It's not nice to tease your mother.....

Dear Mom,

Check these out! Aren't they absolutely fabulous? And No you can't have them, I made them for me...but don't worry, I have another pair in mind for you"

That was the email I sent to my mother, with a picture of the sock I was making. Unfortunately, Karma bitch slapped me and the sock is too small.

Here is an ammendment to that email:

Dear Mom,

Merry Christmas!

Did I miss something........again?

Ever have that feeling that you missed something? That nagging anxiety that not is all well in your world? I do, all the time. I believe mostly that it's due to a want to do everything and the end result is that you essentially do nothing. Not the game plan, and leaves a empty little hole that nagging feelings thrive in. However lets venture down the road that isn't quite that precise. Lets say you're working on a pattern. A vest, I'm very smitten with vests right now, and you've adjusted the pattern to make it longer. This is the most complicated pattern you've executed to date, you even have a note book to write out the chart line by line, keeping copious notes. It's brilliant. So you cast on with fervor, glorying in the fact that it's working.

Look at it, all those cables are fabulous, you make it 2 inches longer and beging your arm hole and shoulder shaping. Back is done! Such accomplishment. Right now, it's key to remember 2 inches. I know it's key, that's why I make notes and that's why I noted it on the front page of the photo copy I was working on. Excellent, right on track. So, you cast on for the left front per pattern instructions, moving along, you execute your first pocket! This is a pattern of first and it's way more exciting than that first 'first' because it's something that keeps on giving. You move right through, RIGHT through the left front, bind off in a ray of glory, convincing yourself that you have achieved such a feat, bring on the right side. Cast on, admire how easily you work through the intricate cables and multiple charts, highlighting your rows, your notes. Second pocket done, so much easier the second time, everything always is.

It was as I was working the pattern during Tuesday night knitting class at my LYS So Much Yarn, when Lauren, the owner said to me, 'I love it! I can't wait to make mine and I'm also going to make mine 2 inches longer. I think that's a good idea'.

Now, this is where we go back to 2 inches being a key thing to remember. Lauren said on Tuesday that she was going to make hers 2 inches longer, I worked on the sweater on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. All the while something was eating at me but I couldn't figure it out, oh well, it would come to me if it was meant to right? It did on Sunday afternoon. I thought, I should see how this is going to look. So I grab the pieces and lay them out..........................................let me point out that at this point on Sunday I was working on the armhole decreases, so I was pretty invested........Look at my work up there...I thought I was a pro, I'm not a pro...I lay the pieces out in my living room, admiring the twists of the cables, my 2 first pockets, the beautiful honeycomb cables mingling with the horseshoe cables and the rope cables on the back, it's lovely and the front pieces are 2 damn inches SHORTER than the back. I said a very bad word many times. I pulled the yarn trying to stretch and realizing even with my limited knowledge of 'blocking' a garment that not all the blocking in the world was going to make this work. I took it to class and ripped back the left front and the right front to just below the arm hole decreases. Did I cry? I'm not going to say, my knitting ladies at class were stunned. I believe that Lynn's jaw hit the ground when she walked in and saw me there ripping it back. Wound up the yarn, put the live stitches on thread, balled up the whole heaping disaster and tossed it into a very lovely bowl on my living room table. It's been almost 8 months. I think I'm ready to play with it again. It would be nice to wear at Thanksgiving.

What's the Lesson today?

ALWAYS MARK YOUR ADJUSTMENTS ON EVERY SINGLE PAGE OF THE PATTERN.

that's it. Really easy.

Now, here is an accomplishment: I completed Monkey by Cookie A.

Knit in Count Cluckula by Blue Moon

Aren't they lovely?

Good Night, Happy Wednesday........

Late Bloomer......

