In honor of my recent membership in purlin puppies webring... here's a good dog photo. It's Irish checking out Baby Ben. She couldn't let him alone. Notice her stylin' Pittsburgh Steeler bow..... for all the good it did. On the knitting front, I got my "Rogue" pattern yesterday. 19 pages???? Now that is downright scary. I've never made anything before in my life that required 19 pages of instruction. I've raised KIDS on less information than that! I don't know. I think I'm going to need major moral support to start that project...later....much, much later. 

Blogging... I will triumph.... eventually

I managed to get the Weather Pixie on my sidebar today. This is an accomplishment of major proportions. I may go out to dinner to celebrate. Thanks to Tara (dirty purls blog) for the straightforward instructions in her email! And to think this is easy for some people! I made major progress on the sweater last night. The back is looking good. I love the wool and I love the thickness of the two combined yarns. I can't wait to get it finished because my mind is filled with summer projects now. I found a tank top pattern in knitting.about.com last night that I can't wait to try. It is called "June" made in Berroco Glace that apparently has been discontinued. It sort of looks like ribbon yarn. It is definitely my next project. I'm not sure exactly why I'm thinking about tank tops right now because it is a full blown blizzard outside ... ok, that's an exaggeration but it IS snowing. This mild winter has us all a little spoiled here. Well, stay tuned... who knows what may be in my sidebar tomorrow!

Here is the back of the sweater so far. I just love it. Here's the thing though... the more I work on it, the more I think it really looks like a "Kelly" sweater. Kelly is my oldest daughter. This looks like something she would love. I have to be STRONG. This one's for ME! It's going so fast I can always make another one for her. If I could stay away from socks long enough this sweater would probably be finished by now. I'm thinking this pattern would look great in Lion Brand Landscapes yarn. Like I said before, I'm not TOO much of a yarn snob. I wonder if Landscapes qualifies as a bulky yarn. I would imagine it does. Has anyone knited anything with Lanscapes? I just love the colors. 

Drat! Well my mother's socks have quickly turned into my sister's socks...she of little feet. I don't know how I messed up the length. I put them on and they looked long enough so I started the toe. Turns out they are too small for my mother...but the good news is they will be good birthday socks for my sister. You can't tell from the photo but this yarn has the prettiest "Fall" color specs in it. They are wool so they will be great for skiing. I guess it's on to Plan B for my mother! The sweater is coming along great but having the two yarns continually keep twisting while I'm knitting is driving me bananas! I'm sure there is a cure for that but at this point I just don't know what it is. Photo of the sweater tomorrow! 

Music, Music, Music!!!

Well, ok...Tara tagged me for the music thingy. I love music! My taste is varied and includes everything except screaming (which my son seems to enjoy) and country. I don't know... I just never got into country although there are a few exceptions...um, very few. So...on to the questions. 1. Total amount of music files on your computer: None at the moment. I used to download from kaaza until it messed up my computer BIG TIME. So, since I'm not sure how to do it without those problems, I don't do it anymore. 2. The last CD you bought was: Bridget Jones Soundtrack....from the second movie. It's ok. Just ok. 3. What is the song you last listened to before reading this message? "The Game of Love" Michelle Branch and Santanna. 4. Write down 5 songs that you listen to or that mean a lot to you. 1. Love's Theme from the Love Unlimited Orchestra. I don't really ever listen to it..but it's "our song". 2. "Bring Him Home" from the Les Mis soundtrack. So moving... and that guy's voice is AMAZING 3. You're My Home...Billy Joel - just a cute song. I like the words. My daughter put it on her wedding favor cd. 4. Sail Away With Me.... David Gray... I love that whole White Ladder CD. He can't seem to get the magic back. 5. Father and Daughter... Paul Simon. It makes me think of my daughter's wedding. We had such a wonderful day that day. I wish I could bring that day back. 4. Who will you send this to? Probaby no one until I figure some "blog" stuff out. I have so much to learn! (as you can see)

Catie and me. 

