Hopefully I am back

It's been a long time trying to get my laptop up and running again. Good ole DH has spent a lot of time trying to save pictures and documents and get me up and running again. It's been back to the computer doctor at CSS three times since it crashed again. I have lost all my bookmarks and knitting patterns. I think we may have saved all my photographs. There are over 40,000 jpegs saved.
I received my most thoughtful Christmas gift ever from DH - a 750 GB external hard drive for back up.
Thank you honey!

Computer crashed again

Got my computer back on Friday. Before we finished transferring files to back-up it crashed again. I guess I won't have my laptop to take to Oregon. This is the one year anniversary of this blog. I didn't manage the photo-a-day goal I had for myself in 2007.

Laptop still at the doctor

My bad. My laptop crashed and I hadn't backed up my data in so long it is taking freaking forever to recover all the files before trying to reformat the hard drive. It's only then that we'll know if it's a formatting problem or the hard drive failed. Silly me, over 9000 photos with few saved elsewhere. I suppose I could try to do something with the desktop computer instead of putting everything on hold.
The kids had plays and concerts during the laptop downtime so far. They both play at a local coffee shop on Sunday. Not that there is ever a good time for this kind of thing. But really, could I have picked a worse time?

Tis the Season

My son decorated himself for Christmas. He's such a unique individual...
In knitting news:
I started the Koolhaas hat...wrong. I am continuing it in the same vein. I'll have to figure how to gracefully close it up on top. Maybe it'll make a cool skull cap pattern.
I have progressed to Act III of my Sidewinder socks. A few more rows and I'll have both toes done and be working on the other side of the heel.
Photos aren't loading on Blogger...I'll try later.

Weekend Projects

I started and finished the knitted part of a present for my niece. This is a holder for Pokemon cards. I am going to duplicate stitch Picachu on it and sew on a button.
Here's the KnitPicks Bare superwash. Two different yellows from the same dye. These were fun to wind. With all the rinsing they got pretty tangled.
Here's the 1/2 lb Louet Gems I dyed bright yellow. I did get it wound.

Couldn't Wait for a New Swift

Every year my family asks me what want for Christmas. I never know what to tell them. Today was the perfect opportunity to request a new swift when I broke my plastic one. I was balling up the yellow yarn I dyed in order to use it for the Christmas presents I am making. I don't know what I did. I used it for one skein, then I tried to use it for the next one and there was a big crack in it and the yarn holder would not stand up straight. I guess I could have waited. I did borrow the one at the Yarn Deli to finish today.

It's a Wrap...and Socks

Here's my Robin Egg blue Hanami wrap. Pretty, eh?Progress on socks too. They're coming slowly, but they're coming.

Sidewinder Sock Act II

I worked on my sidewinder socks tonight. I finished Act II on one of them. I knitted about 5 rows on the other and have a hole. I need to rip it back and start again. Finished for tonight. Here it is.

Now I have YELLOW!

I spent today running from yarn store to yarn store searching for Picachu yellow sock yarn. No Luck! Of course I didn't go away empty handed, but I didn't find yellow yarn. Gold, yes. Orange, yes. Even Goldenrod. No Big Bird yellow.
So I had to make it. I two great skeins of goldenrod that won't stop bleeding, one of an acceptable yellow and two that are half yellow and will be dyed again in another color. Hopefully when they dry they will still be alright. You can't knit Picachu or flames without a decent yellow.

Finally finished my Dropped Stitch Sweater

I really like the way it turned out.
Now I'd better get going on the Christmas knitting.

Finally finished my Dropped

Happy Thanksgiving!

I have to share with all of you just how happy I am this Thanksgiving with all my children home and safe for the holiday. It's been a couple of years since we were all able to be together for Thanksgiving. I am so glad we could be together and everyone wanted to be. I love this marvelous group of people.
We had the traditional Turkey dinner with the trimmings. Yumm. I am stuffed...

There has been knitting

I started a new project yesterday. Flame socks for my son for Christmas. I think it's safe to tell. I don't think he checks my blog. I've owed him a pair of socks for a while now. He wants black, but I just couldn't get into plain black socks. These will have flames inside his shoe so he'll be able to wear them to concerts he plays in.
I finally sewed on the last sleeve on my Drop Stitch sweater.
A tiny bit of progress on the Sidewinder socks. The people who have seen them like the yarn I dyed for them. Still no clue whether they'll fit when I'm done or not. Somebody may end up with a cool pair of socks for Christmas if they don't.

Granny Square Socks are FOs

Finished Objects!!!!

