Thank You to All My Swap Pals!!

Since school started, I am the mad note writer to the girls teachers and I am usually frantically looking for paper. Not any more. Thanks to my wonderful, amazing swap pals, I have these wonderful magnet pads of paper. My fridge is covered in the them. All I have to do is go to the kitchen and there you go, I have PAPER!!! Terrifically, fabulous note writing paper!! Thank you all so much!

One less headache

Now .... to find a pen..... I know I have one around here some where *wink*

First Day of School...

One child extremely excited to be in first grade, got up extra early, got dressed, excited to ride the bus and excited to see her old friends at school. Got there, got nervous, only two old classmates in her class but still extremely happy and excited with her teacher and to be back at school.

One child threw the covers back over her head, did not want to wake up, did not want to get dressed, cried when I forced her to get up, made me walk her into into her classroom. Could have cared less who her teacher was (she is new to the school btw) could have cared less that her classroom was new, wanted to play with all the new toys in her pre-k classroom and did not want to do anything the teacher nor the assistant teacher asked of her except she found her name and actually hung up her school bag. Amazing.

One extremely tired Mama who has to do this all over again tomorrow, sigh! Where is the nearest day spa?

Really Need to Get Organized

Now I have my Vegan Pal 2 Swap pal. I think all that is left is the pal for Fall into Autumn Swap. That will make 5 swaps going at the same time. Oh My! Time to get organized!!

In the meantime, I still need to keep being organized on the baby gift front. I finished another hat, the one in the Fiesta Ombre.

I FINALLY settled on a pattern combination for what I want to make for my sister only to realize I don't have size 8US 24" circular needles. I REALLY want to do the entire thing in the round instead of having to do a front and back, lots of seams etc, etc, Bummer. I am going to have to either call around to see if anyone I know locally has them so i can borrow them or buy them. Grrr

So in the meantime, I cast on yet another baby hat. I got the pattern from Ravelry to try it called Cotton Stretchy Baby Hat because it called for Cascade Fixation and I had a skein of it from Cass . It calls for 60 stitches on circulars but that stretched way too much. I know there is elastic in the yarn but still. I frogged it and went back to just dpns. Much better. I also did a first and put that bit of info in the editors notes on Ravelry. If this is supposed to be a beginner's pattern, just go straight to dpns and don't ask the knitter to stretch so much.

Last day of summer vacation today. Wish us luck for tomorrow.

One of Our Own Hit's the Big Time (sort of)

One of the swappers from the last Dishcloth swap, Kt, has gotten herself published, that is correct here folks. We all dabble in pattern writing but Kt actually got one of her patterns publishes in MagKnits September 2007 Issue.

The pattern, Skirtcicle, is a cute skirt pattern for little girls (Hey! I have two of those!!) Knit in cotton, a yarn I can definitely use. I am so thankful it is designed in something I am not highly allergic to like most patterns that will come out from now until spring time.

So, stop by Kt's blog and tell her congratulations and then go check out the way cool pattern!!

Fall Into Autumn Swap and Questionnaire

I am so excited for the Fall into Autumn Swap because this round, I am co-hosting with Anne. You know I LOVE swaps, hosting is just one of the added benefits

Here are the answers to my questionnaire because even though you host, you still get a secret pal :-)

1. Do you knit or crochet? How long have you been doing it? Knit How long have you been knitting\crocheting? Technically since I am 9.

2. Have you made dishcloths before? Do you use them yourself, give them as gifts, or both? I have knit them before and i have used them myself, given them as gifts and I even sell them with my soaps (I have a soap business Sharon's Soaps N' Stuff )

3. What's your favorite cotton to make cloths from? What cotton would you like to try that you haven't before ? I LOVE Blue Sky, Tahki, Pakucho and Cherry Tree Hill. I was just told about Rowan Calmer and now I would REALLY like to try it.

