State Fair Results

For as long as I have entered at the fair, I have never been able to figure out the judges. First Jeanne, entered the Wobbly Tote and got third place, but not in the felted bag category in some knitted dress category. I took a fourth place for my pink skater hat, it was a last minute decision to enter it and so that was okay.




When I get my entries back I will share some of the judges comments. They are always interesting, as sometimes they make no sense and many times are critical of color selection. I was really hoping my Fair Isle bag would have won something but no such luck. As I say every year there is always next year...

Red Sock Knit Along Sign Ups and some miscellaneous things

I created a blog www.red_sock_knit_along.blogspot.com for the knit along. Please send me an email at redsockknitter@yahoo.com post a comment to join. Please include your email address, your blog address if you have one and why you knit socks.

The random Boo Generator for the winner of my contest is being run as you read this.........


and the winner is

Jodi



and in honor of having Ducky with us I added one more winner, although Ducky technique for choosing a winner was different than Boo's. She dumped them out of the bowl picked up the paper ran with it and threw it around, then spit it out. (unfortunately the camera is not here so pictures will come later)


and Ducky's winner is

The Knit Wit
If Jodi and the Knit Wit would contact me with their snail mail addresses I will send out the prizes.

Here is a picture of my State Fair entries:
a simple hat,
a baby sweater,
a felted fair isle bag
a pair of socks what else!



Finally here is a picture of the bag and goodies for my KSKS partner

The Bag

and the goodies



Hope she likes it!

Friday and Boo has a house guest

Thanks for all the comments remember you have until midnite on the 15th, I have a great idea for picking the winner and Boo of course will help me.






This is Ducky one of the gran cats and he is going to come and stay with us while his Mom Megan is in training for the TSA and starting school at the same time.

I see Jeanne put pictures up of her state fair entries. Mine will be posted soon. I have a felted bag, a baby sweater, two pairs of socks and a hat, and maybe a felted bowl.

KSKS and Yarn Aboard II

I have been busy dying yarn and deciding which other yarns to send to my knit sock kit swap partner and my Yarn Aboard II partner. Some of the above will be going to both along with some other goodies.


Small Contest:

What do you get a knitter that has everything?

I will enter the names of anyone who posts a comment by midnite on 15Aug to this post in a random drawing for a surprise prize.

Thats all for tonite and Boo says Hello to all!

Vacation is Over

As most of you know, I work for Northwest Airlines. The flight attendants did not pass their contract, I decided it was wise to come home a day earlier than planned in hopes of avoiding a CHAOS manuever and I don't mean Chris' cat. So I am back and already missing...



The wonderful California weather and Monterey Bay












Colin, my great nephew



Eric, his older brother






We went to Las Vegas for two days and just did nothing. We sat by the pool, and yes it was over 100 degrees but no humidity. Gambled a little bit, it is amazing how long $5 lasts on a penny slot.

Then we flew to San Jose very early on Friday am. We drove to Big Sur that nite and had dinner at the Big Sur Roadhouse. It is owned by a friend's daughter and she is one great chef.



Then on Saturday, we went to the San Jose Giants game for the 1st Annual Stitch and Pitch nite. Funny thing we couldn't find the knitters section, but had a good time anyway.

Sunday, it was back to Monterey with the boys and a stop at Dennis the Menace Park



Eric, Colin and their dad Jeff in an old engine at the park



And you know it wouldn't be complete without Boo....



My mom is home and I am glad, Megan brought those gran cats over and they drove me crazy


Finally I hope to have the red sock knit along sign ups ready around the 15th of this month.

Vacation

I am on vacation in Las Vegas and California update later

Woeful Wednesday

Okay so now I know why they call Wednesday Hump day...It was really hard to work tonite. I missed knitting and it was darn busy on the phones too at work.

Yesterday Angela and I went to NYC.



We stopped at Purl in SoHo and checked out the new Purl Patchwork store just down two doors. Stopped at the Sullivan St Bakery and then Zabars before coming home.

Today before work, I went to Jim and Willies Two Guys Flowers on Stinson in NE Minneapolis to buy flowers. They had a new puppy Rose so I asked where is the cat? (they have a cat that roams and lives in the store) They said Jims cat has had kittens do you want to see them? Well of course I said yes and guess what? There was one that is all black just like Alice. Actually he has 3 all black kitties and 4 grey tabbies, just 4 weeks old and so cute...When I got home and put the flowers on the entertainment center as usual I had help....