Here are my finished Granny Square Socks!
I have been working on a new Dream Swatch too. Pretty isn't it. I loved this yarn but couldn't justifying getting enough to make a sweater with. This is a perfect project to show off the yarn.
With the other one I found it was too wide to use as a headwrap so I ripped it back and started a new one with three repeats instead of four. I am using the three repeats for this one too.
Same problem with this picture. I'll try again later.

Great Day off!

Went with my daughter and the drama class from school to see the play, 'Seussical the Musical.' It was great! I loved the color scheme and set design. Pictures were off limits so I have none. I loved the play though.
After school my son and his friend went down to the coffee shop at the closest shopping center to school and played guitar and keyboard until we all got too cold to go on.
Took hubby to dinner for Sadie Hawkins day.
I think we all had a good time today.
I even worked a little on the newest Dream Swatch. It rolls a bit. I hope it will block. The yarn seems too soft to want to firm up in a certain shape though. I will try.

Missed Knitting Night

Took a nap when I got home. Killer headache. Just sat around afterwards and started a new Dream Swatch. I've found that the pattern for Dream Swatch is too wid when knitted with a ribbon yarn and size 6 needles. I tore out the first one and started it over with 3 pattern repeats instead of 4. My new Harmony needles broke. What is with me and circular needles lately. I really am no rough on my needles.

Two new projects and lots of cooking

I've been in the mood to finish things for a while rather than starting new projects. All of a sudden I want to cast on again. So I did.





This is my Dream Swatch. I am using Lion brand Incredible. I have several balls of this that need using and it is a pretty colorway.











These are my attempt at Sidewinder socks. I am using KnitPicks Bare that I hand dyed a few months ago. I am not at all sure they will fit when I am done. If they don't I guess someone will be getting a pretty pair of socks for Christmas.
Spent hours baking pumpkin and making pie and breads and soup and roasted pumpkin seeds. Hmmm, is that all I ended up making? Of course I had to go grocery shopping in the midst of it all.
I love extra days off on the weekends. It gives me the feeling that I can do what I really want. Just can't wait til Thanksgiving week when I have the whole week off, well not counting cooking some more.

Finally went back to Knitting Knight

It's been a good month or more since I went knitting. I have been so busy with school and work(also school.) It was nice to go. Knitters are really nice people and I had a lovely time. It's really a full house at Yarn Deli on Wednesdays now. I had several questions to ask. Shannon was true to her word and brought me some Interweave magazines with articles that should help me figure out how to make the Rib and Panel socks. Thank you Shannon!
Sharon helped me check some things I was curious about on my Granny Square socks. Just for information I wanted her to look at them to see if where I picked up stitches could be knit any smoother. I also was curious about one side of the heel shaping where the stitches are purled together looking different from the side where they are knitted together. She says I did great and that's about how they will always look. I guess I'm happy then. Sharon also helped me get started on sewing the sleeves on my Drop Stitch Sweater. I have one arm attached!
There was even a bead boutique with Kari Carrigan's WeeOnes flameworked bead jewelry. I found a couple of Christmas presents for people.
Well, it's time to get off my tush. It turned cool this afternoon and has put us all in the mood for pumpkin pie. My daughter and son just got back with whipped cream. Time to make a pie.

Only the toes to go!

Almost done!

Granny Square socks half done!

I need a new project. These are going pretty quickly for small yarn and small needles.

Next Socks?

I want to make these socks with this yarn. It's from the book, Vogue Knitting Socks Two. The socks are Rib and Panel Socks.













The problem is I don't know how I'll be able to knit these in the round as the pattern calls for. As far as I can tell the yarn end will be in the wrong place to knit one yarn and then the other in rounds. If anyone has any insight into this please let me know.

Spiral Socks Finished

Here they are. My finished Spiral socks! I do like them. They feel nice and squishy. They are probably just a little too big. I think a couple fewer stitches would have made the difference. The ankles bag a little. I think they would work well as regular socks with a thinner yarn. I think they'll make nice house slipper socks.

Girls Weekend

The boys have all run off to spend the weekend elsewhere. This is the closest I ever get to being at home alone. Unfortunately I feel like crap. I have had some kind of bug percolating all week. This last couple of days I could hardly talk. This morning is even worse. I think I should go get swabbed to see if I have strep.
I am still trying to finish my Socktoberfest socks. I had another needle malfunction
This is the third set of KA circulars that have broken on me on the same pair of socks. It was really great of Spin Blessing to send me new needles so quickly when the others broke, but this is ridiculous. I bought 2 sets of several other sizes too. Now I am afraid to use them for anything. I am not all that great at picking up dropped stitches. I wish Clover still made their 8 inch circulars and that they came in sock yarn sizes. I really like being able to zip around tubes without changing needles. Here's the progress on my two pairs of socks.
My Granny Square socks
Spiral Socks with no heels

Halloween & All Saint's Day

Here's sunrise on my way to work a couple of days ago. Quiet Halloween this year. Remembering loved ones who are gone. Coming down with a bug.
Kids went to Disneyland and then hung out at a friend's house.

