Whew -- I should have known that when the boys get the stomach bug, it is only a matter of time before Mom gets it! Don succumbed first, a whole week after Nate was sick, just when I was thinking we'd get off scot-free. And I woke up sick the next day. One day of everything coming up, and then a day of feeling like the stuffing had been knocked out of me.
On the bright side, I had taken my knitting bag (with the Braids sweater) upstairs yesterday and just didn't even have the energy to go up and get it, so I sat down and finished the sleeves of the Jean Frost jacket, AND went on to complete the collar! All of the pieces of the jacket are done. Now I just need to decide how to block them. As mentioned once before, I've never been one for blocking at all. For this sweater, you block the individual pieces and then sew it all together. I've not really enjoyed this sweater very much. I started another sweater with the yarn and didn't like it, so frogged it and started this one instead. Even so, I've told myself several times that I'll probably find this a great addition to my work wardrobe. Now to get myself to block it.
Feeling better today, I went for a long walk this afternoon. I decided to walk downtown and visit a couple of my favorite shops, knowing that they would be starting to put up holiday stuff. I was in Kmart earlier today and there were canned Christmas songs being played, which was a real turnoff. But I can get into the warm fuzzy holiday stuff in a small shop. Then I went to my LYS and decided to purchase Peruvia to make the Tilted Duster (Nora Gaughan, Fall 2007 Interweave Knits -- cover). I'm trying hard not to buy the color yarn in the pattern photo in IK but every color I picked out, they didn't have enough in stock for me to make it! Hmmm, is there a message there? I picked out a denim blue and they'll order it for me, but I'm OK with working on other projects in the meantime. The nice thing about this store is you can pick out your 8 (or whatever) skeins, purchase one or two at a time, and they'll hold the rest for you. That way, you are only spending a bit of your allowance at a time, instead of writing a big check :)
In addition to Don and I recovering from the flu, our kitten, Lydia, was spayed on Monday. She is acting like she is feeling better, but is still wearing the collar to keep her from licking her incisions. The funny thing is, she isn't much for self-grooming -- we give her a weekly bath and she gets more grooming from our older cat, Pandora, than she gives herself. But when we take the collar off a couple of times a day, she can't stop licking her healing spots. We take it off and give her a luxurious neck rub, and then she goes right at herself until we put the collar back on. Hopefully she'll only have to wear it a couple more days. There are five more days of giving her her medication (antibiotics) -- I'll be glad when that is over! Luckily, she doesn't seem to be holding anything against us. And, she's appreciated my sitting around the last couple of days so she can keep me company.
OFF MY NEEDLES
The Vine vest is done -- just needs blocking.
The Jean Frost jacket is knitted -- just needs blocking and assembling.
ON MY NEEDLES
The Braids cardigan is coming along very nicely. I really love the Colrain yarn and will definitely do another project in it.
Zeben's socks have gone nowhere, but I think I'll take them with me to a concert tonight.
Haven't touched the feather and fan scarf. I'll get to it eventually, but am itching to get to bigger and better lace projects.
NEXT UP
I've ordered lace weight yarn from Knit Picks (on sale!) -- some in handpainted colors and one plain, neutral color. My first project will be the lace shrug from Meg Swanson's A Gathering of Lace. What a nice project to wrap up in when the winter really sets in!
I need new mittens. And, I should start a pair of socks for myself as the sock yarn is starting to pile up -- three different ones waiting as we speak. A Tofutsies in variegated light and medium blues, an Aruncula Ranco in smoky purples, browns and greens, and a Knit Picks Gloss in burgundy. Now to pick a pattern! I just got Favorite Socks for my birthday, so will look there first.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Time Flies
I'm finding it hard to believe it is November already, even though the weather is finally beginning to act more like Fall in Maine. I made an appointment for a student to meet with me next week and realized it will already be halfway through the month!
I took the train to Boston and back for a work event and got lots of knitting done on the Braids cardigan. Actually, I slept most of the way down on Thursday morning because I'd been up a half-dozen times during each of two previous nights -- my sons had the stomach flu and still appreciate having Mom check on them. Zzzzzzzzzz
I used Interlibrary Loan to borrow A Gathering of Lace and Victorian Lace Today -- ah, what pleasure to peruse! I've added quite a few projects from both books to my Ravelry queue. I don't know which I'll get to first, but need to go to the Knit Picks site and order lace yarn on sale -- I can make several of my favorite projects for about $16-20. Not bad!
Speaking of money, I attended a Financial Aid Information Meeting last night at the high school. Gosh, things are going to be tight for the next few years. Zeben got an estimated aid letter from Allegheny. The FA Director at Colby said it was a very generous offer, but it still looks like we and the boys will have to cobble together quite a hefty sum each year. She reminded us, though, that one thing to take into account is money that you'll save by them not being at home. Just lunch money alone is $120 a month! And now that milk is over $4.50 a gallon, just that will be a big savings. Add in the hot water costs, electricity, and food and maybe Don and I will be able to scrape along. Since they won't be able to take a car with them to college, maybe we can cut back on insurance, too. We won't really know what all of this looks like until after we submit the FAFSA in January, so I suppose I shouldn't worry too much about it now. I did nearly empty the mutual fund today in order to pay down our home equity loan so that we'll be able to cut back on our monthly payments there, too. We'll get there somehow.
