The Leaf Tee

Just to show you that pumpkins (at least the plants) will grow in the desert. I tried them in the container this year as I usually get someone (most likely with big ears and a fluffy cotton tail) who likes to munch on the baby sproutlings. If you look back here, you can compare the two pictures.

And, ta da...


...the leaf tee. You can obviously see where I ran out of the lighter color yarn and switched over to a slightly darker hue. I had to crochet around the bottom, I thought I wouldn't mind the curled edge just binding off did, but I didn't like it (and I am not the world's best crocheter by any rate). The idea I got from my Knitting in Plain English by Maggie Righetti. I love this book, it helped me so much when I re-taught myself how to knit when the Munchkin was born.

Pattern: leaf tee from Knitting School Dropout

Needles: US #6 (circular)

Yarn: top part, Brown Sheep Company (I have no idea the color number-- it's turquoise/teal); bottom part, Lion Brand Wool, color dark teal (#178).

Knitting Update (Among Other Things)

(A warning from me -- this is a wordy one!)

My knitting has begun again. It took me about a week or so to get back into the swing of things, don't know why, maybe my brain and body were still on vacation. Let's just say that over my vacation I only knit the top of a hat (I'm making this one for a friend, but in a stripey green, yellow and turquoise blue color), but over the weekend I finished the brim, now all I have left is the I-cord trim (I just hate making I-cord). But, I want to get it in the mail sometime soon...

I also finished the blue cable and rib sock (go here for an old visual). I decided not to rip them, but push forward and finish. So, I finished and cast on for the second. Doing good, I think. Tried to upload some picts, but my computer is just hanging on by a thread here and wouldn't let me do anything with my camera. But I did take some pictures, so when I'm able, I'll post them!

Check here: Kreative Kelpie to read the first installment of my vacation stories.

Oh, yeah, I also read that book...Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Safe to say most of you who were going to read it have done so, but I'm still not going to reveal any of the secrets in case there are a few of you who are still getting through it.


I also read Back on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber. I like this series, the bits of knitting interspersed with the story are great. This is the third in the series, and if you haven't read them, I do recommend them.

Let's see, what else. Oh, yeah. I painted the kids bathroom this morning. The color is bayside by Behr, which I bought at Home Depot. (I also have a picture of this, but again, see above as to why there are none here!)

Yesterday the kids and I went to our favorite store in town...Target. We had to purchase school supplies. The Munchkin is going into 3rd grade and the little one to kindergarten. He's all excited, her, not so much. She sometimes has separation anxiety symptoms. (She thinks I'm going to need her to do things around the house, and I do, but she needs to go to school!) Why shopping so early for the supplies you ask? Well, out here school starts a week from Thursday (Aug 9). I know it seems awfully early, and it is, but it makes the hot summer seem shorter. Fall for me starts next week! Then again, this summer seems awfully short as we were gone for a good portion of the hottest part of it.

Okay. I think I've rambled on enough today. Remember, check out my vacation story link above!

Have a great day!!

Semi-Book Review (don't want to spoil the ending)

Happy Monday to all!!

I finished The Friday Night Knitting Club and let me tell you, I was a little disappointed in the ending. For those of you who have not read it, I will not tell you what happens, only that I think it was not the best way to end what was, up until that point, a delightful book. I enjoyed the characters and how they integrated knitting into their lives, and it was a quick and easy read, but...I did not like the ending. It was almost as if the Kate Jacobs (the author) didn't know where else to go with it so she just...oh, yeah, I'm not going to say. So, read it and then you decide. That's all I'm going to say.

Oh, and say good bye to my Monkey Socks...I don't have enough yarn to finish, unless someone out there has a part of a skein left of Lion Brand Magic Stripe in Jelly Bean that they want to donate (or trade???) to my socks? I need to finish the foot. I looked at the store where I bought my original skeins of Magic Stripe and they were all out of the jelly bean, and clearance pricing on the blue color I had used already.

But never fear, my creative gene kicked in late yesterday, or was that Saturday?, and I've got something else (or two, or three, or four) [projects] up my sleeve.