Only one van load of kids came by trick-or-treating. I waited and knitted all evening. I was hoping to finish at least one more pair of socks for Socktoberfest. The spiral socks are approaching the toe decreases and I am knitting the gusset on the granny square socks. Only finished one pair of green socks this month.

Sunday Sunday

Knit a bit, napped a bit...lazy Sunday.

Class finished

I finished my GATE class today. After being inside all day I came out to drizzle. What a nice surprise. Hopefully it helped finish off the fires and cleaned the air. It was still smoky this morning on my way to class. Now I'm ready for a nap.
I am debating tinking the heel-less spiral socks. I think they are going to be too big. Still can't decide so I am still knitting. My feet and ankles are bigger than they used to be. The yarn is aran weight anyway. It's not likely that I'd wear them for anything but slipper socks.

I feel so stupid

I finally got so overwhelmed by school and the class I am taking, that I called for a sub for the day to spend some time finding and going to get the required text(that Amazon said they could deliver by Tuesday and then told me Wednesday, then next Wednesday) and read it, design the activity I have to do with my class by tomorrow, and write a short reflection on changes I can make in my teaching to support my special population of GATE students. That is only the academic part of it. I also have to round up Halloween decorations for the Fat Friday spread our team is putting on tomorrow. Not to mention the quickly approaching end of term exams that I have yet to teach all the concepts for. Did I say I am overwhelmed?
The only book that was available was in Montclair, about 40 minutes away. I took the kids to school, met with the sub, got everything set up for the day, came home, had coffee with my husband, then headed for Montclair. When I got there I found that I had forgotten my wallet(with my cell phone) by the phone at home. I called good ole hubby(thanks to B&N letting me use their phone) to see if I could put the book on my credit card instead of going all the way home. It would have worked, but they can't key in Debit cards. So I had to call again. He didn't answer. Then he called there (Luckily I left the number next to the phone when I called to have them hold he book.) Then hubby couldn't read the code on the back of the credit card(he had been carrying the card in his wallet and the code had rubbed off). So I had to drive the 40 minutes back home, pick up my wallet and drive back, pick up the book and then drive home again. I have managed to read 1 1/2 chapters so far. I have about 20 minutes before I have to go pick up the kids. They have a dance today after school. The smoke around here is so thick that the sun looks red and I have a headache. I wish I had time for a nap. Here are views of the hills above us and on the way to school.




















Good News
I got replacements for my broken KA needles today. I can definitely recommend SpinBlessing for great customer service.I was able to get started on a new pair of socks while stuck with my needle problem.

Feeling Stalled

The only knitting I did yesterday was when I broke both of my needles for the socks. I e-mailed the company I bought them from to ask about them, but haven't heard back yet. I don't know what else to knit. I am sure I could be knitting something but can't get into it.
Tonight is knitting night at the Yarn Deli. I may go, but am feeling lazy.

KA 9" circulars

I am so bummed. I was working on my granny square socks. I finished one heel and was starting on the other sock when one of the tips of the needles fell out of its socket. Then I took the other one out of the finished sock so I could finish the second one and the same thing happened again. These socks have been sitting so long waiting for these needles and they are defective. I am discouraged.
Wow, I complained to SpinBlessing on
Tuesday and today-Thursday replacements were just dropped off on my porch! Talk about great service!!!

In other news, we can see the fire in the San Bernardino mountains from our porch. It is very spectacular.

You should see the dust

It has been horrible the last two days. The winds are ripping. Luckily the fires are not nearby. The skies are full of brown swirling dust. The street signs are swinging rapidly back and forth. There are branches and debris blowing by.
No knitting today. Tomorrow is knitting club. Hopefully I'll get a little knitting in after I spend the club time helping kid after kid how to knit. I thought it would be a fun club with everyone sitting around sharing patterns and such. Maybe by the end of the year we'll be able to knit along with the kids

Bowling party and the rest of the weekend

After taking a class for GATE education all Friday night and Saturday we had the kid party for my son's birthday last night. It was at a bowling alley. We had pizza and sodas and brought a big chocolate cake with us. I think the kids had fun. I have a couple of videos I could use for blackmail if I so chose. We had a house full of kids overnight. My son had a few extra visitors after he fell asleep.
I haven't bowled since before I broke my back- a long, long time ago. It went okay. I started drinking this health drink my daughter shared with me for my back pain. It's called Mona-Vie. It tastes good, so there is no problem taking it. I don't want to say it is absolutely helping, but it certainly may be. I usually have sharp pains in the night when I roll over. I have barely felt them this past week. I was able to bowl last night and this morning I am just a little bit stiff. I think it is helping with my digestion and energy too.
I finished the newsboy cap I was knitting. I like it. I would like it better just a little bit looser. I wish I hadn't sewn it up so tight. I used a couple of my antique buttons to sew on the band.
I worked on my granny square socks in spare moments at my class. I have one with a finished heel flap and turned heel. I have to attach the heel reinforcement yarn to the other one so I can catch it up.

