping it very simply, tiny dots for the pattern. I'll get daring with bigger prints when I become more experienced.

I am thinking of making the waving lace socks from Favorite Socks next. This would be after I finish the spindle scoks. Not sure of which color I'll use. Maybe a socks that rock semi-solid that I haven't shown you yet. Something RED! I think I want red socks, good for the upcoming holly-days!

Still can't really see the pattern of the Baa Baa Brown Sheep Iris Afghan. That stinks. Maybe if you double click and make it big. It's supposed to be sunny tomorrow, a good day for outdoor yarn photography.

In other news...

Tomorrow, I am thinking of taking the kids out to make them very tired. Pumpkin picking and maybe up to the Teddy Roosevelt preserve to look at some fall foliage over the Long Island Sound. Hmmn...we'll see. They have karate in the morning and DH is teaching a few violin lessons so we'll have to wait and see what happens. The weather is supposed to improve. Anything would be an improvement over tonight's downpours. I was driving home and now the song, "Catch a Wave" has new meaning for me. One car to my left splashed me so hard it was a good 3 seconds before I could see anything. The road was closed out up ahead but fortunately, that was a few exits past me.

It's still very, very warm here in New York. today, it was in the low 70s with alot of humidity which made it feel like 80 to me. The moisture in the air is very unseasonable in these parts. We usually get those clear, crisp, fresh air open the windows days. No dice.

I got a nice new washer as part of my 'game show activity' thinking that it would hold down the cost of my electric bill. I just don't get it and I'm beginning to think that I should add the nice new matching dryer to my collection of game show toys. I just got my bill from 8/20 - 10/20 and compared to last year, I used more electricity. Isn't that odd? Considering that we were away the week of 8/20, there was no AC running or anything else for that matter. Plus, it was freezing here the end of the summer so I would say we used less AC. I was expecting that we'd use less electricity. I just don't get it. Must be the gremlins. I used considerably more than last year and that was considerably more than the year before. I also replaced my expensive flood lights with fluorescents! What gives, LIPA??? How am I going to buy fabric and yarn with this bill? I did get $50 off though, a rebate for my new washer.

Zoey the doggie is going to obedience school and now is starting to behave. She's moved up to tolerable. She knows DOWN and OFF and SIT and LEAVE IT. She doesn't know how to lie down on her belly or stay. She keeps inching forward.

The baby guppies have grown and now are incorporated into the rest of the tank. Unfortunately, their mother has passed on. You would too had you had as many kids as she did. She was black. The one that was hitting on her also had a black tail. Oddly, one of the baby boys has a red and blue tail. It's also a different style. I don't know what happens in my fishtank when I'm at work. They get into all sorts of trouble. You know what? There isn't even a red and blue tailed male in my tank. What may've happened was that he didn't come from the same batch of babies. His mommy may've been the blonde who was new. She was having more fun when she was at the pet shop with the red and blue tailed strapping young men....

Well, husband is home now. Time to knit!

Quick Update - Iris Afghan and Spindle Socks

I took alot of math and I got nearly a perfect score on the SATs (in math, for English..well, that's another story.) I used to be able to do calculus, geometry, integration, I knew the word transcendental had something to do with math and not only meditation... BUT.....

I can't count.

Not only did I screw up the stitches on the Blue Wallaby and not notice until I was six inches into it, I did the same thing on the Iris Afghan. Yes, I frogged the entire thing back to the skein this morning and casted on, this time 158 sts instead of 132. But after knitting the first row, I had only 156 sts. That won't work. So, I started again. Isn't it lovely? Twenty five rows ripped out and two rows done. It's worth it to get up at 5:30 to knit, isn't it?

Of course the Spindle Socks are coming along beautifully, thankfully. No unknitting there at all. I've completed one repeat of the pattern and have just started the second. I love them, I love the yarn and I love the color. I am bringing these projects to knit nite tonight for Show N Tell along with the poncho and some members of my completed sock family. The Tofutsies will make a cameo as well.

Well, it's 7:16AM and I must get DD out of the bed. DS is already up and dressed and ready for school. He's finally settling into the Kindergarten lifestyle and is behaving in class and doing the homework with ease.

We'll be hitting the Pumpkin Patch this weekend, for sure!

Baa Baa Brown Sheep

Thursday night was Knit Nite at the Village Knitter. They are celebrating their one year anniversary and gave out 25% off coupons. Being there was a major storm here (tornado warnings and everything!) and roads were flooded...and I almost have to pass there on my way home from the rockpile...and I had my coupon...and knitting in tow...how could I not stop in?

