Golden Eye - yup, it's FINISHED

Another beautiful design from the talented BadCatDesigns. Look how pretty this is, eh? I think I shall have to make another that stays home sometime soon. This one, however, is going to a new baby and hopefully will be well loved and used lots!

I used Bernat Baby yarn because it's very soft and easy care for a new mom and I could "kill" the acrylic. It delayed completion because I swear it squeaks when you knit it! It's an odd (and disturbing) thing to feel & sort of hear. I'm spoiled, it's true and thank goodness for it! :-)

Project Name: Summer Squares - Golden Eye
Yarn used: Bernat Baby
Amount used: ~1050 yards
Needles: US 4 / 3.5mm
Finished dimensions: ~42" square
Pattern designer: BadCatDesigns

Catching up or not?

So I was catching up a teensy bit on my blog reading yesterday, in particular on the Yarn Harlot's doings and found a distraction in the form of her recent "Pretty Thing" pattern. Thinking it would make a fun, soft, quick project I succumbed to temptation. Does it even count? It's just a lil' bit of a thing, right?

Yes, I could've created my own pattern. Heck I have very nice cowl patterns already waiting to be knit. Don't ask me why. Why was not a factor - and besides, it's done :-)


You see, it really was a quick knit. Used some (15 grams/155 yards) of my yummy 3/28 cashmere from Colourmart. The color is Delph Blue and the in-progress pic at the top is more accurate.

Just popping in......

.......with a little view of today's world.

Please note that yesterday it was indeed in the 60's or so with rain changing to snow in the evening and snowing more than expected. What can I say, it's Colorado? :-).

......anyone want to make a snowman? Then perhaps knit something cozy after......

Fleegle's fault!

It IS. If she didn't have such lovely yarn I wouldn't buy more right? (yes, she ranks right up there with ColourMart and will custom dye! - but no worries, Richard, she doesn't carry the same yarns you do ;-) )


And if she didn't post about yummy patterns I wouldn't know about them and HAVE to add them to my collection of things that must be made! (No Two Snowflakes is quick to deliver, too)


.....tempt me with visions of lovely batts from Corghi Hill just too many times to resist .....




Yup, that's my story and I'm stickin' to it! Fleegle, the Great Enabler.......who is even NOW charting designs to map out an absolutely gorgeous (monster size) Shetland Shawl that currently is being voted to be name THE Susan for a KAL on Heirloom Knitting (Ravelry). There are so many stitches that a super fine yarn (52/2 or smaller) on teensy tiny needles are going to be quite necessary to do the full design. Like two skeins of Phoenix. Perhaps size 00 (1.75mm) or smaller........

You see?

("Small type" Disclaimer - I must add that naturally I'm just kidding.......there aren't too many bigger fans of personal responsibility/accountability than I ;-) )

Life Happens......

Life happens and that's a fact. For those who have wondered where I "disappeared to" well, I appreciate your thoughts and concern. I'm still around but I've had my hands full. In the last few weeks I've had all the usual stuff (and some fun extras....really, truly) and some not-so-fun extras including:

- Fraud on my bank account
- Harddrive meltdown
- The heartbreaking saga and surrender of my Alaskan Malamute
- Hospice care for an Uncle
- Broken hip for my grandfather
- Funeral for said uncle
- Nursing care / therapy for grandfather

and of course all the associated calls, visits, time, and family. I must say I have been blessed with some really AWESOME family, friends and co-workers. Such a wonderful bonus to offset some of that not-fun life stuff. The family upheaval did bring visits from afar including that of my mother all the way from Thailand. She will be staying with me weekends until early December since she is here to teach, not just visit us all. My brother from Florida was also able to come for a week and we had some great laughs all together. Silver linings, ya know?

Some other fun:

- Family visits and laughs
- Great, supportive friends
- Marvelous designs from BadCat to play with including the Summer Squares projects and other new patterns (details on her blog -> link over to the right ->)
- Knitting therapy
- Weaving (yup, you'll see.....)
- Spinning (spindles, wheel......loads of therapy AND fun but to share another day)
- New wood to play with (Red Cedar - awesome stuff!)

