How Green is my Gansey

Here is the first Green Gansey sock. I love it. The pattern is very well written and easy to follow. I did change the heel and in doing so I put the lighthouse panels on the sides of the sock rather than front and back. Oh well, I'm keeping it the way it is. I also added a little more ribbing between the lighthouse part and the heel. I think it fits better this way. I cast on #2 last night.

In other news I got my yarn from The Loopy Ewe today! More on that later.

Holiday Update

I have been so busy playing with the kids the last few days I have not done much else. I have picked up My Green Gansey socks again. I really like this project. The yarn and pattern work so well together, I hope to have sock #1 done soon.

I got some really soft wool/bamboo yarn from My mom for Christmas. I cast on a stripe scarf. This is not the 1x1 rib all of blogland has been knitting. This one is wider and knit in the round like the Harry Potter year 1 scarves. The first of 2009s Christmas knits. Told you I like to plan ahead.

In family news: Bunky can almost always be found writing or drawing in one of her many notebooks. She got a password journal from her Daddy. MB likes to try to see what she has inside, every time he does a little alarm goes off to tell her he is at it again. She is really growing up. MB on the other hand has kept me busy playing Gorilla Island, Hungry Hippos and Lego Indiana Jones. He kicks my butt on the video games. I only beat him when we play Hold 'em

Hubby seems well pleased with his gifts too. I have to pry the hand knit socks off him for washing. I have yarn in stash for his next pair. I have seen him using his guitar tuning thingiee. He also got 2 new Rachel Ray cookbooks. (I found these on sale for about 80% off. What a deal!) He loves RR so those should see some use too.

In case you are wondering, Hubby got me the UK version of The Tales of Beedle the Bard . He also got me a gift card for The Loopy Ewe.

I was a very mellow Holiday for us. The kids and Hubby went to a movie, While I got 2 hours of peace to cook dinner. Just us this year. It was wonderful.

A Very Merry

Bunky got her Easy bake Oven. She is very happy.
Monkey Boy got his Gorilla Island. It took Mommy 45 minuets to get it out to the box.

A little alpaca for my tree. I love him.

Before the unwrapping.

It is turning into a very Merry Christmas here indeed. I wish all of you and all of yours a Very Merry Christmas!

Ribbon Candy Socks

Ribbon Candy socks all done. Yay for new socks on Christmas!

Baby its cold outside!

Man its cold here. -5f when I got up this morning. I don't even want to see the heating bill! Bunky is on winter break for the next two weeks. I hope this does not mean 2 weeks of fighting with her brother. Monkey boy keeps talking about "when I go to school" I am glad he is looking forward to it.

An old friend asked for some fingerless mitts for her 2 girls. I have one pair done. The other will have to wait for after christmas. Half way through the foot of Ribbon Candy #2. I adore them.

I was looking back at the knitting goals from last year. I did not knit myself a sweater. I did knit 10 pairs of socks, 6 scarves, 6 cowls, 2 blankets, and I don't remember how many hats this year I think I did ok.

What do I want to knit in 2009? Well more socks for sure. I love knitting socks. I take them everywhere.

At least one blanket. A cozy knit blanket would be perfect for MIL and the LtCol. It would be for the condo so I would get to enjoy it too. I have a few ideas.

A 2nd blanket for my folks. It gets darn cold in Chicago this time of year. These would both be Christmas gifts next year. I like to plan ahead.

Fair Isle hats. I love these. Everyone who sees Hubbys pirate hat wants one. I have been collecting wool for these all year. I have lots of patterns picked out for these. I like to get a bunch done.

Not a huge list and lots of room for add ons. Just the way I like it.

Update

I got Hubby's 2 hats done on Friday. They were a big hit. I had told him 12 was out of the question but 2 I could do. I forgot to get a photo before wrapping them up for him. I am working the heel of the 2nd Ribbon candy sock now. Should be done in time for Christmas morning.

We are getting more snow today. That is on top of the 2" of ice and snow from the night before. Yeah for a White Christmas! I like to have a little snow for Christmas. After that I want it to go away! For some reason Nebraska sucks at snow removal. You would think we would be better at it but no, the plows don't go out till it is done coming down. It takes them forever to get the side streets done. Come on people! It's not like this is our first time. We get snow every year! Did we not learn anything from last year?

