When you need instant gratification ...

What do you knit? Something small? Something easy?

How about a hat? Cast-on and Cast-off the same day kind of gratification. Now that's what I wanted. I needed it, in fact.

So for me it's a hat ...

Mag Knits Fake Isle Hat by Amy King

needle size:
Size 6 circular needle, 16" long
size 6 set of double pointed needles

yarn:
1 skein Noro Silk Garden
1 skein Debbie Bliss Cashmerino


And this hat is for me!

Cast-on Monday, Veteran's Day ... Cast-off same day ...
Now that's instant gratification for ya.

Knitting for peace of mind ...

Unless I'm trying to meet a deadline, the rhythm of knitting stitch after stitch is so soothing and peaceful. It's like a quiet song for the soul I think. And I needed that feeling this past week. The Zipped Vest for DH was actually the perfect knit for this reason too ... even if the deadline of Valentine's Day wasn't met. It was only a deadline I had set for myself anyway. My sweet DH said "I didn't expect it would done until next year anyhow." Well it held my interest and desire to knit. It was for someone else ... and not myself.

And this was the time to knit for someone else.

Do you see that little pile of yarn on the chair next to the scissors? Why do you suppose I put that there for the world to see?


Because it's absolutely all that's left of the yarn I had for this vest!

I had bought it on sale and could get no more either. Did I panic? Did I fret? Well maybe a little bit, but I was determined that I would have enough and just pieced together left little bits and pieces on the bind-off row. Just so I could do the bind off mind you. And what you see is all that was left once I weaved in all the ends. Whew! Don't sweat the small stuff ...

So it's on the blocking board right now. Once it had it's try-on by DH. M-m-m-m, looked good on him so far. A little blocking will defiantly help the curling from happening tho. But the color looks good on him and the length is just right ... the arms and shoulders too. He loves the collar and the texture of the stitch.

Yah, isn't that funny? He likes the texture and feel of the knit.

I love that guy!!

p.s. In case you wondered ... Yes, I crocheted that doily about 10 years ago when crocheting was my obsession.

And he's my Dad ...

Arthur Arnold Hendrickson Jr.
November 9, 1928 -- February 13, 2008

Beloved son, brother, we called you 'Sonny'.
You worked hard and played harder than most.
You were a businessman and got all around town.
They called you the paper boy.
You are a Sweetheart, husband, lover, Alice calls you
Art.
You were a Navy career man and traveled
around the world.
You were a Chief Machinist Mate, buddy and
friend to many.
They called you Pop.
You were teacher, motivator and so much more.
They call you Dad.
You were baseball coach, homework coach, chauffeur,
pancake maker, story teller and so much more.

They call you Grandpa, Pop-pop, Great grand Dad,
buddy, chief, and friend.
It has been a good life.

You have lived it on your terms.
Thank you so very much for being you.
You have loved much and are loved greatly

When this life is over, your love will live on in
All of us as we strive to be all that we can be as you did.
We love you.

[writen by his sister, Virginia]

This is Dad and his sister in High School. Milford, NH 1946













And Dad with Mom, 1966 ...





The year before I graduated from High School ... 1966 ... this is the way I will always picture them together.

Ten years ago Dad showed me around Cypress Gardens ... we had the BEST time together! Thanks to Mom for loaning him to me for the day.


I love you and will miss you, Dad.

C is for ...

Chocolate Candy!

And this is from my favorite candy store in Salem, Maria's Sweet Something's.

The DH and I went out for a walk last Saturday into town and all around Salem to see the Ice Sculptures. And of course we had to stop to try the Chocolate Fountain at Maria's. Yup, she had a fountain of chocolate that we could dip strawberries, pretzels, marshmallows or rice crispy chunks into. Yum-yum. Look at all the Valentine's displays and the bustling activity going on too.
But we also came here to see ...

Ice Sculptures!

We saw 13 out of 15 ... but
did you just ask if I did any knitting over the weekend?

How about the

Tassled Earflap Hat by Kathy North published in Knit Simple Magazine, Fall 2007.

