Look What Followed Me Home!

Honestly, I just went into the fabric store for some cording and closures to finish off the bag. Honestly. But I got sidetracked in a big way, see-Such pretty colors and patterns, almost as much fun as the yarn store! These bags are so quick to make. The hardest thing for me is cutting the fabric. I can't cut a straight line to save my life. I found the link for the tutorial here. The bag that she shows comes out the size of the brown and pink bag. Once you make one you can pretty much figure out how to resize. I pulled out my unbelievable math skills and pulled off a few different sizes.

The insides are pretty with the linings and it's fun to mix and match (sorry I tried to take a picture of the insides but it just didn't come out, use your imaginations!). I'm trying to figure out the "best" size for a little project bag. I'll play a bit tomorrow.

As for my goal to finish the sleeve on the Minamalist last night, a bust. I'm almost there but just couldn't stay with it long enought. Tomorrow I think I'll head over to Butterfly Yarns and knit with Kim a bit away from the sewing machine and get that sleeve done.

Detour

Today I took a little detour from knitting into the world of...sewing! Long ago I learned to sew, made some clothes for me and my boys and I even made a mother of the groom dress for my aunt! But I packed the sewing machine away, it gathered dust and when I went to use it over the holidays for a gift it refused to work. The poor guy was over 20 years old, I guess it deserved to retire. So I bought a new little machine, did what needed to be done on the Christmas gift and then packed the machine away. Well today it called me loud and clear!

Some time ago while reading random blogs I found directions for making little lined bags (if I can find the blog I'll link to the directions). Looked simple and they were pretty darned cute. Bought material and thread and pulled out the old machine but no cooperation. Today the new machine proved it was up to the job. In no time my little bag was all done. What do you think?

I just have to get some cording to thread in so it will pull closed and voila, a cute little bag. It is on the small side but I think it would work well for a basic kit for knitting, you know, a tape measure, some markers and scissors. Now that I have the pattern down I'm going to make some bigger ones for project bags. I have lots of material. Watch out my friends from Monday nights, you just might find some bags coming your way!

Hats, hats, and more hats

Where do the days go. Every day I plan on writing a little something here and then, well, you know, it just doesn't happen. Honestly, I really mean to but something always seems to get in the way. Seems lately that it is work and knitting taking up the time. I'll try to do better.

I'm part of the Itty Bitty Knits group on Ravelry. We are doing a charity knit, each month we knit hats in various baby sizes from preemie on to donate to a hospital of the month. Twelve people are "hosts" and pick where the hats will be sent. The hats are sent to the host who does the final send off to the chosen hospital. I was lucky and will receive hats in September for the NICU that I work in. Anyway, I realized that I needed to get going with my January hats so I've been busy all weekend knitting a few to send. See....

The first yellow one is a free pattern I found somewhere on the web. The other two are from Itty Bitty Hats. I downsized the pattern to make them for preemies. I used some acrylic yarn leftover from some long ago project, before I knew what yarn and knitting was really all about. It's good for these hats though. I hope the little ones enjoy them!

Otherwise I've been working on my Minamalist Cardigan KAL. I've done the back and fronts and have started a sleeve. It's getting there. The KAL hasn't been too bad as we really didn't set any deadlines. I'm always afraid I'll be trailing everyone but so far so good. Not sure how soon I'll do another KAL though.

I think I'll go and ice my finger, I just bashed it into the door as I went to do some laundry. It's swelling and turning bruised and throbbing a bit. Good thing knitting is done for the night. That will teach me to do laundry at night! I'll be back soon, promise.

Didn't I Tell You...

Hmmm, wasn't I saying we weren't done with winter yet? Here's the proof out of one of our little lead glass windows. Pretty especially when you don't have to go to work. It did put a hold on a trip to WEBS with a friend but we'll just reschedule. More time to "shop" the site before making the trip.

I meant to show you the altogether fabulous gift my vet2b son and his fiance got me for Christmas. Pretty good job if you ask me. There is a Della Q bag which holds a beautiful set of wood needles, two skeins of ArtYarns Silk Mohair and two skeins of ArtYarns Regal Silk, both in a pink/green combination. A pattern for a beautiful shawl. There were supposed to be some markers too but apparently they did not make it from the supplier. With or without the markers it is just sooo beautiful. I keep petting the yarn. I'm actually thinking that I will be using a different colorway of the Regal Silk for M's Summer Shawlette for the wedding. I think it would be beautiful and every girl deserves silk on her wedding day, don't you think?

Current projects are moving along. I finished the back of the Minimalist Cardigan and have started the right front. Some of the KAL group are doing both fronts together but I always screw it up trying to remember if I did both as I knit. So I'm going to do one at a time. Plus I think the shorter rows will give my wrists and shoulders a rest from the moss stitch. I did start a little baby hat for some mindless knitting and the Bubbly Curtain is sort of sitting on the back burner right now. I feel compelled to get this Minimalist done with the group. Which is the good and bad of a KAL. It makes you work to get it completed but at the same time I feel like I can't do anything else.

I did get my yarn from A Piece of Vermont. So pretty! It's the Hot Cocoa colorway that I thought I might make up in the Monkey pattern a la Claudia. However the yarn isn't quite as deep in color as I imagined it to be and I'm kind of stuck after seeing Claudia's. So I think I will be heading to a yarn store close to work where I know they carry the Claudia Handpainted Yarn. I'm just going to have to be a copycat. I have other plans for the lucious Hot Cocoa!

