Two FO--BSJ #1 and 2

I decided BSJ #2 was for for Juliet, my sisters new grand-daughter, plus I would use up the white I had left from BSJ #1.

I made #1 one for Annalise, which I hope fits her. I have not see her since July 4th so we will see.

Back detail

Juliet's sweater

Back detail, you can see the row of back fullness stitches here

close up

Believe it or not I am almost finished with #3. I started it on Friday and last night finished the 90 stitches across and picked up the 34 stitches on either side including the 10+10 extra sts. So tonight I will see how far I can go. Three ridges to the button holes, yeah! I picked out the buttons when I brought the yarn both at Hancock Fabrics.

I should make hats to go with the sweaters but if I don't another pair of socks are going on the needles.

I have never made a pair toe up but may try this time. Check out the last show Cat of Lets Knit2gether did on different ways to cast on toe up. I put the link for contributing for their need to upgrade equipment up on my blog a few months ago with explanation. I did not give much as things are tight but every little bit helps. I know it is not an easy thing to do, the shows they record and edit. I hardly have time to blog and forget about reading my favs. As of this morning I am behind 554 blog entries! I was behind when my Internet went down but a week without it was pure h*ll. By Thursday I hit me. I do all of my bill paying on-line. I am totally cut off w/o the net. I do not receive paper bills anymore, you know doing my part in saving paper, but I may rethink that.

I'll have more pictures this weekend on BSJ #3! Enjoy your day.

Now Up and running

My Internet has be out all week. 1st time this has happened. I felt so disconnected. I need to take pictures but have finished BSJ #2 and I'm half way on #3 for a boy! More later. Need to wake up and get another cup of coffee.

Whiskers on Wednesday

Zorro was, at first, laying up on his back using the mirror/wall for support. Do I have to tell you that when I came back with the camera he was not in the same position! So I stepped into to bathroom to get this shot. There are two shots but this is the one of him looking at me in the mirror. Well, he was when I was looking pressed the button!

I then returned to the Living Room where my BSJ #2 is waiting and find Pia lounging.

Last night I finished the 90 Sts part of BSJ #2 and the 34 Sts on either side are back on the needle. I hope to have pictures by the weekend. Please stop by WoW and meet Mari's Joey.

Baby Suprise Jacket #1

I say #1 because I have started #2 yesterday. I first cast on 8/3/08. Then life got in the way.

My supervisor left that Sunday for two weeks in Beijing. That 1st Monday my sister and I got in touch with our mother age 79. She was put under observation for two days and sent home. It was time to move her up to NY to live with my sister. M came and picked her and her old cat Jingles up on 8/9 and drove right back to NY. She has been seen by my M's doctor. Basically, she is in good health. She had been diagnosed two years ago with mini strokes which cause short time memory loss. It may be short term but depending on who she is talking too she has not forgotten a damn thing. A friend in her small town J who was helping her was called by mom last week. mom wanted to let J know where she was. She was kidnapped by her daughter and nephew. They came down, threw in some clothes and put her and cat in the car. J reminded her that after the doctors said she could no longer live on her own she would move to NY. She agreed to a two week vacation. This has been the plan for two years but M & I agreed to let her on her own with a wait & see. Well, the waiting is over. other than be obsessed by her pills or lack of them she is doing well. I was more worried about M but she said she has been doing alright. The hateful outbursts are less and they are adjusting to a schedule. It is now the time for us baby boomers to take care of our parents. With my mom, I think she is tired. Tired of living, tired of all things electronic, fed up with the state of the world. She is content to stay in bed all day. No matter what M tries to do to get her active it is just not the right time of day, or the right day. Very frustrating. She now has M & P to wait on her and is eating regularly. She is weak from staying in bed so she now has a walker, toilet seat riser and shower chair. M borrowed a wheel chair with the intent to drive to Jones Beach but mom said no not now, later. Whatever. She is mad that J, M, P & myself all work. to quote "you all f*cken work! Now we wait for her to make the final decisions to sell her car, sort though the house, stage it to sell yada, yada. If you have not been up this road yet your turn will come.

