Eeeek! Steeks!

Actually, WOOHOO!

I finished knitting the Crayons & Chalkboards vest Wednesday night during the very long American Idol finale.

After much reading and internet research yesterday, I finally got brave enough to crochet the edging on the steeks. I know how to crochet so this part was actually pretty easy. The hardest part was deciding where to crochet the steek because everything I read said that crochet steeks should be over an odd number of stitches and, of course, I had an even number. Eunny Jang makes reference to crocheting over an even number but I just couldn't get my mind around what she was saying until all of a sudden it just hit me.

Then, I sat and stared at it for a long time. I made the excuse that my scissors weren't sharp enough. Finally, I just grabbed the scissors and starting cutting and...

IT WORKED!

The purple edging is where I cut. See how clean it is, with no unraveling?!

I've only cut one steek. I did the right armhole first. I'm picking up stitches around it now, then have to knit 6 rows of ribbing.

Last night, Hayden decided he was going to help build the sunroom for Grandmama and Granddaddy.

This was after he and Granddaddy turned the scrap lumber into some great building blocks!

And before he learned to climb the fence!

Our Weekend

Hayden had an exciting weekend. His Grandpa, Patrick's dad Len, flew down to visit on Friday and Saturday. Hayden wasn't as nearly as shy with him as he tends to be with other people.

On Saturday, we went to Dauset Trails Nature Center. Hayden had a blast. We had never been there before and didn't realize how close it is to home. I foresee many more trips in the future. They have feed, either dog food or corn, at many of the exhibits. It's in gumball machines and you pay a quarter to get a handful of feed. Hayden loved feeding the animals, especially the ducks, geese and turtles.

We did have one small tragedy though. Hayden was trying to squeeze through the railing on the bridge and I grabbed his arm to pull him back. When I did this, it caused his beloved pap (pacifier) and keeper to fall into the pond. Of course, we have plenty of back-up paps but no back-up keepers. The only ones that we can keep attached are the ones from Babys-r-us so it's not simple to run out and get one. I came home and made a length of I-cord to attach it to. I don't have any diaper pins though and he pulls hard enough on the safety pin that it pops open, so this has not been a great solution.

Instead of knitting the instant gratification dish cloth on Thursday, I spend most the day plotting out dyeing some sock yarn. I ordered some Knitpicks Bare some time ago with the intention of dyeing it match my teal green scrubs. Shortly after that, I found Regia Crazy in the colors that I wanted so I ordered that instead. Then I decided that I would dye it match my orange scrubs. Of couse, after that I found some Opal Neon that's the perfect colors to match that so I ordered it instead. Now I have no idea what colors I want to dye which is why I abandoned the idea of dyeing for now.

Thursday afternoon I started on Hayden's Crayons and Chalkboard sweater vest. I had been putting it off because, honestly. the thought of Fair Isle terrified me. However, I have found it to be incredibly simple so far. Of course the thought of steeking is still terrifying but I'm not to that point yet so all is well. I am almost to the armholes.

It almost looks like a hat in the photo but it's to gauge. It's just 192 stitches packed onto a 16" circ! I'm using a KP US#3 which is sooooo sharp. I had to borrow a thimble from my mom because I tend to push on the tip of the left needle and it was wearing my finger tip out.

The best thing about this Fair Isle is that it has forced me to knit Continental, which I knew how to do but I throw so fast I felt like Continental was slowing me down. Now that I've had to do it, I've gotten much faster with it and I think I will likely switch to it permanently.

Friday, my Opal Neon arrived from The Loopy Ewe . This is the first time I've ordered from Sheri and her service is great! I ordered late Wednesday afternoon and my yarn arrived on Friday. You just can't beat that. Plus, she includes all these great gifts and samples. She sent a sample of Regia Bamboo and I think that will probably be my next purchase!

I immediately cast on Cookie A.'s Pomatomus Socks from Knitty, which is a great pattern for variegated yarn.

After taking these photos, I declared that I must have a new camera. I have two digital cameras. One usually takes good pics but the flash doesn't always work so photos come out dark and underexposed. Plus, Hayden dropped it and now you have to hold the battery compartment closed while you use it. The other camera doesn't have zoom and the flash overexposes everything. So I'm off to buy a new one today. Look for better pics coming soon!

