FAVORITE TIME OF THE YEAR!

Knitting and Fall just go together.  As said best by Forest Gump,"Like Peas and carrots". 

The air is cooling off and the nights are coming quicker.  And so my knitting is calling me. Come enjoy the warmth of my wool. And I of course fall helplessly into it.

The Malabrigo yarn is working up beautifully. The pattern is addictive. Each panel is a race. Can I finish before the end of two and half men? I am on the bottom ribbing. Skipping the sleeves till later, as I want to see the ribbing first!

Some sad news in Pittsburgh. The Knit Shoppe in Canonsburgh is closing.  The shop was one of the first to emerge when the knitting craze hit. The ladies are five of the nicest around. They will be missed.  My friend and I stopped by yesterday to see what was what. Everything, Everything was 50% off. I controlled my knitting ego and only purchased things I knew I have been wanting. The three books in the picture, and yarn. Not a lot, just some I have wanted to make a shrug with and the mittens on the cover of Vogue Knitting.  And a pair of Lantern moon needles. I was a good girl.

I am trying something different. Only working on one project at a time. I know, surely you jest! 

But, it seems to be a good thing. The Malabrgo is much further along than I ever imagined. I am only able to work on it after dinner, which leaves me about 2 solid hours or 4 off and on. It feels good to be focused. Kinda  my whole new approach to life. Order and organization.  I have applied it to my house, my work, my classroom, and now my knitting. It is hard to change old habits, and I get the erg to grab another project, or not put something back where it belongs, but in the end, the organization wins, and its all good in the hood!

And so my dear friends as Summer ends and Fall begins, I hope you will be blessed with limber fingers and long stretches of quiet time to knit all the wonderful things you have on your needles and all the things that are waiting in the wings.  Have a really great week. 

Too much time has passed since last I blogged.  I miss you!  Life seems to go into overdrive as soon as the first day of school starts.  The year has started off on a very positive note. The students are great, and the days are going fast!

I crossed stitched the little quote over the summer and it is hanging in my classroom. My kids like the saying, some even read it out loud and laugh.(in a good way!) Some have even changed it to tinkle instead of twinkle. Won't go there, remember its middle school.

I have to grab the camera and get some shots of my projects.

 I am almost, if I would just pick it up, done with the shrug I bought in NC. 

I found the perfect pattern for my daughters Malabringo yarn! On ravelry. 

It is so much fun. If you like something different and unique. Norah Gaughan gives a new twist to knitting(no pun intended) Her book was a little pricey, but the patterns are really beautiful! Take a look, you won't be disappointed.

I also want to pick up and continue to knit, and finish my prized afghan! I have a few rows started, but the weather and my husband's illness got in the way. 

Time to start finishing some UFO's! Sounds like an oxymoron.

Well, its early Saturday morning and many projects are calling me, I can hear them. They are saying: My toilet needs cleaned, the wash isn't going to clean its self, who can iron this. And behind all that is quietly calling, This quilt needs done for the baby shower in two weeks, my shrug will keep you warm at school, your daughter is patiently waiting for her sweater, and on and on and on. 

Knit night at my house starts again on tuesday! Can't wait! Miss my knittin peeps! 

Peace out, on this lovely Saturday morning. Keep your needles clicking and the yarn companies spinning.  Visit your LYS and give the owner a hug, for helping you feed your addiction. 

OUTER BANKS HEAVEN

  DESTINATION: Outer Banks, 

North Carolina

    Nags Head

OH the seafood! Yummy! What a 

Wonderful trip! I cannot believe I am back. We had weather to die for. Sunny, high 80's to mid 90's! Who could ask for anything more! OK a few yarn shops maybe? DONE!

Knitting Addiction is a yarn store to spend hours and $$$$ in! One warning, don't take hubby if he isn't into yarn, like you.

Knitting addiction's owner, Jeanne Shrade,  is present and really a nice lady. She has a great sense of humor. I don't know about you, but when I am vacationing and find a LYS, I want to find something unique to that area, that I won't find back home. 

Jeanne covers that with flying colors! She designs her own patterns and you get them free when you purchase the yarn. 

I picked up two. I loose fitting shrug and a pattern called "big people blankie" , which is a triangular heavy shawl, with a large button attached to the top left side.  I will post some pics.

The highlight of the visit, was.....She had buttons! Not just any buttons, BUT the skull buttons I have been looking for over two years for!!!!  I could have gone home right then! But I stayed the rest of the week. I mean, it was only Monday.

Outside the seafood restaurant, my daughter and nephew pose for a beautiful sunset picture.

Yes, nephew. We went with the entire extended family. 19 to be exact! And you ask, well how was that? Wonderful!!! My mom was 

In her glory. All her children, spouses, grandchildren within arms reach 24/7. What more can you ask for!!!!

We did so much in one week, that we all need another to recover. 

Climbed 2 lighthouses. Visited 3. Looked at one from afar.

I loved Cape Hatteras. Prettiest lighthouse on the outer banks! I used to love Currituck, but after climbing Hatteras, it was love at first climb.

The Aquarium is a treat. A must go to, if you are visiting.

