Monday, September 24, 2007

H is for...

Hope!

Knitting Content: Yes, the contest could be considered unfair - except for the fact that my husband does have larger than normal feet, and not as much knitting time as I do. He just finished the first heel (toe-up) and I'm almost done with the pattern from knitting in lingerie style. That would also count as a win (The yarn pirate socks are still moving along, just trying to finish one of them before he finishes, although depending on tall or short he makes the socks we might have to consider it a tie instead of a win). I'll have to do current pictures on all projects within the next post or two.


H is also for Homeschool.

Lily is loving school most days. Mondays we spend catching up on reading and math and have piano lessons. Tuesdays she does history while Curly has joyschool. Wednesdays we have book club (which rotates between a kid picked book with fun activity and a Beatrix Potter story with grammar and writing). Thursday she has an enrichment group (same kids as the history group) where she does science, art, music, math games, crafts, etc on a rotating basis. Friday we do some more math and writing and clean up from the week. So far this schedule has been working.


H is also for Holidays.

A couple weeks away (the first weekend in October) is the beginning of my holidays. That's the weekend that I send out the Christmas assignments in my family (we each send gifts to one family rather than to everyone). I also start the girls Halloween costumes, which bleeds right into Thansgiving, Christmas, New Years.... So I'm going to try to enjoy the next couple of weeks before that cycle starts.

Friday, September 21, 2007

Package arrived!

So yesterday, as I was trying to recover from a massive headache I saw that there was a package in my door...



A package from SP11!

I opened it right away and got these for me:


...and these for the girls:


I love my swap pal! I delayed eating the chocolate until I thanked her (I figured that was only fair), but it is going to be eaten as soon as this gets posted. I'm already trying to figure out what I want to do with the wool (what weight to spin it... what project to knit it into...) that yarn there is her handspun - which is awesome, and definitely enough to do something with. The girls broke right into the cookies and are trying to talk me into a stamping afternoon (they have some other stamps and are very excited about adding the new ones and making some 'projects'). Thank you so much!


...and just as a side note, I was looking at my stats the other day, and if the person from Tennessee who clicked over here from a google search of 'super pig cape picture' - I would love to know what it was you were looking for, and if you enjoyed the adventures of our super pig.

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

G is for...

Gifts!

Hannah of Arkansas (Missouri?) won the contest for my first finished object. I will be emailing her and mailing something off soon. In the meantime I am working to try to finish some of my other projects, because...



G is also for Goals:
I'm working on the yarn pirate sock again. I still love this yarn and this colorway. Now that I'm working on it consistently it is moving along a bit. I like a fair amount of ribbing, so I will be starting that soon, and then it will move quickly and I'll be done with the first sock!



Spinning was accomplished last week. I have yet to measure it, but it is now dry and looks very nice.



I realized I never photographed my bracelet. If you remember, my first attempt was huge and silly, so it turned into a small bowl. This second attempt, done earlier this summer, is almost perfect. Another attempt once I finish some more things.



I also thought I should show the socks my husband made for Lily. She danced around in this and kept telling people that the top has a ruffle. This weekend we left the house and everyone was wearing tofutsies. (My husband's socks made by me, everyone else's made by him). We all had happy feet.



So, as I said, goals. My husband offered me a challenge. He is currently working on a sock (one from Cat's new book, out of Valley Yarns, Franklin) for him. He has challenged me to finish both of my yarn pirate socks before he finishes one of his socks. ...and to finish all *current* projects before he finishes his pair. I think it'll be a stretch, but it is possible for either of us to win. (The lace scarf is not considered current, and MS3 - while it's considered current in general, I don't know if it is part of this challenge).

My current projects are:

the yarn pirate sock
the project from knitting lingerie style
some more I cord rugs
MS3
my lace scarf

I think that's it. If I forgot something, let me know!

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

F is for...



Finished!





