Sigh...

I've been back in the hospital since last Friday. I was smart enough to bring a knitting project with me. I started the Rasta Hat while I was waiting to be seen. I had most of the ribbing done by the time they got me moved into a room. I'm almost ready to start the decrease rows. I should have had it finished by now, but I have just been so tired. Did I mention that I had surgery on Saturday?

If the Knitting Gods are with me, I should have this one finished tomorrow and that should give me enough time to get the Orca Tails scarf finished by Christmas. I absolutely *LOVE* the Noro Silk Gardens yarn that I'm using for this project. I wish I could afford to use this for several projects. I think I might go ahead and use it for the Entrelac class. I want that scarf to be the yummiest thing ever!

Ever had really crappy customer service? Well, I had the best customer service ever this afternoon. A couple of weeks ago, while working on the Orca Tails scarf, one of my Harmony Options needles broke! I was so disappointed and sad. One of my pretty multicolour wood needles was now in pieces. I had been meaning to call Knit Picks to see about returning a cable that had a rough join and just hadn't gotten around to it. So today, when I got Knit Picks weekly email, I was reminded that I needed to call them. The woman that I spoke with was so incredibly nice! She's sending out replacements for both items and said that I didn't have to send the defective items back! Now that is fantatical customer service. It's service like the Old Viking used to give when Irwin Helford was still the boss. It's what all customer service should be, no matter what the company.

I've always recommended Knit Picks needles when someone would ask about interchangable needles. Now I can not only recommend them, but I will sing their praises from the highest mountain. Not often do you find a superior product with excellent customer service. Does my little heart good to know that it's still out there somewhere.

Finally! Snow!

It's not really sticking, but it's actually snowing. Good sized, fluffy flakes. You know the kind that makes you want to stand there with your face tilted up towards the sky. I always looked forward to that first tasty bit of winter falling on my tongue.

I've got another rasta hat almost halfway done. I really am loving the way that this yarn knits up. Who would have known that Paton's made such a wonderful fiber? Such beautiful colours! So far I've worked with three different colours: Natural Plum, Natural Earth and Natural Geranium. I think I may have some Natural Violet, too.

Time for some knitting and snuggling down to watch tv, maybe flip through the new Interweave Knits Holiday Gifts issue.

Stay safe, warm and happy!
Tammy

Let it snow!

They said we'd have snow today, so I want some snow! Anything to entertain me while I sit here and look out of this hospital room window. I should have been at the Embellishment class last night at Twist, but nope, I was in this darned hospital room. At least it's one of the new rooms and ironically, it's the same room I was in for one day during my last stay in November.

They are talking about doing an actual surgery to connect a couple of wounds and hopefully that will get them to heal faster. And they're also talking about putting a wound vac back on me.

So start thinking of something fairly quick and simple that I can work on while I'm here.

Come on, Snow! I need a little Christmas, right this very minute!

Wooohooo!

I finished the first of a pair of clogs that will be felted. I really feel like I have accomplished something. The pattern for these definitely leaves something to be desired. There should probably be a bulletin board or a Yahoo group for people to compare notes on this one. It's a good thing that Jackie and Becca had already done one of them. At least they knew where the bugs in the pattern were and how to get around them. I'll try to get a picture of these once I get both knitted up and then one after they've been felted.

I've really been enjoying my knitting lately. If the weather hadn't been so cruddy tonight, I would have gone up to Twist and hung out. Rhiannon went with me to class today. Connie's daughter, Mimi, was there. She and Rhiannon really get along well. Rhiannon had her laptop with her and they goofed around playing the Sims. Mimi hadn't really played the Sims before and she was really starting to like it when she had to go home. Rhiannon had a chance to show off her artwork, too. She pulled up the Artsonia website and showed her stuff to Mimi and to Jackie. Jackie is thinking about sending her kids to Monart's Winter Drawing Camp which starts the day after Christmas and goes for three days. Rhiannon's thinking she might want to go to it. It would give her something to do for the time between Christmas and New Years Eve. I told her that we would go out for a special dinner on New Years Eve. For the last 4 years, I've gone to Kwan Court for their sushi buffet on New Years Eve. Even though it's a tradition that was started with my ex, I would like to keep it up with my daughter. The food is good and it's fairly close to home. Did I mention that the food was good? *grins*

Yes, I did say my ex. The divorce was final this last Monday. Property will be settled at a later date...most likely after the dirtbag is sentenced and in jail. But that's enough about that unpleasant bit of mess. Have I mentioned how much I'm loving my knitting lately?

