LoneStarStateKnitter

Vernal Equinox

2011-05-29T23:31:00.001-05:00

I started this shawl on April 4th. The next day I also started a vest that I am designing in Berroco Sock yarn and a few days after that started the Victorian Lace Poncho. Yes, I had startitus in April. As it usually happens I got down to business on the shawl and left the others in time out. I’m wired that way. I don’t think it would have taken me almost two months to complete, if I had concentrated on it more. But, then I also got a new laptop and I was shopping for a BOP (Body of Proof) handbag….I’ve been a busy girl with my shopping fingers since my knee surgery. Thankfully, knee is getting better so my credit card will not be burned to a cinder. Here’s a few pics of the Vernal Equinox. And the amount of yarn I had left out of 1600 yards! (Thank you, Nikki) I kept thinking I was going to run out and think I mentioned that I was going to several times.

I really enjoyed knitting this shawl. I think I will enjoy wearing it…although it will have to be a lot cooler. This shawl is going to hold in some heat.

I mentioned the BOP bag. If you watch Body of Proof, you have noticed her bags. Prada, of course. Mine isn’t, but I like it and I like the sale price I paid too! I got it at Wilson’s Leather. It even has a little laptop sleeve for the bag but it is definitely a handbag. I’m not using the sleeve because I’ve carrying my little netbook computer in it along with my purse contents, a small knitting project and my reader and of course my phone. I won’t carry all of it if I’m going on a shopping trip..but it’s great to be able to when I want to!

It’s a 4 Dog Blog Day

2011-03-31T19:51:00.001-05:00

My Darling Doggies have been under some upset over the last couple of days. Their home has been invaded by a red-headed stranger. Well…not really a stranger, but one that gets them all excited and they all turn into barky-von-schnauzers. Even the yorkie. Our youngest son will be boarding at Mom & Dad Hilton for a spell. I don’t have pictures of them acting like devil dervishes because I’m right in the mix trying to calm them down. I do have a picture of them being held hostage on the couch. The boys are all spread out and Kassi refused to be on the end of the couch and that far away from her Mama so she got on her perch. You can see the love-fest is mutual.

They are normally such calm dogs until somebody or something comes into their territory. Most people don’t get to see things like this:

Tyger & Murphy using Dad as their bed. You wouldn’t even see Dad if it weren’t for his foot.

Murphy being a sweet baby doll resting on the couch or he and Scotty showing brother love (before the smack down later – they love to wrestle)

Miss Kassi is just sweet as sugar. She doesn’t bark at our boarder at the Mom & Dad Hilton too much and she just bats those eyelashes at him and he calls her sweetheart. She works it with all of us. The tongue is just a tad longer than the lashes.

Truthfully, no alcohol was used to catch these poses, though these two surely look as though they have been partying with the Big Dogs.

Murphy is a good crasher…. you wouldn’t believe from these pictures that he is a ball of activity most of the time. Plays hard and crashes hard. Tyger is no slacker either.

Honestly, when the house is quiet after a 4 Dog Day of Sentry Duty for a NPM (Non-Pack Member) in the midst, they will all just crash.

Hopefully soon, they will get used to this red-headed stranger and admit him to the pack. Don’t get me wrong…they LOVE him…they just have to remember they love him every time he walks into the room. They have to learn that the NPM was Mama’s PM LONG before they were. It’s a process.

Now before you nod off too, check out what Mr. Postman brought me today. The coveted discontinued Endless Summer Connemara that I snagged off EBAY. And ….after I showed this on my knitting group, my sweet Knit Sistah Linda Q told me she had 9 1/2 skeins of this yarn in teal that she is going to give to me as my “post surgery, empty next filing up” gift. SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

There will be much petting time of this yarn because I have several WIP’s (as you know from my previous confession on this bog). I have all of the patterns on my wonderful e-reader that Zach (formerly known as the NPM on this blog) gave me for Christmas. I have the projects bagged together and have been switching back and forth between them and progress is being made, surprisingly. So..who’s going home on American Idol? My bottom 3 picks are actually sitting in the stools right now. I don’t happen to think Paul is as talented as most others do. There he goes back to one note us next week. OY!

Going to “knit on it”!

Definition of Spring–Startitus

2011-03-19T22:02:00.001-05:00

So, Mary Kay on my Lone Star State Knitters Group sent a “WIP Wednesday” post to our group. It got me to wondering about spring and how it effects knitters. Well, maybe not all knitters…but at least some of us. I’m usually more content working on one major project and one small carry around project. I finish and go on to the next project because one of the quirks I have is “completion complex”. I like to get into things and get them done and move on to the next thing. But, I’ve discovered in recent years that every spring – Startitus happens. I sometimes buy lots of yarn and for some reason can’t wait to get it on the needles and so off I go. My history is that not all of these projects actually come to completion and some get put on the back burner in favor of others and then eventually graduates to “in time out”. If time out lasts too long, I decide I’m so over it and it goes to the frog pond.

