She looks warm!

She looks warm!
Originally uploaded by frecklegirl.

My pals made the cover of Ravelry news! This was the party at Rhinebeck. Famous now! BTW, the one with the gorgeous Clapotis had a b'day yesterday.

Rhinebeck

Lots of pictures to show you -

Sheep - lots of sheep. These beauties were getting a good grooming...
I love how these boys were all taking care of the grooming. I have a hard time getting my boy to take out the garbage...
The Rasta kind...
The kind that need to be turned into Webkins so you can take them home...
And the naked kid. Their mama needs to make them sweaters. The weather was in the 30s at 9am here...
This sheep went for $225 , which I heard was very cheap. (And another boy, helping...)

Llamas and their crossings...

And bunnies. Cute cuddly angoras. One woman was "plucking" and spinning from her angora on her lap. Not sure how I feel about that. Doesn't it hurt?

I thought this guy looked like one of our presidents from the 1800s...

We're for sale!But the best part was seeing friends. Karen found me at about 9:30 on Saturday. Look at that clapotis!!!

Why is she looking so happy on the really long STR line? Because she doesn't want me to take her picture. She knows I'll put her right here in my blog!
We each bought our first roving here at the Weston Wools booth.
I also saw my friend Angie who wore her beautiful shawl. I saw Liz too, who bought a Golding Spindle. Now we both have one! I was really excited to see Anne Hanson of Knitspot. I've met a lot of celebs before, with husband's profession being what it is, but I got all silly inside at the idea of meeting Anne. She's an amazing designer, and I love reading her blog. I also saw Yarn Harlot later that night at the Ravelry party. Pretty cool! But the one blogger I didn't see although I really looked hard was Pam of Lick My Sticks. I love her blog and really wanted to see her "in the flesh". Maybe next time!
More sights and smells...


Not too crowded yet at 9:30...But at 12 noon - Food Court!
No show would be complete without my favorite exhibit, the Border Collie demonstrations.

Tomorrow I promise to show you some Ravelry party pics and my haul but I've got to go work on Kiri for my girlfriend Marianne (big birthday coming in 3 weeks) and a baby blanket for my girlfriend Trish. Wee Seamus is due in 3 weeks, but I'm feeling like he might be here before Marianne's birthday comes, so I'd better work on the blanket first. (Let's not even talk about the bad bout of start-itis I've had for the past 2 months. These two knits have got to get done NOW.)

Ravelympics Anyone?

I'm diving in to the deep end - Ravelympics - in the categories "Lace Long Jump" with this
shawl -Muir from Knitty.
Yarn - White Willow Farms Merino Lace - Autumn
Addi Turbo Lace #4
And this Vest for the Vest Vault:
Lauryn from Rowan - free kit with membership
Yarn - Rowan All Seasons Cotton - beige
Addi #7

If we finish by the time the Olympics end, we get a button for our blogs. I know, it's all pretty goofy, but a fun diversion. I doubt I'll get the Muir shawl done in time, because I've been busy working on this too:
HoneyBee Stole by Anne Hanson of Knitspot. Love her patterns!!!
Yarn - Posh Yarn Sophia - 2 ply laceweight cashmere, color- Finch. Size #3 Addi Turbo Lace Needles.

I'm loving all three projects, so they're all getting more or less equal time, which means nothing is getting finished. Oh, and there are some other things floating in and out of the knitting bag, when I need "easy knitting". I'll show you these next time. They involve sleeves...

I'm Really Happy...

... that I don't have to look at this in my knitting bag any more. I really didn't enjoy it at all, and probably should have frogged it half way through and used the yarn for another Swallowtail Shawl or something. But it is done now and the overall results are good.

Specs: Bryspun #4 Flex needles for most of it, but a section of it was done with addi turbo lace #4s, just to see if it helped my attention span...span...span...
Handmaiden Sea Silk Yarn in Sangria

Little Lily

A client of Dh's adopted a baby recently. I've always wanted to try the Fleegle-ized Saartje Baby Booty pattern, so I had a perfect chance. It was quick and fun. They came out in very Lily Pulitzer-esque colors, in Cascade 220 Superwash. The buttons are little crocheted wheels.

