One week in...

Well so far I have knit every day this month to keep up with the contest at KNOTS.

And that means that even after a very big trip to the frog pond last night (I mean seriously, HOW did I forget to turn the heel????) I am on pace to have this sock done in time to wear it to the game next Sunday!

The knitting is to the point where it's all plain knitting for a bit until I get to the toe decreases. Hopefully I'll have it done before Friday so I can have another project ready to go on the needles for the drive to Chicago!

Click on the picture to see the rest of the sock!!!

February Challenge

My not quite LYS has issued a challenge for the month of February, knit or crochet every day during the month. I have to admit that I don't knit every day, even though I carry my knitting with me to work all the time.

I have some projects that I am working on that have a deadline so I've taken the plunge and signed myself up for the challenge (plus there are prizes!!!)

Even if I don't win anything, I'll at least make sure I get to wear my Miami Redskins socks when we go to Chicago in a couple of weeks. We're going to watch Miami play Notre Dame at an outside hockey game at Soldier Field and I CAN NOT WAIT!!!!!

So far I have one sock done and a decent start on the second, so with the challenge I think I will be in good shape to have warm feet at the game!

I still need a picture of sock number one finished, but at least you get the idea!

Olympic Knittng Wrap-up

So I finished my wingspan in plenty of time to cross the finish line for the ravelympics,I mean ravellenic games.

By the time I left my bookgroup on Friday night, I had very little left to knit. I figured I would easily be able to finish it between driving to Ohio and spending some time at the nursing home.

I really only needed the drive to Ohio to finish. Although I did do the cast off at the nursing home instead of the car.

It was done in time to show it off to Jeanne when I went to her trunk show at KNOTS on Saturday.

All of the pretty yarn I bought will have to be for another post so I don't overwhelm this one with too many pictures!

(scroll to see the whole thing, sorry my choices were teeny tiny or HUGE!!!)


I even got a medal for completing it by the end of the Olympics!

Now I just need to finish the socks I was working on before the Olympics started!

Halfway Point

The Olympics have reached the end of the first week as of yesterday, and I've reached the halfway point of my shawl!

And, as promised last week, we have some action shots!

Click on the picture to see the full image!

Wings over Pittsburgh

First, my apologies to Sir Paul, but hey - a catchy title is a catchy title!

It's too dark to get any nice action shots of the shawl in progress but I didn't tell you much about it yesterday, so I guess we can fill in some gaps tonight!

The pattern is called Wingspan. It's a pretty nifty concept, short rows, all garter stitch and a total of 8 triangles (although you can make it larger if you choose).

For my yarn, I've picked Sausalito by Crystal Palace. The colour is Mediterranean and it's a lovely group of blues.

I've just started my third triangle, so I seem to be on a good pace to get this completed before the Olympics are over. Hopefully some action shots will be coming soon!

Is this thing on?

Well, it certainly is dusty in here! Guess that's what happens when you don't do anything with the blog in 5 months!!! February is for Finishing didn't exactly get all of the stuff finished, but it's Olympic time and tham means Ravelympics Ravellenic games! I've decided to try my hand at a shawl this time around. And in hopes of maybe actually doing some blogging I've decided to link up with Jeanne at Life in Cleveland's social media link up.

No pictures yet, but I've gotten one of the triangles of the shawl completed! I'll try for pictures later this week!

February is for Finishing

Jumping on the bandwagon started by Life In Cleveland. I have at least three projects that I would really like to see finished this month, a pair of socks for Keith, a pair of felted clogs (again for Keith), and a Harry Potter scarf for his mom.

I am sure that if I manage to get these finished, I have some other things around here that could use some attention too. Like the DeGrazia needlepoint that's been sitting around unfinished for a couple of years!

Now to get to it!!! This stuff won't finish itself (obviously or I would be done by now!)

This post is brought to you by the Letter P!

Because P is for Pickles.

A couple of months ago, I decided to try my hand at making my own pickles. No real canning involved, just a easy refrigerator dill pickle.

They are just the way I like them ... really really sour. In fact, I've made them a second time since then!

P is also for Pittsburgh Pirates.

In July (yeah I know I'm behind) Keith and I went to the Pirates Stitch N Pitch event.

P is also for PBS, which carries Antiques Roadshow.

I managed to score a tshirt at the Liberty Mutual Booth on the way out of the event!

Earlier this year, I learned that Antiques Roadshow was coming to Pittsburgh so I entered the drawing for tickets. To my surprise we got tickets! They don't allow you to take any pictures on the appraisal floor but it was really neat to see all of the "behind the scenes" workings of the show.

Will we be on TV? Probably not, unless we're in the background of some shot. Nothing we took with us will make us rich, but on the plus side we didn't over pay for any of out items either!

Day Thirty - A Song You Liked Last Year

I actually discovered this song (or more accurately this video) about two years ago. Yes the song is a nice song and I enjoy it .... but the video!!! Well if you know me you'll understand :D

Enjoy!!!!!

