whistle the "snoopy theme"

I am going to camp. Not in charge of anything. I feel like Snoopy doing the happy dance.

This weekend is Fall Encampment. This is where MANY girls from our service unit attend camp for 3 days. They camp, hike, canoe, sing songs, that sort of thing. I have, in the past taken troops to encampment. It is such a wonderful experience for the girls. For me, not so much. It is probably raining and more than a little cold. I have done it all for the girls.

This year I am attending as an adult, without girls. Sleeping inside and staying up way too late (or early, depending on your point of view) playing cards and goofing off.

Youngest Daughter and Best Friend have planned and will run the encampment workshop. They put together an entire day of Egypt Unearthed. The hours spent planning are too many to count. They will be running approximately 150 Brownies and Juniors through their programs. This project is happening for their Silver Award. I really wanted to pop in and watch, but did not want to camp outside, in the probable rain. I was thinking I would take the ferry over for the day. It makes for a long day, but I really wanted to see them in action. The adult unit is so much better. Food, cards, laughter and knitting. Possibly a stroll around camp to get the blood flowing.
The only downside to this weekend is that I will miss the Fleece Artist trunk show and the LYS. Local wine, cheese AND Fleece Artist. Now that is a dream evening. I contacted the LYS and they let me know they would be setting up all day Friday and that I was invited to come take a peak. I need to go. I hope I can pick up some rovings.

This is what I am bringing to knit...the pictures are not great, but you get the idea...

Log Cabin socks for Husband






Dragon scarf for Youngest Son

This is the project I really need to finish. Because Youngest Son is always in house with me it is hard to find stealth knitting time. It would feel great to come home with only stealth blocking left to complete.

Log Cabin socks for me

I can not imagine finishing the other 2 projects, this is "just in case".

I also packed some spinning. But spinning is not a social activity for me, so it will probably only come out of the bag if I get some time in the woods.

fave beans and chianti

Oldest Daughter's birthday was a couple of weeks ago and she received balloons from Orthodontist. The regular balloons lasted a day, but the mylar version was going strong and still tied to the dining room chair. Last night I needed the chair to wind yarn so I cut it loose. This morning I am laying in bed trying to figure out what that freaky noise is. It sounds like the sucking sound the bad guy in Silence Of The Lambs makes. You, know the one that follows the fava beans and Chianti line. Anyway, I am trying not to panic, We turned the heater on yesterday, maybe the heater is making noises? Then I see the silhouette of the balloon as it is scraping along the ceiling. It was pretty funny. The balloon is out a here.

What a productive weekend, knitting wise. I did indeed get Husband's Retro Bib socks done. No picture available, he wore them to work this morning. On Friday I said out loud that I really wanted to finish his socks this weekend. I was tired of working on them and ready for something new. Because I had just begun the heel flap I did not really believe they wold get done, just that I really wanted to move along with them. Last night I grafted the toe! Thank you rain.

I immediately wound the Fleece Artist from my swap buddy and managed to knit up a few rows before heading to bed.

I am not sure of the color. Forest or Cosmic Dawn, maybe. The Log Cabin Sock pattern is written for a worsted weight yarn. I am making these for myself using the pattern as written for a mans size and adding 4 stitches. I added a k1,p1 at the beginning of the pattern repeat. That gives me 60 stitches on #2's. Should be perfect. LOVE the yarn.

This week my knitting and I will spend much time in waiting rooms. 3 dance lessons, an Orthodontist appt and probably 2 Oral Surgeon visits. Woo Hoo! (Why does spell check let Woo slide, but highlight Hoo?)

i'm a groopie

I spent the morning at the Council Delegate meeting. As of October 1st we will be Girl Scouts of Western Washington. 2 councils become one. A truly historic event, and I am proud that I was a part of it. I imagine it is a memory that I will share for many years to come.

When I arrived home there was a box from Loopy Ewe. I had ordered a pattern and 1 skein of Fleece Artist. This was a big box, not the size box that would fit my order. Yes, I am aware that this was order number 6 and that it contained my Loopy Groopy goodies, but this was a big box. I tore it open and WOW! I will not spoil the surprise, but I will encourage you to become a Groopie yourself ASAP. Be sure to tell 'em I sent you.

Oh and here is the Fleece Artist I ordered.

