The Fabric, Yarn, Homesteader and the Dog!

Hedera Socks for Jan

2011-02-12T00:27:00.000-05:00

These were the socks that were done in Jan of 2011 for the sock of the month club. I am part of a Knit Along with a group of people at Cloverhill Yarn Shop and also on Ravelry. These come from the book Knit.Sock.Love by Cookie A. A wonderful designer who knows how to make socks look great!

The yarn is from Rebbie's Hand Dyed and it works up like a dream. The colors did not get lost in the lace of this sock. Which is great because they are currently on my feet and keeping them warm. I can not for the life of me remember what the colorway is but I have enough for another two socks.

For Feb I am doing a pair of Monkeys for my mum. Will upload and update the blog over the weekend of the socks for mum!

Moved to a new site!

2010-06-21T15:49:00.000-04:00

I have moved this blog over to a new site. the address is www.fabricyarnanddogs.com!

Thanks for being loyal readers and I hope to see you over there.

For the Glory of Rivendell!

2010-06-17T20:53:00.001-04:00

About 4 months ago I started this mystery KAL (Knit along). This was a design for a circular lace shawl based on Arwen's Evenstart pendant that she gave to Aragorn before he left on his quest. It is a beautiful moment in the books and the movie. It is a moment of great joy and sadness. As her life was in that pendant. As soon as she gave it away she was mortal. I have always loved that one point in " Fellowship of the Ring" and it was a blog that got me started on this one. Up to that point I have not done any lace work in years! So the fact that the designer was willing to do written instructions also was a big plus. And my good friend and fellow blogger Rebbie was also doing the same pattern. Now, I am a knitter that can read the pattern but not really understand it until I work on the piece. I have to come to that point in the pattern and see what is on the needles before I can work out what the pattern is saying. Makes it a little slow and makes it difficult for someone to give me directions without showing me what it is!

Here is the shawl. I have done 24 out of 59 repeats. So, I am getting it done!

This is my outdoor table. This is the shawl spread out as best as I can without losing the live stitches.

Knit in Ultra Alpaca Fine Silvery Grey color with Gunmetal Grey beads size 8/0 and 6/0. I got a mixture and was not sure of the size of the beads. Both sizes fit.

A close up of half of the shawl.

This is the beaded border. So pretty. It is a knitted on border.

This is why I am calling my shawl "The Glory of Rivendell" The arches are so pretty. You will not see what they will really look like until it is done and blocked. It will stretch out and the stitches will pop out and look so pretty. All lace looks like ugh until it is blocked.

Isn't he a darling! Shadow's favorite position for watching the people walk by. He is a guard dog. A very good one too!

Koko took over for a bit and well......fell asleep on the job!

Look! A Sockie!

2010-06-17T08:34:00.000-04:00

Well after a few mishaps. Like losing the thing I got the first sock done.

This is the basic worsted weight tube sock. Knit with Cascade Tweed. On size 5 needles. I will cast on a second one today as I have two feet that need to be covered!

Now, see that little pink thing that is off to the side on the floor........

Koko got a new little toy yesterday. She has not left it alone since! Right now she is sleeping with it and is on her back. Is she not cute!?

How to not bead using a crochet hook!

2010-06-15T14:02:00.000-04:00

This is a method that I learned about searching the internet for an easier way to use beads in knitting that did not involve a fiddly, tiny and drive me batty crochet hook! I was visiting Rebbie today and was showing her how to do this and she kindly took pictures for me.

First, you will need the project, beads, and a dental floss that has a foam on it that is used for people who wear braces. I found mine on Amazon and that is the reason it took me a long time to get started on the boarder of Evenstar Shawl.

First step: String the beads onto the floss. Easy and take a little time. Then, there is a stiff end on the floss. Insert that into the stitch.

Sorry hand is in motion! But, the second thing you do is take one of the beads and push it down the foam and stop just before the end of the foam. Meanwhile, fold the tip of the floss so that it hooks the stitch.

Third, shove the bead down and make sure the loop is closed BEFORE you take the stitch off the needles. I did not do this for the first repeat and the dogs had fun playing "lets see how nuts mommy gets when she is trying to find these!"

I can laugh now.

For the most part.

This is a close up of the stitch before you pull it off the needle to slide the bead on.

Now, pull the stitch off and push the bead down and make sure you have a loop for the stitch to go back on the needle.

Put it back on the needle and carefully, and I do mean carefully! pull the floss tip out.

