Keep Going Buckeyes!

One finished, one to go! (Lorna's Laces Sportweight in OSU Buckeye colors)

The Blog about Nothing

I seem to have a bad case of knitting paralysis. I had some time to knit today... but I mainly just thought about knitting. I thought about my WIPs yet none of them inspired me to pick up the needles (and the OSU socks needed to be saved for Survivor knitting this evening).

I actually swatched for Interweave's Wanderlust Hoodie with some DB bulky merino that I got for dirt cheap from Little Knits but when I felt the weight of the swatch, I just couldn't get excited about knitting such a sweater on the first day in 2 weeks that our temperature has dropped below 80 degrees.

The other day I attempted to start a top down pattern of my own design (I use that term loosely) with Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece. I would tell you about that but the idea is better left in my head... it worked much better there, where I can picture it perfectly. But I was quickly put off by the tremendous amount of trial and error were obviously going to be part of the process. (It would've ended up in a dark closet painfully forgotten.)

I could use the DB merino to make Interweave's Provincial Waistcoat but that would require, well, a waist... (think 5 kids).

I also am dying to knit their Viennese Shrug but I'm sensing a conflict here with my Old Navy t-shirts. (I'm already pushing it with Ella.)

I actually really like their Arwen Cardigan (pictured)... and it would definitely work with my Old Navy wardrobe... and I have the suggested yarn in the suggested color in my stash! Why doesn't this excite me? Actually, it's the only picture I could get to post without major distortion... could this be a sign?

I could always start new socks, but yet I can't. Hmph. Paralysis. Obviously something in my life is flipped upside down. I mean, I'm not only not knitting... I'm writing about not knitting. *sigh*

I would like to knit a hat for my 7 yo son since I've been on a hat roll lately but he is insisting on a mask... a knitted mask that will come down over his face with holes for his eyes and mouth. Short of that, he won't even pick out a color. (He only lives in this solar system part of the time.)

In the meanwhile, I'm open to suggestions. You vote and I'll cast on.

On a bright note, I did manage to snatch some Vesper sock yarn this evening from Knitterly Things before she sold out this time! You know, for my collection. :)

A Hat & Socks

One Rams beanie knit with Karabella Aurora 8 (the perfect merino!) In case it's not obvious from this picture, he actually loves the hat.







And one pair of RPM socks from Knitty.com knit with Socks that Rock in Dutch Canyon colorway (a fabu sock yarn - super rich colors!)





My little photo shoots usually have to take place in my front yard which brings a multitude of strange looks from the cars I try to ignore driving by. It's like they've never seen someone taking pictures of their socks before - geesh. (I'm still working with my 7 yo on those close up shots.)





Why not the backyard you might ask? Let me show you...

wild boys with baseballs and basketballs hurling through the air...




And wild dogs... the one on the left is a giant spastic lab puppy who has been known to eat wool beanies... and missing from the picture is a bouncy little beagle.



Yes I know these last two are terrible pictures but I am literally leaning out of the door to the backyard to take these pictures for fear of being trampled or nailed by a bad throw.

Project Fizzle (or Knitter's ADD)

A new project! You know the feeling... you can't wait to start. You shop for the yarn, find just the right color and weight. If you're like me, you probably then have to wait at least a few days for the mailman. You cast on with great enthusiasm, (and come on now... what is better than casting on for a new project?), rejoice in the feeling of the yarn and the texture of the stitches. Your eyes are firmly set on the finished item... whether it's a scarf, socks, shawl or new sweater... you start counting the days. Ooooh... I'm gonna whip through this one! I just lovvvve this project! My level of commitment to a new project is intense. I could knit hours on end (I'm pretty sure without eating or sleeping) when new projectitis sets in.


So... I'm wondering what happens. Because at some point, my attitude changes and becomes one of - "Almost done, almost done... just a few more rows... I can do it, I can do it...." My joy has turned into determination and that lovin' feelin' is no more. (This is, btw, the point at which the inner debate begins as to whether or not I just need to start something new.) Why am I no longer excited? Why do I just want to be done already? Why do I feel tormented by the need to finish? Instead of a basket of joy and escape, I have a basket of "have to's" and believe me, I enough of those in my life. I will sometimes put things aside for short breaks but this scares me because I can't stand the thought of the hours invested if I "forget" about it and never finish.

Then there are the deadline projects. I avoid these at all cost because nothing will zap my interest as quickly as a deadline. I think it's my mild rebellious streak (my mom may dispute my use of the term mild here). Thus the sad state of the OSU socks that I'm determined to complete for my mom by the #1 OSU vs. #2 team-I-will-not-name in 2 weeks. BTW, I had to restart them because they were coming out way too big (what did you say? did I check what? gauge?) but I really like the less predictable look of these new ones.

Maybe I need to start a new sweater....