4. If you knit, do you prefer circular or straight needles? For all, do you prefer wooden, metal, or plastic needles? I like both straight and circular and prefer wooden, Rosewood and Bamboo

5. What are your favorite colors? Any colors you don't like much? Favorite color is lavender but I have been know, thanks to my daughters to like deep pinks and green (either lime or Kelly)

6. What do you like best about Autumn? My birthday, my oldest daughter's birthday, the color of the leaves changing

7. Pies: Pumpkin? Apple? Pecan? All of em? or No Thanks! Pumpkin definitely and apple

8. When you were a kid, were you the one who couldn't wait to get started with school , or the one who overslept on the 1st day? I didn't oversleep but I wasn't jumping for joy

9. Do you celebrate Halloween? (The real key here guys is especially knowing if you have an aversion to the holiday or little goodies/decorations associated with it, given the time frame of the swap) The kids do go Trick-or treating but we don't really celebrate Halloween like put up decorations or anything

10. If you had to choose just 3 edible 'goodies' to eat for a full year, what 3 would you choose? Hmm, that is a tough one. Definitely chocolate, Tastykakes, black beans

11. Do you have any pets? Kids? Husbands who seem like kids? ;) i have two daughters, a tortoise and a husband who acts like a child ;-)

12. If you were to describe a particular yarn that shares traits of your personality, what would it be and why? Definitely non-animal fiber, colorful, soft, easy to work with

13. Do you use your cloths mostly for dishcloths, or as facecloths? facecloths

14. Favorite Fall Holiday: Halloween or Thanksgiving and why? (Feel free to share another fall memory if you do not celebrate either of these holidays) Thanksgiving. There is no religious aspect to it, our family gets together and is thankful for everything we have, my oldest and I collect cans and donated then to a local food bank, we also donate to a local organization that prepares meals to people living with AIDS, and some of my best holidays memories happened at Thanksgiving

15. Do you have any allergies or aversions your pal should know about? Animal fiber yarns like wool, mohair, cashmere, etc. I just stay away from all animal yarns including silk. I am also allergic to lanolin and silicone (you’d find them in body products), cats, most dogs, cigarette smoke and fresh cut grass. You asked.

Happy September!

Oh my, it is September already?!? Where did August go? My kids start school on Tuesday already and I go back to teaching in the after school program. I have orientation Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. I have third grade this year. I am looking forward to it since I also get to teach an art class as well.

As promised, here is a picture of BOTH baby booties. Model, one of the Princess's baby dolls. I can never get rid of these dolls because they make excellent baby models ;-)

This is the hat I was working on at the football game. Pattern of my own invention. Same yarn as the baby booties, Bamboozle. Definitely worth a try and a re-buy. Very easy on the hands, soft, pretty and has some elastic to it. Not too shabby.

Next project on the needles, well, it is another baby hat (oh my, shock, surprise!!) Peaches N Cream Fiesta Ombre. Don't worry Amanda I have more of this lovely baby for some candy bags. It is really a very nice colorway and really liking how its "stripes" are coming out.

Not quite sure what is next......

Why oh Why

Why oh why do these yarn companies and yarn shops insistent on sending me these sale notifications? I got this one this week for this one I absolutely LOVE that is selling this yarn that is from this company that is going out of business for this yarn that I love to collect though I don't knit with it, yet. Of course it is at a time in my life when I have ABSOLUTELY NO MONEY because we had to buy a new car since my DIED on Sunday. Didn't have any money to buy that either but what are you going to do?

The yarn, Wool in the Woods (yes the irony doesn't escape me either) comes in these amazing colorways and various cotton blends. Oh, there is a wool sock yarn too that is very inexpensive. I won't say cheap because there is NOTHING cheap about these yarns.

If I can persuade the hubby, I will scrape some pennies together, otherwise, have some fun for me. Think about those swaps, LOL

FOOTBALL!!

Football Season had began!! okay it is preseason and I was told if I get to go back to a game and I take my knitting with me again, it better be Eagles green. I have no problem with that!!

I used to go to games all the time when I was younger at Veterans Stadium with my Grandfather, Great Uncle and Dad. This was my first time to Lincoln Financial Field.

Here is my friend Robin (blogless) knitting some socks. See, there is some green in there! We both knit projects that were easy to put down so that we could pay attention to the game too. It didn't really get too exciting till the 4Th quarter any way and it was a preseason game.


Here I am knitting my hat. Robin made sure to get in some of the big screen and field in the picture so you knew we were at the stadium, LOL

The hubby and I also went and bought Eagles gears for the girlies. Got to get them ready for the season, of course! Miss Sunshine definitely loves it because it is GREEN!! Plus since they could speak they learned how to do a few Eagles cheers.

