New challenge

Today I was blogsurfing and I came upon this on Yarn Harlot's blog:



My challenge/entry for the Olympics will be to make 2 toddler sweaters for Stitches from the Heart. The patterns might not be as challenging as forcing myself to sit and knit/crochet these. Maybe during family bonding time as we cheer on the USA!

Not the world's fastest but...

Maybe the fastest in the LBC??

I went to my local Michael's for their "Yarn Event" Mainly I wanted to help in the joining party for the squares they had collected for Warm Up America. Michael's had lots of things going on related to yarn including raffles and prizes and a kid table.

They had a contest for the fastest knitters and crocheters. I signed up not thinking much of it. As I was joining squares, the other ladies confided they had signed up for the contest as well.

We got to borrow a hook and they gave us some yarn to use. You had to chain 23 and work as many rows of double crochet in 3 minutes as you could. Surprise! I won! I made 62 dc's in the timne allowed. Here is my cool prize:


I continued on the blanket I started until I had this:


I crocheted the squares together using a single crochet and chain one stitch. This seemed to go much faster than the gals who used a yarn needle and weaved them together. The event was over before I could weave my ends in so it looks like someone else will have to do that.

Maybe I should practice and take on Lily Chin?? Just kidding....

Mitered squares

Last weekend was really busy. I had not been able to attend knitting guild meetings while Paige was small, so I let my membership lapse. It just worked out last weekend that I got to go to the first meeting for 2006. My mom paid my membership dues (thanks Mom!) and it was really fun!

One of the best things about joining a knitting guild is that I have learned more interesting things there than in any book I have read about knitting. Having the hands on experience with the members (including some that have been knitting for 50+ years), I have gotten more tips, help and advice than I can count. I'm glad to be reenergized.

The class on Saturday was on mitered squares. These have always intimidated me because they look so complicated and I didn't know how to pick up the stitches. Mitered squares are the best! I am hooked!

Word to new knitters out there: Join a local knitting guild, the info is priceless!

Fun in the snow

Driving to Big Bear, along with most of the population of Southern California, we were skeptical that we would see any snow. The traffic was horrendous and we thought of turning back more than once. But three little voices were pleading from the back seat to continue because some of them had never even seen snow before!

There was a lot to see and it always amazes me that we live in an area where theorectically you could wake up and ski in the morning and then drive for maybe 2 hours tops and be surfing before sundown..

I finished the hats.. Good thing we found a patch of snow!



I have been asked to make a hand-knitted item for donation for our local Symphony auction. I made a baby layette last year and I'm not sure how well it did. I have an idea of what I want to make this year but need to ponder on it a bit..

Speaking of the Symphony, we fell into some tickets for a magnificent perfomance last Saturday night. John, Mike and I attended. There was the most beautiful violin solo. I know very little about classical music other than I enjoy it very much! It's like listening to a painting...

Progress on KKH # 1 and # 2

I have started two hats from Kid's Knitted Hats: Faux Fur Fun and
Bernice's Tam.

I have never really liked Fun Fur but it seems approriate for an energetic toddler.

I am trying to get these done before the weekend because we might drive up to the mountains and touch the snow.

When a pattern calls for circular needles, don't use double-pointed just because you are too lazy and cheap to go out and buy ANOTHER set of needles. I continue to think that I have every size and style of knitting needle under the sun, that is until I find another pattern and then BINGO, of course, I don't have the right one.

Too many stitches on DP needles instead of circular. BEWARE!

Knit-along?

I recently picked up this book Kid's Knitted Hats. The patterns are really cute and I want to challenge myself with some Fair Isle knitting in the round. I also plan on only using yarns from my stash to make these. I will probably donate them to Stitches from the Heart when completed. Anyone want to knit along with me?

Adorable Alec

If you have been reading my blog, you might remember the little sweater I knit for my cousin's baby. With her Christmas card, she included this great pic of him modeling it. Just thought I would share.. I never have seen a babe with such wonderful hair and cheeks!!

Baby sweater

During the bits of quiet time over this holiday break, I wanted to play with this yarn my mom got me for Christmas. So I knit a baby sweater to donate to Stitches. The yarn is self-striping called "Marble" by James C. Brett. I think they sell it at the Stitches store in Santa Monica. The pattern is Knitting Pure and Simple's Neck-Down Baby Sweater.

First day = beauty

Before the "big storm" hits us, we decided to venture out and stretch our legs. We took a nice drive down PCH to look at the storm waves and then headed to Newport Beach's ecological preserve. It's a really big salt marsh with lots of birds. It's kinda surreal because it's this beautiful marsh with biking and running trails right in the middle of extreme wealth. Then as you are enjoying nature, big jumbo jets fly over your head because it's the area right next to the Orange County (John Wayne)airport.Because none of the rich people want to hear jet noise over their multi-million dollar homes, the pilots must cut the power way back after taking off and I can imagine it is a little unnerving.