A Totally Funny Knitting Story

Cate came home from college this weekend and we ran some errands together yesterday. We had to stop at the LYS because I needed some circular needles for the sweater. Cate wondered over to the big basket of hats that the LYS proprietor is collecting for charity and she started to sort through them (about 25 or so hats) and she pulled one out and said, "Look at this one, I really like this." Turns out it was the Coronet hat I made (photo below) and put in the basket last week. She never saw the hat and didn't even know I made one! I'm thinking I must have raised kids to recognize a good Irish wool and nice cable pattern when they see one!!! We had a good laugh over that one!

100 Things About Me

1. My mother taught me to knit when I was in 2nd or 3rd grade.
2. I have always knitted off and on...mostly off...but now I am addicted.
3. I remember selling an earwarmer to my uncle for a quarter when I was little.
4. I remember my first skein of yarn... a pink, blue and white varigated acrylic.
5. I have been married for 28 years and have 3 grown children.
6. I have thin, fine hair that has driven me crazy my entire life.
7. I have lived in my hometown in central Pennsylvania for all but 4 years of my life.
8. One of my daughters can knit, the other one can't.
9. I wanted to be a speech pathologist. I am a real estate agent. I wish I was a landscape architect.
10. I do not enjoy shopping. Wine and yarn are exceptions.
11. I cannot listen to the soundtrack of Les Mis without crying. I had to take it out of my car.
12. I am a semi-yarn snob. I feel there is a time and place for acrylic yarn.
13. I mostly knit for other people, rarely for myself, but I'm going to change that soon.
14. I like to hold open houses on my listings. If no one shows up, it's quality knitting time.
15. I used to read every night before falling asleep. Now I can't because I FALL asleep as soon as I read one page. I miss reading.
16. I have a fascination with Ireland.
17. I am a yo yo dieter. Always gaining and losing.
18. I have two complete sets of clothing. Fat clothes and thin clothes. I have learned to keep everything.
19. I like my boss and my co-workers and I'm proud of the company I work for.
20. I used to make soap...cold process...the kind from scratch.
21. The only math I can do without a calculator is addition and subtraction. I have a math learning disability (self diagnosed of course)
22. I quit college because I was afraid of the math classes.
23. I know enough Spanish and French to get the gist of a conversation.
24. I hate everything about the fact that my husband smokes a pipe.
25. I have no desire to cruise to tropical islands but I'd love to tour Europe.
26. I have never had a speeding ticket.
27. I am overly emotional.
28. I love the smell of lavender.
29. I have never broken a bone.
30. I have an unfounded and completely irrational fear of snakes, spiders and bees.
31. I used to sew a lot. I don't have the time or space now and I miss it.
32. I would be happier living in an apartment or condo than I am in my big historic house.
33. I would like to quit work some day and babysit my grandchildren...if I ever have any.
34. I would like to drive an SUV. Any SUV would be fine.
35. I like expensive clothes. I wish I could afford them.
36. My first new car was a 1974 volkswagon beetle. I adored that thing.
37. My number one pet peeve is when people get into an empty church pew and sit on the end instead of moving to the middle. It's just plain rude.
38. I wear glasses to read.
39. I get emotional when sightseeing in Washington DC. Our nation's history moves me. (like I said, overly emotional)
40. I love New York City.
41. I hate noise in the morning. I wouldn't turn tv on if I lived alone.
42. I love sitting on the beach alone.
43. The wallpaper in my office is a bold stripe from floor to ceiling. It makes people dizzy (really). I didn't choose it and I can't imagine what they were thinking when they did.
44. I kill houseplants on a regular basis.
45. I believe I have ADD although I took an online test and the results said otherwise.
46. I will go out of my way to think of things to do instead of housework (actually, I'm doing that right now.)
47. I like to drive, even long distances.
48. I am afraid to fly and I am afraid of heights. So is my son.
49. I won a science fair project in 6th grade that involved white rats. When it was over, my parents told me they gave the rats to a farm and I believed them.
50. I have a 27 year old minolta camera that is huge and weighs a ton and I wouldn't trade it for any brand new camera on the market today.