It's Time

William Martin Loney
April 27, 1928 - July 1, 2008
I miss you Daddy. You taught me perfection.

I Swear

If I hit the lottery tomorrow, I'd only wear Anthropologie...
In the meantime...
Scarf - Anne
127 Print, Size J hook (yes hook, I crochet too!) 1 skein on sale at KNIT (in Glen Cove, which was in Greenvale, which stilll doesn't have a web page... on Long Island , ahhh.

New Finished Object from Daughter #1

Here's a little commercial for a fictitious product my daughter made for her 11th grade advertising class:

Just for some background info, Dad's a surfer. DD#1 has been surfing for a couple of years too. She's only 16 so I don't let her go out on "big" days. That means, if the waves are 5 feet or more, or you have to paddle out so far that you don't look like a body on a board but a piece of seaweed, you can't go in. This was one of her dad's surfing holes in his younger years. He's recently moved east a few beaches to some less crowded waters because I don't know if you can tell or not be these dudes are hardcore and if you "drop in" here you better pack your chutspa to go with it. Husband's chutzpah ain't what it used to be. (Don't tell him though!)

The water was only 50 degrees that day. It is rather inky looking...

Also, a friend of mine has a movie in the "Indie Flix Online Film Festival". It's called "Needle Through Brick". Click on it and choose "Watch Clip". Vote for it. I promise you'll receive many skeins in the afterlife...

You Are An INFJ

The Protector You live your life with integrity, originality, vision, and creativity. Independent and stubborn, you rarely stray from your vision - no matter what it is. You are an excellent listener, with almost infinite patience. You have complex, deep feelings, and you take great care to express them. In love, you truly see relationships as an opportunity to connect and grow. You enjoy relationships as long as they are improving and changing. You can't stand stagnation. At work, you stay motivated and happy... as long as you are working toward a dream you support. You would make a great photographer, alternative medicine guru, or teacher. How you see yourself: Hardworking, ethical, and helpful When other people don't get you, they see you as: Manipulative, weak, and unstable

Alternative Medicine Guru - maybe. Photographer? I suck at it. As far as manipulative, weak and unstable? I'd have to ask some of my "friends" if that is true...

I promise I'll have more worthy content soon...

What's Your Personality Type?

Loop and Lupe's

Strangely, I have not been knitting socks much lately. I have also been very good and have not added to my sock yarn stash either (except if you count the 3 skeins of Sundara Fingering I got recently, but that will be slated for a shawl). I guess hats are the new socks for me now. But I did finish these a few weeks ago, and forgot to share them:
Lion Brand Wool
Size 7 addis - 63" cables I think - Magic Loop

The pattern is from the amazing sock guru Kristen at ComeToSilver.com. That woman can teach anyone how to knit a pair of socks, and in a variety of ways. I learned my first cuff down on 4 dpns from her very informative tutorial, and now I picked up 2 socks done toe-up on one long circ, aka Magic Loop Method.
Pros:
1. 2 socks done at the same time (as my 16 year old would say, "Duh!")

Cons:
1. I wasn't sure where to start the heel (with the cuff-down method I start the heel when the sock is long enough on my leg, I then start the toe when it reaches my toe cleavage...)
2. Picking up my heel stitches created gaps. I tried it three times before I gave up and hoped it would shift and redistribute itself after the first wash, which it has done somewhat.
I didn't use a stretchy enough bindoff. Fortunately my feet are skinny.
3. I started the ribbing too soon. I only had one skein of Lion Wool, and I was afraid of running out. I almost did, and they're not much more than an inch over my ankle.

But did I mention, both socks are done at the same time? Yes of course I did. It kind of outshines the negatives. And wow, that worsted weight wool made it quick and WARM. I don't need another pair of worsted weight socks, but this was a good weight to learn on - quick results. Oh and another thing. They're black. That's a staple color in my wardrobe, but murder on my eyes while knitting.
And now I leave you with my favorite Mexican restaurant - Lupe's on Watts and Sixth, NYC. Great everything, especially the guacamole and margaritas.

