Influence of a Knitter's Blog

Gee, it's almost the 4th of July and we are having some strange weather here. Many hazy, humid days with severe thunderstorms and now the next several days will not be real hot. The highs are predicted to be in the 70's.

I have been taping Army Wives on TIVO to watch when I had time. Well, yesterday was the Army Wives marathon. I am really enjoying this series and it sure has a lot of nail biting in it. I am all caught up now. Tonight is the last night for Starter Wives. I am looking forward to seeing this tonight as well. I wonder if they will make this a regular series?

I got my DIY Exchange 2 from the Love2Knit dishcloth group. My partner was Wendy from Shanksville, PA. She lives 2 miles from where Flight 93 crashed. She sent me a really nice dishcloth, a postcard from the Flight 93 crash site and a stitch marker. She was a great partner.

I also wanted to post the Socks that Rock Sock Club yarn that I received this week. What a great color.

Here is the squirrel cage yarn swift that I ordered. I really like this one since I can put my skein winder on the top of it. It is a great space saver and I don't have to worry about clamping both a skein winder and swift somewhere. I also got an additional crank cage to allow me to rewind balls into skeins. I have yarn to wind and unwind, so I am looking forward to testing it out.

I really want to try making Elizabeth Zimmerman's baby surprise jacket, but I have been struggling with what kind of colors to use. I recently visited Brooklyn Tweed's blog and saw this. I am in love. The homespun yarn is perfect for this sweater. Now I just have to save up to buy some. I also love her Noro scarf shown here. My husband wants me to knit him a scarf for Christmas. This is the perfect scarf for him! I don't know how anyone can keep knitting from their stash and not buy any new yarn. Thank God I didn't commit to that idea! Other knitter's blogs are sure dangerous to stash busters!

Easy Knitting

I finally finished the Mid-month KAL for my monthly dishcloth group. I really enjoyed this pattern. It came out really nice using the Sugar and Cream twist yarn in lavender.

The KAL's are fun and it's really interesting to see the pattern develop as you go along.

I mentioned before that I was knitting a beach tote from the current issue of Knitters magazine. Here is the picture from the magazine and here is a picture of my knitting:

I love the colors and am looking forward to finishing this project. I will be making more if it turns out well.

Since I started crocheting, I found the lighted crochet hooks at my local yarn shop. I don't like the lighted knitting needles. They are too long and the size I would buy to try isn't available. I would buy size 7's since I use that size the most for dishcloths. I did buy three lighted crochet hooks. I got G, H, and I.

I will be curious to try them out.

I was able to pick Maggie up from the vet today. It was kind of nice not having her around yesterday, but I did miss her terribly. She is fine, but I have to keep her from jumping around and pulling her stitches out. I can't wait until she goes back to the vet to get them out because this sure is a treat trying to keep her calm. She already jumped up on a chair with no problem, but when she jumped down, she yelped. I'm sure that her stitches pulled. So now I have to keep her off of chairs. That is hard to do since she is so fast. She is also licking her stitches. I'm sure they itch. She is not happy with me when I tell her NO. I can just see how she would adapt to wearing a collar if she starts to try and pull them out.

What a way to Relax!

I have been reading quite a bit lately. I just am loving the books by Stephen White. I have read Higher Authority (This was an interesting book especially since I learned about the Mormon religion. It made me want to know more about it and I have ordered a book from Barnes and Noble), Harms Way, Remote Control and Critical Condition. I also enjoyed Third Degree by James Patterson and Starter Wife by Gigi Levangie Grazier. It was interesting reading Starter Wife since I am also watching the series on TV. The book IS different than the TV series.

I finally decided on the Alternate Squirrel Cage swift from Kirklands. Thanks to a suggestion from another knitter, I also got an additional cage with a crank so I can rewind balls into skeins. I was surprised to find out that they are shipping my swift and I should hopefully have it this week.

I am also expecting my order from Lettuce Knit this week. So, this week is like Christmas for me! I can't wait until I get my shipments.