I was proud of myself in Boston, however. I did do a bit of shopping, but resisted buying yarn when browsing in Windsor Button on Temple Street. What looks kind of like a dingy JJ Newberry's, turns out to be a wonderland of yarn and other needlework stuff. I really wanted a skein of Fiesta La Boehme (in Quince) but resisted -- at $30 I'd be afraid to use it and would probably need 2 skeins to actually make anything. I'll just enjoy drooling over it.
ON MY NEEDLES
The Braids Cardigan is progressing nicely. I really like the Valley Yarns Colrain I'm using -- it has a beautiful feel and lustrous look to it. The color is Grape Jelly, but most people think of Burgundy Wine when they see it.
I picked up the jacket today and plan to leave it out where I'll pick it up more often. Really, how long can it take me to finish the caps of the sleeves?
I finished the Vermont Bag in Artful Yarns Shakespeare. It still needs to be sewn together and then I REALLY need to felt everything waiting to be felted: another Vermont Bag, a Fiber Trends bag, a cat bed, and this new bag.
Feather and Fan Scarf -- haven't touched it in a couple of weeks.
Finished, but not blocked: The Four Seasons Vine Lace Vest in Berocco Comfort (a freebie pattern from the Classic Elite site).
Waiting in the wings -- several skeins of sock yarn, including Tofutsies!
WHAT I'M READING
The Teach Yourself Visually Handspinning book has given me a good review so I can get my spinning wheel back in action. I bought some roving over Labor Day weekend at "Done Rovin'" in far Downeast Maine but was having trouble spinning. This book has helped immensely, though I have yet to sit down and try it again.
The Glass Castle, loaned to me by my mother, is about a really whacked out family, the memoir of one of the children. Good reminder that my own family is pretty tame!
The Knitter's Book of Yarn: The Ultimate Guide to Choosing, Using, and Enjoying Yarn by Clara Parkes. So far I've just browsed, but am about to delve into it.
I took the train to Boston and back for a work event and got lots of knitting done on the Braids cardigan. Actually, I slept most of the way down on Thursday morning because I'd been up a half-dozen times during each of two previous nights -- my sons had the stomach flu and still appreciate having Mom check on them. Zzzzzzzzzz
I used Interlibrary Loan to borrow A Gathering of Lace and Victorian Lace Today -- ah, what pleasure to peruse! I've added quite a few projects from both books to my Ravelry queue. I don't know which I'll get to first, but need to go to the Knit Picks site and order lace yarn on sale -- I can make several of my favorite projects for about $16-20. Not bad!
Speaking of money, I attended a Financial Aid Information Meeting last night at the high school. Gosh, things are going to be tight for the next few years. Zeben got an estimated aid letter from Allegheny. The FA Director at Colby said it was a very generous offer, but it still looks like we and the boys will have to cobble together quite a hefty sum each year. She reminded us, though, that one thing to take into account is money that you'll save by them not being at home. Just lunch money alone is $120 a month! And now that milk is over $4.50 a gallon, just that will be a big savings. Add in the hot water costs, electricity, and food and maybe Don and I will be able to scrape along. Since they won't be able to take a car with them to college, maybe we can cut back on insurance, too. We won't really know what all of this looks like until after we submit the FAFSA in January, so I suppose I shouldn't worry too much about it now. I did nearly empty the mutual fund today in order to pay down our home equity loan so that we'll be able to cut back on our monthly payments there, too. We'll get there somehow.
I was proud of myself in Boston, however. I did do a bit of shopping, but resisted buying yarn when browsing in Windsor Button on Temple Street. What looks kind of like a dingy JJ Newberry's, turns out to be a wonderland of yarn and other needlework stuff. I really wanted a skein of Fiesta La Boehme (in Quince) but resisted -- at $30 I'd be afraid to use it and would probably need 2 skeins to actually make anything. I'll just enjoy drooling over it.
ON MY NEEDLES
The Braids Cardigan is progressing nicely. I really like the Valley Yarns Colrain I'm using -- it has a beautiful feel and lustrous look to it. The color is Grape Jelly, but most people think of Burgundy Wine when they see it.
I picked up the jacket today and plan to leave it out where I'll pick it up more often. Really, how long can it take me to finish the caps of the sleeves?
I finished the Vermont Bag in Artful Yarns Shakespeare. It still needs to be sewn together and then I REALLY need to felt everything waiting to be felted: another Vermont Bag, a Fiber Trends bag, a cat bed, and this new bag.
Feather and Fan Scarf -- haven't touched it in a couple of weeks.
Finished, but not blocked: The Four Seasons Vine Lace Vest in Berocco Comfort (a freebie pattern from the Classic Elite site).
Waiting in the wings -- several skeins of sock yarn, including Tofutsies!
WHAT I'M READING
The Teach Yourself Visually Handspinning book has given me a good review so I can get my spinning wheel back in action. I bought some roving over Labor Day weekend at "Done Rovin'" in far Downeast Maine but was having trouble spinning. This book has helped immensely, though I have yet to sit down and try it again.
The Glass Castle, loaned to me by my mother, is about a really whacked out family, the memoir of one of the children. Good reminder that my own family is pretty tame!
The Knitter's Book of Yarn: The Ultimate Guide to Choosing, Using, and Enjoying Yarn by Clara Parkes. So far I've just browsed, but am about to delve into it.
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