I wish I was still at the lake

If I close my eyes, I can still imagine I'm up north at the lake. I wish I could click my heels like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz and be there again. Next year I'll go back. I did get some fabulous fat quarters while there. I'm so addicted to them. Can't quit buying them.

There are still more out there that I don't have. I want them all!!!!!!

I did buy a pattern to make slippers. So I made a pair. This is my prototype. I screwed things up so now I know what to do next time. I have another pair cut out for my grandson. They will have Sponge Bob on them. I'll show you those when they are done. Here are mine.

I never thought I'd sew slippers, but I did it. Fun to make. And they don't take a lot of fabric. A good way to use fat quarters.

I finally finished the socks I was knitting in a Ravelry Knit-Along. Summer Lovin Socks.

They are not a bright pumpkin orange like that picture! I don't know why the color came out like that. The pattern was easy to follow. It took me 3 weeks to knit them, it felt like forever some days. Here's another picture which shows a more true color of them.

A burnt orange color. All in all I really like them. I should wear them today. It's been very fall-like around here the past couple of days. We went from extreme heat to cool temps. It's nice though not to be melting.

To frog or not to frog?

Have you ever been knitting and just not enjoyed the project? I've got two projects on the needles at the moment that I just am not enjoying knitting. First off are these socks, Aquaphobia.

I've got a little more done than in that picture. The pattern is so tedious, I just cannot for the life of me get a good rhythm going on it. I love the yarn, but not the pattern.

I started this lacy scarf, Juliet. I just don't like it. Even when I stretch it out and look at it, it just looks bunchy and icky to me. Once again, love the yarn, not the pattern.

So tell me, how long do you knit something before you know it's just not something you want to continue with? When do you say, ackkkkkkk I just don't want to knit this anymore? To me knitting should be enjoyable, relaxing. Take my stress away. These two projects just don't. I see them jumping into the frog pond in the future.

I did get a hat done. I really like this hat! It won't be going into the frog pond.

I made that hat with Patons Classic Merino Wool. It worked up really quickly. The yarn is double stranded. An enjoyable knit.

I am starting a knit-along tomorrow in a Ravelry group, Malabrigo Junkies. This will be my first time using Malabrigo yarn. I'll be using the apricot colored yarn for the hat.

I have a feeling this project won't be in the frog pond.

I have a new cat

I've been wanting this cat pattern for a long time. Finally had my chance to get it. McCalls patterns were $1.99 over the weekend at Joann and I picked it up along with some fabric to make this cat. It was a lot of fun to make. I haven't made a stuffed animal in a long time.

That kept me busy over the weekend. Now you know what that mystery thing was on a previous post: The body.

I really haven't been in a knitting mood. It's been so hot I can't stand to touch wool. So I've been working on dishcloths. I can handle touching the cotton. This one is from the Monthly Knit-Along group on Yahoo. Love to Knit.

I'll get my knitting mojo back soon. I just don't know what to make yet, nothing is screaming at me to be knit. In the meantime, I'm very content making dishcloths. And sewing.

Lots to keep me busy!

Now that the sock is done, I've been having a ball working on all kinds of stuff! I'm in a Yahoo group that does two monthly dishcloth knit-alongs. I haven't done one in a long time, so I decided to do the mid month knit-along. Here it is so far:

Just moving right along. I haven't finished my rows for today yet. So once I get the rows done for the day, I've been working on a Sugar & Cream Red, White and Blue Stripes dishcloth. Real easy knitting. I love making these!

I did start sewing my daughter's purse, but just haven't had time to get back to it. That's on tap for tomorrow. I'll have the house to myself after work and I can sew to my heart's content with no interruptions. This is the mess so far:

I need to sew the lining then attach it and it will be done. It went pretty quick and she loves it so far.

In the meantime some sock yarn I bought from an etsy shop came in the mail. I LOVE ETSY! So many things that I want to buy there.