That's a fairly gentle way of describing how I became who I am today, versus who I was 21 years ago. 21 years ago I was fourteen. Seems like it was 10 years ago at most and 20, please that was last week wasn't it? Nope....20 was fifteen years and I was in Pennsylvania, followed a boy there. That was a life lesson. Not to be repeated. Well not the same way, repeated a few more times but we're past that and I'm getting off the topic of the 'late bloomer' title. It doesn't signify that I am slow, have a learning disability, or was held back in school. I got into trouble, and that trouble followed me from 14 to 25. Enough trouble that while the rest of my friends were going to college and figuring out what they were going to do in life, who they were, I was busy just trying to make it through a week, a month, heck even a year. I wasn't in bad shape, I had a job, I had my friends, but I was easily led astray. I liked people to like me. I liked being the one who made everyone happy. I'm telling you right now, that's not how it's supposed to be done. Because the people I was making happy, and letting lead me astray were not nice people and my friends, who were nice people, knew better. They tried to tell me and in the end distanced themselves. They knew there would be a fall out. I didn't. The fact that I graduated from high school on schedule was probably a huge sigh of relief for my mom. But my causing trouble and being led astray wasn't over yet. However, I made it through. I distanced myself. I made some more bad choices but I also made the choice on how to fix it. That's empowering for someone who had been led around by other people. Doing things that I knew were wrong. I KNEW THEY WERE WRONG. * we are going to pause for a moment while my mom, who I know has dragged herself in from her garden to read this, pulls herself up from the floor* I knew what I was doing was wrong but I didn't want to say anything that would cause the, I'm going to steal a term from my friend Megan L. and call them Rottens, that would cause the Rottens to dislike me in anyway. I had a lot of anxiety about not being liked. However that has all changed in the past 10 years. I know who I am, I know what I want, and I have a basic idea of how my life is going to be for the next 90 years. Yes, I plan to be around, still blogging at 125 years old. By then all I will have to do is think and the blog will post. Want to lead me astray now? I'll knock you down, and that, my friends is the difference between me now and me 11 years ago. The funny thing is, and I am just realizing it as I get older is, the Rottens never ever got into trouble like I did. You know why? There parents weren't around, or they didn't care. Lucky me, I had a mom who cared, I have 2 brothers who cared, and for the last 15 years I have had friends who have cared. The best part though? I care. Now, in the past 15 years I still screwed up but I knew what I was doing, I paid a big price, gave up a very big part of me, made a difference in some lives, rolled in the dirt for a while, stood up and was a completely different person. I hurt my family, I hurt my friends back in the midwest, I thought that I had hurt them enough that I understood if they would never speak to me again, regardless I was going to make a difference. I was going to become a contributing member of society. My husband helped. He was my roommate 9 years ago, saw me at my absolute worst and married me inspite/because of it. what did I learn 9 years ago? I am strong, I can survive anything, I am smart, and I don't need everyone to like me, although why they don't is a mystery, I'm a delightful person. (i suggest that if you are seeking confirmation on that you should only contact my mother. My husband would probably bring up the time I sweetly gave him a gumball after dinner from a quarter machine, he loves them and I know he does, and the gumball I chose was called a tear jerker, because it was so sour, so sour. to this day one of the funiest things I've done to him, so, if you want confirmation on my delightfulness, ask mom). What makes my life so great now? My husband, we've known each other for 10 years, lived together for 9, and this October will be married for 6. My Mom, I can't imagine a better pillar in my life. My brothers, Adam is fabulous, married to a wonderful woman and they have 2 amazing children who make me laugh all the time, my younger brother, also makes me laugh and always asks the questions out loud that no one else thinks to ask. We had moments as we were growing up but that's being siblings. My dad, we have our moments, miscommunications, but at the end of the day I always remember sitting with him, early in the morning drinking my hot chocolate that he's made for me out of a BIG coffee mug with a blue bull painted on it. Well that about covers the sappy stuff. The rest? What else keeps me moving forward and having a fabulous life? Knitting, yarn, wool, baby animals, books, I love books. If a book is written really well I can imagine myself in the story, Imagine it really happening, imagine that it's real. I know there is probably a pill for that but it probably reacts with my ADD drugs and we can't go off of those, can we JoJo? My dogs. I love them, they make me laugh every day. I can't imagine not ever having a dog. I can't forget my friends. I have great friends. They are unique, beautiful, fabulous, and each one feeds a part of me that no one else can. (kind of cannibalistic isn't it?) Megan H., Megan L. Amy C., BHLP, Jenny S, Joanne, Marcy, Lillian, Pam H. (read the intitial of the last name, H not L, those who need to know what I'm talking about). And, really, if this, none of this is every enough.....there's always beer to change the view from the knothole.

