Completing the set
Remember the baby blues blanket and the matching booties I gave to my neighbor as a new baby gift? Well, she liked it so much, that she requested a pair of matching mittens as well as a hat with ear flaps, since her daughter always had problems with ear infections and she couldn't find a hat like that anywhere. That was no problem for me and just before I dropped the things off this morning, I snapped these pictures for you to look at. 
I might get an order for another set just like this from the grandma, just in the pink version. I also have the other neighbor that is already waiting for her share of my talent. Hopefully next week I'll have some things done and more time to explore more of my things on the to-do-list. But for that I'll have to have room in my office/craft room without my husband hanging around the computer. I'll need all the room I can get to go through my stash of fabrics. Yes, fabrics! Don't worry, I have not turned my back on the yarn, but if inspiration calls, you have to put all other things aside and do what's hot right now. By the way, Erica, I have about 10 more repeats to complete on my stole. I don't want to brag, just wanted to send a little motivation your way. I can't wait to see how yours turns out. We need to compare when we are all done.
Cheating on the needles
I have to admit it, it's my fault. I think I got Keri hooked on a new addiction: Quilting. Don't hate me, I'm sure we can all get along. Just kidding. We spent a nice girls night out (with the exception of one male dog) and got started on a quilt top. After digging through a bunch of books and ordering fabric we did the first cut yesterday. I'm so proud, I feel like a mentor. Hi, hi. I tought myself from books like over 10 years ago and it wasn't pretty. Where were the rulers, mats, rotary cutters and so on? Well, they were here in the states while I was in Germany. Go figure! I cut the first quilt with sciccors from traced templates! I guess you get the picture. Now I'm glad to show somebody little tricks I had to find out through books and mostly trial and error. Keri decided on a rail fence pattern for a comfy lap quilt. Good choice. Not too hard, but still a good size piece to work on. And just think of all the fun it's going to be snuggling up under that quilt, while you are working on it! When she gets to the quilting part it will give me an excuse to pull out my long neglected friendship start quilt, which is still awaiting some more quilting. I'm 1/4 done with it, have the binding waiting for it and all, but it was banned into the UFO closet for the longest. For some reason I knit a lot more when I'm in Germany and due to a lack of being able to find good affordable sockyarn I get back into quilting, when I get back to the states. It's interesting, don't you think? When I have a chance or a reason to I'll dig out the quilt and show off my progress on it. Just excuse the bus driver wheel size hoop on it. For now it's back to my baby booties and then we'll see what's next. It's starting to get cold around here, even if this area is called "The South". My heater is already kicking for the second day. What does that mean? More knitting!!!
Another FO
Here is another christmas stocking finished. How do you like it? This one will go on etsy and will be personalised upon purchase. How much sould I ask for? It took me a couple of days (with interuptions) and a few times ripping to get the patterns the way I wanted them. To be honest, it think it's almost an overload. Next time I'll limit myself to maybe 3 patterns plus name band. That should be enough. Now, how do I block this thing the proper way? 
Addition to my stash
Thank you, thank you, thanks again, Erica for getting that yarn for me. I just love it all and can't wait to start on more socks. Even though this yarn is summer sock yarn with cotton, it's still great. I just had to show it off. Sorry if some of the colors are a little too light.
Those will definately go good with any kind of jeans. They came from the stash sale my friend Karin in Germany has going on right now. I just couldn't resist. 
I'm also working on a thing of a different kind right now. Like I said before, as long as it involves needles and a string, no matter what kind, I'm trying it. I got a little bit back into sewing and am working a coaster made of fleece in the pattern of a grandmothers flower garden. How do you like it so far? It still needs a backing and I put together the pedals with plastic templates in the back. Once all sides are sewn together the templates will be popped out and can be reused. Perfectly straight Y seams every time. When it's done I'll show it in action with a coffee or tea cup on it, so you'll see the actually size. Oh, and the callusses are adding up on my sewing finger again. Joy (it's a sewing thing).
Latest acomplishments
Well, I haven't been lazy. To proof that I have to show you my finished doggy stocking. I still have to put the name in there and it's ready for christmas time. It also has enough room for lots of doggy treats. 
I also finished a pair of baby booties matching the baby blues blanket. I guess since nobody on etsy wanted it so far it's going to be a gift for my neighbor's new baby boy. My other pregnant neighbor already asked for her pair yesterday, but that will be a couple more weeks for her. 
