Way Too Hot to Knit

Been way too stinking hot to knit anything! Went to Scottsdale this weekend and temps were 114 or more!

Ugh...

Ceiling of Cadet Chapel, U.S. Air Force Academy

More Yarn for the Never-Ending Project List

I went to a new LYS (well new to me) over the weekend in Phoenix. It was very nice, and they had a great selection of yarns and I'll definitely go back. But this time I picked up this:
Five skeins of Cascade 220 wool in color no. 2425. It's one of their heathers that is sort of an orangy/rust color. This picture doesn't do the color justice, but the flash washed it out too much. This is going to go towards a Canopy Cardigan (ravelry link) from the fall issue of Knitscene.
And then my Hubby picked this up for a hat (pattern to be determined). Galway Paint, the color no. is 805, it's olive/tan/orange variegated.
And then, of course, it's back to school days, so my local T****t had all the college organizational bins and things on clearance. This one is holding my garter fingerless gloves.
Don't know what these are going to be for yet. Probably some of the miscellaneous sewing stuff I have scattered about the house! I also picked up a great zippered pencil bag that I'm using for knitting things (of course) and some great scissors that will work great in the various project bags/bins/baskets I have (also lying about the house)!

(Cactus Edit: I added some new blogs I read on the side, check some of them out -- if you haven't already!)

Purple, Purple, and More Purple

It seems like everything I'm knitting these days is purple. And the yarn I'm using is all from my stash, so I guess I went through a purple phase a while back! Now I can't get enough of orange and red! But I really, really need to use up some of my stash before I go buy more. I've had a trip to the LYS planned for a couple of weeks, but every time I plan to go, something else comes up!
Right now I'm still working on the skater's over top (ravelry link) and then on Friday (last week...I had to stop and think for a minute) I checked out from the library Weekend Knitting by Melanie Falick and just had to start the garter-cuff gloves and mittens (ravelry link). I'm doing the mittens (fingerless) and in some mystery purple yarn that I think is Cascade 220 super wash because deep down I know, especially now that September is here, that I'm going to need them soon!
Sorry I don't have any in-progress pictures, maybe I'll be enthused to get the camera out and show you later on!
Hope everyone had a great weekend and welcome September!

I think I need new glasses...

The glass...half full or half empty?
When moved, it leaves a lovely circle of soda. And went into the trash! (I only have three of these left out of eight!)

Mr. Bear is modeling the helmet liner.
Pattern: Helmet Liner

Yarn: Cascade 220 heathers, tan color.

Needles: #8 and #6 circular and dpn.

Modifications: I used the #8 for the bottom ribbing (read the pattern wrong), but by the time I realized it, I was too far in (I didn't want to frog it out)!

I was worried it wouldn't fit, but the friend I made it for tried it on and it fit on his head. He also knew, better than I did, how to put it on! I got it stuck!

Hope all are having a great weekend!

Happy Monday!

I've been working on my Central Park Hoodie, maybe tomorrow I'll have some updated pictures, but it will probably be more like Wednesday! I finished the back last week and started the left front today. It's definitely a quick knit and I'm liking it better every time I pick up my needles! I don't think I picked up my knitting at all over the weekend. Sometimes I do that, I just never get to my knitting when everyone's home for the weekend.

Check out this great contest at The Bag Lady and the Pro! Thanks to Smariek Knits for promoting it!

Happy Knitting to All!

How I Spent My Sunday...and Saturday...

I love this!!! I needed something to organize my projects that I carry from room to room (at least all the zippy bags the projects live in until they're done) and I found this at Target last week. Don't you just love that place? It was in the back to college section, I think the brown and pink go well with my new pillows, too (from Kohl's).

Now, on Sunday I finally re-worked and re-organized where all my knitting, sewing, crafting and whatnot will live. This closet used to hold shoes, bathroom stuff (you know, extra soap, shampoo, hair gel, razors, etc.), but now the top part holds all my sewing notions (the top two bins), the next shelf is my somewhat current magazines and miscellaneous patterns, and then the next has my sock yarn (all my vacation yarn) and my pattern diary, I guess you would call it. The yellow and coral (?) bins I got at the my local dollar store, where yes, everything there is one dollar. (Not pictured: my make-up and shoes that are now living in the bottom section of this small closet all squeezed together!)
I also started (on Sat.) and finished Shopaholic and Baby, by Sophie Kinsella. If you haven't read any of this series, I highly recommend them. They are funny and sort of make you realize that sometimes too much shopping isn't all it's cracked up to be.
So...there wasn't much, strike that, there wasn't any knitting to be done at all this weekend. But don't worry, I'll have something for you soon...at least I hope so!
Happy organizing and happy knitting.

Weekend Doing and Goings On

Well, I'm back. I took the weekend off from the computer. We didn't turn it on at all this weekend. No checking e-mail. No reading of my blog friends. No work. Nothing. Nada. It was great. We got a lot accomplished this weekend. Went to Home Depot, picked up a new ceiling fan for the Munchkin's room and put it in (well I didn't my hubby did). Put up blinds on my French doors so the glare won't kill me when I'm sitting in my living room. Hmm...what else, oh yeah. Cleaned out the garage ( no small feat in itself). Got rid of old furniture and moved in some new (my parents are downsizing).

On Sunday we went over to a friend's house (the Munchkin's baseball coach's house) and stayed for six hours never intending to do so, but the kids (who were in the same class this year and the same class next year) were playing and having a great time and the couple and their friends were great. I took my chocolate chip rum cake (recipe to follow) and it was a great afternoon (to early evening).

How's the knitting going you wonder? Well, as I went to finish the heel flap on the cable and rib socks, I messed up somewhere, had to go back, frog out to the top and re-do. Then, when I went to turn the heel, messed up again. Frogged again and then just put the whole entire thing aside and haven't knit anything since. This was on Saturday. So...when I get a free moment tonight (after the kids are asleep) I'll see if I can figure out what I did wrong and correct it. I just need a little quiet time to figure it out. But, I did try on the sock and it's a little tight. I may have to frog the whole thing, but we'll see. I want to turn the heel and then I'll try it on again. I'll, of course, let you all know.

So, that's been my weekend.

And the start of summer here. The Munchkin's done with school, and several of you left comments about getting out early, but they go back (both) on August 9th. I'm already counting the days!!! Not really, but you know...

Chocolate Chip Rum Cake Recipe:

1 package chocolate cake mix

1 package instant chocolate pudding mix

1/2 cup rum (light or dark whatever you have works)

1/2 cup sour cream

2 eggs

3/4 cup water

about 1 cup chocolate chips (add just before pouring batter in pan)

Mix all ingredients together and pour into a greased (I flour it) Bundt Pan

Bake at 350 deg. for 35 to 40 minutes or until cake tester clean. Cool in the pan for about 20 minutes and turn out onto plate. When completely cool, sprinkle with powdered sugar. Trust me, this does not need frosting.

Oh, and don't eat the batter at 7:00 in the morning! Enjoy. Let me know if anyone makes this!!!