Fly-by-knitting spree ...

and a wonderful time with a charming lady!

I amazed myself when I found 5 of Louisa Harding's books in my home library [who knew I would have that many?] and heck, I had to buy one more before the weekend was over too. Louisa signed them all!



Seed Stitch Fine Yarn and the Greater Boston Knitting Guild hosted the visit from Louisa this past weekend. I was happy to get my books signed on Friday night and go out to dinner with her and a couple of the girls who work at SSFY. We went to A Passage to India Restaurant. Yummy! And we had a lot of laughs and discussions about design, fiber and other miscellaneous subjects. I think we even talked about kids and grandkids at some point, LOL.



A workshop on the Juliet Scarf was held on Saturday and I stopped by when they were done. Sounded like everyone had a wonderful time. Once again we had a lovely dinner. This time at the Lyceum. More fiber discussions and the time just flew right by!

I then attended the Sunday workshop for the Charlotte Purse.

With a full class and a lot of enthusiastic knitters all working on a their own creation. Here's a sampling of our day ...

Did I mention that a couple in our "Knitting Kittens" group was there? We're part of the Thursday night Community Knitting group that get together an extra night to continue our shenanigans with knitting. They've been my life savers these past five months.



And before Louisa left she was gracious [brave] enough to get into a picture with the StitchingNut. Mei.



Well if only I could keep a straight face and stop all that laughing ...



Must of been the cashmere behind me that was tickling the back of my neck, huh? Couldn't be because I'm such a "ham" ...

Yes, St. Anthony comes through ...

And I thanked him from the bottom of my heart. The pin backs were found. The very moment I got back home I said to myself, "Now when was the last time I used the pin backs?" ... and I knew exactly where there were. With my felting supplies. The last time I had a class we cut out our creations and I gave everyone a pin back to make a brooch out of their work. So there they were in the first box I picked up from my supply drawer.

Wow, I'm so pleased!

**Added note here, I've included a quiz at the end ... something different. Love to cook? Well I love to eat!! Go check it out and take the test. **

So here's my first finished Juliet Scarf ...

And I've already started another. M-m-m-m-m, which button should I use?

Do you want to see something that I just HAVE to knit? Of course I'm always thinking ahead. Sometimes too far ahead, but this is something for me. If it's a style that will look good on me that is. Here's what came in the latest delivery from A Swell Yarn Shop ... I'm in their DeKay Duet monthly club. Along with the yarn comes a pattern. And I couldn't be more thrilled with this month's. Looky here ...



And would you know that it has a very similar color in it to the Juliet Scarf and Knuck Gloves [but without the tattoo lettering] that I intended to knit for myself after Christmas gifts are done? Of course it wasn't planned ... now would I do that?

I swear these things just "happen"!

My result for The hey good lookin' whatcha got cookin' test...

Sous Chef 79%

79% accuracy!

Superb result! You must really know your veggies. Either you are already a chef, or perhaps you just love to cook. You seemed to do well with several of the more obscure vegetables. Most of the vegetables used in this test came straight from the garden. They were so much fresher than those that are shipped across the country. For more recipes and pictures feel free to check out my blog "straightfromthefarm.net".

Here's how you did compared to others...

Executive Chef

Sous Chef

Sauté Chef

Vegetable Chef

Fry Cook

Maître D'

Bus Boy

Wendy's Bun Toaster

Please visit my journal if you wish to check your answers.

Take The hey good lookin' whatcha got cookin' test at HelloQuizzy

Flying fingers will gather no dust ...

Nor do they get any housework done!

But crocheting Amigurumi style creatures will do the trick of keeping any of the dust from landing on ME. Only took a couple of hours to do this little owl for a private crochet class I gave yesterday. The pattern is in Amigurumi World.



I embroidered his eyes instead of using beads ... since I'm gifting him to a 2 1/2 year old. I really think I'm going to make a few more of these for the grandchildren. After all, "Who wouldn't like them, huh?" Maybe even one or two adults?

I also finished my Juliet Scarf. I'm gifting this also and just started another for a gift. Once I'm done with that 0ne ... well I really think I'll make one for myself also. Love this yarn and love the way it feels when I knit. It's a 12 row repeat which I really can't memorize but it keeps my interest while it only takes ONE ball of the yarn to complete.

There's a knit flower brooch that goes with it also. Finished pictures coming soon. Well as soon as I find my well hidden pin backs that is ...






St. Anthony, St. Anthony please come around, my pin backs are missing, and needs to be found.

And this is just cool ...


Stop Motion Spaghetti Cooking - Watch more Illusion

The Year of the Scarf ...

See ... I finished another Christmas gift. For a grand daughter this time. Crocheted. Using left over Debbie Bliss Cashmerino. Left over from the Shoreline Cape I did. The pattern is the one I use in my beginner's crochet class. It comes in handy to crochet along with the class. I not only demonstrate the stitches but I also have a completed object when I'm done.



And in one afternoon (last Sunday) I started and finished this little crocheted scarf.



This is the One Skein Scarf by Denise Cozzitorto but I used 2 balls of Knit Picks Andean Silk only because of the yardage per ball. But this yarn is so soft. I used some left over pink & grey yarn to weave in the center stitches to give it a more 3-demenional look and color interest. I have 2 more of the Andean Silk so I just might make another. Or wait ... maybe I'll do Knucks gloves.

Wait ... I also did another Ruffled Up Scarf. The yarn is ONline Linie 194 Solo and I used 4 balls of it. I like it long. This is a silly and fun knit.



I don't have a clue on who might gift this to.

I'll just knit, knit, knit and will decide later.

