Swap Goodies

While I'm doing my best not to kill someone today, finishing prep and starting inventory ( worked 11 hours Monday)  I thought I'd entertain my yarnie friends ( non- knitters - my apologies, my brain is fried, yarn is destressful) with my recent swap goodies I've gotten but haven't posted about yet.

Jaime sent me a Scarlet Knight for my Creepy Cute Crochet Swap.  ( another New Jerseyan - our State U's mascot - but more importantly my daughter's high school mascot)



From my dancing dishcloth swap I got these three packages




This one also came with 2 skeins of yarn that were apparently put away before I took the pic.



I am mailing out 2 swap packages this week - depending on which day I can run out to the PO on lunch( The PO will definitely be closed when I get home the next 3 days) to mail them out.  Fortunately the deadline for one is the 15th, the other is the 25th.  Pics to come when the recipients get theirs.

I have nothing to say.

Really, nothing at all. the weather has been really hot, humid and muggy. It sucks And drains all the life out of me. Three different afternoons last week I ended up taking a 2-3 hour nap after my shower after work. Friday, I took Angie to lunch at Panera's, went to Target for some stuff, went to Borders to get the new issue of Simply Knitting - my favorite Brit mag. Angie "wasn't in the mood" to shop ( she thinks I'm going to give her my card and let her loose with her friends - not!) but Curt thought we'd be there longer so came to the mall, so we had dinner at East Cafe - Angie and I had sushi (if you get more than $20 it's 50% off) curt got 2 pieces of sushi and chicken teriyaki. yup, that was my most exciting afternoon/evening all week.

Last night was the race at Bristol - not talking about it. And the 49ers played the Raiders at the same time!! Came really close to a stroke - the 49ers were losing for most of the game and we aren't even talking about Tony.

Today - is still hot and humid despite all the rain we had yesterday so grocery shopping was the only thing I accomplished outside of the house today. I did make a peach cobbler - came out kinda weird (I blame the humidity) but it tasted good.

The heat and sun have been good for my container garden, I've been getting so many hot peppers, I've been dicing and freezing them and I'll be making - pesto again probably tomorrow. ALso getting tons of cherry, sweet 100's and grape tomatoes. The heirloom tomatoes are finally fruiting but it will be a week at least before they ripen.





knitting wise I turned the heel on Angie's sock. I'm still on the set up rows of my moms shawl - I'm at 110ish stitches and I need to get to 159 before the pattern actually starts. I've joined a few swaps out of sheer ennui, one is a spa cloth swap, one is a 12 month dishcloth swap - send a dish cloth to a different group member every month - my month I'll get 11 cloths from them, A cotton scrap round robin - cotton scraps and extras are sent from person to person - whatever you take out you replace with something else, I think I signed up for a NASCAR knitters swap - haven't gotten a partner or anything yet so that's on the back burner. In four weeks when we find out who is on top of the Race to the Chase I'll have to send out a package (My driver, the serial killer as we dubbed him - Clint Boyer is definitely not in contention) We'll see which driver I get for the actual Chase. And I signed up for next season's Dancing with the Stars group - we'll see who I get there.

I'm done with the spa swap, but can't post pictures as I don't even know who my partner is yet. I am almost done with my first dishcloth, but also can't post until they receive it.

Hope I haven't bored you to sleep.
Have a great week!!

Quick Knitting Updates

I finally finished sock 1 of my Kaffe fasset ribbed socks. They look kind of funny w/o a foot in them. Kind of like clown socks long and skinny. They look better with a foot in them, but I don't want to take a pic with a foot and stretch it out, this way I can make sure the socks end up matching. So for now here is the pic:



I don't think I will get to start sock 2 until the end of the month or beginning of July. The "bonus points" deadline for my next VJGC afghan is 6.22, Monday. Not really sure if this is going to happen. I need 12 squares. I have 7 finished squares, 1 partial. So I need 4 1/2 squares. I need to crochet a border around all the squares and then seam them together. I'm not sure if I'll be able to accomplish this, but for now, I'm going to try. I'm going to bring the partial square to work tomorrow to work on at lunch. I have to hit the laundromat after work so I'll get some in there. Tomorrow night is my daughter's spring track banquet. I don't think I'll get anything done there. Wednesday, if I get my carpet truck early enough, is knit group at Mara's, so if I'm not sure if I'll bring a mindless square or a hook to work on the borders.