I think this spring will set a precedence. I like all that is on my needles and I want all of them finished. Three of these things are for ME! (Those are the normal things that get frogged). I don’t knit for myself real often…so to have 3 things on the needles for myself is a record.

So, first is the cape that I started for my Darling Daughter Cristi. I have a little more done on it than when you last saw it. I had to put it on hold for a bit when the Husbank had his little medical emergency and then I crashed my knee. (I see the surgeon on Tuesday to find out the results of the MRI). So now fast forward to Spring. This is of heavier yarn in Cotton Fleece. It has gotten a little warm outside and this yarn is harder to work with in the warmer days. I can only work with it for so long at a time or the 20% wool that is in it starts to bother me for some reason. This is a new thing. <sigh> It’s too warm for her to wear it now anyway so I will continue to pick it up off and on and will definitely have it done for her birthday which is when it will start getting cool enough for her to wear it. (Happy Birthday if you are reading this, Cristi.)As always click on the picture for a larger view.

Next on the needles is the Vernal Equinox shawl. I started this because I had ordered some gold yarn and searched for a pattern for the new yarn. Then, being the patient person I am, found some gold yarn in my stash passed to me by my knit sistah, Nikki and started the shawl. I have enjoyed this so far. It’s soft and I like the yarn. Free yarn is always fun, right?

Meanwhile, the above said Nikki is an enabler. She’s almost as bad as Alice who is a pattern enabler. Nikki is a yarn ho and will recruit her sistahs into her stable. She sent me a link to this yarn and me being just a bit of a yarn ho (is that like being just a bit pregnant??) grabbed up the last 4 skeins Webs had left.

This Berroco Comfort Sock is very soft and very nice yarn as I’m sure anyone who knits socks knows. I don’t knit socks if I can help it so I decided to design a vest for this yarn. I used my Sweater Wizard software to help with the math and I’m pleased with what is happening so far. I’m sort of a “design as I go” type of Gal. I’m calling this Vicki Vest because it’s for me and the designs I’ve picked are V’s. This is the back. It will be a v-neck cardigan vest.

I love Endless Summer Connemara yarn. Elann discontinued this yarn a while ago and even though I have asked very nicely, they aren’t going to bring it back. I did the Victorian Lace and Beloved shawl with that yarn. I have a small stash of it left and just purchased a lot of 7 that I found on EBAY. I haunt EBAY for it every once in a while. I bought some Super Cable Aran from Elann to see if would be a little like Connemara…but it’s not at all. It’s really coarse yarn. I’m hoping it will soften after washing, It is 100% cotton so maybe there is hope. It’s a little like knitting with jute at the moment. I decided to do the Victorian Lace Poncho with it when I bought it. I bought this green color and some pink. The Aran Super Cable is on top. The bottom green and lavendar yarn is Sonata. Then in the second picture some more Sonata. I did mention I have a bit of a springitus retail thereapy problem, right? And yes…I’m having a bit of a green thing. All these greens are different. Really…they are.

So, today I started the Victorian Lace Poncho because you know…there’s a lot of naked needles in this house.

I haven’t been bored while laid up with this knee. I know I will finish Cristi’s cape. I’m hoping to show finished products of all of the things I’ve started for me. I like all of them and also the yarn for them…with the exception of the Super Cable…but I think I will plan on it softening up with washing. If you have experience with this yarn, please comment.

Off to knit!

Beloved

2011-03-03T11:37:00.001-06:00

This title could apply to many things, but in this case it’s a shawl I just finished knitting. I wore it yesterday to lunch with friends (first time I got to drive my truck my myself - woo-hoo!! But, I had to ice my leg all the way home – wee-wee-wee -whine ) The Husbank took pics before I went to lunch yesterday and somehow these pics have mysteriously disappeared from my external plug in drive. I downloaded them to the external hooked up to Miss Mini the netbook and when I plugged said external into the laptop…they weren’t there. There weren’t on Miss Mini, they weren’t in the trash, they weren’t anywhere. I don’t know for the life of me what happened because I had before and since downloaded pics to the external with the netbook and the files were always there when plugged into any computer. And…I wasn’t taking any leg drugs yesterday that would impair my otherwise sharp mind.Maybe the jury is still out on that one?

