Addicted to Knitting

The title tells it all when knitting progress is measured in my house. I am still in a slump. I knit a triangle shawl out of some Homespun by lion brand which was a bit of a time waster. I have 6 more skiens of this in my stash and was planning to knit it all into shawls for elderly but not sure now. If only COC would do it. she has the ability and it would keep her busy watching tv but I doubt that will happen. I am thinking seriously about sending it to here.  Its for a great cause.

I am still working on the bag. Seems to be taking forever. Hopefully this weekend will end that. I also have to help COC get started and finish this…its a gift for her friend’s

I've been stuck in this pose forever!

birthday. she hasn’t knit all summer so it may not go fast at first. I am always willing to help her when she wants to knit.

Computer class went well. The teacher is nice and easy to follow. She is the only other female in the class, also the only other person over 25. That was a bit interesting. A class of computer geeks and me! Monday we are taking apart a computer and putting it back together. should be really awesome!

I am off on another road trip today. I want to get some cleaning convenience supplies. I started cleaning a house for a lady here in town. She has all these cool tools. Some of which I have to have. Including a swiffer sweeper, a swiffer duster, a mr clean magic reach and some clorox wipes. I normally don’t spend on more expensive cleaning supplies but having used hers and recognized the time saving involved, I gotta have em. You know time is knitting!

My husband has admitted his part (irrisponsibility) and forgiven me. It is still a major blow, he used it to sing at the nursing homes and such.

I am knittin away on my bargain yarn. I am making my other sister a purse. She prefers wide and shallow and I found a pattern, cast on and worked for days, ripped out and started over. It was going to be to wide even after felting. I am 2 inches away from the end. Here’s what I did…cast on 60 st size 11 needles, worked 42 rows in garter, picked up all the stitches and away I went. Rows do take a while with that many stitches but it is coming along.

I am starting my computer class today. I had 2 chapters to read and I like it even though it will be extremely challenging. Will be awesome to be able to fix computers! I will go to Cody first, shop, pick up my oldest son and then head to class. Makes me be gone all day long! I am grateful I found a nice girl to watch my youngest. She is 19 and loves kids, she will play and interact with him! YAY!

Thank you all for your comments! It helped me to be reminded not to beat myself up. Which I was doing!

I am still looking for 2 people to pay it forward!

I don’t know how to explain this but I really blew it! A while back I took a bunch of stuff to the thriftstore. I was so proud of myself, I had several boxes and a few bags of stuff that was no longer needed. You may remember this day, the day I found the bargain on yarn? Yep that’s the day alright. I unloaded all the stuff from the back of the van and unknowingly unloaded my husbands sound mixer.  It doesn’t seem to matter that he left it in the van for 7 days when he never leaves it there. I called the thrift store and they sold it. I am so depressed about this!

This is an old  movie but a good one! Darcy is starting her own Pay it forward.  I decided to play along. I really love this movie. I bought it to watch almost 7 years ago on my “date” with Jimbob. We started the evening by attending a pre Thanksgiving choir concert that he was singing in. I am not particularly fond of Choir music but managed to finagle a date with him to it.( Long story but it was worth it. HEY I married him didn’t I?) We planned to watch the movie together afterward but ended up  talking and talking and talking and (sigh) I fell in love. Later after we were married we finally watched the movie ( I watched it alone before this) and cried.  The character of Arlene was someone I could relate to a little to well because of my past experiences with drinking and AA. If you have seen the movie you know you love Haley Joel Osment’s portrayal of Trevor. If you haven’t seen the movie I encourage everyone to see it. I am going to re watch it myself!

This is what the PIF Exchange is all about. I’ll send a gift to the first 3 people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join this PIF exchange! I don’t know what that gift will be yet, and you may not receive it tomorrow or next week…LOL… but you will receive it within 365 days, that’s a promise! The only thing you have to do in return is then ‘pay it forward’ by doing the same on your own blog.Can you imagine how big this could get?

So do I have any takers?  If you are reading this and there are already 3 comments please visit one of the commenties to find a spot in this awesome exchange.

Marti: What is your favorite thing about my knitting?
Jimbob: It lets you be creative

M. What is your least favorite thing about my knitting?
J . To many supplies around the house

M: Like where?
J. bedroom, living room

M: What is something I have knitted that you recall as being good?
J:(laughing) everything

M: Do you think knitters have an expensive hobby?
J. can be

M: Do you have any hobbies?
J: Yes.

M: What are your hobbies?
J: Painting, drawing, and singing

M: If we compared money spent on hobbies, who would win?
J: You win right now but in the past i have spent more.

M: Has my knitting in public ever embarrassed you?
J:no

M: Do you know my favorite kind of yarn?
J:worsted

M: Can you name another knit blog?
J:stitch n bitch? thats all I can think of. Is this a test or something?

M: Do you mind that I want to go to yarn stores everywhere we go?
J: not if its in the same store as crafts like Micheal’s and Ben Franklin’s. But its better than clothing stores

M: Do you understand the importance of a swatch?
J: A what?

M: Do you read Addictedtoknitting?
J:once in while

M. Have you ever left a comment?
J:I don’t think so. ( He did once about some UGLY slipper socks I made for him that he LOVED)

M: Do you think the house would be cleaner if I didn’t knit?
J:(laughing) I refuse to answer that.