Once I get this 'ghan either mailed off or come to the realization that it won't happen , I am in a swap on Ravelry. It is the beach square swap I mentioned last week. I have to make a beach bag and 3 beach themed squares to mail out by June 30th. SO starting Monday, i'll bring the bag to work, to work on during lunch because it's quick and mindless. Then I can knock out the squares, 2 nites per square and have plenty of time.

Until these 2 get sent out, I won't be casting on my second sock. I am also waiting for my stuff to start my rain drop (blood drop) shawl. I'm really excited about that, but thatis it's own post

here's 4 more squares:

I Haz Pictures!!

My friend Gwen FINALLY got her swap package so I can post the pictures.





Of course I must include the pictures of my permanent model - Angie, especially since she loves PINK and purple.

Even though I rarely make a gauge swatch...

I think all designers, especially published designers should be required to put them in their patterns. Because even though I don't usually swatch, I can still tell as I'm working on my project if it's close to gauge or not. As I have mentioned before, I do tend to be a tight knitter. But my last project, the Irish tea cozy needed to be frogged and reknit. I was working on my mitts for the swap as I mentioned yesterday. First, I have to say the pattern confused me a bit because instead of YO they use Yfwd. But I was able to figure that out relatively easily. There is no gauge in the pattern, maybe because the pattern is featured in 3 very different yarns. But after I did the thumb, I sort of tried it on my hand. Mostly to make sure the thumb was loose enough because my yarn doesn't really stretch much. I then realized that once I seamed up the sides it might fit my teenage daughter's skinny friends but would be tight on Angie and definitely tight on another adult. So, after a hug from Curt, I FROGGED IT!! Went up a needle size. I am more comfortable with the pattern now and it is reknitting faster. But still, I was hoping to be finished today. Of course wandering around the internet isn't helping.




So hoping everyone has a great day! Tony looked yummy in his interview on raceday. Race starts soon - GO SMOKE!!!!!!


Oh! almost forgot - went to Borders this morning at 9am, when they first open, and I checked under the cushions of the chair I was knitting in on Thursday nite ( I had already called and they said there were no keys in the lost and found, but I figured if they came off the clip in the chair, they wouldn't be in the lost and found) And YAY!!! found my keys (and a quarter) but found my keys!!

RANDOMNESS

Ok, so here's some randomness for today. I finished my off-season afghan for the Victory Junction Gang Camp. I had decided last week that I didn't like how the squares were blending and the checkered flag squares were puckering. If I ever make checkers again it will be using bobbins, with each square being bigger. But as it would take way to long to reknit the squares, I decided to go with a black and white granny square which was kind of checkerish. Then since I didn't want just the 4 corners to be crocheted I made 3 other granny squares in colors from other squares. So here is the afghan as it was mailed yesterday. I was going to do a crocheted border, but the width came out to the max width the camp accepts so I left it plain.



By the time I seamed everything up it was already 5:15 ( over 5 hours after the post office closes) and it had to be sent yesterday for the points to count so I ran up to Fedex/Kinkos. First off, I always was under the impression they were open really late. Well, we walk in and the guy says we close in 3 minutes you can come back tomorrow if you want. No I don't want, why would I want to do that?? So I'm filling out the form as fast as I want and the guy is going 2 minutes until we close, we're open from 12-6 tomorrow. So just as he is about to say 1 minute I hand him the package and the form. I SWEAR if I didn't need to send it out yesterday so bad, I'd've walked out. I really think I'm going to fire off an angry e-mail to fed-ex. My daughter realized later that Staples and maybe Office Deot do UPS shipping and we could've gone there. Oh well. So since Fatburgers is a few doors down we got that for dinner. Yes an exciting Valentine's Day dinner. Burgers with my daughter while Curt was bowling. Sigh.

I was in a Valentines caffeine swap in Ravelry and while my package arrived yesterday, they left a tag on the door so she didn't actually get it. So I can't post the package I sent. Here is the one I received.



5 pot size packs of coffee, cappucino, cookies, chocolate, a mug, bear, pencils, a book and yarn!! No idea what I'm doing with the yarn. Angie already "appropriated" the pencils and she's eyeing those m&m's!!