51. I was not born on Christmas Day but thanks for asking.
52. I won't knit with chenille. I hate the feel of it.
53. I could eat pizza every day of my life and not get tired of it.
54. I will not eat blue cheese, dark mustard, or pickled eggs and beets. EVER.
55. I love learning about wine and trying different varieties... it's my only extravagance.
56. I wish I had more time and money to give to the Multiple Sclerosis Society.
57. There is a ski resort 10 miles from my house. I skiied once in 1973.
58. I am not athletic and prefer to be indoors.
59. I could camp for a week at Barnes and Noble Booksellers. I'd just need a place to hide.
60. When I get home from work in the winter, only near emergency situations will make me go back out. I hate to be cold.
61. I have never seen Niagara Falls even though it is only a 5 hour drive from my house.
62. I hate it when people ask my professional opinion, don't take my advice, and then blame me when things don't work out.
63. I love both coffee and tea...black.
64. I was once addicted to Pepsi and could be again very easily if I allowed myself, which I won't.
65. I was happiest when my children were babies. Those were my best days.
66. I have the nasty habit of driving on empty all the time. It makes my husband insane when he gets in the car.
67. I regret buying an old Victorian home.... otherwise known as the "money pit".
68. All my life I thought that the summer camp my sister and I attended when we were children was in another state. Not long ago, I learned it was 15 miles from my house. It ceased to exist while we were still young.
69. I would like to learn to tat.... with a shuttle. I remember watching my grandmother do it.
70. I have not been on a train since I was 6 years old.
71. My friends are long time friends. I tend not to have "come and go" friends.
72. I like dark chocolate better than milk chocolate but give me either. Please.
73. I love the smell of watermelon... but I can't stand the taste and consistency.
74. I love yellow mustard on a hotdog but can't eat it on anything else.
75. I can eat raw onion on a hotdog but not on anything else....what is it about hotdogs?
76. I have a good friend who can manipulate anyone into doing anything. I never saw anything like it. I'm in awe of her. She should work for the CIA.
77. The worst job I ever had was as a customer service rep at a temporary employment agency. That's where I met my manipulative friend. We love to talk about what went on in that place. You can't make stuff like that up.
78. If I could afford it, I'd have several plastic surgeries.
79. I have a tiny tattoo of a sprig of holly. I like to think of it as identification.
80. My son has a large tattoo on his back. I hate it.
81. Blue is my favorite color but I prefer to wear black.
82. I wish I would have had one more child.
83. I have always liked my name and I am continually surprised that my parents chose it back when no one was named "Holly".
84. I'm a "Law and Order" TV show junkie.
85. I once had an employee tell me she was afraid of me at first. That stunned me. I never knew that a professional demeanor could translate into scary.
86. My mother has a gift for buying me gifts. They are usually perfect.
87. I have never lived alone. I went from my parents house to married. I would like to have had that experience at least briefly.
88. I think my friends would say I'm somewhat serious natured and introverted.
89. I have a great sense of humor but casual acquaintances normally would never know it.
90. I will not (cannot) sit through a violent movie.
91. I can't sleep without socks on, even in summer.
92. I love Clark's brand shoes and clogs.
93. Speaking of Clarks, I sold my nephew, Clark, a house on Clark Street. very funny.
94. I wish I had a lot more vacation days than I do.
95. If I was on death row, and they asked me what I wanted for my last meal, I'd say a 1/2 gallon of coffee flavored ice cream.
96. I'd rather go to the dentist than to an amusement park.
97. I have never enjoyed playing cards or board games. I didn't play them with my children when they were little. I have a little bit of guilt about that.
98. I consider my greatest accomplishment to date to be that I raised 3 children to be respectful and considerate of others.
99. Come to think of it, I might change the last meal on death row thing to a big bag of salt and vinegar potato chips. It's a toss up.
100. I hate drop-down boxes for entering the state you live in when entering your address to something online. Just let me type in the state like everything else for god's sake!!!!!!!