Ruffled Surplice

Pattern: Ruffled Surplice
Source: Interweave Knits Spring 2007
Designer: Mari Lynn Patrick
Yarn: Knit Picks Shine Worsted in Batchelor Button Colorway
Needles: Addi Turbo US#10.5
Cast on: 5/1/07
Completed: 5/16/07

I found this pattern a really easy, quick knit. Most everything I've been knitting lately has been on small needles so the bigger ones were a welcome break. The pattern was simple to follow except for the shaping on the back. I much prefer patterns that tell you which increase/decrease to use. It took some playing around with to find the most invisible ones to use. On the front panels, the specific shaping is specified. I wish I would have done the fronts first. It would have made the back easier.

These really aren't the best photos but we were trying to take them before American Idol came on. We got the photos made but I couldn't get them posted because Hayden decided to help me type. Trust me, you wouldn't have been able to read this. It looked like some unknown language!

Speaking of American Idol, Travis and I were both in a state of shock when Melinda got voted off. I guess everybody got complacent, figured she was shoo in and didn't bother to vote for her. I have to admit I was one of those people. I fact, the whole season, I've assumed that Melinda was safe and, while I thought she the best, I never voted for her.

I haven't decided what I'm going to cast on today. I have several projects lined up. I'm still dealing with the huge wad of yarn vomit, though it is getting cleaned up a little bit. I think I'm going to have to give up and break out the scissors though. The Regia Crazy is still making me crazy and I haven't decided what to do with it. I placed a large order on Monday for the supplies I need to start my Christmas projects but it's not here yet. Me, being my dyslexic self, transposed the credit card numbers when I ordered it so that caused a delay in shipping.

I have a whole skein of Shine Worsted left so I might just make a wash cloth from it today. It will be some real instant gratification and knock an item off the Christmas list. Wash clothes wrapped around handmade soaps are on my list of Christmas gifts to make. Does anybody know where I can get some great handmade soaps?

Hayden decided that he was going to visit Granddaddy up on the roof at Mama and Daddy's house yesterday. Thank goddness that Patrick was there to go up the ladder with him. And, no, he didn't actually get on the roof. And, yes, I was glad I was at work and I didn't see him climbing that ladder!

A pound of string

I hope everyone had a happy Mother's Day. I was surprised to come home from work and find Kyle and Chelsea waiting to have dinner with us. Kyle was most pleased with himself for buying me "a whole pound of string". It's a 1 pound cone of Peaches & Cream in the Spring Garden colorway. Kyle had the idea of it and Chelsea picked out the color. It's really pretty. I told Kyle that I would make him some dust clothes to clean with. He didn't like that idea much.

Travis gave me a new desk chair. It's really nice and the old one was definitely on it's last leg. Here's a shot of the chair posing with the pound of string.

My gift from Patrick (and Hayden of course) was some yum yum as Hayden calls it. It wont be around long but I will surely enjoy it while it last. It's a Godiva Chocolate Cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory and it's to die for! Supposedly it's a limited edition item but this the third one I've had in the past 4 years so I guess it's not very limited. That's fine with me though, I hope they never stop making it!

One more photo of the pound of string. Of course, I included this one just so I could show off my little cutie. He's also sitting in the new chair but you can't tell because it's black. Ignore the orange jello on his shirt collar. He's not usually so dirty!

For a brief knitting update, I finished seaming the Ruffled Surplice yesterday and started on the belt. I don't know why I find knitting repetitive little rows of something so monotonous and boring. For example, I hate to make I-cord. This belt is a lot like I-cord and it's probably going to take me as long to knit it as it did the whole back of the sweater. I just have to make myself do it.

I still haven't cleaned up all my yarn vomit from the ball winding incident on Friday. I'd like to have it done tonight so I can cast on the socks to take to the dentist office tomorrow. Why is yarn vomit so hard to clean up? I'd much prefer to clean up human vomit. You just have to throw a towel over it, zap the patient with some Phenergan or Zofran or Reglan or Compazine and you're done. But yarn vomit has to torture you and takes hours to pick out and rewind. Why can't someone make an anti-emetic for yarn?!!