The color is called "Confetti". Isn't it pretty? I just love it!

Then, in addition to all this madness I went and bought more yarn last night. I couldn't help it. Sugar & Cream is on sale at Joann for $2, they have a real good sized ball of the Sugar & Cream. My knitting group is making squares for a blanket for one of the Boy Scout family members who lost a loved one in that tornado last week. So, I needed to get the yarn for that. The Vanna's Choice will be used for my square. If I have time, I'll make two squares. The bright green is going to be a dishcloth for a very special nephew. A bright green dishcloth with a skull on it!

My daughter has been bitten by the crafting bug lately too! Yay! She is enjoying working with beads. She's made some necklaces and an ankle bracelet and is working on some other projects. Here is a necklace she made with a moose button I bought for her. I love it! She's very proud of it and well she should be.

So tell me, what are you working on?

I Fell Off the Wagon

I bought yarn today. I didn't make it through February. I tried. I failed. So what. I have new yarn! I made my daughter a scarf at Christmas out of the Patons Classic Merino. It itches her like crazy. And since my car drove me to Joann's (yep, it did, must have been on auto pilot) and since I saw this yarn in the exact colors she wants, I had to buy it. Especially since it was the last skein in this color left.

She is so excited over it! That makes me feel really good that it's so appreciated. I'm going to start it tonight. Can't wait to get cracking on it. Yeah yeah, My Bad, it's acrylic, but it won't make her itch and that's all that matters.

So . . . while I was there and I'm going to be in a fingerless mitt knit-along which is using camo yarn I bought some camo.

Pink!

and one in browns

I just couldn't decide which color. That was the easy part though, now I have to decide on a pattern. Decisions, decisions. Not sure when this starts, so I have time.

Did you see the lunar eclipse? I opened the door and looked at it off and on last night. It was awesome to see. Very clear night. And around 10:00 p.m. EST it was totally covered, kind of orangey looking. I'm glad I saw it.

Baby it's cold outside, brrrrrrr

BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR, it's been so cold the last couple of days. I can't get warm. I did go out and buy a new winter coat. I love it! It's so warm and toasty. I wore it yesterday when it was 7 degrees when I went to work. Of course I had to pump gas . . . of course. I did not feel in the least bit cold pumping gas. Love those after Christmas sales! Now I have the perfect excuse, as if I need one, to knit some accessories to wear with it.




I did get the fingerless mittens done I was doing as part of a Knit-Along. They are for my daughter. I love how they turned out! I used Bernat Naturals Cashmere. That's the first time I used that yarn. It was very nice to work with. She loves them too. I think that's all the knitting I'll be able to get done for her before she leaves to go back to school. I've sure made her plenty of warm cozy things. They get so much more snow where she goes than we do here.




And while I was out shopping the other day I needed to buy a new calendar. I bought one with pictures of the Great Lakes to hang in the kitchen/dining room area where I hang a calendar. All the calendars were 50% off. Good deal! Then I saw this one, the Stitch N Bitch page a day calendar. Couldn't resist at 50% off, so I bought it. It will keep me amused with yarny things for a year.





Now I can get back to knitting the pair of Fetching I started for me. I can't wait to get them done as I'm really looking forward to wearing them.

Cash for Some Stash!

I went to see my Mom in the nursing home today to give her and my dad their Christmas gifts. They loved the homemade stuff! In return, I got some cash as my Christmas gift. Yippee!!! I'm going to go to a yarn store and have some fun. Can't wait! I will go after my daughter leaves to go back to college. I'm always sad when she leaves, so this will be a real pick me up, something to look forward to!

I've been working on Fetching. I have one done. It's so pretty and soft. I like this pattern.




I'm hoping to get the second one done by New Years Day. I'm doing a knit-along that starts then and I need these needles. But at the rate I'm going, they should be done. The knit-along is for fingerless mittens, not this pattern though. They are fun to do and work up pretty quickly.