I think they both learned how to spell E-A-G-L-E-S before D-A-D ROTFL

An FO and a WIP

There are two of them, I promise i just haven't had the time to snap a picture of them both, together. I finished the mate last night at our last Sip-n-knit knitting group, sniff, sniff. Now we are back to our regularly scheduled program of every other Wednesday at the diner. I have to miss next week for Miss Sunshine's school open house. So, it is going to be a while for my next knitting night out, boo hoo.

This baby bootie is knit, of course, with the lovely bamboozle. The same one Jessi made me the socks in, the same one I had picked up many moons ago in Sarasota. I finally got around to it. It is for one of the many babies that are being born over the course of the next few months. These were done, thanks to much shoving and pushing and poking of one Ms. Jessi, on dpns. Didn't like the ribbing part too much. Then again I don't like ribbing on ANY needles so I guess that would not matter any way. The rest wasn't a problem

Now I have cast on, you guessed it, a matching hat. Sorry no picture of that yet either. This is not being done on dpns but on my favorite, thank you Beverly (no blog), 16" circulars. Ah circulars, got to love those and I do.

My circs and I are going to a pre-season Eagles game tonight - HOORAY!!! Yes, I am a FOOTBALL FAN. I have yet to go to our new stadium and when Robin (no blog) and her SO offered to take the hubby and me tonight, we couldn't pass it up. Reminds me, I need to take a picture of the socks Robin made for me too :-) So if I start knitting more in green there is more than the fact that it is Miss Sunshine's favorite color :-)

The 4-Needle Mystery

AH knitting in the waiting room especially one for women "things" so everyone of them looks to see what you are doing when you whip out the knitting and the double pointed needles, thank you Amanda for pushing me in that direction.

One woman looks at me and says, "Are you actually knitting with four needles?"
"Yes"
"Why are you knitting with 4 needles?"
Someone else answered "So she doesn't have any seams, of course!"
"Oh My!" You hear from a few of the women. I had to show an example of something else and show off the socks Jessi made for me too, of course. "Wow, how pretty!"
"I can only crochet"
"I can only use two needles"
"I have only seem those circular thingies"
"I have never seem that many needles used at once"
"Impressive"

Me, smiling on the inside, glad that I take my knitting with me every where I go, answering all of their questions, so glad I was in and out of the waiting room many times and there for an hour and a half. Got me some knitting done though (rolling the eyes)

Did I Say Pink?

Okay so the name of the swap was Pink and Peach but some how Holly and I paid closer attention to the Pink with some peach thrown in but who cares because I think both Holly and I LOVE pink. If you check out Holly's blog you'll see what I sent her BUT don't leave yet or you'll miss all the fabulous goodies she sent to me.

Is that some AMAZINGLY AWESOME swap goodies or what?!?! Let's start with the cutest tape measure I have EVER seen! It is there on the left in a an adorable picture frame. Above that are very cure stitch markers, pink of course. Yes, some very nice Sugar and Cream SCREAMING to be candy bags (Amanda, can you hear them?) Meditation has some sparkle to it, a bamboo from Bernat that id oh so soft, and a sport weight cotton from Mexico that is very cool variegated pink. Last, but not least, Delicious Soy yarn (That's the yarn's name. Look Jessi, more Delicious yarn, Hooray!! ) in a very luscious pink color. In fact, it is the Princess's favorite shade of pink.

Thank you so much Holly for all the wonderful swap goodness!!

Pretty Feet

Don't the Princess and I have cute feet? Can you tell pink is high on our favorite color list? Do you think I need a tan? ;-)

These are the fantastically, fabulously, absolutely GORGEOUS socks that Jessi made for me. Aren't they the most AMAZING socks you have ever seen? Okay I am laying it on a bit thick but, I don't knit these things really and truly with the heel and all so when my bestest bud offered to make me a pair in this YUMMY yarn I was was THRILLED to say the least!! I am wearing them right now and don't think I will take them off except to wash them.

These are the slippers I made for the Princess out of Vanna's Choice. It Pills so not the greatest yarn for slippers I am betting. She does love them as I mentioned earlier she has yet to take them off since I gave them to her on Saturday night. Shows good stitch definition though.

