Here's The Skinny

Oo la la! This cashmere blend is super soft on the hands. I'm almost ready for the armhole decreases. This is what I hope will be a quick knit because I do have a deadline...the Bon Jovi concert. Today I found a camisole which I hope will work with this....ok, back to my knitting!

Bloggin' Is Good For The Soul

I'm really not feeling any better after my most recent crisis, but have decided that I might as well join the ranks of the living...don't get me wrong. I still may have my boo hoo moments, but as is often said..."life goes on".

Here's the obligatory sock photo... On the left...Opal Jaywalkers completed. Can you stand it? The middle sock-if you remember-is from the vintage men's sock knitting book. Lastly, my spring colorway for the third set of Jaywalkers ala picot edged. I have a sneaking suspicion that those two are gonna be loners for awhile. I have also got another sock on the needles...but all this sock knitting with metal needles is killing my right arm.(I'm a thrower) So, what next?



I've been drooling over this booklet since my birthday last month, but had set it aside for socks. I think the time is right for a garment. I'll be making a shrug, or actually, it's more like a half sweater using Lion Brand cashmere. Yes, it's taken this long for my town to get this stuff, and I've been wanting to see how it works up. Ya figure Zara retails for about $9.99 a ball. This cashmere was on sale this week at Hancock's for $6.63 a ball...yeah, I like to save when I can and it gives me a chance to play around with some new yarn. I've surfed around and can't find any bloggers who have used this as well as discussed this book. There's some great patterns in there, peeps. At least in my oh so humble opinion. Getting the cashmere was an episode...had to go to 2 different ones. Let me just say that I will be sending an email to Hancock's....there are some different issues I've had with them, and I think it's time I spoke up.

And my last subject is...my most favorite vintage knitting advertisement. I would love to get my hands on one of these t shirts. I think it's adorable in a schlocky kind of way. Maybe I'll send Boye an email, too. Hey, check out that circular needle set! I'm thinking of regularly posting photos of these vintage adverts to spice things up around here. What do you think?




Before I forget...I want to give a public shout out to Purse Ho for the kind words. You were the only knitblogger to acknowledge my post, and it really does make a difference! :)

Absence Explained

In Memory Of "Mister Boo" 1-29-96 to 1-16-06

My Best Friend
My heart is broken and the grief is searing.

Music news

How could I even forget this? Red sent me an mp3 of Manilow's latest..."Unchained Melody". He is really in his element when he sings a love song!

Opal-y goodness aka Flamingoed in Florida

Yeah man, I'm lovin' Opal sock yarn albeit a bit pricey. I still find it to be splitty, but I still like the feel of it. As I've said, anything has to be an improvement over Wildfoote-dissin' 'em out again. I love this Jaywalker pattern....it's so perfect. I've decided to do yet another pair, but I will make a picot edging like I saw on Amelia Raitte's site.

And of course, sock knitting is like Lay's potato chips (you can't just eat one), I've started another pair of socks.... The pattern is from a 1952 Jack Frost men's knitting book. I love vintage. The yarn is a complete mystery. I got it over a year ago at a thrift store, and it was already wound into the "cake". I'm doubling it since I don't like a flimsy sock. I've been doing a lot of "mental" knitting these days. I'm seriously considering only knitting with something vintage...whether it's the yarn or the pattern. Think I can hold out for the year?


And last but certainly not least...I'm concerting again!!! Yea for entertainment! Sing us a song, you're the PIANO Man! These days, every concert is a sellout. Good thing Red talked me into this one. I've seen him twice before....once was in 1979, I think...6th row tix! Those were the days! Then I saw him with Elton John at the old "sombrero"-you Tampa folk know what I'm talkin' about! Boy, that last time, he really made Elton look like a reject from American Idol! Billy Joel can really work a crowd! Should be a great night with Red. I'll give me review later this week...until then..."A bottle of red...a bottle of white..." sheesh...the songs keep flowing!

Happy(?) New (FO) Year!!!

This promises to be a longie with a lot to say, so if you're in a rush...you better by pass this post.
First off, I was able to squeeze this in as my first FO for 2006...or is this a delayed 2005 FO? Be that as it may, I now present my first pair of Jaywalker socks!
Specs-pattern from Magknits
knit on size 1 circulars with LB Magic Stripes yarn (my color name-Key Lime West)
Alterations-I had to size them way down because Magic Stripes is a much thicker yarn, and I gotta say, I love the denseness of the fabric it creates. Will I make them again? You betcha! And I already got the yarn to do it with...Opal Sock yarn (a first at my LYS) in Flamingo! How appropriately named. As you may have guessed, pink is my Favorite color....think I'll cast on with a size 0 first...if not I'll move up to size 000. My LYS didn't have any 00's and said addi didn't make them in that size for circulars? Isn't that strange?


Now for the bad news....the day after Christmas, my dog started seizuring for no reason whatsoever. I have been in a panicked mode for a week. I rushed him to the vet where they did bloodwork, and as I suspected...it came back normal. Oh sure, if I want to know more, I can go to a specialist where they have the audacity to charge $500-$1000 for an mri. Frankly, I can't afford it. Trust me, I would do anything to help him...I have for other dogs that I have owned. But, the speculation is that my vet thinks it's a brain tumor. When you have had your pet since they were a baby, you get a feeling about them...I refuse to believe it's a brain tumor. In my heart of hearts, I think he had a mini stroke. Anyway, they did prescribe phenylbarbitol(sp?), but he seized again. I called the vet the next day and he said I could up the medication...well, as they say, knock on wood...no seizures since the last one Thursday. He IS different now....all those little behaviors that you have come to know and love are gone...But there is light -so far- at the end of this tunnel...last night I got him to play with his favorite toy. A bone. This my friends, is the ultimate in relief and delight for me. I thought I was going to have to make a decision that I didn't want to have to. Man, my eyes are tearing up as I write this. Please send him all your healthy vibes. I know he can make it through this. If there are any knitters who happen to be vets, I'd love to hear your take on this.

Ok, back to knitting stuff...this is something I had planned to write about for Dec. 31st, but due to circumstances beyond my control...it's a day late. These are the things that I have learned this year:
1. How to knit continental-although I can do it, it's not natural to me
2. I designed(copied) my first sweater.-dolman cardi in previous post
3. I learned how to do an attached I-cord
4. I made my first sweater on circulars-Soleil from knitty

Hmmm...I thought this list was longer..well, who knows what's in store for 2006? I want to try magic loop and of course, I want to design my own stuff.
I just looked back at my diary of FO's and I started 2005 with the skull socks from Hello Yarn.
Oh yes, and I actually completed 25 projects this year! Phew! No wonder I'm tired. Ha! It should have been more...I got a bunch of UFO's over here...maybe this will be their year. I know it will be mine! Happy New Knitting Year!