In her last 3 fencing meets Angie has gone undefeated!! Granted 2 were "easy" schools she should have won against, but still awesome job. Right now the girls fencing team has a much better record than the boys team. I think it is because the girl's captains sub more. Since there are 27 bouts in a meet as soon as one side hits 14 they won. At that point the girls generally pull most if not all of the starters and sub in underclassmen. So to look at their record it looks like most of their wins are close meets and their loses blowouts,but last year over 1/2 the team members onboth sides graduated. The girls at least had some depth , the only boy's captain that had subbed regularly was saber so that is the most successful boys squad currently. On the girls squad, the sabers have had a winning record in all but 1 meet this year. Angie is B strip saber. Here's a picture of the starting saber squad. (If they look a bit nuts, they are. I think all saber fencers have that crazed look in their eye and they aren't quite normal)



Well, I'm off to the store. Need food for the week and provisions for the daytona 500 this afternoon. GO TONY!!!

Knitted Flower Project

So here are my finished flowers for The Knitted Flower Project.  I made them all out of my scrap bag of cotton yarn ( Peaches N Creme, Sugar N Creme, Lion Cotton etc)  mostly leftovers from various dishcloth projects.  I did notice in a few of the pictures that had been posted that the flowers were kinda floppy like and I wanted mine to be more structured and shaped.  So I used size 4 needles (metal yeah really) as I am a tight knitter to begin with ( I almost always have to go up a needle size to achieve gauge) I created a very stiff fabric that stands up.  The orange/yellow, yellow white/green, pink/white center were created because I ran out of the little bit I was using and added another piece.  I think my favorite is the yellow, white and green.  I like the green where it would attach to a stem. I have to stop by Mara's this week  to pick up a package of coffee to complete my valentine's day swap which is supposed to be mailed out by Thursday, so I will mail out my flowers at the same time.  

Happy Knitting!

Swap

I am actually posting this forward, just in case Bex reads my blog. I'm in a Christmas exchange for my Go Fast Knit Left (Nascar) group on Ravelry. Now I know I said no more swaps until after the new year, but I didn't have to knit anything so I went for it. unfortunately, I think on purpose on Min's part (the person setting it up) I got a Jimmie Johnson fan! Ugghh- that meant I had to go and buy something Jimmie Johnson ish. So I ended up buying a Christmas Ornament with Johnson and the 48 hood. I also got her a pound of holiday blend from Mara's - the coffee/dessert/now food place where my knitting group meets. They roast their own coffees and they are delicious. My favorite is mandeling ( can't spell it but can drink it) but they had none so I went with the Holiday blend. I also sent a bar of Jersey Girl chocolate (dark - it has antioxidants so it's healthy right?) and a skein of Classic Elite yarns Alpaca Sox. The sending yarn part was hard - the woman owns a yarn store. Truthfully I was going to try to find some handdyed in blue/purple but I forgot and ran out of time. But it is blue/purple her favorite colors so hopefully she likes it.





I put everything in individual zip loc bags, then wrapped the box in wrapping paper, then wrapped that in shopping bags and put it in another box, wrapped that in a brown bag (there was all kinds of printing on the box I found) taped the address labels on and taped the entire box. this box can fall in the ocean and not get the insides wet! i was also really paranoid about the packaging being compromised, so even thought the address is taped on, inside the first box is a postcard with her address, and inside the wrapped box is a Christmas card with her address on the envelope.

Swap

OMG! I was in a swap for my Go Fast Knit Left group on Ravelry. ( I will post pictures of what I sent Bextra on Sunday when she will hopefully have it by then) Michelle's box was waiting for me on the stoop when I got home from the worst day ever.... it is now the best day ever!!

First off - I love penguins do you not love this paper?



Then since we all know I need to start using red yarn now that Tony has gone red...



I wish you could feel the yarn! It has such good hand feel!

And the bestest?? My officially first item of Stewart-haas racing!! ( The stuff Curt bought doesn't ship until the 10th)



I so want to wear the shirt tomorrow ( yes for all you Jeff Foxworthy fans I is a redneck) but we are doing physical inventory and I don't want to mess it up. Wednesday I have to wear a 49er shirt to casually rub it in to Carl that the 9ers won and the Cowboys lost. So Thursday or Friday definitely.

