CarmelKnits, etc.

Mr. Brown

Every day I drive about 30 to and from work along I-5. It's your typical four lane cement chute transferring people to and from different points of interest and jobs......it has it's greenery and trees and the sprayed on grass seed that from afar looks lush and soft......and as I was driving home tonight I glanced up along a hillside leading towards an on ramp and spotted a spattering of blooming daffodils. I think someone just tossed them there once and they took root because I see the same ones blooming every year and every year it makes me smile.......... Welcome to spring there There are many more things to bloom this year and as I continue my staring contest with 37 I feel more good change is coming for me and mine. I hope its the same for all of you.

 look mom! I do make the bed now :)  That's what I'm told. The yarn from Red Barn Yarn in Pasadena is en route to me as we type/read. I'm terribyly excited and nervous at the same time. I have faith in my abilities as a knitter but I also believe that when I get nervous I become a spaz and risk screwing it all up in the process. For example, when D and I went out on our first date I was a spaz and in turn made him nervous and I came across as a neurotic freak, I don't think he called me again for 6 months. Then we went out again and again, spaz, didn't speak for a couple months after that.......so I have a history of nervous energy turning me into a spaz. The only pattern that is really making me rethink my abilities as a capable knitter is the shawl collared cowl. Catherine is sending two different colorways to use and has a specific idea how she wants it to end so I believe I'll start with that one first in order to get it right. The hats I'm not so w...

The TV series. I never watched it when it was on the air and somehow D convinced me that I need to watch it because I would love it. LOVE. IT. Well the first time around I didn't. I couldn't keep up with what was going on, it made me angry, and confused and I couldn't follow it, till the last season in which it all comes together and I vowed to watch the whole series again and maybe this time I'd get it. Well I get it this time, I understand why everyone loved it, I like it, but I think I've seen too much of it because now at night after I watch an episode or four while knitting, I go to sleep and all my dreams have this 'trapped on an island with 40 other people trying to survive some unknown ( smoke monster ) threat with a heavy dose of Lord of the Flies and I'm the Queen trying to do FUN things with Jack the resident doctor/hottie' I understand the Queen thing, because I'm pretty sure in the dreams I've knit myself a crown, is just something...

Mr. D has a new member of his Pit Crew for the upcoming 2011 racing season.......she brings a lot the table in the Race Shop (garage) and has proven to be an invaluable addition to the team. Her duties include 1. Checking the tires 2. Looking under the car for wayward objects (balls) 3. Sniffing all around the car for any odd odors 4. Making sure our sticker guy stayed on task, which I'm sure Tracy appreciated 5. She also gives unsolicited advice (growls) 6. Every morning when I go down to the Laundry  Room I am required to let Shop Dog into the Race Shop so that she can verify that all is well with the Race Car. She hasn't brought BigBaby (her hippo) into the Race Shop yet but I think she senses that it's not a place for toys but for serious race business. (uh-huh) Sadly the Nasturtium sock wasn't working right for me which is odd because it has in the past, oh well, I ripped it out and was going to do a long scarf with a ruffle down one side then realized that I d...

Knitting Thanks to Tracy DeYoung www.deyounginc.com

I have a lot of works in progress and this is not a surprise to anyone, however I am currently working on a pair of socks for me which as soon as the yarn from yesterday's post arrives will be cast aside like yesterday's left overs, but for now I am loving it, maybe I'm loving the yarn I'm using more........Dream in Color Starry in a dark navy blue so it looks like the night sky speckled with stars.......Enchanting isn't it? The pattern is Nasturtium and you can find it here . and after reading Kristin's blog I've discovered that her daughter is equally talented and will be releasing an album soon, I just clicked the Facebook Link to their page and listened to a track I suggest you all do the same and then do what I'm going to do.......Promptly buy the cd. To read about the band click here and to listen to the music on Facebook click here do it, because I said so........please

Contact has been made. Selections given. I have 2 days to get my thoughts and needles in order. When the package arrives from Red Barn Yarn with the patterns from Alana Dakos of Never Not Knitting I need to be in top knitterly form.............I contacted Alana a couple months ago offering my services as a test knitter, she contacted me a few weeks ago asking 1. if I was still interested (YES!) and 2. Would I knit up some samples for a show. (YES YES YES) The show is TNNA (this is where my heart started pounding, i've never been but i know it's huge) The samples need to be back at Red Barn Yarn by May 15th Of the 5 patterns offered up to choose from I chose three............(this is where my head started spinning and I laid down on my office floor) I chose: Shawl Collared Cowl in the photo is the writer of the blog Knitted Bliss a blog I follow and love! Go back in her archives a few months and follow her seven days of hot chocolate series it was amazing. I'm loving ...

Because of this blog I found this website and was able to make these..................(we can talk more later about the fact that I follow a blog about a cat that lives somewhere in Japan) The cat photo'd further down is Jinx and next to Jinx is Grizzly, my friend Kim's cat & dog. Jinx spends her days stealing bits of her humans belongings, helping Kim knit and terrorizing her pet dog, Grizzly.

