Alaska

It really doesn't get any better than this.

What an idiot

Okay... so I made this little change purse to felt. I put in the washing machine and it came out looking the same as when I put it in. I couldn't figure out why so I washed it again, again and again. Then I started thinking..... the first pair of socks I made are the same color as this yarn..... OMG.... I made this little change purse with the same yarn as my socks.... It's never going to felt.

Idiot.

Dragon progress....

So does this sound crazy...? I want to frog this. First off... I hate this yarn. It's a two ply and it just stinks. It is making the increase "holes" look even bigger. My friend who purchased the kit with the appropriate yarn, started it today and let me tell you, ... the three ply Merino is beautiful. This yarn is also from the same maker but it's just not giving me the warm and fuzzy feeling that I like when I make a project. I'm not sure what to do.... Thoughts?

WIPs

Always have a Mason Dixon washrag on the needles. Notice that I've wound up the sugar n cream on my ball winder. It's so much nicer to make it a center ball pull to keep in my bag while I'm on the train!

My second pair of socks. This one is my first one of the "series". It's the Koigu yarn that my friend Susan gave me.

My Dragon Scarf - Ohhhhh! Three "spikes" done. Isn't it cute!

Saturday I'm heading to Alaska for vacation so there will be no posts for a bit. I'll be back in a week hopefully with new progress to show. See you then.

WINE!

Over the weekend, my husband and I volunteered for an organization called Neediest Kids. They had their annual Gala on Sunday and their Golf Tournament on Monday. We've been working with them for a couple of years and really enjoy it. During the Gala we hold a silent auction where people bid on items such as the below wine fridge filled with glorious wine from all over donated by different people. My husband and I bid on it and we WON! We were very excited to bring home our new wine fridge and take a look at all the different wines we have to share with our friends.

Another After....

Before and After......

Yippie, they are finally completed. The bags that my friend Mandy and I started are finished. The Lion Brand yarn felted beautifully! Enjoy.

Yesterdays News

Yesterday I made this on the train ride to work and back. All that is left is to sew it up and felt! This is the small clutch that is in the one skein book. I'm using the yarn that they call for which is Lambs Pride Bulky. Problem is that I've used that before to make the bowls and I wasn't very happy with how the yarn felted. It's 85% Wool and 15% Mohair. Wonder why they would recommend this yarn in the book?

Amazon also came by and brought me this new book. I've only read the first chapter so far but I'm pretty excited to get through it. I'll let you know how it is.

Sheep and Wool goodies!

Well... of course, I didn't drive 60 miles one way to come back empty handed. Here are the goodies that I picked up. I surely could have bought more things but I kept it light. Keeping in mind things already in the works and not going to crazy.

Okay. This is some beautiful yarn from Morehouse Farm. It's a wonderful shade of fun green. Although the picture is not really showing that.

Heee hee.... I've already wound it up with my ball winder. I'm going to use this green yarn to make this. I don't know who I will be giving this cute project to but I'm working on it with my friend Lexa. We will knit it together. She's a new knitter so we'll get through the pattern step by step.
Okay.. so this hat minus the tassle is really cute even though the picture really doesn't represent it well. I bought it in a kit from a company based out of Ontario called Shelridge Farm. The yarn is absolutely beautiful. I can't wait to start knitting with it.

Here is another kit that I picked up. The picture isn't the colors that I got for the sweater actually, the colors that come with the kit are much nicer. You'll see them below.
I did buy one other item but I can't post it here because it's a gift for my Mom (hopefully). Sometimes, I just don't know what I'm getting myself into but you know what... I'm going to give it a try.

Birthday Presents!

First off... I got the wool winder which I must say I've been using like crazy. I love making my yarn look like mini birthday cakes. Thanks Mom.


She also got me these beautiful needles. Aren't they nice. Can't wait to use them.

Look at this beautiful candle - it's hazlenut coffee sented! It sure does make my living room smell good. My sister Linda got this one and it came with some smaller ones that I can put all around the house.Ohhhh, look at this.... My friend Susan got me these DPNs for making socks. They're Lantern Moon. Sweet!

My brother Robert and fiancee Michelle got me a gift card to Joanne's - Oh boy... what ever will I get from them!

Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival

Today I went to my very first Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival! It is a cold day here in Virginia and Maryland. This even was 60 miles from my house. I got up extra early to get there before the big crowds. I overheard some ladies chatting about how crowded it had been the day before so I'm glad that I went today. So I got there right at 9:00 when they opened and was able to make it through the vendors quickly before it got too crowded. I left around 12:30 to head home. When I was walking out, people will still just arriving. There were lots of people spinning yarn which I really enjoyed watching. I also saw a woman spinning rabbit! She actually had the live rabbit on her lap and was spinning the yarn. When she needed more she just "plucked" it right from the rabbit that was on her lap and continued spinning. It was amazing. More on the goodies that I picked up later.

Happy Birthday Nancy!

Ohhh, it's a tailgaiting dream come true! I don't think I've ever posted a picture of myself on my blog so here I am. My friends Bev & Ken and Grace bought me this "tent" that I've been wanting for so long. What you see is a real porta potty. We can bring this for tailgaiting at Nascar races (Mom, you don't have to pee in the woods anymore), football games and even for camping. My darling husband bought the 5 gallon bucket along with the snap on toilet seat. We're ready for the summer! When I got home, my husband had put this together and ran toilet paper down the stairs from the front door all the way to the "potty" as a surprise.

OMG

My home computer hard drive crashed. :-( It's not good. I called Dell yesterday 4/26. My warantee expired on 4/23. What the crap?? Anyway... I'm waiting for a replacement CD of Windows and then we'll try to get it back up and running with the Extended Warantee that I had to purchase so if the hard drive is in fact fried, then it will be replaced by Dell.

Computers. Can't live with 'em.... can't live with 'em.

2nd sock syndrome OH MY!

I simply won't have it! I've already started my 2nd sock so I can have my very own first set of knitted socks. I can't wait to wear them both and feel the warm fuzzies between my toes. Stay tuned for the finished product and for my next trick... I may try to make a 2nd pair of socks with some beautiful koigu that my friend Susan gave me!

2nd sock

OMG it's my very first sock!

It has a few things that I would change but here she is, my very first sock.

WIP

Completed below is the Mason Dixon bathmat. It's so soft on your feet! It's already in one of my bathrooms and it looks great. I think I may make one again!

Okay-so as promised I said I was going to try to make my very first sock this year. I started it yesterday with my knitting group at work. We're teaming up to get it done together since none of us has ever knitted a sock before. I'm hoping I get get through the tough parts and really get it done this time. Wish me luck!

We interrupt this change purse for....

A new washrag! This is a petal dishcloth pattern that I found on the wonderful internet here. My mother and I saw it and just had to make one QUICK! This one is mine.

My mother of course, had made hers into a fancy flower! It's the petal dishcloth on the bottom with a mason dixon warshrag inside. It's so cute. She also made a quickie crochet chain to tie it all together. Come on ??!!! Don't you want one.