Thank you sooooooo much Michelle!!!


And this!!! Hidden under the tissue paper..

No they're not done

no, angie and curt are not done with the tree. ( curt is just brut muscle - hee hee - angie wanted to do the tree herself this year)

So what have I been doing?? Well first I was up at 4:30am - wide awake - it's a curse - i finished Angies pink cowl. Pics soon, have to find the cable for my camera. I made breakfast (grits, eggs, bacon, coffee) then I had to run down to Livingston to see Lauren. Who is Lauren you may ask?? She is the lady that does my nails. She is awesome! I have only broke a nail twice since she's been doing them. (Both times she was on maternity leave were nightmares for my poor fingers) Yes, I broke/sheared one off yesterday. How you wonder?? Well, while I absolutely love the guy that normally delivers my carpet, I really think he is the only non-moron, non-useless, non-annoying, non-creepyyweird driver tht works for that company. So things have been slow, so they only have been working 4 days a week for like 3 weeks a month. ( still is 45-50 hours) But they keep giving him Fridays off! ( Ok he's been there a while and gets a 3 day weekend out of it ) But Friday's one of MY delivery days and I get one of the above implied moron,useless, annoying, creepy weird driver instead. So one of the rolls on the truck is a 12 by 61/2 foot roll- maybe 25 pounds tops. but rolled 12 feet long. So I ask the guy if he can grab the other side and walk it over to the special order holding cage with me - seemed like a waste to use a cart. Now if he couldn't handle this he should have said so- instead we get halfway there (it's only like 50 feet) and he dropps it, but twists it at the same time, taking half my nail with it. The profanities I issued forth with are not printable here. So she fixed it.

then I Came home and wrapped my Christmas swap gift for my Nascar Knitters group on Ravelry. I had to hermetically (zip loc) seal the jimmie johnson ornament I bought so as not to infect my house - shutter!! I will post more details and a pic next weekend in case my partner reads this blog ( I dont think so - she's never commented if she does - but just to be safe.


I have then alternated between posting on ravelry , knitting a sock and thinking about cleaning the living room. Sigh. Then I picked up like 5 things and I'm posting here.

Well no Britcoms on tonight (although celtic woman is on pbs) so I'm picking up fatburgers and cleaning this evening!

This is my swap package from vicki! Yellow bear is just too cute! And chocolate, I always love chocolate. Will post my package to her in a few days after she receives it. I don't think she's seen my blog, but i don't want to take any chances at ruining her surprise!

What did I make this week?

There was a bakesale at work for the holiday party. I normally don't attend ( it was from 9pm to 12 pm near work last year. I live 25 miles away, get up at 2:30, and if I wanted to bring my husband it would cost me $50. Mind you the party cost $25 a head, so if you bring a guest you pay for yourself too? ) So I don't normally don't participate in the fundraisers either. ( I'll buy something if it looks good, but I don't usually make anything) Anyway, the woman who basically runs receiving, is in charge this year ( chairperson from hell transfered to another store). She asked me to bake something because not enough people signed up. So I looked at what I could do, with minimal shopping. I ended up making black forest no bake cheesecake. ( very easy - chocolate no bake cheesecake with chocolate chips and diced cherries from cherry pie filling. topped with sprinkles and a cherry from the filling. I have every imaginable form of red sprinkles as red and white are my daughter's school colors. Quick tip to make the graham crust taste homemade? brush with egg wash bake at 400 for 3-5 minutes.) And below, carrot cupcakes. (carrot cake mix with a handful of shredded baby carrots, a can of crushed pineapple, handful of shredded coconut, raisins, and chopped pecans. mixed canned cream cheese icing with some vanilla extract - gets rid of the canned taste - yes i cheat, and fall sprinkles) Gotta say, people at work need to get out more. I had SOOO many requests for both recipes- my standard response is it's really not hard (truth) and I just throw in handfuls (truth) so it's hard to give a recipe (ok lie).