Happy Thursday!
p.s. to all my friends who weren't mentioned. Please don't be offended, I can't count past 9 after 3 Leinenkugels. However, I heart you all.

How amazing.............

That this.........


Had these inside just waiting to come out........

These are my completed Dancing Bamboo Socks from the book Pints and Purls. Designer Holly Daymude.
Happy Birthday to Me :)

Socks....

I'm smitten with this pattern from the book, Pints and Purls, I finished the first sock last night and am getting ready to start the second one as soon as I hit 'post' on this, I'll probably take a shower first also but that's a personal thing and I won't share pictures of that.....no one wants to see that.......there will be leg shaving though so I'll need more band aids.....

Happy Mother's Day

I knit a Hat.....

It's super cool looking, and even though it's May, is still appropriate to wear in Seattle.....the only problem.......It's too big.

I think I'll keep it though......

I should probably just stick to knitting........

My dad celebrated his birthday this past Friday. Today he is having a little birthday celebration at his house. I volunteered to make the tiramisu that I made in Italy. It rolled blithley off my tongue, full of confidence and good will. That was 2 weeks ago. Today is the day the Tiramisu gets made. I'm going to point out a few differences between Tiramisu in Italy and Tiramisu in my Mukilteo Kitchen.
In Italy: Each group had a personal chef whi assisted us in our creating of the Tiramisu
In Mukilteo: I have two boxers.
In Italy: Eggs aren't pastueurized and have a beautiful orange yolk that gives the Tiramisu a lovely yellow custard color
In Mukilteo: I have pastuerized eggs and more of a pale yellow Tiramisu
In Italy: our Tiramisu had a nice custard consistency
In Mukilteo: one can only hope.

I can cook. I can cook up a storm. If I ever invite you to my house for a party you will all agree that the number one thing I ask people to bring is dessert. Why? Because I can't make dessert, which makes it all the funnier that I let fly that I would be happy to make Tiramisu just like in Italy. *brief pause while I laugh my ass off right now* I can barely make chocolate chip cookies. I can make brownies out of a box, cake out of a box, anything out of a box dessert wise I can handle.
Ask me to cook Thanksgiving dinner, no sweat, ask me to make a cheesecake and it'll look like a Philadelphia cream cheese neutron bomb blew in my kitchen.
So, I should probably stick to knitting. I know I can do it confidentally. It won't burn in the oven. There is no chance that I'll ever give someone food poisoning with it, maybe a rash because of a fiber allergy but you won't die from it.
I'm pretty sure that I'm going to check on my Tiramisu, that is hopefully hardening in the fridge as I type, and decide that I am going to have to leave 1/2 an hour early, stop at QFC and buy a delicious carrot cake for my fathers birthday.
I took a picture of my tiramisu, but I also added some nice pictures to take the queasiness away after looking at them....sitting there all cockeyed in my fridge taunting me with their unsolidness.


Here are the tulips from Butchart Gardens in Victoria B.C., aren't they nice...see you're starting to feel better already....

Quintus and Gabby taking advantage of the sun....so cute....feeling even better right?
Ahh my beautiful brown Bitter Sweet color yarn that's going to become the hat you see in the background....looking forward to wearing that this fall.....oh and Merry Christmas everyone!

And last but certainly not least, the Dancing Bamboo Sock. Pattern from the knitting book Pints and Purls, portable projects for the social knitter. The yarn is Sox that Rock in an exclusive color made for Tricoter in Seattle. You can only buy it at that store. The color name, Tricoter.

Stop the Insanity.....

Fisherman Bay, Lopez Island. Mom and I went last weekend for the bike ride, Tour de Lopez, that they have every year.

Here is mom, sporting her fancy new bike and totally loving it.......bought, built, and fitted at Rodriguez Bicycles in Seattle. If you need a bike, go there and ask for Smiley.

