Knitting Muse has left Blogger......

New site is up and running. Feeling happy with new blog being on website. And I've even managed to set up the pages the way I want them. Love that option.

Please come and visit me there as this is my last post on this blog.

New blog....

...again. 3rd time should be a charm, ya think?

The goal is to have my blog on my website. The complication is Yahoo (website host) using WordPress as blog. It's a complication because I am inexperienced with WordPress...and it's kicking my a$$! Finding all information I need for set up...and WordPress Support is on vacation unavailable for another week.

Bottom line - website and blog is under construction. So if you're trying to access pattern page - look here.

Hope to have the bugs worked out soon with new patterns up for your enjoyment. :)

Knitting software recommendation

I'm in love. Truly in love....with Intwined Pattern Studio software (think kniting charts).

I've looked at chart producing software for awhile but wouldn't commit my money because there was always something it couldn't do that I needed it to do. The most recent issue was over combining color and stitch - not one or the other. Intwined does that.

In the past I've used Excel for creating charts. Most recently a chart showing complicated color changes. It was a long and arduous use of Excel's drawing tools. Intwined has simplified that for me by allowing user to create new stitches fairly easily for use in charts.

Oh...and it creates text as you create the chart so that the basic knitting instructions are written by the time you've completed the chart. What's not to love?

Goodbye using Excel to make charts! Hello more time to knit!

I have no affiliation with the company that produces this software. Just a very happy user. :D

People First: Empowering People With Disabilities

We live with a disabled person - our daughter. She has a beautiful smile and loving heart. She also has some vision loss and mild cerebral palsy that includes seizures and intellectual disability.

While it has been a painful and often frustrating journey for 22 years, we wouldn't trade it for anything. She has taught us to love unconditionally, how to have patience, and how to make lemonade when life hands you lemons (she does it everyday).

Remember to look for the ability in disABILITY.

Recipe to wash dog who met a skunk

• quart of 3% hydrogen peroxide
• 1/4 cup baking soda
• 1 tsp liquid soap

Credit for dog wash recipe goes to vet after I told them the...ahem...situation. Stupid dogs.

Scarves for Special Olympics 2011

I am currently planning my next projects for Scarves for Special Olympics. Next year's colors have been decided - Red Heart Super Saver Cherry Red and White. Plenty of time for us to overwhelm them again. :D

P.S. Even though boot cast is still on, I am happy to say I'm feeling better mentally....pity party is over! I may even have pictures to show you soon! (I'm wondering if the pain medication I was on actually caused the depression....?? )

A look inside "I Can't Believe I'm Loom Knitting"

Lugging this boot cast around has become old. I'm hot, tired and cranky most of the time....and trying hard not to share that (aren't you glad?) And since I will have to wear it for at least 2 more weeks, you won't hear much from me. In the meantime, I'll keep my misery complaining to myself. ;)

However, I thought you might like to see more of what is inside of I Can't Believe I'm Loom Knitting...in case you haven't picked up a copy yet. You can look here, and here on Leisure Arts website.

Not again!

Tuesday was a good day until....


The label of clumsy has never been applied to me before. Time to rethink that. I tripped....again...left ankle turned side-ways as I tried to regain my footing, landed on the side-ways ankle and heard the dreaded POP! as I fell. Horrible pain and immediate swelling make me think I've broken the ankle....again. *@#*(!! $*&@&^!! (G-rated version of the words echoed through the house).

Within 2 hours, I was at an orthopedist office to be x-rayed. Results are good news - no new break in the ankle. But the bad news is the fracture from Dec 2008 never completely healed. Or perhaps it broke - again?

Whichever, I'm back in the boot cast for at least 3 weeks at which time I see the doctor again to determine what's next. Lovely.

And if that wasn't enough to make Tuesday miserable....

It was raining when we left the doctor's office. And since it was late, Gary suggested dinner out at a little Mexican food restaurant. As we finished eating, we notice restaurant staff scurrying around with brooms and mops. Water was coming into the restaurant under the doors. Within 15 minutes, the floor was covered with 2 or more inches of water. We looked outside and saw water everywhere.

The street was flooded to the point that firefighters and police were rescuing people stranded in their autos. The parking lot had water up to the doors of my little SUV.

We had to stay put for about an hour waiting for the water to recede. This is the parking lot as we left...



At least dinner was on the house.

Happy 4th of July

Special Weekend

We in the midst of a grand celebration this weekend - Angela's birthday!
It started today with her choice of a restaurant. She choose Joe's Crab Shack (good choice!).

Gary got to do most of the work on the king crab legs.

Tomorrow we bake a cake - triple chocolate with fudge icing (can you feel the calories just in reading the name?)

Sunday is "the day". There will be a little get-together in the afternoon complete with buffalo burgers on the grill and swimming in the pool. Yes, you read that correctly...BUFFALO burgers. She loves them.

Plus we're making homemade ice cream to go with the cake. (I'll be spending a lot of time doing laps next week as well as extra time on the bike.)

Stop by if you're in the area!

