Wicked Wasabi

I have loved this color, Wicked Wasabi from the get-go and took it from my stash and knit up a beret this week. Love it. Besides being gorgeous, this is worsted weight hand dyed yarn from Cheryl B. Design Collection and it is a dream to knit. I even have a tad left over. The pattern I selected is Woolly Wormhead - Rollin' Beret.

Also OTN (which in my knitting world today stands for Off The Needles) is Ribbletts from Monica Knits. Started it last night at Noble Knitters and since I can't read, knit and talk, frogged it all when I got home. No one's fault but my own so will cast on again for this tonight. Enjoyed it even though I was not reading it correctly!

And the best news of all? Malabrigo Lace is here and waiting its turn on the photo stand. Gorgeous colors, gorgeous yarn. Stay tuned for that later today.

I'm curious. Do you have a "gift drawer" or is every gift you knit for someone thought in advance?

The House that Yarn Built...

Let's talk about Make it Right, Brad Pitt's Foundation whose goal is to build 150 homes in the Lower 9th in New Orleans. Christy of Confessions of a Misplaced Southern Belle has thrown out a challenge to us all.

How about a House that Yarn Built? Why not! She has already set up a Team Sponsored Home page with the foundation. Please make sure that if you donate you choose the team: The House that Yarn Built from the drop down box.

I looked at the ticker this morning and we are at $4,480.00. Christy will also giving away prizes.You can visit her blog to find out more about that. You may know Christy from her annual Hurricane Sock Party swap and this year she decided to do something to make a difference. What better way than The House that Yarn Built...

Twinkle's Riverbed Shawl

Here on the blocking board is the Riverbed Shawl from Twinkle's Weekend Knits, which I purchased with a fit of glee last weekend. I used 2 skeins of Lorna's Laces Revelation. I can't wait to wear it in my icy office!

Later this week, I'll be posting my first PATTERN!!!!! Stay tuned...

In other news, Spottie had her first weigh-in since starting her diet 2 months ago. Her starting weight was 57.6 lbs. Her current weight is.........

51 lbs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As a special treat, we took plumpy to the doggy park for 45 minutes to celebrate her success. She's half way to her goal weight!

Test Driver

I am just in the middle of test driving a new yarn from one of my vendors that is 30% silk and 70% merino laceweight and I absolutely 100% love it! You can be sure this is on our order list. I cast on the brand new scarf pattern, Snowdrop Lace Scarf from Chrissy of Gardiner Yarn Works and am happily knitting along. I feel so comfortable with this pattern that I am actually going to work on it tonight at Noble Knitters. What is strange about that is I usually only take a knit I am working on that is straight knitting or purling. I talk too much to follow a pattern but I am going to give this one a try tonight!

And the mail yesterday brought a huge box of Cheryl B. Design Studio collection in worsted weight, sock and bulky. Great yarn, Cheryl! Love it all... Check it out and very reasonable too. There is even an "Orange Boy"... Great base yarn.

And I fired up my embroidery machine this past weekend as well. I get requests frequently for baby burp cloths which I usually buy as blanks and embroider names, initials, whatever. I just found these adorable flannel burp cloths at the local *red bullseye* store - hemmed, soft and ready to give as is but of course I had to add to them. I know 3 people who are having baby boys... They are always fun to give and very useful too.

Question for all .. What is your favorite baby gift item to knit? I want to add something to these for 2 different baby boys and can't decide to make baby socks, hats or what? Comments please?

A Whale of a Tale

Happy weekend everyone. Chris is out of town until Friday, so I'm shamelessly knitting, sewing, napping and watching lifetime. I do miss him though...really ;)

Here's a picture of recent creation. He's called "The Lookout" from the book Softies. The Lookout in the book was sort of menacing, so I gave mine droopy eyelids for a softer look. He's a gift for little Andrew Blount (currently still in-utero.)

Well, I'm off to do a little thrifting, then over to Jill's for pizza. What a charmed life!!!

Short v Flap

When I first began knitting socks, I knit them with a flap because that is how I was shown. One day I decided to try short row heels and I really really liked it. I liked the process and also the look of short row heels. For this last pair of Woolly Boully Beneath the Cherry Tree socks, I decided to try the flap again. One sock is completed with the flat and the other with short row heel. With the help of sock guru, Zina from my Noble Knitters group, I once again *did* the flap. I have pretty much decided short row is best for me.

The question I would like to pose to all is, in your opinion, do you like the looks of short row heels or heel flaps best? Any feedback would be great appreciated. I'm real curious about this..

Spring is in the air here in GA. These sweet daffodils showing their faces are a sure sign in my backyard... low 70's here today and hopefully tomorrow too!

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Have a great weekend and hopefully it involves lots of knitting, crocheting or playing outside... Drop me a comment about short v flap.

Happy Birthday Orange Boy!

To my Orange Boy, happy birthday.