Now you knit or purl the stitch with the bead. Here is what I have learned after 18 repeats. The purls will put the bead on the front of the work and the knits will put the bead on both sides. Keep that in mind when you are adding beads to lace.

And, that is what it is supposed to look like on the public side!

If you do decide to add beads to a project take your time and have fun with it if you can! The first several repeats took me about 2 hours I now have it down to about 45 minutes if I am distracted. (with two dogs who want attention constantly and an even more demanding husband that is the average time) 30 if I have no distractions. (otherwise, I had gotten fed up and lost a box of beads due to dogs roughhousing so I put them in the crate and was able to get 4 repeats done! In 2 hours!)

Do not be afraid to try this. It is fun once you get the rhythm going!

Thanks Rebbie!

Socks! Update on the club.

2010-06-09T14:33:00.000-04:00

This is what I am using for the first pair of socks I will knit.

Cascade 220 Tweed. In a purple black colorway. These will be made on a size 5 needle. Already did a gauge swatch and was successful. A gauge swatch is a knitter's way of making sure the yarn will come out to the correct measurments. We usually knit a 4 inch by 4 inch square and see how it will work. Sometimes we have to go up or down a size in the needles but a size 5 got me exactly what I needed.

Here is the progress of day one!

I am using hiya hiya 9 inch steel circulars that I ordered from Miss Bab's. And that cute little stitch marker is made by my friend Helen! She does some great work. Will have to take a few photos of the newest things she has made.

Working out the frustrations!

2010-06-08T13:41:00.000-04:00

You know when you are angry at the world and the situation? Well I have been very angry the last few days. Found out some things from my mom about a situation around my grandfather's estate and it blew my mind. Until it is resolved I am not going to write about it. But, we have a yard that is or was being overrun by trees, weeds, wild ivy and honeysuckle, and bramble. Last year we took out the bushes in the front of the house and we had a bumper crop of fresh green beans, lima beans, peas and some nice kale. I do know that when I put the green beans in this year I am putting in the 12 foot poles and letting them grow up! They were never ending last year but mom and I love green beans so we did not mind at all!

Either way, with the help of some wonderful men from my church on last saturday we were able to pull out 5 bushes. One of the roots remain but that will be taken care of soon. So as a result this is what is left of the area. This is all the roots and bushes that we got out.

Now just need to get that last root out then till this area and put the edging around it again. So once that is done we need to work on this:

Dead lilac tree that was taken over by some kind of oak I think and wild ivy and honeysuckle. The lilac tree itself is hollow so I know it is long gone. Dang it. I love lilacs. And, this was a 50 year old tree at least.

Same freaking oak took over my rose bushes. Rose bushes are long gone. I used to have roses bloom from early spring to late fall.

This was a temp garden I set up last year for tomatos. They failed utterly. We got hit with the huge blight. This patch held 9 plants and I only harvested 2 plants for the summer last year. So no tomato sauce was put up. We missed it last winter.

How do you like my little red cart? Cute! This is a grey dogwood that I am not sure if I want to keep or not.

So think I will have enough room to put in raised beds against the house? We will take a chain saw to these and get them out.

By the way, my helpers are waiting for the time when they can pull the veggies off the plants!

So Rebbie, I was not kidding when I said I am doing alot of yard work! Oh and here is my wonderful Neuton Lawn Mower that is run on batteries! I love this mower! Word to the wise, if you get one, buy an extra battery!

Sock of the Month Club

2010-06-04T08:21:00.000-04:00

So, I have this friend....Rebbie.....of Osborn Fiber Studio. Check out her blog www.osbornfiber.com, I will wait.

Oh good you are back.

So, the goal of this little club is to knit a PAIR of socks each month. I am not doing Nancy Bush. She is a wonderful designer but here is the problem. I do not know how to knit socks. So, went to Barnes and Nobles. Bad place for a book hoarding knitter. Found a book and picked it up. It is called "The Big Book of Socks: The Ultimate Beyond the Basics Guide to Knitting Socks" By Kathleen Taylor. There is the cover of the book and she has a website with email support if I get horrifically stuck!

So The plan is: From June 2010 to June 2011 to do at least one pair of socks. Here are the patterns and what I think I may use. I do have some stash yarns I can use.

June 2010:

Worsted Weight Tube socks.

Size 5 US needles.

I have some cascade 220 in stash I can use for these.

These will be for myself.