Back to BSJ. I had the DVD, enlarged the written pattern included so I could read it. I also went to Knit Wiki & Ravelry to find out all I could. Bottom line, I thought too much. Had too many different charts to follow. Put into the mix working for two and mom, I could not wrap my head around it. So last week I finally picked it up and worked this Saturday and Sunday and finished it.

Above: just added the 9 sts for cuff increase
Above: BSJ Row 45 90 stitches, knit 3 row even
I cut the yarn to knit the 90 stitches, got this hint fro KnitWiki. I put the 34 stitches on a holder (a length of yarn) while I knitted up the 90 stitches for 10 ridges.
once the 10 ridges were knit I put the 34 stitches back on the needle at either end and joined the yarn and started at the beginning, K34 PU the 10 sts, K90, PU 10, K34
need to pick out buttons, I am going to give this to a girl so I am going to look for retro looking buttons.
Now that I know how one of these knits up I can better place my color changes.

Specs:

1 skein of Laines Du Nord-Giunco- green & 1/3 skein of Lions Brand Baby Soft-Baby White Pompadour

Needles: Susan Bates Quicksilver Size 6 US, 4mm, 24" circular

When I last posted I told you about two movies. Wool 100%, I really enjoyed it. Part fairy tale, funky graphics, not much dialog to read sub titles. I loved the way it was shot and edited and a bittersweet story. The other was Lars and the Real Girl. Another quirky story but so sweet and great characters. I totally recommend them both. The other movie was The Bank Job but only the coming attractions would play. This is the 2nd movie I got from n*etflix that would not play on my DVD. The other was 3:10 to Yuma.

Today is my last day before returning to work and in celebration of Labor Day I am doing all the labor around the house. Dishes are washing, one load of laundry in the dryer. 1 waiting. Need to vacuum & polish the floors. Not suppose to use water on the bamboo floors but I do cheat with Sw*iffer Wet pads. Now back to work. Next time BSJ #2

Whiskers on Wednesday

Zorro sleeps in the most unusual places. Unfortunately I don't always have my camera handy. Hmm, a super power to add, a photographic memory with a USB port in my finger. This is where I found him this weekend. Sleeping on top of a bookcase in my bedroom. He likes this position. I have found him sleeping like this up against a baseboard, in the kitchen against the cabinet or fridge grill. He likes to sleep flipped over anywhere.

Pia in the meantime likes to blend in.

Please stop by WoW and check out the other posts. I hope to get back on schedule with my regular blog posting soon. More later...

Whiskers on Wednesday

Look who found a new place to hang out. Sissy is my girl who wakes me every morning, comes into the bathroom to get brushed. (when you live alone you don't close the door). She will sleep on me when I am napping and cleans my hair from the back of the couch. Yet I have only picked her up a handful of times that she does not like.

Please stop by WoW and read about Jessi's family.

Pie in the sky...

I forgot to show you my new mailbox last week. I get my share of knitting magazines and needed something that was larger. I shopped on-line and are the local hardware stores but never found one that was right. On-line there were some nice ones but they cost way too much. I found this one two years ago at a little gift shop. It did cost $57 less than online. I had to have it. It was me!!

here is a detail shot

Yesterday was my day to laze around. Sunday is my day to clean. Up early a usual, sat here and tried to catch up with blog reading. I had part of the Sunday paper and was going to go through the ads to cut coupons. I cut them out but hardly ever get to use them before they expire. I do not understand the coupon people and how they get so much for next to nothing. Since I do not cook I keep a eye out for coupons for sundries. Well, I digress.

I decided to use my $17 coupon and get a pedicure down the street from my house. So I called and set up a 10:00 appointment. First went to Mickey D's for a large hazelnut iced coffee. G-d I am addicted to them and have one every morning before I get to the office. One of the gals talked me into getting a manicure. $25 for both. Tip $7. I always bring my own polish. this is OPI "A-rose at Dawn...broke by noon" for my toes. How appropriate. I was broke by 2 pm.

This was too dark for my nails so I picked out one of their colors. It is a Lilac color. Sitting outside last night I saw that my nails matched my Crape Myrtle. Try taking a picture with your left hand.

The rings on my pinkie are new. I went to my friend/supervisor newly renovated home (go to my Flicker pics and you can see the pictures, all current and former co-workers) and she held a party for a co-worker who sells Silpada Designs. This set of stacking rings were being discontinued so the price was right. Beautiful silver but much was out of my comfort zone. The other ring was my Grandmothers.