So, more pics were taken this morning. I knitted this in Endless Summer Connemara that has been discontinue by Elann…Boo HISSS on them! Love that yarn which is, of course, the kiss of death to the line usually. The pattern is here: http://www.redheart.com/free-patterns/beloved-shawl

There was a little “design element” placement necessary after finishing the shawl. Husbank noticed a “flaw” in the back and he’s not usually prepared for flaws in my knitting. It was where I had tied on yarn and this cotton will tend to fray and for some reason it left a very ugly stretched stitched that looked like it was twisted or something. So, I untied the yarn and realized it was not going to work without some unraveling of stitches. So…tied it back and I made some little crocheted “flowers” to cover the offendiing flaw. I guess it could also be an apostrophe or a sperm…but we won’t go there.

2011 Needs Improvement

2011-02-20T14:18:00.002-06:00

So this new year has not been all that. These first two months have not been fun yet. Christmas 2010 was not fun either so I guess it started then, but I won’t go back that far. So far this year my darling husband, David, has had emergency surgery for a ruptured appendix that was so bad gangrene had started to set in. I know …ewww…TMI, but I’m just saying. For two weeks, I took care of him, house, dogs x 4 and was exhausted, but very happy that he had come through the surgery with no complications and his recovery is still going well. Thank Goodness. Because, now he is taking care of me while he is still recouping.
I had a little incident with a hurling dog. Our dogs sleep in bed with us (more TMI?) as all of our dogs through the years have. When they start the hurl in the middle of the night, I have always heard them and grabbed them and headed for the bathroom so they can hurl in the sink or on the tile floor rather than in our bed or on the carpet. I’ve always been quite adept at it with a high success rate. So, at 4:30 in the morning last Friday, I grabbed our schnauzer Murphy who was in the “I’m fixing to hurl” portion of his hurling and hit the floor running. Unfortunately, my pillow had fallen off the bed and it had a slippery organic cotton pillow case on it and my foot hit that and I hit the floor cradling dog carefully so he wouldn’t be hurt and let him go on into the bathroom where he completed his hurl. I felt a snap in my knee as I went down. Not good. When I get the dog cared for, hobbling around, I head for ice and anti-inflammatory and try to go back to sleep. Not good when I wake up either.

I have been RICE (resting, icing, compressing & elevating) all day Friday, yesterday and today. I’m praying that it is a pulled something that will heal itself. This is what it looks like today. Still swollen on that one side, but maybe a bit better? (wishing and hoping).

We’ll see tomorrow if a call to the Doc is in order for some repair work. GAWD, I hope not. Two surgeries in the same month. OY! OY! $ Ka-ching! $
Meanwhile on the knitting front I’m knitting the Beloved shawl for me I think…but shawls have a way of turning out to actually be for someone other than me once I get them done.

I’m also designing a cape for my DD Cristi that has been put on hold since I have to actually think about this one and thinking on Vicoden doesn’t always turn out to be exactly what you wanted. So far I like what is happening. This purple and green are her favorite colors.

Meanwhile, I have much help in my RICE. My darling Kassi and Scotty both sit in the chair with me. And sometimes Murphy or Tyger will slip in too, but the leg is taking up the 4th dog’s spot. Kassi has decided that she can help my recovery by elevating her legs as well. Sometimes she uses me…sometimes she uses Scotty. But, she’s got that elevation part of RICE down pat.

She also seems to be getting into the ice part of it as well. Do our dogs act like us? I'd say yes.

Sarah’s Shawls

2011-02-20T13:20:00.001-06:00

My Darling Granddaughter Sarah had her 9th birthday on February 13th. When she was here in November she asked me to knit her a shawl. After searching through the stash and picking out yarn, we soon discovered that she really wanted the shawl that I had given to her Mom. (Linda’s shawl is shown in the November 27, 2010 post on this blog). When I told her I could knit her one just like her Mommy’s in the same yarn, she was thrilled and so I started the shawl before they went back home so she could see that there would eventually be a shawl coming for her.

I decided as I was knitting this one that she might need an extra shawl that she could just wear to her heart’s content and not worry about the silk in the yarn and I happened to be knitting one out of Luster Sheen that I decided would work quite well for her. Both shawls were sent to her for her birthday and she seemed to be quite thrilled with them. It warms a Nana’s heart.

How’s That Decorating Going For Ya’

2010-12-03T08:50:00.001-06:00

So, this year I told my Darling Husband that I didn’t want to bring out all the Christmas decorations. This year things are a bit different with family and while we will have a few people in before, we will be just the two of us and the 4 four legged kids for Christmas. Do we really need 3 Christmas trees, anyway?

