Happy New Year

Happy New Year to one and all! I'm going to try to be better about posting, but with all the stuff going on, I can't promise it =).
DD and I are working on some chemo caps to donate to the local breast cancer center. The yarn was given to us by Cheri at Pins and Needles. I really think this is a good cause, and it gets us into volunteer work.
I've also been spinning on my new Ashford Traveller-what a difference from my other wheel. Although I love them both, I think this is my favorite. Can't wait to spin my angora yarn to make lots of fluffy scarves for everyone.
Also, I've entered my mitered shawl into the Cherry Tree Hill design contest. If I make it into the top 10, it will be voted on by the knitting community. Believe me, I will be posting links everywhere! Pics will come soon, I promise ;).

Mittens

I finally completed a set of mittens to sell in my Etsy store located here. They are made from 100% wool, and before you say that $25 is too much, realize that it cost me almost $24 to buy the yarn. Not much of a profit margin there. I do also take custom orders.

Knitting & Thanksgiving

So I went to the parent's house for Thanksgiving, got to spend some time with my sister, brother, nieces, nephews, and most importantly, Dad. He keeps telling everyone this is his will be his last Christmas. He can't shake the constant pneumonia. We also invited their next door neighbors over. There was plenty of food, and these people were going out for chinese because one decided at the last minute they weren't going to bother cooking, so the other two were SOL. I also took in my niece's cheerleading uniform. I understand that she's a freshman, and they don't get the choice pieces, but I had to take the side in 2 1/4". The skirt had been taken in before she got it, so I could only do one side, the solid colored side. The opposite side had been taken in at least an inch. This girl is tiny, and she was giving a HUGE skirt.
Christmas is at my house this year. I will be invaded by no less than 7 people. I wish I had a double oven.
Here's some of the knitting I've been doing. Some are samples for SWTC, others are gifts.

This is the starfall shawl; a new pattern just published by SWTC. It is done with one skein of Tofutsies. Isn't it great?

This is the latest hat for my nephew. Unfortunately, we couldn't get a shot of him with it on. We tried. Cascade superwash.

Another pair of mitts for Em. Moose, the English mastiff introduced earlier, decided the last pair tasted yummy.

This is the back of a shrug I made for my DD using Saphira by SWTC. Love the yarn to pieces!!! Great bulky single ply yarn, soft and yummy! I have some that I'm going to make into a cardigan for myself, when I get a chance to knit for myself (yeah, right. A girl can dream, can't she?)

This is a cashmere scarf I designed for my mother in law, and gave to her as a birthday present. It almost didn't leave the house. Cashmere is so sinfully soft.

This is another sample for SWTC, it's their Comfy Coat done in a georgeous olive green Saphira. Unfortunately, the camera would not cooperate to show the beautiful color. You can check out the back on Flickr or Ravelry.

And last, but not least, the Vilai socks from Cookie A's book Sock Innovation. These are done in Cherry Tree Hill's Northern Lights colorway. They are beautiful in real life.

Now, back to the needles. Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I realized how thankful I am that I still have my dad, and that we can share a wonderful day with people we love. It's not about the food, it's about the company. I also am thankful for friends and family long gone, at least I knew they for a brief, shining moment and each of them touched my heart and taught me a life lesson. Joe, Ray, Grandpa, Grandma, Dave, and everyone else here and gone; I love you. On to Christmas...

Giants, angora & secret knitting

Wow. November already. And my beloved Giants have dropped their last 3 games. To whomever kidnapped the real Giants, please let them go. We want them back. NOW!

One of the generous ladies that I work with asked me if I wanted some angora rabbit fur. It's raw, needs to be carded and spun. I don't have hand carders, but I said sure, why not. It'll be a good learning experience, you have to use a different methon spinning this than other yarns. She and her husband raised angoras years ago, and he had stored some of the fur they had not sold. One of their sheds needed to be removed, and while cleaning out another shed, he discovered this treasure trove. I thought they probably had a little, no more than 6 oz. I was WAYYYY wrong. I receieved a 5 gallon bucket full of black/white, and about 12 other buckets (the kind used to hold hamburg; probably between a half gallon and a gallon sized ice-cream tub). Holy angora! I have all kinds of colors, fawn, chocolate, pure white, black, you name it. All needs to be carded (there are some matts in some), and spun. Now, I am a beginning spinner and a quick learner. But instead of receiving ounces, I got pounds. The generosity of folks amazes me. I also bought an antique yarn skeiner from a co-worker at a steal.

I'm still doing my secret knitting for SWTC, can't wait to be able to reveal them to you. If you like bulky superwash yarn, try out their Saphira. For cotton/bamboo blends-Terra. Sock yarn-Jezebel for those pure wool lovers, Tofutsies for those who like to walk on the wild side. Infinity for those cobweb heirloom lace pieces. Or you could double it to make up a lace scarf (pattern to be developed as soon as I'm done knitting & spinning, maybe sooner!) Therapi is just that, yarnie goodness. Soon I'll be trying out Karaoke. Check them all out here.

Off to knit again!!

Where in the USA have I been?

visited 21 states (42%)
Create your own visited map of The United States
I saw this link on a fellow Raveler's info page, and thought it would be cool. I guess I need to do more traveling...

I'm still here...

Wow. September flew by, and I realized that I haven't posted in a while. I promised pics of my stargazers & casablanca lilies when they bloomed, and I apologize to my one reader (me). I've been doing some secret knitting for a company; when the patterns are published I will post pictures. I've also been working on some of my own designs and the Lilac sock pattern is now available to purchase on Ravelry.
Summer was one month here in Maine. August. That was it. September has been nice, but we had so much rain during June & July that I'm praying for a mild winter. I don't know how much more moisture the ground can take. On a positive note, at least I don't have to worry about my well running dry.
So, right now my life is composed of kids after school activities, secret knitting and regular housework.
I can't wait to get back to spinning...

Flowers

My liles have begun to bloom, I got 3 kinds from Maple Crest Lilies at the Bangor Home show in March. We put them in the ground, and I've been a mother hen over them to make sure they bloom. The Red asiatic bloomed first, and the stargazers have begun. The casa blanca will open last.
We have also discovered that begonias do well at our house, we have 2 red, 2 yellow, 1 white and 1 pink.
And our butterfly bush.

And 2 of the pansies.

In knitting news, I finished the original design of the lilac socks

and my daughter's bookbag.
It's really too hot to do much else other than socks right now. The humidity is horrible right now. I can't wait for it to break.