July 2010:

Reverse Stocking Stitch Tube socks

Size 5 US needles

Again Cascade 220. Not sure of the color yet.

For Myself!

August 2010:

Contrast Cuff and Toe Worseted Weight Socks

US 5 needles

Not sure about the yarn yet.

September 2010:

Ribbon Eyelet Socks

Pima Cotton Yarn

Not sure of color yet.

October 2010:

4X2 Ribbed Worsted Weight Socks

This I will make for the husband. If he does not like them I will wear them as house socks.

November 2010:
Fingering Weight Tube Socks

Have several kinds of fingering weight here and will have to make a hard choice. Size 2 US needles.

Will save Rebbie's wonderful yarn for later on.

December 2010:
Picot Hem socks

Again Fingering Weight yarn with a size 2 US needle.

Thinking of using the Cascade Heritage Sock Yarn in a solid colorway for this one. May be my mom's Christmas Present.

January 2011:

Contrast Cuff and Toe Fingering

This one I may use the Berraco Comfort sock I have and find some of the same in a solid colorway.

Size 2 US needle

Febuary 2011:

2X2 Ribbed Fingering

This one I will buy this sock yarn that I have been seeing alot of. Called Trekking XXL. I will need one skein of this.

So far all are using stash yarn except for this one.

One wonders why I have been buying fingering and sock yarn when I have not learned to make these things yet!

March 2011:

Worsted Weight Afterthought Heel Socks!

Finally getting into heels with socks now. Up to this month all of them will be tube socks so I can learn the different ways to do the toes.

I need two different colors and I have several of my stash yarns that I would like to do this in.

April 2011:

Fingering Weight Afterthought Heel Socks

This one I will use Rebbie's Yarn for! And, I will use a contrasting one for the heel.

May 2011:

Basic Flap and Gusset Sock

This is a worsted weight one also. Not sure what yarn or what color.

June 2011:

Basic Adult Fingering Weight Sock

Will also use Rebbie's Yarn for this one too.

So, Rules are as follows:

Get the stash raided and put the yarn in baggies with a month and year on it.
Copy the patterns from the book and put it in the baggie with the yarn.
Post all failures and successes. Do not be shy!
Be honest with thyself and get help when needed. Even if it is youtube! You would be amazed at what knitting help videos are on there!
Read Rebbie's blog for inspiration and tips. She does some great tutorials on there too. Maybe we can talk her into showing some of the heels and gussets she does!

So, what do you all think? Have I finally lost it yet?

Been Gone way too long!

2010-06-04T07:45:00.000-04:00

Sorry for the no posting lately. It has been a crazy few months. First we recieved word that my grandpa had died and we were not told so we could attend the funeral. And, now I am helping mom deal with some of the fallout with her sister.

Second, my dogs got sick. One right after the other. Then me.

Third, my husband and I may be transferring to NC for his job. So I have been busy cleaning and packing the house of things we do not need. And no my pattern books and yarn are not a part of that but I had to put them all in one place! That took a few days.

Now, I am working on filing the paperwork that I should have done a long time ago.

So we as a family have been super busy! I will put up another post in a few minutes about a sock club I am starting for myself. Let's just say I have taken the plunge!

Been a rough few weeks

2010-04-14T21:56:00.000-04:00

Hello All,

Sorry for not keeping up with the posts. It has been a rough few weeks with my family. We found out my maternal grandfather died and so far we are taking it a bit hard. I should have a nice post or two for everyone tomorrow and saturday. My evenstar shawl is starting to look really pretty and will get my sister to help me photograph it on friday. I am on the third repeat of clue 4 and the windows of rivendell never looked better! Clue 5 was released last friday but I am not there yet. I like to let the speedy ones in the group do theirs first so I can compare mine to theirs and make sure I am getting the stitches right.

Talk to everyone tomorrow!

He is Here!

2010-03-25T18:39:00.000-04:00

This morning at 7:04 am my little nephew was born. 5 pds 2.4 oz and so small. Mom and baby doing well.

This is a blanket that I knitted for Caleb.

We both like Betty Boop!

Mom and Baby Caleb.

The dad!

The Auntie!

Oh so small! I did not knit that hat!

I knit this one. A blue and white in dreambaby yarn. Will try to get a better picture tomorrow. Lightening is bad and flash just washes out everything!

I am very proud of my sister and hope and pray all will go well for her!

Now, give me the kid, I have some spoiling to do!

