Knit-a-Little

10 weeks to fill a tree

If you don't know all ready I love to knit preemie hats for babies.  Well last week I met one of the babies I had knit for.  It was by accident I've never really looked for any of the babies but when I was at church the mum found me.  The little one was born 2 1/2 months premature and had some problems.  When I saw her she was cooing and in my opinion perfect.  The thank you I got was worth more to me than any money I could have put in my pocket.  It got me to thinking how could I share with all of you who knit preemie hats, buntings, and blankets the feeling?  Well when I saw the tag tree Ian (my son) gave me for mothers day the idea hit me.  I'll run a contest.  Yep a contest but this one is simple.  First for every preemie hat, bunting or blanket you knit and donate I'll add your name to a basket and place a tag on the tag tree.  My hope is that the tree will be filled with tags of love.  At the end of the week I'll add something to the gift bag.  You have to knit up preemie gifts and I have 10 weeks to add 10 items.  What will be added well you will have to wait to see.  I have some ideas ;)  So when does this all start I'm glad your wondering June 6th till August 8th and on Sunday the 10th I'll have one of the kids pick a tag. If you want to play along leave me a comment both to start and when you have finished a preemie  project so I can give you a shout out.  Happy knitting. 

Happy Mothers Day

Oh I hope you all had a lovely mothers day.  I know some are mums and others are not but we all are sons and daughters. 
Yesterday I could knit, nap, even watch what I wanted on the T.V.  Now if you know my house I have 2 maybe 3 programs I watch and I got to watch one (Deadliest Catch) not all day mind you I don't think I can watch T.V. all day.  My weekend was planned out by Lindsay. She planned, hubby took orders from a 15 year old if that doesn't tell you something special about her e-mail me I could rattle on and on and on :)   Yes I'm her mum and I am bragging but she did a great job and didn't even give me a hint.  I've been wanting to get to a yarn shop on the other side of the Franklin Mountains, something always got in the way.  This weekend Lindsay arranged time for me and hubby to get over the mountain and shop.  Do you know how long it's been since hubby and I got out of the house together without one or more of the kids?  For part of the ride we listened to the silence.  With 5 kids from time to time silence is GOLDEN and just being with your second half is wonderful.  Yesterday guess what was laid on my shoulders. A shawl that Kathryn crochet for me.  She has turned into one great crafter. I'm more proud of her than I think she will know.  Well maybe one day when she has a daughter I hope it is a daughter like she is to me. I have to tell you this shawl is warm and very yummy.  As you know I love home made gifts and the kids really worked hard.  Racheal made a flower pot with palm flowers that will never need water and Ian gave me a dried tree with tags on it for me to use.  His tags go something like this, 1 back rub, 1 clean up kitchen, I think you get the jist of it.  One gift I was given was given when she didn't know it.  Racheal has struggled the whole year to read.  It was a source of great frustration for her.  Yet when she sat between hubby and myself she read a book mark to us without a problem.  That was one of the greatest gifts.  Some gifts you can see and wrap you in warmth others fill you with warmth that only 1 or 2 can see.  I hope everyone had a great weekend.
Now if you have gotten to the end of my post and are still here, thank you.  I have an idea I'm working on.  Last week I met one of the preemie babies I had knit for.  This baby is now 3 months old and perfect.  This moment touched me and I want to share that will all of you.  How, well I'll tell you all about it mid week.  I will give you a hint, I'm going to use the dried tree Ian gave me for Mother's day.  Not much of a hint I know but if I say more I will just have to spell it all out and I want this post to be about Mothers day.

Sock bug

I think once you've been bitten getting over socks is well not in your future or my future.  This last week has been one of waiting.  First it was with Lindsay and her Choir Competition, 2 hrs of knitting.  Then the very next day it was waiting for Kathryn when she had to take a placement test.  She got the time to get picked up wrong and me not wanting to let her down I got to U.T.E.P. early.  The up side to this is Justin got to count every step in the Union building more than once in English and Spanish, he met some very nice college students, and I got some great knitting done, like finishing my second sock.   All in all we had a great time.  I'm not one to love waiting can you imagine what it would be like if I didn't tote my knitting around with me.  Shutter the thought and tuck another project in my handbag.

