An FO and the hunt for more to finish off

Well, I went to my LYS to see if they have the last ball of red I need. They said that it was on it's way, but just hadn't arrived yet. While I was there, I also checked on some Cascade Cash Vero DK for a friend in Mississagua, Canada. Can we say ouch? They don't carry it the shop, so they would have to order it. It has to be ordered by the bag, which she did need a whole bag, but it was $9 US per ball. We have picked out some Knit Picks Merino Style in Dusk. It'll make a lovely shawl.

Over the weekend I finished off my Central Park Hoodie. It shall linger in a unfinished state no more. So, with no further ado:

Katie is modeling it for me.

She looks so thrilled, huh?

When we were done, I had to make her take it off. She was more than happy to try and keep it. I have promised to make her one. She has picked out some Knit Picks Wool of the Andes in Forest Heather for hers. But, here are my details:

Specs

Pattern: Central Park Hoodie from Knitscene Fall 2006
Yarn: Knit Picks Wool of the Andes
Color: Black Cherry Heather
Balls of yarn: ordered 16, only used 14 and a few yards
Needles: US 6 & 8 Circs
Size: to fit 44" bust
Modifications: Knit the body of the cardi as 1 piece. And knitted about 3" for the Ribbing/Button Band. I did not make buttons holes. If and when I find buttons for it, I'll add button loops.

Well, since my red yarn isn't in yet, I'll be looking for the yarn to finish the sleeves for my Rogue this evening. That'll be another lingering project that will finally see a finish. Until later.....

Happy Knitting!

Dangerous cake, dangerous knitting and dangerous fun

The girls and I settled in for a night alone, Shawn stayed home this evening. I made pizza pasta salad for dinner, and we decided to experiment for dessert. I have been working very hard on my CPH (since I still don't have the last ball of yarn to finish my WPS), here's a progress pic:


I have a sleeve and a half to finish, and the ribbing trim on the front, and it'll be a done puppy!

As for dessert, I found the most dangerous cake recipe in the world (Ravelry link) on Ravelry. If you don't know what that is, and you're on Ravelry, you have to check it out. I just had to try it out with the girls. For those of you that aren't on Ravelry, yet, (if you're not, go join the wait list now), you mix a little bit of everything you need to make a cake in a mug, and cook it in the microwave for about 3 minutes. I was very skeptical when I saw the recipe, but I must admit, it worked, and was very yummy. Here are some pics of that:

Here are the mugs we mixed them in.

Here is one in the microwave, cooking. Half way through the cook time, it starts to rise above the rim of the mug, but it's nothing to worry about.

Here's what it looks like when it comes out of the microwave.

Here's Katie's, she topped her's with some chocolate syrup and cut up candy bars.

Here is Annie's, she pushed a few candy bar pieces down into hers.

And, here's mine, I topped it with what was left of my Dove Chocolate & Cherry Courtship ice cream. Yummy!

In the excitement to get the mugs out, Katie opened the cabinet and out fell a mug onto my mug from Great Lakes. See:

What a shame. I collect one for every year that I visit. I guess I'll just have to try to glue this one back together and set it the back of the shelf. I'll have to look for another green one next year. Oh well! (Granted, I can say that now, but I was very upset at the time.)

Happy Knitting!

Lessons I have learned

Otherwise know as, things not to do. As I said in the last post, I have picked back up my CPH while waiting for the last hank of red for my WPS. Having left the project to languish for 2 years, and seperating the project from the instructions that have my hand written notes on them have taught me a very big lesson. And that lesson would be, DON'T LEAVE A PROJECT TO LAY FOR 2 FLIPPIN' YEARS!!!! But, I have to laugh at myself. It is sorta, kinda funny. Thank the Heavens that my alterations to the pattern were small and easy to figure out. And, if I keep working at this rate, I just may have it finished by the time my red yarns arrives. Maybe if I do get it finished, and have time, I may just finish the sleeves for my Rogue, another project that has languished for 2 years, or more. Although, I do have 1 baby blanket that I need to knit, and 2 afghans to work on for Christmas. Who know what mood will strick, if and when I finish my CPH.

Busy, busy month! (Warning: Picture Heavy Post)

I have been such a bad blogger. But, I have really been down this year. Maybe with moving, trying to settle in and Grandma dying has put me in this funk. For the longest time, I was unable to knit, and now it seems like I can't stop knitting. But, let me get to the pics I have today, then I'll tell about my mis-adventures in knitting.