....and ever so much more..........don't let the list at the top fool you, I have a great deal to be grateful for and I don't forget that, especially when "life" happens ;-)

Moving along on that same sort of "life" path, one of my cousins is expecting twins and while I haven't finished everything I have planned for her I actually have not been idle with my knitting needles and even weaving. (The spinning is for other things but has been great therapy as well!)

Today I bring you a couple of cute little baby hats, one shown above and the other here:

Sorry about the lack of focus - perhaps it's symbolic? Nah, just a needs a better photographer, hehehe.

You can safely assume that the twins in this case are expected to be a boy & girl, not identical.

I've not managed all the booties yet but a pair in lovely cashmere - a fingering weight marl (naturally from Colourmart!). One is of course washed and the other shown not so you can see the amazing transformation that takes place.....


I have soooooo much more to share - take note of the growing list of finished objects and status changes in the sidebars. Those don't even include nearly everything in the works.

There's more great fun ahead; I hope you'll join me :-).

What a GREAT time!

Today I have no knitting updates because I actually had a change in plans. I was lucky enough to get a ticket to today's Broncos game. If you get the chance - well assuming you don't hate football - you should really go. The experience in person is just SO different. Great fun and I felt it was worth the price. If I could get season tickets I would (the wait list is 13-15 years!).

Thanks VERY much to my friend for sharing the chance and to the great folks that were fun company in the shared seats! It was a privilege and a pleasure.

The seats, btw, are awesome. North End Zone, just high enough to see everything and not so high you have to strain for anything at all. If you are really curious, they were Section 115 and if you look closely at the maps, just at the point where there IS a 116 right next to it. In other words, about mid-way up and on the aisle. Fantastic view. The stadium seating can be found at http://www.invescofieldatmilehigh.com/resources/img/pix/general_big.gif.

I took the bus and avoided the hassles of driving, parking and all that plus had a great seat-mate to chat with on the way. I kept her entertained with my spinning on the trip (no, I didn't spin or knit at the game, sorry). She had tips for me as an experienced ticket holder and they were handy. Like since the bus drops off/loads on the opposite side of the Stadium from where I was sitting, I should just look for a short line any gate along the way. Women have separate lines since they frisk everyone for security checks. Well, I took her advice and lemme tell you, as inconceivable as you would think it should have been, the first gate I started past I practically had one of the folks working the gate escort me right into the checkpoint - zero waiting, thanks. This was during prime entry time in a veritable sea of people (literally).

In short, it was one of those days that went supremely well with things just falling right into place and I had a wonderful time. I did forget one little thing though and tomorrow will tell the story on if I'll really pay for it........um, did I mention it was very sunny the first half? Yup. No sunscreen and no hat. Oops.

Oh yeah.......maybe I should mention, we won :-).

Wow! Look what I found.....

I have been quiet on the blog but very very very busy! There will be lots more to share.....to begin:

I have been cleaning up a storm and going through many a box, stash, pile or closet. This is a marvelously good thing although perhaps a bit dusty. The end goal is coming to light with much reorganizing taking place and this will help projects of every kind to flow much more smoothly. I even completely relocated my large storage unit (naturally with LOTS of help from Puppy!) and consolidated the last smaller stray storage unit that I had been ignoring for a loooooong time. It's surely inevitable that I found some old friends. Most I had remembered to one degree or another but there is something different about pulling these things out and sorting through. It's a bit more than just "oh yes, I should get that out again sometime and finish it" for me at least. For those of you that have UFOs you don't need reasons why - you already know and understand the list of possible reasons is long :-). For those of you who don't? Well I'm not sure you would/could understand if you don't have any lurking! You are of a different breed (style) than I and I commend you for your self-discipline! Perhaps some day you too will be tempted on over here to the dark side and enjoy multiple projects, some to be rediscovered at a fun time in the future, lol.

So here we go a few of the - oh let's call them "rediscovered" projects, shall we?

Oh look! A baby blanket - always nice to have a spare baby gift on hand. This one is thick & squishy with doubled yarn.



A pi shawl in a pretty lilac cotton that will be a very nice summer wrap....someday



Isn't this a pretty lil' sweater from Fitted Knits? Modified to work with the yarn. TOASTY warm.


Super-Spiral in colorful mohair:



Hmmmm....perhaps I'll do some finishing of these soon?