So, I’m out shopping one day last week and come home to ALL the Christmas storage boxes down from the attic and in the garage. Not good. I say I’m only putting up one tree! (Sort of the same as the declaration “I only want ONE little dog). See where this is going?

I see that my Darling Husband already has that one tree up with lights blazing. After a day of shopping, I decorate the tree (all inside decorating is my job) and by the time it’s done, I’m wiped out from the long day. So, I state that we are done because what goes up must come down and in only a short 4 weeks.

Guess how that declaration went for me? Click on pics for larger view.

Tree #1

Tree #2 White House Ornaments

Tree #3 Mother’s Ornaments

He stated that we would just put the other two trees up so we will have the pretty lights and I don’t have to do any decorations… the lights will be pretty. Right…I’m going to have bare trees sitting around my house.

Did we stop there? Oh no.

This was Mom’s I love her.

Of course, there is more around but you get the gist. Outside he has lights, two trees, wreath on the door and he’s not finished. He has more lights to put out. Just thinking of taking all this down drove me share some suds with Santa.

You know this is how I got 4 dogs, don’t you? Who, by the way, are also decorated with reindeer bells. I’m sure we aren’t done with them either and they are trying to be so good and quiet (left pic) so that we don’t put elf clothes on them like last year.

So it goes in the Meldrum Household.

Merry Christmas, Y’all!

The Promised Models and More

2010-11-27T15:18:00.001-06:00

The day our Thanksgiving week started, we had to do a little “home training” with the pupmonsters. They had to have a place to be that wasn’t in the vicinity of “hobbits”. They are not quite used to the quick movement of little ones and like to spring into action which terrorizes our grandsons (and sometimes our granddaughter) and scares me that the dogs could really hurt them. So… the bed and breakfast is born.

Knitting Models:

We had one reluctant “no way” model and two enthusiastic ones. Justin was having none of the modeling, but Jacob decided he might just claim both Spiderman and Elmo sweaters and was the perfect little model of both. Sarah was – as always- the modeling diva. Click on the photos for a larger view.

Ladies first….Sarah in her Star of My Heart dress.

And what model doesn’t spend a little time in front of a mirror?

The reluctant model, Justin. Likes the sweater OK…but please….it was 80 degrees outside and he was not about to put it on.

Jacob, on the other hand was happy to model both sweaters. I think the pictures tell the story.

You couldn’t find a better model in the pages of a magazine. Yes, I am a prejudiced Nana.

Now, did I mention – “More” in the subject line. Well…here it is.

I gave our Darling DIL a shawl that I had originally knitted for me, but never wore. I would put it on and it wouldn’t ever look quite right and I would think, “I should give this shawl to Linda. It would be perfect for her”. But, before I could get pictures of her in the shawl, her darling husband, Jason (yes, this is our son) and his father (my darling husband, David) had some fun of their own.

Goofs

Here is the beautiful Linda modeling the shawl that is indeed perfect for her if I do say so myself (although Jason looks pretty darn good, too)In the second photo, she’s showing off some new bling.

Who wore it best?

Good times.

The Finish of Something Elmo

2010-11-08T08:29:00.001-06:00

Nine days & he’s ready for Jacob. Although, Mama says they boys will fight over this one. They both are the same size so they can switch and I’m not sure Justin is old enough to care which one wears or even if he wears one.

Now on to some preparation for Thanksgiving and a certain cake the adult kids love, but hate to have around. But if it’s not here sort of hate that too. So…once a year it just has to be done.

Elmo WIP Peek

2010-10-31T12:19:00.000-05:00

Elmo is in the ~~house~~ …er….sweater…barely. Needs a bit of grooming on the fun fur and the next pictures you see will be him finished. I have an idea brewing for the back. There’s a also a little pic of the mess he makes while getting into the sweater. I have fun fur everywhere – all around and in my chair in the table. There’s even little bits of it in the dog’s fur Since they all need grooming too, there will be a lot of fur and hair to vacuum up around here and since today is not my day to be a princess……I guess that will be me.

Happy HOWL-O-WEEN!

The Start of Something Elmo

2010-10-28T10:13:00.001-05:00

I wanted to use a chart that Jean Dale has done and that I host on my website in the free charts section. http://www.vickimeldrum.com

But…the chart was too big for the sweater size I’m doing for Justin….so I did a re-chart last night and sized this one to fit. I couldn’t sleep last night so got a little knitting done as well. I haven’t used fun fur in a long while because basically I hate the stuff…but it’s just perfect for Elmo’s furry self.