I was done...

So last night Hubby asked me if I had any knit hats he could give to his co workers. "no" says I
"Well can't you just whip some up?" Says he.
"I guess I could if I have the right yarn what color do you want?" I ask
"I don't know whatever I guess"
"What type of hat are we talking about here?
" I don't know"
"How many do you need?"
" Well at least two, maybe a dozen if you can do that..."
At this point I am wondering if He thinks I can just pull hand knits out of my butt.
"But I was done!" I lament "ok but next time could I have a little more warning?"
" Well scarves would be nice for next year..."
Smart Ass
Guess what I am doing today?

Updates

So I finished the first Ribbon Candy sock yesterday and cast on the 2nd. I am trying not to start anything new until these are done.

All my Holiday packages went out in the mail today and the shopping for the kids is done. We bought much less this year. I am hoping to hit the after Christmas sales for some new winter clothes for them. I always find great deals after the holiday, I just have to find the money.

I have also decided to look for another job after the first of the year. I need to earn more. I don't want to put the kids back in daycare but will if I have too. I don't really want to lose my house, so if that means back to full time before I had hoped then so be it. I just wish we could make it to next fall. I am hoping to find an optical job. I loved helping people see better, and I made good money doing it. Not to toot my own horn too much but I was pretty good at it. I am watching the classifieds.

I hope to have new yarns for the shop after Christmas. I need a few more sales before I can buy the base yarn. What do you think? Should I do more sock yarn or more heavier weights? Remember I can dye any colorway you like on almost any base yarn so if you want some worsted or something just let me know!

A question for my fellow drivers

You see that white stuff outside? It's called snow. We get it every year. Have you all forgotten how to drive in it?

Ribbon Candy Socks

Here are my Christmas socks. The yarn was dyed by my friend Lorena for last Christmas. I don't know if they will be done by Christmas. They are knit at 10 sts to the inch on 2.25 dpn's. Should be doable. Gotta run. More cookies to bake.

Christmas Socks

Hubby's Christmas socks are done with days to spare! The yarn is called Galaxy by Regia. A wool/nylon blend. I like it. Should hold up well. One of the great things about Hubby is he will wear any crazy socks I knit him. I may have to test this theory by knitting him some green socks with purple stripes or something. I have a new pair of socks otn for me. Most of the socks I knit this fall were for others. I need more wool socks! It is starting to get cold out there!

Happy Birthday Monkey Boy!

What A good helper you are!

by Lake Granby, CO June,2008
Yes Mommy put sun screen on you.
looking for pretty rocks. we have to check his pockets for rocks everyday. I am still finding them in the truck.




You have grown so much this year! You have shown us that you are indeed fearless! There is nothing you will not climb on and then jump right off. Happy 5th Birthday Monkey Boy!

note: the above picture is just a really big rock. He is about a foot from the ground here. He did get to the top, about 6 feet from the ground and he did in fact jump off. Damn near gave me a heart attack.

Hi There! Winston here...

The puppy is one year old now. Remember when she was tiny and could sleep on my back? Well now she is a bit bigger and still into everything. Mom is mad at her because she keeps chewing up bedsheets and blankets, but most of the time she is fun to have around. Happy Birthday Toph!

World Aids Day

Today is World Aids day. Have you been tested? I lost a dear friend in college to Aids. This was in the early 90's. The next year the Aids quilt came to my school. I was lucky enough to get to be a part of the unfolding ceremony. I remember being very moved by the quilt. Each piece made to remember a life lost too soon. Each with a story to tell. I remember crying my eyes out for people I had never met and some I had know well. I remember seeing the square for Ryan White, the young boy from Indiana who got Aids from tainted blood given to him in a hospital, I wept openly along with everyone else. I saw a square for Freddie Mercury of Queen, I cried some more. I remember just sitting there on the floor trying to take it all in, thinking this was one of the moments that would shape my life. My friend and I were tested the next day. We had to wait weeks for the results in those days. For some of us the wait was easy, we knew we were not at risk, for others it was a very long wait. For myself and most of the rest of us it was good news, for others the quilt would grow.
Please if you are not sure, get tested. It is easy and the wait is not so long now.