Oh my goodness, I am in love with a new knitting project!! It is called Panta. I am making one right now out of a beautiful turquoise yarn. I am so excited about it! I am actually doing it from this pattern.

I finished one bootie for A this weekend. Now I just need to cast on the other. I will do it as soon as I finish this great headband. What else am I doing? Still Jer's socks, and am about ready to cast on a purse.

Speaking of purses...I don't like the cable knit purse. I think I like it with 10.5 needles, but then I would need 2 skeins of yarn. So...I am not doing cable knit purses right now. I am going to make this Elizabeth bag though. It is like the Sophie I did before, but bigger. I like it a lot.

Oh, and check out the King of all Wild Things pattern. This is my newest pattern. I am going to make this for S, hopefully soon. I think he'll really like it.

That's it for now...oh there are so many things to knit and just not enough time! :)

I actually cast off sometimes. I did it twice this weekend!!!! I am pretty excited about it. First, I finished Seth's socks. I haven't been able to get a picture of them yet. He likes to wear them too much! :) I also finished my scarf for the scarf swap I'm doing. I love it!!! I wish I got to keep it and wear it this winter! Isn't it gorgeous?!?! Oh, I love it.

Now, I am working on Jer's socks and one of the 3 cable knit purses I am doing. I am also going to make some fingerless gloves for some birthday presents for my friends. They may not get them right on their birthdays...but they will get them! :)

Not much else. Just trying to not take on too many more projects right now. I have SO much I am trying to knit!!!

Look what I got today!!!! I am SO excited! These are some of the interchangable needles from Knit Picks. Eventually I want to get the whole set, but neither this cord or these needle tips come with it, so I got these to start with!! I am WAY excited and I LOVE these needles!! They rock!

So, I am deciding that I do not like this toe up sock. I started it for S and was cruising right along until I hit the heel. It's a short row heel (for an explanation, see the pattern) and I am just not getting it. I am sure if I didn't have 2 wee ones to care for and I could just devote all my time and energy to these socks, I would have no problem. But...I don't. So, I may just rip them out and do cuff down socks like everyone else in the world. ;)

Let's see...what else...I am still working on the cable knit purse. I ordered some size 13 needles from KnitPicks and thought they would be here by now. But, they're not. They are the size I need to do the purse for real. So, I am kind of waiting.

I cast on Jer's jayhawk socks, again, last night. We'll see though. I will probably rip them out and do them cuff down. Or, maybe I'll make him these really cool socks. Who knows.

As for my Christmas knitting...I've only completed one project. So, I need to get working!!! S keeps pulling the scarf off my needles. He likes to pretend that they are either his wands, or his drumsticks. Oh, and he likes to pretend to be knitting. He's a nut.

So, I ordered some beautiful Regia sock yarn last week. My plan was to make some great socks for my mother in law for Christmas with them. They were on sale and I thought it was perfect! Well, I should have read a little more carefully. I got the yarn yesterday and it's only 50 grams. I need 100 grams to make socks for her. So...I think that they will be tights for A. Now to find a pattern...

Ugg. These silly socks. I started doing the Jaywalker socks for Jeremy toe up. Remember that? Well, the pattern wasn't working out and they were HUGE, so I ripped them out. Then, I did a swatch (should have done it in the first place) and I had the right gauge. So, I decided to do it cuff down (maybe for some odd reason the toe up is my problem). Well, last night I re-checked my gauge in the pattern. I should have 38 stitches/4 inches. What do I have? 34 stitches/4 inches! How did that happen?!?!?! What's a girl to do? Wait until I have the $12 for new needles. Then I will get myself these in a 40 inch size 1. So...these socks will have to wait.

I cast on my first cable knit purse. It is really cute and I am having fun learning to do cables. I am also still working on this scarf. I really don't love doing scarves I've decided. It's a little too monotonous for me. But, I will be glad when it's done and I get a great new scarf in exchange!

Oh yeah...I also joined another magic ball of yarn swap! I know that I have some great yarn that I can swap. Yipee!!!

Another project completed! I finished my Sophie bag today. I'm not sure who is getting it...but it will be a Christmas present for someone! :) Here it is before felting



















S really likes it!




















and after felting...







































Isn't it cute??? S was pretty shocked when I pulled it out of the the washer. He first thought I'd have 2 bags, but then realized that this was the same one. He refers to it as cute. He is a nut. Oh, and what music to my ears?? He told me that he loves yarn. He even plays like he's knitting! Oh how sweet!

So, now I am just working on the toe up Jaywalkers for Jeremy and the scarf for my scarf exchange that I am doing. I am also going to start the cable knit bag that I posted about the other day. I must have a few projects going at once so I don't get bored. ADD anyone??

It's the Magic Ball of Yarn!!!! I entered a swap on Mothering.com to do a magic ball of yarn swap. What you do is wrap up goodies in a ball of yarn and send it to the person on your list! Mine came today, I was so excited!!! Here is what I got:
2 balls of great wool yarn, some beautiful beads, fun temporary tattoos for S, a cute bookmark, a Christmas ornament and 2 Godiva Truffles!!! YUM!

