I've finished a three hats (okay, two of them ended up being so small that my cocker Spike can wear them) and a clog. And that's just in the last two weeks. I'm on a roll! I have a decent yarn stash and there is a plethora of free patterns to be tromped through on the 'net. The hat that I finished was the Rasta Hat from Knitty Gritty. It was really a fun knit and I'd like to knit it again. I did this one out of Paton's SWS in Natural Plum. Wow! I love the way this knits up! It took almost two balls, but it was really worth it. I think I might make another one for Becky for Christmas. I have a scarf to finish for Chuck. It's a really neat pattern from Orcawinds. Kind of a fishtail thing, but really cool.

I'll try to update with pictures later on. So for now, I send you happiness and love and the hopes for a wonderful holiday.

Sore Thumbs

Who knew that speed knitting through a hat with HiyaHiya circs would make my thumbs sore? They're almost as sharp as my KnitPicks Options. I sure wish that KnitPicks would put out a shorter cord so I could make 16" circs with the 2 sets that I have.

I spent this afternoon up at Twist hanging out with friends and knitting on a new project, Asminah's Hat from Kody May Knits. If you haven't checked out Kody May's blog and you knit, you really should pop over there and see what all she has to offer for free. She's a really talented designer and she likes to share, just make sure that you give her credit for the designs. I bought some incredible Berroco Jasper merino wool to use on this one. The colours are beautiful and the fibers are soft and pliable to the touch. And it isn't splitty! Wooohooo!

Becky bought some gorgeous Noro wool for me to make Chuck a scarf. I just have to find the right pattern for it. They only had 2 skeins at Twist, so I have to make sure that whatever pattern I choose won't take more than that. I also offered to make another Bowl of Spaghetti hat for Tamara's daughter's friend. I just need to get yarn amounts to her. She has a friend who collects Jester hats and she thought that this would be a great addition to his collection. I did go online to joann's and I ordered an I-Cord maker. They're having free shipping all weekend, no matter what size your order is, so I took advantage. I also ordered me a Mighty Bright LED clip on light. I've been wanting one and they never seem to have them at Hobby Lobby when I think about getting one. It was on sale, so I don't feel too bad there.

I also ordered a couple of Hannah Montana goodies for Rhiannon from Walmart. Did you know that you can have your order shipped to your local store free? That means I don't have to really fight the crowds for more than picking up my order. Anything that will keep me from fighting the crowds shopping, I'm all over!

I've had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday this year, in spite of the mess that is going on with he who shall not be named. We have court next week and hopefully, that will spur the divorce on. At least I hope it will. I'm ready to be free and clear. Not like I'm going to just jump back into the dating pool or anything silly like that, but I just want him out of our lives for good.

I hope this finds you all happy, healthy and safe-
Tammy

I suck at blogging

Okay, I don't totally suck at it, but I seem to have a hard time remembering to get on here and write a little.

I started the Bowl of Spaghetti hat from Knitty Gritty while I was in the hospital a week ago. I swear that thing has never-ending I-Cord! It took me twice as long to knit the I-Cord as it did to knit the hat itself. I would *LOVE* to find something else to use some Misti Baby Alpaca on, but something that only takes a skein or two. It's so incredibly soft! I think I'm going to try the Suri Alpaca from KnitPicks. It's more affordable and looks so incredibly soft. If it's half as soft as I think it's going to be, it will make a great hat or even a sweater...should I come into a boatload of money.

I've found some really awesome hat patterns. They should knit up really quick so that I can give a new hat to each family member. One of the patterns is from Knitty. I saw Shelly, who owns http://www.twistyarnshop.com/, knit this one up and it turned out so cool! I think it's called Shedir. I've never knit from a chart before, so this is going to be a new one for me. The other pattern that I would love to do is from Kody May. If you haven't checked out her blog, you really should. She designs some really awesome stuff and she shares with others as long as you give her credit where credit is due. http://kodymayknits.blogspot.com/2006_11_15_archive.html It's called Asminah's Hat and it's just beautiful!

Well, that's me catching up on my knitting stuff. Next on the list of things to conquer is a crochet embellishment class and a class for those nifty knitted/felted clogs. I've already got the Cascade 220 for the clogs but I haven't found a sweater to embellish yet for Rhiannon. Hopefully I can find one asap.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving.
Tammy

Ravelry!!!