Mom I am just arranging them better really

I am thinking Jeanne maybe right that Boo needs a playmate. So maybe in a few weeks I will go back and check those kitties out.




What is exactly do you mean check them out, Mom?

Updates

Hello I have been limiting my knitting to less than the Dr requested and my shoulder does feel better.(darn I hate when Dr are right). So instead of knitting I have been in a crocheting frenzy...of potholders pictures to come later.

The gran cats were here at my house again. Baby no longer cries like one now she just growls. She is so cute she growls when she eats when you walk by when Boo comes by she growls at anything and everything.

ducky taking a bath







But now Ducky and Baby are moved into the new apartment and loving it. It is in an old (1920'S or earlier era building) by the Parkview Cafe on Raymond and it is a big 3 room studio, no doors on any of the rooms inside the apartment. But it has great hardwood floors just perfect for two little kitties to run and slide to catch toys on.

Boo is glad to be a bachelor again the little ones just wore him out




Just leave me alone I am so exhausted from the kittens and helping mom clean the fridge

NO KNITTING and Trashy neighbors

I went to the orthopedic specialist today and she said I have arthiritis and tennis elbow in my right arm. She then said the best treatment would be a cortisone shot and no knitting for 6 weeks. I balked and so we compromised. An hour of knitting a day and physical therapy and Glucosamine chondrotin msm, for 4 weeks then we reevaluate the elbow. She also looked at my left knee, which in 2000 I had arthroscopic surgery and told me I have a knee cap that doesn't fit like it should, it leans to the right and very little if any cartilage left. So I get to get orthotics for my shoes and some exercises for my knee and in 15yrs a new knee. As I told someone it isn't easy getting old.


This is the view from my kitchen window after the city of St Paul sent someone out about a month ago to clean this guys yard. It was clean too and then some people moved in with him and they started some kind of scrap metal business out of his garage and the mess is back. We again have called the city so we will see what happens.


I don't think I am any tanner than I was before the sunlamp so maybe I will just sleep today

Baby Sweater KAL

Ok so I haven't posted in a long while....so here is catch up on everything!

The sweater I made for the baby sweater KAL at K3tog is done!!!!!!!!!!

Modeled by Gunny but it is for my great nephew Nathaniel.


Next up this little cutie for a girl finally !! My friend Lisa from work got notice that they have been approved for a baby girl from Guatemala. I am using some stash yarn Sirdar Baby Care a cotton and acrylic blend. The color is called Tangerine.

The pattern is free online at http://www.knittingpureandsimple.com/babycardi.html and looks really easy.


Remember to plan on August for my Red Sock KAL.....


I will make a button up but for now here is the reminder picture

Of course no blog entry is complete without a picture of Boo....

This is the Boo SunLamp Special....

Raining Cats and Dogs

Tonite when I came home from work it was raining so hard I had to sit in my car for about 10 minutes until it let up. You could say it was raining cats and dogs,






what do you mean raining cats and dogs I don't see any cats around here but me



or as my grandma would have said "the angels are bowling and they got a strike" about the thunder and lightning and "the nuns are going to chapel" about all the bubble in the puddles on the street. We have needed a good soaking so I am glad it came.

As far as knitting goes, I am working on another felted bowl and need one sleeve on the baby hoodie. I am almost ready for the heels on my cotton socks and then I am starting the socks from the six socks knit along, they are called color blocked socks and written to use up left over yarn bits.

Let me Bowl you over

I have been working on a felted bowl for Cliff's (Megan's boyfriend)Birthday. The colors match their dishes. The first bowl I tried came out too tall.

Here is a picture of the too tall felted bowl:




Here is a picture of the next size not yet felted a different shape too...














Here is the felted finshed product....






For the second bowl I did a provisional cast on and less rows before the mitred squares, then when I did the I cord bind off it made the top have a scalloped edge.

This morning at Latvian Knitting one of the ladies had made a felted mobeius bowl from Cat Bordhi's Second Treasury. I really liked the shape and decided that instead of a mobeius on top I would do a latvian twist. So more felted bowls to come.