Day Twenty-Nine - A Song From Your Childhood

If I had to pick a song from my childhood I would say this is the QUINTESSENTIAL song from that era. For some reason I was OBSESSED with this song and would sing it constantly.

Why this song? No idea. It came out when I was 5 and I probably didn't fixate on it until a year or so later (when I was 6 or 7). I think at some point I probably had the 45 for it (and may still for all I know!).

My obsession with song was so rampant that my cousin actually posted on my facebook wall earlier this month that she heard this in the grocery store and IMMEDIATELY thought of me.

So I would say that 36 years later this is the song from my childhood!

Day Twenty-Eight - A Song That Makes You Feel Guilty

OK I am seriously stretching the whole "guilty" thing here. Because, honestly, I can't think of a song that actually inspires guilt. But this is a great workout song and I really haven't been working out lately. Why? No real good reason but if I did I could certainly listen to this song more often!!!

Day Twenty-Seven - A Song You Wish You Could Play

Well Blogger ate my post the first time I tried this, so here is hoping the second time is a charm!

As I mentioned yesterday, I don't play an instrument and never have. That being said there is ONE instrument I've always had a not-so-secret desire to learn how to play.

The Bagpipes.

I blame the Welsh in me for that one. And yes, the Welsh do pipe. In fact, the video today is of Welsh bagpipes. Originally I was going to go with something modern and Scottish but as I said Blogger ate that one and I'm too lazy to be arsed to go and find it again.

Day Twenty-Six - A Song by a Group You Should Know

Not really. Today's official topic is "A Song You Can Play on an Instrument." That would be NONE. I've never played an instrument or had any sort of lessons. And somehow I think that the organ my dad bought me when I was a kid, where you played the songs based on the numbers on the keys, counts as playing something.

Although I still know that Silent Night starts 5-6-5-3 (with 5 being middle C). But anyway I digress.

So I thought instead of giving you nothing to listen to, I would pimp the band my friend Emma's husband is a part of, The Woe Betides. They are a just starting out group in England but well worth a listen to (I have their first CD).

Hope you enjoy them!

Day Twenty-Five - A Song That Makes You Laugh

I grew up with this song. My dad had it on tape (I think) but regardless I fondly remember it from when I was growing up. I never expected to find a video of this one though. To me it's kind of obscure and I don't expect other people to know it.

Imagine my surprise and delight when I discovered that my husband also had a love of this song. He put it on a mix cd for one of our South Dakota to Ohio roadtrips. I don't think he expected me to know this song and was equally surprised to find out that I knew it too!

I love all of the puns in this song and it never fails to make me laugh.

So remember "she drank like a .... she drank a lot!"

Day Twenty-Four - A Song You Want Played at Your Funeral

First of all I don't even think I want a funeral! And I've certainly never given any thought to the musical accompaniment of the event!

But, I don't have anything else for today (I think I've "tweaked" enough of these challenges that I'll just go with this one). So I started by searching youtube for music by one of my favorite artists, Bette Midler. And that's when I came across this video of her covering the Peggy Lee standard Is That All There Is?

If I were to have a funeral with musical accompaniment this is what I would want them to play!

Day Twenty-Three - A Song You Want Played at Your Wedding

Ever since I heard this version of this song, I fell in love with it. And yes I am willing to admit it was from the soundtrack of the TV show thirtysomething. When we were planning our wedding last year, there was no doubt in my mind that I did not want "traditional" music (our ceremomy wasn't traditional so why should my music be?) and this was my leading contender for the song that I wanted to hear when I walked down the aisle.

I'm gonna love you, like nobody's loved you
Come rain or come shine
High as a mountain, deep as a river
Come rain or come shine
I guess when you met me
It was just one of those things
But don't you ever bet me
'Cause I'm gonna be true if you let me
You're gonna love me, like nobody's loved me
Come rain or come shine
We'll be happy together, unhappy together
Now won't that be just fine
The days may be cloudy or sunny
We're in or out of the money
But I'm with you always
I'm with you rain or shine

Day Twenty-Two - A Song You Listen to When You're Sad

This is another song that I put on the mix cd I made my husband when we started dating. It's not a song that should make one sad but instead gives hope that you are not alone in the bad times.

I've been lucky enough to hear Donny perform this song live and never fail to find it a very powerful and moving song.

Day Twenty-One - A Song You Listen to When You're Happy

I LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS SONG!!!! As soon as I hear it it makes me want to start dancing around the room. For a very very long time this was even my ringtone for my phone. Almost any Sugarland song will do for me when I'm in a good mood but this one really is a particular favourite!

Day Twenty - A Song You Listen to When You're Angry

When I am totally pissed off I want to listen to a song that will get me out of that mood, not one that will keep me mad and pissed off. For me, I need a song that will make me want to MOVE.

As soon as I hear this song, my toes start tapping and before long I am bopping along with it. It's hard to stay angry with this one!

Day Nineten - A Song From Your Favorite Album

Well this is one of my favorite albums, and I haven't used an Elvis Costello song yet.

This is from the album Painted From Memory, and the only other version of this song (in my opinion) that comes close to the power of this one is Bette Midler's.