Oh my. The colorway is Mermaid. Fleece Artist is now my very favorite sock yarn. I have knit 2 pairs with Sea Wool, have 1 more skein of Sea Wool stashed and 2 skeins of Merino that are next in the queue. I still love Dream In Color Smooshy, but after holding the last 2 skeins of Fleece Artist, they are my very favorite!

Husband's socks have passed the gusset on sock #2. They need to get done by the end of weekend so that I can cast on the Fleece Artist my swap buddy sent.

oh my

I have not been doing much knitting the past few days. It has been all spinning all the time. I seem to be a bit obsessed and can feel myself sliding down the slippery slope that leads to dyeing.

Here are a couple of rovings that arrived this week.

I am not sure what this braid and next are made of. The bag says 62% Australian Merino Top. Well, what else is in there? I would really like to know. It is spinning up quite differently than the 100% wool I have worked with in the past. This has shorter fibers and wants a LOT of twist. It would be a nice learning tool, if I knew what I was learning.

This is what I have been working on. No before picture. It went right from mailbox to spindle.

I do need to get back to knitting. Especially the brown socks for Husband. Why? Because I need the needles so that I can start this.

Oh my. Can you believe those colors. It is Fleece Artist and was part of a music & yarn swap. Mariposa spoiled me with this beautiful yarn, a great cd and lots of goodies from Canada. I can not wait to get started.

Tomorrow may provide lots of knitting time. I will be heading south for a Girl Scout Council meeting. We will be voting to merge councils. It is a big deal. Lots of changes ahead for all of us.

Oh, and last but not least.

September's Spunky Eclectic fiber selection. Merino & Tencel. Beautiful. I need to practice with merino/tencel before I dare to spin this beauty.

baby knitting

A few days ago I was at a meeting and had the chance to try a new kind of tea. It was yummy and I went looking for it at the local grocery store. I found something similar, but a different brand. So that is what I have been drinking the past 2 days. This morning, as I was pouring hot water over the bag the tag fell into the pot. In fishing it out I see that it says "decaffeinated". ACK! How did I manage to do that? That explains so much about the past couple of days. I will be replacing it with the high octane variety at the earliest possible moment.

Last night one of Youngest Daughter's dance teachers told her she was pregnant. This is very exciting. Yeah, they get a new baby and all that, but for me it means that come spring I will be knitting wee baby things. Oh how I love knitting we baby things.

When my children were little I did not know how to knit. I did not know how to cook or clean either, but that is another post. So when people around me have babies it is very exciting.

Those of you who have little people running around your house probably do not get this. You enjoy making little sweaters for your children, blankies, socks and what not. Not imagining there will be a day when that cute little foot will grow to a size 12. And I do not mean toddler size 12, I mean big smelly man sized 12. Not only do socks for teenagers take a major time investment, there is always a 50/50 chance that they will throw them into the washer and dryer after the first wear. Knitting for young adults is not something to do lightly. 3/4 of my kids are teenagers, on their way off to college, one right after the other. I have years ahead of me before a teeny tiny little foot comes into the house. I am in that limbo stage. That limbo stage still needs babies to knit for. That is why those of us in it present you with handknit baby gifts above and beyond the call of duty. We can not help ourselves, be gentle with us.

stick a fork in 'em

They are done. The Mariner Socks that I did not want to knit.



The only reason I finished them now, instead of putting it off until the week before Hanukkah, is because they were my UFO for the Ravely group Pens and Needles challenge. I can not find the ball band, which is unfortunate because I hate this yarn and hope never to meet it again. The splitiest thing ever made. Bamboo has nothing on this stuff. The plus side is that Oldest Son is going to LOVE them.

Now that those are done I get to cast on this.


It is just 220, but the red is so red. They will become Log Cabin Socks for Husband's Hanukkah present. Gorgeous.

And spinning, do not forget the spinning.


MMMM Candy Corn.

what i did today :-(

Are you ready for the stupid thing I did today?

I finished spinning the DragonFibers Candy Corn. Really lovely fiber, can't wait to spin more. I spun it, wound it onto the niddy noddy and then put it into the sink for a soak. See anything missing here? Once in the sink I swished it around, pushed out the air bubbles and then walked away to let it rest. Anyone, anyone? I picked up the yarn , squeezed out the water and plopped in onto a towel. As I picked it up it hit me. I did not tie the skein before I took it off the niddy noddy!! AH! How could I be so stupid? Stupid, stupid , stupid! I did the best I could to straighten things out. It is resting. Me too.

To add insult to injury, I am ready to buy these, click to chose my size, no, not in my size. GGRR