Everything we went to, was worth it. 

The ferry ride, to Ocaracoke, was the best part of the trip. The island is......Boring.  The shops are scattered and the                                                            folks are, well, not so friendly. 

The lighthouse, was not open to the public. It was smaller than all the others. Not real impressed with it. No where to park and tons of people trying to see it. But, at least I can say  I was there.

I finish with a few fun shots. Family, pretending to be on the titantic, the lighthouse and the whole Fam on the beach!

Keep knitting

I guess she could go topless!

Finished the Isty, bitsy, teeny weeny, made my hands hurt bikini last night. Well, just the bottom.  So, I said to daughter, "We will have to find a nude beach".  To which she replied with disgust, "Oh mother, that's just gross!"  

I have till Sunday to finish the top. We will be sunning our buns Sunday afternoon in Nags Head.  We are driving. If I put my mind to it, it is a possibility.  The killer is, you have to cast on 300 stitches on a size one needle!!!! I did bump up the needle to a three.  The yarn is a variegated yarn that has elastic in it. So cool. You have to watch your tension, it can go from Light worsted to a finger weight, just by the way you hold it. 

The yarn came from "Knit One" and is called Cascade Fixation. The label says it has  62-186 yards on it, depending on how you use it. It took 1 ball to make the bottom. I have three left. Over estimated I guess.  So, you too, can make one, just give me your address and I will send you my two left over. I need one for the top.

Getting back to the trip...What to take....Last year I did nothing but socks. This year, I think the same. They take up minimal room and are great on trips, waiting in lines, sunning your self by 

 the pool or at the beach.  I am going to scout out some yarn shops. There was one, 16 years ago. Hopefully that number has grown.

I asked the animals how they felt about the family leaving? This is what I got......

They don't care, cause favorite boyfriend is house and pet sitting... Lucky animals.

Well my peeps.....There's knittin to do. 

Oh yea, I gotta pack.

You will be missed

Randy Paush Died this morning from pancreatic cancer.  His story touched my life. 

God Bless his wife and children and all those who loved him.

His book is a MUST read.

My favorite two quotes from Randy:

"Experience is what you get when you don't get what you want."

And

"If you lead your life the right way, the karma will take care of itself, the dreams will come to you."

Long time since

                                   Wow. It sure has been awhile since I posted.  Thought that my vacation would give me a few extra hours to blog more. Guess NOT!  Just got back from a week in the Pennsylvania mountains. Cook Forest to be exact.  The pic is of the beautiful mountain laurels. You can look, but cannot touch or take.

We had a great time. Well, if you forget about the huge spiders and bats that flew across one end of our rustic cabin to the other, every night!

Oh yea, and then there was Rodney, the enormous Raccoon that ate all our Marshmallows!! 

 You are probably thinking, why on earth do I go....... Easy.... "Spin a Yarn" in Brookville and "Heirloom quilts and Fabrics" Two of my favorite places on earth!

Spin a Yarn is the cutest little yarn shop. Susie and I have been distant friends for more than 20 years! I love her warm and welcoming personality.  The shop doesn't have a ton of yarn, like around Pittsburgh, BUT you can always

 find a project that you have to make! 

I found some great baby yarn to make a sweater for a little boy that will be born in the fall. 

And then there's the Quilt shop. OMG!!! If you love flannels, she has them all. If you love vintage, tons! And then there is everything in between. Durfee, yes that's how you spell it, Has thousands of bolts of fabric. Her Christmas/Fall room is to die for!  I picked up some blue Christmas fabric. Something hard to find. Going to make a tree skirt. 

I didn't do a ton of knitting, like I normally do.  I think it was because went with friends, and I had fun with them instead. 

I usually get left behind, while the hubby and kids fish. Not this year, I had a buddy to run with.  

I did teach my friend to knit. Thats her in the picture below,working on her first project, A garter stitch scarf. 

Her daughter is next to her. She of course picked up how to knit in seconds and put it down just as fast. NOT FAIR. Poor mom, struggled for hours, till it all clicked! No pun intended!

I did work on my daughters teeny tiny bikini. I do hope to get that done before we leave for Nags Head. 2 weeks from now.

I will try to get a pic of the teeny tiny suit, soon.

I will finish with a few pictures of the beautiful Horseback ride we took a day before we left. Perfect weather, perfect ride. If you don't believe in God, you will after a ride like that. The beauty is beyond words. The serenity is priceless!

Peace out! Knit on my peeps!

Lavender

This little sweater, seems like it is taking me a lifetime. I started it last fall. Put it by my bed, for, just before I go to sleep knitting.

 It is on size 8 needles, which isn't bad. It is knit from the top down. 

The yarn is scented with lavender! But it is SOOOOOO boring!!!!! Round and round. Like a big sock, LOL. 

I love the yarn, and the scent makes me sleepy when I am knitting in bed! 

The pattern is from "Knitting Pure and Simple"
 I love that companies patterns. They are simple, classic patterns. 

I am on the first sleeve. I have about 2 inches left. Then I have the other sleeve and a neckline to finish. It is a sweater I am looking forward to finishing.