A post (finally)

It seems like forever since I posted. I've been too busy knitting to post or take any pics. I always feel like I need photos to go with my post so that keeps me from posting more regularly. However, I decided to post today, even without any photos.

On Monday, the last of the pregnant nannie goats delivered her twins. There are photos on my Flickr page, just click on my Flickr badge to see them. She had two little billies, which we named Shy and Spry. They are very cute and cuddly. These are the first babies that will actually let you pick them up and hold them. Fannie, their mom, is a Nubian, which is a milk a goat. She has way too much milk for them so Daddy and Patrick have both been milking her. The milk goes to Cookie (the dog) if Hayden doesn't manage to spill it first! Last night, he stepped right into the bucket, actually a margarine tub, and spilled it everywhere.

Travis was inducted into the National Beta Club on Tuesday. They had a very nice candle light induction ceremony, Unfortunately, it was held at the end of Awards Night, so Hayden was rather restless after sitting through 2 hours of awards presentations. He cried when his brother stood to receive his induction and certificate. Chelsea received the American History Award from The Woodsmen of the World. Ms. Aiken presented the award and she said some very nice things about her.

I have almost finished my Ruffled Surplice from IK Sping 2007. It has been a really quick knit. All I have to do is to seem up one side, make the belt and put the ruffle around the bottom. Hopefully I will get it finished today.

I wanted to start on some more socks today but I have yarn issues. My first issue is that the Regia Crazy I got is driving me crazy! It is certainly aptly named. I bought it because it stripes so well. Well the two skeins I got were wound opposite directions so, therefore, I only have about 50 yards that match. I really wanted to make a pair of identical twins but I guess I won't. I still haven't quite resolved myself to the fact that they won't match so I can't bring myself to start on them.

My other sock yarn issue is that I thought I could quickly wind up 2 hanks of Knitpicks Gloss for a pair of lace socks while Hayden was in the tub last night. NOT. MY ball winder was mounted on the computer desk, where I had been sitting trying to match up the Crazy. The computer desk is not big enough to hold the swift and I was too lazy to move the ball winder. I thought that I could just the swift on the floor and wind from there. NOT. As the swift turned the hank of yarn kept coming off the top of it because it was being pulled up by the ball winder. I kept grabbing it, stretching it and putting it back on the swift. In the end, I ended up half a ball of yarn and a huge wad of yarn vomit. I worked on it for a while but finally put it away. It was way past bedtime and I had to come to work today. It will probably take me longer to straighten it out than it will to knit the sock..lol. I don't want to cut it though so I'll keep working on it a little at a time. I wanted to make these socks 2 at a time and after that disaster I definitely didn't want to attempt winding the other hank!

Random Ramblings

Well, it only took me about an hour of picking, pulling, detangling then winding to clean up my yarn barf to end up with a nice ball of yarn. I cast on my second sock Thursday night and got about a third of the cuff done yesterday. This one seems to be going a lot faster. Then again, the second sock always seems to go faster. I think that's why I like making one at a time because I can work out all the kinks on the first one then soar through the second one.

Speaking of socks, in my surfing yesterday, I found a simple pattern for toe up socks. I was so excited, I almost frogged the sock I had just finished and started over. I managed to quell my excitement long enough to find a good deal on some Regia Crazy on Ebay. It's a gorgeous colorway, I can't wait for it to come so I can try out this toe up pattern. It'll probably come on the same day that my Knitpicks order comes and then I'll hard time deciding what to work on first.

Travis and I met with his advisor after school yesterday and registered him for 10th grade. They have a crazy schedule for next year. Currently they are on block scheduling where they have eight classes total which are divided in half. One day they go to half of the classes for 2 hours each and the next they go to the others. Next year, they will only have 7 classes but will continue to have this block scheduling on Mondays and Fridays and have all 7 classes on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday for 1 hour each. Everybody is going to be SO confused.