Yarn Stash and Enrichment!

2010-03-12T18:39:00.000-05:00

I really do not want to admit this....but I have a decent yarn stash. This is where a knitter will try to tell her family that only a specific yarn will do for the project then turns around and buys more than she/he went in for in the first place. But, really, who can pass up some of the wonderful colors and designs that are out there? Let me show you some sock yarn that I am going to use very soon. These are from Osborn Fiber Studio and both mom and I fell in love with her redwood colorway. So much in love with it that I ordered the rest of the skeins she has. Bad, I know. Great colors. They will look like a million bucks on my feet!

Redwood Colorway. Beautiful.

Earth, Wind and Fire These are going on my husband's feet. If not then I will wear them with no problems!

Pokeberry Swirl. Umm still trying to decide who gets these socks when I am done? Should I be a bit greedy???

Next are some yarns that were offered at Cloverhill Yarn shop.

These 20 skeins will be for a sampler afghan for a friend of ours for christmas 2010. So I will have to start doing the squares this weekend. Have the book and I will pick out some cabled squares and get started.

This is Ultra Alpaca Fine for a lace shawl I am doing called Evenstar based on the Fellowship of the Ring by JRR Tolkein. Susan Pandorf of A Few Stitches Short is offering the pattern as a huge Knit Along on Ravelry. I love it so far but I am only a few rows into the first clue and the third clue is due to release tomorrow. So, I am a bit behind but I am catching up and getting it done.

Let's just say this is only a scratch on the surface of what I have hidden in the closet and the attic!

Trip to Ellicot City, MD

2010-03-11T10:43:00.000-05:00

This weekend was beautiful. Spring is in the air and I am more than ready for warmer temperatures! We went to the main street of Ellicot City this weekend and had a good time browsing the antique stores! Did not buy anything but that is ok! I did however, point out some things the hubs can pay attention to for future gift giving opportunity's! Not sure if he took the hint or not. We will see!

Here are some photos that I did manage to get.

This whole city seems to be built on top of rocks and cliffs. It is beautiful and a great area to walk around. If you are in MD or visiting go visit the city and have a great day there. You will always find something in the shops. I know I do. We did leave with a wood table restore and some beeswax furniture polish. I can never find the old fashioned beeswax wood polisher anywhere but there.

Let me leave you with a funny photo of the hubs posing for me!

Is he not cute!

Sweet potato anna

2010-03-06T12:11:00.000-05:00

Potato Anna is a huge buttery potato dish that is so sinful the priest in confessional can not forgive it for the hips! So one day I thought of a way to redo the dish in a healthier way. This is my version and I am sure others have done this.

First lets the suspects out and ready to go.

Cutting board and knives. 2 to 3 sweet potatoes.

Slice fairly thin but not too thin.

Wash and put in a towel to dry off a little.

Dry off with towel what did not get dry.

Get out the olive oil, pepper and kosher salt.

Put a layer of taters in, salt and pepper the layer. Keep adding layers until done all the taters.

Sprinkle about a quarter to a half a cup of olive oil.

Wrap a parchment lined foil over top and put into a 350 degree oven for 30 to 40 mins. Uncover and cook for another 20 min or so. Until fork tender. Basically, you are steaming the taters then browning them up a little. If I do this dish at Thanksgiving or a special treat I add brown sugar on top to caramelize it a little more. Fancier really.

Pull out of the oven and give the dish about 1

5 to 10 min to cool down.

Serve on a plate with chicken. Or turkey!

This can also be done by slicing the taters on a mandoline for ultra thin slices and using butter instead of olive oil. I have done it that way before and it tastes good but hubs and I love this way for a quick everyday recipe for sweet potato when you do not feel like roasting a potato. This is great the next day mixed in with waffle or pancake mix. Just mash the taters and add about a tablespoon or more of milk or water to the mix.

The Hades Blanket!

2010-03-04T13:01:00.000-05:00

Now I know the name is not that great but it is what it felt like trying to slug through the knitting on this blanket. It was all garter stitches. Nothing amazing or special about it. This blanket is for my sister's baby boy who is due to be born in the next few weeks. Caleb I think his name will be. I had a thought of not finishing this and just giving her a small gift basket but it is not within me to give up so easily. The yarn is from Red Heart called Baby Clouds. I will never knit with this nightmare of a yarn again.

Koko thought it was ok but Shadow competely turned his nose up. It was not wool. This yarn is an acrylic man made yarn.