Holes in my knitting ...

are showing up in everything these days.

I still haven't got the pictures of my last two scarves out of the old camera, but here's a hint of what just came off my needles. [Pictures taken with my new camera actually]

It's a swatch for the Mystic Ice KAL that's starting on November 17.



And on my needles right now?



The Juliet Scarf by Louisa Harding. That's yummy yarn there ... specs to come when I'm finished.

This weekend I might even finish the Mystic Meadows Stole still sitting on my dining room table ...



Do you think I might finish at least one or two lace projects this weekend?

Why not, huh?
Not that I don't have Christmas gifts still to make but ...

I've got plenty of time to get back to my Christmas knitting don't I?

Knitting behind the scenes ...

As usual lately, I've been too busy to write much on my blog. First it was the delay in downloading my pictures from my new camera. Got a new Canon digital. Love it too ... but as always, it takes awhile to learn to use new digital gadgets and to set up & learn new software too. I'm still learning. Second reason I've stayed away is that I'm not only doing more knitting for the holidays, but I'm also getting over to see the DH whenever I can. Sometimes I just sit and knit while he reads a magazine or watches TV. If I ask him if he just doesn't want to talk, he says ... "Sometimes you just need a 'Say Nothing' day." How right is that, huh? Works for me.

So here's my pictures of a new scarf I knit. My friend, Cindy is modeling it. I not sure if I want to gift this scarf. Nope ... my thought is to wear it myself. It's a fun one and I have another in the bag that's almost done already. Might gift that one. See the specs below the picture ...

Yarn

ONline Linie 194 Solo

How much?

4 skeins = 88.0 yards (80.5m)

Colorway:

0201 Black & White
Needle used: US 9 / 5.5mm

BTW, it's not much of a pattern. You just cast on the number of stitches you want. In this case, I cast on 9 stitches ... which was only picking the stitches up along the top of the ribbon mesh yarn. When I got two balls knit on, I then cast on the other side and knit until those 2 where almost all used up and then I weaved the two ends together for the middle of the scarf that goes behind your neck. This makes both ends the same width and all. See?





And guess what ... I also finished an UFO. The All Ruffled Up Cape for my Mom for Christmas. Once again, Cindy was my model.



This is such a cute picture, Cindy.

Needles used:

US 8 / 5.0 mm

Yarn: Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk (Aran)

How much? 7 skeins = 504.0 yards (460.9m)

And she even showed me how it can look cute as a skirt too. Well ... it does on her but Mom is built like me and ... well ... well, you get the idea.



I also got a better picture of my Woodland Shawl.



Crocheted!

Speaking of crochet ... I finished two crocheted scarves this weekend ... but once again, my pictures are sitting in the camera.

Just where does the time go?

Boy, do I FEEL Ancient !

One more quiz before my camera software is installed and I can FINALLY show you some knitting. And you thought I wasn't doing anything right?

Your result for The Find Your Philosophical Era! Test...

The Ancient

31% Ancient, 13% Medieval, 31% Modern and 25% Post-Modern!

Congratulations! You are: an Ancient!

Ancient philosophers share an unabashed elitism. Although the Greeks are considered to have invented democracy, they would have laughed to scorn many of our 21st-century democratic ideas. Ancient moral philosophy is slightly more hedonistic than anything that followed it; the Ancients had strict ideas about right and wrong, but the obsessive pursuit of perfection, the compulsive need to do one’s duty no matter the cost, belong to later eras. Being good was neatly tied up in the Ancient mind with being happy.

Rather than criticizing the work of their predecessors, Ancient philosophers found themselves alone in a bold new world. Their first attempts at studying the world are still some of the best. This is the era of Herodotus, the father of history, Euclid, the father of mathematics, and Plotinus, the father of meaningless metaphysical bullshit.

Some typical ancient philosophers: Plato, Aristotle, Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius, Plotinus, Herodotus, Euclid

Some ancient artists: Homer, Virgil, Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, Pindar, Sappho, Praxiteles

Typical ancient art forms: epic poetry, lyric poetry, farce, satire, sculpture, dialogue

Take The Find Your Philosophical Era! Test at HelloQuizzy

Well at least I don't go back to the dinosaur age, huh?

Pictures tomorrow!

In the mean time ... lets take another test. Remember Calvin and Hobbs? I love 'em!!

Your result for How good of a Calvinball player are you?...

My Grade= A+ Good knowledge and excellent strategy!

57% Game_Knowledge and 91% Game_Skill!

Amazing. You are part of the 4.3% of the population that landed in this category.^* You know the game and its history well, and you did amazingly well when it came to playing Calvinball strategically.

This suggests that you probably have a natural talent in Calvinball. You have learned that the trick to doing well in Calvinball is not brute strength, but quick wit. With your natural ability you could go far.

You are definitely already talented enough to beat Calvin. A match versus the quick-witted tiger would be close. I'm going to give you the edge, but his superior knowledge of the game might propel him to victory.

* This is a made up number.

Take How good of a Calvinball player are you? at HelloQuizzy

I'm still knitting but ...

I got a new camera (a Canon) but haven't had the time to upgrade the computer so I can download the pictures. So while you're waiting ... here's another quiz.

My result for The Ultimate TV Theme Test...

Avid Watcher

I scored 76%

Good Job! I scored 61-80% on this test. I know more than the average person; but it's for me to decide if I want to learn more about the 'small screen' or if I want to pursue other ventures in 'Real Life'.

Well little does this test show that I KNIT while I'm watching TV. I 'listen' more than I 'watch'.

I don't want life to get any realer than that!