I *FINALLY* got an invitation to join Ravelry! I've been waiting for months. This morning I pop online to check email and lo and behold! There it was...an invitation from frecklegirl to join Ravelry! I am so jazzed!

I have been an exceptionally poor blogger the last several months. But, in my defense, since my last post I found out that my husband is lower than pond scum and actually belongs in jail (where he has been for the last couple of months) and I've been trying to get a divorce. Coming out as unscathed as possible is my primary goal right now.

On the upside, I have a nephew, Jackson, who was born July 7th, and a neice, Kylie, who was born October 18th. I now have two more little people who need handmade pretties! It's given me a reason to want to learn to crochet (gotta make those cute little booties!) and to start knitting like a fiend again. I do need to finish the Year of the Pig bag. I have the main body and it's little piggledy backside done. Now I'm at a part that I hate doing...picking up stitches to make this little pig's face. I still need to find a lining fabric and get the zipper and metal feet. I can get the feet from Shelly at Twist (the GREATEST LYS that I have ever been to) but I had to get the pink sparklie plastic bamboo handles from Angelika's.

I promise to be back soon-
T

How Funny Is This?

I just found out that my birthday, July 25, is Threading The Needle Day. Now just how appropriate is that with all of my hobbies? *grins*

Somebody needs to take away my clicky finger. I have become entirely too friendly lately with Knitpicks and Jimmy Beans Wool. I better learn how to knit socks or I'm going to up to my well rounded rear-end in sock yarn! I picked up a few skeins of a discontinued colour from KnitPicks. They call it Meadow Multi, I call it Monster Mash. It's black, purple and green. Not very meadowish is you ask me, but hey...it made for a great discount on really nice yarn. I bought enough to make me and Vanessa each a pair. It's nice to have someone other than your family who appreciates the work and time that goes into making something from scratch.

I also got the first round of the books that I ordered on KnitPicks book sale. The Big Girl Knits hardback ROCKS! There are some incredible sweater coats and wrap arounds in this one. I cannot wait to take that sweater knitting class so I can get my sweater knitting feet wet.

I just realized that I have a couple more classes at Twist that I need to sign up for ASAP. Maybe Shelly will start something where you buy so many classes and you get one free. We are really looking forward to the learn to crochet class on Thursday. Then there's Final Friday Knitting...and of course, Saturday evening Prairie Home Companion. It's a darned good thing that I'm feeling better and managing to keep food down now. I'll just make me a big honkin' travel cup of iced tea or crystal light and bring a Kashi bar or two with me to nibble on to keep my blood sugar on an even keel.

Have I mentioned just how much I'm loving life right now? Good news works better than Lexapro!

Wow!

The last few months have been something else! Not quite a month after my last post, I landed in the hospital for 9 weeks. No, that wasn't a typo, it was 9 weeks. Eight of the 9 weeks were spent taking IV antibiotics and recovering from surgery to remove the bone growth stimulator that Dr Mills left in my back.

So I've been home for a little over a month and I'm healing slowly but surely. I also found out that I am diabetic. Sigh. But hey, I'm learning to deal with that just like I'm learning to deal with everything else.

I've started knitting again and I'm really enjoying it. A new yarn shop opened up here in town and I just love it! Twist is the kind of shop that makes you feel so welcome. It just feels good when you walk in. In a way, it kind of reminds me of Cheers...you know like when Norm would walk in and everyone would turn around and say, "Norm!" You get greeted by your friends when you walk into Twist.

Tomorrow evening from 5-7, Twist has a listening "party" for Prairie Home Companion. They do it every Saturday. I missed their Thursday night SnB from 6-8. I've had the tummy ick and Henry had the car. I can't wait for Leather Camp to be over so I don't have to sit at home. I really am ready to get out of the house, even if it's just for a run to the grocery store or something. I just hate being stuck here with no vehicle.

So I'm working on a new handbag called The Lexi
It should really turn out cute. I'm having a heck of a time getting the links thing to do its thing without making everything a link.

I promise to get in here and blog more often.

WooooooHooooooo!

I just got an email from my sister-in-law, Lauren. She and Richard are expecting baby #2 about the end of October! I finally have a good reason to knit a baby blanket! I didn't find out about their first baby, Thomas, until he was a month or two old. And of course I wasn't knitting then.