First sock footie done

What a difference knitting a bit at a time makes.  My sock is done and I've cast on for the second.  When I first started knitting had always kept a sock to work on in my handbag.  What made me get away from that habit....... what ever it might have been I'm back to keeping sock knitting with me.  
Last night I stumbled on lime and violet  and knit wars.  It isn't a competition like sock wars no winners or loosers but all winners.  It is great fun.  Will I get a lot of points no but I'll have fun finishing projects and it will be fun to see how many points I can build up.  Back to knitting and point building.

Long weekend

Ever have a weekend that just seems to get longer.  That was the weekend I had.  As much as I thought about you, and wanted to blog, life just got in the way.  I did get to knit and found my sock knitting bug again.  Maybe I had forgotten it or left it some place but the summer of socks has gotten me knitting socks again.  Now this is bad news good news for me.  I should wait and knit up the socks I have to this year while the contest is running.... I said should when have you known me to do what I should do.  So I'm willing to compromise and only knit socks when I'm on the go.  Sock knitting has always attracted because I could take it any place and have.  This weekend has kinda been a green weekend plenty of plants and plants that have finally bloomed.  Before I moved here I had given up on growing roses. A good friend gave me some advice and you should see my roses I'm :)  so happy.  Maybe my green thumb bloomed in me later yes I think it has.  Well you take a look and tell me.

OOOOPS

Okay I was just going to rip out and get rid of the first photo but I have to show you.  After 30+ years of knitting I made an ooooops.  Yep and this one was a biggie or littlie you tell me.  My neighbors is a grandma again and I thought the littlest addition needed a hand knit sweater.  I needed a project I could start and finish while working on larger lace projects, win, win.  I don't know if I would knit this pattern up again.  Maybe in a few months I'll pull the pattern out and see but it will take that long.  No I'm not going to put it in my favorite folder.  I'll stop stalling you can see my mistake and my fix   ;)  Did you see my mistake yep it is a beginner mistake, that will teach me to measure sleeves without looking at the total sweater.

I can show you the shawl

After how long I can show you the shawl I knit up for Lindsay.  SHE LIKED IT SHE LIKED IT!!!!! I'm so pleased and the huge sigh you heard Saturday that was me.  I'm not going to type to much I thought I would show you in photos some of the event.

Better than I thought

Icarus is done and given away.  I have to tell you I was worried till I saw the look on Shelly's face.  She really liked it and it looked perfect on her.  Yes I'll make it again when I need to give comfort to a friend.  Okay I took a photo before I blocked it and just before I left but I didn't get a photo of after I blocked it (rush rush rush).  You'll just have to take my word for it WOW.  I don't know why I'm always amazed after blocking.  This pattern is very dramatic.  For anyone wanting to knit a shawl for someone needing comfort and a prayer I say try it, I'm so glad I did. 
I'm going to give my hands a break and knit up a baby sweater I've had on my to do list for a week or longer.  I'll start Mary Lou's prayer shawl later.  I have the yarn and nice peaceful green I think she will like it  :)

Just 2 rows till I'm done

Ever get tired with in a row or 2 to go just that close to the end?  That is just the place my head is at.  Since last Monday I have really pushed on this shawl (Icarus Shawl) and I'll be glad when I'm done.  This is the second time I've knit the Icarus up and still the look of the shawl draws me back in.  When I'll knit it up again ,well I don't know but I know I'll call on this pattern when I need something nice for a friend in need of a prayer.

Note From Chappy Cat:  Hey computers, not bad.  I have a feeling a cat had a paw in this invention.  Just step here and we are chatting face to face.  Not bad for humans.  Now that I have the hang of this computer thing we can have a chat from time to time, like when mum is out for the day.  Yes I feel a whole new world opening up for me :)  Ta Ta for now.

Halloween knitting

Halloween knitting yes you read the title correct.  I found some really silly orange yarn and couldn't find a use for it till, I found a shawl pattern in Drops.  Ever find a pattern and a light bulb flashes in your brain and you think hummmmm that is why I got this yarn 5 years ago.  Well that happened to me and this Halloween I'm wearing it.  The kids call it the orange bat shawl.  I just have to find 4 buttons, I'm thinking black bat buttons or maybe ghost buttons.  Once a year the kids can put up with me and my orange shawl.  It isn't like I'm going to wear the thing to a fancy dinner out.  I have other shawl plans for that.  So do you have some hand knit item that your kids say please don't wear it out side the house?  Come on you can tell me.  I've just showed you mine.  Well have a great weekend and happy knitting.