I took my BSJ which was at the 5 ridge and did the 9 stitch increase to each side. Hallelujah! After 5-6 ribbits I finally got it right! I will have a this finished in time for our next baby due in September. My Nephew Rob and his wife Tiffany are having my sisters 3rd granddaughter. We think they are naming her Juliette (not sure how they will spell it). Not what my sis & I would have picked. Her other GD are Brianna & Elizabeth, mine is Charlotte.
I would have gotten more done when I got home 4 hours later but my Vogue Knitting and People mags were delivered so I decided that I would look at them before picking my knitting up.

After the pedi/mani I wanted to go to The Variety Store off Ft Hunt Road. It is like an old 5 & dime. Need a rubber chicken they have it. The sell Clover & Susan Bates. I am knitting BSJ with my Denise with a size 6 but I do not like that the stitches are not sliding. I picked up Size 6,7,8 & 9-- 24" circular. I also found this little guy in the baby section. It is a rattle.

Need to name him. I do not think it looks like a girl. Since I named a cat Stanley do you have any suggestions?
Ft Hunt took me to the George Washington Memorial Pkwy so I passed George's home. That took me to the gas station $3.93/gal. Plus, they do not charge for air and has the service bays open. So one of the mechanics put air in my front tires. Then next door to the 7-11 for cigarettes, I have $4.00 coupon off a carton. Got back onto Rt 1 and stopped once again for iced coffee. In Stitches a LYS is in this shopping center. Wait, now wait...of course I did not walk out empty handed. Where of where is my will power. I missed getting that at the same time I missed getting exercise when G-d was handing out what parts that make us up. I was probably talking to the person behind me in line.

two skeins of Noro Silk Garden Color 258 Lot A. I will use these to make this (Ravelry link) or go here.

By the time of got home and found the mags I spent the rest of the evening going through a stack of magazines. I also have post it notes to check out websites listed in VK. Oh, they had a review about a Japanese movie "Wool 100%", It is next up on my Netflix! Today I will watch "Lars and the Real Girl" and "The Bank Job" and knit on BSJ. Hope that I can get this done this week.

until next time...

WoW....You can't get enough

toys...do you do the same? I keep buying what I think may be the next super toy for all my furry purries. When I was cleaning this weekend I unsurfaced most of these toys. They were everywhere under something. Stanley like being on the top shelf of the cat tree, Sissy loves her spinners, Pia liked the bird on the end of the stick (picked up on Saturday) and Zorro plays with none of them. I have caught him with the spinner but that is mainly to get Sissy's attention. They are good about using the scratching post by the bathroom and at the bottom of the cat tree.

I'm leaving you now to start on the increase after the 5th ridge of the BSJ. I am watching the movie Away from Her. It is a beautiful and sad story and one many that many of us have faced or will.

Be sure to go over the WoW and check out some of the other members. Robin has a cute post today. Have not had a chance to look at others yet as I have been most anxious to get to this 5th ridge. What a milestone!

Kick in the Arse

That is what my friend Carol did by helping me this Saturday. She came over and helped, well actually did the work, of getting the brackets up so a shelf could go over the LR window so I could hang my collection of stained and blown glass up. While I was cleaning up the area that had not seen the light of day in years Carol was in the kitchen washing the glass. Now that is a friend indeed. I made the star and the 4 rectangle stained glass. The other item were gifts or from glass trips & shows.This is what the LR area looked like when they started pulling up the carpet.



The next picture is after the bamboo floors were in. That opening is where I had the 2nd bedroom opened up to make my stained glass studio. Now it is not as bad as this but I have stopped doing stained glass and have added my knitting stuff to this room.

We took breaks in between and talked about alternate ways to arrange my furniture. (The consensus is that I have too much stuff!!) The breaks were self imposed as I get so sweaty and overheated. Then we went to a late lunch at Ruby Tuesdays. I had a delicious lump crab sandwich and Carol went to the salad bar.