Spiderman….Spiderman

2010-10-27T12:58:00.001-05:00

Knitted for my Darling Grandson, Jacob. It will match his blue eyes and yes, it will be a little big on him at first, but hopefully he will love Spidey for a couple of years and love his sweater just as long. This was a fast knit. I started it just before I finished Sarah’s dress on October 20th. I had the very bottom part of the neck done on him and then started knitting exclusively on it and finished today a week later.
I
I can’t wait to post pictures of the cute little blue eyed model in his sweater when he’s here in November. Here he is with his gorgeous Mama. Those blue eyes will look real good in this sweater, don’t you think?
DGS Jacob and DDIL Linda
Off to start the Elmo sweater for younger brother – DGS Justin- Stay tuned!

Meet Up Places, Gals & Glasses

2010-10-26T15:58:00.000-05:00

The places you meet your friends change a little as you get a little old-er. This occurred to me today as I sat in Bellingrath Optic in Barton Creek Mall for the 3rd time in as many weeks with my dear friend, Nikki.

We both purchased new glasses at the same time and mine came in and hers didn’t because there was a problem with the frame configuration she picked out so she had to pick out more frames and start all over. I got mine two weeks ago and most of you have seen them:

And, the Lone Star Gals are NOT going to believe this…but I actually got a picture of Nikki in her new glasses with my phone. I was nice and sent it to her and asked if she approved and she did not, but Chuck did so I’m broadcasting it all over. I even use this one in my phone now for when she calls me instead of the one with the lampshade. She thinks the one with the lampshade is the cooler picture, but …my phone…my decision. I love this picture of her. It’s just the right amount of “hurry and and get this over with, total disgust and a small amount of tolerance.” And I LOVE her new glasses on her. They just about disappear on her face. Be sure to click on the pic for a better view. We don’t get to see Nikki in pics much and this is a rare treat. Truly, they aren’t much different than the old glasses…but the lenses are shaped in a nicer way for her face, IMHO.

Before we met at our new meet up place, we met Linda Quinn at one of our 3 favorite places to haunt for lunch – Abuello’s. It seems that we can’t eat anything but Tex Mex these days and whether I am lunching with a girlfriend or David – it’s either Abuello’s, Texican or Serrano’s. And I most always get the same thing that I always get at each of these places. This may be a sign of getting old-er too?

Linda was stylin’ today and I had to share. There’s a story behind these shoes in that a friend of hers just gave them to her like the shirt off her back. I think I’ll leave it there. Linda liked the shot of the just the shoes, but we can’t pass on those sexy toes.

The only thing that would have made today better was if Always Alice could have joined us. She had to pick up her DH from the airport after his little vacation and she didn’t think he would like walking with two suitcases and a golf bag.

Our meets at Bellingrath Opitics are not over. My sister - (yes, the Gal that sold us the glasses thinks we are sisters – what mother would name her daughters Nikki & Vicki?) -Nikki bought herself a pair of sunglasses today that will have to be picked up next week or so. Does this mean that meet up places change as you get old-er?

I think so.

Knitting Up a Storm

2010-10-25T13:32:00.000-05:00

It’s been a while since I’ve posted here. I always say I’m going to keep this blog current, but it never seems to happen. Other things like knitting get in the way….and dogs and husbands.

My Darling husband David & my furkids Scotty, Murphy, Kassi & Tyger from left to right.

The knitting part has been all for babies and kids of late. I knitted a Christening outfit for my DIL’s sister’s baby Brooke who will be Christened in December. The gown and the beautiful model.

After that I knitted a dress for my darling Granddaughter, Sarah to wear at the Christening. I will have pictures of her modeling next month when she visits and picks up the dress.

I’m now working on a Spiderman & Elmo sweater for my Darling Grandsons, Jacob & Justin. Spiderman is almost done and when Elmo is finished I’ll share pics of both here.

I’m also trying out a new to me way to post to this blog. It’s called Windows Live Writer. I compose my post offline in this software and then post to the blog. We’ll see if that happens. If you are reading this…it worked!

That "Another Post" Hiya Hiya Review

2010-05-13T14:15:00.001-05:00

So, I'm talking to Always Alice on the phone yesterday and she says "You haven't used them yet"!!! The enabling that woman is resposible for is just monumental. :-) OK...so, I have to find "something" to knit to try out the needles. "Something" has to be quick because I'm really deep into knitting SarahBeth for my GD Sarah Elizabeth.

I picked Cowboy booties....which is actually Cowboy Booty (1) at the moment. I got the pattern from one of Alice's Just a Few and the blog seems to have disappeared so I can't link you to the pattern.

Of course this took longer than I had planned. I only planned an evening and I spent last evening and half of this day on this one booty. Mostly on re-design points and tweaking the pattern.

