Things I love right now

Thank you so much for the supportive and encouraging comments. It helps to feel that I'm not alone in my knitting debacle and that there is hope I will turn the page and knit something that fits and looks good on me. That being said I have pulled out my knitting books that have information on design. The tape measure is sitting close by to take some accurate measurements of my body and I have a notebook with some notes on what kind of cardigan I would like. I really appreciate the advice from all of you.

Here is the cookie recipe from my last post. Where was my head? Picture but no recipe :)

1/2 Cup Shortening, 3/4 Cup Brown Sugar, 3/4 t baking soda, 1 t. ground ginger, 1 t . ground allspice, 1/4 t. salt, 1/4 cup molasses, 1 egg, 2 cups flour, 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate chopped (I used dark chocolate chips)

Beat shortening in mixer; add brown sugar, baking soda, ginger, allspice, and salt-combine well; Beat in molasses and egg; beat in flour; stir in chocolate. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 8 minutes or until bottoms browned; cool on wire rack. Makes 36 cookies.

They can be frozen for up to 3 months so make a double batch and freeze for when someone pops over. Great with coffee!

Now here are a few things I am loving...

Google Reader has become my go to place for blog reading. It is set up through GMail and has saved me tons of time. Whenever a new blog has been posted it shows up in a list right in my reader. I then click and voila I am transported straight to your blog. It ensures I don't miss any of your blog posts.

Fly Lady , what can I say except my house is clean thanks to you. Thank you Erin for posting a link to her site. Part of my struggle with balance in my life has been the overwhelming task of keeping my house picked up and clean. I have to think I'm not alone in this battle. If this is something you struggle with as well go check out her site when you have the time. The Daily, weekly, and zone cleaning routines work like a charm. My stresses about the house being clean have vanished.

I know we are in the midst of winter and the holidays but I have a new love. The Anacapa Summery Aran Wrap from Knitting in the Sun. I found this photo of the wrap on knit picks and I love it. When I saw the photo on Ravelry of this pattern I had no opinion, but this photo.....it did it for me.

I don't currently own any shawls and last summer during my knit-a-long with the Elizabeth Zimmerman Almanac I opted out. But this....I really want it.

I'm also loving, Thea's fireside sweater, Chris' pinky goodness, Erin's birthday shirts, and Philigry's cardigan. Now I'm off to knit some more socks, tend to a sick child, and hopefully watch a snowstorm blow in...what does your day look like?

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Knitting blahs

My clasica coat is in knitting death throes, aka being frogged. Oh clasica coat how did I love thee? Well so much that this is killing my love of knitting, momentarily of course. The sleeves are waaaay to long. The front hangs a bit cockeyed and the whole thing weighs close to one hundred pounds. One of these by itself could probably be fixed but after painstakingly seaming it together and then being almost done and having this many problems, well it is too much for me to take and it is being frogged and hopefully forgotten.

After so many problems with knitting sweaters for myself I am a bit depressed. Here is a link for the first sweater I knit for myself and a little problem I had with gauge. If you want a good giggle click and check it out. My neckdown hooded cardigan turned out well enough but just didn't fit right. It too has been frogged and is awaiting a reincarnation.

My knitting seems to be fine it is just the fit that eludes me. The knits for my children turn out great. My daughter is wearing this dress for the third time this week and has requested a winter version, long sleeves and the bottom of the dress needs to touch her toes

So back to the drawing board. I am going to take the yarn from my clasica coat and cast on for the ubiquitous Fireside Cardigan inspired by The Holiday. I have pulled out all the design books I have and my tape measure in the hopes that I'll finally get it right.

After all of this knitting heartache a little fall sweetness was in order. Gingerbread cookies with dark chocolate chunks. Seriously delicious. I have dug out cookie recipes from all corners of the house and with my children snuggled up next to me on the sofa we have poured over them. Picking this one and that one to make. Queuing up baking recipes much like my knitting in Ravelry. Holiday baking is in order for this weekend. Hope you all have a wonderful weekend too!

P.S. I have one knee sock knit for my daughter and the other one started. Hopefully I'll finish it this weekend.

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November Socks

Thank you all for all your kind comments regarding the kids costumes. I have resigned myself to the fact that if I want to be a better sewer I have to actually sew more than once or twice a 'year. I am making a sewing queue for myself so that I can improve my 'sewing skills' (a term I use loosely) and maybe next Halloween won't be so bad. Anyway.....

The November knit for the Elizabeth Zimmerman knit-a-long is socks. I don't have a lot of sock knitting experience but I have my books and yarn at the ready and I'm not afraid of my small double pointed needles. I am going to try and knit a pair for myself, my husband, my daughter, and my son by the end of the month. Since my clasica coat is just awaiting a few more seams and weaving in the ends I think I can do it.