S was being Santa and was very excited to open my yarn balls!
















The goods.

Thank you secret swapper!!!

I have been asked from time to time how I started knitting. What was it that made me want to knit? Was it the wool? The needles? The beautiful hand crafted items that I just couldn't do without? Did my Grandmother teach me on a cold winter day?

No. It was none of these. I've been knitting for 3 years now. I learned about 3 years ago last week. My sister-in-law, Stephanie (who is also my best friend) taught me. I knew nothing of yarn or needles or beautiful hand crafted items. My Grandmother crochets, so she couldn't teach me. Nope, it was my sister, my best friend. She saw a need and filled it.

August 23, 2003, my 8 month old daughter died very suddenly. It was not expected and threw us for quite a loop. As I am sure you can imagine, it was (and still is) very difficult. She was our first baby and was just such a happy little munchkin.

My very wise sister saw that I needed to fill my time. My arms literally ached to hold a baby. All I could do was cry and think about that awful day. So, she filled my hands with wool and beautiful bamboo needles. When she mentioned that she was going to teach me to knit, I laughed. I told her knitting was for "old" women (she is 9 years my senior, so I like to tease her). But, I decided to give it a go.

It didn't take long and I was hooked. I started on a hat. It was a very soft rowan yarn, that I still love to this day. However, it doesn't look like it does in the picture. There were some holes in the top, so I undid it, and decided that I wanted a ribbed cuff instead of rolled. So, I redid it.
Then, I knit a hat for Jeremy. It didn't turn out so good. I think my gauge was off (I didn't really understand gauge yet), and it didn't fit him right.
Shortly after I learned to knit, I learned I was pregnant. So, I knit diaper covers for my new baby and started a blanket. The blanket still isn't finished. But, someday I will finish it.

See the smiling girl on the left? She didn't always smile like that. She still doesn't smile like that all the time. But, knitting helped to bring that smile back to her face. When Emma died, I was suddenly without anything to do. I had no one to take care of, nothing to fill my time. Knitting allowed me to take something raw, and make something beautiful and functional out of it. It occupied my hands and my mind. I couldn't dwell on the day that Emma died. It helped me heal. Yes, knitting has helped to heal my broken heart. As I have had 2 more children since Emma died, I have grown as a knitter. I knit as I nurse my babies. I hope to pass on the love of wool and knitting to my children.

So, that is how I started to knit. To heal my heart. To give me something to do. To fill the long silent hours. Now I knit for my children. I knit for my friends. I knit for my family. I knit for myself.

So, I love to knit. It's a bit of an obsession. I decided that instead of boring people (who want to read about my family) with all my knitting antics...I'd start a blog just for my knitted goods. So, here it is!

I just finished my first pair of socks and ADORE them! I knit them out of a worsted weight Cascade 220 yarn. It is so yummy and they are SO warm!


Now, I am knitting socks for Jeremy. They will be crimson and blue...yes, Jayhawk socks! And I am also knitting a scarf and a bag. So, I have a bit on my needles right now and plan on putting lots more on! I have lots of holiday knitting to do and I don't want to get so far behind that I am knitting while I should be enjoying the festivities! Of course I can't devulge what I am knitting for people...because then they would know! However, I can say that I am knitting socks, bags, hats and scarves. So...good luck guessing what you're getting! :D

So, about the socks I'm doing for Jeremy. They are going to be fun. The socks I did for myself are traditional cuff down socks. This means that I start from the top of the cuff and work my way to the toe. Well, Jer's socks are toe up socks! So, I start with the toe and work my way up. Definately different, but I love a good challenge! Stephanie is on the cuff of hers and I think that these will be a lot of fun. One nice thing about them is that you can customize them a little more to the wearer. Here is what they look like right now. I know, I've done a lot. I should be done with them in no time! :D heehee!
















I have a confession. I hate to clean. I am really unorganized. And...it gets worse when I am knitting. I cleaned my table yesterday, so it is realtively clean...but normally, I have loads of books, yarn, needles, patterns, burp cloths, booger suckers (you know those little bulb things?), tissue, cups, empty soda cans..you name it...piled on my end table. The table isn't even that big, so it makes it even worse! How do others stay organized? I just don't.

I am making a few of these bags as Christmas presents. They are quick and easy. So, that is one thing that is on my needles. Another project I have is a scarf. I joined a scarf exchange this year on a knitting forum I am on. It should be fun. It will be made with a really pretty moss green wool and a fun eyelash yarn. It will nice and fuzzy. I am finding however...I don't really like scarves. They take a long time and it is the same stinking stitch over and over and over. Good thing I have other projects to keep me sane!
Oh and one more bag I found tonight that I must make. Isn't that just divine?? Pink and brown anyone?? Yes, I LOVE pink and brown.

Ok...A is getting fussy, so I have to go play Mom now. More knitting later!