new rss feed is available here! i’ll keep you posted for when it shows up in itunes!

on/off the needles:
-FLS fits
-handspun socks. and a realization on sock knitting preferences
-charity blankets
-top down raglan: spring forward fall back raglan and knittingfool.com raglan calculator
-kingscot cast on! wahoo!!
-wall-e and eve amigarumi

babble:
-alien life form and killing the cooties
-dye workshop plans
-owen peels a tangerine
-when you get mad, just say “ttttthhhhhhbbbbbbbbb!”
-”cake?”
-valentine’s day and the love of chocolate boxes
-first day of school

spinning:
-my visit with deb
-color inspiration/ get more then one hand’s worth
-barber pole singles
-plying the polwarth
-overdyeing for the wallaby sweater

favorite thing:

knitting on/off:

-we call them pirates….done….but it doesn’t look pretty..

Pre-felting:

(i tried 2 times to get the red out of little man’s eyes, but its just not saving tonight…)

After Felting:

-english? or continental?

-boyfriend hat

-owen blanket (aka barn raising quilt)

-apprehensive about the february lady sweater….

babble:

-even happy people get sad sometimes

-lake front property

-new daycare?

-understanding language

charity blankets:

singing the blues blanket

knit by: 1to1, catsaysknit, LJWT, stlmamaknits, knitinmn, and bethany

spinning:

-SOAR approaches….business cards?

-2nd HHHH box showed up! thanks MarciaViola!!!

-my favorite tea this time of year? Stash Chai Spice Black Tea (with cream and sugar/honey)

-Virtual Knit and Spin in. join us on saturday nights! on stickam.com

-spinning up some BFL for mittens…have i learned a lesson with handspun for projects?

-no homework this week…sorry teacher….

my favorite thing:

Swedish Visiting Cake

On/Off the Needles:

-the shawl is completed!! (see prior post for photo) it’s beautiful! not perfect, but beautiful!!!!

-we call them pirates!

-2 color knitting on the brain….

-February Lady Sweater gauge? weird….normal= size 8, worsted weight mine= size 5, dk weight

-charity blanket will be cast off and a crocheted boarder put on this week!

Babble:

-forgetting everything…new job, new thoughts, forgotten things

-laundry basket GENIUS!

-playing with the neighbors

-baby giggles are awesome: baby laughing at the wii, best laugh ever, hahaha, this guy sounds like Louis Armstrong

Charity Blanket Updates:

These blankets were completed by the Midwest group. i pestered bethanyg, and she gave me a list! hehehe

Good Day Sunshine 3/08–completely done
xbethany
xjenaus0524

xknitmyworld

xLJWT

xstlmamaknits

x1to1

xOde To Spring 4/08–completely done
xbethany
xcatsaysknit

xcmazzio

xholly

xkrispyknits

xCoggieTM

xTip Toe Through The Tulips(5/08)–completely done
xbethany
xpinsandneedles
xjeffner77
xhyjinx
xsaraheunice
xchristenjaye
xholly

Podcasts Mentioned:

- High Fiber Diet with CoggieTM

-Knitting at Night with Casey

- Knit Sibs with Pinsandneedles and Valink

-Knitters Uncensored with Mrs B

Spinning:

-HHHH box came!!!

Thank you, Marcia!!!!

-new Spin Off! Magazine came….PURE GOLD!

-Found a box for Frankie!

SOAR homework (brought to you by Ellenspns)

Coopworth:

-Breed by Professor Coop in New Zeland in the 50s and 60s

-cross between a Romney and Border Leicester for it’s fleece and good meat production

-Ewe’s are fertile, good mothers, and most can raise twin lambs without assistance

-Finer fleece can be used for outer garments and stronger fleece are used for carpets

-spun fine well, but it was a more rough ridged yarn. i preferred it as low spun long draw thick singles. it allowed the fluff to soften the yarn. spun from the fold easily as well.

Favorite Thing:

Giambotta (Vegetable Stew)

crock pot version of Rachael Ray’s

-3 cloves garlic chopped
- 1-2 onions chopped (i didn’t have any, so i used 2-3 tbs onion powder mixed with some olive oil to make a paste)

-5 red potatoes, washed and chopped

-1 eggplant

-1 zucchini

-1 yellow squash

-1 green pepper

-1 red pepper

-1-2 tbs basil

-1/2 box of chicken stock (low sodium, cause it’s good for ya)

- 2 28oz cans fire roasted tomatoes (or used diced tomatoes, and add some liquid smoke to taste..that roasted flavor is what makes this stew go from okay, to AMAZING!)