Sunday morning I was up at 6:30 (thank you Sissy for letting me sleep in) and was on a role. I put in more cup hooks and got everything hung up. This will be Carol's first time see what she help do by getting that shelf up. As I showed her around all 1000 sq ft, I came across the very first stained glass panel I made when I took a class. It was made with my daughter in mind as she loves to sail but there was a crack in the body of the boat. So I hung it in the kitchen window. As I continued in glass for abut 8 years I did not use patterns. I made jewelry, music boxes all 3 dimensional with art glass & found objects. It has been hard getting "stuff" unpacked or hung up. I lost two walls that I used to have that held pictures and plates. Not the one where I took the wall out two others. Most of these things are still packed up. Having the floors installed in a overly furnished small 2BR 1 bath 1000 sq ft space was not easy. In addition to having the furniture I had to pack up everything. It would have been easier to move. The floor installers and painters were not happy. Move one side of a room over put the floor down, move it back and continue on. It took a week. The painters took 3 days.

I did start on the BSJ Friday night. I am at the 5 rows part to add in some stitches. The DVD is great. I'm not sure if I would have wrapped my brain around the written pattern. I hope to have pictures soon.

Whiskers on Wednesday

Oh, to be a cat and sleep so soundly. Zorro is the spot that Pia made. BTW, I have not found Pia sleeping here anymore so I guess it is now Zorro's spot.

Last Saturday I was doing a kitty check. I could not find Zorro. Then Sissy gave him up! Sleeping at the end of my coffee table.

Stanley has a better idea. His own spot high up.

Remember to stop by WoW and check out the cats that have their own web page.

Clapotis Finished

I am so glad this is over and done with. I have used up most of the yarn. This is where this will reside...at work on the back of my chair. I will be able to wear it when the AC in the office gets too cold. Even with my work sheet I still had trouble keeping attention.

I was finally able to get a few pictures of the Gold Finches. They are so fun to watch.

I am waiting for my Knit Picks order to arrive with the BSJ pattern. Tonight I am winding up the Hand spun Leicester Longwool & Alpaca 4 oz that my BFF brought back from WVA. It is so scratchy so I hope it will soften up once knit and wash. I am going to start the Multidirectional Diagonal Scarf going up a needle size or two. As I looked at the skein closer I saw that it is spun very thin and thick (layman's term) With the different shades and texture I am hoping this pattern works out. If anyone has used this yarn and can tell me what to do I would appreciate it.

Whiskers on Wednesday

This is a short post. My camera battery went dead so the post I planned will have to wait for next week.
This is Zorro last night in Pia's spot!! After awhile I had to get him down. Pia is getting stressed. It started with the fleas and now she is loosing hair on her big, fluffy tail.
This is Sissy's new spot after dinner. This is the only window that lets the sun in and it only comes in at a angle as the sun sets. Smart girl!

Head on over the WoW! I am in the spotlight this week!! Monica you did a wonderful job.

Whiskers on Wednesday

Pia reading my pattern "see this? this is where you screwed up" Pia is always helping me knit.

"Hey, you don't need the instructions...you don't follow them too good"

Another Long, Lazy Weekend....

When I last left you I was debating on knitting up the Clapotis. After 5 tries to get to Row 14 with 17 stitches, one was when I decided to go up to size 9 needle. I am using yarn from a shrug I ripped out. Caron Simply Soft Shadows. 1) I wanted to use up something I has in my stash 2) I like to colorway. This is what I needed to do with the pattern so I could keep track. As I have mentioned before I have ADD when it comes to following a pattern. I will be knitting along and before I know it --I have done what? Which row? So this is my life saver. Thursday-- I was out of work at noon. You think you should do something special when you have extra time. So what do I do? I got a haircut. Short. Feels great, looks, short. I then went home and took a nap! Love afternoon naps. I get up everyday at 5:00 am and I start dropping around 3:30 pm. At work that only leaves me with an hour of work and a hour commute. During the week I do nothing that can't wait for the weekend then I knit and catch up on any TV that I have DVR. This weekend there were marathons of Twilight Zone, Law & Order, Clean Sweep. House Hunters.