From the minute I started knitting this I was smitten with it and I am even more so now that it's done.......it's not that it was a trial to knit or that made it take so long, quite the opposite really, I blame all my friends who are currently baking up new babies that once born will need wooly knit things, so my need for wooly knit things was pushed aside while I cranked out a bunch of baby objects. However, I pushed thru last night, was up till 11:00 p.m. doing the bind off, up at 4:30 (my normal time don't worry) weaving in tails over my morning coffee while Gabby and Quintus snarfed down their food. TA-DA I present to you Sweet Vermouth by Thea Coleman knitwear designer extraordinaire! You can find her blog here Yarn: Malabrigo Worsted (I can't remember the colorway but it's Malabrigo so you know it's delicious) Needles : US 9 Addi Turbo Pattern : Sweet Vermouth - Free Ravelry Download here Necklace : Designed and Made by my sweet friend Nicola, bought an...

For some of you this won't come as a big surprise for others it may. For over a year I've worked as a shop girl at my LYS (Local Yarn Store) which I've loved, but as with any good thing it must come to an end. I was getting frayed at the edges with only one day off a week seeing as I have a 9-5 Mon-Fri. It's never an easy decision to make because I worked for a friend and I didn't want to hurt her feelings by leaving. Well fate dealt me a hand I couldn't turn down. My friend sold the shop and while the offer was made for me to stay I took it as divine intervention. The time to change was now. Not only are fuel prices hitting a high mark, and racing seasoning is fast approaching, It's spring and as I look out my front window at my winter sodden yard, and the greenery starting push thru, (more of the weed variety I might add) I'm driven with an urge to get out there and garden.......it's okay mom, I really said that and you can get back in your seat no...

It's possible that it's time to review the rules of the house. I know we went over them when each of you moved in with us but it's possible that a few things may have slipped your minds. Please don't let your feelings be hurt or think that we love you less than we did the day we brought you home, in fact it's possible that we love you more............. 1. Gabby, it is not necessary to wake me up at 2:30 A.M. because you think it's your turn to sleep in the chair and Quintus won't budge, you have to wait till he gets down and then you can steal the spot but no, i will not make him get down to appease you and the more you whine the harder it is to get him to budge. 2. No matter what the weather is outside, if you haven't gone out to pee in 8 hours I will be mean and make you do it, this however does not give you leave to shoot back into the house like a dog on fire spraying water and mud everywhere.........I have a towel, I will dry you off and you will be...

Glancing through my day planner and I've discovered a few things..........1) I actually remembered to write stuff in it before it happens instead of filling it in after it happens, 2) I have things happening all weekend starting tonight.  - Open House Fund Raiser at my friends house where I will probably spend gobs of money on Pottery and such to fund a girls home in Cambodia.  - Tomorrow afternoon/night consists of celebrating the MIL's birthday all the way up in Anacortes  - Sunday is the baby shower for Mindy, I can't wait for her to see the secret gift, well and the monkey sweater which is complete now......The baby blanket will be done when Damien is done cooking......... All that being said a few interesting, mortifying and exciting things have happened this week. 1. I went to the bathroom at work and didn't realize till I plopped down on the toilet seat that I had failed to shut the stall door behind me (horrified that someone would walk in I did the 'pant...

I wasn't sure they would work. In fact I was leaning more towards the fact that they wouldn't and that I'd be forced to find something else instead.........but they are, they arrived in time and now all they need is a button band. I bought the buttons here The Pattern is Little Coffee Bean and you can find it here Sweater is for Mindy and her soon to be here son Damien. I am attending a baby shower for her on Sunday......she knows about the sweater and buttons already because I couldn't keep it secret. I have one thing that is and so I feel okay with outting this gift. I can't wait to see him in it. Yarn: Lion Brand Cotton-Ease in Mushroom and Blue Needles: Size 7 and 8 Perfect if you are learning top-down construction.

Well first, lets state the obvious........I got a spanking new phone to replace HomeSkillet (my blackberry) with over the weekend. I promptly texted Margie and asked what app she used for her super cool photos and BAM I am having all sorts of fun now...... Second: I bet I could spit a longer distance than the amount of yarn I have left to knit my Sweet Vermouth with......so we can all say 'Hey, she's within Spitting Distance of getting something finished.................Not bad, not bad at all. Third: There are changes on my horizon, some good, some not so good, but the upside is they are my decision and I am happy with them as such. Fourth: with my new camera app I can make a funny noise with the camera right before I snap the picture and that's how I got Mr. Brown to give me the look that says 'I wish she'd stop taking my F$%&ing picture.' I'm sure he's not the only one who thinks that but I don't mind.........I love him and shall force my l...

These are my favorite photos of the past week........  Gabby wondering why I won't stop knitting to toss her ball for her.....   Gabby relaxing using Mr. Brown as her bolster.........   And my favorite of all Peanut checking out the socks I knit and sent her and the back drop.....her big bad baby blanket of course........