At any rate, I used Caron Simply Soft (called for in the pattern) and size 4 needles. The one thing that I notice right off about the needles is that they weigh nothing in your hands. (They are hollow). The next thing is that the 4" needle feels a little different in my hand and I was trying to decide if it was uncomfortable or just different. The yarn slides over the needle quickly and smoothly and anyone who has trouble with poking holes in their fingers would enjoy these needles. The rounded end on these needles would help with the sore finger problem. I don't have that poking problem so the point isn't a plus for me and on this project not a minus either. I liked the tips just fine. Lace will be the true test, but I think the tips are plenty thin enough on the smaller needles especially for lace.

I did have trouble with the needles coming unscrewed from the cable. Several times. There's no key to tighten it and contrary to the reviews that I had read that they were adding a rubber grip to tighten the needles, one was not included in my package. Once I became aware that it was going to be a problem, I would just check the connection after several rows or if I felt a drag when the yarn was sliding over the connection. I do have some little rubber grips that came with my Boye sets and I will use one the next time I use these needles to see if it helps keep them tightened. I do think that the shortened needles are perfect for knitting in the round especially when you use the shorter length cord.

By the time I got to the end of the little boot project, I was comfortable with the shorter length, but I think I would prefer a bit longer. I don't think the Knit Picks are quite 5" which is what is offered in this brand, but I think I may buy a couple of 5" just to see if I like them better. I love the flexible thin cords on these needles. But, having said that - these needles {from this one test ride} would not be my first choice if I could only have one set. Knit Picks are still on top for me. But, I love these for augmentation to what I already have. A girl needs choices and the right tools for a project always makes a big difference in the enjoyment factor and product.

So, I was concentrating so hard on the detailing and top stitching on this boot that I had a lapse in "puppy vigilence". One cannot have these lapses or "yarn vomit" can happen. They can't help themselves.

You see that there isn't a dog to found in this picture. Oh No, they have fled the scene with their "Not Me" eyes. But, if they only knew...all Mom can see is "Lying Eyes".

A couple more views of the singular boot. It was fun and now I'm over it. This "bootie" is bigger than most and has much more detailing. I usually don't get SSS with booties..but I'm really just wanting to knit on Sara Beth right now. Maybe the next time I knit in the car, I'll make the second bootie. Or...this will become a really cute Christmas Tree ornament!

Meanwhile, this one will lounge out by the pool to enhance it's natural red hue.

Hiya Hiya Happy Merry!

2010-05-11T19:48:00.010-05:00

Imagine my surprise when I checked the mail today and there were the Hiya Hiya Needles. Happy Merry to me! That was FAST! When I opened the package and pulled out wrapped tissue paper, I thought that only one set had arrived because it was so light and flat. But...both were there. The red is mine and the blue is going to my sistah, Always Alice for her birthday on June 16th. Happy Birthday to her! She will get them early, but I told her she needed to practice her "ooooh ahhhh, SURPRISE!" look. :-)

This is how they come - pouch, needles and cords all in their own individual packages. Lots of unwrapping to do. The good thing is there are lot of little zip lock bags you can save to ....well, say...drop your jewelry in to take the repair shop. You don't have to ask me how I know these things would come in handy for that.

Here are my needles 2-8 all tucked away in their little place. Plenty of room to add more needles should I find that they knit as well as they look.

I tucked away the cords still in their zip lock pouch in the back zipper pocket on the back. They fit well with no bulk.

Here the front of the case filled and closed. And so pretty. Did I say I LOVE the pouch these needles come in?
The back of the case, fully packed and still very compact and lightweight. It still has room for more "stuff" in the top inside pocket and more needle tips should I find I love these needles as much as I love the case they are stored in. But that will be another post. :-)

Vintage Knitting Needles

2010-05-08T16:39:00.000-05:00

We have been discussing needle sets on my LSSK yahoo group and a rash of us have made a run on a Hiya Hiya set seeing as we have just about every other set out there. We are a group of women that wear the handle "Needle Ho" and don't mind it. Of course we can also put Yarn in front of that Ho as well, but that would be another post. What started it all was one of my Gals, Laura is in the market for a set and wanted to know what our favorites were. Most of us had several favorites and discussion ensued and then a poll and lots of scrambling to buy out the Hiya Hiyas because Kareena mentioned that these were her favs over Knit Picks and we just had to know HOW any needle could be better than Knit Picks. (Nice, long run on sentence, don't you think?) OK, so, the hunting and gathering was on!