One down and just 6 more to go!

Getting a head start on Christmas ...

Where did the week go?

Seems like only yesterday I told you about my new knitting bag ... but here it is Saturday again and a whole week has gone by. So what's up?

Well let me tell ya ...

First, I went to the book signing last Satuday night at my local LYS, Seed Stitch Fine Yarn. The author of The Knitting Circle, Ann Hood was there. Nice lady, nice time and we even knit. Really!



Did I leave there without buying anything? Of course not. I admired a scarf made by one of the girls there ... Margie. Well she gave me the pattern and away I went with my shopping list. So of course the yarn jumped onto my needles by Sunday and guess what ... they cast off by Tuesday. Here's Margie's Lacey Scarf ... and the main feature of this scarf is Ozark Handspun!
And the results?

A wild and wacky scarf, huh?

And I received my winnings from Alabama Fiber Dreams

I won these from Shut Up, I'm Counting. So cool! Us knitters can't have too many markers can we?

And ... oh yah, I got the Ice Queen done!

And what's that Raspberry edge along the bottom? Well let me tell ya ...

The yarn I decided to use is Rowan Kidsilk Night. A lot like Kidsilk Haze but with silver thread in it. It has sparkle and I wanted this for evening wear. Well honestly, I didn't even think to check the yardage, but when I was almost done and nearing the setup for the bind-off row, I knew I was running out of yarn and wouldn't have enough to do the first bind-off ... never mind about going back to the Provincial cast-on and binding off there.

That's when I compared the yardage of

Kidsilk Night (227 yds) with Kidsilk Haze (229 yds).

A 2 yard difference. A BIG difference when it comes to the Ice Queen because it takes up the WHOLE skein of Kidsilk Haze. What to do, what to do ... Okay, I'll knit one less set and skip a row in the set up for the 1st cast off ... but that doesn't quite make it either does it? I actually have to fudge the very last picot but ... "Who can tell?" Even I have trouble finding it now. Don't sweat the little things, I always say. I then took Raspberry Kidsilk Haze and did the bind-off with that on the other end as you see. What do you think?

Didn't come out half bad did it?

Well I recommend casting on with a Picot Cast On and not the providential cast-on. Why go thru all that trouble of going back just to pick up stitches and THEN cast off? And if you have trouble keeping your place on the cast of ... I recommend writing out each step in order to keep your place ...
And then you'll have a chance to note whether you'll have enough yarn and can make the adjustment near the end. I recommend just doing one less "4 row set" before the last few rows setting up the bind off.

And last but not least ... I'm preparing for birthdays coming up for the Grandchildren in March and April. Two in March. Jaydee's the youngest so I will make something for her ... a little Sheep maybe? Perhaps to go along with this book & CD I got for her?

I've got to go listen to a story ... catch me later!

B = Bag

The Ultimate Knitting Bag! And I think I've found it ...
a Jordana Paige.

Yup, this is part of my ABC's Along. B is for Bag. I could have gone with the obvious ... Books.

This is only one bookcase ...
In fact, I was going to reorganize my bookcases when I took pictures of the big pile I had, but Sara took care of both Books and Bookcases in a big way last week. I have a LOT of knitting books but I don't have the wall to wall books [all kinds] that Sara does. Whoa! And I'm obviously envious of her book accumulation, LOL.

But just yesterday I used this wonderful bag I bought from Jimmy Beans Wool. I've been looking for a way of cutting down from 2 bags to 1 [not counting my lunch bag] for my commute to and from work. Guess I'm sick of being known as the "bag lady" of Salem. But I needed something that holds what I need in my handbag and also my knitting and a book or two. This is it! Here are pictures to show you it in all it's glory ...

And I can even nicely add a book in there ...

And take a good look at the fabric covering the outside flap. It looks like Woven YARN! How cool is that?

And B could have been for Boxes.

What do you suppose could be in all those boxes?

[And I'm not even mentioning the ones under bed and in the closet.]

Say What?

Thanks to Sara for pointing out how Congress is beefing up the President's Economic Plan.




It'll work if we all get behind it!