I have been trying to catch up to listening to podcasts. I have been going back to the first postings of my favorite podcasts. I am currently catching up on Webs podcast Ready, Set, Knit. I have never ordered from them, but after listening to these podcasts I am getting real tempted to order some of their yarn.

I am still working away on my crocheted afghan and also started knitting a beach tote that is in the current issue of Knitters. It is an easy pattern and is knitting up fast. The yarn I am using is Plymouth's Fantasy Naturale. Kraemer's yarn shop has this yarn on sale for $3.00 per skein, which is a great price. I bought quite a bit of it. I will try and post pictures of this later this week.

Tomorrow, my puppy Maggie is going to the vet to get spayed. I know everything will be okay, but I am always a little nervous when my dogs have to be operated on. I will be breathing a sigh of relief when I get the call from the vet telling me all is well. What I hate most is that she will have to stay overnight and I will not be able to get her until Tuesday afternoon. I will be so happy to bring her home. Keep her in your prayers.

All of her baby teeth are finally gone. I almost thought that the vet would have to pull some teeth when he operated on her, but the last couple came out this week. I do notice a change in her behavior now that all of her baby teeth are out. She is a little more calmer. It will be interesting to see what happens after her operation.

I have been enjoying the weather we have been having. It has been beautiful out and not real hot; although, I do think it's suppose to warm up this week. It's just so calming sitting out on my screened in porch reading and knitting. I am really noticing that I am not as stressed as I used to be.

Dishcloths and Yarn

So much to tell about today and I have pictures. Let's start with Dishcloths:

Here is the Diagonal Dishcloth I was knitting and finally finished:

I enjoyed knitting this cloth, but it really gets a little crooked. I had to stretch it around to get it to look right. I love the beach ball blue color from Sugar and Cream.

This is a ripple dishcloth that I made from a pattern from my DishclothsRUs yahoo knitting group.

This one was very enjoyable to knit and I loved the pattern.

Here is a dishcloth from my Monthly Dishcloth Yahoo group. It was the June KAL for the beginning of the month.

It's a Unicorn and I really like it. The sizing is different on this one.

My favorite dishcloth in this bunch is the from my DIY exchange in Love2Knit Dishcloths Yahoo Group. This was a different exchange. You sent a ball of yarn and needles to your partner. When you got your needles and yarn, you picked a pattern to knit from the yarn. My partner Judy, sent me a skein of Honeysuckle Yarns in the color shrimp. Apparently, Peaches and Cream makes this yarn. After using 3 skeins of Sugar and Cream yarn and then switching to the Honeysuckle yarn made by Peaches and Cream, I now know why everyone loves Peaches and Cream. It is much softer and does not split. I chose the pattern Turq by Harvest Moon Designs. I adjusted it a bit. According to the directions there would have been too much space between the crossover pattern. So I eliminated some rows and I love how it turned out.

My partner also sent me Size 7 needles from Boye and a squiggly needle wrap. I really like both the yarn and squiggly.

Since, I'm talking about dishcloths, I may as well tell you that I was arm twisted into ordering the Sugar and Cream Twists yarn and the Robin Egg Blue yarn. No one had to twist my arm too hard. ;-) I wasn't sure about the Twist yarn, but I finally saw a dishcloth made out of one of the colors and that did it for me. I got just about one in each color:

I also purchased Lornas Laces Lion and Lamb yarn to make a clapotis scarf. I have been dying to make one of these but just couldn't find a color that caught my eye. I finally saw the Dessert Flower color, but it was discontinued. I did find it on ebay from Yarn Bazaar. It was a great place to order from. I have to finish off some current projects before starting on this one.

Much to my surprise, I finally was able to purchase the watermelon color yarn from Freshisle Fibers. I have probably been on a waiting list for this yarn for about a year. I got six skeins and I'm in heaven! This picture of socks got me hooked on this yarn.

I have been crocheting away on my soft wave ripple afghan. I really like how it's coming out and definately love the colors!

I was determined to keep on with this after being told that it's hard to crochet a ripple afghan.