Of Amaryllis and Fan and Feather

Yarnstorm inspired me to share my Amaryllis with you today. Even though we haven't had much winter here on Long Island (I know poo poo poo, knock on wood, etc.) but I still yearn for Spring. The daffodils are peaking out, the crocuses are saying "hi" and things are doing a general budding-up around here lately. But while it was gray and cold in January, this beautiful addition graced my dining room table.

This little bag flew off the needles and under the radar:

Specs:
Koigu KPPM, forgot the colorway, almost a skein
Needles: size 7 Crystal Palace Bamboo (love the points!)
Pattern: Little Lace Bag from Australian Yarn magazine
Made for: my friend Cynthia

I love the description written by the designer, Barbara Coddington: "I love teeny handbags but since having kids haven't been able to get away with carrying anything smaller than a backpacker's delight. (Need room for toys and hats and packets of emergency biscuits!) This little lace bag, a bit of wishful thinking on my part, is for times when all you need are keys, a credit card and a wee mobile phone...but you could probably fit a little box of sultanas, in case you or someone you know gets a little peckish." Yes, you could definitely say that there are a few people around here who are getting more than a bit "peckish". But what are "sultanas"? I need to get some quick.

It was a quick and enjoyable knit. It was my first time with the Koigu, and I must say I would prefer using this yarn on projects like this bag because the tightness of the twist seems to take away from its smooshiness, which is a necessary ingredient in my sock knitting. All you Koigu sock knitters out there, give me a shout out and let me know that I'm talking out of my little lace bag.

Please excuse the scary close-up. That camera was "so 2 months ago".

I Love Buttons

Yes - I am the keeper of the buttons. The older the better. Here's my collection. I keep them in old candy tins.
I make a half-hearted attempt to keep them sorted. Here are some of the lesser whites:
Many cut from old shirts. Many saved just for me. Read below...
Little baggies with special reds and pinks, little pill bottles with all sorts of brass, stones and teddy bears.
Many still on cardboard, or in little packages.
Most are my grandmother's buttons, given to me by my mom. Grandma would buy a lot of her clothes at the thrift store, and when she was done wearing them, she would cut the buttons off. Nothing went to waste back in those days. They were the original recyclers. This one came from a great 3/4 length sleeve suit she scored at the Salvation Army and wore one Easter. I have fond memories of her in it.
I love seeing the handwriting of my mom and grandma. It instantly transports me to them. (Although mom is living with me now, but I still think of her thinking of me as she wrote it.)
I had a hard time deciding which buttons to choose for dd's jacket. But I didn't have a hard time choosing the right vintage rhinestone one for my Anthropologie Inspired Capelet:
Specs:
Yarn: Grignasco Rapsodia 1 1/2 skeins
Needles: Addi Turbo #11s
Mods: Added about 6 more rows to length, otherwise, nuthin.

So when I die, save the urn for some really cool, old buttons.

It' Getting Cold Here

And here's some mittens to keep dh#1's hands warm:
I REALLY enjoyed making them. They're from Elliphantom. I enjoyed making them so much that I now want to try the "Poetry Mittens" from the new issue of Piecework. These were my first stranded project (being careful here not to call them "fairisle") and the first one went slowly but the second was lightening quick. I had to add the pompons because they were in the pattern and I am a purist but dh took them off right away. Oh well, maybe they'll become barrettes for dh#2.

I kept track of the rows with a highlighter and I was too lazy to print out a second copy so I used my Knitpicks pattern holder for the second mitten. It was a great tool.
I saw Martha the other day, I think she'd like these mittens.

Dear Martha,
If you like my mittens and want a pair, I'll make you some.

Two Cowpies

Or that's how they are affectionately referred to over at Craftster. There's a wonderful pattern written by Catherine of Skeins and Steins called Springtime Beret. She originally referred to it as a cowpie or cowpat on her blog, wich made me want to knit it even more. The big one below was originally for dd#1 but had too much slouch for her (Cascade 128 and #7 dpns) so I made the second one (shown above) in a lighter version with Lion Brand Woolease and # 5 addis and dpns. I kept the grande because

I can work the slouch, my dears...