Now I have to show you one more thing I found on my innocent walk with my dog this morning. I just happened to run into a couple of yard sales on the way (grin) and found a babyblanket and a sweater. The blanket is currently in the wash. It's white so I'm planning on jazzing it up with a couple of color touched. I'm going to trace some of the heart or abc/123 designs with embroidery floss. I'm sure it's going to be cute. The sweater I intented to buy to unravel it, but after I took a closer look at it I liked it too much to seal it's faith this way. So off it went into the washer and here it is. Note the lace pattern? I like it!!!
And did I mention, that I only paid 50 cents for it? Score!!!!!
Socks, socks and more socks
Well, here is my sock stash to show off. Somehow it looked like a lot more laying there on the floor. Some of them are in my little sons drawer, but not that many. I could add the baby sock and bootie collection to that, but I guess that's gotta be another post. 
How do you like my massage socks? I got the pattern from a sock book and as far as I know it's a pattern from Schachmayr for Regia sock yarn using the short row heel which they call the boomerang heel. I'm wearing them now and they are pretty comfy. I just don't know if I want to wear them inside shoes. Might be a little thick, but they are great to run around the house with and slide across the floors. 
Here is the doggy stocking I'm working on at the moment. Cute isn't it? I had a little knitting circle going on in front of my house yesterday. The girls in the neighborhood saw me sitting outside knitting all the time and one of them has a set of those circular knitting things. I got her started on a piece and now two more joined in. I showed them how to knit back and forth to make a scarf. I prefer the needles, but in this case we use what's at hand and it seems to keep the girls busy. The moms sure appriciate it that their girls are doing something like this. It's fun too. As long as I don't sit there in a rocker with my hair up and my glasses slipped down on my nose. Maybe I should do that for halloween - looking like the grany from the Beverly Hillbillies? Don't tempt me.
Not much news
Here is a pic of my stole with the edging on it. This is how far I've gotten, just about up half of the long side. Now it's starting to drag and doesn't seem to go forward anymore. 
To lighten up the monotony I have started on a stocking for our puppy dog. Don't tell my kids that she is getting one before them. Hey, it's a testproject and I want to make sure theirs is perfect and all the bugs are worked out. :) Yeah, ok. Maybe they'll go for that, my husband didn't. Doesn't she deserve one?
The other picture is my little son (5) helping me to cook. He was stiring the Mac & Cheese last night and I guess when we cook we have to make sure it tastes right too. Just don't let mom catch you with the camera :) By the way, he is not that tall, he was standing on a step chair to make sure he could reach. 
Well, the weather is nasty today, no rain, but it's gloomy outside and nobody wants to do anything. I don't even want to watch TV which is good, because we had a 2 hour power outage earlier and nothing was working, except for my cell phone, but nobody calls that one anyway. What luck that knitting doesn't take electricty, just energy and I seem to be lacking that today too. Is this a monday? Sure feels like it. It all started this morning, that my nifty super duper coffee machine didn't want to work to it's fullest potential and I was left with only 1/2 cup. Grrr, not a good way to start a day. Then I found a surprise my puppy left for me. Could it get any better? Well, the power went out.... What next? I don't know, better yet, I don't want to know. Let's just try to get this day over with and hope the next one is better.
New Additions
Well everyone, here is the second psychadelic sock made with Catherine's Mama Llama Handpainted Sockyarn "Caves & Crystals". They might not match perfectly, but it doesn't matter which way I wear them, the colors seem to flow from one foot to the other. Cool. It's really not fair to hide them inside of shoes. Maybe I should have made geisha socks out of them, you know, the kind that has one big toe knit separate, like mittens. Then I could wear them even with flip flops.The next project is a stocking parallel to the shawl I'm knitting with Keri and Erica. How are you girls doing? I'm done with one short side border and turned the first corner. I guess I have to have two projects going to alternate so I don't get bored. I promise to do my best not to leave any UFO's on the way.
Now for the next addition, may I present FANCY, our new family pet. She is a Chow Retriever mix, she is about 15 months old, weighs about 53 lbs., and we picked her up from the local shelter yesterday. She was owned by a military family here in town, but they "surrendered" her to the vet when they PCSed. She is very sweet and loves to cuddle. She is good with the kids and you can tell she wasn't abused or abandoned. It's good to know she has vet records and a real birthday. I guess now it's our turn to spoil her. Just look at that adorable puppy face? The chow makes her look so much like a teddy bear. I really feel good about adopting her. She was not on the "endangered" list, but by adopting her we opened up a spot for another pet.