At knit nite, I worked on my Tofutsies. In fact, I will probably finish them this weekend depending on my other workload and ambition. I'm up to the toes!! I shopped and shopped for new yarn...plus, the Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece came in. I had my 25% off coupon and I can never resist a sale. So, I got 6 skeins of that plus some Cascade Superwash for a scarf to be gifted and some sock yarn. There are two of those red ones but one didn't make the picture. It's not on the needles and won't be for awhile, just in another bag. The sock yarn is Wildfoote and the colors were gorgeous. Plus, relatively inexpensive and feels really, really nice. I can't wait to try it out.

I started the Iris Afghan which I adapted for worsted weight. (remember: I have a passion for itty bitty stitches) I casted on a multiple of 20 + 12 (132) and I'm using the cotton fleece on a size 6 needle. I just started this morning and here's what it looks like so far:

This is an easy pattern, great for a beginner, in fact. It's not quite mindless and the results are going to be lovely. You can't really see the texture yet but you will by the next picture. I am thoroughly enjoying this yarn! It's 80% cotton 20% wool and is available in a multitude of beautiful colors. It's much nicer than the Cotton-Ease, which I also like, but costs more. Cotton-Ease is great for its washability and for kid's knits but it's choice of colors is very limited. Cotton Fleece would be for some special projects. Perhaps I will make myself a Wallaby out of this. With my leftovers, I'll make a swatch like 6x6 inches, wash it and see how I like it. My Wallaby won't be white though. Maybe in Teddy Bear or Putty....(as if i don't have enough to knit..)

Well, time to go to the dojo and fetch DD from Karate! Tofutsie and Brown Sheep update next time! Plus, we could talk about my latest endeavor..........

You only live once, you know. I have to learn how to sew. I have three bedrooms upstairs in my abode and only one of them (DD's) has nice curtains. It would be nice if I could decorate things myself. Maybe whip up matching curtains, duvet cover and dust ruffle, coordinating pillows. These are books which show exactly such things. (remember: I cannot sew a lick).

Husband has also informed me that I need to whip out my violin and kick it up a notch as we are playing a christening in November. HA HA HA!! He's funny. I think I sound like a fourth grader. More time needs to be spent there.

I suppose I should just win the lottery so I could have time to clean my house, knit, sew, practice violin and piano. I could also fill my bathtub with my stash and wallow in it.

No New Picture Friday, Part Trois

The truth of the matter is, I have nothing to show you! Why, you ask? Well, the heel flaps on the Tofutsies are now 2/3's of the way done. Time for gussets, hopefully today. We'll see. Nothing new there and I'm sure you're tired of looking at them. That seam in the baby blanket is still open and two cute guys from the Seam Police stopped by last night and served me with a violation. I have ten days to fix or...or else they carry me off somewhere.

I will show you the Tofutsies in some interesting shots to be. Stay tuned!!

It's now October 5. It's NY..The high today is supposed to be ..80. I think I'm going to have to start believing Al Gore and this global warming. If I didn't have that puppy who is now a dog, I could've grown one giant pumpkin in my backyard this year. So, instead of new pictures, here's DS, last year around this time.

So, let me tell you about my next project...it's call Iris Afghan and the pattern is here, free from the Daily Knitter. They used Lion Brand Thick and Quick which I would never use. It goes against my passion for itty-bitty sts and this should only be used to do macrame hanging baskets. Yuck. This is something I would never do. Back in the 70's, it was all the rage and I hated it. I couldn't get the sides even and the plant would lean. Then I noticed that the ones in the store are like that, too. So, needless to say, I am not doing macrame.

ANYWAY, I will make this pattern out of Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece in Cottonball. Cottonball is white. I will cast on not 88 sts but 212, 6 sts on each side for a garter st border and 10 repeats of each pattern so I will have 10 boxes across. I will use a 6 or a 7 needle, have to see if I like the gauge. This should be piece of cake mindless knitting. That is, until I mess up a stitch and have to take out an entire row. This will be for the the baby this is currently in the works and is due Christmas Day. I saw the mommy the other day and she is well and the baby is truly growing. I hope he or she fits under my blanket of itty bitty tiny stitches.

The problem: The yarn isn't in yet. I ordered it and it's not here. I bet it's coming across the country in the back of a truck as we speak. But...it's not here.

So, that means I have to work on the Tofutsies and perhaps fix the toes of the Jaywalkers and add the fringe to the poncho which needs to be blocked.

I also have to get the kiddies up and off to school!


I promise to have beautiful surprise pictures for you next post.