Jessi also sent me the most ADORABLE stitch markers - TURTLES for our Turtle, Tina!! These are gorgeous. Miss Sunshine tried to steal them and hang them in Tina's home but, I stopped her right quick. If you have never checked out Jessi's shop, Alabama Fiber Dreams, you really need to take a look at all the really cute stuff she carries. I suggest sooner than later because I am afraid come holiday season she'll be sold out.

I might be back in a few minutes, I have another package to open.

My Weekend

I gave my day at Loop Yarn and meeting Amy Singer its own post because I think it deserved it, Don't you?

My Mom and I drove down to Atlantic City, which is about an hour and a half from where I live. You can go for the beach but, we go for the casinos. Before my kids we'd stay overnight once or twice a year. Then we'd go just for the day. This was the first time in a long while we were staying over night again.

Let me start by saying we didn't win anything but had a BLAST. We only play the machines not the tables.

I played one game for Jessi that was Star Wars, The Dark Side (my Mom LOVED this one)
One game for Chan's husband that was Fire Rescue
One game for us knitters because one of the symbols was yarn and needles (how cute is that!!)
A princess game for my Princess
Every game with green (Frogs, Irish,etc) for Miss Sunshine
However my favorite was this cute one with these cows called milk money, LOL

I also finished the Princesses slippers but she hasn't taken them off since Saturday night. Eventually I will snap a picture of them.

It was great fun and very relaxing and we probably won't get another chance for another overnight trip for a long time but a day trip maybe at winter break.

Look Who I Got To Meet!!

Amy Singer, author of "No Sheep for You"!! Look at all that YUMMY yarn in front of Amy!! She gave a FABULOUS lesson on the other types of yarns that exist out there besides wool. We got to touch and feel all the luscious yarns in the book and even knit with some hemp and bamboo - heaven!! We also got to see and touch some of the geeky things from the book :-)

Here is Amy signing my "Knit Wit" book (she also signed my "No Sheep For You" Book). She was so amazing to speak with as well and gave us a tour through the yarn shop too, Loop Yarn in Philadelphia, explaining all the benefits of each yarn there and how to substitute it for other yarns.

Of course being at Loop, you guys know I had to buy somethings, LOL. Here is what I bought.

First up is Red and Lavender Bee Sweet Bamboo Cass is not the only one in love with this. So is Amy Singer and so am I! It is sooo soft. I bought two of each of these colors to try it but Loop carries a variety of colors so I am going to go back if I really love it

This is Lavender AllHemp3. We got to knit a swatch with this and got shown a finished item with this yarn, a skirt. It isn't the easiest yarn to knit with, I will give you that but the skirt was very pretty so I bought two to try at home to see how I like it. It is the first Hemp anything I have bought (never bought Hemp oil either)

Best for last, of course! Guess what this is.... come on! You know what this is.... It's BLUE SKY COTTON!! You knew that, right? The color is called Pickle but for Miss Sunshine we will call it green.

What a fabulous morning!!

Friday Musings

Just about one week left here till school starts. Yes, we live in the Mid-Atlantic states and our schools tend to start after labor day. The Princess is very excited. She got her teacher assignment yesterday and it is the teacher she wanted (or the only teacher she knows who it is). We already went school supply shopping since at the same time they gave us her report card, they gave us her school supply list. Talk about organized!

Miss Sunshine could care less. We've know who her teacher is going to be for a while now, She is in a Pr-K class at her school. She tells me everyday, "No School!" Boy is September 4Th going to be fun.

This Sunday, Amy Singer of Knitty and "No Sheep For You" fame is going to be at a LYS. I completely forgot to call to see if I could get in on her class so when they open today I am going to call there and see if there are still spaces open. If not I am still going to go down there because after her class, she has a book signing and I just want to meet her.

I have a few to dos. I need to finish the Princesses other slipper, I need to finish the other baby bootie, I need to start and finish a baby hat.

I am going to Atlantic City with my Mom for our annual end of summer overnight trip (that we don't get to take every year). Casinos here we come. Play nice while I am gone :-)

Circle of Life

I had a conversation with my Mom this morning and in that conversation she mentioned to me that my Great Aunt Esther and my Great Aunt Regina were both on their 90s. Oh my goodness! They are both my Father's Aunts, related to my paternal grandfather. My Great Aunt Regina is one, along with my Grandmother, who taught me how to knit. I will hopefully have the opportunity to see her in September at a family event.