I made 2 crocheted amigurumi penguins for a MSN knitting and crochet swap. I'm becoming more of a crocheter it seems. I think it's because crochet seems to go so much faster than knitting. I still like knitting better. It seems softer, has a nicer hand and texture, and I like doing it more. but for projects on a deadline, I am confidant enough to pick up a hook. Now don't get me wrong, thread crochet is just never going to happen here. Neither is lace crochet. But penguins were fun! I am also sending a set of stitch markers that are almost done. I bought those new gourmet m & m's - they are made about 15 miles or so from here. I may add some coffee if I get to Denville before the post office, and maybe some Jersey Girl chocolate bars. Will post a finished pic tomorrow. I actually already got the box my partner mailed me, but I never think it's fair to peek before my box is in the mail.



Tony's starting 33rd. Arrgghhh ( yeah there's a bit of pirate in me every day) He was all like they worked more on race setup and the track changes a lot during the course of the race etc etc. BUT it's a mile track. He better get through some traffic so he doesn't end up lapped before the first caution. He better avoid being the first caution. Killing me, they're just killing me.

At least the 49er's don't play until 4:05. So by halftime the race should be over. i'm serious one day trying to watch an early football game and the race at the same time will cause an actual brain implosion. The lions, I'm hoping we could take the lions. Anyone not wanting to root for the 9'ers but wanting to help me out can root against the raiders. if they win this week, I won't be able to take a break all week, cause Carmen will be insufferable.

Hope everyone has a great week!

5 days until "speak like a pirate day"

My pirate name is:

Mad Mary Kidd

Every pirate is a little bit crazy. You, though, are more than just a little bit. Even though you're not always the traditional swaggering gallant, your steadiness and planning make you a fine, reliable pirate. Arr!

Get your own pirate name from piratequiz.com.
part of the fidius.org network

So for the next 5 days ( until Sept 19th) in addition to my usual chatter, there will be updates to get ready for Speak like a Pirate Day. The first thing a person needs to know is their pirate name. I'm Mad Mary Kidd. There's something warm and fuzzy to being a psychotic isn't there?

So Nascar is at New Hampshire today. The first race in the chase for the championship. Of course tony has another bad day. Made contact with the 70 in the pits ( ironic he'll own that car next year huh?) So he has to come back in, ends up near the back. Then he gets caught speeding in the pits, has a penalty ends up a lap down. So right now Jimmie F'ng Johnson is in the front, and I find myself rooting for Biffle. can you believe that? The 49ers are losing in the second quarter. The Raiders won, the giants won. Thank God the jets are losing. Ugghhhh. I'm going to start needing valium on the weekends soon! On the plus side my daughter's high school football team won 64 to 0 yesterday.

On the knitting side. I actually didn't do much all week. I did a few rows of the ripple 'ghan. did a couple rows of another market bag, but I am not happy with that and may frog it to start over. I still haven't finished seaming the red/white/blue 'ghan. I did finish one of my lacey anklets this morning and have just cast on the second. I need to pick an animal and make my amiguri for my animal swap for the msn knitting and crochet group's swap. I don't think I'm doing any more swaps until after Christmas. I need to work on other things.

The rest of this month is going to be pretty busy. monday night, there are 2 meetings we need to attend for Angel. Curt is going to the meeting at the library for the Global trip to Ecquador next summer. I'm going to the board meeting for the fencing team. Angel has an away meet for tennis, so I'll be at that until I have to leave to make my meeting. next weekend angel has a retreat. I also have to take her shopping for an outfit for her confirmation. Saturday, there wll be a party for her at a local japanese hibachi restaurant. Sunday ARCA is racing at NJ Motorsports park in SOUTH Jersey. So we'll be leaving the house around 4am. Curt's bowling wed and sat nights. Deep breath!!

My sister and sister in law are making me nuts! neither one wanted to go out to eat after the confirmation ceremony, because it started at 7:30 so it would be " too late ". My brother is flying in from California and has to fly back out Sat night because he has a big meeting Monday morning. So We made reservations for 1pm on Saturday. Then S-I-L starts whining she doesn't want to drive "all the way out here" by herself and if she rides with my F-I-L she wants hm to leave early with her. Now after my sister, wanted SIL to find a date so she could bring her "friend" and we made reservations for her and her "friend", she calls me and says she may not be able to go on Saturday because they are doing an inventory and audit at work, and can we meet her for breakfast! AARRRRRGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!