It made me take inventory of all the sets I did have and I realized I have some OLD ones. I have my mother's needle set from the 60's which was just like the Boye, but it has the Sears name on it. She took lessons at Sears and possibly Boye made them for Sears and put their name on it. They have size 2-15 and while I doubt I'll ever use them, I will never part with them so I need to tell my DIL Linda just what a treasure they are. Poor thing. My only knitter and the shepherdess of the stash.

Look at the lovely 60's green and yellow flower case. LOL!

I bought several sets of old Boye's on Ebay to get some extra cords for Mom's set and for nostalgic reasons that I can remember now. :-O I have 4 more with cases like this in different patterns and probably from the 70's although they only go from 6-15 in needle size.

I did find an unusual case in my collecting. I thought it quite unusual and this must have been from the 80's since it had the skinny nylon cords instead of thick white cords.

I do have the modern day Boye set - mine and Mom's plus both of our Denise sets. I bought my DDIL Linda a set of Denise and she loves them. I need to see if she would like to branch out into metals as I have so many to share. :-)

It's Been a While

2009-03-07T07:21:00.000-06:00

I'm still fogging a mirror, but this blog is in a coma. I think it's time to wake it up or pull the plug on it. So, I see that the last time I mentioned knitting was many projects ago. I did finish the Adamas and I love it. And I love the yarn that Alice made me buy. I have enough yarn left to do another shawl or to give to someone else to do another shawl. I haven't decided that I can part with it yet so it's just loitering in my stash.

I've yet to wear this anywhere. It's very light weight and it has been a cold winter. But, things are warming up here in the great state of Texas and this will do nicely as a take along for frigid air conditions buildings

I made all five nieces fingerless mitts for Christmas. They were fun, but after 5 pair on a deadline - I closed the chapter on fingerless mitts for a while. They all seemed to like them.

Then there's the knitting for Elliott Ranch Babies. We've had two new baby girls born in the community and I wanted to knit something for them. I love these booties and bib and they are fun to do. After dong the bib twice and the booties three times, I'm not opposed to knitting them again. Unusual for me since I like to move on to something else since I had to do patterns over and over for business knitting. The booties are a free pattern which also has a hat to match.

My nephew and his wife had a new baby girl in February. Her name is Aliceson. I knitted the booties for her and also a blanket. This is the pattern based on the 5hr baby sweater.

My Grandson, Justin, is about to make his appearance. My DIL is due on March 23. He will join Sarah and Jacob to ....I think make their family complete. Although, you never know with these two. :-) I knitted him an outfit to wear home from the hospital. The sweater is losely based on the Boy 5hr Baby sweater - changed to use DK weight yarn, have buttons, add the letter and taking out the yoke and bottom detail that makes the 5 hr a bit girly.

The hat can be found here. Booties here.

Pants:

Size 3 & 5 knitting needles
1 skein each of Aqua & Lime BabyBoo Yarn

Right Leg & Left Leg: (Work at the same time)
With smaller needles cast on 44 sts with Aqua yarn and Cast on 44 stitches with Lime yarn. Work 6 rows in k1, p1 across both legs.
Change to size 5 needles and work in st st to 3-1/2 inches total length. Inc 1 st at both sides of both legs on alternate rows 3 times. Mark both sides of both legs on last inc row for end of leg seams. Work in st st until 4 inches from markers, ending on wrong side row. Next row: K1, k2tog, *k3, k2tog, rep from * across, ending k2. (40 sts) Purl the next row.
Waistband - Work in k1, p1 ribbing for 3 rows. Next row, k1, *yo (yarn over) k2tog, to last st, k1.
Next 3 rows, work in ribbing. Bind off.

Finishing:
Sew center front and back seams to markers. Sew leg seams.
With Aqua make a crochet chain for 16 inches. Join Lime yarn and crochet chain another 16 inches. Run this chain through the waistband in the eyelet holes with the aqua side on the lime pant leg and draw up and tie.

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Hat Dash

2008-08-20T22:35:00.000-05:00

I made two hats for the Grands and they are also Hat Dash entries in Ravelympics. My youngest son who is manager of Michael's called to tell me that he just got Bernat Glow in the Dark yarn in at the store. I went to look and picked up lavender and blue to make hats for Sarah and Jacob (our oldest son's offspring).

Sarah loves her new hat.