Friday-- up early. Coffee and sat outside for a while and the Mocking Bird serenaded me. I stayed off the computer all day. Since it is now my Saturday, I vacuumed and straighten up the place. Knit on Clapppy. It is an easy pattern but you do need to pay attention. Took a nap and drove to my BFF for swim & Barbecue. When I arrived it started to rain so everything was moved inside. Pleasant evening with good food and company. I took Clappy with me and for the first time I sat and knit while everyone got caught up and the kids played around.

Saturday- hey I'm up! Coffee and that damn bird. Checked my email. Started laundry. Only one load this week. Where is my Sunday paper? Oh, it is Saturday. Move some things around to find what is where. I am looking for my gorilla Glue. I have a marble flower/birdbath and gorilla Glue should do the trick.

Sunday-- up at 4:30 thanks to Sissy then same routine. Still looking for the glue! Knit on Clappy on and off. Took an early nap. Worked in the garden cutting limbs and branches that are over the walkway. Filled up a lawn trash bag. Now I need to figure out what to do with the other side that is overgrown with ivy, strawberry vine and weeds!! Looks like the best way would be to take my hoe and start digging them out. Hoe is in the shed. Can't find the keys. I put them in a place I would know where they are. I have looked in all those places and can't find them any where. So I am putzing around. Knit a row or two of Clappy, hung the clock & the cross stitch, below, in the kitchen. I have not hung up anything since I had the whole place painted over two years ago. Oh, do you do this? I look at something that at one time I wanted and now I wonder how much it would be worth on EBay! Then I do a search and find out it is not worth giving up.

Monday- I took off an extra day. Morning wake up the same, Sissy the alarm clock. Today I am going to return some items. I do all my shopping to the right. I drove to the store furthest away. Made a left turn into Petsmart. Returned the flea stop since I did get Advantage. Picked up a thistle feeder for Goldfinch since I have seen them and they have fed here before. Also got another cat toy. Then next door to Michael's. Used my 40% off coupon from AC Moore and got Gorilla Glue, new cashier did not know how to ring in a competitor coupon. Bed Bath and Beyond is in between the two and brought two boxes of my K-Cups for my Kerurig using 2- 20% off coupons. I drive behind the shopping center to a service road to Walmart. This is my 2nd attempt to return the Belkin Starter Kit. It turned out I did not need it to play the MP3 player in the car. It took 45 min for them to figure out how to ring in an online return. This was after I wrote to walmart online and told them of my first return problem. On line service great. In store service- well they do not train. Stopped by Tuesday Morning for the last return, they are closed for restocking. Oh, Tippy's Taco right here so I picked up lunch/dinner. Did one last minute stop where I had to cross the highway! It is a nursery and I was hoping I could get two bird bath tops. Did not have. Picked up a new mat for the front door and Round up. I think I will zap some of those weeds since I can't find the key to the shed!This is the progress of Clappy so far. I think I knit two extra rows and skipped row 6 on the straight part. So now I need to figure out if I rip down and to where, so much for the chart.

Whiskers on Wednesday

I took this picture yesterday morning. A little switch out on their bowl positions as well as the other side of the room. When I got home Monday I had the dreaded invasion of ANTS. So I walk in and tear everything up, spray, but not before I try to follow their trail of entry (never did find the exact place), sweep, mop, twice. Wash everything. Meanwhile, everyone is watching and waiting in the next room wondering what the hell she is up to now. I am not a happy mama.

Every morning and evening I start with bowl #1 (the blue bowl). Every time I have 4 cats at the one bowl. I then put a handful into the next, and so forth. Pecking order, Pia, Zorro, Stanley then Sissy. Stanley is always at each bowl like he has never eaten before and won't get his share. Sissy knows the drill (girls are just smarter)

R to L: Zorro, Pia, Stanley, Sissy

Since this is my first official post for WOW (we won't count last weeks lame attempt) I am going to give you links to past posts to get to know all my furry purries. The Girls, Pia, Sissy, The Boys. A post of the boys father Big Boy

and lo and behold, their mother who I only was able to get a picture of yesterday morning while I had locked myself out of the house and the car. I left the keys on the computer keyboard and my Pela sliding doors do not need a key to lock up. Thank goodness my neighbor's husband was home. She is hoofing it to the bus stop, to the Metro to get to work in DC. A Metro ride to my work in Tysons Corner will not be ready until 2014 or later at which time I hope to be retired.