Fortunately I got the Pokemon plushies finished in time to give her on Sunday because her *real* present didn't arrive yet. (Why does tracking now come with a date it was scanned in but doesn't bother with where it was scanned at???)

Anyway, Torchic and Jiggypuff are done. Thanks again to Wolfdreamer for her terrific patterns. :)

Wednesday WIP

Oklahoma went straight from Winter to Summer with temperatures soaring to the high 90's every day. Lovely for enjoying our swimming pool...which we have been. But doesn't help the want to hold yarn.

Nevertheless, I have been crocheting.
Working on 2 Pokemon plushies for daughter's birthday (thanks to Wolfdreamer!). I need to get these finished by Sunday.

But most of my spare time has been spent playing with beads.

I have a chart underway for a beadweaving design that has been vegetating in my head for over 2 years. It seems like time for it to evolve beyond an idea, eh?
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Flower beds are starting to look like.....well, FLOWER beds. ha! Gladiolas have started to bloom despite the heat.


And another calla lily has bloomed.
Maybe I can do this gardening thing after all?

Doing

Back from vacation for 5 days and I haven’t managed to spend more then 10 minutes on the computer. It’s all this “doing” stuff which has included unpacking and cleaning the motor home, laundry, weeding the flower beds, and doctor appointments. And today daughter and I gave the non-traveling home a good cleaning. Good thing we had a long, restful vacation before all this doing!

Speaking of vacation…the last part was nice and relaxing. We spent time in Custer State Park touring the park and seeing the wildlife,

...found a sign we need for the back yard (we've had to rescue 2 turtles from the dogs), …and a trip to Wall Drugs (home of free ice water) and the badlands of South Dakota.

We also went to Deadwood where my daughter tried her first slot machine.

She won too! Must be “first time gambler” luck. Of course I gave her the ole spill about only taking the amount of money you can give away to the casino. Then when she won, I encouraged her to leave a winner (in other words, cash in). She listened and happily walked away with profit.

The trip home included a side-trip to Little Big Horn in Montana, and Fort Laramie in Wyoming. We are self-professed history buffs.

A very nice vacation indeed.

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“The calla lilies are in bloom again….” (Stage Door, Katharine Hepburn)

It’s my first calla lily ever….I am so proud!

Great Family Adventure 2010

We’re on vacation. I forgot to mention that, eh? Yes, we left on our RV vacation the 24^th of May. Between last minute errands, packing the essentials into the motor home, and the excitement over Lost finale (which I loved and hubby scratched his head over) I just forgot to mention it.

The first couple of nights were spent at friend’s farm in Kansas. They are more like family really, and we hadn’t seen them since we moved from California where they live most of the year. Catching up was wonderful and seeing the family farm was nice.

From there we headed north out of Kansas and into Nebraska, making our way to Black Hills in South Dakota where we are at now. Since our arrival, we’ve been up on a mountain top, down into a cave, and witnessed an explosion.

Up on a mountain

About 8 years ago we saw Crazy Horse for the first time. It made a profound impression upon us…the commitment of the Ziolkowski family, as well as the meaning behind the Memorial Foundation.
That prompted us to become regular contributors to help in completion of the vision.

Since we are regular contributors, this year we had the pleasure and honor of going to the top of the Crazy Horse Memorial.

It was an amazing experience to be that close to an amazing sculpture-in-work.

Our guide, Dewey, gave us insight into how the work is done. And what a view from the arm of Crazy Horse!

An unforgettable experience.

Down into a cave

Jewel Cave. While it was interesting to hear about the on-going exploration of the caverns, the area that the public is allowed into just isn’t as beautiful as Carlsbad Caverns (sorry, it’s true).





Most interesting tidbit – 723 steps according to the guide (I didn’t actually count them). Yes, the ultimate stair master.

Witnessed an explosion

Sometime the work on Crazy Horse requires blowing up (off?) part of the mountain to get to the area where the work is to be done. An explosion was on the schedule for Memorial Day – an event! And we were there.

Gotta admit….Gary (hubby) really knows how to show we gals (Angela and I) a good time.

We still have another 1 ½ weeks left before we’ll be home. If I have a chance, and if WiFi is available, I will blog again about the Great Family Adventure 2010.

New patterns

I've finally finished a couple of loom knit designs. Both are scarves and the patterns can be found on my web site.

Waves Long Scarf has been planned for months. I wanted to do a scarf with pointed ends.


As I knitted it, I was inspired to make a neck gaiter too.


I really like wearing neck gaiters. Need more of these. :)


A few years ago (2007 to be exact), I did a class in make Flip Flop Toppers. My pattern for these is now on my site as a free pattern. Enjoy!

Wednesday WIP and tornadoes

After spending the past weekend with bronchitis, I am now rushing to finish this WIP. It's suppose to be published later this year in a Creative Knitting issue (happy dance)


Aother WIP I'm doing is for fun. Daughter has always been a Pokemon fan. I was delighted to find this blogger's site filled with wonderful crochet patterns of pokemon. So I started one for DD's June birthday (sssshhhhh!! Don't tell her!)


Wolfdreamer is truly an amazing artist with the hook.