-salt and pepper

add first 10 ingredients (all washed and chopped into larger bite size pieces) in order into your crock pot. you’re layering things up according to thickness . put it on high, and cook for 2-3 hours. give it a stir, turn it to low, and add the tomatoes, and season with salt and pepper to taste. cook on low for 1 more hour.

serve it with some nice cheese grated over the top and a piece of crusty bread. freezes and reheats well.

tastes vary, and so do the veggies available, so mix it up! if you like broccoli a lot? throw it in there!

On/Off the Needles:

-sewing for my niece pretty pretty princess

-hauling on the shawl

-stitches midwest

-what’s the deal with my socks?!

-mmmmmalabrigo sock yarn?! do i live in a hole?! when did this happen?! do you have some? do you like it?
-february lady sweater….in cotton?….in dk weight? Garnstudio Muskat from Yellow Dog Knitting i won in a contest…what do you think?

-virtual knit/spin-in hosted by betzi on stickam. check out the ravelry virtual knit-and-spin group for more info

Babble:

-birthday at pump it up!!!

-freaking out over cleaning house…it’s a control thing

-i’m a free bird at work…well sort of…

-grandma and grandpa spoil him with a thomas tent…”clean up, clean up”

Spinning:

-virtual spin in, got some stuff done!!!!

-i’m thinking i’m gonna have to 2-ply the ramboulliet i spun for ry…how do i do this?

-SOAR…the deadline looming, the countdown is on!

-buying local yarn/fiber Localharvest.org (thanks for reminding me prymnumber)

SOAR Homework (sponsored by ellenspns):

Corriedale:

-New Zealand’s first breeding program started in 1868

-long long staple lengths, easy for beginners to spin

-nice even deep crimps

-soft wool, okay for next to skin

-grows when washed, so yarn will thicken

-felts easily, so good for handfelting as well

spins from the fold, spins fine, and spins thick easily. i’m spinning superfine corriedale. it’s REALLY fine and very soft. it does have some noils, but fine fleece sometimes have that (i think it adds to the character).

Favorite Thing:

The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou

Knitting On/Off Needles:

-February Baby Sweater

-Embossed Leaves socks transformed into Blueberry Waffle socks

-Aunt’s Shawl still in the works

-Meeting Anitat

-what is a mule?

-longtail cast on from 2 balls of yarn

Babble:

-my very first intake

-raspberries

-”kitty”

-hair dresser

Spinning:

-Wheel is here!!!!

-Oil Bath

-Name suggestions?

SOAR homework: Merino

-oldest and most numerous breed

-originally came from north africa but spain made the wool popular

-finest wool

-high grease content

-next to skin soft

-mulesing is a common practice

-spinning: spun nicely into superfine singles, thicker singles probably should have had more twist, spun from the fold easily

Charity Blankets:

The Gummy Bear Blanket is done!!!

Thanks to woundup, robinb, kelleysgirl, cbdom, fiberfriend, knitnpurlgurl and dnaprice.

Favorite Thing:

Firefly

Babble:
-Littleman TV
-Wedding anniversary and memories

(photo of a photo…i apologize…the scanner is busted)
-My Sweet Ride!!

-Garden Stuff

Flower pots all painted

future victims

Spinning:
-Hush Hush Handspun Hootenanny!! Handspun swap
-Knitters Uncensored
-SOAR scholarship results

My Favorite Thing:
My Crocs!

isn’t it the brightest cheeriest blanket ever?! so many different stitches! so many different good feelings! so many different thoughts of hope! all that packed into a beautiful blanket!

i didn’t knit a stitch of it, but i’m proud of every one in there!!!

Thank you to everyone who worked on it:

bethanyg
jenaus0524
knitmyworld
LJWT
stlmamaknits
1to1  (who also crocheted the boarder around the outside)

you did a wonderful job!!!!!

Our Midwest Charity Blanket group is the one who did this one.

but for now, LOOKIE LOOKIE!!!!!!

I’m missing pictures of a couple blankets, but aren’t they all just scrumptious?!?!?!?! i’m so excited to see how they turn out! every section is a new adventure!!!!