Ok, sports update. Biffle won, Tony worked his way up to an 8th place finish. So now F'ng johnson and Edwards are tied for 1st place and Tony is up from 8th to 7th. But there are only 9 races left. Thank God for knitting! Or i'd have an ulcer already. The 49ers work their way up to tie the game and send it into overtime. They actually won by a Field Goal - May need knitting and Valium and Nexium and Prilosec by December!

Weekend

My 9er's won! yay! Ok so there is some hope for my mental state this fall. After the beating they took from the Raiders last weekend, I was not too optimistic. Of course pre-season means absolutely nothing. But at least they found some sort of working offense.

We drove out to Lancaster county this weekend. We went to kitchen kettle village- hit the jam and jelly shop, of course had to get fudge. i was good with the fudge. Usually I fall for the whole buy 3 slices get 1 free, throw out 2 later in the week. Soooo i got one cookies and cream slice for Ange and one maple walnut for curt and I. I bought Angie some really nice silver/fake diamond texas star earrings. She wore them to dinner yesterday, but I didn't get a closeup shot, and she says she's not wearing them again until the 1st day of school in a couple weeks. We also hit some outlets along route 30. I got a new pair of Sketchers for work. Curt and Angie convinced me I should get the pair w/o laces as I haven't tied my laces at work in over a year. Usually I buy several pairs to last the year, but i just got one this time. never fear! Sketchers will be opening an outlet @ Tannersville in October so either way, I can get some more this fall. i got a car coaster - fit's in the cupholder of the car and absorbs spills somehow, it's stone like. Curt got one that was a red panic button and one that was a green eject button. i got one with a psychotic cartoon character on it that says Do I Look Like a People Person? hee hee.

This morning we went to Cabella's. They were having a sidewalk clearance sale! Jackpot! Got a bunch of stuff, really wanted this crossbow that was orig $1999.00 and was down to $500, but that would have seriously blown my cash for awhile so I passed on it:(

I did get 3 squares for my red/white/blue 'ghan for VJGC done on the trip. I did 2 today. Yesterday I sort of fell asleep when we hit Route 78 and only sort of was conscious on and off after we got off on 501.

We did get home in time to watch the NASCAR race. Not a spectacular finish for tony, but he did what he had to do and Denny and Jeffie had issues so he moved up to 6th. He seriously needs to win something in the next 3 or come the chase he's at the back. Still Love him though!

Too tired to download my camera so--- here's a pic of the package I sent out for the caffeine swap. Superstarved1 finally got it so I can post the pic now. One kinda embarassing aside - I read on someone's blog that they gave their treats from a swap to someone else 'cause they couldn't have sugar. I SWORE it was her's so I sent the sugar free tea rings. Well it wasn't her! Geez! At least she liked them..

Caffeine Addicts Swap

So here's my swap package from Diane from Maine. Green Mountain coffee, Dunkin Donuts Coffee, coffee nips, caffeine mints, white/mango tea, cool pad see below for wording, really pretty stitch markers and some really amazing sock yarn from a Maine dyer!
Here's a closeup of the stitch markers and pad. Diane didn't include her Ravelry name or blog so I can't send her a personal thanks.

I have pictures of the swap package I sent to amanda, but I don't want to post them until she gets it. Don't want to ruin the surprise!

Knitting Updates

I really like all the fancy beaded stitch markers I see online and in the knitting magazines. I did have a short period of time when I thought I wanted to make beaded jewelry. But I have nails and I won't give them up for anything. So beading was a pretty frustrating hobby and it fell along the wayside with the many other crafty endeavors I flitted in and out of before finding knitting. (I think that's why so many of my family are outright amazed I'm still knitting) anyway... I decided that I would try to see if I could make my own markers. I have all the stuff necessary- except I couldn't find my jump ring closer , grrrr. My first attempt failed miserably- there is no photographic evidence of that debacle. I took them apart and tossed the wire findings put the beads back in the box and put the idea on the back burner. Well, after simmering for a while I took out my beads, findings and tools and made 2 sets. the charms say love, laugh, hope, dream, believe and the long one says live. This is destined for the swap I'll mail out on Monday - she likes green and black.
Not much progress on the sock. Only about 3 of the pattern repeats last week. usually I work on socks at lunch and other places outside of home, but I've been working on squares for my red/white/blue afghan for the Victory Junction Gang Competition. ( kasey Kahne is seriously in the lead) I did decide about halfway through the week that I didn't like the way it would look with the different patterns together, so it will be all granny squares. The 5 blocks I made already of different patterns, I'll either work more and make a different 'ghan or I'll mail them to Min who unbelievably has volunteers to seam squares together. The blocks I made this week are still in my car, so no pics at this time.