Birthday boy

My son turned 14 Wednesday. We had a quiet family dinner at Macaroni Grill and a yummy chocolate raspberry cake at home. The kid party is this weekend. I think they'll have a good time bowling with pizza and cake. It's amazing how fast they grow up. He's always been a unique individual. I am proud to have such an intelligent, creative child. He is a joy to be around and to watch grow.
Here's the newsboy cap I've been working on. I am going to choose some buttons from my antique button collection to accent the knit band that goes across the front.

KnitWit Club is doing well

I've been volunteering after school to hold a knitting club at my school. This is our fourth week and for the second week in a row we had about 16 kids there. Unfortunately (or fortunately) almost every one of them is a brand new, never tried it before, knitter. I won't be sitting down and doing any of my own knitting there for a loooong time. I run from student to student showing them how to knit. A couple of them have done more than cast on and knit one row before having to start over. Hopefully we will be able to keep it going and get a good core group.

I did start a newsboy cap with Rowan Ribbon twist today. Then I forgot to bring the pattern home with me. I know to knit 12 rows of the cable pattern. Unfortunately, I didn't read the cable pattern.

Tomorrow is my son's birthday and we haven't planned anything for it yet. Any ideas? He hasn't given us a lot to work with this year.

Working on my Granny Square socks

I carried my notebook of sock patterns, yarn for at least 3 possible projects, and the cuffs of my Granny Square socks to work today in the hope of starting a new project. The Granny Squares won. I am almost done with one heel flap. These are my first socks knitted with size 2 needles and sock yarn. I stopped at Enchanted Unicorn to find heel reinforcement yarn. They had just one bobbin left of the perfect color! Talk about lucky. I guess it is the project I was supposed to work on. It's certainly been a long time since I last picked them up.
I have been using the 9" size 2 KA circular needles I just got. I am not sure if I am sold on them. I guess I'll reserve my judgment til I am knitting in the round again.

Sunday happenings

Ahhhh, none. Sat and knitted all day. Finished my green socks and finished Merlin's "tiger" sweater.
Hmmmm, now what to work on. I am frustrated with the Intricate Stag bag since I decided to try to use more than two yarns. Every row gets so tangled I have to stop and untangle again. I will continue, but slowly. It's just not moving quickly enough to want to spend much time on it. I am going to work on more socks. I guess I should start on the granny square socks again now that I received my short KA circular needles in sock sizes. I've had them on order for some time and never got them so I ordered online and got them in a week.

Lazy Saturday

I did cook breakfast and a great dinner. Went back to Art for Heaven's Sake arts fair with my friend and daughter. Went to help my daughter find a hair straightener, Other than that I knit. My green socks are more than half done.

How long does Jet Lag last?

I have been an absolute zombie this week. I thought jet lag started immediately when you return, but mine got worse all week. I barely got home tonight for a nap. I was looking forward to going to the Art for Heaven's Sake opening, but was so tired I didn't really enjoy it. I did find a bracelet from my favorite jewelry maker. It just wasn't as fun looking around as usual.
Finally finished my bag from the Knit Wit water bottle sling pattern. I think it turned out pretty well. I've been working on the Intricate Stag Bag and a pair of socks. Looking forward to just lounging around this weekend.

The Glow continues

Went back to work today, but am still remembering the beautiful Fall colors. Really tired, but happy. I did catch my husband's cold while we were gone. Hope I kick it quickly. Almost finished my purse version of a water bottle carrier bag while I was gone, but ran out of yarn for the strap. Hoping to finish in the next day or two.

Images of the Woods in Fall

I've been told this isn't typical for Fall. It was very warm this weekend.
I am home. Happy we made the trip. Born and raised in California, I have never seen the leaves change before. It is spectacular. I can't get over the depth of color. Every leaf is different.

Isn't Innisfree beautiful with the stairs and door stained. My son and daughter did it after the rest of us drove home in August. This is the first time I've seen it.

I went around today taking close ups of leaves. Every time I looked again I wanted to take more photographs.
DH was great shutting down camp for the year. Talking on the way back down the mountain to the airport I described what it felt like to go for the weekend. It was like visiting an old friend, or like touching the roots of my existence. It is primordial and familial all at the same time. I love it there.

Oh, and DH had fun playing with his friend in the leaves.