On the flip side, someone I have known all of her life had a baby girl on Wednesday!! Her parents were taken in by my Mom's family like family in Colombia when he was transferred there for work. It is difficult to be in a foreign country where you not only don't know anyone but, you don't speak the language that well either. At one of the business meetings my Uncle took a liking to this gentleman and in turn, our family "adopted" this couple in a strange country. As far as my Mom's family is concerned, this little family IS family to this day over 30 years later.

They looked after my sister when she went to college in their home state, they went to my brother's, sister's and my weddings and my parents went to their daughter's wedding and now their daughter has had her first child. Of course she is getting a some knitted goodies!!

The circle continues.

Time for Tea!

Got my pal for the Knit One Tea Too Swap and I am very excited!! I know of my pal but, I have never actually chatted with my pal so this will be my opportunity to get to know them better. I hope. Good matching Chan!

Chan already knows this but, I found this fabulous local woman who has a booth at a farmer's market near where my Mom lives who sells all kinds of far east spices and teas. She also sells all kinds of European teas especially English. It was an AMAZING find for me. I told her all about this swap and she is as excited as I am to make the appropriate selection for my pal. I can't wait to find the time to go back over there with my pal's questionnaire in hand. It is going to be so much fun!!

This go around the yarn will be the difficult part, LOL

Vegan Pal Contest - My Vote for Favorite Yarn

Vegan Pal 2 Swap is having a contest to post your favorite yarn so here is my nomination (also posted over at their blog but, I did some minor edits here)

If perchance you actually read my blog or ever read the darn questionnaires we are forced to fill out for these swaps you already know what I am going to say. My work is done. There you go Cass , enter my name in the bowl. Oh wait, I am sure there are people who have no idea who I am so I guess I have better go through with my long drawn out love for my favorite yarn, the love of my life.

My irony, Blue Sky Alpaca Organic or Dyed Cotton. Do any other fine knitters and crocheters find this hysterically funny besides me? It is my all time favorite yarn and it comes from a company with the word ALPACA in it. Something I am HIGHLY allergic too would also never touch. It knits such beauty and is definitely not itchy at all like the name of the company would have you think.


Each lovely hank contains 150 luscious yards and it's gauge is 16 stitches per 4". You can use a US7 - US9 needle and it is highly suggested that you hand wash it. Each hank usually runs approx. $9.95. It is extremely soft to the hands as you knit with it and if for some reason you would have to frog a stitch or two or even a row or three (you'd never have to do that, right?) this is the easiest yarn by far that I have ever had the pleasure (yes I said pleasure) of frogging. The end products turn out just wonderful as well as you can see:

This is a baby sweater for a friend's baby due in October. Pattern is partially the 5-hour baby sweater as a leaping off point, partially my own re-write all soft and cuddly.

Try some Blue Sky Alpaca Organic or Dyed Cotton, you won't be disappointed.

Finally, Finished the Soy Drawstring Bag

This Soy yarn is so soft and very easy to knit with. This is Kollage Delicious in the colorway Magic (don't you just LOVE that color name?) The pattern is sort of a combination of the knitted gift bag from "Last Minute Knitter Gifts" and what ever I could throw in there. I used circular needles size US 8s and then switched to DPNs when the decrease got too tight. Plus I didn't feel like knitting miles of i-cord this time so I found some very nice elastic in hot pink that matches almost perfectly to the yarn to make the cord/handles. Works perfectly!!

I have been on Vacation!!!

Thank you Rachel for taking me to the Pacific Northwest! I have never physically been there so I was very happy to be there virtually!!

When I first opened the box, I saw this. Lots of bubble wrap, newspaper and tissue paper.

Then I took it all out and swap all these wrapped goodies. All in my favorite color, purple!! I was so excited!!


I got to go to both the west and east side of the Pacific Northwest and received some FABULOUS treats to boot. Besides the Syrah wine which I am saving for a special occasion because Syrah is my absolute favorite, I also received some yummy chocolate covered hazelnuts which didn't even make it to my hiding place because I am just able finished with them because those are also a favorite, some yummy local jam, cocoa that changes to purple (I have to try that) and some lovely cornucopia and cotton twist in purple!!! Oh and a pad of paper that says:

Gosh I love that!!!

Thank you so much Rachel!! I loved my vacation!!!!