My partner in crime

I certainly have no shortage of desired new projects hanging around. Lately I've been very good in staying focused on finishing my projects and NOT starting another. I'm about 1/4 of the way done on Alan's 2nd sleeve and was looking forward to getting it done, blocked, and put away. However, a small package arrived from my partner in crime the other day. It contained small bits of various colors needed for the Interweave Knits Floral Felted Bag. I fondled the colors and oohed and aaahed at them. All I needed was to get the background color. No biggie. But, could I resist? For the moment, yes. I found the background color I wanted and that was it. I just had to cast on. My intentions were good but it was just calling for me. I have been feeling very knitty lately.

One down, one to go

.....sleeves, that is. One more sleeve and I'm finished with Alan! I just finished the ribbing and am now working on the sleeve and have started the increases. I am always surprised at how quickly sleeves go.

On the school scene, my baby started 8th grade yesterday. He came home excited about one of his new teachers, his science teacher. It always makes me happy when he likes one of his teachers. Maybe there's hope for him yet??!

I plan on enjoying my last week-and-a-half of my summer before school starts on September 7. I'm only taking 2 classes, one of which is done on the internet. I'm starting at ground zero so I'm starting off with English 1A and Introductory Algebra. Betcha I'm the oldest one in the class! Meanwhile, I'm looking forward to finishing Alan. I need to get going on the Oregon again. Don't know why, but it's lost it's "umph" for me. Maybe because I know I have to go back and re-do the front and neck bands? I'm looking forward to starting my Rogue, though. I'm doing it in Jamieson's Aran chartreuse color. Yummy.

My daily therapy

You know the saying - you can't please everyone. Well, that certainly holds true for me at work. I just can't seem to get everything done at a pace that is satisfactory for everyone. By lunch I have turned into a beast. Fortunately I can close my office door, eat my lunch and knit a few rounds of whatever I have thrown into my bag. Right now it is a pair of socks knit from yarn from my stash - Fortissima Colori in color 545. They're knit on Clover Takumi 2.25 mm.

This is one reason why I love knitting. It calms me - it soothes the savage beast in me.

My new sweetheart

I finished my Sweetheart hat! The design is by Anne Featonby. I knit it in Jamieson's Shetland Spindrift in colors Crimson (525) and Shetland Black (101).



This hat was SO much fun to knit! It would be a great project for someone wanting to try their hand at fair isle. It was a great project as a break from my Oregon Cardigan and my husband's Alan aran.

Well, back to the aran. Thanks Anne for a great pattern!

Let's all say, "Awwwww"

Okay, I admit it. I'm a proud Aunt. Around the 4th of July I taught my niece to knit. I didn't hear much more about it and thought she had given up. However, to my surprise she decided to make a little blankie for their new puppy. Today my sister-in-law, Kris, brought her girls Elizabeth and Katylee to my work and we had lunch. During lunch I showed Elizabeth how to cast off. Did I remember to bring the digital? Yepper! Miss this opportunity? NEVER!

Here is Elizabeth proudly showing her knitting. Sister Katylee is in the background modeling her Cheshire Cat grin. Mom is hiding on the left. She thought she missed the camera - sorry Kris!



I think she did a spectacular job! It got me thinking about the very first thing I knitted. I knitted this awful dishcloth out of cotton. I wanted to think of something that could be used and wouldn't turn in to this dust bunny collector shoved under my bed. I made a dishcloth. Elizabeth made a puppy blankie. We all started with something. What did YOU start with?

Couldn't resist

Yup. Another quiz. Being that I married a Scotsman, I figured this was the closest to finding out how Scottish I am. If anyone knows of a Scottish quiz, I'd be happy to take that one too!





Jolly good, wot! Anyone for tennis? That'll be ten ponies, guv. You're the epitome of everything that is english. Yey :) Hoist that Union Jack!

How British are you?

this quiz was made by alanna

What kind of sheep are YOU?

Which flock do you follow?

this quiz was made by alanna

What is it?

What weighs 2 pounds 10 ounces and has no arms?




Why, Alan's Alan, of course. I just cast on the first sleeve. Hopefully it won't take too long to get this finished. For those who don't know, this is an unnamed Dale of Norway pattern. So, I gave it a name. Alan.

My next textured project is Rogue! It's of Jamieson's Aran in the chartreuse color. This baby is gonna be mine - all mine!

As you can see from the top left of my blog, I'm feeling rather accomplished today. I have managed to get the basic blog necessities up and running. All the bells and whistles will follow, such as a new header at the top and my works in progress completion section. I learned a lot about HTML and spent nearly an entire day learning as I went. Of course, I would be a horrible person if I did not extend a sincere thank-you to all of you fellow bloggers who gave me help. Thanks Jen for the lesson on how to center. Hey! When you're just learning something as rudimentary as centering it's a BIG deal!

I finished the El Tigre socks and have cast on another pair in Opal, one of their millions of colors. Another thing I need to do is to get all of my links back up that link to my finished projects.

That's about it for tonight. The picture for tomorrow night will be one of the Oregon in progress.

Here's another close up of Alan's Alan for the road....



Tomorrow is Monday. Try to have a good one!