I am aware that October was socktoberfest but for those of you who are sock enthusiasts or you just didn't knit any up last month here are some patterns to try out (all free to download)

Absinthe for a try on cables and toe up construction. Some basic toe up socks if you just want to try it out without a pattern to contend with. Felted slippers to keep your feet cozy. Interlocking leaf socks to keep in the season. Pedicure socks. Baby booties. Socks knit flat for those afraid of double pointed needles. Socks for kilts. Ballet slippers. Toddler socks. Cabled socks. Evergreen socks. Two at the same time toe up socks.


Maybe a holiday stocking for a loved one.


Make your own: Toe up socks formula to design for your feet.


Fair isle legwarmers. Some delicate leg warmers. Cabled leg warmers. Argyle leg warmers. Good luck and if you join in drop me a line so I can post a link to your blog!

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Halloween

I survived the sewing...

The kids had pumpkins to decorate.

Hers....

And his...

They had bags to collect their treats in. I made it the same as the bedtime bag but added some elastic at the top to help keep the candy inside. I let the kids pick out the fabric. Disney for him and purple sparkly bats for her.

And they had costumes to wear. You know how sometimes you see a pattern, or a fabric/yarn and it speaks to you. Jumps out and grabs you and you can't ignore it no matter what. Well the mermaid pattern really spoke to me....LOUDLY. Do you know what it said???

I hate you and I will thwart your every attempt to finish me. Note to self "You are not smarter than the pattern so don't skip any steps. They are there for a reason and if you leave them out you will just have to redo it" Ahh my love of sewing continues.....

Elmo and Ariel had fun though and I'm glad it's over for another year.

There was much celebrating. A lot of family and friends to walk around with to trick or treat and chili with some adult beverages awaited us at home when we were done. I'll be back in a couple of days with the November knit a long.

P.S. I'm done with knitting my clasica coat and just need to seam. Bring on the wine :)

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Halloween is almost here

I am in full Halloween mode over here. Two costumes (still not finished) and two trick or treat bags (also not finished). Everything is in bits and pieces. One almost finished costume and one not even started costume. I'm not seeing much sleep this week. We also have three parties and one dance class, in costume, before the big event so I am really under the gun.

Since I have so much to do in my sewing room I made some mitts. The same info as these mitts which I gave away as a present so of course I had to knit some up for myself. I love them!!

We're back to the procrastinating.

I'm also still working on my clasica coat. I have the back, both fronts and almost one sleeve finished. The hood is knit with onto the fronts and back so all I have to do is finish the sleeves and then seam the hell out of that puppy and I think we all remember how much I love seaming. Yep those bears are still in pieces.

So as we count down to Halloween don't worry about me I'll be the one drowning in fabric...

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October

Hello all and happy October. Just a little late getting into this month. I'm finding with the wind down of warm weather and more activities to go to with school back in session I'm having to budget time better. I feel much like that leaf, one foot still planted in the warm weather and carefree days of summer and the other in the cool crisp days of fall.

This month the EZ knit-a-long was a polo type pullover. Complete with v-neck and collar. Not really my thing so I skipped yet another month. I am still working feverishly on my clasica coat because I want to wear it as soon as possible. In between sections on my coat I have stopped and worked on a couple of other small projects just to give myself the satisfaction of finishing something. The clasica coat is pretty but there appears to be a lot of finishing in my future...ugh.

So while I figure out my autumn routine, work on my coat, and sew some Halloween costumes, I am going to enjoy my day (because it is raining which I love) and peruse the latest addition to my knitting library.



A lovely book with great anecdotal stories from the author, beautiful knits, and much to my surprise a lot of discussion regarding the designing of knits. I can't wait to read it more thoroughly. I hope you are all enjoying your October.

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Mine

Thanks for all your fun comments about my little 'procrastination' problem. I know it doesn't seem like procrastination but I find it so funny that when I am putting off something I become super industrious in other areas of my life. Oh well. Hopefully those bears will get finished before Christmas.

I also want to thank you for all the love on the girlfriend swing coat. I don't feel like I thank you enough for the lovely comments from the blog and ravelry. I really appreciate it. I have no local knitting circle I belong to, no group of friends who love to craft or knit. You guys are my peeps :). I get all my inspiration, and boy is there a lot of beautiful projects out there, and encouragement from all of you. So thank you very much for being out there and checking in here when you have a spare moment from your already jam packed lives. I really appreciate it!

Back to the knitting portion of this blog. Here is my new selfish knit. The clasica coat by Interweave Knits.

She is something of a celebrity as she graces the cover of the current Interweave Knits magazine. How do I know that this is the 'one' you might ask. Well I already have the back finished. The long rectangle at the top is the center portion of the hood. I am furiously working away on it because I want it done before the cold weather completely commits to my hometown. Not the best shots but it's black which I always have a tough time photographing and I would go outside for better light and better scenery but it is so windy out there I swear Dorothy just blew by so this will have to do for now.

I can't wait to finish it. I can't wait to wear it. So I am going to sign off so I can get some more knitting in. October is almost here and we are still in an Elizabeth Zimmerman knit-along folks, plus those darn bears, so I've got to get a move on. Hope your week is going well!

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