Yes, the Melon Shawl is done. It's been done almost a week. (Yes, homeschool began, many things happened - blogging didn't). She loves it. I haven't actually blocked it, as I know it's going to be worn everywhere as the weather gets cooler. I'll block it when I have to wash it. There were three entries for this project in my contest, so I'll have to random it up and post that soon.

The yarn was Dancing sock yarn from Knitpicks, bordered by KPPPM. It was worked in US 8 and 6, and the pattern is in Victorian Lace Today. I adapted it slightly as I ran out of the two skeins I had of Dancing, and then adapted the border to fit on the slightly shorter rectangle. It took forever it seemed (I started it in July), but it's amazing, once I put up the contest I actually worked on a couple projects for more than five minutes at a time - and it's amazing - when you put some real time into knitting, progress gets made.



I've been working on the spinning (not consistantly of course) and I'm about half done with the little buns of purple and green - then the plan is to navajo ply it and see what I end up with.




I have completely a couple of I-cord mini rugs for the preschool group. They go pretty quickly (US size 17 needles, 5 strands of yarn, 4 stitches looped around and around until you have about 6-8 yards) especially during tv/movie watching.



I have one currently in progress, and I have taught one of the other mothers how to knit and she's half done with her first one (after about a week working on it). These are moving right along and I'm having fun playing with the different colors. I had a bucket of cheap (washable) yarn donated to the cause (from my mom) and when I first got it it was overflowing - the bucket and an additional bag... it now fits in the bucket and keeps slowly going down.





Oh right, we also went peach and apple picking last Saturday. Yesterday (Tuesday) brought this:



We had one this morning that had been in the fridge overnight. SO GOOD! I might need to do some more, as those 9 jars won't last very long (the other smaller jars are peach syrup. Friday will be the first run of applesauce - as I will be showing some other women how to can yummy applesauce. More batches will be made over the next month or so.

E is for...



England!


(sorry for the posting delay, I'm not an awful swap-person, really! I did email my pal right after opening the box, I just couldn't get life back together enough to post pics for the rest of you until now!)

Amber from Morecambe (NW England) sent me some wonderful things!


There's some Colinette Mohair from Wales, some 'dye packets', a handmade hat (very cool, I love both the pattern and colors! and a cute little 'handmade' charm on it), some candy and chocolate (can you say gone?), an antique crochet hook, a couple elephants and shell beads, and two UK magazines along with her note and a couple local pamphlets. Awesome! :)


My package went off to Janet in Alaska by the way, I'm not sure I ever posted that.


E is also for Expressive!

One of the days last week my husband sweetly brought home this...


just because. Isn't that sweet?

Tuesday, September 04, 2007

D is for...

...Done!

no, I'm not done with anything yet, but I am done planning for the homeschool co-op we seem to have started. Everything started today. Curly had her first day of Joyschool and even though it was a bit chaotic, she seems to have enjoyed it and was very excited to find out she'll have it again on Thursday (yes, every Tuesday and Thursday... it hasn't quite sunk in to her yet). Lily had her first organized school experience. She'd normally be starting kindergarten this year, but since she is reading and wants to learn we set up a group to do homeschooling with the big kids while the siblings are attending Joyschool. Tuesdays will be history, Thursdays will be different rotating enrichments - all done by the moms. We've been planning for a while, and it went well (with many tweaks needed of course) I think. I don't have to teach until next week for the older kids, and the end of October (or maybe the end of September) for the younger ones, so I get to watch and help (and provide a house) until then.


D is also for Delighted!

My Knitters Virtual Vacation Swap package has arrived. At least I assume it's that - it's time for my vacation, it's from the UK, and I don't think my SP has sent off something that would arrive this quickly. My family was so great about being local tourists (and very excited about the whole swap) that I'm waiting until everyone is home before I open it... pictures next time!


D is also for Duh!

Thanks to everyone who's already entered the contest - and yes, family are welcome to enter - but my sweet sweet knitting husband will be excluded if he doesn't get an entry in soon, as he can see my current up to the minute progress. The contest is still open - and probably will be for another week or more, but you never know when the planets will align and the knitting mojo will kick in and something will be done, so get those entries in!