Hope all those hubby's out there had a great Father's Day yesterday, too. (Where would we be without them?) :)

Up to My Ears In Books...

I decided to change my colors today. What do you think? I like it, but it may change tomorrow, who knows?! Sometimes change is good, don't you think?

On another note, my local library has decided to honor all of my book requests this week.

Let's see, first I picked up The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs. So far it's a pretty good read, but I must be getting old, the font is so small...

Second, my request for Charmed Knits, Projects for fans of Harry Potter by Alison Hansel came in yesterday and I spent last night looking through it. There are definitely some patterns I'm going to try in there, when I get the time. So many patterns, not enough time, right? Then as I'm reading the back cover, I noticed that the author, Alison Hansel is the writer of the blue blog -- I didn't know that and I had recently found her blog via somewhere (can't remember). But go by and check it out.

Thirdly, I found 100 Afghans to Knit and Crochet by Jean Leinhauser and Rita Weiss. It's okay, more crochet than knit, but it shows some interesting patterns.

Fourth, 100 Knitting Projects by Jean Leinhauser and Rita Weiss. Again, lots and lots of projects and a few that I might actually do, given the time (see #2).

I also finished Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers from my summer reading list. It was okay, might be a good read out loud type of book, but (and I can't believe I'm going to say this) but I like the movie better. I'll probably read more books than I put on the list, but that's what always happens, something else that intrigues me comes up.

So, I think I'll be busy the next few days perusing these book selections, trying to finish the monkey sock, the cable and rib sock and then I got a request for summer hats from a friend who wears anything I knit her. I can probably find something in these to take with me on vacation, too. Normally I'd give you a link to where you could buy the books, but you all know how to do that, and I don't have time this morning, off to swimming lessons with the munchkins, well they get to swim, I don't.

Edited: I also changed the font per beth's comment. I think this works better!

Summer Reading

There's been a lot of writing going on out there in blogland about summer knitting to-do lists and whatnot, how about some summer reading lists?
I can recommend what's on my list (see sidebar) and how about a few additional (I'm going to try and read these too).

Listed in no particular order:

• Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
• all previous six Harry Potter books
• the DaVinci Code by Dan Brown
• More Sensational Knitted Socks by Charlene Schurch (I know a knitting book, but I like to read them before I plan any projects)
• Auntie Mame by Patrick Dennis

I'll probably have to add more later when my brain clears up in the morning.

Feel free to add any recommendations.

Oh, and by the way, I did turn the heel (why do I always spell hell when I try to write heel?) on the cable and rib sock(the one in the middle of the pictures) and am doing the gusset. I'll try them on again when I get a little further into the instep and see if they're still too tight (I'm hoping it was just because of the dp's and I didn't want to loose any stitches off the ends).

My Birthday Book

This is what I picked up today for my birthday (which was last Fri.) present from my hubby!!!

I want to thank all who gave me ideas on which sock book to buy. I went with this one because I thought I liked the varying patterns.

Thanks to All... (and a Happy Mother'sDay)

A great big thanks to all who've left comments about which books I should treat myself to.
The main ones in the running are:

1. Sensational Knitted Socks (the copy I have right now is from the library and I like it)
2. Favorite Socks from IK
3. Knitting Vintage Socks by Nancy Bush (or any other Nancy Bush sock knitting book)

Those are the three I'm going to consider and I'll let you all know what I get.
Thanks again for taking time to answer my question. You all gave me some great ideas of what to look for.

And lastly, I hope all those of us who are mothers (to child or beastie) have a great and Happy Mother's Day.

Any Ideas Out There?

My birthday's coming up and I would like to know who recommends which sock book to buy myself for a present (I always buy myself something). I guess what I really want to know is what sock knitting books do you guys like and why would you recommend me buying it. It would be helpful as there are so many of them out there in the world to get some knitter's opinions on some of them. I know that I like the Nancy Bush socks, but which book there are so many. And I know there are many, many more out there.

Thanks for the help.

Books, books, books

Oh, I forgot. My library came through. Knitting Nature by Norah Gaughan and Sensational Knitted Socks by Charlene Schurch. These will surely keep me busy this week. I glanced through while eating my lunch. Great books.