Here's the update on the ripple. I've managed to get past the next white stripe. it is only currently 16 inches long. So I'll need to get 4 more orange/black/orange/white sections plus an orange/black before I'm done. sigh. Well, hopefully I'll get some done during the race this afternoon.

Knitting Updates

It's been crazy but here are my knitting updates and promised pictures. Above is the pair of flip flop "fittens" (foot mittens) I made up the pattern because my daughter likes to wear flip flops even when there is snow on the ground. I'm still not really happy with the bindoff on the big toe, but other than that I'm pretty satisfied with how they came out. I have discovered that it is hard to take a decent picture of a sock that is on your own foot, so you really don't see the split well.
This is the start of the lace anklet that I'm making with the yarn Sandy from Ravelry gave me. It is my first attempt at a toe up sock and it is going well so far. Of course the proof will be in the heel but I have a ways to go yet.
This is the promised picture of the yarn Sandy gave me ( one skein of the blue is not in the picture as it is already in use on the anklet) I'm going to use black sock yarn on the toes and ankles so I can make a pair of anklets out of the yellow/black skein. And I'm not quite sure what my daughter wants out of the purpley roll, but she loves the colors. (If you're reading this thanks again Sandy!)
I posted a picture of the package I sent Sherry M from my MSN knitting and crochet group. This is the package I got from her in the exchange. 2 bags, 2 hang over a knob towelish things, and a granny square. As well as a postcard and magnet from Chicago.

I am in another exchange on the Caffeine Addicts group on Ravelry. I need to stop by Mara's to get some coffee. I also need to pick up some yarn to send. My partner likes green and black, not my normal colors so it will be a bit challenging to find a yarn to send. We are also supposed to send stitch markers and a small knit/crocheted item. I am going to send a market bag ( not green and black I just can't work with those colors!) and I am trying to make stitch markers. I have a bunch of beading supplies from my brief foray into beading and it will put them to good use. If I can't make them come out good, while I am shopping for yarn I will have to pick some up at the yarn store.

Travel knitting

While on the road to Ohio ( about 7 hours each way) I brought my flip flop socks to work on, but I had to pay too much attention and started getting sick. 9only so much the candied ginger could do) So I broke out the hook, and started hooking (hee hee always cracks me up). I had started one of these market bags for an exchange on gwen's msn knittng and crochet group. i managed to finish the one bag, make another, and make the small one up front in the picture all with one skein of 12 oz sugar n cream marshmallow. These giant skeins were on sale at AC Moore before we left. I then used 2 leftover rolls of denim to make the blue bag. I think this project was easier because I didn't have to look at it very much.
Ok, I'm not sure how to rotate this picture. But this is the exchange package I sent to Sherry Monday for the exchange. Along with the 2 bags, I sent 2 pot size coffee packs from Seattle Coffee- Henry's Blend and Breakfast Blend. I know I usually send Mara's roasted coffee, but I didn't get a chance to get to Denville. I sent three skeins of kinder yarn in a yummy sherbert color, that I bought from the Knitters Closet. I sent a candle pair that I got while we were at Cedar point in their "Frontier town" candle shop. [Angel was able to dip her own candles in colored wax. She chose to dip a candle that was shaped like a dolphin on one end of the wick and a starfish on the other. She dipped the dolphin's head in pink. then the whole thing in blue, so it had sort of a purple head. She wasn't totally happy but I thought it had come out pretty. She dipped the starfish in yellow and then made the tips pink. She was really happy with that one.] Finally what is an exchange without chocolate of some sort. i got the emergency chocolate in dark (red wrapper) and milk (white wrapper). Of course the day after I mailed it off, the temperature went up to 98 degrees, so I hope it makes it to Illinois ok.