My neice, Taylor Grace, has informed her Aunt Lauren that this baby is going to be a girl. No if's, and's or but's. I hope that she's right. Lauren says she's been really sick this time around. I hope that she doesn't have as hard a time as I did. Rehydration by way of IV in the ER is no fun...and neither is not being able to eat much more than McDonald's cheeseburgers with no pickles. That gets really boring.

This is just the kind of news that I needed after last week at Gran's house.

I'm off to find the perfect baby blanket pattern!
Tammy

*puzzled look*

I think I've got some of the tricks of that darned Rainbow Denise Bag figured out, but there are still some things that just have me puzzled as all get out. I figured out the Worked/Attached I-Cord on the top of the bag, but trying to get it round the handles is a whole other story. I'll bring it to Friday Night Knitting and see if someone can help me figure it out.

So while I'm waiting, I guess that I'll get started on something else. I do have my "emergency" scarf that I can work on, but I hate to finish it so soon. It's not like I don't have 40 skeins of yarn that I can pick from to start something new. *grins*

I need to get something together to take with me to Midland. Yep, I have to go again so I can get the things I want from Gran's house. I am really dreading that 12 hour each way trip. The only good things about going to Midland are Bob's Better Burger and Taco Villa....and the Rexall drugstore soda fountain. I don't think there's anything better than a fountain Coke with a shot or two of vanilla syrup.

I'm thinking about trying to knit a sweater. I may be getting in over my head with that one.

Yea! It's Knitting NIght!

Finally! What the hell took Friday so long to get here? Even though I'm really achy and kind of want to stay home and curl up in bed, I am so ready to go hang out with my knitting girlfriends. Rhiannon isn't feeling great, either, but her Granny is supposed to meet us at Malaysia Cafe to pick her up. I'm still shocked that she called to see if Rhiannon was free for the weekend.

I'm taking the two purses that I have started. One, I need help on working with the waste yarn and the other, well...it's pretty much the same bag, different yarn. My I-Cord bind-off needs a lot of work.

I'll be on my own when knitting is over tonight. Rhiannon is going to be with my mother and Henry is shooting the opera and some goofy VIP party afterward. So it's going to be me, some grape kool aid and the remote control....and my knitting, can't forget that.

Well...she did it.

I found out last night that my mother had put Gran's house on the market and had already gotten a contract on it for $165K. If everything works out, they want to take possession of the house in 4 weeks. That means that Henry and I are going to have to go to Midland and help Mom and Ron load a rental truck to bring home the things that we want to keep.

It really caught me off-guard. Mom had said that she was going to keep the house and move out there when she retired. She decided that the upkeep was just too expensive when you count the insurance, electric and all of the other little things. She's going to have some lady who does estate sales come and sell all of Gran's things. It just breaks my heart. It's really hit me that she's gone and never coming back. Yeah, I know...she's been gone since September, but there has always been that itty bitty iota of hope that if I were to dial her phone number she would answer and tell me that she had missed talking to me and that she loved me.

I don't know if I will every get over the loss of my grandmother. Damn, I mean, it's been 20 years since Grandpa died and I still cry for him. I would give anything to have them back, to hear Grandpa sing Goodnight, Irene...to have a one-sided conversation with Gran on the phone when she couldn't really hear me.

I'm going to sit and knit and try to take my mind off of things.

Why??

Why do I torture myself with those damned little fair isle bags? I started working on the big skull & crossedbones bag and I think I just need to find cable needles with a shorter cable. A 29" cable is just too damned long. It dumbfounds me that the chick who wrote the pattern actually said she used 32" cables! I don't see how.

So I'm gonna frog the whole damned thing and find me some size 13 circulars with a shorter cable.

I hate that frog. Where's my frog blender when I need it?

AAAARRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

No, it's not Talk Like A Pirate Day...that's not until later this year. But it is Pirate related. I started the mini skull and crossedbones bag a couple of nights ago. It's my first attempt at doing Fair Isle work. I am now convinced that whomever invented Fair Isle knitting is a complete and total SADIST!

I worked on it for about 7 hours and I finally gave up and went to bed. I felt like hammered poop today, so no knitting for me. I slept most of the day and this was after going to bed early at 10. I've been running fever, ranging from a low grade of 98 (my norm is about 96) to a high of 101. I ache head to toe in just about every joint, especially my hands and feet.

I missed going to the stash swap, dammit. I was really looking forward to it. So Friday at Panera, I'll bring said Sadistic bit of knitting with me and let the rest of you get a good giggle. I may even join you in the good giggle.