Quick update
I just wanted to give you a quick update on what I've been up to.I started on Mama Llama Sock #2, can't run around with only sock. After all it's starting to get cold now. I also got to work on my stole for a change. I finished the center and had a heck of a time fitting all those 640 stitches on my 32" needle. What a bunched up mess. I also have to find some nice stitch markers, since I used safty pins instead. I made a couple of my own modifications. Instead of breaking the yarn and casting on at the beginning of a long side, I just did an invisible cast on at the beginning of the short row, since I was there already. Works out just fine. And instead of knitting all the way to the edge, I did the german thing, where we slip the last stitch of purlwise, turn the work, and then start the first stitch of the next row with a twisted knit stitch. Instead of a bumpy edge, it gives it a nice finish that looks like it's cast off. I'm sure there is a name for that, I just don't know the proper english term for it. It's going really fast now, since there are only 17 stitches or so on the edge to work with and I already have the first short side done. I also got two new books in the mail today. Amazon was really fast. Instead of next week, I got the books 3 days after ordering, almost a week earlier. Yeyh. I got the Folk Shawls and a book for christmas stockings. Can't start early enough these days. Sorry about the glare on the picture, but I guess you can see it. Well Erica, Keri and Rachel, let's do another round of lace sometime? 
I think I have to get started on those stockings. Now that I got the book earlier than expected, I guess I really have to speed up my knitting to get all my future projects taken care of in time. After all stockings are seasonal. Well, boys gotta got to school and I gotta knit. Later :)
One down, one to go
Well, here is the fruit of this weekends labor. One of the socks is done!! Tadaaah. 
I like the funky stripes and the fact that it has pink in it makes them mine. I surely won't have to fight with anybody in my all male household over those socks. I even had to open the toe one more time to add some more rows, because I measured wrong the first time or I would have posted them earlier. Since I roll down my longer socks all the time I desided to make these semi-ankle high. I also found that I like the short row heals and the same thing for the toes. It gives it a store bought look and it won't let my big toe poke a hole through the closing stitches at toe band. Trust me, it happened before and I was not happy. I just sew the toe over on the bottom and nobody will see where I ended my socks. Now lets just hope the second one turns out like this one.
Mama Llama Socks
Hey, how do you like those funky socks? Aren't they cool? Well, look no furthen than to to Catherine's online store. If you can't find it check you favorite blogs, hers it the Knittin' Notes and go from there. Anyway, I love those socks. They are so super soft, the colors are never boring, oh, and did I mention they smell ssooooooo good? I just want to sniff them all the time, but that would interfer with the knitting. This skein of yarn is called Caves & Crystals. She also has other colors available, but they seem to be going fast, so don't waste time to check them out. In honor of the occasion I pulled out my ebony needles, which was maybe not such a good choice for the fact, that part of the yarn is black and so are the needles. Thank god for being able to knit without having to look at it. I can't wait to start on the second one and see if it turns out the same way. I know my husband wouldn't dare to touch them, but I'll be wearing them proudly. Did I forget to put that on my weird list back then? I should have. While everybody around me wears white tennis socks, I'll be the oddball to wear funky striped or spreckled socks. I even wear the ones with with the fuzzy cuff in public!!On other note I'm ashamed to reveal, that I am only on repeat 30 on the stole. What's my excuse? I had a yard sale the last two days and besides a headache from sitting in the sun all morning and a nice tan on my neck and face I also made some money (yipee) and I sure don't miss the things I got rid off. What I had left is packed up and awaits the next yard sale, whenever that might be. My son even had a lemonade stand, which I ended up manning for a while. I got on him for that, but at the end both of my boys got some new toys for the ones they gave up for the sale. It was a good trade. I also sold Barbarossa on etsy!!! My first customer and my first sale!! I had to pull out some things from there too, because my neighbors bought them on the yard sale and I'm going to have to crochet another baby blanket, because they couldn't deside which would get it. One has to get a custom one and has to wait for it now. Her daughter wants to learn how to knit now, since she got two of my scarves. Did I forget to mention, that I have scarves? ooops. Well, it's getting colder now and I guess it's time to put them up on etsy. Check it out. (HINT)Enough for today, gotta knit, gotta drink more coffee and gotta take pics of my other treasures, I had stashed away. Later :)