Agate Beach, stop number 3 on the ride.....
and since it's spring, the lambs were out.....
The lambs were funny...the white lambs for the most part would stick pretty close to their mothers and the rest of the flock. The black and brown lambs tore around the flocks like little wooly demons, I could identify with them of course. There were two in particular that I absolutely fell in love with and since I was on my bike I couldn't snap the picture. 2 black lambs tearing through the flock heading right for their mother. Now at this point you must keep in mind it is shearing season as well so the sheep are full of wool and the lambs are still nursing from time to time. Now, these 2 black lambs headed straight for their MaaaMaaa and when they reached her they split, one on each side and hit her so hard to get a teet that her back end literally bounced in the air. All the while the MaaaMaaa kept eating the grass.
I did mention it's shearing season......Here we have a shorn fleece from a Ram. That will make some very pretty yarn.......Speaking of pretty yarn.......

This is the yarn studio at Island Fibers and those bags are filled, FILLED with freshly sheared sheep wool. Made me a little light headed, a little dizzy, I mean, really....what do you touch first...almost makes you want to strip naked and roll in it, but since it was the first time in the studio and I really want to be invited back, it's probably for the best that I didn't pursue that little notion.


These skeins on the shelf in the picture below are undyed. That is the natural color of the sheep wool. I bought one skein of the cream, Mom bought the rest....3rd shelf down is the dyed wool, done in Maxines kitchen. I bought some of those too.....shocked?

Roving....merino and silk.........and the colors, I can't wait to see it spun into yarn.......
More roving.....mmmmmmmmmmmm

Here are 2 of my skeins...I'm going to make a couple hats.....
Here is my first Monkey Sock. The design is by Cookie A. The yarn is Sox that Rock Count Cluckula....
This is Marcy's sock in Sox that Rock 'Manly' It's beautiful. The pattern is called Cricket and it's a purchase pattern online I think. This is my first 'Helena' sweater. I do plan on making more, Marcy, don't shudder, I don't plan on making as many mistakes on the next 2 :). I am making it out of Berroco Comfort DK bought at So Much Yarn in Seattle. It's perfect, nice and soft and machine washable. Always a plus when knitting for children.

Well that's all I have for now. I have to go make Tiramisu for my fathers birthday dinner tonight so that means I have to go to the grocery store..........Have a Happy Sunday

Do You Have a New Post Yet?

A blog, I've discovered, is an interesting thing. If you write one, you hope people read it, and if they do indeed read it, you hope they like it, find it interesting, and maybe even informative. Knowing that people read your blog, depending on your psyche, can create a whole new world of doubt completely different from, 'should I really walk out of the house wearing this today?' kind of doubt. A blog, for the most part is a brain dump, that's why my doctor calls them. Says it's healthy. Get it out, never look back. I never read what I blog, which explains some of the bad grammar and spelling errors. However, being as it is a 'brain dump' for me and helps with the ADD, it's not a good place to dump bad feelings. I choose to write the blog to amuse. I find my life amusing and want to share what I find amusing with everyone else, knowing that I am really the only one who finds my day to day interactions with life to be absolutely hilarious.

The question was posed to me a couple days ago, "have you given up on your blog?"


It made me think. The answer is no, I haven't given up on my blog. There are a host of reasons that I haven't posted but the biggest one is that I haven't been in a good place emotionally for a couple months now and felt that instead of blogging something that could eventually be harmful to me or someone else, I chose to hold back, sort myself out, and get on track. I still knit like a maniac and as you'll see I apparently had a black out at a number of yarn stores based on what my desk looks like right now. I go to work every day, I've travelled with my mom a couple times and have spent time with my husband and dogs. I've even taken up gardening, and as bad a gardener as I am, I find myself enjoying it. Plus, if I ever figure it out, it's one more thing that will bring my mom and I closer.


So, here I am, getting a better grip on my life and what's important, and coming back to entertain you with my run on sentences, beer induced knitting mishaps, yarn store blowouts (not during a sale) and my most recent adventure with Mom to Lopez Island, where we did a bike ride but were also invited to the studio of Island Fibers.


This might be a two parter because I have a lot of pictures to go through and explain, so I'll wrap this post up with one statement.

Clearly, I've gone insane in the past 3 weeks.....(please note that I did NOT include the yarn I purchased in Italy)

Megan......maybe that intervention isn't a bad idea....I'll bring the Leinenkugel's