OK...check it out. Very pretty, huh? My daughter is coming home from college tonight and what did I do last night to prepare for her homecoming? Not a darn thing! I'm pathetic. I had to get this sweater going to see how it would look. She's a good kid, she'll understand. She knows that Mom has "this little problem." Ha Ha. The first thing she will ask when she sees the sweater will be, "Is this for me?" And for once, the answer will be NO!!! It's all mine!! Happy weekend everyone! 

Feast your eyes on these lovlies. Cascade 100% wool worsted weight and Sirdar Country Style wool DK. I'm using them together to knit a very easy, very plain rolled cuff and neck sweater to wear with jeans. It's my Valentine's Day yarn and I'm a happy camper! 

New socks on the needles. I'm making this pattern up as I go. You can't see from the photo but this yarn has little specs of color in it and it's very pretty. This yarn is now 1/2 price at my LYS. Who can pass that up? I will give these to my mother for her birthday on March 12th. She can show them to all her friends at dialysis. I thought when she had to go on permanent dialysis 3 days a week that she would start knitting or crocheting again to pass the time but she hasn't. I don't understand that. It would be the perfect pastime but she doesn't seem interested anymore. If anyone reading this has an aging parent who is scheduled for any testing involving dye, tell them to beware, and drink lots of fluids to flush the dye out of their system. My mother had two tests involving dye before a scheduled surgery and the dye permanently shut down her kidneys. Very sad... she was a vital healthy woman before that happened and now she is a frail little elderly lady. She had more energy and vitality than me before it happened. Ok, really off topic I know... but if it helps anyone, it will be worth it. I'm off to buy yarn for my sweater today. The yarn is my Valentine's gift from my husband. I love it when he ASKS me what I want! That used to bother me... not anymore since my yarn addiction kicked in! 

The coronet hat... a futile attempt. I WILL try this again! I love that cable pattern. This was leftover yarn from my mother's afghan. It is not a soft yarn so I probably wouldn't have enjoyed wearing this anyhow. Hopefully it will keep someone's head warm somewhere! 

Coronet Hat

Well I completely flubbed up the coronet hat. I meant to take a photo and I forgot. I thought I was reading the instructions wrong so I re-wrote them in my head and proceded with what I thought was the way it should be. WRONG! So, anyhow, it will be a wearable hat but not what the pattern called for. I didn't realize that the cabled brim got turned up and would be a double layer around the ears... and, yes, I know the pattern says that. I just didn't get it the first time around!! The hat is certainly wearable but I would rather have the correct version of the hat so I think I'll donate this one to charity. Maybe The Dulaan Project (I'd link to that here but like I've said one hundred times... I Don't Know How!!!!!!!!!) I desperately need blogging lessons.

Finished "Erin Go Braugh" socks. They look rather hideous laying there but I have to say they look sort of cute on. They are WARM which will be important in Pittsburgh in March. The St. Patrick's Day parade is loads of fun and everyone has Irish stuff on. I made a scarf too so I'll be all decked out! I hope to get the Coronet hat completed by then too. I started it at my Open House yesterday and I have the band almost finished. I have to get those #8 16 inch circular needles to finish it. Happy Valentine's Day to all! 

Irish Hiking Scarf...almost finished.  

Irish Hiking Scarf

The scarf is nearly finished.... actually, it could be finished now. I think men are ok with shorter scarves than women. It's for under a man's top coat so I guess it can be a shorter scarf. For those of you who haven't tried that pattern yet, it's a lot of fun and it goes quickly. I will definitely keep the pattern in mind for this year's Christmas gifts. I can't think of anyone who wouldn't want a scarf like that. I've decided to lessen the sock stash before starting a sweater project. I'm running out of space for yarn. So...I'd say about 4 more pairs of socks and then onto a sweater project. It has to have cables.. and there are so many patterns I love. I just don't know what to do. And I really, really love that Rogue pattern. I just don't know that I'd wear it that much. I think I need to do one that I would wear to work. There are so many decisions to made when you knit!!!