Well, my phone just rang for about the 1000th time this week. I didn't answer as I'm sure it was another political call which just amazes me considering the feelings most people have about telemarketers. As if a computer voice on my telephone is going to convince me of the integrity and character of the person or proposition being represented. Well, you know, except for those calls we Californians get from Governor Arnold... how dedicated he is to take such time to call each of us personally! Actually it is pretty funny to answer the phone and hear the Terminator on the other end. (Political side note - this does not reflect in any way my opinion of him... just my opinion of the abuse of my privacy via the telephone in general.)

Okay, rant over, I'm going to order a pizza and go vote.

I hadn't been to a real amusement park for 20 years until yesterday when I took the three older boys to Six Flags Magic Mountain. Now I LOVE roller coaster... I love to wave my hands and scream like crazy. But, even though I'd seen the commercials, nothing could quite prepare me for the advances that have taken place in roller coaster technology in the last 20 years. Of course being the fearless roller coaster freak that I am, I confidently and enthusiastically followed my more up-to-date friends to Tatsu, the newest and one of the more extreme roller coaster in the park. We rushed through the gate following our overly excited kids to the ride, manuevered the very short line (the park was closed for Homeschool Day!), and quickly took our seats. Being easily distracted, I didn't pay much attention to the ride until I watched the people in front of me straddle their seats, the get "locked down" chest, waist and feet. The car then tilted back away from the ground so these people were hanging there staring at the ground below. And then they took off... up, down, around, over loops, under loops... you name it they did it... all the while hanging from the track. At this point, several things went through my mind such as is their a bathroom nearby and, mainly, "Why?" Why were doing this... why did I want to? Heck, 2 of my own children opted out and were waiting below, but here I was standing in line waiting for... what?

Well, I did it! Hated it, but did it! We then proceeded through a series of coasters in which you were either suspended, standing, flipping, looping, going backwards, and, my favorite, the one with the 240 some foot drop that exceeded speeds of 80 mph. What a blast. When I returned to the wretched Tatsu for one more ride at the end of the day (don't even ask why I'd do it again because I couldn't tell you, then or now) I found that I loved it too.

Well I carried a purse specifically so I could carry my camera (and knitting) because clearly this was a day of endless opportunities for great photos but only one of the two came at of my purse... I'll let you guess. (Here's a hint.)


So to make up for lack of fun family pictures, I'll share a few shots of things to come... Heck, that's what you're really here for anyway, right?



SWTC Karaoke with a fingerless glove pattern for fun...










A skein of Noro Silk Garden picked up at my LYS visit this morning because the colors were amazing. It will be a hat for me.







And my favorite... A Morehouse Merino Rattlesnake Scarf pattern for little guy. Just couldn't resist.

Now off to football... we're in the playoffs baby!

(Didn't that sound good... do I sound properly enthusastic about what could possibly severaly more weeks of football?)

Precious and Few!

This is supposed to be a picture of the hat I just knit for my middle boy but as it turns out, I captured quite a bit more. Little guy is a whirlwind of trouble but still very much adored by all his big brothers.



Anyway, I really enjoyed knitting this beanie. It is a free Kpixie pattern called Leo the Lion made with Karabella Aurora 8 which is now officially my *favorite* yarn! I'm using it again to knit up a simple striped beanie in St. Louis Rams colors for my 12 yos. (The gals at Kpixie are great to work with and even helped me pick out the perfect team colors.)

Sugar Times Five

Well it's over! Halloween I mean... it's not my favorite of holidays. I used to love it as a kid. The chance to dress up, to be somebody else. Remember those costumes at the drugstore with the cheap face mask and plastic cape? I could be anybody... Wilma Flinstone to Spiderman with a simple mask and cape that cost about $3.95 and I would be thrilled. Now it seems so much more complicated. Then multiply that times 5...

ETA: Can't you just see my halloween enthusiasm coming through in their expressions?

5 costumes to choose, 5 overly excited boys to get ready, 5 bags of candy being constantly dragged through the house, 5 boys hyped up on sugar who constantly need to be reminded where they should properly dispose of their wrappers...

Anyway, aside from knitting, I'm not what you'd call a crafty mom - I do have my moments of cleverness but they are very infrequent and not to be relied on - so the whole costume thing just stresses me out. I am totally put to shame by other moms on Halloween. Check out Lynda's halloween goodies (I love the jello brain... well... my kids would love it!) And my dear friend Julie was busy finishing up some sewing for her daughter's costume while her kids finished carving their pumpkins when I stopped by yesterday. ***But whatever you do, don't ask her how she got the sewing machine working because it certainly wasn't the instructions from the user's manual that her daughter shared with her! It was merely coincidental that it began working after we finally coaxed her to give the bobbin cleaning instructions a shot. Truly it was. Julie is an amazingly gentle and even-tempered gal so it was a sheer delight for me to catch her in a state of mild halloween frenzy.

Oh well, like I said, it's over... (I mean aside from the sugar-filled week ahead of us). And I noticed that the Christmas goodies are already making their appearance in the stores so I feel like I have a good start since I just finished a 2nd hat for One at a Time Ministries. These are the only Christmas gifts I'm knitting so I'm glad to actually be getting something accomplished (my intentions are usually much better than my results).

As for now, I'm off to Narnia.