M: Is there anything you would like to add in closing?
J:KNITTING ROCKS!!!!!!! (good answer buddy)

I am what you would call thrifty for the most part. When it comes to yarn that is more difficult. You know how it is. Head into a yarn store to “look” and surely you will buy (I do) So yesterday I avoided going to the Iron Kettle with all that was in me. I am getting ready to start school and I need all my extra cash for that. Besides I have tons of yarn. I have been sorting my yarn like a woman on fire. (confession: I like novelty yarn. dont knit much with it but own plenty of it) I decided it was time to let some of the cheaper stuff go. The icky feeling acrylic stuff that has been gifted to me that I hate to part with. You know I might need that someday. I packed up a plastic grocery bag of it to drop and the thrift store yesterday. After dropping my donation, shopping at walmart, getting my son home I decided to go to the other thrift store in Cody. Its a very packed building that is difficult to move in and I rarely go there. They were having a $3 a bag sale. This is what I got:

Here it is again all wound nicely.

This is all Hovland Natur from Norway. It’s a bit scratchy feeling but oh thing of the bag possibilities! I feel a felting project coming on……981 yards of yarn for $3. smiling here!

Its the first day of school. Middleson had a difficult time falling to sleep last night and was very nervous this morning. He started middle school which includes a 10 mile bus ride each way. My heart is with him today. He is a brilliant child and school is good for him. Socially he has many problems. He has aspergers and this makes him seem very strange to his peers. My social life at that age was not the greatest either and I had no disorder making me strange but still I can relate to him. Child of Clay on the other hand was off to high school without a backwards glance.

I have found some inspiration. I moved the telly into my room, sorted yarn and got things ready to roll. I cast on the beret in this photo and found the pattern not detailed enough. I like diagrams and pictures of different angles. this one needs all of the above. This is from Hats a Knitters Dozen that I purchased some time ago.

I love hat and bags. These are 2 of my favorite things to knit. Since I got lost somewhere in the above pattern I cast on another snowball hat in mulled wine highland peruvian wool from knit picks. This is a fun hat to knit and not at all difficult. I made one last year for COC and she has misplaced it and requested another. This inspired me to pick up the baby bolero that is in my WIP wrestling. I am going to attempt to finish that today.

Now for a tradition of sorts. I always take picture of my kids on their first day of school. I hadn’t considered this a tradition, simply something I do. When they were littler I would take them to school and get photos in the classroom. COC was less than thrilled with the whole photo op this morning.

Does anyone know anything about CSS? Or where to find good info on it?

I am at a horrible place right now. I have no interest in knitting. I am forcing myself because of ravelympics. Not only do I not have interest I am making  horrible mistakes that have to be frogged and fixed.

I strung  beads on some wildfoote I have had forever and will never make socks out of. I would like to make the purse like Robins only larger. (btw way Robin, wish you could have listened on the phone last night as my best friend opened her gift to find the bag I bought from you. She is in love with it) Now I cannot justify knitting this mini bag until I finish my other projects. Any ideas on how to get my mojo back? I think I am going to move to my bedroom to knit where its peaceful. Maybe that will help.

Family facts…

here is how it is. My oldest brother is 23 years older than me. then there are 2 sisters 21 and 22 years older than me. Mom took a break for 6 years and had my brother, another 6 1/2 year break and another sister, then 7 years later there was me. My dad died when I was 12 (suicide) Mom remarried when I was 15 to the man in the picture whom I refer to as my dad. (he has put up with enough he deserves the respect of the title) So my mom has 6 kids, 16 grandkids and 15 great grandkids. Of the grandkids my nearest sister and I have 10 of them. If all that is not confusing enough I married an older man with adult children. His son in law is the same age as me and it just gets worse. But I am blessed, as Suzanne stated in her comment, to have a loving family for the most part. My one sister is a bit of a grudge carrier. Hasn’t spoke to me in over a year. I called at Christmas to apologize and she didn’t accept it. I think all families are strange in some way. I was sure my husbands family was much more normal than mine. Almost 7 years of marriage have wiped out that myth.

My Ravelympics WIP wrestling list

3 dishcloths, 1 pair of socks (almost done) 1 hat (ravelry link) and 1 baby sweater. Somebody motivate me please! My team is counting on me!

My family has all headed home which is always sad for me. I don’t get to see my siblings enough.  I love being able to hear about their lives and listen to them reminisce about childhood.  Since I was born so late in moms life they have very different accounts than I do.

Here is the birthday girl……

We had a nice time at the park. Very simple food and room for children to play. My sister and sil both loved their purses. I asked them to post with them which turned into an ordeal. As they tried to decide which way to stand and how to pose my brother commented that I should come back in a few days when they were ready. Here they are trying to get it together while my brother looks on.

Now one of them posed. They seemed excited to be on the internet and I promised to change the names to protect the innocent so we will call the shorter one Zelda (my brother’s humor) and the other one is my sister Peggy.

Don’t they look good? Zelda is 54 and Peggy will be 65 next month. They are not your average senior citizens.

Ravelympics update: still slow going. There is a reason these projects were still in progress.

Here is a link to check out. These cable necklaces are very cool and the videos interesting to watch.

Packages go out today!  This has been so fun! I am thinking of doing another one with the entries being a tiny knitted item for my tree……whaddayou think?

It’s time to announce the winners! I must say I have visited many new blogs from many visitors and you are all winners! Unfortunately I only have 4 prizes.

The Zen Yarn Garden goes to SunsetKnitter

The twisted sisters will head to blogless Purple.

Katherine gets to try out the AMAIZing

Turtle you can pick a sweater of your choice!

I need addresses from you all and I hope to mail everything by Friday! I hope that all of you will be back to visit again. I will visit all of you as time allows.

rannells (at) gmail dot com