Tammy

What a great weekend!

This whole weekend has just been wonderful! Friday we celebrated Henry's 50th birthday by going out for Peking Duck. It was so good! I had a really hard time trying to sleep, so I just stayed up all night and then went to Saturday Knitting at Panera.

This was my first Saturday Knitting and I have to admit that it was pretty neat. People came and went. It was truly a great girl's day! When it came down to it Gwen, Ingrid and I were the last three there, so we decided that we needed to go to Michael's and Hobby Lobby. Gwen gave me her Michael's coupon and I ended up with a new pair of Knit Lites! So now I've got a pair of 8's, a pair of 9's and a pair of 10.5's. Five more sizes to go! If I keep coming up with coupons to use, I should be able to round out my set in the next month or so.

There are a couple of bags that I would *LOVE* to make! This Mini Skull & Crossedbones bag is too cute! There's also a bigger one on that site that is too cute! And I cannot forget the Pirate Queen's Booty Bag!

It's about to be knit city around here!

One Skein Down....One To Go!

I started a cabled scarf from the Lion Brand site a couple of months ago. I think I started the darned thing about 8 times before I really got going good. Then, the unthinkable happened. Christmas Day, I skipped a row. I ended up cabling on the wrong side. Carol worked on it and got it fixed, then I screwed up again. The Frog came to visit as I ripped out the whole damned thing.

So I started again a week ago. I'm through the first skein of pretty Grass Green Wool-Ease Thick & Quick. Now I've got to find the best way to join in the new skein. I think I've figured out the Russian Join, but it may be just as easy to slipknot it on at the beginning of a new row and weave it in later.

A Whole Yard!

I started my felted needlecase back in December. I bought 2 beautiful skeins of Brown Sheep Merino in a luscious purple. This has been my in-between project. Well, the tough part is over! Both skeins have been knitted and now comes the felting part. I thought I would never finish knitting on this one! I'll post a picture after I get it felted and put together.

So now I'm going to concentrate on getting that cable scarf finished. Then I'm going to have to come up with another project. I'll ask the KIP Girls Tuesday evening. We're going to converge on a Starbucks and pretty much take it over. Should be fun. I do love my Starbucks caramel lattes and macchiatos. Maybe they'll have a good scone or brownie to go with the caramely goodness.

I think I may go to Hobby Lobby tomorrow and see if they have any of that wonderful .99 clearance yarn left. Rhiannon asked for some new needles tonight. I'll wait until there's another coupon for HL and get her a set of the Susan Bates Crytsallites. She wants a set of the candy-striped needles like I got for Christmas, but they are still just about full price at Joanns.com. You'd think that something that was so overtly Holiday would have gone on clearance by now.

I'm gonna go play with the appearance of this blog. I'm not really digging that pinky colour that's on it. Maybe I'll just go with a basic black. Kind of hard to go wrong with black!

Tammy

I'm Knittin'!!

I always had an interest in learning how to knit, but I never could find anyone to teach me. Gran crocheted, but she didn't knit. Mom said she took a class, made a sweater and decided that she hated knitting...now she just makes a buttload of afghans every winter. So I went to Heritage Hut and bought some needles and yarn and got Mary to teach me the very basics. I went to her knitting sessions for a few weeks, but never really felt like I fit in there. Everyone seemed as if they were wound a little too tightly for me. So I did a search for knitting groups in Wichita and found a group that is perfect for me!

I've been going to Wichita Knit In Public functions since December. What an fantastic group of ladies! If you get stuck or screw up, someone there knows how to fix what you messed up. Gwen and Ingrid are almost always there. So are Carol and Kathy. We're an oddball mix of girls, but we have so much fun together! There are more than 70 members of the meet-up group, but only about 20 or so active members. I've learned more from these ladies than I ever dreamed!

I finished several scarves and I'm working on a felted needlecase right now. It's my in-between project...the one that I pick up when I can't look at whatever it is that I'm working on at the time. I taught myself how to knit cables! I was watching one of the episodes of Knitty Gritty that I had recorded and saw Janet Szabo on there demo'ing squares from her Aran Afghan. Actually seeing the cabling being done made it not so scary. So I found myself an easy pattern and headed off to Michael's for some pretty yarn. It's coming along quite nicely. If I can get it finished in time, I'm going to give it to Mom for her birthday.

Enough for now. I'll post some photos eventually...promise.

Tammy
"Impeachment...not just for blowjobs anymore."