Somehow I ended up with even pickier dogs than I am!

This is a close up of the stitches. Size 17 needles and just knit it up.

This yarn easily split, had knots, and got caught on the needles so much. I tried wood, bamboo, metal, even plastic needles and the wood ones were the best but it was a struggle to get the yarn to try to behave.

I have became a yarn snob. Sorry, but I feel that if you are going to knit something and you want it to last for the years.....use the real fibres. The animals in this world will thank you. It is a way of recycling their hair for our uses. And, trust me, whoever thought to shear the sheep and spin the fibre into yarn was a brilliant man! I think he had his wife behind him. LOL! There is a new yarn out lately called bamboo yarn. I have yet to try it but I have heard that it is like a linen type of yarn. I will have to try that out one time.

The last few days!

2010-03-01T19:27:00.000-05:00

Things here have been a bit off lately. I actually took time out and cleaned out the bedroom! Found some yarn I did not know I had and some work in progress that I had forgetten about. Will post a picture of the blanket tomorrow as right now it is just too dark to really take that picture and have it show up!

On friday we did the washing! Well I did the washing, the prince and princess did the checking of the freshness!

They both love the fresh from the dryer warmth! Must have passed the freshness test!

This is what I woke up to on sunday morning!

Cute! Shadow is hanging on for his life and Koko is just waking up.

Now while all this was going on I finished my cabled headwrap! It will keep the wind from killing any hope for keeping ears when I am waiting on the bus at the bus stop and going to the stores around here! There are times when the ears go competely numb and you just do not know if they are still attached to the head or not!!!

The slit is for the eyes. This was made with Cascade 220 superwash and is so soft. Used up one and a half skeins so I have 2.5 skeins left. May make the Irish Hiking cable set.

I even convinced Shadow to model for me!

ROFLMBO!

Let's get a close up shall we???? LOL!

Ok next time I will ask Koko!

And this is Koko as I took my feet out from under her. She loves to sit or lay on my feet and keep them warm. Is she not a princess???

On a serious side note......I am now going to the gym at least once a day. Monday to Friday. It's not that I want to be thin I just want to be healthy. I did 30 minutes on the treadmill at a 3 to 6 incline with a speed of 2.0 starting out and ending in the middle at 2.8. Came home and took a nice long shower and had the prince and princess on the bed waiting for me. We took a little nap and then started our day.

Doing Well....

2010-02-23T10:09:00.000-05:00

My husband is doing well. He had to have a crown put in and he needs some more work done but that will come later and it is not an emergency! He was up and running around the next day. He did a photography job saturday night and the dogs and I stayed home and relaxed. They stayed in bed and kept me company!

Did anyone watch the Olympic Ice Dancing last night? I was fine until the last group came in to skate and somehow fell asleep on the couch for the rest of the night. The dogs were thrilled! My back is hurting.

Today is Shadow's birthday. I am going to make him what we call a bowser cake! Will post a photo and a recipe later.

I was trying to finish the last of the neck for the cabled baklava last night and only got 2 repeats done. I am going to switch the yarn for my circular lace shawl that is based on the design of Arwen's Evenstar in the movies. I love all things Lord of the Rings. I love Tolkein's books. This shawl is what we call a knit a long or KAL but it is a mystery one. A clue, or a part of the pattern, is given every other friday. And well next clue comes out this friday so I better get on the ball and get my needles out and cast on. I was doing the shawl in a blueish color but have this beautiful silvery wheat cobweb lace that came in the mail and well I changed my mind! Took a night and thought about it and decided to go for a new color!

Will post pictures later on today or tomorrow.

Here is Shadow!

2010-02-22T14:18:00.000-05:00

Today, the day before he turns 2, Shadow was groomed! He is ready for spring and summer with a cut. We were trying to grow his hair long but, it did not quite work out.

Before

Koko is waiting for her buddy to get back home! Look at that cute little face!

Forgive the overexposure but this is basically the only one I could snap! Little wiggle worm!

Wow! That was really tiring@! What a life!

may not post for a few days

2010-02-19T09:47:00.000-05:00

Hello all,

I may not be able to post for a few days. My husband's tooth somehow came out and he is at the dentist now for an emergency appt. and I am waiting for the bus to get down there to him. He has been sick the last few days and I am not sure if this is related to his tooth. We will see what happens and I will let you know how it works out. We did go out last night with a good friend and have a small dinner and went shopping for the dogs. We just had a good time out and about just for us. Sometimes you need that. No matter how frugal and thrifty you try to be everyone needs some time out and about without having to worry about bills, house, kids, pets etc..... I will just have to take life as it comes! Right now have Koko rubbing and kissing my hands and that is what makes life really good. Just to have the ones you love right there for you!