Everyone always thinks Chris is cheesing it up for the camera. He has always smiled at the camera like that... Always. Maybe because he was born on Valentine's Day? He used to tell all the girls in his grammer school that he was the *real* sweetheart because of his b'day. Reality is... Chris *loves* to take pictures. Therefore, he is never in them. His sweet wife, Cheryl, surprised him with a Nikon SLR something or another for Christmas and now he is *really* never in the pictures. So here is one that I snapped when Chris and I went to the Clemson v Boston College football game. The eyes wide open is we, Clemson, were lookin' good at that particular moment. His beloved Clemson Tigers. He even dressed Spottie Dottie in an orange Clemson hoodie for their family portrait.

Happy birthday to my funny, loving, sensitive, great husband, hard working, Orange Boy.

This, That and Those

This (Toyland quilt) is what I just finished. It is a baby quilt for a friend of mine whose daughter is having her first baby. I just picked out the backing fabric on Saturday and left it at the LQS for the longarmer to do her thing. I also picked up my next sewing project there to - quite by accident - but seeing as how I love hand dyed yarns I could not resist these 4 different 18x20 hand dyed, hand painted blocks. Think the most gorgous batiks. Scrumptous.

Just cast on a basic rib edge hat in Lorna's Laces Worsted Weight for Island Girl. Island Girl has decided to take a destination vacation and she will need a hat. Well, maybe more than one! I made her one a year or so ago out of O~Wool Organic so now she will have 2. I actually went looking this weekend for a couple of pair of really warm gloves for her but holy cow! The bikinis are out. There are virtually*no* gloves. I managed to snag a clearance pair at TJMaxx for a song. I do have some hand knit fingerless gloves in my stash but she will clearly need fingers covered!

That (Sublime Stitching) is what I am itching to start. If you like embroidery you will love this cool stuff from Sublime. Take the adventure. It's fun.

Those (new yarns) are on order. We have some dynamite lace in so many different colorways that I can't wait for it to arrive. Alas, it will be about 4 weeks. But will be worth the wait.

On a side note ... Message to Cheryl B. Design - Feel better soon honey! Poor thing has been sooo sick. Look soon for new colors from her collection as well.

Adventure is worthwhile in itself. Amelia Earhart

Do Just One Thing, February 7th

Here's today's exerpt from my page a day calendar, "Do Just One Thing" by Danny Seo:

"After a candle has burned all the way down, recycle the glass container into a decorative storage jar. First, place the glass container in the freezer to shrink the wax; it'll pop right out. scrub the container clean with warm, sudsy water. With glass paint, paint the inside of the container a pretty color; try stripes, dots, or a solid color. Dry completely and use it to store pencils and other office essentials or put it in the medicine cabinet to keep toiletries organized. "

I say- forget office supplies! Those big Yankee Candle jars would be perfect for stitch holders, yarn needles, stitch markers, double pointed needles and small scissors!! I think that is such a cool idea.

Its a......

Boy!!!!!

Finally little Andrew Stanford Blount cooperated and showed us the goods. :) My friend Rebecca is delighted, but the real magic was watching her husband talk about his son. It was so special!

He's due on May 16th so I better get knitting!!! What first? A hat, a blanket, a toy??

I always give my 2cents...

So today starts out by casting my 2cents in the GA primary. I really thought there might be long lines at my precinct but I was in and out in under 5 minutes. Got my sticker of course. I vote in everything single election, whether general, special or run-offs.

Let me talk a minute about SOTsII - Secret of the Stole II. This is the one where I cast on and frogged no less than 7 times. I finally got the hang of it, bragged about it to ya'll, and then... roadblock. Da-gumit! Too many stitches on one side. Still on Clue 1, I perserved.

Fast forward to Sat knittin'. I begin Clue 2 - My hubby walks in the room, smiles and says something nice (while I am counting and trying to figure out yet another mistake) and I glare at him. Yep, just stare. Can't he see I am concentrating on knitting this stole and I can't talk? Can't he see the TV is on mute because I can't concentrate with it on? He sits down beside me and says, "what is that going to be"? I said MAGIC. Come back in 15 minutes and *this* will become a big ball of yarn. Yep, I frogged it again.

I will start it again. I like the pattern. In the meantime, I am working on my Woolly Boully Beneath the Cherry Tree socks and they make me smile. Happy colors, happy needles, happy knitter...

ITS HERE ITS HERE!!!!

I left my office yesterday in the midst of a severe thunderstorm and arrived home soaked, freezing, and mad.
But then, I saw it: A glorious Priority Mail Package- the a return address marked "The Yarn Grove." I knew exactly what it was....MY SUBLIME STITCHING EMBROIDERY KIT!!!!!!!!!!!!! Chris insisted on photographing my reaction.

Blog Winner

Thank you all for your donations and interest in A Place to Bark and Meow. As of this morning, Bernie placed in 5th , but she is still a winner. Go to her blog to read a post by her friend, Claudine. Claudine explains how this final tabulation works. Bernie couldn't post because she was transporting 41 dogs and 1 kitten to new homes.

The winner of the Pagewood Farm Glacier Bay skein and Hiya Hiya Needles is..... Lois M. of Austell. Congrats Lois. Confirm your address with me by email janeATtheyarngrove.com and they'll be on their way.

Have a fun, safe Super Bowl weekend and don't forget to visit The Yarn Grove on Sunday for our 3rd annual Super Bowl Sunday Sale!