I cleaned the kitchen yesterday and accumulated several packages of bread--buns, loaf bread, English muffins, etc.--that were old and told Hayden that when Daddy got home from work, we could go feed the goats. He proceeded to carry the bread all around the house until Patrick got home. We went over to feed the goats and I handed him half of a hamburger bun to give to the goats. I turned around and he was standing there eating it! It wasn't molded or anything, just stale. I kept encouraging to handed to a goat but he wouldn't. Then Phoebe stuck her head through the fence and took it from him. He was so mad!

He continued to enjoy playing in his little play area again yesterday. He was up before I left for work this morning and Patrick said he begging to go out by 7:30. I think we've created a little monster!

He Speaks!

Yesterday, Hayden said his first real word with purpose. He's been saying things like "uck" for truck, "birr" for bird and making animal sounds for a while now but yesterday he said "bubba" in reference to Kyle. Last night, every time we told him to say bubba he would repeat it very clearly. This afternoon he was outside playing with"bubba" and he came saying "mama" and "daddy" clearly and with purpose! We are so excited! It was beginning to seem like he was never going to talk.

He loves his new enclosed play area that Granddaddy finished for him yesterday. It was really intended as a dog pen for Little Bit. It's a fenced in area enclosing the back porch so all I have to do is open the door and let Little Bit go out. It's also a great place that Hayden can play without me having to worry about him wandering off. He only got to play in it for a few minutes last night. It was very cloudy when we got home from taking Travis to school this morning so I didn't mention playing out there. He was happily playing on the floor when he suddenly jumped up, gathered up as many trucks as he could carry and ran to the backdoor. I helped him carry the rest of the trucks outside and that's where we stayed til nap time. It was great!

While we were out there this afternoon, I met with my contractor, i.e. Kyle, about a new deck and a new roof. He took measurements for everything. I just hope the prices he quoted are accurate. He got up on the roof and said that it has to be done first, which I knew. I really want the new deck but the roof will come first and hopefully soon.

The Concrete Truck

Hayden had a very exciting day today. As soon as he finished his lunch, the concrete truck arrived at Grandmama & Granddaddy's house so we quickly put our shoes on and headed across the street. The sunroom addition that they are building is right off of the living room so he could stand at the living room windows and watch the concrete come down the trough. He was mesmerized by it, saying "uck" over and over again. When the truck left, he stood at the living room windows until he couldn't see it anymore then ran to the bedroom window to watch it until it was completely out of sight.

I am making decent progress on my sock. I finally finished the cuff, completed the heel flap, turned the heel, and did the gusset. Hopefully, I can get this one finished tomorrow. I really like the way this yarn is striping up.

Our Little Escape Artist

Travis got up before I did this morning and found Hayden standing on the stool in the kitchen eating chocolate chip cookies! I didn't hear him get up and neither did Travis. After we got home from taking Travis to school, I put Hayden in his room and closed the door. He was out in the hall in about 30 seconds! So Granddaddy is going to buy a door knob cover for his room this morning. I'm afraid that we're going to have to put one on all the doors though because we keep all the other doors closed to keep him out of places he shouldn't be!

Happy Easter

I know it's a little late but Happy Easter to everyone. I wanted to post a photo of my dollar and a half cardigan with the skirt that my mom made. It's dark though, so the skirt is not clear in the photo. It's navy with small purple flowers, the same color as my cardigan.

Speaking of Easter, we had a great time even though it was so cold. We had record lows on Saturday and Sunday (a week after we had record highs--gotta love this weather). Julie brought eggs and the kids had a rather chilly egg hunt after lunch. Travis, being the great big brother that he is, helped Hayden.

Not only did he help Hayden find eggs but on Saturday he helped Hayden dye eggs which was quite an adventure. Things got a little crazy with the puff paint.

Here's Hayden's Easter basket (which he promptly picked and threw on the floor, breaking all the eggs). Every thing is hand knitted. The sheep and bunny are Fiber Trend patterns and the basket is from the March 2006 issue of Creative Knitting.

Prom 2007

Kyle took Chelsea, his girlfriend of 2 years, to the prom on Saturday. We were all amazed at how great they looked. Both of these kids live in blue jeans and t-shirts. In fact, they were back at Chelsea's house by 10:30, both dressed in jeans and t-shirts:)