Look what my friend made for me!

2010-02-17T12:24:00.000-05:00

These days I tend to add stitch markers to just about every project. Between repeats and if I am working in the round I use a big one to show where is the first stitch or you may start sounding like a sailor when you realize that you can not tell which round you are on because a) you forgot the stitch marker and b) you did not read the pattern!

This is a close up of the row counter necklace Helen made for me! I love those beads.

That little green thing that looks like a frog is the row counter. You need to put this over the neck and click the little button on top so you do know what row you are on!

Now these are the stitch markers. Sorry the photo is not that great. But the little clonisse beads are my favorites and the green one is part of a set she had made earlier this year. These are invaluable to a knitter!

If anyone wants to buy any of these gadets please let me know and I will get you in touch with Helen! Oh she does some beautiful work!

Thank you Helen!

Mittens are done!

2010-02-17T05:12:00.000-05:00

As promised these are the mittens. So warm and snuggly. These were easy to work up. I did not think they would be as they looked really complicated when I was reading the pattern. I think I will make another pair to make some modifications on these.

These were made with Peruvia Quick by Berroco and the color is a heathery brown. This is 100% peruvian highland wool so it does kind of bloom. Which means that the fibres start to have little hairs that will come out of the stitches. So this is a set of mittens that has to be handwashed in wool wash squeezed out with a towel and blocked to clean them. Takes a bit more work than just throwing them in the washer and dryer and that is fine for me.

I took these out for a test run yesterday morning when it was snowing and the wind was howling. Not a single shiver! No wind up the back of the hand and these actually kept my hands warm! I am by nature a cold hand person and normally the gloves and mittens that I get from a store are so pitiful that I tend not to wear them unless I really need to. Not with these! Glad I made these and will make another pair in white as soon as I finish the balaclava I put on the needles yesterday. Have to stop and figure out a way to chart the pattern in a spreadsheet.

Will post another few pictures this afternoon as my good friend made some stitch markers for me! And a wonderful necklace for my stitch counter!

Update on Olympic Knitting!

2010-02-14T10:53:00.001-05:00

I am doing very well in my knitting for the olympics. So far I am almost done one of the Bella mittens. So good that I brought white yarn to do another pair for myself. This pattern knits up very well and the horseshoe cable is to die for.

Is this not cool? No seams!

I am doing so well that I may also do this!

From Russia, with Love: Cabled Balaclava

This is a photo of someone else's finished project! How cool is that!

I will do this in a white/cream superwash wool that I have that is so soft and warm. This will be a good one to go under the hood of the coat as the winds seem to be brutal here in town!

So let's do a daily update and see how far I can go if I really make myself sit down and do what I need to do!

Here is Koko!

2010-02-14T10:25:00.000-05:00

As promised I am going to post a photo of Koko. She was adopted a little over a month ago and has adjusted well. She and Shadow get along fairly well and still have a few fights. Mainly over the chew treats.

Koko this morning as she was trying to get my attention!

She and Shadow are good friends now that they have had some time to do the little turf battles.

She is 7 months old and we adopted her from BARCS in the city. She is gentle and sweet but knows how to get Shadow to do something he may not want to do. Like give up the treat.

Knitting Olympics Are Almost Here!

2010-02-11T07:11:00.000-05:00

Well I have made the plunge. I am going to cast on a knitting project at the opening ceremonies of the Olympics and the project has to be done by the time the flame is put out at the closing ceremony. So I am going to do these wonderful mittens in Peruvia Quick a brown colorway that is beautiful. They are thick and chunky and perfect for a Baltimore Winter! I have never done mittens so this will be a challenge. There is also a design on them called horseshoes. A type of cabling that is huge. These are the mittens that are based on the designs that Bella from Twilight wore in the movies. I think she wears them in New Moon also. I have not seen that movie yet but plan on seeing it as soon as it comes out on DVD. Problem with being Deaf is that you have to wait for movies! Sometimes the wait is worth it and sometimes not! We will see! Click on this link to see the mittens and the pattern if anyone knits you can join me in the craziness of this one!

http://subliminalrabbit.blogspot.com/2008/12/bellas-mittens-updated-pattern.html

BAD BLOGGER!