I have almost finished my baby sweater for the Baby Sweater Knit along at www.k3tog.typepad.com. Pictures to come soon.

The screens are on and Boo has a new vocation he follows outside animals from window to window.

The Cat is out of the Bag

Mom in case you can't tell this is a laundry hamper not a bag


Ok so I let out the news today that I am planning a knit along to start in August...

The Red Sock Knit Along

Details to follow....

I have been busy this week helping Megan and Cliff look at apartments and jobs and etc... the good news is Cliff got a job in his field (graphic Arts) at a screen printing place. Megan is still looking for part time as she is going to school in the fall.

I have been knitting felted bowls and trying to come up with a pattern that is the right size, so far I have one too big and one on the needles that might be too small, pictures to follow soon.... Also I am still working on my cotton socks and tried a short row heel, did not like it and ripped it out! So now I am back to my original plan of a spiral replacement one. And finally I ripped out the baby sweater hood and am redesigning it...More to follow on all of the above.

Boo The Helper

So we all know that Boo likes to help but did we all realize just how much? The other nite I babysat my friends little one and Boo was certainly intrigued.

I am just checking on Gunnie, Mom he might need help with that toy






Then Later I found Boo doing this

I was not trying to get at his formula, I was searching for wet wipes for you mom, Gunnie smells funny





Finally on to knitting content, I am currently working on some beautiful red sockotta socks and came home to find this the other day




I think my helper was involved again.
Anyway back to knitting I am working on a baby sweater for Chell and Ana's knitalong and have decided that the designer's baby had a really small head because the hood is too small for any baby's head I know.

I also have some plans to make C3 from Knitty, Annie Modesitt was wearing it at Yarnover and it looks much better in person, than the knitty picture.

Tea Swap Time

Today I received a post card from my swap pal, she wanted to know some information about me. Well here goes I like any kind of yarn and prefer it to have some red in it. I am not crazy about green or purple for colors, but that would be okay too. I really like wool blends, cotton and wool blends or all wool, my motto is any kind works for socks. Actually, that is what I tell my students when I teach socks that you can use any kind of yarn you like for socks.

As for tea, I realized when I took my picture of my stash it is mostly herbal. That kind of surprised me, because I drink all kinds of tea. The only kind I am not too fond of is Green Tea but I am trying to learn to like it because it is so good for you.

Boo liked the post card too...

Let me see if I can figure out who this is from for mom....Hmmh a US flag and a pickup truck, I don't recognize either one so maybe I will just sleep on it...

Boo is Alone

Ok so the excitement is over and the kitties are back with Megan's friend Lisa. Boo is all alone again. I think he likes being alone, he gets undivided attention and has a prime position for blog editing on the back of my chair. He especially likes to spin around.






I am participating in the Knitters Tea Swap and am looking forward to receiving a mystery package. I drink mostly herbal teas, and like any kind of yarn. Also I am putting a package together for my partner, I went to Mrs Kelly's Teas at the farmers market yesterday and picked up some tea now to just get the rest organized.

I have signed up at Michelle's Blog (K3tog.typepad.com) for the baby sweater knit along. It should be fun to see everyone's baby sweaters.

The Gran Cats are here

Well the little ones have arrived seems they are both girls and both prima donnas. Baby (the lighter faced one aka Cornflake) has taken to growling at everyone and everything, Ducky just licks ears and hisses at Boo. Boo seems somewhat unpreturbed and just hangs outside the door to the room they are in because maybe they will come out. I though maybe we could keep them until at our house until next week when Megan moves home permanently...but I think poor Baby who is scared to death of Boo would have heart failure.


Hi I'm Baby aka Cornflake and I am scared of Uncle Boo, and when I get scared I scream just like a real baby







Hi I am Ducky and since I was kidnapped oops I mean kitten napped in Indiana I like to stay close to a real person who will protect me from kitten nappers





So yesterday I went to Indiana to take empty suitcases to Megan, and bring Megan home with full ones. I got there and she wasn't all the way packed yet so I told her I want to go to the Yarn Shop while you pack. Ft Wayne only has one and it is in a refurbished train depot.

this is the outside facing the river, the two humans in the picture are Megan and Cliff





This is the main room










this is the hallway to the second room where the classes are held and more yarn



It was a nice shop and the owner did not mind me hanging out for a couple of hours. She had the usual yarns and then some I wasn't familiar with, she is a Rowan stockist and has lots of Jamison. I found some Rowan CashCotton in a light blue for socks.