I did finish the baby blanket out of the Puffin yarn. I can't say I loved knitting with this yarn, it seemed like cotton, very tough on my hands and wrists. However the finished project is so soft and yummy. I know it will be well received as a gift. I can just see the little chicky snuggled under the blanket. I left off the tassels, they were optional anyway. I just didn't like how they looked. The pattern is on the Crystal Palace site(follow yarn link above)

I guess I'll head of to the couch with some hot chocolate and knitting, can it get much better?

Deceiving

If you didn't know better you'd think it was spring. The weather here the last few days, well, it's just plain balmy! Yesterday I walked in the city at lunch, no coat. Folks it's January, never mind the temperature but hey the snow, it's gone baby, gone. Today the bedroom windows are open for some nice fresh air. It feels so good but I know it's only time before the cold and snow are back On the knitting front the Bubbly curtain is bubbling along. I also started the Minimalist Cardigan with my Monday Night knitting group. It's my first KAL so we'll see how well I keep up. The moss stitch is pretty but I have noticed a distinct ache in my wrist the last few days. I think I'll take it in small allotments. I'm also going to start the Summer Shawlette pattern from Knitting Daily. It's going to be for my future daughter-in-law to wear at the wedding reception. She fell in love with the pattern. It's my first time with a lace type pattern so I'm hoping it goes well. At least I have a year and a half to get it done! She wants it in any icey pale blue color maybe with some beads. I've seen a few yarns I think would work but I'll need to see them in person before deciding. It's too special a project and I want it to be right. Any suggestions?

I just bought some beautiful sock yarn from A Piece of Vermont in the Hot Cocoa colorway. It's all because of Claudia and her new Monkey socks. Just look at those socks in the rich brown, I'm just in love. I love the pattern and I love brown so guess what will be on my needles soon along with a growing number of projects. Must go knit!

I've heard tell you can't have a true knitting blog unless you post kitty pictures. So to that end here are two of the three purring critters that we live with. Oscar and Murphy, being disturbed from their afternoon nap. Oscar is the big orange guy and Murphy, well he's the other one! PK was off playing and didn't want to pose. She prefers a picture solo in the future!

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My Recipe Box

For those of you who read the Mason-Dixon blog you know they are having a contest. You show off your recipe box and where it hides, share a recipe and post to their blog comments and you are entered. So here is my box and it's hiding spot.

My box....... ......hides in the cupboard











For the most part the recipes are on index cards and clippings , a few are actually in the box. I have great aspirations of someday rewriting them and filing them appropriately but there are always better things to do. Plus I can often identify the recipe by what card it's on or the paper it was in so I'd probably never manage to find the recipes again if I try to really organize them. I think they'd lose their charm!


One of our favorite family recipes is also one of the easiest ever. It came from my mom, I'm not sure if it was originally hers or from someone else but we all love it. I made it the other day and my 19 year old told me he loved me for making it. Without further ado-


Brisket
Any size fresh beef brisket (not corned)
Box of dried onion soup mix

Place brisket on a large piece of foil. Sprinkle the dried soup mix all over the brisket. If you have a very large piece you may want to use both packets of soup mix. Wrap up in foil, you might need more pieces and seal the edges well. Place in a pan large enough to hold the package. Place in oven for 5-6 hours at 250 degrees. Yummy!

Tonight is our rescheduled Monday Night knitting group and I can't wait to see everybody. I'm off to wind up some Euroflax that I will be knitting into the Bubbly Curtain from Mason-Dixon Knitting.

Fresh Start

Today starts a new year and while I won't complain about the past one I am hoping this one brings a better attitude. Per usual the best way I know how to ring in the new year is to let it creep up on on me as I am snuggled in bed and this year was no different. As for resolutions, I'm trying something new. This year my resolutions are to have fun, be happy, and like myself for who I am. These I hope are attainable and meaningful, a little different than the usual for me. What are your resolutions?


Our Christmas was quiet and we headed off to Philly to hang out with vet2b son, his fiance and her family. Can I tell you, we had a blast. M's family is so much fun and they envelope you as if you are truely a part of their family. We went to Baltimore which felt so like Boston to me. It was beautiful. I got to go wedding dress shopping, a first with three boys. Holy smokes are there alot of wedding dresses out there, some unbelievably gorgeous and others, well, I guess there is a dress for everyone! M found "the one", we could tell the minute she came out in it. It is so beautiful on her, perfect. The color makes her glow, I can't wait to see her walk down the aisle in it. I'd share more details but I am sworn to the inner circle not to reveal anything.


We went to M's grandparents for dinner one night and it was like an audition for Food Network Star! M's dad was in charge of the roast, a 6-7 lb prime rib! He showed up with it still frozen at 3:30, dinner at 5, oops! It was so funny to watch him try and figure out how to salvage the dinner without going out for defrosted meat. In the end he had the roast in the oven on a "high heat" essentially cooking and defrosting. Let me say there was just a "little" smoke. Once it was defrosted and somewhat cooked he sliced it up and finished the cooking on the grill, ingenius. While we ate a bit late I have to say it was actually delicious. Hats off Mr. D!


Our final stop before the airport was the reception site. So pretty and I can just see it in late spring. Oh, yup, they have a date, May 23, 2009. It will be a busy month what with vet school graduation, moving and starting new jobs and the wedding. M and B have pretty much decided they will be in Pennsylvania once he graduates. I wish it were a little closer but hey, it's closer than S in Michigan!

I'll close out this first post of the new year with a picture of the reception site and the happy couple in their Penn State hand holding mittens! Here's hoping the new year holds for you all that you dream about, lots of yummy yarn and plenty of time to use it.