Jacob...not so much... He is not nearly as impressed with the hat as Sarah is. I think I can safely say he doesn't like his one bit. :-)

Well he likes it fine when it's not on his head!!! :-)

Ravelympics & Llympics Entry #2

2008-08-13T09:02:00.000-05:00

I'm working on the Adamas Shawl for my second entry in WIP Wrestling in Ravelympics and Lone Star Lympics. I've been sitting and watching the Olympics and knitting and knitting and knitting! I know it must be growing, but it just doesn't seem like it's growing that fast lengthwise. I can tell you it's growing as big as the Grand Canyon width wise and it takes forever to get across a row. Here it is stretched across the top back of a recliner. I'm not sure if this will block out t as it is Rayon yarn. It does stretch well so I have hope unless it has bounce back memory and about that I'm not sure. When it's on the needles, it seems very, very short lengthwise. I am enjoying knitting this. I do love the yarn. I just didn't get a lot of insight to it as I bought it on Ebay (Alice made me buy it) and it just came on it's cone without any info on care. Guess I'll have to do some research and Knit on!

Go Team Lonestarstate!

Ravelympics & Llympics FO

2008-08-11T08:51:00.000-05:00

Jumped into the Ravelympics craze and it got so confusing to my Gals on Lone Star State Knitters that I decided to start the Llymics on our group. It has worked out well. Some are participating in both areas and some have dropped Rav for LSSK. I have my first FO! The Crowns and Cables Baby blanket. I have the Adamas Shawl to finish now and I'm hoping to get close. Not sure I'll get it finished. I won't be winning any prizes on LSSK and don't need to. Getting this done is prize enough! :-) Our wonderful organizer Beverly (wendydancer) has done an excellent job keeping the events and competitors organized. She has also kept us on top of things on what to do on Ravelry. Thanks, Beverly! Good on 'ya!

Life's Joy

2008-04-19T20:43:00.000-05:00

One of life's greatest joys for me has been the blessing of my two daughters in law. Not because they both have wanted me to teach them to knit, but that has been the cherry on top of the already overflowing bowl of blessings these two young women have brought to my life.

I taught Linda (wife of our oldest son) in November of 2006 when they were visiting us here in Texas. She took to it and knitted like a pro on the first scarf project. She is a perfectionist and her knitting reflects that. I was in awe of how quickly she picked up the art of knitting.
She finished the scarf beautifully and started another after she went back home and helped to teach other family members at a family reunion in Florida the following year. LInda is a busy CPA with her own business and mom to our granddaughter and grandson.

Linda's beautiful knitting hands.

I was blessed a second time when I was asked to teach Katie (wife of our youngest son) to knit 3 weeks ago. I never thought that Katie would be a knitting kind of Gal as she is talented in the art of singing and acting and is actively persuing those along with a full time job as a vet tech. I was very happy when she told me she wanted to learn. :-D I started her out on dish cloths and she says she is now addicted! She's finished one and has started two others. Multiple WIP Girl. :-) She's also going to be a beautiful knitter.

Katie's Cloths

Katie's beautiful knitting hands.

Knittinghelp.mom :-)

My Gals are 3rd generation knitters. My mother was a beautiful knitter and we spent many wonderful hours knitting together during her lifetime before she passed away in April 2007.

Here I'm working on our 4th generation - my beautiful Granddaughter, Sarah :-) Linda is her Mommy.

There's just something about the love of knitting shared with those you love.

Monkey See Monkey Do

2008-03-22T20:08:00.000-05:00

Me on the left and Always Alice on the right

Always Alice has a blog so I must have one too. I've had this blog for many months, maybe even a year, but I've never posted to it. I seem to use Lone Star State Knitters as my blog so never felt the need to have a separate one. I guess since Alice has a blog, I must get with it. I don't know how often I'll post to it, but it's here if I feel "wordy".

I finally did something yesterday that I have been wanting to do, but couldn't bring myself to do. My father died in 1992 and when my mother died in 2007, we found the wedding band that she wore when she and Dad first got married and also Dad's wedding band in the saftey deposti box. Mom's ring was so worn and thin it was barely there. Of course she got another very wide band with her "Kentucky Cluster" setting on it and wore that many years. My Dad died of lung cancer so he wasted away. He had put tape on his wedding band so he could wear it. We found that tape still on the ring in the saftey deposit box last year - 15 years later after he died so Mom had placed in there all those years ago. I have had his ring in a little bag in my armoire for almost a year. I take it out and look at it and slip it on my index finger or thumb and then contemplate taking off that tape. I could never make myself do it and it would always go back in the bag. Yesterday was a strange day for me and both my parents seemed to be in everything I saw or touched. I got out the ring. I got out the scissors. I sat for at least an hour and moved between knitting and picking up the scissors and the ring. I slipped in on my finger and something said, "It's time". What good is it in a drawer? I cut the tape.

I've had the ring on ever since and as hokey as it sounds it makes me feel both my parents so much when I'm wearing their wedding rings. Memories are flashing. David (hubs) and I are talking about times we haven't mentioned in years. It's a good thing.

HAPPY EASTER, Y'ALL!