And I'm knitting hanging dish towels for the RV. Not only do I need dish towels for the kitchen but I like the idea of being to secure them while the RV is in motion.


The last two WIP are part of my attempt to de-stash before the fall buying begins. That will be my 2 year anniversary from my self-imposed yarn diet. I am SO tired of this yarn diet. I see all this new stuff coming out and have to remind myself that I really do not need more yarn (of course, when did need have anything to do with it in the first place?)

Anyway, I am tired of talking myself out of the new yarns. As this fall is the 2 year anniversary of my self-imposed yarn diet, I plan to be happy that I have trimmed it down as far as I can by then. And I will allow myself to purchase yarn for specific projects. That's the stipulation - must have a project planned for the yarn I want to buy. I think that's fair. :)

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Big hug to all the friends and family for worrying about us this past Monday as tornadoes swept through our town Choctaw, OK. We were in the storm cellar when the sirens went off , and luckily the tornadoes missed our neighborhood.

Finished Friday on a Saturday

Late with Finished Friday but I have a good excuse...bronchitis. I spent yesterday at the doctor getting some good med's so I feel much better today. Yay for better living through chemicals! I know that sounds terrible but unless you suffer with allergy-induced asthma that leads to bronchitis please do not criticize. ;)

The finished knitting I want to point out is the drop-shoulder sweater I did for Loom Knitter's Circle. Using only knits and purls with a little decreasing to show off your girlish figure, it's a good first (or second) loom knit sweater. And it's knit with a luscious yarn from Knit Picks!
As it's almost summer, you have plenty of time to finish it before cooler weather. Enjoy! ;)

Wonderfulness

I didn't exactly forget to post a work in progress yesterday...I just didn't have time. Somehow the laundry multiplied itself. So yesterday's WIP would have been pictures of laundry baskets. Surely you don't need pictures of that!

So today I'm blogging about wonderfulness. And if there isn't such a word, there should be!

28 years ago today, I married the most wonderful man I've ever known. He's my Best Friend, my counselor, and lover....all rolled into one. I'm lucky to know him. Even luckier that we have such a strong love and bond.



Happy Anniversary, Sweetheart! (We need to get a newer picture of ourselves together.) XOXOXO

Further wonderfulness can be found in the flower beds. The gladiolas have popped up, and the asiatic lilies are beautiful!




Plus I managed to get a couple of the garden goodies my Mother gave me a into the flower bed.


Since the wind seems to blow constantly, these little guys are always flying. Fun to watch as I weed the flowers beds.

I think I'm starting to like this garden thing. :)

Finished Friday on Thursday night

OK, I'll admit I'm excited to tell you about my latest loom work. And since tomorrow is all about doctor appointments and miscellaneous errands with MIL, I'm blogging this evening.

This what I spent most of last summer and fall working on - I Can't Believe I'm Loom Knitting.


It has just been released so I'm not sure when you'll find it on Amazon, at Walmart, or in hobby stores. But it should be in time for your 2010 fall/winter loom knitting. Of course if you can't wait, you can order it from Leisure Arts. :)

There are new stitch patterns inside that come together for a sampler afghan.

The stitch patterns are then used to make a variety of items. Here's a little peak.

Child hat

Baby blanket or lap afghan

Adult hat and neck scarf

A lace wrap

A total of 18 projects that includes beginner hats but with other more complicated designs that make this perfect for seasoned loom knitter too.

A lot of love and brain power went into this little publication. Hopefully you'll find it filled with goodies that you can't wait to make!

Wednesday WIP and "Wii Knitting"

I've spent the last week primarily working on this sample knit for Knit Picks.



Part of the *deal* of being a sample knitter is that you are not allowed to blog about the pattern, and I'm not. Well, except for this part - I've learned a new way to do sleeves of sweater and want to find more information about it.

The sleeves are knitted first and put onto waste yarn until the body is knitted to the bottom arm hole. Then the sleeves are attached by knitting them on. There is a great deal more involved, including decreasing at armhole, but I won't go into that as that might be pushing the limits of what I can discuss about the sample. But IF you know what this type of sleeve knitting is called, EMAIL ME! I have some references to research once I have more time but it's fairly daunting without an exact name of the technique (or phrase to use).

What I did run across in the few minutes of research I did was the method of picking up stitches along the armhole of the body and knitting the sleeves using short rows to shape them. Barbara Walker's Knitting From the Top discusses this technique. And it's just in time for for me to use in the sweater I've swatched for myself.

As I'm still knitting from my stash (can you say YARN DIET?), I have to find patterns that work for the amount of yarn already on hand. (And let me tell you - this is getting mighty old!) In the stash is 10 skeins of Debbie Bliss Cathay (now discontinued) that is enough for a short sleeve sweater in my size...maybe....depending on the pattern.

This pattern showed up in my in-box earlier this week. I like it! And if I use the short row shaping method of doing the sleeves, I can make the sleeves shorter if the amount of yarn I have won't work. Good plan.

Swatch is done.
I'm casting on as soon as I finish the sample knit.
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I recently came across this comic. Wii Knitting!!

Love it! hahaha