Benny's sweater... I'm happy with it.....still not crazy about that neck though. Went to see "The Wedding Date" last night with Debra Messing and Dermot Mulroney so I didn't have a chance to knit. Cute movie...could have been better. The soundtrack should be good. Tonight... the Irish Hiking Scarf! 

Mission Accomplished!

Finally! I finished the baby's sweater. (the little guy made strange with me last night at our Super Bowl party so I'm thinking he just might not get it.... ha ha...just kidding) I'm not too crazy about the neck closure... no wonder all the photos of the sweater in the Phildar book pictured the baby wearing a shirt with a collar out over the neck ribbing....I'll post a photo tomorrow...can't find the darn camera right now. All in all, I'm happy with it. After the whole sleeve fiasco I was able to finish the remainder of it without any help from the LYS lady. So I'm proud of myself for that. I do question the button hole design. They don't really look like button holes. They pretty much just look like holes. But, it's my first attempt at a sweater in about 20 years so I shouldn't be too hard on myself. So, now I will finish the Irish Hiking Scarf and then start the other Irish sock for the "Sock It To Me" knitalong. I need to get that finished before the St. Patrick's Day parade. My decision now is what to start after those two things are finished. I really want to start a sweater for myself but I have all these great sock yarns in my stash and I feel like I should be using them up. Decisions, decisions.

Charlotte's socks...all finished. This is Lana Grossa yarn...85080 Gaimarsheim...whatever that means. I got this yarn at a trunk show at my LYS. When I saw these colors, I knew I had to have this yarn. Yes, I got it for me, but I have a tendency to give everything away. My son used to do that too when he was little. Toys would disappear and I would get SO angry! But, I know where he gets it! The apple doesn't fall far from the tree as they say.  

Socks N Stuff

I got Charlotte's second sock "almost" finished last night. At 11:00pm I only had a few more rows to do but my pillow was calling so I had to set it down. And I was SO SO close! Don't you just hate that??? I've just been staring at the stupid baby sweater. I will NEVER, let me repeat, NEVER knit a Phildar pattern again. Their instructions are so hard to follow. The Irish Hiking Scarf is coming along. It is definitely fun to work on. And I love that yarn. I'm not going to start another pair of socks until I get that scarf finished. And I still have the second Irish sock to do for the Sock It To Me knit along. That will go fast. Knitting with worsted weight is great. I'm searching for a bulky weight wool for a sweater for myself. I don't want to pay an arm and a leg for it either. I'm thinking Lamb's Pride. I have to make a stop at the LYS and check things out.
I was reading a blog this morning and someone's mother sent her a bag full of wool yarn for Christmas... wouldn't that be great? Just to have someone send you beautiful skeins of yarn to do with what you please? I also found a yarn on that blog that looks interesting... It's Art Yarns supermerino. The colors are fabulous. I might have to get me some of that! I'd put a link here for it, but, alas, I DON'T KNOW HOW!!! I am in dire need of blog lessons.

Sweater pieces.... just some finishing work and I'll be done with this. I was scrambling to get it finished for fear it would be too small but it turns out that it is way too big. That's good because now he'll have plenty of time to grow into it. I don't know whether to block the pieces or sew it together and block the whole sweater...any suggestions? I won't be able to go to our knitting get together this evening due to being without transportation. I'm disappointed. Everyone needs the family vehicles for more important things (ha!) What could be more important??? So I guess I'll stay home and work on the Irish Hiking Scarf. I left my cable needle at my open house on Sunday. I'm sure the home owner wonders what the heck that little thing is! Single guy... probably has no clue! I'm sure he's wondering what piece of equipment he has in his house that is missing that piece.  

Benny's sweater...front.