2010-02-07T14:35:00.000-05:00

Hello,

Please excuse the over worked crazy lady who tries to post. The human is great for us little dogs but she tends to get a bit dippy when it comes to things she needs to do. One is to make sure we are fed and well petted and clean, two is to knit with us under her work!, three is to make sure we have our walks and treats made. Besides the two humans who are my pets, found me a nice little playmate. Her name is Koko and she is cute. I currently enjoy running around and playing chicken with Koko and we gang up on the pets. We just got about 3 feet of snow and The Pets are doing something weird with it. What's the point of moving it when it is all going to melt anyway?

Shadow

Ps. Soon as the dippy pet figures out how to get the pictures off her phone I will make sure she posts them.

Pictures of Shadow!

2009-09-03T18:44:00.006-04:00

This one is my little one all groomed and looking cute! He was not happy to get groomed but it was a headache with all the tangles he would not let me comb out. He did not like the brush that we had for him so I went and got an old horsehair brush I used to use and he fell in love. We will let his fur grow out in the winter as it gets cold here in our part of the state. He will have to get used to twice daily grooming. We do have 2 small sweaters we use for him and I may see if I can learn to knit a small dog sweater for him over the winter. If I can do that then I will make a few next year in the summer as they will not sit heavy on my lap like a blanket does. Speaking of blankets I have one I have to finish for a lady in my church who is getting ready to have a baby.

This picture is of him about a week ago. He and the Hubs were playing superdog. He really loves his new harness. This style does not pull on his fur.

As promised. The pictures of the little one! This one was of Shadow as you can see his hair is getting long. This was 4 weeks ago.

The end of the garden season!

2009-09-02T20:57:00.002-04:00

Well we finally came to the end of the road. This year was a test year. The heirloom corn grew decently. Not the greatest but pretty good. Next year I will plant all corn in one plot. The green beans went wild! I still have beans growing on the vines. So they are still in the ground for harvesting. Pole beans are good for growing all you have to do is harvest the beans and they keep growing new veggies for you. The jalpenos and cubenelle did fairly well. They had a huge problem starting off as we had a cold wet summer here in centeral MD. The same with the tomatoes. They did not do well at all and I lost 6 plants of the tomatoes. I am hoping and praying that next year we will have a nice hot summer to have a better haul for canning for the winter.

I am planning on building 4 new beds over the fall so that I will have more room to put vegetables.

Shadow was groomed today and I will try to put pictures up tomorrow so all can see how he looks.

Also, finished 4 knitting projects that I had on the needles all summer long. I am knitting a dishcloth that is a KAL with a group of ladies. I will also start a lace scarf for a good friend who helps us out alot. Have the pattern picked out and I will go as soon as she picks out what yarn she likes from my stash. I also got my new ball winder in the mail today from Amazon. Mom and I will ball up some yarn tomorrow to see how it works. Mom will have to hold the hank of wool in her hands as I do not have a spinner to hold the yarn on. Will get my husband to make one for me. Simple just needs to have 2 boards that can spin on an axis.

I will also start prepping the garden beds now for winter so that I can get a head start.

A Quick Intro

2009-07-07T08:25:00.002-04:00

Hi,

There have been a few members of my church who asked if I had a blog and every time I have to say no. But, with family members in several states I have decided this may be the best way to keep in touch!

We have a beautiful Shih Tzu, named Shadow. We adopted him from the shelter in Baltimore City, BARCS. His previous owner was a man who was ill with cancer and couldn't take care of him any more. If his previous family is reading, Shadow is the light of our lives and very, very spoiled! He has enriched our lives so much.

I have a husband who tolerates my rants and raves and my more off the wall things I do! Thanks Hun!

I am an avid knitter who loves to explore and always has at least 3 projects on the needles. I crochet sometimes but not often.

I have decided to grow our own food and this year is our test year. We have taken out half the shurbs and found this great dirt in our yard that is black gold for plants. The corn and green beans are shooting up so wonderfully. The tomato plants are doing better now that our weather is drying out and we are no longer water logged. The peas are just about done. Next year we plant to rip out the rest of the shurbs and plant even more. I am also planning on a blueberry patch, strawberry patch and raspberry patch. We are also testing out the topsy turvey to see how they do and if we want to hang more next year.

I will post pictures later.