I have been researching swifts and will probably be buying one from Kirtland's Yarn Barn. The problem I am having is deciding on which one to get. Anyone have any suggestions? I think I am leaning toward the alternate one. Hopefully, I will do a post with some of the swifts I have found. There are more out there than you would ever think about.

And, what would my blog be if I didn't post a new picture of Maggie May. She is getting bigger. All of her adult teeth are in except her fangs. I think she may have to have some of those pulled since the new ones are coming in, but the baby teeth aren't getting loose. She gets spayed at the end of June, so I imagine that the vet will do it then if they haven't come out by then.

I'm in Heaven

Who said that staying at home was boring? I'm not bored at all. In fact the days are flying by. I can't believe that I haven't been employed now for 22 days. I knew that this would be a good thing. I'm in Heaven! My husband loves it because I am cooking more. Maybe I can finally lose some weight. That is next on my list of things to do.

The problem with being at home is finding more knitting projects that I want to do. I found this baby sweater on the Yarn Harlots blog and I just love it! You can find it under her post dated May 25th called Hometown Jitter. The yarn is called Dream in Color. I called Lettuce Knit for 2 kits and also ordered at kit for the Rocketry Baby Cardigan in the same yarn. I have also been wanting the one skein shawl in Handmaiden Sea Silk, so I also ordered that along with two different colored skeins of yarn. Can't wait until I get my order. I really wish I lived in Toronto. They have such neat yarn shops there. That is one place on my wish list of places to visit. Expensive yarn crawl isn't it?

I have finished the zigzag dishcloth and have moved on to a ripple dishcloth (I will post pictures next time). I have finally gotten the hang of the soft wave ripple afghan that I am crocheting. I must have frogged that thing 5-8 times to try and get it right. Unfortunately the problem was me and not following directions. I am ready to change colors. I was getting nervous that I would not have enough yarn, so I went out and got more skeins before the dye lots ran out.

Last Friday, I found out that the knitting shop I go to for knitting lessons will be closing in 90 days for renovations. They sold the building that they are in and will lease it. They are going to renovate it and reopen as a yarn shop, but we are all concerned that they will only be selling Kraemer yarns. The yarn shop is at Kraemer yarns. Hopefully, I will find out more when I get there tomorrow. They are also telling us that the shop will only be closed for about 3 weeks. They are going to add more classrooms and they will be nicer than they are now. That is a plus.

I also found out that they make the yarn for Moorehouse Farms and Cherry Tree Hill. They do sell Cherry Tree Hill right now, but not Moorehouse Farms. They are apparently not allowed to sell it there.

I have read the following books since I last blogged:

Morning Comes Softly by Debbie Macomber: She never disappoints me with her books.

First to Die and Second Chance by James Patterson: Great Womens Murder Club books. I can't wait to read the next one in the series.

First Impressions by Jude Deveraux: I couldn't put this book down it was that good. I really love Jude Deveraux. I think my favorite book of hers is Knight in Shining Armor. This book is a must read.

Priviledged Information by Stephen White: He also has a series of books and this is the first one in the series. I'm ready to read the next book on the list.

Maggie May got groomed this week and she looks really good. She is losing her teeth like mad now and I have an appointment at the end of June for her to get spayed. She is getting better and calming down. I'm sure once all of her teeth are in and she is spayed she will be even better. She is a great companion and a very loving puppy. I really miss Sadie and wish she were with us too. I am so glad to be home with my puppy.

Can you believe that I have poison ivy (I think). I have no idea where I got it. At first I didn't know what it was. Now I am treating it. I was ready to go to my doctor today, but found out that he isn't in until June 7th. I am going with the treatment that my husband found at a pharmacy and if it gets worse, I will go to emergency to be help. It's mostly on my torso, but I has been spreading. Hopefully, I have it under control and it will start to go away. Any suggestions out there?

On a real upbeat note, I found this on another blog and wanted to spread the word. It's a great story and a great legacy. Check out the information on Hug Nation. Grandpa we love you and give you a big hug.