I did get the costumes done for Great Lake Medieval Faire, and just in time to leave. I was literally driving gromits an hour before we were ready to leave on Friday. We had a lovely time, aside from the heat. Once got settled into the hotel, we found a resturant that we haven't tried before. Great little itlian place that was in an old bank. They served a great chicken Marsala, and had excellent margaritas, I had two. When we got back to the hotel, the kids wanted to go swimming in the indoor pool. So, I sat poolside with Cassi and watched Katie do cannon balls in the deep end (which was 5 ft deep). She had one really good one, the back splash hit the ceiling of the pool room. On Saturday, we all got started bright and early, got breakfast at the hotel, got dressed is costume and headed off to the fair. Let me just say now that it was hot. And I do mean hot. We got there at about 10:30 am, and didn't leave until around 6 pm. We had fun, but everyone scattered to the four winds once we got in there. We all did meet up several times, and we did get some pics. I don't have all of them here, but here's a few:

Here's the boys: (from left to right) Pat (Shawn's dad), Chris and Shawn (Mr. S).

Here is Annie and Cassi. This one was taken the 2nd day we were there.

Barrett the bagpiper. My favorite. The man walks around barefoot. I have never seen him in a pair of shoes, at any point, over the last 10 years.

Here is Shawn and Annie, on the first day.

After sweltering on Saturday, Katie and I decided not to dress on Sunday, even though everyone else did. But, we had a blast. It did rain on Sunday. We were trapped on the covered bridge to the mud show with about 20 other people. While we were trapped, Barrett played, a wandering minstrel couple played for us, and the mud show performers did a show on the bridge for us, and used Katie (much to her dislike) as part of the show. The only bad thing that happened was that I lost my favorite sunglasses off the side of the bridge, and didn't want to get down into the mud to retrieve them. I do have more pics. I'll upload them later when I'm on my laptop, which is where the pics are.


This past weekend, Katie had her year end softball party. It was held out at Buckeye Lake at one of the girls grandparents vacation house. And let me just say, I haven't been out there since I was a kid, and boy, have the summer houses changed. I'm talking around 300k and better for these places. Oh, how a long for a summer house. (Sorry. Eddie Izzard fans will understand that one.) Anywho. The girls had a blast. There weren't too many kids there, which was good. They swam in the lake, rode the pontoon boat and jet ski, and even went tubing. I forgot my camera, but others didn't, here are the pics that I swiped from them:

Here is Katie and I. They say the camera adds 10 pounds, I'm thinking more like 20. The girls talked me into the sun hat, I don't normally wear hats. But it was a cute hat, and for $5. We each got a different hat.

Here's Katie in her hat.

Another pic of Katie in her hat.

Here's Katie, swimming in the lake. All the kids had a blast. They were jumping in right off the bank. And since the currents can be strong, they all wore life jackets.

Here's Annie swimming. Not only did she wear a life jacket, but because she couldn't touch the bottom, she insisted on have an inflatable tube.

Here's Annie in her hat, blowing bubbles.

Here's Annie trying to get out of her life jacket.

I got creative and started a Wool Peddler's Shawl. I bought 4 hanks of Cascade 220, in a lovely red. I worked on it, mainly, after I finished the costumes. I even took it with me to the softball party. Yesterday, I brought it with me to work, I thought I'd work on it at lunch. When I pulled it out of my bag and saw how small my ball of yarn was (the 3rd ball), I pulled the last hank out to wind it up, and realized that it was the wrong colorway. I didn't know if I wanted to laugh or cry. And it was clearly the wrong colorway, not the wrong dye lot, the wrong colorway. I called the store where I got it, because they'll let me exchange it for the right one, just to find out that they are out of my colorway and have to order one for me. Now, I have to resort to working on something else until it comes in. I had thought about starting a baby blanket for Miss PJ, but then I thought about the projects that hanging around the house unfinished. If you are wondering which ones they are, they're on the side bar, to the right, if you want to take a peek. So, I went into my room and picked up the first yarn tote I saw. It just happened to be my poor CPH. But, in the mean time, here is a pic of my Wool Peddler's Shawl.

Not a very good pic, I know, I'll take a better one later. But, this is where she's at until the last ball of yarn arrives.


Happy Knitting!