I am currently waiting for Megan to get home so she can take care of her cats

The Gran Cats are coming

Megan and the grancats are coming this weekend. I am excited, but Uncle Boo seems uncconcerned.




Why should I worry I am the king of the house




Here are my newest socks, from Meilenweit Cotton Fantasy, featuring a spiral toe and the pattern is Springy Socks from Knoxknits designer Judy Sumner. As usual I changed the toe and probably will do a spiral replacement heel to match the toe.









Finally the rain stopped so I need to go outside at some point today and work in my garden. I am cleaning out some excess perennials in the front Bee Balm, Jacobs Ladder, Orange Day Lillies and Columbine. I need to go look at some new perennials to add to the garden then decide what to do with the window boxes and the back yard.

Rain Rain Go Away

I am so ready to be rid of this rain.
I need to get to my garden and want to have a fire in the pit. However this is good knitting weather, so I should not complain right?

Currently I am working on some Meilenweit Cotton socks and yesterday at Borealis found some red cotton sock yarn, I have wanted some plain red cotton socks for awhile.

When I was reading Yarn Harlot today it reminded me that we all have special people
that have passed on and here is mine.

This is my mom

My mom was a knitter too and I remember the first socks she made me for skating. The air was blue as she was turning the heel and I don't think she enjoyed sock knitting. She told me once that the reason I knit socks was because they were small and went fast. She did knit some beautiful mittens though, I remember once when I was about 10, we had an oil burning stove in our house, that had doors that opened and when we came in from outside in the winter we would drape our wet mittens over the door to dry. My Mom had just made me some red and black Norwegian mittens with a boy and girl holding hands and one day I lost one. We looked all over for about a week and couldn't find the mitten. So she made me another one and then one night at supper my dad said what is burning and then we all smelled it coming from the oil burning stove and I went to look and there sitting inside stove was my mitten smoldering. I must have hung it to dry and it fell in...No more hanging mittens after that.

So here is the moral of the story don't hang your mittens on the stove door cause they might fall in.

The days leading up to Yarn Over

April 26
I picked up my booklets for yarn over today. They turned out great!


I have so many things in my booklet, and I am wondering if the class will have time to do them all, but here is what I would like to cover.

I would like to cover, some things about ribbing, replacement heels, garter stitch heels, turkish cast on for toe up socks, Latvian Twist sock topper and I cord bind off that also makes a nice sock topper.

April 27
Today I babysat for my girlfriend's 4 month old. He is a real cute little guy.

Gunny and I had a lot of fun. He is a cat napper, sleeps in short bursts and often.

April 28
Friday before YarnOver and my packets for class are all put together, I am ahead of myself from previous years. I am only working 3 hours today and then picking up my friend Lucy at the airport she is teaching at Yarn Over and also Amazing Threads here before heading out on a long teaching trip. Sometimes I am really envious of her but then sometimes I think I would miss my family too much.






April 29
So the day started with picking up Lucy and Joan Schrouder at the hotel to take them to Yarn Over, while waiting for Lucy to check out I met Annie Modesitt and Melissa Leapman. We got to Yarn Over and set up our rooms, headed for breakfast and then Lucy gave a speech on designing and becoming a designer, she made you think you could just go out and do it! Then class I had a wonderful class only 4 people, they were great students and I think the day went well. I was good too did not buy any yarn, I did pick up a free skein to knit a baby hat from Yarn Garage for Bundles of Love. It is kind of light blue grey color, so I think an over dye is going to happen this week, they surely don't want all blue grey hats. The day ended with dinner at Champs with all the teachers and committee members, we had a great day!

April 30
I did not realize how tired I was yesterday after all the activities, I slept from around 10p to 830a this morning and then it was raining which makes me more tired so I took a nap before work. It was slow at work so I even snuck in a little knitting. April is now officially over and May is here, I am starting my 3 or 4 months off of teaching!!!!!!!! I plan to clean my house, get my teaching resume in order and get some patterns ready to publish, I hope to sell them to local stores and through The Knitting Vault. Watch for them...
but right now I need to go to bed Boo is patiently waiting for me.